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Apple’s micro LED display research hits a bump in the road

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iphone x
Despite its recent switch to Super Retina, Apple is continuing to explore new types of display.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple is reportedly downsizing the R&D team that it currently has developing micro LED display products in Taiwan, due to production issues.

A previous report from earlier this year said that Apple was producing a small number of trial micro LED screens during the second half of 2017 to evaluate whether or not these might be a good fit for future devices.

Turns out they may not be!

Apple launching special Thanksgiving challenge for Apple Watch users

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Get in shape with your new Apple Watch
If you run 5k this Thursday, Apple will let you brag about it.
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

Ahead of Thanksgiving on Thursday, Apple is launching its Apple Watch Activity Challenge for customers in the United States.

U.S.-based Apple Watch users who rack up a 5K workout this Thursday, November 23, will be rewarded with the 2017 Thanksgiving Activity badge and iMessage sticker.

dr.fone Thanksgiving 2017: Say thanks and win a prize

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Who is your
Who is your "dr.foner"? Thank your personal tech guru and win a prize!
Image: Wondershare

This post is brought to you by Wondershare, maker of dr.fone.

Thanksgiving is a joyous and meaningful celebration of all that we hold dear in the world. It’s a time when we can stop to appreciate the things we have, rather than dwell on what we don’t have. Most importantly, Thanksgiving is about people, and about community. It’s about recognizing all the people who matter most in your life, looking at them and thanking them for always being there for you.

This year, dr.fone would like to enliven your Thanksgiving further with the help of a little contest.

Shadows Remain, Duolingo, and other awesome apps of the week

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Awesome Apps
'Appy weekend!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

A brilliantly spooky, story-driven augmented reality game in which you search for your missing child in a new house is just one of our picks for this week’s “Awesome Apps of the Week.”

In addition, we’ve got a great app for teaching you Mandarin, another ARKit title that lets you get a closer look at some of the world’s top supercars, and a brilliant photo app for getting the most out of your iPhone or iPad.

Check our selections below. You won’t regret it!

Apple Watch bands are hand-colored in hues for fall [Watch Store]

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ullu

Photo:

Ullu offers up a vibrant assortment of handcrafted leather bands for Apple Watch, perfect for fall styling. For Halloween, treat yourself to 20 percent off any of Ullu’s Hand-Colored or Premium Leather bands.

Based in Dubai, Ullu loves luxury and embraces the finer things. Its bands are made by hand from Italian full-grain calf’s leather. Each strap is unique, beautiful and impeccably finished.

Get a bunch of Mac apps, cloud storage and more [Week’s best deals]

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This week's best deals include a massive bag of apps, Bluetooth audio you can juggle, and more.
This week's best deals include a massive bag of apps, Bluetooth audio you can juggle, and more.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Welcome back to the best time of each week, when we round up the best new deals. This time, we’ve got a massive Black Friday deal on a bundle of Mac apps, and terabytes of cloud storage. Plus, there’s a set of independent spherical Bluetooth speakers, and a Swiss army knife for drive repair. Read on for more details:

Cops want Texas church shooter’s iCloud data

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Texas mass shooter's iPhone
This picture of Devin Patrick Kelley's iPhone SE was filed in court with a search warrant request asking Apple to retrieve iCloud data.
Photo: San Antonio Express-News

Texas Rangers served a search warrant on Apple in hopes of getting data from the iPhone of Sutherland Springs mass shooter Devin Patrick Kelley.

Rangers obtained search warrants on Nov. 9 for files stored on Kelley’s iPhone SE, which was found with him after he took his own life following a high-speed chase. The warrant also requests any files stored on Kelley’s iCloud account.

Apple seeds fourth beta of iOS 11.2

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iPhone X
iOS 11.2 has some special tweaks for iPhone X.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple is back with a new batch of beta updates for developers today, bringing a host of bug fixes and performance improvements to the iPad and iPhone with the fourth build of iOS 11.2.

The new update comes just four days after Apple released the last iOS 11.2 beta update. Developers can also grab the fourth beta builds of watchOS 4.2 and tvOS 11.2.

Apple Park visitor center opens doors to the public

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Apple Park
They're not waiting for the iPhone X.
Photo: Shara Tibken/Twitter

Apple opened the doors to the visitor center at Apple Park to the public this morning. And of course, there was a line to get in.

Construction is still being completed on the main campus but you can now get a first-hand view of the campus at the visitors center. The newly opened building looks a lot like a regular Apple store on the inside, except it features some products you can only buy at Apple Park.

Juggle sound with these paired speaker spheres [Deals]

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This Bluetooth speaker splits in two, for much more flexible stereo arrangements.
This Bluetooth speaker splits in two, for much more flexible stereo arrangements.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Bluetooth speakers usually take the form of a brick or a giant pill. Whether you are trying to enjoy music in the comfort of your home or blasting tunes during an intense workout, finding the perfect bluetooth speaker isn’t an easy feat. Most of the time people look for speakers that hit on both fronts–style and function.

