Lit Apple Mac, iPhone, iPad User Group

[sultrysandy]

Apple says iCloud and sign in outage affecting new device setups has been resolved

Apple’s system status webpage indicates that the company has resolved an outage affecting “iCloud Account and Sign In” services. Apple doesn’t indicate how widespread this outage was, but it does say that the issue was affecting users for 36 hours.

A variety of reports on Twitter indicated that some Apple users were unable to activate new devices, with the majority of complaints seemingly centering on the Apple Watch. The issue notably came as users everywhere began unwrapping new Apple products on Christmas morning.

For Apple Watch users, one of the most common issues was a certification error that would appear when setting up a new device with Family Setup. Some users also reported similar issues setting up new iPhones and HomePods.

Nonetheless, after 36 hours of issues, Apple says it has resolved these problems. The company simply says: “Users may have experienced a problem with this service” and that “Some users were affected.”
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[sultrysandy]

New Mac for Christmas? Here are some of the best apps to download

Did Santa drop off a new M1 MacBook Air under the tree last night? (Sandy note - can you tell how on top of my game I am?) macOS Big Sur comes with many great apps, but there is a whole world of third-party apps that make the Mac even better.



Setapp

Setapp is one of the easiest ways to find many awesome apps to try without having to purchase a bunch of different ones. Think of it as a Netflix subscription for apps. Some of my favorites are CleanMyMacX, Wi-Fi Explorer, CleanShot X, Mockuuups Studio, and iFlicks. All of the apps included in Setapp are full versions and receive software updates like their direct pay counterparts.


1Password

1Password stores all of your passwords, social security information, secure notes, and can even use it to generate two-factor authentication codes.


Sensei

If you want a streamlined solution to help with maintenance on your new Mac, check out Sensei. It helps you free up storage, uninstall apps, and monitor the overall health of your computer. If you only have 256GB of storage, you’ll appreciate the ability to delete unnecessary language files to free up more space for photos and videos


Ulysses

If you purchased a Mac and plan to increase your writing output in 2021, check out Ulysses. It gives you a focused writing experience combined with built-in document management, fast syncing, and flexible export options. It syncs with the iOS versions as well. If you want a simpler option for just Markdown writing, check out Byword for Mac.


Day One

If journaling is on your 2021 goals list, then Day One needs to live on your macOS dock. It’s the best tool for journaling on the Appel platform with built-in sync from Mac to iPhone/iPad. Day One makes it easy to document the funny things your kids say, great school projects, or the best cup of coffee you had on an overseas trip.


Alfred

If you had to sum up Alfred into one sentence, it would be that it’s macOS spotlight on steroids. Alfred is a free app, but it's highly advise purchasing the Powerpack if you find you like it. A lifetime license is right around $45 (£35), and a single version license is around $25 (£19).


NetNewsWire

NetNewsWire has gone through many owners in its history, but it’s back in the rightful hands of Brent Simmons, and it’s seeing rapid development on macOS and iOS thanks to a team of open source supporters. If you want to streamline your news reading in 2021, moving away from social media for news consumption to RSS will put you back in control of what you read. Reeder is also another great RSS reader for Mac as well.


Best(?) apps for a new Mac: A better email app

The macOS mail app leaves a lot to be desired for features, but there are some great alternatives for the Mac. Spike is a conversational style email app that lets you use email like a chat app while including notes and tasks inside your inbox. Another modern option includes Spark, and one of its key features is creating, discussing, and sharing an email with your team before its sent. Both of these apps support snooze and scheduled send, unlike Apple’s mail app.


Best(?) apps for a new Mac: A new calendar app

If you need more out of your calendar that Apple offers, there are a number of great options for the Mac. Check out Fantastical if you want to combine reminders/tasks and calendars into a single application. I’ve been using it for many years and happily pay for the subscription. One of my favorite features is the included weather forecast each day. If Fantastical doesn’t work for your budget, check out BusyCal


Best(?) apps for a new Mac: Task Management

The built-in Reminders app does a great job of keeping simple lists, but it’s not built for project management or more complex tasks. Thankfully, there are several great task management apps for the Mac that all sync to their mobile versions. Some of the most popular ones are Todoist, Things, GoodTasks, and OmniFocus. I’ve used them all in the past, and they’re all great additions to your Mac.






Sandy note - These are not recommendations, but merely suggestions from and article.
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[sultrysandy]

Apple Launches First-Generation College Student Mentorship Program

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Apple this month announced a new Launch@Apple mentorship program that's designed for first-generation college students, with the program set to launch in early 2021.

According to a PDF describing Launch@Apple, it is aimed at first-generation college freshmen and sophomores who are majoring in finance, mathematics, economics, business, data analytics, and accounting.

It matches college students one-on-one with Apple mentors who are able to provide resources for learning and opportunities for professional growth, with the possibility of job shadowing, paid externships, and paid internships.

Apple has not publicly announced Launch@Apple, and it's not entirely clear how the word is being spread. MyHealthyApple shared details this morning, and last week, a LinkedIn post highlighted the program. Ahead of when Launch begins in early 2021, Apple is accepting applications from students with a wide range of GPAs.

Students must be in their first or second year of college with a parent or legal guardian who has not obtained a college degree. Students must want to learn about finance in a "fast-paced, innovative environment" and must be intending to major in one of the accepted disciplines.

Apple is accepting applications through Friday, January 8, 2021, and students who want to participate must provide details on school, GPA, resume, and more, and are required to answer personal questions on life challenges, why they should be accepted, and what gives them joy. Applications must be sent to launch@apple.com.
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[sultrysandy]

AAPL Opened at All-Time High, Shares Have Risen Nearly 150% Since Late March

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AAPL shares hit intraday record just shy of $140, 88% growth for 2020

1,637px × 960px


It looks like AAPL could close out 2020 at a record high. Today, Apple’s shares hit an intraday record near $140 putting the stock’s growth at an impressive 88% YoY, with the market cap moving closer to the $3 trillion mark.

Noted by Bloomberg, AAPL shares jumped about 1% this morning to a new intraday high of $138.78.

Apple became the first publicly-traded company to hit the $2T market cap milestone back in August 2020. Now it has jumped to $2.3 trillion just about four months later. Apple has had a strong year during the pandemic with the world relying on technology for work, education, and keeping in touch more than ever before.

After a big year of new product launches including the iPhone 12 lineup, Apple Silicon M1 Macs, AirPods Max, and much more, AAPL also got a boost on the news of the company planning to make an Apple-branded electric vehicle after all. That came from sources close to the matter after quite a bit of silence on the subject. And even the prediction of a delayed launch around 2028 or later for an Apple Car hasn’t slowed down AAPL.

Other new launches at the end of this year that could prove important for services revenue going forward include Apple Fitness+ and the Apple One services bundles.

Notably, with the iPhone 12 series launching later than normal this year, we’ll get our first look at how its sales are doing when Apple announces its holiday quarter performance sometime in early 2021.

AAPL is currently sitting at a huge growth of 88% YoY and an even bigger increase happened between its 52-week low of $53.15 in late March to $136 now, a massive 142% gain.

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Apple set a September quarter record with $64.7 billion revenue, and its December quarter could be even more impressive, as the entire iPhone 12 lineup launched within the quarter due to pandemic-related delays. In fact, the oft-lucrative holiday quarter could see Apple report all-time high quarterly revenue above $100 billion for the first time ever, according to 27 analyst estimates averaged by Yahoo Finance.






Sandy note - we saw this coming. Have a feeling this still has legs.

also see these posts:

10-28-2020, #629
Analysts optimistic about AAPL Q4 2020 earnings despite iPhone delay

Sandy note - working on a possible trade in Apple for when they report in three months, breaking the psychological $100B revenue for the quarter.

11-03-2020, #643
Apple eyes historic mark of $100 billion in revenue this quarter

A week ago before Apple announced their Q4 earnings, was working on this trade, and some on Wall Street are beginning to agree.

