Mobile menu toggle

Apple’s all-in-one gift card finally arrives in Europe

By

Buy hardware or software with the new Apple gift card.
The "gift card for everything Apple" is now available in Europe.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s all-in-one gift card is now available in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and several other European countries. The gift card’s expansion comes nearly two years after its US launch.

Until now, Apple sold separate gift cards to customers in Europe: one for App Store and another for Apple Store.

Charge your iPhone up to seven times with this 20,000mAh backup battery

By

Charge your iPhone, iPad, AirPods, and Apple Watch with this massive portable Apple charger.
Get one backup battery to charge your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and AirPods.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Think of the last time your iPhone died in the middle of the day. Whether you were working or simply going about your day, those low battery notifications probably led to some minor inconveniences. You can remedy those concerns with a high-capacity power bank such as this Extreme Boost from Aduro.

Sporting 20,000mAh of capacity, this portable charger lets you fully recharge multiple Apple gadgets at the same time. And you can purchase one for just $32.99 (regularly $89) for a limited time.

Forget blur: How to cover faces and add emoji to photos

By

The emoji in this picture are accurate representations of every picture of me until I was about 8. I didn't know how to smile for pictures and I did not care to learn.
The emoji in this picture are accurate representations of every picture of me until I was about 8. I didn't know how to smile for pictures and I did not care to learn.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

There are lots of times when you might want to cover up faces before posting pictures: Teachers often want to censor the faces of their students. Boudoir photographers (Google it) can censor explicit portions of their photography for social media. Foster parents who are legally prohibited from posting identifying pictures of children in their home can quickly cover them up. Forget trying to blur faces — there’s an app that makes covering up faces dead easy: MaskerAid.

If you’ve ever wanted to hide a face before posting a picture, MaskerAid (a pun on “masquerade”) will quickly censor faces with emoji. Unlike apps like Snapchat, MaskerAid will preserve the full quality and resolution of your pictures.

MaskerAid is the latest app by independent podcaster and developer Casey Liss. You can download MaskerAid here on the App Store for iPhone (there is no Android version). The app is free to try out with your own pictures, but to use the full set of emoji, you must pay a one-time purchase of $2.99.

Brazil wants Apple to make USB-C iPhones

By

iPhone X with USB-C port
Everyone wants a USB-C iPhone.
Photo: Ken Pillonel

Brazil is considering forcing smartphone manufacturers to adopt a standard charging port on all their devices. The move comes in the wake of the European Union ruling mandating the use of USB-C for charging phones, tablets, headphones, and other accessories.

US Senators are also urging a common charging standard on smartphones to reduce e-waste.

Belkin revamps 3-in-1 charging stand with faster Apple Watch charges

By

This MagSafe charger from Belkin might be the coolest iPhone 12 accessory.
Belkin's iPhone/Apple Watch/AirPods charging stand just got better.
Photo: Belkin

An improved version of the Belkin BoostCharge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Stand supports fast charging Apple Watch Series 7 – up to 33% faster than Series 6.

And the stand still charges MagSafe iPhones at up to 15 watts. And it provides 5 watts to AirPods wireless charging cases.

Your partner will love this snore-stopping gadget that connects to your iPhone

By

Stop snoring and track your sleep with this iPhone app and gadget combo.
This $99 gadget can stop your snoring and turns your iPhone into a sleep tracker.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Snoring doesn’t slow down time, but anyone sharing a room with a snorer will feel like the night crawled by. It’s downright annoying! Luckily, we might have a way to stop snoring.

The Snore Circle YA4200 is an electronic muscle stimulator that can reduce or completely eliminate your snoring. And for a limited time, it’s on sale for $99.99 (regularly $119).

Park the preschoolers in front of this Apple TV+ Duck & Goose trailer

By

Duck and Goose are good friends who know it's OK for friends to be different.
Duck and Goose are good friends who know it's OK for friends to be different.
Photo: Apple TV+

Rejoice, parents. A wholesome new animated series is on the way, and you can feel OK about parking your preschoolers in front of it. Or at least it looks that way from the new Apple TV+ trailer for Duck & Goose, out Tuesday.

The new show for preschool-age kids premieres Friday, July 8.

Judge rules against Apple in ECG suit calling for Apple Watch import ban

By

A judge ruled Apple infringed on AliveCor's ECG-related patents.
A judge ruled Apple infringed on AliveCor's ECG-related patents.
Photo: Apple

Personal electrocardiogram (ECG) technology maker AliveCor sued Apple last year, claiming the tech giant infringed on patents when developing the heart-health functionality for Apple Watch. AliveCor called for a ban on U.S. imports of the wearable, as well.

