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Mini-LED display heads for 11-inch iPad Pro in 2022, but no OLED for iPad Air

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2021 iPad Pro has an amazing mini-LED display
The 11-inch iPad Pro could join it’s larger brother in having a mini-LED screen.
Photo: Apple

An 11-inch iPad Pro with a mini-LED display will debut in 2022, according to a trusted analyst. It will join the 12.9-inch model that already has this type of screen that looks better than a standard LCD.

However, the analyst rescinded an earlier prediction that an iPad Air with an OLED display will launch in 2022.

Turn your iPhone into a Switch with GameSir X2 Lightning controller [Review]

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GameSir X2 Lightning Mobile Gaming Controller review
Slide your iPhone into the GameSir X2 Lightning Mobile Gaming Controller and you’re ready to play.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

If you’ve ever wished you could merge your iPhone and Nintendo Switch, I have great news. The GameSir X2 Lightning wraps around your handset and adds physical buttons and joysticks in a design reminiscent of the Switch Lite. And it includes a Lightning connector so it plugs directly into your iPhone.

I spent many hours playing games with this accessory — probably more than were necessary for testing. Here’s why I love it.

Apple TV+ gives Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s Mr. Corman the ax

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Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Mr. Corman
Mr. Corman may have been too dark for audiences.
Photo: Apple TV+

The final episode of the first season of Mr. Corman premiered on Apple TV+ this week, and it turns out that’s all there’ll ever be. Cupertino reportedly canceled the show, which stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

That’s a rare move by Apple’s streaming service. This is only the second show it’s nixed.

Why you’re having trouble making an Apple Card payment [Updated]

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Apple Card in POS
You can still use you Apple Card to make purchases. But there might be problems paying the bill today.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple Card users could be running into problems paying their bill on Friday because the online portion of the service is having a problem. This might also affect other aspects of using the card, but that does not include using the card to pay for purchases.

Update: Apple reported the problem fixed on Friday evening about 7.5 hours after it first cropped up.

The truth proves dangerous this week on Truth Be Told [Apple TV+ review]

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Truth Be Told review: Mekhi Phifer and Octavia Spencer get closer to the truth in this week's episode.
Mekhi Phifer and Octavia Spencer get closer to the truth this week.
Photo: Apple TV+

The arrests and accusations fly this week on Apple TV+’s shocking crime drama, Truth Be Told. Podcaster Poppy Parnell needs to get a grip on her situation because her father’s in need, her partners in crime need space, and she’s starting to look too self-obsessed for her own good. Can she pump the brakes in time, or will Micah stop her first?

Cute animated sci-fi short Blush orbits planet Pixar [Apple TV+ review]

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Apple TV+ wants to make you Blush
Apple TV+ wants to make you Blush.
Photo: Apple TV+

Animated sci-fi short Blush is small, cute and full of heart. And it’s also a gauntlet thrown down to let the competition know Apple TV+ is getting serious about winning awards.

The long-in-the-making story debuted Friday on Apple’s streaming service, and it definitely swerves into Pixar territory — for better or worse.

iOS 15.0.1 patches irritating Unlock with Apple Watch bug

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iOS 15 has been replaced by iOS 15.0.1.
iOS 15 got its very first update: iOS 15.0.1.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Apple on Friday released an update for iOS 15 that takes care of a bug that disabled Unlock with Apple Watch on the iPhone 13 series. This patch — dubbed iOS 15.0.1 — has other bug fixes too, including one that incorrectly told users their storage was nearly full.

The new version is accompanied by iPadOS 15.0.1 with its own bug fixes.

Foundation takes big, beautiful risks … and we’re hooked! [Apple TV+ review]

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Foundation review: Lee Pace is the swaggering spine of Foundation.
Lee Pace, who plays Brother Day, is the swaggering spine of Foundation.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+’s space opera ramps up this week to show us the goods. But can Foundation get to the business of exciting drama now that the world has been thoroughly built, the characters are in play, and the clock is ticking?

