iOS and iPadOS 15 bring a number of big improvements to FaceTime — including voice isolation and the ability to blur your background during video calls like you can on Zoom and other video calling platforms.
We’ll show you how to enable the background blur feature using Portrait mode on iPhone and iPad.
Sick of losing your iPhone under all the clutter on your desk? Laut’s gorgeous Free Stand ensures your smartphone is always easy to see so you don’t miss another notification. It’s also great for hands-free FaceTime calls.
The Free Stand is made from sturdy aluminum and looks right at home alongside other Apple devices. It’s also adjustable, and until the end of today, it’s available from the Cult of Mac Store at 20% off its usual price. You can also save on all other Laut products.
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In its month-end sale, software seller CDKeylord.com offers more unbeatable deals on genuine Microsoft software. Cult of Mac readers can get 30% off the regular price of a Windows 10 Pro key. And when you buy a Windows 10 key, you can get a free upgrade to Windows 11! Just enter the special discount code CULT when you check out to grab the exceptional savings.
See currently available discounts on various Microsoft software titles in the list below.
The first tvOS 15.4 beta brings an improved video player with a built-in “Up Next” queue to Apple TV. The update, released Thursday by Apple, also allows users to connect to captive Wi-Fi networks for the first time.
The changes come after Apple TV got a completely redesigned video player with larger titles and more accessible subtitles in tvOS 15 last fall.
Apple on Thursday rolled out its first iOS 15.4 beta adding the ability to use Face ID with a mask for the first time. Since then, tests carried out by developers have uncovered some additional (and important) tidbits.
Here’s what you need to know.
Apple’s new iOS 15.4 beta eliminates a bug that prevents third-party apps from using iPhone 13 Pro’s super-smooth ProMotion feature.
Until now, apps not made by Apple have been restricted to a 60Hz refresh rate on the company’s newest flagship smartphone. But after installing iOS 15.4, they’re just as silky as apps running on iPad Pro.
The technology behind wireless chargers improves every year. This Magnetic Wireless Charger for iPhone is fast, safe and remarkably convenient for the price. You can get one for $29.99 or two for $49.99 while they’re on sale.
It’s similar to Apple’s MagSafe charger, but more affordable — especially if you buy two. (Can you ever have too many iPhone chargers?)
The Department of Justice, 35 U.S. states, and Microsoft have all backed Fortnite developer Epic Games in its fight against the App Store.
Briefs filed by Epic’s supporters with the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit say last year’s ruling — which said the App Store was not a monopoly — is wrong. They also claim Apple is stifling competition.
Apple Music has launched a huge Neil Young promotion just days after Spotify began pulling all of the singer’s content from its platform.
Listeners will today find a “We Love Neil” section under the “Browse” tab that features albums, interviews, and playlists. Cupertino has also send out tweets and push notifications that call Apple Music “The home of Neil Young.”
Apple sold a crazy number of iPhones and Macs during the December quarter. And the result is what CEO Tim Cook called the company’s “biggest quarter ever.”
Take a deeper dive into the details to see how Apple was so very successful.
Technology has transformed just about everything in the modern world and art is no exception. Non-fungible tokens, aka NFTs, are a new way to uniquely register and ultimately protect your art in the open market.
Want to know how to get started with NFTs? This How to Create Your First NFT: The Beginner’s Guide will show you everything you need to know.
Apple raked in $123.9 billion in revenue during the last three months of 2021. That’s a year-over-year increase of 11%. More importantly, it’s significantly higher than financial analysts had predicted.
All that revenue led to quarterly earnings per diluted share of $2.10. Again, that solidly beat expectations.
If you want to run more than one display with your M1 MacBook Air or M1 MacBook Pro, Sonnet Technologies just made things easier. The company rolled out new dual-display adapters that let you hook up two 4K displays to your laptop using just one of its precious few ports.
Face ID in iOS 15.4 will let users unlock their iPhones while wearing a mask. No Apple Watch necessary. The system will scan just the area around eyes. It comes with a warning that the change makes Face ID less secure, though.
Apple seeded the first iOS 15.4 beta to developers Thursday.
Apple seeded the first beta for macOS Monterey 12.3 to developers on Thursday. It includes the long-overdue Universal Control feature, suggesting this will finally launch soon.
The beta comes just a day after macOS 12.2 ended testing and was released to the public.
Apple this week dropped a bunch of gorgeous new Unity wallpapers — and a new band and face for Apple Watch — for iPhone, iPad and Mac as part of its Black History Month celebrations.
Here’s how to download them and enable them on your devices.
Want to protect your 11-inch iPad Pro or fourth-generation iPad Air without doubling its size? Check out the new Huex Folio from Laut, which offers a slimline design that includes a screen cover and a home for Apple Pencil.
Bag yours from the Cult of Mac Store with a 20% discount for a limited time.
First there was Touch ID, then Face ID. Now Ear ID could be on the way. Apple filed for a patent on a biometric system using AirPods wireless earbuds.
The idea is that headphones should be able to identify who is wearing them and refuse to work for unidentified wearers. But if the system is accurate enough, it could potentially be used to unlock an iPhone or Apple Watch without needing a passcode.
Hot on the heels of Denon’s launch of a soundbar-and-subwoofer combo with Dolby Atmos for just $449, Sony said Thursday it will offer its own affordable surround-sound rig for only $300. It’s the HT-S400 2.1ch Soundbar, set for launch in April.
At that price, Sony’s new soundbar looks like a solid budget-friendly option for stellar TV audio. Pumping out 330W of sound, it comes with a wireless subwoofer, easy connectivity to the company’s newest TVs and an OLED heads-up display.
Judging by the Denon and Sony launches, it appears an era of high-quality, affordable TV audio solutions is upon us. After all, just months ago, companies raced to put out similar gear that cost many hundreds of dollars more, in many cases.
Amazon just dropped its biggest discount yet on Beats Studio Buds, saving you more than $40, right after Apple rolled out a rather juicy firmware update.
Get yours with active noise cancellation and a water-resistant design for less than $110 before the deal ends.
Some software is just essential. And we’ve got a hot deal on one of computing’s bedrock software suites: Microsoft Office Home & Business for Mac 2021. This six-part bundle comes with the programs that functionally run the professional world.
And right now, a lifetime license to these essential Microsoft Office programs is on sale for just $49.99 (regularly $349).
Apple says it has eliminated the iCloud sync issue that has been causing all kinds of disruption inside third-party apps.
The problem first surfaced late last year, soon after iOS 15 made its debut, and sporadically prevented many apps from syncing data through iCloud — much to the frustration of users and developers. But it is said to be eliminated now.
Apple could finally make widgets interactive in iOS 16, allowing you to control music playback, toggle your flashlight, adjust display brightness, and lots more right from your Home screen.
The new widgets are codenamed “InfoShack” internally, according to a sketchy new rumor that promises more details are on the way.
Apple is working to give iPhone the ability to accept contactless credit card payments over NFC without the need for additional hardware “in the coming months,” according to a new report.
You currently need a third-party credit card reader, like those made by Square, to use iPhone as a payment terminal. However, since iPhone 6 made it debut in 2014, Apple’s smartphone has been packing the NFC technology that’s needed.
An adaptation of the New York Times bestselling novel Pachinko is now scheduled to premiere on Apple TV+ in March. The international drama series will take place across three countries and star an internationally renowned cast.
The first images from the upcoming eight-episode season were revealed Wednesday.