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July 2016
S M T W T F S
     
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Syndication

Thu, 28 July 2016
CultCast #242 - Big Bob’s Back
This week:  iPhone 7 gets a new 3D Touch home button and a September 9th launch date!  Plus: why we may be only weeks away from Apple’s Macbook Pro and Apple Watch 2 launch event; the big gun is back—Apple puts Big Bob Mansfield at the helm of their top secret Apple Car project; one of the internet’s best web series is now an Apple Music exclusive; and stick around for apps, man—we’ve got some sweet picks for you.
 
This episode supported by
TunnelBear, the simple privacy app that makes it easy to browse privately and enjoy a more open internet. Visit GetTunnelBear.com to get your free TunnelBear today.
 
We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a  thanks for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
 
James Cordon carpools with the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and it’s magical
 
Apple just sold its billionth iPhone!
  • One billion iPhone devices have officially been sold now since Steve Jobs unveiled the magical smartphone back in 2007, the company revealed today.
 
iPhone 7 pre-orders will reportedly open on September 9
  • The iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will reportedly be made available for pre-order on September 9, according to well-connected tipster Evan Blass.
  • Keynote on Monday the 5th or Tuesday the 6th
 
iPhone 7 might not go by the name you’re expecting
  • A new rumor coming out of China suggests that September’s next-gen iPhone won’t be called the iPhone 7 as expected, but rather the iPhone 6SE — continuing the naming scheme Apple introduced for its 4-inch iPhone SE earlier this year.
    • so far it’s just a rumor citing Chinese supply chain sources. 
  • A separate report, meanwhile, suggests that it’s likely to debut on Friday, September 16. That’s just two months’ away…
  • The slightly-earlier-than-usual launch date was “revealed” by tipster Evan Blass, who has a strong track record when it comes to this type of information.
 
iPhone 7 may get 3D Touch home button
  • Apple allegedly plans to replace its physical home button on the iPhone 7 (or iPhone 6 SE) with a new 3D Touch button that won’t move when you press it, but well instead give users a haptic feedback to replicate the feeling of pressing a button, like on the Magic Trackpad 2.
  • Macotakara claims to have heard from supply chain sources that the company will indeed include the feature on this year’s model, making it a bit more interesting than anticipated.
  • The new home button design will supposedly be flush with the rest of the body, making the iPhone more waterproof than ever now that there are fewer paths for water to enter the device and destroy the internal components.
 
Surprise! Apple Watch 2 set to arrive this fall
  • The long-awaited next version of the Apple Watch will supposedly be unveiled this fall
  • Apple Watch 2’s big unveiling will happen in either September or October, claims DigiTimes
  • Future Apple Watch updates are expected to add LTE data, GPS, longer battery life and faster performance.
 
Apple puts Bob Mansfield in driving seat for secret car project
  • Bob Mansfield has been chosen to head up Apple’s “secret” electric car project three years after stepping down from his executive role, according to a new report.
  • Mansfield first joined Apple in 1999 and retired in June 2012, but just two months later, it was confirmed that he was staying on to work on “future projects.” Mansfield was then named senior vice president of technologies in October 2012.
  • Mansfield was previously in charge of Mac hardware at Apple and led development of products like the MacBook Air, iMac and iPad.
  • Mansfield was previously making only occasional visits to Apple; however, employees recently noticed in the company directory that all senior managers working on the car project are now reporting directly to him.
  • “Apple now has Mr. Mansfield running the company’s secret autonomous, electric-vehicle initiative, code-named Project Titan,” reports The Wall Street Journal, citing sources familiar with the matter.
 
‘Carpool Karaoke’ TV show will be an Apple Music exclusive
  • James Corden’s popular ‘Carpool Karaeoke’ segment from The Late Late Show on CBS is set to become its own show later this year and you’ll only be able to watch in on Apple Music.
  • The viral segment has been a breakout hit of 2016 thanks to appearances from the likes of Adele, Justin Bieber, Michelle Obama, Elton John and dozens of other stars who drive around Los Angeles singing popular songs.
 
