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Killian Bell - page 166

Instagram is finally cracking down on fake accounts

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These Instagram tips will help you connect with photographers who share your interests.
We don’t want to see photos from everyone we follow.
Photo: Lee Peterson/Cult of Mac

Instagram is finally clamping down on fake accounts that aren’t controlled by real users.

Instagress, a service that helped Instagram users gain additional followers for a fee, has been forced to shutdown as a result of the crackdown.

Galaxy S8 review roundup: Samsung just schooled the iPhone

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Galaxy S8 Infinity Display
Samsung has a winner in the Galaxy S8.
Photo: Samsung

The first reviews of the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ have dropped a day ahead of their official launch in many markets, and there’s one thing to take away from them: Samsung just knocked it out of the park with its best smartphones to date.

Despite the problems the company encountered with the Galaxy Note 7 last fall, it has managed to produce two new devices that don’t disappoint. From gorgeous design and impressive cameras to the best display on the market, the Galaxy S8 series has it all.

It might not perfect, but the changes and improvements Samsung has made show Apple what a smartphone should be in 2017, and make it even more difficult for the iPhone to catch up.

Here’s our review roundup.

‘Leaked’ iPhone 8 drawings reveal surprising design

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iPhone 5's straight edges could be making a comeback.
iPhone 5's straight edges could be making a comeback.
Photo: Sonny Dickson

A new photo of what is believed to be iPhone 8 schematics reveals a surprising new design direction.

Apple appears to have done away with the smooth curves we’ve come to expect from its smartphones in recent years, opting instead for sharper edges and flat sides. This image suggests the next iPhone will be much like the iPhone 5, only bigger.

Much bigger.

Pandora’s Apple Music rival is now available to all

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Pandora
Get your mitts on Pandora Premium today.
Photo: Pandora

Pandora’s fight back against Apple Music officially begins today, with Pandora Premium, the on-demand streaming service, now available to all.

Priced at $9.99 a month, the subscription grants access to millions of tracks and albums that you can listen to ad-free, as often as you like. It also boasts a couple of neat features you won’t find elsewhere.

Twitch planning new subscription tiers up to $25

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Will you pay more to support your favorite streamers?
Will you pay more to support your favorite streamers?
Photo: Cult of Mac

Twitch is planning to introduce new subscription tiers that will give fans the opportunity to donate more cash to their favorite streamers.

Starting later this month, you’ll be able to pay up to $24.99 a month, which could get you new benefits like exclusive emotes and subscriber roles.

Apple plans powerful ‘server-grade’ iMac for 2017

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Apple iMac showing the Apple logo.
Start saving now!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple’s next-generation iMac with powerful new internals will start shipping in the second half of 2017, according to sources in the company’s supply chain.

Apple is also said to be preparing a “server-grade” iMac packing Intel Xeon processors, up to 2TB of NVMe solid-state storage, and a discrete graphics card that will be available by the end of the year.

Should Apple make a standalone Siri device? [Friday Night Fights]

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Would you buy a smart speaker powered by Siri?
Would you buy a smart speaker powered by Siri?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple might have popularized virtual assistants, but Siri has fallen behind in recent years as rivals like the Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and even Microsoft Cortana pull ahead with greater capabilities and unique features.

Friday Night Fights bugOne area in which Siri is lacking is in standalone devices like smart speakers, such as Google Home and Amazon Echo. Isn’t it about time Apple caught up with a smart speaker of its own powered by Siri?

Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight as we throw punches over a Siri speaker.

New iPhone 8 schematics hint at slimmer bezels, rear-facing Touch ID

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iPhone 8 concept
The OLED revolution has begun.
Photo: Concept

Yet another set of schematics for iPhone 8 have surfaced ahead of its official debut, again hinting at slimmer bezels that make room for a larger display, and the removal of the Home button.

The latest also suggest that Apple will relocate its fingerprint scanner to the back of the device to retain Touch ID functionality.

Outlook 2016 users can preview Google Calendar support

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You can finally do more than just view your calendar.
You can finally do more than just view your calendar.
Photo: Microsoft

Microsoft is inviting Outlook 2016 users on macOS to preview Google Calendar integration.

Users will have the ability to not only view their appointments, but add, edit, and delete them, too. All changes will be synced to their Google Calendar and updated on other devices automatically.

Pro photo studio for iPhone, world’s smallest tactical knife and more [Crowdfund Roundup]

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The miniRIG turns your iPhone into a portable pro studio.
The miniRIG turns your iPhone into a portable pro studio.
Photo: Smoovie

Crowdfund Roundup bugToday’s smartphone cameras are capable of taking exceptional photos and videos, but they’re lacking some things — like brighter flashes and professional microphones. You can add these things and still be portable with the impressive miniRIG.

It’s just one of the awesome ideas in this week’s Crowdfund Roundup. We also have the world’s smallest tactical pocket knife, a neat device that turns any surface into a smart interface, and more!

This app will bring Spotify to Apple Watch

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Snowy syncs playlists, offers playback controls, and more.
Snowy syncs playlists, offers playback controls, and more.
Photo: Andrew Chang

Spotify is finally coming to your Apple Watch, thanks to a third-party app called Snowy.

Users will gain the ability to save Spotify playlists to their Watch so they can enjoy them offline when they leave the house without their iPhone. Plus, hands-free gestures will let them skip tracks and pause playback without touching the screen.

McDonald’s now takes job applications via Snapchat

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It couldn't be easier to apply for a McDonald's job.
It couldn't be easier to apply for a McDonald's job.
Photo: McDonald's

McDonald’s Australia has begun taking job applications through Snapchat in an effort to attract young people to its workforce.

The “Snaplication” process, believed to be a first for both McDonald’s and Snapchat, requires applicants to submit a 10-second video of themselves while using a new filter that applies a McDonald’s hat and uniform.

Qualcomm fights back with counterclaim against Apple

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iPhone 6s teardown
Pegatron will team up with an Indonesian manufacturer..
Photo: iFixit

After being sued by Apple for allegedly charging royalties on technology it did not own, Qualcomm is fighting back with a lawsuit of its own, claiming Apple is misleading and has breached its contract with the company.

Qualcomm has long been responsible for the wireless chips used in iPhones, iPads and many other Apple devices, but the relationship between the two turned sour back in January when Apple filed a $1 billion lawsuit against the chipmaker.

Apple slaps Swatch with lawsuit over ‘Tick different’ trademark

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Swatch Tick different
Sounds remarkably similar to "Think different."
Photo: Swatch

Apple is suing Swatch over the Swiss watchmaker’s “Tick different” trademark.

Apple claims the trademark is a play on the “Think different” slogan it used for an iconic ad campaign in the late 1990s. To win the legal battle, Cupertino must prove that at least 50 percent of consumers associate the phrase with Apple branding.

Fifth Avenue Apple store to get Beats 1 broadcasting booth

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Beats 1 could soon be broadcasting from an Apple store.
Beats 1 could soon be broadcasting from an Apple store.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s iconic retail store on Fifth Avenue will reopen with a Beats 1 broadcasting booth after being renovated, according to a new report.

The booth could become a new home for Beats 1 DJ Ebro Darden, who currently broadcasts from another location in Manhattan — or it could host occasional musical guests.

Can Apple outdo PCs with the new Mac Pro? [Friday Night Fights]

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Are you waiting for the new Mac Pro?
Are you waiting for the new Mac Pro?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple excited us all this week by revealing it is finally planning a major redesign for the neglected Mac Pro. Although we don’t know much about it just yet, we’ve been promised a modular machine that will be easier to update.

Friday Night Fights bugThis signals a return to a more traditional desktop form factor with user-upgradeable parts and more flexibility. But is it too little, too late? Has Apple already lost too many pro users, and will its next Mac Pro do enough to win them back?

Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight as we battle it out over Apple’s efforts to win back the professionals.

Candy Crush maker takes control of Call of Duty for iOS

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Call-of-Duty
Call of Duty is a huge success.
Photo: Activision

Candy Crush creator King will bring the next Call of Duty game to mobile devices.

The Swedish developer describes the project as the “career opportunity of a lifetime,” and says its challenge is to transform the franchise’s console experience that fans know and love.