Court approves Apple’s $50 million settlement over MacBook ‘butterfly’ keyboard
A court has granted preliminary approval to a $50 million settlement concluding the MacBook "butterfly" keyboard class-action lawsuit… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Read more »

9to5Mac Daily: November 29, 2022 – Apple vs Elon Musk, Apple Music Replay
Listen to a recap of the top stories of the day from 9to5Mac. 9to5Mac Daily is available on iTunes and Apple’s Podcasts app, Stitcher, TuneIn, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed for Overcast and other podcast players. Sponsored by Chargeasap: The world’s first and smallest 270W USB-C GaN Charger–   Chargeasap Zeus– is available now with early bird pricing for a limited time. more… The post appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Read more »

Why walking the streets of NYC with 300 iPhones is a bad idea
A man was robbed of 300 iPhones he’d just purchased at the famous Apple store on Fifth Avenue early Monday. He walked out of the store and was soon assaulted by a pair of criminals who drove off with a bag carrying $95,000 worth of handsets. It could be worse, though – that was just […] (via Cult of Mac - Tech and culture through an Apple lens)

Read more »

UAG launches MagSafe-compatible Lucent Power Battery with Kickstand for iPhone
Urban Armor Gear (UAG) is out with its newest iPhone accessory. The Lucent Power Battery with Kickstand is a MagSafe-compatible power source with a useful kickstand neatly integrated into its clean design. more… The post appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Read more »

Get a refurbished iPad Air for just $150
Whether you want a tablet to multitask on a second screen, to stream videos or to give to a younger family member, shopping refurbished is a great way to get one without shelling out for the notorious Apple tax. For instance, right now, you can purchase a refurbished 2013 iPad Air in space gray for […] (via Cult of Mac - Tech and culture through an Apple lens)

Read more »

Eufy cameras upload content to the cloud without owners knowledge
A security researcher has discovered that Anker's Eufy security cameras send user images and information to the cloud without the owners' consent — even if the user doesn't pay for a cloud subscription.Security consultant Paul Moore discovered that his Eufy Doorbell Dual was uploading data to the cloud, despite the fact he'd disabled cloud functionality. Moore uploaded a short video to YouTube to highlight what he'd found. Read more...

Read more »

Apple Unveils New Retail Store Arriving to American Dream Mall in New Jersey
Apple has announced that the American Dream mall in New Jersey will be the home of a new retail store for the tech giant. While there are currently no images of the new store, reports indicate that it will likely feature the same design as recent Apple Stores. The store will officially open Dec. 3. Apple Announces New Retail Store at American Dream Mall in New Jersey Spotted by Michael Steeber and MacRumors, Apple has unveiled a website for a new retail center opening within the American Dream mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Apple’s website promises that the new Apple Store will feature many of the same elements as other Apple Stores. This means classics such as in-store pick-up, shopping by appointment, Genius Bar appointments and Today at Apple sessions will all be available. Concerning the location itself, the American Dream mall is the second largest mall in America, rivaled only by the Mall of America in Minnesota. Furthermore, the American Dream mall not only includes a multitude of shopping options and dining experiences, but also provides several attractions, including the Nickelodeon Universe Theme Park (the largest in-door theme park within the western hemisphere), a Mirror Maze, an NHL-regulation-sized skating rink and more. New Jersey and 'Blue Laws' Interestingly, 9to5Mac notes that county laws within New Jersey prevent certain areas from allowing retail stores to open on Sundays. This includes Bergen County, where the American Dream mall is located. Interestingly, the “blue laws” within New Jersey date back to the 1600s, and it was only as recent as the 1950s that counties within New Jersey could develop their own laws concerning Sunday shopping. Additionally, noting this on their website, the American Dream mall states that Bergen County recognizes blue laws, so certain retail stores must close on Sundays, including the new Apple Store. Concerning the new Apple Store, the company is already kicking-off its opening with a series of Today At Apple sessions. Starting the week after the Dec. 3 opening, sessions include a Coding Lab For Kids that offers to teach children how to code their first app, as well as sessions for helping folks get started with either their iPhone or iPad. Last Week, Cupertino also announced the grand-opening of the Apple Pacific Centre in Vancouver to much fan-fare. Also, you can find the new "Apple American Dream" retail store website here. Are you looking forward to the new Apple Store inside the American Dream mall? Let us know in the comments.

Read more »

Chrome for iOS now lets you quickly open links from other apps in Incognito
Google has added a nifty feature to Chrome for iOS that gives you the option to quickly open external links from other apps using Incognito. It’s especially useful on shared devices. more… The post appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Read more »

