It's OK to update to macOS Catalina. Retroactive will modify Aperture, iTunes and iPhones with the new OS. Screenshot: Retroactive/GitHub
Apple told us it was time to move on when it killed two of its most popular apps, Aperture for photographers and iTunes, a music storage system that launched many DJ careers.
But an open-source app, aptly named Retroactive, brings new life to those beloved programs so that they can run in macOS Catalina.
Apple's got some big plans for next year's iPhones. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Apple will be deploying the world’s “most advanced” 5G mobile processors when it debuts its first 5G iPhones next year, a new report claims.
Apple is lagging behind rivals such as Samsung, Huawei and even smaller companies like Oppo and Xiaomi in launching its first 5G handset. However, the report claims that Apple’s ready to pull the stops out to make its next iPhone special. And it’s hoping for sales to match.
Show your appreciation for Veterans by treating your body with some darn respect! Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac
Apple is gearing up to celebrate Veterans Day with a new Apple Watch Activity challenge, scheduled for Monday, November 11.
To earn the Veterans Day badge, you’ll need to complete a workout of 11 minutes or more that day. The challenge is open to users in the United States, although you may want to check to see if it’s available if you live in a non-U.S. country. (Not that it should stop you working out, of course!)
Translate conversations in 12 languages with AI or with the help of a fluent speaker, plus more, all from one pocket sized device.
When traveling to other countries, it pays to prepare for navigating unfamiliar languages. Usually, that means cramming for a few weeks to learn just enough to get by. But you can skip all that hard work and immersion with this translation device.
Like a real-world version of Star Trek’s universal translator, this pocket-size gadget lets you talk to people using languages you don’t even know.
It's the solution you've been waiting on. Photo: Function101
In the market for a Type-C Hub, accessory organizer, power bank and wireless charger for your MacBook Pro and iPad Pro? Of course you are!
The BentoStack PowerHub promises to eliminate desktop clutter with a stackable solution to give you everything you need to use your devices on the go. And it’s all packed into a design inspired by (what else?) a compact Japanese lunch box. Check it out.
"I'll just repeat the question. Have I got a second series?" Photo: Apple
The preview episodes of See, Apple’s would-be Game of Thrones fantasy series with Jason Momoa, didn’t exactly take reviewers by storm. Hailed by the Hollywood Reporter as “rarely better than so-so” and the Telegraph as evoking “unintentional laughter,” this show sounds like it’s got a long way to go before it’ll start scooping up major awards as Apple hopes.
One thing it will be getting, however, is a second season — as star Alfre Woodard confirmed to the U.K.’s Radio Times.
The line for AirPods Pro in Shanghai. Photo: Apple
Did you forget to order AirPods Pro earlier this week? You can now pick them up in Apple Stores worldwide.
The brand-new buds improve upon one of Apple’s best accessories by adding active noise cancellation and a sweat-resistant design. You can also look forward to improved sound and a better fit.
That's another reason for students to sign up to Apple Music. Photo: Apple
Apple’s launched its first bundle deal for Apple TV+ — but you’ll have to be a student to take advantage of it.
On Dickinson star Hailee Steinfeld’s Instagram page, the singer/actress noted that Apple Music subscribers on Apple’s $4.99 Student plan will receive Apple TV+ in addition to Apple’s streaming music service.
Could Apple Pay be breaking the law? Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
European antitrust regulators are asking online retailers if they are contractually obligated to use Apple Pay over rival services.
The European Commission suggests it has information that Apple could have restricted online payments for goods and services using rival payment solutions. This would be in breach of EU antitrust rules.
One big difference between the Mac and iOS is that, on the Mac, open tabs stay open (more or less1), whereas on the iPad and iPhone, switching away to another app, or even another browser tab, can mean disaster. iOS dumps all those Safari tabs, and they must reload when you return.
For partially watched YouTube videos, this means you automatically go back to the beginning. But what if there was a way to force Safari to remember your watching progress, and reload the page to the exact spot you left off? There is now! I got sick of losing my spot in videos, so I made a bookmarklet that will save your current spot in a YouTube video. Even if you reboot your iPhone or iPad, it’ll reload in the exact same spot.
Order yours today from the Cult of Mac Store. Photo: Mujjo
Lovingly wrap your MacBook in a gorgeous Mujjo Sleeve for protection on the go.
Made from soft felt and high-grade leather, it keeps your pricey notebook from picking up scuffs and scratches. It’s also beautifully slim, so it won’t take up too much room in your backpack.
Samsung's new concept phone doesn't have a name yet. Photo: Samsung
Samsung is doubling down on its efforts to make smartphones with a folding display a thing.
During Samsung’s annual developers conference this morning, the company unveiled a new folding phone concept that’s drastically different than the Galaxy Fold. Instead of folding from a regular-sized smartphone into a tablet, the new concept folds into a clamshell, kind of like a futuristic version of Motorola’s Razr phone.
It's OK to be a little shaky. Screenshot: Sonder Creative/YouTube
A relatively simple technique can double the resolution of an iPhone image. Shockingly, the trick is best executed with shaky hands.
What sounds counterintuitive will make sense when you see the steps in the video at the end of this post. It shows how a little hand movement helps make a sharper image.
When I set out to write this book, one of my goals was to see if I could insult fifty million people in one sentence. Here goes. Years ago, before I was excommunicated from New York City and became a resident of Texas (a state so backward that someone in our town once asked my wife and me if being Jewish was like being Catholic), I lived in Florida, which is so appealing to the unbalanced that when I took the “Florida Challenge” (where you google “Florida man” and your birthday to see what kind of headlines pop up) for April 24, the first result read, “Florida man kisses venomous snake and is immediately bitten on the lips.”
Even AR AirPods Pro look great! Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac
Here’s a short list of things that are wrong with regular AirPods:
They don’t fit in the ears properly.
They don’t seal out environmental noise.
Those grilles get gunked up with earwax really easily.
They lack a volume control.
The new AirPods Pro fix all of these problems, apart from the last point on the list. And to be honest, it’s so easy to change the volume by squeezing your iPhone through your pocket, or by using an Apple Watch, that the lack of a volume control isn’t that big of a deal.
The original AirPods (and the faster, updated version) might be the most-loved new Apple product in recent years, and the AirPods Pro improve on them in almost every way. So, are the AirPods Pro perfect? Maybe …
Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht got the tough job of building Apple TV+ from nothing. Photo: Apple
The first slate of Apple TV+ shows would seem to have little in common — they range from a teen comedy to a sci-fi epic — but the company’s top entertainment programming execs say they are all about relationships.
They also worked hard to make this new streaming service fit with the rest of Apple.
Who needs boring old glass? Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac
Imagine being able to touch your iPad or iPhone screen and feeling like you’re touching metal, wood, or fur — despite the fact it’s just a flat glass display. Impossible, surely? Not if a new haptic feedback patent Apple has filed comes to pass.
This haptic feedback technology could complete the sensory AR experience Apple is aiming for. Slap on some AirPods and summon up some ARKit visuals, and you’d have truly immersive augmented reality.
You might want to think twice about rushing to update your HomePod. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
For some HomePod owners, the latest software update really was a killer upgrade. Loads of irritated people say the update bricked their HomePods.
New HomePod features like voice recognition for multiple users and the ability to send messages and make calls might sound awesome. But having your smart speaker go belly up sucks out loud. If you previously turned on automatic HomePod updates, you might want to flip the switch and wait until Apple gets to the bottom of the problem.
Update: Apple pulled Monday’s HomePod update after owners reported unresponsive devices. If you managed to successfully update your HomePod, you should be careful. An updated Apple support document warns that you should not reset your smart speaker for any reason. You also should not attempt to remove your HomePod from the Home app.
It'll cost you $89 to replace a lost AirPods Pro bud. Photo: Apple
Apple fans will start getting their hands on its brand-new AirPods Pro headphones this week. And they’ll want to make sure they don’t lose them. Replacing a lost bud or charging case is a pricey affair.
Apple’s biggest copycat nuisance, Xiaomi, is at again.
The Chinese tech firm, known for its design knockoffs of Apple products, will roll out a new wearable device next week that, by the looks of a teaser ad, resembles the Apple Watch.
Are you ready to take on the Storm King? Photo: Epic Games
Fortnite’s newest update is out, bringing Halloween back to Battle Royale. The version 10.10 release kicks off this year’s Fortnitemares event — and there’s plenty to enjoy.
Easily bypass any location-based restrictions on all your favorite streaming content. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Just because you’re in another country shouldn’t mean you can’t watch your favorite shows and movies. So it’s a bummer when Hulu. HBO, or Amazon says the country you’re in doesn’t support their content. With this simple tool, you can avoid that annoyance and get back to binging anywhere in the world.
The iPhone 11 is a hit. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
Apple is reportedly going all-in on OLED displays with the 2020 iPhones. But despite the big advances OLED represent, it seems that many users aren’t yet ready to part ways with their LCD screens.
At least, that’s one takeaway from a new report which claims that Apple is putting in more orders for the LCD iPhone 11, while sales of the higher-end iPhone 11 Pro Max remain flat.