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Quickly view available keyboard shortcuts in any iPad app [Pro tip]

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See iPad keyboard shortcuts
Speed up common tasks inside your favorite apps.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Pro-tip-4iPad has gotten better and better at working with external keyboards in recent years. You’ll now find great support for keyboard shortcuts in most of the apps you use regularly. But how do you quickly find out which keyboard shortcuts are available to you?

There’s an easy way in iPadOS — and it works inside any app.

Want an M1 iPad Pro? Turn you old model into fast upgrade cash today

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There’s more 2021 iPad Pro RAM than in any previous Apple tablet.
A quick way to make your 2021 iPad Pro upgrade more affordable.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s newest iPad Pro is on the way with a blazing-fast M1 chip, a Liquid Retina XDR display, and up to 16GB of RAM. Prices start at a rather steep $799, but Cult of Mac can help make yours more affordable.

Sell your old iPad to us today and we’ll cough up real cash that you can put toward a new model. We won’t leave you waiting for your money, and we typically pay more than other buyback services. Find out how much your old Apple devices are really worth in under a minute!

Scrivener can help you write the novel of your dreams, and it’s just $30 right now

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writing app
This award-winning app is beloved by writers everywhere.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Always dreamed of writing your own novel but don’t know where to begin? You’re not alone. Fiction writing can be intimidating, and it’s no coincidence that novice novelists often run into the same problems, like starting with a heavy exposition or lacking continuity in plot or setting.

Even if you’ve finally figured out how to flesh out your characters, there’s the actual writing part of it — that’s a whole other story.

Pick up a 128GB iPhone 7 Plus refurb for under $220 today only

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iPhone 7 Plus refurbs
Don't miss out!
Photo: Apple

Want an affordable iPhone that packs a speedy processor, impressive cameras, and features like Face ID? Pick up an iPhone 7 Plus refurb from Woot for under $220. This sale ends today, so don’t miss out!

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

Learn to hack, and use your new skills for good, with this low-priced bundle

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Hacking
This inexpensive bundle is perfect for any aspiring tech professional.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

It’s no secret that the IT/software sector offers some of the highest-paying jobs around — and there aren’t enough qualified people to fill them. But within this sector, there’s a ton of variability. So it’s a good idea to specialize and gain expertise in a particular field.

For certified ethical hackers, the payoff can be huge. As long as you have the proper training and credentials, you can make an average of $83,000 per year — with the potential to make nearly $150,000.

Apple hastily adds security patches in macOS Big Sur 11.3.1, watchOS 7.4.1

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Apple Security Jacket
There are critical security patches for Mac and Apple Watch.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Mac users can now download macOS Big Sur 11.3.1, a security-themed update to the version released a week ago. It closes security holes that Apple knows were exploited by hackers.

Monday was a busy day for updates. Apple also released watchOS 7.4.1 with one of the same security fixes. And it introduced iOS 14.5.1 and iPadOS 14.5.1 to take care of an App Tracking Transparency bug, and fix security bugs.

iOS 14.5.1 update fixes App Tracking Transparency bug

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App Tracking Transparency is iOS 14.5's controversial new privacy-related feature.
Today's update fixes a bug that kept App Tracking Transparency from working properly for some users.
Screenshot: Apple

Apple rushed out iOS 14.5.1 on Monday, an update that fixes a bug in the App Tracking Transparency feature rolled out a week ago.

“This update fixes an issue with App Tracking Transparency where some users who previously disabled Allow Apps to Request to Track in Settings may not receive prompts from apps after re-enabling it,” Apple’s release notes said. “This update also provides important security updates and is recommended for all users.”

iPadOS 14.5.1, a version of the software for iPad users, also arrived Monday.

Don’t expect next iPad mini for months

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This is a 2021 iPad mini concept, not a leaked image.
The 2021 iPad mini might look something like this.
Concept: Cult of Mac

Apple’s next small tablet isn’t coming soon, no matter what previous rumors indicated. A trusted analyst and Apple prognosticator says the 2021 iPad mini won‘t be on the market until the second half of the year.

According to unconfirmed reports, this will be a significantly redesigned device, with a larger display.

This luxurious 4-in-1 charger handles iPad, iPhone, Apple Watch and more

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charging station
Made of high-end wood and leather, this glorious charging tray is perfect for all your Apple gear.
Photo: Nytstnd

Many wireless charging stations lack something iPad users need: a place to prop up and charge their beloved tablets.

