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How to make your own hand sanitizer

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You don't need a lab to make your own hand sanitizer. Your kitchen will do just fine for DIY hand sanitizer capable of killing COVID-19 coronavirus.
You don't need a lab to make hand sanitizer -- your kitchen will do just fine.
Photo: Hans Reniers/Unsplash

It seems that the best way to keep your hands clean and virus-free is to wash them properly with soap and water. But if you can’t get to a sink, hand sanitizer will do to the trick (again — if used properly). Hand sanitizer remains in high demand, so you might want to whip up a batch on your own.

And if you can get your hands on the common ingredients needed, it’s really easy to make DIY hand sanitizer.

All major Chinese plants stand ready to crank out 2020 iPhones, Foxconn says

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Coronavirus-related shutdowns continue to disrupt Chinese factories.
Chinese factories are just starting to recover from the impact of COVID-19.
Photo: Steve Jurvetson/Flickr CC

China’s production pipelines are finally getting back into full swing just in time to start building the 2020 iPhone.

Foxconn, Apple’s top iPhone assembler, says it has hired enough workers at all major Chinese plants to meet seasonal demand for iPhone production, in what could be a strong signal that the labor shortages in China caused by COVID-19 are starting to get back to normal.

Apple probably won’t reopen stores until mid-April at earliest, multiple sources say

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apple.store.regent.street.london.1
With the windows void of people, Apple Stores like this one in central London won't be open anytime soon, sources indicate.
Photo: Richard Shrum for Cult of Mac

There are strong indications that the 467 Apple Stores outside mainland China closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic will not reopen until mid-April at the earliest, according to multiple location managers and employees worldwide.

Many Apple Store staff members are being quietly told that the situation remains on a “wait-and-see” status. Meanwhile, Cupertino executives continue to assess which locations might reopen and when on a case-by-case, state-by-state and country-by-country basis.

“I’ve been told not to expect stores in my area to be open anytime soon, and when I asked for a guess, two people ventured to say mid-April, but they said it with no certainty,” said the manager of an Apple Store in the southern United States. The Apple employee asked not to be named because the discussions were meant to be private.

Bay Area medical workers use iPhone-connected smart ring to thwart COVID-19

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ouraring
This tiny ring could be a valuable tool for fighting COVID-19.
Photo: Oura Ring

Emergency medical workers in San Francisco are turning to an iPhone-connected smart ring to track their body temperature and other vital signs as a way to identify early symptoms of COVID-19.

2,000 Oura Rings have been distributed to workers at the UCSF Medical Center and Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital. It’s the first study developed to spot COVID-19 symptoms and help curb its spread. Researchers are hoping the medical data can be used to create an algorithm that can detect COVID-19 before symptoms even manifest.

How to customize the new mouse Pointer Control settings on your iPad

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pointer control trackpad mouse, Apple Pencil
So many ways to control an iPad.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

The new mouse and trackpad support coming in iPadOS 13.4 is just fantastic. And, in typical Apple fashion, it just works as soon as you connect a trackpad or mouse via Bluetooth or USB. But there are also plenty of options to customize how the mouse behaves, and even how the pointer looks.

You may already have checked the obvious options in the Settings app under General > Trackpad & Mouse. But several hidden iPad Pointer Control options offer even deeper customizations.

Add this cute U2-inspired iPod toy to your play list

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iBoy stretch goal looks like U2 special edition iPod
This iBoy is red and black to look like the U2 special edition iPod.
Photo: Philip Lee

Of all of Apple’s creations, the iPod is a sentimental favorite. For many, it was their first Apple device.

An iPod-inspired action figure called iBoy could be your gateway to other Apple-inspired toys from Hong Kong toymaker Philip Lee.

Apple hikes prices on build-to-order Macs outside US

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MacBook-Pro-build-order
Expect to pay around 10% more for each component.
Screenshot: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Apple in recent days has ramped up its prices on build-to-order Mac configurations in many countries outside the United States.

