Nico Gerard has sent out an email teasing an upcoming line of Apple Watch accessories that allow wearers to have both…
Accessory designer Nico Gerard teases dual-watch band for Apple Watch
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Apple continues to beef up Maps data with addition of ten new providers
Apple has continued its recent efforts to improve its mapping service by partnering with several new data providers, according to Apple Maps Marketing. The company has historically partnered with companies like TomTom, as well as its own in-house mapping data and others for its information.
These new companies don’t yet appear on the list of map data attributions, Apple is recommending businesses who wish to submit bulk locations to be listed in its Maps app instead go through one of the company’s partners, including these ten new names:
- DAC Group
- Location3 Media
- Marquette Group
- Placeable
- PositionTech
- SIM Partners
- SinglePlatform
- UBL
- Yext
- Yodle
This list isn’t a complete representation of Apple’s partners, and even the full list in the email to inquiring businesses (which includes previously-known partners) doesn’t include every single one of Apple’s providers, but the above ten companies certainly appear to be brand new additions to the lineup.
More details of Apple’s GT Advanced sapphire deal make it crystal clear how things fell apart
Photo via WSJ
The Wall Street Journal has revealed key details of the failed deal between Apple and sapphire supplier GT Advanced Technologies that show why the agreement collapsed and how GT managed to run itself into bankruptcy while trying to meet Apple’s standards.
A previous report from the Journal revealed that GTAT had been unable to provide the iPhone 6 displays it had promised Apple, but now we have even more information on why that demand was so hard to meet.
Department of Justice: iPhone encryption will lead to the death of a child
Apple and the government have long been engaged in a bitter war of words over encryption and security practices employed in Apple’s iOS devices, but a new Wall Street Journal report indicates that the Department of Justice is really starting to take the rhetoric to the next level.
According to the Journal, a DOJ official actually told Apple executives during a meeting last month that in the future the Cupertino company could eventually be directly responsible for the death of a child.
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PayPal beats Apple to the punch, launches Pebble smartwatch app for in-store payments
Apple’s payment-enable smartwatch may still be months off, but PayPal is hoping to beat the Cupertino-based tech giant to the punch with watch-based payments at physical retailers. The payment company today debuted its application for the Pebble smartwatch, which allows users to make purchases at supported locations.
Unlike the Apple Watch and its associated payment system, PayPal’s app doesn’t require a connected smartphone to use. It also doesn’t support NFC-based transactions. Instead, it generates a payment code that can be used to check out and charge an order to a user’s account. In some stores users will also be able to check out simply by checking into the store through the app.
Google Chrome for Mac goes 64-bit in latest update, gains new APIs and other enhancements
As promised in September, Google has launched the 64-bit of the Chrome browser for Mac to the public after a few months in beta. According to Google’s original announcement, the update drops support for 32-bit extensions, requiring all developers to update with 64-bit support.
The update also fixes over 40 security flaws and adds many new APIs for extension developers. Chrome uses a silent update mechanism that will automatically download and install the latest update, but if you find that you’re still on version 38 in the “About Chrome” window, you can manually download and install the update from Google.
Sinéad O’Connor: U2’s ‘Songs of Innocence’ iTunes release was ‘almost terrorist’
Apple and U2 got a lot of pushback over their agreement to release that band’s newest album Songs of Innocence…
Chinese authorities arrest three suspects behind ‘WireLurker’ Mac and iOS malware
Earlier this month, a new type of Mac- and iOS-based malware called “WireLurker” appeared online. Apple responded by blocking affected apps from launching on OS X, but another development was made in the case today.
According to ZDNet, Chinese authorities have arrested three suspects in connection with the malware and taken down the website that was found to be distributing it. The suspects are believed to be the creators of the software.
Apple Pay grabs 50% of McDonald’s tap-to-pay transactions, gives retailers hope for future of mobile payments
Apple only released its mobile payment system to the public last month, but the feature is already gaining traction at many retail outlets according to the New York Times. New numbers from retailers that accept Apple Pay show that the public is jumping on board with the system in a big way
Walgreens, for example, says that since the release of Apple Pay, the number of mobile transactions conducted in its stores has doubled. Whole Foods says it has seen over 150,000 Apple Pay transactions since the iOS 8.1 update was released.
Apple issues response to ‘Masque Attack,’ says it is unaware of any affected users
Apple has issued a response to the recently uncovered “Masque Attack” that allowed malicious applications to be installed in place of valid apps and access user data. In a statement provided to iMore, the company highlighted the security features built into iOS that informs users of any attempted app installations via an outside source like the Safari browser and said that it is not aware of any reported instances where a user was affected by this specific type of attack.
The company also said that users should install apps only through trusted sites such as the built-in App Store, and those using enterprise software should ensure that they only install it from a secure server operated by their company:
WSJ: Department of Justice uses fake cell towers on airplanes to capture data from mobile phones
The Wall Street Journal reported today that the United States Department of Justice has been using planes equipped with devices that pose as cellular towers (called “dirtboxes”) to collect data from suspected criminals’ cell phones—and capturing data from innocent bystanders in the process.
The devices are capable of capturing data from “tens of thousands” of phones over the course of a single flight. Because most cell phones are designed to automatically connect to the tower with the strongest signal, these dirtboxes can easily fool phones into latching onto its signal.
2K brings XCOM: Enemy Unknown expansion ‘Enemy Within’ to iOS as standalone app
2K games, maker of BioShock and XCOM have released a new “expansion” for the popular XCOM: Enemy Unknown titled Enemy Within. While the company calls the game an “expansion,” the term “sequel” might be more apt for the iPhone version, which functions as a standalone app rather than an add-on to the previous game.
Enemy Within, which was released for PCs exactly one year ago this past Tuesday to high praise from players, builds on the gameplay of Enemy Unknown, but adds several features and updated mechanics, including new enemies, weapons, abilities, and even an expanded story.
XCOM: Enemy Within is available on the App Store for $12.99. In lieu of a change log, the full App Store description, including a detailed list of the new content, in included below:
COM®: Enemy Within is a standalone expansion to the 2012 strategy game of the year XCOM: Enemy Unknown and it’s now available on iOS devices! Enemy Within features the core gameplay of Enemy Unknown plus more exciting content. Check out the new soldiers, abilities, enemies, maps, missions, and multiplayer mode for the fresh new strategy gaming experience!
• New Soldier Abilities: Build new base facilities to unlock unearthly new capabilities for XCOM’s soldiers. The Genetics Lab will allow soldiers to receive powerful genetic modifications, and the Cybernetics Lab allows soldiers to use devastating mechanized cybersuits in battle.
• New Weapons and Equipment: Give your operatives an extra tactical edge with new projects from your engineering team and the Foundry.
• New Enemy Threats: Adopt new tactics to counter the threats from two new alien types and a deadly new organization known as EXALT.
• New Strategic Resource: A valuable new alien resource, known as Meld, has been discovered. Secure it on the battlefield, research a new technology to unlock its power, and use it carefully back at base to unlock new upgrades and weaponry.
• New Story Elements: Investigate a terrifying threat in an abandoned fishing village, and defend the XCOM headquarters from alien attack in a series of new plot-driven missions.
• New Multiplayer maps, units, and abilities: Create your custom squad from a wider array of options and dominate your opponent in intense, one-on-one, turn-based matches.
YouTube for iOS updated with new music dashboard, ‘YouTube Mix’ mode
YouTube has updated its iOS app with support for a new music-focused view of the dashboard. The new screen features the most popular music videos and artists on YouTube, genre-specific charts, and curated playlists.
The new version also introduces a music playback option called “YouTube Mix” that allows users to create an iTunes Radio-like randomized playlist based on a song or artist.
Earlier today YouTube debuted a related service called YouTube Music Key that includes perks like offline music and video playback, unlimited on-demand streaming, and access to full albums for $10 a month.
You can get the updated YouTube app for free from the iOS App Store.