Now a judge from the International Trade Commission has supported the claims in an initial ruling.

Sleek Elago MagSafe stands keep your charging iPhone functional

By

The Elago MS4 charging stand, shown in silver, is compatible with MagSafe and helps unclutter your cables.
The Elago MS4 charging stand, shown in silver, is compatible with MagSafe and helps unclutter your cables.
Photo: Elago

Elago’s sleek, MagSafe-compatible iPhone charging stands make it easy to keep using your favorite gadget while it rapidly charges, sitting upright on the aluminum stand, easily at hand. Or easily hands-free, as the case may be.

You just quickly install a MagSafe charging puck into the Elago stand. Then it’s perfect for charging your phone while on FaceTime calls or while you’re using it in other ways.

Apple efforts to make iPhone 5G modems are bombing

By

An Apple 5G modem might look like this
We apparently won't see an Apple 5G modem for years to come.
Artists concept: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple is reportedly unable to produce the 5G modem for the 2023 iPhone, as it had hoped. It will instead have the buy the critical component from Qualcomm, a company that Cupertino has quarreled with in the past.

Cupertino already sank more than a billion dollars into this so-far-unsuccessful effort.

Apple TV+ subscribers think it’s a better value than Netflix

By

Apple TV+ subscribers think it's a better value than Netflix
Viewers are more satisfied with Apple TV+ this year.
Screenshot: Apple

Apple TV+ subscribers seem much more satisfied with the streaming service than they were a year ago, according to a survey of viewers. The home of Ted Lasso and Severance even made gains on Netflix – streaming’s 800-pound gorilla – in a couple of categories, including value.

And more people than ever would make Apple TV+ their one and only streaming service.

Track wildlife with this nifty new trail camera

By

The Keen Ranger PT blends in with the environment.
The Keen Ranger PT blends in with the environment.
Photo: Keen

Security gear provider Reolink launched a new brand, Keen, and a new product Tuesday — the Keen Ranger PT trail camera. With a 360-degree view, 4MP super HD image quality and other features like night vision, hunters, campers, farmers and wildlife enthusiasts are likely to recognize what game they “capture” with it out in the bush.

And for launch you can get 15% off the device’s regular price, plus a chance to win $1,000.

Ugreen T3 ANC wireless earbuds: OK bang for the buck [Review] ★★★☆☆

By

The Ugreen T3 HiTune earbuds will get the job done for many folks on a budget.★★★☆☆
The Ugreen T3 HiTune earbuds will get the job done for many folks on a budget.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac

In a world awash in earbuds, it’s not easy for lower-end products to keep their heads above water. But some manage to do it through solid overall quality and a good feature spread, like the new Ugreen T3 HiTune ANC Wireless Earbuds.

They’re not going to compete with many products at mid-to-high price points, like AirPods Pro and competitors. But the T3s offer bass to burn, an OK fit and a range of solid features at $40.

What you don’t get is top-notch sound across all frequencies, stellar ANC or a sense of tremendous build quality.

Give your new MacBook Pro some old-world charm with leather BookBook case

By

Give your MacBook Pro some old-world charm with leather BookBook case
A MacBook Pro in a BookBook has a unique look.
Photo: Twelve South

Twelve South’s latest BookBook case makes the 2021 MacBook Pro look like a leather-bound book. The unique case manages to simultaneously make your macOS laptop stand out from the crowd and blend into the background.

There are versions for both the latest 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models. BookBook is also available for iPad and iPhone.

Open your MacBook and learn something you’ll never forget with this Rosetta Stone bundle

By

Learn from the comfort of your Macbook with this bundle.
This lifetime learning bundle is like a college catalog on your Mac iPhone.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

You’re only done learning when you choose to be. Sure, you might be out of school, but that doesn’t mean you can’t study something exciting and valuable. For instance, how does picking up a new language or hobby sound?

The Unlimited Lifetime Learning Subscription Bundle offers lessons in more than a thousand fun and practical topics you can access from your iPhone or MacBook, and it even comes with lifetime access to language app Rosetta Stone. For a limited time, this colossal learning bundle is on sale for $159.20 (regularly $1,794) with code ROSETTA20.

Get emulators, clipboard history on your iPhone without jailbreaking

By

Install the apps Apple doesn’t want on the App Store with AltStore.
Install the apps Apple doesn’t want on the App Store with AltStore.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Apple bans apps like emulators and clipboard history on your iPhone, but there’s a clever way to sideload these apps without jailbreaking.

