The CultCast
This week:
  • How to get the best deal on your iPhone X, save yourself some serious buckets
  • Why Woz says the iPhone X will be the first iPhone he won’t buy day one
  • Would you let your delivery man enter your house when you’re not home? We discuss Amazon key!
  • Plus we’ll tell what we like and don’t about the gadgets we’re reviewing in an all-new Under Review
 
This episode supported by
CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can use code CULTCAST to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.
 
The Cult of Mac watch store has the best straps in the biz!  Save 20% off any order with code CultCast at checkout.
 
Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
 
Woz: iPhone X will be the first iPhone I haven’t bought on day one
  • Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak says the iPhone X is the first iPhone he doesn’t plan to buy on “day one.”
  • “I’d rather wait and watch that one,” Wozniak said during an interview at the Money 20/20 conference. “I’m happy with my iPhone 8 — which is the same as the iPhone 7, which is the same as the iPhone 6, to me. " will, so I’ll be close enough to see it.”
 
How to get the best deal on the iPhone X
  • $500 off with Xfinity Triple Play
  • $350 off at Sprint
  • Up to $300 off on Verizon
  • T-Mobile gives $300 off
  • Nothing yet at 
 
iPhone X will be available to walk-in customers on launch day
  • Apple has promised that iPhone X will be available to walk-in customers on launch day.
  • You will also be able to purchase iPhone X from Apple Stores beginning Friday, November 3 at 8 a.m. local time. “Stores will have iPhone X available for walk-in customers, who are encouraged to arrive early,” Apple says.
 
Amazon Key opens your home for indoor deliveries
  • Would you be cool with your delivery person opening your front door when you’re away to drop off your package?
  • Amazon Key, uses a smart lock and connected camera. When a delivery is made the courier scans the package's barcode which sends an access request to Amazon's cloud. When it grants permission, the camera starts recording, the courier swipes a prompt on their app and then your door unlocks. They leave the package by the door and relock it on their way out. You'll get a notification that the delivery has been made, along with a video of the drop-off to reassure you everything was done above board.
  • Amazon has designed the service with deliveries in mind, but Key has a bunch of other uses, too. For example, you can use it to give permanent access to people you trust or temporary access to visitors such as dog-walkers, cleaners or guests (this could be especially helpful for Airbnbhosts).
 
How to use the iPhone’s one-handed keyboard in iOS 11
  • Did you know iOS 11 had a one-handed keyboard built right in?
  • Anytime the keyboard is on screen, you can just long-press the little globe icon to bring up the keyboard selection popover. This is the same globe icon you use to select the emoji keyboard, to cycle between any keyboards you have active on your iPhone
  • The keyboard-switching globe icon only appears if you have more than one keyboard active on your iPhone.
  • Long-pressing the globe icon brings up the familiar popover, only in iOS 11 it now has an extra row of keyboard glyphs at the bottom.
  • Just select the one-handed keyboard you want, and poof, a keyboard you can type on with just one hand

 

Leander's $10,000 BatBike!
https://twitter.com/erfon/status/923628109999489024

 
Under Review
 
JLAB Epic Ear waterproof earphones
 
Schlage Sense HomeKit-enabled smart lock
 
Light and Motion Bicycle lights
 
 
Direct download: CultCast_307_-_The_best_iPhone_X_deals__our_fave_gadgets_.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:25pm PDT

This week: you’ll have mere seconds to lock down your iPhone X pre-order on October 27th, and if you’re not ready, you’ll be waiting months!  We’ve got the strategies you’ll need to employ to have your order placed seconds after the X goes live.  
 
Plus: Steve Wozniak just launched his first new product in years, and it’s actually pretty cool; the really dumb Mac accessory you’ll definitely want; Apple taps one of Hollywood’s best for a new TV series; and stick around for Leander’s new $10,000 bike, Buster’s new affordable action camera, and a new movie service you’ve GOT to try in an all-new Under Review.
 
This episode supported by
CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can use code CULTCAST to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.
 
The Cult of Mac watch store has the best straps in the biz!  Save 20% off any order with code CultCast at checkout.
 
Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
 
Foxconn is reportedly pumping out iPhone X’s on schedule
  • According to a new report, Foxconn has sent out 46,500 units from its facilities in Zhengzhou and Shanghai, headed for the Netherlands and United Arab Emirates
  • After running into multiple problems building its next-gen iPhone X, Apple’s suppliers have reportedly achieved more stable yield rates for troublesome components.
  • Foxconn has managed to ramp up its output of the iPhone X from 100,000 to 400,000 units a week
  • Digitimes says "shipments of the device have increased gradually and will meet Apple’s demand ahead of the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, the sources indicated.”
  • But even though production has ramped up, no one is quite sure how big demand will be. Will this be the most popular iPhone ever?
  • KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, iPhone X preorders could exceed 40 million, and may even hit 50 million. However, Kuo has also noted right from the start that supply of the new device is likely to be constrained through the first half of 2018
 
Chrome Auto Refresh plug-in
 
The candle that makes your house smell like a Mac is back
  • Mac and iPhone accessory maker TwelveSouth is bringing back its Mac-scented candle that flew off store shelves last year. The all-new Inspire candle still smells like a new Mac but comes with some big updates to its design that are sure to delight Apple fans.
  • TwelveSouth updated the Inspire candle this year with a new fragrance formula that’s supposed to remind you of opening up a new Mac. The scent is created by blending bergamot and armoise with hints of lemon, tarragon, amber and musk.
 
