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One lucky iPhone 6s customer has already received their order

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iPhone 6s
What's the betting Tim Cook's not too happy about this?
Photo: Adrienne/Moonshine Design

One incredibly lucky Apple fan, San Diego-based Twitter user @MoonshineDesign, has already received her brand new Rose Gold iPhone 6s — several days ahead of its Friday release date.

Adrienne went on to post a variety of photos of the device, along with videos shot with the camera and even a Geekbench test, confirming the 2GB of RAM for the device.

iPhone case leads to panic at one of Europe’s busiest airports

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MAIN-iPhone-gun-case
An iPhone case similar to the above caused the problem.
Photo: Mirror

An iPhone brought one of Europe’s busiest airports to a panicked stand yesterday — resulting in considerable delays as one terminal gate was closed for “security reasons.”

Why? A passenger supposed to be travelling from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport thought it was a bright idea to do so with his iPhone in a custom case made to look like a gun.

This is why we can’t have nice things.

4 watchOS 2 improvements you didn’t know you wanted

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Apple Watch Update
The new custom faces aren't the only great part of watchOS 2.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple’s second major iteration of its wearable firmware, watchOS 2, is finally out today, and it has some extra fun features hiding along with all of the ones the company has been talking about since it first announced the update back in June.

Sure, native apps and custom watch faces are cool, but watchOS 2 also contains some smaller updates that you have to look for. Here are some of the hidden gems.

Give your Apple Watch a facelift with watchOS 2

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Apple Watch is a killer device, even without a
Apple Watch is a killer device, even without a "killer app."
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

I was so excited to have a color screen on my Apple Watch when I picked the Sport up this past April.

When I went through all the watch faces, though, I was rather underwhelmed; really, you have a bright, high-resolution monitor on your wrist and all you can do is put a moving moth or Mickey Mouse on it? Ugh.

Luckily, with watchOS 2, Apple’s made things just a little brighter and a little more animated. Here’s how to get these snappy new watch faces on your own Apple Watch.

Is this Apple exec poking fun at Project Titan sleuths?

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Apple car concept art side doors
If Apple really is working on an electric car, DJ Novotney has one heck of a sense of humor.
Photo: Aristomenis Tsirbas/Freelancer

An Apple exec reportedly working on the company’s secret car project might be playing mind games with the Apple Kremlinologists searching for clues.

Is it the tech world’s biggest insider joke, or a sly hint that Apple’s automotive ambitions are real?

FAQ: Everything you need to know about the XcodeGhost App Store hack

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Pirate Flag
Steve Jobs' old mantra about "It's better to be a pirate than join the navy" probably wasn't on Apple's application form.
Photo: George Hodan/Public Domain Pictures

If you’re as confused as we were when we first heard about the major App Store hack over the weekend, we’re here to help.

Here’s a compilation of everything we know about the XcodeGhost story, and we’ll be updating it as more develops.

Ex-baseball player makes pitch to turn iPhone into radar gun

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The Scoutee can attach to an iPhone and record pitch speeds and other data it sends to an app.
The Scoutee can attach to an iPhone and record pitch speeds and other data it sends to an app.
Photo: Scoutee

Miha Uhan’s dream of standing on a big league mound is dead. But he’s still got a big pitch that could impact the game of baseball.

The former Slovenia national team player now leads a team of developers who have created a small device that can turn an iPhone into a radar gun to clock the speed of a thrown baseball.

Protect yourself from massive iOS security breach

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False versions of Xcode may have gotten into your apps; here's how to fix the problem.
False versions of Xcode may have gotten into your apps; here's how to fix the problem.
Photo: Apple

Apple has now been affected by the worst security snafu in iOS history when it found that hundreds of apps, mostly in the Chinese App Store, have malicious code in them, called “XcodeGhost.”

Apple’s pulled the affected apps from the App Store to contain the security breach, but you’ll still need to take a few more steps to make sure your iOS devices aren’t affected. Here’s what you need to do.

XcodeGhost hack: Delete these infected iOS apps immediately

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The App Store just experienced its worst security breach ever.
The App Store just experienced its worst security breach ever.
Photo: Apple

The App Store suffered its worst security breach in history over the weekend, when it was discovered that hundreds of Chinese apps have a malicious program dubbed ‘XcodeGhost’ embedded in their software.

The huge security lapse made its way into legitimate apps thanks to Chinese developers who used a counterfeit version of Apple’s Xcode software that was uploaded to file sharing service Baidu. By using XcodeGhost to compile their apps, developers accidentally allowed the malicious code to be distributed through the App Store.

Apple has pulled infected apps off the store to stop stop the spread, but users still need to delete XcodeGhost apps off their devices manually. Most of the apps infected are mostly used in China, however some big name apps like WeChat, Angry Birds 2, and Didi Chuxing (Uber’s biggest rival in China) were also hit.

Here’s a full list of infected apps:

Security firm puts $1 million bug bounty on iOS 9

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A new iOS 9 beta is here.
A new iOS 9 beta is here.
Photo: Apple

While millions of iPhone users have eagerly upgraded to iOS 9, a new race is on among researchers to find critical flaws in Apple’s software, and they’re throwing around more cash than ever to get hackers to find the holes.

A new security industry firm called Zerodium announced today that it will pay hackers $1 million for a single exploit that allows attackers to break into an iPhone or iPad running iOS 9. The company says its even willing to pay the bounty multiple times, as long as the exploits break through iOS 9’s security flaws a certain way.

Apple created a mysterious new emoji and no one knows why

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Everybody loves emoji. Even the weird ones.
Everybody loves emoji. Even the weird ones.
Photo: Technewz

A mysterious new emoji has been added by Apple to iOS 9.1 and OS X El Capitan, but unlike the other emoji supported by Apple, this weird new pictogram wasn’t created by the Unicode Authority, and no one knows why it exists.

Apple plans to give emoji the middle finger when iOS 9.1 drops later this year, but it looks like the iPhone-maker has developed its own emoji called “eye in speech bubble,” and no one has any idea what it means.

Check it out:

Save 88% on a lifetime of cloud backup from Skyhub[Deals]

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SkyHub offers an easy way to get a lifetime of backup with a terabyte of cloud storage.
SkyHub offers an easy way to get a lifetime of backup with a terabyte of cloud storage.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

A terabyte is a huge chunk of digital real estate, likely enough to keep your whole computer backed up for years. Mechanical hard drives don’t always last for years though, which is why adding a cloud-based backup is key to keeping your digital stuff safe. Right now’s a good time to do it — SkyHub is offering lifetime access to 1TB of cloud storage for just $49.99.

Sketchy rumor claims iPhone 8 could rock curved OLED display

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iPhone-6-ecran-incurve
Future iPhones could rock curved displays. Maybe.

According to a rumor that’s sketchier than a rapid drawing done with an Apple Pencil, Apple is “serious” about equipping its 2018-era iPhones with OLED-based curved screens.

The South Korean news reports suggests that major Korean display-makers are currently showing off the cutting-edge displays to execs at Apple, and has found Apple to be enthusiastic about the prospect.

Brilliant lock screen shows how to recover your lost iPhone like a boss

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Enz6kvK
Who says a lock screen can't be laugh-out-loud funny?
Photo: Apple

Through the creation of its Find my iPhone feature, Apple has made it much easier to recover handsets when we misplace them.

However, one amusing iPhone owner decided to go one step further to ensure that he would be reunited with his iPhone should it stray from his hands during a night of drunken merriment — adding an hilarious iPhone lock screen message.

Samsung is ripping off Apple again — this time with phone leasing program

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samsung-is-ripping-off-apple-again-this-time-with-phone-leasing-program-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201509Samsung-Galaxy-S6-Edge-and-Note-5-jpg
Samsung is going back to the Cupertino well.
Photo: Samsung
Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge and Note 5
Samsung is going back to the Cupertino well. Photo: Samsung

Just days after being told to stop ripping off Apple’s designs, Samsung is reportedly getting ready to “borrow” another of Cupertino’s ideas — this time with a program for leasing its Galaxy handsets to U.S. customers, much like Apple announced two weeks back with its iPhone Upgrade Program.

