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Score the portable charging gear you need for all your Apple devices [Deals]

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Charging Solution RoundupS
These innovative charging accessories will keep your gear topped off.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Whether traveling or staying home, we’re all using our devices way more than we used to. More use means less juice, so we rounded up some of the best charging gear in the Cult of Mac Store. That includes a 3-in-1 charging cable, a combination power pack and phone stand, a combination speaker and charging hub, and more.

Woz sues YouTube over scam video

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Steve Wozniak
Steve Wozniak's likeness was used in a video to scam people out of Bitcoin.
Photo: The DEMO Conference/Flickr CC

Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak is suing YouTube for allegedly failing to remove a video in which his likeness was used by thieves to scam people out of money.

Woz was among a group of individuals who were fraudulently featured in videos posted to YouTube, supposedly offering a live giveaway of bitcoins. The video suggested that anyone who sent him bitcoins would receive double the number back. Of course, when people did transfer the funds, they inevitably got nothing in return.

Apple Glass headset could sense users’ physiological states

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Apple Glass
What will Apple Glass have to offer?
Image: Jon Prosser/Front Page Tech

Apple Watch already features heart rate-tracking technology. But Apple may go even further with its biometric-reading tech — and it could be used to make an eventual Apple Glass head-up display more reactive to users in the process.

Published Thursday, a new Apple patent application describes how the company could turn information such as temperature and brainwave-reading into an assessment of the “physiological condition of the user.”

There’s no going back: Apple stops users downgrading from iOS 13.6

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Stop the madness
Don't think about going back to iOS 13.5.1!
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

If you’ve upgraded to iOS 13.6, there’s no going back! That’s because Apple has stopped signing iOS 13.5.1. This means that it’s no longer possible to download and install it on your device.

iOS 13.6 added audio versions of key stories from Apple News+, along with a new daily audio show called Apple News Today, available in the free version of the Apple News app. In addition, it introduced a new symptom-tracking feature to the Health app, plus a feature that lets you use your iPhone as a car key.

Apple held early conversations about buying Arm, but ultimately declined

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Apple Silicon
Apple has relied on Arm technology a lot over the years.
Photo: Apple

Apple reportedly participated in early stage conversations with SoftBank about acquiring its Arm Holdings.

Arm Holdings is the semiconductor conductor whose ARM architecture Apple licenses for everything from its A-series chips for iPhone and iPad to its upcoming Apple Silicon processors for Mac.

How to lock down Facebook Messenger with Face ID or Touch ID

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Add Face ID or Touch ID to Facebook Messenger for maximum security.
Take this simple precaution to keep your chats private.
Photo: Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac

Facebook Messenger’s new App Lock feature lets you add an extra layer of security to the popular chat app. iPhone and iPad users can switch on Face ID or Touch ID so they never need to worry about anybody seeing their messages.

The previously rumored feature, which Facebook rolled out for iOS devices Wednesday, is easy to enable. Plus, you can tweak a setting to make sure App Lock works ideally for you. Here’s all you need to do to turn on Face ID or Touch ID for Facebook Messenger.

iOS 14 beta 3 brings new World Clock widget, other tweaks

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iOS 14 Developer Beta 3 has a few tricks up its sleeve.
A new World Clock Widget made its debut in iPadOS 14 Developer Beta 3, and the iPhone version too.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple continues to add new features to iOS 14 and the iPad equivalent in the third beta, which the company seeded to developers Wednesday. However, the latest betas brought no major changes.

There’s a new World Clock widget. And the Apple Music app returned to the same icon design it had years ago. Other than that, Apple seems to be concentrating on bug fixes.

A desk suited for a modern day Man Ray [Setups]

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iMac Pro Setup
This setup is out of orbit.
Photo: @rsebastyan

Ryan Sebastyan is a video editor who until recently was on tour shooting Def Leppard gigs, back when we still had concerts. The tour seems to be on hold now, but he has a nice selection of shots on his Instagram page.

Back at home, he built himself a killer setup. The headliner of this tech festival is the impeccable 27-inch iMac Pro, a beast of a machine. The Grovemade Walnut Monitor Stand makes the iMac its own computer upon a hill. Naturally, he pairs the iMac with the Apple Magic Mouse and Keyboard (with Numeric Trackpad!). The matte black color stands out nicely against the walnut desk and stand.

iPhone 12 might not launch before October

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iPhone 12 Pro Max Is the largest of four 3D mockups
Some iPhone 12 versions allegedly will be out in October. Others are coming in November.
Photo: Macotakara

Rather than the usual September launch, the iPhone 12 reportedly won‘t be unveiled until the second half of October. And Apple’s first 5G model supposedly won’t reach customers until November.

This isn’t the first unconfirmed report that the next iPhone will come out later than usual. In fact, there have been quite a few.

How to use a PS4 or Xbox One controller in Call of Duty: Mobile

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How to use a controller in Call of Duty: Mobile
Controller support has its problems, but it works if you use it right.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Recent Call of Duty: Mobile updates have made big improvements to game controller support, but it’s still not as seamless as it could be. You will often find yourself running into issues for no apparent reason.

Here’s everything you need to know about using a controller in CoD: Mobile — including how to get set up the right way with a PS4 or Xbox One controller to avoid common problems.

