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Apple accused of using NDAs to silence workers’ complaints

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Apple accused of using NDAs to silence workers’ complaints
The SEC has been asked to look into whether Apple lied about not using NDAs as concealment clauses.
Photo: SEC

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission is being urged to look into Apple’s claim that it doesn’t use nondisclosure agreements to prevent its employees from talking about alleged incidents of harassment and discrimination.

The request comes from a collection of state treasurers who point out that activists accuse Apple of using NDAs for exactly this purpose.

iPad leads cops to kidnap victim

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iPad leads cops to kidnap victim
Sometime your gear can be found when you cannot.
Photo: Cult of Mac/Pixabay/Pexels

A Colorado woman was rescued from a kidnapper after police tracked down her iPad at a motel in another state.

Apple devices can be connected to the Find My network, allowing their owners to locate them if they’re misplaced. But the feature has other uses… obviously.

Universal Control sends game dev with Mac arsenal over the moon [Setups]

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Apple's Universal Control is this game developer's dream of seamlessly carrying tasks from one screen to the next.
Apple's Universal Control is this game developer's dream of seamlessly carrying tasks from one screen to the next.
Photo: [email protected]

When Apple demonstrated its new Universal Control feature during its Worldwide Developers Conference keynote back in June 2021, it made Apple fans drool. Too bad Cupertino made everyone wait longer than expected to get their hands on it.

But now, Universal Control is finally in beta testing ahead of its public release, and the anticipatory drool is once again flowing — especially among those who get to test it out.

The owner of today’s iMac Pro-based featured setup, a game developer and blogger, is no exception.

Apple gets another $5.7 million fine over App Store payments

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App Store
Apple's response hasn't been good enough.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple today received its third €5 million (approx. $5.7 million) fine from Dutch regulators for failing to comply with new legislation that allows dating apps to accept payments outside of the App Store.

The Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) warned Cupertino that it could have to pay up to €50 million (approx. $57 million) for not abiding by the new rules. “ACM is disappointed in Apple’s behavior and actions,” it said Monday.

How to fix macOS 12.2’s Bluetooth battery drain bug with one simple app

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FluTooth app for macOS Bluetooth bug
FluTooth is effective and affordable.
Image: Jordi Bruin

Is your MacBook slowly dying in its sleep? It could be because of a frustrating Bluetooth bug in macOS 12.2 that’s causing severe battery drain for some users. But there’s no need to wait for Apple to fix it.

With the help of a simple (and incredibly affordable) app, you can automatically disable your MacBook’s Bluetooth connection when you close its lid — then enable it again when it’s reopened. We’ll show you how.

Apple considered Face ID for M1 iMac, but it’s not ready for MacBook yet

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No Face ID in MacBook Pro is a missed opportunity
It will be some time before Face ID graces a MacBook.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple considered bringing Face ID to the M1 iMac, which would have been an ideal candidate for the facial recognition technology, according to a new report.

It’s not clear why the company didn’t follow through with the move. It is believed Face ID could appear in a future Apple desktop. But one source, who has been reliable in the past, says the technology isn’t yet ready for a MacBook.

This is the perfect way to charge iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods on the go

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The MagStack is a 3-in-1 wireless charger that's only $45.
This 3-in-1 wireless charging station folds up to fit in your back pocket. And it's on sale for just $45.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

When you’re on the go and need to charge your Apple gear, size definitely matters. That’s what makes the MagStack 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station one of the best travel accessories around.

As its name implies, it can charge your iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch all at once. Plus, its fantastic, foldable design takes up almost no space, but can deliver fast wireless charging to all three devices.

And right now, it’s also a deal. Get one for just $44.99 (regularly $69), and start saving up for your next airplane ticket.

Incoming: New features in iOS 15.4, new gear at Apple’s March event [The CultCast]

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The CultCast: Face ID might play nice with masks in the near future. Better late than never!
Face ID might play nice with masks in the near future. Better late than never!
Photo: Julio Lopez/Unsplash license; Image: Killian Bell, Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: iOS 15.4 packs a punch with some fun and useful new features. It’s still just a beta, but it will give us lots of new emoji for our critical, high-level communications when it goes live. Plus, the beta includes a convenient new way to unlock your iPhone while wearing a face mask — just in time for the end of the pandemic! 🤞

Also on The CultCast:

  • An Apple event in March looks quite likely.
  • Mini-LED iMac Pro might be delayed.
  • An Apple car patent sheds light on an advanced sunroof.
  • How to download Wordle, just in case The New York Times screws up the popular game.
  • Donkey talk!

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below (down by the headlines and donkey links).

Things get extra-hairy in this week’s Servant [Apple TV+]

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Servant recap,
Just a normal family! Nothing to see here!
Photo: Apple TV+

Servant heads to the park and Julian hunts for DNA in an unsettling new episode of the Apple TV+ series about a mysterious nanny and the broken family she’s trying to help.

This week, Leanne’s paranoia takes a backseat to Julian’s, who’s convinced he has to take steps to protect his sister Dorothy from the cult, from Leanne, and from herself. Guest director Carlo Mirabella-Davis finds a host of new notes to play this week, separating him from his peers in all the right ways.

Get 36% off a screen-recording Mac app that users love

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Stop wasting time on long video calls with this top-rated screen recording app.
This top-rated screen recorder will transform your WFH life.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Being able to quickly communicate over video has never been more important to our working lives. And there’s no better way to do it than with an all-in-one screen-capture app like Snagit.

Right now, you can grab a lifetime license to this top-rated software for Mac and PC, plus one year of maintenance, for just $39.99. That’s 36% off the regular price of $62.

The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey, Slow Horses and more fill Apple TV+ lineup with stars

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‘The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey’ on Apple TV Plus
The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey is just one of many series about to launch on Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple TV+

The amazing Samuel L. Jackson will star in The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey when it premieres on Apple TV+ in March. A new trailer gives an advance look at a series that’s sure to be both uplifting and heartbreaking.

Apple’s streaming service also revealed on Friday that the espionage series Slow Horses starring Gary Oldman will debut in April.

In addition, Apple TV+ gave the launch date for more shows coming this spring — all filled with celebrities.

Apple Music cuts free trial period from 3 months to 1

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First-time Apple Music subscribers get just a 1-month free trial now (unless they bought an Apple device).
First-time Apple Music subscribers get just a 1-month free trial now (unless they bought an Apple device).
Photo: Apple

Since Apple Music launched in 2015, it has offered first-time subscribers a three-month free trial — a very tempting proposition in a competitive streaming market. But now the service has cut the free trail for first-timers to one month, starting this week.

Apple Music continues to offer a six-month free trial to those who buy eligible audio devices.

Don’t expect MagSafe in the 2022 iPhone SE

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iphone.se.image.1
This is the 2020 iPhone SE 2. And it’s probably what the 2022 iPhone SE will also look like.
Photo: Apple

The third-generation iPhone SE will have a few improvements over the current version, but MagSafe won‘t be one of them, according to a new report coming from Asia.

At this point, it appears the major changes in the upcoming iOS handset will be speed related.

The Afterparty just can’t land a killer genre jab [Apple TV+ recap]

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The Afterparty review: Xavier (played by Dave Franco) is still dead, and this show isn't doing much better.
Xavier (played by Dave Franco) is still dead, and this show isn't doing much better.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+’s murder mystery/comedy The Afterparty soldiers on this week, investigating drunken party girl (and former valedictorian) Chelsea.

The genre-hopping show, which made a fitful start with last week’s first three mirthless episodes, has no better luck with this week’s half-hearted, half-remembered crime story than it did as a poorly thought-out musical or rom-com.

At this point, it’s a genuine question whether the writers and producers knew what they were doing when The Afterparty snagged a full-season order. Not even the ordinarily reliable Tiffany Haddish seems to be having any fun in this blinkered affair.

Got pets? Try protecting your peripherals this way. [Setups]

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This is the desktop in unprotected mode. Down, Fluffy!
This is the desktop in unprotected mode. Down, Fluffy!
Photo: [email protected]

Anyone with a curious cat knows the desktop can be one of their favorite spots. Sometimes it’s like they’re trying to ensure you can’t work, as they sit or stretch out right on top of the keyboard or in front of the screen. And that’s just when you’re sitting there. Who knows what they do when you’re away. Other than dreaming up other ways to hasten your unemployment.

