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Close old tabs automatically to keep Safari clean [Pro tip]

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Automatically close old tabs in Safari
Let Safari take care of clearing old tabs.
Image: Cult of Mac

Safari pro tips bugWe want to help you master Safari. Cult of Mac’s Safari Pro Tips series will show you how to make the most of Apple’s web browser on iOS and Mac.

Are you an unwitting Safari tab hoarder? It’s easy to forget to close old tabs you no longer need — especially on iPhone, where the dozens of open tabs you’ve forgotten about aren’t always visible. But did you know that Safari can clear all your old tabs automatically after a certain period of time?

Find out how to set up automatic tab clearing in this Safari pro tip.

This mobile charger quickly juices up MacBook and iPhone simultaneously [Review]

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Aukey Omnia Mix3 Charger review
The Aukey Omnia Mix3 Charger is smaller than Apple’s MacBook one, but boasts 3x as many ports.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Aukey Omnia Mix3 90W 3-Port PD Charger can juice up your MacBook Pro at nearly full speed. Or it can power your iPad, iPhone and Apple Watch all at the same time.

Since Apple stopped bundling chargers with its iPhones, but they do come with a Lightning to USB-C cable, now is a good time to consider a multi-port USB-C solution like this one.

I put the Aukey wall charger to the test powering up my devices. Read on to see how well it did.

Apple turned down offer to buy Tesla on the cheap

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The Tesla Model 3 is the company’s sedan
When Tesla was struggling to launch the Model 3, the CEO investigated selling the company to Apple.
Photo: Tesla

Apple could have bought electric automaker Tesla at a bargain price, according to Tesla CEO Elon Musk. But Apple’s chief executive wasn’t interested.

Musk revealed this historic bombshell Tuesday, alongside his comments on a recent report about Apple’s plans for a self-driving vehicle.

Cardio Fitness: What Apple’s new health metric means and how you can use it

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Most of the interesting stuff in your body happens in your core, not on your wrist.
Most of the interesting stuff in your body happens in your core, not on your wrist.
Photo illustration: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

Apple’s VOmax metric measures the performance of your heart and lungs when you push yourself to the limit. Up until now, though, it’s only been useful to serious fitness fanatics. No wonder Apple buried it in the Health app, where most users never found it.

But watchOS 7.2 and iOS 14.3, which Apple released Monday, change all that. In those updates, the VOmax metric has been renamed Cardio Fitness. Now it can detect lower ranges and send alerts when the reading gets too low. That makes it the latest in a series of potentially life-saving health notifications from Apple Watch.

Here’s everything you need to know to get the benefit of this essential new feature.

Wolfwalkers is the best animated film of the year [Apple TV+ review]

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Apple TV+ enters the world of auteur animation with new animated film Wolfwalkers.
Apple TV+ enters the world of auteur animation with new animated film Wolfwalkers.
Image: Apple TV+

Wolfwalkers, the animated movie that arrives on Apple TV+ today, is the best animated film of 2020. A fiery mix of folklore and feminism, it’s one of the most astonishing works of visual art you’re likely to see this year.

It comes from the makers of gorgeous animated features The Secret of Kells and The Breadwinner — and it marks their strongest work to date.

How to switch your Apple Watch to a new iPhone

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How to switch your Apple Watch to a new iPhone
Here’s how to get your Apple Watch ready for your new iPhone.
Photo: Cult of Mac

You just got a shiny new iPhone 12 and of course you want your Apple Watch to play nicely with it. You could reset the Watch to start out fresh, but there’s an easier way switch your Apple Watch to your new iPhone.

Here’s what you do.

Check out this Black Friday holiday gift guide for the best gifts under $150

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Holiday Gift Guide 2020: Whip through your holiday shopping with these sub-$150 gifts.
Whip through your holiday shopping with these sub-$150 gifts.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

It’s that time of year again — post turkey-carving and game-watching, it’s time to start thinking about holiday gifts. Take the guesswork (and stress) out of what presents you’ll be giving to your family and friends this year for the holidays.

We rounded up the top 11 gifts under $150, conveniently wrapped up in one list for you, so you can take care of everyone on your list, from your next-door neighbor to your mom. And, you can rest assured you’re getting the best deal possible. For a limited time, enjoy an extra 20% off for Black Friday pricing site-wide using code BFSAVE20.

iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max are amazing, with caveats

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Get the Phone 12 Pro Max and iPhone 12 mini with no extra wait.
That's quite the size discrepancy.
Photo: Apple

The first reviews of the iPhone 12 Pro Max and iPhone 12 mini make both of them sound like winners. However, the two devices — which occupy opposite ends of the size spectrum — also elicit some caveats.

