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Name your price for a deep dive into UI/UX design [Deals]

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PWYW UI UX
Design websites that are engaging with this 45 hour bundle
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Creating engaging sites, apps, and content are big business. Whether you’re looking to get a new gig or launch your own project, user interface and user interaction design skills are super valuable.

So this massive set of courses is a can’t-miss deal, yours for whatever you want to pay.

Doctors worry that cocaine users rely on Apple Watch as a lifesaver

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Apple Watch alerts user of irregular heart rhythms in sleep
Or you could just not take massive amounts of coke.
Photo: Apple

An Apple a day may keep the doctor away, but that doesn’t mean you should use an Apple Watch to safeguard against ill effects while binging on massive amounts of drugs.

According to a new report, medical experts are concerned that some drug users, particularly people taking cocaine, are using their Apple Watches and other wearables to monitor their heart rate while imbibing.

Apple expects 2018 iPhones will bring the massive upgrade cycle it’s dreaming of

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Ex-student sentenced to 3 years in prison for massive iPhone scam
Apple is poised for a massive 2019, it seems.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple will drop the iPhone X and iPhone SE from its list of available products this year, a new report claims. The reason? To help push a super cycle for the next-gen iPhone handsets that Apple supposedly believes will be, “far larger than normal cycles.”

The report, from analysts John Donovan and Steve Mullane from research firm BlueFin Research Partners, suggests that Apple is planning to build a combined 91 million units of its three 2018-era iPhones, which they think will be named the iPhone 9, iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Plus.

Apple’s USB-blocking update is already counter-blocked

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There may already be a way around Apple's USB Restricted Mode
There may already be a way around Apple's USB Restricted Mode.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Yesterday, Apple’s iOS 11.4.1 update secured the USB Lightning port on iPhones and iPads. And already there is a workaround, allowing cops and criminals to retain access to the port, and then use their hacking tools to extract your private data.

macOS High Sierra 10.13.6 brings AirPlay 2 to iTunes

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wwdc 2017
MacOS High Sierra is still being updated. In fact, there's a new version out now.
Photo: Apple

Apple isn’t quite done with macOS High Sierra, even though most people’s attention is on the replacement, macOS Mojave. What’s likely the final update to the old version, macOS 10.13.6, is now available for download.

The main purpose of this release seems to be bug fixes, but the release notes do mention one new feature.

Hackers and cops hate Apple’s iOS 11.4.1 update

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iPhone hacking is more difficulty with iOS 11.4.1
iPhone hacking is more difficulty if a new "USB Accessories" setting in iOS 11.4.1 is left off.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

The iOS version debuting today partially deactivates the Lightning port after an iPhone hasn’t been used for an hour. This makes iPhone hacking more difficult, for both criminals and law enforcement.

Previously, this feature was available in iOS betas. iOS 11.4.1 is the first time it’s been in a public version.

Super-fast WiGig could be in future iPhone

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A WiGig iPhone might happen in 2020.
A WiGig iPhone might happen in 2020. This standard is fast but short range.
Photo: Wireless Gigabit Alliance/Cult of Mac

Apple appears to be planning to put WiGig in future iPhones. This a version of Wi-Fi that’s more than five times faster than 802.11ac.

An Intel Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modem has reportedly been turned down by Apple because it lacked WiGig. This certainly implies that the iPhone maker will go looking for a modem that does include this feature.

Win 1 of 10 LuxArmor Elite iPhone X cases with our giveaway!

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iPhone X Case giveaway
Win a LuxArmor Elite iPhone X case with our latest YouTube giveaway.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

After I made a video showcasing my favorite iPhone X cases, I got a lot of feedback from readers wanting to know more. By far the most popular iPhone X case in that lineup — and the one I get asked about the most, even to this day — is the LuxArmor Classic.

The super-sleek $24 case bears no branding whatsoever. It’s extremely thin and light, but adds a surprising amount of protection. Now, LuxArmor has launched a new collection of iPhone X cases that keep that great, minimalist style but add extra protection.

