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Surface Pro ad mocks the MacBook Air’s lack of stylus

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Microsoft Surface to take on iPad
Look at us! Look at us!
Photo: Microsoft

The war between Microsoft and Apple may be as synonymous with the 1990s as grunge music, Alicia Silverstone and MTV playing music videos, but it seems that some folks just can’t let go of the past.

That’s based on Microsoft’s latest ad for the Surface Pro 4, which takes aim at the MacBook Air by pointing out that users of Apple’s laptop don’t possess the ability to sketch on screen using a stylus in the way that Surface Pro 4 customers can.

Check it out below.

Why Apple is the new NASA

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Apple Watch swimming app
Apple analyzed the performance of 700 swimmers to develop new Workout app routines.
Photo: Apple

Thirty minutes into Apple’s special event last week, one tidbit of information blew my mind.

Onstage, Apple Chief Operating Officer Jeff Williams was talking about the Workout app on the new “swim-proof” Apple Watch Series 2 and the effort the company put into advancing the software that makes the fitness device tick. The amount of research deployed, all in the pursuit of updating a segment of an app many Apple Watch wearers will never use, offers a peek into the enormous resources that Apple R&D commands.

It paints Apple, with its enduring emphasis on developing new materials, manufacturing processes and sophisticated software, as a scientific force to be reckoned with — a new NASA for the 21st century.

Sports Illustrated shows off stunning football pics shot on iPhone 7 Plus

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2016-0911-Tennessee-Titans-Minnesota-Vikings-game-iphone-7-Plus-SI537_TK1_02657
The Minnesota Vikings vs Tennessee Titans, as shot on iPhone 7.
Photo: David Klutho

Over the weekend, Sports Illustrated photographer David E. Klutho shared the first photos taken using Apple’s next-gen iPhone 7 Plus.

Depicting Sunday’s Titans-Vikings football game in all its glory, the snaps take full advantage of the plus-sized handset’s 12–megapixel telephoto lens, wider aperture and more vibrant colors.

The stunning images were even shared on Twitter by Tim Cook, under the punning headline, “Touchdown iPhone!”

Super Powerboy and the other iOS games we loved this week

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Super-Powerboy
One of the week's many great games!
Photo: Super Powerboy

With all the game-related goodies we heard about at this week’s iPhone 7 and Apple Watch Series 2 event, we decided to focus on mobile gaming for this week’s “Awesome Apps” installment.

Whether you’re searching for a jaw-droppingly stunning platform game, an excellent RPG card game, or a unique messaging game based on a hugely popular TV series, we think we’ve got what you’re looking for.

Check out our picks below.

Build an LCD-equipped Raspberry Pi and more [Week’s Newest Deals]

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This is the MFi-certified Lightning cable you know and love, with snakeskin chic.
This is the MFi-certified Lightning cable you know and love, with snakeskin chic.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Well, this sure was an diverse and surprising week for new deals on gear and gadgets. This batch of fresh arrivals includes an MFi certified Lightning cable wrapped in faux snakeskin (seriously), a super handy digital assistant, a digital lock pick kit for your PDFs, and a Raspberry Pi 3 with and LCD kit. Phew, that’s a rogue’s gallery of great deals. Read on for more details:

Apple hits reboot button on electric car project

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apple car
A rendering of an Apple car with a different kind of bumper
Photo: Motor1

Project Titan, Apple’s secret electric car program that was greenlit by Tim Cook two years ago, is facing a serious crisis.

The iPhone maker has reportedly laid off dozens of employees that were working on the auto project, even though the company has already started testing a couple of autonomous vehicles the team built.

Catch our iPhone 7, AirPods and Apple Watch 2 first impressions on The CultCast

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cultcast-apple-iphone7-jetblack-airpod

Photo: Cult of Mac

This week on The CultCast: iPhone 7, AirPods, the new Apple Watch — we’ll cover everything Apple announced this week, and tell you what we like, what we don’t, and what we’ll be spending our own hard-earned monies on. Plus: Nintendo’s big move into iOS, and how to lock down the exact iPhone you want when the preorders go live.

This episode is supported by TunnelBear, the simple privacy app that makes it easy to browse privately and enjoy a more open internet. Visit GetTunnelBear.com to get your free TunnelBear today.

