Ever wondered what a raccoon sounds like? Do you know the difference between a lion’s roar and a tiger’s “grrr?” Now you can find out right inside Google Search.
Backpacks evoke certain expectations. Sexy is usually not one of those expectations.
Yet that is the first feeling I had when checking out the PRVKE Pack, a smartly engineered backpack for photographers designed by brothers Ryan and Spencer Cope. Their company is called WANDRD, and wander is exactly what you will want to do with this bag.
The iPhone SE may have the brains of the iPhone 6s, but not the brawn.
It took only 160 pounds of force to bend the iPhone SE’s frame in a new durability test pitting Apple’s tiny new iPhone against the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. The new 4-inch iPhone stands up well fairly well against the iPhone 6s Plus, but it gets wrecked in SquareTrade’s tests, while the iPhone 6s takes a beating and still looks great.
Plenty of people complain about the limited space on their iPhone or iPad, but what can you really do about it? Well, getting an iSafe Drive Lite is a great start. It’s a palm-size drive that adds 32GB of secure storage to your iOS phone or tablet. It’s also the first-ever MFI-certified storage device built specifically for iOS, and right now you can get one for just $69.
Whether it’s airlines dropping flight manuals for iPads or iBeacons being used at airports, the aviation industry isn’t shy about embracing Apple products.
But it seems the Transportation Security Administration has yet another use in mind: It spent $1.4 million on a TSA iPad app to determine which passengers to randomly search when they’re about to board a flight.
According to well-connected KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple is likely to disappoint on its total number of iPhone shipments this year — with numbers set to fall below 200 million, compared with 232 million handsets last year.
Just in time for Apple’s new multiyear deal with Major League Baseball, Siri can answer whatever baseball questions you have, thanks to newly implemented knowledge covering 29 baseball leagues. Apple’s AI helper also now boasts a deep understanding of hardball history, based on stats dating back to the start of baseball records.
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before, but a rival tech company is invoking Apple’s name when it comes to claiming its latest products are going to be the greatest yet created.
This time it’s HP, which is set to unveil a new notebook this week that many predict will be even slimmer than Apple’s ultra-thin MacBook.
“For years, Apple has been seen as the innovator and the driver of innovation,” said Ron Coughlin, president of HP’s personal systems group. “HP is really taking over that mantle.”
Apple celebrated its 40th birthday on Friday, and what better symbol is there to show Apple’s progress over four decades than a glimpse at the company’s gorgeous, James Bond supervillain-scale HQ?
New aerial drone footage offers a 4K tour of how the enormous “spaceship” campus is coming together, complete with stunning comparisons between the site now and last year.
Check it out below:
Apple’s plan to grow its market in India by selling imported used iPhones is running into problems.
In particular, Apple is being opposed by rival handset makers who worry that letting Apple do this will severely damage initiatives to promote local manufacturing, hurt recycling — and (last but certainly not least) damage their own businesses of selling cheap phones.
It’s another lazy Sunday, which means that it’s time to unwind in your favorite chair with a sampling of the week’s finest apps. And, boy, have we got a fine selection for you!
Whether you’re after Nintendo’s first mobile title; a game which will keep your brain working as it entertains you; or a major update for everyone’s favorite self-destructing messaging app, we’ve combed through the week’s offerings to bring you the essential downloads.
Check out our picks below:
Every once in a while, a game hits the App Store that contains such a bizarre concept that it only makes sense once you start playing it. And sometimes, that’s a good thing, but usually, it isn’t so much. Luckily, Grayout, a text-based game from developer Neven Mrgan, falls firmly into the first category.
The problem is that the mechanic that plays out across Grayout‘s 90-plus screens makes it incredibly difficult to describe. But we’re professionals here, so let’s give it a try.
Getting online can be scary business, with data thieves, hackers, even the government’s snooping eye always looming. One of the best ways to stay secure and anonymous while browsing is via a virtual private network, or VPN, which creates a secured digital tunnel between you and your web activity. And right now you can get a full 2 years of peace of mind with Secure Internet Access VPN for only $59.95.
Apple really, really wants you to replace your laptop with an iPad — especially if that laptop is powered by Windows. But before that switch can even be considered, the iPad needs to do everything your laptop can and more. That’s where iPad Pro comes in.
With its new A9X chip, it’s the most powerful iPad to date. It does everything your old iPad did, but it does it better. It’s compatible with the Apple Pencil and Smart Keyboard, and now it’s available in a smaller form factor with a 9.7-inch display.
This new model is easier to carry around all day, but it packs almost exactly the same punch as the 12.9-inch iPad Pro — and the same stellar speakers. It has also adopted the incredible 12-megapixel iSight camera from iPhone 6s, with the dual-tone LED flash.
It’s everything you want in a tablet — and more.
Developer Traveller’s Tales’ Lego games series has a long history of making even the crappiest of blockbusters charming and enjoyable. It all started with its very first title, Lego Star Wars — which provided a more entertaining version of the rise and fall of Anakin Skywalker than the movies did — and it continues to this day with Lego Jurassic World (out now for iOS after a console and PC debut).
It probably helps that fully three-quarters of Lego Jurassic World‘s content has nothing to do with the latest, dumb film entry but is, in fact, levels re-creating the awesome 1993 original and those other two movies that weren’t quite as good. But because it’s a Lego game, it’s fun, humorous, and clever, even when the source material isn’t.
Work in tech and looking to bolster your resume or develop a new skill for projects of your own? Pluralsight’s more than 4,500 expert-led courses in topics critical to the tech and creative industries are a great place to start (and finish). Right now you can get a one years ‘Plus’ subscription for 40% of the normal price, just $299. With coupon code “PLURAL15” get an additional 15% off!
This week on Cult of Mac’s: Rumors point to an iPhone 7s with a drastic redesign, facial recognition and the return of the glass front and back. Plus: Folks around the world line up for the Tesla Model 3; Apple is making a show about apps hosted by technology expert musician Will.i.am; why the new iPad Pro is not a notebook replacement for the masses; and, in a bizarre plot twist, Apple seeks FBI’s iPhone unlocking secrets.
Our thanks to Freshbooks for supporting this episode. FreshBooks is the easy-to-use invoicing software designed to help small-business owners get organized, save time invoicing and get paid faster. It also makes tax time a cinch. Get started now with a 30-day free trial.
Apple is 40 years old today, and its journey from scrappy indie to world-conquering behemoth is the stuff of anecdote, history, and even legend.
Get the scoop on this significant anniversary for our favorite company, a look at the latest iPhone SE and iPad Pro models (and learn how to set them up the right way), along with a roundup of all the cool Apple TV tricks and some quick tips on how to keep Facebook’s mobile app from draining your iPhone’s battery.
All this (and much, much more) in this week’s Cult of Mac Magazine.
Here are this week’s top stories:
I forgot how good it feels to hold 4 inches of magic in my hands.
Spending the past year and a half with the luxurious 5.5-inch screen of the iPhone 6 Plus and 6s nearly convinced me that bigger really is better. But after using the iPhone SE, I’m starting to rethink everything I love about iPhone.
The moment I clasped the iPhone SE it was like reconnecting with an ex-lover. Everything is familiar and yet it has somehow improved in nearly every single way. I’ve been re-captivated by its beauty, brains, and brawn all over again, even though on the outside, it looks like such a boring device.
How can an iPhone that looks so old feel so right?
Apple co-founder Steve Jobs wasn’t the most sentimental person ever, and we’ve just found more evidence to back that up.
It comes in an anecdote from a former product manager who was around 10 years ago for the company’s 30th birthday. And his dream of a huge celebration of the milestone earned him a healthy does of terse, Jobsian smackdown.
Getting to a point where absolutely no one can hack into your iPhone will be practically impossible, according to Apple engineers who admit no company writes perfect code.
Apple has been criticized by national security officials for making it harder for law enforcement to access much needed information on locked iPhones to solve cases. Now that the FBI has figured out a way to hack the San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone the debate has cooled down, but Apple engineers say they want the FBI to divulge their method, for the sake of security.
Apple is 40 years old today. In that time, the Cupertino company has delivered some incredible products and services, and revolutionized smartphones, tablets, and music players. But is it boring now?
Some say Apple’s innovation has stalled in recent years, and it has become too predictable. The surprises we used to see during its big keynotes no longer show up, and despite its secrecy, you can almost predict its product roadmap for the next year.
Are those claims harsh? Is Apple really past its best, or will it deliver groundbreaking new products again that can shake up the consumer technology industry?
Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight between Cult of Android and Cult of Mac as we fight over Apple at 40.
When I purchased a 12.9-inch iPad Pro back in November, I bought an Apple Pencil to go with it. When I decided against the 12.9-inch iPad Pro, I kept my Apple Pencil.
Even though I don’t draw, I found a lot of other ways the Apple Pencil fit into my workflow. And I knew Apple would release a smaller iPad with full support for the Apple Pencil.
That day has come, and I can’t wait to get back to using my Apple Pencil. Here are some of the best Apple Pencil apps that have absolutely nothing to do with sketching or drawing.
For most of us, April Fools’ Day is an abomination. It’s like watching your dad crack terrible jokes at a party. But unlike your dad, some tech companies have perfected the art of the April Fools’ prank and come up with some pretty spectacular ones.
Here are some of the best that have made us LOL today.
Quick — go check and see if you have enough free space on your iPhone.
I’m guessing you’re like the rest of us, and can use a little more — especially if you’ve got a smaller iPhone in the 16 GB range.
If you’re looking to free up some storage space on any size iPhone, here’s a bizarre little trick that just might astound you.