★★☆☆☆
Apple TV+’s lunar headache For All Mankind is headed to Mars for real this time. Three competing spaceships strive to make it to the red planet first to win a huge cash prize.
NASA holds some tricks up its sleeve to beat the wilier competition, but you can’t count out the Russians just yet. They’re always willing to do something stupid to make headlines. A mostly fine episode ends on a nice little cliffhanger to boot.
Curved ultra-wide displays are all the rage lately, and it’s no wonder why. What a fantastic amount of real estate. But it can be worrisome buying one if you’re not sure how it will look with your Mac’s resolution and scaling options.
Today’s featured computer setup pairs a beast of a 16-inch M1 Max MacBook with a brilliant 40-inch LG 5K UltraWide curved display. Let’s look at how well it’s working and what some of the issues can be.
The White House said Friday it would award late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his world-changing contributions to society.
That’s the highest civilian honor in the U.S.
With Twitter killing off TweetDeck for Mac today, users who didn’t plan ahead might be scrambling for options to manage their feeds.
While TweetDeck will continue to function on the web, many power users prefer a native Mac app. Luckily, you can find several worthy TweetDeck alternatives for Mac users that will help you get a handle on your Twitter obsession.
★★★★☆
Known for speakers and headphones with high-quality sound at affordable places, China-based Edifier plans to release a new set of true wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation (ANC) this month, the NeoBuds S. They closely track the look and feel of the well-regarded, high-resolution NeoBuds Pro the company rolled out in July 2021 — but with some promised improvements.
Edifier sent Cult of Mac a set of NeoBuds S to try out and see how well the company’s beefed-up noise cancellation and sound quality perform, among other features.
This post on discount Microsoft software is presented by Keysbuff.
Software activation keys provider Keysbuff.com brings a Western theme to this week’s big sale, saying users are “wanted.” Cult of Mac readers can giddy-up to the links below and save big on Windows 10 — and uncover significant savings on lots of other Microsoft software, too.
If bargains like that sound good, pardners, 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 other software.
★★★☆☆
New Apple TV+ comedy Loot goes into damage-control mode this week, as a theme park that Molly owns undergoes a public disaster and the billionaire must take stock of her post-divorce holdings.
Sofia goes to an important meeting, Nicholas goes to an important audition, and Arthur goes to a suddenly important soccer game. The show settles into a comfortable groove as it gives everyone an archetype to play with around dependable star Maya Rudolph.
Oh, the places you’ll go, especially when armed with traveling knowledge. Taking a vacation can be exciting and romantic, but it requires a ton of planning and preparation to be fun and affordable.
One way you can prepare is by learning your destination’s local language, and the World Traveler Bundle can help you get there. Featuring a lifetime subscription to Rosetta Stone, the bundle enables you to learn up to 24 languages — plus the language of finance and flight deals to boot.
This bundle is on sale for $159.20 (regularly $1,784) with code ROSETTA20, and it might be one of the best ways to hit the road in (well-informed) style.
Apple is bundling a $50 gift card if you purchase an Apple TV 4K or Apple TV HD in the United States. The offer is exclusively available through its online store.
Before making this promotion live, Apple took down its online store for a few hours earlier in the day.
The iPhone Health app’s Cycle Tracking feature provides a simple solution for logging menstrual cycles. If you menstruate, it’s an effective way to monitor your overall health and estimate when you’re most likely to get pregnant.
Given the personal nature of Cycle Tracking data, you need to be sure that it’s stored securely, away from prying eyes. The good news is, Apple’s security for health and fitness data is very robust. There are just a few things you need to know to ensure your data is safe.
Despite an old rumor about invincibility, Macs remain vulnerable to malware and hackers. However, one of the most common threats Macs face actually comes from a little closer to home: you.
The Pareto Security app helps you manage your Mac’s built-in security features so you don’t inadvertently compromise your computer or network just because you want to download a wallpaper from a sketchy website.
It routinely checks your Mac security settings, making sure everything’s up to snuff. And you can purchase a one-time lifetime license for this personal security tool for Mac for just $12 (regularly $17).
An Apple accessory case is a case is a case is a case — except when it’s both protective and catches all the colors of the rainbow. That’s what Laut’s Holo cases for AirPods Pro, AirPods 3 and iPhone 13 do as they reflect iridescent light.
Check out the Laut Holo Collection in the Cult of Mac Store and get a great deal on a stylish and protective case.
An Apple TV can now be used to watch all of Comcast’s live, on demand and DVR programming. The cable behemoth’s subscribers just need to install the newly-released Xfinity Stream app on Apple’s streaming box.
Thursday’s release makes it simple for Apple TV users to add Xfinity access to additional rooms. No traditional cable box necessary.
Apple Store’s “Delivery with Setup” option appears to be done for. Its key partner, startup Enjoy, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Thursday. That’s according to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing.
This comes less than a year after the startup raised more than $250 million in growth capital and became a publicly traded company.
Apple TV+ offered its first trailer Thursday for a new family comedy called Best Foot Forward, in which a home-schooled kid with a prosthetic leg hits public middle school for the first time, determined to fit in.
Based on a true story, Best Foot Forward premieres July 22 on Apple TV+.
The just-released MacBook Pro running Apple’s new M2 processor offers generally good performance, but its single fan can’t stop it from experiencing ‘severe’ thermal throttling under certain conditions, according to tests done on the device.
The upcoming MacBook Air also uses an M2 chip and doesn’t have a fan at all. How much thermal throttling it will experience is not yet knownn, but it could be signficant.
Bowers & Wilkins is often cited for the great sound quality of its Px7 noise-canceling over-ear headphones, released in 2019, and a worthy rival to AirPods Max. Now the British audio specialists have overhauled the model with release of the Px7 S2 — but without a price increase.
And what’s more, the company said a new flagship model, the “luxurious” Px8, is coming soon.
Apple previewed the next generation of CarPlay at WWDC22, but most of those new features are a ways from becoming reality. However, the arrival of iOS 16 later this year could see new CarPlay apps for “fuel and driving tasks,” including a way to pay for fuel right from the vehicle’s infotainment center.
MacPaw’s CleanMyMac X now includes five new ways to track the health of Mac computers. They monitor the CPU, RAM, storage, battery and more. The software already blocks malware and ensures other third-party apps are always up to date.
MacPaw also announced that its raffle to raise money for Ukrainian aid brought in far more than expected.
Apple now allows App Store developers in South Korea to use third-party payment systems. The option is limited to apps distributed in the country.
The Cupertino giant is allowing alternative payment processors in the South Korean App Store to comply with the amended Telecommunications Business Act.
MacBooks make great work computers, but their tiny little displays might be holding you back — especially if you zip through video edits and spreadsheets all day long. If you want the complete workstation experience for National Work From Home Day (that’s today, BTW), you may need a bit more screen real estate.
Desklab offers just that with this portable, plug-and-play 4K monitor, which could transform your MacBook into the dual-screen workstation of your dreams. During our 4th of July sale, it’s only $231.99 (regularly $700) with code JULY20.
Apple’s svelte new M2 MacBook Air will reportedly go on for sale starting July 15.
Announced at WWDC22, pre-orders for the redesigned Air should commence on July 8, a week before the retail launch.
Use an Apple Card at certain online retailers and service providers between now and the end of July to earn 4% cash back. It’s a summertime promotion, and the companies involved offer sunglasses, movie tickets, coolers, hotel rooms, etc.
Apple Pay and the Mac-maker’s credit card regularly offer at least 2% cash back for online purchases but some special deals bring larger percentages. Like this one.
This week’s giveaway is a sturdy, MagSafe-compatible, multi-device wireless charger that includes a convenient nightlight. The SwitchEasy MagPower 4-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Stand has everything you need to charge your iPhone (series 12 and upward), AirPods (wireless charging case), Apple Watch and one USB device simultaneously.
But what makes this charging stand different is the clever addition of a built-in nightlight. With a simple tap of the base, it lights up (with three brightness settings). It gives you enough light to find your devices, but with no glare in your eyes, because the light is directed away from the stand on the chrome arm.
Apple iPhone turns 15 years old today. To mark the occasion, YouTuber Luke Miani showed off a handful of iPhone prototypes. They feature pre-release software and somewhat unfamiliar designs.
To give you an idea of how rare these handsets are, two of them are valued at $500,000 apiece.