Learn a new language, run Windows apps on your Mac, and more [Week’s Best Deals]

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Run your favorite Windows apps and games right on your Mac and Linux machines
Run your favorite Windows apps and games right on your Mac and Linux machines
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

This week’s deals came like a truckload of presents for productivity and self-improvement. We’ve got a streamlined app for running Windows apps right from your Mac dock, a box set of Rosetta Stone language courses, 3 years of a massively discounted VPN service, and the uber popular typing assistant TextExpander. See if you can resist reading on:

Is Apple Watch Series 2 a good option for runners?

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Apple Watch Nike+
There's more to a great running watch than GPS, but it's a good place to start.
Photo: Apple

With the addition of GPS, you might imagine Apple Watch is now a credible runner’s watch. Not so fast.

It may have made a big splash with swimmers, but to appeal to runners, there are more issues that Apple needs to address. Like a screen that stays on while you are running, and controls that still work when you get really sweaty.

Is iPhone 7 enough to beat the competition? [Friday Night Fights]

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fnf
Will you be buying iPhone 7?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are now on sale, and Apple will be hoping that they’ll be able to halt and even reverse falling demand for its smartphone lineup. The new models have better cameras, faster processors, stereo speakers, and water-resistant designs.

Friday Night Fights bugBut are those improvements enough? Without sharper displays and features like wireless charging — which are now commonplace on rival smartphones — does the iPhone 7 series deliver enough to fend off increased competition from its rivals?

Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight as we battle it out over whether Apple’s latest devices can compete with the rest.

Recover, back up and restore your iPhone without touching iTunes

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Dr.Fone iPhone data recovery
Dr.Fone gets under the hood of iOS to make iPhone data recovery simple.
Image: Wondershare

This post is brought to you by Wondershare, maker of Dr.Fone.

Say you’ve deleted your messages before backing up your iPhone. Usually the best iTunes can offer is a shrug. With a convoluted and opaque system of options, it makes a task that should be a simple matter — finding the stuff you need and getting (or returning) it to your device — overly confusing and frustrating. Worse yet, iTunes can often lead to results you’re not looking for.

iPhone 7 camera gets ‘Shot on iPhone’ photogs drooling

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This photo by Flavio Sarescia was part of the original
This photo by Flavio Sarescia was part of the original "Shot on iPhone 6" campaign. Sarescia and others from the campaign eagerly upgraded to the iPhone 7 Plus.
Photo: Flavio Sarescia/Apple

Their photography on the iPhone 6 and 6s was celebrated by Apple with glossy magazine ads, billboards and banners that stretched down skyscrapers.

But the photographers whose work fueled the “Shot on iPhone 6” marketing campaign are trading in the old technology for the shiny new iPhone 7, in most cases the dual-lens 7 Plus.

Which Apple Watch did you preorder? [Poll]

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Apple-Watch-Series-2
So, come tell us!
Photo: Apple

Apple kicked off preorders for its new Series 1 and Series 2 Apple Watch lineups at 12:01 a.m. this morning and we want to know which models were most popular among Cult of Mac readers.

Take our polls below to let us know which model, size, and color you decided to go for.

Which iPhone 7 did you preorder? [Poll]

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iPhone 7 Plus lineup
Look at all the pretty colors in the iPhone 7 Plus lineup.
Image: Apple

Alright, all you bleary-eyed Apple fans. Did your late-night iPhone 7 preorder go well? We want to know what iPhone 7 model Cult of Mac readers covet the most.

What type of iPhone 7 did you preorder? Let us know in the reader poll below.

And if you fell asleep before the preorder started, or couldn’t get the model you craved, we’d love to hear your iPhone 7 preorders horror stories. That’s what comments sections are for.

These noise-canceling headphones are for serious audiophiles [Deals]

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These noise-canceling headphones were built for those who know what they're listening for.
These noise-canceling headphones were built for those who know what they're listening for.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

The notion of noise canceling headphones conjures images of an airline passenger settling into his seat trying to block out the sound of the kids sharing his row. These A-Audio Legacy Over-Ear Headphones are noise-canceling headphones for the person in another row who’s working on a mix or getting deep into a recorded performance. With a patented 3-stage sound given honors at CES’s Innovation Awards, they’re noise-canceling headphones for the discerning listener, and right now you can get a set of A-Audio Legacy headphones for just $79 at Cult of Mac Deals.

Apple Watch Series 2 could be twice as successful as the original

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Apple Watch Series 2
Apple is betting big on Apple Watch Series 2
Photo: Apple

Apple has reportedly ramped up both chip and component orders for the Apple Watch Series 2, with monthly shipment orders for August and September both surpassing two million units.

Provided order numbers remain at this level, it could suggest the Apple Watch Series 2 will sell double what Apple’s first-gen Apple Watch managed, with year one sales reported to total 12 million units.

Apple’s iPhone 7 slogan in Hong Kong? ‘This is penis’

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jet black iphone 7 plus
Well, that's one way to sell the new iPhone 7.
Photo: Apple

Tim Cook says that Apple designs its new products with the Chinese audience in mind. However, judging by one of the translated slogans for its new iPhone 7, that same localized care and attention doesn’t extend to every aspect of Apple’s business

The proof? One of the slogans for the iPhone 7 is apparently being read by some audiences as “This is penis.”

Hey, at least iPhone 7 Plus owners can feel good about themselves!

iPhone 7 and Apple Watch Series 2 preorders open, shipping dates already slipping

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iPhone 7 colors
Did you get the device you wanted?
Photo: Apple

iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus and Apple Watch Series 2 pre-orders are finally open, and already shipping dates are slipping for some of the hottest items in Apple’s next-gen collection.

As expected, the new black and jet black iPhones are proving to be some of the hardest handsets to get your hands on, with shipping dates slipping to 2-3 weeks and 4-6 weeks, respectively.

iPhone 7, 7 Plus and Apple Watch 2 preorders begin: Here’s how to do it

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Say hello to the new iPhone.
Say hello to the new iPhone.
Photo: Apple

Preorders for the iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus and Apple Watch Series 1 and Series 2 have started.

Time is of the essence as you make your overnight purchase: Taking even an extra few minutes to place your preorder could leave you with a second-choice device or cause your shipment to be delayed. (Initial units will ship Sept. 16 to stores in 28 countries.)

Demand for the new devices is already high, so check out Cult of Mac’s guide to helping you get the exact iPhone 7 or Apple Watch you want.

Here’s what to do:

iPhone 7 vs. iPhone 7 Plus: Which should you preorder?

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iPhone-7-7-Plus
It's time to choose between iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus!
Photos: Apple

Apple will start taking preorders for the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus at 12:01 a.m. Pacific on Friday, September 9. That’s tonight, people (if you’re living in the United States)!

You’re going to want to get your order in as soon as possible if you want launch-day delivery, but which model should you go for? Find out which iPhone 7 model is right for you right here!

Eddy Cue, Walter Isaacson to speak at Vanity Fair summit

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Eddy Cue
Will he be wearing an Hawaiian shirt?
Photo: CNBC

Eddy Cue is among a list of high-profile speakers that will feature at this year’s New Establishment Summit held by Vanity Fair. Walter Isaacson, author of Steve Jobs’ biography, is also in the lineup, alongside Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Apple board member Bob Iger.

The super-thin iPhone cases you’ve been waiting for are here

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Totallee thin iPhone cases
These super-slim iPhone cases by Totallee offer maximum protection and minimum bulk.
Photo: Totallee

This post is brought to you by Totallee.

You know that feeling when you get a new iPhone case and find yourself wondering why it couldn’t be just a little — maybe even a lot — thinner? Sickening, right?

After all, the iPhone was designed to sit in your hand like a slender sliver of shiny wonder. The more it gets sheathed in armor, the less it feels like the sleek, tactile technological marvel that it is.

Apple’s secret strategy: Underpromise and overdeliver

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iPhone 7 colors
Why the critics are wrong who think Apple's lost its touch.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s always been the company that promised us the world. Steve Jobs’ genius was his ability to convince us that every single thing Apple did shifted the Earth on its axis.

Recently, that feeling of magical futurism has faded. Apple events have been preceded by a feeling of “been there, done that.”

Forget the “wireless future” that Apple talked up at yesterday’s iPhone 7 event as it tried to convince us that we really want AirPods and a dongle rather than a headphone jack. If Apple has a strategy in 2016, it’s underpromise and overdeliver.

And it’s working great!