The original iPhone nearly came with a digital click wheel that mimicked the iPod’s interface, according to video of an alleged prototype running the software that has not previously been made public.
Former Apple engineers confirmed in the past that Apple created a click-wheel-based solution for the iPhone’s software during the early stages of development, but until now, no one outside Apple had seen what it looked like.
2017 is off and running, and there’s already a strong crop of brand new deals that top the Cult of Mac Store. This week we’ve got a comprehensive disk utility, a comprehensive bundle of lessons in iOS development, a single place to charge and organize up to 5 devices, and a coin-sized module for turning your iOS device into a universal remote. Read on for more details:
This week on The CultCast: We run you through the most ridiculous gizmos at CES 2017 — stuff that nobody on earth actually needs. Then we spice things up with our most hotly anticipated tech of 2017.
And finally, we’re gonna be real with you guys…. Apple had a rough 2016. But that’s all behind us now. It’s a new year. It’s a fresh start. We discuss what Apple needs to get right in 2017.
The jury’s still out on whether HomeKit will really take over our homes and all the smart devices in them, but new HomeKit-compatible devices continue to pop up all the time. At CES 2017 in Las Vegas this week, vendors showed off a bunch of them, from light switches to security cameras.
Here’s our roundup of the best.
The next-generation Apple Watch will be another incremental upgrade focused on performance and battery life improvements, according to recent rumors. But almost three years after the original model made its debut, should we be expecting more?
Many Apple Watch fans have been hoping for a slimmer form factor, while earlier rumors promised features like cellular connectivity and even a FaceTime camera. Would you buy another Apple Watch that looks the same but lasts longer in between charges?
Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight as we discuss whether Apple Watch Series 3 needs a major overhaul.
Apple has revealed its latest App Store stats as of January, which show that iOS 10 has now been installed on 76 percent of devices.
The update made its public debut less than four months ago, bringing a revamped Messages experience, new 3D Touch features, a more open Siri, and lots more.
Apple got some serious flak from fans when it unveiled its new MacBook Pro at the end of 2016, but if CES 2017 is any indicator, Apple’s not in danger of being out innovated by PCs anytime soon.
The MacBook Pro’s Touch Bar may not be a phenomenal innovation. And its four USB-C ports mean you’ll need some dongles. But when looking at the competition, the MacBook Pro is hands-down the sleekest, most useful and most beautiful laptop you can get in the world right now.
Look at these embarrassing Windows laptops:
Online threats are no joke. Your personal data and digital identity can be stolen, your activity snooped, your content throttled depending on where you are in the world. Thankfully, VPNSecure offers encrypted, unrestricted browsing through Smart DNS and an international network of secure servers. And right now you can get lifetime access for $39 at Cult of Mac Deals.
The iPhone and Instagram get credit for being the first shoot-and-share social network, but even Steve Jobs would say that’s wrong. The Polaroid camera introduced a social component to taking pictures in the late 1940s, the first instant photography with three steps — shoot, shake and share.
Polaroid brought disruptive innovation to the market and also became a casualty of it when it failed to change course in time to be part of the digital photography revolution.
But a new version of Polaroid is thriving and even stirring up some buzz this week at CES in Las Vegas with new products covering iPhone photography, consumer 3D printing, camera drones and fun cameras that produce an on-the-spot print.
SAN FRANCISCO — Apple packed some amazing tech into its weird-looking AirPods. But to Nuheara co-founder David Cannington, Apple’s white-hot wireless earphones are just “dumb wireless.”
Sure, AirPods let you listen to music, take phone calls and tap into Siri, but they represent a missed opportunity because they don’t solve a crucial problem faced by many people in the modern world: hearing what’s going on around them.
As you might have guessed, Cannington’s company tackled this problem with a new product that launched at CES this week. Nuheara’s IQbuds are smart, truly wireless earbuds that do more than just make calls and deliver high-fidelity audio to your ears. They make it possible to carry on conversations in noisy environments like restaurants, bars and even massive Las Vegas trade shows.
Macs are ideal for many things, but gaming isn’t one of them. Apple just doesn’t have gamers in mind when designing its products. Fortunately, NVIDIA does, and its upcoming GeForce Now service will make almost any Mac fit for gaming.
Razer’s gaming laptops are some of the finest you can get your greasy mitts on, but none of them compare to the insane prototype the company teased today at CES in Las Vegas.
