Get the iPhone accessories Apple apparently doesn't think you deserve. Photo: Logiix
If you own one of the iPhone 12 models — which Cult of Mac reviewers basically called the greatest thing since sliced bread — you know they’re fabulous smartphones. But even near-perfect devices can still be missing something.
And in this case, that “something” seems fairly obvious. But this Logiix Essential Kit — with an 18-watt power adapter and Lightning earphones — fills that void. It packs the accessories you wish your iPhone 12 came with out of the box.
The Cold War heats up -- on the moon! -- in Season 2 of For All Mankind. Photo: Apple TV+
Apple TV+’s alternate-history space race extravaganza For All Mankind is back for a second season (with a third already paid for). Things are different on the moon but they’re very much the same in the drama department.
Tim Cook announced the donation on Twitter. Screenshot: Apple
Apple CEO Tim Cook says the company will make a “financial contribution” to assist local organizations’ relief efforts for people in Texas and elsewhere suffering from extreme winter weather.
This would be another impressive feather in Apple Watch's cap. Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac
Renowned cardiologist Dr. Heather Ross has teamed up with Apple to carry out a clinical study to see whether the Apple Watch could be used to predict worsening heart failure.
As part of the study, data that is collected using the Apple Watch’s sensors — including the Blood Oxygen app and mobility features — will be compared to the data that’s gathered by doctors using physical examinations. If it’s accurate, this could turn to be another exciting advance for the Apple Watch and its users.
Would people do this for an Android? Photo: Roman Czarnomski
It sounds like some kind of crazy game show scenario for a future Apple TV+ show: Would you dive into freezing cold water to retrieve an iPhone? And how new would that iPhone have to be for you to consider it worth your while?
In fact, it describes a real-life iPhone rescue mission that took place recently in Victoria, Canada, when Roman Czarnomski dived into the freezing harbor to retrieve his 2018-era iPhone XS. Czarnomski described the experience as “refreshing.”
Activation Lock prevents anyone else from taking over your Apple device. Here’s how to turn it off. Graphic: Cult of Mac
When you sell an iPhone, Mac or other Apple computer, it’s critical to turn off Activation Lock or else the buyer won‘t be able to use the device. It’s easy to do when you still have the product, and not that much harder if you’ve already sold it.
Microsoft Office 2021 for Mac will include new versions of Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint. And OneNote too. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Microsoft on Thursday committed itself to releasing Microsoft Office 2021 for Mac and Windows. This is a one-payment version of Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and OneNote. It’s separate from the Office 365 subscription service.
The Dragon in Apple TV+‘s Luck will have a very famous voice. Photo: Apple TV+/Skydance Animation
News that Apple TV+ bought the rights to Luck from Skydance Animation only broke Wednesday, and there’s already word that screen legend Jane Fonda will take a major role in the film.
Expect big and little iPad models at the Apple March event. Artists Concept: Cult of Mac
iPad fans should mark March 16 on their calendars. Apple will reportedly unveil faster iPad Pro models, a significantly redesigned iPad mini and AirTags item-location trackers at an event on that date.
Previous leaks already spilled many details about these upcoming devices. Now Korea’s Economic Daily News reports that Apple will take the wraps off these products on March 16. This is expected to be a virtual event broadcast to the public.
Chromecast with Google TV is getting a version of the Apple TV app. Photo: Google
It’s now possible to watch Apple’s streaming service on the Chromecast with Google TV, a redesigned model of this video dongle that debuted in 2020. A version of the free Apple TV application launched Thursday for this accessory. It brings access to series like Ted Lasso and movies like Wolfwalkers.
Tony Walker's setup centers on a 2020 iMac. Note the 2nd-gen iPod at upper left. Photo: Tony Walker
Tony Walker has been an Apple user since 2003. As a college student in his early 20s, he did his classwork on a 12-inch PowerBook G4 and a 3rd generation iPod during downtime at his graveyard-shift job.
Things have changed a little almost two decades later.
And you thought 5G was impressive! Photo: Qualcomm
The iPhone 12 was Apple’s first 5G iPhone, ushering in the start of a new era of high-speed connectivity. But Apple’s already gearing up for 6G technology, even if it knows that it’s many, many years away.
As noted in a new report from Bloomberg, Apple has started posting jobs ads for wireless system research engineers who could help Apple develop and prepare for the next, next generation of cellular connectivity.
These roles are based in Silicon Valley and San Diego. Early suggestions regarding 6G speculate that it could be 100x faster than 5G.
Del Yocam (center) chats with Steve Jobs. Photo: Del Yocam
Long before Tim Cook brought his operations wizardry to Apple, Del Yocam lent his logistical prowess to Cupertino. Apple’s first chief operating officer, he helped transform the company from a chaotic, scrappy startup into a streamlined manufacturing powerhouse.
He also served as an early mentor to Steve Jobs, the young Apple co-founder who sometimes seemed out of his depth in 1979.
“When I first got to know him, he was lost,” Yocam told Cult of Mac. “He was no longer involved in the Apple II and no one wanted him around, especially management. He didn’t care about money at that time. He was like an orphan, living away from home.”
In many ways, Yocam was the proto-Tim Cook, a manufacturing and operations specialist who helped transform a dysfunctional startup into a massive, moneymaking leader of the early PC industry. He also helped take the rapidly growing company international.
Yocam deserves more credit for helping build Apple than history has so far accorded him. He was one of the main players at a crucial point in Cupertino’s history.
Yocam, now 76, recently talked with Cult of Mac about Apple’s early days. In this exclusive interview, he discusses his friendship and working relationship with Jobs, Apple’s challenging, fascinating, and sometimes malodorous co-founder.
He also reveals new details about Jobs’ tearful ouster from Apple — and how Jobs later offered him an amazing job, only to revoke it at the last moment.
"And next year, we're really excited about the first M1 malware that's coming." Screenshot: Apple
Security researcher Patrick Wardle has discovered what may be the first malware optimized for Apple Silicon Macs. The malware, details of which he published this week, involves a Safari adware extension called GoSearch22.
The adware delivers unwanted ads, collects browser data, and modifies browser settings. GoSearch22 is relatively low risk. However, it can result in users being redirected to certain websites or suffering an otherwise impaired browsing experience.
Tim Cook meeting with a Foxconn worker on a previous occasion. Photo: Apple
Apple is reportedly investigating Foxconn regarding concerns that workers at its plants are overworked and underpaid.
Foxconn remains, for better or worse, Apple’s best-known contract manufacturer. While Foxconn, which employs around 1 million people, has far more clients than just Apple, it is most closely associated with the Cupertino tech giant.
Keep your iPhone handy and fully charged with this magnetic mount. Photo: Naztech
There are plenty of situations where you need your iPhone in a pinch — a last-minute video call, for example, or finding a local coffee shop when you’re on the road. In those moments, the last thing you want is for your iPhone to be running low on battery, right when you’re relying on it the most. That’s where this MagBuddy Wireless Charge Desk Mount comes in handy. It allows you to keep your hands free and your device fully charged while you’re otherwise occupied.
Apple has been investigating folding phones for a while. Photo: USPTO/Apple
LG Display is reportedly working on a foldable panel for a future iPhone, Digitimes reports.
The report, which cites industry sources, says that the company is working on a prototype with Apple. However, it is not clear whether LG would be mass-manufacturing the screens for Apple were such a product to come to market.
A long-time Apple engineer and manager left the Apple Car project to work on space tech. Photo: Mihai Paraschiv/Pixabay CC
Benjamin Lyon left Apple after being with the company for 21 years. He worked on a variety of products, but most recently he’d been a senior director in the team working on the Apple Car.
But he’s going to go be a rocket engineer instead.
With SpeakMe, you can turn any text into your own personal podcast. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
So much to do, so little time. These days, we’re expected to be more productive than ever thanks to technology. Unfortunately, that can leave you with more emails, news articles and company reports than you know what to do with — and that doesn’t even account for all the hobbies that keep you sane, like gardening or taking long walks.
Luckily, there’s SpeakMe. It’s an ingenious, easy-to-use Mac app that converts text to audio and exports those audio files into a shareable format.
Luck, coming to Apple TV+, takes a trip to a world of good and bad luck to discover there are more powerful things than luck. Photo: Apple/Skydance Animation
Apple TV+ and Skydance Animation inked a deal that will see two new movies and a series released on the streaming video service. The upcoming films for children are Luck and Spellbound. Plus, Apple signed up for two seasons of The Search for WondLa.
The Brydge 10.2 Max+ turns an iPad 8 into a detachable laptop/tablet. Photo: Brydge
Brydge has a new feature-laden keyboard case for the low-cost 10.2-inch iPad. It brings a large trackpad to this tablet. And the Brydge 10.2 Max+ offers 4-foot MIL-STD drop protection thanks to a built-in Otterbox case.
This company’s keyboards for the iPad Pro are aimed at professionals. The newest one for the low-cost iPad seems to be for younger users.
iPhone 12’s display glass is the toughest you’ll find in any smartphone today, but that doesn’t mean it can’t get scratched. You’ll need a good screen protector if you want to keep yours looking brand-new.
Despite its high cost, the iPhone 12 Pro Max is the most popular 5G model in the US. Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac
Americans are united about one thing: the iPhone 12 Pro Max. Market research from two different sources finds that the Apple’s super-size handset is the most popular 5G phone in the US.
Shad Ahmad's straightforward setup centers on a MacBook Pro and 32-inch monitor. Photo: Shahid Ahmad
Shad Ahmad was a hard-studying freshman majoring in biology and minoring in history at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, when the COVID-19 pandemic struck.
Going home to continue classes for a semester remotely from his parents’ house in Wisconsin may not have been ideal, but Ahmad found a comforting upside. Integrated smart technology makes his life easier, he told Cult of Mac.