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Apple is a step closer to bringing Apple Pay to the U.K.

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Apple in talks to bring Apple Pay to Israel
Apple Pay is headed to the U.K. in 2015. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple Pay is set to arrive in the U.K. during the first half of 2015, according to a recent report from The Telegraph newspaper, which states that Apple is in talks with top banks in the country.

If true, this report backs up what Cult of Mac wrote recently, noting that Apple recently advertised for a new employee to help “drive the roll-out” of mobile payments in Europe and elsewhere.

But there are likely to be a few teething problems along the way.

Over Christmas, Minecraft: Pocket Edition won the App Store

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Minecraft won Christmas 2014. Photo: Mojang
Minecraft won Christmas 2014. Photo: Mojang

When people opened up their brand new iPhones and iPads for Christmas, what was the first app they were most likely to download?

Well, the data’s in, and it looks like Minecraft: Pocket Edition had a pretty great Christmas, raking in more money in holiday sales than any other game in the world.

Here’s your chance to be in the Steve Jobs movie

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If you ever wanted to be front row center for the 2007 launch of the iPhone, it may not be too late! Photo: Ben Stanfield/Flickr CC
Photo: Ben Stanfield/Flickr CC

Aaron Sorkin and Danny Boyle’s troubled Steve Jobs movie has had difficulty holding onto its cast members, but there’s a way you can help change that: by putting yourself forward for a role.

Beau Bonneau Casting is looking for San Francisco-based extras to appear in the movie when it starts shooting in late January 2015.

Here’s everything you’ll need to do to stand a chance at making the movie, just in case you ever wanted to be in the audience for one of Apple’s product launches (and, frankly, who wouldn’t?).

iOS devices dominate online Christmas shopping stats

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Photo: Wikipedia
"And what do your online Christmas shopping stats say, young man?" Photo: Wikipedia CC

It was a great Christmas for iOS, according to new figures released by IBM, which monitored mobile traffic for online shopping over the holidays.

What it discovered was that a massive 57.1 percent of online shopping via a mobile device was carried out using an iPhone or iPad: up 8.3 percent compared to the previous year.

While no direct explanations were drawn, this has to be due to the enormous success of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, which some analysts have predicted was set to sell a massive 71.5 million units over the festive season.

This machine uses an iPhone to sort M&M’s by color

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This M&M sorting machine is powered with an iPhone. Photo: Cult of Mac
This M&M's-sorting machine is powered with an iPhone. Photo: Cult of Mac

Let’s face it. Deep in our hearts, we all know some colored M&M’s taste better than others. For me, it’s the red and green ones; for my wife, it’s the brown and orange ones. And Van Halen famously stipulated in all its contracts that the band should never be served any brown M&M’s, requiring some lowly stagehand to pick them all out by hand from a bowl before every show.

These days, things would be easier. Case in point: This simple machine, which was custom-rigged out of just an iPhone and an Arduino to individually sort M&M’s by color, no human intervention required.

iOS dev pays off his parents’ mortgage for Christmas

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Developer Joe Riquelme paid off his parents' mortgage for Christmas. Photo: Joe Riquelme
Developer Joe Riquelme paid off his parents' mortgage for Christmas. Photo: Joe Riquelme

Riding high on the success of his iPhone video editing app Videoshop, developer Joe Riquelme decided to splurge on his parents for Christmas.

How much did he splurge? Let’s just say that he made every other kid on Earth look like little ingrates by comparison.

He paid off his parents’ mortgage in full. And he documented it for the rest of us, just so we could share in the joy.

Jimmy Iovine is lining up artists for more iTunes-exclusive albums

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Apple has big ambitions for its new music streaming service.
Could more exclusives be in iTunes' future? Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Beats co-founder Jimmy Iovine is in fresh talks with the world’s top musicians, in hopes of landing more exclusive album deals for iTunes, reports The New York Post.

Apple is looking to replicate the success Beyonce had with her exclusive iTunes album in December 2013, by signing other hot artists to drop their albums early on Beats Music and iTunes. But according to industry sources, the idea of artists making side deals with streaming services is not going over well with record label executives.

