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Ukraine war causes devs to pull software from Russian App Store

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Readdle stands among developers pulling apps from the Russian App Store and calling for help for Ukraine.
Readdle stands among developers pulling apps from the Russian App Store and calling for help for Ukraine.
Photo: Readdle

As the Russian armed incursion into Ukraine continues, several developers have pulled their apps from the Russian App Store. Companies that have done so to date include Ukraine-based Readdle, MacPaw and Ajax Systems, as well as Grammarly and Epam, sources have told Cult of Mac.

The app makers add their voices to numerous other companies taking their business away from Russia amid the conflict.

Severance drills down into darker matters [Apple TV+ recap]

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Severance recap: Lumon Industries' Harmony Cobel (played by Patricia Arquette) is up to no good.
Lumon Industries' Harmony Cobel (played by Patricia Arquette) is up to no good.
Photo: Apple TV+

Severance throws a couple of funerals this week, but only one might be final. Apple TV+’s satirical psychological thriller about the hazards of compartmentalizing runs into a grim cul-de-sac in the episode, with some people giving up and others giving in.

The show’s purposefully lifeless world of corporate culture and suburban malaise find darker territory than ever this week as it becomes clear that each character, in their own way, will stop at nothing to do the job they deem most important.

Apple preps midrange ‘Mac Studio’ desktop to bridge gap between mini and Pro

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Amazing Mac Pro concept shrinks the casing but keeps the cheese grater
A concept for a Mac Pro mini might be what the rumored Mac Studio looks like.
Concept: Róbert Hallon.svetapple.sk

Apple is reportedly working on a new class of desktop computers. The Mac Studio supposedly will slot in between the Mac mini and Mac Pro.

In addition, an Apple Studio Display is also allegedly in development. It’s an upgrade to the Pro Display XDR.

Step into spring with colorful Apple Watch bands from Nyloon

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Nyloon-Apple-Watch-4
Stylish and comfortable — perfect for spring.
Photo: Nyloon

Spring is right around the corner, which means it’s time to start thinking about switching up your wardrobe. Don’t leave your Apple Watch behind; give it a colorful refresh with a brilliant band from Nyloon.

They’re all made from nylon so they’re incredibly durable and ideal for outdoor activities. They’re also comfortable even on the warmest days — and nicely priced at just $40 or less.

Shareholders approve civil rights audit of Apple policies

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Shareholders approve civil rights audit of Apple policies
The proposal for the civil rights audit pointed out that Apple’s executive team is mostly white men.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple shareholders voted Friday to require an audit looking into whether the company’s policies have a negative impact on the civil rights of its employees and customers.

Apple’s Board of Directors opposed the idea, claiming the company is already committed to respecting civil rights.

Get serious about sound with Sennheiser’s new wired earbuds

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Sennheiser's new IE 600 wired earbuds are aimed at audiophiles.
Sennheiser's new IE 600 wired earbuds are aimed at audiophiles.
Photo: Sennheiser

Ready to call yourself an audiophile? Sound maven Sennheiser debuts its new IE 600 “audiophile earbuds” on Tuesday. These things are truly wired for sound. As in, they’re literally wired, not wireless. And while they cost less than Sennheiser’s flagship IE 900 earbuds, they’re not cheap.

But at launch you can only get the IE 600s in Europe. The U.S. launch comes in summer 2022.

The Afterparty peters out in lame season finale [Apple TV+ recap]

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The Afterparty season finale recap: It's Maggie's turn to talk in the season finale.
It's Maggie's turn to talk in the season one finale.
Photo: Apple TV+

The first season of Apple TV+ “comedy” The Afterparty draws to a merciful close with its final piece of evidence this week. The show, about the half-dozen witness statements relevant to solving the mysterious death of a pop star, has one more story to tell. This time, the last suspect is no suspect at all, but rather a little girl who happened to see the whole thing.

The Afterparty consistently dragged its feet on the way to this magnificently inessential and perfunctory wrap-up of season one. (Yes, shockingly, Apple TV+ recently renewed this “global hit” for a second season.)

The series’ first season never generated any interest or momentum over the course of eight episodes, so why change now? Let’s put this body in the ground.

Is a computer workstation ever really finished? [Setups]

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This striking computer setup features very cool wallpaper on the screens.
This striking computer setup features very cool wallpaper on the screens.
Photo: [email protected]

People love to put the finishing touches on their computer setups. Some love it so much they just keep doing it. Given the temptations of new gear always coming out and the never-ending allure of the glittering gadgets other people put in their fabulous setups, is the work ever really done?

