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Nomad looks to protect and beautify your MagSafe Charger

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Nomad offers a new leather case for your Apple MagSafe Charger.
Nomad offers a new leather case for your Apple MagSafe Charger.
Photo: Nomad Goods

Accessories-maker Nomad Goods wants to cover your world of Apple gadgets in leather. Even the ones you probably don’t carry around every day. Its newest product is a leather cover designed to protect and beautify the iPhone 12 series’ magnetic charging puck, Apple’s MagSafe Charger.

Get safe, unrestricted browsing for 5 years with this top-rated VPN, on sale for less than $8 a year 

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Protect your private information for 5 years with this top-rated VPN
This VPN is your ultimate solution for safe internet without restrictions.
Photo: AdGuard VPN

If you use the internet, you need a virtual private network you can trust. It’s a no-brainer: A VPN allows you to protect your private information, keep your connection secure, and browse the internet content you want, totally unrestricted.

One of the best-reviewed VPNs out there is AdGuard VPN. And today, we’ve found a five-year subscription to the highly rated service on sale for just $39.99. That’s an 88% discount off the regular price of $359, which works out to less than $8 a year for total internet browsing security.

Justin Bieber and other Canadian artists feature in new ‘Behind the Mac’ ad

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Made in Canada Behind the Mac ad
Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Jessie Reyez also stars in the 'Made in Canada' video.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s newest “Behind the Mac” ad shines a spotlight on Justin Bieber, Shawn Mendes, and other Canadian artists who use a Mac to bring their creations to life. But it seems to forget that Apple makes desktops, too.

Check out the new 30-second video, titled “Made in Canada,” below.

Watt’s next for Apple car: Batteries built on home soil?

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Apple car batteries could be made in U.S.
Foxconn and Aleees could get the go-ahead from Apple.
Photo: Jaguar

Apple apparently wants to build car batteries on its home soil. The company is eyeing a number of manufacturers as it plans to set up factories in the United States, according to a new report.

Foxconn, already one of Apple’s largest manufacturing partners, or Advanced Lithium Electrochemistry (Aleees) could get battery orders from Cupertino in the future, sources say.

Next-gen MacBook Pros might top out at 32GB of RAM

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This is a 16-inch MacBook Pro concept image. Not a leak from Apple.
The 2021 MacBook Pro might be beautiful, but not offer the same amount of RAM as its Intel-based predecessor.
Photo: Antonio De Rosa

The much-anticipated 2021 MacBook Pro models will be limited to a maximum of 32GB of data, according to an unconfirmed report. But the same source indicates that the upcoming macOS notebooks will have speedy SD slots and backlit TouchID sensors.

These great AirPods alternatives are on sale for less than $40 

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These Groundbreaking Earphones Feature Up to 3 Hours of Active Noise Cancellation, HiFi Sound & Bluetooth 5.1
You don't have to pay top dollar for quality wireless earbuds.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

There are a lot of things to love about AirPods: In fact, they’re one of the best Apple accessories out there. But one thing that’s not so hot about them? The $159 price tag (which goes up to $199 if you want a wireless charging case).

The price is especially forbidding considering how easily the little buds can be lost, dropped or stolen.

Brydge Max+: The best third-party keyboard for iPad Pro [Review]

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Brydge Max+ for iPad Pro review
A Brydge keyboard greater than any other.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

If you want to use your iPad like a laptop, adding a Brydge keyboard has long been the best way to do it. There are other solutions — a lot of them, in fact — and many are more affordable. But none of them are as good as a Brydge keyboard.

And no Brydge keyboard has been better than the new Max+ for iPad Pro. Like its predecessors, the Max+ is beautifully built from anodized aluminum, with a backlit keyboard that delivers a stellar typing experience. The big difference with the Max+ — which makes it even better than the Pro+ — is a larger, more reliable trackpad and a new, much more seamless magnetic docking system for your iPad.

