A bribery allegation against Apple’s head of global security has been dropped due to lack of evidence. Thomas Moyer, who has worked at Apple since 2006, was accused of donating 200 iPads to the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office in exchange for concealed firearms licenses.

Two officials at the sheriff’s office also faced indictments as part of the investigation.

Apple has stopped signing iOS 14.5.1 following the release of iOS 14.6 a couple of weeks ago. That means that, if you’ve already upgraded to the latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system, there’s no going back again. (Although, to be fair, why would you want to?)

Apple stops signing firmware quickly after introducing newer, more up-to-date versions. “Signing” is the process of confirming that code is legitimate and has not been altered or corrupted. This allows downloaders to know their software updates are coming through official Apple channels.

Coding is easier than ever before, with countless courses on how to learn computer languages popping up nearly every day. Whether you’re a new and aspiring programmer, or just need to brush up in some areas, you won’t want to miss this limited-time deal on a massive computer science certification bundle. The courses in this bundle will help you build your IT and data science skills quickly and easily.

For a limited time, you can snag The 2021 Complete Computer Science Certification Bundle for just $20, a major discount from its total value of $1,800. (After our Memorial Day sale ends, you can still get this collection of courses for $39.99.)

Add Nvidia Shield to the lengthy list of smart TVs and streaming boxes that can play Apple TV+. A version of the free app for the Android-powered media player debuted Tuesday.

Make replying to messages on iPad even quicker by activating its hidden floating keyboard with Slide-to-Type support. It’s baked right into iPadOS, so no third-party apps or hacks are required.

We’ll show you how to access it.

Newly released versions of the Pages and Numbers productivity apps let users make embedded objects like shapes and images into links. This is true for both the Mac and mobile versions of the iWork apps.

Plus, the iPad and iPhone versions — as well as Keynote — also get additional capabilities for teachers who use the Schoolwork app.

Since he came out as gay eight years ago, Apple CEO Tim Cook has led the company through the most successful period in its history. Cook once said he wanted to prove you can “be gay and still go on and do some big jobs in life.” He’s certainly done that.

But maybe there’s more to this story than overcoming prejudice. In 2018, Cook told CNN that being gay is “God’s greatest gift to me.” Far from a disadvantage, could being gay actually be an instrumental part of his success?

As a gay man myself, Cook has always been an inspiration for me. So to celebrate Pride Month, here’s why I think being gay made him a better CEO.

With an ultra-compact design that makes it easy to take anywhere, Anker’s terrific 18W USB-C charger is ideal for those who are always on the go. It will charge your iPhone, iPad, and lots more.

Get yours today at 20% off the usual price.

Tim Cook is one of the highest-profile CEOs in the world, currently in his tenth year running what’s currently the most valuable public company in the United States. But Cook is far from the biggest earner when it comes to executive compensation.

According to a ranking by the Wall Street Journal, Cook ranked 171st among S&P 500 CEOs in 2020s, taking into account both pay and compensation packages. While Cook’s take-home was a more-than-adequate $14,769,259 for the year, that’s still considerably under the $211 million raked in by Chad Richison of Paycom, the no. 1 entry on the list.

Two new, larger versions of the Linedock multi-port USB-C docking station make room for additional capabilities. The Linedock 16” and 15” sit under a MacBook where they take up minimal space but add ten ports, up to 2TB of storage and a 99.9Wh battery.

The new versions can be ordered now and ship later this summer.

Summer is nearly here. Are you ready for the heat? Consider the EvaSmart 2: Smart Personal Air Conditioner, which is not simply a cooling device. This personal all-in-one evaporative air cooler also works as a humidifier and air purifier, providing climate control absolutely anywhere you go.

Currently on sale for just $179 (regularly $269), this popular mobile AC unit will be available for just $161 for a limited time thanks to a price drop.

Ahead of next week’s WWDC 2021, Apple is highlighting the young developers who have won its Swift Student Challenge. The annual contest exists to reward up-and-coming coders who are on Apple’s radar. They typically win some great Apple swag for their troubles.

This year, for its second virtual Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple handed out prizes to 350 next generation Swift coders from 35 countries and regions. They had to submit an original Swift playground in order to win a spot. Apple seizes upon this year’s competition to show off the diversity of the people who entered.

Want a bargain iPhone that packs some of Apple’s best features? Look no further than a refurbished iPhone XR. You get an edge-to-edge display, Face ID, stereo speakers, and more — and all for less than $320. This sale ends today, so claim yours before it’s too late.

The European Union is reportedly working on a mobile digital wallet that could support far more types of identification documents than Apple’s Wallet app. While Wallet can store your credit and debit cards, along with passes and tickets, the EU’s digital wallet will allow EU members to store their driver’s license, access various private and public services, and more.

As first noted by the Financial Times, the app will centralize access to a whole lot of information using a single online ID. Up until now, EU member states have had their own digital IDs. However, these have not all been compatible with one another and adoption has been low. Now the EU is looking at creating one unified solution.

What do you do when you drop your iPhone 12 Pro in a canal and can’t find it? Simple: You take advantage of one of its neat new features to fish it out of the murky depths.