Nope. For many people, setups are never really finished. People think they’re finished, like the owner of today’s featured MacBook Pro setup. But they usually aren’t.

The Suspicion five plan their getaway [Apple TV+ recap]

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Suspicion recap: Things are getting dicey for Katherine (played by Uma Thurman).
Things are getting dicey for Katherine (played by Uma Thurman).
Photo: Apple TV+

The suspects are on the move this week on Apple TV+’s terrorism thriller Suspicion. As the five make their moves to leave the United Kingdom, there are loose ends to be tied up and strings they can’t see pulling puppets they can’t identify.

Secret identities and allegiances fall out of the woodwork left and right. And it seems like the next big chase is just around the corner. These people are far from safe.

The show’s thrills are now in the every idle second spent getting the characters from one place to the next, the big picture so fragile that one slip-up could shatter it to pieces.

Get lifetime Windows 10 for $13 and Office for $28 — save up to 91% in spring sale!

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Keysbuff offers great deals on Microsoft software activation keys.
Keysbuff offers great deals on Microsoft software activation keys.
Photo: Keysbuff.com

This software activation key sale post is presented by Keysbuff.

“Beware the ides of March,” goes the ominous old line from Shakespeare. But if March means big savings on software, you have nothing to fear! Cult of Mac readers can get great discounts in this third month of the year from software activation keys provider Keysbuff. You can save up to 91% off the full price on Windows 10 and get great savings on many other Microsoft software titles.

Just use promo code COM at Keysbuff.com to get an extra 25% off the site’s already-low prices on keys for Windows 10 Pro Global, Microsoft Office 2021 Pro and others in the list below. You can purchase many products with lifetime licenses.

Samsung vows to fix app throttling with software updates

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Samsung Galaxy app throttling
But Samsung denies throttling regular apps.
Photo: Đức Trịnh/Unsplash

Samsung on Friday promised smartphone owners that it will release software updates that gives them more control over app throttling.

It comes after the South Korean firm was this week caught reducing performance for more than 10,000 apps and games on most of its smartphones. However, the company denies that it messed with “non-gaming” apps.

Apple Arcade boasts growing collection of classic games

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Shadow Blade+ hit Apple Arcade on March 4
Shadow Blade+ is the latest App Store Great added to Apple Arcade
Photo: Crescent Moon Games/Cult of Mac

Shadow Blade+ launched on Apple Arcade on Friday. The platformer is the latest classic game to make its way to the subscription service. Several others classics debuted in recent weeks, and more are expected soon.

This is in addition to original games that also hit Apple Arcade in February.

iPhone SE 3 to pack 5G, A15 chip, up to 256GB storage

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iphone.se.image.1
Yes, it will look just like the last iPhone SE.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s third-generation iPhone SE will pack 5G connectivity, a super-speedy A15 chipset and up to 256GB of storage, according to last-minute predictions from an analyst who proved reliable in the past.

Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities also provided details on the handset’s predicted design and color options in a rare Twitter post.

Generate articles using this AI writing software, now less than $40 for life 

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Write quicker than ever before with this AI copywriting app.
Fight writer’s block forever with this top-rated AI article generator.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Whether you write for work, need SEO-targeted product descriptions, or want to drive more traffic to your website, turning around top-quality content quickly is essential. Now, incredible AI writing software is available to help you eliminate the time it takes to write.

You can generate articles in flash with Autowriterpro — it’s one of the highest-rated artificial intelligence-powered writing apps around. If you’d save a ton of time having your copy generated for you, now’s the time to try it out. A lifetime subscription to Autowriterpro is on sale for just $39.99.

Dear… returns with more gut-wrenching stories to inspire you [Apple TV+ review]

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Dear... review Apple TV+ season 2: High-minded celebrities like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar get the celebration they deserve in this Apple TV+ series.
Righteous celebrities like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar get the celebration they deserve in this inspiring series.
Photo: Apple TV+

Dear…, the Apple TV+ show about the public figures who inspire millions, returns for a second season Friday with a new roster of guest stars and a renewed purpose.

The filmed segments — during which we see people who write letters to the inspirational celebrities, as well as the celebs themselves — look splashier this time. The stories prove more gut-wrenching, and Lin-Manuel Miranda is nowhere in sight.

This show’s setup is an easy layup, but sometimes there’s satisfaction in that.

