linkman

The original article doesn't state it, but I think this is how it was done a little more specifically: one member would chew through the cable until the alarm sounded. Once that happened he/she would quickly walk away and discreetly hand off the iPhone to another and it would pass through two or more gang members and that makes it very difficult to determine who has the stolen item. A similar method is often used by pickpockets and other shoplifters.

The cables used at Apple stores in the USA aren't armored but are alarmed -- this is probably the case everywhere. Armored cables are too heavy and thick and still have a very weak point -- where they are attached to the iPhone by a small bit of adhesive. Why they would chew instead of using a tiny set of clippers is probably to reduce the evidence trail since the culprit isn't caught with a tool and instead caught with a set of teeth which nearly everyone has.

The street value of iPhones stolen from an Apple store are pretty low. They can't be used as a valid phone and are only good for a few parts (screen, case, battery, etc.). The criminals selling them can only get a reasonable resale value by conning a buyer into thinking it's somewhat usable.

Last year Evernote changed their policy to allow only two Basic (free tier) devices per account. They also bumped their price structure to a much less competitive scheme. A 40% price increase? Ouch.

AppleInsider said:

"Our Mobile Share Advantage plans and our AT&T Unlimited Plan provide several benefits that our legacy unlimited plan doesn't. If you have a legacy unlimited data plan, you can keep it; however, beginning in March 2017, it will increase by $5 per month," AT&T said.

AT&T's Mobile Share Advantage at the 1GB/month rate (their lowest tier) costs $30/month plus $20 monthly "access charge" if you use "Smartphones, Basic & Messaging Phones" (WTF phone isn't one of these phones?) and it’s a $40 monthly access charge if you are on a 2 year agreement. The 100GB/month tier is $450/month + access charge.

Apparently the several benefits are mostly to AT&T in terms of reduced data and higher prices.

gatorguy said:

Not a single one of them needs the money, nor could ever in their entire lifetimes spend the money they have already been paid in past years.

You obviously haven't met my wife. Pair her up with any of them and that money will be quickly spent. She's about to divorce me because I can't earn money as fast as she spends it.

For those of you saying that CR doesn't have advertising, then how do you explain the image below? If you think this is fabricated, then go to the web site yourself and click on ad choices at that bottom.