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Location-based stories are coming soon to Instagram

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Here's what Instagram location stories look like.
Here's what Instagram location stories look like.
Photo: Josh Constantine/TechCrunch

Instagram’s streak of sniping features from Snapchat isn’t about to stop with today’s new addition of Face Filters.

Location-based stories are set to be the next big feature Instagram adds to its toolset, only instead of just copying the way Snapchat curates stories, Instagram plans to tap into one of its ‘hidden gems’ to make stories a powerful tool for all users.

Apple may reveal three new MacBooks at WWDC

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15 inch MacBook Pro Silver
The new MacBooks will probably look the same on the outside.
Photo: Apple

Apple fans craving more powerful MacBooks may get their wish next month at Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference.

The company is allegedly planning to unveil a new lineup of MacBooks, according to a report that claims the new machines will pack Intel’s new Kaby Lake processor to bring more speed than ever.

Apple Park originally looked like a penis and 5 other wild facts

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Apple hQ
Steve's original vision was a bit different than this.
Photo: Apple

Apple pulled back the curtain of its new spaceship campus in a new interview that highlights all sorts of crazy facts about what went into the new campus, including how it Steve Jobs originally wanted it to look like a penis.

Obviously, Penis Park got scraped in favor of Apple’s perfect circle. But the perfect campus might not have been a disaster if Steve Jobs’ hadn’t shown some early drawings to his son, according to Wired’s deep look into the campus that also reveals how Apple went out of its way to invent an all-new pizza box that keeps crusts fresh.

Apple could soon eliminate the iPad mini

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iPad mini
The new iPad mini is more affordable when you sell your old one.
Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac

Still a fan of the iPad mini? Get one while you can, because a new rumor claims Apple is planning to eliminate the device from its iPad lineup in the near future.

The device was only refreshed (albeit halfheartedly) two months ago, but growing demand for Apple’s larger tablets and disappointing sales mean it won’t be around for long.

Instagram now offers Snapchat-style Face Filters

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Instagram isn't shy about ripping off Snapchat's best features.
Instagram isn't shy about ripping off Snapchat's best features.
Photo: Instagram

Instagram’s fight to stay ahead of Snapchat involves stealing its best features so that users have no reason to switch. That continues today with the introduction of Face Filters, which, just like Snapchat’s, apply things like glasses, hats, animal ears, and more to your selfies.

This VPN blocks trackers and increases battery life [Deals]

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CoM - Disconnect
Protect yourself with a mobile VPN that also saves time and boosts battery life.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Here at Cult of Mac, we’re big fans of virtual private networks (VPNs). They offer an encrypted, anonymous channel into the internet, and are an essential way to stay secure online. VPNs come in all shapes and sizes, but not all of them can also increase your connection speeds and extend your battery life. That’s just what Disconnect does, on top of being a great tracker blocker that guards against malware, ads, and data snoops on all your mobile browsers. And right now, you can get a lifetime premium subscription to Disconnect for just $49 at Cult of Mac Deals.

Why Apple Park is Steve Jobs’ final project

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Steve Jobs, creator of the iPad and created on the iPad.
Steve Jobs played a major part in developing Apple Park.
Photo: Jeremy Martin

Apple’s epic Apple Park campus is more or less complete, and it’s celebrated in a great new Wired cover story, written by one of the best Apple journalists out there.

In the article, Steven Levy — who has had the inside scoop on Apple since the 1980s, and written two great books (The Perfect Thing and Insanely Great) on the company — makes a great argument that Apple Park is nothing less than the final product of Steve Jobs himself.

Here’s why:

How iPhone 7 compares to a pro movie camera

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Screen Shot 2017-05-16 at 14.00.41
No, it's not a fair face off. But it's pretty intriguing.
Photo: Potato Jet

Apple loves to talk about the quality of its current-generation iPhone camera, but how does it stack up against a professional movie camera?

In a new video, L.A.-based filmmaker and YouTuber Potato Jet, shoots footage with both the iPhone 7 and the $82,100 Arri Alexa camera, the same camera favored by the likes of Steven Spielberg.

It’s a totally unfair contest, but a pretty intriguing video nonetheless. Check it out below.

iOS apps that access iCloud will soon require unique passwords

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Hacker who tried to extort Apple for $100k is spared prison
Move will affect third-party apps only.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Any third-party app which accesses iCloud data for contacts, calendar, and mail messages will require an app-specific password, starting next month.

If you only use Apple apps to access iCloud data, you don’t need to worry. If, however, you use third-party apps such as Microsoft Outlook, here’s what you need to know:

Apple could snap up ex-HBO chief for original TV efforts

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apple tv and siri remote
Apple is reportedly looking for a Programming Chief.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple is reportedly searching for a programming head for its TV efforts to show Hollywood that it’s serious about its original content and video efforts.

With that in mind, Apple execs met with HBO’s former programming head Michael Lombardo earlier this year, suggesting that he could be a candidate to take the role.

Quick Tip: Check if a used iPhone is stolen before buying

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stolen iPhone
Make sure you never buy a ripped off iPhone.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

iPhone users’ data is pretty well-protected if our iPhone is ever stolen, what with encryption, activation locks, and Find My iPhone. But theft still happens. How do you protect yourself when buying used phones, both iPhones and Android? One way is to avoid anything dodgy-looking, and to ignore suspiciously good deals (if it looks to good to be true, then it probably is).

Scan text with your iPhone and make the real world searchable

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scanner pro in action
Scanning with your iPhone is almost as quick as taking a photo, and way more useful down the line.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Paper is still great for a lot of things. It’s lightweight, it’s fairly water-resistant, and is just about the best tool available for reducing the number of trees in the world. But it doesn’t sync with iCloud, and anything written on it is not searchable.

Luckily, there’s an easy way out of this dark age. You can scan all those clipped recipes, and those receipts, all those sheets and scraps you have laying around, and which annoy you until you ned one, at which point it disappears. Today, we’re going to use Readdle’s excellent Scanner Pro to turn your paper into pixels. You may be surprised at just how easy and useful this can be.

How to turn your Mac into an internet printer, and print from anywhere

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Epson Expression Home XP-430 multifunction printer
It's surprisingly easy to print a file remotely on a Mac.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Picture this scenario: You’ve multiple computers at your office and only one of them (which is a Mac) is connected to the printer. Every time you need to print a document stored on these “other” computers, you have to manually transfer the file to the Mac and start the printing process from there. Wouldn’t it be super-convenient if you could just send a document wirelessly and instantly initiate the process of printing files remotely?

Today, I’ll show you how to break apart from this hassle and easily print files remotely from any computer using a combination of Dropbox and Automator.

iPhone 7 Plus goes to the barber shop in new Apple ad

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portrait mode
Portrait Mode was in beta for a long time on the iPhone 7 Plus.
Photo: Apple

Apple is continuing to push Portrait Mode in its newest ad for the iPhone 7 Plus that takes place in a barber shop of all place.

The new ad was shared on Apple’s YouTube channel today promoting the Portrait Mode feature that is powered by the dual-lens camera on the iPhone 7 Plus. Apple’s fun new ad shows how Portrait Mode makes the ordinary look extraordinary by advanced tech to blur the background, making subjects pop more than ever.

Enjoy the funky new video:

Drone flyover video reveals Apple Park progress over past year

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The Steve Jobs Theatre still isn't ready to host events.
The Steve Jobs Theatre still isn't ready to host events.
Photo: Matthew Roberts

Apple’s new spaceship campus still isn’t quite ready for employees to move into yet, but the amount of work done over the past year has been absolutely astonishing.

In the latest aerial video of Apple Park, drone videographer Matthew Roberts takes fans through a breathtaking review of all the construction that’s gone on in the past year. You can watch as Tim Cook’s beautiful pile of dirt gets slowly redistributed across the campus as solar panels, glass walls and hundreds of trees get put in their proper place.

Check out the progress Apple’s made:

Apple delivers iOS 10.3.2 to public with new bug fixes

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RED iphone
Future iPhone displays could all be made by LG.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The final version of iOS 10.3.2 is now officially available to the public starting today after Apple tested five beta builds of the update with developers the past few weeks.

Apple released iOS 10.3.2 today along with new update for Apple TV, Apple Watch and macOS. All four new software updates are available for free and bring a host of bug fixes and security to each of Apple’s platforms.

Underground Milan store could be Apple’s most striking yet

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Screen Shot 2017-05-15 at 15.37.42
You'll have to walk through a waterfall to reach Apple's new store.
Photo: Apple

Apple is adding a spectacular new retail store to its collection — but you’ll have to visit Milan to see it.

Located in the city’s Piazza Liberty, the store will take a note out of Apple’s iconic Fifth Avenue Apple store in New York by being located underground, with access via a special elevator. Or, in this case, a spectacular staircase entrance located between two waterfalls.

Check out a couple more pictures below.

What you need to know about ransomware attacks

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WannaCry
WannaCry locks down your data until you pay up.
Photo: Kaspersky Lab

More than 230,000 computers in 150 countries have been hit by a cyberattack that encrypts data until a ransom has been paid. It’s thought to be the biggest in history, with India, Taiwan, and several European countries being the worst effected.

If you use a Mac, you have nothing to worry about for now, since this particular “ransomware” only targets Windows PCs. However, the number of attacks built for macOS is rising at a rapid rate every year.

So, what exactly is ransomware, and how can it be avoided? Here’s what you need to know.

Up your charging game for iPhone, Apple Watch, and more [Deals]

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collage-2017-05-10 (1)
We've rounded up some of the best deals on essential accessories for your charging-related needs.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

For all the convenience of mobile technology, it can be a drag having to keep our devices juiced up. Whatever your situation, we’ve rounded up some top shelf charging upgrades that’ll offer new ways to juice up your most-used devices. We’ve got a universal Lightning dock, a wireless charging station for Apple Watch, a set of extra long set of Lightning cables and super sleek USB charging hub for your car. Everything’s going for a healthy discount, read on for more details:

Apple’s standalone Siri could look a lot like Echo Show

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echotouchscreen
Amazon's new Echo Show voice assistant.
Photo: Amazon

Apple’s Amazon Echo rival standalone Siri speaker will come with a touch-sensitive display, claims KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

In a note to clients over the weekend, Kuo suggested that the Siri home speaker will have a “touch panel,” although it’s not known whether this will be a full-on screen or a simpler touch-based interface of some sort.

How to protect your Mac from malware

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dead MacBook hack. A Mac virus scanner and proper antimalware software like Intego Mac Premium Bundle x9 can keep your Mac clean.
Worried about malware? Do something about it.
Photo: Ste Smith

Over the past few weeks a new Mac malware called OSX/Dok has been all over the news. The Trojan horse accessed user’s Macs through email phishing. Once opened, it prevented users from doing anything on their Mac until they installed a bogus software update.

Malware attacks have been skyrocketing as of late, which means it’s more important than ever to be aware.

In today’s video, I’m going to show you 4 ways to help keep your Mac safe from malware.

End of an era: MP3 format officially dead

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iPod
The iPod played a big role in popularizing the MP3.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

The MP3, the iconic music compressions format partly popularized by the iPod, has been declared dead by its creators.

Licensing of the technology has been the responsibility of German company the Fraunhofer Institute. In a statement, the institute revealed that it is terminating licensing patents and software related to MP3. It’s the end of an era!