Whether to add new features or squash bugs, Apple releases Vision Pro updates from time to time. (The latest one, visionOS 1.0.3, arrived Monday. It eliminates a major headache that plagued Vision Pro owners who forgot their devices’ passcodes.) Luckily, downloading and installing visionOS updates is easy once you know how.
In fact, installing Vision Pro software updates proves very similar to the process for updating an iPhone, iPad or Mac. We’ll show you how it’s done — and also how to get visionOS beta updates. If you want to take a chance on betas, you can test upcoming Vision Pro features before they officially arrive.
Those of us who switched to Bluetooth headphones did so because of the freedom they provide — but how free are you, really? Without a Bluetooth transmitter and receiver, you’re still limited to listening from your iPhone, Mac, iPad and other Bluetooth-compatible devices. And that rules out a lot of audio options.
You can beat the Bluetooth blues with the Mymanu Link. This simple but universally handy gadget lets you connect to anything with an audio output jack. Then you can transmit that audio to your wireless earbuds or any Bluetooth speaker. And for a limited time, you can get your hands on a Mymanu Link for less than $40.
If you’re addicted to your Vision Pro, with your apps floating around you all the time, you’ll have to cook yourself dinner at some point. After all, you may not be able to afford to eat out after buying one. Cooking with Vision Pro offers some fun surprises, but it’s not all gravy.
There are obvious upsides. Placing timers around your kitchen and having easy access to a recipe floating nearby seem incredibly convenient rather than fiddling with your iPhone. This is what I was most excited to try out.
But the downsides snuck up on me. I had a hard time reading my measuring spoons, nor could I tell apart my sugar from my flour. But worst of all, trying to lick the cookie dough off a large whisk without smearing the Vision Pro proved impossible.
Even in 2024, most in-flight entertainment systems don’t offer Bluetooth connections. Without an AirPods airplane adapter, you can’t pop in your favorite earbuds and enjoy your choice of the airline’s featured movies, TV shows and music in a glorious state of noise-cancellation-induced bliss. Instead, you need to bring an additional pair of wired headphones or use (or purchase) a crappy pair on the plane.
If using random earbuds that don’t sound good and/or continuously fall out seems unappealing to you, you’re not alone. That’s why this Eve II Bluetooth Transmitter and Receiver is such a useful device for travelers. Perfect for any upcoming air travel, it’s on sale now for only $45.99 (regularly $59).
On Monday you can find every model of Apple’s popular but pricey midrange monitor on sale at Best Buy and get $300 off Studio Display. That makes for the lowest price yet on the standard glass version with a tilt-adjustable stand. And it’s one of the best deals you’ll find on the more-expensive Nano-texture glass versions, even with the height-adjustable stand.
Before Apple’s powerful but sub-Mac Pro-level desktop Mac Studio even existed, there was iMac Pro. We don’t see the premium all-in-one desktop computer in the wild often compared to regular iMacs, but it clearly still has its fans.
Today’s featured user, who records and masters audio in a home studio, refuses to give up his 7-year-old iMac Pro until absolutely necessary. Because it’s still great. And for some people, it could be a great bargain on the used market (check out a few options in the gear list below).
Apple Cash will soon give shoppers everything they need to make purchases online. Starting with iOS 17.4, a debit card number can be created for the financial service, along with the usual associated details.
This will be a boon for those who depend on the digital payment system, especially teenagers.
February 12, 2012: Months after his untimely death, Apple co-founder Steve Jobs is honored with a Special Merit Grammy Award in recognition of his contributions to the field of music with the iPod and iTunes Music Store.
Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of internet software and services, collects the Grammy on behalf of Jobs’ family and “everyone at Apple.”
Still got a stack of DVDs gathering dust in the garage? Far too many of us throw them away or dump them at the thrift store, assuming it’ll be too much of a timesuck to convert them to digital format. If you’re using default Mac software, you’re probably right — but not if you’re using a great Mac DVD ripper.
With a license to MacX DVD Ripper Pro, you can put that old video on your digital screen for good with surprising speed. Plus, you can even improve upon the original — all for less than $32 through February 18.
When I was a kid, I had a thing for historical aircraft. I especially loved the smooth lines of the B-17 Flying Fortress bomber. And it played a big role in ending World War II, as shown in Masters of the Air on Apple TV+, the final installment in Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman’s World War II filmmaking trilogy.
Despite massive challenges, the plane and its crews’ strategic bombing helped bring down Adolf Hilter and the Nazi regime, shortening a horrific ground war.
