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FBI will help unlock another iPhone in Arkansas murder trial

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google-facebook-and-others-following-apples-lead-on-encryption-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201601iPhone-6s-Live-Photos-jpg
Seized iPhone and iPod may contain crucial evidence, say prosecutors.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Having reportedly gained access to the iPhone 5c at the center of the San Bernardino shooting case, the FBI has agreed to use its newfound hacking abilities to aid an Arkansas prosecutor unlock an iPhone and iPod belonging to two teenagers who stand accused of murdering a couple.

6 ways to stop Facebook app from draining your iPhone battery

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If you're tired of the Facebook app draining your iPhone's battery, try these 6 easy tips!
If you're tired of the Facebook app draining your iPhone's battery, try these easy tips.
Photo: Ally Kazmucha/The App Factor

app-factor-logo-thumbnail Every day I hear at least one complaint about the Facebook app wreaking havoc on iPhone battery life. Unfortunately, this isn’t breaking news — it seems to re-surface, with a new level of severity, every couple of months. Not only does Facebook use tons of battery when left unchecked, it can also take up insane amounts of storage space on your iPhone.

This is exactly why I never let Facebook have permission to access … well, almost anything on my iPhone. Here are some tips that will help you stop the notorious Facebook iPhone battery drain.

New app keeps you motivated by turning chores into one big game [Reviews]

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motivaction - 4
Achi really likes when I'm productive.
Photo: MotivAction

Sometimes no matter how hard I try, I just can’t seem to get the motivation to do anything productive. I can make to-do lists and download productivity apps, but if the drive to complete my tasks isn’t there, I probably won’t get much done. A new app called MotivAction recognizes the real problem of lacking motivation and offers some guidance by combining a to-do app and motivational game in one.

Awesome upgrades for your iOS devices and Apple Watch [Deals]

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The world's smallest keyring cable for charging and data transfer.
The world's smallest keyring cable for charging and data transfer.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Getting the phone or the smart watch is always just the beginning. To make these devices an ideal fit with our lives, habits, or sense of style, there are plenty of peripherals available to bring our most intimate of technologies into closer alignment with our wants and needs. From low-profile charging to mobile mounts and new wristbands, we’ve found some great deals on surefire enhancements for the tech in your life. Take a look:

Amazon cracks down on bad USB-C cables that can kill your gadgets

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amazon-cracks-down-on-bad-usb-c-cables-that-can-kill-your-gadgets-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201511OnePlus-2-USB-C-jpg
Amazon makes buying USB-C cables safer.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android
Amazon makes buying USB-C cables safer. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android
Amazon makes buying USB-C cables safer. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android

Amazon has started cracking down on crappy USB-C cables that could damage your smart devices.

The retail giant now prohibits cables that do not comply with standard specifications laid out by USB Implementers Forum Inc. 

‘Whackadoodles’ offered to help FBI crack iPhone

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iPhone 5c by uveX encryption
The FBI has cracked the San Bernardino iPhone, and we're starting to learn how it happened.
Photo: uveX/Pixabay

Details are emerging about how exactly the FBI managed to get into San Bernardino shooter Syed Farook’s device without the so-called “govtOS” it had been demanding from Apple.

ABC News has spoken to unnamed sources who have outlined the process through which the government finally cracked the stubborn encryption on the iPhone 5c. And while their statements mostly just confirm what we’ve heard before, the story takes some interesting turns.

Check out ABC’s report below.

How to add Trello cards to Todoist automatically with IFTTT

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Cut a few steps out of project planning by letting IFTTT do the heavy lifting between Todoist and Trello!
Cut a few steps out of project planning by letting IFTTT do the heavy lifting between Todoist and Trello!
Photo: Ally Kazmucha/The App Factor

app-factor-logo-thumbnailAs you may have noticed over the last month or so, I’ve had a little bit of a fascination with workflow automation and iOS. While some of it is the aftermath of trying to go iPad-only, most of it is simply because I love using iOS to make managing tasks easier whenever possible.

Videos on Instagram just got four times longer

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Food photography
And you can throw in multiple clips, too.
Photo: Brigham Young University

Once an app only for photos, Instagram is now greatly extending its video capabilities. Coming soon, users will be able to share videos up to 60 seconds in length. Instagram started rolling out this change today and says more improvements to video are coming in a future update.

One such improvement Instagram says will arrive sooner rather than later is the reemergence of multi-clip video on iOS. This means that you’ll be able to import multiple video clips from your Photos library and stitch them together for a single Instagram video. It might sound familiar because Instagram actually used to have this feature… before taking it away.

Massive Snapchat revamp brings real voice and video calling

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Snapchat just got a major update.
Snapchat just got a major update.
Photo: Rob LeFabvre
Grab Snapchat 2.0 today! Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Android
Grab Snapchat 2.0 today! Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Android

The Snapchat revamp you’ve been reading so much about in recent months has landed.

Dubbed “Chat 2.0,” and available today on Android and iOS, it finally brings voice and video calling, improved Snapchat Stories, and 200 brand new stickers.

Invisible car mount binds your iPhone with science [Reviews]

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MagicMount Pro Vent
The MagicMount Pro is so convenient, you may not even miss that air.
Photo: Evan Killham/Cult of Mac

MagicMount Pro Vent

I’ve been looking for a new place to keep my phone while I was driving since I upgraded to the iPhone 6s and discovered that even though I’d slapped the slimmest of cases on it, it no longer fit into the cradle that sits in my car’s cup holder. And I don’t know if it’s the phone or the car that’s let me down here, but it’s become a bit of a problem if I want to keep the thing handy while I’m on the road.

The idea of sticking something permanently to my dashboard or phone has never appealed to me, and I also don’t like the idea of blocking part of my view with a suction-based phone mount. But luckily, the magnetic MagicMount Pro Vent exists, and that solves pretty much all of my problems. And if you’re super neurotic like me, you’ll probably want to check it out.

Relive the golden days of gaming with the SNES on your iPhone [Deals]

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SNES
It's like a classic Super Nintendo Entertainment System, only better.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

For those who grew up with it, the Super Nintendo Entertainment System represents all that’s right and good about gaming. The feel of that classic gray controller, with its signature purple push buttons, is enough to take anybody back to better days, and the SNES30 proves it.

A 1:1 replica design with brand new features like Bluetooth and USB connections, you can connect it with your favorite gaming platform, even mount your phone with an expandable clip mount. And right now you can get one for $34.95 at Cult of Mac Deals.

Apple TV update brings these awesome new tricks

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apple tv and siri remote
Grab the latest tvOS 11 update now.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

What’s new on your Apple TV? Quite a bit, if you’ve got the latest fourth-generation device and have updated it to tvOS 9.2.

There’s a new folders system for total organization, new support for Bluetooth keyboards, a podcasts app, a multitasking visual upgrade and a new default video-scrubbing behavior.

Check out all of the awesome new tricks you can do with the latest Apple TV update.

Nintendo’s first smartphone game hits the U.S. on March 31

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nintendos-first-smartphone-game-hits-the-u-s-on-march-31-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201602Miitomo-png
Miitomo is almost here!
Photo: Nintendo
Miitomo is almost here! Photo: Nintendo
Miitomo is almost here! Photo: Nintendo

The wait for Nintendo’s first smartphone game is almost over if you live in the U.S.

Miitomo, which racked up a whopping 1 million downloads in three days after making its debut in Japan a fortnight ago, will be available on Android and iOS on Thursday, March 31.

Apple says the FBI never had a case to begin with

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bump transfer
Apple thinks the FBI should never have brought a case against it in the first place.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

The Justice Department may have dropped its suit against Apple after successfully gaining access to the iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino shooters, but according to Apple the case should never have been brought to begin with.

In a statement, Apple doubles-down on its beliefs about the importance of user privacy. Check out the company’s words of wisdom below:

FBI cracks San Bernardino iPhone without Apple’s help

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That iPhone in your pocket is much more well-traveled than you are.
The FBI didn't need Apple's help after all.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The Department of Justice has removed all legal action against Apple after the FBI successfully hacked the San Bernardino terrorist’s iPhone without assistance from Cupertino.

Apple and the FBI have been fighting a very public legal battle over whether the government can force the iPhone-maker to create a backdoor into iOS. Apple CEO Tim Cook publicly defied a federal court order to deliberately weaken iOS security for millions of users, but it appears that the feds are backing down — at least for now.

7 hidden tips and tricks every iOS Mail user should know

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If you use the default iOS Mail app on a regular basis, here are 7 tips and tricks you definitely need to know!
If you use the default iOS Mail app on a regular basis, you definitely need to learn these tips and tricks.
Photo: Ally Kazmucha/The App Factor

app-factor-logo-thumbnail No matter how many email apps I try, I just keep coming back to the stock iOS Mail app. While some of the things I’ve come to love about the iPhone’s built-in Mail app are obvious, some are not — such as shortcuts or gestures that make using it even more intuitive. Here are a few favorite iOS Mail tips I think everyone should know.

Quick tip lets you take control of Apple TV video

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tvOS changes the default scrubbing behavior of your Siri Remote, and we couldn't be more glad.
tvOS changes the default scrubbing behavior of your Siri Remote, and we couldn't be more glad.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

There’s a new Apple TV update in town, and it adds a few obvious features, like Bluetooth keyboard support and Siri Dictation in search and user name/password fields.

tvOS 9.2 also has some less-obvious improvements, though. For instance, it’s easy to locate the exact spot you want to find in any video. Here’s how to scrub through video on Apple TV with your Siri Remote in tvOS 9.2.

Kickstart this smart streaming Wi-Fi speaker [Reviews]

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GGMM E3
Stream your favorite playlists with the E3.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

These days, very few of us actually purchase individual albums or singles, thanks to the growing popularity of subscription-based services such as Apple Music and Spotify. Playing these streaming services through Bluetooth speakers is just as easy as playing them from your iPhone. But what if you want to play your favorite Spotify playlists without having your phone glued to you?

Introducing the GGMM E3 Wi-Fi Smart Cloud speaker. I admit, I’d never heard of GGMM either. Launching on Kickstarter last week, the E3 boasts a ton of features to earn the “smart” title, including cloud music play, favorites, multiroom play and much more.

Check out the video after the jump to see it in action.

iOS 9.3 bug turns links into iPhone crash bombs

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Safari is constantly crashing for some iOS 9.3 users.
Safari is constantly crashing for some iOS 9.3 users.
Photo: Apple

Update: Apple has released iOS 9.3.1 to fix the iPhone web links problem.

If you have an iPhone running iOS 9.3, whatever you do, do not install the Booking.com app.

iPhone users are reporting that an iOS 9.3 bug, possibly related to the Booking.com app, causes some apps to freeze and crash when tapping on links — and it’s not entirely clear what’s causing it.

A one-two punch of data cleanup and backup [Deals]

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iMyfone Umate makes maximum use of the precious data space on your iOS device.
iMyfone Umate makes maximum use of the precious data space on your iOS device.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

The small profile of the iPhone, iPad and iPod holds a ton of data, and it can get cramped in there. iMyfone makes a pair of products that are unparalleled in their ability to dig deep into the confines of iOS devices, clean out needless data, organize what’s there, and protect what you need to keep. Right now both are going for a fraction of the usual price, take a look:

iPhone 7s Plus may get curved glass body

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Does iPhone really need to get bigger?
While the iPhone 7 might look much like current models, Apple reportedly is planning a big change for 2017.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The iPhone may finally ditch its metal casing in 2017 in favor of a new curved glass body similar to the one on Samsung’s Galaxy S7 edge.

Apple’s next big redesign of the iPhone is slated for next year, reports KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who claims in his latest note to investors that Apple will pair the new case design with a 5.8-inch AMOLED display.

Pomodoro Time Pro, Forecast Bar, and other awesome apps of the week

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awesome-apps
'Appy weekend everyone!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

With the new iPhone SE and 9.7-inch iPad Pro announced, it was a big week for Apple. But it’s also been a good seven days for developers, with a slew of super-awesome apps arriving in the App Store for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple TV.

Whether you’re looking for a great productivity tool for staying on top of task management, a fantastic port of an arcade classic, or the best weather app for Apple TV, check out our “app of the week” picks below.

What better way to spend your Sunday?

Digital pros need to know Microsoft Office, so get familiar [Deals]

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Microsoft Office Specialist Certification Training

Word, Excel, Outlook, the many faces of Microsoft Office are familiar to anyone who works in a professional office. But being fluent is what counts when you want to get the gig, and this bundle of course will make sure you get there quickly. These lessons will also prep you for the certification exams that will prove your chops, and right now you can get them for just $29 at Cult of Mac Deals.