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A full version of Photoshop is coming to iPad in 2019

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iPad 2018
The iPad is going to get a powerful new graphics tool.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

There are some great graphics apps available for iPad. One which has been largely absent up until now? The proper full version of Adobe Photoshop.

Fortunately, that looks like it will change this year as Adobe Systems plans to launch the full version of the iconic photo-editing app for iPad. The move is part of a new strategy designed to boost subscription sales by focusing on mobile apps.

What you need to know about the new MacBook Pros, this week on The CultCast

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MacBook Pro CultCast
It's the most powerful update in years.
Photo: Apple

This week on The CultCast: It’s the best update in years. We’ll tell you everything you need to know about Apple’s very powerful new MacBook Pros. Plus: New Mac minis are on the way; Ming-Chi Kuo confirms Apple’s about to update its entire product line; how coke heads use Apple Watch to maximize their high. Finally, we talk killer whale attacks, port wines and the story of Saturday Night Live’s world-renowned sax player on an all-new What We’re Into.

Apple orders future iPhone displays from LG

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6.5- and 6.1-inch 2018 iPhone models
Complications could keep us waiting for Apple’s more affordable iPhone.
Photo: OnLeaks

Apple has ordered more than 24 million iPhone displays from LG as it prepares to start manufacturing its next-generation devices.

The South Korean company is expected to supply around 20 million LCD panels for the all-new 6.1-inch iPhone, plus 4 million OLED panels for a flagship model.

LG is also said to become the primary supplier of OLED displays for next year’s devices.

Apple joins $300 million fund to push clean energy in China

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China clean energy
A photovoltaic facility in Sichuan province that contributes to Apple's clean energy push.
Photo: Apple

Apple has leant its name — and, more importantly, its cold, hard cash — to a new initiative investing around $300 million to push energy use in China.

The fund will invest in and develop clean energy projects, capable of powering the equivalent of nearly 1 million homes.

Apple-owned magazine subscription service simplifies its fees

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Texture will stop working on Windows soon
Texture is dropping $5 off its Premium tier.
Photo: Apple

Texture, the digital magazine subscription service Apple acquired back in March, is simplifying its fee structure. Previously, Texture offered a $9.99 Unlimited Basic Plan and a $14.99 Unlimited Premium Plan, with the difference between the two being the addition of weekly magazines.

Now Texture has lowered the price for the Premium Plan to $9.99. In essence, this means that all customers should now have access to the widest possible range of publications for just ten bucks a month!

PC shipments are finally back on the rise

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MacBook butterfly keyboard
A new petition accuses the MacBook 'butterfly' keyboard of failing when a single speck gets in the wrong place.
Photo: Apple

Worldwide personal computer shipments are finally making a comeback after a six-year slump in sales.

The latest report from Gartner estimates that during the second quarter of 2018 PC shipments finally grew year-over-year for the first time since the first quarter of 2012. With 1.4% overall growth for the market, PC makers have a lot to be happy about, and Apple’s shipment numbers were some of the best in the bunch.

Apple photo printing service is dead as disco

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Apple photo printing service discontinued
After being around since 2002, the Apple photo printing service is going away.
Photo: Apple

Mac users can still print pictures from the Photos app to Apple’s online Photo Print Products service, but only for a couple of more weeks. It’s being discontinued at the end of September.

iPhone and iPad users, there’s nothing to see here. This service never made the jump to iOS.

National Geographic turns top 2018 travel photos into iPhone-friendly wallpapers

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humpback whale
A humpback whale calf spotted off the coast of Japan.
Photo: REIKO TAKAHASHI

Some of the best photos from National Geographic’s travel photographers of the year are now available as free wallpapers for iPhone, iPad and Mac. The collection includes images from a wide range of photographers. They’ve been divided into categories for nature, cities and people so you’re bound to find a few that catch your fancy.

