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Adobe Illustrator joining Photoshop on iPad in 2020

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Adobe Illustrator for iPad
This early glimpse show what Adobe Illustrator for iPad will probably look like.
Photo: Adobe

Adobe plans to launch a version of Illustrator for Apple’s tablets next year. But this won‘t be a straight port — the user interface will be changed substantially to run on a touchscreen with a stylus.

The company also just introduced Photoshop for iPad (and revealed plans to launch Adobe Photoshop Camera, a camera app that adds lenses and filters).

How to play relaxing, ambient sounds with your HomePod

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HomePod, Siri, music
What could be more relaxing than this?
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Stressed? On edge? Struggling to block out the annoying construction work down the street? Or do you just hate silence, and the way it reminds you that your life is tick-ticking away? Then you need some room-filling ambient sounds.

How about a nice, relaxing rainstorm to help you fall asleep? Or some white noise to fill the space left by your grownup children when they left you behind to start their own lives? If you have a HomePod running iOS 13.2 or later, your smart speaker stands ready to help blank out the soul-bleeding silence of your empty life. You just need to ask.

Dropbox Transfer makes sharing huge files from your iPad a snap

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Dropbox Transfer
Dropbox Transfer simplifies sending and receiving up to 100GB of files.
Photo: Dropbox

iPhone and iPad can now take advantage of Dropbox Transfer, which allows users to more easily send and receive up to 100 GB of files.

It doesn’t have the size restrictions of email, and is simpler than Dropbox’s traditional system for sharing files.

The Banker shows how black businessmen challenged racist real estate laws

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Apple's first original film The Banker
Apple's original film The Banker hits theaters in December.
Photo: Apple

The first trailer for Apple original film The Banker showcases the shrewd financial moves of two black entrepreneurs who took on racist real estate laws in the Jim Crow era.

Based on a true story, the film stars Samuel L. Jackson and Anthony Mackie as ambitious businessmen who used a clever scheme to shake up the establishment in the 1950s.

Adobe’s new camera app brings ‘AI magic’ to iPhone photos

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new camera app from Adobe
Raise the cool factor on your iPhone photos with the Adobe Photoshop Camera app.
Photo: Adobe

After finally bringing Photoshop to iPad, Adobe says it will roll out a new smartphone camera app with a slew of creative lenses and AI powers that come at the point of capture.

The upcoming Adobe Photoshop Camera seems to borrow the lens-swapping feature of Hipstamatic. Adobe promises it will give users “Photoshop-grade magic right from the viewfinder.”

5G iPhone could be thicker and pricier than its predecessor

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2020 could be Apple's greatest year so far
How much would you pay for a 5G iPhone?
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Everyone’s excited at the possibility of a 5G iPhone next year — but the next-gen connectivity will come at a price. Both literally and figuratively.

According to analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, the new logic board required for 5G could take up approximately 10% more space. This could mean making the iPhone thicker to accommodate. It could also wind up costing Apple 35% more for the component.

Need to focus? This smart meditation app will help you find your zen [Deals]

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Aura App
Believe it or not, your phone can actually become a tool for greater focus, mindfulness and peace of mind.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Instead of a source of distraction and stress, what if your phone could actually become a tool for staying mindful and relieving stress and anxiety?

The Aura Health meditation app provides short mindfulness exercises every day, straight from your phone. And, unlike most meditation apps, it uses machine learning to tune into your specific patterns and needs.

Stephen King on The Morning Show: ‘What’s not to like?’

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Stephen King
The director of Maximum Overdrive loves The Morning Show.
Photo: Stephanie Lawton/Wikipedia CC

Unlike many critics, horror legend Stephen King seems to be enjoying new Apple TV+ series The Morning Show.

In a tweet early Monday, King praised the show as “instantly involving,” with “characters you care about.” “What’s not to like?” he wrote. Coming from the writer behind It, The Shining and Shawshank Redemption, that’s high praise.

See is not quite the goofy fun I expected [Review]

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See is not quite the goofy fun I expected [Review]
Jason Momoa stars in Apple TV+'s fantasy show.
Photo: Apple

A futuristic post-apocalyptic world in which a virus has robbed humanity of its eyesight and reduced the human race to a few million people. Even speaking of sight in this world is heresy. Add in muscular man mountain Jason Momoa and a Game of Thrones budget and you’ve got See.

What did I make of the first episode of Apple TV+’s fantasy series? Read on to find out….

Photoshop for iPad shows that Adobe totally still has it

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30% of tablets sold last quarter were iPads
30% of tablets sold last quarter were iPads
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Adobe’s Photoshop is now available in the App Store, ready for you to try. You have to sign up for a $10 monthly subscription, even just to test it out, but there’s a one-month free trial included in the sub. With that out of the way, how is it? Extremely limited, but very promising.

If you’re familiar with Photoshop on the Mac or PC, then you will feel immediately at home. You will also feel immediately frustrated, because the app does almost nothing. We learned earlier this month that Photoshop for iOS would offer a cut-down feature set compared to the full desktop version. Still, this app is so basic that — if you want to actually get any work done — you should grab something like Affinity Photo instead.

But as an example of an iPad app, Photoshop is stellar. It’s easy to use, and yet most of the basics are there. And there’s a new UI innovation, called the Touch Shortcut, that should be in every app. Let’s take a look.

This highly rated Adobe Lightroom alternative does the same job for a whole lot less [Deals]

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Fotor
Don't end up paying monthly for Adobe Lightroom, Fotor is a great alternative.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

If you need to work on virtually any graphics project, Adobe Illustrator can likely handle your task. Of course, to finish that task, you may need a post-graduate degree. Because for all of its capabilities, actually deciphering Illustrator’s quagmire of filters, layers, effects and hundreds of additional bells and whistles is…well, not easy.

Score two awesome DJI-powered drones at down-to-earth prices [Deals]

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Ryze Main
These two DJI drones are affordable, easy to use, and packed with features for the novice pilot.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Who doesn’t want to fly? As drones get easier to use, we can get really close to the feeling of taking to the skies. Along with getting better, they’re also becoming more affordable, so even people on a budget can join the ranks of hobby pilots. One of the best names in the business is DJI, and they’ve got a pair of options that offer a great way into the world of drones.

AirPods Pro: Go pro or go home [Cult of Mac Magazine 321]

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With AirPods Pro, the original AirPods just got far better.
Yep. AirPods just got better.
Cover: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

With AirPods Pro, Apple makes us oddly happy about shelling out for an upgrade. In fact, the new high-end wireless earbuds feel like a steal at $250. You might even say they’re fandabbydosey. (Our fearless leader Leander did. In fact, he can’t stop raving about AirPods Pro.)

Immerse yourself in our reviews and early impressions of one the most exciting Apple products in recent memory in this week’s Cult of Mac Magazine. We also packed the issue full of how-tos for AirPods Pro and other Apple products. Plus, you’ll get the latest Apple news (including the lowdown on the just-launched Apple TV+ streaming service).

Get the iOS mag free from the App Store. And don’t forget to enter our latest, greatest giveaway. Enter to win an iPhone 11, AirPods and a custom Belkin charging pad.

This 1080p projector fits in your back pocket [Deals]

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Cirq Projector
This wireless, pocket size projector packs 1080p resolution, on-board storage, and enough power for two hours of playtime.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

A good projector might be the best way to enjoy visual content. From turning your living room into a theater, to creating immersive visuals for a house party, the possibilities are pretty much endless. But most projectors are bulky and expensive, especially if you want one with high brightness and good resolution. Not so with this pocket-sized projector.

For All Mankind’s twisted space race asks the big questions

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Apple starts shooting second season of For All Mankind next month
This is the best series on Apple TV+ right now.
Photo: Apple

Timely space-race drama For All Mankind just might propel Apple TV+ into becoming must-see TV. The show kicks off in the late 1960s, a couple of weeks before Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin strap themselves into a giant metal tube full of fuel that’s aimed at the moon.

From there, the story takes a sharp turn away from history and examines what the world would look like if the USSR planted its flag on the moon first. Space is obviously a huge part of For All Mankind, but the way creator Ronald D. Moore uses it as a vehicle to tackle topics like family, patriotism and feminism is what makes the show worth watching.

Warning: Spoilers ahead.

Apple seeks tariff waivers for key product lines

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A future Apple Watch might be able to alert you that you’re breathing poison.
Apple wants relief from Trump's tariffs on Apple Watch and other products imported from China.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Apple requested exemptions for the import taxes it must pay when bringing many of its products from China. Currently, the Trump administration levies these on Apple Watch, AirPods, iMac and more.

These tariffs went into place in September as Apple got caught up in President Donald Trump’s trade war with China.