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PC gamer converts to all-Mac rig plus PS5 and gaming handhelds [Setups]

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Plenty of oohs and ahhh were uttered over this setup on social media.
Plenty of oohs and ahhh were uttered over this setup on social media.
Photo: [email protected]

We’ve seen a fair number of PC gamers converting to one or more of the new Macs lately, including some who let go of their main gaming machines entirely.

Today’s featured setup fits that bill. It belongs to a UI designer who ditched a gaming PC and got himself a Mac Studio and Studio Display to go with his work-provided MacBook Pro.

But he kept a few gaming devices around, along with a suite of Elgato AV streaming gear and a new Sonos Ray Soundbar used, strangely enough, as a wireless desktop speaker.

Maya Rudolph makes rich people look funny in Loot Apple TV+ trailer

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Emmy Award winner Maya Rudolph stars in
Emmy Award winner Maya Rudolph stars in "Loot" on Apple TV+. See the trailer below and tune in on June 24.
Photo: Apple TV+

Money may be the root of all evil, but sometimes it sprouts plenty of comedy, too. Apple TV+ debuted a new trailer Friday for Loot, a new comedy series starring Saturday Night Live alum Maya Rudolph that may prove that point.

And who doesn’t like to laugh at the ultra-wealthy, anyway? See the trailer below.

Meet 3 Swift Student Challenge winners whose coding makes a difference

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This year’s Swift Student Challenge winners include (left to right) Josh Tint, Jones Mays II and Angelina Tsuboi. Their coding helps their communities.
This year’s Swift Student Challenge winners include (left to right) Josh Tint, Jones Mays II and Angelina Tsuboi. Their coding helps their communities.
Photo: Apple
WWDC22 - Brought to you by CleanMyMac X

Apple showcased three Swift Student Challenge winners Friday — out of 350 total — who solve problems in their communities with their coding skills.

The three teens were all first-time participants in the annual app-coding competition for young developers using Swift Playgrounds. The challenge takes place at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference.

Mid-year sale: Buy lifetime genuine Windows 10 for $13 and save up to 90%

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Get ready to grab great savings on genuine Microsoft software.
Get ready to grab great savings on genuine Microsoft software.
Photo: CDKeylord.com

This discount software activation keys post is presented by CDKeylord.com.

In CDKeylord.com’s Big Sale heading into June, you can get great savings on software, games and gaming accessories. The software activation key provider offers big discounts on genuine products from Microsoft and other developers, whether you’re buying them for someone else or for yourself.

For example, Cult of Mac readers can get 30% off the regular price of a Windows 10 Pro key. Also, when you buy a Windows 10 key, you can get a free upgrade to Windows 11! Just enter the special discount code CULT when you check out to secure the great savings below.

Portable power pack can charge iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods

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Charge 3 devices on the go with this charger.
This portable charger has a massive battery.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

We see all kinds of battery packs, but few as innovative as the Chrger Porta. Like most of them, it can restore your drained iPhone. But this pocket-size power source also comes with a special compartment for charging straight-stem AirPods and a built-in puck for an Apple Watch. And you can charge up all three devices at the same time.

This powerful portable charger can do it all. And it’s on sale for $69.99 (regularly $109) for a limited time.

Physical serves up a second season of bouncy self-loathing [Apple TV+ recap]

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Physical recap on Apple TV+: Sheila (played by Rose Byrne) is up to her same old tricks in season two.
Sheila (played by Rose Byrne) is up to her same old tricks in season two of Physical.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ just fired up another season of Physical, its antisocial character study about a would-be aerobics instructor/grifter/star. Let’s see if the show learned anything from season one’s imbalances and split-personality disorder.

Sheila Rubin, the wannabe workout queen played by Rose Byrne, is still talking to herself about the filth that is humanity, and everyone’s outfits are still ugly. Let’s do this thing!

