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How to take control of any Mac via iMessage screen sharing

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Look at that lonely screen. It just wants to be shared.
Look at that lonely screen. It just wants to be shared.
Photo: JD X/Unsplash

Did you know that you can take remote control of another Mac’s screen via iMessage screen sharing? If you’re troubleshooting a family member’s Mac, for example, you can ask them to share their screen with you, and then take over from your own Mac. This is a hell of a lot quicker than trying to talk them through the deeper recesses of their Mac over the phone.

And, of course, it’s pretty easy to set up. Let’s take a look at how to share screens using Messages on the Mac.

Christmas Day app spending tops $250 million dollars for first time ever

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App Store icon
Business is booming for the App Store.
Photo: PhotoAtelier/Flickr

Christmas Day turned out to be one of the biggest moneymaking days ever for Apple and Google as far as app sales go.

SensorTower published its latest report of holiday app sales revealing that overall spending on the App Store and Google Play topped $277 million on Christmas Day. Thanks to consumers who had just been gifted new devices and gift cards, spending rose 11% compared to last year, and games were the biggest winner.

Brydge’s newest keyboard brings a trackpad to 2018 iPad Pro

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Brydge-Pro-Keyboard-iPad
The iPad Pro keyboard we've been waiting for.
Photo: Brydge

Brydge just dropped its first keyboard with a built-in trackpad for the 2018 iPad Pro. And it’s everything we’ve been waiting for.

The Pro+ Keyboard is one of the first to take full advantage of mouse support in iPadOS. It also offers handy shortcuts that make it easy to access system features like the Dock and App Exposé.

There’s also a standalone iPad Pro trackpad for those who don’t need the keyboard.

Why Salesforce chief gave up AppStore.com for Apple

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Why Salesforce chief gave up AppStore.com for Apple
Spoiler: It was all thanks to Steve Jobs.
Photo: Ben Stanfield/Flickr CC

Go to AppStore.com and it will connect you with, well, the App Store. And you’ve got Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff to thank for it.

In his recent book Trailblazer, Benioff tells the story of how Steve Jobs gave him the idea for what became the first enterprise app store. And how Benioff later thanked Jobs by signing over the AppStore.com domain.

‘iPhone SE 2’ could get bigger and better sibling in 2020

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iPhone SE
Two new iPhone SE models for 2020?
Photo: Sam Mills/Cult of Mac

It’s no surprise Apple is working on a new iPhone SE for 2020. Recent rumors have indicated it will make its debut in the spring. But that particular model might be just one of two planned for this year.

A new report claims Apple is also working on a larger, “upgraded” version that will be available later in the year.

Apple reportedly adding another supplier for its ultra-popular AirPods Pro

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Apple reportedly adding another supplier for its ultra-popular AirPods Pro
Apple is doing its darndest to keep up with demand.
Photo: Apple

Apple is seemingly having a supplier shakeup to kickstart the 2020s — with Cupertino shifting production for some of its biggest products to other manufacturers. Including adding another supplier for its ultra-popular AirPods Pro.

According to longtime Apple analyst Ming-Chi, Apple will be making changes to the suppliers of the AirPods Pro, the S-series chips for the next-gen Apple Watch, the iPod touch and the non-cellular iPad.

Use technology to create the perfect resume [Deals]

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Rezi
Create better resumes, tuned for hiring systems so you can get your dream career.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

The job market is getting more competitive and specialized. So a strong resume can make the difference between getting an interview and getting overlooked. With this software, you can create resumes designed to get you through the search criteria and onto the desk of your next employer.

Apple Music and its rivals dominate US music market

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Streaming services like Apple Music dominate the US music market
Apple Music is one of the main players in today's music industry.
Photo: Apple

Streaming music services such as Apple Music have completely taken over the music market, a new report from the Recording Industry Association of America makes clear.

The organization notes that streaming now accounts for a massive 80% of the music market in the United States. That’s up from a minuscule 7% a decade ago in 2010. In the first half of 2019, 61 million people in the US had streaming subscriptions.

7-year-old kid accidentally eats his holiday gift AirPod

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7-year-old accidentally eats his holiday AirPods
This is the not the recommended place to store your AirPods.
Screenshot: Local21News

One of the first things I heard when Apple first showed off its AirPods was “wow, those are going to be easy to lose.” If you’ve got a kid in the house, however, you might also want to consider how swallowable they are.

That’s a lesson learned by a parent in DeKalb County, Georgia over the holidays. They had a scary incident in which an AirPods Christmas gift was swallowed by their 7-year-old son. Fortunately, he’s okay.

Apple patches things up with mobile GPU maker Imagination

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Apple patches things up with mobile GPU maker Imagination
Imagination built GPUs for Apple since the iPod before the two companies fell out.
Photo: Apple

UK chip company Imagination Technologies has agreed to a new licensing deal with Apple. The British company designed Apple’s mobile graphics processors for years. However, it fell out with Cupertino three years ago. Apple instead focused on developing its own mobile GPUs in-house.

Recently Imagination launched a new generation of its mobile GPU architecture which it calls the most important upgrade in 15 years. The new multi-year agreement between Apple and Imagination is good news for both companies.

Start the new year with a new skillset [Deals]

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Skills Main
Ring in the new year by upgrading your professional skillset.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

2020 is a new year, a new decade, and another opportunity to improve our skills and careers. We’ve rounded up four awesome lesson bundles, from SEO to Excel, Fulfillment By Amazon and coding, so you can walk into the next decade with new professional possibilities. Even better, save an extra 20% off with promo code “20SAVE20” at checkout for a limited time.

