Cult of Mac

First there was 2015’s brilliant Alto’s Adventure. Then there was 2018’s superb Alto’s Odyssey. Now the third entry in the series, Alto’s Odyssey: The Lost City, is coming to Apple Arcade July 16 — and, boy, does the newly released trailer get our hopes up.

Describing the Alto’s games is a bit difficult. They’re, in essence, endless runners, in which the focus is on traversing environments such as snowy peaks and sandy dunes. But if that makes it sound like a sport’s game, you’d be wrong. These titles are all about the gorgeous, almost hypnotic graphics and sound that make it feel more like Monument Valley than SSX: Tricky.

Check out the trailer below.

Joining the Apple ecosystem is easy — all devices complement one another with compatible software, chargers and proprietary technology. What isn’t as easy is keeping these powerful devices charged up for constant everyday use.

Those entrenched in the Apple world use the Apple Watch on the go, a MacBook for work and an iPhone for the entire day. That can make it nearly impossible to use all these devices without worrying about a charge.

There’s no outcome yet announced for Epic Games’ battle with Apple in the United States. But the Australian Federal Court just handed a victory (of sorts) to the Fornite maker: giving it permission to proceed with its fight with Apple in Oz.

The lawsuit alleges that Apple is abusing its position in the marketplace by not allowing companies to distribute their apps on iOS outside the App Store. Epic’s efforts to battle Apple in Australia temporarily halted earlier this year due to a jurisdiction clauses stopping Australian lawsuits from proceeding if a similar case is being heard elsewhere in the world. The judge said they wanted to see what the US case would conclude before continue.

However, three Federal Court judges have ruled that it can continue — since it involves conduct in the Australian market that is of importance to the public.

Mini-LED screens, branded by Apple as “Liquid Retina XDR” displays, are reportedly coming to MacBook Pro. In a note to clients Friday, seen by Cult of Mac, TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo suggests that the new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models — featuring Liquid Retina XDR displays and an all-new design — will enter mass production in the third-quarter of 2021.

This contrasts with a May report that claimed the launch of Apple’s mini LED-backlit MacBook series had been postponed to 2022. It’s not clear whether that information was incorrect, or whether Apple and its suppliers have been able to solve whatever problem they may have been facing.

Apple’s swanky mini-LED display apparently won’t be limited to the larger iPad Pro next year.

According to a Friday research note from TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, seen by Cult of Mac, both the 11-inch and 12.9-inch 2022 iPad Pro models likely will come equipped with mini-LED screens.

Razer is known for aggressively designed, gaming-friendly gear, but its new Opus X active noise cancelling (ANC), over-ear Bluetooth headphones appear to be aimed at least in part at mainstream consumers.

The comparatively minimalist headphones offer an accessible price point and some desirable features.

Though cloud storage has made drive-based storage seem a little like an also-ran, local, portable, physical storage still has a place. So it’s good companies still try to improve it. TeamGroup has released three speedy new USB-3.2 flash drives, including one that carries the name “Extreme Speed.”

Director Todd Haynes’ first foray into documentary filmmaking, The Velvet Underground, got rave reviews after its world premiere Wednesday at the Cannes Film Festival. And that bodes well for the music doc’s debut on Apple TV+ and in theaters on October 15.

UPDATE 7/8/21: Elago’s brilliant AirTag keychain is now available in new colors — stone, lavender and dark gray — and its price tag has been lowered from $15.99 to $11.99.

Make your AirTag infinitely more useful by combining it with an Elago Case keychain and attaching it to almost anything.

Made from sturdy silicone that keeps your AirTag protected at all times, the case also features a built-in clip that can be easily attached to any bag, coat, bicycle, and more. It’s also affordable at under $12.

It’s built-in USB-C port makes connection iPad Pro to many peripherals a lot easier than it has been in the past. But for most things, you’ll still need an adapter — like this highly rated 6-in-1 solution from Rayrow.

Get yours on Amazon today to enjoy $31.10 off its usual price.

Apple has teamed up with the BBC for a documentary that will provide a timeline of the President of the United States in the hours after the 9/11 attacks. 9/11: Inside the President’s War Room will debut on Apple TV+ this September, marking the 20th anniversary of the attack on the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center.

Narrated by actor Jeff Daniels, the documentary will include never-before-seen testimony from former President George W. Bush, Vice President Dick Cheney, national security advisor Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of State Colin Powell, chief of staff Andy Card, director of communications Dan Bartlett, and many, many others. It will also include filmed archive and close to 200 previously unpublished photographs.

Pick up an affordable Apple notebook in Woot’s latest sale on MacBook Air and MacBook Pro refurbs. Prices start at just $509.99 for a 2017 MacBook Air, while 2020 units can be yours from as little as $799.99.

The discounts are good for today only, so enjoy them while you can.

Warren Buffett is one of the greatest financial masterminds of our time. But he’s not infallible. Sometimes even Warren makes mistakes — and one of those recent mistakes was called Apple.

Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway firm has long invested in Apple, with Buffett once saying that, “I don’t think of Apple as a stock. I think of it as our third business. It’s probably the best business I know in the world. And that is a bigger commitment than we have in any business except insurance and the railroad.”

Apple has done extremely well for Buffett. The company’s stake in Apple has tripled in value in the past three years. On Wednesday, as Apple closed at a new all-time high, it was worth $128 billion. It accounts for more than 40% of Berkshire’s US portfolio, while Berkshire is Apple’s second larger shareholder (after index fund giant Vanguard.) However, Buffett has also been pruning his Apple stake. And it’s cost him.

All dual-monitor users know that once you try it, you can never go back. But, that’s difficult when you’re traveling or working from home with your laptop.

Now, the innovative Mobile Pixels Duex display makes it possible to enjoy two screens while on the go or with limited desk space, and two models are on sale now for $229.

At age 56, Eddy Cue is going back to school. Kind of. Cue, who is Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services, has been announced a member of the Duke University Board of Trustees, university officials announced Thursday.

Cue attended Duke in the 1980s, studying computer science and economics. Duke has played a big part in his life. Not only did he meet his wife there, but both his sons, Adam and Spencer, studied computer science at Duke. Cue is a big fan of Duke basketball and attends many of the games. He has previously been involved with the Duke Technology Scholar program, encouraging women to study computer science and electrical engineering.

Ahead of the second season of hit comedy Ted Lasso debuting on Apple TV+ on July 23, Apple has debuted a new promo video that’s part trailer and part behind-the-scenes video.

However, rather than telling viewers about how the show is made (which, let’s face it, in promo featurettes is pretty much just every cast member saying how great every other cast member is), the new video — titled “Ted Lasso — The Lasso Way” — reflects on the show’s positive message.

The cast members talk about why positivity is so importance, and how they’ve heard from viewers who have been touched by the themes the show explores. Check it out below.

Steve Wozniak may be the co-founder of Apple, but that doesn’t mean that he’s always in lockstep with the company’s policies or opinions. One area of difference appears to be on the topic of right to repair.

While Apple lobbyists helped shoot down multiple right to repair proposals, Woz seems extremely receptive to the topic.

Responding to a Cameo request from right to repair advocate Louis Rossmann, Woz said “it’s time to recognize the right to repair more fully.” He continued that he believes “companies inhibit it because it gives the companies power [and] control over everything.”

Recent reports suggest owners of the original HomePod should steer clear of the device’s software version 14.6 and the newer version 15 update for beta users.

After numerous reports surfaced on Reddit and elsewhere, it appears the updates “brick” some users’ devices in certain configurations.

We’re always excited to hear about the latest smart home tech that can improve our lives and just make our homes cooler. But when we shop around for integrated smart home devices, we can’t help but feel an empty pang in our bank accounts once we realize how much a full smart home outfitting will cost.

The secret is finding simple tech that can make your existing devices a little smarter. 

Beijing-based Edifier built a reputation for producing high-quality speakers and headphones. Now, with the upcoming release of its Neobuds Pro hi-res, wireless, noise-canceling earbuds, it looks hungry to capture market share from top contenders like Apple’s AirPods Pro and Sony’s new WF-100XM4.

Popular email app Spike, which strips down emails to make them more like chats or test messages, just added audio and video calls. The update means Spike users can readily communicate in real time — and skip switching to Zoom, FaceTime or another videoconferencing app.

A new 3D-printed Settings Clock based on the classic iOS icon looks flat-out cool. Lucas Hall designed the small, analog clock, which is driven by an inexpensive clock mechanism — and would look great on any Apple fan’s wall.

As you can see from the image, Hall based his Apple-inspired clock on the iOS Settings icon. And you can have one just like it. You just have to get your 3D printing on.

Redditor DeviantSubrbanKid, based in the Philippines, knows how to impress a few computer setup mavens on social media. Make the workstation clean, tasteful and functional. And then add some weird or interesting touches.

Apple’s own preinstalled apps are the ones most commonly used on iPhones, says a Facebook-commissioned study. Weather, Photos and Camera are reportedly the three most popular non-phone call apps used on iOS. The Phone app is, no shock here, the most popular.

The study says something similar holds true for Android. On that platform, Google apps (Google Play, Google Search, YouTube and Gmail) rank as most widely used.

Apple TV (the hardware, not the streaming service) makes up around 12.5% of set-top boxes in a very fragmented marketplace, according to analysis from Parks Associates.

That lags behind Roku and Amazon’s Fire TV Box, which currently stand neck-and-neck. Nonetheless, Apple TV ranks a few percentage points ahead of Google’s Chromecast. Back in 2017, Chromecast came in ahead of Apple TV. And, as recently as 2018 and 2019, the two remained competitive.