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How to radically customize your Mac’s display

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Mac customize display
Tweak your Mac's display with macOS' amazing accessibility options.
Photo: Wesson Wang/Unsplash

Just like iOS, the Mac has some great features hidden inside the accessibility section of the System Preferences (aka. Settings) app. Today we’re going to see how to tweak the Mac’s display to make it easier to use, for anyone. You can adjust the colours, make page elements easier to see, and even turn everything B&W. Let’s see what’s what.

Struggling Apple display maker will take 2 years to start building OLED screens

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iPhone XR test
Japan Display currently makes LCD screens for the iPhone XR.
Photo: Apple

Struggling Apple display maker Japan Display is trying to reconfigure its business to develop OLED displays, instead of LCD ones. However, according to CEO Winston, it’s going to take at least two years until they’re ready.

The displays will reportedly be manufactured at Japan Display’s Hakusan plant in Japan’s Ishikawa Prefecture.

Protect your precious Apple Card with this $139 wooden card case

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Wooden Apple Card storer
"Oh my God. It even has a watermark."
Photo: Kerfcase

The physical titanium Apple Card may be the most attractive credit card ever made. But it’s not necessarily the most practical design, since storing it in a leather wallet risks discoloring it.

Fortunately, design company Kerf have created an equally attractive solution for storing it. And if we’d never thought about a physically attractive credit card before, we sure as heck hadn’t considered 2019’s need for a $139 wooden credit card case!

Apple uploads high-res iOS 13 icon file, more to Wikipedia

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iOS 13 icon file
You can even play around with the gradient!
Photo: DylanMcD8

Apple has started uploading super high resolution copies of some of its branding materials to Wikipedia — starting with the original icon files for iOS 13.

News was shared by Twitter user and Apple developer DylanMcD8. The icon files allow users to fiddle around with details like the gradients in the iOS 13 logo.

New China tariffs could cost average U.S. household $1,000 per year

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Apple could be a $2 trillion company by end of 2021
Apple hasn't yet revealed if it's ramping up prices.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

New tariffs on imported Chinese products in the escalating U.S. vs. China trade war could cost the average household $1,000 per year, J.P. Morgan Chase claims.

The first round of tariffs went into effect Sunday at 12:01 a.m. They mean that various products, including some Apple devices, are taxed at 15% upon entering the U.S.

iPhone security exploit allegedly used to target Uyghur Muslims

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Apple Security Jacket
Security flaw made it possible to infect iPhones using malicious code.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

An iPhone exploit which used malicious websites to hack iPhones was used to target Uyghur Muslims in China.

The security exploit was recently disclosed by Google researchers. It involved infecting users with malicious code, allowing an attacker to gain access to their phone. Apple fixed the vulnerability earlier this year, before the news was publicly shared.

Apple’s first AR headset spilled by iOS 13

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Apple Glasses
You can expect big things next year.
Concept: Taeyeon Kim

Apple is still developing its own augmented reality headset, according to code discovered in iOS 13.

Internal builds of the software include a “STARTester” app for switching in and out of a headset mode, according to a new report. It offers two modes, including “worn” and “held.”

Researchers also uncovered a text file that describes a “StarBoard” system for stereo AR apps.

What to expect from the 2019 iPad Pro refresh

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what-to-expect-2019-ipad-pro
There's a lot to look forward to.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Apple’s massive fall event is right around the corner. It should bring a slew of new devices, possibly including a refreshed iPad Pro. But no matter when the next-gen Apple pro tablet arrives, it’s shaping up to be a nice upgrade over the current model.

Faster chips and significantly improved camera performance are just a couple of the things we have to look forward to. Here’s everything we expect from the 2019 iPad Pro upgrade.

Your cracked Apple Watch might be eligible for a free repair

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Cracked-Apple-Watch
Sadly, you won't be covered if your Apple Watch looks like this.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

You may be eligible for a free repair if you have an Apple Watch Series 2 or Series 3 with a cracked display.

Apple has confirmed that cracks may be formed along the rounded edge of an Apple Watch display “under very rare circumstances.” Eligible units will be fixed at no cost to the user.

Dig into our site-wide Labor Day sale [Deals]

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Labor Day Sale Main
This Labor Day Weekend we've got great deals on Apple gear, VPN protection, digital marketing lessons and more.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

This Labor Day weekend, treat yourself to some of the best gear, tools, lessons and more in the Cult of Mac Store. From keyboards and mice to VPN protection, robot vacuum cleaners and more, everything is discounted by half off or more. Additionally, using the coupon code SAVE15TODAY at checkout gets you an extra 15% off.

Save on essential AirPods accessories from Twelve South

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A gorgeous leather case armors your new AirPods 2 against theft, damage, and debris.
AirSnap keeps your AirPods protected at all times.
Photo: Twelve South

Pick up two essential AirPods accessories from Twelve South this Labor Day weekend and save big with the Cult of Mac Watch Store.

