The FBI’s fight for government mandated backdoors into our encrypted data and devices is far from over, and Director James Comey says he plans to bring that back to the forefront next year. Mr. Comey says it’s time for an “adult conversation” on the topic, and that law enforcement needs an easy way to access our private data for criminal investigations.
Apple Patches 2 Critical Security Flaws in OS X Yosemite and El Capitan
Apple released separate security updates for OS X Yosemite and OS X El Capitan on Thursday. Both updates patch the same two critical security flaws. One flaw potentially exposed kernel memory, and the other allowed a maliciously crafted app to take over your system.
Judge Rejects Monster's Claims in Beats Lawsuit
Monster Cable founder Noel Lee got a double-dose of disappointment: first, he missed out on a big cash win when Apple bought Beats, and now his lawsuit alleging the headphone maker scammed him out of that deal is on the rocks. The judge overseeing the case tossed out his claims only days before the scheduled trial which is now focused on whether Monster should have to pay Beats’ legal expenses.
Apple's iCloud gets 2TB Storage Tier Ahead of iPhone Launch
Apple quietly added a 2TB storage option for iCloud subscribers, doubling the previous high end tier. The company quietly added the new level this week, leading to speculation that the company’s September 7th media really will include a new iPhone with 256GB storage.
Apple Updates HP Printer Drivers
Apple released new OS X printer drivers for HP printers on Tuesday titled “HP Printer Drivers v5.0 for OS X.” The patch notes for the update are sparse even by Apple standards, saying simply, “This download includes the latest HP printing and scanning software for OS X.” It’s a safe assumption the update improves performance across the line.
Sonos's Future: Opening Up Control to Alexa and Third-Party Apps
On Tuesday, wireless speaker manufacturer Sonos summoned the press to Manhattan to show off some new software features they’ve been working on and, in doing so, painted a picture of a more open Sonos experience. Demonstrating Amazon Alexa voice control and Spotify app integration, Sonos showed a not-too-distant future where customers have the ability to control their Sonos products in a variety of new ways without sacrificing any of the existing benefits of the Sonos platform.
EU Says Apple Owes €13B in Back Taxes, and the Fight is On
The European Union says Apple owes €13 billion (about US$14.5 billion) in back taxes because Ireland gave the iPhone and Mac maker illegal and unfair tax advantages. Apple and Ireland have both condemned the ruling maintaining they acted within the country’s laws, and are planning to appeal the ruling.
Apple Might Destroy the EU
It looks like the European Commission (EC) will rule against Apple and Ireland’s tax arrangement. If the European Union (EU) bullies Ireland (via the EC or other proxy) and basically rules that Ireland doesn’t have the sovereign right to set its own tax rates, there is some chance it could be a wedge issue that pushes Ireland to decide to leave the European Union.
Fitbit Aims at Apple Watch Crowd with Charge 2, Flex 2 Fitness Trackers
Fitbit is aiming to draw in potential Apple Watch buyers with its just announced Charge 2 and Flex 2 fitness trackers. Now Fitbit users can track their cardio fitness level, link to their smartphone GPS, swap wrist bands, and more.
Apple Media Event Officially Set for Sept 7
Apple has been expected to host a special media event on Wednesday, September 7th, and now it’s confirmed because invitations are arriving in the media’s in boxes. The company isn’t saying what it’ll announce, but the smart money is on new iPhones.
Bigger Apple Watch 2 Battery Doesn't Mean Longer Life
The Apple Watch 2 may pack a bigger battery, assuming a new photo is legit. If so, that could mean longer battery life for Apple’s second generation smartwatch, but it could be powering new features instead.
Tim Cook Pivots to Play Active Role in Shaping Apple Narrative
Apple CEO Tim Cook has made a major pivot in managing the affairs of Apple. Bryan Chaffin believes Mr. Cook made a conscious decision to play an active role in shaping the Apple narrative.
WhatsApp's New Privacy Policy is a Big Trust Killer
When Facebook bought WhatsApp in 2014, the WhatsApp team promised nothing would change for its users. Fast forward to today where WhatsApp changed its privacy policy to start sharing some information with Facebook. That feels like a betrayal to at least some users, and at a minimum it sure sounds like Facebook—the company with a reputation for playing fast and loose with our privacy—is about to have a link into our WhatsApp data.
How to Opt Out of WhatsApp's Facebook Data Sharing
WhatsApp changed its privacy policy so it can share information with Facebook. The idea is that by sharing some information about you, Facebook can display more relevant ads. If that doesn’t sound like anything you’re interested in, don’t dispair because WhatsApp lets you opt out. Read on to learn how.
The iPad Pro 9.7-inch Keyboard Case for Road Warriors
In a perfect world, Dr. Mac says he’d ditch his laptop and hit the road with just a svelte 9.7-inch iPad Pro. Two recent events make it possible; find out more in Dr. Mac’s Rants & Raves #189: The iPad Pro 9.7-inch Keyboard Case for Road Warriors
Seeing a Folder's Size in the Terminal
Mac Geek Gab listener Daryn is interested in seeing the size of both files and folders when using the Terminal. We’ll help him utilize the ‘du’ command to glean that information, and then we’ll talk about how to do that in Recovery Mode where ‘du’ isn’t readily available.
Apple Patches Critical Zero-Day Data Security Exploit in iOS 9.3.5 Update
Apple released iOS 9.3.5 on Thursday to address a big security flaw that could expose iPhone and iPad user’s personal data. The threat could be used to exploit information from email, contacts, text messages, phone calls, and more—and it looks like NSO Group has been doing just that so governments can spy on journalists and people they classify as dissidents.
Three Ways to Free Up Space on your iPhone and Remove Old App Data
Recently on Mac Geek Gab the topic of phantom app data has come up, mostly in the context of how one can remove it. This data can be from deleted apps, temp files from existing apps, or sometimes even data that iTunes has downloaded for temporary storage. Over the course of the past few episodes we’ve found three ways to delete this data.
Apple Music Festival Starts Sept 18 with Elton John
It’s time to dance because Apple just announced its 10th annual Apple Music Festival lineup. The free concert series runs September 18th through September 30th ath London’s Roundhouse, and will feature Elton John, Alicia Keys, Michael Bublé, and more.
What You Need to Know about the U.S. Defending Apple's European Taxes
Apple has an interesting—and powerful—ally in an ongoing feud with the European Commission (EC). The U.S. Treasury Department published a white paper Wednesday that condemed EC investigations into Apple and other U.S. companies’ tax practices. Bryan Chaffin breaks down what you need to know about the situation.
Siri and Apple's Machine Learning Are About to Get a Lot Better
Siri, as we’ve know her (or him), has been both a blessing and a frustration. The technology, when it works is brilliant, but when its limitations are exposed, it can be very frustrating. Our appetite for a stellar chatbot companion has merely been whetted, and we’re about to get it. From Apple. On its terms. With privacy.
Checking Your 'Find My Mac' Status (And Why You Might Need To!)
Today’s Quick Tip is about Find My Mac. Are you sure your settings are working properly? Have you checked to be certain you can locate your device if it’s stolen or lost? We’ll tell you how!
Parallels Desktop 12 Supports Windows 10 and macOS Sierra
On August 18th, Parallels updated its Parallels Desktop for Mac to version 12. This has been an annual tradition with Parallels, and each new version brings a host of new features and performance improvements. This year is no exception. And while the new features seem to be fairly modest on the surface, they always seem to strike the right balance and give customers what they’ve been asking for.
Avoid Endless Scrolling: How to Quickly Return to the Top of a Page in iOS
Have you ever scrolled all the way to the bottom of a long webpage or list on your iPhone, only to realize that you need to return to the top? You could start rapidly swiping your finger on the screen to scroll back up to the top, or you could use a handy little trick to instantly jump to the beginning. Mac Geek Gab listener Scott provides today’s Quick Tip that every iOS user should know.