The CultCast

This week: we bring you a huge list of great iOS 14 features Apple DID NOT mention on-stage at WWDC 20, and there’s a lot to love. Plus: why iOS 14's new Home screen widgets aren't as powerful as you might think, and get ready to log into websites with Face ID or Touch ID.

This episode supported by

CleanMyMac X is an all in one utility that takes care of your Mac's health: it’s a macOS cleaner, a performance monitor, a malware remover, and occasionally, a lifesaver. And until July 5th, you can go to macpaw.com/cultofmac to get CleanMyMac X with a 30% discount.

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 iPhone 11, Apple Watch, Mac Pro and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.

On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

This week's stories

iOS 14's new Home screen widgets aren't as powerful as you might think

  • Widgets in iOS 14 currently offer little more than a tiny snippet of useful information. They can display weather conditions, upcoming appointments, items on your to-do list, and what you’re listening to. But Apple doesn’t make them (or allow them to be) interactive like Google does.

macOS Big Sur

  • One of the most significant redesigns since Yosemite 6 years ago. Almost everything has changed.
  • macOS now looks a lot like iOS
  • All-new sounds. Trash sound different. Move files sounds different.
  • Translucent menu bar with new icons
  • All-new icons for drives and folders
  • Dock has been redesigned with a note iOS-type feel
  • Icons for Apple’s apps are now square, like their iOS counterparts
  • Message notifications now give much more information
  • The icons used in open folders look those those in iOS
  • Popup menus are translucent and have new buttons
  • New control toggle in the menu bar that brings up icons for Wi-Fi-, Bluetooth, brightness and sound, just like the control panel on your iPhone or iPad
  • Maps and messages now look and feel just like the iPhone versions.

iOS 14 hidden features

  • Double or triple tap back to activate shortcut
  • Widget stacks let you use the same space for up to 10 different widgets. You can swipe through them.
  • Smart stack widget uses on device AI to show the right widget based on factors like time, location, and activity.
  • Battery notification lets you know when you need to charge your AirPods, or when your Apple Watch has been charged
  • Hide home screen pages you’re not using
  • Picture in picture will let you watch a video while using another app, but you can also use it for FaceTime, so you can see your caller while doing something else
    • And just like on the iPad, you can move the picture off screen but still hear the audio.
  • You probably remember you can have pinned conversations in messages. But did you know can have up to nine pinned conversations and they will sync across Messages in iOS, iPadOS, and macOS.
    • In group messages conversations, people can now @ your name to speak directly to you, and you can set your notifications to only ping when someone @’s you.
  • Memoji get new hairstyles, new face coverings, new headwear, and accurate facial movements
    • More age options
    • "Six new age options let you customize your look whether you’re baby-faced, in your golden years, or somewhere in between.”

FaceTime

  • FaceTime can make video calling more natural by helping you establish eye contact even when you’re looking at the screen instead of the camera.
  • FaceTime delivers improved video quality with up to 1080p resolution on supported devices

Camera

  • Time to first shot is now 25% quicker
  • You can now lock an exposure compensation value for photos and videos for an entire camera session while separately locking camera focus and exposure for a specific shot.
  • You can now capture QuickTake video in Photo mode on iPhone XR, iPhone XS, and iPhone XS Max.

Weather

  • Stay informed about severe weather events19 and learn about upcoming shifts in weather, so you know if it will be significantly warmer, colder, or wetter the next day.
  • In the U.S. you can see a chart that shows a minute‑by‑minute forecast of precipitation intensity over the next hour.

Health

  • New hearing features help you understand how loud you’re listening to media through headphones and how that could impact your hearing over time.

Maps

  • Maps now routes cyclists along bike lanes, bike paths, and bike-friendly roads. Preview the elevation for your ride, check how busy a street is, and set routes to avoid steep inclines or stairs.
  • Maps lets you know when you’re approaching speed cameras and red-light cameras along your route.
  • In the translate app, you can view your recent history and save phrases that you just translated as favorites.

Siri

  • 20x more facts
  • You can now ask Siri for cycling directions.
  • While navigating with Apple Maps, you can ask Siri to share your ETA with a contact.

Car Keys

  • Even when your iPhone battery runs low, you’ll be able to access and start your vehicle for up to five hours.

Photos

  • You can sort any of your albums, including Shared Albums, by oldest or newest first.

Notes

  • Draw lines, arcs, and shapes, including hearts, stars, and arrows. Pause slightly at the end, and your imperfect shape snaps into a perfect one.
  • Collapse or expand your pinned notes list.

AirPods

  • Adjust your AirPods audio to account for hearing differences. Headphone Accommodations amplifies soft sounds and can tune for your individual hearing, to help music, phone calls, and more sound crisp and clear.
  • Connect two sets of AirPods to your Apple TV 4K so you can enjoy movies and shows with someone else without disturbing others.11

Privacy

  • Easily switch to Sign in with Apple when logging in to participating apps. You’ll keep the account you already use, but have one less password to keep track of.
  • Share only your approximate location rather than your exact location with apps— perfect for apps like local news or weather.
  • iOS will display an indicator whenever an app is using the mic or camera, both in the app and in Control Center.

Get ready to log into websites with Face ID or Touch ID | Cult of Mac

  • Safari users soon will be able to securely log into websites using Face ID and Touch ID. The new feature, which Apple is rolling out in iOS 14, iPadOS 14 and macOS Big Sur, should take away one of the most irritating things about using the web — remembering, and then typing in, user names and complicated passwords.
Direct download: cultcast_446.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:44pm PDT

This episode: We react to all our favorite WWDC 2020 announcements! And there's a whole lot to discuss.

This episode supported by

CleanMyMac X is an all in one utility that takes care of your Mac's health: it’s a macOS cleaner, a performance monitor, a malware remover, and occasionally, a lifesaver. And until July 5th, you can go to macpaw.com/cultofmac to get CleanMyMac X with a 30% discount.

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 iPhone 11, Apple Watch, Mac Pro and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.

Direct download: WWDC_2020_reactions.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:41pm PDT

This week: we talk our WWDC 2020 hardware and software predictions, and there’s A LOT to say. Plus: a new leak details a next generation iPhone with dual displays; the new 5600M MacBook Pro GPU is a absolute MONSTER; and Apple’s back-to-school promo is back for the summer, but with an interesting twist...

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 iPhone 11, Apple Watch, Mac Pro and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.

On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

This week's stories

Set your reminder for Monday’s keynote via WWDC’s YouTube livestream link

  • Apple has posted the YouTube live stream link that will allow viewers to tune into its WWDC 2020 keynote next week.
  • The June 22 event will kick off at 10am PT/1pm ET, streaming directly from Apple Park. This is the second time Apple has streamed a Special Event on YouTube, following last year’s iPhone unveiling.
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEZhD3J89ZE&feature=emb_title

Redesigned iMacs to iOS 14: Everything we expect to see at WWDC 2020

  • Apple execs won’t get to feed off the usual live audience’s energy during next Monday’s WWDC 2020 keynote, but doesn’t mean there’s nothing to get excited about.

Apple’s first foldable phone could feature 2 displays joined by hinges

  • Apple’s “foldable” iPhone will use dual displays to get around the foldable screen problem that plagues other folding phones like Samsung’s beleaguered Galaxy Fold, claims Apple leaker Jon Prosser.

16-inch MacBook Pro gets more powerful AMD 5600M graphics option

  • Apple has updated its 16-inch MacBook Pro buying options by offering the new Radeon Pro 5600M mobile GPU. This joins the existing Radeon Pro 5300M and 5500M GPU options for the MacBook Pro.

Apple offers college students free AirPods along with deals on Mac and iPad

  • Summer is just starting but Apple is already thinking back-to-school. College students and teachers can save up to $200 on a MacBook or iMac. Or up to $100 on iPads. And get a pair of AirPods gets thrown in for free.
Direct download: cultcast_445.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:48pm PDT

This week: we talk our WWDC 2020 hardware and software predictions, and there’s A LOT to say. Plus: a new leak details a next generation iPhone with dual displays; the new 5600M MacBook Pro GPU is a absolute MONSTER; and Apple’s back-to-school promo is back for the summer, but with an interesting twist...

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 iPhone 11, Apple Watch, Mac Pro and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.

On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

This week's stories

Set your reminder for Monday’s keynote via WWDC’s YouTube livestream link

  • Apple has posted the YouTube live stream link that will allow viewers to tune into its WWDC 2020 keynote next week.
  • The June 22 event will kick off at 10am PT/1pm ET, streaming directly from Apple Park. This is the second time Apple has streamed a Special Event on YouTube, following last year’s iPhone unveiling.
  • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEZhD3J89ZE&feature=emb_title

Redesigned iMacs to iOS 14: Everything we expect to see at WWDC 2020

  • Apple execs won’t get to feed off the usual live audience’s energy during next Monday’s WWDC 2020 keynote, but doesn’t mean there’s nothing to get excited about.

Apple’s first foldable phone could feature 2 displays joined by hinges

  • Apple’s “foldable” iPhone will use dual displays to get around the foldable screen problem that plagues other folding phones like Samsung’s beleaguered Galaxy Fold, claims Apple leaker Jon Prosser.

16-inch MacBook Pro gets more powerful AMD 5600M graphics option

  • Apple has updated its 16-inch MacBook Pro buying options by offering the new Radeon Pro 5600M mobile GPU. This joins the existing Radeon Pro 5300M and 5500M GPU options for the MacBook Pro.

Apple offers college students free AirPods along with deals on Mac and iPad

  • Summer is just starting but Apple is already thinking back-to-school. College students and teachers can save up to $200 on a MacBook or iMac. Or up to $100 on iPads. And get a pair of AirPods gets thrown in for free.
Direct download: cultcast_445.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:45pm PDT

This week: an all-new iMac, and the mythical ARM Mac, will finally be unveiled at WWDC. We’ll tell you what we know! Plus, we wrap up with our favorite new 360 camera, feather-light carbon bike wheels, and a must-have ethernet testing tool in an all-new Under Review.

This episode supported by

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 iPhone 11, Apple Watch, Mac Pro and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.

On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

This week's stories

Apple details exactly how WWDC 2020 will go down leander

  • Apple laid out its plans for “the biggest WWDC to date” in a press release Wednesday, detailing exactly how the first online-only developers conference will go down.

Apple could confirm Mac’s transition to ARM chips at WWDC 2020

  • Apple reportedly will confirm the Mac’s transition to ARM chips during its Worldwide Developers Conference keynote on June 22.

Redesigned iMac inspired by iPad Pro could debut at WWDC 2020

  • Apple could reveal a redesigned iMac inspired by iPad Pro at WWDC 2020, according to one tipster. The new all-in-one is expected to feature significantly slimmer bezels like Pro Display XDR, plus AMD Navi graphics.

Apple Store sells out of 27-inch iMac, suggesting new model at WWDC

  • Apple doesn’t have the 27-inch iMac in stock on its website. Orders placed today won’t ship until several days after the start of this month’s Worldwide Developers Conference. This adds weight to previous reports that a significantly updated 2020 version of this macOS desktop will debut at WWDC.

Under Review

Insta360 One X

Chinese carbon fiber bike wheels

Ethernet wire tracker

Direct download: cultcast_444.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:54pm PDT

This week: Apple’s next iPad Pro could be one of the most exciting iPad refreshes in ages… we’ll tell you what you need to know. Plus: some welcome changes are coming to the iPad Air, and we wrap up with our favorite new movies, specialty drinks, and bubblers, 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 iPhone 11, Apple Watch, Mac Pro and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.

On the show this week

@erfon / @lkahney / @lewiswallace

This week's stories

2021 iPad Pro will have 5G, A14X processor and mini-LED display, leakers claim

  • Apple’s next iPad Pro could be one of the most exciting iPad refreshes in ages — with 5G cellular, an A14X processor and a mini-LED display, according to increasingly reliable Apple tipsters L0vetodream and @choco-bit. (Yes, despite the odd Twitter handles, both have impressive reputations when it comes to sharing details of next-gen Apple products.)

Next iPad Air could ditch Lightning for USB-C connector

  • The fourth-generation iPad Air will reportedly come with a USB-C connector instead of the Lightning connector of previous models, claims a Mac Otakara report, citing sources in the Chinese supply chain.

From just fine to simply divine: Ranking every iMac design

  • Cult of Mac gives you the authoritative (and totally subjective) ranking of the best iMac designs.

What we’re into!

Scrappy’s firewater bitters

John D. Taylor’s Velvet Falernum

Snowpiercer

GRAV® Small Upright Bubbler

Direct download: cultcast_443.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:07am PDT

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