News - page 797

Using a strong passcode makes the iPhone very secure, but two companies are now offering to unlock them. For a hefty price, of course.

Fresh beta versions of iOS 11.3, macOS 10.13.4 and tvOS 11.3 point to the full release of these new versions drawing nearer.

The Google iOS app just added an iMessage extension that lets users conduct searches without leaving Apple’s chat app. Google also added a couple other features that should make life easier for Apple fans: a Safari plugin that serves up related content, and iPad drag-and-drop support.

A Piper Jaffray survey of iPhone users who did not upgrade to the iPhone X came to a predictable conclusion: Most were satisfied with the performance of their current model and many find the X too expensive.

However, the financial services firm predicts Apple will coax some upgrades out of these users with a line of new iPhone models this fall, one of which is expected to be more affordable.

Simon Pierro presented an Oscar for a new category: best reaction to a magician pulling an actual golden statuette from an iPad.

Pierro, who travels the world as the iPad magician, capitalized on the buzz leading up to Sunday’s Academy Awards by strolling the Walk of Fame performing tricks for dumbfounded onlookers.

Microsoft is working to bring Cortana to its Outlook app for iOS. The virtual assistant will give users the ability to listen to their emails, which will be particularly useful in situations where you need to be hands-free.

The classic PC strategy game Rome: Total War is coming to iPhone, and we couldn’t be more excited. The bad news? Developers Feral Interactive have announced that it is taking them a bit longer than expected. The good news? They’ve shared a gameplay video to keep us sweet, and it looks pretty darn awesome.

Check it out below.

Apple’s apparently not ready to produce its own power management chips, based on the fact that it has commissioned the design of new chips from partner Dialog Semiconductor, a new report claims.

That’s significant because a report from last year suggested that Apple planned to use its own chips starting 2018 or 2019. Instead, today’s news claims that Apple will continue using Dialog chips through 2019 or 2020.

Sources familiar with Apple’s plans have corroborated reports that the company is working on new over-the-ear headphones. The high-end cans are scheduled to launch later this year, but Apple is currently facing “challenges” in development that could lead to a delay.

Microsoft is planning new improvements for Office on iOS that will rollout this month.

The updates, which will be available to Office Insiders first, will improve collaborative working, make it easier to read documents on smaller screens, and more.

Apple is among the tech giants which could be affected by a new European Union initiative that aims to tax tech multinationals at between 2 to 6 percent of their global revenue.

News of the massive potential tax shift was shared by French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire in a newspaper interview. Le Maire said that the total amount is likely to be “closer to 2 percent than 6 percent,” and will be announced in the coming weeks.

Apple will deliver a “more affordable” MacBook Air this year, according to one reliable analyst.

The existing MacBook Air lineup remains pricey, despite being incredibly outdated. Apple asks customers to cough up at least $999 for fifth-generation Intel processors and a low-resolution display.

Transcripts have been released for three of the emergency calls made earlier this year as the result of employees at Apple Park injuring themselves by walking into glass doors and walls.

More than 3,000 gigantic curved glass panes have been used to form the walls on both side of Apple’s four-story campus, measuring over a mile around. In all, Apple Park uses more than six kilometers of curved glass, in addition to interior glass accessories like doors.

Check out the 911 call transcripts below:

A great instant markup app for Mac that lets you easily annotate screenshots is just one of our selections for this week’s “Awesome Apps of the Week.”

In addition, we’ve got a great multifaceted journey through video game history, a music mastering app for iOS, and a card battler based around one of the all-time great console fighting game franchises. Check out our picks below.

A reliable source says Apple is working on audiophile-grade headphones with built-in AirPods magic. AirPods Pro? SIGN US UP. Catch the discussion on The CultCast. And stay tuned for: How Apple plans to revolutionize healthcare; the cool, weird and wacky HealthKit gadgets you’ve never heard of; and we wrap up with pro-level whistling, rock accordion, and the best actors of all time in an all-new Get to Know Ur Cultist.

Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. It’s simple to accept Apple Pay and sell your wares with your very own Squarespace.com website. Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off any hosting plan.

Samsung’s Galaxy S8 series, with its edge-to-edge display and features like iris scanning, offered smartphone buyers a refreshing alternative to an all-too familiar iPhone experience in early 2017. Now the Galaxy S9 is here and things are a little different.

The iPhone isn’t boring anymore. With an edge-to-edge display of its own, as well as Face ID, dual cameras, and the incredible A11 Bionic chip, iPhone X has made Apple the smartphone maker to beat once again. Does the Galaxy S9 have what it takes?

Check out our in-depth comparison to find out which is better.

If you’re in the market for a new iPhone, you have lots of options this week. Plus, TechRabbit is running its “best of Apple” sale. Don’t miss out on your chance to save on iPods and MacBooks as well!

Samsung touts the new Intelligent Scan facial recognition system in the Galaxy S9 as better than the easily fooled system used in the S8, but there’s no real-world change for owners of the new device. Samsung’s facial recognition technology remains far less secure than Apple’s Face ID.

Why wait for Apple to sell you another expensive AirPods case when you can add wireless charging capabilities to the one you already have? PowerPod is a silicone sleeve for your AirPods case that adds a Qi-compatible charging coil for next to nothing.

It’s just one of the awesome ideas in this week’s Crowdfund Roundup. We also have the ultimate charging system, a handheld console that’s perfect for retro game addicts, and more!

California cops will use decoy buses and undercover officers to try and catch the person who keeps shooting at Apple employee shuttles.

Google shuttle buses have also been targeted by pellet guns, and at least 20 incidents have been reported since January of this year. The FBI has been called in to help with the investigation.

An RPG set in the Harry Potter universe, but where you get to create your very own wizard or witch and lead them through the Hogwarts school experience, sounds all kinds of amazing.

That’s the basis for a forthcoming iOS game, Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery, which is set to land in the App Store any day now. Check out the gameplay trailer below.

Samsung tries desperately to outdo the iPhone every year, but it doesn’t always work. Its bid to battle the iPhone X with the Galaxy S9 looks a little weak, with early benchmarks suggesting the South Korean company’s flagship is nowhere near as powerful.

That might explain why the Galaxy S9 can’t match Apple’s latest devices in 4K video recording.

President Donald Trump’s proposed tariffs on imported aluminum and steel could hit Apple, which is a big user of both, where it hurts.

And if it’s anything like other times that Apple has been slapped with increased import duties, that could translate to increased prices for customers.

Instagram is preparing to add voice and video calling to its primary photo sharing app, a new leak has revealed.

Files and icons labeled “call” and “video call” have been discovered buried inside Instagram’s APK package for Android. A video calling button first popped up inside the app back in January, but it was believed to be for internal use only.

Apple and Geekbench’s John Poole have testified in front of Canada’s House of Commons committee regarding the iPhone slowdown controversy, and how Apple handled it.

A representative for Apple Canada read prepared remarks, saying that the offending iOS update was intended to help devices continue to use old iPhones for longer. Meanwhile, Poole was asked to explain a few technical details of the slowdown and his thoughts on whether Apple purposely mislead the public.