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Critic Markup Brings Markdown-Like Change Tracking To Plain Text

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Oh man. Writing any kind of text on iOS is easy thanks to Markdown and the profusion of plain text editors in the App Store. But revising that text? Making edits and tracking them between author and editor? You need Microsoft Word for that. You need a computer for that.

But what if there were a Markdown-like markup syntax for plain text copyediting? You know where I’m going with this don’t you? That tool is here, and it’s called Critic Markup.

Fishlabs Announces Galaxy On Fire – Alliances Free To Play MMO For iPhone And iPad

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Yeah, it's that pretty.
Yeah, it's that pretty.

Germany-based game studio, Fishlabs, today announced the development of Galaxy On Fire – Alliances, a continuation of the Galaxy On Fire brand, to be released in the third quarter of this year, 2013. The new game is meant as a spin-off from the premium Galaxy on Fire, Galaxy On Fire 2 and their expansion packs, and will use a free-to-play model that includes massively multiplayer capabilities like alliances, player-vs-player combat, and alliances.

Apple To Respond To Greenlight Capital Suit This Coming Wednesday [Report]

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Greenlight Capital is suing Apple in an effort to get Apple to send back more of its $137 billion cash reserves in the form of shareholder dividends. Apple took this fairly seriously, and issued a press release explaining where they were at on the issue, including the fact that the Cupertino-based company has already given shareholders $10 billion of a planned $45 billion in cash.

Today, however, a judge in the US Court for the Southern District of New York approved a request by both parties in the suit to move the timetable for a response, with Apple planning to file by the end of the day this coming Wednesday, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.

Apple Hasn’t Patched Evasi0n Jailbreak In iOS 6.1.1 [Jailbreak]

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evasi0n jailbreak

Apple released iOS 6.1.1 today. Interestingly, the software was only made available as a critical update for the iPhone 4S. All of Apple’s other iOS devices are still on iOS 6.1. There were bugs in iOS 6.1 relating to cellular connectivity and battery life, but the concerns were specifically related to only the 4S.

Jailbreakers will be pleased to learn that Apple has not yet patched the untethered iOS 6 jailbreak in 6.1.1. It has stayed safe through 6.1.1’s beta stage. But that doesn’t mean the jailbreak won’t be broken with Apple’s next iOS release.

Why You Have To Wait To Use Mailbox On Your iPhone

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Mailbox wait list

 

Few apps have managed to generate as much hype as Mailbox, a new email client for the iPhone. The company behind Mailbox, Orchestra, first teased the app late last year. Mailbox made its triumphant debut in the App Store this past week. Our own John Brownlee gave it a glowing review and called it, “a flawless execution of a great idea that will completely change how you deal with email.” Sounds promising, no?

Most apps do private beta testing until they’re ready to be unleashed on the world. Orchestra, the app company behind Mailbox, has done things differently. You can download Mailbox in the App Store, but the vast majority of people can’t actually use it right now. There’s a reservation system in place that shows where you are in line and how many people are behind you.

There are currently over 800,000 subscribers to Mailbox, and the vast majority are still waiting to be let in. Frustrated you can’t use Mailbox right away? There’s a good reason you have to wait.

How To Estimate How Long You’ll Have To Wait To Get Into Orchestra’s Mailbox App

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We’re huge fans of Orchestra’s email inbox management app, Mailbox, here at Cult of Mac. Less popular around here? The extraordinary queue that Orchestra forces you to sit in before they’ll let you into the app.

The reason Orchestra has set it up this way is to prevent demand from crushing their servers, but that doesn’t make it any less annoying (for more info on Orchestra’s rationale, see this article). When we download apps, we expect to be able to use them right away, not sit in a queue for an indeterminate amount of time.

We can’t help you get to the head of the Mailbox queue, but we can tell you roughly how long you’ll have to wait based on how fast Mailbox has let people into the app in the past. Here’s how.

The Glas.TR Is The Toughest Glass Screen Protector Yet [Review]

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I have a love-hate relationship with Spigen’s line-up of Glas.T screen protectors.

Glas.TR by Spigen
Category: Screen Protectors
Works With: iPhone 5
Price: $34.99

On the one hand, they just feel great. If there’s any truth to the notion that screen protectors are to smartphones what prophylactics are to sex, the Glas.t feels like wearing nothing at all. The extra millimeters of glass help protect your screen from scratches, but still feel like you and your iPhone are going bareback.

The problem? Glas.t screen protectors are made of glass, and so they crack, they chip, and they break. The glass is tempered (hence the ‘t’) so they never downright shatter, but they do tend to break in other ways fairly easily. If you’re invested in keeping your screen protector pristine as well as your iPhone display, replacing Glas.t’s can become expensive quick.

Now, here comes the Glas.TR, Spigen’s new and improved glass screen protector for the iPhone 5. The ‘R’ at the end stands for “Rounded,” and it stands for rounded corners, which Spigen says makes the new Glas protector much more resilient than they were before. But what’s the truth?

Apple Releases iOS 6.1.1 For iPhone 4S To Squash Bugs

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iOS 6.1.1

Apple has released iOS 6.1.1 for the iPhone 4S following data connectivity concerns with iOS 6.1. This morning we told you that European carriers warned iPhone 4S users not to update to 6.1 because of cellular bugs in the new software. Many users have also complained about poor battery performance after updating to 6.1 as well.

According to Apple, 6.1.1 “fixes an issue that could impact cellular performance and reliability for iPhone 4S.”

Turn Your Instagram Photos Into Artwork With Instacanvas [Deals]

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Ever post an Instagram that receives dozens or even hundreds of likes? If so, that sounds like it would be the perfect piece for your living-room that everyone is sure to love. With this Cult of Mac Deals offer, you can hang “insta-memories” on your wall with the professional-grade canvas options provided by Instacanvas – and you can do that starting at only $28!

Mastering The iPhone To Make A Better Lover: Grooming [iOS Tips]

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HairBath

Look, folks, it’s Valentine’s day coming up this week, and you know what that means. Either you’re a full-on V-Day fan and you’re out to get the best gift and/or date for your significant other, or you’re one of those haters who sees this as nothing more than a crass attempt to pry even more money out of your pocket in the service of an outdated social ideal.

Either way, though, you can better yourself. Here are several apps that will make you a better person to attract that special someone through your attention to personal grooming.

Check Out Bill Gates’s Huge Windows Surface Computer [Image]

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Bill Gates answering Reddit questions on his huge Surface computer.

Bill Gates is doing an IAmA on Reddit right now. Basically, he’s telling everyone what it’s like to be a super-rich philanthropist who wants to rid the world of polio and other diseases. Bill’s a pretty cool guy. He likes to tour garbage dumps and missile silos with his kids. He loves Weezer. And he even liked Pirates of Silicon Valley.

One thing you didn’t know about Bill Gates, though, is that he uses a ginormous touchscreen computer. Like, yeah, he’s got a Surface Pro, but that’s not enough for him right now. Look at the size of that beast in the picture above.

I just got my Surface Pro a week ago and it is very nice. I am using a Perceptive Pixel display right now – huge Windows 8 touch whiteboard. These will come down in price over time and be pervasive…

So while we’re all over here happy with our new 7.9-inch iPad mini screens, Bill is living it up on a touchscreen that’s bigger than your living room wall. And you know what? For a guy who’s trying to rid the world of HIV and reduce carbon emissions, we think he deserves every pixel on that humongous display.

iOS 6.1 Upgraders Reporting Battery And Connectivity Issues, But Apple’s Rushing Out A Fix

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Even under iOS 6.1 the iPhone struggles to stay awake.

iOS 6.1 has already been out for a few weeks, but we’re now seeing reports that it’s causing problems for a lot of upgraders.

Multiple users have taken to Apple’s iPhone support forums to report that their battery life has dropped significantly since the iOS 6.1 upgrade. Others have claimed that iOS 6.1 has given them a slew of problems when trying to connect to 3G networks, and Apple has yet to respond.

Has Tim Cook Killed Nike Fuelband’s Android Future?

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Why doesn't Nike want to bring the Fuelband to Android?

The Nike Fuelband was one of my favorite gadgets last year. It tracks all your movement to help you stay in shape. It syncs everything with your iPhone. Plus, it looks pretty freaking cool.

Nike Fuelband is part of the wave of futuristic wearable fitness devices. In a couple of years we’ll all have something like it, but for now, the Nike Fuelband only syncs with your computer or iPhone. There’s no Android app, and according to Nike, you shouldn’t hold your breath waiting for one.

New Pages+ Tweak Supercharges Your iOS Home Screen [Jailbreak]

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Pages+ is a new tweak for jailbroken iOS devices which promises to supercharge your home screen. It adds some great features, like home screen “cards” and multi-page wallpapers that change as you flick through them — and it’s compatible with other popular tweaks like Barrel and Winterboard themes. Check out the demonstration video below.

The Valentine’s Day Gift Guide You Might Actually Want To Read [Feature]

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Warning: This article might deal in stereotypes. Why? Because no matter how much your woman friend might truly appreciate that power drill she’s had her eye on for the last six months (to the point of leaving a copy of Lady Power Tool magazine open on your desk with the page turned to a Makita ad), you’re still going to buy her some horrible pink iPad case with Hello Kitty ears.

So if you’re willing to make the stereotyped move, then so can I. I’ll recommend fancy lotions and cooking gadgets and the amazing (and mythical) “FourSquare for leg waxing.” But probably not for the reasons you’re expecting.

Ending Soon: MacFlux: Powerful Mac Web Design Made Easy [Deals]

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Want to build an amazing website but don’t want to spend any time learning to code? Or are you a coding veteran who wants something simple and effective in your toolbox for those times where you just want to create something stellar and tweak with lines of code where you see fit? Then this Cult of Mac Deals offering is for you.

That’s because we’re offering MacFlux 4 for 62% off the regular price – that means it is only $49 – so you won’t have to spend a ton of money to create a ton of terrifically designed websites.

MacFlux has an amazing WYSIWYG rendering engine, which means you can drag, stretch, and move objects like you can in a desktop publishing application, and your webpages will look exactly how you intended. It will generate all the code for you, with no unnecessary tags.

Tim Cook Will Speak At Goldman Sachs Tech Conference Tomorrow

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It’s not often that Tim Cook speaks at a non-Apple event, but for the second year in a row, Tim is heading to New York City to speak at the Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet conference.

Last year, Apple’s CEO Tim Cook presented at the Goldman Sachs tech conference where he spoke about working conditions in China, why Apple TV is just a hobby, the popularity of the iPad, and much more.

FioWriter Text Editor For iOS Is Great On iPad, Not So Much On iPhone [Review]

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Wait, what's that round the back there?
Wait, what's that round the back there?

FioWriter is a text editor for iOS, outwardly similar to many that have gone before it, but with a style all of its own. One important difference is that it provides keyboard shortcuts of the sort you’re familiar with on your desktop computer. Their usefulness, however, depends on the device you’re typing on.

Apple Will Definitely Release Cheaper iPhone In 2013, Claims Another Analyst

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Even though we have yet to see some truly credible evidence to support the countless claims that Apple will release a cheaper iPhone sometime in 2013, that’s not stopping another analyst from jumping on the cheap-iPhone train.

Analyst Brian White, at Topeka Capital, released a report this morning claiming that his research supports the claim that Apple will sell a cheaper version of the iPhone in order to attract new growth opportunities in China and elsewhere around the world.

BMW Wants To Copy Apple And Put A Genius Bar In Every Dealership

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Apple’s retail operations were mocked by everyone on the planet when the first Apple Store was opened. But now that the Apple Store is the most profitable retail store in the world, everyone wants to copy what Apple’s doing.

Thanks to some inspiration from the Apple Store, BMW has decided that starting in 2014 they will require all dealers to hire young tech-savvy employees to handle questions from customers about the vehicles on the showroom floor. They’ll even be equipped with iPads and be called Geniuses.

Leaked Foxconn Images Allegedly Give Us Our First Look At The iPhone 5S [Update]

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Is this the iPhone 5S? Leaked images purported to come out of Foxconn are claimed to show Apple’s next iPhone, and it looks pretty much identical to the iPhone 5, although some have noted that there’s at least one small change: the iPhone 5S uses the iPhone 4S’s softer vibration component instead of the louder rotating one used in the iPhone 5.