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10 ways to break your iPhone

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iphone in boiling coke
There's more than one way to fry an iPhone.
Photo: TechRax/YouTube

Sometimes if your iPhone is just in too good condition, it helps to break it in a little. The initial scratch or screen break relieves a lot of pressure. But maybe you ran out of good ideas about how to break it. We’re here to help.

Delightfully retro RPG gets free expansion on iOS, Mac

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Bigger, better, role-playinger.
Bigger, better, role-playinger.
Photo: Paradox Interactive

Paradox Interactive’s hilarious send-up of fantasy tabletop gaming (think Dungeons and Dragons), Knights of Pen and Paper 2, has just gotten a new free expansion.

Called “Back to the Source,” it has two new character classes, higher level caps, an all new mega-dungeon, and a ton of funny stuff packed into it — all for free.

Apparently, the developers missed a saving roll for monetization today.

iOS 9.3.1 brings fix for iPhone-crashing web links

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Get your iOS device up to date fast and easy.
Get your iOS device up to date fast and easy.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

iPhone users suffering from crashing woes on iOS 9.3 are finally getting some relief. Apple has released iOS 9.3.1 to the public, bringing new bug fixes and performance improvements for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

The update comes more than a week after the release of iOS 9.3, which turned hyperlinks into crash bombs for some users.

Samsung’s smart trousers boast a Wi-Fly and get up alerts

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samsungs-smart-trousers-boast-a-wi-fly-and-get-up-alerts-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201603Internet-of-Trousers-jpg
What a glorious time to be alive!
Photo: Samsung
What a glorious time to be alive! Photo: Samsung
What a glorious time to be alive! Photo: Samsung

Samsung’s taking the Internet of Things to the next level with its new Internet of Trousers lineup.

The South Korean company’s smart pants come with cutting-edge wearable technologies like Wi-Fly, get up alerts, and fridge lock, which prevents you from overeating when it detects your waist line is expanding.

Jony Ive and Tony Fadell helped design this fancy $700 juicer

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The Juicero is like a Keurig for juicing.
The Juicero is like a Keurig for juicing.
Photo: Juicero

The iPod of juicers won’t be sold by Apple, but Jony Ive and former Apple exec Tony Fadell each helped design what could become the closest thing.

Juicero, a startup backed by Campbell Soup and Google, is launching the world’s first cold-press juicing system today, that takes the hassle out of liquifying raw vegetables by using juice packs to create a clean and simple press.

Basically, it’s like a Keurig, only it spits out delicious juice.

Upgrade your Mac’s skillset with these utility apps [Deals]

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Keep an eye on your home or office via webcam with this super useful app.
Keep an eye on your home or office via webcam with this super useful app.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Your Mac can do a lot right out of the box, but it can do more. A lot more. Look no further than these four premium apps for expanding the utility of your favorite computing machine. We’ve found big savings on apps for remaining distraction free while working, saving or working with online video, keeping an eye on your home or office via webcam, and more.

Take a look:

Make killer presentations on your iPhone with FlowVella

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So much potential here.
So much potential here.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

Whether you need to make something to show of your science project, make the sale, or help museum patrons understand a work of art, chances are you’ll need to make a slideshow that incorporates images, text and other media. Sometimes, you might even need to make one on the fly.

FlowVella is a free slideshow creation app that works on your Mac, iPad, and now iPhone for making killer presentations both at home and on the go. Here’s how.

March into fun with these hot new iOS games [Reviews]

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March yourself right into fun.
March yourself right into fun.
Photo: Stephen Smith/Cult of Mac

There’s nothing better than kicking back and playing an iOS game that respects your time, money and energy. Games that keep you entertained without costing you too much (especially at first) can be a great way to spend your time, whether you’re chilling on the couch at home, on the subway home after a long day at work, or waiting at the dentist’s office.

Here are all the hot new iOS games we found ourselves playing this month.

