The CultCast
This week: our picks for the BEST Apple Gadge of 2017 šŸ’ŖšŸ¼  Plus: Apple admits they are indeed slowing down older iPhones and Mac, but thereā€™s more to the story than youā€™ve heard. Weā€™ll tell you how to check if youā€™re affected, how to check your battery health, and how to prevent getting throttled.
 
This episode supported by
 
The single-router wifi model just doesnā€™t work for our increasingly high-bandwidth world. The EERO distributed system will blanket your home in hyper-fast, reliable WiFi, and you can score free overnight shipping with code "CultCast" at checkout.
 
Upsie saves you up to 70% on warranties versus traditional retailers, and you know exactly whatā€™s covered before you buy. Plus their iPhone X accidental damage warranty is $80 less than Apple Care Plus. Get 10% off your first purchase at upsie.com with code ā€œCultCast at checkout.
 
On the show this week
 
How old batteries are slowing down your iPhone and Mac
  • It all started with a post on Reddit (TeckFire):
    • My iPhone 6S has been very slow these past few weeks, and even after updating multiple times, it was still slow. Couldnā€™t figure out why, but just thought that iOS 11 was still awful to me. Then I used my brotherā€™s iPhone 6 Plus and his was faster than mine? This is when I knew something was wrong. So, I did some research, and decided to replace my battery. I did a Geekbench score before the battery change, and found I was getting 1466 Single and 2512 Multi. After changing my battery, I did another test, and this time it was 2526 for Single and 4456 for Multi. From what I can tell, Apple slows down phones when the battery gets too low.
 
Apple hit with two lawsuits over slowing down iPhones
  • Apple has admitted to purposely throttling the performance of aging iPhones, but they say itā€™s not to shorten your deviceā€™s life, but to lengthen it.
  • Lithium-ion batteries become less capable of supplying peak current demands when in cold conditions, have a low battery charge or as they age over time, which can result in the device unexpectedly shutting down to protect its electronic components.
  • Last year we released a feature for iPhone 6, iPhone 6s and iPhone SE to smooth out the instantaneous peaks only when needed to prevent the device from unexpectedly shutting down during these conditions. Weā€™ve now extended that feature to iPhone 7 with iOS 11.2, and plan to add support for other products in the future.ā€
 
A bad battery will result in a slowed Mac too
 
Slow iPhone? Hereā€™s how to check the health of your battery - leander
  • coconutBattery is a FREE Mac app that performs a single task ā€” it checks the status of the battery in your Mac, or the battery of any iDevices connected to that Mac.
  • It shows you the state of your battery health, charge cycle, and the current capacity vs. the designed capacity
  • iStat menus also works for battery health and charge cycle plus a ton of other super useful information
 
Today in Apple history: Steve Jobs loses ā€˜Man of the Yearā€™ award to the PC
  • Time magazineā€™s ā€œMan of the Yearā€ issue hit newsstands on December 26, 1983, and Steve Jobs fully expected to be on the cover.
  • The award represented just how far personal computers had come in just a few years, not just technologically but also as a world-changing industry. Apple, only five years old at the time, had not yet released the Macintosh. However, the Apple II was phenomenally successful. Apple was also on the verge of launching the Lisa, its first machine to offer a graphical user interface and mouse.
  • But when Steve received his issue of Time, it was not himself on the but a PC.  It was the first time the magazine had featured a non-human on the cover.
  • Steve Jobs 27 years old.  And when we ready to article, he was so upset, he actually cried.
Direct download: CultCast_316_-_The_BEST_Apple_Gadgets_of_2017.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:57pm PDT

Ho Ho Hooo! This week on a very merry CultCast:
  • Next-day delivery of iPhone X is a sprinkling of Christmas magic
  • Updated AirPods are supposedly coming in 2018
  • How the iPhone almost never was
  • HOT Tips:
    • How to listen to Youtube videos when your iPad or iPhone screens are off
    • How to picture-in-picture Youtube videos on your iPad
    • And how to keep those pesky ads out of your Youtube videos for free
  • And we wrap up with our favorite shows of 2017!
  • To all our Cult friends, meeeeerry Christmas, happy (belated) Hanukkah
 
This episode supported by
 
Casperā€™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.
 
Backblaze is unlimited cloud backup for Macs and PCs for just $5 a month. And itā€™s native for Macs!  Try it out free for 15 days at Backblaze.com/cultcast.
 
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.
 
Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
 
Next-day delivery of iPhone X is a sprinkling of Christmas magic
  • Itā€™s a Christmas Miracle!
  • All models are available in the U.S. Apple Store, marking something of a Christmas miracle for Apple ā€” when you consider that the majority of pre-release reports suggested that the iPhone X wouldnā€™t be shipping to most customers until some time in 2018.
 
Listen up: Updated AirPods are supposedly coming in 2018
  • Did you know AirPods are among the most beloved new products that Apple has launched in years, with around 98 percent of customers describing themselves as either ā€œvery satisfiedā€ or ā€œsatisfiedā€ with Appleā€™s wireless buds.
  • Apple is planning to release an updated version of its AirPods wireless earbuds in the second half of 2018, respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo claims in a new note to clients.
  • While he doesnā€™t share too many details about what the new AirPods will do differently, he does suggest that they will adopt a smaller quartz component ā€” quite possibly making them even smaller than the first-gen model currently available.
 
Today in Apple history: iPhone may have to seek new name
  • The original iPhone wasnā€™t an iPhone at all. 
  • Back in 1998, a company called InfoGear showed off an ā€œiPhoneā€ at CES. Costing $499, with extra charges for internet access, the device made very early use of touch technology, visual voicemail, basic apps and more.
  • Even though it got good reviews, it didnā€™t sell well, but it peaked Ciscoā€™s interest, and they bought InforGear and the iPhone trademark in 2000.
  • Fast forward to 2007. Apple announces their iPhone, and they did it knowing that Cisco owned the trademark.
  • Steve Jobs wasnā€™t going to let something silly like the law stop him from using the name he wanted for Appleā€™s new device.
  • Despite Cisco owning the name, Apple nonetheless went ahead and introduced the iPhone in January 2007. The following day, Cisco filed suit against Apple. As Adam Lashinsky revealed in his book Inside Apple:
    • ā€œ[Charles Giancarlo, a Cisco executive at the time] fielded a call directly from Steve Jobs. ā€˜Steve called in and said that he wanted it,ā€™ Giancarlo recalled. ā€˜He didnā€™t offer us anything for it. It was just like a promise heā€™d be our best friend. And we said, ā€˜No, weā€™re planning on using it.ā€™ā€™ Shortly after that, Appleā€™s legal department called to say they thought Cisco had ā€˜abandoned the brand,ā€™ meaning that in Appleā€™s legal opinion Cisco hadnā€™t adequately defended its intellectual property rights by promoting the name
    • The negotiation displayed some classic Steve Jobs negotiating tactics. Giancarlo said Jobs called him at home at dinnertime on Valentineā€™s Day, as the two sides were haggling. Jobs talked for a while, Giancarlo related. ā€˜And then he said to me, ā€˜Can you get email at home?ā€™ Giancarlo was taken aback. This was 2007, after all, when broadband Internet was ubiquitous in homes in the US, let alone that of a Silicon Valley executive who had worked for years on advanced Internet technology. ā€˜And heā€™s asking me if Iā€™m able to get email at home. You know heā€™s just trying to press my buttons ā€” in the nicest possible way.ā€™ Cisco gave up the fight shortly after that.ā€
  • Apple later repeated this somewhat underhanded move by borrowing another trademark owned by Cisco ā€” the name ā€œIOSā€ (which Cisco used for ā€œInternet Operating Systemā€). As a make-good, Apple and Cisco announced that they were teaming up to ā€œexplore opportunities for interoperability,ā€ although this never happened.
 
Best TV of 2017!
 
Leander
 
The Deuce
 
The Leftovers 
 
Silicon Valley
 
The Detectorists
 
The Crown
 
 
Erfon
 
Walking Dead!
 
AVDChina
 
Joe Rogan Experience
 
 
Direct download: CultCast_315_-_Best_TV_of_2017.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:23pm PDT

This week:
  • In a surprising turn of events, Jony Ive has taken back the reigns of Appleā€™s design team.
  • The new iMac is out, and the reviews are coming in.  Weā€™ll tell you whatā€™s new about this beastly machine with a MONSTER price tag
  • By the numbers: how much dough Apple earns every single second will help you realize what plebeians we all are
  • And we wrap with how Apple got it right 2017, and what they need to do better in 2018!
 
This episode supported by
Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespaceā€”Build it Beautiful.
 
If you want the fastest WiFi everywhere in our home, check out an award winning Orbi WiFi System from Netgear, at http://netgear.com/orbi.
 
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.
 
On the show this week
 
Jony Ive is once again leading Appleā€™s design team
  • Jony Ive is reportedly returning to hands-on design duties at Apple, two years after being promoted to the role of Chief Design Officer.
  • According to an Apple spokesperson, ā€œWith the completion of Apple Park, Appleā€™s design leaders and teams are again reporting directly to Jony Ive, who remains focused purely on design.ā€
  • Why Ive would be returning to his old role isnā€™t immediately clear ā€” nor what this means for Dye and Howarth. Ironically, at the time that Ive was given his new job in 2015, some pundits suggested it meant Jony was on his way out of Apple, and this was a way of carrying out the transition. Now that he is ā€œdemotedā€ to his old position, no doubt many people will take it as signaling much the same thing.
 
Appleā€™s insane earning power
 
Appleā€™s ridiculously powerful iMac Pro is coming this week
  • By the time you hear this, the iMac Pro will be ready for you to come 'n git it
  • Comes wtih an 
    • 8, 10, or 18 core Intel Xeon Chip
    • 32, 64, or 128 GB of DDR4
  • A new thermal design means the iMac Pro runs 80 percent cooler than a regular iMac
  • Four Thunderbolt 3 ports for powering two 5K displays or four 4K displays at once, a 10-gigabit Ethernet port, four USB-A 3.0 ports, an SD card slot, and a 3.5mm headphone jack. That makes it Appleā€™s most port-friendly Mac in years.
  • Hermetically sealed. Not upgradeable in any way, not even RAM.
 
iMac Pro impresses in first hands-on reviews
  • A few lucky tech reviewers have already gotten their hands on the slick new iMac Pro with
    • 10 core 3GHZ Intel Xeon chip, only the mid-tier chip (8, 10, 18 core)
    • 128GB DDR4 RAM
    • AMD Vega Pro with 64GB of RAM
  • Black Magic Speed Disk test: 3000 MB/s read/write SSD speedsā€¦.
  • Photographer Vincent Laforet got to incorporate the iMac Pro into his workflow for a few days and says
  • ā€œIā€™ve seldom seen a jump this dramatic before on any new generation of Macs ā€“ 20%-30% speed increases are the norm ā€¦ NOT 200%-300% increases.
  • Marques Brownlee has been using the machine for a week and did a quick overview video of it.  His reaction was more tempered but you could tell he was impressed with itā€™s FCP performance, especially since he films raw 8K and previews his cuts with color grading applied.
  • Makes the argument that for the price itā€™s a good value since youā€™re getting cutting-edge components that purchased separately would cost about the same price of the machine.
Direct download: CultCast_314_-_Shakeup_Jony_Ive_takes_back_the_design_team_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:52pm PDT

This week:
  • Everything you need to know about Apple Pay Cash.
  • One of the best, most anticipated Apple TV apps fo 2017 is FINALLY available.  Weā€™ll talk about that.
  • Why are we so hard on Apple?  We recently received some harsh email from a critic asking that very question.  
  • We wrap up with our huge list of the best gadgets of 2017!!
 
 
This episode supported by
Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespaceā€”Build it Beautiful.
 
The single-router wifi model just doesnā€™t work for our increasingly high-bandwidth world. The EERO distributed system will blanket your home in hyper-fast, reliable WiFi, and you can score free overnight shipping with code CULTCAST at checkout.
 
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.
 
On the show this week
 
iPhone X delivery times fall to within one week in US
  • All iPhone X models up for sale on Apple's online store are showing delivery in a week, down from 2-3 weeks two weeks ago.
  • KGI analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said supply chain improvements were to thank for Apple's improved iPhone X ship times, specifically a diversification of LCP LTE antenna orders and higher yields of iPhone's TrueDepth dot projector.
 
Everything you need to know about Apple Pay Cash 
  • Used to pay people via the Messages app, though you can also use your Apple Pay Cash card to make Apple Pay payments if you have money on the card (card lives in your Apple Wallet)
  • You can add cash to your card by receiving payments, or adding cash in the wallet app (minimum $10).  This is one in the Wallet app.  Just select the card then press the little ā€œiā€ at the bottom right of the screen
  • Money paid to you will live on your Apple Pay Cash card until you use it or transfer it to your bank.
  • Debit cards let you send money for free, while credit cards cost 3%
  • You can send money via Siri to people in your contacts
  • You can send/receive a minimum of $1-$3,000 in a transaction, and can send/receive up to $10,000 in any 7 day period.
 
Amazon Prime Video is finally available for your Apple TV
  • Apple has finally delivered on its WWDC promise to bring Amazon Prime Video to Apple TV, with just a few weeks to spare before Apple hit its own end-of-the-year deadline.
  • The tvOS version of the app is available to download on Apple TV 3rd generation devices or above by searching ā€œAmazon Prime Videoā€ on your set-top box. It brings an end to the days of having to use AirPlay to play Amazon Prime Video on your Apple TV, via another device.
 
Ditch your old router, Eero is the new king of Wi-Fi routers [Review]
 
AmpliFi HDā€™s blazing-fast Wi-Fi will spoil you rotten [Reviews]
 
I made my own smart HomePod speaker, and itā€™s awesome
 
Listener email: Why are we ā€œso hardā€ on Apple?
 
 
Best gadgets of 2017!
 
Leander
 
Apple Wifi connected to a Amazon Echo dot
 
Sonos Playbase tv speaker
 
Amazon Echo Show
 
See sense bicycle lights
 
Wahoo Element GPS bicycle computer
 
Nokia Body Plus smart scale
 
Erfon
 
Hunter Symphony Homkit Fan
 
Fender GT 200 iOS controlled smart guitar amp
 
Fender GT 100
 
Fender GT 40
 
Rhinoshield Crashguard bumper case for iPhone X
 
For iPhone 8
 
Arlo Pro 2 smart security cameras
 
Arlo Q indoor camera
 
My 2013 MacBook Pro!
 
Lewis
 
Amplify HD mesh router
 
Koogeek Homekit smart bulb
 
Koogeek Homekit smart plug
 
Omna 180 smart homekit camera
 
Litter Robot 3 executive cat bathroom
 
Buster
 
DJI Mavic Pro Drone
 
One Wheel plus scooter board for clowns
Direct download: CultCast_313_-_All_the_best_gadgets_of_2017.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:36am PDT

This week:
  • The bigs ones.  The bangers.  Itā€™s our favorite movies of 2017!
  • The useful iPhone X gestures you havenā€™t heard about.
  • Appleā€™s new Youtube channel and itā€™s actually pretty cool.
  • The data for the LTE Apple watch is way more than we originally were told
  • Itā€™s the end of an era.  Jailbreaking is dead.
 
This episode supported by
 
Learn all you want for free with 30-day trial to LinkedIn Learning at http://linkedin.com/cultcast
 
If you just want great WiFi everywhere, check out an award winning Orbi WiFi System from Netgear, at http://netgear.com/orbi
 
CultCloth will keep your iPhone X, 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.
 
On the show this week
 
Heads up: Apple Watch data is significantly more expensive than carriers will tell you
  • Just a heads up: Got my first AT&T bill with my Apple Watch LTE added on. Taxes on the $10 data plan add-on come to $7.69 meaning the cellular plan for the watch is actually $17.69/month or $212.28 for a year of service. That's insane and totally not worth it. Just wanted to make people aware of the fact that AT&T conveniently neglects to mention how expensive the plan will actually be.
 
Big Cydia sources shut down as jailbreaking dies out
  • Jailbreaking was once a necessity to millions of iPhone owners, is just about dead, at least according to Cydia store creator Jay Freeman
  • Many of the features that made jailbreaking so popular ā€” like video recording, useful settings toggles, custom ringtones, and enhanced multitasking ā€” are now baked into iOS. So jailbreaking is no longer required for many iPhone and iPad users.
  • It was the only way to obtain native apps during the handsetā€™s first year on the market. But even after the launch of the App Store, users turned to jailbreaking to get their hands on software Apple wouldnā€™t allow.
  • Two of Cydiaā€™s largest repositories have been shutdown as jailbreaking dies out. ModMy and ZodTTD are no longer available, leaving BigBoss as the only major source still available to those who want apps and tweaks you canā€™t find in the App Store.
 
Appleā€™s new YouTube channel teaches iOS tips
  • Apple wants to help you make the most of your iPhone and iPad with a brand new YouTube channel. It offers a collection of how-to videos that teach you how to take screenshots, send attachments in Mail, print on the go, and more.
  • The channel, which launched on Monday evening, currently hosts ten how-to videos. Theyā€™ll teach you how to do things like change your wallpaper, mute or leave a group conversation in iMessage, delete call logs and photos, and more.
  • Each video is under two minutes in length. It provides step-by-step instructions for each how-to, with useful bullet points that make the directions easier to follow. English captions are also available if required.
 
The iPhone X gestures you didnā€™t know about
  • Swipe up and over to the right for app switching, or swipe up and to the right
  • Swipe up the down for reachability.
  • You can then access control center from the top of the lowered screen
  • Close apps by swiping them up (instead of using the lame minus icon)
  • Volume up. Volume Down.  Power button hold to restart/shutdown
 
You think your photos are safe in the cloud, but something that happened to me this week has me questioning that.
 
Our favorite movies of 2017!
 
Buster
Baby Driver
 
Logan Lucky
 
Leander
The Lure
 
It Follows
 
Devil in a Blue Dress
 
Lady Bird
 
Get Out
 
Erfon
Blade Runner 2049
 
Thor Ragnarok
 
The Doors: when youā€™re strange
 
Andy and Me: The Great Beyond
Direct download: CultCast_312_-_Our_favorite_movies_of_2017_also_the_Apple_news.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:40am PDT

This week:
  • HomePodā€™s been delayed, weā€™ll talk about that, but Bloomberg put out an interesting piece on the history of the HomePod, and it gives previously undisclosed details of the device you may find very interesting.
  • We gotta talk about net neutrality
  • How Tesla just out Appleā€™d, Apple
  • Is there still a point to Apple TV?  
  • Tactics to get the best prices on all the Black Friday stuff you want
  • Oh yeah, and šŸ¦ƒ Gobble gobble yaaaā€™aaall! šŸ¦ƒ
 
This episode supported by
 
Learn all you want for free with 30-day trial to LinkedIn Learning at LinkedIn.com/cultcast
 
If you just want great WiFi everywhere, check out an award winning Orbi WiFi System from Netgear, at http://netgear.com/orbi
 
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!  Check out the huge Black Friday sale with savings up to 50% at http://store.cultofmac.com.
 
Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
 
Net neutrality is almost dead, but we can still save it
  • FCC is about to kill Net Neutrality, and theyā€™re calling it the Restoring internet freedom order
  • Theyā€™re currently taking our feedback into account, but the official vote for the order will be on Dec. 14th
  • Details of the new plan will were released today.  The plan completely removes restrictions on throttling or prioritizing content, and explicitly allows paid prioritization of content
  • Go to Battleforthenet.com.  It will help you take action. If will connect you to your congress person via phone and even provide you a script of what to say.
 
Tesla out-Apples Apple with the new Roadster ā€œone more thing"
 
Appleā€™s HomePod smart speaker wonā€™t be home for Christmas - buster
  • Appleā€™s new Siri-powered smart speaker wonā€™t be one of the hottest gifts of the 2017 holiday season after all.
  • The HomePod was set to launch in December 2017, but the company released a statement today saying it needs more time to make the smart speaker ready for customers.
  • ā€œWe canā€™t wait for people to experience HomePod, Appleā€™s breakthrough wireless speaker for the home, but we need a little more time before itā€™s ready for our customers. Weā€™ll start shipping in the US, UK, and Australia in early 2018
  • When it does launch, HomePod will cost $349, making it a lot more pricey than rival smart speakers from Amazon and Google
 
Apple's HomePod project actually predates the Amazon Echo, but has been canceled and restarted numerous times, and has undergone radical design changes
  • HomePod has been in development since 2012, and itā€™s not like the Echo.
  • The engineers and designers wanted to build a really great speaker that  "sounded better than the ones sold by the likes of Bose, JBL and Harman Kardonā€
  • Prototypes ranged from a flat panel with a mesh screen to one measuring some three feet tall with dozens of speakers
  • In 2014, the project went from prototyping into an official endeavor
  • In that same year, Amazon released their Echo, and it reportedly blind-sided Appleā€™s engineers. They joked with each other that there must be mole working amongst them.
 
