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This leather shield for your AirPods is a travel must have

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A gorgeous leather case armors your new AirPods 2 against theft, damage, and debris.
AirSnap keeps your AirPods protected at all times.
Photo: Twelve South

Find My AirPods isn’t your only line of defense against a lost AirPod catastrophe anymore. Twelve South’s AirSnap is a full-grain leather case tailored to protect your AirPods while also keeping them close at hand.

AirSnap protects both your AirPods and charging case from getting nicked, scratched and dirty while floating around your desk, computer bag, or purse. Plus, it’s available at the Cult of Mac Watch Store just in time to make a great stocking stuffer this holiday season.

Last chance! We’ll pay an extra $20 for your old devices

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Apple iPad Pro
There couldn’t be a better time to upgrade your Apple devices.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

With big discounts to be had on Apple devices for Cyber Monday, it’s a great time to upgrade. And you’ll have even more cash to put toward your new iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, or Mac if you sell your old device to Cult of Mac — but you’ll need to act fast!

Today is the last day we’ll give you an extra $20 for your trade-ins.

This lovable Mac lookalike is soft enough to hug

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Classicbot
Hardware and software, the Classicbot Plush.
Photo: Philip Lee

There are collectors dying to get their hands on certain Mac prototypes. Put your hands on the one that surfaced in Anaheim, Calif. earlier this month, you’ll want to squeeze it. It’s that soft.

Philip Lee, the Hong Kong toy designer who loves all things Apple, showed off the plush Mac-like prototype toy at the recent DesignerCon 2018.

Apple offers free coding classes and learning materials

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In December, Apple will offer free coding classes to teach kids and teens.
In December, Apple will offer free coding classes to teach kids and teens.
Photo: Apple

Next month, there will be thousands of free Hour of Code sessions at all Apple Stores around the world. These will help people at a variety of skill levels learn coding

In addition, the company also just introduced new materials to help teach coding inside and outside the classroom.

App Store antitrust suit might make Supreme Court

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App Store monopoly lawsuit might make Supreme Court. This is the latest chapter in a long-running case involving Apple.
This is the latest chapter in a long-running case involving Apple.
Photo: Supermac1961/Flickr CC

Apple’s legal team could soon be headed to the Supreme Court to face an antitrust case being levied against the company.

U.S. Supreme Court justices heard an hour of arguments for an antitrust lawsuit against Apple today. The nine justices appeared to be open to letting the lawsuit move up to the highest court. If Apple loses, we could see huge changes in the App Store.

FAANG stocks show signs of recovery after disastrous six weeks

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Apple adds 5 new vice presidents to its executive lineup
Is this the beginning of the turnaround?
Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac

Tech stocks have bounced back slightly after their dismal showing over the past month-and-a-half. Four out of the five FAANG stocks — Facebook, Apple, Amazon, Netflix, and Facebook — rose more than 1 percent in early trading today.

That’s not to say that the worst is behind them just yet, but it does suggest a turnaround could be on the cards. And not a moment too soon!

72-hour sale features great gear for iPhone photographers

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Moment sale
All the items you need to make that iPhone video masterpiece can be found at one sale through Thursday.
Photo: Moment

Smartphone lens maker Moment is hosting a 72-hour sale with 150 accessories from 14 brands, a one-stop-shop if you’re looking for a special gift for your favorite mobile photographer.

You can even book a trip to places like Japan, Norway, and Kyrgyzstan.

All items, including Moment lenses, camera bags from leading brands and steady rigs for video shooters, are 20 percent off with the code 72hoursale. The Moment sale began this morning for Cyber Monday and ends Thursday at 8 a.m.

Apple will help build retail apps for luxury goods company

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GUCCIYorkdale 2
Apple-made apps are coming to a luxury store near you.
Photo: Raysonho @ Open Grid Scheduler / Grid Engine CC

Apple is reportedly teaming up with luxury good business Kering — the company which owns brands Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen, and others — to create a set of custom apps for use in store.

Details on the new apps are scarce, but they will reportedly be used to help sales assistants to scan inventories. They will also provide more control over the company’s e-commerce activities.

No, Microsoft didn’t overtake Apple as most valuable tech giant

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money
But that does't mean it can't happen in the near future.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

A number of news outlets reported over the weekend that Microsoft briefly overtook Apple as the most valuable U.S. company. This followed several weeks of precipitous declines for Apple, which has seen billions of dollars wiped off its market cap.

In fact, Apple continues to lead Microsoft with a valuation of $817.6 billion to Microsoft’s $791 billion. The incorrect reports were caused by confusion about Apple’s number of outstanding shares, used to calculate market cap. Microsoft is definitely getting closer, though!

Falling iPhone orders may cause TSMC problems in 2019

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Gather_Round_A12Bionic 2
TSMC manufactures Apple's next-gen A12 Bionic chip.
Photo: Apple

A cutback in chip orders for Apple’s new iPhones is cited as one reason supplier Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) will post disappointing earnings for the first quarter of 2019.

According to a new report, the company expects to report a 14-16 percent sequential decline in revenue for Q1 2019. It comes shortly after another major Apple supplier spoke out about a “very difficult” year ahead.

Not so big in Japan? iPhone XR gets a local price drop

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iPhone sales
The iPhone XR may not be quite the massive hit many expected.
Photo: Apple

As rumored, Apple has slashed the price of the iPhone XR in Japan in an attempt to get more units into customers’ hands.

The lower price tag is courtesy of NTT Docomo, the country’s main mobile carrier. As of today, customers signing up for a 24-month contract can save around $100 on the cost of the device over its lifespan. The total reduction is from 36,000 yen down to 24,000 yen — plus mandatory contract fees.

Light up Black Friday Cyber Monday with big deals on Apple Watch bands [Watch Store]

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Save 20-50% off Apple Watch bands and accessories in our big Black Friday sale.
Save 20-50% off Apple Watch bands and accessories in our big Black Friday sale.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Once the friends and family have polished off the leftover turkey, it’s time for the fun part of Thanksgiving weekend — shopping and saving money. The Cult of Mac Watch Store has you covered through Cyber Monday with up to 50 percent off your favorite Apple Watch bands, chargers and accessories.

You’ll find deep discounts on some of our most popular brands for Apple Watch accessories, including E3 Supply, Ottm, Rilee & Lo and Survival Straps (just to name a few). The sale ends Monday at midnight Pacific, so take advantage of these limited-time discounts while they last.

Start swimming with Apple Watch [Cult of Mac Magazine]

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What are you waiting for? Time to jump in and start swimming with Apple Watch!
What are you waiting for? Time to jump in!
Cover: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

A trip to the pool — with your Apple Watch on your wrist — is the perfect way to burn off those Thanksgiving carbs. Our quick guide to swimming with Apple Watch will give you key pointers to maximize your watery workout.

If you’re not into that, you’ll still find plenty of Apple news, how-tos and reviews in this week’s issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Grab your free subscription on iTunes now. Or, if you like, read on for the week’s best posts — plus your last chance to win an iPhone XR!

Snow way! Fortnite leak all but confirms winter makeover

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Fortnite winter
Winter is coming to Battle Royale.
Photo: Epic Games/Cult of Mac

If you are a snow lover and love to take your snowboard binding and glide on a snowy hill, then this news is definitely going to make you happy as the new files discovered in Fortnite’s latest update all but confirm a snowy map makeover to be on the way.

An approaching storm cloud appeared in Battle Royale earlier this week, leading fans to speculate about a white Christmas. Now it’s looking increasingly likely that the game’s first real winter will arrive with season seven.

And our iPhone XS Max/Casetify giveaway winner is …

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iPhone XS Max giveaway winner: Congratulations to Isamar Mejia (and thanks to Casetify)!
Congratulations to Isamar Mejia (and thanks to Casetify)!
Images courtesy Isamar Mejia, Casetify

Isamar Mejia says she was shocked when she found out she won an iPhone XS Max and a massive Casetify case bundle in Cult of Mac’s latest giveaway.

“At first I thought I was dreaming,” she said in an email. “I had to refresh my email at least a hundred times! It sounds silly but I waited until the next day to see if it’s still there because I thought it was a scam but soon found out it was real! I am super-excited to get the phone!”

Read on for your chance to be a winner, too. We’re giving away an iPhone XR — but you better hurry and enter, because the giveaway ends soon!

Apple recruits new creatives for its in-house ad efforts

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From The Rock to 'Your Verse': Apple's best ads of the 2010s
Apple wants to keep on churning out brilliant advertising.
Photo: Apple

Apple has reportedly “poached” two teams of creatives from the U.K. advertising agency Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO to join its own in-house efforts.

The pairings of Mike Crowe and Rob Messeter, and Caio Giannella and Diego de Oliveira are both relocating from London to Cupertino to work on the iPhone brand and overall Apple brand respectively.

