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Apple rumored to be chipping in $200 million to help struggling display maker

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iPhone XR was India’s no. 1 ‘ultra premium’ smartphone in 2019
Japan Display manufactures LCD displays for Apple.
Photo: Apple

Struggling Apple display Japan Display said Tuesday that it has finalized a deal to raise $200 million from an unnamed “overseas customer.” While the customer is unspecified, Reuters claims that it is Apple.

The $200 million fund will come from the customer buying equipment at Japan Display’s main smartphone screen factory in central Japan. Japan Display owed Apple upward of $800 million last year due to Apple spending $1.5 billion building a plant used for iPhones.

iOS 13.4.1 could come this week with fix for big VPN bug

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Save 88% on comprehensive and essential VPN protection.
It will be essential for those who rely on a VPN.
Photo: VPN Unlimited

Apple will roll out an iOS 13.4.1 update this week to fix a VPN bug on iPhone and iPad, according to a new report out Tuesday.

An earlier investigation revealed a security flaw in Apple’s most recent iOS releases that prevents virtual private networks from encrypting all traffic. The issue can cause data and IP addresses to be exposed.

Learn to become an expert in Excel while working from home [Deals]

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The Premium A to Z Microsoft Excel Bundle offers lifetime access to 43 hours of basic to advanced instruction on functions, formulas, tools and more.
Get lifetime access to 43 hours of basic to advanced instruction on functions, formulas, tools and more.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

One great way to spend newfound downtime during the coronavirus shutdown is to sharpen your skills. Jobs are growing scarce, so any edge you can give yourself is beneficial. One skill that’s almost universally valuable is a working knowledge of Excel, Microsoft’s industry-standard spreadsheet application.

Apple Music’s ‘Come Together’ playlist will help get you through COVID-19 lockdown

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Come Together 1
Apple realizes that music is more important than ever right now.
Photo: Apple

To help people adapting to life in coronavirus lockdown, Apple Music has debuted a series of playlists under the title “Come Together.”

Covering a range of genres, and including some fun tongue-in-cheek titles like the “Social Distancing Social Club,” the hand-picked (hopefully wearing the necessary sanitary gloves) playlists are sure to entertain those locked in-doors. Which is seemingly everyone right now!

Check out full Windows 10 running on an iPhone X

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Windows-10-iPhone-X-1
It's not speedy, but it works.
Photo: Hacking Jules

Here’s something you probably thought you would never see: Microsoft’s Windows 10 operating system running on an iPhone X.

The hack is made possible by an app called UTM, which allows virtual machines to run on iOS devices. And despite some issues — as you might expect — it really works rather well … if you have plenty of patience.

Teamsters want Apple to guarantee shuttle bus drivers’ wages during COVID-19

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Someone is breaking the windows on Apple's buses.
Shuttle bus drivers are worried right now.
Photo: Fränz Bous/Flickr CC

The Teamsters union wants Apple to step up to the plate to keep its contracted drivers protected during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Teamsters Joint Council 7, representing more than 1,000 shuttle bus drivers for the world’s largest tech giants, want Apple and Tesla to commit to guaranteeing drivers will receive paychecks and healthcare during the pandemic. Other tech companies including Facebook, Electronic Arts, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Salesforce have all committed to doing this. However, it seems that Apple is one of the outliers.

End of an era: Samsung Display will stop making LCD panels this year

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iPhone XR
Apple and others are getting out of the LCD game.
Photo: Apple

Samsung Display, which supplies screens for iPhones, has said that it will end all production of LCD panels in South Korea and China by the end of 2020. A spokesperson for the company made the announcement Tuesday.

“We will supply LCD orders to our customers by end of this year without any issues”, the company said in a statement. However, from the end of 2020 it will make no more LCD screens as suppliers, Apple included, move to embrace OLED and other next-gen display types.

New low-cost iPhone SE successor could launch as soon as next week

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Watch a realistic iPhone 9 concept video.
Here’s what the iPhone 9 — or iPhone SE 2 if you prefer — will probably look like.
Photo: the Hacker 34

The iPhone SE 2, a.k.a the iPhone 9, could debut anytime after next week, a new report claims.

According to the report, case makers for the new low-cost handset have started sending inventory to retailers like Best Buy. However, they have included instructions that the products must not be displayed until April 5.

Apple accused of ignoring ‘massive’ music piracy on iTunes

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100 Greatest Big Hits of the 1920's, Vol. 3 continues multipolar examples of music piracy on Apple iTunes.
100 Greatest Big Hits of the 1920's, Vol. 3 on iTunes allegedly includes seven pirated recordings of songs by one composer.
Photo: Apple

Lawyers representing a group of music composers from the 20th century have accused Apple of being “recklessly indifferent or willfully blind” to the actions of a company that operates a “massive music piracy operation” on iTunes.

PSA: For COVID-19 Disaster Loan applications, use Chrome not Safari

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The SBA's new online COVID-19 loan form doesn't work properly in Safari.
The SBA's new online COVID-19 loan form doesn't work properly in Safari.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Here’s a tip for small-business owners trying to fill out the Small Business Administration’s new online COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan Program application: Use Google’s Chrome browser, not Safari.

Unfortunately, the online form for the SBA’s COVID-19 loans doesn’t function correctly using Apple’s browser.

iOS 14 remains on schedule despite developers working from home

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iOS 14 on an iPhone 11
Don’t worry that iOS 14 will be delayed.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Apple employees required to work from home during the COVID-19 pandemic supposedly aren’t letting iOS 14 fall behind schedule. The next version of the iPhone and iPad operating system is reportedly on track for release.

And company engineers are also creating new versions of an array of hardware products from their home offices.

watchOS 7 may add kid-friendly Activity rings to Apple Watch

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Apple Watch Activity
Kids will be able to fill their rings to unlock rewards.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple is planning to make some big changes to the Activity Rings on Apple Watch so that it’s more kid-friendly.

Leaked code from iOS 14 reveals that Apple plans to tweak how the move ring works when Apple Watch is in Kid Mode, allowing parents to set goals from their own iPhones. Instead of tracking calories burned though, the feature will focus on just movement.

Photog claims Amazing Stories intro contains ‘direct theft’ of his image

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Adrian Murray showing his photo and the one from Amazing Stories
How similar do they look to you?
Screenshot: Andrian Murray/YouTube

A photographer claims the production company behind the Apple TV+ series Amazing Stories committed “flagrant copyright infringement” by re-creating an image of his for the show’s intro.

Adrian Murray, of Louisville, Kentucky, alleges an image of two boys opening a glowing chest at about the 45-second mark of the intro is derivative of a work he created with his two sons in 2018.

10 things you (probably) didn’t know about Apple Watch

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Apple Watch trivia: You can't make this stuff up.
It's time for some trivia.
Photo: Malvern Graphics/Cult of Mac

#10things bug In just a few short years, Apple Watch transformed the smartwatch from pricey novelty to potential lifesaver. But how much do you know about Apple’s breakthrough smartwatch? Is it time (pun intended) to pick up some new Apple Watch trivia? You’ve come to the right place.

Here are 10 things you (probably) don’t know about the Apple Watch.

Meross HomeKit-compatible smart plug adds home automation on the cheap

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Meross Smart WiFi Plug Mini comes in 2-packs
The Meross Smart WiFi Plug Mini can be controlled or scheduled through Apple’s Home app.
Photo: Meross

A HomeKit-compatible smart plug is an easy way to try home automation. And the Meross Smart WiFi Plug Mini is an especially inexpensive option. It enables a lamp or other simple electrical device to be remotely controlled from an iPhone using Siri voice commands.

Facebook boxes out Apple on AR displays

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Plessy
Plessy has been at the forefront of micro LED display development.
Photo: Plessy

Apple’s long-rumored augmented reality glasses project may have suffered a serious setback thanks to Facebook.

The social network company reportedly reached a licensing deal with Plessey, a British firm that makes displays specifically for augmented reality displays. Apple supposedly was looking into acquiring Plessey. But Facebook rushed in and struck an exclusive supply deal with the company, effectively shutting out Cupertino.

How to borrow library books on your Kindle

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kindle lending library
Read borrowed library books on your Kindle
Photo: Aliis Sinisalu/Unsplash

Kindle library books can provide hours of entertainment as you self-isolate due to the coronavirus pandemic. You likely can check out ebooks from your local library, just like a regular paper book.

In the United States, you typically can check out books using an Amazon Kindle or an iOS app. In other countries, you can use alternative e-readers or apps. By borrowing books online, you can avoid leaving your house — perfect when libraries are closed during COVID-19 lockdown — and you don’t need to leave your house to return anything, either. Returns happen automatically at the end of the borrowing period.

Let’s see how it works.

Pixelmator Pro 1.6 update makes choosing colors easier in this Mac image-editing app

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Pixelmator Pro 1.6 offers an performance boost, too.
Pixelmator Pro 1.6 replaces the Colors window with a new color picker.
Photo: Pixelmator Team

A fresh update to Pixelmator Pro, an affordable macOS alternative to Photoshop for everyday users, includes an all-new color picker intended to let users choose and manage colors more easily. Plus, version 1.6 also makes it easier to select multiple objects.

The popular Pixelmator for iPad app is also getting its own update soon.

Zoom removes controversial code that shares data with Facebook

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Zoom
Get the latest update today.
Photo: Zoom

Video conferencing app Zoom has removed controversial code that shared user data to Facebook — even when those users didn’t have a Facebook account.

Zoom insists the data collected did not include personal information, but rather anonymous information about a user’s device. It has apologized for the “oversight” and made changes to the Facebook login process to prevent it.

First British comedy on Apple TV+ makes maddening adoption process funny somehow

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trying
Apple is Trying to inject more comedy into its slate of shows.
Photo: Apple

Anyone considering adopting children may want to rethink about going through the entire process after watching the first official trailer for the new Apple TV+ series, Trying.

Created in partnership with BBC Studios, Trying follows a British couple who want to have a child together more than anything. After finding out that they’re physically incapable of conceiving a child, the two decide to adopt, setting them on a wild ride of challenges as they try to convince an adoption panel that they would make great parents.

Watch the hilarious first trailer here:

Last chance! Sweet sport band for Apple Watch hits an insane new low

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Elkson-Apple-Watch-Sport
Bag this brilliant Apple Watch band for under $11!
Photo: Elkson

Elkson’s silicone sport band for Apple Watch is a terrific alternative to Apple’s — and ideal for all the home workouts you’ll be doing during the COVID-19 outbreak. It’s attractive, comfortable, and brilliantly rugged.

It’s also a steal at its usual price of $14.99, but until March 31, you can get yours for even less. Order from the Cult of Mac Store today to pay just $10.99.

iPad magician whips up some quarantine tricks

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Simon Pierro iPad magician
Quarantine with a twist.
Screenshot: Simon Pierro/YouTube

This public service announcement is brought to you by a magician who, like you, is stuck home in quarantine and spending a lot of time on his iPad.

“Magician” and “iPad” in the same sentence means Simon Pierro. The iPad magician cooked up some new quarantine -themed tricks to show off. (He also reminds fans to stay at home to help slow the spread of COVID-19.)

Bullish analyst lays out best- and worst-case scenarios for Apple in 2020

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2020 iPhone concept
Apple's 2020 could go one of a few different ways.
Photo: PhoneArena

The next three months are going to be crucial in determining Apple’s year ahead, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives writes in his latest note to clients, as seen by Cult of Mac.

In a message sent Sunday, Ives lays out his thoughts on best- and worst-case scenarios for Apple over the next few months amid fallout from the coronavirus pandemic. The results likely will have a major impact on Apple going forward.