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Create epic slideshows for Mac with WnSoft’s PTE AV Studio Pro

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WnSoft's PTV AV Studio is powerful photo slideshow software for Mac.
WnSoft's PTV AV Studio is powerful photo slideshow software for Mac.
Photo: WnSoft

WnSoft’s PTE AV Studio is powerful but easy-to-use slideshow software that is widely used by photographers, camera clubs and AV groups for competitions and festivals. Shows created in PTE AV Studio have won prizes in events held in the U.K., France, Belgium, Italy and other countries.

Now, WnSoft calls its latest version of PTE AV Studio Pro “the most powerful photo slideshow software for Mac.” And judging by the robust feature set it includes, that may be no exaggeration.

Apple pumps another $30 million into Racial Equity and Justice Initiative

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Apple REJI initiative
"The call to build a more just and equitable world is an urgent one," Apple CEO Tim Cook said.
Photo: Apple

Apple on Tuesday announced plans to commit another $30 million to its Racial Equity and Justice Initiative (REJI), supporting those who are “leading the charge in creating a more inclusive, more just world.”

The latest pledge builds on the $100 million Apple has already invested in REJI to help students, innovators, and advocacy organizations.

Kanye West breaks Apple Music streaming records with Donda

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Kanye West's Donda breaks Apple Music records
More than 60 million streams in 24 hours.
Image: Universal Media Group

Kanye West’s much-anticipated 10th studio album finally landed Sunday — and quickly broke Apple Music streaming records. Donda saw a staggering 60 million streams during its first 24 hours of availability. It also topped the Apple Music album charts across 152 countries worldwide.

Protect your Apple devices from accidents with this magnetic cable, on sale for $10 off

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Save your phone with this breakaway cable.
Protect your gear from accidents with this breakaway magnetic cable.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

One of the most common ways people break their smartphones is by ruining the charging port, usually by tripping over the charging cord and yanking it out. Once you’ve broken the charging port, your device is essentially useless until it gets repaired — and that can be expensive.

If you want to save yourself some frustration and a broken charging port, you should check out the Evri Magnetic Tip USB Cable for MacBook & USB-C Devices. This breakaway cable comes with a magnetic tip that won’t rip out of your charging port if you take a wrong step, and right now it’s on sale for $22.95. That’s about $10 cheaper than usual.

South Korea is first to say App Store must allow third-party payments

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App-Store-Today
It's a major win for developers and users, and other countries are expected to follow suit.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

South Korea has become the first country to tell Apple that it must open up the App Store to third-party payment platforms. The same law also applies to Google, and other countries likely will implement similar rules.

The amendment to South Korea’s Telecommunications Business Act prevents large app market operators from forcing their own payment systems on users and developers. It also bans unreasonable delays in app approvals.

Rumored iPhone satellite communications could be for serious emergencies only

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Rumored iPhone satellite communications could be for serious emergencies only
Stuck in the middle of nowhere? Someday your iPhone might be able to summon help even if you can’t get a cell signal.
Photo: Cult of Mac/Max Pixel

A second trusted source for insider Apple information says future iPhones will be able to communicate with satellites, exchanging texts and possibly phone calls. But new leaked details indicate this feature will be more limited than some might hope.

It would still be a significant advancement by Apple. The company reportedly is even considering launching its own satellites.

Soak up weird rock history in new Apple TV+ Velvet Underground trailer

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Young Lou Reed appears almost prayerful in one of the many still photos from the documentary.
Young Lou Reed appears almost prayerful in one of the many still photos from the documentary.
Photo: Apple TV+

The first Apple TV+ trailer for the upcoming film The Velvet Underground — director Todd Haynes’ first documentary — takes you on whirlwind tour of the history and milieu around the avant-garde rock band as it rose to become a major influence on music and culture.

Shield your eyes and your iPhone with this blue light-blocking screen protector

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Save up to $30 on this blue light filter and sleep better.
This blue light filter will protect your iPhone and help you sleep better.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Have you ever been absolutely exhausted, then finally made it to bed, only to be wide awake after just a few minutes on your iPhone? Approximately 66% of Americans admit they bring their smartphones to bed, but that number is likely even higher.

As common as it is, that time spent staring at your iPhone is actually making it harder for you to sleep, hurting your eyes, and causing a whole host of other issues. Constant exposure to blue light — the kind that comes from phones, laptops, tablets and other electronics — can keep you awake, cause headaches and produce all sorts of unpleasant results.

If you want to block blue light emitted by your screen, then get an Ocushield Anti-Blue Light Screen Protector. They’re designed for iPhone (and Android) — and they’re on sale for a limited time.

Kingston rolls out ‘record-breaking’ USB-C 3.2 flash drive

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The high-speed Kingston DataTraveler flash drive comes in sizes up to 1TB.
The high-speed Kingston DataTraveler flash drive comes in sizes up to 1TB.
Photo: Kingston

Kingston Digital, the flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology, is rolling out its new DataTraveler Max. The company said the USB-C 3.2 flash drive “delivers record-breaking speeds up to 1,000MB/s read and 900MB/s write to make it one of the fastest USB drives on the market and the first of its kind.”

Primephonic purchase will power Apple’s standalone classical music app

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Apple buys Primephonic: Apple Music's classical catalog will get a big boost from Primephonic.
Apple Music's classical offering will get a big boost from Primephonic.
Photo: Samuel Sianipar/Unsplash

Apple Music’s purchase of classical music service Primephonic will give fans of the genre a richer experience, Cupertino said Monday.

