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2018 iPad Pro review roundup: The best tablet money can buy

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2018 iPad Pro
More of Apple's surprises spoiled.
Photo: Apple

According to early reviews, you should absolutely rush out to get a new iPad Pro when the tablets go on sale Wednesday.

The iPad Pro was already the best tablet money could buy. And yet, Apple somehow made it even better with an improved design, an edge-to-edge Liquid Retina display, and an A12X Bionic chip that delivers unbeatable performance.

Don’t just take our word for it. See what the reviewers are saying below.

mophie Powerstation XXL keeps your iPhone going all week [Review]

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mophie Powerstation XXL was designed especially for devices with Lighting ports.
mophie Powerstation XXL was designed especially for devices with Lighting ports.
Photo: mophie

Travelers who don’t want to worry about finding electrical sockets for their iPhone or iPad should look no farther than the mophie Powerstation XXL. This external battery is relatively portable but still packs enough power to fully recharge an iPhone XS Max more than four times.

Even better, this accessory gets its power through a Lightning port, and it can charge three devices at once. We put the Powerstation XXL through a complete set of tests and bring you the results.

HomeRun, Name Skillz, Digital D1, and other amazing apps of the week

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Awesome Apps
'Appy weekend.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

This week we find out that Halide has added yet another awesome new feature to the iPhone’s best camera app, that the AudioKit team has busted out yet another amazing (and retro) synthesizer, that Name Skillz exists to help you remember people’s names, and that HomeRun has scored — yes — a home run with its HomeKit-controlling Apple Watch app.

Save big: Refurbished iPhone 8 lands on Apple store

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5 tips to fix an unresponsive iPhone screen
Save 15 percent by buying a refurbished iPhone 8.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Last year’s iPhone 8 normally starts $599 but you can now get a refurbished unit directly from Apple for $100 less.

Apple carefully checks over these units, replaces some of the components that wear out, and includes a warranty.

Diablo Immortal will be one hell of blast on iPhone and iPad

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Crusader is a player class in Diablo Immortal.
Crusader is a player class in Diablo Immortal.
Photo: Blizzard Entertainment

For the first time ever, Diablo fans will be able to answer the call to battle on their iPhone. Blizzard Entertainment is producing Diablo Immortal, a massively multiplayer online (MMO) action role-playing game for phones and tablets.

Rather than being a purely solo experience, this game will present many opportunities to meet and socialize with other demon slayers. 

Apple’s 2018 hardware blitz! [Cult of Mac Magazine]

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What a week! New Apple hardware and an earnings surprise.
What a week!
Cover: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

This week was one heckuva wild ride for Apple fans. First we got new MacBook Airs, iPad Pros, Mac minis and Apple Pencils. Then Apple threw Wall Street a curveball during yet another surprising (and surprisingly positive) earnings call.

Get the scoop on the latest Apple hardware, plus reviews and how-tos, in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Then get ready to spend your weekend drooling over it on your iPad or iPhone. Grab your free subscription to Cult of Mac Magazine from iTunes now.

Bonus: Don’t miss your chance to win an iPhone XR!

Save big on pocket-sized gear and gadgets [Deals]

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We've rounded up three pocket-sized gadgets that won't empty your wallet.
We've rounded up three pocket-sized gadgets that won't empty your wallet.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Some of the coolest tech gear is also the smallest, and the same goes for the price tag. So we’ve rounded up some of the biggest deals on the most compact gear and gadgets in the Cult of Mac Store. We’ve got a keychain-sized breathalyzer, a micro iPhone charger, and more. Read on for more details.

Anticipation of new iPads hurt Apple Q3 tablet sales

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iPad outsells every notebook maker.
iPad outsells every notebook maker.
Photo: Apple

Apple saw a decline last quarter in the number of iPad models it shipped globally. But there’s good news hidden amidst the bad: a market-analysis firm says consumers were just holding off purchases of new iOS tablets until this quarter.

Plus, Apple’s Q3 shipments were still more than sufficient to dominate this product category. If that’s not enough, as the company pointed out at its October press event, in the past four quarters, iPad sales beat every laptop vendor in the world.

Jony Ive’s favorite parts of the 2018 iPad Pro might surprise you

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Don't break your 2018 iPad Pro.
Jony Ive headed up the design team for the 2018 iPad Pro.
Photo: Apple

Just a few days after unveiling the new iPad Pro, Apple’s Chief of Design revealed what he likes best about it, including one feature you might never notice. This tablet just got some significant changes in its form factor, with Jony Ive leading the redesign team.

He also discussed the difficulties of improving products that are already very popular.

iPhone XR speed test makes Note 9 look slow and overpriced

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iPhone XR vs. Galaxy Note 9 Phone test
Samsung should be embarrassed
Photo: PhoneBuff

Apple’s cheapest iPhone of 2018 is just as fast as Samsung’s most expensive smartphone.

Despite packing less than half the RAM and $500 cheaper price tag, the iPhone XR matched Samsung’s Note 9 in a recent speed test by PhoneBuff. The new iPhone was even leading the Note 9 during some parts of the speed test, which shows how quickly the devices can open some of the biggest apps on iOS and Android.