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[sultrysandy]

Latest Apple Pay promotion offers 20% discount on Grubhub orders

In the latest special offer of 2020 for Apple Pay users, Apple is promoting its payment service with 20% discount for orders in the Grubhub app or website. The offer, of course, is valid when you checkout with Apple Pay.

The company has sent emails to consumers in the United States with details about Apple Pay promotion. From today, December 29, 2020, until January 1, 2021, you can order anything from Grubhub’s app or website and pay with Apple Pay to get a 20% discount. “Your favorite meal, delivered. 20% off with Grubhub,” says Apple.

You must enter the promo code APPLEPAY at checkout in order to enable the offer. The offer is valid for orders of $10 or more and may not be applied for purchases containing alcoholic beverages.

For one-time use on a delivery order of $10+ (before tax, tip, and fees) placed on grubhub.com or the Grubhub app only using Apple Pay as payment method. To redeem, click on the offer link or enter code APPLEPAY at checkout on a qualifying order. Discount will be applied to order subtotal (before tax, tip, and fees). Cannot be combined with other discounts or cash. May not be applied toward purchases containing alcohol. Only valid on personal (non-corporate) accounts. Offer expires on January 1, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. PT or while supplies last.

The Grubhub app is available for free on the iOS App Store and you can also access the Grubhub website on your Mac to pay with Apple Pay through Safari.
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[sultrysandy]

Apple pulls iPhone app promoting secret parties during the COVID-19 pandemic

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Vybe Together urged users to ‘get your rebel on’

An iOS app called Vybe Together that promoted private parties during the COVID-19 pandemic has been removed from the Apple App Store, had its account on TikTok banned, and scrubbed most of its online presence. The app’s creators said that Apple was the one to take it off the App Store.

Vybe Together billed itself on TikTok and its website as a place to organize and attend underground parties, using the tagline “Get your rebel on. Get your party on.” Organizers would have to approve everyone who wanted to attend, and the ones that got approved would receive the address two hours before the event. Most of these gatherings would have been illegal under current US pandemic restrictions — which may explain why the app required you to submit a profile for approval before you were allowed on.

Screenshots from the iOS App Store page.



Calling a phone number on Vybe Together’s site connected with someone who identified themselves as Albin, one of the app’s co-founders. They said that the app had a few thousand users, and that a few thousand additional applicants had requested access to it since the company started putting videos on TikTok. Applying involved submitting your Instagram handle and uploading pictures of you partying to the service, presumably to make sure that you weren’t someone who was going to spill the beans about the events.

Vybe Together largely had a low profile before today, although it was mentioned in at least one EventBrite invitation to a New York party in September. It received wider exposure after The New York Times reporter Taylor Lorenz critically tweeted screenshots of the website and described it as an app for “finding and promoting COVID-unsafe large, indoor house parties.”



Taylor Lorenz
@TaylorLorenz
·
Dec 29, 2020
Some terrible people built a whole app for finding and promoting COVID-unsafe large, indoor house parties and they’re using TikTok to market it to millions of ppl.

Image
Image
Taylor Lorenz
@TaylorLorenz
They’re currently in the midst of promoting secret NYE ragers in nyc

7:00 PM · Dec 29, 2020
798
116 people are Tweeting about this


Vybe Together’s now-removed FAQ page acknowledged the danger of the pandemic, but it said the app was designed to promote “small gatherings” rather than “big parties.” (Smaller gatherings of people from different households can still spread the coronavirus, creating chains of infection that extend far beyond the original event, putting people who didn’t attend the party at risk.)

In a statement a spokesperson denied that the app was intended to promote unsafe behavior. “Vybe Together was [a minimum viable product] designed to help other people organize small get-togethers in parks or apartments during COVID,” the spokesperson said. “We never hosted any large parties, and we made one over-the-top marketing video that left a wrong impression about our intentions, which has since been taken down. We do not condone large unsafe parties during a pandemic.”

t’s unknown whether the app substantially contributed to people holding unsafe events, although it promoted “gatherings every weekend” — including an upcoming New Year’s Eve party — in a TikTok video. The Vybe Together app had only 25 ratings before being removed, and its Instagram page has under 1,000 followers. In a statement said the account on that platform had only 139 followers when it was removed. The app appears to have launched previously under the name Trendies, a name mentioned on its now largely empty Instagram page.

Vybe Together’s website also advertised a “Vybe House” for the 2021 Zamna Festival music event in Tulum, Mexico. The house’s pictures correspond to an Airbnb listing for a rental called the Casa Remy Villa. However, the listing’s manager couldn’t confirm the existence of a “Vybe House” event. “We have rented the villa to some influencers,” said the owner, who had “no idea” if any renters were linked to the app. “But they know parties aren’t allowed of any kind as they are forbidden by authorities during [the] pandemic, with the risk of shutting down the property and a huge fine.” The Airbnb host also notes that the Zamna festival was recently postponed to April — not the January dates listed on its website.

Vybe Together’s Instagram account now contains a single text post. “Blown out of proportion by media,” it reads. “We DO NOT CONDONE LARGE GATHERINGS.”

The app’s creators have now clarified that Apple was the one to pull the app from the App Store.

Sandy note - apologize for the crudity of this post, ruched to complete
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[sultrysandy]

Some AirPods Max owners report condensation issue inside ear cups

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You can tell not a good day yesterday when I don't post in this thread

It’s not an Apple product launch if the new gadget hasn’t been scrutinized on Twitter for various — what often turn out to be edge case — issues. As for the company’s latest AirPods Max, some owners of the high-end headphones are now reporting an issue with condensation inside the ear cups…


An AirPods Max condensation issue?

Condensation generally happens when a cold object is adjacent to warmer, humid air, and that appears to be what’s happening in some cases for AirPods Max owners. Unlike most competing headphones, AirPods Max are primarily made of metal, making it more likely that they will get cool enough to start picking up water from the warmer air inside the air cups — which will only get even more humid with sweat.

A handful of people have mentioned they’ve experienced the issue, and multiple people have reported that they’re seeing some of this collected H2O making its way inside the speaker holes to the drivers.



Donald Filimon @donaldfilimon Dec 27, 2020
So, uhh... my AirPods Max form condensation after extended use. They’ve never been used in any humid environment. The water gets inside the drivers and has caused ear detection problems. I’ve been wearing them inside sitting at a desk mainly, nothing crazy. Super concerning issue

Calvin @klemanet
Had exactly the same issue, with a light walk (40mn) and then again while watching a movie (1h30). Decided to return them after seeing that the water was also getting inside the driver and that the ring was getting red (or maybe I was overthinking it). Anyway too worrisome for me
7:46 PM · Dec 29, 2020



Some likely causes

Based on the reports we’ve seen so far, it’s likely this condensation is the nature of owning a pair of these mostly metal AirPods Max headphones, although it is somewhat concerning that some seem to be experiencing this issue without doing anything particularly unusual with their headphones.

The simple physics of the matter suggests that any humid, warm environment in which colder metal exists will result in some amount of condensation. So while no AirPods Max owners at 9to5Mac have seen this issue, it’s likely that the right combination of circumstances — a cold-enough room, using them during exercise, using them for a certain amount of time, humidity levels in the air — simply haven’t happened yet.
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[astuffedshirt_perv]

You can tell not a good day yesterday when I don't post in this thread

Hopefully 2021 and forward will be sunshine and roses for you!

 

[sultrysandy]

Hopefully 2021 and forward will be sunshine and roses for you!

You too ap. Few friends and I have been speculating that Apple with might try this year getting into Data Center, also Cluster, Grid, and/or Supercomputer businesses.

However for me it's not beginning on the right foot as apparently I'm not playing nice with guys, and a few have some prime thoughts and words for me.
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[sultrysandy]

With support officially ended, Adobe ‘strongly recommends’ removing Flash

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With support officially ended, Adobe ‘strongly recommends’ removing Flash now, here’s how

After a three-year warning, the end of Adobe Flash has officially happened. And with that, Adobe is strongly recommending users uninstall it from their computers immediately. Read along for how to fully remove Adobe Flash from your Mac.

Adobe officially dropped support for Flash as of today, January 1, 2021. And in just under two weeks, Adobe will block all Flash content from working in Flash Player.

Adobe strongly recommends all users immediately uninstall Flash Player to help protect their systems. Some users may continue to see reminders from Adobe to uninstall Flash Player from their system.

Here’s why Adobe says it’s important to remove it: “Uninstalling Flash Player will help secure your system since Adobe does not intend to issue Flash Player updates or security patches after the EOL Date.” Essentially this is meant to help people realize if any Flash updates appear in the future, they’re malicious and should be avoided.

Keep in mind you don’t want to just remove Adobe Flash from the preference pane in System Preferences. Here’s what to do to fully uninstall it from your Mac…


How to fully remove Adobe Flash from your Mac

Deauthorizing Flash on your Mac

• If you’re privacy conscious, first head to System Preferences > Flash Player (found at the bottom)
  
  
• In the top right, click the Advanced tab
  
  
• Choose Deauthorize This Computer…

Fully remove Adobe Flash

• Open a Finder window then select Applications, now open Utilities (or search for the app Adobe Flash Player Install Manager)
  
  
• Open Adobe Flash Player Install Manager > click Uninstall
  
  
• You’ll get a confirmation when it’s been successfully removed
  
  
• You can use a third-party app like Clean My Mac or Sensei to search for and remove any extraneous Flash files but for me the official Adobe Flash uninstaller removed everything

At the end of the process, Safari will also relaunch with Adobe showing a thank you message:

Sandy note -

You might want to also remove Flash Cookies known as LSO/Local Shared Objects

~Library/Preferences/Macromedia/Flash Player/#SharedObjects
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[sandysgeek]

Sandy asked me to cross post this post.


Also to remind you that Apple's new privacy feature for iOS 14 and iPadOS 14 requiring companies request permission before tracking users may be active as early as tomorrow, Mon Jan 4.

Sandy has a company issued iPhone and not allowed to use it accessing literotica.com. If someone wants to work with her testing it, send me a PM and I will relay it to her. I have faith in and don't bet against her.

Hi ladies,

Want to let you know Laurel has banned sultrysandy. She and I are sure there are guys ecstatic with this news.


She wishes you ladies luck with guys in GLBT Chatter forum.

Obviously there's nothing she can do and members are free to post whatever they want in her threads.



I've FaceTimed with Sandy, and knowing her as well as I do, this is what I see not on, but in her face.

Up to you to determine what that means. Know she's not quietly smiling looking at me so I'm safe.

 

[sandysgeek]

App privacy labels show stark contrasts among messaging apps

Sandy says hi to viewers of this thread. She asked if I would post this as part if Apple's device and app privacy.

Apple’s new app privacy labels went live in the App Store last month, giving users the chance to see what data is collected by each.

All apps are required to show what data is used to track you, and what data is linked to your identity. Looking at that more comprehensive category reveals some stark differences between four popular messaging apps…

App privacy labels for messaging apps

Forbes compared Signal, Apple’s own iMessage, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.


Signal

None. (The only personal data Signal stores is your phone number, and it makes no attempt to link that to your identity.)


iMessage

• Email address
  
  
• Phone number
  
  
• Search history
  
  
• Device ID

WhatsApp

• Device ID
  
  
• User ID
  
  
• Advertising Data
  
  
• Purchase History
  
  
• Coarse Location
  
  
• Phone Number
  
  
• Email Address
  
  
• Contacts
  
  
• Product Interaction
  
  
• Crash Data
  
  
• Performance Data
  
  
• Other Diagnostic Data
  
  
• Payment Info
  
  
• Customer Support
  
  
• Product Interaction
  
  
• Other User Content

Facebook Messenger

Apps have to show what data is used in what way — categorized by such things as third-party advertising and developer marketing. Some data is shown in more than one category, but it was easy enough to de-dupe them in the above apps. With Facebook Messenger, in contrast, the list is so long going to list it in full.


Third-Party Advertising

Purchases

• Purchase History

Financial Info

• Other Financial Info

Location

• Precise Location
  
  
• Coarse Location

Contact Info

• Physical Address
  
  
• Email Address
  
  
• Name
  
  
• Phone Number
  
  
• Other User Contact Info

Contacts

• Contacts

User Content

• Photos or Videos
  
  
• Gameplay Content
  
  
• Other User Content

Search History

• Search History

Browsing History

• Browsing History

Identifiers

• User ID
  
  
• Device ID

Usage Data

• Product Interaction
  
  
• Advertising Data
  
  
• Other Usage Data

Diagnostics

• Crash Data
  
  
• Performance Data
  
  
• Other Diagnostic Data

Other Data

• Other Data Types

Developer’s Advertising or Marketing

Purchases

• Purchase History

Financial Info

• Other Financial Info

Location

• Precise Location
  
  
• Coarse Location

Contact Info

• Physical Address
  
  
• Email Address
  
  
• Name
  
  
• Phone Number
  
  
• Other User Contact Info

Contacts

• Contacts

User Content

• Photos or Videos
  
  
• Gameplay Content
  
  
• Other User Content

Search History

• Search History

Browsing History

• Browsing History

Identifiers

• User ID
  
  
• Device ID

Usage Data

• Product Interaction
  
  
• Advertising Data
  
  
• Other Usage Data

Diagnostics

• Crash Data
  
  
• Performance Data
  
  
• Other Diagnostic Data

Other Data

• Other Data Types

Analytics

Health & Fitness

• Health
  
  
• Fitness

Purchases

• Purchase History

Financial Info

• Payment Info
  
  
• Other Financial Info

Location

• Precise Location
  
  
• Coarse Location

Contact Info

• Physical Address
  
  
• Email Address
  
  
• Name
  
  
• Phone Number
  
  
• Other User Contact Info

Contacts

• Contacts

User Content

• Photos or Videos
  
  
• Audio Data
  
  
• Gameplay Content
  
  
• Customer Support
  
  
• Other User Content

Search History

• Search History

Browsing History

• Browsing History

Identifiers

• User ID
  
  
• Device ID

Usage Data

• Product Interaction
  
  
• Advertising Data
  
  
• Other Usage Data

Sensitive Info

• Sensitive Info

Diagnostics

• Crash Data
  
  
• Performance Data
  
  
• Other Diagnostic Data

Other Data

• Other Data Types

Product Personalization

Purchases

• Purchase History

Financial Info

• Other Financial Info

Location

• Precise Location
  
  
• Coarse Location

Contact Info

• Physical Address
  
  
• Email Address
  
  
• Name
  
  
• Phone Number
  
  
• Other User Contact Info

Contacts

• Contacts

User Content

• Photos or Videos
  
  
• Gameplay Content
  
  
• Other User Content

Search History

• Search History

Browsing History

• Browsing History

Identifiers

• User ID
  
  
• Device ID

Usage Data

• Product Interaction
  
  
• Advertising Data
  
  
• Other Usage Data

Sensitive Info

• Sensitive Info

Diagnostics

• Crash Data
  
  
• Performance Data
  
  
• Other Diagnostic Data

Other Data

• Other Data Types

App Functionality

Health & Fitness

• Health
  
  
• Fitness

Purchases

• Purchase History

Financial Info

• Payment Info
  
  
• Credit Info
  
  
• Other Financial Info

Location

• Precise Location
  
  
• Coarse Location

Contact Info

• Physical Address
  
  
• Email Address
  
  
• Name
  
  
• Phone Number
  
  
• Other User Contact Info

Contacts

• Contacts

User Content

• Emails or Text Messages
  
  
• Photos or Videos
  
  
• Audio Data
  
  
• Gameplay Content
  
  
• Customer Support
  
  
• Other User Content

Search History

• Search History

Browsing History

• Browsing History

Identifiers

• User ID
  
  
• Device ID

Usage Data

• Product Interaction
  
  
• Advertising Data
  
  
• Other Usage Data

Sensitive Info

• Sensitive Info

Diagnostics

• Crash Data
  
  
• Performance Data
  
  
• Other Diagnostic Data

Other Data

• Other Data Types

Other Purposes

Purchases

• Purchase History

Financial Info

• Other Financial Info

Location

• Precise Location
  
  
• Coarse Location

Contact Info

• Physical Address
  
  
• Email Address
  
  
• Name
  
  
• Phone Number
  
  
• Other User Contact Info

Contacts

• Contacts

User Content

• Photos or Videos
  
  
• Gameplay Content
  
  
• Customer Support
  
  
• Other User Content

Search History

• Search History

Browsing History

• Browsing History

Identifiers

• User ID
  
  
• Device ID

Usage Data

• Product Interaction
• 
  
• Advertising Data
  
  
• Other Usage Data

Diagnostics

• Crash Data
  
  
• Performance Data
  
  
• Other Diagnostic Data

Other Data

• Other Data Types

Some have suggested that Apple respond to Facebook’s full-page newspaper ads with a response consisting solely of the above list.

How many people will actually read the app privacy labels, let alone have that influence their choice of messaging app, remains to be seen.

 

[sandysgeek]

Apple to Announce Q1 2021 Earnings on January 27

Apple today updated its investor relations page to announce that earnings for the first fiscal quarter of 2021 (fourth calendar quarter) will be shared on Wednesday, January 27.

The first quarter earnings call will likely provide some insight into the sales of the iPhone 12 models, which were released in October, along with the M1 Macs that came out in November. Because the new iPhones were delayed, initial iPhone sales did not factor into the fourth quarter revenue results.

Apple did not provide guidance for the first quarter of 2021 during its fourth quarter earnings call because of the uncertainty caused by the ongoing global health crisis that continues to affect Apple's product launch timelines and sales. Many Apple stores worldwide are once again closed at the current time.

In the fourth fiscal quarter of 2020, Apple posted revenue of $64.7 billion, setting a new record for September quarter revenue. For the full fiscal year, Apple generated $274.5 billion in sales with $57.4 billion in net income, surpassing its 2019 earnings.

The first quarter of 2020 saw Apple announcing its best ever quarter in terms of revenue and profit, with Apple bringing in $91.8 billion in revenue and net quarterly profit of $22.2 billion.

The quarterly earnings statement will be released at 1:30 PM Pacific/4:30 PM Eastern, with a conference call to discuss the report taking place at 2:00 PM Pacific/5:00 PM Eastern

 

[sandysgeek]

Mandatory WhatsApp Privacy Policy Update Allows User Data to be Shared With Facebook

WhatsApp updates its Terms and Privacy Policy to mandate data-sharing with Facebook

WhatsApp users are receiving an in-app notice today regarding the service’s new terms and privacy policy. The notice, as you can see in the attached screenshot, talks about three key updates that affect how WhatsApp processes your data, how businesses can use Facebook hosted services to store and manage their WhatsApp chats, and how WhatsApp will soon partner with Facebook to offer deeper integrations across all of the latter’s products. It further reveals that these changes will go into effect on February 8th, and users will have no choice but to accept these changes if they wish to continue using WhatsApp.

The new terms and privacy policy update builds upon a similar change WhatsApp announced in July last year. However, in the previous update, WhatsApp gave users the option to “not have your WhatsApp account information shared with Facebook.” With the latest update, WhatsApp has done away with this option, and users will have to accept the new terms and privacy policy if they want to continue using the instant messenger. If you agree to the changes, here’s all the information WhatsApp will share with other Facebook companies:

“The information we share with the other Facebook Companies includes your account registration information (such as your phone number), transaction data, service-related information, information on how you interact with others (including businesses) when using our Services, mobile device information, your IP address, and may include other information identified in the Privacy Policy section entitled ‘Information We Collect’ or obtained upon notice to you or based on your consent.”

The updated privacy policy further highlights how other Facebook companies may use the information collected from WhatsApp. This includes:

• helping improve infrastructure and delivery systems;
  
  
• understanding how our Services or theirs are used;
  
  
• promoting safety, security and integrity across the Facebook Company Products, e.g., security systems and fighting spam, threads, abuse, or infringement activities;
  
  
• improving their services and your experiences using them, such as making suggestions for you (for example, of friends or group connections, or of interesting content), personalizing features and content, helping you complete purchases and transactions, and showing relevant offers and ads across the Facebook Company Products; and
  
  
• providing integrations which enable you to connect your WhatsApp experiences with other Facebook Company Products. For example, allowing you to connect your Facebook Pay account to pay for things on WhatsApp or enabling you to chat with your friends on other Facebook Company Products, such as Portal, by connecting your WhatsApp account.

The new WhatsApp terms and privacy policy change falls in line with Facebook’s larger goal of providing a more cohesive experience to users across all its services. But while the changes may help the company provide “better” services, it raises several privacy concerns that don’t bode well for Facebook’s “Privacy-Focused Vision” for Messenger, WhatsApp, and Instagram.

If you’re interested in reading more about the latest terms and policy changes, you can access the updated Privacy Policy by following this link.



Last month, WhatsApp publicly protested Apple's requirement that developers submit information about what user data they collect for privacy labels on the App Store, saying that it could give its messaging app a competitive disadvantage.

If you don't know, WhatsApp is owned by Facebook.

 

[sandysgeek]

Tim Cook mourns ‘sad and shameful’ day

Tim Cook mourns ‘sad and shameful’ day, says ‘we must complete the transition’ to the Biden administration

Apple CEO Tim Cook has become one of the early technology executives to weigh in on the events that unfolded in Washington D.C. today. Following a mob of Trump supporters storming the Capitol this afternoon, Cook is calling on “those responsible for this insurrection to be held to account.”

The Apple CEO, who has had both a strained and at times friendly relationship with Trump, said that today “marks a sad and shameful chapter” in the history of the United States. While calling for those responsible to be held to account, Cook also said that “we must complete the transition” to President-elect Biden’s incoming administration.

Cook wrote on Twitter:

“Today marks a sad and shameful chapter in our nation’s history. Those responsible for this insurrection should be held to account, and we must complete the transition to President-elect Biden’s administration. It’s especially when they are challenged that our ideals matter most.”

The relationship between Cook and Trump has been an interesting one to follow over the last four years. The Apple CEO has long stated his belief (see below) that it’s much better to be involved in the conversation, particularly when you disagree, than it is to be on the sidelines.






his view that it’s always better to engage.

I believe that it’s much better to be involved, whether you’re in agreement on an issue or I think it’s even more important to engage when you disagree on something. And so what we do at Apple is we focus on policy. We don’t focus on the politics. And so it keeps us out of the sort of the daily scrum of politics and keeps us very focused on the things that are very important to us.

You can watch the interview here:
The Atlantic Festival Ideas Stage - Day 1 (feat. Tim Cook and Stacey Abrams)
•Streamed live on Sep 21, 2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y06UTlSn2hw

 

[sandysgeek]

Encrypted Messaging App Signal Sees Surge in Popularity

Encrypted Messaging App Signal Sees Surge in Popularity Following WhatsApp Privacy Policy Update


Encrypted messaging app Signal faced big delays in verifying the phone numbers of new accounts on Thursday because of a sudden surge in people trying to join the platform.

In messages posted from its official Twitter account, the non-profit Signal Foundation said verification codes were delayed across several cellular networks, and that it was working through the backlog as quickly as it could.

Signal
@signalapp
Verification codes are currently delayed across several providers because so many new people are trying to join Signal right now (we can barely register our excitement). We are working with carriers to resolve this as quickly as possible. Hang in there.
5:53 PM · Jan 7, 2021

While the issue is now said to have been resolved, the surge in Signal signups followed recent privacy policy changes highlighted by rival messaging platform WhatsApp.