Did Marc Newson design the iPhone 5c case?

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Do these sneakers look a lot like the iPhone 5c case to you? Photo: Nike
Do these sneakers look a lot like the iPhone 5c case to you? Photo: Nike

Nike is re-releasing the Zvezdochka, a line of space-inspired sneakers first designed for the company 10 years ago by Marc Newson, Jony Ive’s BFF and Apple’s newest star designer.

Notice anything about them? Yup. They look just like the iPhone 5c case. Got to make you wonder if the iPhone 5c case was designed by Newson, don’t you think?

Granny mistakes piece of Christmas chocolate for an iPhone

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If you’re like me, you’ve probably had that experience of giving an older relative a gift of tech for the holidays, only for it to go unappreciated. In this absolutely priceless video, though, one family turns that situation on its head, tricking their very sweet grandmother into thinking she’s been given an iPhone she has absolutely no use for… until she discovers it’s made of chocolate!

It’s back: The limited-edition Code Black Drone with HD Camera [Deals]

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CoM_Black Hawk Drone

Quadcopters are a lot of fun, especially when they come equipped with a high definition camera. They allow you to take professional looking video and offer a unique vantage point with which to view your surroundings.

Now you can get a quadcopter that has those exact characteristics with Cult of Mac Deals’ exclusive and limited edition Code Black Drone with HD Camera. Pre-order yours now for only $89 with free US shipping.

5 great TV shows you should catch up on over the holidays

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Prepare to meet -- and subsequently love -- Ron Swanson. Photo: NBC
Prepare to meet -- and subsequently love -- Ron Swanson. Photo: NBC

A lot of TV happens every day, and it’s understandable if you can’t watch all of it. Maybe you have a job or read or something. But now, the holidays have given you the gift of several days off with nothing to do but open presents, eat and watch television, so you might as well make up for lost time.

Here are five TV shows you should cram into your face like so much Christmas goose before you have to go back to work.

Your biggest online security mistakes (and how to avoid them)

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Don't let online hackers get into your home...directory. Photo: Scott Schiller/CC
Don't let online hackers get into your home ... directory. Photo: Scott Schiller/Flickr CC Flickr

We all make compromises daily when it comes to online security. Everybody wants to be safe and secure when making purchases online, but practically none of us do everything necessary to keep our data secure.

“People, myself included, are basically lazy,” web developer Joe Tortuga told Cult of Mac, “and ease of use is inversely related to security. If it’s too difficult, then people just won’t do it.”

With all the recent hacks into private as well as corporate data — like the credit card grab from Home Depot and the hack into Sony’s files, there’s no better time to learn some of the things we all can do to protect ourselves. We spoke to some online security experts to get their advice.

The 12 biggest moments for Apple in 2014

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iPhone 6 Plus. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
Looking back on the hits from Apple's blockbuster year. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
Photo:

2014 was an absolutely monumental year for Apple. Haters will hate, but one thing can’t be denied: This is a company that refuses to rest on its laurels.

Under Tim Cook’s leadership, Apple debuted a new product category with the Apple Watch, sold a record number of new iPhones, made the biggest acquisition in its history, and successfully sent its suffering stock price back into the stratosphere.

The company wasn’t without its missteps, but all in all, it’s hard to call 2014 anything short of a blow-away year for Apple.

Happy holidays from Cult of Mac!

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Santa_Steve_HD

Happy holidays everyone, however you celebrate it: Merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah, kickin’ Kwanzaa and a tipsy New Year!

We trust you’re in the company of family and friends, stuffing your faces and giving and receiving in the best spirit of the holidays.

5 bite-size TV series you can watch in a day

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Neil de Grasse Tyson (front) and your blown mind in Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey. Photo: Fox
Neil de Grasse Tyson (front) and your mind in Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey. Photo: Fox

Now that you have some time off for the holidays, you might be looking for something to do. Sure, you could spend some time with your family, but honestly, how long can you do that before you’re trying to escape to watch something on your phone or tablet?

If you want a sense of accomplishment from your couch-potatoing, here are five TV series you can watch in their entirety between breakfast and bedtime.

Name Your Own Price: Get amazing bundles and pay what you want [Deals]

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CoM_NYOP_Must_Have_Mac_Bundle

Every once in a while, Cult of Mac Deals offers the chance for customers to get an even better deal than usual. They are called Name Your Own Price bundles, and with them you have the chance to get something incredible for as little as you want to pay while at the same time making the world a better place.

In each of today’s highlighted NYOP deals, 10% of what you agree to pay will go to your choice of one of three charities: Child’s Play, World Wildlife Fund, or Creative Commons. Read on to get great deals on Mac apps, e-learning bundles, and WordPress themes.

Why you should watch The Interview (even if it might suck)

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Bust terrorists in the balls by seeing The Interview. Photo © 2014 CTMG
Bust terrorists in the balls by seeing The Interview. Photo: Sony Pictures

Whether you head to a theater or stream it in the comfort of your home, you really ought to watch The Interview this weekend.

The action-comedy, about two journalists on a mission to assassinate North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un, has become the unlikely must-see movie of the Christmas break — and it’s your patriotic duty to see it, like it or not.

The Interview isn’t on iTunes, but it’s still easy to watch on Apple TV

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Photo: Sony Pictures
Photo: Sony Pictures

The Interview has been made available for streaming and purchase online ahead of its theatrical release Christmas Day. YouTube Movies, Google Play, Xbox Videos, and a dedicated website are all offering the controversial comedy for $5.99 to rent and $14.99 to own in HD.

Notably absent from the list of streaming providers is Apple, which refused the chance to make the movie available through iTunes. But that doesn’t mean you can’t stream “James Flacco” and Seth Rogen’s North Korean escapades on your Apple TV or iOS device.

Spend Christmas Eve tracking Santa’s journey from your iPhone

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Follow Santa' magical journey from the comfort of your iPhone or iPad. Photo: NORAD

There are plenty of festive apps out there, but one of the quirkiest and most fun is the NORAD Tracks Santa app, which lets you keep real time tabs on Jolly Old Saint Nick as he carries out his gift-dispensing journey around the globe.

As one of the foremost authorities on tracking man-made objects in space, the North American Aerospace Defense Command has been tracking Santa’s progress for many years now. For those who don’t want to use the app, its possible to visit the Santa Tracker website, or check out the updates on Twitter.

Apple could rely on Foxconn for its sapphire iPhone screens

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Could Gorilla Glass soon be even better than sapphire? Photo: Corning Glass
Foxconn might be helping Apple out on the sapphire front.

Foxconn might get in on Apple’s sapphire business for future iPhones, according to a source speaking with Cult of Mac.

While Foxconn has no actual experience growing sapphire, it is reportedly very interested in the material, and has been actively pursuing various sapphire related patents over the past several years.

Foxconn’s array of sapphire patents include LCD displays with sapphire, protective sapphire covers, methods of sapphire growth, as well as a laser process to cut sapphire substrates to eliminate the need for grinding and polishing.

Load up your iPad with 2014’s best comics

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Coming off a brilliant Gail Simone run, Batgirl has a new writing team, a new costume, and a whole new sensibility. Her exploits are still superhero-centric, fighting off bad guys (and gals) across a variety of settings. What's new here is Barbara Gordon's life as a college student in current times. She's navigating social reality, dealing with dating apps and other bits of current technology that puts the action clearly in today's world. Babs Gordon is a young woman living in our world with the typical issues that plague all young women in our society. And then the whole crime-fighting thing. It's a fun read, and worth your comic dollars.
Photo: DC Comics
Batgirl is a hero for the Instagram age. Photo: DC Comics

From perfect superhero books to quirky indie hits, the comics scene circa 2014 is about as varied as it’s ever been.

If you’re looking for some four-color reading recommendations over the holidays, look no further than Cult of Mac’s list showcasing the year’s finest comics. Whether it’s DC’s best-ever take on Batgirl, or Bryan Lee O’Malley’s eagerly awaited follow-up to the superb Scott Pilgrim series, there truly is something for everybody.