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Murderbot sci-fi action series explodes onto Apple TV+ in May

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Murderbot premieres on Apple TV+ in May
The Murderbot sci-fi thriller/comedy premieres on Apple TV+ this spring.
Photo: Apple TV+

The Apple TV+ adaptation of the brilliant Murderbot novels by Martha Wells got a premiere date for the sci-fi action series: May 16. And a first glimpse at Alexander Skarsgård as the lead character came out, too.

Plus, fans of the Hugo and Nebula Award-winning books can take hope from Apple’s synopsis of its show, as it closely follows the written version.

How to get Apple Intelligence early — in the European Union and on Vision Pro

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Get The New Siri Right Now
Get the Apple Intelligence features early.
Image: Apple/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

You can get Apple Intelligence right now on your iPhone, iPad, Mac and Vision Pro. All you have to do is update to the latest developer beta release. You’ll get access to Visual Intelligence, Image Playground, Genmoji and more.

The developer beta of iOS 18.4 enables Apple Intelligence in the European Union for the first time. visionOS 2.4 brings the featureset to the Vision Pro.

Apple Intelligence is compatible with the iPhone 15 Pro and the new iPhone 16 lineup. Unfortunately, older devices (or even the iPhone 15) don’t have enough RAM to support Apple’s Foundation models. Luckily, you can also try it out if you have an iPad or Mac with an M-series or A17 Pro chip.

Here’s how to get it all.

Apple News+ Food serves up tasty recipes and dining guides

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Apple News+ Food
Tens of thousands of recipes and stories about restaurants, kitchen essentials, and more from the world’s top food publishers will come with Apple News+ Food.
Photo: Apple

iPhone and iPad users will soon get a major upgrade to their digital cooking experience with the launch of Apple News+ Food, Apple said Friday. It’s a comprehensive culinary platform that transforms the devices into interactive kitchen companions.

Launching in April with iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4, Apple News+ Food promises to help home cooks discover, save and follow recipes and more from world-renowned food publications.

Get a staggering 57% off Apple CarPlay screen ($42.99!)

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Apple CarPlay screen deal
Even if your car doesn't support Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, now you can have your pick.
Photo: Zembukil

Got an older car, or a newer one that lacks Apple CarPlay or Android Auto? We found a huge deal on “Amazon’s choice” of a portable screen for CarPlay and Android Auto that you can use in just about any car. The mega retailer’s deal is 37% off plus a $20 coupon, for massive combined savings of 57% off ($42.99 instead of $99.99). That ought to rev your engine.

M4 Mac mini user loves his Samsung ultra-wide monitor [Setups]

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Samsung ultra-wide monitor
The user loves using his M4 Mac mini with the Samsung ultra-wide 4K display.
Photo: [email protected]

In the world of computer setups, I see lots of people with two displays, loads of people with one ultra-wide display and tons of people arguing over which is best. Today’s M4 Mac mini user loves his Samsung ultra-wide monitor, which is one I haven’t seen often. But it looks like a keeper for both Mac and PC setups. And it’s deeply discounted right now.

Today in Apple history: Apple and Cisco settle over ‘iPhone’ name

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The InfoGear iPhone was definitely a bit ... different from current models.
The first iPhone was definitely a bit ... different from current models.
Photo: Bob Ackerman/Wikipedia CC

February 21: Today in Apple history: Apple and Cisco settle over 'iPhone' name February 21, 2007: Apple comes to an agreement with Cisco over the iPhone trademark, which Cisco legally owns but Apple wants to use.

Under the agreement, both companies get to use the iPhone trademark on products throughout the world. The two businesses also dismiss outstanding lawsuits against one another, and agree to “explore opportunities for interoperability in the areas of security, and consumer and enterprise communications.”

It’s a classic bit of Apple CEO Steve Jobs steamrolling the opposition.

Apple reduces iCloud encryption in UK after government demands ‘backdoor’

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Apple decryption
Sorry UK, your iCloud files are getting less secure.
Image: Apple/Cult of mac

Apple moved toward deactivating its Advanced Data Protection iCloud privacy-protection feature for iCloud in the United Kingdom. The move is a stopgap measure instead of giving the UK government what it demanded: a “backdoor” way to break the encryption offered by the feature so it could secretly surveil its citizens. This decision also raises concerns about iCloud deals and the implications for user privacy. Read more about the issue here.

The problem is, this move won’t fully satisfy the UK government, who wants to be able to spy on the iCloud accounts of any Apple user in any country.