That’s what Twitter user and developer Frederik Riedel recently did — crafting a fishing rod with magnet that allowed him to latch on to the MagSafe charging magnets on the back of the device. Impressively, it worked. As did the iPhone continue to do.

A new eBay listing from a seller in China, known for selling genuine Apple prototypes in the past, is selling what appear to be unreleased-but-authentic AirTag accessories. These include pink and surf blue versions of the AirTag Loop, joining the electric orange, sunflower, deep navy, and white color options Apple already sells.

It also sells the California poppy leather loop, another accessory that appeared in promotional images, but has yet to be released by Apple. At time of writing, the surf blue and California poppy options are out of stock. However, the pink is still available. It’s not clear whether the others will be restocked.

If there’s one editing toolkit that all digital creators have at hand, it’s Adobe Creative Cloud. Trusted by professional artists, designers and programmers, virtually every industry thrives on one or more aspects of the Adobe’s software suite.

Learning Photoshop is a must for aspiring photographers, but it’s also useful for PR professionals looking to assemble a press kit or brochure on their own. Journalists wield Adobe Premiere in newsrooms, but so do amateur filmmakers looking to complete their first feature-length film.

Basically, anyone working in the digital creative world needs to learn all of Adobe CC. And, for a limited time, you can — with the 2021 Complete All-in-One Adobe Creative Cloud Suite Certification Course Bundle. And it’s priced at just $20 for Memorial Day.

Intel struck a blow against Apple by pointing out how weak Mac gaming is. The chip-maker held a presentation at Computex 2021, during which it said Windows laptops offer a “better gaming experience than 100% of Mac laptops.”

This will likely damage any remaining relationship the Intel has with Apple. But this was already in tatters as macOS transitions to Apple’s M-series processors and away from Intel ones.

Update:  iOS 15 was unveiled at WWDC 2021 and there was no mention of interactive widgets. Maybe in 2022…

It’s high time iPhone Home screen widgets grew up. They were one of the best additions to iOS last year, but they are still too limited. Fortunately, iOS 15 will reportedly make widgets much more interactive.

There are a few other changes expected in the new iPhone system software update, but none are as important as this one.

It’s Christmas in May, June and July. Many people are taking delivery on the colorful new M1 iMacs. Others are jealously awaiting delivery while drooling over photographic evidence on social media of others’ recent shipments.

And computer setups everywhere are being refreshed with the dazzling new all-in-one machines (see Cult of Mac’s M1 iMac review roundup). Redditor 17parkc is just one example, sporting a brand-spanking-new blue iMac. They even posted a video showing off the upgrade.

As the years go by, your computer storage will only get bogged down with more photos, more work documents and more assorted files that you’ll want to keep stored forever. And if you have space-stealing projects like edited videos or audio files, forget it. No computer will ever have enough space for all your saved files.

That’s why lifetime cloud storage is becoming a smart buy. It allows you to purchase terabytes of storage for a one-time price, so you’ll never have to worry about running out of space again. If you’re in the market for A.I.-based cloud storage, look no further than Degoo Premium. And this Memorial Day, you can get a lifetime subscription to Degoo Premium with 15TB of storage for just $129.99. That’s an astonishing savings off the retail value of $4,320.

What is the No. 1 instrument in most U.S. music schools? The answer may not surprise you: It’s a classic, alluring and highly versatile instrument that can make a variety of sounds. As of 2019, “The piano/keyboard is the most requested instrument to play by young musicians at least in the U.S.,” according to the Los Angeles Music Teachers website.

If you missed your chance to learn piano in school, don’t worry. There’s a new way to learn to play, and it makes the instrument more accessible than ever. Typically retailing for $299, and usually offered by us at a 50% discount at $149.99, our lifetime subscription to Skoove Premium Piano Lessons will drop down to just $113 for a limited time this Memorial Day weekend.

Mac concept-makers are really strutting their stuff lately. This week we saw two eye-catching concepts that ring true. Get a glimpse of what the next-gen Mac Pro and MacBook Pro might look like in this week’s top stories.

And don’t miss our interview with one of the concept artists, who tells what he uses to make his realistic images.

You’ll find those stories and more in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Read it on iOS or hit the links below for browser fun. If you want slightly less fanciful stuff, we’ve also got the latest Apple news, reviews and how-tos to keep you busy this long Memorial Day weekend.

With the school year drawing to a close and summer almost upon us, parents everywhere will be looking for ways to keep their kids occupied. Like it or not, some of that will revolve around technology. That isn’t a bad thing; there are many new options that will make kids and adults both happy. Outdoor movie nights are one example the whole family will enjoy. Another could be letting children use their imagination to create and print their own toys.

The Toybox 3D Printer Bundle will do just that, and for less money right now during our Memorial Day sale. It typically retails for $469, but you can pick up this awesome gift for just $299.99 with our limited-time price drop.

Too many books, too little time.

It’s true: There are more books that exist in the world than one person could possibly read in a lifetime. That being said, there’s still time to read titles that personally interest you. If you’ve got a busy schedule, though, it can be challenging to find time to read new books or thumb through classics. But there is a way to digest novel ideas in very little time.