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Get access to more than 200 quality Mac apps for just $69 with Setapp

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mac apps
Setapp is like the Netflix of Mac apps (and now offers iOS apps, too).
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

If you’re always looking for new apps to boost your creativity and improve your workflow, check out Setapp. This service helps boost Mac and iPhone productivity via a curated collection of more than 210 apps that cover nearly every need.

Typically retailing for $119, a year-long subscription to Setapp is now available for just $69 (42% off its normal price). With it, you get full access to all the great Mac apps in Setapp’s impressive library.

Jony Ive hires at least 4 former Apple colleagues to work at LoveFrom design firm

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Ive
Ive left Apple in 2019 to found his own design firm.
Photo: Apple

Former Apple design boss Jony Ive has hired at least four of his former Cupertino colleagues to work at his LoveFrom design firm, according to The Information.

Since leaving Apple in 2019, Ive reportedly hired Chris Wilson, Patch Kessler, Jeff Tiller and Wan Si. All four worked with Ive in Apple’s design team. Wilson created GUI elements such as icons and menus. Kessler worked in product design and helped create the MacBook Force Touch trackpad. And Tiller is a communications specialist who worked for the Apple design team.

The latest hire is Wan, who designed on app icons, home screens and buttons.

Lisey’s Story looks like a Stephen King adaptation done right [Apple TV+ review]

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Lisey's Story review: Julianne Moore shines in this adaptation of Stephen King's novel.
Julianne Moore shines in this adaptation of Stephen King's novel.
Photo: Apple TV+

With Lisey’s Story, Apple TV+ officially enters the Stephen King business, a step every streaming service must eventually take. The new miniseries, based on King’s novel of the same name, just so happens to boast an astonishing pedigree. So the inevitable move reads less like calculation and more like certainty for once.

This is a miniseries that, at least initially, looks like it’s firing on all cylinders.

Apple’s twice-dead AirPower charging mat project is alive. Again.

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AirPower cancelled.
Alive? Dead? Maybe not even Tim Cook knows for sure.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

What does Apple’s oft-discussed, never-shipped AirPower charging pad have in common with Baron Samedi, the voodoo priest from the 1973 James Bond movie Live and Let Die? Two things predominantly: 1) People think they’re folklore until they actually appear, and 2) They seemingly can’t die.

That’s right: After dodging death more times than Evel Knievel, a new Bloomberg report claims that AirPower is back on. Again. Or, at the very least, the project still has a heartbeat.

iPad mini set for big redesign, while MagSafe makes its way to iPad Pro

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There’s more 2021 iPad Pro RAM than in any previous Apple tablet.
Apple wants to keep its iPad line hot coming out of the pandemic.
Photo: Apple

Apple is planning some exciting new additions for its iPad line. According to Bloomberg, Apple plans to bring wireless charging to the iPad Pro, along with the first iPad mini redesign in six years.

The wireless charging iPad will supposedly debut in 2022. The redesigned iPad mini — complete with narrower bezels and possible removed Home button — will meanwhile arrive later this year.

Securely stream your favorite shows with this VPN

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surfshark
This VPN is great for streaming, surfing the web and gaming.
Photo: Surfshark

We’re spending more time online than ever before — and between all your different accounts for entertainment, productivity and communication, it’s incredibly easy to fall victim to a security breach. In fact, there were 2,935 reported breaches in the first three quarters of 2020, more than ever previously reported.

Apple makes it harder for creeps to use AirTags for stalking

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Apple AirTag finally jumped from rumor to reality.
It’s getting easier to find a hidden AirTag being used to stalk someone.
Photo: Apple

Apple moved to address many of the privacy concerns raised after the release of AirTags. The item trackers launched with anti-stalking features, but a new firmware update is tightening them up further.

AirTags will start more quickly warning people if they’re being used to follow someone. And an Android app that can detect these trackers is in development.

How to allow a guest to control your HomeKit devices

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Add a guest to the Home app
The safe and easy way to share HomeKit control.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

If you’re going away this summer and leaving your home in the hands of someone else, you might want to give them control of your HomeKit devices. And it’s really easy to do that inside the Home app.

Here’s how to invite anyone with an iPhone, iPad or Mac to control your smart home gadgets as a guest.

SwitchEasy Skin keeps AirTag secure and protected for under $13

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SwitchEasy Skin for AirTag
100% BPA-free and environmentally friendly.
Photo: SwitchEasy

Keep your AirTag protected and secured to almost anything with the simple, stylish and affordable SwitchEasy Skin.

Made from sturdy silicone, the Skin is non-toxic and environmentally friendly. It shows off both sides of your AirTag while allowing you to easily attach it to backpacks, purses, suitcases and more.

Bag yours today for as little as $12.99.

Apple employees expected back in the office in September

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Apple leases new offices near to Apple Park
The Apple Park company HQ will soon be buzzing with activity again.,
Photo: Duncan Sinfield

Apple employees are expected to return to the office this autumn. A memo sent to employees says they should plan to be on the office three days a week, if not more. That includes the company headquarters.

The change comes as COVID-19 infection rates in the U.S. have fallen dramatically in recent weeks.

Keyboard app’s meteoric rise shows the power of TikTok

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All hail Techin Park, developer of Paste Keyboard and new king of the App Store.
All hail Techin Park, developer of Paste Keyboard and new king of the App Store.
Photo: Techin Park

A simple copy-and-paste app called Paste Keyboard shot to the top of the App Store charts this week after languishing in obscurity for years.

Made by 28-year-old South Korean developer Techin Park, the keyboard app hitched a ride on TikTok’s massive success — and then dethroned it as the most popular app in the United States.

“Everyone is curious how such [a] simple idea, copy and paste, has trumped the almighty TikTok in app rank,” Park told Cult of Mac. “Copy and paste is a feature we all use at least once daily. Not many think it’s special. But in reality, increasing efficiency [when it comes to] how we copy and paste can save a lot more of our time than we possibly think.”

And, apparently, score you crazy numbers of downloads, too.

This toolkit of award-winning apps featuring Parallels Pro will supercharge your Mac

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mac apps
Our biggest Mac app bundle of the year is on sale for a limited time.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

There are so many productivity-boosting apps out there, it can be difficult to choose just one when it comes to the functionality you want. Whether you want the perfect communication tool, an easy-to-use video editing app or a bunch of different things in between, the cost of multiple subscriptions can really add up. And it gets worse if you want to run Windows apps on your Mac.

Luckily, there’s The All-Star Mac Bundle Featuring Parallels Pro. This bundle includes five award-winning apps that cover a wide range of functions, from productivity to contact management, cybersecurity to PDF navigation. And the headline app lets you run Windows apps on your Mac.

This bundle is on sale for just $49.99. That’s 94% less than the total value, which is $876. Even better, you can get an additional 30% off with code ALLSTARMAC for a limited time.

Save up to 32% on Amazon charging accessories and USB-C hubs

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Save on Amazon accessories and hubs
Prices start at just $6.31!
Photo: Amazon

Keep your iPhone, iPad, Mac and more topped up and connected with generous discounts on Amazon Basics charging cables and USB-C hubs.

Prices start at just $6.31 for a three-foot fast charging cable, while a 30W USB-C charger with GaN technology can be yours for $17.29. Amazon’s 3-in-1 USB-C hub is down to just $25.49.

The discounts are good for a limited time only, so enjoy them while you can.

Apple expects big things from iPhone 13’s late September launch

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iPhone 12
Coming the third week of September.
Photo: Apple

This year’s iPhones will debut in the third week of September, although that date could “push out into early October” due to “continued product model tweaks,” says Wedbush analyst Dan Ives.

In a new note to clients, Ives gives his expectations for the debut of the next-gen iPhones — as well as a forecast of Apple’s expectations for the handsets. If he’s accurate, Apple’s expecting some very big things indeed for the iPhone 13.

Expect to see updated MacBook Pros at WWDC

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Antonio takes rumors and makes them into renders. Not pie-in-sky dreams
A MacBook Pro concept could be a first look at a 16-inch model Apple is about to release.
Concept: Antonio De Rosa

Wedbush analyst Dan Ives thinks overhauled 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros will be among Apple’s announcements at the usually software-focused Worldwide Developers Conference next week.

Recent rumors provide a pretty decent picture of what the new MacBook Pro might look like. The updated laptops supposedly will be a pretty major rethink of the pro-grade, M1-powered notebook Apple introduced last November. Among the changes will be a redesigned chassis, built-in SD card reader and HDMI port, a MagSafe charger and a faster M2 chip. However, the next-gen MacBook Pro supposedly will not come with an LED Touch Bar.

Steve Jobs considered supersizing the original MacBook Air

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Cheap refurbished MacBook Air
A 15-inch MacBook Air was on the cards for Apple in 2008. It never shipped.
Photo: Markus Spiske temporausch.com from Pexels

As CEOs of Apple, both Tim Cook and his predecessor Steve Jobs pride or, in Jobs’ case, prided themselves on the ability to say “no” to ideas. For obvious reasons, most of the time the world never gets to hear what those shot-down ideas actually were.

However, emails disclosed as part of the discovery for the Epic vs. Apple trial, now adjourned, shows one of the ideas that was talked about internally — but ultimately abandoned. That ideas was for a 15-inch MacBook Air, discussed as far back as 2007, the year before Apple debuted its ultra-thin notebook.

Learn to create iOS and Android apps for just $20

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programming
This programming bundle is the perfect tool for your next career move.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Whether you’re looking to boost your programming skills or switch careers, smartphone app development is a growth market that will only see higher demand as time goes on. Right now, you can take advantage of our red-hot Memorial Day sale on The Complete Mobile & App Development Bundle. We dropped its already discounted price of $44.99 even further to just $20.

App Store ecosystem grows 24% during pandemic to hit $643 billion

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App Store
The App Store contributes far more to the global economy than just software sales.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The App Store ecosystem enabled $643 billion in billings and sales during 2020. That’s up 24% over the previous year, with much of the increase related to people taking more of their lives online during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new study that examines how the App Store helps small businesses.

Apple touted these numbers as it waits for a federal judge to decide whether to order significant changes to the App Store.

The Mosquito Coast will bring more on-the-run adventure to Apple TV+ in season 2

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‘The Mosquito Coast’ will bring more on-the-run adventure to Apple TV+ in season 2
Apple TV+ renewed The Mosquito Coast for a second exciting season.
Photo: Apple TV+

The Fox family’s adventures will continue in The Mosquito Coast on Apple TV+. The streaming service committed to second season on Wednesday.

The series is adapted from the best-seller by Paul Theroux, and the story isn’t anywhere near its conclusion in the final episode of season 1, which will premiere June 4.

Here’s why you can’t make an Apple Card payment [Updated]

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Apple online services having technical problems
Apple Card has been hit with a software outage.
Photo: Cult of Mac/Linnaea Mallette/PublicDomainPictures.net

Update: Apple changed the status for Apple Card from “outage” to “resolved outage” Wednesday afternoon. The service was offline for almost exactly six hours.

Previous article:

Apple Card users may find that they’re unable to make a payment or see recent transactions. Apple reports that the software that handles these tasks for its credit card has been having problems for several hours.

Retired DJ and TV writer rocks head-spinning gear list [Setups]

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Three setups in one makes for hot fun in the Arizona sun.
Three setups in one makes for hot fun in the Arizona sun.
Photo: Tyler Botha

Arizona-based Tyler Botha, aka theallseeingeye on Reddit, is a TV-focused copywriter for a San Francisco startup and a retired pro DJ. The setup and epic gear list he sent to our attention does triple duty with a capable “WFH Desk,” a powerful “Gaming Corner” and a remarkably complete “DJ Desk.”

Talk about “complete.” Botha’s gear list, represented in the links below, is probably the longest one ever published in a Cult of Mac Setups article. You don’t have to be a DJ to appreciate it, but it helps.