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- Friday March 27
- 04:43 pm9to5Mac Daily: March 27, 2026 – RIP Mac Pro
Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players. Sponsored by Backblaze: Backup you can rely on. Save 20% with code 9to5daily. more…04:28 pmiOS 26.4 adds video podcasts with these new features
Apple Podcasts got some exciting video improvements in iOS 26.4 this week, here are the new features included in the update. more…04:21 pmGet Paramount Plus for $2.99/mo for 2 months with this flash streaming deal
A month-end streaming deal discounts Paramount Plus to $2.99 per month for two months, and the best part is you can choose any plan.Get Paramount Plus for just $2.99 per month for 2 months - Image credit: ParamountFrom sports to original dramas, Paramount Plus has thousands of programs to watch this spring. And with this month-end streaming deal that gives new and former subscribers access to any plan for $2.99 per month for two months, there's no better time to sign up for the service.Get Paramount+ $2.99/mo deal Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums04:03 pmCardPointers app can now integrate with ChatGPT and more [Save 50%]
I’ve written before about why CardPointers is one of my favorite apps for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. A recent update to CardPointers has added integrations that can be used with ChatGPT, Claude, and any MCP-compatible AI platform. Plus, CardPointers is currently 50% off as part of the Big Spring Sale promotion, exclusively for 9to5Mac readers. more…04:02 pmApple plans standalone Siri app, new ‘Ask Siri’ feature, chatbot-like experience
Apple is testing a standalone app for its Siri voice assistant, along with a new "Ask Siri" feature that will work seamlessly across the… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.03:55 pmApple claims a 100% protection rate with iPhone Lockdown Mode
Apple says that nobody has ever been successfully hacked when their iPhone or other device was in Lockdown Mode, showing just how vital the security feature can be.Lockdown Mode on iPhone is for users facing grave threats to their digital securityLockdown Mode was launched in 2022 and has to be specifically enabled by the user. Once enabled, the feature hardens the device's security and has become the go-to option for people who could be a target for hacking.While most regularly used on an iPhone, Lockdown Mode can also be enabled on Macs, iPads, and even Apple Watches. So long as the device is running iOS 16 or later, iPadOS 16 or later, watchOS 10 or later, and macOS Ventura or later, Lockdown Mode can be enabled. Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums03:38 pmDeals – Big Spring Sale day 3: M5 MacBook Air all-time low, Apple Watch models up to $438 off, M4 iPad Air, more | 9 to 5 MacDeals – Big Spring Sale day 3: M5 MacBook Air all-time low, Apple Watch models up to $438 off, M4 iPad Air, more
Alongside the day 3 Amazon Big Spring Sale deals, today’s 9to5Toys Lunch Break is ready to go. Headlined by ongoing holiday pricing on AirPods Pro 3 and clearance deals on 13- and 15-inch M4 MacBook Air models, we also have the brand new 24GB 13-inch M5 MacBook Air with a 1TB SSD dropping back to the all-time low at nearly $85 off. Those offers join Apple Watch Series 10 Titanium models at $300 off and this Apple Watch Ultra 2 refurb at a giant $438 off. We also have Apple’s new 512GB M4 iPad Air returning to the Amazon all-time low at $80 off and a whole lot more down below. more…03:09 pmWhite House launches official app for iPhone and iPad: Live streams, real-time alerts, and ‘no filter’ access to the Trump administration | Mac Daily NewsWhite House launches official app for iPhone and iPad: Live streams, real-time alerts, and ‘no filter’ access to the Trump administration
The White House officially rolled out its own mobile app today, giving Americans direct, unfiltered access to President Donald J. Trump… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.03:07 pmHow to watch Major League Baseball on Apple TV every Friday night
Friday Night Baseball returns to Apple TV tonight, with the first of many doubleheaders coming this season for Apple subscribers. Here’s how to watch MLB games on Apple TV. more…02:58 pmSlay The Spire 2 review: The best deck-builder just got better
Macworld At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros New co-op mode Runs on Intel and Apple Silicon Macs Easy to play, but hard to master More variety than the first game Cons Simplistic 2D graphics and animations Rogue-like mechanics can be frustrating Few major new features Our Verdict Slay The Spire 2 doesn’t attempt to re-invent the wheel. It sticks closely to the format of the original game, but does provide lots of small changes and additions that help to keep it fresh. And people who want to play with their friends will welcome the new co-op mode too. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Price When Reviewed$24.99 Best Prices Today: Slay The Spire 2 Retailer Price Steam $24.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Who it’s for: Fans of the original. Wait if: You haven’t played STS1 yet. There are more than 2000 deck-building games listed on Steam, but only a tiny fraction of those run on Macs. Fortunately, Slay The Spire, which has been the king of the deck-builders in recent years, was available on the Mac right from its launch back in 2019 (and still runs on Apple Silicon Macs as well). The sequel has just gone on sale on Steam for $24.99/£19.99, and is already soaring up the sales charts, despite the fact that it’s actually still in ‘Early Access’, which means that it’s essentially a beta version of the game that is still being tested. Love Mac gaming? Check out the best Mac Games we’ve played. What’s new in Slay The Spire 2? Slay The Spire 2 doesn’t make any major changes to the format of the original game. The central task of the game is to fight your way through a series of rooms in order to reach the top of a mysterious spire, using a deck of cards that provide your character with different skills and abilities. It’s also a ‘rogue-like’ game, which means that dying sends you right back down to the bottom of the spire so that you have to start all over again, rather than just saving your progress as you complete each room. The Necrobinder is a new character who wields the power of the undead. Mega Crit Games What’s changed from the original? A popular feature in the first game was the ability to play as any of three different characters – the sword-slinging Ironclad, a nimble assassin called Silent, and a fan-favourite robot called The Defect. Those characters are still included in the sequel, but you also get two new characters called the Necrobinder and the Regent. There was a fourth character called The Watcher who was added to the first game in 2020, but there’s no sign of the Watcher in the current Early Access version of Slay The Spire 2. The secret of the game’s popularity was that – like many great games – it’s easy to understand the basics so that you can dive straight in and get started, but it takes longer to master the complexities of the game and understand the ways that all the different cards, skills and abilities can work together to make you more powerful. Slay The Spire 2 sticks with that approach, but it adds more of everything – more characters to play with, a wider range of skills and abilities, as well as magical relics and rare cards that provide special powers. As well as the main single-player game, this sequel includes a new co-op mode for up to four players. Mega Crit Games What’s game play like? At the start of each game, you are shown a map of the spire, with a number of different paths that you can choose as you climb to the top. Each path takes you through a different series of rooms, with most rooms containing monsters that you have to defeat. However, there are also rest rooms where you can sleep and recover some of your health after a challenging fight, or spend the time upgrading your cards instead. To add variety, there are also rooms that contain merchants who can sell you new cards or weapons, and even special quests for you to compete. I found a magic egg in one room, which could give me a powerful new card, but only if I first found a rest room where the egg could be hatched. This forced me to alter my path through the spire – as I was initially heading towards a merchant to top up on potions – but the detour was worth it as the new card gave my armour a big boost. Like its predecessor, Slay The Spire 2 also includes a daily challenge and a custom mode that allows you to modify the game settings for each run. However, it also includes one entirely new feature, introducing a multiplayer co-op mode that allows up to four people to play together as a team – although there’s no pvp mode that will allow you to compete directly against other people. You can buy new cards, as well as potions and magical trinkets to boost your powers. Mega Crit Games Where the graphics fall short My only real disappointment is that the game’s graphics aren’t terribly exciting. The 2D graphics are a bit more detailed this time around, but your character and the various monsters mostly just glare at each other across the screen, with simple effects used to indicate attacks and injuries each time you play a card. Games such as the Darkest Dungeon series have similar 2D graphics, but have a more distinctive gothic artwork style that really adds atmosphere and a sense of menace to the game. How does it run on Mac? The relatively simple graphics do mean that the game will run well even on older Macs with Intel processors, as long as you’re running macOS Big Sur (11.0) or later. Should I Buy Slay The Spire 2? If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. If you’re a fan of deck-builder games then Slay The Spire 2 is a must-have addition to your library. Some people have argued that it’s a fairly unambitious sequel that doesn’t make many changes from the original game. Even so, there are still enough refinements and small additions to make it a very enjoyable update for anyone that has already played the first game. And, if you’re new to the genre, the original Slay The Spire is currently on sale, making it a great place to start before moving on to the sequel.02:55 pmRelive the original Mac Pro through the pages of Macworld
Macworld Apple officially discontinued the Mac Pro on Thursday. While most of us couldn’t afford Apple’s most powerful Mac, it was an example of how much power a Macintosh could wield. But Apple, always looking forward, thinks its time has come and gone. The Mac Pro was first introduced in 2006, and while Macworld had a web presence back then, the focus at the time was on the print magazine version. As way to remember the Mac Pro, below are scans of the first Mac Pro articles that Macworld published. This first article is a Mac Pro FAQ. The actual Mac Pro announcement occurred several days before the magazine was set to go to press and be distributed. Because of this discrepancy in scheduling (the magazine would hit the newsstand long after the Mac Pro news hit the wire), the magazine answered reader questions about the Mac Pro, which appeared on the cover of the October 2006 issue. Macworld followed up with a full review of the Mac Pro by then editorial director Jason Snell. It got four mice (Macworld ratings used to be mice instead of the current stars). Snell wrote, “The 3GHz Mac Pro is the fastest Mac we’ve tested—however, since the 3GHz processors cost an additional $800 and provide a proportionately slight speed increase, they’re a good bargain for only voraciously speed-hungry pros.” (This issue was also the only time Johnny Depp was on a Macworld cover.)02:54 pmApple products using Lockdown Mode have never been hacked, company confirms
iPhone security has been in the news this month as Apple patches known exploits. As promised, the company has alerted customers using iPhones on older software to update this week. Meanwhile, Apple states on-the-record that its Lockdown Mode has proven effective against hack attempts so far. more…02:47 pmApple pulls the plug on its high-priced, oft-neglected Mac Pro desktop
M2 Ultra Mac Pro is no longer for sale, and Apple says no replacement is planned.02:31 pmApple Music in iOS 26.4: Five brand new features available now
iOS 26.4 is available now, and it packs five new features for the Music app. Here’s everything new for Apple Music in iOS 26.4. more…02:31 pmApple Music in iOS 26.4: Five brand new features available now
iOS 26.4 is available now, and it packs five new features for the Music app. Here’s everything new for Apple Music in iOS 26.4. more…02:31 pmApple Music in iOS 26.4: Five brand new features available now
iOS 26.4 is available now, and it packs five new features for the Music app. Here’s everything new for Apple Music in iOS 26.4. more…02:31 pmApple Music in iOS 26.4: Five brand new features available now
iOS 26.4 is available now, and it packs five new features for the Music app. Here’s everything new for Apple Music in iOS 26.4. more…02:15 pmiOS 26.5: When will Apple release the first beta?
Apple released iOS 26.4 to everyone this week, bringing new emojis, updates to Apple Music, and more to iPhone users everywhere. Now, attention is shifting to iOS 26.5 among loyal 9to5Mac readers. We’ve received a lot of questions about when the first iOS 26.5 beta will be released, so here’s what we know based on history. more…02:13 pmApple TV app just added Crunchyroll as new channel, here’s what that means
Apple’s TV app has long offered a ‘Channels’ feature that lets you subscribe to and watch other services right in the app. And anime destination Crunchyroll just became the first notable new channel in quite a while. more…02:05 pmGot a new M4 iPad Air? Get 33% off magnetic cases, styluses and more.
If you're a proud owner of the latest iPad Air, check out new ESR M4 iPad Pro accessories on sale. They cover all the bases. (via Cult of Mac - Your source for the latest Apple news, rumors, analysis, reviews, how-tos and deals.)