The CultCast

Send us a text! This week: tips, tricks, and techniques to take beautiful iPhone photos and build a following on Instagram. Plus: the crazy exploding Samsung Galaxy Note saga ends in a strange twist; rumors point to Macs with radically new e-ink keyboards;  and an honest look at Siri vs. the AI competition.   This episode supported by   CultCloth will keep your iPhone 7, Apple Watch, Mac and iPad sparkling clean, and for a limited time you can get 20% off your order with code JETBLACK at CultCloth.co.   And check out Cult of Mac’s new, free fitness eBook! This ebook is your practical how-to guide, covering step by step everything you need to know about getting fit with Apple’s devices.   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 - Freedom of choice! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pJWMs5claM   Earin wireless earbuds https://www.earin.com   Apple may be working on keyboard with e-ink display keys http://www.cultofmac.com/449008/apple-e-ink-keyboard-demo/ Buster A Redditor namede Foxconninsider recently posted about a new Smart Keyboard claimed to be a working e-ink keyboard prototype potentially coming to both iMac and MacBook devices sometime in 2018.   The Guardian is now corroborating the keyboard with a claim that Apple CEO, Tim Cook has met with Sonder founder Serra-Martins in while in China.   Samsung mercifully puts Galaxy Note 7 out of its misery http://www.cultofmac.com/448826/samsung-mercifully-puts-galaxy-note-7-misery/ Samsung has permanently stopped production of its once-acclaimed new smartphone flagship. Owners will be able to return their phones for a refund or to swap it out for another Samsung device. The handset was allegedly rushed to market due to Samsung’s confidence that the iPhone 7 would turn out to be a box office dud.   LOL: Galaxy No

Send us a text! This week: revamped iPads coming this spring; Apple lays the groundwork for the next era of personal technology; how smart homes get hacked; Google’s Pixel phone vs. iPhone 7; and we reveal our favorite new iOS and Mac apps!   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. Easiest   Casper’s American-made mattresses have just the right amount of memory foam and latex, and people everywhere love them.  Learn why at Casper.com/cultcast and get $50 towards any mattress with code "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 @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney   Intro - Do you even scan, bro? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sRRHHqY7RwE   We’re glad to see they’re putting them to good use https://www.instagram.com/p/BLOEKS7j9gw/   Replacement Galaxy Note 7 catches fire on a plane http://www.cultofmac.com/448043/replacement-galaxy-note-7-catches-fire-plane/ Southwest Airlines was forced to evacuate a flight from Louisville to Baltimore this morning before it hit the runway, thanks to a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 smartphone that caught fire. The owner of the Galaxy Note 7 said he got the new phone on September 21st at an AT&T store. Before the flight left the gate, the owner says he powered it down and put it in his pocket when it started smoking. Thick grey-green smoke poured out of the device after the owner dropped it on the floor. In a matter of moments it had burned through the plane’s carpet. “All passengers and crew exited the plane via the main cabin door and no injuries were reported,”     With new hardware trio, Google makes major play for your home http://www.cultofmac.com/447847/new-hardware-trio-google-makes-major-play-home/ During an event in San Francisco today, Google unveiled a new Wi-Fi router, an improved Chromecast with 4K support, and a new Google Home device that’s a lot like Amazon’s Echo smart speaker, only it’s powered by Google Assistant. Google Home allows owners to use voice commands to do stuff like play music on YouTube, Google Play Music or Spotify. You can also ask Google Home to play podcasts or news feeds.   AirPods point to Apple’s domination of ‘ambient paradigm’

