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Scammer used closed accounts to spend thousands at Apple Stores

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A Florida man has been charged with federal wire fraud for racking up $309,000 in illegal credit card transactions, with many of them carried out at Apple Stores.

Sharron L. Parrish Jr. visited different Apple Stores — including those in Brandon, Boca Raton, Millennia and Wellington Green — and spent up to $7,400 in each one; adding up to a total of 42 purchases.

Cowabunga! TMNT: Rooftop Run is Apple’s latest free App of the Week

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Coinciding with the forthcoming Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles reboot produced by Michael Bay, Apple has announced its latest free App of the Week as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Rooftop Run.

It’s an endless runner combat game, in which the heroes in a half-shell fight against the sinister Foot Clan and evil associates. If you’re a Turtles fan, you’ll find plenty of familiar faces here — including the obvious (Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael) and less obvious faves (Kraang, Baxter Stockman, Casey Jones).

Production of 5.5-inch iPhone 6 and new iPads may be pushed to September

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Apple's 5.5-inch "phablet" iPhone 6 may start mass production in September.

Apple might have its most exciting product pipeline in years underway, but exactly when we’re going to see these devices is another question.

According to new reports in the Taiwanese media, the reported 5.5-inch iPhone 6 has yet to enter production, and is being pushed back to September. The report doesn’t state whether this decision is deliberate on the part of Apple — perhaps as a way of confusing the market by launching two new iPhones simultaneously — or is being forced on the company as the result of manufacturing problems.

Death is no stranger in repetitive Hellraid: The Escape

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Death is inevitable as you battle your way through a labyrinth of dungeons in Hellraid: The Escape.

I’ve been trying to slip past demonic guards to escape magical chambers for the past few hours as I fight my way through the horrific world of Hellraid: The Escape. At its best, the game is gruesome, bloody and full of suspense, but it can also be painful and highly frustrating.

Because in this iOS game, death is no stranger: Die you will, over and over — that’s bloody guaranteed.

Judge in e-book antitrust case is unhappy Apple may pay just $70m

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U.S. District Judge Denise Cote says that it is “most troubling” that Apple could potentially be made to pay just $70 million in its antitrust case related to e-book price fixing.

Cote was speaking during a teleconference on Thursday regarding the long-running case claiming that Apple conspired with five publishers to fix e-book prices.

In the original ruling made by Judge Cote in April 2012, Apple was expected to pay $674 million after the plaintiffs reached settlements with the individual publishers.

Sci-fi toys spring to life in filmic photos

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Who said Greedo doesn't fire first?
Who said Greedo doesn't fire first?

By day, Robert Larner works for an investment firm. By night he directs Stormtroopers, Transformers and Daleks.

Using toys, camera tricks and a keen sense of story, the photographer delights Flickr and Instagram fans with movie stills. But the movies don’t exist.

The Scotsman grew up a discerning cineaste with a taste for the Indiana Jones, Back to the Future and Ghostbusters movie franchises, but his greatest inspiration — in film and toys — was Star Wars.

“I could probably track my interest in toys via Star Wars,” Larner says. “When I was a kid in the early ’80s, I was completely swept up by the original Kenner 3.75-inch range. Then, in the ’90s, the remastered movies came out along with whispers of the prequels so the Star Wars toy range was reintroduced, so that caught my interest again. However, it was when Lego had the bright idea of making Star Wars Lego sets in 1999 that I really got sucked in and I haven’t looked back since!”

Top 3 iPad apps that let you get real work done

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Though our iPads can be great for relaxation, sometimes it’s crucial to use these mobile workhorses for business. Luckily, when there is a lot being asked of you and deadlines are to be met, there are applications that can help save the day.

In today’s video, we reveal our top three must-have applications that will help you get your work done more efficiently. Take care of your documents, get your to-do lists organized and more with these functional apps.

Subscribe to Cult of Mac TV on YouTube to catch all our latest videos.

This app will guide you to parking — and may get you a ticket, too

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Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac
The VoicePark app could be the solution to San Francisco's parking problems. Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

SAN FRANCISCO — A parking app that reliably helps find open spots in this congested city was coded on a turn-of-the-century tugboat in Sausalito.

The Terrapin served David LaBua as a coding den for VoicePark, a free app that uses sensors to monitor parking spots. It’s the only one we’ve tested to date that guided us to viable public spots on the busy streets of San Francisco.

“Parking is probably San Francisco’s biggest stressor, and writing about it has been very therapeutic for me,” says LaBua, who holds a master of science in psychology. “I had no intention of getting into the app game, but there was a real need for it.”

eBay moved $2 billion in Apple devices last year

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eBay is a paradise for Apple collectors. Photo:  Jeff Croft
eBay is a paradise for Apple collectors. Photo: Jeff Croft

Tim Cook told investors he’s happy with Apple’s trade-in program and other used iPhone sales, and it turns out so is eBay.

In the last 12 months nearly $2 billion worth of Apple devices, ranging from iPhones, iPads, and old Macs, have been sold on eBay’s store, according to data obtained by Computer World, and just like Apple’s own sales, the iPhone brought in most of a money on eBay too.

Back up your digital comics with a click, not DRM

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If you’ve been wary of joining the digital comics revolution because of digital rights management (DRM) concerns, Comixology, a comics portal and mobile app, is creating a solution.

Announced Thursday at the company’s San Diego Comic-Con panel, the new DRM-free backup service will let you keep a local copy of your purchased digital comics from the likes of Image Comics, Dynamite Entertainment, Zenescope Entertainment, MonkeyBrain Comics, Thrillbent, and Top Shelf Productions. You’ll be able to save a local copy in PDF or CBZ (a comic-book archiving format) right on your iPad.

“For those out there who have not joined the comic reading community because of DRM – you have no excuse now,” said ComiXology’s John D. Roberts in a statement. “We’re excited about the launch of DRM-free backups today and look forward to announcing more innovative features as we move ahead with our mission of making everyone on the face of the planet a comic book fan!”

See iTunes 12’s sleek redesign in action

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Alongside the fall release of OS X Yosemite, iTunes will be getting its own new look and feel. In today’s video, we show you exactly what to expect in the upcoming iTunes 12.

Check out the video above to see the sleek new design of the latest iTunes beta and some of its new features in action.

Subscribe to Cult of Mac TV on YouTube to catch all our latest videos.

iWatch prank shows how badly Apple fans want to believe

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Late night show host and habitual Apple-prankster, Jimmy Kimmel, toasted Apple’s successful earnings report last night with a hilarious iWatch prank that shows just how deliciously potent the Apple Kool-Aid really is.

After tossing in a few jabs at the iPhone 6’s bloating screen size, Kimmel took to the streets to see if Apple fans love for the brand would magically turn a cheap calculator watch into the Apple iTime smartwatch.

If you thought people wouldn’t be fooled by a $20 Casio watch with an Apple sticker on the back, especially after Kimmel has already pulled this prank like 37 times, you’re wrong.

Angry Birds become Transformers in new action-packed Comic-Con trailer

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The Angry Birds are, ahem, transforming yet again in this new trailer from Rovio and Hasbro, released to coincide with San Diego Comic Con this week.

You’ve got the red bird cosplaying as a voice-less Optimus Prime, running his way through an island-style world, smashing through crates, and then finally facing a giant, laughing pig-bot Deceptihog. It doesn’t get much better than this. Check out the video below.

How to install Yosemite right now without ruining your Mac

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OS X 10.10 Yosemite is gorgeous. It’s the biggest visual overhaul to come to OS X since Aqua, which has caused a rush of Apple fanboys – including our own Leander Kahney –  to jump the gun and install the buttery smooth interface on every Mac in sight.

Playing around with Apple’s newest software is a true tech delight, but it can also come with some horrific consequences if you install it as your main OS, as most apps still aren’t optimized for the update. However, unlike iOS 8 there’s a safe way to install it without ruining your Mac until the final version is ready.

Here’s how to install the Yosemite beta in the most responsible way possible:

OS X Yosemite beta goes public — here’s how to get it

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Nearly two months after Apple announced it would release a public beta of OS X Yosemite, participants are finally getting their download notifications, allowing non-developers to access the new Mac operating system for the first time ever.

