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Custom Lego minifigs put Jobs, Woz, and Cook on your desk

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Apple custom Lego minis
If you really wanted, you could stage your own Apple keynote address in Lego form.
Photo: FamousBrick

A company that specializes in making Lego-ized versions of tech-world giants is offering minifigures based on Apple co-founders Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, current CEO Tim Cook, and some people who work for other companies, if you want to be all diverse about it.

The figures won’t even set you back that much, really. Depending on how much you value plastic that looks like people.

Decibullz earphones are molded music to the ear

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Decibullz brings its moldable earpieces to wireless earbuds.
Decibullz brings its moldable earpieces to wireless earbuds.
Photo: Decibullz

The openings to my ear canals are small. There, I said it. Hearing is not a problem, but finding earbuds that fit is a pain in the, well, ears.

Apple’s customary earphones that came with every iPod or iPhone I bought got tossed in a drawer. At least there, they wouldn’t fall out.

Decibullz, a startup company when they hit it big with moldable earbuds last year, is now trying to bring to production a set of wireless earphones with the moldable tips. The molding process requires nothing more than a glass of hot water.

5 hidden remote touchpad tricks will make you an Apple TV expert

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Apple TV remote

The new Apple TV remote is a thing of beauty. It’s got six simple buttons, it’s rechargeable and it features a beautifully simple touchpad at the top to swipe across menus, app icons and letters to enter passwords.

But the simple joy of using the touchpad is very Apple-like. There are hidden secrets to the surface uses, with

Here’s how to get the most out of your Apple TV remote touchpad.

How to change Twitter hearts back to stars (or any other emoji)

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The Internet is not happy with Twitter's change of heart.
The Internet is not happy with Twitter's change of heart.
Photo: Twitter

Twitter decided to take a step toward Facebook today by changing its star icon for favorites into a heart icon and calling them Likes.

The changes have not gone over well, with many Twitter fans questioning the decision while others are just down right angry that Twitter took away the best way to say, ‘I saw your tweet, but don’t want to reply to it.’

Luckily, there is a way to change the hearts back to stars when using the social network through a browser. You can even change the hearts to a beer, poop, unicorn, or any other emoji and it doesn’t require much work.

Here’s how to strike back against Twitter’s new hearts icon:

Master the mountain with these carbon-fiber ski boots

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Dynafit Khion Carbon goes up as well as it goes down.
The Khion Carbon ski boot goes up as well as it goes down.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Best List: Dynafit Khion Carbon

It is never easy to design something that’s going to serve two distinctly different purposes, like a car that turns into an airplane or a fork that doubles as a spoon. Or, in this case, a ski boot that is helps you skin up a mountain or ski the downward slopes reliably, precisely and with some sense of ear-grinning enjoyment.

Pencil artist makes his point with amazing new book

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The art of Salavat Fidai is at the tip of his pencils.
The art of Salavat Fidai is at the tip of his pencils.
Photo: Salavat Fidai

The art that flows from Salavat Fidai’s pencils actually never leaves the pencils.

A curvy stallion, a row of circus elephants or the Eiffel Tower remain on the tips of pencils thanks to Fidai’s steady hand and patient craft knife that carves the soft lead into a sculptural symbol easily recognized in the most unexpected place.

Become a web developer at your own pace with a lifetime of lessons [Deals]

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OSTraining offers a lifetime of access to more than 2,500 courses covering a wide range of essential web development skills.
OSTraining offers a lifetime of access to more than 2,500 courses covering a wide range of essential web development skills.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Web development skills are essential to many of today’s top jobs, but it’s a time-consuming process to learn, especially for those without coding experience. With OSTraining’s collection of lessons, you can take as much time as you need — literally your whole life. With over 2,500 video lessons covering the whole landscape of web development, it’s an invaluable source of knowledge that you can access now for $69 at Cult of Mac Deals.

Poop now at your fingertips with new emoji keyboard

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This keyboard from EmojiWorks is a quicker way to express your feelings via emoji.
This keyboard from EmojiWorks is a quicker way to express your feelings via emoji.
Photo: EmojiWorks

There’s now a faster way to flip the middle finger or display a steaming pile of poop – along with your other favorite emoji.

EmojiWorks has introduced what is probably the first portable keyboard with built-in emoji shortcuts. Each letter key displays two or three different emoji, which can be inserted into a message by pressing a dedicated emoji key.

Sharing your Touch ID is a big no-no, say banks

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xiaomi-rumored-to-be-borrowing-apples-3d-touch-tech-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads2015102015-09-25-191408-jpg
Touch ID should not be shared, banks say.
Photo: Apple

Banks may refuse to refund disputed transactions, or help customers who are victims of fraud, if the person in question has their fingerprints stored on a phone or tablet that does not belong to them.

According to a new report, several banks in the U.K. are making the decision now that fingerprints are used to authenticate payments within Apple Pay. Lloyds Bank, for instance, features the following line in its terms and conditions: “If Touch ID is available on your device, you must ensure you only register your own fingerprints (and not anyone else’s).”

Apple already working on Force Touch keyboards

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Use your credit card to solve your Apple problems. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
Yep, I'd buy that.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple has steadily been rolling out its 3D Touch/Force Touch technology across as many of its devices as possible — and the next step may be Mac keyboards.

According to a newly published patent for an “Ultra low travel keyboard,” Apple’s futuristic keyboard would allow different functions or commands to be assigned as per, “different levels of force input” received when you press a key.

How to use your old TV remote with your new Apple TV

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The smaller one is way better.
The smaller one is way better.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

The new Apple TV remote is a wondrous touch- and motion-enabled trackpad with a few simple buttons that lets you do everything on your new black hockey puck of joy, including playing games, swiping through apps, and, well, playing and pausing your movies and TV shows.

What happens when you lose it somewhere in the depths of your couch, though? The iPhone Remote app no longer works with the new Apple TV, and unless you have an Apple Store nearby, you’re gonna want to have a backup plan in place.

Might as well take a couple of minutes and set up your regular old TV remote to work with Apple TV, right?

Here’s how.

Apple is teaming with other tech giants for financial lobbying

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Apple raked in the cash last quarter.
There's money to be made in, err, money.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple, Amazon and Google aren’t exactly techie BFFs, as can be seen from that whole Android vs. iOS thing, or Amazon’s recent decision to boot Apple TV out of its online store.

But you know what can bring the heads of all three companies together? Let’s try a quick pop-quiz.

A) Team-building paintball trip.
B) Romantic candlelit dinner.
C) The promise of lots and lots of cash.

Click below to find out. (Hint: the answer is C.)

Apple may be cutting back on iPhone 6s orders

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What will you get this Black Friday?
Not the 6s Apple thought it would be?
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Despite the iPhone 6s’ record-shattering 13 million unit sales in its first three days, reports coming out of Apple’s supply chain suggest that manufacturer Pegatron has stopped operating several of its iPhone 6s production lines in Shanghai — and may even be laying off some employees who were hired to work on the handset.

While this has the distinct feel of an unsubstantiated rumor to it, Pegatron has come forward and acknowledged that it’s actually true.

But hold back your “Apple will go bankrupt in six months” placards for now; things aren’t exactly as they first appear…

Two years on, Apple’s spaceship campus is taking off

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Screen Shot 2015-11-03 at 11.31.29
Apple's new campus looks like something out of Spectre.
Photo: Duncan Sinfield

How time flies! This month marks two years since ground broke on Apple’s futuristic new “spaceship” campus, and — despite the odd hitch along the way — things are looking impressively together.

To show just how together the pieces all are, drone videographer Duncan Sinfield recently flew his DJI Inspire 1 drone over the building site to produce a stunning video of Apple’s forthcoming dream campus.

Check it out below. You won’t regret it.

Activision Blizzard acquires Candy Crush creator for $5.9 billion

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activision-blizzard-acquires-candy-crush-creator-for-5-9-billion-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads2015112015-11-03-091313-jpg
Activision just spent more on Candy Crush than you ever will. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android
Activision just spent more on Candy Crush than you ever will. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android

Activision Blizzard, the gaming company known for franchises like Call of Duty, Warcraft, and Guitar Hero, has acquired King Digital Entertainment for $5.9 billion.

The Candy Crush creator boasts one of the largest networks of players on mobile, with a staggering 474 million active users a month.

Apple TV app will wow you with stunning shots of Earth

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The Aurora Borealis over the Atlantic Ocean as seen from the International Space Station
The Aurora Borealis over the Atlantic Ocean as seen from the International Space Station
Photo: Jetson Creative

I’ve always wanted to go into space. The now-familiar view of our “big blue marble” have always fascinated and entranced me, even as a young boy.

With Earthlapse TV, I can stare out of a virtual window from the International Space Station to watch the coast of Northern Australia spin past my high viewpoint, see the aurora borealis as it shimmers above the northern hemisphere, or watch as the world turns from London to Africa beneath my gaze.

This is a gorgeous app and a perfect fit for the big-screen TV in my living room.

How to set up your Apple TV the right way

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Ready. (tv) set,  go!
Ready. (tv) set, go!
Photo: Apple

The new Apple TV is out and it’s pretty fantastic.

Running through setup is fairly simple, but we all could use a little advice on how best to make our choices along the way.

With that in mind, then, let’s run through the Apple TV arrangements in order.

Tiny preamp will solve your biggest audio problems

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beachtek dxa-slr ultra
Filming Leander for his Kahney's Korner videos is always a challenge, but thanks to the DXA SLR Ultra, now there's no need for a hissy fit.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Best List: Beachtek DXA-SLR Ultra preamplifier

Hssssssssss.

Hssssssssss.

I told one of my favorite photographers, Mike Kepka, that I was trying to shoot a little video, but that my audio sounded horrid. He happens to be pretty decent videographer. And a little bit of a gearhead (at least in comparison to me).

“Get a Beachtek,” said Mike.

“What is the hell is that?” I said. “And do you have one?”

How to access open Google Chrome tabs on Android and iOS

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how-to-access-open-google-chrome-tabs-on-android-and-ios-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201511Chrome-open-tabs-syncing-jpg
Syncing open tabs is easy in Google Chrome. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android
Syncing open tabs is easy in Google Chrome. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android

Did you know that it’s incredibly easy to access open Chrome tabs on your Android and iOS device? So if you’re reading an article on your computer and you have to dash out, you can access it later while you’re on the go without having to search for it again, type in a URL, or email links to yourself.

Here’s how.

Facebook orders employees to switch to Android

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facebook-orders-employees-to-switch-to-android-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201409IMG_2466-jpg
Facebook's chief product officer has had enough of workers preferring the iPhone.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android
Facebook-Android
Facebook’s chief product officer has had enough of workers preferring the iPhone. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android

Facebook has a problem of iPhone love: too many of its employees prefer Apple’s device when given the chance between an iPhone and Android smartphone. This means that up until now, far less workers have been able to truly live in an Android environment where they can identify bugs within Facebook and fix them. Now, the chief product officer is changing that by ordering some employees to switch to Android.