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Bookbook CaddySack organizes your Mac’s chargers and dongles

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Bookbook Caddysack
Keep all your chargers and cables together when you leave the house.
Photo: TwelveSouth

Twelve South’s Bookbook Caddysack might sound like the babble of a sugared-up two-year-old, but it is in fact a super-handy gadget bag for travelers, or folks who spend a lot of time not at home or the office. It’s a little case that’s designed to hold all the chargers and other accessories you need for your various Apple devices.

Flashy 3-in-1 lens lights up your iPhone photos

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iPhone lens
One attachment with three lenses, an LED light, and a selfie mirror.
Photo: RevolCam

Lens attachments can extend the reach of an iPhone camera. But now you are carrying extra stuff and compromising the compact convenience of the camera that is always with you.

RevolCam is one attachment, but with three lenses, an LED light and selfie mirror and avoids the bulk each of those accessories could add to your pockets or bag.

How to replace the App Store’s missing Wish List in iOS 11

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bookmark wish list
Apple removed the App Store wish list in iOS 11. Maybe it'll be back, but if not, there are options.
Photo: Cult of Mac

In iOS 11, the App Store Wish List disappeared. Maybe it’ll come back in future updates, and maybe it won’t, but for now there’s no built-in way to save an interesting app to go back to later. You may bookmark an app for several reasons. You might be researching several similar apps. You might want to do some more research on an app later, before buying it. You may want to save an app that someone you know would be interested in. Or maybe you’re just holding off until the price drops, or until you’re on Wi-Fi to download a big app.

Whatever your reasons, there are third-party options. Today we’ll look at a dedicated app for making an app wish list, as well as a Workflow to do the same, and a third option you may not have considered. Best off all, they all have gone big advantage over the old wish list — they can save free apps as well as paid.

This app turns Gmail into a streamlined task manager [Deals]

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Streamline your Google workflow into a clean series of integrated panes.
Streamline your Google workflow into a clean series of integrated panes.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

The machines and apps we use to be productive can sure create some unproductive habits. Many of us spend our time jumping between Google Drive and Gmail, writing on desktop Post-Its, starring emails for later. So if that inefficient pattern sounds familiar, check out Moo.do.

Apple moves a step closer to retail stores in India

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Apple's first Indian Apple Store will be located in Mumbai mall
India's current Apple stores.
Photo: Lawrence Sinclair/Flickr CC

It’s been a long time coming, but the chances of an official Apple store in India may have just gotten a whole lot better.

That’s based on the fact that India has just given Chinese smartphone maker Oppo the necessary permission to open its own single brand retail stores. Oppo is the first smartphone brand to be given this opportunity in the world’s third-largest smartphone market. It bodes well for Apple’s chances!

Has Google given up on Android Wear?

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Android Wear
You can no longer buy Android Wear devices from Google.
Photo: Google

Apple Watch could be about to lose one of its biggest rivals.

The future of the Android Wear platform looks bleak today after Google removed all traces of wearable devices from its online store. Its focus on the platform seems to have fizzled out since it became clear that only Apple could sell smartwatches in large numbers.

iPhone 8 Plus brings solid improvements to an already-great device [Review]

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iPhone
There's no denying the iPhone 8 is a great phone, but can it shine through the iPhone X's shadow?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Compared to the radical redesign of the iPhone X, the iPhone 8 Plus looks quite familiar. With the exception of a glass back and a few superficial changes, it employs the same form factor that Apple’s been using since the iPhone 6 Plus. However, it packs some serious internal upgrades that make a difference in day-to-day use.

I picked up the 8 Plus on launch day and have been using it for just over a week. How does it rate? Get my take in the video and written reviews below. Also, don’t miss our huge iPhone 8 and 8 Plus case giveaway at the bottom of the post.

Android won’t be ripping off iPhone’s 3D sensors anytime soon

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iPhone X
Apple's not the only one struggling with low yield rates for its 3D depth-sensing camera tech.
Photo: Apple

Producing sufficient quantities of its 3D depth sensing camera has reportedly been a big pain point when it comes to iPhone X production, but possibly not as much of a pain as it’s likely to be for Android makers.

According to a new report, low yield rates during production for Apple’s 3D sensing modules have caused Android-based smartphone brands to delay their own plans for new smartphone models with 3D sensors.

It’s too late to turn back if you’ve upgraded to iOS 11

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Bluetooth and Wi-Fi in iOS 11 control center
Apple has stopped signing iOS 10.3.3.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Downloaded iOS 11 but found that you don’t like it for whatever reason? Well, too bad — because Apple has officially done away with the ability to let you downgrade back to iOS 10.

As it usually does following the release of refreshed versions of iOS, Apple’s stopped signing iOS 10.3.3, last year’s final version of Apple’s iPad and iPhone operating system. While Apple always gives a brief window to let you downgrade to the previous version should you want, that window has now closed for iOS 10.

New ResearchKit app helps cancer patients cope with stress of diagnosis

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ResearchKit
ResearchKit is as useful for monitoring mental health as physical health.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s ResearchKit platform isn’t just about physical wellbeing, it’s also being used to help track mental health.

With that in mind, Duke Institute for Health Innovation has launched a new HomeKit-compatible app designed to help cancer patients, survivors, and their caregivers manage the stress accompanying a cancer diagnosis. The app is profiled on Apple’s official ResearchKit blog.

How Google’s new Pixel 2 stacks up against latest iPhones

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Pixel 2
Prepare for new Pixels right after iPhone X Plus.
Photo: Google

Google’s new Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL might be a little disappointing to some Android fans, but they’re still stellar smartphones. Both sport attractive designs that pack the best hardware available, including excellent cameras, and the speedy Snapdragon 835 chipset.

But can they convince iPhone fans to jump ship? Here’s how the new Pixel lineup compares to iPhone 8 and the upcoming iPhone X.

Software update fixes Apple Watch LTE bug

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Apple Watch Series 3
Apple Watch Series 3 owners can now connect to LTE worry-free.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

LTE connectivity problems that have plagued users since the launch of the Apple Watch Series 3 appear to already be over.

Apple released a new update for watchOS today that reportedly fixes the LTE glitch after the wearable went on sale to the public nearly two weeks ago.

Google’s new Clips camera is an AI-powered lifelogger

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Google Clips
Google's now in the camera business.
Photo: Google

Are you the type of person who wants to log every single moment of life, but hate taking your camera out every few minutes just to take photos and videos? Well, Google has got the perfect new product for you.

It’s called Clips. The tiny little device is a camera. Only instead of packing a display and forcing you to click the shutter button, Clips does all the work of capturing moments for you thanks to the power of AI.

How to use iMessage apps in iOS 11

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iMessage apps
Delicious, juicy stickers. Mmmm.
Photo: Cult of Mac

iMessage apps aren’t all about stickers. They’re also a neat and handy way to share information from your favorite regular apps. And in iOS 11, they’ve become a lot easier to use. In iOS 10, iMessage apps required several taps just to get to a list to choose what you wanted. In iOS 11, there’s a brand-new dock at the bottom of the app which lets you quickly swipe and tap to the exact app you want, even if you have a lot of them active.

Google Pixel Buds bring wireless audio — and instant translation

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Google Pixel Buds
Pixel Buds bring Google's AI smarts to your ears.
Photo: Google

The most impressive feature of Google’s new Pixel Buds might not be their audio quality. As demonstrated during the Pixel 2 event today, they work as a real-time translation tool when combined with one of Google’s new phones.

“With Pixel Buds, I can use real-time Google Translate to have a natural conversation in 40 languages,” Google hardware product manager Juston Payne said during the event. “We’re letting you connect with the world around you in a more natural way, by rethinking how a headphone should work, connecting it to cloud-based machine learning and giving you access with the touch of a finger.”

Google’s new Home Max speaker might outsmart HomePod

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Google Home Max exploded
The new Home Max speaker combines high-end hardware with Google's smarts.
Image: Google

Google’s new Home Max smart speaker wants to hit Apple’s upcoming HomePod where it hurts: in the ears and in the brains.

Home Max promises high-end audio, thanks to “premium hardware” and Google’s perpetual strong suit — artificial intelligence.

Google Pixel 2 gives iPhone nothing to worry about

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Pixel 2
Pixel 2 has the best camera, according to DxoMark.
Photo: Google

Google’s newest smartphone lineup just got its official unveiling. The Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL are a decent upgrade over their predecessors, with improved designs and better internals.

But they certainly don’t give Apple or the iPhone anything to worry about.

Google Pixelbook finally makes Chrome OS exciting

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Google Pixelbook
As fancy as a MacBook.
Photo: Google

Google’s Chrome OS platform is finally exciting, thanks to the new Pixelbook.

It sports a premium design that’s incredible thin and light, and powerful hardware that you won’t find in another Chromebook. It’s also compatible with the new Pixelbook Pen, which makes light work of annotating documents, finding information, and more.

Google takes on Echo Dot with cheaper Home Mini speaker

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Google Home Mini
Google Home Mini launches this month.
Photo: Google

Getting acquainted with the powerful Google Assistant is now more affordable than ever before, thanks to the new Home Mini speaker.

It has all the power of the regular Google Home, but it’s smaller and much more affordable to take on devices like the Echo Dot. You can pre-order yours today ahead of its official launch on October 17.

Sonos speakers will support AirPlay 2 next year

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Sonos supports AirPlay2
Sonos speakers connect to over 80 streaming services.
Photo: Sonos

Sonos’ new voice-activated Sonos One smart speaker will work with Amazon’s Alexa assistant when it ships later this month, and will add support for Apple’s new AirPlay 2 streaming protocol next year.

The new smart speaker, which will ship Oct. 24, places an emphasis on high-end audio. With its $199 price point and promised compatibility with multiple platforms, it should put pressure on Apple’s upcoming HomePod, which costs nearly twice as much.