| Cult of Mac

Today in Apple history: Apple signs damaging deal with Microsoft

By

Windows used a number of elements of the Mac UI
One of the most damaging deals in Apple history.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

November 21: Today in Apple history: Apple signs Microsoft deal licensing Mac look and feel November 21, 1985: Following Steve Jobs’ departure, Apple comes close to signing its own death warrant by licensing the Macintosh’s look and feel to Microsoft.

The deal, between Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and Apple CEO John Sculley, comes hot on the heels of the Windows operating system’s release. The pact gives Microsoft a “non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free, perpetual, nontransferable license to use [parts of the Mac technology] in present and future software programs, and to license them to and through third parties for use in their software programs.”

Oh, boy!

Entering handwritten text with Scribble coming to Microsoft Office for iPad

By

Scribble is the most significant new feature in iPadOS 14
Handwriting to text is coming to the iPad version of Microsoft Office.
Photo: Apple

The newest beta of Microsoft Office gives iPad users the option to convert handwriting done with an Apple Pencil or other stylus into text using Apple’s Scribble system. It’ll should be available to all in the near future.

Apple’s handwriting-recognition system uses AI to recognize letters and words, and will allow users to quickly edit a document or spreadsheet on the go with a stylus. But it could also be used to write entire Word docs.

A classic Mac app returns from the dead, and it’s time to get your affairs in order [Awesome Apps of the Week]

By

Awesome Apps of the Week EZ Estate and more
These apps and updates stand out from the crowd.
Image: Cult of Mac

A recent restoration project brought vintage Mac MP3 player Audion back from the edge of oblivion. You can get Audion, and its more than 800 wild and wooly custom user interfaces, for free.

If you’re interested in how software design has evolved, you’ll love this totally trippy flashback to the bad old days when we all crammed our hard drives full of downloaded MP3s.

If you’d rather deal with more pressing matters, we’ve got other new apps to showcase in this week’s roundup. EZ Estate will help you get your final affairs in order. A new RSS reader will make you fall in love with an otter. You can display your HomeKit scenes in iOS widgets and more.

Microsoft Office embraces trackpad for iPad users

By

Microsoft Powerpoint for iPad has a new home screen.
The iPad versions of Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint are getting facelifts.
Photo: Microsoft

Updates to Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint for iPad bring greater support for trackpads and mice. The new versions, which began rolling on Monday, also includes updated start screen and a new ribbon of feature menus.

Use your newfound downtime to get skilled in Microsoft Office [Deals]

By

The All-In-One Microsoft Office Professional Suite Certification Prep Bundle
Whether you're a beginner or a skilled user, you'll get an in-depth education in the full range of tools in the Microsoft Office Suite.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Whether you’re working from home or at the office, Microsoft Office Suite is probably part of the picture. Excel, Word, Outlook and the rest of the software package prove fundamental to the modern workplace. So if you find yourself with some extra time, these lessons mean you can gain some super-marketable skills.

It’s time to get certified!

Become a certified master of Microsoft Office [Deals]

By

Get a comprehensive education in one of the most widely used software platforms, Microsoft Office.
Get a comprehensive education in one of the most widely used software platforms, Microsoft Office.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

There aren’t many applications more widely used than Microsoft Office. No matter where you work, you’ll encounter Office, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and the rest. So no matter where you work, it’s worth getting certified in MS Office suite.

Apple pushes iPad Pro as PC killer in new ads

By

The iPad Pro comes with LTE.
The iPad Pro comes with LTE.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s latest advertising campaign for the iPad Pro touts how well the tablet works as a PC replacement.

The funny new ads, released today, use real tweets from real people to highlight how the iPad Pro excels over old-school computers in areas like speed, Wi-Fi, productivity and viruses. Each clip is only 15 seconds long — and they all exhibit a playful tone that’s similar to the old “Get a Mac” campaign.

Watch all four right here:

Jimmy Fallon’s Mac throws Clippy into a rage

By

Jimmy Fallon Clippy Windows 10
Hide the Mac, Fallon, or he'll rip the rest of your fingers off.
Photo: NBC

If you’re going to own a Mac, you should maybe put it away somewhere if you’re expecting a visit from Clippy.

Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon learned that lesson the hard way when he was talking up the launch of Windows 10, Microsoft’s latest OS last night. As is his wont, Microsoft Word’s built-in assistant appeared at random, and everything was cordial until the talking paper clip spotted the MacBook on Fallon’s desk.

You can check out the rest of the clip below.

Last Chance To Get 50% off PDFpen Pro [Deals]

By

redesign_pdf_mf_final

Want to easily interact with and edit PDFs like never before? Then this Cult of Mac Deals offer is for you.

PDFpen is the all-purpose Mac PDF editor. It has everything you need to edit all those PDFs you are constantly downloading. With PDFpen you can edit or change almost any part of an original PDF and save it as a Word document seamlessly, and with this Cult of Mac Deals offer you can get PDFpen for 50% off – just $29.98!