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This ultra-thin 3-port wall charger is optimized for travel

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Bring this ultra-thin 3-port wall charger on your travels.
This ultra-thin 3-port wall charger is made for travel.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

With everything opening back up again, travel is once again being viewed as a viable leisure option — in fact, 44.6% of Americans currently feel that now is a good time to book a trip and go someplace new. If you’re planning to travel abroad, you know it’s essential to bring the right items with you when you visit a new country — and bringing the right charger is no exception. This VogDUO Triple-USB Travel Wall Charger helps take some of the guesswork out of what charger you need to bring with you: it features three ports with universal support for 100 to 240 volts (meaning you can quickly charge your devices in virtually any country).

Plugable’s new hub adds 7 USB-A ports to your MacBook

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Plugable's new USB-C charging hub keeps gadgets going and files transferred.
Plugable's new USB-C charging hub keeps gadgets going and files transferred.
Photo: Plugable

Nobody’s too happy when Apple decides to subtract ports from a new MacBook, but that’s what connectivity hubs are for. The newly launched Plugable 7-in-1 USB-C Charging Hub is no exception, adding seven USB-A ports to your MacBook Pro or MacBook Air.

You can finally preorder the kooky-cool Playdate game console [Updated]

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Preorders for the Playdate game console open soon. Note the crank.
Preorders for the Playdate game console open soon. Note the crank.
Photo: Panic

MacOS and iOS app developer Panic initially said in May 2019 its kooky-cool Playdate handheld game console would come out in early 2020. Last week it said preorders would start July 29 and, hey, that’s today. Preorders have started.

The original announcement got a lot of looks because of the gadget’s interesting, retro design. It looks like a child’s toy — in a cool way — with a yellow casing and a black-and-white display. But it packs some tech.

Install these critical security patches for Mac, iPhone,iPad and Apple Watch today [Updated]

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Mac malware is real. Watch out.
macOS Big Sur 11.5.1, iOS 14.7.1 and iPadOS 14.7.1 each take care of the same dangerous bug.
Graphic: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Three of Apple’s biggest products received security patches Monday — and another got its version on Thursday. You should probably install them as soon as possible.

The company started with macOS Big Sur 11.5.1, iOS 14.7.1, and iPadOS 14.7.1 to fix a security hole reportedly used by at least one hacker already. That’s why they are “recommended for all users,” according to Apple.

Apple followed up Thursday by releasing watchOS 7.6.1 to patch the same bug on Apple Watch. It’s also recommended.

GarageBand teaches music remixing with Lady Gaga, Dua Lipa songs

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Apple’s GarageBand teaches music remixing with Lady Gaga, Dua Lipa songs
GarageBand now includes an expanded Sound Library with new Sound Packs from top artists and music producers.
Graphic: Apple

Apple wants to help people get over the hump of learning art of music remixing with its free GarageBand application for iPad and iPhone. Two new Remix Sessions offer step-by-step video instruction in the app itself. Thy use hit songs from Grammy-winning artists Dua Lipa and Lady Gaga.

Musicians can also now create tracks with seven new Producer Packs full of beats, loops and instruments.

Apple chipmaker receives approval for next-gen 2-nanometer factory

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TSMC 7nm processor
Coming soon(ish) to an iPhone near you.
Photo: TSMC

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, the semiconductor company that builds the A-series and M-series chips for Apple, has received approval for its most advanced chip plant to date.

According to a report by Nikkei Asia, the factory — located in Hsinchu, Taiwan — will be dedicated to building next-generation 2-nanometer chips. The iPhone 12, by comparison, features an A14 chip made using the 5nm process. The smaller the number of nanometers, the more transistors can be fitted onto a piece of silicon. That typically means more powerful chips.

Get the brilliant M1 MacBook Pro at its lowest price yet

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macOS Big Sur on a MacBook Pro
Save $199.01.
Photo: Apple

The newest MacBook Pro with M1 chip is the best Apple laptop you can buy right now, and rumor has it we’ll be waiting longer than anticipated for a larger model. Bag the brilliant 13-inch option today at its lowest price ever.

Amazon is offering $199.01 — the biggest discount yet — off both the 256GB and the 512GB configurations. Enjoy the savings today before they disappear!

Protect your information with this lifetime VPN on sale for under $30

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Protect your information with this top-rated VPN
KeepSolid VPN will Protect Your Online Activity & Browse Without Restriction for Life
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

How you use the internet decides how much of your information is easily available to people who would exploit it. There are little things you can do to prevent some of your information getting out: not using your full name when you can avoid it, using prepaid credit cards on subscription sites, not telling total strangers your social security number. These local-level fixes can protect some of your info, but if you want to use private or public internet without worrying about your information leaking, then you want a VPN. KeepSolid VPN Unlimited is on sale with a lifetime subscription of total security for just $27.99 for a limited time if you use the code ANNUAL30.

HomePod smart speaker had a great quarter in the US

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HomePod mini
The HomePod mini likely had a lot to do with it.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

HomePod shipments in the United States increased 180% year-on-year in the last quarter, eclipsing the growth of smart speaker makers Amazon and Google during the period, market intelligence firm Omdia reports.

While Apple still lags behind the other two companies on shipments, it is looking more competitive than it has at any point in the history of the HomePod so far. That’s particularly impressive when considering that this was a rough three-month period for smart speakers in the US, whose growth is stalling.

