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News - page 901

Neat chipboard wallet is cheap, green and functional

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No animals were skinned for the making of this wallet.
No animals were skinned for the making of this wallet.
Photo: David Pierini/Cult of Mac

A designer who sets out to reimagine men’s wallets must accept certain time-honored limitations. It has to be shaped to fit in a pants pocket and hold cash and credit cards of a standard size.

No matter the material, color or whether you like your cash folded in half, thirds or tucked in a clip, the look is relatively predictable.

The Chipwallet provides a fresh experience – the user must assemble it themselves.

Western Union lets you use Apple Pay to send money

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Apple in talks to bring Apple Pay to Israel
It's now easier than ever to send money using Apple Pay!
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Western Union has announced that users of its mobile app can now use Apple Pay to make mobile money transfers.

In a move that makes sending money from your account to another person’s as quick and easy as the touch of a finger on your Touch ID sensor, Western Union has expanded its Apple Pay integration beyond simply supporting it in stores.

iPhone 7 bursts into flames on user’s bedside table

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jet black iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus
Incident took place in China.
Photo: Apple

A woman in East China’s Jiangsu Province claims that a new Matte Black iPhone 7 exploded while she was charging it next to her bed.

The woman, who is identified only as Yin, says that she was fortunately out of the room when the incident happened. “My phone ran out of battery, so I left it to charge on my bedside table,” she said. “I went out for a walk and heard the explosion when I came home. Then I realized it was my phone.”

Apple could make us wait until November for iPhone 8

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iphone 8 display
iPhone 8 could arrive on time after all.
Photo: Martin Hajek

Apple could delay the launch of its next-generation iPhone until October or November, according to a new report.

It is claimed the company has run into “technical issues” associated with its new curved OLED displays, which means we may not get the spectacular refresh we were expecting this September.

Siri could soon recognize your voice for added security

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Sorry, Alexa: Siri still the most widespread AI assistant
Siri could be about to get more security conscious.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Siri may soon respond to your voice and your voice alone, according to a recently-published patent application from Apple.

The security feature would essentially expand the biometric security system of Touch ID to voice, so that Siri’s voice recognition could also be used to unlock devices or potentially even confirm payments on Apple Pay.

Apple Watch competition hots up with second supplier

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Apple Watch
It will deliver a big boost to one Apple supplier.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple has reportedly added a second Apple Watch supplier to its manufacturing chain.

Until now, Quanta Computer has been the only assembler of Apple’s wearable, but Compal Electronics is expected to begin shipping Apple Watch Series 1 and Series 2 units in the second half of 2017.

Apple execs rake in $13.6M worth of vested stock options

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money
There's money to be made at Apple, apparently.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Restricted stock options for six senior Apple execs vested this month, becoming common stock units with a value of around $13.6 million per person.

The executives in question include Apple COO Jeff Williams, SVP and General Counsel Bruce Sewell, SVP of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller, SVP of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue, SVP of Software Engineering Craig Federighi, and SVP of Hardware Engineering Dan Riccio.

iPhone 8 may not be as expensive as predicted

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iPhone 8 concept
Apple is already driving an OLED boom.
Photo: iDropNews

The next iPhone Apple unveils may not prove as expensive as some have speculated, according to a new research note from investment firm UBS.

Early rumors for the iPhone 8 claimed it will cost upward of $1,000. However, UBS analyst Steve Milunovich says the real price tag will most likely be a lot less than that. And fans might have Samsung to thank.

Apple retail boss teases new store in Dubai

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Dubai Mall is getting an Apple Store.
Dubai Mall is getting an Apple Store.
Photo: Apple

Apple plans to expand its retail presence in the Middle East by opening a brand new store in the United Arab Emirates.

The new store coming to the Dubai Mall got revealed today by Angela Ahrendts, Apple’s VP of retail, who tweeted a teaser of the location. It will be Apple’s third store in the UAE (and second in Dubai) once it opens.

Apple Music for Android finally gets new iOS 10 design

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music streaming
The latest release also includes Chromecast support.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Apple Music subscribers on Android got some much-needed love from Apple today in the form of an update that brings a fresh UI to the streaming app.

It’s been nearly a year since Apple unveiled its Apple Music redesign as part of iOS 10 at WWDC 2016, but Android users are just now getting a taste of the interface’s bold, streamlined look.

Microsoft’s new iOS camera uses AI to spice up photos

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Sprinkle is Microsoft's newest app for iOS.
Sprinkle is Microsoft's newest app for iOS.
Photo: Microsoft

Microsoft is the latest tech giant to get in on the craze of fun camera apps like Snapchat, which are currently all the rage among teens.

The company’s new app, Sprinkles, launched today on iOS as a featured app. While it looks like just another Snapchat wannabe on the outside, Microsoft threw in some crazy AI technology that makes it easier than ever to create and share silly photos.

iPhone X goes retro in this sleek Apple concept

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This iPhone concept comes with some retro flair.
This iPhone concept comes with some retro flair.
Photo: Martin Hajek

The 2017 iPhone is expected to be the most futuristic device Apple’s ever made, but concept artist Martin Hajek shows that dipping into the past could be a gorgeous decision.

Taking inspiration from the original iPhone, Hajek’s retro iPhone concept recalls the curvy aluminum back of the first iPhone and gives it fresh look up front, with a huge screen with barely any bezels.

Take a closer look:

Yes, you can use old iPad Air parts to repair the 2017 iPad

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iPad
The new iPad is thicker than the old iPad.
Photo: Apple

Owners of the new 2017 iPad may be able to cannibalize their old iPads to fix busted components, depending on what breaks on the new tablet.

After discovering that the new iPad is mostly just an updated original iPad Air, the repair gurus at iFixit decided to test whether old iPad parts are compatible with refreshed iPad. Surprisingly, a number of crucial parts from the iPad Air 1 and Air 2 like the digitizer, battery, rear camera and microphone all work perfectly fine.

Picktorial 3 is the upgrade your photos need

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If you miss Aperture, trying editing your images with Picktorial 3.
If you miss Aperture, trying editing your images with Picktorial 3.
Photo: Picktorial

Many professional photographers collectively groaned in 2014 when Apple discontinued the popular photo editing software Aperture. Shooters loved how they could edit and organize with one powerful program.

But some software companies stepped up to aid anxious Mac-centric photographers. One was an Israel-based startup called Picktorial, which released an updated version today.

Windows 10 is 4x more popular than macOS

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It's on many devices, but we still don't know what kind of devices.
Windows 10 is more popular than Mac, but don't feel too sorry for Apple.
Photo: Microsoft

According to official figures released by both companies, Windows 10 has 4x the number of active users of macOS — with 400 million users for Windows 10 versus 100 million for Mac.

While Microsoft’s figures have been available for a while, Apple’s 100 million figure is newly published, as part of Apple’s efforts to prove it still cares about Mac.

2017 iMacs will bring spec bumps to woo power users

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The 2009 unibody iMac proved a watershed design for Jony Ive and Apple.
New iMacs will be aimed at high-end users.
Photo: Apple

Apple is reportedly set to launch new iMacs geared toward the pro market later this year.

The revelation came during a very rare Apple press briefing concerning its future plans. While the big news coming out of this meeting with a small group of reporters is that a radical rethink of the Mac Pro is on the way, there was also talk of an imminent iMac refresh.

Trump’s visa crackdown will likely upset Silicon Valley

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President Trump: Apple encryption could protect ‘criminal minds’
President Trump may butt heads with Apple again.
Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr CC

As if Silicon Valley needed another reason to not approve of President Donald Trump, the White House has started to deliver on its promise of cracking down on work visas given to overseas workers — many of whom toil in the tech industry.

This week, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services agency issued a memo detailing moves it intends to make to fight “fraud and abuse” of the program, while also warning employers that they shouldn’t discriminate against U.S. workers in their hiring.

Apple building all-new, modular Mac Pro and external display

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The Mac Pro is being
Turn your dusty old Mac into a fat stack of cash.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple today revealed that it is planning to introduce an all-new Mac Pro and a new external display next year.

The company acknowledges that the existing Mac Pro doesn’t fulfill all the needs of its pro customers, but the new model with have a more traditional modular design that will allow Apple to “keep it fresh.”

Freak accident electrocutes iPhone user while charging his handset

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iPhone 7
Individual was charging his iPhone in bed at the time of the incident.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

A 32-year-old man is recovering in hospital after he was electrocuted in a fluke accident, unrelated to Apple, while charging his iPhone in bed.

Huntsville, Alabama native Wiley Day was shocked with 110 volts of electricity after plugging his iPhone 7 into an extension cord so that it could charge in the bed next to him while he slept. Unfortunately, Day’s dog-tag necklace managed to slip between the exposed prongs of his charger and the extension cord, transforming his necklace into an electrical conductor.

Apple will reveal Q2 2017 earnings on May 2

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Will Apple reach its own targets for Q2?
Will Apple reach its own targets for Q2?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple has confirmed that it will reveal its Q2 2017 earnings during a conference call on May 2.

The company’s results for the second fiscal quarter of this year will reveal the state of demand for iPhone 7 almost eight months into its cycle, and whether there is still plenty of excitement for the new MacBook Pro.

Some Facebook users are seeing an alternate News Feed on iOS

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facebook-news-feed
Some Facebook users now have a second News Feed.
Photo: Facebook

Some Facebook users have been surprised by the addition of an alternate News Feed within the social network’s iOS app.

Those who see the rocket ship icon along the bottom of the screen get access to a second feed of photos, articles, and videos that Facebook believes you might be interested in.

Galaxy S8 prototype ripped off iPhone 7 Plus’ dual camera

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Galaxy S8 camera
Galaxy S8 has a familiar camera, but it's better this year.
Photo: Samsung

At least one early prototype of the Galaxy S8 featured dual camera lenses just like the iPhone 7 Plus.

A leaked photo reveals Samsung stacked one camera module on top of the other, rather than side by side — but obviously decided against this design for the final model.