Microsoft Surface is supposed to be Remond’s answer to the iPad. It’s beautiful and has a cool keyboard. But the reviews for the Surface RT were pretty underwhelming. We played with it too and though it was cool, but definitely no iPad killer.

The common consensus in the tech world is that we’ll have to wait till Microsoft releases the Surface Pro with full Windows 8 before making a judgement on Microsoft’s dreams of squashing the iPad. Well, things aren’t looking too promising because Microsoft just announced that the Surface Pro will be available in January 2013 except it’s going to be expensive, like holy-crap-I-just-blew-$900 expensive.

I hate camera straps. I’m forever taking one off and threading another one through the camera’s eyelets or hooking up some device to the tripod screw or just wrapping a neck strap around my wrist. For something that’s so simple, and has been around for so long, the camera strap sure is a badly-designed piece of junk.

The Leash, on the other hand (or other shoulder), is an attempt to combine all straps ever into one ultra-versatile sling. Does it work? Let’s see.

Just a few weeks ago T-Mobile’s COO said that there’s no way that T-Mobile would ever be able to get the iPhone because it’s just too damn expensive.

Things may have changed quickly though as a new report from Merrill Lynch is claiming that Deutsche Telecome will announce a deal to bring the iPhone to their U.S. subsidiary, T-Mobile, next week.

In case you hadn’t guessed from the frequency of my posts about them, I’m still looking for a dock for my iPhone 5. The latest candidate for a spot on my nightstand is the “Charging & Sync Dock Cradle for Apple iPhone 5 with audio out” from USB Fever, and it is mentioned here primarily for its weird design.

You would think that after year’s of continually being ranked the worst US carrier, AT&T would have done something to pull itself from the bottom. Unfortunately, they haven’t. According to Consumer Reports’ latest rankings, AT&T once again holds the title for overall worst US carrier. AT&T shouldn’t feel too bad as not a single major US carrier scored above an overall satisfaction score of 72.

The Apple TV has become a mythical creature. Sustaining itself off the delicious nectar of Gene Munster’s wishful rumors, its remained hidden for years and who knows if it’ll ever make an appearance in the real world.

The latest rumor is that Apple will announce their TV set next year. If Apple does make a TV it’s likely to bring some huge changes to the cable television industry, and Time Warner’s CEO can’t wait.

Apple launched the fourth-generation iPad back in October, introducing a new A6X processor, a FaceTime HD camera, and its new Lightning connector. But despite those improvements, it appears the device isn’t selling as well as its predecessors. The reason? Another tablet is “cannibalizing” its sales.

But that tablet isn’t from Microsoft, or Google, or Amazon — or any other manufacturer for that matter. That tablet is the iPad mini.

What’s in a name? If you’re Nick Cool, then it’s THE TRUTH. And Nick’s cool photo hack totally proves it.

One day, it seems that Nick was staring at his sink, perhaps in a fuzzy daze as he waited for his coffee to brew. His eyes presumably were drawn, like all kitchen detritus, towards the filthy plughole.

Most of us would see a future chore, to be added to the long list of other things we’ll put off until somebody more conscientious takes care of them. Nick, however, saw an opportunity. A Photo Op, if you like.

The iPhone 5 is expected to make its debut in China next month, and that’s looking increasingly likely now that the device has received its third and final license from China’s Telecommunications Equipment and Certification Center (TENAA).

When Flexibits launched Fantastical on the Mac back in May of 2011, I started actually using iCal to make sense of the hectic mess that is my daily schedule. Fast forward to today, and Fantastical is an app I still can’t live without. I was ecstatic when Flexibits sent me an early copy of Fantastical for iPhone to try out, and I’m pleased to report that it is everything you would expect and more. Apple’s Calendar app just got dethroned again.

In a new interview with the BBC, Tony Fadell, a former Apple executive who is often referred to as the “father of the iPod,” insists Scott Forstall “got what he deserved” when he was fired by Apple back in October. Although he refused to speak about his relationship with the former iOS chief, Fadell says the decision to let him go was completely “justified.”

Because I’m not dead, I love music. But since I have no friends (at least not any friends with good musical taste), I have no idea what to listen to. Which means I’m pretty much stuck playing old (and still fantastic) Talking Heads tracks, and that XX album from a year or two back.

But now that Hype Machine has redesigned its app, I now have a new, musical-savvy friend.

Recording the audio source from your Mac isn’t as easy ast it would seem. When recording a podcast, for example, many Mac podcasters use third party apps like Soundflower or external mixers to record both the audio in and the audio out of an interview, for example. Other apps, like Audio Hijack, also exist to record any sound you have occuring on your Mac, but those can be pricey, as they include many features beyond simple recording.

If you want a free, simple to use Mac audio recording software, you might want to check out WavTap.

