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Apple’s updated WWDC app gets tvOS support and a dark theme

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Will Apple hold WWDC on June 13 - 17 this year at the Moscone Center?
Apple is set to takeover the Moscone center.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

With WWDC 2016 set to kick off in just 10 days, Apple has released a new update to its annual WWDC app that makes it easy to keep track of all the new software and announcements, even if you’re not attending the conference.

Developers will now be able to virtually attend sessions thanks to the new live streaming tools that come with the new tvOS version of the WWDC app, as well as multitasking picture-in-picture option for the iPad version.

The guy who named iMac says Apple’s names are too confusing

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The next iPhone will have a huge battery.
Is it time for Apple to change the way it names iPhones?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Former Apple marketing guru Ken Segall helped launched Apple’s string of i-devices, but now he says that the company has lost its way from simplicity lately and there’s no clearer sign than the confusing naming scheme of the iPhone.

In a recent op-ed claiming Apple’s days of simplicity may have died with his buddy Steve Jobs, Segall takes Apple’s product names to tasks for being far too complex for customers to keep track, saying Tim Cook has created products that he finds bewildering.

Google’s ‘big red button’ kills AI before it can kill us

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GoogleDeepMind-Logotype-Vertical_Black
Google won't let the robots take over.
Photo: Google

Google’s DeepMind team has been working with scientists to create a way in which humans can kill artificial intelligence agents before they can turn on us.

It’s a concern many have as the AI systems being developed by tech giants become more intelligent and more capable — but Google has us covered.

Retro Apple fan makes 3D miniatures of classic Macs

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Charles Mangin likes them Apples, especially when he can recreate a 3D printed miniature version of his favorite computers.
Charles Mangin likes them Apples, especially when he can recreate a 3D printed miniature version of his favorite computers.
Photo: Charles Mangin

Cult of Mac 2.0 bugApple’s business model is based on the future, but sometimes a fan pines for the machine they had as a kid.

Self-taught hardware hacker and 3D printer artist Charles Mangin happily tries to satisfy those vintage tech longings by recreating pieces of Apple’s past in miniature. He even brings the screens to life — sort of.

Use this VPN to keep your IP hidden, access blocked content and more [Deals]

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Guard against identity thieves, data miners, and more with this easy to use virtual private network.
Guard against identity thieves, data miners, and more with this easy to use virtual private network.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Getting online is getting in position to be hacked, snooped or blocked. Hotspot Shield dramatically reduces the risk of all of the above, encrypting your data through high speed connections with a secure and private network even via public Wi-Fi. If you’re uneasy about identity theft, frustrated by geo restrictions, or having your activity tracked, sign up with Hotspot Shield Elite VPN for life for $39.99 at Cult of Mac Deals.

Xiaomi may be building a tiny powerhouse to take on iPhone SE

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iPhone SE camera
iPhone SE seems to be leading by example.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The 4-inch iPhone SE may not be the go-to choice of users wanting to get their hands on Apple’s premium handsets, but they’ve proven immensely popular in developing markets where they’ve been causing a major headache for Chinese makers of low-cost phones.

With that in mind, it’s no surprise to hear that Xiaomi — a company not exactly not for its reluctance to rip off Apple’s ideas — is rumored to be developing a smaller-sized smartphone aimed at taking back some of the ground it’s lost to the iPhone SE.

iRIP: Yes, you can have a giant iPhone tombstone

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Don't worry: you've just been upgraded to a better place.
Photo: Pavel Kayuk

You may identify as an Apple fan in life, but is that really the way you’d like to be best-remembered in death?

If so, a company called Autograph, founded by Serbian artist Pavel Kayuk, may be able to help you. It has created a tombstone in the shape of an iPhone, referred to (of course) as the iTombstone — forever marking you out as coolest character in the graveyard. Or something like that.

Apple hires satnav expert to improve Maps app

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Apple's latest hire will make Maps better.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s often-ridiculed Maps app is getting some much-needed assistance, thanks to a recent new hire who helped invent the satellite navigation systems used by a bevy of automakers. 

Sinisa Durekovic, a software engineer who was the principle architect and engineer for Harman International Industries’ navigation systems, has reportedly joined Apple, and the company won’t say what he is working on.

When you need to fix your face, download China’s Photoshop for selfies: MeituPic

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MeituPic
MeituPic lets you "fix" your selfies fast by removing blemishes, lightening skin tones, thinning your face, enlarging eyes, darkening eyebrows, etc.
Screenshots: MeituPic

Made_in_china_bugMainland China is Apple’s second biggest market, and will one day be its first. The company is making a big push on the mainland, opening new stores and investing in home-grown companies. Why the interest? Because China is the new Japan — it’s where the future is happening. All this week we take a look at the cutting-edge apps that define mobile life on the mainland.

SHANGHAI CITY, China — A Chinese friend of mine recently started a fashion blog and asked me to take and edit some photos of her. We met up one sunny afternoon and I snapped various shots of her posing in a local park for an hour or so. After the shoot, we took a look at the photos together and she selected a few for me to edit. I took a crack at the photos in Photoshop, but she was far from satisfied.

“You barely even fixed my face,” she told me. “Just send me the photos and I’ll edit them on my iPhone.”

I was mystified. What iPhone app can rival the technology of Photoshop? How exactly was she going to “fix” her face?

Fans aren’t happy with Apple’s changes for the 2016 MacBook Pro

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Custom keys for Photoshop.
Some MacBook Pro users aren't interested in an OLED touchpad.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple is expected to introduce a massive MacBook Pro redesign later this year, and photos recently published by Cult of Mac all but confirm it will feature an OLED touchpad and USB-C connectivity.

But it seems the company will have to win some fans over first, because many aren’t happy about these changes.

Chick-fil-A will give you free chicken for using its new app

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Free chicken is a great way to get downloads.
Free chicken is a great way to get downloads.
Photo: Mike Mozart/Flickr

The folks at Chick-fil-A have found a magical formula for shooting to the top of the App Store charts: free chicken.

To promote its new mobile ordering app, the chicken-based fast food company is giving away free chicken sandwiches, all you have to do is download the new app and createa Chick-fil-A One account.

The week’s best Apple deals: used MacBook Airs from $479, free top-rated game

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Grab a great deal on a refurbished MacBook Pro Ivy i5 Dual 13
Grab a great deal on a refurbished MacBook Pro Ivy i5 Dual 13" Laptop.
Photo: Cult of Mac

We’ve got another bonanza of discounted Apple gear, from laptops to desktops. These and more are in the best Apple deals we’ve seen this week.

Used Apple MacBook Air Laptops from $479

Other World Computing discounts a selection of used Apple MacBook Air Laptops, with prices starting at $479. This price was found on a 13″ MacBook Air with Core i5 Sandy Bridge processor, 64GB SSD and 4GB RAM. Plus, all orders qualify for free shipping. Available quantities for some models may be limited. Each is covered by a 90-day warranty.

Apple scores win in long $533 million patent battle

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Apple
Apple's legal problems just got a bit better.
Photo: Milo Kahney

Apple took a major step this week toward getting out of its $533 million payment to the patent troll Smartflash LLC after the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office ruled that two of three patents owned by Smartflash are invalid.

The patent agency ruled that the two of the patents shouldn’t have even been issues in the first place because they are abstract concepts and not specific inventions. The USPTO made a similar ruling against one of Smartflash’s patents in March, which could help Apple get the case dismissed.

Microsoft’s crazy HoloLens ad reveals our cyborg futures

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hololens by microsoft
Yes, it's stupid, but I want it.
Photo: Microsoft

Microsoft today announced that it’s opening up its HoloLens platform to third-parties — and it has a crazy new ad to celebrate.

The three-minute clip showcases some of HoloLens’ insane capabilities, like turning an old warehouse into a shoe store, putting people from around the world in the same room, and taking you on sublime acid trips without the acid.

Elon Musk thinks Apple Car will come too late

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Musk
Musk is confident Telsa will beat the Apple Car.
Photo: Recode/Facebook

Apple should have started development on the Apple Car a lot earlier than it did, according to Space X and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

The real-life comic-book superhero sat down for an interview at Code Conference and said that when it comes to autonomous cars, Google won’t be a competitor because they’re not a car company, however Apple will be.

Musk thinks it may be too late for Apple to be truly competitive though.

Samsung could beat Apple to dual-lens smartphone cameras

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its-official-galaxy-s7-has-the-best-smartphone-camera-on-the-market-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201603Galaxy-S7-cam-close-jpg
The Galaxy Note 7 edge could have a second camera here.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

It looks like a dual-lens camera will be the most exciting upgrade for the iPhone 7 Plus this year, but you might be able to get one a month early from Samsung.

According to one report, the South Korean company is expected to deliver one inside the Galaxy Note 7 edge, which is due to make its debut in mid-August.

Google can now locate your lost iOS devices

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Screen Shot 2016-06-02 at 16.34.39
Thanks, Google!
Photo: Google

So you forgot to activate Find My iPhone when setting up your new iOS device, and now you’ve lost it. Fear not, because thanks to Google, you have a backup service.

Simply type “I lost my phone” into Google Search and you’ll be able to locate all the devices connected to your account.

This slim SD card adds a huge chunk of storage [Deals]

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Nifty MiniDrive instantly adds 128 gigs of space to your Macbook, without adding a bulky external drive.
Nifty MiniDrive instantly adds 128 gigs of space to your Macbook, without adding a bulky external drive.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

If you’ve ever found yourself up against the limits of your Macbook’s hard drive, raise the limit. The Nifty MiniDrive instantly adds 128GB of storage, fitting seamlessly with the contours of the MacBook, eliminating the need for bulky external hard drives. Right now you can get a Nifty MiniDrive for $33.99 at Cult of Mac Deals.