3D Touch is Apple's big new feature for the iPhone 6s. Photo: Apple
3D Touch has been the most widely-praised feature of the iPhone 6s in its advance reviews, so it’s no great surprise that savvy jailbreakers would attempt to replicate the technology in older iPhones.
One attempt at this is a new free tweak called ForceTouchActivator, which tries to impersonate 3D Touch by using long presses to expand the functionality of your iPhone.
And as far as free tweaks go, it’s not a bad effort. Sort of.
Business is booming for the App Store. Photo: PhotoAtelier/Flickr
Sloppy coding in some popular iOS games allows hackers to give themselves and others thousands of dollars’ worth of in-app purchases for free.
The hole was discovered by developers at DigiDNA, creator of a backup tool called iMazing that allows iPhone and iPad users to access their devices’ hidden file systems. The developers found that the app backup/restore feature in iMazing 1.3 exposes weaknesses in the way games like Angry Birds 2 and Tetris Free handle in-app purchases.
To demonstrate how easy it is to hack in-app purchases using this method, the DigiDNA team tweaked Angry Birds 2 to start the game with 999,999,999 gems — the equivalent of $10,000 of in-game credits.
According to a new report, however, ads may not be the only content that is blocked by apps like Crystal. Online retailers such as Walmart, Sears and Lululemon are also seeing their e-commerce sites negatively affected by adblockers — with some crucial features failing to work as before.
It certainly beats sitting out in the cold. Photo: Atomic 212
People are already camping out for the iPhone 6s, but one smart would-be customer from Australia has decided to dodge the queues — by sending a robot on her behalf.
Lucy Kelly dispatched the robot — a remote-controlled tablet attached to a Segway — to wait in line at the flagship Apple Store in Sydney, where the iPhone 6s will go on sale ahead of the rest of the world. It gives her the ability to join in the fun of waiting alongside eager Apple fans, without the negative part of standing around for hours in the cold.
One A9's six color options. Photo: Evan BlassOne A9’s six color options. Photo: Evan Blass
HTC’s upcoming iPhone clone, the One A9, has leaked out again ahead of its official unveiling.
A new press image confirms the device will be available in six colors, with gigantic bezels above and beneath its display that somewhat spoil its otherwise attractive look.
Facebook is bringing 360-degree video to news feeds starting today, showcasing the immersive format with a speeder tour of Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ desert planet Jaku.
The tech makes viewing 360 videos on mobile devices simpler than ever, allowing users to select a viewing angle just by turning their devices. You can also watch the videos on the web, clicking around to change the camera’s perspective.
Pebble Time Round is the thinnest smartwatch so far. Photo: Pebble
Pebble’s latest smartwatch forgot it’s hip to be square.
The Pebble Time Round has a circular display that hopes to appeal to traditional watch wearers, and compete round rivals like the Moto 360 and Samsung’s upcoming Gear S2. Its all-metal design is also the thinnest and lightest Pebble has crafted to date.
Developers can add the latest iOS 9.1 beta to their iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches starting today.
Exactly two weeks after releasing the first beta, Apple has started seeding iOS 9.1 beta 2, build 13B5119e, to developers via an over-the-air update and in the Apple Dev Center.
Update: As of Thursday this week, public beta users can also update to the latest iOS 9.1 public beta 2, as well.
The DataMan complication, as seen in the upper left of these Apple Watches, monitors your data usage. Photo: DataMan
DataMan could be the name of a superhero, but it is instead an app that saves you from the dangers of going over your data limit. Now it has a sidekick for the Apple Watch that lets you be vigilant with a flick of the wrist.
The DataMan app for the watch lets you easily view your usage, but if you don’t need to know in detail, simply raise your wrist and an icon will appear in the upper left corner of your watch face that gives an idea. A green check means your safe, a blue exclamation point is for caution and a red X means you are in danger of going past your limit and paying nasty overage fees.
One of the lenses in the Creative Mobile Kit by Lensbaby. Photo: David Pierini/Cult of Mac
We love our iPhone cameras because it takes away the need for technical know-how and leaves us with nothing but fun for our photography. But sometimes fun needs to be turned up a notch.
Enter the Creative Mobile Kit from Lensbaby, a two-lens package that turns any scene into a dreamy state of smeary colors and blurred shapes that surround the focus of a subject. Just clip on the kit’s magnetic mount bracket, select a lens and go play.
An Apple Car has the potential to save lives. In all sorts of ways. Photo: Aristomenis Tsirbas/Freelancer
Morgan Stanley analysts Adam Jonas and Katy Huberty — who regularly follow Tesla and Apple — claim an autonomous Apple Car could save drivers a collective 400 billion hours of “non-productive” time each year.
“What is the value of 400 billion hours a year?” they write in a note to clients. “How much value could Apple create from this time or said another way how much are consumers willing to pay to recoup this time? It’s time to start thinking about… time.”
And we thought the Apple Watch was Apple’s attempt to focus on timekeeping!
reTXT lets you edit messages or photos after you've already sent them. Photo: reTXTreTXT lets you edit messages or photos after you’ve already sent them. Photo: reTXT
reTXT is a radical new messaging app that wants to fix everything wrong with online communication as it exists now. It landed back in April and includes a number of unique features — like being able to edit a message you already sent — all of which are currently patent pending. The app just updated today for iOS and Android with support for voice calling with end-to-end encryption as well.
Sticking out from the crowd of third-party messaging apps, I decided to take a closer look.
The iPhone 6s has more junk in the trunk. Photo: Apple
The Pope touched down in Washington D.C. yesterday as part of hit U.S. tour, and it might totally screw up whether you get your iPhone 6s pre-order delivered on September 25th.
Steve Jobs’ life has been immortalized in the form of numerous biographies, three movies, multiple documentaries, several operas, and a handful of graphic novels — but now it’s been turned into an infographic, too.
Created by the folks at Visualistan, this neat creation takes you through Steve’s most significant moments in one easy-to-read pictogram, based on the same Walter Isaacson biography that forms the basis for the forthcoming Steve Jobs movie.
Apple will provide Chinese users with a local official version of Xcode to download. Photo: Johan Larrson/Flickr
Apple is taking steps to avoid a repeat of this week’s serious XcodeGhost incident — in which hundreds of App Store apps were discovered to include malware in the form of a counterfeit version of Xcode, the platform used by developers to build their apps.
The teen who had his life saved thanks to his Apple Watch heart monitor has received a brand new iPhone 6s and — more importantly — an internship with Apple next summer.
17-year-old football player Paul Houle says he was recovering from his recent medical emergency when he received a very special call from Cupertino.
“I got a phone call from a California number, and [the person on the other end of the line] said ‘Hello, my name is Tim Cook, CEO of Apple,'” Houle says.
Ferguson Firsthand was intended as an "educational app." Photo: Dan Archer
In the latest controversy over Apple’s stringent App Store guidelines, the company has rejected an “educational app” about the August 2014 shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri.
The reason? Apple objects to “the subject matter” of the game, which deals with the impact of the real-life shooting that sparked rioting and a continuing conversation about race and police brutality.
According to a leading child psychologist it’s a whole lot more serious than that, however — giving very young children an iPad to play with may be “tantamount to child abuse.”
Flashgap lets you take pictures at the party, but then makes you wait a day before you can share them. Photo: Flashgap
There is a growing category of apps that fall under the heading, Apps to save us from ourselves. There are messaging apps that delay the sending of text messages and apps and hardware that measure the amount of alcohol on your breath.
Flashgap enters this category – probably in time for some – to stop embarrassing party photos from making the rounds before you’ve had a chance to sober up and consider who will get to see your fun and foolishness.
Selecting text on the iPhone 6s is ridiculously easy. Photo: Matthew Panzarino/Twitter
Selecting text on the iPhone 6s will be a whole lot easier thanks to the introduction of 3D Touch, which can quickly change your iOS 9 keyboard into a trackpad.
iPhone 6s owners will be able to use two levels of touch to activate the trackpad, and then a deeper push to highlight text. The trick was first discovered by Apple analyst Ben Bajarin while reviewing the upcoming smartphone. TechCrunch’s Matthew Panzarino uploaded a video this afternoon showing off the new feature and it might be the best reason yet to upgrade to the new 3D Touch iPhones.
Native apps, like Dark Sky, take advantage of the new OS for Apple Watch. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
The future of computing may be sitting on your wrist, but it’s still tethered to something a little old-fashioned. But as of Monday, the Apple Watch’s new operating system allows it to cut a few of the cords that connect it to the iPhone.
Apple’s watchOS 2 debuted, giving the watch new superpowers but also allowing native apps to run independently of the iPhone.
Help Arika avoid mortal danger while she wisecracks at you. Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac
Dave Justus is no stranger to writing video games, having written both Telltale’s The Wolf Among Us adventure game for Mac, PC and console, as well as the original Lifeline, a text-based story game that brought the epic struggles of an astronaut named Taylor to our wrists.
With the help of 3 Minute Games’ lead game designer Mars Jokela, Justus has created another massive adventure that still fits inside your Apple Watch. This time, however, you’ll have a conversation with Arika, a young woman with magical powers who needs your help to escape mortal danger.
Lifeline 2: Bloodline is a funny, moving, and above all human story that really plays to the strengths of the Apple Watch; it’s like having a text conversation (with a cheeky magician) from your wrist.
“We’ve built Lifeline 2 to be a bigger and richer experience,” says Jokela via email, “[but] the story is still focused on a likable, relatable character who desperately needs your help.”
If you think the A9 processor is fast, wait 'til you see the A10. Photo: Apple
The iPhone 6s is the fastest smartphone on the planet, but according to a new rumor, Apple is planning to make a huge leap with its A10 processor in the iPhone 7 that will turn the device into an unbelievable speed machine.
It seems a bit early to start talking about the iPhone 7’s processor when the 6s hasn’t even gone on sale yet, however, the Apple rumor mill has spit out a rumor claiming Apple’s A10 processor will boast 6 cores.
Sign up to Prime on Friday for a big discount. Photo: Amazon
If you still haven’t succumb to Amazon Prime, then now is the time, because Amazon’s offering a generous discount that’ll save you a bunch of dimes (to celebrate the Emmys).