David Pierini - page 39

This photographer tested the iPhone 7 Plus before anyone else

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iPhone 7 photos
The iPhone 7 Plus handled the tricky light of sunset over the U.S. Open stadium court.
Photo: Landon Nordeman/ESPN

Photographer Landon Nordeman generally knows what to expect when ESPN calls him to shoot an event. But for the recent U.S. Open tennis tournament, ESPN needed Nordeman to report to the courts in Flushing Meadows, NY without any of his cameras.

Once there, an ESPN photo editor discreetly placed in his hands a sleek new piece of gear that would not be available to a clamoring public for two weeks – the iPhone 7 Plus.

“I was excited once I learned it was the iPhone, but thought I would only get to use it for an hour and have to give it back,” Nordeman told Cult of Mac. “I had the phone and shot with it for four whole days. I loved it. I really loved it.”

A school for homeless kids gets backing from Steve Jobs’ widow

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RISE High co-founder Eric Whalen works with a student.
RISE High co-founder Eric Whalen works with a student.
Photo: XQ Institute

A kid moving from shelter to shelter or in and out of foster case has more immediate needs than getting to school regularly. But what if the school could come to them?

Two educators in Los Angeles have a plan to do just that and their bold idea has earned them a $10 million grant from a school redesign competition funded by Laurene Powell Jobs, the widow of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs.

Macphun makes its HDR app more dynamic

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Aurora HDR 2017 pulls a beautiful and natural image from the brink of dullness.
Aurora HDR 2017 pulls a beautiful and natural image from the brink of dullness.
Photo: Serge Ramelli/Macphun

The iris in the human eye sees more than what your camera records. Photo-imaging software company Macphun seemed to solve this problem last year with Aurora HDR, an easy-to-use tool that gives a final photograph the luminosity experienced by your eye.

On Wednesday, Macphun rolled out a new version of the software that can make a single natural-looking image from three exposures in as little as one click.

iPhone owners get slapped with higher repair costs in U.K.

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Some iPhone users in the UK are upset with Apple over sudden increases in repair costs.
Some iPhone users in the UK are upset with Apple over sudden increases in repair costs.
File Photo: Cult of Mac

Some iPhone users in the United Kingdom say Apple has suddenly hiked repair prices on older iPhones.

Replacing a cracked screen on an iPhone 6s rose significantly the day after Apple unveiled the iPhone 7 last week, according to unhappy customers quoted in the British press.

iPhone 7 camera gets ‘Shot on iPhone’ photogs drooling

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This photo by Flavio Sarescia was part of the original
This photo by Flavio Sarescia was part of the original "Shot on iPhone 6" campaign. Sarescia and others from the campaign eagerly upgraded to the iPhone 7 Plus.
Photo: Flavio Sarescia/Apple

Their photography on the iPhone 6 and 6s was celebrated by Apple with glossy magazine ads, billboards and banners that stretched down skyscrapers.

But the photographers whose work fueled the “Shot on iPhone 6” marketing campaign are trading in the old technology for the shiny new iPhone 7, in most cases the dual-lens 7 Plus.

iPhone 7 Home button may not be love at first feel

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The iPhone 7 could be in your hand soon. But tech journalists say you might not be convinced to upgrade.
The iPhone 7 could be in your hand soon. But tech journalists say you might not be convinced to upgrade.
Photo: SlashGear

Tech journalists who got their hands on an iPhone 7 Wednesday sometimes felt uneasy with what they were touching.

The most off-putting feature seemed to be the Home button. The once satisfying click of the button has a new sensation thanks to a Taptic Engine. The response to its touch ranged from “awful” to “weird” to the more delicate “it will take some getting used to.”

Twitter gives Apple an earful over removing earphone jack

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Airpods
AirPods and Siri are a match made in heaven.
Photo: Apple

It didn’t take long before #jackoff was trending.

Soon after Apple announced the new iPhone 7 would come sans earphone jack, Twitter gave Tim Cook and company an earful. Despite months of speculation that Apple would move toward wireless audio, fans registered their anger on social media as if Apple had caught them by surprise.

Apple fans tweet with joy over Mario, Pokémon Go

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News of an Apple partnership with Nintendo and Pokémon Go for the Apple Watch seemed to draw the most excitement from Apple fans on Twitter.
News of an Apple partnership with Nintendo and Pokémon Go for the Apple Watch seemed to draw the most excitement from Apple fans on Twitter.
Photo: Apple

Ten minutes before Apple went live with its big fall product reveal Wednesday, fans on Twitter seemed listless. So much news had already been leaked, especially the specs on the iPhone 7, they were tepid like kids who already knew what was under the Christmas tree.

But when an old mustachioed friend named Mario ran on stage and then was followed by Pokémon, the kids nearly lost their minds.

Your GoPro videos will do a 180 with this Lensbaby fisheye

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How's that for perspective? Lensbaby gives your GoPro camera a new view.
How's that for perspective? Lensbaby gives your GoPro camera a new view.
Photo: Anthony Sims/Lensbaby

Lensbaby and GoPro. Pair the creator of artistic effects lenses with the king of the action cam and things could get interesting.

Lensbaby hopes so has it rolls out its Circular 180+ lens to fit the Hero series of GoPro point of view action cameras.

Soap star’s secret revealed! She jailbreaks.

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When she's not on set, actress Melissa Archer dabbles in jailbreaking.
When she's not on set, actress Melissa Archer dabbles in jailbreaking.
Photo courtesy of Melissa Archer

Cult of Mac 2.0 bugThis is the third story in a three-part series on jailbreaking iOS.

When Melissa Archer learned she would die at the hands of a serial killer, she made one last request: “I asked if I could have a death scene because I am a nerd.”

Her death had significance. It meant a long run as a mainstay and fan favorite of daytime soap operas was about to go on hiatus. It also meant she would have more time to devote to another passion — jailbreaking iPhones and inventing new features.

These creative hackers bring style to iPhone jailbreaks

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LockPlus, created by Jr, allows users to download thousands of different lock screen setups.
LockPlus, created by Jr, allows users to download thousands of different lock screen setups.
Photo: Jr/junesiphone.com

Cult of Mac 2.0 bugThis is the second story in a three-part series on jailbreaking iOS.

Apple may have used “Think Different” as a marketing slogan once upon a time, but there is a kind of underground network of iOS developers who claim the two words as a reason to exist.

But with their idea of “Think Different,” they add this: “Look Different.”

World’s fiercest iPhone jailbreaker can be shy in the spotlight

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Jay
Jay "saurik" Freeman, maker of Cydia, says there are legit reasons to jailbreak your iPhone.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Cult of Mac 2.0 bugThis is the first in a three-part series on jailbreaking iOS.

The leading figure in the jailbreak community has the ideal name in defending your right to circumvent your iPhone’s operating system.

Jay Freeman is known to serve his community with a Braveheart-like passion, defending the practice with the sharp edge of his intellect and a seemingly inexhaustible energy for argument.

Wall mount turns old cameras into new art

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This wall mount by LaudWorks pulls a retired camera from the closet to the light of day.
This wall mount by LaudWorks pulls a retired camera from the closet to the light of day.
Photo: LaudWorks via Shapeways

The iPhone turned your old cameras into relics. Why not turn a relic into a piece of art for your wall?

Outdated but still pretty, those old cameras can again see the light of day with Hangie, a discreet metal wall mount that gives something classic its rightful resting place.

Budding startup uses iPhone to keep cannabis biz legit

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iPhone scanners are helping legal cannabis growers track product and stay compliant with state regulations.
iPhone scanners are helping legal cannabis growers track product and stay compliant with state regulations.
Photo: Flowhub

Cult of Mac 2.0 bugBefore corporate shine and the smell of success, there was a counterculture aura and a whiff of weed. Pot and the dreams of some industrious guys shared a garage where the personal computing revolution incubated under the Apple brand.

So what would the late Steve Jobs think if he could see Apple’s iPhone used to keep the growing and selling of cannabis legal? Jobs, who said he smoked it early on because it made him feel more creative, might smile and say, cool!

These retro Mac fans were podcasting before it was cool

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James Savage and John Leake know a thing or two about computer history, especially when it comes to Macs.
James Savage and John Leake know a thing or two about computer history, especially when it comes to Macs.
Photo: James Savage

Cult of Mac 2.0 bug When James Savage and John Leake uploaded the first episode of their RetroMacCast, they were thrilled with the number of downloads: 18.

Not exactly a meteoric start, but considering neither host ever had that many people at one time interested in hearing them talk about old Apple computers, this was a pretty big deal.

Sexy hardwood speakers easy on eyes and ears

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Grovemade's hardwood desktop speakers aims to improve the sound coming out of your Mac.
Grovemade's hardwood desktop speakers aims to improve the sound coming out of your Mac.
Photo: Grovemade

A small woodwork shop in Oregon has a fondness for Apple products and goes to great lengths to craft eye-appealing iPhone cases, iPad docks, and monitor stands.

Now, Portland-based Grovemade makes a play for the ears with horn-shaped hardwood desktop speakers that debuted this week.

With eyesight failing, CEO hurries to make voice-enabled tech mainstream

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Chris Maury leads the charge towards smarter voice-enabled technology.
Chris Maury leads the charge towards smarter voice-enabled technology.
Photo: Conversant Labs

Cult of Mac 2.0 bug When Chris Maury tried helping an elderly blind woman use voice commands on an iPad, she thanked him but said, “I just wish Siri could read me the news.”

Maury understood her frustration. He, too, was losing his vision and could foresee a struggle to remain productive using the visual interfaces common on all computing devices.

Legendary Apple store unloads treasure trove of vintage Macs

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Tekserve
Tekserve's Mac Museum shortly before it was auctioned off in 2016.
Photo: Roland Auctioneers

Apple fans in the Big Apple are misty eyed this week as a beloved repair shop gets ready to close its doors for good.

Tekseve, with a true genius bar of technicians unmatched by any modern Apple Store, has been forced out of its Manhattan location after nearly 30 years because of high rents and retail competition. Its collection of rare old Macs that were on display will be auctioned off next Tuesday.

Mac design legend helps teen build ultimate Apple museum

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cult 2.0
Former Apple design chief Jerry Manock is helping Alex Jason turn his extensive Apple computer collection into the Maine Technology Musuem.
Photo: Bill Jason

Cult of Mac 2.0 bug Apple famously wants no part in a museum dedicated to its revolutionary products. However, one key contributor to Apple’s early years feels differently — and is helping a Maine teenager elevate his basement computer collection into a thriving technology museum.

Jerry Manock, Apple’s first design guru, will serve on the board of directors for the future Maine Technology Museum, which will house the collection of 15-year-old Alex Jason, who has established what many serious collectors say is one of the best Apple collections anywhere.

Hula Wrap takes pain out of packing your MacBook charger

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Your MacBook charging cable won't get away from you with the Hula Wrap.
Your MacBook charging cable won't get away from you with the Hula Wrap.
Photo: Hula Wrap

Designer Joel Beebe has spent a good portion of his working life tied up in power cords so you don’t have to.

His latest solution is a MacBook accessory called the Hula Wrap, a leather sheath that helps organize your computer’s power cable.

Tenba bag shoulders camera gear with understated style

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The camera bag that does the job without announcing itself, the Tenba Cooper.
The camera bag that does the job without announcing itself, the Tenba Cooper.
Photo: David Pierini/Cult of Mac

I’ve carried many styles and price points on my rounded shoulder over the course of a photography career, and have a closet full of camera bags to prove it. I always found a reason to retire each bag, whether it’s an expensive name brand, cheap knock-off or proven hand-me-down.

Lately, I’ve been toting gear in a Tenba Cooper bag. I’ve done so for a few months now, long enough where my eyes should begin to look at other styles and brands. I’ve never been happier with a bag.

YouTube feeds addiction for tech unboxing obsession

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Lamarr Wilson does not have a good poker face, but has the kind of face for unboxing gadgets that makes him popular with his YouTube audience.
Lamarr Wilson does not have a good poker face, but has the kind of face for unboxing gadgets that makes him popular with his YouTube audience.
Photo: Lamarr Wilson/YouTube

Cult of Mac 2.0 bugMaybe Christmas morning doesn’t come often enough. How else do you explain the full-blown obsession of millions of people who turn to YouTube to watch videos of someone opening boxes containing new products?

Tech companies, especially Apple, know that packaging and how it opens to present you that shiny new gadget is a critical first step towards a love connection. Companies are even conscious of how a sparkling YouTube personality with a child-like excitement for what’s inside the box can help drive sales.

Instagram’s new feature is a ripoff of Snapchat Stories

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Stories is already seeing more users than Snapchat.
Stories is already seeing more users than Snapchat.
Photo: Instagram

Instagram is rolling out a new feature that lets you post more privately and without the kind of permanence that can get you in trouble.

Sound familiar, Snapchat users?

On its blog Tuesday morning, the company introduced Instagram Stories, which lets you share multiple photos and videos in a single slideshow. It can be shared with select followers without showing up on your more public profile. It then disappears 24 hours later.

Why do some folks hate Apple? It’s complicated.

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Mac Man tries to gobble up all the Apples.
Mac Man tries to gobble up all the Apples.
Illustration: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Cult of Mac 2.0 bugYou don’t see long lines for the latest Lenovo PC or LG Android phone. But take a quick peek on the internet and you’ll find plenty of people lining up to say how much they hate Apple.

Every successful person or company has its critics, but the expressions of vitriol for Apple are more complex than the popular refrain ‘haters gonna hate’.