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Siri’s ignominious honor: Most accurate Apple leaker

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Apple’s AI-driven voice-controlled digital assistant Siri
Siri beats Prosser, Gurman, etc. to become the most accurate source of Apple leaks.
Image: Apple

Last week, Siri leaked the date and time of the upcoming Apple event. And this wasn’t the first time Apple’s own virtual assistant told the world about an upcoming event before the official announcement.

So step back Jon Prosser. Stand aside Mark Gurman. Siri is now the most accurate Apple leaker.

Make your own movie night with this mini-projector, now on sale for $100

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Projector
This miniature projector is perfect for movie nights.
Photo: Minolta

When you think of projectors, you probably have a pretty old-school understanding of what they’re capable of. That makes perfect sense, considering you probably watched a bunch of blurry presentations on your teacher’s old, rattling behemoth of a machine.

But these days, projectors include some of the technology that makes all devices so appealing. In fact, they can be used to stream your favorite movies and TV shows. They’re a far cry from the relics you’re used to. Not only does this Minolta MN673 Mini LCD Projector look completely modern and sleek, but it also projects video and other media in crisp 1080p.

Our predictions for Apple’s big ‘Spring Loaded’ event [Cult of Mac Magazine 379]

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Apple Spring Loaded event predictions: Let's bust out the crystal ball.
Let's bust out the crystal ball.
Cover: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

As you might expect, we can’t wait to see what new gear Apple unleashes next Tuesday.

If you don’t mind spoiling the surprises, take a look at our predictions about what will bounce out of Cupertino’s magic pipeline during the “Spring Loaded” event.

However, if you’d rather skip the spoilers and spend your weekend watching astonishing animals, check out our reviews of the totally binge-worthy new season of Tiny World and the other new nature shows that just arrived on Apple TV+ for your Earth Day enjoyment.

Get up to speed with our iOS publication, Cult of Mac Magazine. Download the app for free to read on your iOS device, or get the links below.

Google Stadia makes iPad gaming competitive with top consoles [Review]

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Google Stadia on iPad review
With Google Stadia, your iPad can run console-quality games.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Google Stadia could be the answer for anyone who wants to play console-quality games on an iPad. There are many big-name titles to choose from, and players can use off-the-shelf game controllers. This is cloud gaming — everything is played online so the service doesn’t take up space on your iPad.

I spent quite a bit of time playing Stadia games on an Apple tablet. Here’s why I recommend it.

Last chance! Enter to win a $200 MacBook Folio from Woolnut [Cult of Mac giveaway]

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Woolnut MacBook Folio giveaway: A European delight: Scandinavian leather outside, German felted wool inside.
A European delight: Scandinavian leather outside, German felted wool inside.
Photo: Woolnut

This week, Cult of Mac is giving away four beautiful, protective MacBook folios from our friends at Woolnut. Retailing at $196, Woolnut’s Folio is constructed from high-quality Scandinavian leather and German natural wool felt. The luxurious case is tailor-made to fit the MacBook like a glove.

If you want to protect your pricey MacBook, be sure to enter this giveaway.

Eliminate annoying ads and stay safe online with this all-in-one privacy filter

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Privacy
This devices extends private internet access to all your devices.
Photo: Winston

Life can be really complicated — and protecting your internet connection doesn’t seem to be exempt from that. From fiddling around with complex VPN settings to keeping a watchful eye out for scammers, it can be difficult just to focus on your own productivity or watch some of your favorite videos in your downtime.

If you’re looking for a simple but highly effective solution to protect your internet connection and drown out the noise of advertising, look no further than the Winston Privacy Filter.

Why we might see first M1 iMacs at Apple’s April 20 event

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Apple plans the 2021 iMac redesign we’ve been dreaming of
The 2021 iMac could dump the huge screen bezels of the current version. And move to Apple Silicon.
Concept: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Trusted tipster Mark Gurman says the 2021 iMac all-in-one desktop might be the next to get the M1 processor. The announcement could be only a few days away.

And that’s only the beginning. There’s plenty more evidence that an upgraded iMac will launch at Apple’s April 20 event.

For All Mankind might reignite the Cold War … in space! [Apple TV+ review]

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For All Mankind review of
This show might be tense in another time line.
Photo: Apple TV+

This week on For All Mankind, Russians are blockading the moon and Ed Baldwin’s going up to set ’em straight. Can old-fashioned American ingenuity prevent the reignition of the Cold War?

