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Moodo lets you control the way your home smells from your iPhone

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Moodo
Want to make your home smell nice? There's an app for that.
Photo: Moodo

Entrepreneurs are tripping over themselves to make “smart” versions of every product we already own. As such, it was only going to be so long before someone made a smart scent dispenser. That product is called Moodo. It’s a smart home fragrance box that lets you control how your home smells from your iPhone. Or your smart speaker.

But does it smell like a winner, or is this one gadget we’re turning our nose up at?

Score a lifetime of Ableton Live lessons from top music pros [Deals]

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Learn about the endless possibilities of Ableton Live with lessons taught by professional producers and performers.
Learn about the endless possibilities of Ableton Live with lessons taught by professional producers and performers.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Popular music-production software Ableton Live offers an endless universe of sonic possibilities. However, all those possibilities can prove overwhelming.

If you’re looking to make music with Ableton Live, it helps to have some solid guidance.

Today in Apple history: Flash controversy results in banned iPhone ad

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A photo of people looking at the first-gen iPhone inside a glass case on the original iPhone launch date.
The internet wasn't quite so seamless on the first-gen iPhone.
Photo: Traci Dauphin/Cult of Mac

August 27: Today in Apple history: Flash controversy results in banned iPhone ad August 27, 2008: The U.K. bans an iPhone ad for apparently misleading consumers.

The misleading bit? The ad overhypes the iPhone’s internet-surfing abilities. It does this by not mentioning that the device doesn’t support Adobe Flash — which is vital to internet surfing in 2008. How times change, eh?

Learn the secret to reading better and faster on your iPhone [Deals]

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This browser-based tool uses color to guide the eye from line to line, increasing reading speeds by up to 20 percent.
This browser-based tool uses color to guide the eye from line to line, increasing reading speeds by up to 20 percent.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Do you find yourself re-reading the same sentence over and over again? Or accidentally skipping lines in a paragraph, momentarily losing your place? You can fix these issues with the right reading technique, and this browser-based tool can help.

Save 20% on all Carterjett Apple Watch bands through August 31st

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carterjett
Save 20 percent on Cartjett's lineup of Apple Watch bands through August. Choose from Leather NATO, Nylon NATO and Silicone Tire Tread bands.
Photo: Carterjett

Apple’s Sport band is the basic bro of Apple Watch bands. If you want something a little more rugged — and a lot less forgettable — strap on a Tire Tread Sport band from Carterjett.

These sturdy silicone bands come in brilliant colors, with extra-large sizes and surprisingly small price tags as do the rest of Carterjett’s collection which includes Nylon NATO and Leather NATO bands as well.

Pop in the code SAVE20! at checkout and you’ll save 20 percent on all Cartejett Apple Watch bands through August.

Score an 11-course education in computer science [Deals]

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Get the education in computer science you missed with this massively discounted lesson bundle.
Get the education in computer science you missed with this massively discounted lesson bundle.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Coding, app development and computer science in general are some of the most marketable skills you can earn. So it’s easy to wish you’d studied computer science in college. But if you didn’t, this massive bundle of lessons can help you get caught up.

Save $5 on Just Mobile’s sleek Apple Watch charging stands

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just mobile
Take advantage of $5 off Just Mobile's charging solutions for Apple Watch.
Photo: Just Mobile

Now’s the time to get in on a great deal for Just Mobile’s design-award-winning Apple Watch accessories.

The company is slashing their regularly priced, award-winning stands and chargers for Apple Watch by $5. You’ll also get a $20 AluCable Flat lightning cable free with purchase of two Just Mobile Apple Watch accessories!

Check out Just Mobile’s HoverDock, TimeStand and Lounge Dock, and find your perfect charging solution for Apple Watch.

How to use your iPhone when the screen is broken

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broken iPhone screen
So sad, but maybe not a complete disaster.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

This week, a friend visited me, and the screen of her iPhone is cracked so badly that it barely registers a touch. I saw her struggle to even take a photo, and realized she didn’t know the volume-button trick.

Then we saw a little girl drop an iPhone onto the cobbled street outside a restaurant, while the owner (and uncle or family friend) looked on. The screen shattered, and the poor girl was distraught. That’s when I decided to write this guide to using your iPhone with a cracked screen.

Why some people dump iPhone for Android

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Samsung Galaxy S9
Would you give up your iPhone for a Samsung Galaxy S9 or another Android device, or vice versa? Here're the reasons some people do.
Photo: Samsung

Most people would rather have a root canal than switch from iPhone to Android. In all fairness, the reverse is somewhat true, though people are far more like to switch to iOS than away.

A new survey shows why people give up their iPhone for something from Samsung, Lenovo, or similar Android OEM, and vice versa.

Apple drops second round of iOS 12 betas this week

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iOS 12 features
We don't know why Apple quickly introduced new iOS 12 beta versions, but they're ready for download.
Photo: Apple

Apple is really moving on iOS 12. It has introduced new pre-release versions for both developers and the general public just a few days after the last ones.

For developers, this is the tenth beta available. For everyone else, it’s the eighth.

Ikea expanding its HomeKit accessory lineup with smart plug

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Ikea smart home appliances
Ikea's smart home accessories lineup may be expanding
Photo: Ikea

Ikea, the Swedish-based “affordable” home furnishing company, is looking to expand its lineup of Trådfri smart home accessories to include an affordable smart switch. The report, which was first published on reddit and reported by Swedish tech site Teknikveckan, shows a pair of smart plug accessories that would allow your to control “dumb” devices with your smartphone or connected speaker.

How to bag a free Fortnite emote and stop hackers

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Fortnite Boogiedown emote
Everyone should be using 2FA to protect their Fortnite account.
Photo: Epic Games

Epic Games is giving Fortnite players even more of a reason to enable two-factor authentication by offering up a free emote. It won’t take you long to claim yours, and it’s the easiest way to prevent hackers from stealing your account.

Alleged iPad Pro case boasts a mysterious rear cutout

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iPad Pro
Could Apple be moving the Smart Connector?
Photo: Slashleaks

A mysterious cutout on an alleged leaked next-gen iPad Pro case suggests that Apple could be relocating the Smart Connector position on its new tablet — or even introducing a new connector or sensor altogether.

While the cutout isn’t explained, it does line up with previous reports suggesting that Apple would be moving the Smart Connector position closer to the Lightning port.

You can now run Windows 95 as an app on your Mac

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Windows 95 Mac app
It's easier than ever.
Photo: Felix Rieseberg

Take a trip down memory lane by loading up Windows 95 on your Mac. Play classic Solitaire and Minesweeper, and soak up the experience once enjoyed by nearly 70 percent of computer owners in the late ’90s.

It’s easier than ever, thanks to a new app built by Slack developer Felix Rieseberg.

iPhone Upgrade Program welcomes T-Mobile customers online

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iPhone X on its box
iPhone X finally hits Apple's refurbished section.
Photo: Apple

T-Mobile customers can now sign up to the iPhone Upgrade Program online — just in time for Apple’s big 2018 upgrades.

Online enrollment was previously available to those on AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon, while T-Mobile subscribers were forced to visit their local Apple Store. The process will be a little easier for those looking to buy a new iPhone this fall.

Police release video of yet another Apple Store robbery

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Apple adds 5 new vice presidents to its executive lineup
Just like most of the recent robberies, this one took place in California.
Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac

Yet another Apple Store has been targeted by thieves in the latest in an ongoing spate of snatch-and-grab robberies targeting Apple retail stores.

The robbery took place midday on Wednesday at an Apple Store in Corte Madera in Marin County, California. As with the other recent robberies, this incident involved multiple young men in hoodies entering the store and then grabbing multiple iPhones and other devices, before fleeing.

Check out a video below.

Lisa Brennan-Jobs says she didn’t trust Steve’s official biographer

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A photo of Lisa Brennan-Jobs, Steve Jobs' first daughter
Lisa Brennan-Jobs has a memoir launching next month.
Photo: Lisa Brennan-Jobs/Wikipedia CC

Lisa Brennan-Jobs, the firstborn daughter of Steve Jobs, has added her name to the list of people who weren’t fans of Jobs’ hand-picked biographer Walter Isaacson.

Isaacson wrote the mega-selling biography of Jobs published in 2011. However, since then numerous Apple insiders and people who knew Steve have criticized the book. Jobs’ daughter Lisa is the latest of these — saying that she didn’t trust the biographer, although she admits she never read his book.

Tesla blames lack of cash on employee exodus to Apple

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Tesla
The Tesla Model 3 in all its glory.
Photo: Tesla

Apple has hired away numerous Tesla employees since the end of last year — and not just to work on its Apple Car efforts, either.

According to LinkedIn data, 46 former Tesla employees have joined Apple since late 2017: either leaving the company directly for Apple, or being dismissed and then joining. These include manufacturing experts, security and software engineers, supply chain authorities, and more. And Tesla has an official statement to make about it.

Historic shipwreck leaves its mark on green leather Apple Watch band

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CLESSANT
The Russian Green band is made from embossed calf's leather. The unique crosshatch pattern offers a discreet yet remarkable texture and is highly resistant to wear.
Photo: Benjamin McKay/Cult of Mac

Sometimes even an item as mundane as a watch strap tells a story. And the Russian Green Leather Apple Watch Band by Clessant has a cool one.

The band’s design is inspired by leather discovered in a doomed shipwreck more than 200 years ago. Clessant takes this inspiration to new levels and brings this unique discovery to light with its modern-day interpretation of this age-old Russian leather.

Isaac Asimov’s Foundation sci-fi epic definitely headed for Apple TV

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Foundation was a major influence on Star Wars, and now it's coming to Apple TV.
Foundation was a major influence on Star Wars, and now it's coming to Apple TV+.
Photo: Bantam Spectra Books

A few months ago, we heard that Apple was developing Isaac Asimov’s Foundation book series for TV. Today, came word that Apple has committed to turning the sprawling sci-fi epic into a show.

Foundation follows the fall of a galactic empire, and centers on a group of scientists trying to save civilization from chaos.

These leather Apple Watch bands rival Hermès’ and are customizable

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double tour

Photo: OleksynPrannyk

A wristwatch is so much more than a means to tell time. It’s also the opportunity to make a subtle statement with a one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted Apple Watch band.

Heeding the call to individual style is OleksynPrannyk’s made-to-order and ultra-sharp Double Tour Apple Watch Band — the reasonably priced alternative to the highly priced Hermès band. The Double Tour and all of OleksynPrannyk’s bands are completely customizable with more than five adapter colors and 14 thread colors from which to choose.

Best yet, the entire collection is available now in Cult of Mac’s Watch Store. Trust me, you will love this band.

PlugBug Duo makes your MacBook charger twice as useful

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With PlugBug Duo, you can simultaneously charge your MacBook, iPhone, and iPad from one plug.
With PlugBug Duo, you can simultaneously charge your MacBook, iPhone, and iPad from one wall socket.
Photo: TwelveSouth

Everyone wants to tote around less stuff, so add-ons that make your current gear more useful are welcome.  And that’s just what the new PlugBug Duo by TwelveSouth does: it clips onto your MacBook charger and adds a pair of USB ports.

It’s especially handy for people who have a MacBook Pro with a USB-C port, but need to charge gadgets that take a traditional USB port.