What’s New in Version 2.16.11441
Music on YouTube is better than ever. Find your favorite videos and get recommendations on a new music homepage, listen to an endless YouTube Mix based on your favorite song or artist, and play albums right from search.
Innovative new Type Nine keyboard for iOS 8 takes you way back to 1993
Gather round, children, and let Grandpa Beasley tell you a story about the olden days. Long before these newfangled iPhones and Androids existed, most people didn’t have full keyboards on their cell phones, unless they were using a BlackBerry (but that’s a story for another time). In order to type out our text messages, we had to use “T9” keyboards that required you to press the numbers on the dialpad a few times to select each letter individually.
And now, youngin’s, you, too, can experience all of the fun and frustration of ye olde keyboards right on your iPhone. All you have to do is log into the App Store and download one of those fancy “app” things you’re all so keen on. It’s called Type Nine, and it puts a good ol’ fashioned T9 keyboard right on your screen so you can learn to type the way your forefathers did.
Of course, since you kids seem to love your “predictive text” so much, the Type Nine keyboard includes that function, too, meaning you won’t have to wear your fingers out tapping the same key over and over to get the right letter. All of the punctuation marks get their own special page as well, rather than requiring you to mash the 1 key until you accidentally pass the one you’re after and have to go all the way around again.
If you youngsters really want to see what typing on a phone was like back in my day, you’ll need to track down a Moto RAZR. If that’s not an option, you can take the Type Nine keyboard for a try on your iPhone running iOS 8. It’s available on the App Store for $.99. Now scram. Grandpa Beasley needs a nap.
Flagship Apple Store and office space rumored for Broadway Trade Center in downtown Los Angeles
Apple may be preparing to move into the historic Broadway Trade Center in downtown Los Angeles according to the latest rumor from ifo Apple Store. The company has reportedly leased the building for use as office space as well as a retail outlet.
Additionally, the report claims that some of that office space will be dedicated to the recently acquired Beats by Dre, which took up residence in a brand new Culver City facility earlier this summer.
The five-story structure was built in 1908 and boasts 1.1 million square feet of floor space. Apple would be a prime candidate for the space as the city continues a ten-year initiative to “Bring Back Broadway” by reviving the dormant theaters and other businesses in the area, including “more than a million square feet of vacant commercial space,” according to the commission’s website.
Details on Apple’s enterprise push with IBM emerge as company courts app developers & clients
A new report from Reuters citing sources at Apple familiar with the company’s plans for future corporate offerings has unveiled new details on the Cupertino corporation’s efforts to recruit business clients and software developers. According to these sources, Apple is currently courting companies such as Citigroup, ServiceMax, and PlanGrid (among others) to augment its current IBM enterprise agreement.
The exact nature of the proposed partnerships between these companies hasn’t been confirmed yet, but the general idea is similar to the IBM arrangement. ServiceMax, a company that creates solutions for managing field technicians, and PlanGrid, which allows construction workers to share blueprints with each other, will both agree to roll out Apple hardware with custom software to their clients.
Move over, Samsung: Lenovo takes the prize for most shameless Apple ripoff
If imitation truly is the sincerest form of flattery, then the designers at Lenovo must adore the iPhone 6.
Samsung has caught a lot of flak for—and been taken to court over—some of its iPhone-like smartphone design choices, but nothing the Korean company has ever produced comes close to the shamelessly derivative Lenovo S90. Not only does the S90 seem to take more than a few design cues from Apple’s latest smartphone, but its entire advertising campaign seems to be a carbon copy of Apple’s own.
Take, for example, the image above (found on Weibo, via PhoneArena). If it looks a little familiar to you, that might be because it’s the exact same thing you’ll find on Apple’s iPhone webpage. There are about ten of these images total, and nearly all of them look like they were ripped right from Apple’s website.
Aaron Sorkin talks Steve Jobs biopic, provides more plot details in Bloomberg interview
Aaron Sorkin sat down with Bloomberg’s Emily Chang for an interview and talked about a variety of topics including his upcoming Steve Jobs biopic. The film has been in the works for several years now, with at least three different actors reportedly having been considered or confirmed to play the Apple co-founder at some point.
