Could this setup be any more Apple?

January 13, 2023

As Cult of Mac writer David Snow points out, some of the setups we highlight on the blog are more Apple-y than others.

Because it's Cult of Mac, by definition each setup we write about must have a Mac or iPad at its heart.

But the other accessories and equipment often come from other companies.

Not today's setup.

This one has the rare distinction of being the most Apple-centric we've ever seen. Almost everything in this workspace comes from Cupertino. And there's a nice surprise on the bookshelf!

Also in this issue: Tim Cook requests a pay cut, get a crazy deal on Windows software, M. Night Shyamalan's Servant returns with a deranged season opener, and how to save on App Store subscriptions. And don't miss the fascinating cross section in the Tweetz o' the day.

-- Leander Kahney, EIC.

Some computer setups are more Apple-ish than others. Apple-y. Apple-centric. Today’s featured M1 Max MacBook Pro outfit welcomes a new Studio Display to replace a recently “retired” 20-inch Cinema Display, and that’s just the start of the Cupertino madness. Almost everything else in the setup is Apple, too. The input devices, the audio gear — even some of the wall art.

At his request, the company’s top executive will receive “only” $49 million in compensation this year. For comparison, Cook’s compensation was $99.4 million in 2022 and $98.7 million in 2021.

CdkeySales offers major savings on plenty of Microsoft software. To get the most savings, enter promo code CULT at CdkeySales.com. That will slash an extra 30% off the site’s already-low prices on keys for Windows 10 Pro Global, Microsoft Office 2021 Pro and more.

Illustrated is a new puzzle game — literally. Players put together jigsaw puzzle pieces to assemble beautiful illustrations. Putting puzzles together is a meditative process for many, and the new game embraces that, with each containing a quote or other wisdom. It’s now available on Apple Arcade for iPhone, Mac and more.

Servant, the most joyous and unhinged show on Apple TV+, returns for its fourth and final season this week. The saga of the Turner family and their live-in nanny can’t help but disappoint, just because it’s going away. Never mind whether it wraps up its plot threads or not. A show unbound from ordinary televisual constraints, both dramatically and visually, Servant serves as a vivid representation of its creators’ raging id. As such, its first three seasons became one of the most wonderful pleasures on television. Let’s see how M. Night Shyamalan and Co. are set to send off this family of arch-weirdos.

If you’re looking for an Apple Watch band worthy of a black-tie dinner and a dip in the ocean afterward, we suggest the Laut Links Petite Apple Watch Band. The stainless steel band, which is seawater-resistant, comes in four colors. And it’s only $39.99.

On January 13, 2000, Steve Jobs' longtime frenemy Bill Gates stepped down from his role as Microsoft CEO. It's a tech turning point.

It’s a new year, a fine time to clear out some of the mistakes of the past. That includes no longer paying for subscriptions for apps or services you don’t use anymore. Here’s how to find everything you’ve signed up for through the App Store, see what it’s costing you, and cancel it if you’ve lost interest. Or perhaps save a bit of money by changing how often you’re billed.

Tweetz o' the day

One more thing ...

"When I came back from India, I found myself asking, 'What was the one most important thing that had struck me?' And I think it was that Western rational thought is not an innate human characteristic. It is a learned ability. It had never occurred to me that if no one taught us how to think this way, we would not think this way. And yet, that’s the way it is." — Steve Jobs, 1985

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