Watch the battle:

How to pick the best iPad Pro storage option for you

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If you buy the 64GB iPad Pro, you're getting ripped off.
If you buy the 64GB iPad Pro, you're getting ripped off.
Photo: Apple

I’m a pretty seasoned iPad buyer. I’ve been using them since the very first iPad back in 2010, and I’ve always known exactly how much storage to buy. Back in the early days it was easy — never buy the lowest storage tier, and if in doubt, always buy more than you think you’ll need. But today, the issue is a lot less clear. With cheap iCloud storage, and a pretty-decent entry level of 64GB, how do you decide how much space you need? Let’s see.

Feeling drunk or gaseous? Woozy face is a versatile emoji

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woozy face emoji
What's with this face? The possibilities are many.
Photo: Apple

A word of caution to fans of Dwayne Johnson should he ever use the woozy face emoji, just released in iOS 12.1: you may not want to “smell what The Rock’s got cookin.’”

Bemused by the puzzlement of the masses on social media, the former wrestler-turned-actor dropped his theories on Twitter on just what the half-cocked face might be expressing.

YouTuber takes us inside the Mac-lined hallways of MacStadium

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MacStadium Mac mini server racks
MacStadium supports thousands of Mac mini, Mac Pro, iMac Pro, and xServe servers for applications around the globe.
Photo: Apple

The Mac serves many roles for many people. Whether it’s used for creativity, research, development, content consumption, or as a server, there is a Mac for the job. During Apple’s October “More in the Making,” the company highlighted several of these key roles the Mac plays, and gave a shoutout to MacStadium’s incredible Mac server farm.

But what is MacStadium really doing, and what does it actually look like to be surrounded by hundreds of Mac mini? YouTube technology entertainer Quinn Nelson of Snazzy Labs had a chance to visit their Las Vegas facility to find out more.

Why Apple is smart to stop playing the iPhone numbers game [Opinion]

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Queue in Singapore
The obsession with iPhone sales numbers is now a thing of the past. Probably.
Photo: Apple

Apple shocked Wall Street yesterday when it revealed that it will no longer share information about how many iPhones sell each quarter. Instead, the company will provide the average sale price, which Cupertino claims is a far more useful figure to investors.

It’s a big change in strategy from a company that used to make a point of crowing about its landmark sales figures. But, while this move might disappoint some fans, it’s totally the right call. Here’s why.

Spotify could finally be on its way to Apple Watch

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Apple Watch Series 4 Music App
It's about time!
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

It seems Spotify is finally gearing up to deliver the one feature iPhone fans have been calling for: Apple Watch support.

Screenshots from a preview version of the app have been posted online ahead of its official release. They suggest the wearable component will allow users to navigate their playlists, control music playback, and even stream to other devices.

Elon Musk says Apple doesn’t ‘blow people’s minds’ anymore

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Musk
Musk says he still uses an iPhone, but doesn't think Apple is putting a dent in the universe these days.
Photo: Recode/Facebook

Elon Musk doesn’t think that Apple products “blow people’s minds” in the same way that they did at one point in time.

The Tesla and SpaceX CEO briefly shared his thoughts on the company during an hour-long interview with Recode‘s Kara Swisher. While Musk noted that he still uses an iPhone, he also gave the impression that he views Apple as a company whose most exciting days may not be ahead of it.

Apple temporarily loses its $1 trillion market cap

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Tim Cook earnings apple
Apple made a whole lot of money, but not enough for some investors.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

There was a lot to be enthusiastic about from yesterday’s Apple earnings, but some investors are rattled by weaker-than-expected iPhone sales.

As a result, Apple’s valuation dipped below the $1 trillion mark for the first time since the company hit that milestone earlier this year. The slide could well continue in the early part of today.

What we loved and what we didn’t — catch our ‘More in the Making’ hardware reax on The CultCast

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360 CultCast MacBook Pro
New Macs, new iPads, new specs, new prices. We break it all down.
Photo: Apple

This week on The CultCast: Apple’s “There’s More in the Making” keynote was an action-packed ride stuffed with one hardware update after another! We’ll tell you what we like (and what we don’t) about Apple’s newest product updates. Plus: Apple quietly offers a big “screw you” to 2018 MacBook Pro owners. Prepare for a rant!

Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. It’s simple to accept Apple Pay and sell your wares with your very own Squarespace website. Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first hosting plan or domain.

Apple wipes 11 categories from the Mac App Store

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Mac App Store
Apple's latest move is bad for macOS developers.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple has removed 11 categories from the Mac App Store. The Categories tab now displays just 10 options as opposed to 21, with Finance, Lifestyle, and Sports among those dropped.

The move is a disappointment to app developers who rely on specific categories for discoverability. Many initially believed that the change was a bug, but Apple has since confirmed that the removal of these items is “expected behavior.”

Giant Apple Watch heart health study is coming to an end

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heart
This is the largest ever study of its kind.
Photo: Apple

Apple and Stanford University’s giant-sized study into heart health among Apple Watch users is wrapping up. According to the researchers, the study has now entered its final phase of data collection and is due to be completed “early next year.”

In total, more than 400,000 people were enrolled in what is described as the largest screening study on atrial fibrillation ever done. It was intended to determine whether wearable devices can accurately identify irregular heart rhythms.