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Apple convinces 3 more suppliers to switch to renewable energy

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One of Apple's many solar farms.
One of Apple's many solar farms.
Photo: Apple

Three more of Apple’s suppliers say they are committed to making the switch from energy generated from fossil fuels to using 100% renewable energy to make iPhone components.

Despite Donald Trump’s plan to roll back environmental regulations, Apple Inc is continuing on with the promises it made under the Obama administration. Even though it may cost more money initially, Apple’s partners are starting to realize the change is good for business too.

Apple takes another step toward killing iTunes brand

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apple-music-itunes
iTunes is ready to die.
Photo: Apple

The iTunes brand is being slowly carted off to the Apple graveyard.

On Thursday morning, Apple made a very subtle but profound change to the way it markets podcasts. From now on, they’re no longer called “iTunes Podcasts” — they’re called “Apple Podcasts.”

Instagram adds stickers as users flock to Stories

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insta
Add selfie stickers to your Instagram selfie to communicate with more than one expression.
Photo: Instagram

Snapchat may be popular with the young, but Instagram continues to show it can be young and fun, too.

The photo-sharing network of 600 million users rolled out new sticker tools Thursday in response to the rapidly growing number of people using the Stories feature.

Never plug in your iPhone again with this innovative case [Deals]

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CoM - CoBattery
This charging case uses replaceable batteries, meaning you'll never have to plug your phone in again.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

There are plenty of iPhone charging cases out there, but none of them are quite as game-changing as this one. Usually, you’ll plug in your phone as usual, which charges the case at the same time to extend its lifetime. CoBattery uses a different approach that means you’ll never have to plug your phone into the wall again. It’s a clever, simple case design that could change the way you use your phone while protecting it. And right now you can get a CoBattery Charging Case Kit for just $59 at Cult of Mac Deals.

New iPhone 8 schematics hint at slimmer bezels, rear-facing Touch ID

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iPhone 8 concept
The OLED revolution has begun.
Photo: Concept

Yet another set of schematics for iPhone 8 have surfaced ahead of its official debut, again hinting at slimmer bezels that make room for a larger display, and the removal of the Home button.

The latest also suggest that Apple will relocate its fingerprint scanner to the back of the device to retain Touch ID functionality.

Buying Disney could give Apple the magic it needs, says analyst

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Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse, Circa 1930
Apple's next big purchase?
Photo: Walt Disney

RBC Capital analyst Amit Daryanani has a suggestion for how Apple could spend its cash stockpile, while also growing its presence in media: buy the Walt Disney Company.

“There are plenty of factors to consider,” Daryanani wrote in a note to investors, “but such a deal would create a tech/media juggernaut like no other and instantly scale AAPL’s services, content, and media portfolio, which would make the case for a higher valuation.”

Lara Croft is back with major Tomb Raider GO update

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Back in 2015, Square Enix Montreal released Tomb Raider GO, an audacious attempt to reimagine the Lara Croft franchise by turning it into a fun, turn-based isometric puzzle game.

By all rights, it totally shouldn’t have worked, but it did — and the results were excellent. Now the game has been given an overhaul with new levels, courtesy of the Mirror of Spirits update.

Check out the trailer below.

Outlook 2016 users can preview Google Calendar support

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You can finally do more than just view your calendar.
You can finally do more than just view your calendar.
Photo: Microsoft

Microsoft is inviting Outlook 2016 users on macOS to preview Google Calendar integration.

Users will have the ability to not only view their appointments, but add, edit, and delete them, too. All changes will be synced to their Google Calendar and updated on other devices automatically.

Secret Apple team working to revolutionize diabetes treatment

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Health
Apple is upping its health ambitions.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple reportedly has a secret team working on developing sensors for non-invasively and continuously monitoring blood sugar levels to help treat diabetes.

This goal is considered a “holy grail” by many researchers, due to the challenge of tracking glucose levels accurately without having to break the skin to do so. Clearly Apple’s aiming as high as ever!

Apple Park (Minecraft Edition) is officially open for business

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Take a tour of Apple Park.
Take a tour of Apple Park.
Photo: Alex Westlund

The official Apple Park campus should open its doors to employees later this month, but if you can’t wait for Apple to take the wraps off its shiny new spaceship, the Minecraft replica is now complete.

We got our first look at the Minecraft version of Apple Park earlier this month and were blown away by the amount of detail creator Alex Westlund threw in. Now after 413 hours of work, you can fly through Apple’s new campus and gawk at the last Apple product Steve Jobs unveiled.

Check it out:

Pro photo studio for iPhone, world’s smallest tactical knife and more [Crowdfund Roundup]

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The miniRIG turns your iPhone into a portable pro studio.
The miniRIG turns your iPhone into a portable pro studio.
Photo: Smoovie

Crowdfund Roundup bugToday’s smartphone cameras are capable of taking exceptional photos and videos, but they’re lacking some things — like brighter flashes and professional microphones. You can add these things and still be portable with the impressive miniRIG.

It’s just one of the awesome ideas in this week’s Crowdfund Roundup. We also have the world’s smallest tactical pocket knife, a neat device that turns any surface into a smart interface, and more!

All 2017 iPhones may pack 3GB of RAM and faster charging

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iPhone 8 concept
Same size as the iPhone 7, but with a bigger screen.
Photo: Martin Hajek

Charging your iPhone is about to get a lot faster in 2017, according to a new report that also claims Apple plans to add 3GB of RAM to all three of its new iPhone models this year.

In a research note sent to investors, Wall Street firm Cowen and Company contradicts previous rumors that claimed only Apple’s high-end iPhone 8 would get the RAM boost. If true, the new memory chips should make the iPhone speedier than ever.

Man builds working iPhone 6s using spare parts bought in China

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These are the 4 main parts you need.
These are the 4 main parts you need.
Photo: Strange Parts

Want to save a ton of money on a new iPhone? Try building your own.

Using a bunch of replacement parts bought at a marketplace in China, an ingenious YouTuber proves it’s entirely possible to build your own iPhone 6s. It turns out buying the parts is way cheaper than getting an iPhone 6s directly from Apple, as long as you’re cool assembling the tiny parts on your own.

Awesome Mac Pro concept packs expansion slots pros want

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Apple should steal ideas from this Mac Pro concept.
Apple should steal ideas from this Mac Pro concept.
Photo: Curved

Professional Mac users will have to wait until 2018 for a glimpse at the new Mac Pro Apple is working on, but if the next-gen computer looks anything like this new concept, it might be worth the wait.

German site Curved created a Mac Pro concept that shows how Apple could add modular features, allowing professionals to swap out pretty much every component. The concept artists even dreamed up a Cinema Display that packs plenty of ports for expansion.

Take a closer look:

Watch iPad Pro artist bring NBA stars to life using Apple Pencil

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“Vector Art Monster” Rob Zilla uses an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil to draw NBA stars.
“Vector Art Monster” Rob Zilla uses an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil to draw NBA stars.
Photo: Apple

The NBA playoffs are set to tip off this weekend where the biggest names in the sport will clash for a shot at hoisting the Larry O’Brien NBA Championship Trophy.

This season has been one of the best in recent memory, so to celebrate, Apple brought in renowned digital sketch artist Robert Generette III, aka Rob Zilla, to show how he uses the iPad Pro to create lifelike sketches of the league’s superstars.

Check out his incredible drawing process:

iPhone 8’s ‘biggest bottleneck’? Touch ID under glass

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Touch ID
Apple wants to integrate Touch ID into the next iPhone display.
Photo: Apple

Apple is reportedly struggling to integrate the Touch ID fingerprint sensor into the display of the forthcoming iPhone 8, claims a new report.

The idea of a Touch ID sensor embedded beneath the display of the new iPhone has been heavily rumored, as this would allow Apple to expand the edge-to-edge screen real estate of its next handset, without necessarily having to make the device larger.

This app will bring Spotify to Apple Watch

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Snowy syncs playlists, offers playback controls, and more.
Snowy syncs playlists, offers playback controls, and more.
Photo: Andrew Chang

Spotify is finally coming to your Apple Watch, thanks to a third-party app called Snowy.

Users will gain the ability to save Spotify playlists to their Watch so they can enjoy them offline when they leave the house without their iPhone. Plus, hands-free gestures will let them skip tracks and pause playback without touching the screen.

Last chance: Get 10 Mac apps for a tenth the price [Deals]

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CoM - The World's First Lifetime Mac Bundle
Instantly upgrade your Mac with this massively discounted bundle of 10 Mac apps.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Whatever you use your Mac for, you’ve got to get the right apps first. It can be tough to know what software you’ll need or where to get it, and that’s why The World’s First Lifetime Mac Bundle is exciting. It offers lifetime access, including all updates and upgrades large or small, to 10 super-legit Mac apps for about the price of a single standard app.

The apps are spread among categories of productivity, security and creativity. There is password management and tools for optimizing Wi-Fi networks, apps for photo and PDF editing, and lots more. This is your last chance to get this bundle at a whopping 96 percent discount, meaning you can get all 10 Mac apps for just $39 at Cult of Mac Deals.

Yet another Apple chipmaker may be ready for the chop

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iPhone 7
Apple sure seems to love in-sourcing.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

After reportedly distancing itself from GPU maker Imagination Technologies and power-management chip company Dialog Semiconductor, Apple  may next ditch Synaptics in its quest to bring chip production in-house.

The California-based Synaptics builds interface technologies, driver displays, and biometric tech. Most crucially, however, it also owns the iPhone display driver chipmaker company Renesas, which it bought back in 2014.