Work more efficiently by creating macros with this Mac app. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
You may think you’re a power user, but not unless you’re using keyboard macros. Macros are like keyboard shortcuts, but customized so you can tailor them to your workflow.
Buying for an iPad fan? Start here! Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
The holiday shopping season has rudely crept up on us, which means it’s time to start buying for friends and loved ones who have been good this year. Fortunately for you, Cult of Mac is here to help.
Our gift guides are full of great products Apple fans are sure to love. We’ve hand-picked awesome accessories and glorious gadgets that we all use and recommend, so you know your money is being well-spent.
This guide focuses on the iPad lovers in your life, and there’s something to suit every budget.
The serenely subtle Breath app has a surprisingly deep history. Cover: Graham Bower/Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac
Take a deep breath and learn how to get the most out of your Apple Watch with a pair of handy how-tos. Every Apple Watch owner can take advantage of Apple’s stress-busting Breathe app. However, you’ll need a Series 4 (and this week’s watchOS update) to get in on the ECG action.
Get those how-tos and the week’s best Apple news and reviews — including an expose on Apple’s biologically bogus squid emoji — in your free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Download it now on iTunes. Or keep reading for the week’s best Apple news, reviews and how-tos. (Plus, enter to win a set of rugged iPhone XS Max cases.)
Pick up premium, portable tech gear for your loved ones, at massive discounts. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Just like every year, the holidays hit us before we know it. So to make sure you aren’t caught without anything to offer the Apple fans and other tech types in your life, we’ve rounded up five great deals on stocking stuffers that are sure to please.
We’ve got ultra-tough charging cables, adapters to make any headphones wireless, high-end power bricks, and plenty more. Everything is discounted by a third or more!
Right now, you can pick up a 2017 iPad Pro for (up to) $330 off! Photo: Apple
If you’re in the market for an iPad Pro, but working on a budget, B&H Photo Video is currently offering the 2017 12.9-inch iPad Pro at an amazing discount. With savings ranging from $220 to $330 off, you can pick up last year’s biggest tablets for hundreds less than their 2018 counterparts.
The CEO behind this medication-tracking app joined Apple. Photo: Mango Health
Apple has made another high-profile hire that could help the company gain a stronger foothold in the healthcare space.
Former Mango Health CEO Jason Oberfest left his highly-regarded startup last month. At the time, Mango Health only named a replacement but didn’t say where Oberfest was headed to. Now we have news that he has joined Apple as a member of its health team.
Any USB-C hub will work with your iPad Pro, but they all have really short cables. Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac
The only concrete advantage of USB-C over Lightning in the new iPad — so far — is that you can pick up pretty much any USB-C hub and use it with the iPad. Previously, you had one choice if you wanted to plug USB devices into your iPad — Apple’s Lightning-to-USBC camera connector.
The choice is way wider for 2018 iPad Pro owners. And while plugging in a USB-C hub is easy, there are a few things to watch out for. Let’s take a look at those, and see what you can use the hub for.
The resigned Beddit 3.5 (left) looks more like an Apple product than the earlier version. Photo: Apple
A new version of the Beddit sleep monitor launched today. This is the first version since Apple acquired the company making this accessory last year, and the result is betterhardware and software, though few new features.
Expensive performing camera in a budget iPhone. Photo: Apple
The iPhone XR received the highest rating ever for a single-cam smartphone tested by image lab DxOMark.
Apple’s budget option for 2018 held its own against the more-expensive iPhone XS Max in a number of categories. Its score of 101 comes in just four points below that of the iPhone XS Max. And it’s three points better than the Google Pixel 2.
Richard Gere could be the next actor to participate in one of Apple’s original TV shows. According to a new report, Apple is in the process of signing a series starring the Pretty Woman actor, written by Homeland scribe Howard Gordon.
The eight-episode series would follow two elderly friends and Vietnam veterans, whose life is thrown into disarray when a woman they both loved 50 years earlier is killed in a car accident.
Mujjo touchscreen gloves keep you warm and connected. Photo: David Pierini/Cult of Mac
The last time I tried to use touchscreen gloves, I had made the decision to just never use my phone outdoors in the dead of winter. The damn things just weren’t warm.
I’m recalling this from my home in Minnesota, where this week’s lows are forecast to dip below zero for the first time this winter and I am wearing touchscreen gloves.
The holidays are finally upon us, and while that can lead to a great deal of stress, it also inevitably leads to a huge number of great deals on all of your favorite tech products. Here are four great everyday carry gadgets that are available at a significant discount for a limited time.
The long-running clash is coming to an end soon. Photo: Qualcomm
Qualcomm president Cristiano Amon says that, one way or another, the battle between his company and Apple is coming to an end soon.
“We feel like we are probably near the end of this game — we have a lot of legal milestones approaching,” Cristiano Amon told Yahoo Finance. “We see 2019 as having events that will drive resolution one way or another.” Unless an agreement is reached, the two companies are currently set to face off in court in April.
Apple has snapped up an artist-friendly music marketing firm. Screenshot: Tileyard Education
Apple has reportedly acquired U.K.-based music creative services and artist development company Platoon.
The company has history with Apple, being co-founded by former Apple live events and artist relations exec Denzyl Feigelson. Described as “a platform for fearless creatives,” Platoon has helped develop a number of early stage artists in the U.S. and UK since launching in 2016.
This is the message received by users. Photo: Steve Lederer/Twitter
Apple’s apparently taking its “fire drill” approach to pushing the iPhone XR and XS seriously. As noted by developer Steve Lederer on Twitter, Apple recently sent out a push notification prompting users to upgrade to the iPhone XR or XS.
This was sent out to people on Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program, so it’s not really breaking Apple’s own App Store rules stating that apps should not send unsolicited spam to customers. However, it’s also not the kind of soft sell we’d usually expect from Apple.
Apple is all about privacy. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Australia’s population may be less than 10 percent of the United States’ but its new anti-privacy laws could still have Silicon Valley tech giants quaking in their boots.
The country’s newly passed laws mean that law enforcement officials are allowed to access encrypted messages when required. That affects companies including Google, Facebook, Twitter, and, yes, Apple.
PDFs are usually tough to edit, but not so with this feature-rich app. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
In most digital workplaces, PDFs are a regular part of daily life. It makes sense, too – they’re a great way to read all kinds of documents on almost any device. But if you need to edit one, good luck without the right software.
Lego Ninjago AR brings playsets to life in a mixed reality in game. Photo: Lego
At Apple’s developer conference in June, Lego demonstrated an app built with ARkit that placed real Lego sets in virtual environments. The first version of that software just launched today.
Lego Ninjago AR lets players interact with certain Dragon Hunters sets. And two people can play together thanks to the multi-player capabilities added in ARkit 2.
Apple's health-tracking features have been a game changer. Photo: Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac
watchOS 5.1.2 launched to the public this morning and finally activated the ECG feature on Apple Watch Series 4.
For now, the ECG app can only be used in the US and US territories, but it gives wearers the ability to take an electrocardiogram to see whether your heart rhythm shows signs of atrial fibrillation. Using the ECG only takes about 30 seconds and it could save your life.
The iPhone XS models and the iPhone XR just don’t seem to be as enticing as their predecessors. Photo: Apple
2019 isn’t shaping up to be an good year for Apple. A survey of potential customers in the U.S. and in China found lower interest in iPhone than last year.
Buying for an iPhone fan? Start here! Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
With the holidays right around the corner, you should have started your shopping by now. And if you’re anything like the rest of us, you’re already fed up of it. That’s why Cult of Mac is here to help.
Our handy holiday gift guides will help you pick out the perfect present for friends and loves ones. We’ve hand-picked all kinds of awesome accessories and gadgets that are worthy of your hard-earned cash — and guaranteed to fetch a smile.
This guide is for the iPhone fans in your life, and it includes something to suit every budget.
Michael shares his story of how Apple Watch saved his life. Photo: Apple
Apple shared two videos on YouTube this morning highlighting the life-saving power of the Apple Watch and its heart rate sensor. In one of the videos, numerous Apple Watch owners share their stories of how Apple Watch alerted them to a serious heart condition.
The videos come on the same day that Apple’s ECG feature on Apple Watch Series 4 was finally made available to the public. Tim Cook said in an interview today that improving people’s health will be Apple’s greatest contribution to mankind. After watching the two new videos, it’s easy to see that he’s probably right.
Apple’s Electrocardiogram (ECG) feature on the Apple Watch Series 4 is finally launching to the public today and according to Tim Cook, it could be one of the most important things his company ever does.
Tim Cook and Apple COO Jeff Williams are putting on a full-court media press today doing interviews with TIME and CBS This Morning. With hundreds of millions of iPhones in pockets around the world and watches on tens of millions of wrists, Apple says it has a responsibility to empower people with more information about their health.
Your Mac or MacBook is a modern media hub. It’s your source for movies, music, podcasts, games, apps and plenty more. But to use it, you’ve still got to walk up and tap at the keyboard and mouse. So in that sense, it’s like a step back to the bad old days of dialing in radio and TV stations.
Remote for Mac adds the convenience that we expect from our devices in the 21st century. It turns your iPhone or iPad into a fully loaded remote control for all kinds of functions on your Mac. It brings full trackpad and keyboard control to your phone, so you can use your Mac without leaving the couch.
Luminar, Skylum Software’s all-in-one photo editing program, will soon add more tools so photographers spend less time using it.
That may sound strange, but photographers would rather spend time behind the camera than in front of the computer. Skylum, formerly called Macphun, exists to make the complex tools for editing user-friendly.