David Snow - page 21

Score up to 92% off iPhone cases and accessories

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iPhone cases and accessories sale
iPhone cases from Case-Mate, OtterBox and Speck are included in the sale.
Photo: Case-Mate

Amazon bargains site Woot! always brings the bargains on Apple gear and accessories. Now you have your pick of super-low prices on iPhone cases and other accessories, mixed in with some of the same for Android users.

And while the sale includes 85 items as of midday Wednesday, seven have sold out so far. The sale ends May 31 at 10 p.m. Pacific.

Apple TV+ drama Fancy Dance brings back Oscar nominee Lily Gladstone

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Fancy Dance trailer
Lily Gladstone makes a dramatic return to the big and small screens with "Fancy Dance."
Photo: Apple TV+

Academy Award nominee Lily Gladstone will follow up Killers of the Flower Moon with a powerful new family drama on Apple TV+, if the trailer the streamer dropped Wednesday for Fancy Dance is any indication.

Fancy Dance premieres in select theaters June 21 and streams on Apple TV+ June 28.

A top microphone needs a great audio interface [Setups]

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Shure SM7B microphone setup
The Shure SM7B microphone and Focusrite Vocaster Two audio interface are crucial to the user's work on YouTube.
Photo: [email protected]

A prolific YouTuber runs today’s featured MacBook Pro setup. And you can tell it’s the pride and joy of a streamer or podcaster just by some of the crucial equipment. Namely, an excellent Shure SM7DB microphone run through a Focusrite Vocaster Two audio interface to ensure high-quality audio recording.

New Sennheiser Accentum noise-canceling earbuds won’t break the bank

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Sennheiser Accentum earbuds
Sennheiser's new Accentum earbuds use photos and an app to map your ears.
Photo: Sennheiser

The sleek new Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless noise-canceling earbuds seem destined to compete with top buds like AirPods Pro 2 and the best from the likes of Sony and Bose. Yet they cost just under $200, the German audio brand said Monday, opening preorders with shipping to commence May 21.

So what else sets the buds apart, other than moderate pricing? Accentum earbuds feature Sennheiser’s TrueResponse wavefront sculpting, which analyzes the unique anatomy of your outer ears to create a precise sound projection tailored to you.

Apple supersizes iPad Air with 13-inch model

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The 2024 iPad Air lineup comes in two new colors, blue and purple, in addition to silver and space gray.
The 2024 iPad Air lineup comes in two new colors, blue and purple, in addition to silver and space gray.
Photo: Apple

Apple Let Loose Event: Apple gave the iPad Air a significant size increase at its “Let Loose” event Tuesday. You can get the new 2024 model with a 13-inch display in addition to the familiar smaller size, now 11 inches instead of 10.9. But no matter the size, the tablet runs an Apple M2 processor and features a front-facing Ultra Wide 12MP camera on the landscape edge and beefed-up speakers.

“Inspired by iPad Pro, where about half the users choose a larger screen, we created a 13-inch model of the new iPad Air, as well,” said Melody Kuna, Apple’s director of iPad Product Design. “[It] has 30% more screen real estate than the 11-inch Air.”

5 fun new games on Apple Arcade include spatial Where Cards Fall

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New Apple Arcade games in May and early June
New Apple Arcade games in May and early June include five titles.
Photo: Apple

Coming soon to Apple Arcade are five exciting new games, the iPhone giant said Monday. You can look forward to Rabbids: Legends of the Multiverse, Return to Monkey Island+, Tomb of the Mask+, Fabulous – Wedding Disaster+ and Vision Pro spatial title Where Cards Fall.

It starts on May 30 with the arrival of 3D puzzle game Where Cards Fall. The other four titles follow on June 6.

Edifier speakers rock slick MacBook Pro rig [Setups]

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Edifier R1280T speakers setup
The Edifier R1280T powered bookshelf speakers pump up this MacBook Pro setup's sound.
Photo: [email protected]

If you’ve read much of Cult of Mac’s computer setups coverage, you know we love good audio. And we love it more when it’s high-value, where the sound is great despite affordable pricing. Edifier R1280T speakers meet that mark.

Edifier is a brand that has long lived in that space. And today’s MacBook Pro and PC laptop setup makes good use of a pair of powered Edifier bookshelf speakers that even MacBook Pro’s fine set of six can’t really compete with (outside of portability).

You can customize new Pride Collection’s Apple Watch face and wallpapers

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Apple Pride Collection
For the first time, you can customize Apple Pride Collection new watch face and wallpapers.
Photo: Apple

Apple shined a light on LGBTQ+ communities Monday with its new Pride Collection. It includes a new Apple Watch Pride Edition Braided Solo Loop plus a matching watch face and dynamic iOS and iPadOS wallpapers. In a first, you can customize the watch face and wallpapers by choosing colors.

You can order the new Apple Watch band starting May 22. The watch face and dynamic wallpapers for iOS and iPadOS arrive with an upcoming software update, Apple said.

New Apple ad promises iPhone 15 can find your Mandalorian friends

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Apple Find My Friends ad
He not only carries a thermal detonator, he's got an iPhone 15 with Precision Finding.
Photo: Apple

A new Find Your Friends ad Apple dropped Friday connects the Find My universe with the Star Wars universe, as Boba Fett uses his iPhone 15 in the video to locate fellow Mandalorians in a crowded mall. Or wait, maybe it’s a convention center.

Yeah, it’s a guy in homemade Mandalorian battle gear going off to find like-minded nerds at a raucous Star Wars convention. It’s pretty funny.

Killer dock keeps MacBook Pro and PC in play [Setups]

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Orico Thunderbolt 3 dock setup
A 15-in-one Thunderbolt 3 dock handles a MacBook Pro, a PC laptop and a bunch of peripherals.
Photo: [email protected]

Another Mac and PC computer setup stands in the spotlight today — this time a MacBook Pro and PC laptop driving a 4K display and an array of peripherals through an Orico Thunderbolt 3 dock bristling with 15 ports.

The setup emphasizes gaming, too, with a PlayStation 5 mounted under the desk. We’ll take a look at that, too.

New SoundLink Max cranks up Bose’s portable speaker lineup

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New Bose SoundLink Max portable speaker
Bose says its new SoundLink Max delivers "big sound to start the party no matter where you go."
Photo: Bose

The new SoundLink Max Portable Speaker adds a bit of heft and a bunch of powerful sound to the Bose line of SoundLink Bluetooth speakers, the company said Thursday.

“This all-new portable speaker has lasting power, rugged durability, and delivers incredible sound for its size,” Bose noted. “Now you can set the vibe with your favorite playlist no matter where you go.”

In a first, Apple Watch AFib History gains special FDA qualification

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FDA qualifies Apple Watch AFib History
Apple added AFib History to Apple Watch's features, like ECG readings, in 2022.
Photo: Apple

For the first time, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) qualified a digital technology — Apple Watch’s AFib History feature — for a special research program. AFib, or atrial fibrillation, is a type of abnormal heart beat associated with heart attacks.

Apple Watch’s AFib History now qualifies for FDA’s stringent Medical Device Development Tools (MDDT) program. The program says which tools research sponsors can choose from to help develop and evaluate medical devices.

iPhone alarm on Challengers soundtrack drives people nuts

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iPhone in Challengers soundtrack
From left, Mike Faist, Zendaya and Chris O'Connor star in the film, along with a very annoying iPhone alarm.
Photo: Amazon MGM Studios

Tennis love-triangle movie Challengers looks like a contender so far in theaters, but one co-star is getting panned — the iPhone alarm on the sports drama’s soundtrack. Social media shows viewers and listeners saying they find it “triggering,” among other rants.

Maybe that’s not the sort of product placement Apple would prefer, but hey … all press is good press, right?

Jake Gyllenhaal looks guilty as hell in Presumed Innocent trailer

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A scene from Presumed Innocent trailer on Apple TV+
This family scene looks cozy. But it might include a killer.
Photo: Apple TV+

Jake Gyllenhaal is a lawyer in love in the teaser trailer for thriller series Presumed Innocent — and it looks like he might just be a murderer, too. Apple TV+ dropped the arresting trailer Wednesday.

Gyllenhaal stars in the eight-episode limited series from David E. Kelley and J.J. Abrams, which debuts June 12 on Apple TV+.

iPhone charger with built-in battery pack looks totally sci-fi

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The 5,000mAh power bank can be used in the stand or separately.
The 5,000mAh power bank can be used in the stand or separately.
Photo: SwitchEasy

How many times have you rushed out the door with a battery pack for your iPhone, only to discover the battery is dead as a doornail? SwitchEasy’s 2-in-1 Portal solves that. This stylish MagSafe battery pack stand includes a portable power pack that is always charged and ready to go.

And we have a massive discount only for Cult of Mac readers. The Portal regularly costs $119.99, but we are dropping the price to $44.99. That’s more than 60% off, and an offer not found anywhere else. Heck, it’s a good deal just for the 5,000mAh rechargeable MagSafe battery.

With its Bang & Olufsen-inspired styling, Portal is great for your desktop or nightstand. And it ensures you always have portable power ready to go.

Popular low-cost noise-canceling earbuds get spatial audio

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Baseus Bowie MA10S earbuds
The wireless charging case tells you its battery status. The buds feature spatial audio.
Photo: Baseus

The affordable and popular Baseus Bowie MA10 wireless noise-canceling earbuds just got a big upgrade with spatial audio, alongside a more compact design and a digital display for battery life on the case, the company said Tuesday. The new ones are called Baseus Bowie MA10s.

Baseus called the previous version its best-selling product on Amazon last year and said the buds “have been recommended by Oscar-class composers to ensure a quality sound experience.” And you can get them for a lot less than buds like AirPods Pro 2 — just $40.

Family needs inspire 3 Swift Student Challenge winners

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Swift Student Challenge winners
From left, Dezmond Blair, Elena Galluzzo and Jawaher Shaman are three of this year’s Swift Student Challenge winners.
Photo: Apple

Apple showcased the family-inspired coding work of three Swift Student Challenge winners Wednesday. The iPhone giant changed up its annual coding competition this year by naming 50 students Distinguished Winners among 350 top coders overall. The 50 get to attend a special event at the upcoming Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC24).

“This year’s winning Swift Student Challenge submissions once again demonstrate the breadth and depth of what is possible when talented young people use coding to make their mark on the world,” said Susan Prescott, Apple’s vice president of Worldwide Developer Relations.

“We’re also incredibly proud to welcome more outstanding student developers than ever before to Apple Park to connect with our teams and each other as they continue to build apps that will no doubt transform our future for the better,” she added.

Not all monitor light bars are created equal [Setups]

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BenQ ScreenBar Monitor Light setup
BenQ's ScreenBar monitor light isn't cheap, but it's a good investment.
Photo: BenQ

You can buy a monitor light bar pretty cheap, even as low as about $20. But will it be a great piece of gear, illuminating your desk from atop your display, with a nice array of features? Probably not. Today’s M3 MacBook Pro and PC setup laid out a little more cash for a keeper — the BenQ Screenbar Monitor Light.

Hate earbuds? Edifier’s new sport headphones are for you. [Review] ★★★

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Edifier Comfo Run sports headphones★★★
Edifier's sleek Comfo Run sports headphones don't enter your ear canal.
Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac

I’ve made no secret of my admiration for Edifier audio products in the past few years, but the streak couldn’t go on forever. But it’s not you, Edifier. It’s me, maybe. I blame my oversized head and clunky glasses for standing in the way of my affection for your sleek new Edifier Comfo Run sports headphones. I just couldn’t get the fit quite right for the best sound.

But I could see all sorts of athletes, and really anyone who prefers to keep earbuds and other objects out of their ear canals, loving these things. They work by air conduction.

Amazon matches record-low prices on coveted Apple gear

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low prices on Apple gear
Studio Display, now on sale at Amazon, is a great external display for Macs.
Photo: Apple

Amazon launched a bunch of deals Tuesday on Apple gear that includes what looks like a lowest-ever price by a touch on Apple Pencil 2. And it matches low prices on AirPods Pro 2 and Studio Display, and offers nice prices on Apple Watch and AirTag packs.

Fast-charge iPhone on the go with Pitaka’s new Qi2 car mount

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Pitaka MagEZ Car Mount Pro 2 Qi2
With 15W of power, Pitaka's new car mount will make quick work of charging MagSafe iPhones on the road.
Photo: Pitaka

On your next road trip, you can get fast charging for your MagSafe iPhone in a sleek design with the new Pitaka MagEZ Car Mount Pro 2 Qi2, the company said Tuesday.

The upgraded charging mount is certified to deliver 15W fast charging and NFC functionality for iPhone and Android handsets. And at 10%, it costs an affordable $54.

Get the lowest price ever on M1 iPad Air

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lowest price on M1 iPad Air
It's times like this we envy folks who waited to buy.
Photo: Apple

With new iPads expected right around the corner at Apple’s May 7 “Let Loose” event, you can expect discounts on older models. Check out Monday’s great deal at Best Buy — the lowest price on M1 iPad Air 5 (64GB, Wi-Fi) at $399. That’s a whopping $200 off.

And that’s not the only iPad deal at Best Buy going on right now. See others below.

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Powerful MacBook Pro plays nice with PC [Setups]

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MacBook Pro and PC setup
This IT manager has a heck of a nice M3 MacBook Pro setup. And note the big gaming PC on the right.
Photo: [email protected]

Today’s beautiful MacBook Pro and PC setup lets the two “frenemy” computers work easily in the same setup through a 4K external display’s built-in KVM switch. That means no messing around with cables, and no swapping out or re-pairing peripherals.

Apple TV+ bags big British awards for Slow Horses and Silo

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Slow Horses Silo BAFTA wins
Apple TV+ took four prizes in the TV craft awards, and may win more in the broader BAFTA Television Awards.
Photo: Apple TV+

The BAFTA Television Craft Awards — a branch of the BAFTAs, often thought of as the British Oscars — awarded wins to Apple TV+ hit series Slow Horses and Silo, the iPhone giant said Sunday.

The acerbic espionage drama Slow Horses won for best editing and best sound. Sci-fi series Silo landed wins for best production design and best original music.

In addition, Apple TV+ received further nominations in the upcoming BAFTA Television Awards.

This compact new mechanical keyboard sports customizable screen

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Epomaker TH80 Pro V2 VIA mechanical keyboard
You don't see a screen on a keyboard every day.
Photo: Epomaker

A new 75% compact mechanical gaming keyboard with a retro look includes a decidedly modern and unusual feature — a customizable LCD screen. The Epomaker TH80 Pro V2 VIA is “designed for an extreme gaming and typing experience,” the company said Thursday.

The cool new keeb is an update on Epomaker’s popular TH80 Pro keyboard.