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Use Apple Pencil to mark up PDFs in Mail app

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Fixing up a PDF in Mail is way easier than you might think.
Screenshot: Cult of Mac

Today we’ll learn how to open and edit a PDF right in the iOS Mail app, and then send it on its way, all without opening any extra apps. Given that a lot of PDFs we receive are documents that need to be checked over, or signed, and then returned, this tip is a real time-saver.

Instead of waiting until you get back to your Mac, you can take care of things right from your iPhone.

This unashamed iPhone 7 clone is a fraction of the cost

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Don't expect iOS 10.
Don't expect iOS 10.
Photo: UMIDIGI

iPhone clones just hit a new low.

Meet the UMIDIGI G, a device that isn’t ashamed to be a complete ripoff of Apple’s latest smartphone. It runs Google’s latest Android 7.0 Nougat operating system, and it’s super-affordable at just $79.99. Its specifications aren’t bad, either — but you shouldn’t buy one.

These are the Star Wars deals you’re looking for [May the 4th Deals]

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May the 4th be with you as you drool over this awesome bundle of Star Wars swag.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

There’s been an awakening. Have you felt it? Star Wars is back, and the return of the year’s biggest nerdfest is upon us. May the 4th is when fans of the galaxy far, far away get a chance to revel in their fandom with their fellow fans around the world. And with the next Star Wars movie mere months away, the Force is strong with this one.

Part of the festivities is the chance to get great deals on Star Wars swag, and the Cult of Mac Store is no exception. We’ve got deals on a bundle of some of the best Star Wars games ever made, a treasure chest of Rogue One collectibles, and a floating speaker worthy of Darth Vader’s desk. Everything is dramatically discounted and worth nerding out over.

Imagination Technologies files formal dispute with Apple

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Apple isn't happy with Imagination Technologies.
Apple isn't happy with Imagination Technologies.
Photo: Apple

Imagination Technologies, the British company that has been designing Apple’s mobile GPUs for years, has started a “dispute resolution procedure” with the Cupertino company over a licensing standoff.

Imagination has already confirmed that Apple will be dropping its graphics chips within two years and adopting its own instead. But the company suspects Apple has stolen its intellectual property.

Twitter flips out over mysterious Tim Cook tweet

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Tim's got a lot to be happy about.
Tim's got a lot to be happy about.
Photo: Twitter

Apple CEO Tim Cook set Twitter ablaze with speculation today — and all it took was a simple smiley face emoji.

Cook sent out a tweet with just a smiley face emoji this morning. No other context was provided, and the tweet got deleted shortly later, leading Apple fans on Twitter to wonder what the most powerful man in tech was really trying to say.

These are the most popular theories:

How to turn anything into a PDF on your iPhone or iPad

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How to turn anything into a PDF on your iPhone or iPad
If you're running iOS 10, your iPhone is already a PDF-making machine.
Screenshot: Cult of Mac

Stop! Don’t download that PDF converter app for iOS. You don’t need it. What if I told you iPhones have come with a built-in PDF-conversion tool since iOS 10?

Once you know where this iOS PDF converter is buried, you can quickly and easily turn anything into a handy PDF on your iPhone or iPad.

The Apple Watch business is way bigger than you think

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apple watch bands
Apple Watch Series 3 needs to be special.
Photo: Apple

Apple Watch gets a lot of stick for being a “me-too” product, and people who don’t see the need for a smartwatch assume the business is a bust. There’s this crazy perception that Apple Watch is just not selling — but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

The Apple Watch, alongside other Apple wearables, is now raking in billions of dollars every year. The business is huge. So huge, in fact, that it would be a Fortune 500 company all by itself, outselling supposed smash hits like Microsoft’s Surface tablets and the Amazon Echo.

Here’s why Apple Watch isn’t the flop you think it is.

The ultimate MacBook charger, smallest 4G phone and more [Crowdfund Roundup]

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All the ports you need.
All the ports you need.
Photo: PowerUp

Crowdfund Roundup bugWith only a single USB-C port to work with, it’s difficult to connect anything other than a charger to your MacBook. That’s why you should treat yourself to PowerUp, a charger with three traditional USB ports built-in that lets you connect all the devices you need.

It’s just one of the awesome ideas in this week’s Crowdfund Roundup. We also have the world’s smallest 4G smartphone, a smart water bottle that will help you stay hydrated, and more!

