Mobile menu toggle

Satechi adds a real-time display to its powerful desktop charger [Review] ★★★★★

By

Satechi ChargeView 140W Desktop Charger review: Intelligent power★★★★★
The Satechi ChargeView 140W Desktop Charger provides power you can see.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Satechi ChargeView 140W Desktop Charger offers four USB-C ports to power up a MacBook, iPad, iPhone and other accessories all at once. The standout feature is a display that shows just how much current is flowing through each port.

I put the charger through testing to see how it stands up to real-world use. Here’s what I found.

Apple Watch Series 12 might make upgrading hard to resist

By

Photo of Apple Watch Series 11, used to illustrate a story about Apple Watch Series 12 rumors
Rumors indicate this year's model might look a lot like Apple Watch Series 11, but big changes are coming internally.
Photo: Apple

After years of iterative upgrades, rumors indicate Apple Watch Series 12 might bring real advancements that make the upcoming model hard to ignore. We could see a much faster chip, smarter Apple Intelligence features and maybe even Touch ID.

Here’s what to expect from Apple Watch Series 12, which should arrive this fall alongside the iPhone 18 Pro.

These US carriers now support encrypted RCS messaging

By

iOS 26.5 brings in encrypted RCS messaging between iPhone and Android
Test messages exchanged between iPhone and Android are now secure... if you're using one of these carriers.
Image: Cult of Mac

Apple’s newly released iOS 26.5 update supports end-to-end encryption for RCS messaging between iPhones and Android devices.

However, the feature requires the cooperation of wireless carriers. Fortunately, Apple released a list of which ones do, and all three of the biggest U.S. carriers are on board: AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon.

Add massive storage at a discount with this Samsung T9 SSD sale

By

Samsung T9 4TB Portable SSD
This Samsung 4TB Portable SSD can store files from your Apple device, now at a discounted price!
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

This deal on Samsung’s T9 portable SSDs can land you a massive amount of storage at a reasonable price. That’s great news for Apple users who need a reliable place to stash large files, even as prices for SSDs skyrocket.

The T9s deliver fast data transfers, rugged portability and enough space for huge Apple workflows, and this deal drops them to prices that currently beat Amazon.

Solve your storage crisis with a Samsung T9 SSD, on sale from Cult of Mac Deals in 1TB, 2TB and 4TB options.

Everything new in iOS 26.5: New Pride wallpapers, Apple Maps suggestions and more

By

iOS 26.5: new features and changes
iOS 26.5 is a small-yet-big update for your iPhone.
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac

iOS 26.5 launched Monday, bringing several minor but important usability improvements to your iPhone. The update adds 11 new Pride-themed wallpapers, a suggested places section in Apple Maps, and a new payment option for yearly app subscriptions.

Here are all the new features you can look forward to trying in iOS 26.5.

Apple TV’s The Studio becomes most-awarded new comedy in history

By

The Studio: Most awarded new comedy ever
On Sunday The Studio became the first new comedy to sweep all major awards.
Photo: Apple

Apple TV’s Hollywood satire The Studio cemented its place in television history, claiming the International category at Sunday’s 2026 BAFTA Television Awards in London — the final major prize needed to complete the most dominant awards run ever achieved by a debut comedy series.

“The historic journey of ‘The Studio’ has been nothing short of astounding,” said Matt Cherniss, Apple TV’s head of programming. “The show’s sweeping success is a testament to the extraordinary talent, creativity and innovation of Seth, Evan and the entire creative team and cast.”

“The series has resonated deeply with audiences worldwide, bringing laughter to millions,” he added. “We couldn’t be prouder of the team’s monumental achievement and the way ‘The Studio’ has redefined what’s possible for comedy on a global scale.”

iPad Air helps bring Apple strong tablet growth

By

M4 iPad Air
The new M4 iPad Air added significantly to Apple tablet shipments last quarter.
Photo: Apple

The M4 iPad Air that launched in March contributed strongly to robust growth in Apple’s tablet shipments.

As a result, the iPad’s share of the global tablet market increased. Approximately 2.5 times as many Apple tablets sold last quarter as the iPad’s biggest rival.

Today in Apple history: Steve Jobs lays out a new strategy for Mac OS

By

Why Salesforce chief gave up AppStore.com for Apple
Steve Jobs introduced the world to OS X.
Photo: Ben Stanfield/Flickr CC

May 11: Today in Apple history: Steve Jobs spells out a new strategy for Mac OS May 11, 1998: As part of his mission to turn Apple around, CEO Steve Jobs spells out the company’s strategy for the Mac operating system going forward. The big news is that Apple is hard at work creating a major new operating system called OS X, he says at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference in San Jose, California.

However, first the company will ship Mac OS 8.5 and the first customer release of an OS called Rhapsody that fall.

New Denon Home speakers bring Siri smarts and audiophile sound

By

Denon Home series speakers
Denon demonstrated some market smarts in releasing this speaker lineup while Apple fans wait for better HomePods.
Photo: Denon

Apple users have long faced a frustrating paradox in home audio. Stay within the HomePod ecosystem and enjoy seamless Siri integration, or stray to better-sounding third-party options and sacrifice native Apple Home features. Denon’s new trio of Denon Home series speakers — Home 200, Home 400 and Home 600 — may finally have cracked that particular problem.

Netflix’s AI experiment gives us a glimpse of Apple TV 4K’s future (we hope)

By

Image of Netflix user interface on a large-screen TV, used to illustrate a story about Netflix's AI voice search, currently in beta.
Netflix cooked up an AI voice search that makes Apple TV seem extra-feeble.
Image: Netflix

Netflix is testing a powerful new AI voice search that shows just how badly the Apple TV 4K needs an upgrade. Currently limited to a handful of users, Netflix’s new AI-powered tool lets users search for content conversationally. And instead of searching for something simple like a movie genre or specific title, they can ask Netflix for entertainment that fits their current mood.

For example, users can ask for something like “find me something that’s emotional but not too long” or “a romantic comedy with a few episodes.”

It’s a real game changer, according to a beta tester who gained early access. When Apple’s long-delayed Siri upgrade finally arrives, it could provide a similar — or even better — experience on Apple TV 4K.

Safari in iOS 27 could finally fix your tab chaos

By

Safari logo on a MacBook
iOS 27 and macOS 27 should make Safari tabs easier to manage.
Mockup: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac

Safari in iOS 27 and macOS 27 will reportedly copy a handy Google Chrome feature to better manage your open tabs. It will build on the Tab Groups feature to organize similar open tabs into groups automatically.

Apple will apparently also provide a manual way to open tabs into groups.

Get 3 years of piano lessons on your iPhone, iPad or Mac for just $70

By

Person learning piano through the Flowkey piano lessons app opened on an iPad and sitting on a console piano.
Whether you're a total beginner or an accomplished piano player, this app can teach you a thing or two.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

You can turn your iPhone, iPad or Mac into a piano teacher with Flowkey’s interactive lessons, real-time feedback and song-first approach to learning.

Flowkey is designed to meet you where you are, whether you’ve never touched a keyboard or you already know your way around one. And it costs just $69.99 for three years. A flesh-and-blood piano teacher might charge that much for a single lesson!

Today in Apple history: PowerBook G3 gets thinner, lighter and bronzer

By

The PowerBook G3 Lombard brought a
The PowerBook G3 Lombard brought a "bronze" keyboard and some real enhancements.
Image: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

May 10: Today in Apple history: PowerBook G3 gets thinner, lighter and bronze-er May 10, 1999: The third-generation PowerBook G3 comes in 20% slimmer and 2 pounds lighter than its predecessor, but most people remember the laptop for its glowing Apple logo and the “bronze” keyboard.

Although it doesn’t get a new name to distinguish it from previous laptops in the lineup, fans call it “Lombard” after Apple’s internal code name (or simply the “PowerBook G3 Bronze Keyboard”).

macOS 27 will fix the worst part of Liquid Glass

By

macOS 27 needs a touchscreen-enabled redesign
The next big macOS update should make Liquid Glass more usable.
AI image: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

macOS 27 will reportedly feature a “slight” Liquid Glass redesign to address some of the complaints with macOS Tahoe. Apple will seemingly address the readability and transparency issues that currently plague the Mac operating system.

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says the redesign will not be dramatic. If anything, the “goal is more of a cleanup and refinement effort.”

Fed up with iPhone autocorrect? Here’s how to reset it.

By

How to Reset Autocorrect on iPhone graphic, with a photo of a woman looking annoyed at an iPhone
Put a stop to the madness.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

If you’ve noticed that the iPhone’s autocorrect has been especially bad over the last few months, you’re not alone. It appears that iOS 26.2 introduced a bug that made the keyboard much more frustrating to use. Luckily, the solution is simple. You can learn how to reset autocorrect on your iPhone really quickly. 

First, you need to update to iOS 26.4, the release that fixed the iPhone’s autocorrect bug. Then, resetting your keyboard dictionary will get rid of any bad patterns it may have picked up since December. 

Keep reading or watch our quick video.

Cash in on Siri’s stupidity [Cult of Mac podcast No. 19]

By

Photo of an iPhone with Siri running
Will you get your slice of the stupid Siri pie?
Image: appshunter.io/Unsplash License/Modified by Cult of Mac

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: We’ve been complaining about just how stupid Siri can be for years, but Apple’s failure to deliver a promised AI upgrade just cost the company a cool $250 million.

We discuss how you can get your sliver of that payout, whether a stupid Siri is a deal-breaker (obviously not, since we all swear by our iPhones), and how Apple can really make things right.

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

  • The MacBook Neo is so popular that Apple totally missed the boat on its projections. Now the company is making an unusual move — and it might mean the budget laptop goes up in price.
  • If you’ve been waiting for the perfect time to buy a Mac, it’s here.
  • After getting banged up for its lack of savvy when it comes to artificial intelligence, Apple looks ready to win the AI wars, thanks to its brilliant strategy.
  • And finally, Griffin goes over the pros and cons of an affordable home rowing machine. Come for the review, stay for the extremely weird Ohio hallway.

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast 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 version, embedded below.

Grab AirPods Pro 3 for just $199.99 before this deal disappears again

By

AirPods Pro 3 and their charging case on a silver aluminum background
AirPods Pro 3 are always brilliant, and now they are more affordable.
Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

A fantastic AirPods Pro 3 deal drops Apple’s excellent noise-canceling earbuds back to a record-low price of just $199.99 at Amazon and Best Buy. That’s a substantial $50 discount.

We’ve seen this deal come and go in recent weeks, and it’s back on now for who knows how long. If you want Apple’s best earbuds at the best price, jump on this deal before it disappears again.

AirPods Pro 3 bring new features, including Live Translation, a heart rate monitor, revved-up audio quality and redesigned ear tips for better active noise cancellation. Plus, like the previous model, they can even function as clinical-grade hearing aids.

Make no mistake: These are the best wireless earbuds you can buy for your iPhone, Mac and other Apple gear. Nothing can match how seamlessly AirPods integrate with Apple devices.

Price cut: Easily add wireless CarPlay for just $60 with this 10-inch touchscreen

By

Product image of wireless CarPlay screen (works with Android Auto, too).
Upgrade your car’s in-car infotainment quickly, easily and on the cheap!
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Essgoo’s 10-inch wireless CarPlay screen lets you upgrade practically any car in an instant. Whether you’re dealing with an old-school radio, a tiny in-car screen or, worse, no touchscreen at all, it’s time for an upgrade.

This 10-inch, full-HD touchscreen comes with a telescopic mount, so you can position it appropriately for safe driving. Or you can mount it on your dashboard with the included bracket, if that suits your car’s interior better.

Either way, it lets you easily add wireless Apple CarPlay (or Android Auto) and a touchscreen to any car — without an expensive trip to the dealership. And right now, you can get this 10-inch CarPlay screen for just $59.99 (regularly $89.99), with free shipping while stock lasts.

Today in Apple history: iTunes experiments with video downloads

By

Morcheeba's
Morcheeba's "The Antidote" was one of the first music videos available on iTunes.
Photo: Morcheeba

May 9: Today in Apple history: iTunes experiments with video downloads May 9, 2005: Apple quietly begins selling music videos in the iTunes Music Store.

The feature arrives with iTunes 4.8, initially offering bonus content for people purchasing albums through the store. It will take several months for Apple to start selling individual music videos, along with Pixar short films and a selection of TV shows, for $1.99 a pop.

My top 3 tips for making an iPhone Home Screen that doesn’t suck

By

Graphic showing an iPhone Home Screen, before and after removing a bunch of icons and adding widgets
Turn your scramble of icons into something that sparks joy.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

There are two types of iPhone owners in the world: Those with a carefully manicured, minimalist Home Screen of perfectly arranged icons, and those with random icons spilled haphazardly across the screen.

If you find yourself among the latter group, you might think that it’s too late for you — that making a beautiful, aesthetic Home Screen is beyond your creative ability. 

Well, cleaning up your iPhone’s Home Screen is a lot easier than clearing out your basement or organizing your kitchen junk drawer. A Home Screen that works better and looks better comes down to just a few simple tips. You can set one up in just minutes.

Here’s how.

AirPods Max 2 hit new record low

By

AirPods Max 2 deal: Don't delay!
AirPods Max 2 only debuted this spring, but that doesn't mean you must pay full price.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s AirPods Max 2 headphones are currently on sale at their biggest discount yet. You can snag a pair of the premium headphones for just $509 in any of the five colors available. That’s a 7% discount off the $549 retail price.

Get a lifetime of ad-free 4K downloads from Netflix, YouTube and more

By

Photo of Keeprix streaming downloader open on a laptop on a desk.
All-in-one streaming video downloader Keeprix makes it easy to watch offline.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Streaming is great until you want to watch something offline, save a show before it disappears, or avoid the limits most platforms put on downloads — that’s when you need a streaming downloader like Keeprix.

It works with Netflix, YouTube and other major streaming services, letting you save the videos you care about so you can watch them whenever you want. That means no dealing with ads, expiration timers or unreliable Wi-Fi. And a lifetime subscription to Keeprix is on sale for $95.99 (regularly $159.99).

Finally, a compact USB-C hub that handles dual displays properly [Review] ★★★★

By

EZQuest USB 4 Dual Display 8-in-1 Hub review★★★★
Get eight USB-C ports in a pleasingly small package with this new hub from EZQuest.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The EZQuest USB 4 Dual Display 8-in-1 Hub is for Mac users who have gone all-in on USB-C ports. It boasts no less than seven high-speed ports and an eighth just for charging. And it takes up just one port on your Mac.

Unlike the USB-C ports in most hubs, EZQuest’s can be used for external screens, removing the need for HDMI. One or two displays are supported, depending on the computer the accessory is attached to.

As someone ready to dump all the old legacy ports, I happily put this product through testing.

Today in Apple history: 1997’s ‘MacBook Air’ weighed 4.4 pounds

By

The PowerBook 2400c was Apple's ultra-thin laptop of the late '90s.
The PowerBook 2400c was Apple's ultra-thin laptop of the late '90s.
Photo: Apple

May 8: Today in Apple history: PowerBook 2400c launch May 8, 1997: Apple launches the PowerBook 2400c laptop, a 4.4-pound “subnotebook” that’s the MacBook Air of its day.

The PowerBook 2400c predicts the rise of speedy, lightweight notebooks, while also paying tribute to Apple’s past. Its design echoes the original PowerBook 100. Even years later, it remains a cult favorite among many Mac users.