Cult of Mac

For the first computer setup featured in the new year, we look backward. Not to the recently subsided and mostly loathed 2021, but further back to a controversial Apple product launch from nearly a decade ago. And deeper into Apple’s storied history. Cult of Mac reader Michael De Jong shared some interesting older gear and some iconic imagery with us in his setup photographs.

Apple engineers and other staffers who helped develop the M1 chip are receiving T-shirts to celebrate its one-year anniversary. The shirts feature a picture of an M1 chip, according to a photo posted to Twitter by a senior Apple worker.

“Every so often, something comes along that changes everything,” reads an accompanying note. “Congratulations and thank you for helping make Apple ‌M1‌ possible!”

If you spend a lot of time in cyber conferences or streaming online, then you know that most basic video software doesn’t offer the customization tools to do anyone justice. Spruce up your image and add some life to your meetings and streams with a lifetime subscription to XSplit VCam Premium. Available for both Mac and Windows, it’s on sale for $23.20 (regularly $60) with coupon code CYBER20.

Tim Cook’s mission to make Apple’s Services business a behemoth all by itself is paying off in a big way. The latest Wall Street estimate pegs its total value at a whopping $1.5 trillion — more than a third of Apple’s total market cap.

To put that figure into perspective, it’s more than the national net worth of most countries — including Ukraine, Hungary, Peru and Qatar combined.

T-Mobile and Verizon have discontinued the iPad rebate program which offered customers up to $200 back when they activated a cellular device. The move comes after growing complaints about the program’s reliability.

Many users who tried taking advantage of the promotion were met with frustrating responses and poor customer service from both carriers, which reportedly denied the rebate program ever existed on a number of occasions.

Apple’s next desktop monitor won’t be cheap, but it could be significantly less expensive than the high-end Pro Display XDR, according to a new report.

The new standalone screen is expected to land with a price tag of around $2,500. In comparison, the Pro Display XDR still starts at $4,999 — and that’s without the optional (but arguably necessary) stand that costs $999.

Apple will launch a second generation of AirPods Pro in the fall, according to an analyst who’s also a reliable tipster. The upgraded earbuds allegedly will offer better sound than the current version, via support for lossless audio. And there reportedly will be other changes, too, including a new design.

Long before the launch, AirPods of all kinds are shipping like crazy, thanks to Apple’s lowering the cost, according to the same analyst.

There’s never a better time to start the project you’ve always wanted to work on than the start of the new year. So, whether you want to finally build the app you’ve always wanted to, or start an exciting new career as an app developer, e-learning with the Complete Mobile & App Development Bundle will open the doors to do so.

And even better, this top-rated course is on sale for a limited time. Usually $1,791, not only is this training on sale now, but you can take a further 20% off the sale price today when you enter the code CYBER20 as part of our Cyber Week II sale. That drives the price all the way down to $35.99. With nine different courses included in this bundle, that works out to less than $4 per course.

It’s the season for cold windows and warm sofas, which means there’s always a new way to make your home a bit cozier. If you want a fireplace without the hassle of actually having a fireplace, then you should get a Flikr Fire2, especially while it’s on sale for 27% off.

If your New Year’s resolution is to get in shape in 2022, Apple Fitness+ provides the perfect solution. Tightly integrated with Apple Watch, it offers hundreds of excellent video workouts you can do at home right now. But the question is, will you?

As the old saying goes, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. Subscribing to Fitness+ is all very well, but it’ll be a waste of money if you lose interest after a week.

Unfortunately, sticking to a New Year’s resolution isn’t easy. That’s probably why almost 50% of them fail in the first year.

If you want to smash your fitness goals in 2022, you need to start by getting your head in the right place. And that’s where well-formed outcomes can help. They are goals that meet certain essential criteria identified by psychologists in the 1980s using a technique called neuro-linguistic programming, or NLP.

Well-formed outcomes provide a framework that can massively increase your chances of achieving your goal. And all you need to do to turn your resolution into a well-formed outcome is ask yourself these six questions.

There’s no better time to upgrade your life than the new year. And the easiest way to start 2022 with intention is with some of the most-trusted life-improvement apps out there. With our Social Distancing Lifetime Subscription Bundle Featuring Rosetta Stone — which gets you lifetime access to the award-winning language software, the 12min condensed book app and the top-rated KeepSolid VPN Unlimited — you can do just that.

Usually $844, this bundle is on sale today for just $199. Plus, you can boost your savings by taking another 20% off when you enter the code CYBER20 at checkout — driving the price for the package all the way down to just $159.20.

You should ring in the New Year with the first new Peanuts special since 2011. In Snoopy Presents: For Auld Lang Syne, Lucy is having a party but everything is going wrong. It’s her fault but she blames everyone else. So the gang has to come together to save the day.

