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Review: Logitech’s Create keyboard case turns iPad Pro into a bona fide laptop

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The iPad Pro is being hailed as “a new kind of computer,” but as some have noted, it’s really the top half of a new kind of computer. Missing is the bottom half — the keyboard.

Apple has a solution for that — the $169 Smart Keyboard, which turns the iPad Pro into a laptop lookalike. But there’s a fantastic alternative: Logitech’s Create keyboard and case.

Logitech’s Create has several advantages over Apple’s Smart Keyboard. First, it’s a keyboard and a case that turns the Pro into a proper faux laptop (Apple’s keyboard is half a case that covers only the iPad’s screen). Logitech’s keyboard has fantastic chicklet keys, versus Apple’s hated low-travel flat keys; and it’s backlit, an essential requirement for any keyboard.

All in all, Logitech’s $150 backlit keyboard turns the iPad Pro into a MacBook — but a MacBook with cool extra features like Touch ID and a touch-sensitive screen.

How to use iPad Pro while you wait for your Apple Pencil

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iPad Pro and Apple Pencil keep designers happy and eraser dust-free.
One day, this will be you. You know, in like four to five weeks.
Photo: Apple

We’re all excited to start unlocking the full potential of the iPad Pro, but we have a problem: We can’t really start doing that until we can get our hands on the Apple Pencil stylus that the company swears will change how we draw virtual lines forever. As of this writing, it’s showing a four to five week wait for shipping, and that’s up from the one to two weeks we saw when the peripherals first went on sale.

So if you have an iPad Pro to play around with but aren’t sure what to do while you wait for your awesome stylus to show up, we have your back.

Pro Tip: iPad Pro uses same keyboard shortcuts as your Mac

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Use your new iPad Pro with these familiar keyboard shortcuts.
Use your new iPad Pro with these familiar keyboard shortcuts.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Pro Tip Cult of Mac bugIf you’re one of the lucky ones to get your hands on a big, beautiful iPad Pro, you might be surprised that many of the same OS X keyboard shortcuts, like the ones for cut, paste, find, etc., are available right on your new giant laptop replacement.

The iPad Pro keyboard has a Command key on it, as do several third-party keyboards.

If you’re already a Mac user (and you should be), you’ll feel right at home when you need to create a new document in Pages, make your text bold or italic, or even show the word count in a document. Here are several key combinations you can use right out of the box.

5 iPad Pro apps creatives should download now

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iPad Pro
You should build something on all of that real estate the iPad Pro is giving you.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Apple’s massive iPad Pro tablet is finally getting into the hands of the waiting public, and now all that remains is the small matter of how to make the most of its 13-inch screen.

The company has been pushing its new hardware to creators and enterprise. And while we’re guessing that most artists and professional designers and artists who already owned iPads have a favorite app or two, newbies picking up the latest for its huge screen and fancy Apple Pencil stylus might be at a loss with where to look.

Here are some of our picks for iPad Pro apps to start getting your creati-on.

iPad Pro Diary: Will this really replace my PC?

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Is the iPad Pro a true replacement for a computer?
Is the iPad Pro a true replacement for a computer?
Photo: Leander Kahney / Cult of Mac

iPad Pro Diray, Day One: Instead of writing a long and boring product review, I’m going to try something new with the iPad Pro. I’m pulling a Tim Cook: I’m using it as my main and only machine for a while. I’ll be keeping a diary of how it goes.

In fact, I’m typing this on it.

The question everyone is asking — and it’s Apple’s pitch for the Pro — is that this a bone fide computer. It’s not a silly tablet any more. It’s a heavy duty tool for Pros — a jackhammer for creatives.

I’m going to find out…

How to get Hey Siri-style dictation on your Mac

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Ah, dictation on your Mac. What could be better?
Ah, dictation on your Mac. What could be better?
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

If you’ve called out, “Hey Siri” to your iPhone before, you know the joy of this Star Trek-style technology. You don’t even need to hold the Home button down. Sure, your iPhone needs to be plugged in, but it’s a pretty neat party trick.

Excitingly, you can do something similar on your Mac: activating dictation with a voice command. The next time you get a great idea and need to document it, you can just call to your Mac and dictate it right then. No pen, no paper, no walking all the way to your keyboard.

Here’s how.

Which social media management tool is right for your business? Depends on its size

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This post is brought to you by Link-Assistant.Com

Social media is a key component for businesses of any size. Whether it’s a restaurant managing their Facebook page and Yelp reviews, or a massive corporation whose message must be coordinated and ultimately use social media to shift public opinion, there are a whole range of powerful tools available. Here we review a few of the free social media monitoring (SMM) options available to small and individual-run businesses, and the paid services for medium- and enterprise-scale companies.

Pope says nope to smartphones at dinner

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Pope Francis welcomes the presence of smartphones - but not at dinner.
Pope Francis welcomes the presence of smartphones - but not at dinner.
Photo: Catholic Herald

We know Pope Francis is a fan of technology. He is on Twitter with 8 million followers and when in public, the guy never turns down a selfie request.

