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Minecraft on iOS is getting cross-platform multiplayer

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Minecraft
You'll be able to team with friends on console!
Photo: Microsoft

Minecraft: Pocket Edition is getting support for cross-platform multiplayer, giving iOS users the ability to team up with friends on other devices — including consoles.

The latest systems from Nintendo and Microsoft will be compatible, alongside computers running Windows 10, but Sony is yet to pledge support for its own hardware.

Optimize your Wi-Fi, fix bad typing habits and more [Week’s Best Deals]

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collage-2017-06-06
This week's best deals include a time saving typing assistant, a Wi-Fi optimizer, and lots more.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

It’s finally starting to get hot out there, but few things are as hot as the new deals in the Cult of Mac Store. The best of this week’s batch include a game-changing tool for mapping and optimizing Wi-Fi connections, and an app that’ll save you time by shortcutting your typing habits. There’s also a massive certification bundle covering all of Microsoft Office, and a top shelf Bluetooth speaker. Everything is discounted by 60 percent or more, read on for more details:

Are you excited for WWDC 2017? [Friday Night Fights]

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x
Will Apple produce anything spectacular?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple’s first major event of 2017 is right around the corner. WWDC will deliver our first previews of the next big upgrades to its software platforms, with the possibility of new hardware thrown in for good measure.

Friday Night Fights bugBut with three months left to wait for the iPhone 8, will the event really be all that exciting? Will Apple’s improvements to iOS and macOS be all that significant? And is anyone actually looking forward to a 10.5-inch iPad Pro?

Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight as we discuss whether WWDC 2017 will be worth watching.

Microsoft brings Planner to Android and iOS

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x
Planner is truly mobile.
Photo: Microsoft

A simple to-do list isn’t enough when you’re managing tasks for more than one person, which is why Microsoft gave us Planner.

Its productivity tool makes it easy to organize teamwork among multiple people, and now it’s available on Android and iOS.

Microsoft brings its new game streaming platform to iOS

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Mixer offers live-streaming that's actually live.
Mixer offers live-streaming that's actually live.
Photo: Microsoft

Mixer, Microsoft’s new game streaming platform, has landed on iOS.

Formerly known as Beam, Mixer is taking on the likes of Twitch with live-streaming “that’s actually live” — not delayed. The iOS app lets you enjoy broadcasts in real-time, connect with your favorite streamers, and more.

Microsoft takes aim at iPad with new Surface Pro

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The Surface Pro looks slick.
The Surface Pro looks slick.
Photo: Microsoft

The iPad Pro is getting some fresh competition from Microsoft after the company just took the wraps off its newest tablet, the Surface Pro.

It’s been over 16 months since Microsoft’s would-be iPad-killer was last updated. Although its the 5th version of Microsoft’s tablet, this go around the company decided to ditch the number suffixes and pack the Surface Pro with more features than ever before.

Microsoft is stealing the iOS Control Center for Windows 10

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Windows-10-Control-Center
Control Center in Windows 10 looks very familiar.
Photo: Windows Central

As part of some big improvements coming to Windows 10, Microsoft is stealing the iOS Control Center to give users a quick and easy way of changing display brightness and toggling settings from the desktop.

Unlike Apple’s Control Center, however, Microsoft’s will be customizable.

You no longer need a Mac to code iOS apps on Windows

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iPhone 7
Coding iPhone apps on PC just got a lot easier.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Developing iOS apps no longer requires access to a Mac, thanks to a new program introduced by Microsoft called Xamarin Live Player.

Microsoft unveiled the new tool today at its Build 2017 developer conference. With Xamarin Live Player, developers can deploy iOS apps directly to an iPhone using Visual Studio on a PC, removing altogether the need for a Mac to code.

The Apple Watch business is way bigger than you think

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apple watch bands
Apple Watch Series 3 needs to be special.
Photo: Apple

Apple Watch gets a lot of stick for being a “me-too” product, and people who don’t see the need for a smartwatch assume the business is a bust. There’s this crazy perception that Apple Watch is just not selling — but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

The Apple Watch, alongside other Apple wearables, is now raking in billions of dollars every year. The business is huge. So huge, in fact, that it would be a Fortune 500 company all by itself, outselling supposed smash hits like Microsoft’s Surface tablets and the Amazon Echo.

Here’s why Apple Watch isn’t the flop you think it is.

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.

Hackers dump NSA tools targeting millions of Windows machines

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Eternalromance, one of the hacking tools dumped by Shadow Brokers.
Eternalromance, one of the hacking tools dumped by Shadow Brokers.
Photo: Matthew Hickey

A new batch of classified NSA data was leaked today by the hacker group called Shadow Brokers, revealing malware used by the government agency to break into PCs and servers running Windows.

The leaked software is so powerful, it could give nearly anyone with a bit of technical knowledge the ability to hack millions of Microsoft users.

Looks like it’s time to finally get a Mac.

Apple drops to fifth place in 2017 laptop rankings

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15 inch MacBook Pro Silver
The new MacBook Pro is Apple's best laptop yet.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s reputation as the world’s best laptop maker took a serious hit in 2016, due to the new MacBook Pro’s adoption of USB-C.

In the latest brand rankings by Laptop Magazine, Apple’s slipped five spots as Lenovo and Asus surged to the top of the pack with their affordable and dependable wares.

Check out the full rankings:

Microsoft tops Apple in tablet satisfaction rankings

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Microsoft Surface to take on iPad
The Surface Pro 4 is starting to catch on.
Photo: Microsoft

For the first time ever, Microsoft has beaten the iPad in J.D. Power’s latest tablet satisfaction rankings that found the Surface has a higher number of younger customers than its competitors.

Apple has dominated J.D. Power’s rankings over the last few years, but according to the popular ranking service, Microsoft’s offerings were just a little bit better thanks to best-in-class design, productivity and accessory use.

Microsoft launches new social networking app for iMessage

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Get your friends organized with 'Who's In'
Get your friends organized with 'Who's In'
Photo: Microsoft

Microsoft is dipping its toes back into the social game with a brand new app for iOS users that aims to make it easier than ever to organize group events.

The app is called “Who’s In” only instead of launching as a standalone iPhone or iPad app, Microsoft’s new software can only be accessed via iMessage.

Microsoft’s new iOS camera uses AI to spice up photos

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Sprinkle is Microsoft's newest app for iOS.
Sprinkle is Microsoft's newest app for iOS.
Photo: Microsoft

Microsoft is the latest tech giant to get in on the craze of fun camera apps like Snapchat, which are currently all the rage among teens.

The company’s new app, Sprinkles, launched today on iOS as a featured app. While it looks like just another Snapchat wannabe on the outside, Microsoft threw in some crazy AI technology that makes it easier than ever to create and share silly photos.

Android squeaks past Windows to become internet’s most popular OS

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Android rules the Internet.
Android rules the Internet.
Photo: Google

Windows can no longer claim the crown as the most popular operating system on the internet thanks to the rise of smartphones.

During the month of March, Microsoft finally saw its share of worldwide OS internet get eclipsed by Google’s Android operating system, marking the first time a mobile OS is more popular than the software powering PCs.

Apple plans to fight climate change despite Trump agenda

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One of Apple's many solar farms.
One of Apple's many solar farms.
Photo: Apple

While President Donald Trump gets busy gutting the Environmental Protection Agency, many of America’s largest companies plan to fight climate change without his help, including Apple.

During the reign of Tim Cook, Apple has made renewable energy and going green one of its top priorities. According to a new report, that won’t change now that there’s a new administration in the White House.

Apple’s AR glasses won’t hit your face for at least a year

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iPhone 8 concept
Apple will give iPhone 8 owners a taste of augmented reality.
Photo: Gabor Balogh

The next big thing from Apple is probably a year or so away from its grand unveiling.

Apple has a host of engineers dedicated to building and testing different augmented reality headsets, and according to a new report, the crew is getting a lot more resources to turn it into a consumer product.

New Word macro malware infects macOS and Windows

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Beware untrusted Word macros.
Beware untrusted Word macros.
Photo: FortiGuard Labs

Another form of Microsoft Word malware that infects both macOS and Windows machines has been detected.

The malicious VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) code is buried in a Word document macro and automatically adapts its attack depending on the operating system used. Once installed, it can be used to download more payload files to your computer.