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Pick the wireless charger that’s best for you [Deals]

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Wireless Charging Accessories
Browse our top four favorite wireless charging accessories.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Wireless charging is becoming the new normal. If you own a Qi-compatible device, you’ll want a wireless charger that meets your needs, so we rounded up four of our favorites.

From wirelessly charging three devices at once to charging your phone while you drive, we’ve got the wireless chargers you’re looking for.

Suddenly, MacBooks are back in high demand

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The MacBook Pro has a Touch Bar, and a better display.
MacBook shipments were way up last quarter, and are predicted to rise this quarter too.
Photo: Apple

Shipments of MacBooks were up almost 20% during the second quarter of this year compared to the same period of 2018, according to a market-research firm.

And the analysts predict another 20% growth in the current quarter, buoyed by the release of the 16-inch MacBook Pro.

Apple Card welcomes ‘subprime’ applicants, as Jobs would have wanted

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Apple Card
Just spend it.
Photo: Apple

A less-than-stellar credit score may not stop you from bagging a shiny new Apple Card.

“Subprime” applicants are being accepted for credit, issued by Goldman Sachs, because Apple wants as many of its iPhone users as possible to be approved.

And it’s what Steve Jobs would have wanted.

How and why you should reject arbitration on your Apple Card

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Sexist Apple Card accusations are tech's latest example of biased algorithms
Use one to get a good deal on the other.
Photo: Apple

Invitations to get an Apple Card are trickling out, but even before you make the first purchase with your shiny new credit card, you should reject its arbitration provision.

If you don’t, you give up the right to benefit from any class-action lawsuits brought against Goldman Sachs, the bank backing Apple Card.

Last chance! Get this luscious Apple Watch band and save 50% on a matching bracelet

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Rilee & Lo stretch link band
Brilliant stretch-link bracelets that won't break the bank.
Photo: Rilee & Lo

Bling it up with Rilee & Lo’s spectacular stretch-link band for Apple Watch and get half off a matching stacking bracelet in this exclusive deal.

Available in a range of gorgeous color options and made from premium stainless steel, they’ll help make your Apple Watch look better than ever. Bag yours today before this offer expires on Friday, August 9.

New iOS 13 beta makes Dark Mode easy as flipping a switch

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iOS 13
There’s lots to try out in iOS 13 Public beta 5.
Screen capture: Apple

Apple just introduced a fifth beta of iOS 13 to the general public. All the really significant new features appeared in earlier betas, but this one does have a nice tweak: switching to Dark Mode takes only pushing a button.

Apple also released the closely-related iPadOS 13 Public beta 5, as did tvOS 13.

How to repeat and shuffle songs in iOS 13

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Shuffling songs used to be easy. Here's how to shuffle songs in Apple Music in iOS 13.
Shuffling songs used to be easy.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

This may seem like a frivolous how-to. But seeing as I couldn’t work out how to switch off shuffle Apple Music tracks on my iPhone in iOS 12, I think it’s worth a look — if only so dummies like me can look it up.

BTW, you can find the Apple Music repeat and shuffle controls in iOS 12 by swiping up on the Now Playing panel to reveal the buttons at the bottom, if you need to know.

So, let’s take a look at how Apple changed things in the iOS 13 Music app.

iMessage flaws leave iPhone open to hijacking

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Messages iOS 10
That doesn't mean you should stop using it.
Photo: Apple

Security researchers have uncovered new flaws in iMessage that could give hackers control of your iPhone or iPad.

Apple has already patched five similar bugs, but several are still present in recent versions of iOS. What makes these particularly concerning is that a potential attack requires no input from the user.

5 great Sennheiser headphones to thrill any audio shopper [Deals]

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Each of these Sennheiser headphones will keep the music in and the noise out.
Each of these Sennheiser headphones will keep the music in and the noise out.
Photos: Sennheiser

Can you name the top five companies in the wireless headphone market?  Actually, you could probably get pretty close.

Three are monster tech giants (Apple, Sony and Samsung), while one is America’s premier name in sound equipment (Bose). The last major player in the game may not be quite as familiar to U.S. buyers, although they’ve been Germany’s answer to Bose since … well, before there was a Bose.

Apple wants iPhone users to shun third-party battery replacements

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iPhone XR battery life is the best of any iPhone on the market.
You'll need to get your iPhone battery replacement carried out by one of Apple's chosen repairers.
Photo: Kristal Chan/Cult of Mac

Apple has long been trying to push users to shun third-party repairers and go through Apple for device repairs. Now it’s activated a previously dormant software lock on iPhone to try and crack down on battery replacements by third-party repairers.

That’s even the case if they’re replacing your battery with an official Apple battery.

7 new Samsung features Apple should steal

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Note10
The Note 10 packs a ton of new features. Not all of them are great.
Photo: Samsung

Samsung’s new lineup of smartphones, tablets and notebooks were on full display today during the company’s Unpacked event for the Galaxy Note 10 in Brooklyn. Instead of waiting for Apple to introduce new iPhones and MacBooks in September, Samsung decided to get a head start on the competition.