Check out some of our favorites:

MacBook Pro’s third-gen ‘butterfly’ keyboard doesn’t fix its worst problem

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MacBook butterfly keyboard
The keys of the "butterfly" keyboard in the 2016 MacBook Pro get stuck very easily. It's possible that's true of the 2018 models too.
Photo: Apple

Editor’s note: There’s good evidence that the new MacBook Pro keyboard actually does address the problems experienced by some owners. Read our: Teardown reveals MacBook Pro keyboard is redesigned to prevent keys sticking


People around the world are hoping the new MacBook Pro models introduced today have a keyboard that’s been carefully designed to not have the same sticky keyboard keys as their predecessors. But it didn’t happen.

A company spokesperson says the problem of grit causing the keys to stick in previous macOS laptops was not addressed.

But that’s not necessarily the whole story. It’s possible Apple did fix the problem but doesn’t dare talk about it.

Apple Watch 4 renders show off big new display

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Here's what the 2018 Apple Watch might look like.
Here's what the 2018 Apple Watch might look like.
Photo: Ben Geskin

Those eager to get their wrists on the 2018 Apple Watch can tide themselves over with some fresh concept images. These clearly show the benefits of a much-anticipated larger screen by comparing the upcoming version with past ones.

The 2018 Apple Watch is also expected to sport a bigger battery and other enhancements.

Fallen trees make gorgeous wooden iMac stands

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Understands
This old tree turns a new leaf to organize your iMac workstation.
Photo: Understands

Mike Fisher makes a living getting old, fallen trees ready for a new life in the technology sector.

The woodworker, with a shop in the “Forest City” of Rockford, Illinois, makes wooden iMac stands and shelves out fallen ash and walnut trees.

Sprint made your iPhone’s unlimited plan worse, or more expensive

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act-now-to-avoid-sprints-10-unlimited-data-price-jump-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201402sprint-sign-jpg
Sprint unlimited plans were just revamped. Prices were raised or features were cut. But the news isn't all bad.
Photo: Sprint

Sprint has renamed and changed some of the features of its unlimited data plan. iPhone users now have a choice between paying more or getting less.  

It’s not all bad news. There’s 50 percent more tethering data in a new top-tier plan, and the TIDAL music streaming service has been added.

Apple axes beloved 2015 MacBook Pro

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MacBook Pro
The 2015 MacBook Pro is dead.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

MacBook Pro fans that want a variety of port connections are officially out of options.

Along with releasing new MacBook Pro models this morning, Apple discontinued the 2015 MacBook Pro which was the last notebook to offer more than just expandable Thunderbolt 3 ports.

AirPlus case adds wireless charging to your AirPods

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AirPlus. If you can live with the thick rubber, they're a great idea.
AirPlus. If you can live with the thick rubber, they're a great idea.
Photo: HiQ

AirPlus is a silicone case for your AirPods’ case, which adds one great feature, as well as several not-so-great ones. With your AirPods inside the case, you can drop it onto any Qi-compatible charging mat and have the AirPods and their battery case charge wirelessly. That’s pretty sweet, but there are downsides too.

Redesigned MacBook Pro keyboard might fix problems [Updated]

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There's a MacBook Pro keyboard design in the models introduced today.
There's a new MacBook Pro keyboard design in the models introduced today.
Photo: Apple

Editor’s note: There’s fresh evidence that the new MacBook Pro keyboard actually does address the problems experienced by some owners.

Read our: Teardown reveals MacBook Pro keyboard is redesigned to prevent keys sticking


The MacBook Pro models just introduced include faster processors and better displays, but the most important new feature might be the keyboard. This has been redesigned, hopefully to fix serious problems that plagued earlier versions.

The “butterfly” keyboard in MacBook Pro models since 2016 have sparked a well-publicized recall petition and multiple lawsuits. This makes the reliability of the keyboard in the new devices a critical matter.

Apple back-to-school promo means free Beats for students

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Beats promo
Beats and MacBooks Pros are a great combo.
Photo: Apple

Apple is back with a new back to school promotion that hooks students up with free or discounted pair of Beats headphones.

