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2018 iPhone won’t be as fast as it could be

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Apple Watch
Rather than Qualcomm LTE modems, the 2018 iPhone will use chips from other suppliers that aren't as fast.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The Apple vs. Qualcomm battle just escalated to the point where the next iPhones won’t include LTE modems produced by this chipmaker. That means these iOS devices will be slower accessing the Internet.

Apple certainly has other options for LTE chips. But none are as good as Qualcomm’s products.

Apple T2 chip might crash iMac Pro, MacBook Pro

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The Apple T2 chip could be the source of mysterious crashes afflicting two of Apple's newest computers.
The Apple T2 chip could be the source of mysterious crashes afflicting two of Apple's newest computers.
Photo: IFIXIT

Some iMac Pro units are subject to occasional hard crashes. The reasons are hard to pin down, but fingers are starting to point at the Apple T2 chip inside this computer. 

There’s also one in the 2018 MacBook Pro, and this new device is seemingly prone to the same problem.   

How to run Siri Shortcuts from Reminder alerts

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Get a reminder to log your run every day.
Get a reminder to log your run every day.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Today we’ll see how to put a Shortcut into a reminder, so you can just tap the reminder alert to run it.

For this, we’ll use the new iOS 12 Shortcuts app, or Apple’s existing Workflow app. For instance, you could have a reminder that pops up every morning at 9AM, telling you to log your run. In the pop-up alert, right there on the lock screen, will be a button to execute a Shortcut/Workflow to do just that. Tap it, and you’ll be able to log your run via a pop up.

And of course this isn’t limited to fitness, nor even to time-based reminders.

IQ test of virtual assistants shows Siri’s smarts are on the rise

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Siri Alexa in voice report
So selfless, that Siri.
Photo: Apple

If Siri seems to be of greater service to you lately, an annual IQ test comparing virtual assistants shows its definitely getting smarter.

Loup Ventures annually peppers the various digital assistants with five categories of questions and when it comes to accuracy and comprehension of a user’s question, Google Assistant remains the best. Siri, however, is right behind Google while Amazon’s Alex and Cortana lags behind in that order.

Documents is the files app iOS deserves [Essential iOS Apps #42]

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Documents app main screen
Documents offers mobile access to all your files, across your servers and cloud storage products.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

50 Essential iOS Apps: DocumentsFor the last few years, discussions about whether you can do “real work” on iOS have circled the internet. One of the most commonly cited issues with iOS was the lack of a file browser. In iOS 11, Apple gave us the Files app, but it suffers from some major limitations. Documents by Readdle takes the file management on iOS to the next level.

How to make YouTube load up to 5x faster in Safari

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YouTube in Safari on iMac Pro
It’s easy to give YouTube a kick up the backside.
Photo: Apple/Cult of Mac

Have you ever wondered why YouTube is so much slower than all the other websites you visit in Safari? Did you know that you could make it up to five times faster with very little effort?

YouTube’s new design doesn’t play nicely with browsers that aren’t Google Chrome, but with some simple tweaks, you can switch back to its previous design and enjoy much faster speeds.

Here’s how.

Wood-inlay iPhone X case cures aluminum ennui [Review]

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Rustek Axis Inlay wooden iPhone case
Do you respect wood? Rustek does.
Photo: Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac

Just how much aluminum and glass can you take? If you’re a longtime Apple fan but you’re getting bored with your devices’ sleek surfaces, wood could be the answer.

In particular, wrapping your iPhone in a wooden case from Rustek might cure you of your aluminum ennui. With eye-catching graphics made of laser-cut wood veneers, these cases look really different.

YouTube tests confirm MacBook Pro’s thermal throttling issue is fixed

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MacBook Pro
Dave Lee was the person who first diagnosed the problem.
Photo: Dave Lee

The YouTuber who sounded the alarm over serious thermal throttling on the new Core i9 MacBook Pro confirms that Apple corrected the performance-killing problem.

Following the macOS High Sierra update Apple issued yesterday, YouTube tech reviewer Dave Lee uploaded a new video showing that the patch did its job. After the upgrade, his new MacBook Pro is running faster!

