How do you make your emoji stand out in a sea of similar designs? You give them an awesome 3D makeover, of course! That’s exactly what Microsoft is doing with more than 1,800 emoji characters inside Microsoft Teams.
The redesign, which starts rolling out today in an early preview, will be available all platforms — including macOS, iOS and the web.
Wordle fans are already upset with The New York Times, the popular game’s new owner, for making big changes to its original word list.
The updates, which are designed to make the game more accessible, the publication said, include the removal of obscure and potentially offensive words. And they’re having a big impact on the game’s social aspect.
Apple is expected to introduce its first MacBook Pro with a next-generation M2 chipset in March, but it may not be the upgrade many fans are hoping for.
A new report, citing a “reliable source with close links to Apple’s supply chain,” claims the device will be identical to the 13-inch MacBook Pro — complete with Touch Bar. It is not expected to get a display upgrade.
Got a broken Apple device that needs fixing? The Apple Support app has begun showing repair cost estimates in some locations, giving customers an idea of how much they’re going to have to cough up before they book in.
The estimates appear to be available for “common repair topics” — like replacing broken displays and back panels, or swapping out old batteries — for the most popular iPhone and iPad models in use today.
Hopefully you didn’t forget Monday is Valentine’s Day, and you can celebrate with the Peanuts gang. The 1975 special Be My Valentine, Charlie Brown is available to stream on Apple TV+.
Unlike the new Peanuts shows and specials on Apple’s streaming service, this one was written by Charles Schultz himself.
The iMac Pro might start reaching customers in early summer, according to a very reliable tipster. While some are hoping for a debut as soon as March, that’s apparently overly optimistic.
And the leaker says reiterates that the all-in-one desktop will have a mini-LED display.
Dutch regulators hit Apple with another $5 million fine Monday for not properly complying with new rules that say dating apps should be allowed to accept alternative payment methods. The penalty now totals $20 million.
The Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM) dismissed Cupertino’s feeble attempts to satisfy its requirements and said developers should not have to build brand-new apps to offer alternative payments options.
There’s something special about old Apple gear. Maybe that’s why it comes up fairly frequently in Cult of Mac‘s Setups coverage. One of the most-beloved classics in Apple’s storied history of beloved products is the Cinema Display. Today’s featured setup sports not one but two 30-inch Cinema Displays, the big stunners Steve Jobs introduced to an absolutely dazzled Worldwide Developers Conference audience in 2004.
So, naturally, questions came up about how to best use them with a newer Mac.
Zoom issued a quick fix for its native macOS app over the weekend to address a concerning bug that left microphones active when they shouldn’t have been.
It comes after many Mac users complained the app was still listening in after calls had ended. It is the second time Zoom has attempted to eliminate this issue, so here’s to hoping this update actually does its job.
Missed out on getting the perfect Valentine’s Day gift? Make it up to them with help from the Cult of Mac Store, where you can save on stellar iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch accessories.
Buy one, get one half-price on the entire lineup of SwitchEasy products — which includes great cases, bands, stands and more. This deal ends at 11:59 p.m. PT Monday, so enjoy it while you still can.
Regulatory filings for three new Mac models have been spotted ahead of Apple’s rumored spring event next month. Recent reports suggest Cupertino could be planning a new MacBook Pro with a next-generation “M2” chipset. Rumors also indicate Apple continues to work on a bigger iMac, a new MacBook Air and a new Mac mini.
The filings come after Apple last month registered a new iPhone and a new iPad — believed to be an upgraded iPhone SE with 5G support and a refreshed iPad Air likely to pack the newest A15 Bionic processor.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Apple code once again refers to a mysterious “realityOS” for a virtual/augmented-reality headset. Vague rumors about the new device, which we’ve been hearing for years now, look set to become very real, very soon.
Also on The CultCast:
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.
Just a day after Apple touted its beefed-up privacy precautions for AirTags — in the wake of criminal incidents involving the tracking devices — an article in The New York Times on Friday showed their superiority to Tile and GPS trackers.
A reporter tracked her husband using all three kinds of devices. She found the AirTags not only better at tracking him in an urban area, but also better at tipping him off to the tracking.
The Samsung Galaxy S22 has the best chip available for an Android smartphone, but it can’t keep up with Apple’s A-series processor in the iPhone 13 series. Apple’s flagship solidly beats Samsung’s new top-tier models in benchmark tests. It isn’t even close.
And this is despite the iPhone 13 coming out months ago.
Keep your beloved Apple Watch looking brand-new with the SwitchEasy protective bumper from just $14.99. Buy it with a band, such as the outstanding Steel Mesh — or any other SwitchEasy product — and enjoy a 50% discount on the more affordable product.
Made from a flexible but sturdy TPU, the bumper covers the back and sides of your Apple Watch to keep them free from dents, dirt, scratches, and shattered screens.
An increasing number of Mac users say Zoom is using their machine’s microphone even when the app is not in use.
Zoom rolled out an update last December for its native Mac app that supposedly resolved “an issue regarding the microphone light indicator being triggered when not in a meeting.” But it doesn’t appear to have worked.
Blogger Derek Seaman may be an IT systems architect in his day job, but he also designs and builds advanced computer setups. That is, if his home office is any indication. Which it is.
He shared his MacBook Pro-driven workstation — actually, the whole room — with Cult of Mac recently.
Xiaomi is in “a war of life and death” with iPhone, according to the company’s CEO, and the only way it’s going to regain its position as the top smartphone-maker in China is by matching Apple’s “product and experience.”
The Chinese company was once famous for taking a little too much inspiration from Apple and rolling out copycat products. It has (mostly) moved away from that in recent years, and it hasn’t helped its market share.
Apple faces a new class-action lawsuit from owners of the latest iPad mini, who apparently aren’t happy with its “jelly scroll defect.”
The lawsuit claims Cupertino acted “in an unethical, unscrupulous, outrageous, oppressive, and substantially injurious manner” by promoting a device that it supposedly knew to be defective. It seeks damages for every iPad mini owner.
Apple recommends iPhone and iPad users install a system software update released on Thursday. It removes a security hole on all web browsers, and also includes an accessibility fix.
There are also fresh updates for watchOS as well as macOS available.
Those in the market for fast charging on the go, take note. On Tuesday, mobile charging specialist Excitrus launched its new 100W Magnetic Wireless Portable Charger, featuring a 20800mAh battery and MagSafe compatibility.
Apple said in a statement Thursday it will update AirTags item trackers with new privacy warnings, better warning sounds and smarter Find My tracking. The efforts comes as the company tries to improve security in the wake of criminal activity involving the devices, such as theft and stalking.
To make sure your AirTag has the latest security improvements, check for the AirTag update regularly.
Intel-based Mac users can stop worrying about a frustrating Bluetooth bug that causes excessive battery drain. macOS Monterey 12.2.1, released Thursday, fixes the problem.
Apple also introduced iOS 15.3.1 and iPadOS 15.3.1 to fix a bug with Braille screens. And watchOS 8.4.2 is out, too.
If you’d like to improve your experience using HomeKit-enabled accessories on iOS, it might be time to try Home Widget for HomeKit. It already provides quick access to the Home app from your Home Screen, and it got a refresh on Wednesday, adding sensor support, different panel sizes and more.
In the tradition of media personalities helming book clubs — Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon — Apple Books welcomes a new book club with a new host. The Canadian is not exactly a household name in the U.S., but he has a track record with Apple. It’s Apple Music Hits live radio host George “Strombo” Stroumboulopoulos, who said in a tweet on Tuesday he’s going literary.
The new club is called Strombo’s Lit. Bookworms in the U.S., U.K., Canada and Australia can check it out now on the Apple Books app.