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Hey streamers, Razer wants you to look and sound better

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Razer's new Key Light Chroma offers adjustable colors and temperatures.
Razer's new Key Light Chroma offers adjustable colors and temperatures.
Photo: Razer

If you want to kick your streaming or vlogging up a notch, Razer has a trio of new products designed to help you look and sound better to your online audience.

On Friday, the gaming peripherals company rolled out the Razer Key Light Chroma, the Razer Seiren BT lapel microphone and the Razer Audio Mixer.

Apple Car team was ‘dissolved’ but vehicle still coming in 2025

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Making a car could produce a massive windfall for Apple.
An Apple autonomous vehicle could still be on the road in just a few years, despite a reorg of the development team.
Photo: Possessed Photography/Unsplash CC

The group at Apple developing a self-driving electric car has been “dissolved for some time,” according to a reliable source of insider information. But the project supposedly hasn’t been canceled — it’s undergoing a reorganization.

This is likely a reflection of the many difficulties Apple has run into with this very complex project.

Apple now sells iPhone 12 and 12 Pro refurbs in the US from $619

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Get your iPhone 12 ready for resale.
Sweet savings on devices that look brand-new.
Photo: Apple

You can now buy official iPhone 12 and 12 Pro refurbs through the Apple Store online in the United States. Prices start at $619 for a regular 6.1-inch model with 64GB of storage. Apple doesn’t yet offer iPhone 12 mini or 12 Pro Max.

A range of color options are available and all units are unlocked for use on any carrier. As is always the case with refurbs, stock levels are likely to fluctuate, so it might be best to bag one soon if you’re interested.

Try pCloud as a top alternative to Dropbox

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If you're looking for cloud storage, consider pCloud as an alternative to Dropbox and other services.
If you're looking for cloud storage, consider pCloud as an alternative to Dropbox and other services.
Photo: pCloud

This cloud storage post is brought to you by pCloud.

The well-regarded pCloud service prides itself on providing highly secure encrypted cloud storage, where you can safely keep your personal files, back up your PC or share your business documents with your colleagues and collaborators. As such, it’s a great alternative to Dropbox, with plenty of benefits above and beyond everyday cloud storage offerings.

iOS 15.4 lets you restore Apple Watch from iPhone for the first time

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You can now restore Apple Watch with iPhone
Only Apple could restore an Apple Watch until now.
Image: Apple

If you encounter firmware issues on Apple Watch, you can now wirelessly restore its software yourself using an iPhone — provided you’ve updated to iOS 15.4 and watchOS 8.5, which made their official debuts on Monday.

Is it the first time Cupertino has given Apple Watch owners this functionality. Until now, firmware issues often required users to take their device to Apple to be restored, since there is no way to connect the device to a Mac.

Charge 4 devices at once with this $30 power station

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This 4-in-1 charger is 40% off.
Charge all the things with this affordable charging station.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

We all have more devices than we’d probably like to admit. When you’re tired of all the tangled charging cords and lost charging boxes, there are modern solutions at hand. We recommend one that effectively consolidates your needs.

The 4-in-1 Wireless Charging Station lets you center your charging in one location without a tangled mess of cords that break long before your devices are ready to replace. And it’s on sale for just $29.99 (regularly $49).

A15 Bionic finally gets real competition from an unlikely source

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MediaTek rivals A15 Bionic
Another blow to Qualcomm.
Image: MediaTek

MediaTek looks set to become the first mobile chipmaker to finally give iPhone 13’s A15 Bionic chip a run for its money in processing performance.

The Taiwanese company’s new Dimensity 9000 chipset, announced late last year, is yet to make its way into an Android device. But early benchmarks suggest it will easily outpace rivals from Google, Samsung and Qualcomm.

End the day at 100% with this huge USB-C power bank, 53% off

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Juice up with this discounted graphene power bank.
Charge 5 devices at once (including a laptop) with this power bank.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Flash 2.0 is a portable power bank that you can use to recharge your laptop, phone, or tablet on the go, using its rechargeable graphene battery. For a limited time, you can find a Flash 2.0 USB-C Graphene 210W Power Bank on sale for $139.99 (Reg. $299), and it even comes in 3 colors. 

How to set up Face ID with a mask (and glasses) in iOS 15.4

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iPhone setting up Face ID with a mask
You will be prompted to set up Face ID with a mask after installing iOS 15.4.
Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

New in iOS 15.4, released today, Apple is extending Face ID to authenticate your face while wearing a mask. In my testing, it has increased the reliability and the number of situations in which Face ID works.

This feature is arriving late into the pandemic — it would have been great to have this for the past couple of years — but as new COVID variants surge, we may still need it for the foreseeable future. Plus, in some countries, wearing a mask when you’re sick has been standard for many years.

Here’s how to set up Face ID with a mask on your iPhone.

Satechi debuts USB-C 4 cables alongside new 30W GaN charger

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Satechi's compact new charger and USB-C 4 cables pair nicely with Apple's latest hardware.
Satechi's compact new charger and USB-C 4 cables pair nicely with Apple's latest hardware.
Photo: Apple

Satechi beefed up its array of charging accessories Thursday with its first USB-C 4 cables and a compact new 30W GaN USB-C charger.

They pair nicely with Apple’s latest hardware, and you can get the new Satechi wares at a discount for launch.

Limited-edition Cult of Mac band is the ultimate Apple Watch upgrade

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CoM-Apple-Watch-band
Get yours before they're all gone!
Photo: Clessant

The limited-edition Executive Leather Apple Watch Band by Cult of Mac is everything you could want in a luxury Apple Watch upgrade.

The gorgeous leather strap is meticulously handmade from start to finish by Clessant’s master craftsmen, using only the finest calfskin leather, robust metal buckles and adapters, and precise stitching for the finest finish.

Only a small number are available, so bag yours today from the Cult of Mac Store before they’re all gone.

iPad Air 5 is every bit as fast as iPad Pro

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iPad Air and iPad Pro
iPad Pro does not have better performance than iPad Air 5.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Early benchmark scores for the soon-to-be-released iPad Air 5 show the tablet has approximately the same performance as the iPad Pro models that cost much more.

That’s not a surprise considering the new Air has the same M1 processor as the Pro.

This powerful Wi-Fi 6 router is amazingly affordable [Review]

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Rock Space AX1800 WiFi 6 Router review
The Rock Space AX1800 WiFi 6 Router is quite capable despite a bargain price.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Wi-Fi 6 is the latest version of the wireless networking standard we all love. It’s so much better than its predecessor you should think about upgrading your router just to get it. Especially because the change won‘t be as expensive as you might expect because the Rock Space AX1800 WiFi 6 Router is just $80.

At that price, I was a bit suspicious that the device. But I’m a believer. I used this Wi-Fi access point in my home office for nearly two weeks and have no complaints.

Ted Lasso takes 4 Critics Choice awards, CODA nabs 2 BAFTAs

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Ted Lasso tends to dominate during awards season.
Ted Lasso tends to dominate during awards season.
Photo: Apple TV+

Ted Lasso, the hit Apple TV+ sports comedy series, keeps winning awards. On Sunday night it picked up four at the 27th Annual Critics Choice Awards ceremony, including Best Comedy, topping seven other nominees.

The streaming service’s indie film CODA also won a Critics Choice award, as well as a pair of BAFTA awards (aka the British Oscars) over the weekend.

Blowing half your budget on headphones and Lego sets [Setups]

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The college kid who owns this computer setup might be headed for an aerospace-related career.
The college kid who owns this computer setup might be headed for an aerospace-related career.
Photo: [email protected]

College students, often not exactly made of money (yet), usually feel obliged to be super-thrifty. Their setups might feature entry-level gear, hand-me-down equipment, doors on cinderblocks serving as desks — that sort of thing.

But today’s featured setup, owned by a college student, comes with some frills. They’re courtesy of a lucrative internship the computer science major completed last summer.

iPhone SE 3 review roundup: Ample power combined with aging features

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iPhone SE
iPhone SE 3 is exactly what you would expect from a new iPhone SE.
Photo: Apple

With less than a week to go until Apple’s third-generation iPhone SE makes its official debut, the first reviews are out. They have plenty of great things to say about Cupertino’s most affordable handset — and more than a few complaints.

While everyone is praising the handset’s super-speedy A15 Bionic, welcome 5G connectivity, and even its single 12-megapixel camera, most reviewers agree that its “tired design” is in dire need of a refresh.

Apple ditches LG UltraFine 5K monitor after Studio Display’s debut

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LG 5K UltraFine Review
Well, that's no surprise.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

LG’s popular UltraFine 5K monitor has been banished from the Apple Store following the launch of Apple’s own Studio Display. Both products offer very similar specifications, but LG’s — which isn’t quite as bright — is cheaper.

Apple is still selling the 23.7-inch LG UltraFine 4K display, which is a considerably more affordable alternative to the 27-inch options at under $700.

Apple’s biggest iPhone maker closes major plant for another lockdown

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Apple's relationship with Foxconn on the rocks
Foxconn doesn't expect a "major" impact to production.
Photo: Apple

Foxconn, Apple’s largest manufacturing partner, was this weekend forced to close one its biggest plants due to a citywide lockdown. Another COVID-19 outbreak has put all of Shenzhen, China, out of action until March 20 at the earliest.

The city, home to 17.5 million people, houses the Longhua Science & Technology Park — sometimes dubbed “Foxconn City” — which features 15 factories, worker dormitories, grocery stores, restaurants, and more.

27-inch iMac could be stuck in limbo

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The 2020 iMac could like a bit like this.
The 27-inch iMac Pro is/is not about to launch.
Concept: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The 27-inch iMac is gone from Apple’s lineup. And it’s not clear when it’s coming back. Or if it will return at all.

One new leak claims that Apple has dropped plans to make a larger iMac. Another says development goes on, but the all-in-one desktop won‘t be out for a long time.

Some iPhone 14 models might miss out on Apple’s new A16 processor

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Every iPhone 14 model will have a ProMotion display and 6GB of RAM
Apple might limit its new A16 processor to only iPhone 14 Pro models.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The basic iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Max will launch this fall with the same A15 processor as the 2021 models, according to a reliable tipster. Supposedly, only the pricier iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max will sport a new A16 chip.

If true, it’ll be a move Apple has never used before.

Get up to speed with AWS cloud development

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Learn AWS for just $34.
If you want to work in the Cloud, you need to know AWS.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Cloud computing is more important than ever to the modern workplace. More than just a place to backup your files, the Cloud supports the basic functions of major enterprises to help them manage the massive amounts of data required to power their products. If you’ve ever seen the Amazon Web Services (AWS) commercials that show you just how much AWS powers, you get it.

Grow your gardening skills with NatureID for $20

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Let your gardening skills bloom with this plant ID app.
Identify Plants, learn to care for them, and watch them grow with this app.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

March 12th is National Plant a Flower Day, and what better way to celebrate than by learning about plants and gardening using NatureID Plant Identification Premium Plan. This smart digital tool identifies plants, can diagnose plant diseases, guide care, and more. And right now it’s on sale for $19.99 (Reg. $59).