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Digitimes: We’re Sorry We Get All Our Apple Rumors Wrong

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Digitimes, the leading rumor monger in the Apple space
Digitimes, the leading rumor monger in the Apple space

Digitimes has been one of the main sources of Apple rumors over the last several years, but anyone who follows Apple will tell you that the Taiwanese publication is more often wrong than right. While Digitimes will correctly predict something like Apple making 3 variants of the iPad 2 (WiFi, GSM, CDMA), it will also publish a story saying that Apple is bringing micro-projectors to the iPhone.

After being placed under the microscope and heavily scrutinized by Harry McCracken of TIME, Digitimes has issued a statement explaining where its Apple rumors come from, and how the publication will do its best to provide more accurate information in the future.

Jony Ive Receives Knighthood At Buckingham Palace After His Most Revealing Interview Yet

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That's 'Sir' Jonathan Ive to you.
That's "Sir Jonathan Ive" to you

Jony Ive, Apple’s Senior Vice President of Industrial Design, swapped sunny Cupertino for London today to receive his knighthood from Princess Royal at Buckingham Palace. The 45-year-old Brit, who is responsible for the iconic designs behind Apple’s computers and iOS devices, said he is “both humbled and sincerely grateful” for the “absolutely thrilling honor.”

While in the capital, Ive also gave what is likely his most revealing interview yet to British broadsheet The Telegraph, in which he talks about Apple’s design and its focus on simplicity, Steve Jobs, and the company’s current projects.

Monster’s Turbine Earphones: I Find Your Lack of Clarity Disturbing [Review]

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post-168900-image-4b9e01e9825471b55dc1b2ff7fa84108-jpg

What!? Neither Cult publication has ever reviewed Monster’s famed Turbine earphones, even though the IEMs have been hanging on Best Buy end caps for the last several years? Well, that’s an injustice we won’t let stand another day — after all, these are among the best recognized, and most iconic IEMs on the market.

The Turbine is the base model in Monster’s Turbine lineup; though with an MSRP of $180, “base model” seems like a relative term (the two higher models, the Pro Gold and the Pro Copper, are $300 and $400 respectively and are apparently better at reproducing a wider range than the plain-wrapper Turbines reviewed here).

Woman’s iPhone Gets Stolen, Thief Uploads Pics To Photo Stream For World To See

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"This is Nelson. Nelson has my stolen iPhone."

Katy McCaffrey had her iPhone stolen on a cruise ship last month. She had lost hope in recovering her smartphone, but then photos started showing up in her Photo Stream. The handy iCloud service automatically uploads photos taken on an iOS device to a feed that can be viewed on other authenticated devices.

Thanks to Photo Stream, McCaffrey got a look into the world of the man who stole her iPhone.

Why You Might Be Disappointed By The Resolution Of Those New Retina Display Macs [Feature]

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How many does pixels does a Mac really need to qualify as Retina, anyway?
How many does pixels does a Mac really need to qualify as Retina, anyway?

It’s looking increasingly likely that when Tim Cook takes the stage at the annual WWDC keynote on June 11th, Apple will announce new MacBook Pros and possibly iMacs, and if the rumor mill is to be believed, these new machines won’t just be slimmer and ditch their optical drives… they’ll be the first Macs with Retina displays.

What everyone widely expects from Retina display Macs is an iPhone or iPad-style resolution doubling. So if the current 15-inch MacBook Pro has a 1,440 x 900 display, the Retina 15-inch MBP would have a 2,880 x 1800 display.

What the rumor mill is missing is that there’s no benefit to Apple handling a jump to Retina display Macs this way. The reason the iPad and iPhone going Retina was such a big deal was because they had really pixellated displays. Before the iPhone 4, the iPhone had a display that was only 53% close to being Retina. The iPad was slightly better, at 61%. Roughly, both the iPad and iPhone were only about halfway there, which made the easiest fix to just double the amount of pixels per inch.

But Apple doesn’t need to do this with its line of Macs. In fact, it’s likely that most “Retina Quality” Macs will have fewer pixels than your new iPad. Here’s why.

Apple Gearing Up To Screw iOS Developers With A 3.95-Inch Widescreen iPhone 5 [Rumor]

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This is what a widescreen iPhone may look like alongside its predecessor.
This is what a widescreen iPhone (left) may look like alongside its predecessor.

With Apple’s sixth-generation iPhone set to make its debut this year, there’s no doubt the company has a number of prototype devices — all with different designs and specifications — in testing within its Cupertino headquarters. One of those handsets is said to feature a 3.95-inch widescreen display with a 640 x 1136 resolution that’s taller than all the existing 3.5-inch iPhone displays we’ve seen to date.

Arctic Flight Is The Ideal Flight Companion For Your iPad [Kickstarter]

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The Arctic Flight makes it easy to use your iPad on a plane in a cramped couch seat.
The Arctic Flight makes it easy to use your iPad on a plane in a cramped couch seat.

Using your iPad on a plane or a train can be a frustrating experience, especially if you’re attempting to use a wireless keyboard at the same time. But the Arctic Flight is a new Kickstarter project that hopes to change that. It’s a lightweight case and stand that’s fully adjustable and designed specifically for use in flight.

It fits perfectly onto those tiny pull-down trays, and it has one novel feature than means you’ll never have to hold onto your iPad through a whole movie again.

Coda 2 For Mac And Diet Coda For iPad Launching On May 24th

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The future of coding is here.
The future of coding is here.

Panic, the company behind popular Mac app Coda, has announced the second major version of its prized web development tool. Coda 2 for Mac will launch on May 24th alongside a new app for the iPad called Diet Coda. Version 2.0 of Coda is “better at everything,” according to Panic, and Diet Coda will allow you to preview your code live on the iPad as you write on the Mac. The iPad app will also let you make quick edits to your code on the go.

Got An AT&T iPhone? It May Be Vulnerable To Cellular Hijacking

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... thanks to AT&T.
... thanks to AT&T.

AT&T is one of 48 carriers worldwide which have a network vulnerability that allows hackers to intercept cellular data and inject malicious content into the traffic that passes between smartphones and the websites they visit. The flaw can be used to transfer code to unencrypted pages which causes a user to perform unintended actions, like sending messages or friend requests from Facebook and Twitter. And your iPhone may be vulnerable.

Why Apple’s iPhone Charger Is A High-Tech Work Of Art

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It doesn't look like much, but on the inside Apple's iPhone charger is incredibly complex.
It doesn't look like much, but on the inside Apple's iPhone charger is incredibly complex.

Apple is renowned for obsessing over tiny details and making its products as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside, and the company maintains that design policy for everything it creates, whether it’s a $1,200 MacBook Pro, or a $30 iPhone charger.

In fact, Apple has gone to great lengths to ensure those tiny iPhone chargers are safe and efficient, and it uses state of the art technology to do that — which is why its chargers are more expensive than most.

Everything You Need To Know About The iOS 5.1.1 Untethered Jailbreak To Be Released This Week

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You'll have a date with Absinthe yourself later this week.
You'll have a date with Absinthe yourself later this week, if things go to plan.

Anytime a new jailbreak comes out, there’s a degree of confusion about what devices are supported, whether it’s safe to upgrade your firmware, etc. That’s as true now on the eve of pod2g’s upcoming iOS 5.1.1 Absinthe 2.0 jailbreak as it ever was before. Thankfully, pod2g and fellow jailbreak maestro MuscleNerd have put together a quick info sheet about everything you can expect when the untethered jailbreak drops later this week.

The summary? It’s safe to upgrade your devices to iOS 5.1.1 now, and the only iOS device that Absinth 2.0 won’t crack open is the third-gen Apple TV. As for the release date? Plans are this week, if everything goes to the plan.

The Upside Down Apple Logo: A Steve Jobs Mistake

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An old PowerBook with an upside down Apple logo on Sex and the City.
An old PowerBook with an upside down Apple logo on Sex and the City.

When you open up your MacBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro, the glowing Apple logo on its hood sits upright so that everyone in Starbucks knows that you’re using a Mac. However, it hasn’t always been that way. There was a time when Apple logos were upside down on the lid of Apple notebooks, until Steve Jobs realized his mistake.

OS X Gets Automatic App Downloads Just Like iOS In Latest Mountain Lion Release

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It's not working just yet, but you can bet it will be by the time Mountain Lion goes public.
It's not working just yet, but you can bet it will be by the time Mountain Lion goes public.

One of the features that I love most about iOS 5 is Automatic Downloads, which allows me to purchase an app, book, or song on my iPhone and have it installed on my iPad at almost exactly the same time. It’s great for users with multiple iOS devices, and it’s also coming to the Mac.

One developer has discovered the ability to turn on Automatic Downloads for Mac App Store purchases under the latest OS X Mountain Lion release.

iOS 5.1.1 Untethered Jailbreak ‘Absinthe 2.0’ To Drop This Week [Jailbreak]

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You'll want to be online this Friday morning.
You'll want to be online this Friday morning.

Big news from the jailbreak community can tend to come out on the weekends, and this weekend is no exception. Earlier today Chronic Dev Team hacker pod2g confirmed that the upcoming untethered jailbreak for iOS 5.1.1 is only a “matter of days” away from dropping. We’ve been telling you that the jailbreak is coming for months, but it looks like things are finally coming together for a public release.

Coincidentally, a hacking convention called “Hack in the Box” will be taking place this week, and the Chronic Dev Team will be there in full force. We’re hearing that the new jailbreak tool will likely be announced at the conference. The name of the new jailbreak will be “Absinthe 2.0,” following the previous version of Absinthe that jailbroke the iPhone 4S and iPad 2 for the first time.

Why Ernest Hemingway Would Have Loved the iPad

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Hemmedited

Remember when people used to say that the iPad was a “content consumption device” useless for real “content creation”?

It’s a weird thing to say about a gadget offering a gazillion content-creation apps, but people said it. People still say it.

Pundits and writers say the iPad sucks for “real work” in general and writing in particular. I have come to believe the opposite: To me, the iPad is the best writing tool I’ve ever used.

And I think Ernest Hemingway would agree. 

Ashton Kutcher’s Steve “jOBS” Movie Will Have Scenes In The Original Apple Garage

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Screen Shot 2012-05-18 at 11.22.42 PM

There are currently two movies about Steve Jobs in the works. The one we’re most excited for is based off Walter Isaacson’s official biography and is being made by Sony in conjunction with Oscar-winning screenwriter Aaron Sorkin. An indie film dubbed jOBS and starring Ashton Kutcher as Jobs is also underway. More information about the second film has been released.

We’ve already seen pictures of Kutcher in the infamous black turtleneck, and now the people behind the film have confirmed that parts of jOBS will be shot in the garage where Apple was started.

WWDC Gone Wild On This Week’s CultCast – New MacBook Pros And iMacs

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cultcast-macbook.jpg

Apple’s World Wide Developer Conference is swiftly approaching (June 11th!), and we know they have some big announcements up their sleeves. Will we see new “Air like” Macbook Pros with SSDs and no DVD drives? Are updated iMacs with Retina displays on the horizon? And what about iOS 6? We tell you what we know on our brand new CultCast.

And then a segment we love: listener questions! You’ve tweeted at us and we’re ready to answer all your queries.

Our all-new CultCast is on iTunes now — subscribe to listen and read on for our show notes!

Upcoming iOS 5.1.1 Jailbreak Will Support iPhone 3GS, iPod touch 3rd-Gen

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The latest Apple TV is the only device not supported by the upcoming iOS 5.1.1 jailbreak.
The latest Apple TV is the only device not supported by the upcoming iOS 5.1.1 jailbreak.

Earlier this month, iOS hacker Pod2g released an FAQ for his upcoming iOS 5.1.1 untethered jailbreak, which stated that the iPhone 3GS and the third-generation iPod touch would not be compatible. He did say, however, that this situation “may change,” and it has.

In a recent tweet, Pod2g confirmed that he has now discovered “a way through for iPod 3G and iPhone 3GS users.”

iTunes Festival Returns To London This September With More Than 60 Artists

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The Roundhouse in London where this year's iTunes Festival will kick off on September 1.
The Roundhouse in London where this year's iTunes Festival will kick off on September 1.

Apple is bringing its iTunes Festival to London again this September, and it’s inviting more than 60 artists to perform for 30 consecutive nights of incredible music. The event, which will run from September 1 to September 30, will feature performances from Usher, Jack White, Norah Jones, Emeli Sandé, One Direction, and more.

Apple Offers £100 Trade-In Discount On New Macs Ahead Of June Refresh

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Is Apple's latest 'Think Green' campaign an effort to shift existing Macs before the new ones roll in?
Is Apple's latest 'Think Green' campaign an effort to shift existing Macs before the new ones roll in?

Apple has given its Premium Reseller across the United Kingdom authorization to discount £100 (approx. $160) off all Macs when customers trade-in their old machines. The Think Green scheme will run until June 17, and some believe it could signal Apple’s effort to shift existing stock before its next-generation MacBook Pros make their debut.

Bargain Hunters Spend $4,700 On Potatoes, Cans Of Coke Disguised As iPhones & Laptops

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Don't buy iPhones from people in the street, because they probably aren't iPhones.
Don't buy iPhones from people in the street, because they probably aren't iPhones.

A gang of con men in Manchester, England, have managed to scam unsuspecting customers out of over £3,000 (approx. $4,700) since February by selling bottles of water, cans of Coke, and bags of potatoes which they claim to be iPhones and laptops. In some cases they are taking £1,400 (approx. $2,200) per transaction.

Steve Jobs Personally Oversaw The Design Of Apple’s Upcoming 4-Inch iPhone [Rumor]

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Devices like the iPhone came out of Apple seemingly fully-formed.
Steve Jobs showing off the white iPhone 4

Reiterating previous claims that Apple is set to unveil a larger 4-inch iPhone later this year, Bloomberg now reports that late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs “closely” oversaw the new design of the sixth-generation iPhone.

The device will supposedly be a departure from the design Apple introduced with the iPhone 4 in 2010, and the current 3.5-inch screen will be replaced with a larger display.

Aaron Sorkin Promises Steve Jobs Movie Won’t Be Another “Straight Biopic,” Hires Steve Wozniak As Advisor

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Aaron Sorkin won an Oscar for writing
Aaron Sorkin won an Oscar for writing "The Social Network," a film about Mark Zuckerberg and the rise of Facebook.

Hollywood screenwriter Aaron Sorkin recently signed on to pen Sony’s Steve Jobs biopic. The film will be based on Walter Isaacson’s official Jobs biography, but most of the details, including plot and casting, have yet to be announced.

In a recent interview Sorkin talked about the kind of film he wanted to make, saying that it “can’t be a straight biography.” Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak has also been hired as an advisor for the film.

Steve Jobs Wanted To Make An iCar

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What would an iCar look like?
What would an iCar look like?

Interesting factoids and stories about late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs have been constantly surfacing since his death in October of last year. Biographer Walter Isaacson revealed that Jobs had “finally cracked” a standalone Apple TV set, and many “lost” interviews and anecdotes with Jobs have made headlines over the last several months.

One of Jobs’ more interesting closet skeletons is the fact that he dreamed of designing an iCar before he died.

Why Apple’s iWallet Won’t Have Anything To Do With NFC

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Apple's iWallet is already in your pocket.
Apple's iWallet is already in your pocket.

Ask what the next revolutionary feature for the iPhone will be, and NFC is a common answer. NFC — or near-field communications — is an ultra low-power chip that allows two devices to communicate small strings of information within a couple feet of each other.

Why’s it so revolutionary? The most commonly cited “magic” that NFC would bring to the iPhone would be the ability to use your device to pay for goods and services, just like a credit card.

In other words, instead of pulling out your wallet to buy groceries, get onto the subway or pick up a MacBook at the local Apple Store, you’d just tap your iPhone against a point-of-sale terminal near the register instead. The NFC chips in both would communicate and you’d be on your way, no signature or PIN code required.

Pretty neat, huh? NFC would theoretically allow Apple to take a cut of real world sales made of even non-Apple products. They’d become a mobile payment company. That seems like such a no-brainer that everyone from Bloomberg to The New York Times.

The only problem? Never going to happen, because Apple has already deployed its mobile payment solution, and it’s hidden inside every iPhone 4S that has already been sold.