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How I finally got serious about my photography [Reviews]

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Get serious with a Lightroom crash course that won't take too much of your time.
Get serious with a Lightroom crash course that won't take too much of your time.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Even if the “teacher” is a college kid with bad diction, the one-hour Lightroom Basics course that I just took is pretty darn fantastic.

I have to take a lot of photos here at Cult of Mac, especially for reviews. Every gadget and gewgaw I review gets a big, bold photo at the top to best show off its features.

Because of this, I’ve been hoping to get serious about my photography for a while now. The first step was to sign up for one of these amazing, useful courses.

6 apps to streamline and protect your Mac [Deals]

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The Ultimate Mac Shield Bundle
The Ultimate Mac Shield Bundle will protect your precious computer.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

These six apps will protect your Mac and improve your productivity while using it. From cleaning out cookies and anonymizing your computer’s identification number, to hiding private files and gathering email addresses from any text document, there’s something in here to improve anybody’s workflow and sense of security. Right now the whole bundle is just $29.99.

Here’s a look at what’s included:

Siri-ously? Apple’s virtual assistant finally coming to Mac

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Siri
Your Mac is about to get a new virtual assistant.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Siri spread from the iPhone to the Apple Watch and Apple TV in 2015, but this may finally be the year Apple’s virtual assistant lands on Mac.

Apple is planning to make Siri this year’s big OS X feature, according to a new report that claims Siri integration into OS X 10.12 will be unveiled at the Worldwide Developers Conference in June.

Xiaomi shames iPhone by showing off new image stabilization tech

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xiaomi-shames-iphone-to-show-off-new-image-stabilization-tech-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201602Xiaomi-Mi-5-white-back-jpg
Mi 5’s new camera is a-Mi-zing.
Photo: Xiaomi
Xiaomi-Mi-5-white-back
Mi 5’s new camera is a-Mi-zing. Photo: Xiaomi

Xiaomi’s brand new Mi 5 handset boasts a revolutionary new image stabilization technology, and there’s no better way to showcase that than by shaming the iPhone.

In the video below, Xiaomi pits the Mi 5 against the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus in an optical image stabilization test — and makes them look downright disappointing.

This simple command will keep your Mac apps bleeding-edge

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You're a Terminal command away from keeping your Mac updated more frequently.
You're a Terminal command away from keeping your Mac updated more frequently.
Photo: Lifehacker

Here’s a surprising fact: By default, OS X only checks for software updates once a week. That’s shockingly infrequent, considering the fact that iOS and Windows both check for critical updates every day.

If you’d like your Mac to keep more on top of things, there’s an easy way to tell it to check for software updates more frequently.

Steve Jobs’ legacy lives on thanks to Apple fans’ tattoos

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A kind of love that goes skin-deep.
A kind of love that goes skin-deep.
Photo: greezer.ch/Flickr CC

Steve Jobs had a way of getting under people’s skin. Still does, if you consider the growing number of Apple fans who have had his iconic face or some other Jobs tribute tattooed onto their skin.

Today we celebrate what would have been the Apple co-founder’s 61st birthday by looking at body art inspired by the pioneer of personal computing.

Ultra-widescreen iPhone could be the best, craziest concept ever

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Screen-Shot-2016-02-24-at-10.01.45-1024x514
Oh, you were happy with a 5.5-inch iPhone were you? Cute.
Photo: Sonitac

Unless your name is Timothy Donald Cook, or you could get away with calling him T.C. to his face, chances are you don’t know exactly what Apple’s got planned for its next-gen iPhone 7.

Apple probably doesn’t have the idea of a “widescreen” iPhone 7 — complete with magically expanding display — in mind, but as wacky concept videos go, a new video from designers Sonitac is not only beautifully put together, but genuinely something I’ve not seen before.

Check it out below.

How to track App Store sales and iTunes price drops

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CheapCharts allows you to monitor price changes not only for App Store sales, but iTunes content as well.
CheapCharts allows you to monitor price changes not only for App Store sales, but iTunes content as well.
Photo: Ally Kazmucha/The App Factor

app-factor-logo-thumbnailWhile I don’t ever mind paying for amazing apps by great developers, who doesn’t like App Store sales — or even better, sales on iTunes movies and music? A few months ago I stumbled on an app called CheapCharts and I’ve been using it ever since to monitor App Store sales on apps I want to keep an eye on.

iPhone’s perfect ports don’t make up for all the missing features

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Galaxy S7 is pretty, powerful, and packing huge improvements.
Give me a Galaxy S7 over an iPhone 6s... please!
Photo: Samsung
Give me a Galaxy S7 over an iPhone 6s... please!. Photo: Samsung
Give me a Galaxy S7 over an iPhone 6s… please! Photo: Samsung

Samsung is under fire again from iPhone fans for its apparent lack of attention to detail when designing the new Galaxy S7 and S7 edge. Apparently, the fact that the ports don’t line up on the bottom of these devices automatically means they’re not as good as Apple’s.