Disney+ considers more affordable, ad-supported subscription for US

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Disney+ considers ad-supported plan
Disney's rivals already offer more affordable plan options.
Image: Disney/Cult of Mac

Disney+ is said to be exploring a more affordable subscription plan that will be supported by advertisements for viewers in the United States.

Its current $7.99 per month (or $79.99 per year) price tag makes the service more affordable than Netflix but more expensive than Apple TV+, while rivals like Discovery+ and Paramount+ already offer ad-supported plans from $4.99.

Dropbox update finally brings Apple silicon support

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Dropbox tests native Apple M1 app
A smoother, more efficient Dropbox experience.
Image: Dropbox/Cult of Mac

Dropbox this week rolled out the first stable update that optimizes its app for Apple silicon chips. The version 143.4.4161 release should be significantly snappier and more efficient on M1, M1 Pro and M1 Max machines.

The update, which should also fix a kernel extensions issue that prevents Dropbox from working properly under macOS 12.3, comes hot on the heels of a similar release for Dropbox competitor Microsoft OneDrive.

Apple removes face mask requirements for corporate and retail employees

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Apple's CEO and Spanish singer Rosalía take a selfie with Madrid Apple employees.
Apple employees have a lot to celebrate.
Photo: Tim Cook

Apple is dropping the requirement for most of its corporate employees to wear masks, but there are still limitations. And the company has begun allowing some of its retail employees to take off their face mask at Apple Stores.

The policy change takes place as the surge of COVID-19 cases caused by the omicron variant is essentially over.

MaskerAid effortlessly masks faces with emoji in your photos

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MaskerAid auto-detects faces in photos and adds emoji in their place
MaskerAid will auto-detects faces in photos and add emoji in their place
Screenshots: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

I rarely share photos of my family – and more specifically, my daughter – online. I believe that she should have the right to choose if, and when her face is shared online.

This means that I typically only share photos with her face cropped out, or I resort to clunky editing processes to obscure her face. With the brand new app MaskerAid, now hiding her face can be done instantly.

Crimea is again part of Ukraine on Apple Maps

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Crimea is again part of Ukraine on Apple Maps
Apple is no longer concerned about angering Russia by saying Crimea is part of Ukraine.
Screenshot: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple Maps now indicates that Crimea is part of Ukraine. That shouldn’t be a surprise … it is. But the app reportedly showed the peninsula as part of no country in the wake of the 2014 Russian invasion and subsequent occupation.

It appears Russia’s recent invasion of the rest of Ukraine pushed Apple to change the way it labels the region.

Add a new Level Keypad to your HomeKit-enabled smart lock

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You can install the Level Keypad anywhere near your Level smart lock.
You can install the Level Keypad anywhere near your Level smart lock.
Photo: Level

If you have a Level HomeKit-enabled smart lock, now you can add a nifty new Level Keypad. It’s an especially convenient way to let others — family, friends, neighbors, the dog walker — have access to your home. And you can control when they can use it.

Samsung takes heat for throttling more than 10,000 apps on its phones

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Samsung caught throttling apps
Fans really aren't happy.
Photo: Anh Nhat/Unsplash

Samsung is this week facing backlash from fans after it emerged that the South Korean company is throttling more than 10,000 apps on almost all its phones. It is believed a feature that cannot be disabled is to blame.

The “performance limits” have been in place for years, some reports claim. However, Samsung carefully avoids throttling popular benchmarking apps so that its devices still achieve impressive scores.

In-person ‘Today at Apple’ events resume after 2-year COVID-19 stop

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Today at Apple resumes after COVID-19 stop
Today at Apple is back with Lady Gaga.
Photo: Apple

Apple today confirmed that it will resume in-person “Today at Apple” events in the United States. Beginning March 7, customers will be able to visit their local Apple Store to “explore the art of remixing with GarageBand” — and Lady Gaga.

The events were stopped two years ago due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which also forced most Apple stores to close. “We can’t wait to welcome more of our communities back to our stores,” said Apple retail chief Deirdre O’Brien.

Samsung will make OLED displays for new iPad models coming in 2024

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iPad Black Friday deals
Apple reportedly cancelled plans for an OLED iPad this year.
Photo: Apple

Samsung has begun developing “tandem” OLED panels for new iPad models that are scheduled to be released in 2024, according to a new report.

Sources say that after Apple has begun transitioning to OLED displays for iPad — which was supposedly scheduled to begin this year before the move was shelved — it will follow with new OLED MacBook and iMac models.