Update to macOS 10.14.2 today for a handful of small improvements. Photo: Apple
September brought macOS Mojave 10.14 with a wide array of new features like Dark Mode. October saw the introduction of version 10.12.1 with Group FaceTime. And today there’s macOS 10.14.2 with… well, what are definitely some very minor improvements.
Apple also just introduced iOS 12.1.1 with improvements for FaceTime and Face ID. In addition, tvOS 12.1.1 was released with some minor bug fixes.
Not everyone gets Steve Jobs to give an autograph. Photo: RR Auction
A piece of a well-known story about Steve Jobs’ disdain for giving autographs goes on the auction block Thursday.
At the 2006 opening of an Apple Store in New York City, the Apple co-founder initially refused the request of a man in a wheelchair who had hoped Jobs would sign his copy of the premiere issue of Macworld magazine.
Jobs, according to witnesses, was joking when he said no. He eventually acquiesced and signed the magazine, “To Matt” followed by “steven jobs.” (He rarely used capital letters when signing his name.)
Chill out with the Apple Watch Breathe app. Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac
In today’s fast-paced, connected world, the demands on our time seem endless. We spend much of our day in a state of constant hyperactivity. Apple Watch and iPhone add to the pressure, with their endless notifications telling us what we should be doing, who we should be speaking to and where we should be going.
Fortunately, Apple also offers an oasis of calm that can help us slow down this frenetic pace. The Apple Watch Breathe app draws on the ancient wisdom of Buddhist monks and yogis who practice a technique called “resonant breathing.”
Luckily, you don’t need to be a master of meditation to use the Breathe app that comes built into your Apple Watch. With clever visuals and smart features, it will guide you through this time-honored method for relaxing your body and clearing your mind. It’s a surprisingly subtle and relaxing experience that you might really enjoy.
In this quick guide, we’ll take a look at the origins of the Breathe app, how it works, what the benefits of resonant breathing are, and how to take advantage of this calming tech. So take a deep breath and let’s get started.
iOS 12.1.1 makes it easier to expand notifications on the iPhone XR. Photo: Apple
Apple has come out with a big new update for iOS 12 today that brings a host of new features and bug fixes to the iPhone and iPad.
iOS 12.1.1 is available now as an over-the-air update, adding expanded eSIM support on the iPhone XR, XS and XS Max as well as some changes to FaceTime and fixes for Face ID.
The Health app can be a valuable tool for police too. Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac
A UK pharmacist’s attempt to collect more than $2.5 million in life insurance after murdering his wife was thwarted by Apple’s Health app for iOS.
Mitesh Patel strangled his wife, Jessica after five years of planning her murder, according to police. He attempted to make the entire murder look like a break in, but when authorities accessed the Health app on his iPhone and the one on his wife’s iPhone, the data told a completely different story.
Ron Johnson, with Apple co-founder Steve Jobs at the grand opening of an Apple Store. Photo: Richard Agullar
Steve Jobs’ hands-on approach to just about every project at Apple is part of his legend.
Ron Johnson, Apple’s first head of retail, offers fascinating detail about Jobs and the work leading up to the first Apple Store during a recent episode of the Gimlet podcast Without Fail hosted by Andy Blumberg.
Jobs was demanding and described by many as often difficult to work with. But Johnson says working with Jobs was a “gift.”
Protect the iPhone XR without spoiling its design. Photo: Apple
Apple has finally started selling its first official iPhone XR case, more than a month after the handset made its debut.
The Clear Case, which leaked out in October, is made with a “blend of optically clear polycarbonate and flexible TPU materials” so that you can enjoy your iPhone XR’s design while keeping it protected.
Grab the latest update from the Play Store now. Photo: Apple
Apple Music could be opened up to businesses to allow streaming in public places.
The “Apple Music for Business” trademark was filed for late last month in the U.S. — and in other territories back in June. The filing states the trademark would be applied to a number of different areas, including commercial use.
AAPL is having a tough time right now. At least comparatively. Photo illustration: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Apple stock took another plunge yesterday, finishing down 4.4 percent. The reason for the fall is continuing concerns about the iPhone, which have caused numerous analysts to downgrade their price targets for AAPL.
It’s not just Apple that’s being affected, either. The company’s suppliers have also been hit by fears about the future of iPhone sales. Multiple suppliers associated with Apple have seen their stock prices decline by up to 5 percent as a result.
We've rounded up 4 ways to boost your personal or professional skills, from social media marketing to graphic design and way beyond, each for under 20 bucks. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
It’s never a bad idea to make yourself more appealing to potential employers. But there are so many skills to learn, from coding, to graphic design, to Excel, and on and on, it can be hard to know where to start, and education is often expensive. So we’ve rounded up courses that cover all of the above and more, all for less than 20 bucks. Take a look, and pick the ways you want to boost your resume.
You’ll be able to play it first on iPad. Photo: Feral Interactive
Popular construction simulator Tropico finally has a release date for iOS. You’ll be able to play it before the end of the year on your iPad and in 2019 on your iPhone.
Pre-order the game today to have it download automatically as soon as it hits the App Store.
The data center as it would have looked. Photo: Apple
Endless delays may have caused Apple to ditch its plans for a giant data center in County Galway in Ireland, but the repercussions are still being felt.
Galways’s Supreme Court will sit in March to hear an appeal regarding whether An Bord Pleanála, the independent planning body, “breached its legal obligations” by approving the first part of the proposed $960 million Apple development.
It’s your turn to make the rules. Photo: Epic Games
We’re just a day away from the launch of Fortnite season seven and players have plenty to look forward to. One thing we really weren’t expecting was just revealed in a brand new leak.
Fortnite is getting a new Creative Mode that will give fans the opportunity to build their own islands and run their own servers for private Battle Royale matches with custom rules.
According to Qualcomm president Cristiano Amon, by this time next year the market is set to be flooded with 5G Android phones. “Every Android vendor is working on 5G right now,” he said.
Actor Toby Kebbell has been cast as the male lead in Apple’s forthcoming psychological series from director M. Night Shyamalan. Kebbell will likely be best known to readers for his role as Koba in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes.
He has also made memorable appearances in the revenge movie Dead Man’s Shoes and Guy Ritchie’s RocknRolla, as well as appearing as Dr. Doom in the critically panned Fantastic Four. Here’s who he will be starring alongside.
Prize-winning artist Charlotte Prodger. Photo: Film London
A series of short video clips shot on an iPhone have been awarded the 2018 Turner prize, a prestigious (if sometimes controversial) annual award handed out to a British visual artist.
The videos which scored the 25,000 pound ($31,700) prize include scenes such as a view of the Scottish countryside filmed from a train window, a T-shirt drying on the radiator, and a cat pawing at a lamp.
Phones and tablets dating back to 2013 can be upgraded to iOS 12. Photo: Apple
A data analysis firm recently estimated that three-quarters of iPhone and iPad users have upgraded to iOS 12. Turns out that was slightly optimistic. Apple revealed today that iOS 12 adoption is actually at 70 percent.
That is vastly better than the number of people who’ve been able to upgrade to the latest version of Android.
This iPhone gimbal does double duty as a charging platform, with a bunch of other cool extras. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Despite the great camera, taking great video with iPhone requires a few extra things. First, you’ll want something to reduce the shakiness of handheld video. Additionally, because the camera is a serious energy drain, you want something to keep your phone charged. So any iPhone videographer can get into this gimbal that does both.
Apple Store employees are partially compensated with intangible benefits. Photo: Apple
Anyone who frequents Apple retail stores knows they can always count on knowledgeable and sympathetic help from an employee. One might assume that Apple retains such people with high salaries. Nope.
Instead, the Geniuses — as some employees of Apple Stores are famously called — work there because they are a select few who believe they are helping customers by selling them Macs, iPhones, etc.
Depth Control can add subtle or wild background blur to your images. Photo: Cult of Mac
The iPhone XS has an amazing camera, and the best part of that camera is the Depth Control feature, which lets you adjust the background blur after you take the photo.
This is a powerful feature, but to get the most out of it, you might want to check out these tips and tricks on using Depth Control on iPhone XS.
Lightning cables that plug into USB-C ports charge your iPhone more quickly. Photo: Apple
You could be able to get your hands on less expensive, but still MFi certified, Lightning-to-USB-C cables more quickly than first thought. Apple is allowing third-party manufacturers to produce these, and shipments could start in just a few months.
These cables allow iPhones and older iPads to charge far more quickly than Lightning-to-USB-A ones.
The early-life of NBA superstar Kevin Durant is set to become the focus of Apple’s latest TV show project.
Apple reportedly ordered Durant’s “Swagger” TV show to series this week, adding the sports-based drama to its growing roster of TV shows as the company prepares to launch its original content package next year.
Samsung uses this DSLR mage to demonstrate the Galaxy A8 Star’s camera. Photo: Samsung
Samsung uses an image taken by a professional photographer to show off the capabilities of the Samsung Galaxy A8 Star. That wouldn’t be a problem except the picture was taken with a digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera, not the phone Samsung is pretending it came from.
If that wasn’t bad enough, it’s not the first time something like this has happened.
AirPods wall display is on show in New York. Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Left and right ear versions of AirPods could soon be a relic of the past, based on one of Apple’s most recent patents that envisions a one-size-fits-all version of earbuds.
Apple’s completely redesigned AirPods aren’t expected to arrive until 2020, but if they use some of the tech proposed in the recently disclosed filing, they could be the smartest earbuds we’ve ever seen.