This week we check out music app alternative Soor, share audio with Riffr, discover new podcasts with Castro, and lots more.
Another week, another roundup of awesome deals on gear and gadgets. This round, we’ve got a truly attractive AirPods alternative, a powerful tool for blocking unwanted calls and texts, the ultimate time-management platform, and a set of camera lenses for your iPhone.
Snag one or all — at hefty discounts!
Details leaking out about the next iPad indicate that this will be an evolutionary, rather than a revolutionary, device.
So far, it looks like Apple’s 2019 mid-size, budget tablet will have quite a bit in common with the 2018 iteration.
What keeps you locked into the Apple ecosystem? These killer features and services have us totally hooked on the iPhone. Honestly, we couldn’t quit Apple if we tried.
You’ll get our sober rundown of all the things we couldn’t live without if we switched to Android, plus the week’s best news, how-tos and reviews, in this week’s Cult of Mac Magazine. Download your free issue for iOS. Or hit the links below to read the stories in your browser.
Bonus: Scroll down to the “week’s best reviews and recommendations” section for a link to enter our new iPhone XS Max and AirPods giveaway!
One of the surest signs that we’re waltzing into the future is the ability to charge our devices wirelessly. If you’re looking to catch up with the times, we’ve got a pair of wireless chargers you should check out.
One is perfect for the home or office, the other for the car — and both are available at a nice discount.
Over the years, Apple took heavy criticism for employing an offshore supply chain rife with abuse. The company is still stained by the rash of worker suicides in 2010 at Foxconn, its main supplier.
But as Apple’s latest Supplier Responsibility report shows, the company continues to make remarkable strides to improve conditions for workers and the environment.
Yes, this sounds like a joke about the olde worlde CEO who has his secretary print his emails, then transcribe his dictated replies. But printing message threads can be pretty useful. Lawyers, for example, may want a printed record, or a PDF, of a message thread. And even regular humans might appreciate a well-formatted archive of their messages that can be easily searched and marked up.
You still can’t do this on your iDevice. However, thanks to the amazing iMazing Mac app, you can quickly create PDFs of your messages, and even print them. Onto paper.
Sometimes you need to stick to basic black. Maybe your job requires you to have a low profile or wear a uniform. But now it’s the weekend, and it’s time to unleash some personality. One easy way to add some color to your life is to switch up the band for your Apple Watch.
The Cult of Mac Watch Store has several colorful Apple Watch bands available. Aside from the models highlighted below, there’s plenty of bold bands available, so check them out.
It’s not easy to give up your iPhone. Even if you’ve already decided you want to switch to another handset, it’s going to be incredibly difficult to let go. Apple has you locked in. And for some iPhone owners, there is no way out.
That’s because it’s not just your iPhone that you’d be saying goodbye to. Many other apps and services you use every day — some without even thinking about it — make switching to another platform nearly impossible.
Here are all the ways Apple makes it hard to jump ship and switch to Android.
iPhone sales are down, especially in emerging markets. The reason is simple: Apple’s devices cost too darn much. And the solution is equally simple: Apple must make a new budget model. In short, it needs a successor to the iPhone SE to ensure short-term profits as well as long-term viability.
This device has to have a low, low price. Even if that means a phone so bare-bones that most Americans turn up their noses at it.
This week on The CultCast: Samsung has been sending Apple foldable screens… is a folding iPhone on the horizon? Plus: Apple may have quietly fixed MacBook Pro’s ‘stage light’ flaw; Apple prepping products that will “blow you away”; and Tim Cook receives a brand new nick name from none other than Donald J. Trump, and his reaction is legendary.
Our thanks to Shapr for supporting this episode. Whether you are looking for investors, a co-founder, a new job opportunity, or just inspiring conversations, Shapr can connect you to professionals who truly want to share tips and help.
Apple’s long-rumored augmented reality glasses will finally arrive in 2020, according to a trusted analyst.
The first-generation specs reportedly will function strictly as an iPhone accessory. They will depend on Apple’s smartphone for processing, rendering, location services and just about everything else. Mass-production of the Apple AR glasses could start later this year.
Seems like everywhere you go, you see people with the white ear fangs known as AirPods. Don’t expect that to change anytime soon – some analysts expect Apple to ship as many as 80 million earbuds next year, and up to 110 million in 2021.
iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max owners are reporting animation stutters after leaving their handsets idle for around 10 seconds.
The problem, which is most obvious when opening or closing apps and scrolling pages, has reportedly been present for several months now. It persists in the latest iOS 12.2 betas, which suggests Apple hasn’t yet found a fix.
Apple is said to be under pressure to deliver a foldable iPhone that can compete with upcoming devices from the likes of Samsung and Huawei.
Apple “cannot afford to ignore” the foldable phone trend, according to a new report. If the company doesn’t catch up quickly, industry observers warn Cupertino could lose its reputation as being “a leader of innovation.”
If you keep your stuff in Dropbox, it’s easy to grab a link to a file or a folder. Then you can send that link to another person or store it in, say, your to-do list so you can quickly open it with a click. You can even grab the link inside the iOS Files app.
But if you use iCloud, this simple task is no longer simple. In typical Apple style, a clean UI comes at the expense of hiding almost everything behind multiple taps and cryptic pop-up boxes. But all is not lost. You can actually grab a link to any file stored in your iCloud Drive — and use it in any app you please.
You don’t have to be an iron man or iron maiden to prefer some metal in your life, especially around your wrist. There are a lot of choices when it comes to holding your Apple Watch, but maybe you’re not hell-bent for leather or a fan of the Plastic Ono Band. You want a metal band and nothing else matters.
The Cult of Mac Watch Store has several metal Apple Watch bands available, from the affordable ($40 for a Rilee & Lo) to the high-end ($149 for a Juuk). Rush to check out a selection of these metal bands below.
Want to know how fit you really are? Apple Watch provides loads of insightful metrics you could check. So many, in fact, that there is not enough space for them all in the Workout app. Instead, you’ll find much of this crucial data buried away in the Health app on your iPhone.
One of the most interesting is VO2 max, which is basically the ultimate test of your aerobic fitness. If you’re into endurance sports, VO2 max is a metric you’ll want to check out.
Here’s a quick guide to everything you need to know about VO2 max on Apple Watch: What it is, how to use it, and how to improve yours.
Digital photos are one of the most effective and enjoyable forms of content of our time. Want in on the fun? Great, but you might get overwhelmed by the complexity and cost of standard platforms.
If that’s the case, this affordable, intuitive photo editor is worth a look.
You can now play PlayStation 4 games on your iOS device. Sony has finally brought an official Remote Play app to iPhone and iPad, giving gamers the ability to connect to their console and play almost anywhere.
Anyone who wants to do serious research into hacking iPhones needs to get their hands on a “dev-fused” unit — a prototype that can be used to ferret out iOS secrets.
These are used by both malicious hackers and security researchers alike.
Although Apple makes some of the most expensive smartphones, these devices also depreciate in value far less than their rivals.
In other words, iPhones cost more to buy but much less to use.
Scenario: Your divorce papers finally came through, and you can’t wait to sign the things. The trouble is, your spouse already took your office and your home, and you have no way to print or fax the documents. Or perhaps you need to stick your autograph on some other document, but all you have is your iPhone or iPad.
No worries. With recent versions of iOS, it’s easier than ever to sign a PDF form and return it to the sender. In fact, you don’t even need to leave the Mail app to do it. If you’re looking for a PDF converter iPhone users can rely on, check out this guide for more details.
Buying a refurbished iPhone is a great way to save a pretty penny, and now there’s another reason why you should consider avoiding the Apple Store.
One French company is selling rebuilt models that have been painted in pretty colors as part of its “Better Then Refurbished” program. They’re gorgeous, and they cost a lot less.
Riffr is yet another social network, this one based around audio snippets. And maybe it’ll actually take off, despite its awful design. It’s as if the makers took the confusion that is late-stage Instagram as a starting point, and then made things worse from there.
That said, Riffr could be quite useful.