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Apple’s ‘two spiritual soulmates’ have left the building

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Walter-Isaacson-Jony-Ive
Without Jobs and Ive, Apple can’t design, Isaacson says.
Photo: CNBC

Walter Isaacson says Apple has lost “these two spiritual soulmates who just lived and breathed the beauty of products.”

The Steve Jobs biographer believes the company still know how to execute, but that it has missed out on a number of opportunities for exciting new products — including an Apple TV set.

Original Apple-1 manual goes up for auction for $10,000

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A page from the original Apple-1 documentation.
A page from the original Apple-1 documentation.
Photo: RR Auction

Unless you’re Scrooge McDuck, an international arms dealer or some other wealthy individual, chances are that you won’t be able to afford an Apple-1 at auction anytime soon.

But don’t give up hope of owning a piece of Apple’s first computer. An extremely rare original Apple-1 manual (remember when computers came with those?) has just come up for sale. And it’s only expected to cost $10,000!

Beta users can now sign into iCloud using Face ID or Touch ID

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The latest Apple betas offer the option of signing in with Face ID or Touch ID.
The latest Apple betas offer the option of signing in with Face ID or Touch ID.
Screenshot: Charlie Sorrel

Users running the latest iOS 13, iPadOS 13 or macOS Catalina betas can now sign into iCloud using either Face ID or Touch ID.

If you’re using these beta versions, visiting iCloud in Safari will present a pop-up asking if you want to log in using biometrics.

Bill Gates: Steve Jobs was a wizard, but I was immune to his spells

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Steve Jobs Macworld autograph
Steve Jobs (possibly) writing an incantation.
Photo: RR Auction

There are plenty of words used to describe Steve Jobs, but “wizard” isn’t one of the ones we hear too often.

That’s exactly what Jobs was, however, according to Microsoft co-founder and long-time Jobs frenemy Bill Gates. Speaking on CNN, Gates said that Jobs accomplished his Apple-correcting wizardry by “casting spells.” But Gates, as a “minor wizard,” was immune to Jobs’ hocus pocus.

Huawei founder says Apple is the inspiration behind its privacy policy

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Chinese company Huawei wants the media buzz that would come with releasing the world's first foldable phone.
Huawei doesn't want to be known as the alleged Chinese spy phone brand. Unsurprisingly.
Photo: Kārlis Dambrāns/Flickr CC

Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei says that, when it comes to user privacy, Apple is the company he models his approach on.

Huawei has been under fire for possibly posing a spying-related security risk, resulting in a temporary U.S. ban. However, Zhengfei says that it would not provide data to the Chinese government at any cost.

Minix’s amazing USB-C hub is also a 240GB hard drive [Review]

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Minix Neo Storage review
Minix Neo Storage is both a 4-port USB hub and an external SSD drive.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Minix Neo Storage is one of those inventions so clever they make you ask, “Why didn’t someone think of this before?” It combines into one small package two accessories many people carry around: an external hard drive with up to 240GB of capacity and a 4-port USB hub.

We tested it with both a MacBook Pro and an iPad Pro. We’re sharing our real-world experience.

Forrest Gump’s investment in Apple would be worth $28 billion today

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Forrest Gump finds out he owns part of Apple
Forrest Gump finds out he owns part of a “fruit company.”
Screen cap: Paramount

In the Oscar-winning movie Forrest Gump, there’s a short scene in which Tom Hanks’s character opens a letter of thanks from Apple after his former military colleague and business partner Lieutenant Dan invested some of the profits from the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company in “some kind of fruit company.”

It’s been 25 years since that movie debuted. If Gump was real and if he was still clinging on to his investment today, his investment in the Cupertino company would worth around $28 billion.

Guard your home with night vision and motion detection [Deals]

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Sance Security Camera
This compact security camera sports night vision and motion detection so nothing escapes its gaze.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

For the security-minded, a home security camera offers a lot of benefits. For one, when something bad happens to or around your house, it helps to have the video receipts. And sometimes a camera can help prevent theft or vandalism in the first place.

Best summer tech: Turn up the heat with these great gadgets [Reviews]

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Summer tech
Summertime and the living is easy if your iPhone has the right gear.
Photo: Pexels

Summertime means everything from hitting the pool to heading out on vacation. And, of course, your tech is coming along for the ride.

We’ve compiled a collection of accessories you might find turn up the heat on summertime fun. There are smart glasses, travel chargers, wireless speakers and headphones, and more.

Apple revs up CarPlay at last in iOS 13 [Cult of Mac Magazine No. 303]

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Apple revs up CarPlay - Cult of Mac Magazine
CarPlay moves into the fast lane in iOS 13.
Cover: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Apple finally gives CarPlay some love in iOS 13, adding loads of new features and a much better user interface. The long-overdue upgrade shifts Apple’s in-car platform into high gear at last.

Find out everything new in CarPlay in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Download it now from the iOS App Store. Or read the rest of the best Apple news, reviews and how-tos in your browser by clicking on the headlines below.

Apple should sue Xiaomi for its blatant copying — but it won’t

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Xiaomi Mimoji look very familiar.
Mimoji is one of many products Xiaomi has ripped from Apple.
Photo: Xiaomi

Xiaomi has a history of shamelessly ripping off bigger brands, and nine times out of ten, its chosen target is Apple.

The Chinese company has previously cloned the iPhone, iPad, MacBook, and more — without a single shred of fear that it might one day feel the wrath of Apple’s legal department.

Xiaomi’s latest ripoff is its own version of Memoji, and it brazenly stole Apple’s own commercials to promote it on a number of retail channels this week.

Here’s how Xiaomi gets away with it.

Jony Ive’s successor could someday replace Tim Cook at Apple’s helm

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Apple COO Jeff Williams
Williams is next in line for the CEO’s office.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s COO Jeff Williams won’t take on the departing Jony Ive’s title of Chief Design Officer but he’s nevertheless stepping into the role.

A new profile in The Wall Street Journal quotes sources who question whether Williams has the vision to take Ive’s place. Even so, some are looking at this executive to someday replace CEO Tim Cook.

Sony’s answer to AirPods boasts one big advantage

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Sony-wireless-buds
But they’re not cheap.
Photo: Sony

Sony’s new wireless earbuds are ready to take on AirPods.

The horribly named WF-1000XM3 promise the same impressive audio quality as Sony’s best-selling headphones — but in an earbud form factor. And they boast one big advantage.

Here’s why you might want to avoid Apple’s hottest accessory and pick up these instead.

Apple allegedly considering a foldable 5G iPad

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Folding iPhone 2
Are you in the market for a folding iPad?
Photo: Foldable News

Apple’s planning the biggest design change to the iPad in its near-10 year history, a new report claims.

According to a report from IHS Markit, Apple is developing a folding iPad. This future tablet will boast a MacBook size screen, but foldable into something a fraction of the size. Oh, yes, and it’ll supposedly have 5G capabilities, too.

Score extended July 4th deals on gear, apps and lessons [Deals]

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photo-1531718748519-a5fbb6cf972d
July 4th is over but the deals roll on at the Cult of Mac Store.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

July 4th has come and gone. The tanks are back in their garages. But the deals roll on at the Cult of Mac Store. We’ve got big discounts on a 3-in-1 charging pad, a five-part course in Microsoft Excel, and a powerful, intuitive photo editing app. Most are discounted by about half or greater, read on for more details:

Why’d Jony Ive quit Apple? Troubling details emerge … this week on The CultCast

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CultCast 395
Just why did Jony call it quits?

This week on The CultCast: A new report details why Jony Ive is departing Apple, and it paints a troubling picture. Plus, Leander tells us about the “fiddle factor,” the unique quality that made Ive our time’s greatest designer.

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