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World’s thinnest iPhone case faces 21-foot drop test [Review]

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thinnest iPhone case Review
The Clear-Coat FUSION Bumper from Mobile Outfitters was put to the drop test. Did it survive?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Philadelphia-based company Mobile Outfitters is well-known for its ultra-strong iPhone screen protectors. Now it’s put all of its phone-protection know-how together to create the Fusion Bumper — the world’s thinnest iPhone case.

At 1.9 mm thin, the Clear-Coat Fusion Bumper case for the iPhone 6, 6s and 7 has been drop-tested up to 20 feet. But, can it really survive a drop from that sort of height?

Check out the video review below to see us really put it through the test.

Nike+ Run Club is borking my runs, and I blame Apple Watch

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Whatever happened to Nike+?
Whatever happened to Nike+?
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

At the most essential level, a running app should provide a reliable way to log your workouts: when, where, how fast and how far you run. Fancy features are all very well and good, but let’s be honest — if an app doesn’t get the basics right, it sucks.

Nike has been busy adding new bells and whistles to its Nike+ Run Club app recently. Which is great if you want stuff like photo sharing and news feeds. But all I want is to log my runs, and thanks to my Apple Watch Nike+, that critical function has become pretty unreliable.

Updated MacBook Pro coming in 2017, this week on The CultCast

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New Apple hardware in March on The CultCast
New Apple hardware in March? Reports say yes, indeed.
Photo: Apple

This week on The CultCast: 2017 might bring the super-charged MacBook Pro you’ve been waiting for — yes, another update! Then, a former employee says Tim Cook’s making Apple boring. Is it true? Plus: We get more evidence Apple will be making TV shows and movies; and iPhone 8 may be packing friggin’ lasers and facial recognition.

Best List: Moshi wireless earbuds sound like a bargain [Reviews]

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Moshi's Mythro Air Bluetooth earphones
Moshi's Mythro Air are quality Bluetooth earphones at an affordable price.
Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac

Best List: Mythro Air wireless earbuds by Moshi

Moshi’s Mythro Air wireless earbuds look good and sound good. They offer all-day battery life, a clever magnetic clip to keep them in place, and a unique feature that allows you to share music from a single source to two sets of Mythro Air earbuds.

Best of all, they cost $69.99, and sound better than premium earbuds costing two or three times more.

AirPods alternatives and the best TV shows of 2016 on The CultCast

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AirPods aren't the only wireless buds in the game.
AirPods aren't the only wireless buds in the game.
Photo: TBS

This week on The CultCast: An honest look at Super Mario Run; we review better-sounding AirPods alternatives; the cool new stuff in the iOS and tvOS updates; and we reveal the hands-down best TV shows of 2016!

This episode supported by: Jamf Now, the affordable, cloud-based solution you can rely on to manage the iPads, iPhones and Macs in your workplace. Manage three devices for free at jamf.com/CultCast.

Hackintosh monster Macs and iPhone 8’s marquee feature, on The CultCast

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Could this be the next Mac Pro?
Could this be the next Mac Pro?
Photo: Nvidia

This week on The CultCast: Why building a Hackintosh can get you the monster Mac you’ve always wanted. Plus: Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reveals iPhone 8’s marquee feature; AirPods ship date is finally revealed; and stick around for our top Apple AirPort router replacement picks!

Our thanks to Casper for supporting this episode. Casper’s American-made mattresses have just the right amount of memory foam and latex, and people everywhere love them. Learn why and save $50 off your order at casper.com/cultcast.

Apple gets serious about augmented reality, this week on The CultCast

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The reviews are in on Apple's new MacBook Pro with Touch Bar...
The reviews are in on Apple's new MacBook Pro with Touch Bar...
Photo: @YSR50

This week on The CultCast: Early reviews show the new MacBook Pro is a video-editing powerhouse; Apple’s massive interest in augmented reality; rumors of a jet white iPhone; AirPods to finally start shipping; new dongle discounts; and, is Apple still developing an electric car?

This episode is supported by CultCloth, the best way to keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean. Check them out at CultCloth.co and for a limited time save 20 percent with code JetBlack.

iPhone car mounts, Lightning cable triple packs, and more [Week’s Newest Deals]

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This 5-Star VPN client supports more protocols than any other product in existence
This 5-Star VPN client supports more protocols than any other product in existence
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

It’s mid-October and the temperature is dropping but the flood of new deals shows no sign of stopping. This week we’ve got access to a top shelf VPN service, a sleek car mount for your iPhone, a duo of productivity enhancing apps and a trio of extra long, MFi-certified Lightning cables. They’re all discounted by more than half off, read on for more details:

Set up your new Apple Watch to max out your fitness gains

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Get in shape with your new Apple Watch
Get in shape with your new Apple Watch.
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

If you’ve just bought a shiny new Apple Watch Series 2, hoping it will help you get in shape, then here’s some advice: Invest a little time setting it up so your wearable is tailored to your personal fitness level and goals.

These quick and easy setup tips will help you get the most out of your Apple Watch fitness routine.

Editor’s note: This is an excerpt from the new Cult of Mac Fitness Handbook. It’s coming soon, loaded with iPhone and Apple Watch fitness tips — and it will be exclusively free for Cult of Mac readers.

How to find your moment of zen with Apple’s Breathe app

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Breathe app in watchOS 3
The new Breathe app in watchOS 3 turns Apple Watch into a meditation machine.
Photo: Apple

Apple Watch wearers will soon find it easier to reach relaxation, thanks to the new Breathe app included in watchOS 3.

Every week, the Breathe app provides Apple Watch wearers with a summary of how well they performed the most essential human task for staying alive. If you suck at breathing, don’t worry. Breathe will turn you into a zen master in no time.

To start a breathing exercise follow these steps.

Epson XP-430 packs a multifunction printer into a small package [Review]

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Epson_Expression_Home_XP-430
This little Epson multifunction printer can handle big jobs.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Epson calls its new Expression Home XP-430 printer a “Small-in-One” for good reason: It packs a lot of functions into a compact size.

The sub-$100 unit scans and makes copies in addition to printing wirelessly via Apple AirPrint or Google Cloud Print. It’s not a productivity monster that would be suited for a really busy home office, but for a light-duty personal printer, it’s worth serious consideration.

10.5-inch iPad Pro coming in 2017, OLED upgrade in 2018

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iPad Pro
A new size of iPad Pro is on the way, apparently.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple will ship three new iPads next year, according to well-connected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo — including a low-cost 9.7-inch iPad, upgraded 12.9-inch iPad Pro, and a new 10.5-inch iPad Pro variant as well.

But the really big changes, he claims, are planned for the year after…

With this bundle of photo apps, who needs Photoshop? [Deals]

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This bundle of powerful photo editing apps will let you make every photo a keeper.
This bundle of powerful photo editing apps will let you make every photo a keeper.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Everyone’s taking photos these days thanks to smartphones, but unless you’re a professional photo editor you don’t need an expensive subscription to Photoshop to make your images look their best. With this bundle of photo editing apps for Mac — from noise reduction and artificial light source simulators to photo stitching, mosaic makers, image organizers and more — you’ll have everything you need to make every image a keeper. And right now you can get the whole shebang for just $29.99 at Cult of Mac Deals. Here’s what’s included:

How to get macOS Sierra to display your photos on a world map

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Sierra Maps
A new way to scan through your photos!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

One of the neatest new additions to macOS Sierra is the increased focus on photos. Using the in-built Photos app, it’s now easier than ever to relive your most cherished memories with nifty features like the ability to display all your photos on a world map — presenting a different way to access your pics.

Here’s how to do it using the new operating system, which is currently in public beta and will be released this fall.

How to watch the Olympics on Apple TV

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x
Get ready to binge on the Summer Olympic games.
Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac

The 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio are set to be the most streamed event in sporting history thanks to NBC’s plan to live-stream all 34 sports. Apple TV users can get in on the 4,500 hours of coverage that starts on August 5th even if you don’t have a cable subscription.

Here’s how to watch all the action using Apple TV:

This wireless Mac keyboard is more magical than Apple’s [Review]

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mac accessories 2016
Kanex's MultiSync wireless aluminum Mac keyboard with one-touch quick switching.
Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac

If the Apple Magic Keyboard is like the latest MacBook — sleek, svelte and missing key features due to Cupertino’s maniacal pursuit of those first two attributes — the Kanex MultiSync Aluminum Keyboard is akin to a MacBook Pro.

It looks and feels a lot like Apple’s stock wireless keyboard, but adds functionality that will make the Kanex an ideal solution for some power users.

Flexible stylus has some cool hidden talents [Reviews]

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StylusFlex
The StylusFlex does a bit more than just let you poke at your screen.
Photo: Evan Killham/Cult of Mac

StylusFlex

Most people don’t use a stylus with their iPhones, and late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs wouldn’t want them to. But the StylusFlex might change a few minds because it’s not simply a substitute for the five styli you have at the end of your arm.

You have plenty of reasons to just stick with your fingers when you’re using your iPhone or iPad, and this device seems to realize that. That’s why it does a few extra things that might help it earn its keep.

Psst. We’re giving away $1,000 iTunes gift cards [Deals]

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iTunes
What would you do with $1,000 dollars for iTunes?
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals Apple

You can think of iTunes like the biggest content candy store in the world, a mother lode of albums, apps, games, movies and TV shows, and on and on. If you’ve ever wondered what it’d be like to go into iTunes with a huge bag to fill as you please, today could be your lucky day. Right now you can enter to win a $1,000 iTunes gift card, no strings attached.

We talk iPhone 7s features and Tesla’s Model 3 on The CultCast

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Tesla
This Model 3 could have carried an Apple logo one day.
Photo: Tesla

This week on Cult of Mac’s: Rumors point to an iPhone 7s with a drastic redesign, facial recognition and the return of the glass front and back. Plus: Folks around the world line up for the Tesla Model 3; Apple is making a show about apps hosted by technology expert musician Will.i.am; why the new iPad Pro is not a notebook replacement for the masses; and, in a bizarre plot twist, Apple seeks FBI’s iPhone unlocking secrets.

Our thanks to Freshbooks for supporting this episode. FreshBooks is the easy-to-use invoicing software designed to help small-business owners get organized, save time invoicing and get paid faster. It also makes tax time a cinch. Get started now with a 30-day free trial.

How to choose the best iPhone for you

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New options for all of us.
New options for all of us.
Photo: Stephen Smith/Cult of Mac

The iPhone line just got more expansive, with the new, smaller-yet-powerful iPhone SE dropping into the fray to compliment the bigger and still powerful iPhone 6, iPhone 6s, iPhone 6 Plus and 6s Plus handsets.

So how do you choose the best iPhone? That depends on your own needs, of course, but we’re here to help you figure it all out with our iPhone buyer’s guide.

How to warm up and cool down with your Apple Watch

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Doing a warm-up before your workout and a cool-down afterwards can reduce your risk of injury
Warming up before your workout and cooling down afterward can reduce your risk of injury and improve your performance.
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

When you start a workout, Apple Watch only gives you a three-second countdown. There’s no time for a warmup first. And when you’re done, the Workout app does not prompt you to cool down either.

That is very different from the treadmills and bikes you find in most gyms, which ease you gently into your workout and steadily lower your pace at the end.

Apple Watch may not (yet) support the warmup and cool-down phases of a workout, but that does not mean you should skip them. These Apple Watch fitness tips will help you get the most out of your workouts.

Rugged headphones are on-ear and on-point [Reviews]

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NAD VISO HP30 on-ear headphones offer RoomFeel technology.
NAD VISO HP30 on-ear headphones offer RoomFeel technology.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Best List: NAD VISO HP30 Headphones

I thought I knew myself pretty well by now. Boxer briefs instead of boxers or briefs. Surf before turf. Toilet paper over and not under. And over-the-ear headphones well before on-ear or in-ear.

But the NAD Viso HP30s have me questioning my allegiances to over-the-ear.

5 iOS games that’ll make you leap to the App Store [Reviews]

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Best new iOS games February 2016
Which new iOS games made the cut this month?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Today is February 29, which is always a little confusing. It’s cool that we get an extra day in the year (kinda), but we aren’t ever sure what to do with it. Do we keep acting like it’s crappy February, or should we get even more anxious for halfway-decent March? And why haven’t we filed our taxes yet?

We don’t know, but if you’re looking for a way to spend your Leap Day, here are some of the best iOS games from the past month.

Machine-washable headphones are no sweat to clean [Review]

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These headphones will stay fresh and ready to bust out the jams.
These headphones will stay fresh and ready to bust out the jams.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

Urbanears Hellas Bluetooth washable headphones

You can’t beat the sound quality (or comfort) of a good pair of on-ear wireless headphones, but working out with most pairs can be an exercise in moisture management with a side of stink-appeal.

These new Hellas headphones from Urbanears solve that problem with a removable, machine-washable headband and ear cup. You simply pull off the mesh-covered bits, toss them in the provided net laundry bag, and drop them in your washing machine. You’ll never have to deal with smelly, sweaty headphones again.