Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: It sounds like Apple has some really big plans for 2022. We’re psyched about some things, skeptical about others, but definitely shining up our Apple Cards.

Also on The CultCast:

• Snap Spectacles, as modeled by Alex E. Heath.
• Anxiously awaiting the end of the “notch.”
• AppleCare+ getting a fear-based boost?
• More of our Gear of the Year picks.

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.

If you have the drive to pick up new and lucrative skills, you definitely should check out The Black Friday Mega Lifetime Bundle. This huge bundle gives you lifetime access to three e-learning platforms, with thousands of classes on every topic you could imagine, plus an awesome VPN.

It’s a $14,493 value, but it’s on sale now for just $125. It’s never too late to learn something new, but it’s almost too late to take advantage of these astonishing savings.

Dickinson, Apple TV+’s soon-to-be-missed show about the great poet, arrives at its moment of truth this week. The episode, titled “My Life had stood – a Loaded Gun -,” is the one the entire show has been building toward — and there are still two left to go before this final season concludes.

Will Emily Dickinson become who history understands her to be, or is there some greater truth for this version of the poet? Strong performances and fearless writing guide the show into uncharted territory this week.

Apple TV+ will produce Surfside Girls, a 10-episode live-action kids and family series. It’ll tell the story of two friends who solve a mystery about pirate ghosts.

The series will be based on the the best-selling graphic novel series of the same name by author Kim Dwinell.

Apple TV+’s The Shrink Next Door hits the boiling point in this week’s episode. After suffering three decades of passive aggression, manipulation, bad advice, greed and sabotage, Marty finally has his fill of Ike and decides to take action.

It’s too little too late for Will Ferrell‘s character — and for this increasingly unpleasant show — which is about to wrap up on a distinctly unsatisfying note.

Is it just your imagination, or are there billions of affordable earbuds boasting great sound quality on the market now? Well, maybe not billions, but many. And now Chinese audio brand Tronsmart adds its new Onyx Prime True Wireless Earbuds to the mix for $69.99.

The STM Goods MagPod is a beefy iPhone tabletop tripod that magnetically attaches to the handset. And it can do double duty as a handle. Use it for keeping an eye on your texts or making FaceTime calls.

I put the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 accessory to the test in this review.

Connectivity accessories maker StarTech.com expanded its lineup of USB-C multiport adapters. The company said the new adapters enable you to create a powerful mobile workstation no matter where your work takes you.

The aliens have been defeated … or have they? And if so, what next? Is this the first wave of a prolonged attack? The start of intergalactic war? This week on Invasion, our heroes wake up in a reality that’s been thoroughly altered for the second time since the series opened.

As the first season of the Apple TV+ alien combat show ends, it plants clues that leave us itching for season 2.

Taking Apple products and patents for inspiration, A UK-based vehicle-leasing company called Vanarama has offered a detailed look at what it thinks the first Apple Car could look like. You can explore the 3D concept render inside and out.

With the new M1 Pro and M1 Max MacBook Pro models selling like hotcakes, a lot of people are wondering how to incorporate their new laptops into their computer setups. Is it enough just to use the laptop, or should it be used with an external keyboard, mouse or trackpad, as well as an external monitor? If you’re setting up your Mac and find that Bluetooth is off, you may need to know how to turn Bluetooth on Mac without mouse or keyboard.

Your Apple Watch is surprisingly pretty on the inside. Take a peek behind the screen with this awesome wallpaper from the fine folks over at iFixit.

The photo is a real X-ray image of Apple Watch Series 7. It clearly shows off a number of important components, including its Taptic Engine, intricate chipset, and the wireless charging coil. And it works great as a watch face.

This discount software activation keys post is presented by CDKeylord.com.

Software seller CDKeylord.com extended its recent Black Friday sale, so the good deals keep coming. 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 extreme discounts on Microsoft software in the list below.

Apple faces a class action lawsuit from Apple Watch wearers who claim to have been injured by their device after its battery swelled and cracked its screen.

The plaintiffs say Apple, in its efforts to make Apple Watch as thin as possible, doesn’t provide enough space for potential battery expansion. So, when this happens, the display pops out and can leave “razor-sharp edges” exposed.

You shouldn’t need to buy a separate charger for each of your devices. Instead of fighting to keep cords untangled and constantly juggling devices between a limited number of chargers, take a look at the Fast Charge 4-in-1 Wireless Charging Hub. This charging hub can power four devices at once, and it’s on sale for $59.99 (regularly $99).

Microsoft told Apple that it was willing to turn big Xbox exclusives into iPhone and iPad games before negotiations over bringing its Xbox Cloud Gaming service to the App Store broke down earlier this year, internal emails show.

Microsoft was also open to releasing individual apps for each of the titles available in its streaming catalog to comply with App Store rules. It changed course when it became apparent that appeasing Apple was just too difficult.

If you’re lucky enough to have already grabbed one, you know the iPhone 13 is just beautiful. It has one of the most advanced displays you can find for smartphones, and everything about it is worth protecting.

And that’s why if you have an iPhone 13 or are hoping to grab one, you’ll want a case that will protect your phone and still showcase its aesthetic. Cult of Mac Deals gathered up seven of the best deals on iPhone 13 cases, and you’re going to have a hard time seeing all of them and not grabbing one.

Apple is doubtless hard at work on iOS 16, and concept artist Kevin Kal has suggestions that many iPhone users will agree with.

He created a video to demonstrate the proposed changes, including Split View, interactive widgets and more.

Have you ever lost your Apple TV remote? What an annoyance. But Elago’s new accessories for the Apple TV — a neat bunch of cases for your remote-control device as well as a mounts for it and your Apple TV hardware — help prevent loss. And they make thoughtful gifts for Apple fans.

iPhone component suppliers are preparing for the launch of a next-generation iPhone SE in early 2022, according to a new report. Industry sources also claim that there have been no cutbacks in orders for the latest iPhone models.

The new iPhone SE is not expected to deliver a big redesign. However, recent reports have suggested it will feature a faster chip and 5G connectivity.

The Adonit Dash 4 is an iPad stylus well suited for writing or drawing. And it offers something the Apple Pencil doesn’t: iPhone compatibility. The stylus flips between Apple’s tablet and handset with the push of a button. Or use it with Android.

I tried the Dash 4 with a variety of devices. Here’s what I found out.

Apple’s first mixed reality headset will pack a number of advanced sensors that allow for innovative gesture controls, according to one analyst.

It is believed the device will be able to recognize subtle changes in hand movements, like the clench of a fist, to allow users to interact with virtual objects without using another device, such as a controller.

Just in time for Christmas, Apple TV+ cooked up a brand-new holiday special from the Peanuts gang. The charming show, titled Snoopy Presents: For Auld Lang Syne, debuts Friday and centers on Lucy’s attempt to pull off a New Year’s Eve party.

It will run alongside several classic Peanuts specials on the streaming service, so we don’t have to judge the new one in a vacuum. Luckily, For Auld Lang Syne pops the cork on some of that old-fashioned holiday magic that makes the Peanuts special so … special.

Many wireless charging stations are bulky behemoths that dominate the landscape wherever you end up putting them. But switching back to cords simply isn’t an option.

The StepUp magnetic wireless charging station offers the best of both worlds. It’s a compact charging station with three wireless zones that doesn’t take up your whole nightstand. And two of those charging zones disappear when you’re not using them! Plus, it’s on sale for just $59.99 (regularly $89).

The new watchOS 8.3 release candidate, rolled out by Apple on Wednesday, brings AssistiveTouch gesture controls to older Apple Watch models.

The feature made its debut back in May, but could be used only on newer devices, like Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch Series 7. The release candidate expands support to Series 4 and Series 6 devices for the first time.