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Pick up your Pebble Time now to save $50

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Pebble Time is cheaper than ever in the U.S. Photo: Pebble
Pebble Time is cheaper than ever in the U.S. Photo: Pebble

Pebble Time just got its first price cut since making its official debut on Kickstarter back in February, and it’s one worth taking advantage of. For a limited period, customers in the U.S. can save $50 — that’s 25 percent — on the black, white, and red models.

Andy Warhol’s classic Macintosh ad can be yours for $600,000

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Apple (from Ads).
Apple (from Ads).
Photo: Andy Warhol

Old Apple computers are no stranger to Sotheby’s, but next week a different piece of Apple history is hitting the auction block, only this high-priced collectors item was created by Andy Warhol instead of Steve Jobs.

Warhol’s acrylic and silkscreen ink on canvas painting of the classic Apple logo is going up for auction and could fetch as much as $600,000 according to early estimates. The painting is part of Warhol’s ‘Ads’ suite of creations which were created in 1985, just one year after the Macintosh launched.

The painting wasn’t created using a Macintosh, but Sotheby’s includes this interesting anecdote of how Warhol first met Steve Jobs when the Apple CEO came over to John Lennon’s house to setup a Macintosh for his son:

China’s secret shops can upgrade your 16GB iPhone to 128GB

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In China, a 16GB iPhone 6 can be upgraded to 128GB for $100 or less.
In China, a 16GB iPhone 6 can be upgraded to 128GB for $100 or less.
Photo: Imgur

China’s legendary black markets have goods and services for every need, from organs to counterfeit designer handbags. For cashed-strapped Apple fans in this communist country, there’s also a thriving market around iPhone upgrades.

For as little as $100 U.S. dollars, the 16GB iPhone can get upgraded to 126GB. That’s a big deal to Chinese consumers, who have trouble affording the 16GB iPhone 6 at just over $700, let alone any models with more capacity.

Tony Fadell says Steve Jobs was considering an Apple Car in 2008

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Photo: Web Summit/Flickr CC
An Apple Car was one of Steve Jobs' big dreams.
Photo: Photo: Web Summit/Flickr CC

Steve Jobs was considering building an Apple Car as far back as 2008, the year after successfully launching the iPhone, according to a new interview with Nest CEO and iPod co-creator Tony Fadell.

Speaking with Bloomberg TV’s Emily Chang, Fadell says that he and Jobs enjoyed “a couple of walks” (Jobs’ favored way of taking meetings), talking about a possible Apple vehicle.

Lloyds Bank’s Apple Pay ad is a heartwarming holiday treat

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A heartwarming early holiday ad for Apple Pay.
Photo: Lloyds Bank

Living in the U.K. as I do (in contrast to most of my California-based Cult of Mac co-writers), Christmas ads are one of the few bright spots at this time of year.

And Lloyds Bank just kicked off the season with a cracking 40-second ad showing off the fact that it is now well and truly on the Apple Pay bandwagon. The ad tells the story of a girl looking for the perfect Christmas gift for her mom — with Apple’s mobile payment service coming to the rescue.

Check it out below.

Wikipedia’s founder thinks Apple should stop selling iPhones in the U.K.

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iPhone 6s
Bye-bye Britain?
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales has branded a new proposed law banning encrypted communications in the U.K. as “stupid,” and says that if it is passed, Apple should stop selling iPhones in the country out of principle.

“I would like to see Apple refuse to sell iPhone in UK if government bans end-to-end encryption,” Wales posted on Twitter. “Does Parliament dare be that stupid?”

Steve Jobs director lashes out at ‘hindsight experts’

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Michael Fassbender as Steve Jobs.
Michael Fassbender's Steve Jobs takes a quick glance at the box office figures.
Photo: Universal Pictures

The new Steve Jobs movie has bombed at the box office — but director Danny Boyle thinks the failure has nothing to do with the movie he made, but rather the decision to open it nationally too quickly.

“We did brilliantly the first two weekends,” he said. “Then [the studio] went too wide too soon, and that’s a mistake. But hindsight experts are always around on Monday mornings.”

4-inch iPhone 6s is coming soon, says top Apple analyst

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Is the 4-inch iPhone coming or not?
Is the 4-inch iPhone on its way?
Photo: ModMyI

A 4-inch iPhone 6s — resembling an “upgraded iPhone 5s” — is on the way in the first half of 2016, says renowned Apple prognosticator, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

Kuo claims the handset will come with an A9 processor and metal casing — although customers shouldn’t expect Apple to incorporate its 3D Touch technology into the handset, as a way of differentiating it from the premium iPhone 6s and 6s Plus models.

Custom Lego minifigs put Jobs, Woz, and Cook on your desk

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Apple custom Lego minis
If you really wanted, you could stage your own Apple keynote address in Lego form.
Photo: FamousBrick

A company that specializes in making Lego-ized versions of tech-world giants is offering minifigures based on Apple co-founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, current CEO Tim Cook, and some people who work for other companies, if you want to be all diverse about it.

The figures won’t even set you back that much, really. Depending on how much you value plastic that looks like people.

Decibullz earphones are molded music to the ear

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Decibullz brings its moldable earpieces to wireless earbuds.
Decibullz brings its moldable earpieces to wireless earbuds.
Photo: Decibullz

The openings to my ear canals are small. There, I said it. Hearing is not a problem, but finding earbuds that fit is a pain in the, well, ears.

Apple’s customary earphones that came with every iPod or iPhone I bought got tossed in a drawer. At least there, they wouldn’t fall out.

Decibullz, a startup company when they hit it big with moldable earbuds last year, is now trying to bring to production a set of wireless earphones with the moldable tips. The molding process requires nothing more than a glass of hot water.

How to change Twitter hearts back to stars (or any other emoji)

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The Internet is not happy with Twitter's change of heart.
The Internet is not happy with Twitter's change of heart.
Photo: Twitter

Twitter decided to take a step toward Facebook today by changing its star icon for favorites into a heart icon and calling them Likes.

The changes have not gone over well, with many Twitter fans questioning the decision while others are just down right angry that Twitter took away the best way to say, ‘I saw your tweet, but don’t want to reply to it.’

Luckily, there is a way to change the hearts back to stars when using the social network through a browser. You can even change the hearts to a beer, poop, unicorn, or any other emoji and it doesn’t require much work.

Here’s how to strike back against Twitter’s new hearts icon:

Pencil artist makes his point with amazing new book

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The art of Salavat Fidai is at the tip of his pencils.
The art of Salavat Fidai is at the tip of his pencils.
Photo: Salavat Fidai

The art that flows from Salavat Fidai’s pencils actually never leaves the pencils.

A curvy stallion, a row of circus elephants or the Eiffel Tower remain on the tips of pencils thanks to Fidai’s steady hand and patient craft knife that carves the soft lead into a sculptural symbol easily recognized in the most unexpected place.

Poop now at your fingertips with new emoji keyboard

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This keyboard from EmojiWorks is a quicker way to express your feelings via emoji.
This keyboard from EmojiWorks is a quicker way to express your feelings via emoji.
Photo: EmojiWorks

There’s now a faster way to flip the middle finger or display a steaming pile of poop – along with your other favorite emoji.

EmojiWorks has introduced what is probably the first portable keyboard with built-in emoji shortcuts. Each letter key displays two or three different emoji, which can be inserted into a message by pressing a dedicated emoji key.

Sharing your Touch ID is a big no-no, say banks

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Touch ID should not be shared, banks say.
Photo: Apple

Banks may refuse to refund disputed transactions, or help customers who are victims of fraud, if the person in question has their fingerprints stored on a phone or tablet that does not belong to them.

According to a new report, several banks in the U.K. are making the decision now that fingerprints are used to authenticate payments within Apple Pay. Lloyds Bank, for instance, features the following line in its terms and conditions: “If Touch ID is available on your device, you must ensure you only register your own fingerprints (and not anyone else’s).”

Apple already working on Force Touch keyboards

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Use your credit card to solve your Apple problems. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
Yep, I'd buy that.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple has steadily been rolling out its 3D Touch/Force Touch technology across as many of its devices as possible — and the next step may be Mac keyboards.

According to a newly published patent for an “Ultra low travel keyboard,” Apple’s futuristic keyboard would allow different functions or commands to be assigned as per, “different levels of force input” received when you press a key.

Apple is teaming with other tech giants for financial lobbying

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Apple raked in the cash last quarter.
There's money to be made in, err, money.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple, Amazon and Google aren’t exactly techie BFFs, as can be seen from that whole Android vs. iOS thing, or Amazon’s recent decision to boot Apple TV out of its online store.

But you know what can bring the heads of all three companies together? Let’s try a quick pop-quiz.

A) Team-building paintball trip.
B) Romantic candlelit dinner.
C) The promise of lots and lots of cash.

Click below to find out. (Hint: the answer is C.)

Apple may be cutting back on iPhone 6s orders

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What will you get this Black Friday?
Not the 6s Apple thought it would be?
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Despite the iPhone 6s’ record-shattering 13 million unit sales in its first three days, reports coming out of Apple’s supply chain suggest that manufacturer Pegatron has stopped operating several of its iPhone 6s production lines in Shanghai — and may even be laying off some employees who were hired to work on the handset.

While this has the distinct feel of an unsubstantiated rumor to it, Pegatron has come forward and acknowledged that it’s actually true.

But hold back your “Apple will go bankrupt in six months” placards for now; things aren’t exactly as they first appear…

Two years on, Apple’s spaceship campus is taking off

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Apple's new campus looks like something out of Spectre.
Photo: Duncan Sinfield

How time flies! This month marks two years since ground broke on Apple’s futuristic new “spaceship” campus, and — despite the odd hitch along the way — things are looking impressively together.

To show just how together the pieces all are, drone videographer Duncan Sinfield recently flew his DJI Inspire 1 drone over the building site to produce a stunning video of Apple’s forthcoming dream campus.

Check it out below. You won’t regret it.

Activision Blizzard acquires Candy Crush creator for $5.9 billion

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Activision just spent more on Candy Crush than you ever will. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android
Activision just spent more on Candy Crush than you ever will. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android

Activision Blizzard, the gaming company known for franchises like Call of Duty, Warcraft, and Guitar Hero, has acquired King Digital Entertainment for $5.9 billion.

The Candy Crush creator boasts one of the largest networks of players on mobile, with a staggering 474 million active users a month.