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Now is a great time to sell your old MacBook

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This guy spilled his coffee and then sold us his laptop.
This guy spilled his coffee and then sold us his laptop....
Photo: Pexels

With new MacBook Pro models just announced, it’s a great time to clear out your old laptop. Our MacBook buyback program will give you cash to upgrade.

You can still make money off your aging MacBook. Yeah, even those dusty old white ones from 2008. The buyback program will pay you cash for your Apple laptop, whether it’s the newest 15-inch MacBook Pro or a clunker you haven’t touched in five years.

The new MacBook Pro models look super sweeeeet, so it’s a great time to clear out old gear and pad your bank account so you can afford an upgrade.
The new machines are pricey, so you’ll need the extra cash.

Apple is officially done making displays

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The LG UltraFine 5K is the closest thing we'll get to an Apple Thunderbolt 3 display.
The LG UltraFine 5K is the closest thing we'll get to an Apple Thunderbolt 3 display.
Photo: Apple

The days of Apple making its own stand-alone displays for the Mac Mini and Mac Pro are dead.

Apple revealed a new 5K 27-inch Thunderbolt 3 display during its “Hello Again” keynote yesterday, only instead of being made by Apple, the company partnered with LG to create the monitor. And according to people who talked to Apple at the event, there are no plans to ever make an Apple display again.

$299 off Panasonic 4K HD TV, $278 off Canon EOS Rebel Bundle, and more [Deals]

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Daily Deals Roundup 10.28
Score huge savings on bundles for Amazon Echo Dot, PlayStation 4 and Canon EOS Rebel.
Photos: Amazon, Sony, Canon

Big-name brands are acting especially generous this week — we found deals on Panasonic, Sony and even KitchenAid products. eBay is back at it again with a new-and-improved PlayStation 4 bundle. Amazon’s cutting the price on its Echo smart home package. And Walmart is joining the fray with a major deal on a Panasonic 50-inch HD TV.

Read on for all the juicy details.

Apple defends skimpy MacBook Pro RAM

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The MacBook Pro has a special T1 chip inside.
The MacBook Pro has a special T1 chip inside.
Photo: Apple

Serious professionals hoping for tons of RAM on the new MacBook Pro are out of luck.

Apple decided to limit RAM options on its beautiful new machine to just 8GB or 16GB. That’s the same amount as the last MacBook Pro, which is more than enough for most consumers, but Apple claims adding more would be also be bad for pros.

Why new MacBook Pro took so long to make

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The new MacBook Pro has a bit of iOS inside.
The new MacBook Pro has a bit of iOS inside.
Photo: Apple

The technology behind the Touch Bar on the new MacBook Pro couldn’t have been possible if Apple didn’t already make iOS devices, according to Apple’s VP of Software engineering, Craig Federighi.

After helping reveal the new MacBook Pro during Apple’s “Hello Again” keynote, Federighi explained to YouTuber Marques Brownlee that even though Touch Bar seems like an obvious evolution, Apple didn’t want to just slap a touchscreen on the MacBook and call it good. So the company spent years making sure Touch Bar would be something you’ll want to use immediately.

How to get a discount on the new MacBook Pro

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touchbar
The new MacBook Pro isn't wallet-friendly.
Photo: Apple

The new MacBook Pro is the most gorgeous laptop Apple’s ever made. It’s thin, powerful and touchable. There’s just one big problem: It’s expensive as f***!

Dropping two grand on a new MacBook isn’t an easy decision for many Apple fans. But if you’re lusting after the new MacBook Pro and don’t have quite enough cash to foot the bill, there are a few ways you can get a lower price.

iCloud hacker gets 18 months in jail for stealing nudes

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Hacker who tried to extort Apple for $100k is spared prison
Ryan Collins has been sentenced for his role in "Celebgate."
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

One of the iCloud hackers behind 2014’s “Celebgate” scandal has been sentenced to 18 months in prison. Ryan Collins helped break into celebrity iCloud accounts and steal private photos, which were later published online.