Like pretty much all Samsung keynotes, the event included a shotgun blast of new features. Some of them are absolutely ridiculous and will be dead in the water at launch. However, Samsung’s team also uncorked a couple of great ideas that have us green with envy.

Hopefully, Apple execs are taking note of the good and bad things Samsung just revealed.

Want a Galaxy Note 10? Sell your old iPhone for upgrade cash

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GalaxyNote10_Right30_Pen_AuraRed
We wouldn't blame you for switching.
Photo: Samsung

Samsung’s fancy new Galaxy Note 10fancy new Galaxy Note 10 is perhaps the most impressive smartphone we’ve seen so far this year. And we wouldn’t blame you if you decided it’s time to switch from iPhone.

But before you go jumping ship, raise some quick and easy upgrade cash that’ll make paying for your pricey Note a little easier. Here’s how.

Apple picks up the pace of iOS 13 betas

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Buggy iOS 13 made Apple rethink how it develops software
After being unveiled in June, iOS 13 is headed for release perhaps as soon as next month.
Screenshot: Apple

Apple seeded iOS 13 Developer beta 6 this afternoon, slightly more than a week after the last pre-release update. Until now, the company has generally introduced new versions every two weeks, so it’s accelerating the rate.

Tablet users also got the sixth iPadOS 13 Developer beta today containing the same changes as the iPhone one. There are fresh betas for watchOS 5 beta 6 and tvOS 13 beta 6, too.

How to decline and mute calls with iPhone

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Sweet, sweet silence is just a couple button-taps away when you know how to decline iPhone calls.
Sweet, sweet silence.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Phone calls are so 20th century. Apart from a knock at the door, when else can another person decide to bug you, and then bug you right away, at their own convenience, without getting your permission first?

In the 21st century, we have a name for these people: entitled. Fortunately, it’s easy to bump their presumptuous invasions, and let them know who’s the boss1.

Here’s how to decline iPhone calls (or mute them if you’re feeling particularly passive-aggressive).

AirPods sales could shoot up 40% this year

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airpods
AirPods are tiny, but they’re big business.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s wireless earbuds are selling better than most people realize. The company is on track to sell 50 million pairs by the end of this year, according to an industry analyst.

That’s up from 35 million in 2018. The product only debuted in 2016.

Consumers can’t wait for Apple Card to hit the market

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Apple Card
Are you ready to sign up for Apple Card?
Photo: Apple

Interest in Apple Card is “remarkably high” as fans wait for it to hit the market.

A new survey indicates Apple’s next product will be a hit, with more than half of young respondents already aware of the card before it has been properly marketed.

Magnificent metal band makes Apple Watch super-suave

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Monowear-metal-band-front
A super stainless steel band that won't break the bank.
Photo: Monowear

Upgrade your Apple Watch with a magnificent metal band from Monowear.

Made from strong stainless steel, and priced at just $49.99, they’re color-matched for the best finish and they make everyone’s favorite smartwatch look even more suave.

Apple could drop the 15-inch MacBook Pro

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2019 MacBook Pro
The already slender MacBook bezels could nearly disappear in the 16-inch version.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s next MacBook Pro will reportedly fit a 16-inch screen into the same size chassis as the current 15-inch model. An industry analyst says Apple plans to take the logical step and drop the smaller screen option.

This would keep Apple’s laptop lineup simple, with just 13-inch or 16-inch MacBook Pros, and a 13-inch MacBook Air.

How to add a custom iMessage avatar in iOS 13

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Memoji are awesome. Here's how to make your own.
Now you can use Memoji in iMessage profiles.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

You know how you can add an avatar to pretty much any social app ever, and all your friends, family, contacts, etc., will see it? Well, in iOS 13 you can finally do the same for iMessages.

No longer will you have to hope that your contacts use a nice photo of you, or worry that your boss is using a picture of a cute pig or pussycat to represent you in the group chat. Now you can add and share your own avatar, or even a Memoji. Let’s see how.

Inateck’s USB-C hub brings back ports you forgot you need [Review]

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Inateck 8-in-1 USB-C Hub
This 8-port hub lets you hook your Mac or iPad Pro up to almost anything.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The designers of Inateck’s latest USB-C hub obviously believe that too much is never enough. It has eight ports, including the typical USB-A and HDMI ones but also some real legacy ports, including Ethernet and even VGA. There’s also a built-in removable USB-C cable for use on the go.

There’s a lot to test here, but I put this full-featured hub through its paces. Plug into my review to see what I learned.

This is what happens if you try to put a folder named ‘Dropbox’ in iCloud Drive

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A dropped box
A dropped box.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Dropbox is getting increasingly bloated and annoying — on the Mac, at least. When iOS 13 ships later this year, you’ll be able to share whole iCloud folders with other people, so you can ditch DropBox altogether. But how will you switch?

One thing you can’t do is just drag your Dropbox folder into iCloud Drive. iCloud just won’t let you. In fact, you can’t even create a new folder and name it “Dropbox.” WTF?