These wireless earbuds are workout-ready [Deals]

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Que Bluetooth earbuds In-Ear Headphones- 2-Pack
Work out without worry thanks to these wireless, sweat-proof earbuds.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

These days pretty much all of our music is mobile, and thanks to Bluetooth earbuds, wires have become a needless obstacle. A fine example of the benefits of Bluetooth can be found in this workout-ready headset from Que.

These sleek, sweat-proof, long-lasting, in-ear buds are built to last. And right now you can get a two-pack of Que Bluetooth In-Ear Headphones for just $29.99 at Cult of Mac Deals.

Apple places orders for its Amazon Echo rival

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Standalone Siri speaker could be shown at this year's WWDC.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple has reportedly placed the first orders for its standalone Siri smart speaker, a device designed to rival the Amazon Echo.

Inventec, the Taiwan company that makes Apple’s popular AirPods, received the order, which was reported by the Chinese-language Economic Daily News. No order numbers or production timeline have been revealed, although previous reports suggest Apple could unveil the device this June at its Worldwide Developers Conference.

Trouble in China, iPhone slump and other Apple earnings surprises

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How will investors respond to Apple's relatively flat earnings?
How will investors respond to Apple's relatively flat earnings?
Photo: Ste Smith

Apple’s Q2 earnings report for 2017 just barely beat Wall Street’s expectations when the numbers were revealed this afternoon, but there are plenty of reasons to still be optimistic about AAPL.

During the company’s call with investors today, Apple CEO Tim Cook and CFO Luca Maestri discussed some of the struggles the company experienced last quarter, from slumping iPhone sales to economic headwinds in China.

Here are the biggest takeaways:

Liveblog: Just how good (or bad) was Apple’s Q2?

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apple earnings
Apple's money-making machine is on a new level.
Photo illustration: Steve Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple is set to reveal its second quarterly earnings report of 2017 this afternoon. And according to analysts, the numbers won’t be nearly as impressive as last quarter’s record-shattering results.

Tim Cook and Apple CFO Luca Maestri will run through all the numbers with investors today at 2 p.m. Pacific. As usual, Cult of Mac will be liveblogging the action with all the analysis and snark we can muster.

Come join the fun:

Apple beats expectations in Q2 2017 earnings report

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Apple could be a $2 trillion company by end of 2021
Apple could be a $2 trillion company by end of 2021
Photo illustration: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple just posted its earnings for Q2 2017 and while the numbers aren’t as monstrous as last quarter’s, there’s a lot to love in the new report.

With revenues hitting $52.9 billion, Apple returned to growth for the second straight quarter with $11 billion in profit. iPhone sales were down year-over-year, but Apple CEO Tim Cook says demand for the iPhone 7 Plus is still high.

Learn to code for Alexa and the smart home revolution [Deals]

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CoM - Amazon Alexa Coding Bundle- From Zero To Hero
Learn to code for the device that's leading the smart home revolution.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Like it or not, our houses are getting smarter. If you’re sharp and interested in coding, you’ll want to learn to develop for Alexa, the digital assistant popping up in homes around the world due to the amazing success of the Amazon Echo.

Echo and Alexa are the opening shots of the smart home revolution, and with this bundle of comprehensive coding lessons you can get positioned to make your mark. Right now, you can get access to the whole thing for just $19 at Cult of Mac Deals.

Samsung Bixby rap takes secret stab at Siri

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Bixby
Bixby Voice is on its way.
Photo: Samsung

Samsung’s new Bixby assistant finally found its voice in South Korea today, over a week after making its debut on the Galaxy S8. Unlike its rivals, Bixby has the ability to rap, and Samsung uses that to take a cheeky, secret stab at Siri.

OSX.Bella trojan discovered installing backdoors into Macs

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15 inch MacBook Pro Silver
It might be time to update your passwords again.
Photo: Apple

Security researchers have discovered a nasty bit of Mac malware similar to OSX.Dok trojan, which can bypass Apple’s GateKeeper feature.

The new bug, dubbed OSX.Bella, behaves and distributes itself in a completely different manner than OSX.Dok. But once installed, it executes a script that’s just as damaging.

What to expect from Apple’s Q2 2017 earnings report

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Earnings call
Apple made a ton of money last quarter.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple is set to reveal its second quarterly earnings report of 2017 next Tuesday, and based on early estimates from analysts, Tim Cook might not have much to boast about.

Wall Street has been in love with Apple stock the last few months, sending it to all-time highs since the last earnings report came out. But with the holiday shopping season over and a lack of new products to boost sales, Apple’s numbers may look a bit flat.

These are the key areas to watch for:

Cult of Mac will repair your broken iPhones, iPads and MacBooks!

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The high-quality, personalized service your device will receive with our new repair program!

Starting today, we are offering high-quality repair services for Apple products to all our U.S. readers. Following the great feedback we’ve received on our trade-in program — to date we’ve paid our readers almost $200,000 for their old devices — we are extending our partnership with MyPhones Unlimited to include repair services with unbeatable prices.

Shipping is always free, and there’s no need to worry about hidden fees. Plus, every repair comes with a 180-day warranty. Find out just how cheap iPhone, iPad and MacBook repairs can be!

Take your tunes anywhere with this burly Bluetooth speaker [Deals]

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CoM - G-DROP Submersible Bluetooth Speaker
No matter where you go, this Bluetooth speaker can come along for the ride.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

When your music can go anywhere, whatever you use to play it on can get worn out. Not so with this rough-and-tumble Submersible Bluetooth Speaker from G-DROP. It’s a weather-proof, water-ready, shock-resistant portable speaker that’s fit for any environment.

That means your favorite tunes, shows and other sounds can go wherever you do. And right now you can get a G-DROP Submersible Bluetooth Speaker for $46.99 at Cult of Mac Deals.

Boost productivity with a bundle of premium Mac apps [Week’s Best Deals]

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Stuff your Mac with top shelf apps, keep your devices charged anywhere in the world, and more in the week's best new deals.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Another week, another round of great new deals at the Cult of Mac Store. This go-round, we’ve got a voltage converter that’ll keep you charged all over the world, a powerful mind-mapping tool for more productive studying and reading, a bundle of a dozen top-shelf Mac apps, and an extra-long, extra-tough Lightning cable that’ll outlive us all.

And everything’s going for a fraction of the usual price!

Kings backpack treats your tech carry like royalty [Review]

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The Kings laptop backpack by STM Goods will shoulder the burdens of the working class.
The Kings laptop backpack by STM Goods will shoulder the burdens of the working class.
Photo: David Pierini/Cult of Mac

The Kings laptop backpack by STM Goods is handsome enough, but one small detail on the inside got my attention.

Tethered inside one of the two compartments I found a zippered pouch that could be used to store pens or cords. I stow my various incidentals in similar pouches in my shoulder bag, so it seemed like this particular backpack was designed especially for me.

Put an SNES controller back in your hands [Week’s Newest Deals]

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The SNES is back, along with some boss Bluetooth headphones, a convenient mobile phone mount, and more in this week's newest deals.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

With talk of Nintendo re-releasing the SNES, the classic console has been on a lot of minds lately. Not that it ever left — the Super Nintendo remains the epitome of gaming bliss for people of all ages.

With the SFC30 Bluetooth Controller, you can bring the familiar feel of the SNES controller to any game you run on a computer or tablet, even plug it straight into Nintendo’s NES Classic system. It’s just one of the best new deals at the Cult of Mac Store, which also include a premium set of Bluetooth headphones, a mobile mount that connects right to your car’s air vent, and a powerful platform for website building.

These spartan Mac setups wage war on wires [iSetups]

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iSetups
Each of this week's Mac setups will put your wire game to shame.
Photo: Richard Lopez

Good cable management is harder than it looks. I should know: Both my home office and my work office are a mess of wires, despite trying to sort things out numerous times.

Unlike my failed attempts, this week’s three iSetups submissions get it down to a fine art. iSetups is our new show that highlights the best Apple-centric setups submitted by our viewers. (You’ll also get plenty of tips and tricks for how you can improve your own setup.)

iSetups Episode 3

Cult of Mac Magazine: Toy Mac runs Photoshop, iPhone 8 leaks, crazy MacBook Pro concept and more

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The latest iPhone 8 leaks raise some serious questions.
Cover: Stephen Smith/Cult of Mac

In this week’s Cult of Mac Magazine, we cover the latest iPhone 8 leaks and give a hands-on look at the most recent schematics and updates — this one includes detailed labeling of each part, revealing a dual-lens camera in the front and wireless charging in the back.

Learn about how a tiny replica Mac made for the American Girl doll captured the kid in one UX designer, who modified the toy to run Mac OS 7 and Photoshop.

Check out a designer’s crazy new concept that imagines what would happen if Apple replaced MacBook Pro keyboards with a giant touchpad. Plus, The CultCast, how-tos and lots more.

Here are this week’s top stories.