Mobile menu toggle

Best add-on portable displays for MacBook or iPad

By

Espresso Display V2
Take an external display with you when you travel. Here are some of the best.
Photo: espresso Displays

External screens for MacBook or iPad aren’t just convenient in the office — they’re also great to use on the go. There are a range of portable external displays on the market, including some with touchscreens.

Here are my recommendations for the best screens ready to go with you to a coffee shop or Paris.

Apple’s Tetris film slots easily into top 10 list

By

In Tetris, Nikita Efremov (left) plays the long, straight block while Taron Egerton stars as the square block. (Kidding!)
Photo: Apple TV+

The new Apple TV+ film about sneaking Tetris out of Communist Russia is pulling in plenty of viewers. It was actually more popular than Ted Lasso last week, according to one TV ratings company — though that Apple comedy is very popular, too.

And Shinking continues its long run in the top 10 most popular streaming shows, possibly because it’s now possible to binge the entire first season.

Score a 128GB flash drive that connects to almost anything

By

Score a 64 or 128GB flash drive that connects to almost anything.
These 4-in-1 flash drives have connectors for USB-C, Lightning and more for less than $29.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Whether you’re moving important work files or pictures of your cat, transferring files from one device to another can be a bit tedious. There are plenty of ways to get the job done, but many file-transfer methods require an internet connection, which isn’t always an option.

Instead, you could try a more direct method and get a flash drive that works with almost anything. The 4-in-1 Smart Flash Drive has four ways to connect and is compatible with most smart devices. Even better, there are two storage options for this accessory. 64G of storage is on sale for only $18.99 (regularly $29), while the 128GB version is going for just $28.99 (regularly $39).

You’ll have to act fast, though, since these price drops only last until April 11.

Need a cloud or on-premises VPN for business? Try UTunnel VPN.

By

The best cloud VPN solution for your small business.
Setting up a VPN for your business is surprisingly simple with UTunnel.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

It doesn’t matter how well-equipped your team is if the data the business runs on is compromised. You could set up your salespeople with the best iPhones and iPads, your developers with top-of-the-line CPUs, and so on. But taking steps to address the rampant cybercrime out there can make the difference between survival and major struggle.

SPONSORED
This post is brought to you by UTunnel.
When you begin looking at protective services, you will discover the benefits of operating on a virtual private network. However, entrusting your company’s data with just a consumer-grade VPN service can be dangerous. While more secure, it might appear that setting up an on-premise or dedicated cloud VPN might be too difficult or expensive. But before writing it off, be sure to check out UTunnel.

Mac mini is a total dream machine [The CultCast]

By

Apple crammed a whole lot of computing power into the Mac mini.
Apple crams a whole lot of computing power into the Mac mini.
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The M2 Pro-powered Mac mini is a dream machine for creative types, according to our reviewer D. Griffin Jones. He joins us to sing the praises of this pint-size powerhouse. (It’s quite an upgrade from the 2015 MacBook Pro he used before.)

Also on The CultCast:

  • It’s just two months until we’ll see Apple’s mixed-reality headset. We can’t help thinking this pricey “star product” is gonna flop hard, even as it points the way toward the future.
  • A free book coming next week will reveal Steve Jobs “in his own words.”
  • Will the next version of watchOS really bring big changes?
  • Erfon knows where you can find a steady supply of genuine Apple accessories at cut-rate prices.

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.

Our sponsors: Hello Fresh and Mylio

  • Hello Fresh is America’s No. 1 food kit! Go to HelloFresh.com/cultcast50 and use code cultcast50 for 50% off, plus your first box ships free!
  • Mylio is the easy way to manage all your photos on all your devices. Try it at Mylio.com/cultcast.

7 squishy reasons you should play JellyCar Worlds

By

Squishy physics makes 'JellyCar Worlds' like no other driving game
Play "JellyCar Worlds" to truly understand squishy physics.
Screenshot: Walaber/Apple TV+

Is the car made of jelly? Or is the world? It’s both! It’s JellyCar Worlds. The game is a triumph of squishy physics, and a lot of fun to play.

If you enjoy driving games and puzzlers, you really owe it to yourself to try this. I have seven good reasons why it needs to be on your weekend agenda.

Surf the web anonymously no matter where you go with this discount VPN

By

Surf the web anonymously no matter where you go with this discounted VPN subscription.
Get lifetime VPN protection on up to five devices for only $18.99 with this deal.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Considering how much time you spend online, are you doing enough to ensure complete privacy and safety? Cybersecurity threats continue to increase and evolve, leaving millions of internet users vulnerable. But, a strong VPN can provide protection.

For a limited time, you can pick up a lifetime subscription to Ivacy VPN for only $18.99 by using coupon code IVACY5 at checkout. This sub works with up to five devices. And it offers compatibility with macOS, iOS, Windows, Android, Linux, Roku, PS4, Xbox and more.

However, this deal lasts only through April 11.

Learn to create video game art for just $35

By

Score this package of five game art courses for just $35.
Build worlds within games by exploring this $35 Blender art design bundle.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Plenty of people dedicate serious time to gaming, but do you have what it takes to design a game yourself? If you’re curious about the process, or want to take a serious professional plunge, pick up this low-priced package of courses on game art development.

The 2023 Complete Blender Bundle is currently available for only $34.99 (regularly $655), with no coupon necessary. You’ll score enormous savings on instant access to five comprehensive courses on game art creation that total nearly 50 hours.

Find new Doctor Who hidden-objects game on Apple Arcade

By

Find new 'Doctor Who' hidden-objects game on Apple Arcade
The Thirteenth Doctor and her companions must solve a mystery.
Photo: Tilting Point/Apple Arcade

Doctor Who: An Unlikely Heist challenges players to solve mysteries by finding clues. The story-driven hidden-objects game debuted on Apple Arcade on Friday.

It’s the latest addition to Apple’s gaming service, which adds a new title almost every week.

Extrapolations bungles a sci-fi trope about memory [Apple TV+ recap] ★★☆☆☆

By

Gemma Chan in ★★☆☆☆
Memories make powerful motivators this week on Extrapolations.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewExtrapolations, the too-ambitious-in-all-the-wrong-ways Apple TV+ science fiction show “about” global climate change, revisits an old friend this week for a look at the courier job from hell.

The show’s focus this time around is not on the environment but rather on the personal toll of living in a future you can’t control or understand. The episode, entitled “2066: Lola,” is a laborious and overfamiliar story that is, for no good reason, longer than almost every other episode of Extrapolations.

Apple fixes security vulnerabilities and bugs with iOS and macOS updates [Updated]

By

Apple goes on bug hunt with new iOS 16.4.1 update
iOS 16.4.1 is ready for your iPhone. And there are macOS and iPadOS updates, too.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

iPhone, Mac and iPad users got fresh operating system updates on Friday. iOS 16.4.1, macOS 13.3.1 and iPadOS 16.4.1 fix a smattering of bugs on the devices — including some security vulnerabilities that Apple admits may have been exploited — but there are no new features.

At this time, there are no equivalent updates for Apple Watch or Apple TV.

Easter Sale: Make AirPods even better with these accessories

By

Elkson's case will keep your AirPods Pro safe and comes with a handy keychain ring.
Elkson's case will keep your AirPods Pro safe and comes with a handy keychain ring.
Photo: Elkson

No matter which AirPods you have, the Cult of Mac Easter Sale has something for you. Check out the selection of cool cases and stands in the Easter Savings collection.

See some highlights below, where the links go straight to the products. And if you think this sale is probably only for AirPods Pro, AirPods 3 and AirPods Max, guess again. Here’s six cases for AirPods 1 and 2, for example — all 25% off.

What could be better than the Hello Tomorrow! season finale? A second season. [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★☆

By

Billy Crudup and Dagmara Dominczyk in ★★★★☆
Nobody's really going to the moon ... are they?
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewThe first season of Hello Tomorrow!, the Apple TV+ show about men selling lunar dreams and lies, comes to a close this week in high style.

Jack needs to tie up some loose ends, and he has no plan for what happens when his clients finally get to the moon. His son Joey must figure out who to honor, his mother or his father. Eddie has butterfingers and Shirley has to pay for it. And someone is, at long last, awake.

The season finale, entitled “What Could Be Better?,” is a great conclusion to a great season.

Floating iPad Pro works as a ‘perfect’ second screen [Setups]

By

Whoah, how'd that iPad Pro learn to fly?
Whoah, how'd that iPad Pro learn to fly?
Photo: [email protected]

We often see computer setups festooned with several big external monitors, Mission Control style. But some great setups get by with zero external displays, like today’s featured iMac setup.

The iMac provides the main screen, of course. And then “black magic” makes the iPad Pro levitate as a second screen. Or something like that. See below.

Silo trailer delves into a deep mystery coming to Apple TV+

By

Explore the deep mystery of the 'Silo'
In Silo, if the lies don't kill you, the truth will.
Photo: Apple TV+

Silo premieres in May, and Apple TV+ just released the full trailer for the upcoming drama series based on a bestselling trilogy of dystopian novels.

In the series, a few thousand people are left on earth hiding in a mile-deep silo. But what if everything they’ve ever been told about the outside world is a lie?

