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Cult of Mac Magazine: Spiffy iPhone case mimics the original iMac, and more!

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In this week's Cult of Mac Magazine: Spigen's new iPhone X case is inspired by the original iMac G3, bringing some retro charm to Apple's latest handset.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

In this week’s Cult of Mac Magazine: iPhone case-maker Spigen is launching a set of iPhone X cases inspired by the original see-through iMac G3 and the first-generation iPhone.

With a see-through outer shell, Spigen’s Classic C1 resembles the original iMac. The case commemorates the 20th anniversary of the machine, which Apple launched in 1998. The iMac was the first of a string of hit products following Steve Jobs’ return that turned Apple around.

You’ll find that story and more in this issue. Get your free subscription to Cult of Mac Magazine from iTunes. Or read on for this week’s top stories.

E3’s leather Apple Watch bands are made the old-fashioned way  

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E3 supply co.
E3 Supply Co. Apple Watch bands come in a variety of finishes and colors. Made by hand in America.variety of finishes and colors. Made by hand in America.
Photo: E3 Supply Co.

Whether they are rebuilding vintage motorcycles or crafting Apple Watch bands, the folks at E3 Supply Co. do everything by hand. It’s not that they can’t afford fancy robots to get the job done — the small team of three prefers to do things this way.

Whether working from their shop in Brooklyn, New York, or from the mini leather workshop in the back of their customized 1977 Toyota Chinook, they do things the old-fashioned way. And now Cult of Mac is thrilled to offer E3 Supply’s handcrafted leather Apple Watch bands in our Watch Store.

Dashlane keeps your password game on point [50 Essential iOS Apps #15]

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Dashlane password manager all items list on iPhone
Dashlane can store all your logins, and makes signing in to websites quick and easy.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

50 Essential iOS Apps: Dashlane password manager appHow many logins and passwords do you have? If the answer is more than one, then ask yourself how many accounts use the same password? If that answer isn’t zero, you need Dashlane. Reused and weak passwords are one of the biggest vulnerabilities on the modern web, but remembering a bunch of unique and complex passwords is nearly impossible. What isn’t hard is using your thumb or face to open a password manager with all your strong passwords.

Epic makes big promises for Fortnite on mobile, but one thing’s missing

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Fortnite mobile controller
You can now play at 120Hz on iPad Pro.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Epic Games is preparing a number of big features for Fortnite Battle Royale on mobile.

In its “State of Mobile” update published today, the company promises voice chat and statistics are coming this summer — along with Android support. But one key feature, which we’ve all been patiently waiting for, is missing from its list.

Cinematic photo app uses AI to fix your snaps

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Relonch camera app
Relonch Alfred plans to add cinematic style to its AI-fueled photo app.
Photo: Relonch

In 2016, a startup called Relonch started a camera club and next-day image editing service that was largely panned online by photographers.

Who would pay $99 per month to use a camera they will never own plus $1 per professionally retouched photo? The iPhone and other capable smartphone cameras now dominate photography, helping novices and pros make great pictures instantly styled with the touch of an app.

Sell us your used Apple accessories: Apple Pencil, Smart Keyboard and AirPods

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Sell your Apple accessories to us! The Cult of Mac buyback program will buy your used Apple Pencil, AirPods and Smart Keyboard.
Sell your Apple accessories to us!
Photos: Apple, Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The Cult of Mac buyback program just got bigger and better than ever: Now we pay cash for your used Apple accessories, including Apple Pencil, Smart Keyboard and AirPods.

Although we are huge fans of all three of these accessories, we won’t judge you if you decide to unload them. And we promise to make it as easy as possible if you’ve decided it’s time to sell used Apple accessories.

New YouTube Music streaming service goes live this month

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YouTube Music
YouTube will take on Apple Music (again).
Photo: Google

YouTube Music, a new service that will take on the likes of Spotify and Apple, goes live next week.

Listeners will be able to enjoy the service for free if they don’t mind their music interspersed with advertisements. An upgrade to YouTube Music Premium, priced at $9.99 a month, will remove those ads and allow for background playback and music downloads.

How to take a healthy break when using Mac

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take a break
Not this kind of break.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

When you’re working on playing at your Mac, it’s too easy to just push through the current task, which — at the time — seems like the most important thing in the world. “It’ll only take five more minutes,” you tell yourself, as your carpal tunnels tighten, your back stiffens, and your upper arms atrophy.

What you need is a break. Just two minutes taken every half hour should do you. The problem is remembering. Luckily, there’s an app for that.

Best List: FuelBox is the Swiss army knife of iPhone chargers [Review]

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FuelBox PowerStation
The FuelBox PowerStation has built-in cables, a pair of AC outlets and a mobile battery pack.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Best List: FuelBox, a home and mobile charging system

There’s a secret magician lurking in our household. We never see them, but they somehow manage to disappear all our charging cables. It drives me batty. The kids, of course, deny any knowledge of the situation. Yet somehow it’s impossible to keep cables around the house. They just keep disappearing.

That’s why I like the FuelBox PowerStation, a charging system that combines a docking station/charging brick with a mobile battery pack. Both the docking station and the battery pack have built-in charging cables — both Lightning and mini-USB. No matter what, the cables can’t disappear.

YouTube for iOS gives you more control over your experience [50 Essential iOS Apps #14]

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Youtube App on iPhone X with Cult of Mac Video
The YouTube app is the best way to keep up with your favorite channels.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

50 Essential iOS Apps: YouTube, the best video app Every day, millions of people watch more than a billion hours of video on YouTube. More than half of those views come from mobile devices.

From tutorials and tech reviews to vlogs and movie trailers, YouTube is the largest video sharing service in the world, growing at a rate of 300 hours of content every minute (that’s an average of 18,000 minutes being uploaded every minute of every day). If you’re not using the YouTube app to dive into this ocean of video content, you’re not doing it right.

Microsoft will take on the iPad with a low-cost Surface tablet

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Microsoft Surface to take on iPad
Microsoft’s next Surface tablet wants to make difficult for iPad.
Photo: Microsoft

Microsoft plans to take on Apple’s popular 9.7-inch iPad with a low-cost Surface tablet, according to a new report.

The device, which will be powered by Intel processors and priced at around $400, is expected to go on sale in the second half of 2018. It will be accompanied by more affordable versions of Microsoft’s keyboard cover, mouse, and Surface Pen.

Turn your iPhone into a handy household hub [Deals]

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Make your phone and your home complimentary with this roundup of awesome accessories.
Make your phone and your home complimentary with this roundup of awesome accessories.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Own an iPhone? Live in a house or apartment? Then you’ve got a match made in heaven. The two can work in harmony, if you have the right accessories. So we’ve rounded up some of the coolest peripherals for bringing your home and phone together, including a wireless charging kit, a robotic vacuum cleaner, a Bluetooth audio hub, and more. Some of these are discounted by more than half off, so read on for more details:

PicoBrew’s beer robot now brews kombucha, coffee and more

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PicoBrew Pico U brewing appliance is smaller, cheaper and far more capable than its predecessors.
Pico U is smaller, cheaper and far more capable than its predecessors.
Photo: PicoBrew

PicoBrew’s new Pico U, which the company calls “the world’s first universal craft beverage brewing appliance,” does more than brew great beer. The “U” stands for “universal,” because the Pico U also makes kombucha, horchata and milk-based drinks, as well as tea and single-serving coffee.

It’s also small enough to fit on a kitchen countertop — and costs far less than its predecessors. Pico U offers so many brewing options, at a price that’s so attainable, that Donald Brewer, PicoBrew’s VP of sales, calls it the “Instant Pot for brewed beverages.”

Apple demands $1 billion from Samsung for patent infringement

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Apple and Samsung return to court
Apple and Samsung are battling it out again.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Apple wants Samsung to cough up a whopping $1 billion in damages for infringing iPhone design patents.