Bluetooth security flaw requires updating to recent iOS, macOS versions

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It's necessary to update your iPhone, iPad, or MacBook to remove a Bluetooth security flaw.
No more procrastinating. It's necessary to update your iPhone, iPad, or MacBook to remove a Bluetooth security flaw.
Photo: Apple

Many people are slow about updating the operating system on their phone or laptop, sometimes from fear of bugs. But a security flaw in Bluetooth requires updating to recent versions of iOS or macOS to fix.

This flaw could allow a hacker to access information exchanged over Bluetooth. And it affects recent and older iPhones and MacBooks.

Twelve South first to put Apple Watch on your arm

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actionsleeve
Made of neoprene and silicone for comfort and durability, ActionSleeve from Twelve South puts Apple Watch on your arm.
Photo: Benjamin McKay/Cult of Mac

Note: Twelve South does not ship outside of the United States. 

The Apple Watch is an ideal workout partner, but it’s not a good idea to have things around your wrist during certain activities. An Apple Watch armband would be perfect.

Now you can wear your Apple Watch on your arm with ActionSleeve from Twelve South. It’s the world’s first armband for Apple Watch, and it is now available in our Watch Store.

Learn to code like a wizard with this Harry Potter wand kit

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Harry Potter Kano Coding Kit teaches muggles to code
Progammus Swiftus: Harry Potter Kano Coding Kit teaches muggles to code
Photo: Kano

You can’t go to Hogwarts to learn magic, but the Harry Potter Kano Coding Kit teaches programming as if you’re in the Wizarding World.

It comes with a wireless wand, and you flick and swish through the basic concepts of real-world programming. Professor Flitwick would be so proud.

AT&T’s 5G coverage dominates competition (for now)

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AT&T store2
Verizon is behind arch-rival AT&T in deploying mobile 5G. Sprint and T-Mobile are trailing.
Photo: Steve Rhodes/Flickr CC

Verizon just reveled that Houston will be the third city getting its super-speedy 5G service before the end of this year. But there’s huge caveat: this is fixed service, only for homes and businesses.

In contrast, AT&T will launch mobile 5G service in six cities this year. This shows how far ahead it is than the competition.

Stop your boss from reading your private Slack chats with Shhlack

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Slacking off? Then hide your private chats from your boss with Shhlack.
Slacking off? Then hide your private chats from your boss with Shhlack.
Photo: Giorgio Minguzzi/Flickr CC

Did you know that your boss can read your private Slack chats? That’s right — whenever you switch to a direct messaging session to avoid Slack’s public chat thread, you might think you are chatting away from your boss’s prying ears, the virtual equivalent of a quick word in the stairwell.

However, that’s not the case. The boss can drop in and spy on your “private” chats at any time. Luckily, there’s a way to fix that, using a tool called Shhlack.

How to beat Fortnite’s special birthday challenges

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Fortnite birthday cake rewards
Don’t miss out on Fortnite’s special birthday rewards.
Photo: Epic Games

Fortnite celebrates its first birthday today, and Epic Games is giving away some special rewards to celebrate. But there’s a catch!

You’ll need to complete in-game challenges to claim each one. Here’s our guide to beating all three.

Apple issues thermal throttling fix for 2018 MacBook Pros

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2018 MacBook Pro
Apple just released a fix that will speed up every 2018 MacBook Pro, no matter the processor or screen size.
Photo: Apple

Ever since the debut of the 2018 MacBook Pro, there’s been controversy about the top-tier version suffering thermal throttling. Apple today apologized for this problem, and released a fix.

It also seems every version of the new Apple laptop will down-clock itself to prevent overheating. The slowdowns occur even when it’s not totally necessary to stop the machines from being damaged.

Juuk’s Velo Apple Watch bands are classic to the core

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juuk
The Velo by Juuk — an aluminum, three-link band shown here in Obsidian.
Photo: Juuk

Juuk’s engineered, aluminum Apple Watch bands are always on point. Then they elevate things even more.

The Velo is the first in Juuk’s luxury lineup of aluminum bands to feature a tapered, three-link design. And, the popular Obsidian finish is finally back in stock! This classic band comes in four additional finishes — Midnight, Ruby, Cosmic Grey and Silver. Check them out below.

Hands on with Ullu’s colorful leather Apple Watch bands [Unboxing]

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ullu
A tiny bit of color goes a long way!
Photo: Ullu

Renowned for its snap-on iPhone cases, Ullu also makes a beautiful assortment of luxurious, leather Apple Watch bands.

Crafted for an excellent finish and fit, these well-padded and stitched bands come in either hand-painted or premium leather.

Our very own Nadine Kahney gives us a hands-on look at the Ullu Premium Leather Band in Tangerine, available for purchase in Cult of Mac’s Watch Store. Check it out below.

Consumer Reports says MacBook Pro thermal throttling is a feature not a bug

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The new MacBook Pros feature True Tone technology for
The 2018 MacBook Pro with a Core i9 processor is subject to thermal throttling, but it's hardly alone in that.
Photo: Apple

The top-of-the-line MacBook Pro with an Intel Core i9 processor has gotten some bad press. The new laptop reportedly is subject to thermal throttling, which is a fancy way of saying that its CPU gets so hot that it slows itself down before burning up.

But before anyone criticizes Apple too much, Consumer Reports came to the company’s defense. The consumer-testing organization points out that other laptops with top-tier processors are also subject to thermal throttling.

How to make your iPhone videos sound as good as they look

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The quickest and easiest way to improve iPhone audio is with a Lightning mic.
The quickest and easiest way to improve iPhone audio is with a Lightning mic.
Photo: Zoom

Your iPhone camera is amazing. Especially for video. Modern iPhones capture 4K video, and pretty much any iPhone from the past few years can easily do high-definition 1080p. It’s also likely that your videos will be stabilized, so they look smooth, like they were shot with a Steadicam, not a shaky human hand.

The sound, though, isn’t as good as the image. The iPhone’s microphones are good, but not nearly as high-end as its camera. Also, the best place for a microphone often isn’t right next to the lens. It’s better to put it as close to the sound source — usually a person speaking — as possible. The good news is that it’s easy to get much better sound on your iPhone videos. Here’s how.

Leaked Apple repair videos cough up some secrets

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Apple repair techs have access to a lot of gear other people don't.
Apple repair techs have access to a lot of gear other people don't.
Screenshot: Apple

Editor’s Note: Not surprisingly, these internal Apple videos are now gone from YouTube. The iPhone maker undoubtedly asked that they be removed.


What appears to be a collection of Apple’s internal video guides to repairing various devices has been posted on YouTube. These show the company’s methods to fix some components of the iPhone X, the iMac Pro 2017, and the MacBook Pro 2016 and 2017.

Apple doesn’t show anyone outside of the company how to service its products. Third-party repair companies have to figure it out for themselves. So this is a rare look inside official Apple repair procedures.

Bag this Apple job and Jony Ive will be your boss

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Apple job
Apple's Industrial Design team at the Apple Watch unveiling.
Photo: Leander Kahney / Cult of Mac

If you have design chops and believe your ideas belong in the same room as Jony Ive, Apple has an opening on the team that creates some of the world’s most important tech.

Apple is currently accepting applications for an industrial designer to join the Industrial Design Group in Cupertino. This is a tight-knit group of around 20 designers headed by the legendary Ive that are seen as the principal inventors of Apple’s iconic devices.

This great stand turns your iPad into a tiny iMac [Review]

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Sturdy and stylish, the AboveTek iPad stand is super-adjustable.
Sturdy and stylish, this stand is also super-adjustable.
Photo: AboveTek

This is less of a review, and more of a heads-up. If you’re looking for a desktop iPad stand, then you should probably just go ahead and buy the AboveTek Elegant Aluminium iPad Stand Swivel Stand.

Yes, I’m serious. It may be a no-brand Chinese commodity gadget, sold under different names by different sellers, but it’s also the best iPad desk stand I’ve ever used.