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Tim Cook joins RED brigade for World AIDS Day

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Tim Cook
RED CEO Deborah Dugan and Tim Cook show up at the Georgetown Apple Store to mark World AIDS Day. Photo: Deborah Dugan/Twitter

Apple CEO Tim Cook surprised shoppers at the Georgetown Apple Store on Monday by making an appearance to support the company’s commitment to World AIDS Day.

Cook tweeted photos of his visit to the store in Washington, D.C. He was surrounded by Apple employees wearing red T-shirts to mark the day, which is aimed at raising awareness about the spread of AIDS, showing support for people living with HIV and honoring those who have died from the disease.

Meet House Forrester in new Game of Thrones video game

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Pretty good likeness, don't you think? Photo: Telltale Games
Pretty good likeness, don't you think? Photo: Telltale Games

In George R.R. Martin’s Song of Ice and Fire series, anyone can play the Game of Thrones, including little-known House Forrester.

Telltale Games, the house behind video gaming hits like The Wolf Among Us and The Walking Dead, have brought this more obscure Westeros family to the forefront of a brand-new game set in Martin’s Game of Thrones universe, and it looks delightfully dramatic.

Check out the trailer below, which includes some fine voicework from Natalie Dormer and Peter Dinklage as their respective characters from the show, wily Margaery Tyrell and diminutive Tyrion Lannister.

Steve Wozniak is about to become a reality TV show

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Coming soon to a waxworks near you.
Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak standing with the Apple II. Photo: Robert Scobble
Photo: Robert Scoble

Steve Wozniak has played a lot of roles over the last three decades – engineer, Apple co-founder, Segway polo champion, and university professor – but Steve is about to jump into an all new realm: Realty TV show host.

The Apple co-founder is reportedly tag-teaming with Mythbusters’ co-host Kari Byron for a new reality TV show about all-things tech called The Woz.

Now you can get your Girl Scout Cookies fix online

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Library of Congress photo
Girl Scout Cookies taste great, no matter how you buy them. Photo: Library of Congress

Honey Boo Boo was clearly ahead of her time when she got busted selling Girl Scout Cookies online last year.

Internet sales of the coveted cookies were prohibited at the time, but now the organization has taken its Digital Cookie program out of the oven. The new effort is designed to make cookies available to customers online (obviously) while also giving Girl Scouts new e-commerce skills, like online marketing and using apps.

Survey finds 10% of iPhone owners are ‘very likely’ to buy Apple Watch

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Original Apple Watch models
Are you planning to get an Apple Watch? Photo: Apple
Photo: Apple

No one has had a chance to try the Apple Watch on for size yet, but according to a report from UBS, that’s not stopping Apple fanboys from planning to scoop up the Apple timepiece once its available, and all those eager buyers could lead to a staggering 24 million sales in the first year.

According to a recent survey of iPhone owners, at least one in ten users say they’re ‘very likely’ to buy the Apple Watch once it hits stores, and while that figure doesn’t sound like a lot, the investment firm estimates it could lead to $3.4 billion in gross profit in the first few months alone.

‘Unusual’ trading spurs sharp drop in Apple shares

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Apple shares took an inexplicable beating from investors on Monday morning, leading to the stock’s single biggest fall since January 28th, 2014. And no one really know why.

An unusual spike in trading volume this morning sent the price of AAPL shares falling as much as 6.4 percent to $111.27 in early trading this morning, leading to a loss of more than $40 billion in market value in just a few minutes.

Microsoft raids App Store for popular cross-platform email app

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Accompli. Photo: Acompli
Acompli's powerful email app is now owned by Microsoft. Photo: Acompli

Microsoft is digging its roots deeper into iOS and Android this week with the announcement that it has acquired the popular cross-platform email app Acompli.

News of the Acompli acquisition was posted today on Microsoft’s company blog, with VP of Office, Rajesh Jha, saying the company plans to integrate the app into the Outlook redesign his team is currently working on.

Cult of Mac’s guide to the best Cyber Monday and Black Friday deals

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Apple Pay. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
The biggest shopping day of the year is almost here, and you know what that means: deals, deals, deals and more deals. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

blackfriday logoBlack Friday is a shopper’s dream and worst nightmare. The blitz of fliers advertising post-Thanksgiving sales has already begun, with retailers large and small offering deals on just about everything imaginable.

How do you know what’s actually a bargain and what’s a cheap marketing ploy? Never fear! We’re keeping our eyes peeled for the very best Black Friday deals, and we’ll be adding them to this roundup. This isn’t a roundup for all of the millions of discounted TVs and kitchen appliances out there, just the stuff we think is really worth your attention. Keep this page locked for sweet savings on tech, entertainment and other cool gear.

T-Mobile knocks $100 off 64GB iPhone 6 for Cyber Monday

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iPhone
iPhone 6 and 6 Plus sure are koala-ty phones. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
Photo: Jim Merithew

Still waiting for a good excuse to upgrade to the iPhone 6? If you didn’t take advantage of any of the Black Friday deals, T-Mobile announced this morning that it’ll give you a 64GB iPhone 6 for the price of the 16GB version.

The Cyber Monday deal only last for the next 24 hours, but will save you $100 on the price of the 64GB iPhone 6 which normally sells for $749.99 unlocked on T-Mobile.

Similar deals are also available for the 64GB iPhone 5s, which is now on sale for the price of a 32GB unit. You can also pick up a 32GB iPhone 5c for the price of an 8GB iPhone 5c, saving you $50 on each. The deal is web-only, so you can’t go into a T-Mobile store to pick one up, but you can still use the carrier’s $350 termination fee bonus to switch carriers.

Source: T-Mobile

Video interview with Steve Jobs will be evidence in $350m Apple antitrust case

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Evidence from Steve Jobs will form a large part of Apple's latest antitrust case. Photo: Ben Stanfield/Flickr CC
Photo: Ben Stanfield/Flickr CC

Previously unseen emails and a videotaped deposition of Steve Jobs is set to play a key part in a long-running class action antitrust lawsuit against Apple, which goes to trial this week.

First filed back in 2005, the lawsuit argues that Apple put itself in a monopolistic position by refusing to allow iPod customers to use non-iTunes music on their iPods, thanks to software upgrades issued by Apple. The case saw little action for its first seven years, but picked up steam with a judge’s ruling in May 2012, and is now finally arriving in the court room.

“We will present evidence that Apple took action to block its competitors and in the process harmed competition and harmed consumers,” the lead plaintiffs’ lawyer was quoted as saying in an article for the New York Times.

Apple Store logos go red for World AIDS Day

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All over the world, Apple Stores are turning their logos red to mark World AIDS Day. Photo: Maya Mossinson Frost
All over the world, Apple Stores are turning their logos red to mark World AIDS Day. Photo: Maya Mossinson Frost

Apple Store logos around the world turn red today to mark Apple’s commitment to raising awareness of World AIDS Day. Red is a color synonymous with World AIDS Day, and the battling of HIV, thanks to the red ribbons first introduced back in 1991.

Apple has changed the color of its Apple Store logos since 2012. Apple has described December 1 as part of its “biggest fundraising push yet”. Any items bought through brick-and-mortar Apple Stores today will have a percentage of their sales donated to the charity.

How to jailbreak iOS 8.1.1

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There's a new jailbreak in town. Screenshot: Cult of Mac
There's a new jailbreak in town. Screenshot: Cult of Mac

Here’s how the game of iOS cat-and-mouse jailbreak works. A team releases a working jailbreak for the most recent version of iOS to the public. Apple moves to eliminate the exploit that made the last jailbreak possible, releases a new version of iOS, and stops ‘signing’ previous jailbreakable versions of iOS, meaning they can no longer be installed on devices. Rinse and repeat.

The last version of iOS, iOS 8.1.1, closed the hole that made the Pangu jailbreak possible. But now a new jailbreak has been released, that will jailbreak iOS 8.1.1 on any device. Here’s how to install it.

This app lets you unlock your Mac with Touch ID

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Unlock your Mac with TouchID! Photo: FingerKey
Unlock your Mac with TouchID! Photo: FingerKey

First introduced with the iPhone 5s, Apple’s Touch ID fingerprint sensor is one of the easiest and most convenient ways to unlock your iPhone and iPad. And now, thanks to a new app, it’s also one of the easiest and most convenient ways to unlock your Mac.

Good good gifts for Apple fans and why your iPhone 6 supports 4K on The CultCast

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thanksgiving-cultcast

This week: Gobble gobble y’aall! Ever wonder what a Thanksgiving meal with Tim Cook might be like? Ok, probably not, but come imagine it with us anyway. Then: why Apple quietly included 4K support in iPhone 6 and iPad Air 2; Amazon is building an ad-supported Netflix streaming competitor; plus stay tuned for our favorite products of the year in the CultCast gifts-we’d-love-to-get gift guide.

Heartily guffaw your way through each week’s best Apple stories! Stream or download new and past episodes of The CultCast now on your Mac or iDevice by subscribing on iTunes, or hit play below and let the chuckles begin.

Our thanks to Fracture for supporting this episode. Fracture prints your photos directly onto glass so they really pop. And they come ready to hang on a wall or sit on your desk and make great gifts. Check them out at Fracture.me and save 15% off any order with code CultCast.

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9 great TV shows to binge-watch this holiday weekend

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Thanks to a money-hungry decision to split the final season, a la Breaking Bad, the last episodes of Mad Men won’t air until next year. On the plus side, that means this is the perfect time to play catch-up before the world goes Don Draper crazy one last time.If for some incredible reason you’ve never seen Mad Men before (and how I envy you if that’s the case), the show follows the lives of a few Madison Avenue ad men and women during the 1950s and '60s. We’ve now reached the point of the Apollo 11 moon landing, and things are set for a grand finale.Photo: HBO

Thanks to a money-hungry decision to split the final season, a la Breaking Bad, the last episodes of Mad Men won’t air until next year. On the plus side, that means this is the perfect time to play catch-up before the world goes Don Draper crazy one last time.

If for some incredible reason you’ve never seen Mad Men before (and how I envy you if that’s the case), the show follows the lives of a few Madison Avenue ad men and women during the 1950s and '60s. We’ve now reached the point of the Apollo 11 moon landing, and things are set for a grand finale.

Photo: HBO


12-inch ‘iPad Air Plus’ schematics point to spring 2015 release

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Are you ready for the giant-sized iPad Pro? We are. Photo: CURVED
Photo: CURVED

Enough reports have accumulated for us to say with fair certainty that there will be a larger iPad ‘Pro’ in the first half of next year, although nothing super concrete has been agreed upon regarding specs.

Now Japanese magazine Mac Fan has published what it claims are schematics for the “iPad Air Plus,” but here’s to hoping Apple doesn’t actually give its rumored 12.2-inch tablet that name.

A third of Steve Jobs’ patents have been awarded since his death

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Steve Jobs's first patent for a 'Personal Computer.' Photo: US Patent Office
Steve Jobs's first patent for a 'Personal Computer.' Photo: US Patent Office

Steve Jobs was a visionary, a futurist and a business genius … but he was also an inventor with more than 458 patents to his name. What better way to spend this holiday weekend than getting yourself up to speed with the inventions of one of the most prolific patenters of the 20th century?

First Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer is here and it’s glorious

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A mysterious scene from the first trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Photo: Walt Disney Studios
A mysterious scene from the first trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Photo: Walt Disney Studios

Star Wars looks like it’s in good hands. The first teaser trailer for J.J. Abrams’ upcoming The Force Awakens has been released, and it’s sure to make your jaw drop.

What’s that random guy dressed as a stormtrooper doing in the desert? Who is that mysterious woman on the flying contraption? And WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THAT WEIRD RED LIGHTSABER OMG?!?

25% of Thanksgiving shoppers relied on iOS devices to bag a bargain

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breaking-bad-huells-money-bed-640x360
iPhone owners may not exactly be sleeping on a bed of money, but they still spend more online. Photo: AMC

The availability of cheap smartphones and tablets might mean that Android has a larger market share than iOS, but iOS users certainly spend more.

Analyzing sales trends from Thanksgiving, IBM notes that iPhones and iPads were responsible for far more payment activity online, with average orders worth $118.57 compared to $95.57 for Android.

But that’s not where iOS’s sales triumph ends. iOS also generated more site traffic at 36 percent versus 16 percent for Android. Even more impressive, iOS devices accounted for 25 percent of all sales — next to a minuscule 7 percent for Android.

Ultimate guide to dominating your enemies in Vainglory

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vaingloryfire
You really need to download Vainglory and get your fingers into battle. Photo: Superevil Megacorp

Chances are, the first time you try your hand at Vainglory you’ll get ganked almost immediately by a crystal-toting Glaive.

If you’d rather avoid that ignominious end, you’ll want to read our guide to all things Vainglory. It’s loaded with tips and tricks on how to kick ass in this excellent iOS game, an Apple favorite that showcases the awesome fun possible in the multiplayer online battle arena genre.

You’ll find basic and advanced gameplay tips, plus a special top 10 list for every hero in the game, right from the developers themselves.

Pretty soon you’ll be the one pwning your enemies with nonchalant ease, just like Scarf Guy.

Awesome iOS 8 widgets that make your Today screen worth tapping

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Clear from Realmac Software has become one of the most adored to-do apps for iOS, but it's no longer just a list-maker. Thanks to support for reminders and its excellent widget, you can finally add important tasks and get alerts when they are due, ensuring you never forget that bottle of milk on the way home, or that important report that's due tomorrow morning.

Get CLear for iOS now for $4.99.
Clear from Realmac Software has become one of the most adored to-do apps for iOS, but it's no longer just a list-maker. Thanks to support for reminders and its excellent widget, you can finally add important tasks and get alerts when they are due, ensuring you never forget that bottle of milk on the way home, or that important report that's due tomorrow morning.

Get CLear for iOS now for $4.99.

Clever hack lets CarPlay run on an iPhone 6

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Photo:
CarPlay -- coming to a (jailbroken) iPhone near you. Photo: Adam Bell

The first vehicles to support Apple’s CarPlay infotainment system are just starting to appear on the market, but a clever hack from developer Adam Bell means you may be able to get your hands on it sooner than most — and without the need for a compatible in-car infotainment system.

Despite not quite being ready for primetime just yet, Bell’s nifty jailbreak means that users will be able run Apple’s CarPlay software on iPhones and iPads, as seen in the above picture.

It follows hot on the heels of Pangu’s recent iOS 8 jailbreak, which Apple has subsequently (and most likely temporarily) patched.

How Apple’s pursuit of simplicity helped revolutionize the SIM card

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Swap SIMs no more. Photo: Apple
Your SIM swapping days are over, thanks to Apple. Photo: Apple

One of the neatest and most innovative features of Apple’s new iPads is the unique Apple SIM feature, which allows users to easily switch between different carriers and plans using iOS.

A newly uncovered patent application dates elements of Apple’s concept back to 2009, before Apple even debuted the iPad. Called “Provisioning an Embedded Subscriber Identity Module,” the invention describes a method of obtaining and personalizing an embedded eSIM card, which can be provisioned over-the-air, rather than the pre-provisioned nature of physical SIM cards.

And in true Apple style it was all about one thing: simplicity.