Becoming a better writer requires feedback. But not everyone has room in their life for writing workshops and deep dives into literature. If you want to improve your writing quickly and easily, you need this web-based tool that uses machine learning to polish your prose.
Just in time for election day, America’s real president makes a stump speech that’s part biography and part self-mythologizing letter to an equally mythic version of the state he calls home. Bruce Springsteen’s Letter to You, like a lot of the Boss’ later albums, isn’t exactly groundbreaking or inventive. However, there’s a good reason his homespun coastal Americana never goes out of fashion. Nobody gets America like Springsteen.
Upcoming Apple TV+ documentary Bruce Springsteen’s Letter to You showcases the songs on his 20th album. While it won’t tell you anything you didn’t already suspect, you will find an incalculable kind of value in the songwriter’s company.
New iPhones (both “regular” and mini, as well as Pro and Pro Max). A new, pint-size HomePod mini. And the triumphant return of MagSafe … this week’s “Hi, Speed” event delivered the goods.
Read up on all the new Apple gear, and find out why we’re totally psyched about the iPhone 12 mini (and a bit less so about 5G), in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Download it now to read on your iOS device.
Oh, and don’t worry — we’ve got plenty of post-show analysis (and some even fresher Apple news and rumors, too) …
As more of our life moves online, security and privacy become more valuable. That’s why we’re big fans of virtual private networks, malware blockers and any other tools that make online life more secure. Luckily, you can get all that and more from one app.
“If it ain’t broke don’t fix it” has long been the Sesame Workshop’s modus operandi, and the second season of Apple TV+ kids show Helpsters is living proof that the strategy works.
The educational show, created by Odd Squad and Adventure Time writer Timothy McKeon, with music by longtime collaborator Paul Buckley, is long on charm and star power and short on filler.
Season two of Helpsters, which arrived on Apple TV+ Friday, is likely exactly what your kids need while you finally get around to doing the laundry. And you’ll laugh, too, at the litany of guest stars and the occasional elegant joke.
Incoming! Fireball: Visitors From Darker Worlds is a documentary movie scheduled to debut on Apple TV+ in November. It’s from acclaimed directors Werner Herzog and Clive Oppenheimer.
The Collage Atlas could be a temporary escape from 2020. It’s “a journey through an entirely hand-drawn picture-book dream-world,” according to the creator of the game, John William Evelyn.
This title launched Friday on Apple Arcade, and is available for a range of devices.
A rumored Apple TV with more of a focus on gaming allegedly won’t be out before the end of 2020. It’ll be a significant upgrade, with new features beyond a performance bump.
But it’s probably not on the list of devices to expect at an anticipated Apple November product launch event.
There are already plenty of iPhone 12 cases to choose from, even though Apple’s newest handset hasn’t yet reached customers hands. When this product arrives on October 23, they can have a case waiting.
Here’re are descriptions of a wide range of options already up for sale, along with lots more coming soon.
The two Product(Red) bands for Apple Watch Series 6 that suffered a late launch became available in the Apple Online Store Friday. The red variants of the Solo Loop and Braided Solo Loop bands cost $49 and $99 respectively, and will ship in 1-2 weeks. Both are available in 40mm and 44mm sizes.
Politicians in the UK are opening an investigation into the streaming music giants to find out whether the likes of Apple and Spotify pay artists fairly when it comes to streaming.
Apple lowered the price of iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini for T-Mobile/Sprint customers on Friday. These handsets are no longer cheaper for customers of rival telecoms.
The change happened just in time for launch day for part of the iPhone 12 series.
In this day and age, it’s amazing that anybody still uses cable. Streaming services can bring all the same shows and more to any device — and at a competitive price. If you’re looking to boost your home entertainment situation, this half-price deal from fuboTV is a must-see.
As rumored, Apple’s iPad Air 4 is now available for preorder on the Apple Online Store. The fourth-gen iPad Air was shown off by Apple at last month’s “Time Flies” event, but Apple declined to announce a preorder date — beyond simply “October.”
Because both the iPad Air 4 and new iPhone 12 handsets feature Apple’s A14 chip, Apple reportedly wanted to hold back the iPad Air 4 until the first iPhone 12 handsets were available to preorder.