Apple will defend App Store pricing in court next week

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Apple pays $467k for doing business with blacklisted app developer
This is the latest chapter in a long-running case involving Apple.
Photo: Apple

Apple rakes in billions of dollars from the App Store. However, its future ability to do so could be challenged if a federal court rules against the company.

On Monday, Apple will defend its app pricing structure in a federal appeals court. The case involves whether customers buy apps directly from Apple, or whether Apple is more like a middleman connecting app makers with users.

MacBook Pro gets smokin’ fast Vega GPUs, and Apple’s super-secret return and exchange program, on The CultCast

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CultCast 363 MacBook Pro
If you're mad Apple released new GPUs after your 2018 MacBook Pro purchase, you may have an option you haven't considered.
Photo: Apple

This week on The CultCast: Did you know about Apple’s super-secret special return and exchange policy? We’ll tell you what it is, and how to use it if you’re unhappy with your Apple purchase but outside your 14-day return window. Plus: A quest to trade up — the stories of three MacBook Pro owners trying to get Apple to trade in their newly purchased 2018 MacBook Pros for models with the brand new, smoking-fast Vega 20 GPUs. And finally, and most importantly: Happy Thanksgiving!

Our thanks to Gantri for supporting this episode. Gantri’s 3D-printed lights are both beautiful and affordable. Check them out in AR at gantri.com/cultcast, and use code CultCast at checkout for $20 off.

Steve Jobs Theater wins award for ‘structural artistry’

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Steve Jobs Theater
Steve Jobs theater, a true and fitting monument.
Photo: Duncan Sinfield

The Steve Jobs Theater has earned an award for Structural Artistry from The Institute of Structural Engineers.

Located on the Apple Park campus and opened last September, the theater received recognition for being the largest structure in the world solely supported by glass, and for the way in which pipes and other systems have been integrated into its roof.

Google reached peak iPhone in 2012, but Apple won’t be losing sleep

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iPhone 5 1
Google results are revealing, but they don't tell everything.
Photo: Apple

Both global and U.S. search interest in the iPhone peaked in September 2012, around the time of the iPhone 5 launch, Google Trends reveals.

The stat is pointed out in a new Bloomberg report, titled, “iPhone Interest Drops Off.” But while we don’t doubt Google’s results, search terms and overall interest are not exactly the same thing.

CSR Racing 2 lets you restore and race top classic cars

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CSRRacing 3
This update is one for the car lovers.
Photo: NaturalMotion

CSR Racing 2, one of the best and most popular racing games on iOS, just received a great update. The new “Legends” refresh adds 15 new cars from the 1960s through the modern today, including the iconic McLaren F1.

Check out the trailer and new features list below.

Cult of Mac’s gift guides make holiday shopping simple

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CoM Holiday Gift Guides
Start your shopping right here!
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that buying for other people is a pain. If they haven’t told you exactly what they want for the holidays, where do you even start? What if you end up getting a gift that they hate?

Gift guide 2018 bugBut it doesn’t have to be difficult. Cult of Mac’s handy gift guides will help you find the perfect present for the Apple fan in your life. We’ve hand-picked the best gadgets and accessories for lovers of the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac.

What’s more, everything we’ve selected can be purchased online, so you don’t even have to leave the house to get your shopping done.

Chill and escape Thanksgiving with Chillscape

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I don’t know about you, but I’m so frickin’ relaxed right now Chillscape
I don’t know about you, but I’m so frickin’ relaxed right now.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Is your family driving you nuts this Thanksgiving weekend? Of course it is. That’s what families are for. So when you need relief from the endless offers of snacks and drinks, the catty remarks about the fact that you’re “still” child-free, or your nephews’ and nieces’ constant pestering to let them play with your new iPad Pro, while simultaneously ridiculing your attempts at flossing, you might turn to Chillscape to calm yourself back TF down.

Is this just fantasy? Queen’s Brian May hates Apple’s USB-C cables

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Queen
Brian May is speaking up for USB-C haters everywhere.
Photo: Raph_PH/Wikipedia CC

It may sound like a crazy Mad Lib, but it’s not: Queen guitarist Brian May really has taken to Instagram to pen a lengthy rant about Apple’s UBC-C connector.

May dramatically declares that “This is one of the reasons my love for Apple is turning to hatred.” And, from the look of the comments, it seems that quite a few people agree with him.