Under Review

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Apple reportedly plans to release its cheapest MacBook ever next year. This low-cost laptop might run on an iPhone chip and help Apple convince more people to switch from Windows machines.

Could playful colors — and possibly a plastic case — make this low-end Apple laptop a hit?

Also on The CultCast:

• Apple might lean on Anthropic’s Claude or OpenAI’s ChatGPT to power the long-delayed smarter Siri.
• A new timeline lays out what to expect from the next three years of Apple Vision headsets and smart glasses.
• In the how-to segment, we discuss our picks for the best Apple Watch faces. We also talk about why you might want to change things up.
• In the new listener question segment, we explain what to do when you’re low on iCloud storage.
• And in an all-new Under Review, Leander describes the benefits of three inexpensive aftermarket CarPlay screens.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video, embedded below.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The latest batch of iPhone 16 rumors give us more insight into the probable camera upgrades — and color combos — coming to the lineup.

Also on The CultCast:

• A fake Apple event invite (which apparently nailed the date) whipped the internet into a frenzy. Find out how a 14-year-old Italian hoaxer fooled the internet.
• Want to give your iPhone a blackout? Have we got a four-character key combo for you!
• In a new Under Review segment, Griffin raves about a Vision Pro accessory that makes the device far more usable — and won’t ruin your hairdo!

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: We dissect the latest Apple rumors, which go from incredible bummer (Apple Watch) to potential breakthroughs (iPhone and HomePod).

Also on The CultCast:

• The latest iOS 18 beta brings some welcome new changes.
• A teaser trailer and a release date get us psyched for season two of Severance.
• Griffin tells us all about a keyboard with a peculiar name in a new Under Review segment.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: AirPods … with cameras?!? The latest AirPods rumor sounds a little nuts, but Apple wowed us with weird features before. Plus, we discuss the latest on the Vision Pro — and how Apple might cut costs to produce a cheaper “Vision Air” headset.

Also on The CultCast:

• ChatGPT integration on iPhones, Macs and iPads aside, Apple reportedly got something big out of its OpenAI partnership.
• Griffin shines a light on a little trick everybody with an iPad Magic Keyboard needs to know.
• A doctor says the Apple Watch can detect one of the leading causes of fatal heart attacks.
• We discuss some of the weirdest Apple products that never made it to reality. The prototypes look wild!

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The latest iPhone 16 Pro rumor comes with a mockup that looks like a fidget spinner. Will Apple really do that? On the other hand, the latest iPad rumors sound totally believable.

Also on The CultCast:

• There’s an iOS trojan in the wild that steals your face to drain your bank accounts.
• Apple is hard at work future-proofing iMessage to keep it safe from quantum computer attacks.
• We discuss the new Apple Sports app, including one of its weirdest features: betting odds. (Supporting gambling seems like a strange move for the normally vice-averse Apple.)
• Erfon recounts his Vision Pro return experience, with some interesting behind-the-scenes intel.
• Also on the Vision Pro return front, Griffin tells us his sob story about parting ways with the expensive headset. (Don’t miss the surprise twist ending!)
• And finally, Griffin raves about a new wireless microphone in an Under Review segment.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

“Oooooooh!” my wife squealed when I pulled the Juuk Ligero Rainbow Apple Watch band out of the shipping carton. The brightly colored links in the aluminum bracelet definitely caught her eye.

Unfortunately for her, the band wouldn’t fit her smaller Apple Watch. So I got to try it.

The Rainbow Ligero looks like no other band you’ve seen. As with Juuk’s other metal Apple Watch bands, the Rainbow version’s striking looks provoke an immediate reaction. Its bold colors — red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple — shimmer on the wrist. And now it’s back in the Cult of Mac Store.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The latest iPhone 15 rumors paint a somewhat troubling picture. This year’s models might look a lot like last year’s models, which already seemed pretty darn familiar. Plus, is that camera hump really going to get even bigger? And will we once again revert to non-parity between Pro models, so you have to go ridiculously large to get the best features? Oh dear …

Also on The CultCast:

• The iOS 17 public betas arrive, but should you really install them on your daily driver? Our lousy experiences with the buggy software make that a pretty hard no unless you’ve got extreme tolerance for iPhone malfunctions.
• Craving that bigger iMac we heard about recently? Better put on your waiting pants.
• Jony Ive returns to hardware design with a very pricey product. Meanwhile, his precious $300 book Designed by Apple in California would have made a very smart investment.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video live stream, embedded below.

After a year on the road and almost 600 miles, I’ve gotten to know the RadWagon 4. And no joke, this electric cargo bike played a part in my family deciding to sell our second vehicle.

For the power, price, versatility and build quality, I don’t think there’s a bike on the road that beats the RadWagon. This is the bike I recommend to everyone who wants a way to scoot around without a car, with enough space to carry cargo, one or two kids, packages, groceries or anything in between.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: We reminisce about Steve Jobs and his lasting impact on Apple, a decade after his death. Plus, M1X MacBook Pros might be coming soon. And the Apple Watch Series 7 launch looks quite weird indeed.

Also on The CultCast:

• Jony Ive pens a tribute to his friend, Steve Jobs.
• Under Review: Awesome instant thermometer Thermapen One, Siri Remote alternative Function101 Button Remote for Apple TV and Belkin’s rock-solid Boost Charge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charger with MagSafe 15W.

Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below.

This week on The CultCast: Apple — and the company’s entire supply chain — will be 100% carbon neutral by 2030, pushing the world of tech toward big changes. Plus: A powerful iOS 14 privacy feature will be great for consumers, but might kill the billion-dollar online ad industry. We’ll also tell you about some exciting new podcast features coming to Spotify, and wrap up with our favorite new gadgets on an all-new Under Review.

Our thanks to NETGEAR for supporting this episode. The Orbi WiFi 6 router gives you ultra-fast speeds and wider coverage throughout your home — it’s the biggest revolution in Wi-Fi ever. Check it out today at Netgear.com/bestwifi.

The Elegiant Wire Tracker looks unassuming, but it helped me solve a frustrating problem: identifying the Ethernet cables buried behind the walls of my house. The inexpensive kit consists of a little plastic probe about the size of a Polish sausage and an emitter about the size of an iPhone (only it’s an inch or so thick).

It’s made of blue plastic, so it doesn’t pack that heavyweight “pro” feel, but it seems fairly durable. And if you need to figure out which Ethernet cable goes where, it gets the job done.

The RadRunner is one of the most fun — and one of the most affordable — electric bikes I’ve ever ridden. Its chunky style looks reminiscent of that ’70s-style moped your mom undoubtedly wouldn’t let you have.

Now you get a second chance at two-wheeled freedom. That vintage aesthetic is back in a big way in the electric bicycle world, with several manufacturers selling their own versions.

After several months of testing the RadRunner, I can tell you: This is one e-bike you should consider if you’re looking to cruise around your neighborhood with ease.

This week on The CultCast: A tipster says the new 14-inch MacBook Pro is right around the corner! We’ll tell you what we know. Plus: Apple is readying its secret over-the-ear headphones, and a mysterious little product called the AirPods X. We discuss! And we wrap up with a USB-C charger that can charge it all, Logitech’s new StreamCam and a double-duty iPhone/Apple Watch stand in an all-new Under Review.

This week on The CultCast: The 2018 MacBook Pro is both a beauty and a beast. In fact, it’s one of the most exciting MBP refreshes in years. We’ll tell you why.

Then: A popular tech reviewer warns that the 15-inch MacBook Pro’s i9 processor upgrade suffers a major flaw; Apple quietly updates MacBook Pro’s keyboard to be more reliable; and we pitch you our favorite new gear and gadgets in an all-new Under Review!

Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. It’s simple to accept Apple Pay and sell your wares with your very own Squarespace website. Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10 percent off your first hosting plan or domain.

This week on The CultCast: Finally — new evidence shows that a Mac refresh is right around the corner. Plus: MacBook Pro is about to get the feature we’ve all been wanting; Apple is rebuilding its Maps app from the ground up, and it looks magnificent; Apple’s new Seattle flagship store is stunning; and we pitch a wood-wrapped iPhone case, waterproof camping lights, and a great new reading app in an all-new Under Review!

Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. It’s simple to accept Apple Pay and sell your wares with your very own Squarespace website. Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first hosting plan or domain.

This week on a very feisty episode of The CultCast: New iPhone SE will steal one of iPhone X’s best features; how Steve Jobs saved Pixar, then stole all their stock; MoviePass ends its unlimited movie option; Gal Gadot promotes Huawei on Twitter … from an iPhone; and we wrap with the best iPhone camera lenses, wireless security system, and the most powerful flashlight on Earth in an all-new Under Review.

Our thanks to Udemy for support thing episode. Whether you’re looking to learn something new or just sharpen your skills, Udemy has over 65,000 courses starting at just 11.99.
Visit Ude.my/CULTCAST or download the Udemy app to learn anytime, anywhere.

This week on The CultCast: We’ll tell you how to get the best deal on your iPhone X, saving yourself some serious cash money. Plus: Why Woz says the iPhone X will be the first iPhone he won’t buy on Day 1. And we discuss Amazon Key, the new service that lets your delivery man into your home when you’re not there. Then stay tuned to hear what we like and don’t about the gadgets we’re currently testing in an all-new Under Review!

This week on The CultCast: Live in the home of the future, today! We’ll tell you how with iOS 11’s huge improvements in the Home app and HomeKit. Plus: There’s a new Apple ID phishing scam you need to know about; there’s been a disappointing development with Apple’s AR glasses; we have to talk about the hundreds of new emoji coming at you in iOS 11.1; and we’ve got a svelte iPhone 8 case, a MacBook Pro sleeve made from real sheep, and a new power brick that’ll charge your MacBook, iPhone, Nintendo Switch — everything!— in an all-new Under Review.