Days after reports of Foxconn employees hopping fences and fleeing from their jobs, a report late Wednesday from Taiwan News says Apple’s biggest iPhone factory is now on “total lockdown.” These new restrictions may have a big impact on Apple’s sales during the crucial holiday period.

Foxconn, whom Apple contracts to manufacture the lion’s share of iPhones, Macs and other Apple products, has had employees stay in on-site dormitories in a “closed-loop system” to prevent COVID outbreaks. Employees have been complaining about the “increasingly unsafe and inhumane working conditions” of the dorms.

Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me premiers Friday on Apple TV+, and to be sure her fans can watch it, Apple is offering a free two-month trial of its streaming video service.

That’s much longer than the usual 7-day trial.

5G service launched in India in October, but no iPhone supports the high-speed wireless networking standard… yet. Apple plans to change that in December.

And those who are part of the iOS beta program can get access even earlier.

The just-released iPad 10 is a major update, but the design changes mean new cases are required. Fortunately, accessory makers OtterBox and Logitech quickly brought out several of them for designed with children in mind.

A kid-friendly stylus is also an option.

AirFly 2 from Twelve South can wirelessly connect your AirPods to any 3.5mm audio jack. It’s great for airline entertainment systems and gym machines. The new version has a longer battery life, adds new volume controls and costs less than its predecessor.

I tested the wireless audio adapter with AirPods and other headphones, as well as a variety of audio sources. Here’s why I’m quite pleased with it.

Did you know that desk lamps are now smart? A new line of LED-powered desk lamps from Momax offer a host of smart features, including wireless Qi charging bases, voice control via Amazon Alexa, an iPhone app for advanced control, automatic eye health adjustments, the ability to set color temperature, color modes and brightness, an extra USB port to charge another device, and more.

Perhaps best of all, you can get 10% off the price of each lamp by using code CULTOFMAC10 at checkout.

We had to check the calendar to see if it was April 1 when T-Mobile’s press release showed up. “Introducing the Un-carrier On from T-Mobile – the Smartest, Flyest Carry-On Ever,” it said, pushing a new carry-on bag the cellular carrier said is the only one on the market with wireless charging.

The suitcase, produced in partnership with Samsara Luggage, is awkwardly named the “Un-carrier On” and comes in one color: magenta. A big part of T-Mobile’s brand, that color is also the name of one of its membership plans.

Mastering an instrument takes dedication. But did you know that you can easily fit practice into your busy schedule without hiring an expensive tutor? A good way to study on your own time is with e-learning music courses. Take this top-rated, eight-part music training collection, which is on sale for just $34.99 (Reg. $1,600) for a limited time.

These musical training courses contain over 70 hours of content. Plus, each course comes out to under $5, making the entire bundle less than the average cost of one hour of old-school tutoring.

Apple’s plans of using its in-house modem starting from the iPhone 15 in 2023 are unlikely to pan out. Qualcomm will continue to supply the Cupertino company with the “vast majority” of iPhone modems next year.

The San Diego chipmaker expects Apple to shift to its in-house modem by 2024 at the earliest. It had previously expected to supply the iPhone maker with only 20% of modem chips in 2023.

Microsoft Office and its components are a mainstay for millions of digital workers. Capable of providing an educational or professional boost, a lifetime license to Microsoft Office on Mac or Windows is currently available at a reduced price. Usually sold for $349, you can get the entire suite on either platform for just $39.99 throughout November.

It’s taken a while to fully unpack and understand the technical improvements to the cameras in the iPhone 14 Pro. Camera nerd Sebastiaan de With, co-founder and designer of the highly-respected Halide camera app, has written a detailed review of the improvements to the camera system.

His professional opinion? These are not just great iPhone cameras, they’re great cameras, period.

At the end of the day, it seems like there are only so many types of Apple Watch bands. Leather. Stainless steel. Nylon. But what about something cool and cosmopolitan you don’t see everywhere? We think we found just the thing.

Goldenerre is known for some pretty glamorous accessories, and its Leather Link Apple Watch Band is an interesting option. It hand-wrapped leather links alternate with gleaming metallic ones for an exciting look. Check it out below and in the Cult of Mac Store.

Fans of the hit Apple TV+ series Severance can rejoice that production on season 2 started this week. More of what Stephen Colbert called a “dystopian workplace sci-fi mystery black comedy psychological thriller” is on the way.

Upcoming episodes of the Emmy-winning – and very creepy – series will feature the original stars as well as eight new ones.

Creating iPhone and Mac apps can be a rewarding career, both financially and by doing something you enjoy. But some people find it hard to get started. Developers who’ve made the jump into coding point out that you can make your hobby into your career, it’s never too late, and more tips.

Anyone one considering becoming a dev might benefit from their advice.

We love it when a computer setup we’ve looked at before gets a facelift, or some sort of significant update. Today’s featured MacBook Pro setup stuck with the laptop, an interesting usage of a portable display and a highly unusual mechanical keyboard. But it added a beautiful gaming monitor, a rarely seen vertical mouse and some other details.

And of course it kept its beloved Lego Wall-E. And it even found a practical use for extra Lego bricks.

Retail juggernaut Amazon.com keeps running lists of its most-wished-for products that folks want to buy or get as gifts. Consistently at or near the top of the tablet case list, you’ll find Zugu’s popular cases for the 10.2-inch iPad and 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

What makes those cases so coveted? There are plenty of reasons. Read on.

The launch of the 2022 iPad Pro in 12.9- and 11-inch versions means current tablet users have new upgrade options. Their M2 processor makes these the most powerful iPads ever made, but they are not right for everyone.

I’ve used an M2-powered iPad Pro for a week now, and that’s given me insight into who should upgrade and who should not. Some people should definitely go for the latest and greatest, but others would be disappointed if they did so.

Here’s my advice when making your decision.

Microsoft Office and its components are a mainstay for millions of digital workers. Capable of providing an educational or professional boost, a lifetime license to Microsoft Office on Mac or Windows is currently available at a reduced price. Usually sold for $349, you can get the entire suite on either platform for just $39.99 throughout November.

We’ve all felt the terror of the dreaded iPhone Storage Full notification. Luckily, you don’t necessarily have to comb through which files to delete, especially if you have a trusty smartphone-compatible flash drive on hand. This 4-in-1 Smart Flash Drive for iPhones, tablets and Android does the job perfectly, and you can purchase one on sale for $22.99 (Reg. $29).

Elago is known for its fun and interesting stands and cases, often in a retro vein. If you’re in need of Apple accessories along those lines — or along any lines, really — you should check out the big Halloween Sale in the Cult of Mac Store. It ends today (Tuesday, November 1).

The three Elago items below, for example, are all offered at 15% off regular prices.

Rewind is a Mac app coming soon that promises to create a searchable, rewindable index of everything you read online, write in conversation, work on or even say in meetings.

We’ve all had this happen: you remember seeing something that you want to share, but you don’t remember where you saw it nor enough details to find it on the internet. Rewind promises to make everything that you’ve “seen, said or heard” searchable.

The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences named the nominees for the new Children’s & Family Emmys on Monday, and Apple TV+ earned 17 nominations. That includes shows in two of the top categories.

While Apple is in there swinging, the real competition will be between Disney and Netflix, both of which earned dozens of nominations.

Most people at least consider protecting their iPhone with a case, but not everyone thinks to protect their Apple Watch that way — even though the wearable is arguably the more-fragile device. Good thing Elkson offers the rugged Quattro Bumper Case for Apple Watch.

And aș part of the Halloween Sale in the Cult of Mac Store — ending on Tuesday (November 1) — you can get the case for various series of Apple Watch for just $10.79, or 10% off.

California peripherals specialist Cooler Master just updated its popular 65%-format mechanical keyboard (CK721) to create the company’s first fully customizable board, the wired CK720. You can swap out its switches without a soldering iron to easily get the typing feel and sound you like best.

“We’re huge fans of custom-built mechanical keyboards ourselves, so we wanted to make sure the CK720 is a great steppingstone into the hobby,” said Dennis Liu, Cooler Master’s peripheral general manager, in a press release. “Whether you like smooth linear switches with maximum thock, or a sharp tactile typing feel with a marbly sound, the CK720 has the ability to achieve it.”

The Halloween Sale in the Cult of Mac Store has something for everyone. Even within specific accessory types by one brand, you find choice. Take Mifa’s Apple Watch bands, for example. Today’s your last day to get 10% off in the week-long sale.

You can glam up your Apple Watch considerably with the Sparkle Bracelet, which looks like a million bucks. Or you can go with the ultimate classic strap with a Classic Leather band.