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See a triple-display workstation’s 11-year evolution [Setups]

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3 display setup
Here the latest iteration. The user outlined all the recent changes.
Photo: [email protected]

What’s almost as popular as a dual-display computer setup? A 3-display setup, of course. Today’s Mac Studio workstation has rocked the same external display configuration for more than a decade, but with newer monitors swapped in multiple times. Check it and its gear out below.

Elgato brings Virtual Stream Deck to Mac screens and beyond

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Elgato Virtual Stream Deck
Elgato's new Virtual Stream Deck will let you put control right on your Mac's screen.
Photo: Elgato/Corsair

Elgato, the Corsair-owned maker of popular content creation tools, announced a major expansion of its Stream Deck ecosystem Tuesday with a new “Stream Deck Everywhere” strategy unveiled at Computex. It includes four significant innovations designed to make the customizable control interface accessible to more users and workflows beyond its traditional creator audience. And that includes a Virtual Stream Deck you can put right on your Mac’s screen.

Jump on this Powerbeats Pro 2 deal to save on Apple’s most intense earbuds

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Man holding a basketball while wearing Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 wireless earbuds, used to illustrate a deal on refurbished models.
These sporty earbuds won't fall out of your ears.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds are the real deal: They’re what happens when Apple’s AirPods tech meets Beats’ workout DNA. Designed with athletes in mind, they feature built-in heart rate monitors and secure-fit earhooks made of nickel-titanium alloy.

The earhooks mean they’re not budging, no matter how hard your opponent (or your playlist) hits. Plus, they’re 20% lighter than the previous model and IPX4-rated sweat and water-resistant. Packed with these features and more, the earbuds list for $249.99. But right now you can grab pair of refurbished Powerbeats Pro 2 earbuds in grade-A condition for just $169.99.

Gemini Live brings camera and screen sharing to iPhone

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Gemini Live mockup on iPhone
Gemini Live will get a lot more powerful on the iPhone.
Photo: ChatGPT

Gemini Live gets better on the iPhone, with Google rolling out free camera and screen sharing support to all users.

The feature allows you to feed a live stream of your surroundings using the iPhone’s camera, and interact with Gemini to get more information about it.

Surprise! Fortnite returns to the US iPhone App Store

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Fortnite iPhone is back!
The long, long wait ends. Fortnite is back in the App Store.
Image: Epic Games/Cult of Mac

Fortnite can once again be installed on iPhones and iPads in the United States, developer Epic Games announced triumphantly on Tuesday. The very popular game is back in the U.S. App Store.

The change comes almost five years after Apple banned the battle royale game in a spat with Epic over in-app payments.

How to make Google Translate your iPhone’s default translation app

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Make Google Translate the iPhone default translation app
Google Translate can take on converting text into a language you can read.
Image: Cult of Mac

If Apple Translate doesn’t offer the languages you need, you can set Google Translate as your iPhone or iPad’s default translation app. Google’s translation app supports 249 languages, whereas Apple Translate currently can handle only 19.

That broad scope comes in handy if you regularly read materials written in languages that Apple Translate doesn’t cover. And Google Translate is not the only alternative translation app for iPhone.

First Peanuts musical in 35 years comes to Apple TV+

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Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical
The first Peanuts musical in more than three deades, Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical debuts in July.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ will give Peanuts fans something to sing about this summer. Snoopy Presents: A Summer Musical premieres July 18, 2025, marking the first musical special featuring Charles Schulz’s beloved characters in over three decades.

Marking Peanuts‘ 75th anniversary, the new special sees Snoopy and the gang bring summer camp nostalgia to life with original songs by Jeff Morrow and Ben Folds.

Affordable EarFun Tune Pro headphones rival pricier Beats Studio Pro [Review] ★★★★★

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EarFun Tune Pro headphones★★★★★
EarFun Tune Pro wireless noise-canceling headphones punch way above their weight, price-wise.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac

“Budget” headphones keep getting better, and I’ve discovered a pair of over-ear wireless noise-canceling cans you can get for less than $70 that pretty much equal the excellent — and much pricier — Beats Studio Pro. In this EarFun Tune Pro headphones review, I’ll get into how they’re very nearly as good as Beats Studio Pro in every way that truly counts — sound quality, noise cancellation and comfort. And Tune Pro’s epic battery life blows away most headphones, full stop.

At launch, EarFun lists the cans for $89.99 marked down to $69.99, with a further 20% off coupon available on Amazon. That should make them about $56 at checkout before tax.

Bring this Sony Bluetooth speaker to the party, and you control the playlist

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Photo of Sony SRS-XB33 Bluetooth speaker being used at a pool party
Get this refurb Sony speaker at a 46% discount with free shipping.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

If you’re still blasting playlists from your iPhone speaker, it’s time for an upgrade to a Bluetooth speaker like the Sony SRS-XB33. While most budget options promise “big sound” without actually delivering, this surprisingly affordable Sony speaker packs enough power, clarity and stamina to run the party.

Thanks to this speaker’s refurbished status, the price tag may actually be the most shocking part. If you don’t mind the fact that it had a previous owner, you can save 46% — dropping the price to just $79.99 with free shipping until they’re sold out.

Did you max out your iCloud? This 2TB cloud storage plan has your back(up) for life.

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FileRule Cloud Storage
Get secure cloud storage and more with FileRule, now on sale at 90% off!
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Let’s face it. Between iCloud photos, iMessage attachments and the dozen or so macOS Time Machine backups you swear you’ll clean out someday, Apple users run out of cloud storage fast. And if you’ve been getting those low storage notifications more than actual texts lately, it might be time for a smarter (and roomier) solution.

Meet FileRule, a cloud storage service offering a massive 2TB of space without the typical recurring cloud storage fees or subscriptions. Simply pay a one-time fee to score lifetime access to FileRule for just $69 (regularly $690).

Apple isn’t as far behind in AI as some might fear

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Apple AI chatbot
A secret Apple project to make an AI chatbot is bearing fruit.
Image: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

Some Apple executives reportedly think the AI-powered chatbot the company developed in-house is comparable to recent ChatGPT versions. And there’s internal pressure to connect the Siri voice assistant to it.

If true, this shows that while Apple isn’t at the forefront of AI, neither is it languishing at the back of the pack.

New smart speaker looks just like HomePod 2 but tops it

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WiiM Sound smart speaker and WiiM Amp Ultra
New hi-fi gear: WiiM Sound smart speaker paired with WiiM Amp Ultra.
Photo: WiiM

WiiM, a rising star in the affordable audio streaming market, unveiled its first-ever smart speaker last week: WiiM Sound. It looks a lot like HomePod 2 and directly challenges it — and whatever version of it Apple releases next — with an impressive feature set.

WiiM Sound could appeal to audiophiles seeking high-resolution audio in a smart package — at a price that undercuts Apple’s.

Powerful new OWC Thunderbolt 5 Dock packs 11 ports

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OWC Thunderbolt 5 Dock
Get blazing-fast connectivity with OWC's new Thunderbolt 5 dock.
Photo: OWC

The new 11-in-1 OWC Thunderbolt 5 Dock promises to maximize the potential of the latest Thunderbolt 5 technology for computers like M4 Pro and M4 Max MacBook Pro, OWC said Monday.

The dock, scheduled to begin shipping in July with a price tag of $329.99, is one of the first comprehensive Thunderbolt 5 solutions available for Apple users looking to expand their connectivity options.

iPhone 17 Air’s small battery might punch above its weight

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iPhone 17 Air render
You might not like iPhone 17 Air's rumored battery capacity.
Photo: ChatGPT/Cult of Mac

Apple’s upcoming super-slim iPhone 17 Air could weigh just 5.11 ounces, according to a new leak. That would make it one of the lightest smartphones on the market. However, the phone’s thinness could come at the expense of battery life.

The leaker says the device will come with a paltry 2,800mAh battery. But Apple might tap new technology to make that tiny battery last longer than you would expect.

Apple might finally let you ditch Siri for a smarter assistant

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Siri desperately needs some ChatGPT-like smarts
There's a lot Siri doesn't understand. And that's a problem.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple might allow users to replace Siri with another virtual assistant on iPhone, iPad and Mac, according to a new report.

While Apple’s smarter Siri will not arrive until at least next year, Apple users in the European Union might get something even better in the near future.

AirPods Pro 3 might not arrive until 2026

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Of course, if the stock ear tips that come with AirPods Pro 2 may work fine for most people.
You may have to stick to your AirPods Pro 2 for another year.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac

The wait for Apple’s next-gen AirPods Pro might stretch out longer than anticipated. According to a respected supply chain analyst, Apple won’t refresh its flagship earbuds until 2026.

Apple blocks Fortnite return to US iPhone App Store [Updated]

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Screenshot promoting
No Fortnite for you, iPhone owners!
Image: Epic Games

UPDATE: Fortnite returned to the U.S. App Store on May 20.


Epic Games’ hope to get Fortnite reinstated on the U.S. iPhone App Store crashed and burned.  Apple used a letter from one of its lawyers to deny the attempt to let iPhone users in the United States install and play the popular game. This is the latest clash in a long-running dispute between the two companies.

Epic claimed Friday that Apple had also blocked Fortnite in Europe, which Apple denies.

Today in Apple history: Steve Jobs’ daughter Lisa is born

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A photo of Lisa Brennan-Jobs, Steve Jobs' first daughter
Steve Jobs had a rocky relationship with his daughter, Lisa Brennan-Jobs.
Photo: Lisa Brennan-Jobs/Wikipedia CC

May 17: Today in Apple history: Steve Jobs' daughter Lisa Brennan-Jobs is born May 17, 1978: Steve Jobs’ first child, a daughter named Lisa Brennan-Jobs, is born. The child of the 23-year-old Apple co-founder and his high school girlfriend Chris-Ann Brennan, Lisa’s parents are no longer a couple when she comes into the world.

Several shameful years follow in which Jobs denies paternity of his daughter, before they eventually reconcile.

3 reasons to watch Murderbot on Apple TV+

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Murderbot season 1 review
Your weekend should include watching Murderbot. You’ll be glad you did.
Image: Apple TV+/Cult of Mac

The sci-fi action comedy Murderbot season 1 is the hottest show premiering this weekend. Apple TV+ turned an award-winning collection of novels into a series that’s fun to watch, with an enjoyable mix of laughs and fight sequences… with some suspense mixed in.

Here’s why you should tune in this weekend, whether you’ve read Martha Wells’ books or not.

Try these crazy ways to get Touch ID with or without Magic Keyboard [Setups]

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Magic Keyboard Touch ID
In this setup, the user Velcros a Magic Keyboard to the side of the desk on the right -- just so they can reach the Touch ID button.
Photo: [email protected]

It’s easy to get addicted to using Touch ID whenever you need to gain password-restricted access to anything. But not everyone is a big fan of Magic Keyboard with Touch ID (not the function, the keeb itself). Today’s MacBook Pro setup user found an odd but practical solution. They use a Keychron Q1 mechanical keyboard as a daily driver and Velcro a Magic Keyboard with Touch ID to the edge of the desk so they can reach the Touch ID button.

New flagship Sony headphones cancel more noise than ever

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Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones on studio console
Sony's new XM6 headphones, mastered by engineers, are good enough for studio work, Sony said.
Photo:

Sony’s newest flagship over-ear headphones, WH-1000XM6, promise the “best noise cancellation” in the industry and seamless wireless connectivity, the company said Thursday. The $450 cans — not cheap but less than AirPods Max’s $549 list price — should appeal to discerning Apple fans.

And Sony enlisted Post Malone as a pitchman for the new headphones, for what that’s worth. Hardly seems necessary, as this series of cans typically sits at or near the top of many best-headphones lists every year.

How to get a brand-new MacBook (even a custom build) for one low monthly price

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Image of a MacBook with the words
With this MacBook subscription plan, it's easy to stay ahead of the upgrade curve.
Photo: Upgraded

If you rely on your MacBook to handle serious workloads — think 3D renders, Xcode builds or 200-tab research sessions — you know the right machine doesn’t come cheap. Luckily, you can finance MacBooks with Upgraded, a convenient upgrade program that makes it easy to get the exact laptop you need, when you need it … without paying thousands upfront. 

With 0% interest financing over 36 months and the option to upgrade every 24 months, the subscription-based service is an ideal option for power users who want the latest Apple silicon without paying a fortune upfront.

Test your connections with this tiny USB multimeter [Review] ★★★★

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StarTech.com USB-C Power Tester★★★★
Find out why your iPad isn’t charging with this mini multimeter.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

With the StarTech.com USB-C Power Tester, you can easily look for charging problems in your setup. It’s a quick and easy way to ensure your devices are getting all the power they’re supposed to.

I tested the inexpensive little multimeter out. Here’s what I found.