If you buy a new iPad on launch day, and you want a cover or case, you’ll probably have to buy one from Apple. The first-party covers are great, but the prices are absurd. After using a Smart Cover on my old 1st-gen 12.9-inch iPad Pro for a few years, I swore to myself that I’d wait it out this time, until good third-party cases went on sale, instead of wasting cash on a Smart Folio Cover.

But, after just a couple of hours with the new iPad Pro, I realized there was no way to carry it in my bag without a case. So I put it back in its box, walked to the Apple Store, and gave Apple another 120 euros (or $136 at current exchange rates). Was it worth it?

A new application has the potential to speed up internet access on your iPhone. And Cloudflare’s 1.1.1.1 app certainly makes everything you do online more private.

What it’s doing is a bit technical, but we’ll do our best to explain the benefits without too much jargon.

Want to show your Apple-loving significant other that you really care about them? If so — and you happen to have $150,000-$250,000 at your disposal — you might want to participate in a new Sotheby’s auction for a diamond ring designed by none other than Sir Jony Ive and BFF Marc Newson.

The one-of-a-kind ring was designed to raise money for (RED), a charity that raises money to fight HIV and AIDS in Africa. Over the years, Apple has raised millions of dollars for the charity — and Ive has had the chance to design one-off objects such as minimalist desks in the process.

If you’re traveling this holiday season, you could encounter nastiness other than the cold or flu. Using public Wi-Fi is a prime way to face malware, identity theft and other online threats. So you’ll want to travel with solid VPN protection.

Financial services group Citibank has concerns about iPhone XR demand — and it’s worried that this will affect chip stocks.

In a new note to clients, Citi analyst Atif Malik downgraded Skyworks Solutions stock. Skyworks manufactures radio frequency semiconductors, which let smartphones talk to wireless networks. Apple orders allegedly make up 35 to 40 percent of Skyworks’ annual revenue.

iFixit has finally gotten around to tearing apart the 2018 iPad Pro.

Unsurprisingly, it has discovered lots of big improvements under the hood of Apple’s latest tablet, and more chips than you can shake a stick at. Plus, there’s good news and bad news for DIY repairers.

The iPhone outsold Chinese rivals on Alibaba platforms during China’s Singles Day on November 11. Singles’ Day is a holiday in which people not in a relationship buy themselves gifts.

Alibaba, the e-commerce giant that is the equivalent of China’s Amazon, sold a record $30.8 billion in gross merchandise during the day. Apple’s position as number one mobile brand is therefore pretty darn impressive!

This week’s Fortnite update will bring a mounted turret to Battle Royale.

The new weapon will need to be fixed to the ground and is likely to pack a ton of power — but you’ll need to watch how you use it because it can overheat.

Broadway producers are ditching the heavy, 10-pound production books they currently use for shows in favor of iPads. These books contain details — swapped out for each new production — about script and choreography changes in Broadway musicals.

Instead of these heavy books, producers on Pretty Woman: The Musical, Kinky Boots and other shows are increasingly relying on the considerably lighter iPad — complete with the app ProductionPro and an Apple Pencil for scribbling notes.

Anyone planning to use a 2018 iPad Pro for business probably needs an add-on keyboard. Apple’s own offering in this category is the Smart Keyboard Folio, which wraps tightly around this new tablet, both protecting it and providing the text input method so many of us depend on.

Because it’s made by Apple, nearly everyone who buys an iPad Pro considers getting this accessory, but the price will give you reason to pause.

We put one through extensive testing to help you decide if it’s right for you.

This week we chill out with the retro-tastic Mellowsound synth, check out the essential new QWERTY keyboard support for GarageBand, explore a huge update to everyone’s favorite painting app, Procreate, and more.

It pays to stock up on utilities for Mac, whether to record desktop video, clean up drives, or boost productivity. Unfortunately top shelf Mac tools also come with a cost. So this bundle of more than 30 Mac utilities for $10 a year is a can’t-miss opportunity.

The last specifications of the new iPad Pro models just recently came to light. Apple unveiled this model at the end of last month but there are some very important  technical details this company never reveals about iOS devices: processor speed and RAM. It’s up to the public to find them out.

On top of that, a technical glitch in a popular benchmarking app kept the exact speed of the tablet unknown to most even after it was in customer hands. But no more.

A faulty component in some iPhone X units can cause the display to malfunction.  Apple also just announced that some 13-inch MacBook Pro units have an SSD drive problem.

Apple will fix the screen or drive on affected units for no cost.

It looks stunning. Its A12X Bionic chip packs a wallop. And the addition of a USB-C port brings strange new powers. However, the new iPad Pro also costs a pretty penny. Do you really need all that gorgeous horsepower?

We pick apart the 2018 iPad Pro from several angles in the latest issue of our free weekly e-magazine. And then we show you how to set up this stunning new tablet and use it properly. Grab your free subscription to Cult of Mac Magazine from iTunes now, and get ready to soak it up on your iOS device.

Or read on for this week’s top Apple news, reviews and how-tos — and a chance to win an iPhone XS Max!

Need a little extra flare in your Apple Watch game? Bucardo’s Apple Watch charm necklaces transform your Apple Watch into a beautiful accessory, and we took it for a little spin in our unboxing video!

Fashion meets functionality — in wearing these stunning, stainless steel charm necklaces, the Apple Watch is still clearly visible, incorporating itself into the necklace itself. It’s a unique and aesthetically appealing way to showcase and use your special timepiece, and it’s available in our Cult of Mac Watch store.

Want to enhance the goodness you get from your Apple devices? So do we, so we’ve rounded up four of the best deals on Apple accessories in the Cult of Mac Deals, just in time for the holidays. There’s a USB-connected microscope camera, a visual-first planner, an ultra-strong charging cable, and more. Read on for details:

There’s nothing worse than bulking up your beautiful, sleek iPhone with awkward, beefy cases. But it’s all in the name of protection right?

I decided to test out two of Just Mobile’s incredibly slim and discreet iPhone accessories – both available in our Cult of Mac Watch store.

Did you know that the Smart Keyboard Folio you just bought for your new iPad Pro can do a lot more than just type letters and words into your apps? Just like the Mac, the iPad can use keyboard shortcuts to make life a lot easier. In fact, the iPad shares many keyboard shortcuts with the Mac, so once you’re through with this list, you should try out your favorites.

And don’t worry if you don’t have a Smart Keyboard. These shortcuts work with any connected keyboard, be it Smart, Bluetooth, or USB. In fact, most keyboards actually do more for the iPad than Apple’s own.

Apple removed the headphone jack. Soon, it may take away something else – the L and R on the headphones.

Microphones in the ear cups would detect which ear is which and send each ear the proper signals, according to an application for headphone technology filed by Apple with the United States Patient and Trademark Office.

This would make the headphones reversible.

Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed this morning that his company will donate to help relief efforts related to fires ravaging Northern and Southern California.

The town of Paradise, California, in NorCal was pretty much burned to the ground yesterday after the Camp Fire roared across Butte County, about 90 miles north of Sacramento. Fires are continuing to gain momentum, which could make the damage even more colossal than officials previously thought.

Amazon shoppers are about to see a whole lot more Apple products on the retailer’s online storefront.

Apple and Amazon have reportedly inked a deal that allows Amazon to sell Apple’s newest iPhones and other products. The deal gives Apple a huge new sales channel but there’s one product Amazon doesn’t want to sell for Apple.

Paris’ new flagship Apple Store finally got an official opening day: the retail location on the iconic Champs-Élysées will open its doors next Sunday.

In addition to offering iPhones, Mac, and more to the public, this building will serve as Apple headquarters in France.

Apple gave fans a heartwarming glimpse at how the iPhone and Apple Watch have helped a blind veteran gain more independence on his path to becoming a competition-winning surfer.

In a new post on its website, Apple shared a story about longboard surfer Scott Leason. After his time serving as a signalman in the U.S. Navy, Leason lost both of his eyes to a robber’s bullet in 1993. Getting used to his new life without sight took getting used to, but when Leason got his first iPhone in 2012, it was a gamechanger.

Apple co-founder Steve Jobs was known to be incredibly demanding. But one retired Apple executive said when it came to standing in line in the company cafeteria, Jobs waited his turn like everyone else.

This would not be a surprising revelation about most people, but Jobs’ mercurial nature is the stuff of legend. The late Apple exec’s moods and commands have been the source material for books and movies. His character is even sung about on the opera stage.