Mokibo merges iPad trackpad into keyboard for maximum portability

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With Mokibo, the keyboard is the trackpad.
Mokibo iPad Pro keyboard case integrates a large trackpad into its keyboard.
Photo: Innopresso

Mokibo is an unusual twist on the iPad Pro keyboard case. Some of its keys also function as a trackpad, rather than keeping these two separate. It therefore offers a much larger trackpad to work with.

The accessory weighs in at under a pound, and includes a built-in multi-angle stand.

Co-creator of Apple VoiceOver talks importance of accessibility tech

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Dean Hudson depends on VoiceOver, and helped develop it.
Dean Hudson, accessibility technical evangelist at Apple, was part of the original team behind VoiceOver.
Photo: Apple

Dean Hudson helped develop VoiceOver. With the 30th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act approaching, he looks back on the creation of this Apple tech to describe what’s happening on iPhone and Mac displays to those who are blind or low vision.

Now accessibility technical evangelist at Apple, Hudson promises that Apple remains committed to enabling everyone to use its products. Because they’re life changing to those who need them.

Year’s finest iPhone photos look absolutely stunning

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Shot on iPhone 2020 winner 1
So, that's what's possible with an iPhone camera and a bit of imagination.
Photo: Dimpy Bhalotia

The iPhone has transformed photography by giving everyone (well, everyone with an iPhone) a passably professional camera that they carry with them every moment of the day.

To celebrate all things iPhone photographic, the iPhone Photography Awards (IPPA) showcase the best snaps taken each year on an Apple handset. Here are some of the newly announced winners of the 2020 contest. They’re stunners.

Apple could keep us waiting until 2021 for AirPods upgrades

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AirPods Pro with black background discounts
AirPods and AirPods Pro will get their next update next year.
Photo: Apple

People waiting to get their hands on next-generation AirPods will be waiting until 2021, a report published by Digitimes on Wednesday suggests.

It claims that Apple will launch its third-gen AirPods in the first half of 2021, before introducing the next-gen AirPods Pro in the second part of the year. Apple last updated its regular AirPods line in March 2019, while the AirPods Pro were released in October 2019.

Get the most from every photo with this powerful, intuitive Mac app [Deals]

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Luminar 4 Bundle
This smart photo-editing software turns your shots into otherworldly images.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Making photos look their best takes more than just an Instagram filter. However, you don’t need to master a complex program like Photoshop — or spend a ton of money — to make your images shine.

The powerful tools and resources in this software bundle are extremely easy to use, so anybody can start tweaking their photos immediately. The bundle is also affordable — but this is your last chance to save 75% off the usual price.

Italy is the latest country to open an antitrust investigation into Apple

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iPhone with gavel.
Italy is investigating Apple over a possible sales violation involving Amazon.
Photo: Tingey Injury Law Firm/Cult of Mac

Italy has opened another antitrust investigation into Apple, adding to the number of current antitrust investigations the company faces.

This time the investigation will explore Apple’s relationship with Amazon and whether they reached what Reuters calls an “anti-competitive agreement” over the sale of Apple devices and Beats headphones.

Pokémon Café Mix adds new orders and Pokémon to up the fun

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Pokemon Cafe Mix 1
Gotta serve 'em all!
Photo: Pokemon Cafe Mix

Pokémon Café Mix, the latest iOS game featuring everyone’s favorite pocket monsters, just received one of its first updates — bringing new orders and Pokémon, including the likes of Bellossom and Exeggutor.

In Pokémon Café Mix, players run an eatery frequented by Pokémon. In order to fulfill the different food and drink orders you have to solve puzzles, while also running the café. As you complete food-related puzzles, you encounter additional Pokémon, while also getting the chance to expand your business.

Save a ton on iPad and Mac in B&H Photo’s huge Back to School sale

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Back to School sale on iPad, Mac
Enjoy the discounts before they disappear.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

B&H Photo this week kicked off its Back to School sale on Apple products, offering customers big discounts on iPad, Mac, and more.

You can save up to $500 on last year’s 13-inch MacBook Pro, up to $300 on a 16-inch MacBook Pro, and up to $535 on a 2018 iPad Pro. There are also some sweet discounts on Apple Watch and AirPods.

This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.

New Apple Watch Activity Challenge celebrates China’s National Fitness Day

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National Fitness Day China
Apple celebrates National Fitness Day for the third year in a row.
Photo: Apple

Apple is celebrating China’s National Fitness Day for the third year in a row with a new Apple Watch Activity Challenge. The National Fitness Day challenge can be completed by recording a half hour or longer workout on August 8.

China designated August 8 as National Fitness day in 2009, marking the anniversary of the 2008 Beijing Olympics opening ceremony.

iPads will be in the dugout when MLB baseball resumes

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MLB
The 2020 baseball season won‘t be played on an iPad. But Apple tablets do have a role.
Photo: Com2us

As Major League Baseball finally goes up to bat on Thursday, coaches will be using iPads to get information about their own players, and ones from opposing teams.

Apple tablets even have a role in providing artificial crowd noise, necessary as the COVID-19 pandemic forces teams to play in empty stadiums during the shortened 2020 season.