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iPhone - page 162

2015: The year photography moved (and moved us)

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More than a trillion photos were captured in 2015.
More than a trillion photos were captured in 2015.
Photo: HypeBeast

We were too busy taking our own pictures in 2015 to notice that something about photography had changed.

This was the year the photo moved. It shed its flat, two-dimensional constraints and showed a life once left to the imagination.

The movement could be slight, as in Apple’s Live Photos, a new feature on the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus camera that records a snippet of video before and after the frozen moment to add an extra dimension.

Pro Tip: How to get iTunes to ignore iPhone while charging

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Disconnect  your iPhone while still connected via USB and charge without iTunes bugging you.
Disconnect your iPhone while still connected via USB and charge without iTunes bugging you.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

Pro Tip Cult of Mac bugSometimes you just want to plug your iPhone into your Mac without having to deal with all that iTunes stuff, like synchronizing or backing up.

Or, maybe a friend of yours needs to sip off your Macbook’s power and you don’t want to have iTunes sync their iPhone.

Either way, you can eject the connected iPhone, thereby avoiding all the iTunes stuff but still letting the physically connected iPhone pull power from the USB port. Even better: when you’re done charging, just pull the USB cable out from your Macbook without any worry.

Here are three different ways to do just that.

Get a 16GB iPhone 6s for just $1 at Best Buy

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The iPhone isn't ditching LCD screens.
Just one dollar, people!
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Big savings on Apple products have meant that Best Buy is increasingly living up to its name, but today’s iPhone deal may be one of the best yet for the cash-starved.

The retailer is selling the 16GB iPhone 6s for $1, while also throwing in a $200 gift card if you trade in a working iPhone 5 as part of the deal.

Use your words to save your sister in Scribblenauts Unlimited

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use-your-words-to-save-your-sister-in-scribblenauts-unlimited-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201512when-pigs-fly-jpg
This is what it sounds like when pigs fly.
Photo: Warner Bros./5th Cell

Scribblenauts Unlimited, the latest version of a fun game that’s been on one device or another since 2009, is headed to mobile.

Main character and magic notebook owner Maxwell’s got a sister, Lily, who he’s gotten cursed, thanks to his smart-ass ways. The pair go to see Edwin, one of the 40 other brothers and sisters of Maxwell and Lily (go figure), and find out that doing nice things for people is the only way to earn starite, the magical cure for Lily’s curse.

Clever selfie stick disguises itself as an iPhone case

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Finally, a selfie stick that's not completely obnoxious.
Finally, a selfie stick that's not completely obnoxious.
Photo: Stikbox

Selfie sticks receive a lot of hate for being annoying instruments of narcissism. They’re inconvinient to carry around and can make you look just plain silly.

A brilliant new selfie stick may have solved the device’s worst problems though with a cleverly designed iPhone case that hides a telescoping 28-inch long selfie stick in the back. It looks like something Data from The Goonies would invent. And for that reason alone, I love it.

Check it out:

BlackBerry CEO: Apple’s privacy stance is unethical

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blackberry-ceo-apples-privacy-stance-is-unethical-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads2015113D-Touch-iPhone-6s-jpg
Is Apple putting its own interests over the public good?
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
Is Apple putting its own interests over the public good? Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android
Is Apple putting its own interests over the public good? Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android

BlackBerry CEO John Chen has waded in on the the question of whether or not Apple is right to refuse to help the government access smartphone data for security purposes.

“For years, government officials have pleaded to the technology industry for help,” Chen wrote in a recent blogpost. “Yet [the requests] have been met with disdain.”

Chen’s position is simple: that, “We are indeed in a dark place when companies put their reputations above the greater good.”

‘Peak smartphone’ is why Tim Cook is so hot for switchers

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Apple CEO Tim Cook gladly welcomes Android users to make the switch.
Apple CEO Tim Cook gladly welcomes Android users to make the switch.
Photo: Roberto Baldwin/The Next Web (2014)

Apple convinced us we couldn’t live without a smartphone. Now many of us have a smartphone in hand and Apple may be facing the curse side of the blessing — finding new customers for the iPhone.

Credit Suisse recently issued a report to investors that further fuels speculation that iPhone sales will dip for the first time since Apple introduced it in 2007. The upshot: Smartphone ownership is approaching 100 percent. We’re nearing “peak smartphone.”

Gene Munster admits he got Apple all wrong (again)

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iPhone 6S
The iPhone Upgrade Program could be a monster hit for Apple.
Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac

Hit-and-miss Apple analyst Gene Munster has admitted he couldn’t have been more wrong about the likely customer uptake of Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program, the $32+ per month scheme designed to get new iPhones into the hands of people happy to pay a monthly fee to Apple.

Apple is operating a secret lab to develop new iPhone screens

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iPhone 6s 3d
Apple is moving yet more development in-house.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple has opened a secret production lab in northern Taiwan, developing screens for future iOS devices, a new report claims.

The company has reportedly hired talent from display makers AU Optronics and Qualcomm — the latter company having previously operated the building. By running its own display manufacturing facility, Apple hopes to reduce its reliance on third party suppliers such as Samsung, LG Display, Sharp, and Japan Display.

Samsung is taking its patent fight with Apple to the Supreme Court

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Samsung
Samsung is making a last ditch effort to avoid paying Apple.
Photo: Jim Merithew / Cult of Mac

Samsung agreed to finally pay Apple $548 million for the patent infringement case the iPhone-maker won way back in 2012, but it appears Samsung has had a change of heart and is now taking the fight to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The company filed a 219-page appeal to the Supreme Court today, claiming that the way U.S. courts handle patent lawsuits isn’t fair because juries aren’t given enough information on how to understand the patents. Samsung is also disputing the way patent damages are calculated, noting that if multiple firms sue a company for design patent issues, the company could have to pay multiple times the profit they actually made.

Apple analyst thinks 2016 is the year iPhone sales finally crash

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iPhone 6s 3d
Will next year be the year iPhone sales start to decline?
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple’s iPhone business may have been stronger than ever in 2015, but — never fear — the Apple doom predictors are never far away.

In this case, the doom report comes from Morgan Stanley analyst Katy Huberty who predicts that iPhone sales will drop for the first time ever in 2016.

Pro Tip: Easily edit your iPhone videos with Adobe Premiere Clip

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Cielo de la Paz can provide steady guidance on how to shoot video with the iPhone.
Cielo de la Paz can provide steady guidance on how to shoot video with the iPhone.
Photo: Cielo de la Paz

Pro_Tip_Cult_of_Mac You have so much great video footage on your iPhone, but therein lies the problem. The thought of sitting down at a computer to edit any of it seems like a mountain you have no time to climb.

Cielo de la Paz is happy to help you reach the summit – rather quickly, too. de la Paz is a fearless creator whose soulful wanderings with her iPhone camera inspired Apple to select some of her work for the “Shot on iPhone 6” advertising campaign.

AT&T launches 2-for-1 sale on iPhone 6s and Galaxy S6

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iPhone 6s colors
The iPhone 6s is a steal at this price.
Photo: Apple

It's time for an upgrade. Photo: Apple
It’s time for an upgrade. Photo: Apple

There’s never been a better time to scoop up the new iPhone 6s if you’re on AT&T.

The carrier announced this morning that it’s having a huge ‘buy one get one free’ promotion that includes top of the line Android devices like the Samsung Galaxy S6, Galaxy Note 5, iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.

What happened to Apple’s faultless design?

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Are these signs of a larger design problem?
Are these things signs of a larger design problem?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Unlike any other consumer electronics company, Apple has been nailing product design for decades. Jony Ive and his incredibly talented team have produced countless iconic gadgets that rivals can only dream of, and it’s the biggest reason why the company is so successful today.

Friday-Night-Fights-bug-2But there are suggestions that Apple’s design prowess is beginning to slip away. Under new leadership, Apple has rolled out a number of products — most recently the butt-ugly Smart Battery Case — that have led some fans to question various design decisions.

Are those fans right to be concerned? Is it downhill from here for Apple’s design team, or is this a whole lot of fuss over nothing?

Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight between Cult of Android and Cult of Mac as we battle it out over those questions and more — and weigh in with your thoughts down in the comments section!

New iPhone app Yallo lets you record your conversations

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Get Yallo in on your phone conversations.
Get Yallo in on your phone conversations.
Photo: Yallo

When I first became a reporter, I bought one of those little mics you could suction-cup to a telephone to record interviews. That was some gadget, except for having to tape it to the handset because the suction cup sometimes popped off.

You can still buy this kind of microphone or use your smartphone with an app called Yallo. A simple interface lets you record incoming calls, share the recorded conversation with an associate or have recordings transcribed and automatically sent to email.

You think Apple’s Smart Battery Case is ugly? Wait ’til you see its insides

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It's what's inside that counts.
It's what's inside that counts.
Photo: iFixit

For the Apple fans disappointed in the Quasimodo look of the new Smart Battery Case, there is probably great satisfaction in seeing it all busted up. Yes, the staff at iFixit wasted no time prying one open to behold the guts of the beast.

iFixit did not defend the case from the “ugly” tag so many people gave it in its’ first 24 hours of public life. The technicians were impressed with the ducting on the case, which turned a downward-facing speaker into one that faces forward. The microphone also faces forward and iFixit wonders if this a preview on future designs.

Apple makes a splash with new waterproof iPhone patent

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Water way to test your iPhone!
Water way to improve the iPhone.
Photo: LifeProof

Apple today published an intriguing patent application with a unique method for waterproofing future devices — by covering ports, like those for USB or headphones, with self-healing seals.

Described as an, “electronic device with hidden connector,” the invention describes how self-healing elastomeric material could seal each of the ports, which would then be opened by puncturing them with external connectors, such as power or audio feeds, in the event that they needed to be used.

Here’s how Mac and iOS absolutely dominated the enterprise in 2015

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imac-desk-keyboard-lamp
The 2015 survey shines some light on Apple's reign in the enterprise.
Photo: Quattro Vageena/Flickr CC, cropped

Apple didn’t just see a standard year-over-year improvement in the enterprise market in 2015. iPhones, iPads and Macs all saw significant growth and adoption rates over the competition. JAMF Software published its annual survey for 2015 that reveals trends about Apple products and their role in the enterprise. The findings are excellent news for the folks in Cupertino: enterprise users adore OS X and iOS.

“Driven by user preference, increased productivity capabilities, and security advantages, Apple is no longer requested by users and executives—it’s demanded,” JAMF reports.

Want USB on your iPhone? There’s an adapter for that

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You can now use this to connect USB peripherals to your iPhone.
You can now use this to connect USB peripherals to your iPhone.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s Lightning to USB connector has ostensibly been about connecting your iPad to a camera to import images directly to your tablet.

Now, with iOS 9.2, it looks like the same adapter can be used on your iPhone to get photos onto your smaller-screened device.

There’s even some evidence that the Lightning to USB adapter works to connect other USB peripherals, like MIDI keyboards or USB-powered microphones. If you’re a musician on the road without access to your iPad, this might be your new best solution.

Hate Apple’s new iPhone battery case? Don’t buy it

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Ugh.
Apple's new iPhone case isn't pretty, but no one's forcing you to buy one.
Photo: Apple

Yes, Apple launched a new battery case for iPhone 6s today, and yes, it’s butt-ugly.

All battery cases are, but because this one has an Apple logo on it, the Internet is getting all bent out of shape over just how ugly it is. There’s one thing nobody is mentioning, though: You don’t have to buy one if you don’t like it — and no one really cares what you think.

Apple just released an iPhone battery case, and it’s butt-ugly

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Screen Shot 2015-12-08 at 10.21.39
Apple's new smart case will keep your iPhone running for up to 25 hours. But at what cost?
Photo: Apple

Apple today unveiled a surprise new $99 iPhone “Smart Battery Case,” available in white and charcoal gray — designed to not only protect your iPhone 6s or iPhone 6, but also to give it considerably longer battery life.

While Apple does not give specific battery capacity details, it notes that the battery case offers increased talk time up to 25 hours, Internet use up to 18 hours on LTE, and video playback up to 20 hours.

The downside? Well, it’s not exactly a “looker.”