But His Holiness wants us all to put away our smartphones when seated at the dinner table.

YouTube Music rocks out on Android and iOS

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YouTube Music
YouTube will take on Apple Music (again).
Photo: Google
Yes, Google has another music streaming service. Photo: Google
Yes, Google has another music streaming service. Photo: Google

YouTube Music has arrived on Android and iOS, and it promises to make it easier than ever to discover new music on YouTube. Simply hit play and enjoy an endless journey through the platform’s entire music catalog, or check out YouTube’s recommendations based on your listening habits.

Apple Pencil is faster on the draw than Microsoft’s rival stylus

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iPad Pro and Apple Pencil keep designers happy and eraser dust-free.
Apple claims its Pencil stylus has “virtually no lag.”
Photo: Apple

The iPad Pro has received lukewarm reviews, but one thing no reviewer’s failed to be amazed by is the Apple Pencil stylus — which Cupertino has advertised as a “highly responsive” input method with “virtually no lag.”

But exactly how responsive is the Pencil compared to rival products like the stylus for Microsoft’s new Surface Pro 4? Journalist and photographer Angel Jimenez de Luis decided to test out both with a head-to-head comparison, recorded in close-up at 120fps slow-motion.

Check it out below.

First impressions with the big and beautiful iPad Pro

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Big and hot: the iPad Pro is the BBW of tablets.
Big and hot: the iPad Pro is the BBW of tablets.
Photo: Leander Kahney / Cult of Mac

I ordered the iPad Pro online at first light this morning and picked it up at the Apple Store in Stonestown, San Francisco, just as the store opened. Aside from the sticker shock — more than $1,326.49 for the iPad, Pencil and Smart Keyboard — I was surprised at how readily it is available. Seems like there’s plenty in stock, despite reports of short supply.

The iPad Pro is getting lukewarm reviews, but isn’t that what we always get from the professional reviewers? The same-old measured response that’s neither wildly enthusiastic nor harshly critical? It was the same with the iPhone 6s-es, the new MacBook, and the 6 Plus before that. “They’re not for everyone!” the reviews tended to say.

Well, bollocks! I’m excited about the iPad Pro. I’m as excited as I was about the first big-screen iPhone a couple of years ago. I think size does matter, and the bigger screen on these devices makes a huge difference.

But we’ll see. I just got my hands on it. Check out the video to see what’s in the box and my initial impressions.

Apple-approved piano teaches you to play the smart way

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The ONE Smart Piano can help rescue a beginner bored with their private lessons.
The ONE Smart Piano can help rescue a beginner bored with their private lessons.
Photo: The ONE Music Group

Ben Ye knew what could happen as he watched his son chafe and grow bored during private piano lessons. But to keep his son’s interest in music, Ye felt he’d have to do the seemingly impossible: build a new kind of piano and reinvent the way it is taught.

Ye did both and what started as an effort to keep alive an interest in music for his son became available this week in the United States. The ONE Smart Piano, the first Apple MFi-certified smart piano, combines a full-sized piano and a dedicated iOS app that can show a beginner how to play a favorite song in as little as 10 minutes or less.

How to keep kids from checking out bad stuff on Apple TV

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Keep your kids from watching, buying, or playing anything you don't want them to on Apple TV.
Keep your kids from watching, buying, or playing anything you don't want them to on Apple TV.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Not every Apple TV is in a household full of self-realized adults. Apple knows this and has set up some restrictions, similar to the parental controls on iOS.

That way, you can make sure that your kids aren’t purchasing anything (or playing/watching anything) without your consent.

Here’s how to set it all up on your Apple TV.

Never forget your ID again with super slim, stylish wallet case

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Never leave home without your wallet again.
Never leave home without your wallet again.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

Best List: Q Case iPhone 6 Plus Wallet by CM4

I sadly gave away my favorite wallet case when I upgraded to the iPhone 6 Plus.

Since then, I keep ending up at the store or almost running out of gas without my wallet with me: I leave it at home all the time. Apparently, I’m constitutionally incapable of remembering my ID, cash, and cards.

This Q Card Case, from CM4, is the perfect solution.

Pro Tip: Check your Apple Watch battery from your iPhone

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Get your battery info fast and easy.
Get your battery info fast and easy.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

Pro Tip Cult of Mac bugYou can of course check the status of your Apple Watch battery on your wrist, but it’s even easier to discover how much Apple Watch juice you have left right from your iPhone.

In fact, you can check the battery status of anything connected via Bluetooth, including headphones and speakers.

Here’s how.

Fandroids can finally boogie down to Apple Music

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fandroids-can-finally-boogie-down-to-apple-music-2-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201511Apple-Music-Android-jpg
Apple Music is finally on Android.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android
Apple Music is finally on Android. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android
Apple Music is finally on Android. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android

Apple Music for Android has finally arrived on the Google Play Store today after being publicly demoed at WWDC in June.

The new app brings Android users over 30 million songs from the Apple Music catalog, Beats 1 Radio, Playlists, Connect, and more. Apple’s offering users a 3-month trial, just like iOS. Pricing starts at $9.99 for a single plan, but Apple says your’ll need a Mac or iOS to sign-up for a $14.99 family plan.

