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News - page 947

Apple’s Support app is now available in the U.S.

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Supportapp
There's a new way to get help from Apple.
Photo: Apple

Apple has launched its new Support app in the U.S., giving customers the ability to get expert help with devices and software — as well as scheduling repairs at the Apple store if necessary — from the comfort of their iOS device.

Handily, the app also provides a catalog of support articles designed to help users fix common issues.

Breaking down Apple’s latest design studio video

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Apple Infinite Loop II
Apple's secretive Industrial Design Studio is on the ground floor of Infinite Loop II, one of the main buildings of Apple's Cupertino campus.

To promote his new design book, Jony Ive has made a video giving a very rare peek inside Apple’s ultra-secretive design studio.

The video is only the second one that I know of that shows the inside of the “studio behind the Iron Curtain” — so called because it’s so sealed off from the outside world. (The other was last year’s 60 Minutes episode).

While watching it, I recognized a lot of details that I mention in my book about Jony Ive but I don’t think are generally well-known. So I screenshot the video and made a few notes. Warning: This one’s for the design nerds.

macOS 10.12.2 is out with new emoji and wallpapers

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macOS Sierra logo
New goodies have arrived for Mac users.
Photo: Apple

Mac owners can now take advantage of all the new emoji iPhone users got earlier this week, thanks to today’s release of macOS 10.12.2.

Apple launched the macOS update this morning, bringing a host of performance enhancements to users, as well as couple new features and small tweaks.

Headphones with AI, super smartwatches for kids and more [Crowdfund Roundup]

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Crowdfund Roundup
Help turn these awesome ideas into reality!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

You can find some incredible new gadgets on Kickstarter and Indiegogo that often go unnoticed. We’re rounding up some of the best every week to help them get the funding they need to become a reality.

This week, we’ve got super smartwatches that keep your kids safe, incredibly intelligent headphones with artificial intelligence, a device that measures your nutrient levels, and more!

Stream 360-degree video from your iPhone

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giroptic-io-usecase-1
Take this 360 camera for a spin. Get it?
Photo: Giroptic

360-degree photography is all the rage these days, and a new third-party iPhone accessory could further add to that — by giving users the chance to easily record 360 photo and video using their trusty iPhones.

Designed to allow for live-streaming via Facebook and YouTube, the iO device takes both 4K still photos and enhanced 2K video. Check out a video demonstration below:

BeatsX in-ear headphones will ship in February

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Screen Shot 2016-12-13 at 15.12.13
You'll be waiting just a bit longer for these headphones.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s much-delayed AirPods may be shipping in time for Christmas, but if you’re after the BeatsX in-ear headphones announced at exactly the same time, you’ll be waiting a bit longer than that.

That’s according to Apple, which just updated its official webpage to note that the new headphones won’t be shipping until February — or considerably later than the Fall release date they originally had.

AirPods finally available with shipping in time for Christmas

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Apple won't miss out on the all-important holiday market after all!
Photo: Apple

Update: Well that didn’t last long! Already it seems that AirPod demand has exceeded supply, as shipping times have been pushed back past Christmas into 2017.

Apple’s long-awaited, sometimes derided wireless AirPods are finally available to buy through Apple’s online store — priced at $159.

While it’s not known when they’ll be available for sale in brick-and-mortar Apple retail stores, you can breathe a sigh of relief, since orders placed through Apple’s online store are currently showing a pre-Christmas delivery date of December 21.

Samsung may spin off its chip business as standalone company

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A10 Fusion
Losing Apple's A-series chip orders may have prompted the move.
Photo: Apple

Samsung may spin off its chip-making business as part of a company-wide restructuring, claims a new report.

The move would be a response to Samsung’s loss of Apple’s A-series chip orders to rival chipmaker TSMC for the iPhone 7 and, potentially, future iOS chips as well.

Shigeru Miyamoto says Nintendo and Apple go together like Mario and Luigi

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Players have spent more than $1 billion on Nintendo's mobile games
Nintendo mastermind Shigeru Miyamoto opened up to Glixel about his thoughts on his role, and the company's partnership with Apple for Super Mario Run.
Photo: Nintendo

When Nintendo announced they’d be working with Apple to launch Super Mario Run on iPhone, the partnership made a lot of sense. After all, both companies share a similar arc in the history of their respective industries, each defining the early decades of the home gaming and computing industries, respectively. But perhaps the most relevant similarity is in the two companies’ focus on design.

Pac-Man and Lemmings can now be played on MacBook Pro Touch Bar

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Retro games have invaded the MacBook Pro.
Retro games have invaded the MacBook Pro.
Photo: Erik Olsonn

The new MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar might not be the most useful tool for professionals quite yet, but it’s quickly becoming a perfect playground for retro gaming. Two new hacks bring classic games Pac-Man and Lemmings to the Touch Bar.

The MacBook Pro’s tiny OLED display seriously limits gameplay, though: You can barely make turns in Pac-Man, but it still looks better than Doom on the Touch Bar.

Get a peek at the Touch Bar gameplay in the videos below.

tvOS 10.1 update brings Apple’s TV app to the living room

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The TV app is set to go public in December.
Apple's new TV experience is here.
Photo: Apple

Apple TV owners can finally start using the new TV app that Apple unveiled at a keynote in October.

