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You think Apple’s Smart Battery Case is ugly? Wait ’til you see its insides

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It's what's inside that counts.
It's what's inside that counts.
Photo: iFixit

For the Apple fans disappointed in the Quasimodo look of the new Smart Battery Case, there is probably great satisfaction in seeing it all busted up. Yes, the staff at iFixit wasted no time prying one open to behold the guts of the beast.

iFixit did not defend the case from the “ugly” tag so many people gave it in its’ first 24 hours of public life. The technicians were impressed with the ducting on the case, which turned a downward-facing speaker into one that faces forward. The microphone also faces forward and iFixit wonders if this a preview on future designs.

Google Photos now lets you share your favorite albums with friends

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Google Photos makes sharing simple. Photo: Google
Google Photos makes sharing simple. Photo: Google

Google knows your best photos shouldn’t stay hidden away inside your camera roll, so it is making it incredibly easy to share them with friends.

A new Google Photos update, which is rolling out today on Android, iOS, and the web, introduces shared albums, which you can send to friends via SMS, email, or instant message.

Apple to take GPU design into its own hands

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A9xchip
Apple's GPU is still a few years away, however.
Photo: Chipworks

Apple is reportedly working to create its own mobile GPU, a new report claims.

The report suggests that Apple has been working for several years to create an in-house graphics chip, using its chip design talent — shown previously when the company announced its first Apple-developed ARM-based CPU cores.

Apple makes a splash with new waterproof iPhone patent

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Water way to test your iPhone!
Water way to improve the iPhone.
Photo: LifeProof

Apple today published an intriguing patent application with a unique method for waterproofing future devices — by covering ports, like those for USB or headphones, with self-healing seals.

Described as an, “electronic device with hidden connector,” the invention describes how self-healing elastomeric material could seal each of the ports, which would then be opened by puncturing them with external connectors, such as power or audio feeds, in the event that they needed to be used.

4 features the Apple Watch 2 doesn’t need

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Apple Watch 2 concept by Eric Huismann
The Apple Watch 2 may not look like this, but we'd be fine if it did.
Photo: Eric Heisuman

After the rumblings and grumblings that we’ll get our first look at the Apple Watch 2 in as soon as three months, the Internet is ablaze with all of the great features the update “should” have. But let’s not go overboard, here, because not all of these suggestions would make the new wearable better.

We aren’t talking about Android compatibility, complete independence from its paired phone, or a better battery life; we’d welcome any of those updates in a second. But we couldn’t really see a need or want for a few of the rumored/desired new features, regardless of how crazy awesome they might seem at first.

Rivals pile on to mock Apple’s ugly iPhone battery case

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Classy, huh?
Photo: LG
Classy, huh? Photo: LG
Classy, huh? Photo: LG

Apple made a minor design faux pas with its newly-launched iPhone Smart Battery Case, so of course all of the company’s rivals are doing the mature thing and getting on with their own work, knowing that joining the pile-on will only come back to bite them.

Wait — that’s not what’s happening at all! In fact, LG and Asus today debuted two new ads poking fun of Apple, while at the same time advertising the alleged superiority of their LG V10 and Asus ZenFone Max phones respectively.

iPad Pro will touch down in India next week

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iPad Pro
The iPad Pro could be a valuable tool for helping grow Apple's enterprise business in India.
Photo: Leander Kahney / Cult of Mac

The iPad Pro is set to launch in India next week, amidst a massive push on Apple’s part to grow its enterprise business in the populous country — with plans for this to eventually account for 15-20 percent of Apple revenue.

Pricing for Apple’s super-sized tablet will begin at Rs 67,990 ($1,018), compared with $799 in the United States.

Walmart takes on Apple Pay and Android Pay with… Walmart Pay

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Walmart is launching its own mobile payment service.
Photo: Walmart
Walmart is launching its own mobile payment service. Photo: Walmart
Walmart is launching its own mobile payment service. Photo: Walmart

Walmart, a.k.a. the world’s largest retailer, has announced the launch of its new Walmart Pay service — a mobile payment service for both Android and iOS, designed to work with all major credit, debit, and Walmart gift cards in the retailer’s U.S. stores.

Verizon will test free ‘sponsored’ data soon

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Verizon is about to get more expensive.
Verizon is about to get more expensive.
Photo: Verizon

Verizon is planning to bring free sponsored data to the masses according to a scoop from Re/code which found out the testimg phase is just days away.

In an interview with the site, Verizon VP Marni Walden revealed the network is working with a few partners during the testing phase and intends to make the feature available to all comers next year.

Google’s mind-bending quantum computer actually works

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Quantum computers will lead to advancements in artificial intelligence.
Photo: D-Wave Systems Inc.
D-Wave 1000Q quantum computing - lower res1
Quantum computers will lead to advancements in artificial intelligence. (Photo courtesy of D-Wave Systems Inc.)

A major breakthrough from Google’s quantum-computing team could eventually lead to artificial-intelligence systems complex enough to make sci-fi nerds lose sleep in fear of the robot apocalypse. The breakthrough sounds simple, but it has massive implications: The quantum computer the team co-operates with NASA actually works.

And not only does it work, but it can do the same process up to 100 million times faster than its predecessors.

Games and entertainment dominate Apple TV’s store

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The Apple TV's app store has been a smash hit in its first month alone.
The Apple TV's app store has been a smash hit in its first month alone.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

On the Apple TV app store, entertainment apps, including streaming video from the likes of HBONow and Netflix, are a clear winner, followed next by games.

AppFigures, an app tracking service for publishers and developers, took a look at the trends from Apple TV’s first month out of the gate. Their report also has some interesting insights about each category, and the way the Apple TV’s digital storefront is shaping up to be a fairly viable place to sell apps.

This smartphone case will print out your snapshots

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The Prynt Case has a built-in photo printer.
The Prynt Case has a built-in photo printer.
Photo: Prynt

The early pioneers of photography, the ones who nearly choked to death inhaling toxic chemicals needed for making prints, would probably faint if they could see there is a smartphone case with a built-in photo printer.

The Prynt Case, a smash hit on Kickstarter earlier this year, is now shipping to the nearly 9,000 people who backed the campaign. For the rest of us, the campaign raised enough money for a huge production run to make it available for order in time for Christmas.

Here’s how Mac and iOS absolutely dominated the enterprise in 2015

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imac-desk-keyboard-lamp
The 2015 survey shines some light on Apple's reign in the enterprise.
Photo: Quattro Vageena/Flickr CC, cropped

Apple didn’t just see a standard year-over-year improvement in the enterprise market in 2015. iPhones, iPads and Macs all saw significant growth and adoption rates over the competition. JAMF Software published its annual survey for 2015 that reveals trends about Apple products and their role in the enterprise. The findings are excellent news for the folks in Cupertino: enterprise users adore OS X and iOS.

“Driven by user preference, increased productivity capabilities, and security advantages, Apple is no longer requested by users and executives—it’s demanded,” JAMF reports.

Pro Tip: How to sign PDFs on your iPhone

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iPhone-signature
It beats using a trackpad.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

Pro_Tip_Cult_of_Mac There are times when you need to sign a contract or other document that comes over via email. You could print it out, sign with a pen, and then scan it back to the recipient, of course, but that takes forever. Might as well fax it.

If you get a PDF form via the Mail app on your iPhone, however, you can sign it right there on your little pocket computer using just your finger, and then mail it back, all without ever committing ink to paper.

Here’s how.

Robert F. Kennedy’s optimism lives on at Apple, Tim Cook says

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LOVELOUD
Apple CEO Tim Cook will introduce the band Imagine Dragons Satuday at the LOVELOUD Festival in Utah.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Tim Cook accepted the Ripple of Hope Award in New York last night. During his speech at the the benefit for the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights, the Apple CEO touched on a number of world issues, from protections for the LGBT community, to the Syrian refugee criss.

Cook also cited Robert F. Kennedy’s remarks from a 1966 speech promoting the idea that business plays an essential role in helping society solve its greatest problems. According to Cook, RFK’s ‘wonderful optimism’ is the kind of spirit that drives Apple.

Want USB on your iPhone? There’s an adapter for that

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You can now use this to connect USB peripherals to your iPhone.
You can now use this to connect USB peripherals to your iPhone.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s Lightning to USB connector has ostensibly been about connecting your iPad to a camera to import images directly to your tablet.

Now, with iOS 9.2, it looks like the same adapter can be used on your iPhone to get photos onto your smaller-screened device.

There’s even some evidence that the Lightning to USB adapter works to connect other USB peripherals, like MIDI keyboards or USB-powered microphones. If you’re a musician on the road without access to your iPad, this might be your new best solution.

Toasty touchscreen gloves keep you warm and fully connected

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Baby it's cold outside; use these gloves.
Baby it's cold outside; use these gloves.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

Best List: Double Layered Knit Touchscreen Gloves by Mujjo

It’s almost winter, and if you reside in an area with a climate like mine, you know you’ll be carrying gloves with you no matter where you go. When you live someplace like Anchorage, Alaska, even a quick trip outside to the trash bin requires that you cover up.

And yet, we live in a touchscreen world. I have my iPhone with me all the time, and I use it to stay connected to my kids and family members as I move around the winter wonderland. Pulling off a glove every time I want to play a song or answer a text is time-consuming and sometimes dangerous.

If that’s something you worry about, Mujjo’s got you covered, quite literally, with these new double-layered touchscreen gloves.

New iPhone app helps you form your dream band

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The app made by a musician for musicians may just help get you discovered.
The app made by a musician for musicians may just help get you discovered.
Photo: Encore Music/iTunes

Alex Gorokhovskiy is like a lot of musicians – broke and in search of compatible bandmates. But instead of investing in recording demos or outfitting his own group, he’s spending on everyone else who has ever wanted to play music and be in a band.

Gorokhovskiy created the social media app Encore Music, which is a kind of place for musicians to gather. But to call it a social media platform, understates the potential business value of the app.

The Cult of Mac gift list, optimized for maximum cool at minimum cost [Deals]

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Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

‘Tis the season to freak out over what to get for the tech savvy folks in our lives. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the vast variety of gadgets and gear on offer these days, especially if you’re on a budget, which is why we’ve put together this list of five deals on some of the coolest gifts out there. From USB-powered guitars to VR headsets and upgraded SNES controllers, pick up one or grab the whole list — there’s something here for everyone.