This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: After Apple’s truly Awe Dropping event, we’re picking up the pieces and discussing iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro and the rest of the new hardware.

Also on The CultCast:

• Apple built iPhone 17 Pro like a tool for professionals. But is the cosmic orange color undeniably vibrant?
• The new Apple Watches look like solid additions, although the Apple Watch SE 3 gets the most meaningful upgrades.
• AirPods Pro 3 make one of our favorite Apple products even better.
• Somewhat surprisingly, Apple extends marquee features of Apple Watch Series 11 and AirPods Pro 3 to older devices.
• And finally, we go over the results of our Awe Dropping predictions game.

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.

Getflix smart DNS and VPN unlocks access to more than 500 international streaming channels while keeping your data private. If you’ve ever fired up your MacBook or Apple TV, only to get slapped with the “not available in your region” message, you know exactly how frustrating geo-blocks can be.

Getflix lets you get around them. And, unlike traditional VPNs that can slow your browsing speeds to a crawl, Getflix is optimized with DNS rerouting technology. That means only the streaming traffic that needs to hop borders does, leaving your everyday browsing untouched.

This translates to you being able to catch BBC iPlayer or Japanese Netflix without compromising the speed you need to upload files to iCloud or jump on a FaceTime call. And with this limited-time deal, Getflix does all that for just $19.99 a year. Or you can grab a lifetime Getflix subscription at an even greater discount.

There’s no need to wait: Shop the best iPhone 17 cases available now so you can slide your new device directly into one when it arrives. As you may know, new iPhones are pretty tough. And sure, lots of people go caseless to show off their handset’s sleek lines and cool color.

But imagine you drop it and break it, or crack the edge of the glass without even knowing how it happened — like I did recently with my iPhone 16 Pro (and just weeks ahead of likely trade-in!).

Yes, breakage can be crushing. But fortunately, even though the iPhone lineup 17 just came out, you can already choose from plenty of protective new cases — and avoid my sad fate.

Case makers plan for the new iPhone every year, with plenty of timely new releases. You could go minimal with a thin case that works well with iPhone Air’s sleek design. You might seek extreme impact resistance for the most damaging drops for your iPhone 17, or maybe you’d pick a luxurious leather that only looks better with age. For those looking for durable yet stylish protection for an iPhone 17 Pro or Pro Max, you can find a variety of well-crafted options.

We gathered the best iPhone 17 cases you can buy right now — in addition to cases by Apple and its subsidiary Beats — with prices starting as low as $19.

September 13, 1983: Osborne Computer Corporation, one of Apple’s early rivals, declares bankruptcy. Many considered the company’s Osborne 1 the world’s first truly portable, full-featured computer. It packed everything users needed to set up shop at home or on the road. Alas, it didn’t last!

With AirPods Pro 3 coming September 19, it’s time to sell your old AirPods for quick upgrade cash. The bad news is that Apple doesn’t let you trade in old AirPods, and neither will most other buyback services.

However, Cult of Mac offers good money for your old AirPods, making your next upgrade more affordable. We won’t leave you waiting weeks for your e-check if you sell us your old AirPods, AirPods Pro or AirPods Max to our buyback program. And we promise that none of the tech we receive will end up in a landfill.

So, what are you waiting for? Lock in a 30-day guaranteed quote in seconds, with no haggling or hassles. It’s the easy way to sell your old AirPods.

Need great wireless earbuds but not into spending hundred of dollars? Amazon is currently selling Beats Studio Buds+ for the uncommonly low price of $169.95 $99.95 — a whopping 41% off. 

Or if that deal expires — it’s only good for a limited time — you can get a pair of the more basic Beats Studio Buds for $99.95 (a third off). See more below.

Finding a reliable power bank that actually delivers on its promises isn’t always easy. For this Ugreen MagFlow power bank review, I put the potent, 10,000mAh Qi2.2 power bank through about two weeks of real-world testing with my iPhone and other devices. Whether you’re getting a new iPhone Series 17 model or not, this cutting-edge power bank could be a good choice.

Apple’s super-slim iPhone Air will not launch in China on September 19. The company also did not start accepting preorders for the device today in the country. 

The issue stems from the iPhone Air only supporting eSIM — it lacks a physical SIM slot. So, the company needs additional regulatory approval for the phone’s launch in China.

September 12, 2012: The Lightning connector replaces Apple’s aging 30-pin interface, a proprietary data and power connector that debuted on the iPod Classic in 2003. The slender and capable new Lightning port debuts in the iPhone 5, bringing big improvements — and no small amount of controversy.

Apple soon will build the Lightning connector into many other products, including iPad, iPod and accessories. Lightning cables can charge the mobile devices as well as transfer data to a Mac or PC.

Apple is now accepting preorders for the iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max. The devices will hit store shelves next Friday, on September 19 — the same day preorders get delivered.

Update: An hour after the pre-orders started, demand for the iPhone 17 Pro Max is already starting to exceed supply. An order placed now in the U.S. for most configurations of this top-of-line model won’t ship until late September, and others won’t arrive before October.        

Apple is already taking preorders for the AirPods Pro 3, Apple Watch Series 11 and Apple Watch Ultra 3. All three will be available at retail starting September 19.

Ahead of the watchOS 26 release on September 15, Apple has secured FDA clearance for the hypertension notifications feature. The approval came through late Thursday night.

Hypertension notifications will be available in over 150 countries at launch, including the US, the UK, Europe and others.

The critically acclaimed Apple TV+ sci-fi series Foundation, based on Isaac Asimov’s legendary stories about a galactic empire in its lengthy death throes, will live on for a fourth season, the streamer said Thursday. The welcome news comes ahead of the season-three finale on Friday. (And that usually means Thursday night after 6 p.m. PT, when the streamer often posts the next day’s fare).

“There is no series quite like Foundation and we feel lucky and honored to be carrying the torch forward as co-showrunners into season four,” said co-showrunners and executive producers Ian Goldberg and David Kob. “We look forward to continuing the epic, emotional storytelling that defined the first three seasons of the show, and to be working alongside some of the most talented, passionate creative partners in the business.”

A deal on the Samsung T9 SSD lets you add terabytes of storage to your Mac or iPad without breaking the bank. The T9 offers up to 4TB of capacity and offers blazing fast data transfers, without the risks of cloud storage. And you can grab the SSD now at up to 36% below the original cost.

For an even more affordable option, the older Samsung T7 is available with considerable discounts, too.

The concerns about iPhone Air battery life now seem overblown. Apple gave data on how long the new, super-slim handset lasts between recharges, and it’s going to beat most previous iPhones.

While it won’t offer the best battery life ever in an iPhone, the early report that it won‘t last a typical day without needing a recharge turned out to be baloney.

People wondered how the new iPhone Air released at Apple’s Awe Dropping event Tuesday could be so incredibly thin and still have a working USB-C port (or even if it would have one at all). Well, here’s how: In a departure from the iPhone giant’s normal manufacturing process, the new handset features a breakthrough 3D-printed titanium USB-C port for ultra-thin design, Apple said.

And considering how the process and material actually improve the port, the result is truly an engineering milestone.

September 11, 2009: Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer snatches an iPhone from an employee during a meeting and pretends to destroy it.

The iPhone freakout isn’t the first time Ballmer behaves in a wacky way and incurs negative publicity as a result. However, it’s an embarrassing moment for a man who ranks among the tech world’s most powerful people.

Apple’s new feature that lets AirPods act as language translators isn’t available for EU residents while they’re in Europe. What makes the restriction odd is that the feature can be used by EU residents outside of the European Union.

And Live Translation with AirPods can be used by those traveling to the European Union from the United States, the United Kingdom, etc.

iPhone fans face a bit of a conundrum this year: iPhone 17 Pro vs. iPhone Air. The super-slim iPhone Air shakes up Apple’s phone lineup considerably, with a cutting-edge new design that makes even dedicated iPhone Pro users question their commitment to the highest-end model.

The iPhone Air sits between the iPhone Pro and the base iPhone 17, taking the place of the retired iPhone Plus. So, how does the iPhone Air fare against the iPhone 17 Pro? Should you ditch the Pro and go Air this year?

Apple no longer bundles a USB-C charging cable with the AirPods Pro 3. Since the earbuds include a USB-C port and support wireless charging, you are unlikely to rue its absence.

This marks another accessory Apple has dropped after the power brick.

The iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max include 12GB of RAM, which is 50% more than their predecessors. The change should improve the performance of the handsets, especially when handling AI-related functions.

However, the base model iPhone 17 did not get a RAM upgrade. And the amount in the iPhone Air remains unknown.

Early benchmark scores for the A19 Pro chip in the just-announced iPhone 17 Pro show a whopping 40% increase in graphics performance compared to last year’s model. The boost in overall performance isn’t nearly so dramatic, however.

We also have a preliminary benchmark for the A19 in the base model iPhone 17, and it’s apparently going to be just slightly faster than its most recent predecessor.

The Apple N1 wireless chip is easy to overlook in the hoopla surrounding the new iPhone 17 series, but it’s an advancement in Apple’s drive to produce all its own silicon.

The new in-house chip handles Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and more, and Apple says it’ll improve the performance of Personal Hotspot and AirDrop.

Three new Beats iPhone cases designed for Apple’s latest iPhone 17 lineup include an array of color choices as well as kickstand and rugged options, the Apple subsidiary said Tuesday. Available choices cover the whole lineup — iPhone 17, iPhone Air, iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max.

“The overwhelming response to our Beats cases proved a core idea: users crave both style and serious utility,” said Oliver Schusser, Apple’s vice president of Music, Sports and Beats. “With that in mind, we’ve engineered the next generation. The new Beats iPhone cases integrate protective features, delivering a significant leap in everyday innovation and functionality.”

September 10, 1984: Apple ships the Macintosh 512K, the first upgrade to the first-gen Macintosh 128K.

Coming less than eight months after the original Macintosh, the 512K Mac makes no sweeping changes to the computer’s form factor. Instead, the big upgrade is quadrupling the RAM. This leads Apple fans to refer to the computer as the “Fat Mac.”

You don’t have to buy the just-announced AirPods Pro 3 just to get Apple’s new Live Translation feature. The AI-powered communication option is coming to older models of wireless earbuds, too.

An iPhone that supports Apple Intelligence is required as well.