You can save on everything from groceries to Apple gear at Costco. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
A Costco Gold Star Membership can help you secure high-quality goods — including iPhones, Macs, Apple Watches and iPads — at bargain-basement prices. You can hop on the savings train now with a Costco membership deal that lets you join the warehouse club for less.
Your choice of sober apps can help you drink moderately or stay dry for the whole month and beyond. Photo: Try Dry
If you’re considering taking part in Dry January, check out these sober apps to help you quit alcohol for the month — and maybe longer. Dry January is a monthlong challenge to abstain from alcohol for the first 30 days of the year. Popular in the United Kingdom and growing worldwide, it’s a great way to reset after the boozy holiday season, giving people a chance to focus on health and well-being.
A lot of people get guidance and support using Dry January apps, aka apps to drink less alcohol, which can also help cut back drinking anytime during the year.
Looking for something to stream? Check out the best shows on Apple TV+. Photo: Apple TV+
Some of the world’s greatest creative talents are making the best Apple TV shows.
Directors like Martin Scorsese, M. Night Shyamalan, Rupert Wyatt and Kim Jee-Woon bring to life incredible stories by writers like Min Jin Lee, Paul Theroux, Emily Dickinson and Isaac Asimov. High-concept premises, crack-up comedies and legendary ensembles meet on Apple’s streaming service.
The result is a collection of art and entertainment worth signing up for. As the service goes free for everyone this weekend, here’s a look at the best shows on Apple TV+.
With the WavLink dock's 13 ports, you might run out of perhipherals to plug into it. Photo: WavLink
As your Mac computer setup grows with newly added peripherals and capabilities, keeping it all connected and powered becomes a greater challenge. Enter multiport Thunderbolt 4 hubs. They offer high-speed data transfer, great options for high-resolution external displays and power for connected devices. Today’s featured MacBook Pro setup with dual displays and more takes great advantage of a cheap Thunderbolt 4 dock — the 13-port WavLink Thunderbolt 4 Docking Station. On sale currently, it goes for just $170.
Apple Fitness+ added a slew of new programming to keep you active and mindful in 2025. Photo: Apple Fitness+
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.”
January 3, 1977: Apple Computer Co. is officially incorporated, with Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak listed as co-founders. The Apple incorporation leaves out third founder Ron Wayne — who initially invested in the company — because he sold back his stake in Apple for $800.
The funding and expertise needed to turn Apple into a corporation is provided by a man named Mike Markkula, who becomes an important figure in the company’s history.
Start the year off saving cash by canceling any App Store subscriptions you don't want. Photo: David Švihovec/Unsplash License/Modified by Cult of Mac
It’s a new year, and it’s a fine time to clear out some of the mistakes of the past. That includes no longer paying for apps or services you don’t use anymore. Luckily, it’s easy — if you know how to cancel subscriptions on your Apple devices.
Here’s how to find everything you’ve signed up for through the App Store, see what it’s costing you, and cancel it if you’ve lost interest. Or perhaps save a bit of money by changing how often you’re billed.
With this tiny charger by your side, you don't need to worry about your Apple Watch running out of juice. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Always on the go and always trying to close your Apple Watch rings? This wireless keychain charger for Apple Watch is a game-changer for your active lifestyle.
Small yet packed with power, this pocket-size Apple Watch charger is on sale now for only $19.99. That’s more than half off its regular price of $49.95.
Save over 40% on a wireless touchscreen Bluetooth display compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Apple CarPlay is a popular perk of many newer cars, but you no longer need a luxury model to enjoy a modern driving experience. For a limited time, it’s cheaper than you’d imagine to add a CarPlay display to any vehicle. This affordable car touchscreen works with Android Auto, too.
How budget-friendly is it? You can currently purchase this 10-inch wireless touchscreen car display that works with both major infotainment platforms for only $99.97 (regularly $199.99). That’s 50% off a car accessory that supplies access to various helpful and safety-focused features.
Complaints say Siri inadvertently recorded comments when unintentionally activated. Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
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).
Ring in the new year with new passwords that haven’t been stolen by hackers. Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
It’s a brand-new year, and that’s a good opportunity to do something you’ve probably been procrastinating on: Replace your website passwords that hackers stole because of some company’s lax security. Fortunately, Apple’s new Passwords app makes it easy to find out which of your passwords leaked so you can change them.
