Those in the Apple Developer Program can begin testing macOS Big Sur 11.3. Image: Cult of Mac
A mere day after the release of a fresh macOS version, Apple went ahead and seeded to developers macOS 11.3 beta 1. The company isn’t one to sit on its hands.
The new beta includes small improvments to Safari and Reminders. And enhancements to a range of other features too. Plus bug fixes, of course.
A man who helped design this Porsche is allegedly now working on the Apple Car. Photo: Porsche
Apple reportedly hired Manfred Harrer for its top-secret self-driving vehicle project. It’s a telling move because Harrer previously was head of chassis development at Porsche. This is a clear sign that the Mac-maker is planning an Apple car, not simply an autonomous vehicle system to be licensed to automakers.
This tool allows you to read and annotate web pages more productively. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Whether you’re a student plowing through tons of online material for school, or just constantly have massive amounts of reading for work, don’t let important information slip past you and affect your performance. Become your most productive self with this lifetime subscription to Markup iOS Pro Lite, a tool for reading and annotating web pages and PDF documents.
A job posting leaves no room for doubt that Apple plans more health-related devices. The company seeks to hire a project manager to develop “Apple-branded Health Hardware products.”
The company doesn’t have anything like this now. It’s instead mostly concentrated on building wellness features into Apple Watch, iPhone and AirPods. And selling third-party health devices.
An audiophile's setup includes not just computers and a killer sound system, but sound enhancers on the walls and in corners. Photo: Ed Yoon
Ed Yoon has a job many music fans and players would covet. He’s chief operating officer of high-end electric guitar maker and distributor Strandberg Guitars USA in Riverside, California. As you might guess from his line of work, he’s a major audiophile. And his office setup makes a lot of noise to that effect.
OK, not “noise.” Beautiful music.
Even before the pandemic, Yoon had been working a lot from home to manage the company’s operations. Then, as COVID-19 spread, remote work became the norm. Unlike most of us, he needed more than just a desk and a computer with decent speakers. He had to have mind-blowing audio.
Tim Cook will chime in on Apple vs. Epic Games case. Screenshot: Apple
Apple CEO Tim Cook must participate in a seven-hour deposition during his company’s upcoming legal battle with Epic Games. Epic reportedly wanted Cook for eight hours, while Apple lawyers tried to whittle it down to four hours.
Seven hours is the compromise that was ultimately ruled on by Judge Thomas S. Hixon.
Every parent knows that one of the most effective ways to appease an unhappy child is to hand them an iPad. And with the brilliant Little Buddy case from Laut, it’s finally safe to do so.
The Little Buddy’s lightweight yet rugged design, made from impact-resistant EVA foam, makes an iPad easy to carry around, and prevents it from shattering into pieces when it inevitably gets dropped.
It’s compatible with a wide range of iPad models, and it’s a bargain at under $35.
The game made its debut back in 2019. It’s a Metroidvania type video game, set in 18th century England during the time of the Industrial Revolution. It started life as crowdfunding venture led by Symphony of the Night assistant director, Koji “Iga” Igarashi.
You don't necessarily need an Apple Watch to achieve your fitness goals. Photo: Fitbit
Ready to take control of your health and wellness? Whether you like to cycle outdoors, go on hikes, or work up a sweat with a fitness app, if you’re not wearing an Apple Watch or similar fitness tracker, it can be hard to tell whether the plan you set for yourself is actually working
If you don’t want to shell out for Apple’s smartwatch, this Fitbit Ionic GPS Fitness Smartwatch is just what you need to help guide you in your fitness goals. it’s packed with helpful features that help you refine your plans and keep up with your progress.
An Apple car could ship in 2025, and will be “positioned as a very high-end” model in terms of pricing, claims TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
Kuo doesn’t give a dollar figure. But he writes that the sticker price, as well as the cost of Apple car components, will come in much higher than a those for a regular electric vehicle.
Grab Apple's new Chrome extension today. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
Apple has rolled out a somewhat surprise Google Chrome extension that allows users to access iCloud Passwords on Windows machines.
You can use it to sync all the passwords you’ve created on Mac, iPhone, and iPad to your Windows desktop. And to sync any passwords you create in Chrome to iCloud Keychain for use on Apple devices.
Justin Timberlake‘s Palmer helped give Apple TV+ the best weekend it’s ever had. Photo: Apple TV+
Apple TV+ just experienced its best weekend ever. And a big part of the reason was Palmer, a new drama starring Justin Timberlake that premiered on the streaming service Friday.
Apple Card Family could let parent and teens share access to the Mac-maker’s credit card. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Apple Card holders might soon be able to share access with their family. Users of the credit card will reportedly be able to give their spouse or children access to a pre-established amount of money.
Homer is the perfect learn-from-home solution for kids. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
If you have young children at home right now, you know it’s an especially challenging time to make sure they get the education they deserve. If you’re trying to manage your kids’ learning at home online, and are struggling (i.e., trying to stop them from breaking the iPad), this 12-month subscription to Homer — The #1 Learn to Read App for Kids is sure to help.
Perfect for kids ages 2 to 8 years old, this helpful app is designed to boost your child’s reading, math, creativity and social learning skills with 1,000-plus interactive lessons, stories and generally fun activities.
Apple called special attention to a Bluetooth bug fix in its release notes for macOS 11.2. Photo: Cult of Mac
Apple released macOS Big Sur 11.2 to the public Monday, bringing more reliable Bluetooth connections. That should warm the hearts of those using recently released Macs built around Apple’s first-generation M-series processor.
The Mac update brings other bug fixes as well, but the release notes make no mention of new features.
Facebook will try to talk users into hitting the “allow” button when asked if they can be tracked. Apple will add this pop-up to help users protect their privacy. Graphic: Apple
Facebook is going to take a shot at persuading users to skip the “do not track” button that Apple will soon require iPhone application to display. The pop-up is designed to protect user privacy, but the Facebook app will offer its own pop-up screen explaining the benefits of targeted advertising before users are given the option to opt out of being tracked.
Sam Trump, local jazz musician, Bronzeville, Chicago. Shot on iPhone 12 Pro by Lawrence Agyei. Photo: Apple
Apple enlisted dozens of Black photographers to document their hometowns using iPhone 12 Pro, and the company showed off their handiwork Monday to kick off Black History Month.
“All across the US, these photographers set out to showcase the people and the pockets of their cities that embody their local culture,” Apple said in a press release about the Hometown project.
It’s a neat spin on the company’s ongoing “Shot on iPhone” campaign, and the results are pretty darn impressive. Check out some of the images below.
Apple’s newest iPad mini is now available at its lowest price to date thanks to a generous discount from Amazon. You can bag a 64GB model with Wi-Fi connectivity for just $324.99, which is $74.01 less than you’ll pay for the same device in the Apple Store.
The new limited edition watch will be available for one month only. Photo: Apple
To mark Black History Month, Apple is releasing a limited-edition Apple Watch Series 6, among other things.
Apple’s Black Unity Collection includes a new Apple Watch Series 6, a Black Unity Sport Band and a Unity watch face. The watch features the words “Black Unity” laser-etched onto the back crystal, while the strap — inspired by the Pan-African flag — includes the words “Truth. Power. Solidarity.”
You want Lightning cables? We've got Lightning cables. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
If you’re a gadget connoisseur, you probably love your iPhone. But, as much as you enjoy using the device itself, you know that quality accessories accentuate your experience. And, while there might be a lot more eye-catching things than Lightning cables, when your usual cable frays and you’re at 5% battery remaining, you probably wish you had a reliable charging cord.
You can find the best of these under-appreciated accessories below. And, for a limited time, you can save an extra 15% off the sale price with coupon code VDAY2021, just in time for Valentine’s Day.
The European Union wants to overturn Apple’s 2020 victory in the massive $14.8 billion tax dispute, which has been raging for the past several years.
Bloomberg reported Monday that the appeal challenges a July court judgment ruling against Apple. The court decision going against the EU was a big setback for lead Commissioner Margrethe Vestager.
Movie is part of this year's Sundance Film Festival. Photo: Apple
Apple TV+ snapped up CODA, a coming-of-age movie screened at this year’s virtual 2021 Sundance Film Festival. The $25 million acquisition, which followed a bidding battle between Apple and Amazon, set a new record for Sundance.
KeepSolid VPN Unlimited will protect your online privacy ... forever! Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Unfortunately, connecting to the internet is not as harmless as you probably think. From viruses and malware to scams and phishing campaigns, you could face any number of threats that leave your sensitive private data — including your credit cards, Social Security number, home address and more — totally open to the world.
And, it doesn’t really matter whether you use a private internet connection, a public Wi-Fi network or your phone’s cellular data. Savvy hackers know how to access your personal information. Luckily, you can lock in a hot deal on a lifetime subscription to KeepSolid VPN Unlimited. This virtual private network will secure your online activity no matter what kind of connection you use. And it still allows you to browse without restrictions.
Turns out you can't trust everything you read. Cover: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac Magazine
So-called App Store nutrition labels that detail exactly how an app handles your data sounded like such a fantastically simple idea when Apple described them last year.
Now that the feature is live, the devil is apparently in the details. As it happens, you can’t just trust all app developers to tell you exactly how much data their software hoovers up — or how they share it with potentially nefarious third parties. Apple says it’s working to police the problem, but it’s a black eye for the privacy-conscious company.