FBI will help unlock another iPhone in Arkansas murder trial

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google-facebook-and-others-following-apples-lead-on-encryption-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201601iPhone-6s-Live-Photos-jpg
Seized iPhone and iPod may contain crucial evidence, say prosecutors.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Having reportedly gained access to the iPhone 5c at the center of the San Bernardino shooting case, the FBI has agreed to use its newfound hacking abilities to aid an Arkansas prosecutor unlock an iPhone and iPod belonging to two teenagers who stand accused of murdering a couple.

Apple’s suppliers complain of lower than normal orders for Q2

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se_and_ipad_pro
It seems neither the iPhone SE or 9.7-inch iPad Pro is driving much interest.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Tim Cook admitted back in January that Apple’s growth wasn’t going to be at usual stratospheric levels during the first three months of 2016. And, based on a new report, things aren’t likely to pick up too much in the April-June quarter, either.

Citing “industry sources,” chip orders placed by Apple to its suppliers are allegedly slower in the year’s second quarter than in the same three month period in previous years.

Think outside the box for super-fast iPad Pro charging

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iPad Pro
Have you picked up a cheap iPad Pro yet?
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

When it comes to charging 12.9-inch iPad Pro, you’re going to be better off thinking outside the box (it came in).

The larger, 29-watt USB-C charger is the one that should have come with the iPad Pro in the first place. It blows the 12-watt included charger out of the water so hard, you’re going to want to get one right now.

This week’s hottest deals on iPad Pro, Apple accessories, more

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These deals are hot, hot, hot!
These deals are hot, hot, hot!
Photos: Apple

One of Apple’s hottest products — the powerful new 9.7-inch iPad Pro, which Cult of Mac called the most important iPad since the original — is already selling at a discount.

We’ve got the scoop on that sale — plus sweet deals on other great gear, including refurbished MacBooks and spiffy Apple accessories — in this roundup of the best Apple deals you’ll find online this week.

Apple hits new milestones in annual supplier responsibility report

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A worker inspecting a MacBook Pro display.
A worker inspecting a MacBook Pro display.
Photo: Apple

Apple performed more accountability audits on its workforce last year that it ever has before, the company has revealed in its 10th annual Supplier Responsibility progress report that highlights the company’s efforts to improve working conditions for all people in its supply chain.

By zeroing in on the amount of hours employees are working, the iPhone-maker’s work-hour compliance rating hit an all-new high, and Apple was able to recoup $4.7 million in excessive recruitment fees for foreign contract workers.

6 ways to stop Facebook app from draining your iPhone battery

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If you're tired of the Facebook app draining your iPhone's battery, try these 6 easy tips!
If you're tired of the Facebook app draining your iPhone's battery, try these easy tips.
Photo: Ally Kazmucha/The App Factor

app-factor-logo-thumbnail Every day I hear at least one complaint about the Facebook app wreaking havoc on iPhone battery life. Unfortunately, this isn’t breaking news — it seems to re-surface, with a new level of severity, every couple of months. Not only does Facebook use tons of battery when left unchecked, it can also take up insane amounts of storage space on your iPhone.

This is exactly why I never let Facebook have permission to access … well, almost anything on my iPhone. Here are some tips that will help you stop the notorious Facebook iPhone battery drain.

Phew! Instagram update restores log out button

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InstagramCloseiPhone
You're not trapped in the same account forever after all.
Photo: Photo: Stephen Smith/Cult of Mac

Head into the App Store and get the latest Instagram update because it solves a huge problem: You can finally log out of your account. Ordinarily, this wouldn’t be a breakthrough new feature, but it is now if you’ve been severely confused about how to escape lately.

New app keeps you motivated by turning chores into one big game [Reviews]

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motivaction - 4
Achi really likes when I'm productive.
Photo: MotivAction

Sometimes no matter how hard I try, I just can’t seem to get the motivation to do anything productive. I can make to-do lists and download productivity apps, but if the drive to complete my tasks isn’t there, I probably won’t get much done. A new app called MotivAction recognizes the real problem of lacking motivation and offers some guidance by combining a to-do app and motivational game in one.

