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Cult of Mac Magazine: Apple TV Review – The good, the bad and the ugly

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We've got your Apple TV review right here, baby, yeah.
We've got your Apple TV review right here, baby, yeah.
Screen: Stephen Smith/Cult of Mac

It’s finally here! The Apple TV we’ve all been waiting for should be arriving in homes across the world today. We’ve got our review of the cute little black box, plus a ton more, including the biggest takeaways from Apple’s recent earnings call, how Google is facing its own Bendgate issues, 10 delightful new iOS games from the month of October, and how to get those gorgeous Apple TV screensavers right on your Mac.

All that, plus the usual plethora of news, reveiws, and how-tos, and you’ve got yourself a hot new free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Be sure to download our fantastic app today.

Here’s the rundown of the top stories this week:

Apple Watch alligator bands are not a croc

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Prime American alligators have some skin in the Apple Watch accessories game.
Prime American alligators have some skin in the Apple Watch accessories game.
Photo: Bianca Mosca

Cupertino, Calif. and the swamps of Louisiana may sound like a mismatched marriage. But the luxury design house Bianca Mosca knew the two would make a beautiful pair when it launched alligator bands for the Apple Watch.

If the Apple Watch fell flat with some fashion critics when it first arrived earlier this year, it could possibly change some minds with a lushly-textured exotic skin band that comes in 11 colors.

Is the new Apple TV this year’s most exciting release from Cupertino?

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Have you got yours yet?
Have you got yours yet?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The new Apple TV is here, and there’s no doubt it’s the best set-top box we’ve seen from Cupertino, with powerful new hardware and the tvOS operating system, Siri integration — and most importantly, support for third-party apps and games.

Friday-Night-Fights-bug-2If you’re into movies and TV shows, or playing the greatest iOS games on your big screen, the new Apple TV is probably at the top of your wish-list if you haven’t already bought one. But how does it compare to the other products Apple has launched this year? Is it better than the rest?

Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight between Cult of Android and Cult of Mac as we battle it out over that very question!

Ready up for Titanfall’s mobile debut next year

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ready-up-for-titanfalls-mobile-debut-next-year-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201510titanfall-jpg
Free-to-play games set in the Titanfall  universe are coming to your mobile devices next year. Photo: Respawn Entertainment
Free-to-play games set in the Titanfall universe are coming to your mobile devices next year. Photo: Respawn Entertainment

Ready to boost you and your giant mecha fighters into battle on your Android or iOS phone?

Looks like you’ll only need to wait until 2016, says developer Respawn Entertainment, for several new mobile titles set in the popular first person shooter franchise, Titanfall.

T-Mobile’s next Uncarrier move could be unlimited streaming video

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t-mobiles-next-uncarrier-move-could-be-unlimited-streaming-video-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201510TMOUncarrier0517-jpg
Details of the November Uncarrier event may have gotten an early reveal.
Photo: T-Mobile
t-mobile-uncarrier
Details of the November Uncarrier event may have gotten an early reveal. Photo: T-Mobile

T-Mobile is hosting its 10th Uncarrier event on November 10 and @evleaks was on the case to find out what the carrier has in store for us. The very reliable Evan Blass tweeted that the Uncarrier 10 move will offer unlimited video streaming from services like Netflix, Hulu and HBO that doesn’t count against your data plan.

Nanotips puts touch at your gloved fingertips

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Nanotips can make gloves of all materials touch-enabled for touchscreen devices.
Nanotips can make gloves of all materials touch-enabled for touchscreen devices.
Photo: Nanotips

When I moved to Minnesota, I was warned there would be some winter days when I don’t dare take off my gloves while outdoors. My warmest gloves, though, do not have touch-enabled fingertips, which is a problem when shooting photos or using my phone in the winter.

Instead of buying new gloves, I could try a solution called Nanotips. It is a conductive liquid polyamide solution you paint on the fingertips of any gloves and it is formulated to mimic the touch of human skin.

iPad Pro will land in stores on November 11th

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The iPad Pro goes on sale November 11th.
The iPad Pro goes on sale November 11th.
Photo: Apple

Apple didn’t give customers a release date for the upcoming iPad Pro other than saying it’s coming in November, but you might not have to wait much longer to get your fingers all over the new tablet’s ridiculously huge display.

You can now buy Apple TV at Best Buy and the Apple Store

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Apple TV
Ultra HD is finally coming to Apple TV.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

If you didn’t pre-order the new Apple TV earlier this week, there’s still a chance to get the new TV box before other Apple fans even receive their shipments.

