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Apple dominates global smartphone market but Samsung’s catching up

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apple-dominates-global-smartphone-market-but-samsungs-catching-up-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201506apple-samsung-iphone-galaxy-patent-war-jpg
No one sells more smartphones than Apple. Photo: Kārlis Dambrāns/Flickr CC
No one sells more smartphones than Apple. Photo: Kārlis Dambrāns/Flickr CC

iPhone owners are holding onto their smartphone a little bit longer than Samsung owners, and that appears to be helping the South Korean company catch up with Apple’s huge lead in marketshare.

Apple is still the world’s top manufacturer, but a new survey of smartphone owners found that 33% of iPhone users still have a device that’s more than two years old, while only 30% of Samsung owners are still using a two-year old model.

Apple Pencil makes app designers stand up and shout

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iPad Pro and Apple Pencil keep designers happy and eraser dust-free.
iPad Pro and Apple Pencil keep designers happy and eraser dust-free.
Photo: Apple

The iPad Pro and Apple Pencil are making paper and pencil design workflow a thing of the past.

Amanda Somers, a user experience (UX) designer for mobile app developer Mindsea Development, writes on Medium about her newfound respect for the Apple Pencil and iPad Pro combination.

“We are confident in saying we are able to sit down with iPad Pro and Apple Pencil and create something just as good, if not better, than sketching traditionally using pencil and paper,” she writes.

Apple Music blasts onto Sonos speakers tomorrow

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Apple Music is about to stream on Sonos smart speakers.
Apple Music is about to stream on Sonos smart speakers.
Photo: Sonos

Apple Music becomes an official part of the Sonos ecosystem Wednesday after months of beta testing on the wireless speakers.

“The feedback from Apple Music members on Sonos during the beta period has been great,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of internet software and services, in a press release. “Sonos plus Apple Music provides an amazing listening experience at home — and we’re excited to offer it to all Sonos customers starting tomorrow.”

Now is a great time to bet on Apple, says Goldman Sachs

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Apple store istanbul
Step right up and place your AAPL bets.
Photo: Apple

Stocks have been getting crushed all year, but according to Goldman Sachs, now is the perfect time to starting betting on Apple options.

Goldman Sachs’ options team has pointed out that Apple options prices are especially low right now compared to the the S&P 500, making it a great target for purchasing a ‘straddle’, which could score investors a big payday if Apple shares move higher or lower than currently expected.

Straddle options work by allowing investors to purchase a bullish and bearish option on a stock so that they make money off the volatility of shares. It’s an advanced investment for most traders to make and it’s not cheap, but Susquehanna’s Stacey Gilbert explains that it’s cheap relative to volatility expectations for the overall market.

Everything you need to know about iOS’ crippling ‘Error 53’

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Error 53 makes gold iPhone  worth s***.
The dreaded "Error 53" can turn an iPhone into a shiny brick.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple is in the midst of an all-new controversy, thanks to the mysterious “Error 53” message that is bricking iPhones without warning.

The problem can hit DIY types or anybody who has ever had a Touch ID sensor (or other iPhone hardware) replaced by a repair shop not authorized by Apple. When they update iOS, the device locks down, displaying the cryptic Error 53 message and rendering the iPhone virtually worthless.

Apple says Error 53 is actually a security feature of iOS 9 that keeps your personal information secure, but customers aren’t convinced. Cult of Mac talked to iPhone repair and and parts experts to find out what exactly is going on. The truth is that Error 53 has plagued many iPhone owners, not just those who have replaced Touch ID — and it’s not totally clear why.

Best ergonomic accessories for Mac owners

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Work behind a Mac all day? Be sure you're protecting your back, neck, and feet with these accessories.
Work behind a Mac all day? Be sure you're protecting your back, neck, and feet with these accessories.
Photo: Luke Chesser/Unsplash

app-factor-logo-thumbnailSitting, or standing, in the correct position while working behind a Mac, or any computer, is incredibly important to your overall health — and ergonomic accessories can help. As I’ve come to learn over the past year, incorrect posture and bad ergonomics can result in back, neck and even foot injuries.

When I started struggling with neck and shoulder tightness, I never thought how I was working could be to blame, but after some back and forth with my doctors, the root of the problem had everything to do with my posture and how I was sitting and standing, particularly while working on my iMac or MacBook.

How to get the most out of Siri on your Apple TV

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tvOS changes the default scrubbing behavior of your Siri Remote, and we couldn't be more glad.
tvOS changes the default scrubbing behavior of your Siri Remote, and we couldn't be more glad.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

Use the power of your voice to watch TV. That’s not something out of Star Trek, but the promise of Siri on the fourth-generation Apple TV.

Beyond basic commands to find your favorite TV shows and movies, you might not know how much Siri can actually do for you. But using Siri Apple TV voice commands will unlock loads of helpful features, including reading onscreen labels, getting more in-depth info about whatever you’re watching, navigating various screens, and even playing music on demand.

And it’s bound to get better yet, as the new tvOS beta is bringing Siri dictation to search fields and the App Store.

Here’s how to get the most out of Siri on your Apple TV.

With a little puck, you won’t miss 3.5mm jack on iPhone

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If you need a place to plug in . . .
If you need a place to plug in . . .
Photo: Sean Nelson

Your next iPhone probably won’t have a headphone jack, and Sean Nelson is telling you to get over it. But he says so gently by offering iPhone fans a glimpse of what a jackless future might look like.

The industrial design student has drawn up one way Apple or any other third-party company might bridge the 3.5mm gap with a small Bluetooth headphone puck. Under Nelson’s concept, our soon-to-be-outdated headphones would plug into a small, clip-on disk.

Gordy’s gorgeous strap will keep your camera in the loop

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20160130_gordy-strap_0011
Slip your hand into this handcrafted camera strap for secure snapping.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Best List: Gordy’s Camera Straps

Considering my Sony RX100 cost about 40 times more than a garden variety point-and-shoot camera, I’d expect it to come with a quality strap. But it does not. It comes with a shoelace attached to a string.

I wanted a strap I could securely attach to the tiny ring, let hang out from my bicycle jersey pocket, and slip my hand through for easy access.

While sifting through Sony camera internet forums, I discovered Gordy’s. And I’m ecstatic I did.

Apple loses big at the Crunchies

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Apple didn't get any of these weird statuettes this year.
Apple didn't get any of these weird statuettes this year.
Photo: TechCrunch

Apple was nominated for three “Crunchies,” TechCrunch’s annual award event for the best in technology. The technology giant lost all three.

Apple’s 3D Touch, the Apple Pencil, and CEO Tim Cook were all put forth as the Best Technology Achievement, Best Hardware, and CEO of the Year, respectively.

None of them won a Crunchie, losing out to SpaceX Falcon 9, Samsung Gear VR, and Mark Zuckerberg.

Of course, having 3D Touch in the same category as a spaceship really shows what an uneven, weird thing the Crunchies are.

Firewatch could be the prettiest mystery you play this year

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firewatch-could-be-the-prettiest-mystery-you-play-this-year-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201602Firewatch-png
Firewatch is already raising the bar for 2016. Photo: Campo Santo
Firewatch is already raising the bar for 2016. Photo: Campo Santo

If you’ve forgotten why it’s great to be a gamer, you just have to take one look at Firewatch.

The first-person mystery set in the Wyoming wilderness is a visual masterpiece that’s being praised by just about everyone — and you can get it today on Mac, PC, Linux, and PlayStation 4.

Building a website takes tools and skills, here’s how to get both [Deals]

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Become fluent in one of the most fundamental languages underpinning the Internet itself.
Become fluent in one of the most fundamental languages underpinning the Internet itself.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Leaving your mark on the Internet shouldn’t just extend to the comments section. But to build useful, beautiful things online you need the skillset and the toolset, whether languages like JavaScript and HTML, or publishing platforms like WordPress and Photoshop. All of that and more is covered in this collection of web development bundles.

Take a look:

Hackers try to bribe Apple employees for login info

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Apple employees can make thousands selling their login info.
Apple employees can make thousands selling their login info.
Photo: Apple

Apple employees are being assaulted with offers from hackers to give them login details to Apple’s internal servers, and they’re willing to pay a king’s ransom if you’ve got the right info.

In Ireland, employees have received offers of over $20,000 for their Apple ID login, but it appears that Apple is well aware of the problem and has launched a new program to combat the problem.

Android creator will offer free dashcams in exchange for drive data

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Andy Rubin
Andy Rubin allegedly dated a colleague at Google.
Photo: Google
Andy Rubin wants more eyes on the road. Photo: Google
Andy Rubin wants more eyes on the road. Photo: Google

Andy Rubin, who co-founded Android before leaving Google in 2014, is building dashboard cameras that he wants to give away for free. But in exchange for an extra eye on the road, Rubin wants you to give up all the data your dashcam collects.

