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Is iPhone 6s really worth the upgrade?

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iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s square off in this week's Friday Night Fight.
iPhone 6 and iPhone 6s square off in this week's Friday Night Fight.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

With Apple’s next-generation iPhones going on sale just after midnight PST, it’s time to decide whether you’re going to upgrade.

Friday-Night-Fights-bug-2The iPhone 6s and 6s Plus are by far the biggest ‘S’ upgrades so far, with new 3D Touch displays, faster A9 processors, improved Touch ID, and the best iSight cameras yet. But are those things worth the upgrade fee?

Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight between Cult of Android and Cult of Mac as we battle it out over whether you should spend your hard-earned cash on iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.

iPhone 6s preorders begin: Here’s how to get what you want

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Pretty in pink. I mean Rose Gold.
Pretty in pink. I mean Rose Gold.
Photo: Apple

Preorders of the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus are set to open tonight at 12:01 a.m. Pacific. Apple’s certainly made a ton of improvements to the preorder process over the years, but as the Apple Watch recently taught us, taking an extra few minutes to get your preorder in could cause your shipment to be delayed.

Demand for the new iPhone 6s is expected to be greater than ever, so we’ve compiled a handy guide to help you get the iPhone you want and get back to sleep before Apple’s servers get absolutely crushed.

Here’s what to do:

Why Apple’s new 3D Touch is like McDonald’s secret menu

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iphone-6s-3d-touch
3D Touch is buried treasure.
Photo: Apple

You know how McDonald’s (allegedly) has a secret menu? Plenty of people have heard about it, some use it frequently and bask in its glory, but most just stick to the regular menu.

That seems an awful lot like how 3D Touch could pan out.

Why 6s is truly the best ‘s’ iPhone yet, this week on The CultCast

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"3D Touch is something we’ve been working on for a long time—multi, multi, multi years.” — Jony Ive
Photo: Apple

This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: Our reactions and impressions of all the gadgets unleashed at Apple’s media extravaganza! Plus: Why the 6s is the best “s” yet; a look into Apple’s efforts to architect the 6s’ new 3D Touch technology; why the Apple Pencil is not a stylus; and so. much. MORE…

Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. Build a beautiful website quick at Squarespace.com, and enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10 percent off.

The Apple announcements that really got our hearts pumping

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If you look closely you can actually pinpoint the exact moment the Apple Watch heart rate monitor stops working.
You can actually pinpoint the second when Apple announced a stylus.
Photo: The Simpsons, Twentieth Century Fox

We’ve seen Wednesday’s Apple keynote dissected every which way, but how about analyzing the moments where viewers’ heart rates jumped at the latest news from the Good Ship Cupertino?

That’s what the developers and beta testers of heart-monitoring Apple Watch app Cardiogram did, as they set their devices to workout mode for the anticipated event to find out what really tugged at their heart strings.

The results are … interesting.

Apple’s iPhone 6s keynote is even more magical as a musical

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Tim cook
Just when you thought Apple's keynote couldn't get any more memorable.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s keynotes typically give you plenty worth singing about, and for “Song-A-Day” YouTuber Jonathan Mann, that’s reason enough to bust out new tunes.

Mann, whose catchy jingles once made Steve Jobs dance, always puts together a musical remix following Apple events, and this week’s jam-packed keynote is no exception.

If you don’t have time to sit through the entire 2-hour-plus event, or simply want to relive the most memorable lines with a catchy electronic backing, this is the video for you. Check it out below:

Bill Graham Civic hosted Apple’s biggest hyperbole-fest ever

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The iPhone 6s Plus might be hard to find on launch day.
All Apple's saying is that the iPhone 6s will be the most amazing, dynamic, life-changing thing you've ever seen.
Photo: Apple

We get that yesterday’s Apple event was a marketing thing, which is why every presentation began with whoever was onstage telling us how “thrilled,” “excited” or “really happy” they were to be there. And the exaggeration just continued from those intros.

Here are some of the most outlandish and enthusiastically subjective lines that came from the stage at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. We’ve organized them by speaker so you can see who “won” this verbal arms race of canned excitement.

Why Apple Pencil blows away Wacom Cintiq

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The Apple Pencil makes drawing on an iPad Pro incredibly precise.
The Apple Pencil makes drawing on an iPad Pro incredibly precise.
Photo: Apple

This is a guest post by Linda Dong, a graphics expert and former designer at Apple. It originally appeared on her personal website.

A lot of hesitation (or dismissal) of the new Apple Pencil seems to stem from people’s belief that the Wacom Cintiq, currently regarded as the pinnacle of professional drawing stylus/surface design, is superior in performance and design at a similar price.