You’ll save $9 when you buy both the AirSnap case and AirFly wireless adapter together. You can also enjoy a rare 20% off the rest of the Twelve South lineup until September 4.

Why we want an all-screen iPhone SE [Cult of Mac Magazine 312]

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The case for an iPhone SE with an iPhone XS screen, in this week's issue of Cult of Mac Magazine 312.
We really, really want this.
Cover: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Apple really should make a small device with an iPhone X-style screen. Here’s why we want an all-screen iPhone SE.

You’ll find that and more Apple news, reviews and how-tos in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Download it now for iOS, or get the links below to read the stories in your browser.

Level up your charging game this Labor Day weekend [Deals]

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Labor Day Sale Charging and Power
We've rounded up some of the best deals on charging solutions ahead of your Labor Day travels.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

to goLabor Day means hitting the road for an extra long vacation weekend. That means extra opportunity for running out of power at the worst possible moment. So we’ve gathered some of the best deals to upgrade your charging game. From wireless wall chargers to portable batteries, to clutter-cutting power hubs, there’s something here for everybody. Even better, you can save an extra 15% when you use the code SAVE15POWER at checkout.

6 power-user tricks for Mac Spotlight

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Spotlight is good for much more than just finding files.
Spotlight is good for much more than just finding files.
Photo: Pixabay/Pexels CC

Spotlight for Mac. Isn’t it that little magnifying glass icon in the menubar, the one that you click when you’ve given up trying to find that document you swear is somewhere on your Mac? Well yes, it is. But if you know these Mac Spotlight tips, it can be so much more than that.

You can use it to find a document, even if you can only remember a snippet of text from inside that document. But you can also use it to do math, launch apps, open folders, and even check the weather. These Mac Spotlight tricks will let you get the most out of this underutilized feature.

Reverse wireless charging might change the look of the iPhone 11

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Close up or iPhone 11 dummy model camera setup
The iPhone 11 Pro might not look quite like this.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

Almost every picture you’ve seen of the iPhone 11 might be wrong. New images of this model have surfaced and they show that Apple could be tweaking the look of the back.

The change could be made so it’s easier to use this handset to wirelessly charge another device, like an AirPods case.

Enjoy huge Labor Day savings on iPad [Deals & Steals]

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DS-Aug-27-19
Get a cheap iPad upgrade while you can!
Photo: Apple, Carterjett

Amazon’s big discounts on the latest 9.7-inch iPad are back for Labor Day. You can enjoy up to $100 off the usual list prices for a limited time, with prices starting at just $249. You can also save a whopping $400 on the 2018 iPad Pro lineup.

You will also find 40% off official Apple Lightning cables, and 20% off all Caterjett bands for Apple Watch in today’s Deals & Steals roundup. Plus, you can pick up Anker’s excellent wireless charging pad for iPhone for under $13.50.

This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.

Apple could be fined $22 million for eavesdropping on Siri requests

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Siri Lights
Apple admitted to listening in on Siri requests.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Ireland’s Data Protection Commission wants answers from Apple about why it let contractors listen to private Siri recordings. The data protection watchdog is looking into whether Apple’s GDPR privacy obligations.

Should Apple be found guilty, it could be fined up to 20 million euros ($22 million) or 4% of its annual global turnover, whichever is higher.

Google says iPhone security holes went unnoticed for 2 years

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for story on iPhone security
iPhone security had a few holes.
File photo: Cult of Mac

Google’s Project Zero team said it found gaping security holes in iPhone software that left users exposed to hackers before Apple fixed the flaws earlier this year.

Project Zero released a report on the flaws for the first time Thursday night. The team’s Threat Analysis Group found 14 different exploits that hackers used to gain private data, including photos, messages, contacts and real-time location information from iPhones.

Toy Story poster signed by Steve Jobs sells for $31,250

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Pixar Toy Story poster signed by Steve Jobs
That's one pricey autograph!
Photo: Nate D. Sanders Auctions

A Toy Story poster signed by Steve Jobs has sold at auction in Los Angeles for $31,250 — more than $6,000 more than its starting price.

The 24-inch-by-36-inch poster was signed by Jobs back in 1995. Its high price tag was due to the relative scarcity of Jobs’ autograph. While Toy Story isn’t widely thought of as one of the most important moments of Jobs’ life, it was actually a major turning point for him.

Expert jeweler transforms regular AirPods into 18K gold luxury versions

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18K AirPods transformation
Don't even think about losing them.
Screenshot: Pablo Cimadevila

Because Apple devices aren’t already pricey or luxurious-looking enough, there’s no shortage of jewelers lining up to daub them with bling for the way-too-much-money-with-nothing-to-spend-it-on set.

But it’s not every day that we actually get to see these transformations in action. Fortunately, skilled YouTube jeweler Pablo Cimadevila has stepped into the breach with a new video. It shows how he took regular AirPods and turned them into 18K gold versions. Check it out: