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News - page 289

New MacBook Pros prove surprisingly good at gaming

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New MacBook Pro proves surprisingly good at gaming
The 2021 MacBook Pro can run Rise of the Tomb Raider as well as a top-tier Windows laptop.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple’s M1 Pro and M1 Max processors in the new MacBook Pro offer powerful graphic performance. That’s intended for artists rendering video and other professional tasks, but tests show that it translates to excellent gaming performance.

Of course, that doesn’t remedy the lack of high-end games for Mac.

Russia might force Apple to change critical App Store payment policy

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App Store
Russia joined the voices around the world demanding Apple loosen its grip on the App Store and in-app purchases.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Add Russia to the list of countries investigating the App Store. It is reportedly looking into whether Apple’s policy forbidding iPhone developers from telling customers about alternate — and possibly cheaper — payment options is a violation of its antitrust laws.

The U.S. and other countries are asking that same question.

Apple makes progress on its 2030 carbon neutral goal

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Apple makes progress on its 2030 carbon neutral goal
One of Scandinavia’s largest solar arrays powers Apple’s Viborg data center.
Photo: Apple

As part of its goal to become completely carbon neural, Apple says that 175 of its suppliers will transition to using renewable energy, more than double the number that had previously committed to using 100% clean power.

It’s part of the Mac-maker’s plan to be carbon neutral across its supply chain and products by 2030.

Apple needs a 16-inch MacBook Air in its lineup

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Apple needs a 16-inch MacBook Air in its lineup
This isn’t something beyond man’s power to create. Apple could, and should, make a 16-inch MacBook Air.
Concept: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Some of the criticism leveled at the latest 16-inch MacBook Pro should inspire Apple to make a MacBook Air with the same size display. It would be the largest Air ever, but there seems to be a market for a very big, yet very slim, Mac notebook.

And that’s not something Apple offers in its current product lineup.

Apple News expands local coverage to select cities

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Apple News expands its local coverage to Charlotte, Miami and Washington, D.C.
Apple News expands its local coverage to Charlotte, Miami and Washington, D.C.
Photo: Apple

Apple News will now offer its “local news experience” in three additional U.S. cities: Charlotte, N.C., Miami and Washington, D.C. The service’s editors curate local news, selecting coverage of topics important to communities, Apple said.

Anker rolls out 6 ‘MagGo’ charging accessories for iPhone 12 and 13 series

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Anker launched six new chargers for iPhone 12 and 13.
Anker launched six new chargers for iPhone 12 and 13.
Photo: Anker

Anker launched six new charging accessories for the iPhone 12 and 13 series Monday with its new “MagGo” lineup: three desktop chargers, a car charger, a battery and a phone grip.

We wrote about a new Anker 3-in-1 charger just yesterday. Now, Anker builds out its raft of iPhone 13 accessories with a new collection of MagSafe gear to keep your handset charged up at home or on the go.

Photoshop and Illustrator for iPad add powerful features artists crave

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Photoshop and Illustrator for iPad add powerful features artists crave
Copy a raw image off your camera and open it in Photoshop 3.0 for iPad.
Graphic: Adobe

The just-released version of Photoshop on iPad lets users work with raw photos, making adjustments to images right out of the camera. And the new Illustrator on iPad adds a Vectorize feature, converting any image into a crisp, vector graphic.

The announcements came out of the Adobe Max conference, which kicks off Tuesday.

Large-screen iPhone SE might be pushed back to 2024

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Replacing iPhone notch with holepunch camera makes no damn sense
We might be waiting until 2024 for an iPhone SE with an edge-to-edge display and hole-punch camera.
Artists concept: Cult of Mac

The first iPhone SE with an edge-to-edge display won’t launch until 2024, according to a new report. And the third-generation model in the budget line, expected in 2022, supposedly will come with an unexpected name.

iOS 15.1 adds SharePlay, iPhone 13 Pro camera options and more

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Don’t install the iOS 15.1 beta if you plan to get an iPhone 13 ASAP
Apple released iOS 15.1 and iPadOS 15.1 on Monday.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple rolled out iOS 15.1 and iPadOS 15.1 on Monday with the anticipated inclusion of SharePlay, a feature missing from the recent iOS 15 release. Today’s update also brings camera improvements for iPhone 13 Pro models, enables adding COVID-19 vaccination records to Wallet, and includes a bunch of other features.

