This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Apple’s invite for the September 12 “Wonderlust” event offers potential clues about what to expect. Mostly it makes us wonder: Will Apple ever release an iPhone in a truly bold, lust-worthy color?

The main thing we can agree on is that it looks like the iPhone 15 colors might be more boring than usual.

Also on The CultCast:

• We’ll miss Apple’s leather cases if the company really does pull the plug.
• 3D printing with metal could be a game-changer for the manufacturing process. If anyone can do it, Apple can.
• AirPods might receive the USB-C upgrade they deserve next month.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

Hurricane Idalia struck Florida hard on August 30, downing trees, ripping roofs off buildings and flooding roads enough to submerge cars. In some parts of the state, residents face rebuilding their homes and lives.

The Major League Soccer playoffs kick off in October, and fans can watch all the action with an MLS Season Pass that’s now available at less than a third of the cost it was earlier.

Cheer on your favorite team, or see if Lionel Messi can take Inter Miami CF all the way, without breaking the bank.

New users can get lifetime access to Microsoft Office for less than ever, thanks to our Labor Day sale on two lifetime licenses for Mac or PC.

Ready to master the stock market? This combo deal pairs a tool that helps you identify solid investments with a comprehensive online course that will teach you how Wall Street works.

During a Labor Day Sale, you can purchase a lifetime subscription to the Tykr stock screener, plus access to “Top Tools for Better Stock Picking,” both at one low price. Normally sold for $930, this package is available for only $99.97 with coupon code STOCK for a limited time.

Salvor and Gaal are in trouble this week as incredible Apple TV+ space opera Foundation heads into the home stretch of its great second season.

With the Mentalics moving on our two heroines, it seems that everyone has their fair share of trouble in the episode, entitled “The Last Empress.” Cleric and Constant find themselves at the business end of a Trantor firing squad. Dusk and Dawn see themselves fading into obsolescence. And Sareth’s running out of time to make her move.

Shake to the rhythm of the beat in the revival of Sega’s Samba de Amigo: Party-to-Go. The game debuted in arcades and on consoles more than 20 years ago, and is now available for an Apple TV, Mac and more.

It’s this week’s addition to the Apple Arcade gaming service.

Designer Basic Apple Guy has appeared on Cult of Mac a lot lately, but with new wallpaper coming out that makes it looks like Apple CEO Tim Cook and other execs are in a new version of classic game Grand Theft Auto, how can we slam on the brakes now?

Released Friday, “Grand Theft Auto Cupertino” wallpapers are available for free download!

Just ahead of iPhone 15’s release, a squad of Anker charging accessories featuring Qi2 wireless charging — like MagSafe, but for everyone — rolled out at IFA Berlin, the company said Thursday.

New and updated products include MagGo magnetic chargers, power stations and banks with Qi2, plus updated USB-C Nano chargers and more.

The new Qi2 spec is said to work with upcoming iPhone 15 series handsets at 15W of fast-charging power without MagSafe certification.

Not interested in waiting for the Apple Watch Series 9? Now is the time to buy the Apple Watch Series 8 then, with discounts of up to $90.

Amazon has currently discounted the 41mm Apple Watch to as low as $309, with the 45mm model available for $359.

A well-lit and well-equipped computer setup can evoke peace and productivity at the same time. Today’s Mac Studio rig exudes a zen-like calm despite being a total powerhouse.

It features a well-mounted Studio Display, a slick mechanical keyboard with wrist rest, a sleek external drive as well as tidy pegboard storage for AirPods Max.

There’s no denying it. Summer is almost over and school’s about to start. Get ready with new versions of Microsoft’s crucial productivity software, Windows and Office. You can grab them at bargain-basement prices in the back-to-school sale at CdkeySales.com.

Apple gave a more complete explanation of why it cancelled a plan to scan iCloud Photos libraries for child sexual abuse material. It’s the same reason it gave back in 2022, but with more detail.

It all comes down to user privacy, and the potential for the system to be abused by hackers and repressive governments.

