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Apple’s second-generation mapping vehicles spotted in the wild

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apple maps
The new Apple Maps vehicle spotted in LA.
Photo: BusinessInsider

Apple’s fleet of vehicles used to gather data for Apple Maps appears to have gotten a significant upgrade and it could help make Apple Maps even better.

People in the Los Angeles area have spotted a second-generation version of Apple’s mapping vehicles in the wild. Unlike the previous version, these cars aren’t vans, as Apple has opted to use Subaru SUVs instead.

Just how waterproof is the iPhone XS anyway?

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Don't be a afraid of the water ip68
Don't be a afraid of the water.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

The iPhone XS and XS Max both have an updated water-resistance rating compared to previous iPhones. The iPhone X has an IP67 rating, whereas the new models have IP68. But what does that mean? In practical terms, it means you never have to worry about dropping your iPhone in the toilet. But the code actually means a lot more than that.

Foxconn’s stellar September suggests strong iPhone XS sales

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Foxconn employees accused of $43 million iPhone scam
Apple and Foxconn have especially close business ties.
Photo: Foxconn

Foxconn is best known for assembling iPhones, so it’s watched as a sign of demand for Apple’s most important product.  The Chinese company just reported its revenue increased 30 percent last month, an indication that there’s plenty of demand for the iPhone XS models that debuted in September.

This is just the latest hint that Apple’s latest are performing well.

How to sync your Apple workouts to Strava automatically

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Strava is ready to play nice with Apple
Strava is ready to play nice with Apple
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

Your shiny new Apple Watch is great for logging workouts. But it comes up short when you want to review your training progress and share your workout history with friends. Everything gets bundled in the Activity and Health apps on your iPhone, which are pretty basic.

That’s where third-party apps like Strava come in. Strava offers all the essential fitness analytics that Apple overlooks. The trouble is, Strava’s watch app sucks for logging workouts.

If only you could have the best of both worlds: logging your workouts with Apple’s excellent built-in Workout app, then syncing the data automatically to Strava. Well, thanks to a brilliant indie app called HealthFit, you can.

Apple Music now offers Genius annotations and lyrics

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iPhone with Genius
Level up your music knowledge today.
Photo: Genius

If you’ve ever wanted to dive more deeply into the music you love, boy, have we got the announcement for you! Starting today, digital media company Genius (formerly Rap Genius) is teaming up with Apple Music to provide annotations and song lyrics to “thousands of songs” on the platform.

iPhone XR could be bigger than iPhone 8 in one key market

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iPhone XR test
iPhone XR could be more popular than you think.
Photo: Apple

The iPhone XR is expected to enjoy a strong start in China later this month as a result of the lack of innovation from local brands and weakening demand for their devices, according to one reliable analyst.

Apple’s new handset, which will start at $749 in the U.S., could see bigger demand than last year’s iPhone 8 lineup.

Don’t be fooled by the 2018 AirPods ‘leak’

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AirPods sales
New AirPods this year? Probably not.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple could surprise us with updated AirPods before the end of 2018. But don’t be fooled by supposed “leaked” photos that claim to offer our first glimpse at the new headphones and their packaging.

The publisher claims the refresh will bring Apple’s long-awaited wireless charging case, better sound, and more. Some things just don’t add up in this case, however.

Popular medication tracking app gets Health Records integration

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Medicsafe app 1
Medisafe lets you easily track medication without having to manually enter it into the app.
Photo: Medisafe

Popular medication management app Medisafe has added support for Apple’s Health Records service. This means that users can more easily track the medication that they are supposed to be taking, without having to manually enter it into the app.

That’s useful not just for reminder purposes, but also for more easily and accurately tracking dosage and avoiding potentially lethal drug interactions. As a result, it could potentially save lives.

Stolen Apple IDs reportedly used for Chinese mobile payment thefts

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Alipay
Alipay is one of the mobile payment services where users have reportedly had money taken.
Photo: Alipay

Hackers in China have used stolen Apple IDs to make off with cash from customers’ Alipay and Tencent accounts, two popular Chinese mobile payments service.

In a post on Weibo, Alipay said that it has contacted Apple to determine the exact details of the breach. It also warned that users who have linked their Apple IDs to mobile payment services should lower their transaction limits. Tencent has also gotten in contact with Apple.

Two women wanted for stealing $6,000 of devices from Apple Store

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Virginia Apple Store
The Apple Store where the robberies took place.
Photo: Apple

Police may have arrested those responsible for the recent spate of Apple Store organized thefts across California, but that’s unfortunately not the end of people targeting Apple Stores for robberies.

In Virginia Beach, VA, police are looking to identify two women accused of stealing more than $6,000 worth of Apple devices over a single weekend. The main devices stolen were Apple Watches.

Apple makes massive deal to buy part of Dialog chipmaker

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The iPhone XS Max is 25 percent larger than any previous iOS handset. So how is it as an iPad mini replacement?
Apple has used Dialog Semiconductor's tech dating back to the first iPhone.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

Apple is paying $300 million in cash to purchase part of Dialog Semiconductor, a European chipmaker that Apple has been working with since the first iPhone.

The investment is part of Apple’s strategy to develop superior chipsets which will help it stand out and differentiate itself in the battle with rival smartphone and other mobile device makers.

Apple will donate to Hurricane Michael recovery and relief efforts

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money
Apple is donating some of its hard-earned cash to a great cause.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple will donate to relief efforts for Hurricane Michael, the most powerful hurricane ever to hit north-west Florida. According to emergency services, the storm left around 500,000 people without electricity in Florida, Alabama and Georgia.

Tim Cook made note of Apple’s decision in a series of tweets sent out late Wednesday, in which he said that he grew up on in the part of the Gulf Coast being affected by the hurricane. As a result, it is an area he shares a “special” connection with.

