| Cult of Mac

iOS 11 lets you text requests to Siri instead of talk

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Sorry, Alexa: Siri still the most widespread AI assistant
iOS finally has a command line.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Talking to Siri can be a bit embarrassing when you’re in crowded public spaces, but with iOS 11, Apple is finally allowing users to submit questions to the digital assistant via text.

Apple didn’t mention the new feature during its WWDC 2017 keynote, however it’s already become one of our favorite additions in the new beta because it gives iPhone and iPad owners the closest thing yet to a command line.

To enable the feature, follow these steps:

Google co-founder’s flying car gets internet debut

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Weekends at the lake will never be the same.
Weekends at the lake will never be the same.
Photo: Kitty Lake

Forget self-driving cars. A startup backed by Google co-founder Larry Page is aiming to reshape transportation by giving us flying cars, and the company finally gave the internet a teaser today.

Kitty Hawk posted the first video of its all-electric aircraft today. The vehicle is only designed to fly over water, but the company says you won’t even need a pilot’s license to fly it.

Check out the teaser:

Earth Day videos showcase Apple’s struggle to go green

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Can solar farms feed yaks?
Can solar farms feed yaks?
Photo: Apple

Apple is taking Earth Day more seriously than ever this year. The company just published a new series of animated videos that go behind the scenes on the company’s goal to create zero waste.

The four new videos highlight the crazy things Apple does to be as environmentally friendly as possible. Each one-minute video focuses on challenges the company already overcame, whether it’s making yak-friendly solar farms in China, building breathable walls for Apple Park or creating fake sweat for iPhone tests.

Watch all four right here:

iPhone 7 survives explosive encounter with 25 pounds of gunpowder

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Can the iPhone 7 survive 25 pounds of pure black powder?
Can the iPhone 7 survive 25 pounds of pure black powder?
Photo: TechRax

Apple has flaunted the iPhone 7’s new waterproof powers in plenty of ads, but did you know it’s also (kinda) fireproof?

To see just how much damage the new (RED) iPhone 7 can take, one insidious YouTuber placed the new device in a bucket filled with 25 pounds of gunpowder. The giant gunpowder explosion is truly impressive, but your mind will be blown by the condition of the iPhone once the smoke clears.

Enjoy the carnage:

How to pick the perfect frame on iPhone Live Photos

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Live Photos are magical.
Live Photos are magical.
Photo: Apple

The iPhone’s Live Photos feature is one of the funnest innovations Apple’s brought to photography. There’s just one annoying problem with the moving pictures: you can’t choose which frame it uses for the final image.

Thanks to a third-party app there’s finally a way to do just that, making Live Photos more versatile than ever.

How to make your own iPhone 7

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Installing an extra camera is super easy.
Installing an extra camera is super easy.
Photo: PeripateticPandas

The grand unveiling of the iPhone 7 is still a couple months away, but if you can’t wait to get your hands on an iPhone with a dual-lens camera it’s actually incredibly easy to make one at home.

All you need is two iPhone 6s units, some special tools and a little attention to detail to create your own version of what will likely be the most boring iPhone update ever.

Here’s how to do it:

Apple gives first look at iOS 10 in new video

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iOS 10 launches this fall.
iOS 10 launches this fall.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s big iOS 10 update for iPhones and iPads won’t be available to the public until later this fall, but the company has already started hyping its launch with a new teaser video.

iOS 10 packs 10 big additions that change everything from the lock screen’s UI, Siri, and how you’ll interact with friends in Messages. We’re still diving into all the new features in the first developer beta. In the meantime, you can get your first glimpse of iOS 10 below: