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Send aid to Ukraine for chance to win rare WWDC19 pin

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Send aid to Ukraine for chance to win rare WWDC19 pin
This WWDC 2019 pin could be yours if you donate to a Ukrainian aid fund.
Photo: Sergii Kryvoblotsky

Sergii Kryvoblotsky, head of R&D at MacPaw, is raffling off a Worldwide Developers Conference 2019 pin to raise money for Ukrainian aid.

The money raised will go to the MacPaw Development Fund to provide Ukrainian defenders with medicine and protective equipment.

Gain one-touch control of HomeKit scenes with Leviton’s updated switch

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Leviton's updated switch gives you one-touch control over HomeKit scenes.
Leviton's updated switch gives you one-touch control over HomeKit scenes.
Photo: Leviton

Following related May releases, Leviton said Wednesday orders will open soon on a new version of a popular accessory in its No-Neutral HomeKit Switch and Dimmer stable of products.

The Decora Smart Wi-Fi 2nd Gen Scene Controller Switch features four buttons that give you one-touch control over HomeKit scenes as well as smart devices.

AI writing tool generates content faster than you can send a text

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Get write to work with this content generator AI.
This content-creation machine will crank out copy to meet your writing needs.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Writing content takes time. Writing good content takes even longer — and sometimes, you can’t wait. If you need help generating content for your website or clients, you can expedite the writing process with Autowriterpro.

This artificial intelligence-powered content-creation machine can help you produce and organize original written content in record time. And lifetime subscriptions are on sale for $39.99 (regularly $469).

Apple M2 is fast, but not faster than M1 Pro or M1 Max

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Apple's M1 vs. M2.
The Apple M2 outperforms the M1, but not the other processors in the M1 series.
Photo: Apple

The first real-world benchmark tests of Apple’s M2 chip show that the just-launched processor is about 20% faster than the original M1. That’s welcome news for anyone in the market for a MacBook or iPad in the next few years.

But the newest chip does not offer better performance than Apple’s M1 Pro or M1 Max from 2021. That will have to wait for advanced versions of the M2 expected to launch in 2023.

Travel-ready 7-in-1 USB-C hub packs both HDMI and DisplayPort [Review] ★★★★☆

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HyperDrive USB4 Mobile Dock review★★★★☆
Be ready to connect to HDMI or DisplayPort monitors with the HyperDrive USB4 Mobile Dock.
Photo: Hyper/Cult of Mac

With Hyper’s HyperDrive USB4 Mobile Dock, you’re ready to connect to either HDMI or DisplayPort monitors at 4K or even 8K. The USB-C hub also includes dual USB-A ports, Ethernet and more. Plus, it’s the right size to use in your office or on the road.

I put the dock through a battery of tests to see how it stands up on real-world use. Here’s how it did.

Elago’s protective AirPods covers will make your ears happy

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Elago's AirPods Pro covers, made of protective silicone, have precise cutouts.
Elago's AirPods Pro covers, made of protective silicone, have precise cutouts.
Photo: Elago

Even little earbuds can get scratched up, so a product like Elago’s covers for AirPods Pro and AirPods 3 can come in handy. And the covers’ thin but protective layer of silicone can also help with fit, helping ensure your earbuds don’t fall out too easily.

You can find Elago’s AirPods covers for the Pro and 3 series in the Cult of Mac Store at great prices. See more information and direct links below.

Tenorshare 4DDiG: How to recover lost data from a T2-equipped Mac

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Tenorshare 4DDiG helps you recover lost data from a T2 Mac.
Tenorshare 4DDiG helps you recover lost data from a T2 Mac.
Photo: Tenorshare

This post is brought to you by Tenorshare.

With the launch of Apple’s T2 Security Chip in 2018, the custom silicon has increased the overall security of Macs. But as good and efficient as a T2-secured Mac is, it isn’t immune to data loss.

If you accidentally delete files, suffer a malware attack or botch formatting your hard drive, you can lose data on a Mac with a T2 Security Chip. Sometimes even a system crash can mangle your files.

But all is not lost. Below we’ll show you how to recover data and get your lost files back safely.

M2 MacBook Pro review roundup: Powerful chip, archaic design

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13-inch MacBook Pro with an Apple M2 processor
The M2 MacBook Pro gets called "a relic from another era" by Engadget.
Photo: Apple

The first reviews of the 13-inch MacBook Pro with an Apple M2 processor are not kind. It gets called a “Pro in name only” and “literally a processor update and nothing more.”

Still, the M2 provides a pleasant increase in speed over the M1, making the new MBP the best-performing 13-inch Mac notebook.

Get iPad mini 6 at a major $90 discount

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2021 iPad mini 6
This deal knocks $90 off the iPad mini 6's price
Photo: Apple

The petite but powerful 2021 iPad mini is currently available with up to an 18% discount on Amazon. This brings its price down from $499 to $409.

You can also score up to $50 off on the Wi-Fi + cellular variant of the tablet.

Add a handle to your iPad Pro with Pitaka FlipBook Case

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Add a handle to your iPad Pro with Pitaka FlipBook Case
The Pitaka FlipBook Case for iPad works with the Apple Magic Keyboard to make your tablet a bit more portable.
Photo: Pitaka

The Pitaka FlipBook Case for iPad wraps around an iPad Pro and the Apple Magic Keyboard to protect them and add a handle.

The tablet and its keyboard can be used while the magnetic sleeve is still wrapped around them, making them easy to grab and go.

Mac or iPhone full? Store files safely for life with 10TB Prism Drive for $89.

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Prism Cloud Storage is rock solid and 10TB.
Prism is the crystal-clear choice for affordable, secure cloud storage.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

When it comes to cloud storage, it can prove hard to find a service as flexible as an external hard drive. Common restrictions on file types, file sizes and even how you can upload severely undercut the convenience and security of cloud storage.

You won’t encounter those cloud storage problems with Prism Drive. This huge cloud storage drive lets you upload practically any file type, making the process easy and secure. And for a limited time, you can get 10TB of lifetime storage for just $89 (regularly $2,490).

T-Mobile beats the competition in 5G speeds

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T-Mobile 5G service
Put your iPhone on T-Mobile for the fastest average speeds,
Photo: T-Mobile

T-Mobile is the clear winner in a cross-country study of cellular data by PCMag. For the second year in a row, rivals Verizon and AT&T can not come close to providing the same average download or upload speeds.

PCMag summed its results up with, “T-Mobile isn’t just America’s fastest network, it’s also the best.”

Smarter design will make your website a love letter to users

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Stop losing traffic because your site is clumsy with this bundle.
Your visitors will thank you for mastering UX design early.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Learning to craft websites that users can easily navigate and enjoy exploring is an in-demand skill that could lead to an exciting career. And an easy way to get started on the web design career path is the 2022 Premier Adobe XD UI/UX Design Bundle.

This 75-hour course bundle can help you understand the principles of web design and some of the software that pros use. For a limited time, it costs only $39.99 (regularly $1,200).

Another set of top-shelf ANC cans takes on AirPods Max

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Could these be the ones? At $599, they better be.
Could these be the ones? At $599, they better be.
Photo: Master & Dynamic

The new Master & Dynamic MW75 over-ear headphones will undoubtedly compete with top cans from Apple, Sony, Sennheiser and others. They boast up to 28 hours of battery life and adaptive, environmentally aware active noise cancellation.

But the premium Master & Dynamic headphones actually make AirPods Max look somewhat affordable. They cost an eye-popping $599.

Last chance: Clear clutter with 4-in-1 iPhone charging stand [20% off]

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SwitchEasy's charger lets you juice up four devices at once.
SwitchEasy's charger lets you juice up four devices at once.
Photo: SwitchEasy

The more gadgets we buy, the more separate chargers we end up with. If you’re sick of plugging in your stuff all over the place, try a multi-device charger like the SwitchEasy MagPower 4-in-1 Charging Stand.

The compact stand’s ingenious design lets you easily charge four devices at once. You can power up your iPhone or other smartphone, Apple Watch,  AirPods and another device all at the same time. Three out of those four gadgets power up wirelessly, too, so you can cut some cords.

And through tonight, you can get 20% off the stand in the Cult of Mac Store. That’s a savings of $17 off the regular price.

Apple iWork 12.1 desperately tries to make presentations more exciting

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Apple iWork 12.1 desperately tries to make presentations more exciting
Moving backgrounds are new feature of Keynote 12.1.
Screenshot: Apple

Apple’s Keynote version 12.1 adds moving backgrounds intended to add visual interest to presentations. And Pages 12.1 adds support for mail merge.

Add in a performance-oriented tweak in Numbers 12.1, and you’ve got iWork 12.1, the latest version of Apple’s free productivity suite for Mac, iPad and iPhone.

New Soundcore sport ANC earbuds: Good fit for fit people [Review] ★★★★☆

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It's not difficult to get used to those rotating ear hooks.★★★★☆
It's not difficult to get used to those rotating ear hooks.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac

Ever have an earbud fall out of your sweaty ear at the gym? I lost a somewhat pricey product that way once. And if you lose one of them, you’re probably not going to use the other one, even if it’s designed for occasional solo use.

The new Soundcore Sport X10 True-Wireless Earbuds, released Tuesday, aim to put an end to wayward earbuds.

Anker sent me a pair of the earbuds to try, along with instructions for using the Soundcore app for them in beta. Below, I’ll get into why I found the new product to be an excellent value at $79.99.

Add a trio of hi-res monitors to your Mac with Plugable’s new desktop dock

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Add three hi-res monitors to your Mac with Plugable's new desktop dock
You can add three screens to your Mac (even M1 and M2 ones) with the Plugable UD-ULTC4K.
Photo: Plugable

While the Plugable UD-ULTC4K doesn’t have a very exciting name, the USB-C hub does boast a whopping 13 ports. It can add up to three high-res external displays to a Mac, plus USB-A accessories, Ethernet and more.

It’s an improved version of a popular model that first launched back in 2017.

Philips Hue expands smart-lighting lineup for HomeKit

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The new track-lighting system opens up many customization options.
The new track-lighting system opens up many customization options.
Photo: Philips Hue

Signify said Tuesday it plans to expand its Philips Hue smart lighting range with the addition of track lighting, a new dimmer and scene-selection switch, and its first portable indoor-outdoor rechargeable lamp, among other items.

Philips Hue products support HomeKit via the Hue Bridge. The new options will launch during the summer, the company said.

Triple-threat charging station folds flat for travel

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This 3-in-1 wireless charger powers up all Apple devices.
This compact charger can handle iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Why settle for a boring charging stand that is so big it becomes a permanent fixture on your desk or nightstand? This fast, space-saving charging station looks like something out Tron. It juices up three Apple devices at once, and folds flat so you can take it on the road easily.

The Charge & Fold 3-in-1 Docking Station will charge your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods simultaneously. And while similar multi-device chargers can cost a fortune, this one’s on sale for just $35.99 (regularly $119).

Apple’s Automatic Verification will help us escape from annoying CAPTCHAs

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Apple Automatic Verification will help save us from CAPTCHA hassles
Apple users may be freed from CAPTCHA.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple developed Automatic Verification to let iPhone, Mac and iPad users bypass those irritating CAPTCHA image tests that websites use to confirm that someone is a human and not a bot.

Cloudflare and Fastly, big cloud computing companies that power tons of websites, are already on board to adopt the new system.