New scheduling policies make Apple stores better places to work

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Apple West Lake
Improvements to scheduling rules for Apple retail employees are likely intended to head off unionizing efforts.
Photo: Apple

Apple U.S. retail store employees now get a minimum of 12 hours between shifts, up from 10 hours. And they won’t have to work more than five days in a row. These are just two of the changes Apple is reportedly making to how it schedules workers at its 270+ retail locations.

It’s likely these are intended to reduce employee interest in joining unions.

Get your child into STEM with 25% off a kid-friendly 3D printer

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This 3D printer could get your child excited about STEM.
This easy-to-use 3D printer can crank out up to 300 toys.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

You can’t buy the whole toy store, but you can pick up a toy your kids won’t get tired of — one that gets them interested in STEM and creative thinking. The Toybox 3D Printer Deluxe Bundle is that toy.

This kid-friendly 3D printer offers a massive menu of things just waiting to be created. Or, your kids can bring their own new toy creations to life. Plus, this nifty little printer is on sale for $349.99 (regularly $469) for a limited time.

What to expect from iOS 16, macOS 13, iPadOS 16 and watchOS 9 at WWDC22 [Updated]

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What to expect from iOS 16, macOS 13, iPadOS 16 and watchOS 9 at WWDC22
WWDC22 will give us our first official looks at iOS 16, macOS 13, iPadOS 16 and watchOS 9. But you don't have to wait.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac
WWDC22 - Brought to you by CleanMyMac X

We’re less than a week away from WWDC22, but it’s not too late to take a look ahead to the unveiling of iOS 16, macOS 13, iPadOS 16 and watchOS 9. As always, these operating system upgrades are expected to be the highlights of Apple’s annual developer conference.

Some details about them already leaked out, though. Here’s a foretaste of WWDC22.

Square tests Apple’s Tap to Pay ahead of full rollout

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Apple's Tap to Pay by iPhone feature is coming to Square.
Apple's Tap to Pay by iPhone feature is coming to Square.
Photo: Apple

Square, a digital payments platform, said Thursday it opened an early-access program with support for select sellers to use Apple’s Tap to Pay on iPhone feature. It will work with the Square Point of Sale app.

The program will roll out across the platform for all sellers later this year, the company said.

Case X protects your MacBook while adding extra storage and ports

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Case X protects your MacBook while adding extra storage and ports. It's three accessories in one.
Case X from Byrdbyte Creations is three MacBook accessories in one.
Photo: Byrdbyte Creations

There are cases for MacBooks. And there are USB-C hubs. And external hard drives, too. Case X is all three of these. It clips to the top of the laptop, adding six extra ports and up to 4TB of additional storage.

Byrdbyte Creations’ product is still at the crowdfunding stage, though.

Amazon tries invite-based PS5 and Xbox orders amid supply chain woes

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The very first product availably only by invitation will be the Sony PlayStation 5 console.
The very first product availably only by invitation will be the Sony PlayStation 5 console.
Photo: Amazon

As COVID-19 lockdowns complicate technology products’ ongoing supply-chain issues and consumers compete to find scarce products, Amazon is trying something new.

The behemoth hopes its new invitation-based ordering option will help keep robot traffic from causing inventory shortages, as well as price gouging, for in-demand items.

The new system launches for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X orders. Then it will expand to other products. If it works well, it could end up helping consumers lay hands on hard-to-get Apple hardware, too.

Sexy psychological thriller Surface premieres on Apple TV+ in July

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Sexy psychological thriller 'Surface' premieres on Apple TV+ in July
This is our first look at Gugu Mbatha-Raw in Surface, coming this summer to Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ revealed that the psychological thriller Surface from Veronica West will premiere on July 29. It stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, best known for appearing in Apple’s critically acclaimed The Morning Show.

The upcoming series asks, what if you woke up one day and didn’t know your own secrets?

Price is right for potent, 3-port Ugreen GaN Fast Charger [Review] ★★★★☆

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UGreen's 65W GaN charger can top off three devices at once.★★★★☆
UGreen's 65W GaN charger can top off three devices at once.
Photo: DAVID SNOW/Cult of Mac

Strange to think that until quite recently, people carried around separate chargers for each device. And some people still do. But if you’re on the go for work or leisure, wouldn’t it be much better to bring one compact charging device and a few cables?

With compact and potent gallium nitride (GaN) chargers, you can — if yours has the requisite power and ports.

The Ugreen 65W GaN Fast Charger seems like a Goldilocks type, in that regard. At 65W of power output, it’s strong, but not as big as even more-potent chargers. And it has three ports to cover your basic charging needs.

Ready to play WWDC22 bingo? See developers’ predictions.

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Time to play WWDC22 bingo!
Time to play WWDC22 bingo!
Photo: Peter Rimar/Wikimedia Commons CC
WWDC22 - Brought to you by CleanMyMac X

WWDC Bingo is back ahead of next week’s Apple Worldwide Developers Conference. The crew behind the Flighty flight-tracking app put together the contest, which doubles as a survey about what participants expect during Monday’s WWDC22 keynote.

Unlike your granddad’s bingo, where something like five correct numbers in a row constitutes a win, WWDC Bingo serves up 74 possible outcomes to vote on. Contestants strive to achieve the highest percentage of correct answers.

And both the biggest winner and the biggest loser get prizes, sort of.

Battle the Lord of Damnation in Diablo Immortal on iPad and iPhone

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Battle the Lord of Damnation when 'Diablo Immortal' debuts for iPhone and iPad in June
Pit yourself against the demonic forces of Skarn, Lord of Damnation in Diablo Immortal.
Photo: Blizzard Entertainment

Grab your sword and your iPad to battle the demonic forces of evil in Diablo Immortal. Blizzard Entertainment created the massively multiplayer online action role-playing game for iPhone, Android and Apple tablets.

It’s also out for PC, and players will be able enjoy the game across platforms.

This MagSafe iPhone charger costs less than half as much as Apple’s

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This ultra-fast Magsafe charger is only $17.
Why pay the Apple tax?
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

This MagSafe-compatible charger from Tech Zebra works just like Apple’s, but costs less than half as much. Just like Apple’s pricey accessory, this thin wireless charging puck uses magnets to attach to the back of an iPhone.

But rather than paying $39 (the list price for Apple’s charger), you can get this one on sale for only $16.99.

How to partition your Mac hard drive for the macOS beta

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Partitioning your Mac storage is very easy with the built-in tools.
Partitioning your Mac storage is very easy with the built-in tools.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

A good way to separate your data is to partition your Mac hard drive. A partition splits your storage into two spaces, like putting a trunk divider in your car. The most common use case is to install a second operating system on the same computer. In college, I had a separate partition so I could boot into Ubuntu, and a third partition with Windows. With today’s Macs running Apple silicon, there’s no easy way to natively install Windows or Linux… yet.

But you’re probably here so you can install the beta version of macOS 13. The developer beta is anticipated for release the first week of June at WWDC22, Apple’s annual developer conference. The smart way to install it — especially with the developer betas, which can be notoriously rocky — is to use a separate partition.

The Mac comes with a very handy tool to partition your hard drive for free. Read on to partition your hard drive with Disk Utility.

Apple touts events ‘Beyond WWDC,’ from watch parties to hackathons

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Apple launched a
Apple launched a "Beyond WWDC" webpage listing all sorts of fun events.
Photo: Apple
WWDC22 - Brought to you by CleanMyMac X

In addition to promoting the new #WWDC22 hashtag this week, Apple has made a special webpage highlighting community-hosted events set to happen during or after its Worldwide Developers Conference next week.

The events are a good opportunity for “learning, networking, and fun,” Apple said.

App Store stopped nearly $1.5 billion in fraud in 2021, Apple says

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Apple's press materials led with this graphic.
Apple's press materials led with this graphic.
Photo: Apple

Apple distributed a new set of fraud analysis data Wednesday. It indicated the App Store prevented 1.6 million “risky” and “untrustworthy” apps from defrauding users in 2021, stopping “nearly $1.5 billion in fraudulent transactions.”

As with other recent data compilations, Cupertino released the news at a time when the App Store’s strict policies have come under fire.