Enter to win two sets of Apple AirPods [Deals]

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AirPods
The second-best wireless headphones for iPhone.
Photo: Apple

iPhone 7 made it official: When it comes to portable music, wires are out and Bluetooth is in. If you’re wondering how or when you’ll make the switch, we’ve got an easy answer: Take your shot at winning a pair of brand new Apple AirPods for free at Cult of Mac Deals. Announced this week, the AirPods are bit delayed but we still have you covered!

MacBook Pro’s new Touch Bar is powered by iOS

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macbook pro touch bar
I bet you didn't know that!
Photo: Apple

One thing Apple didn’t tell us during its big MacBook Pro unveiling on Thursday is that its new machine runs iOS. However, it’s not quite the iOS you’re already used to.

Instead, Apple’s mobile operating system is there solely to power the MacBook Pro’s new OLED Touch Bar.

Here’s why Apple will never give MacBook a touchscreen

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macbook pro
The new MacBook Pro is stunner.
Photo: Apple

Desktop computers aren’t going away any decade soon. Not if Jony Ive and Phil Schiller have to say anything about it.

In an interview with Ive, Schiller and Magic Man Craig Federighi, Apple’s team of vets explain that they don’t plan to ever morph the iPad and Mac together to make a Frankenstein desktop tablet like the Surface Studio.

Apple’s TV app doesn’t work with the two best streaming services

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The TV app coralls all your favorite content.
The TV app coralls all your favorite content.
Photo: Apple

Netflix won’t be embracing Apple’s vision for the future of television.

Apple revealed its plan to own your TV screen today with a new app called TV. The new service aims to unify your TV experience on iPhone, iPad and Apple TV by taking you straight to content, but the two best streaming services won’t be available.

Miss Apple’s MacBook Pro keynote? Stream it!

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Tim Cook was short on surprises at the 'Hello Again' keynote.
Tim Cook was short on surprises at the 'Hello Again' keynote.
Photo: Apple

Apple debuted the all-new MacBook Pro and its gorgeous Touch Bar at an event this morning, but if weren’t able to catch the action at work, you can now watch all the videos online.

The full video for the “Hello Again” keynote can be streamed from Apple’s website. Apple also uploaded five new videos to YouTube featuring the history of the MacBook Pro, the new Touch Bar and Accessibility features.

Watch them all below:

Everything we wanted from Apple’s MacBook Pro event but got denied

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You wanted the best, you got the best. The hottest laptop in the world ... MacBook Pro!
You wanted the best, you got the best. The hottest laptop in the world ... MacBook Pro!
Photo: Apple

Anybody watching Apple’s “Hello Again” event probably suspected we’d get “one more thing” in addition to the long-rumored Touch Bar and the recently leaked TV app. Or maybe a couple more things.

Instead we got … a Final Cut Pro update and a new accessibility website?

Underwhelming! And cruelly disappointing to all the Apple faithful hoping against hope for new hardware. Here are all the other things we wanted — but got so viciously denied — during Apple’s MacBook Pro event today.

Hands-on: MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar gets rave reviews

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macbook pro
There's a lot to love about the new MacBook Pro.
Photo: Apple

The new MacBook Pro won’t ship for another 2-3 weeks, but members of the media who got their fingers on the new Touch Bar came away from Apple’s event with rave reviews.

Apple hosted a hands-on section after today’s keynote and based on the quick impression the new MacBook Pro made, it looks like Apple has another hit on its hands.

Adapt to the MacBook Pro with these USB-C docks and dongles

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USB-C adaptors
An adaptor, like this hub from Satechi with a MacBook, will let you plug in your peripheral devices into the USB-C ports on the new MacBook Pro.
Photo: Satechi

Allow yourself to bask in the glow of a brighter screen and the multifunction Touch Bar. But when the high subsides and you’re ready to order the new MacBook Pro, you will need to deal with a slight inconvenience: all those USB-C ports.

But because Apple prepared us for the new industry standard last year when it introduced a single USB-C port on the 12-inch MacBook, accessories companies responded with loads of affordable adapters that allow users to plug in peripheral devices.