Apple Pay to Launch in South Korea November 30
Some have been eagerly waiting for Apple Pay to launch in South Korea. According to an ad beginning to circulate in the Samsung-dominated country, that wait could be over soon. It’s looking like Apple Pay will launch in South Korea tomorrow, Nov. 30. Ad Banner Hints at Imminent Launch of Apple Pay in South Korea On Monday, Twitter user @Tommyboiiiiii posted a photograph of an advertisement for Hyundai Card and Apple Pay. The image appears to be taken inside a taxi, and shows a thin banner ad for the new (to South Koreans, anyways) payment option. Apple Pay. South Korea. Confirmed. pic.twitter.com/jnDSSpLHcv — Tommy Boi (@Tommyboiiiiii) November 29, 2022 The advertisement includes the date November 30, along with logos for both Apple Pay and Hyundai Card. Hyundai Card, a division of Hyundai Auto Group, is a local credit card firm in South Korea. It has an exclusive one-year contract with the iPhone maker to deliver Apple Pay to consumers in South Korea. If this isn’t a mistake on someone’s part, the ad shows Apple Pay will go live in South Korea sometime Wednesday. Other hints at the launch nearing didn’t offer any exact timing. Even when it does go live, Apple Pay’s usability within South Korea could be rather muted. Limited Technological Infrastructure Could Hamper the Launch Apple Pay is already active in China, Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong. The Apple-branded digital wallet also recently went live in Malaysia. South Korea has been more of a struggle, though, because most local retailers use a different technology. While Apple Pay depends on the NFC capability built into iPhone and Apple Watch, local retailers there rely upon magnetic secure transmission technology. This allows smartphones to emit a signal mimicking the magnetic stripe on a physical payment card. To help facilitate the new availability of Apple Pay, The Korea Herald reports that Hyundai Card “partnered with local network firms and payment terminal manufacturers to jointly develop the NFC payment system.” Retailers already equipped with NFC terminals should be able to immediately accept Apple Pay. Those retailers could be limited, though. The report lists E-mart 24, Costco and Starbucks as some of the first local retailers to accept Apple Pay at launch. While larger retailers are looking to replace magnetic secure transmission payment devices with NFC readers for security purposes, that’s liable to take time. Since Samsung is a South Korean company, its own digital wallet is already dominating the market there. However, roughly 30% of smartphone users in South Korea use an iPhone. That alone may help Apple Pay gain traction among consumers, so long as retailers come on board.

Read more »

Audible on iOS gets hands-free listening and more thanks to Alexa voice commands
Audible has updated its iOS app today with a nice addition – Alexa support. That means you can now use voice commands to start listening to a book, ask questions, or get help with anything else Alexa is capable of. more… The post appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Read more »

Instafest turns your Spotify listening data into a custom music festival; here’s how it works
Alongside the launch of Apple Music Replay today, there’s a new third-party website that aims to give Spotify users insight into their listening habits. Dubbed “Instafest,” this service connects to your Spotify account and uses your listening data to curate a custom music festival based on your favorite artists. more… The post appeared first on 9to5Mac.

Read more »

TikTok is still your one-stop shop for total nonsense about Apple
A man claiming to work for Apple prior to 2010 is sharing what he calls the "dirty secrets" about the company — but as you'd expect it is just conspiratorial nonsense. Here's why, and why we know.iPhone System Storage isn't planned obsolescenceOne TikTok video shared by user @nabeel_co got 2.8 million views and counting, claiming that Apple used "System Data" storage on iPhone as a planned obsolescence tactic. This has no basis in reality. Read more...

Read more »

Apple shares fall after analyst warns China COVID protests could drop iPhone shipments by 20%
After TFI Asset Management analyst Ming-Chi Kuo on Tuesday slashed his iPhone shipment estimates citing protests in China, Apple shares … The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Read more »

Apple Music Delivers New Replay Experience Featuring Highlight Reels and More
Today, Apple has announced a newly redesigned Replay experience for Apple Music subscribers. The new Replay experience features a new highlight reel along with more in-depth insights to a user’s Apple Music listening experience. Apple Music Unveils New Replay Experience for Listeners The newly redesigned Replay experience is now available for Apple Music subscribers starting today. In addition to a new highlight reel, users are also able to use Replay to find out their top songs, albums, artists, genres and more. Those that really love a band are also able to discover whether or not they are one of the top 100 listeners of any specific artist or genre. This means once and for all we can truly discover just who is the ultimate Oingo Boingo fan. Additionally, users are also able to share their stats across messaging and social media, though, as many have pointed out, there is still no support for a certain “Instafest” feature that is currently making the rounds for Spotify users. Apple Music users are able to check-in on Replay until the end of the year to see how their tastes may change. Available through replay.music.apple.com, users simply need to login with the Apple ID that they use with Apple Music. Changing the Social Media Game As noted by others, including iMore and 9to5Mac, the new experience is a great step-up from the Replay experience in the past, but there are still some notable issues. As mentioned, the popular Instafest web-app available for Spotify users is causing some Apple Music users to feel alienated. There are also issues with the Apple Music app only showing certain playlists, meaning users have to go to their web-browser for more detailed information. However, while the new feature for Spotify is certainly making waves on social media, TechBriefly has spotted the website FestivalPosterGenerator that allows users to generate their own festival lineups. While it requires users inputting their selection of bands manually, it can be a fun alternative, especially for the creative-type. The website does also provide users with more customization options, including the ability to change font colors, dates and more. The new Replay experience for Apple Music is available now at replay.music.apple.com. What do you think about the new Replay experience for Apple Music? Let us know in the comments.

Read more »

Man robbed of $95,000 worth of iPhones outside Fifth Avenue Apple Store
A man carrying 300 iPhone was robbed and assaulted near the Apple Store on Manhattan's Fifth Avenue, losing $95,000 worth of merchandise.Robbery outside an Apple StoreAccording to the New York Police Department, the attack occurred early Monday morning. The 27-year-old victim was targeted shortly after leaving the Apple Store with his goods. Read more...