Send us a text!This week: reports point to a big Mac event coming in October!  We’ll tell you why we expect more than just overhauled MacBook Pros...  Plus: we remember Steve Jobs, and what made him so damned good; why the jet black iPhone 7 is impossible to find; and stay tuned for drone chat, where we discuss the super cool new drones hitting the market.   This episode supported by   Dollar Shave Club delivers amazing razors right to your door for a third of the price of what the greedy razor corporations charge.  Try it yourself with your first month free at DollarShaveClub.com/CultCast.   Withings Body Cardio scale helps you assess overall cardiovascular health with Heart Rate and Pulse Wave Velocity, a medically-accepted measurement that tracks the speed at which heartbeat-generated waves move along the arteries.  Learn more at Withings.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 @erfon / @bst3r / @lewiswallace   Intro - The Extraordinary Powerbook https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IqcZttJJtIE   Long-awaited MacBook Pro update might land in October http://www.cultofmac.com/447146/apples-new-macbook-pro-may-launch-october/ MacRumors has reported that Apple is moving rapidly toward a launch of the new MacBook Pro models, with current development work on macOS 10.12.1 focused largely on preparing the operating system to support the updated hardware's new features Apple hasn’t made a significant update to the MacBook Pro lineup since May 2015 According to MacRumors‘ report, Apple is just waiting for development of macOS 10.12.1 to finish so it can support the updated hardware’s new features. Apple is supposedly planning to seed one more beta version of macOS 10.12.1 early next week. That version will then be polished and loaded onto hardware currently being produced. rumored by several sources to include Touch ID support and an OLED "touch bar" replacing the current row of function keys across the top of keyboard. Apple is also said to be shifting to "Polaris" graphics chips from AMD on the higher-end 15-inch models.  iMac 352/317 (days since update/average) MBP 500/268 MBA 570/350 Mac Mini 714/438 Mac Pro 1015/449   Here’s why jet black iPhone 7 is impossible to find http://www.cultofmac.com/446735/heres-jet-black-iphone-7-impossible-find/ Apple’s new jet black iPhone 7 is nearly impossible to find at stores, and the shortage isn’t going to get better anytime soon, according to one of the most accur

Send us a text! This week: seven days with iPhone 7 and Apple Watch Series 2—we’ll tell you what we love (and don’t) about Apple’s newest iPhone and Watch.  Plus: Hissgate, explained; auto-unlocking your Mac with an Apple Watch; and if you’re wondering how to use picture-in-picture mode on Youtube videos in macOS Sierra, we’ll reveal just how to get it working.   This episode supported by   Dollar Shave Club delivers amazing razors right to your door for a third of the price of what the greedy razor corporations charge.  Try it yourself with your first month free at DollarShaveClub.com/CultCast.   TunnelBear, the simple privacy app that makes it easy to browse privately and enjoy a more open internet. Visit GetTunnelBear.com to get your free TunnelBear today.   We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a  thanks for the great music you hear on today's show.   On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney   Let the lovely lady Lisa enchant you https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNDi4UYwrTs   iPhone 7 display is the best LCD ever tested http://www.cultofmac.com/445998/iphone-7-display-best-lcd-ever-tested/ Apple’s new LCD display was rated as “visually indistinguishable from perfect” when it comes to image contrast and intensity. The tiniest amount of color variation, seen when viewing the screen from an angle, also yielded top marks. The DisplayMate report calls the touchscreen display the “crown jewel of the smartphone” One thing that gives the iPhone 7 display a competitive advantage is its adoption of two standard color gamuts: The new DCI-P3 wide color gamut used in 4K UHD TVs, and the smaller sRGB/Rec.709 gamut traditionally used in digital cameras, TVs, computers and most other consumer devices. The test also found that the iPhone 7’s peak brightness can only be achieved when Automatic Brightness is turned on. This prevents users from draining their battery in a flash by accidentally keeping the slider all the way up.   Hissgate: iPhone 7 Plus emits strange noise when under heavy load http://www.cultofmac.com/445972/hissgate-iphone-7-plus-emit-strange-noise-heavy-load/ Some iPhone 7 Plus owners are reporting that Apple’s new devices emit a strange hissing noise when performing processor-intensive tasks. And no one is sure what’s causing it. It appears that Hissgate only effects a small number of devices. Cult of Mac has not been able to replicate the hissing problem on any of our new iPhones. Engadget theorized that it could b

Send us a text!This week: should you buy Airpods?  The reviews are in, and we’re excited.  Plus: the iPhone 7 carrier deals you need to know about; iPhone 7 smashes pre-order expectations; Series 1 vs. Series 2 Apple Watch; and, Apple, the new NASA?   This episode supported by   Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer codeCultCastat checkout to get 10% off. Squarespace—Build it Beautiful.   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.   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 - Whole Earth Access has the Macintosh you’ve been looking for! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHGDpYXtqow   T-Mobile CEO: iPhone 7 is shaping up to be a smash hit http://www.cultofmac.com/445389/t-mobile-ceo-iphone-7-shaping-smash-hit/ According to charismatic T-Mobile CEO John Legere, reports about a supposed lack of interest in the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are way overblown. “So I don’t know what everyone is doing, but it’s like four times bigger than the iPhone 6 for us at this order stage,” he said, calling orders thus far a “phenomenon.”    Apple won’t have any iPhone 7 Plus models for sale in stores on Friday   http://www.recode.net/2016/9/15/12925820/apple-iphone-7-sold-out It’s completely sold out, as is the smaller iPhone in Jet Black   Our pre-order experiences (discussion)   AT&T/T-Mobile/Verizon iPhone 7 deals are bonkers (discussion)   Thoughts on watchOS 3 and the Apple Watch Series 1 vs. Series 2  (discussion)   AirPods review roundup: A nice idea with room for improvement http://www.cultofmac.com/445557/airpods-review-roundup-nice-idea-room-improvement/ We’ll have to wait until October to get our hands on Apple’s new wireless AirPods, but select reviewers have been granted early access to help us decide whether they’re worth their $159 price tag.   Impressions

