Don’t pay full price for the iPad mini 7. Image: Apple/Cult of Mac
A iPad mini deal knocks a sweet $120 off the cost of the 7th-generation tablet. That’s up to 25% off, the best price we’ve ever seen for the ultra-portable computer. And the sale includes a range of colors and storage capacities.
The special price is timed to be part of Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days but is also available from rival retailer Best Buy.
You can nab the lightweight-yet-powerful Beats Pro on sale. Photo: Apple
This hot Beats Pill deal lands you one of Apple’s great-sounding portable Bluetooth speakers for just $49.99. That’s a whopping 67% discount off the $149.95 list price — just be aware that not all colors are available at that astonishingly low price.
It’s part of Amazon’s Big Deal Days, and it might not last long. And don’t worry if those big product showcase boxes on our page don’t show the sub-$50 price — things are changing so fast that sometimes tech can’t keep up!
A Backbone game controller makes iPhone gaming much more like using a console. Image: Gemini
Nothing makes playing advanced games on an iPhone better than a Backbone game controller. Clip one to your phone, and it basically turns the handset into a mobile gaming console, ready to play wherever you go.
There are many top-quality first-person shooters and RPGs available for iPhone. Don’t waste your time playing these great games with just a touchscreen. Get a Backbone One or a Backbone Pro controller and snap it onto your iPhone. You’ll be glad you did.
MacBook Pro deals abound on Amazon Prime Day. Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
As with Amazon Prime Day in July, Amazon Prime Big Deal Days (Tuesday and Wednesday) bring excellent deals on Apple’s popular laptops, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. In fact, you can nab the very same M4 Pro MacBook Pro I have for $250 less than I paid — my exact model with 24GB RAM at $1,799. And you can get the base M4 MacBook Pro for an incredibly low starting price of $1,399. Plus some Prime Day MacBook Pro deals net you hundreds off higher-end models.
As for MacBook Air, the entry-level model now sells for a low $799. And you can add some bells and whistles for a bit more. Scroll down to see Prime Day MacBook Air deals.
The iPhone 4s was the last iPhone that Steve Jobs directly worked on. Photo: Apple
October 7, 2011: Two days after the death of Steve Jobs, Apple opens preorders for its next-gen iPhone 4s.
The last iPhone that Jobs worked on directly, the 4s boasts a speedier A5 chip, improved 8-megapixel camera with 1080p HD video recording, and — most significantly — Apple’s new AI virtual assistant, Siri.
A new video shows the hapless Underdogs discovering the advantages of Mac security. Screenshot: Apple
The Underdogs are back in BSOD (Blue Screen of Death)! The fictitious team of nerdy Apple users once again star in a video demonstrating how Macs and iPhones get real work done. This time, the focus is on Mac security.
Watch the shortfilm now and have fun while learning about what your Apple gear can do for you.
Save on this gorgeous and highly adjustable monitor. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Mobile Pixels’ 23.8-inch rotating desktop monitor is a full-HD display that’s sleek and highly adjustable. Its frameless design makes it perfect for multi-monitor setups, and it’s so tweakable that you can easily get your setup just right for maximum comfort with minimal effort.
Whether you’re a creative pro, a productivity power user or a casual Netflix binger, this is a great monitor, made to enhance your workflow and entertainment. And it’s on sale for just $149.99 (regularly $199.99) with code DISPLAY30.
MacBook Pro's M5 refresh might land this month. Photo: David Snow/Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac
Supplies of iPad Pros and 14-inch MacBook Pros powered by M4 chips are running low across Apple Stores. This indicates the imminent arrival of M5-powered models.
While reports of an M5 iPad Pro refresh surfaced before, this marks the first solid indication that Apple could launch an M5 MacBook Pro this year as well.
The AI companion from OpenAI might look something like this concept. AI concept: ChatGPT
OpenAI’s efforts to create and sell an “AI companion” device reportedly have serious obstacles to overcome. These are existential, including how the company can find enough computing resources to enable the artificial intelligence devices to function.
That’s good news for Apple, as there have been predictions that products designed specifically for AI might someday take the place of the iPhone and other smartphones.
October 6, 1997: Michael Dell makes an incredibly bleak appraisal of Apple’s fortunes, uttering a quote that will become notorious. Asked what he would do with the struggling company, the founder of Dell Inc. says he would “shut it down and give the money back to the shareholders.”
As incorrect forecasts go, this ultimately will go down as one of the more notable in tech history. But it doesn’t seem that way at the time.
AirPods can now connect you to talk to people who speak other languages. Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
I put AirPods’ new Live Translation feature to the test and came away impressed with the results.
I tested the feature with the help of Niléane, a native French speaker and fellow tech blogger. While we hit a few stumbling blocks in our conversation, we were able to have a perfectly good chat for a solid 10 minutes.
Apple CEO Tim Cook could soon be taking to the stage with more product announcements. Image: Apple/Cult of Mac
Apple isn’t done lunching new products this year, even though the iPhone 17 family and Apple Watch Series 11 reached customers in September. There are so many new products coming out of Cupertino this fall that rumors point to an Apple October event.
For some Apple fans, the best is yet to come: the Apple M5 processor, a new iPad Pro and (hopefully) the next MacBook Pro. And there could be more.
Steve Jobs leaves an enduring legacy at Apple. Portrait: Jeremy Martin
October 5, 2011: Apple co-founder Steve Jobs dies at the age of 56 in his home in Palo Alto, California.
