The CultCast

Send us a text! This week: iPhone X—the good, the bad… the ugly.  The reviews are in, we’ll tell you what people love and don’t about Apple’s newest iPhone.     Plus: how to speed up Face ID we’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 We’re Into, where we reveal the stuff we’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. Squarespace—Build it Beautiful.   CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can use code CULTCAST to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.   The Cult of Mac watch store has the best straps in the biz!  Save 20% off any order with code CultCast at checkout.   Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.   On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney   Siri, before Siri https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d1bmZLePhCs   Massive iPhone X lines form at Apple Stores worldwide https://www.cultofmac.com/511715/iphone-x-attracts-apple-store-lines-around-world/ 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, they’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 https://www.cultofmac.com/511357/apple-strategy-iphone-x-reviews/ Anybody who thinks Apple can’t innovate should look in awe at the fecal hurricane whipped up by the company’s unorthodox iPhone X marketing plan. By giving popular YouTubers early access to the next-gen iPhone, and allowing them to “scoop” 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, it’s hilarious watching the ensuing media meltdown.   iPhone X meta review: Setting Apple up for the next 10 years https://www.cultofmac.com/511193/iphone-x-meta-review-setting-apple-next-10-years/   Face ID Unlocks an iPhone More Slowly Than Touch ID, but is Faster in Day-to-Day Usage htt

Send us a text!This week: How to get the best deal on your iPhone X, save yourself some serious buckets Why Woz says the iPhone X will be the first iPhone he won’t buy day one Would you let your delivery man enter your house when you’re not home? We discuss Amazon key! Plus we’ll tell what we like and don’t about the gadgets we’re reviewing in an all-new Under Review   This episode supported by CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can use code CULTCAST to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.   The Cult of Mac watch store has the best straps in the biz!  Save 20% off any order with code CultCast at checkout.   Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.   On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney   Woz: iPhone X will be the first iPhone I haven’t bought on day one https://www.cultofmac.com/509875/woz-iphone-x-will-first-iphone-havent-bought-day-one/ Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak says the iPhone X is the first iPhone he doesn’t plan to buy on “day one.” “I’d rather wait and watch that one,” Wozniak said during an interview at the Money 20/20 conference. “I’m happy with my iPhone 8 — which is the same as the iPhone 7, which is the same as the iPhone 6, to me. " will, so I’ll be close enough to see it.”   How to get the best deal on the iPhone X https://www.cultofmac.com/510141/get-best-deal-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 https://www.cultofmac.com/509959/iphone-x-will-available-walk-customers-launch-day/ Apple has promised that iPhone X will be available to walk-in customers on launch day. You will also be able to purchase iPhone X from Apple Stores beginning Friday, November 3 at 8 a.m. local time. “Stores will have iPhone X available for walk-in customers, who are encouraged to arrive early,” Apple says.   Amazon Key opens your home for indoor deliveries https://www.engadget.com/2017/10/25/amazon-key-service-delivery-access-unlock-door/ Would you be cool with your delivery person opening your front door when you’re away to drop off your package? Amazon Key, uses a smart lock and connected camera. When a delivery is made the courier scans the package's barcode which sends an access request to Amazon's cloud. When it grants permission, the camera starts recording, the courier swipes a prompt on their app and then your door unlocks. They leave the package by the door and relock it on their way out. You'll get a notification that the delivery has been made, along with a video of the drop-off to reassure you everything was done above board. Amazon has des

