This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The latest Apple rumors point to a jumbo iPad Air and even-better (and pricier) iPad Pros landing in early 2024. Plus, Apple’s powerful M3 chip reportedly will come to more Macs.

We run down what it all means. Brace yourself for performance!

Also on The CultCast:

• Cool new features coming to next-gen iPhones will make Apple’s world-beating smartphone even better. We’re especially excited about a turbocharged Action button.
• Government spying on push notifications is definitely a thing.
• Installment number one of our “best of 2023” picks. These fabulous things made us quiver with joy this year.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

The Gamma graphene jacket will keep you warm and protect you from the elements. It’s a tough tactical jacket — rugged and resistant to water and wind. Plus, it packs a power bank that heats it to your optimal temperature, with plenty of pockets to stash your essential gear.

This high-tech jacket will take you from mountaintops to city streets in comfort and style. And it’s price-dropped to just $179.97 (regularly $575) through December 17.

This time of year folks are getting in the holiday spirit and setting up Christmas trees, Hanukkah menorahs or Kwanzaa kinaras. But don’t forget to light up your Mac, iPad and iPhone screens with festive holiday wallpapers, too.

Today’s featured setup iMac and MacBook Air setup is so festive they could maybe skip all the other decorations!

This week’s Cult of Mac giveaway prize is a mophie 3-in-1 MagSafe travel charger that retails for $149.95. The compact charger is perfect for anyone with a busy schedule who’s on the go. You can charge multiple devices simultaneously at maximum speed with this great fold-up Apple accessory.

The 3-in-1 charger can juice up an iPhone, an Apple Watch and AirPods all at once. It comes with a handy travel pouch to keep everything securely together, plus a USB-C cable and a wall adapter. Enter below for your chance to win — we’re giving away three of these excellent travel chargers.

Apple is a trillion dollar company today but it started out with very humble origins. There’s no better evidence than company co-founder Steve Jobs hand writing a check to the electronics store RadioShack for $4.01.

And now that check recently up for auction, and bought  in 11,500 times its original value. How ‘s that for appreciation?

iPad 11 reportedly won’t be one of the tablets Apple unveils in March 2024. Instead, the next generation of the most affordable iPad won’t be out until the second half of the year.

And part of the development will supposedly happen in Vietnam.

iOS 17.2 will introduce a new way for sharing boarding passes, tickets and other passes stored in the Wallet app.

Like NameDrop, the iOS feature that lets owners easily share contact info, the new way to share passes will require bringing your iPhone close to the top of another iPhone with the Wallet app open.

You can connect the USB-C port on your MacBook directly to a high-resolution monitor without a hub using Satechi’s new HDMI adapter. And there’s also a version with a built-in 2-meter cable for easier connections.

In addition, the accessory-maker also just launched a USB-C Ethernet Adapter that offers up to 2.5 Gigabit data transfers.

Facebook tightened security on its popular Messenger platform by adding end-to-end encryption for all users. This means Meta can not eavesdrop on conversations.

Reports that this feature was “coming soon” have been circulating since at least 2016.

If you’re shopping for the perfect gift for a DIY enthusiast, crafty carpenter or grease-stained garage guru, take a peek at this versatile power station. Right on time for the holidays, the Koda PowerStation — a powerful work light with multiple outlets (and wireless charging for an iPhone or AirPods) — is on sale for only $59.99 (regularly $85).

It’s more than just a gadget — it’s perfect for anyone who wields power tools, toils on a workbench or tinkers in a garage. Just be sure to order it today if you want it to arrive by December 25!