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In a move that’s sure to catch the attention of Mac users — particularly those with the latest M4 Pro machines — LG just unveiled its new UltraFine 6K Display at CES 2025. It calls the monitor, model 32U990A (no firm release date yet), the world’s first 6K display to feature Thunderbolt 5 connectivity.

So not only does it share Pro Display XDR’s amazing resolution, it packs the bleeding-edge connectivity speeds of TB5. That makes it an ideal companion for the recently launched M4 Pro Mac mini and M4 Pro and Max MacBook Pro models.

A powerful new Anker Charger (140W) featuring a window display plus “vertical hanging ports” (aka downward-facing ports) to help keep USB-C and USB-A cables secure debuted Monday evening at CES in Las Vegas, the company said.

And along with the 140-watt charger, the accessories giant added a potent new 25,000mAh power bank (165-watt) that features retractable cables and TSA certification for air travel. Both devices are available now, see below.

Safari on the Mac feels a lot faster to use than Google Chrome. It is also more battery efficient and takes fewer resources. Yet, I prefer using Google Chrome on my MacBook.

Despite its faults, Google Chrome trumps Safari in many key aspects. There’s a reason why Google’s browser is the most popular choice worldwide.

After facing pressure to remove its AI news summaries after multiple reports of false headlines, Apple plans to tweak how the feature works.

Apple will update notification summaries to highlight when they are generated using Apple Intelligence.

Home cleaning technology saw an advancement at the 2025 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) Monday in Las Vegas when eufy unveiled its new eufy Robot Vacuum 3-in-1 E20. Billed as the first successful integration of robot vacuum, stick vacuum and handheld vacuum in a single, transformable unit with a number of advanced features, it won a CES Best of Innovation award.

The SanDisk Creator Phone SSD sets itself apart from rival portable drives with MagSafe. This means the drive magnetically clings to an iPhone where it’s available to hold up to 2 TB of ProRes video as it’s recorded.

SanDisk unveiled the SSD at CES 2025, along with other new storage options.

Samsung committed itself on Monday to integrating Qi2 wireless charging into its Galaxy line of Android-based smartphones. It’s been dragging its feet for years, while the last four generations of iPhone models all support the standard.

Samsung’s just-announced adoption of Qi2 should benefit iPhone users, who until now have been the only ones able to take advantage of the new standard. More handsets using the magnetically enhanced wireless charging capability should lead to more accessories that employ it. More cross-platform accessories are a win for everyone.

The new flagship EarFun Air Pro 4+ noise-canceling earbuds feature AI-powered language translation. EarFun also will roll out other new products this week at CES, the big consumer electronics show in Las Vegas. The lineup includes clip-on earbuds and hook-on open-ear earbuds for workouts, affordable noise-canceling over-ear headphones and an Auracast USB-C dongle that can enable lossless audio for devices.

The Satechi Mac mini M4 Stand & Hub with SSD Enclosure expands the capabilities of Apple’s tiny new desktop with additional front-facing ports and more storage. It even makes pressing the computer’s hidden power button easier.

Satechi gave a sneak peek of the product in November, but on Monday revealed the full specifications, including a price and release date.

New open-ear wireless earbuds called HumanPods unveiled at CES 2025 offer voice access to different artificial intelligence personas with a tap, according to startup Natura Umana.

The new earphones, which also play music, of course, promise to deliver what the company calls “the closest experience to a telepathic connection with your technology” by offering direct access to AI assistance through simple touch controls. The company’s CEO provides a little video demo below (complete with a few bugs).

iOS 18.2.1 went out Monday with the intent of removing bugs that snuck into the earlier version of the iPhone operating system. Apple also released an iPadOS equivalent.

Apple recommends both to anyone who installed the previous versions.

The new Roborock Saros Z70 robot vacuum adds a first-of-its-kind robotic arm that can pick up obstacles in its path, like socks and sandals, the company said as it demonstrated the bot at CES 2025. This marks a shift from traditional obstacle avoidance to active obstacle removal in robotic vacuums.

But the bot vac with robo-arm might come at a steep cost, as other new Roborock models with many of the same features — but without the robo-arm — will go for $1,600, the company said.

The OWC Thunderbolt 5 Hub includes three ports that move data up to twice as fast as Thunderbolt 4 and USB4. That’s professional-level connectivity, opening the possibility of portable SSDs running at 6000MBps or up to three 8K displays at 60Hz .

After an announcement in autumn 2024, the hub is now ready to buy.

Ugreen hopes to make waves at CES 2025 with a lineup of cutting-edge products incorporating artificial intelligence and advanced connectivity — especially AI-powered NAS storage devices, the company said Sunday. But it also unveiled a shockingly powerful, 500-watt fast GaN charger and a Thunderbolt 5 dock.

Moving from a product lineup dominated by small chargers to a broader selection of tech wares, Ugreen unveils its latest products under the theme “Activate the Possibility of AI.”

The Belkin Stage PowerGrip adds the grip DSLR camera users are familiar with to an iPhone. Built into the grip is a battery which sends power to the handset via the MagSafe magnetic charging mat integrated into the device.

And his is just one of multiple new accessories Belkin unveiled in time for CES 2025.

January 5, 1999: Apple introduces its revised Power Mac G3 minitower, nicknamed the “Blue and White G3” or “Smurf Tower” to separate it from the earlier beige model.

The first new Power Mac since the colorful plastic iMac G3 shipped, the pro-level machine borrows the same transparent color scheme. Unfortunately, it doesn’t hang around too long.

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The latest rumors indicate the iPhone 18 Pro will pack a variable aperture camera. Erfon and Griffin break down what that could mean — and why it could bring a significant photographic boost to the device.

Also on The CultCast:

• We’ve got some picks for what to watch during this weekend’s Apple TV+ free binge-o-rama.
• From the iPhone 17 Air to AirTags 2 (and maybe AirPods Pro 3), it looks like 2025 might be an exciting year for Apple — we discuss the stuff we’re most psyched about.
• Apple’s Magic Mouse is due for an upgrade. But will it really come with voice controls?
• We wrap up the show with our final picks for the best stuff of 2024.

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.

Apple’s subscription fitness service kicks off 2025 with its most extensive programming lineup yet, featuring new Apple Fitness+ workouts in strength training, pickleball conditioning and a collaboration with popular fitness app Strava.

“Fitness+ is designed to support everyone’s unique fitness and wellness journey,” said Jay Blahnik, Apple’s vice president of fitness technologies, in a press release Friday. “From workouts that can boost power and precision for pickleball, to breath meditations that help relieve stress, along with Artist Spotlight sessions featuring iconic hits and an exciting collaboration with Strava, Fitness+ has something to inspire, motivate and help everyone feel their best in 2025.”

Apple silently changed the AirTag‘s retail box to comply with Reese’s Law’s warning label requirements.

The law requires devices with coin-cell batteries to show a warning label about keeping them out of reach of children.

Apple agreed to a $95 million settlement in a class action lawsuit alleging privacy violations by its Siri voice assistant, according to a new report. The lawsuit, filed in Oakland, California federal court, claims that Apple’s virtual assistant recorded users’ private conversations without consent and shared this information with advertisers.

So, should a federal judge approve the settlement, millions of Apple device users could see small payouts (most likely less than $20 per device, given the vast number of devices running Siri).

Imagine a Siri capable of opening your preferred email client on your iPhone and sending an important email seamlessly. Picture an Apple-branded smart home hub, elegantly wall-mounted in your kitchen, equipped with Apple Intelligence for instant access to smart home controls and a conversational voice assistant. Envision an iPhone just 6mm thin, standing out for its ultra-sleek, stylish design.

All of this could turn into a reality in 2025, with Apple already working on these devices and services for launch next year.

In a rare move, Apple is offering discounts of up to RMB 500 ($68.5) on iPhones in China. The promo runs from January 4 through 7 and only applies to selected payment methods.

Apple rarely provides direct discounts on its products, especially on newer models. However, it seems to be making an exception in China.

A recently launched Kickstarter project aims to breathe fresh life into Apple’s discontinued Touch Bar concept, offering a more versatile and customizable solution for both Mac and Windows users. Flexbar, developed by Hong Kong startup Eniac Technology, reimagines the controversial MacBook Pro feature as a standalone accessory that promises to deliver on the Touch Bar’s original potential.

“The discontinuation of the original Touch Bar didn’t mean the concept was flawed — it simply wasn’t taken far enough to reach its full [potential],” the Eniac team said. “There’s something undeniable [about the idea]: the potential for a customizable, adaptive interface that could streamline workflows was immense. We decided to step in.”

Update: Eniac sent out a reminder Tuesday that Flexbar’s Kickstarter campaign ends Thursday (January 2, 2025), so time to participate is waning. You can still pledge to get one Flexbar for $179 $149, two for $358 $219 or three for $537 $299. And it appears the device will most likely go into regular production, as funding reached $284,612 by Tuesday, well over the campaign’s goal of $2,576.

Apple dedicated its homepage Monday to the memory of former President Jimmy Carter, who died Sunday at 100 years old. Carter lived longer than any other U.S. president and seemed to do more than most former heads of state after his term in office.

“Today, we honor President Carter’s lifetime of service and his commitment to leaving the world better than he found it. May he rest in peace,” Apple CEO Tim Cook wrote in a post on X. Both the X post and the Apple website showed the same image of Carter in work clothes with a tool belt on a construction site. The Plains, Georgia, native worked for many years building homes for the homeless through nonprofit group Habitat for Humanity.

As good as some speakers built into computers and monitors sound these days, it still often pays to use external speakers on the desktop. Today’s setup features a powerful M4 Pro Mac mini — with an improved built-in speaker, no less — but the user still opts for Creative Pebble Pro speakers in the computer setup.