Mobile menu toggle

Top stories - page 240

Dress it up with a deconstructed iPhone, a drone and custom wallpapers [Setups]

By

This artfully executed setup is supposedly in someone's home, not a design museum.
This artfully executed setup is supposedly in someone's home, not a design museum.
Photo: diotav@Reddit

It’s only Monday, but Dutch videographer, designer and web production artist Dion Tavenier probably wins this week’s award for setup design. Cool, spare, architectural — get the Museum of Modern Setups on the phone!

If only there was such a museum. Or such an award.

iOS 14.6, watchOS 7.5, macOS 11.4 take a huge step toward release [Updated]

By

iOS 14.6 and watchOS 7.5 take a huge step toward release
The first release candidates for iOS 14.6 and iPadOS 14.6 are out. The same goes for watchOS 7.5 RC and tvOS 14.6 RC.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Apple seeded to developers the first release candidates for iOS 14.6 and iPadOS 14.6 on Monday. These are only small updates for these operating systems, and their timing may be controlled by the 2021 iPad Pro, which will reach customers on Friday.

Not to be left out, devs also got access to the initial release candidates for watchOS 7.5 and tvOS 14.6 on Monday.

Update: Shortly thereafter, Apple also seeded macOS Big Sur 11.4 RC to developers.

Forget about mini-LED MacBooks this year

By

A MacBook Air without a Touch Bar might be in the offing for later in 2021.
The first mini-LED MacBook models might not launch before 2022.
Concept: Ian Zelbo

Apple may push back its first notebooks with beautiful mini-LED displays. Unconfirmed reports previously predicted 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook models with the new type of screen would arrive before the end of 2021, but a leak Monday indicates they won’t come until the following year.

At this point, it’s not clear if this means Apple won’t introduce new Mac notebooks until 2022, or if just the switch to mini-LED screens is on hold. Many are very much anticipating redesigned MacBooks powered with an Apple M2 chip.

Get Tile Mate trackers for $10 less than AirTag, save $5 on Tile Slim

By

Save on Tile trackers
Already invested in Tile? Get more for up to 20% less.
Photo: Tile

Not interested in AirTag? Enjoy up to 20% off Tile trackers instead. The teeny-tiny Tile Mate can be yours for just $19.99 — $10 less than Apple’s tracker — while the wallet-friendly Tile Slim is down to $24.99.

That’s a sweet saving of $5 on both models. Or you can save $8.99 on a Tile Mate four-pack. Bag yours before the discounts disappear.

Apple Music will add lossless audio, Spatial Audio for no extra cost

By

Spatial Audio with Dolby Atmos and Lossless Audio are coming to Apple Music subscribers beginning June 2021.
Higher-def music is coming soon to an Apple device near you.
Photo: Apple

Apple Music is going lossless — at no extra cost to subscribers. Apple revealed the free upgrade Monday, a day ahead of its rumored launch. The company said Apple Music will bring lossless audio to more than 75 million tracks starting in June so listeners can hear songs “the way the artists created them in the studio.”

In addition, Apple Music will add Spatial Audio support for songs mixed in Dolby Atmos. That means customers who own AirPods, AirPods Pro, AirPods Max and Beats headphones featuring an H1 or W1 chip — or using the built-in speakers in the newest iPhone, iPad and Mac — will be able to hear certain songs in the immersive format.

Power up your Apple Watch anywhere with this affordable keychain charger

By

apple watch charger
You can take this Apple Watch charger anywhere.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

If you’re an Apple Watch fan on the go, this wireless keychain charger is a must-have for your keyring. It offers a quick, powerful and portable charge for your Apple Watch to keep it going anytime, anywhere.

And for a limited time, you can snag one wireless Apple Watch keychain charger for $19.99. Or you can get them as gifts for friends and family with a two-pack for $38.99 or a four-pack for $76.99.

Blast off with space games and female erotica [Awesome Apps of the Week]

By

Blast off with space games and female erotica [Awesome Apps of the Week]
These apps are out of this world.
Image: Cult of Mac

Space: the final frontier. And kinda sorta the theme of this week’s roundup of new and updated apps.

