A lifetime license for Microsoft Office now costs less than one year of Microsoft 365
Macworld TL;DR: Get Microsoft Office 2019 for Mac for $40 or Windows for $20. You don’t have to pay $99.99 every year for Microsoft 365 to get apps like Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Instead, if you go for an older version of Microsoft Office, you can get a lifetime license that you only have to pay for once. Microsoft Office Home and Business for Mac is now $39.97 (reg. $229), and Office Pro Plus for Windows is only $19.97 (reg. $229). Each license lasts for life with no recurring costs or strings attached. You can download your apps onto one computer, and then they’re yours for the life of that computer. The Mac license comes with Word Excel PowerPoint Outlook OneNote Teams Classic The Windows license comes with the same apps, but instead of Teams, you get Publisher and Access. These are the 2019 versions of Microsoft apps you may already be using in Microsoft 365. As they’re a little older, they may look a little different, but they still work great. And you only pay for them once. Right now, you can get Microsoft Office Home and Business 2019 for Mac for $39.97 Microsoft Office Pro Plus for Windows for $19.97 Microsoft Office Home & Business 2019 for MacSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

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This unique 100W cable works with almost any device
Macworld TL;DR: The GoCable 8-in-1 Charger is now on sale for $20. A low battery at the wrong time can ruin a day. If you want to make sure you always have a charger on hand without sacrificing pocket space, try the GoCable. This 8-in-1 charger works with all Type-C and Lightning devices, and it’s on sale now for $19.97 (reg. $49.99). Chargers gotta charge, and this one gets the job done with ultra-fast 100W power delivery. The built-in LED power display even tells you how much power you’re getting. This durable little cable also doubles as a keychain. You can also hook the built-in carabiner to your bag, and it might come in handy for more than just low batteries. The carabiner has its own hidden bottle opener and safe-proof cutter. No more opening boxes with your keys.  For a limited time, you can get a GoCable 8-in-1 EDC 100W Cable for $19.97. Sale ends soon. GoCable 8-in-1 EDC 100W CableSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change.

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iOS 26.2 beta 1: All the new features and changes
Apple has rolled out iOS 26.2 beta 1 to developers, bringing several new features and enhancing the existing ones for a better experience. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Mac Studio to get M5 Ultra power in 2026
Apple may have skipped the M4 Ultra this year, but reports suggest an M5 Ultra-powered Mac Studio is coming in 2026. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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iOS 26: How to customize the iPhone's Lock Screen clock
Apple added a ton of features and tweaks with iOS 26, including to the iPhone's Lock Screen. Here's how to customize your iPhone's clock, including its size.You can make your iPhone's Lock Screen clock look just the way you like it.The clock might be one of the most-used things on your iPhone, and you probably don't realize it. Especially if you have a model with an always-on display, like the iPhone 17.For even if you have an Apple Watch, glancing at your iPhone is often the easiest way to check the time. Yet the clock hasn't changed all that much since the iPhone shipped in 2007. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple Creator Studio referenced in iOS 26.2 beta 1, but meaning is unclear
Apple could be gearing up to release something called Apple Creator Studio, but whether it's a subscription, an app bundle, or a rename of Pixelmator Pro is unknown.Apple Creator Studio referenced, but it's anyone's guess as to what it meansApple released iOS 26.2 beta 1 on Tuesday, and code sleuths have been diving through it to find potential references to future releases. While Apple's developers usually do a good job of hiding everything we're not meant to see before a beta is published, some things still slip through.Code sleuth Aaron, known as @aaronp613 on X, shared that there's a reference to Apple Creator Studio in the iOS 26.2 beta. There aren't any other details about the reference, nor where it was found in the code, so it is difficult to ascertain what it could mean. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Beelink Mate mini 80Gbps Dock review: Port expansion without the bandwidth limit
Finally, a relatively inexpensive storage and ports dock for the M4 Mac mini that isn't bandwidth constrained.Beelink Mate mini DockFor many years, Thunderbolt and USB docks have been designed to neatly fit underneath your Mac mini. There have been good ones, and bad ones.In the 15 years I've been doing this gig facing the Internet, I've repeatedly seen the same problem crop up in terms of bandwidth. More recently, I've reviewed a pile of hubs that use 10 gigabit USB-C instead of 40 gigabit plus Thunderbolt, and manufacturers somehow expect external storage, USB ports, and an HDMI connection to all work fine with that 10 gigabits per second of bandwidth. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple details new APIs for parental consent and age verification in Texas
Apple has released new APIs and sandbox tools to help developers comply with the new requirements for apps available in Texas. Here are the details. more…

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Apple Brings Its App Store To the Web
Apple has officially launched a web-based version of its App Store that lets users browse apps across all Apple devices through a redesigned interface. "There's no way to download apps from the App Store on the web, however," notes The Verge. "Apple just gives you the option to share an app or open it directly inside the App Store installed on your device." From the report: Now, when you navigate to apps.apple.com, you'll see the revamped interface instead of a webpage that just contains information about the App Store. [...] Along with the ability to switch between listings of apps for the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Vision Pro, Apple Watch, and Apple TV, you can check out recommendations on the Today tab as well as sort apps by category, such as productivity, entertainment, adventure, and more. The new web-based App Store also serves as a portal where you can search for apps, too. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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Apple inadvertently leaked front-end source code of new App Store on the web
The web-based App Store browser Apple introduced Tuesday had some rookie mistakes in its implementation, which has led to the front-end source code getting published on GitHub.Apple's App Store viewed on the webThe App Store is only fully functional on an Apple device like your iPhone, iPad, or Mac, but there's always been a way to view apps in a web browser. Apple revamped that experience by introducing a full App Store browser on Tuesday, but it lacks the ability to sign in, make purchases, or view account info.According to a GitHub repository discovered by 9to5Mac, Apple left the website's sourcemaps enabled in the published version. It's a rookie mistake to leave them enabled, but it's also not harmful to Apple, developers, or users. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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Apple accidentally leaks new web App Store front-end source code, ends up on GitHub
Just hours after Apple launched a revamped web interface for the App Store, a GitHub project was released with the site’s entire front-end source code. Here’s how that happened. more…

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Apple Delays Home App Update Requirement Until February 2026
Apple will officially discontinue support for its original Home architecture (formerly HomeKit) on February 10, 2026. As MacRumors points out, Apple has informed users that they need to "update now to avoid interruptions." AppleInsider reports: The underlying HomeKit architecture was revamped in March 2023 alongside iOS 16.4, so Apple has been supporting both the new and old architecture for the last two years. There were initial problems with stability that may have discouraged some users from upgrading, but those problems have now been addressed. When Apple stops supporting the original HomeKit architecture, it will break support for the Home app on devices running older versions of iOS, iPadOS, and macOS. iOS 16.2, iPadOS 16.2, macOS 13.1, tvOS 16.2, and watchOS 9.2 are the minimum versions of Apple's platforms that work with the updated Apple Home app, and older devices will lose access. The update includes support for features like guest access, support for robot vacuum cleaners, and Activity History. Apple says it also provides faster, more reliable performance, especially for smart homes with a lot of HomeKit and Matter accessories installed. Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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Price drop: Customize your Mac to the max with MacPilot
Save on a lifetime sub to MacPilot, awesome software that lets you easily customize your Mac with all sorts of advanced tweaks. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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WhatsApp debuts Apple Watch app with voice messages and more
WhatsApp, Meta Platforms Inc.'s widely used messaging app, has launched a dedicated Apple Watch application, enabling users to… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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Apple Card adds Hertz as a new 3% Daily Cash partner, plus more perks
Apple Card has a new perk for cardholders. Apple announced today that Apple Card now offers 3% Daily Cash back for car rentals with Hertz. In addition to that boosted Daily Cash, you’ll also get lower rates, free emergency service, and more. more…

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iOS 26.2 adds enhanced alerts for earthquakes and imminent threats, and a new tone
Apple is working to introduce a new Enhanced Safety Alerts setting on iOS 26.2. Here are the details. more…

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iOS 26.2 gives Freeform app brand new tables feature
iOS 26.2 beta 1 arrived earlier today, and it gives Apple’s Freeform app support for tables for the first time. more…

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Apple Watch Activity badges: Veteran’s Day challenge on November 11
Macworld Achievement badges are a funny thing. You know they’re just a simple little bit of visual flair, they don’t even do anything, and yet for some reason you just have to collect them. Gamification can be a great motivator, and the achievement badges for the activity tracking on the Apple Watch have inspired many users to get more exercise. If you want to maximize your badge count, you’re going to want to chase down as many activity achievements as you can. Most are available year-round, but there are also some time-limited special events to grab, too. Here’s a list of all the activity achievements for the Apple Watch and how to unlock them. Updated November 4, 2025: On Veteran’s Day (November 11) you can earn a badge by doing any workout for 11 minutes or more. Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm) Read our review Price When Reviewed: $399 Best Prices Today: $292 at Walmart | $329 at Amazon | $329 at Best Buy Standard achievements Most of the achievements can be earned year-round. If you open the Activity app on your iPhone, then head over to the Achievements tab, you’ll see some of them listed even before you earn them (in which case they will be represented by a grey outline). However, there are some achievements that are not shown until you earn them. Past and future monthly challenges, for example, won’t show up, nor do all the various individual exercise workouts. Here is a list of all the standard badges you can get. First [exercise] Workout The first time you perform a new exercise for at least 5 minutes, you’ll get a achievement badge. Every workout type that does not fall under the “Other” category is eligible for this badge: from walking to yoga to HIIT to hiking and more. Activities with both indoor and outdoor variants, like Cycling and Walking, are bundled together; you can do either activity to get the badge, and can only get it once. [exercise] Workout Record Every time you beat your previous best record for calories burned in any of the exercises listed above, you get this badge. There is one caveat: You must complete five workouts of that type first. If you want to game the system, make sure your first four workouts of each type are short and easy, so it won’t take much effort to beat them. You get a badge the first time you do each major exercise type, and when you break a record. 7-Workout Week Simply complete any workout of at least 15 minutes every day of the week. Note that the week is Monday-Sunday, and you have to do a workout on each of those days (you can’t simply do any seven days in a row). If you start a walking workout whenever you walk outside, you can achieve this easily. New Move Record Any day that your Move ring goes further than ever before (meaning you burned more calories in a day), you’ll earn this award. There’s one catch: you have to use your Apple Watch for 10 days before you can complete this. New Exercise Record This is just like the Move Record achievement, only for the green ring. This one is based on minutes of exercise, not calories burned, so it’s really easy to get. Just like the Move Record achievement, you have to use your Apple Watch for 10 days first. Move Goal 200%, 300%, 400% You earn this when you exceed your calorie target (the red Move ring) by 2x, 3x, or 4x, respectively. In other words, it’s given for making the red activity ring go around two, three, or four times in a day. It’s easy to get if you just set your Move goal very low. Double, triple, and quadruple your Move ring goal. Reduce your goal if you’re having trouble. New Move Goal Every time you change your daily Move goal, and then exceed that new goal, you get this achievement. You can change your Move goal by opening the Activity app on your Apple Watch and force-pressing the screen. Longest Move Streak When you hit your Move goal (close the red ring) several days in a row, that’s a “streak.” You get this award when your streak finally ends, if it’s longer than your previous best streak. Perfect Week This is given out for four categories: Move, Exercise, Stand, and All Activity. For the first three, simply close the rings (red, green, or blue) every day of the week. To get the Perfect Week (All Activity) badge, close all three rings every day for an entire week. You can earn this multiple times, though it only shows one badge. Remember, one week in the Activity app is from Monday-Sunday! Close those rings every day from Monday to Sunday to earn a handful of badges. Perfect Month Unlike Perfect Week, there are not multiple different Perfect Month badges for the different color rings. The lone Perfect Month achievement is for closing the red Move ring every day of the month. There’s a separate Perfect Month badge for every month and every year, though. So you can earn this in February and again in March, and again in February in the next year. Monthly Challenge Each month has its own unique fitness challenge. If you have notifications set for the Activity app on our Apple Watch, you’ll see the goal presented at the beginning of the month, but you’ll also see the current month’s challenge in the Achievements tab of the Activity app on your iPhone. It will be a grey outline before it’s completed, but you can tap on it to see what the challenge entails. The monthly challenge may task you with burning a specific number of calories, working out a number of times, or traveling a certain distance. There’s no telling what each new month will bring, you just have to look! There’s a different challenge every month, so check your Activity app. 100, 365, 500, 1,000 Move Goals When you hit your daily Move goal (close the red ring) 100 times, you get an achievement badge. You get another for hitting it 365 times, 500 times, and 1,000 times. These do not need to be in a row; it’s just the total number of times you’ve ever hit the goal. Close the Move ring often to unlock a series of badges. Set the Move goal low if you want to make it easier. Apple Watch Ultra 2 Read our review Price When Reviewed: $799 (base) Best Prices Today: $699.99 at Amazon | $799 at Apple | $799 at Walmart Limited Achievements Apple offers multiple one-off challenges per year that are only available for a limited time. Often, they’re only around for one day or one weekend. Some are limited to the U.S. because they’re based on U.S. holidays. You’ll get a notification on your Apple Watch when one of them is coming up (make sure you have notifications enabled for the Activity app, using the Watch app on your iPhone). Veteran’s Day (November 11, 2025) Foundry Earn this award on November 11 by doing any workout for 11 minutes or more. Record your time with the Workout app or any app that adds workouts to Health. World Mental Health Day Challenge (October 10, 2025) Foundry Record 10 minutes of mindfulness or meditation with any app that adds mindful minutes to Health to get this award. National Parks Challenge (August 24, 2025) Foundry The anniversary of the founding of the U.S. National Parks is on August 25. Every year, Apple celebrates this is a global National Parks badge (on the 24th this year, since the 25th is a Monday). Just do a workout of 20 minutes or more on August 24 with any app that records workouts the the Health app to earn this badge. Global Running Day (June 4, 2025) Apple Apple’s description says: “Let’s run this one together. On June 4, record a running workout and go at least 5K (3.1 mi) to earn this special badge. Record it with any app that adds workouts to Health.” Global Close Your Rings Day (April 24, 2025) Apple To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the release of the first Apple Watch. Users who close all three Activity rings will earn a limited-edition award, plus 10 animated stickers and an animated badge for Messages. Earth Day (April 22, 2025) Apple On April 22, celebrate Earth Day and win this award with any workout of 30 minutes or more. Try to get outside for it! Heart Month challenge (February 14, 2025) Apple Show your heart some love! Close your Exercise ring this Valentine’s Day, February 14, to earn this award. New Year’s 2025 challenge (January 2025) Apple Let’s start 2025 off right. Earn this award by closing all three rings for seven days in a row in January.