Our Apps, Man picks
Buster - Photo pills
 
Erfon - Tinycards
 
Leander - Ultimate ears speakers and their companion apps
Direct download: CultCast_242_-_Big_Bobs_Back.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:59pm PDT
Thu, 21 July 2016
CultCast #241 - Hands off our Pokéballs
This week: leaked codenames might mean no iPhone 7 Pro; a new trademark alludes to a new wireless version of your white-wired EarPods; forget the debit card, Apple Pay is coming to an ATM near you; and, have you outgrown Apple’s Calendar, Mail, Notes, or other native apps?  We’ll tell you our favorite replacements!
 
This episode supported by
 
If you’re obsessive about keeping your iPhone, iPad, Mac, DSLR, glasses, and other gadgets in sparkling clean condition, you’ll love CultCloth.  Check them out now at CultCloth.co, and use code “CultCast” at checkout to score a free 8x8 CleanCloth!
 
We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a  thanks for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
 
AirPods trademark appears to confirm Apple’s wireless future
Buster
  • it appears that Apple is definitely planning to make some wireless earbuds of its own, based on some recently discovered trademark filings.'
  • MacRumors have found evidence that appears to confirm Apple will be releasing wireless EarPods, dubbed, Airpods
  • An amendment filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office review process shows that Apple used a shell company called Entertainment in Flight to trademark the term “AirPods.”
  • Apple used similar tactics to register the “iPad” and “CarPlay” trademarks. It did the same for “iWatch” too but discarded the name.
 
iPhone 7 code names leave no room for ‘Pro’ model
  • Apple leaker Evan Blass has taken to twitter to alert the world that there will be only two iPhone 7 models coming up, Sonora and Dos Palos.
  • This would imply there will be no iPhone 7 Pro, just your regular iPhone 7 and 7 Plus
  • He’s got a great track record.
 
Our favorite replacements to the native apps
 
Direct download: CultCast_241_-_Hands_off_our_pokballs.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 6:00pm PDT
Thu, 14 July 2016
CC2ndHour: "The Console Wars," with Blake J. Harris

Guest Blake J. Harris, author of Console Wars: Sega, Nintendo, and the Battle that Defined a Generation, regales us with the story of the 90s video game battle that pitted newcomer, Sega of America, against Nintendo, an unstoppable force, and maker of Mario Brothers, Duck Hunt, and the beloved Nintendo Entertainment System.

Direct download: CC2ndHour-The_Console_Wars_with_Blake_J._Harris.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:25pm PDT
Thu, 14 July 2016
CultCast #240 - Pokemania
This week: why Pokemon Go is the smash iOS hit Nintendo needed;  iPhone 7 may get the extended battery life we’ve all been asking for;  Cult of Mac’s bizarre connection to Apple’s new Planet of the Apps TV show; and... which is manlier summer attire, mid-rift shirts or short shorts?  We answer life’s most intriguing questions on an all-new Get To Know Ur Cultist.
 
This episode supported by
 
Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespace—Build it Beautiful.
 
If you’re obsessive about keeping your iPhone, iPad, Mac, DSLR, glasses, and other gadgets in sparkling clean condition, you’ll love CultCloth.  Check them out now at CultCloth.co, and use code “CultCast” at checkout to score a free 8x8 CleanCloth!
 
We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a  thanks for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
 
Intro - The new Apple IIc
 
 
iPhone 7 might finally bring the feature everybody wants
Buster
  • The upcoming iPhone 7 may pack a juicy 1960mAh battery inside its simplified shell, according to a new rumor from OnLeaks.
  • The often-reliable Apple leaker says he’s not 100% sure it will happen, but he’s right, it would be about a 15% increase in capacity over the 1715mAh battery in the iPhone 6s.
 
Apple posts open casting call for Planet of the Apps TV show
Buster
  • Apple is looking for a few talented developers to star in the inaugural season of its first ever reality TV series that will focus on the hard knock life of developers and the apps they create.
  • Helmed by executive producers Will.i.am, Ben Silverman and Howard T. Owens of Biggest Loser fame, the series has teamed up with Product Hunt to go on a four city tour to find the country’s best up-and-coming app developers. The producers are touting Planet of the Apps as not just a reality TV show, but also as a “launch pad and accelerator for exceptional developers.”
  • Upcoming casting calls are scheduled for San Francisco, Los Angeles, Austin and New York. Interested developers must apply by Friday, August 26 with an app for either iOS, tvOS, watchOS or macOS.
  • Apple says those selected will be given the chance to receive guidance from some of the tech community’s top experts. They’ll also get premium placement on the App Store and access to funding from Silicon Valley VCs.
 
