A well-lit and well-equipped computer setup can evoke peace and productivity at the same time. Today’s Mac Studio rig exudes a zen-like calm despite being a total powerhouse.
It features a well-mounted Studio Display, a slick mechanical keyboard with wrist rest, a sleek external drive as well as tidy pegboard storage for AirPods Max.
Using older magnetic chargers, lots of folks still charge their iPhones at a pokey rate of 7.5 watts. So it’s good news Spigen just rolled out its first 15W MagSafe device, the ArcField Wireless Charger.
You can use it to quick-charge any MagSafe iPhone 12, 13 or 14 handset, and it’ll juice up an AirPods Pro charging case at 5W.
Momax’s Airbox Portable Power Cabin may be the ultimate companion for your Apple devices. The clamshell case not only charges your gadgets fast with its built-in 10,000mAh battery, it also stores them on the go — including iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods or AirPods Pro.
It’ll top up your iPad quickly via USB-C as well. And there’s even a special, non-charging slot to store your Apple Pencil.
The company calls the Airbox the world’s first foldable power bank. And Momax is offering a limited-time deal that drops the price considerably — plus an additional discount for Cult of Mac readers only!
A whopping 20% discount brings the price of AirPods Pro 2 down to $199. These are the best wireless earbuds you can buy for your iPhone, Mac and other Apple gear.
Some Bose or Sony earbuds might deliver slightly higher sound quality or better noise cancellation. But nothing can match how seamlessly AirPods Pro integrate with Apple devices.
AirPods have no obvious controls on them, so it’s easy to think you just stick them in your ears and start listening. But these wireless earbuds offer features that aren’t immediately obvious.
Belkin unveiled its new BoostCharge Pro 2-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad with MagSafe Wednesday, offering a compact way to charge iPhone and AirPods on the road.
If you are looking for a new pair of earphones for your iPhone, the AirPods Pro 2 are an obvious choice. And if you take advantage of Amazon’s latest deal, you can grab the earbuds for as low as $199.
This is a sweet $50 off the earphones’ retail price, making them much more affordable.
Although Amazon’s Prime Day is over, you have not missed your chance to save money on iPad, MacBook or AirPods. These Apple products are still on sale with enticing discounts.
But don’t wait — these deals could disappear at any time.
Apple is exploring adding health-focused features to future versions of AirPods Pro, including sensors that measure body temperature. The company also is working on features that would make the earbuds a viable hearing aid replacement, including an advanced hearing test to evaluate the wearer’s capabilities.
Apple also reportedly plans to transition the AirPods Pro’s charging case from Lightning to USB-C this year. This could happen alongside the iPhone 15 series in September.
The only reason today’s featured setup isn’t 100% Apple is that Cupertino doesn’t make its own condenser USB microphones, lighting or desks.
Literally everything else in the setup is from Apple, including a computing “hat trick” of desktop Mac, laptop Mac and Apple tablet, plus a second hat trick for peripherals, with an Apple display, Apple input devices and Apple audio.
An upcoming software update will add multiple new listening modes to AirPods Pro 2. These are designed to make it easier for the user to listen to music while also hearing what’s going on around them.
Apple also announced at WWDC23 that all AirPods will get better at switching connections between devices, plus a change intended to make conference calls easier.
You may already have a mouse pad in your computer setup, but what about a desk mat? Similar concepts in some ways, those two. But many folks may not even think of a desk mat as a necessary item in a computer setup. Or they may consider it an afterthought rather than any sort of priority.
But the humble desk mat, reminiscent of grandpa’s desk blotter, has its benefits. And that came up with today’s featured, desk-mat-free M1 MacBook Air setup.
Part of the fun of covering computer setups for Cult of Mac is seeing how a setup is never “done.” Blood, sweat, tears and time may go into it, but it will always need something — whether that’s missing functionality, better decoration or the next generation of a key device.
Today’s featured M2 MacBook Air setup is a good example. Since we featured an earlier version of it just weeks ago, the user made important changes. He added two components to maximize crucial iPad functionality and pump up audio.
Looking to buy a new iPad, Apple Watch, Mac, or AirPods? Take advantage of the Memorial Day sale across various retailers, and you can save big on your purchase.
