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Prepare yourself — iPad Pro goes on sale tonight

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The iPad Pro goes on sale November 11th.
The iPad Pro is casting its impressive shadow on a
Photo: Apple

The wait is almost over for the biggest tablet Apple has ever made: Pre-orders for the 12.9-inch iPad Pro go live sometime tonight.

We don’t expect iPhone-level day-one sales for the massive new hardware, but if you’ve been champing at the bit to pick up the new shiny thing, here’s how you can get it.

Adele may say goodbye to Spotify, hello to Apple Music

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Adele won't say
Adele won't say "Hello" to Apple Music.

Spotify’s freemium service is about cause the company to lose out on another superstar album, according to a new rumor claiming Adele may remove her upcoming album, 25, from the Apple Music rival.

Beyonce and Taylor Swift also famously shunned the music service when they released their most recent albums.  The Verge reports that Adele’s team is eyeing a similar move after pushing Spotify to limit access to only paid subscribers but meeting resistance from the streaming giant.

How to keep kids from checking out bad stuff on Apple TV

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Keep your kids from watching, buying, or playing anything you don't want them to on Apple TV.
Keep your kids from watching, buying, or playing anything you don't want them to on Apple TV.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Not every Apple TV is in a household full of self-realized adults. Apple knows this and has set up some restrictions, similar to the parental controls on iOS.

That way, you can make sure that your kids aren’t purchasing anything (or playing/watching anything) without your consent.

Here’s how to set it all up on your Apple TV.

Never forget your ID again with super slim, stylish wallet case

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Never leave home without your wallet again.
Never leave home without your wallet again.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

Best List: Q Case iPhone 6 Plus Wallet by CM4

I sadly gave away my favorite wallet case when I upgraded to the iPhone 6 Plus.

Since then, I keep ending up at the store or almost running out of gas without my wallet with me: I leave it at home all the time. Apparently, I’m constitutionally incapable of remembering my ID, cash, and cards.

This Q Card Case, from CM4, is the perfect solution.

T-Mobile’s BingeOn plan lets you stream video for free

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The EFF agrees: T-Mobile's Binge On plan is just throttling.
The EFF agrees: T-Mobile's Binge On plan is just throttling.
Photo: T-Mobile
Watching Netflix no longer counts against your data on T-Mobile.
Watching Netflix no longer counts against your data on T-Mobile.

Binging your favorite shows on Netflix, HBO, and Hulu is about to get a lot cheaper now on T-Mobile thanks to the carriers new BingeON plans that let users stream as much video as they want, without it counting toward their data plan.

The carrier has been looking to gain a competitive edge over AT&T and Verizon and according to T-Mobile CEO John Legere, who unveiled the new BingeOn plan at an event today in Los Angeles, the company is ready to take over the customers they don’t want.

Apple TV Tech Talks are coming soon to a city near you

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Apple is giving developers the lowdown on tvOS.
Apple is giving developers the lowdown on tvOS.
Photo: Apple

Developers didn’t get any in-depth coding knowledge for tvOS at WWDC this year, but Apple is making up for it by launching the Apple TV Tech Talks tour that will bring technical information on building and designing great Apple TV apps to developers around the globe.

Registration for the Apple TV Tech Talks opened today with the first event scheduled for December 7th in Toronto, with other events taking place across the globe until February 3rd 2016.

Here’s the full list of locations:

Pro Tip: Check your Apple Watch battery from your iPhone

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Get your battery info fast and easy.
Get your battery info fast and easy.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

Pro Tip Cult of Mac bugYou can of course check the status of your Apple Watch battery on your wrist, but it’s even easier to discover how much Apple Watch juice you have left right from your iPhone.

In fact, you can check the battery status of anything connected via Bluetooth, including headphones and speakers.

Here’s how.

iPhone won’t get an AMOLED screen any year soon

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The iPhone isn't ditching LCD screens.
The iPhone isn't ditching LCD screens.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple soothsayer Ming Chi-Kuo told investors today that despite recent rumors that the next iPhone will feature an AMOLED display, the reality is Apple isn’t likely to adopt the technology anytime soon.

The Apple Watch was the first device out of Cupertino to feature an AMOLED screen which led some to believe the iPhone would get one next. According to the respected Apple analyst though, the iPhone will continue to use TFT-LCD display technology for at least the next three years.

Fandroids can finally boogie down to Apple Music

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fandroids-can-finally-boogie-down-to-apple-music-2-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201511Apple-Music-Android-jpg
Apple Music is finally on Android.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android
Apple Music is finally on Android. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android
Apple Music is finally on Android. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android

Apple Music for Android has finally arrived on the Google Play Store today after being publicly demoed at WWDC in June.

The new app brings Android users over 30 million songs from the Apple Music catalog, Beats 1 Radio, Playlists, Connect, and more. Apple’s offering users a 3-month trial, just like iOS. Pricing starts at $9.99 for a single plan, but Apple says your’ll need a Mac or iOS to sign-up for a $14.99 family plan.

Apple VP Eddy Cue says the launch is part of Apple’s plan to do things in music for everyone:

Open your own private lane on the information superhighway with PureVPN [Deals]

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PureVPN encrypts and accelerates your internet connection while bypassing location restrictions.
PureVPN encrypts and accelerates your internet connection while bypassing location restrictions.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

As open and free as the internet is purported to be, it’s easy to run into a lot of walls and not always safe. A great way to relieve the worry and hassles of online life is PureVPN, a virtual laser-fast private network that secures, anonymizes, and upgrades any online connection. And right now you can get a subscription for $69 at Cult of Mac Deals.

Fullscreen iPhone 7 concept runs iOS 10

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iPhone 6s
Could future iPhones get rid of the bezel?
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

We’re around seven months away from the first glimpse of iOS 10 and almost one year from the launch of the iPhone 7, but since when has that been enough to stop forward-looking Apple fans?

With that in mind, designers at DeepMind (not the AI company Google acquired last year) have put together a nifty concept video showing a next-gen Apple handset, running a future version of iOS, optimized for a bezel-less iPhone.

Check it out below.

Imagining Apple’s ad for the colorful iPhone 6c

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Imagining an iPhone 6c with more than a little color.
Imagining an iPhone 6c with more than a little color.
Photo: SET Solutions

We keep on waiting and waiting and waiting for the iPhone 6c, Apple’s low-end follow-up to the colorful, plastic-backed iPhone 5c. Unfortunately, it looks like it’s still a year away.

But what will it look like when it actually does come out? Pretty damn lovely, if the concept video below is anything to go on.

Apple may have slashed iPhone 6s orders due to ‘weak demand’

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Upgrade to iPhone 6s for 3D Touch.
The iPhone 6s may have experienced order cuts from Apple.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Swiss bank Credit Suisse has lowered its iPhone sales estimates for 2016 from 242 million to 222 million — reflecting what the organization claims is lower-than-expected demand for the handset, prompting Apple to cut up to 10 percent of its component orders.

“The cuts seem to be driven by weak demand for the new iPhone 6s, as overall builds are now estimated to be below 80 million units for the December quarter and between 55-60 million units for the March quarter,” the bank said in a note to clients.

Ford is already preparing for a world with the Apple Car

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Siri Eyes Free is coming to 2011 model Fords and earlier.
Everyone is taking the Apple Car seriously.
Photo: Ford

Ford is the latest auto manufacturer to be forced to “think different” as a result of the impending arrival of tech companies like Apple in the car industry.

Specifically, Ford is reshuffling some of its management team — giving new director of corporate strategy, Michael Seneski, the job of seeking partnerships with tech giants. This will be done under the leadership of former investment banker John Casesa, who is currently working to update Ford’s business model.

Angela Ahrendts talks transforming the Apple Store

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o-angela-ahrendts-highest-paid-facebook
Angela Ahrendts has plenty of ideas for Apple Stores.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s retail guru Angela Ahrendts took to the stage at Fast Company‘s ongoing Innovation Festival to talk her role as senior vice president for retail and online stores.

With the highest sales-per-square-foot of any U.S. retailer, the Apple Stores were hardly in need of a total overhaul, but Ahrendts nonetheless discussed the ways she’s trying to tweak the physical shopping experience for the better — with some fascinating insights.

From iPad Pro to privacy: 8 things we learned from Tim Cook’s latest interview

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Tim Cook
Tim Cook talks all things Apple.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Tim Cook is in my home country of Jolly Old Blighty (read: the U.K.) at the moment, promoting the imminent launch of the iPad Pro.

While there, he’s given an interview to the Telegraph newspaper, in which Apple’s CEO touches on everything from the new Apple TV to the U.K.’s rumored “snooper’s charter” to, of course, Apple’s super-sized tablet.

Check out the lessons we learned below.

Pro Tip: The secret meaning of Apple Watch notifications shapes

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Apple Watch notifications siri
When it comes to Apple Watch notifications, round is better.
Photo: Apple

Pro Tip Cult of Mac bugIf you’ve not paying really close attention to your Apple Watch notifications, you might have missed out on a really subtle and clever design decision the company built into them.

It turns out that Apple uses two different shapes for its watch Apple Watch notification badges. And here’s why.

How nerds make Apple Watch look even cooler

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Apple Watch
Will Apple finally deliver one of our most-requested features for watchOS?
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple Watch owners have had some time to play around with the wearable’s custom faces since the feature launched with watchOS 2, and some creative tech and sci-fi fans have come up with delightfully nerdy ways to spruce up their devices.

A few users have taken to making specially formatted faces that showcase their love of games, movies, and TV shows, but the really enterprising ones have found ways to include coordinated Apple Watch bands into their designs.

Here are some of the coolest ones we’ve tracked down.

Apple’s cosmic iPad Pro ad will blow you away with stunning visuals

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The first iPad Pro ad is cosmic..
The first iPad Pro ad is cosmic..
Photo: Apple

The first ad for the new iPad Pro was revealed by Apple today and it’s just as stunning as the new tablet’s epic display.

Apple’s new ad features some cosmic visuals the highlight the iPad Pro’s incredible display. The astronomy app Sky Guide is highlighted in the ad along side ProCreate and iOS 9’s side-by-side apps feature. Apple announced this morning that the iPad Pro will go on sale Wednesday, November 11th, with stores receiving units later in the week.

Watch the new ad below:

Set up your iOS 9 News feed (and subscribe to Cult of Mac)

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Apple News app
The Apple News app relies less on algorithms than other tech companies in the news business.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

The latest trend in news consumption is curation. Apple News — replacement for the earlier, less-than-successful Newsstand — does just that. It may not be the first app to repackage the web for easy reading (looking at you, Flipboard), nor maybe even the best, but chances are it’s already on everyone’s iOS 9 iPhone or iPad, making it a clear winner for mindshare.

News is pretty fantastic, as it allows you to customize and set up the News channels and outlets you want to check on regularly without having to rely on any specific outlet for updates. News pulls from your favorite websites RSS feeds and repackages it all in an intuitive, newspaper and magazine-like format for easy browsing and reading.

Let’s take a look at how to set it up and use the iOS 9 News app to your best advantage.