Is there still a point for Apple TV?
Smart TVs now have pretty great navigation and menu systems built in.  Many have Google cast built int.
 
The Best Black Friday deals of 2017
 
Moviepass now has a deal for 6.95 a month 
Direct download: CultCast_311_-_The_rocky_history_of_HomePod.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:48pm PDT

This week: 
  • Two weeks with the X.  Weā€™ll tell you what we like and what still sucks.
  • Some very exciting new rumors about the next international of iPhone X
  • Two big features coming you to in iOS 11.2 which is now in its 3rd beta
  • What we tell you what we like and donā€™t about our favorite gadgets in a all-new under review šŸ¤œšŸ¼šŸ’„šŸ¤›šŸ¼
 
This episode supported by
 
Casperā€™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.
 
Learn all you want for free with 30-day trial to LinkedIn Learning by visiting http://linkedin.com/cultcast
 
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.
 
Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
 
Apple may launch 6.5-inch iPhone X Plus in 2018 
  • One of the most reliable Apple analysts in the game is predicting big things for the iPhone X design in 2018.
  • According to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple will release an iPhone X Plus next year with the biggest smartphone screen the company has ever made.
  • Kuo says Apple will release three iPhones in 2018 with a notch design. There will supposedly be a 5.8-inch (updated X) and a 6.5-inch model, both with OLED displays.
  • The third iPhone will supposedly have a 6.1-inch LCD display but come with the same bezel-free design as the iPhone X.
  • The 6.5-inch iPhone X Plus will have a display with 480 to 500 pixels per inch, possibly making it more pixel dense than the iPhone X. The 6.1-inch LCD version will only have a display with 320 to 330 PPI.
 
iPhone will get rear-facing 3D sensors in 2019
  • According to a Bloomberg, Apple is working on a new rear-mounted ā€œ3D sensorā€ for its 2019 iPhone, which will help further the companyā€™s augmented reality ambitions.
  • The new system will work using lasers and measuring the amount of time it takes for them to bounce back to create a depth map. This is reportedly different to the TrueDepth sensor system used on the front of the iPhone X, which uses a pattern of 30,000 laser dots to measure depth information for features like Face ID.
 
Two big features coming to your iPhone 8 and X with the release of iOS 11.2
  • Apple Pay cash, which will work on the iPad.
  • Apple has added support for faster 7.5W wireless charging in its latest iOS 11.2 beta. iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X all support the increased charging speed. Youā€™ll need a compatible wireless charging mat to take advantage of it, however.
 
2018 iPad Pro could get 8-core A11X Bionic chip
  • Apple supposedly plans to slap an octa-core processor in next yearā€™s iPad Pro, making them the most powerful tablets Appleā€™s ever made.
  • For the iPhone X and iPhone 8, Apple created the A11 Bionic chip that comes with two high-performance cores and four high-efficiency cores.
  • This is the same chip that is currently faster than the chips in 2012 iMacs and my 2013 MacBook Pro.
  • My machine is 33% in multicore tests, but image if they add another 2 high performance cores to the iPad.
 
 
Under Review
 
Eve Degree
 
Eve Room
 
Eve Weather
 
Chocolate Hub
 
Ecobee 4
 
Juuk ļ£æ Watch Bands
 
Patagonia Micropuff Jacket
Direct download: CultCast_310_-_Two_weeks_with_the_X_.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:19am PDT

This week: the iPhone X may be Appleā€™s best phone, but itā€™s not perfect.  Catch our first week impressions to hear what we love (and what we donā€™t!) about Appleā€™s very spicy new iPhone. Plus: our top reasons to NOT buy an iPhone X; how to use Apple Pay cash to pay your friends an fam; and catch our list of X-rated tips, aka the really useful iPhone X tips and tricks you havenā€™t heard about.
 
This episode supported by
Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespaceā€”Build it Beautiful.
 
Speck makes some of the best looking, most protective iPhone cases in the land.  Shop iPhone 8, 8 Plus, and iPhone X cases in stores or online at SpeckProducts.com/cultofmac
 
The single-router wifi model just doesnā€™t work for our increasingly high-bandwidth world. The EERO distributed system will blanket your home in hyper-fast, reliable WiFi, and you can score free overnight shipping with code CULTCAST at checkout, at eero.com.
 
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
 
Apple, the most personal computer
 
iPhone X setup shows Appleā€™s core brilliance
  • Automatic Setup signs you into iCloud, Keychain, iTunes, the App Store, iMessage and FaceTime using your Apple ID, according to Apple. It also takes care of device settings like language, region, network, keyboard preferences, Siri and Home and health data.
  • The setup is reminiscent of setting up a new Apple Watch, but even easier.
 
DisplayMate: iPhone X Has the 'Most Innovative and High Performance' Smartphone Display Ever Tested
  • Displaymate:  iPhone X's display resolution provides "significantly higher image sharpness" than can be analyzed by a person with normal 20/20 vision at a 12-inch viewing distance. DisplayMate said this means that it's now "absolutely pointless" to increase the display resolution and pixels per inch of the iPhone any further, since there would be "no visual benefit" for users
  • "highest absolute color accuracy of any display we have ever tested," with a display that is "visually indistinguishable from perfect.ā€
 
iPhone X could be Appleā€™s most fragile handset ever
  • Stress tests by SquareTrade Labs used a range of scientific robots to drop, bend, tumble, and dunk their new iPhone X to see how it managed to hold up to ā€œeverydayā€ damage.
  • Theyā€™re calling the X the most breakable, highest priced, most expensive to repair iPhone ever.
 
How to use Apple Pay Cash to send money to friends
  • Appleā€™s new peer-to-peer payments system called Apple Pay Cash is finally rolling out to public beta testers today with the release of the public beta for iOS 11.2 beta 2 and watchOS 4.2 beta 2, giving iPhone and iPad users the ability to send money to each other electronically.
  • It lets you send money to each other using iMessage.
  • You can send up to $3,000 and the transaction is free if you use a debit card registered in your Apple Wallet.
  • Have a credit or debit card registered in your Apple Wallet
  • Be in the United States
  • Have two-factor authentication activated on your Apple ID
  • Use an iPhone 6 or newer
  • Both you and the receiver must be running iOS 11.2
  • If you meet the above requirements, a new app will show up in the iMessage Dock
  • Once you hit $500 in Apple Pay Cash transactions, you must verify your identity. To do so, you need to take a picture of your driverā€™s license or official state ID card, and provide some personal information (Social Security number and so on).
 
iPhone X keeps your notifications secret from people who arenā€™t you
  • Thanks to Face ID, the iPhone X knows when its owner is looking at it, and can hide the content of your notifications until you do so. Now, if somebody else picks up your iPhone X and takes a peek at your incoming alerts, it will only see a list of the apps that have notifications for you.
 
 
X-rated Tips
 
How to teach FaceID to work more accurately
If Face ID doesnā€™t recognize your face, donā€™t reposition your face so it will accept it. Instead, type in the passcode so it will ad that position of your face to the accepted data set.
 
Activating multitasking
The smallest swipe of the home bar will register that you want to command the home bar to either go home or multitask. Moment you stop moving you will begin multitasking.
 
Scroll to the top
To quickly scroll to the top in any app, just double tap anywhere at the top of the screen (under the notch, or side of notch both work)
 
Adjust your notification privacy settings 
iPhone X has them hidden by default if your phone is locked.  You can go to Settings>Notifications>Show Previews to make them visible when locked.
Direct download: CultCast_309_-_iPhone_X__Our_top_likes_our_top_dislikes.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:48am PDT

This week: iPhone Xā€”the good, the badā€¦ the ugly.  The reviews are in, weā€™ll tell you what people love and donā€™t about Appleā€™s newest iPhone.  
 
Plus: how to speed up Face ID weā€™ll tell you about the clever new strategy Apple used to build massive hype for the iPhone X launch, and why it really pissed a lot of folks off.  And stick around for a very weird What Weā€™re Into, where we reveal the stuff weā€™ve been dong in our lives that you should try too.
 
This episode supported by
Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespaceā€”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
 
Siri, before Siri
 
Massive iPhone X lines form at Apple Stores worldwide
  • Fans have begun lining up outside Apple Stores around the world to get their hands on iPhone X.
  • The X makes its official debut on November 3. Apple has promised that units will be available for walk-in customers, but just like pre-orders, theyā€™re expected to disappear quickly.
  • Some lines have already turned chaotic, while latecomers are offering money for precious spots near the front.
  • Scumbags camping just to sell their spots!
 
Why Apple short-circuited the media machine for iPhone X reviews
  • Anybody who thinks Apple canā€™t innovate should look in awe at the fecal hurricane whipped up by the companyā€™s unorthodox iPhone X marketing plan.
  • By giving popular YouTubers early access to the next-gen iPhone, and allowing them to ā€œscoopā€ the old-school journalists traditionally granted such preferential treatment, Cupertino upended the typical review cycle.
  • Apple apparently bruised a few fragile egos in the process. Frankly, itā€™s hilarious watching the ensuing media meltdown.
 
iPhone X meta review: Setting Apple up for the next 10 years
 
Face ID Unlocks an iPhone More Slowly Than Touch ID, but is Faster in Day-to-Day Usage
  • Mark Spoonauer of Toms Hardware compared Face ID and Touch ID unlocking times with a stopwatch.
  • When using Raise to Wake and swiping up on the display as the iPhone is recognizing a face (as Face ID is meant to be used), unlocking took 1.16, but touchID stock only .91 seconds to accomplish the same job.
  • TechCruch said that while Face ID is slower when placed head to head with Touch ID, it's "much more fluid and faster to actually 'do things, ā€˜ā€œ like opening notification takes fewer steps with faceID.
  • In the Vergeā€™s review, Nilay Patel said that he had trouble getting FaceID to work in bright environments. He postulated it was became the bright light interfered with the dot projector or infrared camera.
  • Hidden benefit of FaceID, can be used with gloves on
 
Face ID can be slower than Touch ID, but you can speed it up
  • There are some things you can do to make Face ID faster, though. The first is to ensure the Raise to Wake feature is enabled in Settings. This shaves off precious time by eliminating the need to swipe or tap the iPhone Xā€™s display before you unlock it.
  • Another thing you can do is disable attention detection. This means Face ID wonā€™t wait until your eyes and face are looking directly at the display before unlocking your iPhone. But be warned: It does make Face ID a little less secure.
 
DrDisRespect is the most good-looking, the most ruthless Twitch streamer in the entire gaming community
 
 
Direct download: CultCast_308_-_iPhone_X__The_good_the_bad_the_ugly.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:46pm PDT

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 wonā€™t buy day one
  • Would you let your delivery man enter your house when youā€™re not home? We discuss Amazon key!
  • Plus weā€™ll tell what we like and donā€™t about the gadgets weā€™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 havenā€™t bought on day one
  • Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak says the iPhone X is the first iPhone he doesnā€™t plan to buy on ā€œday one.ā€
  • ā€œIā€™d rather wait and watch that one,ā€ Wozniak said during an interview at the Money 20/20 conference. ā€œIā€™m happy with my iPhone 8 ā€” which is the same as the iPhone 7, which is the same as the iPhone 6, to me. " will, so Iā€™ll be close enough to see it.ā€
 
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. ā€œStores will have iPhone X available for walk-in customers, who are encouraged to arrive early,ā€ Apple says.
 
Amazon Key opens your home for indoor deliveries
  • Would you be cool with your delivery person opening your front door when youā€™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 iPhoneā€™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: youā€™ll have mere seconds to lock down your iPhone X pre-order on October 27th, and if youā€™re not ready, youā€™ll be waiting months!  Weā€™ve got the strategies youā€™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 itā€™s actually pretty cool; the really dumb Mac accessory youā€™ll definitely want; Apple taps one of Hollywoodā€™s best for a new TV series; and stick around for Leanderā€™s new $10,000 bike, Busterā€™s new affordable action camera, and a new movie service youā€™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 Xā€™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, Appleā€™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 Appleā€™s demand ahead of the Christmas and New Yearā€™s holidays, the sources indicated.ā€
  • 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 thatā€™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!  Weā€™ll tell you how with iOS 11ā€™s huge improvements in the Home app and HomeKit.  Plus: thereā€™s a new Apple ID phishing scam you need to know about; thereā€™s been a disappointing development with Appleā€™s AR glasses; we have to talk about the hundreds of new emoji coming at you in iOS 11.1; and weā€™ve got a svelte iPhone 8 case, a MacBook Pro sleeve made from real sheep, and a new power brick thatā€™ll charge your MacBook, iPhone, Nintendo Switchā€”EVERYTHINGā€”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 shouldnā€™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 yearā€™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 Wayā€™ 
  • 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.ā€
  • "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.ā€
 
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.  Theyā€™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 youā€™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 Appleā€™s relaxed licensing terms.  Vendors are no longer required to use a dedicated encryption chipā€”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 Jobā€™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: Leanderā€™s long soliloquy about his new love, the 4K Apple TV; an iOS 11 software trick doubles your iPhone storage; and weā€™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. Squarespaceā€”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 iOS10ā€™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 Pixelā€™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]
  • Appleā€™s newest set-top box pulls out all the stops to be the best on the field. Itā€™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 ā€” itā€™s still wretched. It looks almost identical this year, except thereā€™s now a white ridge around the Menu button.
  • Speed. Thanks to an A10X Fusion processor ā€” the same one youā€™ll find in the latest iPad Pro ā€” Apple TV 4K is pretty fast. Itā€™s by far the most powerful set-top box on the market, and thatā€™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 wonā€™t be able to enjoy in 4K HDR, however, is YouTube. Thatā€™s because Apple doesnā€™t support the VP9 video format that YouTube serves up ā€” it doesnā€™t work on macOS or iOS, either ā€” so the best youā€™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

This week: why iPhone X's Face ID is an astounding accomplishment! Plus: the new and notable features in macOS High Sierra; Bill Gates finally ditches his Windows Phone; Leanderā€™s writing a new Tim Cook book; Erfon talks about the best 4K television money can buy; and weā€™ll tell you what we like and donā€™t about the gadgets weā€™re reviewing in an all-new under review!
 
This episode supported by
Audible, the home of over 150,000 audio books from practically every genre in existence.  Grab Leander's book, Jony Ive: The Genius Behind Apple's Greatest Products, for FREE with a 30-day Audible trial.  The book is yours to keep even if you decide not to keep your Audible subscription.  Get started at audible.com/cultcast.
 
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
 
Catch our CultCast live show on Monday, Oct 2nd at 12PM!
 
Bill Gates ditches Windows Mobile, but not for iPhone 8
  • Bill Gates just got himself a brand new smartphone, and it isnā€™t an iPhone 8.
  • The Microsoft co-founder has ditched Windows Mobile for Android. Despite getting closer to Steve Jobs before he died in 2011, Gates still has no interest in using iOS.
  • further pressed about the possibility of using iOS instead, Gates responded, ā€œNope. No iPhone.ā€
 
Apple TV is finally back on Amazon buster
  • Getting your hands on the new Apple TV 4K though Amazon wonā€™t be easy though. The page for Appleā€™s newest set-top box shows that there are no units in stock. It appears that Amazon is only offering the 64GB model priced at $199.
  • Putting Apple TV back on its digital shelves is a bit unexpected but is likely related to Apple TV finally gaining an Amazon Prime Video app. The service still hasnā€™t launched on Apple TV yet but is expected to debut at some point this fall.
 
Apple's Face ID is a Triumph of Machine Learning Technology
  • Data scientist Abdul Dremali is leading research & development in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Big Data at the AndPlus Innovation Lab, and heā€™s very impressed with Face ID.
 
macOS High Sierra is now available to the public buster
  • Apple unleashed its huge update for the Mac this morning bringing a host of new features and UI changes to desktops after months of beta testing. Most of the update contains under-the-hood changes the makes machines faster and more stable, but there are plenty of new additions to love.
  • macOS High Sierra brings support for the new Apple File System to the Mac. Apple added it to iOS devices last year. AFSā€™ 64-bit architecture is more secure, with built-in encryption, crash protection and simplified data backups.
  • Safari is one of the biggest benefactors from the macOS High Sierra update. Apple claims its now the worldā€™s fastest browser, with an 80% speed advantage over Google Chrome
  • Mail received some improved search functions tied to the update to Spotlight. You can also use a new Split View mode too that lets you write emails while keeping tabs on your inbox.
  • The Photos app also got some big updates. Thereā€™s now better facial recognition and some new editing tools that make it a more capable photo editor. Notes got a new pin feature to keep your most important notes to the top of the list where youā€™ll be able to find them easier. The app also has support for tables now.
  • Last Thursday, six ad industry groups penned an open letter criticizing Apple's upcoming Safari feature, saying the decision to incorporate such technology into a web browser is heavy-handed and "bad for consumer choice and bad for the ad-supported online content and services." 
  • Today, Apple responded to the missive in a statement to The Loop.
  • "Apple believes that people have a right to privacy - Safari was the first browser to block third party cookies by default and Intelligent Tracking Prevention is a more advanced method for protecting user privacy," Apple said. "Ad tracking technology has become so pervasive that it is possible for ad tracking companies to recreate the majority of a person's web browsing history. This information is collected without permission and is used for ad re-targeting, which is how ads follow people around the Internet. The new Intelligent Tracking Prevention feature detects and eliminates cookies and other data used for this cross-site tracking, which means it helps keep a person's browsing private. The feature does not block ads or interfere with legitimate tracking on the sites that people actually click on and visit. Cookies for sites that you interact with function as designed, and ads placed by web publishers will appear normally.ā€
 
Appleā€™s Face ID white paper is not nearly as boring as it sounds
 
Under Review
Direct download: CultCast_303_-_Face_ID_is_a_Triumph_of_Machine_Learning.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:37am PDT

This week: iPhone 8 reviews are in!  Weā€™ll tell you what everyone loves Appleā€™s newest phone, and why you should get one (but probably wonā€™t).  Plus: we round up the reviews for Apple Watch series 3, and argue over which model is best. And stick around for what we donā€™t like about iPhone X; Appleā€™s A11 chip hits a surprising benchmark; tests show iPhone 8 wireless charging is abysmally slow; Apple quietly hikes their iDevice prices; and weā€™ll tell you all the best AR apps you need to try.
 
This episode supported by
Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespaceā€”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
 
Historical first? New iPhones fail to sell out - leander
  • For the first time since the launch of the iPhone in 2007, the companyā€™s latest models failed to immediately sell out.
  • More than 12 hours after pre-orders opened this morning, the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus remain generally available for pickup at Apple stores next Friday,
  • Shipping time is currently 3 business days
 
iPhone Xā€™s Face ID will only recognize one person - buster
  • When the new biometric security features makes its debut this November, it will support just one user, Apple has confirmed. If anyone else uses your device, theyā€™ll have to enter the passcode.
 
Apple silently raises iPad Pro prices
  • Changes made to the online Apple store show that the 10.5-inch iPad Pro models with WiFi only are now $50 more expensive each. Before yesterdayā€™s keynote, the 256GB and 512GB units cost $749 and $949. Now theyā€™re priced at $799 and $999.
  • iPhone prices have also been hiked up.
  • The cellular models for the 10.5-inch iPad Pro also got a price increase
  • Nothing has changed about the products.
  • iPhone prices have also been hiked
    • iPhone 7 32GB - $649
    • iPhone 7 Plus 32GB - $769
    • iPhone 8 64GB - $699
    • iPhone 8 Plus 64GB - $799
 
Adding wireless charging to your AirPods will cost $69
  • Appleā€™s new Wireless Charging Case for AirPods will go on sale this December, according to a report out of Europe, which sites Apple Switzerland. The device is expected to cost $69, which is the same amount youā€™ll pay to replace a standard case if you lose it.
  • Apple reportedly has no plans to sell AirPods with the Wireless Charging Case, so it will be available as an optional accessory.
 
The best ARKit apps to try on iPhone and iPad
 
Direct download: CultCast_302_-_Why_you_should_get_the_iPhone_8_but_probably_won_t.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:19am PDT

This week: we react to everything announced at Apple's iPhone X press event! Plus, weā€™ll tell you everything we now know about iPhone X, iPhone 8, the new Apple TV 4K, Apple Watch Series 3, the AirPods update, and the new AirPower charging mat.  Itā€™s a packed show.  Better hit play, fam!
 