Be honest, are you even watching Apple TV+’s alt-history space race show?

Tiny World is the nature doc you should be binging [Apple TV+ review]

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Tiny World is back and as cute as ever
The astonishing docuseries about Earth's tiniest inhabitants is back and as cute as ever.
Photo: Apple TV+

Two of Apple TV’s big nature shows just returned back for their second seasons mere months after they debuted. Tiny World is the cuter of the two. Its micro look at a macro world remains charming, cute and sometimes despairing and gross, but never so much you couldn’t show it to kids.

Earth at Night in Color’s stunning imagery will render you speechless [Apple TV+ review]

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Earth at Night in Color
Season 2 of Apple's nighttime nature doc delivers amazing new delights.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ docuseries Earth at Night in Color delivers a fresh batch of majestic nighttime sights, cruel natural phenomena and fascinating perspectives in its second season, which premieres today. The show didn’t quite reinvent the nature documentary wheel, but it still offers a welcome retreat from the horrors of 2021.

Elago MagSafe-compatible charging tray beautifully organizes your desk [Review]

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Elago Charging Tray for MagSafe review
Combine the Elago Charging Tray with an Apple MagSafe puck for an organized desk or nightstand.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Slip an Apple MagSafe puck into the Elago Charging Tray to create an iPhone 12 charger with a built-in tray. The combination quickly powers up your handset while also helping to organize your desk or nightstand.

The accessory has been beside my bed for several weeks. Here’s why I like it.

Two ‘trash can’ Macs form core of nerdy workstation built to last [Setups]

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Those two
Those two "trash cans" at upper left prove core to this setup.
Photo: XTJ7@Reddit

Redditor XTJ7, a programmer and photographer based in Germany, knows how to make a setup last and do just what he needs it to do. As his recent post declared, his setup’s core is two “trash can” Mac Pro towers from 2013 plus a racy gaming PC.

Yeah, you heard right: That’s two computers running from 2013 to now. Eight years might as well be a few decades as far as computer performance goes. But he has his reasons to wait on the upgrade.

The Year Earth Changed reveals pandemic’s surprise silver lining [Apple TV+ review]

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David Attenborough and Penguins will teach us about The Year Earth Changed
David Attenborough and penguins teach us about the unexpected positive side effects of the pandemic.
Photo: Apple TV+

A nature special and a cautionary tale, The Year Earth Changed delivers a whole mess of qualified good news that you’re going to wish didn’t come with so many strings attached to it. An engaging, largely drone-shot 45 minutes of TV, the new Apple TV+ documentary about the environmental effects of the COVID-19 pandemic won’t change your life. But it will make you feel slightly better about having just spent the last year indoors.

You can still save $100 on iPad Pro’s Magic Keyboard

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iPad-Pro-Magic-Trackpad
By far the biggest saving so far!
Photo: Apple

Amazon is still offering by far the biggest discount we’ve seen on the brilliant Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro. You can save a whopping $100 on the 11-inch model, which is also compatible with the latest iPad Air.

We don’t expect this discount to last much longer now, so grab it before it’s gone.

Protect your browsing with an exclusive deal on this private VPN

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VPN
Say goodbye to censorship with Private Internet Access VPN.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

The benefits of VPNs never seem to end. Not only do they protect your online connection and secure your information on public Wi-Fi, but they also allow you to access restricted sites based on geographic location. Want better deals on flights abroad, or simply want to watch Netflix content in a different country? VPNs protect your connection so you can access what you want, when you want, anywhere in the world.

That’s what makes this exclusive deal on a two-year subscription to Private Internet Access VPN so appealing. For just $69.99, you can access all the benefits of a top-rated VPN at an unbelievable 72% discount.

Game restriction-free with this PlayStation Plus and VPN bundle

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VPN
Get two great things that work even better together.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Every avid console gamer has been eyeing restocks of the PlayStation 5 for months now. Whether you finally managed to get your hands on one or are still patiently waiting and enjoying your PlayStation 4, you can’t really get the full PlayStation experience without a PlayStation Plus subscription.

This VPN Unlimited Lifetime + PlayStation Plus One-Year Subscription Bundle not only gives you access to new games and a huge online community of players. You’ll also get some reassurance that you’re gaming safely with a lifetime subscription to VPN Unlimited.

