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Apple will replace your faulty MacBook USB-C cable

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If you bought one of these, you might also have a bad USB-C charging cable.
If you bought one of these, you might also have a bad USB-C charging cable.
Photo: Apple

If you’ve got one of those fancy new Macbooks with the USB-C charging cable, Apple is ready to replace it for you if it’s one of the defective ones.

“A limited number of Apple USB-C charge cables that were included with MacBook computers through June 2015 may fail due to a design issue,” says the Apple web page announcing the program.

Your MacBook might not charge (or only charge intermittently) when it’s connected to one of these faulty cables.

Soon, you can run Apple TV from your iPhone

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Siri Remote menu button
Your tininess and fragility doesn't scare us anymore.
Photo: Evan Killham/Cult of Mac

An upcoming update to the iPhone’s Remote app will let it completely control your Apple TV.

We’re looking forward to this because while we love the Siri Remote that comes with Apple’s latest streaming box, it has a few problems. First, it’s tiny, and we’ve discovered it wedged inside the absolute farthest and darkest corners of our couches far too often. It’s also covered in glass, and while we know that it’s really strong glass, we’re slightly afraid of breaking it because see Point 1: It’s just a little thing.

Third, if the worst happens and we do lose or break our Siri Remote, a replacement costs $79, and then the anxiety starts all over again.

In other words, bring on the update, Apple.

How to represent your town with custom Snapchat geofilters

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Your bedroom probably doesn't count as a
Your bedroom probably doesn't count as a "location."
Photo: Maurizio Pesce/FlickrCC

If you’re looking to show a little local pride in Snapchat, the company made it pretty easy to make and upload your own so that you (and anyone else who’s in that location) can swipe right and show off a custom geofilter.

All you need is a graphics program like Illustrator, Photoshop, or (my favorite) Pixelmator, a little bit of time, and you can represent your town with a custom Snapchat geofilter.

Here’s how.

Apple demands court ruling on mobile encryption

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iPhone mobile encryption touch id
Apple's right to fight backdoors, but should it end there?
Photo: Olly Browning/Pixabay

In a court letter today, Apple is insisting that the legal system make up its mind on mobile encryption.

This is a bit of a surprise, and it’s hardly necessary anymore for the case at hand. The defendant has entered a guilty plea since the question of whether law enforcement could induce Apple to access encrypted information on its devices first arose. But in its two-page letter, Apple wants a decision anyway for “efficiency and judicial economy.”

It might also clear up a bunch of its own headaches.

iOS arcade shooter has a heart on for you this V-Day

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ios-arcade-shooter-has-a-heart-on-for-you-this-v-day-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201602polyblast-jpg
Blast aliens for love.
Photo: Stephen Smith/Cult of Mac

Looking to play a fast-paced, arcade-inspired video game on your iPhone or iPad? Polyblast, like a modern mashup of retro arcade favorites Space Invaders, Missile Command and Tetris, has just gotten a Valentine’s Day update, making this simple yet addictive little shooter a fantastic choice for your day of love.

If you love simple arcade-style shooters, Polyblast will keep you well-sated with solid gameplay mechanics, a delightful visual style, and a soundtrack that’ll take anyone from the era of quarter-gobbling standup cabinets back to their alien-blasting youth.

Check out the video below for a quick look at the game in action.

iPad Air 3 and iPhone 5se likely to go on sale March 18th

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Don't call it the '5se'.
The iPhone 5se won't be available for pre-order.
Photo: Martin Hajek

Once Apple finally unveils its new iPad and 4-inch iPhone, it won’t take long before Apple fans are able to get their fingers all over the two new iOS devices.

Both the iPhone 5se and iPad Air 3 will be available the same week they are introduced to the public, according to a new report that claims Apple Stores will have the new devices in stock by March 18th, but there won’t be any pre-orders.

How to set up a quality Mac podcasting rig for under $300

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Podcasting doesn't have to break the bank. Here  are some high quality rigs and Mac apps to get you started.
Podcasting doesn't have to break the bank. Here are some high quality rigs and Mac apps to get you started.
Photo: Ally Kazmucha/The App Factor

app-factor-logo-thumbnailPodcasting has been experiencing a renaissance lately, and for good reason. Podcasts can be about a wide variety of topics, from Apple to sports, comedy, storytelling and so much more. It’s a great time to get into podcasting because the barrier to entry is so low and you don’t have to break the bank to buy a totally workable setup.

Some of the greatest podcasts in the iTunes Top Charts are regularly recorded using sub-$100 to $300 mics. Whether you want to gain influence in a community or nerd out about the latest iPhone, a podcast is a great place to do it.

This coffee maker makes mornings suck less

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Zojirushi's Fresh Brew Plus  coffeemaker will keep your joe fresh and piping hot.
Zojirushi's Fresh Brew Plus coffeemaker will keep your joe fresh and piping hot.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Best List: Fresh Brew Plus coffee maker by Zojirushi

Every coffee fiend has a morning ritual. For me, it’s getting up before my wife and brewing a half-pot of strong black coffee that we can share. She usually gets up much later than me (lucky her), so a thermal carafe works wonders for us: I can drink mine as early as I like, and she can enjoy hers at a more leisurely hour.

That’s one key reason I’ve abandoned fancier coffee makers and set up shop with a Zojirushi Fresh Brew Plus — among its other features, it boasts the best carafe I’ve ever used.

Apple’s first original TV series will be a Dr. Dre production

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Dre's finally apologizing for his misogyny.
Dre's onto the next episode. TV.
Photo: Beats

The first piece of original programming to come out of Apple may star none other than the company’s own employee: Andre Young, aka, Dr. Dre.

The hip-hop mogul turned Beats co-founder is reportedly starring and executive producing the first-ever scripted TV series bankrolled by Apple, but it’s still unclear how Dre’s production will be distributed.

Killer deal drops Retina MacBook to lowest price ever

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12-inch MacBook
Get yours for just $999.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

There’s never been a better time to buy Apple’s gorgeous gold Retina MacBook, thanks to a new deal from authorized retailer B&H that cuts up to $350 off the price tag of the sleek little notebook that debuted last year.

The price cut is the biggest discount we’ve ever seen on the new MacBook. At $999, the baseline MacBook model with a 1.1GHz Intel Core M processor and 256GB of storage is now the same price as the baseline MacBook Air that comes with only 128GB storage.

Apple is expected to updated the Retina MacBook later this year, but with prices this low, the super-light MacBook is incredibly tempting.

This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.

Nintendo should turn this Mario Kart/Star Wars video into a real game

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Of course Luigi gets stuck with a Y-Wing.
Of course Luigi gets stuck with a Y-Wing.
Photo: Dark Pixel

Star Wars and Mario Kart don’t seem to have much in common at first glance, but when you mash the two mega-universes together at hyperspace speeds, the results are more than super.

Dark Pixel created an incredibly fun new video called Star Kart that imagines what it’d be like if Mario and his pals cruised around the Star Wars galaxy in your favorite spaceships, complete with all the banana peels, golden mushrooms, turtle shells and wacky racing the Nintendo game is known for.

Watch Bowser and Baby Bowser try to take down Mario and the gang as they race from Tatooine to Hoth — and then ultimately the Death Star:

Awesome archive brings ancient Windows games to your browser

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awesome-archive-brings-ancient-windows-games-to-your-browser-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201602Windows-3-1-Solitaire-png
Windows 3.1 in Google Chrome.
Screenshot: Cult of Android
Windows 3.1 in Google Chrome. Screenshot: Cult of Android
Windows 3.1 in Google Chrome. Screenshot: Cult of Android

Remember the days before high-speed broadband and photo-realistic graphics, when the best games you could get on PC were things like Win Pool, Brickbuster, and Gopher-It? Now you can go back in time and relive them right inside your web browser.

When the lights go down, this is a USB you can see [Deals]

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Luminid's light-up Lightning cables won't leave you in the dark.
Luminid's light-up Lightning cables won't leave you in the dark.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

You know the feeling of trying to plug in your iPhone in the dark? The awful grinding of metal on metal as you miss the socket? The Luminid Touch Light-Up Cable solves that. It’s an MFi-certified charging cord that can help you put an end to the nighttime USB guessing game for only $9.99.

Facebook loses appeal as court rules in favor of nudity

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Facebook-nudity-case-L'Origine-du-monde-by-Gustave-Courbet
We'd make this our cover photo, but that might just be asking for trouble.
Photo: "L'Origine du monde" by Daniele Dalledonne, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 / Cropped and Facebook logo with drop shadow added.

An earlier ruling in the Facebook nudity case has prevailed as a court has ruled that the social-media giant can be sued anywhere in the world.

Facebook had appealed last year’s decision, which said that the company was incorrect to suspend a French art teacher’s account that included a picture of a nude painting. The California-based company argued, unsuccessfully, that users could only sue it under the laws of that state.

Don’t expect wireless EarPods with iPhone 7

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EarPods aren't going wireless in 2016.
EarPods aren't going wireless in 2016.
Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac

The headphone jack will likely get killed when Apple introduces the iPhone 7 this year, but don’t expect Cupertino to toss in a free pair of wireless EarPods with the new device.

Apple will supposedly include a pair of Lightning-connected EarPods with the iPhone 7, according to an investors note from Barclays that reveals Apple hasn’t purchased the rights to use Cirrus’ noise-canceling technology that would be necessary for the headphones.

How Intel’s Skylake processors will supercharge your MacBook

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Intel-Kaby-Lake
Intel's Skylake chips are coming to your MacBook.
Photo: Intel

This year’s MacBook and MacBook Pro upgrades are expected to bring Intel’s latest Skylake processors. Delivering more than just speed improvements, the new chips will bring far greater performance, graphics and battery life to Apple’s notebook lineup for 2016.

Here’s what makes those Skylake processors so special — and how they’ll supercharge that new Mac you’ll soon be drooling over.

Samsung to pounce on falling iPhone demand with cheaper Galaxy S7

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samsung-to-pounce-on-falling-iphone-demand-with-cheaper-galaxy-s7-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201602galaxy-s7-edge-leak-jpg
Despite a larger screen, the S7 edge could be cheaper than its predecessor.
Photo: Evan Blass
Despite a larger screen, the S7 edge could be cheaper than its predecessor! Photo: Evan Blass
Despite a larger screen, the S7 edge could be cheaper than its predecessor. Photo: Evan Blass

Samsung hopes to reverse declining Galaxy sales and tackle the iPhone head-on by making its upcoming Galaxy S7 more affordable.

The leaked price list below claims the entry-level option with 32GB of storage will start at just €699.99 ($787) in Europe — a full €50 ($56) less than a 16GB iPhone 6s.

Long-lost video shows Steve Jobs launching his biggest failure

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Steve Jobs during the NeXT years.
Steve Jobs during the NeXT years.
Photo: Doug Menuez

Only a handful of products Steve Jobs introduced to the world became flops, but three years after he was kicked out of Apple, the tech visionary unveiled his biggest failure ever: the NeXT computer.

Video footage of Jobs’ first major public appearance since he left Apple in 1985 was lost to the world until researchers for Aaron Sorkin’s movie came across two videotapes of the NeXT’s gala unveiling at San Francisco’s Davies Symphony Hall in 1988.

Google’s secret next gen VR headsets, revealed

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Creating 360-degree photos for Google Cardboard is now super easy.
Creating 360-degree photos for Google Cardboard is now super easy.
Photo: Google
Google is experimenting with its next-gen VR headsets. Photo: Google
Google is experimenting with its next-gen VR headsets. Photo: Google

So far, Google’s experiments in virtual reality have mostly been done through Cardboard, the search giant’s super-cheap device that can convert any smartphone into a VR rig.

But Cardboard isn’t the limit to Google’s ambitions, with the Wall Street Journal today reporting that the company is developing a standalone virtual reality headset.

CBS says Apple TV talks didn’t go anywhere

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Apple TV might get exclusive TV shows.
Apple oddly hasn't reached out in a while.
Photo: Apple/YouTube

CBS CEO Les Moonves had plenty to say about the Apple TV last year, but this year for some reason he said that CBS hasn’t been talking with Apple very much at all. Apparently the two companies used to talk pretty frequently about bringing CBS to Apple TV’s rumored streaming television service, but negotiations haven’t gotten anywhere yet.

“We had conversations awhile back, and we haven’t had recent conversations with them,” Moonves said to CNNMoney.

How to impress Snapchat friends with a two-filter combo

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Here's more snap for your chat.
Here's more snap for your chat.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

Snapchat lets you filter your snaps with a color, the temperature, or the name of the city you’re in (geofilters), but did you know you could create a snap with more than one of these cool things?

It’s relatively simple, but (as with many things with the popular app) it’s not super easy to find in the weird interface that Snapchat uses.

Here’s how to impress Snapchat friends with a two-filter combo.