Send us a text!This episode: our iPhone 7 event reactions! iPhone 7, AirPods, the new Apple Watch—we’ll cover everything Apple announced this week, and tell you what we like, what we don’t, and what we’ll be spending our own hard-earned monies on.  Plus: Nintendo's big move into iOS, and how to lock down the exact iPhone you want when the pre-orders go live..   This episode supported by   TunnelBear, the simple privacy app that makes it easy to browse privately and enjoy a more open internet. Visit GetTunnelBear.com to get your free TunnelBear today.   And our thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a for the great music you hear on today's show.   On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney   Shot on iPhone - Tim Cook’s exquisite football photo http://www.theverge.com/2016/2/8/10934804/tim-cook-blurry-super-bowl-photo

Send us a text!This week: what new hardware will Apple bestow upon us at the iPhone 7 event next week?  Don’t miss our predictions!  Plus: new video shows iPhone 7 Plus in the wild;  and we explain Apple’s Irish tax woes, then argue about it.   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. Easiest   Casper’s American-made mattresses have just the right amount of memory foam and latex, and people everywhere love them.  Learn why and get $50 towards any mattress at Casper.com/cultcast.   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   What do you think we’ll see at Apple’s iPhone 7 event?  Join us on Reddit! https://www.reddit.com/r/TheCultCast/comments/505z3f/the_apple_event_is_on_september_7_what_are_we_all/   Intro, who needs a desk? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVUGFUhFj94   Decoding Apple’s blurry iPhone 7 invite http://www.cultofmac.com/443579/decoding-apples-blurry-iphone-7-invite/   Apple sends out invites for iPhone 7 event on September 7 http://www.cultofmac.com/443570/apple-sends-out-invite-for-september-7th-iphone-event/ Apple just sent out press invitation to a special event to be held September 7 at 10 a.m. Pacific. The iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are expected to be unveiled at the event. A dual-lens camera on the iPhone 7 Plus could be the most groundbreaking new feature added this year. Other additions are likely to include a new pressure-sensitive Touch ID button, a faster A10 processor, an improved camera on the iPhone 7 Plus, and a new casing with fewer antenna lines. The iPhone 7 will also boast faster LTE, a bigger battery and more.   Apple will package Lightning EarPods and adapter with iPhone 7 http://www.cultofmac.com/443774/apple-will-package-lightning-earpods-and-adapter-with-iphone-7/ A new image circulating online, purporting to be insert documentation for the upcoming iPhone 7, appears to

Send us a text!This week:  You’ve heard of Samsung’s Galaxy Edge… but is an iPhone 8 Plus Edge on the way?  Some respected analysts say yes.  Plus: iPhone 7 Plus with dual lens was just spotted on the streets; iOS 9.3.5 fixes one of the most invasive iOS exploits to date; Tim Cook just made FAT STACKS of cash; and if the rumors prove true, Apple is working on a new social network… to take on Snap Chat.  No, seriously.   This episode supported by   TunnelBear, the simple privacy app that makes it easy to browse privately and enjoy a more open internet. Visit GetTunnelBear.com to get your free TunnelBear today.   And our thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a for the great music you hear on today's show.   On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney   Drink it in, my friends https://instagram.com/p/BJdFw8OBr2A/   Galaxy Note 7 vs iPhone 6S Speed Test https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-61FFoJFy0&feature=youtu.be   Taiwanese superstar posts picture of himself using iPhone 7 Plus http://www.cultofmac.com/443000/taiwanese-actor-and-singer-posts-picture-of-himself-using-iphone-7-plus/ Taiwanese actor and singer Jimmy Lin has been photographed using what appears to be a new iPhone 7 Plus, complete with its rumored dual-lens camera and LED flash. Lin previously managed to get his hands on advance units of the iPhone 5 in 2012 and iPhone 6 in 2014 — both of which turned out to be the real deal.   Apple's 2017 Curved OLED iPhone to Be a New Premium Model http://www.macrumors.com/2016/08/22/2017-iphone-dual-curve-premium-model/ Apple is planning to release at least three new iPhones next year, including a high-end model with a 5.5-inch-or-larger OLED display that is curved on both sides like Samsung's Galaxy S7 edge, according to Nikkei Ming Chi Kuo's research note this week outlined three new iPhone models are coming, including LCD-based 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch models and a high-end OLED-based 5.8-inch model, as one possibility providing supply of AMOLED displays is sufficient.    Apple rolls out iOS 9.3.5 to beef up security [Update] http://www.cultofmac.com/443342/apple-rolls-out-ios-9-3-5-to-beef-up-security/ iOS 9.3.5 fixes a serious vulnerability that allows our devices

Send us a text!This week: leaks point to some excellent upgrades coming to the smaller iPhone 7—we’ll give you the scoop.  Plus: get ready for iPhone 7, we have a launch date; Apple Watch 2 leaks points to the arrival of a sorely-needed feature; new models and “revolutionary” upgrades are coming to the iPad line; and stick around for CultCast Choices, the game that pits one bad choice against another.   This episode supported by   Build a beautiful, responsive website quick at Squarespace.com.  Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off. Squarespace—Build it Beautiful.   If you’re obsessive about keeping your iPhone, iPad, Mac, DSLR, glasses, and other gadgets in sparkling clean condition, you’ll love CultCloth.  Check them out now at CultCloth.co, and use code “CultCast” at checkout to score a free 8x8 CleanCloth!   We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a thanks for the great music you hear on today's show.   On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @lkahney    Intro - Things to do! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTv26OA3txg   The Apple Store is dead http://www.cultofmac.com/442815/the-apple-store-is-dead-long-live-apple/ The Apple Store is no longer called the Apple Store. Apple has begun dropping “Store” from the name of its 479 retail locations worldwide, so they are now referred to simply as “Apple.” The store pages on Apple’s website now refer to its locations using names like “Apple Union Square,” “Apple Fifth Avenue,” and “Apple The Grove,” as opposed to the former “Apple Store, Union Square,” “Apple Store, Fifth Avenue,” and “Apple Store, The Grove.”   iPhone 7 may launch on September 23 http://www.cultofmac.com/442549/iphone-7-may-launch-on-september-23/ Apple’s next iPhone could be available to the public as soon as September 23rd, based on a new leak that reveals AT&T plans to do a big “Merchandising Reset” at all stores that day. The unveiling of the iPhone 7 is rumored to take place on September 7th with pre-orders to follow two days later The leaked AT&T scheduling information shows that stores will need to spend up to three hours on a merchandising reset September 9th, indicating advertisements for iPhone 7 pre-orders will go on display that morning.   iPhone 7 and 7 Plus won’t be joined by an iPhone 7 Pro this fall http://www.cultofmac.com/442673/iphone-7-and-7-plus-wont-be-joined-by-an-iphone-7-pro-this-fall/\ Killian Japanese blog Macotaka

Send us a text!This week: new Macbook Pros, incoming!  We have even more details to share on the “significant” updates coming soon to Apple’s Macbook Pro line.  Plus: iPhone 7 may get a Quad HD display and pressure-sensitive home button; Apple’s plans for a “killer” new health device; and we review our favorite new hover boards and smart scales on an all new Under Review.   This episode supported by   Casper’s American-made mattresses have just the right amount of memory foam and latex, and people everywhere love them.  Learn why and get $50 towards any mattress at Casper.com/cultcast.   TunnelBear, the simple privacy app that makes it easy to browse privately and enjoy a more open internet. Visit GetTunnelBear.com to get your free TunnelBear today.   And our thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a for the great music you hear on today's show.   On the show this week @erfon / @bst3r / @alexeheath   Apple said to be developing ‘killer’ health device for 2017 http://www.cultofmac.com/441455/apple-said-to-be-developing-killer-health-device-for-2017/   Apple ditched plan to make three iPhone 7 models http://www.cultofmac.com/441425/apple-ditched-plan-to-make-three-iphone-7-models/   iPhone 7 to feature pressure-sensitive home button http://www.cultofmac.com/441218/iphone-7-to-feature-pressure-sensitive-home-button/   iPhone 7 Plus may be in line for Quad HD display http://www.cultofmac.com/441345/iphone-7-plus-may-be-in-line-for-quad-hd-display/   New MacBook Pro may pack Touch ID power button http://www.cultofmac.com/441256/new-macbook-pro-may-pack-touch-id-power-button/   New iPhone to Have Dual Camera but No Headphone Jack https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-08-08/new-iphone-said-to-have-dual-camera-pressure-sensitive-button   Segway miniPro http://amzn.to/2aLyEHB   Swagtron T3 http://amzn.to/2aLyv7f