It may seem like a charging station fit for an iPad wouldn’t be as sleek and convenient as smaller models, but the opposite is true for the Nytstnd Quad Tray. Channeling sophisticated elegance with wood and cloth accents, this powerful multi-device charger will create a comfortable home for your essential personal items with a fashionable flourish. Available now for $191.99, this beautiful charger is well worth the price for an upscale charging experience.

One mammoth display to rule them all [Setups]

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Like your parents used to say, don't sit too close to the TV.
Like your parents used to say, don't sit too close to the TV.
Photo: kenneth_powers1@Reddit

These days, lots of folks rock two or three or even four large monitors in their computer setups. But some people go for one huge, mesmerizing display, like kenneth_powers1, among other Redditors — and it’s a TV set, at that.

Powers credits fellow Redditor TerronG for the inspiration to use a Samsung 43-inch TU-8000 series 4K Smart TV with his aging computer. Powers uses it with a 2013 MacBook Pro and a PC he built himself. TerronG runs a similar TU7000 series TV with a 2012 Mac mini upgraded with a newer SSD and additional RAM.

New sensor could turn 2022 Apple Watch into a doctor on your wrist

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The Blood Oxygen sensor employs LEDs, along with photodiodes on the back crystal of Apple Watch Series 6.
You might soon be wearing the equivalent of a medical laboratory.
Photo: Apple

A deal between Apple and Rockley Photonics could add new medical sensors to the Apple Watch in 2022. That might include non-invasive monitoring of blood sugar levels, body temperature and blood pressure. It might even add the ability to measure blood-alcohol levels.

The British startup promises to “bring laboratory diagnostics to the wrist.”

8-inch folding iPhone might launch in 2023

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An iPhone concept shows a realistic folding iPhone design
If Apple makes a foldable iPhone, it might look like this concept design.
Screenshot: ConceptsiPhone

A folding iPhone is two years away, according to a trusted industry analyst. When open, the device will have an 8-inch screen, significantly bigger than the current largest iOS model, which has a 6.7-inch display.

Wait for 2021 iPad Pro stretches out months

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Wait for 2021 iPad Pro stretches out months
Demand for the 2021 iPad Pro far outstrips supply.
Photo: Apple

Order the 12.9-inch version of the 2021 iPad Pro today and it won‘t arrive before late June. And maybe not until July. Apple started taking pre-orders for the first M1-powered tablet on Friday, and anyone who didn’t move quickly could wait almost 10 weeks for the device.

The delay is apparently caused by the new mini-LED screen.

Get an easy view of hard-to-reach places with the Sinji Borescope

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Borescope
This iPhone photo accessory lets you capture incredible macro imagery, even in hard-to-reach locations.
Photo: Sinji

Macro lenses capture close-up photos that offer a completely different worldview. Just think of how a close-up of a leaf reveals an intricate system of veins. But while these popular iPhone photo accessories are ideal for creating captivating art, there are situations where you may need a close-up view of a hard-to-reach place for a less uplifting reason.

To see inside a blocked drain pipe or get a better look at a tiny, malfunctioning machine part, you’ll need a macro-powered lens with incredible reach. That’s what the Sinji Borescope delivers. Available in 2-meter5-meter and 10-meter lengths, this handy borescope is the perfect tool for when you need an impossibly close perspective.

Take control of Control Center [Cult of Mac Magazine 399]

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Take control of Control Center: Squeeze some extra utility out of your Apple gear with these Control Center tips.
Squeeze some extra utility out of your Apple gear with these Control Center tips.
Cover: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

If you looked at Cult of Mac this week, you saw loads of news about the release of iOS 14.5 (with its controversial App Tracking Transparency feature) and about Apple’s astonishing earnings.

But did you miss all the useful tips in our Control Center Week series?

For those not familiar, Control Center is one of the most powerful and underutilized features on Apple devices. The how-tos, written by our own Killian Bell, explain how to get the most of this useful toolbox on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac. In case you didn’t see them all — and there are a lot of them! — we rounded them up in one place.

Hit that link, or read them in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Time to seize control!

