The two "standard" iPhone 15 models will supposedly get the Dynamic Island, too. Photo: Apple
The highlight of the iPhone 14 Pro models is the Dynamic Island – the interactive replacement for the screen notch. It’s currently only in the most expensive iOS handsets, but those who prefer Apple’s two “standard” models reportedly won’t have to wait too long for a chance at the screen cutout.
The same apparently isn’t true for ProMotion displays.
Follow teams to get scores, schedules and news, all in Apple News. Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
New in iOS 16 is the ability to follow your favorite sporting pastime with My Sports. It allows you to get the latest scores, read coverage from newspapers and magazines, see scheduled games and watch highlights.
It works across multiple apps, including Apple News, Apple TV and others. You can follow teams from the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, NWSL, WNBA and MLS. It also includes college football and basketball. Here’s how to set it up.
Listen to music from anywhere in your home with this multi-use Bluetooth device. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
In recent years, Bluetooth has significantly changed how we communicate, work and enjoy entertainment. If you’re looking to expand your range in that department — or support older audio equipment — there are tools that can help. For example, this Two-in-One Bluetooth 5.0 Transmitter and Receiver supplies Bluetooth functionality for devices that don’t offer it.
The new "deep purple" iPhone 14 Pro looks about as edgy as an eggplant. Photo: Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac
Apple desperately needs to shake up its iPhone Pro colors. The brand-new iPhone 14 Pro — in the exotic-sounding “deep purple” color — actually looks like a dull gray in real life.
When Apple marketing chief Greg “Joz” Joswiak revealed the new deep purple color at last month’s Far Out product launch, I immediately thought of “Smoke on the Water.” I envisioned a bold hue that would actually look trippy and unique. And I thought maybe Cupertino’s brightest minds finally broke free from the iPhone Pro’s typically mundane color palette.
The iOS 16 upgrade makes even old iPhones feel brand new. Image: Cult of Mac
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: iOS 16 makes our year-old iPhones feel fresh again. And the various “hidden” features flying under the radar make the iOS 16 experience even more impressive.
Also on The CultCast:
We can’t wait for our first trip to the iPhone 14 Pro’s Dynamic Island.
Is the iPhone 14/iPhone 14 Plus really a failure? (Even Steve Jobs’ daughter is dissing this year’s “upgrade” to Apple’s midrange iPhones.)
What to expect at Apple’s October event.
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.
Clean up your Home Screen and turn off the Search button. Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
iOS 16 brings a lot of exciting changes, but no one seems to like the new Search button on the Home Screen.
It can clutter your aesthetic theme, it’s easy to press accidentally, and it’s not any faster than using the swipe-down gesture for search. Luckily, it’s possible to turn it off — read on to see how.
This Apple Pencil dupe is loved by users, and it’s less than $40 today. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
The Apple Pencil can open up a whole new dimension for creativity on your iPad. But does your creativity really cost $129? An Apple Pencil alternative can offer many of the same features, allowing you to sketch on your iPad — or any other tablet — without breaking the bank.
For example, the Digi Pen comes highly recommended by users. And it’s on sale right now for $39.99, more than half off its regular price.
Add 4K to your camera kit with 45% off the Ninja Dragon Storm X.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
The iPhone 14 Pro is raising the bar for on-the-go photography, but unless Apple adds propellers in next year’s models, you’re going to have to search somewhere else for a new camera perspective. That road might lead you to the Ninja Dragon Storm X, a drone with a dual 4K camera setup that’s easy to fly, even if you’ve never touched the controls before.
A new match-3 game includes plenty of fuzzy bunnies. Image: Playdots
Garden Tails: Match and Grow is a new match-3 game for nature lovers who are looking for a calming time-killer. Play through a series of levels to unlock flowers, bushes and friendly animals.
It debuted Friday on Apple Arcade, and there are versions for a range of Apple computers.
★★★★☆
The Garvey sisters are up to no good again, and that's great. Photo: Apple TV+
Bad Sisters takes a look at John Paul’s mental health in a particularly solid episode of the murderously funny Apple TV+ hit. The series, about a family covering up a murder in the present — and trying to commit it in the past — takes a madcap turn this week.
Bibi is mad with grief, Grace is a broken woman, Roger’s going to jail and Becka’s falling in love. Plus, we get the funniest scene of the season. A fine showing from the cast helps this week’s episode get a good head of steam going in time for a great final sequence of dark slapstick.
The iPhone 14 Pro is in the wild on launch day. Just be sure you update to iOS 16.01 before activating with your cellular carrier to avoid problems. Photo: Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac
Anyone having activation problems with their iPhone 14 or iPhone 14 Pro series model should install iOS 16.0.1. Apple specifically created the update to deal with an issue in setting up its latest handset.
It also takes care of other bugs in the iPhone 14 series.
MagEasy's Vetro Privacy Screen Protector keeps your screen from prying eyes. Photo: MagEasy
A new case is a good way to protect your pricey new iPhone 14 from scrapes and drops. But it’s not the only protective measure you should take, whether or not you pay for Apple Care insurance. You might also want to get a screen protector to safeguard the HDR display and a shield for those fabulous camera lenses.
The Cult of Mac Store has the goods you need. Its screen and lens protector collection features six screen protectors and one lens protector from two of our favorite brands, all at great prices.
