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Apple TV gets four new channels and YouTube redesign

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The new YouTube experience on Apple TV has ads. Blech.  Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac
Apple TV adds three new channels. Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac

Apple TV received a huge update this morning with four new channels getting added to the lineup, plus a completely redesigned YouTube channel that makes it easier to find your favorite viral videos.

MMA-addicts will be happy to hear that a dedicated UFC channel was added this morning, along with Fusion, Dailymotion, and Conde Nast’s new offering The Scene, giving users more free video content options than ever.

Brooklyn hipsters get an Apple Store to call their own

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A-rendering-of-247-Bedford-Avenue
A CGI rendering showing how Apple's first Brooklyn store may well look when it opens in 2015. Photo: The Real Deal

Apple is set to open its seventh New York Apple Store, with its long-awaited first brick-and-mortar retail premises in Brooklyn. The store will be located at 247 Bedford Avenue, on the corner of North 3rd Street, according to The New York Post.

The Brooklyn store boasts an impressive 20,000-square-feet of space over two floors. Prior to opening, the building will be refurbished, with the highlights being dramatic arching windows which will keep the space airy and light. Work is set to be completed in April 2015.

5 new comic book series you should start reading now

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comics-you-should-read
Sure, comic books are an old art form, dating back to the 1930s in American culture. The four-color sequential art format has had some major success as well as several dips in its fortunes over the intervening eighty years, but the comic book is very much alive and well at this point in time, thanks to a resurgence of the comic book movies and television series currently in vogue.

There are so many new books out there as a result, that it’s hard to choose which ones to pick up and read when you head to your local comic book shop (still the way most of us get our comics). If you’re picking up two to three-dollar single issues, things can add up quickly. That’s why we’re here — to get you a sampling of the finest comics your money should buy, right now. Scroll through the images above to see what we’ve put together for you.

Photo: Rob LeFebvre, Cult of Mac

DIY electric train lets you build your own Polar Express

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Transform copper wire, magnets and a battery into a simple electric train. Screen grab from Amazing Science YouTube video
Transform copper wire, magnets and a battery into a simple electric train. Screengrab: Amazing Science

For the kid expecting a Lionel model train set under the Christmas tree, unwrapping a pack of copper wire, a couple of magnets and a battery is sure to disappoint.

But show them how to make a train out of those items, and you just might spark their curiosity and instill a love of science. Now that’s a gift — here’s how it works.

Awesome gift ideas for the coolest creatives

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The Wacom Intuos is like a touchpad you can draw on. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
The Wacom Intuos is like a touchpad you can draw on. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

A Mac is the ultimate tool for creatives — you’ll find Apple computers littered throughout graphic design houses, music and video studios, marketing agencies and newsrooms.

Chances are, if you know a creative, you know a Mac user.

So, what are you going to buy them for Christmas? If you’re stuck for ideas, let us help.

Our gift guide for creatives will help you pick the perfect present.

Whether you’re looking for an affordable stocking stuffer or a budget-breaking gesture they’ll never forget, we’ve got you covered.

Apple antitrust hearing will continue despite every plaintiff being disqualified

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Steve Jobs introducing the iPod mini. Photo: Apple
Steve Jobs introducing the iPod mini. Photo: Apple

A class action suit accusing Apple of violating antitrust laws with the iPod and iTunes will continue — despite every plaintiff in the case being disqualified.

U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers disqualified the last remaining plaintiff in the case on Monday, after Apple’s lawyers successfully argued that she did not buy any of the iPods she is seeking damages for.

Apple wanted the case thrown out of court, but Judge Rogers has given the plaintiff lawyers one more chance: ordering them to find more iPod customers ready to step into the case. The qualifications of these new plaintiffs will be analysed at a hearing on Tuesday, to take place out of earshot of the jury.

U.K. Amazon customers may get drone delivery ahead of the U.S.

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It’s been a while since we’ve heard a peep from Jeff Bezos, regarding his plans to deliver Amazon packages by drone — and now we know why: he’s busy battling the Federal Aviation Administration regarding the use of unmanned aircraft.

Amazon sought permission from the FAA back in July to test drones near to Seattle, but the FAA has apparently been slow to grant its approval.

Bezos reportedly has a plan, though, and it means that U.K. Amazon users may be able to try out the bold new delivery system ahead of their American cousins, since Amazon is threatening to its drone research overseas if it doesn’t get permission to test-fly in the U.S. soon.

Natalie Portman is latest actor to shun Steve Jobs movie

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Photo: Mira (on the wall)/Flickr CC
Excited about seeing Natalie Portman in a Steve Jobs movie? Prepare to be disappointed. Photo: Mira (on the wall)/Flickr CC

Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin previously claimed that Steve Jobs’ life was rich enough that it could make 10 movies. Based on the evidence we’ve been presented with, however, it’s having a tough enough time making one.

This week’s setback is the news that Natalie Portman, who was reportedly in talks to play a role in the movie, has decided to part ways with the project for unknown reasons.