Find Windows 10 Pro for just $16 (with free upgrade to Windows 11 Pro) in CdkeySales’ big Easter Sale

By

A white Microsoft Windows on a red background. Save big-time on Microsoft software by using promo code CULT at CdkeySales.com.
Save big-time on Microsoft software by using promo code CULT at CdkeySales.com.
Image: CdkeySales.com

There’s nothing like an Easter egg hunt. And you can find fresh springtime deals on Microsoft software during the big Easter Sale at software activation keys provider CdkeySales.com. This week, you can take advantage of great prices on Microsoft Windows, Office and more. Don’t miss this chance for great bargains.

SPONSORED
This post is brought to you by CdkeySales.
There’s no need to shell out the full price for Windows 10 and other crucial software. You can click on the links below to secure low prices on loads of Microsoft software. Plus, Windows 10 comes with a free upgrade to Windows 11. To get the absolute best savings possible, enter promo code CULT at CdkeySales.com. That will slash an additional 30% off the site’s super-low prices on keys for Windows 10 Pro Global, Microsoft Office 2021 Pro and more.

Boom! Boom! The World vs. Boris Becker traces a tennis star’s epic fall [Apple TV+ review] ★★☆☆

By

Tennis champ Boris Becker takes aim at a ball in archival footage from sports docuseries ★★☆☆
Nothing could stop Boris Becker's rocket ride to the top of tennis.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewNew Apple TV+ docuseries Boom! Boom! The World vs. Boris Becker centers on a famous tennis player embroiled in a scandal. Directed by prolific but utterly predictable documentarian Alex Gibney, the two-part series charts the rise and fall of the youngest Wimbledon champion in history.

Debuting today on Apple TV+, the straight-ahead documentary goes from Boris Becker’s historic wins to his similarly historic losses on the world stage thanks to dicey financial decisions. And it does so in the most formulaic fashion possible. That’s not the worst thing in the world, but it’s no ace, either.

Study IT at home with a $48 bundle crammed with 400 hours of material

By

Study IT at home with this $48 bundle with 400+ hours of material.
Get 400+ hours of expert IT training for under $50.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

The cybersecurity industry is enormous, and it’s only getting bigger. By 2029, the cybersecurity market is estimated to be worth just shy of $400 billion. Still, that doesn’t mean that those jobs will be easy grabs. Get ahead of competing job applicants with a comprehensive overview of the field and essential skills with this cybersecurity developer and IT skills bundle.

This comprehensive bundle of courses gives you more than 400 hours of training from iCollege professionals. And it’s on sale for $47.99 (regularly $7,774) if you use code SECURITY40.

Apple couldn’t get away with proprietary USB-C cables for iPhone 15

By

Apple couldn't get away with proprietary USB-C cables for iPhone 15
We might see this some day.
Photo: Cult of Mac

USB-C is finally coming to the iPhone, but there are rumors and speculation that only Apple-approved cables will be able to charge the device. Realistically, though, there’s no way Apple would be allowed to get away with that.

The European Union is forcing Apple to drop the Lightning port, and would surely squash attempts to make USB-C into anything but a universal standard. That’s if Apple is even trying to do that, which is questionable.

Save up to 40% on iPhone cases and accessories in our Easter Sale

By

The Laut Prestige Folio is not just an iPhone case. It's also a stand.
The Laut Prestige Folio is not just an iPhone case. It's also a stand.
Photo: Laut

The Easter Sale in the Cult of Mac Store features an array of iPhone cases and accessories at great discounts — up to 40% off!

You can find a huge selection of Laut cases to fit any taste and almost any recent iPhone (not just iPhone 14 series). And if you want a screen or lens protector, the sale has you covered with various options.

Check out the Easter Savings collection! And see below for some sale highlights for iPhone. The links below go directly to products.

Mac mini with M2 Pro: Apple silicon for the rest of us [Review] ★★★★★

By

Mac mini with external hard drive, keyboard, trackpad and display sitting on the floor (isometric perspective)★★★★★
Here’s your classic product shot with everything sitting directly on a floor without anything plugged in.
Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

The new Mac mini is the best value in the entire computer industry, point blank. It’s a $700 computer that won’t break a sweat editing high-resolution video, exhaustively long podcasts or giant graphic design projects — all at the same time. The M2 Pro model takes it even further.

Because of my job here at Cult of Mac, I wear a lot of hats. In a typical week, I edit videos, record a podcast, dabble in graphic design, compile open-source projects in Xcode and research topics for my writing. I’m basically all the creative professional stereotypes Apple loves to put in their promotional videos rolled into one.

After living with the new Mac mini for over a month, I can confidently say this is a fantastically powerful machine within the reach of independent creators, small businesses and schools.