Pricing for standard machine configurations remains the same. But if you want to upgrade your Mac’s processor or increase its RAM or storage, you can expect to pay around 10% more for each component.

OtterBox Defender case adds massive protection to 2020 iPad Pro

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OtterBox Defender Series for 2020 iPad Pro brings plenty of protection.
The OtterBox Defender Series for the 2020 iPad Pro includes a screen shield that does double duty as stand.
Photo: OtterBox

The OtterBox Defender Series adds multiple layers of shielding, and a version specifically for the 2020 iPad Pro already hit store shelves.

This case wraps around the sides and back of the tablet, plus it includes a built-in screen protector and a removable screen shield that also functions as a kickstand.

Realistic iPhone 12 concept shows what to expect from Apple this fall

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iphone 12 without notch
Will this be the year Apple finally ditches the notch?
Photo: ConceptsiPhone

The grand unveiling of Apple’s 2020 iPhone lineup is still nearly half a year away, but you can already get a solid look at what to expect with the newest concept trailer from ConceptsiPhone.

Created in cooperation with reliable iPhone-leaker Ben Geskin, this iPhone concept video avoids fanciful features like a holographic display or embedded Touch ID scanner in favor of a no-frills design that looks more like a mix between the iPhone X and iPhone 4, only without a notch.

Take a look:

FaceTime humor amid coronavirus is the laugh we all need

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FaceTime coronavirus
FaceTime has been handy but is no replacement for face-to-face time.
Screenshot: Eva Victor/Twitter

With COVID-19 lockdowns walling us off from friends and family, the FaceTime feature on iPhones and iPads is saving our social lives.

But glitchy audio and periodic freezing of the video stream add to our mounting self-isolation frustration.

iOS 14 leaks hint at new notification triggers, AR mode for Find My

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Find My Friends
Find My could be better than ever in iOS 14.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Fresh iOS 14 leaks that surfaced on Monday reveal Apple’s plans to bring new notification triggers and an augmented reality mode to the Find My app.

The improvements could give users the ability to get an alert when a contact doesn’t arrive at a specific location by a certain time. They could also make it easier to track down lost Macs and iOS devices.

Apple’s $15 billion in back taxes won’t help Ireland during COVID-19

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International governments plan to rethink tax rules for the ‘digital age’
The cash is right there -- but not for the taking.
Photo: Pixabay/Pexels CC

Ireland is not allowed to use the 14 billion euros ($15.1 billion) in disputed back taxes it collected from Apple to help boost its economy during the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis.

Yesterday, the leader of the opposition Sinn Féin party, Mary Lou McDonald, said the Irish government could “right this minute” reach into the escrow account where the funds are held and use them to help workers. However, Taoiseach politician Leo Varadkar says that simply isn’t the case.

Apple quietly acknowledges Personal Hotspot problems in iOS 13

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Personal-Hotspot-iOS
There's a temporary workaround, but no fix yet.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Apple is aware of Personal Hotspot problems some users are facing after updating to iOS 13, according to a report published Saturday.

The company reportedly distributed an internal document to Authorized Service Providers acknowledging the issue. There is no fix for the problem yet, but there is a temporary workaround users can employ in the meantime.

Disney+ will launch with reduced video quality in Europe, delayed 2 weeks in France

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Disney+ logo
Coming to Europe this week. France a bit later!
Photo: The Walt Disney Company

Disney has delayed the launch of its Disney+ streaming service by two weeks in France. This is as a result of a request by the French government.

Disney has also agreed to a European Union request for streaming video providers to scale back streaming quality by “at least” 25%. This is to “ensure the smooth functioning of the broadband infrastructure” at a time when the internet faces the strain of more heavy traffic while people are stuck home due to the coronavirus crisis.