Apple Fitness+ reaches out to pregnant women, older adults, beginners

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Apple Fitness+ is adding several new workout categories on April 19: Workouts for Pregnancy, Workouts for Older Adults, and Workouts for Beginners.
Apple Fitness+ is adding several new workout categories on April 19.
Photo: Apple

Apple Fitness+ will introduce new workouts geared specifically toward pregnant women and older adults next week, the company said Thursday. There will also be new Yoga, High Intensity Interval Training and Strength workouts for beginners coming soon to Apple’s subscription fitness service.

Get a lifetime subscription to this AI-powered language app for less than $100

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language
This conversation-focused app will get you speaking Spanish on day one.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

One of the best things you can do for yourself is to learn a new language. It obviously opens up a whole new world of opportunities, whether for living in a new place or working in an expanded capacity. However, it also can improve your problem-solving and cognition to help you ace your next interview.

As of 2019, 7.6% of the world’s population speaks Spanish. And the language is studied by almost 22 million people in 110 countries. You can get in on the Spanish-speaking action with this Jumpspeak Language App: Lifetime Subscription. Or opt for a one-year Jumpspeak subscription. Either one will help you learn Spanish in an intuitive way that will have you speaking in no time.

This app uses automation to create brilliant, eye-catching designs

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design
You don't need your own design team to create effective marketing materials.
Photo: RelayThat

Is your small business in need of a rebrand? Critical elements of design, like an eye-catching logo and professional-looking digital assets, are essential to your success. But as any budding entrepreneur knows, design can be expensive and time-consuming.

If you’re working with a limited budget but still require stunning materials, a lifetime subscription to the RelayThat Design App could be just what you need. It uses automation to help you develop incredibly creative marketing quickly and easily.

Active 2.0 band makes Apple Watch the perfect workout partner

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Active 2.0 band for Apple Watch
Comfortable, durable, good-looking.
Photo: Laut

Apple Watch can be the perfect workout partner, but only if it’s comfortable to wear during even the most strenuous activities. That’s why Laut designed the ultra-comfortable Active 2.0 sports band.

Made from a bespoke rubber compound developed specifically for active lifestyles, the Active 2.0 is lightweight, incredibly durable, and feels great no matter what you get up to. It’s also sweat-resistant.

Get yours in one of a number of vibrant color options for under $30.

Mac mini M1 forces 2020 MacBook Pro into early retirement [Setups]

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Two smart monitors with matching light bars easily run off a Mac mini M1.
Two smart monitors with matching light bars easily run off a Mac mini M1.
Photo: TimTheEnchanterz@Reddit

You see it every year. Accomplished, vibrant computers that still have a lot to offer are cast aside in favor of hard-charging young upstarts more than willing to take somebody’s job.

In the case of React developer TimTheEnchanterz (on Reddit), a MacBook Pro from just last year lost its job to a bright new Mac mini M1 boasting 16GB of unified memory and effortless connection to two external displays.

Such a shame. It’s not clear from the post, but the poor 2020 MBP probably had to shuffle off in search of a new taskmaster on r/hardwareswap, eBay or — say it ain’t so — Craigslist.

Get 3 apps and subscriptions, including a year of PlayStation Plus, for $69

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Playstation Plus
This heavily discounted bundle gives you entertainment, learning and security.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Sony fans know that one year of Playstation Plus costs $59.99. But what if you could get that and a lifetime of e-learning and VPN protection for an additional $9?

That’s right: For just $69, you can score a year of Playstation Plus, a lifetime subscription to StackSkills Unlimited, and a lifetime subscription to KeepSolid VPN for up to five devices. With these three subscriptions, you can play, learn and safely surf the web for an unbelievable 96% discount.

This silicone case ‘fixes’ Apple TV’s accursed Siri Remote [Review]

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With the Elago R4 Retro silicone case, you can say goodbye to losing your Apple TV Siri Remote.
Say goodbye to losing your Apple TV Siri Remote.
Photo: Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac

In pictures, the Apple TV’s sleek Siri Remote looks like a total winner. In practice, it’s a bit of a disaster. Luckily, the fix is in: Elago’s inexpensive R4 Retro case makes the Siri Remote easier to use and harder to lose.

Plus, the silicone sleeve looks sporty and provides some protection to the surprisingly fragile Apple TV remote.