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Join the Night’s Watch in Game of Thrones: Tale of Crows on Apple Arcade

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Try too pretend Season 8 didn’t happen in ‘Game of Thrones: Tale of Crows’
Return to the world of Game of Thrones in a new game for Mac, iPhone and Apple TV.
Photo: HBO

Travel to before the events of HBO’s hit series in Game of Thrones: Tale of Crows, a new game released Friday on Apple Arcade.

Explore the history of the Night’s Watch in this narrative-driven, real-time idle game that extends beyond the TV series. Become the shield that guards the realms of men, the sword in the darkness and the enduring sentry upon the Wall.

iPhone 12 camera problem might have an upside for Apple

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iPhone-12-concept-2
Ming-Chi Kuo says there's a problem with iPhone 12 camera lens.
Concept: PhoneArena

Apple reportedly encountered a problem with some of the camera lenses it plans to use for the iPhone 12. Specifically, some of the coatings for the wide-angle lens cracked during a high-pressure, high-humidity stress test, according to TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

While that might not sound great, there’s actually no reason to panic. And the supply-chain problem might even wind up saving Apple a few bucks.

Facebook blasts Apple as its long-delayed Gaming app debuts in App Store

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Facebook owns 4 of the top 10 apps of the past decade
It took long enough to go live!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The Facebook Gaming app finally landed in the App Store on Friday, several months after it made it to Android devices. The delay isn’t the only downside, though. According to Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg, iOS users will get a considerably “inferior experience” due to Apple’s App Store policies.

The app allows users to livestream video games, much like the ultra-popular Twitch app. And the Android version includes mini-games users can play. But not the iOS version. “We had to remove gameplay functionality entirely in order to get Apple’s approval on the standalone Facebook Gaming app,” she said.

Despite challenges, TikTok remains world’s No. 1 non-gaming app

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TikTok continues to dominate the App Store in 2020.
TikTok continues to dominate the App Store in 2021.
Photo: Kon Karampelas/Unsplash CC

Despite the controversy surrounding it, 15-second video creation and sharing app TikTok remained the world’s most downloaded non-gaming app in July, according to a new report by Sensor Tower.

TikTok ranked as the No. 1 app on both iOS and the Google Play app stores, with more than 65.3 million installs in the month. This represents a 21.4% increase from July last year. In the first quarter of 2020, TikTok registered the best three months of any app ever when it comes to downloads.

Trump’s executive order won’t hurt Fortnite or League of Legends

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Fortnite-Battle-Lab
Fortnite developer Epic Games is part owned by Tencent.
Photo: Epic Games

President Donald Trump’s executive order blocking “transactions” involving Tencent’s WeChat will not hurt games owned, or partially owned, by the company.

That means it would not affect the likes of Riot Games’ League of Legends or Epic Games’ Fortnite, both of which have financial ties to Tencent. Instead, the executive order covers only WeChat transactions.

App Store approvals mean major headaches for cloud gaming services

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Microsoft Project xCloud on iPhone
Despite a beta test, the Xbox Game Pass cloud gaming service isn’t headed for iPhone.
Photo: Microsoft

Google Stadia and Microsoft Xbox Game Pass cloud gaming services aren’t debuting on iPhone or iPad anytime soon. And the holdup isn’t for technical reasons. It’s about Apple’s App Store policy.

These services could bring desktop-level games to Apple mobile devices. But Microsoft’s offering definitely won’t debut in the App Store this autumn, and Google’s isn’t available, either.

OWC adds wheels to your Mac Pro for a mere $199

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You could feed a family for week on what Mac Pro wheels cost.
The OWC Rover Pro adds Mac Pro wheels for much less than Apple’s price.
Photo: OWC

Apple sells wheels for the 2019 Mac Pro for the slightly ridiculous price of $699. On Thursday, a third-party accessory maker launched a cheaper option. Well, relatively cheaper: the OWC Rover Pro wheel kit is $199.

iOS 14 beta 4 adds TV widget, fixes bugs [Updated]

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iOS 14 Beta 4 makes it easier to watch TV on your iPad
Just tap on the Apple TV widget to jump to your favorite shows in iPadOS 14.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

A highlight of iOS 14 beta 4 is a TV widget on the Home screen, giving users easy access to shows in the Apple TV app. And the Weather widget returns for iPad users, among a handful of other tweaks.

Apple released the public beta Thursday after seeding it to developers earlier this week.

Leaked iPhone 12 display shows the notch isn’t shrinking

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iPhone x battery percentage
There’s new evidence the iPhone 12 notch will be the same size it’s been for years.
Photo: Apple

A supposed image of the iPhone 12 display hardware shows that the screen cutout in the upcoming handset remains the same size as in its predecessors.

Earlier this year, we heard unconfirmed reports that this feature, usually called the notch, would shrink considerably in the iPhone 12. That’s not going to happen, if the image that leaked out Thursday is legit.

This fast-charging iPhone and Apple Watch stand is a monument to good design [Review]

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Twelve South HiRise Duet iPhone Apple Watch charging dock
Twelve South's HiRise Duet is a primo charging dock for iPhone and Apple Watch.
Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac

Twelve South’s HiRise Duet iPhone and Apple Watch Stand is one of the best high-end charging stands on the market.

It charges fast, keeps my Apple Watch in nightstand mode, and takes up minimal room on my bedside table. Constructed from premium materials, the HiRise Duet makes decluttering sleek and stylish.

Twitter update lets you control who can reply to your tweets [Updated]

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Apple's Twitter account and other high-profile accounts hacked in massive Bitcoin scam.
New feature helps keep out the trolls.
Photo: Ravi Sharma/Unsplash CC

The latest update to the Twitter app for iOS allows users to limit who can reply to their tweets. Twitter started testing the feature with a small number of users in May. Thursday’s update rolls it out to everyone.

Update: Twitter admitted Thursday that it got ahead of itself. It announced this feature in the release notes of its latest iOS app, but then told The Verge “the ability to limit replies on tweets is not currently available to everyone.”

Apple could ‘lead the industry’ in AI, says Cupertino’s machine learning boss

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John Giannandrea
Apple's AI boss says machine learning is being used in more places than ever.
Photo: Apple

Apple is using machine learning technology in more and more of its features, John Giannandrea, the company’s senior vice president for machine learning and AI strategy, reveals in a new interview with Ars Technica.

Giannandrea, who joined Apple from a job at Google, said “there are increasingly fewer and fewer places in iOS where we’re not using machine learning.” This stands in strong contrast to a few years ago — and even the point at which Giannandrea landed his Apple job.

Become a true master of Microsoft Excel with these master classes

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The Premium A to Z Microsoft Excel Bundle Ft. Alan Jarvis & Chris Dutton
Get a complete tour and education in the many powerful capabilities of Microsoft Excel.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

If you’re a professional who works on a computer, chances are you’ve encountered Microsoft Excel. That’s because it’s one of the most powerful tools for managing data, schedules and more. It’s truly a fundamental part of any modern workplace, so it pays to get familiar with the popular spreadsheet program.

This bundle of courses will make you a master of Microsoft Excel.

US could boot more of China’s ‘untrusted’ apps from the App Store

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app-store
TikTok may only be the first app targeted.
Photo: Apple

The Trump administration wants to eliminate “untrusted” Chinese apps from the App Store as part of a multiphase “Clean Network” plan to cut down on potential security risks from China.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo says the United States will crack down on apps with parent companies based in China. The two specific apps mentioned are TikTok and WeChat. However, Pompeo simply used these to illustrate the kinds of apps that could get the boot.

Lady Gaga will host a new Apple Music show starting Friday

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Gaga Radio
Coming soon to an Apple Music show near you.
Photo: Lady Gaga/Apple Music

The song “Radio Ga-Ga” gave Lady Gaga her stage name, and now, years later, she has her own radio show. And it’s debuting this week on Apple Music.

Gaga Radio will premiere at 11 a.m. Pacific on Friday, and run every Friday for the whole of August. In a tweet announcing the new show, Gaga invited listeners to hear her and her Chromatica collaborators “talk about the inspirations, making the record & more!”

Oscar-winning director’s iPhone short is all about the joy of shooting vertically

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Damien Chazelle
You don't need widescreen vistas to tell an amazing story.
Photo: Apple

People who shoot iPhone videos vertically are often mocked for having committed some nigh-unforgivable sin. Well, you count Academy Award-winning director Damien Chazelle (Whiplash, La La Land) among the guilty. And he’s far from embarrassed about it.

Apple Wednesday debuted a short film shot by Chazelle using his iPhone 11 Pro. In the “Vertical Cinema” short, the Oscar-winning filmmaker shows how vertical shooting can be used to breathe new life into existing movie tropes. Lots and lots of movie tropes. Check it out below.

This shoestring iPad Pro setup is both flexible and frugal [Setups]

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This might be the most unusual iPad Pro stand yet.
This might be the most unusual iPad Pro stand yet.
Photos: Craig Smith

For law teacher Craig Smith, working from home meant improvising. And the inexpensive but effective DIY setup he concocted throws together a couple of strange Apple bedfellows: He uses a vintage PowerBook G4 to elevate his main computer, an 11-inch iPad Pro.

“I needed a little more room to spread out and not feel claustrophobic,” Smith told Cult of Mac. “So, I moved my setup to the dining room table that seats six, as I have little need these days to use it as a spot to actually dine.”

That’s when he got creative with ergonomics and pressed his vintage PowerBook into service as an iPad stand.

Apple TV+ nabs detective drama from Robert Downey Jr.’s production company

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Apple picked up to rights to a TV series created by Robert Downey Jr.’s production company.
Robert Downey Jr.’s production company created a crime drama for Apple TV+.
Photo: Team Downey

A detective drama from Robert Downey Jr.’s production company is reportedly headed to Apple TV+. The series centers on a down-at-the-heels cop trying to solve a decades-old cold case.

Downey, best known for playing Iron Man in numerous Marvel movies, might take a role in the show.

This Apple Store Easter egg is popping!

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The Apple Store app hit a milestone
The Apple Store app hit double digits, and you can join in the party.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Apple Store app debuted 10 years ago, and laid an Easter egg to recognize this milestone.

Type in the right words and you can join the celebration with balloons.