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First Killers of the Flower Moon trailer mixes oil, greed and murder

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Robert De Niro and Leonardo DiCaprio in
Robert De Niro, left, and Leonardo DiCaprio bring plenty of star power to Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon.
Photo: Apple TV+

The first trailer for Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon opens with bare-chested members of the Osage Nation dancing exuberantly in slow motion around an oilfield gusher. And then things get dark … really dark, really fast.

It’s a riveting first look at the movie, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, which comes to Apple TV+ this October.

ChatGPT iPhone app puts AI ‘at your fingertips’

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OpenAI ChatGPT for iOS
Get an iPhone version of the real ChatGPT today. No workarounds necessary.
Photo: Cult of Mac

OpenAI introduced ChatGPT for iOS, an application that brings the much-hyped chatbot powered by artificial intelligence to iPhone users.

It is free and has all the features of the web version, which means it is ready to answer questions with generally correct answers. Plus, this iOS version supports OpenAI’s speech recognition system.

Apple TV 4K now lets you watch 4 sports streams at once

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Multiview now available for MLS Season Pass and Friday Night Baseball on Apple TV 4K
The new multiview feature on Apple TV 4K can show up to four simultaneous streams on MLS Season Pass or Friday Night Baseball.
Image: Apple

Apple rolled out its new multiview feature on Apple TV 4K Thursday. It lets sports fans watch four streams at once, mixing and matching programming in a choice of layouts.

And that programming can include not just Major League Soccer matches and Friday Night Baseball games, but also selected MLS and MLB live shows with commentators.

Classy leather band with case dresses up and protects Apple Watch

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The sturdy case and fine leather band will protect Apple Watch and look good doing it.
The sturdy case and fine leather band will protect Apple Watch and look good doing it.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Of all the many types of Apple Watch bands, there is one timeless classic: leather. It sports a rugged yet refined look. It’s durable. And it gains character with age.

Speidel makes it even better by including a stylish and protective case for your Apple Watch and a soft silicone interior to boost the band’s comfort and breathability. And you can get a great deal on it in the Cult of Mac store.

iOS 16.5, iPadOS 16.5 and macOS Ventura 13.4 arrive

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iOS 16.5
Time to check for updates on your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Following a beta period spanning over a month, Apple has released the stable build of iOS 16.5, iPadOS 16.5, and macOS Ventura 13.4 to the public. Your Apple Watch and Apple TV are also getting a new update.

Unlike iOS 16.4, the latest iOS release is not packing a ton of new features. There are a few improvements and enhancements, but otherwise, this is mostly a bug-fixing release.

Georgia becomes latest state to support driver’s license in Apple Wallet

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Georgia becomes latest state to support driver’s license in Apple Wallet
Georgia got on board with Apple's digital ID initiative.
Image: Georgia Department of Driver Services

Georgia is now the fourth U.S. state to support digital driver’s licenses and IDs stored in the Wallet app on iPhone or Apple Watch. The major advantage is speeding up the process of moving through security checkpoints at airports.

It’s another step in Apple’s goal of replacing physical wallets with iPhone.

Your next soft drink could uncap free Apple Music

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Bad Bunny joins Pepsi on offer to win free Apple Music and much more.
Bad Bunny joins Pepsi with offer to win free Apple Music subscriptions and much more.
Photo: Pepsi

Pepsi teamed up Wednesday with Apple Music and its 2022 Artist of the Year, Bad Bunny, to launch a summer ad campaign and giveaway.

Customers who buy Pepsi products in stores — Mountain Dew Major Melon, anyone? — may uncap a free Apple Music subscription or other prize, like Beats headphones. Or you can sign up to win without a purchase.

“Summer is the season of the year that we all get excited about, the one that brings the heat, when we seek the beach, friends, good music and just have a good time,” said Bad Bunny. “I’m happy to partner with Pepsi and Apple Music to bring fans more of what we love and unites us: MUSIC, through ‘Press Play On Summer’ offer.”

Apple’s dream of lightweight AR glasses remains elusive

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Apple Glass concept from the Hacker 34.
The technology to make Apple AR glasses like these doesn't exist yet.
Concept: the Hacker 34
WWDC23

The VR/AR headset roughly the size of a pair of ski goggles that Apple is widely expected to introduce next month isn’t even close to CEO Tim Cook’s original goal for the project, according to info leaking from the company. Instead, Cook wanted a slim pair of AR glasses that could be worn all day,

As it stands now, that lightweight version of the product remains years away.

Easily manage even massive writing projects with Scrivener for Mac

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Writers of all kinds can use a $29.99 lifetime subscription to Scrivener to get organized.
Turn your Mac into a writing work station with Scrivener 3, now only $29.99.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

It’s easy to get lost in the weeds when looking at a long document or starting a big writing project. If you want a powerful tool that can organize your writing, and let you rework it the entire time you’re composing, here’s your chance to get a lifetime subscription to Scrivener for Mac or Windows.

It’s on sale now for only $29.99 (regularly $59).

Online Apple store opens virtual doors in Vietnam

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Online Apple store opens virtual doors in Vietnam
iPhone, Mac, iPad, Apple Watch and accessories are all now available in Vietnam via an online Apple Store.
Image: Apple

Vietnam is the latest country to get an online Apple store to shop for iPhone, Mac and other products.

It’s the latest move in the company’s efforts to increase sales in Asia — Thursday’s opening comes a month after Apple opened its first retail stores in India.

Get custom AI pics, posts and even code with Scribbyo

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Get custom AI pics, posts and even code with Scribbyo, now only $49.
Let this AI content generator create stunning images, concise code and more for only $49.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

As artificial intelligence goes mainstream, we’re finally starting to see the emergence of “one-stop shop” tools that can generate nearly any kind of content. Scribbyo is one such AI tool that’s poised to change the game for entrepreneurs, marketers, bloggers and more.

For a limited time, Cult of Mac readers can score this highly customizable AI content generator for only $49 (regularly $864), the best price online.

More Android users switch to iPhone than you might expect

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iPhone shipments grow while Android tanks
Even after all these years, there are lots of Android users who jump ship for iPhone.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The percentage of U.S.-based iPhone owners who just dumped their Android has grown in recent years, according to a market-analysis company.

That’s exactly the opposite of what conventional wisdom says should be happening. Nevertheless, the percentage of Android switchers hasn’t been this high since 2018.

The Big Door Prize season finale spits out cliffhangers large and small [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★☆

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Chris O’Dowd and Gabrielle Dennis in ★★★★☆
Surprise! The Morpho machine has even bigger mysteries to spin.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewThe Big Door Prize closes its first season with a blackout at Deerfest and a big twist from the Morpho. The show, about a mysterious machine that reads people’s futures, throws harsh weather and hard truths at its cast of misfit townies this week.

Father Reuben and Hana experience a few troubling realizations. Cass and Izzy have another blow-up. Jacob and Trina try to make it through their first real date. And more than one storm is brewing in this compelling cap to a winning season of a wonderful show.

Review roundup: New Beats Studio Buds+ win with cool clear case and audio upgrades

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Transparent plastic is a new look for Beats.
Transparent plastic is a new look for Beats.
Photo: Amazon/Beats

The new Beats Studio Buds+ went on sale Wednesday as numerous initial reviews praised their good looks and tech upgrades.

Nearly every reviewer loved the ’90s-nostalgic, iMacs-of-yore transparent case option. And the new custom chipset for audio quality, new microphones for better active noise cancellation (ANC) and voice calls, and longer battery life aren’t bad, either. If you’re looking for the newest Beats, these upgrades make them a solid choice.

But some features are still missing on the $169.99 buds, up $20 from the original Beats Studio Buds when they came out — but $80 less than AirPods Pro (2nd generation) for thrifty shoppers.

Apple’s new Personal Voice tech might make texting more personalized

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Apple’s new Personal Voice tech might make texting more personal
Imagine getting a text from a friend and your iPhone reads it to you in your friend’s voice.
Photo: Rodolfo Clix/Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple’s newly announced Personal Voice technology enables an iPhone to read text in the user’s own voice. The same tech could be used to read incoming text messages in the sender’s own voice, making them feel more personal.

This isn’t a theory — Apple submitted a patent for exactly this idea in early 2023.

Class up your look with a two-tone Italian leather Apple Watch band

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It's not just supple Italian leather, it's two eye-catching colors.
It's not just supple Italian leather, it's two eye-catching colors.
Photo: Olpr. leather goods co.

When it comes to watch bands — those made for Apple Watch or otherwise — it doesn’t get more classic than leather. And if it’s supple Italian leather from Tuscany, all the better. And if it costs less than $50, well, that’s pretty much the best.

Right now you can get slender Italian bands for Apple Watch for just $49 in the Cult of Mac Store.

Ted Lasso starts to wrap up loose ends this week [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★☆☆

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Toheeb Jimoh and Phil Dunster in ★★★☆☆
Toheeb Jimoh and Phil Dunster in "Ted Lasso," now streaming on Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewApple TV+’s runaway hit Ted Lasso starts closing up shop this week as the show nears the end of season three. The stars of AFC Richmond are out of town, but that doesn’t mean we can’t wrap up some loose ends.

Keeley finds herself without a job or an office. Rebecca has a big meeting, and one small chance to make a difference. Roy starts thinking about human connection. Sam suffers a series of letdowns. And Nate goes on a soul-searching trip back home.

While undoubtedly enervating, this week’s episode, entitled “International Break,” occasionally scores a win.

Dual curved displays set at crazy angles for sane reason [Setups]

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To get a better idea of the screen angles, see the image below.
To get a better idea of the screen angles, see the image below.
Photo: [email protected]

If you’re considering going with two external displays in your computer setup, you might find some inspiration in today’s featured MacBook Pro workstation with two slick gaming displays.

The laptop drives two stacked, ultra-wide, curved displays that are mounted — and even carefully angled — for the best ergonomics, resulting no eye or neck strain.

Bass wheel sets Skullcandy’s new headphones apart

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Crusher ANC 2 feature 3 ways to adjust Skullcandy's proprietary haptic bass.
Crusher ANC 2 feature 3 ways to adjust Skullcandy's proprietary haptic bass.
Photo: Skullcandy

Skullcandy unveiled its latest over-ear headphones with active noise cancellation (ANC) Tuesday — the updated Crusher ANC 2 Sensory Bass Headphones.

And the company’s serious enough about the low end to include a dedicated wheel on the left ear cup so you can crank the bass. That’s in addition to other customization options as well as an impressive feature set for cans that cost $229.99.

Another Apple employee allegedly caught stealing self-driving car tech for China

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Until the Apple Car is officially announced, all we have are concepts like this one.
The Apple car is still on the drawing board, but that doesn't stop Chinese companies from wanting to steal details of it.
Concept: Midjourney/Cult of Mac

An Apple employee was recently indicted for allegedly transferring trade secrets about self-driving car technology to a Chinese company. This marks the third such incident.

The cases seem quite similar: Chinese companies hire the workers, who then get caught attempting to bring Apple’s proprietary information with them when they leave the United States.

These $34 bone-conduction headphones won’t clog your ears

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Listen safely almost anywhere with these $34 open ear headphones.
Keep your earholes free with these headphones' bone-conduction technology.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

We all love to listen to music, and personal audio gear has evolved in many ways over the decades. For the most part, improvements in the tech have been focused on sound quality and portability. But these Open Ear Induction Stereo Wireless Headphones finally make a relatively new feature affordable.

For only $33.99 (regularly $109), you can have the ability to hear your tunes and the outside world without one disturbing the other.

High Desert is the right kind of rolling disaster [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★☆

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Episode 3. Patricia Arquette in ★★★★☆
Peggy Newman (played by Patricia Arquette) is a marvelous disaster in edgy new comedy High Desert.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ Review In the tragicomic new Apple TV+ series High Desert, Patricia Arquette plays Peggy Newman, a drug addict and serial liar/improviser who’s trying to remake her life after her husband goes to jail and ruins her social standing.

The perpetually broke and broken Peggy is a marvelous creation. The first three episodes of High Desert arrived on Apple TV+ today, and the show is mighty good company.

Apple’s Tap to Pay on iPhone expands to Australia

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Tap to Pay on iPhone expands to Australia
Tap to Pay on iPhone expands to Australia.
Photo: Apple

Apple has expanded iPhone’s Tap to Pay feature to businesses in Australia. This will allow them to accept payments from customers directly using their iPhones.

All kinds of businesses, irrespective of their size, can accept payments using Apple Pay and Tap to Pay.