On your marks, get set, go, go, go! Apple preorders went live Friday at 5am Pacific time, giving customers the chance to order their new iPhone 12 handsets.
For the first time in history, Apple is this year offering four different iPhone models. The 6.1-inch iPhone 12 and 5.4-inch iPhone 12 mini are Apple’s two “regular” iPhones, while the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 Pro and monster 6.7-inch iPhone Pro Max are its premium handsets.
You can only order the 6.1-inch iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro models today, though. The iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max, this year’s two size extremes, will be available for preorder November 6. Phones available for preorder today will ship October 23.
One of the biggest reasons to upgrade to iPhone 12 this year is for its 5G connectivity. It promises to be significantly faster than the 4G networks we’ve become accustomed to, making things like mobile gaming, content streaming, web browsing — basically everything you do online — better than ever.
You should be excited, but not too excited. 5G can be as spectacular as Apple led us to believe during this week’s iPhone 12 unveiling … but only if you can get good 5G coverage — and the right kind of 5G connection.
Allow us to explain what you need to know about 5G.
Friday means, among other things, new shows on Apple TV+. This week, Apple debuted a new episode of both its hit spy drama Tehran and Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman-fronted travelogue Long Way Up. There’s also a new series of kids show Helpsters.
Here’s what to expect from this week’s new shows.
If rumors are to be believed, Apple is set to host yet another virtual event in November, making three in a row after September’s “Time Flies” iPad and Apple Watch event and October’s “Hi, Time” HomePod mini and iPhone 12 unveiling.
While the November event has yet to be officially announced, notorious Apple leaker Jon Prosser thinks he knows when it will be — and we don’t have long to wait.
Apple execs uttered the term “5G” so many times during Tuesday’s iPhone 12 unveiling that they could have triggered semantic satiation. (That’s when you hear something so many times that it starts to sound … really weird.)
If their repetition of the word didn’t burn 5G into your brain — or turn your gray matter into mush — the 5G supercuts that followed certainly will.
Nuheara IQbuds 2 Max aren’t typical wireless earbuds. Sure, they let you listen to music and podcasts, but that’s just the start. They have active noise cancellation when you want quiet. Or they help you hear in-person conversations better by filtering out background sounds.
I did real-world testing of these in-ear headphones designed for people whose hearing isn’t quite good as it used to be.
Nike offers a bonus for new users of Apple’s credit card. Sign up for an Apple Card, buy $75 or more from Nike in the first 30 days, and get $75 in Daily Cash.
Plus, Nike offers unlimited 3% back at Nike when Apple Card with Apple Pay is used.
With a recent study showing the virus that causes COVID-19 can live up to 28 days on glass and stainless steel, it might be time to double down on your disinfectant efforts. Remind me again what iPhones are made of … oh, yeah, glass and metal. Yikes!
One easy way to sanitize your iPhone and other small items is to use a device like the Mophie UV Sanitizer with a built-in wireless charger. While the company doesn’t specifically claim that the device kills COVID-19 dead, another recent study showed definitively that ultraviolet light can kill the potentially deadly virus.
At some point, “better safe than sorry” comes into play.
Recurring subscriptions have changed how we pay for digital content. And, while each service might only demand a couple of our hard-earned bucks at a time, the costs can quickly add up.
According to a report citing data from mobile measurement firm Adjust, the average person in the U.S. spends $20.78 a month on app subscriptions. And, given that this just an average, many spend a whole lot more than that.
If Spotify remains your main streaming music listening platform, there’s some good news: the streaming giant has finally released an iOS 14 widget that lets you quickly access recently played artists, podcasts, and albums in a single tap.
There are both small and medium-sized versions of the widget. The smaller of these shows your most recently listened to item. Meanwhile, the medium-sized widget offers a more luxurious, five most recent items array.
Had a little too much of the news lately? As 2020 winds down (at last!), there’s no better time to immerse yourself in historical events.
Living, as we do, in the age of binge-watching, you can stream history straight to your favorite viewing or listening devices. And this inexpensive subscription service makes sure you’re never lacking for something new and intriguing to explore.