A secret document buried in WikiLeaks’ “Vault 7” data dump serves as a sort of Rosetta Stone for the CIA’s extensive hacking operations targeting iOS devices and other consumer electronics.
The entire hacking arsenal of the CIA has been dumped online and the entire internet is freaking out.
WikiLeaks dropped a data bomb Tuesday with its massive document dump, which it claims is one of the biggest in history. Secrets on how the CIA hacked devices made by Apple, Google, Samsung and Microsoft are now available for all to see. But should you start freaking out just yet?
Cult of Mac talked to a number of iOS security experts to make sense of all the new info. While it’s tempting to panic, there’s a lot more you need to know first.
The Central Intelligence Agency has been using malware to spy on iPhone and Android users, according to the largest-ever publication of confidential documents from WikiLeaks — and the spy tools are now in the hands of others.
As part of a covert hacking program, the CIA created a “malware arsenal” and dozens of “zero day exploits” to infiltrate smartphones, tablets and even smart TVs to extract data and turn them into covert microphones.
But the agency recently lost controls of these tools. Those who have obtained them now have “the entire hacking capacity of the CIA” at their disposal, according to WikiLeaks.
Trying to make some easy cash? If you’ve recently upgraded devices and have an old iPhone, iPad or MacBook laying around to sell, we have your answer. By using our online buyback program, you can receive the biggest bang for your buck with the easiest trade-in program on the internet.
It takes less than two minutes to get a quote — we’ll mail you a prepaid box to send us your device, and we cut checks within 24 hours of receiving the device!
Photos, music, documents of all kind — if you care at all about the data in your life you’re going to want to have a layer of cloud security. Whether to save space on your local drives or just to have a duplicate copy when your hard drive quits, this deal from Zoolz is a can’t miss. Right now they’re offering a full terabyte of instant backup, and a full terabyte of longer-term archive backup, totalling two full terabytes of secure cloud storage. And the best part? You can get these two terabytes of cloud storage for just $49.99 at Cult of Mac Deals.
Breathe new life into your Apple Watch with a cool, contemporary nylon band inspired by the original NATO watch strap. Best yet, this one won’t leave you cash-dry.
Spanish company Nyloon started with the goal of making high-quality versions of the NATO straps created by the British Ministry of Defence in 1973. The result is a line of fun, versatile and easily interchangeable nylon bands that are now flying off the shelves.
The stellar support you get at the Genius Bar is one reason why many of us continue to buy Macs, but it almost never made it to an Apple store. Steve Jobs thought the idea was “idiotic” and told former retail chief Ron Johnson it would fail.
Considering how much we rely on and use various cables to connect and charge up our devices, it’s high time they learn to keep up. These three new, rugged and highly adaptable cables from Nomad represent a step in the right direction.
From a PVC-jacketed cable to a built-in battery and a universal interface for any connection type, these next-gen cables are well worth checking out.
Apple suppliers are investing tens of millions of dollars into the production of flexible printed circuit boards to meet inevitably strong demand for an iPhone 8 with an OLED display.
Samsung Electro-Mechanics is reportedly expanding its production plant in Vietnam at a cost of $88 million, while Interflex is expected to make a similar investment later this year to ensure steady supply.
Nintendo’s long-awaited Switch gaming console packs an surprisingly cool feature: You can use its unique Joy-Con controllers to play games on your Mac.
When you’re recording audio in QuickTime, there’s nothing more frustrating than a crash before you’ve had time to click Save. But all is not lost: This handy trick can help you recover lost recordings in the QuickTime app.
It might just save you a whole lot of effort. Here’s how to use it.
Apple will indeed bring OLED displays to the iPhone 8 this year, according to fresh reports out of Japan — but you’ll have to pay a premium to get your hands on one.
Sources claim the new 5.8-inch curved display will only be available with the high-end iPhone, while the more affordable 4.7- and 5.5-inch models will carry LCD panels similar to those Apple has been using since the iPhone’s introduction in 2007.
It’s the beginning of March, a time when it’s hard to decide whether the year is moving way too fast or way too slow. However you feel about it, there’s more than enough time to review the latest at the Cult of Mac Store. This week’s a good one, with deals on a gorgeous set of over-ear Bluetooth headphones, a 2-in-1 stand ideal for iPhone or iPad, a pair of extra long and extra tough Lightning cables, and a lifetime’s access to 16 top shelf Mac apps. Read on for more details:
While everyone’s freaking out about the state of the world, we here at the Cult of Mac Store are busy finding the best deals we can find. This week, we’ve got a single super-slim battery that can juice up anything from an iPhone to a MacBook, a full year of the uber-popular TextExpander app, a lifetime of powerful VPN protection, and a set of comprehensive courses in programming for iOS.
Get these deals while they last!
This week on The CultCast: Are you yearning for a more powerful Mac? Well, friend, Tim Cook is promising to make Apple “pro” again. We discuss! Plus: iPhone 8 ditching Lightning for USB-C; Spotify about to go Hi-Fi; why your next iPhone screen might read your fingerprints; and the best iPhone bumper case in the land!
Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. It’s simple to accept Apple Pay and sell your wares with your very own Squarespace.com website. Enter offer code “CultCast” at checkout to get 10 percent off any hosting plan.
A recent rumor claimed Apple could swap its Lightning port for USB-C connectivity with iPhone 8 later this year. That’s already been debunked by one reliable analyst, but is it a move Apple should consider making in the foreseeable future?
Lightning and USB-C both have their pros and cons. One has been around since iPhone 5 and we’re all familiar with it; the other is an open standard that anyone can use, which makes accessories, cables, and peripherals more affordable.
Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight as we battle it out over whether Apple should give Lightning the boot in 2017.
If you’ve been thinking about adding some new apps to your Mac, you’re in the right place. We’ve gathered some of the best offers on a range of Mac apps: a comprehensive drive utility, Roxio’s latest version of Toast Titanium, a powerful PDF converter, and a bundle of 12 Mac apps that you can name your price for.
Everything’s discounted by half off or more!
Three senior Apple executives are in talks with Hollywood’s “most successful” TV and movie producers over original content for Apple TV, according to a new report.
Each member of the trio, which includes Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of internet software and services, is so desperate to secure the first deal that they supposedly are fighting against each other.
Apple might be doing away with the physical Home button for iPhone 8, but Touch ID is going nowhere.
Sources in the company’s supply chain say Apple is working on a custom fingerprint scanner that uses ultrasound technology, which will be integrated into the iPhone 8’s OLED display.
The Apple Watch doesn’t need to live on one’s wrist alone. Ladies, take notice! The Silver Constellation Locket by Bucardo is a new way to wear Apple Watch, bucking current trends by melding vintage style and tech.
And, sometimes fashion precedes functionality — in wearing this beautiful locket, the sensors on the rear of the Apple Watch obviously won’t be in contact with the skin, yet it’s such a unique and beautiful accessory that, for me at least, I’ll make an exception. It’s a watch hidden in a necklace. Let’s take a look.
Screw the 15 mm wide-angle lens into the case, point your iPhone at breathtaking scenery and snap the shot.
If the experience made you say “Oo-Ah,” you will then know how to pronounce the name behind a pair of new lens attachments for the iPhone created by Singapore-based DynaOptics. The OOWA wide-angle and telephoto lenses for the iPhone 6 and 6s series were designed to create that kind of wonder, both in image quality and the sound your mouth makes while looking at your photos.
The rumor that Apple plans to switch to USB-C on all 2017 iPhones has been shot down by one of the most reliable Apple analysts in the game.
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo sent a note to investors today claiming that all three new iPhone models supposedly set for release this fall will come with a Lightning port, not USB-C.
When you spend any amount of time working at the keyboard, you tend to develop a few bad habits. Over hundreds of thousands of keystrokes, even small gains in efficiency can add up to a lot of saved time. That’s what makes TextExpander such an indispensable tool, a simple shortcut tool for basic text editing that can drastically cuts keystroke counts. And right now you can get a year of TextExpander for just $19.98 at Cult of Mac Deals.
Because there are fewer MacBooks than iPhones on the market, and the laptops are more difficult to repair, buyback programs typically shortchange you when it comes to Apple computers.
But there are three easy tricks that will help you maximize your profit when you trade your old MacBook for cash. (You’ll also want to choose your buyback company wisely, but don’t worry — we’ve got a hot tip for that as well.)
If you travel with any number of devices, you know that a backup battery can prevent being powerless at just the wrong time. But carrying a bunch of batteries doesn’t exactly make for traveling light. That’s why you should look into a single slim battery like ToughJuice from ZeroLemon. It can bring a charge to a number of devices, from iPhones to MacBooks. And right now, at less than half price, you can get a 30,000mAh ToughJuice for $59.99 at Cult of Mac Deals.