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5 apps that showcase 3D Touch’s true potential

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Third-party apps are already jumping on board with 3D Touch and so should you.
Photo: Apple

So, you’re one of 13 million people to get a brand new iPhone 6S over the launch weekend. Congratulations, you now have access to a faster phone — potentially a rose gold one, better cameras, stronger aluminum and of course, 3D Touch. The latter is actually extremely useful, but it’s only as useful as developers allow.

Since the feature is brand new, 3D Touch mostly works with Apple’s stock iOS apps for quick application shortcuts on the Home screen, plus Peek and Pop inside apps to preview different types of content. A few productive developers saw the light and quickly updated their apps to support this drastically new way to use an iPhone.

You can tell that the future is very bright for 3D Touch as developers are just getting started figuring out how to unlock all of its potential. Until we reach that 3D utopia, here are five terrific apps that already do Apple’s latest innovation plenty of justice.

iPhone 6s review: Pretty on the outside, a beast on the inside

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iPhone 6s
Apple hits another home run.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

iPhone 6s is a mirror image of its predecessor at first glance, but thanks to improved internals and innovative new technology, it’s very much a different beast.

With Apple’s latest A9 processor, a new 12-megapixel iSight camera, Live Photos, and 3D Touch, this is much, much more than just an “incremental” iPhone upgrade. It’s the iPhone that will change the way you use your iPhone. It’s Apple most exciting smartphone in years.

Early tests show iPhone 6s is nearly two times faster than rest of the industry

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Keep your Amazon details safe with two-step verification.
Keep your Amazon details safe with two-step verification.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

The iPhone 6s is so fast, not only does it destroy the iPhone 6 in speed tests, it tops the iPad Air 2 and every Android device on the market, according to initial benchmark tests.

Apple’s engineers managed to make some huge GPU improvements on the iPhone 6s thanks to new technology that allows the the A9 chip to deliver higher performance and lower power consumption. According to early benchmarks by tech gurus at AnandTech, all the improvements add up to make the iPhone 6s nearly twice as fast as the rest of the industry.

In some benchmarks, the iPhone 6s nearly tops the Surface Pro 3:

Tiny Polaroid ZIP is a selfie printer for your smartphone

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The Polaroid ZIP printer instantly makes prints from your smartphone or tablet.
The Polaroid ZIP printer instantly makes prints from your smartphone or tablet.
Photo: David Pierini/Cult of Mac

If the fear of loss doesn’t persuade you to print the pictures on your smartphone, perhaps your curiosity about cool gadgets will. In this case, consider the Polaroid ZIP photo printer.

It is a tiny ink-free printer slightly bigger than a deck of cards that, with an easy-to-use app, lets you make small prints from your phone or tablet. The photos are the size of a business card, adding charm and fun to the photo sharing experience.

Crack into a vast library of custom icons for any design with the Noun Project – 85% off [Deals]

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The Noun Project is a collection of more than 150,000 beautifully rendered, royalty-free icons.
The Noun Project is a collection of more than 150,000 beautifully rendered, royalty-free icons.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Symbols have been key to the way humans express ideas for millennia, and and as visual communications get supercharged by the internet, designers can never have too many options. The universal power of symbols inspired the creators of the Noun Project, a massive collection of royalty-free icons meant to empower designers with the means to visually express almost any idea. Right now, you can get two years of unlimited access to the Noun Project’s archives for just $39.

Third-party service claims to be offering Apple Music for Android beta

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Apple Music should be available on Android soon. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android
Apple Music should be available on Android soon. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android

We’ve heard very little about the official Apple Music app for Android since the service was announced back in June, but now a third-party company claims to be running a new beta program on Apple’s behalf.

Betabound is giving Android users the opportunity to register their interest in Apple Music for a chance to get early access — but we’re not totally sure it can be trusted.

TV station shelves expensive gear to report the news with iPhones

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A reporter from Léman Bleu in Switzerland executes a live standup with an iPhone 6 on a selfie stick.
A reporter from Léman Bleu in Switzerland executes a live standup with an iPhone 6 on a selfie stick.
Photo: Léman Bleu/FTVLive

The Apple advertising campaign “Shot on iPhone 6” can now be a line on the closing credits of a Swiss news station, which now does 100 percent of its broadcasts on the iPhone.

During the summer, Léman Bleu gave each of its reporters an iPhone 6 kit to shoot their stories and use for live shots. That means a reporter with a mic in one hand can use the free hand to grip a selfie stick for live standup shots.

Russia’s upset again about Apple’s ‘gay propaganda’ campaign

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Won't someone think of the children?!
Photo: Apple

Apple is presenting gay propaganda with its same-sex emoticons — and Russia isn’t Putin up with it any more!

According to a new report, the Russian police are stepping up their investigation of Apple for “promoting homosexuality” with its range of LGBT-friendly emojis.

And the punishment could be a whopping 800,000 to 1 million rubles — which is roughly what Apple makes in 2.5 seconds, if our calculations are correct.

Steve Jobs told Mark Zuckerberg to make a spiritual pilgrimage to India

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Steve Jobs had plenty of advice for young entrepreneurs.
Photo: Ben Stanfield/Flickr CC

Every Apple fan is likely familiar with Steve Jobs’ pilgrimage to India, during which he formulated some of the ideas that would serve him so well in the future.

But did you know that, years later, Jobs would suggest that fellow entrepreneurs follow in his path by visiting the same mountain Kainchi Dham Ashram temple that he once had?

According to a new story told by Mark Zuckerberg, that’s exactly the advice that Jobs once laid out for the then-green Facebook CEO. And Zuckerberg was pleased to take him up on his advice.

Apple sold record 13 million iPhone 6s units this weekend

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how-iphone-6s-stacks-up-against-android-rivals-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201509Screen-Shot-2015-09-09-at-203842-png
Apple sold record-breaking numbers of the iPhone 6s in its launch weekend.
Photo: Apple

The iPhone 6s and 6s Plus have sold a record 13 million handsets in their first three days on the market, according to Apple.

“Sales for iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus have been phenomenal, blowing past any previous first weekend sales results in Apple’s history,” said Tim Cook.

India’s Prime Minister meets with Tim Cook

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Tim Cook shakes hands with Narendra Modi.
Photo: DeshGujaratHD

Apple may be one step closer to bringing Apple Pay and a permanent manufacturing base in India, following a meeting between India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Tim Cook.

“Cook responded positively,” India’s Ministry of External Affairs spokesman Vikas Swarup said after the meeting. “I think India does fits into his long term plans.”

H2-Woah! iPhone 6s may be secretly waterproof

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Water way to put your new iPhone 6s through its paces.
Photo: Zach Straley

Apple hasn’t advertised the iPhone 6s as being waterproof, but it seems that the new handset (unofficially) isn’t totally adverse to taking a dip.

In a new video test, YouTuber Zach Straley submerged both the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus in a bowl of water and let them sit there for an hour, powered up.

While the test certainly isn’t comprehensive — and we recommend all Cult of Mac readers leave their new handsets on dry land — it certainly bodes well if you happen to accidentally drop your iPhone 6s in the bath or down the toilet sometime in the next year.

iSorry: Aaron Sorkin apologizes to Tim Cook

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Aaron Sorkin says both men were out of line with their comments.
Photo: WEBN-TV/Flickr CC

Tim Cook and Steve Jobs screenwriter Aaron Sorkin had a war of words last week.

First off, Cook made some disparaging comments about the upcoming movie biopic on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert — prompting Sorkin to lash back by criticizing Apple for employing a “factory full of children in China” who are paid “17 cents an hour” for building iPhones. Ouch!

It seems that PR types have worked their dark magic calmer heads have prevailed, however, because in a new interview, Sorkin says that him and Cook “probably both went a little too far” with their comments.

Pope’s arrival in America greeted by a sea of smartphones

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popes-arrival-in-america-greeted-by-a-sea-of-smartphones-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads20150921646304072_7f298bf6fa_h-jpg
Pope Francis gets engulfed by eager smartphone users in Washington, DC.
Photo: IIP Photo Archive/Flickr CC
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Pope Francis gets engulfed by eager smartphone users in Washington, DC. Photo: IIP Photo Archive/Flickr CC

Pope Francis landed on U.S. soil for the first time last week on Tuesday, September 22. He has talked to victims of sexual abuse, spoke out about his views on immigration and gave several moving speeches across the country. However, the pope was also able to impact American culture in a way that is completely unintentional: he put the mobile phone revolution on giant display.

The last time a pope visited the United States was back in April 2008 when Pope Benedict XVI was still at the reigns of Catholicism. A lot has happened in seven years. Modern smartphones were only starting to become prevalent back then. Apple had just released the first iPhone less than a year ago and Android was still in development.

The change in our culture needs no explanation because photos of crowds swarming Pope Francis through his journey across America manage to say it all. Crowds glow with endless displays.

An Apple car in 2019 and the pros and cons of iPhone 6s on The CultCast

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Ain't she purty?
Ain't she purty?
Photo: Apple

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: The embargoes have lifted and the iPhone 6s reviews are in. We’ll tell you what folks love — and don’t –about Apple’s newest iPhone. Plus: Apple car coming in 2019; why we love the new watchOS 2 update; and, with our three-month Apple Music trials running out, we ponder — is the service worth paying for?

Our thanks to Lynda for supporting this episode. Lynda is like the Apple Music of online education, with more than 3,000 expert-taught video courses you can stream straight to computer or mobile device. Learn how to use Logic’s new super-powerful Alchemy synth, or develop Mac apps for OS X — learn all you want for free for 10 days at lynda.com/cultcast.