Want to establish a presence on the web? Before you start dreaming up blog posts or even think of a logo, you should set yourself up with a reliable web host. It’s worth paying a little more to lay a quality foundation for your online empire, but thanks to our Labor Day Sale, you don’t have to.

Through Sept. 4, new users can get a lifetime subscription to unlimited web hosting through BonoHost for less than $50.

Two of the MacBook Pros that launched back in 2017 just got a bit harder to get repaired. That’s because they’ve been added to Apple’s official list of vintage devices. This includes the 15-inch model introduced in 2017 and one of the two 13-inch MacBook Pros.

But it’ll be years before they’re listed as obsolete.

Learning is arguably the best investment you can make. Mastering new skills keeps you curious. Plus, staying up to date on the very latest specialities can add some serious heft to your resume. And that can prove extremely lucrative.

Top-rated online learning hub StackSkills Unlimited allows you to learn a huge range of skills, from IT and graphic design to finance and marketing. And right now, you can grab a lifetime membership for just $34.97 (previously on sale for $44.99).

Qi2 is the future of wireless chargers and Belkin is already on board. On Thursday, it took the wraps off a pair of accessories that use the emerging standard.

Qi2 was created to bring the advantages of iPhone’s MagSafe to Android. Wireless chargers from Belkin and other companies that support the standard will work equally well for Apple and Samsung, etc. handsets, as long as they support Qi2.

If you want an easy-to-use VPN, consider UltraVPN. It ranked highly in a recent review on the vpngeeks subreddit for two simple reasons: “It’s by far the cheapest VPN available and it’s the simplest to use,” according to the reviewer.

And now it’s even cheaper, thanks to a special offer via Cult of Mac Deals.

The Zagg Pro Keyboard 12 is a slim, lightweight desktop keyboard that uses Bluetooth so no data cable is required. And it also charges wirelessly so it never needs a cable of any kind.

The accessory can be paired with multiple devices, and switch easily between them.

I tested the membrane keyboard in my home office for several weeks. Here’s what it’s like in real-world use.

Eve Play, an audio streaming interface that lets you stream via AirPlay 2 from an iPhone or iPad to an amplifier, active speaker or soundbar, will come out soon, Eve Systems said Thursday.

The little black box — Eve’s first audio device — also integrates with other AirPlay 2 devices like HomePods. But the new device doesn’t ship until November 14, so you’ll have to wait a bit.

The Human Generator, even among the myriad AI tools available in recent months, stands out as a beacon of innovation. The free online tool lets you quickly and easily create lifelike digital humans.

But how does the Human Generator fare in real-world usage, and should you integrate it into your creative arsenal? Let’s dive in and explore how this groundbreaking tool works to let you create and easily fine-tune digital “people” for use in a wide variety of applications.

If you’ve got old photos and slides, digital preservation is the best way to make them accessible. The Kodak Slide N Scan makes keeping these memories easy. And it’s on sale now through September 4 for Labor Day. With code KODAK, you can save $54 off the original MSRP.

No normal human can keep track of the hundreds of complicated passwords required to avoid falling prey to hackers. To keep them all straight, you need a password manager cable of generating complex passwords and storing them securely on all your devices.

If you’re tired of playing Rain Man, this password manager deal is for you. Protect your identity and your bank account with a lifetime subscription to Sticky Password Premium at a surprisingly low price. During our Labor Day Sale, you can get complete coverage for only $19.97 (regularly $199) with no coupon.

The upcoming documentary The Pigeon Tunnel is the final interview with John le Carré, who wrote many best-selling novels about spies and was an MI6 agent himself.

A just-released trailer for the biopic shows the British spy-turned-author discussing his very usual life. The film will premiere on Apple TV+ this fall.

Security researchers can boost their iPhone research, work with security teams and help protect users — all while earning bug bounties for finding credible threats — if they apply to the 2024 iPhone Security Research Device Program, Apple said Wednesday.

File an application by October 31 to get your special iPhone for security research.