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Try these 6 great utility and productivity apps for Mac

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Many apps can make using your MacBook or iMac even easier, as well as more productive.
Many apps can make using your MacBook or iMac even easier, as well as more productive.
Photo: Apple

Want more out of your Mac? These six suggestions for solid software are presented by our friends at SaaSGenius.

Though many of us associate the wide world of apps with our iPhones and iPads, they’re crucial for making the most of your MacBook or iMac, too. The best Mac apps can help you expand on your Mac’s capabilities in fun and interesting ways.

Macs are famously easy to use, but great apps make them even easier. And the right apps can jack up your productivity, too. Sometimes the only trouble is finding the best ones.

The list below covers some of our favorite apps to install on a new Mac. Some are free in the App Store (available in your Mac’s Dock or under the Apple menu at top left of your screen). Others you can download from developers’ websites.

Charge your Apple Watch, AirPods and iPhone with this 3-in-1 cable

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Give this 3-in-1 Apple charger a tri.
Three heads are better than one with this Apple Watch charging cable.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

If you’re on the move, you likely don’t want to carry a different charger for every device. If you want to spare some outlet space and cut down on cords you’re carrying, try out this 3-in-1 Apple Watch, AirPods and iPhone charging cable.

It comes with two Lightning tips and a magnetic puck for charging your Apple Watch. Connect it to a high-quality power source (like this 65W GaN charger from Ugreen), and you can juice up three devices at once.

Sound convenient? Now’s the time to pick up one or two of these hassle-busting cables. They are on sale now for just $24.99 (regularly $34).

Apple store workers vote to unionize

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Apple Store workers in Maryland vote to unionize
Apple store employees in Towson, Maryland, voted to join the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.
Photo: International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers

Employees at an Apple store in Maryland have made it the first of any of the Mac-maker’s retail locations to vote in favor of joining a union. Several other such stores are preparing to hold their own votes. Meanwhile, Apple is trying to discourage any efforts by its employees to unionize.

It’s not clear how all this will affect users of Apple devices.

Why you shouldn’t buy an Apple Watch Series 3

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Apple Watch Music
Apple Watch Series 3 was a great smartwatch in its day. But that day was in 2017.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple Watch Series 3 is still in Apple’s product lineup but you should avoid it. It’s so near the end of its product life that it’s not a good value even at $199.

There’s another Apple wearable that costs just a bit more and isn’t about to ride off into the sunset.

Apple finds success with AirTag item tracker

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A New York Times reporter found that AirTag tracking and privacy alerts can work better than other trackers.
AirTag is off to a strong start, and sales are growing.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s launch into item trackers has been a success, according to an analyst. The company has sold millions of AirTags, and the number is expected to grow 75% this year.

Still, the Bluetooth tracker has generated controversy since it came on the market in 2021.

Learning digital photography is a snap with this course

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Improve your digital photography with this training bundle.
Master digital photography with this bundle.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Unless you’re taking nature photos, digital photography is no walk in the park. There’s a lot to learn about this complex art. And the picture-perfect way to master it is with a well-structured course led by a real expert.

This 17-hour Digital Photography Insiders Course takes you through the key concepts and skills new digital photographers need to master to produce amazing pictures in a snap. And this digital photography training course is on sale for $60 (regularly $299) for a limited time.

Benchmarks make Apple’s M2 chip sound even better than we thought [The CultCast]

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The CultCast 549: Time to walk back that M2 skepticism just a smidge.
Time to walk back that M2 skepticism just a smidge.
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Erfon’s warming up to Apple’s new M2 chip. New benchmarks make it sound even more capable than we thought.

Also on The CultCast:

  • Brace yourself for better narcissism: iPhone 14’s selfie cam is getting a major upgrade.
  • It sounds like Apple is planning a wild array of new MacBooks and iPads, in some very interesting sizes.
  • Apple TV shoots and scores! Major League Soccer is coming to the Apple TV app.

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 livestream, embedded below.

Our sponsor: CultCloth

Get the only cleaning cloth you need: CultCloth!

Father’s Day Sale: Get 20% off and other deals on Apple accessories

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SwitchEasy MagPower 4-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Stand with devices
Wireless charging is easier than plugging in a bunch of cables every day.
Photo: Adel Neal/Cult of Mac

Father’s Day is the time to show your appreciation for dear old dad — or hip young dad, as the case may be. Maybe he’d appreciate accessories for his beloved Apple products. The Father’s Day Sale in the Cult of Mac Store features a great selection of deals!

For starters, Laut is offering a buy-one-get-one-free deal on its wide array of accessories, including iPhone and AirTag cases, Apple Watch bands, laptop stands and much more.

See below for many more discounts on great gifts. You can get 20% off a huge number of items.

Win a 65W GaN mini charger that packs a punch [Cult of Mac giveaway]

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Lululook 65W USB-C GaN Charger: With three ports, this is a great charger for anyone using multiple devices at once.
With three ports and plenty of power, this is a great charger for anyone using multiple devices at once.
Photo: Lululook

The Cult of Mac giveaway prize this week is a perfect fit for anyone who needs a powerful yet compact charger. We teamed up with Lululook to give five lucky winners a chance to get their hands on a three-port, 65W gallium nitride charger.

This thing can charge everything, from your iPhone mini to your MacBook Pro.

Tehran tenses up for explosive season 2 finale [Apple TV+ recap] ★★☆☆☆

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Tehran season 2 finale recap: Who will double-cross who in the season finale?★★☆☆☆
Who will double-cross who in the season finale?
Photo: Apple TV+

In the season finale of Apple TV+ spy drama Tehran, Peyman is dead — and everyone is guilty.

Milad and Tamar need to patch up their frayed relationship if they have any hope of escaping the country and certain death. Marjan and Faraz must make sure they don’t look guilty as the investigation into the “accidental” death of the son of the head of the Revolutionary Guard commences.

And there’s still the matter of Peyman’s father, Qassem, whom Tamar swore to kill. Now, she has next to no shot at getting near him. It’s a lot of ground to cover in 43 minutes. And there’s still the more difficult task of making any of these people compelling enough to want to see them in a third season.

Play 97 virtual courses with $100 off this at-home golf simulator

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This golf simulator connects to your iPhone.
Save on this mini golf simulator that helps improve your swing from home.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Nothing quite beats a round of golf when the weather gets warmer, but those sizzling summer days don’t last forever.

Right now, you can get a great deal on TruGolf Mini, a golf simulator that lets you practice your swing at home, in the office or anywhere you want. It usually costs $399, but it’s $100 off for a limited time.

That might sound like a lot of money to play virtual golf. Gut this at-home entertainment system can essentially pay for itself when you use it as a fun party game or save money on buckets of balls at the driving range. And it’s great for when the weather won’t cooperate with your trip to the golf course.

Apple marks Juneteenth with artist’s iPad Pro illustrations

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To celebrate Juneteenth, artist Ajuan Mance is revisiting “The Ancestors’ Juneteenth,” a series that depicts historical Black figures in present-day settings.
To celebrate Juneteenth, artist Ajuan Mance is revisiting “The Ancestors’ Juneteenth,” a series that depicts historical Black figures in present-day settings.
Photo: Apple

In the run-up to Juneteenth, which takes place on Sunday, Apple showcased an artist Friday who created a series of digital drawings with iPad Pro and Apple Pencil.

The series, by Juan Mance, celebrates and chronicles Black figures throughout U.S. history, putting them in modern contexts.

You can feel a cliffhanger coming in Now and Then [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★

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Now and Then recap Apple TV+: Ana (played by Marina de Tavira) and Pedro (José María Yazpik) hope for a positive outcome on election night.★★★★
Ana (played by Marina de Tavira) and Pedro (José María Yazpik) hope for a positive outcome on election night.
Photo: Apple TV+

Line ’em up, it’s Election Day on Now and Then, the Apple TV+ telenovela about the fallout from a 20-year-old murder case.

Pedro and Ana wait with bated breath to see if he won the mayoral election, while Ernesto gives him an ultimatum and Francis offers her a job. Marcos and Sofia plot their escape, Flora schedules a surgery, Hugo’s awake from his coma, and Sullivan’s been keeping secrets from everybody.

The plot is thick and the drama delicious this week.

New 5-in-1 USB-C hub brings ports to the front of your iMac

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The new Anker 535 puts five ports on the front of your iMac.
The new Anker 535 puts five ports on the front of your iMac.
Photo: Anker

Anker targeted a pet peeve of some iMac users Friday when it introduced a USB-C hub that puts useful ports on the front of the machine. The desktop’s own hubs are on the back, which not everybody likes.

The company designed the new 535 model, a 5-in-1 USB-C hub made of metal, specifically for the 24-inch M1 iMac, though it also works with other iMacs.

And you can get it at a launch discount. See below.

Home builds bigger in dispiriting second season [Apple TV+ review] ★★☆☆

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Home review Apple TV+: A sprawling 17th-century home in France gets remade on the inside.★★☆☆
A sprawling 17th-century home in France gets remade on the inside.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ documentary series Home returns Friday for a second season of wonky architecture and human interest stories. The streamer is banking on the beauty of accessibility as spectacle and drama to bring audiences back for more feel-good TV.

The houses the series showcases look glorious, to be sure. But the stories are meant to be as much of a hook as the sight of impossible angles and cozy nooks nestled in wondrous corners of the earth.

Got vinyl? New turntable streams high-quality sound over Bluetooth.

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Great record-player sound over Bluetooth? Yes, according to Cambridge Audio.
Great record-player sound over Bluetooth? Yes, according to Cambridge Audio.
Photo: Cambridge Audio

Cambridge Audio just released a new turntable that can play vinyl records the old-fashioned way or over Bluetooth, streaming audio wirelessly to speakers, headphones or amplifiers.

The new Alva ST follows the company’s Alva TT, which the world’s first aptX HD Bluetooth turntable.

And the Alva ST uses the same codec technology for high-quality sound — the kind that until recently could only be had through wires.

For All Mankind’s mission to Mars gets a little Musk-y [Apple TV+ recap] ★★☆☆

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For All Mankind recap: Multimillionaire Dev Ayesa (played by Edi Gathegi) wants to get to Mars first.★★☆☆
Self-made multimillionaire Dev Ayesa (played by Edi Gathegi) wants to get to Mars first.
Photo: Apple TV+

For All Mankind heads to Mars a little sooner than expected this week — and with a surprise guest in the cockpit.

Danielle and Ed, then Molly and Margo, fall out. Karen and Ed fall into business together. Aleida worries about her family from the moon. And Danny Stevens is still a little psychopath.

It’s business as usual on Apple TV+’s frustrating space-exploration soap. The highs of last week’s TV movie of the week detour are already forgotten.

Mac mini rig’s monster monitor pushes standing desk to limit [Setups]

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That 38-inch monitor is almost too much for the standing desk to handle.
That 38-inch monitor is almost too much for the standing desk to handle.
Photo: [email protected]

In a world of ever-increasing monitor sizes (and weights), you need a pretty tough, supportive desk — especially if it’s a motorized one for sitting or standing. Otherwise, the whole thing might wobble all over the place under the combined, imbalanced weight of your fabulous gear.

Today’s featured Mac mini computer setup copes with an electric desk that struggles under the weight of a behemoth of a curved ultra-wide monitor.

Buy lifetime genuine Windows 10 Pro for $15 — Big Sale discount up to 91% off

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For great deals on software, head over to Keysbuff.com.
For great deals on software, head over to Keysbuff.com.
Photo: Keysbuff.com

This post on discount Microsoft software is presented by Keysbuff.

The Big Sale at Keysbuff, ongoing in June, provides an opportunity for you to grab great deals on software. Cult of Mac readers will find deep discounts from the software activation keys provider. You can save up to 91% off the full price on Windows 10 — and uncover significant savings on lots of other Microsoft software, too.

If bargains like that sound good, just use promo code COM at Keysbuff.com. That will save you an extra 25% off the site’s already-low prices on keys for Windows 10 Pro Global, Microsoft Office 2021 Pro and others in the list below. You can purchase many of these products with lifetime licenses.

Sheila freaks out this week on Physical [Apple TV+ recap] ★★☆☆

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Physical recap: Rose Byrne finally gets to let loose.★★☆☆
Rose Byrne finally gets to let loose in the role of Sheila.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+’s Physical, about a would-be fitness guru in California, heads to a funeral this week to rethink its priorities. Sheila’s finally cracking up, John’s lies catch up with him in a sad way, Bunny is at the end of her tether, and a vengeful mother gets her hooks into two generations of women.

A couple of standout performances lift this week’s episode out of the usual doldrums. Rose Byrne is allowed to stretch a bit beyond the usual limitations of her role as Sheila Rubin — and the result is a glimpse into a better version of what this show could be.

Amazon slashes $200 off 2021 MacBook Pros

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Many apps can make using your MacBook or iMac even easier, as well as more productive.
Apple's 2021 MacBook Pro is the perfect Father's Day gift.
Photo: Apple

Looking for a gift for your dad this Father’s Day? Amazon has slashed the prices of the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro by $200, making them an ideal option.

On the 14-inch MacBook Pro, you score a 10% discount off its retail price bringing its price down to $1,799. As for the 16-inch model, you can grab it for as low as $2,299 after an 8% discount.

Tiny Apple dual-port USB-C power adapter now ready for purchase

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Tiny Apple dual-port USB-C power adapter now ready for purchase
Apple announced its first dual-port power adapter at WWDC22.
Screenshot: Apple

The miniature dual-port power adapter that Apple showed off at its recent developers conference is now available. The USB-C charger provides up to 35W and is compatible with a wide variety of devices.

In addition, Apple also launched a version of its classic MacBook power adapter with two USB-C ports, not just one.