But it’s total rubbish.

Streamline your Instagram filters to work smarter, not harder

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Work smarter, not harder, with Instagram.
Work smarter, not harder, with Instagram.
Photo: Redd Angelo/Unsplash

Instagram power users are all about the filters, typically choosing a few favorites that they use more often than others.

Instead of swiping back and forth along the filters row, why not reorder them to put the ones you use most often up front? Better yet, how about deleting the ones you don’t use ever to streamline your entire filter experience?

Here’s how.

iPhone case adds bulk but keeps credit cards on lockdown [Reviews]

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The UAG Trooper It features a rugged design with reinforced corners for extra drop protection.
The UAG Trooper It features a rugged design with reinforced corners for extra drop protection.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

As a victim of a poorly-made iPhone wallet case that lost my ID and credit card, I’m always wary when I try a new one. I like carrying my valuables with my iPhone so I don’t need a secondary wallet, but I really like hanging onto my stuff even more.

The Urban Armor Gear Trooper case takes great pains to secure three to four plastic cards (and a bit of cash) in its roomy interior and provides a locking door that acts like a mini safe — nothing’s gonna fall out of this wallet case.

A dual flash drive perfect for transferring data between iOS devices [Deals]

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iKlips makes it easy to store and transfer data for any iOS device.
iKlips makes it easy to store and transfer data for any iOS device.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

The iKlips might be the easiest and fastest data storage and transfer option for iOS devices. At 32 gigs, it’s got a USB on one end and a Lightning on the other, making it easy to access your music, photos, documents, and more at a moment’s notice. Right now a 32 gig iKlips drive is just $65.

Beloved iPod shuffle is reborn for the Spotify era

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Mighty Clipped and plugged in
The new Mighty wants to bring Spotify to those with an active lifestyle.
Photo: Mighty Audio

Today, the iPod shuffle you’ve been hoping for is getting a shot at life — no thanks to Apple. Mighty Audio is launching its Kickstarter campaign for the new Mighty streaming music player, a small clip-on device that can stream Spotify wherever you go without having to use your smartphone. A portable, affordable music player with streaming capabilities? Yes please.

Everything that’s new in iOS 9.3 beta 4

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iOS 9.3 Beta 4

Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

iOS 9.3 inched one step closer to its public launch yesterday with the developer release of beta 4, which brings a handful of new features to iPhones and iPads along with a couple of bug fixes.

iOS 9.3 beta 4 doesn’t contain any huge new features or a graphics overhaul, but it polishes up what is already a solid operating system. In today’s video, Cult of Mac will show you all the best new features iOS 9.3 beta 4 has to offer in under two minutes.

Check it out:

Pro-Apple privacy protests are planned for 50 cities around the U.S. today

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Encryption protest San Francisco
Protests will take place at 5.30pm today.
Photo: Evan Killham/Cult of Mac (via Apple and protestsign.org)

Grassroots protests against the government’s attempts to hack the iPhone are set to take place today in nearly 50 cities around the United States, beginning at 5.30pm local time.

“FBI Director [James] Comey has been repeatedly asking the White House and Congress for a backdoor to encrypted phones for the past year,” privacy advocates Fight for the Future representative Holmes Wilson tells Cult of Mac. “If he says he doesn’t want this kind of access going forward, he’s just lying, and you can see it in the public record.”

According to Wilson, this is why this story is such a big deal — and what Cult of Mac readers can do to get involved:

No precedent, eh? Justice Department wants Apple to unlock 12 more iPhones

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iPhone 6s
Did anyone seriously believe this wasn't going to happen?
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

FBI director James Comey and his supporters suggest that making Apple break its iPhone encryption for the San Bernardino shooter case would be a one-off event, and not the start of a slippery slope into unwanted surveillance.

Well, it seems that someone needs to tell the Department of Justice that, because the D.O.J. is reportedly salivating at the thought of being able to hack iPhones for criminal investigations — with court orders being filed for Apple to help extract iPhone data in a further dozen cases around the U.S.

Bill Gates insists Apple should help the FBI unlock iPhone

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Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, rivals and friends.
On this occasion, it's Bill Gates who is thinking different.
Photo: AllThingsD

We’re decades removed from Bill Gates’ vicious battle against Steve Jobs, but Gates isn’t quite as ready as some of his contemporaries to side with Apple concerning one of tech’s biggest stories of 2016.

