In partnership with
Retro tech is big right now.
The iPod is making a comeback, and so is the iPhone 4. Kids like my son prefer to shoot film rather than digital, and, for the second year running, vinyl outsold CDs by more than two to one, according to the Recording Industry Association of America.
In tech, several brands, including Apple’s own Beats, now make transparent earbuds that call back to 1999’s see-through iMac.
You can get record turntables that stream via Bluetooth, AM/FM radios that double as Bluetooth speakers, and a Nikon digital camera that’s styled like the company’s old 35 mm cameras.
Just this week, Spigen launched new iPhone cases to make your mobile look like a classic Macintosh circa 1984.
And now, the Wokyis M5 dock does the same thing. This unique and clever docking station transforms an M4 Mac mini into a classic Macintosh — with a bunch of clever extras. Luckily, this one won’t freeze with the dreaded bomb graphic! (Known originally as the DSError, or “deep sh*t error.”)
Also in today’s newsletter:
Apple is getting flak for outsourcing Siri’s brains to Google. But Steve Jobs would likely approve, given Apple’s long history of similar moves.
Oh no. This isn’t good news for third-party app stores. One early attempt, MacPaw’s Setapp Mobile, is shutting down just a year into operation.
My old Apple keyboard is giving up the ghost, and I’m getting tired of recharging it via Lightning. I’ve always typed better on mechanical keyboards, and this deal on a wireless Keychron keeb is mighty tempting.
I’ve got a novel in me, I’m sure, but I’m too lazy to find out. This AI-driven book-writing tool looks really interesting. Maybe it’s time to vibe-code a novel!
It’s not just Lightning. A bunch of my stuff uses horrid old USB-A connections, which means I’ve got a mess of USB hubs to connect them to my USB-C only computers. As we transition from one USB standard to another, this little SSD seamlessly straddles both. Here’s our review.
Today’s the day in Apple history when Steve Jobs pulled one of his most memorable product reveals.
— Leander Kahney, EIC.
A message from Wispr Flow
Speak fuller prompts. Get better answers.
Stop losing nuance when you type prompts. Wispr Flow captures your spoken reasoning, removes filler, and formats it into a clear prompt that keeps examples, constraints, and tone intact. Drop that prompt into your AI tool and get fewer follow-up prompts and cleaner results. Works across your apps on Mac, Windows, and iPhone. Try Wispr Flow for AI to upgrade your inputs and save time.
A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team
A message from the Cult of Mac Deals team
Cult of Mac’s buyback program
Tweets of the day
Wallpaper of the day
One more thing ...
In the first 30 years of your life, you make your habits. For the last 30 years of your life, your habits make you.
Today’s poll
Any fans of the retro tech revival?
Results from yesterday’s poll: Are the new Creator Studio icons a complete disaster?
Best reader comments
Subscribe to The Weekender — Get the week's best Apple news, reviews and how-tos from Cult of Mac, every Saturday morning. Our readers say: "Thank you guys for always posting cool stuff" -- Vaughn Nevins. "Very informative" -- Kenly Xavier.