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Direct download: CC_Off_Topic_1_Maxtech_Vision_Pro.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:05pm PDT

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.

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This week’s BIG story:

Our Vision Pro Hands-on reviews.  

Plus:

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.
Direct download: CultCast_633.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:09pm PDT

<p>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?</p>

<p><strong>This episode supported by:</strong></p>

<p>Easily create a beautiful website all by yourself, at <a href="https://squarespace.com/cultcast">Squarespace.com/cultcast.</a>  Use offer code <strong>CultCast</strong> at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.</p>

<p>If you like fresh tech, check out <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/hanselminutes-with-scott-hanselman/id117488860">Scott Hanselman’s Hanselminutes</a> 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.</p>

<p>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 <a href="https://CultCloth.co">CultCloth.co</a></p>

<p><strong>This week’s stories:</strong></p>

<p><a href="https://www.cultofmac.com/844748/vision-pro-review-roundup-magic-a-revolution-not-finished/">Vision Pro review roundup: ‘Magic’ and ‘a revolution,’ but definitely unfinished</a></p>
<ul><li>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.”</li><li>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.</li><li>Vanity Fair: <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/news/tim-cook-apple-vision-pro">Why Tim Cook Is Going All In on the Apple Vision Pro</a></li><li><a href="https://www.cultofmac.com/845093/apple-vision-pro-addictive/">Apple Vision Pro’s biggest problem: It’s highly addictive!</a></li></ul>

<p><a href="https://www.cultofmac.com/845065/lululook-fkm-sport-band-for-apple-watch-giveaway/">Win a rugged and waterproof Apple Watch sport band [Cult of Mac giveaway]</a></p>
<ul><li>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.</li></ul>

<p><a href="https://www.cultofmac.com/844407/ios-17-4-beta-features-changes/">iOS 17.4 beta 1: All the new features and changes</a></p>
<ul><li>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.</li><li><a href="https://www.cultofmac.com/844445/apple-podcasts-transcripts-auto-generated-release-date/">Auto-generated transcripts coming to Apple Podcasts</a></li></ul>

<p><a href="https://www.cultofmac.com/845067/is-this-an-unannounced-ipad-in-a-press-photo-no/">Is this an unannounced iPad in a press photo?</a></p>
<ul><li>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.</li><li><a href="https://mastodon.social/@siracusa/111857250562641095">Post by John Siracusa</a></li><li><a href="https://mstdn.social/@dschaub/111857513902632560">Edited image by David Schaub</a></li></ul>

Direct download: CultCast_632.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:19pm PDT

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

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

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.
Direct download: CultCast_631.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:16pm PDT

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

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.
Direct download: CultCast_630.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:09pm PDT

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.
Direct download: CultCast_629.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:44pm PDT

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

Direct download: CultCast_628.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:04pm PDT

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's how:

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'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: 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's car alone after you only met them earlier that same evening is a bizarre experience I hope to never repeat.
  • Lewis: San Francisco
  • Erfon: Amazon Prime keeps getting more expensive while offering fewer benefits.
Direct download: CultCast_627.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:12pm PDT

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.
Direct download: CultCast_626.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:16pm PDT

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!

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:

Direct download: CultCast_625.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:54pm PDT