Jobs’ official cause of death is respiratory arrest arising from complications related to a rare type of pancreatic cancer. He was diagnosed with cancer eight years earlier, and officially stepped down from his role as Apple CEO in August 2011, just weeks before his death.
Navee ST3 Pro Electric Scooter is packed with features, many of which are accessible through your iPhone. Photo: Navee
I’m having so much fun riding the Navee ST3 Pro Electric Scooter. It’s powerful enough to be exhilarating, while also being a practical way to get around. Honestly, I haven’t been as stoked about a product since I got the first iPad.
That’s why I’m happy to say that Navee is having a special promo deal that knocks $190 off the e-scooter. You can get that price from Amazon or when you buy it straight from the manufacturer. It’s down to $759.99 —that’s 20% off. Now is a great time to buy!
Apple envisioned an AI helper like Siri way back in the late 1980s. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
October 4, 2011: With the unveiling of the iPhone 4s, Apple introduces the world to Siri. A groundbreaking example of artificial intelligence in action, the Siri launch fulfills a long-term dream at Apple.
In fact, the company first predicted such a feature in the 1980s — with Siri’s debut coming at almost the exact month Apple envisioned.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The Federal Communications Commission leaks secret Apple info and Russian YouTubers get their hands on unreleased iPad Pros.
What’s going on with these crazy Apple leaks? We have a theory about why at least some of them are happening.
Also on The CultCast:
Logitech updates a classic — the new MX Master 4 mouse adds haptics!
A cool new Mac app called Folder Quick Look fixes a longtime annoyance, and it’s totally free.
We take a good, hard look at the latest addition to our colleague’s setup.
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.
iPhone Air looks even more stunning with a transparent back. Photo: brt2412
The iPhone Air already stands out with its sleek, ultra-thin design. A modder has now taken it a step further and added a custom transparent back glass to give the phone an even stunning look.
The result is a retro-mod vibe that shows off the phone’s internals in all its glory.
A simple app that solves a big problem. Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
Folder Quick Look is a totally free Mac app that scratches an irritating itch the Mac has had for a long time. It lets you preview the contents of a folder when using Quick Look.
It’s a great utility that does one thing, does it perfectly, and doesn’t cost you a dime — it’s free and collects no data! There’s no reason not to try out Folder Quick Look. Find out why it’s an instant must-have Mac utility in our Awesome Apps review below (or watch our video demo of the app).
Financing a MacBook Pro has never been so easy. Photo: Upgraded
Thanks to a new method of financing for MacBook purchases, there’s a more affordable way to get your hands on the latest Apple laptop. Instead of dropping thousands today, Upgraded’s MacBook Upgrade Program lets you spread the cost over 36 months, with the option to upgrade to the latest device every 24 months.
Thousands of people are switching to Upgraded, thanks to the simple monthly prices, seamless experience and time saved from not dealing with reselling. You can get the latest MacBook starting at just $33.28 per month and as low as 0% APR with Upgraded.
No massive upfront bill. No time wasted on eBay or craigslist. And you can always have the newest MacBook, since you have the option to upgrade every two years.
The Sora app uses AI to generate fun, very realistic videos from user prompts. Screenshot: OpenAI
OpenAI introduced the Sora iPhone app Tuesday, and by Friday, it had already hit the No. 1 spot on Apple’s Top Free Apps list. The secret of the new AI video app’s appeal? It’s a lot of fun, letting users create hilarious short videos with a simple text description.
Watch some of the hilarious (and amazing) videos people have already created, there go make your own.
★★★★★
Stop worrying about losing your furry friend — get Halo Collar 5. Photo: Halo
You won’t find a better way to track your dog than the new Halo Collar 5. It uses GPS to accurately locate your pup anywhere on Earth and can show you the location on your iPhone (or Android). Plus, it offers two days of battery life.
As a bonus feature, you can set up a “fence” so the collar warns your pet to stay in its yard. And you can place virtual fences anywhere you go.
I did real-world testing of the GPS dog tracker and came away very impressed.
ICE tracking apps can help alert people about where immigration raids are taking place. Photo: Photo by Maciej Prus, Pexels
Apple removed ICEBlock and several similar immigration enforcement tracking apps from its App Store following pressure from the Department of Justice, according to reports late Thursday. The decision came after Attorney General Pam Bondi directly contacted Apple demanding the removal of ICEBlock.
It’s a crowdsourced app that allows users to anonymously report sightings of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents within a five-mile radius. The app had been downloaded over 1 million times since launching in April 2025.
Save a bundle on JBL Tune Flex 2 earbuds with smart noise cancellation and booming bass. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
JBL Tune Flex 2 noise-canceling earbuds offer advanced features at a very low price. And an open-box deal drops them to just $49.99, making them even more of a bargain.
If you’re not hooked on AirPods, this is a fantastic chance to upgrade your audio without blowing your budget.
Apple faced big challenges during the Michael Spindler era. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
October 3, 1994: Apple CEO Michael Spindler reassures the world that Apple “is not a lame-duck company.”
Why would anyone suspect that it is? The answer lies in collapsing Mac sales, massive layoffs and Apple’s $188 million quarterly loss. At 15 months into his stint as CEO, Spindler wants to reassure everyone that the worst is over.
Sadly, things will decline further before they start to turn around.