In a new interview, Gates defies Silicon Valley consensus, arguing that Apple should create an FBI backdoor for the iPhone — and siding with FBI director James Comey by suggesting that this wouldn’t, in fact, set a dangerous precedent for the possibility of future snooping.

Best iPhone and iPad apps for project managers [Reviews]

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6 apps every project manager should have installed on their iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
6 apps every project manager should have installed on their iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
Photo: Allyson Kazmucha/The App Factor

app-factor-logo-thumbnailProject management can get overwhelming quickly, especially if you’re juggling multiple initiatives and deadlines at once. From keeping your team on track to ensuring there is good communication and planning between you and your client, there are tons of project management apps available in the App Store to help you tackle even the most challenging of tasks.

I’ve been using my iPhone and iPad to help me manage teams and keep projects moving for the better part of five years now. While my workflow constantly changes as tools and apps become better and better, here are my favorite project management apps that I just couldn’t do without.

How to clear your pervy Instagram searches

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Get rid of any incriminating evidence.
Get rid of any incriminating evidence.
Photo: Jaelynn Castillo/Unsplash

We’re not saying that you search for inappropriate stuff on Instagram or anything, but if for some reason you’d like to clear your search history in the photo sharing app, you can.

You can’t view your search history directly, but it does inform your new searches, making it “easier for you to find your favorite people and hashtags again quickly,” according to Instagram.

So, if you don’t want certain (ahem) searches to show up when you’re looking for new things, here’s how to clear your Instagram searches.

Customize your MacBook with precision skins [Reviews]

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Precision-fitted skins from dbrand let you put a personal wrap on your electronic devices.
Precision-fitted skins from dbrand let you put a personal wrap on your electronic devices.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Best List: MacBook Pro Skin by dbrand

The time I spend hacking away on my laptop at coffee shops, hotel lobbies and conference room floors I inevitably spot another MacBook user with a cooler-looking laptop than mine, filling me with envy.

Well, dbrand has the goods to make the other coffee shop patrons jealous.

Steve Campus? Apple working with Jobs’ family on special tribute

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Apple Campus 2 Rendered
The Steve Jobs Campus, anyone?
Photo: Apple

According to Tim Cook, Apple is working alongside Steve Jobs’ family to come up with an idea for the “right way” to pay tribute to him with Apple’s upcoming “spaceship campus.”

In an interview with Fortune, Cook confirmed that, “We will definitely honor [Steve] in the right kind of way,” with the new campus — whose opening has reportedly been delayed from 2016 until early 2017.

To find what’s slowing down your Mac, you have to dive deep [Deals]

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Go deep into the inner workings of your computer to keep it running at top performance.
Go deep into the inner workings of your computer to keep it running at top performance.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Our computers are thinner than ever, but also deeper, meaning getting to the bottom of a problem takes expertise or just the right tool. TechTool Pro 8 goes beyond basic diagnostics to plumb your system’s inner workings, even testing the motherboard, to keep your Mac running at peak performance. Whether you’re using one computer or several, this is a tune-up kit worth getting. And right now you can get a copy of TechTool Pro 8 for just $39.99.

Tim Cook doubles down on Apple’s battle against FBI backdoor

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Tim Cook
Tim Cook isn't backing down from a fight.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Tim Cook sent out an email to all Apple employees this morning, thanking them for their support and outlining the reasons why the FBI’s court order needs to be dropped.

“This case is about much more than a single phone or a single investigation, so when we received the government’s order we knew we had to speak out,” Cook wrote. “At stake is the data security of hundreds of millions of law-abiding people, and setting a dangerous precedent that threatens everyone’s civil liberties.”

FBI: iPhone backdoor would not set dangerous precedent, we promise

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RV-AM562_NESS_GR_20140117124953
Apple's muckin' with a G here, pal!
Photo: Paramount Pictures

The director of the FBI has written an impassioned open letter to Apple, asking it to go along with the recent court order to unlock the iPhone at the center of the San Bernardino shooting investigation.

James Comey writes that the FBI, “isn’t about trying to set a precedent or send any kind of message. It is about the victims and justice.”

Check out the rest of his open letter below:

Samsung steals iPhone’s Upgrade Program for Galaxy S7

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samsung-steals-iphones-upgrade-program-for-galaxy-s7-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads2016024_vr-homepage-desktop-size-a-letterbox-v1-jpg
Apple doesn’t charge you interest, but Samsung does.
Photo: Samsung
Apple doesn't charge you interest, but Samsung does. Photo: Samsung
Apple doesn’t charge you interest, but Samsung does. Photo: Samsung

Samsung has launched its own Upgrade Program alongside the Galaxy S7 and Galaxy S7 edge to make it easier for fans to get their hands on its latest devices.

It comes in response to Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program, but it’s nowhere near as good.