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Top stories - page 337

How to disinfect your Mac, iPhone, mouse, trackpad, keyboard and cases

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Disinfect your gadgets with DIY alcohol wipes.
Disinfect your gadgets with DIY alcohol wipes.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Apple has a long support page of links and tips, dedicated to keeping your devices clean and shiny. But what about keeping them germ-free? Even if you only ever use your iMac’s keyboard at home, you probably transferred plenty of unwanted organisms onto it before you started washing your hands properly.

As for your iPhone, it’s probably dirtier than a music-festival toilet. And your AirPods, which you keep touching with your dirty hands all day long? I feel nauseated just thinking about it.

So, how do you keep all this stuff sanitary? It’s easy, even if your local store has run out of disinfectant wipes due to panic buying induced by fears about the COVID-19 virus.

Critics call Apple TV+ movie The Banker ‘emotionally satisfying’ but ‘staid’

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Apple TV will debut “The Banker” later this month.
Nicholas Hoult, Samuel L. Jackson and Anthony Mackie often drew praise for their work in The Banker.
Photo: Apple

Reviews for Apple’s The Banker are generally positive, but some critics had some harsher comments about this portrayal of black entrepreneurs tricking racist white businessmen during the Jim Crow era.

This movie will hit the Apple TV+ service later this month.

New entry-level AirPods could hit store shelves this summer

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AirPods-Pro-vs-AirPods
AirPods Pro Lite might look like Apple’s high-end wireless earbuds, or the basic AirPods.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Apple’s next AirPods go into production very soon, according to an unconfirmed report coming out of Asia. These are the wireless headphones that are typically referred to as AirPods Pro Lite, though they are unlikely to have that name when released.

COVID-19 virus means tough decisions about WWDC and rumored Apple keynote

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Apple faces tough decisions about a potential March product event and WWDC 2020 as COVID-19 virus spreads.
Apple faces tough decisions about a potential March product event and WWDC 2020.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

With COVID-19 spreading in the San Francisco Bay Area, and at least one upcoming event at a critical planning stage for the high-tech giant, Apple must make some tough decisions about how to proceed, according to conference experts contacted by Cult of Mac.

Apple faces mounting pressure to decide whether to cancel, delay or change the format of its annual Worldwide Developers Conference, typically held in June. The same holds true, although to a lesser extent, for Apple’s rumored March product keynote.

“There’s a lot to consider for Apple and it won’t be easy,” said Ian McGonnigal, marketing executive with Experiential Executive, who has consulted on conference and convention planning with more than a dozen Fortune 500 companies. “Reputation is a huge challenge here and that’s part of it. Companies don’t want to appear tone-deaf to what’s going on out there.”

Save on Magic Mouse and Keyboard by getting Apple refurbs [Deals]

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Cert Refurb Apple Accessories Main
Get good-as-new Apple gear at a deep discount.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

When it comes to Apple computers, the best accessories are also made by Cupertino. But that means they carry Apple prices, so if you want to get the awesome Magic Mouse or Magic Keyboard — but don’t want to make a mortgage payment to do it — refurbs are the way to go. These certified Apple accessories work just like new; they just cost less.

Low-cost iPhone SE 2 enters final stages of engineering validation

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iphone 8
The iPhone SE 2 will reportedly look a lot like the iPhone 8.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple’s supply chain might be suffering due to the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak, but that isn’t stopping things moving forward for the iPhone SE.

According to a report published Thursday, the new entry level LCD iPhone has entered the final stages of engineering validation in Zhengzhou, China. That’s the stage at which the finalized hardware is tested and validated. Should all go according to plan, it will then undergo design validation and testing, prior to going into mass manufacturing.

How to change your Safari downloads folder on iPhone and iPad

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books
Don't let your iCloud Drive end up looking like this.
Photo: lle dnuor/Unsplash

By default, Safari on iOS downloads all files to a folder in your iCloud. This means you can access those files from all your devices. But it also means those files fill up your iCloud Drive. Worse, every megabyte you download also gets uploaded back to iCloud, doubling your bandwidth usage.

Today we’ll see how to change the location of your Safari downloads folder in iOS 13.

Updated iMac and Mac mini could be right around the corner

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2019 iMac lineup
The 2020 iMac and Mac mini could be out “soon.”
Photo: Apple

A tipster with a nearly perfect record predicts that Apple will soon refresh its iMac and Mac mini lines.

Unfortunately, this source is very light on details. Perhaps this will be the redesign of the iMac many people have been hoping for.

Mailbrew turns Twitter, YouTube and Reddit updates into email newsletters

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mailbrew envelopes
Mailbrew sends the internet to your inbox -- in a good way.
Photo: Diana Akhmetianova/Unsplash

Apparently, people love email newsletters. Perhaps it’s because they are clean and free of annoying ads and endless “related” “content.” Or maybe its because everyone secretly still uses their email inbox as a de facto inbox for everything in their online life. If you are one of these newsletter lovers, then you will be super-stoked to hear about Mailbrew, which gathers up the latest posts and news from your favorite time sinks, and converts them into emails.

Why you shouldn’t skip leg day (and how Apple Watch can help)

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If you want to get in shape, definitely don't skip leg day
Don't skip leg day or you'll regret it.
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

Bodybuilders have given us more than their fair share of memes. Who can forget “sun’s out guns out” or “do you even lift, bro?” and one of the all-time weightlifting classics, “Don’t skip leg day.” But unless you’re a dedicated gym rat, you might be wondering what exactly “leg day” is and why you shouldn’t skip it.

Let’s take a closer look at leg day — and how Apple Watch and various apps can help you build great “wheels” (bodybuilder talk for “legs”).

Save over half on premium Sony headphones [Deals]

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Sony Accessories (Open Box) MAIN
These headphones are out of the box, brand new, and going for about half the new price.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Sony makes some of the best personal audio gear on the market, and it typically boasts a premium price tag to match. We rounded up open-box deals on the best Sony headphones models, so you can save a bunch of money on a great set of new cans. Each one is certified to be in new condition, either in retail packaging or totally repackaged.

Advanced features make latest Mophie power bank a total champ [Review]

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Mophie Powerstation Plus XL Wireless review
It’s a good thing that the Mophie Powerstation Plus XL Wireless is useful, because it’s sure not very attractive.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Mophie Powerstation Plus XL doesn’t just extend the battery life of your iPhone, it also makes recharging your handset a snap. The 8000mAh power bank has an integrated Lightning cable, plus it offers wireless charging.

Mophie has a long history of producing top-tier external batteries. That’s why this one is available from the Apple Store. I test this accessory to see if it lives up to its maker’s reputation for dependability.

How to mark email as junk on your iPhone

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junk mail
The inevitable spam:junk-mail metaphor image
Photo: Pau Casals/Unsplash

Your iPhone’s Mail app is pretty good. It does most of what you need, and you can be sure that it doesn’t steal your email password, or send details from your incoming mail to Apple. There are even a bunch of very powerful smart folders and features hidden in its sidebar. But getting basic stuff done is sometimes awkward, thanks to Apple’s insistence on hiding everything in the name of minimalism.

That includes marking an email as spam. It’s actually easy, but you might not know how to do it. Today we’ll look at three ways to mark email as junk mail.

How to restore a previous version of that Mac document you messed up

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With Time Machine versions, you can recover old versions of Mac documents.
Did you delete an old version of an important Mac document? All is not lost.
Photo: Şahin Sezer Dinçer/Pexels CC

Have you ever ruined an essay by over-editing it? Did you ever mistakenly delete a huge chunk of a report, and not realize it until days later? Maybe you thought you’d saved another copy of that important document, but your Mac seems to have swallowed it. No problem, because your Mac saves versions of your documents as you go, and lets you browse and restore them. And it’s all built in to — yes — Time Machine.

Apple preps 14.1-inch MacBook Pro with mini-LED display

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macbookpro
The smallest MacBook Pro is about to get a big upgrade.
Photo: Apple

Apple plans to make an aggressive push adding mini-LED displays to its products in 2020, according to one of the most reliable Apple analysts in the game.

TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo updated his forecast for Apple’s mini-LED product roadmap Tuesday, saying that the company is working on four more mini-LED products than we originally knew about — including a 14.1-inch MacBook Pro.

Connect devices to the internet with a simple tap [Deals]

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Wifi Porter- NFC-Enabled Device
This Wi-Fi puck connects visitors to the internet with a single tap or scan of their iOS or Android device.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Whether at home or the workplace, connecting a bunch of people to your network can prove annoying. There’s no reason to go hoarse from repeating the password over and over, though. Instead, you can get this wooden puck to make getting online as easy as can be.

iPad Pro gets harder to find as rumored refresh looms

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The screen really is beautiful.
But is it just coronavirus?
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Apple’s newest iPad Pro lineup is becoming harder to obtain as supplies dwindle in stores around the world.

The constraints can be an indication that a big refresh is imminent — as recent rumors have suggested. This time around, however, they could have more to do with the production problems arising as a result of the COVID-19 virus  t.

Bag HomePod for under $200, MacBook Air for $749 [Deals & Steals]

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DS-Mar-2-20
And get Apple's official Clear Case for iPhone 11 at 18% less.
Photos: Apple, Twelve South

Apple’s brilliant HomePod speaker is back to its lowest price yet. Best Buy is matching its big Black Friday discount by slashing $100 off the usual price for a limited time only.

That’s just one of the awesome offers in today’s Deals & Steals roundup. Other highlights include:

Find all these and more in today’s Deals & Steals roundup.

Shortcutify integrates Spotify, Google Maps, Todoist and more into Shortcuts

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Control your smart lighting, your music, and more with Shortcutify.
Control your smart lighting, your music, and more with Shortcutify.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Shortcutify is a free iOS app that lets you use web-based services in your Shortcuts. For instance, it can connect with Spotify, Todoist, AirTable and more, and provides an easy bridge between these services’ complicated APIs and the Shortcuts app on your iPhone or iPad.

If you use any of the supported services, you’re going to totally love Shortcutify. If not? More app integrations are planned for the future.

iPadOS 13.4’s Full Keyboard Access offers incredible touch-free control

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tab key Full Keyboard Access
You will come to love the Tab key with iPadOS 13.4's Full Keyboard Access.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Did you know you can control your iPad using just a keyboard? You can use the arrow keys to move between icons on the Home screen. You can use the arrow keys (again) to scroll lists. And you can even tap and toggle buttons using the space bar. Apple added this capability via iOS 13.4’s new Full Keyboard Access feature, and it’s wild.

How wild? How about offering system-wide, custom keyboard shortcuts for running actual Shortcuts? And that’s just the beginning.

Apple may owe you $25 for throttling your iPhone

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jet black iphone 7 plus
The iPhone 7 is one of the device listed in the settlement.
Photo: Apple

Apple has reportedly reached an agreement to pay up to $500 million to settle a class-action lawsuit in which it was accused of secretly throttling iPhone CPU speeds.

According to Reuters Apple reached a preliminary agreement for the lawsuit on Friday night. U.S. District Judge Edward Davila still has to approve it, but if the settlement goes through, some U.S. iPhone owners could get paid $25 per iPhone that Apple throttle.

If you owned one of these iPhones covered in the lawsuit, a check might be coming your way:

A game-changing Mac Pro just got a lot more affordable [Deals]

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Apple Mac Pro 3.7GHz Quad Core
The 2013 Mac Pro is a classic workstation with a powerful processor and a compact form.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

At the end of 2013, Apple released a completely reimagined Mac Pro. No longer the sleek silver tower we all knew so well, it had become a droid-like black cylinder. It was compact, powerful — and expensive. Like, $4,000 expensive.

If you always wanted to get your hands on a radically redesigned 2013 Mac Pro, but didn’t want to spend all that cash, now’s your chance. Thanks to this deal, you can snap one up for a fraction of its original price.