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Snapchat debuts new geofilters, but they’ll cost you

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Celebrate your birthday on Snapchat with custom, smaller, paid geofilters.
Celebrate your birthday on Snapchat with custom, smaller, paid geofilters.
Photo: Snapchat

Folks looking to promote their next big block-party, wedding or musical shindig can now get in on Snapchat’s action with these new temporary geofilters for the popular photo-sharing service.

Called “On-Demand” geofilters, they’ll allow anyone, including local businesses, to create temporary location-based filters that will show up whenever other Snapchatters walk through the area defined when they’re created.

The bad news? The new feature will cost you $5 per filter to create.

Fertility study accuses your phone of spermicide

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fertility-study-accuses-your-phone-of-spermicide-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201602Cherries-by-music4life-jpg
Sorry, guys: We have some bad news for your berries.
Photo: Holger Schué/Pixabay

We were already worried about keeping hotel keycards in the same pocket as our cell phones, but it turns out that our devices might be erasing some slightly more important things. Namely, men’s sperm.

In a new study, fertility experts claim that men who keep their mobiles anywhere near their reproductive organs — in their front pants pocket, for example — “may bear adverse effects on sperm concentration.” The scientists also found some correlations between lower sperm counts and talking on the phone for more than one hour a day and using the phone while it is charging.

More than half of Americans think Apple should give into FBI demands

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touchid
Most Americans thinks Apple should comply with FBI.
Photo: Apple

The FBI claims Apple’s resistance to its demands to hack the San Bernardino terrorist’s are part of a marketing brand strategy, but if it is, it’s not one that the American people support.

A new poll from the Pew Public Research Center has revealed that over half of the country opposes Apple’s position in its privacy battle against the FBI, while only 38% of Americans think Apple should not unlock the iPhone to ensure the security of its customer’s private data.

How to clear your pervy Instagram searches

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Get rid of any incriminating evidence.
Get rid of any incriminating evidence.
Photo: Jaelynn Castillo/Unsplash

We’re not saying that you search for inappropriate stuff on Instagram or anything, but if for some reason you’d like to clear your search history in the photo sharing app, you can.

You can’t view your search history directly, but it does inform your new searches, making it “easier for you to find your favorite people and hashtags again quickly,” according to Instagram.

So, if you don’t want certain (ahem) searches to show up when you’re looking for new things, here’s how to clear your Instagram searches.

Customize your MacBook with precision skins [Reviews]

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Precision-fitted skins from dbrand let you put a personal wrap on your electronic devices.
Precision-fitted skins from dbrand let you put a personal wrap on your electronic devices.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Best List: MacBook Pro Skin by dbrand

The time I spend hacking away on my laptop at coffee shops, hotel lobbies and conference room floors I inevitably spot another MacBook user with a cooler-looking laptop than mine, filling me with envy.

Well, dbrand has the goods to make the other coffee shop patrons jealous.

New El Capitan beta is now available to developers

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A new beta is out for OS X El Capitan.
A new beta is out for OS X El Capitan.
Photo: Apple

Apple has seeded a new beta build of OS X El Capitan to developers this morning in the form of OS X 10.11.4 beta 4.

The new beta build can be downloaded directly from Apple’s Developer Member Center, or via the Software Update option in the Mac App Store if your Mac is already rolling on the last El Capitan beta.

Apple drops new betas for iOS, tvOS, and watchOS

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iOS 9.3 beta 6 is here!
iOS 9.3 beta 6 is here!
Photo: Apple

A big batch of new beta software has landed on Apple’s Developer Center today.

The fourth beta builds of iOS 9.3, tvOS 9.2 and watchOS 2.2 are now available for developers to test bringing a host of new features to the iPhone like NightShift mode, improved Apple News and Apple Music apps, and some great education features for iPad.

FBI could hack San Bernardino terrorist’s iPhone using acid and lasers

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iPhone mobile encryption touch id
There's one risky hacking method the FBI hasn't tried yet.
Photo: Olly Browning/Pixabay

The FBI claims there’s absolutely no other way for it to access San Bernardino terrorist Syed Rizwan Farook’s iPhone 5c expect other having Apple create a backdoor. But according to Edward Snowden there’s at least one other option: acid and lasers.

The former NSA contractor and privacy activist appeared in a virtual talk at Johns Hopkins University and pointed out that even though FBI insists forcing Apple to hack the iPhone is the only way forward, that’s simply not true.

Steve Campus? Apple working with Jobs’ family on special tribute

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Apple Campus 2 Rendered
The Steve Jobs Campus, anyone?
Photo: Apple

According to Tim Cook, Apple is working alongside Steve Jobs’ family to come up with an idea for the “right way” to pay tribute to him with Apple’s upcoming “spaceship campus.”

In an interview with Fortune, Cook confirmed that, “We will definitely honor [Steve] in the right kind of way,” with the new campus — whose opening has reportedly been delayed from 2016 until early 2017.

To find what’s slowing down your Mac, you have to dive deep [Deals]

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Go deep into the inner workings of your computer to keep it running at top performance.
Go deep into the inner workings of your computer to keep it running at top performance.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Our computers are thinner than ever, but also deeper, meaning getting to the bottom of a problem takes expertise or just the right tool. TechTool Pro 8 goes beyond basic diagnostics to plumb your system’s inner workings, even testing the motherboard, to keep your Mac running at peak performance. Whether you’re using one computer or several, this is a tune-up kit worth getting. And right now you can get a copy of TechTool Pro 8 for just $39.99.

Mom who lost son in San Bernardino shooting takes Apple’s side

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Apple fans are rallying behind the iPhone maker's fight vs the FBI.
Photo: Simone Lovati/Flickr CC

Carol Adams’ son, Robert Adams, was among the 14 people killed by Syed Rizwan Farook and his wife on December 2 in San Bernardino, but she doesn’t think the FBI should force Apple to hack the terrorist’s iPhone.

Adams said she stands by Apple’s decision to fight the FBI’s demands to weaken the iPhone’s security in order to access information on Farook’s locked iPhone, explaining that the constitutional right to privacy “is what makes America great to begin with.”

Read Tim Cook’s entire email to employees regarding FBI battle

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Tim Cook
Tim Cook was an outspoken Hillary supporter.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Tim Cook doubled down on his privacy position this morning, refusing to give in to the FBI’s demands to create an iOS backdoor so the bureau can unlock the San Bernardino shooter’s iPhone.

In an email to employees with the subject line “Thank you for your support,” the Apple CEO says the company’s battle is about much more than a single iPhone or single investigation.

D’oh! Samsung S7’s industrial design is as lazy as ever

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doh-samsung-s7s-industrial-design-is-as-lazy-as-ever-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201602Samsung-Galaxy-S7-gold-png
Galaxy S7 in gold.
Photo: Samsung
Galaxy S7 in gold. Photo: Samsung
Galaxy S7 in gold. Photo: Samsung

Samsung may have “borrowed” Apple’s Upgrade Program for its new Galaxy S7 handset, but one thing it seemingly can’t copy is Apple’s perfectionist approach to design.

New photos popping up online highlight how Samsung just can’t seem to afford the ruler it would require to get all of its Galaxy S7 ports, microphones, speakers and jacks to properly line up with one another.

Check out the photos below.

Tim Cook doubles down on Apple’s battle against FBI backdoor

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Tim Cook
Tim Cook isn't backing down from a fight.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Tim Cook sent out an email to all Apple employees this morning, thanking them for their support and outlining the reasons why the FBI’s court order needs to be dropped.

“This case is about much more than a single phone or a single investigation, so when we received the government’s order we knew we had to speak out,” Cook wrote. “At stake is the data security of hundreds of millions of law-abiding people, and setting a dangerous precedent that threatens everyone’s civil liberties.”

Umberto Eco: There is something religious about Macs

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Umberto Eco died on Friday.
Photo: Università Reggio Calabria/Wikipedia CC

Author of brainy best-sellers The Name of the Rose and Foucault’s Pendulum died late last week, and was heavily eulogized over the weekend in pretty much every major newspaper around the world.

But while most people (understandably) focused on his status was one of Italy’s best-known literary exports, did you know that Eco also once wrote an essay about the benefits of Mac OS versus MS-DOS? It’s pretty much the academic’s answer to those classic Mac vs. PC TV commercials.

Apple Pay only makes half as much per transaction in China

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Apple in talks to bring Apple Pay to Israel
Apple blinked first in negotiations.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple Pay may have finally launched in China, but it seems that Apple flinched first in its negotiations with Chinese banks over their adoption of the service.

At least, that’s according to a new report — citing “people with knowledge of the matter” — which claims that Apple will only earn about half of what it does in the U.S. for every Apple Pay transaction in China.

FBI: iPhone backdoor would not set dangerous precedent, we promise

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RV-AM562_NESS_GR_20140117124953
Apple's muckin' with a G here, pal!
Photo: Paramount Pictures

The director of the FBI has written an impassioned open letter to Apple, asking it to go along with the recent court order to unlock the iPhone at the center of the San Bernardino shooting investigation.

James Comey writes that the FBI, “isn’t about trying to set a precedent or send any kind of message. It is about the victims and justice.”

Check out the rest of his open letter below:

Samsung steals iPhone’s Upgrade Program for Galaxy S7

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samsung-steals-iphones-upgrade-program-for-galaxy-s7-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads2016024_vr-homepage-desktop-size-a-letterbox-v1-jpg
Apple doesn’t charge you interest, but Samsung does.
Photo: Samsung
Apple doesn't charge you interest, but Samsung does. Photo: Samsung
Apple doesn’t charge you interest, but Samsung does. Photo: Samsung

Samsung has launched its own Upgrade Program alongside the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge to make it easier for fans to get their hands on its latest devices.

It comes in response to Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program, but it’s nowhere near as good.

Samsung’s new Galaxy S7 and S7 edge bring better designs, incredible specs

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samsungs-new-galaxy-s7-and-s7-edge-bring-better-designs-incredible-specs-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads2016024_vr-homepage-desktop-size-a-letterbox-v1-jpg
Welcome Samsung’s latest Galaxies.
Photo: Samsung
Welcome Samsung's latest Galaxies. Photo: Samsung
Welcome Samsung’s latest Galaxies. Photo: Samsung

Mobile World Congress doesn’t officially begin until tomorrow — and yet Samsung has already stolen the show with its new Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge.

MWC-CoA-2016Packing improved designs that are IP68-certified for water-resistance, always-on displays, and stellar specifications, these are the South Korean company’s best smartphones yet.

Read on to find out what you get under the hood, and when they’ll be available.

Clever translation, a great tennis game, and other apps of the week

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appsoftheweek_1024
'Appy weekend everyone!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The weekend is halfway over and — if the weather in your area is anything as dismal as it is in mine — thoughts naturally turn to amusing ourselves with the latest apps.

But which ones to sample? Whether you’re looking for a clever translation app, one of the best games of the year so far, or a nifty tool for blasting music from any Bluetooth speaker in your house, we’ve got something for you.

Check out our picks below.

LG unveils modular G5 with awesome add-ons, insane features

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lg-unveils-modular-g5-with-awesome-add-ons-insane-features-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201602lg-g5-2-png
LG G5 is more than it looks at first glance.
Photo: LG
LG G5 is more than it looks at first glance. Photo: LG
LG G5 is more than it looks at first glance. Photo: LG

LG is kicking off Mobile World Congress early this year with the anticipated unveiling of its new G5.

MWC-CoA-2016The device sports impressive specifications and an all-new modular design made out of metal, which lets users slot accessories into its bottom edge. LG calls these add-ons “Friends,” and you’ll be amazed at what they can do.

Steve Jobs’s smelly old sandals just sold at auction

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These stinky old Birkenstocks from Steve Jobs's NeXT years sold for a pretty price at auction today.
These stinky old Birkenstocks from Steve Jobs's NeXT years sold for a pretty price at auction today.
Photo: Mark Scheff

An odd assortment of purported artefacts from Steve Jobs’s wilderness years – including a pair of his rated running sandals – were sold at auction today. And while it’s not entirely clear who bought them, all of the disparate items, dating back to Steve Jobs’s NeXT years, still ended up earning a pretty penny.

Awesome 360-degree space battle game puts you right in the action [Reviews]

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Stellar Wanderer is a space sim with both action and style.
Stellar Wanderer is a space sim with both action and style.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

Stellar Wanderer gets right into the action with space battles from the very first mission, which takes place in the full 360 degrees of your spaceship viewport.

You’ll take to the vastness of interstellar space, populated by huge space stations, rugged traders, and (obviously) hordes of space pirates to complete missions given to you by mysterious individuals and then taking the reward money to upgrade your craft and piloting skills.

There’s a lot of space in space, and you’ll feel every kilometer of it when you drop into Stellar Wanderer on your iPhone or iPad.

Check out the gorgeous launch trailer below.

This LED bulb is more than a bright idea, it’s a no-brainer [Deals]

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This LED smartbulb leaves little debate as the best replacement for your standard bulbs.
This LED smartbulb leaves little debate as the best replacement for your standard bulbs.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

LED light bulbs are at the point where there’s just no good reason not to switch over. The A19 ilumi LED Smartbulb embodies what’s best about this new energy-efficient, longer lasting light source, lasting up to 20 years and with 5 times the energy efficiency of a standard bulb. That isn’t even the half of what this awesome bulb can do, and right now you can get one for just $44.99.