Apple is testing an improved version of its Music app that’s built to run entirely natively on Mac. Parts of the app, such as the music library, were native on macOS before, and now the rest of it is catching up for improved performance.
You can try out the new Music app now by installing the macOS 12.2 Monterey beta, which is available to all through Apple’s public Beta Software Program.
Your iPhone can do a lot of smart things, but did you know it can become an awesome microscope? All you need is this WiFi Digital Microscope, which you can grab on sale today for just $55.95. That’s a 20% discount off the regular price of $69.
If you’re looking for a way to instantly improve your photography chops, and maybe even launch your own side hustle, you need to zoom in on these 10 helpful bundles. They’re chock-full of photo accessories, image-editing apps and educational courses that will get you started or take your photography (or videography) to a higher level.
Whether you need help selecting the best lens for portraits, need a brand-new setup for your in-home studio, or want the ultimate app to help you perfect your pix, we rounded up the best tools to help you take beautiful photos without any formal training.
If you’ve run out of great new TV series and films to stream, we’ve found the ultimate deal. Right now, you can grab a MagellanTV Documentary Streaming Service & KeepSolid VPN Unlimited Lifetime Subscription on sale for just $249.
That’s an 87% discount off the combined regular price of $1,995.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Our 2022 hopes are up, up and away on the latest rumors about what new features iPhone 14 Pro might bring. The camera sounds like it will once again deliver impressive gains, but it’s the potential for an iPhone 4-style makeover that’s really got us drooling.
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.
If you want to take your videos to the next level, it’s time to upgrade the lighting you’re filming with. For a limited time, you can pick up the Aduro U-Stream Junior Twins Home Streaming Studio W/Dual Ring Lights on sale for just $19.99 — that’s a 60% discount off the regular price of $49.
Team Swagger goes to the nationals in the stunning finale of Apple TV+’s incredible show about a basketball team and its players and satellites. Reggie Rock Bythewood and the incredible team of Swagger writers are prepared to send Ike, Jace, Jenna, Crystal and the rest of the team out with a bang.
A season’s worth of innuendo and tension is about to be unearthed and made real.
Sometimes a simple, high-quality and ultra-useful gift is the one that cuts through all the noise of holiday shopping. This MacBook Leather Sleeve is made from a single piece of beautiful, vegetable-tanned, full-grain leather. And it makes the perfect gift (for yourself or others).
Not only will it keep your MacBook fully protected against daily wear and tear, but it also makes for a sophisticated statement in terms of in-office accessories.
Apple TV+’s The Shrink Next Door, starring Will Ferrell and Paul Rudd, mercifully comes to a close this week after eight very long episodes. Marty goes looking for the missing pieces of his life after 30 years under Ike’s care, and finds a lot of dead ends.
Can he repair his life after so long messing everything up? It’s an open question whether he, or anyone around him, will be willing to forgive him. This series finally parts ways with its central pair and lets them both off with a warning, in the grand scheme of things.
With Home Widget, it’s now possible to control your HomeKit accessories directly from your iPhone’s Home screen. Turn on and off lights or even run automated scenes with the quick push of a button. With the new app, you can make a bunch of HomeKit widgets to meet your needs.
I put Home Widget to the test in my smart house. I’m generally pleased with its usability.
Reconciliations abound and new beginnings rear their heads on the penultimate episode of Dickinson, the alt-history Apple TV+ series about the great poet and her family and friends. And the show prepares to say goodbye in fine, fine form.
Dickinson finally answers its loose-end questions about Emily Dickinson’s place in history (and, indeed, the place of art and poetry in a more general sense). The show finally explores what it means to want to create during a destructive time — and it’s a shame the showrunners won’t be able to do more after landing in such a beautiful place. There’s still some sitcom business, but that’s less important.
If you look up “11.11” in the Slang Dictionary, it says, “If it’s 11:11, make a wish! Some people believe 11:11 is a magic number or lucky time of day, good for making a wish … or reaching cosmic enlightenment.” Well, if something’s enlightened, or at least en-whitened, it’s today’s Mac mini-based setup.
It’s all there in black and white, really, with “11.11” writ large on the dual displays — probably via the Fliqlo screensaver, though it could be a clock app — and Nintendo gaming consoles aplenty.
This discount software activation keys post is brought to you by CDKeylord.com.
In its year-end promotion, software seller CDKeylord.com offers good deals for the taking. Cult of Mac readers can get 35% off the regular price of a Genuine Lifetime Windows 10 Pro key and many other product-activation keys. And when you buy a Windows 10 key, you can get a free upgrade to Windows 11! Just enter the special discount code CULT at checkout.
See all the currently available discounts on Microsoft software in the list below.
AirPods make great gifts … especially when they’re nearly half off. You can get AirPods 2 for less than $90. That’s as low as they’ve ever been.
And there are deals on every type of Apple’s signature earbuds with significant savings. Even on the newest model.
Which Mac apps do you subscribe to — and which would you like to try out, but can’t justify the expense? How about one low-priced subscription that gives you access to more than 200 killer Mac apps?
That’s the concept behind Setapp, dubbed “the Netflix of Mac apps,” and this week is your last chance to grab a one-year subscription for just $69. That’s a 36% discount off the regular price of $107.
Disney and Pixar characters drop their sweet facades and go for one another’s throats in Disney Melee Mania, a multiplayer action game that debuted Friday on Apple Arcade.
Ever wondered what would happen if Elsa and Moana took on Buzz Lightyear and Wreck-It Ralph? Now you can find out.
Apple began testing macOS Monterey 12.2 beta 1 on Thursday, just days after the release of macOS 12.1. An official list of what’s coming in the new version hasn’t yet been revealed by the Mac-maker, but tests with beta 1 have turned up a few changes. The much-anticipated Universal Control isn’t one of them, though.
This pre-release version seeded to developers was not accompanied by any iOS, iPadOS or watchOS betas on Thursday.
A Texas woman put Apple AirTags on her outdoor Christmas inflatables in case they were stolen. And when they were, she was able to use the item trackers to easily find them.
Getting them back wasn’t quite as easy, however.
There are few things more pleasant than a hot cup of coffee and work you know you can actually get done. The only thing better is when your cup stays perfectly hot and your phone is ready for you when you’re done working.
And that’s what you get with the Ui 2-in-1 Self-Heating Mug & Wireless Charging Pad Set. This double feature keeps your drink hot and your phone charged, and it’s on sale for $84.95 (regularly $94).
Sonnet Technologies rolled out its new Echo 5 Thunderbolt 4 Hub on Tuesday to enable Mac and iPad Pro users — or anyone with a Thunderbolt 3 or 4 port on their machine — to expand their connectivity to peripherals like displays, input devices and storage. And it offers a robust 85W of charging power.
When you get a computer or tablet and it has fewer ports than you’d like, hubs like this one can come in handy.
Apple is reportedly hiring at a new office in Irvine, California, where the company will make 5G modems and other wireless chips for future devices.
It’s the latest move by Apple to expand the number of critical components for its products that it produces in-house.
The eerie sci-fi thriller Severance will follow a group of employees who’ve had their work memories surgically severed from their personal ones. It’s a creepy idea, especially as it’s something Apple might consider whenever its top-secret product details leak out.
A teaser trailer for the upcoming Apple TV+ drama series starts the weirdness off.
Accessory-maker mophie launched three new portable batteries in its powerstation go rugged series Wednesday. Each one is capable of charging mobile devices, powering lights and more during a power outage, or even jump-starting a car if necessary.
“The addition of rugged to our existing powerstation go lineup gives customers another option for power while on-the-go,” said Gavin Slevin, managing director of mophie parent company Zagg International, in a press release. “We are excited to equip users with another multifunctional and affordable portable power option for peace of mind while on the road.”
Pixelmator Photo is one of the best photo editors for iPad, and it got even more mobile with an iPhone version debuting Thursday. It offers desktop-level editing tools on a mobile device.
And to celebrate the iPhone launch, the application is half off.
Elago’s brilliant Sport band has quickly become my favorite activity band for Apple Watch. It’s well-designed and built like a tank from super-sturdy materials. And it’s unbelievably good value for money at just $18.99.
Want to know more? Here’s our full review.