Mobile menu toggle

Intelli’s compact new StepUp is the Transformer of 3-in-1 iPhone chargers

By

Those little platforms for Apple Watch and AirPods pop in and out.
Those little platforms for Apple Watch and AirPods pop in and out.
Photo: Intelli

In a world awash with multi-device charging stations that juice your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods at the same time, it’s refreshing to see an unfamiliar design once in a while. Intelli provided one recently when it launched its new StepUp Magnetic Wireless Charging Station.

With its tidy little pop-out charging platforms, the MagSafe-compatible StepUp can be a sleek charger just for your iPhone or transform into a 3-in-1 for your trio of devices. But even fully deployed, the design is compact.

Nickelodeon characters go head-to-head in Apple Arcade’s new extreme tennis game

By

Nickelodeon characters go head-to-head in Apple Arcade’s new extreme tennis game
Nickelodeon Extreme Tennis isn’t like any sport you’ve played before.
Photo: Viacom/Apple

Danny Phantom heads to the tennis court with SpongeBob. Or Garfield faces down Invader Zim. It’s not animation day at Wimbledon — it’s Nickelodeon Extreme Tennis. The stars of animated shows past and present compete in a very unusual version of the sport.

The game debuted Friday on Apple Arcade.

‘This is what neck pain would look like if it were a setup’ [Setups]

By

In terms of proper ergonomics, the
In terms of proper ergonomics, the "before" photo set off some alarm bells.
Photo: [email protected]

If your computer setup had three screens, including a MacBook Pro, an iPad and a 32-inch external monitor, would you make the iPad the center screen? Would you put your screened devices on stands, or leave them at or near table level? Today’s setup saw a transition that might actually save its owner from years of physical therapy.

“This is what neck pain would look like if it were a setup,” someone said about the “before” photo, above.

Get a New Year’s discount up to 91% off: Windows 10 lifetime license for $14, Office for $26

By

Keysbuff offers great deals on Microsoft software activation keys.
Keysbuff offers great deals on Microsoft software activation keys.
Image: Keysbuff

This software activation key sale post is presented by Keysbuff.

Cult of Mac readers can kick off 2022 with some of the best tech deals of the year from software activation keys provider Keysbuff. You can save up to 91% off the full price on Windows 10 and get great savings on many other Microsoft software titles in the Keysbuff New Year Software Sale. Just use promo code COM at Keysbuff.com to get an extra 30% off the site’s already-low prices on keys for Windows 10 Pro Global, Microsoft Office 2021 Pro and others in the list below. You can purchase many products with lifetime licenses.

This gorgeous 15.6-inch portable monitor will make your eyes pop [Review]

By

InnoView Portable Monitor INVPM001 review
The InnoView Portable Monitor is ideal for work, school, gaming or video.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The InnoView 15.6-inch Portable Monitor might be everything you’re looking for in a second screen for your MacBook. First off, it’s beautiful. And it’s very slim and lightweight. Plus it works with a wide variety of devices: Mac, iPad, even iPhone with the right adapter.

I used InnoView’s on-the-go display for both work and entertainment. Here’s all the many ways it impressed me. And its one flaw.

Get Beats Fit Pro at their lowest price yet after a $46 discount

By

Beats Fit Pro in black
Now just $153.11 — down from $199.99 — for a limited time.
Photo: Apple

Beats Fit Pro headphones, which made their debut last November, pack spatial audio with dynamic head tracking, the Apple H1 chip for quick and easy pairing, and active noise cancellation. Get yours at their lowest price to date.

The black models are currently available from Amazon for just $153.11 for a limited time. That’s $46.88 off the usual price.

Get 12 top-rated Mac apps for less than $18 today

By

Boost your Mac's productivity with 12 of the world's highest rated apps, less than $18 today.
Grab the biggest Mac bundle of the year at a killer price.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Your Mac is an amazing piece of technology … but are you getting the most out of it? One simple way to boost your productivity is with The Complete Limited Edition Mac Bundle.

It’s a curated selection of 12 highly reviewed apps that offer the very best in productivity, video, security and more.

Sold separately, everything in this bumper bundle would usually cost $1,040. But right now, not only is it on sale for $29.99, but for a limited time, you can save an extra 40% off the sale price when you enter the code MACBUNDLE40 at checkout. That drives the price down to just $17.99.

Apple highlights iPhone 13’s brilliant battery life and durability in new ads

By

iPhone 13 ad
Don't try this at home.
Photo: Apple

Apple this week dropped a pair of new ads for iPhone 13, highlighting its newest handset’s brilliant battery life and durability.

One of the one-minute clips shows iPhone 13 being used to film a boy during a day-long bike ride. The other shows the device being used as a toy, hammer, baseball bat and more by an energetic toddler.

Apple Watch’s frustrating charging bug finally gets a fix in watchOS 8.4

By

Spigen-S350-Apple-Watch
Everyone will get the update soon.
Photo: Spigen

The watchOS 8.4 release candidate that rolled out to beta testers on Thursday eliminates an Apple Watch charging bug that first surfaced around a month ago.

The issue, which mostly affected Apple Watch Series 7, prevented devices from charging when using third-party accessories from a wide range of brands. But with the latest watchOS 8.4 update installed, everything is back to normal.

Massive Godzilla series stomps toward Apple TV+

By

Wow, a Godzilla series on Apple TV+.
You read that right, Godzilla, the King of the Monsters himself, is getting a series on Apple TV+.
Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures

Apple TV+ is making a series set in Legendary’s MonsterVerse that includes movies like Godzilla vs. Kong. The show will be live action, and continue the story of humanity’s battle to survive in a world populated with city-crushing behemoths.

Apple education store discounts now require proof of student status

By

Apple education store now requires proof of student status
If you want an educational discount on a MacBook, better be prepared to prove you are a university student.
Photo: Antoni Shkraba/Pexels

The U.S. Apple Store for Education now requires shoppers to prove they are a university student or teacher before they can get products at a discount. Before now, it essentially operated on the honor system, which was a giant loophole.

After the change, shoppers can’t even see the discounted prices without getting verified first.

Update: Apple flip-flopped on this change.  Read more in, “Apple’s educational discount ‘loophole’ is back!

4 great Mac apps to boost your productivity this year

By

4 of the best productivity apps that will change how you use your Mac.
Pick up the pace (and stop pulling out your hair) with these top-rated productivity apps.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

With a new year comes new possibilities and the chance to achieve an exciting new set of goals. Whether yours are personal or professional, we could all use a way to maximize the time we have — and productivity apps are the best way to do that.

It’s time to get more done, in less time — and enjoy more free time as a result.

Smoother ProMotion scrolling moves closer with macOS 12.2 release candidate

By

Smoother ProMotion scrolling moves closer with macOS 12.2 release candidate
The macOS 12.2 release candidate means a full release is almost here.
Photo: Cult of Mac

The macOS Monterey 12.2 release candidate went to developers on Thursday. This makes a full launch only a few days away.

Apple has yet to give an official list of changes in the upcoming version, but beta testers indicate it will offer smoother scrolling on MacBooks with ProMotion displays and a rewritten Apple Music app.

Apple also seeded to developers iOS 15.3 RC, iPadOS 15.3 RC, watchOS 8.4 RC and tvOS 15.3 RC on Thursday.

JBL has a new party in a box and lots of other big plans for your ears

By

The JBL PartyBox Encore is a 100W speaker with a Lightshow and two microphones.
The JBL PartyBox Encore is a 100W speaker with a Lightshow and two microphones.
Photo: JBL

Every year Samsung subsidiary JBL rolls out a tempting raft of updated or new audio products at CES, but you can’t get them right away. CES 2022, held in Las Vegas earlier this month, was no different. The company showed its new JBL PartyBox Encore and a slew of other Bluetooth speakers, earbuds and headphones. We’ll round them up below. Some are coming in spring and others in summer.

Release candidate shows iOS 15.3 will be just bug fixes

By

Mac malware is real. Watch out.
Bug fixes aren't exciting, but they're necessary.
Graphic: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple seeded the iOS 15.3 release candidate to developers on Thursday, along with the iPadOS equivalent. Surprisingly, the updates appear to include nothing but bug fixes and security updates. There are no new features. Still, I t’s possible these will take care of a headline-making WebKit bug that leaks user information.

Release candidates for macOS Monterey 12.2, watchOS 8.4 and tvOS 15.3 are also out on Thursday.

The Sky Is Everywhere gets ready to bring you to tears on Valentine’s Day

By

‘The Sky is Everywhere’ gets ready to bring you to tears on Valentine's Day
Grace Kaufman and Jacques Colimon in “The Sky Is Everywhere,” debuting February 11 on Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ will premiere The Sky Is Everywhere, a story of love and loss, just in time for Valentine’s Day.

A trailer for the upcoming film debuted Thursday, giving viewers a first look at a young woman simultaneously dealing with the death of her sister and her first love.

Get unlimited high-quality stock photos for life, now less than $30

By

Instantly improve the quality of your site with high-quality stock photos.
Get a lifetime subscription to this Forbes-featured stock photo service.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

The quality of the images you use can make or break any marketing materials, business presentation or website — and they’re a direct reflection of your brand. Whatever you create, using a high-quality stock photo service can change everything.

For a limited time, you can grab an unlimited lifetime subscription to Scopio Authentic Stock Photography for just $29 (regular price: $3,480).

Yet another bill calls for Apple to allow third-party app payments

By

2021 App Store Awards
Illinois wants new legislation against Apple and Google.
Image: Apple

Illinois is the latest U.S. state to file a bill that could force Apple and Google to accept third-party payment systems inside apps.

The “Freedom to Subscribe Directly Act,” supported by Hey app developer Basecamp, wants to prohibit both companies from requiring developers to use the App Store and Google Play to sell software and subscriptions.

Apple Music is the world’s second-biggest music streaming service

By

Apple Music
But Spotify is still way out in front.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

With a 15% share of the market, Apple Music is now the second-biggest music streaming service in the world, according to the latest data. It remains significantly bigger than rivals like YouTube Music and Deezer. Over the years, Apple has consistently evolved its music offerings, with features like apple.music replay allowing users to revisit their favorite songs and discover their listening trends.

However, Apple Music will have to fight to stay ahead of Amazon Music, while catching up with Spotify will be an incredibly difficult task.

iOS 15 fixes security flaw that exposes Apple ID info to third-party apps

By

iOS and iPadOS 15
It's time to update if you haven't already.
Image: Apple

iOS and iPadOS 15 fix a pretty serious security flaw that allowed third-party applications to access Apple ID information and recent search terms.

Apple this week confirmed the fix in an update to its security content guide for iOS 15. It does not look like the issue has been eliminated in iOS 14, which is no longer receiving standalone security updates.

Apple: Ability to skip iOS 15 updates was never meant to be permanent

By

iOS 15
It's iOS 15 or it's nothing now.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Apple has confirmed that giving users the option to skip iOS 15 updates and stick with iOS 14 was always intended to be temporary.

Its clarification comes after it last week stopped delivering security updates to those who have chosen not to update their devices since iOS 15 made its debut last September. iOS 15.2.1 is now the only upgrade option.