If there’s one thing computer-setup fans on social media value above all else, it’s a “clean” workstation. The best ones — neither messy nor cluttered with cables — place everything just so. Today’s featured MacBook Pro setup does a nice job with that.
And it even hides the laptop as well as an iPad. See how fast you can spot them. One commenter noted it took longer than it should have.
Claiming that iPhones can be hacked by Western intelligence agencies, the Kremlin reportedly told government officials involved in the 2024 Russian election to get rid of their iPhones.
A Kremlin spokesperson then told Reuters that government officials shouldn’t use a smartphone at all, Android or iPhone.
After years of delay, Apple’s first retail store will reportedly open in India next month. The 22,000 sq. ft. store is located inside the Jio World Drive mall in Mumbai.
Apple started hiring for its retail store in India at the beginning of this year.
In nature, good things happen by accident all the time. But when it comes to business or work, that’s rarely the case. Whether you’re building a house, coding an app or writing the next Great American Novel, you need a definitive plan. And while computers can help, there comes a time in any project when your to-do list can get overwhelming.
That’s where a visual planning app like xTiles can be a lifesaver.
Digital artists, or those who would like to be, can pick up an Apple Pencil 2 for a whopping $40 off the usual price. That’s a 31% discount.
I use this stylus with my iPad all the time, and there’s no better tool for painting on your tablet. It’s also great for taking notes and sketching out ideas.
★★★★☆
The RiotPWR RP1950 Cloud Gaming Controller solves a problem for iPhone gamers: the controller plugs into the Lightning port in today’s models, but also into the USB-C port that will be in the iPhone 15. In the mean time, the controller can also be used with the many iPad models that use USB-C.
I field-tested RiotPWR’s latest controller and its removable iPhone mount. I understand why Apple likes it enough to put in the online Apple Store.
To really grow your wealth, you need your money to work for you and not just sit in a savings account losing value. But, getting started with investing can be daunting, and not understanding what you’re doing can result in costly mistakes.
Tykr, a smart stock screener, can be an incredible tool for making investing simple. Your first smart investment? Grabbing Tykr on sale. Now, you can get a lifetime subscription to the Tykr stock screener Pro Plan for only $119.99.
Siri simply can’t compete with ChatGPT and other chatbots because it was built with the wrong system, according to someone who was once charged with improving Apple’s voice assistant.
But there’s hope for future improvement, as Apple is reportedly working on a replacement that is being built to be more like ChatGPT.
There are some truly amazing puzzles and puzzle-solvers out there, but few can lay claim to becoming a millionaire thanks to their ability to slot pieces together just so. The 2 Million Dollar Puzzle, however, sets you up to win big with your puzzle-solving abilities.
For a limited time, this fun prize puzzle is now only $17.77 (regularly $30). You’ll have to act fast, though, as this deal only lasts until March 20.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: That old rumor about a HomePod with a built-in display for FaceTime calls and smart-home wizardry resurfaces. But this time, some fresh details make Erfon even more cranked up than usual about Apple’s smart speaker.
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.
An auction that included vintage Apple items that were almost thrown away wrapped up this week with many items bringing in more than their estimates. A Lisa 1 and an original iPhone still in the plastic sold at hefty prices. Some technical notes handwritten by Steve Jobs also brought in more than expected. There were many more.
However, some of the Apple items did not sell, including a fully functional Apple-1, likely because bids didn’t reach their reserve price.
★★★★☆
Monster Factory, a surprisingly inventive docuseries about wannabe pro wrestlers, is Apple TV+’s best sports docuseries yet. Over the course of its six breezy and beautiful episodes, set at a wrestling farm school in New Jersey, we meet a cast of eccentrics who share a common dream: to throw people around for a living.
They want to become stars, to go down in pro wrestling history. And with cantankerous Danny Cage as their coach, these ne’er-do-wells learn everything there is to know about wrestling — and they teach us, too.
When it comes to cyberdefense, it pays to diversify. Hackers don’t rely on just one way to infiltrate their targets, so you shouldn’t put all your eggs in one basket either. That’s why a lot of people are switching to decentralized private networks (DPNs) over traditional VPNs, since they don’t have a central group of servers to target.
Using a DPN is a novel approach to internet security that offers a lot of benefits, and Deeper Connect Pico is a great way to get started. It boasts incredible tech to secure your online data and activity. Typically $249, you can grab this powerful cybersecurity device for only $149.
★★★☆☆
Apple TV+ international espionage thriller Liaison recovers from a few body blows this week, in an episode appropriately entitled “Carnage.”
Mark Bolton is dead and Alison might be next, but she won’t roll over for anyone, even with boyfriend and mercenary Gabriel trying to get her to see sense. Sabine wants out, Didier’s in the hot seat, Dumas is getting nervous, and London is still in danger. Liaisons pleasures are major even if it does feel deliberately minor in a lot of important ways.
★★★★☆
The search for a mayoral hopeful’s killer takes center stage on this week’s Truth Be Told, the Apple TV+ crime series told through the lens of podcaster Poppy.
Eva’s on the hunt for a killer, but is it a smokescreen for her own guilt? Poppy can’t decide. Markus is still acting out, and it’s getting in the way of his parenting. Plus, Poppy has some secrets of her own to spill. And fate has one last curveball to throw this crew before the season’s final inning.
While the cameras on our iPhones and how we take photos are constantly improving, we can always use a hand to clean them up after the fact. For those of us that aren’t professional photographers, or particularly adept at photo editing, user-friendly and innovative photo editing software can make this daunting task a whole lot easier.
Luminar Neo uses the power of artificial intelligence to edit, refine and stylize photos. And now, you can grab a lifetime license to it, bundled with other impressive photo editing add-ons, for only $79 (regularly $400) — but the savings don’t stop there. Cult of Mac readers can save an extra 10% by adding exclusive coupon code TAKE10NOW.
Transforming everyday pictures into truly beautiful photographs can become a reality with this AI-driven software.
★☆☆☆☆
It’s all about splitting and coming back this week on Dear Edward, the Apple TV+ series about the tangled web of grief in the wake of a plane crash.
In the episode, entitled “Paper Covers Rock,” Edward acts out at school and is rewarded with a crisis or two he wasn’t aware were coming his way. Plus, Linda goes into labor, Lacey is clueless, Dee Dee doesn’t want group to end, Adriana and Kojo don’t want their time together to end, and Steve and Amanda don’t want their affair to end.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, your Apple TV+ reviewer is anxious for this dreadful series to end. (The good news is, the end is nigh.)
★★☆☆☆
Shrinking is all about reconciliation this week. The Apple TV+ show about the social circle of a manic pixie dream therapist sees Jimmy Laird trying to mend the rift between his hero, Paul, and his family.
Meanwhile, as Brian prepares for his wedding, he meets with nothing but disappointments and potential catastrophes. Gaby is caught between her rock and a hard place. And Alice makes a fateful mistake.
Everything comes out in the end in “Moving Forward,” this week’s whatever installment of the hit show that could have been an email.
Apple’s small wonder, the M2 Mac mini, is down to its lowest-ever price. After a $99.01 discount, you can get the machine with 512GB of storage for $699.99.
The M2 Mac mini has previously seen a maximum discount of $50. This new deal makes the 2023 Mac mini a stellar deal.
★★★★☆
Hello Tomorrow!, the Apple TV+ show about a salesman running out of ways to talk himself out of damnation, flies into a panic this week. Jack’s celebrity spokesman goes missing, and if he’s found by the wrong people, it could blow his entire operation.
At the same time, Shirley’s starting to wonder about Jack’s lies, and Joey has just stopped believing him entirely. And when Herb gets a brief moment to shine, he blows it immediately. The episode, entitled “Another Day, Another Apocalypse,” delivers another great half-hour of the show with the most verve and wit of anything on the Apple TV+ lineup.
We know what you’re thinking: a “Pro” desk mat? Well, yes, actually. The Function101 Desk Mat Pro is rather capable. Not only does it help protect your desk, it’s a serious tool for often-neglected cable management in and around the computer setup.
And the professional-level desk mat is now available in the Cult of Mac Store for $39.95. Other desk mats just aren’t qualified.
We enjoy a lot of variety in our computer setups coverage, from the ultra-minimalist to the mega-maximalist. Today’s featured rig sports two pumped-up Mac Studios, two old Mac Pro “trash cans,” a gaming PC, dual displays and a tremendous array of audio gear.
It falls in the latter category, obviously (“mega”). The lengthy gear list below doesn’t even cover everything in the powerhouse workstation, but it covers all the key elements.
As March rolls along, the big March Madness Sale at software activation keys provider CdkeySales.com remains in play. This week, you can get slam-dunk deals on Microsoft Windows, Office and more. Don’t miss out on your chance to save big!
The largest version of the iPhone 15 reportedly will come with the smallest screen bezels. Like, record-breaking thin.
An Apple tipster says the black area around the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s display will measure a mere 1.55 millimeters.
★☆☆☆☆
Astonishingly overwritten and mega-ambitious sci-fi parable Extrapolations, which premiered today on Apple TV+, has a cast of thousands and more than a few things on its mind. None of what show creator Scott Z. Burns (who wrote Contagion and The Bourne Ultimatum) is saying in this show about the impact of climate change can be argued with. But the messages aren’t easily swallowed, either.
Rather than leave room for viewers to draw their own conclusions, Extrapolations sits you down and yells at you for 10 hours of dreary cli-fi drama. It’s certainly distinctive — but that’s not always a good thing.