Take this opportunity to clean your Mac, finish your resume and more [Deals]

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Weekend Things To Finally Do
With these tools you can finally do the things you've been meaning to, like getting secure cloud backup or managing your finances.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Lots of us suddenly have extra spare time, so it’s a great time to catch up on those tasks we’ve been putting off for a while. That’s why we rounded up four great deals on cloud backup, resume building tools, Mac cleaning utilities, and personal finance software.

Macintosh Plus gets touchscreen upgrade with the help of iPad

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Macintosh-iPad-Conversion
Imagine how futuristic this would have looked in 1986.
Photo: Travis DeRose

Face it: Apple’s probably never going to make a touchscreen Mac. It’s definitely never going to make a touchscreen Mac that looks like the 1986-era Macintosh Plus.

Fortunately, engineer and Mac fan Travis DeRose has stepped up to the plate to show us what such a glorious amalgamation of concepts would look like — by building what essentially amounts to a Mac Plus case for his iPad mini. No, it’s not particularly practical, but it is neat looking. Check out his video below.

iPhone could bag big camera upgrades in 2020; periscope lenses in 2022

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iphone11promax
iPhone's already-excellent camera is about to get even better.
Photo: Apple

Apple plans to make big upgrades to the iPhone’s camera in the coming years, according to the latest research note from reliable TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, published on Monday.

It is predicted this year’s refresh will bring sensor-shift image stabilization to at least one model before the technology rolls out to all flagship handsets in 2021. iPhone is then expected to get periscope with up to 10x optical zoom in 2022.

Apple could take another shot at failed AirPower charger

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AirPower
AirPower wireless charging mat may not be dead after all.
Photo: Apple

Apple isn’t giving up on its dreams of an AirPower wireless charging mat, according to Jon Prosser of FrontPageTech. In a series of tweets sent Sunday, Prosser said that Apple is in the process of “re-engineering” AirPower from the ground up. “Prototyping is underway,” he wrote.

While that’s still no guarantee that AirPower will make it to market, it’s good news to hear that Cupertino’s not abandoning plans for a product many people were excited about.

Apple Books offering free novels and audiobooks to get you through self-isolation

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Apple Books offering free novels and audiobooks to get you through self-isolation
Apple's latest offer is one for the readers (or listeners.)
Photo: Apple

Apple is offering users in the U.S. (and hopefully elsewhere soon) a selection of free books and audiobooks to help while away the hours while in self-isolation.

A push notification Apple sent out Sunday advises customers to “enjoy a good book, on us.” It reads as follows:

Attention hoarders, Apple lifts limits on iPhone, iPad, and new MacBook Air purchases

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There are no iPad or iPhone purchases limits
Buy all the 2020 iPad Pro units you want.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

The limit on the number of iPhones, iPads and new MacBook Air models each customer could purchase that Apple put into place a few days ago has already been lifted everywhere outside China.

This means any hoarders who have money left after buying every scrap of TP in their town can stock up on Apple devices, hoping the limited supply will make prices skyrocket.

Oprah Winfrey launches COVID-19 interview series on Apple TV+

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Oprah Winfrey says Apple TV+ can have a genuine impact on humanity.
Oprah Winfrey and Apple pull together a quick interview series for Apple TV+ focusing on the COVID-19 pandemic and how to deal with its implications.
Photo: Apple

Apple TV+ has launched a surprise interview series with former talk show Oprah Winfrey talking about the global coronavirus pandemic. In its first episode, Winfrey spoke to actor Idris Eba, one of several celebrities to test positive for COVID-19.

The series – entitled “Oprah Talks COVID-19“- debuted Saturday, with little production value for a quick-to-air show. Winfrey’s first installment features FaceTime interviews with Elba and his wife, Sabrina Dhowre. 

Don’t let being stuck at home cost you your golf game [Deals]

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PhiGolf-1
Play Golf all year round and from anywhere with this fun and immersive golf simulator package.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

If playing golf is how you relieve stress, being stuck at home is not ideal. If you’re being responsible and self-isolating — and missing the driving range — this immersive golf simulator offers a way to get in your swings without leaving the living room.