Given that Apple products are almost always in demand, they are heavily discounted this Memorial Day.
Many computer setups go heavy on the Apple hardware, but not many of them could be mistaken for Apple advertisements. Some, though, like today’s Mac Studio workstation, manage to hit that mark — or close enough.
If the app developer who uses it fancied things up a bit more, the rig might seem too staged and on-the-nose-Apple to feature.
We’ve seen more M2 MacBook Pro laptops lately in Setups than M2 MacBook Air machines, but today’s featured setup bucks the trend. Its M2 MacBook Air drives a 34-inch LG 4K IPS display.
But it’s the setup’s audio gear that may grab your attention. AirPods Pro (2nd gen) make the cut, as do two other sets of premium earphones, outstanding speakers and one of Sony’s super-high-end Walkman MP3 players.
Today we’re going to see how to clean AirPods, AirPods Pro or any other earbuds, using tools you probably already have. It’s essential to keep your AirPods clean to keep them working properly. Plus, it’s easy for them to get gross.
For instance, the other day on the metro, I pulled out my AirPods and dropped one on the floor. The earbud bounced over dried and dirty beer stains, and who knows what other filth and bacteria that had been traipsed in on a million passengers’ shoes (and the odd hippies’ bare feet). I gave up on listening to anything on the trip home, and slipped the rescued AirPod back into its case.
It’s not only hippie toe jam that we have to worry about, either. Because we’re always pushing AirPods deep into moist holes in our heads, they crust up with earwax and whatever bacteria we have living in our earholes. Happily, cleaning and disinfecting AirPods is not only easy. It’s just about as satisfying as digging a deep-seated booger out of your nose, or picking an almost-healed scab.
Just when you thought you’d seen every arrangement of displays known to computer setups, something comes along to surprise you. Today’s featured M2 Pro Mac mini setup puts a portrait-mode display at center and two landscape-mode displays sticking out like wings on either side of it. It’s kind of odd how rarely seen it actually is.
Another rarity is the user’s amazing assortment of audio components, including an unusually big “Schiit stack.”
No matter which AirPods you have, the Cult of Mac Easter Sale has something for you. Check out the selection of cool cases and stands in the Easter Savings collection.
See some highlights below, where the links go straight to the products. And if you think this sale is probably only for AirPods Pro, AirPods 3 and AirPods Max, guess again. Here’s six cases for AirPods 1 and 2, for example — all 25% off.
Attractive or fun decor can really give a computer setup an edge. Real plants. Vintage Apple gear. Epic Lego sets. Today’s featured MacBook Pro setup sports a detailed replica stormtrooper helmet from Star Wars.
It overlooks a Darth Vader-worthy 49-inch Samsung curved gaming display and an Elgato Stream Deck, which is associated with video streaming tasks but can also do a lot for productivity in general through shortcuts.
The Nothing company followed up its Ear (1) noise-canceling earbuds with the new Ear (2) version Wednesday, offering hip, hi-tech earbuds comparable to Apple’s AirPods Pro — but at a lower price of $149.
The new Nothing earbuds feature active noise cancellation, Hi-Res Audio certification, partially transparent casings for a cool look, and more personalization options than the originals.
Apple’s excellent AirPods Pro 2 is down to its lowest price again. The earbuds retail for $249, but Amazon has discounted them to $199, a massive $50 off.
This is the same price the AirPods Pro was available for during last year’s Black Friday.
Imagine pulling out your AirPods Pro in their case and seeing them slip out of your hand. As they go bouncing down the stairs or into the street, you may try to recall if you bought Apple Care. But with Laut’s tough Zentry case, you might not need it, actually.
The tough Laut Zentry AirPods Pro Case for first and second-gen AirPods is drop-tested and comes with a handy carabiner and lariat that make it easy to hold onto your earbuds.
Some computer setups are more Apple-ish than others. Apple-y. Apple-centric. Today’s featured M1 Max MacBook Pro outfit welcomes a new Studio Display to replace a recently “retired” 20-inch Cinema Display, and that’s just the start of the Cupertino madness.
Almost everything else in the setup is Apple, too. The input devices, the audio gear — even some of the wall art. And what’s in the book collection? The Cult of Mac hardcover book.