😩 *sigh*

Quite plainly, the Cintiq sucks in comparison. And I’ve been using them for years for industrial design sketching, UI and art. Let’s compare the experience:

Latest Apple fashion? Cool Siri-themed fingernails

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Apple senior design producer Jen Folse talks about the changes to Apple TV.
Apple senior design producer Jen Folse talks about the changes to Apple TV.
Photo: Apple

Jen Folse used the Apple stage Wednesday to tell the world about Apple TV. She used her nails to express her loyalty to the company.

If you got close enough to Apple’s lone female staffer to present at the company’s fall product event Wednesday, you could see the wavy lines of blue, pink, red, yellow and white on her nails painted to look like Siri’s Apple Watch interface. Those same colors were also used in official promotions of the fall showcase.

Have a look:

Are Apple’s Live Photos a gimmick or a game-changer?

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Live Photos bring a little life to your still images.
Live Photos bring a little life to your still images.
Photo: Apple

A few extra megapixels is always welcome, but if there is one feature of the new iPhone 6s camera that gets us to say “Wow,” it is Live Photos.

The new Live Photos technology actually captures a brief moment before and after your snap, giving the subject in a finished picture motion and a bit of life. After seeing it for the first time, some said, “Wow, that’s cool!” And others said, “Wow, that’s nothing new.”

Samsung and Sony take jealous stabs at Apple

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Apple's back on top again.
Apple's back on top again.
Photo: Apple
Tim Cook doesn't care. Photo: Apple
Tim Cook doesn’t care. Photo: Apple

Haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate.

Apple was reminded of this after its keynote on Wednesday when rivals Samsung and Sony took to Twitter to mock the length of its presentation — and its new iPhone 6s.

Creepy soundboard turns Jony Ive into your puppet

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Ever want to control Jony Ive? Now you can.
Ever want to control Jony Ive? Now you can.
Photo: Jony Jive

Jony Ive has one of the coolest, most suave voices among Apple’s executive leadership team. I could listen to him pronounce “aluminium” and “metallurgists” all day. Now, thanks to a creepy new soundboard, you can make Apple’s chief design officer say pretty much anything you want.

Star Wars: Uprising is hotter than a night on Hoth inside a tauntaun

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star-wars-uprising-is-hotter-than-a-night-on-hoth-inside-a-tauntaun-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201509SWUP_EN_Title_Screen_01-jpg
The first video game that's officially sanctioned as canon by Lucasfilm is a free-to-play game? Photo: Kabam
The first video game that’s officially sanctioned as canon by Lucasfilm is a free-to-play game? Photo: Kabam

There’s been a disturbance in the Force: a free-to-play Star Wars game has arrived for iOS and Android, and it’s surprisingly damn good.

Star Wars: Uprising is the first video game that’s actually canon to the new Star Wars Universe, taking place between Return of the Jedi (VI) and the upcoming The Force Awakens (VII).

That alone merits a download, but once you start playing, you’ll find a really well-written storyline, some deep customization options, and an addictive gear collecting and upgrading system that will keep you going back for more. Check out the trailer below for some glorious Star Wars action.

Pokémon GO puts pocket monsters in the real world

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pokemon-go-puts-pocket-monsters-in-the-real-world-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201509Pokemon_GO_logo-png
Pokémon GO is coming to Android and iOS in 2016.
Photo: The Pokémon Company
Pokémon GO is coming to Android and iOS in 2016. Photo: The Pokémon Company
Pokémon GO is coming to Android and iOS in 2016. Photo: The Pokémon Company

The Pokémon Company’s second smartphone game is going to bring your favorite pocket monsters to the real world for the first time.

Pokémon GO, which is coming to Android and iOS in 2016, is a location-based game that will let you find, fight, and catch Pokémon in the cities, towns, and neighborhoods around you like never before.

Get a closer look at the el cheapo gold Apple Watch

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The gold Apple Watch looks great with a navy band.
The gold Apple Watch looks great with a navy band.
Photo: Blake Kimball

Apple fans can’t purchase the iPhone 6s, Apple TV, or iPad Pro that were unveiled yesterday, but if you’re lucky you can pick up the cheap gold Apple Watch Sport today, now that Apple Stores have received limited supplies of new units.

Cult of Mac got an early look at the new gold finish thanks to a reader who already scooped up a 42mm gold Apple Watch Sport at the Apple Store in Gilbert, Arizona, and while the new model is way cheaper than its expensive Edition sibling, it still looks like a million bucks.

Take a closer look:

Full Apple upgrade won’t come cheap

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The iPad Pro goes on sale November 11th.
The iPad Pro goes on sale November 11th.
Photo: Apple

Apple rolled out one drool-worthy new gadget after another Wednesday.

