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Today in Apple history: The first great color PowerBook arrives

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Photo of the PowerBook 180c, the first Apple laptop with a high-quality color screen.
Inside its beefy chassis, the PowerBook 180c packed a beautiful color screen.
Photo: Wikipedia CC

June 7: Today in Apple history: Apple debuts the PowerBook 180c laptop June 7, 1993: Apple debuts the PowerBook 180c, a solid upgrade that brings a world of dazzling colors to the company’s laptop line.

The 180c’s big improvement over the grayscale PowerBook 180, which launched the previous October, is its active-matrix, 256-color screen. Such a screen is something of a novelty for laptops in the early 1990s.

The $15 guide for people who don’t want to get replaced by AI

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Futuristic image of AI being held by a hand
Learn the essentials so you don't become a casualty of the AI revolution.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

AI isn’t necessarily going to take your job, but someone who actually knows how to use it might. In 2026, actual AI fluency — understanding the models, the players, the tools and the strategy — is what’s making this distinction.

For those who feel they’re falling behind, AI Essentials 2026: The Complete Guide to AI Fundamentals covers the full picture in plain language. And lifetime access costs just $14.99 right now (regularly $64.99).

How to create a Keynote presentation that would make Steve Jobs proud

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Make A Killer Keynote Presentation
Make a presentation that leaves an impression.
Image: Apple/D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

If you want to create the best possible Keynote presentation, you should follow a few simple rules — and ape the style of the keynote GOAT, Steve Jobs.

He was the best in the business of hosting live press events. It’s no surprise that Apple’s Keynote app was literally made for him as the target audience, then later turned into a product for everyone else.

If you want your presentation to look as professional and polished as a Stevenote, here’s what you should do.

How to watch Apple’s WWDC26 keynote

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WWDC26 graphic over a photo of Apple Park
WWDC26 kicks off June 8, 2026.
Photo: Arne Müseler/Wikimedia Commons/Apple

Apple WWDC26: How can you watch the Apple event at WWDC26? You can stream the keynote on YouTube, on the apple.com website or on your smart TV. It starts at 10 a.m. Pacific time on Monday, June 8.

Each spring at its Worldwide Developers Conference, Apple unveils all the software updates that will ship later in the year — typically in September. Apple will show us what the headlining new features will be in iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, tvOS and visionOS 27. 

This year, we can expect Apple Intelligence to take center stage. The company failed to deliver on its 2024 promise of a smarter Siri, but rumors indicate that the upgraded assistant is finally coming. Also rumored are a new, customizable Camera app and tweaks to the design of macOS

Here’s how you can watch it all live, whether you’re watching at home, secretly at work or in person at Apple Park.

WWDC26 predictions: Siri, AI, hardware and screen time [Cult of Mac podcast No. 23]

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A glowing Apple logo floating above a stage, with the words
Time to play the predictions game again!
Image: Cult of Mac

This week on the Cult of Mac podcast: As per tradition, we match wits with our predictions about what we’ll see at Apple’s WWDC26 keynote. Griffin and I are joined by two special guests, Charlie Sorrel and Graham Bower, for this year’s installment of the WWDC prediction game.

What will the new Siri do? Will Apple unveil new hardware? And who, exactly, will get how much screen time?

We chisel our answers into digital stone on 10 tricky questions (which also serve as a jumping-off point to discuss Apple’s future and strategies). And, as always, you can play along! Just be sure to submit your answers (via this Google Docs form) before Monday’s WWDC26 keynote.

Also on the Cult of Mac podcast:

  • The “dark cherry” color rumored for iPhone 18 Pro looks pretty funky, if the latest dummy models can be trusted. Some of us love it, some not so much.
  • With the first folding iPhone on the way, iOS 27 seems primed for true multitasking.
  • Apple’s smart glasses reportedly got delayed again. Will they be worth the wait?
  • And finally, Graham discusses what it’s like being an extremely late adopter of Apple’s Vision Pro headset.

Listen to this week’s episode of the Cult of Mac podcast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

Today in Apple history: Apple chooses Intel over PowerPC

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intel
The transition to Intel was a big achievement for Steve Jobs.
Photo: Thomas Hawk/Flickr CC

June 6: Today in Apple history: Apple switches Mac to Intel chips from PowerPC June 6, 2005: Steve Jobs reveals that Apple will switch the Mac from PowerPC processors to Intel.

