M2 MacBook Air impressions + Jony Ive is DONE with Apple (CultCast #553)

This week: we discuss M2 MacBook Pro performance, first impressions, and reviews. Plus: the end of an era, Jony Ive leaves Apple for good.

This episode supported by

Easily create a beautiful website all by yourself, at Squarespace.com/cultcast. Use offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain.

Cult of Mac's watch store is full of beautiful straps that cost way less than Apple's. See the full curated collection at Store.Cultofmac.com

CultCloth will keep your Mac Studio, Studio Display, iPhone 13, glasses and lenses sparkling clean, and for a limited time use code CULTCAST at checkout to score a free CarryCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.

This week's stories

M2 MacBook Air review roundup: The fast and the beauteous

• The M2 MacBook Air is easily the most important notebook Apple will release in 2022, and it’s a winner.

Jony Ive slips Apple’s golden handcuffs

• Jony Ive’s 30-year partnership with Apple is over.

Proposed new emoji list shows we already have all the emoji we need

• The collection of emoji will grow in the coming months, with the 31 proposed new entries including a shaking face, hearts in range of colors, a donkey and a jellyfish. There’s also left- and right-facing hands that will likely be used for high fives.

Win an iPad mini 6 magnetic stand from Lululook [Cult of Mac Giveaway]

• If you own an iPad mini 6, Lululook’s magnetic stand can turn your tiny tablet into a miniature iMac. And this week, we’re teaming up with Lululook to give away five of these great stands, which retail for $80, to five lucky winners.

Hasbro will 3D-print your face onto its iconic action figures

• Have you ever wanted to see your own face on the body of a Power Ranger or a Ghostbuster? Thanks to an ingenious partnership between Hasbro and 3D-printing specialists Formlabs, now you can.

BMW starts selling heated seat subscriptions for $18 a month

• BMW is now selling subscriptions for heated seats in a number of countries — the latest example of the company’s adoption of microtransactions for high-end car features.