We’ve got an app that brings Star Trek, NASA and Tetris faces to Apple Watch. A free iOS game that will get arcade fans flashing back to Asteroids. And an audio app for women that blends erotica, meditation and ASMR for a trip deep into inner space.

I’m not sure how Godzilla and Kong fit into the space theme, but they crash onto the scene as well. (If only we had SpaceGodzilla.) Three … two … one …

Instantly add smart lighting controls to your home at 33% off

By

smart light
Simply place Switchmate over your existing light switches for voice-controlled smart lighting.
Photo: Switchmate

People say smart homes are the future, and it becomes more and more true each year. In 2019, an estimated 27% of the U.S. population owned a smart home device, but that’s only the beginning for this growing trend. According to research, U.S. smart home sales are projected to reach “more than $47 billion by 2024, which would be approximately three times as much as the revenues in 2017.”

Please don’t put macOS on iPads [Cult of Mac Magazine 401]

By

Porting macOS to iPad just doesn't make sense.
Porting macOS to iPad just doesn't make sense.
Cover: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Some people think porting the Mac’s operating system to the iPad makes sense. We don’t. Find out why that would be a horrible nightmare in Cult of Mac Magazines cover story this week.

Also, don’t miss our Q&A with Ian Zelbo, the 17-year-old New Yorker who’s been blasting out eye-catching concept art based on the latest Apple leaks. The high schooler behind RendersbyIan tells what gear he uses and reveals some of his rendering secrets in our Setups post.

Then, of course, you’ll want to check out Zelbo’s colorful MacBook Air renders and the rest of the week’s juiciest Apple news, rumors, how-tos and reviews.

Spread stellar Wi-Fi throughout your home with this discounted smart router

By

WiFi router
This smart Wi-Fi router will deliver the best performance for your fiber internet connection.
Photo: Tenda

If there are certain spots in your house with spotty Wi-Fi, you’re not just imagining it. Connections sometimes works less efficiently or not at all in certain corners of any dwelling. Don’t let crummy tech ruin a great music streaming session, or an important workday, anymore.

A single $17 cord can charge Apple Watch, iPhone and AirPods simultaneously

By

Apple Watch Charger
Charge three Apple devices at once with a single cord.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Cable clutter is the worst. It makes it difficult to organize the gadgets you rely on the most. Plus, it can take a while to individually sort out which cord you need for the device that’s low on battery. Not to mention, it doesn’t really help with creating an organized and clean desk space, which can help you stay more productive for longer periods of time.

This 3-in-1 Apple Watch & Lightning Charger Cable is a cord that can do it all. With it, you can simultaneously charge your iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch — without struggling to find the right cord for each.

Last chance! Enter to win a high-end Qrono Apple Watch band from Juuk [Cult of Mac giveaway]

By

Juuk Qrono band for Apple Watch comes in four striking colors.
The Qrono band for Apple Watch comes in four striking colors.
Photo: Juuk

This week, Cult of Mac is giving away two fantastic metal Apple Watch bands from Juuk, a high-end watch strap company. We’re giving away two aluminum Qruno straps in cosmic grey.

If you are looking for a high-quality metal band to match the Apple Watch’s high-grade design, enter this giveaway.

Ex-HTC design chief works on next-gen Beats headphones

By

Apple Beats PowerBeats in red
A new head of design means Apple will offer plenty more headphones to follow these Beats PowerBeats.
Photo: Apple

The reports of Beats’ death are (reportedly) greatly exaggerated. Rather than phasing out the brand, as had been rumored, Apple put Scott Croyle, the former head of product design at phone-maker HTC, in charge of crafting new Beats headphones, according to an unconfirmed report.

Things get savage in an action-packed Mosquito Coast [Apple TV+ review]

By

Aunt Lucretia (played by Ofelia Medina) and Enrique (Bruno Bicher) heat things up in this week's episode of The Mosquito Coast (review).
Aunt Lucretia (played by Ofelia Medina) and Enrique (Bruno Bicher) heat things up in this week's episode.
Photo: Apple TV+

Thanks to a last-minute call to a new ally, things seem to be looking up for the Foxes in this week’s episode of The Mosquito Coast. Or have they left the frying pan and stepped into the fire?

Time will tell, but it seems likely that Allie Fox will find some way to slip out of the noose if that’s what waiting for him. Director Rupert Wyatt is back behind the camera for an exciting new episode of Apple TV+ drama.

Save 46% on new Beats Studio3 headphones with noise cancellation

By

Save on Beats Studio3
Bag your Studio3 headphones before they're all gone!
Photo: Apple

Bag the best Beats headphones money can buy at their lowest price to date. Woot is offering brand-new Studio3 units, with noise cancellation and real-time audio calibration, for just $189.99 for a limited time only. That’s a generous 46% off the usual selling price.

Get yours before they’re all gone!

This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.

Expand your knowledge with this premium subscription bundle

By

language learning
This bundle contains excellent language-learning software, a top-rated VPN and more.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Thanks to the rise of online education, learning new skills outside of the boundaries of traditional schooling is more accessible than ever. Whether you want to learn an entirely new trade or stay competitive sharpening your existing skills, we’re spoiled for choice when it comes to learning new things online. In a time when we all stay home a lot more, digital education bundles are all the rage, and this one’s no different.

Mix and match modular wireless chargers with RapidX Modula5 [Review]

By

RapidX Modula5 review
Daisychain RapidX Modula units to build a custom wireless charging station.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Many homes and offices have a collection of iPhones, Apple Watches and AirPods that need charging every night. Rather than a collection of these cluttered together, the RapidX Modula5 system offers wireless chargers that magnetically snap together and run off a single cable.

I used Modula5 in my multi-device home. Here’s why I like it.

Putting macOS on iPad is a terrible idea

By

Putting macOS on iPad is a terrible idea
No. No, no, no, no. No.
Graphic: Cult of Mac

Apple’s smart decision to build an M1 processor into the 2021 iPad Pro renewed calls to port macOS to the tablet. “Put macOS on the iPad, you cowards,” read one particularly misguided headline.

Doing so would be a mistake so severe it would damage sales of both iPad and Mac. It would take years to clean up the mess.

No matter that Macs and iPads run on the same chip. macOS isn’t designed for a touchscreen. Apple would need to redesign the operating system to run on a tablet, and devs would need to alter third-party applications, too. And that would anger people using non-touchscreen laptops and desktops.

Plus, people happy with the iPad now wouldn’t like the change either.

With these top-rated tablets and second screens, you can work and game anywhere

By

tablets
Take your pick to upgrade your on-the-go computing experience.
Photo: Mobile Pixels

Some of the best things about the last year were the lessons we learned about flexibility — especially when it concerns working (and entertaining yourself) in different spaces. For workers who are on the go, and looking to connect anywhere with ease, modern technology has a lot to offer.

We rounded up the best portable monitors and tablets to take with you wherever. They’re perfect for drafting up emails, streaming your favorite content, taking video calls and more. And they’re all on sale!

Save $379 on 512GB MacBook Pro refurbs before they’re all gone

By

Save on 13.3-inch MacBook Pro from 2020
This deal is good for today only — enjoy it while you can!
Photo: Apple

Pick up a 2020 MacBook Pro refurb on Amazon today and save a whopping $379.01. The renewed units, which look and work as good as new, pack Intel Core i5 processors, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage.

A limited number of units are available and this deal is good for today only. Enjoy it while you can.

M1 iMac can’t match fastest Intel iMacs in early benchmarks

By

24-inch iMac with M1 processor released in 2021
The M1 processor in the 24-inch iMac is faster than most Intel iMacs. But not all.
Photo: Apple

The first benchmark scores for the upcoming 24-inch M1 iMac are out, and the all-in-one desktop is just as fast as the laptops and desktop released in 2020 running this processor. And no faster.

That makes the new model 24% quicker than the 21-inch iMac it’s replacing. But it’s slower than the 27-inch iMac introduced in 2020 with a top-tier Intel processor.