Two weeks from today, Apple will launch the first 15-inch MacBook Air, according to multiple tipsters. This will be the largest consumer-oriented notebook Apple has ever offered.
You don’t need to wait for WWDC23 to get the details, though. Here’s everything that has leaked out about this soon-to-be-released Mac.
Working remotely? BenQ unveiled its new ideaCam S1 Pro Friday for creative professionals working from home.
It sports various shooting modes and high resolution.
Apple is apparently responding to criticism that it doesn’t offer real competition for OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Bard, two AI-powered chatbots that have made so many headlines in recent months. Job postings show the Mac-maker is on a hiring spree for people skilled in generative AI.
Perhaps Apple’s voice-activated system Siri is in for a significant jump in capabilities.
★★★★☆
Throwboy pillows by Roberto Hoyos are a series of soft, squishy pillows that resemble your favorite Apple products. You can decorate your living room with astonishingly accurate facsimiles of the fan favorites — the Macintosh 128k, the iMac G3, the iPod, the iPhone — as well as the cult classics — the Lisa, the iMac G4 and the G4 Cube.
When I say “astonishingly accurate,” I’m not exaggerating. I was blown away by the attention to detail.
Many computer setups go heavy on the Apple hardware, but not many of them could be mistaken for Apple advertisements. Some, though, like today’s Mac Studio workstation, manage to hit that mark — or close enough.
If the app developer who uses it fancied things up a bit more, the rig might seem too staged and on-the-nose-Apple to feature.
Portable power stations brand Bluetti just launched a trade-in program. It’s meant to encourage customers to upgrade their gear, while reducing their impact on the environment.
The first company to assemble iPhone in India is reportedly getting out of the business. Wistron is selling the plant where it puts together Apple handsets to Tata Group, an Indian multinational based in Mumbai.
At the same time, Foxconn and Pegatron continue to grow their commitments to manufacturing iPhones in India.
Every veteran gamer knows that for all the playability of the Switch library, the most significant feature of Nintendo’s flagship console is its versatility. For instance, you’re not just limited to the tiny screen. You can take your Switch to a friend’s house and put the action on nearly any monitor or TV.
Of course, that functionality isn’t without its challenges. And that’s precisely why hardcore gamers need this three-in-one Nintendo Switch Docking Station.
In this installment of 3 Reasons to Watch, we look at Bad Sisters, the Irish black comedy that racked up awards after its spectacular first season.
The acidic series follows the five Garvey sisters, who are complicit in a crime … but not in the way it initially appears. Here’s why you need to stream Bad Sisters yesterday.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Well-placed sources say Apple’s AR/VR headset blew them away. Even the guy who dreamed up the Oculus Rift says it’s great.
The more we hear about the device nobody seems to need, the more intrigued we become. And with WWDC23 just weeks away, we don’t have long to wait for answers to our questions. In the meantime, we can imagine the possibilities …
Also on The CultCast:
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.
Protect your online activity today with the VPN rated No. 1 by Business Insider. Visit ExpressVPN.com/cultcast to get an extra three months free on a one-year package.
I’ve written six nonfiction books about Apple, and every time during the writing process, I’d grind to a halt because I had no idea how to organize all the material I’d gathered.
So I’d do what every writer has done since time immemorial: I’d take reams and reams of notes, cut them up into small pieces, and then tape them together in an order that made some kind of sense. The trouble is, it rarely did!
Little did I know, there’s a much easier way: Scrivener.
Silo, Ted Lasso and Ghosted all showed up in this week’s lists of the most-watched streaming movies and TV shows. They offer further proof that Apple TV+ can successfully compete against Netflix, Prime Video and Disney+.
In fact, Silo currently ranks as the most popular series on any streaming service.
★★★★☆
EZCast Pocket lets a range of computers connect wirelessly to an external display. No additional software is needed — it’s very nearly as easy to use as a cable, but without the cable clutter.
I tested the affordable and very portable wireless video adapter in my home and on a business trip. Here are its strengths and occasional weaknesses.
Note: When this review was first published in March, there was so much interest that EZCast Pocket sold out almost immediately. Amazon once again has the product in stock so we’re re-publishing the review.
Searching for a job is frustrating. And it’s definitely not made any easier when you need to constantly revise your application materials for every new position, and figure out ways to get around bots that do much of the screening these days.