In today’s video, I give you a quick hands-on look at the new LuxArmor Elite cases. Plus, we’ve got 10 of these to give away!

See a dreamy underwater film shot with naked iPhone X

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Frederic Van Strydonck
Shot on iPhone X underwater without a case.
Photo: Frederic Van Strydonck/Vimeo

We can be fairly confident that the iPhone X can survive a quick dunk underwater. Frederic van Strydonck did more than quick dunks when he used an iPhone X without any case to make an ethereal short film below the surface in various watery locations.

The iPhone X is not technically considered fully waterproof. It’s rated to be water-resistant when submerged at a maximum depth of 1 meter.

Pro Tip: Reject Robocalls at the squeeze of a hardware button

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Reject robocalls on with a double-tap of the power button.
Reject robocalls on with a double-tap on the power button.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Pro Tip Cult of Mac bug Did you know that, if you have your iPhone set to share incoming calls with your Mac, your iPad, and/or Apple Watch, then the iPhone won’t let you reject incoming calls? The red telephone icon isn’t there. You have to either answer the call, or scramble to another device in order to bump the call without picking up first.

But there’s a great hidden trick that lets you reject any call from your iPhone, without even touching the screen.

Here’s how much each country makes off the iPhone 7

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iPhone-7
The major components for the iPhone 7 come from a variety of counties. Most at of the profit still goes to the U.S.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The iPhone is made in China, so most of the profit stays over there, right? Actually, everything in that sentence is wrong.

A new study finds that China makes less than $9 from each iPhone 7. Some of the rest goes to other Asian countries, but the lion’s share is earned by Apple and other U.S. companies.

Cheap-ass case helps iPhone X survive deathly drop

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GizmoSlip
The iPhone X is more useable than what it was encased in.
Photo: GizmoSlip/YouTube

The patent for a case that can protect an iPhone X from a 100-foot drop was filed in 1883 – toilet paper on a roll.

Admittedly, the history isn’t quite right, but the hosts of the YouTube channel GizmoSlip did discover that an iPhone X nestled in two rolls of toilet paper can fall form a drone high in the sky and look and work like new.

Artist re-creates Childish Gambino’s ‘This Is America’ video on vintage Mac

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This Is America recreation
Donald Glover looks even cooler in pixel form.
Photo: Wahyu Ichwandardi

Donald Glover’s video for “This Is America” is one of most talked-about music videos of the year, but one brilliant animator is adding an extra dose of old-school cool by painstakingly re-creating it on a vintage Mac and software from the ’80s.

New York City illustrator Wahyu Ichwandardi (aka @pinot) is animating the entire “This Is America” video pixel by pixel. There’s still a lot of work to be done, but he’s currently 375 frames deep — and it looks incredible.

Watch the first minute of the video:

Vintage Apple inspires line of toy robots

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Classicbot
This toy Classic is ready to travel with a Font Suitcase and pet mouse.
Photo: Classicbot

Philip Lee is an ad man, a great admirer of vintage Macs and a lifelong collector of toy robots. From those three pieces of Lee’s life comes Classicbot, a line of designer toys that turns historic replica Apple hardware and desktop icons into adorable characters.

His first, the Classic, looks like the original Macintosh computer except with a friendly face, arms and legs. There’s even a cute mouse, a Font Suitcase that fits in the toy bot’s hand and a cardboard box reminiscent of the original packaging.

Understand your sleep patterns with Pillow [50 Essential iOS Apps #35]

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Pillow on Apple Watch report
Pillow users your Apple Watch or iPhone for sleep tracking and reporting your sleep quality.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

50 Essential iOS Apps: pillow sleep tracker appDo you ever wake up feeling exhausted, even though you are sure you slept well the night before? Or do you find yourself getting that 2:30 feeling a few hours early without any clear explanation? With the Pillow sleep app for iPhone and Apple Watch, you can get detailed analysis of your nightly slumber. Even better, you can gain insight into your body’s ideal sleep and wake times.

HomePod will never become the iPhone of smart speakers

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The HomePod -- a beautiful body with the brain of an idiot.
Doomed to remain a minor player? We'll see.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

The smart speaker install base will approach 100 million units by the end of 2018 — but Apple will make up only a tiny piece of the market.

At least, that’s according to analysts at Canalys, who forecast how things are shaping up for the various Amazon Echo, Google Home, and Apple HomePod devices currently winding their way into kitchens and living rooms around the world. Their take home message? That, unless something big changes, Apple is kinda screwed!

Crazy GIF shows how iPhone X may pave the way for Apple Glasses

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smart glasses
Will smart glasses replace iPhone as our main communication device?
Photo: uMake

The iPhone X’s ugly notch could pave the way for Apple to dominate the smart glasses market.

Augmented reality glasses are poised to become the hottest tech gadget of the next decade and Apple’s already laying the foundation with the iPhone X. It may not seem like the two will be directly related, but this clever concept shows how the key lays in the TrueDepth camera hidden in the notch.

Check it out:

Stylish new ads showcase how iPad can simplify your life

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iPad
The iPad and Apple Pencil is a winning combo.
Photo: Apple

The iPad is an extraordinarily versatile productivity tool, and Apple is keen to showcase that fact in a series of stylish new ads. The 15-second spots demonstrate the way that Apple’s tablet — alongside the Apple Pencil — can be used to make it easier to deal with your paperwork or computing on the move.

Check them out below.

Save massively on a whopping 3TB of cloud storage

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Zoolz 3Tb
Backup all of your summer photos with Zoolz Cloud Storage
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Cloud storage is super convenient, and often super expensive. When you get into the realms of terabytes, which is necessary for serious backups, the prices can be downright prohibitive. Improving storage capacity shouldn’t mean emptying your wallet

Gang of thieves snatches $19,000 of iPhones from Apple Store

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Suffolk County Police
A frame of security footage from the raid.
Photo: Suffolk County Police

A group of hooded thieves snatched $19,000 worth of iPhones from a New York Apple Store late last week.

Five men were recorded on CCTV during the raid at the store in Huntington Station, NY. Police are offering $5,000 for any information that will allow them to apprehend the criminals.

This foot-based iPhone holder makes the selfie stick look sane

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Foot Shoe
Or you could just wear something with pockets.
Photo: ErrorDigital/Instagram

Remember the bemused reaction you had to the selfie stick the first time you saw one? Remember how that feeling gradually changed to begrudging acceptance as they became standard issue over the months that followed?

Get ready for the next creation in that line of “are they kidding?” thinking: the iPhone foot mount for the person who doesn’t want pockets in their clothing. They’ll be everywhere in 2019. Maybe.

One-time Apple copycat Xiaomi goes public

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Xiaomi Mi Mix 2
Its debut wasn't an unequivocal success, however.
Photo: Xiaomi

Chinese smartphone manufacturer and occasional Apple tribute act Xiaomi has made its debut on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange — officially making it the world’s third largest phonemaker.

Xiaomi is one of the world’s most hotly anticipated stock market listings, having risen to prominence in developing markets, such as China. CEO Lei Jun, who was present at the company’s IPO launch today, has admitted that his founding the company was heavily inspired by the story of Steve Jobs.

Hilarious new iPhone X ad imagines life as a quiz show

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Apple's new iPhone X ad shows the struggle we go through trying to remember passwords.
Apple's new iPhone X ad shows the struggle we go through trying to remember passwords.
Screenshot: Apple

Imagine you’re on a game show and the trivia answer you need to win is… the password you created for your online banking account.

This isn’t an elaborate form of hacking, it’s a funny new Apple advertisement that points out that Face ID saves us from ever having to remember passwords.

Your iPhone or iPad probably indicates you’re well off

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pad&quill
Just by looking at her with an iPad tells you there's a good chance she's well off.
Photo: Pad & Quill

Researchers investigating differences between groups of Americans have an interesting observation: owning an iOS device is the best indicator that someone is in one of the top income brackets. Even better than using Grey Poupon.

They are trying to discover whether rich and poor, white and minority, men and women have less in common now than they did in the past. Studying the products they buy is part of this process.