Apple didn’t announce what day the Apple TV would be available at retail locations, but it appears that Apple Stores across the US have the new Apple TV in stock starting today.

Compact battery pack speed-charges with your MacBook’s cable

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Charge this one with your MacBook Mag Safe power adapter in about 15 minutes.
Charge this one with your MacBook Mag Safe power adapter in about 15 minutes.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

Best List: Super Charge Powerbank by Quarter

Power banks and external batteries are everywhere these days, including airports, drug stores and (my favorite) at the Apple Store. I’ve used quite a few of them and, while many are kind of cheaply made, a few are pretty well-designed and useful.

Quarter’s Super Charge Powerbank is one of the latter. Just 15 minutes hooked to your MacBook MagSafe power adapter cord will give it enough juice to fully charge your iPhone. You can charge with a typical micro-USB cable, too, but you won’t get that fast a top-off.

Apple Watch steals the limelight from rival wearables

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Simple fitness trackers from Fitbit, Xiaomi and Garmin outsold Apple Watch during the third quarter.
Simple fitness trackers from Fitbit, Xiaomi and Garmin outsold Apple Watch during the third quarter.
Photo: David Pierini/Cult of Mac

Smartwatches have been around for a few years and as a must-have device, they haven’t quite caught on. Analysts say there are two barriers, price and people not seeing the advantage of owning one.

But a new report shows Apple is making a dent in at least one of those barriers. A survey of 11,000 people by Kantar US Insights shows 92 percent recognize the Apple brand more than any other brand. Fitbit came in second with 47 percent with Google and Samsung scoring in the low 30s.

Know when to keep the keys in your pocket by making your phone a breathalyzer [Deals]

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The BACtrack turns your phone into an accurate breathalyzer, eliminating any doubt as to whether it's a good idea to get behind the wheel.
The BACtrack turns your phone into an accurate breathalyzer, eliminating any doubt as to whether it's a good idea to get behind the wheel.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

You good to drive? Unfortunately the answer to that question isn’t always the right one, and if a cop has to answer it for you it’s a good bet they’ll be getting the truth. One of the reasons is that they can actually see how much you’ve had to drink by measuring it in your breath. Of course nobody should hop in a car after drinking any amount, but with the BACtrack Vio Smartphone Breathalyzer, you can take the role of cop before one rolls up on you or your friends if there’s any question. It’s a disaster averting tool that you can get for just $39.99 at Cult of Mac Deals.

Candle Touch offers smart lighting for people afraid of light bulbs

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Candle-Touch-smart-candle
Why should lamps be the only smart-lighting game in town?
Photo: Candle Touch

One company has decided that electric lamps shouldn’t be having all the fun when it comes to lighting the app-controled home of the future, so it’s come up with one of the strangest (and most interesting) ideas we’ve heard in a while: smart candles.

Candle Touch will let you control the actual fire on a real, wax candle from an app on your iPhone or Android device. And the company assures us that it will all be safer than that sounds.

Bendgate is back: Watch the Nexus 6P fold insanely easily

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bendgate-is-back-watch-the-nexus-6p-fold-insanely-easily-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201510Screen-Shot-2015-10-30-at-144643-png
Here we go again. Photo: JerryRigEverything
Here we go again. Photo: JerryRigEverything

Bendgate is back, and this time, it’s an Android device that’s at the center of it.

Google’s brand new Nexus 6P, which is being dubbed the company’s best smartphone by critics and consumers, is nowhere near as durable as it is pretty. Check out the video below in which the device scratches, cracks, burns, and bends surprisingly easily.

10 October iOS games that will shock you with delight

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10 best ios games October 2015
Spooky month; awesome games.
Photo: Evan Killham/Cult of Mac

Every month, the App Store fills up with countless iOS games of varying quality. You want to have something to do on your iPhone or iPad while you’re on the bus or enjoying the quiet solitude of your bathroom. But who has time to figure out which titles are worth your valuable time?

Apparently, we do. So if you’re searching for the best iOS gaming treats from the past month, look no further than Cult of Mac as we find the 10 best that you should be playing right now — no tricks.

Here they are, in no particular order.

The new Apple TV supports 3DTV content on compatible sets

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CSg1h_KW4AINa75
Pretty cool, huh?
Photo: Steve T-S/Twitter

The Apple TV is capable of supporting stereoscopic 3D apps on 3D-capable televisions, according to longtime Apple game developers Pangea Software.

So when can we expect the first wave of 3D Apple TV games? The answer to that question is “right now,” since Pangea has revealed that five of its titles already take advantage of the technology.

Video game legend is bringing slot machines to the Apple Watch

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Sometimes it's good to be reminded of just how far technology has come in our lifetimes.
Photo: Chicago Tribune

You can now play the slots from your Apple Watch, thanks to a recent new game entitled Double Luck Nudge, created by bona fide video game legend Larry DeMar.

DeMar was most famously responsible for co-creating the hit 1981 arcade coin-op Defender — a.k.a. the arcade machine on which the original Mac team racked up thousands of hours playing while putting together the original Macintosh.

Funny how life works, right?

El Capitan quietly added 10-bit color support for new 5K iMac

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iMac Retina 5K
The 5K iMac has gotten even better.
Photo: Apple

In addition to the plethora of new features Apple added for OS X El Capitan, it also quietly integrated 10 bit color support for the 4K & 5K iMac.

While this may not mean much for your average user, it’s absolutely massive news for photographers, video editors, or anyone else who relies on high-end color correction.

Angry Fandroids are losing it over Apple’s latest Android app

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angry-fandroids-are-losing-it-over-apples-latest-android-app-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201510unnamed-png
Apple's latest app for Android is getting the response you'd expect.
Photo: Apple
Apple's latest app for Android is getting the response you'd expect. Photo: Apple
Apple’s latest app for Android is getting the response you’d expect. Photo: Apple

Apple’s latest app for Android is a bitter, ahem, Pill+ for Fandroids to swallow — with numerous one-star reviews already hitting the Google Play Store.

Arriving yesterday, the app lets users control and manage their newly-launched Beats Pill+ speaker, including allowing multiple users to take control of the music playing from a speaker, or configuring two speakers to achieve a higher volume level.

But, of course, it’s made by Apple. So by the ancient laws of Android it must be punished!

Clever hacker reproduces 3D Touch on Android device

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clever-hacker-reproduces-3d-touch-on-android-device-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads2015102015-09-25-1914081-jpg
A hacker's killer idea leads to 3D Touch-style interaction on his Android phone.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android

As an Android user, you might feel a little saddened by the fact that you can’t use Apple’s 3D Touch system on your Android device of choice. It’s a pretty neat technology that lets an iPhone sense different pressures on the screen to produce some slick little tricks, like taking a selfie with a strong press on the Camera app icon.

Marco Chiappetta figured out a way to do something similar on his Sony Xperia Z3 using a pretty unexpected little trick.

Pro Tip: Keep your boss from snooping on you with Tor messenger beta

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Even some of my screenshot has to be secure.
Even some of my screenshot has to be secure.
Screen: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

Pro Tip Cult of Mac bug While you may chat about state secrets while on your Mac at work, you might not want your chats to get out there or be archived. The answer is to use encryption so no one can intercept your messages and figure out you’re really angry at your boss.

The Tor Project aims to make anonymous, off-the-record chats simple with a new instant messenger app you can run on your Mac or Windows PC. Simply run the app (now in beta), log in to your preferred instant messaging service or services, and talk about whatever you want, secure in the knowledge that your chats are safe from your boss’ prying eyes.

Pro Tip: How to AirPlay videos from your iPhone to your Apple TV

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Daniel Radcliffe in Horns from iPhone to TV.
Daniel Radcliffe in Horns from iPhone to TV.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

Pro Tip Cult of Mac bugIf you’ve got an Apple TV, you’ve got a ready way to get any videos from your iPhone or iPad onto your big screen.

While we all wait for the latest version of Apple’s famous “hobby,” why not watch a video or two on our current Apple TV, right from our iOS device of choice.

Here’s how to AirPlay videos from your iPhone to your giant TV.

Take your fitness in hand with smartwatch SHIFT band

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EdgeGear-Shift
The best band for running.
Photo: EdgeGear

With the watch now reinvented, a pair of avid runners believe it’s time to reinvent the watch band.

They have created a band that moves the face of a smartwatch to the spot on the hand just below where the thumb and forefinger meet. The result for runners, cyclists or anyone using the Apple Watch’s health tracking features is the face of the watch remains in the line of site.

Sore over Sorkin’s biopic? Steve Jobs tribute cartoon will make you smile

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Steven Jobs and the introduction of the iMac.
Steven Jobs and the introduction of the iMac.
Photo: QuartSoft

So maybe fans and friends of Steve Jobs think the Aaron Sorkin film was a bit of a hatchet job on the late mercurial genius who started Apple.

An IT company in the Ukraine called QuartSoft released an animated biography of Jobs this week as a way to thank him “for letting us enjoy the perfection of the products you created.”