The CultCast

Send us a text!With 2015 nearly upon us, we pick our favorite tech, iOS apps, Mac apps, movies, and tv shows—everything that delighted us in 2014, on this very special, far too long, last-episode-of-the-2014 CultCast. Thanks to lynda.com for supporting this episode. Learn to run your business better, become a photoshop ninja, learn how to create music with your iPad, and so much more.  Lynda now has over 4500 courses for you to choose from, and now they’re offering our listeners a 10 day free trial.  Learn all you want for free for 10 days, head on over to lynda.com/cultcast We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a huge thanks for much of the great music you hear in today's show. On This EpisodeBoostier Hhhheine - @bst3rErfon Elijah - @erfonAdam Christianson - @maccast Intro clipGirls get iPhone for Xmas, appropriately freak out  And def. check outWill Ferrell Lego Movie outtakes This scene from National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation... John Oliver explains net neutrality perfectly  Our fave Tech ProductsiPhone 6 PlusiFixit Pro Tech ToolsetOru Foldable Kayak Our fave Mac AppsCalcbot 5Git TowerGif brewery Our fave iOS AppsSlack (team communication tool)Acorn (invest your spare change automatically)1Password (safely store and access your passwords)Alien Blue (Reddit App) Our fave iOS GamesVain GloryMonument ValleyLeo’s FortuneSailor’s Dream Our fave MoviesThe Lego Movie - Everything is Awesome!Guardians of the GalaxyWhiplash Our fave Christmas MoviesRise of the Guardians

Send us a text!Merry CultCast boys and girls!  This week: Santa gets a little “grabby”; Apple wins a major lawsuit; our iPhones deserve "rollover" data plans; the incredibly low payouts artists get from Spotify; and the high-end gifts we really want but will never get on an all-new Get To Know Your Cultist. Thanks to Audible for supporting this episode. 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 now at audiblepodcast.com/cultcast We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a huge thanks for all the great music you hear in today's show. Announcement! Join us for a live CultCast hangout on Saturday, December 20th, 1pm.  Just head to live.thecultcast.com Links to this week’s stories Apple wins at last: iTunes DRM was ‘genuine improvement,’ jury findsRead more at http://www.cultofmac.com/306320/apple-just-won-1-billion-ipod-lawsuit/#UiLVQyJJBqkLYx8W.99 T-Mobile’s Un-carrier 8.0 plan is rollover minutes for your dataRead more at http://www.cultofmac.com/306304/t-mobiles-un-carrier-8-0-plan-rollover-minutes-data/#LmLZQq3vYRJ4wmFJ.99 Bose plans to take on Beats with its own music streaming serviceRead more at http://www.cultofmac.com/306275/bose-plans-take-beats-music-streaming-service/#By8zxRZ3eKmZI4Im.99 The expensive Christmas gifts we’ll never get Leander is drooling over this $16,000 road bike: http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/road/performance_race/emonda/ Alex and Erfon want to find this $1300 Fuji X100T camera under their tree: http://www.fujifilm.com/products/digital_cameras/x/fujifilm_x100t/ Buster wants the new $2000 full-frame A7 II from Sony:  http://www.wired.com/2014/11/sony-alpha-a7-mark-2/ This $3000 electric bicycle Erfon wants will have you blasting up hills like rocketman: http://www.currietech.com/eflowebikes/eflow-e3-nitro-l-4 Leander wants a 4K tele but needs to convince his wife:  http://4k.com/news/lg-coming-out-with-quantum-dot-tv-8k-tv-4587/ Erfon drove the BMW i3 at CES this year, and if can muster $40,0000 he’s gonna buy it: http://www.caranddriver.com/bmw/i3

Send us a text!This week: the Sony hack reveals all sorts of juicy Jobs movie tidbits; HBO uses Game of Thrones to break big cable’s iron grip; iPod Classic prices skyrocket as fans scramble to buy them; we’ll tell you how to get some fantastic iOS games absolutely free; and then we pitch our favorite tech and vote on which is best… it’s an all new Faves ’N Raves. Thanks to lynda.com for support this episode. Learn to run your business better, become a photoshop ninja, learn how to create music with your iPad, and so much more.  Lynda now has over 4500 courses for you to choose from, and now they’re offering our listeners a 10 day free trial.  Learn all you want for free for 10 days, head on over to lynda.com/cultcast And a big thanks to Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com for the great music you hear in today's show. This week’s storiesHBO will use Game of Thrones to break cable’s iron gripRead more at http://www.cultofmac.com/305620/hbo-launch-streaming-service-time-game-thrones-premiere/#bjlbpRmqtSOeofps.99 Fans scramble for iPod Classic, the music player Apple killed offhttp://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/dec/06/ipod-classic-apple-fans-scramble-for-last-gadgets Sony hack reveals dirty secrets behind Aaron Sorkin’s Steve Jobs moviehttp://www.cultofmac.com/305630/sony-hack-dirty-secretst-steve-jobs-biopic/#mx5pLpJL0LqiAwiV.99 Jeff Daniels slated to play ex-Apple CEO in Steve Jobs movieRead more at http://www.cultofmac.com/305582/jeff-daniels-slated-role-former-apple-ceo-john-sculley/#YD3zXPvidU3zESBf.99 Pocket Gamer will give away a top-rated iOS game every day for two weekshttp://www.pocketgamer.co.uk/r/iPhone/Pocket+Gamer/feature.asp?c=62844 This week’s introhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12bojHojBKY&spfreload=10 

Send us a text!This week: how’s about that new Star Wars trailer! Plus, warm up the tele—Woz is getting a tech-filled reality TV show; we divulge our new favorite apps; we answer some ridiculous Qs in an all new get to know your Cultist; and finally, Steve Jobs denies Leander Kahney’s attempted handshake not once, but TWICE.  Leander recounts the tale.  We die laughing. Our thanks to Might Tees for support this episode.  Steve Jobs, Woz, the very vintage Apple Lisa, check out Might Tees for some of the best Apple-inspired tees in the land, and don’t miss indie designs features John Wayne and Captain Jean Luc Picard. MightTees.com ships worldwide and you can and save a whopping 50% off your order with code CultCast at checkout.  Erfon thanks you for your order. And thanks to Boom 2!  Ever needed to turn up your Mac’s volume farther than it could go?  Boom 2 can bolster your Mac’s puny volume levels righteous amounts your ears probably can’t handle.  Try it out free for 7 days at bit.ly/cultcastboom and save 20% off any order with code CultCast at checkout. This week’s links Stephen colbert explains the new light saber https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jic__6mK7Ms&spfreload=10 Microsoft declares iPhone 6 most popular device of 2014Read more at http://www.cultofmac.com/304919/microsoft-declares-iphone-6-popular-device-2014/#vJp4j5PCj2W Steve Wozniak is about to become a reality TV showRead more at http://www.cultofmac.com/304782/steve-wozniak-become-reality-tv-show/#8LUlqJ5RgcvT684J.99 Get to Know Your Cultist - ultra mega edition - tons of great Qs herehttps://www.facebook.com/TheCultCast/posts/869280556444921 Leander’s favorite band every is Blancmangehttps://www.youtu

Send us a text!Gobble gobble yaaa’aall! Ever wonder what a Thanksgiving meal with Tim Cook might be like?  Ok, maybe not, but come imagine it with us anyway.  Then: why Apple quietly included 4K support in iPhone 6 and iPad Air 2; and Amazon is building an ad-supported Netflix streaming competitor. Plus stayed tuned for the CultCast gift guide!  We’ll talk about the products we’d love to get as gifts this year.   Thanks to Fracture for supporting this episode!  Fracture is pretty neat.  They print your photos directly onto glass so they really pop.  And they come ready to hang on a wall or sit on your desk. They’re great gifts too for your family or significant other. Check them out at Fracture.me and save 15% off any order with code CultCast. We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a huge thanks for all the great music you hear in today's show. Links to this week’s stories Jeff Goldblum on the iMachttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v2y4Crs0ct8&spfreload=10 iPad Air 2 and iPhone 6 secretly support 4K videoRead more at http://www.cultofmac.com/304077/ipad-air-2-iphone-6-secretly-support-4k-video-playback/#8Da6Z6w4ED8xfU83.99 Amazon plans a streaming-video alternativehttp://nypost.com/2014/11/21/amazon-plans-a-streaming-video-alternative/ The Van Damme splits you have to see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7FIvfx5J10&spfreload=10 And check out this classic Van Damage montage!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uCYgQR5PEzA And this one for some epic splits!https://www.youtube.com

