AirPods users will soon be able to discover what’s new in each firmware update. The current iOS 16 beta includes a link to a description of the current firmware on Apple’s website.
That’s a notable change from iOS 15 and before, where firmware updates for these wireless earbuds are an almost complete mystery.
★★★☆☆
Things are getting dicey at NASA because of course they are. Photo: Apple TV+
Apple TV+ space opera/soap opera For All Mankind closes its confounding third season this week by introducing us to a new character and a new geopolitical rival for the beleaguered space crews.
In this week’s season three finale, entitled “Stranger in a Strange Land,” Ed Baldwin learns Danny’s terrible secret. Jimmy Stevens hangs out with the wrong crowd for just a few minutes too long. Margo’s in trouble, Kelly’s giving birth, Karen’s making bold choices, and Dev is up a creek.
None of that’s going to matter by this week’s third act, of course. Just you wait and see.
Get lifetime access to more than 1,000 e-learning courses for just $69 during our Back to Education event. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
If you’ve got the drive, you can pick up a new hobby, get primed to embark on a different career or simply learn something for the heck of it with StackSkills Unlimited. With more than 1,000 courses ranging from graphic design to guitar, there’s plenty of room to follow a new passion with this excellent online learning platform.
Frankly, there may never be a wrong time to learn something new. But the right time is during our Back to Education event. During this sale, you can get lifetime access to StackSkills Unlimited for only $69 (regularly $99). No coupon is needed, but the event ends August 24.
★★★★☆
Susan Mulderick (played by Cherry Jones) is in charge at the hospital, but Hurricane Katrina is about to make things spin totally out of control. Photo: Apple TV+
Hurricane Katrina has come and gone and there are 45 unexplained deaths in a hospital in New Orleans. That’s the hook for new Apple TV+ limited series Five Days at Memorial. The titular hospital is a crowbar used to examine the carelessness of U.S. disaster-relief infrastructure, health care and our attitudes toward one another.
This all actually happened. And show creators John Ridley (12 Years a Slave) and Carlton Cuse (Lost) mean to take us uncomfortably close to the truth of what happens when Americans are faced with unprecedented situations … because we are running out of those.
All it takes to stop snoring is this convenient device. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Snoring is no fun for anyone. Obviously, the loud sounds of snoring can prove painful for anybody within earshot. But even if you’re the one sawing logs in your sleep, snoring can take a toll, depriving you of the healthy sleep your body needs.
However, just because you can’t stop yourself from snoring doesn’t mean you’re powerless. It just means you might benefit from an anti-snoring device like the Snore Circle. This gadget stimulates the muscles under the wearer’s chin to help stop snoring, and it’s on sale for $79.99 (regularly $119).
Wouldn’t you pay that much for a solid night’s sleep?
You can always count on Meta apps to suck up as much users data as possible. Graphic: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The web browser that Meta built into the iPhone Facebook and Instagram applications can collect far more information about users than they probably realize. It can “track every single interaction with external websites,” according to a developer.
But users don’t have to stay in this sketchy browser. Leaving it is easy – here’s how.
Now available in small and medium sizes. This one is made from walnut-based plywood. Photo: Grovemade
Accessories-maker Grovemade recently added small and medium sizes to its lineup of desk shelves, which are wooden stands or risers for monitors and laptops that help you organize and store other items.
We see the Portland, Oregon-based company’s desk shelves from time to time in people’s workstations in Setups feature articles.
Apple's merry prankster celebrates another spin around the sun. Photo: Madame Tussauds
August 11, 1950: Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak is born. While Steve Jobs may be the most admired Apple figure, Woz might be the most well-loved by fans.
In addition to his most famous creation, the Apple II, Wozniak is also responsible for imbuing Apple’s products with his fun-loving personality.
★★★★★
The Scoshe BoomCan MS pumps out outstanding sound for the size and price. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The Scoshe BoomCan MS sticks to the back of a MagSafe iPhone and ups the sound quality considerably. The palm-size Bluetooth speaker magnetically attaches to recent Apple handsets where it also act as a kickstand or a handle. And it’s waterproof and dustproof.
I’ve been using the BoomCan MS for a few weeks… and I love it.
Is this your favorite macOS wallpaper? Photo: Apple
Apple aficionado Basic Apple Guy ran a “bracket” polling competition — think March Madness basketball, but without any perspiration — to determine the greatest macOS wallpaper ever. And users have spoken, according to a tweet pointing to final results Wednesday.
In a field of 18 competitors, macOS Catalina wallpaper emerged the champion (pictured above).
Hone your interview skills on your iPhone with this AI-powered app. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
The state of the economy is pretty scary these days, but landing a high-paying job could tamp down your darkest fears about inflation. However, you’ll need to survive the interview process first, which is pretty terrifying in itself.
During our Back to Education event, you can learn how to nail your job interviews convincingly, thanks to a discount on Huru. This iOS app puts valuable interview-prep tools in the palm of your hand. And you can purchase a lifetime subscription to Huru for just $69 (regularly $1,393) through August 24.
When you purchase Huru during this event, 50 cents will be donated to a school or charity you vote on. You’ll receive an email after your purchase to select the organization you want to support. (We’ll announce the recipient when the event ends.)
You'll be paying more to stream Disney, Marvel and Star Wars series. Photo: The Walt Disney Company
Disney will soon hike the monthly subscription price of its streaming service almost 40%. When Disney+ first launched, it was one of the cheapest streaming streaming services. Not for much longer.
The company also increased the cost of Hulu and ESPN+.
Your iPhone and Apple Watch, and third-party apps you use on them, efficiently capture data that could be used against you at a later date by law enforcement. We’re talking things like location data, ovulation records, text messages and your web-browsing history.
Keeping all your data private after Roe v. Wade to avoid prosecution could prove highly important. Luckily, Apple gives you powerful controls over how and where your data is stored. You just might need to adjust certain settings for maximum privacy.
Read on to dive deep into data security recommendations for iPhone, Apple Watch, and Mac.
Shown here: one of many reasons baseball players aren't allowed to carry iPhones on the field. Screenshot: Bally Sports Arizona
Rodolfo Castro of the Pittsburg Pirates made an epic slide into third base Wednesday. His iPhone also tagged third – we know because the handset flew out of his pocket and hit the base.
The umpire had to point out to the baseball player that that the iPhone was lying on the field.
Get in touch with your education with this wireless trackpad on sale during our Back to Education sale. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
If you’re tired of your mouse, a Magic Trackpad could be the perfect new input device for your Mac or iPad. And during our Back to Education sale, you can get Apple’s wireless trackpad for just $117.99 (regularly $129) — no coupon code needed.
Plus, your purchase will trigger a contribution to an educational charity!
Anker's new power bank charges three devices -- or itself -- with 140W of power. Photo: Anker
Anker has been on a roll lately with new chargers, and it kept going Wednesday with the release of its PowerCore 24K, aka the Anker 737 Power Bank.
The gadget packs a 24,000mAh battery, three ports for charging devices (up to and including your MacBook) plus a handy digital display that shows you what the device is doing.
Jon Hamm can stop wondering why he's not on Apple TV+. Photo: Apple
Jon Hamm’s humorous request to be included in Apple TV+ has been answered. The actor has been added to the third season of the drama The Morning Show, which is expected to premiere on Apple’s streaming service before the end of 2022.
Galaxy Z Fold 4 and Galaxy Z Flip 4 would be amazing if they weren't so flawed. Photo: Samsung
The just-announced Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 4 and Galaxy Z Fold 4 offer the clearest evidence yet that Apple is correct to hold off on releasing a folding iPhone. Flexible screens still come with too many problems to be acceptable in an iPhone.
Of course, that didn’t stop Samsung from releasing handsets with these drawbacks.
Sennheiser's new Momentum 4 ANC wireless headphones changed up their look and claim 60 hours of battery life. Photo: Sennheiser
Venerable audio brand Sennheiser rolled out its new Momentum 4 wireless over-ear headphones Tuesday. The successor to the much-liked Momentum 3 aims for the same high-end sound and comfort along with a more modern look.
The cans, which will compete with the likes of Sony’s top headphones and AirPods Max, also claim an impressive battery life of up to 60 hours.
M1 Mac mini has dropped to an irresistibly low price. Photo: Apple
Apple’s tiny yet powerful M1 Mac mini is again down to its lowest-ever price on Amazon. This is for the 512GB variant that is available for $749.99, down from its $899 retail price.
The listing page only has a $30 discount, with the additional $119.01 discount automatically applied at checkout.
The Studio Display replaced a 34-inch ultra-wide monitor. Photo: [email protected]
We’ve seen a few computer setups lately where the owner switches from one or more large monitors to something smaller. But they don’t necessarily see losing the screen real estate as a “downgrade.”
That’s the case with today’s featured M1 Pro MacBook-centered setup. It went from a 34-inch ultra-wide 4K monitor to a new 27-inch Studio Display.
Essentially it boils down to “size isn’t everything.” When it comes to displays, there’s actually a lot more to the picture.
iTubeGo is a great tool for downloading videos as MP3 or MP4 files. Image: iTubeGo
This YouTube download post is brought to you by iTubeGo.
If you like downloading videos and other media from various websites, a great utility to have is iTubeGo YouTube Downloader. With it, you can download YouTube videos, audio, playlists and whole channels quite easily and quickly. And you can easily convert files to other formats, like MP3 and MP4.
We’ll get into more detail below about iTubeGo YouTube Downloader and where you can get it.
Rebooting your iPhone is as easy as asking Siri to do it. And you don't even have to say "please." Graphic: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
If your iPhone or iPad locks up, iOS 16/iPadOS 16 will let get out of the jam by rebooting the device with a simple Siri command. It’s the easiest method I’ve found to get the handset or tablet going again when there’s a problem with the touchscreen, or the device is just misbehaving.