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Apple Pay Express Transit hits London

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Apple-Pay-Express-Transit-London
Paying for your journeys just got a lot faster.
Photo: Apple

Apple Pay Express Transit is now available across all Transport for London services — including the Underground, buses, and trams.

Commuters can use the feature with iPhone or Apple Watch to pay for rides faster than before. It does not require transactions to be authorized with a face or fingerprint, so the whole process takes seconds.

Apple will take ‘deeper look’ at how it handles disputed borders after Crimea controversy

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European MPs want Apple Maps correction over Crimea controversy
Apple recently changed Apple Maps and Weather to show Crimea belonging to Russia.
Photo: Andrew Butko/Wikimedia CC

Apple says that it is going to take a “deeper look at how we handle disputed borders” after recent controversy about the Russian-annexed Crimean Peninsula.

Last week, Apple agreed to depict the disputed peninsula as belonging to Russia on Apple Maps and Apple Weather. The changes only showed when viewed inside Russia. In the backlash that ensued, Ukranian foreign minister Vadym Prystaiko said that Apple should stick to “high-tech and entertainment”.

Check off your Cyber Monday shopping list early [Deals]

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Cyber Monday Main
Get an early start to all of the Cyber Monday sales going on now!
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Holidays are great, but they can also be a nightmare, especially when it comes to shopping for gifts. Life’s too short to spend in line at the mall, so we’ve rounded up some of our best Cyber Monday deals early this year. From secondary phone lines to portable wireless charging, gaming chairs, camera stabilizers and way more, there’s something here for everyone on your gift list.

RAVpower travel router also connects iPhones to hard drives and SD cards [Review]

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RAVpower FileHub Travel Router is also a hub.
RAVpower FileHub Travel Router does far more than its name indicates.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Life on the road can be a hassle, even with an iPhone, but there’s a lot the RAVpower FileHub Travel Router can do to make it easier. It’s a battery, a hub with a USB port and SD card reader, and (naturally) a travel router.

I road tested every feature of this accessory. Read on to see if it deserves a place in your travel kit.

Thinking different: Inside the new Cult of Mac book [Cult of Mac Magazine 325]

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Peek inside the new book Cult of Mac, 2nd Edition.
Peek inside the new book Cult of Mac, 2nd Edition.
Cover: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

When tasked with designing The Cult of Mac, 2nd Edition, Derek Yee asked himself why there weren’t any books about Macs that looked like MacBooks. Then he cooked up a grand design that pays homage to awesome Apple products.

The new book, by Leander Kahney and David Pierini, is a follow-up to the original. It’s filled with all-new stories and photos of the Apple fans who never stop thinking different. (And it’s available now for preorder from Amazon.)

Get a sneak peek inside the book, along with the rest of the week’s top Apple news, reviews and how-tos, in your free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine.

Black Friday is over, but its spirit lives on in these 10 stellar deals [Deals]

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Black Friday Jamstik
Get these deals still with Black Friday prices, don't miss out.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

As Cyber Monday and the rest of the holiday shopping season prove each year, the need for bargains reigns eternal. So even though the consumer frenzy of Black Friday 2019 may be part of history, you can still enjoy the spoils of the day with 10 great holiday gift ideas that remain available at ridiculously low Black Friday pricing.

But there are no guarantees on how long these prices will remain, so get in on these offers pronto — or watch them magically disappear. Don’t forget to use the promo codes at checkout for additional savings!

iPhone 11 Pro scores highest in 2019 for video camera

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iPhone 11 Max Pro cameras
The next iOS update will have an additional off switch for Location Services after recently data privacy concerns.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Apple has seen the rise of competitors launching smartphones with cameras declared by reviewers and consumer labs as surpassing the iPhone.

But the iPhone 11 Pro dismissed some creeping doubts when it launched this fall and it will end 2019 at the top of several recap and best-of lists.

Among the first with its 2019 review is independent lab DxOMark, which tested 31 new smartphones this year and ranked the 11 Pro as its favorite for video.

Awesome gifts for any Apple Watch fan [Gift Guide 2019]

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Apple-Watch-Gift-Guide-2019
Shopping for an Apple Watch fan? Start here!
Image: Killian Bell

It couldn’t be easier to buy holiday gifts for loved ones who own an Apple Watch. There are so many wonderful accessories out there for the best-selling smartwatch on the planet.

Gift-Guide-2019-bugAnd Cult of Mac can help you find the best. Our Apple Watch gift guide includes our favorite bands, charging stands, wireless headphones, and more. Any many of them are now on sale for Black Friday.

Now you have no excuse to leave your holiday shopping until the last minute.

Apple supplier is Asia’s best-performing stock of 2019 thanks to AirPods

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AirPods supplier confident of booming business through 2021
AirPods have been a bigger hit than maybe even Apple expected.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Apple suppliers frequently benefit when Cupertino has a mega-sized hit — and that’s exactly what has happened with the makers of the AirPods. Supplier Luxshare Precision Industry, which manufactures the AirPods for Apple, has seen its stock price triple this year.

In the process it has outperformed every other major stock traded in the Asia-Pacific region. And it’s only going to rely more on the AirPods going forward.

M. Night Shyamalan’s Servant is unsettlingly good fun [Review]

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Apple TV+ series Servant accused of ripping off Sundance movie
There's nothing creepy about a nanny cradling a fake baby, right?
Photo: Apple

A spooky nanny. A creepy baby. And a whole bunch of crazy plot twists. It can only be Servant, M. Night Shyamalan and Tony Basgallop’s psychological horror series for Apple TV+.

The series debuted on Thanksgiving, and I’ve already hungrily snarfed down the first 30-minute episode. While I’m not yet sure if it’s enjoyable junk food or a balanced, healthy meal, I liked it a whole lot. Check out my episode one Servant review.

See featurette asks how Apple TV+ show crafted a world without sight

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See featurette asks how Apple TV+ show crafted a world without sight
See depicts a world in which humanity has lost its sight.
Photo: Apple

Are you a fan of See, Apple TV+’s post-apocalyptic fantasy show starring Jason Momoa as Baba Voss? Want to know more about how the show came to be?

If so, you’re in luck — since Apple just debuted a nifty featurette in which the cast and crew share their behind-the-scenes stories.

Check it out.

New Apple TV+ episodes of See, The Morning Show, and For All Mankind

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New episodes of The Morning Show, See, and For All Mankind are up
Here's your Friday viewing sorted!
Photo: Apple

It’s the day after Thanksgiving, which means you’re possibly looking forward to a day of lounging around, digesting yesterday’s enormous dinner, and watching some good TV shows — courtesy of the latest new episodes on Apple TV+.

Here’s what you can expect from the new instalments of The Morning Show, See, and For All Mankind.

Brilliant gifts for any iPad fan [Gift Guide 2019]

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iPad-Gift-Guide-2019
Shopping for an iPad fan? Start here!
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Black Friday is upon us, which means it’s a great time to start your holiday shopping. Don’t worry if you don’t know what to buy — Cult of Mac is here to help you choose the best gifts for the iPad lover in your life.

Gift-Guide-2019-bugYou’ll find the best headphones, speakers, game controllers, and keyboards in our iPad gift guide for 2019. And there’s something to suit every budget.

So, when you’ve finished scoffing down that turkey, check out the roundup below.

Why Apple’s Thanksgiving Day Challenge could change your life

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Are you up to the challenge this Thanksgiving?
Are you up to the challenge this Thanksgiving?
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

Apple is sending us mixed messages this Thanksgiving. On the one hand, it’s encouraging Apple Watch owners to get active with the Thanksgiving Day Challenge 2019. But on the other hand, it’s serving up new episodes of Apple TV+ shows a day early, so we can collapse onto the couch with full stomachs and do nothing all day.

If the couch sounds more tempting than a chilly November workout, you should think again. If you accept Apple’s Thanksgiving Day Challenge, it could be the most important workout you do all year.

Snag early Black Friday deals on iPhone charging gear and more [Deals]

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Black Friday Main Frame
Get an early jump on your Black Friday shopping with these deals on portable charging gear.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

If you’ve got an iPhone, you know how much of a challenge it can be to stay charged on the go. With these nine early Black Friday deals on powerful, portable mobile charging gear, that’s not going to be a problem again.

You also will find unbeatable deals on portable speakers and glass protection in our pre-Black Friday sales roundup.

Retro app concept transforms iPhone into an iPod Classic

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Retro app concept transforms iPhone into an iPod Classic
Remember when you could only hold 1,000 songs in your pocket?
Screenshot: Elvin Hu

The iPod’s click wheel was once one of the most iconic UI elements in consumer electronics. Today, it’s gone to the great user interface retirement home in the sky. Or has it? A new app suggests maybe not.

An iOS developer has unveiled a nifty app concept which aims to transform your iPhone into an iPod Classic by incorporating a virtual click wheel. Check it out.

Demand could far exceed supply for AirPods this holidays

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Demand could far exceed supply for AirPods this holidays
Apple has a massive hit on its hands.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

‘Tis the season to run around in a fruitless battle to find AirPods in time for the holidays, notes Wedbush analyst Dan Ives in a message to clients.

Ives thinks that a surge of demand means there will be a shortage of AirPods headphones this holiday season. In total, he thinks Apple could ship a total of 65 million AirPods in 2019 — and things will only ramp up in 2020.

Apple Stores start turning red for World AIDS Day

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Apple Stores start turning red for World AIDS Day
Apple Stores have been going red since 2012.
Photo: Benson0718/Instagram

Apple Store logos around the world have started turning red to highlight Apple’s commitment to raising awareness of World AIDS Day. Red is the color associated with World AIDS Day, dating back to the introduction of its red ribbons introduced in 1991.

World AIDS Day officially takes place this Sunday, December 1. However, Apple Stores are making the symbolic change a few days early.

Politician lashes out at Apple over Apple Maps’ Crimea alteration

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European MPs want Apple Maps correction over Crimea controversy
Apple Maps shows Crimea as belonging to Russia.
Photo: Andrew Butko/Wikimedia CC

Ukraine’s Minister for Foreign Affairs has lashed out at Apple over its decision to depict the disputed peninsula of Crimea as belonging to Russia — when Apple Maps is viewed by users in Russia.

In a tweet, Vadym Prystaiko said that Apple should stick to “high-tech and entertainment. Global politics is not your strong side”.

Jony Ive disappears from Apple’s leadership page

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Apple-leadership-2019
You won't see Jony Ive here anymore.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Former design chief Jony Ive today disappeared from Apple’s leadership page after leaving Cupertino.

Ive joined Apple in 1992 and led its design team from 1996. He is credited for helping rescue the company from the brink of bankruptcy with a slew of iconic products.

It’s not quite the end of Ive’s relationship with Apple, however. His own design company, LoveFrom, will hold the iPhone-maker as one of its primary clients.

Twitter has changed its mind on deleting inactive user accounts (for now)

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Twitter has changed its mind on deleting inactive user accounts (for now)
Twitter is rolling back its recent announcement.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Twitter’s decision to remove accounts which had been inactive for six months or more sounded good in theory. It would free up a bunch of user names and, in theory, make Twitter more transparent by showing only information (such as follower count) that reflected current active users.

In theory. Soon after Twitter revealed the new policy this week, people raised concerns about what this would mean for users who had passed away. Why does this matter? There’s a very good reason.

Amazing gifts for any iPhone fan [Gift Guide 2019]

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iPhone-Gift-Guide-2019
Don't know what to buy? Let Cult of Mac help.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

With so many iPhone accessories available today, it’s hard to know where to start when buying holiday gifts for the iPhone lover in your life. But Cult of Mac can help.

Gift-Guide-2019-bug

We’ve rounded up some of the best accessories out there for iPhone owners. We’ve got great cases, superb headphones, gorgeous charging stands, and more.

Prices start at just $25, and many of the products are currently on sale for Black Friday. Snap them up while they’re cheap!