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Apple’s newly opened Beijing retail store looks absolutely stunning

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Apple Store Beijing 4
This is located close to the site of Apple's first ever China Apple Store.
Photo: Apple

Apple opened its first store in China back in 2008 at Beijing’s Taikoo Li Sanlitun mall. Now, more than a decade later, it has opened a spectacular new Apple Sanlitun store adjacent to the now-shuttered location of the original.

Apple Sanlitun is twice the size of the original Beijing store, and includes a viewing gallery, boardroom (for users to get advice from Apple experts), and a forum for future live events. Check out the pictures below.

A setup great for long grinds [Setups]

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MacBook Pro setup
This setup is ready for battle.
Photo: @designingforscale

Wissam Abirached is a senior engineering manager at Github, so he needs a desk to match his position. His MacBook Pro-powered rig orbits around an LG 34-inch UltraWide monitor. Aside from Apple’s Pro Display XDR, the LG’s UltraWide is the monitor to use when working with Apple products.

He uses an Apple Magic Keyboard and Mouse — can’t go wrong there. His MacBook sits on top of a Griffin GC16034 Elevated Laptop Stand. This puts his laptop at a comfortable height and gives him a place to store his Xbox controller.

Apple previews fun new emoji coming in iOS 14

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iOS 14 emoji include a ninja, the transgender symbol, and an Italian gesture.
The are just some of the emoji coming in iOS 14.
Photo: Apple

Friday is World Emoji Day, and the celebration wouldn’t be complete without Apple unveiling the new additions coming to iPhone, iPad and Mac. Highlights of the iOS 14 emoji include ninjas, the transgender symbol, and a certain Italian hand gesture.

But the complicated process emoji have to get through before reaching our phones means there aren’t any timely ones, like more people wearing masks.

Hurt Locker scribe brings his next action-thriller to Apple TV+

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“Echo 3” is headed for Apple TV+. An Israeli version from the same production company is called ‘When Heroes Fly.’
Echo 3 was previously adapted into When Heroes Fly in Israel. Apple TV+ is producing a new version written by Mark Boal.
Photo: Keshet Studios

Apple on Thursday gave a straight-to-series order to Echo 3, a new action-thriller from Mark Boal, who picked up multiple Oscars for writing The Hurt Locker.

The 10-part series headed for Apple TV+ is inspired a novel by Amir Gutfreund.

How to enable Tap to Click for iPad Pro’s Magic Keyboard

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How to enable Tap to Click for iPad Pro's Magic Keyboard
Silence noisy clicks.
Image: Apple/Cult of Mac

If you’ve ever used the brilliant Magic Keyboard for iPad Pro late at night, while someone sleeps quietly beside you, you’ve probably noticed that clicking its trackpad is too darn loud! But you can avoid it.

With one simple settings change, you can use a silent tap to click instead. Here’s how.

How to use the Command+Q shortcut to quit apps on iPad [Pro tip]

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How to quit apps on iPad
Cmd+Q really does work on iPad.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Pro-tip-4 If you’ve ever spent any amount of time in macOS, you will have likely tried to use its familiar Command+Q keyboard shortcut to quit apps on iPad — only to find it does nothing. But you’re not using it properly.

There is a trick that allows you to use this shortcut to quickly close iPadOS apps, and in this pro tip, we’ll show you how.

Logitech Folio Touch adds keyboard and trackpad to 11-inch iPad Pro

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Logitech Folio Touch
Logitech Folio Touch makes your iPad Pro into an ultra-portable laptop.
Photo: Logitech

The Logitech Folio Touch takes full advantage of the trackpad support added to iPadOS. And its keyboard and kickstand help convert the 11-inch iPad Pro into a MacBook alternative.

It offers premium features, like backlit keys, multi-touch trackpad gestures, and support for the Smart Connector.

iOS 13 eats away at battery life, but iOS 14 offers hope

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iOS 13 battery life eroded. But iOS 14 offers better.
Reversing a trend, iOS 14 battery life could be noticeably longer than iOS 13.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Tests done on a range of iPhone models running the just-released iOS 13.6 reveal that it slightly reduces the battery life of all these handsets when compared to the previous version. And, generally speaking, that has held true for the last six iOS 13 updates.

But there’s good news. Tests with an early iOS 14 beta showed this upcoming version brings a significant increase to battery life.

Save up to $100 on the newest Mac mini for a limited time only

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Apple Mac mini 2018
Bag yours before they're all gone.
Photo: Apple

B&H Photo has slashed up to $100 off Apple’s newest Mac mini for a limited time only. Prices start at $759 — down from $799 — for the entry-level machine, but you’ll save even more on beefier models.

B&H says a limited supply is available, so claim yours before they’re gone.

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

Apple steps up push for diversity with historically Black colleges and universities partnership

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Apple Historically Black Universities 1
Apple is working hard to promote diversity in tech.
Photo: Apple

Apple is deepening its connection with historically Black colleges and universities to create “community hubs for coding and creativity.”

Under the heading of Apple’s Community Education Initiative, the partnership with an addition 10 learning institutes will allow Apple to expand its coding initiative — while also helping widen participation in tech.

Amazon customers buying fewer electronics during COVID-19, study suggests

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Amazon packages delivered
Could this hint at lower online sales for Apple during Q2?
Photo: Morning Brew/Unsplash

Amazon has been busier than ever during the COVID-19 pandemic, as shuttered high streets drive people online to do shopping that, well, they were increasingly doing online anyway.

But user spending habits have changed, says a new report from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP). Provided its data is accurate, some of those changes could well have an impact on Apple’s business.

Spend quarantine time right with these Netflix alternatives [Deals]

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Streaming Roundup
Browse the best in streaming services at the Cult of Mac Store.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Stuck at home? So is almost everyone else, making our TVs and computer screens essential portals to the outside world and entertainment. With these top alternative streaming services, you can keep your mind occupied with all kinds of fun and informative content.

If Netflix feels a little stale these days, expand your horizons with one of these deals on something you’ve never seen before.

European Commission may have lost Apple tax case, but it believes it’s morally in the right

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Image showing
The tax battle with Apple looks set to rage on.
Photo: New York Public Library/Unsplash CC

The European Commission may have lost its court case about Apple’s $14.8 billion tax bill, but it continues to believe that it’s morally in the right.

“We do not consider it normal that the largest corporates get away with paying one percent tax at most,” European Commission executive vice-president Valdis Dombrovskis told reporters in the aftermath.

Apple Silicon MacBook Pro and MacBook Air will ship by end of 2020

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16-inch MacBook Pro from 2019
Are you excited about the first Apple Silicon MacBooks?
Photo: Apple

Apple will release its first MacBook Pro and MacBook Air powered by Apple Silicon by the end of 2020, a report published Thursday claims.

According to Digitimes, Apple manufacturers will start shipping components such as backlit units (BLUs) for the next-gen MacBooks in the third quarter of 2020. That could be any time between now and September.

Apple now offers AppleCare+ monthly plans in Canada, Australia, and Japan

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2016 MacBook Pro with Touch Bar and AppleCare
AppleCare+ gives you month-by-month rolling protection for your Apple device.
Photo: Apple

Apple is expanding its AppleCare+ monthly plan outside the United States for the first time. It is making it available in Canada, Japan, and Australia as well.

The month-by-month coverage hasn’t launched yet in these countries. However, Apple has revealed that it is coming to these markets in one of its official support documents.

Hackers hit Apple’s Twitter account in widespread bitcoin scam

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Apple's Twitter account and other high-profile accounts hacked in massive Bitcoin scam.
Apple’s very first Tweet ever isn’t about Bitcoin. Twitter got hacked.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Apple is one of many companies and people who had their Twitter accounts hijacked on Wednesday. A hacker found a way to post on what seems to be any account, indicating that it’s Twitter itself that has been hacked.

All the posts pointed readers toward a bitcoin scam.

watchOS 6.2.8 brings digital car keys to Apple Watch

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watchOS 6.2.8 is out now!
Digital car key support in watchOS 6.2.8 has the potential to make Apple Watch much more useful.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Starting Wednesday, an Apple Watch can be used to unlock a car, replacing the key, thanks to the release of watchOS 6.2.8. But it’s early days yet for this feature, as it doesn’t yet have wide support.

In addition, this software update enables people in a handful of additional countries to take advantage of the ECG in Apple’s wearable.

Apple TV+ still struggles to find an audience

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Apple TV+ has yet to cut into the lead of well-established streaming video services.
Apple TV+ emphasizes that it offers only original programming. But so far that’s not working.
Photo: Apple

Apple TV+ has just a tiny fraction of the U.S. streaming video market, according to a market-research firm. Even nine months after its launch, it’s well behind well-established rivals like Netflix and even the other newcomer, Disney+.

iOS 13.6 brings expanded Apple News features and other cool stuff

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Apple News layers on new features in iOS 13.6.
Apple News layers on new features in iOS 13.6.
Photo: Apple

Apple released iOS 13.6 Wednesday, boosting its Apple News offering and bringing other new features to iPhone and iPad.

As expected, the company added audio versions of key stories from Apple News+, the paid version of its news aggregation service. Apple also added a new daily audio show called Apple News Today, which is available in the free version of the Apple News app.

In addition, the company beefed up its list of organizations pumping news content into the service. However, the Apple News audio features will only be available to U.S. users, the company said.

Apple should take this Mac Health app concept to heart

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This Health for Mac concept expands the app beyond iOS.
Is it time to port the iPhone Health app to Mac? A concept artist thinks so.
Photo: Jordan Singer

A concept artist shows what the iPhone’s Health application could look like after being redesigned for Mac.

Currently, this software is only for iOS. There’s not even an iPad version. This concept, created in SwiftUI, hopes to convince Apple to change that.

How to update your Amazon Echo Buds to avoid overheating

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How to update Amazon Echo Buds
Get the latest firmware as soon as possible.
Photo: Amazon/Cult of Mac

Amazon today instructed Echo Buds owners to urgently update their headphones to avoid a “potential safety risk.” The company says that in rare cases, Echo Buds can overheat while charging.

A new firmware update addresses this problem, and helps ensure that headphone batteries last as long as possible, by making charging more efficient. Here’s how you can install it.

NBCUniversal’s streaming service Peacock launches today on iOS and Apple TV

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Peacock from NBCUniversal
Because 2020 doesn't have enough streaming subscription services.
Photo: NBC Universal

NBCUniversal’s streaming service Peacock launched Wednesday, complete with iOS and Apple TV apps.

Peacock, which joins a plethora of similar streaming services, has been up and running for Comcast’s Xfinity X1 and Flex cable customers since April. However, today it gets a wider U.S. release, with both paid and free tiers.