★★☆☆☆
As always, See is at its best when it lets Jason Momoa be Jason Momoa. Photo: Apple TV+
War seems inevitable on this week’s episode of See, the Apple TV+ show about a world that lost its sight and its mind. Harlan gets closer to divining the nature of the explosive coup being plotted in Trivantes, and deposed queen Sibeth Kane is in the wind and shacking up with a serpent.
Baba Voss and his family go looking for trouble, and there are vendettas aplenty that need settling. All in all, it stands as a decent episode that exhibits few of the show’s worst habits.
That giant screen is a 48-inch LG OLED monitor. Photo: [email protected]
Some well-developed computer setups go for quantity in their displays, with three or more, but others stick with a solo screen and go for quality.
And no, with today’s featured setup we’re not talking about a $5,000 Pro Display XDR. We’re talking about a massive, $1,500 OLED display. If you’re searching for the best monitors for Mac, be sure to check out this article on Apple Music Classical on the web for more insights.
Be sure to use promo code CULT when shopping for software deals at CDKeylord.com to get the lowest possible price. Photo: CDKeylord.com
This post on discount Microsoft software is presented by CDKeylord.
Software activation keys provider CDKeylord extends its September Sale with more fantastic deals on crucial Microsoft software. Better yet, as a Cult of Mac reader, you can click on the links below and get an even better deal on Windows 10. Plus, you can score big savings on plenty of other Microsoft software.
To achieve the biggest possible savings, enter promo code CULT at CDKeylord.com. That will take an extra 30% off the site’s already-low prices on keys for Windows 10 Pro Global, Microsoft Office 2021 Pro and more.
Setting up an iPhone 14 with an eSIM should be simple. Graphic: Apple
iPhone 14 models require eSIM rather than physical SIM cards. That means those getting Apple’s latest handsets have to activate them via eSIM – they can’t simply plug in a SIM card to get connected to a wireless network.
It’s new to many iPhone users, but Apple released a video that explains how to activate an eSIM on an iPhone.
★★★★☆
Dr. Anna Pou (played by Vera Farmiga) faces the aftermath of her actions in the miniseries' finale. Photo: Apple TV+
Five Days at Memorial, the riveting Apple TV+ drama about a hospital staff enduring Hurricane Katrina’s wrath — and the aftermath of their decisions under pressure and hellish conditions — comes to a close this week.
In the miniseries finale, entitled “Reckoning,” Dr. Anna Pou may or may not be put on trial for murder. And investigators Arthur “Butch” Schafer and Virginia Rider come up against the limitations of justice when a city’s future is on trial.
This tremendous series ends on a cloud of doubt, with the promise of lives lived in suffering and uncertainty.
Save thousands of dollars on iCloud storage with this top-rated lifetime cloud backup. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
We all have more photos, documents and data on our devices than ever. To keep them safe, you need a cloud backup plan you can rely upon. One of the most well-reviewed is Degoo, which is offering a lifetime of cloud storage with a one-time payment.
You can purchase a lifetime subscription on sale for just $149.99 (regularly $4,320). That’s the best price available anywhere online. Just imagine: No more monthly cloud storage subscriptions!
Apple's latest iPhones go on sale today. Photo: Apple
The first set of iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max preorders began arriving for customers around the world Friday morning. Further, the phones are now on sale in more than 30 markets.
Apple Watch Series 8 and 2022 Apple Watch SE preorders are also arriving for customers today.
iPhone 14 Pro smartly manages the Always-On display to save battery life. Photo: Apple
Getting the iPhone 14 Pro or iPhone 14 Pro Max for its Always-On display? True to its name, the display on the new iPhones remains in an always-on state, except in a few situations.
In a support document, Apple has detailed the scenarios when the iPhone 14 Pro’s Always-On display will go dark to save battery.
Explore this fun way to save on Excel education that takes users far beyond standard spreadsheets. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
If you are attempting to gain an edge in a competitive job market or take your business to another level, a firm grasp of Microsoft Excel can help separate you from the pack. And the Essential 2022 Excel Wizard Bundle is built to take users far beyond the formation of standard spreadsheets.
Packed with 11 courses that will place you on a path toward advanced Excel understanding, this package is valued at $2,189 — but you won’t spend that much.
Speck's lineup of new iPhone 14 series cases includes 10 models. Photo: Speck
Speck released a wide assortment of 10 new cases for the iPhone 14 series. All but one of them are designed for MagSafe. The collection includes Presidio cases with 13-foot drop protection and and upgraded version of the colorful CandyShell Pro case.
The company said the cases are slim, durable and protective, with Microban antimicrobial protection.
Logitech Brio 500 webcam series and Zone Vibe headphones series are designed for hybrid workers. Photo: Logitech
Logitech unveiled its new Brio 500 webcam series and Zone Vibe headphones series for hybrid workers Thursday. The company said “they bring quality, style, affordability, and sustainability to today’s workers for ultramodern collaboration experiences.”
“Many remote and hybrid workers are still underequipped and grappling with pre-pandemic era solutions,” said Scott Wharton, Logitech Video Collaboration general manager. “Our innovative new genre of Brio webcams and Zone Vibe headphones answer the call of modern workers who need business-grade quality, style, and affordability for work and play.”
The folio case keeps your iPhone 14 and other valuables safe. Photo: Laut
Some new accessories for iPhone 14 are almost unbelievably practical. Why just slap a plain-jane case on your handset when you get much more use out of a Laut MagSafe Urban Folio?
The Urban Folio is both a protective case and a handy, detachable wallet for your cards and cash. And you can get right now in the Cult of Mac Store.