How to nail your fitness New Year’s resolution with Apple Watch

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Ring in the new year with Apple Watch
Ring in the new year with Apple Watch
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

With the holidays behind us and a new decade just getting started, New Year’s resolution season is officially here.

If you want to make amends for your seasonal overindulgence and get in shape for the Twenties, here’s our essential guide to nailing your New Year’s resolutions with Apple Watch.

My 5 most-used apps this year

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best apps beatmaker 3
Beatmaker 3 is my favorite app this year.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

For my job at Cult of Mac, I test a lot of apps. But of course, I also use a lot of apps, for work, for recreation, and for making music. I thought I’d make a short list of my most-used apps this year. Few, if any, of these apps are new this year, although some of them received major updates in 2019. But all of them are excellent, well-made apps, well worth checking out.

So, let’s get started.

Publisher of longtime Apple II magazine passes away

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two Nibble magazine covers
Two Nibble covers, including the first edition, left.
Photo: Brian Wiser

Mike Harvey, well known to the Apple II community as the founder and publisher of Nibble magazine, passed away recently at his North Carolina home. He was 84.

His death was announced this morning by the Apple Puget Sound Program Library Exchange, an Apple user group that started in 1978.

How to get your end-of-year Apple Music Replay playlists

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alternative to voice memos
Check out your Apple Music listening habits.
Photo: YunHo LEE/Flickr Public Domain

What were you listening to most this year? Was it Lil Nas X’s Old Town Road, one of the catchiest songs of the whole year? Or were you — like Cult of Mac writer Luke Dormehl — only listening to music made before 1997, after which he claims everything got unlistenable? Or perhaps you were hooked on the inexplicably popular Coldplay?

If you did all your listening on Apple Music, then you can easily check your top 100 songs of 2019, and also other years past. You just need to check your Apple Music Replay playlists. Only it’s not quite as easy as you might have thought…

Start the New Year off right with up to 77% off Just Mobile, Rilee & Lo

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Just-Mobile-Riley-Lo-BF
Apple Watch bands, charging stands, iPhone cases, and more.
Photos: Just Mobile, Riley & Lo

Still got holiday cash left to spend? Bag yourself a New Year bargain with up to 77% off Just Mobile and Rilee & Lo in the Cult of Mac Store.

You’ll find iPhone cases and wireless charging pads, Apple Watch bands, and lots more — all at big discounts. This sale is good for a limited time, so enjoy it while you can.

WhatsApp is dropping support for iOS 8 in early 2020

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Facebook messaging apps
Coming soon to an iPhone near you?
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

WhatsApp today confirmed it will drop support for devices running iOS 8 early next year.

You’ll need to update to iOS 9 or later to continue using the app. WhatsApp warns that some features could stop working at any time after support ends in February.

ToTok co-founder asks Tim Cook to reinstate banned app

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Maker of banned ‘spy’ messaging app plea for App Store reinstatement
Apple removed ToTok messaging app which spied on its users.
Photo: ToTok

The co-founder of a messaging app Apple and Google banned from their app stores has made a plea for its reinstatement. Apple and Google gave ToTok the boot following a report that it is a United Arab Emirates spy tool used for spying on its users.

Giacomo Ziani posted a message on Twitter, tagging both Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google’s Sundar Pichai. Ziani said that the ban was, “seriously hurting our company and putting all of our efforts at risk.”

Save over 40% on lifetime Rosetta Stone language classes [Deals]

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Rosetta Stone
Save big on a lifetime of language lessons with the award winning Rosetta Stone.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Learning a language takes discipline, time, and quality instruction. It’s hard to find better instruction than what you’ll get from Rosetta Stone, often called the gold standard. So if you’re looking to speak new tongues, these massively discounted subscriptions to Rosetta Stone language courses is a can’t-miss opportunity.

Aaron Sorkin’s Steve Jobs movie is coming to Netflix

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Aaron Sorkin’s Steve Jobs movie is coming to Netflix
Fassbender played Steve Jobs in this star-studded biopic.
Photo: François Duhamel/Universal Studios

If you missed Aaron Sorkin and Danny Boyle’s Steve Jobs biopic, there’s some good news: The Oscar-nominated movie is coming to Netflix.

The movie, which came out in 2015, is an adaptation of Walter Isaacson’s bajillion copy-selling 2012 biography of Steve. It stars Michael Fassbender as the mercurial Apple co-founder and former CEO.

AirPods Pro are so popular Apple is struggling to keep up with demand

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AirPods Pro are so popular Apple is struggling to keep up with demand
AirPods Pro are a massive hit for Apple.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Apple is struggling to keep up with demand for the AirPods Pro, says Citi analyst Jim Suva. And it’s “not due to manufacturing issues.”

Speaking with CNBC, Suva noted how there was a “several week delay” for customers to get AirPods over the holiday season. According to Suva, this is due to such strong demand for the products that Apple simply “can’t keep up.”

Woman uses iPhone’s Emergency SOS to escape attempted assault

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Woman uses iPhone's Emergency SOS to escape attempted assault
Emergency SOS resulted in the arrest of attacker.
Photo: Apple

A woman in Virginia Beach used the Emergency SOS feature on her iPhone to contact emergency services during an attempted assault.

The feature, which is activated by holding down the side button and volume button on an iPhone, alerted emergency services to what was happening. The would-be assailant was subsequently arrested by police.

How to get started with HomeKit home automation

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Wemo WiFi Smart Plug is a nice start to home automation
A Wemo WiFi Smart Plug is a simple way to learn more about home automation with Apple’s HomeKit.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Controlling the lights and other gadgets in your home from your iPhone is convenient and fun, too. There are plenty of HomeKit and Alexa accessories that make home automation a snap.

I’ll go over some of the best options I’ve found that will get you started with as little trouble as possible.