The 10th-generation iPad is the best entry-level iPad in years, and I recommend it to most people. Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac
Apple’s cheapest iPad just got cheaper. The iPad 10th-generation, the cheapest iPad in Apple’s lineup, is on sale for just $279.
This is a great deal for the best entry-level iPad Apple has made for years. It’s the iPad I recommend to most people. I just bought one myself. The price was just too good to pass up.
★★★★☆
The soundcore Sleep A20 earbuds keep snoring at bay. Photo: Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac
I love soundcore’s Sleep A20 earbuds. So far, I’ve really only tried one feature, but it is the only one I need: low-frequency masking. It lets these comfortable sleep earbuds effectively block out the sound of snoring.
November 30, 2003: Apple expands its retail chain outside the United States for the first time, opening an Apple Store in Tokyo’s trendy Ginza shopping district.
On opening day, thousands of Apple fans — possibly the biggest queue in Apple history — line up around the block in the rain to gain early access to the store, which offers five full floors of Apple product goodness.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs does not show up for the opening of the 73rd Apple Store. However, shoppers hear a welcoming speech from Eiko Harada, president of Apple Japan.
Jump on this chance to get a GPS + cellular Apple Watch at a low price. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
We’ve seen loads of Apple Watch deals in Black Friday sales, but this refurbished Apple Watch Series 8 looks pretty good. It’s an incredible discount on a smartwatch that tracks your steps, keeps you in the loop with your notifications and offers cellular connectivity.
Strap one on while it’s price-dropped to just $219.99 during our Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale. Whether you’re treating yourself or someone special to this Apple Watch, you’ll want to act while supplies still last.
The best web browser for iPhone may not be one you’ve heard of before. Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
The best web browser for iPhone depends heavily on what you need. Apple’s own Safari comes with a lot out of the box and offers integration with other Apple devices in your life. The top competitors — Chrome, Edge and Firefox — are good choices if you need to sync with a Windows PC.
Other alternatives you may not have heard of can offer diverse benefits, though. Arc is a fast, modern browser built around search, and comes with built-in ad blockers. DuckDuckGo and Onion Browser lead the pack when it comes to privacy features. And if you want a bespoke app just to keep up with your favorite six or seven sites, TicciTabs was made for that exact purpose. There are even web browsers made for Apple Watch and for saving the environment.
Apps can help you unsubscribe from emails and services, or you can take matters into your own hands. Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac
These days its seems a “national day” exists for every conceivable thing — and on Saturday, November 30, that includes unsubscribing. In other words, it’s time to unsubscribe from unwanted emails and manage paid subscriptions. For example, do you even open half the emails you get? Do you know how many subscriptions you pay for? Well, there are apps and other tools for cleaning up your subscription life so you can get on with your actual life.
The Pixar IPO is a key part of Steve Jobs' professional turnaround. Photo: Ben Stanfield/Flickr CC
November 29, 1995: Capitalizing on the success of Toy Story, Pixar floats 6.9 million shares on the stock market. The Pixar IPO makes Steve Jobs, who owns upward of 80% of the animation studio, a billionaire.
After the windfall, one of the first people Jobs calls is his friend, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, who’s already a member of the billionaire’s club.
“Hello, Larry?” Jobs tells his friend on the phone. “I made it.”
Find big savings on genuine Microsoft software in the CdkeySales Black Friday Sale on Windows and Office. Just head to CdkeySales.com using these links. And don’t forget to enter promo code CULT to get extra savings. Photo: CdkeySales.com
Now’s your chance to get the biggest discounts you’ve ever seen on Microsoft software like Windows 11 Pro. The CdkeySales Black Friday Sale slashes some prices by up to 91%! And as the latest Windows 12 rumors indicate Microsoft won’t release its next big operating system update until late 2025, you can update your PC now the quick and easy way rather than waiting. Just buy a Windows 11 CD key on sale during CdkeySales’ Black Friday Sale.
During the sale, you can get great deals on upgrade-ready Microsoft productivity software like Windows 11 Pro and Microsoft Office. Savings include Windows 10 Pro for just $17.05 — with a free upgrade to Windows 11 Pro.
You can grab this cute 2-in-1 charger bot for 30% off. Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
The Black Friday sales period in late November can be a great time to stock up on practical items, whether they’re gifts or just items for yourself. Take chargers, power banks, USB-C hubs and data storage solutions, for example. Everybody can use them, and Ugreen Black Friday deals abound on Amazon for such items. Markdowns range from 15% to 35% off. Check out a selection of sale items below.
★★★★★
The 13-inch MacBook Air may be the prefect laptop. Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac
Apple’s 13-inch M2 MacBook Air in Midnight is just $749 for Cyber Monday. I recently bought this machine myself, and I’m head-over-heels in love with it. It’s the best laptop I’ve had for years, and if you’re looking for a lightweight, everyday Mac, I highly recommend it.
QuickTime 5 was being downloaded 1 million times every three days. Photo: Apple
November 28, 2001: Apple says users download QuickTime 5 for Mac and PC a million times every three days, putting the multimedia software on track to exceed 100 million downloads in its first year of distribution. The announcement comes as websites adopt the MPEG-4 format, and online video begins to take off in a big way.