Apple’s dev edition Safari brings future WebKit to your Mac

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Safari will be kinder to MacBook Pro battery life.
Safari will be kinder to MacBook Pro battery life.
Photo: Apple

You can get a taste of the future of Safari on the Mac today, thanks to the release of the new Safari Technology Preview from Apple that gives regular users and developers an easy way to test new features and improvements that are coming soon to the web browser.

The new stand-alone app for OS X can be downloaded and used for free by anyone, and includes a cutting-edge version of the WebKit browser engine that is still in development. It’s a great way for web developers to get ahead on new features by testing them before they’re public.

Safari Technology Preview can be used side-by-side with the regular version of Safari to test for behavioral issues. It also includes new improvements for Web Inspector.

Here’s a list of the new features:

Government is on a coast-to-cast phone-unlocking rampage

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government-is-on-a-coast-to-cast-phone-unlocking-rampage-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201506apple-samsung-iphone-galaxy-patent-war1-jpg
The government has big plans for the All Writs Act.
Photo: Kārlis Dambrāns/Flickr CC
apple-samsung-iphone-galaxy-patent-war
The government has big plans for the All Writs Act. Photo: Kārlis Dambrāns/Flickr CC

Right from the start, the current iPhone vs. FBI standoff has revolved around whether it was focused on unlocking one specific handset or setting a precedent that would allow the Justice Department to unlock any phone it wanted.

Well, if you wanted evidence that the government is using the All Writs Act to try and force Apple and Google to unlock a whole lot of smartphones around the U.S., look no further than the below infographic.

Awesome upgrades for your iOS devices and Apple Watch [Deals]

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The world's smallest keyring cable for charging and data transfer.
The world's smallest keyring cable for charging and data transfer.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Getting the phone or the smart watch is always just the beginning. To make these devices an ideal fit with our lives, habits, or sense of style, there are plenty of peripherals available to bring our most intimate of technologies into closer alignment with our wants and needs. From low-profile charging to mobile mounts and new wristbands, we’ve found some great deals on surefire enhancements for the tech in your life. Take a look:

Amazon cracks down on bad USB-C cables that can kill your gadgets

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amazon-cracks-down-on-bad-usb-c-cables-that-can-kill-your-gadgets-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201511OnePlus-2-USB-C-jpg
Amazon makes buying USB-C cables safer.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android
Amazon makes buying USB-C cables safer. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android
Amazon makes buying USB-C cables safer. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android

Amazon has started cracking down on crappy USB-C cables that could damage your smart devices.

The retail giant now prohibits cables that do not comply with standard specifications laid out by USB Implementers Forum Inc. 

Apple says Samsung illegally won patent reversal

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Samsung
The Apple vs. Samsung legal case rages on.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
The Apple vs. Samsung legal case rages on. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
The Apple vs. Samsung legal case rages on. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

The Samsung vs. Apple patent war has been raging for years now, but it took an interesting twist recently when a three-judge panel in federal appeals court reversed a $120 million jury verdict in favor of Apple.

The reason it’s interesting? Because, according to Apple at least, doing so was a violation of the U.S. Constitution.

Justice Department may be forced to disclose iPhone hacking secrets

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iPhone 6 Plus_8
Your move, Justice Department!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The U.S. Department of Justice briefly gained the upper hand over Apple this week when it made it clear that it was in no rush to reveal how it hacked the iPhone at the center of the San Bernardino shooting case — thereby stopping Apple from plugging that particular vulnerability.

However, it seems that Apple’s back in the driving seat after a new report reveals that the Justice Department may be compelled to reveal its hacking methods if it wants to continue with a case asking a New York court to force Apple to unlock a different iPhone handset.