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NSA stops spying on everyone’s phone. Maybe

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nsa-hijacked-google-play-to-install-spyware-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201505130606191546-nsa-logo-story-top-jpg
The U.S. government has reportedly ceased tracking all our phone calls and text messages.
Photo: NSA

A controversial system tracking the calls and texts of all Americans has supposedly stopped being used by the National Security Agency (NSA). 

This agency reportedly quit employing it months ago, and might not ask that it be reauthorized later this year.

Leaked images of second-gen Google Glass reveal USB-C upgrade

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technoblog
Say hello to the new Google Glass.
Photo: Tecnoblog

Google Glass is set to get an upgrade later this year for enterprise users and it looks like USB-C charging will be one of the big new features.

Leaked images of the second-generation Google Glass for enterprise surfaced on the web today. The images show that Google is ditching its magnetic cable charging system in favor of a single quick-charging port.

Take a closer look:

GameClub will bring forgotten iOS games back from the dead

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GameClub
Look out, Apple Arcade!
Photo: GameClub

Remember the games you used to enjoy on your iPhone and iPad in the early days of the App Store? The chances are few of them are still supported and available for download today, but the best could soon be making a comeback.

GameClub is a developer that plans to resurrect forgotten iOS games. The first title on its roster is Hook Champ, a game from Rocketcat that first hit the App Store in 2009, and you can play it today by signing up for early access.

Apple will finally repair iPhones with unofficial batteries

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iPhone batteries
Battery brand no longer complicates an iPhone repair job.
Photo: iFixIt

An iPhone powered with a third-party battery can get repaired at all Apple Store Genius Bars, according to a directive issued by Apple.

This is a surprising reverse course for Apple, which strictly forbade Genius Bars and authorized service providers from fixing iPhones with off-brand batteries.

Apple acquires trove of AI security camera patents

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Lighthouse
Is Apple planning to make cameras of its own?
Photo: Lighthouse

Lighthouse, a smart security camera maker that specialized in AI recognition, officially died at the end of 2018 but its tech is about to get a second chance thanks to Apple.

Apple recently acquired a big batch of patents from the failed startup. Lighthouse launched its security camera a year ago making it easier for users to sort through footage thanks to 3D depth sensing and AI features connected to an iOS app. Now it looks like Apple might incorporate some of those patents into Face ID.

Why Apple’s 5G modem options could be a big problem

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2020 could be Apple's greatest year so far
Making a 5G iPhone is going to be tough.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

With Apple and chip-maker Qualcomm back in court this week, the iPhone maker needs to find another source for 5G modems. There are additional possibilities — Intel, Samsung, Huawei and MediaTek — but  “none of which is ideal” according to analysts with market-research firm Cowen.

Upgrade your Apple Watch without breaking the bank [Watch Store]

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nyloon
The Tanok — Nyloon's tribal-patterned bands are best-sellers.
Photo: Nyloon

If you’ve got an Apple Watch and want to change things up, it’s quite easy to change the face. But if you want more, you’ve got to change the band.

The mechanical part is easy; it’s the acquisition that can be a bit taxing. Looking good doesn’t have to be expensive, though. Check out our selection of bands that go for less than $40, including items from CarterJett, Rilee & Lo, and Nyloon.

Microsoft Edge for iOS now translates websites in an instant

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Microsoft Edge translation
Visit your favorite foreign sites in Microsoft Edge.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Microsoft Edge for iOS now boasts instant web page translation.

The feature lets you visit your favorite foreign sites and enjoy them in your native tongue. It also gives you the option to quickly switch back to the site’s original language with little effort.

Read 20% faster by mastering a single cognitive trick [Deals]

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Using color coding to connect lines of text, BeeLine's reading system can boost your reading speed and comprehension.
Using color coding to connect lines of text, BeeLine's reading system can boost your reading speed and comprehension.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Ever catch yourself re-reading the same lines, or making it to the end of a page only to realize you don’t remember it? These are the signs of weak reading technique, and if that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Luckily, there’s a way to improve.

Apple may have quietly fixed MacBook Pro’s ‘stage light’ flaw

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MacBook Pro 2018 display cables
It's a small but significant change.
Photo: iFixit

Apple’s latest MacBook Pro lineup may be immune to the “stage light” flaw that has plagued some 2016 and 2017 models.

Slightly longer display cables inside the newer notebooks could help prevent the wear that older units are susceptible to. It’s only a minor change, but it may eliminate nasty $600 repair bills.

Can a social media guru extinguish Siri’s tire fire of complaints?

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Siri Alexa in voice report
Apple is hiring someone to track what everyone says about Siri.
Photo: Apple

Corporation ISO very patient person to listen to endless complaints about its digital assistant. No phonies.

Apple really did post a job opening for someone to monitor what people are saying about Siri, with an eye to turning complaints into improvements to this beleaguered voice-driven assistant.

Nizo blurs the lines between shooting and editing video

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Nizo manages to mix power and ease of use. Take note, Apple.
Nizo manages to mix power and ease of use. Take note, Apple.
Photo: Nizo

Nizo is a new take on video apps. It manages to blend shooting and editing together, so you can edit your movies on the fly as you capture them.

The interface to do this is — like much good design — so clean and obvious that you wonder why it wasn’t done before. Let’s take a look.

Epic promises audio improvements for Fortnite 8.01

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Fortnite
Listen out for the sound improvements this week.
Photo: Epic Games

Fortnite fans are still enjoying last week’s massive season eight update, but many will have noticed that certain things need fixing. One of those is the audio for a bunch of weapons and items, which Epic Games is already working on fixing.

Seth Weedin, Fortnite’s technical sound designer, has detailed a number of big audio improvements that will roll out in a version 8.01 patch.

See PDFelement 6 Pro for Mac in action and get an exclusive discount [Video]

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PDF editor PDFelement Pro 6 for Mac works wonders with PDFs.
PDFelement works wonders with PDFs.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

This post is brought to you by Wondershare.

PDFs are an increasingly common way to share documents of all kinds. From résumés to entire e-books, PDFs are as common as Word documents are. But unfortunately, they are not always easy to edit.

To really grapple with PDFs, you need good PDF-editing software. Introducing PDFelement 6 Pro for Mac, a powerful and easy-to-use PDF editing app that makes working with PDFs dead easy.

Check out our video below for a quick look at how PDFelement 6 Pro for Mac works. (We also have an exclusive 40 percent discount for Cult of Mac readers.)

USB4 expands Apple’s Thunderbolt 3 to everyone

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A Thunderbolt 3 cable is also a USB4 cable.
A Thunderbolt 3 cable is also a USB4 cable.
Photo: Caldigit

Just a week after USB 3.2 was unveiled, the USB Promoter Group went ahead and took the wraps off the follow up. But if the specs of USB4 sound familiar, that’s because they’re based on the Thunderbolt 3 standard already implemented in most Macs.

So users of other types of computers can finally benefit from the faster connection speeds that Apple devices have been enjoying for years.

Google’s Project Zero discovers ‘high severity’ flaw in macOS kernel

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macOS High Sierra
Apple is said to be working on a fix.
Photo: Apple

Google’s Project Zero team has discovered a “high severity” flaw in the macOS kernel.

The issue, which potentially allows attackers to perform malicious actions on a mounted filesystem, was reported to Apple more than 90 days ago. No fix has been made available yet, but Apple has acknowledged the issue and is working with Project Zero on a patch.

Brilliant watchOS 6 concept gives Apple Watch the love it deserves

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apple watch concept
Apple needs to add these features.
Photo: Matt Birchler

The grand unveiling of watchOS 6 is probably just three months away, but a cool new concept from Matt Birchler suggests some simple features that will hopefully get added in time for Apple Watch lovers.

In his annual watchOS concept, developer Matt Birchler lists all the ways Apple could make the Apple Watch platform even better. Most of the suggestions are pretty simple, such as always on watch faces, and would be easy for Apple to add. Hopefully, Apple’s software engineers are taking notes of these ideas.

iOS 12.2 nears release with fourth beta [Updated]

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New mages could be of the rumored iPad mini 5.
The debut of the iPad mini 5 could depend on iOS 12.2, and both are expected in the near future.
Photo: Mr-white

Update: Hours after becoming available only to developers, iOS 12.2 beta 4 was released to anyone in the general public who’s joined the free Apple Beta Software Program.

Apple has settled into a steady pattern of introducing new iOS 12.2 betas every two weeks. It’s been 14 days since the last pre-release version went to developers, and you can guess what that means.

This version is expected to power three new devices launching later this month. It will also bring additional Animoji and other improvements.

Get the right band when you’re ready for action [Watch Store]

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You're ready for action. Is your Apple Watch? The Twelve South ActionSleeve is made for workouts.
You're ready for action. Is your Apple Watch?
Photo: Twelve South

While the Apple Watch is a great fitness tool, not every band is ready for the rough-and-tumble world of workouts. That black leather band that looks so smashing while you’re out on the town turns a bit sodden when you’re running the streets.

It’s key to get a band that will not only be comfortable, but able to survive whatever you put it through. That’s where the Cult of Mac Watch Store comes in. Check out our selection of Apple Watch sports bands, including the ones highlighted below.

Samsung sends foldable screen samples to Apple

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Foldable smartphone
Apple is serious about creating a foldable iPhone. Above, is a drawing for a patent Apple was granted last year.
Photo: Apple

After being one of the first out of the gate with a folding smartphone, Samsung is trying to entice competitors — including Apple — to join the foldable future.

Samsung, which debuted the Galaxy Fold at its Unpacked event on Feb. 20, has reportedly sent some foldable display panel samples to Cupertino in hopes of attracting Apple as a client.

One app can handle all your graphic design needs [Deals]

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This graphic design platform includes all the tools and features you'd want for a fraction the usual price.
This graphic design platform includes all the tools and features you'd want for a fraction the usual price.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Graphic design can seem like an expensive activity, once you start looking at the subscription prices for industry-standard apps. So it’s a relief to find one app that can do most of the same work — at a small fraction of the price.

Researcher provides Apple with details (and fix) for Keychain flaw

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macOS Keychain
Apple still won't cough up a reward.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

A security researcher has decided to provide Apple with details — and a patch — for a serious Keychain flaw in macOS Mojave that allows anyone to access your saved usernames and passwords.

Linus Henze previously withheld the information in protest of Apple’s decision not to offer a macOS bug bounty program. He now believes the problem is too serious for the company to ignore.