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Home sick: Snap judgments on new Apple TV+ architecture docuseries [Review]

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Apple TV+ Home review:
Apple's new architecture docuseries is half-inspiring, half-insufferable.
Photo: Apple TV+

Home, the new Apple TV+ docuseries about unconventional structures designed by unorthodox architects, is — surprise, surprise — as much a mixed a bag as anything else on the streaming service.

The nine-episode series, available to watch Friday, provides a window into homes and the ethos, hardship and breakthroughs that lead to their creation. It would be an understatement to say that some episodes prove more interesting than others.

iPhone 12 design secrets supposedly spilled in new drawings

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iphone 12 cad design
Comparing the iPhone 12 with the iPhone 11.
Photo: EverythingApplePro

Want a glimpse at the (possible) new iPhone 12 Pro Max? YouTube channel EverythingApplePro and Max Weinbach have posted what they claim is a leaked design for the new handset, based on supposed CAD drawings.

As expected, they suggest that the new iPhone will borrow design cues from the squared-off, boxier iPad Pro redesign. It also looks set to sport a slightly thinner profile, just 7.4mm thick next to the 8.1mm of the iPhone 11 Pro Max. Oh, and notch-haters might be pleased by the smaller notch on the device.

Check out the video below.

Preorder the 2020 iPhone SE now ahead of its April 24 debut

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2020-iPhone-SE-lineup-hero
Don't miss out on launch day delivery.
Photo: Apple

Apple is now taking preorders for the 2020 iPhone SE ahead of its official debut on April 24. Prices start at just $399 for a 64GB model, making this one of the company’s most affordable smartphones to date.

Go claim yours before those shipping dates slip — and don’t miss some of the preorder deals being offered by some third-party retailers.

Apple CEO tells employees he’s ‘optimistic’ in ‘stressful’ times

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Apple CEO Tim Cook shows off a face shield Apple is making for medical workers.
Apple CEO Tim Cook has been working from home during the COVID-19 crisis. He addressed Apple employees in a virtual town hall today.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

In a virtual meeting with employees on Thursday, Apple CEO Tim Cook admitted that COVID-19 makes for an “uncertain and stressful” time, but he’s optimistic about the future.

Cook hosted Apple-wide meeting that let workers pose questions to Apple’s CEO about the effects COVID-19 is having on the company.

Apple touts 7 reasons why you should upgrade to iPhone SE

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Apple wants older iPhone users to upgrade to iPhone SE
Apple’s “iPhone SE — Why Upgrade” page extols the advantages of the A13 processor.
Screenshot: Apple

Apple wants users of older iPhone models to know the advantages of a new budget iPhone. Its “iPhone SE — Why Upgrade” page describes the multiple ways this just-announced handset is faster, with a longer battery life, a better camera and other improvements.

How to listen to YouTube music in the background on iPhone

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youtube on a phone
There's no need to stare at a screen just to listen to YouTube music.
Photo: Szabo Viktor/Unsplash

Unlike streaming music, which often keeps playing when you switch away from the app or webpage, YouTube playback stops as soon as you leave mobile Safari. This means that using YouTube as a music player is out of the question. Or is it? Can you make YouTube play just the audio, even when you’re not showing the video? You can, and it’s really, really simple.

Apple drops first public iPadOS and iOS 13.4.5 bug-fix betas

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Even the best iPads have bugs
iPadOS and iOS 13.4.5 are all about killing bugs. The public can now beta test this upcoming version.
Photo: Cult of Mac/Pexels CC

More than developers can test iOS 13.4.5 and the iPad equivalent. Starting Thursday, the general public can download a beta version if they’re brave enough to run pre-release software.

Just be aware, these updates are almost entirely about fixing bugs in the iOS and iPadOS versions released March 24, not new features.

How to share a mouse, keyboard and trackpad between iPad and Mac

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iPad, share keyboard, and trackpad
Tap a switch to use your Mac's trackpad and keyboard with your iPad.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Apple’s new Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro — the one with the built-in trackpad — looks amazing. But it costs $350. That’s very pricey for a keyboard. Plus, it’s a keyboard that will only be useful for as long as it can attach to your iPad Pro. That means it might not fit your next tablet if Apple tweaks the iPad Pro design.

Compare that to a USB or Bluetooth keyboard, which will remain compatible with every computer that gets made in the foreseeable future. Toady we’ll see how to share your Mac’s keyboard and mouse or trackpad with your iPad. We’ll also learn how to instantly switch between the two, both with USB and Bluetooth.

No, it’s not as portable as the new Magic Keyboard case, but it’s less messy on your desk. And you will likely have a better keyboard, and a better trackpad.

iPad Pro’s LiDAR Scanner isn’t accurate enough for 3D printing

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Esper is a proof-of-concept app to demonstrate the LiDAR scanner in the 2020 iPad Pro
The LiDAR scanner in the latest iPad makes a 3D map of its area, as demonstrated by Esper from Lux Optics.
Photo: Sebastiaan De With/Lux Optics

The 3D scanner built into the 2020 iPad Pro is intended for augmented-reality applications. Tests by the developers of the Halide camera app found that LiDAR built into this new tablet is well-suited for scanning furniture-size objects, but not anything smaller.

iPhone SE 2 has all the right moves. Catch the discussion on The CultCast

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CultCast 436: This week we talk iPhone SE 2, HomePod and the AirPower charging mat, resurrected!
This week we talk iPhone SE 2, HomePod and the AirPower charger, resurrected!
Photo: @YSR50

This week on The CultCast: iPhone SE 2 is finally here, and the amount of tech packed into this $400 phone is truly remarkable. We’ll tell you everything you need to know. Plus, a new report outlines Apple’s plans for iPhone 12 with 5G, a new mini (and possibly portable) HomePod, and the AirPower mat, resurrected!

Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. Easily create a beautiful website all by yourself, at Squarespace.com/cultcast. Use offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

During coronavirus quarantine, Apple Watch is some people’s best fitness friend

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Apple Watch helps people like Sune Holt stay fit during COVID-19 chaos.
Stuck in quarantine? Apple Watch can help you stay active.
Photo: Sune Holt

Even people who never realized Apple Watch’s awesome motivational power are standing up and testifying: The device helps get your butt up off the couch during the coronavirus quarantine.

“It’s fantastic that a gadget was the thing I needed to get myself in shape again,” said Sune Holt, an Apple Watch wearer from Denmark. “In November, I feared I wasted my money. Now it’s the best investment in a lifetime.”

Apple’s first iPad with Mini LED display pushed back to 2021

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2020 iPad Pro builds on the 2018 model.
This will be Apple's next-gen iPad Pro.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The iPhone 12 may be proceeding as scheduled, but not every Apple product in development is proceeding in a timely manner. According to a new research note from Hong Kong analyst Jeff Pu, sent Thursday, the forthcoming Mini LED iPad could be pushed back to early 2021.

A previous rumor suggested it would arrive later this year. Pu doesn’t give any explanation for the delay in his note, which was seen by Cult of Mac. However, it could relate to the continued disruption in Apple’s supply chain, which is only now starting to get back on track following the effects of the coronavirus pandemic in China.

Stuck at home? Time to start a podcast [Deals]

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The Start-to-Finish Guide to Launching a Successful Podcast Bundle
Learn the tools, techniques, and concepts you need to make a quality podcast from anywhere.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Even before the pandemic, podcasting showed that great content can come from anywhere, even your living room. So if you’re twiddling your thumbs, use them to press record and get your thoughts out to the world. This massive bundle of lessons will show you how to do it right.

Apple over-ear headphones with interchangeable parts coming ‘later this year’

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Beats-Studio3-sand-dune
But COVID-19 could spoil that plan.
Photo: Apple

Apple will deliver its new over-ear headphones, with interchangeable ear pads and other parts, “later this year,” claims a Thursday report from Bloomberg.

The company is said to be working on at least two variations of the product, including one “premium version” and another focused on fitness with a lighter design. Like AirPods Pro, they will be wireless with active noise-cancellation.

Chinese carrier reveals RAM and battery spec of 2020 iPhone SE

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iphone.se.image.1
Apple announced its new handsets yesterday.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s technical specification webpage spills many of the details about the new iPhone SE, announced Wednesday. But there are some details that Apple hasn’t shared — with two of them being the RAM and battery capacity for its new device.

Thanks to a listing on China Telecom’s website, however, we may have some answers.