This episode supported by
Casperā€™s American-made mattresses have just the right amount of sink and bounce, and people everywhere love them.  Learn why at Casper.com/cultcast,and get $50 towards any mattress with code CultCast at checkout.
 
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
 
Erfonā€™s Twitch stream on Faceshift, the technology powering Star Wars animations and now iPhone X Animoji
 
iPhone 8 brings awesome new features at a cheaper price
 
iPhone cameras just got a whole lot smarter
 
Watch all of Appleā€™s new iPhone videos right here
 
7 ways Apple surprised us at the iPhone X event
 
Apple releases iOS 11 GM (the right way)
 
iPhone X vs. iPhone 8: Should you wait longer and pay more?
 
Everything Apple unveiled at its iPhone X keynote

 

Direct download: CultCast_301_-_Our_iPhone_X_event_reactions.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:51pm PDT

This week: a look inside the new Steve Jobs Theater, a beautiful spectacle of technology and architecture, a physical manifestationof the Apple ethos, and a true and fitting monumen..  And like any Apple product, it packs some features that will delight you. Plus: why it will probably be damn near impossible to purchase an iPhone 8, and weā€™ll pitch you our favorite gadgets then vote on which is best in an all new Faves ā€™N Raves!
 
This episode supported by
Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespaceā€”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
 
Pre-Orders for iPhone 8 Likely to Start on September 15, Shipments on September 22
 
Drone flyover shows off a bustling Steve Jobs Theater
 
Steve Jobs Theater is as special as any other Apple product
  • On Tuesday, September 12th, according to Bloomberg, will unveil not only its latest batch of products, but also give us all a first glimpse of its brand new campus
  • The Steve Jobs Theater is as obsessively perfect as youā€™d expect a building named after Appleā€™s co-founder and former CEO should be.
  • The entrance to the venue sits underneath a silver disc, which which sits 20 feet in the air, supported by gigantic glass panels.
  • The auditorium itself occupies four underground stories, and to get there, journalists will descend a staircase spiraling down alongside the walls.
  • In order to gain access to the subterranean theater, attendees can either descend via a spiral staircase or using two custom elevators. These elevators rotate as they descend, so that passengers enter and exit through the same door, even though they do so from different directions.
  • The theater also sports a retracting wall, which opens to reveal a hidden product testing area.
  • Given the theater's 1,000-person capacity, one engineer said back in March that the building's budget meant each leather seat had cost Apple the equivalent of $14,000 apiece.
  • Itā€™s a touching eponym, isnā€™t it?  Steve Jobs theater?  It will be a beautiful spectacle of technology and architecture, a true and fitting monument.  A metaphor for Steve Jobs, and a physical representation of the Apple ethos.
  • Steve Jobs was man that literally started with nothing, not even his biological parents, and went on to build one of the worldā€™s most coveted companies.
  • Itā€™s a uniquely American success story.
 
 
Analyst: Blame Samsung for iPhone 8ā€™s high price tag
Appleā€™s upcoming premium iPhone is likely to be its most expensive model ever ā€” and Samsung is partly to blame, according to a reliable Apple analyst.
  • In his latest research note, KGI Securities analyst Ming Chi-Kuo explains to investors that Samsung currently holds a practical monopoly on the supply of OLED displays. Theyā€™re the only ones capable of reliably mass producing the screens Apple needs, and thus seems to be inflating the price.
  • Apple previously paid between $45 and $55 for the screens on Plus-size iPhones. But Ming Chi Kuo claims Samsung is probably charging about $75 more for OLED displays. The final price for the displays likely costs Apple $120 to $130 per unit. That could explain why rumors predict the iPhone 8 (or iPhone Edition)
 
 
Our Faves N Raves Picks
Direct download: CultCast_300_-_Incredible_extravagance_of_the_Steve_Jobs_Theater.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:05am PDT

This week: ITā€™S OFFICIALā€”Appleā€™s next iPhone event is September 12th!  Tune in to catch our hardware predictions, plus, we take a look at the leaked iPhone 8 UI, and how the new phone will work without a home button. Next, we'll regale you with the story behind the evolution of the Apple logo, and the story youā€™ve never heard about its iconic bite.  And stick around for an all-new What Weā€™re Into, where Leander tells us why Game of Thrones has turned into his most despised show!
 
This episode supported by
BlueApron - a better way to cook! Get your first 3 meals free with free shipping at BlueApron.com/CultCast
 
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
 
Appleā€™s cryptic invitation confirms September 12 event
  • After months of anticipation and a flurry of rumors, Apple finally sent out media invites to its big iPhone 8 event today, welcoming the press to come to Apple Park for the big date.
  • Appleā€™s keynote is set for September 12, which is in line with previous rumors that circled the second Tuesday of September as time when the keynote would take place. The event will take place in the Steve Jobs Theater at Apple Park.
  • Apple is expected to present three new iPhones on stage: the iPhone 7s, iPhone 7s Plus and the premium iPhone 8 models. Other products that could make an appearance include a new Apple TV with 4K video support as well as the Apple Watch Series 3 with LTE.
 
Apple Inc. plans to transform the way people use its next high-end iPhone
 
Without a Home button, hereā€™s how the new iPhone 8 UI will work
  • Across the bottom of the screen thereā€™s a thin, software bar in lieu of the home button. A user can drag it up to the middle of the screen to open the phone. When inside an app, a similar gesture starts multitasking. From here, users can continue to flick upwards to close the app and go back to the home screen.
  • The new modelā€™s overall size will be similar to that of the iPhone 7, but it will include an OLED screen that is slightly larger than the one on the iPhone 7 Plus (5.5-inches)
  • The new screen is rounded on the corners, while current iPhone screens have square corners. The power button on the right side of phone is longer so it is easier to press while holding the device in one hand, according to the images and the people.
  • The phone will still have six vertical rows of apps, showing 24 icons on each page, excluding the dock, a grey bar at the bottom that houses commonly used apps. The dock is redesigned with a new interface similar to the one on the iPad version of iOS 11
  • Apple also plans to include a stainless steel band around the phone which the glass curves into
 
 
iPhone 8 inductive charging may be a wee bit slow BH
  • According to the latest rumor out of Asia, Apple will use an older standard for its inductive charging feature which means recharging could take longer than expected.
  • All three new iPhone models are expected to pick up the inductive charging feature this fall. Instead of using the full 15 watts of power supported by the Qi Ver. 1.2 standard, Macotakara claims Appleā€™s tech will only draw 7.5 watts.
  • Every time Iā€™ve used inductive charging, itā€™s been slooooooow
 
Today in Apple history: Rainbow Apple logo gets a modern overhaul LK
  • August 27, 1999: Apple replaces the striped, multicolored logo it used since 1977 with a new single-color version.
  • Appleā€™s first corporate logo was actually not the memorable ā€œbitten appleā€ logo at all. A riff on a Victorian woodcut, it portrayed Sir Isaac Newton sitting beneath a tree with a solitary apple dangling over his head. A quotation from William Wordsworthā€™s The Prelude ran around the imageā€™s border: ā€œA mind forever wandering through strange seas of thought, alone.ā€ It was created by long lost Apple co-founder Ronald Wayne.
  • After less than a year, Apple replaced that logo with the bitten Apple version we have today. Designed by 29-year-old Rob Janoff, it coincided with the debut of the Apple II at the West Coast Computer Faire, which marked Appleā€™s graduation from a small startup to a serious business
  • Jobs gave Janoff ā€” who does not receive any royalties for his design ā€” two directions for the Apple logo. 1) Donā€™t make it cute. And 2) Find some way to visually incorporate the Apple IIā€™s revolutionary 16-color display, which was the first PC to include a color display.
  • The ā€œGlassā€ themed logo was the next evolution for the logo and was featured on the first ever iMac. The bondi blue iMac  looked ridiculous with a rainbow logo, and needed something fresh
  • Today, the company uses a more modernized flat monochromatic logo. The logo comes mainly in 3 colors; silver, white and black.
  • The bite
    • According to Rob Janoff, the bite on the Apple logo was to really let people know that it was an apple and not a cherry. The bite also played along with the computer buffs at that time because it had a similar sound off to the word ā€˜byteā€™, a unit of digital information in computing and telecommunication.
 
What Weā€™re Into
 
Blade Runner 2049 Short Film Reveals What Happened in 2036
 
Awaken, my love!  By Childish Gambino
 
Game of Thrones has jumped the shark
 
Direct download: CultCast_299_-_Our_iPhone_8_event_predictions_.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:06am PDT

This week:
  • Even more juicy details leak on iPhone 8, plus a report says the keynote reveal is right around the corner.
  • Leander shares the strange twist in Appleā€™s autonomous car project
  • Why the 13ā€ MacBook Pro might soon become your favorite Mac
  • Story time with L Kahney - heā€™s going to share the highlights from his whirlwind tour of Japan and other defenseless Asian lands.
  • Plus Erfon recalls what itā€™s like in the darkness of a total solar eclipse.
 
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.  
 
Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
 
This weekā€™s intro (thanks Nick Bracken!)
 
The shadows take on the sun's new shape
 
We might know the iPhone 8 keynote date
  • Hot on the heels of Samsungā€™s grand unveiling of the Galaxy Note 8 today, carrier sources have supposedly informed Mac4Ever that Apple plans to unleash its device in just a few weeks.
  • Appleā€™s keynote is allegedly slated for September 12 where the company will reveal three new iPhones. While we havenā€™t been able to verify the accuracy of the report ourselves, Apple usually hosts its iPhone keynote in the middle of September so the date could make sense.
  • The French Apple blog claims that carriers have been informed by Apple to expect the device announcement on the second Tuesday of next month. Carriers usually receive a heads up so they can start planning marketing and to organize pre-orders to ensure inventory.
  • And get this, the minimum storage capacity for Apple's OLED iPhone is said to be 64GB, with a 256GB option offered as the mid-tier capacity and a 512GB option at the highest tier, while 3GB of RAM is claimed to be included across the board.
 
iPhone 8ā€™s amazing facial recognition is super quick, works in the dark
  • The iPhone 8ā€™s facial recognition feature will work in a millionth of a second, and be more secure than the existing Touch ID sensor, and even work in the dark, a pair of new reports claim.
  • In addition to the regular iPhone sensors youā€™d expect to find, the upcoming handset will reportedly boast a new ā€œstructured lightā€ sensor, which uses bounced infrared light to work out the depth of different points on the face.
  • That information is then used to build a 3D mesh of objects, which is compared to the one recorded when setting up the new iPhone. Calculating the timing between when infrared light is sent out and recorded coming back will let the iPhone work out accurate depth measurements. This, in turn, means you wonā€™t be able to trick the handset using a 2D photo.
  • The facial recognition is reportedly powered by tech Apple acquired when it bought Kinect motion sensor maker PrimeSense several years ago.
  • The speed that the iPhone 8 facial recognition sensor will reportedly work is particularly impressive. The new handset will allegedly be able to do all of this within ā€œa few hundred milliseconds,ā€ which would make it a faster means of unlocking your iPhone than the current-generation Touch ID, Apple has been using Touch ID since 2013ā€™s iPhone 5s.
 
Appleā€™s 3D sensing tech is two years ahead of the competition
  • According to a new report from KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple competitor Qualcomm is working on its own 3D sensing tech, but itā€™s at least two years behind. And handset-makers arenā€™t in a rush to embrace it quite yet.
  • "While Qualcomm is the most engaged company in the R&D of 3D sensing for the Android camp, a number of issues plague Qualcomm that prevent its tech from being ready for mass-market products. Immature algorithms, and thermal problems"
 
Apple autonomous car morphs into self-driving shuttle bus for employees
  • According to the New York Times, Appleā€™s secretive ā€œProject Titanā€ self-driving car project has switched gears, transforming into an effort to build a self-driving shuttle bus. Called Palo Alto Infinite Loop, or PAIL, the shuttle would carry Apple employees between buildings.
  • The project may serve as a test bed for Appleā€™s autonomous car research. But a customer-focused vehicle built by Apple is for now reportedly out of the question. Instead, Appleā€™s self-driving technology will likely be used by other carmakers eventually.
  • The newspaper claims a leadership clash hampered project. Steve Zadesky, an Apple executive initially in charge of Titan, wanted to build semiautonomous technology. Meanwhile, Apple design chief Jony Ive ā€œbelieved that a fully driverless car would allow the company to reimagine the automobile experience.ā€
  • Apple reportedly investigated several innovative ideas for the project. Those included motorized doors that opened and closed silently, augmented reality displays for the interior of the car, new ways of incorporating the light sensor essential to driverless cars, and a total lack of steering wheel and gas pedals. Apple also researched the possibility of using globelike wheels for the vehicle, ā€œbecause spherical wheels could allow the car better lateral movement.ā€
 
Intel Launches First Eighth-Generation Core Processors, Paving Way For Quad-Core 13-Inch MacBook Pro
  • The first four eighth-generation processors launching today are U-series chips suitable for the 13-inch MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac mini. They're all 15W chips with four cores and eight threads, paving the way for a quad-core 13-inch MacBook Pro should Apple choose to release one.
  • The eighth-generation Core i5 and Core i7 chips are up to 40 percent faster than the equivalent seventh-generation Kaby Lake processors
  • First MacBook Pro with Touch Bar uses a 6th gen Skylake processor.
  • Intel also boasted that its eighth-generation Core processors are up to twice as fast as its equivalent five-year-old Ivy Bridge chips. It said users can output a 106-second 4K video in as little as three minutes with a new PC, for example, versus up to 45 minutes on an equivalent five-year-old PC.
 
Direct download: CultCast_298_-_iPhone_8..._keynote_date_.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:41pm PDT

This week:  Apple makes a major play to become the next HBO, meanwhile, intriguing new images surface showing what looks to be what we all thought had diedā€”the long lost Apple Television.  Plus: a trusted source says Appleā€™s next Watch will be more boring that we hoped; and finallyā€¦ eating bugsā€¦ Thai Tinderā€¦ yes, Buster Heine is back to share strange stories from his travels deep into the heart of Thailand.
 
This episode supported by
 
Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespaceā€”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 CULTCAST20 to score a free CleanCloth AND get 20% off your order at CultCloth.co.
 
Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
 
Blurry photos purport to show mythical Apple TV set
  • Blurry images that popped up online supposedly show the testing of an Apple OLED television set of around 60 inches in size. The photos were shared on Chinese social media before being circulated by mobile leaker Benjamin Geskin on Twitter.
  • images depict what looks like an Apple-branded standalone display in some kind of lab testing environment. They show a metal frame design, while accompanying notes on Weibo suggest that the set also includes a camera.
  • And, just like that, longstanding rumors of an Apple TV set reignite!
  • The rumors gained momentum with the publishing of Walter Isaacsonā€™s Steve Jobs biography in 2011. ā€œIā€™d like to create an integrated television set that is completely easy to use,ā€ Jobs was quoted as saying. ā€œIt will have the simplest user interface you could imagine.ā€
 
Apple will throw $1 billion at original programming over next year
  • According to the WSJ, Apple is reportedly preparing a $1 billion ā€œwar chestā€ which it will spend on acquiring or producing original content over the next year.
  • That sum is around half of what HBO spent on production last year.
  • Apple SVP Eddy Cue is reportedly aiming for Apple to offer up to ten new shows, which could rival Game of Thrones in scope.
  • Apple has been ramping up its hirings to try and establish itself as a force to be reckoned with. The companyā€™s recent hirings include a pair of former Sony execs, who previously helped bring to the screen shows including AMCā€™s Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, and Netflixā€™s The Crown
  • WSJ: "Mr. Van Amburg and Mr. Erlicht have begun meeting with Hollywood agents and holding discussions about shows Apple could acquire, the people familiar said. Mr. Matt Cherniss has movie experience, having worked as a production executive at Warner Bros."
 
Apple Watch Series 3 will bring LTE but no design changes
  • According to trusted KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. There will be no ā€œobvious changeā€ to the design of the device, which will leave LTE connectivity as its main selling point.
  • Apple will offer non-LTE versions at more affordable prices, however. Itā€™s unclear whether those models will be Series 3 devices, or whether Apple will continue to offer Series 2 alongside its successor for those who do not require LTE.
  • Watch will also likely be waterproof, like series 2, and faster.
Direct download: CultCast_297_-_Why_Apple_may_make_your_next_TV_.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:24am PDT

This week:  what does Apple have in store for the next version of ļ£æ Watch?  Weā€™ll roundup the current rumors and reveal our Gen 3 wish list.  Then: could Face ID actually replace Touch ID on iPhone 8?  We have concerns.  Plus: proof that a 4K Apple TV is right around the corner; more incredible demos of AR Kit; and we share our favorite new shows, movies, and board games in an all-new What Weā€™re Into!
 
This episode supported by
 
The single-router wifi model just doesnā€™t work for our increasingly high-bandwidth world. The EERO distributed system will blanket your home in hyper-fast, reliable WiFi, and you can score free overnight shipping with code CULTCAST at checkout.
 
CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can use code CULTCAST20 to score a free CleanCloth AND get 20% off your order at CultCloth.co.
 
Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
 
Apple Plans to Release a Cellular-Capable Watch to Break iPhone Ties
"Apple Inc. is planning to release a version of its smartwatch later this year that can connect directly to cellular networks, a move designed to reduce the deviceā€™s reliance on the iPhone, people familiar with the matter said.ā€
  • What would we like to see in the next Apple Watch
    • Round version or a new shape/style
    • Way better battery life
    • always on screen
    • Thinner
    • No LTE fees!
 
Blurry photo might confirm iPhone 8 Touch ID fears
  • An apparent iPhone 8 photo straight out of Foxconn has confirmed one of our biggest fears for Touch ID: It will be relocated to the back of the device.
  • Apple has been working to embed its fingerprint scanner into the iPhoneā€™s display, but according to numerous reports, the technology wonā€™t be ready in time for this yearā€™s big refresh.
  • Mark Gurman at Bloomberg: Appleā€™s pitch come September will be that Face ID is quicker, more secure, and more accurate than Touch ID. People inside Apple say it is.
  • Security implications
 
iPhone 8 facial recognition will unlock your phone even when itā€™s lying down
  • The new iPhone 8 will be capable of unlocking with its face recognition even when itā€™s lying flat on your desk, a new report from The Information suggests.
  • This information appears to back up a report published in Bloomberg earlier this year. That report noted that:
    • [The facial recognition sensorā€™s] speed and accuracy are focal points of the feature. It can scan a userā€™s face and unlock the iPhone within a few hundred milliseconds, the person said. It is designed to work even if the device is laying flat on a table, rather than just close up to the face.ā€
 
 
4K Apple TV seemingly confirmed by HomePod leak
  • Over the last few weeks the HomePodā€™s software has revealed a number of upcoming features on unannounced products. Sleuthing developers unearthed info on the iPhone 8ā€™s facial scanning and SmartCamera features. Now there appears to be some details of the new Apple TV inside too.
  • iOS developer Guilherme Rambo discovered references to both Dolby Vision and HDR10 color formats for 4K video in the HomePodā€™s software.
 
This ARKit app teleports you into an ā€™80s music video
  • Ever wonder what it would be like to live inside an ā€™80s music video? Thanks to Appleā€™s new ARKit software, you can live that dream with a new app that draws inspiration from the popular music video for A-haā€™s ā€œTake On Me.ā€
 
Measure the square footage of your room with ARKit
 
Virtual directions and tags of AR POS
 
Mint Works game
 
Dominion game
 
Halt and Catch Fire
 
Alien Covenant
Direct download: CultCast_296_-_Whats_next_for__Watch_.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:49pm PDT

This week: Apple just accidentally leaked major details about the iPhone 8 and HomePod.  Whoopsie!  Weā€™ll tell you everything weā€™ve learned. 
 
Plus: leaked audio files show off the HomePods cool UI sounds; we reveal exclusive new audio of the HomePod's boot-up noise;  Busterā€™s shares a very special announcement; and we wrap with our reviews of the best internet-connected security cameras and the hawt new flagship Olympus OM-D EM-1 mirrorless camera in an all-new Under Review šŸ”„šŸ”„šŸ”„
 
This episode supported by
 
Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespaceā€”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.
 
Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
 
More juicy details about iPhone 8 discovered in Apple code
  • Apple clearly didnā€™t realize that the firmware it made available on Friday was a goldmine of secret information. Not only did it reveal the final design of the iPhone 8 and its new facial recognition technology, but it tells us stuff we didnā€™t know about HomePod, too.
  • First of all, buried in the firmware are GLYPHS of the actual phone itself. WHOOPSIE!
  • We now know the device will have a split status bar designed to fit its edge-to-edge display
  • Things like cellular signal and time might be displayed on one side of the bar, while indicators for Bluetooth, location, and battery level could appear on the other. ā€œThe new status bar seems a lot more complex and powerful in design, maybe even interactive,ā€ Troughton-Smith says.
  • The software has also revealed that iPhone 8 will boast tap to wake functionality. This is a feature found on many Android and Windows Phone devices, which lets you wake the device simply by tapping its screen. Itā€™s handy when there is no physical Home button.
  • It appears, however, that iPhone 8 will have a ā€œHome Indicator.ā€ Itā€™s believed to be similar to the virtual Home button that appears at the bottom of the display on Android devices, and it looks like Apple will allow developers to hide it in certain contexts.
  • Interestingly, Troughton-Smith tweeted ā€œIā€™ve seen nothing to suggest an ultrasound under-the-display Touch ID here,ā€ meaning either no touchID or one on the back
  • Rumors have said that facial recognition is even more accurate than touch id and will even work with Apple Pay.
 
Apple code confirms that facial unlocking tech is on the way
  • "I can confirm reports that HomePodā€™s firmware reveals the existence of upcoming iPhoneā€™s infra-red face unlock in BiometricKit and elsewhereā€ Steve Stoughton Smith
  • Unlocking will be call FaceID
  • Will use an inferred camera to should work in dark situations
  • Will reportedly not support Apple pay to start, indicating weā€™re getting a touchID sensor somewhere on the phone
 
iPhone 8ā€™s radical redesign could bring awesome UI change
  • we can look forward to a display with a 2436Ɨ1125 resolution
  • This resolution is 812x 375 points rendered @ 3x ā€“ exactly the same logical width as the iPhone 7, but 22% taller,ā€ explains Allen Pike, a developer who previously worked at Apple
 
HomePod software leaks new ā€˜SmartCameraā€™ feature for iPhone
  • Appleā€™s HomePod might have revealed another huge new iPhone feature
  • HomePod software appears to reference an unannounced ā€œSmartCameraā€ feature built into iOS 11 or the yet-to-be-released 2017 iPhone
  • iOS developer Guilherme Rambo unearthed references to the new feature. He posted a screenshot of a section of the code to Twitter
  • It looks like the SmartCamera feature will be able to tune your camera settings based on the scene it detects. DSLRs possess similar features
  • The HomePod code contains references to Fireworks, Foliage, Pet, BrightStage, Sport, Sky, Snow and Sunset/Sunrise scenarios.
 
HomePod software reveals new details of Appleā€™s smart speaker
  • Notorious iOS sleuth Steve Troughton Smith has done some serious research into HomePod and discovered that itā€™s basically like another iOS device only it doesnā€™t have a big screen. That could open HomePod up to some exciting capabilities in the future.
  • will come with a number of accessibility features.
  • Third-party apps arenā€™t likely to arrive on HomePod anytime soon. Smith says there arenā€™t any provisions in the HomePod OS shell there doesnā€™t seem to be any kind of provision in the HomePod OS shell for installing apps or extensions.
  • The top LED area of the HomePod could have more advanced functionality than previously thought. Rather than just using big LEDs, it appears that the top surface is an LED Matrix. Temperature and weather icons could be displayed on the 32Ɨ32 pixel matrix.
 
Leaked audio files reveal HomePodā€™s cool UI sounds
  • Appleā€™s early software for the HomePod continues to reveal new features of the smart speaker, as developers dive deeper into files. After details on the speakerā€™s screen got discovered, another developer unearthed the UI sounds that will be used on HomePod.
 
Under Review
 
Direct download: CultCast_295_-_Big_HomePod_and_iPhone_8_leaks_directly_from_Apple.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:54am PDT

This week: 
  • Parts shortages force Apple to start handing out free MacBook Pros, and everyone on the internet wants a piece of the action.
  • You knew Jony Ive designed some of Appleā€™s most iconic products, but did you know he also helped craft one of Star Wars most nefarious light sabers?  
  • Apple discontinues two of their most iconic products.
  • And stay tuned for all our favorite new stuff in another episode of What Weā€™re Into!  
 
This episode supported by
 
BlueApron - a better way to cook! Get your first 3 meals free with free shipping at BlueApron.com/CultCast
 
Casperā€™s American-made mattresses have just the right amount of sink and bounce, and people everywhere love them.  Learn why and get $50 towards any mattress at Casper.com/cultcast.
 
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.
 
Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
 
Shortages force Apple to swap old MacBook Pros for new models
  • Apple has been forced to swap old MacBook Pros in need of repair with new models due to severe component shortages. It means some lucky customers are getting a free upgrade to the latest machines when in need of service under warranty.
  • A common fault with any laptop after regular use is that its battery loses its ability to charge. The cells can only withstand so many cycles before they no longer perform as intended. Fortunately, Apple will replace them for free under warranty.
  • MacRumors reports that the company is currently facing ā€œa severe constraint of top case assemblies with integrated batteriesā€ for 15-inch MacBook Pros released in mid 2012 and early 2013 ā€” and this is expected to last until September.
  • As a result, Apple is said to have instructed its Genius Bar employees and Authorized Service Providers that they can temporarily swap affected notebooks for a newer, ā€œfunctionally equivalentā€ model.
  • If your MacBook Pro is still covered by the one-year manufacturer warranty, or an extended AppleCare plan, the cost of a battery replacement (or upgrade were eligible) is completely free. If your warranty has expired, the fee is $199.
  • However, Apple has been waiving this fee for customers who are willing to wait for new batteries to arrive, rather than taking an upgrade for $199.
 
 
Apple No Longer Replacing Some MacBook Pros Needing Battery Service With Newer Models
  • Apple's memo says, effective July 26, service inventory of top case assemblies with batteries is now available for new repairs.
  • For all new repair requests, Apple advises Genius Bar employees and Apple Authorized Service Providers to order the necessary inventory. Apple advises its service providers to inform customers that the inventory should arrive within 15 business days of the part order, corresponding with early August. 
  • Apple employee on reddit: "From what I can tell, Apple are FURIOUS about the MacRumors article yesterday setting customer expectations. I've never seen them react to a situation internally like this"
 
 
Jony Ive talks earbuds inspired by stormtroopers, Apple Park
  • Jony Ive has revealed that the companyā€™s iconic white earbuds were inspired by Star Wars stormtroopers.
  • Ive told The Wall Street Journal that he the ā€œlook of the original Stormtroopers in mindā€ when he created their look. Years later, the stormtroopers would be inspired by Apple.
  • In a 2015 interview with Vanity Fair, Star Wars: The Force Awakens costume designer Mark Kaplan revealed that he was inspired by Iveā€™s designs when creating the new stormtroopers of the First Order.
  • ā€œWith the Stormtroopers it was more of a simplification, almost like, ā€˜What would Apple do?ā€™ā€ he said.
  • Jony Ive also suggested the light saber hilt that ended up becoming a reality on Kylo Renā€™s sword
  • Jony Ive once sat next to J. J. Abrams at a boozy dinner party in New York, and made what Abrams recalled as "very specific" suggestions about the design of lightsabres. Abrams told me that "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" would reflect those thoughts, but he wouldnā€™t say how.
  • Ive argued that the lightsaber should look uneven. "I thought it would be interesting if it were less precise, and just a little bit more spitty," said Ive, adding that the new weapon could be "more analog and more primitive, and I think, in that way, somehow more ominous.ā€
 
Apple discontinues iPod nano and iPod shuffle
  • In a statement to The Verge, Apple confirmed both devices have been discontinued:
  • ā€œToday, we are simplifying our iPod lineup with two models of iPod touch now with double the capacity starting at just $199 and we are discontinuing the iPod shuffle and iPod nano. The iPod touch is now available in 32GB and 128GB storage options, with the latter priced at $299.ā€
  • Aside from the capacity increases, both devices are identical to those that were on sale yesterday.
 
Steve Jobs introduces the iPod nano
 
Cocaine Cowboys documentary
 
Two of the worldā€™s best dartā€™s players go head-to-head
 
Splatoon 2
 
Erfon showing tweens whoā€™s boss on Twitch
Direct download: CultCast_294_-_Snag_your_free_MacBook_Pro.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:10am PDT

 
This week: 
  • Why Appleā€™s making an iPhone Pro, a tech-packed cutting-edge phone that will showcase what Cupertino is capable of.  
  • Genius Bar jackpot!  Aka, why the Genius Bar sometimes replaces your old broken tech for a brand new model.  
  • Stick around for a super-powerful electric long board, a HomeKit-enabled ceiling fan, and pro-level keyboard case for your iPad Pro in an all-new Under Review šŸ¤–
 
This episode supported by
 
You might know of Shutterstock as home to royalty-free photos. But, they offer much more.  Kickstart your next interactive project with video clips or music tracks from their collection, and save 20% for a limited time at shutterstock.com/cultcast
 
Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespaceā€”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.
 
Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
 
 
Appleā€™s risky balancing act with the next iPhone
 
Why Apple sometimes gives brand new products for your old broken one (connected podcast)
  • Have you or a friend ever taken an old product into the Genius Bar, and had them replace that product with a brand new version?  Isnā€™t it great when that happens??
  • Well it turns out itā€™s likely not cause Appleā€™s so nice.
  • When Apple develops a new product, they canā€™t test for everything.
  • When a problem surfaces, Apple may initiate what they call a "Field capture periodā€
  • During this time, if Apple is investigating a problem with a product, and you bring in a product that exhibits the symptoms of that problem, theyā€™ll give you a new piece of hardware, then send your device back to Cupertino to dissasemble and investigate.
  • Certain kinds of sunscreens dissolving glue in Apple watch backs, causing the back to come off.
 
Under Review
 
Leander on a skateboard
Direct download: CultCast_293_-_Why_Apple_s_making_an_iPhone_Pro.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:00am PDT

This week: 
  • the magic of HomePod!  Weā€™ll tell you about the built-in audio tech that's getting even the most ardent audiophiles hyped about Appleā€™s new smart speaker.  
  • Plus: why iPhone 8ā€™s biggest features may be disabled at launch
  • Why you can grab free Beats in Apple's new back to school promo without being in college
  • The fascinating story behind Steve Jobs' iconic turtleneck
  • More of iOS 11ā€™s best unknown features
  • And we wrap with the heart warming story of why Steve Jobs insisted on always buying Scott Forstall's lunch.
 
This episode supported by
 
You might know of Shutterstock as home to royalty-free photos. But, they offer much more.  Kickstart your next interactive project with video clips or music tracks from their collection, and save 20% for a limited time at shutterstock.com/cultcast
 
What is Backblaze? Itā€™s unlimited, cloud backup for Macs and PCs. And itā€™s native for Macs!  Try it out free for 15 days at Backblaze.com/cultcast.
 
Casperā€™s American-made mattresses have just the right amount of sink and bounce, and people everywhere love them.  Learn why and get $50 towards any mattress at Casper.com/cultcast.
 
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.
 
Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
 
iPhone 8ā€™s biggest features could be disabled at launch
  • Some of the iPhone 8ā€™s biggest new features could be disabled when the handset makes its debut this September.
  • According to Fast Company, there is ā€œa sense of panic in the airā€ at Apple as engineers scramble to iron out software bugs that are affecting wireless charging and 3D facial recognition.
  • For both features, the hardware is ready ā€” but the software that controls the features is ā€œnot ready for prime time.ā€
  • If Apple cannot fix the issues, wireless charging could be disabled when the iPhone 8 goes on sale this September. Users would then have to wait for a future iOS update for it to be enabled ā€” just like Portrait Mode on iPhone 7 Plus, which wasnā€™t ready for launch last fall.
  • Same goes for facial recognition, but this report says Apple will indeed include a touch ID sensor under the screen, so at least youā€™ll have that.
 
Apple offers free Beats in latest Back to School promo
Apple is giving away free Beats headphones for its latest Back to School promotion.
  • Those who purchase a new iPad Pro ā€” either the 10.5- or 12.9-inch models ā€” will receive a free set of BeatsX wireless earphones worth $149.95. If you donā€™t want those, you can upgrade to the Powerbeats3 earphones for $50, or to the Solo3 headphones for $150.
  • Those ballers purchasing a qualifying Mac will receive a free pair of Solo3 wireless headphones worth $299.95. Eligible machines include the MacBook, MacBook Air, MacBook Pro, iMac, and Mac Pro ā€” but not the more affordable Mac mini, which hasnā€™t been updated in 1001 days.
 
Designer preps new version of Steve Jobsā€™ iconic mock turtleneck
The story behind Steve Jobs mock turtleneck
  • As was revealed in Walter Isaacsonā€™s 2011 biography of Jobs, the Apple CEO was first inspired to wear his mock turtleneck uniform following an early 1980s trip to Japan. While there, he asked Sony chairman Akio Morita why everyone in the companyā€™s factories wore uniforms. Jobs learned that this was a way of creating camaraderie between co-workers.
  • Miyake created Sonyā€™s uniforms, which Jobs loved. However, the Jobs could not persuade his colleagues that an Apple uniform was a good idea.
  • As Jobs recalled, ā€œI came back with some samples and told everyone it would be great if we would all wear these vests. Oh man, did I get booed off the stage. Everybody hated the idea.ā€
  • However, the process led to Jobs becoming good friends with Miyake. When the Apple chief asked the designer to create a one-off uniform he could wear, Miyake created 100 black mock turtlenecks for him. Jobs adopted the unofficial uniform when he returned to Apple in the late 1990s, and was rarely spotted without it from that point on.
  • Fashion designer Issey Miyake, creator of Steve Jobsā€™ iconic mock turtleneck, is launching a very similar shirt that will go on sale next month for $270.
  • Although not exactly the same, the new creation ā€” referred to as the Semi-Dull T ā€” looks close enough to the now-discontinued original design
 
 
The magic behind HomePod gets revealed in a new patent
  • According to Apple, its upcoming HomePod smart speaker will ā€œreinvent the way we enjoy musicā€ thanks to its seven-tweeter array, 4-inch woofer, and smart ā€œspatial awarenessā€ technology that lets it ā€œreadā€ its environment.
  • HomePod  sets out to solve the problem of sound variability caused by a speakerā€™s physical location in a room. For instance, placing a speaker in the corner can cause a significant increase in radiated acoustic power at low frequencies. That results in muddy, bass-heavy sound.
  • It utilizes a variety of microphones both inside and outside a sealed speaker enclosure. Onboard processing establishes the correct equalization filter, based on internal pressure levels, speaker displacement, external pressure and other data gathered by the microphone array.
  • Comparing readings from its internal and external microphones allows the speaker Apple describes to dynamically alter its own calibration according to match the environment.
  • Apple says its smart speaker will boast an impressive A8 processor and six external microphones
 
 
iOS 11 makes it far easier to organize Home screen app icons
  • Rather than painstakingly dragging individual app icons across the pages of your Home screen, iOS 11 lets you move multiple icons simultaneously
  • You can also touch an app icon, then use your other hand to swipe to a different page to move the app
 
Built-in Screen recording
  • If you wanted to capture iOS gameplay, or make a funny or informative GIF of on-screen action, you needed to download a third-party app or connect your device to a computer.
  • With iOS 11, Apple baked in sweet functionality that lets you record your iPhone screen effortlessly.
 
Developer Access to iPhone's NFC Chip Coming in iOS 11
  • Developers coding for iOS 11 will be able to create apps that can read NFC tags!
  • The NFC chip in the iPhone is currently only used to handle contactless Apple Pay transactions and Passbook check-ins, but a new framework called Core NFC allows developers to build apps that can read and write NFC tags (in iPhone 7 and 7 Plus).
 
Why Steve Jobs buys lunch
Direct download: CultCast_292_-_Why_were_hyped_for_HomePod.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:56pm PDT

This week: itā€™s easy to ignore how intuitive it is to use an iPhone, but behind those vast array of simple swipes and taps was an entire team of designers who painstakingly crafted the sophisticated interactions that give the iPhone its magic.  
 
This week we'll tell you the stories behind inertial scrolling, swipe to unlock, and Bas Ording, the man who brought iOS to life using the physics of our natural world.
 
This episode supported by
 
You might know of Shutterstock as home to royalty-free photos. But, they offer much more.  Kickstart your next interactive project with video clips or music tracks from their collection, and save 20% for a limited time at shutterstock.com/cultcast
 
Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespaceā€”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.
 
Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
 
iPhone 8 will include fewer casing colors, no Touch ID
  • Will Apple manage to successfully embed Touch ID into the OLED display of the iPhone 8, or will it have to follow in the footsteps of Android device makers and opt for a rear-mounted fingerprint sensor?
  • None of the above, claims well-respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. In a list of predictions heā€™s made for the next iPhone, Kuo claims Apple will skip Touch ID altogether for its next-gen handset.
  • ā€œWe predict the OLED model [iPhone 8] wonā€™t support fingerprint recognition,ā€ Kuo writes. The reasons? The full-screen design doesnā€™t work with existing capacitive fingerprint recognition, and under-the-display fingerprint recognition tech still isnā€™t ready.
 
 
iPhone 8 might drop Touch ID for 3-D face scanner
  • The iPhone 8 might ditch Touch ID for 3-D facial scanning that could prove faster, easier and more secure than the fingerprint reader currently used for logins and payments.
  • Apple is currently testing the 3-D face-scanning technology in iPhone prototypes that utilize a new 3-D sensor, according to Bloomberg. The new security system could be augmented by eye-scanning technology with the intent of replacing Touch ID, the report adds, citing anonymous ā€œpeople familiar with the product.ā€
  • One major production problem Apple faces with the OLED screen iPhone 8 is getting an under-screen fingerprint sensor to work. The technology just isnā€™t viable yet, according to various rumors, including a recent note from reliable Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo of KGI Securities.
  • The reported 3-D facial scanning tech in the iPhone 8 would analyze more data points than the current fingerprint sensor that powers Touch ID, according to Bloomberg, which offered more details on the tech being tested by Apple:
    • The sensorā€™s speed and accuracy are focal points of the feature. It can scan a userā€™s face and unlock the iPhone within a few hundred milliseconds, the person said. It is designed to work even if the device is laying flat on a table, rather than just close up to the face. The feature is still being tested and may not appear with the new device. However, the intent is for it to replace the Touch ID fingerprint scanner, according to the person. An Apple spokesman declined to comment.
 
 
Apple praises ā€˜unbelievableā€™ response to ARKit
  • In a new interview, Apple vice-president of product marketing Greg ā€œJozā€ Joswiak says the response to its augmented reality ARKit toolset from the developer community has been ā€œunbelievable.ā€
  • While he wouldnā€™t share details about a rumored standalone AR headset Apple has hundreds of engineers working on, Joswiak stressed how the widespread usage of Apple mobile devices has the opportunity to make augmented reality into a mainstream technology overnight
  • Example of cool ARKit
 
 
The inside story of the iPhoneā€™s ā€˜Slide to Unlockā€™ gesture
  • Who is Bas Ording?
  • One of the key design decisions that Appleā€™s Human Interface Team made early on while developing the iPhone was to go all in on big, simple gestures. They wanted to make a single, simple swipe accomplish as much as possible.
  • Itā€™s a bit ironic. After investing so much in multitouch technology, which relies on multiple touch inputs, one of Appleā€™s key edicts was to make as many gestures as possible work with a single finger.
    • ā€œWe worked super-hard on multitouch, but then we tried to make everything just work with one finger,ā€ he said laughing.
 
 
Other stuff we talked about
 
 
Under Review!
Direct download: CultCast_291_-_How_the_iPhone_was_made_magical_.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:54pm PDT

This week: youā€™d never know it from Steve Jobā€™s effortless keynote introduction, but the original iPhone was plagued with huge design and production issues that almost made Apple call it quits, right up until the day it was released!  To commemorate the iPhoneā€™s 10th anniversary, weā€™ll recount some of the incredible stories behind iPhoneā€™s beleaguered early days, and celebrate how Apple pulled off one of the greatest device launches in history.
 
And stay tuned for an all-new What We're Into!
 
This episode supported by
 
You might know of Shutterstock as home to royalty-free photos. But, they offer much more.  Kickstart your next interactive project with video clips or music tracks from their collection, and save 20% for a limited time at shutterstock.com/cultcast
 
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.
 
Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
 
Sign up to get a free copy of Unsung Apple Hero, an e-book detailing Bas Ordingā€™s career at Apple. Weā€™ll email you a copy when the e-book is released in July! 
 
