Mobile menu toggle

Apple will buy LG smartphones to attract more iPhone switchers

By

Apple now accepts LG phones for trade-in
Get up to $180 for your old LG device.
Photo: LG

Apple will now give you credit toward an iPhone when you trade in an eligible smartphone from LG. A total of four different devices are accepted right now, with up to $180 on offer.

The move comes just months after LG announced it is exiting the smartphone business. The South Korean firm will not release any new handsets following years of sales declines and losses.

This top-rated digital painting software is over 20% off for lifetime access

By

Get a lifetime subscription to Paintstorm Studio for exemplary art
Paint up a storm with lifetime access to this digital art software for Mac or PC.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Every painter knows that good painting isn’t just about the vision: It’s all about having the right materials.

For a painter, a set of delicate brushes or exquisite paints allows them to bring their vision to life. Just because we’re in the digital age doesn’t mean artists have any less need for premium painting materials.

MacBook Pro with mini-LED display could land this year in 2 sizes

By

Save on 13.3-inch MacBook Pro from 2020
The big refresh could be just months away.
Photo: Apple

Apple is teaming up with two new suppliers to bring mini-LED displays to MacBook Pro later this year, according to a new report. The next-generation machines are expected to come in 14- and 16-inch sizes.

It could be as soon as September. One of the suppliers, who is investing to increase production capacity during the third quarter, is already manufacturing mini-LED screens for the newest 12.9-inch iPad Pro.

Apple TV+ lights a torch under City on Fire crime drama series

By

Apple TV+ lights a torch under ‘City on Fire’ crime drama series
City on Fire, a new drama series inspired by the acclaimed novel by Garth Risk Hallberg, will premiere exclusively on Apple TV+.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

The bestseller City on Fire will be adapted into a series for Apple TV+. The story of a tangled murder investigation will be written by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, who’ve worked on multiple successful TV series together.

Unique handheld Hackintosh is no bigger than paperback

By

Unique handheld Hackintosh is no bigger than paperback
This crazy hackintosh has a palm-size keyboard and screen but still runs macOS Big Sur.
Photo: iketsj

Maybe you’ve been thinking that MacBooks are just too practical. What you want is a handheld Mac with a screen you can barely see and an uncomfortable keyboard. Well, T. Sanglay, Jr. has just the project for you. He created miniature hackintosh that runs macOS Big Sur.

And he filmed a video to show the computer coming together. Watch it if you have a hard time believing someone could assemble a Mac about the size of paperback novel.

Get $9 off Apple’s seriously upgraded Siri Remote — the first discount we’ve seen

By

Apple TV Siri Remote sale: You don't need to buy the cow to get the milk. Or something.
You don't need to buy the cow to enjoy the sweet cream. Or something.
Photo: Jeremy Zero/Unsplash CC

You can get the best part of this year’s Apple TV update — the totally redesigned Siri Remote — at a healthy $9 off from Verizon Wireless right now. It’s the first discount we’ve seen on the new Apple TV remote, and it drops the price to just $49.99 with free shipping.

By buying the remote separately, current Apple TV owners gain major benefits while avoiding the big (and mostly pointless) investment in the pricey new set-top box. And you don’t need to be a Verizon Wireless subscriber to jump on this hot deal, either.

How to get the iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 public betas today

By

How to get the iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 public betas today
You can try out iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 today. Here’s how to install the public betas.
Photo: Cult of Mac

iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 are now available to public beta testers ahead of a wider release. Each of these brings a whole bunch of notable changes and improvements. iPhone gets FaceTime enhancements, new controls over notifications, upgrades for Apple Maps, and many more changes. And iPad gets a revamped version of Safari, improvements to Home screen widgets, easier side-by-side multitasking, and more.

Want to try them out for yourself? We’ll show you how.

How to enhance remote work with Apple devices and endpoint management

By

Hexnode: Remote work is the new normal. Is your organization making it as safe and productive as possible?
Remote work is the new normal. Is your organization making it as safe and productive as possible?
Image: Hexnode

This post on Apple device endpoint management is brought to you by Hexnode.

The COVID-19 pandemic remolded everything from our socializing habits to our working styles, imposing a new normal worldwide. Remote work emerged as a workable solution to prevent the complete interruption of entire industries while also safeguarding employees’ health during a dangerous time.

iPhone 13 Pro concept is exactly what we’ve been hoping for

By

Next-generation iPhone 13 Pro concept is exactly what we’ve been hoping for
Few people will be disappointed if the iPhone 13 Pro and Pro Max look like this.
Photo: Ran Avni/ConceptsiPhone

A concept artist combined many of the iPhone 13 Pro leaks into a video that might portray Apple’s next handset. The device has a smaller notch, 120 Hz screen, Touch ID and other changes — just like the one Apple is expected to unveil in September.

Watch the beautiful concept video now:

Slack launches new audio tool, plans new sharing features

By

Slack Huddles, or quick audio chats, are easy to set up within the app.
Slack Huddles, or quick audio chats, are easy to set up within the app.
Photo: Slack

Business communication platform Slack launched a new audio tool called Slack Huddles today. That and a few other enhancements available now or soon are moving the app from a text-based messaging replacement for email to a more multimedia environment.

Satechi improves Mac mini stand/hub combo with new SSD enclosure

By

Satechi Type-C Stand & Hub for Mac Mini with SSD Enclosure
Add front-facing ports and additional storage to your Mac mini with an improved Satechi Stand & Hub.
Photo: Satechi

Satechi’s stylish Mac mini stand includes an array of front-facing ports. A new version adds space for a sold-state drive to further increase the macOS desktop’s storage capacity.

The Satechi Type-C Stand & Hub for Mac Mini with SSD Enclosure launched Wednesday. And it’s currently on sale.

GB Operator adapter lets you play real Game Boy cartridges on Mac

By

GB Operator lets you play Game Boy games on Mac
GB Operator supports original Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and GBA games.
Photo: Epilogue

Got a stack of Game Boy cartridges lying around but no Game Boy to play them on? GB Operator is a new adapter that lets you connect and play those physical games on your Mac, Windows, or Linux computer.

GB Operator supports original Game Boy, Game Boy Color, and Game Boy Advance cartridges. It combines with an emulator to allow the games to be played on non-original hardware.

M1 Mac mini usurps Mac Pro and tops MBP in super-widescreen rig [Setups]

By

A Mac mini usurped a 16-inch MacBook Pro in this super-widescreen setup.
A Mac mini usurped a 16-inch MacBook Pro in this super-widescreen setup.
Photo: OSJdesigns@Reddit

A lot of folks eagerly await new MacBook Pro models, preferably with updated M1 chips. You know, the ones not introduced at WWDC as predicted? In the meantime, plenty of people are snapping up the affordable and reportedly fabulous M1 Mac mini. We’ve seen it over and over again in our far-flung travels among Setups online.

T-Mobile’s Test Drive program gets eSIM support for easy setup on iPhone

By

T-Mobile Test Drive
No additional hardware required.
Photo: T-Mobile

The Test Drive program that allows smartphone users to try out T-Mobile’s network free for 30 days now supports iPhone’s built-in eSIM.

You previously needed to use a mobile hotspot and a physical T-Mobile SIM card to take advantage of the trial. Now, you simply need to download an app on iPhone XS or later.

Beats Studio Buds offset falling AirPods sales ahead of health-tracking upgrade

By

Beats Studio Buds come in white.
An early success.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s new Beats Studio Buds are helping to offset a recent decline in headphones sales before an “innovative” health-tracking AirPods Pro upgrade arrives next year, according to one reliable analyst.

AirPods shipments could fall to just 70-75 million units for 2021, warns TF International Securities’ Ming-Chi Kuo. But Apple’s total headphones shipments could jump to more than 100 million units in 2022.

Keep your emails private forever with lifetime encryption, on sale today for less than $200 

By

Protect yourself from data theft forever with this lifetime email encryption
Take your email privacy to the next level with this super-strength lifetime encryption offer.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Whether you share confidential documents for work, want to protect your personal information from hackers and phishing scams, or simply value security, the strength of your email can change everything. Especially since hacked email accounts make up more than half of all recent data breaches.

The solution? A super-strength, end-to-end encrypted email service you can trust.

Apple could bring OLED display to iPad Air in 2022, iPad Pro in 2023

By

Apple Smart Folio for iPad Pro, iPad Air
But what about Mini-LED?
Photo: Apple

Apple plans to bring OLED displays to iPad next year, with iPad Pro to get the same treatment in 2023, according to a new report.

The switch will begin with a 10.68-inch rigid panel, likely destined for iPad Air, sources say. Apple has already transitioned its iPhone lineup to OLED screens after first bringing the technology to iPhone X in 2017.

Apple prepares to bring mmWave 5G to more countries with iPhone 13

By

Killian filed that 5G thing. I’m reading it now. Do you want me to hold it for tomorrow’s newsletter just in case?
Even faster connectivity for some iPhone owners could be on the way.
Photo: Apple

Apple is adding new 5G component suppliers to bring faster mmWave connectivity to more countries with iPhone 13, according to a new report. The technology is currently available only in the United States.

Sources say Cupertino is now working with five antenna-in-package (AiP) manufacturers after adding AT&S to its roster.

Pitaka magnetic iPad stand and cases work together brilliantly [Review]

By

Pitaka MagEZ Stand for Tablets, MagEZ Case and MagEZ Folio review
The MagEZ Stand for Tablets is the highlight of a collection of accessories designed to work together.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Pitaka MagEZ Stand for Tablets, the MagEZ Case, and the MagEZ Folio give your iPad Pro/Air what it needs to be used in the office or on the road. The stylish desktop stand includes a wireless iPhone charger. The ultraslim case magnetically attaches to the stand, or it can be used with the Apple Magic Keyboard, or combined with a folio case. And the folio case can be used on its own.

I tested these Pitaka accessories in combination and individually. Read on to see why I like them.