What if your iPhone charging cable could charge your phone even when it wasn’t plugged into a charger? It’d be pretty neat, right? Well, that’s what Native Union’s Jump does, and it does it all while being the best-looking Lightning cable yet.
We know how to grab our location in plain text on the iPad, using Editorial and some Python voodoo (Python Voodoo could be a great name for a band). But what about the Mac? Easy. Using TexExpander and some AppleScript, you can easily turn a few keystrokes into longitude and latitude, without too much attitude (Python Voodoo will be a and 8-bit rap band).
Cult of Mac has reported on Xiaomi — the multi-billion dollar tech company commonly referred to by the Chinese media as “the Apple of the East” — before.
I just got through uploading every last one of my photos to Flickr over the weekend, with an Ethernet cable snaking across the floor from the router to my iMac, and a new app on that iMac to do the work. The app is called F-Stop, and while it’s a little glitchy in its UI, it was rock solid where it counted: pushing around 22,000 JPG files up to Flickr.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiyIcz7wUH0
During the NFL playoff game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Carolina Panthers today, Apple has posted a new advertisement for the iPad, emphasing their tablet’s creative powers and the iPad’s ability to inspire and create.
The tagline is “What will your verse be?” The notion is that all of human life is a poem, and our individual lines are a verse in that poem. Depending on your own predisposition, you’ll likely either find it a little sappy and breathless or moving, but either way, Apple is right that far from just being for media consumers, the iPad is a profound creator’s device which can be used for filming, writing, 3D prototyping, and more.
There’s also a new Your Verse microsite, explaining the uses depicted in the commercial in greater detail. What do you think? How are you using your iPad to write your verse?
When the first series of benchmarks for the new Mac Pro popped up on Geekbench in early 2013, people were initially disappointed that Apple’s Vader helmet of a desktop didn’t have benchmarks that were much better than a top-of-the-line 2012 Mac Pro.
But as we cautioned at the time, the benchmarks reflected the performance of a prototype Mac that was still six months from release, and the version of Geekbench being run against it was 32-bit, not 64-bit, all of which could result in lowered performance. In fact, we said it was likely that when the new Mac Pro was actually released, it would break 30,000 on Geekbench’s benchmarks… making it a staggeringly fast machine almost 25% faster than the previous generation was capable of.
Over the weekend, the late 2013 12-core Mac Pro popped up on Geekbench, and what do you know: it comes in at an impressive 32,912 in Primate Labs’ metrics. To clarify, that means that the new Mac Pro is over six-and-a-half times faster than the latest MacBook Air. Not shabby.
Source: Geekbench
Between iTunes Radio, Pandora, Spotify, and Rdio, do you feel as if you don’t have enough options for streaming music? Well, good news: Beats Music — the new streaming service previously known as “Project Daisy” by the most overrated headphone manufacturer out there — will reportedly launch on January 21st.
Speaking of jailbreaks, the Evasi0n jailbreak allows any device running iOS 7 to crack open Apple’s stronghold and tweak any aspect of the system.
Unfortunately, when the Evasi0n jailbreak was released, the team behind it didn’t reach out to members of the jailbreak community, leading to an initial release that didn’t support Cydia, Mobile Substrate, and had a number of bugs that could cause unfortunate boot loops, especially on the iPad mini with Retina Display.
Yesterday, Team Evasi0n released a new version of their jailbreak that not only includes an updated Cydia bundle and fixes the iPad mini boot loop, but also makes the tool compatible with iOS 7.1 beta 3 so that Apple’s latest iOS beta can be jailbroken. That probably won’t last for long — Apple is likely to close the hole that makes the Evasi0n jailbreak possible when iOS 7.1 is released to the masses — but it’s nice for the time being.
Source: Evasi0n
The Evasi0n jailbreak may have opened up iOS 7 devices to Cydia tweaks, but due to the fact that Apple’s new A7 chip is 64-bit, many of the most popular tweaks have needed to be upgraded to support devices like the iPhone 5s, iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina Display.
One of the more popular reasons to jailbreak your device is Winterboard, a jailbreak tweak that makes you change the way iOS looks. For example, you can use Winterboard to make iOS look and feel like Windows Phone, Android, or even your Mac. But because of the aforementioned lack of 64-bit support, Winterboard didn’t work on the newest (jailbroken) iOS devices.
According to Cydia gatekeeper Jay Freeman, otherwise known as Saurik, the newest version of Winterboard is compatabile with 64-bit ARM processors, and should allow you to reskin any device with an A7 chip. You can download the update on Cydia.
Via: Redmond Pie
The future looks grim for Microsoft. The world is quickly turning mobile and post-PC, two categories Microsoft hasn’t succeeded in.
Recent reports from Gartner and IDC show just how dire the situation is. PC sales, which are directly tied to sales of Microsoft Windows, are in a free fall. Between 2012 and 2013, PC sales dropped by 10% (that’s 35 million fewer PCs).
Gartner says only 15% of Internet-connected devices sold in 2014 will run Windows.
That’s Windows’ real market share: 15%.
Having tried everything else, maybe the solution for Microsoft is to be a software company. That would mean embracing Android with everything they’ve got.
Early in 2013, the old aluminum Mac Pro was pulled from sale in the European Union due to the fact that their pro-level desktop fell afoul of new E.U. regulations that prohibit computers from having fans that spin so fast they can cut off your fingers. Really!
Instead of opting to redesign the old Mac Pro, Apple decided to pull it from sale for a few months until the new models made their debut. Since the new Mac Pro doesn’t have exposed fans, customers in Europe can now order Apple’s super-powerful trashcan Mac through Apple’s online store, and will start receiving their units in February. Neat!
Via: MacGeneration
If you’re an iPhone convert and have ever complained about your iPhone’s touchscreen keyboard not being “user-friendly” enough, are tired of fighting with autocorrect, or simply think the lack of physical keys are seriously hindering your cellular typing skills – then this Cult of Mac Deals offer is going to be right up your alley.
This sleek iPhone 5 Keyboard Case is available for a limited time for just $39 – a savings of 43%!
Apple products are usually over-hyped. But there’s one that’s radically under-hyped: Apple’s iBeacon positioning system.
So I’m here to turn up the noise on this quiet revolution. You really need to know more about this, because it’s going to change everything.
This time on The CultCast: we’re live from Las Vegas and ready to report the best and worst tech from the 2014 Consumer Electronics Show! We’ll call out some of our favorite Apple accessories too, and some will surprise you. Plus, did you hear about the Michael Bay meltdown at the Samsung keynote? Well we were in the room when things got weird… let us regale you with the whole story.
Thanks to FreshBooks for supporting this episode! FreshBooks is the simple cloud accounting solution that’s helping thousands of new entrepreneurs and small business owners save time billing and get paid faster. Sign up free today.
Enjoy a few laughs whilst getting caught up on each week’s best Apple stories! Stream or download new and past episodes of The CultCast now on your Mac or iDevice by subscribing on iTunes, or hit play below and let the audio adventure begin.
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LAS VEGAS — Audiofly has been busy since we last visited the company at CES two years ago. This year, Audiofly is finally ready to ship its long-promised AF140, albeit with a radical redesign, and are introducing the quad-driver AF180.
The Aussie crew also showed us the over-the-ear set of cans they’ve been working on.
LAS VEGAS — You know those convertible, touchscreen Windows laptops with screens that flip around and do all kinds of twisty tricks? iHome has a new keyboard case that turns the iPad Air and Retina iPad Mini into one of those.
LAS VEGAS — Walking the long, dusty road between the Encore Hotel and the CES Convention Center, I was approached by two guys. They offered to give me a ride. I know I should never accept rides from strangers but their offer was to good to pass up. It was the most creative and original marketing ploy I’ve seen at CES.
This week, Cult of Mac Magazine takes you to Las Vegas for the Consumer Electronics Show, CES.
Our intrepid writers — Leander Kahney, Traci Dauphin, Alex Heath, Buster Heine, Eli Milchman and Erfon Elijah — tested smart toothbrushes, electric bikes and heat-sensing iPhone cases.
All while balancing cocktails!
Our CES roundup brings you the best of what was on show in Vegas so you know which gadgets to look forward to in the spring.
As always, we’ve also got the best in new apps, music, books and movies on iTunes, plus the inside scoop from a real Apple Genius on what goes on behind the slick facade of the retail stores.
A seriously condensed condenser mic, Blue’s Nessie (named after the famous Loch Ness monster) advertises itself as one of the premier USB microphones out there, a device capable of capturing studio-quality recordings for everything from polished music demos to broadcast-standard voiceovers.
The Vegas show floor was packed with options to make your work day a little more fun — whether it’s how you get there with a great computer bag or keeping your iDevice cords out of the way. Or, at the very least, sound better, judging from the number of speakers blaring through the crowd.
Here are Cult of Mac’s picks!
This is Cult of Mac’s exclusive column written by an actual Apple Store Genius who answers all your questions about working at an Apple Store. Our genius must remain anonymous, but other than “Who are you, anyway?” ask anything you want about what goes on behind that slick store facade.
This week our Genius answers why the iPhone screen can be repaired in stores while the iPad has to be shipped away from special care. We also discuss whether working at the Apple Store can be turned into a solid career, plus the top 5 most annoying things customers do at the Apple Store.
Got a question you want the inside scoop on? Send us your questions and the answers will be published first in Cult of Mac’s Magazine on Newsstand. Send your questions to newsATcultofmac.com with “genius” in the subject line.
Q: Is it tough to work in an Apple store? What are some of the skills required to be a good Apple store employee?
Tough is relative. It’s not like I’m breaking my back with arduous labor to help people, although the job can be draining, both mentally and emotionally. The toughest part about it for me is dealing with unruly customers. It requires a lot of patience and composure. Customers tend to throw a fit if we do not “surprise and delight” them with their options while managers keep us busy pushing upgrades and services.
Add in the unrealistic work loads and it is a combination for madness. During our busy times, which seem to be most of the time at our store, I may be helping three people at a time while those who wait stare at me wondering when I’m going to get to them. Multitasking abilities are a must.
Q: How do I get rid of “Find my iPhone” or the activation lock on an iPhone I bought from a non-owner?
My first bit of advice before purchasing a used iPhone is to make sure the previous owner has disabled Find My iPhone and erased the contents. If the seller erases the iPhone from the settings app find my iPhone will prompt the user to turn off Find My iPhone. If you have purchased an iPhone that has the activation lock, the only way to remove the lock is to contact the seller.
They can remove the lock in two ways. The first is by entering the Apple ID and password on the device will remove the lock and them you can proceed with the setup. If the seller can’t come and unlock the device for activation, you can have them remove the device from their iCloud account on iCloud.com. First turn the iPhone off. Then have the seller log into iCloud.com and go the Find my iPhone web app.
At the top of the page is the “All Devices” button, click it to show the devices linked to the account and select the sold iPhone. Click Remove from Account on the page that shows the sold iPhone. You should now be able to power up the iPhone and set it up.
Q: How can I replace my Apple headphones when my store is 100 miles away?
If you don’t have an Apple Store near you can request service or replacement for your Apple products at getsupport.apple.com. Select the device that your Earbuds came with on the support website and follow the given steps to request service. You will be given the option to send them in and have a replacement sent to you. You will need to enter the serial number of your device when prompted to check your coverage. If you purchased just the EarPods, you can set up a call for support online or just call 1-800-MY-APPLE and ask to have the EarPods replaced since the “Send in for Service” option online requires a serial number. Have your proof of purchase ready for verification and they can set up a replacement and have you send back your old pair.
One of the first video games I ever finished was 1985’s Kung Fu, a port of a Japanese arcade game (Kung Fu Master)for the original Nintendo system. It was a side-scrolling beat ’em up about a guy fighting through five floors of a goon-filled building to rescue his girlfriend, and even though it’s probably not nearly as good as I remember, it’ll always have a special place in my nostalgia bank because I was so good at it back then.
Fightback is a new free-to-play fighter from developer Ninja Theory (makers of super-shiny console games like the PlayStation 3’s Heavenly Sword and the recent reboot of Devil May Cry), and it’s basically an updated version of Kung Fu. It even has the same 2D gameplay and girlfriend-rescuing premise and graphics and music that call back ridiculous action films from the ’80s.
So needless to say, I like this game a lot.
Rather than slogging through a lake of reviews to find something you’re just going to put down after 30 minutes, Cult of Mac has once again waded through the iTunes store to compile a list of the best new movies, albums and books to come out this week.
Enjoy!
Patterns – Waking Lines
Patterns broke into the British music scene in late 2011 thanks to their brokenhearted single Induction but rather than quickly releasing their debut album the group has been slowly crafting one of the best albums we’ve heard all year. Maybe that’s not saying much seeing how it’s early January, but the band’s theme’s of late-night hallucinations and dream states are filled with chilly/wavy sounds that remind me a lot of Youth Lagoon.
Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks – Wig Out At Jagbags
The new year has only just begun, meaning most artists are still waiting til the holiday season settles before releasing new tunes, but Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks released the first album to really get me excited with their sixth effort – Wig Out At Jagbags. If you’ve been hungry for a solid new alternative album filled beautiful guitar riffs, tonal shifts and a stream of witty lyrics, snap this up.
John Newman – Tribute
I’m not going to lie, when I quickly glanced at this album title, my CES-addled brain thought it was a musical tribute to Paul Newman. It’s not. Then I saw John Newman play his single Love Me Again on Jimmy Fallon and, holy moley, this dude can sing and perform like no other. The album has been out in the U.K. since October, but U.S. listeners can finally grab it from iTunes this week.
Why I Read: The Serious Pleasure of Books
by Wendy Lesser
Reading more is one of the most popular New Years Resolutions which makes Wendy’s Lesser’s book, Why I Read, so timely and the perfect book to motivate you to read more. Wendy Lesser explores literature in all forms – plays, poems, essays, and more – as she examines the works from perspectives like “Character and Plot,” “Novelty,” “Grandeur and Intimacy,” and “Authority.” If this book doesn’t spark your desire to read you might as well give it up entirely.
iTunes – $11.99
The Secret History of Las Vegas
by Chris Abani
I just spent the last five days slogging through the horrors that CES has to offer in Vegas this year, but unfortunately I never had time to actually explore the city. Chris Abani’s book takes readers on a crazy ride through Sin City as Las Vegas detective Salazar is determined to solve a recent string of murders in this offbeat crime novel packed with explosive prose.
iTunes – $9.99
Belle Cora
by Phillip Margulies
Belle Cora is loosely based on the life of a 19th-century prostitute of the same name. It’s written as a two-part memoir by one of San Francisco’s wealthiest old women who inherits a fortune from her deceased husband. The book travels through the heroine’s story of her rise and fall, from living on a farm, working in mills to eventually bumping shoulders with the elite of New York before being drawn to California in the gold rush.
iTunes – $9.99
Blue Jasmine
Woody Allen is old. He’s made tons of movies. Like 71 total. You’d think by now he’d just start sucking harder than a Hoover vacuum, but Blue Jasmine is proof that the 78-year-old director from Brooklyn has no plans of slowing down with this excellent tale starring Cate Blanchett as a troubled New York socialite looking for a fresh start in San Francisco.
Inequality For All
The widening income gap between the mega-wealthy and all the rest of us is starting to become the hot button topic in politics as the U.S. barrels toward mid-term elections this year. Former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich takes the issue head-on in his new documentary Inequality For All as he looks to raise awareness of the country’s widening economic gap and the consequences it will have on democracy itself.
Bad Grandpa Uncut
Johnny Knoxville and the Jackass crew have been making me laugh since I was in high school. You’d think their inappropriate stunt humor would be stale by now, but Johnny’s managed to mix it up just enough with some new twists by suiting up in his grandpa costume to take on the persona of 86-year-old Irving Zisman who takes a trip from Nebraska to North Carolina to take his 8-year-old grandson, Billy, back to his father.