The 2018 promo is pretty similar to last year’s deal. Only instead of only being available in North America initially, this year Apple launched it simultaneously in the US, Mexico, Canada, EU and Asian countries.

Hands on with Nomad’s charging stand for Apple Watch

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nomad
Nomad's Apple Watch charging stand is engineered from military-grade aluminum. Available in Silver or Space Gray.
Photo: Nomad

Nomad’s Stand for Apple Watch could easily be mistaken for a futuristic tchotchke. But, this futuristic charging stand packs high function in its curvaceous form. This sleek Apple Watch stand fits perfectly with the modern simplicity that marks Apple’s aesthetic.

Our very own Nadine Kahney gives us a hands-on look at the Nomad Stand, available for purchase in Cult of Mac’s Watch Store. Check it out below.

Fortnite challenge guide for season 5, week 1

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Fortnite season 5
Complete all seven challenges to earn 50 Battle Stars.
Image: Epic Games

Fortnite season five just kicked off, bringing new locations to explore, a second vehicle, and a whole host of new rewards to unlock.

If you buy the Battle Pass, there’s even more to enjoy, and you can start completing the first week’s challenges right away. There are seven in total, which will earn you 50 Battle Stars.

Here’s how to complete each one.

Blackmagic GPU turns your MacBook into a powerhouse

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Blackmagic
Ready and waiting to supercharge your MacBook.
Photo: Apple

Alongside its fancy new MacBook Pros, Apple is new selling a fancy new external GPU for anyone who needs extra graphics processing power for their MacBook.

Created in partnership with film and broadcast company Blackmagic, the Blackmagic eGPU is a $699 powerhouse standalone unit that comprises an MD Radeon Pro 580 graphics card with 8GB of DDR5 RAM.

New MacBook Pros come with 6-core processors, quieter keyboards

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The new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro models with Touch Bar up the ante for pro users.
The new 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Pro models with Touch Bar up the ante for pro users.
Photo: Apple

Apple just updated its MacBook Pro line, ramping up performance and adding various advanced features. Phil Schiller, Apple’s marketing VP, calls the new Apple laptops “the fastest and most powerful notebook we’ve ever made.”

The new MacBook Pro with Touch Bar models boast 8th-generation “Coffee Lake” Intel Core processors, with 6-core CPUs in the 15-inch model and quad-core CPUs on the 13-inch model.

Voice-recognition dev sues Siri for infringement

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Siri
Company alleges that Apple has infringed on its patent.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Siri has plenty of problems, but it just got one more: a lawsuit claiming Apple’s technology is infringing on patents belonging to another company.

The company in question, Advanced Voice Recognition Systems, is suing Apple for infringing on its previously held patent “Speech Recognition and Transcription Among Users Having Heterogeneous Protocols.”

Apple’s allegedly offending products include *deep breath* the iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, HomePod, and Apple TV. Everything that runs Siri, basically!

Fortnite season 5 adds new locations, second vehicle, lots more

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Fortnite season 5
Season 5 makes Fortnite even more exciting.
Photo: Epic Games

Fortnite season five has finally landed, bringing some of the biggest changes the world’s hottest game has seen since making its debut.

Viking ships, desert outposts, and ancient statues can be found all over the Battle Royale map, which you can now navigate in the new All Terrain Kart. There’s also a whole bunch of new outfits, emotes, and more to look forward to.

Get ready to grab that Battle Pass!

Apple’s North Carolina HQ now only ‘hopeful’

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Research Triangle
The possible site of Apple's next HQ.
Photo: Ildar Sagdejev/Wikipedia CC

A couple of months back, an announcement regarding Apple’s plans to build a new HQ in Raleigh, North Carolina were supposedly “imminent” and a “done deal.”

Things have remained quiet since then, however, and now a new report quotes North Carolina governor Roy Cooper as saying that he is “hopeful” Apple will pick the area, but admitting that they have yet to hear one way or the other.