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OtterBox folio case protects the iPad Pro while showing it off [Review]

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OtterBox Symmetry Series 360 review
OtterBox Symmetry Series 360 has a clear back so your iPad Pro can be seen.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The OtterBox Symmetry Series 360 has everything you’d expect from a folio case designed for Apple’s latest iPad Pro, but it also includes a feature that might surprise you: the back is clear, allowing you to show off your 2018 iPad Pro while still protecting it.

We used this slim case for several weeks, so read on to learn how it did in out testing.

How Apple’s TV service can stand out in a crowded market

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The Apple TV app is expected to be the hub of this company’s streaming video service.
The Apple TV app is expected to be the hub of this company’s streaming video service.
Photo: Apple

Apple is undoubtedly going to throw its hat into the streaming TV markets during a big press event on Monday, where its service will have to compete against dozens of rivals, some household names.

Although the announcement is still a few days away, we already know quite a bit about how Apple will try to make its offering stand out.

Satechi launches headphone adapter iPad Pro needed all along

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The Satechi Type-C Headphone Jack Adapter also lets you charge your iPad Pro.
The Satechi Type-C Headphone Jack Adapter also lets you charge your iPad Pro.
Photo: Satechi

Satechi just introduced an adapter for audiophiles with the new iPad Pro.  There’s no headphone jack in this tablet, so this accessory maker created a USB-C-to-3.5mm adapter. 

At the same time, Satechi has a new USB-C to USB-C charging cable that can handle high-speed data and fast charging.“

Why this week’s Apple PR blitz is brilliant [Opinion]

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Updated iMacs, AirPods, and iPads have all debuted this week. What’s next?
Updated iMacs, AirPods, and iPads have all debuted this week. What’s next?
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple isn’t following its usual strategy for product launches. Rather than holding a press event during which a collection of devices gets shown off, it spread the news out across multiple days this week.

This bold new approach brought plenty of attention to products that might otherwise have gotten lost in the furor around bigger announcements. And it’s also creating excitement about what’s coming next.

Old image of MIA AirPower disappears from Apple website [Updated]

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Why was this crusty old mage of AirPower removed from Apple’s website?
Why was this crusty old mage of AirPower removed from Apple’s website?
Photo: Apple

Evidence is mounting that the long-delayed AirPower charging mat is finally about to be released. Oddly enough, part of this evidence is the fact that an older image of the product has been removed from Apple’s web site.

Apple has unveiled new products every day this week so it’s possible AirPower‘s launch will come before the weekend.

Update: A new report on the Wall Street Journal indicates that production of this accessory began earlier this year.

Apple cuts prices on some MacBook Airs and Mac minis

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Upgrading a MacBook Air with a 1.5TB SSD is less expensive today.
Building a MacBook Air with a 1.5TB SSD is less expensive today.
Photo: iFixit

Apple lowered the prices of building high-capacity SSDs into the latest MacBook Air and Mac mini models today, potentially saving buyers as much as $200.

The company may have gotten a deal on storage drives, as it also dropped the cost of top-tier SSDs in the MacBook Pro today.

Why the latest iPads don’t support Apple Pencil 2

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The newest iPad mini supports the first-gen Apple Pencil, not the newer version of this stylus.
A must-have for iPad owners.
Photo: Apple

The number of tablets that can use the Apple Pencil expanded with the debut of the iPad Air 3 and iPad mini 5. Curiously, these support the original version of this pressure-sensitive stylus, not the newer one that launched in the fall.

But it turns out there are several good reasons for this move.

Google’s cloud gaming service doesn’t overlook Mac, iPhone and iPad

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Google’s Stadia will run on MacBooks and iPads, not just Android devices.
Google’s Stadia will run on macOS and iOS, not just Android devices.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Stadia will run top-tier games on Google servers and stream the video to users’ computers. This means that any device that can run the Chrome browser will have access to some of the best titles available. 

iOS and macOS devices will be able to take advantage of Stadia. Chrome OS, Windows, and the Chromecast dongle will be supported as well.

Apple drops prices on some high-end MacBook Pros

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MacBook Pro refurbs
It’s now cheaper to buy a MacBook Pro with lots of storage.
Photo: Apple

There’s good news for MacBook Pro buyers looking for a lot of storage: Apple has lowered the costs of its most-expensive SSD options. This can save shoppers up to $400 on these powerful laptops.

This is apparently a permanent price reductions, not a sale.

Ads might not taint Apple’s TV service

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Apple TV Close
Expect to binge watch Apple TV shows without commercial interruption.
Photo: Cult of Mac

TV shows and movies on Apple’s soon-to-be-announced streaming service might not be broken up by irritating commercial breaks. A new report indicates content will be either free or paid for entirely by subscription fees.

So you can expect to watch the upcoming shows staring Reese Witherspoon, Jason Momoa or many others without interruption.

Folding iPhone concept video mixes rumors and dreams

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The folding iPhone in this concept video is just what many are hoping for.
The folding iPhone in this concept video is just what many are hoping for.
Photo: Antonio De Rosa

Apple is at least exploring the possibility of making a folding iPhone, and artists have been playing around with designs as well.

Today we have a concept video showing a flexible iOS model that also includes some of the features that are expected to be in this fall’s iPhone XI.

Watch it now:

3 pieces of hot Apple hardware we’re still waiting for

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iPod touch 1
There’s strong evidence that an iPod touch is coming, even if it wasn’t announced today.
Photo: Apple

Apple surprised everyone by launching two iPad models this morning. But there’s has been plenty of evidence that the company is about to release three more products that haven’t yet seen the light of day.

This includes an updated iPod touch, improved AirPods and the AirPower charging mat.

Update (March 20): Apple introduced the much-anticipated AirPods 2 with “Hey Siri” and better battery life. There’s still no sign of AirPower.

New iPads support cheaper Apple Pencil alternative

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Logitech Crayon
The Logitech Crayon was designed for the classroom, and now works with three iPad models.
Photo: Logitech

A highlight of the newly announced iPad Air 3 and iPad mini 5 is support for the original Apple Pencil. But these new tablets can also be used with the Logitech Crayon.

This has a lower price than Apple’s stylus, and costs even less when bought by schools.

Leather Smart Cover makes a comeback with new iPads

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Here’s the Smart Cover for the latest iPad models in papaya.
Here’s the Smart Cover for the latest iPad models in papaya.
Photo: Apple

Apple just took the wraps off fresh accessories for the tablets it unveiled this morning. There are cases in a variety of colors for both the new iPad Air and iPad mini. 

There’s also a leather cover for the 10.5-inch iPad Air. And this model can use a Smart Keyboard designed for an earlier Apple tablet.

All the ways Mophie’s iPhone battery pack beats Apple’s [Review]

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Mophie Juice Pack Access review
The Mophie Juice Pack Access helps the most recent iPhone models spend longer away from electrical sockets.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Mophie Juice Pack Access is designed to extend the already long battery lives of the 2018 iPhone models. And charging can be done wirelessly, so the handset’s Lightning port is always available.

We put this new battery pack to the test. And we also compare it to the features of Apple’s similar Smart Battery Case.

LG TVs with AirPlay 2, HomeKit hit shelves next month

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LG OLED TVs released this year will be among the first to support AirPlay 2 and HomeKit.
LG OLED TVs released this year will be among the first to support AirPlay 2 and HomeKit.
Photo: LG

The wait for LG’s first lineup of TVs with Apple tech built in is almost over. After unveiling them  in January, the Korean company said today that it will begin rolling out its big-screen models with AirPlay 2 and HomeKit in April.

These are apparently part of Apple’s move to broaden the availability of the video streaming service it’s expected to unveil in a couple of weeks.

Translate text on the fly with Gboard keyboard for iOS

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Google Gboard
Google’s Gboard iOS keyboard app can translate everything you type.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Gboard has gone beyond helping you enter text. It can now be used to translate your words into a myriad of other languages on the fly.

This free add-on from Google can be used in any application where an on-screen keyboard is available.

Funny Apple video demos why iPhone privacy matters

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Apple: Keep Out, privacy
You keep people out of your bedroom, You should keep them out of your phone too.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s latest video is a humorous take a serious topic. It reminds users of this company’s commitment to privacy with the tagline: “If privacy matters in your life, it should matter to the phone your life is on.”

Watch it now:

iCloud problems make some Apple services shaky [Updated]

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Hacker who tried to extort Apple for $100k is spared prison
It’s a bad day to be in Apple IT.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Update: The problems have apparently been fixed, as all the indicators on Apple’s System Status page are now green, and there are no outstanding issues listed.


If you’re having difficulties with some feature of iCloud, don’t reboot your computer or network because it’s not just you.

Apple’s official System Status page has lit up with a rash of yellow icons indicating problems.

Spotify’s whining could spark antitrust probe of Apple

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Spotify is adding 2x as many monthly subscribers as Apple Music
The war between Spotify and Apple Music is heating up.
Photo: Spotify

Is Apple using its control of the App Store to squeeze out rivals? That’s the question European competition regulators are looking into.

This news comes after Spotify complained that it is nti-competitive that this company is  required to give Apple a big share of subscription fees paid through the App Store.

Apple making your iPhone safe from your evil twin

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Apple admits that Face ID really is susceptible to being tricked by identical twins.
Apple admits that Face ID really is susceptible to being tricked by identical twins.
Photo: Apple

The Face ID biometric security system is already extremely accurate but Apple wants to make it even more safe. The company has come up with a method for telling the difference between two people who are almost identical because they’re closely related. 

The system would also prevent unlocking iPhone and iPad devices with 3D masks.

Tiny chargers show the big advantages of gallium nitride, aka GaN [Review]

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Anker PowerPort Atom PD 1 and RavPower PD Pioneer 45W review
Gallium nitride technology allows these chargers to be much smaller than more traditional alternatives.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Chargers are transitioning from silicon transistors to gallium nitride (GaN), enabling  these irritatingly bulky accessories to shrink in size. Anker and RavPower both make power adapters that put out more current than you’d expect for their svelte dimensions thanks to the magic of GaN.

We tested out both chargers that can be used to power up your MacBook, iPad or iPhone. Read on to see how they performed.

Laserlike acquisition boosts Apple’s AI capabilities

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The Laserlike app used machine learning to find relevant news articles.
The Laserlike app used machine learning to find relevant news articles.
Photo: Laserlike

Apple bought a small startup that created an app that used machine learning to auotomically find news articles users would be interested in.

The acquisition of Laserlike is expected to  bolster Apple’s artificial intelligence efforts.

Stream Apple Music on Amazon Fire TV starting today

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Your Amazon Fire TV can stream Apple Music.
Your Amazon Fire TV can stream Apple Music, not just Game of Thrones.
Photo: Amazon

In what would have been radical change a few years ago, your Amazon Fire TV can now stream songs from the Apple Music service.

This is the latest move from the iPhone maker to allow users to access its services on hardware made by rival companies.

Verizon 5G ramps up for April launch

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AOL just got bought by the king of mobile.
AOL just got bought by the king of mobile.
Photo: Verizon

Well behind arch-rival AT&T, Verizon will begin rolling out its 5G wireless network in two cities early in April.

This is the carrier’s first step in having this faster replacement for LTE available in 30 cities by the end of the year.