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.

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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.

Continue reading

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.

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‘ 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.

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.

A super-size iPad Pro supposedly on Apple’s docket for 2024 has been cancelled or delayed, according to an analyst who previously indicated a 14.1-inch model was on the way.

So while Apple is expected to slightly increase the screen sizes of the iPad Pro line, an even larger model isn’t in development.

As we approach a new year, it’s time to start reaching our fitness goals. Yes, there are tons of fitness features to help you track your fitness and monitor your health on Apple Watches, but they’re not much good unless you actually do some exercise. If you need a little extra incentive to move in 2023, the Jillian Michaels Fitness App might be just the thing — especially now that you can get it for 66% off.

Apple plans a modest increase the screen sizes in the next generation of iPad Pro models, according to a reliable source. Numerous earlier leaks indicted these will also be the first Apple tablets with OLED displays.

That will make the upcoming iPad Pro significant a improvement over the 2022 version.

Year-end sales can be a bonanza for anyone seeking Apple accessories — and the Laut sale in the Cult of Mac Store is no exception. You can slash 20% off the price of 96 different accessories for Apple products.

So whether you need a stand, charger or case for any number of devices — not to mention a plethora of stylish Apple Watch bands — the Laut sale on all accessories has you covered. Check out some highlights below. The sale ends at 11:59 p.m. PST on December 30.

If you’re a big fan of playing video games, chances are you might need to record your gameplay sooner or later. Luckily, recording gameplay on a Mac is easy. And posting your results online is a great way to flex your gaming skills or learn from mistakes.

In this post, you’ll find a step-by-step guide to recording games using a free game recorder for Mac.

A trusty voice recorder is the productivity accessory you never knew you needed, whether for meetings, taking notes, interviewing or a number of other daily uses. Right now, you can get the world’s thinnest voice-activated recorder on sale for $39.99 (regularly $52).

Every year, Apple launches a handful of products that stand out from the competition. 2023 is going to be no different, but next year will be special for Apple in many ways.

The company could enter a new product category with its AR/VR headset, and the iPhone could get some major hardware upgrades. Below is a roundup of five Apple product launches to look forward to in 2023.

Threats to your online security can come from any direction these days. For that reason alone, there’s no such thing as “too broad” when it comes to the knowledge base of a cybersecurity expert. The more systems you’re proficient with, the more problems you can solve — and the more valuable you are to employers.

With that in mind, the Complete 2023 Cyber Security Developer & IT Skills Bundle might be the most valuable job resource you can invest in this year.

Some rugged, outdoorsy types might hesitate over the Apple Watch Ultra’s $800 price tag. But what if they could get a lookalike watch for less than $50?

The Indian company Pebble — no relation to the Pebble smartwatch outfit acquired by Fitbit — said it will ship just such an option soon. And the Pebble Cosmos Engage looks just like the real thing. But it probably doesn’t function like a real Apple Watch Ultra.

Now is the “sweet spot” to get an iPhone 14 Pro or Pro Max. Apple has almost caught up with demand, but a growing crisis in China might impact production of the top-tier iOS handsets.

So if you’ve been waiting for the right time to order one, this is probably it.