In the interview, which airs later tonight, Sorkin says that the movie will follow the executive’s interactions with several key people, including Steve Wozniak and John Sculley. As previously noted, the biopic will consist of three half-hour segments set directly before important Apple keynotes.
iCloud.com Photos beta gains image uploads, iMovie for iOS gains iCloud Photo Library support
Apple has updated the beta version of its iCloud Photos web app with support for uploading images to a user’s iCloud Photo Library. The feature will likely roll out soon to everyone on the public version of the service soon, but for now is limited to the beta site.
The change adds a single “Upload” button to the upper-right corner of the page, which shows a standard image picker when clicked. From there, users are presented with the progress indicator seen above, and the image becomes available on all of their devices. At this time, video uploads don’t appear to be supported.
CBS Radio News update adds CarPlay support with streaming news, local weather, and bug fixes
CBS has updated its Radio News application with support for Apple’s CarPlay interface. The new UI allows users to browse and play the network’s library of on-demand shows such as the CBS Evening News and 60 Minutes. Users will also find that the Now Playing screen presents them with their local weather conditions.
Also included in the new update is a set of bug fixes for issues such as two audio tracks playing back at once for some users. There is also a new introduction screen that walks users through the functions of the app. CBS News also rolled out a channel for the Apple TV earlier today.
Forbes names Apple world’s most valuable brand for the year, Microsoft and Google follow
Forbes today released its list of the world’s most valuable companies, putting Apple at #1 with a valuation of $124.2 billion. That total puts its worth at almost twice that of any other company on the list, including Microsoft and Google, which came in second and third place, respectively.
Forbes factored in items such as how many products Apple moved in 2014, which pushed the company’s brand value up 19% over last year’s. That Apple would top a list of most valuable brands for the year likely comes as no big surprise to most readers. The company launched two new iPhones, updated versions of both models of the iPad, a new mobile payment system, and showed off its upcoming entry to the smartwatch market.
As for the competition, Microsoft’s brand was valued at a mere $63 billion, while Google came in at $56.6 billion.
Apple prepares Mac App Store makeover with Yosemite-style interface
Mac App Store users browsing the software shop tonight are starting to notice a few aesthetic changes, as seen in the screenshots above and below. Like the recent iTunes Store facelift, the Mac App Store redesign features lighter fonts, a sparse white background, and thin gray separators.
The updated design is currently showing up every few minutes on the throughout the store, though it still shows the old design on many pages just as much as the new. The iTunes Store had a similar issue when it was updated last month, and once the rollout is complete the new design will be available to everyone. A few elements such as the “Update” button are also still using the old style.
More screenshots are below:
Apple launches ‘AppleCare for Enterprise’ site to support IBM partnership
Following the announcement earlier this year that Apple and IBM would be teaming up to provide custom enterprise iOS software and services to businesses, the Cupertino-based company has finally published its enterprise support webpage.
The page advertises features of the program such as one-hour response times for urgent support issues and a personal account manager at Apple, as well as advantages like next-day device replacement and on-site service hardware service. Twenty-four-hour support will also be available to partner employees.
Chinese Mac and iOS users targeted by new ‘WireLurker’ malware capable of infecting non-jailbroken devices
Update: Apple confirmed the security issue in a statement provided to iMore. Apple has also revoked the certificate to prevent the apps from being installed on new devices.
The New York Times reports that a security firm called Palo Alto Networks has uncovered a new form of Apple-focused malware that is capable of infecting non-jailbroken iOS devices. Typically when such software pops up, as it does from time to time, one of the key factors that allows the malicious code to run on iOS is whether the device is jailbroken. The new “WireLurker” malware, however, is installed on the mobile device over USB by an infected Mac.
These infected Mac apps are reportedly coming from the Maiyadi App Store, a third-party software storefront operated in China. Palo Alto Networks says over 400 apps in the store are affected, and have been downloaded over 356,000 times total, potentially resulting in hundreds of thousands of infected devices.
