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News - page 357

Skydance Animation deal means lots of magic for Apple TV+

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‘Luck’ is coming to Apple TV+.
Luck, coming to Apple TV+, takes a trip to a world of good and bad luck to discover there are more powerful things than luck.
Photo: Apple/Skydance Animation

Apple TV+ and Skydance Animation inked a deal that will see two new movies and a series released on the streaming video service. The upcoming films for children are Luck and Spellbound. Plus, Apple signed up for two seasons of The Search for WondLa.

Brydge 10.2 Max+ rugged keyboard case adds large trackpad to budget iPad

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Brydge 10.2 Max+ is available for preorder now.
The Brydge 10.2 Max+ turns an iPad 8 into a detachable laptop/tablet.
Photo: Brydge

Brydge has a new feature-laden keyboard case for the low-cost 10.2-inch iPad. It brings a large trackpad to this tablet. And the Brydge 10.2 Max+ offers 4-foot MIL-STD drop protection thanks to a built-in Otterbox case.

This company’s keyboards for the iPad Pro are aimed at professionals. The newest one for the low-cost iPad seems to be for younger users.

College freshman sees upside of hunkering down in his parents’ house [Setups]

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Shad Ahmad's straightforward setup centers on a MacBook Pro and 32-inch monitor.
Shad Ahmad's straightforward setup centers on a MacBook Pro and 32-inch monitor.
Photo: Shahid Ahmad

Shad Ahmad was a hard-studying freshman majoring in biology and minoring in history at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, when the COVID-19 pandemic struck.

Going home to continue classes for a semester remotely from his parents’ house in Wisconsin may not have been ideal, but Ahmad found a comforting upside. Integrated smart technology makes his life easier, he told Cult of Mac.

Blurry Billie Eilish doc comes into focus with new Apple TV+ promo

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Elish
Check out the bad guy in action.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple’s second trailer for its Apple TV+ Billie Eilish documentary, The World’s A Little Blurry, shows off a bit more of what fans can expect from the upcoming film.

The documentary, which Apple reportedly paid $25 million to acquire, will debut on Apple TV+ later this month, February 26. It features footage of Eilish and her brother, Finneas O’Connell, growing up, as well as recording some of their smash hits.

Check out the trailer below:

Google’s Chrome OS proves more popular than macOS in 2020

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Chrome OS image
Move over Mac!
Photo: Google

According to new figures by IDC, 2020 is the first year in which Google’s Chrome OS was found on more new computers sold than macOS.

That’s due to the success of Chromebooks made by the likes of Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, and Lenovo. While no figures are given, it seems likely that these now outsell Macs.

Warren Buffett’s firm unloads 57 million Apple shares

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Buffett
Warren Buffett is one of Apple's biggest cheerleaders.
Photo: CNBC

Berkshire Hathaway — the investment firm belonging to Warren Buffett, one of Apple’s biggest cheerleaders in recent years — reduced its stake in the Cupertino tech giant last quarter.

According to a regulatory filing made this week, in Q4 2020, Berkshire Hathaway cut 6% of its Apple shares. By contrast it kept its Amazon shares steady, while growing its stake in T-Mobile by a massive 117%.

Epic takes its Fortnite beef with Apple to European regulators

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Epic Games mocked Apple with a ‘1984’ parody.
The battle continues.
Screenshot: Epic Games

The battle between Apple and Fortnite maker Epic Games continues as Epic is appealing to European Union antitrust regulators to take action, Reuters reports Wednesday.

The report notes that Epic is turning to Europe after “failing to make headway” in the United States. The EU already has multiple antitrust investigations ongoing involving Apple. These concern the App Store and Apple Pay, both of which they are concerned show Apple abusing its marketplace position.

Apple pays out $163 million in ‘unmatched’ royalties for Apple Music

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Apple Music TV
These royalties are for historical payments to artists whose information was harder to find.
Photo: Apple

Apple has paid out a massive $163,338,890 in “accrued historical unmatched royalties” for Apple Music. That’s more than any other streaming music service, including Spotify, which currently leads the overall global market share.