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Apple and Amazon seek $2 million from law firm over alleged misconduct
In the time it'll take you to read this article, Apple will make $2 million in revenue. Still, it's the principle that counts. Apple and… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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New in iOS 26.2: Liquid Glass, News, Podcasts, and Sleep Score changes
The first developer beta of iOS 26.2 is finally here with Liquid Glass customization options and improvements for built-in apps. Here's what's new.iOS 26.2 developer beta 1 features new customization options and UI enhancements.On Tuesday, following the public release of iOS 26.1, Apple rolled out iOS 26.2 developer beta 1. The iOS software update bears the build number 23C5027f, as does its iPadOS counterpart.As a whole, iOS 26 introduced a variety of enhancements, including Apple's controversial "Liquid Glass" design language. The following update, iOS 26.1, brought additional customization options for Liquid Glass, as well as new toggles. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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iOS 26.2 could add 30-day AirDrop pairing option between devices
Apple is working on a new feature that will allow users to keep AirDrop pairing active between devices for up to 30 days. Here are the details. more…

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New airline adds support for iOS 26 boarding passes in Wallet
As part of iOS 26, Apple launched a redesigned boarding pass experience for flights in the Wallet app. The new design features Live Activities, quicker access to key flight details, and more. Last month, United became the first US airline to roll out support for the new set of Wallet features. Air Canada also recently launched support for the features. Now, Delta is following suit … more…

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iOS 26.2 beta brings changes to Sleep Score, Apple News, and more
Macworld A day after the wide release of iOS 26.1, Apple released the first beta of iOS 26.2. This release is again expected to focus primarily on polish, tweaking, while adding quality-of-life enhancements rather than any big new features. iOS 26.2: What’s new We will continually update this list as the beta progresses and more changes are added and discovered by the community. Updated Sleep Score ranges: Apple has adjusted what the various Sleep Score ranges mean, making it require higher scores for the better descriptions. For example, “High” used to be a score of 70-89, and is now 81-95. Lock Screen Liquid Glass slider: The clock control for the Lock Screen how has a slider to adjust how transparent/glassy the time readout should be. This replaces the old “clear or tinted” toggle. Apple News design: The design of Apple News has been tweaked, with four quick-select categories at the top. These appear to be based on your previous activity. Podcasts improvements: The Podcasts app gets auto-generated chapters along with the ability to more easily follow mentioned podcasts or follow up on links mentioned in a podcast episode. Set Alarms and Timers for Reminders: If you set a reminder as “urgent” you will be asked if you wish to create and alarm or timer for it. Freeform app: You can now insert tables into your boards. iOS 26.2: How to install If you want to test the iOS 26 beta releases but are not a registered developer, follow these steps: Click Sign Up on the Apple Beta page and register with your Apple ID. Log in to the Beta Software Program. Click Enroll your iOS device. Open the Settings app, tap General, then Software Update. In the Beta Updates section, select the iOS Public Beta. It may take a few moments after registering for the beta option to appear in Software Update. iOS 26.2: How to install the developer beta You’ll need to be registered as an Apple developer, but a free developer account will do. You can get one via Xcode or the Apple Developer app in iOS. Here’s how to do it via the Apple Developer app: Download the Apple Developer App from the App Store. Open the app. Tap on Account. Sign in using your usual Apple ID. Find out everything you need to know about iOS 26 in our iOS 26 superguide.

