Excerpted from Live from Cupertino: How Apple Used Words, Music, and Performance to Build the World’s Best Sales Machine by Michael Hageloh and Tim Vandehey.

Prologue: What were once devices are now habits

When I set out to write this book, one of my goals was to see if I could insult fifty million people in one sentence. Here goes. Years ago, before I was excommunicated from New York City and became a resident of Texas (a state so backward that someone in our town once asked my wife and me if being Jewish was like being Catholic), I lived in Florida, which is so appealing to the unbalanced that when I took the “Florida Challenge” (where you google “Florida man” and your birthday to see what kind of headlines pop up) for April 24, the first result read, “Florida man kisses venomous snake and is immediately bitten on the lips.”

Mission accomplished. Now, let’s move on.

By Chris Brantner

We’re down to the four best teams in the NFL playoffs, and this weekend’s championship games are sure to be memorable. Whoever you’re rooting for, you can expect two phenomenal games — and you can watch all the action on your Apple devices.

By Chris Brantner

For some people, Thanksgiving is a day to stay home, stuff themselves silly, and watch football on the couch until the turkey coma sets in around 7 p.m. For other people, though, Thanksgiving means traveling — making it more difficult to catch the Turkey Day football action.

If you’re spending Thanksgiving on the road or at a friend or family member’s house, it might be tough to keep up with the NFL games. Luckily, there are several ways you can watch the Thanksgiving NFL games on your iPhone.

By Chris Brantner

With the NBA season’s arrival, it’s time to figure out how to watch your favorite teams. Whether you subscribe to cable or you’ve cut the cord, there are plenty of ways to watch pro basketball on your favorite Apple device.

You can opt to watch on Apple TV or you can choose a mobile device. Luckily, most cable apps and other streaming services work pretty much the same way. As long as you know the network the game is on and the time, it’s just a matter of pulling it up and rooting for your favorite team.

By Chris Brantner

With the Major League Baseball playoffs starting Tuesday, fans will be anxiously watching to see if their team advances and, eventually, who will bring home the World Series title.

Whether you have cable or not, you can still watch the entire MLB playoffs season from the Apple device of your choice. Here’s how to catch all the action on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Mac, etc.

By Chris Brantner

With the football season heating up, it’s time to make sure you have a way to catch all the biggest matchups. Luckily, watching NFL games no longer requires you to pay for an overpriced cable subscription. And Apple users have a plethora of options to stream pro football without cable this season.

No matter which Apple device you use, you’ll find a wide range of apps to let you watch NFL football. Here’s a rundown of some of the best options for streaming NFL games this season.

By Joey Pritikin

Over the last five years, biometrics has evolved from the stuff of crime scene investigation and science fiction movies to a broad set of technologies that make our lives easier, more personal, and more secure. Starting with the Touch ID sensor in the iPhone 5s, Apple led the way in the acceptance and adoption of biometrics.

The latest indications are that Apple is embracing a face-recognition approach that goes beyond a standard 2D, visible-light sensor. When used in a situation where there are only a handful of approved users, like a consumer mobile device, the promise is great.

By Chris Brantner

During the fall and winter, football fans across the United States devote entire Sundays to diligently following all the NFL action. But you don’t need to wait: The football action gets underway Thursday when the NFL preseason games begin.

If you’re one of the many people who love both football and Apple devices, you’re in luck. You can easily combine the two to stream NFL games during the entire season, whether you have cable or not. A bunch of different apps let you watch the NFL on Apple devices, so let’s take a look at some of the best ones out there.

By Chris Brantner

The Tour de France is the premier cycling race in the world. Anyone can enjoy watching the event as the cyclists put themselves through one of the most grueling physical tests in all of sports. If you want to watch during the three-week race, you can easily stream the Tour de France on Apple devices, with or without cable.

The Tour de France starts Saturday, July 1, and finishes on the Champs-Élysées in Paris on Sunday, July 23. Throughout the race, NBCSN will air live coverage on a daily basis. Thankfully, there are some great ways for you to stream the race on any of your Apple devices.

By Chris Brantner

Soccer is one of the most popular sports in the world — there are soccer fans everywhere. With all of this popularity comes a ton of potential leagues and tournaments to watch. If you’re a big fan, you’ll be glad to know there are some great ways to watch streaming soccer on Apple TV.