Apple VP Eddy Cue says the launch is part of Apple’s plan to do things in music for everyone:

From iPad Pro to privacy: 8 things we learned from Tim Cook’s latest interview

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Tim Cook
Tim Cook talks all things Apple.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Tim Cook is in my home country of Jolly Old Blighty (read: the U.K.) at the moment, promoting the imminent launch of the iPad Pro.

While there, he’s given an interview to the Telegraph newspaper, in which Apple’s CEO touches on everything from the new Apple TV to the U.K.’s rumored “snooper’s charter” to, of course, Apple’s super-sized tablet.

Check out the lessons we learned below.

Pro Tip: The secret meaning of Apple Watch notifications shapes

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Apple Watch notifications siri
When it comes to Apple Watch notifications, round is better.
Photo: Apple

Pro Tip Cult of Mac bugIf you’ve not paying really close attention to your Apple Watch notifications, you might have missed out on a really subtle and clever design decision the company built into them.

It turns out that Apple uses two different shapes for its watch Apple Watch notification badges. And here’s why.

Set up your iOS 9 News feed (and subscribe to Cult of Mac)

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Apple News app
The Apple News app relies less on algorithms than other tech companies in the news business.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

The latest trend in news consumption is curation. Apple News — replacement for the earlier, less-than-successful Newsstand — does just that. It may not be the first app to repackage the web for easy reading (looking at you, Flipboard), nor maybe even the best, but chances are it’s already on everyone’s iOS 9 iPhone or iPad, making it a clear winner for mindshare.

News is pretty fantastic, as it allows you to customize and set up the News channels and outlets you want to check on regularly without having to rely on any specific outlet for updates. News pulls from your favorite websites RSS feeds and repackages it all in an intuitive, newspaper and magazine-like format for easy browsing and reading.

Let’s take a look at how to set it up and use the iOS 9 News app to your best advantage.

The Room Three improves an already near-perfect puzzle series

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The Room Three
The Room Three has you exploring a spooky manor full of puzzles.
Screencap: Evan Killham/Cult of Mac

We didn’t think it was possible to improve on the amazing second installment of The Room, but developer Fireproof Games has delivered.

The third entry in the puzzle series, The Room Three, takes everything we already loved about the franchise’s Myst-style puzzles and mysterious, Lovecraftian horrors and makes it bigger and smarter. And then it throws in a new character, the most coherent and engaging plot yet, and multiple endings, which it didn’t even need to do, but all of it is great.

Compact power pack lets you know how it’s doing

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Keep an eye on this tiny self-contained charger via app or LED lights.
Keep an eye on this tiny self-contained charger via app or LED lights.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

Best List: Power Tube 3000 by Mipow

If you’ve ever carried around one of those tube-shaped power packs for your iPhone or iPad, you know the one thing it really needs is a way to tell how much juice is left in the thing.

The Power Tube 3000 provides this in spades, with a simple three-light display on the tube itself and an app that lets you know exactly how much power you have left — and what that translates to in terms of usage.

Tim Cook insists Apple Pencil is not a mere stylus

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Tim ditched his Mac for the iPad Pro.
Tim ditched his Mac for the iPad Pro.
Photo: Olivier Hess/The Independent

Tim Cook loves the new iPad Pro so much it’s the only product he travels with now, other than his iPhone.

In a new interview talking about the benefits of the new big-screened iPad, the Apple CEO trumpeted the iPad Pro’s productivity thanks to new multi-tasking software in iOS 9 complimented by the new keyboard and Apple Pencil. Some detractors have dismissed Apple Pencil as a just a fancy stylus, but Cook insists it’s a much more revolutionary product than that.

Pro Tip: How to sort iOS Notifications by date

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Never miss an important Notifcation again!
Never miss an important Notifcation again!
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

Pro Tip Cult of Mac bugYou know how it is — you unlock your iPhone with Touch ID so fast that you miss some important Notifications. You swipe down from the top of your iOS device’s screen to see what you missed and — ugh — you realize that your Notifications are sorted by app. How will you ever figure out which new Notification you missed?

Luckily, there’s a fairly simple way to get your iPhone and iPad to list your Notifications in date order, assuring you never miss one again.

Here’s how.

Adobe creatives gush over iPad Pro in new demo video

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iPad Pro and Apple Pencil keep designers happy and eraser dust-free.
iPad Pro and Apple Pencil keep designers happy and eraser dust-free.
Photo: Apple

Adobe’s VP of Products, Scott Belsky, said the iPad will transform how creatives work, and according to some of the most creative people that use the company’s apps, they agree.

Ahead of the iPad Pro’s launch later this week, Adobe gathered some top designers and illustarators to test out the company’s apps on the new tablet to see if you can do real creative work on it. Illustrator Draw, Photoshop Mix, Photoshop Sketch, Photoshop Fix and other Creative Cloud apps shine on the iPad Pro in the demo that highlights how transformative the iPad Pro will be.

Here’s how creatives make use of the large screen: