We have a deal on the Mighty Mac Bundle, a collection ten Mac apps that includes VPNSecure, Crossover, CleanMyMac X, WALTR 2, and more. This deal is ending soon, and you can get all ten Mac apps for $24.99 with coupon code MAC5 at checkout.
Bryan Chaffin
Bryan Chaffin is the cofounder of The Mac Observer and currently serves as Afternoon Editor. He has contributed to MacAddict and MacFormat magazines, and co-authored the last two updates of iPad and iPad Pro for Dummies with Bob “Dr. Mac” LeVitus and Ed Baig. You can find out more about Bryan at his personal site, GeekTells, or find his Twitter link below.
Articles by Bryan Chaffin
Jokitech Walnut Wooden Aluminum Headphone Stand: $24.99
We have a deal on the Jokitech Walnut Wooden Aluminum Headphone Stand. Minimal and sleek, this stand will let you keep your headphones off your desk, safely out of the way. It’s padded, and the rest on this model is walnut. There are also options for Space Gray and Silver models in the deal listing. You can get this stand for $24.99 through our deal.
Get into Civilization with 'Sid Meier's Civilization VI: Gold Edition' - $24.99
I love being able to offer this deal on Sid Meier’s Civilization VI: Gold Edition for Mac. If you haven’t yet started playing the awesomeness that is Civilization VI, this bundle includes the Sid Meier’s Civilization VI game, six DLC packs and the Rise and Fall expansion. And all for $24.99. There’s also a deal for the Gathering Storm expansion for $19.99. I love this game. A lot. Enjoy.
Activating Apple's Titanium Apple Card Differs Depending on Which iPhone You Have
It’s broken down by iPhone XS and XR, and then all of the older models capable of running iOS 12.4.
How to Apply for Apple Card [Video]
Apple has published a video called Apple Card — How to apply. It shows the simple steps needed to apply for the company’s new credit card, which is being rolled out to a limited number of customers starting today. The entire process is handled through the Wallet app in iOS 12.4. The video skips over the approval wait, but an early-access user at TechCrunch wrote that it takes a minute or two. Some of the information you have to fill out is also autofilled from your Apple ID information.
Netflix Cancels 'The OA'
Netflix canceled The OA on Monday. And that sucks. It was a fascinating show that used unconventional story-telling structures. While I’m bummed, I’m not necessarily surprised. See the afore-mentioned note about unconventional story-telling structures. Netflix has cut a couple of other shows in the wake of a worse-than-expected quarterly earnings report for the June quarter. TechCrunch covered the cancelation, and here’s their description:
Created by Brit Marling and Zal Batmanglij, “The OA” begins with the reappearance a young woman named Prairie Johnson (played by Marling), who disappeared several years earlier. The ensuing story goes in some pretty wild directions to explain where the previously blind Johnson has been for the past few years, how she regained her sight and why she now calls herself The OA.
Power Up to 6 Devices at Once with 3 USB Ports and 3 AC Outlets: $19.99
We have a deal on the NTONPOWER 3-Outlet & 3-USB Port Surge Protector. As the name shows, it features three USB charging ports and three standard AC outlets. And, it has a tray designed to hold your iPhone (or other smartphone), putting its footprint to better use. It’s just $19.99 through our deal. We’ve linked to the white model, but there’s a black option on the deal listing, too.
Goldman Sachs Releases PDF of Apple Card Customer Agreement with Terms
Goldman Sachs has released (perhaps inadvertently) the customer agreement that will govern Apple Card, though Apple won’t launch Apple Card until later this month.
Soundcast VG1 Premium Bluetooth Waterproof Speaker: $69.99
We have a deal on the Soundcast VG1 Premium Bluetooth Waterproof Speaker. As noted in the name, it’s a waterproof Bluetooth speaker, but it also has dual aluminum drivers and a weighted bass radiator. It supports Bluetooth 4.2 and has multiple connection options, and it’s $69.99 through our deal.
Apple Releases macOS Mojave 10.14.6 Supplemental Update for Sleep Issue
This patch was specifically released to fix an issue that prevented some Macs from not waking up sleep.
Quickly Charge 2 Devices at Once with This 40,000 mAh Power Bank: $29
We have a deal on the ChargeMe Portable High Capacity Dual Input Power Bank, a portable battery with 40,000 mAh capacity. It offers dual inputs (USB C and microUSB) for faster charging, and four standard USB ports for charging your devices. It’s $29 through our deal. There’s also an option in the deal listing for a 30,000mAh model that has a fast charging port for the same price.
Hilarious Deconstruction of Microsoft's 'Mac Book' Surface Commercial
The Next Web has a hilarious deconstruction of Microsoft’s Meet Mackenzie “Mac” Book commercial. If you haven’t already seen this ridiculous commercial, watch it. You’ll probably be mad at me for telling you to do that, but your reward will be Callum Booth’s excellent snarkfest at TNW. Here’s a snippet, where he questions the premise of the commercial star’s name, Mac Book.
What are your credentials here, bud?
Just because my last name is ‘Booth’ doesn’t mean I have any understanding how phone booths or toll booths actually operate. You wouldn’t come to me if you were planning on upgrading a selection of traffic kiosks on the strength of my surname. I can categorically say that’d be the worst mistake you’d ever make. My entire selection rationale would revolve around which booth I think looks the most bitching, which, unfortunately, is no way to actually run a business.
I’m sorry, Mac Book, but I do not value your opinion on this matter.
Digging into Apple's T2 Chip
AppleInsider has a good piece on Apple’s T2 chip. It’s incomplete in that it doesn’t cover the T2’s built-in image signal processor and SSD controller, but it’s still good info to have, and we recommend it.
If you spent any time looking into which Mac desktop or notebook to buy before you paid out for a shiny new machine, you’ll have seen Apple’s website extolling the fact that many of them have T2 security chips. That’s nice. Only, it’s more than nice, it’s more than a way to invisibly secure your Mac, it is a process that has a dramatic and visible effect on just about everything you do.
Detailed Look at Apple Maps in iOS 13
Check out this detailed look at Apple Maps in iOS 13 at MacStories. New features, a new look, and an aggressive move to make Apple Maps rival or beat Google Maps, make this a significant upgrade, and MacStories lay it all out.
Timed with the spread of its first-party mapping data, Apple is giving the Maps app a big upgrade in iOS 13 that represents the company’s biggest push yet to overtake Google Maps as the world’s most trusted, go-to mapping service. Apple Maps in iOS 13 represents – if you’re in the US at least – Apple’s purest vision to date for a modern mapping service. Here’s everything that it brings.
Babbel Language Learning 1-Year Subscription: $69
We have a deal on a 1-year subscription for Babbel Language Learning. You can choose from 14 languages to learn, practice with 10-15 minute bite-sized lessons, and it uses speech recognition technology to keep your pronunciation on point. 1 year through our deal is $69. There’s also a 2-year option for $99.
Vizio Adds Support for HomeKit and AirPlay 2 to SmartCast TVs
The company said the upgrade would be rolled out through an over-the-air update for those TVs, with the update titled SmartCast 3.0.
Poolside.fm: a Ridiculous Music Site
And, you don’t get to choose what you listen to, or what you watch. It’s great.
Apple CEO: Mac Pros Will Continue to Be Made in U.S.
Apple’s Mac Pro line will continue to be manufactured in the U.S. This, according to CEO Tim Cook, who made the comment in a question about Apple manufacturing during Tuesday’s quarterly conference call with analysts.
AAPL Reports Record June Revenues of $53.8 Billion, Guides Higher than Wall Street Expectations
Apple reported on Tuesday June quarter revenues of $53.8 billion, a record June quarter that the company pointed out was an increase of 1 percent from the year-ago quarter. Apple posted earnings per diluted share of $2.18.
Apple Releases iPadOS Public Beta 4
Apple released iPadOS Public Beta 4 on Tuesday. The release comes on the heels of iPadOS Developer Beta 5, and includes small and steady improvements in the beta development process
UBS Raises Price Target for $AAPL ahead of Tuesday Earnings Report
The news helped send Apple’s stock higher, with $AAPL trading at $210.075 per share in afternoon session, a gain of $2.335 (+1.12%), on moderate volume.
A Beginner-Friendly Drone from DJI That Won't Break the Bank: $99
We have a deal on the DJI Tello Quadcopter, an entry-level drone built in partnership with Ryze. It features electronic image stabilization, auto takeoff/landing, and low-battery protection, making it a safe choice for novice pilots. You can also control it from your iPhone or Android device. This drone is $99 through our deal—and there’s also a combo kit option for $149 with extra batteries and more.
Navigation HUDs and iPhone, 16" MacBook Pro Rumor Roundup – TMO Daily Observations 2019-07-29
Charlotte Henry and John Martellaro join guest-host Bryan Chaffin to discuss the future of car navigation, HUDs, and iPhone. They also parse the latest rumors of a 16-inch MacBook Pro that’s supposed to hit this fall.
iHome Flask Shaped Bluetooth Speaker: $24.99
We have a deal on the iHome iBT32, a Bluetooth-enabled wireless stereo system with built-in speakerphone capability. Oh yeah, and it’s shaped like a flask. Kooky, right? But it also has a built-in mic and digital voice echo cancellation so you can use it as a speakerphone. It’s $24.99 through our deal.