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Home security kit will keep you safe (but not your wallet)

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MyFox's wireless home security hardware works well but will cost you a pretty penny.
MyFox's wireless home security hardware works well but will cost you a pretty penny.
Photo: Stephen Smith/Cult of Mac

A few years ago, home security systems were a luxury for the rich and famous (or at least the well-off). They could be super-expensive, clunky, and usually had to be installed by a team of security specialists.

But times are changing. As the market becomes flooded with smart home-security systems, they get better and better. A great example: wireless security systems by MyFox.

Twist this giant knob to make your music sound better

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Twist the night away with this headphone amp's gigantic dial.
Twist the night away with this headphone amp's gigantic dial.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Best List: The Element headphone amplifier by JDS Labs

“Take the conn, Jimmy.”

“Aye aye, Captain.”

Every single time I lay my hands on The Element’s giant, super-precise dial of sonic control, that Star Trek scene rolls through my head. Which is a little weird for me, since Captain Kirk and I have the same name, but I overlook this small snag as I dial in the perfect volume on my JDS Labs headphone amplifier.

Chrome update gives iOS users a speed boost

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Chrome for iOS  just got faster.
Chrome for iOS just got faster.
Photo: Google

Good news for iOS users who prefer Chrome: Google’s browser is now as fast as mobile Safari.

Chrome has switched to the WKWebView engine, which first became a feature in 2014 with iOS 8, allowing third-party browsers access to the same rendering engine as Safari.

Teach your old Mac a new set of tricks [Deals]

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Pay what you want to get 8 productiviy-boosting apps for your Mac.
Pay what you want to get 8 productiviy-boosting apps for your Mac.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

You love your Mac, but you can always make it even more lovely. These eight apps will boost your favorite computer’s safety and your productivity across a wide swath of uses, from data recovery to Android management to unlocking PDFs and beyond. The best part, you can pay whatever you want for the whole thing, and a portion of every dollar you drop will go towards the important work of Save the Children.

Samsung to copy iPhone Upgrade Program to stop switchers

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samsung-to-copy-iphone-upgrade-program-to-stop-switchers-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201511Galaxy-S6-cam-jpg
Samsung doesn't want you to commit to Apple. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android
Samsung doesn’t want you to commit to Apple. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android

Samsung is reportedly planning to launch its own upgrade program to give Galaxy smartphone fans an easy and more affordable route to its latest devices.

The move would be a direct response to Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program, and could prevent long-time users from making the switch to iOS.

Apple may release special iPhone 7 Plus aimed at pro photographers

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You've got the (force) touch! Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
Apple could release four different iPhone variants this year.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Ever since it unveiled the iPhone 5s and 5c in 2013, Apple has split its iPhone launch lineup in two each year. According to well-connected KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, however, Apple may further subdivide its iPhones — with not one but two iPhone 7 Plus variants set to arrive this September.

In a Wednesday note to investors, Kuo claims that Apple will launch one 5.5-inch handset with the regular iSight camera, while a second, rarer version will sport a dual-camera design for higher-definition images.

Apple Watch beats Rolex in luxury brands ranking

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Not everybody who bought the Apple Watch is wearing it.
The Apple Watch was the only smartwatch which made the list.
Photo: Apple

The Apple Watch has displaced Rolex on a list of luxury global brands, as measured by analytics firm NetBase, measuring social media mentions and consumer sentiment from more than 700 million posts between 2014 and 2015.

The Apple Watch took the no. 1 place in the list’s “watches” category — made all the more impressive by the fact that it was the only smartwatch featured. Other watchmakers it outranked included Tag Heuer, Richemont, Curren and Patek Phillippe.

Nifty app uses Morse code to send Apple Watch messages

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IMG_0004
Who would've thought a dot and a dash could solve all your messaging problems?
Photo: Patryk Laurent

Although there are ways of messaging people with the Apple Watch — either with Siri dictation, or using pre-written responses and emojis — as far as I know, no-one has yet come up with the perfect method for typing and sending messages from the device itself, without needing to whip out your iPhone to help do so.

That’s exactly the problem Patryk Laurent, cognitive scientist working at the Brain Corporation in San Diego — and an avid Apple Watch fan — has set out out to solve. His solution is a nifty homemade app, which allows users to input their messages using Morse code.

Yes, it’s every bit as geeky and awesome as it sounds.

