The MagFlött Pro is a rare adjustable-height iPad stand. Photo: CharJenPro
A popular magnetic iPad stand is about to be relaunched, better than ever.
The MagFlött Pro is one of the few iPad stands that is height-adjustable, making it versatile as well as ergonomic. It launched on Kickstarter on April 11, and you can get a whopping 26% discount by ordering now.
iPhone 15 Pro will have regular, physical buttons. Image: chenwen1987
Apple may not ship the iPhone 15 Pro series with the rumored unified solid-state capacitive buttons. TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo says Apple abandoned the plan due to “unresolved technical issues.”
Previously, multiple rumors indicated Apple would replace the physical buttons on the iPhone 15 Pro with capacitive keys. The design also would have added two new Taptic Engines to simulate the feeling of pressing physical buttons.
A lifetime of AI-powered piano lessons is possible with Skoove Premium, now $140. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
You don’t need to shell out for a piano teacher if you want to learn to play a tune on the ivory keys. With Skoove Premium, you can get hundreds of lessons and thousands of instructional videos to help you learn everything from the basics to improv and chart hits. Get a lifetime subscription to Skoove Premium Piano Lessons for only $139.97. That’s over 50% in savings and the best price online.
Sustainably managed tree farms help the environment and investors. Photo: Apple
With Earth Day coming up, Apple says it’s doubling its total commitment to “nature-based carbon removal projects” with an additional $200 million investment. In less technical terms, it’s backing projects to plant trees.
And it’s not just trees for trees’ sake. Part of Apple’s Restore Fund goes to agricultural projects that generate income from sustainably managed tree farms.
★★★★☆
Plugable's new hub is small and lightweight, and adds handy ports to MacBooks. Photo: Plugable
The just-released Plugable AMS-5IN1E is a USB-C hub that attaches to the side of a MacBook and adds ports that Apple won’t, including USB-A and Ethernet. And it does so without blocking one of the USB-C/Thunderbolt ports and MagSafe charging.
I tested the five ports in this affordable hub to see how well they perform in the real world.
Get a flat $150 discount on Apple's 2023 MacBook Pro lineup. Photo: Apple
Apple’s 2023 MacBook Pro lineup is available with a massive $150 discount on Amazon. The deal applies to all configurations of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros.
This fantastic deal is unlikely to last long, so buy the MacBook you want before stocks run out.
The new digital book comes out April 11 for free on the Steve Jobs Archive website and Apple Books. Photo: Steve Jobs Archive
The Steve Jobs Archive released its first book Tuesday, Make Something Wonderful: Steve Jobs in his own words. It’s a memoir of sorts because almost everything in it comes directly from Jobs, from major speeches and interviews to emails he sent to himself. It covers the Apple co-founder’s life from a young age until he passed away in 2011.
The new book includes never-before-seen content, the archive said, and it’s free from multiple sources.
These sci-fi shows make Apple TV+ better, smarter and more fun. Image: Cult of Mac
Looking for your next science fiction binge? Apple TV+ offers some excellent sci-fi series to keep your eyes popping and (more importantly) your brain humming.
From mythic procedurals to New Testament space operas, Apple TV+ gives viewers a number of exciting science fiction series worthy of a watch. Some seem hilariously literal, while others prove truly fantastical. No matter your tastes, there’s something for every sci-fi fan.
Here are our picks for the best science fiction shows on Apple TV+.
There’s an easy and free way to use Whisper to generate subtitles and transcripts. Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
MacWhisper is a great way to get text transcriptions for podcasts, live streams, meetings, videos — whatever you may need. Just drag a file onto the Mac app’s window and you’ll get a transcription generated on the fly. You can even use the microphone to make transcriptions live as you’re talking.
You can easily edit the transcription like a Word document and export it as a subtitle file for a video, a text file for reference or an HTML file for publishing online.
Apple's next Studio Display could be a lot slimmer. Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
Apple’s next-gen Studio Display might not ship with a 120Hz ProMotion mini-LED panel as initially rumored. It’s reportedly still in development though, and the monitor could debut in 2024 or early 2025 with all the features of a “high-end monitor.”
Apple’s current 27-inch display features a 5K 60Hz panel. With its next upgrade, it could switch to a mini-LED backplane for thinner bezels.
The new speaker has a stainless steel grille and an aluminum handle. Photo: Soundcore
Soundcore unveiled its elegant new Motion X600 Portable High Fidelity Speaker Monday. The compact speaker offers hi-res, spatial audio in a handsome package with a metal grille and a choice of gray, green or blue colors.
When it becomes available in early May, it’ll go for $200. But you can get an early-bird discount. See below.
iPhone battery life doesn't improve under iOS 16.4.1, as had been hoped. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Testing shows that the recently released iOS 16.4.1 does not fix an iPhone battery problem introduced by its predecessor.
This wasn’t the usual small change in battery life that’s usual with updates. Many iPhone models saw significant drops with iOS 16.4. And the latest version isn’t a fix.
Now with ANC and improved sound quality, OnePlus Nord Buds 2 cost $59 and come in white or gray colors. Photo: OnePlus
Another week, another set of active-noise-cancelling (ANC) wireless earbuds. The latest buds vying to take a piece of the AirPods pie are the updated OnePlus Nord Buds 2. They add ANC and improved sound quality over their super-affordable predecessor.
Nord Buds made a splash with good sound quality at a bargain-basement price of $39 when they came out. Now Nord Buds 2 piles on more features and boosts quality at a still-low $59 price point.
Google is adding a collection of new features and enhancements for YouTube Premium. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
YouTube will soon get support for SharePlay, as well as videos with higher bitrates. And queuing up videos and jumping between devices will get easier, too.
The enhancements are part of Google efforts to get more subscribers for YouTube Premium.
Charge your iPhone on the go, carry a couple of cards and set it up as a stand to watch videos. Photo: ESR
Accessories maker ESR unveiled its new HaloLock Power Bank Wallet on Wednesday. Now on Amazon, the magnetic 3-in-1 device charges your phone, keep your cards in order and lets you “enjoy hands-free viewing in a sleek, pocket-friendly package,” the company said.
Not every computer setup flaunted and much-admired on social media is an Apple silicon powerhouse with an ultra-fast M1 or M2 chip. Today’s featured setup leans on a 6-year-old iMac and a MacBook Air almost twice as old as that.
But with the help of an impressive-yet-affordable audio gear list and a trio of gaming systems, the rig gets the work and play done. And don’t miss the beefed up iPod classic in the mix.
Even the speed-boosted 2023 MacBook Pro couldn't bring up Mac shipments. Image: Apple
Mac shipments declined a jaw-dropping 41% year-over-year in the first quarter of 2023, according to a market-analysis firm. It seems Apple finally joined other PC makers in seeing reduced shipments of traditional computers.
This PDF editor lets you edit docs right on your Mac or iPhone, and it's on sale now for just $70 for life. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
PDFs are still the best way to send and share documents, contracts and invoices, whether you work from your office or run a small business at home. However, Apple users know it can be a nightmare to properly edit PDFs on standard Mac software.
But with a lifetime license to PDF Expert, you can create and convert beautifully readable documents and never have to struggle with trying to edit PDFs on macOS again. You can get it on sale for $69.99 (regularly $139), the best price online.
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.
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.
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.
Apple is hard at work on the iPhone 15. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac/Pixabay/Pexels
New detailed renders detail the more extensive changes Apple is planning for the iPhone 15 Pro series. Leaked CADs have already revealed the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro design.
This includes a bigger camera hump, slightly more compact dimensions, curved edges for the titanium chassis and more.
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.