Speaking at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference, Jobs’ revelation reminds the tech world that he is a leader who can get things done. Given Intel’s focus on mobile computing, the move also offers a hint at what Apple’s CEO has planned for the second half of his reign.

UK plans to jail tech execs if kids keep seeing nudes on devices

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UK threatens to jail tech execs
We're not saying any of these tech executives would go to jail, but the UK may target anyone whose products let kids see nudity on their devices.
AI image: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

The UK government plans to compel Apple, Google and other technology companies to block children from encountering any nudity on their devices like iPhones and iPads — and to imprison executives who fail to act for up to 5 years, according to a new report Friday about policy changes in the works.

Seems like the sort of thing that could make incoming Apple CEO John Ternus a little nervous.

Beyond Siri: New Apple Intelligence features to expect at WWDC26

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New Apple Intelligence features beyond Siri
Apple Intelligence and Visual Intelligence should get a jolt of new features at WWDC26.
AI image: Google Gemini/Cult of Mac

Apple WWDC26:Everybody expects Apple’s Siri voice assistant to get a big AI-powered makeover Monday at WWDC26. But there’s more to the picture, in that Apple Intelligence and Visual Intelligence will see a bunch of separate new features, too, according to rumors rounded up in a new report Friday.

Best vintage and retro Apple setups: Old gear, new love

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old and new macs setup
Bask in the warm glow of antique Macs actually being used.
Photo: [email protected]

Apple designs hardware for the ages — sometimes quite literally. The Cult of Mac Setups archive is full of users who never got around to retiring an old Cinema Display. Or who deliberately hunt one down online for new-to-them use. Some keep a 2013 “trash can” Mac Pro running as a daily driver because it still gets the job done. Some love old gear so much they maintain as much as possible — or at least classic posters — in their setup. And here’s the result: the best vintage and retro Setups in our archive.

Apple Card Savings interest rate falls again — here’s why

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Apple Card Savings interest rate in 2026
We explain why the Apple Card Savings annual interest rate just got another cut.
Photo: Cult of Mac

The interest rate earned by cash stored in Apple Card Savings accounts dropped on Thursday, the second time it’s been cut this year. Money in these accounts now earns 3.4% in annual interest.

The bank behind the savings account is responding to changes in the U.S. economy. Plus there’s another possible factor: less desire to bring in new customers.

Today in Apple history: The revolutionary Apple II goes on sale

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Photo of the original Apple II computer at launch
The Apple II's sleek design proved ahead of its time.
Photo: Computer History Museum

June 5 Today in Apple history June 5, 1977: The first Apple II, the personal computer that will put Cupertino on the map, goes on sale.

Previously shown off to a few thousand rabid fans at the West Coast Computer Faire, the Apple II’s arrival means the masses can finally get their hands on the breakthrough machine.  A base unit costs $1,298 — the equivalent of nearly $7,200 today.

Get 88 hours of AI cybersecurity training for less than $20

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Classroom training led by a man wearing a military uniform
You don't need an in-person course to master the latest topics in AI security.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

The 2026 AI Security & Cybersecurity Expert Bundle delivers 88 hours of training that covers AI, ethical hacking and real-world defense skills.

This six-course bundle doesn’t assume you’re already a seasoned security engineer (or talk down to those who are). Instead, it builds practical, real-world skills that matter, whether you’re breaking into the field or leveling up inside it. And you get the entire 2026 AI Security & Cybersecurity Expert Bundle for just $19.97 (MSRP $120).

Apple’s Gemini-powered Siri might run on Nvidia’s encrypted chips

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A photo of an iPhone in between an Apple and a Google logo.
Apple's Gemini-powered Siri might process some queries on Nvidia hardware in Google Cloud.
AI image: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

Apple could soon do something it rarely does: Trust your data with someone else’s hardware. A new report says the Gemini-powered Siri might route some queries through Google Cloud, powered by Nvidia’s chips.

If you are wondering how Apple plans to keep its privacy promise, Nvidia’s Blackwell B200 chip encrypts your data while it processes it.

MacBook Ultra could come sooner than you think

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MacBook Ultra could come sooner than you think
Get ready to pay more for OLED MacBook Pro, which might be called MacBook Ultra (with a touchscreen!).
AI image: ChatGPT

Apple’s long-anticipated high-end MacBook — the OLED-display machine, possibly with touchscreen, that many expect Apple to call the MacBook Ultra — could arrive a lot sooner than expected, according to a new report Thursday. As in, possibly as soon as 3Q 2026, which probably means September. 

App Store tops $1.4 trillion as AI apps fuel record developer earnings

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AI apps fuel record App Store developer earnings
App Store developer sales hit $1.4 trillion in 2025, thanks in part to AI-focused apps.
Photo: Apple

The App Store ecosystem generated more than $1.4 trillion in developer billings and sales during 2025, Apple said Thursday. The figure nearly triples what the platform posted in 2019 and underscores how central the App Store has become to digital earnings. And artificial intelligence-boosted apps played a huge role. 

Affordable new open earbuds bring stamina, comfort — and a few problems [Review] ★★★☆☆

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Baseus Bowie MC2 Open-Ear Earbuds review★★★☆☆
Baseus Bowie MC2 open-ear clip-on earbuds make a solid case for value. But they suffer from a few limitations.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac

At $79.99, Baseus’s new Bowie MC2 enters a crowded field of clip-on open-ear earbuds looking to challenge better-known names. Are they worth a try? My Baseus Bowie MC2 Open-Ear Earbuds review finds they might fit the bill for for users who hate having anything in their ears and for those who want an unobtrusive workout buddy. But they have some shortcomings to work out. Here’s what you actually need to know before buying.

3 exercise tips every Apple Watch wearer should know

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Apple Watch exercise tips every wearer needs to be aware of
You'll find it easier to close your Apple Watch exercise rings with these tips.
Photo: Atlantic Ambiance/Pexels

The Apple Watch helps people stay more active by encouraging wearers to stand, move around and exercise. But its workout tracking has a few quirks that users should understand.

Knowing about these Apple Watch exercise oddities — and how to work around them — can help you avoid frustration as you get fit.

Today in Apple history: Mac clone-maker peaks before a dizzying decline

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Power Computing clone Macs sounded like a good idea at first.
Power Computing's clone Macs were built for speed.
Photo: Antnik

June 4: Today in Apple history: Mac clone-maker Power Computing peaks, begins rapid decline June 4, 1997: Mac clone-maker Power Computing hits its high point as the company’s top exec reaches an agreement with Apple concerning the forthcoming Mac OS 8.

The deal allows the company to start making moves toward an IPO as the fastest-growing PC company of the decade. Things don’t turn out well, though.

Google’s new Mac app keeps your AI chats off the internet

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Run Gemma models locally on your Mac using Google's AI Edge app.
Use Google's new Mac app to run its AI models locally.
Screenshot: Rajesh Pandey/Cult of Mac

Google’s new AI Edge Gallery app for macOS lets you run Gemma models locally on your Mac. Instead of relying on the cloud, the app taps into Apple Silicon’s power to process AI tasks directly on your machine.

The app is already available on Android and iOS, with the macOS release bringing the same on-device AI experience to Macs.

A new Apple Pencil could give the Vision Pro a sense of touch

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A photo of the Apple Vision Pro with an Apple Pencil.
A special Apple Pencil could bring a sense of touch to the Vision Pro headset.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

While the Apple Vision Pro is one of the best spatial computers money can buy, touch is one sense it can’t fake. But a newly granted Apple patent hints at a new stylus that can simulate the texture of virtual surfaces on your hand.

The Apple Vision Pro is capable of showing virtual surfaces with great clarity, but it lacks haptic feedback. But the new sort of Apple Pencil could close that gap and make the headset’s XR experiences physical for the first time.

Microsoft will break Office apps on older iPhones, iPads and Macs next month

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A photo of Microsoft Office files on an iPhone.
Old iPhones and Macs will soon be unable to edit and create Microsoft Office files.
Photo: Microsoft

If you use an older Mac, iPhone or iPad, Microsoft might be about to break your Office apps. Starting July 13, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote will stop letting you edit, save or create new files unless you meet certain requirements. You’ll still be able to open and print documents, but that’s it.

The move affects more people than you might think. If you’re running anything older than iOS 17 or macOS 11 Big Sur, your Office apps will mostly be defunct. Microsoft calls it “reduced functionality mode,” which is a fancy way of saying your Office apps will lose editing functionality.