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Get half off a Smart Keyboard, $470 off Mac mini [Deals & Steals]

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The new 2019 iPad Air, with its 10.5-inch screen, works with Apple's existing Smart Keyboard.
Contact Apple today to claim your free fix.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s own Smart Keyboard is one of the best keyboards you can buy for iPad. It snaps on in an instant, doesn’t require pairing, and never needs charging. It’s even better when it’s half price. Get yours today for just $79.50.

That’s just one of the awesome offers in today’s Deals & Steals roundup. You can also save a whopping $470 on the Mac mini, and $600 on the 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K display. Plus, you can get the Netgear Orbi while home Wi-Fi system for under $200.

WWDC surprises revealed: iTunes dead, brand new apps, more

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WWDC 2019
It’s going to be big!
Photo: Apple

A new report citing sources familiar with Apple’s plans has revealed a number of WWDC surprises ahead of Monday’s big keynote.

Fans can look forward to software updates that make Apple Watch less reliant on iPhone, and iPad more of a laptop replacement. And a number of brand new apps — one of which will kill off iTunes.

One more thing? Catch our WWDC hardware predictions, this week on The CultCast

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CultCast 390
Does Apple have any WWDC hardware reveals up its sleeve?

This week on The CultCast: Apple may be prepping the Mac Pro for its big reveal … don’t miss our WWDC 2019 hardware expectations! Plus: The pros and cons of the 2019 MacBook Pro … we discuss. And did you know all the best Get a Mac ads never actually aired? We’ll tell you the odd reason why. All that and soooo much more.

Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. Easily create a beautiful website all by yourself, at Squarespace.com/cultcast. Use offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain..

Target recalls 90,000 Lightning cables that cause burns

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Target Lightning recall
Stop using these cables immediately.
Photo: Target

Target is recalling around 90,000 Lightning cables over concerns they could cause fires or electric shocks.

The “heyday” branded cables, which feature a nylon braided cable and metal connectors, “can become electrically charged,” according to a recall notice.

Target has so far received 14 reports of the cables “smoking, sparking or igniting.”

WWDC banners pop up in San Jose ahead of Monday’s keynote

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WWDC 2019 banner
WWDC kicks off on Monday, June 3.
Photo: David Lewis Thomas/9to5Mac

Apple has started erecting WWDC artwork around the McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, California, ahead of Monday’s big developer event.

Banners featuring neon icons and other assets now hang from streetlights and transit stops downtown around the venue that will house this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference. Workers also started decorating the front of the convention center itself.

Order Powerbeats Pro in the U.K., France and Germany today

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Powerbeats Pro
They’ll start arriving in June.
Photo: Apple

You can now order Apple’s new Powerbeats Pro wireless headphones in the U.K., France, and Germany.

They’re only available in black for now, with other color options coming this summer, and it seems that stock is limited. You can expect delivery around June 6 if you’re fast enough.

Rabid bat bites man as it hid in iPad case

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bat hides in iPad and bites man
Roy Syvertson describes what he saw sticking out from the lid of his iPad case.
Screenshot: WBZ-TV/YouTube

A New Hampshire man opened his iPad last week to a new feature – a rabid bat that bit him.

The bat had wedged itself between the case and the device. Roy Syvertson, 86, of Exeter, had sat in an easy chair to read the news on his iPad when he felt a bite on his index finger.

iOS 13 wish list: Giving health & fitness a workout

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Will Apple move workouts to iCloud so you can browse them on any device?
Will Apple move workouts to iCloud so you can browse them on any device?
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

WWDC is less than a week away and there are already plenty of rumors doing the rounds on what new features Apple has in store for iOS and watchOS. Dark mode, a refreshed Reminders app and a new Find My app all look set to make an appearance.

But will Apple also be giving its operating systems a shot in the arm to improve their health and fitness as well? Here’s my top-ten wish list of announcements I’m hoping to hear during next week’s keynote. These features will get my pulse racing so fast it’ll trigger a heart rate warning on my Apple Watch.

This laptop stand hides underneath your MacBook [Deals]

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MOFT- The _Invisible_ Laptop Stand
Stick a slim, lightweight laptop stand right to the bottom of your laptop.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

If you’re a mobile worker, you need a lift for your laptop so that your neck doesn’t get a permanent crease. But laptops are supposed to be portable, and most laptop stands are anything but that. But thanks to clever origami-style engineering, the MOFT hides right underneath your laptop.

Miniature six-lead ECG is more accurate than Apple Watch [Updated Review]

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AliveCor KardiaMobile 6L
The pocket-size AliveCor KardiaMobile 6L can take a six-lead ECG.
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

AliveCor’s KardiaMobile 6L promises to be much more accurate than the heart monitor built into Apple Watch Series 4, and almost as easy to carry around. It’s the first personal ECG with three electrodes approved by the FDA to check the electrical activity of the heart.

We put this ultra-portable iPhone accessory to the test, as well as the more basic single-lead KardiaMobile, so don’t miss our reviews of each.

5 improvements iPad users expect from iOS 13 [Opinion]

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So powerful, and yet it can’t even copy a file off a USB stick.
Better support for external monitors is one of the features iPad users want in iOS 13.
Photo: Apple

Those of us with an iPad have big expectations for the next version of Apple’s mobile operating system. These tablets pack performance comparable to laptops, but the software continues to lag.

Here’s what Tim Cook and Co. can do to remedy that.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published on January 20, 2019 but is being revisited in the lead up to WWDC 2019.

UPDATE: iPadOS 13.1 is now out, and it offers almost everything asked for in this editorial.

How to resize a JPG on your iPhone

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If only you could resize and share all pictures.
If only you could resize and share all pictures.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Ever wanted to resize a photo before sending it, or posting it to the web? The quickest and easiest way to do this is with a shortcut. And it’s even quicker and easier because I’ve already written it for you. All you have to do is share the photo from inside the Photos app, pick this shortcut, and you’re pretty much done. Check it out.

Why the iPod touch is still totally relevant

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It's a repair manual! The iPod touch can be anything.
It's a repair manual! The iPod touch can be anything.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

The iPod touch exists to be used by waiters, warehouse staff, delivery persons, and anyone else whose employer wants them to use an iOS device as a handheld on-the-job computer. That’s why it just got an update, and it’s probably why it hasn’t — and never will — change size or shape. It is a utility computer. Making it an all-screen, buttonless iPhone-lite is pointless. Adding Touch ID is equally useless when it is used by multiple people.

But that doesn’t mean it isn’t also a great device for everyone else. If you need a utility iOS computer, then you should buy it. Musicians are one great example of potential users. Let’s see why the iPod Touch is still great.

Apple explains App Store policies as it fights monopoly charges

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Apple App Store principles
A direct appeal to the public.
Screenshot: Apple

Apple took the defense of its App Store practices directly to its consumers, launching a new web page as it prepares for a court battle over accusations claiming the company has monopolistic control over iOS apps.

The page appeared this morning on Apple’s website with the title “App Store, Principles and Practices.”

Apple cuts production of older iPhones with new models ‘on track’

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iPhone xs xr compared
Sales of the iPhone XR are said to be falling fastest.
Photo: Apple

Apple has cut production of older iPhone models for the third quarter of 2019, according to a new report from analysts.

The move suggests that demand for the company’s more affordable devices has started falling. Meanwhile, manufacturing is on track for Apple’s next-generation handsets coming this fall.

Go beyond Squarespace to build and host your website [Deals]

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Obior Website
This website builder and hosting service costs a fraction of alternatives like Squarespace.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Lots of people have good reason to have a website, but it can be expensive and complicated to set one up. So it’s no wonder that services like Squarespace offer a shortcut for creating working sites quickly. But at $12 a month for personal accounts, it’s still an expense, and you can do better.

Preorder Powerbeats Pro on May 31 in U.K., France, Germany

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Powerbeats Pro navy
The wait is almost over.
Photo: Apple

You’ll be able to preorder Apple’s new Powerbeats Pro wireless headphones this Friday in the U.K., France, and Germany.

Apple has posted a new promotional video on social media to confirm their arrival. The 15-second clip features British boxer Anthony Joshua wearing an ivory pair while he trains.

How to make your iPhone read any text out loud

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Speaker grille read text
This speaker symbolizes every word spoken by your iPhone.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Today we have another great tip ripped form the iPhone’s accessibility settings. The screen reader lets you use a quick two-finger gesture to read anything on the screen. This is obviously designed for folks who have trouble reading the screen, but it is also very handy for everyone else.

You can listen to a long magazine article while you do the dishes for example, and much more.

Everything we think we know about iOS 13 for iPhone

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We hope iOS 13 looks a lot like this.
We hope iOS 13 looks a lot like this.
Photo: Alvaro Pabesio

The big iOS 13 news is all about the iPad. Or at least, we expect it to be based on rumors and leaks. But what about the iPhone? How will iOS 13 shape up on the most popular of iOS devices? Will it be a dead year, while the iPad gets all the (somewhat overdue) attention? Or will it be just as exciting for iPhone owners?

The good news is, the iOS update will probably be huge overall. In recent years, Apple has managed to lock down the secrecy around software, but this year the rumors — based on purported leaks — abound. That might mean the iOS 13 is bursting with new stuff.

So, let’s take a look.

Apple’s new iPod touch is the fastest yet — and all too familiar

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iPod-touch-2019
The new iPod touch looks just like the old one.
Photo: Apple

Apple just surprised us with a new iPod touch that promises to be its fastest yet.

Powered by a speedy A10 Fusion processor, it’s built for gaming and immersive augmented reality experiences on the go. It’s also affordable, with prices starting at just $199.

The only problem is it looks just like the old iPod touch.

Apple expected to ‘eliminate’ 3D Touch from 2019 iPhones

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3D Touch app switching
Farewell, 3D Touch.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Apple is expected to eliminate 3D Touch this year, favoring Haptic Touch instead for the 2019 iPhone lineup.

The pressure-sensitive technology was introduced just under four years ago with the iPhone 6s. But the iPhone XR has since proven that it isn’t completely necessary to enjoy 3D Touch features.