In particular, Apple’s movie trailer website proves a massive success. Millions of people download previews of upcoming blockbusters like Spider-Man and Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones. Online trailer releases for films like The Lord of the Ringsbecome buzz-worthy events.
In a pre-YouTube world, Apple has everything to gain!
Grab this open-box 2024 model of Samsung's hit smart TV. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Instagram and TikTok are obsessed with the latest innovation in TVs — Samsung’s The Frame TV. If you’re wondering why, it’s because this smart TV does more than stream Netflix. This stealthy Samsung TV doubles as an art gallery, transforming from a blank black box into your home version of The Met or MoMA.
Rather than pay more than $1,000 to enjoy this experience at home, you can save 25% on the internet’s favorite TV. A 43-inch, open-box model of the Samsung Frame TV is now available for only $749.99 (regularly $999) while inventory lasts. It’s available in other sizes as well, and Cult of Mac readers can take an extra $100 off the 55-inch model with code THEFRAME.
Saoirse Ronan and Elliott Heffernan star in Steve McQueen's Blitz. Photo: Apple TV+
Ready for a cinematic experience that transports you to the heart of London during one of its darkest hours? Consider director Steve McQueen’s Blitz, a surprisingly moving period piece now streaming on Apple TV+. As you’ll see in our Blitz review, if you’ve got holiday downtime to spare, this makes a good diversion.
The gripping film offers a powerful glimpse into the resilience of the human spirit during World War II’s London Blitz. It was a relentless bombing campaign associated with Germany’s aggressive “blitzkrieg” strategy. Here are three reasons why you should watch Steve McQueen’s Blitz.
Every M4 iPad Pro buyer should at least consider getting the Apple Magic Keyboard. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
There’s no better tablet to buy than an iPad. Apple overhauled the iPad Pro lineup this year with a slimmer new design, brighter displays, and a faster M4 chip.
I upgraded to the 11-inch iPad Pro from the M1 version earlier this year and could not be happier. This Black Friday, you should buy one, too, especially since the tablet is available with a big $150 discount.
For Black Friday, you can get some models of the fabulous iPad mini 7 at their lowest prices. Photo: Apple
If you want a full iPad experience in a super-portable design that’s comfortable to hold and use anywhere, iPad mini is the answer. And for Black Friday, Amazon just posted a combination of discount and coupon savings equalling $99.01 off the base tablet in all four colors — blue, purple, space gray and starlight. And you can also save on models with more storage. Needless to say, iPad mini 7 makes a stellar gift for a special someone.
Yep ... we're pretty sure that's not right. Photo: Apple
November 27, 2012: Apple fires the manager responsible for the disastrous Apple Maps launch in iOS 6 after the glitchy software delivered embarrassingly bad data to users around the world.
Richard Williamson, who oversaw Apple’s mapping team, gets the ax from Eddy Cue, who assumes leadership of the project.
Along with the seasonal Apple Pay campaign, Product (Red) collection purchases donate to the cause anytime. Photo: Apple
Apple said it will once again run its annual charitable giving campaign coinciding with World AIDS Day on December 1. And that gives holiday shoppers an opportunity to easily contribute to global health efforts while making their seasonal purchases. In addition, purchases from Apple’s Product (Red) collection contribute to the cause anytime.
We’re never going to see an Apple-branded TV. AI image: Imagen 3/Cult of Mac
Apple is reportedly considering making a television set, but don’t get your hopes up. There are simply too many reasons why Apple won’t make a TV. Like so many things, it all comes down to profits (and the lack thereof).
You need look no further than Apple’s set-top box and monitors to see why an Apple-branded television isn’t going to happen.
The show's first season scored a perfect 100% Fresh critical rating on Rottentomatoes.com. Photo: Apple TV+
In a big win for Apple TV+, the French-American-Japanese series Drops of God captured the prestigious International Emmy Award for Best Drama Series at a ceremony Monday night in New York, according to reports late Monday and Tuesday.
The win strengthens Apple TV+’s growing reputation for delivering compelling international content and marks another successful adaptation of popular manga for the streaming platform. Fans will be excited to know thatDrops of God Season 2 is set to return, promising even more gripping storytelling.
Apple Music now has a karaoke feature for singing along. Image: Ronyyz/Wikimedia Commons, D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
Apple Music has a karaoke mode for people who love to sing along as they listen. Apple Music Sing lets you turn down the lyrics so you can karaoke to your favorite hits with just one tap.
In fact, I’m using it right now to listen to some of my favorite music without the lyrics distracting me from reading and writing. Let me show you how it works!
Use these iPhone travel tips every time you hit the road or the skies. Photo: Unsplash
When traveling internationally with your iPhone, staying connected and avoiding unexpected surprises can be a bit of a balancing act. Whether it’s navigating unfamiliar streets, keeping in touch with family, or ensuring you don’t get hit with outrageous roaming fees, a little preparation goes a long way. Here’s how you can improve your iPhone use while traveling internationally.
Bill Gates offered high praise for the Mac in 1984. Image: Fulvio Obregon
November 26, 1984: “The next generation of interesting software will be done on the Macintosh, not the IBM PC,” predicts Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates in a BusinessWeek cover story. Gates’ praise for the Mac would seem almost unthinkable coming out of Gates’ mouth just a few years later.
However, the interview arrives at a time when Microsoft is best known as one of the biggest Mac developers.