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Powerful portable battery pack charges in 18 minutes flat

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That's some fast charging.
That's some fast charging.
Photo: Simpiz

Cult of Mac CES 2016 full coverage LAS VEGAS — The makers of a powerful new battery pack called the iTron claim it can be fully charged to 9,000 mAh in an astonishing 18 minutes. Even better, in just three short minutes, it slurps up enough power to recharge an iPhone 6.

To make the package even more enticing, the quick-juicing battery pack charges on a dock that offers three USB ports, so it can become a full-blown charging station for multiple devices.

Tim Cook only made $10.3 million last year

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Tim Cook
Don't worry, he's still rich.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple CEO Tim Cook made approximately $10.3 million in 2015 — $10,281,327 to be exact. That is up only a tad from the $9.2 million he earned in 2014. The other executives at Apple all made around $25 million each for the year. Sure, it’s rough to place the word “only” in front of a ten million dollar check, but in Cook’s case, he is making significantly less than the other execs.

Cool connected footballs, distributed speaker systems, Bluetooth routers and more at CES

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Wilson connected football

Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac

Cult of Mac CES 2016 full coverageLAS VEGAS — Who says everything at CES is rubbish?

Well, yeah, there’s a lot crap, but that’s why we’re here — to rummage through the rubbish and find the best stuff.

And we found plenty: smart footballs and running shorts that improve your game and gait; a coffee mug that instantly cools coffee that’s too hot; and a speaker system that uses all the iPhones in a room to create a distributed, shared sound system that sounds better than you’d imagine.

Check it out:

Will Apple turn around its fortunes in 2017?

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Are you predicting big things from Apple next year?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

2016 has not exactly been a spectacular year for Apple. There have been some nice highlights, like major changes to the MacBook Pro lineup and the wildly successful AirPods, but it hasn’t really been a year to remember for fans or investors.

Friday Night Fights bugWill 2017 be different? We know the next-generation iPhone will be big, but does Apple have more up its sleeve that will help turn around its fortunes and make the next year a spectacular one?

Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight as we battle it out over Apple in 2017.

Nikon does a full 360 with new action cam

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The Nikon Key Mission 360 is on a mission to compete with action camera industry leader GoPro.
The Nikon Key Mission 360 is on a mission to compete with action camera industry leader GoPro.
Photo: Nikon

Cult of Mac CES 2016 full coverageAdd Nikon to the growing list of companies taking on GoPro in the action camera market.

Nikon made a surprise announcement this week at CES in Las Vegas, unveiling plans for a portable camera that offers 360-degree immersive perspective.

What glitchy software should Apple fix first?

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ipadiphonemacbook

Photo: Apple

Walt Mossberg has had his say on what Apple needs to fix most: its software.

Now it’s your turn to weigh in with your own opinion–which specific software should Apple fix? We’ve created two polls for you to express your opinion, one for OS X on the Mac and one for iOS on the iPhone and iPad.

Is Apple Mail giving you fits on your Mac? Does Photos on your iPad not fill you with joy? Let us know in the polls below.

If we missed the software you think should be in Apple’s sights for fixing, let us know in the comments.

Wireless charging system gets cool new magnetic audio gadgets

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Stack even more awesome on your iPhone with these audio accessories.
Stack even more awesome on your iPhone with these audio accessories.
Photo: Stacked

Cult of Mac CES 2016 full coverage Stacked, the wireless charging case that charges your iPhone with a series of stackable power banks, is expanding it’s line of useful, connected devices to help simplify your life and fill it with music.

The company is showing off it’s two new audio accessories at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this week in Las Vegas. The Audio Dock and Boost Speaker connect to your iPhone via the magnetic system of the Stacked power case, reducing wires and making sure you never forget your external speaker at work again.

Gogoro electric scooter could roll into U.S. faster than expected

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After turning heads at CES last year, the Gogoro electric scooter is rolling out new plans for world domination.
After turning heads at CES last year, the Gogoro electric scooter is rolling out new plans for world domination.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Cult of Mac CES 2016 full coverage LAS VEGAS — The makers of Gogoro, the electric smart scooter that wowed CES last year, have two unassuming tools for gaining traction beyond their launch city of Taipei.

The first is a charger for their 20-pound battery packs; the second is a website that lets wannabe owners nominate their hometowns to become Gogoro hubs.

Bluetooth speakers that light up your ears and party space

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The Saratoga wireless speaker.
The Saratoga wireless speaker.
Photo: Acoustic Research

Cult of Mac CES 2016 full coverageIf music is one of the lights of your life, then shouldn’t your speakers shine, too?

Acoustic Research introduced a new line of wireless speakers that offer quality sound, a design attractive indoors and out and a customizable, multi-color LED light to fit the mood of your music and social scene.

Take one simple step to keep your iPhone clutter-free [Deals]

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Easily clear out your iPhone's hidden files to release gigs of needlessly wasted storage.
Easily clear out your iPhone's hidden files to release gigs of needlessly wasted storage.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Behind your iPhone’s sleek exterior is a messy interior life, the electronic equivalent of beer can pyramids and old pizza boxes. iMyfone is there to clean up your iPhone’s (or iPad’s or iPod’s) act, cleaning out your device’s digital junk drawers and freeing up space that shouldn’t have been taken up to begin with. It’s a surefire way to kick your mobile’s hoarding habit for $15.99.

Multi-sport sensor will help you reach PIQ performance

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Think you have game? PIQ will give you the data to help you prove or improve.
Think you have game? PIQ will give you the data to help you prove or improve.
Photo: PIQ

Cult of Mac CES 2016 full coverageYour god gave you athletic gifts, or so you believe. But don’t listen to yourself or buddies who play alongside you and talk trash about your skills.

PIQ, a multi-sport sensor, can quickly tease out the divine delusion with Earthly performance metrics that, if you’re honest with yourself, can help you improve your game, whether its golf, tennis, skiing or 21 other sports.

Walt Mossberg: Apple should fix its software in 2016

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Walt Mossberg speaking with Steve Jobs back in the day.
Photo: Joi Ito/Flickr CC

Walt Mossberg was Steve Jobs’ favorite critic, and has long been one of the most respected Apple analysts out there — with some people even arguing that he can be too forgiving when it comes to Cupertino’s mistakes.

But in a new article about what tech companies should do to improve in 2016, Mossberg has no problem taking aim at something a lot of people view as Apple’s big weakness right now: its software.

Customers spend record $1.1 billion in the App Store over Christmas

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App Store icon
The App Store was a massive success over the holiday season.
Photo: PhotoAtelier/Flickr CC

Apple had a record-breaking holiday season for the App Store, with customers spending over $1.1 billion on apps and in-app purchases in the two weeks culminating on January 3.

The first day of 2016 alone accounted for more than $144 million — smashing the previous one-day record, which was set just one week earlier on Christmas day.

Foxconn takes unusual break from iPhone production

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Foxconn employees accused of $43 million iPhone scam
Tim Cook meeting an iPhone manufacturer in China.
Photo: Apple

iPhone manufacturer Foxconn is taking the unusual step of cutting the hours of employees building Apple handsets during the upcoming weeklong Lunar New Year holiday next February.

The planned slowdown follows reports that Apple is cutting orders for the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus by up to 30 percent, which is causing investors to hammer Apple stock.

Olloclip’s Studio is a protective iPhone case that will perfect your photos

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Olloclip
Olloclip is cementing its reputation as a leading iPhone accessory maker.
Photo: Olloclip

Cult of Mac CES 2016 full coverageOlloclip has long been one of the best accessory-makers for the iPhone. At CES, the company introduced its latest innovation — a brand new protective case for the iPhone, which features a patent-pending integrated rail-mounting system and a series of mountable photography accessories.

Sony’s elegant glass speaker shines fresh light on portable audio

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Sony's Glass Sound Speaker shines a new light on portable audio.
Sony's Glass Sound Speaker shines a new light on portable audio.
Photo: Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac

Cult of Mac CES 2016 full coverage LAS VEGAS — For all Sony’s talk about high-definition audio and video during its CES press conference, the company’s most intriguing new product is a weird glass speaker with LED lights that looks something like a tubular hurricane lamp.

Called the Glass Sound Speaker, it’s a refreshing twist on the ordinary Bluetooth speaker that is certain to add a unique ambiance to any room. I’m not sure how it sounds, but its soothing, candle-like glow practically screams sophistication.

Teen gets $2,000 iPhone bill thanks to controversial Wi-Fi Assist feature

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This little toggle will help you manage any paltry data plan you have.
Wi-Fi Assist is very useful, except when it's not.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

A San Francisco teenager recently found themselves on the receiving end of a massive $2,021.07 phone bill — courtesy of iOS 9’s Wi-Fi Assist feature, which automatically switches phones to use cellular service when the owner is in an area with a weak Wi-Fi signal.

Teen Ashton Finegold made the unpleasant discovery that his bedroom was such a place, which meant that while he thought he was connected to his home Wi-Fi setup, his iPhone actually clocked up 144,000 MB of cellular data.

CloudMagic, the best mail client on mobile, comes to Mac

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CloudMagic is now available on your desktop.
CloudMagic is now available on your desktop.
Photo: CloudMagic

For managing multiple mail accounts on the go, nothing beats the brilliant CloudMagic. It packs everything you need in an email app — and a whole lot more — and supports almost every mail service you can throw at it. And now it’s finally available on your Mac!

HomeKit-compatible safe gives us hope for the future

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First Alert Wi-Fi Safe HomeKit CES 2016
Okay, but does it have any LEDs?
Photo: First Alert

Cult of Mac CES 2016 full coverage We like HomeKit; don’t get us wrong. Apple’s automation framework has taken our relationship with our lights to strange, wonderful, and not at all awkward new places. And we like the potential of saving money on energy with smart thermostats, getting smoke and carbon monoxide alarms directly on our phones, and using our iPhone or Apple Watch like a virtual bouncer to control who gets into our homes.

That’s the problem, though — that’s basically all anyone’s done with HomeKit. And it’s mostly lights and plugs.

But First Alert has arrived to bust us out of this rut with a promising device that sounds both useful and eminently futuristic: a HomeKit-compatible safe. And if that doesn’t fill you with dreams and vision for what automation can mean, we’re sure you’ll enjoy your bulbs. We really do.

Kia pledges to fully automate all vehicles by 2030

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Kia's concept for a fully autonomous car, which we'll all NOT be driving in 2030. Plus, we'll all be living in gleaming Sky Discs.
Kia's concept for a fully autonomous car, which we'll all NOT be driving in 2030. Plus, we'll all be living in gleaming Sky Discs.
Photo: Kia

Cult of Mac CES 2016 full coverage LAS VEGAS — It’s not gadgets that are making the news here at CES 2016, but cars.

For example, at a press event this afternoon the Korean car giant Kia said all of its cars will be fully autonomous by 2030. Not just its high-end vehicles — all the cars it makes. And that’s just 14 years away.

That means you be able to curl up in the back and sleep while the robot drives — or not be in the car at all. It’ll drive itself to the airport to pick you up.

Kia is joined by dozens of other companies with futuristic visions of the car. Both Detroit and Silicon Valley are here at CES 2016 to talk up future cars, which are mostly electric and autonomous. It includes Ford, VW, Toyota and lots of others.

It’s all good news for Apple, which is widely believed to be working on its own car.