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Apple volunteers donate more than $365 million to charitable causes

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Apple volunteers teach coding at a disadvantaged high school in Ireland.
Apple volunteers teach coding at a disadvantaged high school in Ireland.
Photo: Apple

To honor the life of service of Martin Luther King Jr., Apple is highlighting charitable contributions made by its employees.

Thanks to matching funds from the iPhone-maker’s Giving program, donations by employees in time and money have reached considerable sums.

Spotify will let you mute artists you don’t want to hear

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Spotify
You won't have to listen to music you don't like.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Spotify will soon let you mute artists you don’t want to listen to.

It is currently testing a “don’t play this artist” feature in the latest version of its iOS app. Using it will prevent the artist’s tracks from playing altogether — even if they feature in a playlist, chart list, or on a radio station you listen to.

Apple hits back at complaints it is abusing its power in Korea

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South Korea3
A view from inside Apple's first South Korea retail store.
Photo: Apple

Apple has hit back at claims that it is abusing its power in South Korea by forcing mobile carriers to pay the cost of advertising its devices.

The company said that its actions were fully justified, and that selling the iPhone in South Korea wasn’t just advantaging Apple, but also to local mobile carriers.

Apple pays tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on MLK Day

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MLK 2
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was born 90 years ago this month.
Photo: Apple

Apple has commemorated Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day by changing the image on its homepage to showcase a quote from the legendary civil rights leader.

“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere,” reads the quotation. It is accompanied by a photograph of the iconic minister who was born 90 years ago this month. Tim Cook also paid homage to King on Twitter.

Apple launches ‘Everyone Can Create’ curriculum in new languages

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Everyone can Create 1
Apple's free guides are aimed at enhancing users' abilities to create using iPad.
Photo: Apple

Apple has rolled out its “Everyone Can Create” curriculum in German, French, Spanish, and Italian languages. Support for Swedish and Dutch will also follow later this spring.

The free project guides for iPad are intended to help students to “develop and communicate ideas” using music, video, drawing, and photos. They are also suited for teachers hoping to better incorporate creativity into their lesson plans.

Google Maps now helps you dodge speeding tickets while driving

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Google Maps speed traps
You won’t miss those speed traps with Google Maps.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Google Maps now shows you speed limits and speed traps while you’re driving in several countries around the world.

Google started testing the feature a couple of years ago, but only in the San Francisco Bay Area and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. Now it is expanding its on both Android and iOS.

Nail your presentation with pro level slideshows [Deals]

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With thousands of templates and easy editing tools, Slideshop takes the pain out of slideshows.
With thousands of templates and easy editing tools, Slideshop takes the pain out of slideshows.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Whether you’re making a presentation at work, at school, or just to share cool ideas, slideshows are a critical tool. But they can also be a hassle to create, and with everything else that goes into making a great presentation, slideshows can also feel like a distraction. So it’s nice to have a tool for making the process easier.

‘Game changing’ iPad Pro app will feed NHL coaches real-time data

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iPad
Tim Cook has praised the new app on Twitter.
Photo: Arian Durst/Flickr CC

The NHL has created a new iPad Pro app for coaching staff by providing real-time data about players such as faceoff percentage, shot charts, and more.

The app follows on from a previous collaboration between Apple and the NHL, allowing teams to review video highlights during games. The new tool takes this to the next level by giving coaches the ability to take a deeper dive into data to make better informed decisions about play.

Apple inks deal with Ron Howard’s documentary company

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apple tv
Apple's TV efforts continue to ramp up.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Right now, Apple is snapping up new TV shows, movies and other video content like a shopping addict on Black Friday.

Its latest deal? Getting a “first look” deal for documentaries created by Brian Grazer and Ron Howard’s Imagine Documentaries. Imagine has made a wide variety of non-fiction shows and feature-length productions, including The Beatles: Eight Days a Week — the Touring Years, Jay-Z’s Made in America, Katy Perry: Part of Me, and more.

Every frame of this ‘Shot on iPhone’ video is a stunner

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Shot on iPhone 2
Apple's new documentary was shot on American Samoa.
Photo: Apple

Apple has debuted a new 3-minute short documentary as part of its continuing “Shot on iPhone” campaign.

The beautifully filmed documentary was recorded using an iPhone XS, along with a DJI Osmo Mobile 2, FiLMiC Pro, Joby GripTight PRO Video GP Stand, NiSi Smartphones Filter Kit accessories. Check it out below.

Dodocase Two Tone turns your iPad into an old-school notebook [Review]

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Dodocase Two Tone looks right at home in a classroom or coffeeshop.
Dodocase Two Tone looks right at home in a classroom or coffeeshop.
Photo: Dodocase

The Dodocase Two Tone brings a retro look to iPad or iPad Pro. You could almost write “Trig” on the cover in Magic Marker and feel like you’re in high school again.

And this case is very lightweight while still doing double duty as a stand. There’s even an Apple Pencil holder.

The Dodocase Two Tone is available for a wide range of iOS tablets, including the 2018 iPad Pro models.  Prices start at $64.95.

40 reasons to love the MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar [Cult of Mac Magazine No. 280]

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You can learn to love the MacBook Pro Touch Bar.
These 40 tips will make you love the Touch Bar (if you don't already).
Cover: Graham Bower/Marty Cortinas/Cult of Mac

Some people love the MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar. Other people absolutely hate it. Bottom line is that the thin OLED strip can work wonders — if you use it right!

Get our top 40 tips for making the most of the Touch Bar in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Get it now from iTunes — hey, the price is right! — or keep reading for the week’s best Apple news, reviews and how-tos.

Apple busts out iPad Pro tips in new vids

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Sketching with an Apple Pencil is the merest tip of the iceberg of Apple’s suggestions for making your iPad Pro more useful.
Apple Pencil will soon convert your chicken scratches into legible text.
Screenshot: Apple

Making your iPad Pro more useful is the theme of a series of short videos released today by Apple. Each takes a common task and briefly shows how it can be tackled with a iOS tablet and Apple Pencil.

There’re suggestions on creating presentations and podcasts, going paperless, and more. Watch all five videos now.

Get lifetime access to a powerful graphic design app [Deals]

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Get all the graphic design tools you need, without breaking the bank.
Get all the graphic design tools you need, without breaking the bank.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

There are plenty of times when you’ll want graphic design tools. Maybe you’re designing a post for social media, or a flier for a show. Or perhaps you’re building a website or just touching up your resume.

With these types of tasks, having good graphic design software is useful. But that doesn’t mean you should shell out a hefty monthly fee.

Brilliant concept merges iPad mini and iPod touch

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An artist dreamed up an iPod touch almost as big as the iPad mini.
An artist dreamed up an iPod touch almost as big as the iPad mini.
Photo: Антон Курилов/Rozetked

New versions of the iPod touch and iPad mini are reportedly coming out this year, and one graphic designer imagines what would happen if Apple combined these into one.

The proposed device would resemble an iPhone XS Max but with an even larger display: 7 inches.

How to erase the background in your photos

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This needs some fine-tuning, but took just seconds to do.
This needs some fine-tuning, but took just seconds to do.
Photo: Cult of Mac

There are a bunch of reasons to remove the background from a photo. You might just hate the background — a perfect portrait ruined by crowds, or ugly construction work, or both. You may want to remove the background in order to extract the subject — maybe you’re doing some kind of Photoshop trick, or making a greetings card.

Whatever your reasons, it’s easy to do. Removing the background from an image used to be a nightmare. Now, you just need the right app. And if you’re a regular with our Cult of Mac photo how-tos, you probably have that app already.

Trailer offers thrilling glimpse of Soderbergh’s new iPhone flick

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Soderbergh iPhone film
Steven Soderbergh's latest iPhone film hits Netflix Feb. 8.
Screenshot: Netflix/You Tube

Netflix released a trailer this week for Steven Soderbergh’s latest iPhone masterpiece, High Flying Bird, with fast-moving scenes sure to excite broke and budding filmmakers.

This is the Oscar-winning director’s follow-up to his first iPhone feature film, Unsane, and delivers on his promise that all future films will be shot on iPhones.

World’s slimmest mechanical keyboard looks perfect for Mac lovers

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Keychron
The Keychron K1 is a thing of beauty.
Photo: Keychron

Mac lovers looking for relief from Apple’s new butterfly keyboards may have found a new hero in the Keychron K1, which is supposedly the world’s slimmest mechanical keyboard ever.

The Keychron K1 looks like a hybrid of Apple’s Magic Keyboard crossed with a modern mechanical keyboard. It’s so small you can carry it anywhere and it looks so good you won’t be embarrassed to be hauling around your beloved keyboard.

Take a closer look:

Musish brings Apple Music to the web

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Connect to your Apple Music account through the Musish web portal.
Connect to your Apple Music account through the Musish web portal.
Photo: Musish

A new service allows Apple Music access through a web site without requiring any new software to be installed on the computer. Musish is free to use, and is far more secure than one might think.

The simple design of this portal is reminiscent of the Apple Music  app.

Foxconn cuts 50,000 workers early as iPhone struggles

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Which new iPhone is for you? It really comes down to size.
Apple knows the iPhone is getting too expensive.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Foxconn, Apple’s largest manufacturing partner, has cut 50,000 workers ahead of schedule as a result of weak iPhone demand.

The first cuts came last October, months before Foxconn typically scales back its workforce in preparation for slow season, according to a source familiar with the move. It is believed that Foxconn isn’t the only Apple supplier making cuts, either.

Apple accused of violating EU data privacy laws in new complaint

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Apple data privacy
Apple’s Data and Privacy website launched last year
Photo: Apple

Apple is named in a complaint filed by a data privacy watchdog group for failing to comply with the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation.

Austrian-based noyb said 10 users tested Apple, along with Amazon, Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube, by requesting private data that companies hold about users.