News - page 1661

One of the better Yuletide traditions is the venerable holiday Advent Calendar, in which each day of December leading up to Christmas is marked off on a special calendar by opening its corresponding door to find a small gift, toy or chocolate squirreled away inside.

This year, we here at Cult of Mac decided we wanted to give our readers their very own Apple-themed advent calendar, filled with the year’s best apps, gadgets, stories and other curios. So each day in December, we’re going to lovingly peel back the door on the Cult of Mac 2012 Advent Calendar to reveal another delicious morsel, something really special that came out this year that we think every one of you should enjoy.

So what’s up with door number 6? It’s a handy little charging solution called the PlugBug that puts a spare 10 watt USB charger in your MacBook power brick.

The latest evolution of Spotify was revealed today at a press event in New York City that showed off Spotify’s new browser app, music discovery features, social additions and more.

Spotify users will now be able to get the same experience they’ve become accustomed to with the desktop client via a new web-based player. The new web-player will allow users to search and play music, create playlist, and use other new features Spotify unveiled today that will help people find newer, better, cooler music.

Hackers have long preferred to focus their attacks on Microsoft’s operating systems over the years, but there have been signs that they’re starting to target OS X as well. With the threat of security attacks looming in the background Apple has decided they need to get help from the very hackers that know how to exploit their software.

To help lock down its security issues, Apple has hired the same noted computer security researcher, and former hacker, who helped Microsoft fix Window Vista’s security bugs.

The short form: Zagg’s Pro Plus has got to be the best compact iPad keyboard I have used (and I have used a lot). It is also backlit, incredibly light and doubles as an iPad case.

But it has one fatal flaw – your iPad 3 or later will probably fall out.

Google+ continues to evolve into one of the greatest social network/community platforms available (the best in my opinion). Many skeptics claimed it would become another failed Google project, constantly referring to it as a ghost town. If you’ve ever used Google+, then you already know what a crock those claims are, and in fact, Google+ is growing faster than ever.

Earlier today, Apple CEO Tim Cook announced that, starting in 2013, Apple would start investing over $100 million in local business to build Macs in the United States.

Even more intriguing, he said one model of Mac would be made exclusively in the U.S. But which one?

Tim Cook wouldn’t say, but when you think about it, there’s one obvious contender: the Mac Pro. Here’s why.

It’s December, which means that the lack of real news combined with my absurd love for iPhone and camera-related gewgaws takes over, bring a rain of plastic crap down on the pages of Cult of Mac. Sometimes this intersects with a genuinely useful accessory, and today we bring you the 3-in-1 Lightning Camera Connector.

Google has been busy rolling out updates to its mobile apps this week, making big improvements to the Gmail and YouTube app for iOS. But it seems the company hasn’t quite finished yet. It just rolled out some major changes to Google Shopper for Android and iOS — including a new look and new features — which are sure to make Christmas shopping on your smartphone a great deal easier.

As the only major carrier in the U.S. to not offer the iPhone, T-Mobile has been suffering lately as their customers have fled to other carriers to get an iPhone. Deutsche Telecom announced today that T-Mobile USA has entered into an agreement with Apple to bring the iPhone to their network.

Don’t rush to the Apple Store to pick up your T-Mobile iPhone just yet though. T-Mobile say they won’t be selling Apple products in the U.S. until 2013. T-Mobile plans to roll out significant investments in their broadband LTE infrastructure in the U.S. between 2013 and 2020.

Tim Cook announced that Apple is ready to invest $100 million into bringing some of its Mac production back to the U.S. in 2013. Foxconn, the major supplier to Apple, said that they’re ready to expand in the U.S. too, as more of their clients have requested their products be made in the U.S.A.

As Foxconn’s biggest client and the largest technology company in the world, Apple’s move to bring manufacturing jobs back to the U.S. could trigger more companies to follow suit, and Foxconn wants to meet the challenge.

Apple’s holiday tradition of giving away freebies for Christmas continues this year with the re-launch of their 12 Days of Christmas App. The app actually looks and functions exactly like last year’s 12 Days of Christmas app.

Like previous versions of the app, 12 Days of Christmas will give away a selection of songs, music videos, apps, and books for free. Each giveaway item is only available for 24-hours so this is an app you’ll want to keep tabs on.

This spinning, five-lens-bayonet case for the iPhone 5 looks fantastic, but it’s hard to get past both a) the price ($140, or HK$1,080) and b) the name (TurtleJacket PentaEye!)

Still, it’s billed as a tool for the “serious iPhoneographer,” so let’s take a look.

The GoPano Micro is a Kickstarter project that’s really taken off, becoming a huge success on the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S. So it’s no surprise to see that it’s soon coming to iPhone 5. It’s available to pre-order now from the GoPano store, priced at $60, with shipping expected to begin later this month.

We’ve already posted all of the best quotes from Apple CEO Tim Cook’s major new interview with Bloomberg Businessweek, but this deserves highlighting: in the interview, Tim Cook explained why he fired iOS chief Scott Forstall, strongly indicating that Forstall was a divisive, political figure in Apple who flew in the face of the spirit of collaboration the company strives for.

6Wunderkinder has announced a brand new version of Wunderlist that’s coming to Android, iOS, Mac, and PC just in time for Christmas. Wunderlist 2 has been “reengineered, rebuilt and redesigned, from start to finish,” its creators tease. Check out what’s new and get a glimpse of the new app in the preview video below.

The season is fast approaching for tradeshows, and with it the need for desperate booth-builders to find newer and more gimmicky ways to hawk their wares. I predict that the iPad mini will be the hot ticket this year (or rather, early next year), and New PC Gadgets seems to agree, for it has just launched an acrylic security stand for the little tablet.

Looking to get an iPad mini with super-speedy LTE access ridiculously cheap? If you’re in the United Kingdom, then you’re in luck. EE, the U.K.’s first and only 4G network, is now offering Apple’s new tablet subsidized for just £50 (approx. $81) — providing you’re happy to sign up for a new two-year agreement at £36 (approx. $58) per month.

Apple CEO Tim Cook just didn’t talk with Businessweek today in an unpredecented interview, he’s also going to be on NBC’s “Rock Center” tonight talking to Brian Williams… and in a new preview of the upcoming episode, Tim Cook has hinted strongly that Apple will be entering the HDTV market sooner rather than later.

Modern Combat 4: Zero Hour, the latest addition to Gameloft’s awesome first-person shooter series, has arrived on iOS in a bid to push the boundaries of mobile gaming even further. It promises to be “the most memorable action thriller ever,” boasting an intense solo campaign and a completely redesigned multiplayer mode. What’s more, its console-quality graphics look incredible on Retina display devices.

Tim Cook sat down with Bloomberg Businessweek for a massive 11-page interview. It’s incredible reading, well worth going through in total, but here are the best bits and quotes, ranging everywhere from Apple’s patriotism, to why Scott Forstall was fired, the future of the Mac, how Apple plans on fixing iOS 6 Maps, and much, much, much more.

Apple CEO Tim Cook has announced that the company will invest over $100 million to bring some of its Mac production back to the United States in 2013. At least one model will be made exclusively in the U.S., Cook revealed during an interview on NBC’s Rock Center, though he wouldn’t reveal which model that would be.

Which? –the UK consumer site/organization/magazine — has put tablet battery life to the test. Tablets were split into two size groups, has their screens set to the exact same brightness (using an external calibration tool) and were used to browse the web until they died.

And surprise! The iPad not only won in each category, but won by a landslide.

Evernote has updated its Android and iOS apps today — just under a month after introducing a brand new redesign — to add support for Evernote Business, meaning those who subscribe to the service can now access it on their smartphones and tablets. The update also brings a new Business Notebook design and other improvements.

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City is finally available to download on Android (nearly!) and iOS, priced at $4.99. Rockstar Games has brought the hugely popular title to mobile to celebrate its 10th anniversary — as it did with Grand Theft Auto 3 last year — and it has made a number of improvements that will ensure you enjoy the game even more this time around.

Apple has reduced the shipping delay for the iPad mini to just one week in the United States, ensuring orders placed before midnight on December 12 will be delivered in time for Christmas. The new delay applies to both Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + cellular models in all capacities — but it still hasn’t made its way to international online stores.