Apple said it will work to incorporated the service’s features into a standalone classical app that will launch next year. The company promised high-quality audio, expert recommendations and playlists, exclusive audio content, “extensive contextual details on repertoire and recordings” and other advanced features for classical fans.

Ancient iBook, The Cult of Mac hardcover, Lego cars — what’s not to like? [Setups]

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Spot the old iBook on the shelf to the right and The Cult of Mac hardcover under the display.
Spot the old iBook on the shelf to the right and The Cult of Mac hardcover under the display.
Photo: [email protected]

We last saw Redditor 17parkc after they took delivery of their lovely new blue 24-inch iMac in May. Now it looks like they moved to a new studio apartment with a few new toys. Actually, in one case, an old toy — an iBook from back in the day, sometime around the turn of this century.

Apple AR glasses launch could mark end of Tim Cook era

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2018 interview with Tim Cook suggests Apple was working on iCloud backup encryption
Tim Cook wants to stick around for one more big Apple product hitting the market.
Photo: Apple

Tim Cook has been Apple CEO for 10 years and he’s considering his exit strategy. But it won’t be soon because the executive will wait until the launch of “one more major new product category,” according to a new report.

Expand your iMac’s connectivity with new HyperDrive multi-port USB-C hubs

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The new HyperDrive hubs attach to your iMac, allowing easy port access.
The new HyperDrive hubs attach to your iMac, allowing easy port access.
Photo: Hyper

Accessories maker Hyper rolled out new HyperDrive 6-in-1 and 5-in-1 USB-C hubs today to expand what you can do with your 2021 24-inch iMac. And they look pretty good doing it, too.

The two new hubs don’t just add connectivity options with a variety of ports. They also clamp right onto the bottom of your iMac and feature faceplates in seven colors to match your machine.

Apple TV+ teaser for The Problem with Jon Stewart reveals Sept. 30 premiere date

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Apple TV+ teaser for ‘The Problem with Jon Stewart’ reveals Sept. 30 premiere date
Jon Stewart returns to TV a month from today
Photo: Apple TV+

The Problem with Jon Stewart — the late-night talk show host’s much-anticipated return to TV — is now scheduled to debut September 30. It’ll be exclusively on Apple TV+, though the show also has a YouTube channel. And there’ll be a companion podcast.

The announcement came in a video in which Stewart jokes about not looking quite as young as he used to. Watch it now:

You’ll never lose another photo with these secure backup sticks

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Get secure hard storage for your photos.
This photo backup device will keep your photos and videos safe forever.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

If you want to keep your digital photos safe, one of the worst places to store them is on your iPhone. Statistically, about 33% of people lose or break their smartphones, and with that goes every photo that wasn’t backed up somewhere.

Keeping your pictures on a cloud service can be useful, but that also puts them at risk of being leaked onto the internet. What you really want is a robust physical location to store all your photos and videos safely and securely. The Photo Backup Stick is exactly that.

iPhone 13 might offer service from anywhere via satellite calls and texts

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Globalstar satellites
iPhone 13 will reportedly be able to use satellites to exchange calls and texts.
Photo: Globalstar

The iPhone 13 will offer two-way communication with low Earth orbit satellites, according to a report from a reliable Apple analyst. If the prediction proves correct, making phone calls and exchanging texts via satellite connection will be possible with Apple’s next handset.

Picture-in-picture, video editing in your pocket, and another great email app [Awesome Apps of the Week]

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Awesome Apps of the Week
YouTube finally gets a much requested feature, Clips can make you a short-form video star, and another email app is a contender.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

Maybe it’s the impending iOS, iPadOS and macOS updates, but in checking out the App Store this past week, everything seemed to be “bug fixes and stability improvements.” Those are great things to have, but they aren’t as cool or exciting as fresh features or hot new apps!

Fortunately, a long-awaited feature is finally coming to the YouTube masses. Plus, I found another email app worth checking out. And, if you’re hoping to become an influencer, we’ve got an app to help you level up your videos in this week’s Awesome Apps of the Week.

Latest iOS 15 beta is stable enough to try, but hold off on macOS Monterey

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9 great features you might have overlooked in iOS 15, iPadOS 15 and macOS Monterey
Feeling brave? You can try the latest betas for iOS 15 or iPadOS 15. But stay away from testing macOS Monterey.
Graphic: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

It’s been a very weird summer for Apple’s beta program, with major changes happening months after the initial unveiling of the operating system upgrades. But iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 have finally reached the point where they’re stable enough for average users to try them out. The same goes for watchOS 8.

But that’s not true of macOS Monterey.

Get an Apple Watch charger that fits on your keychain

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This keychain powers up your apple watch.
Your Watch's charger can now be just as small and portable.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

One of the best parts of owning an Apple Watch is the convenience. Right there, on your wrist, you have some of the most useful features of your iPhone, but in a far more portable package.

The charger for your Apple Watch should be just as convenient and easy to travel with. The Apple Watch Wireless Charger Keychain is a great companion for your Apple Watch and can keep you connected for hours longer every day. Right now, you can get one, two or four Apple Watch Wireless Charger Keychains on sale for $19.99, $38.99 and $76.99 respectively. And for a limited time, you will also get $10 in store credit when you spend $50 or more!