Many of the comments sound the same as earlier first impressions of the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro. But some unique observations apply specifically to Apple’s very large and very small handsets.

Here’s what the early reviewers made of the iPhone 12 Pro Max and iPhone 12 mini.

iPhone 12 is so good, there’s no real reason to go Pro [Review]

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iPhone 12 review
The 6.1-inch iPhone 12 is the “Goldilocks” of Apple’s four new handsets.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

There’s no need to struggle to decide which of the four iPhone 12 versions is the best. The 6.1-inch “standard” version packs all the features most people need — like 5G and a great camera — while coming in at a price far lower than the Pro series.

After plenty of real-world use, here are all the reasons why the iPhone 12 (non-Pro, non-mini) is the right choice.

What to do when your iOS backup is newer than your iPhone’s OS

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What to do when your iOS backup is newer than your iPhone's OS
Running an iOS beta can cause problems when you get a new device.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Everyone in Apple’s beta program is running a pre-release version of the next iOS version. Which is great, until you get a new iPhone or iPad. Then you can’t restore the new device from the backup made on your previous one because the old device is running a newer OS.

If you find yourself in this situation, don’t panic — there are a couple of possible solutions. We’ll walk you through both.

Apple could showcase its Apple Silicon Macs at event on November 17

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Tim Cook talks diversity, sustainability, and coming out as gay
"Good morning... for the third month in a row."
Photo: Apple

If rumors are to be believed, Apple is set to host yet another virtual event in November, making three in a row after September’s “Time Flies” iPad and Apple Watch event and October’s “Hi, Time” HomePod mini and iPhone 12 unveiling.

While the November event has yet to be officially announced, notorious Apple leaker Jon Prosser thinks he knows when it will be — and we don’t have long to wait.

How to change the iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 default web browser

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How to change the default iOS browser
It’s finally possible to replace safari as the default iOS browser.
Graphic Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

For the first time, iOS 14 and the iPad equivalent allow you to change the default web browser. If you prefer Google’s Chrome, you can ditch Safari when tapping links on your phone or tablet. And that’s not the only option.

Making the switch is easy, though the setting is somewhat hidden. Here’s what you do.

Concept video shows just how tiny iPhone 12 might be

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The 5.4-inch version of Apple 2020 handset could be the ‘iPhone 12 mini.’
Take a sneak peak at the 5.4-inch version of the 2020 iPhone 12.
Concept: the Hacker 34

Apple is supposedly prepping an iPhone with a screen that’s just 5.4 inches. A concept artist created a video that effectively demonstrates exactly how small that “iPhone 12 mini” will be.

Watch it now to see the rumored handset absolutely dwarfed by a 2020 iPhone SE.

How to use the redesigned iPhone Magnifier in iOS 14

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The iPhone Magnifier is easier to find in iOS 14.
The iPhone Magnifier gets a big upgrade in iOS 14.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

A handy digital magnifying glass to replace reading glasses has been buried in the iPhone for many years. With iOS 14, it becomes a lot easier to find. And there are some fantastic new features.

Here’s how to use the Magnifier on iPhone. And iPad, too.

Play classic 1990s games with a fully functional Mac OS 8 emulator

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Mac OS 8 emulator
Return to the thrilling days of yesteryear with a Mac OS 8 emulator loaded with games from the 1990s.
Photo: Felix Rieseberg

Anyone wanting a serious dose of nostalgia should install a just-released emulator of a classic Apple desktop computer running Mac OS 8, first released in 1997. There’s even a bunch of games and productivity applications from the same era.

Why Apple needs to fix the medical mask emoji ASAP [Opinion]

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The medical mask emoji needs an update for 2020.
The medical mask emoji has way too much in common with the disappointed face emoji.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, when wearing a face mask slows the spread of this disease, Apple really must change its medical mask emoji. It seems like a small tweak, but it’s important.

Currently, the face shown is unhappy about having to wear a mask. The design needs to show the person is glad to do their part.

Tell LinkedIn users how to pronounce your name properly

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Tap the little speaker icon to hear the LinkedIn name pronunciation
Tap the little speaker icon to hear the name pronunciation
Photo: Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac

If you’re applying for jobs and want to help recruiters avoid an awkward moment as they struggle to pronounce your name, a new LinkedIn feature can help.

It just takes a minute to record the proper pronunciation of your name and add the audio clip to the networking and job-search platform. Here’s how to do potential recruiters a solid — and how to have a little (possibly ill-advised) fun if you dare.