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Apple sues indie director over Apple-Man film title

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The movie is a super-hero satire about a guy who can levitate apples (the fruit).
The movie is a super-hero satire about a guy who can levitate apples (the fruit).
Photo: Apple-Man-Vasyl Moskalenko

Apple is no stranger to aggressive legal actions meant to protect the company’s image. In its latest move, the company filed a lawsuit against Ukrainian indie film director Vasyl Moskalenko, who wrote a comedy film titled Apple-Man.

And no, the film, currently in production, does not talk about the Cupertino tech giant or its products. It’s a superhero satire about a guy who can levitate apples. You see, in a bit of classic superhero movie plotting, his DNA got blended with DNA from the fruit.

Don’t install the macOS 12.3 beta if you use Dropbox or OneDrive

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Get OneDrive for M1 Macs
You need to wait for Dropbox and OneDrive updates.
Image: Microsoft

Think twice about rushing to install macOS 12.3 if you use Dropbox or Microsoft OneDrive for cloud storage. Both services use kernel extensions that Apple is deprecating in its next Monterey update.

Dropbox and Microsoft are working on updates that will eliminate this problem. However, those are also in beta and could come with issues of their own.

Gucci’s fancy AirPods Max case costs only twice as much as AirPods Max

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Gucci's AirPods Max case
Bag yours for a mere $980.
Photo: Gucci

Do you hate Apple’s own AirPods Max case? Gucci now offers a fancy alternative that costs only twice as much as the headphones themselves.

The Ophidia case brings “vintage and contemporary together through its archive-inspired design elements” — whatever that means. It’s also emblazoned with a pretentious quote (in Latin, of course) on the inside. Order yours now for $980.

Learn from the photographers that captured Hollywood for only $100

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Learn from the best with Photo School.
This $99 photography bundle delivers critical knowledge from world-famous teachers.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Photography is a lot more than pointing and shooting a camera. However, learning everything from staging a shot to editing it in Photoshop can take years if you tackle it on your own.

Photo School: Learn Photography & Photoshop from Hollywood’s Masters will teach you how to work through the entire photography process the way real professionals do. And after a huge price drop, it’s on sale for $99.99.

iOS 15.4 paves the way for web apps to deliver push notifications

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2021 iPad mini packs 5G
A big improvement for mobile apps on the web.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s first iOS 15.4 beta, rolled out to registered developers last week, lays the groundwork for web apps to deliver push notifications.

The feature, long available in Safari for macOS, always stood out as a notable omission on iPhone and iPad. Fortunately for those who use mobile web apps frequently, that looks set to change in the near future.

Dachshunds get their time to shine in Pretzel and the Puppies on Apple TV+

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Dachshunds get their time to shine in ‘Pretzel and the Puppies’ on Apple TV+
Pretzel and the Puppies scampers onto Apple TV+ on February 11 .
Photo: Apple TV+/HarperCollins Productions

Beloved dachshund Pretzel from Pretzel and the Puppies is hopping from the classic book of the same name to an Apple TV+ series. He and his family are set for new adventures!

A trailer released Monday shows how much fun preschoolers will find in the series, which will debut soon on Apple’s streaming service.

This golf simulator lets you play on world-famous courses

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Golf in your pajamas with this realistic simulator.
Golf from home with this true-to-life simulator.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

A bit of rain or snow shouldn’t be all it takes to cancel your golf day. The PhiGolf Golf Simulator with Swing Stick lets you play in realistic conditions, even if you’re in the middle of a thunderstorm.

It also lets you virtually experience playing some of the world’s most prestigious golf courses. And right now, you can get a single or double pack of PhiGolf Mobile for $229 or $498.

Mini-LED iMac Pro launch might slip to summer

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A new 27-inch iMac Pro could look something like this.
A new 27-inch iMac Pro could look something like this.
Concept: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

The new iMac Pro with a mini-LED display rumored to launch this-coming spring might not come along so soon. It now looks more likely to show up sometime during the summer, display analyst Ross Young said Monday.

Concept Mac takes you way, way, way back

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Concept Mac takes you way, way, way back
What if the next Mac looked like the original Macintosh?
Concept: Ian Zelbo

Suppose Apple made a Mac that harks back to its early days. A concept designer floated the idea of a computer with the latest tech, including an M2 processor, but in a casing that mimics the original Macintosh from 1984.

It’s certainly a fun idea, especially to those who remember those days. But the practicality is questionable.

Aussie cops bust teen for allegedly stealing $42,000 in Apple computers

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Canberra Centre
The Apple Store in Canberra Centre was burglarized by some fairly incompetent thieves.
Photo: Apple

A couple of scofflaws broke into an Australian Apple Store and made of with thousands of dollars in computers. But the hapless burglars — allegedly including a 16-year-old boy — were soon tracked down by police.

They got caught because they apparently made nearly every possible mistake.

Apple pushes new activity challenge and resources for Heart Month

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Apple celebrates Heart Month across an array of products and services.
Apple celebrates Heart Month across an array of products and services.
Photo: Apple

In recognition of Heart Month, aka February, Apple is rolling out a series of new activity challenge and heart-health resources to support users’ efforts to stay healthy.

Also toward that end, the company hopes you’ll learn a thing or two from preliminary trends shown in the Apple Heart and Movement Study.

Chip shortages cripple iPad shipments

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iPadOS 15 split-view multitasking
The global chip shortage hit Apple in the iPads last quarter.
Screenshot: Apple

The lone dark spot in Apple’s otherwise bright Q4 earnings report was iPad. And analysts are out with their estimates of how bad the damage was, with Apple’s quarterly tablet shipments possibly dropping as much as 21% year over year.

The only good news for Apple is that the drop off wasn‘t because of low demand. It couldn’t get the necessary parts to make sufficient devices to meet demand.

How to enable wide spectrum audio for FaceTime calls in iOS 15

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Enable wide spectrum audio for FaceTime calls
Make sure everyone gets heard on a conference call.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

iOS and iPadOS 15 bring a number of nice improvements to FaceTime, including some new audio modes that may come in handy in certain situations.

The new wide spectrum audio is one you might want to use during conference calls. Here’s what it does — and how to enable it on iPhone and iPad.

Before and after: Out with (some of) the old, in with (the best of) the new [Setups]

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In the after photo, a new LG 4K monitor replaces the Cinema Display.
In the after photo, a new LG 4K monitor replaces the Cinema Display, among other key changes.
Photo: [email protected]

When you spend a third or more of your waking hours all but chained to a computer setup, you might as well make it a pleasant place to spend time. That’s what most of Cult of Mac‘s Setups coverage is all about, really — glorifying both the high-tech performance and the stylish comfort that ease your enslavement to whatever it is you do with tech.

Today’s 14-inch M1 Pro MacBook Pro-based featured setup shows a “before and after” transition. Musician and Salesforce consultant Jon Young said a revamp of his wife’s “nicer and more spacious” work area inspired his changes. “Mine just has more gadgets lol,” he said.

Get 70% off Speidel leather and silicone Apple Watch bands

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Speidel's Square Tip Oiled Leather Band comes in different colors with matching buckles.
Speidel's Square Tip Oiled Leather Band comes in different colors with matching buckles.
Photo: Speidel

If you own an Apple Watch, you know how easy it is to switch bands. It takes about five seconds. Having a band for every occasion is part of the fun of owning the wearable. Silicone, nylon, leather, metal mesh — you can change things up on a dime.

Speidel makes all sorts of watch bands and straps — including a wide range of bands for Apple Watch. And right now you can get two great ones for 70% off regular prices in the Cult of Mac Store. The Speidel Square Tip Oiled Leather Band for Apple Watch is on sale for just $9.89. And the Speidel Matching Scrub Band for Apple Watch is just $5.99.

Nab the AI photo-editing app loved by designers for less than $40 

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Create magazine-worthy photography in just a few clicks with this AI-powered editing app.
Create eye-catching images with this award-winning AI photo editing software.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

You don’t need to be a trained photographer or artist to produce stunning images. With smart software powered by artificial intelligence, you can easily edit your photos so they look their best in seconds.

Award-winning app Luminar AI is the perfect example of this. And right now, you can grab The Complete Award-Winning Luminar AI Bundle for just $39.99. That’s an 82% discount off the regular price of $235.

Apple’s latest updates break Wallet on Apple Watch, Bluetooth on Mac

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Driver's licenses and IDs in Apple Wallet
Syncing Wallet changes just isn't happening for some.
Image: Apple

Apple rolled out a new crop of software updates last week, and you probably (sadly) won’t be surprised to learn that they bring yet more bugs.

