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Ted Lasso takes a revealing trip to Amsterdam [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★☆☆

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Jason Sudeikis in ★★★☆☆
Ted gets high and ponders Sunflowers this week on Ted Lasso.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewTed Lasso, the Apple TV+ show about a feel-good soccer coach who’s having a feel-bad time, takes a trip to Amsterdam this week. After another crushing loss, everyone sets out on their own adventures for a night on the town.

Rebecca meets a most charming man in an uncharming location. Ted and Beard trip on their trip. Roy and Jamie share some secrets over a bike ride. And the rest of the team can’t pick a way to unwind. It’s a revealing little jaunt for this crew and a mostly very entertaining outing.

Netflix’s password-sharing crackdown expands to US soon

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Netflix Downloads for You puts suggested shows right onto your iPhone
The time to pay for your own Netflix account is coming.
Photo: Netflix

Netflix’s restrictive new account-sharing policy will go live in the United States in the first half of 2023. The streaming company started cracking down on password sharing in New Zealand, Portugal, Canada and Spain earlier this year.

It is fairly common for friends and family members to share a Netflix account among themselves. With its new account-sharing rules, the company wants to clamp down on such behavior.

The scramble to create killer apps for Apple’s AR/VR headset is on

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Apple VR/AR headset concept by Amin Jony.
Surprise: the Apple VR/AR headset might be able to run iPad apps right out of the box.
Concept: Amin Jony/Freelancer.com

There’ll be a lot more to Apple’s VR/AR headset than new hardware: an unconfirmed report leaks details on Apple’s plans for software. There’ll be games and fitness apps, a VR version of FaceTime and more.

That’s not surprising. What is eye-opening is the assertion that the headset will be able to run third-party iPad applications right out of the box.

Attach 2 screens to MacBook with Mobile Pixels’ redesigned Trio and Trio Max

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Mobile Pixels Trio
Don't give up on plenty of screen space when on the go.
Photo: Mobile Pixels

Mobile Pixels just started taking preorders for updated versions of Trio and Trio Max, clip-on accessories that add not one but two external displays to a MacBook or other notebook.

Don’t think these products will trap you in the office — the add-on screens are intended for use on the go.

The new versions offer larger screens in thinner, lighter designs. And there’s a new attachment system, too.

New Apple Health-connected smart scale dares you not to look

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The new Withings Body Smart scale not only measures health metrics, it keeps them private if you like.
The new Withings Body Smart scale not only measures health metrics, it keeps them private if you like.
Photo: Withings

Withings unveiled its newest smart scale Tuesday, the Body Smart. It provides precise weight, body composition and health measurements as well as an Eyes Closed Mode “for those that dare not look,” the company said.

Eyes Closed Mode instead shows encouraging statements on the scale and surfaces your actual stats in the Apple Health-connected app so others can’t see them.

Colorful charging pad powers up iPhone and curbs cable clutter

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Elago's MS pad is a perfect accessory for your iPhone and MagSafe charging puck.
Elago's MS pad is a perfect accessory for your iPhone and MagSafe charging puck.
Photo: Elago

If you use a MagSafe charging puck with your iPhone, you may want to try Elago’s MS Charging Pad for MagSafe with it. Not only does the pad surround the little charger with soft silicone to get a good grip and protect your handset and surfaces from scratches, it helps channel the cable and brings a welcome splash of color.

You can choose from seven fun colors for the Elago MS Charging Pad in the Cult of Mac Store — white, black, red, lavender, pink, mint and jean indigo.

M1 iMac hits an all-time low after a $299 discount

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The 2021 iMac is crazy thin.
You don't want to miss this amazing deal on the M1 iMac.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s 24-inch iMac is down to its lowest-ever price after a whopping $299 discount. While the machine usually retails for $1,499, you can currently get it for $1,199.99 on Amazon.

You can get a lower but equally enticing $199 discount on the entry-level configuration of the M1 iMac.

Add 3 high-speed ports to Mac with this svelte Thunderbolt hub [Review] ★★★★

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Add 3 high-speed ports to Mac with Satechi Thunderbolt Slim Hub★★★★
Expand the capabilities of your Mac with Satechi's surprisingly small three-port Thunderbolt 4 hub.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Satechi Thunderbolt Slim Hub doesn’t take up much room on your desk, but it packs in a trio of very high-speed USB-C/Thunderbolt ports, plus a USB-A port.

The Thunderbolt 4 accessory is good enough to earn a CES 2023 Innovation Award. I put to the test in my home office.

Apple’s first retail store in India opens, and Tim Cook is there

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Apple BKC with Apple logo upfront.
Apple BKC features huge glass walls and a timber ceiling.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s first retail store in India opened its doors to shoppers Tuesday, and CEO Tim Cook showed up to celebrate. Apple BKC — housed in an energy-efficient structure with some stunning architectural details — is located inside Jio World Drive, a huge shopping complex in Mumbai, Maharashtra.

The Indian store opening marks an important milestone for Apple, as it seeks to expand its retail and manufacturing presence in the world’s most populous country.

Prehistoric Planet 2 teaser reveals fascinating and fearsome dinosaurs

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Prehistoric Planet 2 debuts May 22 in a week-long event on Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple TV+

On Tuesday, aka National Velociraptor Awareness Day, Apple TV+ dropped a teaser trailer for season 2 of its award-winning natural history series, Prehistoric Planet. And it comes complete with an exciting “new” lineup of dinosaurs.

Narrated by the inimitable Sir David Attenborough — the voice of nature — the series uses new research and technological wizardry to create an in-depth nature documentary. But this one, returning May 22, takes you to landscapes filled with fearsome predators and gentle giants of many millions of years ago.

Get a lifetime of life-changing ideas with best-of-web pricing on this app

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Get life-changing ideas on demand with best of web pricing on this app.
Score lifetime access to bite-size, personalized learning from Headway.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

If we can access the internet, which contains vast amounts of knowledge, why haven’t we all built on that knowledge and evolved into better people by now? The answer is fairly obvious. The problem isn’t internet access — it’s time!

Technology increased the pace of our lives exponentially, but ironically, those with the drive to better themselves are generally too busy to soak up the wisdom and knowledge from books. But now there’s an app called Headway that could change all that. Through April 23, you can score lifetime access to Headway’s bite-size, personalized learning for only $59.97 (regularly $299). With this app, you can make self-improvement a sustainable habit and enjoy knowledge without reading entire books.

How far can you get on Apple silicon without Rosetta?

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Grid of Apple app icons
How far can you get without Rosetta 2?
Image: Apple

Is it possible to get work done on an Apple silicon Mac without ever installing Rosetta 2, the compatibility layer for running old Intel apps? In short, yes.

After buying my first Apple silicon Mac earlier this year, I was curious if I could get settled into my new computer without Rosetta. And I was successful. I’ve been writing articles, making videos and recording podcasts for more than a month, and I haven’t yet come across a mission-critical app that’s Intel-exclusive.

Rumor: iPhone 15 could feature frosted glass back

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iPhone 15 already in trial production
Apple could offer iPhone 15 in an iPhone 12-like cyan color.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac/Pixabay/Pexels

A new rumor claims Apple will offer the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus in a cyan-green color. Additionally, the company apparently plans to use a frosted glass back on these phones.

Up to this point, Apple only used frosted glass on its iPhone Pro lineup. (The iPhone 14 series features a clear glass back.)

How to sign up for Apple Card Savings and start earning interest

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Apple Card Savings
Apple Card Savings pays a high interest rate. Here's how to take advantage of it.
Photo: Apple

Apple Card Savings allows you to earn a high rate of interest on money you might have been storing in Apple Cash. As the name indicates, it’s a savings account especially for Apple Card users.

Daily Cash earned from using the credit card flows automatically into the account where it (currently) earns 4.15% annually — that’s far more than the national average. And you can bring in cash from your other banks that offer lower interest rates.

I’ll walk you through the process of setting up an Apple Card Savings account.

Rode unveils all-in-one Streamer X and RodeCaster Duo for content creators

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The compact, portable RødeCaster Duo can do everything the RødeCaster Pro II can do.
The compact, portable RødeCaster Duo can do everything the RødeCaster Pro II can do.
Photo: Røde

Australian audio powerhouse Røde introduced five new products and two major software updates Monday — its “biggest product announcement ever,” it said — at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show in Las Vegas.

Two new products headlined — the Streamer X audio interface/video capture card and the compact RødeCaster Duo AV production tool. The new PodMic USB, important firmware updates to the Wireless Go II mic system and the RødeCaster Pro II production tool, and handy new accessories rounded out the mix.

Behind-desk lighting takes MacBook Pro rig to ‘next level’ [Setups]

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A light strip -- in this case one from Nanoleaf -- can make a big difference.
A light strip -- in this case one from Nanoleaf -- can make a big difference.
Photo: [email protected]

A humble light strip can have a huge impact on a computer setup and even the room it’s in, providing functional lighting as well as setting a mood with white or colored lights at different temperatures (cool, warm, etc.). Today’s featured MacBook Pro setup uses nothing but a Nanoleaf Essentials light strip behind the desk and a Xiaomi monitor lamp to light its way. And they do so to great effect.

Read more about the lighting below, plus the setup’s use of a Sonos Bluetooth speaker for audio and an iPhone with Continuity Camera for effective videoconferencing.

Magnetic MagEasy Skin band keeps Apple Watch secure and stylish [Review] ★★★★☆

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The starlight-colored band looks and feels like it'll be just right for summer.★★★★☆
The starlight-colored band looks and feels like it'll be just right for summer.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac

Most folks have their favorite materials when it comes to Apple Watch bands, like classic leather, stainless steel or smooth silicone. For my take on its interesting version of a silicone band with magnets in it, SwitchEasy recently sent me its MagEasy Skin Silicone Magnetic Apple Watch Band to try out.

It’s a comfortable, stylish, durable and convenient silicone band available in the Cult of Mac Store. The easy-on, easy-off magnetic closure keeps it secure on your wrist. But it’s not without minor drawbacks.

Stash your cash in a high-yield Apple Card Savings account

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Apple Card Daily Cash can go straight into 'high-yield' savings account
A new Savings account for Apple Card holders includes a Savings dashboard to track progress.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple Card Savings launched Monday, allowing money earned from Apple Card’s cash-back program to go into a high-yield savings account. And it is high-yield — at 4.15%, the annual rate is about 10 times higher than the national average.

There are no fees for the new financial service, and users can bring in their own cash from other banks that offer lower interest rates.

This tiny keyring gives your iPhone superpowers

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This all-in-one phone keyring features a charger, USB, stand and more.
Save big on this all-in-one phone charger, stand and memory bank.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

The WonderCube Pro is a tiny, multifunctional iPhone accessory that’s small enough to fit on a keyring. It features a charging cable with multiple tips, plus a flash drive, a flashlight and a flashy phone stand. It even comes with a keyring!

For a limited time, you can get one for just $39.99 (regularly $70), while a two-pack costs only $79.99 (regularly $118). This is the best price you’ll find online, but you’ll have to act fast, as these price drops only last until April 18.

Keep your ears free with these $34 bone-conduction headphones

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Keep your ears free with these $34 open-ear induction headphones.
Hear your music without shutting out the world with these open ear headphones.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Whether it’s your streaming service, podcasts or playlists, customizing your personal soundscape has never been easier. These open-ear bone-conduction headphones let you hear the world around you while mixing in the audio you want to hear. Even better, they’re now only $33.99 (regularly $109).

World’s first lossless Wi-Fi headphones come from unexpected place

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HED Unity lossless Wi-Fi headphones come with a hefty price tag -- $2,199.
HED Unity lossless Wi-Fi headphones come with a hefty price tag -- $2,199.
Photo: HED Technologies

Rumors swirled over the past few years that Sonos would take on Apple’s AirPods Max by releasing its first headphones, possibly with Wi-Fi in addition to Bluetooth. But a little-known Swiss startup has beaten both companies to the punch with a pricey new set of cans.

HED Technologies recently unveiled HED Unity, the world’s first wireless headphones to offer lossless audio, high-resolution audio streaming over a local Wi-Fi network at up to 24bit/96kHz.

Get everything on the record with this 1080p body cam

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Get everything on the record with this 1080p body camera.
Shoot hands-free with this 1080p body camera.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

We’ve all got things we want to record, and sometimes an iPhone just doesn’t cut it. Whether you’re going on a bike ride and need to capture the craziness or just want to shoot an event while keeping your hands free, a body cam offers an easy way to document everything.

This 1080p body cam crams a wide-angle lens, a microphone for clear audio and 64GB of storage into a pocket-clip device. It’s now available at a discounted price of just $37.99 (regularly $45).

Save $100 on a stacked dual monitor that’s perfect for standing and seated desks

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Become more productive than ever with almost $100 off this dual monitor perfect for standing and seated desks.
Multitask better than ever before with almost $100 off this stacked monitor.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Whether you work remotely or from the office, your monitor setup offers telltale signs about the productivity of your space. Having one massive screen is handy for combing through paperwork, organizing spreadsheets and creating presentations. But utilizing multiple screens? That’s a game-changer.

To truly power up your productivity, this Geminos 24-inch dual-screen monitor allows you to easily work on two screens in an ergonomic, stacked style. It’s perfect for both sitting and standing desks. And right now, you can grab it for only $699.99 (regularly $799), the best price on the web.

New iPhone 15 leaks sound encouraging! [The CultCast]

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An image of iPhone 14, adorned with the phrases
The iPhone of the future is coming into focus ...
Photo: Apple/Modified by Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The latest iPhone 15 rumors provide a fuller picture of what to expect this year. Sounds like big changes are coming in iOS 17. But a last-minute reversal means a hardware feature we were counting on probably won’t happen.

Also on The CultCast:

  • Whatever you do, don’t get “juice jacked” this summer. We offer easy ways to avoid this menace.
  • How much would it take to get you to give up your iPhone forever?
  • The morons running General Motors ditched CarPlay. Get ready for sales to crash!
  • A new edition of What We’re Into dishes up pasta, podcasts and a sci-fi show.

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.

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