Cult of Mac

Anyone who thinks you can’t get “real work” done on an iPad is nuts. Likewise, anyone who claims Apple’s tablet is not a real computer sounds like somebody arguing that the 1984 Mac wasn’t a real computer because it didn’t have a text-based command-line interface.

The iPad vs. Mac debate certainly isn’t new.  Only the devices have changed.

I think that the folks making these arguments are jealous of the iPad Pro, or scared that it will become more important to Apple than their Macs. They want to use it instead of their Mac, but at the same time they’re unwilling to change anything about how they work. Instead, they want the iPad to be a touchscreen Mac with a detachable keyboard.

Apple gives us the gift we really want: more Elvis. Specifically, a collection of Elvis impersonators scattered around the world using Group FaceTime to share their love of the King of Rock and Roll.

This iPhone ad highlights the best new feature in iOS 12.1, the ability to make FaceTime video calls to multiple people simultaneously.

Watch it now:

There is no shortage of hazards and hassles in the digital day-to-day. From forgotten passwords and identity theft to malware, viruses and plain old inadequate storage, you’ll want pro tools to help keep things sane.

This bundle offers protection against all of the above and then some. With a single subscription, you get access to a powerful VPN, malware protection and more. Usually, this bundle costs more than $32 a month, but right now you can sign up for just $9.99 a month. As an added bonus for Cult of Mac readers, you can get the first month free with promo code “FreeMonth.”

Instagram will be more accessible to the visually impaired thanks to new changes the photo-sharing platform launched today.

“With more than 285 million people in the world who have visual impairments, we know there are many people who could benefit from a more accessible Instagram,” the company wrote on its Info Center page announcing two new tools.

Looking for a new iPad for the holidays, but not quite ready to splash out on Apple’s high end iPad Pro models? No problem: Apple’s refurb store just picked up the sixth-gen 9.7-inch iPad, with prices starting at $279 for a 32GB model.

The sixth-gen iPad was announced on March 27, 2018, during Apple’s education-focused event in Chicago. It retails for $329 new.

Caviar, a Russian company that tricks out iPhones in gold and precious gems, has an Apple Watch Series 4 “for those who cannot be surprised easily.”

So let’s see if that’s you. How does $43,850 strike you?

The headline may have ruined the surprise, but you might be startled once you learn the details that got the watch to that price point.

Sourcing the best Apple Watch bands and accessories for Cult of Mac readers is a huge priority for our Watch Store. We hit the mark with Strapley’s distressed-leather bands for Apple Watch, available at our Watch Store just in time for the holidays!

These stunning bands are crafted in-house and look like no other Apple Watch band on the market. Equally elegant and rustic, they’re versatile enough to elevate your Apple Watch. Don’t believe us? Check out our unboxing video:

Registered developers can now get their hands on Apple’s fourth macOS 10.14.2 beta.

It comes just two weeks after the release of the third beta, and it focuses on bug fixes and performance improvements. It doesn’t look like Apple has made any significant changes in this release.

Any Star Wars fan can relate to the dream of taking off in an X-wing. The best we could do in the old days was to play video games or mouth engine noises while running around the living room a toy starfighter. But it’s the future now, so anyone can live out their own Star Wars dogfights and chase scenes.

Three-quarters of iOS users have upgraded to iOS 12, data released by analytics firm Mixpanel suggests. According to the firm’s records, around 75 percent of users have upgraded to iOS 12, around 20 percent are still on iOS 11, and the remainder are using a previous version.

It’s an impressive reminder of just how rapidly Apple users upgrade to the latest operating system.

From Monument Valley to Alto’s Odyssey, there are some truly jaw-droppingly beautiful games on iOS. Eager to add its name to this list is Shine: Journey of Light, a refreshingly calming take on the platformer genre — in which you guide an orb of light through assorted caves, magical woods, and underwater labyrinths.

The goal is to find other orbs of light which, combined, will help light up the stars in the sky. Okay, so that might sound like nonsensical gibberish to the uninitiated, but the game is a dreamy stunner. Check out the trailer below.

A growing class action lawsuit is seeking more plaintiffs to take Apple to court over its iMacs and MacBooks.

The accusation? That by selling computers without dust filters, Apple is willfully ignoring something which can interfere with the “functionality and use” of the high-end displays.

Apple’s battle with Qualcomm has been raging on for the past two years, but an end could finally be in sight. Possibly.

In an interview with CNBC‘s Jim Cramer, Qualcomm CEO Steve Mollenkopf said that the company is currently “on the doorstep” of a resolution with Apple.

In a change for Apple, its best-selling model isn’t its most expensive. A company VP says the iPhone XR has outsold the iPhone XS series since the cheaper device came out last month.

Perhaps this will allay recent nervousness about how well Apple’s latest device is selling.

John Hancock gives its life insurance customers an Apple Watch for only $25, but they have to earn it by exercising. A new study shows that this program is very successful.

Participants increased their activity rates by over 30 percent. 

The biggest drone company in the world just came out with the world’s tiniest gimbal and it could be a total game changer.

DJI hosted an event in New York City today where the drone-maker unleashed its smallest creation ever: the Osmo Pocket. While most gimbal companies are busy making a big gimbal to put your iPhone or DSLR on, DJI just made a gimbal with its own camera that attaches to your iPhone.

Take a closer look:

The late Jim Morrison had a lot to say during his short life. He poured his ideas into salient psychedelic rock music and imparted prophetic wisdom during interviews with the press.

Oslo-based adman Jason Kinsella set out to prove that some of Morrison’s thoughts on the power of media are truer now than some 50 years ago.

Did you ever wish you could take your favorite YouTube channel and subscribe to it as a video podcast? Instead of having to go check in on the YouTube website over and over to see what’s new, you could just subscribe, like any other podcast.

Every time a new video became available, it would automatically download and show up in your favorite podcast app, ready to watch offline. Better still, you could watch it in the native iOS video player, full-screen or picture-in-picture, without all that YouTube junk surrounding it.

If this sounds like a dream come true, then you’re in for a real treat today, because it’s super-duper easy with a service called PodSync.

There’s a good chance the iPhone and other Apple products will be hit with tariffs in the Trump administration’s trade war with China. The president has repeatedly stated his simple solution: Make the iPhone in the United States.

But an analyst warns that moving assembly of Apple’s handsets to the U.S. would significantly increase their price.

This post is presented by MNML Case.

A huge part of the iPhone’s appeal is its physical design. Sure, it’s got bells and whistles galore, but the way the phone feels in hand is the one feature you’ll encounter most. But you’ve got to protect your investment, especially when it’s a cool $1,099 as with the iPhone XS Max. So when you get a case, it’s worth getting one that doesn’t bulk up or alter your device’s carefully crafted form.

After years of limited availability, Google’s wireless phone service has expanded to include iPhones, as well as many more Android devices.

And it has a new name: What used to be called Project Fi is now just Google Fi.

Struggling to understand how Apple stock erased more value in the last six weeks than it made in its first quarter-century?

It’s bloody complicated, but these five reasons help explain Apple’s plunging stock price.

A translation app widely used in China appears to censor politically touchy terms, such as “Tiananmen” or “ Taiwan independence.” It even refuses the name of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

However, the app’s censoring of those forbidden phrases happens only on Android. The iOS version answers the query on all three.

Apple Watch Series 4’s biggest feature is finally on the way.

The new ECG app that allows users to monitor their heart rhythm will be introduced with the next watchOS 5.2.1 update, which is now in beta testing. You won’t see it outside the U.S., however.

If you’ve been waiting for the opportunity to send friends outfits and other items in Fortnite Battle Royale, we have good news.

Epic Games is now trialling a new gifting feature inside the game following yesterday’s version 6.31 update. You’ll be able to use it for one week only, and there are some things you should be aware of.