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Vision Pro Reviews: The good, the bad and the UGLY… (CultCast #632) Feb 01, 2024

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This week we’re talking Vision Pro reviews, the good, the bad and the ugly! Also, we have some details on iOS 17.4 — and did Vanity Fair leak an image of the new iPad?

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If you like fresh tech, check out Scott Hanselman’s Hanselminutes wherever you get your podcasts! Scott finds fresh tech and fresh faces and shares them with you, like clockwork, every week. It’s like NPR’s Fresh Air for the tech set.

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This week’s stories:

Vision Pro review roundup: ‘Magic’ and ‘a revolution,’ but definitely unfinished

The first reviews of Apple’s Vision Pro gush compliments on the augmented-reality headset, with one reviewer calling it “mind-blowing” and another “stunning.”
However, there’s also plenty of criticism for the high price, weight and slim collection of software available when the product launches later this week.
Vanity Fair: Why Tim Cook Is Going All In on the Apple Vision Pro
Apple Vision Pro’s biggest problem: It’s highly addictive!

Win a rugged and waterproof Apple Watch sport band [Cult of Mac giveaway]

You might win a super-cool and rugged new Lululook Waterproof FKM Sport Band. We’re giving away one orange band and one blue one, and anyone in the world can enter to win.

iOS 17.4 beta 1: All the new features and changes

The first beta of iOS 17.4 is here, and it packs several big changes. The beta build arrived just days after Apple released iOS 17.3 to the public.
Auto-generated transcripts coming to Apple Podcasts

Is this an unannounced iPad in a press photo?

Some people think the first picture of Tim Cook wearing a Vision Pro also has a surprise: an iPad that Apple hasn’t released yet. But no. The tablet looks a bit odd, but that’s not because it’s a future one with a new design.
Post by John Siracusa
Edited image by David Schaub

Vision Pro CHAOS, sideloading is OFFICIAL + Apple Car is back on the menu! (CultCast #631) Jan 25, 2024

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This week: Vision Pro sells out in mere moments and its insane scalping prices, new Apple hardware coming this spring, and yes, the Apple Car is back on the menu! Plus: BREAKING NEWS on App Store sideloading and game streaming on iOS. What a week!

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This week’s stories:

Too late: Apple Vision Pro preorders sell out fast

Seven months after its announcement at WWDC23, Apple started accepting preorders for its Vision Pro headset Friday morning — and quickly sold out. Shipping dates for the company’s first AR headset slipped within minutes of preorders opening.
More Vision Pro headsets sold on launch weekend than you might expect
9to5Mac: Vision Pro scalpers used bots to place thousands of pre-orders; face check no barrier

Win a portable magnetic 3-in-1 wireless charger [Cult of Mac giveaway]

Kuxiu X55 3-in-1 Foldable Magnetic Wireless Charger and Stand gives you a compact, lightweight way to keep your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods wireless charging case charged up pretty much anywhere.

New Apple sideloading rules require pre-approval for iPhone apps

Apple gave EU developers the guidelines and access to the tools needed for sideloading — installing applications that don’t go through the App Store.
iPhone App Store change allows streaming games and mini apps
Apple will allow alternative browser defaults and engines in EU
Apple opens iPhone tap-to-pay to third parties in EU

MacRumors: New iPad Air, iPad Pro, and MacBook Air Models Likely to Launch in March or April

Finally, Apple car coming in 2028

Apple still plans to put a car on the road, but the release date for the Apple car is sometime in 2028, according to a new report.
And designers had to slam the brakes on hopes for full self driving. The electric vehicle will allegedly offer some driver-assistance capabilities but these will fall far short of full autonomy.

Vision Pro last-minute details, and big changes coming to Apple Watch! (CultCast #630) Jan 18, 2024

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This week: The Supreme Court is forcing big changes on the App Store, we have Apple’s Plan B to keep selling Apple Watches, last-minute Vision Pro details (are we ordering one?) and finally, 9 cool things you can do with an old iPhone!

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This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Just fill out a brief questionnaire to get matched with a licensed therapist, entirely online. Visit BetterHelp.com/CultCast to get 10% off your first month.

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This week’s stories:

Supreme Court decision means major iPhone app change is on the way

The U.S. Supreme Court effectively upheld a lower court’s ruling that Apple must allow third-party iPhone app developers to point customers to their websites when making purchases. This means the company is forced to drop its “anti-steering” rule for such applications — a major change.

AppleInsider: Apple bills Epic Games $73 million in legal costs

Following the end of the Epic Games vs Apple case, the "Fortnite" developer will be required to pay Apple over $73 million in legal fees.

Apple Watch Series 9 and Ultra 2 without blood oxygen feature go on sale in US

Apple is not making any hardware tweaks to the wearables. Instead, it will turn off the blood oxygen sensor feature through software.

Win a Pitaka iPhone 15 case that’s colorful, thin and incredibly durable [Cult of Mac giveaway]

Time's running out on our latest giveaway: We're giving away four iPhone 15 cases from Pitaka. Winners will get either a Sunset or Moonrise case.

Apple Vision Pro’s Lengthy Sales Pitch Will Include 25-Minute Demo

Apple Inc. is facing one of the toughest marketing challenges in its history: pitching customers on a $3,499 headset with limited battery life, an unwieldy design and no killer app.
MacRumors: Kuo: Apple Will Only Produce Up to 80,000 Vision Pro Headsets for Launch, Sellout Likely
Gurman on Vision Pro Keyboard
Apple Vision Pro’s killer feature might be neck pain

9 cool things you can do with an old iPhone

YouTube Video
There are a lot of things you can do with old iPhones. In fact, it might be worth keeping them around rather than trading them in. There are all kinds of things you

Vision Pro is almost here — we have the last minute details! (CultCast #629) Jan 11, 2024

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Vision Pro goes on sale NEXT WEEK — we have all the last-minute details! We’re also talking about the strange new AI hardware from CES, AI-powered Siri coming at WWDC, and finally, is it worth it to buy expensive phone cables?

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Notion AI can now give you instant answers to your questions, using information from across your wiki, projects, docs and meeting notes. Go to notion.com/cultcast to try the powerful Notion AI today.

This week’s stories:

Apple Vision Pro launches February 2, preorders start January 19 [Updated]

Apple’s Vision Pro headset finally has a release date. Apple will accept preorders for Vision Pro in the United States starting Friday, January 19, at 5 a.m. Pacific, the company said Monday.
Steven Troughton-Smith on Mastodon

First Vision Pro ad harks back to classic iPhone Hello advert

Apple’s fun new Get Ready video for the upcoming Vision Pro headset is clearly intended to ratchet up the hype for the spatial computing device scheduled for release in early February.

MacRumors: Apple 'Carefully Orchestrating' Vision Pro Reviews With Multiple Meetings

Apple has a detailed plan for Apple Vision Pro reviews, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. YouTubers and members of the media selected for reviews will meet with Apple on January 16 for a hands-on experience, with a follow-up meeting to take place on January 23 to go over the device's features a second time.

Win a Pitaka iPhone 15 case that’s colorful, thin and incredibly durable

We're giving away four iPhone 15 cases from Pitaka. Winners will get one of these: Sunset or Moonrise.

Ask AI-powered Rabbit R1 for anything (without touching an app)

You can ask the new AI-powered Rabbit R1 gadget to do pretty much anything you’d normally do with some combination of apps on your smartphone, according to Rabbit’s fascinating keynote at CES 2024.

Wave of Apple Generative AI Tools on Track for WWDC Debut

In the latest edition of his "Power On" newsletter, Gurman reaffirmed and expanded upon previous comments related to Apple's plans to announce a series of new tools based on generative AI at WWDC as part of iOS 18, including a revamped version of Siri.

Cheap or Pricey: Which Charging Cables Last Longest?

How many times have you left your phone plugged in overnight just to wake up and find that it hasn’t charged at all? It seems like a trivial thing, but when a charging cable fails, it can ruin your day.

The biggest update yet — Apple Watch X! (CultCast #628) Jan 04, 2024

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This week, it’ll be the biggest update since the original — here comes Apple Watch X… Plus, app sideloading might be coming to the US next and we pitch our favorite shows, movies and stuff in an all-new What We’re Into!

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Cult of Mac’s watch store is full of beautiful straps that cost way less than Apple’s. See the full curated collection at store.cultofmac.com

This week’s stories:

What to expect from Apple Watch in 2024: Series X

2024 looks like a big year for Apple Watch. The world’s most popular wearable could get the biggest redesign in its 10-year history in the form of a device potentially called “Apple Watch Series X” or simply “Apple Watch X.”
Everything (else) Apple Will Announce in 2024

9to5Mac: US antitrust case against Apple’s App Store exclusivity is ‘firing on all cylinders’

The US antitrust case against Apple’s App Store exclusivity is “firing on all cylinders” according to the head of the Department of Justice unit responsible for policing breaches of competition law.

Inside Apple’s massive push to transform the Mac into a gaming paradise

Gaming on the Mac in the 1990s until 2020, when Apple made a big shift to its own custom silicon, could be boiled down to this: Apple was in a hardware arms race with the PC that it couldn’t win.
“Apple silicon has changed all that,” Keppel tells Inverse.
D. Griffin Jones on Extra Ordinary: The Weird, Cyclical State of Mac Gaming

What We’re Into

Griffin: Sausage with bell peppers and onions
Erfon: Fujifilm X100V rumored successor

Our FINAL picks for the best (and worst!) of 2023! (CultCast #627) Dec 28, 2023

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This week, the Apple Watch is back on sale already — but for how long? Jony Ive is pawning some BIG designers from Apple to work on a secret new AI project. And we close with the rest of our picks for the Best (and Worst) of 2023.

