Native Union

Read Cult of Mac’s latest posts on Native Union:

2 key items complete killer workstation [Setups]

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With a good iPad stand and a DAC/amp added for audio, this setup is finally done. For now.
With a good iPad stand and a DAC/amp added for audio, this setup is finally done. For now.
Photo: drhippopotato@Reddit.com

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.

Trim M2 MacBook Air rig packs stellar audio [Setups]

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At a glance, you might not think this setup has 18 items in it not including the furniture.
At a glance, you might not think this setup has 18 items in it not including the furniture.
Photo: drhippopotato@Reddit.com

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.

Compact new magnetic charger tops up iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch all at once

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You can stick this all-in-one charging station on a nightstand.
You can stick this all-in-one charging station on a nightstand.
Photo: Native Union

Does charging up all your gadgets in one place sound good? Native Union rolled out a new MagSafe-compatible 3-in-1 wireless charging station Tuesday that should do the trick, topping up your iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch all in one go.

The compact Native Union Snap 3-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charger joins the previously released Snap 2-in-1 in the company’s charging lineup.

College freshman sees upside of hunkering down in his parents’ house [Setups]

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Shad Ahmad's straightforward setup centers on a MacBook Pro and 32-inch monitor.
Shad Ahmad's straightforward setup centers on a MacBook Pro and 32-inch monitor.
Photo: Shahid Ahmad

Shad Ahmad was a hard-studying freshman majoring in biology and minoring in history at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, when the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

Going home to continue classes for a semester remotely from his parents’ house in Wisconsin may not have been ideal, but Ahmad found a comforting upside. Integrated smart technology makes his life easier, he told Cult of Mac.

This minimalist setup packs more than meets the eye [Setups]

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MacBook Setup: The Pro Display XDR delivers crystal-clear quality.
The Pro Display XDR delivers crystal-clear quality.
Photo: @Canoopsy/Twitter

At the beginning of the year, the owner of this striking setup decided to start from scratch. He abandoned his two-monitor config and went with something more minimal — the impeccable $6,000, 32-inch Apple Pro Display XDR. Thats why, for him, scaling down to one monitor is actually an upgrade.

Finally, a holiday gift guide you actually care about [Deals]

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GG - Mainframe
Beats by Dre, UE ROLL 2, and lots of Mac amenities make for some very happy holidays.

The people on your holiday shopping list deserve cutting-edge gifts. That’s why you won’t find ugly sweaters or gifts that are actually meant for pets not people in the Cult of Mac gift guide.

Loaded with tech gift ideas for Apple fans, this handy guide will make you the best gift-giver in the family for once.

These Apple Watch docks were made for Nightstand mode

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Night Stand for Apple Watch
Take that, Apple.
Photo: ElevationLab

Apple Watch stand makers are responding to watchOS 2’s Nightstand mode feature, which will turn your wearable into a makeshift alarm clock and display the time in landscape mode when it’s charging on its side. New Apple Watch docks are starting to appear to accommodate this feature ahead of the software update coming this fall.

Gripster, Possibly The Handiest iPad Air Case Ever Made

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Native Union’s Gripster case is now available for the iPad Air, and it looks like the perfect accessory for folks who own an iPad air and also have hands. Yes, hands – those prehensile utilihooks at the ends of your chestal meat-sticks.

The case combines a grip, a stand and a cover, and is possible even better suited to the Air than it is to the mini, for which it is already available.

Gripster Case For iPad Mini Lives Up to Its Name

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Features1

Native Union wasn’t kidding around when it chose the name “Gripster” – this thing can be gripped and grabbed any way you like. Hell, even a Dolphin could get a purchase on this thing with its slippery flippers. The case, now available for the iPad mini, had a swiveling hand loop, a kickstand/carrying handle and a Smart Cover that folds up to add yet another handle.