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These innovative chargers are 20% off in our second Cyber Week sale

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Stay fully charged through 2022 with these ChargeHub chargers.
Stay fully charged in 2022 with these innovative chargers.
Photo: Al Elmes/Unsplash License

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.

Portable hub adds plethora of USB-C and USB-A ports [Review]

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EZQuest USB-C Gen 2 Hub Adapter review
The EZQuest USB-C Gen 2 Hub Adapter takes just one port but adds four USB-C ports. And three USB-A ones.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

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 on, AirPods Max owners give pricey headphones rare thumbs down

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AirPods Max playing music on Spotify
AirPods Max owners grumble about the hefty price tag.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

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. 

Get 30% off Journey’s new MagSafe-compatible, 3-in-1 wireless charger

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Journey's new 3-in-1 wireless charging station is MagSafe-compatible.
This is one of the sleekest MagSafe chargers we've seen.
Photo: Journey

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.

Optical sensors could replace Apple Watch’s Digital Crown

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If the Digital Crown is gone, you can't accidentally smash it.
If the Digital Crown is gone, you can't accidentally smash it.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac

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.

Slopes ski and snowboard app for iOS and watchOS adds live location sharing and more

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The Slopes app for skiers and snowboarders now has privacy-focused live location sharing and improved maps, among other new features.
The Slopes app for skiers and snowboarders now has privacy-focused live location sharing and improved maps, among other new features.
Photo: Slopes

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.

What to expect from iMac in 2022

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What to expect from iMac in 2022
The return of the iMac Pro could be right around the corner.
Graphic: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

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.

Become a Sam’s Club member for $19.99 and save on Apple gear and more

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Sam's Club membership currently 65% off at $19.99.
Unlock big discounts on Apple gear and other electronics with a Sam's Club membership.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

A Sam’s Club membership, usually a $45 value, is already a deal. It gives you access to essential everyday products at exclusive low prices. The warehouse superstore’s prices are hard to beat.

Currently, a one-year Sam’s Club membership is 65% off at $19.99. Grab one now to open the door on exceptional deals on Apple products and other essentials.

Power through your reading list in 2022 with 12min

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Read the books you've been waiting for this year!
Read and learn with 12min in 2022.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Reading more books consistently ranks as one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions, and it’s a good one!

If reading more and learning something new is on your list, then you’re in luck. 12min is a book service that condenses some of the most popular books into 12-minute, easily processable packages. And right now it’s on sale for just $31.20 (regularly $399) with coupon code CYBER20.

Two secrets of super-clean desktops [Setups]

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Dual, mounted monitors and an M1 hidden Mac mini make for a clean desktop.
Dual, mounted monitors and an M1 hidden Mac mini make for a clean desktop.
Photo: [email protected]

We keep coming across two great secrets of super-clean desktops when it comes to computer setups. As shown in today’s featured setup, they’re both about creating significant amounts of open desk space in different ways — without losing any access to your gear or forfeiting any computing power.

And we’re not just talking about clearing away basic clutter, or even cable clutter, although that always helps. We’re talking about how you can get some of your main equipment up and off the desk so you have room in front of you. Redditor kurtvdpoel demonstrates the two excellent methods in his post, “Home office with Mac mini Apple M1.”

Get this gorgeous calfskin Apple Watch band for less than $10

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A soft, supple calfskin leather Apple Watch band for less than $10? Yes, please!
A soft, supple calfskin leather Apple Watch band for less than $10? Yes, please!
Photo: Cult of Mac Store

If you got an Apple Watch for Christmas, or even if you already had one — congratulations on owning one of the best smartwatches! Now, it’s time to up your band game (aka your Apple Watch strap). For a limited time, you can get the Speidel Square Tip Oiled Leather Band for Apple Watch for just $9.89 in the Cult of Mac Store. That’s 70% off the regular price!

Apple tries to retain top employees with $180,000 stock bonuses

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International governments plan to rethink tax rules for the ‘digital age’
Some top Apple engineers got a Christmas present they can take to the bank.
Photo: Pixabay/Pexels CC

Competition for highly skilled engineers and programmers is fierce in Silicon Valley, and Apple’s answer is big bonuses for employees it really wants to hold on to. It reportedly rewarded some workers with up to $180,000 in company stock.

These were apparently unscheduled and not part of usual compensation packages.

AirBuddy unlocks your AirPods’ full potential on Mac

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Sync your AirPods to your Mac computers with AirBuddy.
Get that slick iOS feeling when you use AirPods with your Mac.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

The AirPods experience is great overall, but let’s be honest. The way Apple’s earbuds work with a Mac is a pale imitation of the seamless functionality you get when using them with iPhones and iPads.

Luckily, an innovative Mac app called AirBuddy fixes that. And right now, you can save 20% on AirBuddy with code CYBER20.

Explore the world in 2022 with this top-rated car camping cabin

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Grab this pop-up camping cabin for your car.
Getting comfortable in the great outdoors has never been easier.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

One of the greatest goals you can have for 2022 is to explore the world around you and surround yourself with nature — and this awesome Carsule pop-up cabin for your car will allow you to do exactly that.

Not only is it discounted right now from its regular price of $379, but you can enjoy even more savings by taking a further 20% off the sale price with the coupon code CYBER20. That knocks the price all the way down to $239.99 for a limited time.

Thin, light and almost not even there: Is this the perfect case for your new iPhone?

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Totallee's minimalist cases are perfect for those not quite ready to go careless.
These minimalist iPhone 13 cases are perfect for those not quite ready to go caseless.
Photo: Totallee

This iPhone 13 cases post is brought to you by Totallee.

With the release of the tough iPhone 13 series handsets, with their Ceramic Shield and Gorilla Glass, more and more people started talking about going without a case altogether. Others, of course, weren’t about to drop a grand on a smartphone and then not protect that pricey gadget. There may actually be a perfect third path, whether you just got an iPhone 13 for Christmas or have had one for a while. You can try Totallee’s extremely thin and light iPhone 13 cases. They help protect and showcase your new smartphone without adding bulk.

Apple considers origami iPad stand with multiple viewing angles

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Apple considers origami iPad stand with multiple viewing angles
A new Apple patent shows ideas for a possible iPad folding cover/stand.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple received a patent for a foldable iPad cover/stand capable of holding the tablet up in a range of viewing angles. It’s a notable improvement over the current Apple Smart Cover.

Of course, there are plenty of third-party folding iPad stands with comparable capabilities. But people are more likely to pick Apple’s version because it’s Apple.

Apple TV+ hit Foundation among 2021’s most-pirated shows

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The Apple TV+ series Foundation finds itself a favorite among digital pirates.
The Apple TV+ series Foundation finds itself a favorite among digital pirates.
Photo: Apple

The eagerly anticipated and much-praised Apple TV+ original series Foundation, based on the epic Isaac Asimov novels of the 1950s, has received a modern-day distinction, of sorts — it’s among the most-pirated shows of the year online. As such, it’s in good company.

It’s not quite the same sort of honor as the scads of awards Apple TV+ has been winning for shows like Ted Lasso and Stillwater, but it’s impressive nonetheless.

Need to exchange a holiday gift? Compare top Apple and Beats earbuds

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AirPods Pro are still Apple's flagship earbud, but the others featured in the tables below make for stiff competition.
AirPods Pro are still Apple's flagship earbud, but the others featured in the tables below make for stiff competition.
Photo: Apple

In gift-giving season, sometimes you get something you already have or something that isn’t quite what you wanted. So, if you can exchange the item for something you truly covet — like a killer pair of Apple AirPods or Beats earbuds — you probably should.

But how do you choose between earbuds made by Apple and earbuds made by Apple subsidiary Beats by Dre? We’ve laid out the specs for four popular sets of buds, below, pitting AirPods Pro against Beats Fit Pro and the new AirPods (3rd gen) against Beats Studio Buds. But all the specs listed in each chart are the same, so it’s not difficult to compare and contrast all four.

New limited-edition Beats Studio Buds celebrate Year of the Tiger

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Add some Lunar New Year style to your earbuds.
Add some Lunar New Year style to your earbuds.
Photo: Beats

A new, red-and-gold, limited-edition design for Beats Studio Buds will celebrate the Lunar New Year in China and other countries — the Year of the Tiger — Apple said on Monday.

This follows a recent release of another predominately red, limited-edition design in collaboration with the men’s fashion store Union we wrote about earlier in December.

Omicron variant triggers wave of Apple retail store closures

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covid.19.coronavirus.graphic2
Look who’s back.
Photo: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The new, highly transmissible COVID-19 variant reportedly forced Apple to shut down around 20 of its retail stores in the United States. Coronavirus cases continue to rise dramatically because of the omicron variant, with the daily national average more than doubling in the past two weeks.

Those planning to return a gift at a brick-and-mortar Apple Store, or use a gift certificate, should check to see if it’s open before heading out.

What to expect from MacBook Air and the M2 processor in 2022

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What to expect from MacBook Air and the M2 processor in 2022
The 2022 MacBook Air is expected to bring quite significant changes.
Graphic: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

With 2022 almost on us, it’s time to look forward to the massive MacBook Air refresh expected next year. Tipsters say there’ll be a slim new design, a much better screen and a range of other improvements.

This notebook is also expected to be the debut of the super-speedy Apple M2 processor.

Grab a lifetime’s worth of cloud backup and VPN service for less than $75

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Grab 10TB of of cloud backup and a lifetime subscription to a top-rated VPN service for less than $75.
Save an extra 20% on a lifetime's worth cloud backup and VPN services.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

You may own the fanciest gadgets in the world, but none of that really matters if you pay very little attention to your data protection and online privacy. Don’t lull yourself into a false sense of security, thinking cyberattacks only happen to large businesses and corporations. They’re prevalent in small organizations and individuals, too.

The responsible thing to do is to tighten up your security, and you can do that with The Lifetime Backup & Security Subscription Bundle. Available for an extra 20% off with code CYBER20, it offers total online freedom. It pairs a subscription to a top-rated VPN service with lifetime access to 10TB of cloud storage that will keep your data secure.

Why iPhone owners are so wary of iOS 15

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Why iPhone owners are so wary of iOS 15: 35% of iPhone users haven’t installed iOS 15, even though they could have months ago.
35% of iPhone users haven’t installed iOS 15, even though they could have months ago.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Three months after launch, a lower percentage of iPhone users have adopted iOS 15 than they did its predecessors in previous years. Cult of Mac asked readers to explain their hesitancy.

Turns out there’s not one single reason.

Save more than $200 on a portable charger that can juice your MacBook multiple times

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This portable super battery is the perfect New Years gift.
Charge your MacBook and everything else with this 5-in-1 charger.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

There are portable batteries, and then there are powerhouses like the ScoutPro Ultimate All-in-One Charger with LED Display. This beefy portable battery can fully charge a MacBook and four other devices at once. And for our second Cyber Week sale, it’s just $127.20 (regularly $349) with code CYBER20.