The CultCast

Send us a text!This week: everything we like (and don’t) about AirPods; the insider way to lock down your own AirPods without waiting 6 weeks; Apple’s Mac division has a falling out with Jony Ive; and we remember the best of Apple, 2016. This episode supported by   CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can get 20% off your order with code JETBLACK at CultCloth.co. On the show this week @erfon / @lewiswallace / “at” David Pierini   Mac division has ‘lost clout’ with Jony Ive and Apple design team http://www.cultofmac.com/459078/mac-division-has-lost-clout-with-jony-ive-and-design-team/ Apple’s Mac team has reportedly “lost clout” with the company’s industrial design group and software team, claims a new report The picture painted by Mark Gurman as Bloomberg is a Mac division with a lack of clear direction from senior management, departures of key employees, and technical challenges — all conspiring to make the Mac one of Apple’s forgotten divisions. The article notes that ever since last year’s reshuffle of Apple’s design team, meetings between the Mac team and the industrial design team have become less frequent. It also notes more than a dozen engineers and managers working on the Mac have left over the past 18 months, with at least a sizable percentage put off by their lack of clarity about the “future of Mac hardware.” One possible problem is the lack of a singular vision driving the division. Instead of having one concept to work on, increasingly engineers are — in the words of one source — “asked to develop multiple options in hopes that one of them will be shippable.” The result is that resources become more thinly spread than ever, while products ship later. Mac generates about 10 percent of Apple sales     Don’t worry, Tim Cook says new iMacs are coming http://www.cultofmac.com/459110/dont-worry-tim-cook-says-new-imacs-coming/ The iMac didn’t get much love in 2016, but according to Apple CEO Tim Cook, killer new desktop Macs are coming. In a note to Apple employees, Cook assured staff that desktop computers are still “really important” and that they shouldn’t worry about future machines.

Send us a text!This week: an honest look at Mario Run; better-sounding AirPod alternatives; the cool new stuff in the iOS and tvOS updates; and we reveal the hands-down best tv shows of 2016!   This episode supported by   Jamf Now's cloud-based Mobile Device Management is the affordable way to manage the iPads, iPhones, and Macs in your workplace, and you can manage 3 devices free at jamf.com/CultCast.   CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can get 20% off your order with code JETBLACK at CultCloth.co. On the show this week @erfon / @lewiswallace / @lkahney   Mario Run to the Apple store to snag Nintendo’s first major iOS game. http://www.cultofmac.com/458332/ready-get-set-go-download-super-mario-run-for-ios/ AirPods finally available with shipping in time for Christmas http://www.cultofmac.com/458057/airpods-shipping-time-christmas/ Apple’s long-awaited wireless AirPods are finally available to buy through Apple’s online store — priced at $159. While it’s not known when they’ll be available for sale in brick-and-mortar Apple retail stores, you can breathe a sigh of relief, since orders placed through Apple’s online store are currently showing a pre-Christmas delivery date of December 21 Apple said AirPods will be available for purchase at Apple stores by next week, as well as authorized resellers, and select carriers. Apple also said stores will receive "regular AirPods shipments”   iOS 10.2 is out with new emoji, TV app and wallpapers http://www.cultofmac.com/457945/ios-10-2-new-emoji-tv-app-wallpapers/#more-457945 iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus users get a couple of new wallpapers in the new update. There are also more than 100 new emoji, including new characters for shrug, avocado, gorilla, shark and bacon.   tvOS 10.1 update brings Apple’s TV app to the living room http://www.cultofmac.com/457950/tvos-10-1-update-brings-apples-tv-app-living-room/ TV fans can binge on all their shows in one place with Apple’s new TV app, which simplifies the experience. With the new single sign-on feature, you can quickly access your subscribed content on all your devices. (Here’s how to set up sing

Send us a text!This week: why Apple is done chasing big hit products.  Plus: the demise of Pebble Watch is a bad omen for wearables; Foxconn secretly prepares to make more Apple products in the US; and we remember our favorite movies of 2016! This episode supported by   Harry’s super-sharp, German-made razors ship free right to your door and for way less than the drugstore razors. Get a free trial set at Harrys.com and score free post shave balm with code CultCast at checkout.   CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can get 20% off your order with code JETBLACK at CultCloth.co.   We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a  thanks for the great music you hear on today's show. On the show this week @erfon / @lewiswallace / @lkahney   Apple stops swinging for the fences http://www.cultofmac.com/456698/apple-stops-swinging-fences/#more-456698 Apple analyst Horrace Dediu says Apple’s cultural identity is undergoing a dramatic shift Instead of being in the “new hit product business”, Dediu told said that Apple is trying to become a “services and recurring-revenue business.” Dediu argues that constantly trying for home runs has been demoralizing for employees, so Apple CEO Tim Cook move away from that attitude. Will Apple ever have another “iPhone”? Apple Says 35% of U.S. Merchants Accept Apple Pay

Send us a text!This week: why building a Hackintosh can get you the monster Mac you’ve always wanted.  Plus: Apple analyst Ming-Chi Quo reveals iPhone 8’s marquee feature; AirPods ship date is finally revealed; and stick around for our top Apple Airport router replacement picks! This episode supported by Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespace—Build it Beautiful. Casper’s American-made mattresses have just the right amount of memory foam and latex, and people everywhere love them.  Learn why and get $50 towards any mattress at Casper.com/cultcast.   We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a  thanks for the great music you hear on today's show.   On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney   Apple’s long-awaited AirPods will ship in ‘next few weeks’ http://www.cultofmac.com/456343/apples-long-awaited-airpods-will-ship-next-weeks/ Apple revealed the earbuds alongside the iPhone 7, promising an October delivery date, but anxious customers have not been able to buy a set. In  email obtained by MacRumors, a customer asks Tim Cook where his AirPods are. Customer’s comment: “Give us a release date. I really bought in to the wireless vision you painted….Let us know if it’s a month or 6 months, because then I’ll just buy some other wireless headphones.” Tim Cook’s response: “Thanks for your note. Sorry for the delay—we are finalizing them and I anticipate we will begin to ship over the next few weeks.”   Innovative iPhone 8 could shatter sales records http://www.cultofmac.com/456153/iphone8-sales-records/ Apple has big plans for the iPhone 8, claims KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. According to Kuo, Apple will be scaling up iPhone production 120-150 million units in the second half of 2017. If true, this would would be well above the 110-120 million units Apple ordered of its bestselling iPhone 6 generation handsets. Kuo claims this “unprecedented” demand will be centered around the myriad big improvements Apple has planned for its next-gen iPhone series.   iPhone 8’s glass design will finally bring wireless charging https://www.cultofmac.com/455354/wireless-charging-iphone8/

Send us a text!This week: is a secret Apple project stalling Mac updates?  It wouldn’t be the first time… Plus: Apple teases Black Friday deals; Airport routers are dead, and the Mac Pro might be next;  the future of Time Machine; why iPad should be iOS/OS X hybrid; and Jony Ive’s new role designing Apple itself. This episode supported by Might Tees’ artful Steve Jobs, Woz, Apple and Star Trek tees are worn Will Wheaton, LeVar Burton, co-founders at Bad Robot, Chris Hardwick, Veronica Belmont, and even Steve Wozniak himself.  And without Might Tees, there’d be Leander have Erfon would have never met.  Grab a piece of CultCast history!  While supplies last, get 60% off any order at MightTees.com and use code CultCast at checkout. CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can get 20% off your order with code JETBLACK at CultCloth.co.   And check out Cult of Mac’s new, free fitness eBook! This ebook is your practical how-to guide, covering step by step everything you need to know about getting fit with Apple’s devices.   We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a  thanks for the great music you hear on today's show.   On the show this week @erfon / @lewiswallace / @lkahney   Apple teases one-day shopping event for Black Friday Apple is teasing a one-day shopping event for Black Friday that could bring tasty discounts on its latest products. Apple chose not to participate in Black Friday sales last year, so fans were forced to look elsewhere for price cuts on Apple products. In 2014, Apple took a different approach to Black Friday, offering free gift cards with certain purchases instead of cutting prices. Customers got up to $150 for buying a Mac, up to $75 with an iPad, and up to $50 with an iPod. It’s also worth remembering that over the holiday period, the company offers free two-day shipping on almost all online purchases, while its retail stores are open longer.   Apple grounds its AirPort router division for good According to

Send us a text!This week: the reviews are in! We’ll tell you what praises and complaints reviewers have about new MacBook Pro with Touch Bar.  Plus: the one Touch Bar feature you’ll absolutely covet; why the new “Designed by Apple in California” book is an artifact Apple fans will love; Apple quietly rebuilds a library of their gadgets long past; how to get the best Black Friday deals; and Buster reviews the hawt new Mavic Pro drone by DJI, then crashes it into a cliff.    This episode supported by   Harry’s super-sharp, German-made razors ship free right to your door and for way less than the drugstore razors. Get a free trial set at Harrys.com and score free post shave balm with code CultCast at checkout.   Might Tees’ artful Steve Jobs, Woz, Apple, Star Trek, and Star Wars tees are worn Will Wheaton, LeVar Burton, co-founders at Bad Robot, Chris Hardwick, Veronica Belmont, and even Steve Wozniak himself.  And without Might Tees, there’d be no CultCast, as Leander and Erfon would never have met.  Grab a piece of CultCast history!  While supplies last, get 60% off any order at MightTees.com and use code CultCast at checkout. CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can get 20% off your order with code JETBLACK at CultCloth.co.   We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a  thanks for the great music you hear on today's show.   On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney   MacBook Pro reviews roundup: Promising, not groundbreaking https://www.cultofmac.com/453848/macbook-pro-review-roundup-promising-not-groundbreaking/ So what do the early reviews make of Apple’s new pro laptop? In a nutshell, that it’s futuristic, but maybe not an entirely successful device for present-day users. Wired: The new MacBook Pro is a terrific laptop and, like the super-skinny MacBook, a clear indication of where most of the computing world is going. But comes with growing pains Techcrunch: The less celebrated spec bumps are what make the new Pro a worthy upgrade. Better processors, more storage, a brighter display and better speakers are all wrapped up in a sleeker and lighter package than before… The Touch Bar feels like a nice bonus for the time being. ArsTechnica

Send us a text!This week: early reviews show new MacBook Pro is a video editing powerhouse; Apple’s massive interest in augmented reality; rumors of a Jet White iPhone; AirPods to finally start shipping; new dongle discounts; and finally—is Apple still developing an electric car? This episode supported by Might Tees’ artful Steve Jobs, Woz, Apple and Star Trek tees are worn Will Wheaton, LeVar Burton, co-founders at Bad Robot, Chris Hardwick, Veronica Belmont, and even Steve Wozniak himself.  And without Might Tees, there’d be Leander have Erfon would have never met.  Grab a piece of CultCast history!  While supplies last, get 60% off any order at MightTees.com and use code CultCast at checkout. CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can get 20% off your order with code JETBLACK at CultCloth.co.   Learn how to get in shape using your Watch and iPhone! Sign up for Cult of Mac's new FREE Fitness ebook.   We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a  thanks for the great music you hear on today's show.   On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney   AirPods supposedly land in Apple stores next week According to one Apple fan, who spoke to an employee at Conrad, an Apple authorized reseller in Germany, AirPods will be delivered to stores next Friday, November 17. “I have just talked with an employee of the Conrad Online Store, since I am there on 14.10 the AirPods ordered and I wanted to cancel today,” he explained to Apfelpage.de. “According to information from the employee, they have stockpiles from 17.11, I will then have them between November 18-19.   MacBook Pro with Touch Bar moves one step closer to shipping http://www.cultofmac.com/452996/macbook-pro-touch-bar-one-step-closer-shipping/ “Multiple reports collated by AppleInsider and other sources show that Apple is gearing up for the first wave of ship

Send us a text! This week:  we’ve canceled our MacBook Pro order! It’s true, and we’ll you why...  Plus: we compare new MacBook Pro’s performance to older models and similarly priced machines;  Apple call it quits on external displays;  and, the end of an era—one of Mac’s most iconic features gets retired.   This episode supported by   Casper’s American-made mattresses have just the right amount of memory foam and latex, and people everywhere love them.  Learn why and get $50 towards any mattress at Casper.com/cultcast.   CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can get 20% off your order with code JETBLACK at CultCloth.co.   We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a  thanks for the great music you hear on today's show.   On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney   Professional Mac Users' Complaints List Grows After 'Disappointing' Apple Event http://www.macrumors.com/2016/11/02/professional-mac-users-complaints-grow-apple-event/ It seems like everyone’s pissed!     This week’s notes and links Hiked prices really make you think about what you’re getting, especially compared to how much better it is to what you already have (or what’s available on the market). Raw Power differences/Speed increases in new MBP (compared to 2012 model) We specs aren’t everything as Apple optimizes everything. Felix Schwarz on twitter CPU Only ~30% increase in Geekbench Single and MultiCore increases if buying the same speed processor you have no.

Send us a text! This week: Happy?  Disappointed?  Downright pissed off?  Don’t miss our Hello Again Mac event reactions!  Plus: everything we know about Apple’s new MacBook Pro, and the two big omissions in Apple TV’s new TV app.   This episode supported by   Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespace—Build it Beautiful.   On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney   What do YOU think of the new MacBook Pros?  Tell us your thoughts on The CultCast sub Reddit.     Pros   The new MacBook Pro won’t ship for another 2-3 weeks, but members of the media who got their fingers on the new Touch Bar came away from Apple’s event with rave reviews. Techcrunch: The Touch Bar is, in a word, neat…The strip itself is glossy. Not quite slick, but frictionless enough so as to run a finger across with little effort. It’s quick and responsive, reacting to multi-touch and the amount of pressure the user applies. It also adapts quite quickly as you toggle between different apps.” Versatile - You know get Thunderbolt 3, USB 3.1, Display Port, and charging abilities on every port. Brighter screen with better color Engadget was particularly impressed by the screen on the new MacBook Pro models, calling it "stunning" when in person and "a noticeable upgrade" from the previous generation of MacBook Pros. Massive new trackpad. Headphone jack! Upgraded GPU and processor. 60hz refresh rates on 4K and 5K displays Second-generation “fine tuned” butterfly mechanism keyboard. Now available in Space Gray and Silver   Nos Previous MacBook Pros started at $1299 (13”) and $1999 (15”).  New MBPs start at a whopping $1799 (13”) and $2399 (15”). USB C only ports mean dongles for everything, including regular USB peripherals. No SD card slot. No HDMI out. Your current iPhone cable won’t work. Your Thunderbolt cables and peripherals won’t work without Apple’s new $50 adapter. No Magsafe 😥 Dongles for literally EVERYTHING: iPhone AirPods SD Card readers Ethernet Thunderbolt 2 peripherals Displayport monitors No other Macs announced or updated AirPods delayed 13" Macbook Air not updated but will continue to be sold for time being.  11” retired. So long non-retina MacBook Pro.

Send us a text! This week: is Apple is about to make massive updates across the entire Mac line?  Don’t miss our Oct. 27 Mac event predictions!  Plus: everything we know about Nintendo Switch, and why we already love it.   This episode supported by   Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespace—Build it Beautiful.   Harry’s super-sharp, German-made razors ship free right to your door and for way less than the drugstore razors. Get a free trial set at Harrys.com and score free post shave balm with code CultCast at checkout   On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney   Event predications   Macbook Pro It’s been 528 days since its last update (average is 268), and 4 years since its last major overhaul. We expect an: OLED display bar. Touch ID power button and 4 USB-C ports (with Thunderbolt 3 compatibility) The MagSafe port reportedly will be scrapped. Upgrade to 4K 4096 x 2160 resolution from current 2880x1800 res.   Macbook Air, Apple’s cheapest computer It’s been 591 days since its last update (average is 350). Overall design of the MacBook Air will likely remain the same. The machines are expected to be updated with USB-C support, according to a new Bloomberg report. Updated internals for sure. Retina display is possible but may not happen since this is now Apple’s budget machine. According to Macotakara, no more 11 inch.   Macbook Nuthin - The MacBook was updated with Intel Skylake processors and a new Rose Gold color option in April of 2016.   iMac 374 days since its last update, with an average of 317. We haven’t heard a peep about updates. Likely just updated internals, but possibility of larger screen with curved display.   Mac Pro 1037 days since since the Mac Pro released.  No updates since. Average update is 449 days. Major internal updates expected with possibly design overhaul.   Mac Mini No rumors. 735 days since last update, average is 438. We’re expecting internal updates, but that’s probably it.   New Cinema Display In June of 2016 the Cinema display was officially discontinued. There have been rumors o