Top stories - page 249

One of the irritating things about many wireless chargers is that despite cutting out the bulkiness of a cord or clunky wall unit, they wind up being heavy, cumbersome or ineffective at charging. What’s the point of having a wireless charger if it can’t work the way you intended it to? Luckily, this Dual Magnetic Wireless Charger is powerful yet sleek enough to make the perfect companion to your Apple devices. And it’s especially useful if you grabbed the latest iPhone or use AirPods Pro.

When it comes to protecting your precious iPhone, you may choose not to cheapen its premium design with tacky plastics and subpar silicone. You may instead choose to wrap it in the luscious leather it deserves.

Olpr can help. Its high-end, handmade iPhone 12 case is made almost entirely from genuine leather that’s combined with a microfiber lining. The end result offers impressive protection and sweet sophistication.

Oh, it’s also more affordable than Apple’s own Leather Case for iPhone.

Hidden in Tuesday’s invite to the Apple April event is an augmented reality easter egg. It’s part of the company’s ongoing move to draw more attention to AR.

The graphic for the event invite is the Apple logo made out of a swirling line. iPhone and iPad users can transfer that design to the real 3D world, and put it in motion.

The next Apple product-release event will happen April 20. Invites went out Tuesday morning for the virtual “Spring Loaded” event, just hours after Siri leaked the date.

Naturally, Apple didn’t announce what’s on the agenda. But rumors point to multiple new iPads, as well as the possibility of next-gen AirPods, a faster Apple TV and the long-awaited debut of AirTags item trackers.

AirPods are convenient for a number of reasons: They’re small, sleek and easy to move around with, making them perfect for everything from morning runs to important conference calls. But there is one problem with these nifty wireless earbuds. Because there’s no wired connection, they’ll need to be sufficiently charged at all times.

That’s what makes this 10,000mAh ChargeWorx power bank even more convenient than wireless earbuds. It can charge your smartphone and AirPods at the same time. Available in sizes for regular AirPods and AirPods Pro, this multitasking power bank can power you through outdoor adventures all summer long for the incredibly low price of $41.99.

Siri may have just revealed the date for Apple’s rumored April event. According the voice assistant, Apple’s next event will take place one week from now on April 20.

This is likely to be the event at which Apple debuts its next-gen iPad Pro, the eagerly anticipated AirTags item trackers and a new iPad mini.

There are so many external batteries that it’s hard to stand out from the pack, but the Intelli ScoutPro manages it easily. There’s magnetic wireless Apple Watch and iPhone chargers. Plus the dual USB-C ports can output up to 100 watts each. All told, the accessory can hold up to 24,000mAh and handle up to 240 watt.

I put this power bank through its paces, testing all the ways it can recharge Apple devices. Here’s how it stood up.

With the steady rise of hackers, trackers and big businesses vying for your data, virtual private networks are becoming as necessary as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi connections. That’s how important it is to protect your data and surf the web freely in the modern digital age.

So getting full VPN protection for the next decade at a fraction of the regular price is a must for the savvy internet surfer. That’s what makes this limited-time deal from VPN.asia such a steal. For a limited time, you can purchase a 10-year subscription to VPN.asia at a 92% discount.

The pandemic continues to drive up demand for notebooks and desktops, and Mac shipments saw a triple-digit annual increase in Q1 2021 according to a market research firm. Apple also almost certainly also benefitted from the release of the first M-series computers near the end of 2020.

Web developer LincHayes recently showed off the M1 Mac mini-and-PC-based setup he put together to restart a live tech support business and do some podcasting. It did not fail to impress lots of folks on Reddit.

After all, this is LincHayes’ first time as a Mac owner. And a lot of people relate to running both Macs and PCs in a complex, multifunctional setup with a lot of moving parts.

If the internet has taught us anything, it’s that you don’t need a fancy, expensive setup to create beautiful, professional-looking videos and photos. But at the very least, you do need to have the right equipment to create high-quality content.

And the first place you can start is making sure you have a combination of the right techniques, proper lighting and the best tools to support your recording device.

It’s Sunday, and you’re staring at your computer. What’s it gonna be? Work or fun?

Some of the new and upgraded apps in this week’s roundup put an array of clever tools at your disposal if you’re feeling productive. You can free up space on your Mac’s hard drive, download YouTube videos or give your Home app a makeover.

Others focus on fun. They give you new ways to flex your creativity and stay entertained — and maybe even get paid while doing so. Time to dig in!

If you use Apple devices, you might wonder why you would need another cloud storage service. After all, you’re probably already familiar with iCloud, which syncs your photos and music across your devices.

But Apple’s service does come with its own annoyances. For example, there’s no automatic deletion of the photos you choose to get rid of. If you’re looking for the best comprehensive, unlimited cloud storage solution for all your files, look no further than this G Cloud Mobile Backup Unlimited Storage Plan.

Have you ever spent hours scouring YouTube for an accurate instrumental or vocal track from your favorite song? If the answer is yes, you know just how difficult it can be to find a particular isolated track.

EasySplitter is the perfect solution to this problem. The app (iOS or Android) seamlessly splits the vocals and instrumentals from any recorded song. Valued at nearly $600, a lifetime subscription to EasySplitter Pro is now available for just $39.99. That’s a small price to pay for a lifetime of remix freedom.

Adding dozens of new games is great and all, but embracing the past might be the smartest move Apple Arcade made this month.

Now Apple’s subscription gaming service includes two new categories — Timeless Classics and App Store Greats — that showcase just how fantastically fun mobile gaming can be.

The expansion is a real boon for casual gamers who might be more into sudoku than an arty indie game they’ve never heard of. And it makes Apple Arcade’s $4.99-a-month subscription look like an unbeatable deal.

If you haven’t tried Apple Arcade, now might be the time to take the plunge. And if you haven’t checked out Apple One subscription bundles — all of which include Apple Arcade — you might be missing out some real savings.

Read all about Apple Arcade’s power play (and get the rest of the week’s top Apple news) in Cult of Mac Magazine. Download the free app to read on your iOS device, or get the links below.

A Senate subcommittee wants to ask Google and Apple antitrust-related questions about their software stores, but the iPhone-maker reportedly turned down a request to testify.

Apple told Senators it could not do so because of ongoing litigation. That’s probably a reference to the Epic Games v. Apple lawsuit currently in the pre-trial phase.

In this week’s episode, Apple TV+’s alternate-history space show For All Mankind finally gets to the big, violent “what if?” it’s been building to all season. Is it too late to make any of the fireworks they’ve seen saving go off in spectacular enough fashion to save a dreary second season?

The answer … will not shock you.

This week, Cult of Mac is giving away two snazzy iPhone 12 cases from our friends at Mujjo. You get a chance to win either a leather wallet case or a slim profile case in your choice of color.

Mujjo’s leather cases are among the best iPhone cases we’ve reviewed here at Cult of Mac.

If your iPhone needs a spring makeover, be sure to enter this giveaway.

Apple will charge you a heck of a lot for a piece of silicone you can slap on the back of your iPhone. And you can get silicone cases almost just as good for a fraction of the price. Elago’s premium MagSafe Silicone case for iPhone 12 is just $21.99 — and it’s absolutely terrific.

Its hybrid design makes for a robust but slim skin that superbly fits your iPhone, and protects it from scratches and scrapes. It’s available in a number of pretty color options, and it’s well worth your cash.

Redditor franklinrockz makes no bones about the minimalist setup he bought with lockdown savings for online classes, calling it “pretty basic” and “nothing fancy.” But it gets the job done and looks good doing it.

A testament to that are the three dozen comments his post had by day two online. Lots of folks liked what franklinrockz did with the workstation and wanted to know about its components.

On average, Americans view their smartphones up to 52 times a day, whether we’re scrolling on Instagram, working a side gig or texting a friend.

The more we use our phones, the more we need to charge them. And if you want to keep your iPhone battery full on the go, you’ll need a reliable charger that can easily fit in your backpack or purse. That’s where the BackPack Magnetic 5,000mAh Power Bank comes in. Made with extra-strength magnets, this power bank locks safely to the back of your phone.

Broken one of the physical buttons on your iPhone or iPad? That won’t prevent you from shutting it down completely. This simple trick allows you to turn off your iPhone or iPad from within iOS in just a few steps.

We’ll show you how.

There are plenty of things to love about having different devices for different needs. Your iPhone keeps you connected. Your Apple Watch helps you achieve your fitness goals. And your AirPods keep you focused while you work.

The problem with having so many devices is that it means just as many cables or charging pads to keep them fully juiced. If you want to avoid the mess of cable clutter on your desk or nightstand, but still have all your favorite devices conveniently nearby, try this inexpensive Trio 3-in-1 Aluminum Desktop Charging Stand.

Say goodbye to plugging in Lightning cables with the Aukey Aircore 15W. Touch this wireless charger to the back of an iPhone 12 and it’ll cling there, juicing up the battery.

I tested this low-cost accessory in real-world conditions. Here how it handled.

New app HomePaper for HomeKit lets you quickly customize the look of Apple’s notoriously bland-looking Home app — with zero hassles.

With the app, you simply select a photo from your iPhone or iPad camera or take a new one. Then you can quickly adjust the color(s) and make your own customized wallpaper for the Home app. There’s no fussing around with a complicated image editor or painstaking resizing required.

Here’s how to use HomePaper, which runs on iPhone and iPad, to give your Home app the remodel it deserves.