652 episodes

The CultCast covers each week’s best Apple stories, news, and accessories for your iDevices and Mac—but more importantly—we do it with pizzaz. Why listen to another dreary tech program? Tune in to the CultCast each week for a healthy dose of Apple, jokes gone sour, and plenty of tangents.

The CultCast America's favorite Apple Podcast

    • Technology
    • 4.6 • 1.1K Ratings

The CultCast covers each week’s best Apple stories, news, and accessories for your iDevices and Mac—but more importantly—we do it with pizzaz. Why listen to another dreary tech program? Tune in to the CultCast each week for a healthy dose of Apple, jokes gone sour, and plenty of tangents.

    The new M3 MacBook Air is ALMOST perfect (CultCast #638)

    The new M3 MacBook Air is ALMOST perfect (CultCast #638)

    This week: The new M3 MacBook Air is only missing ONE thing¦ Plus: Big changes coming to apps thanks to new EU regulations, why you better act fast on the new 11-inch iPad Pro, what's coming next for CarPlay, and how to pay with an Apple Cash card number!
    This episode supported by:
    Listeners like you. Your support helps us fund CultCast Off-Topic, a new weekly podcast of bonus content available for everyone; and helps us secure the future of the podcast. You also get access to The CultClub Discord, where you can chat with us all week long, give us show topics, and even end up on the show. Support The CultCast at support.thecultcast.com — OR at CultOf9to5MacRumors.com .
    Factor Meals. Treat yourself to Factor's delicious, high-quality, ready-to-eat meals delivered right to your door. 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.
    This week's stories:
    Entry-level M3 MacBook Air uses significantly faster SSD
    Apple fixed the slow storage speed that plagued M2 Macs on the M3 MacBook Air. Early testing indicates the entry-level M3 MacBook Air delivers significantly faster read/write speeds than its predecessor. No App Store needed: EU iPhone users can install apps directly from websites
    Initially, Apple's plan for compliance required iPhone apps to be on alternative app marketplaces, not directly available for download. That requirement, which brought complaints from developers, has now been rescinded. 11.1-inch iPad Pro supply shortage might push back launch
    Apple will soon debut the M3 iPad Pros with OLED screens, but perhaps not as soon as many had hoped. And a new leak indicates the smaller 11.1-inch model could be in short supply at launch. MacRumors: Here's Everything We Know About Apple's Next-Generation CarPlay
    It has been nearly two years since Apple first previewed next-generation CarPlay at WWDC 2022, and it has still yet to become available in any vehicles. Below, we recap the latest information about the upcoming software system. Tim Cook cameo in Porsche event How to pay with an Apple Cash card number
    You can get a temporary debit card number to pay with Apple Cash online in case you want to pay with your balance on a site that doesn't accept Apple Pay. If you have a lot of money sitting in your Apple Cash account, this can be a convenient way to pay without using your other cards. Apple acquires fundamental AI smarts by buying DarwinAI
    Apple reportedly purchased DarwinAI, a small startup previously based in Waterloo, Ontario. The company developed software that might make artificial intelligence systems running on an iPhone or other computers more efficient.

    • 1 hr 1 min
    New M3 MacBook Air — What you need to know + OLED iPads are INCOMING! (CultCast #637)

    New M3 MacBook Air — What you need to know + OLED iPads are INCOMING! (CultCast #637)

    This week, Apple dropped the M3 MacBook Air, and the specs look good! But where’s the iPad? Also, we have details on the CRAZY canceled Apple car prototypes and a folding MacBook that’s still in development, Apple’s $2 BILLION dollar legal fight with Spotify, and new features you’ll get in iOS 17.4!
    This episode supported by:
    Listeners like you. Your support helps us fund CultCast Off-Topic, a new weekly podcast of bonus content available for everyone; and helps us secure the future of the podcast. You also get access to The CultClub Discord, where you can chat with us all week long, give us show topics, and even end up on the show. Support The CultCast at support.thecultcast.com — OR at CultOf9to5MacRumors.com .
    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.
    Backblaze offers unlimited cloud backups for Macs, PCs and businesses for just $99 a year. Access your data from anywhere in the world. Get a fully-featured no-risk free trial at Backblaze.com/CultCast .
    This week’s stories:
    New M3 MacBook Air gets big specs boost with same awesome battery life
    The 2024 MacBook Air lineup launched Monday by Apple runs on the company’s M3 chip, bringing a significant performance boost to the laptop. Early benchmarks show M3 chip gives MacBook Air hefty performance boost
    Early benchmark scores found by mysmartprice show that the new Air scored 12,020 on the Geekbench multicore test. That’s 25% better than the M2-based MacBook Air earned on the same test, and 45% better than the M1 version from 2020. MacBook with 20-inch folding screen still on track for release
    The product has been on the drawing board for quite some time, but isn’t scheduled for release until 2027. The (cancelled) Microsoft Surface Neo How indecision and hubris killed the Apple car
    The history of the Apple car is littered with wild prototypes, astonishing hubris and a deadly dose of crippling indecision, according to a damning report that offers the best picture yet of the secretive Project Titan. Get ready for new MacBooks and iPads at Apple March event
    Another product we can expect in the pipeline is the OLED iPad Pro and the first 12.9-inch iPad Air. EU fines Apple 1.8 billion euros over ‘abusive’ treatment of Spotify
    The European Commission fined Apple more than 1.8 billion euros Monday for “abusing its dominant position on the market for the distribution of music streaming apps.†Apple calls Epic Games ‘untrustworthy,’ blocks Fortnite rerelease in EU Try these exciting iOS 17.4 features on your iPhone now
    Apple just dropped iOS 17.4, bringing a plethora of new features — some of which fundamentally change how the iPhone works. Monarch: Budget and track money

    • 1 hr 24 min
    All About Mac Gaming, with Guest Allison McDaniel (CultCast Off Topic #4)

    All About Mac Gaming, with Guest Allison McDaniel (CultCast Off Topic #4)

    D. Griffin Jones is joined by Allison McDaniel to talk more about Mac gaming, what games she's playing, what gear we use and the Stardew Valley speedrunning scene.
    Remember that you can support The CultCast at CultOf9to5MacRumors.com and you can employ Allison McDaniel as a writer and digital marketing specialist.
    Links:
    Allison McDaniel on LinkedIn Allison's writing on The Punished Backlog Stardew Valley on Steam The Sims 4 for Mac The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog on Steam Mini Motorways on Apple Arcade Pocket Card Jockey on Apple Arcade Stray on Mac App Store Resident Evil Village on Mac App Store Lies of P on Mac App Store Baldur's Gate 3 on Steam Asphalt 8: Airborne on Apple Arcade 8BitDo controllers Onn gaming mouse Satechi X3 Slim keyboard

    • 13 min
    It's the end of the road for the Apple car! (CultCast #636)

    It's the end of the road for the Apple car! (CultCast #636)

    After 10 years and 10 billion dollars, Apple finally calls it quits on the Apple car. What happened!? Plus: Apple's FineWoven cases are aging like milk, how to set up the best Mac screen saver, the future for Apple Arcade, and what comes next for Vision Pro.
    This episode supported by:
    Listeners like you. Your support helps us fund CultCast Off-Topic, a new weekly podcast of bonus content available for everyone; and helps us secure the future of the podcast. You also get access to The CultClub Discord, where you can chat with us all week long, give us show topics, and even end up on the show. Support The CultCast at support.thecultcast.com OR at CultOf9to5MacRumors.com .
    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:
    Apple car crashes to a halt
    In a somewhat shocking development, Apple reportedly completely canceled all development on its self-driving car program on Tuesday. The company is shifting its emphasis to artificial intelligence, instead. Lewis Wallace: Killing the Apple car is depressing and sad The New York Times: Behind Apple's Doomed Car Project: False Starts and Wrong Turns D. Griffin Jones: Canceling the Apple car is a sensible move we should celebrate MacRumors: Not-So-FineWoven iPhone Case 'Browning Like a Rotten Banana'
    Apple's $59 FineWoven cases for iPhone 15 took heavy flak when they were released last September for being subpar compared to the leather Apple cases they replaced. Now, The Wall Street Journal columnist Joanna Stern has distilled customers' ire by sharing her own experience with the case after five months of use. Poll by John Gruber Apple Arcade's future: Kids win, but devs fear ‘smell of death'
    Apple Arcade now focuses so heavily on family-friendly titles from well-known franchises that some indie game developers feel abandoned, according to a new report. How to set up the best Mac screensaver, Aerial
    Screensavers fell out of fashion a long time ago, but Apple's Aerial screensaver looks so beautiful, it just might make you reconsider. In fact, with its stunning visuals, it might just be the best Mac screensaver around. Don't expect Vision Pro 2 or Vision Air before 2027
    Vision Pro may be Apple's only AR headset until 2027. The company has yet to start work on Vision Pro 2 or Vision Air, according to a trusted analyst. Vision Pro returns aren't as bad as we feared