Anker’s new electric cooler integrates with iOS and charges devices

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Anker Solix EverFrost 2 electric cooler
Keep food cool and gadgets charged on outings. And the biggest model doubles as a freezer.
Photo: Anker

The new Anker Solix EverFrost 2 Electric Cooler gives iPhone users a sophisticated way to manage their outdoor adventures, Anker said Friday. The smart cooler combines advanced cooling technology with iOS app integration, offering Apple users unprecedented control over their outdoor food and beverage storage, complete with Apple device charging.

Mark S. risks all as Severance bonds are tested [Apple TV+ recap] ★★★★☆

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Severance season 2 episode 6 recap★★★★☆
Innie Helly wants some of what outie Helena Eagan got.
Photo: Apple TV+

In our Severance season 2 episode 6 recap of the episode titled “Attila,” we see strange liaisons inside and outside of Lumon Industries. Mark S. and Helly R. get busy in an unused Lumon office. Outie Irving attends a tense but ultimately rewarding dinner with Burt and his husband, Fields. Before the end, Mark S. takes a reckless risk that could be life-threatening.

Last week’s episode 5 brought us back inside Lumon Industries hallways in the aftermath of the ORTBO team-building event out in the wintry woods — and a few steps closer to solving the sinister company’s mysteries.

The Gorge ranks as biggest film premiere in Apple TV+ history

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The Gorge on Apple TV+
Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy star in romance/thriller The Gorge.
Photo: Apple TV+

No Apple TV+ movie ever had a bigger opening weekend than The Gorge, according to the streaming service. It seems viewers were drawn to the romantic action thriller starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller. The overwhelming response has cemented The Gorge film as one of the platform’s most talked-about releases. For those who enjoy premium sound quality, the debate between AirPods Beats continues, as showcased in this Spike Jonze short film.

With its record-breaking success, the film is already being discussed among the best Apple TV movies worth watching.

And this wasn’t the only thing Apple TV+ had to crow about — it revealed on Wednesday that Severance had just become its most popular series ever.

iPad stylus sale drops Apple Pencil Pro to just $99

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Apple Pencil in use
Apple Pencil adds so much to iPad.
Photo: Apple

Apple Pencil Pro is the best iPad stylus on the market, and a deal knocks a whopping $30 off the regular cost. For a limited time, you can get an Apple Pencil Pro from Amazon for just $99. That’s over 20% off.

Or consider a Apple Pencil (2nd generation) or Apple Pencil (USB-C), both with deals making them cost even less than the premium model than they usually do.

iPhone 16e vs. iPhone 16: Is cheaper better?

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iPhone 16e vs. iPhone 16 comparison
iPhone 16e and iPhone 16 are not the same.
Photo/Graphics: Apple/Rajesh Pandey

iPhone 16e vs. iPhone 16 — it’s decision time for anyone considering an affordable iPhone. The iPhone 16e, Apple’s newest addition to its iPhone 16 family, costs $599. It iPhone replaces the iPhone SE 3 to become the cheapest Apple smartphone with an A18 chip.

At first glance, the iPhone 16e seems quite similar to the iPhone 16, despite a $200 lower price. So, how does the iPhone 16e compare to the iPhone 16? Should you save your money and get Apple’s newest iPhone? Or pay extra and go for the iPhone 16? If you’re wondering which device best suits your needs, our iPhone for life guide breaks it down in detail.

Live weather, awesome astronomy, fun faces: Customize your iPhone Lock Screen

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There are a lot of ways to customize the Lock Screen in iOS 16.
There are a lot of ways to customize the Lock Screen in iOS 16.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

You can radically customize the Lock Screen of your iPhone with a bunch of widgets, aesthetics and styles. If you liked the themed custom Home Screens people were putting together using Shortcuts and Widgetsmith, you’ll love the level of creativity you can express with customized Lock Screens.

Read on to see all the features or watch our video.

Ark Pro power bank provides good value for travelers [Review] ★★★

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Alogic Ark Pro power bank review★★★
With a huge battery and 140 watts of ready power, Alogic Ark Pro power bank can fast-charge MacBooks and more on the road.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac

Released earlier this month, the Alogic Ark Pro power bank is a beast of a charger with a big 27,600mAh battery, up to 140 watts of charging power for MacBooks and other devices, an attached cable and a color display. IATA-compliant, it’s the biggest battery you can take on a plane, according to Alogic. The only question is, would you? It’s pretty hefty.