Siri drops fat beats in awesome musical collaborations

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Siri
"Hey, Siri? Let's spit hot fire."
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Siri’s latest trick has it setting the tempo for the Internet’s beatboxing magic.

Apple’s digital assistant may not be the best beatboxer on its own, but it can provide the backdrop for some more talented people. And those people have found a way to get Siri to lay it down so that they can spit hot fire and record it for our entertainment.

All it takes is a little math.

The 5 biggest takeaways from Apple’s biggest quarter ever

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It's a veritable tornado of cash!
It's a veritable tornado of cash!
Photo: PublicDomainPictures/Pixabay

Apple reported record revenue during its earnings call Tuesday, but Tim Cook almost sounded like he was channeling Game of Thrones characters. He didn’t actually say “winter is coming,” but he might as well have.

Revenue is high for now, but iPhone sales are slowing down, the iPad continues to underperform and — most troublesome of all — the global economy will continue to play havoc with Apple’s bottom line.

Still, Cook and Co. remain optimistic about Apple’s ability to continue its world-beating performance. Here are five of the biggest takeaways we got from Apple’s Q1 2016 earnings call today with Cook and Apple CFO Luca Maestri.

Liveblog: Apple’s make-or-break earnings call

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LOVELOUD
Apple CEO Tim Cook will introduce the band Imagine Dragons Satuday at the LOVELOUD Festival in Utah.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

The stakes couldn’t be higher today for Apple’s first earnings report of 2016.

Depending on how well Apple’s holiday season went, the company could set new records for the most profits in a quarter by any company ever as well as total number of iPhones sold in any quarter.

Posting weed on Instagram could land you in jail

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legal-marijuana-weed-pot
Only blaze up if you want to pay up.
Photo: Brett Levin/Flickr CC

If you like blazing up every now and then, make sure you don’t post it on Instagram. Since marijuana use is still federally recognized as illegal in the United States, posting a picture with that Mary Jane could mean you wind up with a serious fine or even some significant jail time.

Social media strategist Shannon Self says that an Instagram post with someone smoking marijuana is punishable by a fine of up to $150,000 or 18 months of jail time. That’s especially true in many states that still have laws in place banning marijuana either medically or recreationally.

Secure your Notes with password protection in iOS 9.3

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Keep your private info just that: private.
Keep your private info just that: private.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

iOS 9.3 has a new feature that allows you to protect your sensitive Notes with a password or with Touch ID. It’s a great way to keep stuff like security codes or medical information safe on your iPhone.

It’s kind of a weird process, though, so you might miss it at first glance.

Here’s how to keep your private notes secure with the latest version of iOS 9.

Best video editing apps for iPhone and iPad

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You don't need a Mac to create professional-looking video. With these great apps, an iPhone or iPad will do just fine.
You don't need a Mac to create professional-looking video. With these great apps, an iPhone or iPad will do just fine.
Photo: Ally Kazmucha/The App Factor

app-factor-logo-thumbnail Long gone are the days where video editing has to take hours and involve your Mac. Thanks to the iPhone and iPad, I’ve put together some awesome, professional-looking video. Depending on what your needs are, and how much control you want over the process, these are currently the best video editing apps I’ve found for iPhone and iPad.

App Store hits record $3.3 billion in quarterly revenue

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You'll be able to disable all notifications for Live Video on Facebook soon.
Facebook had a pretty good few months in the App Store.
Photo: Thomas Ulrich/Pixabay

Whatever else we hear from Apple’s earnings call later today, we know that its App Store game is strong.

The virtual store that provides all of your favorite fart apps raked in a Scrooge McDuck-esque pile of coin with a record-setting $3.3 billion in revenue and 5.5 billion downloads during the last three months of 2015.

Apple wasn’t the only company that finished the year strong, though; Facebook also pulled in some impressive numbers.

Apple Store employee restores faith in humanity with simple act

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Sometimes, people get it right.
Sometimes people get it right.
Photo: LynnMarie Rink

When LynnMarie Rink and her son, James, got to the Nashville Apple Store to replace his broken iPad last week, they weren’t expecting anything unusual. Of course, for James and his mom, atypical is their way of life.

James has Down syndrome and autism, and uses his iPad to communicate. When he got to the Apple Store last Thursday, he got excited at something out in the mall and ran out of the store at top speed. Unfortunately, there was a big glass wall instead of a door in front of him, and he ran into it face first, causing a little scene with tears and a fat lip.

