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2018 iPad Pro – A week with Apple’s computer for everywhere [Review]

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IPad Pro and Mac Pro
Apple’s on their hardware “A” game with the new iPad Pro
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

The new iPad Pro is arguably the most powerful, most familiar, most versatile, and most fun computer you can get today. Yes, you read that correctly. I said computer.

For the past week, I’ve been testing out Apple’s latest 12.9” iPad Pro. I’ve used it around the house, and at work, in the kitchen, and in bed, at the coffee shop and on the couch – and it’s been great. I actually look forward to using it, and it has replaced both my MacBook and my iPhone for a lot of my most common situations.

How to import photos into 2018 iPad Pro

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iPad photo import
Importing is dead easy.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

You’ve been able to import photos into an iPad ever since the first iPad launched. You had to buy a Camera Connection Kit to do it, which at the time consisted of two 30-pin Dock connectors, one with a USB-A port for hooking up cameras and CF readers, the other with an SD card slot. Since then, imports have gotten faster, and better. And the biggest difference with the 2018 iPad Pro is that now you can use any old USB-C card reader or hub to do the importing. Let’s see how it works.

10 reasons I chose iPhone XR over iPhone XS Max

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The CultCast host Erfon Elijah loves the iPhone XR.
The CultCast host Erfon Elijah loves the iPhone XR.
Photo: Erfon Elijah/Cult of Mac

The iPhone XS and XS Max are undeniably the most gorgeous phones ever created. But when it comes time to actually shell out your own hard-earned cash for an iPhone in the year 2018, there’s one clear winner: the iPhone XR.

Even though it doesn’t have the same amazing OLED display as the iPhone XS Max, there’s a lot to love about the iPhone XR. And we’re not just talking about the price tag. The CultCast host Erfon Elijah breaks down why you should consider going all-in on the colorful iPhone XR.

Here’s a labeling system for all those white Apple cords. You’re welcome. [Review]

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Make no mistake. This cord has been tagged with a Buoy Tag.
Make no mistake. This cord has been tagged.
Photo: David Pierini/Cult of Mac

Buoy Tags, in a nutshell, are labels for cables. Apparently, some of us could use them.

I didn’t know this until my little box of Buoy Tags arrived. But once I saw the little clip-on tags, I could see how they might solve a common problem in households with multiple devices, or in communal offices where everyone plugs into power strips.

Apple makes iPhone XR available unlocked

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CHoose an unlocked iPhone XR if you’re giving it as a gift.
CHoose an unlocked iPhone XR if you’re giving it as a gift.
Photo: Apple

It’s no longer necessary to specify a wireless provider when you purchase an iPhone XR.

Apple has begun offering its latest handset unlocked, so that it can be easily swapped to any carrier.

Who needs Apple Pencil when any old stylus will do? [Opinion]

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Apple Pencil vs dumb stylus: This old Wacom Bamboo is more than enough
This old Wacom Bamboo stylus is more than enough "pencil" for many people.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

I’ve owned an Apple Pencil since I bought the first iPad Pro a few years ago. There’s nothing to touch it when it comes to drawing and painting on the iPad, but I found I didn’t ever use it for that. I mark up PDFs, make selections when editing photos, and sketch the odd diagram.

This time around, I’m saving my $130 by not buying the Apple Pencil mkII. Why? I don’t need it. Instead, I’m using the cheap, dumb stylus I found in my jam jar of pens and pencils. Let me tell you why.

Level up your Apple Watch game with these striking saffiano leather bands

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Casetify's saffiano leather printed bands pack a punch in style and durability.
Casetify's saffiano leather printed bands pack a punch in design and durability.
Photo: Casetify

If you love Apple Watch Series 4’s streamlined body but crave some color and vibrancy to up the fashion ante, look no further than these saffiano leather Apple Watch bands from Casetify.

The Cult of Mac Watch Store partnered with Casetify — big believers in self-expression through tech accessories — for a while now. But this season the company smashed the refresh button and completely revamped its brand and its Apple Watch band designs. Now, dreamers, playmakers and game-changers can fulfill their style needs with Casetify’s artful Apple Watch bands.

AirPods aren’t the only way to enjoy wireless audio [Deals]

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AirTaps Bluetooth earbuds are an economic alternative to Apple's AirPods.
These Bluetooth earbuds are an economic alternative to Apple's AirPods.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Cupertino managed to make AirPods synonymous with wireless earbuds, at least among Apple users. But the truth is, AirPods aren’t the only – and certainly aren’t the most affordable – option for wireless personal audio. In fact, you can get just as much enjoyment for a fraction of the price.

Apple Champs-Élysées is a stunning blend of old and new

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Apple Store Paris 1
Apple's new Parisian flagship store is a knockout.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s Champs-Élysées retail store opens this Sunday, and from the look of some pictures Apple has released, it may be the most spectacular Apple Store yet.

The store eschews the glass and modernism of the company’s newly built stores for vintage grandeur, mixed with a few high tech flourishes. It is housed in a Haussmann-era apartment building, dating back to the 1800s. Check out some images of the new retail space below.

Here’s what happens when you plug Thunderbolt gadgets into your 2018 iPad Pro

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Thunderbolt iPad Pro 2018
The new iPad Pro can’t use Thunderbolt accessories, but it can recognize them.
Photo: Cult of Mac

Thunderbolt cables and plugs look exactly like USB-C cables and plugs, but they are incompatible. Or rather, you can plug both kinds into a Thunderbolt port and any connected peripheral will work, but you can’t plug Thunderbolt into USB-C. Or rather you can plug it in, but it won’t work. You see? We’re confused already.

But what happens when you plug a Thunderbolt accessory into the new 2018 iPad Pro?

Wiplabs Link bracelet is built just for your Apple Watch

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Built from the same steel alloy as the Apple Watch, Wiplabs' Link Apple Watch Bracelet is the perfect companion for your new Apple Watch.
Built from the same steel alloy as the Apple Watch, Wiplabs' Link Apple Watch Bracelet is the perfect companion for your new Apple Watch.
Photo: Wiplabs

Link is Wiplabs’ beautiful Apple Watch link bracelet crafted from 316L stainless steel alloy with a custom butterfly closure.

It’s the best way to enhance your Apple Watch at a reasonable cost. We filmed an unboxing video to give you a hands-on glimpse at this handsome accessory, which is available now at the Cult of Mac Watch Store.

Pro Tip: How to reveal the Files sidebar in portrait view

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Files may be clunky, but it's better than this.
Files may be clunky, but it's better than this.
Photo: Phil Roeder/Flickr CC

Cult of Mac Pro Tip: How to reveal the Files sidebar in portrait view This is a simple tip, but until I worked it out it was driving me crazy. In landscape orientation, the iPad Files app’s sidebar is always present, making it easy to get to any favorite folder, location or label, pretty much instantly.

In portrait, though, the sidebar disappears. However, there are two easy ways to make it come back, neither of which involves tapping the back arrow until you arrive at the root level of iCloud Drive.

12.9-inch iPad Pro teardown video reveals smaller battery

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Disassembling an iPad Pro isn’t for the faint of heart.
Disassembling an iPad Pro isn’t for the faint of heart.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s latest tablet isn’t easy to take apart, even for experts. A video teardown by iFixit documents the difficulties that come from 12.9-inch iPad Pro components held in with tiny screws and glue. Lots of glue.

Still, the hard work revealed some interesting details about the new computer, including the size of its battery.

One week working on the iPad Pro: Not just for professionals

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IPad Pro one week review
The new iPad Pro is Apple’s best ever portable computer.
Photo: Andrea Nepori

Since I got an new 2018 iPad Pro on launch day last week, I’ve used it exclusively. I haven’t touched my aging, decrepit Mac all week. I’ve used the iPad for work, and for play, so I’ve given it a pretty good workout. The short review is: It’s fantastic, and better in almost every way.

The long review? There are still plenty of annoyances.

Why creative pros can’t rely on iPad Pro [Opinion]

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Is the 2018 iPad Pro or a MacBook a better option for you?
Futurists claim the iPad has already eliminated the need for a Mac. Realists say nah.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Since the new iPad Pro’s launch, debate about the powerful devices has become increasingly polarized into two opposing camps: futurists and realists.

The futurists argue that the iPad is the future computing. Apple’s tablet has eliminated the need for laptops, they say, and anyone who claims they can’t manage their workflows on iOS is living in the past (and should just get with the program).

The realists, on the other hand, retort that while the iPad may be cool, it remains limited by iOS in a lot of very important ways. Those limitations mean it is currently impossible to use the iPad as a primary workstation for pros.

So, who is right?

Pick up a new language with this interactive iPhone app [Deals]

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Learn up to 130 languages with a lifetime subscription to the uTalk app language learning app.
Learn up to 130 languages with a lifetime subscription to the uTalk app.
Image: Cult of Mac Deals

The benefits of learning a second language are endless. Get fluent, and you can cruise around like a local during trips abroad, expand your business to overseas markets or simply keep your brain stimulated.

Luckily, diving into a new language doesn’t need to be limited to a classroom setting. The uTalk interactive language app makes learning a foreign language simple, fun, effective and convenient. And right now, you can save a bundle on a lifetime subscription to this powerful learning tool.

Apple confirms T2 chip will block certain third-party repairs

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The Apple T2 chip could be the source of mysterious crashes afflicting two of Apple's newest computers.
The T2 chip is great. Unless you want to use a third party repairer.
Photo: IFIXIT

Apple has confirmed that certain repairs for its new Macs, sporting the T2 chip, can only be carried out by officially sanctioned Apple repair shops.

That’s because it contains software locks which brick the computers if they’re not operated on by someone not using Apple’s proprietary diagnostic software, called the AST 2 System Configuration. iFixit CEO Kyle Wiens describes this as a “guillotine that [Apple is] holding over” product owners — and potentially third party, unauthorized repairers, too.

5G iPhone probably can’t launch before 2020

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This Intel modem will likely power the first 5G iPhone.
This modem may soon bear the Apple name.
Photo: Intel

The estimated release date for Intel’s first 5G modem makes it very unlikely a 5G iPhone will be released before 2020. Android devices with this speedy new cellular-wireless technology are expected a year before then.

The 5G iPhone delay is a result of the ongoing legal battle between Apple and Qualcomm.

Enable this great Shoot Mode with Siri Shortcuts to take pictures in peace

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The iPhone XS is a serious camera, so give it the attention it deserves.
The iPhone XS is a serious camera, so give it the attention it deserves.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Were you ever in the middle of trying to get that perfect photo, framing it just-so, and tweaking the exposure and focus for the perfect shot, when your mother called to remind you of your own child’s birthday? It could totally happen. And for pro photographers using the iPhone as their preferred camera (which is a great idea, BTW), the risk of interruptions is even greater.

That’s why noted iPhone photographer Austin Mann came up with a great way to shut up your iPhone while you’re busy shooting. It’s called Shoot Mode, and it’s yet another example of how useful Siri Shortcuts can be — even in tiny doses.

Optimistic analyst gets gloomy about iPhone XR

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iPhone XR performance is stellar, far better than many Android devices that cost more.
Some of the early optimism about iPhone XR sales might have been unjustified.
Photo: Apple

Respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo just slashed his estimates for the number of iPhone XR units that will sell over the next year. That’s a real turnaround, as Kuo had previously been bullish on Apple’s latest handset.

And he’s not the only analyst expressing concerns about sales of the iPhone XR. But it’s also possible this model is just following a pattern first laid down by the iPhone X.

Is the 2018 iPad Pro Smart Folio Cover really worth $99? [Review]

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The Smart Folio Cover also eliminates the camera bump.
The Smart Folio Cover also eliminates the camera bump.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

If you buy a new iPad on launch day, and you want a cover or case, you’ll probably have to buy one from Apple. The first-party covers are great, but the prices are absurd. After using a Smart Cover on my old 1st-gen 12.9-inch iPad Pro for a few years, I swore to myself that I’d wait it out this time, until good third-party cases went on sale, instead of wasting cash on a Smart Folio Cover.

But, after just a couple of hours with the new iPad Pro, I realized there was no way to carry it in my bag without a case. So I put it back in its box, walked to the Apple Store, and gave Apple another 120 euros (or $136 at current exchange rates). Was it worth it?

Jony Ive’s $250,000 ring dazzles with a unibody diamond

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Jony Ive ring 1
A one-piece diamond ring looks spectacular. But it'll sure as heck cost you!
Photo: Sotheby's

Want to show your Apple-loving significant other that you really care about them? If so — and you happen to have $150,000-$250,000 at your disposal — you might want to participate in a new Sotheby’s auction for a diamond ring designed by none other than Sir Jony Ive and BFF Marc Newson.

The one-of-a-kind ring was designed to raise money for (RED), a charity that raises money to fight HIV and AIDS in Africa. Over the years, Apple has raised millions of dollars for the charity — and Ive has had the chance to design one-off objects such as minimalist desks in the process.

Enjoy top-rated VPN protection for 1/3 the usual price [Deals]

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Nord VPN offers top=notch online protection at a bargain price, just in time for your holiday travels.
This is top-notch online protection for bargain price, just in time for your holiday travels.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

If you’re traveling this holiday season, you could encounter nastiness other than the cold or flu. Using public Wi-Fi is a prime way to face malware, identity theft and other online threats. So you’ll want to travel with solid VPN protection.

2018 iPad Pro teardown reveals a bunch of big improvements

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2018 iPad Pro teardown
Here's everything you'll find inside the 2018 iPad Pro.
Photo: iFixit

iFixit has finally gotten around to tearing apart the 2018 iPad Pro.

Unsurprisingly, it has discovered lots of big improvements under the hood of Apple’s latest tablet, and more chips than you can shake a stick at. Plus, there’s good news and bad news for DIY repairers.