What could be tougher than a fire hose? Nothing, that’s what – not even a dragon’s hide can beat out these woven polymer wonders. And it turns out that they are also pretty damn useful: when not being used to quench fires or give civil-rights protesters a jocular nudge, a firehose can be used to protect your iPhone.
I’m pretty sure I have some speakers on my desk. I say “pretty sure” because, while I can hear them loud and clear, I haven’t been able to see them amongst the clutter for many months now. I’m just terrified of unplugging the little cable from my MacBook’s jack socket in case I can never listen to music again. Not that I can find my MacBook either.
But the UCubes might be the answer. First, they hook up via USB, sucking both sound and power out through the bus, meaning I can leave my existing speakers hooked up, just in case.
Second, they are so handsome that I might be inspired to do my annual spring clean a few months early to allow them full aesthetic access to my desk. Where by “spring clean” I mean “sweep everything but my computer into a box and start over.”
It seems Apple’s problematic new Maps app was discouraging a lot of people from upgrading to iOS 6, the Cupertino company’s latest software. But now that Google Maps is official available as a native iOS app, there’s nothing to stop users from finally performing the upgrade. In fact, its arrival boosted iOS 6 adoption by 29%.
Would Apple ever make a credit card? They’ve got millions of credit cards on file for iTunes and App Store purchases. They could integrate it with Passbook. And they’ve got over $100 billion in cash just chillin in the bank, so why not?
We don’t think Apple would ever make a credit card, but it’s an interesting idea that the guys at Credit Card Compare dreamed up – like how it would integrate with Find My iPhone so you could chase down anyone who swipes your wallet. The mockup marketing materials they created for the iCard are perfect. It’s exactly what Apple.com would look like after the big iCard keynote.
Take a look:
Realmac Software, the developers behind Clear and RapidWeaver, have slashed the price of their Mac apps by up to 65% for the holidays. All of their titles are included in the sale, which lasts until January 6, and Clear for iPhone has also been reduced to just $0.99. We’ve got a complete list of the apps on sale below.
If you know someone who just got a new iPhone or iPad, or might be getting one for Christmas, you can help them stock up on apps, music, and movies for cheap with an iTunes gift card. Walmart is selling $50 iTunes gift cards for only 40 bucks. That’s 20% off and the biggest discount we’ve seen.
You can only get this deal online from Walmart.com. Once you purchase the gift card you’ll receive an email with a code that you can redeem via iTunes that will give you a $50 credit in your account. It’s free money. Hurry and get the deal while it’s still available.
Source: Walmart
Just a few weeks back we brought you the then-cheap $100 ring-light for the iPhone, a cheap way to shoot flat fashion photos and videos with your favorite camera. Now, though, you can achieve the same thing for just $10.
Bonus: It’s a DIY project, so you have a great excuse to ignore your family this Christmas.
Apple’s much-anticipated television set has entered its initial testing phase at Hon Hai Precision Industry, a company source has revealed. It’s expected to feature a display between 46 inches and 55 inches in size, and shipments are likely to be “huge.” Don’t expect to have one in your living room anytime soon, however; it doesn’t look like it’s going to get its grand unveiling during 2013.
If you want a waterproof bag, forget about zippers, velcro, or any other kind of fastening. What you need is a roll-top bag – just ask Ortlieb, the king of waterproof gear.
The same goes for gadget bags, and Smithfly’s Digi-Pouch offers a tight-sealing, easy-access home for your cameras, iPhones and anything else you want to keep dry.
Struggling Kodak has finally agreed to sell its digital imaging patents to Intellectual Ventures and RPX Corporation — two consortiums backed by Apple, Google, Microsoft, and others — for $525 million. Kodak will receive a portion of the money from 12 intellectual property licensees, with each licensee receiving rights to the patents, while another portion will be paid by Intellectual Ventures, which will then acquire the digital imaging patent portfolio, plus the new and existing licenses.
Japanese toy manufacturer Legend Toys has unveiled a remarkably detailed Steve Jobs figure to commemorate the first anniversary of his death. Sculpted by Takao Kato, it’s called the ‘Steve mini’, and it comes bundled with a number of props, such as a chair and a tiny iPad. It’ll begin shipping at the end of December — but there’s a good chance Apple will stop it soon.
Android’s market share continues to grow throughout the world, but one country where Google’s platform is having its biggest impact is in China. It’s now the largest single Android market in the world, with one third of all Android devices sold there during 2012. The iPhone, on the other hand, is struggling there.
Just a week ago, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo began slyly hinting that Apple would be building a 3.2 million square foot computer chip factory somewhere in his state. This project is known as Project Azalea.
But not so fast. Now a new report has popped up saying that New York isn’t the destination of Apple’s massive new fab plant, but Oregon is instead.
Are you one of the many people unhappy with your new iPad mini’s low-res screen? Good morning! Here’s a handful of salt in your wound. Apple may already be revving up retina iPad mini production, according to a tenuous new analyst report.
Back in August, Google-owned Motorola Mobility sued Apple for violating 7 of its software patents. Motorola accused Apple of infringing on patents relating to everything from location-based reminders to email notifications.
Now The International Trade Commission (ITC) has thrown out Motorola’s claim that the iPhone violates a patent on “a sensor that prevents accidental hang-ups,” according to Bloomberg. Motorola’s proximity sensor patent has been deemed invalid by the ITC for the second time, and it looks like Motorola won’t have much luck at appealing the decision.
Penny Arcade The Game: Gamers vs. Evil is a deck-building card game published by Cryptozoic Entertainment. Today, the company announced that a stand alone iOS game app based on the deck-building game becomes available tomorrow, December 19. It features characters from the Penny Arcade comic, including Gabe and Tycho, and will launch at a $4.99 price point. The iOS game was developed by PlayDek Games.
Instagram recently updated its Terms of Service (TOS), and everyone freaked out at a clause that said a “business may pay Instagram to display your photos in connection with paid or sponsored content or promotions without any compensation to you.” INSTAGRAM CAN SELL MY PHOTOS WITHOUT MY PERMISSION?!? Quick, everyone move to Flickr!!!
As with most news involving social network privacy, it has all been blown way out of proportion. No, Instagram does not want to sell your precious pics you take on your iPhone.
Today Apple seeded a new beta of OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.3 to developers in the Mac Dev Center. The build number is “12D43” and the release contains no known issues.
This is the third 10.8.3 beta to be released after the original was seeded back in November. It was previously discovered that OS X 10.8.3 hints at the faster AMD Radeon 7000 chip making its way to the rumored Mac Pro refresh in 2013.
Apple released OS X 10.8.2 to the public back in September with Facebook integration, Game Center, and some other new features. This third 10.8.3 beta comes out just before Apple shuts down iTunes Connect for the holidays this Friday.
We all know how the annoying experience of tapping a link to an App Store app on the iPhone. You’re immediately thrown out of whatever app you’re in and forced to view the app’s full page in the App Store. Thankfully, that cumbersome experience no longer exists for app ads in the official Facebook iOS app.
When a developer pays to show an ad for their iOS app in your Facebook feed, you’ll now be able to open and install said app without ever leaving Facebook. This is the first time we’ve seen the ability for users to download an App Store app from a pop-up window.
You probably love the hell out of your iPhone. You take it everywhere. Give it constant attention. Make sure it’s clothed in the coolest covers so it doesn’t get banged up and have to go to the Genius Bar emergency room. Heck, you probably even sleep with the little guy.
Sadly, your iPhone doesn’t love you. But a new app called Hatch wants to change all that by turning your iPhone into a pet that loves you back. Hatch is a new iOS game that hatches cute little pets called Fugus inside your iPhone. You can feed your Fugu, clean up after it, pet it, play with it, and tons of other activities to shower it with love. Your Fugu will love you right back. It’s kind of like the Tamagotchi craze, but better.
Here’s a video of the app in action:
When we see companies shamelessly ripping off Apple’s brand, designs and trademarks, we usually think of any number of tiny Chinese knock-off makers (or Samsung).
Now, though, the Brazilians appear to be getting in on the action, as a Brazil-based electronics maker is now planning on launching a new line of Android smartphones that they are calling IPHONES. Yes, really.
We’ve been waiting for Apple to release iOS 6.1 for a few weeks now, but before they bring out the good stuff, Apple is pushing out a small iOS update for iPhone 5s and the iPad mini.
iOS 6.0.2 is available for download now through iTunes or via over the air updates, but it looks like it’s only for the iPad Mini and iPhone 5. All other iOS devices will have to wait for an update. According to Apple the update fixes a bug that could impact WiFi. We’ll let you know if there are any major changes inside once we get it on our devices.
Here are the individual download links:
The Omni Group has been testing its new OmniFocus Mail Drop, a service which lets you forward emails to a secret address, whereupon they end up — moments later — in your OmniFocus inbox. This means that we can finally (finally!) add emails direct to our Omnifocus from our iPhones and iPads.
But with a little jiggery-pokery, you can finagle some automated internet services to do much more. In this post I’ll show you how I now collect news items from Google Reader and have them waiting for me in Omnifocus and Writing Kit, ready to be written up.
What I am about to share with you will likely blow your mind. It will change your perspective on the world forever, and give you a new understanding of the word “convergence.” Ladies and gentlemen, I bring you the Lens Strap, a device which hovers uncertainly in the quantum foam between iPhoneography accessories and collars for poodles from Beverly Hills.
I warned you.
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.
On day 18 we’re kicking out the jams with the Libratone Zipp.