How Apple made the 2020 iPhone SE so cheap

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2020 iPhone SE supports all Apple services.
The 2020 iPhone SE isn’t stripped to the bone, but Apple cut some corners to get its low price.
Photo: Apple

The 2020 iPhone SE costs just $399. That makes it one of the cheapest iOS handsets ever, equaled only by the original model. But to get this price, Apple had to make some compromises. It’s important to be aware of what they are.

Why the 2020 iPhone SE is the perfect iPhone for a rotten time

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Pandemic iPhone: The 2020 iPhone SE seems perfect for the times.
The 2020 iPhone SE seems perfect for the times.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Talk about good timing. Apple unleashed its new budget-priced iPhone SE successor Wednesday, smack in the middle of a worldwide health crisis that’s wreaking havoc on health care, economies and behavioral norms.

With flagship-level specs packed into a familiar design — and priced at just $399 — the 2020 iPhone SE is the perfect iPhone for the current pandemic. It delivers tons of features we can all use during this rotten time, with a price tag that’s totally appropriate.

AirPods Pro replacement ear tips finally for sale on Apple.com

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Demand could far exceed supply for AirPods this holidays
Getting AirPods Pro replacement ear tips is now as simple as visiting the Apple Store.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Getting replacement ear tips for AirPods Pro just got whole lot easier. On Wednesday, these went up for sale on the Apple Store, and can be ordered like any other product.

That’s far easier than getting these used to be.

Service Station app customizes your Mac’s right-click menu

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Service Station
Service Station should be on every Mac.
Photo: Knurling Group

Service Station is the Mac app I didn’t know I was waiting for. It lets you customize the Finder’s right-click contextual menu to put essential functions just a click away. It’s also from the Mac App Store, and uses the official Finder Extension framework, so you don’t need to worry about running some weird hack on your machine.

Unfortunately, it only runs on macOS 10.14.4 or later, so I can’t use it on my old iMac. (That’s a sad-face emoji right there.)

Flick on your iPad’s keyboard to type numbers and symbols

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wooden hand on yellow background keyboard flicks
Flick your keyboard.
Photo: Charles Deluvio/Unsplash

One of the disadvantages of smaller iPads’ software keyboard is the lack of a numbers row. The 13-inch iPad displays a full keyboard with a numbers row and separate Caps Lock and Tab keys. But to type numbers on smaller iPads — the 10.5- and 11-inch models, and the mini — you first hit the symbol/number shift key to convert the top row of letter into numbers.

It’s a minor inconvenience, but if you do a lot of number entry on your iPad, then it becomes a major usability problem. The good news is that there’s an excellent workaround: keyboard flicks.

2020 Powerbeats Pro may have scored FCC approval

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This might be the 2020 Powerbeats Pro next to the 2019 one
2020 Powerbeats Pro look familiar in FCC filings.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Apple got approval to release a pair of “totally wireless high-performance earphones” from the Federal Communications Commission on Wednesday. But the company didn’t release this product, so exactly what they’ll offer is a mystery.

That said, information buried in the FCC filing shows these will be very similar to last year’s Powerbeats Pro. They might be the successor.

iPhone SE camera delivers flagship powers at budget price

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iphone-se
The new iPhone SE offers plenty of camera.
Photo: Apple

A serious photographer happily pays more money for the beefed-up camera specs we’ve come to expect from a flagship iPhone.

But Apple on Wednesday gave iPhone fans a camera spec list once reserved for its more expensive flagship handsets at a thrifty $399.

2020 iPhone SE vs. iPhone 8: Time to upgrade?

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iPhone-SE-vs
It's a big improvement over your iPhone 8.
Image: Cult of Mac

The 2020 iPhone SE is out and, as expected, it looks a whole lot like the iPhone 8 in terms of design. But beneath the recognizable exterior of Apple’s handsome new handset are some nifty new features and internals.

Is it worth the upgrade if you’ve been clinging onto a several-years old iPhone? Here’s our initial (as far as spec details will allow) comparison.

2020 iPhone SE combines a familiar face with new technology for $399

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iphone.se.image.1
The 2020 iPhone SE has finally landed after a lengthy wait.
Photo: Apple

Apple on Wednesday unveiled its long-awaited iPhone SE refresh for 2020. The latest model packs new technologies, including an A13 Bionic chip, into a form factor that’s familiar to any iPhone fan.

The new iPhone SE also offers up to 256GB of storage, Touch ID, and wireless charging. You can order yours from Friday, April 17, starting at $399. It makes its official debut on Friday, April 24.