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Apple’s FaceTime Icon Makes No Sense

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facetimeiconmakesnosense

 

I’ve never given much thought to Apple’s FaceTime icon, but it really doesn’t make any sense. Like seriously, what is the trapezoid on the right? It can’t be the lens because there’s a lens in the box. Is that the back facing camera and the triangle trapezoid is the front camera?

It’s supposed to be an old video camera glyph with the lens superimposed, but it’s so redundant that it still doesn’t make any sense for FaceTiming purposes.

The FaceTime icon should probably look something like this instead:

Spin2 Is The World’s First MIDI DJ Controller Designed For Djay In The App Store

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The world of djing has changed quite a bit since the iPhone and iPad. Companies like Algoriddim released djay, a popular DJ app that has won an Apple Design Award. DJ controllers have started interfacing with these kinds of apps, but a new product called the Vestax Spin 2 is the world’s first MIDI controller created exclusively for djay and vjay, Algoriddim’s two iOS and Mac apps.

Haze Is A Gorgeous New App For Checking The Weather On Your iPhone

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Haze promo

Weather apps are a dime a dozen these days. iOS designers have proven that they know how to create beautiful, intuitive weather apps like Dark Sky, Solar, Today Weather, Weather Neue, Check the Weather, and so on.

One of the earlier weather iPhone apps with a unique, beautiful design was Outside. The same company behind Outside, Robocat, has released a totally new weather app in the App Store today called Haze.

Mastering The iPhone To Become A Better Lover: Self Improvement [iOS Tips]

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Checking in for motivation!
Checking in for motivation!

Let’s face it, even if you focus on your relationship, dress better, learn how to cook, and practice better grooming habits, the only person you’ll always be in a relationship with is you. In fact, you will be a better person to be around if you take the time to work on your self, first and foremost.

That doesn’t mean you need to eschew all relationships until you reach some sort of inner nirvana state, but it does meant that spending a little time, every day to become more confident, happy, and to engage in positive behaviors will help you become a better person, which is ultimately what makes you a better partner and lover.

That said, here are a few iPhone apps that can help you with you.

Apple To Release Fix For iOS 6.1 Security Issues Next Week [Rumor]

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iPhone Self Improvement

Yesterday it was discovered that a bug in iOS 6.1 allows users to bypass the iPhone lockscreen without entering in the proper PIN. We’ve seen bugs like this in the past, and Apple has always been quick to shut them down.

Apple has already told us that they will fix the iOS 6.1 lockscreen bug in a future update, and according to a new rumor, that update will hit devices sometime next week.

Lioncase’s iPad Mini Case Is So Light That The Laws Of Physics Are Quite Concerned [Review]

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Folio Shield by Lioncase
Category: Cases
Works With: iPad mini
Price: $32

Lioncase’s Folio Shield might be the best case I’ve yet tried for the iPad mini – apart from the Smart Cover that is. I’ll admit that I had trouble testing it because I love to fondle and caress the mini’s naked curves so much, but I forced myself, and I found out that – in the end – I quite enjoyed it.

Apple Seeking An Engineering Manager To Help With Next-Generation Apple TV

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Along with the recent job listing with hints that Apple might bring USB 3.0 support to iOS devices, there’s a second notable job listing that Apple posted today that relates to the future of Apple TV.

We’ve heard a lot of rumors lately that Apple wants to beef up the Apple TV and possibly add more apps and a developer SDK. The creator of the Xbox even thinks Apple can squash Microsoft’s console if it wants to. Pointing to Apple’s big plans for Apple TV, the new job listing is looking for a new engineering manager to help oversee the next-generation Apple TV.

Australia Is Killing 1,300 iMac G4s After They Lasted A Full Decade

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Steve Jobs unveiling the iMac G4 at Macworld 2002

The 2002 iMac G4 is one of our favorite Apple products ever. It had a dramatic design that no one had ever tried by emulating the sunflowers growing in Steve Jobs’ backyard.

Apple discontinued the iMac G4 in 2004, but thanks to Apple’s solid build quality and engineering, a herd of over 1,300 iMac G4’s have lasted a full decade in the service of Australia’s Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA) offices. Sadly, they’re getting thrown away and replaced by Acers.

Apple Might Speed Up Lightning Transfers By Offering Full USB 3.0 Support On iOS Devices [Rumor]

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Even though Apple’s new Lightning connector is super easy to use and quicker than the old 30-pin connectors, it could be better. Right now, the Lightning port on iOS devices doesn’t transfer data at USB 3.0 speeds, even though it’s thought to be able to support it.

A recent listing on Apple’s jobs site might be clueing us in that Apple wants to boost transfer speeds on iOS devices by adding USB 3.0 support.

Transform Your Freelance Design Business With The Landing Page Design Kit [Deals]

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CoM - Landing Pages

People are more than willing to pay a premium for landing page designers. Why? Because effective landing pages are money makers. They drive sales, leads, and revenue.

Imagine being able to show your clients how your work directly impacted their bottom line. Further to that, imagine that you have just become an indispensable, invaluable part of their business. Well, this Cult of Mac Deals offer will do its part to turn imagination into reality.

