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Apple recalls troublesome wall plug adapters

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Apple plug 2
Plugs were produced between 2003 and 2010.
Photo: Apple

Apple has issued a voluntary recall order for AC wall plug adapters designed for use in the U.K., Hong Kong, and Singapore. According to Apple, some of these three-wrong adapters are prone to breaking and can pose an electric shock risk.

They were produced by Apple between 2003 and 2010, and included as part of the Apple World Travel Adapter Kit.

Nab the ultimate waterproof commuter bag for your Apple products [Deals]

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Put all the best commuter bag features into one and the Urban 21 Commuter Bag is what you get.
Put all the best commuter bag features into one and the Urban 21 Commuter Bag is what you get.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Being a digital nomad means bringing some of your most important stuff everywhere you go. So you want a bag that can accommodate your laptop, phone, batteries, notepads, wallet and other essentials — and also keep them safe. Even better if it looks nice, too.

Customer service ranking hails Apple ‘king of laptop tech support’

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You got the touch. Here's how to master your MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar.
Yet another reason to get a MacBook.
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

Apple has long been known for its great customer support — and that’s confirmed once more in a new ranking of customer service among top laptop makers.

The Laptop Mag rankings pit 11 of the major players against one another to determine who comes out on top. The winner? Everyone’s favorite fruit-titled tech giant, which secures a whopping 91/100 score.

Indian court rules that TikTok can return to the App Store

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TikTok 1
TikTok has amassed more than 1 billion downloads around the world.
Photo: TikTok

A court in India has lifted its ban on popular video-sharing app TikTok, which resulted in it being temporarily booted from the Indian iOS and Google Play app stores.

The app was ordered removed after accusations that it encouraged pornography and could pose a danger to kids from sexual predators. However, the decision was overturned on Wednesday afer a plea from developers Beijing Bytedance Technology.

Saudi sisters renew requests for Apple to remove woman-tracking app

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Saudi government app
A Saudi man can use a government app to restrict the travel of his wife or daughter.
Screenshot: iTunes

Two Saudi sisters who fled the country for the U.S. have renewed attempts to get Apple and Google to delete an “inhuman” tracking app from the App Store. The app, called Absher, allows men to receive alerts about the whereabouts of wives or daughters.

Apple previously said that it was looking into the app to see if concerns were warranted. However, it still remains available in the Saudi version of both the Apple and Google app stores.

OWC can upgrade iMac Pro to 256GB of RAM, and it’s cheaper than Apple’s

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Phil Schiller: Nope, Apple still isn’t planning to make a touchscreen Mac
Upgrading the an iMac Pro to 256GB of RAM with OWC modules costs $2700 less than Apple.
Photo: Apple

Recently, word went around that the only way to get 256GB of RAM in an iMac Pro was at the factory. OWC  paid no attention to that, and is now offering to upgrade this powerful desktop to the maximum amount. Even better, its 256GB of RAM modules go for 52 percent less than the cost to have the same upgrade done by Apple.

Upgrading this desktop to 128GB of RAM with OWC DDR4 Kits is also significantly cheaper.

Use Readdle’s Documents to transfer files between Mac and iOS

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Readdle’s Wi-Fi Transfer gets our ‘stamp’ of approval.
Readdle’s Wi-Fi Transfer gets our ‘stamp’ of approval.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

If you have an old Mac that doesn’t support AirDrop, or you use a PC with your iPhone or iPad, then getting files from one to the other is a real pain. Readdle’s Documents app fixes this, making it easy to beam anything from one place to the other, wirelessly. Today we’re going to see just how easy it is. And one other neat trick is that you can use this on any computer, not just your own.

Google’s fitness app makes the long jump to iPhone

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Google Fit has activity rings similar to an Apple Watch.
Google Fit has activity rings similar to an Apple Watch.
Photo:

Google’s rival to Apple Health just made the hop across platforms. Google Fit can now be installed on an iPhone, making it easier to participate in challenges with Android users.

Even better, the software can connect with the Health app to pull data from an Apple Watch.

Apple’s self-driving car fleet gets downsized

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Project Titan
Apple is invested heavily in self-driving tech.
Photo: Idiggapple/Twitter

Apple’s fleet of self-driving cars has gotten smaller for the first time since the project’s inception.

In a recent filing with the California Department of Motor Vehicles, Apple revealed that both its number of cars and drivers permitted to test them have decreased since that company’s last report at the end of 2018.

Surfer finds Apple Watch lost at sea for 6 months – and it still works!

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Apple Watch lost at sea found
Robert Bainter lost his watch in the Pacific Ocean. It returned to his wrist six months later.
Screenshot: KTLA 5 TV

Forget the needle in the haystack. The odds of finding an Apple Watch lost to the Pacific Ocean are much worse.

But a body surfer from Huntington Beach, Calif. got lucky and was reunited with his Apple Watch six months after losing it to a big wave.

And it still works.

iPhone XR completely dominates Apple’s US sales

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Long-term iPhone XR demand could eventually lead to greater sales than the iPhone XS.
Sales of the iPhone XS and XS Max are dwarfed by the success of the iPhone XR.
Photo: Apple

The iPhone XR accounted for 38 percent of all Apple’s US handset sales during the first three months of this this year, according to a market research company.

Combined with the iPhone XS and XS Max, these 2018 models totaled 59 percent of all iOS handset sales in the US last quarter.

Why adding mouse support to iPad is a touch of genius [Opinion]

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IPad mouse
Confused? You will be.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

A recent rumor says the iPad Pro will soon be compatible with USB-C mice. The idea is that you can just plug one in, and — perhaps by enabling an option in the Accessibility settings — use a mouse just like you would use a mouse on the Mac.

But what would such a feature look like? And would it actually be useful, or would it just be confusing? Let’s think about that.

Samsung wants to make iPhone, iPad and Mac processors

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Samsung
Samsung wants to make iPhone processors again. And maybe even Mac ones, too.
Photo: Jim Merithew / Cult of Mac

Samsung is investing billions in its chip business to better compete with Intel, Qualcomm and TSMC. The Korean company wants to make CPUs for a broad array of computers. This raises the odds that Samsung could begin making iPhone and iPad processors again.

And maybe even future Mac desktops and MacBooks could be powered by Samsung chips.

Jony Ive: I feel like I’m living two years in the future

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Jony Ive CultCast
It's like Back to the Future, but with more aluminum.
Photo: BBC

Because his job involves dreaming up Apple’s next products, Jony Ive says he feels like he’s constantly living “two years in the future.”

That’s one of the insights that emerges from a new interview with Ive and Kim Jones, creative director of Dior Men. While short on specifics about Apple’s future plans, it sheds light on Ive’s design process. It also reveals some of the challenges that accompany his role.

Foxconn wants to change the terms of its Wisconsin factory deal

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Foxconn Wisconsin
Foxconn previously agreed a massive deal to build a factory in Wisconsin.
Photo: Foxconn

Foxconn promises that it’s working hard to deliver the Wisconsin factory it received $4 billion in tax breaks for. However, behind-the-scenes dealings show that the company could be trying to renegotiate terms.

A letter from Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers indicates that Foxconn proposed a change to the deal back in March. It is now planning to submit “the necessary documentation” to do so in the coming weeks.

Huawei’s 5G modems could be a good backup option for Apple

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Huawei launched the Balong 5000 5G modem in January.
Huawei's 5G modems may be as good as Qualcomm's.
Photo: Huawei

Having concluded its battle with Qualcomm, Apple will use the company’s modems for its eagerly anticipated 5G iPhone.

However, it seemingly has a strong backup option in the form of Huawei’s own 5G chip. The Chinese smartphone maker has previously said that it would happily do business with Apple. Now an independent analysis of its 5G tech shows that they are on par with other top-tier options.

Heads up: Bills for Apple News+ trial subscriptions going out soon

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Some publishers report that Apple News+ isn't a 'huge boon' for business
Apple News+ is about to send out its first monthly bills. It’s time to decide how much you like access to 300 magazines and more.
Photo: Apple

Everyone who signed up for a free trial of Apple News+ right after it was unveiled is about to get charged for their first month. While there’s a lot to like in this digital magazine/newspaper subscription service, anyone who’s not interested should get out before they get their first bill.

Fortunately, iOS makes this a snap.

Third-gen AirPods may be on the way before end of 2019

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AirPods wall display is on show in New York.
What are your hopes for the next AirPods?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

We may only just be getting used to our second-gen AirPods, but Apple is reportedly gearing up to release its third generation AirPods.

According to a new report, the AirPods 3 headphones will go on sale by the end of 2019. The main selling point of the new AirPods will be their smart noise-cancelling tech.

Apple Pay goes live in Austria

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Apple in talks to bring Apple Pay to Israel
Apple Pay has arrived in a new market.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple Pay has launched in Austria, representing the 35th market for Apple’s mobile payment platform.

The service is supported for Maestro, MasterCard and Visa cards provided by the Erste Bank, Sparkasse, and N26 banks. Other Austrian Apple Pay partners are supposedly “coming soon.” These will include the likes of Bank Austria, VIMPay, Revolut, Boon and Edenred.

Professional portfolio case supports your iPad Pro at any angle [Review]

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STM Atlas has a strong Apple Pencil holder, and holds up the the iPad Pro at a wide array of angles.
STM Atlas has a strong Apple Pencil holder, and holds up the latest iPad Pro at a wide array of angles.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The STM Atlas portfolio case protects the latest iPad Pro models while also serving as a portable stand. This case can hold up the tablet at a broad range of angles, giving it an advantage over most of its rivals.

This device also comes with a slot to very securely store an Apple Pencil 2. Don’t miss our hands-on review of this handy accessory.

iOS 12.3 beta 3 is now available to developers and the public [Updated]

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The Apple TV app gets a raft of new features in iOS 12.3.
The Apple TV app gets a raft of new features in iOS 12.3.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple is back with a brand new batch of beta software for developers, including the third beta of iOS 12.3.

Update: The public can now also install the latest iOS beta on their iPhone or iPad.

The iOS 12.3 beta arrives two weeks after the last version came out, bringing with it new features to the Apple TV app along with plenty of bug fixes. There are also new beta builds for macOS 10.14.5, tvOS 12.3 and watchOS 5.2.1.