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Apple in talks to bring Apple Pay to Israel

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Apple in talks to bring Apple Pay to Israel
But negotiations with banks may not so easy.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple is reportedly negotiating with financial institutions to bring Apple Pay to Israel.

A Hebrew-language report says that Apple has been meeting with banks and credit card companies to introduce its contactless payments system. However, Apple’s fee demands could potentially be a source of disagreement between Apple and the financial institutions in question.

The designer of Apple’s iconic dingbats font recreates Cairo as a throw rug

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The designer of Apple’s iconic dingbats font recreates Cairo as a throw rug
Can you spot Clarus the DogCow?
Photo: Susan Kare/Areaware

If you’re an old school Apple fan, you may well remember the Cairo font. Cairo shipped with every version of macOS from 1984 through System 7.1. It was computer history’s first “dingbats” font in computer history, meaning a font in which letters are represented by seemingly unrelated graphics.

Now Susan Kare, the iconic Apple designer who created the fonts and icons for the original Mac, has resurrected Cairo as the basis for a new limited edition throw rug design. Searching for the perfect geeky rug design for your office? Look no further.

Apple waives developer fees for nonprofits, others in 8 additional countries

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Apple waives developer fees for nonprofits, others in 8 additional countries
Developers won't have to shell out their hard-earned bucks for accounts if they fulfil certain criteria.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Tim Cook wants Apple to be a force for good in the world. To help with this mission, Apple offers waivers on the usual $99 developer account fees for nonprofits, educational institutions, and government groups producing free apps.

Now Apple is expanding eligibility to eight more countries. That brings the total number of countries to offer waived developer fees to 13.

A tiny percentage of iPhone buyers claimed free Apple TV+ subscription

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Apple TV+
Apple TV+ did not get off to a strong start, if one analyst is correct.
Screenshot: Apple TV+

Even though every new iPhone, Mac or iPad purchased last fall came with a free subscription to Apple TV+, a relatively small percentage of people signed up, according to an analyst, who estimates that the strategy garnered the streaming service only 10 million subscribers.

IOGear Share Pro sheds the HDMI cable for wireless video [Review]

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IOGear Share Pro is a wireless video adapter
The IOGear Share Pro takes the place of a huge HDMI cable, and plugs right into your MacBook.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Wirelessly connecting a MacBook to a TV is a snap with the IOGear Share Pro. It uses the computer’s USB-C port to stream video to a screen up to 60 feet away, no wires needed.

I fully tested this accessory. Dive in to see how it preforms in regular use.

AirPods Pro remain back-ordered until March

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AirPods supplier confident of booming business through 2021
Anyone hoping to give AirPods Pro as a Valentine’s Day gift can expect to go through some hassle to get them on time.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Order AirPods Pro today from Apple.com and they won‘t arrive before March 3. And other online retailers are also out of stock. Apple has struggled to meet demand for these wireless earbuds since they launched, and there’s no sign it’s catching up.

That said, there’s a way many people can get AirPods Pro without a wait.

I hated the iPad Pro Smart Folio Keyboard, but now I love it

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Smart Keyboard Folio
As a keyboard, the Smart Keyboard Folio makes a great stand.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

I picked up the Smart Folio Keyboard for my iPad Pro a few weeks back, because I was traveling and needed to do some work on the go. I’ve avoided the expensive accessory in the past, because a regular Bluetooth keyboard is so much better — on paper anyway. Even the most basic Bluetooth keyboard offers far more essential features than Apple’s own keyboard case. But after trying the Apple keyboard, I like it a lot. The keys themselves are still awful, but the convenience factor is off the charts.

iPhone 9 concept gives a glimpse at what Apple may launch this spring

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iphone9
Will the iPhone 9 really look like this?
Photo: Mauro Batino

The long wait for the successor to the iPhone SE may nearly be over and thanks to a new concept ad you can already get a good glimpse of what it will probably look like.

Mauro Battino unleashed his gorgeous iPhone 9 concept ad this morning that’s based on all the latest rumors. Armed with an A13 chip, the best LCD Apple’s ever made, Portrait Mode camera and new colors, the iPhone 9 could become a big hit. The best feature of all though might be its price tag.

Take a look at this stunning concept ad:

Why you should check your Apple Watch Activity Trends right now

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The only way is up. Are your Activity Trends pointing in the right direction?
The only way is up. Are your Activity Trends pointing in the right direction?
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

Apple Watch has always tracked your daily physical activity with its three iconic Activity rings. That’s great if you just want to focus on hitting your daily goals. But what if you want to see your progress over time?

iOS 13 solves this with Activity Trends, an all-new tab you’ll find in the Activity app on your iPhone. It provides an indispensable snapshot of how you’ve been doing. Trouble is, it takes 90 days to collect all your trend data. Which means if you checked when you first upgraded to iOS 13, there probably wasn’t much to see.

The good news is that it’s now well over 90 days since Apple released iOS 13. So your Apple Watch Activity Trends should finally be visible. Here’s how to make sense of them.

Dive deeper into the humor of Mythic Quest on Apple TV+

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All 9 episodes of Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet are live on Apple TV+
Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet shows the crazy world of a game production company.
Photo: Apple

The debut of Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet is Friday, and Apple TV+ released a sneak peek of this comedy about developers at a video game company. The actors discuss how their wildly-divergent characters create the humor in this show.

Watch it now:

Hyper’s speedy USB-C hub is a port-lover’s dream

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HyperDrive GEN2 offers up to 18 ports.
Even the 18-port version of the HyperDrive GEN2 multiport hub isn’t much bigger than an iPhone.
Photo: Sanho

Sanho’s new HyperDrive GEN2 multiport hub doubles the data transfer speed, doubles the amount of power delivered, and doubles the video refresh rate compared to its predecessor.

And this USB-C hub truly takes the term “multi-port” to heart — there are versions with 6 ports, 12 ports and 18 ports.

Apple boosts Apple Watch trade-in values for Heart Month

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watchOS 6 new features
Upgrading to the Series 5 just got a bit cheaper.
Photo: Apple

Apple is trying to entice people with an old Apple Watch to upgrade to a newer model with some new trade-in deals.

As part of its promotion for Heart Month, Apple increased the trade-in value for the Apple Watch Series 2 and will give you $100 off the purchase of an Apple Watch Series 5. Other models also received a trade-in value bump, but Apple Watch Series 4 owners might want to hold onto their units for a while longer.

These are the deals you can expect:

How to use your Mac’s Magic Trackpad upside-down

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Trackpad upside-down
It's old and battered, but it still works. Even upside-down.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

If you have a low desk, or you just hate bending your wrists back, then you might consider turning your Magic Trackpad upside down, and using it with the lower end of its wedge away from you. With the trackpad upside-down, its slope will better watch your hand’s natural shape and position.

But flipping the trackpad also flips the direction of the mouse pointer, right? Up is down, down is up, and left and right don’t know where they are any more. Wrong! If you have an older Mac, you can just type a command into the Terminal to allow automatic orientation detection. And on newer Macs — from Sierra onward, I believe — there’s an equally easy trick.

Reuters: Coronavirus shutdowns may have ‘big’ impact on Foxconn iPhone production

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iPhone XS crazy performance means speed at your fingertips.
Apple can
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

A major manufacturer of Apple products could halt production for another week if the new coronavirus outbreak grows. One source warns that the epidemic could have a “big” impact on the tech giant’s product availability, according to a published report Monday.

Reuters cites sources at Taiwan-based Foxconn who say “almost all” production of the iPhone in China has ceased until at least February 10 and could extended even further.

Hands-on video reveals Samsung’s next folding smartphone

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Z flip
Samsung is taking another stab at folding displays with the Z Flip.
Photo: Samsung

Samsung’s next big keynote is just over a week away but the biggest surprise has already been spoiled.

Hands-on video of a leaked model of Samsung’s next folding-display smartphone, the Galaxy Z Flip, surfaced on the Twitter this weekend showcasing many of the phones features. Tons of details of the phone had already leaked online but now we can finally see the clamshell design in action.

Check out how long the display is:

Bullish Apple analysts aren’t panicking about China coronavirus … yet

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Bullish Apple analysts aren’t panicking about coronavirus… yet
No need to panic. Right now, at least.
Photo: CNBC

Wedbush analyst and Apple enthusiast Dan Ives isn’t worried about the impact of the new coronavirus outbreak on Apple’s share price. At least, not yet. In an interview for CNBC show Squawk Box, Ives said he views any dips in Apple’s share price as “buying opportunities.”

And he’s not alone in being optimistic at a time when lots of others are nervous.

Pick up the perfect Incase bag for your MacBook and other gear [Deals]

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Incase Nylon
Easily carry and protect your 15" laptop with a durable 18.5" ballistic nylon backpack, or an impact-absorbing laptop bag.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Traveling with your laptop can be nerve-wracking. For many of us, our computers are our livelihoods, so the very idea of them becoming lost or damaged is downright unacceptable. That makes protecting your MacBook with a quality case a no-brainer.

Apple supplier will start building crucial iPhone component in India

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Apple supplier will start building crucial iPhone component in India
Wistron will start assembling printed circuit boards for Apple in India.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Apple supplier Wistron has plans to assemble printed circuit boards for future iPhones at a new plant in southern India, a new report claims.

Wistron already manufactures iPhone 6s and 7 models in India. It started out manufacturing iPhones for the Indian market by building iPhone SE modes in 2017.

iPhone shipments expected to fall 10% in Q1 2020 due to coronavirus

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iPhone-11-vs-XS
Coronavirus is starting to have a big impact on Apple.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

iPhone shipments could fall 10% during the first quarter of 2020 as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

Reliable TF International Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has reduced his forecast to 36-40 million units. His latest report, seen by Cult of Mac, also warns that it’s too early to tell what kind of impact the epidemic might have on Q2.

Apple can now repair faulty products in your home

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Right to Repair
Apple's first 5nm chips are expected to ship in iPhone and iPad this year.
Photo: iFixit

If you have a broken Apple product and you can’t make it to the Genius Bar, you might be able to ask Apple to come to you. The company is now offering at-home repairs in select cities throughout the United States.

You can schedule a visit from Go Tech Services, an Apple Authorized Service Provider, through the Apple website.

Eddy Cue and Paul McCartney watch the Super Bowl together

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Cue McCartney
"Hey Cue // don't be afraid."
Screenshot: Super Bowl/NFL

Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue was spotted with rock legend Paul McCartney at Sunday’s Super Bowl.

Cue is probably Apple’s most famous sports fan. He also oversees products including Apple Music. Hanging out watching sport with one of the biggest icons in the history of music would surely be a pretty big win, then!

Apple Arcade characters invade Apple’s homepage for fun promotion

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Apple Arcade characters invade Apple's homepage for fun promotion
Cheeky new Apple promo is a lot of fun.
Photo: Apple

Apple Arcade got a publicity boost over the weekend when Apple transformed the prime real estate of its U.S. website into a fun ad for the gaming service. The promo playfully incorporates animated Apple Arcade characters — including Sega’s Sonic the Hedgehog — into the usual publicity shots for devices like the iPhone 11.

Save 95% on 2TB of cloud storage for life [Deals]

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ThunderDrive Cloud Storage Plans
Thunder Drive offers secure cloud access via your web browser, so you can access it from any device.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

By now, cloud storage is an essential part of our digital day to day lives. Unfortunately it’s still comes at a privileged price, so when there’s a chance to score massive storage for a song, our ears perk up. In this case, it’s lifelong access to 2TB of space for under $60.