The two companies again returned to court this week over the long-running dispute, which first began seven years ago. Apple told jurors that Samsung should hand over all the profit it made on four devices that were heavily inspired by the iPhone. Samsung’s lawyers disagree.

These silicone Apple Watch bands are perfect for adventure-seekers [Watch Store]

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carterjett
Carterjett’s Tire Tread Sport Apple Watch Band in Red with Matte Gray hardware.
Photo: Carterjett

Cult of Mac Watch Store is proud to feature a growing and evolving collection of the best Apple Watch bands and accessories on the market. And, we’re excited to announce the latest addition to our curated collection of Apple Watch bands: Las Vegas-based Carterjett.

The result of this creative collaboration is Carterjett’s collection of well-made, great looking Apple Watch bands well-suited for sweat and outdoor activity yet stylish enough to take you into the evening. Best yet, these Apple Watch bands are easy on the wallet.

How to look up anything with one tap on Mac

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dictionary look up macos
Look up!
Photo: Caleb Roenigk/Flickr CC

On the Mac, you have long been able to tap on any word or phrase to look up a dictionary definition. Just click on the word using a three-finger tap on your trackpad, and the dictionary panel appears. But have you tried this recently? Today, in this simple popover panel, you can get full access to not just dictionary definitions, but news, Siri Knowledge, movie details, App Store listings, and lots more depending on what you’re looking up.

Let’s take a look.

Brainwavz B200 earbuds sound, and feel, better than AirPods [Review]

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The Brainwavz Audio B200 earbuds are some of the best around, even with a few compromises.
Some of the best earbuds around, even with a few compromises.
Photo: Brainwavz Audio

Looking for a new set of earbuds for the summer? Brainwavz Audio’s B200 earbuds deliver high-fidelity audio with impressive clarity and detail. Plus, their over-the-ear design won’t frustrate you by falling out.

Yes, picking these earbuds over AirPods means making a couple of big compromises. But after a few weeks of testing, these audiophile-grade earbuds won me over with their superior sound.

Get in on the AI gold rush with these essential skills [Deals]

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This massively discounted lesson bundle offers a great primer on the lucrative fields of machine learning and AI.
This massively discounted lesson bundle offers a great primer on the lucrative fields of machine learning and AI.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

The artificial intelligence industry is exploding. Machines might be coming to take our jobs, but working in AI is also one of the most lucrative gigs you can get, with salaries that reach into the 6 figures. But before you get in on AI, there’s a lot to learn.

Spiffy new iPhone X cases look like original iMac and iPhone

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Spigen Classic C1 iMac inspired iPhone X-case
Spigen's new iPhone X case is inspired by the original iMac G3, bringing some retro charm to Apple's latest handset.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

I test a lot of iPhone cases and rarely get comments. Most of them aren’t that distinctive. But a new iMac-inspired case from Spigen attracted the attention of my teenage kids and even elicited a compliment: “Cool case, Dad!”

Free app earns you cash back at your favorite restaurants

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Square's Cash Boost rewards program offer new ways to save at Chipotle, Shake Shack and other chains.
Square's Cash Boost rewards program offer new ways to save.
Screenshot: Gabe Trumbo/Cult of Mac

Square’s Cash App just got far more rewarding. The Cash Boost program now offers cash back at several well-known restaurants and stores, including Shake Shack and Chipotle. Even better, now anybody can participate.

With a little strategy, you can save loads of money on everyday purchases. Here’s how you can earn cash back at restaurants every day with the free Cash App.

Embrace automation with Workflow [50 Essential iOS Apps #13]

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Workflow app Webpage to PDF action
Workflow can make the most basic of tasks incredibly simple.
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

50 Essential iOS Apps: Workflow appNot all tasks are simple or straightforward. Sometimes a task involve multiple complex or repetitive steps. Having the ability to use a “program” to do these tasks quickly and easily makes you more efficient. Unfortunately, we aren’t all programmers. Workflow for iOS makes performing complex or repetitive tasks a breeze, all without needing to know a programming language.