The Mechanical Licensing Collective received a total of $424.3 million in these historical royalties. Variety notes this means some songwriters and publishers will receive a big “windfall.”

Mac fan transforms 1997 Toshiba Libretto into tiny Hackintosh

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Libretto
The Apple portable that never was.
Photo: Action Retro

Long before we all started carrying around powerful computers in our pockets, there was the tiny Toshiba Libretto. A game-changing device when it arrived in the 1990s, the Libretto downsized the entire Windows PC experience into a subnotebook the size of a paperback.

As the world’s smallest commercially available Windows PC, it certainly proved revolutionary. The only problem is the Libretto was … well, a Windows PC.

YouTuber Action Retro recently set out to right that wrong with an awesome Hackintosh project. After transforming the diminutive Libretto into a miniature Mac, he spoke with Cult of Mac about the experience (and his love of vintage Macs).

Instagram content creator pictures setup perfection [Setups]

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Instagram content creator Matt Tran runs his MacBook Pro with an ultrawide screen and a portable one for different reasons.
Instagram content creator Matt Tran runs his MacBook Pro with an ultrawide screen and a portable one for different reasons.
Photo: Matt - Instagram @nvzion

Austin, Texas-based photographer Matt Tran initially built his impressive setup to share his pics on Instagram, and you can certainly see a lot of them there. But now he uses his workstation, centered on a MacBook Pro and two monitors of vastly different sizes, to film and edit videos.

“I like having the 38-inch [LG] ultrawide to view the timeline on Final Cut Pro and the smaller, 15.6-inch Desklab portable monitor to review the footage,” he told Cult of Mac.

Microsoft’s unified Office app finally lands on iPad

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Microsoft Office iPad
It only took a year after its iPhone debut.
Photo: Apple

Almost exactly one year after it arrived on iPhone, Microsoft’s unified Office app is now finally available for iPad. The app combines Word, Excel, and PowerPoint in one single package.

That means that all your documents are in one place, and you don’t need to switch between apps depending on whether you’re editing a text document or using a spreadsheet.

Apple’s Entrepreneur Camp for Black founders and devs combats opportunity barriers

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Entrepreneur Camp for Black Founders and Developers
This is Apple’s first-ever Entrepreneur Camp for Black Founders and Developers.
Photo: Apple

Apple on Tuesday revealed the 13 app companies that will take part in its first Entrepreneur Camp for Black Founders and Developers.

The company called the program part of its “ongoing commitment to empower the Black community and dismantle barriers to opportunity.”

Apple fixes macOS Big Sur installer bug that could result in data loss

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With macOS Big Sur, Apple takes things to the next level.
Big Sur issue trapped some users in a never-ending install loop.
Photo: Apple

Apple fixed a bug in the macOS Big Sur installer that could result in data loss and a perpetual install loops for unlucky users.

The macOS Big Sur 11.2.1 fix, released Monday, causes Macs to carry out checks to see if users have enough free space for installation prior to updating their systems.

watchOS 7.3.1 repairs serious Apple Watch charging problem

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watchOS 7.3.1 squashes a bug inApple Watch’s Power Reserve feature.
Power Reserve reduces drain on your Apple Watch’s battery. But there’s a bug.
Photo: Cult of Mac

To prevent your Apple Watch Series 5 or Apple Watch SE from refusing to charge when it’s in Power Reserve, you need watchOS 7.3.1. Apple rushed this update out on Monday specifically to fix this bug.

Any Apple Watch hit with this bug drains until it’s dead, and can‘t be recharged. But Apple will repair the affected devices at no cost.

Real astronauts will splash-land on For All Mankind podcast

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‘For All Mankind: The Official Podcast’ debuted Friday on Apple Podcasts
For All Mankind: The Official Podcast is a mix of hard science and alternate history.
Photo: Apple TV+

Apple TV+ is launching a podcast dedicated to For All Mankind, the streaming service’s alternate-history show about the space race. The podcast will serve as a platform for real astronauts and scientists to discuss space travel with the series’ cast and creators.

The first episode of the podcast debuts Friday, the same day season two of the sci-fi series arrives.

Colorado finance pro likes his (indoor) open spaces [Setups]

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Ryan Brookes likes open spaces in and around his setup.
Ryan Brookes likes open spaces in and around his setup.
Photo: Ryan Brookes

Ryan Brookes, who works in sales for a financial services firm in Denver, Colorado, likes his open spaces. That includes indoor ones, like a spare, clean setup on his desk. Physical space helps him think, he told Cult of Mac.

His Mac mini with an M1 chip tethered to a 49-inch Samsung curved monitor probably help him think, too. Those and his iPad, which he will soon pair with a Keychron K1 Mechanical Keyboard.

Build your own iPhone, Apple Watch charging stand with Blocks

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Blocks charging stand kit
What kind of charging stand will you create?
Photo: SwitchEasy

Build your own charging stand with the brilliant Blocks set from SwitchEasy. The kit includes everything you need (except charging cables) to create a wonderfully unique charging dock for iPhone, Apple Watch, or both.

Blocks makes a great gift for any creative mind, and it’s just $19.99 through the Cult of Mac Store.

Apple Music Replay 2021 is your own personal hit parade

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Replay
Replay is the easy way to check out your most listened-to tracks.
Photo: Cult of Mac/Apple

Apple launched its Replay 2021 playlist on Monday, giving Apple Music users a way to easily see a ranking of their most listened-to songs.

Unlike Spotify’s ultra-popular Wrapped feature, which summarizes annual listening, Apple updates its Replay feature constantly throughout the year. Updated rankings show up every Sunday.

Steve Jobs’ teenage job application goes up for auction

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Jobs
Before he co-founded Apple, Steve Jobs had to apply for jobs like the rest of us.
Photo: Esther Dyson/Flickr CC

Steve Jobs didn’t have to fill in a whole lot of job applications during his life. After founding Apple Computer at 21, Jobs’ name was well enough known that he didn’t have to mail off too many resumes and cover letters. Or have reasons to send them out.

However, one of the rare applications Jobs did complete is coming up for auction. It’s a great piece of memorabilia, even if it will likely set you back a whole lot more than Steve would have ever earned in the role.

VW boss says threat of Apple car’s overnight success does not worry him

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VW
Rumors of an Apple car continue to roil the automotive industry.
Photo: Sgcdesignco/Unsplash CC

Welcome, Apple…. Seriously.

That, in essence, seems to be the message from Volkswagen chief exec Herbert Diess in a recent interview, responding to rumors about the Apple car.

“The car industry is not a typical tech sector that you could take over at a single stroke,” Diess said in a recent interview with German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung. “Apple will not manage that overnight.”

iPhone 13 could be Apple’s first with an always-on display

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A signature feature of the iPhone 13 might be an always-on display.
The iPhone 13 could stand out from its predecessors thanks to an always-on display.
Artist’s concept: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The iPhone 13 series will borrow the always-on screen from the Apple Watch, according to an unconfirmed report. And the upcoming iPhone supposedly will support some new camera tricks, including Portrait Mode for video.

It’s shaping up to perhaps be more than a speed-bumped version of Apple’s 2020 models.

Epic adaptation of Isaac Asimov’s Foundation premieres on Apple TV+ in fall 2021

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Foundation is coming to Apple TV+ next year.
Foundation on Apple TV+ will be a mix of Star Wars and Game of Thrones.
Photo: Apple/Skydance Television

Apple TV+’s ambitious version of Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series is reportedly scheduled for fall of 2021. Previously, all we’ve known is a vague promise from Apple that the sprawling sci-fi epic is “coming soon.”

In addition, the series is expected to extend over dozens of episodes.