Today in Apple history: iPod mini is ‘world’s smallest music player’

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iPod mini launch lineup in 2004: Five small music players in five different colors (silver, gold, pink, blue, and green).
The iPod mini quickly became a big hit for Apple.
Photo: Apple

February 20: Today in Apple history: iPod mini launch shows off 'world's smallest music player' February 20, 2004: Music goes small as the iPod mini launch brings the reimagined digital audio player to Apple stores.

Released with 4GB of storage and in five colors, the diminutive device features a new “click wheel” that integrates control buttons into a solid-state, touch-sensitive scroll wheel. It also showcases Cupertino’s growing fascination with aluminum, which will become a hallmark of Apple design.

Despite its small size, the new music player’s market potential looms large. In fact, the iPod mini soon becomes Apple’s fastest-selling music player yet.

Apple’s AI-powered Visual Intelligence tool heads for iPhone 15 Pro

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iPhone 16 using Visual Intelligence
Visual Intelligance transforms real-world objects into digital data.
Photo: Apple

Visual Intelligence, which previously was reserved for the iPhone 16 models, will reportedly reach the two iPhone 15 Pro variants in the near future.

Realistically, there was no reason why the artificial intelligence feature shouldn’t have been added to Apple’s 2023 models with the debut of iOS 18. In fact, with the growing demand for AI-powered productivity tools, many users are looking for ways to AI take notes efficiently to enhance their workflow.

iPhone 16e looks great, but …

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Photo of two iPhone 16e smartphones, one black and one white, with the words,
This seems like a major omission.
Image: Cult of Mac

There’s one feature missing from the new iPhone 16e that makes it a big “no” for me, dog — MagSafe. Apple’s failure to include a few cheap magnets, which could have enabled a wonderful array of iPhone accessories, seems like the ultimate cost-cutting fail. If you’re comparing it with the iPhone 16, you’ll notice that Apple’s flagship model retains full MagSafe compatibility. For those looking for a long iPhone experience with the latest features, MagSafe might be a key deciding factor. If you frequently use MagSafe accessories like the MagSafe wallet, make sure to check out our list of the best iPhone 16e cases to find a case that fits your needs.

 If you’re comparing it with the iPhone 16, you’ll notice that Apple’s flagship model retains full MagSafe compatibility.

Watch the iPhone 16e introduction in just 30 seconds

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Image of Tim Cook and the iPhone 16e with the caption “30 Seconds.”
Watch the announcement in just 3.9% of the time.
Image: Apple/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Today, Apple introduced the iPhone 16e. It features many top features from the iPhone 16 series, but at a lower $599 price point. The iPhone 16e replaces the former iPhone SE in the lineup.

If you don’t have twelve minutes to spare, you can watch the introduction in just 30 seconds.

Everything Apple stripped out of iPhone 16 to make the iPhone 16e

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iPhone 16 versus iPhone 16e
iPhone 16e is essentially the iPhone 16 but with many features pulled out. Is it right for you?
Image: Apple/.Cult of Mac

To absolutely nobody’s surprise, the newly launched iPhone 16e is missing features found in higher-end models. But what exactly did Apple exclude from this stripped-down version of the iPhone 16? The two models have quite a lot in common — the same size screen, general design, A18 chip and more. But many secondary features don’t appear in the cheaper model.

Check this list of all the missing features in the iPhone 16e before deciding to buy Apple’s budget handset. You might not be able to live without some of them.

Dress up your boring iPhone 16e in a colorful case

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Apple iPhone 16e cases
This is Apple's new iPhone 16e silicone case in the fuschia color.
Photo: Apple

The iPhone 16e Apple rolled out Wednesday is a huge upgrade over its previous budget SE handsets. But the new handset only comes in black and white colors. So along with it the iPhone giant launched iPhone 16e silicone cases in five colors — including three that aren’t black or white. Those would be fuschia, blue and green.

And you can already find third-party cases for the new handset, as well, but many more are sure to come soon. Check out some options below.

Should you mount speakers sideways on stands? [Setups]

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Yamaha studio monitor - pair
Yamaha HS7 studio monitor speakers far outstrip the small speaker inside a Mac mini.
Photo: Yamaha

Today’s Mac mini setup really pumps up the clear audio with Yamaha studio monitor speakers, suitable for the user’s music production. They mount the speakers on stands, which is great. But they mount them sideways, which is … odd. And despite having those, they love their HomePod mini for most uses.

Google Lens now lets you search your iPhone’s screen

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Google search on iPhone
The Google Search experience is getting better on your iPhone.
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac

Google is bringing Circle to Search, one of its best search features, from Android to iPhone. Like on Android, you can now circle on your iPhone’s screen to search for the on-screen content.

The feature is coming to Google Chrome and the Google app through Lens integration.