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Free Astropad Studio beta turns iPad into second screen for Windows PCs

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Astropad Studio on Windows lets your iPad become a drawing pad for Windows apps.
Astropad Studio on Windows is available as a free public beta. It makes an iPad into a PC’s second screen.
Photo: Astropad

Astropad released a free public beta of the Windows version of its software that turns an iPad into a second screen for a laptop or desktop. With the beta, users can test out mirroring their favorite apps on the tablet, including using an Apple Pencil to draw in Windows software.

Maya Rudolph stars as a poor billionaire in upcoming Apple TV+ series

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Money on Unsplash
An Apple TV+ series in development will star Maya Rudolph as a newly-divorced woman who has to somehow struggle along with billions of dollars.
Photo: Pepi Stojanovski/Unsplash

SNL alum Maya Rudolph will star in a half-hour comedy series on Apple TV+. The show is being created by Emmy winners Alan Yang and Matt Hubbard.

It’ll be part of a growing collection of comedies on Apple’s streaming video service.

This iPhone charger kills 99.99% of bacteria with UV light

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iPhone charger that kills bacteria
Get yours today to save 17%.
Photo: Limited77

Worried your iPhone might be picking up all kinds of nasty germs while you’re out and about? Sterilize with ultraviolet (UV) light while it charges with this 2-in-1 stand from Limited77 — now on sale for a limited time.

The device promises to kill 99.99% of bacteria, and packs a removable sterilization stick that you can use to clean almost anything. Order yours today from the Cult of Mac Store to save 17%.

Apple’s rumored March event may have been a ploy to catch leakers

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Chess
Apple's playing 4D chess while most of us are playing checkers.
Photo: Unsplash/GR Stocks CC

The misinformation about Apple’s March April special event may have been an attempt by Cupertino to catch out the people leaking information about the company’s plans.

That’s according to Jon Prosser, one of several reporters who shared March 23 as the date of Apple’s next special event. Prosser was so sure of it he even said he’d shave off his eyebrows if he was wrong. Well, he was wrong. But it all may have been a cunning plan from Apple.

WhatsApp will stop working on iPhones running iOS 9

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WhatsApp-dark-mode
Make sure you'll be able to continue using WhatsApp.
Photo: WhatsApp/Cult of Mac

WhatsApp has updated its app requirements, meaning that all users must now run at least iOS 10, as released in 2016.

That means that iPhone 4s users can no longer run the popular messaging app. Instead, anyone who wants to use WhatsApp must have an iPhone 5 or later. Otherwise WhatsApp will stop working.

Win an epic home arcade system (and donate to charity!)

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polycade
Enter to win a stellar at-home arcade.
Photo: Polycade

Let’s face it: Apple Arcade is fine, but real arcades absolutely ruled. You could win the ultimate at-home arcade system — and relive the past with a decidedly modern twist — if you enter our Polycade Lux Giveaway.

Step right up for your chance to win this high-end gaming system (retail value $4,449). It’s decked out with the latest bells and whistles that will allow you to play your favorite retro classics as well as today’s finest games.

Even better, when you purchase entries, you’re also donating to Playing For Change, an organization that brings music to countries in need all around the world. And the more you donate, the more you increase your chances of winning!

Apple store policy let staff ‘surprise and delight’ customers with free replacements

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China iPhone sales
I'm guessing Tim Cook would qualify for "favored customer" status.
Photo: Apple

Apple store workers have a certain number of freebies they can use to “surprise and delight” unsuspecting customers, according to an ex-employee whose video about the supposed policy went viral.

“People would come in with like water-damaged phones and you’re not allowed to replace those without a fee,” TikTok user @Tanicornerstone says. “However, the geniuses used a ‘surprise and delight’ to be able to give somebody a free replacement.”

Pro tip: Customers who come off as jerks need not apply for such special treatment.

Apple will release its first mini-LED MacBook Air in 2022

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2020 MacBook Air
MacBook Air could get a fancy new display next year.
Photo: Apple

Apple will introduce its first MacBook Air with mini-LED display panel in 2022, TFI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims in a new research note to clients published Thursday.

Kuo previously reported that the next-gen displays will be introduced to the high-end MacBook Pro this year. They are also rumored to be part of the next 12.9-inch iPad Pro, debuting in April. Kuo’s latest report, seen by Cult of Mac, suggests that they will also be introduced to Apple’s entry-level laptops, too.

2021 iPad Pro might pack performance on par with M1 Macs

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An iPad Pro with a mini-LED display could be in the offing.
A blazing fast processor and Thunderbolt could be hallmarks of the 2021 iPad Pro.
Photo: Cult of Mac

The 2021 iPad Pro will get a considerable performance boost, according to a trusted source. To the point where the tablet is as fast as the M1 Macs released last autumn.

In addition, the USB-C port in the next iPadOS device might support Thunderbolt.

Apple gets first dibs on new TV shows from Natalie Portman

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Natalie Portman and Apple are working together like Thor and Jane Foster.
Natalie Portman stars in past and future Thor movies, but now she’s also creating TV series that might appear on Apple TV+.
Photo: Marvel

Apple TV+ reportedly signed a first-look deal with Natalie Portman and her business partner Sophie Mas. The women recently formed a production company named MountainA that will develop TV series that Apple will have the first chance at.

The two are already working with Apple on Lady in the Lake, a series that was announced last week and will star Portman.

How to quickly calculate the wattage of any iPhone charger

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How to calculate wattage of iPhone charger
A simple calculation is all you need.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Looking for an iPhone charger that will deliver the fastest possible charging speeds? Forget the one that came bundled with your old iPhone and pick up a super-speedy 20W adapter instead.

If you can’t find the wattage of an adapter in its product description, we’ll show you a quick and easy way to calculate it yourself so you don’t waste your hard-earned cash on the wrong one.

Mirror your content on a bigger screen with this $33 Wi-Fi video streamer

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Video Streamer
This inexpensive gadget lets you watch your favorite content on a bigger display.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Whether it’s an adorable animal video, a wedding photo slideshow or a work-related project, sometimes it’s better to share the content you’re looking at with a wider audience. With this HD 1080P HDMI Wi-Fi Media Video Streamer, you can take a look at your favorite content on a larger screen, easily mirroring whatever you’re looking at on your phone, tablet or laptop onto your television.

macOS malware shoots up 1,000% in 2020

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dead MacBook hack. A Mac virus scanner and proper antimalware software like Intego Mac Premium Bundle x9 can keep your Mac clean.
Are you protecting your Mac yet?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Cybercriminals reportedly created more macOS malware in 2020 than from 2012 to 2019 combined. The days when Mac users could happily assume they weren’t in danger from hackers are long over.

But the situation remains far worse for Windows users. Researchers found 135 times as many Windows malware samples last year as ones targeting macOS.

Save $14.05 on the Apple Smart Folio for iPad Air, 11-inch iPad Pro

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Apple Smart Folio for iPad Pro, iPad Air
Its biggest discount yet!
Photo: Apple

Apple’s official Smart Folio is one of the most elegant ways to protect your beloved iPad. And for a limited time only on Amazon, you can yours for the newest iPad Air and 11-inch iPad Pro at $14.05 off its usual price.

This is the biggest discount we’ve seen so far on the newest Smart Folio models, and price drops don’t happen very often. Go take advantage of it before it’s too late.

SanDisk Luxe flash drive uses Lightning and USB-C to support all Apple devices

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The SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive Luxe debuted on Wednesday
Securely share a collection of files between your iPhone, Mac and iPad with a new 2-in-1 flash drive from SanDisk.

The SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive Luxe lets you access its files on all your Apple computers, no adapters needed. It supports Lightning and USB Type-C, so it can plug into an iPhone, Mac or iPad. The same goes for many Windows and Android devices.

Beefed-up Mac Pro and modded PC crush IT work and gaming [Setups]

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Best of all worlds? A powerful Mac and PC combo crushes work, gaming and podcasting.
Best of all worlds? A powerful Mac and PC combo crushes work, gaming and podcasting.
Photo: Liquidsama@Reddit

Redditor Liquidsama’s setup is popular on the social media app not just for the adorable Pac-Man Ghost Light in the corner (see photos), but for its awesome computing power for work and play.

The LED ghost light phases through nine colors and reacts to music, by the way — which is neat — but the real draw here is a bulked-up Mac Pro for IT work and a heavily modded PC for gaming. Not to mention a great audio rig for podcasting.

Apple’s clean-energy projects will cut carbon emissions equal to 200,000 cars

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Green Bonds
The name's Bond. Green Bonds.
Photo: Apple

Apple funded 17 Green Bond projects last year, which will ultimately help avoid an average of 921,000 metric tons of carbon emissions being pumped into the environment each year. That’s the equivalent of removing nearly 200,000 cars from the road, Apple says.

In an update on its planned $4.7 billion Green Bond spend, Apple notes that its new projects will generate a massive 1.2 gigawatts of renewable energy globally.

Apple’s rumored March event reportedly will take place in April

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Apple April Event — Oops!
Time marches on. So do March events.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Apple’s next product launch will take place in April, not March, a soon-to-be-eyebrowless Jon Prosser claimed Wednesday. Prodigious leaker Prosser had been so sure of his predicted date of March 23 for Apple’s next event that he wagered the integrity of his own facial hair on it. Now he’s admitting defeat.

“The event is in April,” Prosser tweeted. In a follow-up, he suggested that Apple had not previous hosted an April event, so “I get it if you’re skeptical. But here we are.”

This 1TB cloud storage solution secures your important files for just $50

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Cloud Storage
4Sync Premium is the perfect haven for all your important files.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Our devices are fragile things considering all the precious files they contain. All it takes is one solid drop of your phone or one spilled glass of water next to your laptop for you to lose any number of significant work files, irreplaceable photos, hard-to-find music files and more. Thankfully, this 4Sync Premium Cloud Storage can help. The cloud-based storage solution is the perfect place for you to stow your documents, music, photos and more — and you can get a one-year subscription for $49.99.

Apple removes 1 million-plus counterfeit product listings in 2020

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AirPods Pro with black background discounts
Counterfeit AirPods Pro seem particularly in-demand online.
Photo: Apple

Apple employs a “dedicated team of experts” who work with law enforcement, social media companies and e-commerce sites to remove counterfeit products from sale, the company says.

“The safety of our customers is our first priority, and the risks associated with counterfeit products can be very serious,” an Apple spokesperson told Bloomberg. “… In the last year we have sought the removal of over 1 million listings for counterfeit and fake Apple products from online marketplaces, including Facebook and Instagram.”

Proposed Utah bill could block porn on iPhones as default

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Pornhub image
Law could mean mandatory filters in Utah.
Photo: PornHub

Conservative lawmakers in Utah want to put a legally mandated default block on pornography on all phones and tablets sold in the state.

They have previously referred to porn as a “public health crisis.” However, the main focus of the would-be legislation would supposedly be to stop kids from accessing adult material online. Adults would be able to turn off the filter should they so wish.