    • 1 hr 32 min
    Our current list of must-play video games! (CultCast Off Topic #3)

    Our current list of must-play video games! (CultCast Off Topic #3)

    Griffin and papa ERF list the games they're currently playing and which ones they like best.

    • 28 min
    Surprising new designs of iPhone 16 and here come the new iPad Pros! (CultCast #635)

    Surprising new designs of iPhone 16 and here come the new iPad Pros! (CultCast #635)

    This week, surprising new designs for the iPhone 16 AND incoming iPad Pros! 
    Plus: a new iPhone security issue steals your face to drain your bank account! We’ll tell you what you need to know, and we wrap with our review of a new mic we’re using on UNDER REVIEW.
    This episode supported by:
    Listeners like you. Your support helps us fund CultCast Off-Topic, a new weekly podcast of bonus content available for everyone; and helps us secure the future of the podcast. You also get access to The CultClub Discord, where you can chat with us all week long, give us show topics, and even end up on the show. Support The CultCast at support.thecultcast.com — OR at CultOf9to5MacRumors.com.
    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.
    This week’s stories:
    First-ever iOS trojan steals your face to break your bank
    For the first time, an iOS trojan has been spotted in the wild. It steals an iPhone user’s facial recognition data to go after money in banking and other financial apps. Original Post by Bleeping Computer Apple fortifies iMessage to foil hackers of the future
    An iMessage upgrade with post-quantum cryptography will make Apple’s instant messaging platform ready to fend off future hackers. Today’s encryption methods likely won’t be able to stand up, which is why Apple is bringing in the cutting-edge protocol. New Apple Sports app gives fans scores and stats for free
    The new Apple Sports app for iPhone gives fans access to real-time scores, stats and more for their favorite teams across a wide range of sports leagues. Apple Sports on the App Store Woah! Is this the new iPhone 16 Pro camera?
    The latest iPhone 16 Pro camera rumor comes with an image that shows a radically redesigned lens module. MacRumors: Apple's Upcoming OLED iPad Pro Models Rumored to Be Much Thinner
    Such a slimmed down body suggests a notable design change, which is enabled by an even more significant update — OLED display technology. Alongside the iPad Pro, Apple is expected to introduce two new iPad Air models, including a larger 12.9-inch version for the first time. D. Griffin Jones: Why I don’t want to return my Vision Pro
    The two-week return window for my Vision Pro is fast approaching, so I need to make my keep it/toss it decision in a matter of days. And I desperately want to keep it. Under Review: RØDE Wireless Pro
    The RØDE Wireless Pro is a whole set of microphones you can use for recording videos with high-quality audio on the go.

    • 1 hr 18 min

Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5
1.1K Ratings

1.1K Ratings

dbacks5444 ,

Great

Another great Apple podcast

Rocket Ranger ,

Great podcast

These three guys are entertaining as heck. I can listen to them all day long.

DudemanLA ,

Awesome 😎 Show

Really fun show 😎👍🏻
Apple News and they make it fun

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