App Tracking Transparency hasn’t hurt Facebook’s ad revenue… yet

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Facebook logo
Facebook released its latest earnings report Wednesday.
Photo: Brett Jordan/Unsplash

Apple’s App Tracking Transparency feature hasn’t been enough to stop Facebook from pulling in a massive $28 billion in ad revenue for the second quarter of 2021. That represents a 56% increase year-on-year. Facebook earned $10.4 billion in total profits for the quarter.

While Apple’s anti-tracking privacy measures weren’t explicitly designed to hurt Facebook, Facebook has been outspoken about the impacts they would have on its business. A recent Facebook-funded research paper called the iOS 14 feature an “anti-competitive strategy disguised as a privacy-protecting measure.”

These ‘grade A’ iPhone 6s, iPhone 7 refurbs are a steal from just $99.99

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RED iphone
Bag yours before they're all gone!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Need a cheap iPhone that you can use as a backup or to keep in touch with the kids? Pick up a iPhone 6s or iPhone 7 refurb from Woot today from just $99.99 in this absolute steal of a deal that runs for one day only.

All units are “grade A” and in excellent condition, but stock is limited, so enjoy this offer while you can!

This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.

Paper job application filled out by Steve Jobs in 1973 sells for $343,000

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NFT vs physical
Both physical and NFT versions were up for sale.
Photo: Steve Jobs Job Application

A job application filled out by 18-year-old Steve Jobs in 1973 has sold for $343,000 — and, based on its history, that may actually be a pretty good deal.

The rare paper document, possibly the only job application Apple’s late co-founder and CEO filled in in his life, has proven to be a pretty great investment over the years. This time, it was accompanied by an NFT sale for the same document, which pulled in around $23,000.

Brilliant iPhone 13 concept shows new features we’re hoping for

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Brilliant iPhone 13 concept offers new features we’re hoping for
Many of these features are expected to be in the real iPhone 13. Some are just wishes, though.
Screenshot: the Hacker 34

The next iPhone is just a couple of months away, but an artist has given us an early glimpse of what it might look like. His iPhone 13 concept combines new features revealed leaks and rumors, but there are also a couple that are just hopes.

Watch his high-quality video to see a handset Apple might unveil soon.

Save an extra 15% on a new ring light webcam for your streaming or conferencing needs

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This ring light webcam is perfect for streaming or conferencing
Meet All Your Streaming & Video Meeting Needs with This Webcam’s 1080p Resolution, Autofocus, and 3-Level Adjustable LED Light.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

After a year where a good portion of your social interactions likely took place on screen, you probably noticed that most webcams aren’t particularly flattering. And when digital audio is all you hear, you might notice that it isn’t completely authentic to what people sound like unless you have an expensive mic. Instead of buying a ring light to bring out the best of your features or the type of mic professional podcasters use, all you need to make your streaming and video presence authentic and smooth is this 1080P HD Webcam with Oval LED Ring Light. It helps that it has both an excellent mic and a ring light built in, and for a limited time you can get one on sale for $31.44 if you use the coupon code ANNUAL15. Or, if you use that same code, you can get two for $50.99, three for $72.24, or four for $93.49, so everyone in your household can be shown in their best light.

OnePlus guns for AirPods Pro with new $149 ANC earbuds

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OnePlus Buds Pro will feature active noise cancellation and support for Dolby Atmos.
OnePlus Buds Pro will feature active noise cancellation and support for Dolby Atmos.
Photo: OnePlus

OnePlus is rolling out another Apple-esque product at a lower price point — a new set of Buds Pro that improve on its original Buds with active noise cancellation (ANC) and some upgraded audio features. They look a lot like Airpods Pro, actually, except with silver stems rather than white ones.

Apple shows you how to take ‘otherworldly’ iPhone images

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Apple shows you how to take 'otherworldly' iPhone images
Professional photog Maria Lax shares tips on taking eerie pictures with an iPhone’s Night Mode.
Screenshot: Apple

Explore some of the more exotic possibilities of your iPhone’s camera with a free tutorial from a professional photographer. An video Today at Apple session shows how to use Night Mode to take and edit “otherworldly” images.

Get these free suggestions now:

Should you put a keyboard cover on a MacBook Pro? [Setups]

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Note the cool-looking keyboard cover on the MaBook pro at left.
Note the cool-looking keyboard cover on the MaBook pro at left.
Photo: [email protected]

When a computer setup is as clean and spare as Redditor whatsyourname’s, the eye tends to go to the most unusual item. In this case, it’s probably the colorful keyboard cover on the MacBook Pro, making it look like some other model of laptop.

And, of course, what did commenters most want to talk about in the setup? That thing. Naturally, a little bit of a debate ensued. Should you use a keyboard cover on a MacBook at all?

Step up home security with a Ring Video Doorbell Pro for under $100

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Ring-Video-Doorbell-Pro
Keep an eye on your home from anywhere.
Photo: Amazon

You might not be getting a lot of visitors right now, but they’ll be back … one day. Maybe. And wouldn’t it be great if you could see who’s outside your home without even being there? Pick up a Ring Video Doorbell Pro for $40 less.

Amazon is now offering certified refurbished units that look and work as good as new for just $99.99 — down from $139.99. The sale is good for a limited time only, so enjoy it while you can!

Brace yourself: iPhone app lets you try on braces in augmented reality

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Brace
All through the magic of augmented reality.
Photo: Enis Yavuz/Unsplash CC

A new augmented reality iPhone app lets users try different styles of braces on before they visit an orthodontist. Clarity Smile, which launched in the App Store this month, features a range of braces — ranging from ceramic, metallic, and colored braces to clear aligners and even fun (not dentally approved) options like diamond grills.

Users get to see what these look like on them as they talk and smile. They can even use the app to share new brace selfies with friends and family.