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Amazon’s next big thing could be a TiVo knockoff

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Amazon Fire TV Stick
Amazon wants Fire TV to be embedded in more TVs.
Photo: Amazon

The biggest name in online retail is aiming its sights on putting TiVo out of business next.

Amazon is reportedly developing a new set top box that will allow users to record live TV, providing a way to side-step cable providers when it comes to watching content on-demand.

Apple taps child star for murder mystery show

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A show about girl reporter Hilde Lysiak is coming to Apple TV.
Girl reporter Hilde Lysiak solved a murder when she was 9 years old. What have you done today?
Photo: Scholastic

Apple has already nailed down the lead role for its upcoming TV show about a young girl who solves a local murder mystery.

8-year-old Brooklynn Prince from The Florida Project has been cast to play Hilde Lysiak after Apple just recently secured the rights to turn her life story into a TV show.

Science proves women’s pockets are too small for iPhones

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iPhone Japan
Japan loves its iPhones. But a proposed law could make some consumers consider cheaper Android handsets.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Ever tried to slip an iPhone into a pants pocket and run out of room with the device halfway in? Men are probably scratching their heads, but most women know the experience well.

A new study finds that the front pocket in women’s jeans average less than half the size of men’s. And that means less than half the brands studied can hold an iPhone X.

iOS 12 runs much faster, especially on older iPhones

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Side-by-side tests on an iPhone 5s show noticeable iOS 12 performance improvements.
Side-by-side tests on an iPhone 5s show noticeable iOS 12 performance improvements.
Photo: iApple Bytes

Apple’s next operating system is still in beta, but it already boasts much better performance than iOS 11. Speed improvements are high on Apple’s list of promises for iOS 12, and there’s little room for doubt that Cupertino will deliver.

Speed tests performed on older models, including an iPhone 5s, show iOS 12 makes the devices significantly faster.

OLED iPhones to give Apple Pencil production big boost

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Apple Pencil
Apple Pencil won't be exclusive to iPad Pro for long.
Photo: Apple

Apple has reportedly signed on with a Taiwanese stylus supplier, adding credence to speculation that new OLED iPhones will support Apple Pencil.

The Economic Daily News out of China said Apple is contracting with Elan for “touch-and-pen related” chips for two next-gen handsets in the iPhone X line.

Zane Lowe discusses future of radio DJs in age of streaming

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Things are looking good for Beats One and leading DJ Zane Lowe, one of the world's top radio personalities.
Things are looking good for Beats One and leading DJ Zane Lowe, one of the world's top radio personalities.
Photo: Apple

Beats 1 Radio host Zane Lowe says he’s excited that Apple Music’s competitors are starting to rip off his live streaming radio show.

Lowe, who left the BBC’s Radio 1 to lead Beats 1 Radio, said in a recent interview that he still questions how his radio show fits in with the music scene. In the age of social media where artists can interact directly with fans, radio hosts don’t seem like a necessity, but Spotify and YouTube Music are planning to launch radio shows of their own and Lowe is ready to welcome them to the league.

Busted! Samsung uses stock photos as proof of camera quality

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Samung tweets
Samsung Brazil said it accidentally used stock photos when trying to show off on Twitter the camera of the Galaxy A8.
Photo: Feliperas/Twitter

When Apple wants to show off the camera quality of its latest iPhone, it mines social media for user photos by searching the hashtag “Shot on iPhone.” Apple then has plenty of actual iPhone images it then licenses for advertising.

But when Samsung tried to tout the camera of the Galaxy A8 in a recent Twitter campaign, it used stock photos most likely shot with DSLR cameras.

23 Prince albums just landed on Apple Music

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Prince
Many of these albums are available digitally for the first time.
Photo: Jimi Hughes/Wikipedia CC

If you’re a Prince fan and an Apple Music subscriber, today is your lucky day! That’s because the Prince Estate and Sony’s Legacy Recordings have released 23 of the Purple One’s albums, covering the latter half of his career, on streaming services.

Here’s what we can expect from next month’s Apple event (maybe)

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Tim Cook
What will Tim Cook announce next month?
Photo: Apple

Apple could introduce three new iPhones, two new iPads and an entry-level MacBook at its September event, according to a new report based on supply chain info.

In addition to new details about the fall product lineup, the report also offers up a surprising prediction about Apple’s long-awaited AirPower wireless charger,

Speed up MacBook Pro to 10 Gbps with this adapter

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OWC offers an adapter for your MacBook's Thunderbolt 3 port to connect to 10Gbps Ethernet networks.
OWC offers an adapter for your MacBook's Thunderbolt 3 port to connect to 10Gbps Ethernet networks.
Photo: OWC

Don’t be jealous of the 10Gbps Ethernet port in the iMac Pro. OWC introduced an adapter for your MacBook’s Thunderbolt 3 port to connect to networks at the same massive speeds.

Just be warned, the OWC Thunderbolt 3 10G Ethernet Adapter isn’t an accessory for the casual user. It’ll set you back $187.99.

Apple reassures customers after teenager hacked its servers

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The CIA has a team of more than 5,000 hackers.
Teenaged hacker recently plead guilty to charges.
Photo: Brian Klug/Flickr CC

Apple has reassured customers that none of their private data was compromised after a 16-year-old teenager plead guilty to hacking into the company’s servers.

An Apple spokesperson said that, “[We] want to assure our customers that at no point during this incident was their personal data compromised.” The hacker in question managed to download 90 gigabytes of secure files.

Twitter calmly explains why it broke your favorite apps

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Twitter
Many of the features of Tweetbot, Twitterrific, and similar apps just stopped working. Twitter's CEO tells us why.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Despite protests, Twitter made changes today that break some features of popular third-party apps. The company’s CEO explains that all Twitter is doing is finally enforcing a 9-year-old policy.

Rob Johnson says the company will no longer devote resources to apps it didn’t want built in the first place. The situation is a bit more complex that that, though.

Hilarious Jimmy Kimmel video mocks fear that iPhones spy on us

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A late-night comedian pokes fun at our paranoia about iPhone privacy violations.
A late-night comedian pokes fun at our paranoia that our phones are constantly spying on us.
Photo: ABC

Apple takes a firm stance on iPhone privacy, with strict rules. Nevertheless, many people remain nervous that their phone is spying on them.

Comedian Jimmy Kimmel, on his eponymous TV show, pokes fun at this fear in a newly-released video. Watch it now:

See Turks smash iPhones to protest Trump’s tariffs

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turkey protests
One protester tossed their iPhone X into a box of matches.
Photo: Twitter

iPhone owners in Turkey are taking to the streets to smash their iPhones in protest against the country’s strained relationship with the United States.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on Turks to boycott U.S. products — specifically the iPhone made by Apple in California. Multiple videos have been posted online showing iPhone owners using hammers, rocks and even fire to destroy their iPhones.

Watch one of the demonstrators greet some iPhones with a sledgehammer!

Tim Cook pays ‘Respect’ to Aretha Franklin, the late Queen of Soul

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Tim Cook tweet
Tim Cook's message on Twitter on the passing of soul singer Aretha Franklin.
Photo: Tim Cook/Twitter

Apple CEO Tim Cook’s tweet mourning the death of soul singer Aretha Franklin was among countless remembrances flooding social media this morning after news of her passing began to spread.

Cook’s heartfelt message included a black-and-white photo of the Queen of Soul belting out a song during a recording session.

What’s in store for Apple Watch Series 4? [Wish List]

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What cool new features are hidden inside that slimmer Apple Watch Series 4 frame? [Mockup]
What cool new features will be hidden inside that slimmer Series 4 frame?
Photo illustration: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

In just a few weeks, Apple looks set to unveil the biggest upgrade yet to its popular wearable.
While the external appearance of Apple Watch has not changed much since its launch, recent leaks suggest we can expect a new form factor with a larger screen when Apple Watch Series 4 lands.

In the Photoshop mockup above, I’ve shown how Apple’s next watch might look if it slimmed down and added a larger screen (as the rumormongers predict). That would be pretty cool, but there are plenty of other potential upgrades I’m excited about.

Here’s my top 10 wish list for Apple Watch Series 4 new features.

New clue points to Apple Pencil coming to iPhone

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iPad ad
Apple Pencil won't stay exclusive to iPad for long.
Photo: Apple

Both of this year’s OLED iPhones will support the Apple Pencil, a new report suggests, citing “industry insiders.”

If true, this would represent the first time in Apple history in which the iPhone used a stylus, something that Steve Jobs was adamantly opposed to. Samsung’s iPhone rival, the Galaxy Note, has long shipped with a stylus called the S Pen.

Police seek help in solving another Apple Store robbery

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Apple Store
Police have released a photo of the incident.
Photo: Roseville Police Department

The Roseville Police Department in California has released a photo of two of the thieves who robbed a local Apple Store this week.

The crooks stole 20 iPhones, two MacBook Pros, and one iPad mini. Fortunately no-one was hurt during the robbery, which involved no weapons.

Teen pleads guilty to hacking Apple’s computer system

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Proposed bill could hold tech giants more accountable for child exploitation
Teenager was able to hack into Apple's system and access personal data.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

An Australian teenager who repeatedly broke into Apple’s computer system is facing criminal charges after Apple contacted the FBI.

The teenager, who hasn’t been named for legal reasons, reportedly downloaded 90GB of secure files and accessed customer accounts. The information was uncovered in a raid on his family home in Melbourne, found in a computer folder called “Hacky hack hack.”

Check out Apple Park’s spectacular new giant glass doors

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Apple leases new offices near to Apple Park
Just when you think Apple Park couldn't get more impressive.
Photo: Duncan Sinfield

In case you hadn’t noticed, Apple’s enormous Apple Park HQ is a pretty architecturally ambitious place — and it’s continuing to underscore that point.

Accompanied by a message titled “Lunchtime at Apple Park just got a whole lot more exciting,” CEO Tim Cook has shared a time-lapse video of the giant motorized doors which have apparently just been unveiled at the Apple Park cafeteria. They’re pretty darn stunning!

Glimpse the inside of Apple’s gargantuan Arizona data center

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This isn't actually Apple's data center, but it's close.
This isn't actually Apple's data center, but it's close. (There are pictures available; we just can use them.)
Photo: Pexels

Apple is very secretive about its data centers. For good reason: They’re at risk from criminals, foreign spy agencies, terrorists and more. But the company gave a local newspaper a look inside its Arizona server farm.

This 1.3 million-square-foot facility in Mesa houses Apple’s global data command center.

Apple runs afoul of Japanese government again

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Apple Japan required carriers to subsidize iPhone
Apple Japan allegedly used strong-arm tactics to get Yahoo's Game Plus online service shut down.
Photo: Apple

For the second time this year, Apple is being investigated by the Japanese Fair Trade Commission. This time, it may have forced Yahoo to scale back a web-only gaming platform that competes with the App Store.

Apple Japan seems to play hardball. This summer, the FTC made it stop forcing Japanese carriers to put subsidies on iOS handsets.