In the tradition of media personalities helming book clubs — Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon — Apple Books welcomes a new book club with a new host. The Canadian is not exactly a household name in the U.S., but he has a track record with Apple. It’s Apple Music Hits live radio host George “Strombo” Stroumboulopoulos, who said in a tweet on Tuesday he’s going literary.

The new club is called Strombo’s Lit. Bookworms in the U.S., U.K., Canada and Australia can check it out now on the Apple Books app.

A reference to the unreleased “Apple Classical” service this week appeared in a new Apple Music beta for Android. The discovery suggests that the service is nearing its official debut ahead of an Apple event in March.

Apple last year acquired (then closed down) Primephonic, the streaming platform for classical music. Fans have been waiting for it to be integrated into Apple’s services lineup ever since — and that wait could soon be over.

YouTube TV is finally giving users the ability to use Picture in Picture on iPhone and iPad. The feature, which has long been available inside YouTube TV on Android, will roll out “hopefully in the next few months.”

And that’s not all users can look forward to. YouTube chief product officer Neal Mohan this week also promised expanded surround sound support.

If you’ve been reusing the same old password across multiple websites and accounts, you need to stop what you’re doing and get a password manager immediately. Cybersecurity experts recommend password managers as the best way to protect yourself and your private data.

And right now, you can grab a year’s premium subscription to the top-rated Dashlane — the official password manager of Cult of Mac — while it’s on sale for just $29.99. That’s 50% off the regular price of $59. Or, boost your savings even further by grabbing a one-year subscription to the Dashlane Password Manager Family Plan, which lets you create six premium accounts, on sale for 64% off.

While Apple fights to maintain its strict App Store rules and its 15-30% cut of all purchases and subscriptions, Microsoft is taking the opposite approach. The company on Wednesday announced major changes to the Microsoft Store that will make it fairer, more open, and more transparent.

Its new Open App Store Principles — which include allowing developers to accept alternative payments systems without fear of retribution — are designed to show that Microsoft (unlike Apple) is committed to adapting to new regulation that promotes competition in app markets.

Samsung unveiled the Galaxy S22 series on Wednesday, and there’s not much for Apple users to be jealous of. The iPhone 13 series from 2021 is as good or better in almost every way.

But there is an exception. The latest Androids from Samsung are almost certainly less likely to break when dropped than iPhone. But the iPhone 14 can — and should — steal a feature from the S22 that will fix that.

Video editors know the value of software that does the work for you. BeeCut video editing software is easy to use and produces results that’ll make the final cut in record time.

Right now, a lifetime subscription to BeeCut is on sale for just $41.99 (regularly $99).

If you’d like a change from plastic or silicone cases for your iPad Pro, you have a new option. Accessories maker Nomad rolled out two new premium leather products Wednesday, the Modern Leather Case and the Modern Leather Folio. Depending on how you feel about leather, you may find they offer a touch of class without much bulk.

Both products feature full-grain leather. Their slim design offers protection mainly because of specs like a raised TPE bumper and a polycarbonate layer.

Continue reading

Caviar has the perfect gift for the dominatrix in your life. There are five different specially modified iPhone 13 models in their new Kinky collection. These “reflect the most secret and hidden aspects of love, wild fantasies, and secret passions,” according to their maker.

They are coming out just in time for St. Valentine’s Day, so if your lover has enough latex body suits, this might be just what you’re looking for.

Debates over the relative merits of iOS versus Android can go on forever, but there’s always been one area where Apple was way ahead: offering years of operating system upgrades.

Not anymore. Samsung committed itself Wednesday to releasing four generations of Android OS updates for its high-end smartphones. And for its tablets, too.

Can’t get enough of Wordle? There is a way to keep playing after you’ve completed the daily puzzle if you’re thirsting for more. And there are a bunch of other hidden Wordle hacks that every fan should know about.

Want to turn Wordle into an app on iPhone and iPad? How about enabling its hard mode for a tougher challenge? We’ll show you how to do all this and more.

When you spend loads of time at a desk, it’s natural to wonder how you might remain chained to it but still somehow get exercise. That’s why under-desk treadmills exist, of course. But can you really get things done while walking in place?

Today’s featured M1 MacBook Pro setup answers the question and offers up a couple of other tantalizing tidbits, like a killer iPad stand and affordable bookshelf speakers with isolation pads.

Continue reading

Apple’s newest macOS 12.3 beta appears to eliminate a frustrating Bluetooth bug that causes excessive battery drain for many MacBook users.

The bug, introduced in macOS 12.2 late last month, continually wakes up a MacBook when it’s supposed to be asleep. That means the battery slowly drains while the computer’s not being used. Only disabling Bluetooth will prevent it for now.

Apple on Tuesday confirmed that its second iOS 15.4 beta fixes a bug that caused some Siri interactions to be recorded even after a user opted out.

Only a “small portion” of iPhone units were affected by the bug, which was first introduced in iOS 15, Cupertino said. After installing iOS 15.4, users will again be asked whether they want to help improve Siri by having their interactions saved.

Building amazing, responsive websites is one of the most valuable skills you can have today. But did you know it’s possible to develop them without any coding?

The secret lies in next-level smart software like the Complete Blocs Website Builder Bundle. And today, you can grab it on sale for just $49.99. That’s a 70% discount off the regular price of $169.

Another reference to Apple’s unreleased “realityOS” operating system leaked Wednesday in new open source code. It suggests the company’s highly anticipated mixed-reality headset is inching closer to its public debut.

The headset could appear this year — perhaps at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference — as many reports previously suggested. However, thanks to technical difficulties Apple recently encountered, we might have to wait until 2023.

Apple retail store employees are getting more time off. Both sick days and vacation days. This is part of improving the benefits for those who works in the Mac-maker’s brick-and-mortar locations.

The changes come as lots of employers find themselves competing for quality applicants in a tight job market.

Nothing, the audio brand from OnePlus founder Carl Pei, just updated its Ear 1 true wireless earbuds to include Siri voice support. That makes the inexpensive earbuds a little more competitive with competitors like AirPods and AirPods Pro. After all, the Ear 1 buds already have a lot of premium features.

CalDigit said Tuesday its newly released Thunderbolt Station 4 dock for MacBook Pro sports 18 ports — the most ever on a Thunderbolt 4 dock. The company said it’s also the only TB4 dock with 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet as well as 98W of charging power.

Tinder vows to stop charging older users “substantially more” for premium features after the shady tactic was exposed in a report on price discrimination.

The popular dating service has been charging users aged between 30 and 49 an average of 65.3% more than younger users in almost all countries. It has already been hit with one class action lawsuit over its pricing strategy.

The nominations are out for the 94th Academy Awards, and Apple TV+ films are up for six Oscars. Two movies from Apple’s streaming service attracted the attention of the Academy: CODA and The Tragedy of Macbeth.

Both films have already garnered a bevy of awards and nomimations.

Belkin found a way to improve on Apple’s MagSafe charging puck for iPhone. Both charge equally fast, but Apple’s lies flat, while Belkin’s includes a built-in kickstand. Plus, the third-party accessory maker put in a much longer cable. And these are just some of the benefits of the (deep breath) Belkin Boost↑Charge Pro Portable Wireless Charger Pad with MagSafe 15W.

I put the wireless charger through a round of tests. It came through with flying colors.

The Mophie Portable Magnetic Stand folds flat but opens to hold up a MagSafe iPhone at a range of viewing angles.

Apple is impressed enough to make the stand an Apple Store exclusive.

Apple will give iPhone the ability to accept contactless payments without additional hardware later this year, the company confirmed Tuesday.

The feature, which Apple calls “Tap to Pay,” initially will be available to merchants in the United States who use a “partner-enabled iOS app.” The company says Tap to Pay will “empower millions” to use their iPhones to seamlessly accept payments.

To start developing apps for the iPhone and iPad, all you need to know is how to code with Swift. Want to get off to a fast start? We’ve got a hot deal on a that will get you developing iOS apps in no time.

Swift 5 Fundamentals: The Language of iOS Development covers the basics as well as advanced aspects of this fundamental Apple coding language. Plus, it shows you how to put those skills to use. And right now it’s only $19.99 (regularly $200).