A Mac app for Gmail lovers

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After years of using Gmail, I recently tried switching to Apple Mail on my Mac.

Talk about frustrating! Everything feels completely foreign, from the keyboard shortcuts to the disappointing search to basic maneuvering around my inbox.

Cult of Mac writer Rajesh Pandey feels the same way but wanted to use a native Mac app for email. He discovered Mimestream, an app from an Apple alum that’s built around Gmail’s many strengths, and he loves it. Here’s what makes Mimestream great.

Also in this edition of The Weekender:

Apple reportedly plans to roll out a new subscription-style leasing program called Apple Upgrade next week. It sounds great, but there might be one big drawback.
Next time you misplace your Apple Watch, ping it from your iPhone.
MacBook Neo mascot Lil’ Finder Guy took the internet by storm earlier this year, and this week we got a (maddeningly brief!) look at how the cute character came to life.
Rosetta Stone just made learning a new language easier — and it’s on sale. Other new offers from Cult of Mac Deals include a resume maker designed to get you past the gatekeepers, a financial literacy course and an AI tool that turns your notes and journals into a book.
Here’s a rundown of all the new features and tweaks in the latest iOS 27 beta. Things are coming along nicely.
And finally, if you’re looking for an Apple TV show to watch this weekend, check out this list of the streamer’s five hottest series.

Enjoy your weekend!

— Lewis Wallace, managing editor

Feature story

Apple Mail comes free with every Mac, but I'd rather use this app

As a longtime Gmail user, I prefer Mimestream’s speed and deep Gmail integration over Apple Mail. It offers several advantages.

A message from Proton

Free email without sacrificing your privacy

Gmail tracks you. Proton doesn’t. Get private email that puts your data — and your privacy — first.

Ditch the Gmail data grab

How-tos

Your iPhone can charge your AirPods in a pinch — here's how

In a pinch, you can charge AirPods with an iPhone, and even juice up an Apple Watch or another iPhone. Here's how to do it.

Convert your iPhone's Live Photos to video in seconds

It's easy to turn Live Photos into one continuous video that you can save and share to social media, right from the Photos app.

These are the best and coolest Apple Watch faces

If you want to spice up and individualize your Apple Watch, here are the best and coolest faces out of the dozens of options.

How to ping your lost Apple Watch from your iPhone

You can ping a lost Apple Watch from your iPhone. The reverse has always been one of the best uses of an Apple Watch.

A message from Adapt

The AI coworker built for teams in Slack

The era of solo player AI is over. Adapt is the integrated coworker that empowers every team to work AI native together.

Anyone can tag @Adapt in Slack to answer a quick question, schedule a task, prepare for a board meeting, or build the dashboard you’ve been waiting on for weeks.

Built for business users, powerful enough for engineers.

Get $100 free credits for your team

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News

iOS 27 beta 4: All the new features and changes

iOS 27 beta 4 is now rolling out to developers with new Siri voices, Log 2 support and other minor tweaks.

Plus, more Apple software news:

iPhone 20 Pro Max display could stretch to a massive size

A new leak claims Apple is testing a display larger than any before to go into 20th-anniversary iPhone 20 Pro Max.

Plus, more Apple rumors:

One app is all Apple needs to make iPad damn near perfect

iPad is a great option for students, writers, artists and many more. But not developers. It’s time to change that.

Apple Upgrade subscription service could change how you buy Macs and iPhones

Apple could soon launch Apple Upgrade, a new subscription-style leasing program for Mac, iPad, iPhone and Apple Watch.

Plus: Apple Upgrade leasing program could lock iPhone over late payments

Art director's post reveals Lil' Finder Guy's origin story — and then disappears

An Apple art director shares early sketches and a physical prototype of Lil’ Finder Guy, the MacBook Neo mascot that became an internet star.

New ClickLock malware locks your Mac until you hand over your password

New ClickLock malware locks your Mac until you hand over your password. Here's how to protect yourself.

5 must-watch shows that make Apple TV more popular than ever

A handful of Apple TV series drive the streamer's impressive audience growth. These are the streamer's best dramas, comedies and sci-fi.

Deals

Learn 25 languages with the new Rosetta Stone Sapphire for $128

New users can save on the latest language-learning tech with a one-year subscription to Rosetta Stone Sapphire at a big discount.

New price cut: Unlock 20-plus top AIs for life for just $58

Whether creating content or testing how different AIs handle prompts, ChatPlayground AI makes it easy and affordable to get the best results.

Plus, more AI deals:

This $80 financial literacy bundle gives you lifetime access to 150+ money lessons

The Prosper financial literacy course gives you lifetime access to courses, AI-powered coaching and weekly sessions with a veteran investor.

Your devices are fast — your router should be, too

Future-proof your home network with a near-mint refurbished Asus RT-BE92U Wi-Fi 7 router, offering low latency and built-in security.

Reviews

This unique MacBook accessory adapts its buttons to every app [Review]

Dune’s three context-aware buttons adapt to the app you’re using, making keyboard shortcuts easier to access. But does this clever MacBook accessory justify its price tag?

Stylish stand uses StealthCharge to quickly juice up 4 devices at once [Review]

The Mophie 4-in-1 Wireless Charge Stand fast charges an iPhone, and juices up three other devices, too. We went hands-on.