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This week’s stories:

Federal court temporarily un-pauses Apple Watch ban

During the temporary stay on the ban, the court will review Apple’s request. Now the ITC has until January 10 to respond to Apple’s request for a stay.

Another Apple Designer Joins Jony Ive to Work on Hardware for OpenAI

Apple's vice president of product design Tang Tan is set to join Sir Jony Ive's LoveFrom to design hardware products for OpenAI.
At Apple, Tang Tan is vice president of product design and reports to senior vice president of hardware engineering John Ternus. Tan is responsible for the design of the iPhone, Apple Watch, accessories, and acoustic devices like AirPods.

Best of 2023 Round 1:

Griffin: 404 Media is a journalist-run independent media company with excellent investigative reporting on the hottest tech news.
Lewis: Anker 3-in-1 Cube with MagSafe is a great night stand charger for your iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch.
Erfon: Xbox Game pass is like the Netflix of video games, and with its ever-expanding library of indie, and now, big titles from major studios, it’s finally worth its monthly price.

Best of 2023 Round 2:

Griffin: Mastodon is an open-source social media platform that cuts out garbage ads, tracking and algorithms; cutting straight to the high-quality discussions with people you care about.
Lewis: TRIGGE

It happened — Apple Watch is BANNED! (CultCast #626) Dec 21, 2023

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This week, the Apple Watch is BANNED in the US! We’re also talking bad news about next year’s models and the future of CarPlay that was just announced, followed by new picks for the Best of 2023!

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This week’s stories:

It’s the last day to buy Apple Watch from Apple.com before US sales ban [Updated]

U.S. sales of Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2 from Apple’s website stopped on December 21.

Your Apple Watch Bands May Not Work With Next Year's Model

Next-generation Apple Watch models will feature a completely redesigned band connector, rendering them incompatible with all current bands, according to the Apple leaker and prototype collector known as “Kosutami.”

Enter to win an iPhone 15 case and screen protector bundle from MagEasy

Two winners will receive a MagEasy iPhone 15 case of their choice, along with a screen protector. Enter now for your chance to win!

Porsche and Aston Martin preview gorgeous next-gen Apple CarPlay

Now we have our first looks at what next-gen Carplay will look like thanks to Porsche and Aston Martin.

Best of 2023:

Erfon: Silo. In a ruined and toxic future, thousands live in a giant silo deep underground. After its sheriff breaks a cardinal rule and residents die mysteriously, engineer Juliette starts to uncover shocking secrets and the truth about the silo.
Lewis: Slow Horses. This quick-witted spy drama follows a dysfunctional team of MI5 agents—and their obnoxious boss, the notorious Jackson Lamb—as they navigate the espionage world’s smoke and mirrors to defend England from sinister forces.
Griffin: U.S. Interstate 77 is possibly the greatest highway on the planet, offering two lanes of 70 mph speeds with regular stops, little congestion or traffic, scenic views and a world-class interchange with Interstate 70 — it’s the fastest way to leave Cleveland.

The best and worst gear of 2023 — Part 2! (CultCast #625) Dec 14, 2023

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This week: Apple just made it harder for the Gov to spy on your phone, iOS 17.3 makes your iPhone a lot harder to steal, and our picks for best (& worst!) gear (& stuff!) of 2023!

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Notion AI can now give you instant answers to your questions, using information from across your wiki, projects, docs and meeting notes. Go to notion.com/cultcast to try the powerful Notion AI today.

This week’s stories:

You can now buy stand-alone USB-C case for AirPods Pro 2… for $99!

In September, Apple introduced a tweaked version of AirPods Pro 2 that comes with a charging case with a USB-C port. The MagSafe Charging Case (USB‑C) for AirPods Pro (2nd generation) joined the online Apple store Wednesday.

Apple makes ‘push notification spying’ more difficult

Governments will find push notification spying harder to do now that they no longer enjoy easy access to records of push notifications sent to iPhone users. Apple changed its policy so that law enforcement and other government agencies need a court order to obtain this data.

How Apple plans to ramp up iOS security for stolen iPhones

The just-released iOS 17.3 beta 1 includes a surprise feature: Stolen Device Protection. The option makes it harder to reset the passcode on a stolen device if the thief already knows the current passcode. There are also new password protections.

Why Google Play courtroom loss could hurt Apple, too

Epic Games convinced a federal jury that the Google Play store for Android applications is an illegal monopoly. The decision might have wide repercussions.

Apple reportedly offers to open iPhone NFC to other payment systems

The days of the iPhone’s NFC capabilities being limited to just Apple Pay could be coming to an end. Apple is reportedly open to allowing other systems to use the wireless payment system.

Best of 2023:

Erfon: Matter is the best new smart home technology that brings all your devices together seamlessly.
Lewis: The Last of Us is a show on Max about a hardened survivor (Pedro Pascal) taking care of a 14-year-old girl (Bella Ramsey) who may be humanity’s last hope.
Griffin: Music, a great way to experience art in the form of rhythmic sounds, vocalizations and instruments. The Roland Cube 30X was designed for listening to music.

Worst of 2023:

Griffin: The KUXI

Overhauled iPad Pros and another new Mac are incoming! (CultCast #624) Dec 07, 2023

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This week: new rumors say updated iPad Pros are right around the corner, along with the new M3 MacBook Air! Plus: the iPhone 16’s Action button is getting supercharged, and our first picks for the Best of 2023!

This episode supported by:

Easily create a beautiful website all by yourself, at Squarespace.com/cultcast. Use offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

This week’s stories:

Entire iPhone 16 lineup could feature force-sensitive Action button

Apple reportedly will bring the iPhone 15 Pro’s Action button to the entire iPhone 16 lineup next year. It will seemingly be a capacitive button and pack a lot of additional functionality.
How Apple muffed the iPhone 15 Pro’s new Action button by Leander Kahney

MacRumors: ‘All-Screen’ iPhone Under-Display Camera Enters Development

According to The Elec, LG Innotek has entered the preliminary development of the UDC, which sits under the display and does not result in a visible hole in the panel when the camera is not in use.

Win a 3-in-1 MagSafe travel charger from mophie [Cult of Mac Giveaway]

This week’s Cult of Mac giveaway prize is a mophie 3-in-1 MagSafe travel charger that retails for $149.95. The compact charger is perfect for anyone with a busy schedule who’s on the go. You can charge multiple devices simultaneously at maximum speed with this great fold-up Apple accessory.

MacBook Air gets speedy M3 chip in spring 2024

The Apple M3 processor will make its way to the MacBook Air line in March 2024, according to a trusted source of insider info. Both the 13-inch and 15-inch versions of the laptop will receive the chip upgrade.

12.9-inch iPad Air, OLED iPad Pro pegged for March release

March 2024 will bring a bonanza, according to a report Wednesday from Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman. A 12.9-inch iPad Air is supposedly on the docket. An updated 10.9-inch version will also be released.

Apple confirms ‘push notification spying’ by government agencies

Some governments are spying on push notifications sent to iPhone users, Apple confirmed Wednesday. By examining logs of push notifications sent by various apps, authorities can piece together surprisingly detailed information about smartphone users and their activities.

Under Review:

Griffin: Stray, by Annapurna Interactive
Lewis:

Cool new iOS 17.2 features & Apple canceling Apple Card?!? (CultCast #623) Nov 30, 2023

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This week: Apple’s falling out with Goldman Sachs could mean the end of Apple Card - we’ll fill you in. We’ll also give you the real deal on how NameDrop works and run through the top podcasts of 2023. And finally — could multiple cheaper Apple Vision headsets be in the works?

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Cult of Mac’s watch store is full of beautiful straps that cost way less than Apple’s. See the full curated collection at store.cultofmac.com

This week’s stories:

Apple reportedly ending Apple Card partnership with Goldman Sachs

Apple’s partnership with Goldman Sachs for the Apple Card is reportedly coming to an end. The Wall Street Journal says Apple sent a proposal to the bank to exit from the agreement in the next 12 to 15 months.

MacRumors: Interesting new features in iOS 17.2 Beta 4

Under Sounds & Haptics, there's a new "Default Alerts" section that allows you to choose the sound used for all incoming notifications aside from texts, mail alerts, and calendar alerts, which already had customization options.
With the iPhone 15 Pro models, ProRes video can be recorded directly to an external device. iOS 17.2 appears to include a new pop up message that lets users know that external recording is not working because of a USB-C cable that is too slow.

Arm ain’t happy about how little Apple pays for its chip tech

All Apple computers run on chips based on technology licensed from Arm. And it turns out the licensing fee is surprisingly low. Pennies per device.

New deal means fully American-made Apple silicon chips

Apple silicon processors that TSMC makes at its Arizona plant will be packaged by Amkor at a nearby facility.

Why iPhone NameDrop feature is not a security risk

Parents are mistakenly being warned that they need to quickly deactivate iOS 17’s NameDrop feature on their children’s iPhones. The warnings claim that it’s causing the devices to broadcast their contact information to anyone nearby. This simply isn’t true.

MacRumors: Work on Multiple Next-Gen Vision Pro Headsets Ongoing, Including Cheaper Model

DigiTimes claims that there are a total of four different second-generation Vision Pro headsets in development, including a direct successor to the first-generation model and a more affordable model. The nature of the other two s

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