Send us a text!This week: Uber’s crazy culture is making the news, but we want to party with their brogrammers; why we’re not so jazzed on Apple Watch apps; why the next iPhone might feature a massively improved camera; why Steve Jobs drowned the first iPod prototype; and finally, what we like and don’t about the gadgets and Apple accessories we’re reviewing—it’s an all-new Under Review. Thanks to lynda.com for sponsoring this episode!  With 3,119 high quality video courses taught by industry-leading experts, lynda.com will help you master virtually any application, all on your own time and at your own pace.  Learn all you want for free with a 10-day free trial now at lynda.com/CultCast We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a huge thanks for much of the great music you hear in today's show. This week’s stories Tick tock, devs: WatchKit brings tools for making Apple Watch appsRead more at http://www.cultofmac.com/303529/watchkit-arrives-giving-developers-ability-make-apple-watch-apps/#qvyUCg4qDBS0ZZY6.99 Sony’s new sensor could bring 4K video to next iPhoneRead more at http://www.cultofmac.com/303429/sonys-new-camera-sensor-bring-4k-video-next-iphone/#Wf73w0FPWaZz4WxW.99 Apple May Introduce 'Biggest Camera Jump Ever' in Next-Generation iPhonehttp://www.macrumors.com/2014/11/18/apple-biggest-camera-jump-ever/ Some OS X Yosemite Users Still Experiencing Wi-Fi Connection Issues Even After 10.10.1 Updatehttp://www.macrumors.com/2014/11/18/wi-fi-issues-even-after-os-x-yosemite-10-10-1/

Send us a text!This week: huge news in the fight for an open internet; Youtube’s Music service confuses us; Apple Pay is like, the payment of the future, man; big Black Friday deals on Apple’s newest gadgets; the go-to apps we keep on our home screens, and sooooo much more. This episode is sponsored by Cards Against Humanity's Ten Days or Whatever of Kwanzaa! You give Cards Against Humanity $15 and they'll send you ten mystery gifts for the ten days or whatever of Kwanzaa. Space is limited to the first 250,000 people who sign up at HolidayBullshit.com. Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode.  Squarespace 7 is now live, and it’s the biggest update in years.   Now building a beautiful website is easier than ever.  See it in action and grab a free trial at Squarespace.com and use code “CultCast” at checkout for 10% off any order. And Automatic! Plug Automatic into your car's data port, and with their beatiful app, you'll be able to find your parked car, learn how to save fuel with tips based on your actual driving habits, and even diagnose and turn off your car's check engine light.  See it out in action and save 20% off your new Automatic now at Automatic.com/cultcast. We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a huge thanks for all the great music you hear in today's show. Links to this week's stories YouTube delivers the music streaming service you’ve been waiting forhttp://www.cultofandroid.com/70296/youtubes-music-streaming-service-finally-arrives/ Pres. Obama comes out strong to support an open internet -https://www.fightforthefuture.org/hugewin/ Apple Pay is such a hit, event Google Wallet is seeing a big increase in usagehttp://arstechnica.com/business/2014/11/google-wallet-grows-after-apple-pay-launch/ Netflix for iOS Updated With iPhone 6 Support, 1080p Video for iPhone 6 Plushttp://www.macrumors.com/2014/11/11/netflix-iphone-6-support-update/ Apple’s new tool will nuke your phone numbe

