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Galaxy S8 could use same battery supplier as explosive Note 7

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Galaxy Note 7 that exploded while charging.
The Note 7 was one of last year's big debacles.
Photo: Mr NiBaidu

Samsung threw away millions of dollars and took a hefty PR hit thanks to its exploding Galaxy Note 7, which it wound up recalling at great cost last year.

However, it seems that Samsung’s not ready to give up on the controversial batteries used in the smartphone, but will instead continue using Samsung SDI batteries for its upcoming Galaxy S8 flagship device.

Get the down low on developing for iOS [Deals]

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This bundle of lessons will give you the skills you need to start developing for iOS 10.
This bundle of lessons will give you the skills you need to start developing for iOS 10.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Developing for iOS is one of the most lucrative skills you can have. If you want in on the iOS development boom but don’t know where to start, look no further than this lesson bundle. It’s packed with over 250 hours of instruction that’ll get you busy under the hood of a range of iOS apps, interfaces, games, tools, and more. And right now you can get the whole 2017 iOS 10 Complete App Builder Bundle for $59.99 at Cult of Mac Deals.

Thunderbolt 3 Dock helps you get the most out of your MacBook Pro

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Screen Shot 2017-01-04 at 14.56.11
Coming soon to a MacBook Pro near you.
Photo: Elgato

CES2017 Accessory maker Elgato unveiled its new Thunderbolt 3 Dock at CES, offering a way for users to connect a pair of 4K displays to their new MacBook Pro, in addition to plenty of other legacy connection options.

Costing $299, it promises to stand in for the plethora of dongles you’ll need as the tech world makes the jump to Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C.

Smart hairbrush tells your iPhone if you’re not brushing properly

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Hairbrush_Key_Visual_1-930x637
You're brushing it wrong!
Photo: Withings/L’Oreal

CES2017 Every year at CES, there’s one gadget that epitomizes the crazier side of Silicon Valley’s “connected tech” smart devices mania.

In 2017, that prize may well belong to Withings and L’Oreal’s newly unveiled smart hairbrush — a device that critiques your hair-brushing technique, then feeds the results back to your smartphone.

Kevin Hart gets toned in new Apple Watch Nike+ ad series

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Nike
The Apple Watch Nike+ comes with a hipster beard, apparently.
Photo: Nike

Kevin Hart goes on an epic (and fictitious) 700-mile run through the desert in a great new set of Apple Watch Nike+ ads.

Focusing on the fitness-tracking aspects of the device, the creative spots chronicle the comic actor’s quest to get in shape. Apple and Nike never ran into trouble getting high-profile celebrities to endorse their products, but Hart is certainly one of the funniest spokesmen in recent memory.

Watch the Nike ads — which tell the story of “The Man Who Kept Running” — below.

iPad art graces cover of latest New Yorker

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Jorge Colombo drew the New Yorker cover on iPad Pro.
Jorge Colombo drew the New Yorker cover on iPad Pro.
Photo: The New Yorker

Want proof you can get “real” work done on the iPad Pro? Look no further than the latest cover of The New Yorker.

Long-time art editor Jorge Colombo drew the latest cover using the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, Apple Pencil and the app Procreate. It’s not the first time art created on the iPad has been featured by the popular magazine, but it’s certainly the best looking one yet.

Even better, you can watch Colombo draw the cover.

New case lets photographers mount ZEISS lenses on iPhone 7

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ExoLens, which partnered with ZEISS for a pro line of iPhone lenses last year, will soon offer a protective case for the iPhone 7 to accommodate the lenses.
ExoLens, which partnered with ZEISS for a pro line of iPhone lenses last year, will soon offer a protective case for the iPhone 7 to accommodate the lenses.
Photo: ExoLens

When lens maker ZEISS partnered with ExoLens to bring pro optics to the iPhone, mobile photographers had to make a choice between having great lenses or a protective case for the phone.

Now ExoLens has solved that, at least for the iPhone 7, with a protective case that will accommodate the ZEISS line of lenses. The new ExoLens Case will be on display at CES in Las Vegas this week and will be available for purchase within the next couple of months.

Retro gaming on the go, laser keyboards and more [Crowdfund Roundup]

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

Incredible new gadgets often go unnoticed on Kickstarter and Indiegogo. We round up the best ones each week to help them get the funding they need to become reality.

This week, we’ve got an awesome handheld emulator that lets you play your favorite retro games on the go, a laser keyboard that’s super-versatile, a tiny device that adds Bluetooth connectivity to your existing headphones, and more!

Get the touchscreen MacBook that Apple will never make

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Stop waiting for Apple to put a touchscreen on the Mac.
Stop waiting for Apple to put a touchscreen on the Mac.
Photo: Neonode

CES2017 MacBook Air owners patiently waiting for Apple to come out with a touchscreen laptop can now take matters into their own hands: A new product called AirBar turns the laptop’s display into a touchscreen.

Neonode, the company that created AirBar, unveiled the new sensor — which is specifically designed for the 13-inch MacBook Air — at CES, the world’s largest electronic show taking place in Las Vegas this week.

Apple celebrates Chinese New Year with free Beats headphones

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Screen Shot 2017-01-03 at 15.37.07
Great offer, you think? Sadly you (probably) won't be able to participate.
Photo: Apple

Apple will celebrate Chinese New Year by giving away pairs of Beats Solo3 headphones in its Product (RED) variant — which just so happens to also be a color associated with good luck and prosperity in various Asian cultures.

Unfortunately, if you’re reading this in the U.S., the giveaway isn’t available to you — but rather to customers in China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore. Which we guess makes total sense, given the occasion!

Get your old devices working on your new MacBook [Deals]

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Make your new MacBook useful for your old peripherals with this sleek, 5-port hub.
Make your new MacBook useful for your old peripherals with this sleek, 5-port hub.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals.

So you’ve got the brand new MacBook. Congrats! Now all your non USB-C peripherals (which is probably all of them) are obsolete. Apple’s solution is to have you buy a bunch of adapters, but HyperDrive has a seamless solution that expands the new MacBook’s single port into five of the most-familiar, most-used formats.

The HyperDrive 5-in-1 Hub is a great alternative to a computer bag full of dongles, and right now you can get it for $39.95 at Cult of Mac Deals.

More evidence that Apple plans to make iPhones in India

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Apple supplier is increasing its ability to build masses of iPhones in India
Designed in California, made in India.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple is reportedly planning to start manufacturing its iPhones in India, and — right on cue — a new report claims that Apple supplier Wistron has applied for fast-tracked approval to expand its factory in the Indian city of Bengaluru.

“Wistron has approached us to expedite certain clearances with regards to the augmentation and expansion of its existing unit,” said a high-ranking regional government official, who declined to be identified.

New security chip combines fingerprints with facial recognition

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Some selfies are harmless.
Unlock your phone by snapping a quick selfie!
Photo: Per Gosche/Flickr CC

Leading human interface solution developer Synaptics has announced a new “multi-factor biometric fusion” security system for mobile devices and PCs, built around a combination of both fingerprint and facial recognition.

The system would allow users to either set up extra secure logins requiring multiple forms of biometric ID, or have devices which could intelligently choose the most convenient mode for an occasion — such as opting for facial recognition when a person is likely wearing gloves.

Apple Watch Series 3 manufacturer focuses on better battery life

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Apple Watch
Apple has already improved performance and battery life once.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple has chosen its manufacturer for the next-generation Apple Watch and tasked the company with delivering better battery life, according to a new report.

Apple Watch Series 3 is also expected to bring improved performance, but its hardware is unlikely to come with any major changes.

How to reset your AirPods to fix battery drain

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AirPods in case
AirPods should offer around 5 hours of use between charges.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

AirPods offer some of the best battery life you can get from wireless earphones, but many users have been unable to enjoy it. An apparent glitch is causing some units to drain power when they’re not in use, but a simple reset could fix it.

Here’s what you need to do.

Want tech innovation? CES 2017 is about to bring it.

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Each year at CES, tech's biggest players show off their latest, greatest gear. (Except for Apple, of course.)
Each year at CES, tech's biggest players show off their latest, greatest gear. (Except for Apple, of course.)
Image: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

CES2017 Just because Apple ignores CES, the gigantic electronics show that slams Las Vegas each January, doesn’t mean you should. If you’re interested in the next wave of tech innovation, the annual show should definitely be on your radar.

You won’t glimpse the next iPhone or the rumored Apple Car, but there’s plenty of great tech breakthroughs that should get you salivating over next week’s big event. Here’s a rundown of all the cool stuff we expect to see at CES 2017.

Get a terabyte of secure cloud storage for life [Deals]

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Get a full terabyte of secure cloud storage for life, and for pennies on the dollar.
Get a full terabyte of secure cloud storage for life, and for pennies on the dollar.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Cloud storage is a key part of any solid data backup arrangement. Unfortunately, a spot in the cloud usually comes at a cost. That makes this offer from Zoolz a special one, presenting a full terabyte split between two secure storage options. And right now you can get a lifetime of Zoolz cloud storage for a mere $39 at Cult of Mac Deals.

Handbrake, Colt Express, and other awesome apps of the week

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Awesome Apps
'Appy new year everyone!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Happy 2017 everyone! Facebook may have been last year’s most popular app, but there’s plenty more for you to explore in the App Store.

Check out our picks for the most exciting new apps of the week below. Whether you’re looking for a great game to usher in the New Year or something a bit more serious and useful, we’ve got you covered!

Save an extra 17 percent on our biggest steals [New Year’s Deals]

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Secure your cellular and Wi-Fi connections with a lifetime of easy-to-use VPN protection.
Secure your cellular and Wi-Fi connections with a lifetime of easy-to-use VPN protection.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

It’s the end of a rough year, so let’s ring in the new one with some extra great deals. Below you’ll find lifetime access to a powerful VPN, a secure and anonymous phone line, the latest version of multimedia super tool Roxio Toast, and a set of extra long, MFi certified Lightning cables. You can get each for an additional 17 percent off their already massively discounted price, just enter coupon code NEWYEAR17 at checkout (some exclusions apply) — the only catch is that you’ve got just 24 hours to do it. Read on for more details:

Best iPhone accessories of 2016

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best_iphone_accessories
The ultimate companions for your iPhone.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

2016 Year in Review Cult of Mac This year’s iPhone upgrade might have been a little dull, but we saw plenty of exciting accessories for Apple’s iconic smartphone in 2016.

From awesome new AirPods to ultraportable virtual reality headsets, they all helped make iPhone 7 more exciting. Here are our favorite iPhone accessories of the year.

Bassy Bluetooth boomboxes, stylish space sims and more [Week’s Best Deals]

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Finally you can get a portable Bluetooth speaker that also brings the bass.
Finally you can get a portable Bluetooth speaker that also brings the bass.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

The holidays and the year are almost over, but the great new deals at the Cult of Mac Store show no sign of stopping. This week, we’ve got a portable bluetooth speaker that also brings the bass, a critically acclaimed space sim, a set of sleek Bluetooth earbuds, and a mobile phone tripod that folds up to the size of a credit card. Read on for more details:

From tiny innovations to big brawls, this is how Apple rolled in 2016

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Thank Jobs, 2016 is finally over!
Thank Jobs, 2016 is finally over!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

2016 Year in Review Cult of Mac 2016 sent Apple for a wild ride full of fantastic new products, crazy controversies and tons of extra drama with its rivals.

Tim Cook and his colleagues probably can’t wait to jump into 2017. But before we start looking toward Apple’s future, let’s take a quick look back at all the stories that made 2016 a year Apple fans will never forget.

Adjustable stand makes your iPad Pro even more pro

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ElevationLab created DraftTable because a steady drawing hands needs a steady stand for the iPad Pro.
ElevationLab created DraftTable because a steady drawing hands needs a steady stand for the iPad Pro.
Photo: ElevationLab

Frank Lloyd Wright didn’t create innovative home designs by drawing from his couch. He sat at a drafting table, its surface supporting his paper at the angle of his choosing.

So what would he do with an iPad Pro and Apple Pencil? He might try the new DraftTable by Portland, Oregon-based Elevation Lab.

Mini lens set instantly upgrades any iPhone camera [Deals]

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This 5-lens kit will dramatically expand the photographic possibilities of any iPhone.
This 5-lens kit will dramatically expand the photographic possibilities of any iPhone.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Getting an iPhone means every moment is a chance to snap great looking pictures. But as all photographers know, a great set of lenses is even more important than a great camera. With this set of 5 detachable lenses, you can instantly upgrade the photos your iPhone takes. And right now you can get the whole set of lenses for just $23.99 at Cult of Mac Deals.

Best Mac and iOS games of 2016

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best mac and ios games 2016
2016 might have sucked overall, but not for games.
Image: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

2016 Year in Review Cult of Mac When it comes to games, Apple trails behind Microsoft and the broader PC market. Though Cupertino’s hardware often sports cutting-edge specs, the fact is that gaming was never really the intended use for Apple machines.

Why this is, and whether it should prevent top titles from gracing Mac screens, is enough for its own article. Luckily, things are changing: From sprawling strategy games to genre-bending first-person titles, 2016 gave Apple fans a harvest of great titles for Mac and iOS alike.