Apple Once Again Ranks as World’s Most Valuable Brand::

While it’s hardly news at this point, as Apple has been named the world’s most valuable brand many times over by a variety of different agencies, Apple has managed to nab the title once again, this time backed by research from Forbes, Thomson Reuters Fundamentals, and FactSet Research System.

From the report:

Apple has set the bar incredibly high over the past decade. The expectations have some fans grumbling about the lack of transformational products during recent launches. The company has largely upgraded existing product lines instead of releasing anything as revolutionary as its last huge category changer in 2010, the iPad. Speculation swirls about whether the Cupertino, Calif.-based company has peaked, with well-funded competitors like Samsung and Google also challenging Apple. Wall Street seems to think so — Apple’s stock plummeted 45% from its September 2012 high before partially recovering in the past six months.

But Forbes’ study of the top brands illustrates that the Apple name is as strong as ever. Apple is the most valuable brand in the world for a third straight time at $104.3 billion, up 20% over last year. It is worth nearly twice as much as any other brand on the planet by our count.

According to the study, Apple’s brand is valued at an impressive $104.3B, nearly double that of Microsoft, which came in second place with a value of $56.7B. Rounding out the top 5 are, in order, Coca-Cola, IBM, and Google, with McDonalds falling at number 6. What makes the matter even more impressive is that Apple has achieved this despite the fact that many don’t believe Apple has released a truly “revolutionary” product since the original iPad.

Congrats Apple! For more information, check out the original report over at Forbes. Details regarding the methodology of the study are also available.

Apple’s New ‘Life on iPad’ Page Highlights Innovative Ways People Use Their iPads

Apple has posted a new page on its website showing off the various and unexpected ways iPad users make use of their devices.

The Verge:

The Life on iPad minisite used the similarly named video from the most recent iPad event as its starting point, and then expounds upon it, showing the iPad family used in situations far beyond the typical use cases of reading a book or browsing the web. 

The six stories on the site include Riviera Racing Team driver/owner Mark Post, the Siemens Energy-Wind Service team, speed skater Bridie Farrell, Palmaz Vineyards, Broadway director/choreographer Jeff Whiting, and Dr. Itaru Endo, director of digestive surgery and liver transplantation for Yokohoma City University.

The stories cover how each person or group uses the iPad to enhance their business and personal lives, and the lives of others.

The videos are a fascinating look at the inventive ways iPad users make use of the device and the apps available for it.