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Extend your iPhone’s battery life with myCharge MagLock Superhero

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Keep your MagSafe iPhone going with a myCharge MagLock Superhero battery pack.
Keep your MagSafe iPhone going with a myCharge MagLock Superhero battery pack.
Photo: myCharge

While late-model iPhones have impressive battery life, if you stream a lot of videos or use your handset as a hotspot for hours on end, you’ve probably seen dwindling power. But now you can extend the runtime of your MagSafe-capable iPhone 12 or 13 for up to 48 hours with a new battery pack called myCharge MagLock Superhero.

Newest 12.9-inch Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro sees rare $24 discount

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How to preorder a 2021 iPad Pro
This offer won't last long!
Photo: Apple

Apple’s newest Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro just got a rare $24 discount on Amazon. Bag your 12.9-inch model today for $324.88 before the price returns to normal.

The brilliant Magic Keyboard is perhaps the best accessory you can get for iPad Pro — if you’re a regular typist. It’s works beautifully, it is fantastically designed, and no other iPad keyboard is as enjoyable to type on.

EU proposes forcing iPhone to switch to USB-C

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Anker PowerLine II USB-C Cable with Lightning Connector
If the European Commission has its way, the iPhone Lightning port will be replaced by a USB-C one.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The European Commission put forward legislation Thursday that would make USB-C the standard port for all smartphones and tablets. The move seems aimed directly at Apple and the Lightning port used in iPhone and the budget iPad. But it also would affect super-cheap Android handsets that still use micro-USB.

The proposal also would unbundle the sale of chargers from the sale of electronic devices.

Bring your art to life with this $30 animation software

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Become an animator with this top-rated software.
This software is your all-in-one tool to create quality animations.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Moho Animation Software is easy to use and can give you smooth 2D animation, even if you’re a total beginner. For a limited time, Moho Animation Software is on sale for only $30.

That’s 50% off its usual price. And the discount means that, for less than the price of a single month of a subscription to similar products, you’ll have access to this awesome animation software for life.

Add a trio of blazing-fast ports to your Mac with new Plugable Thunderbolt 4 hub

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Add trio of blazing-fast ports to your Mac with new Plugable Thunderbolt 4 hub
Plugable’s just-launched Thunderbolt 4 hub makes your Mac more useful by adding accessories that require very fast connections.
Photo: Plugable

The new Plugable TBT4-HUB3C hub turns a single Thunderbolt 4 port into three of them, expanding the number of high-speed accessories that can be connected to a Mac or iPad Pro. That includes big displays and large-capacity drives.

And Plugable also launched new 1-meter and 2-meter Thunderbolt cables Thursday.

Bring on some less dystopian Apple TV+ sci-fi

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Explosion-packed Foundation trailer will get fans excited for Apple TV+ series
“Foundation” looks amazing. And apocalyptic.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ is shooting for the stars with two new sci-fi series and a film this autumn. The trailers for Foundation, Invasion and Finch all look amazing. And dark. The descriptions for all of them include either “dystopian” or “apocalypse” or both.

Could we get some science fiction that’s a little more upbeat from Apple’s streaming service?

Grab a recycled iPhone 13 case from Casetify’s collection

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Casetify offers iPhone cases made from recycled and upcycled materials.
Casetify offers iPhone cases made from recycled and upcycled materials.
Photo: Casetify

If you like to use products made from recycled materials, Casetify has you covered when it comes to iPhone 13 covers. Its collection features several styles of MagSafe-compatible cases, both recycled and upcycled, with solid drop protection and options for personalization.

‘Duplicitous conduct’ earns Fortnite extended App Store ban

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Epic Games v. Apple is just getting started
If you thought the war between Apple and epic Games was over, think again.
Graphic: Epic Games/Cult of Mac

The first phase of the legal war between Apple and Epic Games is over, and a Federal court agreed with the game developer in some of the major points in their lawsuit. But Apple refuses to reinstate Fortnite and other Epic titles to its App Store during the appeals process.

The iPhone maker says this is the result of “Epic’s duplicitous conduct” leading to the lawsuit.

Apple intensifies its war on leakers

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When will the Apple leaks stop?
Tim Cook says Apple is “doing everything in our power” to find iPhone leakers.
Photo: Apple

Apple CEO Tim Cook is fed up with employees who leak details of upcoming devices to the press. He sent out a company-wide memo that said, “people who leak confidential information do not belong here.”

The memo was quickly leaked to the press.

PSA: iPhone 13 series is incompatible with most earlier cases

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PSA: iPhone 13 series is incompatible with most earlier cases
Note the difference in size of the camera hump on the iPhone 12 (on left) and the iPhone 13 (on right).
Photo: Apple

While the iPhone 13 has drawn some criticism for being a minor update, improvements to the cameras mean that none of the new handsets are compatible with tight-fitting cases designed for earlier models.

This is not unusual. But Apple’s 2021 models look so much like their iPhone 12 equivalents that it might be easy to think the exteriors are identical when they are not.

Charge up for less with Spigen’s new ArcHybrid MagSafe power bank

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The new Spigen ArcHybrid Mag power bank offers 7.5W of charging power and strong magnets.
The new Spigen ArcHybrid Mag power bank offers 7.5W of charging power and strong magnets.
Photo: Spigen

Spigen has rolled out its first MagSafe power bank, available for preorder now. The ArcHybrid Mag arrives with a 5,000mAh capacity alongside 7.5W charging speeds and a stronger magnetic force than other models on the market, the company said. All that and a launch discount, too (see below).