Read more »

Sleek new 7-in-1 USB-C dock offers dual 4K HDMI ports
Plugable’s new USB-C dock is small enough to be mistaken a hub but has room for seven ports. And that includes dual 4K HDMI ports that can be used even with Macs that ordinarily support only one external monitor. The USB-C HDMI Docking Station also has USB and Ethernet ports, as well as an SD […] (via Cult of Mac - Tech and culture through an Apple lens)

Read more »

Eufy Says Its Security Camera Footage Is Local-Only, But That’s Not Always True
When it comes to home security cameras, most people prefer their video footage to stay secure. The video should be encrypted and inaccessible to anybody you don’t want to see it. Eufy sells several security cameras with a promise that all the video footage and other data are stored local-only. That’s been proven to be a lie, and Eufy's response does little to allay my worries about the broken promise. Security Researcher Discovers Eufy Local-Only Camera Storage Promise Is Untrue Take, for example, Eufy’s Video Doorbell Duo. According to the product information page, this video doorbell doesn’t store anything in the cloud. Eufy claims “This means that no one has access to your data but you.” According to security researcher Paul Moore, that’s patently false. In a series of tweets beginning Nov. 23, Moore demonstrated video footage from the Doorbell Duo streaming to a cloud service, even though cloud storage was disabled. Not only that, but Moore discovered he could access the stream from the video doorbell remotely, unencrypted and without any authentication. That’s a serious security concern, and is the complete opposite of the level of privacy Eufy claims the product offers. When Moore brought the falsity of Eufy’s local-only data storage promise to the company, it was an opportunity for Eufy to remedy the matter. Instead, support representatives first tried to convince Moore nothing was sent to cloud storage. Next, a Eufy customer service engineer attempted to downplay how serious the breach was. In an email, the representative claimed the resource uploaded to an Amazon Cloud server “will not be able to leak to the public.” Eufy Backpedals, Tries to Mask Its Insecure Product Without Stopping What Makes It Insecure In the First Place In an update, Moore states that Eufy removed one background call that was revealing the stored images on the cloud. However, the footage itself was still there. Furthermore, Moore discovered Eufy had begun encrypting “other calls to make it almost possible to detect.” In other words, rather than trying to fix the security breach and hold to its promises, Eufy has begun trying to hide the problem. Video footage from the Eufy Video Doorbell Duo still gets sent to the cloud. The user, no matter how technically proficient, just has a more difficult time discovering that it’s happening. Replying to Moore’s tweets, multiple users discovered other Eufy products behaving in exactly the same way. One learned the EufyCam 2C and Eufy Homebase also sent footage to the cloud. Using developer tools in a web browser, the user could “find a URL that I can paste into another browser and see an online thumbnail of the last recorded event.” Neither Anker nor Eufy could be reached for comment as of the time of publication. As Moore has initiated legal proceedings against the company, it’s unlikely the company will respond publicly in the near future. I don’t mind saying this only serves to reinforce my insistence on only using HomeKit Secure Video products in my own smart home setup.

Read more »

Governor declares Apple should face Congress if Twitter is pulled
In an appearance on Tuesday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared that if Apple removes Twitter from the App Store it should face antitrust penalties for violating free speech.TwitterThe video posted on Twitter opens with DeSantis (R-FL) mentioning how Apple limited AirDrop in iOS 16.1.1, with the allegation that it was done to restrict protesters in China. He then claimed that Apple is threatening to remove Twitter from the App Store because Elon Musk is bringing back free speech to the platform. Read more...

Read more »

iPhone assembler Foxconn dangles big bonuses to entice workers amid CCP’s ‘Zero COVID’ lockdowns
Apple's main iPhone assembler Foxconn is offering big bonuses to entice workers back to its Zhengzhou, China factory after the CCP… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Read more »

Court approves Apple's $50M settlement to end Butterfly Keyboard lawsuit
A court has given its preliminary approval to a $50 million settlement ending the Butterfly keyboard class-action lawsuit against Apple.Apple's Butterfly keyboard mechanism and membraneOriginally agreed by Apple in July, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California has granted the preliminary approval for a settlement, in the class-action lawsuit concerning the controversial "Butterfly" keyboard mechanism. Read more...

Read more »

Rumor Suggests Sony to Supply Apple with New Image Sensor for iPhone 15 Series
Recent reports indicate that the iPhone 15 may be getting an advanced image sensor in thanks to Sony. According to the report, the new image sensor will help take-in more light while also reducing overexposure and underexposure. The new sensors may also be a part of the continuing segmentation strategy found in the recent iPhone releases. Rumors Suggest Sony Supplying Apple with Image Sensors for iPhone 15 A new report indicates that Sony Group may be supplying Apple with a new camera sensor for the iPhone 15 series. According to a report from Nikkei, the new image sensor developed by Sony Semiconductor Solutions is seeing manufacturing at a plant in Nagasaki, and that Sony plans on eventually shipping them to Apple as well other suppliers. According to the report, the new image sensor tech is capable of doubling the “saturation signal level” within each individual pixel. The new sensors are capable of taking-in more light, while also helping reduce the chances of both over and underexposure. According to Nikkei, this will allow smartphone cameras to “clearly photograph a person’s face even if the subject is standing against a strong backlight". Additionally, this new image sensor is possible in thanks to recent semiconductor architecture. The new architecture is capable of placing photodiodes and transistors within “separate substrate layers, allowing the sensor to add more photodiodes to the dedicated layer”. As mentioned by AppleInsider, this new tech may only be found in the higher-end iPhone 15 models. While not confirmed, this would not be surprising considering that the iPhone 15 lineup will likely continue with a segmentation strategy. Further Rumors from the Mill In terms of the iPhone 15 camera, reports from Kuo suggest that the main camera won’t see an 8P lens. However, there are also rumors circulating that the iPhone 15 Pro Max will feature a periscope lens. According to Kuo, the periscope lens will be a feature across all future iPhone 16 Pro devices. For the iPhone 15, there are also rumors that the entire lineup will feature the new Dynamic Island found in the iPhone 15 Pro series, whereas Mark Gurman predicts that the iPhone 15 is likely to ditch Touch ID. Lastly, a new rumor also suggests that the iPhone 15 may see a titanium chassis. What do you think about this recent rumor? Let us know in the comments.

Read more »

Foxconn Recruitment Efforts, Musk Declares War and a Mélange of Other Apple Tales
The latest recruitment news from iPhone City, Elon Musk takes swipes at Apple, and two tales of retail. Foxconn Zhengzhou Plant Recruiting Folks Who Fled This Fall If you’re having trouble keeping up with goings on at Foxconn’s “iPhone City” plant in Zhengzhou, it’s not just you. Over the weekend came word that Foxconn was paying new recruits the equivalent of US$1,400 to quit and go home. That was after riots caused by discrepancies between what Foxconn promised as a recruitment bonus and when it would be paid. Word was that roughly 20,000 workers — mostly new hires who hadn’t even made it to the production lines yet, took the contract manufacturer up on that offer.  Now, a piece from South China Morning Post (SCMP) says Foxconn is back in a hiring frame of mind, though they’d like to skip the training part, it seems. The piece says the company is trying to coax the thousands of folks who fled the factory throughout October and early November back to the line. According to the report, the Foxconn unit that handles iPhone production is running a “returning geese” recruitment plan. That includes bonuses for returning workers “adding up to 12,000 yuan (US$1,672) if they [come] back and [stay] for two months…”  Musk Goes to War Against Apple on Twitter “Elon Musk Is Weaponizing Twitter Against Apple Now.” That is the headline of a piece from CNET. Twitter’s relatively new owner spent a bit of time on the service Monday, sewing seeds of discontent against the Cupertino-company. In one he said, “Apple has mostly stopped advertising on Twitter. Do they hate free speech in America?” According to CNET, some “prominent Apple bloggers” pointed out that Apple ads actually appeared on Twitter next to Musk’s anti-Apple Tweets.  Musk went on to post that “Apple has also threatened to withhold Twitter from its App Store, but won’t tell us why…” Of course, he responded to positive comments. Some crypto bro atted him, saying: Apple takes a 30% tax from app developers who make over $1 million through the ‌App Store‌ on an annual basis.  Apple's App Store is the equivalent to a 30% tax on the Internet. Musk quote Tweeted that, adding, “Did you know Apple puts a secret 30%  tax on everything you buy through their App Store?” Finally, he Tweeted a meme indicating that he would rather go to war (one assumes with Apple) than pay the App Store’s 30% commission. Having a normal one was our Mr. Musk.  I saw two interesting comments on Musk’s Apple assault. Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives said Apple is “the one company in the world you NEVER want to pick a fight with…” Asked whether Apple needs Twitter, the analyst said, “Apple views Twitter like a piece of bread at the restaurant before you get your meal!” That’s a good comment, but tech journalist Kara Swisher’s was better. She took to Twitter, saying:  Frontloading a fight with @tim_cook with specious nonsense isn’t going to work. Why? For one, he’s not a manic toddler hopped up on Twinkies and weaponry cosplay. Plus, no advertiser[s] like to spend their marketing money in [a] Thunderdome of toxic asininity. I looked it up. “Asininity” is actually a word. Kara Swisher: Play of the day. “Apple didn't immediately respond to a request for comment,” according to CNET. And Twitter… well, it doesn’t seem to have a PR department anymore, so… nothing from them either. Well… nothing that wasn’t Tweeted. AppleTogether Seeks Stories of Union Busting for Possible Lawsuit Dissuading unions may end up being as troublesome for Apple as welcoming them if one group has its way. A report from AppleInsider says the group AppleTogether is seeking reports on alleged union busting, with the intent of mounting a lawsuit.  On Twitter, AppleTogether bills itself as “a global solidarity union made up of workers from all parts of Apple organizing for a say in [their] workplace.” Twitter is also where they put out their call, saying: Are you experiencing union-busting in your Apple store?  Aggressive, anti-union talk during your daily downloads?  Pulled aside and intimidated about organizing? If so, fill out this anonymous survey and let us know.  A class action lawsuit is in the works. That Twitter post also includes a link to a “Google Doc that contains a basic contact form.” Kind of makes one wonder about their use of the word “anonymous,” but — whatever. If you’re looking for more info, AppleTogether is actually on Twitter as @AppleLaborers. You can also visit their website at appletogether.org.  Apple American Dream Opens This Weekend While a certain amount of unrest persists in some Apple Stores, a brand new one is set to open this weekend. MacRumors says the Cupertino-company will throw open the doors this Saturday on a new location in the American Dream shopping mall in East Rutherford, New Jersey. “The store is located around 10 miles outside Midtown Manhattan by car,” according to MacRumors, so — you know — probably only a two-and-a-half-hour drive.  While Apple Stores tend to be the stars of various malls, probably not this one. According to the piece: American Dream is the second-largest shopping mall in the U.S. behind the Mall of America in Minnesota. Opened in 2019, the three-million-square-foot shopping destination has several indoor attractions, including the Nickelodeon Universe amusement park, DreamWorks Water Park, a year-round indoor skiing and snowboarding resort, an NHL-sized ice skating rink, a burger restaurant owned by YouTube star MrBeast, and more. Like it or not, that does sound like the American dream. Apple American Dream opens for the first time this Saturday, Dec. 3 at 11 a.m. Good luck finding it. Oceanic+ for Apple Watch Ultra Now Available If you bought or have considered an Apple Watch Ultra for all of its diving goodness, all the diving goodness has arrived. 9to5Mac says Oceanic+, the scuba diving app highlighted during the Apple Watch Ultra introduction back in September, is now available. According to the piece: Apple Watch Ultra customers can already use Apple’s Depth app to record depth and measure water temperature, but Oceanic+ takes deep dive tracking features even further. The app runs the Bühlmann decompression algorithm and includes dive planning, easy-to-read dive metrics, visual and haptic alerts, no-decompression limit, ascent rate, and safety stop guidance. Now how much would you pay? Well, the app is free — as is the basic plan. 9to5Mac says that includes such common dive functions as depth, time, and logging for most recent dives. Folks who want the fullness can buy a subscription. That’ll run $9.99-per-month. Annual subscriptions will run buyers $79.99. Or buy for the whole family — An annual subscription for up to five people will run $129. Disney CEO Calls Talk of Acquisition by Apple ‘Pure Speculation’ From the “tell us something we don’t know” file, recently returned Disney CEO Bob Iger says talk of Apple buying Disney is “pure speculation.”  Well… yeah.  A piece from AppleInsider says talk of Apple buying Disney has “circulated for over two decades,” though it picked up steam a few weeks ago, then picked up more steam last week. A few weeks ago, entertainment business reporter Joe Bel Bruno said in a series of Twitter posts that folks inside Disney really wanted Apple to buy the company, largely because of dissatisfaction with then Disney CEO Bob Chapek. Last week, Disney surprised the planet by bouncing Chapek and bringing former Disney CEO Bob Iger back to the corner office after nearly three-years out of that position. With Iger’s return, more steam added. Bel Bruno wrote a piece for The Wrap that had unnamed people saying Iger would seek to have Apple buy the “happiest company on Earth.”  That was, of course, speculation — and that is what Iger told Disney peeps this week. “Speaking to cast members during a town hall meeting on Monday,” says AppleInsider, “Iger dismissed the suggestion entirely.” According to the report: During the meeting about the future of Disney itself, Iger was asked about the rumors of a possible Apple purchase. In response, Iger characterized the claims as “pure speculation,” indicating it's not something the company is considering at all. If you don’t mind my two-cents, I never thought that everybody speculating that Apple would buy Disney meant that Apple would buy Disney. That said — I mean Mr. Iger no offense, but his assertion that Apple buying Disney is “pure speculation” doesn’t mean that Apple won’t buy Disney.  We’ve talked about this a bit on The Daily Observations podcast. Listen there (and there and there) if you’d like to hear more.  Apple TV+ Picks Up Four BAFTA Children & Young People Awards Congrats to the kids side of Apple TV+. A piece from AppleInsider says the Cupertino-streamer picked up its first BAFTA Children & Young People Awards over the weekend — four of them, according to the report. They included: El Deafo winning the Content for Change award Wolfwalkers winning in the Feature Film category Lovely Little Farm winning in the Pre-School — Live Action category And Chris O'Dowd picking up a performance award for his work in Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth. Cook and O’Brien Visit Hingham Victims Over Thanksgiving Holiday And finally today, Travelin’ Tim traveled without a lot of fanfare late last week. While many of us were enjoying our long holiday weekend, Apple CEO Tim Cook and the company’s chief of retail and people Deirdre O’Brien headed to the Boston area to meet with folks injured in last week’s Hingham Apple Store incident.  No doubt you remember the story: An SUV drove through the glass facade of the Apple Derby Street location in Hingham, Massachusetts — not far from Boston. That left one person dead and roughly 20 people injured. Now, MacRumors highlights a report from Boston 25 News saying Cook and O’Brien “visited the victims of the crash at the South Shore Hospital,” in Weymouth late last week. “In a statement,” the piece says: …the hospital said it was “grateful that ‌Tim Cook‌ and Deirdre O'Brien from Apple were able to come to South Shore Hospital on Friday to visit with some of the patients who were injured during last week's tragedy at the Apple Store in Hingham.” Hospital president Allen Smith was quoted in the statement saying, “The genuine caring and kindness shown by Tim and his team on this visit did so much to lift the spirits of the patients and our colleagues.”  Today on The Mac Observer’s Daily Observations Podcast What do Elon Musk, Bob Iger, and Tim Cook all have in common? They are all three topics of conversation today on The Mac Observer’s Daily Observations Podcast. TMO Managing Editor Jeff Butts and I talk Captains of Industry on today’s edition. You’re looking for the Daily Observations Podcast from The Mac Observer.

Read more »

Stash your Apple Watch on the go with WaterField’s new Time Travel Case
WaterField Designs’ new Time Travel Case for Apple Watch provides an elegant way to take your smartwatch, its charging puck and up to three bands on the road. Made of full-grain leather, the folding rectangular case comes in four colors, the company said Tuesday. Time Travel Case for Apple Watch One of the coolest things […] (via Cult of Mac - Tech and culture through an Apple lens)

Read more »

Ease the repetitive strain with Kensington’s new trackball mouse
If you’re tethered to a computer all day and start to get agonizing pain from repetitive motions, don’t panic. There are lots of ergonomic devices out there to help, including the brand new Kensington SlimBlade Pro Trackball. It’s like a mouse, but it doesn’t move. You roll the large trackball with your palm and click […] (via Cult of Mac - Tech and culture through an Apple lens)

Read more »

Cyber Week deals: $799 MacBook Air, up to $900 off MacBook Pro, $1,799 Mac Studio, more
Top Apple deals remain in effect after Black Friday and Cyber Monday, with savings of up to $1,700 off and discounts on nearly every Apple product line, plus home electronics, software and even a Sam's Club membership.Save up to $900 on Apple products.Amazon launched its Epic Deals today, while Adorama and B&H all have Cyber Week discounts in event. Shop our hand curated Apple deals below, or jump straight to individual store sales to check out all the discounts. Read more...

Read more »

Today in Apple history: Pixar IPO makes Steve Jobs a billionaire
November 29, 1995: Capitalizing on the success of Toy Story, Pixar floats 6.9 million shares on the stock market. The IPO makes Steve Jobs, who owns upward of 80% of the animation studio, a billionaire. After the windfall, one of the first people Jobs calls is his friend, Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, who’s already a […] (via Cult of Mac - Tech and culture through an Apple lens)

Read more »

Cyber Monday sets new U.S. sales record; Apple Watch, iPhone, AirPods among the best-selling products
American consumers snapped up more Apple Watches, iPhones, AirPods, Pokemon cards, and TVs on Cyber Monday, pushing sales to… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Read more »

Apple Takes Home Four Wins at BAFTA Children & Young People Awards, Including Win for ‘El Deafo’
Apple TV+ has announced that the streaming service has won four BAFTA Children & Young People Awards for several of its children’s programming, a first for the company. Notable series wins include El Deafo, Wolfwalkers, Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth and Lovely Little Farm. Apple Takes Home Notable Wins at BAFTA Children & Young People Awards Apple has announced that its streaming service has been honored with four BAFTA Children & Young People Award wins. Within the UK, the BAFTA Children & Young People Awards help celebrate the “incredibly breadth and creativity” of both UK and international programming. Spanning films, games and television, the awards focus on children and young people, while also focusing on “the next generation of change makers and innovators” in thanks to the award in the Content for Change category. For the streaming service, notable wins include Wolfwalkers winning Feature Film, as well as Lovely Little Farm earning an honor for Pre-School — Live Action. Additionally, Chris O’Dowd also received an honor for Best Performer in his role on Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth. In terms of awards, Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s El Deafo took the prize in the Content for Change category. Premiering at the start of the year, the three-part miniseries is based around the titular New York Times best-seller by Cece Bell. In terms of award wins for Apple TV+, this new announcement brings the total to 288 wins across 1,244 nominations. Of course, this includes CODA receiving the Oscar for Best Picture earlier this year, as well as Ted Lasso receiving multiple Emmy Award wins. While this marks the first BAFTA award wins for children’s programming, Apple TV+ has received two BAFTA TV Awards earlier in the year. These include wins for the documentaries 1971: The Year that Music Changed Everything and 9/11: Inside the President’s War Room. Notably, the streaming service has also received several BAFTA nominations across multiple series. What are you watching on Apple TV+ right now? Let us know in the comments.

Read more »

Apple celebrates Computer Science Education Week with a new ‘Today at Apple’ session
In celebration of Computer Science Education Week, Apple is introducing a new "Today at Apple" coding session, "Coding Lab for Kids… The post appeared first on MacDailyNews.

Read more »

How to Choose the Best Hard Drive or SSD to Back Up Your Mac
There are several types of hard drives you can use to back up your Mac. Learn about the differences, and find the best backup drive for your needs. The post appeared first on The Mac Security Blog.

Read more »

U.S. Govt. Apps Bundled Russian Code With Ties to Mobile Malware Developer
A recent scoop by Reuters revealed that mobile apps for the U.S. Army and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were integrating software that sends visitor data to a Russian company called Pushwoosh, which claims to be based in the United States. But that story omitted an important historical detail about Pushwoosh: In 2013, one of its developers admitted to authoring the Pincer Trojan, malware designed to surreptitiously intercept and forward text messages from Android mobile devices.

Read more »

8 essential tips to stay safe shopping online on Cyber Monday and Cyber Week
How can you ensure that your online shopping experience is safe and secure? We have several crucial tips to help you stay protected during the holiday shopping season and year-round. (And also, don't miss our Cyber Week 2020 deals!) The post appeared first on The Mac Security Blog.

Read more »

Vulnerability Summary for the Week of November 21, 2022
Original release date: November 28, 2022 | Last revised: November 29, 2022  High Vulnerabilities Primary Vendor -- Product Description Published CVSS Score Source & Patch Info 2code -- wpqa_builder The WPQA Builder WordPress plugin before 5.9 does not have CSRF check when following and unfollowing users, which could allow attackers to make logged in users perform such actions via CSRF attacks 2022-11-21 8.8 CVE-2022-3688 CONFIRM aerocms_project -- aerocms AeroCMS v0.0.1 was discovered to contain a SQL Injection vulnerability via the Category parameter at category.php. This vulnerability allows attackers to access database information. 2022-11-22 7.5 CVE-2022-45330 MISC MISC aerocms_project -- aerocms AeroCMS v0.0.1 was discovered to contain a SQL Injection vulnerability via the p_id parameter at post.php. This vulnerability allows attackers to access database information. 2022-11-22 7.5 CVE-2022-45331 MISC MISC apache -- alarm_instance_management Alarm instance management has command injection when there is a specific command configured. It is only for logged-in users. We recommend you upgrade to version 2.0.6 or higher 2022-11-23 9.8 CVE-2022-45462 CONFIRM MLIST apache -- hama ** UNSUPPORTED WHEN ASSIGNED ** missing input validation in Apache Hama may cause information disclosure through path traversal and XSS. Since Apache Hama is EOL, we do not expect these issues to be fixed. 2022-11-21 7.5 CVE-2022-45470 MISC MLIST apartment_visitors_management_system_project -- apartment_visitors_management_system Apartment Visitor Management System v1.0 is vulnerable to SQL Injection via /avms/index.php. 2022-11-23 9.8 CVE-2022-44139 MISC api2cart -- api2cart_bridge_connector Arbitrary Code Execution vulnerability in Api2Cart Bridge Connector plugin =3.0.0 =4.0.0 =5.0.0

Read more »

AirPods as Trackers, Hacking Hackers, and Apple Tracking – Intego Mac Podcast Episode 267
In this week's security news, a stalker used AirPods to track a woman, since they don't sent alerts like AirTags; Australia is hacking hackers in a sort of precrime operation; and we give a few tips for the annual Black Friday shopathon. The post appeared first on The Mac Security Blog.

Read more »

Vulnerability Summary for the Week of November 14, 2022
Original release date: November 21, 2022 | Last revised: November 22, 2022  High Vulnerabilities Primary Vendor -- Product Description Published CVSS Score Source & Patch Info aiphone -- gt-dmb-n_firmware Aiphone GT-DMB-N 3-in-1 Video Entrance Station with NFC Reader 1.0.3 does not mitigate against repeated failed access attempts, which allows an attacker to gain administrative privileges. 2022-11-14 7.5 CVE-2022-40903 MISC MISC amazon -- opensearch OpenSearch is a community-driven, open source fork of Elasticsearch and Kibana. There is an issue with the implementation of fine-grained access control rules (document-level security, field-level security and field masking) where they are not correctly applied to the indices that back data streams potentially leading to incorrect access authorization. OpenSearch 1.3.7 and 2.4.0 contain a fix for this issue. Users are advised to update. There are no known workarounds for this issue. 2022-11-15 9.8 CVE-2022-41918 MISC CONFIRM amazon -- opensearch_notifications OpenSearch Notifications is a notifications plugin for OpenSearch that enables other plugins to send notifications via Email, Slack, Amazon Chime, Custom web-hook etc channels. A potential SSRF issue in OpenSearch Notifications Plugin 2.2.0 and below could allow an existing privileged user to enumerate listening services or interact with configured resources via HTTP requests exceeding the Notification plugin's intended scope. OpenSearch 2.2.1+ contains the fix for this issue. There are currently no recommended workarounds. 2022-11-11 8.7 CVE-2022-41906 MISC CONFIRM MISC apache -- airflow A vulnerability in Example Dags of Apache Airflow allows an attacker with UI access who can trigger DAGs, to execute arbitrary commands via manually provided run_id parameter. This issue affects Apache Airflow Apache Airflow versions prior to 2.4.0. 2022-11-14 8.8 CVE-2022-40127 MISC MISC MLIST apache -- airflow A vulnerability in UI of Apache Airflow allows an attacker to view unmasked secrets in rendered template values for tasks which were not executed (for example when they were depending on past and previous instances of the task failed). This issue affects Apache Airflow prior to 2.3.1. 2022-11-14 7.5 CVE-2022-27949 MISC MISC MLIST apache -- archiva If anonymous read enabled, it's possible to read the database file directly without logging in. 2022-11-15 7.5 CVE-2022-40308 CONFIRM MLIST apache -- sshd Class org.apache.sshd.server.keyprovider.SimpleGeneratorHostKeyProvider in Apache MINA SSHD

Read more »

How to Rip DVDs or Blu-rays and Add Them to Your Apple TV Library
It can be time-consuming, but ripping DVDs and Blu-Rays is easy. Add them to your Apple TV library so you can view your movies on your devices. The post appeared first on The Mac Security Blog.

Read more »

Researchers Quietly Cracked Zeppelin Ransomware Keys
Peter is an IT manager for a technology manufacturer that got hit with a Russian ransomware strain called “Zeppelin” in May 2020. He’d been on the job less than six months, and because of the way his predecessor architected things,… Read More »

Read more »

Twitter, AirDrop, and Continuity Camera – Intego Mac Podcast Episode 266
The situation at Twitter is changing daily, and we have some security tips for staying safe with Twitter’s new verification system. We look at some changes that Apple is making to AirDrop in China, which would be good for everyone. And we discuss the new Continuity Camera feature of macOS Ventura. The post appeared first on The Mac Security Blog.

Read more »

Disneyland Malware Team: It’s a Puny World After All
A financial cybercrime group calling itself the Disneyland Team has been making liberal use of visually confusing phishing domains that spoof popular bank brands using Punycode, an Internet standard that allows web browsers to render domain names with non-Latin alphabets like Cyrillic and Ukrainian.

Read more »

How to Configure and Use Control Center in macOS Ventura
Control Center in macOS Ventura gives you quick access to system settings. The post appeared first on The Mac Security Blog.

Read more »

Apple has 13″ M2 MacBook Pros in stock today for $150 off MSRP, starting at $1169
Apple standard-configuration 13" MacBook Pros with M2 CPUs in stock and available today starting at $1169, Certified Refurbished, and ranging up to $150 off original MSRP. These are the cheapest 13" M2 MacBook Pros for sale today at Apple. Apple's one-year warranty is included, shipping is free, and each MacBook has a new outer shell... The post first appeared on MacPrices.net.

Read more »

Save $150 on 13″ M2 MacBook Airs at Apple
Apple has standard-configuration 13" M2 MacBook Airs in stock and on sale starting at only $1079, Certified Refurbished, and ranging up to $150 off MSRP. These are the cheapest M2-powered MacBooks for sale at Apple and also the best deal on MacBooks available anywhere. Apple's one-year warranty is included, shipping is free, and each MacBook has a new outer shell... The post first appeared on MacPrices.net.

Read more »

Save up to $400 on Mac Studio configurations with Apple’s M1 Ultra CPUs
Apple retailer Expercom has Mac Studio models with Apple's M1 Ultra CPU on sale ranging up to $400 off MSRP. Prices start at $3799.05 ($200 off MSRP) for base M1 Ultra Mac Studios with 20-Core CPUs/48-Core GPUs and 64GB RAM/1TB SSDs. Discounted configurations with up to 64-Core GPUs, up to 128GB of unified memory, and up to 8TB of storage are available. The M1 Ultra Mac Studio with a 20-Core CPUs/64-Core GPU and 128GB RAM/8TB SSD is available for $7599.05. That's $400 off Apple's MSRP... The post first appeared on MacPrices.net.

Read more »

Cyber Monday: 24″ Apple M1 iMacs for $150 off MSRP
Amazon has Apple's 24" M1 iMacs on Black Friday sale for $150 off MSRP. Their prices are currently the lowest available for new iMacs among the Apple retailers we track: (1) 24" M1 iMacs (8-Core CPU/7-Core GPU/256GB SSD): $1149.99 $150 off MSRP, (2) 24" M1 iMacs (8-Core CPU/8-Core GPU/256GB SSD): $1349.99 $150 off MSRP, (3) 24" M1 iMacs (8-Core CPU/8-Core GPU/512GB SSD): $1549.99 $150 off MSRP. Be sure to make your purchase from Amazon, rather than a third-party seller, to take advantage of their discounted prices. For the latest sales & deals, see our iMac Price Tracker, updated daily. A few other Apple retailers are also offering discounts, as much as $150 off MSRP, on select iMacs. The post first appeared on MacPrices.net.

Read more »

Cyber Monday Sale: 25% off Apple MagSafe accessories
Apple retailers are offering MagSafe accessories for up to 25% off MSRP for Cyber Monday. Here are the best deals available, currently from Verizon and Amazon... The post first appeared on MacPrices.net.

Read more »

Cyber Monday Sale: Apple AirPods for up to $100 off MSRP
Looking for Apple AirPods, AirPods Pro, or AirPods Max this Cyber Monday? Look no further than our Apple AirPods Price Tracker. We track prices from 20+ Apple retailers and update the tracker continuously. Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2022 sales have featured prices up to $50 off AirPods, $90 off AirPods Pro, and $100 off AirPods Max, depending on the model and retailer. Find your best sale price today. The post first appeared on MacPrices.net.

Read more »

Final day for Apple’s Black Friday/Cyber Monday shopping event, here are the details you need
Apple's four day Black Friday/Cyber Monday 2022 event is now live and will run from November 25, 2022 to November 28, 2022 (ends today!). Receive a free $100-$250 Apple Gift Card with the purchase of select Macs and $30-50 with select iPads. Get a $50 Apple Gift Card with select iPhone models as well as Apple Watch Series SE. AirPods models qualify for $25 to $75 Gift Cards, depending on the model. Apple Gift Cards are included with the following products... The post first appeared on MacPrices.net.

Read more »

Cyber Monday: Apple 13″ M2 MacBook Airs for $150-$200 off MSRP, starting at $1049
Apple retailers have posted their Cyber Monday prices on 13" MacBook Airs. Take up to $200 off MSRP on M2-powered Airs with these sales with prices starting at only $1049. Free shipping is available across the board. These are the lowest prices currently available... The post first appeared on MacPrices.net.

Read more »

The best Cyber Monday iPhone sale? This $500 discount at Xfinity Mobile
If you switch to Xfinity Mobile and open a new line of service, they will take $500 off the price of a new iPhone, no trade-in required. This is the best no trade-in Cyber Monday Apple iPhone 14 deal. The $500 is applied to your account as credits over a 24 month service term. This offer is valid for all Apple iPhones at Xfinity Mobile with the exception of the iPhone SE... The post first appeared on MacPrices.net.

Read more »

Cyber Monday Sale: Apple 16″ MacBook Pros for $500 off MSRP!
Amazon is offering $500 off MSRP discounts on Apple 16" MacBook Pros with M1 Pro CPUs as part of their Cyber Monday sale. Their prices are the lowest available for these models from any Apple reseller. Stock varies, with some models in stock and available for immediate shipping. Check their site for the latest stock info. Price are as follows... The post first appeared on MacPrices.net.

Read more »

Cyber Monday Sale: Apple 14″ MacBook Pros for up to $500 off MSRP
Amazon is offering $300-$500 off MSRP discounts on Apple 14-inch MacBook Pros with M1 Pro CPUs as part of their Cyber Monday sale. Their prices are the lowest available for these models from any Apple reseller. Stock varies, with some models in stock and available for immediate shipping. Check their site for the latest stock info. Price are as follows... The post first appeared on MacPrices.net.

Read more »

Cyber Monday Sale: Apple Watch Ultra for $60 off MSRP
Amazon has Apple Watch Ultra models (Alpine Loop, Trail Loop, and Opean Bans) on sale for $60 off MSRP as part of their Cyber Monday sale, each including free shipping, reducing the price for an Ultra to $739. Their prices are the lowest currently available for Ultra Watches. The post first appeared on MacPrices.net.

Read more »