Trying to build a better iPod
  • iPod was ruling the world, it was 50% of Appleā€™s revenue.
  • Apple had the wherewithal to realize it was only a matter of time before phones would do it all, and they realized they needed to build one.
  • Well the iPod used a click wheel, so why not build a phone function into that?  It worked great, until they realized it wouldnā€™t work for dialing numbers.
  • Steve Jobs realized their multitouch technology, which existed as rough demo, could be the key to controlling the iPhone.  But theyā€™d had to shrink it.  The technology at the time consisted of  a ping-pong table-sized display with a projector shooting down onto it.  They had found their solution.
 
 
 
 
 
The pressure
  • Around 2005, Steve Jobs conveyed to Forstall and team that he hated the replacement iPhone proposals he was seeing, and thatā€™s when he threatened to take the project away from them.  He gave the team two weeks to come up with a good design.
  • The team went into overdrive. Working tirelessly.  Non stop.  They had to come up with an entire multitouch design language, touch interactions, like pinch to zoom and the rubber banding scroll.
  • When the two weeks was up, they convened with Steve to show him their new work.
  • He watched silently, stoic.
  • And when the demo was over, Steve said, "let me see it again.ā€
  • So once more they dived into their vision of the iPhone.
  • And after they were through, Steve simply said: Good job guys.  He was blown away.
 
The keyboard
  • One of the biggest challenges was the software keyboard.  They knew itā€™d be compared to what Blackberry had, so it had to be good.
  • Unfortunately, in itā€™s current version, it was total crap.  Worse, the launch date was looming.
  • Scott Forstall knew they were in the danger zone.  He pulled out all the stops.  He froze development on other apps and brought in all their UI developers, and told everyone: make a keyboard.
  • Well three weeks later they all convened, and one by one they showed off their work.  Some of the examples were decent, some really complicated or strange.
  • But one guy came up, and presented what looked like normal keyboard, but as he typed, they realized it was extremely accurate.  They were shocked.
  • How could this be.  How was this working.
  • The UI developer had built AI techniques into the keyboard to learn how you type, and as you did so, it could predict which letter youā€™d type next.
  • And even though the key sizes on the keyboard didnā€™t change, but the hit region of your next likely key choice would grow, so even if you didnā€™t hit it on the head, the right key would still be input.
 
Software designers didnā€™t know what the phone looked like. The hardware designers didnā€™t know what the software looked like.  They all saw it for the first time at the Macworld keynote in January, 2007
 
What weā€™re in to
Direct download: CultCast_290_-_The_chaotic_iPhone_launch_stories_you_ve_never_heard.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:41pm PDT

This week:  
  • More of the powerful new iOS 11 features youā€™ve never heard of. 
  • The talented app which will harnesses the power of Appleā€™s  new augmented reality features  
  • Scott Forstall is back, and heā€™s sharing the bizarre story of how the original iPhone really came to be. 
  • Everything you need to know about HEIF, the JPEG-killing format Apple is adopting
  • Cliff jumping in our loin cloths
 
This episode supported by
 
BlueApron - a better way to cook! Get your first 3 meals free with free shipping at BlueApron.com/CultCast
 
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.
 
Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
 
Former iOS Chief Scott Forstall Discusses Creating the First iPhone
  • Former iOS chief Scott Forstall is back from the dead.  In a rare appearance, he appeared an event Tuesday night at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California, where he discussed the birth of the iPhone and his relationship with Steve Jobs.
  • Itā€™s  the first time he's spoken publicly since he was ousted from Apple in October 2012
  • Forstall also spoke about the concept of skeuomorphic design, claiming he had "never heard of skeuomorphism" when he was working on iOS and that it sounded "unnaturalā€.
    • "When I look at design - when I look at good design - it's approachable, friendly, you can use it without a manual. It's fun. We talked a lot about photo-illustrative design. It was infused into the design sense of Apple by Steve Jobs since the original Mac. We used these design philosophies. It doesn't mean we loved it, or loved every single part of it. We know it worked. How do we know it worked? You just have to watch people use it.ā€
  • Where things got really interesting is when Scott spoke about the origins of the iPhone.  The TRUE origins.
  • Forstall claimed that before the iPhone was conceived, Jobs had initially wanted a tablet with capacitative touch and multitouch in order to get one over on someone he "hated" who worked at Microsoft.
    • "It began because Steve hated this guy at Microsoft. That is the actual origin," Forstall said, before adding that it wasn't Bill Gates. After hearing the person boast about Microsoft's tablet and stylus development, said Forstall, "Steve came in on a Monday, there was a set of expletives and then he said, 'Let's show them how it's really done'."
 
New Siri icon in iOS 11 may hint at iPhone 8ā€™s virtual Home button
  • Apple may have left a big clue in iOS 11 that points to huge design changes coming later this year to the iPhone 8.
  • While doing some testing with the new Do Not Disturb When Driving feature, eagle-eyed Apple observers have spotted a new icon for Siri in iOS 11 that appears to be a perfect replacement for the Home button Apple is supposedly planning to ditch.
  • The pseudo-Home button, first noticed by AppleInsider, can be found at the bottom of iPhones and iPads. Itā€™s about the same size as the physical Home button, but doesnā€™t have a Touch ID ring around it.
 
Apple and Ikeaā€™s AR collab lets you test furniture before buying
  • Ikea has revealed a few new details about its augmented reality collaboration with Apple that lets customers test out virtual pieces of furniture in their homes before they buy them.
  • The app is scheduled to launch this fall alongside the official release of iOS 11. At launch, the app will boast 500-600 products that customers will be able to try out in their homes. This ultra-precise technology will allow them to be positioned on real backdrops in 3D with millimeter-accurate positioning.
  • In a recent interview, Michael Valdsgaard, digital transformation manager at Ikea
  • Ikea will aim to debut new products in the app before they arrive in store. He also said that Appleā€™s augmented reality platform was of interest to Ikea because of its guaranteed reach. ā€œIt will be the largest AR platform in the world overnight,ā€ he said. ā€œThatā€™s super interesting to us.ā€
 
Everything you need to know about the JPEG-killing HEIF format Apple is adopting
  • JPEG was born in 1992
  • As of iOS 11, most iPhones will be switching from JPEG to HEIF.
  • HEIF is the new photo format that Apple is using to replace JPEG. And it probably will replace JPEGs, because the iPhone is the most popular, most-used camera in the world
  • HEIF ā€” or High Efficiency Image File Format ā€” is the still-image version of the HVEC ā€” or H.265 ā€” video format. Its main advantage for you and me is that photos saved in HEIF are roughly half the size of JPEGs, and of better quality
  • HEIF offers other advantages over JPEG. While a JPEG is a single image,  HEIF can be a single image or a sequence of images.
 
Automatic setup
  • When setting up a new iOS device, there's now an option to hold it near an existing device to automatically copy over settings, preferences, and iCloud Keychain.
 
How to use iOS 11ā€™s new Automatic Setup
  • To use Automatic Setup in iOS 11, you need two devices running iOS 11To start the process, you aim the camera at the moving sphere on your old deviceā€™s screen.  Just like Apple Watch.
 
iOS 11 Makes it Easy to Share Your Wi-Fi Password With Nearby Friends
  • After choosing your WiFI network, the iPhone user is greeted with the traditional password screen, but on iOS 11 when the iPhone is brought near your iOS 11 device, a card your device notifies you that the iPhone wants to join you network.
  •  You can then tap and send your password to your guest, which recognizes the password, fills out the information, and connect to the Wi-Fi.
 
iPhone's Volume Slider No Longer Covers Videos in iOS 11
  • After selecting a WiFi network to join, iOS 10 users must enter a password for secured networks, but on iOS 11 and High Sierra, you can bring your close to a device which has access to that WiFi network and that device can transfer all required credentials directly to your connecting device!
Direct download: CultCast_289_-_The_powerful_iOS_11_features_you_haven_t_heard_of_.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:01pm PDT

This week: 
  • Reviews for the new iPad Pro and HomePod are bonkers
  • Someone in the Apple supply chain just accidentally leaked some of iPhone 8ā€™s marquee features
  • Speed tests show a big improvement in the new MacBook Pro
  • Apple finally offers us iCloud Storage sharing
  • Our favorite unannounced iOS 11 features
  • And weā€™ll tell you what we like (and donā€™t) about the apps and gadgets weā€™re currently testing in an all-new Under Review!
 
This episode supported by
 
Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespaceā€”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.
 
Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
 
Apple suppliers confirm two of iPhone 8ā€™s biggest features
  • Apple supplier Largan has confirmed it will be shipping its new 3D sensors in time for iPhone 8, while another has confirmed waterproofing and wireless charging technology.
  • Larganā€™s sensors are capable of carrying out facial and iris recognition and provide an alternative to fingerprint scanning. They could be the solution Apple turns to if it is unable to embed a Touch ID scanner beneath the iPhone 8ā€™s display.
  • iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus models are already splash- and water-resistant with an IP67 rating, but Apple's fine print warns that "splash, water, and dust resistance are not permanent conditions and resistance might decrease as a result of normal wear." iPhone water damage is not covered by Apple's warranties. 
  • But in Wednesday's shareholders meeting, [Robert] Hwang, [Wistron CEO] told reporters that the Assembly process for the previous generations of [iPhones] have not changed much, though new features like waterproof and wireless charging now require some different testing, and waterproof function will alter the assembly process a bit,ā€ 
  • A report earlier this year said Apple's next iPhone models will feature improved IP68-rated water resistance (30 minutes in up to 3 feet of water)
 
2017 MacBook Pro is Up to 20% Faster Than Last Year's Model in Benchmarks
  • Apple this week refreshed its MacBook Pro lineup with Intel's seventh-generation Kaby Lake processors, and early benchmarks for the notebooks suggest the 2017 models are up to 20 percent faster than the equivalent 2016 models equipped with Intel's sixth-generation Skylake processors. 
  • Only about a 30% improvement over 2012/2013 MacBook Pros...
 
10.5-inch iPad Pro review roundup: Appleā€™s most impressive tablet yet
  • One of the big improvements of the new iPad Pro is its new variable refresh rate display, which Apple calls ProMotion, and means that it can run at 120Hz, or twice as fast as previous displays. It can also cycle down to 24Hz on still images.
  • ARS has praised the new ProMotion by saying that it makes it easier to read text and scroll simultaneously, with the ā€œghostingā€ effect you get at 60Hz greatly reduced
  • What everyone agrees on is that the new A10x processor is blazingly fast
  • Smart keyboard is getting mixed reviews. Some saying it feels flimsy and unsatisfying to type on.
  • Uses the newest Touch ID.
  • Dramatically better antireflection coating.
  • About 30% faster than 9.7inch iPad Pro, even more on multicore Geekbench tests I saw. Export times in Garage Band almost halved in some cases.
  • Way better front (7MPX) and back cameras (12MPX), especially from the previous 12inch which had a 1.2 MPX camera.
  • Fuller, better sounding external speakers
  • iPad finally feels "pro"
 
HomePod First Listen Impressions: 'Incredible' Audio With Bass-Heavy Sound That Easily Beats Echo
  • A few websites have now gotten the chance to hear how HomePod sounds in a quiet environment, and they're sharing their opinions online. 
  • Mashable: The audio wasn't just loud ā€” filling a room with sound, good or bad, is easy ā€” it was rich.
    • Mashable noted that Apple had in-room comparisons with its competitors, including Sonos Play:3 and Amazon Echo, and that the HomePod easily beat the two other speakers in pure music playback quality.
  • CNET: HomePod came off as bolder and more vivid than Sonos Play:3 in the [listening] experience, and a lot better than Amazon Echo. I'd also say the music sounded consistently vivid and crisp in a quiet space
  • What HiFi: We also heard a pair of HomePods playing a live recording of Hotel California by The Eagles. The attention to detail was striking, with different instruments sounding discretely realised.
  • Engadget called HomePod's audio "incredible,ā€
  • if listening to the HomePod was like listening to a CD, then audio through the Echo sounded like AM radio.
 
Apple Drops 2TB iCloud Storage Price to $9.99, Eliminates 1TB Option
  • Following the WWDC keynote, Apple updated and simplified its iCloud storage tiers
    • 50GB: $0.99
    • 200GB: $2.99
    • 2TB: $9.99 (updated from 1TB)
  • Apple is offering an option to share a 200GB or 2TB iCloud storage plan with family members, which is perhaps the reason behind the price drop. 
  • Google Photos offers free backup for photos and videos.  Or you can back up via Plex premium.
 
Offload unused apps 
  • Automatically offload unused apps if youā€™re low on storage.
 
iOS 11 Preview: Control Center Gets Customizable With 3D Touch
Control center is now customizable, and you can use 3D touch to expand some control center icons (like the music control)
 
iOS 11 Lets AirPods Users Change Tracks With a Double Tap
  • AirPods will soon be able to skip forwards and backwards between tracks with a double tap of either earpiece, thanks to a new additional setting in iOS 11. 
  • Itā€™ll be possible to customize the AirPods so that a double tap on one earpiece skips, while double tapping on on the other earpiece goes to the previous track. 
 
Under Review
Direct download: CultCast_288_-_iPad_Pro_and_HomePod_get_great_reviews_.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00am PDT

This week: in one of the most exciting and action-packed keynotes in years, Apple updates just about everything theyā€™ve got.  Hot off the event, catch our reactions plus our picks for best in show!
 
This episode supported by
 
Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespaceā€”Build it Beautiful.
 
Check out the Cult of Mac ļ£æ Watch store for a curated selection of our favorite straps, all available for prices far less than youā€™d expect. 
 
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.
 
Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
On the show this week
 
WWDC keynote is proof of Appleā€™s awesome power and poise
 
First look: From cute to badass, Appleā€™s new hardware impresses
 
Hardware, software and surprises: Key takeaways from Appleā€™s WWDC 2017 keynote
 
HomePod leads to string of Twitter jabs
 
11 awesome iOS 11 features Apple didnā€™t bother to mention
 
HomePod smart speaker will totally rock (and control) your house
 
New 10.5-inch iPad Pro is Appleā€™s best tablet yet
 
Apple teases ā€˜seriously badassā€™ iMac Pro and other new Macs at WWDC
Direct download: CultCast_287_-_Reactions_to_the_best_WWDC_in_years_.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:01am PDT

This week: new evidence points to one of the most hardware-packed WWDCs in years!  Add in four new OS reveals and, by golly, you have one heckuva exciting show.  Weā€™ll tell you all we know, and share all the products we predict will hit the stage.
 
This episode supported by
Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespaceā€”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.
 
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
 
Steve Jobs closes down Apple!
 
Everything we expect to see at WWDC2017
 
MacBook Pro
Macbook Pro with Touch Bar was announced 7 months ago!  But a new one looks to be on the way.  Expect:
  • More powerful Kaby Lake processors
  • 32GB of desktop-class RAM for 15-inch MacBook Pro
  • Price slash for 13-inch MacBook Pro without Touch Bar which hasnā€™t been selling well per Ming Chi Kuo
 
MacBook Pro shipping estimates hint at WWDC refresh
  • Shipping times for the 15-inch model have slipped on the Apple online store
  • It seems strange that shipping times would suddenly slip for a product thatā€™s been on sale since October.
  • ā€œA spot check shows 15-inch MacBook Pro delivery estimates are similarly as long in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Netherlands, Singapore, Spain, and several other countries,ā€ reports MacRumors.
 
12-inch MacBook
  • Itā€™s been over a year since Apple has updated its the portable 12-inch MacBook.  Now would be a good time.
 
MacBook Air
  • Bloomberg reported earlier in May that Apple is ā€œconsideringā€ updating the MacBook Pro with a newer processor because sales of the machine have continued to be ā€œsurprisingly strong.ā€ Who knows what processor itā€™ll get or what (if any ) other upgrades (like as USB-C or a new display) might be included.
 
iMac, Mac Pro, and Mac mini
  • Apple announced earlier this year that they are hard at work on new pro-level desktop machines, but donā€™t expect to see anything at WWDC. The company made it clear that the new Mac Pro is in the works, but they also gave a spec bump to the current line.
  • It is possible we may see an announcement about the pro-level iMacs they talked about, especially considering it hasnā€™t been updated since Oct. 2015!  Maybe weā€™ll get some Kaby lake chips.
 
10.5-inch iPad Pro
  • KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo thinks thereā€™s a good chance Apple will debut its 10.5-inch iPad Pro at this yearā€™s event.
  • But if it will be using a new design language similar to the iPhone 8, it probably wonā€™t be revealed until after the new iPhones.
 
Apple is already manufacturing its Siri-powered speaker
  • Appleā€™s grand unveiling of its Siri-powered home speaker could come as soon as next week, according to a new report that claims production on the new device is already underway.
  • ā€œThe device will differ from Amazon.com Inc.ā€™s Echo and Alphabet Inc.ā€™s Google Home speakers by offering virtual surround sound technology and deep integration with Appleā€™s product lineup,ā€ reports Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the matter.
  • If Apple does announce the speaker at WWDC donā€™t expect it to be available immediately. The report claims that units wonā€™t ship until later this year, giving devs plenty of time to integrate their applications with it.
 
Apple registers new Macs, iPads, Magic Keyboard ahead of WWDC
  • Apple has registered a bunch of new products with the Eurasian Economic Commission ahead of WWDC next week.
  • Its filings hint at the imminent arrival of new Macs, iPads, and a refreshed Magic Keyboard.
  • The company has registered five new Macs with the EEC
  • Another four model numbers are associated with iOS 10, which likely ties them to new iPad Pros. Possibly also the 10.5-inch model
  • Finally, thereā€™s a model number that points to a wireless keyboard. Itā€™s been well over 19 months since Apple introduced the original Magic Keyboard, so we could well see a refreshed model with some minor improvements under the hood.
 
Get drawing tips as we cover WWDC with sketchnotes
Direct download: CultCast_286_-_WWDC_Product_Predictions.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:40pm PDT

This week: 
  • Rumors point to a big iPhone 8 price hike.  Whatā€™s the max you would pay? 
  • Intel makes a huge move to push Thunderbolt into the mainstream
  • Ikea about to drop tons of great HomeKit gadgets on us
  • DJIā€™s Spark selfie drone is a compact powerhouse
  • And weā€™ll tell you about the weird and whacky gadgets weā€™re reviewing in an all-new Under Review!
 
This episode supported by
Blue Apron makes it easy to cook delicious meals at home.  See their upcoming menu and get your first three meals free at BlueApron.com/CultCast.
 
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.
 
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
 
More evidence hints at massive iPhone 8 price hike
  • Rumors that the iPhone 8 may come with a $1,000 price tag are seemingly backed-up by a new report claiming that components for the next-gen handset will be considerably higher than those for its predecessor.
  • According to Chinaā€™s Economic Daily News, the 3D Touch module alone for the iPhone 8 will cost 150 percent more than the comparable module for the current LCD iPhone.
  • As per a recent report from Goldman Sachs analyst Simona Jankowski, the 128GB iPhone 8 will sell for $999, while the 256GB version will set users back a whopping $1,099. This means that the iPhone 8 could represent a significant 25 percent price jump from the iPhone 7.
  • Include AirPods?
 
 
 
Intel will eliminate Thunderbolt royalties to boost adoption
  • Every manufacturer that uses it has to pay royalties to Intel, which means you typically find it exclusively in expensive, high-end machines.
  • Intel has confirmed plans to drop Thunderbolt royalties in an effort to boost adoption. The chip-maker also plans to integrate Thunderbolt 3 into its own processors starting next year, eliminating the need for a dedicated controller.
  • Thunderbolt has become the ultimate standard for connecting peripherals to your computer, thanks to its incredibly high bandwidth and versatility. Thunderbolt 3ā€™s 40Gbps speeds let you transfer a full 4K movie in just 30 seconds.
  • USB 3 is only 10GBPS!
 
 
Control IKEA Home Smart products with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Appleā€™s Home app
  • During the summer and early fall, IKEA will be adding functionality to its smart lighting range by enabling people to voice control their lighting with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant and to set up and adjust lighting using Appleā€™s Home app and Siri voice commands. This takes IKEA one step closer to making smart home technology accessible for the many.
 
DJI goes tiny with new easy-to-fly Spark drone
  • DJI unveiled the new Spark drone at an event in NYC this morning where the tiny flying camera impressed watchers with some innovative new features like the ability to be controlled without using a remote.
  • The Spark packs a 1/2.3ā€ CMOS sensor that captures 12 megapixel photos and shoots stabilized HD 1080p videos so you can get super smooth shots. It also comes with new shooting modes you wonā€™t find yet on the Mavic or Phantom 4: Pano and ShallowFocus.
  • Flight time on the Spark is around 16 minutes per battery with a range of 1.2 miles. Pricing for the basic kit starts at $499, or you can get the Fly More bundle with two batteries, extra propellers and prop guards and a carrying case for $699.
  • QuickShot Intelligent Flight Modes for taking cool selfie vids
  • QuickShot automatically captures a 10-second clip intended for social media sharing
Under Review!
Direct download: CultCast_285_-_1200_for_iPhone_8_.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:28pm PDT

This week: new MacBook Pros at WWDC?  Insiders say yes!  Weā€™ll tell you all we know.  Plus: why future Macs are about to get much faster CPUs; Apple makes a big move to bring manufacturing back to the US; and weā€™ll wrap up with 5 weird and whacky facts about the new Apple Park campus.
 
This episode supported by
Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespaceā€”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.
 
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
 
Apple may reveal three new MacBooks at WWDC
  • Apple hasnā€™t released new hardware at a WWDC keynote since 2013, but the company is allegedly planning to unveil a new lineup of MacBooks, according to a report that claims the new machines will pack Intelā€™s new Kaby Lake processor to bring more speed than ever.
  • Three new laptops will debut at WWDC 2017, claims Bloomberg, citing ā€œpeople familiar with the matter.ā€ Both the MacBook Pro and 12-inch MacBook will be updated with new Intel chips.
  • Apple is also supposedly considering updating the 13-inch MacBook Air with a new processor, too, which would be quite a surprise as most observers assumed the machine was on its last legs now that the MacBook and MacBook Pro are thinner. Sales of the old MacBook Air remain ā€œsurprisingly strongā€ due to its cheap price tag, claims one of the reportā€™s sources.
  • What features needed to make the machine exciting again
  • Shows Apple may be getting about making Mac great again.
 
Intel: Cannonlake CPUs will be more than 15 percent faster than Kaby Lake
  • Meager performance gains arenā€™t all Appleā€™s fault
  • Chipmakers in past years focused on increasing performance by raising the clock frequency. But that made chips power hungry, and their focus shifted to adding cores, which boosted performance but also added battery life to laptops. Then the focus turned to integrating technologies like graphics and I/O buses inside processors. Gaming and virtual reality have brought a focus back to raw CPU performance.
  • The performance improvements from Skylake to Kaby Lake topped out at 15 percent. The CPU performance boost for Cannonlake should be at least that, Intel said.
  • The gaming market is exploding, especially eSports, and demand for high-performance Core i7 chips skyrocketed last year
  • Intel may be trying to catch up with AMD, which is boasting a 40 percent performance improvement for its upcoming Ryzen chips.
 
Appleā€™s standalone Siri could look a lot like Echo Show
  • Appleā€™s Amazon Echo rival standalone Siri speaker will come with a touch-sensitive display, claims KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.
  • In a note to clients over the weekend, Kuo suggested that the Siri home speaker will have a ā€œtouch panel,ā€ although itā€™s not known whether this will be a full-on screen or a simpler touch-based interface of some sort.
 
Apple gives $200 million to iPhone glassmaker to promote U.S. manufacturing
  • You may have heard that Tim Cook recently announced a $1 billion Advanced Manufacturing Fund in an interview with Mad Moneyā€™s Jim Cramer at Apple Campus, he said the goal was to push ā€œpeople to do advanced manufacturing in the United States.ā€
  • Rather than pulling from its enormous pile of overseas cash, Apple is borrowing the money for its $1 billion fund since that is cheaper than paying to repatriate its foreign money pile.
  • Apple has awarded Corning the first grant of its $1 billion investment aimed at boosting high-tech manufacturing jobs in the United States. The glassmaker will receive $200 million.
  • Appleā€™s contribution is part of its ā€œAdvanced Manufacturing Fundā€ will support Corningā€™s R&D, capital equipment needs, and state-of-the-art glass processing.
 
Apple Park originally looked like a penis and 5 other wild facts
 
How Apple Park campus almost looked like a giant dong
Direct download: CultCast_284_-_New_MacBook_Pros_at_WWDC.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:31pm PDT

This week: 
  • Itā€™s official, the WWDC keynote takes place June 5th, so here are our hardware expectations šŸ•ŗ
  • Apple quietly acquires one of the worldā€™s best sleep tracking technologies
  • Why Amazonā€™s Prime video app may FINALLY be coming to your Apple TV
  • Our first impressions of the Amazon Echo Show, and the features we hope Apple steals from it
  • And stick around for a completely weird, totally tribal What Weā€™re Into, the segment where we reveal the all the non-tech stuff weā€™re currently enjoying.
 
This episode supported by
 
Casperā€™s American-made mattresses have just the right amount of sink and bounce, and people everywhere love them.  Learn why and get $50 towards any mattress at Casper.com/cultcast.
 
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.
 
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
 
Apple Sends Out Press Invites for WWDC Keynote on June 5
  • The invites are out!  The WWDC keynote youā€™ve been waiting for us coming in three weeks, on June 5 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time.
 
Apple acquires sleep-tracking startup Beddit
  • Apple recently purchased Beddit, a sleep monitoring system that pairs a pliable under-sheet sleep sensor with an app, all of which is designed to help users analyze and improve their sleeping habits.
  • Apple's Beddit purchase came to light because Beddit updated its privacy policy to both highlight the acquisition and implement Apple's privacy rules. "Your personal data will be collected, used and disclosed in accordance with the Apple Privacy Policy," reads the site.
 
Amazon Prime Video may come to Apple TV this summer
  • Apple and Amazon, the tech giants, are close to an agreement to bring an Amazon video app to Appleā€™s Apple TV set-top box, according to people familiar with the two companies.
  • Amazon employees expect the app to show up on Appleā€™s hardware in the third quarter of the year.
  • That move would allow Amazon Prime Video subscribers to easily watch TV shows and movies from the service using Apple TV.
  • Itā€™s unclear what got the two companies to reach an agreement, though some industry observers suggest that any pact would have been worked out, at a high level, by CEOs Tim Cook and Jeff Bezos.
 
Amazon Echo Show brings video to smart-speaker party
  • Amazonā€™ā€™s new Echo Show is just like Echo, but with Video.  Youā€™re gonna just love video.  Itā€™s like a audio  but for your eyes!
  • With Echo Show Watch video flash briefings and YouTube, see music lyrics, security cameras, photos, weather forecasts, to-do and shopping lists, and more. All hands-freeā€”just ask.
  • Introducing a new way to be together. Make hands-free video calls to friends and family who have an Echo Show or the Alexa App, and make voice calls to anyone who has an Echo or Echo Dot.
  • See lyrics on-screen with Amazon Music. Just ask to play a song, artist or genre, and stream over Wi-Fi. Also, stream music on Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, and more.
  • Powerful, room-filling speakers with Dolby processing for crisp vocals and extended bass response
  • Ask Alexa to show you the front door or monitor the baby's room with compatible cameras from Ring and Arlo. Turn on lights, control thermostats and more with WeMo, Philips Hue, ecobee, and other compatible smart home devices.
Direct download: CultCast_283_-_WWDC_hardware_expectations.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:24pm PDT

This week: 
  • Appleā€™s secret Siri speaker may be announced at WWDCā€”weā€™ll tell you everything (we think) we know about it.  
  • Why AirPods are the best product Appleā€™s made in years
  • Why Microsoftā€™s MacBook clone is actually great for Apple fans
  • We deconstruct and decode Tim Cookā€™s mysterious and quickly deleted accidental tweet, and youā€™ll be shocked at the truth!
 
This episode supported by
 
Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespaceā€”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.
 
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
 
This weekā€™s Intro
 
Appleā€™s new Siri speaker could be revealed at WWDC
  • Earlier this week, we heard the company is currently in the process of finalizing the design of its first standalone Siri device, which is expected to take on the Amazon Echo. Now we have an idea what it might look like and when it could be revealed.
  • Apple's Siri-based smart speaker and home hub has an "over 50 percent chance" of being announced at WWDC, according to our homeboy Ming Chi Kuo.
  • Kuo said Apple's smart home product will likely launch in the second half of 2017 and cost more than the Amazon Echo, $179. The device will supposedly support AirPlay with "excellent acoustics performance" from one woofer and seven tweeters. Kuo said its performance will be similar to the iPhone 6/6s.
  • Last week, leaker Sonny Dickson likewise said Apple's smart speaker could be announced as early as WWDC. He said the device will run a variation of iOS with unspecified Beats technology, in addition to a Mac Pro-like concave top with built-in controls and speaker meshing covering the majority of its surface.
  • A report from The Information said Apple's smart home speaker would be able to control appliances, locks, lights, and curtains through Siri voice commands. It added that some of the prototypes in testing have facial recognition sensors
 
Apple places orders for its Amazon Echo rival
 
Siri could soon recognize your voice for added security
 
AirPods get highest-ever satisfaction score for a first-year Apple product
  • AirPods are the most beloved product Apple has launched in years, based on a new survey that found an astonishing percentage of AirPod owners are extremely satisfied.
  • In a newly published study conducted by Creative Strategies and Experian, a total of 98 percent of AirPod owners said they are either ā€œvery satisfiedā€ or ā€œsatisfiedā€ with Appleā€™s new wireless buds. Over 80 percent of customers said they are very satisfied.
 
Microsoftā€™s answer to the MacBook suffers one big flaw
  • Microsoftā€™s new Surface Laptop, with its sleek design and a super-sharp display, might look like a worthy competitor to the MacBook
  • Starting at $999, the Surface Laptop ships with an Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and a battery that lasts up to 14.5 hours in between charges.
  • Windows 10 S only runs apps downloaded from the Windows Store!  But uou can upgrade to Windows Pro for $50.
 
Twitter flips out over mysterious Tim Cook tweet
  • Apple CEO Tim Cook set Twitter ablaze with speculation today ā€” and all it took was a simple smiley face emoji.
  • Cook sent out a tweet with just a smiley face emoji this morning. No other context was provided, and the tweet got deleted shortly later, leading Apple fans on Twitter to wonder what the most powerful man in tech was really trying to say.
Direct download: CultCast_282_-_The_Siri_smart_speaker_is_incoming_.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:55pm PDT

This week: 
  • Apple stores are about to get a massive 2.0 overhaul, and weā€™ve got all the details
  • Why the iPhone 8 may launch super late with no OLED
  • Final Cut Pro X hits a massive milestone
  • Google co-founder makes a flying car, and youā€™re gonna want one! 
  • We reveal our favorite new gadgets in an all new Under Review šŸ•ŗ
 
This episode supported by
Blue Apron makes it easy to cook delicious meals at home.  See their upcoming menu and get your first three meals free at BlueApron.com/CultCast.
 
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.
 
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
 
SVP of retail Angela Ahrendts reveals redesigned Apple stores
2017ā€™s ā€˜iPhone Editionā€™ to arrive late, OLED display uncertain
  • Apple analyst KGI Ming-Chi Kuo is reporting that mass production of the OLED iPhone will likely be pushed back to October/November, instead of the normal August/September timeframe because suppliers are having difficulties producing several of the phoneā€™s cutting edge custom-ordered parts.
  • The moderately reliable Makotakara is reporting that device is also claiming the phone will be delayed, and that the OLED upgrade weā€™ve been looking forward to isnā€™t a sure thing yet.
 
Final Cut Pro X hits massive 2 million users milestone
  • At this weekā€™s annual National Association of Broadcasters conference, Apple revealed that it now has 2 million users of its Final Cut Pro X video-editing software, five years after launching the tenth version of the program.
  • At $299 for a license, thatā€™s a cool 600 million dollars.
  • Appleā€™s rep added that it is taken considerably less time for Apple to jump for 1 million to 2 million users than it did for the company to reach its first million adopters.
 
Hereā€™s how Apple plans to make its stores more magical
  • Angela Ahrendts was hired as Appleā€™s VP of retail just about 3.5 years ago, and sheā€™s now unveiling her vision for the future of the Apple store.
  • Apple wants to make their stores to be a place where you can engage with your devices and your communities.  A place to meet your friends, like at Starbucks!  says VP of Retail Angela Ahrendts.
  • Apple is bringing new ā€œhands onā€ sessions to its stores, enlisting artists, Mac experts and celebrities in a bid to make its retail outlets more engaging.
  • The new Today at Apple initiative will launch next month in Apple stores everywhere. The initiative includes free hands-on sessions that will span more than 60 sessions in creative skills, including photography, coding and music creation. Classes will range from basic ā€œhow toā€ lessons to professional-level programs.
  • "Amazonā€™s investing in stores, Googleā€™s investing in stores. Starbucks has figured it out.  You know, be a gathering place. Meet me at Starbucks.  And Iā€™ve told the teams, Iā€™ll know weā€™ve done a really really great job if the next generation, if gen Z says, meet me at Apple.  Did you see whatā€™s going on at Apple today?ā€
 
Google co-founderā€™s flying car gets internet debut
  • Forget self-driving cars. A startup backed by Google co-founder Larry Page is aiming to reshape transportation by giving us flying cars, and the company finally gave the internet a teaser today.
  • Kitty Hawk posted the first video of its all-electric aircraft today. The vehicle is only designed to fly over water, but the company says you wonā€™t even need a pilotā€™s license to fly it.
  • The Kitty Hawk Flyer will supposedly go on sale by the end of 2017. Pricing details wonā€™t be revealed until later in the year, but you can get in line to purchase one by signing up for a three-year Kitty Hawk membership for $100.
  • Members also get a $2,000 discount on the Flyer as well as some exclusive access to a flight simulator. Weā€™re assuming thatā€™s so you donā€™t wreck it on your first flight.
Direct download: CultCast_281_-_Introducing_Apple_Store_2.0.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:33pm PDT

This week: we deconstruct the new iPhone 8 leaks! Weā€™ll tell what weā€™ve learned.  
 
Plus: Apple starts testing the driverless car theyā€™re totally not working on; and the best iOS apps for all you marijuana connoisseurs. 
 
This episode supported by
Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespaceā€”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.
 
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
 
 
This weekā€™s Intro
 
 
Sources confirm some of iPhone 8ā€™s biggest upgrades
  • In its report on the new iPhone 8, Bloomberg corroborates many previous rumors about the next-gen iPhone, but suggests that more ā€œambitiousā€ features may be scaled back or ditched due to manufacturing problems.
  • According to the report, and as weā€™ve discussed on the show, Apple is preparing three iPhones for launch. Two will simply be updated versions of the current iPhone, while the high-end model will sport a totally revamped look.
  • Apple is testing a premium version with a screen that covers almost the entire front of the device.  That results in a display slightly larger than that of an iPhone y Pus but with an overall phone size closer to the iPhone 7.
  • The updated lower-end model iPhones will stick with LCD displays and get fewer hardware updates.
  • "One of the latest prototype designs includes symmetrical, slightly curved glass on the front and the back. The curves are similar in shape to those on the front of the iPhone 7. The new OLED screen itself is flat, while the cover glass curves into a steel frame. The design is similar conceptually to the iPhone 4 from 2010ā€
  • "Apple also tested a more ambitious prototype with the same slightly curved front and steel frame, but a glass back with more dramatic curves on the top and bottom like the original iPhone design from 2007, one of the people said. ā€œ
  • "Apple suppliers have so far struggled to reliably produce heavily curved glass in mass quantities, so the company is more likely to ship the version with more subdued curvesā€
  • "Significant camera changes are also in testing for Appleā€™s overhauled iPhone. For the back of the phone, Apple is testing versions of the phone with the dual-camera system positioned vertically, instead of horizontally like on the iPhone 7 Plus, which could result in improved photos,ā€
  • ā€œApple has ā€¦ experimented with integrating the iPhoneā€™s fingerprint scanner into the screen of the OLED version, which would be technically challenging, the people saidā€.  TouchID on the back?
 
ā€˜Leakedā€™ iPhone 8 drawings reveal surprising design
  • A new photo from leaker Sonny Dickson of what is believed to be iPhone 8 schematics reveals a surprising new design direction.
  • Apple appears to have done away with the smooth curves weā€™ve come to expect from its smartphones in recent years, opting instead for sharper edges and flat sides. This image suggests the next iPhone will be much like the iPhone 5, only bigger.
  • The shell seen in the photo above carries the same flat sides as the iPhone 5, with what appear to be chamfered edges. Cutouts for two rear-facing cameras get stacked one on top of the other, near the trademark Apple logo and a rear-facing Touch ID button.
  • It looks like the frame shown in the leaked iPhone 8 schematics was designed to hold flat glass, not a curved display like those used by Samsung.
 
 
Apple gets green light to test autonomous cars in California
  • The California DMV updated its website today adding Apple to the list of 30 companies testing self-driving cars in California, including Tesla, Google, VW, Ford, Mercedes Benz and BMW.
  • Donā€™t get your hopes up on seeing a car made by Apple anytime soon though. A DMV spokesperson informed the Financial Times that Apple is licensed to test three 2015 Lexus RX450h cars with six drivers.
 
6 iPhone apps every stoner needs on 4/20
Direct download: CultCast_280_-_The_iPhone_8_leaks_begin__.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:58pm PDT

This week:
  • Official new Nvidia drivers make your Mac compatible with the best GPUs on the market!
  • A mole gives us our best look yet at what itā€™s really like to work in an iPhone factory
  • Apple has a secret team working on ā€˜breakthroughā€™ diabetes treatment with the Apple Watch
  • The saga of Ron Wayne, the forgotten Apple co-founder who traded his 22 billion dollars of Apple stock for just $800.
 
This episode supported by
VideoBlocks, the affordable, subscription-based stock media site that givesyou unlimited access to premium stock footage. Check it out for free for 7 days at videoblocks.com/cultcast
 
Casperā€™s American-made mattresses have just the right amount of sink and bounce, and people everywhere love them.  Learn why and get $50 towards any mattress at Casper.com/cultcast.
 
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.
 
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
 
  • NVIDIA today released new drivers that make its Pascal graphics cards compatible with a Mac.
  • The drivers support all 10 Series GPUs, including the GTX 1050 through GTX 1080 Ti, and the newly-announced GTX Titan Xp.
  • Until now, however, you had to settle for older 9 Series cards.
  • Now the newest cards, from the GTX 950 to the GTX Titan Xp, are supported
 
 
 
 
 
 
  • In Apple lore, Ron Wayne is the man who threw away winning lottery ticket.
  • Itā€™s April 12, 1976: Appleā€™s third co-founder, a former Atari colleague of Steve Wozniakā€™s named Ron Wayne, is cashing in his 10% of Apple shares for $800.
  • Hell of a nice guy.
  • Drew Appleā€™s original logo.
  • Wayne also wrote up the first contract in Appleā€™s history, solidifying what all three co-founders would do. Wozniak was to be in charge of electrical engineering, Jobs was responsible for marketing, and Wayne would oversee mechanical engineering and documentation.
  • ā€œI was 40 and these kids were in their 20s,ā€ Wayne told Cult of Mac, referring to Wozniak and Steve Jobs. ā€œThey were whirlwinds ā€” it was like having a tiger by the tail. If I had stayed with Apple I probably would have wound up the richest man in the cemetery.ā€
  • ā€œHe was a very focused fellow,ā€ Wayne told me. ā€œYou never wanted to be between him and where he wanted to go, or youā€™d find footprints on your forehead. To put it simply, if you had your choice between Steve Jobs and an ice cube, youā€™d nuzzle up to the ice cube for warmth. But thatā€™s what it took for him to turn Apple into what it became.ā€
  • When asked about passing on Apple, he said: Just pick yourself up and move on. I didnā€™t want to waste my tomorrows bemoaning my yesterdays.
  • Today, Ronald Wayne resides in a $150,000 house in Pahrump, Nevada, a unincorporated town about 16 miles west of Las Vegas. Aged 80, he lives on his Social Security checks and money made selling rare coins and stamps over the Internet.
Direct download: CultCast_279_-_Undercover_in_an_iPhone_production_factory.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:43pm PDT

This week:
  • Apple just revealed their future Mac plansā€¦ on purpose!  Itā€™s unprecedented, and weā€™ll unpack it all for you.
  • Apple promises an all-new ā€œrethoughtā€ Mac Pro and Apple display.  
  • Why the Mac Pro failed.
  • Appleā€™s plans to make the Mac ā€œProā€ again.
  • New Pro-level iMacs coming this year.
  • Leander reviews the top-secret new Sonos speaker Erfonā€™s couldnā€™t talk about.
  • Erfon reviews a clever ļ£æ Watch stand that Buster hates but true Mac fans will love!
 
This episode supported by
Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespaceā€”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.
 
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

Steve Jobs Introduces the very first Mac Pro
 
Apple building all-new, modular Mac Pro and external display
 
Apple brings faster Intel Xeon chips, better GPUs to the Mac Pro
 
2017 iMacs will bring spec bumps to woo power users
 
Apple pushes the reset button on the Mac Pro
 
Sonosā€™ new Playbase speaker
 
Youā€™ll love this vintage Mac ļ£æ Watch stand!
 
Meet Eddie, The Eagle

 

 

Direct download: CultCast_278_-_Apple_reveals_their_Mac_plans_on_purpose.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:42pm PDT

This week:

  • Weā€™ve found even MORE of the weirdest and wackiest Apple products that time forgot
  • The best new features in iOS 10.3 and macOS 10.12.4.
  • Rumors mills say Apple may resurrect the PowerBook!
  • iPhone 8 rumors point to a backside TouchID
  • The sources of Steve Jobs best one-liners
  • A wobbly British guy tries to ski
 
This episode supported by
Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespaceā€”Build it Beautiful.
 
VideoBlocks, the affordable, subscription-based stock media site that gives you unlimited access to premium stock footage. Check it out for free for 7 days at videoblocks.com/cultcast
 
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.
 
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

 

Intro: A young Jony Ive on the 20th Anniversary Mac
 
ā€˜iPhone Editionā€™ could have rear-facing Touch ID sensor
  • A (somewhat sketchy) new report claims that the tenth anniversary iPhone, commonly referred to as the iPhone 8, will instead by called the iPhone Edition.
  • In addition, it suggests that the major form factor redesign thatā€™s been reported on may turn out to be less drastic than some are imagining ā€” although changes will include features like a rear-mounted Touch ID sensor.
  • According to the report, which is accompanied by renders showing the design, the iPhone Edition wonā€™t feature a Touch ID sensor embedded beneath the display, but rather a fingerprint scanner on the rear of the device.
  • It also wonā€™t come with the glass back plate, but will instead stick to having a metal back plate as the result of glassā€™ tendency to shatter when dropped
 
Does Apple trademark filing mean PowerBook is coming back?
  • A couple of news outlets are flipping their lid over the news that Apple has filed a new worldwide trademark for the word ā€œPowerBook,ā€ the name of Appleā€™s pre-MacBook laptop series, which ran from 1991 until 2006.
  • In fact, a lot of Appleā€™s trademarks are about stopping its assets falling into other companyā€™s hands ā€” as happened when rival watchmaker Swatch decided to trademark Steve Jobsā€™ iconic ā€œOne more thingā€ catchphrase, shortly after Apple began competing with it in the watch business.
 
Swiss watchmaker hits back at Apple by trademarking ā€˜One more thingā€™
  • This isnā€™t the first time Apple has had people try to pilfer its well-known ā€œOne more thingā€ phrase. At the launch of Apple ripoff artist Xiaomiā€™ Mi 4 smartphone, CEO Lei Jun ā€œborrowedā€ Appleā€™s tagline while also wearing a black top and blue jeans.
  • The trademark was registered in Germany in May, but was granted in 2015.
  • It was originally a quotation by Jobs of Peter Falkā€™s Columbo character
  • ā€œStay hungry, stay foolishā€ - Whole Earth Catalog, a magazine Steve Jobs loved.
 
20th Anniversary Mac
  • one of the first Macs to be designed by Jony Ive, and it paved the way for the vertical design of computer that forms today's iMacIt looked like a movie prop.  The beautiful machine every 90s CEO would covet.
  • April 1, 1996 marked 20 years since the day that Steve JobsSteve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne came together to form Apple Computer, and they decided to release the 20th Anniversary Mac to celebrate this momentous occasion.
  • It featured a a TV/FM tuner, an S-Video input card, and a custom-made Bose sound system including two "Jewelā€ speakers, and a subwoofer built into the externally located power supply "base unitā€.
  • Upon unveiling, the TAM was predicted to cost US$9,000, which would include a direct-to-door concierge delivery service. At release the price was reduced to $7,499.  Problem was, it similar performance as the PowerMac 6500, a machine costing just $2,999.
  • In the middle of its sales' lifespan Apple dropped the price further to around US$3,500, and finally upon discontinuation in March 1998 the price was set to US$1,995. Customers who paid full price for the TAM, and then complained to Apple when the price was so drastically cut, were offered a free high-end Powerbook as compensation.
 
 
TimeBand
It's hard to imagine, but there was actually a time when the Apple freely shared its concepts with the world. In 1991, under the leadership of John Scully, Apple shared a bunch of design concepts with a Japanese magazine called Axis.
 
One of the strange products included in the spread was a wearable wrist computer called TimeBand.
Like an iPad mini living on your wrist!
 
 
The beautiful, the portable, Apple PowerCD
 
Direct download: CultCast_277_-_MORE_weird__wacky_Apple_products_that_time_forgot_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:40pm PDT

This week: our reactions to all Appleā€™s new products šŸ’ŖšŸ¼ 

  • Appleā€™s new iPad is cheaper, fatter, heavier, and underpowered
  • Why the iPad Mini Pro is kind of a ripoff
  • Two reasons you should not buy a Product Red iPhone 7
  • What is Appleā€™s new Clips app do?  Weā€™ll give you the rundown
  • Why Leanderā€™s got mixed feelings about his new Pioneer SPH-DA120 Car Play stereo
  • Erfonā€™s reviews the Think Tank Helipack V2, a gigantic backpack built for your DJI Phantom

 

This episode supported by

Blue Apron makes it easy to cook delicious meals at home.  See their upcoming menu and get your first three meals free at BlueApron.com/CultCast.
 
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.
 
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


Macintosh TV Commercial with Tim Barton!
 

Appleā€™s new 9.7-inch iPad is more affordable than ever

http://www.cultofmac.com/472635/apples-9-7-inch-ipad-is-now-more-affordable/

  • Apple today introduced a new, fatter 9.7-inch iPad thatā€™s more affordable than ever before.
  • Macrumors calls the new iPad "a little bit iPhone 6s, a little bit iPad Air, and a little bit iPad Air 2.ā€
  • The device looks almost identical to the iPad Air 2 that it is replacing in Appleā€™s tablet lineup
  • Starts at just $329 with 32GB of storage, $429 for 128GB
  • Apple has swapped out the older modelā€™s A8X chip for a faster, 64-bit A9 processor that debuted with the iPhone 6s.
  • It uses an unlaminated screen, and is 7% heavier and 20% fatter than the iPad Air 2, but the screen is brighter.
  • Goes on sale Friday March 24
 
iPad Mini
  • The iPad mini 4 is still the same price, but you get more storage for free. The 128GB model with Wi-Fi now starts at $399, which was previously the price for the 32GB model.

iPad mini 4 gets 128GB of storage, still a total ripoff
  • It seems like a good deal. Until you consider that the new 9.7-inch iPad, which offers a bigger and sharper display and a faster A9 chip, makes it a total ripoff.
 
iPhone SE
  • The iPhone SE is still the same phone, but itā€™s now available in 32GB and 128GB flavors, doubling the storage capacity of the previous versions. Prices are still $399 and $499 (unlocked).
 
This is the (RED) iPhone 7 Apple should have made
  • The company today unveiled a special edition (PRODUCT)RED iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, which will be available to order at 8:01 a.m. Pacific on Friday, March 24.\
  • They also cost the same as the regular iPhone 7s, but, there is no 32GB option. So, prices start at $749 for a 128GB iPhone 7, and $869 for a 128GB iPhone 7 Plus
  • Not everyone loves the colorā€¦
 
Appleā€™s new Clips app muscles in on fun social video sharing
  • Apple has announced the upcoming launch of a new app designed to make it fun and easy for people to create and share ā€œexpressive videosā€ on their iPhone and iPads.
  • Called Clips, the social app will work by combining video clips, photos and music into videos that can be shared with friends through the Messages app, or using Instagram, Facebook and other popular social networks.
  • Live titles are text captions created by what you say in the video timed to when you say the words
  • You can splice in soundtracks
  • Video is cropped to square
  • App recognize faces of people if theyā€™re tagged in your Photos app
  • Also names spoken in your video if theyā€™re in your contacts, and will suggest you share videos with those friends.
Direct download: CultCast_276_-_Our_Apple_hardware_reactions_.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:28pm PDT

This week: Appleā€™s about to overhaul the iPad, and itā€™s long overdue!  Plus: why Steve Jobs was cool with your kids using an iPad, but not his own; how the technology we love might be making us all stupid;  and we wrap up with an all new CultCast Choices, the game of great gifts with strange side effects...

This episode supported by

Casperā€™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.
 
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.
 
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

Westworld-style folding phone might get real this year
  • Smartphones that fold out into a tablet are one of the many awesome inventions the creators of Westworld promised we have to look forward to in the future. But according to a new rumor, Samsung might make them a reality in 2017.
New iPads to arrive next month during first Apple Park event
  • Apple will announce its next-generation iPad lineup next month during its very first event at Apple Park, according to a new report.
  • Sources say that production of the new 10.5-inch iPad Pro has been brought forward for the launch. The device is expected to be accompanied by an updated 12.9-inch iPad Pro and a more affordable 9.7-inch iPad.
  • Apple ā€œis expected to unveil the new iPad at a product event to be held in early April to mark the inauguration of Appleā€™s new headquarters in California,ā€
  • The new 10.5ā€³ iPad would have the exact same resolution as the 12.9ā€³ iPad Pro (2732 x 2048), but the same pixel density of the iPad mini (326 ppi instead of 264 ppi). Crunch the numbers, do a little Pythagorean Theorem, and you end up with a screen 10.5ā€³ diagonal
 
Server logs reveal Apple is testing four new iPad models
  • Device logs obtained by mobile marketing firm Fiksu appear to show that four different iPad models are currently being tested in the San Francisco Bay Area.
  • Just because four model numbers have been discovered doesnā€™t mean Apple will release four different iPads this month.
  • Last year, Fiksu saw new device model names pop up in its logs about a month before the new iPads were announced.
 
Steve Jobs Was a Low-Tech Parent

When Steve Jobs was running Apple, he was known to call journalists to either pat them on the back for a recent article or, more often than not, explain how they got it wrong. I was on the receiving end of a few of those calls. But nothing shocked me more than something Mr. Jobs said to me in late 2010 after he had finished chewing me out for something I had written about an iPad shortcoming.

  • New York Times reporter Nick Bilton said he once assumingly asked Jobs, ā€œSo your kids must love the iPad?ā€
  • ā€œThey havenā€™t used it. We limit how much technology our kids use at home.ā€
  • ā€œEvery evening Steve made a point of having dinner at the big long table in their kitchen, discussing books and history and a variety of things,ā€
  • Since then, Iā€™ve met a number of technology chief executives and venture capitalists who say similar things: they strictly limit their childrenā€™s screen time, often banning all gadgets on school nights, and allocating ascetic time limits on weekends.
  • Evan Williams, a founder of Blogger, Twitter and Medium, and his wife, Sara Williams, said that in lieu of iPads, their two young boys have hundreds of books (yes, physical ones) that they can pick up and read anytime.
  • Ali Partovi, a founder of iLike and adviser to Facebook, Dropbox and Zappos, said " I wouldnā€™t dream of limiting how much time a kid can spend with her paintbrushes, or playing her piano, or writing, I think itā€™s absurd to limit her time spent creating computer art, editing video, or computer programming,ā€
 
This Minecraft Hololens demo is incredible
 
Fartman, Leanderā€™s alter ego

 

Direct download: CultCast_275_-_How_Apple_will_make_iPad_SEXY_again_.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:18am PDT

This week:  the CIA loses control of its iPhone hacking arsenal, and computer crooks turn your gadgets against you.  Plus: why iPhone 8 may arrive later than you hoped; our favorite Apple Airport replacement routers; and we discuss the non-Apple gear weā€™re currently obsessing over in an all-new and aptly named What Weā€™re Into
 
This week:
  • The CIA loses control of its iPhone hacking arsenal!
  • Computer crooks turn your gadgets against you.
  • Why iPhone 8 may arrive later than you hoped.
  • Our favorite routers to replace your Apple Airport.
  • The non-Apple gear weā€™re currently obsessing over! Itā€™s all-new, overdue, What Weā€™re Into šŸ’ŖšŸ¼
 

This episode supported by 

Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespaceā€”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.
 
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

 

WikiLeaks: CIA lost control of its iPhone hacking arsenal

  • The Central Intelligence Agency has been using malware to spy on iPhone and Android users, according to the largest-ever publication of confidential documents from WikiLeaks ā€” and the spy tools are now in the hands of others.
  • ā€œThis extraordinary collection, which amounts to more than several hundred million lines of code, gives its possessor the entire hacking capacity of the CIA.ā€
  • As part of a covert hacking program, the CIA created a ā€œmalware arsenalā€ and dozens of ā€œzero day exploitsā€ to infiltrate smartphones, tablets and even smart TVs to extract data and turn them into covert microphones.
  • But the agency recently lost controls of these tools. Those who have obtained them now have ā€œthe entire hacking capacity of the CIAā€ at their disposal, according to WikiLeaks.
  • At the end of 2016, the CIAā€™s hacking division was made up of more than 5,000 ā€œregistered usersā€ who had produced over a thousand tools to infiltrate target devices throughout Latin America, Europe and the United States.
  • iOS devices were also a major target. The CIA created and obtained tools from GCHQ, NSA, FBI and contractors like Baitshop that allowed them to bypass the encryption used by apps like WhatsApp and Telegram and collect audio and text message data.
 
Global elitesā€™ love of iPhone made iOS a prime target of CIA
  • Although Googleā€™s Android dominates the worldwide smartphone market, the CIA concentrated on Appleā€™s iOS because of its popularity among global elites, WikiLeaks reports.
  • Despite iPhoneā€™s minority share (14.5%) of the global smart phone market in 2016, a specialized unit in the CIAā€™s Mobile Development Branch produces malware to infest, control and exfiltrate data from iPhones and other Apple products running iOS, such as iPads.
  • The disproportionate focus on iOS may be explained by the popularity of the iPhone among social, political, diplomatic and business elites.
 
Famous jailbreaker says WikiLeaks CIA dump is overhyped
  • Cyber security expert Will Strafach, who gained notoriety under the name Chronic for finding zero-day exploits used for jailbreaking, says iOS users donā€™t need to be worried.
  • ā€œI do not believe any iOS user running iOS 10+ has any cause for concern by this,ā€ Strafach told Cult of Mac in an email after we asked for his expert opinion on Tuesdayā€™s big CIA leak.
  • Apple is saying that ā€˜manyā€™ of the exploits exposed in the leak have been patchedā€¦. "Many"
 

Curved OLED displays will be exclusive to premium iPhone 8

http://www.cultofmac.com/470593/youll-pay-5-8-inch-oled-iphone-8/

  • Sources claim the new 5.8-inch curved display will only be available with the high-end iPhone, while the more affordable 4.7- and 5.5-inch models will carry LCD panels similar to those Apple has been using since the iPhoneā€™s introduction in 2007.
  • If the other two models are sticking with 4.7- and 5.5-inch displays, this suggests theyā€™ll retain their physical Home buttons, too.
  • ā€œBy adding more large-screen options to the lineup to meet growing demand for BIG, Apple intends to raise the average iPhone price, which has already gone up by about 10% in the past three years to nearly $700,ā€
  • How much is too much for a phone?
 
2017ā€™s ā€˜iPhone Editionā€™ to arrive late, OLED display uncertain
  • http://www.cultofmac.com/471109/2017s-iphone-edition-launch-late-oled-display-not-sure-thing/
  • Weā€™ve all been calling it the iPhone 8 for months, but according to a new report out of Japan, Appleā€™s tenth anniversary smartphone will be named ā€œiPhone Edition.ā€
  • Apple is expected to deliver improved versions of its 4.7- and 5.5-inch devices, plus a more premium model with a 5.8-inch OLED display. According to Japanese blog Macotakara, which has been accurate in the past, this handset will be named iPhone Edition.
  • Although it will almost certainly be unveiled in September alongside its siblings, it is believed the iPhone Edition wonā€™t go on sale until later in the year. Apple is said to be experimenting with various prototypes of the device, each with a different display setup.
  • The report suggests that Apple is still a long way away from deciding on a final design for the iPhone Edition, though it has nailed down a few features ā€” including wireless charging and a dual camera setup similar to that of iPhone 7 Plus.That's all the CultCast we've got for you this week
 
Shizzle we talked about:
Direct download: CultCast_274_-_Hackers_turn_our_gadgets_against_us.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:44pm PDT

This week: 

  • Tim Cook promises to make Apple ā€œPro" again!  We discuss.
  • iPhone ditching Lightning for USB C
  • Spotify about to go Hi-Fi
  • Why your next iPhone screen might read your fingerprints
  • Leander pitches a new favorite pair of Bluetooth headphones
  • The best iPhone bumper case in the land!

 

This episode supported by

Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespaceā€”Build it Beautiful.
 
What is Backblaze? Itā€™s unlimited, cloud backup for Macs and PCs. And itā€™s native for Macs!  Try it out free for 15 days at Backblaze.com/cultcast.
 
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.
 
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

 

Tim Cook: Pro users remain incredibly important to Apple
  • During his Q&A session, Tim Cook discussed how Apple plans to fight for net neutrality. He also assured shareholders that Apple plans to come out with new products that appeal to professionals and creatives, but insisted that the Mac and iPad arenā€™t destined for a merger.
  • ā€œYou will see us do more in the pro area. The pro area is very important to us. The creative area is very important to us in particular,ā€ Cook told the crowd. ā€œYou can expect to see us do more and more that people will view iPad as a laptop replacement, but not a Mac replacement. The Mac does so much more.ā€
 
 
Spotify eyes lossless audio to wow your ears
  • Spotify appears poised to put the final nail in Tidalā€™s coffin.
  • The music streaming service is planning to launch a new feature that will give listeners access to lossless audio streaming, according to a new report reveals the feature is currently in testing.
     
  • Spotify is currently calling the new feature ā€œSpotify Hi-Fi.ā€ The Verge reports that Spotify plans to launch the lossless CD quality audio feature. Itā€™s unclear when it will be available to all users, but Spotify is already doing some small group testing.
  • Screenshots posted on Reddit show that Spotify plans to charge between $5 to $10 extra a month for lossless CD quality audio.
  •  It has been rumored in the past that Apple was looking to make a similar move with Apple Music, but there havenā€™t been any clear signs of an impending launch of Apple Music Hi-Fi.
 
Goodbye Lightning? 2017 iPhones may rely on USB-C connector
  • iPhones may boast USB-C connectors, claims a new report from The Wall Street Journal.
  • Whatā€™s not clear from the report is whether this would mean abandoning Appleā€™s proprietary Lightning connector in favor of USB-C or simply switching out the USB-A plug at the end of the cable for USB-C.
  • Apple adopter the Lightning connector with 2012ā€™s iPhone 5
  • The WSJ report also adds another voice to the growing number of stories claiming that Apple will release three different iPhones in 2017: two LCD ā€œsā€ cycle iPhones, and an extra-high-end iPhone 8 to mark the 10th anniversary of the iPhone.
 
Apple designs iPhone display that reads fingerprints
  • Fans have feared that an iPhone 8 without home button would mean the end of Touch ID, and that Apple would have to use other biometric security solutions ā€” such as iris scanners ā€” instead.
  • But the company was just granted a patent that allows the entire iPhone display to become a fingerprint scanner.
  • Apple says that turning an entire display into a fingerprint scanner would increase the speed of authentication, and allow it to be performed automatically during normal use. This could cut out a dedicated ā€œauthentication stepā€ that prompts users for their fingerprint.
  • Elimates the authentication step.
 
We talk about these products:
Direct download: CultCast_273_-_Tim_s_gonna_make_Apple__Pro__again.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:10am PDT

This week: 

  • We celebrate 5 years!
  • We regale you with some of our favorite stories from past shows
  • Our hardware expectations from Appleā€™s rumored March event
  • Why iPhone 8ā€™s wireless charging will probably be lame
  • Apple has five teams working on their next-generation charging tech
  • Why iPhone 8ā€™s camera could pump out industrial-grade slow motion
  • Steve Jobs gets a beautiful new home on Appleā€™s spaceship campus.

This episode supported by

Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespaceā€”Build it Beautiful.
 
Blue Apron makes it easy to cook delicious meals at home.  See their upcoming menu and get your first three meals free at BlueApron.com/CultCast.
 
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.
 
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

 

iPhone 8ā€™s wireless charging wonā€™t be as good as we hoped
  • If you were hoping Apple had developed a spectacular new wireless charging system for iPhone 8, youā€™re going to be disappointed come September.
  • A new rumor claims that Apple wonā€™t be using range charging technology developed by Energous as previously expected, but instead one of the existing solutions already found in rival smartphones like those made by Samsung.
  • Adding fuel to that fire, the U.S. Federal Communications Commission has only recently approved a version of Energous technology that delivers very low power over just a few inches.
  • The iPhone would require higher levels of power and a wider range. A solution that meets these requirements is yet to be approved by the FCC.
 
