This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Did the world really need a yellow iPhone 14? Especially one that looks about as bold as a buttered banana? At least we’ve got new iMacs coming to ease our disappointment.

Also on The CultCast:

• Those new iMacs are just the beginning of a coming wave of even-more-powerful Apple computers.
• Who in their right mind would pay $600 for an Apple Watch band?
• At least the yellow iPhone wallpaper is free (and so is Microsoft Outlook for Mac).

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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I’m going to show you five ways you can instantly boost your productivity on your Mac. You might not have thought your Mac was capable of these advanced features. But in my opinion, the Mac’s reputation for being un-customizable is misunderstood. Four of these tips depend on third-party productivity apps that will add radical new system features to your Mac.

I’ll show you how to get instant window snapping on the Mac, powerful screenshot and recording tools, a clever clipboard manager that should be built into macOS, a simple tip for opening apps faster, and a smart time-tracking tool that’ll keep you productive.

Oceanhorn: Chronos Dungeon is one of the best RPGs in Apple Arcade. It’s a relatively simple dungeon crawler in the spirit of great 16-bit games of the past like Gauntlet. And it can be enjoyed by up to four players at once.

I’ve spent more hours than I could possibly count playing this title from Cornfox & Brothers. Here are seven reasons I think you’ll like it too.

Historically, winter and golf don’t mix too well. That’s why the upcoming Masters Tournament is so exciting. Golf season is coming back soon, and there’s just enough time to get into the spirit by playing a few games. While you may not be able to spend a day on the course, whether it’s because golf fees are increasing or the weather’s simply too bad out, you could bring golf to your home.

The SwingLogic SLX MicroSim is a super-compact golf simulator that lets you avoid rising fees and stay on top of your swing from the comfort of your home. Compatible with iOS devices, the simulator with the swing stick now costs just $204, while the simulator without it is $99.99 through March 15.

Apple TV+ thriller Liaison gets down to the dirty business of statecraft this week as Alison and Gabriel head to Brussels for different reasons. A daring refugee camp breakout leads to almosts and what-ifs that drive Alison mad.

Plus, a couple of unfortunate lackeys get put through the ringer — and Britain is still under attack. The episode, entitled “Manipulations,” delivers another solid hour from a team with enough star power to light up London.

If you’re the kind of Apple Watch owner who loves swapping your bands on a regular basis, you’ll want to carry more than one while traveling. Keep them organized and protected with the handy Canvas Strap Roll from BluShark.

It has enough space for at least three bands, and it ensures they all stay separated so they can’t damage each other. It also features a secure snap button closure to prevent the case from spilling its contents on the go.

Get yours today for just $18 from the Cult of Mac Store.

Alice goes missing this week on Apple TV+ hit comedy Shrinking, and Jimmy, Paul and Brian are on the case. After exposing Alice to the awkwardness of a social curveball, Jimmy and Gaby alienate her so much that she decides to act out like her dad has been doing for so long.

Meanwhile, Gaby needs to face down a big challenge as she prepares to maybe move on from her divorce. And Brian must confess something to Jimmy that’s going to be painful — and chooses the worst time to do it. All in all, it’s an above-average episode of a very tiresome sitcom.

Whether you’re a content creator with a buzzy blog, a college student powering through a midterm essay, or a bestselling author chipping away at a first draft, you don’t have to be stuck with the same old writing apps.

Scrivener 3 is not only a writing platform, but also an in-depth organizational tool that lets you visualize your entire writing project. Now, you can get lifetime access to this innovative writing app for only $29.99. And, if you add promo code SCRIVENER10 at checkout, you’ll save an additional 10%!

Lots and lots of bad judgment and mistakes come to light on this week’s episode of Truth Be Told, Apple TV+’s true crime podcast drama.

It turns out Emily Mills’ kidnapping was something else altogether. Plus, Poppy is pressing hard into other people’s secrets — and into her own for a change, much to Leander’s chagrin. Markus has hit bottom and can’t seem to pull up. Trini gets a much-needed wake-up call, and Eva can’t stop living in the past.

This week’s very fine episode brings some extremely strong performances, and some equally impactful revelations.

Apple CEO Tim Cook will earn considerably less in 2023 than he did in the last two years. The pay cut comes at the recommendation of the company as well as Cook himself. And it was approved Friday at Apple’s annual shareholder’s meeting.

In addition, five proposals made by shareholders for changes at the company were also voted down at the meeting.

M. Night Shyamalan returns to the director’s chair for the penultimate episode of Apple TV+’s Servant, his show about a nanny terrorizing a Philadelphia family in their brownstone.

Leanne has Dorothy all to herself — and Dorothy can’t help but notice. A last-ditch rescue attempt is scuttled after Dorothy insists on hearing some hard truths from Sean and Julian, who may not have the upper hand when they’re done.

Though unnerving and quite upsetting, “Awake” stands tall as one of the greatest episodes yet of this outstanding show.

Hello Tomorrow!, the Apple TV+ show about hucksters selling a place in the sun (on the moon), takes a trip back in time this week as Jack relives some foundational traumas.

Also this week: Shirley thinks she has a way out of the hole that Brightside’s in, while the one that Herb is stuck in gets deeper by the minute. And Joey finds that there is no end to a life of lies once it really gets going.

This week’s offering, entitled “The Numbers Behind the Numbers,” stacks up as a superlative episode of a superlative program.

Apple TV+ dropped the trailer (below) for the new limited drama series The Last Thing He Told Me Thursday, and it looks like a gripping thriller with a loaded cast.

Based on a bestselling novel and starring Jennifer Garner along with other familiar faces, the show premieres April 14.

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Do you dream of ditching your mouse? Maybe you have the wrong one. Or maybe you’re onto something, like the software developer who works sans rodent with today’s featured M2 MacBook Pro setup featuring dual external displays in different orientations.

Instead of a mouse for input, she relies on a radically split keyboard with a trackball, plus a macropad. See those and all of the other gear in the cool setup below.

The March Madness Sale at software activation keys provider CdkeySales.com continues, with remarkably great deals on Microsoft Windows, Office and more. Don’t miss out on your chance to save big on Microsoft software.

The online Apple store began taking preorders on Friday for the recently announced iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus in yellow casings.

The canary-colored handsets won’t be in stores until March 14,though.

The smash-hit Apple TV+ comedy Ted Lasso is set in greater London. It’s about the unlikely coach of a fictional team in England’s (and the world’s) top soccer league, which is England’s (and the world’s) favorite sport. So why don’t Brits actually watch the show?

No, it’s not some disconnect between American and British humor. The real reason has more to do with adoption of the streaming service itself. And some people blame Apple TV+ for that.

Trauma-focused Apple TV+ series Dear Edward has even more reckoning to do this week.

First, Adriana gets into hot water with the two men in her life, even as her election looms. Then Lacey and Edward both get rejected, right when they need support the most.

Dee Dee is having housing issues. And Steve and Amanda need some space, as do Shay and Mahira. And frankly, so do I. This frustrating show just keeps on going to uninspired, unearned places.

Working on yourself isn’t always easy to schedule. Even if there are books you want to read and skills you want to learn, finding the time to actually sit down, read and reflect isn’t always practical if you’re juggling things like work, a social life or responsibilities at home.

Instead, you could try a method of self-improvement that’s a little easier on your schedule. Headway is an iOS app that could turn growth into a habit you want to lean into. And now, you can get a lifetime subscription for only $69.99. That’s the best price online — and just wait until you see what Headway can help you do.

New Apple TV+ sports documentary Real Madrid: Until the End chronicles one of the world’s most popular football clubs during a treacherous 2021 and 2022 comeback season.

Missing their star striker, reuniting with an old coach, dealing with their best player’s injuries … there are many hurdles for the team to overcome. This three-part series won’t play particularly well for people who aren’t already invested in the fortunes of Real Madrid. But it proves fairly informative and entertaining even to the layman.

Apple could launch its first smart display as soon as next year. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo believes Apple is preparing a HomePod with a 7-inch display for H1 2024.

Launching a smart display under the HomePod branding is seemingly a part of Apple’s new smart home strategy.

If you want to get the most out of your desktop audio — the sound you get from your computer, other devices, speakers, headphones, wireless earbuds and more — an interesting new jack-of-all-trades tool arrived on the last day of February.

That’s when FiiO quietly launched its R7 high-resolution audio player, streamer and headphone amplifier. It packs a lot of functionality into a small package you might expect to cost more than it does.

The iPhone 14 Plus isn’t selling well, and the same was true for the model it replaced, the iPhone 13 mini. With that in mind, it seems reasonable for Apple reduce the number of product lines it offers.

There are currently five iPhone models in production. Dropping to four would benefit the company and its customers.

The Twelve South Forté turns Apple’s MagSafe iPhone charging puck into a stand. So rather than your handset lying flat on a table, it’s held up so you can more easily see the display. And the elevated charging mat swivels so you can pick your viewing angle for watching video or making FaceTime calls.
I put the Forté to use in my home office. Here’s what it’s like to use in real life.

Where do you store all your files? Chances are, they’re spread across multiple devices, accounts and cloud storage drives. That probably also means that searching for the exact file you need can take way more time than it should. And, if you’re unlucky, it could even lead to losing important documents.

To safely manage all your cloud storage accounts in one place, try CloudMounter. Typically $44.99, you can grab a lifetime license for your Mac right now for only $19.99.