In what amounts to a “don’t blame us” statement, Apple appears to be trying to shake off any culpability it might have in this weekend’s massive posting of hundreds of stolen photos of a female celebrities in various states of undress (Again — no, we’re not linking to them). The company is saying there was no data breach on iCloud or Find My iPhone… but only in the sense that not everyone’s photos were stolen. [More]
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Apple & FBI Investigating Mass Leak Of Stolen Nude Celebrity Photos
By 9.2.14
As you undoubtedly read about over the long weekend, numerous female celebrities’ mobile accounts were recently breached, and the extremely revealing results were posted online for all to see (And no, we’re not posting any links here). In addition to the personal embarrassment this invasion might have caused for the people in these images, it’s a black eye for Apple, who has a lot of explaining to do about the security of its iCloud storage. [More]
Apple Will Replace Your Defective iPhone 5 Battery
By 8.25.14
Is your iPhone battery failing, but your device is now out of warranty? We have good news for some owners of that model of iPhone: Apple has announced a repair program for certain iPhones that have a reputation for bad battery life. [More]
Don’t Let Your Kid Buy Laptop Or Tablet At College Store, Unless You’re OK With Paying 35% More
By 8.14.14
When I was in college, a new computer cost about as much as a used car and it often involved a family trip to the mall with parents who tried to haggle over the price tag. But now that you can get a decent laptop or tablet for a few hundred dollars, parents may be tempted to tell their college-enrolled kids to just pick one up through the school’s store. That could be a costly mistake. [More]
Done Deal: Apple Buys Beats For $3B, Fires 200 People
By 8.1.14
And then two become one. Apple completed its $3 billion acquisition of Beats Music and Beats Electronics Friday. But about 200 Beats employees are missing out on the celebration, you know, since their jobs are no longer viable. [More]
Apple Downplays Reports Of Back Doors To iPhones; Security Expert Says Company Is Being Misleading
By 7.23.14
Late last week, forensic scientist Jonathan Zdziarski announced at a conference that Apple iPhones have back doors, undocumented functions that could allow unauthorized users to wirelessly connect and swipe data from the devices. Apple has since responded with a statement intended to downplay the issue, but Zdziarski insists that the computer company is not being honest with consumers. [More]
Apple May Refund $400 Million To E-Book Customers (Or Maybe Nothing At All)
By 7.16.14
A year after a federal court ruled against Apple in the e-book price-fixing lawsuit brought by the Justice Dept., court documents reveal the terms of a second settlement that would close the books on state and civil claims tied to the price-fixing issue. But since the deal is contingent on Apple’s pending appeal of the DOJ case, the company could pay out as much as $400 million in refunds or as little as zilch. [More]
Amazon Sued By Feds Over In-App Purchases
By 7.10.14
Last week, Amazon made it clear to the Federal Trade Commission that it wasn’t going to fork over a ton of cash to close an investigation into the e-tailer’s in-app purchase policy. And today the FTC made it clear that it intends to pursue its complaint against Amazon, suing the company in federal court. [More]
Amazon Willing To Pick Fight With Feds On In-App Purchases
By 7.2.14
Earlier this year, Apple agreed to refund $32.5 million to customers of its App Store in order to settle charges from the Federal Trade Commission that the computer company did little to protect users from inadvertent in-app purchases. The FTC is looking to reach a similar deal with Amazon over its app store, but the online giant has said the government will probably have to make its case in court. [More]
Walmart Chops Prices For iPhone 5c, 5s (With A 2-Year Contract)
By 6.27.14
In a move that could signal a purge of old inventory before Apple introduces its new iPhone, Walmart has cut its prices on the iPhone 5s and 5c — with a two-year contract, only in stores. The 5S now goes for $99, down from $429, while the 5c costs $29, a drop from its previous price of $49. [via CNNMoney] [More]
San Francisco Sends Cease-And-Desist Letter To App That Auctions Off Public Parking Spaces
By 6.23.14
Selling off the parking spot you’re about to vacate sounds like a win-win — you get some money and someone else gets a place to put a car. Oh but the thing is? It’s probably not legal if that’s a public spot, like in San Francisco, where the city attorney has warned a mobile app that it can’t help people auction off such spots. [More]
Microsoft, Google To Introduce “Kill-Switch” Function As Report Shows The Deterrent Cuts Thefts
By 6.19.14
Smartphone manufacturers appear to be taking consumers’ and legislators’ demand for anti-theft measures to heart. Just a month after Minnesota became the first state to pass a law requiring manufacturers to create kill switches Microsoft and Google announced that they would introduce the theft deterrent technologies into their products. And that’s a good thing considering a new report highlights just how effective kill switches have been reducing the theft of technology. [More]
Apple Settles E-Book Antitrust Class Action Suit; Terms Not Revealed
By 6.17.14
The saga surrounding Apple’s purported e-book price-fixing collusion ring seems to be entering its final chapter –– but not without keeping things shrouded in mystery for a little while longer. [More]
Apple Will Prevent Businesses From Tracking iPhone Users Via Wifi
By 6.10.14
Remember when Nordstrom began tracking customers’ movements in and out of their stores by using smartphones’ individual Media Access Control (MAC) addresses if those phones tried to connect to in-store wifi, then abruptly stopped when the public found out about it? App developers say that Apple is ending such tracking in the next version of its mobile operating system by randomizing MAC addresses. [More]
It’s Time To Start Treating Video Game Industry Like The $21 Billion Business It Is
By 6.9.14
The majority of video games in the U.S. are purchased and played by adults. The largest titles make money that Hollywood films could only dream of raking in, and the biggest players in the industry run multibillion-dollar multinational operations that employ thousands of people. Yet many consumers still think of gaming as a kid’s thing that doesn’t merit serious consideration or scrutiny. In an age where our culture recognizes previously sniffed-about industries like professional sports as much more than child’s play, it’s time to get over that same hump about video games. [More]
Apple Buys Beats Electronics And Music For $3 Billion In Its Largest Acquisition Yet
By 5.29.14
Listen up, music fans. If you use Beats headphones or listen to Beats streaming music service, there’s a new company in charge of servicing your ears: Apple has confirmed that it’s buying Beats Electronics LLC for $3 billion, which includes both the streaming-music service as well as its headphones business. [More]
Apple: “Oleg Pliss” Ransom Demand Not Because We Were Breached
By 5.28.14
According to Apple, their iCloud suite of services has not been breached, and that the “Oleg Pliss” ransom demand that affected some iPhone and iPad owners did not happen because iCloud as a whole has been breached. Maybe, Apple suggested indirectly, this is all users’ fault for using the same darn passwords for everything. [More]
Case Of The Missing Text Messages: Apple Claims To Have Fixed iMessage Server Glitch
By 5.22.14
Apple says consumers who recently switched from iPhones to Android devices should soon be able to rest easier, after it claims to have fixed one issue that left some people unable to receive text messages from iPhone users. [More]
