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This leafy rig will give you total setup envy [Setups]

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Mac mini setup
This setup is just so inviting.
Photo: u/ilovenyc

Reddit user @u/ilovenyc’s plant-themed setup is warm and inviting. The favorite part of @u/ilovenyc’s setup is a jaw-dropping, 49-inch Samsung CRG9 Curved Gaming Monitor, which is hooked up to a Mac mini. @u/ilovenyc (who prefers to remain autonomous) says it “never fails to put a smile on my face every time I sit down, whether to work or game.”

Next to the Mac mini, the cybersecurity expert has a PC rig for gaming. It has a AMD Ryzen 7 3700X 8-Core Desktop Processor with a NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 2080 graphic card. They are encased in a ZXT H210 Mini-ITX PC Gaming Case.

Get a private tour of Apple’s new ‘floating’ Singapore store

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A
This "secret passage" is the perfect location for a selfie or two.
Screenshot: SuperAdrianMe TV/YouTube

The fantastic photographs of Apple Marina Bay Sands, the new “floating” Apple store in Singapore, just don’t do this magnificent structure justice.

From its massive glass dome to a “secret passage” with a stunning view, a virtual private tour posted by a YouTuber is the closest you’ll get to the real thing — at least for now. You’ve got to watch it! (And if you’re lucky enough to be in Singapore for opening day, be sure to check out the YouTuber’s pro tips for visitors.)

Satechi power bank boasts wireless iPhone and Apple Watch chargers

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The Satechi Quatro Wireless Power Bank includes four charging methods.
The Quatro Wireless Power Bank can recharge an Apple Watch on the go.
Photo: Satechi

Satechi’s Quatro Wireless Power Bank stands out from the pack by including a built-in Apple Watch charger. It can also wirelessly power an iPhone. In addition, the 10,000 mAh external battery has USB-C and USB-A ports. That gives it a total of four ways to charge — hence the “quatro” name.

Design-obsessed Apple crafts its own face mask [Updated]

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Apple-shield
This was Apple’s original face shield. It has a new model now.
Photo: Apple

Apple designed its own face mask because of course it did. A company long known for setting itself apart from the competition with superior design couldn’t use over-the-counter masks to protect employees and customers from COVID-19.

Instead, the team that ordinarily designs Macs and iPhones dreamed up their own face covering for Apple employees, including the people that work in Apple retail stores.

Tile trackers offer up to $1,000 for lost items

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The Tile Premium Protect plan seems like bragging.
If the Tile network can’t find your lost item, you could get reimbursed for it.
Photo: Tile

Clip a tile Bluetooth tracker to your luggage, lose it, and if the Tile network can’t find it, then the company will pay you up to $1,000 in reimbursment. The goal of the new Tile Premium Protect plan is to demonstrate how confident the maker of these trackers is in its network.

But the offer isn’t available to every Tile owner.

Zuckerberg has big ‘questions’ about Apple’s tight control of App Store

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Facebook owns 4 of the top 10 apps of the past decade
Facebook CEO has issues with App Store.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg thinks Apple’s control of the App Store should be scrutinized. In an interview for Axios on HBO, the Facebook overlord said that Apple has “unilateral control of what gets on phones, in terms of apps.”

Zuck went on to say that this power meant that there are questions that should be asked about whether this is “enabling as robust of a competitive dynamic.”

Mario Kart Tour gets nostalgic in its latest update

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Mario Kart Tour
Graphics sure have come a long way!
Photo: Nintendo

Way back in the grungy dark days of 1992, when A Few Good Men was playing in theaters and Rage Against the Machine was busy blasting out of the boomboxes of flannel shirt-wearing youths, the original Super Mario Kart landed on SNES.

Jump forward to the present day and Mario Kart Tour, the iOS version of the popular Nintendo kart-racer, is paying nostalgic tribute to its glorious past with a new tour and characters. Check out the details below.

Easily move data between Lightning and USB-C devices with this portable drive

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iKlips C Apple Lightning USB C
Manage, transfer and encrypt your files from any device with this flash drive's dual Lightning and USB-C tips.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

With all our important files on various different devices with different connection formats, it can be a challenge to move data between them. Sure, there’s the cloud, but that’s not always quick enough and requires an active internet connection. Much better to go plug and play.

TikTok continues to rule the App Store despite tough times

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U.S. investigations of TikTok gather steam.
TikTok enjoyed a great month in August. From a downloads perspective, at least.
Photo: Kon Karampelas/Unsplash CC

Despite the challenges it continues to face, TikTok was the most downloaded non-gaming app worldwide on iOS and Google Play in August, a new report by app analytics platform Sensor Tower claims.

