D. Griffin Jones is joined by Allison McDaniel to talk more about Mac gaming, what games she's playing, what gear we use and the Stardew Valley speedrunning scene. Remember that you can support The CultCast at CultOf9to5MacRumors.com and you can employ Allison McDaniel as a writer and digital marketing specialist. Links:  Allison McDaniel on LinkedIn Allison's writing on The Punished Backlog Stardew Valley on Steam The Sims 4 for Mac  The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog on Steam Mini Motorways on Apple Arcade  Pocket Card Jockey on Apple Arcade Stray on Mac App Store  Resident Evil Village on Mac App Store Lies of P on Mac App Store Baldur's Gate 3 on Steam Asphalt 8: Airborne on Apple Arcade 8BitDo controllers Onn gaming mouse Satechi X3 Slim keyboard

All About Mac Gaming, with Guest Allison McDaniel (CultCast Off Topic #4)

After 10 years and 10 billion dollars, Apple finally calls it quits on the Apple car. What happened!? Plus: Apple's FineWoven cases are aging like milk, how to set up the best Mac screen saver, the future for Apple Arcade, and what comes next for Vision Pro. This episode supported by: Listeners like you. Your support helps us fund CultCast Off-Topic, a new weekly podcast of bonus content available for everyone; and helps us secure the future of the podcast. You also get access to The CultClub Discord, where you can chat with us all week long, give us show topics, and even end up on the show. Support The CultCast at support.thecultcast.com OR at CultOf9to5MacRumors.com . 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 car crashes to a halt  In a somewhat shocking development, Apple reportedly completely canceled all development on its self-driving car program on Tuesday. The company is shifting its emphasis to artificial intelligence, instead. Lewis Wallace: Killing the Apple car is depressing and sad The New York Times:  Behind Apple's Doomed Car Project: False Starts and Wrong Turns D. Griffin Jones:  Canceling the Apple car is a sensible move we should celebrate  MacRumors:  Not-So-FineWoven iPhone Case 'Browning Like a Rotten Banana'  Apple's $59 FineWoven cases for iPhone 15 took heavy flak when they were released last September for being subpar compared to the leather Apple cases they replaced. Now, The Wall Street Journal columnist Joanna Stern has distilled customers' ire by sharing her own experience with the case after five months of use. Poll by John Gruber   Apple Arcade's future: Kids win, but devs fear â€˜smell of death'  Apple Arcade now focuses so heavily on family-friendly titles from well-known franchises that some indie game developers feel abandoned, according to a new report.  How to set up the best Mac screensaver, Aerial  Screensavers fell out of fashion a long time ago, but Apple's Aerial screensaver looks so beautiful, it just might make you reconsider. In fact, with its stunning visuals, it might just be the best Mac screensaver around.   Don't expect Vision Pro 2 or Vision Air before 2027  Vision Pro may be Apple's only AR headset until 2027. The company has yet to start work on Vision Pro 2 or Vision Air, according to a trusted analyst.  Vision Pro returns aren't as bad as we feared

It's the end of the road for the Apple car! (CultCast #636)

Griffin and papa ERF list the games they're currently playing and which ones they like best.

Our current list of must-play video games!  (CultCast Off Topic #3)

This week, surprising new designs for the iPhone 16 AND incoming iPad Pros!  Plus: a new iPhone security issue steals your face to drain your bank account! We’ll tell you what you need to know, and we wrap with our review of a new mic we’re using on UNDER REVIEW. This episode supported by: Listeners like you. Your support helps us fund CultCast Off-Topic, a new weekly podcast of bonus content available for everyone; and helps us secure the future of the podcast. You also get access to The CultClub Discord, where you can chat with us all week long, give us show topics, and even end up on the show. Support The CultCast at support.thecultcast.com — OR at CultOf9to5MacRumors.com. 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. This week’s stories: First-ever iOS trojan steals your face to break your bank  For the first time, an iOS trojan has been spotted in the wild. It steals an iPhone user’s facial recognition data to go after money in banking and other financial apps.  Original Post by Bleeping Computer   Apple fortifies iMessage to foil hackers of the future  An iMessage upgrade with post-quantum cryptography will make Apple’s instant messaging platform ready to fend off future hackers. Today’s encryption methods likely won’t be able to stand up, which is why Apple is bringing in the cutting-edge protocol.   New Apple Sports app gives fans scores and stats for free  The new Apple Sports app for iPhone gives fans access to real-time scores, stats and more for their favorite teams across a wide range of sports leagues.  Apple Sports on the App Store  Woah! Is this the new iPhone 16 Pro camera?  The latest iPhone 16 Pro camera rumor comes with an image that shows a radically redesigned lens module.  MacRumors:  Apple's Upcoming OLED iPad Pro Models Rumored to Be Much Thinner  Such a slimmed down body suggests a notable design change, which is enabled by an even more significant update — OLED display technology. Alongside the iPad Pro, Apple is expected to introduce two new iPad Air models, including a larger 12.9-inch version for the first time.  D. Griffin Jones: Why I don’t want to return my Vision Pro  The two-week return window for my Vision Pro is fast approaching, so I need to make my keep it/toss it decision in a matter of days. And I desperately want to keep it.  Under Review: RØDE Wireless Pro  The RØDE Wireless Pro is a whole set of microphones you can use for recording videos with high-quality audio on the go.

Surprising new designs of iPhone 16 and here come the new iPad Pros! (CultCast #635)

These are the strategies I use to get huge discounts on tech and most of my other online purchases! CultCast Off Topic is our new podcast that's ad-free and free for all thanks to your support!  If you like us and want to support our future content, fork over $5 a month at support.thecultcast.com !

How to get BIG discounts on your favorite tech and online purchases! (CultCast Off Topic #2)

This week, we have Leander Kahney! It's our second-week thoughts on Vision Pro — after cooking, working out, typing tests and more, we've done it all. Are we keeping or returning ours? This episode supported by: Listeners like you. Your support helps us fund CultCast Off-Topic, a new weekly podcast of bonus content available for everyone; and your $5 helps us secure the future of the podcast. You also get access to The CultClub Discord, where you can chat with us all week long, give us show topics, and even end up on the show. Support The CultCast at support.thecultcast.com — OR at CultOf9to5MacRumors.com . Factor Meals. Treat yourself to Factor's delicious, high-quality, ready-to-eat meals delivered right to your door. Head over to FactorMeals.com/CultCast50 and use offer code CultCast50 to get 50% off. This week's stories: People are returning Vision Pro in droves â€¦ or are they?  Many early adopters seem set on returning their Apple Vision Pro headsets. As the 14-day return window approaches for people who bought the device on launch day, an avalanche of posts on X and other social media channels point to a wave of Vision Pro returns.   Mark Zuckerberg says Quest 3 is better than Vision Pro  Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg said his company's mixed-reality headset beats Vision Pro in almost every way, despite the fact that it costs far less than Apple's device. In a short video posted Tuesday on Instagram, Zuckerberg called the Meta Quest headset the â€œbetter product, period.â€ Tweet by Azad Balabanian  Griffin's Vision Pro tests  What's it like working out wearing a Vision Pro? What's it really like to cook with Vision Pro? Typing on Vision Pro: A scientific test with surprising results  MacRumors:  iOS 17's AirPlay Feature for Hotel Room TVs Rolling Out â€˜This Spring'  Starting with iOS 17.3 and iPadOS 17.3, you can wirelessly stream content from your iPhone or iPad to a compatible hotel room TV via AirPlay, and we have now learned that the feature should begin rolling out at hotels over the coming months.  They Are Coming!  If you want the Fujifilm X100VI, I make a recommendation that I can't remember I've ever done in 12 years of blogging: pre-order it instantly.

Everyone's talking about Vision Pro returns - are we keeping ours? + Leander returns! (CultCast #634)

CultCast Off Topic is ad free and free for all thanks to you!  Please help us with $5 a month and get access to our exclusive CultClub Discord and maybe even end up on the show!  support.thecultcast.com

Wearing Vision Pro for 24 hours straight! Is this the future?  (CultCast Off Topic #1 w/MaxTech!)

These are our hands-on reviews of Vision Pro — everything that’s good, everything that’s great, and then the parts you won’t like. We are RELAUNCHING CultCast Off Topic, a new ad-free weekly podcast covering our favorite weekly topics!  First new episode is coming soon. We're also relaunching The CultClub, a way for listeners to support your friends at The CultCast. Your support helps us fund CultCast Off-Topic, a new weekly podcast available for everyone, and it helps us secure our future as a podcast. You also get access to The CultClub Discord, where you can chat with us all week long, give us show topics, and even end up on the show. Your support also gives us back our creative freedom, freedom to make new experimental content in the style that you know but outside of our regular Apple topics.  Join us for just $5 a month at support.thecultcast.com. This week’s BIG story: Our Vision Pro Hands-on reviews.   Plus:  Apple Vision Pro: In the wild! Can you get real work done inside Vision Pro?  Vision Pro teardown finds pixels smaller than a red blood cell   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.

Pros and Cons — Our honest hands-on reviews of Vision Pro! (CultCast #633)

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? 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. 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. CultCloth will keep your Mac Studio, Studio Display, iPhone 15 Pro, guitars, glasses and lenses sparkling clean! For a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a two free CarryCloths with any order $20+ at CultCloth.co 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 ProApple 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 SiracusaEdited image by David Schaub

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

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! This episode supported by: 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. 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. 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:  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 CHAOS, sideloading is OFFICIAL + Apple Car is back on the menu! (CultCast #631)

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! This episode supported by: 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. Songfinch creates a totally original song inspired by your story, written and recorded by a professional artist. Go to songfinch.com/CULTCAST to get your song added to Spotify Streaming for free, a $50 value, with your purchase. 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. 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 can use an old iPhone for.

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

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? This episode supported by: 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. CultCloth will keep your Mac Studio, Studio Display, iPhone 15 Pro, guitars, glasses and lenses sparkling clean! For a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a two free CarryCloths with any order $20+ at CultCloth.co 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.

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

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! 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. 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 CultCloth will keep your Mac Studio, Studio Display, iPhone 15 Pro, guitars, glasses and lenses sparkling clean! For a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a two free CarryCloths with any order $20+ at CultCloth.co 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

The biggest update yet — Apple Watch X! (CultCast #628)

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. This episode supported by: 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.  PDF Editor ,PDF Book Reader is your do-it-all PDF app, perfect for reading, creating, editing, signing, and scanning PDFs. And CultCast listeners can get a year of all pro features totally free. Here&#39;s how:  First,  download the app on your device (iPhone, iPad or Mac) Next,  click on this link Enter the code CULTOFMAC You&#39;ll unlock a free year of pro features Code has limited uses so don&#39;t wait  CultCloth will keep your Mac Studio, Studio Display, iPhone 15 Pro, guitars, glasses and lenses sparkling clean! For a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a two free CarryCloths with any order $20+ at CultCloth.co 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&#39;s vice president of product design Tang Tan is set to join Sir Jony Ive&#39;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: TRIGGERnometry Erfon: Juscant is a PC game with a beautiful aesthetic, intuitive climbing mechanics, and mysterious plot.  Worst of 2023 Round 1:  Griffin: Michael Darius is a former Apple employee who is selling his meager experience from nearly twenty years ago as some design guru and personal protégé of Steve Jobs. Lewis:  Apple service price hikes Erfon: The state of streaming in 2023 is a huge mess. It’s like cable TV all over again.  Worst of 2023 Round 2:  Griffin: The feeling of being trusted to drive a stranger&#39;s car alone aft

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

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! 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. Songfinch creates a totally original song inspired by your story, written and recorded by a professional artist. Go to songfinch.com/CULTCAST to get your song added to Spotify Streaming for free, a $50 value, with your purchase. CultCloth will keep your Mac Studio, Studio Display, iPhone 15 Pro, guitars, glasses and lenses sparkling clean! For a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a two free CarryCloths with any order $20+ at CultCloth.co 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.

It happened — Apple Watch is BANNED! (CultCast #626)

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 (&amp; worst!) gear (&amp; stuff!) of 2023! This episode supported by: Factor Foods. Treat yourself to high-quality, delicious meals over the holidays. Head over to FactorMeals.com/CultCast50 and use offer code CultCast50 to get 50% off. 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. CultCloth will keep your Mac Studio, Studio Display, iPhone 15 Pro, guitars, glasses and lenses sparkling clean! For a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a two free CarryCloths with any order $20+ at CultCloth.co 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 KUXIU X55 is a garbage cheap plastic version of my favorite 3-in-1 charger, the  KUXIU X40. Lewis:  Apple predictive text makes confusing and erratic changes as you type. Erfon: The second-generation HomePod fails to live up to the premium listening experience

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

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. Songfinch creates a totally original song inspired by your story, written and recorded by a professional artist. Go to songfinch.com/CULTCAST to get your song added to Spotify Streaming for free, a $50 value, with your purchase. CultCloth will keep your Mac Studio, Studio Display, iPhone 15 Pro, guitars, glasses and lenses sparkling clean! For a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a two free CarryCloths with any order $20+ at CultCloth.co 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:  Apple Watch Ultra 2 Erfon:  Wanted: The Escape of Carlos Ghosn on Apple TV+

Overhauled iPad Pros and another new Mac are incoming! (CultCast #624)

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? This episode supported by: Instead of paying hundreds of dollars for a private tutor - or fooling yourself with language apps that are little more than games - Babbel’s quick 10-minute lessons are designed by over 150 language experts to help you start speaking a new language in as little as 3-weeks. Get 55% off at babbel.com/cultcast. 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. 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 CultCloth will keep your Mac Studio, Studio Display, iPhone 15 Pro, guitars, glasses and lenses sparkling clean! For a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a two free CarryCloths with any order $20+ at CultCloth.co 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 &amp; Haptics, there&#39;s a new &quot;Default Alerts&quot; 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

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

GOBBLE GOBBLE YAAALL! This week: iPads are going OLED! More HUGE legislation is coming out of the EU, Sonos is taking on Apple and Tim Cook talks about his succession plan. And we wrap up another all-new Under Review! This episode supported by: Notion combines your notes, documents, and task or project management into one space that’s simple and beautifully designed, with the power of AI built right inside. Try Notion AI for free when you go to notion.com/cultcast. 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. 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 CultCloth will keep your Mac Studio, Studio Display, iPhone 15 Pro, guitars, glasses and lenses sparkling clean! For a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a two free CarryCloths with any order $20+ at CultCloth.co This week‘s stories:  iPad Air and iPad mini with OLED screens pegged for 2026 release  Add iPad Air and iPad mini to the list of Apple tablets getting OLED screens. At least, that’s what an unconfirmed report coming out of Asia says. And the mini will supposedly get a boost in display size.   EU’s proposed right to repair law incentivizes repairs, bans parts pairing  The European Parliament has voted to approve a strong Right to Repair proposal. It aims to make consumer electronic goods more repairable, with companies required to prioritize repairability over replacement. The EU’s draft law prevents parts pairing. Apple notoriously uses this software block to discourage iPhone users from getting their devices repaired by third-party shops.   Enter to win a super-protective iPad case from Zugu [Cult of Mac Giveaway]  We teamed up with Zugu to give five lucky winners the chance to win one of these fantastic iPad cases, which come with a great adjustable kickstand and a built-in Apple Pencil holder.   MacRumors: Sonos to Launch $400+ Headphones and Set-Top Box, Competing with Apple Devices  Popular speaker company Sonos is planning to enter several new product markets that will see it competing with Apple devices, according to a new report from Bloomberg.   Apple CEO Succession Plans 'Very Detailed', Says Tim Cook  In a 45-minute interview for the BBC Sounds podcast Dua Lipa: At Your Service hosted by singer Dua Lipa, Cook admitted that he does not know how long he will remain at Apple. Tim said, “I would say that my job is to prepare several people for the ability to succeed, and I really want the person to come from within Apple, the next CEO. So that's my role: That there's several for the board to pick from.”  Under Review:  The Apple II Age: How The Computer Became Personal by Laine Nooney 100W Right Angle USB C to USB C Cable, 2 Pack by SOOPII X-Air Duffel by Waterfield

Sonos AirPods Max competitors + Tim Cook's plans to leave Apple  (CultCast #622)

This week, performance showdown! It's the 14 Vs. the 16-inch M3 Max MacBook Pros - can the 14-inch keep up?! Plus: is 8 GB of memory enough for the base MacBook Pro; new features coming to iOS 17.2, iOS 18 and RCS finally coming to iMessage; and the huge iPad Air coming early next year! This episode supported by: Factor is America’s #1 Ready-To-Eat Meal Kit, and can help you fuel up fast with ready-to-eat meals delivered straight to your door. Head to factormeals.com/cultcast50 and use code cultcast50 to get 50% off your first box. Notion combines your notes, documents, and task or project management into one space that’s simple and beautifully designed, with the power of AI built right inside. Try Notion AI for free when you go to notion.com/cultcast. 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. 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 CultCloth will keep your Mac Studio, Studio Display, iPhone 15 Pro, guitars, glasses and lenses sparkling clean! For a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a two free CarryCloths with any order $20+ at CultCloth.co This week‘s stories: 14" vs 16" M3 Max MacBook Pro: Major OVERHEATING Issues! M3 MacBook Pro 8GB vs 16GB RAM - How BAD is base model?  YouTube videos by MaxTech    New features coming in iOS 17.2  iOS 17.2 adds a Translate Action button shortcut, the Journal app and spatial video recording from the camera. Spatial video playing on Meta Quest     Enter to win a super-protective iPad case from Zugu [Cult of Mac giveaway]  The prize in this week’s giveaway is every iPad owner’s dream: an iPad case from Zugu with a built-in Apple Pencil holder. We teamed up with Zugu to give five lucky winners the chance to win one of these fantastic iPad cases.     Shocker: Apple commits to RCS for better texting with Android users  In what is apparently an enormous change of direction, Apple reportedly plans to add support for Rich Communication Services (RCS) to the iPhone Messages app in 2024. This will enable iPhones and Androids to communicate more securely.     ​​iPhone 16 Likely to Get Exclusive AI Features in iOS 18  Apple at WWDC 2024 will reveal a turbo-charged version of Siri powered by large language models (LLMs) that will debut in iOS 18, but some new cutting-edge generative AI features could be exclusive to iPhone 16 models.     12.9-inch iPad Air could launch in early 2024  Apple could overhaul its tablet lineup in 2024, delivering the first 12.9-inch iPad Air and upgrading iPad Pro models to OLED displays and the company’s fast new M3 chip.    Shop a refurbished Mac Studio  Some M1 Ultra Mac Studios are available for steep discounts on the Apple Refurbished Store — while supplies last!   

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