Lit Apple Mac, iPhone, iPad User Group

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Apple Releases iOS 15.1.1 With Call Improvements for iPhone 12 and 13 Models

Apple releases iOS 15.1.1 with fixes for dropped calls on iPhone 12 and 13

Apple is rolling out iOS 15.1.1 to iPhone users today. According to Apple, this update “improves call drop performance on iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models.” Head below for the full details on the update and build number information.

You can update your iPhone to iOS 15.1.1 a by heading to the Settings app, choosing General, then choosing Software Update. The build number for today’s update is 19B81. It clocks in at around 400mb in size on the iPhone 13 Pro Max.

Apple’s release notes for the update are sparse. According to the company, the update only includes one fix:

• iOS 15.1.1 improves call drop performance on iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models.

Today’s release of iOS 15.1.1 comes two weeks after Apple released tvOS 15.1.1 to the public for Apple TV users. Apple is also still beta testing iOS 15.2, which could be released to the public as soon as sometime this month.

 

[sandysgeek]

Celebrate the new MacBook Pro with Brian Tong’s clever ‘Return of the Mac’ parody

Celebrate the new MacBook Pro with Brian Tong’s clever ‘Return of the Mac’ parody [Video]

The all-new MacBook Pro notebooks have been out in the wild for a bit now and pro users are loving the new machines. In a funny and very well-done parody, Brian Tong has remade Mark Morrison’s 90s hit, “Return of the Mack” in honor of the new hardware.

The parody, naturally titled “Return of the Mac” was written and performed by YouTuber Brian Tong with some of the footage recorded on the iPhone 13 Pro.

He packs in some hilarious rhymes about the new ports, latest M1 Pro and M1 Max Apple Silicon, Phil Schiller’s “Can’t innovate anymore my ass” quote, and more while fully suited up in various 90s aesthetics including Morrison’s signature gold chain.

For much of the video Brian filmed in front of Apple’s downtown LA Tower Theater store.

Enjoy the full video on YouTube:

Return Of The MacBook Pro - Mark Morrison "Return Of The Mack" Parody

Return Of The MacBook Pro - Mark Morrison "Return Of The Mack" Parody - 2:35
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLmuawT_KBo

 

[sandysgeek]

Some iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 report iOS 15 breaks in-car Bluetooth hands-free systems

A growing number of iPhone users running iOS 15.1 are reporting connectivity issues with Bluetooth hands-free systems in cars. A thread on the Apple Support forums includes complaints from a number of iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 users, as well as a few potential fixes— none of which appear to be permanent.

The issue appears to primarily affect drivers of Toyota cars and trucks and started sometime around the release of iOS 15 and iOS 15.1, and persists even on newer versions of iOS such as iOS 15.1.1. There are a few reports from drivers of Audi and Volvo cars, but those complaints don’t appear to be as widespread as the issues facing Toyota drivers.

One user says:

Called Toyota and they do not have any type of resolve for the issue as their app isn’t even working properly. Most people here have older Toyotas without CarPlay if I read correctly. I’m not sure at this point if it’s an iPhone 13 problem or a Toyota problem. My iPhone X worked just fine also.

CarPlay doesn’t appear to play a role in this bug, unlike previous in-car bugs that have affected iPhone users. In fact, the issue appears to primarily affect cars without CarPlay, as users are thereby forced to use the auto maker’s in-car system instead.

One user even went as far as to call the iPhone “unusable for calls in my car” due to the Bluetooth dropped call issue:

The iPhone is unusable for calls in my car which is really frustrating. Hopefully someone out there has seen something like this and has a solution/workaround. Or maybe this will make it to the developers and they can try and fix the issue.

 

[sandysgeek]

Why Apple was the only tech stock that went up on Tuesday

Apple stock closed up 3.1% ($165.30, +$5.06) on Tuesday as other stocks tumbled on concerns of the new omicron Covid variant, showing investors see the company as a safe haven during market uncertainty.

Other large-cap tech stocks like Google, Amazon, Meta (formerly Facebook) and Microsoft closed down for the day amid a broader market selloff.

Analyst said that investors turned to Apple on Tuesday because the company has prodigious cash flow, allowing it to endure any slowdowns in the economy and take advantage of falling prices.

