We’ve descended upon San Francisco for Macworld 2014!  Join us for our show expectations, plus plenty of news, rumors, and discussion on: why 2014 might be the year for Retina Macbook Airs; Apple’s plans for a streaming TV service with Comcast; Office coming to iPad; the problem with emojis; and why iTunes needs to be more like Spotify.

Thanks to Sanebox for sponsoring this episode!  Do you get too much email? Then SaneBox is for you. It moves unimportant emails out of the Inbox into a separate folder and summarizes them in a digest. Try it out for free at http://sanebox.com/cultcast

And Lynda.com! With over 2,000 high quality video courses taught by industry-leading experts, Lynda.com will help you master virtually any application, all on your own time and at your own pace.  Learn all you want for free for 7 days with a free trial.  Try it now at Lynda.com/CultCast 

Secret sauce—it’s the reason Apple keeps winning where others fail, and on our newest CultCast, we discuss the recipe that keeps Apple ahead of the pack. Plus, iOS 8 rumors detail some powerful new features; whispers of an impossibly thin iPhone 6; A-list musicians praise Pono as the digital music player for audiophiles; iPad 4 makes a comeback; and we reveal our favorite Cult movies on a all-new Get To Know Your Cultist!


FreshBooks, the simple online accounting solution built for small business owners – just like you – who want to skip the headache of tax time. For a limited time, try FreshBooks free 60 days. To get started, visit getfreshbooks.com now and enter CultCast in the “How Did You Hear About Us” section. 

On this ep. ya'aaall: All that we love about iOS 7.1; rumors of a 4.7 and 5.7-inch iPhone 6 gets more credible; CultCast Studios gets a new home; why Flappy Bird might fly back into the App Store; 2014 brings a new MS Office; iTunes Radio is taking over; and an intriguing new iPod challenger gets a lot of buzz...

Thanks to our sponsors!

FreshBook, the simple online accounting solution built for small business owners – just like you – who want to skip the headache of tax time. For a limited time, try FreshBooks free 60 days. To get started, visit getfreshbooks.com now and enter CultCast in the “How Did You Hear About Us” section.

Thanks to Lynda.com for sponsoring this episode!  With over 2,000 high quality video courses taught by industry-leading experts, Lynda.com will help you master virtually any application, all on your own time and at your own pace.  Learn all you want for free for 7 days with a free trial.  Try it now at Lynda.com/CultCast.  

Hallelujah, iOS has come to the car! On this week’s CultCast, we’ll tell you all we love and don’t about Apple’s new CarPlay-enabled automobiles.  

Plus: why Apple’s best years are still to come; why iOS 7.1 could drop at any moment; why new iPhones might drop every six months; and we pitch our favorite tech and apps on an all new Faves 'N Raves.

Thanks to Backblaze online backup for supporting this episode!  Founded by ex-Apple engineers, Blackblaze was built to work seemlessly with all the Macs in your life.  Get simple, easy-to-use, unlimited backup for your Macs and external hard drives.  Try it for free at  http://Backblaze.com/cultofmac.

And thanks to Squarespace for making this episode a reality. Treat yourself to a brand new website with the help of Squarespace - a drag-and-drop, do-it-yourself site builder with everything you need to create an exceptional website. Head to http://Squarespace.com/ to start a free trial and use the offer code “cultcast” to save 10% off any order.

This week's stories

Oscars Host Ellen DeGeneres Ditched Her Galaxy Note For An iPhone 

Apple To Finally Discontinue The Non-Retina MacBook Pro This Year [Rumor]

Apple CFO Joins Goldman Sachs Board of Directors

Apple Poaches HTC Engineers To Speed Up Product Development

iOS 7.1 Rumored To Launch By Next Week

CarPlay: iOS Comes to the Car (discussion)

This time: The mysterious life of Timothy Cook; exciting rumors around the new Jobs movie; Mavericks 10.9.2’s features and fixes; why you should install iOS 7.0.6 like, right now; Netflix pays off Comcast; and we’re too sexy for this podcast.

Thanks to Lynda.com for sponsoring this episode!  With over 2,000 high quality video courses taught by industry-leading experts, Lynda.com will help you master virtually any application, all on your own time and at your own pace.  Learn all you want for free for 7 days with a free trial.  Try it now at Lynda.com/CultCast. 

