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The best apps to help make your New Year’s resolutions come true

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New Year's apps
'Appy new year, everyone!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

As the clock ticks down to 2018, many folks’ minds turn to the question of New Year’s resolutions, and all the ways that we’re going to better ourselves over the next twelve months.

Well, look no further than this list when it comes to the apps that will assist you on your quest. Whatever your goal, we’ve combed through the App Store to find the apps which will help you accomplish it.

Check out our list below:

Start the new year by learning to code iPhone apps [Deals]

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PWYW iOS 11
This bundle of courses covers all of iOS 11. Just beat the average price to score the entire bundle.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

iOS 11 has become the new standard when it comes to design-focused operating systems. With every update, comes more fun, intuitive, and functional features. Learning to code for the iPhone isn’t as daunting as you think, practice makes perfect.

Top tech trends of 2017

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top tech trends 2017
2017 was a great year for consumer technology.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Cult of Mac's 2017 Apple year in review2017 was an exciting year for consumer technology. It brought us big advancements in areas like machine learning and biometric security, as well as a big boost for augmented reality, and some not-so-satisfying changes to smartphone price tags.

Here are the top technology trends of 2017.

Every single product Apple rolled out in 2017

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2017 was a very good year for new Apple products.
2017 was a very good year.
Image: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Cult of Mac's 2017 Apple year in review 2017 was a killer year for new Apple products — and it’s not all because of the iPhone X.

Apple’s design team spun out updates in nearly every single category while also popping out a few all-new products. The Mac Pro and Mac mini were pretty much the only machines that got no love from Apple this year. But with all the new stuff, it’s hard for Apple fans to complain.

Here’s a recap of every new Apple product of 2017.

How to squeeze the longest life from your iPhone battery

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battery
Just be thankful your iPhone doesn't run on these.
Photo: Toshiyuki IMAI/Flickr CC

Thanks to batterygate, the good news is that Apple will now switch out the battery in your old iPhone for $29 instead of $79, a price so cheap it would be crazy not to do it. But how do you take care of that new battery to stop it going bad? The truth is, the lithium ion batteries in phones and notebook computers have a finite life. But you can prolong that life with a few easy tricks.

Samsung and LG don’t throttle their phones like Apple does

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galaxy note 7
The battery might burst into flames, but at least you get a full-powered CPU.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Apple’s decision to throttle CPU speeds on iPhones with older batteries isn’t a feature its competition is eager to copy.

Both Samsung and LG have come out with statements today saying that none of their phones use similar power management tactics. Their claims echo other Android makers Motorola and HTC who made the same claim yesterday.

Apple’s Chicago Store cordons off outdoor area due to snowfall

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Chicago store
A look at the Apple Store at present.
Photo: Spudart

Apple’s flagship Chicago Apple Store may be designed to look like a giant MacBook, but it’s apparently not designed to cope with the area’s harsh winters and snowfall.

Or, at least, that’s according to a local Chicago blog, which reveals how the North Michigan Ave. Apple Store’s sloping roof has run into problems in the snow, resulting in parts of the store’s outdoor area being cordoned off.

What’s the best Apple gadget of 2017? Catch our picks, on The CultCast

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Lisa CultCast
It's been a great year for Apple hardware.
Photo: @YSR50

Very spicy episode this week on The CultCast: We break down why everyone is pissed that Apple is slowing down iPhones and Macs with older batteries, and how you can tell if you’re being throttled. Plus, it’s been a great year for Apple hardware — don’t miss our picks for Apple gadget of the year!

Our thanks to Upsie for supporting this episode. Why pay $200 for AppleCare+ when an iPhone X accidental damage warranty from Upsie is $80 less? Get 10 percent off your first purchase at upsie.com with code “CultCast” at checkout.

Best Mac apps of 2017

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Best macOS apps 2017
macOS developers delivered some stellar apps in 2017.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Cult of Mac's 2017 Year in Review As the year nears its end, it’s time to take a look back at everything that was awesome in 2017. As usual, Mac developers rolled out some stellar software, which means macOS remains the best platform for the greatest apps.

Here’s our roundup of the best macOS apps of 2017.

The iOS apps that dominated our screens in 2017

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Best apps 1
This was a great year for the App Store.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Cult of Mac's 2017 Year in Review: Best iOS apps of 2017 2017 was a great year for Apple as a whole, and the App Store was no different.

From messaging apps to music-generating tools to a smart AI assistant, Apple and various third-party developers unleashed an impressive array of new software designed to get us tapping, swiping and — most importantly — downloading.

iOS Mail filters quickly tame overflowing mailboxes

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mailbox filters
A mailbox, aka a postbox, or even 'pillar box."
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

The iOS Mail app gets overlooked by power users, but it’s still the default for most people, unless they’re using Gmail in the browser. And that’s not a bad thing, because Apple’s Mail app has gotten pretty great in recent years, from smart mailboxes, to swipe gestures, to iOS 11’s drag-and-drop. Today we’re going to take a look at a feature so hidden you may never have seen it before. It’s a filter than can be applied to any folder, letting you see just mail with attachments, mail addressed directly to you, VIP mails, and more.

Walk into 2018 with iOS 11 coding skills [Deals]

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Add iOS 11 development to your skillset with this comprehensive coding course.
Add iOS 11 development to your skillset with this comprehensive coding course.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

2017 was a beast of a year, so let’s best it in 2018. A solid resolution for anyone to make is to learn some new skills. And one thing that definitely hasn’t changed since last year is the value of coding skills.

Best Mac games of 2017

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Best Mac games 2017
2017 brought us some terrific games for macOS.
Image: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Cult of Mac's 2017 Year in Review Game developers are embracing macOS like never before, which means Windows isn’t the only place to get the greatest titles anymore. The past year brought us a ton of terrific Mac games, from intense first-person shooters to gorgeous platformers filled with charm.

Here’s our roundup of the best Mac games of 2017.

This tiny cube connects your iPhone to guitars and microphones

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iTrack One Pre
The iTrack One Pre won't slide off your desk.
Photo: Focusrite

Focusrite’s iTrack One Pre might be the ultimate portable recording gadget for musicians. It’s a little cube that fits in a pocket, but that packs in connections for a microphone and a guitar, as well as a port for charging the iPad or iPhone you connect to. It can even supply Phantom Power to a microphone, and has it’s own gain (“volume,” kinda) knob.

Best (and most memorable) Apple ads of 2017

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Best Apple ads of 2017
From AirPods to iPhone X, Apple sold us the goods in 2017.
Photo: Apple

Cult of Mac's 2017 Year in Review Apple’s pretty darn good when it comes to advertising, and 2017 was no exception. Whether it was Portrait mode, AirPods or the iPhone X, creatives working on Apple ads found new and exciting ways to sell us on Cupertino’s latest innovations.

Check out our picks for the year’s best Apple ads below.

Best iOS games of 2017

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Best iOS games of 2017
2017 didn't disappoint when it came to great iOS games.
Image: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Cult of Mac's 2017 Year in Review 2017 has been one heck of a year for iOS gaming fans. From action-oriented arcade blasters to strategy games so deep they should come with a warning, just about every genre has been well represented.

Distilling hundreds of great titles down to a single shortlist isn’t easy, but we’ve done our best. These are our picks for the 15 greatest mobile games of 2017.

Best gadgets of 2017

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Best gadgets 2017
What gadgets grabbed our attention in 2017? Funny you should ask.
Image: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Cult of Mac's 2017 Year in Review Welcome to Cult of Mac‘s Gadget of the Year extravaganza. Unlike some other blogs, where harassed writers get a last-minute order from the boss to come up with an end-of-year list, and then spend a half-hour writing up the first five Google results for their given subject, our top gadgets are all rad, and all genuinely worth your cash.

Two of them will even change how you use technology, which isn’t a bad score for just one year. Let’s take a look at our favorite gadgets of 2017, and see why they’re so good.

Cult of Mac’s 2018 Apple wish list

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iPad Pro2
What the next iPad might look like.
Photo: Martin Hajek

Cult of Mac's 2017 Year in Review With 2018 about to begin, why rehash everything that already happened, just to fill up some space while we take time out for Christmas? Let’s go with a different year-end cliche? Yes, it’s a wish list for Apple products in 2018.

Some of these will almost certainly come to pass, while others perhaps will not. One is probably doomed before you even read about it here. Let’s take a look at what Apple products I hope will part me from my money in the coming year.

Sail through Apple Watch setup with these handy tips

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The Apple Watch is gorgeous (and comfy, too).
Your Apple Watch setup will be a breeze with these handy tips.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

You’ve got your Apple Watch, you lucky devil. Now it’s time to tweak it to make it as personal as possible with these Apple Watch setup tips.

Although Apple walks you through many of the basic steps, there are plenty of choices to be made before you’ll be able to squeeze maximum utility and joy out of your sleek, stylish smartwatch.

Cult of Mac’s roundup shows you exactly how to make the most out of your new favorite gadget.

Best iPhone accessories [2017 Gift Guide]

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iPhone Gift Guide 2017
Need gift ideas? Find them right here!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

2017 Gift Guide bugThe holidays are right around the corner, which means it’s time to start picking out the perfect gifts for your loved ones. Cult of Mac can help! This gift guide offers up a whole bunch of awesome gift suggestions for the iPhone lover in your life.

We handpicked some of the finest cases, wireless chargers, Bluetooth earbuds and more. They’re better than a bookstore voucher, and they’re guaranteed to fetch a smile.

Civilization VI, Rainbrow, and other awesome apps of the week

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App holiday1
'Appy holidays!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

A brilliant iPad port of one of the greatest turn-based strategy games of 2016, Civilization VI, is just of one of our picks for this week’s “Awesome Apps of the Week” roundup. In addition, we’ve got neat updates for the official Reddit and Shazam apps, plus a game that you control… using your eyebrows?

Check out our picks below — and have a very happy holidays!