And yet as good as the series is, sometimes it lands just short of the runway, like a beat-up B-17 losing its landing gear and grinding to a halt. Will it blow up? Maybe, maybe not. But is Masters of the Air worth watching? Hell yes.
Apple insiders think the Vision Pro is at least four generations away from reaching its “ideal form.” Apple still needs to do a lot of work behind the scenes before the headset can potentially become as popular as an iPhone or Mac.
While the first-gen headset has issues, it is an impressive first try from Apple.
The 2024 Super Bowl is Sunday, and football fans can watch via their favorite Apple device. Maybe it’s on an Apple TV connected to the big screen in your living room, or you might need to watch on your iPhone because you have to be at work tonight.
Whatever your setup is, here are the best ways to stream the big game.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: After spending a few days with Apple’s headset, Erfon and Griffin are ready to unleash their initial Vision Pro reviews. They’ve got some gushing praise, some mild concerns and some unmitigated gripes.
Also on The CultCast:
A sad Vision Pro “demo” shows why you should never try the headset with your glasses on. Book a real Apple demo instead!
The technology in Apple’s headset is astonishing. So are the immersive experiences. But is all that enough to justify the price?
Griffin talks about doing actual work while wearing Vision Pro.
Erfon reveals his grand plan for a new podcast called CultCast Off Topic.
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.
February 10, 1993: Apple launches the Macintosh Color Classic, the company’s first compact Mac with a color screen.
As the first all-in-one Mac with an integrated color display, and the last U.S. Mac to offer the compact form factor, this model represents a landmark in the evolution of the Macintosh. A Color Classic unit also happens to become the 10 millionth Macintosh that Apple shipped.
What is the best laser printer for Mac users? When choosing between laser or inkjet, we recommend laser. Laser printers used to be prohibitively expensive, but prices have come down, and you’ll have fewer headaches. Inkjet printers are better for photos but are a pain to own. Replacement ink costs a fortune, the heads clog, and they dry out if the printer isn’t in regular use.
Laser printers, on the other hand, can sit idle for weeks without problems. They cost more up front, but are often cheaper to own in the long-run.
In this guide, we’ll explore which brand of printer works best with Mac and top laser printers that are fully compatible with macOS, whether you need a printer for your personal use, a home office or a small business.
An Apple employee who tried to head for China with stolen secrets about Apple’s self-driving car was sentenced to four months in prison and a $147,000 fine.
He’s one of two people caught attempting industrial espionage on technical details of the upcoming autonomous vehicle.
People have been spotted wearing Apple’s Vision Pro headset at gyms. I was curious whether they had unlocked a secret killer feature or whether they were bearing through aches and pains just to show off. What’s it really like working out wearing a Vision Pro?
To find out, I hopped on a treadmill, lifted some weights and did some crunches while wearing the headset to discover the pros and cons of wearing a Vision Pro while working out. Check out our latest YouTube video to see what it’s like first-person.
The overall experience proved unsurprisingly mixed — with one very surprising drawback.
Belkin rolled out a new portable 2-in-1 charger Thursday that should suit people who travel a lot or work in different places, like hybrid employees, because it’s both a wall charger and a power bank. It’s the Belkin BoostCharge Hybrid Wall Charger 25W + Power Bank 5K, great for keeping devices like iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch going.
It’s set to start shipping on Valentine’s Day, February 14. And no, we’re not saying it’s a romantic gift idea.
February 9, 1993: NeXT Inc., the company Steve Jobs founded after being pushed out of Apple, quits making computers. The company changes its name to NeXT Software and focuses its efforts entirely on producing code for other platforms.
In a mass layoff, 330 of NeXT’s 500 employees are made redundant in an event known internally as “Black Tuesday.” Cruelly, many people hear of their fate on the radio.
The other day we featured an M1 Ultra Mac Studio setup. We wanted to loop back to call out a couple of cool components in it — namely, a Loupedeck streaming media console and a Keychron Q1 Pro Mechanical Keyboard. It turns out Loupedeck Live is great for video editing (photos, too!).
Love is a many-splendored thing, the old song says. And mid-February means many sweet deals on Microsoft products you’ll love in CdkeySales.com’s Valentine’s Day Sale. Bargains galore await on Microsoft productivity software like Windows and Office. You’ll be smitten.
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You can find attractively low prices at software activation keys provider CdkeySales.com now and throughout the year. To get the most savings in the Valentine’s Day Sale, enter promo code CULT. That cuts an additional 30% off the site’s low prices on software keys. And what’s more, when you buy Windows 10, you get a free upgrade to Windows 11.