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With 190 products certified, Matter smart-home standard looks ahead

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About 190 products are certified for the Matter standard (or soon will be after testing).
About 190 products are certified for the Matter standard (or soon will be after testing).
Photo: CSA

The Connectivity Standards Alliance (CSA) showcased companies and products using the newly available Matter home-automation standard at a launch event in Amsterdam Thursday.

The group, which includes Apple, Google and many other companies, emphasized the standard’s building momentum and drew a rough road map of what’s to come.

Jamf makes it easy to manage employees’ Apple devices, both remote and onsite

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Jamf excels at Apple enterprise management.
Jamf excels at Apple Enterprise Management.
Photo: Jamf

This Apple Enterprise Management post is presented by Jamf.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic changed how employers and employees operate, remote work had become increasingly prevalent. By 2016, 43% of the U.S. workforce worked from home at least to some extent, according to Gallup. The pandemic added millions more and might tilt the balance toward remote work permanently.

So, now more than ever, organizations large and small must figure out how to manage, connect and secure all devices their staff members use, in workplaces and remotely. For enterprises that prefer to have iPhones, Macs and iPads in the mix, effective Apple Enterprise Management is crucial.

iOS 13 could make upgrading from an old iPhone much faster

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iOS-13-wired-data-transfer
Yes, that’s two iPhones connected via a cable.
Photo: Apple

You may soon be able to transfer photos, videos, contacts, and more from an old iPhone to a new one using a cable.

The latest iOS 13 beta hints at the ability to connect two iOS devices for wired data transfer. The move could significantly speed up the upgrade process, which currently relies on wireless connectivity.

But it’s not exactly clear how you’ll be able to marry two iPhones with a cable.

2018 Mac mini review roundup: Pricey but impressively powerful

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Apple Mac mini 2018
Apple packed a lot of power inside the new Mac mini's space gray case.
Photo: Apple

The Mac mini is back! It’s no longer the ultra-affordable entry to macOS it once was. But it’s still the cheapest Apple computer you can buy — and there’s a good reason for the price hike.

This year’s upgrade (the first since 2014) makes it the fastest and most impressive Mac mini yet. Intel’s latest chips, coupled with faster RAM, ample storage options and all the ports you need are squeezed inside its tiny shell.

Here’s what the reviewers are saying so far.

Sketchy report claims 2018 iPhones won’t use Lightning port

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iPhone Lightning connector
New regulations could force Apple to ditch Lightning cables in Europe.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

This year’s iPhone lineup will come without a Lightning connector, according to a sketchy new report out of Asia.

Apple is expected to use an alternate method of charging and syncing that will please a lot of iPhone users. However, it could mean that all your existing iPhone accessories will no longer be compatible.

How to fix iPhone 7 Bluetooth problems

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iPhone 7
It can be easy to solve Bluetooth issues on your iPhone.
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

There are few things to complain about with iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, but Bluetooth connectivity could be one of them.

Lots of customers have reported Bluetooth problems since upgrading to one of Apple’s latest handsets. Recent iOS 10 updates were supposed to bring a fix, but they don’t appear to have eliminated the issues for everyone. Here are three ways you can try to fix Bluetooth yourself.

iPhone 7 won’t play nicely with Android Wear watches

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how-to-connect-a-moto-360-to-your-iphone-image-cultofandroidcomwp-contentuploads201505iPhone-Moto-360-Android-Wear-jpg
Android Wear fans should avoid iPhone 7 for now.
Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Mac

If you decided to pick up an Android Wear device instead of Apple Watch, you may have trouble using it with iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.

Those who have upgraded to one of Apple’s latest smartphones have found they just don’t play nicely with Google’s wearable platform, despite the fact that their predecessors have no trouble connecting after being upgraded to the same iOS 10 software.