Rajesh Pandey - page 3

5 Mac accessories I can’t live without

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Image of a Mac with the word
Improve your Mac experience with these accessories.
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/CultOfMac

Apple makes the best desktop PCs and laptops. But I cannot say the same for its accessories. While I have been using Macs for more than a decade, I rely on these five Mac accessories made by third parties to enhance my experience.

The list ranges from a wireless keyboard to an ergonomic mouse to headphones that will amaze you with their noise cancellation. Read about my five favorite Mac accessories below.

Tariff relief for iPhone and Mac doesn’t last long

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AI painting of an iPhone, with the words
iPhones and Macs will eventually be slapped with reciprocal tariffs.
AI image: Midjourney/Cult of Mac

After the U.S. government seemed to exempt iPhones, Macs and other electronics from hefty tariffs Friday, a clarification issued Sunday by President Donald Trump revealed that’s not the case.

Trump said on Truth Social that his administration did not announce a tariff exemption Friday. Instead, the “existing 20% Fentanyl Tariffs” will still apply to electronics — with higher tariffs possibly coming soon.

Apple may slim down the Vision Pro 2 in weight and cost

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Image of a white man in a black button-down shirt and a tall plume of hair wearing a Vision Pro with the ANNAPRO Comfort Strap
A cheaper and lighter Vision Pro 2? Yes, please!
Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

The Vision Pro 2 might pack more upgrades than previously rumored. Instead of a minor spec bump, Apple could make the headset lighter and cheaper.

This would address two of the biggest complaints with Apple’s first mixed-reality headset.

iPadOS 19 may finally blur the line between iPad and Mac

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M4 iPad Pro in hand
Will iPadOS 19 allow the iPad to live up to its potential?
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The next big iPadOS overhaul will make the OS more like macOS. That’s what a new report claims, indicating Apple will focus on “productivity, multitasking and app window management.”

All these changes will make iPadOS behave closer to macOS than iOS.

M3 Ultra vs. M4 Max: Which Mac Studio chip should you pick?

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Mac Studio with M3 Ultra or M4 Max chip?
Pick wisely between the M3 Ultra and M4 Max Mac Studio.
Photo/Graphics: Apple/Rajesh Pandey

The Mac Studio reigns supreme as Apple’s most powerful desktop computer to date. However, when it comes to pitting the M3 Ultra Mac Studio vs. the M4 Max Mac Studio, which should you spring for?

The M3 Ultra processor packs up to a 32-core CPU and 80-core GPU. That’s a staggering amount of horsepower. However, the M4 Max uses a new CPU architecture, offering faster single-core performance.

So, which powerhouse Apple computer will suit your workflow better: Mac Studio with M3 Ultra or M4 Max? It depends on several factors.

How to run DeepSeek and other LLMs locally on your Mac

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Run LLM locally on your Mac
Run DeepSeek or Meta's Llama locally on your Mac!
Graphics: Rajesh Pandey/CultOfMac

ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini and Apple Intelligence are powerful, but they all share one major drawback — they need constant access to the internet to work. If you value privacy and want better performance, running a large language model like DeepSeek, Google’s Gemma or Meta’s Llama locally on your Mac is a great alternative.

Think it sounds complicated? It’s easier than you think. With the right tools, you can run DeepSeek or any other popular LLM locally on your Mac with minimal effort.

Apple opens the toolbox with iPhone 16e DIY repair parts

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iPhone 16e standing up vertically on a pine table surface, used to illustrate an iPhone 16e review
Broke your iPhone 16e already? You can now order replacement parts directly from Apple.
Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Apple now sells iPhone 16e repair parts for DIYers and enthusiasts. You can purchase replacement parts through Apple’s online Self Service Repair Store in the US and Europe.

The spare parts go on sale within 1.5 months of the iPhone 16e hitting retail stores.

Instagram may finally release a native iPad app

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Instagram not coming to iPad
Will it finally happen?
Image: Instagram/Cult of Mac

Meta may finally launch an Instagram app for the iPad. Reportedly, the company plans to launch a dedicated iPadOS app to capitalize on the current situation surrounding TikTok.

The move could help further drive Instagram adoption among iPhone and iPad users.

iOS 19 leak reveals squircle icons and redesigned system apps

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iOS 19 home screen leak
iOS 19's home screen could look like this.
Render: Jon Prosser/YouTube

A new YouTube video offers a glimpse at major design changes reportedly coming to iOS 19, with visionOS-inspired user interface elements and rounder “squircle” app icons.

Released Monday by Front Page Tech, the video shows re-created renders of the iPhone operating system based on information provided by an unnamed source within Apple.

Final iPhone 17 Pro design might defy the leaks

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iPhone 17 rumors
The iPhone 17 Pro's design changes may or may not impress you.
Concept image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple’s iPhone 17 Pro lineup might not ship with as many design changes as rumors initially suggested. Instead, a new report says the iPhone 17 Pro could look much like the iPhone 16 Pro.

Despite this, Apple reportedly will introduce the biggest design changes to the iPhone lineup this year since the iPhone 12 in 2020.

iOS 18.5 beta 1: All the new features and changes

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iOS 18.5 beta 1
iOS 18.5 beta 1 packs little new features
Screenshot: Rajesh Pandey/CultOfMac

Apple pushed iOS 18.5 beta 1 to developers within days of iOS 18.4‘s public release. While the latter packed several notable new features, the first iOS 18.5 beta sports relatively few changes.

Below are all the changes we have discovered in iOS 18.5 beta 1 so far.

Trump hits Apple’s global supply chain with tariffs

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Innie Tim Cook reports for work at Lumon Industries
Trump's tariffs could undo Apple's years of supply-chain diversification work.
Photo: Apple TV+

President Donald Trump’s new import tariffs will hit Apple hard. The president slapped all major manufacturing countries that Apple operates in with heavy import tariffs Wednesday in a bid to reshape international trade.

“It’s our declaration of economic independence,” Trump said during a speech at the White House announcing the tariffs. “Today we are standing up for the American worker and we are finally putting America first.”

This move undermines Apple’s efforts in recent years to diversify its supply chain away from China. The White House says the reciprocal tariffs will go into effect on April 9.

Visa wants to power Apple Card’s next chapter

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Apple Card after five years
Visa really wants to issue Apple Cards.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Visa reportedly wants to take over Mastercard’s partnership on the Apple Card. The company has allegedly offered Apple $100 million to make it happen.

Apple ended its partnership with Goldman Sachs over the Apple Card. It currently seeks a new banking partner and card issuer.

Everything new in iOS 18.4 [Out now]

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Everything New in iOS 18.4
This one is the emoji update.
Image: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

iOS 18.4, which Apple released Monday, brings several significant new features to iPhones. It is one of the biggest updates to the operating system since the initial public release of iOS 18 in September 2024.

Among other things, the update will also introduce a key Apple Intelligence feature that Apple showcased at WWDC24. Keep reading to learn about all the new features in iOS 18.4 — or watch our video. (Apple also released iPadOS 18.4, macOS Sequoia 15.4 and visionOS 2.4, which include similar upgrades, on Monday.)

Apple preps M5 iPad Pro and MacBook Pro launch for later this year

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Final Cut Pro for iPad editing a Cult of Mac video
M5 iPad Pro may only be a few months away from launch.
Photo: D. Griffin Jones/Cult of Mac

Apple’s M5-equipped iPad Pros reportedly already entered “late testing” stages inside the company and should go into mass production in the second half of 2025.

And, sticking to its regular upgrade cycle, Apple also will refresh the MacBook Pro lineup with the M5 chip later this year.

Google Maps can decode screenshots to help plan your next trip

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Google Maps for iOS
Google Maps on iPhone can identify locations from your screenshots.
Photo: Google

Google Maps on iPhone can now identify locations from your screenshots and add them to a list. This should make your vacation planning easier, as you can take a screenshot and let Google Maps do the rest.

The feature leverages Gemini to identify text and location details in your screenshots, which Google Maps then processes to extract relevant information.

WhatsApp can now replace your iPhone’s default Phone and Messages apps

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Set WhatsApp as default calling and texting app on your iPhone.
But will you do it?
Screenshot: Rajesh Pandey/CultOfMac

For the first time on an iPhone, you can set WhatsApp as the default calling and messaging app. The feature remains exclusive to the latest WhatsApp beta for iOS, but should soon expand to the public build.

WhatsApp is the first major app to adopt the necessary APIs, enabling you to replace Apple’s Phone and Messages apps on your iPhone.

Baseus Nomos 5-in-1 charging station review: Sleek and functional [Review] ★★★★

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Baseus Nomos Charging Station top view★★★★
The Baseus 5-in-1 charging station will remove the clutter from your desk.
Photo: Rajesh Pandey/CultOfMac

The Baseus Nomos 5-in-1 charging station stands out in a sea of desktop chargers with its sleek design, an adjustable Qi2 charging pad, and retractable USB-C cable, helping minimize cable clutter.

It is also smart enough to automatically allocate more power to devices low on juice so that they can charge faster. So, is the Baseus Nomos 5-in-1 the charging station to buy? Find out in my review.

5 iOS 18.4 features I am excited about

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It's time to get excited about new features coming soon in iOS 18.4.
It's time to get excited about new features coming soon in iOS 18.4.
Logo/Graphics: Apple/Rajesh Pandey/CultOfMac

iOS 18.4 will be one of Apple’s biggest updates to iOS 18 since the operating system’s public release last September. It will pack plenty of changes and improvements, like a Vision Pro app, Apple News+ Food and new emoji.

That all sounds great, but these are the five iOS 18.4 features that I am most excited about.

Apple Watch SE 3’s plastic casing puts its future in ‘serious jeopardy’

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Apple Watch SE 3 rumors
Apple Watch SE 3 rumors
Image: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple’s third-gen Apple Watch SE may not launch anytime soon, with the device running into “serious jeopardy.” Rumors have indicated Apple will switch to a plastic casing with the next Apple Watch SE refresh.

However, this move might have backfired, with the company’s design and operations team not happy with the outcome.