Mobile menu toggle

Apple could announce another record-breaking quarter on April 28

By

Apple leases new offices near to Apple Park
Apple just finished its first financial quarter of 2021, and we’ll soon find out how it did.
Photo: Duncan Sinfield

Apple will announce the financial results of its winter quarter on April 28. So far, people forced to work and learn from home have been very good for the Mac-maker’s bottom line. We’ll soon see if that carried through to the beginning of 2021.

Apple’s proposed iPhone control scheme will take your breath away

By

Apple Watch or iPhone breath control — Is this a joke?
What if you could interact with your Apple Watch by blowing on it?
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Your hands are full and you need to look something up on your Apple Watch. Engineers at Apple dreamed up a system that would allow you to control the wearable by blowing on it. A newly filed patent application also imagines a breath-controlled iPhone.

So far, there’s no sign this is an April Fools’ Day joke. But it’s possible.

45 ways Apple put a ding in the universe

By

Apple-45
Happy birthday, Apple! The company turns 45 today.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Today marks 45 years since a little outfit called the Apple Computer Company was founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne. Apple set out to build and sell personal computers. Since then, it’s risen from a hobbyist startup to a tech giant valued at more than $2 trillion.

In the last four and a half decades, Apple changed the tech world in all kinds of ways — some big, some small. Here, in no particular order, are 45 of the most notable ways Apple put a ding in the universe.

Indie browser Opera runs twice as fast on M1 Macs

By

Opera browser
Opera has been available on the Mac since the mid-1990s.
Photo: Opera

The indie Opera browser, one of the oldest browsers still operating today, has been updated with native support for Apple Silicon Macs. The update means that the Opera browser now runs 2x faster on M1 Macs.

Opera first debuted on Mac way back in 1996. That’s approaching a decade before Safari made its debut. One of Opera’s first big claims to fame was that it made it easier to browse several web pages at once. Today, its big appeal is its minimalist aesthetic, innovative sidebar design, and (now faster than ever) performance.

Stream your favorite content in a big way with this mini projector

By

projector
You can watch your favorite movies, TV shows and presentations anywhere, and at giant size, with this mini projector.
Photo: Minolta

The problem with investing in a fancy TV is that there’s always an upgrade right around the corner. From crisper resolution to even thinner bezels, it can start to feel like a rat race to get the largest, most high-tech television possible.

Here’s a way you can satisfy all your binge-watching needs on a giant screen that adapts with you, whether you choose to have movie night outdoors with all your friends or just want to watch your favorite show solo in your living room. This Minolta MN673 Mini LCD Projector allows you to project movies, shows, music videos and more in crisp 1080p resolution wherever you want to watch them.

iPhones in Russia now suggest local apps as part of setup process

By

Apple in Russia
Not all Russian iPhones look like this. But they do all recommend local apps.
Photo: Caviar

Russia’s “anti-Apple” law came into force today, meaning that all smartphones, tablets, and computers sold in the country must offer local software and apps as part of the setup process.

Apple reportedly “strongly opposed” the law, and even went so far as to threaten to pull out of the Russian market over it. However, as was the case with a government-created “Do Not Disturb” app in India, it eventually relented.

App Store may have raked in record $21 billion last quarter

By

App Store image
Good times for the App Store!
Photo: James Yarema/Unsplash CC

The app ecosystem did very, very well during the global pandemic. While many businesses struggled, the app industry experienced a massive boom in sales, as people were stuck home with, in many cases, a lot more time on their hands.

It seems the 2020 rise in sales isn’t slowing down, either. According to a new App Annie, consumer spending on apps achieved a new record high in the first quarter of 2021. Across both iOS and Android, customers spent $32 billion on apps in the quarter. That’s a 40 percent increase from the same period last year — and the biggest quarter on record.

Satechi Cybermouse boasts bulletproof aluminum, solar charging

By

Satechi Cybermouse Is in the house
Satechi Cybermouse boasts features no ordinary mouse can dream of.
Photo: Satechi

Life can be hard on desktop accessories, and so Satechi created the Cybermouse. It’s made of indestructible “Super-Tough” aluminum in a design sure to widen the eyes of Elon Musk.

And the designers didn’t leave out other advanced features, like wireless and solar charging.

Next Apple TV remote might offer far more buttons

By

Expect a significant Apple TV hardware update in 2021.
There’s good news for those who don’t like the current Apple TV remote, shown here.
Photo: Apple

There could soon be an alternative to the current, simple Apple TV remote. A schematic showing a rumored new version has leaked out, and it includes a wide array of buttons. It’s therefore likely to please those unhappy with the present version.

Classic Retina MacBook Pro moves onto Apple’s obsolete list

By

An obsolete MacBook Pro isn’t necessarily junk. But it’s hard to get repaired.
Remember the MacBook Pro (Retina, 13-inch, Late 2013)? It’s old enough now that Apple reclassified it as obsolete.
Photo: Apple

The 13-inch MacBook Pro with a Retina screen released in late 2012 was a groundbreaking model in its day. But now, many years later, it’s been classified by Apple as obsolete.

This means that getting repairs or even spare parts for this device just got much more difficult. But it has been out of production for more than 7 years.

Take your photo skills to pro level with the $30 Superstar Photographer bundle

By

photography
This 11-course bundle covers shooting portraits, post-processing, editing and much more.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

There are plenty of good reasons why you’d want to learn to take and edit beautiful photos. Whether you’re starting a side hustle in photography, want to capture your memories or grow your brand on social with high-quality content, it helps to have composition and editing skills.

Siri gets new voices, and won’t default to female, in iOS 14.5

By

Apple’s AI-driven voice-controlled digital assistant Siri
Siri just became more gender fluid.
Image: Apple

After almost a decade of using a female voice by default, Siri users will be given a choice of voices for the virtual assistant when they set up Apple devices. The virtual assistant will also come with two new English-language voices.

These changes debuted in iOS 14.5 beta 6 and the iPads equivalent, which Apple seeded to developers Wednesday.

Surprise! Apple might unveil mixed-reality headset in 2021

By

This Apple VR headset concept
The Apple VR headset might jump from concept to reality sooner than expected.
Concept: Antonio De Rosa

Apple supposedly will announce its first virtual reality/augmented reality headset “in the next several months,” according to a very reliable source. It could be as quickly as WWDC 2021.  That’s well before other predictions.

While the iPhone-maker hasn’t committed to any such device, its VR headset has been the subject of many leaks. But no one can agree on when it’ll reach customers. Most recent reports have pointed to some point in 2022, though.

Cloud architect builds man shed to beat all man sheds [Setups]

By

This man shed sports multiple screens.
This man shed sports multiple screens.
Photo: CourseEcstatic6202@Reddit

Sometimes a setup promoted on social media stops you dead in your tracks, and it’s not because you’re excited about the hardware. Sometimes it’s the amazing, hand-built “man shed” where the setup lives that stuns you.

Such is the case with CourseEcstatic6202’s offering on Reddit. The cloud architect — let’s just call him “CE” — works in Amazon Web Services on California’s central coast. He designed and built a beautiful little house for his MacBook Pro-based setup in his back yard.

Buy one get one free on strong, stylish SwitchEasy cases for iPhone 12

By

SwitchEasy case for iPhone 12: The Skin is a simple silicone option that's slim and lightweight.
Bag brilliant iPhone cases from as little as $14.99.
Photo: SwitchEasy

Keep your shiny new iPhone 12 protected and in pristine condition with some high-quality cases from SwitchEasy. They’re brilliantly designed and well-built. And when you buy one from the Cult of Mac Store right now, you’ll get another absolutely free.

This deal ends Friday, April 2, so enjoy it while you can!

Samsung factories in USA, Europe, and China now powered by reusable energy

By

Samsung punks Apple by building a temporary store right in front of Apple's flagship Spanish store.
Samsung is increasing its emphasis on renewable energy.
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

Apple frenemy Samsung has achieved its goal of using 100% reusable energy in its factories in the USA, Europe, and China. It announced the sustainability drive in 2018, and achieved 92% reusable energy by the close of 2019.

Samsung has not yet revealed whether it plans to try and push this same focus on reusables to other parts of the world that it operates — including its home turf of South Korea.

Our semi-annual sale features top health, fitness and wellness apps for 30% off

By

fitness apps
Fitness and wellness apps are essential for a healthy lifestyle. And these won't make your wallet sick.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

As with anything health-related you commit yourself to, consistency is key — as is having different tools to support you in your wellness journey. We’ve rounded up the top nine health and fitness apps we have, delivering different approaches and methodologies so that you’re your healthiest self yet. Plus, for a limited time you can get them for an extra 30% off with discount code DOWNLOADIT.

Apple invests in app that lets indie artists share music more easily

By

UnitedMasters image
App makes it easier to post music on Apple Music.
Photo: UnitedMasters

Apple is investing millions of dollars in UnitedMasters, a music distribution platform for independent artists. The company makes an app that’s designed to help indie musicians release music to streaming platforms.

UnitedMasters lets users upload their music to platforms like Apple Music within seconds. They can then get paid royalties through PayPal.

Apple finally stops assuming ‘Asian’ is synonymous with porn

By

Apple finally stops assuming 'Asian' is synonymous with porn
Poorly written iPhone software treated ‘Asian’ as though it was always porn. It’s being fixed.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

For much too long, the iPhone’s built-in pornographic content blocker prevented searches just because included the word “Asian.” Apple reportedly fixed the issue in the latest beta of iOS 14.5. But the problem is still in place for everyone not running the pre-release software.

Learn a new language at a big discount with one of these 7 apps

By

language
Pick the language app that works best for you, and save loads of money.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

There are a million good reasons to learn a new language, but there are two big reasons you may not want to: It can be difficult, and it can be expensive. But what if language-learning wasn’t either of these things?

For a limited time, you can score one of several elite language apps for a 30% discount* with the code DOWNLOADIT.

Belkin’s iPhone mount follows your face for better video recordings

By

Belkin unveiled multiple MagSafe accessories on Tuesday.
Clip an iPhone into the Belkin Face Tracking Magnetic Phone Mount with MagSafe and you’re ready to record your next YouTube video.
Photo: Belkin

 The Belkin iPhone mount with Face Tracking Magnetic Phone Mount and MagSafe uses facial recognition to keep an iPhone’s camera constantly pointed at the user, taking the place of a cameraman.

It uses MagSafe to hold the handset in place, and Belkin also unveiled a range of other MagSafe accessories on Tuesday, including clip-on batteries in two sizes.

Why Apple should make iPad landscape-first

By

iPad needs to be redesigned to be landscape-first
This is how most people hold their iPad.
Photo: Roberto Nickson/Pexels CC

Apple is holding its iPad wrong. The company designs its tablets as if the best way to hold one is in a portrait orientation. But landscape is actually more common, and Apple should make changes to the iPad’s design to reflect that.