Send us a text!This week: you’ll have mere seconds to lock down your iPhone X pre-order on October 27th, and if you’re not ready, you’ll be waiting months!  We’ve got the strategies you’ll need to employ to have your order placed seconds after the X goes live.     Plus: Steve Wozniak just launched his first new product in years, and it’s actually pretty cool; the really dumb Mac accessory you’ll definitely want; Apple taps one of Hollywood’s best for a new TV series; and stick around for Leander’s new $10,000 bike, Buster’s new affordable action camera, and a new movie service you’ve GOT to try in an all-new Under Review.   This episode supported by CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can use code CULTCAST to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.   The Cult of Mac watch store has the best straps in the biz!  Save 20% off any order with code CultCast at checkout.   Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.   On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney   Foxconn is reportedly pumping out iPhone X’s on schedule https://www.cultofmac.com/508843/iphone-x-component-suppliers-beat-teething-troubles/ According to a new report, Foxconn has sent out 46,500 units from its facilities in Zhengzhou and Shanghai, headed for the Netherlands and United Arab Emirates After running into multiple problems building its next-gen iPhone X, Apple’s suppliers have reportedly achieved more stable yield rates for troublesome components. Foxconn has managed to ramp up its output of the iPhone X from 100,000 to 400,000 units a week Digitimes says "shipments of the device have increased gradually and will meet Apple’s demand ahead of the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, the sources indicated.” But even though production has ramped up, no one is quite sure how big demand will be. Will this be the most popular iPhone ever? KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, iPhone X preorders could exceed 40 million, and may even hit 50 million. However, Kuo has also noted right from the start that supply of the new device is likely to be constrained through the first half of 2018   Chrome Auto Refresh plug-in https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/auto-refresh/ifooldnmmcmlbdennkpdnlnbgbmfalko   The candle that makes your house smell like a Mac is back https://www.cultofmac.com/508933/candle-makes-house-smell-like-mac-back/ Mac and iPhone accessory maker TwelveSouth is bringing back its Mac-scented candle that flew off store shelves last year. The all-new Inspire candle still smells like a new Mac but comes with some big updates to its design that are sure to delight Apple fans. TwelveSouth updated the Inspire candle this year with a new fragrance formula that’s supposed to remind you of opening up a new Mac. The scent is created by blending bergamot and armoise with hints of lemon, tarragon, amber and musk.   Steve Wozniak announces tech

Send us a text!This week: live in the home of the future, today!  We’ll tell you how with iOS 11’s huge improvements in the Home app and HomeKit.  Plus: there’s a new Apple ID phishing scam you need to know about; there’s been a disappointing development with Apple’s AR glasses; we have to talk about the hundreds of new emoji coming at you in iOS 11.1; and we’ve got a svelte iPhone 8 case, a MacBook Pro sleeve made from real sheep, and a new power brick that’ll charge your MacBook, iPhone, Nintendo Switch—EVERYTHING—in an all new under review.   This episode supported by CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can use code CULTCAST to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.   The Cult of Mac watch store has the best straps in the biz!  Save 20% off any order with code CultCast at checkout.   Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.   On the show this week @erfon / @lewiswallace / @lkahney   9 beautifully minimalist cases for your iPhone 8 & 8 Plus (and 7/7Plus) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhsoKFLYBuw   Why you shouldn’t trust Apple ID prompts in third-party apps https://www.cultofmac.com/507863/beware-apple-id-prompts-appear-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 https://www.cultofmac.com/507865/apple-now-selling-latest-macbook-pro-discount/ Apple has updated its online Apple store to start offering refurbished 15-inch MacBook Pro models with Touch Bar, marking the first time this year’s Touch Bar-equipped models have been available to buy refurbished. Apple typically sells refurbished models for around 15 percent off the full retail price   Apple CEO Tim Cook: Technology Doesn't Exist to do AR Smart Glasses 'In a Quality Way’  https://www.macrumors.com/2017/10/10/tim-cook-on-augmented-reality-smart-glasses/ 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 displ

Send us a text!This week: a company unlike any other, some say Steve Job’s greatest product was Apple itself, but how have they fared in the 6 years since his passing?  Leander shares the cold hard facts.  Plus: Leander’s long soliloquy about his new love, the 4K Apple TV; an iOS 11 software trick doubles your iPhone storage; and we’ll wrap up our favorite minimalist cases for your iPhone 7, 8, and X.   This episode supported by Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespace—Build it Beautiful.   CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can use code CULTCAST to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.   The Cult of Mac watch store has the best straps in the biz!  Save 20% off any order with code CultCast at checkout.   Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.   On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney   Photos and videos shot in iOS 11's HEIF/HEVC format are literally now half the size they were in iOS10’s JPG/H.264 formats

Send us a text!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; Leander’s writing a new Tim Cook book; Erfon talks about the best 4K television money can buy; and we’ll tell you what we like and don’t about the gadgets we’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 @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney   Catch our CultCast live show on Monday, Oct 2nd at 12PM! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RweyyksGEqQ   Bill Gates ditches Windows Mobile, but not for iPhone 8 https://www.cultofmac.com/505353/bill-gates-drops-windows-android-still-wont-use-iphone/ Bill Gates just got himself a brand new smartphone, and it isn’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, “Nope. No iPhone.”   Apple TV is finally back on Amazon buster https://www.cultofmac.com/505375/apple-tv-finally-back-amazon/ Getting your hands on the new Apple TV 4K though Amazon won’t be easy though. The page for Apple’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 hasn’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 https://blog.andplus.com/apples-faceid-tech-machine-learning Data scientist Abdul Dremali is leading research & development in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Big Data at the AndPlus Innovation Lab, and he’s very impressed with Face ID.   macOS High Sierra is now available to the public buster

