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Tap to Pay rolls out at Apple Stores across US

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Apple's Tap to Pay functionality is fast becoming the easy way to pay.
Apple's Tap to Pay functionality is fast becoming the easy way to pay.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s new contactless feature that lets one iPhone user pay another without additional hardware — known as Tap to Pay — is rolling out to Apple Stores across the U.S. starting Wednesday, according to a new report.

This follows a trial earlier in May at the Apple Park visitor center. The system lets iPhones accept payments via Apple Pay, contactless credit and debit cards, and other digital wallets.

Small developers are earning more through the App Store

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Small developers are earning more through the App Store
Revenue growth for small App Store developers outpaces growth for large developers.
Photo: Apple

App Store revenue for smaller developers increased by 113% over the past two years – more than double the growth of large developers, according to a study financed by Apple.

And the iPhone app economy supported more than 2.2 million jobs in the U.S. in 2021.

FileBrowser Professional: Manage iPad files across network and cloud storage

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FileBrowser Professional helps you work with files anywhere in network or cloud storage, right from an iPad or iPhone.
FileBrowser Professional helps you work with files anywhere in network or cloud storage, right from an iPad or iPhone.
Image: Stratospherix

This post is brought to you by Stratospherix, developer of FileBrowser Professional.

Although plenty of big businesses use Stratospherix’s FileBrowser Professional, it’s also a great product for home users and small offices. It helps users simplify their network and cloud storage, so they can easily work with files in just one app.

Individuals and businesses alike have trusted FileBrowser Professional for quite a while. It appeared on the App Store in 2009 and was among the first apps for the iPad when it launched in 2010. Since then, FileBrowser Professional has only gotten better, helping people use Apple devices more like they use a desktop computer.

It’s easy to download FileBrowser Professional from the App Store for iPadOS or iOS. Or you can try the free version, FileBrowserGo (see below).

Get a lifetime of diverse, royalty-free stock photos for just $29

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Check out this provider of diverse stock photos.
Gain instant access to more than 700,000 diverse (and royalty-free) stock photos.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

In today’s visually oriented world, pictures mean more than ever. Whether you need images for websites, email blasts, social media or other marketing and communication efforts, you know the demand for new and exciting pictures never lets up.

Lots of stock photo sources serve up pictures that roughly fit the bill. But often they don’t feature models that represent the diversity of your audience. But an unlimited lifetime subscription to Scopio provides diverse stock photos from all over the world. With it, you’ll get a trove of images that match virtually any need. And for a limited time, it’s on sale for just $29 (regularly $3,480).

Waze finally adds Apple Music integration for better commutes

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Waze finally adds Apple Music integration for better commutes
Waze embraces Apple Music for a happier commute.
Photo: Google

Google’s Waze navigation app makes driving a little more fun by building in support for Apple Music. This allows drivers to make changes to the music streaming through their iPhone or Android without leaving Waze.

The app already supports other music streaming services.

Apple reminds developers their apps must offer account deletion by June 30

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App Store
iOS apps will soon be required to offer an option to delete accounts
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

Ahead of the June 30, 2022 deadline, Apple has reminded developers that if they offer users an option to create new accounts from their app, they must also provide a way to delete them.

Apple first announced this change in June last year, with the rule initially set to go into force by January 31, 2022. However, due to the complexity involved, the company delayed its implementation by five months to give developers additional time.

Soft, colorful band is like a seatbelt for your Apple Watch [Review] ★★★★

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BluShark AlphaPremier Apple Watch Band review★★★★
The BluShark AlphaPremier Apple Watch Band is comfortable to wear and looks great.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The BluShark AlphaPremier Apple Watch Band skips over the usual materials – leather or metal – and goes for seatbelt webbing. I used it for weeks with my Watch and found a lot of reasons to like it.

Read to to see why a surprising choice of materials makes for a comfortable, durable band.

These award-winning apps showcase young coders’ bright ideas

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Winners created an interesting array of apps in the Swift Student Challenge.
Winners created an interesting array of apps in the Swift Student Challenge.
Photo: Apple

Just under two weeks from its Worldwide Developers Conference 2022, Apple notified winners Tuesday of its annual Swift Student Challenge. Along with typical prizes for winners as in recent years — outerwear and a pin set — the company is giving winning students a pair of AirPods Pro.

This year’s winners made an interesting variety of apps, according to quick replies to queries via Twitter.

This DIY robot dog is a fun way to teach kids to code

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Teach your child to love learning with this STEM toy.
This STEM toy can help your child get excited about learning.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Want a fun STEM toy that will teach a child to build robots and write code? This palm-size DIY robotic dog is just the thing. Like a palm-size version of Boston Dynamics’ creepy robotic creations, Petoi’s robot dog Bittle can walk, run, climb and perform any trick a kid can code or download.

It’s a perfect project to get your favorite youngling interested in coding and robotics. And right now, the Bittle robot dog kit is on sale for just $299 (regularly $329).

iPhone 14 Pro models could feature an always-on display

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iPhone 14 Pro models may get an always-on display, finally.
iPhone 14 Pro models may get an always-on display, finally.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Apple’s upcoming iPhone 14 Pro models could feature always-on displays because of the handsets’ ProMotion technology, which allows for variable refresh rates, a well-known analyst said Tuesday.

Essentially, an inactive iPhone 14 Pro handset may be able to drop all the down to a 1Hz refresh rate, similar to recent Apple Watch models.

New RodeCaster Pro II offers content creators an all-in-one audio tool

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The new Rodecaster Pro II can be an all-in-one audio production tool for content creators.
The new Rodecaster Pro II can be an all-in-one audio production tool for content creators.
Photo: Rode

Rode unveiled its RodeCaster Pro II Monday, giving content creators a powerful production studio tool that adds features over its popular predecessor, the RodeCaster Pro.

The update provides an all-in-one audio tool for streamers, podcasters, musicians and other content creators at a price you don’t need to be famous to afford.

Wait for Apple Studio Display stretches into August

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Wait for Apple Studio Display stretches into August
Global problems are leading to long delays in getting the Apple Studio Display to customers.
Photo: Apple

Anyone wanting a new Apple Studio Display needs to be patient. Order the high-end display now and you could be waiting until August for it. The accessory has apparently run into COVID-related production problems in China.

Unfortunately, there are several other Apple devices with very long wait times.

New Linksys mesh systems make Wi-Fi 6 affordable

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The Linksys Atlas 6 Wi-Fi 6 mesh router system comes in multiple variations.
The Linksys Atlas 6 Wi-Fi 6 mesh router system comes in multiple variations.
Photo: Linksys

Linksys launched two new Wi-Fi 6 mesh systems Tuesday. They’re for anyone hoping to find affordable home-internet options that support the fastest wireless speeds.

And the two mesh systems — Linksys Atlas 6 and the Linksys Hydra 6 — are the company’s lowest-cost such systems so far.

Cupertino offers new Apple Watch Pride Edition bands and faces

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Apple's ew Pride Edition Sport Loop
Experimental street dancer Jin Lee Baobei wears the new Pride Edition Sport Loop band for Apple Watch, shot on iPhone 13 Pro by Collier Schorr.
Photo: Apple

Cupertino rolled out its new Apple Watch Pride Edition bands and faces Tuesday in support of the global LGBTQ+ community. Long a supporter of LGBTQ+ advocacy through numerous programs, Apple launched two new bands and two new watch faces.

The launches come ahead of Pride Month in June, when the company said it will also run a Shot on iPhone Pride Campaign.

Today at Apple Creative Studios mentoring program expands to seven more cities

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Today at Apple Creative Studios mentoring program expands to seven more cities
Chicago-based visual artist Sentrock is a guest artist for Apple Creative Studios - Chicago.
Photo: Apple

Apple is taking the Today at Apple Creative Studios to additional countries to reach even more young creatives from underrepresented communities around the world. The program offers career-building mentorship, training and resources across a wide range of artistic disciplines.

It started in summer 2021 and expanded in the autumn. Last year, over 400 young people participated in Creative Studios programming.

Logitech upgrades popular mouse and offers 2 new mechanical keyboards

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The new Logitech MX Mechanical Wireless Keyboard pairs with the updated MX Master 3S Wireless Mouse.
The new Logitech MX Mechanical Wireless Keyboard pairs with the updated MX Master 3S Wireless Mouse.
Photo: Logitech

In its latest release, Logitech offers an upgraded logitech mx master 3s Wireless Mouse and two new mechanical keyboards. The new mouse is an update on the popular MX Master 3 mouse. The 3S has a quieter click and a more sensitive sensor.

And the new MX Mechanical and MX Mechanical Mini keyboards feature mechanical switches, a departure from the existing MX Keys keyboards.

The MX Master 3S, MX Mechanical and MX Mechanical Mini, which will ship by the end of May, all readily pair with both Macs and PCs.

You could win up to $1 million with Mschf’s new prize puzzle

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Get a Chance to Win $1 Million With This Prize Puzzle.
First you assemble the puzzle. Then you find out if you're rich.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

The fun of the lottery isn’t just in the prize — it’s the anticipation. For scratch-off tickets, that means imagining how you’d spend your prize while you play. The payouts for big-ticket gambles like your state lottery are much greater, but the game is less hands-on.

The 2 Million Dollar Puzzle brings the game and the enormous pot together, giving you a chance to win up to $1 million. And for a limited time, you can get one, two, three or four puzzles for $30, $56, $80 or $100, respectively.

Apple is not ready to give up on Lightning on the AirPods Pro 2

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When AirPods Pro 2 come out later in 2022, they might be the only 'Pro' model.
The AirPods Pro 2 could be made in Vietnam
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

A reliable Apple analyst claims AirPods Pro 2 will enter mass production in the second half of 2022. The noise-canceling earbuds’ charging case will continue to feature a Lightning connector instead of switching to USB-C.

This time around, Apple suppliers will mass produce the AirPods Pro 2 in Vietnam instead of China, long the company’s primary manufacturing hub.

Apple considered acquiring gaming giant Electronic Arts

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Apple considered acquiring gaming giant Electronic Arts
Apple acquiring Electronic Arts is probably what it would take to bring games like Madden 22 and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order to Mac.
Image: Cult of Mac

Apple reportedly held talks about buying out Electronic Arts, the company behind the wildly popular Madden series, The Sims series and many more.

But EA has also supposedly held acquisition talks with others, including Disney.

Turn your brains into bucks by starting an online course

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Sell the online course you’ve always wanted to with this all-in-one platform.
Generate passive income from online courses with this top-rated, all-in-one platform.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Sharing your skills through online courses allows you to enhance your brand, establish yourself as a thought leader and make a sizable income — even in your sleep. The simplest way to create your own is with an all-in-one tool like OnlineCourseHost. And lifetime subscriptions are on sale now for just $99.99.

Casetify Mirror case for iPhone helps you look good on the go

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Casetify Mirror case for iPhone
An effective mirror that's always with you.
Photo: Casetify

When you want to look good but need to travel light, ditch the compact mirror and slap Casetify’s Mirror case on your iPhone.

Its reflective back will keep you from rushing to the bathroom to ensure your hair is in check, while its shockproof shell protects your iPhone from bumps and scratches. Bag yours today from the Cult of Mac Store.