Pokémon Go continues its global invasion this week
The game is officially available only in the U.S., Australia and New Zealand right now, but it is already a huge success. According to data from analytics firm SimilarWeb, the game already has more users than Tinder.
Pokémon Go will continue its global invasion later this week as it expands its reach into Europe and Asia.
The title has already become a smash hit, causing Nintendo shares to rocket 25 percent despite the game only being available in a small number of regions.
 
Get to know your Cultist
  • A movie we've seen at least 25 times and still love.
    • Leander - Apocalypse Now, Wild bunch, Onion field
    • Buster - Step brothers, Pineapple Express, Night at the Rockbury
    • Erfon - Star Trek VI the Undiscovered Country, Indiana Jones The Last Crusade
  • Albums we love listening to from start to finish.
    • Leander - Sandinista by The Clash
    • Buster - Explosions in the Sky
    • Erfon - Ten by Pearl Jam, Maybe You’ve Been Brainwashed Too by the New Radicals
Direct download: CultCast_240_-_Pokemania.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:12pm PDT
Thu, 7 July 2016
CultCast #239 - FourChins
This week: the best ways to get your gadgets the AppleCare protection you want, but without the AppleCare prices you don’t.  Plus: the iPhone 7 may have more storage than you expected; taking over Tidal could mean CD quality streaming is coming to Apple Music; hands on with the iOS 10 and macOS Sierra betas; “the fappening” hacker heads to the slammer; this year’s iPhone Photography Award winners prove your iPhone is all your need to create captivating images. 
 
This episode supported by
 
Casper’s American-made mattresses have just the right amount of memory foam and latex, and people everywhere love them.  Learn why and get $50 towards any mattress at Casper.com/cultcast.
 
Let’s face it, CultCloth isn’t for everyone.  But if you’re obsessive about keeping your iPhone, iPad, Mac, DSLR, glasses, and other gadgets in sparkling clean condition, you’ll love ‘em.  Check them out now at CultCloth.co, and use code “CultCast” at checkout to score a free 8x8 CleanCloth!
 
We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a  thanks for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
@erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney / david@cultofmac.com
 
Intro - iPhone camera changes the game
 
iOS 10 and macOS Sierra betas are now open to the public
Buster
  • Apple is now letting members of its public beta program install the new software, which debuted last month at WWDC.
  • If you haven’t already signed up to get in on the betas, you can still do so at the Apple Beta Software Program site. Once you’re in the program, you’ll get an email with a link to download the latest builds.
 
Apple might buy struggling competitor Tidal
Buster
  • A new report claims that the iPhone-maker is in exploratory talks to acquire the music streaming service.
  • “The talks are ongoing and may not result in a deal,” reports the Wall Street Journal, which says Apple is considering buying the company as a way to bolster its strategy to spend tons of cash on artist exclusives.
  • Tidal was launched in 2014, purchased by Jay Z in 2015, and promised artists greater revenues than those offered by Spotify and Apple Music.
  • Both Apple and Tidal are remaining silent about rumors of the talks. Terms of the possible deal haven’t been revealed
 
iPhone 7 might kill measly 16GB storage option at last
Buster
  • The cheapest model iPhone 7 units will come with 32GB of storage by default, reports the Wall Street Journal in a wide-ranging article that covers possible features Apple’s latest smartphone will have.
  • The increase in storage has been rumored for a few months now, with other reports claiming Apple will also add a 256GB option for those who need even more storage.
  • Other new features expected to be added include a simplified case design, new dual-lens camera, better waterproofing, no headphone jack and Lightning EarPods.
 