Charge all your devices in one spot with 30% off this wired and wireless MagSafe charging station

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Cut the cords and just use this MagSafe wireless charging hub.
Charge four devices at once with this aesthetic power station.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Ready to seriously cut clutter? You can replace your tangled mess of chargers for all your Apple devices with this combo charging station. The 5-in-1 MagSafe Wireless and Wired Charging Station comes with three wireless charging spots, plus a USB port. And right now, you can get one of them for $54.95 or two for $104.99.

Some users see spurious ‘storage almost full’ alerts in iOS and iPadOS 15

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storage almost full alert in iOS 15
Huh?
Photo: @3_Blind_Moose

Some iPhone and iPad users are being plagued by incorrect “storage almost full” alerts after updating to iOS and iPadOS 15. The message leaves a persistent badge on the Settings app icon that cannot be cleared.

In many cases, users seeing the alert actually have ample free storage remaining. A similar bug tells some iPhone and iPad owners that they have more available storage than their device actually shipped with.

Apple breaks iTunes for Windows for anyone who doesn’t speak English

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iTunes for Windows
Avoid the latest update if your system isn't set up in English.
Screenshot: Cult of Mac

Apple rolled out a new version of iTunes for Windows on Monday alongside iOS and iPadOS 15, but it should be avoided at all costs if your system isn’t set up in English. iTunes no longer works under any other language.

The problem seems to affect the version 12.12.0.6 version of iTunes no matter where it’s downloaded from — the Microsoft Store or directly from Apple — which means it’s not currently possible for some users to sync their devices.

iOS 15 kills one of Do Not Disturb’s best features

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Do Not Disturb
Sad face.
Photo: Apple

Do Not Disturb is still available inside iOS and iPadOS 15, despite the introduction of a brand-new and infinitely more powerful Focus mode. But the feature is now missing a key settings option that didn’t carry over from iOS 14.

Users have quickly discovered that Apple’s newest update kills the ability to activate Do Not Disturb only when a device is locked — one of its best features for many iPhone and iPad users.

Lossless audio and Dolby Atmos return to HomePod in 15.1 beta

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Apple Music lossless audio coming to HomePod, HomePod mini
But you need an invite to get it.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s newest HomePod beta, issued alongside the iOS and iPadOS 15.1 betas on Tuesday, brings back lossless audio and Dolby Atmos support. Both features can be enabled from inside the Home app, but only if you have an invite.

Apple has been working to bring its newest audio features to HomePod speakers for a while now. It first began testing them shortly after WWDC 2021 in June when the third HomePod 15 beta was made available to testers.

Experience famous courses and practice your swing with this virtual golf simulator

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Improve your golf swing with this virtual simulator.
Play on the best golf courses in the world with this simulator.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

It might be a pipe dream to find the time to travel all over the world touring famous golf courses that the pros play in. But with the PhiGolf Mobile and Home Smart Golf Simulator with Swing Stick, you can experience the world’s best golf courses in stunning digital format from the comfort of your own home.

Unlike other golf games, this one feels ultra-realistic, letting you practice your swing from anywhere with a smart golf simulator, swing stick and nine-axis 3D swing sensor.

Finch trailer makes you feel good about a very Tom Hanks apocalypse

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Tom Hanks sci-fi charmer ‘Finch’ premieres on Apple TV+ Nov. 5
Finch is a simple tale of a man, his dog and his robot in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. OK, maybe not so simple.
Photo: Apple TV+

Given all the apocalyptic storytelling in recent years, it makes sense in a Hollywood way that we’d eventually arrive at a warm-and-fuzzy, feel-good apocalypse movie. According to its first official trailer, that would be Finch, set to premiere on the Apple TV+ streaming service November 5.

Save on this compact USB-C charger that’s perfect for iPhone

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SwitchEasy PowerBuddy charger for iPhone
Now just $19.99 for a limited time.
Photo: SwitchEasy

Getting a new iPhone on Friday? You might need a charging adapter to go with it now that Apple no longer includes one in the box. Check out the handy PowerBuddy from SwitchEasy. It delivers 20W of power, packs USB-A and USB-C ports, and sports a compact design you can take anywhere.

It’s also 20% off in the Cult of Mac Store for a limited time.

First iOS 15.1 beta resumes testing missing features

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First iOS 15.1 beta resumes testing of missing features
That didn’t take long.
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple seeded the first beta of iOS 15.1 to developers on Tuesday, just a day after the general public got access to iOS 15. The company also gave devs access to the initial betas for iPadOS 15.1, watchOS 8.1 and tvOS 15.1. These are expected to include some of the features promised earlier but removed from the versions that debuted on Monday to give additional development time.

In addition, Apple released to macOS Monterey beta 7 to developers.

‘Something wicked this way comes’ in first Apple TV+ Macbeth trailer

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Joel Cohen writes for the stage and directs the Apple TV+ adaptation of Shakespeare's bloody classic.
Joel Cohen writes for the stage and directs the Apple TV+ adaptation of Shakespeare's bloody classic.
Photo: Apple TV+

A dreary and ominous fog washes over the first Apple TV+ trailer for The Tragedy of Macbeth. That sets a suitably dark tone for the adaptation of the bloody Shakespeare classic from writer and director Joel Cohen. Black birds circle overhead.

How to move Safari Address Bar to top of screen in iOS 15

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How to move Safari Address Bar to top of screen in iOS 15
It’s easy to make Safari in iOS 15 look like it did in iOS 14.
Graphic: Cult of Mac

iOS 15 makes the Safari web browser easier to use by moving the Address Bar to the bottom of the screen when the iPhone is held vertically. But not everyone is ready for such a change, so Apple put in the option to move it back to the top.

Here’s how to flip the location.