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Jawohl! Full Live Translation with AirPods coming to EU.
Apple’s Live Translation feature that lets AirPods translate speech will reportedly soon be available for EU residents to use anywhere. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)

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Report: Low-cost MacBook will arrive in ‘the first half of next year’
Macworld Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman reports that Apple is planning to release a low-cost MacBook for “luring away customers from Chromebooks and entry-level Windows PCs” during the first half of 2026. The unnamed laptop is actively being tested at Apple, and overseas production has reportedly begun. Apple has been rumored to be working on a cheap MacBook that is lower in price than the $999 M4 MacBook Air. Apple has never really competed in the “cheap” laptop market, instead promoting iPads or older models as affordable options. For example, Apple struck a deal with Walmart in 2024 to sell the M1 MacBook Air for $699, and the price has subsequently been cut to $649 and now $599. However, that model, which was originally released in November 2020 and has just 8GB of RAM, doesn’t run Apple Intelligence, and isn’t promoted by Apple. This new cheap MacBook will reportedly be powered by an A-series iPhone chip instead of an M-series Mac chip. Early reports stated that the chip would be an A18 Pro, but Apple has since released the A19 Pro in the iPhone 17 Pro. Gurman’s report does not state which A-series chip is being used. Apple’s M-series chips are based on the A-series, but they are bigger and faster, which means they run at higher temperatures than the A-series chips are designed for mobile use. However, as Gurman points out, whichever chip is used in the new MacBook will perform better than the M1. Gurman also states that the new MacBook will have “less advanced” components compared to those in the current MacBook lineup, and the display will be a low-end LCD that’s “slightly smaller” than the 13.6-inch MacBook Air. He also says the new machine will have “an entirely new design.” It has been reported that Apple has a goal of increasing its Mac sales. In its recent Q4 2025 financial report, Apple announced a big quarter for the Mac with a double-digit increase in year-over-year sales. The introduction of this new, cheap MacBook would be Apple’s first entry in the low-cost market. The customer for this laptop would be a general-purpose user whose primary tasks involve productivity apps, internet access, and basic content creation.

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Everything new in iOS 26.2 beta 1
iOS 26.2 beta 1 is here. The pre-release iPhone software update includes a surprising amount of changes and refinements. Here’s everything new: more…

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Apple TV lands international thriller ‘Safe Houses’ from Emmy Award-winning showrunner Gideon Raff
On Tuesday, Apple TV announced it has landed “Safe Houses,” a thrilling new eight-episode series that will be showrun and executive produced… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

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AirPods Live Translation is coming to the EU soon after regulatory delays
Apple plans to bring Live Translation to AirPods users in the European Union by the end of 2025 after earlier delays tied to the Digital Markets Act.Live Translation supports many European languages — just not for European users yet.| image credit: AppleApple is preparing to roll out Live Translation on AirPods to users in the European Union before the end of 2025, as learned by Germany-based Apple Blog Macerkopf. The release will likely be a part of the iOS 26.2 update, which is expected to release in mid-December. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

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iOS 26.2 will let you set alarms and timers for reminders
Apple rolled out iOS 26.2 beta 1 for developers today and introduced the ability to set alarms and timers directly from the Reminders app. Here’s how it’s going to work. more…

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Next Apple Watch Challenge set for Veterans Day on November 11
The next Apple Watch fitness challenge is set for Veterans Day on Tuesday, November 11th, 2025. Apple Watch Challenges increase awareness about fitness features and healthy habits while observing holidays and other notable occasions. more…

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