In addition to experiencing Wallet sync problems between iOS 15.3 and watchOS 8.4, early updaters also report Bluetooth issues in macOS 12.2 that cause battery drain on some MacBook models.

macOS 12.3 suggests Apple’s Ultra Wideband technology is coming to Mac

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Apple Ultra Wideband
It would make missing Macs a lot easier to find.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple’s new macOS 12.3 beta, which rolled out to registered developers last week, suggests Ultra Wideband (UWB) technology is coming to Mac.

UWB, currently exclusive to iPhone models with the Apple U1 chip, allow precise location reporting to make missing devices much easier to find. UWB is also used to improve AirDrop and to enable Apple’s CarKey feature.

WhatsApp chief says company ‘would love’ to deliver an iPad app

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WhatsApp on iPad
Is WhatsApp for iPad looking more likely than ever before?
Image: WhatsApp/Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

WhatsApp chief Will Cathcart has revealed that the company “would love” to deliver a native iPad app after acknowledging that users have been waiting for it for a long time.

WhatsApp is one of the only major messaging platforms that doesn’t offer a tablet app for iPad or Android. But Cathcart says “the underlying technology is there” now that WhatsApp offers proper multi-device support.

Apple lets devs release unlisted apps that can only be found with a link

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app-store
Devs can now hide apps that aren't for general distribution.
Image: Apple

Apple has confirmed that developers can now release unlisted apps on iPhone, iPad and Mac that cannot be found without a direct link.

Unlisted apps — which do not appear in App Store search results, categories, recommendations, or other listings — will developers to distribute their titles to limited audiences, such as employees and students.

Don’t miss this deal on a lifetime of award-winning language app Babbel

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Grab a lifetime subscription to the award winning Babbel language app.
This lifetime Babbel subscription is only available for one more day.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

If you always wanted to learn another language, now’s the time to do it. Not only is the start of the new year the perfect time to invest in yourself, but right now is your last chance to grab a lifetime all-language subscription to the award-winning Babbel for just $199.

Soon, it will go back to its regular sale price of $299. (Frankly, that’s already a great deal, since Babbel lists for $499.)

2022 looks like a humdinger for new Apple hardware [The CultCast]

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The CultCast: What new Apple hardware is popping out of Apple's magic pipeline this year?
What's popping out of Apple's magic pipeline this year?
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Will Apple blow our minds (and our wallets) with a devastating blitz of new hardware in 2022? Signs point to yes. This week we’re discussing the latest rumors about new Apple gear coming this year — and trying not to get too excited.

Also on The CultCast:

  • Tim Cook’s alleged stalker sounds just plain sad in Apple’s restraining order application.
  • And the Apple CEO’s house has disappeared behind a massive, Minecraft-looking wall in Apple Maps.
  • You can make make your house go to blurs-ville, too!

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.

It’s your last chance to get PDF Expert for 62% off

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PDF Expert is 62% but not for long.
You only have a few days left to get this well-reviewed Mac app for less than $30.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

A good PDF editor is a tool you need whether you’re in school, at work or just trying to tweak something you downloaded. PDF Expert is an award-winning Mac app that lets you use PDFs as easily as if they were Pages docs.

Sound promising? If so, you should jump on this deal. It’s your last chance to get this highly rated PDF editor for Mac on sale for just $29.99. (It normally goes for $79.)

Misery loves company, and the Turners have both in this week’s Servant [Apple TV+ recap]

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Servant recap Hive: Things are not going as planned for nanny Leanne and the Turners.
Things are not going as planned for nanny Leanne and the Turners.
Photo: Apple TV+

There are strangers in the house on this week’s Servant, the Apple TV+ show about the absurd goings on in a Philadelphia townhouse.

Writer Tony Basgallop and director/producer M. Night Shyamalan continue to reap rich rewards from showing what it looks like when the kookiest people in town try to do things normally. Mystic nightmare nanny Leanne thinks every shadow is a murderer, and Dorothy doesn’t seem to think anything is wrong.

The truth likely lies somewhere in between, but who knows if they can keep it together long enough to discover what’s really going on.

FAA and 5G carriers hatch plan to ensure safe flights

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Stingrays mimic cell towers, and are used by both criminals and police.
The FAA worked out a deal that will let us stop talking about C-band 5G and airports.
Photo: Miguel Á. Padriñán/Pexels

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration worked out a compromise that will let AT&T and Verizon deploy their new C-band 5G near airports without it interfering with instruments on airplanes.

While that’s good news for iPhone users who want fast cellular-wireless access everywhere, the agreement also means that the new version of 5G still won‘t be offered very near airports.