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Google’s mind-bending quantum computer actually works

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Quantum computers will lead to advancements in artificial intelligence.
Photo: D-Wave Systems Inc.
D-Wave 1000Q quantum computing - lower res1
Quantum computers will lead to advancements in artificial intelligence. (Photo courtesy of D-Wave Systems Inc.)

A major breakthrough from Google’s quantum-computing team could eventually lead to artificial-intelligence systems complex enough to make sci-fi nerds lose sleep in fear of the robot apocalypse. The breakthrough sounds simple, but it has massive implications: The quantum computer the team co-operates with NASA actually works.

And not only does it work, but it can do the same process up to 100 million times faster than its predecessors.

Apple tops ranking of most innovative companies for 10th straight year

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Apple's been the world's most innovative company for a decade.
Apple's been the world's most innovative company for a decade.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

When it comes to innovation, American-based corporations are pushing the envelope more than any other nation and Apple is leading the charge.

According to the latest rankings from Boston Consulting, Apple was the world’s top innovator for the tenth year in a row, followed closely by Google.

Apple’s R&D spending proves innovation isn’t all about money

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Apple hQ
Apple's building a new office in San Jose.
Photo: Apple

When it comes to innovation, Apple is proving that it’s not all about the money.

While competitors like Google, Facebook and Qualcomm dump huge percentages of their revenue back into R&D on projects like autonomous cars and Internet drones, a recent Bloomberg report highlights how Apple has gotten the biggest bang for its buck in R&D, despite spending less than any other major tech company.

Google unleashes wonderfully nerdy Star Wars Easter egg

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This is certainly the Easter egg you're looking for.
Photo: David J. Rodger
Photo: David J. Roger
Photo: David J. Roger

As a company staffed by some bona fide geeks (and, hey, we’re not complaining!) Google is undoubtedly excited about the upcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens.

And what better way to show it than with possibly my favorite Easter egg in Google history? If you haven’t heard about it yet, read on to discover more.

Google shoots first with Star Wars virtual reality series

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Google goes Jar Jar for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Photo: Disney
Google goes Jar Jar for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Photo: Disney

Google has teamed up with Disney and Verizon to develop a new virtual reality series in celebration of Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The story ties directly into the new movie, and Google Cardboard owners can enjoy it on December 2 — but there’s more to check out today!

Is there a class divide between iPhone and Android?

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The war wages on!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The war between iPhone and Android will wage on for years to come, but in this week’s Friday Night Fight, we’re not going to be bickering about which is best. At least not in terms of design, features, flexibility — and the other things normally discussed during a platform war.

Friday-Night-Fights-bug-2Instead, we’re battling it out over the supposed class divide — the notion that the wealthy only buy iPhones, and the poor only buy Android because they can’t afford that Apple logo. It’s going to be a fun one!

So, join us below for one of our hottest Friday Night Fights yet, and be sure to weigh in at the end!

Google Maps takes on Yelp, offers prizes for local map experts

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Might as well earn some points and help people find cool stuff.  Photo: Google
Might as well earn some points and help people find cool stuff. Photo: Google

Google Maps offers a ton of local info when you use the navigation system on your Android or Apple smartphone, including local businesses, eateries, or interesting spots.

The company is expanding its Local Guides program in Google Maps, which will let you share your own discoveries directly to the map, making it more useful for others as well as competing with Yelp, which has a similar service.

But wait, there’s more. With every bit of local expertise you share with Google Maps through the Local Guides program, you’ll get points.

Can TAG Heuer help Android Wear defeat Apple Watch?

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Or is the TAG Heuer Connected destined to fail?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

When it comes to smartwatch sales, Apple Watch has well and truly embarrassed the entire Android Wear ecosystem, even though it hasn’t spent anywhere near as long on the market. But with Google’s platform getting a high-profile supporter this week, is it time for change?

Friday-Night-Fights-bug-2TAG Heuer’s new Connected is the first smartwatch from a luxury watchmaker, giving consumers a high-end alternative to the Apple Watch. It has beautiful hardware, great specifications, and even comes with an upgrade program that lets buyers swap it for a traditional TAG watch when it’s no longer useful.

So, is this the device Android Wear needs to mount a threat against Apple’s popular wearable?

Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight between Cult of Android and Cult of Mac as we battle it out over that very question!

Apple, Google pull InstaAgent app for ‘stealing’ login info

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Have you seen this app? If it's on your phone, delete immediately.
Have you seen this app? If it's on your phone, delete immediately.
Photo: Computer World

InstaAgent, a third-party app for users to track visitors to their Instagram feeds, was pulled out of app stores by both Apple and Google after an iOS developer discovered the app was stealing people’s logins and passwords.

If you have InstaAgent on your smartphone – and reportedly half a million of you do – delete it immediately.

YouTube Music rocks out on Android and iOS

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YouTube Music
YouTube will take on Apple Music (again).
Photo: Google
Yes, Google has another music streaming service. Photo: Google
Yes, Google has another music streaming service. Photo: Google

YouTube Music has arrived on Android and iOS, and it promises to make it easier than ever to discover new music on YouTube. Simply hit play and enjoy an endless journey through the platform’s entire music catalog, or check out YouTube’s recommendations based on your listening habits.

WTF?! Study finds Android is actually safer than iOS

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The Apple brand is the big difference.
The Apple brand is the big difference.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac
Your iPhone isn't as safe as you think it is. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android
Your iPhone isn’t as safe as you think it is. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android

Are iPhones really more secure than Androids? Google’s platform certainly gets more stick thanks to high-profile vulnerabilities like Stagefright, but according to a new study, Android is still safer and more secure than iOS.

Google could build its own iPhone rival

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Can Google do better than this? Photo: Google
Can Google do better than this? Photo: Google

After working with third-party smartphone vendors on the Nexus lineup for years, Google is finally toying with the idea of building its own handset, according to some employees. It’s thought the search giant is keen to have a stab at taking on the iPhone all by itself.

Google to follow Apple into building its own mobile chips

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Androids tend to me more affordable, but that doesn't mean they're cheap.
Androids tend to me more affordable, but that doesn't mean they're cheap.
Photo: Google
Will we see a Google chip inside one of these one day? Photo: Google
Will we see a Google chip inside one of these one day? Photo: Google

Google is in talks with chipset manufacturers with a view to designing its own processors and other components for future Android devices, according to a new report.

The company is said to be interested in following Apple’s footsteps in an effort to make Android “more competitive” at the high end of the market, and to “solve other major problems.”

YouTube is now showing virtual reality video

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You can now enjoy YouTube videos like never before. Photo: Google
You can now enjoy YouTube videos like never before. Photo: Google

It’s time to dust off that virtual reality headset that you’ve hardly used since the day it arrived, because the biggest video platform on the planet now supports VR video. Google CEO Sundar Pichai today announced that YouTube has begun offering its first VR video, which can be enjoyed with Google Cardboard.

How to access open Google Chrome tabs on Android and iOS

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Syncing open tabs is easy in Google Chrome. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android
Syncing open tabs is easy in Google Chrome. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android

Did you know that it’s incredibly easy to access open Chrome tabs on your Android and iOS device? So if you’re reading an article on your computer and you have to dash out, you can access it later while you’re on the go without having to search for it again, type in a URL, or email links to yourself.

Here’s how.

Is the new Apple TV this year’s most exciting release from Cupertino?

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Have you got yours yet?
Have you got yours yet?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The new Apple TV is here, and there’s no doubt it’s the best set-top box we’ve seen from Cupertino, with powerful new hardware and the tvOS operating system, Siri integration — and most importantly, support for third-party apps and games.

Friday-Night-Fights-bug-2If you’re into movies and TV shows, or playing the greatest iOS games on your big screen, the new Apple TV is probably at the top of your wish-list if you haven’t already bought one. But how does it compare to the other products Apple has launched this year? Is it better than the rest?

Join us in this week’s Friday Night Fight between Cult of Android and Cult of Mac as we battle it out over that very question!

Bendgate is back: Watch the Nexus 6P fold insanely easily

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Here we go again. Photo: JerryRigEverything
Here we go again. Photo: JerryRigEverything

Bendgate is back, and this time, it’s an Android device that’s at the center of it.

Google’s brand new Nexus 6P, which is being dubbed the company’s best smartphone by critics and consumers, is nowhere near as durable as it is pretty. Check out the video below in which the device scratches, cracks, burns, and bends surprisingly easily.

Android Pay starts loyalty rewards program with Coca-Cola

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Android Pay just one-upped Apple Pay with its Coca-Cola loyalty reward partnership. Photo: Coca-Cola
Android Pay just one-upped Apple Pay with its Coca-Cola loyalty reward partnership. Photo: Coca-Cola

Android Pay, the newest kid on the block in mobile phone payments, has found a way to get people using their smartphones to pay for goods and services: loyalty reward systems.

Like similar retail, grocery and airline programs, Android Pay will soon include points for specific purchases to encourage us all to use our smartphones more and more to pay for the stuff we already buy.

Coke is the first program up, according to Google exec Sridhar Ramaswamy, with points to earn each time you use Android Pay to buy a Coke through any one of some 20,000 NFC-enabled Coca-Cola vending machines. You’ll get points that will let you get free Coke, Coca-Cola gets to know where and when people are buying its products and Google gets people to use Android Pay. It’s win-win-win.

Apple named coolest wearables brand over Samsung, Rolex, Ralph Lauren

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As smartwatches grow in popularity, the Apple Watch will continue to be the hands-on - or wrist-on - favorite.
As smartwatches grow in popularity, the Apple Watch will continue to be the hands-on - or wrist-on - favorite.
Photo: Apple
Apple Watch is the coolest wearable yet, apparently. Photo: Apple
Apple Watch is the coolest wearable yet, apparently. Photo: Apple

Apple Watch is by far the most successful smartwatch to date in terms of sales, so perhaps it’s no surprise that Apple has been voted the “coolest wearables brand” by smartphone users.

The Cupertino company not only beat technology rivals like Samsung and LG to the top of the list, but also high-end watchmakers and fashion brands like TAG Heuer, Rolex, and Ralph Lauren.

YouTube’s new streaming service charges iOS users an Apple tax

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YouTube is going ad-free, for a price.
YouTube is going ad-free, for a price.
Photo: Google

Google revealed that it’s getting into the subscription video streaming game today with the introduction of YouTube Red.

The new $9.99-per-month service will give customers ad-free access to all of YouTube’s content, but the company plans to charge customers extra if they sign up through iOS.