Start the year off right by fixing a potentially serious problem now, before something bad happens.
★★★★☆
The right-handed Alogic Apex wireless mouse offers premium features at an affordable price point. Photo: David Snow/Cult of Mac
I recently tested out a new low-cost, high-performance mouse from Alogic. It’s a compelling alternative to hugely popular premium options like the Logitech MX Master 3S wireless mouse — at roughly half the price! After using it for this Alogic Apex mouse review, I found the capable device strikes an impressive balance between features and affordability at a retail price of $59.99 (currently on sale at 15% off).
An Apple II with a copy of "killer app" VisiCalc, on display at the Museum of Science in Boston. Photo: Jean-Edouard Babin/Flickr CC
January 2, 1979: Entrepreneurs Dan Bricklin and Bob Frankston incorporate their company Software Arts to publish a program called VisiCalc. The first spreadsheet software for the Apple II, VisiCalc ultimately becomes personal computing’s first “killer app.”
The software, which sells for $100, helps transform personal computers from “cool to have” toys into “must have” business accessories.
Use this AI tool to write better resumes and land the job you want. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Job interviews can prove intimidating, but these days, there’s a much more important interview going on behind the scenes. It happens the moment you upload your resume. And because it’s crucial that you pass this “invisible interview,” AI Resume Builder could be the most essential weapon in your job-hunting arsenal.
It could help you land that coveted real job interview that’s key to getting your dream job. Fortunately, this resume-writing tool is now on sale for only $39 (regularly $468). You won’t find a better deal than this anywhere else online.
These five Apple products could make you go wow this year. AI image: Midjourney/Cult of Mac
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.
Buy from Apple's online store in China to save on iPhone, iPad and Mac Photo: Apple
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.
You can actually get it done — with these apps. Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
It’s the new year! If you haven’t given up on your New Year’s resolution already, I have three apps that’ll help you through it. (I won’t hold you to it if you’ve slipped up in the first week.)
Whether you’re trying to exercise more, work more efficiently or change your daily habits, these three apps will help you make a better 2024.
The Samsung T9 puts terabytes of storage in your pocket. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
A Samsung SSD can help you reach your New Year’s resolution to get organized. The T9 offers up to 4 terabytes of capacity, is blazing fast, so you can easily gather the files you have scattered all over the place onto a single drive. And you can grab the SSD now at up to $200 below the usual cost.
For an even more affordable option, the older Samsung T7 is available for as much as 41% off.
Sidestep Apple's file-management hurdles with AnyTrans. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
AnyTrans is a one-stop content manager for iOS devices. The Mac app makes it easy to transfer any kind of data — music, photos, texts, whatever — among all your Apple gear.
This bundle of tech courses can help you launch a lucrative and fulfilling new career. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Ready to take your understanding of coding and artificial intelligence to the next level? This programming bundle for ChatGPT and Python shows you how to pull off coding projects big and small, from “beginner to winner.” And you can get all 14 courses, with a total of 86 hours of courses, for only $29.97 (regularly $154).
You get lifetime access to the lesssons, which are a great way to establish a fundamental understanding of impactful technology.
Journal lets you build a scrapbook or a diary on your iPhone. Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac
A diary can be a great and invaluable record of your life, but who has time for that? Well, now you do: Apple’s iPhone Journal app makes keeping a diary a breeze. Really, it couldn’t be any easier.
Apple’s Journal app, newly updated in iOS 18, lets you build a record of your life into a multimedia digital diary. Your iPhone will pull together details from your photos, locations and events to give you prompts for memories worth writing about.
Here’s the nitty gritty on using the Journal app — and its latest features.
At one time, Hackulous aspired to be a Napster for pirated apps. Photo: Hackulous
December 31, 2012: App piracy hub Hackulous shuts down, bringing an end to two of its most popular apps, Installous and AppSync.
The iPhone jailbreak tool Installous allowed users to install “cracked” or pirated apps on their iOS devices, thereby avoiding paying purchase fees to Apple or developers. AppSync let users sync their cracked apps with iTunes.