The initial public beta is the exact same build that’s currently being tested by registered developers, but Apple is giving 1 million people access to OS X Yosemite on a first-to-sign-up basis.

Instagram plans to strike down Snapchat with ‘Bolt’

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Instagram has accidentally leaked that it’s planning to launch a thunder strike against Snapchat with a new “one tap photo messaging” app of its own called Bolt.

A banner announcing the new messaging app was accidentally posted for some users on Android to see last night, but was taken down about 15 minutes after it appeared. The Free link button on the banner directed users to the Google Play Store, but the page was not available.

Swatch: We aren’t helping Apple make any iWatches

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Rumors that Apple might bring fun faces to the iWatch thanks to a partnership with Swatch have already been shot down, after the Swiss watchmaker denied a report claiming it and other watchmakers were helping Apple create a diverse lineup of smartwatches.

A report from Venture beat on Wednesday claimed Swatch, Timex and possibly others, were secretly helping Apple make a whole set of iWatches for all tastes geek to chic, but it appears that Apple is definitely making the iWatch all on its own.

Design killer websites with The Beginner Web Dev Hacker Bundle [Deals]

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CoM_BegWebDevHack

More than ever before, we are dependent on the Internet for our business and social efforts.  With that in mind, knowing how to code these days is pretty important. If you don’t know how to code you leave control of your web presence in someone else’s hands or, worse, your website just won’t measure up to that of your competition.

Take control of your web presence with The Beginner Web Dev Hacker Bundle at 86% off, just $69, from Cult of Mac Deals.

UpWord Notes update makes the built-in Notes app even more redundant

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I was pretty pumped about UpWord Notes when it came out back in February, and it’s still the first place I go when I need to jot something down. Meanwhile, my iPhone’s onboard Notes app just languishes in a folder marked “Trash” because I can’t delete it.

Developer Lau Brothers is dropping Version 2.0 of UpWord Notes on us today, and it includes several new features that make the app even more fun and useful.

Wireless and waterproof, Pump sports headphones crank up the fun

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If you line it up right, you can make the Pump look like a Cyberman
If you line them up right, you can make the Pump headphones look like a Cyberman. Photos: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

BlueAnt’s Pump wireless headphones caught my eye at Mobile World Congress. Sports gear that also looks cool? Count me in!

I’ve been giving theses waterproof Bluetooth headphones a workout since they arrived last week, and I love them. That’s not to say they’re perfect – they’re not. But they have a job to do, and they get on and do it.

8 Hollywood vampires who broke the mold

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If there’s one thing we like more than vampires, it’s vampires that surprise us. Forget about your grandpappy's Brylcreemed Transylvanian counts, the bloodsuckers who really matter here in 2014 are the ones that break the established rules -- whether that's being a redneck vampire biker or a pistol-packing model, inflicting nocturnal death on werewolves.

With the last season of True Blood playing out at the moment, the time is right to take a gander at the characters that have changed our ideas about what a vampire should be. Who made the cut? Take a look through our ghoulish gallery to find out.

If there’s one thing we like more than vampires, it’s vampires that surprise us. Forget about your grandpappy's Brylcreemed Transylvanian counts, the bloodsuckers who really matter here in 2014 are the ones that break the established rules -- whether that's being a redneck vampire biker or a pistol-packing model, inflicting nocturnal death on werewolves.

With the last season of True Blood playing out at the moment, the time is right to take a gander at the characters that have changed our ideas about what a vampire should be. Who made the cut? Take a look through our ghoulish gallery to find out.


How a dev who couldn’t code built one of world’s hottest photo apps

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Merek Davis, gets mexturized. Photo: Merek Davis
Merek Davis gets mexturized. Photo: Merek Davis

Merek Davis is not a coder. The developer never even made an app before 2013. Yet on his first iOS at-bat, he hit an App Store grand slam with Mextures, his photo-editing app that quickly became one of the top photo apps of the year.

Mextures is like Photoshop for your iPhone, only easier to use. The app’s editing tools and formulas let you tweak and re-tweak pics, adding light leaks, textures and color gradients that can turn even your crappiest pics into something majestic.

It’s a bona fide hit, with some of the most-followed names on Instagram using Davis’ creation. But it almost never happened.