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Apple teams up with Cisco to fight cyber risks

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Apple cyber risk
Apple wants to help organizations defend against cyber crime.
Photo: Apple

Apple has teamed up with Cisco and others to offer a new cyber risk management solution for businesses.

The package combines the most secure technology from Apple and Cisco with cyber insurance from Allianz and cyber resilience evaluation services from Aon. It is designed to help organizations better protect themselves from today’s cyber risks.

Apple investigates iPhone X’s incoming call bug

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iPhone buggy software
The bugs keep on coming.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple is investigating another iPhone X bug that’s causing users to miss incoming calls.

Some report that their device refuses to wake when a call is received, leaving them unable to answer it. It appears the problem surfaced in December but Apple has only just acknowledged the complaints.

Apple Watch just got way more stylish for Valentine’s Day

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bezel
We love the high quality of Bezel & Bytes' genuine leather Apple Watch bands with added bling. All hardware is stainless steel and nickel-free.
Photo: Bezels & Bytes

With Valentine’s Day just a little over a week away, finding a unique gift for your favorite female tech-lover just got a bit easier. Gift her with a beautifully made Apple Watch band designed for women by women.

Bezel’s & Bytes transforms Apple Watch into jewelry with its decidedly-female collection of metal-accented bands that’ll go seamlessly from work to a night out.

Bezels & Bytes bands include beautiful packaging, making the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for those female tech-lovers out there. Take a look in our Watch Store.

Best iPad cases for every type of user

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pad and quill
The right case is not only protective, but functional, and even classy.
Photo: Pad&Quill

You have in your hands a brand new iPad. Now what? Sure, you can just go ahead and use it au natural. But consider: While iPads may look like hulking slabs of aluminum and glass, they are deceptively delicate. They cry out for protection.

Gauging which is the best case to safely secure your tablet is not for the faint of heart, given the myriad options out there. That’s where our iPad case roundup comes in. We’ve scoured the best reviews, including our own, and looked at buyers’ favorite cases on shopping sites like Amazon.

Then we gathered our picks into several categories, depending on how much you want to pay, what type of protection you need, and any extra functionality offered (like keyboard cases). And we’ve also put together a list of runners-up — cases that are pretty good, or even great, but just didn’t make our cut.

How to spot a fake Lightning cable

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Use the cable that came with your iPhone as a reference to spot fake Lightning cables.
Use the cable that came with your iPhone as a reference to spot fakes.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

Who cares if that cheap charging cable you buy is a fake? It’s just a cable, right? Maybe, maybe not. A fake Lightning cable could contain malware, for instance. Or it could be miswired, damaging your iPhone the way a miswired USB power cable can destroy a laptop computer.

The best case is that your device may not sync or charge. The worst case is that your iPhone could get damaged, or the cable could overheat and set fire to your home while you sleep. Here’s how to make sure a Lightning cable is legit.

A Hollow Doorway and other awesome apps of the week

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Awesome Apps
'Appy weekend everyone!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac
Awesome Apps

A fun retro game that’s packed to the gunwales with zombie blasting action is just one of our selections for this week’s “Awesome Apps of the Week.”

In addition, we’ve got a neat update to GarageBand, a trippily brilliant door-tilting puzzle game, and YouTube’s premium skinny TV bundle finally come to Apple TV. Check out our picks below.

Learn to become a project management pro [Deals]

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Get certified in project management, one of today's most marketable skills.
Get certified in project management, one of today's most marketable skills.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Companies are hiring project managers at a record pace. The growing need to innovate while keeping costs down creates a booming market for project managers. So if you want to up your chances of getting a better gig, it’s a skill worth learning.

Cult of Mac Magazine: 5 things Apple needs to fix in iOS 12, and more!

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cover
In this week's Cult of Mac Magazine, we give you five things that should be at the top of Apple's repair list for iPhone X.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apparently, we can forget about big new features for iOS 12, as Apple is reportedly focused on “addressing performance and quality issues” in 2018. But, this is great news! Cult of Mac Magazine shows you five things that should rise to the top of Cupertino’s fix-it list.

In this week’s issue, you’ll find that story and more. Graham Bower explains why it sucks when fitness apps don’t share your workout data with Apple, while Apple confirms HomePod’s supported audio sources. And, discover how to make Mac’s Launchpad useful again. Get your free subscription to Cult of Mac Magazine from iTunes. Or read on for this week’s top stories.

Gear up with the weekend’s best tech [Deals]

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We've rounded up the best deals on gear and gadgets, from portable speakers to battery packs, cameras, and more.
We've rounded up the best deals on gear and gadgets, from portable speakers to battery packs, cameras, and more.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

The best gear and gadgets don’t have to cost top dollar, and we’ve got the roundup to prove it. Included are a top shelf Bluetooth speaker, a WiFi-enabled 1080p camera, an air-purifying USB port and a super powerful portable battery. Even better, everything is discounted by a third or more. Read on for more details:

Embellish your wrist with a one-of-a-kind batik Apple Watch band

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batik
Clessant's Batik Apple Watch Bands are a beautiful blend of ancient Indonesian art, batik, and French leather-making. Available in red or blue.

Make your Apple Watch your own with a truly distinctive, statement-making strap worthy of a double take.

The Batik Strap from French company Clessant is a refreshing take on an everyday accessory. No two are ever alike. And, you can take a look at it now in Cult of Mac’Watch Store.

