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This $30 step-by-step guide shows you how to master Amazon and Shopify drop-shipping

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This $30 step-by-step guide shows you how to master dropshipping.
Learn the ins and outs of starting your own biz on two of the biggest platforms around.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Starting a side hustle that actually pays is tough. You’re essentially building a business from the ground up while still having another job that takes most of your time and energy. Unfortunately, there’s no magic formula for a low-effort side hustle with a big paycheck, but dropshipping with Amazon FBA or Shopify can be easier than other options to get off the ground.

Learn how to be a drop shipper on the cheap with the Amazon FBA and Shopify Dropshipping 2023 Business Model and Strategies Bundle. Its price recently dropped to only $29.99 (regularly $597).

Silo takes us down a post-apocalyptic rabbit hole [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★☆☆

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Episode 1. David Oyelowo in ★★★☆☆
Sheriff Holston (played by David Oyelowo) is looking for answers about the silo.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ Review New Apple TV+ series Silo packs what may be the last people on earth into a huge, mysterious structure. Like Snowpiercer pointed straight up, this show offers a look at the hierarchies and conspiracies of silence that lead to cataclysmic turns of events.

This shaggy dog post-apocalyptic story — with an all-star cast spouting a lot of silly sci-fi lingo and exaggerated futurespeak — gets off to a compelling start this week.

Apple shines bright in a struggling smartphone market

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Want an iPhone 13 on the cheap? Here's your chance.
Apple dominated the smartphone market in Q1 2023.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Shipments in the global smartphone market declined by 14% YoY in Q1 2023 to 280.2 million units. Despite the slowdown, Samsung replaced Apple as the world’s largest smartphone maker during the period.

Apple, however, continued its dominance, with iPhones accounting for nearly half the revenue generated by the smartphone market in Q1 2023. The company also took the lion’s share of the market’s profit.

EU warns Apple not to limit iPhone features to MFi-certified USB-C cables

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Apple is raising some subscription services costs for the first time.
Apple could find itself in hot water if it places limits on how iPhones work with non-MFi cables.
Photo: Josh Davidson/Cult of Mac

Ahead of Apple’s transition from Lightning ports to USB-C for its devices, the European Commission warned the company not to limit the functionality of charging cables that don’t carry Apple’s MFi certification.

EU Commissioner Thierry Breton reportedly sent a letter to Apple addressing rumors that iPhone charging and data-transfer speeds might be reduced when using non-MFI USB-C cables. Breton reminded Cupertino that such limitations could lead to iPhones being banned from the European market.

5 reasons to ignore Apple’s rare revenue dip

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Apple logo overlayed in front of a stormy sky with sun breaking through the clouds, and the text,
Despite a 3% year-to-year drop in quarterly revenue (to "only" $94.8 billion), Apple delivers plenty of reasons for optimism.
Photos: Michael & Diane Weidner and Sumudu Mohottige/Unsplash License/Modified by Cult of Mac

Perhaps the best phrase to describe the results of Apple’s most recent financial quarter is, “It could have been worse.” Total revenue dropped 3% as the company battled inflation and other macroeconomic problems not of its making.

Still, Apple’s quarterly numbers beat the overly pessimistic Wall Street estimates. And there is more good news buried in the results Apple reported Thursday (and in the company’s earnings call with investors). Read on for five reasons to be optimistic about Apple’s future.

Become an IT expert with this 5-star boot camp

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Become an IT expert with this 5-star rated bootcamp course pack, now only $80.
Start an exciting new career in cybersecurity with this 200-hour training bundle that costs just $3 a course.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Whether you want to start an exciting new career as a cybersecurity professional, take on lucrative freelance or contract work, or add desirable new skills to your LinkedIn profile, this top-rated cybersecurity developer and IT bundle can teach you the latest essential skills.

What’s more, you can learn on your own time, and from anywhere, with the course pack’s 400 hours of training.

It’s a steal, too. Usually $7,774, you can now grab it for only $79.99. That’s just $3 a course — the best price you’ll find for this bundle online.

Apple brings in robust iPhone revenue but Mac and iPad are down

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The Company posted quarterly revenue of $94.8 billion, down 3 percent year over year, and quarterly earnings per diluted share of $1.52, unchanged year over year.
Apple posts quarterly revenue of $94.8 billion, down 3% year over year.
Photo: Alex Kalinin/Unsplash License/Modified by Cult of Mac

During the first three months of 2023, Apple’s total revenue dropped 3% year over year. iPhone was a bright spot, but revenue from virtually all of the company’s other product segments saw annual declines. CEO Tim Cook blamed the drop on a “challenging macroeconomic environment.”

While the financial news isn’t good, Wall Street had been expecting it to be even worse. AAPL is up in after-hours trading on the news.

Apple boosts iPhone, Mac and iPad trade-in values again

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iPhone 12 Pro parts cost shockingly little
Your Apple device might be worth more than you think.
Photo: Cult of Mac

The amount of money Apple will pay you to trade in a previous-generation iPhone just increased. And that’s the second time this spring. The same holds true for Mac and iPad.

So, if you have an older Apple device sitting around, it might be worth more than you suspect.

Don’t miss these 21 deals on refurbished iMacs

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You can have your pick of older and newer iMacs.
You can have your pick of older and newer iMacs.
Photo: Apple

Want an Apple desktop computer at a good price? Amazon bargain site Woot! is selling refurbished iMacs at discount prices through May 8. You can pick from 21 machines — right now, that is, while they last — with a selection of specs and colors.

The newest rigs date from 2021, most harken back to 2019 and a few date back to 2017 and even 2013.

How to easily manage eSIMs on your iPhone with Holafly’s app

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The Holafly app makes managing eSIMs easy.
The Holafly app makes managing eSIMs easy.
Photo: Holafly

If you own an iPhone XS or newer, your device comes with eSIM built in. That means you can skip physical SIM cards and simply set up cellular plans for international travel right on your phone, avoiding roaming charges wherever you go.

SPONSORED
This post is brought to you by Holafly.
You can do that using one of the best apps out there — the Holafly: International eSIM app. With the free app, you can activate and manage eSIMs for different countries from your iPhone. And that means you can enjoy reliable, affordable internet on all your international travels.

Apple Arcade adds a whopping 20 games

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Apple Arcade
Apple Arcade is ready to play!
Photo: Apple

Apple Arcade normally grows by one game a week, but Apple added no less than 20 new titles to the service on Thursday.

These include TMNT Splintered Fate, What The Car?, Disney SpellStruck and Cityscapes: Sim Builder — all exclusive to Apple Arcade.

See what happens when an iPhone falls 14,000 feet

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Smith, just through the airplane's door, loses his iPhone at 14,000 feet.
Smith, just through the airplane's door, loses his iPhone at 14,000 feet.
Photo: [email protected]

You might’ve dropped your iPhone on the floor and felt massive relief to find it undamaged. Or maybe a bit cracked. But what happens when an iPhone plummets 14,000 feet?

Thanks to TikTok and a skydiver who failed to secure his handset, now we know. At least in this one very lucky case.

Keep your cloud data safe for life with this discounted 1TB plan

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Keep your data safe and accessible on the cloud for life with Koofr, now only $139.99.
Upgrade your cloud storage with this 1TB plan from Koofr. The lifetime subscription costs less than $140.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Before the work-from-home revolution, cloud storage was a boon. Now, it’s a necessity. For so many of us, the office isn’t in some cubicle or even our home laptop. It’s wherever we are, on whatever device we can access. Files need to be both accessible and secure, and that’s why savvy cloud users are turning to Koofr.

Now that Koofr is offering 1TB of lifetime cloud storage for just $139.99 (regularly $2,700), you can expect even more people to jump on board.

Unionized Apple Maryland staffers want a tipping system, higher pay

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Apple Brompton Road is the first Apple store location in the UK with a dedicated Apple Pickup area.
Apple Maryland store employees have made some weird demands.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s Maryland store became the company’s first retail store to unionize earlier this year. This was despite Apple’s best efforts to head off all unionization attempts.

The store employees are now demanding a 10% hike in their pay, overtime policies and more time off. More importantly, they also want Apple to allow consumers to tip retail employees.

Ford won’t join GM in dumping CarPlay

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Apple CarPlay
Ford is sticking with CarPlay, even as GM opts out.
Photo: Apple

The Ford CEO Jim Farley indicated his company will not end support for Apple’s CarPlay in the vehicles it makes. He said the decision was an easy one because a majority of Ford buyers own Apple products.

He was asked the question in an interview because rival GM recently announced it will end CarPlay support in some of its vehicles.

Get a lifetime web hosting plan from DoRoyal for just $49.99

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A lifetime hosting plan from DoRoyal is now only $49.99.
Why pay more to host your website(s)? This one-and-done subscription sets you up for life.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Skip the monthly cost of web hosts and get it all your website management needs covered in one go. With DoRoyal, you get a host that can help you manage, protect and grow your web space, and it’s on sale for a super-low price.

