| Cult of Mac

Best Apple Watch Ultra bands: Rugged and ready for adventure

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If you have a tough timepiece like Apple Watch Ultra, you need a rugged band to go with it.
If you have a tough timepiece like Apple Watch Ultra, you need a rugged band to go with it.
Photo: Apple

From the three bands Apple designed especially for the chunky Apple Watch Ultra to several other worthy options, you have plenty to choose from when it comes to a rugged band that can handle whatever you throw at it and Apple’s toughest timepiece.

In our roundup below, we cover Apple’s best options for bands to pair with the high-performance Apple Watch Ultra. Plus, we found other great (and more-affordable) choices from brands like Carterjett, Kordiz, Mifa, Nomad, Pinnacle and Spigen.

Graphic designer’s Mac Studio rocks but ultra-wide display struggles [Setups]

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The M1 Max Mac Studio works great, but sometimes the LG ultra-wide display's USB-C struggles to recognize connected devices.
The M1 Max Mac Studio works great, but sometimes the LG ultra-wide display's USB-C struggles to recognize connected devices.
Photo: UserWJD@Reddit.com

Graphic design is one of the best uses of a powerful computer like the Mac Studio, assuming it’s paired with a magnificent display. In today’s featured computer setup, the Mac Studio handles the job. But the LG UltraWide monitor falls a bit short, due to some recurring connectivity issues.

And the setup features some interesting bits that might give you ideas about how to organize your own workstation.

Get 25% off rugged new Nomad Ultra Orange iPhone 14 cases and Apple Watch Ultra band

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Up for feats of endurance? Nomad's rugged new Ultra Orange limited-edition accessories could be for you.
Up for feats of endurance? Nomad's rugged new Ultra Orange limited-edition accessories could be for you.
Photo: Nomad

If you’ve got a new iPhone 14 or an Apple Watch Ultra, it’s time to get tough about protecting them.

Good thing Nomad rolled out its special-edition Ultra Orange iPhone 14 case and Apple Watch Ultra band just for the occasion, now available for preorder at a discount.

And they’re not kidding about “ultra orange.” They’re vividly colored accessories.

Why downgrade from a massive, curved ultra-wide monitor? [Setups]

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Sometimes it makes sense to walk back your choice of a massive monitor.
Sometimes it makes sense to walk back your choice of a massive monitor.
Photo: writtensine6@Reddit.com

You might think you’d give your right arm for one of those stunning, 49-inch curved ultra-wide monitors to use with your Mac. But then again, you might end up begging for your appendage back, as well as your old display. Or at least something a little less colossal.

Minus the stray arm — as far as we know — that’s more-or-less what happened with today’s featured MacBook Pro-based setup.

Telling a marvelous Mac mini workstation story in pictures [Setups]

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The computer setup was updated this month and it couldn't be much nicer.
The computer setup was updated this month and it couldn't be much nicer.
Photo: carrotcakeblack@Reddit.com

A picture is worth a thousand words, they say. So today’s M1 Mac mini-driven computer setup, with eight smashing photos, must be roughly equivalent to 8,000 words. But instead of burying you in a horrible cascade of text, we’ll let the pictures tell most of the elegant rig’s story.

The newly updated setup has some exceedingly nice touches. Each of the photos below includes a little commentary.

Nomad’s potent new GaN charger is no bigger than an AirPods case

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The new Nomad 65W Power Adapter is compact, potent and sports two USB-C ports.
The new Nomad 65W Power Adapter is compact, potent and sports two USB-C ports.
Photo: Nomad

Apple made news recently with its apparent plans for a 35W charger with an amazing two USB-C ports (not a new thing, mind you, just new for Cupertino). Now that unfolding scenario seems even later to the party when you consider Nomad’s release Tuesday of its most powerful gallium nitride (GaN) charger to date, at 65W. And of course the potent little thing features dual USB-C ports.

Notably, the new Nomad 65W Power Adapter is also a real product you can buy now, not something on the drawing board. And it’s only about the size of an AirPods case.

Nomad’s swanky new MagSafe charger makes room for Apple Watch

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At the price, the new Nomad Base One Max had better be this good looking.
At the price, the new Nomad Base One Max had better be this good looking.
Photo: Nomad

Maybe you thought about snapping up the exceedingly nice-looking Nomad Base One MagSafe charger for iPhone when it came out in March. But what about charging my Apple Watch, too, you asked.

Well, Nomad must’ve been listening, because it launched the Nomad Base One Max on Tuesday. It adds an Apple Watch stand to the Base One’s wireless charging pad.

Protect your iPad Pro with Nomad’s new leather case and folio

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Nomad's new case and folio offers premium leather options to protect your iPad Pro without bulk.
Nomad's new case and folio offer premium leather options to protect your iPad Pro without bulk. (Pictured: folio).
Photo: Nomad

If you’d like a change from plastic or silicone cases for your iPad Pro, you have a new option. Accessories maker Nomad rolled out two new premium leather products Wednesday, the Modern Leather Case and the Modern Leather Folio. Depending on how you feel about leather, you may find they offer a touch of class without much bulk.

Both products feature full-grain leather. Their slim design offers protection mainly because of specs like a raised TPE bumper and a polycarbonate layer.

Say cheese: Albert Einstein, Dr. Fauci and RBG welcome new M1 Pro MacBook [Setups]

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That's not just any webcam perched above the monitor.
That's not just any webcam perched above the monitor.
Photo: PunctiliousCasuist@Reddit.com

On Fridays it’s fun to focus on computer setups with entertaining features whenever possible. Sometimes it’s seriously vintage gear. Or it could be wacky decor. Once in a while, an exotic location pops up. Today we found one where a brand new M1 Pro MacBook meets a kooky crew of bobbleheads and other figures under a really over-the-top camera rig used as a webcam.