News

___________________ Have you ever visited a site you wish you hadn't? Perhaps it was a typing mistake or a an accidental click on the wrong place. Then you wonder, what kind of nasty Cookies have been left behind? Of course you could figure out the site name (now that you've quickly closed the tab) by…

GTAT: Apple refused to negotiate, pressured company into contract According to GTAT COO Daniel Squiller's testimony, Apple told the company to not waste its time trying to negotiate contract terms because the it doesn't negotiate with suppliers. He added that when GTAT pushed for what it saw as better terms, Apple said the terms were…

Want a Fitbit fitness tracker? They aren't at Apple's store any more. Word surfaced in October that Apple was planning on dropping Fitbit products from its inventory following the news that the company wasn't planning on supporting the HealthKit platform. HealthKit lets third-party health and fitness trackers share information so users can view their personal…

SEC launches investigation into GTAT's securities trading activity GTAT revealed the investigation in a regulatory filing on Thursday, saying the SEC is investigating trading activity along with its sapphire production business. The records the Commission is looking for go back to January 1, 2013. GTAT said the SEC requested “information regarding trading activity in the…

Apple blocks WireLurker trojans from launching An Apple spokesperson told The Mac Observer, We are aware of malicious software available from a download site aimed at users in China, and we've blocked the identified apps to prevent them from launching. As always, we recommend that users download and install software from trusted sources. WireLurker uses…

My Passport Wireless is a portable hard drive that uses 802.11n Wi-Fi technology to let you not only upload your media and free up space on your smart phone, tablet or other device, but also share your content with up to 8 other devices. An SD card slot will let you insert your camera’s memory…

A 2013 memorial to Steve Jobs in Saint Petersberg torn down because of Tim Cook's sexuality ZEFS chairman Maxim Dolgopolov told Russian media outlets his company was responsible for removing the memorial, according to Business Insider. He said ZEFS would consider reinstalling it if changes were made to tell people avoid buying Apple products. Tim…

Trent Reznor Onstage in 2009 Source: Wikimedia Commons Mr. Reznor said that he was still working on streaming music for Apple, but wouldn't specify exactly what he doing. “I am on the side of streaming music,” he said. “And I think the right streaming service could solve everybody's problems. Ownership is waning. Everybody is comfortable…

Documents in GTAT's bankruptcy filing will go public next week, despite requests to keep them sealed COO Daniel Squiller's sealed statement reportedly includes details Apple feels will harm its reputation and relationship with other parts suppliers, according to the Wall Street Journal. Judge Henry Boroff said, “I simply do not think [the statements] are sufficiently…

“The 2015 CES will feature 20 category-specific marketplaces highlighting innovation across diverse product areas,” CES wrote in a statement. “Special consideration will be given to Macworld exhibitors looking for exhibit space at the 2015 International CES.” CES and Macworld/iWorld occupied different places in the tradeshow world. Macworld/iWorld was a consumer trade show attended by members…

Microsoft Band wants some action in the fitness tracker market The Microsoft Band includes 10 sensors that track the usual data points found on other devices,including sleep tracking, but its built-in GPS, UV light sensor and galvanic shin response sensors set it apart. The UV sensor can alert wearers when they're getting too much sun…

In a conference call, and blog post, MCX tried to answer a variety of questions and offered information. Highlights are below: There are no fines for merchants who decide to stop working with MCX, but those who do so are doing so exclusively. Right now MCX is sticking with QR codes, but could switch later…

Cyborg! These are masks that come with a pocket for a smartphone to level up your look. Download a free companion app for your iOS or Android phone, and your smartphone becomes a roving eye. They look creepy and amazing, and they run about US $45, with a small charge for shipping to get it…

Remember That Old Saying that Pictures Are Worth 1,000 Words? Perhaps the best advantage to using a slideshow is the ability to add images to your presentation. Keynote offers a simple way to add images, but even better, it has tools for making simple adjustments and even edits. First, there are built in slide templates…

Twitpic closing down on Oct 25 Twitpic originally said it would close on September 25, but delayed when the possibility of a buyer for the company came into play. In the end, a deal couldn't be reached with any buyer, so Twitpic is packing up and going home. The company said on its blog, We…

Episode #93   People are always asking me where they should buy a Mac and my answer is almost always the same: The Apple Store. I recommend it to friends, family, and readers wholeheartedly knowing full well you’ll pay SRP (Suggest Retail Price) for pretty much anything you buy there. Apple Store But if you…

Firstly, I assume “hiatus” means that Macworld/iWorld is gone. That said, I'm hoping it might be reborn with another name or in another location. It's telling, after all, that IDG World Expo used the word “hiatus” in the first place. Hiatus is a far cry from “cancelled” or “shutting down,” or “closing.” That's spilt milk…

Apple adds egg freezing to employee benefits Apple, along with Facebook, are the first to big-name companies offering to cover the procedure, according to NBC News. Collecting and freezing enough eggs — about 20 — typically involves two doctor visits totaling $10,000 each. Freezing the eggs isn't a guarantee that the woman will later be…

We received this statement from Paul Kent: We are announcing today that Macworld/iWorld is going on hiatus, and will not be taking place as planned in 2015. Our MacIT event, the world's premiere event for deploying Apple in the enterprise, will continue next year with details to be announced in the coming weeks. Since 1985,…

DigiTimes says, based on supply chain reports, that Microsoft is planning to cancel the Surface Pro 3 tablet. Cited were poor expected sales, “unlikely to surpass one millon units,” and Microsoft's unaggressive pursuit of a next-generation model. Here's what I'm thinking about all that. _________________ Rumors are rumors. When it comes to Apple, it's always…

Mr. Icahn is calling for a tender offer to “accelerate and increase the magnitude of share repurchases.” His own estimates put Apple's shares at $203 in fiscal 2017. Apple already has a stock repurchase program in place, and Mr. Icahn has pushed for a more agressive program in the past. “We believe Apple remains dramatically…

Surprise! In a statement given to The Wall Street Journal, Apple said, “We are focused on preserving jobs in Arizona following GTAT’s surprising decision and we will continue to work with state and local officials as we consider our next steps.” Details concerning GTAT's bankruptcy and larger business situation are few and far between. The…

GTAT's CEO has headaches beyond bankruptcy Mr. Gutierrez sold the shares for US$160,000, and has sold about 700,000 shares since February totaling $10 million, according to the Wall Street Journal. Executives selling shares isn't suspicious in and of itself, but the timing of these sales is raising some eyebrows. GTAT's stock was sitting over $17…

Episode #92   The Parrot AR Drone is a high-tech, ultra lightweight, remote-controlled quadricopter (helicopter with four rotors). Now an RC quadricopter is pretty cool, but one that streams HD video from its camera to your iPad, iPhone, or Android device in real time, could be very, very cool. I’ve dreamed about owning for one…