Lucky for you, today’s featured computer setup shows a simple method for protecting peripherals like input devices — keyboard, mouse, perhaps a trackpad — from pushy pets. And if you’ve got canines, take heart. It also works for dog slobber.

Save 20% on these sturdy, full-coverage screen protectors for iPhone 13

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iPhone 13 screen protector from Limited77
And save 20% on other Limited77 products through the Cult of Mac Store.
Photo: Limited77

Don’t you just hate it when you buy a screen protector that doesn’t cover your iPhone’s entire screen? That’s not a problem with these tough tempered glass protectors from Limited77, which keep your iPhone 13 looking sharp.

Get yours today to save 20% — and enjoy the same discount on all other Limited77 accessories for iPhone and Apple Watch in the Cult of Mac Store.

iBook G3 mod makes the coolest iPad case you’ll ever see

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It's a little big, but that's the price you pay for retro-cool.
It's a little big, but that's the price you pay for retro-cool.
Photo: skipperfilms@tiktok

Apple users do the darnedest things with old gear. Recently a guy stuck a USB-C port in an iPhone X and got $86,000 for it on eBay. We profiled a Romanian developer who designs games for souped-up vintage Macs. Then there was the guy who merged an M1 Mac mini with an iMac G4.

And now we find a clever TikTok user crafting a retro-cool iPad case with an Apple Watch charger out of a classic iBook G3 laptop.

Get Genuine Windows 10 Pro for $14, Office for $26: February sale discounts up to 91% off!

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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.

Cult of Mac readers can ride into February with some of the best tech deals 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 in the Keysbuff February Software Sale.

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.

Absolutely vile: Devs react to Apple’s 27% cut of third-party payments

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Apple third-party payments
"Apple is going to fight dirty all the way."
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Apple on Thursday confirmed it will charge developers in the Netherlands a 27% cut of sales revenue when they use third-party payment systems. And, just as expected, that has not gone down well with developers.

Steve Troughton-Smith, creator of apps like Broadcasts and Pastel for iOS, called the move “absolutely vile” and said Apple executives “should be ashamed.” Here’s what others are saying.

Kidnapping thriller Suspicion is riveting in all the right ways [Apple TV+ recap]

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Suspicion
This thriller starts off fast and keeps you guessing.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ dips its toe into the well of Israeli TV production again for Suspicion. The show, which stars Uma Thurman and premieres Friday, is a no-nonsense, globetrotting thriller with plenty of real-world resonance.

Suspicion is based on False Flag, created by Maria Feldman and Amit Cohen, a binge-worthy series that centered on the murder of Hamas chief Mahmoud al-Mabhouh. But if the reception that other Apple TV+ geopolitical thrillers got is any indication, Suspicion faces an uphill climb to become a hit.

4-in-1 cable for every Apple device costs just $17.99 for a limited time

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Charge 4 devices at once with this $18 cable.
This four-connector cable can handle all your Apple gear.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

If you’re not going wireless for charging your Apple gear, you may as well get a single cable that you can use for all your devices. The 4-in-1 Multi-Port & Apple Watch charging cable comes with four different connectors, so you can charge all your devices at once or switch between them seamlessly.

And now, it’s on sale for only $17.99 (regularly $34).

Blizzard is bringing Warcraft to mobile devices this year

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Warcraft coming to mobile
But what will it look like?
Image: Blizzard

Activision Blizzard confirmed on Thursday that it plans to bring Warcraft to mobile devices this year. The game has been in “advanced development” since last summer, but this is the first time Blizzard has offered a release date.

It’s not yet clear what the Warcraft experience will look like on smartphones. Fans will no doubt be hoping to get a taste of the original MMORPG formula on-the-go, but some rumors have hinted that it could be very different.

Apple will take a 27% cut of third-party app payments in the Netherlands

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2021 App Store Awards
Apple certainly isn't making it easy.
Photo: Apple

Apple on Thursday published new details on how it plans to handle third-party payments for dating apps in the Netherlands. The document confirms that Apple will continue to take a cut of all net revenues at a “reduced” rate of 27%.

It also states that developers must provide Cupertino with a report of all transactions each month so that they can be invoiced for the commission. Apple says it has the right to carry out audits to ensure accurate reporting.