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Microphone technology is Siri’s next big hurdle

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Sorry, Alexa: Siri still the most widespread AI assistant
Siri needs better microphones.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple, Amazon and Google are all in a battle to create the next great breakthrough with microphones in order to make their digital assistants more powerful.

While machine learning and artificial intelligence are getting all the hype lately, few industry analysts say microphone technology will play just as key a role in taking Siri and Alexa to a new level.

How to use iCloud Drive to share your Desktop & Documents folder in macOS Sierra

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iCloud
Sharing is caring. And easier than ever.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

iCloud Drive previously worked a bit like Dropbox, asking users to drag and drop files into a special folder in order to access them across multiple devices. That changes in macOS Sierra, which allows you to enjoy the benefits of iCloud with the added bonus that your files can stay exactly where they are.

Here’s how to use this useful new feature in Apple’s new Mac operating system, which is currently in public beta and will be released this fall.

Apple wants an astronaut emoji (among other things)

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Get ready for even more emoji.
Get ready for even more emoji.
Photo: Apple

Astronauts and pilots are set to get their own emoji characters if Apple has its way.

The iPhone-maker recently submitted a request to the Unicode Emoji Subcommittee to add five more professions (artist, astronaut, firefighter, judge, and pilot) to the Emoji 4.0 update that is set to bring support for gendered emoji, a rainbow flag, and more.

Take a look at Apple’s proposed designs:

These retro Mac fans were podcasting before it was cool

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James Savage and John Leake know a thing or two about computer history, especially when it comes to Macs.
James Savage and John Leake know a thing or two about computer history, especially when it comes to Macs.
Photo: James Savage

Cult of Mac 2.0 bug When James Savage and John Leake uploaded the first episode of their RetroMacCast, they were thrilled with the number of downloads: 18.

Not exactly a meteoric start, but considering neither host ever had that many people at one time interested in hearing them talk about old Apple computers, this was a pretty big deal.

Think Netflix has the biggest online entertainment library? Guess again. [Deals]

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Dig into the deepest vaults anywhere for TV shows old and new, movies, radio stations, live events, and more.
Dig into the deepest vaults anywhere for TV shows old and new, movies, radio stations, live events, and more.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Who even has a video library anymore? With streaming services offering any media you can imagine, there’s no reason to film up your house with what’s just a click away anyway. It’s easy to think that flagship services like Netflix and Hulu boast the biggest media-bearing clouds, but SelectTV offers both cable and web-based streaming backed up by the deepest media coffers around. And right now you can get a full year of access for just $19, or get three years for $49.

Touch ID could record prints to catch iPhone thieves

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Touch ID
Sorry, crooks!
Photo: Apple

Everyone points and laughs when dimwitted thieves got caught after taking identifying selfies with stolen iPhones or iPads.

However, in its quest to help crack down on Apple-related crime, Apple may go even further by using its Touch ID fingerprint sensor to record the fingerprints of would-be iOS thieves — at least according to a newly-published patent application update.

Britney Spears, Alicia Keys and Robbie Williams headline Apple Music Festival

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capture
As far as star power goes, Apple Music Festival doesn't disappoint.
Photo: Britney Spears

Apple has released the headliners for this year’s Apple Music festival, and as far as big names go, it doesn’t disappoint.

Top acts include (deep breath) Britney Spears, Sir Elton John, Alicia Keys, Calvin Harris, Robbie Williams, The 1975, OneRepublic, Bastille, Michael Buble and Chance the Rapper — all of whom will appear at London’s Roundhouse next month.

Why iPhone 6 Plus is susceptible to ‘Touch IC Disease’ (and how you might avoid it)

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iPhone
Both the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus can get Touch IC Disease.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

iPhone 6 Plus units are much more likely than their smaller siblings to get “Touch IC Disease,” the flickering gray bars that are appearing on the screens of a growing number of aging devices, according to a smartphone repair expert who helped bring the problem to light.

Touch IC Disease, which affects the touchscreens of some older iPhones and renders them practically unusable, could potentially become a bigger problem for Apple than Bendgate, the “scandal” that followed the launch of the super-slim iPhone 6 line in 2014.

How to send a hand-written message in iOS 10

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Screen Shot 2016-08-23 at 23.52.50
Handwritten notes make messaging more personal.
Photo: Apple

iOS 10 makes messaging even more personal by giving iPhone owners new ways to communicate through stickers, effects and giant emojis. It’s also super simple to send handwritten notes straight from the heart. Here’s how.

Epson XP-430 packs a multifunction printer into a small package [Review]

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Epson_Expression_Home_XP-430
This little Epson multifunction printer can handle big jobs.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Epson calls its new Expression Home XP-430 printer a “Small-in-One” for good reason: It packs a lot of functions into a compact size.

The sub-$100 unit scans and makes copies in addition to printing wirelessly via Apple AirPrint or Google Cloud Print. It’s not a productivity monster that would be suited for a really busy home office, but for a light-duty personal printer, it’s worth serious consideration.

How AI is secretly transforming everything Apple does

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Robot
Apple is investing heavily in machine learning.
Photo: Scott Schaut/Mansfield Memorial Museum

When it comes to the incredibly hot field of AI, Apple has been racing to catch up with Google and Facebook. A new article reveals exactly when Apple’s interest in this area began paying off: July 30, 2014, a.k.a. the date Siri switched over to deep learning.

A type of machine learning built around brain-like “neural networks,” the switch drastically improved on Siri’s accuracy. However, as is typical for ultra-secretive Apple, the company didn’t boast about — or even publicize — its success.

From style to utility, we’ve got the iPhone cases you’re looking for [Deals]

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ZeroLemon Slim Juicer Battery Case
The Slim Juicer protects your phone and adds 3,100mAh of extra charge (without extra bulk).
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

We enjoy our iPhones for different reasons — the many uses, the stylish design. One thing we all want though is to make sure our prized device is protected, which is why we’ve gathered this diverse collection of cases. From a tough case that doubles battery life, to a case that will adhere to nearly any surface, and a pair of stylish wallet/case combos, there’s something for any iPhone user. Take a look:

Report card: How has Tim Cook fared after five years as CEO?

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Tim Cook
Tim Cook has now been officially running Apple for half a decade.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

The flip side to the news that today marks five years since Steve Jobs resigned as Apple CEO is the fact that it also marks Tim Cook’s ascendance to Apple’s top position.

So how has Cook done at the seemingly impossible task of following one of the most-revered business executives in history? Putting on our teacher hats and picking up our best red marking pens, here’s how Tim Cook’s report card reads so far.