Apple focuses on Apple Music playlists for its exclusive Emmys ad

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Screen Shot 2015-09-21 at 10.30.30
Apple Music's latest ad brings out the celebs.
Photo: Apple

Apple debuted a new star-studded ad for Apple Music during last night’s 2015 Emmy Awards, featuring singer Mary J. Blige, Scandal actress Kerry Washington, and Hustle & Flow actress Taraji P. Henson.

The ad focuses on the curated playlists of Apple Music, which is a feature Apple has been focusing on to differentiate itself from rival music services.

You can check it out below:

Apple cleans up the App Store after biggest security lapse in history

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Apple has lost its third appeal for ownership of the term App Store in Oz. Photo: Apple
Malicious code is causing Apple to remove hundreds of apps from the App Store.
Photo: Apple

Apple is removing hundreds of apps from the App Store after discovering that they contain a malicious program called XcodeGhost.

In the entire lifespan of the App Store, Apple has only previously found five malicious apps — making this easily the single biggest security lapse in App Store history.

Save up to 98% & arm yourself with the tools and knowledge of the digital creative’s trade [Deals]

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Learn the essential skills and software used by professional designers and animators.
Learn the essential skills and software used by professional designers and animators.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Whether you’re a designer, animator, or any other kind of creative, your work requires skill, taste and, just as importantly, tools. Whether you’re making 3D architectural schematics, designing signage, or crafting a post-Internet seapunk masterpiece in MS Paint, we’ve assembled some of the best gear and lessons to empower your work at some of the lowest prices you’ll see. Check them out now, these deals will only be around for another day or two.

The clock’s ticking on these massive discounts for gear, gadgets and more [Deals]

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NetSpot Pro Wi-Fi Optimizer makes it possible to visualize and fix Wi-Fi signal problems at home or in the office.
NetSpot Pro Wi-Fi Optimizer makes it possible to visualize and fix Wi-Fi signal problems at home or in the office.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Summer’s slipping away and so are these deals on essential tech, toys, and lessons. From mini drones to universal charging stations to photography lessons, there’s something here for anyone and any budget. But with just a few days left, the time to act is now.

The new and noteworthy of iOS 9 and our favorite tips and tricks on the CultCast

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Brace yourselves.  Picture-in-picture is coming... to your iPad.
Brace yourselves. Picture-in-picture is coming... to your iPad.
Photo: Apple

This week: we review the new and notable features of iOS 9, and some lesser-known features you should definitely be using. Plus: why you probably should’ve gotten the 128GB iPhone; a legit way to save 20% off your next Apple purchase; and what we love and don’t about iCloud storage.

And, we all love the sweeping musical scores that define our favorite movies and videos games, but have you ever wondered who creates them? Composer Gareth Coker, creator of the Ori and the Blind Forest score, joins us to talk about the process of creating a cinematic score from scratch, how music and technology are more intertwined than ever, and what it’s like to work as a modern day video game and movie composer.

Has Apple Watch helped you get in shape?

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Join the Cult of Mac club on Strava and share your fitness story
Join the Cult of Mac club on Strava and share your fitness story
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

Apple Watch has been on our wrists for just five months and yet it is already having an amazing impact on many people’s lives.

We want to find out how Cult of Mac readers are using Cupertino’s fitness tech to get in shape, so we’re inviting everyone to share their inspiring stories. Plus, we’ve set up a new Cult of Mac club on Strava so you can connect with other readers who are into fitness.

How iOS 9’s Wi-Fi Assist frees users from slow connections

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Name-changer: Passbook is  called Wallet in iOS 9.
iOS 9's Wi-Fi Assist hopes to help you keep your connection strong.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

A new, slightly hidden feature in iOS 9 hopes to help keep your connection as strong as possible.

Apple’s latest version of its mobile firmware contains a lot of obvious changes (Passbook is now called Wallet, for example), but a lot of the biggest and best changes are buried away just waiting for you to discover them. One of these hidden gems is the Wi-Fi Assist feature, which might just solve one of the most annoying issues we saw in earlier versions of the operating system.

Here’s what it is and how it can help you.