If you want to save time crafting quality resumes, there’s an AI tool that can help. Resoume is an intuitive resume-writing tool you can use to quickly craft your application materials. Get a lifetime subscription while it’s only $39.99, and future-proof your job search.
★★★☆☆
New Apple TV+ drama City on Fire, based on the book by Garth Risk Hallberg, tries to crack its central mysteries wide open this week.
William discovers he has a connection to the attempted murder of Samantha. Regan discovers she has more rats in her nest than she imagined. Charlie finds his allegiances tested as his sanity frays. Keith’s troubles are getting worse, and he still hasn’t even hit bottom.
Entitled “Land of a Thousand Dances,” it’s a good episode of the Dickensian potboiler, but it’s almost undone by rookie mistakes.
Learning how to play the piano is challenging, especially if you don’t have the time or cash for traditional lessons. Skoove is an iOS app designed to help you learn piano at home.
You can become a piano pro through Skoove’s virtual lessons thanks to interactive tutorials and feedback from advanced AI. For a limited time, you can get a lifetime subscription to Skoove premium piano lessons for only $139.97 (regularly $300). That’s the best price across the web!
Apple Watch Ultra owners, this week’s giveaway is for you. We teamed up with Elkson to give away five Quattro Pro 2.0 cases for Apple Watch Ultra. All winners also will receive an Apple Watch Ultra screen protector for an added layer of protection.
This great bundle retails for $25.99. It’s excellent for any Apple Watch Ultra wearer who’s looking for some extra comfort and protection.
Ugreen unveiled its new 6-in-1 USB Steam Deck Dock Thursday, saying it provides gamers with a range of high-speed connectivity, 4K@60Hz output and fast charging.
And it’s on sale at Amazon. See below.
★★★☆☆
Apple TV+ dystopian sci-fi hit Silo investigates a high-profile murder and a hero’s childhood this week.
The show, about the last people on Earth living in hellish conditions underground, follows new Sheriff Juliette Nichols as she gets wrapped up in her first homicide investigation with Deputy Marnes. Plus, it delves into her past as she remembers the circumstances under which she became a machinist.
As this show progresses, it gets a little better with each episode and each twisty plot development.
The first betas of iOS 16.6 and macOS Ventura 13.5 went to developers on Friday. The same is true for iPadOS 16.6 beta 1, watchOS 9.6 beta 1 and tvOS 16.6 beta 1.
The timing might seem odd because Apple is expected to unveil iOS 17, macOS 14 and the replacements for its other operating systems in a couple of weeks, but this is normal.
★★★★☆
This week’s episode of the Apple TV+ series Drops of God, about the differing paths of two potential heirs to a fortune in wine, finds Camille on an excursion and Issei in a fog.
Camille and Lorenzo take a jog to Italy to do research before the second challenge. And Issei and Yurika discover some things about his personal history that make the contest even more bitter. Entitled “Legacy,” the episode splashes out a very fine bit of work from this team.
If you invested in Apple’s fantastic AirPods Pro (2nd generation) earbuds, shouldn’t you consider protecting that investment with an exceptional carrying case?
Elago’s Liquid Hybrid Case, available with a handy nylon lanyard, is now available in the Cult of Mac Store at a great price.
Edifier unveiled a new version of its bestselling wireless over-ear headphones Friday. The active-noise-canceling (ANC) W820NB Plus — the Plus is added to the older set’s name — bring support for the high-definition LDAC Bluetooth codec as well as Hi-Res Audio Wireless certification.
And you know what else sounds good? The price — $79.99.
Gabriel B., a 13-year-old student and photographer in Baton Rouge, La., sent pics and commentary showcasing and describing his well-equipped MacBook Air-and-dual-display setup to Cult of Mac this week.
He noted his Intel MacBook powers an “army of peripherals,” but it’s not quite up to the work he asks of it. And how has he already filled 3TB of digital storage space, anyway? Well, that’s what heavy photo and video editing will do.
If you love Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of the Peanuts gang, the kids-and-family slate Apple TV+ plans for this summer should be right up your alley (or in your dog house).
Apple TV+ said Friday you can expect two new Peanuts specials, the new series Camp Snoopy and, outside of Linus and Lucy’s world, new seasons of Duck & Goose, Eva the Owlet and the award-winning Lovely Little Farm.