Mobile menu toggle

News - page 1100

DIY masks could make you a haunting Halloween hit

By •

Wintercroft Design will send you a template for you to construct your own Halloween mask.
Wintercroft Design will send you a template for you to construct your own Halloween mask.
Photo: Wintercroft Design

So a good Halloween costume idea is not coming to you. Steve and Marianne Wintercroft can get you started with an alluring mask.

The British design couple has made a company out of designing masks that the buyers build themselves. For a few bucks, you can download a template of a polygon constructed animal head that you print, cut and assemble.

Google records your voice searches — and you can hear them all

By •

google-records-your-voice-searches-and-you-can-hear-them-all-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201407Ok-Google-Voice-Search-png
Ok Google is listening... and recording. Photo: Google
Ok Google is listening… and recording. Photo: Google

Google is incredibly accurate at understanding voice searches, which makes it super useful on mobile when you might want to find information without using your hands. But did you know that the company records every single voice search you make?

What’s more, you can listen back to each and every one.

End storage nightmares by creating your own cloud

By •

The Helixee is a hard drive that, with an app, can give you cloud-like functions for storage and access from any device.
The Helixee is a hard drive that, with an app, can give you cloud-like functions for storage and access from any device.
Photo: novathings

One click and your digital life gets stored in the Cloud. Where or what that is exactly is a mystery to most of us. Two startup companies are producing products aimed at the segment of the computing population that doesn’t want to save pictures, videos and documents to large cloud-based servers.

These products let you create your own cloud to store the personal stuff.

Apple showcases how far iMac has come since 1998

By •

Screen Shot 2015-10-13 at 15.51.57
1998 vs. 2015. No surprises about the winner in this one.
Photo: Apple

To coincide with today’s brand new Retina iMacs release, Apple has launched a superb new mini-site comparing the latest Mac desktop with the 1998-era iMac G3.

The first major release under Steve Jobs upon his return to Apple, the original iMac was also the computer which introduced Jony Ive as a creative force at Apple, as well as the machine that announced that Apple was on the comeback trail.

Needless to say, Moore’s Law and an extra 17 years of innovation means that the current iMac is on a totally different plain to Jobs’ comeback computer.

Check out some of the astonishing stats below.

Apple introduces new Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse 2, and Magic Trackpad 2

By •

Screen Shot 2015-10-13 at 14.56.00
Round of applause for Apple, please.
Photo: Apple

Alongside stunning new 21.5- and 27-inch Retina iMacs, Apple’s other big announcement of the day relates to the release of an all-new Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse 2, and Magic Trackpad 2.

These gorgeous new devices have been completely redesigned to feel more comfortable than ever, while also featuring fully rechargeable lithium-ion batteries, giving them around one month of charge.

Samsung Galaxy S7 to rip off the iPhone 6s’ 3D Touch

By •

samsung-galaxy-s7-to-rip-off-the-iphone-6s-3d-touch-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201504Galaxy-S6-front-jpg
The next Galaxy is going to be even better. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android
The next Galaxy is going to be even better. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android

The pressure-sensitive displays packed into Apple’s latest iPhones give them a unique advantage over their rivals, but not for long.

Samsung is already working to put a pressure-sensitive screen of its own into next year’s Galaxy S7, new reports claim.

Apple releases ‘stunning’ new 4K and 5K iMacs

By •

Screen Shot 2015-10-13 at 14.26.03
Apple's iMacs just got even sweeter.
Photo: Apple

Apple today revealed its refreshed line of iMacs, including a brand new 21.5-inch 4K Retina iMac and 27-inch 5K Retina model.

The smaller iMac now matches the pixel density of the larger 5K iMac, giving it 4.5 times the resolution of Full HD. The 27-inch iMac, meanwhile, boasts Retina 5K displays across the board, whereas previously they were available only for the $2,499 flagship iMac.

The 21.5-inch 4K iMac starts at $1,499, while the 27-inch version starts at $1,799.

Apple Watch is ‘phenomenal’ but not a threat, says TAG Heuer CEO

By •

apple-watch-is-phenomenal-but-not-a-threat-says-tag-heuer-ceo-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201510tag-heuer-carrera-teaser-fixed_0-png
TAG Heuer teases its new Android-powered smartwatch.
Photo: TAG Heuer
TAG Heuer teases its new Android-powered smartwatch.
TAG Heuer teases its new Android-powered smartwatch.

Swiss watchmakers have been tripping over themselves to dismiss the Apple Watch as a threat, but TAG Heuer CEO Jean-Claude Biver has come out with what I think is one of the fairer assessments of Apple’s debut wearable device to date.

His take? That the Apple Watch is hella bad news if you’re a low-priced watchmaker, but probably okay if you’re making timepieces over the $2,000 mark.

Apple finally working to bring Touch ID to MacBooks

By •

Yep, that would work.
Yep, that would work.
Photo: USPTO/Apple

Apple may finally be ready to introduce its Touch ID fingerprint sensor to the MacBook — more than two years after it made its first appearance on the iPhone.

A new patent published today describes “Finger sensing apparatus using hybrid matching and associated methods,” and depicts an embedded Touch ID sensor on a future MacBook, although it also leaves to the door open for the same technology to be featured on an iMac keyboard.

Woz talked to Steve Jobs about returning to Apple in 2011

By •

Steve Wozniak. Photo:
Could Woz have made an Apple return? Not if he had anything to say about it.
Photo: HigherEdWeb/Flickr CC

Steve Jobs raised the possibility of Steve Wozniak returning to Apple in conversation that took place during Jobs’ final days in 2011, according to a new interview.

The insight comes from a Bloomberg interview with Woz talking about the new Steve Jobs movie, which opened on limited release last weekend.

Free at last! Apple finally ditches controversial antitrust monitor

By •

Apple can't ditch its ebook compliance monitor.
Apple has finally parted ways with Michael Bromwich.
Photo: Apple

Apple has finally ditched its controversial antitrust monitor Michael Bromwich after two years of what Apple acknowledges has been a “rocky relationship.”

Bromwich was first installed in Cupertino back in October 2013, after Apple was found to have illegally colluded with five book publishers to raise e-book prices in a way that was deemed to have hurt Apple’s competition.

Watch out, Slack and Google Docs: Pingpad might be the next big thing

By •

The desktop view of Pingpad.
The desktop view of Pingpad.
Photo: Pingpad

There are greats apps for groups to complete tasks and great apps for group communication. In Pingpad, the group has a single app that allows for both.

Pingpad is a stew of many different first generation apps for notes, lists, calendars and instant messaging. In one space, a group can work across platforms on documents, chat back and forth and post pertinent links all in real time. Think Google Docs meets Whatsapp.

TuneIn Premium now streams live NFL games FTW

By •

Apple TV won't be streaming football this year.
Apple TV won't be streaming football this year.
Photo: NFL
TuneIn is also streaming a bunch of NFL shows. Photo: TuneIn
TuneIn is also streaming a bunch of NFL shows. Photo: TuneIn

TuneIn Premium, the radio streaming app for Android and iOS, just got an awesome new update that lets you tune into live NFL games.

Subscribers get access to play-by-play feeds for all 32 NFL teams, including both the home and away feeds and national radio broadcasts.

Facebook updates are easier than ever thanks to 3D Touch

By •

Facebook is killing your battery.
Yay for 3D Touch!
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Facebook has just updated its official iOS app, adding some new iPhone 6s-friendly features designed to work with the new handsets’ 3D Touch capabilities.

What exactly does that mean? Essentially that you can now use 3D Touch’s “Quick Actions” from the Facebook app icon. Give your iPhone 6s a firm press on the Home screen and you get the option of writing a post, uploading a photo or video, or taking a photo or video.

Foxconn posts record September revenues thanks to iPhone 6s

By •

Apple raked in the cash last quarter.
Can there be a better month than September if you're in the iPhone business?
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

iPhone 6s manufacturer Foxconn has posted revenues of $318.4 million for the month of September, largely as a result of Apple’s next-gen handset.

The monster earnings for the month were not only the best month of Foxconn’s year so far, but represented a 30 percent rise from the previous month and an increase of 17.8 percent year-on-year.

And Apple’s main manufacturer is expecting October to be even better!

India is finally getting its own official Apple Stores

By •

India Apple Stores
The closest thing India has to an Apple Store at the moment.
Photo: Lawrence Sinclair/Flickr CC

India is finally getting its own official Apple Stores, thanks to a partnership with local consumer electronics chain Croma.

The six new retail stores will be opened inside existing Croma stores in India, much like the store-in-a-store model used by Apple during the 1990s. Despite this, they will feature the familiar Apple Store look and feel, and be manned by staff trained by Apple.

Apple voted top brand in the United Arab Emirates

By •

A location fit for an Apple Store? We think so.
The site of Apple's upcoming Dubai Apple Store.
Photo: Longhornsandcamels

The United Arab Emirates hasn’t even gotten its first Apple Store yet, but that hasn’t stopped Apple from ranking no. 1 in a list of the “Top 10 Most Intimate Brands in the UAE.”

In doing so, it didn’t just beat tech rival brands like Samsung and Google, but also auto-makers Lexus and Mercedes, chain coffee shop Starbucks, and a variety of others.

Steve Jobs movie rakes in cash during limited opening weekend

By •

Michael Fassbender as Steve Jobs.
How full will the audience be when Aaron Sorkin's Steve Jobs movie opens wide?
Photo: Universal Pictures

Just like the original Macintosh or iPhone, the Steve Jobs movie is racking up favorable reviews among a few early adopters — en route to (hopefully) taking over the world.

After its limited opening weekend, it’s definitely off to a strong start.

Chesh, Twitter Moments, and other awesome apps of the week

By •

appsoftheweek_1024
'Appy weekend all.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Somehow it’s already half-way through the weekend, but there’s still time to check out the hottest apps to have arrived in the App Store as of late!

This week, we’ve selected a broad range of topics — from emergency alerts everyone should have installed on their iOS devices, to a fun photo app, and some truly immersive puzzle games. Check out our picks below.

iPhone 6 had Bendgate, 6s gets Chipgate, this week on The CultCast

By •

6s battery life not great?  It could be your processor.
6s battery life not great? It could be your processor.
Photo: iFixit.com

This week: we celebrate CultCast 200! And just in time for the party—it’s the iPhone 6s scandal we all knew would someday come… #CHIPGATE. We’ll tell why the internet is nerd-raging over this newest iPhone scandal, and why it might just be diminishing your iPhone 6s’ battery life. Plus: the new Jobs movie is generating Oscar buzz. Seriously! And since he’s seen it—twice—Alex E Heath is here to give us his review. And stay tuned till the end for our favorite memories of CultCast’s past. It’s CultCast 200!

Our thanks to Harry’s for supporting this episode. Harry’s super-sharp, German-made razors ship free right to your door and for way less than the drugstore razors. And be sure to use code CultCast at checkout save $5 off your first order.

Cult of Mac Magazine: All you need to know about Chipgate

By •

Another year, another -gate.
Another year, another -gate.
Cover Design: Stephen Smith

Another week, another fantastic Cult of Mac Magazine ripe for your perusal! We’ve got a ton of stuff on the latest iPhone 6s controversy, unfortunately dubbed “Chipgate,” as well as a deep dive into OS X El Capitan with a tour and some great tips, a head-to-head comparison of Apple TV versus its next big rival, Roku 4, some fear and loathing over the upcoming Steve Jobs biopic, and a sexy (?) power strip and some other fantastic product reviews.

Check it all out in this week’s Cult of Mac Magazine, available for download at the incredibly low price of free!

Here’s the rundown for this week’s issue:

Future of fitness apps lies in understanding human movement

By •

Can the Workout app's
Can you log a weightlifting workout with the Workout app's "Other" option? Not really.
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

Some Apple Watch users are apparently confused over what types of exercise the wearable’s Workout app can track. Many people are using it to log weightlifting or stretching sessions, even though Apple only claims the app is suitable for “dedicated cardio workouts.”

Fortunately, a new breed of fitness apps is emerging that uses the accelerometer access enabled by the recently released watchOS 2 to track strength and flexibility workouts more effectively.

How to use Overcast to maximize your podcast fun

By •

Overcast is the best podcast app for iOS.
Overcast is the best podcast app for iOS.
Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac

The best podcast app for iOS — Overcast — got a huge update today, and best of all, its creator has decided to drop the in-app purchases and make it completely free for everyone.

The popular Overcast 2.0 app now includes streaming, chapters, storage management smart speed and tons of other optimizations. Even though there aren’t any in-app purchases, creator Marco Arment has included a patronage option where customers can support the app with a small monthly donation.

With all the free new features, there’s really no reason not to use Overcast over Apple’s Podcast. One of the app’s best features  is that it makes listening to podcasts a bit more social by allowing users to recommend podcast episodes to followers.

Here’s how to get the most out of Overcast recommendations: