August 13, 2002: Apple unveils the final face-lift for its Power Mac G4, the Mirrored Drive Doors model.

The distinctive-looking computer borrows visually from the previous QuickSilver G4, released a year earlier. However, it adds a different front panel, with a mirrorlike finish for the media drive doors. It’s the last visual redesign of Apple’s Power Mac G4.

You can be excused if you don’t know off the top of your head how many external monitors your MacBook supports. The number varies by model, processor version, and even whether the laptop is open or closed. Still, there’s a good chance it’s more than you think.

Now that notebooks with the new M4 family of processors are available, here’s an updated guide to how many external screens you can attach to your MacBook.

Apple may charge an extra $50 for the iPhone 17 Pro. But it could also finally increase the 128GB base storage in favor of a roomier option.

A $50 price bump means the iPhone 17 Pro will cost $1,050 in the U.S. before taxes.

If you ever endured a long lecture or an hours-long all-hands meeting, you know this to be true: There’s no way you can jot down every single word your professor or colleague utters. Rather than scramble and stress about missing certain parts of a presentation, you could add an AI note taker like My Notes AI to your productivity tool kit.

This AI-powered note transcription and summarization app works with your iPhone, iPad and Mac to help you catch every single word. Think of it as your very own personal assistant! You can snag a lifetime subscription to My Notes AI for just $29.97 (regularly $299) with code TAKE10. That’s the best price you’ll find online.

Don’t set your heart on a MacBook Pro with a speedy new Apple M5 processor under the Christmas tree this year. A growing body of evidence indicates the next version of Apple’s premier laptop won’t arrive until 2026.

But the M5 processor should be available before then.

Plugable created the TBT-UDM Thunderbolt 4 dock with Apple users in mind. It offers more than a dozen ports — including dual 4K HDMI — in an aluminum chassis intended to blend into Mac setups.

Just as importantly, it launched Tuesday at a price lower than usual for a Thunderbolt dock.

You might only use the Mac’s built-in Preview app when you need to read a PDF or zoom in on a picture, but there’s much more to the software than meets the eye. It’s a pretty handy image editor for Mac, too.

In this how-to, I’ll go over six features that will let you make the most of Preview, a handy tool that’s an overlooked benefit to using a Mac. I have three tips for working with documents and three for editing pictures.

August 12, 1981: The launch of the IBM Personal Computer ignites a long-running Apple-versus-PC rivalry.

Secure in the Apple II’s technical superiority over the new PC, Apple welcomes International Business Machines to the personal computing party in a full-page ad in The Wall Street Journal. Things won’t stay positive for long, though.

United Airlines passengers can now watch popular Apple TV+ originals including Severance, Ted Lasso and Slow Horses for free during flights, the airline said Tuesday. The partnership brings full seasons of award-winning Apple TV+ content to United’s 130,000-plus seatback screens and mobile app.

This freaky USB-C charging cable comes with an Apple Watch charging puck right in the middle so you can easily juice up your wearable while powering up your iPhone or MacBook. It’s 3 feet long, braided and can handle up to 65W of juice.

And right now, this two-in-one Apple Watch charging cable is on sale for just $19.99. That’s a 50% discount off the regular price. And if you buy more than one, you save even more!

The Kuxiu M30 Magnetic Smart Connector Charger for iPad Pro/Air clings to the back of Apple tablets and charges them without taking up the computer’s sole USB-C port.

It could be a real boon for those who wish their iPad included more ports.

Adding high-speed plug-in storage capacity to your computer is so easy it’s something every Mac user should consider. Here are some of the best consumer-oriented external SSDs that are designed for portability. Even better: many of these are on sale.

We did hands-in testing for nearly all of these — look for links to our reviews.

Smart lock manufacturer UltraLoq released its first deadbolt compatible with Apple home key last week, offering iPhone and Apple Watch users a seamless way to unlock their doors with a simple tap. You can buy the UltraLoq Bolt NFC smart deadbolt lock for $199.99 with discounts.

“Our product strategy is rooted in delivering both convenience and security,” said Raj Sundar, Senior Product Director at Xthings, UltraLoq’s parent company. “With Bolt NFC – Works With Apple home key, we’re not just launching our first lock with Apple home key support, we’re answering the call from Apple Home users who expect a fast, secure, and truly native unlocking experience.”

August 11, 1987: The MultiFinder app brings the biggest software update to the Mac since the computer’s launch. Baked into Macintosh System Software 5, MultiFinder allows multitasking with two apps on screen for the first time.

While MultiFinder brings an undeniable boost to the Macintosh’s technical capabilities, it is built on a shaky foundation that soon begins to show its age.

Apple’s upcoming affordable MacBook could launch as early as later this year. And it may only cost $599.

The new entrant to the MacBook lineup will supposedly use an A18 Pro chip, the same one that will power the upcoming iPhone 17.

August 10, 2008: The developer of I Am Rich, a pointless iPhone app that sold for a whopping $999.99, defends his notorious creation as “art.”

After Apple removed I Am Rich from the App Store in the wake of controversy over the app’s outrageous price and total lack of usefulness, its creator, German developer Armin Heinrich, says he made it as a sort of joke.

Apple’s long-delayed next-gen Siri won’t just be smarter. It will use App Intents to let you control iPhone apps with your voice.

However, due to reliability concerns, Apple may limit this feature’s rollout to select third-party apps.

A deal on the Backbone One (USB-C), which ranks among the absolute best clip-on game controllers for iPhone, cuts 40% off the usual cost. It’s also on sale at Amazon, though the deal isn’t quite as good.

Can’t take the family Playstation or Xbox to university? Game on your iPhone instead with this controller.

August 9, 2011: Apple overtakes oil giant ExxonMobil to become the world’s most valuable publicly traded company.

The milestone caps an astonishing turnaround for Cupertino. Just 15 years earlier, it looked like it was just about “game over” for Apple.

When we polled Cult of Mac readers on what feature they want most in Apple Watch Series 11, the answer came through loud and clear: Bring back the Blood Oxygen app! None of the rumored upcoming Apple Watch features drew more attention than one that went missing last year over a patent dispute.

Unfortunately, the Blood Oxygen app remains tied up in U.S. courts. Apple needs to work out the problem, and soon. The missing Blood Oxygen app is undoubtedly hurting Apple Watch sales and angering customers. And it’s only going to get worse when the Apple Watch Series 11 and Ultra 3 launch next month — assuming Apple doesn’t come up with a workaround.

While historical dramas often recycle familiar European or American narratives, Apple TV+’s Chief of War breaks cool new ground by exploring less-charted territory. The ambitious production transports viewers to 19th-century Hawaii, offering an authentic indigenous perspective on a pivotal period rarely depicted in mainstream media.

It’s bloody and brilliant. And you end up seeing Jason Momoa’s nearly bare backside so often that you just become numb to it.

Kidding aside, it only takes the first three episodes now available to stream as of Friday to see that Chief of War isn’t just another historical drama. It’s more of a cultural phenomenon that challenges conventional storytelling while delivering the great-looking cinematic work Apple TV+ subscribers have come to expect. The series masterfully weaves together political intrigue, cultural authenticity and human drama in ways that should captivate history buffs, cultural diversity seekers, bloodthirsty battle lovers and pretty much anyone hungry for some fresh storytelling.

Most Apple users end up holding on to their devices longer than they’d like. Not because they’re still fast, but because buying a new one means shelling out thousands, and reselling is a headache most people don’t have time for.

That’s why Upgraded has been taking off.

Some computer setups on social media are like highly functional art, beautifully curated and seemingly permanent, like museum pieces. Others are just weird, wonderful and fleeting. Today’s example is more the latter case, featuring a “spec’d out” M4 Mac mini used with an iPad Air and a tiny touch screen as external displays, plus a Magic Trackpad and a crazy split keyboard.

People questioned the lack of a MacBook, but other commenters rose up in defense of the oddball setup.

You didn’t miss your opportunity to see Apple’s blockbuster racing flick F1: The Movie in Imax. The movie starring Brad Pitt returns to the giant theater screens Friday, and should arrive on even more of them next week.

The film blends blazing-fast cars on the racetrack with clashing personalities off the track. Pitt plays an aging racer trying to prove he still has what it takes to be a Formula One driver, with the action playing out at 230 mph.

Strap on a refurbished Apple Watch Series 6 — with the elusive Blood Oxygen app and cellular connectivity — for just $123.99 (regularly $399).

If you’ve been thinking about getting an Apple Watch but aren’t interested in paying full price for the newest model, the Apple Watch Series 6 is a smart, cost-effective option. This refurbished 44mm GPS + Cellular version works for fitness tracking, everyday health monitoring and basic communication. And, unlike on more recent models, you can track your blood oxygen levels!