The show has been confident but not quite exciting yet. Let’s see if it can avoid the pitfalls that ruin a lot of Apple TV+’s original programming.

One week with iPhone 13 Pro: Real talk! [The CultCast]

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iPhone 13 Pro reviews: One week on! This week on The CultCast, Cult of Mac's Apple podcast.
We're loving iPhone 13 Pro ... mostly.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: After a week with the new iPhone 13 Pro, what features are knocking us out — and what’s registering a big “meh”? It’s time for some frank talk.

Also on The CultCast:

  • iOS 15 brings a blizzard of bugs.
  • The great Sierra blue iPhone 13 Pro debate.
  • iPhone 14 might get a top-to-bottom redesign.
  • Cult of Mac’s iPhone 13 giveaway ends soon!

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.

Going all mini all of the time [Setups]

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It's all
It's all "mini" except the monitor, pretty much.
Photo: [email protected]

The new M1 iPad mini garners rave reviews for its powerful performance and easily handled size. The M1 Mac mini is well-established as a compact but capable desktop machine. The HomePod mini smart speaker has flourished after the demise of the full-sized HomePod. So it’s no wonder to see “all mini” computer setups cropping up.

The Morning Show throws a welcome sapphic curveball [Apple TV+ review]

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Reese Witherspoon and Julianna Margulies take each other for a ride on The Morning Show this week.
Reese Witherspoon and Julianna Margulies take each other for a ride on The Morning Show this week.
Photo: Apple TV+

This week on The Morning Show, COVID-19 is here and the newsroom is in shambles ahead of its rebranding. Bradley is jealous, claustrophobic and scheming. Alex is nervous. And everyone’s on the verge of a meltdown, and making very interesting choices indeed.

Can the Apple TV+ drama get out of its own way long enough to become as interesting as it threatens to be?

BlueStacks X lets you play Android games in a browser on Mac and iPad

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BlueStacks X brings Android games to your browser
More than 200 titles are currently available.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

BlueStacks, the company behind the popular Android emulator for Windows, just launched a cloud-based Android game player that works inside your browser on Mac, Windows, iPad, and almost any other device.

Simply sign into BlueStacks X and you can instantly access a catalog of titles that are ready to play in just one click (or tap). There are more than 200 games available right now, and BlueStacks says it will add more every week.

Recover any lost file in a click with this top-rated Mac app

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Recover any file in one click with this highly rated software.
You'll never lose a file again with this lifesaving software.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Whether you work from home with professional documents or have a library of irreplaceable family photos, a reliable data-recovery system is an essential for all Mac users. (Hey, accidents happen.)

Highly rated Mac app Disk Drill Pro 4 gives you the tools you need to salvage a bad situation. It makes it easy to recover photos, documents, videos and more with just the click of a button.

AirPods 3 still on track to arrive before the end of 2021

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AirPods sales
They could drop at any time.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple’s next-generation AirPods refresh is still on track to arrive before the end of 2021, according to a new report. The upgrade is rumored to bring a new design, similar to that of AirPods Pro, and other improvements.

The buds were widely expected to appear alongside iPhone 13 and Apple’s newest iPad models during the September 14 event, but that didn’t happen. It has now been well over three years since the last AirPods refresh.

Apple Watch Series 7 preorders start October 8, official partner says

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California Streaming event: Apple Watch Series 7 packs a bigger, more durable screen.
Prices start at $399.
Photo: Apple

Apple Watch Series 7 will finally be available to preorder on October 8, according to one of Cupertino’s official partners. Hermès is telling customers via email that’s the date they’ll be able to secure their new smartwatches.

Jon Prosser of Front Page Tech, who has a decent track record when it comes to Apple rumors, also claims that Apple Watch Series 7 will be available to preorder “as early as next week,” with shipping to begin in mid-October.

Repairing original Apple Watch just got harder

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Apple Watch supply is finally catching up with demand.
The very first Apple Watch was added to Apple’s list of vintage products on Thursday.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

The first Apple Watch released back in 2015 has been classified by Apple as vintage. That might sound like a compliment, but it really means that getting the wearable repaired is a bit more difficult than it used to be.

Note that this is not Apple Watch Series 1. That’s a different model.

Add dual 4K displays to your Intel Mac with OWC’s new adapter

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OWC's new adapter helps you drive two displays with your Intel-based Mac or iPad.
OWC's new adapter helps you drive two displays with your Intel-based Mac or iPad.
Photo: OWC

At Cult of Mac we’re always going on about M1 Macs, but here’s something for the Intel Mac crowd. OWC launched a new DisplayPort adapter allowing you to connect two 4K displays or one 8K display to your Intel-based Mac or iPad using a single Thunderbolt port.

The best thing to happen to videoconferencing? iPad’s Center Stage.

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iPad’s Center Stage is the best thing to happen to video conferencing
Center Stage is Apple’s best creation in years.
Photo: Apple

A highlight of the just-released budget iPad and iPad mini is the addition of Center Stage, a feature that lets the front-facing camera follow someone on a video call. It’s brilliant. It makes FaceTime and Zoom calls so much simpler.

This is perhaps the best new feature Apple has come up with in years. If you have a recent iPad and aren’t using this videoconferencing feature, you’re missing out. And here’s hoping it gets built into the 2022 iPhone.

Safeguarding sensitive health care data with Hexnode and Apple devices

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Hexnode UEM: Unified endpoint management gives you complete control over organization's critical devices (and the sensitive data they contain).
Unified endpoint management gives you complete control over organization's critical devices (and the sensitive data they contain).
Image: Hexnode

This health care data security post is presented by Hexnode.

The health care sector is under tremendous stress due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the persistent threat of hackers, phishers and other bad actors. Staffers are overworked and under-resourced, while hackers employ ever-more-sophisticated methods to compromise sensitive health care data.

The solution is a unified endpoint management system such as Hexnode, one of the market leaders. The platform can be employed to enhance the security of any health care enterprise and safeguard critical patient data against breaches.

Hexnode perfectly aligns with the capabilities of Apple devices, streamlines various processes, and makes it easier for organizations and end users alike.

iOS 15 problems continue as iPhone 13 owners report CarPlay crashes

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Ford-CarPlay
Will it ever end?
Photo: Ford

The long list of problems that have surfaced in iOS 15 continues to grow as iPhone 13 owners report new issues with CarPlay.

Some say they are unable to play tracks in Apple Music or third-party apps like Spotify without the system crashing completely. There are some fixes you can try, like disabling the equalizer if it’s active, that may solve the problem.

The Problem With Jon Stewart goes deeper than The Daily Show [Apple TV+ review]

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Jon Stewart is back in the anchor's chair on Apple TV+ show
Jon Stewart is back in the anchor's chair.
Photo: Apple TV+

Jon Stewart is back on TV with more control, more freedom and more gray hair. His new Apple TV+ show, The Problem With Jon Stewart, debuts Thursday and promises to tackle the tough questions facing the world.

But has America missed its smart-ass in chief since he departed The Daily Show in 2015? Is there still a place for Stewart’s left-leaning (fire)brand of comedy in the modern media landscape? Can TV actually exert any kind of power on public opinion anymore? Tune in every week on Apple TV+ to find out.

Save an extra 15% off fun and useful gadgets during our VIP Sale

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These home tech solutions are 15% off for a limited time.
Got gadgets? Our VIP Sale delivers the goods.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

There are a lot of things you can get to improve your quality of life, your comfort and your downtime. Get yourself some cool gadgets during our VIP Sale and enjoy an extra 15% off. And if these aren’t enough for you, there are plenty more fun accessories and tools where that came from. Happy shopping.