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News - page 567

Sky Squadron may be the closest we get to Star Fox on iOS

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Sky Squadron is now available in open beta.
Now available in open beta.
Photo: Sky Squadron

Until Nintendo gets around to releasing classic game Star Fox on iOS, fans of the franchise may want to check out Sky Squadron. An upcoming vehicle-based blaster, it’s set to land in the App Store in early 2020.

If you can’t wait that long, however, its developer has just opened it up for an open beta. This is the perfect opportunity for early adopters to take it for a spin.

Updated Apple Maps rolls out to Northeast U.S.

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Updated Apple Maps rolls out in Pacific Northwest and Midwest
Apple wants to banish those terrible early memories of Apple Maps.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Apple is rolling out its revamped Apple Maps app in the Northeast, covering Washington, D.C., Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts and Maine.

The refreshed Apple Maps continues to expand across the United States. Last week, it debuted in Texas, Louisiana and the southern half of Mississippi.

Here’s what happens on Apple’s augmented reality walks

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AR[T]
It's like an art installation in the sky.
Photo: Apple

Apple debuted its AR[T] augmented reality walks in several cities around the world over the weekend.

The walks take place from Apple Stores in San Francisco, New York, London, Paris, Hong Kong, and Tokyo. They boast augmented reality demos created by world renowned artists. A new report describes the experience.

Apple will introduce all three iPhone 11 models in September

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iPhone 11 R and 11 Max on fence post
Are you excited about this year's iPhone refresh?
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

Apple will release all three of its new iPhone 11 models in September, Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives claims in a note to investors.

That would mark a change from last year, when Apple paced its iPhone launch. In 2018, the iPhone XS and XS Max shipped in September. However, fans waiting for the iPhone XR had to hold on until October.

Apple sued for alleged lack of transparency over iCloud data

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iCloud
Apple isn't completely clear about where your data ends up.
Photo: Apple

A class-action lawsuit filed this week takes aim at Apple for storing some iCloud data on third-party servers.

The company is accused of breaching consumer trust to sell iCloud subscriptions. It states iCloud data will be “stored by Apple,” but offloads some of it to Amazon and other companies.

Run Windows on Mac faster than ever with Parallels Desktop 15

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When one operating system just isn't enough, you can run Windows on Mac with Parallels for Mac.
When one operating system just isn't enough.
Screenshot: Parallels

Parallels Desktop 15 lets you run Windows on a Mac faster than ever, thanks to a performance-enhancing switch to Apple’s Metal framework. Today’s update to the popular virtualization app brings loads of other feature enhancements, including support for DirectX 11.

The increased efficiency means some Windows apps that would not even launch in Parallels Desktop 14 work properly in the new version.

“We want you to do whatever you want,” said John Uppendahl, Parallels’ VP of communications, during a demo of the new software at the Cult of Mac office in San Francisco.

Patterning’s new shortcuts transform iPad keyboard into drum kit

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Street drummer with buckets
This guy makes better music with buckets than I can manage with any app.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Patterning is probably the best drum machine app on the iPad, and one of the best iOS music apps, period. Which makes it criminal that we’ve never written a dedicated post about it. That can change today, because the developer, Olympia Noise Co., just added keyboard shortcuts.

Wait, come back! These aren’t just any keyboard shortcuts. These shortcuts let you use your iPad’s Smart Folio Keyboard, or any Bluetooth keyboard, to fingerdrum on the iPad.

‘Dogfishing’ gets potential dates barking up the wrong tree

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Bumble
Georgia might go out with Michael because he has a cute dog, but the date is over when she finds out Rex belongs to a neighbor.
Photo: Bumble

Showing an adorable puppy in your online dating profile is an easy way to make yourself seem likable and kind. Unfortunately, many of the people who use this method seem to think there’s no reason to put up with a smelly, dirty mutt when they can just lie about it.

Samsung steps up its battle against iPhone in Europe

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Canalys
Samsung dominated Apple's European market share last quarter.
Photo: Canalys

Apple had a disappointing last quarter in Europe, where iPhone market share fell by a significant 17%. Into the space previously held by Apple, Samsung and Xiaomi made the biggest gains.

Samsung grew its market presence by 20% versus this time last year. In doing so, it’s almost tripling Apple’s market share. Xiaomi, meanwhile, increased 48%, although it still lags behind Apple.

Team of divers discover working iPhone X at the bottom of a lake

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Underwater Hunters
Well, that's $1,000 saved!
Photo: Underwater Hunters

An iPhone survived under water for two days before being discovered by divers in a murky lake in the U.K.

The phone was discovered by a team of professional divers. It belonged to a member of staff at a watersports park in Nottinghamshire. “The screen lit up and he had a missed call from his granddad,” the diver who discovered it said.

Bill Gates lures away one of Apple’s top health experts

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Microsoft should have been Apple's biggest mobile challenger, Bill Gates says.
Dr. Andrew Trister is leaving Apple to join the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Photo: Statsministerens kontor/Flickr CC

One of the first employees recruited for Apple’s health team has left Apple to join the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Dr. Andrew Trister joined Apple in 2016, shortly after it introduced Apple Watch. Since then, Apple has heavily piloted in the direction of health-tracking. Tim Cook has said Apple’s focus on health will be its, “greatest contribution to mankind.”

YouTube CEO restricts how often her kids get to use mobile phones

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YouTube Music
Susan Wojcicki isn't the first big name in tech to do the same.
Photo: Cult of Mac

The CEO of YouTube has joined a growing list of big name tech industry figures who restrict their kids’ access to mobile devices.

Susan Wojcicki says that, “I have times when I take away all my kids’ phones, especially if we’re on a family vacation, because I want people to interact with each other.” Steve Jobs and Bill Gates have previously expressed similar sentiments.

Modified Lightning cables let hackers remotely hack Apple devices

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Lightning cables that plug into USB-C ports charge your iPhone more quickly.
Hacked cables were shown off at a recent hacking conference.
Photo: Apple

Everyone knows about the risks of phishing email, dodgy downloaded software, and accessing sensitive data while using public Wi-Fi. But how about third-party Lightning cables?

According to a new report, these are a risk as well — with security experts noting that it’s possible for malicious Lightning cables to grant access to your Mac to a remote attacker.

Telegram gets Silent Messages feature, customizable dark mode

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Telegram-app
There's also a Slow Mode for group conversations.
Photo: Christian Wiediger/Unsplash

Telegram for iOS now lets you send messages without sound so you don’t disturb the person receiving them.

Its version 5.10 update — available now from the App Store — also lets you customize dark mode accent colors, set custom titles for group admins, and enable Slow Mode for group conversations.

Awesome new accessories available now from the Watch Store

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CoM-Watch-Store-new-Aug-11-19
The Cult of Mac Watch Store has you covered.
Photo: Monowear, Twelve South, Mifa

We just added a bunch of awesome new gadgets and accessories to the Cult of Mac Watch Store.

Whether you want a gorgeous Apple Watch band, a handy charging stand, or a stylish AirPods case, we’ve got you covered with the latest from the likes of Twelve South, Mifa, and more.

Find out what’s new this week right here — and be prepared to splash some cash.

Latest iPadOS 13 beta is finally stable enough for almost anyone [Opinion]

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iPadOS Home Screen
Widgets on the Home screen are something you can have today, if you install the iPadOS13 beta.
Photo: Apple

The iPadOS beta Apple introduced this week offers something none of its predecessors did: reliability. Stability, even. After days of testing on an iPad Pro, I found it close enough to the final version that an average person can access a mouse or thumbdrive with their iPad nearly hassle-free. That hasn’t been true of earlier betas.

Less rigorous testing of iOS 13 on an iPhone XS Max indicates it’s also relatively stable.

We could see an iPhone Pro this year

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iPhone 11 Max leaning on fence post
This could be a picture of the iPhone 11 Pro, not a “Max” or a “Plus.”
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

Apple makes a MacBook Pro and an iPad Pro. Soon there could be an iPhone Pro, too.

This unconfirmed report comes from a source with an unblemished history for leaking details about upcoming Apple products.

7 things Apple should steal from Samsung [Cult of Mac Magazine 309]

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7 things Apple should steal from Samsung, in Cult of Mac Magazine No. 309.
It's time for Apple to copy Samsung (by copying Samsung).
Cover: Marty Cortinas/Cult of Mac

Sure, Samsung showed off some clunky ideas this week during its Galaxy Note 10 showcase. But some of Samsung’s new features got us hoping Apple adds them soon to iPhones and MacBooks. It’s high time Apple does what Samsung always does: Copy the best features!

Find out what we liked in this week’s issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. In it, you also will find an assortment of Apple news (the latest on Apple Card and iPhone batteries), reviews (AR swim goggles, etc.) and how-tos (mute those calls!).

Grab the iOS version for free and read it on your iPad. Or, alternatively, hit the links below to read in whatever browser you want.

iPad Pro might get triple-lens camera like iPhone 11

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iPad Pro with rumored triple-lens camera
The artist’s concept shows an iPad Pro with the rumored triple-lens camera.
Photo: Cult of Mac/Apple

The signature feature of the upcoming iPhone 11 could also be in Apple’s professional-grade tablets. The next iPad Pro will get the triple-lens camera supposedly launching in this fall’s iOS handsets, according to an unconfirmed report from Asia.

And regular iPad models might get a dual-lens camera.

Sony’s new CarPlay system is big as an iPad

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BMW could ditch its pricey annual subscription cost for CarPlay
BMW could ditch its pricey annual subscription cost for CarPlay
Photo: Sony

Car infotainment systems have grown dramatically in size, and Sony promises one that allows people with older models to upgrade to an 8.95-inch screen. It supports Apple’s CarPlay, so the driver’s iPhone is ready to provide navigation, make calls or play music.