Now is your last chance to save over 50% on the award-winning Scrivener 2 [Deals]

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Scrivener reinvents writing on the computer, making ideas, sources, and text available all at once.
Scrivener reinvents writing on the computer, making ideas, sources, and text available all at once.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Write anything longer than a couple paragraphs or involving more than a couple sources of research, and the computer can quickly become a confusing morass of pages, websites, and notes. Scrivener 2 cuts through the computerized clutter, making it easy to simultaneously outline ideas, take notes, and view research without flitting between pages and programs. It’s an invaluable tool for anybody who writes with any degree of regularity, and right now is your last chance to get it for $19.50 at Cult of Mac Deals.

A delivery service for geeks? Yep, that’s a thing now [Deals]

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Get geeky gear, artwork, clothes, and more from top brands and franchises delivered every month.
Get geeky gear, artwork, clothes, and more from top brands and franchises delivered every month.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

There’s never been a better time to be called a geek — the term has come to describe a culture represented by some of the biggest films, TV shows, games and gatherings in the whole world. Those who speak geek love to express their fandom for the fantastic in the tangible form of gear, collectibles, toys, apparel, artwork. Loot Crate delivers all of the above and more right to your door each month, and right now you can get a 3-month subscription for just $49.

Kahney’s Korner: iPhone 6s unboxing special

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Check out our unboxing of Apple's new iPhone 6s Plus below.
Check out our unboxing of Apple's new iPhone 6s Plus below.
Photo: Cult of Mac

It takes years to understand the appeal of the unboxing video. On the face of it, they’re very silly. And yet unboxing is one of digital video’s most popular and enduring genres.

Who wants to see someone else opening the box of a brand new gadget? Wouldn’t you want to do it yourself?

And therein lies their appeal — the vicarious pleasure of seeing a stranger enjoy a gadget you covet.

With that, here’s our contribution to the genre: Cult of Mac’s first unboxing video. Watch in enraptured fascination as we take the iPhone 6s Plus from its box.

Cult of Mac Magazine Special Edition: iPhone 6s Super Guide

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All that you need to know about Apple's greatest iPhone yet.
All that you need to know about Apple's greatest iPhone yet.
Cover Deign: Stephen Smith/Cult of Mac

We’re excited! This week marks the launch of our brand-new Cult of Mac Magazine app, version 2.0!

We’ve redesigned it to make it even easier to get all of the best Cult of Mac content in a version that’s optimized for touchscreen displays. Just zoom in with your finger and thumb to pull up a story. When you get to the end, it will automatically bring up the next one.

We’ve created a special issue for you this week, as well, as we bring you our iPhone 6s Super Guide, chock-full of handy info on setting up that brand new shiny iPhone 6s or 6s Plus, along with a ton of great tips on using Apple’s latest iOS 9 like a crazy bossman.

Download the brand new Cult of Mac Magazine app from iTunes right now, and you’ll get all this, and more, absolutely free.

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

Aaron Sorkin to Tim Cook: ‘You’ve got a lot of nerve’

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aaron-sorkin
"Steve Jobs" screenwriter isn't too thrilled with Tim Cook.
Photo: WEBN-TV/Flickr CC

Aaron Sorkin, the screenwriter for the upcoming Steve Jobs movie, didn’t hold back his feelings about Tim Cook’s recent comments. Sorkin said that Cook has “a lot of nerve” calling his film “opportunistic,” which seems to imply that the filmmakers are capitalizing on Steve Jobs’ death. Sorkin threw additional shots too.

Pro Tip: How to fine-tune 3D Touch sensitivity

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Try not to bust that thing, ok? You just got it.
Try not to bust that thing, ok? You just got it.
Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac

Pro Tip Cult of Mac bug You don’t have to press so hard on your expensive new iPhone 6s or 6s Plus to get the groundbreaking 3D Touch working easily.

We’ve all been looking forward to this killer UI upgrade, but some users say they’re worried about breaking their new iPhone screens because they’re pushing so hard to get the “pop” level of 3D Touch.

Here’s how to make this a little easier to use.

11 killer iPhone 6s tips everyone needs to know

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3D Touch is just... awesome!
3D Touch is just... awesome!
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Even though the iPhone 6s look identical to its predecessor, using the new smartphone is actually way different thanks to 3D Touch and the new Peek and Pop gestures that essentially provide wormholes to other apps. Getting up to speed with the new input method can take some time, so we’ve compiled a list of all the sweet little features you probably didn’t know about.

Here are 11 killer iPhone 6s tips to help you master your new device:

Pro Tip: Get Facebook Messenger to stop buzzing you during chats

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And you thought all those Facebook messages were private. Sucker!
Thanks, Facebook.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

Facebook Messenger keeps buzzing at me while I’m in the app itself. It’s annoying.

It seems like I’m getting messaged more and more via Facebook Messenger these days as my buddies and family take to the mobile messaging platform to connect in real time.

But the incessant buzzing, when I’m right there staring at the conversation, has got to stop. Here’s how I did it.

3D Touch is killer UI; here’s how to best use it

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3Dtouch
Quick Actions are the best thing about 3D Touch.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

If you’re trying your best to resist an iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus, do not walk into an Apple Store and try 3D Touch. Once you’ve had a taste of it, your smartphone simply won’t feel complete without it.

Here are four ways in which 3D Touch makes life a lot sweeter.