As a Peanuts fan going back decades, I watched the new holiday special with a skeptical eye. I found a lot to like, whether this is your introduction to Charlie Brown and his friends, or you’re a long-time watcher like me.

In a festive New Year’s promotion, Elago is offering every accessory in the Cult of Mac Store — hundreds of items, all in one place — at 15% off through January 7. No matter what Apple products you may have received as gifts over the holidays, there’s something for your in the sale. We cover some highlights below.

With the omicron variant fueling lightning-fast spread of COVID-19, it’s a good time for iPhone owners to take advantage of the exposure notifications feature built into iOS. By simply enabling this feature, you will get an alert after being exposed to someone who tests positive for the virus — as long as they also have contact notifications turned on, and they report their test results.

For obvious reasons, this automatic version of contact tracing works more effectively if more people utilize it. If you discover that you’ve been in close contact with an infected person, you can take appropriate steps (getting tested, staying away from vulnerable people, etc.)

We’ll show you how to take control of COVID-19 exposure notifications on your device.

The new M1 Macs are impressive — especially the newest of the new, the M1 Pro and M1 Max MacBooks. They’re so impressive, we see them replacing even late-model desktop Macs that have years of useful and even impressive life left in them. Such is the case with today’s year-end setup.

In a twist on the old phrase uttered at this time of year, “Out with the (not very) old, in with the (insanely great) new.”

Apple might break into a new product category in 2022. The company reportedly will unveil its long-rumored virtual reality and augmented reality headset.

Over the years, Apple profoundly changed the smartphone, tablet, smartwatch and MP3 player markets, taking niche products mainstream. It’s possible it’s about to do the same for VR/AR.

This discount software activation keys post is brought to you by CDKeylord.com.

In its New Year Sale, software seller CDKeylord.com offers good deals for the taking. Cult of Mac readers can get 35% off the regular price of a Genuine Lifetime Windows 10 Pro key and many other product-activation keys. And when you buy a Windows 10 key, you can get a free upgrade to Windows 11! Just enter the special discount code CULT at checkout.

See all the currently available discounts on Microsoft software in the list below.

With everyone living and working digitally more than ever, it’s never been so important to protect our files. So, if you could use some reliable cloud storage for your devices, gives this Degoo Premium: Lifetime 1TB Backup Plan a look.

A $900 value, you can snag this deal for a fraction of that cost for a limited time. For a single payment of less than $40 (with coupon code CYBER20), you’ll get more backup space than Dropbox, OneDrive and Google Drive combined.

With 2022 approaching, you should aim to start the new year organized and ready for action. That includes your devices. It’s time to say goodbye to flat batteries and stay fully powered with a new charger you can rely on.

From charging in your car to optimizing your desk space, the chargers in this roundup deliver everything you need to never be left with a dead battery again. And you can save on them during our second Cyber Week sale.

You can never be too thin, too rich or have too many USB ports. The EZQuest USB-C Gen 2 Hub Adapter adds four USB-C ports and three USB-A ones, making room for an array of peripherals for your Mac or iPad.

I put the USB-C hub through real-world testing. Here are its strengths and weaknesses.

A year after the debut of AirPods Max, an analysis of user reviews found that buyers like the over-the-ear headphones less than rival products. The main problem: price.

For comparison, the same study by consumer research company Revuze shows people who buy Apple’s basic AirPods seem much more satisfied. And user reviews of other Apple products are usually quite positive, too.

“It is off-brand and surprising to see how poorly the AirPods Max product was received over the course of the year since its release,” Revuze CEO Boaz Grinvald told Cult of Mac. 

This MagSafe charger post is brought to you by Journey, a brand of Alogic. 

You probably have cables to charge your iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch. But wouldn’t it be great to charge them all at once, in one place, like on your nightstand or desk? Without a bunch of wires? With the handsome new Journey 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Station, you can.

Journey’s newest charger also serves as a stand for your gadgets — and it looks good doing it. And, by the way, if you act fast, you can get the new charging station for 30% off with the coupon X30.

Apple Watch’s Digital Crown helps users take full advantage of the watchOS interface, beyond using the wearable’s touchscreen. But it looks like future Apple Watches might ditch the crown in favor of optical sensors, according to a new patent the Cupertino tech giant filed.

The well-regarded Slopes app that provides resort information to skiers and snowboarders — and helps them track their exploits carving mountain trails — saw four major updates in December. They include privacy-focused live location sharing and enhanced maps for iPhone and Apple Watch.

2022 could be the year Apple takes iMac to the next level. Various leaks point to an iMac Pro with a blazing-fast processor and a beautiful screen.

But it’s not supposed to be any larger than the biggest current iMac, though the overall design is expected to change.