On Wednesday, WhatsApp began rolling out its latest terms and privacy policy, which allows the popular messaging app to share a significant amount of user data with Facebook. The changes, which are set to take effect on February 8, 2021, are mandatory and users will not be able to continue using WhatsApp unless they accept the terms.

Users who agree to the terms can expect their WhatsApp account registration and phone number, transaction data, service-related information, interaction information, mobile device information, IP address, and other data to be shared with Facebook.

Facebook told The Verge the updated terms related to messaging with businesses, and that nothing is changing for regular users, however the lack of an opt-out option and the amount of data sharing highlighted by the updated policy has raised privacy concerns.

Last month, WhatsApp publicly protested Apple's requirement that developers submit information about what user data they collect for privacy labels on the App Store, saying that it could give its messaging app a competitive disadvantage.

Morgan
@morqon

Late last year, Apple enforced App Store 'privacy labels'. For the first time, it's easy to compare how much data an app links to your account

Looking at messaging apps, the contrast is quite stark

3,201px × 1,800px

Signal's uptick in users was also linked to tweets posted by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, who recently became the world's richest person. As noted by The Verge, Musk continued a trend of criticizing Facebook with a Twitter post on Wednesday evening, following the attack on the U.S. Capitol building.

Musk shared a meme suggesting the founding of Facebook had ultimately led to the day's events, and followed it up with a tweet suggesting his 41.5 million voters "use Signal," presumably instead of a Facebook-owned product like WhatsApp. Musk's suggestion was later retweeted by Edward Snowden, another prominent Signal fan.

Elon Musk
@elonmusk

This is called the domino effect

4:06 AM · Jan 7, 2021

Elon Musk
@elonmusk

Use Signal

12:56 PM · Jan 7, 2021

Edward Snowden
@Snowden
That's @signalapp, for those who don't speak Elon.

Elon Musk
@elonmusk
Use Signal

4:20 PM · Jan 7, 2021

Notably, the Signal Foundation was co-founded and funded by Brian Acton, the former WhatsApp co-founder who left the company after it was bought by Facebook in 2014. Acton later urged his Twitter followers to delete Facebook.

 

[sandysgeek]

AAPL Double Top?

Sandy is a little concerned with Apple’s kind of double top up here at about $138.

Basic high level explanation

There are two schools of thought that take precedence for analyzing stock markets – fundamental analysis and technical analysis.

For stocks, fundamental analysis uses revenues, earnings, future growth, return on equity,
profit margins, and other data to determine a company's underlying value and potential for future growth. All of this data is available in a company's financial statements

Technical analysis is employed to evaluate investments and identify trading opportunities in price trends and patterns seen on charts.

A double top is an extremely bearish technical reversal pattern that forms after an asset reaches a high price two consecutive times with a moderate decline between the two highs.

 

[sandysgeek]

Apple Has Threatened To Ban Parler From The App Store

The social networking app favored by conservatives has been given 24 hours to institute a moderation policy.

Apple has given Parler, the social network favored by conservatives and extremists, an ultimatum to implement a full moderation plan of its platform within the next 24 hours or face expulsion from the App store.

In an email sent this morning and obtained by BuzzFeed News, Apple wrote to Parler’s executives that there had been complaints that the service had been used to plan and coordinate the storming of the US Capitol by President Donald Trump’s supporters on Wednesday. The insurrection left five people dead, including a police officer.

"We have received numerous complaints regarding objectionable content in your Parler service, accusations that the Parler app was used to plan, coordinate, and facilitate the illegal activities in Washington D.C. on January 6, 2021 that led (among other things) to loss of life, numerous injuries, and the destruction of property,” Apple wrote to Parler. “The app also appears to continue to be used to plan and facilitate yet further illegal and dangerous activities.”

Conversation on Parler featuring blatant hate speech and a threat to harm a public figure
Screenshot via Parler



Apple said that “to ensure there is no interruption of the availability of your app on the App Store,” Parler was required to submit an update and a “requested moderation improvement plan within 24 hours of the date of the message,” which was sent on Friday morning. Apple said if it did not receive an update from the company within that time frame, the app would be removed from the App store.

An Apple spokesperson declined to comment.

A few hours later, Google issued a similar ultimatum telling Parler that its app's listing in the Google Play store would be suspended until it implements a moderation plan that will address "this ongoing and urgent public safety threat."

1,754px × 1,150px



On Parler, CEO John Matze struck a defiant tone. “We will not cave to pressure from anti-competitive actors! We will and always have enforced our rules against violence and illegal activity. But we WONT cave to politically motivated companies and those authoritarians who hate free speech!” he wrote in a message.

“Anyone who buys an Apple phone is apparently a user. Apperently they know what is best for you by telling you which apps you may and may not use,” he added.

Launched in 2018, Parler has become a safe haven for people that have been banned or suspended by popular social networks including Facebook and Twitter for violating those platforms' rules. The Henderson, Nevada–based company has billed itself as a free speech alternative to mainstream social networks and taken a more relaxed approach to content moderation, attracting conspiracy theorists, members of hate groups, and right-wing activists who have openly incited violence. Recent threads on Parler, for example, have called for the execution of Vice President Mike Pence, and encouraged the conspiracy theory that left-wing antifa activists were behind Wednesday’s events.

Republican lawmakers including Sen. Ted Cruz and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy as well as President Donald Trump’s family members and surrogates have all established accounts on Parler, and have urged their followers on other social media sites to migrate there.

“Content of this dangerous and harmful nature is not appropriate for the App Store. As you know from prior conversations with App Review, Apple requires apps with user generated content to effectively moderate to ensure objectionable, potentially harmful content is filtered out,” the iPhone maker wrote in its letter. “Content that threatens the well being of others or is intended to incite violence or other lawless acts has never been acceptable on the App Store.”


The full text of the letter follows:

We require your immediate attention regarding serious App Store guideline violations that we have found with your app, Parler.


We have received numerous complaints regarding objectionable content in your Parler service, accusations that the Parler app was used to plan, coordinate, and facilitate the illegal activities in Washington D.C. on January 6, 2021 that led (among other things) to loss of life, numerous injuries, and the destruction of property. The app also appears to continue to be used to plan and facilitate yet further illegal and dangerous activities.


Our investigation has found that Parler is not effectively moderating and removing content that encourages illegal activity and poses a serious risk to the health and safety of users in direct violation of your own terms of service, found here: https://legal.parler.com/documents/Elaboration-on-Guidelines.pdf


Examples of these complaints can be viewed on these links:

https://twitter.com/slpng_giants/status/1347190280492089344?s=20

https://twitter.com/EmmanueLoree/status/1347260055410896897/photo/1

https://twitter.com/Lovedrea/status/1347263797614972928?s=20

https://twitter.com/Wilmographer/status/1346714000554303489?s=20

https://twitter.com/pjg0014/status/1347265499210592256?s=20


Content of this dangerous and harmful nature is not appropriate for the App Store. As you know from prior conversations with App Review, Apple requires apps with user generated content to effectively moderate to ensure objectionable, potentially harmful content is filtered out. Content that threatens the well being of others or is intended to incite violence or other lawless acts has never been acceptable on the App Store.


Your CEO was quoted recently saying "But I don’t feel responsible for any of this and neither should the platform, considering we’re a neutral town square that just adheres to the law.” We want to be clear that Parler is in fact responsible for all the user generated content present on your service and for ensuring that this content meets App Store requirements for the safety and protection of our users. We won’t distribute apps that present dangerous and harmful content.


We have now rejected your app for the App Store Review Guidelines detailed below.


Guideline 1.1 - Safety - Objectionable Content


We found that your app includes content that some users may find upsetting, offensive, or otherwise objectionable. Specifically, we found direct threats of violence and calls to incite lawless action.


Guideline 1.2 - Safety - User Generated Content


Your app enables the display of user-generated content but does not have sufficient precautions in place to effectively manage objectionable content present in your app.


See the attached screenshots for more details.


Next Steps


Nothing is more important to the App Store than the safety of our users. You must resolve these issue immediately for your app to remain on the App Store.


Please remove all objectionable content from your app and submit your revised binary for review. Such content includes any content similar to the examples attached to this message, as well as any content referring to harm to people or attacks on government facilities now or at any future date. In addition, you must respond to this message with detailed information about how you intend to moderate and filter this content from your app, and what you will do to improve moderation and content filtering your service for this kind of objectionable content going forward.


To ensure there is no interruption of the availability of your app on the App Store, please submit an update and the requested moderation improvement plan within 24 hours of the date of this message. If we do not receive an update compliant with the App Store Review Guidelines and the requested moderation improvement plan in writing within 24 hours, your app will be removed from the App Store.


If you have any questions about this message, please reply and let us know.


Regards,


App Review Board

UPDATE (Friday Jan 8, 2021 7:45 p.m. ET): Google has issued a statement of its own:

"In order to protect user safety on Google Play, our longstanding policies require that apps displaying user-generated content have moderation policies and enforcement that removes egregious content like posts that incite violence. All developers agree to these terms and we have reminded Parler of this clear policy in recent months.

We’re aware of continued posting in the Parlerapp that seeks to incite ongoing violence in the U.S. We recognize that there can be reasonable debate about content policies and that it can be difficult for apps to immediately remove all violative content, but for us to distribute an app through Google Play, we do require that apps implement robust moderation for egregious content. In light of this ongoing and urgent public safety threat, we are suspending the app’s listings from the Play Store until it addresses these issues.“

 

[sandysgeek]

Condensing four separate articles to a headline along with a few sentences into a single post





Google removes Parler, popular with Trump supporters, from app store for Android

Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google

• Google has removed Parler, a social media app popular with Trump supporters, from the Google Play Store, making it much harder for Android users to download and access the app.

Amazon employees call for company to cut ties with Parler after deadly U.S. Capitol riot

Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon

• A group of Amazon corporate employees is calling on the company to stop providing cloud services to Parler, a social media app popular with Trump supporters, following the deadly riots at the U.S. Capitol earlier this week.
  
  
• “We cannot be complicit in more bloodshed and violent attacks on our democracy,” Amazon employees wrote in a tweet.

Apple removes Parler from App Store in wake of U.S. Capitol riot

Apple CEO Tim Cook

• Apple has removed Parler from its the iPhone App Store because posts on the pro-Trump social network related to the U.S. Capitol riot last week called for violence.
  
  
• The removal of the app comes as the violence at the U.S. Capitol has renewed calls for social media and technology companies to more closely moderate their platforms, especially when it comes to calls to incite violence.

Amazon to drop Parler from its web hosting service, citing violent posts

Parler CEO John Matze

• Amazon will no longer provide cloud services to Parler, a social media app popular with Trump supporters, after it told the company that it hosted “violent content” that violates its terms of service.
  
  
• The suspension will take effect on Sunday at 11:59 p.m. PT.
  
  
• The move will effectively take Parler offline unless it can find a new company to host its services.
  
  
• The decision follows similar moves from Google and Apple, which booted Parler from their app stores.

 

[sandysgeek]

Introduced on January 9, 2007, the iPhone was the 'computer for the rest of us'

On January 9, 2007, in the shadow of the CES, Steve Jobs unveiled the iPhone. You know that it was an extraordinary and flawless demo from the outside, but what you don't remember is everything else that was launched — nor how part of the keynote did go wrong.

Context is everything. On Sunday, January 7, 2007, Bill Gates gave the keynote address at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Hammering home Microsoft's buzz phrase 'Digital Decade,' he talked about how great hardware wasn't enough, that we needed connected experiences. "Where people are being productive, doing new creative things, where they're mobile... that is the key element that is missing."

He said that "Vista and the PC continue to have the central role," though he also claimed that Windows Vista was "the highest quality release that we've ever done."

Two days later and around 400 miles away, Steve Jobs introduced the very device, the very experience that Gates said was missing. He introduced the iPhone at Macworld San Francisco. While Jobs didn't use the term 'post-PC era' then, that's what the iPhone created. This was truly the device for productive, creative people on the move, and it didn't run Windows Vista.


Many more things

That 2007 keynote is justifiably famous for how well it introduced the iPhone. Jobs opened it by saying that "We're going to make some history together today" and it is the phone he meant.

His presentation is an example of a really finely produced keynote, and it takes you through the world of cell phones as they were before showing you exactly where they were all going wrong. And then how the iPhone would of course fix all that.

If you dislike Apple, if your personal preference means you buy Androids instead of iPhones, you're still benefiting from that keynote today. During the many times Apple would later go to court over the similarities between iPhone and Android, it would present a graphic demonstrating its position. This is the one it showed when up against Samsung.

Many more things

Yet the presentation did feature other things, some of which were roundly applauded at the time and one other that we've only truly learned to appreciate in the years since.

Jobs opened the presentation by referring back to what he'd announced the previous year. That 2006 keynote had been when Apple not only announced it was moving from PowerPC to Intel processors, it vowed to complete the transition for all Mac models within 12 months. In 2007, he referred to this as being a "huge heart transplant" and that "we did it in seven months."

He said that Apple's last year had been remarkably successful and also specified that over half of all new Mac buyers were now switching from Windows. It had recently been half of all buyers in Apple Stores, but now it was 50 percent wherever you could buy a Mac.

Next, he showed a quote from a 2004 internal memo at Microsoft where Jim Allchin of the company's Senior Leadership team said "I would buy a Mac today if I was not working at Microsoft."

Jobs revealed that Allchin was shortly to retire, so he's "alerted our Seattle stores to keep an eye out for him and give him really good service."

The rest of that Allchin memo, incidentally, included the statement that "Longhorn [codename for Vista] is a pig and I don't see any solution to this problem." Jobs didn't quote that, but he did run a new ad from the Get a Mac campaign specifically aimed at Vista.

https://youtu.be/ci2D1ig4df4
Apple - Get a Mac - Surgery - 0:30
New Apple Get a Mac commercial, PC needs surgery to upgrade to Vista. •Jan 9, 2007


"So 2007 is going to be a great year for the Mac," said Steve Jobs, "but this is all we're going to talk about the Mac today. We're going to move on to some other things."

Remember that back in the mid-2000s, there were more rumors about Apple introducing a phone than there are today about it making a car. Vastly more. So with these words, he was surely going to make the big announcement next.

Except he didn't. Instead, Jobs took us around Apple's music business. He revealed that they had just passed 2 billion song sales and that the iPod was now the world's most popular video player "by a large margin." He revealed that in the then first four months that movies had been available on iTunes, people had bought 1.3 million of them.

At the time, there were only 100 films on the service, but Jobs announced this would increase to 250 because Paramount was coming to iTunes.

Jobs managed to make 250 movies sound good — but there was one figure he didn't even try to put a gloss on. And that was sales of the Zune, Microsoft's iPod killer which had been released the previous November. Only figures for that launch month were available, but they showed that after a big launch, the Zune had managed only 2 percent market share.

"No matter how you try to spin this, ah, what can you say?" said Jobs.


At last the iPhone

At 24 minutes into the presentation, Jobs paused. "This is a day I've been looking forward to for two-and-a-half years," he said. Later, at the end of the keynote and when it had gone so well, he also confessed on stage: "You know, I didn't sleep a wink last night, I was so excited about today."

It turned out that there were other reasons to not sleep a wink and Apple engineers knew them all. While it was only revealed very much later, Jobs's presentation was attended by iPhone engineers who knew how easily it could all have gone wrong. The software wasn't finished, the whole phone was still being worked on, and if Jobs deviated from the planned demo, it was likely that the phone would crash.

Steve Jobs with the then most popular smart phones in 2007


Instead, as you know, the whole presentation went flawlessly. Or rather, most of it did.


My clicker isn't working

Having successfully concluded the demo of the new iPhone, Jobs went on to talk about market share and clicked to move on to his next slide. And clicked. And clicked.