This is the latest in a long line of challenges for the movie adaptation of Walter Isaacson’s bestselling movie. Multiple A-list actors and directors passed on the project early on, before Sorkin’s handpicked Steve Jobs thesp Christian Bale was cast as Apple’s co-founder, only to later throw in the towel.

Most recently, the movie was put up for sale by its original studio Sony, which wound up selling to Universal Studios for development costs only.

How to build a gaming Hackintosh on the cheap: assembly

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Let's build. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
Let's build. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Now that we’ve got all the parts for our Hackintosh, it’s time to put them all together. This is the really fun part of this project: You’re turning processors and chips and motherboards into a working computer that’s going to do all kinds of things for you.

You’ll get an incredible sense of satisfaction at the end — especially if you’re building a computer for the first time.

In this piece, I’ll walk you through the building process from start to finish.

Building a computer is actually a pretty simple process — much simpler than most people realize. So long as you’re careful with the components and you make sure you’re installing them in the right places, there’s little chance anything will go wrong.

Apple’s weird iCloud Drive rule could cripple apps

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Apple announced the ability for third-party apps to share files at WWDC in June. Photo: Roberto Baldwin/ The Next Web
Apple announced the ability for third-party apps to share files at WWDC in June. Photo: Roberto Baldwin/ The Next Web

Apple’s new interpretation of a particular iOS 8 feature could severely cripple countless third-party apps like Dropbox and Evernote.

The new interpretation came to light after Panic, a very respected indie developer, was told to remove the ability to send files to iCloud Drive in its file transfer app Transmit. And because of the way iOS 8 is designed, the app can no longer send files to any other storage provider.

What’s worse is that Apple provided little to no explanation for why it was implementing the policy change, and there’s no telling which app will forced to comply next.

Apple Stores might let Bose products back in for Christmas

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Be cool. Stay in school.
Is there room for Bose now that Apple has Beats? Photo: Beats
Photo: Beats

Bose’s lineup of headphones and speakers were kicked out of the Apple Store earlier this year after the company filed a patent lawsuit against Beats Electronics, but now that the beef has been squashed, it appears that Apple is having a change of heart.

Apple Stores are set to bring Bose products back to shelves in time for Christmas, according to a source at iGen.fr, which claims some stores have already received inventory.

Tim Cook shortlisted for Time’s ‘Person of the Year’ award

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Life is good for Tim Cook in 2015. Photo: Apple
Life has been good for Tim Cook in 2014. Photo: Apple

Tim Cook has been shortlisted again for Time magazine’s Person of the Year award following a remarkable year that saw record stock prices, iPhone sales, and the Apple Watch, as well as Tim Cook opening up about his personal life.

Steve Jobs never managed to earn the Person of the Year award, but Tim could become the first Apple CEO to nab the honors if he manages to beat out Vladimir Putin, Jack Ma, and Ebola.

Legendary game Grim Fandango gets a glorious makeover

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Now we can all play this classic adventure game on our Macs. Photo: DoubleFine Productions
Now we can all play this classic adventure game on our Macs. Photo: DoubleFine Productions

Classic adventure game Grim Fandango is getting a brand new coat of paint, with a newly restored version of the noir/Day of the Dead mashup coming to Mac and other gaming platforms in January.

The game will have all-new advanced lighting effects, high-resolution textures, and remastered audio for today’s high-end gaming devices. It wall also have all the charm and cleverness of Tim Schafer, the designer who created many other classics of the genre first at LucasArts, and later at his own company, DoubleFine Productions.

Grim Fandango is one of the more influential games of the late 1990s, with 3D environments and a high quality level of writing and plotting that is rarely seen in video games. This new version will bring the legendary title to a whole new generation of gamers, letting them experience the genius alongside those who just want to re-live the joy of the original game on a machine that they currently own.

This hot wearable turns you into the Human Torch

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The PYRO Fireshooter puts shooting fireballs in the palm of your hand. Screen grab from ellusionist.com
The PYRO Fireshooter puts fireballs in the palm of your hand. Screengrab: Ellusionist

Smartwatches may have a lot of firepower, but what about a wearable that lets you shoot actual flames from your hands?

The PYRO Fireshooter puts fireballs right up your sleeve. It attaches to the underside of the wrist and contains four individually triggered barrels, each able to launch a fireball 10 feet.

Gwen Stefani blasts Apple Pay users with surprises for MasterCard

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gwen-stafani
MasterCard is blasting Apple Pay users with surprises. Photo: MasterCard

MasterCard is keeping the Apple Pay party going with a new ad featuring Gwen Stefani who’s been armed with a ‘Surprise launcher’ to blast cardholders with sweet prizes each time they use Apple Pay.

The ad is part of MasterCard’s new Priceless Surprises campaign that rewards customers with everything from handbags and golf clubs, to concert tickets, or a chance to hangout with the No Doubt queen herself. Gwen’s new single “Spark the Fire” is featured in the playful new ad directed by Sophie Muller that also includes a cohort of fashionista minions to help hone her aim.

Check out the full ad below:

Orion’s computer is basically a radiation-proof G3 iBook

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Screen shot of Orion user interface controls: NASA
Screen shot of Orion user interface controls: NASA

NASA’s Orion spacecraft is the most futuristic spacecraft to ever be built, but the tech inside it is shockingly old school, like the onboard computer powering the entire mission, that’s basically only powerful as an 11 year old G3 iBook.

On Earth scientists are all about pursuing the bleeding edge of tech, but in space the number one concern is reliability. Thanks to the higher amounts of radiation astronauts will travel through on the way to Mars, NASA’s engineers have to use a system that’s been tried and test. So to power their computer they’re are using an IBM PowerPC 750FX, that debuted in 2002 and isn’t even as powerful as an iPhone 6.

Tim Cook gives China’s Internet minister a sneak peek at Apple Watch

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Cook welcomes China's Internet Minister to Apple. Photos: China.com.cn
Cook welcomes China's Internet Minister to Apple. Photos: China.com.cn

The minister of the Cyberspace Administration of China got a sneak peek at the Apple Watch during a recent visit to Apple’s Cupertino headquarters. Photos published by a state-owned website show Apple CEO Tim Cook demonstrating the device to Lu Wei, who also stopped by Facebook’s campus to meet Mark Zuckerberg.

Here are the winners of iTunes’ Best of 2014 awards

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Pop some bubbly for Apple's best apps, movies and games of the year. Photo: Andy Wright/Flickr CC
Pop some bubbly for Apple's best apps, movies and games of the year. Photo: Andy Wright/Flickr CC

Apple’s got some great things planned for 2015, but before we get there we need to look back at the year that was 2014.

With that in mind, today marks the release of the company’s annual iTunes Store awards — highlighting the best music, movies, books, podcasts, apps and games from one of Apple”s most eventful years in history.

If you’re looking for the best possible recommendations for enjoyably passing the time this holiday season (at least until Cult of Mac announce our own “best of 2014” lists), you can find out Apple’s list of winners after the jump:

Former Apple exec gets prison sentence and $4.5 million fine for leaks

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Photo: Michelangelo Carrieri/Flickr
Leaking Apple secrets for cash unsurprisingly comes with a hefty penalty. Photo: Michelangelo Carrieri/Flickr

A crooked former Apple manager will serve one year in prison and pay a whopping $4.5 million fine for leaking details of future Apple products.

Paul Shin Devine faced a maximum of 20 years behind bars for selling secrets to suppliers, which allowed them to negotiate more favorable deals with Apple. Devine was a global supply manager at Apple from 2005 until his arrest in 2010.

Three years ago he pleaded guilty to wire fraud, conspiracy and money laundering after his home was raided and investigators discovered more than $150,000 in cash hidden away in shoe boxes — with more cash apparently kept in safety deposit boxes.

British politician uses iPad to play Candy Crush during debate

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What could be more important than running a country? How about a quick game of Candy Crush? Photo: BBC
What could be more important than running a country? How about a quick game of Candy Crush? Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

A British politician has owned up to sneaking a quick game of Candy Crush Saga during a particularly dull parliamentary debate.

Nigel Mills, a Conservative MP for Amber Valley in the U.K., was photographed getting his Crush on during a Work and Pensions Committee debate. In a statement to tabloid newspaper The Sun, Mills admitted that his attention wandered during the session, at which point he turned to the sugary fun of freemium games for a pick-me-up.

“There was a bit of the meeting that I wasn’t focusing on and I probably had a game or two,” he said, adding that he shall “try not to do it in future.”

iPad Air 2’s versatility is the focus of Apple’s new ‘Change’ ad

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Photo: Apple
Photo: Apple

Over the weekend, Apple debuted its latest ad for the iPad Air 2, named “Change.” As with all of the ads in Apple’s “Your Verse” campaign for the first generation iPad Air, the upbeat “Change” demonstrates the flexibility of the iPad Air 2, as it’s used by motorbike enthusiasts, teachers and artists to carry out a variety of tasks.

The ad also showcases the thinness of Apple’s slimmest ever tablet, by featuring a clever letter-boxing effect that gradually closes in over the course of the ad — eventually revealing itself to be the thickness of the iPad Air 2. In this way, the ad is reminiscent of Apple’s pencil ads for the iPad Air, in which the extreme slimness of the tablet is likened to a an everyday household object.

Check out the ad after the jump.

How to build a gaming Hackintosh on the cheap: hardware

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More power, less money, runs OS X. Winning! Photo: Killian Bell
Want more power for your money? Build a Hackintosh. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

I recently decided it was time to get a proper desktop computer. I needed it predominantly for work, but I wanted it to be powerful enough to play the latest games in 1080p without worrying about stuttering or terrible frame rates.

The new Mac lineup didn’t offer a perfect fit — the Retina 5K iMac was too expensive, and the new Mac mini simply wasn’t powerful enough — so I set myself a goal: To build a gaming machine with a dedicated video card, capable of running OS X, for around the price of a Mac mini.

I set a budget of $650 for my build. That’s $150 more than the base model Mac mini, but $50 less than the midrange model. In this piece, I’ll take you through the components I purchased and why I chose them, and how I put them all together. Next week, I’ll show you how I installed OS X to turn my DIY gaming rig into a Hackintosh.