Dubbed “Project Valerie,” it’s the world’s first laptop with three screens — two of which gracefully slide away when you don’t need them.
There you are, sitting at your computer, flicking between GIFs and Facebook feeds instead of doing your work. Our computers are supposed to be productivity machines, but too often serve as distraction machines. Focus@Will aims to change that, streaming scientifically curated music to your ears specifically designed to help you stay focused on the task at hand. And right now, you can get 2 years of Focus@Will for $49.99 at Cult of Mac Deals.
The App Store opened 2017 with a massive bang by shattering sales records. New Year’s Day was its single busiest day ever, with $240 million raised from app purchases.
The record caps an incredibly successful 2016 for iOS developers, who earned a whopping $20 billion last year — up over 40 percent from 2015.
Sports photographer Brad Mangin used to rush to an airport after a big game to get several rolls of film on the next flight to New York for processing and editing. He never saw what he shot until it was on the cover or a two-page spread in the latest Sports Illustrated.
Now his colleagues with their heavy DSLR cameras, lenses, and a laptop to transmit photos laugh when they see Mangin with his gear – an iPhone and maybe an external battery.
Next week marks 10 years since Steve Jobs unveiled the original iPhone, blowing our collective minds regarding the possibilities that smartphones presented.
Coming up on a decade later, if you’re still using the first-gen iPhone on a regular basis, we want to hear from you!
Developing for iOS is one of the most lucrative skills you can have. If you want in on the iOS development boom but don’t know where to start, look no further than this lesson bundle. It’s packed with over 250 hours of instruction that’ll get you busy under the hood of a range of iOS apps, interfaces, games, tools, and more. And right now you can get the whole 2017 iOS 10 Complete App Builder Bundle for $59.99 at Cult of Mac Deals.
Incredible new gadgets often go unnoticed on Kickstarter and Indiegogo. We round up the best ones each week to help them get the funding they need to become reality.
This week, we’ve got an awesome handheld emulator that lets you play your favorite retro games on the go, a laser keyboard that’s super-versatile, a tiny device that adds Bluetooth connectivity to your existing headphones, and more!
So you’ve got the brand new MacBook. Congrats! Now all your non USB-C peripherals (which is probably all of them) are obsolete. Apple’s solution is to have you buy a bunch of adapters, but HyperDrive has a seamless solution that expands the new MacBook’s single port into five of the most-familiar, most-used formats.
The HyperDrive 5-in-1 Hub is a great alternative to a computer bag full of dongles, and right now you can get it for $39.95 at Cult of Mac Deals.
Apple has chosen its manufacturer for the next-generation Apple Watch and tasked the company with delivering better battery life, according to a new report.
Apple Watch Series 3 is also expected to bring improved performance, but its hardware is unlikely to come with any major changes.
AirPods offer some of the best battery life you can get from wireless earphones, but many users have been unable to enjoy it. An apparent glitch is causing some units to drain power when they’re not in use, but a simple reset could fix it.
Here’s what you need to do.
Just because Apple ignores CES, the gigantic electronics show that slams Las Vegas each January, doesn’t mean you should. If you’re interested in the next wave of tech innovation, the annual show should definitely be on your radar.
You won’t glimpse the next iPhone or the rumored Apple Car, but there’s plenty of great tech breakthroughs that should get you salivating over next week’s big event. Here’s a rundown of all the cool stuff we expect to see at CES 2017.
Cloud storage is a key part of any solid data backup arrangement. Unfortunately, a spot in the cloud usually comes at a cost. That makes this offer from Zoolz a special one, presenting a full terabyte split between two secure storage options. And right now you can get a lifetime of Zoolz cloud storage for a mere $39 at Cult of Mac Deals.
Happy 2017 everyone! Facebook may have been last year’s most popular app, but there’s plenty more for you to explore in the App Store.
Check out our picks for the most exciting new apps of the week below. Whether you’re looking for a great game to usher in the New Year or something a bit more serious and useful, we’ve got you covered!
It’s the end of a rough year, so let’s ring in the new one with some extra great deals. Below you’ll find lifetime access to a powerful VPN, a secure and anonymous phone line, the latest version of multimedia super tool Roxio Toast, and a set of extra long, MFi certified Lightning cables. You can get each for an additional 17 percent off their already massively discounted price, just enter coupon code NEWYEAR17 at checkout (some exclusions apply) — the only catch is that you’ve got just 24 hours to do it. Read on for more details: