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How to try Ubuntu Linux without risking your Mac

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Ubuntu running on my Macbook Pro -- beautiful.
Ubuntu running on my Macbook Pro -- beautiful.
Photo: Rob LeFebvre/Cult of Mac

Have you ever wanted to try out a different operating system on your Mac? Ever since Apple started using Intel chips in their computers, it’s been super simple to run Windows and even popular Linux distributions via Boot Camp, virtual environments like Parallels and VMWare Fusion, and the like.

The problem is that you need to use up precious system resources to run these things on your Mac. Even virtual machines take up disk space, as does running Boot Camp and partitioning your main Hard drive. What if you just want to test something out on your Mac before fully committing?

Turns out it’s fairly easy to run Linux on your Mac without using up any bit of your hard drive. Using a flash drive and some Terminal commands, you can check out a distribution like Ubuntu running right on your Mac without having to sacrifice a thing. Here’s how.

Powerful portable battery pack charges in 18 minutes flat

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That's some fast charging.
That's some fast charging.
Photo: Simpiz

Cult of Mac CES 2016 full coverage LAS VEGAS — The makers of a powerful new battery pack called the iTron claim it can be fully charged to 9,000 mAh in an astonishing 18 minutes. Even better, in just three short minutes, it slurps up enough power to recharge an iPhone 6.

To make the package even more enticing, the quick-juicing battery pack charges on a dock that offers three USB ports, so it can become a full-blown charging station for multiple devices.

Cool connected footballs, distributed speaker systems, Bluetooth routers and more at CES

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Wilson connected football

Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac

Cult of Mac CES 2016 full coverageLAS VEGAS — Who says everything at CES is rubbish?

Well, yeah, there’s a lot crap, but that’s why we’re here — to rummage through the rubbish and find the best stuff.

And we found plenty: smart footballs and running shorts that improve your game and gait; a coffee mug that instantly cools coffee that’s too hot; and a speaker system that uses all the iPhones in a room to create a distributed, shared sound system that sounds better than you’d imagine.

Check it out:

What glitchy software should Apple fix first?

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ipadiphonemacbook

Photo: Apple

Walt Mossberg has had his say on what Apple needs to fix most: its software.

Now it’s your turn to weigh in with your own opinion–which specific software should Apple fix? We’ve created two polls for you to express your opinion, one for OS X on the Mac and one for iOS on the iPhone and iPad.

Is Apple Mail giving you fits on your Mac? Does Photos on your iPad not fill you with joy? Let us know in the polls below.

If we missed the software you think should be in Apple’s sights for fixing, let us know in the comments.

Gogoro electric scooter could roll into U.S. faster than expected

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After turning heads at CES last year, the Gogoro electric scooter is rolling out new plans for world domination.
After turning heads at CES last year, the Gogoro electric scooter is rolling out new plans for world domination.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Cult of Mac CES 2016 full coverage LAS VEGAS — The makers of Gogoro, the electric smart scooter that wowed CES last year, have two unassuming tools for gaining traction beyond their launch city of Taipei.

The first is a charger for their 20-pound battery packs; the second is a website that lets wannabe owners nominate their hometowns to become Gogoro hubs.

Take one simple step to keep your iPhone clutter-free [Deals]

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Easily clear out your iPhone's hidden files to release gigs of needlessly wasted storage.
Easily clear out your iPhone's hidden files to release gigs of needlessly wasted storage.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Behind your iPhone’s sleek exterior is a messy interior life, the electronic equivalent of beer can pyramids and old pizza boxes. iMyfone is there to clean up your iPhone’s (or iPad’s or iPod’s) act, cleaning out your device’s digital junk drawers and freeing up space that shouldn’t have been taken up to begin with. It’s a surefire way to kick your mobile’s hoarding habit for $15.99.

Walt Mossberg: Apple should fix its software in 2016

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walt-mossberg-steve-jobs
Walt Mossberg speaking with Steve Jobs back in the day.
Photo: Joi Ito/Flickr CC

Walt Mossberg was Steve Jobs’ favorite critic, and has long been one of the most respected Apple analysts out there — with some people even arguing that he can be too forgiving when it comes to Cupertino’s mistakes.

But in a new article about what tech companies should do to improve in 2016, Mossberg has no problem taking aim at something a lot of people view as Apple’s big weakness right now: its software.

Customers spend record $1.1 billion in the App Store over Christmas

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App Store icon
The App Store was a massive success over the holiday season.
Photo: PhotoAtelier/Flickr CC

Apple had a record-breaking holiday season for the App Store, with customers spending over $1.1 billion on apps and in-app purchases in the two weeks culminating on January 3.

The first day of 2016 alone accounted for more than $144 million — smashing the previous one-day record, which was set just one week earlier on Christmas day.

Sony’s elegant glass speaker shines fresh light on portable audio

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Sony's Glass Sound Speaker shines a new light on portable audio.
Sony's Glass Sound Speaker shines a new light on portable audio.
Photo: Lewis Wallace/Cult of Mac

Cult of Mac CES 2016 full coverage LAS VEGAS — For all Sony’s talk about high-definition audio and video during its CES press conference, the company’s most intriguing new product is a weird glass speaker with LED lights that looks something like a tubular hurricane lamp.

Called the Glass Sound Speaker, it’s a refreshing twist on the ordinary Bluetooth speaker that is certain to add a unique ambiance to any room. I’m not sure how it sounds, but its soothing, candle-like glow practically screams sophistication.

CloudMagic, the best mail client on mobile, comes to Mac

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CloudMagic is now available on your desktop.
CloudMagic is now available on your desktop.
Photo: CloudMagic

For managing multiple mail accounts on the go, nothing beats the brilliant CloudMagic. It packs everything you need in an email app — and a whole lot more — and supports almost every mail service you can throw at it. And now it’s finally available on your Mac!

Evil alarm clock tricks you out of bed with food smells

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Sensorwake
Wake up and smell the ... whatever.
Photo: Sensorwake

Cult of Mac CES 2016 full coverage LAS VEGAS — There was a whole lot of sniffing going on at the Sensorwake booth here at CES Unveiled. The first olfactory alarm clock promises a kinder, gentler start to mornings, using scents instead of noise to wake up sleepyheads.

The quirky gadget couldn’t be any simpler: Set the alarm and wake up to one of six dry-air infused cartridges. Sensorwake is similar to a Glade Plugin but with cooler scents. It’s made by a French company, so it pumps out crazy European aromas.

‘Music brain’ queues up perfect tracks to get you laid

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The Prizm smart music player thinks it knows what you want to hear, no matter what you're doing.
The Prizm smart music player thinks it knows what you want to hear, no matter what you're doing.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Cult of Mac CES 2016 full coverage Music can set the mood for everything and the Prizm, a new music player described as “the music brain,” is hoping to reinvent the way we listen to music.

It listens to sounds in the room you’re in and identifies who’s in the room, then selects the perfect track for the situation. Lots of people making noise late at night? Prizm thinks it’s party time and plays techno music. Nothing but heavy breathing or kissing sounds? It’s time for some Barry White.

Twitter abandons microblogging with new 10,000-character limit

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twitter-extra-characters-10000
Get ready for a future in which you can tweet the entire Declaration of Independence.
Photo: Jennie/Flickr CC

Say goodbye to the 140-character limit that made Twitter famous and say hello to something much longer. According to a report, Twitter is getting ready to launch a new feature that will let users include as many as 10,000 characters in one tweet — 9,860 more than before.

Faraday Future is taking on Apple Car with a Batmobile

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Faraday Future's concept car looks like a batmobile.
Faraday's FFZero1 is out of this world.
Photo: Faraday

Cult of Mac CES 2016 full coverage No, that car you see above is not a real Batmobile — but it is just as exciting. Built by Faraday Future, the FFZero1 is a concept smart car that’s back from the future, with a 1,000-horsepower electric engine that goes from zero to 60mph in under three seconds.

This weird-looking headband uses lasers to fight balding

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The Laserband 82 uses lasers to regrow your mane.
The Laserband 82 uses lasers to regrow your mane.
Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac

Cult of Mac CES 2016 full coverage LAS VEGAS — Can you use lasers to regrow hair?

The folks at HairMax are at CES 2016 to show that yes, it is totally possible to stimulate hair follicles to regrow your skimpy, thinning head of hair into a thick, furry mane. However, there is a catch: You have to have the right type of baldness.

The LaserBand 82 brings laser revitalization to the home with its 82 medical-grade lasers that provide a full treatment for hair loss in 90 seconds. Cult of Mac caught up with HairMax at CES, the largest orgy of tech gadgetry in the world, to get a heads-on look at the funky futuristic headgear.

Learning to build apps is like anything else — it takes practice [Deals]

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Learn to build iOS 9 apps with 20 hands-on examples.
Learn to build iOS 9 apps with 20 hands-on examples.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

These days, coding for mobile is one of the most valuable professional skills you can acquire. If you want in on the action but didn’t spend your teen years coding a the console, you’ll need help getting your hands dirty with the nitty gritty of mobile development. That’s exactly what this course provides, offering the chance to build 20 hands-on iOS 9 apps, an invaluable learning experience that’s just $19.

Booze bots, badass routers, high-flyin’ drones and more at CES

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The Vuze is a VR camera that captures scenes in 360-degrees. It'll be sold as a kit that includes a headset, and it's pretty cool.
The Vuze is a VR camera that captures scenes in 360-degrees. It'll be sold as a kit that includes a headset, and it's pretty cool.
Photo: Leander Kahney / Cult of Mac

Cult of Mac CES 2016 full coverage LAS VEGAS — CES 2016 is about to kick off. The world’s biggest consumer electronics show, which is held each January in Las Vegas, starts this week. At a press preview Monday night, we got a peek at some of the industry’s latest, greatest offerings.

Here’s some of the stuff we think is pretty cool. Check out a cocktail robot, a monster Wi-Fi router that promises to eliminate dead spots, and a fixed-wing drone that flies like a hawk.

How to restart (or just ‘sleep’) your Apple TV

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Reboot your Apple TV with style.
Reboot your Apple TV with style.
Photo: Leander Kahney/Cult of Mac

Is your Apple TV glitching out in some way? While I’ve not personally seen any weirdness with the rock-solid OS that comes with the Apple TV, it’s possible that you might have.

As most of us know, rebooting our Mac or restarting our iOS devices can save us from all sorts of odd behaviors; the same could be said of Apple TV. Here’s how to restart that little black box of joy, plus an easy way to get it into low-power sleep mode.