You don't have to pay full price to get the audio quality of HomePod 2. Photo: Apple
Apple is now offering refurbished units of its second-generation full-size HomePod at 17% off the regular price. This new version offers high-quality audio and additional smart-home features
Buying refurbs from Apple is a popular way to save on used electronics that can be relied on.
iOS 17 gives Apple Podcasts users a refreshed player and queue, episode art, search filters and the ability to connect subscriptions to top apps. Photo: Apple
Now you can listen to more than 100 new podcasts from various apps and services in Apple Podcasts, the company said Tuesday.
“Subscribers to Apple Music, Apple News+ and participating apps like Calm and Lingokids can connect their subscriptions to access new shows and more,” Apple noted.
Here’s how to be sure you have the latest HomePod software update. Or stop your smart speaker from updating. Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
Your HomePod is a lot more than a simple speaker — it’s a whole computer. And like any computer it has an operating system that needs occasional updates. Here’s how to make sure your Apple smart speaker has the software version released on Monday.
Version 17.0 is a major update with additional AirPlay functionality, new call controls and more.
If you depend on automatic updates, it’s possible your smart speaker hasn’t yet installed the update. Here’s how to do so manually.
In addition to the black or white options to match other Sonos speakers, you can get Move 2 in a new olive color. Photo: Sonos
The revamped Sonos Move 2 portable speaker sports stereo sound, up to 24 hours of battery life — twice that of its predecessor — and a slew of design changes since the water-resistant speaker’s initial release four years ago, the company said Wednesday.
Sonos Move 2 becomes available September 20 for $449.
Can you spot the chip/crack in one of the displays? Photo: ryopang@Reddit.com
The owner of today’s MacBook Pro setup chose two Studio Displays over one Pro Display XDR to suit his workflow and because he realized he could bag one of the monitors at half price. Lucky him.
Several folks on social media noticed the damage, and some said they’d grab that deal, too, if they could.
The EU plans to cram more changes down Apple's throat: This time's it's replaceable iPhone batteries. Image: iFixit/Cult of Mac
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Those EU technocrats plan to force Apple (and everybody else) to make batteries in their devices easier to replace. The specifics remain vague. But is forcing changes to the iPhone and iPad design a good thing or a bad thing?
Also on The CultCast:
Apple gives us a peek at how the software sausage will be made for the upcoming Vision Pro headset. Looks promising!
Some of the features coming to the Photos app in iOS 17 work wonders. Others not so much.
HomePods are about to get a long-awaited feature — sort of.
The latest Mac sales data seems impossible to believe.
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.
Spotify is finally coming to HomePod but it relies on using your iPhone. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Apple finally plans to make playing music from third-party sources easier on HomePods. Starting with iOS 17, you can ask Siri to play music on your HomePod from music apps installed on your iPhone.
Despite Apple providing the necessary apps, only a handful of music streaming services natively support HomePod. This change from Apple in iOS 17 is an excellent workaround to this problem.
The Mac Studio specs make us swoon (and question the Mac Pro's raison d'être). Image: Cult of Mac
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The M2 Ultra chip gives the new Mac Studio and Mac Pro incredible powers, the first benchmarks show. And the new 15-inch MacBook Air doesn’t look too shabby, either. In fact, it seems like the ultimate Mac laptop for most people.
Also on The CultCast:
We’ve got a great travel charger from Ugreen in this week’s giveaway.
Erfon uncorks an update on the untimely death(?) and possible rebirth of his beloved original HomePod.
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.
Apple is considering a glance-activated HomePod. Photo: Apple
What if, instead of saying “Hey Siri” to activate your HomePod, you only had to glance at it? Apple is considering this possibility, and recently filed for a patent on it.
Whether this will become part of a future Apple smart speaker depends on whether it’s actually better than the current activation system.
No, Apple's headset likely won't look like this AI-generated image. Image: Cult of Mac
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Well-placed sources say Apple’s AR/VR headset blew them away. Even the guy who dreamed up the Oculus Rift says it’s great.
The more we hear about the device nobody seems to need, the more intrigued we become. And with WWDC23 just weeks away, we don’t have long to wait for answers to our questions. In the meantime, we can imagine the possibilities …
Also on The CultCast:
How Apple’s M3 chip will stack up against its predecessors.
Five hidden features in iMessage that you should try ASAP.
Erfon finally gives us an update on his beloved, but beleaguered, original HomePod.
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.
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