‘Celebgate’ hacker pleads guilty to cracking iCloud accounts
 
  • A hacker who broke into more than 30 iCloud accounts has pleaded guilty for his role in the “Celebgate” leak of 2014. Edward Majerczyk faces up to five years in prison for illegally obtaining private celebrity photos.
  • Majerczyk, 28, worked alongside Ryan Collins, who pleaded guilty to his role in the hack back in March, to create a phishing scam that tricked celebrities into entering login information into fake websites.
  • They then used this information to obtain access to over 300 Gmail and iCloud accounts.
 
Should you get Apple Care/Apple Care + 
 
Direct download: CultCast_239_-_FourChins.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:47pm PDT
Thu, 30 June 2016
CultCast #238 - Gruber & Gruber
This week: You’ll laugh, you’ll cry—wait till you hear the latest lawsuit aimed right at Apple’s biggest products.  Plus: leaked photos of EarPods with a lightning connector look better than expected; why we may never get 3rd party Apple Watch faces; Netflix adding a feature they swore would never happen; and a man builds a vibrant photography career in the world of sports with nothing but his iPhone. Oh, and Val Kilmer dances with a carrot in his derriere.  Just hit play already.
 
This episode supported by
 
Freshbooks, the easy-to-use invoicing software designed to help small business owners get organized, save time invoicing and get paid faster.  And I can vouch for this from experience, it also makes tax time a cinch.  Get started with a free trial at Freshbooks.com/cultcast, and please enter “CultCast” in the “How did you hear about us?” section!
 
Let’s face it, CultCloth isn’t for everyone.  But if you’re obsessive about keeping your iPhone, iPad, Mac, DSLR, glasses, and other gadgets in sparkling clean condition, you’ll love ‘em.  Check them out now at CultCloth.co, and use code “CultCast” at checkout to score a free 8x8 CleanCloth!
 
We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a  thanks for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
@erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney / david@cultofmac.com
 
Intro - Young Bill Gates, thoughts on the Macintosh
 
Netflix to add offline viewing by the end of 2016
  • Netflix is working to bring offline viewing to its smartphone and tablet apps by the end of 2016, according to sources familiar with its plans.
  • Netflix rival Amazon Prime Instant Video added this functionality last September
  • Now industry insider and Penthera COO Dan Taitz promises that “download-to-go” will be available by the end of the year.
  • Penthera specializes in providing video downloading technology to customers like Comcast, Charter Communications, and more.
John Gruber: Don't Ever Expect Third Party Watch Faces on Apple Watch
  • [Apple] they do fancy themselves to be a real watch company. And as a real watch company everything you’re going to see is going to be San Fransisco. Now they could enforce that for third-parties possibly.
  • Any analog dial is going to use those Apple-styled hands. The capsule-shaped hands. And watch  companies typically have things like that. For example, the hands on a Rolex are instantly recognizable. In the dials are unmistakably Rolex-styled dials.  And Apple fancies itself as a high end watch company.
 
Gaze upon iPhone 7’s Lightning EarPods in all their glory
  • New photos of what are claimed to be Apple’s next-generation EarPods all but confirm that its iPhone 7 series will ship without the beloved headphone jack.
  • The new EarPods, which surfaced on Chinese micro-blogging website Weibo, swap the 3.5mm jack we’ve been using for decades for a Lightning connector.

 
Apple sued by man who claims he invented iPhone in 1992
  • A Florida man is suing Apple for a whopping $10 billion and 1.5 percent of all future Apple earnings — because he claims to have come up with the idea for Apple’s breakthrough mobile device all way back in 1992.
  • Thomas S. Ross’ “electronic reading device” patent describes a “device so designed and aggregated as to have created a novel combination of media and communication tools,”
  • He claims this idea (allegedly) to have been “hijacked and exploited by Apple’s iPhones, iPods, iPads and others.”
  • The suit finally argues that the distress Ross has suffered as a result of seeing his iPhone everywhere without the proper credit being bestowed on him adds up to a “great and irreparable injury that cannot fully be compensated or measured in money.”
  • In the meantime, though, he’s happy to take $10 billion — plus the barely-significant sum of 1.5 percent of all future Apple earnings. It’s only right, isn’t it?
 
Meet the sports shooter who leaves heavy gear behind for an iPhone
 
Erfon mentioned these Sony XBA-H1 earphones!
 
Direct download: CultCast_238_-_Gruber__Gruber.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:31pm PDT
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