With roughly 2 millions apps available in the App Store, sometimes all you need is something to tell you what’s good. Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac
Whether you like great time-wasting games, want to experience the beautiful photography that was once popular on Instagram, or want to preserve your favorite memories in video, this week we have some awesome apps to check out.
Was the Touch Bar out of touch with pro users’ needs? Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac
The MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar was a technological marvel in its day. It brought the magic of multi-touch to macOS and, with its stand-alone T1 chipset, it put ARM-based Apple Silicon inside the MacBook when the M1 chip was still just a twinkle in Cupertino’s eye.
There’s no doubt it was a clever piece of engineering, but it proved unpopular with pro users. Many missed the tactile feedback of the traditional Escape key and function keys.
Apple rejigged things last year, shrinking the Touch Bar to make room for a physical escape key, but it was too little too late. Many will be glad to see the Touch Bar go, but I’m gonna miss that little sliver of multi-touch magic at the top of my keyboard.
Apple's new chips sound truly astonishing. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Erfon can’t stop gushing about the new MacBook Pros! (What a shocker.) Plus, he reveals what it felt like to get Sherlocked during Apple’s “Unleashed” event this week. (Spoiler alert: CultCloth sales shot through the roof!) And none of us can stop raving about the astonishing power of Apple’s new M1 Pro and M1 Max chips.
Also on The CultCast:
Awesome new third-gen AirPods.
Underwhelming new HomePod mini colors.
And a surprising Siri-only Apple Music Voice Plan.
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 livestream, embedded below.
Who says a Mac mini and a gaming PC can't get along just fine? Photo: [email protected]
Who says an M1 Mac mini and a revved-up gaming PC can’t get along? Macs aren’t known to excel at gaming, so it’s natural for many folks to keep a Mac alongside a tricked-out gaming rig. These days, it’s easy to switch back and forth, as we’ll see in today computer setup featuring a massive TV screen and a slightly more modest monitor.
The Satechi USB-C Hybrid Multiport Adapter lets you add additional storage and peripherals to your Mac or iPad. Photo: Satechi
Because you can never have too much storage or too many ports, the just-launched Satechi USB-C Hybrid Multiport Adapter includes an SSD storage compartment as well as four additional ports.
The multiuse Mac or iPad accessory launched Friday.
With two USB-C ports, you can charge your iPhone and iPad at full speed at the same time. Photo: Anker
Anker keeps the new products coming. This week’s release of a new 40W Nano Pro charger follows last month’s release of 20W Nano Pro chargers. The new ones pack more juice but remain compact and come in the same array of colors. They also feature dual USB-C PD ports.
Bring the Genius Bar to your living room with an at-home iOS repair kit. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Apple’s high-end products command high-end price tags. And fixing them can prove just as expensive. But with the Essential iMobie for iOS Lifetime Plan Bundle, you can repair your iPhone problems from home for just $69.99 — for life!
Good news: the MacBook Pro notch doesn’t hinder cursor movement. Photo: Apple
The recently announced MacBook Pro models are the first with a screen notch. This raised questions about how the cursor handles the cutout. Will the cursor get stuck on the notch? Or will it pass through? Or automatically flow around?
Wonder no more: We have an official answer from Apple.
Twelve South's PowerPic Mod Wireless Charger looks like an unassuming piece of decor. Photo: Twelve South
Your iPhone charger doesn’t have to look like a charger when it’s off-duty. Twelve South launched its PowerPic Mod Wireless Charger on Wednesday. The Qi-enabled charging stand serves as a picture frame, with a detachable magnetic lucite frame that fits any 4 x 6 photo or graphic.
Prices start at just $12.99. Photos: Elago, SwitchEasy, Anker, Limited77, myCharge
Apple’s third-generation AirPods and slightly refreshed AirPods Pro ship with Charging Cases that are fully compatible with MagSafe. And there are whole host of third-party accessories that make MagSafe charging even better.
Choose from a wide variety of docks and trays, in-car mounts and more. We’ve rounded up some of the best MagSafe accessories for AirPods to help you ensure that you’re hard-earned cash is well-spent.