It’s a great season to get a new Mac. Every Mac today is a great buy. If you’re one of the lucky people to get one this year, here’s how to set up your Mac like a pro.
So rip open that box, tear off that plastic and get to the good stuff.
Here is Cult of Mac’s guide to setting up your new Mac the right way.
When it comes to new tech, the focus understandably falls on what’s changed, not what stayed the same.
That’s absolutely the case for the new M4 iMac, which Apple unveiled on Monday. Plenty of attention is (rightly) being lavished on the iMac’s guts. The M4 chip is a screamer, and the machine now comes with 16GB of unified memory as standard, a welcome change. And the new colors look great.
However, one thing that drives Apple customers bonkers has stayed the same. That one thing is Apple’s terrible mouse — or, more specifically, the ridiculous location of the charging port on the Magic Mouse.
Any case can protect your iPad, and the right one can also make it look handsome. The Woolnut Leather Sleeve has a minimalist vibe, but the pebbled leather gives a very sophisticated appearance to the iPad Pro.
I wrapped several of my Apple tablets in the case over years, I can share what’s it’s really like to use.
Elago’s awesome accessories for iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods are now available at 30% off through the Cult of Mac Store. All you need to do is add Elago products to your cart and 30% discount will automatically be added.
You can save on brilliant retro charging stands inspired by iconic devices like the original Macintosh and Game Boy, Apple Watch bands, iPhone cases, AirPods bumpers, and lots more. There’s also 30% off Elago’s new Apple Pencil cover.
This discount ends at 11:59 p.m. Pacific Monday, November 27 (Cyber Monday), so enjoy it while you can.
It’s World Backup Day, a good opportunity to take a close look at the backups your iPhone makes to iCloud. Are you running out of iCloud storage space? Living with a slow internet connection? Worried about privacy? In any of these cases, you might want to exclude some apps from your iCloud backups. Doing so will save iCloud storage space and conserve bandwidth.
The good news is that it’s easy to exclude pretty much anything you like from your iCloud backups in iOS. Here’s how.
Your MacBook isn’t charging right and you can’t figure it where the problem is? Plugable’s USBC-VAmeter3 can help. Connect it to the power cable running to your Mac, iPad or iPhone to see the voltage, wattage and amperage.
I’m no electrical engineer, but I tested this miniature power meter. I found it both useful and kind of fun.
One of Apple’s biggest events is right around the corner. This year’s Worldwide Developers Conference keynote promises to deliver our first look at the company’s next-generation software updates for iPhone, iPad, Mac and more. And it’s all happening on June 6.
Just like past WWDC keynotes, this year’s will be streaming online, so you’ll be able to watch it in its entirety as it all unfolds. Here’s how.
Update: The WWDC22 keynote is behind us, but if you want to get caught up you can watch the whole presentation on YouTube. Or check Cult of Mac‘s in-depth coverage.
Nothing says springtime is here like a visit from the Easter Beagle. Snoopy and his friends are back in It’s the Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown, showing now on Apple TV+. It’s one of many holiday specials appearing on Apple’s streaming video service, the home of all things Peanuts.
Here’s what you need to watch it.
I’ve misplaced my AirPods case. It’s in my house … somewhere. Fortunately, I can use the Find My app to locate it, as though it were a lost AirPod or AirTag.
Ha, ha, ha! No, I can’t. AirPods cases don’t offer Find My support. Just as the feature is missing from far too many other Apple accessories.
This needs to change. Find My is amazing, but limited by not being on devices that need it.
Update: In autumn 2022, Apple built Find My support into AirPods Pro 2, a sign that the tracking system might be coming to more peripherals.
Bringing beautiful leather to your Apple Watch doesn’t have to break the bank. Mifa’s stylish bands are incredibly high-end and long-lasting — and they’re an absolute steal at just $25.
Here’s why every Apple Watch owner should have one.
I rarely share photos of my family – and more specifically, my daughter – online. I believe that she should have the right to choose if, and when her face is shared online.
This means that I typically only share photos with her face cropped out, or I resort to clunky editing processes to obscure her face. With the brand new app MaskerAid, now hiding her face can be done instantly.
If you’re using one of Apple’s newest iPhone models, you should be enjoying spectacular battery life — the best you can get from a modern smartphone. But if you’re not, the likely culprit is its super-speedy 5G connectivity.
5G consumes significantly more power than 4G, but there are some things you can do to minimize its impact on iPhone 12 and iPhone 13. We’ll show you how.
Just like any other electronic gadget, Apple Pencil can sometimes experience issues that prevent it from working as intended. The good news is that it’s quick and easy to fix almost any Apple Pencil problem.
Try these simple tricks to eliminate connectivity problems, stuttering and more when your Apple Pencil starts acting up.
iOS and iPadOS 15 allow you to change the date and time a photo was captured for the first time. The feature is particularly handy for those who frequently import images from other sources.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to take advantage of the feature on iPhone and iPad.
One of the upgrades to Accessibility in iOS and iPadOS 15 is a new Background Sounds feature that plays relaxing audio tracks to help you stay calm and focused, and to block out background distractions.
Here’s how to use it on iPhone and iPad.
iOS 15, iPadOS 15 and macOS Monterey allow you to use tags inside the Notes app to keep everything organized. They can help you quickly separate notes for different projects, and they make it easier to find things later.
Here’s how to use tags in Notes on iPhone, iPad and Mac.
Live Text in iOS and iPadOS 15 is a terrific new feature that makes the text in your photos interactive. You can use it to copy and paste quotes, call phone numbers, find addresses and more.
Here’s how to use Live Text on your iPhone or iPad to translate signs, posters, and other things written in a foreign language.
With the omicron variant fueling lightning-fast spread of COVID-19, it’s a good time for iPhone owners to take advantage of the exposure notifications feature built into iOS. By simply enabling this feature, you will get an alert after being exposed to someone who tests positive for the virus — as long as they also have contact notifications turned on, and they report their test results.
For obvious reasons, this automatic version of contact tracing works more effectively if more people utilize it. If you discover that you’ve been in close contact with an infected person, you can take appropriate steps (getting tested, staying away from vulnerable people, etc.)
We’ll show you how to take control of COVID-19 exposure notifications on your device.
When Apple TV+ launched on November 1, 2019, Cupertino had its sights set on creating a serious Netflix rival. Two year on, it may not have conquered the world like fellow streaming newcomer Disney+ did. But Apple TV+ continues to deliver a stream of top-notch shows — and some must-see movies.
With dozens of series and more than 20 feature films, where should you start? Here’s our guide to the best shows and movies on Apple TV+, in no particular order.
From an easier way to meet up with a friend, to betting on a fight night, to cleaning up a photo, this week’s awesome apps are, well, awesome. We have a great app for dabbling in fantasy sports, a clever and simplified alternative to using GPS, and a way to bring the power of the Pixel 6 to the iPhone.
MagSafe is a huge step forward in wireless charging for iPhone. But Apple’s own MagSafe Charger is somewhat boring and pretty overpriced. The Wood Charger from Limited77 is a great alternative.
It works just like a MagSafe Charger, magnetically attaching itself to the back of iPhone 12, and it charges just as quickly. It’s also much more affordable. Want to know more? Here’s our full review.
iOS and iPadOS 15 have been out for a couple weeks now, and as with most new iOS releases, they usher in plenty of new apps to take advantage of the latest features. This week, we’re talking all about iOS and iPadOS Safari extensions.
UPDATE: The brilliant Elago Quattro bumper is now available in new color options, including shark gray and light pink, and it now supports 40mm Apple Watch models. Get yours today for just $11.99 from the Cult of Mac Store.
Don’t let your precious (and pricey) Apple Watch fend for itself in harsh environments. Pick up this tough Quattro Bumper Case from Elkson for essential protection against scuffs and shattered screens.
It protects the sides of your Apple Watch that are prone to scratching when you’re hard at work. It also has a lip that helps prevent its screen from rubbing up against anything rough.
You can get yours for Apple Watch Series 4, Series 5, and Series 6 for just $11.99.
Maybe it’s the impending iOS, iPadOS and macOS updates, but in checking out the App Store this past week, everything seemed to be “bug fixes and stability improvements.” Those are great things to have, but they aren’t as cool or exciting as fresh features or hot new apps!
Fortunately, a long-awaited feature is finally coming to the YouTube masses. Plus, I found another email app worth checking out. And, if you’re hoping to become an influencer, we’ve got an app to help you level up your videos in this week’s Awesome Apps of the Week.
Monowear’s Contemporary Leather Cuff is so good, it might just be my favorite Apple Watch band to date.
Not only is it made from a soft, luxurious leather that makes it insanely comfortable, but it looks terrific. It’s compatible with all Watch models, and it’s nowhere near as expensive as it looks.