“There’s a flight to quality with companies that you know will weather the storm, not go bankrupt, not have financial distress,”, noting that other large-cap tech stocks aren’t down as much as smaller firms.

Apple is positioned to introduce new products to power new growth, including a headset.

“The biggest criticism of Apple for the last five years is no new products. When you look at the product pipeline, lots of excitement there, especially in the press today about how they’re going to introduce augmented reality glasses at the next WWDC in June.”

There are indications that Apple’s current products, especially its iPhone Pro models, are selling well, potentially leading to a big December quarter for the company. Apple said in October it expected record revenue in its fiscal first quarter, over last year’s $111.4 billion in sales, despite supply constraints.

“Lots of really good numbers coming out of retail about how the products are selling. Tablets, especially the high-end iPhones, all of which says they’re going to have high margins and high revenue for the fourth quarter of this year,”.

Apple uses its cash flow not only to invest in new products but to return capital to shareholders through dividends and buybacks, the latter of which can help keep the stock price stable. In a note to investors earlier this month that he expects Apple to continue repurchasing shares over the next five years.

“Our analysis suggests that Apple is likely to be able to continue repurchasing ~ 3-4% of its shares per year until the end of 2026 while growing its dividend per share by 10% annually without taking on net debt on its balance sheet,”

Shares of Apple are up about 25% for the year.

 

[sandysgeek]

Apple Supports World AIDS Day With Red Logo at Stores and Apple Pay Promotion

This is more than two days late. There's also another related post



In what has become an annual tradition, select Apple Store locations are now displaying a red Apple logo in support of World AIDS Day on December 1, such as Apple Nanjing East in Shanghai and Apple Ginza in Tokyo, with other locations likely to follow.

Apple has also announced that, now through December 6, it will donate $1 for every purchase made with Apple Pay on Apple.com, through the Apple Store app, or at an Apple Store in the U.S. to The Global Fund to support the fight against AIDS and COVID‑19. Apple said it will donate a maximum of $1 million through this initiative.

Proceeds from (PRODUCT)RED products will be split between The Global Fund's battle against AIDS and COVID-19. Apple had previously committed to donating all proceeds to the Fund's COVID-19 response.

Apple also continues to sell a variety of (PRODUCT)RED products, ranging from iPhones to Apple Watch bands, with a portion of proceeds from every purchase benefitting The Global Fund. Over a 15-year partnership with (RED), Apple said it has raised nearly $270 million in the fight against global pandemics like HIV/AIDS and COVID-19.

 

[sandysgeek]

Apple celebrates 15 years of fighting AIDS with (RED), launches new faces for Watch

Apple celebrates 15 years of fighting AIDS with (RED), launches new faces for Apple Watch

Apple is celebrating 15 years of its partnership with (RED), the organization that fights to end AIDS. Through support to the Global Fund, it provides access to healthcare services in communities most in need in sub-Saharan Africa.

On World AIDS Day, today, Apple is offering new ways for customers to learn, engage, and donate. As it did last year, it’s raising funds and awareness to support people on the front lines of both AIDS and COVID-19.

Since 2006, Apple customers have helped raise nearly $270 million to fund prevention, testing, and counseling services for people impacted by HIV/AIDS. Apple-supported grants have enabled care and support services for over 11 million people, provided over 192 million HIV tests, and allowed over 13.8 million people access to lifesaving antiretroviral treatments. In 2020 alone, Apple’s support for (RED) helped prevent over 145,000 HIV-positive mothers from passing the virus on to their babies.

To help support the end of HIV, AIDS, and COVID-19, Apple is offering a range of new (PRODUCT)RED devices and accessories this holiday season, which includes:

• iPhone 13 (PRODUCT)RED
  
  
• iPhone 13 mini (PRODUCT)RED
  
  
• Apple Watch Series 7 (PRODUCT)RED

According to Apple, a portion of the proceeds from every (PRODUCT)RED purchase goes directly to the Global Fund to fight AIDS. Until the end of next year, half of the eligible proceeds from (PRODUCT)RED purchases will be redirected to the Global Fund’s COVID-19 Response to alleviate the impact of COVID-19 on the fight to end AIDS.

