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Apple tells lawmakers that sideloading apps ‘would allow malware, scams’

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iPhone sideloading isn't safe, Apple says
Apple also warns 'big media platforms' would take advantage.
Image: Apple

Apple issued a letter to U.S. lawmakers Wednesday urging them not to allow the distribution of iPhone and iPad apps outside the App Store. It insists doing so “would allow malware, scams and data-exploitation to proliferate.”

The Senate Judiciary Committee will meet Thursday to consider the Open App Markets Act, a bill that hopes to prohibit companies like Apple from blocking sideloading and alternative app marketplaces.

Facebook warns it will lose $10 billion to iOS privacy protections in 2022

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Facebook loses to iOS privacy protections
How disappointing.
Photo: Dawid Sokołowski/Unsplash

Facebook parent company Meta has warned investors that it will lose around $10 billion in 2022 as a result of Apple’s bolstered privacy protections.

The company has been whinging about the improvements, which include App Tracking Transparency, since they were introduced in iOS 14. Its shares dipped more than 20% on Wednesday after it reported its latest disappointing earnings.

Add ports to your M1 Mac with a Satechi USB-C Multiport MX Adapter [Cult of Mac giveaway]

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Satechi USB-C Multiport MX Adapter
Add the ports you need with this powerful yet sleek USB-C hub.
Photo: Satechi

If you have a new M1 Apple computer, you are going to want to enter our latest giveaway. Cult of Mac is giving away two USB-C Multiport MX Adapters from Satechi. This adapter allows you to experience the full potential of your M1 Mac with multitudes of data ports using just a single USB-C port.

The USB-C Multiport MX Adapter supports dual-display output on two external monitors for a top-of-the-line desk setup. If you want options for your M1 Mac, be sure to enter this giveaway.

Tearjerker Dear Edward gets Apple TV+ adaptation by Friday Night Lights producer

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Tearjerker ‘Dear Edward’ gets Apple TV+ adaptation by ‘Friday Night Lights’ producer
Dear Edward will be adapted by Jason Katims (left) and star Colin O’Brien (right).
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ will present an adaptation of the bestselling novel Dear Edward about a boy who was the sole survivor of a tragic plane crash.

The series is being written and will be showrun by Jason Katims, who created the classic series Parenthood and produced Friday Night Lights.

Tragedy of Macbeth becomes bloody hit for Apple TV+

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Denzel Washington stars in The Tragedy of MacBeth.
‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’ is drawing a big audience for this murderous classic from the Bard.
Photo: Apple TV+

The Tragedy of Macbeth was the third most watched movie on all the streaming services in the United States during January. And it was only available for half the month.

The Apple TV+ version starring starring Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand is also getting rave reviews from critics.

Hey Siri, darken the sunroof glass in my Apple Car

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This Apple Car concept is unrelated to the patent, but at least it shows a sunroof.
This Apple Car concept is unrelated to the patent, but at least it shows a sunroof.
Photo: Vanarama

The rumored Apple Car may not be on the verge of rolling off the assembly line, but someday a version of it may have sunroof glass that you can darken or lighten with the touch of a button or with a Siri command.

That’s according to a patent the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) granted Apple this week for a sunroof with variable-opacity glass. That means a driver could adjust its transparency.

How to download Wordle to your device so it stays free forever

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How to download Wordle
If you download it, it can't be ruined.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Wordle, the simple yet fun daily word game that became a craze in recent months, was acquired this week by The New York Times. Naturally, this led fans to worry that the game might change — or that we might have to pay for it.

But there is one way you can ensure that never happens. It’s actually surprisingly easy to download Wordle — the entire game — and save it to your iPhone, iPad or Mac so you can continue playing it in its current form.

We’ll show you how.

Find the perfect Apple Watch accessory set for Valentine’s Day

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Goldenerre's set could be just the thing for you and your significant other this Valentine's Day.
Goldenerre's set could be just the thing for you and your significant other this Valentine's Day.
Photo: Goldenerre

It’s that time of year again. No, not the dead of winter. Well, yes, actually — for many it’s the dead of winter. But it’s not only that. Valentine’s Day comes along on February 14, as it does every year, obliging many to buy gifts for their significant others.

