Mobile menu toggle

Apple drops new betas for iOS, tvOS, watchOS and macOS

By

Hold off on iOS 10 for now.
The first iOS 10.1 beta is already here.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple just released macOS Sierra to the public yesterday, but work on a fresh new update is already underway after Apple seeded macOS Sierra 10.12.1 to developers this morning.

Along with the new macOS Sierra beta, Apple has also released the first beta builds of iOS 10.1, tvOS 10.1 and watchOS 3.1, bringing a slew of bug fixes to every single platform as well as Portrait Mode for the iPhone 7 Plus dual-lens camera.

Telltale’s eagerly anticipated Batman game finally hits iOS

By

wallpaper-2
Check out the gorgeous, rotoscoped-style artwork.
Photo: Telltale

Promising to take you inside the “fractured psyche” of Bruce Wayne, a gorgeously animated new Batman iOS game plunges players into a branching narrative that features plenty of DC Comics’ favorite Bat-characters.

The first episode of Batman: The Telltale Series — from Telltale Games, maker of great iOS titles like Tales from the Borderlands and The Walking Dead — lands today, and it looks like another story-driven winner. Check out the trailer below.

Apple may be about to buy a world-famous supercar maker

By

mclaren-p1-bahrain-773-crop5184x2670
The new McLaren P1. Will it be owned by Apple?
Photo: McLaren

Apple is said to be in talks with British supercar manufacturer McLaren over a possible takeover. It’s thought Cupertino chiefs approached the firm, which is renowned for its Formula One racing team, several months ago and discussions are still ongoing.

These Bluetooth headphones will blow your ears away [Deals]

By

These headphones bring the beat and the best of Bluetooth.
These headphones bring the beat and the best of Bluetooth.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

When scoping out a new set of headphones, the balance between quality, convenience and cost is always at play. These headphones from Franklin manage to hit the intersection of all three, with a foldable yet solid build, sonorous sound and all the convenience of Bluetooth. Right now you can pick up a set for just $39.99 at Cult of Mac Deals.

iPhone 7 has already been jailbroken

By

iPhone 7 jailbreak Cydia
A sight Apple won't be pleased to see.
Photo: Luca Tedesco

The iPhone 7 has been on sale for less than a week and hackers have already been able to jailbreak it. Photos posted on Twitter show Cydia, the home of jailbreak apps and tweaks, installed on a device running iOS 10.0.1.

iOS 10 users complain of poor battery life after updating

By

iOS
Is iOS 10 draining your battery?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

A number of iOS 10 users have taken to social media to complain about the fact that their iOS devices are running out of juice far more rapidly after upgrading to the latest version of Apple’s mobile operating system. “iOS 10,” writes one Twitter user. “More like iOS 10% of my battery left.”

Fortunately, there’s a logical explanation — which means things may not stay like this for too long.

One of Apple’s biggest display makers on the verge of cracking

By

iPhone 7 front
iPhone 7 display maker is in trouble.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Japan Display, one of Apple’s main component makers for iPhone displays, is struggling and could lose the financial support of the Japanese government if it’s not able to drum up more non-Apple biz.

The company has been hit by a triple threat: a rise in the Japanese yen, a reluctance to shift from its LCD technology while rival companies ramped up OLED facilities, and slowing iPhone sales.

You can now pick up rare fine art prints of Steve Jobs during his NeXT days

By

screen-shot-2016-09-21-at-13-42-47
Jobs celebrates a visit to the NeXT Computer factory.
Photo: Doug Menuez

If you’ve ever wanted to populate your home with rare fine-art prints of Steve Jobs, this is your lucky day!

That’s because Doug Menuez, an award-winning documentary photographer who made an unprecedented number of pictures of Jobs between 1985 and 1994, is selling a limited quantity of black-and-white prints for the first time.

iPhone 7 components only cost Apple $220

By

iPhone 7 back
Get yours before they're all gone!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The iPhone 7 features some of the most incredible tech found in a smartphone but the components only cost Apple about $220.

Including the basic manufacturing costs of $5, Apple’s total bill to manufacture the 32GB iPhone 7 reaches a total of $224.80, according to a teardown by IHS that found the device is $36.89 more expensive to produce than the iPhone 6s.

Photokina highlights: More megapixels to hit camera market

By

Fujifilm caps off a big year with the GFX 50S digital medium format camera.
Fujifilm caps off a big year with the GFX 50S digital medium format camera.
Photo: Fujifilm

The iPhone 7 Plus may be the only camera you need, but it’s not the only camera that’s making news this week.

Some of the very brands affected by the iPhone’s popularity showcased new gear at Photokina 2016 in Cologne, Germany, this week. They demonstrated innovation and an ability to adapt to the parts of the photography market that demand more than a smartphone.

This tool reveals which Apple Stores have iPhone 7 in stock

By

iPhone 7 Plus jet black
The jet black iPhone 7 Plus is in low supply.
Image: Apple

Getting your hands on the jet black iPhone 7 Plus is practically impossible right now unless you were one of the first to pre-order. But Apple fans hoping to pick one up in stores now have a new tool that can track down the exact model you want as soon as it’s available.

Apple adds real-time collaboration to iWork apps for Mac

By

Real-time collaboration is now on the Mac.
Real-time collaboration is now on the Mac.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s iWork productivity software received a huge update today alongside the launch of macOS Sierra.

Pages, Keynote and Numbers all got upgraded with the new real-time collaboration Apple gave us a glimpse of at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference. The new feature is still in beta, but it makes the apps more powerful than ever in the workplace by allowing teams to edit documents simultaneously.

iPhone 7 headphone dongle boasts amazing insides

By

3.5mm-to-Lightning headphone adapter DAC
The 3.5mm-to-Lightning headphone adapter includes the cutest little digital-to-analog converter we've ever seen.
Photo: Tinhte

Anyone who thinks Apple is no longer innovating should check out a new video revealing the amazing amount of technology — including a tiny digital-to-analog converter, or DAC — that the company managed to squeeze into its deceptively simple 3.5mm-to-Lightning headphone adapter.

Produced by Vietnamese website Tinhte, the video may not exhibit the finesse of an iFixit teardown, but it’s certainly an impressive demo of how much Apple is able to do with even the most basic-looking of dongles.

How to use macOS Sierra: Tips and tricks

By

macOS Sierra is here!
macOS Sierra is here!
Photo: Apple

Today marks the release of Apple’s big software update, macOS Sierra. This huge update comes on the heels of the recent launch of iOS 10, watchOS 3 and tvOS 10.

macOS Sierra hosts some great new features including Siri support, a universal clipboard, auto unlock via Apple Watch, better file synching with iCloud and tons more. Fittingly, Cult of Mac has all the tricks and tips you need to get the most out of Apple’s new operating system including a few video tutorials for good measure. Mac owners can download the free update today!

What’s your favorite macOS Sierra feature?

iPhone 7 review: Old body, spectacular new soul

By

iPhone-7
Don't be fooled by the iPhone 7's familiar design.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Fans weren’t expecting much from this year’s iPhone upgrade. We wanted something big — something that could reverse falling demand for Apple’s biggest product lineup — but we feared we weren’t going to get it.

What we got was the iPhone 7. It looks just like iPhone 6s (and iPhone 6), but Apple promises it’s a different beast. It’s faster, more exciting, and more capable than its predecessors — and it comes in new colors.

I’ve been using iPhone 7 since it went on sale last week, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised with my experience so far. It’s definitely not the massive disappointment some people anticipated, but is it worth the upgrade if you already have a recent model? Read Cult of Mac’s iPhone 7 review to find out.

Get that Raspberry Pi project going with this LCD screen kit [Deals]

By

Raspberry Pi is a platform for building anything you can imagine, and now you can add a touch screen LCD.
Raspberry Pi is a platform for building anything you can imagine, and now you can add a touch screen LCD.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Anyone who likes to tinker with tech knows Raspberry Pi, the microcomputing platform that’s perfect for gaming, robotics, networking–you name it. If you’ve been thinking about getting your hands on a Pi, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better opportunity than this kit which includes a Raspberry Pi 3 Model B sporting a Quad-Core 1.2 GHz CPU and a gig of RAM, and with an LCD touchscreen. Right now you can get the kit for $114.99 at Cult of Mac Deals.

Chinese billionaire bachelor bought eight iPhone 7s – for his dog

By

dog
Coco appears to be wondering, "Which one shall I open first?"
Photo: Wang Sicong/Weibo

If Apple does make inroads in China with iPhone 7 sales, the company may have an Alaskan malamute named Coco to thank.

More precisely, it would go to Coco’s owner, Wang Sicong — who likes to spoil his dog with treats from the Apple Store. Wang bought eight iPhone 7 handsets for the pet.

Apple Music drives first serious music industry growth since 1999

By

Apple Music
Apple Music is doing good in the eyes of record labels.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple Music is having a big impact on the profitability of the music industry, according to a new report from the Recording Industry Association of America.

How big? Apple Music is one of the key players driving what looks to be the recording industry’s first back-to-back yearly growth since 1998-1999.

Apple works to fix iPhone 7 Lightning EarPods glitch

By

iPhone 7 earbuds
There's a problem with Apple's new EarPods.
Photo: Apple

Considering that some people were predicting the iPhone 7 to be a commercial and critical disappointment, the arrival of Apple’s latest iPhone refresh has gone incredibly well.

There have been challenges, however. First there was Hissgate, in which some iPhone 7 Plus owners reported that their handsets emit strange noises when under heavy load. Now there’s a glitch with Apple’s new Lightning EarPods.

Apple hires physician known for popular YouTube channel

By

screen-shot-2016-09-20-at-13-52-07
Dr. Evans has spoken out about the future of medicine being apps.
Photo: DocMikeEvans

Apple added another medical expert to its growing team by adding Dr. Mike Evans, a Toronto-based physician best known for his popular YouTube channel under the name “DocMikeEvans.”

According to a Canadian news report, Evans was recruited after his “peer-to-peer health care” YouTube videos — in which he voices a cartoon doctor, explaining common medical ailments — caught Apple’s attention.

Ready to trade in your old phone? Meet the folks behind our gadget buyback (highest prices, BTW)

By

The guys behind MyPhones Unlimited, an Arkansas-based buyback program that we believe pays more than the competition (in nine out of ten cases).
The guys behind MyPhones Unlimited, an Arkansas-based buyback program that we believe pays more than the competition (in nine out of ten cases).
Photo: MyPhones Unlimited

We recently launched a gadget buyback program that promises to pay more for used and broken Apple devices than Gazelle, Walmart and even Apple itself. This post is about the startup company we partnered with to bring you this service.

A college friend who bought a new phone and was about to trash a defunct iPhone 3G sparked the idea for MyPhones Unlimited, a smartphone recycling service that Cult of Mac recently partnered with.

“Two main thoughts came to mind,” says MyPhones Unlimited founder Gabe Trumbo. “One is that that can’t be good for that to just be thrown away, there has got to be a better way to recycle it. And beyond that, I’m sure there’s still some value in it.”

He was right. Trading in his friend’s phone himself, Trumbo got a bigger chunk of change than he expected — and immediately saw a market coupled to an important problem.

How iFixit made its incredible iPhone 7 teardown [Kahney’s Korner podcast]

By

Kyle Wiens, CEO iFixit
Thanks mostly to Kyle Wiens of iFixit, iPhone teardowns have become a tech culture phenomenon.
Photo: iFixit

iFixit’s iPhone 7 teardown involved 30 people in three countries, an X-ray machine and lots of sleepless nights. Thanks to iFixit’s hard work, iPhone teardowns have become a tech-culture phenomenon. Millions of fans eagerly await details of the internal components of Apple’s latest devices.

A lot of this has to do with Kyle Wiens, CEO of iFixit, the second-biggest supplier of Apple parts after Apple itself, and publisher of the huge and amazing iFixit repair wiki.

In this week’s episode of Kahney’s Korner, I talk with Wiens about all the work that goes into making the iFixit teardowns for a massive global audience, and the hardware secrets of the iPhone 7.

New Google Trips travel app makes planning vacations a breeze

By

Google Trips puts travel guide for 200 cities in your pocket.
Google Trips puts travel guide for 200 cities in your pocket.
Photo: Google

Planning where to go and what sights to see can take the fun out of a vacation, but Google’s new app is ready to handle all the heavy lifting for you.

Google Trips debuted today on both iOS and Android devices, putting a travel guide in your pocket everywhere you go.

Trips instantly plans each day of your vacation with just a few taps. You set the agenda based on what types of spots you’d like to visit and Google Trips shows you a variety of plans that hit up the most popular local gems.