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Smart gadget keeps your devices from charging themselves to death

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Chargie sits between your iPhone and its charger to protect its battery's lifespan.
Chargie sits between your iPhone and its charger to protect the lifespan of its battery.
Photo: Chargie

This post is brought to you by Chargie.

We know, you hate it when you wake up in the morning and your phone is warm from last night’s charging session (especially in the summer). We also hate it when you miss calls or flights when your phone dies because the battery doesn’t hold up like it used to.

You can easily put an end to this mess with Chargie, brought to you by a guy who one autumn afternoon said, “That’s it!” after almost missing his flight home because of a dying phone battery. Ovidiu Sandru’s device now has over 25,000 customers worldwide and has been protecting phone batteries since May 2019.

Future STEM kids will love this Raspberry Pi computer

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Don't want your kids to break your MacBook? They can tear this apart instead.
Get your kid a toy as smart as they are.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

You probably don’t want to come home to find your precious little one has torn open your MacBook, even in the name of learning. They might discover what a circuit board looks like, but at what cost?

That’s why you should foster your child’s STEM interest in a way that keeps your electronics off the chopping block. The CrowPi2 offers a fantastic starting point for kids who want something to tinker with. Plus, it’s on sale for $319.99 (regularly $329).

Exclusive mockups: Apple Watch Explorer Edition looks rugged and sporty

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A sporty new Apple Watch model could debut this fall
A sporty new Apple Watch model could debut this fall
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

Rumors of an Apple Watch Explorer Edition started last year, when Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reported that Apple was working on ruggedized smartwatch designed specifically for athletes. Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, from TF International Securities, added fuel to the fire last December, claiming that an “extreme sports version” could debut in 2022.

This month at WWDC, Apple’s focus on new fitness features for watchOS 9 lent further credence to these rumors. As a fitness-fanatic myself, all this hype has got me pretty excited. It inspired me to create these Photoshop mockups, exclusively for Cult of Mac, to explore exactly what the Explorer Edition might look like.

Learn how to study with this academic master class

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Upstart your career with this academic masterclass.
This academic master class could show you what to do when it's just you, your MacBook and a hefty workload.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

You’ve tried staring at your MacBook, but you still can’t grasp what your professor’s lecture notes mean. You might have heard how important studying is, but nobody teaches anyone how to study.

Hint: There’s more to it than reading.

If you want to learn how to study, the 2022 Perfect Score Academic Success Master Class Bundle gives you lifetime access to practical study skills that actually work — for only $49 (regularly $699).

AirPods Pro 2 could act as heart monitor and hearing aid

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AirPods Pro 2 could act as heart monitor and hearing aid
AirPods Pro 2 will supposedly be a mix of AirPods Pro (right) with AirPods 3 (left).
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

It goes without saying that AirPods Pro 2 will offer better sound. Duh. But Apple also will add some surprise features to the next generation of its earbuds, according to a new leak. That includes heart rate detection and a new hearing aid feature.

Plus, the charging case supposedly will make the switch to USB-C, to match reports that iPhone 15 will dump the Lightning port.

Now and Then season finale sizzles with classy trash [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★☆

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Now and Then season 1 finale recap: Rosie Perez steals the show in a totally satisfying season finale.★★★★☆
Rosie Perez steals the show in Now and Then's totally satisfying season finale.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ murder mystery Now and Then draws to a simmering close this week.

Pedro has lost his campaign, but there’s always more to lose. Ana is ready to turn on him. Sofia’s troubles catch up with her. Marcos suspects his father. Flora suspects her best friend. Hugo suspects Sofia. And there’s only an hour to wrap things up.

It’s been a marvelous bit of sensationalism from start to finish. If we get a second season of this bilingual thriller, it will be a welcome development.

Commercials are coming to Netflix

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Commercials are coming to Netflix
You'll soon be able to get Netflix at a lower cost by watching commercials.
Photo: Netflix/Cult of Mac

It’s official: Netflix is adding a cheaper ad-supported tier to its streaming service. The change is apparently intended to reverse a recent drop in subscribers.

It’s part of a trend, as rival streaming service Disney+ announced this spring it is making the same move.

For All Mankind poses great questions, then refuses to answer them [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★☆☆

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For All Mankind recap ★★★☆☆
This must be a time machine. A completely infuriating time machine.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ alt-history hit For All Mankind makes all the right moves this week, then immediately blows a 26-point lead in the last inning.

For once, the dramatic arcs thrown at Margo, Karen, Dev, Aleida and Kelly all seem pretty satisfying and not at all cheap or hyperbolic. Then the writers ensure we won’t see how any of that plays out, instantly turning this from one of the show’s best episodes into its most frustrating yet.

But hey, at least we’re going to Mars, I guess.

First MacBook Pro with speedy M2 chip now in Apple stores [Updated]

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The updated 13-inch MacBook Pro keeps its compact form factor but gains capabilities with the M2 chip.
The updated 13-inch MacBook Pro keeps its compact form factor but gains capabilities with the M2 chip.
Photo: Apple

An updated MacBook Pro – the first laptop to run on the powerful new Apple M2 processor – hit store shelves Friday morning. The chip makes it the fastest 13-inch notebook in Apple’s lineup.

The company unveiled the M2 chip  three weeks ago at its Worldwide Developers Conference. It also took the wraps off the first two laptops to run on it: the just-launched MacBook Pro and a redesigned MacBook Air that is coming in July.

Mounts make the most of a home videoconferencing center [Setups]

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Everything is mounted just so.
Everything is mounted just so.
Photo: [email protected]

Mounts can make the most of a computer setup. They can mobilize so much of your gear — computers, displays, microphones — so you can use them when you need them and push them out of the way when you don’t, opening up desk space. And you can minutely adjust their positioning, too.

Today’s featured MacBook Pro and Mac Studio computer setup takes advantage of mounts for the computers, display, video camera and microphone.

Physical wants to swing, but everyone’s a jerk [Apple TV+ recap] ★★☆☆☆

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Physical recap: This episode starts with a nightmare and then goes downhill.★★☆☆☆
This week's episode starts with a nightmare and then goes downhill.
Photo: Apple TV+

This week on Apple TV+ aerobics opera Physical, its star self-help guru buys a whiteboard and the show itself backslides. After a promising showing last week, Physical reverts to its worst tendencies.

Danny is still unbearably pretentious and selfish. Sheila is still a misanthropic jerk to absolutely everybody. John is becoming more desperate by the minute. And Greta indulges in a threesome. None of this constitutes real news or development on this show. But since Physical doesn’t really know what it wants to say, this is just how it goes most weeks.

Windows 10 lifetime license only $13, Office $28 — end of June super discounts up to 91%!

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For great deals on software, head over to Keysbuff.com.
See how much you can save on genuine Microsoft software.
Photo: Keysbuff

This post on discount Microsoft software is brought to you by Keysbuff.

Software activation keys provider Keysbuff.com lets you grab great deals on software through the end of June. Cult of Mac readers can save up to 91% off the full price on Windows 10 — and uncover significant savings on lots of other Microsoft software, too. See the list below and click on the links.

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.

Chris Evans, aka Captain America, finally bids farewell to his iPhone 6s

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Looks like the
Looks like the "Defending Jacob" star is switching to an iPhone 13.
Photo: chrisevans@Instagram

Chris Evans, star of Marvel Studios’ Captain America movie series, gave the internet a bit of a thrill when he finally said goodbye to his trusty iPhone 6s with a lovely little eulogy Thursday.

The iPhone 6s came out in 2015 and ceased new sales in 2018. Now it’s 2022, and it looks like Cap has, at long last, woken up to the iPhone 13.

Apple Music student discount is now less of a discount

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Apple Music student discount is now less of a discount
Students now have to pay a bit more for an Apple Music subscription.
Photo: Apple

The cost of an Apple Music subscription for students just jumped 20%. The music streaming service is still available at a substantial discount, but it’s no longer half price.

This follows a similar price increase in other parts of the world.

Apple’s Back to School promo bundles gift card up to $150 with new Mac or iPad

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Get an Apple gift card when you purchase an eligible Mac or iPad.
Apple's Back to School sale includes gift cards worth up to $150.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s yearly Back to School promotion is now live in the United States, Canada, and other parts of the world.

The company is offering a gift card of up to $150 on eligible purchases in the US. Additionally, students can score an extra 20% off on an AppleCare+ subscription.

AI-powered toolkit will turbocharge your job search

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Apply this AI to your job materials for great results.
Employ the awesome power of AI to crank out application materials and land your dream job.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Searching for a job is more stressful than ever. With employers ignoring résumés and the constant need to adapt your application materials to a new job, job hunting is practically a full-time gig.

To save time on application materials and produce top-quality results, consider Resoume. This AI-powered tool can help you create a standout résumé in minutes and an entire portfolio in no time. And lifetime subscriptions are on sale for $39.99 (regularly $600).

Loot is funny, but we’ve heard these jokes before [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★☆☆

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Loot recap Apple TV+: Saturday Night Live alum Maya Rudolph needs to get serious in Loot.★★★☆☆
Saturday Night Live alum Maya Rudolph needs to get serious fast in Loot.
Photo: Apple TV+

In new Apple TV+ comedy Loot, Maya Rudolph plays a billionaire playgirl who must grow up and discover a conscience when she realizes that her public behavior casts her charitable foundation in a bad light.

Surrounded by misfits, she must tailor her wild lifestyle to more humble settings. Otherwise, she risks turning the one good thing in her life into a joke.

This 5-in-1 wireless charging station is your new favorite iPhone accessory

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Add 5-in-1 wireless charging station to your iOS family.
Charge five Apple devices at once with this compact stand.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Those scratches around your phone’s charging port say you could be living a better life. Corded chargers are splendid, but if the rumors surrounding Apple removing ports from future iPhones are true, wires may soon be obsolete. Plus, now you can get faster charging from wireless (with bonus points for convenience).

The Omnia Q5 5-in-1 Wireless Charging Station can replace your cords while powering up your entire fleet of Apple devices: iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, AirPods and Apple Pencil. And for a limited time, it will only set you back $69.99 (regularly $120).

iOS 16 betas hint at new Siri Remote for Apple TV

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The current Siri Remote was an improvement on its predecessor.
The current Siri Remote was an improvement on its predecessor.
Photo: Apple

Watchful eyes have spotted code in the first two iOS 16 beta versions that appears to refer to an unreleased Siri Remote for Apple TV.

Information is scant, but chances are this is the new remote for a 4K Apple TV system with a updated price structure that could come out this year.