Send us a text!This week: more rumored details of the 12-inch "iPad Pro”; 755 more Emojis coming soon to your iDevices; with Christian Bale out, we make our list of the actors that definitely *shouldn’t* replace him in the Sorkin-penned Jobs movie; and finally… nude or not?  Do you keep your iDevices bare or covered up in a case?  We ponder the pros and cons and ask the question: why are so many iPhone and iPad cases horrid pieces of garbage? We’ll pitch some of our faves, too. Thanks to lynda.com for sponsoring this episode!  With over 3,000 high quality video courses taught by industry-leading experts, lynda.com will help you master virtually any application, all on your own time and at your own pace.  Learn all you want for free for 7 days with a free trial.  Try it now at lynda.com/CultCast And Audible, 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 now at audiblepodcast.com/cultcast We also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com a huge thanks for all the great music you hear in today's show. Links to today's stories, aka, reading material for your toilet time CNN caught using Microsoft Surface as iPad kickstand - busterRead more at http://www.cultofmac.com/302105/cnn-hid-ipads-behind-microsoft-surface-mid-term-coverage/ CurrentC’s Apple Pay ban to expire in ‘months, not years’ - alexRead more at http://www.cultofmac.com/301972/currentcs-apple-pay-ban-expire-months-years/#ebZFJiMCsOzIdxJO.99 

Send us a text!This week: the war on Apple Pay has begun.  We’ll tell you why some of the biggest retailers are moving to block it, and all about the ridiculously dumb app they want you to use instead.  Plus, our 72-hour review of the iPad Air 2; the FTC sues AT&T for throttling your data; Christian Bale is your next Steve Jobs; and we pitch our favorite tech and apps then vote on which is best—it’s an all-new Faves ’N Raves. And Faves N Raves.  And…. Our thanks to Automatic for supporting this episode.  Plug Automatic into your car's data port, and with their beatiful app, you'll be able to find your parked car, learn how to save fuel with tips based on your actual driving, and even diagnose and turn off your car's check engine light.  See it out in action and save 20% off your new Automatic now at Automatic.com/cultcast. And thanks to Sworl!  With the free Sworl iOS app, you can print, frame and deliver beautifully wrapped photos, quickly and easily, all from your iPhone in less than 3 minutes.  They’re great, easy gifts, too.  Download the app from the App Store or learn more at GetSworl.com, and save 20% off your first order with code “CultCast” at checkout. Links to this week’s stories: FTC finally sues AT&T for throttling unlimited data planshttp://www.cultofmac.com/301317/ftc-finally-sues-att-throttling-unlimited-data/FTC is  going after AT&T for throttling customer’s data speeds, by filing an official complaint that the company has lowered speeds on LTE up to 95% on unlimited data plans.FTC also alleges that AT&T engaged in unfair or deceptive acts and practices that affected commerce. And they’ve got the numbers to back up their lawsuit, with claims that AT&T illegally capped users’ data speeds at 128 KbpsAT&T’s response“The FTC’s allegations are baseless and have nothing to do with the substance of our network management program. It’s baffling as to why the FTC would choose to take this action against a company that, like all major wireless providers, manages its network resources to provide the best possible service to all customers, and does it in a way that is fully transparent and consistent with the law and our contracts.” 

Send us a text!This week: the iPad Air 2 reviews are in, and not everyone’s in love; Cult of Mac spends a day with Apple Pay; Yosemite and iOS 8.1 Continuity blows. our. minds; a potential cure for the painful #6PlusPinch; some welcome changes rumored for Beats Music; and we wrap with our favorite movie trilogies of all time in an all-new Get To Know Your Cultist. Thanks to Lynda.com for sponsoring this episode!  Lynda now has over 3000 high quality video courses taught by instructors who are experts in their filed. Lynda.com will help you master virtually any application, whether you’re a beginner, novice or, pro, all on your own time and at your own pace.  Learn all you want for free for 7 day with a free trial.  Try it now at Lynda.com/CultCast  And Smile Software. TextExpander touch 3 for iOS saves you time and effort by expanding your short abbreviations into full blocks of texts, code and more. Plus now includes a custom keyboard so you can use your abbreviations in any iOS app, including Mail and iMessage. See it in action at smilesoftware.com/cultcastWe also want to give Kevin MacLeod at incompetech.com  a huge thanks for all the great music you hear on today's show.  Links to this week's storiesEarly reviews of latest iPads praise new hardware, but wish for more Read more at http://www.cultofmac.com/300493/ipad-air-2-ipad-mini-3-review-roundup/#6pJpRhGHdP6q3Lhi.99Malt Wossberg "They are, in most respects, the best iPads ever made. But for average users, they represent only a modest evolutionary improvement over last year’s models, not the kind of big change that the first iPad Air or the Retina display iPad mini did last year.”