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Add convenient media controls and 6 ports to iPad with one USB-C hub [Review] ★★★★★

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HyperDrive 6-in-1 USB-C Media Hub review★★★★★
Kit out your iPad with physical media controls as well as six commonly used ports.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The popular Apple Magic Keyboard turns an iPad into a laptop, but unlike some rivals, it doesn’t include physical media controls. However, the HyperDrive 6-in-1 USB-C Media Hub adds these advanced options. And that’s only the start, as it also includes ports for connecting a monitor, headphones and a range of useful USB-A accessories.

I love it. Here’s why.

Apple wants to give CarPlay control over your A/C, seats and more

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Apple CarPlay
The future of CarPlay could be pretty awesome.
Photo: Apple

Apple is working on deeper CarPlay integration that could one day allow the system to take control of your vehicle’s air conditioning, seats, radio and more, according to a new report that cites people familiar with the plan.

The project, known as “IronHeart” internally, would require greater support from vehicle manufacturers. But if Apple can see it through, it would make CarPlay a whole lot more than a basic infotainment system.

Editing a PDF on a Mac? Look no further than PDF Reader Pro.

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Become a PDF editing master with the PDF Reader Pro for Mac.
This Mac app has everything you need to edit your PDFs.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Whether it’s your first time editing a PDF or you’re looking for a more efficient way to manage your documents, PDF Reader Pro for Mac will give you the tools you need. With this handy Mac app, you can easily insert, add and replace both text and images in any PDF. And those are just some of the many included features that will take your PDF editing skills to the next level.

Typically retailing for $59, PDF Reader Pro is now on sale for $39.99, which represents 33% off its retail price.

Yet another country finds App Store rules anti-competitive

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App Store
This isn't looking good for Apple.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Antitrust investigators in the Netherlands are the latest to determine that Apple’s App Store rules over in-app payments are anti-competitive. Authorities ordered Cupertino to make changes, sources say, but did not issue fines.

The decision follows a similar ruling in South Korea in late August. It became the first country to tell Apple (and Google) that they must accept third-party payment systems in their app marketplaces.

iOS 15.1 beta 3 brings ProRes video recording to iPhone 13 Pro

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iPhone 13 Pro gets ProRes video
A Hollywood film studio in your pocket.
Photo: Apple

Apple on Wednesday rolled out its third iOS 15.1 beta, bringing ProRes video recording to iPhone 13 Pro for the first time since it made its debut. The feature can be enabled inside the Settings app.

But be warned: ProRes video takes up a lot of storage space. Apple says just one minute of footage shot in 1080p weighs in at approximately 1.7GB, and switching to super-sharp 4K will balloon that file size to a whopping 6GB.

This slim wireless charger attaches to your iPhone via magnets

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This wireless power bank is magnetic.
You'll barely notice this subtle wireless power bank that connects to your iPhone.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Power banks don’t have to be clunky and annoying, and they certainly don’t have to be wired. The HyperGear 5000mAh Magnetic Power Bank is a universal power bank that will wirelessly charge Apple and Android devices, and it’s on sale for less than $35.

How to get ready to preorder Apple Watch Series 7

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How to get ready to pre-order Apple Watch Series 7
How to be ready to order an Apple Watch Series 7 early on Friday morning.
Photo: Cult of Mac

The time when you can preorder the next generation of Apple Watch is drawing close. Apple will start taking people’s money at exactly 5 a.m. PDT this Friday, Oct. 8.

If demand is as heavy (and supply is as light) as expected, the company might quickly run short of Apple Watch Series 7 available on launch day. That means that if you delay your order, you might have to wait extra days or even weeks to get your new device.

If you want in on day one, there’s more you should do to get ready than simply setting an alarm. Here’s how to get completely ready to put in an Apple Watch Series 7 preorder.

Ex-Sennheiser engineer Axel Grell rolls out affordable audiophile earbuds

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A stylized image of some stylish Grell Audio earbuds.
A stylized image of some stylish Grell Audio earbuds.
Photo: Grell Audio

Audio engineer Axel Grell designed Sennheiser’s much-admired HD580 and HD800 headphones. Then he left the company in 2019 to start Grell Audio. And now he offers a pair of premium, true wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation (ANC) called Grell TWS-1 for the not-too-lofty price of $199.99.

Halide camera app improves iPhone 13 Pro macro shots

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Halide 2.5 update improves images from iPhone 13 Pro macro camera
Take better macro images with the iPhone 13 Pro and a new Halide 2.5 update.
Photo: Lux Optics/Cult of Mac

A just-released update to Halide helps iPhone and iPad owners take better close-up images. The iOS application works with the macro camera in the iPhone 13 Pro series, but also offers tools that can help any phone or tablet user with close-in pictures.

This is in addition to Halide Mark II 2.5’s many other features that give more control over the cameras built into iPhone and iPad than are available in Apple’s own application.

The beauty of monitor and laptop stands (and a Hulk cord holder) [Setups]

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When you don't a big desk, stands for monitor and laptop are great space-savers.
When you don't a big desk, stands for monitor and laptop are great space-savers.
Photo: [email protected]

In the world of computer setups, space is often at a premium. When you’ve got computers, displays, peripherals, gadgets and cables, you need some surface area. But not everyone has a big desk, much less more than one. That’s where certain types of stands and mounting arms come in handy.

LG prepares for iPad Pro’s shift to OLED displays in 2023

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2021 iPad Pro has an amazing mini-LED display
Is mini-LED just a stopgap?
Photo: Apple

LG Display has “begun the development” of 12.9-inch OLED displays for iPad Pro, according to a new report. Production is expected to begin soon before Apple makes the transition away from mini-LED screens in 2023 or 2024.

