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News - page 863

Audiobus keeps your music creations in perfect time

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audiobus link
Audiobus now syncs with all other apps using Ableton Link.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Audiobus, the iOS app that lets you route audio between apps on your iPad or iPhone, just got an update. The version number is 3.0.5, which belies the fact that Audiobus 3 just got one huge new feature: support for Ableton Link, which means that it will now keep tempo with all the other music apps on your iDevice.

Tim Cook’s letter re: Charlottesville will break your heart

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Apple held a moment of silence for Orlando.
Tim Cook witnessed the devastating impacts of the KKK while growing up in Alabama during the '60s.
Photo: Apple

Apple CEO Tim Cook revealed to employees in an email this week that Apple will make $2 million worth of donations to organizations “who work to rid our country of hate.”

The donations come as a response to the tragic events of Charlottesville which Cook told employees have been deeply troubling for him personally. Cook, who has first hand experience with the devastating impacts of the KKK, took aim at President Donald Trump in his letter for supporting the white supremacists and says that Apple plans to play an important role in bringing about positive change.

Apple Park campus is almost crossing the finish line

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Apple Park drone
Apple Park as it appears today.
Photo: Matthew Roberts

A new August drone flyover video of Apple’s spectacular Apple Park campus shows a headquarters on the verge of completion.

The video, by drone photographer Matthew Roberts, depicts both the circular Apple Park main building and its central garden as virtually complete — with most of the construction vehicles now gone. There are also looks at the Steve Jobs Jobs Theater, visitor’s center, and more.

Check it out below.

They’re leakin’ it! McDonald’s uses iPhone 8 render in latest ad

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iPhone 8 McDonald's
Would you like an iPhone 8 with that?
Photo: McDonald's

What’s the best way to generate interest in your latest ad campaign? Include pictures of the next iPhone before it’s even announced, of course!

That’s exactly what McDonald’s has done, using an unofficial iPhone 8 render created by Benjamin Geskin, for a campaign to promote its new mobile ordering app down in Australia.

Apple Pay support pulled from white supremacy websites

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Apple in talks to bring Apple Pay to Israel
Apple is fighting back against Nazi websites.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

In its stance against hate speech, Apple has disabled Apple Pay support on three websites selling sweaters with Nazi symbols, “White Pride” paraphernalia, and other offensive items.

While Apple hasn’t issued an official statement, it has highlighted guidelines for Apple Pay, forbidding its use on sites which promote hate, intolerance, and violence.

Apple Watch with LTE might not make phone calls on its own

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Apple Watch goal
Apple Watch Series 3 might add LTE (in addition to other cool features).
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The rumored Apple Watch with LTE may not work for phone calls, according to new research from a reliable Apple analyst. Instead, Apple will focus on improving the user experience with the untethered wearable.

That’s the main takeaway from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. However, his Wednesday research note offers other predictions about the upcoming hardware update.

Apple manufacturers in Taiwan hit by major power outage

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iphone
Taiwan relies on Apple business a whole lot. And vice versa.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Three iPhone component manufactures experienced an unexpected — and unwanted — disruption this week, when a major power outage in Taiwan temporarily brought production to a halt.

Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, PowerTech Technology and ChipMOS Technologies are all chip assemblers and testers, which make a variety of components for Apple — including the iPhone’s Wi-Fi, baseband, fingerprint chips, and more.

Carpool Karaoke ads show off the series’ big celebrity pairings

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Carpool Karaoke
Maisie Williams and Sophie Turner are stars of HBO's Game of Thrones.
Photo: Apple

To hype its new Carpool Karaoke series on Apple Music, Apple has debuted two new teaser ads, offering a preview of what fans can expect from the show.

One ad features Game of Thrones stars Maisie Williams and Sophie Turner as they belt out Justin Bieber’s “Sorry” and Miley Cyrus’ song “Wrecking Ball,” and get ready to prank fans. The other ad includes Ariana Grande and Family Guy creator Seth MacFarlane singing show tunes.

Check them out below.

Blurry photos purport to show mythical Apple TV set

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Apple TV
The future of TV is blurry, apparently.
Photo: Benjamin Geskin/Twitter

Blurry images that popped up online supposedly show the testing of an Apple OLED television set of around 60 inches in size. The photos were shared on Chinese social media before being circulated by mobile leaker Benjamin Geskin on Twitter.

And, just like that, longstanding rumors of an Apple TV set reignite!

Apple will throw $1 billion at original programming over next year

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money
To compete with Netflix, Apple's ready to pull its wallet out.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple is reportedly preparing a $1 billion “war chest” which it will spend on acquiring or producing original content over the next year.

That sum is around half of what HBO spent on production last year. The jewel in HBO’s crown is Game of Thrones, which it has aired since 2011. Apple SVP Eddy Cue is reportedly aiming for Apple to offer up to ten new shows, which could rival Game of Thrones in scope.

Apple hires former WGN America chief to bolster video team

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Matt Cherniss
Matt Cherniss will oversee Apple's new worldwide video unit.
Photo: WGN America

Apple has hired former WGN America and Tribune Studios chief Matt Cherniss as it looks to bolster its original video efforts.

Cherniss will reportedly oversee the company’s new worldwide video unit, serving under Zack Van Amburg and Jamie Erlicht, the former presidents of Sony Pictures Television, who joined Apple back in June.

Amazon Instant Pickup offers essential items in 2 minutes or less

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Amazon Instant Pickup
Instant Pickup offers "need-it-now" items in record time.
Photo: Amazon

Amazon is making last-minute shopping even more convenient with its new Instant Pickup service.

Available for free for Prime and Prime Student subscribers, the service lets you order “need-it-now” items that are available to collect in two minutes or less, including food, cold drinks, and of course, Amazon gadgets like Echo and Fire TV.

MacBook upgrades give Apple a second quarter sales boost

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MacBook
MacBook sales are up again around the world.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Recent upgrades to the 12-inch MacBook helped provide Apple with a 17.1 percent notebook sales boost during the second quarter of 2017. The company remains fifth in overall market share, but it has been able to widen the gap between itself and sixth-placed Acer.

Street Fighter IV: Champion Edition gets three new characters this week

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Street Fighter IV
Coming soon to an iPhone near you.
Photo: Capcom

Street Fighter IV: Champion Edition landed on iOS last month and, true to its promise, it’s already introducing updates designed to keep the gaming experience fresh.

This week, the game will introduce fan favorite characters Evil Ryu, Guy, and Gouken, all of whom will be available to players as free downloads.

Apple tightens returns policy in Hong Kong to combat iPhone 8 scalpers

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face tracking
Apple wants to make life harder for scalpers.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple has tightened up its online sales policy in Hong Kong, noting that it will not “accept return for online orders placed on, and after August 15th, 2017.”

The move comes ahead of the launch of the eagerly-anticipated iPhone 8, and is intended to deter scalpers from buying up massive quantities of the iPhone to sell at a premium, and then returning those they don’t manage to sell.