The Plugable UD-768PDZ (at left) and UD-3900PDH are USB-C docks that add up to three external displays to a Mac. Photo: Plugable
Plugable expanded its product line with two new triple display USB-C docking stations. These can add three screens even to Macs that are ordinarily limited to one external monitor.
The UD-3900PDH and UD-768PDZ docks also feature additional ports, including USB-A, Ethernet and SD card readers.
The Chrome browser may soon become a more efficient MacBook battery user. Photo: Google/Apple
Google said Tuesday it’s making several changes to the Chrome browser to make it less of a MacBook battery hog. Modifications include adjusting timers to wake the CPU less often, tuning memory compression and further optimizing Energy Saver mode.
The company’s tests using a 13-inch M2 MacBook Pro suggest the tweaks may help folks browse for 17 hours or watch YouTube for 18 hours on a single charge.
This is one elegant Apple Watch band. Photo: Goldenerre
“Meet your new wardrobe hero!” Goldenerre enthused about its drop-dead gorgeous Herringbone Braided Apple Watch band. It comes in gold, rose gold or silver stainless steel. It’s another Goldenerre piece that makes a statement. It could be yours for less than $150.
And you can find your new wardrobe hero in the Cult of Mac Store. Whether you’re going to dinner around the corner or at The White House, this thing fits in.
No blue or green bubbles… iMessage on Windows brings with it gray bubbles. Screenshot: Windows Insider Blog
People never thought it would happen. People didn’t think it was possible. But in an update to Windows 11, you will be able to send and receive iMessages and manage your notifications through a PC.
This update comes through the Windows Insider program, which offers users prerelease versions of the desktop operating system for beta testing and software development. Microsoft ships updates to Windows annually in the fall, so this feature may arrive for everyone later this year.
This mecha is really a 65W three-port charger for your iPhone, iPad or Mac. Photo: GravaStar
There’s no reason your USB-C charger has to be dull. Rather than being the usual white or black box, GravaStar’s Alpha65 looks like a miniature robot. But it really is a 65W charger with multiple USB ports.
And the company’s Supernova is both a Bluetooth speaker and a portable lantern even though it looks like a mini mecha.
This highly compatible 128GB flash drive is available at more than 20 percent off. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
If you’re looking for some extra storage space on a smartphone, computer or tablet, this this four-in-one smart flash drive is a quick, easy and affordable options. It comes with four tips — Lightning, USB Type-C, USB 3.0 and micro-USB — so it can work with iPhones, iPads, Macs and other devices.
For a limited time, you can get this 128GB flash drive for only $22.99 (regularly $39) with no coupon. That’s more than 20% off. But if you want one, or several, you only have until midnight PST on March 2 to get this deal.
Complicated taxes? Figure out how deductions and credits work in this $20 bundle. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Tax season is here, and it’s totally normal if you’re stressing about what that means for your finances. Whether you’re filing with dependents for the first time, trying to get education tax credits, figuring out what’s actually deductible, or planning for your retirement, there’s a lot to consider.
But you don’t have to figure it all out on your own. The Ultimate Guide to Taxes Bundle is a comprehensive set of courses that could give you the knowledge to make this the best tax season yet. And it’s only $19.99 until March 2 at 11:59 p.m. PST.
Apple Watch Ultra may be tough, but this bumper case makes it even more rugged. Photo: Elkson
Everyone knows Apple Watch Ultra is made for the rough stuff — endurance sports, scuba diving, summiting high peaks and the like. However, rugged though it may be, it’s just a smartwatch. It’s not bulletproof. So why not toughen it up with the protective-but-sleek Elkson Quattro Pro 2.0 bumper case?
Better yet, you can get 15% off the case through the end of February in the Cult of Mac Store. Then, the next time you put your Ultra through its paces, you’ll enjoy some extra peace of mind.
Roy Kent (played by Brett Goldstein) turns over a new leaf in the Ted Lasso season three trailer. Photo: Apple TV+
The season 3 trailer for hit Apple TV+ comedy Ted Lasso is a total love-fest. Not a lot happens in it. But everyone’s so happy the show is back — if only for one final, fleeting season of humor and hope — that it doesn’t much matter, does it?
Just watch the trailer, which Apple released Monday, and be positive!
An iPad with a beautiful OLED display seems inevitable at this point. It’s only a question of when. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The OLED screen supposedly coming in the 2024 iPad Pro might push the price up quite a bit. The component reportedly will cost significantly more than the one used in the current version of Apple’s high-end tablet.
If that’s the only change in the next-generation model, it’s going to be hard to justify a price hike. But there are plenty of other modifications Apple could make that would help buyers accept a $100 or more increase in the iPad Pro cost.
A cybersecurity honcho singled out iCloud for praise in a speech Monday. Photo: Apple
A high-level US cybersecurity official pointed to Apple as an example of a company with good accountability and transparency in its security practices. And she added others — like tech giants Microsoft and Twitter — might learn a thing or two from it.
“Apple is taking ownership for the security outcomes of their users,” said Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director Jen Easterly in a speech Monday at Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania.
Speculation of the game being abandoned has been put to rest. Image: The Pokémon Company
After a long wait, Pokémon Sleep will finally become a reality this summer. The game will combine sleep tracking with the enduringly popular collect-a-thon game series. And, while the smash-hit mobile game Pokémon Go promotes outdoor exercise, Pokémon Sleep will reward users for getting a full night of shut-eye.
The game, for iPhone and Android devices, is being developed by Japanese game studio Select Button in partnership with Niantic, the developer of Pokémon Go.
Powered by artificial intelligence, the cross-platform Elephas writing app works seamlessly with apps you already use. Image: Elephas
People in almost any business must write from time to time, whether they like it or not. But whatever the project — like a marketer’s blog post, a business leader’s executive summary or a developer’s technical use case — there’s a tool out there that makes writing easy and effective.
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This post is brought to you by Elephas.
It’s the Elephas app, which runs on Macs, iPads and iPhones. It’s powered by artificial intelligence, and it works seamlessly with all the apps you already use. Sound like a useful tool? You can try Elephas for free, and get 20% off when you sign up for an annual plan.
The Exploratory Design Group works at Tantau 9 on the Apple campus. Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
Few outside of Apple have ever heard of the company’s secretive Exploratory Design Group. However, the team includes many of Apple’s brightest minds — and is developing some of its most innovative products.
Despite the secrecy, the XDG made headlines recently when its project to add blood glucose monitoring to Apple Watch leaked out. Now more details on the group and its moonshot projects have come to light.
This setup's not exactly lacking for upscale 5K screen real estate, is it? Photo: [email protected]
At Cult of Mac, we’re no strangers to looking at computer setups loaded with displays — even as many as six. But we’re less used to seeing certain orientations, like in today’s featured M1 MacBook Pro and custom PC setup.
The workstation seems to reach for the ceiling with four 5K displays. Two stack horizontally in landscape mode and two stand tall, shoulder-to-shoulder in portrait mode.
These are just a few of the hundreds of classic Macintoshes going up for auction. Photo: Julien’s Auctions
The Hanspeter Luzi Vintage Apple Archive with over 500 computers and other Apple items will go up for auction at the end of this month. There’s an Apple Lisa and other classic Macintosh models collected over 25 years.
That means two separate auctions of Apple products will be happening in close succession.
Qualcomm says Apple's cellular modem could be ready in 2024. Photo: Qualcomm
Quaclomm CEO Cristiano Amon says he thinks Apple’s in-house modem could be ready in 2024, presumably for use inside the iPhone 16 series. The CEO’s comments came Monday during an interview on the show floor at MWC 2023, a massive tech trade show in Barcelona, Spain.
Text input options on Apple's Reality Pro headset could be interesting. Concept: Ahmed Chenni/Freelancer.com
The in-air typing mode that Apple is testing for its first AR/VR headset sounds like a sci-fi dream — but at this point, it might be more of a nightmare. The feature reportedly has been “finicky in testing” on Apple’s latest secret prototypes.
For that reason, users might prefer to pair the headset to an iPhone for text input, according to Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman.
Apple's next Max iPhone could have slightly more compact dimensions. Photo: Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac
The iPhone 15 Pro Max will be slightly shorter and slimmer than its predecessor, with a marginally smaller camera hump, according to the latest renders based on leaked CAD files.
The detailed 3D CAD renders previously revealed some interesting design changes, including a slightly more curved design.
Why can't we have a real red iPhone 15 Pro?!? Image: Cult of Mac
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The latest rumor indicates Apple just can’t kick its obsession with lackluster iPhone colors. Yes, the iPhone 15 Pro might come in “dark sienna,” aka the red that dare not speak its name.
If so, you can color us disappointed.
Also on The CultCast:
Apple’s longstanding dream of adding a blood glucose monitor to Apple Watch takes an important step forward.
New leaks and rumors give us an even better look at what iPhone 15 might bring.
Tim Cook reportedly hoovers up the entire output of TSMC’s next-gen 3nm chips. Power move!
Apple Watch faces a legal hurdle that could get it banned in the USA. (Spoiler alert: Not gonna happen.)
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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Watch Major League Soccer on a wide variety of devices, including TVs, tablets and phones, not only ones made by Apple. Photo: Apple
It’s Major League Soccer’s opening weekend, and Apple TV will show every match… and they all can be watched free.
And that’s only the start. Apple TV is the home for MLS and will have every live match from the 2023 season plus the playoffs. Apple promises to offer more free matches later in the month and throughout the season.
Here’s how to enjoy these games without paying so much as a dime. These can be enjoyed on a wide variety of devices, not only ones from Apple.
Spend only $99 for a three-year plan that gives you options for connectivity. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
For most of us, smartphones have become a basic necessity to fulfill daily needs and tasks. So why would you settle for an underwhelming cellular network or data plan, particularly when there are some innovative eSim plans available?
For a limited time, you can gain three years of access to Instabridge eSIM for only $99 (regularly $200) with no coupon required. You’ll slash the cost in half and benefit from reliable connectivity, no matter where the day takes you.