And Sanebox.com!  Do you get too much email? Then SaneBox is for you. It moves unimportant emails out of the Inbox into a separate folder and summarizes them in a digest. Try it out for free at http://sanebox.com/cultcast

This week's stories

Hipster Beard Transplants Are All the Rage These Days

http://gizmodo.com/hipster-beard-transplants-are-all-the-rage-these-days-1530786332

Why iOS 7.0.6 Is A Way More Important Update Than You Think - Alex

http://www.cultofmac.com/267501/ios-6-0-6-way-important-update-think/#EhF4380S3Xw3ogw8.99

Netflix Tosses In The Towel, Will Pay Comcast To Stream Video To You

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/24/business/media/comcast-and-netflix-reach-a-streaming-agreement.html 

Tim Cook’s ROBERTSDALE Alabama Youth  Profiled

http://blog.al.com/live/2014/02/tim_cook_--_apple_ceo_and_robe.html

Greetings comrades!  This time on CultCast: for first time, Apple brings iTunes Festival to United States, but why not mother Russia?  Facebook buys WhatApp for cool 19 billion Ruples… but why?  Then, like enemy of Putin, Jony Ive vanishes from Apple website; Apple and Tesla make secret talks, could this mean iCar?  Only the KGB knows for sure.  And don’t miss all new Faves N Raves where men pitch favorite tech and apps then supreme leader chooses with one is best!

Thanks to Fresbooks for sponsoring this episode! FreshBooks, the simple online accounting solution built for small business owners – just like you – who want to skip the headache of tax time. For a limited time, try FreshBooks free 60 days. To get started, visit getfreshbooks.com now and enter CultCast in the “How Did You Hear About Us” section .

And thanks to macupdate.com - You know what we love?  Getting big discounts on Mac apps.  Be sure to check out deals.macupdate.com regularly for significant discounts and daily deals on all kinds of popular Mac software.

We'll never stop Flapping!  On this episode, we investigate the worldwide obsession with the iOS wünder-game, Flappy Bird, plus, the bizarre story of why the game's developer pulled the wildly popular game so abruptly from the App Store. 

Plus, some new iPhone 6 rumors surface, and a Macintosh super-grid you've never heard of is hunting down a cure for cancer.

Thanks to our sponsors!

Freshbooks, the simple cloud accounting solution that’s helping thousands of new entrepreneurs and small business owners savetime billing and get paid faster. Sign up free today at GetFreshBooks.com and join over 5 million users running their business with ease.

And thanks to Lynda.com.  With over 2,000 high quality video courses taught by industry-leading experts, Lynda.com will help you master virtually any application, all on your own time and at your own pace.  Learn all you want for free for 7 days with a free trial.  Try it now at Lynda.com/CultCast.  

With rumors of a new Apple-made “fitness app” in iOS 8, secrets meeting with the FDA, and murmurs of more sleep and fitness expert joining the Apple ranks, the iWatch rumors are heating up on this week’s CultCast!  Plus, a classic Nintendo game makes its way to iOS; Microsoft says goodbye to the one and only Steve Ballmer; and new job openings in Cupertino could mean big upgrades in battery life for future MacBooks…

Thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode!   Treat yourself to a brand new website with the help of Squarespace - a drag-and-drop, do-it-yourself site builder with everything you need to create an exceptional website. Head to http://Squarespace.com/cultcast to start a free trial. Use the offer code “CultCast” when you decide to purchase, and you’ll receive a 10% discount off your order.

This time: iBras make the world a better place; Apple TV is your tele’s next gaming console; iPhone 6's get huger screens; Net Neutrality and why you should care; and Erfon pitches the best Fave N Rave pick EVER...

Thanks to SaneBox for sponsoring this episode! 

Do you get too much email? Then SaneBox is for you. It moves unimportant emails out of the Inbox into a separate folder and summarizes them in a digest. Try it out for free at http://sanebox.com/cultcast

And Ting!  The straight forward wireless carrier who doesn't overcharge. With Ting, you only pay for the data, minutes, and text messages you use.  Plus, no contracts, ever! See how much could be saving on your wireless bill at http://cultcast.ting.com. 

This time: the Mac and its iconic ad turns 30! We’ll recall the vintage models of yore.  Plus, Google contacts make you a cuter nerd; Beats music has a feature others should copy; why Jailbreaking is losing its luster; and a trusty iOS app makes watching unsupported video formats a cinch.

Thanks to Ting for support this episode!  Finally, an honest, straight forward wireless carrier who doesn't overcharge. In fact, did you know 98% of people who switch to Ting save money?  See how much could be saving on your wireless bill at cultcast.ting.com.

And Freshbooks, the simple cloud accounting solution that’s helping thousands of new entrepreneurs and small business owners savetime billing and get paid faster. Sign up free today at GetFreshBooks.com and join over 5 million users running their business with ease.