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Give your Mac a checkup from the neck up [Deals]

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This app makes it easy to keep your Mac healthy and clear of junk files.
This app makes it easy to keep your Mac healthy and clear of junk files.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

It’s important to keep a hard-working, complex machine like your Mac clean and well-maintained. For most of us though, computer care stops at emptying the recycling bin and wiping the screen. So it’s nice to know there’s an app that can do the work of cleaning and tuning our Macs.

‘And the winner is…’ Apple celebrates 2018 Design Awards

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apps wwdc screenshot
Apple rewarded the best apps of the 2018 crop.
Photo: Apple

Apple has revealed the winners of its prestigious 21st Apple Design Awards, offering a nice boost to the indie developers in question and some good recommendations for users.

The awards span nine different countries and a variety of app types, from note-taking apps to games. Check out the winners below.

Apple changes App Store rules following Steam Link ban

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Screens remote desktop iOS
Has Apple changed its mind about Steam Link?
Photo: Screens

Apple has updated its App Store guidelines to include new rules for remote desktop clients.

Apps can no longer display a “store-like interface” that allows users to “browse, select, or purchase software” they don’t already own, but they can allow transactions if they are processed by a host device.

The change comes just a few weeks after Steam Link for iOS was rejected by Apple because it allowed purchasing inside PC games. It’s not yet clear whether the new rules pave the way for Steam Link’s approval.

Tim Cook talks politics, privacy and machines taking over

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Tim Cook and Ivanka Trump
Tim Cook at yesterday's WWDC event.
Screenshot: Apple

Following yesterday’s WWDC keynote, Tim Cook participated in an interview on CNN with Senior Technology Correspondent, Laurie Segall.

In a wide-ranging interview, Cook discussed everything from the threat of machines taking over to the “fundamental human right” of privacy to why he’s not interested in running for office. Here are the big takeaways:

iOS 12 makes iPhones immune to ‘brute force’ unlocking

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GrayKey can bypass iPhone security
Unlocking tools that quickly enter thousands of passcodes though the Lightning port can be blocked out with iOS 12.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

WWDC 2018 bug Cult of MacThe just-released beta of iOS 12 can be set to partially deactivate the Lightning port after an iPhone hasn’t been used for an hour. This is a clear attempt to make useless the unlocking tools employed by law enforcement.

Police across the country are purchasing a tool called GrayKey. When hooked to an iPhone’s Lightning  port, this swiftly enters thousands of passcodes until the correct one is reached. Deactivating the Lightning port would block its use.

Speed through the WWDC 2018 keynote with sketchnotes

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Apple WWDC 2018 keynote in sketchnotes, Part 1 of 4.
Sketchnotes deliver all the WWDC 2018 keynote highlights the easy, visual way.
Photo: Andy McNally/Cult of Mac

WWDC 2018 bug Cult of Mac It is always exciting to capture the WWDC keynote in sketchnotes, and this year I filled up four pages of my notebook with drawings showcasing the biggest new features coming in iOS 12, macOS Mojave and watchOS 5.

As seen in my first sketchnote, above, iOS 12 makes performance on both old and new devices a priority. ARKit 2 brings more augmented reality goodness to Apple devices, including the ability for up to four people to share the same AR space at the same time.

For a quick and easy recap of the rest of the WWDC 2018 keynote highlights — plus a bonus sketchnote that proved kind of prescient — check out the rest below.

Face ID in iOS 12 recognizes two different faces

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Multiperson Face ID in iOS 12 can recognize alternate appearances.
Face ID in iOS 12 can be trained to recognize an "alternate appearance," allowing multiple people to unlock an iPhone.
Image: CultOfMac/9to5mac

WWDC 2018 bug Cult of MacThe first iOS 12 developer beta debuted after today’s WWDC keynote. Intrepid souls who’ve already installed this early version on their iPhone X noticed that Face ID can be trained to recognize more than one person.

This removes one of the significant limitations of Apple’s new biometric security system.

Watch Apple’s hilarious nature mockumentary about nerd herds

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Self-deprecating humor rules in the Apple WWDC 2018 video about developers.
A little self-deprecating humor goes a long way in Apple's new video.
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2018 bug Cult of Mac Apple kicked off WWDC 2018 with what was perhaps the best damn video the company ever created.

Taking a page out of David Attenborough’s playbook, Apple crafted a hilarious nature mockumentary all about one of the world’s most extraordinary species — developers — making their annual journey to the great plains of WWDC.

Prepare to laugh your ass off at The Developer Migration!

All the important new stuff Apple revealed at WWDC 2018

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WWDC 2018
WWDC 2018 was packed with new software.
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2018 bug Cult of Mac Apple’s WWDC 2018 keynote lasted nearly 130 minutes and was jam-packed with new software goodies for developers and regular old Apple fanboys.

But if you were hoping to see some shiny new hardware unveiled at today’s event, you were in for some big disappointments. Apple is doubling down on its software game. And even though they didn’t have any new physical toys to show off, Tim Cook and company still managed to pull out some big surprises.

With macOS Mojave, Apple gives Mac some much-needed love

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Mojave
High Sierra is dead. Long live macOS Mojave!
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2018 bug Cult of Mac Developers received an early look at macOS 10.14 today, which bears the far-less-silly-than-last-year’s-High-Sierra name “Mojave.” After what Craig Federighi called a “four year mountain bender” Apple’s heading to the desert for its next-gen Mac OS.

For its 2018 iteration, Apple is introducing a dark mode, some nifty Finder updates, added privacy, and an all new, redesigned Mac App Store. Here’s what you need to know.

tvOS 12 brings cinematic sound to Apple TV

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tvOS12
Apple TV now supports the Dolby Atmos sound bar.
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2018 bug Cult of MacApple TV introduced a better picture in 2017 with 4K HDR. In 2018, tvOS 12 will add cinematic sound to match.

Apple announced today that tvOS 12 will support the Dolby Atmos soundbar for an audio format that gives movie sound a kind of 3-D effect. The addition of Dolby Atmos makes Apple TV the only streaming device that supports both Dolby Vision and Atmos.

watchOS 5 is ready to push Apple Watch into the future

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apple watch
watchOS 5 makes Apple Watch more useful than ever.
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2018 bug Cult of Mac Apple is adding more ways for Apple Watch wearers to stay active and connected with watchOS 5, its biggest software update for its wearable in 2018.

Developers got an early preview of watchOS 5 today at WWDC 2018 and it’s packed with UI tweaks and a bevy of new features that make Apple Watch a better exercise companion and communication device.

Stocks app finally comes to iPad in iOS 12

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stocks on ipad_WWDC18
Stocks! On iPad!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

WWDC 2018 bug Cult of Mac Tim Cook finally got his way — the Stocks app will appear on iPad in iOS 12. And the app also gets a bunch of improvements, so that Stocks might no longer be the first app you hide away in a “junk” folder when you get a new iPhone.

ARKit 2.0 will make you actually want to use AR

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ARKit
Apple is taking ARKit to the next level.
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2018 bug Cult of Mac ARKit was last year’s big WWDC announcement. This year Apple introduced ARKit 2.0 and, if we weren’t convinced before about the potential of augmented reality, Apple’s presentation went a long way to changing our minds!

The update to the world’s largest AR platform introduces a new more easily sharable file system, improved face tracking, more realistic rendering, 3D object detection, and — most exciting of all — shared experiences.

Apple previews iOS 12 with ARKit 2.0, huge performance boost

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iOS 12
iOS 12 rolls out to all this fall.
Photo: Apple

WWDC 2018 bug Cult of Mac We just got our very first glimpse at iOS 12 during Apple’s big keynote at WWDC.

The new update, which will be available for free this fall, includes ARKit 2.0 with new experiences and support for multiplayer games, grouped notifications, group FaceTime calls, and new apps.

iOS 12 also promises huge performance improvements across all compatible devices — especially older models that have struggled with previous releases.

WWDC 2018 live blog: Apple unveils its frameworks for the future

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Get in on all the Apple action with our WWDC 2018 live blog.
Are you ready for all the Apple action?
Image: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

WWDC 2018 bug Cult of Mac The first major Apple keynote of 2018 is just hours away, and it’s going to be a doozy. Apple is expected to give us our first look at iOS 12 and macOS 10.14, plus new software for Apple TV, Apple Watch and Apple Music. Some new hardware might also be in the cards as well, but we’ll have to wait until Tim Cook takes the stage to find out.

The WWDC 2018 keynote is set to kick off at 10 a.m. Pacific and we’ll be at the event and live-blogging all the festivities. Come on in and enjoy the fun with us!

Reliable Apple analyst predicts cheaper 2018 iPhone models

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An artist compiled various rumors about the 2018 iPhone into images, including this one.
Until this fall, these artist's conceptions of the 2018 iPhone models are all there is.
Photo: DBS Designing

Just about everyone agrees that Apple is prepping three iPhone models for release this fall. Analysts don’t agree on what these will cost.

Ming-Chi Kuo, who has a long history of being generally correct about Apple’s plans, said today that these devices will have lower prices than some might fear.

Window cleaners look like tiny ants in latest Apple Park flyover

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Apple Park
"What is this, a campus for ants?!"
Photo: Matthew Roberts/Maverick Imagery

Just in time for WWDC, drone videographers Duncan Sinfield and Matthew Roberts have uploaded new drone flyover videos of Apple Park.

The videos show that landscaping is continuing on the spectacular site and more people than ever are working there. Most astonishing of all is a glimpse of the 24-hour window cleaning crew, reminding us of just how massive Apple’s shiny new headquarters actually is. Check out the videos below.

ARKit 2.0 will allow multiplayer games in the same space

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ARkit
AR will no longer be a solo affair.
Photo: Dent Reality

At WWDC, Apple could debut new multiplayer AR tools which allow two iPhone users to share the same augmented reality space.

The news was shared in a recent Reuters report. While short on details, the report suggests that it will be able to do this while minimizing the amount of personal data that is sent to servers.

Apple Music gets a web player ahead of WWDC

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Apple Music on the web
Apple Music comes to your browser.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Improvements to Apple Music could be showcased at WWDC later today — but one new feature has slipped out early. A new web player gives Apple Music fans the ability to sample and enjoy full tracks in their browsers.

How to watch the WWDC 2018 keynote live stream

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WWDC 2018 Keynote banner
As ever, WWDC was a
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

WWDC 2018 bug Cult of MacGetting ready for today’s WWDC 2018 Keynote? Of course you are. You probably already stocked up on popcorn, or those filthy Haribo candies, and have a fresh bag of coffee beans ready to grind (or a crate of the manchild’s alternative, Club Mate).

All you need now is a live stream of the show. Let’s see how to watch the WWDC 2018 Keynote on iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple TV, and even PC.