It was just then that an Apple Store employee came up and offered to help them get their new iPad — and did something amazingly gracious.

These high-tech ski gloves will keep your fingers cozy

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With the Lithic ski gloves from Arc'teryx, there's no need to sacrifice dexterity for warmth.
With the Lithic ski gloves from Arc'teryx, there's no need to sacrifice dexterity for warmth.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Best List: Lithic ski gloves by Arc’teryx

It is hard to write an unbiased review about some of the greatest ski gloves I have ever pulled on.

The Arc’teryx Lithic gloves skip leather in the palm and instead use thermoplastic polyurethane, or TPU. Its hydrophobic properties keep the gloves from taking on moisture, which in turn keeps your hands from getting cold.

Conquering the iOS frontier takes skills, get ‘em here [Deals]

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Get hands-on practice with the inner workings of iOS 9 by building 10 working apps.
Get hands-on practice with the inner workings of iOS 9 by building 10 working apps.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

iOS 9 is a wide open landscape for building profitable apps and services, but you can’t set out to do so unless you know where you’re going and what you’re doing. This course from Makers Cabin teaches the skills you’ll need to build beautiful things on Apple devices, taking you through hands-on examples by building 10 apps. It’s invaluable, tangible experience that’ll give you the confidence to see your own development ideas come to life, and right now you can get access for just $39.

Twitter doesn’t force ads upon ‘VIP’ users

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twitter-doesnt-force-ads-upon-vip-users-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201601promoted-tweet-jpg
I'm not famous enough to lose promoted tweets.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android

Our Twitter timelines have become swamped with ads and sponsored tweets, but if you’re famous enough, you don’t have to see them.

To provide its “VIP” users with a greater experience, and to prevent them from wandering to rival services, Twitter has all but stopped injecting ads into their timelines.

Why you should use Night Shift mode in iOS 9.3

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iOS 9.3 Night Shift
Night Shift mode is a must in iOS 9.3.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

iOS 9.3 might not look like much of an upgrade, but there’s one feature you should definitely be excited about. It’s called Night Shift, and it makes using your iPhone or iPad before bed more comfortable, more enjoyable and healthier by banishing blue light.

Here’s why you should use it once iOS 9.3 becomes available.

Apple’s not predicting a big sales bump for Apple Watch 2

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Apple Watch 2 may not be the big seller some are predicting.
Photo: Eric Heisuman

The Apple Watch 2 is expected to be a notable improvement on the original, but according to a new report Apple’s not expecting to see a big sales bump for the next-gen device.

In fact, Apple’s weaker-than-expected predicted numbers are a major reason why it opted to stick with Quanta Computer for production, rather than shifting manufacturing over to Foxconn, which builds the (much) higher volume iPhone.

Best manual camera apps for iPhone

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iphone-sunset-unsplash-photo-750x500
For when the stock Camera app just doesn't cut it.
Photo: Unsplash.com

app-factor-logo-thumbnail Manual camera apps for iPhone offer better control over settings like exposure, focus, ISO and shutter speed. If you’ve ever shot photos in an environment where the light wasn’t ideal or had a rough time balancing shadows and light, you would benefit from a manual camera app.

While these kinds of apps aren’t always necessary, a great one is a good tool to have in your app arsenal. These are currently the best manual camera apps for iPhone.

‘Leaked’ schematic reveals changes coming to iPad Air 3

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iPad Air 3 will pick up some tricks from the iPad Pro.
iPad Air 3 will pick up some tricks from the iPad Pro.
Photo: Apple

The upcoming iPad Air 3 might look a lot like the new iPad Pro, only a bit smaller, according to a purported new leak.

The update to the Air line could be coming down the pipeline as soon as March, and it appears that the refreshed tablet could come with four-speaker audio.

Why Apple’s earnings call might be a shocker

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Apple raked in the cash last quarter.
Apple raked in the cash last quarter.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Apple is set to reveal how much money it made over the 2015 holiday shopping season, and per usual, it’s expected to be a record-breaker.

Tim Cook and Luca Maestri will dive into all the details of Apple’s Q1 2016 earnings report tomorrow at 2 p.m. Pacific but there’s really only one number Wall Street really wants to know: total iPhones sales. Even though Apple may record its highest earnings ever, some analysts are predicting that iPhone sales may have declined for the first time, which could send Apple’s stock price sinking.

Here are six things to watch for during Apple’s Q1 2016 earnings call: