Amazon to cease sale of Apple TV and Chromecast
As of 29 October, shoppers will no longer be able to buy Apple TV or Chromecast devices from Amazon. Citing compatibility issues with Prime Video, Amazon emailed marketplace sellers to inform them it is not accepting new listings for the two media devices, and any existing listings will be removed at the end of October.
The move indicates not only the importance Amazon places on its streaming Prime Video service, but also that it views Apple and Google as serious rivals. The two companies have yet to respond to the news, but it is unlikely to be well-received.
Microsoft and Google drop patent battles and agree to work together
These days, patent lawsuits are ten a penny and big players like Google, Apple, and Microsoft are frequently involved in litigation. Out of the blue, Microsoft and Google have announced that they are burying the hatchet and will no longer pursue patent issues between themselves in the courtroom.
But more than just kissing and making up, the two companies have announced that they will "collaborate on certain patent matters". Quite what this means moving forward remains to be seen, but it could mean that there are some interesting joint ventures on the horizon.
Apple rushes out iOS 9.0.2 -- fixes crippling mobile data bug and other issues
After updating my iPhone 5s to iOS 9 and then using the backup to set up my new iPhone 6s I encountered an annoying bug that prevented certain apps from being able to use mobile data. The bug was so crippling that it (temporarily at least) had me regretting my recent purchase. You can read the full story here.
I wasn’t alone in suffering from this bug and Apple promised frustrated users that a fix was on its way. Well, today that fix arrives. And that’s not the only iOS 9 issue it addresses.
OS X Gatekeeper rendered useless by new malware exploit
On the day that Apple releases El Capitan details of an exploit that makes it possible to bypass the Gatekeeper feature of OS X have emerged. Designed to combat various forms of malware, the security feature can be bypassed using a simple trick involving the use of a signed binary.
Even when Gatekeeper is configured to use its highest level of protection, the ease with which the fortifications can be slipped through is staggering. Using a file that has already been deemed trustworthy by Apple, it is possible to trick OS X into executing a malicious file stored in the same folder as the signed one. No patch is yet available, and it is believed the problem affects all versions of OS X.
Disable Wi-Fi Assist in iOS 9 to reduce data usage and cut your bill
We all demand to be connected at all times; losing connection to the internet is like losing a limb for some people. With this in mind, handset manufacturers have taken it upon themselves to introduce technologies that ensure as stable a connection as possible, switching between Wi-Fi and cellular as and when necessary.
It's something that can be found in iOS 9, but many people who have made the upgrade to the latest version of the operating system, or have just taken delivery of a new iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus, have been taken by surprise by it. The reason? iOS 9 has a feature called Wi-Fi Assist which will automatically switch to a cellular connection when Wi-Fi signal is weak, and it has led to a massive increase in data usage for some people. The solution to hefty data bills? Disable the feature.
iPhone supertest: All 12 of Apple's iPhones go head to head, but which one wins?
Unless you’re a hard-core Apple fan, or simply must have the latest and greatest iPhone at all times, there’s no need to jump on every new mobile device Apple releases. I switched from the iPhone 5s to the 6s this year, and found the difference between models to more than justify the upgrade.
If you’ve ever wondered how the different generations of iPhone compare when it comes to things like start up speed, performance, web page loading, camera quality, and more, a new experiment has the answer. And before you shout out that the iPhone 6s Plus is going to be the clear winner, here’s a spoiler: it isn’t.
Such desperation, Apple
Look what email greeted when I rolled out of bed and in front of the computer this AM (Pacific Time). Apple Music wants my business. That's not happening. After signing up for the three-month trial, which ends September 30, I returned to using Chromebook Pixel LS and Nexus 6. The streaming service supports neither device, so, yes, I turned off autorenewal.
This brief post is a reminder to you to do likewise, if having signed up you're not planning to keep the service. Apple Music turns on autorenew by default, so if you want out, don't wait. Opt out now. On the other hand, if you enjoy the service, do nothing and listen. You're covered.
Apple publishes praiseworthy, plain-speaking privacy policies
Perhaps inspired by the backlash Microsoft has faced over privacy concerns in Windows 10, Apple has published its own privacy policies on a new page that's designed to be easy to read. Written in plain English, the site sets out Apple's position regarding privacy in OS X and iOS. As well as touting the steps to which the company goes to protect its customers' privacy, Apple also uses the documents to trumpet numerous security features.
This is Apple riding the waves of interest concerning privacy, using it as an opportunity to get one over the likes of Microsoft and Google. There are promises of "telling you up front exactly what’s going to happen to your personal information and asking for your permission" as well as the offer that "if you change your mind later, we make it easy to stop sharing with us". Sounds great in theory, but does it stand up to scrutiny?
Accept Apple Pay and Android Pay with the new PayPal Chip Card Reader
PayPal Here users will be able to use the new PayPal Chip Card Reader to accept payments via Apple Pay and Android Pay, in addition to the more familiar credit and debit card options. The new reader launches in the US on 30 September, before spreading to the UK and Australia further down the line.
The updated card reader features a display to guide users through the process of making a payment, but it is the addition of contactless payment that is the key new feature. The PayPal Chip Card Reader has a price tag of $149, but some people will be able to get hold of it for $49.
You can have Apple Watch, I'll take Huawei Watch
If you are thinking about buying a new iPhone to get Apple Watch, reconsider. Hard. There's a new Android Wear timepiece that is just as stylish, if not more, but costs much less. If Huawei Watch isn't the Apple Watch killer, it foreshadows what could be.
For the comparison today, my quick review focuses on the two smartwatches that I purchased, with which materials and attractive designs are most similar (other than their shapes—squairsh vs circular). To reiterate: I paid for both devices. Neither manufacturer sent a loaner for review. The one came from Apple Store and the other from Amazon.
Stupid iOS 9 bug makes me regret buying an iPhone 6s [Updated]
The iPhone 6s is a great phone. Mine arrived on Friday and I’ll be reviewing it in the next couple of days or so. It has some very welcome improvements over my previous Apple phone -- the iPhone 5s -- and 3D Touch has the potential to be a real game changer.
However, my enjoyment of the new phone has been tainted thanks to an incredibly annoying bug that makes the iPhone 6s next to useless when out and about. In fact, when I went out for the day yesterday, I was forced to leave the shiny new iPhone 6s at home and take my aging Android phone with me instead.
Is Android a dangerous monopoly?
I can't confirm Bloomberg's report that the the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department allegedly are beginning a joint investigation into Google's Android licensing agreements. But I can explain what it means. Striping to the bones, from an antitrust perspective, there are two pivot points: Monopoly position and exclusive contracts. Then there is the broader regulatory agenda: Correcting (or preventing future) consumer harm.
Globally, Android is unquestionably a monopoly in the market for smartphones. However, its dominance in the United States is comparably muted by competition from iPhone. Based on smartphone subscribers, Android's share was 51.4 percent for the three months ending July 31, 2015, according to comScore. iOS ranked second with 44.2 percent. By cell phone manufacturer, Apple leads the market, with the same share, followed by Samsung (27.3 percent). Android is leading but declining—down 0.8 points, while iOS is up 1.1 points, from April to July.
Watch the first 4K movie shot entirely on the Apple iPhone 6s Plus
Among the new features added to Apple’s new iPhone 6s is 4K (3840 x 2160) video recording at 30fps. The super-sized iPhone 6 Plus adds optical image stabilization to the mix -- sadly missing from the smaller 6s -- which makes it a potentially great device to film high quality movies on (even if you aren’t able to watch them back in 4K on either your phone or the new Apple TV).
To show off the new phone’s potential as a film making tool, Apple approached RYOT Films and asked them to shoot a short movie in 4K entirely on the iPhone 6s Plus, and the finished result is now available to watch for free on YouTube.
Apple admits iCloud problem has killed iOS 9 'app slicing'
One of the key features of iOS 9 -- and one of the reasons 16GB iPhones were not killed -- is app slicing. This innocuous-sounding feature reduces the amount of space apps take up on iPhones and iPads... or at least it does when it is working.
At the moment Apple has a problem with iCloud which is preventing app slicing from working correctly. The feature works by only downloading the components of an app that are needed to perform specific tasks on a particular device, but at the moment regular, universal apps are delivered by default.
Don’t look now, but that iPhone-toting intern is eyeing your corner office!
You see them in the elevator with their shiny white earbuds. You hear them gabbing by the espresso cart while thumbing through their Instagram feeds. They’re the new crop of iPhone-toting corporate interns, and they’re out to take your job!
Not right away, of course. But eventually, somewhere down the line, when you’ve checked-in your last MDM code update and handed over your server room key card, they’ll be there. Watching. Waiting for their turn to "run the IT show". And if the author of a recently published article on the future of OS technology is to be believed, those interns will be dancing on the grave of the legacy Windows and Linux systems they just ripped and replaced with -- you guessed it -- Apple iOS.
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