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iPhone 17 vs. iPhone 17e comparison: Here’s the smarter pick

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iPhone 17e vs. iPhone 17
Is the iPhone 17e a better buy than the iPhone 17?
Image: ChatGPT/Apple

Apple’s iPhone 17 lineup has a new, more affordable addition: the iPhone 17e. It might look different from the rest of the family, but under the hood, it shares many of the same core components.

If you are trying to decide between the iPhone 17 and iPhone 17e, here’s the smarter option.

New price drop: Get Microsoft Office 2024 for Mac or PC for less than $90

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Woman using her laptop with one of Microsoft Office 2024 apps installed.
Save on essential Microsoft software for Mac or PC.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Not a fan of monthly fees for software like Microsoft 365? This deal lands you a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Home & Business 2024 for Mac or PC.

It comes with all the Microsoft programs you know and love. And it’s on sale for a limited time. So instead of paying $249.99, you can get a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Home & Business 2024 for $89.97.

These open-ear earbuds can translate more than 50 languages in real time

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Photo of two hands holding up Mymanu Orb open-ear translating earbuds
With these translating earbuds, you can hear — and understand — the world around you.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Mymanu Orb open-ear translating earbuds deliver real-time, AI-powered translation in more than 50 languages. They work for translating face-to-face conversations (movies and music, too), transcribing things like meetings and classes, and interpreting conversations going on around you.

And right now, you can grab a pair for just $139.99 — a $40 discount off the regular price.

Today in Apple history: Here comes the Macintosh II

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The Mac II was an enormously impressive machine for its day.
The Mac II was an enormously impressive machine for its day.
Photo: Apple

March 2: Today in Apple history: Macintosh II launches March 2, 1987: Three years after releasing the original Macintosh 128K, Apple launches a proper sequel, the almighty Macintosh II.

Although four Mac models already have been released, the definitive, full-number name of the Macintosh II makes clear that this is a major upgrade for the product line. With a massive hardware boost, optional color display (!) and a new open architecture, it does not disappoint!

4 key upgrades make new M4 iPad Air a beast

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iPad Air now comes with a faster M4 chip.
iPad Air now comes with a faster M4 chip.
Photo: Apple

Apple on Monday introduced a new iPad Air powered by its M4 chip, upgrading the silicon in its midrange tablet to narrow the performance gap with the iPad Pro. In addition, the device comes with more RAM that’s also faster, plus new wireless networking chips that support Wi-Fi 7.

“iPad Air gives users more ways than ever to be creative and productive, offering powerful performance and incredible versatility to help them turn their ideas into reality,” said Bob Borchers, Apple’s vice president of worldwide product marketing, in a press release. “With its blazing performance thanks to M4, incredible AI capabilities, and game-changing iPadOS 26 features, there’s never been a better time to choose or upgrade to iPad Air.”

iPhone 17e doubles built-in storage, adds MagSafe

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iPhone 17e colors
iPhone 17e comes in several colors to catch the eye.
Photo: Apple

Apple launched the iPhone 17e on Monday, offering a new option for those who want a premium smartphone that won’t empty their bank account. The base version offers twice as much storage capacity as its predecessor, makes the jump to the latest Apple A19 processor and adds full support for MagSafe accessories.

“iPhone 17e combines powerful performance and features our users love at an exceptional value, making it a compelling option for customers looking to upgrade to the iPhone 17 family,” said Kaiann Drance, Apple’s vice president of worldwide iPhone product marketing, in a press release. “We know our customers want a product that will last, and iPhone 17e delivers just that. With A19 for incredible performance, double the entry storage, a smarter camera system, and enhanced durability, iPhone 17e is designed to stay fast, secure, and valuable for years to come.”

This $50 bundle preps you for major cybersecurity certifications

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Woman in front of multiple monitors, with overlay of The Ultimate 2026 Cybersecurity Certification Training courses
Have lifetime access to six cybersecurity courses while it's 74% off!
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

The Ultimate 2026 Cybersecurity Training Bundle preps you for certification exams for CompTIA and Microsoft. It gives you a foolproof way to study for key certifications and build real skills without paying for an expensive bootcamp or short-term courses over and over again.

It’s an affordable, accessible way to jump-start your IT career. And right now, it’s on sale for just $49.99 (regularly $199).

Today in Apple history: New card runs Apple II software on Macs

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Running Apple II programs on a Mac with an Apple IIe Card was pretty darn awesome.
Running Apple II programs on your Mac was pretty darn awesome.
Photo: Microwavemont/YouTube

March 1: Today in Apple history: Apple IIe Card lets users run Apple II software on Macs March 1, 1991: Apple introduces the Apple IIe Card, a $199 peripheral that lets users turn Macs into fully functioning Apple IIe computers.

The ability to emulate the popular Apple IIe on a Mac brings Apple’s two operating systems side by side for the first time. While not quite the equivalent of Apple letting you run iOS on a Mac today, it’s not a world away.

New Soundcore noise-canceling headphones promise epic battery life

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Soundcore Space 2 headphones on suitcase
Soundcore Space 2 headphones on suitcase
Photo: Soundcore

Soundcore unveiled its new Space 2 over-ear headphones at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on Sunday. Aimed squarely at travelers and commuters, Space 2 combines advanced noise cancellation, extended battery life and personalized sound tuning — all at a price point that undercuts many competitors — $129.99.

Predictions for next week’s ‘special Apple Experience’ [Cult of Mac podcast No. 9]

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Illustration of a sorcerer holding a crystal ball with a glowing Apple logo inside it, along with the words,
What will Apple reveal next week?
Illustration: Midjourney/Cult of Mac

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: Apple’s prepping to launch something Monday, but who knows what? We put our professional reputations on the line once again with predictions about what’s coming next week, including the “special Apple Experience” set for March 4.

Writer, developer and Accidental Tech Podcast host Casey Liss joins us for our fun Apple predictions game — and you can play along, too!

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

  • The cosmic orange iPhone 17 Pro became a big hit, so Apple might deliver more bold colors in this year’s model. Still, the reporting on this so far is a little weird.
  • Apple’s plan to tweak macOS for the first touchscreen MacBook Pros sounds like typical Cupertino cleverness.
  • Griffin goes over the new features in the latest iOS 26.4 beta.
  • Casey gives us an overview of Callsheet, his app for movie and TV fans that “aims to be a not-crappy version of the IMDb app.”
  • We discuss another ortholinear keyboard in yet another interesting setup.

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 live stream, embedded below.

Today in Apple history: Mac mini arrives with Intel inside

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With a powerful Intel chip inside, the new Mac mini made big of waves.
With a powerful Intel chip inside, the 2006 Mac mini made big waves.
Photo: RecycledGoods

February 28: Today in Apple history: Mac mini arrives with Intel inside February 28, 2006: Apple introduces an upgraded Mac mini, an affordable computer powered by an Intel processor.

A “headless” Mac for entry-level users, it’s the third Apple computer to switch to Intel chips. Oh, and it makes one heckuva media player when plugged into a television set.

Save your history and recommendations: Listen to Apple Music in private mode

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Apple Music Private Mode graphic
It’s not a built-in feature, but you can make it yourself.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

If you’re tired of your kids’ or partner’s music polluting your music recommendations and history, there’s a solution. While Apple Music does not offer a built-in private mode, you can make your own using a Focus mode.

Turn on a special Focus mode, and Apple Music will ignore all the songs, artists and albums that play next.

It’s even possible to enable your private mode when you connect to a specific Bluetooth speaker, like a living room sound system. Or when you enter a specific location, like work. Here’s how to set it up — keep reading or watch our quick video.

M5 Max could make new MacBook Pro the fastest Mac ever

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MacBook Pro M5 Max performance
Apple next MacBook Pro could be faster than we expected.
AI image: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

UPDATED: As expected, Apple launched the MacBook Pro with M5 Pro or M5 Max processors on Tuesday. Learn all about it:


The whole point of upgrading the MacBook Pro with the new M5 Pro or M5 Max processors is to boost performance. Although Apple has yet to announce the new high-speed chip variants, we can still make solid estimates of the increase to be expected. Spoiler alert: WOW.

Here’s the hefty CPU and GPU performance jumps to expect from the upcoming M5 Pro and M5 Max processors.

Closed-back vs. open-back headphones: How to choose [Buying guide]

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closed back vs open back headphones
Each type of headphone has plenty to recommend it.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac

Ever wondered how closed-back and open-back headphones differ? Is one or the other better for your uses in your computer setup and elsewhere? What the heck is “impedance?”

I recently experimented with both open- and closed-back cans in my evolving setup. I’ve laid out all the considerations and key differences for you below. And you can find my gear in the links list at the bottom of this article.

Godzilla and Kong battle Titan X in Monarch season 2

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Monarch Season 2: Now streaming!
Kaiju battle! Godzilla and Kong must face Titan X in Apple TV’s Monarch season 2, now streaming.
Image: Apple TV

The giant monster action of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters returned on Friday with season two stomping onto Apple TV. The series is set in the MonsterVerse that includes Godzilla and other kaiju, with Kong taking a giant-size role in the season that just premiered. Plus there’s a new Titan X to battle with.

Watch the new season two now on Apple TV, or get caught up with season one.

New standard makes more smart locks work seamlessly with iPhone

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Aliro smart lock standard
The new Aliro 1.0 standard will ensure more smart locks work well with more devices.
Photo: CSA

The new Aliro 1.0 communication protocol and credential standard could fundamentally change how iPhone users interact with smart locks, the Connectivity Standards Alliance said Thursday upon release of the specification. And it will affect usage not just at home, but in places like offices, hotels, colleges and apartment buildings. 

Budget MacBook: How cheap is cheap?

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Budget MacBook price rumors
The success or failure of the budget MacBook hangs heavily on its price.
AI image: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

UPDATED: As expected, Apple launched the MacBook Neo on Wednesday. Learn all about it:


There’s huge anticipation for the budget MacBook that’s rumored to launch soon. But a critical question about the laptop has yet to be answered: Just how much will it cost? We already know it’ll be the most affordable macOS notebook ever, and there’s plenty of speculation about the exact cost.

There’s definitely a level that the price cannot go above if Apple wants the low-cost MacBook to succeed. Trouble is, the ongoing AI boom might force Apple to increase the cost of the device above its original plan. That raises questions about how successful the budget laptop will be.

Today in Apple history: Apple bids farewell to the Newton

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The Newton MessagePad 2100 was the last hurrah for Apple's Newton line.
The MessagePad was a product ahead of its time.
Photo: Moparx

February 27: Today in Apple history: Apple discontinues Newton MessagePad February 27, 1998: Apple discontinues work on the Newton MessagePad product line, the series of personal digital assistants the company launched five years earlier. It also stops development work on Newton OS, the operating system that the devices run upon.

“This decision is consistent with our strategy to focus all our software development resources on extending the Macintosh operating system,” Apple’s interim CEO Steve Jobs says in a press release. “To realize our ambitious plans we must focus all of our efforts in one direction.”

iPhone is secure enough for classified NATO secrets right out of the box

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iPhone security is tight enough for NATO classified documents.
iPhone security is tight enough for NATO classified documents.
Photo: Apple

The iPhone and iPad are the first consumer devices to meet the information assurance standards set by NATO member nations. As a result, the devices can be used to handle classified information up to the NATO Restricted level without the need for specialized software or additional configuration, the company said Thursday.

“Apple has built the most secure devices in the world for all its users, and those same protections are now uniquely certified under assurance requirements for NATO nations — unlike any other device in the industry,” said Ivan Krstić, Apple’s vice president of security engineering and architecture, in a press release.

3 best SSDs for iPhone: Fast, secure or cheap

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3 best SSDs for iPhone
Whether you want fast, secure or affordable, we found the best iPhone SSD options.
Image: Cult of Mac

Adding storage space to your iPhone is easy — you just need the right SSD. I’ve tested ones that work with Apple’s handset and found three standout options for holding gigabytes of images, video and more without massively bulking up the handset.

So here are the best SSDs for your iPhone. All you need to do now is decide whether you want the tiny drive to emphasize speed, security or affordability.

Apple TV’s For All Mankind spinoff Star City gives off serious Soviet vibes

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Star City season 1
Rhys Ifans stars in Star City, from the creators of For All Mankind. It premieres May 29, 2026 on Apple TV.
Photo: Apple

Star City is an ambitious new Apple TV drama set in the Soviet space program. It expands the alternate-history universe established by the streamer’s acclaimed series For All Mankind. And the new show got the “first-look” treatment Thursday, when Apple sent out a new photo to get fans excited about the premiere of Star City season one.

 The eight-episode series debuts May 29 with two episodes, followed by one new episode each Friday through July 10.