Apple could face class-action lawsuit over ‘Error 53’

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touchid
Unauthorized repairs could brick your iPhone.
Photo: Apple

A U.S. law firm is considering filing a class-action lawsuit against Apple for the “Error 53” security measure that permanently disables iPhones that have been fixed by unauthorized repair shops instead of Apple’s Genius Bar.

Controversy surrounding the Error 53 message erupted last week after it was found that repairs involving Touch ID can potentially brick iPhones without any warning. Apple insists Error 53 is a feature of iOS, but many have pointed out that the company appears to be using it as a tool to keep iPhone users from getting their devices repaired by anyone but Apple Stores.

Putin’s Internet czar wants more taxes from Apple

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German Klimenko wants Apple and other U.S. tech companies to pay more taxes.
German Klimenko wants Apple and other U.S. tech companies to pay more taxes.
Photo: iPhones.ru

Russia’s new internet czar loves his Apple devices. Google the name German Klimenko and up pops a series of pictures, many of him either at a MacBook or using an iPhone.

But that doesn’t stop the tough-talking, Cold War-minded Klimenko from wanting to suck more tax-generated revenue out of Cupertino and other American technology companies.

iPad magician celebrates Year of the Monkey by annoying chimps

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Ipad magic chimps
I've heard of chimps eating people's faces for less than this.
Photo: Simon Pierro

Simon Pierro, the “iPad magician,” thought he should find an appropriate way to ring in the Chinese New Year. And it’s the Year of the Monkey, so the obvious call was to perform his feats of tech-assisted illusion for a bunch of increasingly aggravated chimpanzees, even though they aren’t actually monkeys?

Alright, so they don’t really get that mad, considering Pierro has the intelligence and sense of self-preservation to actually give them some peanuts after cruelly magic-ing them away. But the tension is real.

Check out the full video below.

Duplicate-zapping app will shape up your contacts list

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Finding and merging duplicate contacts has never been this easy.
Finding and merging duplicate contacts has never been this easy.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

If you want to clean up your contacts list so you can better utilize the power of keeping track of people’s contact info on your iPhone, you’ll need to clean it up.

My contacts list has always been a mess. I’ve kept a running list, saved to various services and such, since my first iPhone in 2007.

It’s annoying enough that I went looking for an app that will destroy all the crazy duplicates I have on my iPhone. When I found an app called Cleanup Duplicate Contacts, I took it for a spin and found out how easy it really is.

Here’s how it works.

The force is strong with Rick Rubin’s Star Wars EDM album

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Rick Rubin and Star Wars collide to make this new electronica album.
Rick Rubin and Star Wars collide to make this new electronica album.
Photo: Hollywood Records

Looking for a way to express your love for both the greatest sci-fi movies of all time as well as your penchant for electronic dance music (EDM)?

Hollywood Records, American Recordings, and legendary producer Rick Rubin have got you covered with a new official album, Star Wars Headspace, a compilation of original EDM tracks that have various Star Wars sounds and effects within them.

Sounds hot, right? You can preview three of the tracks thanks to Beats 1’s Zane Low, below.

Smartphones with 7-day battery life coming sooner than you think

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iphone-charging-battery-lightning-cable
Charging up every night will be a thing of the past.
Photo: freestocks.org/Flickr CC

Intelligent Energy is a company with a mission: It wants to get fuel-cell battery technology in smartphones everywhere to dramatically improve battery life. Today, it signed a joint development agreement with an anonymous smartphone manufacturer to put that plan into action. The two will work together on embedded fuel-cell technology, which would be capable of delivering a staggering seven days of battery life to smartphones.

How to capture long exposures and light trails with your iPhone

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A decent tripod and a few great apps can help you capture stunning light trails, motion blur, and low light photos.
A decent tripod and a few great apps can help you capture stunning light trails, motion blur, and low-light photos.
Photo: Ally Kazmucha/The App Factor

app-factor-logo-thumbnailLong-exposure photography lets you capture light trails, motion blur and better low-light shots. While the iPhone’s built-in Camera app doesn’t let you control shutter speed and light sensitivity, lots of apps do. Slow Shutter Cam is my favorite — here’s how I’ve used it to capture long exposures with nothing but my iPhone 6 and a tripod.