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The saga of Siri (and why it still sucks), this week on The CultCast

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HomePod in China
Siri and HomePod will oblige children in China when they ask for a story.
Photo: Apple

This week on The CultCast: Siri sucks, Apple knows it, and Cupertino isn’t sure how to fix it … but there’s still hope. Plus: Our 2018 WWDC hardware expectations!

Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. It’s simple to accept Apple Pay and sell your wares with your very own Squarespace.com website. Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off any hosting plan.

Fitbit CFO: I don’t know anyone who’s passionate about Apple Watch

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apple watch
Just not a product that inspires passion, apparently.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple constantly wins plaudits for being a brand consumers feel passionate about, but Fitbit Chief Financial Officer Bill Zerella doesn’t think that applies to the Apple Watch.

Speaking at the recent Roth Investment Conference in Laguna Beach, California, Zerella said that, “I have yet to meet anyone who owns an Apple Watch who’s passionate about the product.”

Steve Jobs’ daughter is writing memoir about rocky relationship with her dad

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Steve_Jobs_2007
New book will offer a very different view of Steve Jobs: that of father.
Photo: Ben Stanfield/Flickr CC

Steve Jobs’ daughter, Lisa Brennan-Jobs, is writing a coming-of-age memoir.

Given his immense significance as the CEO who turned around Apple’s fortunes, there are many books about Steve Jobs. This newly announced one written by his daughter will offer a different, more personal take on the late Steve Jobs than most of its bookstore rivals.

Apple willing to go to court to clear up ‘misunderstanding’ in France

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App Store
France isn't happy about the App Store.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple has responded to the French government’s plans to take it to court over what French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire calls its “abusive trade practices.”

While the French government is critical of Apple for taking a non-negotiable cut of the profits from developers who use its App Store platform, Apple has taken the opportunity to remind everyone of just how good its “app economy” has been for many devs.

Google Lens lets iPhones identify books, flowers, more

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Google Lens in action
Google Lens can pull the contact information out of a business card.
Photo: Google

The image-identification technology in Google Photos is now in the iOS version of this software. Google Lens can find objects and text in pictures and then provide more information. For example, by examining a photo of a business card, the artificial intelligence can pull out all the contact information.

Stylish, portable Pod Pro keeps Apple Watch ready to go [Watch Store]

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nomad
The Pod Pro charges Apple Watch and iPhone simultaneously. Nomad Rugged Strap with Black hardware shown above.
Photo: Nomad

Charging the Apple Watch while traveling can be a little tricky. Generally, I lug along a super-long charging cable and a wall plug to get the job done when on holiday.

Nomad — makers of great Apple Watch straps and accessories — offers a stylish and super-portable charging solution called the Pod Pro. The Pod Pro wraps that lengthy charging cable neatly inside a stylish, round enclosure that also holds a massive 6000 mAh of power — enough to keep Apple Watch juiced up all weekend long.

Read on to learn more about this amazing, portable charging puck, and check out the Pod Pro in our Watch Store!

GrayKey iPhone unlocker could be a black market goldmine

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GrayKey can bypass iPhone security
GrayKey can bypass iPhone security. It’s supposed to be only for police but...
Photo: Ed Hardy/ Cult of Mac

More details have come to light about the GrayKey iPhone unlocker, and it turns out it’s even more likely to fall into the wrong hands than first thought.

This tool is very expensive, and is intended for use only by law enforcement, but stolen units could someday be available on the black market where they would be a goldmine for identity thieves.

Pro Tip: One-tap scroll back to the bottom of the camera roll

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scroll photos
Ever scroll to the top of your photos by mistake? Don't worry.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Pro Tip Cult of Mac bug Ever tap the top of the screen in your Photos library and find yourself looking at pictures from way back in 2005? Did you swipe something the wrong way and end up stranded, viewing photos from years ago?

You probably sighed to yourself, then set to scrolling back to the bottom of the list to get to your latest photos. Big, angry swipes, just to show your iPhone how mad you were.

Well, after today, you’ll never need to to that again, because there’s a shortcut to scroll back to the very bottom of your Photos camera roll.

iPhone could double as driver’s license

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Sample mDL
One state is testing replacing drivers licenses with a mDL app.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

iPhones already replace credit cards, and a pilot program is exploring the next logical step: a digital drivers licence.

Delaware just began testing a mobile driver license (mDL) with some state residents, checking if a smartphone application can be kept secure while offering real advantages over plastic cards.

Samsung’s true Face ID rival won’t arrive until 2019

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Face ID
Face ID maps your face with 30,000 infrared dots.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple’s huge lead over Samsung in mobile facial recognition won’t be threatened anytime this year.

Samsung is supposedly working on adding a 3D mapping facial recognition sensor to its next flagship smartphone, but according to a report from Asia, the supplier won’t have it ready until 2019.

How to keep your kids safe on the App Store

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Parental Controls
Parental Control.
Photo: Alisha Vargas/Flickr CC

Kids love iPhones and iPad, but kids are also experts at doing the exact opposite of what you want them to do. That’s why Apple has built parental controls into iOS, so you can limit the mischief your kids can get up to, and even get notifications if they try to spend your money. Let’s see how you can make the App Store safe for your kids, how to choose what apps they can use, and how to control their in-app purchases.

New Logitech gaming speaker brings light show to your desktop

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Logitech G560 PC Gaming Speaker
The Logitech G560 speaker adds a new dimension to audio for gamers: color.
Photo: Logitech

Logitech’s new speaker system adds a new dimension to gaming: color. LEDs hidden in the front and back of the speaker bathe your desktop and the wall behind your computer in light.

That’s fine for making your room look like a disco palace while listening to music. But it’s really designed to make video games more immersive.

Intel redesigns processors to eliminate massive flaws

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Intel eighth-gen
Is Apple working on new Mac chips in Washington County?
Photo: Intel

Intel has redesigned its processors to help eliminate the Meltdown and Spectre flaws once and for all.

Its eighth-generation Core and Xeon chips use protection through partitioning, along with the latest software patches, to kill all three variants of the bug. Intel CEO Brian Krzanich warns, however, that “there is still work to do” to ensure users stay protected.

Spotify skips Siri with new voice command feature

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Spotify
You won't have to listen to music you don't like.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Music service Spotify has added a voice search feature to its iOS app that allows users to find song tracks, albums, and playlists.

The new test feature takes Siri out of the equation. With Apple trying to grow its music streaming service, it never allowed Spotify to integrate with Siri, including with Apple’s first smart speaker, HomePod.

Apple’s new ‘Families’ page puts parental controls in one place

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parental controls
Apple is responding to concerns from investors and the general public.
Photo: Apple

Responding to concerns about smartphone addiction among younger users, Apple rolled out a new “Families” page to describe the parental controls and safety features currently available on the company’s devices.

The page reveals how parents can track their kids’ location, monitor purchases, and filter what their children can see on their devices. It also reviews Apple’s privacy and health-related features, along with sharing among family members, and Apple’s focus on education.

Score 3TB of super-secure cloud storage [Deals]

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Get a massive amount of encrypted cloud storage for less than a penny a gigabyte.
Get a massive amount of encrypted cloud storage for less than a penny a gigabyte.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

The amount of data we use on a daily basis is a lot bigger than it used to be. Personal media like movies, music and photos alone can take up gigs upon gigs of digital space. If you create content like digital video, the numbers get even bigger.

Apple’s acquisition of Shazam now in the hands of antitrust regulators

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Shazam iPhone
Apple must wait for EU approval.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Apple has formerly requested approval for its Shazam acquisition from the European Commission.

EU antitrust regulators confirmed last month that they had launched an investigation into the deal following concerns from seven European countries. Apple will get a decision next month, but it may not be final.

Falling iPhone X demand means Apple suppliers are suffering

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iphone x
iPhone X sales may not have been quite what Apple hoped for.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Disappointing iPhone X demand is singled out as one major reason why the revenue of major Taiwanese manufacturers declined year-on-year in February.

Combined sales for nine Apple suppliers fell 4.8 percent in February, representing a two-year low. This is reportedly linked to Apple slashing iPhone X orders in half for the January through March period, although some suggest that actual demand could be even lower than that.