Sign up to DirecTV Now and get a free Apple TV 4K

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Apple TV ad
Apple TV 4K usually costs $179.
Screenshot: DirecTV Now

DirectTV Now is offering a free Apple TV 4K to customers who sign up for fourth months of its streaming TV service for an upfront cost of $140.

The model being given away as part of the offer is an entry level 32GB Apple TV 4K, which usually retails at $179.

iPhone X pre-orders sell out in minutes on Samsung’s home turf

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iphone x
Pre-orders in South Korea were incredibly strong.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The iPhone X may have greater levels of availability in Apple Stores than many predicted, but there’s one place you’ll struggle to get your hands on one: South Korea.

According to a new report, Samsung’s home turf experienced a massive surge of orders for the iPhone X when it was made available for pre-order, ahead of its November 24 launch. In total, the allocated iPhone X shipments for the country sold out within minutes.

iOS 11.1.2 lets you use your iPhone X in cold weather

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iPhone X
iPhone X is better with iOS 11.1.2.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

You can now use your iPhone X in cold weather, thanks to iOS 11.1.2. Apple’s latest update fixes an issue that causes Super Retina HD displays to become unresponsive when it gets chilly, as well as problems with Live Photos and video capturing.

Apple’s VP of diversity and inclusion is leaving the company

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diversity Apple
Denise Young Smith was promoted to her current diversity-promoting role in May.
Photo: Apple

Denise Young Smith, a.k.a. Apple’s first ever vice president of diversity and inclusion, is leaving the company.

Young Smith won the role earlier this year, having previously been Apple’s head of worldwide human resources. She will be replaced by Christie Smith, who joins Apple from Deloitte.

Intel working with Apple to bring blazingly fast 5G to iPhone

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intel
Chips could arrive in time for the iPhone in 2019 or 2020.
Photo: Thomas Hawk/Flickr

Apple is reportedly working closely with Intel on 5G wireless broadband technology for a future iPhone, a new report claims.

The story follows previous claims that Apple is planning to drop Qualcomm chips for new iPhones and iPads which will ship in 2018, and replace them with chips made by Intel instead.

What’s a computer? Apple wants to know

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iPad Pro
Is the iPad Pro a true PC replacement?
Photo: Apple

The post-PC world is closer than we think, according to the latest Apple video ad that was published on the company’s YouTube today.

The whimsical new ad for the iPad Pro follows a young girl around town as she video chats with friends, takes photos, does homework, draws with Apple Pencil, reads comics and more all from her iPad Pro.

Check it out:

Brilliant concept brings Touch Bar to the Mac mini

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Mac Mini
This Mac Mini concept is pretty crazy.
Photo: Louis Berger

It’s time for Apple to think different when it comes to the Mac mini.

Even though it’s been over 1,000 days since Apple last updated its smallest Mac machine, Tim Cook insists it’s still an important part of Apple’s product line. Apple fans are desperate for an update, but if it looks anything like this concept it’ll have been well worth the wait.

Take a closer look:

How to create long-exposure effects with iPhone

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long exposure sea
Long exposures turn moving water into creepy mist.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

One of the neatest tricks you can do with a standalone camera is the long exposure trick. You may have seen it used to turn the tail-lights of a car into long streaks of red curving through the dark behind a ghostly car, or to blur turbulent waters into a peaceful, misty-looking lake. In a regular camera, you have to finagle the shutter speed to get the level of blur just right, and there’s no second chance. On the iPhone, it’s way easier.

Automatically back up your iPhone via Wi-Fi with AnyTrans

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With AnyTrans' new Air Backup feature, you can wirelessly and automatically back up all your iOS devices.
With AnyTrans' new Air Backup feature, you can wirelessly and automatically back up all your iOS devices.
Image: iMobie

This post is presented by iMobie, maker of AnyTrans.

It’s easy to forget the value of doing regular iOS backups. That is, until your iPhone or iPad crashes and jogs your memory. For the less diligent among us, automatic wireless iOS backups can prove priceless.

How to switch Animoji characters after recording

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iPhone X Animoji
Switch Animoji characters without ditching your awesome facial performance.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

As a popular phenomenon, Animoji will probably disappear as quickly as Pokemon Go. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun, and this tip will make it even more fun. You know how when you record a little Animoji clip, and you wish you’d done it with the robot instead of the cheeky monkey? It’s easy to fix, without having to re-record your whole performances.

iPhone is one of 2017’s best inventions (but so is fidget spinner)

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iPhone X
What's not to love about the iPhone X.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Anyone that says Apple can’t innovate anymore obviously hasn’t spent some quality time with the iPhone X.

According to Time’s annual list of the year’s best inventions, the iPhone X is the only smartphone that makes the cut — but so did the fidget spinner. The magazine calls the iPhone X the world’s most sophisticated smartphone and it’s not hard to see why.