Backyard puddles are rarely worth photographing.

Yet Josh Nukem managed to make a puddle picture with his iPhone 8 Plus that got a lot of people talking this week.

In parts one and two of this series, I talked about how I record podcasts on the iPad. In today’s third and final episode, we’ll learn about editing. For this, I use the awesome Ferrite Recording Studio, and Apple Pencil, and a pair of headphones. Let’s get started.

Iina is a brand-new video-playing app for the Mac. Like VLC, it can play pretty much any file, and has deep customization options, even in v1.0. Unlike VLC, it feels like a real Mac-first app, and has support for trackpad gestures and bowser extensions right out of the box.

The overall UI of iOS hasn’t changed too much since iOS 7 got rid of skeuomorphism, but an ex-Apple employee has come up with a brilliant UI concept that makes elements on your iPhone look like real-life objects.

Former Apple software engineer Bob Burrough posted a video of an environmentally-lit user interface he’s developing and even though it’s still very basic, it looks very promising. By using the iPhone’s front-facing camera, the iPhone’s UI shades objects based on the lighting in a room. It may not sound that exciting, but once you see it in action you’ll be wowed.

Check it out:

The iPhone camera is hands-down amazing, thanks almost entirely to the fact that it is hooked up to a pocket-size supercomputer. Initially, the iPhone used its computer smarts to overcome the limitations of phone cameras — the tiny sensor, for example. But over time, Apple added amazing features like Smart HDR and the incredible Portrait Mode, which simulates the out-of-focus background that occurs naturally with traditional high-end cameras.

This path is likely to continue. Computational photography, as it is called, is pushing the capabilities of cellphone cameras far ahead of regular “dumb” cameras. So what can we expect to see in future?

The Austrian government will announce plans this month to impose a levy on giant tech companies that make huge online profits that largely go untaxed.

Austria joins France to be among the first countries to tax internet and technology companies that shuttle profits to avoid higher taxes in each company.

Beats 1 anchor Ebro Darden has been given a New Year’s promotion, being made Apple’s new global editorial head of hip-hop and R&B. In the role, Darden will manage a team of editors in developing editorial strategies for promoting artists, albums, and song releases.

This will be in addition to his Monday to Friday role as a host on Beats 1 and the Hot 97 show, Ebro in the Morning.

Apple is kicking off 2019 with a massive movie sale on iTunes.

A long list of titles, including Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill, and The Goonies, have been reduced to just $4.99 for a limited time. Other titles, including Deadpool, Suicide Squad, and The Equalizer, are now available for $7.99.

The Apple Watch may be the world’s top wearable device right now, but that doesn’t mean that Apple’s happy to stop there. According to a newly published patent, Apple has developed its very own fabric, made up of a ridged material to offer a “contrasting appearance.”

The patent is an ornamental one, covering the look of the fabric rather than a specific use case. However, given Apple’s history of investigation into smart fabrics, it’s possible that the material could be used for developing future smart, sensor-equipped clothing.

The more people interact with technology, the more need there is for UX and UI designers. So skills for designing the look and feel of apps and websites make a valuable addition to any resume.

Apple hasn’t traditionally been known for offering discounts on its products, but the company takes a different position in Japan. In the country, Apple offered a one-day New Year’s sale on a variety of devices.

It covered assorted iPhones, iPads, MacBooks, iMacs, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and more.

Fortnite updates have been on hold while the team at Epic Games took a well-deserved holiday break, but we still saw a brand new item added to Battle Royale this week.

The controversial Boom Box wipes out buildings and structures in no time at all — and you almost certainly won’t enjoy playing against it.

Wistron, one of Apple’s iPhone manufacturers, is ramping up its investment in India. According to a new report, the company has vastly increased its authorized capital expenditure in India to meet its future development plans.

This follows on from another recent report, suggesting that fellow manufacturer Foxconn is set to start building flagship iPhones in the country.

Largely thanks to Tim Cook’s operational wizardry, Apple has carved out a reputation as a master of manufacturing: able to deliver products in massive quantities, exactly when it says it will.

The notable exception to this rule? Apple’s AirPower wireless charger. Announced in late 2017, the next-gen charging mat was promised to ship some time in 2018. Needless to say, that hasn’t happened.

Growing concerns about how much companies are spying on us tops our list of the most significant tech trends of 2018. Also on the list are some big changes in applications, a trend in phone design, and a new type of device that became nearly ubiquitous. 

As the new year begins, let’s take a look back at what changed for Apple and the tech world over the past 12 months.

If your New Year’s resolution is to get fit with Apple Watch in 2019, maybe I can help. I know from personal experience that it’s never too late to get in shape.

I’m a middle-aged guy, and up until a few years ago, I lived a very unhealthy lifestyle. I never exercised, I only ate junk food, and I was seriously overweight. Today, I have a six-pack, I run seven miles a day, and I even write about fitness for Cult of Mac.

The secret to my transformation is something I call “The Ratchet.” It’s a way of running that makes it so easy to get started that pretty much anyone who can walk can do it. All you need is your Apple Watch and a pair of running shoes.

So if you’re thinking about New Year’s resolutions for 2019, why not give The Ratchet a try? Here’s how.

Every year, people make a pledge to themselves to improve in some way. New Year’s resolutions typically come in the form of personal wellness and fitness, productivity or kicking a bad habit. Sometimes they can be more general.

Whatever your goal is for the new year, there’s probably an app to help. These are some of the best apps to help you on your journey to a better you in 2019.

It’s easy to say you’re going to spend the new year getting into better shape. But once January 1st rolls around, you’ll actually have to get off the couch and step out the door. We all want to meet our resolutions, so why not skip the part about stepping out the door?

You know what the New Year means? New devices, and the need for new apps to fill them. Only you’re all spent out, and instead of buying you an iTunes voucher, Auntie and Uncle got you yet another country-themed doll like you used to collect when you were a kid¹.

The answer is an App Store Wish List. And in order to save you money that you don;t have, were going to make our own with the Shortcuts app.

Today we’ll make two shortcuts. One will add any app to a list in Reminders. The second will take that list, and show you a beautiful list of links and prices, right there in the Today view. Just tap on an app to see it in the App Store, and maybe even buy it.

I love the new iPad Pro, but if you’re planning on buying one, you may be misinformed. There’s a lot of nonsense about Apple’s best portable computer ever all over the internet, and today we’ll set some of it straight. Here are five iPad Pro myths that just aren’t true.

An Ohio man is contemplating legal action against Apple after his 3-week-old iPhone XS Max allegedly exploded in his pocket.

J. Hillard reports that his iPhone XS Max started emitting a strange smell before he felt a “large amount of heat” in his pocket. He eventually got a new device from Apple — as well as burns on his buttocks.

If you were lucky enough to get new Apple devices for the holidays, it’s time to turn your old ones into cash — and fast!

Your old iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, or Mac could be worth a small fortune — and Cult of Mac wants to buy it! We typically pay more than other trade-in services, and we won’t leave you waiting ages for your money.

New Netflix users can no longer pay for their subscription through iTunes.

You will need to sign up for the service using a browser like Safari instead — but nothing needs to change if you’re paying for Netflix through iTunes already.

This week we find out what music we’ve loved in 2018 with Music Year in Review, make some music with Ultimate Circle of Fifths, take a walk with the brand new hike search in Gaia GPS, and more.

Apple fans, ring in the new year with the best of last year’s apps and software for Mac. We’ve rounded up some incredible deals on powerhouse applications, from a powerful PDF editor to an efficiency-enhancing macro manager, a professional disk recovery tool and lots more. Even better, these apps are discounted by an average of 75 percent, so read on for more details.