If you’re in the upgrading mood, you can download iOS 15.1 and iPadOS 15.1 now. (Note for Mac owners: macOS Monterey is now available as well.)

Win a sleek Satechi Trio Wireless Charging Pad [Cult of Mac giveaway]

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Trio wireless charging pad
This sleek charging pad will charge three devices at once.
Photo: Satechi

iPhones and Apple Watches and AirPods, oh my. If you own these three devices, you should enter our latest giveaway. Cult of Mac is giving away four Trio Wireless Charging Pads from Satechi.

This $119.99 charging pad will juice up three of your most-used Apple products at once. The Trio Wireless Charging Pad’s sleek designer look means you can easily place it anywhere without taking up too much space. If you are getting weighed down by charging bricks and cables, embrace your minimalist self and be sure to enter this giveaway.

Intense Dr. Brain sci-fi K-drama hits Apple TV+ on Nov. 4

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Intense ‘Dr. Brain’ sci-fi K-drama hits Apple TV+ on Nov. 4
Dr. Brain risks madness to discover what killed his family.
Photo: Apple TV+

Dr. Brain will be the first Korean Apple Original when it launches on Apple TV+ in early November. It tells the story of a scientist so desperate to find out how his family was killed that he’s willing to connect his brain to theirs to access their memories.

A trailer released Monday gives a first look at how intense the six-episode series will be. Watch it now!

AirPods 3 review roundup: Sounds great!

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AirPods 3
The new AirPods are resistant to both sweat and water, with an IPX4 rating for both the earbuds and the case.
Photo: Apple

The first wave of AirPods 3 reviews just came out, and they’re full of good news for those considering Apple’s latest truly wireless earbuds. Sound quality draws praise, as does battery life. But reviewers don’t seem as happy about the lack of active noise cancellation. And some would have preferred silicone ear tips.

Read on for reviewers’ specific comments about AirPods 3.

Apple Fitness+ adds SharePlay for motivation and ‘smack talk’

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SharePlay makes Apple Fitness+ workouts more personal by letting you communicate with friends in real time.
SharePlay makes Apple Fitness+ workouts more personal by letting you communicate with friends in real time.
Photo: Apple

Apple Fitness+ added group workouts and meditation sessions Monday, letting users communicate in real time with up to 32 other people. The new capability taps FaceTime’s new SharePlay feature, which works on iOS devices now and comes to macOS Monterey later this fall.

“It’s a really fun way to connect with friends and family, even trade some words of encouragement or friendly smack talk, while also making progress toward closing their rings,” said Jay Blahnik, Apple’s vice president of fitness technologies, in a press release.

macOS Monterey launches without some of its biggest features

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macOS Monterey brings powerful new features to Macs.
macOS Monterey brings powerful new features to Macs.
Photo: Apple

Mac users can now upgrade to macOS Monterey. This new version offers improvements to Safari and FaceTime, and new Focus mode. But two of its biggest features — Universal Control and SharePlay — won’t debut until later.

It’s free to download and install on all compatible computers.

Jazz up your decor with HomeKit-compatible Nanoleaf Lines smart lights

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Nanoleaf Lines smart lights can form various shapes.
Nanoleaf Lines smart lights can form various shapes.
Photo: Nanoleaf

Nanoleaf rolled out the latest in its catalog of modular, HomeKit-compatible LED smart-light panels. Following a parade of shaped-product releases — triangles, squares, hexagons — you can now buy Nanoleaf Lines for $200 and use them to make all sorts of lighted shapes. And you can sync them to action on a screen or to music.

Last chance! SwitchEasy Flash Sale: 30% off select iPhone 13 cases ends Monday

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This SwitchEasy iPhone 13 case features work by the artist Mondrian.
This SwitchEasy iPhone 13 case features work by the artist Mondrian.
Photo: SwitchEasy

Recently we featured a SwitchEasy sale on iPhone 11 cases, giving those who didn’t upgrade to iPhone 13 a reason to live (just kidding). Now a new SwitchEasy Flash Sale in the Cult of Mac Store is in effect — 30% off select iPhone 13 cases. But it ends at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time Monday, so act fast.

All blues: Sweet iMac finds itself in a cool-toned Satechi situation [Setups]

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A lovely blue iMac depends upon a raft of Satechi accessories.
A lovely blue iMac depends upon a raft of Satechi accessories.
Photo: techsteveo@reddit.com

Jazz great Miles Davis probably never imagined one of his classic song titles, “All Blues,” would end up in a headline about an M1 iMac-based computer setup. And it’s not every day you see a completely color-coordinated workstation that’s not just “Kind of Blue” (to drop another title), but drenched in blue hues.

These are strange times.

2021 MacBook Pro review roundup: Just what we hoped for

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2021 MacBook Pro review roundup: Just what we hoped for
The 2021 MacBook Pro draws praise, and just a bit of criticism, from reviewers.
Photo: Apple

The first reviews of the 2021 MacBook Pro just dropped, and they’re generally quite positive. There’s praise for the mini-LED display, the return of useful ports, and the sheer power of Apple’s new M1 Pro and M1 Max chips.

However, some reviewers harbor mixed feelings about the screen notch. Here’s a summary of comments about the features.

Apple Watch Series 8 health sensors might include blood glucose monitoring

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The Blood Oxygen sensor employs LEDs, along with photodiodes on the back crystal of Apple Watch Series 6.
Blood glucose monitoring could be a major change in Apple Watch Series 8.
Photo: Apple

Rumors that Apple Watch 7 would include be able to sense the wearer’s blood glucose didn’t pan out. But Apple is reportedly collaborating with a pair of Asian companies to add non-invasive blood sugar monitoring to the 2022 model.

This would add to the already lengthy list of health-monitoring features available in Apple’s current wearable.

Drool-worthy M2 MacBook Air concept shows off super-slim design

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Drool-worthy M2 MacBook Air concept shows off super slim design
The 2022 MacBook Air could be the crazy slim macOS notebook many people have been hoping for.
Photo: Front Page Tech /Renders by Ian

A new series of renders based on rumors about the 2022 MacBook Air show just how slim it might be. And how it might borrow many of the features of the recently announced MacBook Pro.

The upcoming model reportedly will include an M2 processor, a MagSafe connector and a mini-LED display with a screen notch. But not the wedge design of previous MacBook Airs.

Get ready to turn hand drawings into vector graphics with Illustrator for iPad

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Get ready to turn hand drawings into vector graphics with Illustrator for iPad
Sketch a picture and turn it into a vector graphic with Vectorize, coming soon to Illustrator for iPad.
Screenshot: Adobe/Cult of Mac

Adobe shared a sneak peek of the new Vectorize feature coming to Illustrator on the iPad. It will let users turn any hand drawn sketch into a vector graphic.

The developer shared a video demonstrating the capabilities of the upcoming featuere. Watch it now.

Share your memories, think creatively, and enjoy photography again [Awesome Apps of the Week]

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Awesome Apps of the week text in front of face down iPhone 12
With roughly 2 millions apps available in the App Store, sometimes all you need is something to tell you what’s good.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

Whether you like great time-wasting games, want to experience the beautiful photography that was once popular on Instagram, or want to preserve your favorite memories in video, this week we have some awesome apps to check out.