Apple has five different teams working on wireless charging
  • According to a new report, the company currently has not one or two, but five different groups inside Apple currently working to develop wireless charging technology for future iPhones.
 
Sonyā€™s new sensor could bring super slo-mo video to iPhone
  • Apple has used Sonyā€™s camera sensors in a number of iPhones, including the new dual-lens cameras on the iPhone 7 Plus.
  • Sony unveiled the new senor during a lecture at the 2017 International Solid-State Circuits Conference capable of shooting 19.3MP still images at a frame rate of 120 fps. It can shoot 960fps video in 1080p. The iPhone 7 only shoots 120fps video in 720p.
 
Apple Said to Debut New iPad Pro Lineup, 128GB iPhone SE, and Red iPhone 7 and 7 Plus at March Event
  • Apple will host a March event to introduce a new iPad Pro lineup and other products, according to Japanese website Mac Otakara.
  • In terms of the iPad Pro lineup, the report claims Apple will announce new 7.9-inch, 9.7-inch, 10.5-inch, and 12.9-inch models. The 10.5-inch model may not ship until May, while the other sizes are said to ship in March.
  • If the report is accurate, it could mean has Apple plans to refresh the iPad mini 4 with a new 7.9-inch iPad Pro version, update its existing 9.7-inch and 12.9-inch iPad Pros, and introduce an all-new 10.5-inch iPad Pro, which is has been rumored to feature an edge-to-edge display without a Home button.
 
Appleā€™s ā€˜spaceshipā€™ campus will be named Apple Park
  • Appleā€™s enormous new spaceship campus finally has an official name: Apple Park.
  • First conceived in 2011 by Steve Jobs, Apple Park has been under construction since 2013 and is rumored to have cost Apple upwards of $5 billion.
  • The 175-acre plot will open for business in April, although work wonā€™t officially be completed until late summer.
  • campusā€™ 1,000-seat auditorium will be named the Steve Jobs Theater as a tribute to the companyā€™s co-founder.
  • ā€œOpening later this year, the entrance to the 1,000-seat auditorium is a 20-foot-tall glass cylinder, 165 feet in diameter, supporting a metallic carbon-fiber roof,ā€ Apple said in a press release.
  • ā€œThe Steve Jobs Theater is situated atop a hill ā€” one of the highest points within Apple Park ā€” overlooking meadows and the main buildingā€ 
  • The campus will house around 12,000 Apple employees,
  • And includes a new $75 million gym.
Direct download: CultCast_272_-_Five_Years.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:11pm PDT

This week:
  • iPhone 8 is getting a huge makeover with edge-to-edge screen, wireless charging, huge battery, and more. Weā€™ll fill you in.
  • End of the Home Button and Touch ID.
  • The riches youā€™d have if you bought Apple IPO stock
  • A 4K Apple TV is on the way
  • The best 4K televisions
  • TV of yore you need to watch
  • The search for the perfect corn dog
  • Join us for a live CultCast on Friday, February 24 at 12PM Pacific Time!  Tune in at Live.TheCultCast.Com

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 store!  Cult of Mac has curated and culled the best Apple Watch straps around and is making them available at great prices. Check them out at store.cultofmac.com.
 
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

  

Apple Vowed to Revolutionize Television. An Inside Look at Why It Hasnā€™t
  • The new Apple TV will be capable of streaming 4K content and more vivid colors.
 
AAPL shares close at new all-time high
  • Thanks to an improved rating from Wall Street investment firm Goldman Sachs, Apple shares have been on the rise this week. Today shares were trading above the previous intra-day record high of $134.54 set on April 28, 2015.
  • IPO December 12, 1980 at $22 a share.
  • 100 shares would have cost you $2200
  • Since the IPO, the stock has split four times, including three 2-for-1 splits and one 7-for-1 split
  • Your 100 shares would have multiples to  5600 shares.
  • You initial $2200 investment would now be worth 759,136.
  • By comparison, a $2,200 investment in the S&P 500 in the same time would have netted you about $79,000
  • If you had invested 10k, youā€™d now how have $3,446,477.44
 
Smaller iPhone set to get big battery upgrade in 2017
  • Apple reportedly plans to pack a much bigger battery inside the new 4.7-inch iPhone set to be revealed later this year.
 
iPhone 8 to Feature 5.8-Inch OLED Display With 5.15-Inch Main Screen and Virtual Buttons Below
  • The 2017 iPhone will feature a 5.8-inch display OLED display panel with 5.15 inches of usable screen space according to new predictions shared by KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Kuo believes the iPhone 8 will use a, but that some space will be reserved for virtual buttons.
  • The display will reportedly take up the entire front of the iPhone, eliminating the bezels.
  • Kuo says the OLED iPhone will have measurements similar to the 4.7-inch iPhone.
  • Apple expected to introduce a stacked logic board design to support bigger batteries, and will feature a battery capacity similar to the larger 5.5-inch iPhone 7 Plus.
  • Kuo expects the OLED iPhone to cost in excess of $1,000
  • The OLED iPhone will be "the only bright spot" in the 2017 iPhone lineup, which may mean that the other phones will receive only minor improvements.
  • Mac Otakara recently reported that the 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch models will retain an aluminum design like the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, with only internal changes
 
Apple joins Wireless Power Consortium ahead of iPhone 8
  • Apple has been added to the Wireless Power Consortium, a group dedicated to developing and promoting mass-market adoption of the wireless charging interface standard Qi.
  • This would also seem to suggest that Apple will adopt the standard Qi wireless technology, as opposed to inventing its own charging pad-free alternative, as has been heavily rumored.
 
Get to know ur cultist - the segment where we learn more about each other than weā€™d like to
Direct download: CultCast_271_-_BIG_changes_coming_to_iPhone_8__.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:26pm PDT

This week: 

  • How to get significant discounts on Apple gadgets
  • The INSANELY SPECIAL doorknobs at Appleā€™s Spaceship HQ
  • The fat paychecks earned by Jony Iveā€™s industrial designers 
  • iPhone 8 to come in a plus plus size
  • Wireless charging is all but confirmed for all three iPhone 8 sizes
  • Next iPhone could cost more than $1,000!
  • How to get a massive discount on Final Cut and Logic Pro X
  • We reveal our favorite new shows and movies in an all new, What Weā€™re Into Yaaaā€™aaall šŸ’ŖšŸ¼

 

This episode supported by

Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespaceā€”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.
 
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

 

Students get a massive discount on Appleā€™s Pro Apps Bundle

  • Apple is offering students a massive discount on a bundle of pro apps that includes Final Cut Pro X, Logic Pro X and more.
  • The total cost of the apps included in the set would be just under $630, but Apple is offering them all to those in education for just $199.
  • ā€œEducation pricing is available to college students, students accepted to college, parents buying for college students, faculty, homeschool teachers, and staff at all grade levels,ā€ Apple said. 
  • According to a reliable Apple analyst, the company will release three new iPhones this year ā€” including a redesigned iPhone 8 (or iPhone X) and two iterative iPhone 7 updates.
  • All three models will reportedly boast new Apple wireless charging tech, rather than the feature being limited to a high-end OLED handset.
 
  • The price of the top-of-the-line iPhone is set to increase to more than $1,000, according to a new report that claims the device will pack an OLED display that stretches across the entire front of the phone
  • Switching to an OLED display will likely cost Apple twice as much as the current LCD display used on the iPhone 7, reports Fast Company.
  • The report also echoes previous rumors that the 2017 iPhone will come in three screen sizes: 5.8 inches, 5.5 inches and 4.7 inches. Itā€™s still unclear what Apple will call the next iPhone. Some fans expect it to be called the iPhone 10 or iPhone X because this year marks the deviceā€™s 10th anniversary.
 
What weā€™re into
Direct download: CultCast_270_-_The_BEST_Apple_discounts.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:21am PDT

This week: astounding facts and figures from Appleā€™s newest earnings report;  Nintendo promises a bunch of new iOS games; how to get the best deal in cloud storage; affordable options for your first drone; the perfect minimalist strap for your mirrorless camera; and we pitch you our favorite gadgets in an all-new Fave N Raves!  šŸ’ŖšŸ¼
 

This episode supported by

Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespaceā€”Build it Beautiful.
 
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

 

Got suggestions or feedback for us?  Air your thoughts at TheCultCast.reddit.com.

 

ā€˜Iā€™m a Macā€™ star Justin Long becomes new face of Huawei phones
http://www.cultofmac.com/465034/im-a-mac-star-justin-long-becomes-new-face-of-huawei-phones/
  • Ever heard of Huawei?  Theyā€™re in China.
  • Justin Long, the face of Appleā€™s ā€œGet a Macā€ campaign for three years, is now starring in ads for Huawei phones.
  • Huawei is now the third-biggest smartphone maker in the world behind only Apple and Samsung. It shipped 44.9 million handsets last quarter to grab a 10.2 percent of the global market
  • The company is now trying to break into Western markets, with a big focus on the U.S.
  • What better way to do that than with the face of Appleā€™s famous ā€œGet a Macā€ campaign
 
Nintendo promises at least 2 new mobile games every year
  • Its new Switch console right around the corner, but Nintendo wonā€™t be losing its focus on Android and iOS. The Japanese firm today confirmed that it plans to release two to three mobile games every year.
  • Super Mario Run attracted a staggering 40 million downloads in just four days when it landed on iOS, and according to a recent report from The Wall Street Journal, it has already made Nintendo over $50 million.
  • Nintendoā€™s announcement comes a day after it disappointed investors by slashing a third off its forecast operating profit for 2017 ā€” despite the upcoming release of the Switch, which already has support from over 70 game makers developing over 100 titles.
 
Apple shatters records with blockbuster Q1 2017 earnings
  • Surprise!  Apple sold more iPhone units than ever before last quarter
  • With total revenues of $78.4 billion bringing in a profit of $17.9 billion, Apple CEO Tim Cook said he is ā€œthrilledā€ with the results.
  • Apple only expected to sell between 76 million and 78 million iPhones in the quarter, but it managed to move 78.3 million.
    • Cook told investors today that he still views the smartphone market as being in the ā€œearly innings.ā€
  • MacBook Pro with Touch Bar that was the most pre-ordered MacBook ever.
  • The iPad lineup sold 13.1 million units, down 19 percent from the year-ago quarter.
  • Apple raked in $7.2 billion in revenue from services last quarter, including $3 billion in App Store purchases in December alone ā€” the biggest month ever. Apple Pay users tripled in the past year, with transaction value increasing 500 percent.
  • Selling apps, music, movies, iCloud storage and AppleCare has now become Appleā€™s second-largest moneymaker. In fact, Apple expects revenue from services to swell to the size of a Fortune 100 company by the end of the year.
 
iPhone 7 snaps Appleā€™s losing streak
  • Apple launched the latest generation of its flagship product in September. Some critics saw the iPhone 7 series as not enough of an upgrade from the 6s line. Some, especially music lovers, initially hated the absence of a headphone jack.
 
Fave N Rave Picks
Direct download: CultCast_269_-_Our_favorite_gadgets.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:09am PDT

This week: Appleā€™s weirdest, whackiest, and worst products!  Plus: how Michael Scott almost single-handedly destroyed Apple; the cool new features in the iOS and macOS betas; facial recognition is coming to iPhone; and a look at the beautiful prototypes that led to some of Appleā€™s most iconic products.ā€™
 
This episode supported by
 
Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespaceā€”Build it Beautiful.
 
BlueApron - a better way to cook! Get your first 3 meals free with free shipping at BlueApron.com/CultCast
 
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

This weekā€™s intro
 
Apple hires Dropcam co-founder for special project
  • Apple has added another high-profile hire to its roster of top tech talent by bringing on the co-founder and former CEO of Dropcam, Greg Duffy.
  • Dropcam grew in popularity thanks to its cheap home cameras that connected to Wi-Fi
  • Citing ā€œpeople who know Mr. Duffy,ā€ the news site suggests he is leading a special project thatā€™s operating like a startup within Apple.
 
Apple seeds first iOS 10.3 beta with Find My AirPods feature
  • Finding your tiny AirPods charging case is about to get a lot easier, thanks to a new iOS 10 beta that adds a Find My AirPods feature to iPhones and iPads.
  • Works via the find my iPhone app
  • Works with Bluetooth  so the range is limited.
  • You can make them chirp, but not while theyā€™re in the caseā€¦
  • Map will show you where they were last located.
 
iOS 11 expected to bring FaceTime group calls
  • iOS 11 will finally give users the ability to hold FaceTime group calls with multiple friends, according to a new report.
  • Sources familiar with Appleā€™s plans claim the feature will support up to five participants, and that users will be able to initiate video calling from within iMessage group chats.
  • It should also be noted, though, that this rumor comes from Israeli site The Verifierwhich has no track record when it comes to Apple rumors. It claims to have garnered this information from ā€œseveral people familiar with iOS development.ā€
 
Hartmut Esslinger
In the mid 1970s, he first worked with Sony on its trinitron and Wega ranges. In the early 1980s, he began working with Apple.
Direct download: CultCast_268_-_The_Apple_products_time_forgot.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:00am PDT

This week: 2017 brings the super-charged MacBook Pro youā€™ve been waiting forā€”yes, another update!  Then, a former employee says Tim Cook's making Apple boring...  Is it true?  Plus: we get more evidence Apple will be making TV shows and movies; and iPhone 8 may be packing frigginā€™ lasers and facial recognition.
 

This episode supported by 

Build a beautiful, responsive website quick atSquarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespaceā€”Build it Beautiful.
 
CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean.  Check them out now at CultCloth.co, and use code ā€œCultCastā€ 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

 

 

  • Apple will launch a new 15-inch MacBook Pro later this year powered by Intelā€™s next-generation Kaby Lake processors and 32GB of desktop-class RAM, according to a reliable analyst.
  • According to reliable KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple has a MacBook Pro refresh planned for later this year that will bring new Kaby Lake CPUs and up to 32GB of desktop-class RAM. It will be ā€œthe most significantly redesigned product this year,ā€ Kuo says.
  • Kuo doesnā€™t mention specific release dates for any of these machines, but he expects the MacBook with 32GB of RAM to arrive sometime during the second half of 2017 ā€” at which point Apple could reduce the price of the entry-level 13-inch MacBook Pro without Touch Bar.
  • Kaby Lake will also grace the rest of the MacBook Pro lineup ā€” and the 12-inch MacBook, too, Kuo claims
Former employee explains how Tim Cook made Apple boring
  • Tim Cookā€™s kinder, gentler management style is the biggest reason why 2016 was one of the most boring years for Apple in recent memory, according to a former employee of the company.
  • Steve Jobs was notorious for inciting conflict and competition between top employees
  • After Cook took over, he worked to eliminate conflict within Cupertinoā€™s walls and made employees less passionate, claims ex-Apple employee Bob Burrough.
  • "Tim Cook fired Scott Forstall and aligned the executive staff so as to have peace. ...which is to say there is no conflictā€
 
Apple Plans to Launch Original TV Shows Comparable to 'Westworld' and 'Stranger Things' By End of 2017
  • According to a new report from The Wall Street Journal, Apple is building a "significant" business centered around creating original, including scripted television shows and possibly even movies.
  • The content would reportedly be made available on Apple Music, like the already-announced projects Carpool Karaoke and Vital Signs.
  • Apple executives have told Hollywood that the new original content will launch by the end of 2017, according to the new report.
  • The move is looked at as a way for Apple to gain an edge against Spotify, and not a move to compete with Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.
 
iPhone 8 may pack frickinā€™ lasers for facial recognition
  • Appleā€™s next iPhone may come with new facial recognition technology and actual frigginā€™ laser beams, according to an analyst.
  • By adding lasers near the front-facing camera, Apple will be able to depth-map objects, according to analysts at Cowen and Company. The camera could also be used for image recognition, enhancing security and fueling augmented reality.
 
iPhone 8 may have even higher waterproof rating
  • Apple may be planning to make its next iPhone even more waterproof, according to the newest rumor
  • ā€œAppleā€™s iPhone 8 will feature the IP68 rating protection as part of drastic upgrades marking the 10th anniversary of the iPhone this year,ā€ reports South Korean news site, The Investor, citing an industry source.
 
Mavic Pro: The coolest gadget since the original iPhone [Reviews]
Direct download: CultCast_267_-_Super-charged_Macbook_Pro_coming_your_way.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:41pm PDT

This week: we reveal our current favorite gadgets!  Plus: is MacBook Proā€™s Touch Bar a gimmick?  Then: Apple set to unveil three new iPads; rumors point to an Apple augmented reality headset later this year; and donā€™t miss our exhaustive AirPods reviewā€”we tell you what we love and we what we donā€™t!
 
This episode supported by
 
Casperā€™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.
 
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
 
This weekā€™s intro
 
Apple to deliver 3 new iPads this spring, but no new mini
  • iPads are getting staleā€¦ The only model introduced in 2016 was the 9.7-inch iPad Pro, while the 12.9-inch iPad Pro and the iPad mini havenā€™t seen a refresh since 2015. The iPad Air 2 has been the same since October 2014.
  • According to one Ming Chi Quo, Apple is focusing its efforts on updating the 9.7-inch iPad and 12.9-inch iPad Pro, and on introducing a new model with a 10- to 10.5-inch display.
  • Itā€™s unclear whether the cheaper device will support Apple Pencil or the Smart Connector, but Kuo says it wonā€™t have the new A10X chip, which will be exclusive to the larger models. Instead, it will be powered by the same A9 chip found in the iPhone 6s series
  • Ming-Chi Kuo, widely regarded as one of the worldā€™s best Apple analysts, doesnā€™t expect Cupertino to launch an AR product until at least 2018
 
Why the rumor that Apple will launch AR glasses in 2017 is ridiculous
  • Apple is teaming up with Zeiss to create augmented-reality glasses that will be unveiled later this year, according to long-time tech blogger Robert Scoble.
  • ā€œA Zeiss employee confirmed the rumors that Apple and Carl Zeiss AG are working on a light pair of augmented reality/mixed reality glasses that may be announced this year,ā€ Scoble wrote in a Facebook post. ā€œI thought it was next year but now that I saw this I believe it will happe this year.ā€
Direct download: CultCast_266_-_Apple_s_augmented_reality_glasses.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:35am PDT

This week: the worst gadgets of CES 2017!  Yup, we run through the gizmos no one on the earth actually needs.  Then we spice things up with our most hotly anticipated tech of 2017.  And finally, weā€™re gonna be real with you guysā€¦ Apple had a rough 2016.  But thatā€™s all behind us now.  Itā€™s a new year. Itā€™s a fresh start.  We discuss what Apple needs to get right in 2017.

On the show this week

@erfon / @bst3r 

This episode supported by

Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespaceā€”Build it Beautiful.

BlueApron - a better way to cook! Get your first 3 meals free with free shipping at BlueApron.com/CultCast
 
We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a  thanks for the great music you hear on today's show.
 
This weekā€™s intro
 
Flow is a wearable that helps you avoid nasty air pollution
  • It can measure dust, exhaust fumes and other harmful gases, as well as the household chemicals you might encounter indoors.
 
Smart hairbrush tells your iPhone if youā€™re not brushing properly
  • Every year at CES, thereā€™s one gadget that epitomizes the crazier side of Silicon Valleyā€™s ā€œconnected techā€ smart devices mania.
  • To do this, the smart hairbrush relies on motion sensors for monitoring your brushing patterns, conductivity sensors for spotting whether your hair is wet or dry, and a microphone for identifying ā€œmanageability, frizziness, dryness, split ends and breakage.ā€ The brush also vibrates if you use it too vigorously.
  • All this data gets sent to your iPhone, where an app gives you a hair quality score, tells you which parts of your brushing need work, and offers hairstyling products to buy.
 
OWCā€™s gigantic dock adds more ports to the new MacBook Pro
  • OWC teased a new accessory called the DEC dock for MacBook Pro at CES
  • it's a slab that sticks to the bottom of the laptop to add up to 4TB of additional flash or SSD storage, an SD card slot, full-sized USB 3.0 ports and an Ethernet jack for wired internet.
  • The downside is that it makes your new laptop as chunky as the 2012 model. From a depth of around 0.6 inches, you'll now have a machine that's almost an inch thick. OWC chief Larry O'Connor said they've been developing the concept for over three years and feel like the time is right to release it.
  • The company doesn't have a release date and pricing info for the DEC yet
 
Griffin connects your toast to your phone
 
Direct download: CultCast_265_-_Worst_gadgets_of_CES_2017.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:24pm PDT

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