In total, TikTok was downloaded upward of 63.3 million times during the month. That is a slight increase of 1.6% from the same month last year. Indonesia and Brazil were the most popular growing markets for the app during the month.

Apple Silicon chips will enter production later this year

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Apple Silicon
Coming soon to a Mac near you.
Photo: Apple

Mass production on the 5-nanometer chips that will be used in the next-gen iPad Pro and the inaugural Apple Silicon Mac will supposedly kick off in the fourth quarter of 2020, Digitimes reported Wednesday.

According to the report, TSMC will be turning out around 5,000-6,000 Apple Silicon wafers per month. This is rumored to be the A14X chip, which is a more powerful version of the A14 expected with this year’s iPhone 12.

No going back: Apple stops signing iOS 13.6.1 code after the release of iOS 13.7

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iOS 13.7 contact tracing feature: Life-saver, or NSA spy tool?
iOS 13.7 upgraded Apple's contact-tracing tools.
Photo: Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac

Apple has stopped signing iOS 13.6.1, meaning that it is no longer possible to turn back to the earlier version if you have already upgraded to iOS 13.7.

Apple typically stops signing code for previous software versions soon after releasing their successor. That’s because every software update Apple creates is supposed to be faster, more stable, and — most importantly — more secure than the previous version.

It’s therefore in the best interest of users to stop them turning back.

Oprah’s Book Club is Apple’s most high-profile podcast to date

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Oprah's Book Club podcast is now a thing.
In case you just can't get enough of Oprah's Book Club ...
Photo: Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac

Oprah Winfrey’s famous book club is now an Apple podcast. The show, which launched Tuesday, bears a predictable name: Oprah’s Book Club. And the subject matter might sound familiar, too.

The eight-episode series features Winfrey talking with Isabel Wilkerson, author of Caste: The Origins of our Discontents. Winfrey called it essential reading when announcing it as her book club pick last month.

This designer’s home setup features three MacBooks [Setups]

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MacBook Pro Setup
There is a lot of open desk space in this setup.
Photo: Johan Loekito

Los Angeles-based designer Johan Loekito has three MacBooks on his desk. Yes, three!

It may sound bonkers to have three MacBooks on one desk but his hardware collection is more modest that it first appears. His main machine is a 2018 MacBook Pro and it’s a company laptop. He has a 2015 MacBook Pro for personal stuff, and a 2014 MacBook Air that is his partner’s.

Apple requests punitive damages in court battle with Epic Games

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Epic Games v. Apple is just getting started
The gloves just came off in Epic Games v. Apple.
Graphic: Epic Games/Cult of Mac

The Epic Games v. Apple fight got a bit uglier on Tuesday. For the first time, the iPhone-maker asked that Epic Games pay damages for breach of contract. The two companies are arguing over whether Apple has the right to 30% of in-app purchases in the wildly-successful game Fortnite.

Potential iPhone 12 buyers want faster 5G and a smaller design

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One version of iPhone 12 will be huge.
The iPhone 12 will reportedly offer a 6.7-inch option, but there’s more interest in the smallest version.
Concept: ConceptsiPhone

A survey of current iPhone users found that 41% of them intend to upgrade to the iPhone 12 when it’s released this autumn.

What’s drawing in potential buyers the most is a faster connection via 5G. And there’s plenty of interest in the tiny 5.4-inch model. But survey respondents aren’t much interested in another rumored feature of the iPhone 12: a LiDAR scanner for augmented reality.

Wirelessly recharge two devices at once with this foldable wireless charger

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Chargeworx Slim Foldable Dual Wireless Charging Pad
This slim, 20W dual wireless pad charges 2 Qi-compatible devices at once.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Wireless charging is as convenient as it gets. Just set your device on the pad, and wait as the battery fills back up. As more devices gain Qi-compatibility, one pad isn’t enough, so this portable solution combines a pair of wireless charging pads in one slim package.

Long Way Up proves Ewan McGregor is still handsome and rich [Apple TV+ review]

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Charley Boorman and Ewan Mcgregor in Long Way Up
Charley Boorman and Ewan Mcgregor take the Long Way Up
Photo: Apple TV+

Way back in 2004, Ewan McGregor and his friend Charley Boorman decided to ride their motorcycles around the world from London to New York — the long way. That 19,000-mile trek produced British TV series Long Way Round.

A few years later, they and their team rode from Scotland to Cape Town, South Africa, and produced a sequel series, Long Way Down. Neither of these shows have much in the way of social value or a point beyond “this is certainly possible.”

Well, they’re back, with a new Apple TV+ documentary series called Long Way Up, which premieres on Sept. 18. This one recounts yet another epic motorcycle trip, starting at the southern tip of Argentina and covering “13,000 miles over 100 days through 16 border crossings and 13 countries.”

If you’re one of the several people who’s been waiting for the third installment of McGregor and Boorman’s Long Way series, boy are you in luck.

Apple TV app debuts on Vizio SmartCast TVs

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Visio SmartCast TVs and Apple TV together at last.
It’s now a breeze to watch Apple TV+ movies and shows on Visio SmartCast TVs.
Photo: Vizio

Vizio SmartCast TVs now supports the Apple TV app. This makes it easier for users of these smart TVs in the US and Canada to watch Apple TV+, the company’s streaming video service.

To sweeten the deal, Apple is offering a free three-month subscription to users of these smart screens.

How to see the AR easter egg hidden in Apple’s Sept. 15 event invite

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Augmented reality could play a part in the September Apple Event
The logo for the September Apple Event is more than just a simple graphic. It’s an AR object.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Hidden in Tuesday’s invite to the September Apple event is a clue that might confirm rumors that the company will make a major push into augmented reality.

The graphic for the invite is an apple sketched out with blue swirls. iPhone and iPad users can put that design in motion, with it seemingly appearing in the real world.

New Apple Marina Bay Sands store simply screams innovation

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Apple Store Singapore
Apple's most stunning retail store yet?
Photo: Apple

Opening this Thursday, Apple’s Marina Bay Sands retail store in Singapore is an absolute stunner. Resembling a lantern floating on the water (it’s not actually floating) or a Buckminster Fuller-style geodesic dome, the store may be my favorite Apple Store design yet.

In a year where most of Apple’s focus has been on reopening stores shuttered by coronavirus, it’s a reminder of just how brilliant Apple Store design has consistently been. Check out some of the photos of the new retail site.

Apple preps virtual event for Sept. 15, but don’t expect iPhone 12

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Apple event on September 15: Coming soon to a screen near you.
Coming soon to a screen near you.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s next virtual event will take place on September 15 — but don’t expect to see the new iPhone 12 models.

The big announcements for the “Time Flies” event that Apple announced Tuesday will likely be the new Apple Watch and iPad. The Apple Watch Series 6 could feature blood-oxygen tracking. Meanwhile, the iPad Air 4 could borrow a design from the iPad Pro — but retain Touch ID.

Beguiling Wolfwalkers trailer teases first Apple TV+ animated movie

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Wolfwalkers
Apple's new animated movie looks intriguing.
Photo: Apple TV+

The world got its first glimpse of upcoming Apple TV+ animated movie Wolfwalkers, thanks to a trailer dropped Tuesday.

The movie, directed by Oscar-nominated Tom Moore (Song of the Sea) and Ross Stewart, follows the adventures of a young apprentice hunter named Robyn Goodfellowe. She travels to Ireland in the 1600s to help her father in pursuit of a wolf pack — only to meet a girl who is part of a tribe rumored to turn into wolves at night.

French finance minister says tech giants that ‘lock in their users’ should be investigated

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iPhone with gavel.
A world first?
Photo: Tingey Injury Law Firm/Cult of Mac

France’s Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire has lambasted companies such as Apple that “develop strategies to lock in their users” through the creation of ecosystems. Speaking Tuesday, Le Maire said that these companies represent a “competition issue” that should be scrutinized by antitrust investigators.

Le Maire’s comment was broader than just Apple. But he did note that Apple’s market capitalization is now larger than the capitalization” of all the CAC 40. This refers to the benchmark French stock market index.

Apple’s location-tracking AirTags are already in production

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Apple AitTags are going to have to take on Tile.
AirTags could arrive sooner rather than later.
Concept drawing: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple’s item location-tracking AirTags are already in production, claims a Nikkei report published Tuesday. This suggests that AirTags, which have been heavily rumored for months, are likely on the verge of launching.

AirTags can be attached to items like a keychain or luggage and then be easily located using the “Find My” app on iPhone. This tags will use ultra-wideband technology to accurately determine their location. Recently, sounds discovered in iOS code gave an indication of how the AirTag-finding process will work.

Don’t miss the biggest discounts yet on the newest iPad Air

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The new 2019 iPad Air, with its 10.5-inch screen, works with Apple's existing Smart Keyboard.
The sale runs for three days only!
Photo: Apple

Pick up Apple’s newest iPad Air during Best Buy’s three-day Anniversary Sale to enjoy the biggest discounts so far. You can save $100 on 256GB models with or without cellular connectivity.

Plus, you’ll get a year of free Apple TV+, and you can save another $30 if you also pick up the Logitech Combo Touch Keyboard Case.

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