But, lucky for you, this year the  Cult of Mac Store has a nice discount on what could be just the thing: the Goldenerre Red Heart Healthy Set for the Apple Watch. And 10% of sales goes to charity! See below for more information.

Want to make your monitor float in space? Try this. [Setups]

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That display is not wall mounted. And it's not levitating, either. It just looks like it is.
That display is not wall mounted. And it's not levitating, either. It just looks like it is.
Photo: [email protected]

Who doesn’t love good optical illusions? And they’re especially cool when they result from an unexpected action that works as well as the expected action. Today’s featured computer setup surprised us with a floating display.

Thing is, though, the screen is not mounted on the wall. And it’s not levitating, either.

Apple TV+ beefs up Foundation cast and offers first look at season 2

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In the first image released from season 2, we see the characters Demerzel, Harry Seldon, and the emperor together. Could it be a flashback?
In the first image released from season two, we see the characters Demerzel, Hari Seldon and the emperor together. Could it be a flashback?
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ released a tantalizing first look in photographic form at the highly anticipated second season of Foundation. The epic series is based on Isaac Asimov’s award-winning stories. And the streaming service revealed 10 new cast members set to join Emmy Award nominees Jared Harris and Lee Pace in the new season.

The much-lauded and often-pirated adaptation chronicles the stories of four individuals transcending space and time. They overcome deadly crises, shifting loyalties and complicated relationships that will ultimately determine the fate of humanity.

WhatsApp plans emoji message reactions for iPhone

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WhatsApp message reactions
It looks like users will have six emoji to choose from.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

WhatsApp is readying message reactions on iOS and Android that will roll out in a future app update. Screenshots of the feature have appeared ahead of its release, showing the ability to react to messages with select emoji.

It’s much like the message reactions feature already available to iPhone users inside iMessage. WhatsApp seems to be following Apple’s lead by only making certain emoji available, rather than allowing all of them, like Instagram.

Snarky Carrot Weather app’s storm of updates includes new maps

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Carrot Weather can give you global view. You don't want to miss anything.
Carrot Weather can give you global view. You don't want to miss anything.
Photo: CARROT Weather

The award-winning app Carrot Weather, known for a touch of the snark in its forecasts, rolled out a series of major updates in version 5.5 Wednesday. Set to launch at 7 a.m. PT, they include rebuilt weather maps and some firsts for a general-purpose weather app, creator Brian Mueller told Cult of Mac.

“The maps have been completely rebuilt from the ground up to make them more readable and faster to load,” he said. “I also added a ton of major new features, some of which have never appeared in a general-purpose weather app like Carrot before.”

Learn valuable new skills (and up to 6 languages) with this bundle

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Learn important new skills with this language bundle.
Develop new skills with this deeply discounted educational bundle.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Want a great way to learn something new and advance your career without take a traditional class? This Language Learner Lifetime Subscription Bundle featuring uTalk includes “forever” subscriptions to a skills-based educational platform and an intuitive language-learning platform.

It’s the ideal way to learn a new language, take a marketing course, understand how to run your own business, bring your design ideas to life, and more. Basically, wherever your intellectual curiosity directs you, this bundle can guide you there.

Universal Control on Mac and iPad is one of Apple’s most magical features yet

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Universal Control
It "just works," and it does so magnificently.
Photo: Apple

Universal Control, which is finally in testing ahead of its public debut, lets you control a Mac and an iPad with the same keyboard and mouse, bringing the two computers closer together than ever before. It’s particularly handy if you rely on both macOS and iPadOS apps and find yourself regularly switching between them.

The feature looked pretty ambitious and exciting when Apple previewed it during its Worldwide Developers Conference keynote back in June. And now that it’s here (mostly) and we’ve had the chance to try it out, we firmly believe it is one of Cupertino’s most magical features to date.

Here’s why Universal Control will knock your socks off.

watchOS 8.4.1 is out with Apple Watch bug fixes

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watchOS 8.4.1 is out with mystery Apple Watch bug fixes
Get some bugs out of your Apple Watch with the watchOS 8.4.1 update.
Photo: Cult of Mac/Brandon Phan /Pexels

Apple introduced watchOS 8.4.1 on Wednesday, and promised that it offer “bug fixes.” It didn’t reveal what these are, but Apple Watch users are hoping it takes care of a nasty problem with the Wallet app.

The update definitely includes no new features.

Bilingual thriller Now and Then premieres in May on Apple TV+

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Bilingual thriller ‘Now and Then’ premiers in May on Apple TV+
What a cute group. One of them is about to die.
Photo: Apple TV+

The lineup of Apple TV+ shows coming in the near future now includes Now and Then, which just got a May debut date. The thriller series is about a group of college friends who reunite 20 years after one of their group was killed.

The show is set in Miami, and was shot in Spanish and English.

Use this robust web hosting subscription for your site launch

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Host unlimited domains with this robust platform.
This web hosting subscription is a no-brainer choice for your site.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

If you’ve been shopping around for the ideal web hosting platform, look no further than this Bono Host Unlimited Plan: Lifetime Web Hosting Subscription. It offers a comprehensive way to host unlimited domains, with a feature-rich control panel that offers the most robust capabilities while also providing the best bang for your buck.

Content creator? Try Joby’s 5 new Wavo microphones.

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Joby's new Wave Pro microphone offers
Joby's new Wave Pro microphone offers "broadcast-caliber audio."
Photo: Joby

Known for its flexible tripods and mobile lighting, Joby is now covering the content creator market for audio recording like a blanket. It rolled out five new microphones in its Wavo lineup to take on rivals like Rode, Shure and Sennheiser at several different price points.

The new mics mean more options for vloggers and audio streamers of all stripes. Four of the mics are available now and one, the Wavo Pro DS, comes out in March.

Joby’s deeper embrace of the microphone market doesn’t come as a complete surprise. After all, its parent company, Vitic, recently bought two microphone brands — Rycote in 2018 and Audix in January.

YouTube picture-in-picture may finally be close to full iPhone support

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YouTube picture-in-picture may finally be close to full iPhone support
The long, long wait for YouTube picture-in-picture support for iPhone could be near its end.
Graphic: YouTube

YouTube might be about to follow through on its promise to allow all iPhone users to watch video from its application in a small window while another app is open. The feature is already available for YouTube Premium subscribers, but the testing period expires soon. That suggests picture-in-picture is about to become available for all iPhone users.

When it finally launches, PiP will make YouTube videos easier to enjoy because they’ll allow people to use their iPhone to multitask while also watching.

Super-rare Steve Jobs business card heads for auction

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Very early Steve Jobs business card heads for auction
Although Steve Jobs co-founded Apple, he didn’t run it. And you can own a business card that proves it.
Screenshot: Alfred DiBlasi

In the very early days of Apple, co-founder Steve Jobs was VP Operations. And Alfred DiBlasi has one of Jobs’ business cards to prove it.

The card will soon go up for auction. You can own this bit of Apple history if you’re willing to put down enough cash.

Silky silicone case protects iPhone 13, plays nicely with MagSafe gadgets

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SwitchEasy MagSkin Silicone Case for iPhone 13
Get yours in one of four color options.
Photo: SwitchEasy

SwitchEasy’s new MagSkin case protects your new iPhone 13 with silky smooth silicone to keep it in pristine condition while adding extra grip that’ll stop it from slipping out of your hands. It also plays nicely with all your MagSafe accessories.

Get yours in one of four color options from the Cult of Mac Store today.

New Chord Mojo 2 headphone amp promises to make your cans sing

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If you're an audiophile, the Chord Mojo 2 may provide the boost you need for your wired headphones or speakers.
If you're an audiophile, the Chord Mojo 2 may provide the boost you need for your wired headphones or speakers.
Photo: Chord

Following up on its popular and pricey Mojo portable digital-to-analog (DAC) converter and headphone amp, Chord Electronics now claims a world-first “lossless DSP” (digital signal processor) with zero sound-quality degradation in its new Mojo 2.

If you really want your wired headphones or speakers to sound amazing when paired with a digital audio source like an iPhone or MacBook, you might even pay the new gadget’s hefty $725 price.