How to stream music to anybody’s HomePod

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homepod x-ray
The HomePod is happy to be unfaithful to its original owner.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

The HomePod is like the creature the emerges from an egg in old-fashioned cartoons. The baby creature — dinosaur, bird, birdosaur — imprints on the first person it sees, then follows it around calling it mama or papa. Hilarity (of the 1970s kind) ensues, as the creature grows into a fully operational birdosaur and causes mayhem. Likewise, the HomePod latches onto the first iPhone it finds, automatically, and remains faithful forever (or until you unpair it, an option not open to 1970s cartoon characters).

But you can still let your friends have a go on your HomePod if you like. Here’s how.

Week’s best Apple deals: Save on HomeKit lights, an iMac and more!

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You'll find big savings on cool apple related gear in this week's roundup of best Apple deals.
You'll find big savings on cool apple related gear in this week's roundup.
Photos: Olebr, Apple, Sylvania

Sweet deals on HomeKit-compatible LED light bulbs and an iMac make it easy to gussy up your home or office. Plus, we found a great buy on a refurbished iPhone SE, and an aluminum charger that will store and juice up your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods all in one place!

YouTube TV app lands on Apple TV

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apple tv
No more will you have to run YouTube TV via AirPlay.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

As promised, YouTube’s $35-per-month YouTube TV service has landed on Apple TV.

The premium package, which offers a skinny bundle of 40+ live TV channels, has previously only been available on Apple TV if users ran it via AirPlay from an iPhone or iPad. Today marks the first time there has been a native Apple TV app.

Apple’s big plans for iOS 12, this week on The CultCast

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CultCast 321
iOS 12 is up for some big changes.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s got big plans for iOS 12, and we’ll tell you all about them this week on The CultCast. Plus: New details tell us more about 2018’s iPhone X Plus; Nintendo says a new Mario Kart is coming to iOS; Apple works to bring iPad apps to Mac; and don’t miss our review of the Elgato Stream Deck, a must-have accessory for you Twitch, Mixer and YouTube streamers.

Our thanks to Squarespace for supporting this episode. It’s simple to accept Apple Pay and sell your wares with your very own Squarespace.com website. Enter offer code CultCast at checkout to get 10% off any hosting plan.

Apple loses out to HBO on bid for J.J. Abrams’ new sci-fi series

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JJ Abrams
Abrams went with the established HBO over newcomer Apple.
Photo: Gage Skidmore/Wikipedia CC

Apple may have $268.9 billion in cash on hand, but it doesn’t get everything it wants. According to a new report, Apple lost out to HBO on acquiring a new original TV series written by J.J. Abrams, his first since 2008’s Fringe.

Called Demimonde the series is about a family whose mom winds up in a coma following a car crash, after which her daughter and husband are transported to another world to fight a monstrous, oppressive force. HBO is describing the series as, “an epic and intimate sci-fi fantasy drama.”

The biggest takeaways from Apple’s record-breaking Q1 earnings

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European Commission could get even tougher on tech in 2020
European Commission could get even tougher on tech in 2020
Image: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple made more money last quarter than it ever has in the company’s history, but despite bringing home $88.3 billion in revenue, not all investors were impressed.

Wall Street walked away from Apple’s Q1 2018 earnings with mixed reviews. Money and cash is at an all-time high, yet there are some worrying signs that iPhone sales are about to hit another slump and new products like HomePod aren’t doing much to excite the market.

Here are the five biggest takeaways from today’s call:

Apple earnings live blog: iPhone X sales revealed at last

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Apple earnings
Apple's Q1 earnings are going to be huge!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The first Apple earnings report of 2018 is already here. Based on analysts’ expectations, it will probably be Apple’s biggest earnings ever.

Thanks to the high price of the iPhone X and the holiday shopping season, Apple is set to rake in record-setting profits this quarter. Wall Street is eager to know what Apple plans to do with all its cash, especially now that it is bringing more than $200 billion back home from overseas.

Tim Cook and Apple CFO Luca Maestri are set to get on the phone with investors at 2 p.m. Pacific to talk about all the numbers. Per usual, we’ll be right here live-blogging all the action with up-to-the-minute analysis on all of the juicy new nuggets.

Come join us:

Apple’s record-breaking Q1 earnings fall short of expectations

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Apple waives developer fees for nonprofits, others in 8 additional countries
Apple waives developer fees for nonprofits, others in 8 additional countries
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

iPhone X sales did not come in as strong last holiday season as investors hoped. Apple just posted its Q1 2018 earnings, and iPhone sales declined compared to the same quarter a year ago. Everyone on Wall Street seemed to expect an increase.

Still, there’s a silver lining: Despite the weaker iPhone sales, Apple made a record-setting $88.3 billion in revenue during the quarter. CEO Tim Cook says the iPhone X defied the company’s expectations, leading to Apple’s best quarter in history.

Demo shows how ARKit will change bookstores forever

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iOS 11.3 ARKit
Augmented reality will be even better with glasses.
Photo: Apple

ARKit hasn’t produced any apps that are absolutely must-haves, but that could soon change with iOS 11.3.

Apple has added some new ARKit features in the updates slated for release this spring. iOS developer Andrew Hart has already created a demo that utilizes the image recognition tools to identify books on a store shelf while providing reviews and ratings from the internet.

Prepare to be amazed: