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- Dear Apple: Please fix AirPods firmware updates
Dear Apple: Please fix AirPods firmware updates
If there's one thing about AirPods that isn't magical, it's the frustrating (and willfully murky) process for updating the earbuds' firmware.
In our lead story this week, Cult of Mac writer Ed Hardy lays out a simple plan for how Apple could turn that around.
Elsewhere, we've got the latest Apple news and rumors (including a whopper about Cupertino's quest to build an autonomous car), plus how-tos, hot deals and loads of reviews.
Enjoy your weekend reading!
— Lewis Wallace, managing editor
News and opinion
What’s in that firmware update for a couple of AirPods that came out Tuesday. Who the hell knows?!? Apple doesn’t announce updates for its truly wireless headphones — and won’t tell anyone what’s in them. Apple’s attempt at making AirPods firmware updates simple instead makes them far more complicated than necessary.
The new Self Service Program marks a major shift in the company’s approach to hardware fixes.
Cupertino is reportedly committed to making a car capable of driving completely autonomously. And the vehicle could hit the road by 2025.
Plus, more Apple rumors:
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Just how well does a new $3,500 M1 Max MacBook Pro perform against a $15,000 Mac Pro that’s only two years old? The results from the latest tests and benchmarks are simply insane. Plus, more Apple car talk!
The newest betas for iOS, iPadOS and macOS greatly improve the Shortcuts experience.
Plus, more good stuff coming soon:
How-tos
While your iPhone doesn’t have a built-in microSD card reader, adding a plug-in memory card reader is easy. And it requires no additional software. The same goes for iPads with a Lightning connector. Here’s what you need to do.
A new video shows the Nintendo classic running pretty flawlessly at a smooth 60 frames per second. You can download the game and try it out for yourself.
Deals
Always trying to find new ways to use your Mac? This incredible subscription service lets you use more than 200 outstanding Mac apps for one low price. And now that price is even lower!
If you’re looking for a holiday gift for an Apple fan, consider The Cult of Mac, 2nd Edition. This great-looking coffee table book about the Apple community is on sale right now at a whopping 71% off.
If you’ve been waiting for Black Friday to buy the perfect charging station for all your devices, you don’t have to wait anymore.
Get Babbel, the top-rated language app for travelers, and save 60% for a limited time — www.cultofmac.com
Learn to chat up the locals wherever your next trip takes you with this lifetime subscription to Babbel. With it, you can learn 14 languages!
Reviews
With the third-generation model, Apple improved AirPods in almost every way. That makes the latest AirPods one of the best, if not the best, all-around earbuds you can get.
Elago's new Ice Cream case definitely stands out. The nicely detailed silicone case looks like a tiny ice cream bar, right down to the colorful 3D sprinkles.
The first season of the epic space opera ends with a drama-packed episode.
More Apple TV+ reviews and recaps:
Playing serious games on an iPhone touchscreen can be crazy frustrating. Don’t throw your iPhone across the room — get a game controller like RiotPwr’s Rotor Riot RR1852.
Want to be a helpful elf, always ready to help charge up people’s devices and open their bottled beverages? Just carry the nifty little Vonmählen High Six 6-in-1 keychain charging cable.
Setups
Like a lot of people in the throes of building a computer setup, I found that second-guessing haunted me into buying a whole lot of alternative gear. You know, for testing purposes. Not because of my apparent shopping addiction.
A lot of people bust on each other for bragging about their computer setups on social media, but this one's truly a doozy.
We see a lot of multi-display workstations here at Setups Central, but we can’t recall seeing a “dual-display laptop” or a “laptop monitor stack.”