The wait is over for macOS Ventura 13.3 and iPadOS 16.4, which Apple released Monday. While not major upgrades, they do bring new emoji, a better way for devs to work with betas, and other changes (including security updates).
Apple also released iOS 16.4, as well as watchOS 9.4 and tvOS 16.4, today.
Apple released iOS 16.4 on Monday, bringing significant changes and new features to its iPhone operating system.
Once you install iOS 16.4, the biggest point release of iOS 16 so far, check out these 15 features to try right away — including the new “high five emoji” combo.
Amazon bargain site Woot! is pushing M1 Macs at low prices through April 3. You can get up to 46% off some machines, which include MacBook Pro, MacBook Air and iMac from 2020 and 2021, plus a handful of Intel-powered Macs.
Looking to buy a Magic Keyboard for your iPad Pro or iPad Air? Amazon has discounted the excellent iPad accessory to a tempting price of $229 after a $70 discount.
If you have the bigger 12.9-inch iPad Pro, you can save $50 on its Magic Keyboard accessory.
If you have an iPad, you should protect it with a case and put the device on a stand for perfect, hands-free use, whether you’re typing away on a keyboard, drawing with Pencil or just watching a video. And right now you get Elago’s Magnetic Folio case and the company’s magnetic stand for 15% off when you buy them both.
You can find Elago Magnetic Folio cases for all models plus the Magnetic Stand for iPads in the Cult of Mac Store.
We often see big upgrades to setups we’ve covered here in the past. But they’re not usually comprehensive, where everything from the daily-driver Mac to the input devices to the audio gear gets made over (and in some cases greatly expanded).
Let’s just say today’s featured MacBook Pro setup looked a lot different 2 years ago. It’s more evidence that a setup is never, ever “done.”
Apple CEO Tim Cook was one of the few executives from U.S. companies to attend the China Development Forum in Beijing over the weekend as tensions between the two countries continue.
In a speech, Cook spoke about the “symbiotic kind of relationship” that Apple and China have.
★★★★☆
The beauty of a portable power bank becomes apparent when it gets you out of jams as your gadgets run out of power without an electrical outlet in sight. And if the bank can juice up a few devices at once, all the better. That’s what makes the Momax AirBox Go so great.
Momax recently sent me the three-in-one portable MagSafe charger to test. I took it on a weekend trip and found it performed well, keeping my iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods Pro going.
Ugreen’s latest multiport docking station — sporting nine ports for most workstation connectivity needs — is helpful in several ways, including if you want to extend an M1 MacBook’s external-display capacity from one to two.
The device also offers 100 watts fast charging plus fast file transfer via USB-A and USB-C ports.
BenQ recently added its 27-inch PD2706UA Design Monitor for home productivity to its lineup of screens that ship with the Ergo Arm. It follows the 27-inch PD2705UA and the 32-inch PD3205UA, both aimed more specifically at designers for their color accuracy.
All three displays offer customizable ergonomic design with plenty of options for movement on the Ergo Arm.
When you first unbox your new iPhone, it feels like the world is your oyster. Then, one day the low-storage warnings start coming. It’s the same thing with computers and tablets, but there’s something you can do about this dreadful state of affairs.
Instead of deciding which photos and videos you love the least, you can get a 10TB lifetime backup plan from Degoo for only $99.99. That way you can store everything and avoid those hard decisions.
Apple removed the SIM card tray from the iPhone 14 units sold in the US. With the iPhone 15, the company seemingly plans to ditch the SIM slot on the iPhone in even more countries.
A new report indicates the iPhone 15 could launch with only eSIM support in France.
Sneaky Sasquatch is a delightful game on Apple Arcade. It lets players live the life of a Sasquatch doing regular, everyday things this mysterious forest dweller does: sneak around campgrounds stealing picnic baskets, play golf, ski, learn to drive. That sort of thing.
If you haven’t discovered it yet, here are six reason why it’s worth playing.
Apple’s upcoming iOS 17 update will be bigger than initially planned. The company reportedly changed its strategy during the development process to add some “nice to have” features to the iPhone operating system.
Whether you want to master a new hobby or boost your resume with a new skill, a heavily discounted lifetime membership to StackSkills Unlimited is your ticket to perpetual learning. This unique educational opportunity gives you instant access to more than 1,000 courses in a wide variety of topics, from coding and finance to poker and guitar.
During our Spring Digital Blowout, you can get a lifetime subscription to StackSkills Unlimited for just $49.97 (regularly $1,495). But you’ll have to act fast, as this deal only lasts through April 3.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: iPhone rumors are flying, and some of them sound fantastic! But then there’s the one about a potentially troublesome mute button…
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.
Fans weren’t bothered by an extra-long wait for Ted Lasso‘s third season. The season premiere brought a tidal wave of viewers, pushing Apple TV+ back to near the top of the ratings charts.
And Shrinking, another Apple TV+ comedy, is finishing its freshman season with strong viewership.
ChatGPT keeps making headlines for its ability to quickly generate effective writing and even write iPhone apps, but how can it benefit you and your website?
This lifetime license for the ChatGPT WordPress plugin answers that question, and it’s now on sale as part of our Spring Blowout for only $39.97. You’ll have to hurry, though, since this best-of-web pricing only lasts through April 13.
★★★☆☆
Apple TV+ spy thriller Liaison hits a few snags this week on its way to justice and catharsis. A mostly great episode finds Alison, Gabriel, Dumas and Sophie Saint Roche making deals with unlikely allies on their mad scramble to prevent a private war against the whole of Europe.
Didier is desperate, Sabine is growing hopeless, Alison’s father is in critical condition, and Dumas grows a conscience. There’s blood in the water in this episode, entitled “Family Album.” Who will make it out alive?
★☆☆☆☆
Apple TV+ series Dear Edward brings its tedious first season to a close this week. Edward winds up lost in the big city, sending his adoptive mom Lacey into hysterics. Plus, Dee Dee’s feeling very unappreciated, Shay and Edward get a second chance, Steve and Amanda have a choice to make, and there’s a party on the horizon.
The Dear Edward season finale, entitled “Shelter,” is a whiff of an ending to a whiff of a season. This show, supposedly about grief in the wake of a catastrophic plane crash, turns out to be largely about nothing at all.
With a subscription to Instabridge, you can enjoy 2GB of fast, reliable cellular data per month for the rest of your days. This deal comes without roaming fees, and gets you fast 5G coverage at a fraction of the normal price.
Best of all, a lifetime subscription to Instabridge is on sale during our Spring Digital Blowout Sale for only $149 (regularly $1,000). That’s the best price you’ll find on the web.
★★★★☆
Hello Tomorrow! returns for more Space Age shenanigans — and a brutal comeuppance for one of Earth’s biggest liars. The Apple TV+ show about a guy selling bunk timeshares on the moon finally hits the pause button on momentum to allow a devastating realization to sink in.
Salesman/con artist Jack Billings may be more doomed than he thinks, even as he succeeds beyond his wildest dreams. Shirley and Joey have had enough, Myrtle gets the sign she’s been searching for, Herb makes good, and Jack has to save an old hero in this stellar episode, entitled “The Gargon Mothership.”
The Narwal Freo is a vacuum-mop combination cleaner with five different cleaning modes to make sure your home sparkles. The cleaning modes include vacuum, mop, vacuum and mop, vacuum then mop, and FreoMode. That last one creates a custom cleaning approach based on your home’s specific floor types and your specific needs.
With an advanced lidar sensor system, the Freo can learn what types of floors you have — and what kinds of messes typically befoul them. Then the smart little robovac comes up with a way to clean them better than your typical camera-driven robot vacuum can.
Apple TV+ served up a new trailer Thursday for Boom! Boom! The World vs. Boris Becker. It’s a two-part documentary exploring the life of the German tennis legend. He triumphed at Wimbledon at age 17 and won 49 career titles, including six Grand Slams plus an Olympic gold medal. And then he went off the rails, life-wise.
Following an ugly divorce involving infidelity, the troubled celebrity ended up in prison for concealing assets to avoid paying debts. But in the trailer, filled with other tennis stars, Becker says a new chapter in his life is coming. The documentary debuts April 7.
★★☆☆☆
Apple TV+ limited series Extrapolations steeps itself in sci-fi wonkery this week as members of a tech billionaire family find themselves on opposing sides of a terrorist action meant to move the needle on climate change.
Novelist Dave Eggers joins the show’s writing team this week, and Edward Norton, Indira Varma and Michael Gandolfini lead the cast.
While this isn’t a bad version of what Extrapolations set out to do, the show’s sprawling mission statement remains blinkered.