A lifetime subscription is now on sale for only $49.99 (regularly $750), but it’s up to you to get started.

Wall Street thinks slowing sales will hit Apple’s bottom line

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Wall Street thinks Apple is just limping along
Market watchers predict a down quarter for Apple.
Photo: Anna Nekrashevich/Pexels

Don’t expect record-breaking profits when Apple reveals its financial results from the first three months of 2023. Quite the opposite. Analysts are predicting that the company’s revenue and profits will be down when compared to the same quarter of 2022.

If true, this will be the second quarter in a row in which global problems cut into Apple’s bottom line.

Schmigadoon! pulls out all the stops for season two finale [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★☆

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Jane Krakowski, Jaime Camil, Tituss Burgess, Dove Cameron, Aaron Tveit, Kristin Chenoweth and Alan Cumming in ★★★★☆
The Schmigadoon! season two finale was great. Will we get a season three?
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewApple TV+ musical comedy Schmigadoon! wraps its second season with an action-packed episode this week entitled “Over and Done.” Josh and Melissa are being held captive, and unless some unlikely people decide to change their ways and recover from past wounds, they’ll be killed or married — or both!

It’s a lovely little wrap to the big-hearted show’s second season.

Reddit links get fancy in Messages app

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New sharing features for Reddit content include rich URL previews.
New sharing features for Reddit content include rich URL previews.
Photo: Reddit

Reddit updated its iOS app to allow rich-link previews for shared content, the social media chat site said Tuesday. That makes it easier to see what someone texted your way before you click through.

Before now, you’d just see the URL and have nothing else to go on in terms of what was shared, short of words in the URL or an explanation in the sender’s text.

The Big Door Prize is (almost) all about Izzy this week [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★☆

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Crystal Fox in ★★★★☆
As usual, Izzy (played by Crystal Fox) just can't stand not being the center of attention.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewThe Big Door Prize focuses on the prickly mayor of Deerfield this week. The Apple TV+ show, about a small town interrupted in a big way by a machine that’s supposed to be capable of telling people’s futures, digs deep into the hidden feelings among Deerfield’s citizenry.

The episode, entitled “Izzy,” proves very affecting.

Jealousy and leaks fuel this week’s Ted Lasso [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★☆☆

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Brendan Hunt, Jason Sudeikis and Gus Turner in ★★★☆☆
Ted (played by Jason Sudeikis, center) gets to spend some quality time with his son, Henry (Gus Turner, right) and Coach Beard (Brendan Hunt) this week.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewTed Lasso finds almost everyone in a rut this week. Keeley is a wreck after leaked footage of her reaches the internet, and it may have even worse consequences than she fears. Ted thinks his wife is going to get engaged to someone else — and he’s not handling it well.

The thornier-than-usual episode, entitled “We’ll Never Have Paris,” still comes with the usual gallon of sentimentality we expect from the most popular show on Apple TV+.

Mac mini drives affordable ‘DIY Studio Display’ [Setups]

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The user learned how to convert the 5K iMac display from a video.
The user learned how to convert the 5K iMac display from a video.
Photo: [email protected]

It’s great that Apple put out a high-quality display that costs a lot less than the $5,000 Pro Display XDR. But the Studio Display, at $1,600, is still too pricey for many folks. If you’d rather have a 5K display for way less than a grand, today’s featured M2 Pro Mac mini setup is for you if you’re willing to do some work.

Following an instructional video included below, the user converted a 5K iMac to a 5K standard USB display for about $700.

Play Fortnite on your iPhone again with Amazon Luna

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Play 'Fortnite' on your iPhone again with Amazon Luna
You can once again fight to the death in Fortnite Battle Royale on an iPhone, no matter what Apple says about it.
Photo: Epic Games/Amazon

Epic Games Fortnite was just added to the Amazon Luna cloud gaming service. That means the very popular game is playable on iPhone and iPad, as well as Mac.

Because of a dispute between Apple and Epic, Fortnite has been banned from the App Store since 2020. But it’s now on Luna.

Google moves away from passwords, implements biometric passkeys instead

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Google moves away from passwords, implements biometric passkeys instead
You don't need to remember a password to sign into Google accounts.
Image: Google

In a move it calls “the beginning of the end of the password,” Google began rolling out passkeys for its accounts Wednesday. The move means that users of Apple devices can sign into these accounts using Face ID or Touch ID rather than a password.

The underlying tech already comes built into iPhone, Mac, etc.