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Check out this high-tech animal gear for National Pet Day

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National-Pet-Day
These pet gifts are even more awesome than a personalized, embroidered collar. And that's pretty awesome.
Photo: Meghan Stratman

Did you know that this is National Pet Day in the United States? If you didn’t, go find your pet, give them a hug, and apologize. And if you were aware, go find your pet and give them a hug anyway because they love you.

And you love them right back, so you probably want to celebrate the day by checking out some cool, tech-y ways to make your best non-human friend happy. We’ve gathered up a few cool gadgets and toys that are made just for your buddy. That is assuming you’ve gone the more vanilla, cat/dog/mammal route. If you own anything with scales or spinnerets, you may not get use out of most of this stuff, but it’s pretty cool gear, anyway.

Also note that not all of these things are available currently, but you might still want them on your radar for Dog Kippur or Catsmas or something.

Apple Watch ad blitz shows off subtle superpowers

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Apple Watch ad Alice Cooper
This is so weird.
Photo: Apple

The Apple Watch maker has fired off a shotgun blast of new ads for its wearable device. The spots cover just about everything the smartwatch can do other than, you know, telling the time. And they even bring in a bit of star power to do it. Even cooler, all of the action takes place in minimal environments with colorful backgrounds. It’s like those cool iPod ads all over again.

Check them out below.

Woven-nylon Apple Watch band might actually be worth $50 [Reviews]

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The woven-nylon Apple Watch band is a winner.
The woven-nylon Apple Watch band is a winner.
Photo: Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac

Best List: Woven nylon Apple Watch band by Apple

If you’ve ever ordered anything online, you’ve probably experienced delayed dissatisfaction. You wait for the product, it finally arrives, you rip it open — and it’s nothing like the picture you saw on Amazon, eBay or whatever. The item is smaller, the color is crappier, the quality’s just not there.

The new woven-nylon Apple Watch bands are similar — but opposite! They look even better than they do on the Apple website. And, despite what you might think about nylon as a watchband material, Apple’s latest accessories pack a premium punch.

These insight-stimulating apps help you get more out of each work hour [Deals]

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Scapple
Scapple is all about ideas.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

If you’re getting frustrated with your productivity or workflow at the computer, you might need to get your computer to work with you better. Scapple is a freeform, mind-mapping application that makes it effortless to record your ideas and tease out connections between them.

Once you start using Scapple, it’ll become an invaluable tool for keeping all your ideas in one place for comparison and exploration, and right now you can get it for a mere $8.99.

Apple Watch shipments predicted to fall 25 percent this year

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Apple Watch is a killer device, even without a
The Apple Watch may be the first major Apple product to see a sales decline in year 2.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple Watch shipments may fall by more than one-quarter this year as compared to 2015, claims well-connected KGI Securities Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

In an investment note to clients, Kuo writes that he thinks Apple Watch shipments will top out at fewer than 7.5 million units this year. That’s a significant drop from the 10.6 million units he estimates made up last year’s total shipments of the device.

Shotgun-wielding mom dishes out Southern justice to an iPhone

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bullseye_fullsize_b
Surviving gunshots? There's no app for that.
Photo: BAT - ZenTa Channel Z/Cult of Mac

Confiscating your kids’ mobile phones not enough of a punishment? Well, if you’re like one Southern mom there’s always the option of shooting up their iPhone with a shotgun to really make your point!

“I hereby denounce the effects that social media have on my children,” the woman says at the beginning of a video, which was uploaded to YouTube over the weekend.

The ensuing iPhone execution would bring tears to the eyes of poor Jony Ive.

Even moving Apple’s cash pile home won’t halt E.U. tax investigation

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money
Apple can't do anything in the face of E.U. investigation.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Even bringing Apple’s sizable cash pile back to the U.S. wouldn’t stop the E.U. from investigating the company’s Irish tax arrangements, claims E.U. competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager.

“Whether or not Apple wants to repatriate part of their un-repatriated profits is purely up to Apple and is of no concern [to] our case work,” she told reporters after a recent meeting in the U.S. with the Obama administration.

iPhone 5c hackers think they’re close to cracking iPhone 6

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iPhone hack
The iPhone 6 is much tougher to hack than the iPhone 5c.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Israeli tech firm Cellebrite, a.k.a. the mobile forensics firm which helped the FBI hack the iPhone 5c at the center of the San Bernardino shooting case, is reportedly “optimistic” about hacking the more secure iPhone 6.

The story in this instance involves an Italian father, Leonardo Fabbretti, wanting to access the iPhone photos, notes and messages belonging to his adopted son Dama, who passed away from bone cancer last September at the age of 13.

Kobe Bryant’s Apple TV ad is genuinely hilarious

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Screen Shot 2016-04-11 at 09.19.49
One of Apple's funniest ad pairings in years?
Photo: Apple

Apple dropped a new ad for its fourth-generation Apple TV over the weekend, and it’s actually hilarious!

Called “Father Time,” the ad features Lakers player Kobe Bryant and actor Michael B. Jordan (of Chronicle and Creed fame) as they bicker while showing off Apple TV’s smart Siri Remote and App Store. Check it out below.

Disqus, GarageBand, and other awesome apps of the week

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Awesome-Apps-of-the-Week1
What are the week's top apps?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Is there a better way to spend Sunday than by checking out the latest apps to grace the App Store over the past seven days?

This week I’ve chosen to focus less on games than productivity apps (although there’s a neat Reddit client thrown in for good measure!) From a great custom keyboard to a full-to-bursting update for GarageBand, check out our picks for apps of the week below.

With technology, you can open your own doors to new careers [Deals]

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Get a lifetime of access to Virtual Training Company's more than 1,000 lessons in all things digital.
Get a lifetime of access to Virtual Training Company's more than 1,000 lessons in all things digital.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

If you’re eager to turn a new corner in your career, the world of software and web development is a wide and fertile field. Whether you’re thinking about getting into game development, managing data, building websites or just staying relevant in your skill set, Virtual Training Company’s courses have you covered. And right now you can get a lifetime subscription to their more than 1,000 courses cover coding, design, information technology and more for just $99, a whopping 96% off the normal price.

The pivotal moments in Apple’s 40-year history, this week on The CultCast

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It's a
It's a "thousand songs in your pocket..."
Photo: Apple

This week on The CultCast: We look into the past at some of the most pivotal moments in Apple’s 40-year history. Plus: Why the iPhone 7 Plus may be your only choice for dual cameras; what it’s like downsizing from the iPhone 6s to the SE; and we pitch our favorite new tech and vote on which is best in an all-new Faves N Raves!

Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode of Cult of Mac’s weekly podcast. It’s simple to build a website that looks beautiful on any device that visits at Squarespace.com. Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10 percent off.

Want to launch a startup? You gotta start somewhere. [Deals]

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Startup School

We’ve all heard the stories of angels and unicorns coming out of Silicon Valley, the startups whose clever idea explodes into the next big thing. Startups are a major part of the business landscape, but even its most towering figures started from square one, and right now you can give yourself a map to move a number of squares further than that with this massively Startup School 2016 Bundle. It’s more than 60 hours of technology and business instruction that’ll teach you the ropes of startups, no dorm room required, and right now you can get it for just $49, a full 97% off the normal price.

How to get ripped with Apple Watch weightlifting apps

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Gymaholic plugs the gaps in Apple Watch's fitness offering
Gymaholic plugs the gaps in Apple Watch's fitness offering

Fitness is not just about walking, running and cycling, despite what your Apple Watch may have you believe. Strength training is also important. Without it, your fitness routine is like a one-hand clap. Whether you are aiming for a ripped beach body or just to improve your overall health, you need to lift some weights.

Apple Watch and iPhone do not offer built-in support for strength training, but the good news is there are plenty of third-party apps that can plug the gap. Apple Watch weightlifting apps can help in three ways: by telling you what to do; showing you how to do it; and keeping a log of what you’ve done.

iPhone SE and iPad Pro reviews, iPhone storage tips and more

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All the great new gear is here!
All the great new gear is here!
Cover Design: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The new iPhone SE is small but powerful and the new 9.7-inch iPad Pro is as satisfying a tablet as ever.

These two great new Apple products get their moment in the spotlight as we bring you iPhone SE and iPad Pro reviews in this week’s digital magazine.

Plus, we’ve got a ton of how-tos like finding hidden Facebook messages and freeing up precious iPhone space, more hardware reviews, and a bunch of news about our favorite company.

Head on down to see this week’s top stories, and be sure to check out your own copy of Cult of Mac Magazine this week.

How to use screen sharing in Messages for Mac

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Sharing screens isn't as hard as it used to be, thanks to the built-in Messages app.
Sharing screens isn't as hard as it used to be, thanks to the built-in Messages app.
Photo: Unsplash.com

app-factor-logo-thumbnail There are many times when family or friends need help with their Macs, or they aren’t sure how to do something. Trying to walk them through it blind is challenging at best. Luckily, a little-known feature in Messages exists that allows me to share my screen instantly with another Mac user or request direct access to their screen.

Prior to screen sharing being native to the Messages app, you’d have to use a third-party solution such as Team Viewer to help someone with a Mac issue. Messages is far more convenient and, in my experience, an app that almost 100 percent of Mac owners actually use and already understand.

Turn your iPad into a control center for your Mac with Quadro

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Control your Mac (or PC) from your iOS device with this slick new system.
Control your Mac (or PC) from your iOS device with this slick new system.
Photo: Quadro

I just used my iPad to control my MacBook Pro. I watched a video on YouTube, did some image manipulation with Lightroom and edited an essay in Microsoft Word, all without touching my laptop.

Sounds like something you’d expect with a screen sharing app, but Quadro makes it even simpler with a new iOS app that will let you connect to and control your Mac or PC with a grid of commands that look like something out of Star Trek.

Check out the video below to see how it works.

Should Android makers really be worried about iPhone SE? [Friday Night Fights]

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FNF2
iPhone SE is nicely priced at $399, but it's still not cheap.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The iPhone SE is finally starting to sell out after making its official debut last week, greeted by glowing reviews from fans and critics. It’s the best 4-inch phone money can buy, but is it enough to win over the millions of consumers buying affordable Androids?

FNF-bugIt certainly has the looks, and with the same internals as the iPhone 6s, the iPhone SE has plenty of power, too. But while its $399 price tag ($499 if you want a decent amount of storage) makes it much cheaper than Apple’s high-end devices, it’s still not cheap.

Will the iPhone SE really worry Android makers, then, or is it another iPhone 5c — a slightly cheaper version of its larger siblings that will be only moderately successful?

Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight between Cult of Android and Cult of Mac as we attempt to answer those questions.

Apple Watch 2 will be 40 percent slimmer, claims dodgy analyst

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Apple Watch
The next Apple Watch might be a lot thinner.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

The next Apple Watch might arrive sooner than expected, based on a new rumor claiming Apple’s new wearable will be unveiled in June.

Not only is the new watch ahead of schedule, it may even sport a 40-percent-thinner design, hopefully without compromising on battery life.

Almost sounds too good to be true, right?

Ample charge and storage make iPhone battery case a clear winner [Reviews]

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This great battery case has power, style and extra storage.
This great battery case has power, style and extra storage.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

Best List: Kuner iPhone battery case by KUKE

Even Apple admits that its powerful iPhones need a little extra battery boost from time to time. But if you’ve taken a look at the $99 devices, you might not be super convinced they’re worth the price, or even all that attractive.

The Kuner iPhone battery case really kicks the Smart Battery case’s butt: it’s thinner, prettier to look at, and even gives you extra storage space for videos, music and documents. Take that, Apple Smart Battery case.

The feds still want Apple to help it hack an iPhone in New York

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iPhone will never be 100 percent hacker-proof.
iPhone will never be 100 percent hacker-proof.
Photo: Sam Mills/Cult of Mac

The FBI dropped its case against Apple to hack the San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone, but the Department of Justice filed a new letter today demanding Apple help it unlock a different iPhone.

The iPhone in question belonged to meth deal Jun Feng in New York. Federal authorities believe the device may contain critical evidence and plan to appeal a ruling made by a magistrate judge in Brooklyn who decided the government can’t force Apple to hack its own device.

In its letter of appeal, the DoJ argues that because Apple helped prosecutors unlock at least 70 iPhones in the past, the company should do it again.

Give your career a lift by getting hip to JavaScript [Deals]

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Get caught up with the language of the web itself by signing up for this set of 8 essential courses.
Get caught up with the language of the web itself by signing up for this set of 8 essential courses.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

The internet is pretty much made of JavaScript, which means it’s one of the most important languages to master if you’re even a little bit interested in web development. This bundle of 8 courses will get you caught up with the most widely used client-side scripting language. Clocking in at more than 65 hours of lesson content, you’ll add a critical new line to your resume, and right now you can get this essential lesson bundle for just $59.

Apple veteran Bill Atkinson talks about the early days of Macintosh

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The real MacPaint in action. Source: Wikipedia
Bill Atkinson was the creator of MacPaint, among other innovations.
Photo: Apple

I’m a sucker for hearing ex-Apple employees talk about the company’s early days. In particular, it’s fascinating to find out more about the development of innovations like MacPaint and the Mac graphical interface, as well as speculate over who was really responsible for the Macintosh’s creation.

On this week’s episode of the Triangulation podcast, tech broadcaster Leo Laporte interviews Bill Atkinson about his 1978 to 1990 stint at Apple.

Check it out below:

Apple had a different stance on helping the FBI in 2008

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iPhone
Apple's not always been opposed to helping the government.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Here in 2016, Apple may be at odds with the FBI on the subject of iPhone unlocking — but things weren’t always that way!

According to a new report, when the FBI first asked Apple to help it unlock an iPhone, way back in 2008, Apple didn’t just comply with the order; it actually helped prosecutors to draft the court order.