Apple boots Alex Jones and Infowars out of the App Store
Having already removed its podcasts from iTunes, Apple has gone a step further and kicked Infowars out of the App Store.
The app -- which provided access to Infowars articles as well as livestreams of Alex Jones shows rants -- has been permanently removed from the App Store for violations of Apple's rule. The move by the iPhone-maker is just the latest in a string of setbacks for Jones who has already fallen foul of Spotify, YouTube, Facebook and Twitter's policies.
Mac app Adware Doctor caught stealing users' browsing histories
A highly popular anti-adware tool in the Mac App Store "surreptitiously steals your browsing history", alleges a security researcher. "All your data are belong to China!", as he puts it.
Patrick Wardle conducted research into Adware Doctor -- one of the most popular paid-for apps in the App Store -- after concerns were raised by another security researcher. His research "uncovered blatant violations of user privacy and complete disregard of Apple's App Store Guidelines", including the theft and sharing of browsing history with a Chinese server.
Apple is developing an online tool for police to request data
Apple is looking to make it easier for law enforcement agencies to request user data and is working on an online tool to help facilitate this.
A letter seen by Reuters shows that Apple is not only developing a data request tool, but also planning to train police about the data that it can and cannot provide. A new online system will make it easier and quicker to track data requests, and would be far more efficient than the current method of communication -- email.
EU green-lights Apple's purchase of Shazam
It's now ten months since Apple announced its plans to buy music-recognition firm Shazam, and a little under half a year since the European Commission started an investigation into the purchase because of concerns about competition.
EU competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager today announced that the commission will not stand in the way of the deal.
Apple offers free logic board repairs after defects are found in some iPhone 8 handsets
Although it has been revealed that the iPhone 6 is Apple's most problematic handset, the company has just announced a replacement program for iPhone 8 owners after discovering a logic board issue with "a very small percentage of [...] devices".
Apple says that the problem can result in unexpected restarts, freezes and an inability to turn on a phone. Affected devices were sold between late 2017 and early 2018, and anyone who has one can take advantage of a free repair.
Google's Two Pixel Problems
Like unwanted mushrooms popping up after rain, Pixel 3/XL rumors are everywhere. Google gets gravy from all the free fan- and blog-post hype. Am I imagining, or is there even more buzz than for the next iPhone(s), which presumably comes soon (Apple sent out invites yesterday for a September 12 product event).
Buzz is the measure of interest—and while iPhone has commanding market share, Pixel's mindshare is formidable. Someone tell me: Is Google's new device really going to be that good? The leaked photos aren't that inspiring with respect to design (little is different). Or perhaps expectations about iPhone X (and its companions) are low—and maybe for good reason.
Leaked! Photos show iPhone XS and Apple Watch 4 ahead of September launch
Apple has confirmed that it is to hold an event (with the tag line "gather round") on September 12 at the Steve Jobs Theater, but this news has been rather overshadowed by a leak which shows off the yet-to-be-announced iPhone XS and the Apple Watch 4 that are likely to be revealed there.
One leaked photo shows off two phones, believed to be the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Plus (5.8-inch and 6.5-inch handsets respectively). Another leak shows the Apple Watch Series 4 complete with a larger, near-bezel-free display.
Report: Apple to launch three iPhones later this year
Following the success of the iPhone X, the tech world is waiting to see what Apple has up its sleeve next -- and with new devices expected to be announced mid-September, we shouldn't have to wait too long to find out. Now a new report suggests that next month we'll see not just one or two new iPhones... but three.
Citing "people familiar with the matter", Bloomberg says that Apple is set to launch no fewer than three handsets with the full-screen look of the current iPhone X. The trio of phones has been designed to have broader appeal with a wider range of pricing, sources say.
Apple replaced my butterfly keyboard
Yesterday, the local Apple Store emailed that my wife's former 13.3-inch MacBook Pro with Touch Bar was ready. We picked up the laptop hours later. If you haven't heard about specks of debris causing MBP keyboard failure, I can confirm from our experience that such problem occurs. In mid-June 2018, Apple initiated a free repair program, which we used last week with surprisingly positive results.
I purchased the custom-configured MBP in mid-November 2016, and right out of the box the spacebar occasionally skipped. The malfunctioning worsened over time, and, coincidentally (or not), reached crisis a few days after Apple admitted to problems with the Butterfly keyboard. The spacebar became stiff to touch, requiring considerable pressure to push, sometimes working but more often not.
Apple celebrates America's National Parks
People continue to be obsessed with technology and devices, and that is fine. But you know what? It is important to remember "Mother Nature" too. We only have one Earth, and the ability to relocate humanity to other planets or moons is very far off. In other words, it is important that we protect the environment, such as maintaining the extremely important National Parks.
Today, Apple announces that it is celebrating America's National Parks through two new initiatives. The iPhone-maker is leveraging both Apple Pay and Apple Watch to get its users involved with our beautiful National Parks. In addition, the Apple App Store will feature National park-related apps,
Facebook VPN Onavo Protect disappears from App Store for violating Apple's data collection and privacy rules
Facebook bought Onavo and its VPN tool back in 2013, and ever since there have been concerns about how the social network uses the tool to gather data -- even when it is disabled.
Now Apple -- itself not a stranger to allegations of privacy violations -- has taken objections to the way Facebook sucks up data from its users through the Ovano Protect VPN app. The iPhone-maker warned Facebook that it was violating its rules on data collection and suggested that the company might want to voluntarily pull the app before it was forcibly removed from the App Store.
Two months later, switching to Google from Apple
Doubt disturbed my commitment to give up the Apple Way for the Google lifestyle two months ago. Preparing to pack up my wife's 64GB white iPhone X, I was taken aback by how pretty it was. She kept the thing in a case, which protected from damage but also obscured beauty. For fleeting seconds, I wondered why switch. Product design that generates joy is another benefit—and one transcending any, and every, feature.
But the moment passed, and I boxed up her smartphone along with my 256GB black iPhone X. Google gave great trade-in values, which dispatched the hassle of reselling the devices on Craigslist. Eight weeks later, writing this post on Pixelbook, I don't regret the decision. Confession: The transition isn't quite complete, but we're getting there.
Macally releases 'XKEYLED' full-size USB wired backlit keyboard for Apple Mac
When you own a Mac, there aren't many keyboards from which to choose. True, any USB or Bluetooth keyboard should work, but most are designed for Windows -- they are not labeled for macOS keys such as "function" and "command."
Apple's own keyboards are excellent, but not everyone likes the style. Not to mention, they are wildly expensive. Hilariously, Apple even charges a premium for the black models. Seriously, the company makes you pay more because of the color. Thankfully, there are some third parties that make quality Mac accessories that are more affordable. One such company, Macally, today announces a no-nonsense USB membrane keyboard designed for macOS. Called "XKEYLED," it features backlit keys for typing in the dark.
Privacy: Apple denies listening in on iPhone conversations and sharing recorded audio with third parties
In response to questions from Congress, Apple has written a letter in which it denies recording iPhone users' phone calls. The letter stresses Apple's stance on privacy after the House Committee on Energy and Commerce asked both Tim Cook and Alphabet's Larry Page about their respective companies' attitude to the privacy of user data.
Apple says very firmly that its business model "does not depend on collecting vast amounts of personally identifiable information to enrich targeted profiles marketed to advertisers". The letter also adds that Apple "doesn't provide third-party app developers with access to Siri utterances".
Apple kicks Alex Jones and Infowars podcasts from iTunes
Alex Jones -- conspiracy theorist extraordinaire and founder of right-wing media platform Infowars -- has fallen foul of a number of companies' policies recently, and Apple is the latest to take exception to his output.
YouTube started things off recently by removing some of his videos, and he was then suspended from Facebook for a month. Spotify decided that Jones' podcasts were "hate content" and removed several from its platform. Now Apple has done much the same, removing Jones' own podcasts from iTunes as well as those of Infowars.
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