Internet freaks out about new MacBook Pro pricing

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The MacBook Pro will be more affordable next year.
The MacBook Pro will be more affordable next year.
Photo: Apple

While Apple is touting the new MacBook Pros as a major evolution of the laptop, the internet is in open revolt over the cost of the new machines.

The new MacBook Pros will set you back at least $200 more than last year’s models, and sometimes much more.

The top-of-the-line 15-inch MacBook Pro, for example, costs an eye-popping $4,299 — without tax, and with no preinstalled software.

Prices are even worse in Europe and Asia, where potential buyers are wondering if it would be cheaper to fly to the U.S. to buy a new machine than get one at home.

Everything you can do with MacBook Pro’s new Touch Bar

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macbook pro touch bar
Want to try the new MacBook Pro Touch Bar without dropping a few grand?
Photo: Apple

Apple’s new Touch Bar looks like the most exciting new feature we’ve seen on the MacBook Pro in years.

Instead of fumbling to remember shortcuts, Touch Bar puts a handful of commands at your fingertips and dynamically adjusts to whatever app you’re in.

That sounds pretty magical, but what will that actually be good for? Developers will need to add support for their apps, so it might take a few months before Touch Bar really takes off. But if you’re doubting the usefulness of having a touch screen bar at the top of your keyboard, here are the cool things you can do on the Touch Bar.

The 11-inch MacBook Air is officially dead

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The new MacBook Air has more graphics power than it appears at first. Photo: Apple
Farewell MacBook Air.
Photo: Photo

While Apple was busying announcing two new 13-inch MacBook Pros today, the company quietly killed the smallest notebook it makes.

Apple officially discontinued the 11-inch MacBook Air today, making it no longer available for purchase. Now if you want the cheapest MacBook available, you’re going to have to think bigger.

New MacBook Pro is thinner, faster and more magical

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macbook pro
Meet the new MacBook Pro.
Photo: Apple

The MacBook Pro refresh we’ve been eagerly anticipating for months is finally here, and it’s everything we dreamt it would be.

Apple’s new high-end notebooks deliver a sleeker design, Intel’s latest Skylake processors, and that magic Touch Bar with Touch ID that we’ve been hearing so much about. The only real problem is the price.

Apple’s new TV app unifies your viewing experience

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The new TV app doesn't like ripped videos.
The new TV app doesn't like ripped videos.
Photo: Apple

Apple is making it a lot easier for Apple TV owners to find their favorite video content, with an all-new app called simply “TV” that puts everything in one place.

The new TV app debuted at an Apple event this morning that showcased how viewers will be able find new shows to watch as well as tune into live TV.

Liveblog: The Mac is back at Apple’s ‘Hello Again’ keynote

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Are you ready for new Macs?
Are you ready for new Macs?
Photo: Apple

Are you ready to finally get some new Macs? It seems like forever since Apple busted out big updates for the iMac and MacBook, but today the wait for something new is over.

Apple’s “Hello Again” event is expected to feature tons of new Mac hardware. The keynote kicks off at 10 a.m. Pacific today, and will livestream from the company’s HQ in Cupertino, California. We’ve already seen tons of pictures of the new MacBook Pro and heard of a new app for Apple TV that’s coming, too. But today’s event could feature some game-changing hardware no one was expecting.

Cult of Mac is here to to liveblog all the action once the festivities start, with all the brilliant analysis, dull wit and pithy snark we can come up with. Join us for the wild ride.

Worried about online security? Get this VPN client for Mac [Deals]

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Shimo is one of the most versatile, secure, and simple to use VPNs out there.
Shimo is one of the most versatile, secure, and simple to use VPNs out there.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

When you spend time every day online, you’re adding to the risk of having your data stolen. That’s ignoring minor headaches like location restrictions, preventing you from getting your favorite streaming content when traveling. All of the above can be avoided though by connecting to the web via a virtual private network, or VPN. That might sound technical or expensive, but it doesn’t have to be either — right now you can get Shimo, one of the most secure and versatile VPN clients available, for just $19 at Cult of Mac Deals.