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2018 MacBook Air review roundup: A beautifully big improvement

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MacBook Air 2018
The original ultraportable is back with a bang.
Photo: Apple

The long-awaited MacBook Air update sports an all-new design and more powerful internals, but early reviews indicate there’s still room for improvement.

It’s also the most expensive MacBook Air to date. So, should you spend $1,199 on it when it lands in stores this week? Here’s what the first 2018 MacBook Air reviews have to say.

iPad Pro cases make charging new Apple Pencil a pain

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An iPad Pro case can prevent your Apple Pencil from charging.
They won't last long at this price!
Photo: Apple

The redesigned Apple Pencil magnetically clips to the side of the 2018 iPad Pro, and even wireless charges when its held there. This is a feature many people have been hoping for, but it comes with a significant drawback. This new pressure-sensitive stylus won’t be able to charge through some protective cases.

Case-maker Speck has confirmed that its first offering for the latest iPad will interfere with charging the Pencil, and says many of its rivals will as well.

Fortnite 6.22 adds Heavy AR and Team Terror LTM

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Fortnite Heavy AR
Get your hands on Fortnite's new Heavy AR today.
Photo: Epic Games

Fortnite’s weekly update has arrived with the long-awaited Heavy Assault Rifle. It deals more damage that any other AR but has a smaller magazine size so you’ll have to keep an eye on your ammo.

The version 6.22 patch also brings the Team Terror and Blitz limited-time game modes and a number of tweaks and improvements.

Apple Watch gets 7 new complications in watchOS 5.1.1

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Apple Watch Series 4 Infogram Watch Face
Don't get too excited just yet!
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Apple rolled out a watchOS 5.1.1 update this week to address an issue that caused some Series 4 devices to enter a boot loop when upgrading to watchOS 5.1. And that’s not all the update delivered; there are also seven new complications to enjoy.

But there is a catch that a lot of Apple Watch owners won’t be happy with.

Not so fast: Maybe new AirPods are coming soon!

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AirPods supplier confident of booming business through 2021
We're dying for updated AirPods.
Photo: Ste Smith/CultofMac

There’s still a slight chance Apple could release updated AirPods before the end of the 2018 holiday season.

A newly granted Bluetooth SIG certification indicates that new wireless earpods are in the pipeline. Tim Cook recently bragged that Apple has the best product lineup ever going into the holidays, but there may not be enough time to add AirPods 2.0 to the roster.

How to zip and unzip files on iPhone with Shortcuts

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Broken zip shortcut metaphor.
Broken ZIP Shortcut metaphor.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Shortcuts isn’t just about asking Siri to help out when a cop pulls you over, or shutting your home down for the night. Shortcuts can also be little utilities that you use on your files, adding Mac-like functions to your iPad or iPhone. Today’s example shows how to make a shortcut that unzips files, and saves them to your iCloud Drive or Dropbox. Even in iOS 12, there’s no built-in way to unzip stuff. And with this shortcut, you won’t have to buy an app to do it.

olloclip’s new Pro lenses make iPhone cameras even better

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olloclip lenses
Going wide with the new Super-Wide Pro lens from olloclip.
Photo: olloclip

olloclip, one of the best brands in smartphone lens attachments, today rolled out a new line of Pro and intro lenses that will expand the view of the iPhone’s native camera.

The new lenses, which include super-wide and telephoto pro lenses, are part of olloclip’s expanding Connect X line, a mount-lens system developed for the iPhone X.

Here’s what the 2018 iPad Pro still can’t do [Opinion]

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If you buy the 64GB iPad Pro, you're getting ripped off.
The iPad Pro could be even better than a Mac — with just a few fixes.
Photo: Apple

The new iPad Pro is amazing. It’s lighter, faster, better looking, and all-around cooler than its dorky older brother. While the old 12.9-inch iPad Pro is ironing faux leather patches onto the elbows of its corduroy jacket, the new one is ripping holes into the knees of its vintage jeans.

But there are still some things that the 2018 iPad Pro can’t do. And these shortcomings aren’t down to hardware. They’re all down to software, and the limitations still built in to iOS 12. Let’s take a look.

watchOS 5.1.1 is out with crucial fix for Apple Watch

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Man’s brand new Apple Watch turns out to be toilet plunger
A new fix is out for Apple Watch.
Photo: Ste Smith/CultofMac

Apple Watch owners can finally take advantage of the 70 new emoji Apple already added to iPhone, iPad and Mac last week.

After pulling watchOS 5.1 last week because it bricked some watches, Apple has come out with a new watchOS 5.1.1 update that contains all of the goodies from watchOS 5.1, plus a crucial fix for the bug that made some watches inoperable.

Grab Apple’s artsy 2018 iPad Pro wallpapers

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The 2018 iPad Pro wallperars are paintings, not the usual photos.
The 2018 iPad Pro wallperars are paintings, not the usual photos.
Photo: Apple

With every new Apple device comes a fresh collection of wallpapers. The recently-announced iPad Pro models are no exception. And you don’t have to buy a new tablet to get these images for your device because they’ve been posted online.

Some of them look a bit like spin art — paintings created by dripping paint onto a rapidly spinning surface.

Fortnite is getting real NFL jerseys and new emotes

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Fortnite-NFL
Represent your favorite team on the battlefield.
Photo: Epic Games

Football fans will soon be able to fight for victory wearing their favorite NFL jersey in Fortnite Battle Royale. Starting Friday, November 9, you’ll be able to purchase team outfits from the in-game item shop and add your own squad number.

Epic Games is also adding new gliders, emotes, and pickaxes with an NFL theme. Take a sneak peek at what’s coming in the teaser trailer below.

iPhone XS cellular is twice as fast as iPhone XR

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Long-term iPhone XR demand could eventually lead to greater sales than the iPhone XS.
iPhone XS and XS Max offer much faster downloads than iPhoen XR.
Photo: Apple

The iPhone XR costs 25 percent less than the iPhone XS, but in many ways is just as good. However, there’s a notable exception: The pricier model offers a cellular data connection that’s nearly twice as fast.

That’s not too surprising. The additional cost of the iPhone XS series buys better networking equipment.

iPhone XR production could be slowing amidst weak demand

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iPhone XR battery life is the best of any iPhone on the market.
iPhone XR might not be selling as well as Apple hoped.
Photo: Kristal Chan/Cult of Mac

The three Asian companies that assemble the iPhone XR have reportedly reduced production. Apple is ordering fewer units because sales of this smartphone haven’t lived up to expectations.

However, the source for this information isn’t the most reliable.

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.