Send us a text! This week: iPhone 8 reviews are in!  We’ll tell you what everyone loves Apple’s newest phone, and why you should get one (but probably won’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 don’t like about iPhone X; Apple’s A11 chip hits a surprising benchmark; tests show iPhone 8 wireless charging is abysmally slow; Apple quietly hikes their iDevice prices; and we’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. Squarespace—Build it Beautiful.   CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can use code CULTCAST to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.   The Cult of Mac watch store has the best straps in the biz!  Save 20% off any order with code CultCast at checkout.   Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.   On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney   Historical first? New iPhones fail to sell out - leander https://www.cultofmac.com/503060/iphone-8-apple-watch-3-still-surprisingly-easy-get-hold/ For the first time since the launch of the iPhone in 2007, the company’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 X’s Face ID will only recognize one person - buster https://www.cultofmac.com/502958/face-id-will-support-just-one-user-iphone-x-makes-debut/ 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, they’ll have to enter the passcode.   Apple silently raises iPad Pro prices https://www.cultofmac.com/502688/apple-quietly-raises-ipad-pro-prices-no-reason/ 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 yesterday’s keynote, the 256GB and 512GB units cost $749 and $949. Now they’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 https://www.cultofmac.com/502858/adding-wireless-charging-airpods-will-cost-69/

Send us a text!This week: we react to everything announced at Apple's iPhone X press event! Plus, we’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.  It’s a packed show.  Better hit play, fam!   This episode supported by Casper’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 @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney   Erfon’s Twitch stream on Faceshift, the technology powering Star Wars animations and now iPhone X Animoji https://www.twitch.tv/videos/173683607   iPhone 8 brings awesome new features at a cheaper price https://www.cultofmac.com/501936/iphone-8-gives-awesome-new-features-cheaper-price/   iPhone cameras just got a whole lot smarter https://www.cultofmac.com/502376/iphone-cameras-just-got-whole-lot-smarter/   Watch all of Apple’s new iPhone videos right here https://www.cultofmac.com/502420/watch-apples-new-iphone-videos-right/   7 ways Apple surprised us at the iPhone X event https://www.cultofmac.com/502416/iphone-x-event-surprises/   Apple releases iOS 11 GM (the right way) https://www.cultofmac.com/502432/apple-releases-ios-11-gm-right-way/   iPhone X vs. iPhone 8: Should you wait longer and pay more? https://www.cultofmac.com/502462/iphone-x-worth-wait-heres-compares-iphone-8/   Everything Apple unveiled at its iPhone X keynote https://www.cultofmac.com/502280/everything-apple-unveiled-iphone-x-keynote/  

Send us a text!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 we’ll pitch you our favorite gadgets then vote on which is best in an all new Faves ’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. Squarespace—Build it Beautiful.   CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can use code CULTCAST to score a free CleanCloth with any order at CultCloth.co.   The Cult of Mac watch store has the best straps in the biz!  Save 20% off any order with code CultCast at checkout.   Thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear on today's show.   On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney   Pre-Orders for iPhone 8 Likely to Start on September 15, Shipments on September 22 https://www.macrumors.com/2017/09/06/iphone-8-preorders-september-15/   Drone flyover shows off a bustling Steve Jobs Theater https://www.cultofmac.com/500740/drone-flyover-shows-off-bustling-steve-jobs-theater/   Steve Jobs Theater is as special as any other Apple product https://www.cultofmac.com/500790/steve-jobs-theater-special-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 you’d expect a building named after Apple’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. It’s a touching eponym, isn’t it?  Steve Jobs theater?  It will be

Send us a text! This week: IT’S OFFICIAL—Apple’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 you’ve never heard about its iconic bite.  And stick around for an all-new What We’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 @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney   Apple’s cryptic invitation confirms September 12 event https://www.cultofmac.com/500056/apples-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. Apple’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 https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-08-30/how-apple-plans-to-change-the-way-you-use-the-next-iphone   Without a Home button, here’s how the new iPhone 8 UI will work https://www.cultofmac.com/499778/without-home-button-heres-new-iphone-8-ui-will-work/ Across the bottom of the screen there’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 model’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-inche