Mac sales declined in Q3, despite new MacBook Pros

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2018 MacBook Pro
Even the shiny new 2018 MacBook Pro models couldn't save Mac sales last quarter.
Photo: Apple

The third quarter of this year wasn’t a particularly good one for Apple, with Mac sales dropping a significant amount. That doesn’t say positive things about sales of the 2018 MacBook Pro models that debuted this summer.

Still, the company held onto its place as the world’s fourth-largest PC maker.

Apple plans to give away its $1 billion TV shows

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Apple TV
Apple is loading up with original content.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple’s new TV streaming service will allegedly debut in early 2019 — and all those original Apple TV shows won’t cost customers anything, according to a recent report.

Despite planning to spend more than $1 billion on original content this year, Apple will supposedly give away its original content to customers that already own an iPhone, iPad or Apple TV.

Samsung might copy Apple’s homicidal take on headphone jacks

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Here's how much space the Galaxy S9 headphone jack takes up.
Space inside a smartphone is precious; here's how much the Galaxy S9 headphone jack takes up.
Photo: IFIXIT

There were howls of protest when Apple left the 3.5mm headphone jack out of the iPhone 7, but it was really just another example of the company being ahead of the competition. Arch-rival Samsung is reportedly going to be the next to eliminate this single-use port from its flagship phones next year.

How to shoot stunning black-and-white photos on iPhone

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This wasn't taken on an iPhone, but it could have been.
This wasn't taken on an iPhone, but it could have been.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Black-and-white photos aren’t just regular photos with the color taken out. Or rather, they are exactly that, but they are also more than that. A B&W portrait can seem to say more about the subject than a colorful version, for instance. B&W is also ideal for showing more graphic images. Take a color photo of scaffolding and it looks super-dull. Take the same photo in B&W, jack up the contrast, and it becomes a stark grid — way more interesting to look at.

There’s much more to taking a B&W photo than just removing the color. For instance, did you know that a color filter will have a startling effect on a B&W photo? Let’s take a look at some of the tricks to capturing and editing stunning black-and-white images.

AT&T Time Warner jumps on streaming bandwagon

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AT&T logo
AT&T wants a piece of the TV streaming market.
Photo: Luismt94/Wikipedia CC

Netflix is about to get some new competition in the streaming wars from the same company that owns one of its biggest rivals, HBO.

AT&T Time Warner revealed today that the company is planning to build and launch a new video streaming service that will offer TV shows, films, libraries, documentaries and animation.

Luna Display converts an iPad into a Mac’s second screen

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Luna Display iPad
Double the size of your MacBook screen by using your iPad as a second monitor with Luna Display.
Photo: Astro HQ

Anyone who feels their MacBook’s screen is too cramped can now use their iPad as as second display just by plugging in a dongle. Luna Display is now available to all after a successful Kickstarter campaign.

Astro HQ promises that its hardware/software solution is better than purely software options for using an iPad as an external monitor.

Apple Watch might solve mystery of missing Saudi dissident

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Apple Watch alerts user of irregular heart rhythms in sleep
Jamal Khashoggi's Apple Watch might be able to tell investigators if he's still alive.
Photo: Apple

A prominent critic of Saudi Arabia went into that country’s consulate in Istanbul last week and never came out again. Evidence of what happened to him might come from his Apple Watch.

The burning question the wearable potentially could answer: is Jamal Khashoggi still alive?

Snapchat jumps into original content with 5-minute daily scripted shows

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Snap Originals 1
Snap is launching a whole bunch of original shows.
Photo: Snap

Apple’s not the only tech company hopping on the original content bandwagon in 2018. Snapchat company Snap is launching new shows in partnership with Hollywood production companies. And they’re coming as soon as today.

Called “Snap Originals,” they won’t be full-length shows like Apple is busy commissioning, though. In keeping with the short-term hook that made Snapchat popular, the company is cranking out five-minute episodes shot vertically for viewing on mobile devices.

Stay safe online with a tracker blocker and VPN [Deals]

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This single app offers several layers of protection from online security and privacy threats.
This single app offers several layers of protection from online security and privacy threats.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Being online means being constantly tracked, and exposed to data theft. So whether you’re done with being targeted for ads, or want to avoid having your identity stolen, this single tool will do double duty to protect you.

Fortnite 6.02 brings Disco Domination LTM, Quadlauncher

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Fortnite Disco Domination
Dance off in the new Disco Domination LTM.
Photo: Epic Games

Fortnite’s weekly update has finally dropped across all platforms, bringing a new Disco Domination limited-time game mode (LTM), the new Quadlauncher weapon, and more.

The update also improves performance on a number of platforms, and fixes bugs that were introduced with previous builds.

Senators want answers about alleged China spy chips

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This isn't actually Apple's data center, but it's close.
Recent report claimed that Apple's data center had been infiltrated by spy chips.
Photo: Pexels

It’s not yet clear how much veracity there is to the recent Bloomberg report claiming that companies, including Apple and Amazon, were sold data servers compromised by Chinese spies. However, a bipartisan pair of U.S. senators want answers from the manufacturer in question.

In a letter addressed to motherboard supplier Supermicro, senators Marco Rubio and Richard Blumenthal request the answers to eight queries. Here’s what they want to know:

Hit farming simulator Stardew Valley is coming to iOS

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Stardew Valley
Stardew Valley is finally going mobile.
Photo: Chucklefish Limited

Popular indie farming simulator Stardew Valley is finally making the leap to iPhone and iPad.

The game has proven a smash hit on Mac and PC, selling over 400,000 copies during its first two weeks of availability, and has been well-received on console, with glowing review scores on Metacritic. You’ll be able to play it on iOS later this month.