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Super-thin case gives your iPhone a natural look [Reviews]

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The Woodline case by Pad & Quill will class up your iPhone with ease.
The Woodline case by Pad & Quill will class up your iPhone with ease.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

Best List: Woodline iPhone Case by Pad & Quill

I’m generally of the function-over-form sake when I choose an iPhone case, but this delightfully thin Rosewood iPhone case has me rethinking that.

It’s not just that it’s thin — it’s classy. The deep brown hues and real woodgrain transform my iPhone 6 Plus from an object of tech-envy into more of a naturally lust-worthy product.

Fixing your broken Apple Watch just got cheaper

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Crack! This one's got to go back to Apple.
Crack! This one's got to go back to Apple.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple is making it cheaper to repair broken Apple Watch Sport units that are no longer under warranty.

In an updated support document covering Apple Watch warranty services and pricing, the company revealed the out-of-warranty service fee on the Sport model has dropped $30.

Vintage-computer fest celebrates 40 years since our first bite of Apple

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The colorful era of the first iMacs on display in an Apple Pop-up exhibit at the Computer Museum of America in Roswell, Ga.
Colorful early iMacs are among the technological wonders on display in the Apple Pop Up exhibit at the Computer Museum of America.
Photo: Computer Museum of America

Phil Schiller says Apple is too busy “inventing the future” to “celebrate the past” by building a museum.

So if you are in search of history on the 40th anniversary of Apple’s founding, you might want to travel to Georgia. There, a guy named Lonnie Mimms has taken over an old CompUSA building and meticulously crafted a tangible timeline that would make Apple’s futurists — perhaps even Schiller — pause with nostalgia and pride.

Get really good at building apps with Ruby, by building real apps [Deals]

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BaseRails
It's time to get hands-on with a crucial coding language.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Ruby on Rails is the language that powers most of the web apps you use every day. If you’re looking to get involved in web development, learning Ruby is a wise and lucrative move. BaseRail’s in-depth training teaches you to build working, deployable apps, offering critical hands-on experience that normally goes for thousands of dollars, but right now you can get it for $49 at Cult of Mac Deals.

Apple pushes out update to fix bricked iPads

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iOS 9 is upping security.
iOS 9.3 is bricking some iPads.
Photo: Apple

iOS 9.3 has caused headaches for some iPad owners, who updated to the new operating system only to find their devices bricked. But Apple already has a fix out to help bring those older devices back to life.

Apple temporarily pulled the iOS 9.3 update from some devices yesterday. The company has since released a new build of the update specifically for iPad 2 users whose devices failed to install the update.

Apple Watch gallery is finally useful

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Apple Watch customization
Apple's offering a cool, fast way for you to pick out your perfect Apple Watch.
Photo: Apple

The official Apple Watch microsite has gained a new power this week: Now, you can check out every combination of faces, cases, and straps to get exactly the look you want.

An eagle-eyed reader tipped us off to the new feature, which has only been live since yesterday. It replaces the more basic and tedious Gallery that used to inhabit that page. And we’re glad; it was way overdue for a refresh for several reasons.

Best Pac-Man ever just landed on Apple TV

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Pac-Man Championship Edition DX Apple TV
The remixed classic is hitting the big screen.
Photo: Bandai Namco

Pac-fans with Apple’s newest streaming box should be running to their TV App Store right now: Pac-Man Championship Edition DX has hit your living room today.

The TV version of the sequel to the mobile port of the console remix of the classic arcade title contains all of the content of the original, but now you can play it from the palm of your hand on the biggest screen in your house. It originally hit iOS back in July, and it might be one of the best uses of $4.99 that the App Store has to offer.

Apple TV is a tool of seduction in hilarious new ad

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Apple TV will make you weak in the knees.
Apple TV will make you weak in the knees.
Photo: Apple

Alison Brie and that guy who got his arm chopped off in Game of Thrones are bringing their talents to Apple TV in a funny new ad called “The Kiss” that highlights Siri remote features.

Apple premiered the ad today, which puts the two as actors on a dramatic war movie set. Using Apple TV, Brie is intensely studying a kissing scene the two are trying to recreate. Just when it appears Nikolaj Coster-Waldau can’t take another second of over analyzing everything from the angle of their heads to how much tongue the kiss should contain, he comes up with a brilliant idea to loosen up the mood using Apple TV.

Check it out:

Apple is making a TV show about apps with Will.i.am

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iPhone 6s
Apple's first documentary is all about apps.
Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac

The next piece of original video content coming out of Cupertino is going to look more like a big iPhone ad than a TV show.

Apple revealed today that is working with Black Eyed Peas singer and failed tech visionary Will.i.am to create a new unscripted TV series that’s all about apps.

How to monitor all 3 credit scores free on iPhone

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Looking for a hassle free way to monitor your credit? Here's how to do just that, for free!
Looking for a hassle free way to monitor your credit? Here's how to do just that, for free!
Photo: Ally Kazmucha/The App Factor

app-factor-logo-thumbnailThere are lots of finance apps available for iPhone these days. Some of them make tasks that used to be painfully irritating easier than ever — like monitoring your credit report and viewing your credit scores. Even better, if you have the right combination of finance apps, you can regularly monitor all three of your credit scores for free, right from your iPhone. Here’s how!

How to use a Bluetooth keyboard with Apple TV

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Apple TV with the wireless keyboard
With tvOS, your newer Apple TV can work with Bluetooth keyboards.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

With this week’s release of tvOS 9.2 for Apple TV, the fourth-generation set-top box now works with Bluetooth keyboards. While the splash screen specifically calls out Apple wireless keyboards, the truth is that you might be able pair pretty much any Bluetooth external keyboard with your new Apple TV.

Here’s how. (And here’s how to upgrade to tvOS 9.2 if you haven’t already.)

Best new cases and accessories for Apple’s 9.7-inch iPad Pro [Reviews]

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9.7-inch iPad Pro
Treat yourself to a 9.7-inch iPad Pro today!
Photo: Apple

Ordered yours yet? Following Apple’s “Let us loop you in” keynote earlier this week, the new 9.7-inch iPad Pro is ready for purchase as are loads of new products to go with it. Here’s a quick look at some of the best cases and accessories for your new iPad Pro, either available right now or coming soon.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of disappointment

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Ben Affleck kicks ass as Batman.
Ben Affleck kicks ass as Batman.
Photo: Warner Bros.

The battle between the Dark Knight and the Man of Steel in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice has been billed as the greatest gladiator match of all time, but if you’re looking for a film with substance and cohesion, you should probably avoid the new movie like Clark Kent shuns kryptonite.

The sad truth of BvS is that it beats itself into a bloody pulp thanks to its brutish director, Zack Snyder, who can’t tell a compelling story to save his life — even when he’s got more than 70 years of comic book history to mold to his will.

In BvS, the message is as clear as the Bat-Signal: It’s time to pull Snyder away before he ruins more movies that could have been great.

Two top Apple execs score big (and one giant) payday

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money
Turns out there's a lot of money to be made at Apple. Who knew?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple’s Chief Operating Office Jeff Williams and Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri both dumped large amounts of AAPL stock this month — prompting speculation that those inside Apple aren’t confident that the share price is bouncing back to all-time high levels any time soon.

Although, as usual, such fears are almost certainly greatly exaggerated.

No, Samsung Gear S2 is not getting iPhone support today

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no-samsung-gear-s2-is-not-getting-iphone-support-today-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201603Gear-S2-with-iPhone-jpg
Nope. Not yet.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android
Nope. Not yet. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android
Nope. Not yet. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android

Everyone thinks Gear S2 is getting support for the iPhone today, and it’s all thanks to Verizon. But in actual fact, that’s not the case.

While Samsung’s latest smartwatch will be iPhone-compatible at some point, you’ll have to wait a little while longer for it.

Gene Munster thinks virtual reality will be the ultimate iPhone killer

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Virtual reality was one of the first iPhone accessories Apple considered. Photo: USPTO/Apple
One of Apple's previous VR patents.
Photo: USPTO/Apple

Hit-and-miss Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster (a.k.a. the “Apple television set is coming” guy) has a somewhat wacky theory in his latest note to clients: that Apple will not only announce its own virtual reality project at some point in the future, but that this will prove to be the real iPhone killer.

And that Apple’s totally okay with that.

These sleek docking stations are worthy of the iPhone and Apple Watch [Deals]

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The HoverDock supports and charges your phone while doing justice to its sleek design.
The HoverDock supports and charges your phone while doing justice to its sleek design.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

When you buy a top-flight tech product like an iPhone or Apple Watch, some of the future-is-now magic can be lost as you plug it into a flimsy plastic docking station. HoverDock isn’t having it, though — hence these sleek, future-ready docks for both iPhone and Apple Watch. Take a look!

Holy smokes! Sony is bringing PlayStation games to mobile

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holy-smokes-sony-is-bringing-playstation-games-to-android-and-ios-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201603Screen-Shot-2016-03-24-at-151743-png
PlayStation greats are coming to your smartphone.
Photo: Sony
PlayStation greats are coming to your smartphone. Photo: Sony
PlayStation greats are coming to your smartphone. Photo: Sony

Days after Nintendo launched its very first smartphone game, another gaming giant has announced it will start making mobile games.

Sony has formed a new company called ForwardWorks Corporation that’s dedicated to bringing PlayStation greats to Android and iOS.

Small expectations? Apple’s not aiming high with iPhone SE sales

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Scalpers will give you a discount on the iPhone SE.
Apple's not projecting massive sales for the iPhone SE.
Photo: Apple

The iPhone SE may have been one of the big announcements at Apple’s keynote event this week, but despite the fanfare it seems Apple isn’t banking on its 4-inch handset to come close to the sales its bigger brothers make.

According to a new report, citing component makers in the iPhone supply chain, Apple is playing it conservatively with orders for the new iPhone SE — with total shipments of the device likely to come in around 15 million units in the remainder 2016.

Apple is presenting Microsoft Office 365 as an iPad Pro add-on

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Screen_Shot_2016-03-24_at_8.03.31_AM.0
Apple clearly believes offering Microsoft Office 365 will help sell more iPad Pros.
Photo: Apple

Apple has been clear about its belief that the super-charged iPad Pro is designed as a replacement for notebooks and desktops for a large number of users.

With that in mind, it’s no surprise that the company is giving buyers of the new 9.7-inch iPad Pro the option of picking up a subscription to Microsoft Office 365 as part of their pre-order.

Apple Watch apps kinda suck, but Cupertino hopes you won’t notice

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watch bands march 21 apple event
Apple Watch apps were conspicuous in their absence at this week's Apple event.
Photo: Apple

At this week’s “Let us loop you in” keynote, Apple revealed a major shift in its smartwatch strategy. Tim Cook tried to dress it up by announcing new Apple Watch bands and a price drop, but the most significant aspect was what he did not say: There was no mention of third-party Watch apps.

After Monday’s keynote, Apple updated its website with a new marketing proposition that represents a tacit acknowledgment that, right now, Apple Watch is only good for three things: notifications, fitness and health.

What happened to the idea that there is an app for everything?

Pre-order your iPhone SE and 9.7-inch iPad Pro now

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se_and_ipad_pro
Have you ordered Apple's new devices?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac/Apple

Are you excited about Apple’s newly-announced 4-inch iPhone SE and 9.7-inch iPad Pro? Well, the time for talking is through, and the time for pre-ordering is here!

Available to ship next Thursday, March 31st, the iPhone SE is available in 16GB and 64GB configurations. Prices start at $399, or $13.30 a month with carrier financing. The new iPad Pro, meanwhile, is available in 32GB, 128GB and — for the first time ever — 256GB configurations, with prices starting at $599.

Both devices are available in silver, gold, rose gold and space gray options.