He explained that the clicker wasn't working and picked up a spare — which appeared to also not work. "They're scrambling backstage right now," he told the audience.

On this most crucial presentation of his Apple career, Steve Jobs then filled for 55 seconds with a story about how Steve Wozniak had built a clicker-like device at college to mess with people's TV reception.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3W3GsbogqTE
When the clicker broke down in Macworld Keynote 2007, Steve Jobs shared a memory from high school with his audience..
Steve Jobs' High School Memory •Jan 18, 2007



Aiming for 1 percent

Earlier, Jobs had made you think that the Zune's 2 percent market share was disastrous. When he got the slides working, he built up to saying that Apple was aiming for a 1 percent share of the cellphone market — and that this was great.

There was a bit of a difference though. Using the latest 2006 figures available, Jobs said that the cell market had been around one billion phones. Apple was aiming for 10 million iPhones in the first year.

The iPhone didn't actually launch until June, but it then took only 74 days for the company to sell its first million of them.
Different company

It's just that the company was no longer Apple Computer, Inc. The very last thing Steve Jobs announced at this January 9, 2007 presentation was that the company was changing its name.

Standing in front of a side that showed the Mac, iPod, Apple TV, and iPhone, he pointed out that only the first of those is truly what you'd call a computer. "We've thought about this," he said, talking about how Apple was doing more than just computers, "and we thought maybe our name should reflect this a little bit more than it does."

From this day on, the company would now be known as just Apple, Inc — and it would truly never be the same again.
Many more things

The iPhone was the first iOS device, a category that now includes the iPod touch, plus all the variations of the iPad.

In September 2018, Tim Cook announced that Apple was close to shipping its 2 billionth iOS device.


The iPhone was an enormous gamble, and it has surely paid off enormously.






Today we're introducing three revolutionary products of this class.

The first one is a widescreen iPod with touch controls

The second is a revolutionary mobile phone

And the third is a breakthrough communications device

... an iPod, a phone, Are you getting it?

These are not three separate devices. This is one device

And we are calling it iPhone

Today Apple is going to re-invent the phone

And here it is

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnrJzXM7a6o
Steve Jobs introduces iPhone in 2007 - 10:19
This is the iPhone introduction excerpt from the Macworld San Francisco 2007 Keynote Address January 9th, 2007.

 

[sandysgeek]

Parler CEO blames Apple and Google for destroying the company

Parler app and website go offline; CEO blames Apple and Google for destroying the company

The Parler app is non-functional, and parler.com has gone offline, as Amazon Web Services discontinued service to the company. Both the website and the app relied on AWS for content distribution.

The social network was set up after Twitter started clamping down on disinformation and hate speech. However, both Apple and Google dropped the apps after it was revealed that Parler was used to help plan the attempted coup at the Capitol, and was being used to plan a second armed attack in DC ahead of the inauguration …


Background

Apple first gave Parler 24 hours to begin properly moderating posts, to remove harmful content.

We have received numerous complaints regarding objectionable content in your Parler service, accusations that the Parler app was used to plan, coordinate, and facilitate the illegal activities in Washington D.C. on January 6, 2021 that led (among other things) to loss of life, numerous injuries, and the destruction of property.

The app also appears to continue to be used to plan and facilitate yet further illegal and dangerous activities.

This included calls to execute US vice-president Mike Pence as part of a second, armed attack in DC.

When the social network’s response proved weak, Apple removed Parler from the App Store.

We have determined that the measures you describe are inadequate to address the proliferation of dangerous and objectionable content on your app.

Parler has not upheld its commitment to moderate and remove harmful or dangerous content encouraging violence and illegal activity, and is not in compliance with the App Store Review Guidelines.

Google also removed the Android version from the Play store.


Parler app and website go offline

CNET reports that Amazon followed Apple’s example in pulling the service, following an earlier report that it would do so.

Parler Chief Executive John Matze posted on his service late Saturday that Amazon had informed him it would no longer host his service on its Amazon Web Services platform […]

“This was a coordinated attack by the tech giants to kill competition in the marketplace,” Matze wrote, adding that his service had become “too successful too fast.” He didn’t initially address his platform’s comparatively lax moderation rules or its use by extremists ahead of the Capitol Hill riot. He also didn’t mention increasing concerns that social media apps, including Parler, were being used to organize another attack in the coming weeks.

While Matze had earlier been dismissive of Amazon’s decision, claiming that other companies would be lining up to take their money, Deadline reports that he was forced to backtrack after learning that nobody else wanted to touch Parler either.

Parler CEO John Matze said today that his social media company has been dropped by virtually all of its business alliances after Amazon, Apple and Google ended their agreements with the social media service.

“Every vendor from text message services to email providers to our lawyers all ditched us too on the same day,” Matze said today on Fox News.

Matze conceded that the bans could put the company out of business while raising free speech issues, calling it “an assault on everybody.”

“They all work together to make sure at the same time we would lose access to not only our apps, but they’re actually shutting all of our servers off tonight, off the internet,” Matze said. “They made an attempt to not only kill the app, but to actually destroy the entire company. And it’s not just these three companies. Every vendor from text message services to email providers to our lawyers all ditched us too on the same day” […]

He added: “We’re going to try our best to get back online as quickly as possible. But we’re having a lot of trouble because every vendor we talk to says they won’t work with us. Because if Apple doesn’t approve and Google doesn’t approve, they won’t.”

Separately, the WSJ reports that Stripe has stopped processing payments for the Trump campaign website.

Stripe Inc. will no longer process payments for President Trump’s campaign website following last week’s riot at the Capitol, according to people familiar with the matter.

The financial-technology company handles card payments for millions of online businesses and e-commerce platforms, including Mr. Trump’s campaign website and online fundraising apparatus. Stripe is cutting off the president’s campaign account for violating its policies against encouraging violence, the people said.

Five people died in the Capitol attack, including a police officer.






Removing much of the duped and previously posted info, but there are a few want to share

Parler CEO says app will be offline ‘longer than expected’ because of Amazon, Apple and Google

Screenshots of the Parler app viewed show users posting references to firing squads, as well as calls to bring weapons to the presidential inauguration later this month.

John Matze, the founder and CEO, said in a statement on Monday, “We are the worlds [sic] last hope for free speech and free information. What they are doing is unprecedented, unfounded and absolutely disgusting,” Matze wrote late Saturday night. “They want to keep their monopoly over speech.“

The news follows Twitter’s permanent suspension of Trump’s Twitter account, which had 88 million followers, over what it said was the president’s incitement of violence linked to the storming of the Capitol Building, which lead to five deaths. Trump has also been banned from Facebook and Instagram.

Gab, a similar social network to Parler known for its far-right userbase and a frequent host of hate speech, appears to be benefiting from the fallout. On Monday, Gab CEO Andrew Torba announced that the platform had gained 600,000 new users.

 

[sandysgeek]

Apple CEO Tim Cook joins ‘CBS This Morning’ ahead of ‘big announcement’

Apple CEO Tim Cook joins ‘CBS This Morning’ ahead of ‘big announcement’ coming Wednesday

Apple CEO Tim Cook joined CBS This Morning for an interview today, touching on the events that occurred at the US Capitol last Wednesday.

Notably, CBS This Morning host Gayle King also teased that more of the interview will air tomorrow, as Apple is expected to make a “ big announcement” of some sort – but it’s “not a product.”

Cook said that he thinks it’s “key” for people to be held accountable for what happened at the US Capitol last week:

“I think it’s key that people be held accountable for it. This is not something that should skate. This is something we’ve got to be very serious about, and understand, and then we need to move forward.”

When asked specifically about whether Trump should be held accountable for the violence, the Apple CEO indicated that he believes no one is above the law:

“I think no one is above the law. That’s the great thing about our country, we’re a rule of law country. I think everyone who had a part in it needs to be held accountable. I don’t think we should let it go. I think holding people accountable is important.”

