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Instagram lets you mute accounts you don’t want to see

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These Instagram tips will help you connect with photographers who share your interests.
We don’t want to see photos from everyone we follow.
Photo: Lee Peterson/Cult of Mac

Instagram is finally giving us the ability to mute accounts that we don’t want to see in our feeds.

The feature lets you weed out annoying friends without actually unfollowing them. You will still be able to view their profile if you choose to, and you can unmute them anytime you want.

Total War Saga: Thrones of Britannia will march onto macOS this month

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Total War
Coming soon to a Mac near you.
Photo: Feral Interactive

Fancy hurling yourself back in time to the British Isles, circa 878 AD? If so, and if you’re a fan of the battle-heavy strategy games, you may be pleased to hear that Total War Saga: Thrones of Britannia is coming to macOS this week.

Released on PC earlier this month, the game allows you to pick between the English, Welsh, Gaelic, or Vikings and battle for dominance. While you’re doing this, you’ll make and break alliances, build armies, and play your way through a number of different campaigns. Check out the trailer below.

It’s time to finally learn that new language with Rosetta Stone [Deals]

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When it comes to learning a new language, this deal on Rosetta Stone subscriptions leaves no more excuses.
When it comes to learning a new language, this deal on Rosetta Stone subscriptions leaves no more excuses.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

We all know that person, the one who speaks four languages fluently and ‘gets by’ in two others. Meanwhile, we’re still trying to reach intermediate status on a second language. So for anyone tired of wasting time and ready to finally count yourself among the multilingual, this deal on Rosetta Stone subscriptions is for you.

Starbucks is beating Apple, Google and Samsung at mobile payments

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Apple Pay finally overtakes Starbucks in mobile payments
Starbucks is doing a great job of persuading customers to use its mobile app.
Photo: Nicky Colman/Flickr

Apple and Google may be two of the biggest companies in the tech industry, but they’re both losing to Starbucks when it comes to one important metric.

No, we’re not talking about numbers of coffees made per year, but rather the success of their respective mobile payment services. According to a new report, the Starbucks mobile payments app is currently outperforming Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay to cement its place as the most successful mobile payments app.

Massive iPhone sales buck the trend in falling smartphone market

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iphone x
Suddenly Apple's record quarter seems even more impressive!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple had an even better start to 2018 than you might think. While it’s now well known that Apple had a record first three months of the year, that doesn’t take into account what the rest of the smartphone market was doing during that time.

In fact, according to a new report by analysts at Counterpoint, the overall U.S. smartphone market declined 11 percent versus the same time last year. Apple, on the other hand, shipped a record 16 million handsets in Q1 — representing a 16 percent increase year-on-year.

Clips goes soccer mad with new World Cup update

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soccer
We'd call it "football" but we don't want to start a war in the comments section.
Photo: Mxmystro/Flickr

Ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which kicks off on June 14, Apple has updated its Clips video app with a soccer-themed refresh.

The free apps allows users to combine video clips, photos and music into short videos that they can share with friends and family. To add some flair to these videos, it’s possible to utilize filters, emoji, stickers, captions and more. The new Clips update includes new soccer graphics.

How controversial Theranos founder borrowed Steve Jobs’ look

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Elizabeth Holmes
The black turtleneck look was synonymous with Steve Jobs.
Photo: Max Morse/TechCrunch/Wikipedia CC

Apple and particularly its iconic co-founder Steve Jobs have inspired some great people, ideas and companies over the years. But Apple’s beloved former leader and highly regarded products were also singled out as an inspiration for controversial health tech Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes.

In a forthcoming book, Wall Street Journal reporter John Carreyrou details some of the ways that Holmes (the exec whose net worth was revised from $4.5 billion to zero after questions about the validity of her blood testing tools emerged) cribbed notes from Apple’s playbook.

LGBT activists are unhappy about Apple’s location for new corporate hub

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Tim Cook
Cook has been an outspoken defender of LGBT rights during his time leading Apple.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple’s decision to open a new HQ in North Carolina is reportedly close to being a “done deal,” waiting only for the right incentives package to be passed.

But one potential spanner in the works could be the area’s history of anti-LGBT laws. Most infamous of these is the Public Facilities Privacy & Security Act, which made it law for people to use the public restrooms and changing rooms which correspond with their birth certificate sex, as opposed to their self-identified gender.

U.K. iPhone users want $4.3B from Google for privacy violations

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Google
Millions in Britain wants $1000 each because they claim Google invaded their privacy
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

A group of 4.4 million Brits accuse Google of illegally collecting and selling their personal information. They want a court to award them  $1000 (£750) each in compensation.

The group, which calls itself Google You Owe Us, was in court today asking to be made a representative action, the British equivalent of a class action.

Trump carries an iPhone just for Twitter

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This is the Trump iPhone, but not Trump's iPhone.
The President doesn't actually use Caviar's commemorative Donald Trump iPhone 7.
Photo: Caviar

Possibly everyone on Earth knows that President Donald Trump uses Twitter, but you might not know that his many tweets are coming from an iPhone. The commander in chief actually has at least two: one that’s just for Twitter, and one or more others only for voice calls.

While Apple makes devices that are unusually hard to hack, there are questions about whether the president is hampering White House efforts to keep the Trump iPhone secure.

Apple drops 24 percent off cost of a cable you really need

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A USB-C Lightning cable price drop.
A USB-C Lightning cable has several uses, including faster charges for recent iPhone and iPad models.
Photo: Apple

The price of a USB-C Lightning cable dropped 24 percent. That’s good news to almost every iPhone and iPad user.

This cable really should be bundled with Apple’s phone and tablet. It offers faster charging, and is required for connectivity with the latest macOS devices.

Coach introduces new Apple Watch bands for summer

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coach apple watch bands
Upgrade your band in time for summer.
Photo: Coach

Luxury design company Coach is ready to supply Apple Watch wearers with a fresh lineup of new bands this summer.

The company unveiled its latest lineup of fashionable bands that include a couple new colors and fabrics for those who are looking to add a little extra style to their wrists.

Google nearly scrubs ‘Don’t be evil’ from its code of conduct

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'Don't be evil' went from the first sentence of the Google code of conduct to the very last.
'Don't be evil' went from the first sentence of the Google code of conduct to the very last.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Google’s founders tried to define their corporate philosophy with a single phrase: “Don’t be evil.” Now that phrase has all but disappeared from the company’s official code of conduct.

But there are questions about whether Google could be anything but evil, given that its entire business model is violating the privacy of its users.

Elgato’s portable green screen is the perfect setup for gamers

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elgato screen
Streamers, prepare to have your mind blown.
Photo: Erfon Elijiah

Want to become the next big Fortnite star but don’t have a professional-looking streaming setup? The folks at Elgato are ready to solve all your woes with their brilliant new collapsible green screen.

Most green screens we’ve used are a pain to deal with, but not only is the new Elgato screen dead-easy to use, it’s pretty cheap, too. The CultCast producer Erfon Elijah has been playing with Elgato’s green screen the last few weeks. It blew him away with features that allow anyone to create an immersive stream instantly.

Take a look at it in action:

Facebook wants to become your internet service provider

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Facebook Terragraph network
A Facebook Terragraph network provides broadband access without cable or fiber.
Graphic: Facebook

Facebook and Qualcomm are working together to provide high-speed connectivity to urban areas. They’ll use Facebook Terragraph technology to build a multi-node wireless system based on 60GHz technology from Qualcomm.

The goal is to provide multi-gigabytes per second speed at a lower cost.

Podcast app Castro adds most-requested features

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Castro 3 playing the CultCast podcast
Podcast app Castro addresses several missing features with version 3
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

With podcasts increasing in popularity, Castro has been one of the top third-party podcast players on the market. In version 2, Castro changed the way users manage their unplayed episodes with their podcast triage system. While it was a great update, and included some gorgeous design touches, it was missing some key listening features. With version 3, Castro adds in users most requested features to make it a truly great podcast player.

Glitchy Apple II screens inspire this artist’s work

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Melissa Barron
A screen glitch, frustrating to most, is beautiful to weaver Melissa Barron.
Photo: Melissa Barron

The Apple II and the iconic game The Oregon Trail launched countless computer science careers – and are twin muses for weaver Melissa Barron.

The Chicago artist appreciates the similarities in a line of code and a strand of yarn as she brings analog texture to computer screens, especially the helter-skelter appearance of glitches.

Siri ‘leaks’ about HomePod and voice change are old news [Correction]

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Siri voice
With the right question, Siri has loose lips.
Photo: iPad screen capture

Correction: This post has been updated to indicate that the Siri “leaks” making headlines this week appear to be leftovers from WWDC 2017. The somewhat cryptic Siri responses, which caused some confusion, appear to have been removed by the Siri team.

When asked about Apple’s upcoming Worldwide Developer’s Conference, Siri very sweetly dishes two interesting bits of news. Apple’s voice assistant will get a new voice, and she will lend it to a new HomePod.

The Obamas head to Netflix after flirting with Apple

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Maybe the coolest, most tech savvy president ever.
Maybe the coolest, most tech savvy president ever.
Photo: The White House

Former President Barak Obama and his wife Michelle Obama are coming to Netflix.

The duo inked a deal to produce content for the streaming service this week after reportedly being courted by Apple and Amazon earlier this year. Netflix announced the multi-year agreement today which could lead to films, scripted series, unscripted series documentaries and more.

Animoji go on a wild ride in crazy K-pop iPhone X ad

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animoji
Animoji are one of the best iPhone
Photo: Apple

Apple has tapped into the power of K-pop for its wild new Animoji ad that came out today. The South Korean group HYUKOH gave Apple exclusive rights to their catchy new song for the fun ad that features a dazzling array of lights and animated cityscapes.

The minute-long ad is similar in style to the Grammy-themed Animoji ads Apple put out earlier this year. Only in this one, the visuals are ramped up to an all-new level.

Buckle up and enjoy the ride:

The Kindle app puts an entire library in your hand [50 Essential iOS Apps #16]

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The Kindle app is the perfect platform for reading e-books on iPad or iPhone. It's one of Cult of Mac's 50 essential iOS apps.
The Kindle app is the perfect platform for reading e-books on iPad or iPhone.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

50 Essential iOS Apps: Amazon Kindle appReading books. It’s something we’ve all done at some point in our lives. People read for fun, learning or taking a break. The trouble is, having a huge collection of books takes up space and can literally weigh you down.

E-books are the solution, and the Kindle app is an excellent way to enjoy the world of literature without straining your back or your physical space. With the Kindle app, you can carry an entire library’s worth of books on your iPad or iPhone.

Apple drops a spot in Fortune 500 rankings

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European Commission could get even tougher on tech in 2020
Apple's revenues need to get bigger if it wants to rise in the rankings.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Despite closing in on becoming the country’s first trillion dollar company, Apple took a small drop in the annual Fortune 500 rankings.

The rankings released this morning put Apple in the number 4 spot as ExxonMobile leapfrogged the iPhone-maker and Berkshire Hathaway to claim the number 2 spot.