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Apple seeds new betas for iOS, tvOS and watchOS

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iPhone 7
A new iOS 10.3 beta is ready to be installed.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Three new beta software updates have been seeded to developers by Apple today, adding a bunch of bug fixes and performance improvements to Apple’s platforms.

The new builds come one day after Apple seeded a new build of macOS 10.12.4 to developers. The fifth beta builds of iOS 10.3, tvOS 10.2 and watchOS 3.2 can be downloaded by registered developers directly from the Apple’s dev portal.

PowerVR graphics upgrade allows for 4K iPhone displays

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iphone-new
It also paves the way for iPhone VR.
Photo: Apple

Imagination Technologies, the company behind the PowerVR graphics technology used in iPhone and iPad, has unleashed its powerful new Furion architecture.

It’s the first major upgrade since the introduction of Rogue, the architecture currently used in iPhone 7, and it’s capable of powering 4K smartphone and tablet displays with four times the resolution of 1080p.

Apple grabs lion’s share of 2016 smartphone profits

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Samsung
Samsung got dominated by Apple in 2016.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

When it comes to making money off of smartphones, no company is doing it as well as Apple.

The latest data on profits made by smartphone manufacturers reveals that while the iPhone doesn’t dominate the global marketshare, it takes home nearly all of the profits.

Give your iPhone camera the gift of glass [Deals]

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collage-2017-03-03
The best upgrade you can give your iPhone's camera is a new set of lenses, and we've got some of the best you'll ever find.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Your iPhone has a great camera. But as any photographer will tell you, the lenses you use are just as important as the camera itself. That makes these lens kits for iPhone a must-see. From a quickly deployable 4-in-1 ‘revolver’ lens, to a simple and slim clip-on with two lenses, a 3-piece set of detachable lenses and and a legit telescopic lens, we’ve got what you need to up your mobile photography game. Read on for more details:

Apple Pay now supports charitable donations in the U.K.

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Apple-Pay-Cancer-Research-UK
Cancer Research is one of 21 charities accepting Apple Pay in the U.K.
Photo: Cancer Research U.K.

Apple Pay will now allow users to donate money to charitable organizations in the U.K.

The feature was first rolled out in the U.S. late last year, and it’s available on iPhone, iPad, and macOS. The long list of supported non-profits includes the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research U.K., Comic Relief, Oxfam, and Unicef.

2017’s ‘iPhone Edition’ to arrive late, OLED display uncertain

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iPhone 8 concept
Don't get your heart set on OLED just yet.
Photo: iDropNews

We’ve all been calling it the iPhone 8 for months, but according to a new report out of Japan, Apple’s tenth anniversary smartphone will be named “iPhone Edition.”

The device is expected to be announced alongside the “iPhone 7s” and “iPhone 7s Plus,” but we’ll have to wait longer to actually get our hands on it. What’s more, sources claim that the OLED upgrade we’ve been looking forward to isn’t a sure thing yet.

Apple: We’ve patched ‘many’ iOS vulnerabilities exposed by WikiLeaks

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These apps' iOS widgets will give your iPhone superpowers.
Keep your iPhone up to date to ensure it's as safe as can be.
Photo: Gilles Lambert/Unsplash CC

Apple insists it has already patched “many” of the iOS vulnerabilities that were exposed in WikiLeaks’ CIA document dump Tuesday.

Cupertino says it is working to address any identified holes that weren’t already patched, and the company reminds fans that the software built for iPhone boasts the best data security available to consumers.

See an unbelievably huge Mac collection and more [iSetups]

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iSetups episode 1
The first iSetups episode shows off three Mac setups.
Photo: Cult of Mac

If you’re a computer scientist, you can never have too many Macs. Just ask Richard Crossley, a Ph.D. candidate currently studying “optimization in high-performance computing to achieve maximum resource efficiency.”

It probably shouldn’t come as too big of a surprise that Crossley’s got a pretty vast Mac collection. Check out his system, as well as other impressive Mac setups, in this week’s episode of iSetups. It’s Cult of Mac’s new monthly show highlighting the best Mac setups submitted by viewers — plus tips and tricks for how to improve them.

This Marimba ringtone remix will blow your mind

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You've never heard Marimba like this.
You've never heard Marimba like this.
Photo: Seth Kranzler

Apple’s iconic Marimba ringtone has been remixed a countless number of times since the original iPhone came out, but a new remix inspired by composer Steve Reich will leave you totally hypnotized.

Created by artist Seth Kranzler, “Marimba Ringtone Phase” replicates Reich’s style by playing the ringtone on two iPhones ringing at slightly different tempos. The trippy effect puts an all-new spin on a classic tune.

Give it a listen:

Famous jailbreaker says WikiLeaks CIA dump is overhyped

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The CIA has been hoarding zero day exploits.
The CIA has been hoarding zero day exploits.
Photo: US Gov.

WikiLeak’s trove of CIA cyber documents is being hyped as one of the biggest leaks since Edward Snowden blew the whistle on the NSA. But according to one of the world’s top jailbreakers, you shouldn’t believe the hype.

Cyber security expert Will Strafach, who gained notoriety under the name Chronic for finding zero-day exploits used for jailbreaking, says iOS users don’t need to be worried.

Gaming smartwatches, concentration headphones, and more [Crowdfund Roundup]

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Crowdfund Roundup
Help turn these awesome ideas into reality!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

If you still feel like smartwatches have no use, how about one that’s designed for on-the-go gaming? Gameband is built to be the most powerful wearable you can buy, with long-lasting battery life and expandable storage.

It’s just one of the awesome projects included in this week’s Crowdfund Roundup. We’ve also got a beautiful mechanical keyboard inspired by traditional typewriters, headphones that help you concentrate, and more!

