Cult of Mac

It’s totally tempting to use a fountain pen. These throwback writing utensils carry a promise of a slower time, when people had hours to write — and when the main writing tool wasn’t a $1,000 computer or an $800 iPhone, but a tube of ink with a sharp tip.

However, fountain pens also can prove intimidating. Are they messy? Do you need to refill them from a bottle of ink? Can you toss one in a pocket like a cheap gel pen?

The fact is, you can have all the style and enjoyment of a fountain pen in a package that’s as practical as a cheap biro. More practical, really, as you can refill it yourself. If you want to try a fountain pen, you should begin with the Kaweco Sport. And if you want the Jony Ive-compatible version, you will buy the reasonably priced aluminum one.

Apple plans to celebrate International Women’s Day throughout the entire month of March with some special Today at Apple sessions that encourage women to explore their creativity.

The new ‘She Creates’ series of sessions will be available at Apple Stores from March 1 to March 31, giving visitors hands-on training for coding, photography, augmented reality and more.

When you start up a Mac, it goes “bong,” and that’s the way the world should be. Unless, that is, you bought a Mac in 2016 or later, when Apple removed the Mac startup chime. These days, a Mac starts up silently, with only a whisper of fan noise (or the din of a whirring, clicking hard drive on an iMac) to let you know something is happening.

But what if you miss the good old Mac startup chime? Or — if you’re new to Macs — you just fancy a bit of retro charm? Today we’ll see how to bring back the bong.

At least one iPad Pro case manufacturer believes that Apple’s upcoming tablet will pack a brand-new camera system. This snap-on cover makes way for a much bigger hump with additional rear-facing sensors.

The ongoing coronavirus outbreak will have no impact on Apple’s plans for its next-generation 5-nanometer chip rollout, one reliable analyst reported today.

Apple is believed to have aggressively increased its orders for the new processors, which will power this year’s iPhone and iPad Pro — as well as Apple’s first Arm-powered Mac that is said to be scheduled for early 2021.

Despite selling off nearly $1 billion worth of Apple shares earlier this month, Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett is still bullish on the iPhone-maker.

Warren told CNBC he wishes he bought Apple shares before he did. Buffett is so hyped on Apple he finally ditched his old flip phone and bought an iPhone.

Apple’s first Mac with a custom processor is expected to make its debut in the first half of 2021, according to one reliable analyst.

Ming-Chi Kuo of TF International Securities reports it will be a 5-nanometer chipset — like the upcoming A14 SoC that will power the next iPhone and iPad Pro. Apple is said to be increasing its orders after the coronavirus outbreak.

The iPhone 12 will include an ultra-quick version of Wi-Fi, if an unconfirmed report is correct. This could enormously increase the data transfer speeds of this handset, even outstripping some versions of Ethernet.

The U.S. Supreme Court refused Monday to hear Apple’s appeal of a $440 million judgment in one of many patent infringement suits brought by internet security firm VirnetX more than ten years ago.

The justices rejected Apple’s appeal in the long-running case in which a federal jury in 2016 found that Apple had infringed VirnetX’s patents and awarded $302 million. A judge later increased that amount to $439.7 million including interest and other costs.

An upcoming iPad Pro refresh could be the first to introduce a next-generation Mini LED display, a new report reveals.

Innolux is said to be joining Apple’s supply chain this year specifically to supply new iPad Pro panels. Jingdian, another Mini LED supplier, is expected to be the primary supplier and may have already started shipping orders.

Our digital lives revolve around having enough power, so we rounded up some of the best deals on charging gear for your shopping convenience. These juicy deals range from high-capacity backup batteries and a six-port USB charging hub, to a voice-controlled outlet and a car charger with four USB ports.

Even better, all of these charging accessories are discounted by more than half.

The European Commission doesn’t want its staff using WhatsApp or iMessage for internal communications. Instead, they must start using end-to-end-encrypted messaging app Signal as part of a push toward greater security.

“Signal has been selected as the recommended application for public instant messaging,” noted an instruction that reportedly appeared on internal EC messaging boards in early February.

Apple has reportedly subpoenaed Santander Bank and $50 billion intelligence contractor L3Harris Technologies as part of its ongoing battle with cybersecurity startup Corellium.

Apple wants to know how both groups are using Corellium’s software. This software lets companies run virtual versions of iOS for security and functionality testing.

Have an old Apple Watch you want to donate to a good cause? Recycle Health, a nonprofit working out of Tufts Medical School, is collecting fitness-tracking wearables to donate to underserved populations.

These include homeless people, veterans, people in senior living homes, and intellectually disabled adults, in low-income communities. The hope is that the fitness-tracking devices could lead to “sustained behavior change” among those who need it.

Unnamed Target retail store employees are sharing details of what some believe are soon-to-be-released Apple updates using purported images of product listings from the companies retail inventory system.

The supposed new products include Apple AirPods X Generation, a 10.5-inch iPad, a new generation Apple TV, a new iPod touch and a series of new Apple Watch bands. 

iPhones running iOS 14 will borrow the multitasking layout currently used by iPads, according to a reliable leaker.

This is apparently the first major leak about the next iPhone operating system, which is expected to be unveiled this June.

This week we keep old folks safe, brew perfectly measured coffee, celebrate Photoshop’s 30th anniversary, and complain about SoundCloud.

Whenever lots of people gather in one place, the chargers start to feel scarce. Things get even more complicated when people use different makes, models and connection types. Why not sidestep the problem entirely with an all-in-one charging hub?

Apple shows off the capabilities of the Ultra Wide camera in the iPhone 11 Pro with a breath-taking video shot in scenic Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada.

Watch this video now:

Wireless charging can really help keep your iPhone topped off and ready to go. Every model since the iPhone 8 supports it, and Cult of Mac brings you our list of the best wireless chargers available today.

This includes multi-device models too, for everyone who needs power up an Apple Watch or AirPods too.

Before iOS 7, skeumorphism’s cartoon realism ruled. Then things swung too far in the opposite direction, with flat white pages, skinny text and occasionally confusing visual cues. An emerging design trend called neumorphism could bridge the gap in iOS 14, according to Cult of Mac’s Charlie Sorrel. With subtle shading and helpful hints, neumorphism could influence the evolution of Apple’s mobile UI.

Read all about this hot emerging design trend in this week’s free issue of our iOS magazine. It also includes the week’s top Apple news stories, along with a passel of how-tos and product reviews.

Macs are powerful machines, but the right software can vastly expand their capabilities. This bundle of apps offers a bunch of new media-related abilities, from music management to video conversion and ringtone creation.

Walmart is allegedly looking to sell its video-streaming service Vudu right as the streaming wars are starting to heat up.

NBCUniversal is reportedly in advanced talks to acquire Vudu from Walmart, which could give the company another valuable asset as it prepares to launch the Peacock streaming network in a couple of months.

A speedlight set up creating a buzz in the photography community for its portability syncs with any camera system, including the iPhone.

The PiXLIGHT is the latest strobe accessory for iPhone photographers. Several companies like Lume Cube and Profoto have Bluetooth enabled flashes dedicated to smartphone shooters.

Apple Maps offers surprisingly great public transport features. It recently expanded transit directions across Europe, so you can get “turn-by-turn” directions for metro, tram and other modes of public transit.

Even if your city isn’t yet covered by these directions, there’s still a whole lot of really useful information available. For instance, just tap a station on the map, and it will show all upcoming departures.

Let’s take a look at Apple Maps public transit features.