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Beware phone scammers who warn of iCloud hack

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Hacker who tried to extort Apple for $100k is spared prison
Hacker who tried to extort Apple for $100k is spared prison
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Got a call from “Apple Support” to say your iCloud account was hacked? Hang up and ignore it.

Phone scammers are calling unsuspecting iPhone and iPad users and trying to trick them into handing over their iCloud account details. Once they have them, they can purchase whatever they want, and it’s you who foots the bill.

iPhone returns to Argentina after 8-year absence

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Something worth singing about!
Photo: Evita, Buena Vista Pictures

The iPhone will start selling widely again in Argentina next month, after a period of 8 years during which it was blocked, due to laws requiring companies that wanted to sell devices to set up local manufacturing facilities.

The move comes as President Mauricio Macri attempts to re-open Argentina to global trade. The laws barring the iPhones from being supported by local carriers carriers Telefonica SA, America Movil SAB and Telecom Argentina SA came into being in 2009, courtesy of President Macri’s predecessor, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.

Galaxy S8 is world’s first phone with Bluetooth 5.0

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Galaxy S8
Galaxy S8 is expensive to buy and to build.
Photo: Samsung

Samsung’s new Galaxy S8 is the world’s first smartphone to offer Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity.

It’s faster and more reliable than the Bluetooth 4.2 technology currently found in today’s flagship devices — including iPhone 7 — and it can stream audio to two sets of wireless headphones or speakers simultaneously.

iPad teardown throws shade on ‘brighter screen’ claim

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ipad
Apple's new iPad is cheaper, but maybe not necessarily brighter?
Photo: Apple

Update: “We put the new iPad through more tests,” iFixit notes. “The display on the iPad 5 has ~44% greater luminance than the LCD in the Air 1.” Well, we guess that answers that!

Apple claims that its latest iPad boasts a “brighter 9.7-inch Retina display” than its predecessors.

However, our friends over at iFixit call that claim into question with their teardown of the device — which prompts them to ask, “Brighter than what?”

Xcode 8.3 provides more hints at 120Hz iPad Pro displays

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x
The new iPad Pro may feature smaller bezels.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The latest update to Xcode has provided another hint that Apple’s next-generation iPad Pro will feature a faster 120Hz display.

Existing iPhone and iPad displays max out at 60Hz, but higher refresh rates allow for a smoother experience when playing graphically intensive games and using Apple Pencil.

Total Android app revenue could surpass iOS this year

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The Apple brand is the big difference.
Numbers are tipping in Android's direction. Kind of.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

The iOS App Store is expected to remain the most lucrative app store around for at least the next five years, but according to a new report Google Play and various third-party Android stores are likely to overtake it in total revenue as early as this year.

The insight comes from app analysis company App Annie, which suggests that total worldwide mobile app store downloads will exceed 352 billion in 2021, while gross consumer spend across all app stores will surpass $139 billion.

Week’s best Apple deals: First discount on the new iPad

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Want to save some bucks on the already-affordable new iPad?
Want to save some bucks on the already-affordable new iPad?
Photos: Apple, passion201314

After a disappointing post-iPad-announcement week, we’re already seeing the first discount on the new iPad. You’ll find that, plus a huge gift card with an iPhone 7 and more, in this week’s grab bag of the best Apple bargains.

Apple shows off new renderings of flagship Chicago store

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Apple is setting up shop right on the riverfront.
Apple is setting up shop right on the riverfront.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s new digs in Chicago are shaping up to be one of its most beautiful flagship stores ever, based on new renderings released by the iPhone-maker.

The current structure Apple is renovating on North Michigan Avenue doesn’t look like much, but once it’s finished, the new Apple store will feature massive glass walls an inviting open layout.

Here’s another angle:

Hands on: Samsung’s new Galaxy S8 vs. the iPhone 7

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The S8 looks stunning next to old smartphones.
The S8 looks stunning next to old smartphones.
Photo: Casey Neistat/YouTube

Samsung just barely took the wraps off its new Galaxy S8 and S8+ this morning, but famous YouTuber Casey Neistat already managed to get his hands on the sleek new devices. We gotta say, Samsung’s new smartphones make the iPhone look old.

In his new vlog, Neistat goes hands-on with the S8 and S8+ and compares them directly to Apple’s iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. Neistat admits the review is a bit biased as he’s worked with Samsung in the past. However, in his side-by-side tests with the iPhone 7, it’s not hard to see that Samsung probably has a big hit on its hands.

Prepare to drool:

How the Galaxy S8 stacks up against iPhone 7

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Galaxy S8 in hand
Galaxy S8 is the smartphone to buy, says Consumer Reports.
Photo: Samsung

Samsung delivered the Galaxy S8 series today, and the phones are everything fans hoped they would be. The gorgeous, curved-glass form factor packs the latest specifications, stunning Infinity Displays and features like iris scanning.

But how do the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+ stack up against iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus?

Apple Mail manager leaves to work on third-party email app

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Former Apple Mail engineer Terry Blanchard.
Former Apple Mail engineer Terry Blanchard.
Photo: Readdle

One of the most important engineers behind Apple’s own Mail app has decided to leave the company and lend his skills to another email app creator.

Readdle, makers of the popular Spark email app for iOS, has hired away former Apple Mail engineering manager Terry Blanchard to work on ‘the future of email’ after he helped Apple develop its email app for the past six years.

Google Calendar finally arrives on iPad

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GoogleCalendar
You can now get Google Calendar on your iPad.
Photo: Google

One of the most popular digital calendar services is the world is finally coming to iPad.

Google revealed today that its Google Calendar app for iPad is officially ready for download, bringing all of the popular Calendar features from the web to Apple’s tablet.

Spotify copies Apple Music with Carpool Karaoke knockoff

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T-Pain will be the first rapper to star in 'Traffic Jams.'
T-Pain will be the first rapper to star in 'Traffic Jams.'
Photo: Spotify

The race to create the hottest karaoke show in the U.S. is heating up now that Spotify has revealed it is making a TV show that will feature artists performing while rolling through Los Angeles traffic.

Spotify is calling the show Traffic Jams. And while it has a lot in common with Apple Music’s Carpool Karaoke, Spotify hopes some key difference will set its show apart.

Apple’s new Swiss lab will help start the robot uprising

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Robot
Apple is hiring robotics researchers.
Photo: Scott Schaut/Mansfield Memorial Museum

Apple is reportedly on a hiring spree for robotics and computer vision researchers to work at a supposed new R&D lab in Switzerland.

According to a new report, Apple has already hired around ten postdoc and doctoral students from ETH Zurich, a science, technology, engineering and math university in Zürich.

Samsung Galaxy S8 sets a high bar for this year’s iPhone

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Galaxy S8
The Galaxy S8 is a stunner.
Photo: Samsung

Samsung today unveiled its stunning new Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S8+, setting a high bar for this year’s iPhone refresh.

The Android flagship is packed with impressive features and stellar specifications, and it sports a gorgeous curved glass design with an edge-to-edge Infinity Display. It’s the most impressive smartphone we’ve seen so far this year.

Get room-filling sound from a slender speaker [Deals]

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CoM - Kove Commuter Wireless Speaker
This portable speaker will deliver up to 8 hours of bassy tunes on a single charge.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Headphones are super convenient, but sometimes you want to fill a room with sound instead of your skull. Bluetooth speakers come in many makes and models too, which is why this super portable, super long lasting Kove Commuter Wireless Speaker is worth checking out. It packs high quality sound and an impressive 8 hours of playtime into a super slim cylinder that fits in any bag. And right now you can get the Kove Commuter Wireless Speaker for just $89.99 at Cult of Mac Deals.

Does Apple trademark filing mean PowerBook is coming back?

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PowerBook 150
Apple's iconic pre-MacBook laptop brand might be making a comeback. Maybe.
Photo: Dana Sibera/Wikipedia CC

A couple of news outlets are flipping their lid over the news that Apple has filed a new worldwide trademark for the word “PowerBook,” the name of Apple’s pre-MacBook laptop series, which ran from 1991 until 2006.

The suggestion is that this could mean that Apple’s bringing back its iconic laptop brand name, either as a replacement for, or to run alongside, the MacBook series. We’re not so sure!

Despite Apple clash, Trump tweets from new iPhone

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Yeah, we're pretty incredulous about your ideas, too, Mr. Trump.
President Trump is tweeting using an iPhone.
Photo: Gage Skidmore/Flickr CC

Despite clashing with Apple multiple times, and even calling for a boycott of its devices, President Donald Trump has reportedly been using a new iPhone “for the past couple of weeks” on Twitter.

The news was revealed in a tweet (how else?) by Dan Scavino Jr., Trump’s director of social media.

‘iPhone Edition’ could have rear-facing Touch ID sensor

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iphone 8 concept
Is this what the new iPhone will look like?
Photo: iDropNews

A (somewhat sketchy) new report claims that the tenth anniversary iPhone, commonly referred to as the iPhone 8, will instead by called the iPhone Edition.

In addition, it suggests that the major form factor redesign that’s been reported on may turn out to be less drastic than some are imagining — although changes will include features like a rear-mounted Touch ID sensor.

Devs no longer allowed to mention prices in app titles

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App Store
It’s gone!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

iOS and macOS developers are no longer allowed to mention price information in app titles.

Apple has previously discouraged users from including words like “free” in their App Store titles. Now the company has instigated a complete ban, and developers who don’t comply with its new rule will see their submissions rejected.

Adorable but durable, UE Wonderboom plays the cute card

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The UE Wonderboom is totally ready to party.
The UE Wonderboom is totally ready to party.
Photo: Ultimate Ears

The world’s most lovable little Bluetooth speaker just got some cute competition. It’s a case of sibling rivalry, too: The new Wonderboom from Ultimate Ears splashes onto the scene next month just in time to challenge its “big” brother, the UE Roll 2, for the title of ultimate summer speaker.

While the UE Roll looks like a flying saucer, the Wonderboom more closely resembles a hedge apple. About the size of a softball, it will make you want to pick it up and toss it around. In fact, it’s hard to keep your hands off the cute little bugger.

Apple shares reach new high as analyst predicts $200 price

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apple stock price
Apple stock prices spent the whole year on the rise and ended trading Wednesday with a $1 trillion valuation.
Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac

Share prices of Apple Inc. hit yet another record high during trading today, setting a new top mark of 143.80 by the time the market closed.

Apple shares were trading up nearly 3% on Tuesday thanks to an investor note from UBS analyst Steven Milunovich who predicts the stock price could shoot up past $200 in the next two to three years.

New iPhone 7 case makes ZEISS lens super-convenient

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This case by ExoLens will protect your iPhone 7 and sport a ZEISS lens.
This case by ExoLens will protect your iPhone 7 and sport a ZEISS lens.
Photo: ExoLens

Many photographers have been impressed by the picture quality from their iPhones when paired with the mobile camera lens attachments crafted by legendary optics manufacturer, ZEISS.

But some of the compromises can be daunting. The brackets, made by partner ExoLens, used for mounting meant being in the field without a protective case. With that, combined with a rather hefty chunk of glass, the handset suddenly becomes something difficult to stuff in your pocket.

Using these pro-grade lenses are now easier, at least for shooters carrying the iPhone 7, after ExoLens announced Tuesday a protective case with a quick-and-easy lens mount was available for purchase.