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How to watch Apple’s ‘One More Thing’ event almost anywhere

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Apple one more thing event
Get ready for kickoff at 10 a.m. Pacific.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s next big keynote of 2020 is less than a couple of hours away. We expect the “One more thing” event to bring the first Macs powered by Apple Silicon, new AirPods Studio headphones, and more.

When the keynote kicks off at 10 a.m. Pacific, you’ll be able to watch it live online from almost anywhere. We’ll tell you how.

Score a super-fast laptop power bank and other great charging accessories

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Universal USB-C Fast Charging Laptop PowerBank (1)
Keep all your portable gear humming with a trio of sleek, durable and powerful charging solutions.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Whether you’re packing a bug-out bag or just trying to keep your family’s gear running on a road trip, we’ve got the juice you’re looking for. Below you’ll find three awesome charging solutions for all your digital devices.

Apple Silicon is one of the biggest risks the Mac-maker has ever taken

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A MacBook with Apple Silicon could be out in 2020.
A MacBook with an Apple A14 processor needs to be slim and powerful. If it’s not, Apple could get a black eye.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Switching Macs from Intel chips to ones Apple designs itself is enormously risky. True, macOS computers will be better than ever … if the transition goes right. But if the first Macs running on Apple Silicon — which are expected to be revealed Tuesday — turn into a debacle, it could seriously hurt Cupertino.

Here are some of the ways moving Mac to Apple processors might go off the rails.

Mophie’s massive mat charges 4 devices at once [Review]

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The Mophie 4-in-1 Wireless Charging Mat has room for 3 iPhones.
Mophie 4-in-1 Wireless Charging Mat has room for multiple iPhones, AirPods and more.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Mophie 4-in-1 Wireless Charging Mat is for households with lots of devices that need power. It can handle multiple iPhones and AirPods cases simultaneously, and it designed to make correctly aligning them easy. And there’s even an option for Apple Watch.

I put this multi-device charger to the test. Here’s how it stood up to regular use.

How to use Intercom on HomePod, iPhone, AirPods and more

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How to use Intercom
Intercom is on its way. Here's all you need to know.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

Apple’s new Intercom feature lets you use HomePods to send short audio messages to almost anyone with an Apple device. While Apple showcased Intercom when unveiling the upcoming HomePod mini smart speaker, the feature also works with the regular HomePod as well as iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and more.

If you a HomePod, and you’ve updated it (and your other Apple devices) with the latest software, you can use Intercom to communicate with your family or housemates in new ways.

Save $50 on Powerbeats Pro, $70 on Beats Solo Pro for a limited time

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Powerbeats-Pro
Bag yours for under $180 before this discount disappears.
Photo: Apple

Amazon is again offering some terrific discounts on the newest Beats headphones. You can save up to $119.96 on Beats Solo Pro, $50 on Powerbeats Pro, and $20 on brand-new Powerbeats for a limited time only.

There’s also $30 off Beats Solo3. Enjoy the discounts today before they disappear!

iPhone 12 mini and iPhone 12 Pro Max are amazing, with caveats

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Get the Phone 12 Pro Max and iPhone 12 mini with no extra wait.
That's quite the size discrepancy.
Photo: Apple

The first reviews of the iPhone 12 Pro Max and iPhone 12 mini make both of them sound like winners. However, the two devices — which occupy opposite ends of the size spectrum — also elicit some caveats.

Many of the comments sound the same as earlier first impressions of the iPhone 12 and 12 Pro. But some unique observations apply specifically to Apple’s very large and very small handsets.

Here’s what the early reviewers made of the iPhone 12 Pro Max and iPhone 12 mini.

Keep your Apple Watch ticking with a portable charging keychain

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Apple Watch Wireless Charger Keychain
This pocket-sized 950mAh charger's magnetic ring ⁠keeps your Apple Watch charged anywhere you bring your keys.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

With gear like the Apple Watch, personal tech is getting more and more portable. But at the end of the day, you still need to plug into a wall outlet to stay charged. Not so with this compact wireless charger that’s small enough to carry on your keychain.

Fireball: Visitors From Darker Worlds will fill you with wonder [Apple TV+ review]

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Clive Oppenheimer and Werner Herzog guide us through
Clive Oppenheimer and Werner Herzog guide us through Fireball.
Photo: Apple TV+

Werner Herzog’s latest documentary is truly an all-timer for the Bavarian buddha. Fireball: Visitors From Darker Worlds, a doc about meteors that debuts on Apple TV+ on November 13, looks at no less than the way the heavens speak to us insignificant earthlings.

In traditional Herzog style it’s discursive, loopy and unspeakably beautiful. However much Apple TV+ spent on this film, it was a bargain. Because this is the kind of documentary you’ll want to watch over and over again.

Score a refurbished iPad for a fraction of the original price

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iPad refusrbished
Save massively on four models of refurbished Apple tablets, from iPad 2 to iPad Pro.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

The iPad brought us into a Star Trek reality of slim, sleek tablet computers. After 10 years, Apple tablets still feel futuristic. And with a refurbished model, you can get all the enjoyment at a fraction of the original price.

If you’re looking for an iPad but working with a budget, look no further.

What to watch on Apple TV+ [Cult of Mac Magazine 374]

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Best Apple TV+ shows: Prep your peepers for some stellar Apple TV+ shows.
Prep your peepers for some stellar Apple TV+ shows.
Cover: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

After a bit of a slow start, Apple TV+ has built up a great library of original content. The streaming service just keeps piling on the new shows — and some of them are undeniably great.

You can read our roundup of the best Apple TV+ shows to binge in this week’s issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. It’s free to download, and it’s fun to read on your iPad or iPhone.

Watching any of the shows on our list would be a great way a celebrate the first birthday of Apple TV+. So turn off the election news and stream something exciting this weekend. And brace yourself for next Tuesday’s big Apple event. It should be a doozy.

Apple news

Apple how-tos

Product reviews

Add a high-definition touchscreen to any Mac

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Desklab Portable Touchscreen monitor
Instantly expand your computer, tablet and more with an add-on toucshcreen monitor.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

A second screen can make a huge difference in productivity. For some people, it’s a critical part of their workflow. But even more interesting is the possibility of adding a screen with full touchscreen capabilities, so you can essentially use it as an extra monitor or a tablet.

HomePod mini sells out but you can still get iPhone 12 mini and Pro Max

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Get the Phone 12 Pro Max and iPhone 12 mini with no extra wait.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max is just too big to be comfortable.
Photo: Apple

Good news, procrastinators — Apple still has stock of iPhone 12 Pro Max and iPhone 12 mini eight hours after they went up for preorder Friday. Preorders placed now will still arrive on the first day of availability.

But that’s not true of the HomePod mini. This small smart speaker can no longer be preordered for delivery on its launch date.

Apple’s new app ‘nutrition labels’ could be the start of something amazing

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Apple
Soon, iOS apps must reveal exactly what they're doing with your data.
Photo: Penn State/Flickr CC

What do you do when you pick up some food in the store, and want to quickly check how good or bad it is for you? You glance at the nutrition label, of course.

Throughout the last century, mandated labels on food forced manufacturers to reveal more and more information about the contents of their products — and their effects on people who consume them. Now Apple is bringing that same level of insight to apps in the App Store.

It’s about time!

As apps become ever more central to our lives — with increasing access to our most sensitive personal data — transparency about exactly how developers use that information is becoming more necessary than ever.

Get workout-ready Powerbeats3 earphones at big savings

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Apple PowerBeats
Get long-lasting, workout-ready wireless audio with up to 12 hours of Bluetooth listening on a single charge.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Few pieces of technology are as personal as earbuds, so it’s worth finding the right set. That’s especially true if you like to work out, which makes sweat-resistance and long battery life a must. That’s exactly what Powerbeats3 Wireless Earphones deliver. And we’ve got a great deal on these workout-ready earphones.

iPhone 12 Pro puts premium in your pocket [Review]

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Pacific Blue iPhone 12 Pro on wooden table
The iPhone 12 Pro looks like a piece of jewelry, and offers a ton of powerful features, too,
Photo: Ian Fucs/Cult of Mac

Back in September 2012, Apple released what was arguably the best iPhone, the iPhone 5. It looked beautiful, felt great in hand, and signaled the shift from 3G to LTE.

Now, eight years later, Apple is revisiting that playbook with the iPhone 12 lineup. And after about a week of using the iPhone 12 Pro, and putting it to the test on my family’s vacation to Disney World, I think I can safely say this is both my new favorite iPhone, and possibly the new best iPhone of all time.

iPhone 12 Pro review

Mujjo makes the standout iPhone 12 leather wallet case [Review]

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Mujjo Full Leather Wallet Case for iPhone 12 review
Mujjo’s leather wallet case manages to appear both professional and elegant.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Mujjo Full Leather Wallet Case for iPhone 12 protects your valuable handset and gives you a place to carry your credit cards and driver’s license. Plus, it looks amazing while doing so.

Here’s why I love this case after using it for several weeks.

iPhone 12 Pro blows away Galaxy Note 20 Ultra in real-world speed test

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An iPhone 12 Pro speed test against Galaxy Note 20 Ultra was no contest.
There’s no doubt which handset is faster, iPhone 12 Pro or Galaxy Note 20 Ultra.
Photo: PhoneBuff

The new iPhone 12 Pro takes the crown as the fastest smartphone. It significantly beat the Samsung Galaxy Note 20 Ultra in a speed test designed to evaluate real-world use.

Apple’s new processor and additional RAM helped push its handset over the top.

First iPads with mini-LED displays will be a feast for the eyes

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2020 iPad Pro with Apple Pencil
The first mini-LED iPad should look amazing.
Photo: Apple

Evidence continues to grow that 2021 will bring an iPad with mini-LED, a type of display that will make the tablet look noticeably better than Apple’s current models.

An unconfirmed report says LG Display will supply this cutting-edge screen to Apple, with production supposedly begining before the end of 2020. Earlier leaks indicated this will go into an iPad Pro that’ll debut in the first half of 2021.

Make every photo pop with powerful, intuitive editing tools

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Photo Effect Studio Pro for Mac: This easy-to-use photo editor will make your pictures shine.
This easy-to-use photo editor will make your pictures shine.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

These days, a good camera is as easy to find as the phone in your pocket. But getting good photos takes more than that. To make an image stand out, you need to edit it.

That can be time-consuming and confusing, but this software makes it a cinch.

iPhone 5c may be officially ‘vintage,’ but its mission is still very much alive

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iphone5c
The 'flop' that really wasn't.
Photo: Apple

The iPhone 5c is officially considered “vintage” by Apple. While that term might summon images of hipster retro chic, it means that iPhone 5c owners can still get support from Apple, but only “subject to availability of inventory.”

That puts the divisive device one step closer to joining Apple’s “obsolete” list, at which point the company will no longer service it. But while the 2013-era iPhone 5c may be reaching the end of the line, its mission remains very present at Apple.

In fact, it’s much more significant than many remember. A budget device that packed many top-of-the-line features — and introduced the concept of launching multiple iPhones in a year — the humble iPhone 5c changed the course of Apple smartphones.