The iPad Pro? Want.

A Hermes Apple Watch? Gotta have.

The new Apple TV? Gimme!

If you’re like me, you’ll want one of everything Tim Cook and crew showed off in Apple’s September showcase. But if you get one of everything, it is going to cost you.

Apple doesn’t need glitz and glamour when it’s got the goods

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Haters gonna hate, but we’re giving Apple’s latest product revelations a big thumbs up.
Haters gonna hate, but we’re giving Apple’s latest product revelations a big thumbs up.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Wow. That was a big deal. For a mere “s” upgrade, Apple went way above and beyond with today’s big product showcase. Three major product lines have been not just upgraded, but reinvented, and finally there’s a reason to buy the one that has been languishing — the Apple TV, which is now a gaming console as well as an entertainment center.

Maybe I’ve drunk too much Kool-Aid, but I thought this morning’s presentation was one for the history books.

Killer cases for your iPhone 6s

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Things are looking rosy for accessory manufacturers, like Spigen, ready to provide cases for the iPhone 6s.
Things are looking rosy for accessory manufacturers, like Spigen, ready to provide cases for the iPhone 6s.
Photo: Spigen

You can almost see the new and improved iPhone 6s in your hands. Now, how about a new case for that gorgeous hunk of gear?

Several companies began showing off cases — everything from luxurious leather accessories to battery-extending packs — for the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus following Apple’s big fall products reveal in San Francisco today.

If it’s gold you want, 6s is your only option

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Only the iPhone 6s comes in gold now.
Only the iPhone 6s comes in gold now.
Photo: Apple

Apple announced that it’s dropping the price on the iPhone 6 and iPhone 5s this morning, but what it didn’t tell fans is that if you want a gold iPhone, the only way to get one is to upgrade to the newest model.

Apple removed the option to purchase the gold finish on the iPhone 5s and iPhone 6 from its website today. Both devices have come in gold since they were introduced, but now it looks like Apple wants to force anyone who wants their iPhone to shine like gold to upgrade to the latest and greatest model.

Here’s the updated list of iPhone models and their color options:

Short and sweet: All the new magical stuff from Apple’s big event

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Tim cook
Apple and Tim Cook have plenty to cheer about.
Photo: Apple

From the iPhone to the iPad to the Apple TV, Cupertino’s constellation of magical devices just got a little more magical.

Did you expect all that Apple goodness? Most of what we heard today already churned through the rumor mill: the plus-size iPad Pro; new Apple Watch finishes and bands; a refreshed Apple TV with games, apps and Siri functionality. And, oh yeah, the new iPhone 6s and 6s Plus with a whole new level of Force Touch, called 3D Touch.

There were even a few surprises, like the iPad Pro’s new Smart Keyboard and the iPad stylus, dubbed the Apple Pencil. But throughout today’s keynote by Tim Cook and his lieutenants, the series of under-the-hood upgrades they revealed promise to push all Apple products forward into the future.

Let’s take a moment to boil down all two hours and 10 minutes of this incredibly dense and surprisingly succinct Apple event.

Jot Dash is the iPad stylus you never knew you needed

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The new Jot Dash stylus works anywhere your finger does.
The new Jot Dash stylus works anywhere your finger does.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

SAN FRANCISCO — You’d think stylus maker Adonit would be terrified by rumors that Apple is about to release a plus-size iPad Pro with its very own writing accessory, but nothing could be further from the truth.

According to Ian Shirey, Adonit’s chief strategy officer, facing competition from Apple would be the sweetest vindication of all for his company’s devices. “For Apple to tell the world a stylus is OK would be great,” Shirey said during a visit to the Cult of Mac offices to show off Adonit’s latest creation, the Jot Dash, an midrange stylus that works with iOS and Android devices.

Fancy new smart lock can see who’s at your door

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nucli smart lock by westinghouse
The Nucli smart lock by Westinghouse.
Photo: Westinghouse

Electrics giant Westinghouse is getting into the connected-home game, and its first offering is a smart lock that looks like it should be seeing if it can’t lock down a stabilizer in a Star Wars X-Wing.

The Nucli (which is pronounced “new-klee” and not “nuck-lee,” regardless of how your brain sees it) will offer a wealth of features to help you secure your domain.

Why the iPad desperately needs a stylus

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The iPad needs a boost when it comes to content creation. An Apple stylus is just the tool to help.
The iPad needs a boost when it comes to content creation. An Apple stylus is just the tool to help.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

The case has clearly been made that a stylus should never be a device’s main method of input. Fingers prevail for everyday uses, especially revolving around content consumption. But isn’t it possible that in some cases an iPad stylus might enhance the experience?