The Landing Page Design Kit will teach you how to become that invaluable asset and charge what you’re worth. And now for a limited time get this all-inclusive Landing Page Designer Kit for only $59!

Every True Apple Fan Should Have This Steve Jobs Poster Hanging On Their Wall [Kickstarter]

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Steve Jobs & Nose Jobs. Photo by Tom Zimberoff.
Steve Jobs & Nose Jobs. Now available on Kickstarter. Photo by Tom Zimberoff.

If you read my story about the story behind an incredible photograph of Steve Jobs wearing Groucho glasses during his wilderness years came to being, you might be interested in this: Tom Zimberoff, the photographer behind the shot, has a Kickstarter trying to get funding of a poster version of the shot off the ground.

You should really consider chipping in if you’re a fan of Steve. For $25, you’ll get an 18×24 inch poster of one of two Steve Jobs shots, and if you don’t like that, there’s a poster of George Lucas and Yoda wearing Groucho glasses you can buy instead.

I really love Zimberoff’s work, and with nine days left on this Kickstarter, I really hope it gets off the ground. This is a photo that deserves to be hung on every true Apple fan’s office wall.

Source: Kickstarter

Gene Munster Says He Doesn’t Know What Apple Has Planned For April, But It’s Something!

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This guy really believes that Apple is making a HDTV.
This guy really believes that Apple is making a HDTV.

Earlier this week the web was assaulted with a bevy of horrible Apple rumors from analyst Peter Misek. Along with claiming that Apple was going to have an Apple TV SDK event in March, Misek said Apple’s 4.8-inch iPhone will launch next year, and that iPhone 5 sales are slipping.

It only took a few minutes before Misek’s B.S. was shot down, so rather than launching his own barrage of crappy Apple TV rumors, Piper Jaffray’s analyst, Gene Munster, decided to tell investors he has no idea what Apple’s got up it’s sleeve right now, but there’s surely something.

Kindle App Vs. iBooks. (Spoiler: They’re Virtually Identical Now!) [Feature]

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Yesterday, Amazon’s iOS Kindle app was updated to add multicolor highlights, “Book End Actions” (rate, review, share, see recommendations) and to fix the brightness control, which now stays set across app switching or sleep.

At first I thought “Meh, iBooks has had most of that since forever.” And then I thought “Wait, are there any differences left between these two apps?”

The answer is — of course — yes. But it’s more complicated than that…

Do New Apple Engineers Really Have To Work On Fake Projects?

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There’s a belief that Apple makes new engineers work on fake products until they can be trusted. According one of the company’s former employees, Adam Lashinsky, who published the book Inside Apple last January, the Cupertino company hires people into so-called “dummy positions” until it’s confident that they can be a part of upcoming products without leaking information.

But how accurate are those claims? We know Apple takes secrecy very seriously, but would it really waste time and money on giving people fake projects just to ensure they won’t squeal?

Almost certainly not.

iWatch Fever: Why This Round Of Rumors Might Actually Be True On The CultCast

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Tim Cook just had the best week ever, ya’ll! On our newest CultCast, we’ll tell you what President Obama did during the State of The Union address that had Mr. Cook blushin’ like a school girl.

Then, the iWatch rumors are back, but this time, they may have some credence. We’ll tell you what we know. Plus, Cult of Mac Editor-in-Chief Leander Kahney tells us about his new Jony Ive book and we answer your Facebook queries in an all-new CultCastQNA.

Eager to listen but not sure how? Easy! Subscribe to The CultCast now on iTunes, or easily stream new and previous episodes via Apple’s free Podcasts App.

Show notes coming up next.

Office For iPad Would Be Worth $2.5 Billion To Microsoft, Per Year

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officeforipad

Rumors (and credible leaks) about Microsoft Office for iPad have been swirling for at least a year, but so far, the best you can do is load up Office 365 in your iPad’s web browser. If you want a tablet that natively runs office, you have to buy a Surface.

There’s a reason for that. Microsoft knows that Office is the biggest reason why someone might buy a Surface over an iPad. But by refusing to release Office for iPad, Microsoft is leaving a lot more money on their table than they are taking from it in Surface orders, at least according to one analyst.

U.K. Children’s Show Awards Jony Ive Prestigious “Blue Peter” Badge [Video]

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Jony Ive has received a whole host of awards for his design efforts at Apple, but as a life-long fan of children’s TV show Blue Peter, none of them may be as special as his latest from the BBC: a gold Blue Peter badge. Apple’s Senior Vice President of Industrial Design now joins a list of just 1,000 people awarded with a gold badge, which also includes David Beckham, JK Rowling, and the Queen.

Create Your Own Transparent Image Files With Preview [OS X Tips]

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Preview Transparent

There are many times you might want to knock out the background of a particular image on your Mac. Typically, I pop into Photoshop or Fireworks to use the Magic Wand tool to select all the white space of that image, and delete from there. These programs cost hundreds of dollars, though. Isn’t there a free way to do this?

It turns out that Preview, the free image & PDF viewing (and now editing) app that comes with OS X will do the very same thing, without you having to spend an extra dime on image editing software. Here’s how to do it.