If you’re among the millions of people who didn’t upgrade to iPhone 14, here’s your reward. If you have an iPhone 11, 12 or 13 series handset, you can now get 40% off all SwitchEasy cases for those lineups in the Cult of Mac Store.

So, if your iPhone 11, 12 or 13 case is getting old and worn — or if you just want a fresh look — don’t miss the SwitchEasy Flash Sale. We’ve extended this end-of-season sale for a limited time. Dress up your old iPhone for the new year!

After testing a version of Apple’s upcoming AR/VR headset with an internal battery, the company’s engineers have resorted to using a separate battery pack connected by a wire, according to a new report about the secret project.

Other technical details emerged Tuesday about the long-rumored headset as well. The cutting-edge device reportedly delivers a surprisingly short two-hour battery life. And it reportedly comes with an H2 chip to pair with AirPods Pro, a dual-chip architecture that supports more than a dozen built-in cameras, and an adjustable dial to turn VR on and off.

Apple is working on AirPods Lite, a cheaper version of its wireless earbuds, according to an industry analyst.

This would appeal to those who find even the lowest-cost AirPods out of their reach. And would help buoy interest in Apple’s product when sales are expected to slow in 2023.

Notes and Reminders, two stock apps that come with every iPhone, iPad and Mac, can do so much more than write shopping lists and apologies on Twitter.

With tagging, you can quickly filter and search through a big folder of notes or a long to-do list. You can easily put together a bunch of filters by date, location and tag to create a smart list of everything that needs your attention in Reminders. You can even set up template Reminders lists that you can copy at any time.

Let me show you how to set it all up.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Apple 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.

“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.

Dina’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.

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.

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.

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.

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Echo 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.

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.

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.

Who says nostalgia can’t be practical? The Sharkgeek Retro 67 is shaped like the original Macintosh, but the palm-size wall charger pumps up to 67 watts through a trio of USB-C ports.

The accessory for MacBook, iPad or iPhone can be preordered now.