The official App Store is the only way Apple wants you to get apps on the iPhone. If there’s an app that doesn’t fit Apple’s strict rules, it doesn’t get on the App Store at all.

Apple strictly forbids a few categories of apps. Emulators — apps that play games from old consoles like the Nintendo Entertainment System and GameBoy — are prohibited. Porn is not allowed either. System-wide features like clipboard managers — which are very popular and even downloadable on the Mac App Store — are not allowed on the iPhone. (My favorite is Maccy.)

That doesn’t mean it’s impossible to get these types of apps, though. You can install an alternative App Store for iPhone called AltStore right now with the help of a Mac or PC. With AltStore, you can install verboten apps like emulators and clipboard history without jailbreaking your iPhone.

Don’t expect iPad mini 7 to come with 120Hz ProMotion display

By

iPad mini in hand, held up to the sky
ProMotion is unlikely to come to the iPad mini 7.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

Display analyst Ross Young has debunked a rumor claiming the iPad mini 7 could debut with a 120Hz ProMotion display. He says it would be surprising if the next iPad mini comes with a higher refresh rate display.

Unlike the iPad Pro series, the iPad mini features a regular 60Hz panel. The higher refresh rate allows the Pro models to offer a smoother experience.

M1 MacBook Pro beats the newer M2 model in real-life stress tests

By

M2 MacBook Pro's slow SSD has an impact in daily use.
Entry-level M2 MacBook Pro's slow SSD impacts its daily use performance.
Photo: Rajesh

The slower SSD on the entry-level M2 MacBook Pro has a noticeable impact on its performance in daily use. Tests show the M1 MacBook Pro beating its successor in stress tests that rely heavily on swap memory usage.

Benchmarks first revealed that the base M2 MacBook Pro SSD is about 50% slower than the M1 model.

Build a professional-quality website without even opening your Mac

By

What's better than a website that works for iOS and Mac? One you didn't have to make.
A quick call from your iPhone could set you up with an awesome new website for just $99.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Your business may need a website, but that doesn’t mean you should have to learn how to build one from scratch. You might think of skipping the website altogether, but you shouldn’t: Around 56% of consumers don’t trust businesses without a website.

Earning potential customers’ trust doesn’t need to be difficult, though. If you want to start up a website without the pain of learning new software, UENI can handle the logistics for you. That way, you can sit back while your custom site is made to your specifications. And, for a limited time, lifetime subscriptions to UENI are on sale for $99 (regularly $599).

After Loot debut, Apple calls dibs on new shows from Maya Rudolph’s company

By

Maya Rudolph stars in
Maya Rudolph stars in "Loot" on Apple TV+, and her production company now has a first-look deal with Cupertino.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ struck a first-look deal with Maya Rudolph’s production company after last week’s premiere of her comedy series Loot.

That means Rudolph’s company, Animal Pictures, will show what it’s working on to Apple first, before shopping it around to other buyers.

Next Apple Music Live show features rapper Lil Durk

By

The Chicago DJ Lil Durk performs live on Wednesday.
The Chicago DJ Lil Durk performs live on Wednesday.
Photo: Apple Music

After Harry Styles kicked off the return of the Apple Music Live series, Chicago rapper Lil Durk continues it. His live concert streams Wednesday.

The rapper’s show takes place in Los Angeles, but Apple’s streaming series lets you watch and listen to it anywhere.

Show your pride year-round with rainbow Apple Watch bands and more

By

Rainbow nylon Apple Watch bands are great for Pride and for workouts.
Rainbow nylon Apple Watch bands are great for Pride and for workouts. Shown: BluShark AlphaPremier.
Photo: Adel Neal/Cult of Mac

LGBTQI Pride Month may be drawing to a close on Thursday, but you can wear your pride on your sleeve or elsewhere all year long if you want — thanks to rainbow-themed Apple accessories in the Cult of Mac Store’s Pride collection.

In addition to several colorful watch bands discussed below, you can find a rainbow lanyard with a shock-proof iPhone case and a rainbow polka-dot MacBook Pro case.

Surface trailer dips into secrets exposed in the sexy psychological thriller

By

'Surface' trailer dips into secrets exposed in the sexy psychological thriller
Surface premieres globally July 29, 2022 on Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple TV+

The first trailer for the psychological thriller Surface lets viewers dip their toes into the central mystery of the upcoming series: What if you woke up one day and didn’t know your own secrets?

The show premiers on Apple TV+ in late July, and stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, best known for appearing in Apple’s critically acclaimed The Morning Show.