Cult of Mac

So you made quite a haul during the holidays, now where are you going to store all your new gear?

Japanese Bento boxes are synonymous with convenience, and have many designated compartments to hold and carry a variety of foods — all in one spot. Wiplabs has taken this centuries-old idea forward with the BentoStack, an all-in-one container for organizing all your Apple accessories.

Launched on June 1st, the BentoStack is Wiplabs’ latest crowdfunded product to reach the masses. The ultra-compact design will keep up to 10 Apple essentials organized — Bento box style!

This week’s Fortnite update adds a number of new weapons to the game, including an old fan-favorite. Dual pistols can now be found in almost all Battle Royale game modes, alongside a brand new silenced sniper rifle.

The update will also bring “balance adjustments” for the boom box, the X-4 Stormwing plane, and dynamite.

Of all the things visitors expect to do at the Consumer Electronics Show, creating a stunning work of art isn’t on the list.

But that’s exactly what could happen if you stop by the Cupixel booth. The creators know the proof is in the painting.

With an iPad, an app and Cupixel’s art box, a fabulous painting is just at the tip of the brush of anyone willing to pick it up.

If you’re looking for a mobile charging solution to power everything from your iPhone to your MacBook, LifeProof’s new LIFEACTÍV Power Pack 20 may be the product you’re looking for.

Offering a travel-friendly battery pack designed for phones, tablets, laptops, and hand-held gaming systems, it’s a rugged hunk of portable (waterproof) power that’s perfect for a weekend away.

The subscription model is everywhere these days, from streaming content to app access. That means it’s easier than ever to lose track of outgoing cash. So this financial management app that also tracks subscriptions is welcome news.

Ever wanted to receive an iPhone push notification telling you that your kid has just pooped themselves? Probably not, but that’s not stopped Korean startup Monit from using CES 2019 to debut its new smart diaper monitor.

Aiming to replace the “sniff test” for good, this (reusable) wearable sensor attaches to the outside of a baby’s diaper. Once there, it promises to accurately detect the presence of urine or poop in the diaper, and send an alert to parents or caregivers. Ah, technology: you’ve done it again!

Apple’s best-selling smartphone last November was, perhaps unsurprisingly, its most affordable model. The iPhone XR outsold the iPhone XS and the larger iPhone XS Max, according to new data — but overall iPhone sales saw a significant decline.

iTunes purchases have undergone a slight shakeup in Canada, as Apple Canada has started charging sales tax on top of its standard prices.

This applies to music, movie rentals, audiobooks, Apple Music subscriptions, and more. The move is in line with a new digital sales tax for non-resident suppliers which came into effect on January 1, 2019.

There are plenty of screen protectors designed to keep your iPad safe from accidental bumps, but decidedly fewer that are designed to keep you safe from the harmful effects of high-energy visible (HEV) blue light.

That’s what Zagg’s newly announced InvisibleShield Glass+ VisionGuard for iPad is intended to do. Shown off at CES 2019, the CES Innovation Awards Honoree is designed to filter out harmful blue light from your device screen.

There’s no doubt that the iPhone is facing problems in China, but the extent to which this is specific to Apple is up for question.

While Tim Cook blames things like the burgeoning trade war between China and the U.S., analysts at Bank of America Merrill Lynch think Apple may be experiencing an “informal boycott” of its products.

A recent support document from Apple describes a manufacturing process that’s apparently the cause of complaints that 2018 iPad Pro units sometimes arrive new from the store already slightly bent.

While acknowledging that this is possible, Apple stands by its earlier statements that its inspection process eliminates any units that are bent more than 0.016 inches.

Apple just released the third beta versions of iOS 12.1.3 and macOS Mojave 10.14.3 to developers and the public. The same is true for a new tvOS 12.1.2 beta. Only developers got access to the new watchOS 5.1.3 beta introduced today, though.

But don’t get your hopes up for exciting new features.

AMS, a company that makes iPhone sensors, caught many people’s attention today with it’s just-announced sensor it says has the possibility of “potentially eliminating the bezel entirely.” Bezels are the dead space around phone screens that device makers are trying to eliminate.

This new sensor can sit under OLED displays so it doesn’t clutter up the front of the phone. Unfortunately, AMS’s latest offering only does some of the jobs done by front-facing sensors currently located in display bezels, or in a screen notch in the iPhone’s case.

It turns out Apple isn’t the only smartphone maker that’s suffering from falling sales in China. Samsung, one of the iPhone’s biggest rivals, is also expected to follow Apple in confirming lower than anticipated revenue for the fourth quarter of 2018.

The South Korean company’s warning, which will reportedly come on Tuesday, will reveal a 12 percent fall in year-on-year operating profit for the three-month period. Revenue is also expected to drop 5 percent.

Zagg is using the Consumer Electronics Show to unveil a trio of clip-on keyboards for the newest iPad Pro and iPad models: the Slim Book Go, Rugged Book Go, and Messenger Folio. These range from lightweight to more rugged options.

In addition, Zagg subsidiary InvisibleShield launched advanced screen protectors for the 2018 iPads that won a CES award.

During he hangover-fogged morning of January 1st, you scrawled a hasty list of things you thought you should quit or commit to in 2018. More yoga, more walking, less driving, fewer cakes, maybe start meditating. Probably this list is similar to the one you wrote at the beginning of 2018.

How’s it going? Bad, right? You’ve probably spent the last week feeling alternatively guilty, and useless. And that’s not because you can’t pick up a habit — god knows you’ve already got enough bad habits that you’re adept at maintaining. No, you’re just approaching it wrong. And you’re probably a little bit lazy. Let’s fix that, and learn how to create winning streaks

Apple’s not letting CES 2019 pass without making its presence felt.

The biggest companies in tech have descended on Las Vegas this week for CES 2019. Apple is one of the few holdouts not in attendance but that hasn’t stopped the company from sending a huge message to its competitors and customers by posting a giant billboard above the city of Las Vegas.

Lume Cube, makers of some of the world’s brightest tiny lights, wants to put an end to poorly-lit FaceTime calls with its clever new lighting attachment.

The Lume Cube Air VC lighting kit made its debut at CES 2019 today, offering smartphone and laptop users a single solution to brighten up any setting where you might want to have a quick video call.

The biggest TV makers in the business are finally ready to play nice with Apple.

Apple’s long-rumored TV streaming service isn’t expected to launch until later this year, but in the meantime, Vizio and LG revealed that they’re adding AirPlay 2 and HomeKit support to their 2019 TVs. And it could be a crucial win for Apple’s growing ambition to take on Netflix.

Menus on iOS. The idea is ridiculous, right? Stop hanging onto the past. iOS is all about touch, etc. What next? A mouse? Except that iOS already has plenty of menus. They’re just hidden behind hamburger buttons, and other icons.

I was skeptical too, but then I saw these amazing iOS menus from Codea developer Two Lives Left. Now I want menus in all my apps.

Apple Watch Series 4 isn’t the only wearable that offers on-demand electrocardiograms (ECGs) anymore.

Withings’ new Move ECG is the first analog watch that delivers the same functionality — and for a lot less. It takes less than 30 seconds, can help detect atrial fibrillation (AFib), and syncs all the data to your phone so that you can share it with your doctor.

A tray is a stylish way to serve coffee or tea. Now there’s one able to charge your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods at the same time.

Gaze Lab didn’t neglect style as it set out to create the Gaze Tray, a one-stop charging solution that looks good on any table or dresser. It also lends space to jewelry or the items you take out of your pockets at the end of a long day.

With offices in Seoul and San Francisco, Gaze Lab is showing off its catch-all charging tray at CES in Las Vegas this week as it raises productions funds on Indiegogo.

The Mophie Juice Pack Access extends the battery life of the newest iPhone models while still allowing the Lightning port to be used.

Even better, the iPhone can still be wirelessly charged while in this battery case.

Apple is said to be “in discussions” over adding Rich Communications Services (RCS) to iOS.

The upgrade to traditional text messaging would allow for some iMessage features — like read receipts and typing indicators — when talking to friends who use Android and other platforms.

Smart speakers are something we expect to see a whole lot of at this year’s CES 2019, and the House of Marley isn’t disappointing us with its effort to get things moving.

Among the multiple new products the company has announced at the Consumer Electronics Show, one of the coolest is a portable Bluetooth speaker that runs Google Assistant. All packaged up in a natural bamboo and organic materials package, just as nature intended!