Steve Wozniak announces tech education platform Woz U
  • Steve Wozniak, the Apple co-founder who changed the world alongside Steve Jobs, has today announced the launch of Woz U.
  • Woz U will start as an online learning platform focused on both students and companies that will eventually hire those students. Woz U is based out of Arizona, and hopes to launch physical locations for learning in more than 30 cities across the globe.
  • At launch, the curriculum will center around computer support specialists and software developers, with courses on data science, mobile applications and cybersecurity coming in the future.
  • Alongside the education platform, Woz U will also offer platforms for tech companies to recruit, train and retain their workforce through on-site customized programs and subscription-based curricula
  • No work on pricing yet
 
Apple taps Steven Spielberg for original sci-fi show
  • Apple is set to make its biggest push into original content yet by inking a deal with one of the biggest directors in Hollywood history.
  • Steven Spielberg and Apple reportedly will create new episodes of Amazing Stories. The science fiction anthology series originally ran in the 1980s on NBC, but will be relaunched with all-new episodes.
  • A reported 10 episodes of the new show have been ordered by Apple to start. According to a report from The Wall Street Journal, the budget for Amazing Stories will be more than $5 million an episode.
 
Our What We're Into picks
 
Apple HiFi (yes, really)
 
Specialized Tarmac bicycle
 
Yi 4K Plus action cam
 
Movie Pass
 
GO SEE Blade Runner 2049
 
Direct download: CultCast_306_-_The_iPhone_X_pre-order_strategies_you_need_to_know_about.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:15am PDT

This week: live in the home of the future, today!  We’ll tell you how with iOS 11’s huge improvements in the Home app and HomeKit.  Plus: there’s a new Apple ID phishing scam you need to know about; there’s been a disappointing development with Apple’s AR glasses; we have to talk about the hundreds of new emoji coming at you in iOS 11.1; and we’ve got a svelte iPhone 8 case, a MacBook Pro sleeve made from real sheep, and a new power brick that’ll charge your MacBook, iPhone, Nintendo Switch—EVERYTHING—in an all new under review.
 
This episode supported by
CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can use code CULTCAST to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.
 
The Cult of Mac watch store has the best straps in the biz!  Save 20% off any order with code CultCast at checkout.
 
Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
 
9 beautifully minimalist cases for your iPhone 8 & 8 Plus (and 7/7Plus)
 
Why you shouldn’t trust Apple ID prompts in third-party apps
  • A savvy developer named Felix Krause has discovered it is shockingly easy for an iOS app developer to phish your Apple ID and password with a  fake authentication prompt that looks exactly the a real one.
  • He posted pictures of a real and fake prompt this week and they look identical.
  • Worse, developers can add this code after their app has been approved by Apple.
  • How to tell the difference:
    • The app will close and the popup will disappear with it. This means it was a phishing attempt.
    • The app and popup remain on screen. This means it is a genuine system dialog and can be trusted.
 
Apple is now selling its latest MacBook Pro at a discount
  • Apple has updated its online Apple store to start offering refurbished 15-inch MacBook Pro models with Touch Bar, marking the first time this year’s Touch Bar-equipped models have been available to buy refurbished.
  • Apple typically sells refurbished models for around 15 percent off the full retail price
 
Apple CEO Tim Cook: Technology Doesn't Exist to do AR Smart Glasses 'In a Quality Way’ 
  • Apple CEO Tim Cook recently sat down for a wide ranging interview with The Independent
  • When questioned about the topic, he said the technology to create a pair of augmented reality smart glasses "in a quality way" does not exist today.
  • "But today I can tell you the technology itself doesn't exist to do that in a quality way. The display technology required, as well as putting enough stuff around your face - there's huge challenges with that.
  • "The field of view, the quality of the display itself, it's not there yet.”
  • "We want to be the best and give people a great experience," he said. "But now anything you would see on the market any time soon would not be something any of us would be satisfied with. Nor do I think the vast majority of people would be satisfied.”
 
Apple drops iOS 11.1 beta 2 with dozens new emoji
  • Apple unleashed hundreds of new emoji on developers today with the release of iOS 11.1 beta 2.
  • The new emoji also have new faces, clothes, sports, food, dinosaurs and other mystical characters.
  • Monocle face
  • Mind blow face
  • Mer-people
  • Wizards
  • Draculas
  • Chinese food takeout container
  • Elves, fairies, genie
  • Dinosaurs
 
Inside iOS 11: HomeKit gains multi-person geofencing, conditional triggers
  • HomeKit and the Home app will boggle your gourd.  They’re WAY more powerful now that in iOS 10.
  • Multi-person geofencing.  Actions can be triggered when one person comes or goes, or when a group of people in the same HomeKit group does.
    • Turn on lights when first person gets home
    • Turn off heat when last person leaves
  • Support for conditional triggers
    • Lighting will come on with someone comes home, but only after sunset
    • AC will turn on when someone comes home, but only if the temperature is above a threshold that you set.
  • Airplay 2 speakers are now supported, so you could set your speakers to start playing music in the morning or when you get home.
  • Time-based event triggers (i.e. turn the lights off at 5:30, or turn them on 30 minutes after sunrise)
  • Day of the week reoccurrence, so you can set things differently for different days of the way, or on the weekends
  • Home occupancy gate (i.e. only run something if you’re at home)
  • Timers (auto off after 1-60 minutes)
 
Now you can control sprinklers, faucets, and Airplay 2 speakers in addition to:
  • security devices
  • garage doors
  • fans
  • lights
  • outlets
  • air purifiers
  • locks
  • humidifiers
  • doorbells
  • cameras
  • air conditioners
  • window shades
  • and thermostats
  • Finally, Apple is really pushing for better adoption of HomeKit; manufacturers can now add HomeKit compatibility to their non-HomeKit accessories due to Apple’s relaxed licensing terms.  Vendors are no longer required to use a dedicated encryption chip—all HomeKit authorization can go through software, which means Nest could add HomeKit compatibility with a software update.
 
Under review
 
Woolnut laptop sleeve
 
Mophie Powerstation USB-C XXL
 
Spigen Liquid Air Armor iPhone 8 Plus
Direct download: CultCast_305_-_The_iOS_11_HomeKit_upgrades_you_need_to_know_about.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:49am PDT

This week: a company unlike any other, some say Steve Job’s greatest product was Apple itself, but how have they fared in the 6 years since his passing?  Leander shares the cold hard facts.  Plus: Leander’s long soliloquy about his new love, the 4K Apple TV; an iOS 11 software trick doubles your iPhone storage; and we’ll wrap up our favorite minimalist cases for your iPhone 7, 8, and X.
 
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.
 
CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can use code CULTCAST to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.
 
The Cult of Mac watch store has the best straps in the biz!  Save 20% off any order with code CultCast at checkout.
 
Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
 
Photos and videos shot in iOS 11's HEIF/HEVC format are literally now half the size they were in iOS10’s JPG/H.264 formats
 
Catch our CultCast 300 live celebration show on Tuesday, October 10th at 12PM PT!
 
9 beautifully minimalist cases for your iPhone 8 & 8 Plus (and 7/7Plus)
 
Google's Pixel Buds translation will change the world
  • Google announced all sorts of stuff yesterday
  • Pixel 2, a smart speaker called the Max to compete with the HomePod
  • But at the very end of their key, Google introduced the Pixel Buds, wireless headphones designed for use with the company's new Pixel 2 handset.  Once paired, you can tap the right earphone then issue a command.
  • If you say, "Help me speak Japanese" and then start speaking in English, the Pixel’s speakers will output your translated words as you speak them. The other party's reply into the phone will then play into your ear through the Pixel Buds in English.
  • 40 languages are currently supported, and the translation works in real time with virtually no lag.
 
Apple TV 4K is almost picture-perfect [Review]
  • Apple’s newest set-top box pulls out all the stops to be the best on the field. It’s packing incredibly powerful new hardware that leaves competitors in the dust, and a much-improved tvOS platform that is years ahead of its rivals.
  • Remote. Not much has changed for the Siri Remote, either, which is a shame — it’s still wretched. It looks almost identical this year, except there’s now a white ridge around the Menu button.
  • Speed. Thanks to an A10X Fusion processor — the same one you’ll find in the latest iPad Pro — Apple TV 4K is pretty fast. It’s by far the most powerful set-top box on the market, and that’s not just for 4K video.
  • 4K HDR video is sharp, colorful and full of contrast and detail. The screensavers especially are spectacular and detailed. Shot in 4K, the screensavers were downgraded for the old AppleTV. On the 4K box they appear in all their trippy, hypnotic detail.
  • One thing you won’t be able to enjoy in 4K HDR, however, is YouTube. That’s because Apple doesn’t support the VP9 video format that YouTube serves up — it doesn’t work on macOS or iOS, either — so the best you’ll get is 1080p.
 
Our favorite iPhone 8/8Plus cases
Direct download: CultCast_304_-_Steve_Job_s_greatest_product.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:17am PDT

1