LG is said to be pushing “two stack tandem technology,” which employs two red, green and blue emission layers. This could allow iPad Pro’s display to be twice as bright as traditional OLED panels, and much longer lasting.

Survey finds Apple fans are ‘not at all’ excited by iPhone 13

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Apple California Streaming event: iPhone 13 comes in an array of five colors.
Some say it's just not enough.
Photo: Apple

A new survey of more than 5,000 iPhone owners in the United States found that a whopping 64.1% believe the iPhone 13 refresh is “not very” or “not at all” exciting. Just 23.3% intend to upgrade this year.

While fans are happy to see upgrades like ProMotion and longer battery life, others bemoan the lack of Touch ID and always-on display. Others simply don’t feel like iPhone 13 is enough of an upgrade over their current device.

Always have a backup plan with 10TB of cloud storage for life

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Get 10TB of secure backup storage for life.
With Degoo, you'll get a lifetime of secure storage and automatic backups for photos and all your other important files.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

It’s totally annoying when you run out of room on your smartphone or computer. To avoid that hassle, grab 10TB of secure backup storage with this Degoo Premium: Lifetime 10TB Backup Plan.

It’s on sale now for just $99.99. That’s quite a deal for such a large amount of storage. (By comparison, Apple charges $9.99 a month for just 2TB of iCloud+ storage!) But we’ll also give you a $20 store credit with your purchase.

2021 iPad mini owners report strange display defects

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2021 iPad mini display issues
Is your iPad mini seeing similar problems?
Photos: Reddit

It seems “jelly scrolling” isn’t the only thing plaguing some 2021 iPad mini displays. A growing number of users are taking to online platforms to report strange screen defects that include discoloration and distortion.

“Push very lightly on the screen and you will see distortion and discoloration,” one user wrote on Reddit, who had their original 2021 iPad mini replaced because of this issue, then discovered the same problem on the second unit.

This simple extension fixes one of Safari 15’s biggest frustrations

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ActiveTab extension for Safari 15
That's more like it.
Screenshot: Cult of Mac

After installing Apple’s newest Safari 15 update, many Mac users quickly noticed that it’s too damn difficult to identify which tab is active. It’s one of the biggest complaints (on a list of many) regarding the browser’s big redesign.

But there’s an easy way to fix it. One developer has created a simple Safari extension called ActiveTab that makes it much easier to see which tab you’re currently using at a glance by drawing a customizable colored line beneath it.

Apple Card users get 3% Daily Cash credit for iPhone 13 preorder hiccups

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Apple Card
"We apologize for the inconvenience."
Photo: Apple

Apple Card users who ran into issues while trying to preorder iPhone 13 last month will receive a credit for the 3% Daily Cash they missed out on. Apple said in an email to customers that it apologizes for the inconvenience caused.

To continue receiving Daily Cash on future iPhone payments, Apple Card users can change their monthly payment method through Citizens One.

Tim Cook reflects on Steve Jobs’ legacy on 10th anniversary of his passing

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Steve Jobs only turned off his phone while hanging out with Apple design chief Jony Ive.
Steve Jobs only turned off his phone while hanging out with Apple design chief Jony Ive.
Photo: Ben Stanfield/Flickr CC

Apple co-founder Steve Jobs passed away on October 5, 2011. Ten years later, Apple’s current CEO Tim Cook sent a memo to all employees about his former boss and friend. In it, he says that Jobs’ passion to change the world for the better lives on in the company.

Solve iOS problems in minutes and skip the support line’s annoying hold music

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Fix hundreds of Apple problems in a few clicks.
With AnyFix, you can easily solve common iOS issues.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Sometimes your Apple gear just isn’t going to work properly. When you’re having trouble with your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Apple TV, you can skip the long wait for tech support and just use AnyFix.

This one-stop solution for all sorts of Apple problems is on sale now for just $40 for a lifetime subscription.

Let’s close the doors on the Church of Steve Jobs

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Let’s close the doors on the Church of Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs was brilliant but let’s stop making him the patron saint of computing.
Photo: Cult of Mac/acaben/Flickr CC

While Steve Jobs died 10 years ago today, he lives on as a way to criticize Apple’s current management.

In some people’s misguided memories, Jobs did no wrong. Ever. And members of this reality-challenged group — let’s call it the Church of Steve Jobs — frequently post comments on social media like, “Apple would be so much better if Steve Jobs were still in charge.”

But in reality, Jobs made plenty of mistakes. Here are some of his worst foul-ups.

Last chance! Win iPhone 13 and a bundle of MagSafe-compatible cases from Speck [Cult of Mac giveaway]

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iPhone 13 giveaway: Cult of Mac x Speck: Enter for your chance to win an iPhone 13 and three awesome Speck cases.
Enter for your chance to win an iPhone 13 and three awesome Speck cases.
Image: Cult of Mac

For this week’s giveaway, we teamed up with Speck to offer Cult of Mac readers the chance to win an iPhone 13 and a bundle of three nifty MagSafe-compatible cases.

Speck is a long-standing case manufacturer for Apple devices, going all the way back to the original iPod. These days, the company makes tough, handsome cases for a range of smartphones, tablets, laptops and watches. Speck will send one lucky reader an iPhone 13 in Starlight, plus a bundle of three MagSafe-compatible cases from its new Presidio line.

If you want to win an iPhone 13, you better enter right now. The giveaway ends Tuesday night!