The Max+ is not only the best Brydge keyboard ever made, but also the best third-party keyboard you can buy for iPad Pro. Here’s our full review.

Ted Lasso season 2 already scores boffo 100% Tomatometer rating

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‘Ted Lasso’ season 2 already scores boffo 100% Tomatometer rating
Don’t worry: looks like Ted Lasso season 2 will be as good as the first one.
Photo: Apple TV+

The second season of Ted Lasso doesn’t premiere until July 23 but critics given early access absolutely love the upcoming episodes. The season two of the Apple TV+ comedy has a 100% approval rating from the review-aggregator Rotten Tomatoes.

Apple begins beta testing Apple Music lossless audio on HomePod

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Apple Music lossless audio coming to HomePod, HomePod mini
HomePod and HomePod mini will soon be able to take advantage of a significant improvement to Apple Music.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

The latest beta of the HomePod system software adds support for Apple Music lossless audio. This allows both the large and small versions of Apple’s smart speaker to play music in a very high-quality format.

Act fast for free tix to Apple TV+’s The Problem with Jon Stewart tapings

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Jon Steward headed to Apple TV+
Jon Stewart interviewed President Barak Obama.
Photo: The White House

Do you miss the Jon Stewart era of The Daily Show? Are you fully vaccinated for Covid-19 and willing to prove it? Can you get to New York City with haste? If you answered “yes,” then you can watch July in-studio tapings of Apple TV+ current-affairs show The Problem with Jon Stewart for free.

Why Apple threatened to pull out of the UK

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Is Apple’s deal to make Google Safari’s default search engine anticompetitive?
If a UK court orders Apple to pay a tremendous patent licensing fee, the iPhone maker might decide it’s better to just leave the country.
Photo: Sora Shimazaki/Pexels CC

Apple reportedly warned a U.K. court that it might withdraw from the country if it must pay an enormous patent licensing fee. The iPhone-maker is being sued by Optis Cellular Technology over patents Apple says are invalid because they cover standard cellular-wireless technology.

Unlock full internet freedom with this award-winning VPN, now less than $70 for 2 years 

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Unlock blocked websites and internet freedom with two years of award-winning VPN protection
With this VPN, you can safely stream blocked TV and movies from anywhere in the world.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Having a virtual private network you can trust is the secret to unlocking full internet freedom. It allows you to protect your personal data, stream from regionally blocked sites, and browse the internet completely anonymously. 

Thankfully, we found a VPN that won best-in-class awards for doing exactly that — and it’s on sale with a great discount. Right now, you can get a two-year subscription to Private Internet Access VPN, plus $15 back in in-store credit, for just $69.95. That’s a 73% discount off the regular price of $268.

If you can’t afford Apple’s Pro Display XDR, then what? [Setups]

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The custom-made redwood desk is nice, but the Pro Display XDR is stunning.
The custom-made redwood desk is nice, but the Pro Display XDR is stunning.
Photo: [email protected]

Gorgeous, high-definition monitors hold a place of honor in many a computer setup. And sometimes it’s several displays, actually. But we rarely come across one of the most amazing monitors out there: the Apple Pro Display XDR. Why? Well, it costs $6,000, for one thing. Or, if you’re lucky, not quite that much.

So if you’re not a wealthy or financially irresponsible person, what’s a reasonable alternative to the Pro Display XDR?

Larger iMac ‘en route’ and could bring even faster ‘M2X’ chip

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M1 iMac
Could it be Apple's fastest desktop to date?
Photo: Apple

A larger iMac powered by Apple Silicon is “en route” and could feature an even faster “M2X” chip, according to reliable reporter Mark Gurman.

The next-generation all-in-one is expected to replace the 27-inch iMac with an even larger screen — perhaps around 30 inches — and could well be Apple’s fastest desktop to date.

iPad mini will see ‘biggest redesign’ and larger display this fall

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iPad mini concept is cool but not happening.
Like the newest iPad Air, only smaller.
Concept: Parker Ortolani

Apple’s new iPad mini is on track to launch this fall with its “biggest redesign” to date, according to one reliable reporter.

The sixth-generation device, which could look like a more compact version of the iPad Air, is expected to feature a larger edge-to-edge screen. It could be powered by the lightning-fast A14 Bionic chip.

Charge 3 devices at once with this $17 multitasking Apple Watch cord

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This 3-in-1 Apple Watch & Lightning Charger Cable can charge three devices at once
This Lightning cable is the perfect way to minimize cable clutter.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

There’s probably nothing more annoying than your phone dying right when you need it the most. Ditto for your AirPods or Apple Watch in the middle of a workout. Instead of dealing with a mess of different cables and chargers to power up your favorite devices, this 3-in-1 Apple Watch & Lightning Charger Cable can charge three devices at once.

It’s the perfect way to minimize cable clutter and ensure that all your necessary charging cords can be located quickly and conveniently. And it’s on sale now for just $16.99!

FaceTime’s fantastic new features [Cult of Mac Magazine 409]

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Find out how to use FaceTime's hot new features.
Find out how to use FaceTime's hot new features.
Cover: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

FaceTime is about to get even better. In iOS 15, which is available now as a free public beta, Apple’s proprietary messaging service gets great new audio and video features. Plus, you can use it to communicate with Android and Windows folks as well.

Find out what these new FaceTime features do, and how to use them, in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Also don’t miss this week:

Read all about it in our iOS mag, or get the links below.

Last chance! Win an AirTag dog collar for worry-free adventure [Cult of Mac giveaway]

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CollarTrek dog collar
The CollarTrek is a sturdy leather dog collar with a nifty AirTag pocket, ensuring your doggy is trackable.
Photo: CollarTrek

If you have a dog that runs away or just doesn’t listen, this week’s giveaway is for you. The CollarTrek dog collar securely holds an AirTag in place, making sure Fido’s location is easily trackable at all times.

Keep your dog safe and sound by entering this week’s giveaway. Enter and you could win one of four CollarTrek Leather AirTag dog collars.

Jazz up your Apple Watch with one of nine distinct silicone bands for $13

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This silicone Apple Watch band is only $12.99
Here's a stylish, durable Apple Watch band option — and it's now 35% off.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Apple Watches carry quite the price tag, and for good reason. The state-of-the-art smartwatch integrates seamlessly into the Apple ecosystem, making it a convenient companion. However, the Apple Watch band comes with a steep price tag, and there’s nothing really “smart” about it. A high-quality silicone watch band serves the exact same purpose as a $99 steel mesh one.

A year of effort goes into a clean and balanced look [Setups]

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Chris Reed's dual-monitor M1 MacBook Pro setup was a long time in the making.
Chris Reed's dual-monitor M1 MacBook Pro setup was a long time in the making.
Photo: Chris Reed

Working student Chris Reed told Cult of Mac he put a year of work into his “slow build” home office and computer setup. In that year he strove to achieve a clean and balanced look, and, judging by his pics and comments, it seems he got there.

Reed said he wanted to go with dual monitors rather than a wide screen display to save some money. He’s pleased with his choice of 32-inch Samsung 1080p curved monitors, run along with his 2020 MacBook Pro and his iPad Pro.

Lisey’s Story paints provocative portrait of incel culture [Apple TV+ review]

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Lisey's Story review: Dane DeHaan plays a particular kind of creep in the Stephen King miniseries.
Dane DeHaan plays a particular kind of creep in the Stephen King miniseries.
Photo: Apple TV+

Lisey has both of her sisters by her side as crazed stalker Jim Dooley approaches for their final showdown. But is everything as cut-and-dried as it appears?

The penultimate episode of Lisey’s Story, the Stephen King miniseries on Apple TV+, has one last round of games to play.