CBS This Morning will have a full interview with Tim Cook tomorrow, King says. King didn’t allude to what Apple’s “big announcement” could be, but she did clarify that it’s “not a new product.”

The interview was already scheduled prior to last week’s events at the Capitol, King added, with the focus originally supposed to be on Apple’s planned announcement for Wednesday. One possibility for the announcement is the roll out of Apple’s planned privacy changes for iOS 14.

Apple has already said that it will roll out its new App Tracking Transparency feature sometime in early 2021. The App Tracking Transparency feature requires apps to obtain consent from users before tracking them across other websites and apps. Apple had originally hoped to launch it with iOS 14 in September, but it ended up delaying the feature to give developers more time to prepare.

Furthermore, the announcement would come in the midst of the annual Consumer Electronics Show.

Apple has made a habit of emphasizing its focus on privacy during the same week as CES. Last year, Apple retuned to CES for the first time in decades to participate in a privacy roundtable alongside Facebook and other companies.

Two years ago, Apple put up billboards around Las Vegas touting “what happens on your iPhone, stays on your iPhone.”

Apple CEO Tim Cook Says President Trump should answer for his part in Capitol Hill violence - 2:08
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbnbC3DNbQw&feature=youtu.be
Apple removed the social media app "Parler," popular with the far right, from its app store over the weekend. Apple CEO Tim Cook says the platform violated Apple's terms of service by not adequately monitoring posts that incite violence. "CBS This Morning" co-host Gayle King spoke with Cook about the assault on the Capitol and asked him what needs to happen next.

#EXCLUSIVE: @GayleKing spoke with @Apple CEO Tim Cook about the assault on the Capitol and what he thinks needs to happen next.

See more of @tim_cook's interview Wednesday on @CBSThisMorning when he'll announce a major new initiative, that's not a new product. pic.twitter.com/QPYyoDVFv7
https:// t . c o /QPYyoDVFv7

— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) January 12, 2021

Ahead of CES, Apple touts ‘what happens on your iPhone, stays on your iPhone’ with privacy billboard in Las Vegas

 

[sandysgeek]

Signal and Telegram downloads surge after WhatsApp says it will share data

Signal and Telegram downloads surge after WhatsApp says it will share data with Facebook

Downloads of privacy-focused messaging apps Signal and Telegram got a boost as users looked for alternatives to Facebook-owned WhatsApp over concerns about changes to the service’s privacy policy.

Signal saw approximately 7.5 million installs globally through the Apple App Store and Google Play store between Jan. 6 and Jan. 10, according to Sensor Tower. That’s 43 times the number from the previous week. It is highest week or even monthly install number for Signal in the app’s history.

Meanwhile Telegram saw 5.6 million downloads globally from Wednesday through Sunday, according to Apptopia.

Signal claims to have “state-of-the-art end-to-end encryption” as part of its service, which prevents messages from being read by those who are not the intended recipient.

The surge in downloads of these two apps comes after WhatsApp released an update to its privacy policy on Jan. 4. Since 2016, WhatsApp has shared certain data with Facebook. But users previously had a chance to opt out of this.

But starting Feb. 8, users will be prompted in the app to accept the updated terms in order to continue using WhatsApp. Users in Europe and the U.K. will see a different message due to data protection rules in those jurisdictions.

WhatsApp messages are encrypted, however, meaning Facebook will not be able to see their contents. But WhatsApp collects a lot of other data which can be shared with its parent company.

This data includes account registration information such as your phone number, transaction data, service-related information, information on how you interact with others, including businesses when using the service, and mobile device information.

In a Monday statement, WhatsApp said this update does not affect the privacy of messages sent to friends and family. It clarified that the update will include “changes related to messaging a business on WhatsApp, which is optional, and provides further transparency about how we collect and use data.”

WhatsApp says the data shared with Facebook is used to help improve infrastructure, promote safety and security and refine services by making suggestions or personalizing features and content. This could also include integration between Facebook-branded products and WhatsApp.

After the announcement, Tesla CEO Elon Musk urged his Twitter followers last week to “use Signal.”

Signal reported last week that verification codes sent to users via text message to start using the app were delayed because of high demand. Signal said it added additional servers in order to handle the influx of new users.

“We continue to shatter traffic records and add capacity as more and more people come to terms with how much they dislike Facebook’s new terms,” Signal said in a tweet. “If you weren’t able to create a new group recently, please try again. New servers are ready to serve you.”

Despite the surge in Signal and Telegram downloads, WhatsApp has not seen a decline, according to Adam Blacker, vice president of insights at Apptopia.

“It’s too ingrained. My guess is there is a very small number of people who use WhatsApp daily that are recently deleting it,” Blacker said.

“Even those who are downloading and using Signal or Telegram will continue to use WhatsApp as that is where most of their friends and family are. They may start to talk to certain people on Signal but still chat with their mom on WhatsApp.”

 

[sandysgeek]

M1 Mac Bluetooth problems finally set to be resolved, says Apple

Apple has reportedly set that a fix is imminent for the M1 Mac Bluetooth connectivity problems reported by many users of the first Apple Silicon Macs.

Users began reporting issues within days of the first machines arriving …

YouTuber Patrick Tomasso is one of those users who’s having trouble using Bluetooth accessories with the new Mac mini. As he describes in a video on his channel, using a Bluetooth mouse on his M1 Mac mini is almost impossible as the connection gets lost all the time.

According to Tomasso, he has already tried using the Mac mini with a Logitech MX Master 3 and a Magic Mouse 2, but “all of them cut out intermittently” during use. He also experienced problems with Bluetooth connection when pairing AirPods Pro and other wireless accessories to his Mac.

There are also other users with similar complaints on Reddit. Based on one of the reports shared there, the M1 Mac mini doesn’t recognize the Bluetooth mouse and keyboard at all, which makes the machine unusable.

A growing number of reports have followed, with uncertainty whether the issues resulted from hardware issues or a software glitch.

Thankfully, it does appear that the problem can be fixed with a software update. The 8-bit spotted a tweet by The Atlantic contributing writer Ian Bogost, citing a comment by Apple.

Solved my M1 Mac Bluetooth issues by plugging in my keyboard and buying a Logitech mouse with its own Bluetooth dongle.

(Apple tells me a MacOS fix is in progress and forthcoming just about anytime. But jeez.)

— Ian Bogost (@ibogost) January 10, 2021

Apple’s latest response on the matter confirms that the Bluetooth connectivity issues users have been facing on their M1 Macs aren’t hardware related and are fixable via a software update.

These issues have been disconcerting for users having them, especially since the latest MacBooks with the M1 chip only come with two ports. And those who intend to connect external displays and other accessories to those ports as opposed to keyboards and mice are blocked out from doing so.

Some users have reported success with Bluetooth dongles, and using USB-C hubs to connect wired keyboard and mice or trackpads, but not all dongles work.

The problem has been an unfortunate exception to the widespread praise the machines have received in reviews, benchmarks and user comments on the first M1 Macs, which have otherwise delivered incredibly impressive performance and battery life.

 

[sandysgeek]

Apple Pay Promo Offers Four Months of Free Coffee From Panera Bread

Apple today sent out emails highlighting a new U.S. Apple Pay promotion, which will see Panera Bread offering four months of unlimited free coffee to those who sign up for a MyPanera+ Coffee subscription and use Apple Pay to check out.

New subscribers who sign up for a MyPanera+ subscription by January 27, 2021 can get the first four months free. After that, the subscription is priced at $8.99 per month. Using *Apple Pay* for the subscription is a requirement.

MyPanera+ subscribers who swap their payment method to *Apple Pay* are eligible to get a free cookie. The MyPanera+ program offers unlimited premium coffee (up to every two hours) in any size. Hot tea and iced coffee are included, as are unlimited refills, but espresso, iced cold brew coffee, iced tea, and cappuccino are excluded.

Panera Bread is also an Apple Card partner that offers three percent Daily Cash back on *Apple Card* purchases made at Panera Bread locations.