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Our new Apple hardware reactions, this week on The CultCast

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New iPads. New iPhones.  We react to Apple's new hardware!
New iPads. New iPhones. We react to Apple's new hardware!
Photo: @YSR50

This week on The CultCast: Apple’s new iPad is cheaper, fatter, heavier and underpowered, but you should still get one. Plus: Why the “iPad mini Pro” is kind of a ripoff; two reasons you should not buy a (PRODUCT)RED iPhone 7; everything you can do with Apple’s new Clips app; our hands-on review of the new Pioneer SPH-DA120 budget Car Play stereo; and we test out the Think Tank Helipack V2, a gigantic backpack built for your DJI Phantom.

Our thanks to Blue Apron for supporting this episode. Blue Apron makes it easy to cook delicious meals at home. See their upcoming menu and get your first three meals free at BlueApron.com/CultCast.

Drone footage shows crews racing to finish Apple Park by April

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Apple Park
Apple's spaceship campus still isn't ready for its grand opening.
Photo: Igor America

Apple employees are set to move into the Apple spaceship campus just next month, but based on the recent drone footage there’s still a lot of work to be done on Apple Park.

Crews can be seen finishing construction and landscaping work in the new aerial footage. While the tunnel, parking structures, fitness center and side buildings look nearly completely, the Steve Jobs theater doesn’t look ready to host a keynote yet.

Is the (PRODUCT)RED iPhone 7 a terrible purchase? [Friday Night Fights]

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fnf
Are you buying one?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple’s stunning new (PRODUCT)RED iPhone 7 went on sale this morning, but should you buy one?

Sure, it looks spectacular, and a portion of your purchase goes to a good cause. It’s also packing Apple’s latest iPhone hardware — but that hardware is six months old now, and when September rolls around, it’s going to be old news.

Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight as we discuss whether the (PRODUCT)RED iPhone — and iPhone 7 in general — is still worth your hard-earned cash.

New Word macro malware infects macOS and Windows

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Beware untrusted Word macros.
Beware untrusted Word macros.
Photo: FortiGuard Labs

Another form of Microsoft Word malware that infects both macOS and Windows machines has been detected.

The malicious VBA (Visual Basic for Applications) code is buried in a Word document macro and automatically adapts its attack depending on the operating system used. Once installed, it can be used to download more payload files to your computer.

Instagram will blur ‘sensitive’ photos if anyone complains

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If this appears on a photo in your Instagram feed, a user flagged the content as disturbing.
If this appears on a photo in your Instagram feed, a user flagged the content as disturbing.
Photo: Instagram

Instagram will begin cloaking photos it deems “sensitive” with a blur screen that warns users of potentially troubling content.

This is the latest tool in a series instituted by Instagram to make the mobile photo- and video-sharing platform “safer” for its more than 600 million users. CEO Kevin Systrom wrote on the Instagram blog that photos will only be screened after a user has complained and a review team evaluates whether the content merits the warning cover.

Mermaids, elves and 67 other emojis coming soon to your iPhone

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These should be coming to iOS 11 later this year.
These should be coming to iOS 11 later this year.
Photo: Emojipedia

Unicode 10 is right around the corner, and it’s going to bring a whole bunch of awesome new emojis that will eventually make their way to iOS.

Some of the best include a t-rex, a hedgehog, a grinning face with stars for eyes, and a mermaid and merman. There are 69 altogether, many of which are available in different styles. Here’s a look at some of them.

Leaked CIA exploits have already been fixed, says Apple

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These are the sophisticated tools designed to exploit Apple vulnerabilities.
The CIA's leaked hacking tools don't work on updated iPhones.
Photo: CIA.org

The iOS and macOS vulnerabilities revealed by the latest WikiLeaks data dump of CIA hacking tools have already been fixed.

Apple says that an early evaluation of the info released by WikiLeaks hasn’t found any new bugs or attacks that can be used on iPhone or Mac users. Some of the exploits contained in the leaks were able to grant access to an iPhone’s call logs and SMS conversations, but only if the CIA had physical access to the device.

Alleged hackers raise their Apple ransom to $700,000

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money
Hackers have upped their demands.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The so-called “Turkish Crime Family” hackers who claim they’ve got access to hundreds of millions of Apple customer accounts have raised their ransom demand from $75,000 to a whopping $700,000.

The group, which is apparently based in the U.K., has threatened to remotely wipe users’ devices, or reset iCloud accounts, if it’s not paid by April 7. Apple has denied that the hackers have breached iCloud, although the accounts themselves are real.

These Mac apps will save your hard drive and productivity [Deals]

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collage-2017-03-17 (1)
From comprehensive hard drive protection to streamlining your workflow, we've got the Mac apps you're looking for.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Your Mac’s a powerful machine, but it’s only as good as the apps you give it. That makes this bundle of top-shelf apps a must-see for any Mac owner. Included is a powerful app for maintaining and repairing your hard drive, a tool for digging deep into PDFs, a fun and useful 3-D designer for your house, and an amazing task-management platform.

There’s something here for any Mac user!

Dramatically improve iOS dictation using Google’s Gboard

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Gboard
Gboard dictation makes iOS even better.
Photo: Google

Google’s Gboard has been a great alternative iOS keyboard since its launch, and the latest update makes it even better. Now you can use it to dictate your messages, which will save you a load of time once you get in the habit.

In my opinion, Google has Siri licked when it comes to voice recognition, so there’s never been a better time to give Gboard a try. Here’s how to get started.

It’s morphin’ time on iOS with Power Rangers: Legacy Wars

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Screen Shot 2017-03-24 at 13.35.56
Go go App Store downloads!
Photo: nWay Inc.

I’ll admit it: I was a massive Power Rangers nerd back in the day, which is why I’m tentatively excited to see the new blockbuster reboot, and very happy to see a new game in the franchise arrive on iOS.

Called Power Rangers: Legacy Wars, it’s a real-time mobile fighting game, which should please fans of the series by incorporating a wide range of locations and characters not just from the new movie, but the years of TV shows as well.

Check out the trailer below.

Police warn you not to fall for ‘Siri 108’ prank

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Siri
Saying the digits to Siri prompts your iPhone to call emergency services.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

The Sheriff’s office of Harris County, Texas has posted a message on its official Facebook page, pleading with people not to fall for a social media prank in which they’re encourage to say “108” to Siri.

That’s because the number prompts Siri to dial 9-1-1, or the emergency phone number of whichever country they are in at the time.

These cases will protect your (RED) iPhone without covering the color

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Casetify offers elegant and quirky designs for a clear iPhone case to bring out the red on the new PRODUCT(RED) iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.
Casetify offers elegant and quirky designs for a clear iPhone case to bring out the red on the new PRODUCT(RED) iPhone 7 and 7 Plus.
Photo: Casetify

Surely, you’re not going to order the special edition iPhone 7 and then slap on a case that covers up that beautiful red aluminum.

Accessories company Casetify is offering a clear case for the (PRODUCT)RED iPhone 7 and 7 Plus with 40 different designs that turn the red back plate of the housing into an artistic canvas.

Retrospect makes even the most massive Mac backups simple

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Retrospect_for_Mac_Multi-Server_right
For companies of any size, you're unlikely to find a backup solution as powerful and easy to use as Retrospect.
Photo: Retrospect

This post is brought to you by Retrospect.

From mom-and-pop shops to international enterprises, businesses of all sizes benefit from straightforward, reliable backup of key data. Even with access to a massive storage system like Amazon S3 or Backblaze B2, having the right agent to facilitate the preservation of your data can save a lot of valuable time and effort.

Take a look inside Apple’s new flagship store in Germany

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Apple's new store on Europe's busiest shopping street.
Apple's new store on Europe's busiest shopping street.
Photo: Macerkopf

The newest Apple store in Germany is ditching the Genius Bar, but it will have a boardroom.

Apple is set to open its second store in Cologne, Germany this weekend and early photos have already revealed some of the new features, like an area dedicated entirely to business that is becoming a staple at other flagship stores.

Samsung nearly tops Apple in J.D. Power smartphone rankings

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Samsung
The exploding Note 7 didn't hurt Samsung's status.
Photo: Jim Merithew / Cult of Mac

The gap between Apple and Samsung is narrower than it has ever been, according to J.D. Power’s 2017 smartphone satisfaction rankings that have the iPhone-maker in the lead by just one point.

Apple took the number one spot with a total score of 840. Meanwhile Samsung somehow crept up to the second spot with 839 points, even though it had a disastrous last half of 2016 with the exploding Note 7 fiasco.

WikiLeaks exposes CIA infections for Mac and iOS

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These are the sophisticated tools designed to exploit Apple vulnerabilities.
These are the sophisticated tools designed to exploit Apple vulnerabilities.
Photo: CIA.org

Just over two weeks after revealing the true extent of the Central Intelligence Agency’s hacking arsenal, WikiLeaks today released more information on its infections designed for Mac and iOS.

These are the tools the agency used to exploit vulnerabilities in Apple’s software and gain persistent access to target computers and mobile devices.

Zane Lowe says Apple is working on new Beats stations

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Zane Lowe
Beats 2, 3, 4, and 5 may be in the works.
Photo: Apple

Beats 1 DJ Zane Lowe says that Apple is “working on” new Beats radio stations, although won’t introduce them until, “they feel it’s right.”

While Lowe doesn’t provide more details, it’s one of the few things he addresses directly in an interview during which he sidesteps plenty of other questions — suggesting it’s something that Apple’s happy to be talked about to some extent.

Gear up for your next road trip [Deals]

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collage-2017-03-17
Keep your phone charged and your most important tools at hand with this bundle of road trip essentials.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Winter is coming to a close, and that means road trip season is on the horizon. Make sure you’re prepared for your next long distance drive with this gathering of essential gear at the Cult of Mac Store. From an emergency multi-tool that doubles as a phone charger, to a set of durable charging cables, a universal mobile phone mount, and a powerful, five-port portable battery, there’s something here to upgrade any outing. Read on for more details:

Apple dock could turn your iPhone into a MacBook

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Just take my money, Apple!
Just take my money, Apple!
Photo: Apple

Apple has created a dock that could turn a future iPhone or iPad into a MacBook.

The idea is explained in a patent application published on Thursday, which details an ultra-portable notebook into which an iOS device is placed to provide software and power.

Super Mario Run gets new playable characters, more free stages

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Super Mario Run on iOS
Nintendo's hit game just got a big update.
Photo: Apple

Haven’t played Super Mario Run since the first few weeks after its release? Nintendo is hoping to lure you back, as well as recruiting fresh players, with the 2.0 upgrade of its endless runner game.

The update beings new playable characters, new courses in Toad Rally, new buildings, greater ease of play, and assorted other changes and improvements.