Apple seeds macOS 10.12.4 beta 5 to developers

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macOS Sierra logo
A new macOS beta is out.
Photo: Apple

Registered Apple developers received some new beta software from Apple today with the release of macOS 10.12.4 beta 5.

The new beta comes one week after Apple released macOS 10.12.4 beta 5, bringing a number of new bug fixes and performance improvements to the Mac.

Global elites’ love of iPhone made iOS a prime target of CIA

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The CIA's new headquarters.
The CIA's new headquarters in McLean, Virginia.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Although Google’s Android dominates the worldwide smartphone market, the CIA concentrated on Apple’s iOS because of its popularity among global elites, WikiLeaks reports.

The huge trove of leaked CIA documents, codenamed “Vault 7” and released Tuesday by WikiLeaks, reveals that the CIA formed a special unit called the Mobile Development Branch (MDB) to infect smartphones. And within that unit, Apple’s iOS was a prime target.

Poor people should give up iPhones for healthcare, congressman says

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iPhone-7
Why buy healthcare when you can eat an iPhone?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Are you unable to afford your new health insurance premiums now that Obamacare might be going away? Well, according to Rep. Jason Chaffetz, you should trade in your iPhone.

The GOP’s replacement plan for Obamacare has been met with plenty of hate from both sides of the aisle, but in an interview this morning, Chaffetz pointed out that people just aren’t focusing on how the new law will give us all more choices.

Everything you need to know about WikiLeaks’ CIA document dump

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The CIA has a team of more than 5,000 hackers.
The CIA has a team of more than 5,000 hackers.
Photo: Brian Klug/Flickr CC

The entire hacking arsenal of the CIA has been dumped online and the entire internet is freaking out.

WikiLeaks dropped a data bomb Tuesday with its massive document dump, which it claims is one of the biggest in history. Secrets on how the CIA hacked devices made by Apple, Google, Samsung and Microsoft are now available for all to see. But should you start freaking out just yet?

Cult of Mac talked to a number of iOS security experts to make sense of all the new info. While it’s tempting to panic, there’s a lot more you need to know first.

WikiLeaks: CIA lost control of its iPhone hacking arsenal

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Wikileaks'
Wikileaks' "Vault 7" data dump allegedly reveals CIA hacking tools used to compromise iPhones, Android phones and other devices.
Image: Gordon Johnson/Pixabay

The Central Intelligence Agency has been using malware to spy on iPhone and Android users, according to the largest-ever publication of confidential documents from WikiLeaks — and the spy tools are now in the hands of others.

As part of a covert hacking program, the CIA created a “malware arsenal” and dozens of “zero day exploits” to infiltrate smartphones, tablets and even smart TVs to extract data and turn them into covert microphones.

But the agency recently lost controls of these tools. Those who have obtained them now have “the entire hacking capacity of the CIA” at their disposal, according to WikiLeaks.

Sell your old Apple device for cash today!

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The quickest and easiest way to get paid for your old devices.
The quickest and easiest way to get paid for your old devices.
Photo: MyPhones Unlimited

Trying to make some easy cash? If you’ve recently upgraded devices and have an old iPhone, iPad or MacBook laying around to sell, we have your answer. By using our online buyback program, you can receive the biggest bang for your buck with the easiest trade-in program on the internet.

It takes less than two minutes to get a quote — we’ll mail you a prepaid box to send us your device, and we cut checks within 24 hours of receiving the device!

Save massively on 2 terabytes of secure cloud storage [Deals]

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CoM - Zoolz Dual Cloud 2TB Storage
Lock in two full terabytes of super secure and convenient cloud storage.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Photos, music, documents of all kind — if you care at all about the data in your life you’re going to want to have a layer of cloud security. Whether to save space on your local drives or just to have a duplicate copy when your hard drive quits, this deal from Zoolz is a can’t miss. Right now they’re offering a full terabyte of instant backup, and a full terabyte of longer-term archive backup, totalling two full terabytes of secure cloud storage. And the best part? You can get these two terabytes of cloud storage for just $49.99 at Cult of Mac Deals.

Amazon Alexa now offers medical advice from WebMD

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Connect the Amazon Echo Dot to your existing speaker system, and you bingo! -- your speakers just got smarts.
Dr. Alexa will see you now.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Amazon Alexa’s incredible skill-set continues to expand, with medical advice the latest addition to the list.

Thanks to a partnership between Amazon and WebMD, Alexa speakers can now answer basic health-related queries that could save you a trip to the doctor’s office.

Apple’s WWDC scholarships now include a free place to stay

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A lot is changing at WWDC.
A lot is changing at WWDC.
Photo: Apple

The rules for winning a coveted scholarship to Apple’s Worldwide Developers Conference are changing this year.

Apple revealed today that it will begin accepting applications for WWDC 2017 scholarships on March 27. Getting one of the spots means you don’t have to pay the $1,599 ticket price. And for the first time ever, Apple is going to hook up student winners with a free place to stay.

All-glass iPhone 8 concept art looks totally gorgeous

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We hope the iPhone looks this good.
We hope the iPhone looks this good.
Photo: Daniel Csonth

Apple fans are anxiously awaiting the grand unveiling of the iPhone 8 which is expected to have the thinnest bezels of any iPhone ever. How Jony Ive will go about reducing the bezels is still a mystery, but one concept designer has a great idea: make the body all-glass.

In his new iPhone 8 concept, Daniel Csonth imagines how Apple could make the OLED screen double as a speaker so that there’s no ugly bezels at the top of the camera. The end result is an iPhone that looks like window into the digital world.

Check it out: