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In praise of Apple Pencil [Cult of Mac Magazine 364]

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Apple Pencil is not just for artists anymore.
Apple Pencil is not just for artists anymore.
Cover: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Cult of Mac’s Ian Fuchs says new features in iPadOS 14 make the Apple Pencil an indispensable tool — even for people who aren’t artists.

That’s the cover story in this week’s free issue of Cult of Mac Magazine. Download it now for that story, plus the latest Apple news, leaks, how-tos and reviews. (In case you hadn’t noticed, Apple’s battle with Fortnite dev Epic Games is getting nasty.)

Let an award-winning entrepreneur show you how to boost your income with a side hustle

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Side Hustle Accelerator
Access over 10 hours of content and search over 100 side hustles you can start today.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

The last few months have been fantastic for Jeff Bezos and the other billionaires. They continue to make money at absurd rates despite a global pandemic and the related economic fallout.

For most people, though, work — and income — are not guaranteed. However, you can develop a reliable income stream with this course, which offers a range of lessons for launching a successful side hustle.

How to quickly find out if an iPhone is unlocked in iOS 14

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How to quickly find out if an iPhone is unlocked in iOS 14
No need to swap SIM cards.
Image: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

If you’re looking to pick up a used iPhone and you want to be sure that it’s unlocked before handing over your cash, you’ll be pleased to know that there’s a quick and easy way to find out in iOS 14.

There’s no need to call any carriers or swap out any SIM cards. Just take a quick dive into the Settings app and you’ll find all the information you need. We’ll show you how.

Apple taunts Epic Games by hyping Fortnite rivals

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Who needs ‘Fortnite’ when ‘PUBG Mobile’ is an out to get a significant upgrade?
Apple wants everyone to know that Fortnite rival PUBG Mobile is about to get a big upgrade to its visuals.
Photo: Tencent Mobile

Apple’s lead story on the App Store Today screen is about the upcoming season of PUBG Mobile. The iPhone-maker also recently did a similar promotion for Butter Royale.

It’s clear Apple wants everyone to know that while Fortnite was kicked out of the App Store, there are other battle royale games.

Save on awesome iPhone, Apple Watch, AirPods accessories in our big back-to-school sale

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CoM Back to School iPhone accessories sale
Bands, stands, cases, and more at up to 72% off.
Photo: Cult of Mac

The Cult of Mac Store’s big back-to-school sale kicks off today with sweet discounts on awesome iPhone, Apple Watch, AirPods and Mac accessories from Elago, Just Mobile, Mujjo and Twelve South.

Save up to 72% on brilliant bands, stands, cases, and more, with prices starting at a mere $9.95. The discounts are good for a limited time only, so enjoy them while you can!

Save $90 on WD’s MyPassport portable SSD with 1TB storage

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WD MyPassport drive
Today only!
Photo: WD

Running out of storage on your Mac? Join the club! But it doesn’t have to be that way. WD’s terrific MyPassport is a portable SSD drive with 1TB of storage that’s ideal for carrying your photos, music, and more.

Get yours today from Best Buy to enjoy $90 off the usual price.

This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.

Get big discounts on MacBook, iMac, iPad refurbs today only

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iMac
Quick! Stock is selling fast.
Photo: Apple

In need of a cheap Mac or iPad? Check out Woot’s latest one-day sale on MacBook, iMac, and iPad refurbs. Prices start at just $209.99, and there is a whole bunch of great devices to choose from.

Stock is selling fast and once it’s gone, it’s gone. Don’t miss out!

This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.

Scribble and Smart Selection make Apple Pencil way more productive

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Apple Pencil 2 in Hand
The Apple Pencil is fancy, and finally getting more useful.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

Back when Apple introduced the Apple Pencil, the company positioned the stylus primarily as a tool for artists. And try as I might, I’ve never been particularly great at drawing. That said, it didn’t stop me from picking up an Apple Pencil to annotate documents, edit photos or use as an alternative way to touch the screen.

Then the Magic Keyboard came along with a fantastic trackpad experience. It offered a different way to interact with the screen without touching it with my finger. But now, with iPadOS 14, Apple has rewritten the story of what Apple Pencil can do, and it’s completely changed how I use my iPad once again.

Editing vlogs is a cinch with this AI-powered iPhone app

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This app automatically trims your vlog clips to remove silence, and comes with a massive library of audio and visual elements.
This app automatically trims your vlog clips to remove silence, and comes with a massive library of audio and visual elements.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Vlogging is a lot of fun. At the end of the day, it comes down to sitting in front of a camera and expressing your thoughts. Of course, there’s a lot more to it than that, from planning to setting up lighting and backgrounds. But maybe the most critical stage is editing, which can also be the biggest pain in the butt.

Luckily, technology has made it so that you don’t have to worry about editing your vlogs.

Too many Chrome tabs open? Tame browser chaos with tab groups.

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Use Google Chrome Tab Groups to declutter your browser.
If you've got too many tabs open in Chrome, you can declutter things with the new Tab Groups feature.
Photo: Luca Bravo/Unsplash CC

Hey there, all you tab hoarders: Google Chrome just gave you a handy tool to bring some order to the nightmare lurking at the top of your web browser. A new Chrome feature lets you group tabs together with custom names to tame the chaos.

Unfortunately, it’s not completely obvious how to get in on the tab-grouping action. Here’s how to make it work for you.

World’s smallest iMac will make you feel like freaking Goliath

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This iMac mini is smaller than an iPad mini.
A custom-built iMac mini looks like Apple's desktop but it's so little!
Screenshot: Michael Pick/The Casual Engineer

If you never looked at the iMac and wished it was way, way smaller, then you’re not Michael Pick. He built what he calls the “world’s smallest iMac.”

The modder filmed a video demonstrating the process of creating this tiny, yet fully functional, computer. Watch it now:

Score a massive library of royalty-free icons and stock images

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The Ultimate Design Assets Bundle
Bolster any design project with thousands of royalty-free and licensed flat icons, stock images, and more.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

For digital designers, assets are everything. They put flesh on the framework of your site, application or other design projects. So access to a massive library of royalty-free icons, stock images and other assets is an invaluable resource. The Ultimate Design Assets bundle includes three libraries, with lifetime access to thousands of assets.

Plugable USB-C multiport hub costs way less than Apple’s [Review]

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Plugable USB-C Multiport Adapter review
The Plugable USB-C Multiport Adapter adds three frequently used ports to MacBook or iPad Pro.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

There’s no reason to watch a movie on your MacBook or iPad when the world is full of external displays you can connect to. Of course, to make the connection you’ll need something like the Plugable USB-C Multiport Adapter. Not only does it have an HDMI port, there’s a USB-A port for connecting an external drive. And a USB-C port for keeping your computer powered.

It was obviously designed to copy Apple’s Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter but at a much lower price. Here’s how it stands up.

Surprise! Apple isn’t done with iOS 13 yet

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iOS 13.7 developer beta: iPhone's use in the fight against COVID-19 continues to grow.
iPhone's use in the fight against COVID-19 continues to grow.
Photo: Brian McGowan/Unsplash CC

Apple seeded the first beta of iOS 13.7, along with an iPadOS equivalent, to developers on Wednesday. These include a coronavirus-related change Apple considers important enough to justify a system-software update that includes no other new features.

With iOS 14 expected to launch soon, it would be easy to assume that Apple is done releasing new versions of iOS 13. Nope.

New iPad, Apple Watch Series 6 leak via Eurasian database

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The new iPad Air adds support for Apple Pencil and the Smart Keyboard.
Apple could have a 2020 iPad Air on the docket with an even larger display.
Photo: Apple

A listing of multiple unknown tablets by the Eurasian Economic Commission seemingly confirms that Apple will soon introduce a range of new 2020 iPad models.

The same source also says multiple Apple Watch models running watchOS 7 are about to be released.

Get equipped to build the website you’ve been waiting for

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Flux 7
Easily create beautiful, useful websites without coding, using simple drag and drop.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Building a website is a must for plenty of reasons, whether it’s selling goods, promoting your brand or just getting your ideas out there. But under the hood of even the simplest websites are codes and languages few of us have the time to learn. Luckily, there are tools available so that even the least internet-literate among us can create beautiful, useful sites.

Apple’s stunning Pro Display XDR hits new low after $500 discount

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Apple Pro Display XDR
Get both the standard and nano-texture glass models for less.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s stunning Pro Display XDR is now slightly more affordable after B&H Photo slashed $500 off the usual price. The discount applies to the standard glass model, which features a 32-inch 6K display.

Those who want the same display with nano-texture glass should order from Amazon, which is offering the same $500 discount on that model. These are by far the biggest discounts we’ve seen so far.

This post contains affiliate links. Cult of Mac may earn a commission when you use our links to buy items.

Why Bill Gates says he was ‘so jealous’ of Steve Jobs

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Microsoft should have been Apple's biggest mobile challenger, Bill Gates says.
Gates says that, unlike Jobs, he wouldn't have been able to turn Apple around in the late 90s.
Photo: Statsministerens kontor/Flickr CC

The companies they helped found might have been sworn enemies at times, but Steve Jobs and Bill Gates didn’t hate one another. In fact, as the former Microsoft boss admitted on a recent podcast, he was actually jealous of Steve Jobs.

Appearing on the Armchair Expert podcast, Gates told actor and podcast host Dax Shepard that Jobs was a “wizard” when it came to motivating people. “I was a minor wizard so I couldn’t fall under his spells,” Gates said. “But I could see him casting the spells, and then I would look at people and see them mesmerized … I was so jealous.”

New leak confirms some of the most exciting iPhone 12 specs

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iPhone 12 models
If a new leak is correct, many of the iPhone 12 images circulating for months are correct.
Photo: JinStore/Twitter

New images and video of a prototype iPhone 12 Pro Max allegedly fell into the hands of frequent Apple leaker Jon Prosser. This allows him to reveal that Apple’s next handset will have thinner bezels — but the notch isn’t shrinking.

He also served up details Tuesday on the upcoming iPhone’s camera that add weight to numerous earlier leaks. That includes a higher video recording rate, a Lidar sensor and more.

How to use the redesigned iPhone Magnifier in iOS 14

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The iPhone Magnifier is easier to find in iOS 14.
The iPhone Magnifier gets a big upgrade in iOS 14.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

A handy digital magnifying glass to replace reading glasses has been buried in the iPhone for many years. With iOS 14, it becomes a lot easier to find. And there are some fantastic new features.

Here’s how to use the Magnifier on iPhone. And iPad, too.

Apple said to be developing ‘less ambitious’ AirPower charger

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AirPower
Arriving in 2020?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple is planning a “less ambitious” wireless charging gadget that will fill the gap left by AirPower’s cancellation, according to a new report.

Cupertino’s original plans for a wireless charger included the ability to charge iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods simultaneously. It’s unclear if its replacement will support more than just iPhone and AirPods.

Groove for 35 hours straight with futuristic Bluetooth earbuds

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EarFun
These earbuds have it all: crystal clear audio and calls, easy touch controls, in-ear detection and 35 hours of playtime with the included charging case.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Bluetooth earbuds are great for listening to tunes and shows on the move. Unfortunately, their tiny form factor means tiny batteries, so if you’re on the move for more than a few hours, you’ll have to be judicious with your content consumption. Not so with these sleek earbuds that also manage to pack in over a day of playtime.

Judge protects Unreal Engine during Epic Games’ battle with Apple [Updated]

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In the legal battle between Apple and Epic Games, which one is Thanos?
In the legal battle between Apple and Epic Games, which one is Thanos?
Image: Whelsko/Flickr CC

In an order issued Monday night, a U.S. district judge blocked Apple from revoking Epic Games’ developer accounts as the legal battle between the two companies moves toward trial.

The move protects Unreal Engine, Epic’s software suite that is widely used by other game developers, from becoming collateral damage in the high-profile legal battle.