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Some Samsung Note 8 owners are experiencing battery issues

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Galaxy note
Samsung is experiencing battery-related PR issues of its own.
Photo: Samsung

Apple’s not the only smartphone manufacturer having PR issues involving its phone batteries. Some owners of Samsung’s Galaxy Note 8 are reporting that their handsets refuse to charge or turn on after running out of charge.

According to Samsung, this issue affects a, “very limited number of reports which could be associated with the power management circuit.”

Most smartphones will ditch the bezel in 2018

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iPhone X standing
It seems that everyone wants a piece of the bezel-free smartphone market this year.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple may not have invented the bezel-less all-screen smartphone, but the iPhone X has certainly helped popularize it.

According to a new report, shipments of all-screen smartphones are set to increase enormously in 2018, and will soon make up the overwhelming majority of smartphones — as rivals rush to compete.

The best iPhone screen protectors

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cracked-iphone
Don't let this happen to you.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Dropping your iPhone may crack it, but the most likely way to ruin the screen is to scratch it. You might drop your iPhone into your bag and let it rattle around with your keys. You may absent-mindedly slip some change into your dedicated iPhone pants pocket. Or your significant other might pick up your week-old iPhone and a nail file in the same hand, gouging the screen so badly that the scratches are all you’ll ever see from then on.

To prevent this, you should get an iPhone screen protector. Here are the best you can buy.

Finally learn and master the advanced concepts of Excel this year [Deals]

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The Ultimate Excel Bootcamp Bundle
Get a head start this year with improving your Excel skills for the office.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Everyone can brush up on their Excel skills for the workplace. This new year being more productive and efficient are probably on the top of most people’s list when it comes to career-focused resolutions. Learning to master Excel does not have to be overwhelming or daunting.

Apple in 2017: A year of epic proportions

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Apple year in review 2017
Did any company have a better 2017 than Apple?
Image: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Cult of Mac's 2017 Apple year in review 2017 was a pretty damn good year for the world’s most profitable tech company.

Apple did much more than rake in more cash than any company this year. Cupertino also pushed out its most impressive product lineup ever, laid the groundwork for the future of augmented reality, moved into a new spaceship campus, battled other tech giants and got tossed into the political spotlight.

Apple dominated the tech scene in 2017 more than any other company. Here’s a recap of some of the year’s most memorable Apple moments.

The best apps to help make your New Year’s resolutions come true

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New Year's apps
'Appy new year, everyone!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

As the clock ticks down to 2018, many folks’ minds turn to the question of New Year’s resolutions, and all the ways that we’re going to better ourselves over the next twelve months.

Well, look no further than this list when it comes to the apps that will assist you on your quest. Whatever your goal, we’ve combed through the App Store to find the apps which will help you accomplish it.

Check out our list below:

Start the new year by learning to code iPhone apps [Deals]

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PWYW iOS 11
This bundle of courses covers all of iOS 11. Just beat the average price to score the entire bundle.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

iOS 11 has become the new standard when it comes to design-focused operating systems. With every update, comes more fun, intuitive, and functional features. Learning to code for the iPhone isn’t as daunting as you think, practice makes perfect.

Top tech trends of 2017

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top tech trends 2017
2017 was a great year for consumer technology.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Cult of Mac's 2017 Apple year in review2017 was an exciting year for consumer technology. It brought us big advancements in areas like machine learning and biometric security, as well as a big boost for augmented reality, and some not-so-satisfying changes to smartphone price tags.

Here are the top technology trends of 2017.

Every single product Apple rolled out in 2017

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2017 was a very good year for new Apple products.
2017 was a very good year.
Image: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Cult of Mac's 2017 Apple year in review 2017 was a killer year for new Apple products — and it’s not all because of the iPhone X.

Apple’s design team spun out updates in nearly every single category while also popping out a few all-new products. The Mac Pro and Mac mini were pretty much the only machines that got no love from Apple this year. But with all the new stuff, it’s hard for Apple fans to complain.

Here’s a recap of every new Apple product of 2017.

How to squeeze the longest life from your iPhone battery

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battery
Just be thankful your iPhone doesn't run on these.
Photo: Toshiyuki IMAI/Flickr CC

Thanks to batterygate, the good news is that Apple will now switch out the battery in your old iPhone for $29 instead of $79, a price so cheap it would be crazy not to do it. But how do you take care of that new battery to stop it going bad? The truth is, the lithium ion batteries in phones and notebook computers have a finite life. But you can prolong that life with a few easy tricks.

Samsung and LG don’t throttle their phones like Apple does

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galaxy note 7
The battery might burst into flames, but at least you get a full-powered CPU.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Apple’s decision to throttle CPU speeds on iPhones with older batteries isn’t a feature its competition is eager to copy.

Both Samsung and LG have come out with statements today saying that none of their phones use similar power management tactics. Their claims echo other Android makers Motorola and HTC who made the same claim yesterday.

Apple’s Chicago Store cordons off outdoor area due to snowfall

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Chicago store
A look at the Apple Store at present.
Photo: Spudart

Apple’s flagship Chicago Apple Store may be designed to look like a giant MacBook, but it’s apparently not designed to cope with the area’s harsh winters and snowfall.

Or, at least, that’s according to a local Chicago blog, which reveals how the North Michigan Ave. Apple Store’s sloping roof has run into problems in the snow, resulting in parts of the store’s outdoor area being cordoned off.

Nearly 67,000 iPhone users in South Korea want to sue Apple

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iPhone SE 2 could cost $399 just like the first-gen iPhone SE
Users aren't happy about Apple throttling iPhone speeds.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple has been the subject of multiple class action lawsuits since admitting that it purposely throttles the speed of older iPhones. However, no lawsuit is quite as big as one that’s brewing in South Korea — where nearly 67,000 iPhone users have applied to join a suit against Apple.

The number of potential plaintiffs reportedly doubled over the course of Friday — from 34,000 applicants in the morning to 66,800 by the end of the working day, claims law firm Hannuri Law.

What’s the best Apple gadget of 2017? Catch our picks, on The CultCast

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Lisa CultCast
It's been a great year for Apple hardware.
Photo: @YSR50

Very spicy episode this week on The CultCast: We break down why everyone is pissed that Apple is slowing down iPhones and Macs with older batteries, and how you can tell if you’re being throttled. Plus, it’s been a great year for Apple hardware — don’t miss our picks for Apple gadget of the year!

Our thanks to Upsie for supporting this episode. Why pay $200 for AppleCare+ when an iPhone X accidental damage warranty from Upsie is $80 less? Get 10 percent off your first purchase at upsie.com with code “CultCast” at checkout.

Apple apologizes with $29 iPhone battery replacements

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iPhone battery
Brazil demands easy iPhone battery replacements.
Photo: iFixit

Apple has offered iPhone customers yet another apology for intentionally slowing down the CPU on some older iPhone models in order to increase overall performance.

In a letter to customers this afternoon, Apple explained that it added a feature in iOS 10.1.2 that successfully reduced the occurrence of unexpected shutdowns on iPhones. Apple was able to do so by lowering CPU performance so that it drew less power from older batteries, but the company is now offering an olive branch to customers: cheap battery replacements.

Best Mac apps of 2017

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Best macOS apps 2017
macOS developers delivered some stellar apps in 2017.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Cult of Mac's 2017 Year in Review As the year nears its end, it’s time to take a look back at everything that was awesome in 2017. As usual, Mac developers rolled out some stellar software, which means macOS remains the best platform for the greatest apps.

Here’s our roundup of the best macOS apps of 2017.

These widgets will stop you losing your tiny Apple Pencil parts

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fintie caps
A few bucks will fix all your Apple Pencil problems.
Photo: Fintie

It is usually correct to ridicule Apple Pencil accessories. This hand-stitched leather sleeve for the Pencil, for instance, is absurd. But some Apple pencil accessories are almost essential, including today’s selection, the Fintie cap holder, nib cover, and Lightning cable adapter tether. At first glance, these may look as pointless as a the pencil case, but after some study, you’ll see they’re essential to fix Apple’s own design mistakes.

The iOS apps that dominated our screens in 2017

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Best apps 1
This was a great year for the App Store.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Cult of Mac's 2017 Year in Review: Best iOS apps of 2017 2017 was a great year for Apple as a whole, and the App Store was no different.

From messaging apps to music-generating tools to a smart AI assistant, Apple and various third-party developers unleashed an impressive array of new software designed to get us tapping, swiping and — most importantly — downloading.

Creepy video shows how iPhone X can make your face vanish

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iPhone X
It's the Invisible Man.
Photo: Kazuya Noshiro

Having your own invisibility cloak could soon become a reality thanks to the iPhone X. Kind of.

Japanese developer Kazuya Noshiro showed off a demo of an app he’s working on that uses the iPhone X’s facial recognition features to completely camouflage a users’ face with the background. The trippy effect almost makes you look like a set of floating eyeballs with hair on top.

Watch his face disappear:

iOS Mail filters quickly tame overflowing mailboxes

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mailbox filters
A mailbox, aka a postbox, or even 'pillar box."
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

The iOS Mail app gets overlooked by power users, but it’s still the default for most people, unless they’re using Gmail in the browser. And that’s not a bad thing, because Apple’s Mail app has gotten pretty great in recent years, from smart mailboxes, to swipe gestures, to iOS 11’s drag-and-drop. Today we’re going to take a look at a feature so hidden you may never have seen it before. It’s a filter than can be applied to any folder, letting you see just mail with attachments, mail addressed directly to you, VIP mails, and more.