Mobile menu toggle

How to see the AR Easter egg hidden in Apple’s September event invite

By

How to see the AR Easter egg hidden in Apple’s spring event invite
Have some augmented-reality fun with the invitation to the Apple fall event.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Concealed in Wednesday’s invite to the Apple early fall event is an augmented reality Easter egg. It’s not just cool – it might be a hint of what to expect.

The graphic for the September 7 “Far Out” event shows the Apple logo made of stars. The AR version is a 3D orb filled with stars floating in space.

Get ready to sing along with Central Park season 3 in September

By

Get ready to sing along with 'Central Park' season 3 in September
Central Park season 3 premieres on Apple TV+ in only a few weeks.
Photo: Apple TV+

Central Park is coming back with more musical adventures. Season three of the highly rated animated comedy will return to Apple TV+ in early September, and a trailer offering a glimpse at the upcoming fun premiered Wednesday.

The second season of Central Park scored an amazing 100% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Kooky interactive site lets you design your own Franken-iPhone

By

Finally, a new iPhone worth $1,150, if not more.
Finally, a new iPhone worth $1,150, if not more.
Photo: Neal.Fun Design the Next iPhone

A new interactive website called Design the Next iPhone lets you have a laugh by making whatever monstrosity you want out of Apple’s market-leading handset, due for a major refresh with the iPhone 14 series on September 7.

And each time you make a new design, Apple CEO Tim Cook pops up with some encouraging marketing-speak.

Far out: Apple’s Sept. 7 iPhone event is on and in person

By

Far out: Apple’s Sept. 7 iPhone event is on and in person
The date's no surprise, but we weren't so sure about the "in person" part.
Image: Apple

Apple sent out invitations Wednesday to a “far out” event scheduled for September 7. There’s nothing in the invite to indicate what’s on the agenda, but this will almost certainly be the debut of the iPhone 14 lineup and Apple Watch Series 8.

Unlike such events for the past couple of years, members of the tech press are being invited to attend in person.

For details of what’s likely on the agenda, check out our rundown of everything Apple is expected to announce at the “Far Out” event.

Some leather Apple Watch bands look more prestigious than others

By

That's a classy Apple Watch band from Laut.
That's a classy Apple Watch band from Laut.
Photo: Laut

Everybody knows a leather Apple Watch band is a timeless and elegant accessory, just as it has been for watches in general for decades. But not all leather bands are equal.

Laut, for example, offers its Prestige Leather Apple Watch Band made from premium Saffiano leather. It finishes your look in style.

And you can get it right now in the Cult of Mac Store for just $49.99.

‘Tower of power’ spurs cable-clutter debate over otherwise-clean rig [Setups]

By

Plenty to see here, but the
Plenty to see here, but the "tower for power" in the corner drew most of the attention.
Photo: [email protected]

Some people care deeply about cable management, with nary a cord to be seen in their computer setups. Others couldn’t care less about it, leaving wire-spaghetti all over the place. And folks in the middle want to do it right, but meh, maybe next week, and maybe only somewhat.

Today’s featured MacBook Pro and iPad Pro setup stakes out much of the ground described above. Cable management is in play, but it’s done in a way that drove some neatniks crazy while others applauded the controlled mayhem.

Steelseries offers first 5.1 surround-sound gaming speakers via USB

By

Steelseries said its new Arena 9 is the first 5.1 surround sound system that works via a single USB connection.
Steelseries said its new Arena 9 is the first 5.1 surround sound system that works via a single USB connection.
Photo: Steelseries

Steelseries, known for gaming headsets, has jumped into the desktop speakers pool with a big splash. Its new Arena line of desktop speakers is the company’s first product of that type.

And it includes what the company calls the world’s first 5.1 surround sound speakers you can run with a single USB connection to a Mac, PC, gaming console or TV.

iPhone stuck in boot loop? Fix that and other problems with iToolab FixGo.

By

iToolab FixGo can help you solve several different problems.
FixGo can solve all kinds of iPhone problems, including the dreaded boot loop.
Photo: iToolab

This post on iPhone boot loops is brought to you by iToolab FixGo.

iPhones are justifiably well-known for reliability, but problems can come up. Sometimes malware’s the culprit. Other times a software update doesn’t end well and jams up your handset.

On those rare but incredibly frustrating occasions when your iPhone can’t get past the Apple logo and keeps rebooting — known as getting stuck in a “boot loop” — or freezes up for any reason, iToolab FixGo can help.

The Mac app can fix all kinds of operating-system problems with iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

Cut cable clutter with mountable Belkin 6-in-1 hub

By

Cut cable clutter with mountable Belkin 6-in-1 hub
Your iMac can have six more ports without adding a bunch of wires to your desk.
Photo: Belkin

Place the new Belkin Connect USB-C 6-in-1 Multiport Hub in the back of an iMac or monitor to discreetly add multiple ports to a computer. It offers a couple of USB-A ports, memory card readers and more.

The hub is available now.

Shatter language barriers with these iOS-compatible translation earbuds

By

Talk to almost anyone with these iOS compatible translation earbuds.
Get a live translation on your iPhone and in your ears with these futuristic earbuds.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Planning on traveling soon? If you’re going international, you might want to bring along something that will make communicating in another language easier. No, we don’t mean a dictionary, and we certainly don’t mean Google Translate.

Mymanu Clik S are award-winning translation earbuds. Pop them in your ears, and they will feed you a live translation of a conversation in a variety of languages. And right now, these futuristic earbuds cost less than ordinary AirPods. You can snag a pair for just $99 (regularly $220) with code CLIK.

iOS 16’s handy Developer Mode lets you run your own code

By

Screenshot showing how to turn on Developer Mode to put your own apps on your iPhone.
You'll need to turn on Developer Mode to put your own apps on your iPhone.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Developer Mode is a security feature new to iOS 16. It will prevent unsigned code from running on your device — apps that are not on the App Store nor TestFlight. Most people can enjoy the added layer of security for free. But, this also means that if you’re writing your own apps in Xcode, you will need to enable Developer Mode before running your app on your iPhone or iPad.

Another reason you might turn on Developer Mode is to install AltStore, a popular open-source App Store alternative. With AltStore, you can easily run emulators for Nintendo games, a clipboard manager, Windows virtual machines and more.

Read on to see how to turn it on.

You can now pay for AppleCare+ for Mac annually from day one in these three countries

By

AppleCare provides extended insurance for so many Apple products.
Renewable AppleCare+ annual plans are now available in Canada, Australia and Japan
Photo: Apple

You can now subscribe to and pay for AppleCare+ annually in Canada, Australia and Japan. All Macs, plus Apple’s Pro Display XDR and Studio Display monitors, are eligible for this yearly plan.

It is also possible to renew your AppleCare+ subscription every year after that — there’s no need to stop after three years.

Hillary and Chelsea Clinton cheer Gutsy women in Apple TV+ trailer

By

Certain powerful and accomplished woman inspire Hillary and Chelsea Clinton.
Certain powerful and accomplished woman inspire Hillary and Chelsea Clinton.
Photo: Apple TV+

In the first trailer for upcoming docuseries Gutsy, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton take part in animated discussions with strong and accomplished women who inspire them.

The list of participants in the series, which premieres September 9 on Apple TV+, is truly varied. It includes famous names from different walks of life, including Kim Kardashian, Gloria Steinem and Jane Goodall.

Get amazing aerial footage with this 4K camera drone you control with an iPhone

By

Add this 4K drone to your iPhone photography kit for great footage.
Take to the sky with the Ninja Dragon X Pro, a drone you can control with an iPhone app.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Apple just keeps adding new features to the iPhone camera, but don’t count on Cupertino introducing wings so you can capture aerial footage. For that, you need a camera drone like the Ninja Dragon Blade X Pro.

It offers simple flight controls so you can easily capture crisp 4K footage. And it’s on sale for $85.99 (regularly $169) for a limited time.

Apple confirms iPadOS 16 delay [Updated]

By

iPadOS 16 Stage Manager
iPadOS 16 is turning out to be more difficult than Apple expected.
Image: Apple

Apple seeded iPadOS 16 beta 7 to developers on Monday, and its build number confirms that the release of this new version has been pushed back several weeks. This is in-line with an earlier leak that iPads wouldn’t see an update until October.

In addition, there has now been no new macOS Ventura beta for over two weeks, showing it’s also not close to release. That’s not surprising, however.

iOS 16, watchOS 9 and tvOS 16 are in the final stages of beta testing, and are expected to become debut in September, as expected.

This iPad stylus steals Apple Pencil’s best feature [Review] ★★★★

By

Adonit Neo Pro review★★★★
The Adonit Neo Pro is the strongest competitor for Apple Pencil yet.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Adonit Neo Pro iPad stylus gets power just by being placed on the edge of the tablet. This is a trick that used to be reserved for Apple Pencil, but no more. Even better, the stylus is well designed for note taking and sketching, and offers palm rejection and tilt sensitivity.

I’ve used the affordable iPad stylus as part of my job for over a week now. Here’s why I love it.

How to download YouTube videos to MP3 or MP4 with YT Saver Video Downloader

By

YT Saver can help you download videos from YouTube and other sites.
YT Saver makes it quick and easy to download videos from YouTube and other popular sites.
Image: YT Saver

This post on how to download YouTube videos is brought to you by YT Saver.

When you love to download videos, audio and playlists from YouTube and other popular websites, it helps to have a solid video downloader that can handle browsing, downloading, converting and securing content all in one place.

YT Saver Video Downloader does the trick, whether you use Mac or Windows. We’ll focus on Mac and show you how the video downloader and converter works.

New Street Fighter collection gives Apple accessories a retro kick

By

Casetify's new collection features action-packed imagery from
Casetify's new collection features action-packed imagery from the classic game Street Fighter.
Photo: Casetify

Casetify, known for pop-culture imagery on its iPhone cases and other accessories, plans to mark the 35th birthday of classic game franchise Street Fighter with a slew of products featuring imagery from it.

The products will include iPhone 13 cases and MagSafe chargers, according to a new report.

Easily add external SSD to Mac with new Satechi drive enclosure

By

Easily add external SSD to Mac with new Satechi drive enclosure
Increase your available storage with an SSD and the Satechi USB-C Aluminum Tool-Free Enclosure.
Photo: Satechi

The Satechi USB-C Aluminum Tool-Free Enclosure allows M.2 PCIe NVMe and SATA solid state drives to be easily added to a Mac. Place the SSD in the rugged enclosure and it’s ready to plug into a laptop or desktop’s USB-C port.

The accessory launched Tuesday and is available to purchase now.

iPhone 14 production in India won’t start the same time as China

By

Apple supplier is increasing its ability to build masses of iPhones in India
iPhone 14 production in India won’t start as soon as expected.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple will reportedly start manufacturing iPhone 14 in India two months after its initial launch in September. The company has been working closely with its Indian suppliers to boost their production capacity in the region.

Apple typically starts manufacturing new iPhones in India six to nine months after their launch.

Save on everything you need with a great deal on Sam’s Club membership

By

For $15, buy in bulk and save with this Sam's Club membership.
Stock up on snacks, batteries and more with this $15 Sam's Club membership, which comes with a $10 gift card.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Whether you’re saving up for a new MacBook Air or just looking to get more for every dollar, a warehouse club is an easy way to get what you need at the lowest possible price.

This Sam’s Club membership lets you stock up on everyday consumables — and pays for itself in a multitude of ways.

Quickly turn your website into a sleek iOS app with this highly rated tool

By

Design sleek iOS apps fast with AppMySite.
Use AppMySite to build smooth iOS apps quickly.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

With the rising excitement around iOS 16, now’s an excellent time to launch your own app. But you don’t need programming experience, or a mobile developer on your payroll, to get your idea off the ground. All you need is an active website and AppMySite.

This mobile app builder turns design and development into a quick, simple process resulting in sleek, smooth iOS apps. For a limited time, you can get a five-year subscription to AppMySite for $49.99 (regularly $2,340).