Apple released tvOS 10.1 to the public this morning, giving users their first taste of the grand TV-watching experience Cupertino hopes to create by wrangling all your favorite video content into one app.

Microsoft says MacBook switchers hit an all-time high

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Microsoft Surface Studio
Microsoft's Surface Studio is a tablet and a PC.
Photo: Microsoft.

The new MacBook Pro apparently has been great business for Apple rival Microsoft.

Mac users are switching to Microsoft’s Surface more than ever before, claims the PC-maker in a new blog post that takes several shots at Apple’s new MacBook Pro and Touch Bar.

Tim Cook gets ready to stare down EU over giant tax bill

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Tim Cook takes home $125 million for Apple’s best year since 2009
The only three things that are for sure: death, taxes, and thinner iPhones.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

So far, most of Apple’s wrangles concerning its European tax issues has been carried out by the company’s accountants and legal team.

That could change in 2017, however, when none other than Tim Cook has been requested to attend a meeting in Dublin, Ireland, alongside the EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager.

Apple rejects Samsung Pay app for iOS

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Samsung Pay won't be coming to iPhone.
Photo: Samsung

Samsung has decided to abandon its attempt to bring its mobile payment service to iOS after Apple rejected the company’s new Samsung Pay Mini app.

The app would have allowed users to checkout with Samsung Pay when shopping online on their iPhone, but Samsung says it will now focus exclusively on Android.

Tim Cook will meet with President-elect Donald Trump this week

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President Trump: Apple encryption could protect ‘criminal minds’
Maybe Trump wants to know where his AirPods are!
Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr CC

Tim Cook is one of a number of tech executives who will meet with President-elect Donald Trump this week, a new report claims.

The meeting will take place at Trump Tower in Manhattan on Wednesday, and will also be attended by Alphabet CEO Larry Page, Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, alongside a handful of others.

Bully, Touch Bar Piano, and other awesome apps of the week

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Awesome Apps
'Appy weekend!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Awesome Apps

Somehow it’s the weekend again, and to help you celebrate we’ve combed through the week’s best apps to help you sort the wheat from the chaff.

Whether you’re after a great Tetris-style puzzler, the reissue of a tremendous Rockstar Games classic, or a Touch Bar-compatible music player, we’re confident we’ve got what you’re looking for.

Check out our list below.

7 great ways to save on Steam videogames

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gaming battlestation
These winning strategies will help you snag Steam games on the cheap.
Photo: Flavio Ensiki/Flickr CC

With thousands of games in its catalog and more than 125 million users, Steam has become almost synonymous with computer gaming, whether Mac or PC. And, in great news for gamers, Steam is not afraid of discounts.

But not all discounts are created equal. How can you score the best prices on your favorite titles? We’re here to help, offering seven ways you can save with Steam.

Why Apple’s done chasing hit products, this week on The CultCast

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Waiting for Apple's next big thing?  It may be a while.
Waiting for Apple's next big thing? It may be a while.
Photo: iDownloadBlog

This week on The CultCast: Why Apple’s done pursuing the “new hit product business.” Plus: The demise of Pebble Watch is a bad omen for wearables; Foxconn secretly prepares to make more Apple products in the United States; and we remember our favorite movies of 2016!

Our thanks to Harry’s for supporting this episode. Harry’s super-sharp, German-made razors ship right to your door for way less than drugstore razors, and you can use code CultCast at checkout to score $5 off your order at Harrys.com.

Apple Watch gets two new holiday ads focused on fitness

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Runners will love the Nike+ version of Apple Watch.
Runners will love the Nike+ version of Apple Watch.
Photo: Apple

Apple hopes the new Apple Watch Series 2 will become one of the most popular tech gifts this holiday season, so the company made some new ads highlighting the wearable’s fitness skills.

The two new ads, showing how Apple Watch can help you live a healthier life, were published on Apple’s U.K. YouTube channel today.

Watch them both:

Apple drops the beat in its first documentary, 808: The Movie

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The 808 drum machine changed music forever.
The 808 drum machine changed music forever.
Photo: Beats 1

The first documentary from Apple has finally arrived — and it has nothing to do with iPhones or Macs. The film, titled 808: The Movie, chronicles Roland’s legendary TR-808 drum machine and how it influenced the music industry from the ’80s all the way up to today.

Narrated by Beats 1 DJ Zane Lowe, the Apple Music exclusive features appearances by Pharrell Williams, David Guetta, Rick Rubin, Diplo, Questlove, Phil Collins, Beastie Boys and more.

Check out the trailer:

Audio glitches keep Apple from shipping AirPods

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AirPods may miss Christmas while Apple works out audio problems.
Photo: Apple

People griped when Apple launched the iPhone 7 without an earphone jack and asked the world to get excited about AirPods, the company’s cordless earphones designed for the brave new “wireless future.”

Apparently, cutting the cord hasn’t been so easy for Apple, either.

The AirPods, skewered on social media within seconds of being introduced at Apple’s product launch in September, remain in a holding pattern because of audio glitches — and could miss the crucial 2016 holiday shopping season entirely.