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Preorder this keyboard that’s a brilliant match for the 2018 iPad Pro

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Brydge for 2018 iPad Pro makes this tablet into a notebook.
Brydge for 2018 iPad Pro makes this tablet into a notebook.
Photo: Brydge

CES 2019 bugThe wait for Brydge’s sweet add-on keyboard for the new iPad Pro is almost over. The company today began taking pre-orders for an accessory that fully embraces the concept of turning this tablet into a laptop.

This premium keyboard has an all-aluminum casing and ships with a magnetic cover that protects the back of the iPad.

This might be our first look at the iPad mini 5

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New mages could be of the rumored iPad mini 5.
New mages could be of the rumored iPad mini 5.
Photo: Mr-white

Images posted online might be our first glimpse of the next iPad mini. A new version of this small tablet is rumored to be out this year.

While the leaked pictures reveal a few details about the iPad mini 5, they don’t answer some pressing questions.

Switch on your iPad’s super-dim, low-light mode

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A glitter ball represents the concept of low-light and accessibility low-light filter
A glitter ball represents the concept of low-light and accessibility.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Turned the screen brightness on your iPad (or iPhone) all the way down? Still too much light for you? Reading in bed next to someone whose eyelids seem to amplify light the same way a magnifying glass turns the sun into a death ray for ants?

Then this tip is for you. With a simple triple-tap of the top button or Home button on your iPad, you can dim the screen way beyond its usual limit.

Although your whining, over-sensitive bed partner will likely just start complaining about the noise of those button taps instead.

Tim Cook claims Apple’s long-term health has ‘never been better’

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Tim Cook and Ivanka Trump
Tim Cook's year is off to a rocky start.
Photo: Apple

Apple CEO Tim Cook is set to make an appearance on CNBC investing show Mad Money later today to defend Apple in light of recent setbacks.

The company warned last week that iPhone upgrades for the last quarter were lower than expected. After investors received the guidance on lower revenue for Q1 2019, Apple shares continued their downward slide, which has been pretty much nonstop since the company posted its Q4 2019 results.

Recharge your iPad in a flash with Satechi’s sleek new charger

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The Satechi 75W Dual Type-C PD Travel Charger has ports for all your gadgets.
The Satechi 75W Dual Type-C PD Travel Charger has ports for all your gadgets.
Photo: Satechi

CES 2019 bugUnlike Apple’s wall chargers that have just a single USB-C port, the Satechi 75W Dual Type-C PD Travel Charger has a pair of them. It also boasts two USB-A ports.

Satechi also just used the Consumer Electronic Show to launch a cheaper 30W Dual-Port Wall Charger.

Here are all the TV sets adding AirPlay 2 support

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AirPlay 2
Sign up for SmartCast 3.0 access today.
Photo: Apple

One of the nice surprises to come out of CES this week is that a bunch of TV manufacturers are finally adding AirPlay 2 support to their latest sets. To help you keep track of which ones, Apple has published a list of TVs that are compatible with its streaming platform.

These are the ones to look out for if you want to send content to your TV over AirPlay.

Control Ikea’s new blinds with HomeKit

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Ikea’s new blinds work with your iPhone via homekit.
Ikea’s new blinds work with your iPhone via HomeKit or a dedicated app.
Photo: Ikea

Too lazy to get up and close the drapes? Then you need Ikea’s new HomeKit-enabled blinds, Kadrilj and Fyrtur. These new powered blinds have already launched in Germany, and can be integrated with your home hub, your Alexa, or your Google Assistant.

Retro mic turns your iOS device into a portable studio

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Samson Satellite mic
The Samson Satellite USB/iOS Broadcast Microphone brings the studio into the field.
Photo: Samson Technologies

CES 2019 bugFor musicians, podcasters and streamers, “the studio” is an iOS device in a living room, coffee shop or some crazy live event.

Samson Technologies rolled out a new microphone at CES this week that promises to gather studio-quality audio no matter the location.

Bento box-inspired case stores all your new gear in style

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bento
Running out of storage space to take all your Apple accessories on the road? The crowdfunded BentoStack solves your storage problems with a compact, multi-compartment storage solution.
Photo: Wiplabs

So you made quite a haul during the holidays, now where are you going to store all your new gear?

Japanese Bento boxes are synonymous with convenience, and have many designated compartments to hold and carry a variety of foods — all in one spot. Wiplabs has taken this centuries-old idea forward with the BentoStack, an all-in-one container for organizing all your Apple accessories.

Launched on June 1st, the BentoStack is Wiplabs’ latest crowdfunded product to reach the masses. The ultra-compact design will keep up to 10 Apple essentials organized — Bento box style!

Fortnite bags new weapons, including an old favorite

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Fortnite suppressed sniper
Look out for the suppressed sniper in Battle Royale.
Photo: Epic Games

This week’s Fortnite update adds a number of new weapons to the game, including an old fan-favorite. Dual pistols can now be found in almost all Battle Royale game modes, alongside a brand new silenced sniper rifle.

The update will also bring “balance adjustments” for the boom box, the X-4 Stormwing plane, and dynamite.

AR art kit and iPad will have you painting masterpieces

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Cupixel
Cupixel is like having an AR Bob Ross with your iPad.
Photo: Cupixel

CES 2019 bugOf all the things visitors expect to do at the Consumer Electronics Show, creating a stunning work of art isn’t on the list.

But that’s exactly what could happen if you stop by the Cupixel booth. The creators know the proof is in the painting.

With an iPad, an app and Cupixel’s art box, a fabulous painting is just at the tip of the brush of anyone willing to pick it up.

This power pack lets you charge your iPhone in the bath

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LifeProof 2
Don't get us wrong: You can use it on dry land, too.
Photo: LifeProof

CES 2019 bug If you’re looking for a mobile charging solution to power everything from your iPhone to your MacBook, LifeProof’s new LIFEACTÍV Power Pack 20 may be the product you’re looking for.

Offering a travel-friendly battery pack designed for phones, tablets, laptops, and hand-held gaming systems, it’s a rugged hunk of portable (waterproof) power that’s perfect for a weekend away.

Your iPhone could soon tell you when to change your kid’s diaper

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Monit2
It's your lucky day!
Photo: Monit

CES 2019 bug Ever wanted to receive an iPhone push notification telling you that your kid has just pooped themselves? Probably not, but that’s not stopped Korean startup Monit from using CES 2019 to debut its new smart diaper monitor.

Aiming to replace the “sniff test” for good, this (reusable) wearable sensor attaches to the outside of a baby’s diaper. Once there, it promises to accurately detect the presence of urine or poop in the diaper, and send an alert to parents or caregivers. Ah, technology: you’ve done it again!

iPhone XR Apple’s best-selling phone as sales fall

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iPhone XR was India’s no. 1 ‘ultra premium’ smartphone in 2019
iPhone XR was India’s no. 1 ‘ultra premium’ smartphone in 2019
Photo: Apple

Apple’s best-selling smartphone last November was, perhaps unsurprisingly, its most affordable model. The iPhone XR outsold the iPhone XS and the larger iPhone XS Max, according to new data — but overall iPhone sales saw a significant decline.

Apple starts charging iTunes and Apple Music sales tax in Canada

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iTunes
iTunes and Apple Music just got a bit pricier in Canada.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

iTunes purchases have undergone a slight shakeup in Canada, as Apple Canada has started charging sales tax on top of its standard prices.

This applies to music, movie rentals, audiobooks, Apple Music subscriptions, and more. The move is in line with a new digital sales tax for non-resident suppliers which came into effect on January 1, 2019.

Glass screen protector for iPad Pro filters out harmful blue light

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InvisibleShield 2
Studies have shown that blue light can lead to harmful effects.
Photo: Zagg

CES 2019 bug There are plenty of screen protectors designed to keep your iPad safe from accidental bumps, but decidedly fewer that are designed to keep you safe from the harmful effects of high-energy visible (HEV) blue light.

That’s what Zagg’s newly announced InvisibleShield Glass+ VisionGuard for iPad is intended to do. Shown off at CES 2019, the CES Innovation Awards Honoree is designed to filter out harmful blue light from your device screen.

Apple among U.S. companies facing ‘informal boycott’ in China

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iPhone sales are finally rebounding in China
Chinese customers are hankering after local products.
Photo: Tim Cook/Weibo

There’s no doubt that the iPhone is facing problems in China, but the extent to which this is specific to Apple is up for question.

While Tim Cook blames things like the burgeoning trade war between China and the U.S., analysts at Bank of America Merrill Lynch think Apple may be experiencing an “informal boycott” of its products.

Apple explains why some LTE iPad Pros might come bent

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The screen really is beautiful.
Apple and some iPad Pro customers are debating “How bent is too bent?’
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

A recent support document from Apple describes a manufacturing process that’s apparently the cause of complaints that 2018 iPad Pro units sometimes arrive new from the store already slightly bent.

While acknowledging that this is possible, Apple stands by its earlier statements that its inspection process eliminates any units that are bent more than 0.016 inches.

Apple seeds third ‘bug fix’ betas of next iOS and macOS versions to everyone

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There are new iOS 12 beta versions for developers and the public, as the same is true for macOS Mojave.
New betas are out for Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and Apple Watch.
Photo: Apple

Apple just released the third beta versions of iOS 12.1.3 and macOS Mojave 10.14.3 to developers and the public. The same is true for a new tvOS 12.1.2 beta. Only developers got access to the new watchOS 5.1.3 beta introduced today, though.

But don’t get your hopes up for exciting new features.

Despite the hype, new sensor won’t eliminate the notch

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Apple Watch
Don’t expect the screen cutouts in many smartphones to go away, despite a big announcement made today.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

AMS, a company that makes iPhone sensors, caught many people’s attention today with it’s just-announced sensor it says has the possibility of “potentially eliminating the bezel entirely.” Bezels are the dead space around phone screens that device makers are trying to eliminate.

This new sensor can sit under OLED displays so it doesn’t clutter up the front of the phone. Unfortunately, AMS’s latest offering only does some of the jobs done by front-facing sensors currently located in display bezels, or in a screen notch in the iPhone’s case.

Samsung also suffers as smartphone sales slump in China

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Samsung Galaxy Note 8
Apple isn't the only one suffering in China.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

It turns out Apple isn’t the only smartphone maker that’s suffering from falling sales in China. Samsung, one of the iPhone’s biggest rivals, is also expected to follow Apple in confirming lower than anticipated revenue for the fourth quarter of 2018.

The South Korean company’s warning, which will reportedly come on Tuesday, will reveal a 12 percent fall in year-on-year operating profit for the three-month period. Revenue is also expected to drop 5 percent.

Zagg’s new iPad Pro keyboard cases beautifully hold Apple Pencil

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Zagg Slim Book Go
A Zagg Slim Book Go keyboard case for the 12.9- and 11-inch iPad Pro is in the offing.
Photo: Zagg

CES 2019 bugZagg is using the Consumer Electronics Show to unveil a trio of clip-on keyboards for the newest iPad Pro and iPad models: the Slim Book Go, Rugged Book Go, and Messenger Folio. These range from lightweight to more rugged options.

In addition, Zagg subsidiary InvisibleShield launched advanced screen protectors for the 2018 iPads that won a CES award.

How to stick to your New Year’s resolutions

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Traffic lights as metaphor for motivation streaks
Traffic lights as metaphor for motivation and movement.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

During he hangover-fogged morning of January 1st, you scrawled a hasty list of things you thought you should quit or commit to in 2018. More yoga, more walking, less driving, fewer cakes, maybe start meditating. Probably this list is similar to the one you wrote at the beginning of 2018.

How’s it going? Bad, right? You’ve probably spent the last week feeling alternatively guilty, and useless. And that’s not because you can’t pick up a habit — god knows you’ve already got enough bad habits that you’re adept at maintaining. No, you’re just approaching it wrong. And you’re probably a little bit lazy. Let’s fix that, and learn how to create winning streaks