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Future Apple Pencil may include built-in color sensors

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Future Apple Pencil may include built-in color sensors
Apple patented a stylus that can be used to easily match any color.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Someday, you might be able to pull a color out of the real world just by touching your Apple Pencil to it. Apple patented a version of its iPad stylus with color sensors in the tip.

The device would be a real boon to artists who paint on an iPad.

Get bite-size audio versions of nonfiction bestsellers with this top-rated app

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Same you, new focus: Get bite-sized audio versions of top non-fiction bestsellers with this top-rated app, less than $60 for life right now.
Grow on the go in 2023 with $200 off a Headway membership today.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Reading books, especially nonfiction, is one of the best ways to learn and grow. But most of us don’t have the time to leaf through every bestseller, but the Headway mobile app makes it possible by condensing well-known nonfiction titles into bite-size 15-minute summaries to listen to, watch or read on the go.

During the Same You, New Focus promotion, you can sign up for a lifetime of Headway Premium for $59. Grow on the go in 2023 with $200 off a Headway membership today

Learn how to invest in stocks wisely in 2023 with this top-rated tool

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Learn how to invest in stocks wisely in 2023 with this top-rated tool, less than $95 now.
Save hundreds of dollars on this stock-investing tool loved by traders.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

The start of a new year is the perfect time to get your finances in order, and investing in stocks is one of the best ways to grow your money — if you know the ropes. You can learn exactly that with the easy-to-use Tykr stock screener tool. Usually $900, right now you can grab a lifetime subscription to the top-rated Pro Plan on sale for just a fraction of the price, at $119.99.

To grab it at this ultra-low price drop, you’ll have to move quickly. This offer only runs through January 9 at 11:59 p.m. PST. Then, you’ll have the Pro subscription at your fingertips forever.

New year brings ‘great display for a Mac’ to M2 MacBook Pro rig [Setups]

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Under-desk lighting helps make it a pleasant workspace even with no windows.
Under-desk lighting helps make it a pleasant workspace even with no windows.
Photo: [email protected]

There’s nothing like starting over in a brand new year. One of the best ways to do it is to freshen things up in the place where you spend so much of your waking life — your workspace. But rather than just rewarding yourself with a thrilling new mouse pad, why not roll out a whole new computer setup?

That’s the case with today’s featured M2 MacBook Pro setup. The brawny laptop drives a spacious “4K+” display with the help of some choice input devices. And it all basks in the glow of simple but highly effective lighting.

Here’s proof that a MacBook with built-in 5G is way overdue

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MacBook with built-in 5G is way overdue
There's no reason for Apple to drag its heels on a 5G MacBook
Graphic: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

If you want a MacBook with 5G cellular wireless built into it, new data suggests you’re not alone. A surprising number of iPads are sold with integrated cellular connectivity. More than half, in fact.

Like tablets, today’s slim and lightweight MacBooks are ready to go anywhere. There’s no reason to force them to depend on Wi-Fi or an iPhone hotspot.

Game on! Fortnite is apparently returning to iPhone.

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Epic Games v. Apple gets serious next spring.
Epic Games CEO is optimistic that Fortnite will once again be available for iPhone by the end of the year.
Graphic: Cult of Mac

The CEO of Epic Games teased Fortnite fans that the game will once again be playable on iPhone in 2023.

That would be quite a turnaround, as Apple blocked Epic from the App Store back in 2020 during a lengthy court battle. But new EU regulations likely will allow the game developer to do an end run around the block.

Take your golf skills to the next level in 2023 with this top-rated golf simulator

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Take your golf skills to the next level in 2023 with this top-rated golf simulator, less than $180 today.
Learn golf in 2023 with $50 off this top-rated golf simulator.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

2023 will be the year you take your golfing skills to the next level, like you’ve always wanted to. With a great golf simulator, you’ll be able to get valuable practice in, anywhere. And right now, you can grab the top-rated TruGolf Mini Golf Simulator, usually $229.99, for just $179.

No coupon is needed to grab this great deal, but you’ll have to be quick as the special price drop will only be available through midnight PST on January 9.

Apple’s classical music app misses its 2022 deadline

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Apple buys Primephonic: Apple Music's classical catalog will get a big boost from Primephonic.
Apple's dedicated classical music app is still waiting in the wings.
Photo: Samuel Sianipar/Unsplash

It’s 2023 and the standalone classical music app that Apple promised for 2022 is nowhere to be seen. It’s not clear whether it’s late or has been quietly killed off.

The company said its offering will include high-quality audio, expert recommendations and playlists, exclusive audio content, “extensive contextual details on repertoire and recordings” and other advanced features for classical music aficionados.

Get lifetime access to 10TB of Degoo Premium cloud backup for less than $200

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Get lifetime access to 10TB of Degoo Premium cloud backup for less than $100.
Secure your files with extra cloud storage capacity for a surprisingly low price.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Why start the new year low on storage space? Avoid frustrations and reduce the risk of lost files in 2023 and beyond by taking advantage of a surprisingly low price on Degoo Premium’s 10TB backup plan.

Normally sold for $3,600, this lifetime Degoo Premium package is primed to make life a little less stressful for only $199.99 during our current Same You, New Focus campaign. Instantly get 94% off the typical price without any coupon if you take advantage of this offer by January 9.

What to expect from Apple in 2023, plus our best of 2022 picks [The CultCast]

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This year was good for Apple, but 2023 looks even better!
This year was good for Apple, but 2023 looks even better!
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: We’re talking about all the Apple gear we’re certain will arrive in 2023 — and some we just hope will materialize.

Also on The CultCast:

  • An Apple Watch Ultra clone for less than $50?!?
  • More on Apple’s penny-penching strategy of skimping on cloud storage by serving up lower-resolution files.
  • Our picks for best of 2022 — part two!

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.

Our sponsor: Rocket Money

Rocket Money shows you all your subscriptions all in one place, and then cancels whatever you don’t want with a single click!  Cancel your unnecessary subscriptions right now at rocketmoney.com/cultcast.

Learn piano at your own pace with this discounted subscription

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Learn the piano at your own pace with help from this discounted subscription.
Piano skills are more attainable than ever with this low price on Skoove Premium lessons.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Music is a calling for plenty of people, but daily routines and financial realities often disrupt that passion. If you’ve got an itch to scratch when it comes to musical ambition, and piano is your instrument of choice, consider taking things to another level in 2023 with a lifetime subscription to Skoove Premium Piano Lessons.

Normally sold for $299, our current Same You, New Hobby discounts drop that cost to only $119.99 through January 9, 2023, with no coupon required.

It’s a topsy-turvy week of fun, games and neurosis on Mythic Quest [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★

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Mythic Quest recap: You never know what's going to happen on Mythic Quest.★★★★
You never know what's going to happen on Mythic Quest.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewApple TV+’s Mythic Quest finds the crew on the cusp of something great this week, but that’s usually when you fall on your face.

David, forced to work with a prima donna actor to develop the Mythic Quest movie, receives a confidence boost from Jo. Poppy and Dana set out to boost Poppy’s confidence before a big, expensive presentation. Ian feels lost now that he’s admitted he and Poppy aren’t working anymore. And Phil finally finds a way to feel important.

It’s another stellar outing with the amazing cast of this fantastic Apple TV+ comedy.

Take 40% off the color-matching sensor that designers love

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Take 40% off the color-matching sensor that designers love.
Match any color you see with this easy-to-use gadget.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

“Close” only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades, as the saying goes — and it definitely doesn’t count when you’re trying to match paint colors. Actually, there are a lot of situations where the human eye could use a little help when it comes to color.

Luckily, the Nix Mini Color Sensor — essentially a Photoshop Eyedropper tool in real life — is here to fill that need for $59.

Who can you trust on The Mosquito Coast? Basically nobody. [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★☆

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The Mosquito Coast recap. Who's using who?★★★★☆
Who's using who? It's another week of blackmail and backstabbing on The Mosquito Coast.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewDina’s gone on this week’s episode of The Mosquito Coast, the Apple TV+ show about environmental terrorists on the run from Big Brother abroad. She decides to take a walk on the wild side in the company of rich and fatuous tourists and doesn’t exactly love what she sees.

Allie and Margot have to think on their feet if their schemes to buy the other freedom are going to work out. Charlie finally gets the kick out the door he needs — but at what cost? It’s a thought-provoking chapter of the saga of the Fox family.

Surprise! Apple is 2022’s ‘biggest stock-market loser.’

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By one important measure, Apple is this year's biggest stock-market loser.
By one important measure, Apple is this year's biggest stock-market loser.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

It’s no secret 2022 has been a volatile year for tech stocks, even as Apple has stayed locked in its familiar role of stock market juggernaut, somehow always beating earnings expectations.

So you might be surprised to hear “Apple is this year’s biggest stock-market loser,” according to a report.

As 3nm processors go into production, Apple’s chipmaker looks ahead to 2nm

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TSMC 7nm processor
Apple chips keep shrinking, which makes them more efficient.
Photo: TSMC

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company began cranking out chips using its new 3nm process Thursday at its Tainan plant. But, never one to rest on its laurels, TSMC is already laying the groundwork for 2nm processors.

Apple is expected to be among the first companies to benefit from the cutting-edge chips, which will be faster while requiring less power.

How to stop unwanted app launches on Mac startup

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If starting up your Mac launches a plethora of windows you don't need or want, you may want to try our tips.
If starting up your Mac launches a plethora of windows you don't need or want, you may want to try our tips.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac

Years ago I was a regular Mac user who switched to PC for a long time. When I fully re-immersed myself in the Apple ecosystem, an old annoyance came right back — all those unwanted apps launching for no apparent reason on startup, slowing things down.

Like many folks, I don’t restart my Mac very often these days because Sleep mode has its benefits. So having to close a bunch of apps is not a massive annoyance. But for anyone who wants a fix, there are easy ways to disable startup items.

And if those don’t work, you can try a couple of tricks to get rid of hidden launch agents.

Echo 3 preps for a bloody jailbreak [Apple TV+ recap] ☆☆☆

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Apple TV+ recap: It's almost ☆☆☆
It's almost "go time" on Echo 3.
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewEcho 3, writer Mark Boal’s fundamentalist patriotism slash fic about two men who will stop at nothing to rescue the woman they share, gears up for a very illegal raid on the prison holding her this week.

The two mercenaries tie up loose ends before their mission to save their wife/sister/CIA agent Amber Chesborough Haas. Plus, Amber and Prince’s parents kibbutz about the next best step to take for their kids. And an old foe is finally taken out of commission.

‘Tiny beast’ M1 Mac mini drives well-lit workstation [Setups]

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The lighting's not for everyone, but some people think it's pretty cool.
The lighting's not for everyone, but some people think it's pretty cool.
Photo: [email protected]

If you want a healthy computer setup, don’t just check off the “ergonomics” box and leave it at that. In addition to good posture, straight wrists and so on, you’re going to need good lighting to reduce eye strain. And to look good on video, too, of course.

Today’s featured M1 Mac mini setup throws the switch on a couple of lighting products we rarely see.

CdkeySales New Year Sale: Get Windows 10 Pro for $16 and Office Pro Plus for $27

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Get great deals on Microsoft software by using promo code CULT at CdkeySales.com.
Start off 2023 right with huge discounts on Microsoft software at CdkeySales.com.
Photo: CdkeySales.com

With a new year comes fantastic new deals on Microsoft software. Just visit the special New Year Sale at software activation keys provider CdkeySales.com to save on Windows, Office and more.

SPONSORED
This post is brought to you by CdkeySales.

Cult of Mac readers can click on the links below to get a great deal on Windows 10. And it comes with a great bonus: a free upgrade to Windows 11. CdkeySales offers big savings on plenty of other Microsoft software, too. To get the most savings, enter promo code CULT at CdkeySales.com. That will slash an extra 30% off the site’s already-low prices on keys for Windows 10 Pro Global, Microsoft Office 2021 Pro and more.

Airfares are skyrocketing, but this top-rated app will find you cheap flights for life

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Airfares are skyrocketing - but this top-rated app will find you cheap flights for life.
Travel more for less in 2023 with this top-rated flights app, less than $50 for life.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Whether you’re planning a big trip in 2023 or simply want to see more of the world, the secret to broadening your horizons is knowing where to find the best cheap flight deals. Dollar Flight Club’s Premium Plus membership does exactly that, finding you the best flight deals and saving serious money.

Right now, you can grab a lifetime subscription on sale for just $49.99. That’s a discount of more than a thousand dollars off the regular lifetime price of $1,690.

Slow Horses settles old scores in thrilling season 2 finale [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★

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Slow Horses season two finale recap Apple TV+: Everyone's got their secrets, including Jackson Lamb (played by Gary Oldman).★★★★
Everyone's got their secrets, including Jackson Lamb (played by Gary Oldman).
Photo: Apple TV+

TV+ ReviewSlow Horses‘ magnificent second season comes to its excellent, exciting conclusion this week on Apple TV+.

Louisa’s revenge is at hand. Jackson discovers why the Russians have it in for him. River, Roddy, Shirley and Kelly are headed for a showdown with Chernitsky. And Standish is close to the truth. A season of intrigue explodes into armed combat and tough talk as the spy thriller wraps up season two and prepares for its next outing — which can’t come soon enough.

Apple unveils special ‘Year of the Rabbit’ AirPods Pro for Chinese New Year

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Special-edition AirPods Pro with the Year of the Rabbit graphics.
Apple is selling a special edition AirPods Pro to celebrate the Chinese New Year.
Photo: Apple

Ahead of the Chinese New Year on January 22, 2023, Apple has released a limited-edition AirPods Pro in the country. The charging case of the earbuds features a Year of the Rabbit engraving.

Besides the engraving, the special edition AirPods Pro retail box features the Year of the Rabbit graphics.