Run Windows on your Mac as if it were a PC with this CrossOver discount

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CrossOver
CrossOver lets you run Windows apps on your Mac.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Have you ever seen a language app translator get frazzled? It happens often: Every language is filled with nuance, so copying and pasting a paragraph of text often results in funny mistranslations. Translating a language with algorithms is difficult, and computer languages are no different.

Last chance! Enter to win a Wonderboom 2 speaker from Ultimate Ears [Cult of Mac giveaway]

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Wonderboom 2 speaker lineup
These adventure-ready Bluetooth speakers come in fun colors.
Photo: Ultimate Ears

This week, Cult of Mac is giving away one Ultimate Ears’ fantastic Wonderboom 2 portable speakers. You have a chance to win this small-but-mighty outdoor speaker that costs $99 and is available in four colors.

If you win, you can take the Wonderboom 2 on all your outdoor adventures this summer. The road-worthy Bluetooth speaker is the size of a softball but pumps out sound the size of a giant beach ball. With 13 hours of battery life, you can rock on well into the evening. If you want the party to never end, be sure to enter this giveaway.

Apple AirTag is a disappointment [Review]

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Apple AirTag review. So small, so meh. And where’s the $%
Apple AirTag. So small, so meh.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple’s AirTag sales pitch is that you can attach the item tracker to your keys and you can find it with your iPhone, whether it’s in the couch or Canberra. That’s true, but the wireless range of these gizmos is so limited that finding a nearby AirTag in the next room isn’t easy as it should be. And the hardware is missing an obvious feature.

I’m a long-time user of rival Tile trackers. I was expecting Apple’s offering to be significantly better. In reality, both have their strengths. And Tile comes out ahead in some critical ways.

Maotoam Pro brilliantly combines laptop stand with 13-in-1 USB-C hub [Review]

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Maotoam Pro review
Maotoam Pro is a robust tablet/laptop stand and a multifunction USB-C hub all in one well-designed package.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Maotoam Pro is two popular desktop accessories in one. It’s both a laptop/tablet stand and a USB-C hub with 13 ports. It can prop up a MacBook or iPad at your preferred angle, and connect it to up to a monitor, three USB devices, Ethernet and more.

I used the stand/hub in my everyday life for days. Here’s why I like it so very much.

Reorganize Control Center to make favorite tools easier to find [Pro tip]

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How to reorganize Control Center
And to remove tools and shortcuts you never use.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Control Center Pro Tips WeekWe want to help you master Control Center, one of the most powerful and underutilized features on Apple devices. Cult of Mac’s Control Center Pro Tips series will show you how to make the most of this useful toolbox on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac.

Make your favorite Control Center tools and shortcuts easier to find by reorganizing and cleaning up your Control Center window. It’s easy on iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch — and we’ll show you how.

Massively entertaining setup probably includes some computer gear [Setups]

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Some room just say
Some rooms just scream "fun," don't they?
Photo: andygigante_82@Reddit

Illustrator and graphic designer andygigante_82 knows how to place his computer setup in an entertaining context. The fantastical space is his “Little Hobby Hole” — which he writes with a trademark symbol — as depicted in his Reddit post.

Looking at his photos, you might not notice the computer gear. That’s understandable, given every shot’s explosion of dynamic graphics, colorful action figures, skateboards festooned with his own graphic designs and more.

Ping a lost iPhone using Control Center on Apple Watch [Pro tip]

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Ping a lost iPhone using Control Center on Apple Watch
Make your iPhone easier to track down — even in the dark.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Control Center Pro Tips WeekWe want to help you master Control Center, one of the most powerful and underutilized features on Apple devices. Cult of Mac’s Control Center Pro Tips series will show you how to make the most of this useful toolbox on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac.

Can’t remember where you left your iPhone? Use Control Center on your Apple Watch to “ping” it so that you can quickly track it down. You can even have your iPhone light up so that it’s easier to find in the dark.

We’ll show you how.

Switch between AirPods audio modes in Control Center [Pro tip]

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Switch AirPods audio modes in Control Center
The quick and simply way to toggle noise cancellation and Transparency.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Control Center Pro Tips WeekWe want to help you master Control Center, one of the most powerful and underutilized features on Apple devices. Cult of Mac’s Control Center Pro Tips series will show you how to make the most of this useful toolbox on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac.

Switching between different AirPods audio modes is simple with Control Center on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. You can activate or deactivate Transparency and active noise cancellation in just a couple of taps.

We’ll show you how.