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Amazon tops Apple as most valuable U.S. brand

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Apple adds 5 new vice presidents to its executive lineup
Apple adds 5 new vice presidents to its executive lineup
Photo: Lyle Kahney/Cult of Mac

When Tim Cook wants to know how Apple is doing, it’s doubtful he turns to some research group’s published rankings of brands and companies with the most value, most love or most intimacy with its customers.

So for what it’s worth to the CEO or, for that matter anyone else, Apple is the second-most valuable U.S. brand, according to a new report published today by the group Brand Finance.

Android users still flocking to iPhone at an impressive rate

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iPhone with Samsung
They’re still running!
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

Android owners are still ditching their handsets for an iPhone at an impressive rate.

New research reveals that up to 20 percent of iPhone buyers each quarter are switching from Google devices. The iPhone SE is one of the most popular models among former Android fans, but there’s a lot of love for larger Apple devices, too.

Apple’s free Schoolwork app is ready for the classroom

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Apple Schoowork app
Students and teachers can start using Schoolwork today.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s free Schoolwork app, which lets students and teachers collaborate on school assignments, is available now.

Schoolwork makes it easy to create assignments, take advantage of third-party apps for learning, and view student progress. It will work alongside the Classroom app to provide teachers around the world with the tools they need to “enhance the learning experience.”

Apple’s new AirPods case could charge your iPhone in a pinch

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AirPower
Will we finally get a release date for AirPower?
Photo: Apple

Apple’s upcoming AirPods case will offer more than just wireless charging for your headphones, according to a sketchy new report.

A source familiar with Apple’s plans claims the case will double as an iPhone charger that will give you a boost in battery life when you’re in a pinch. The device could be available before the end of this year.

Original content could rake in billions for Apple

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money
Original content could turn out to be a big money spinner for Apple.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

In three years’ time, Apple could bring in an extra $10 to $12 billion in annual revenue through its original video content and Apple Music, analyst Amit Daryanani of RBC Capital Markets argued in a note to clients this week.

In terms of Apple’s share price, that would add up to 75 cents to the company’s earnings per share.

A second iPhone model is now being made in India

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iphone 6
The iPhone 6s is making a comeback in India.
Photo: Apple

Apple supplier Wistron has started production of the iPhone 6s at its factory in Bengaluru, India.

This marks the second iPhone to be produced in India. Last year, Wistron began producing the iPhone SE in India. The iPhone 6s, which launched in 2015, is a logical choice as a follow-up due to the popularity of the handset in India, thanks to its cheaper price.

Apple meets with U.S. intelligence to talk fake news

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Apple News
Apple has already taken steps to fight fake news.
Photo: Apple

Apple is among the tech companies which recently met with members of the U.S. intelligence community to discuss the upcoming midterm elections.

Amazon, Apple, Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Oath, Snap and Twitter were approached because of continued concerns about the way that tech platforms were allegedly used for spreading fake news during the 2016 Presidential elections.

Tim Cook says Apple will never keep quiet about social issues

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Tim Cook opening remarks WWDC 2017
CEO Tim Cook apparently laid out Apple's three policy priorities.
Photo: Apple

Whenever Apple CEO Tim Cook weighs in on a social issue, like his recent disparaging comments about U.S. immigration policy, there are always voices urging him to be quiet and concentrate on making great products.

Speaking at a forum in San Francisco this evening, Cook said that changing the world is in his job description.

T-Mobile FamilyMode brings parental control over every device in the house

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T-Mobile FamilyMode Home Base
The T-Mobile FamilyMode app and Home Base promise control over every Internet-connected device in your house.
Photo: T-Mobile

Parental controls are a hot item. Apple is building them into iOS 12, kid-friendly apps have them, and T-Mobile just unveiled its solution: Family Mode.

This includes iOS and Android apps than can limit what children do online. And the Family Mode Home Base connects to the home Wi-Fi router and lets parents put restrictions on every device in the house.

Why Jamf Now is the official MDM solution of Cult of Mac

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com
Mobile device management products are designed to solve exactly this problem, and today we're announcing Jamf Now as our official Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution.
Photo: Jamf Now

badge It’s pretty hard to run a business today without accounting for the devices your employees use to do their jobs. We’re all pretty technically savvy here at Cult of Mac, but as a distributed team, there is a huge need for us to agree on apps, settings and tools that we use.

Mobile device management products are designed to solve exactly this problem, and today we’re announcing Jamf Now as our official Mobile Device Management (MDM) solution.

Get ready for NFL football on iPhone

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Wilson connected football
CBS and the NFL ironed out their differences, allowing your iPhone to stream football games for the first time.
Photo: Buster Hein/Cult of Mac

CBS has been struggling to find stand-out content for its All Access streaming service beside Star Trek: Discovery. That problem has been solved. 

The entire 2018 NFL ON CBS schedule, including Super Bowl LIII, will be streamed live on All Access. That includes smartphones and tablets, a significant development.

Three ways to save web pages as read-later PDFs on iOS

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A metaphorical view of my badly-organized PDFs
A metaphorical view of my badly-organized PDFs
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

With the demise of Instapaper — in Europe at least — you may be looking for a good way to save web pages for offline reading. The obvious built-in tool for this is Safari’s Reading list, but it’s very limited. Instead, consider turning the web page into a PDF. This lets you read the page anywhere, as well as mark it up with highlights, and search its entire content using Spotlight.

The thing is, there are three different way to save a webpage as a PDF, all of them built-in to iOS. Let’s take a look at how to use them, what the differences are, and which one is best for you.

iPhone hacking van is a spy’s wet dream

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WiSpear iPhone hacking van
The WiSpear hacking van sounds like a prop from Mission Impossible, not a product on sale at a recent trade show.
Screencap: Thomas Fox-Brewster

Sometimes it’s hard to tell if something is real or was dreamed up by a Batman villain. That’s the case with the WiSpear iPhone hacking van.

This tool supposedly can be used to install malware on an iOS or Android device from a third of a mile away.

The most popular filter on Instagram may surprise you

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Instagram filters
X-Pro II is widely used for the drama it brings to a photo. But the most popular "filter" adds no drama at all.
Photo: Iconosquare

Normal is the single-most used filter on Instagram, which means exactly what you think: Normal is not really a filter.

Still, because it lines up alongside Instagram’s 40 native filters, it came out on top, according to a database of 790,000 Instagram users. This is still considered a small sample for a user base that just surpassed 1 billion active users.

Apple, other tech titans cross swords on consumer privacy

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Apple takes privacy seriously
Apple takes consumer privacy seriously, but Google and Facebook don't. Can an industry trade group that includes all three company reach any kind of consensus?
Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac

The Information Technology Industry Council will meet on Wednesday. This trade group, made up of Apple, Google, Microsoft, Facebook, and others, will discuss consumer privacy.

The proceedings are likely to be contentious, as these companies have very different views on the subject.

Take control of your schedule with Fantastical [50 Essential iOS Apps #30]

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Fantastical Ticker view upcoming events
Understanding your calendar, reminders, and events is fast and easy with Fantastical
Photo: Ian Fuchs/Cult of Mac

50 Essential iOS Apps: FanstasticalManaging a busy schedule is something we all deal with from time to time. Relying on a calendar app makes it easier, but entering every meeting, project, or appointment can be a hassle. Fantastical is the best calendar app for adding events to your calendar and managing your schedule.

People only love five companies more than Apple

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most loved brands
Apple gets plenty of love from its customers according to the Netbase report of Most Loved Brands.
Photo: Viktoria Fomchenkova

Apple placed sixth on the NetBase report of Most Loved Brands of 2018 while the five that scored higher wouldn’t get so much love without Apple devices.

In NetBase’s fourth-annual survey, Instagram was No. 1, followed by YouTube, Facebook, Amazon, and Google. The four brands rounding out the top 10 were Disney at No. 7, followed by Snapchat, Spotify, and Netflix.

Samsung wants to win back Apple’s A-series chip orders

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Samsung
Samsung wants to pick up some extra Apple orders.
Photo: Jim Merithew / Cult of Mac

Samsung has long been a crucial part of Apple’s supply chain, but it wants to muscle in on the company’s A-series processor orders as well.

According to a new report, Samsung is looking to regain the A-series orders that it received from Apple until TSMC took over several years ago. Previously Samsung held the exclusive order contract for these mobile A-series chips, which are used to power the iPhone and iPad.

Samsung gives up on competing with Face ID for Galaxy S10

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Samsung Intelligent Scan Face ID
Samsung could scrap Intelligent Scan already.
Photo: Samsung

Samsung might have beaten Apple to iris scanning and facial recognition, but it certainly isn’t doing a better job.

Face ID is considered to be far more advanced than anything available on Android today. A new report claims Samsung is actually giving up on competing technology and returning to fingerprint scanners for the Galaxy S10.

iPads can be a major pain the neck, researchers claim

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iPad neck
Yes, there’s a such a thing as ‘iPad neck.’ Here’s how you avoid it.
Photo: R. Marsh Starks/UNLV Creative Services

Have you ever noticed a neck ache after using your iPad for a long period of time? If so, you’re not alone — and it’s become such a common complaint that it’s even led to the naming of an affliction, “iPad neck.”

In a newly published research paper on iPad neck, researchers from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas lay out some facts about the condition, including who it is most likely to affect.