I was never a big fan of the Dreamcast, but it did have a couple of titles I really liked. One of those was Jet Set Radio, a hugely enjoyable game in which you would skate around a city and mark your turf by “tagging” walls, billboards, and rival gang members with spray paint. I’m sure you’ve already heard of it.

Now you can enjoy this awesome game on your iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad — because it’s just hit the App Store.

Earlier this month, we told you the awesome calendar app Fantastical is making the leap from Mac OS X to iOS. It’s now available to download for your iPhone — priced at just $1.99 — and like its desktop counterpart, it’ll change the way you use your calendar forever.

Travis Jensen is a self-taught photographer with a day job who has just published his fifth book of street snaps.

Shot with an iPhone 4 plus Hipstamatic’s John S. Lens and Blackeys Supergrain Film, “Wish You Were Here – San Francisco Street Snaps,” was published in collaboration with the Franklin Street Whole Foods store with proceeds to benefit Larkin Street Youth Services. (If you’re in San Francisco, you can meet Jensen and pick up a signed copy at the launch party at Hipstamatic headquarters on Thursday, November 29.)

Jensen offered Cult of Mac these tips on how he turned his weekend obsession of iPhone photo forays into supermarket checkout fare.

Our Macs are pretty amazing machines on their own. The handle almost anything we throw at them with grace, elegance, and power. But there are some things it just can’t do out of the box. (Like run Windows, for example.)

The Mac Utility Bundle is one of our recent Cult of Mac Deals offers that adds a whole new layer – and level – of utility to your Mac…and at a fraction of what it would usually cost. We’re talking only $59.99 for 5 tremendously useful applications – which is a whopping 75% off the regular price!

iTunes 11 has become the mythical unicorn of the Apple world in recent weeks. Apple promised that it would ship the new version of its popular media player last month, but unknown issues caused the release to be pushed back to sometime in November. As this month comes to a close, we’ve all been waiting with eager anticipation each day for Apple to unleash iTunes 11.

According to a new report from The Wall Street Journal, Apple should debut iTunes 11 to the world tomorrow!

Bill Nye “The Science Guy!” is working with developer Gamedesk to create a game for the iPad to teach kids all about aerodynamics, and they’re funding it on Kickstarter. The tagline? “Help Us Teach Difficult Science Concepts Through a Beautifully Engaging 3D Bird Flying Game.” How can it go wrong?

Adobe announced a major update to its Photoshop Touch iPad app today. Version 1.4 of Adobe Photoshop Touch brings a number of improvements, most notably iPad mini optimization and pressure-sensitive stylus support. As a premiere content creation tool for Apple’s tablet, the addition of stylus support means that artists can edit and manipulate images in greater detail.

Vimeo has released version 3.0 of its iPhone app, and the update brings a simpler, more intuitive interface with new features. You may remember that Vimeo for iPhone 2.0 went live in the App Store back in February, and today’s update is a significant upgrade. Vimeo has gotten rid of the cluttered in-app video editor and introduced a completely new look.

This is the first time that Vimeo itself has completely designed its own app, and it should be a huge hit for Vimeo users.

Like many of you, I love Instagram. It’s one of my top 5 most used iPhone apps. Lately I’ve started to get tried of Instagram’s user interface. While the app’s design has certainly evolved over the years, the overall aesthetic has stayed the same since 2010. I really like the minimalist, Metro-ish design taste, and apparently so does a concept designer named Stephen M. Levinson.

Stephen has uploaded a short video of how he has re-imagined Instagram, and it looks awesome. “I redesigned parts to be a bit more intuitive to gestures, removed the top menu bar that felt unnecessary, and I wanted to make the shots look like actual polaroids,” he told TechCrunch.

I’m not sure about all of Stephen’s design choices, but I love the idea of Instagram having a more gesture-driven interface. What do you think?

Source: Vimeo

Via: TechCrunch

“Man, I really wish I had an iPhone 5-sized pocket in my pants!”

If you’ve ever thought that before, then you’re in luck. The appropriately named “WTFJeans” is now selling denim that has been specifically designed to cradle Apple’s newest smartphone and protect your manly parts at the same time.

This Italian denim not only includes two iPhone 5 pockets, but also two hidden USB stick holders. Now you can be the fashionable nerd you’ve always dreamed of becoming.

The holiday season is upon us, and for many that means winter temperatures. Every iPhone user should have a solid pair of touchscreen gloves for when it gets chilly outside. Mujjo recently started selling touch-sensitive knitted gloves, and now the Dutch company has unveiled its premium leather gloves that work beautifully with touchscreens.

ElementCase is now selling (for pre-order) the limited edition Sector 5 Black Ops iPhone 5 case for military and espionage types.

It features a non-glare anodized finish with super gripping edges, back and corner.

It comes with a “tactical holster” and a “non-glare privacy screen” and “Black Ops CNC machined amber RF inserts,” whatever the heck those are.

It’s not cheap, though. The SRP is $199.95, and it ships December 6.