From now until December 6, Apple is donating $1 to the Global Fund for every purchase made with Apple Pay on apple.com, in the Apple Store app, or at an Apple Store. Every donation will help fund (RED)’s fight against AIDS and COVID-19.

Not only that but Apple Watch users can show their support for (RED) directly from their wrist with a selection of six Apple Watch faces in red available for download here.


Apple raising awareness during World AIDS Day

In the App Store, Apple is highlighting Positive Singles, an inclusive dating app that connects singles living with HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections. The app also provides tips and resources for those who have been recently diagnosed and are looking for helpful information.

In the US, Apple Books will feature collections of books and audiobooks, including nonfiction books about the global fight against HIV/AIDS and fiction books from around the world.

Apple Podcasts will also feature shows examining the state of the global AIDS crisis, including episodes investigating how racism has inhibited access to quality care and how the latest in preventative medicine has been unevenly distributed, as well as deep dives into why there still isn’t a cure.

On Apple Music, subscribers can listen to a curated selection of music programming, radio episodes, and more in a special Apple Music feature in recognition of World AIDS Day.

Also, Apple TV app users can explore a riveting collection of TV shows and movies on the Watch Now tab that reveal the human cost of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

 

[sandysgeek]

Some 16-inch MacBook Pro users report issues trying to charge their Mac

Although the new M1 Max MacBook Pro has been really well-praised by the Apple community, one month after it was unveiled, some users are now starting to report an issue when trying to charge the computer when it’s completely shut down.

The issue was first spotted by a Reddit user who wrote that “when the MacBook is shut down completely there is an issue with charging.”

As you can see in the video the LED on the charging cable repeatedly turns on and off and with each time it does you can hear the charing sound effect. Is this a known issue?

They said they contacted Apple Support and got a possible fix, which would be:

• Shut down M1 Max MacBook Pro;
• Click and hold power button for 10 seconds;
• Click on “Options,” ad then “Continue”;
• Log in to your account in Recovery mode;
• Click on the Apple logo on the top left and shut down the MacBook Pro again.

Unfortunately, when the Reddit user turned off their M1 Max MacBook Pro again, the same issue reappeared. Finally, when the user contacted Apple Support again, the company gave a different statement:

Please know that Apple is aware of the issue and investigating. And based on the instruction given by Apple, please keep your macOS updated and do one of the following:

– Charge the computer while in sleep mode

– Charge the computer with the lid open

– Attach the MagSafe cable first, before shutting down the computer.

After the user shared their issue with the M1 Max MacBook Pro, some other users also reported similar problems, including a Reddit user with the 16-inch M1 Pro MacBook. Reddit user Trillionaire suggested that this only happens with the 140W charger, meaning that most 16-inch M1 Pro and M1 Max MacBook Pro users will have to deal with this.

Although some might think that this issue is no big deal, as you can just charge your Mac without shutting it down completely, this would become a major problem if the MacBook Pro were to die and need to be recharged from 0%.

It’s possible that Apple is working on a software fix for the upcoming weeks. We’ll let you know whether this issue is addressed.

A colleague tried to reproduce the issue some users are experiencing, and here’s what he said:

The good news – it charges while off (got flashing amber for a few seconds, then green, with the same thing repeated if I disconnected and reconnected while off) …

The bad news – my monitor isn’t being recognised again! Now trying the same steps … Ok, monitor back. Key appears to be to power monitor off and on at the plug while it is connected.

 

[sandysgeek]

2021 MacBook Pro users reporting multiple issues with the SD card reader

One of the main highlights of the new 2021 MacBook Pro is the comeback of the SD card slot. Unfortunately, it seems that some users are having issues with the SD card reader on these new machines, as they have been reporting slow transfer speeds or even inaccessible files when trying to use an SD card on the new MacBook Pro.

Multiple reports shared on the web suggest that there is a widespread issue regarding the SD card reader in the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models introduced this year. There seems to be no consistency between the reports, as users say that they have experienced different issues with different SD cards.

A user of the 14-inch MacBook Pro with M1 Pro chip describes their experience as “super flakey” as the machine takes up to 1 minute to recognize an SD card and sometimes it shows an error. Another user says that the Finder crashes when the Mac is trying to read an SD card.

It’s very frustrating. I was hoping that import from SD card including preview of images would be quick on my new 14″ MBP. I have a fairly new 64GB SD card which had been working fine. But Photos on the MBP using the internal SD card slot takes minutes to show photos and sometimes crashes half way through. Sometimes the Finder crashes too.

As pointed out by other users, formatting the SD card does not solve the problem in most cases. Some even confirm that the same SD card works by using a USB-C adapter.

The only thing that is consistent is that if a card works, it always works, and if a card does not work properly it never works properly. Reformatting, even to all other possible formats, makes no difference. Sandisk, Sony, Samsung, 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, 128GB, 256GB, UHS-I, UHS-II, micro-SD, FAT32, exFAT, makes no difference. 100% of my cards work perfectly via a dongle.

Apple is yet to officially acknowledge the problem – and so far it is unclear whether this is a software or hardware issue. The company has allegedly told some customers that it is “aware of the issue” and promised that a software update with a fix will be available soon.

 

[sandysgeek]

AWS Experiencing Outage, Affecting Services Like Netflix

AWS appears to be down, and it's taken popular services like Ring smart-home systems, Netflix, and Disney+ with it

Amazon's web-hosting subsidiary, Amazon Web Services, appeared to have suffered a major outage on Tuesday morning.

Reports on the website Down Detector indicated widespread issues with AWS that affected a variety of services that depend on its servers to operate, such as
Netflix
, Disney+, Tinder, and Roku.

Oher digital services, from the crypto-trading service CoinDesk to the fast-casual restaurant chain Sweetgreen, were also experiencing outages as a result of AWS issues. Additionally, some major online games including "Valorant" and "League of Legends" appeared to be experiencing issues.

Amazon confirmed the outage and said on the AWS status page that it was "investigating increased error rates for the AWS Management Console."


Amazon also said the outage was regional, applying to "US-EAST-1 Region" servers, which are housed in Virginia. Amazon later said it had discovered what was causing issues and was "actively working towards recovering."

Beyond third-party services, the outage caused major issues for Amazon's Ring smart-home systems, Alexa speakers, and Prime music- and video-
streaming
services.

Ring owners on social media detailed the kinds of issues they were experiencing, saying their doorbells weren't working or that they'd lost a video feed used for monitoring infants during naptime.

"Eek, just in time for my newly-in-beds triplet toddlers' nap," one person said. "Now I have no idea what they're doing up there."

AWS supports huge sections of the internet, and any outages — such as one in November 2020 — have ripple effects that can cause dozens of services to go down.

 

[sandysgeek]

Morgan Stanley raises Apple stock price target to $200

Apple shares rise as Morgan Stanley raises price target to $200

In a note to investors on Tuesday, Morgan Stanley’s Katy Huberty raised Apple’s price target from $164 to $200 and maintained the equivalent of a buy rating, arguing that new products from Apple, like an augmented reality headset or self-driving car, aren’t yet baked into the share price.

Shares of Apple closed up 3.5% on Tuesday, reaching a new all-time high.

Huberty also increased her December quarter iPhone shipment forecast by 3 million units to 83 million units, a 4% increase year-over-year, and said Apple hasn’t hit the same supply constraints it faced in the September quarter. It said App Store revenue is also set to outperform its initial forecasts.

“Today, we know that Apple is working on products to address two significantly large markets – AR/VR and Autonomous Vehicles – and as we get closer to these products becoming a reality, we believe valuation would need to reflect the optionality of these future opportunities,” Huberty said in the note.

The note argues that Apple’s stock price has increased nearly 500% over the last five years, driven largely by new products and services, and not from iPhone revenue, which has grown 40% over the same period. Meanwhile, Apple’s services business has grown to nearly $70 billion annually and its wearables and accessories business contributes $38 billion annually, Huberty said.

Huberty said about 6% of Apple’s total revenue over the past five years has been generated by new products like AirPods, Apple Watch and some of Apple’s services, which didn’t exist five years ago. She said new products like an AR headset, which could contribute as much to revenue as the iPad did in its first four years on the market, may present similar growth over the next five years, equating to about a $20 per share increase in Apple’s share price today, on top of Morgan Stanley’s existing growth projections.






AAPL shares are currently trading at around $169 per share, up nearly 40% in the past year. The stock’s 52 week high is $170.30, while the 52 week low is $116.21.

 

[sandysgeek]

Report: iOS Users Who Opt-Out of App Track Continue to Be Tracked Facebook + Snapcha

Report: Snap and Facebook use App Tracking Transparency loophole to continue sharing ‘aggregated’ user data


"Loose" interpretations of Apple's privacy policies allow apps such as Facebook and Snapchat to continue tracking users for targeted advertising even when they have asked to not be tracked

With the launch of iOS 14.5 earlier this year, Apple rolled out its new App Tracking Transparency capability. This privacy feature is designed to give users the ability to opt out of being tracked across other apps and services, but a new report from the Financial Times today details how some companies are still sharing “user-level signals” from iPhone users.

On the surface, App Tracking Transparency is billed as a requirement for developers to request permission from users before tracking them across other apps and websites. When a user opens an app for the first time, they see a prompt asking if they want to give that application and its developer the ability to “track your activity across other companies’ apps and websites.”

While this prompt can easily be interrupted as meaning that apps aren’t collecting any data about the user, that’s not actually the case. Instead, it means the developer won’t share data collected with other companies.

Today’s report from the Financial Times goes slightly further, emphasizing that companies including Snap and Facebook “have been allowed to keep sharing user-level signals from iPhones, as long as that data is anonymized and aggregated rather than tied to specific user profiles.”

Snap and Facebook both point out that Apple’s guidelines say that companies can’t collect data for the purpose of “uniquely identifying it.”

These companies point out that Apple has told developers they “may not derive data from a device for the purpose of uniquely identifying it.” This means they can observe “signals” from an iPhone at a group level, enabling ads that can still be tailored to “cohorts” aligning with certain behavior but not associated with unique IDs.

The report goes on to say that this type of tracking is “becoming the norm” in the industry. Regardless, despite this new “aggregated and anonymized” data collection, both Facebook and Snap have said that they have financially been impacted by Apple’s App Tracking Transparency restrictions.

 

[sandysgeek]

Verizon overrides users’ opt-out preferences in push to collect browsing history

Opt-outs don't mean much these days —

Verizon renamed scanning program and enrolled customers who previously opted out.

Verizon is automatically enrolling customers in a new version of a program that scans mobile users' browser histories—even when those same users previously opted out of the program when it had a different name.

The carrier announced changes to its "Verizon Selects" program along with a new name a few days ago. "Verizon Custom Experience Plus is the new name of our Verizon Selects program," Verizon said in an FAQ. Verizon is ignoring the previous opt-out preferences for at least some customers by enrolling them in "Custom Experience," which collects browser and app-usage history but doesn't use device location data and other personal information collected in "Custom Experience Plus."

Verizon says it does not sell the information collected in either version of Custom Experience and that the program "no longer supports third party advertising." But Verizon does share the data with "service providers who work for us" and says it uses the data to "personalize our communications with you, give you more relevant product and service recommendations, and develop plans, services, and offers that are more appealing to you. For example, if we think you like music, we could present you with a Verizon offer that includes music content or provide you with a choice related to a concert in our Verizon Up reward program."
How to opt out (again)

Privacy-conscious users will likely want to opt out using the instructions provided by Verizon or in this article. To opt out, go to your Verizon account privacy preferences page. Scroll down a bit and you'll see options to "Manage Settings" for both Custom Experience and Custom Experience Plus. You can also try this link to go directly to the Custom Experience settings, or you can select "Manage privacy settings" in the "My Verizon" mobile app.

In either the website or the mobile app, the options to manage settings will let you opt in to or out of the two versions of the Custom Experience program. You can also delete any browsing and location data history that Verizon previously collected by clicking "Reset." Additionally, account owners can use the Verizon website to block Custom Experience enrollment for specific phone lines.

Verizon customers have good reason to be wary of the carrier's privacy practices. The Federal Communications Commission last year found that "Verizon apparently disclosed its customers’ location information, without their consent, to a third party who was not authorized to receive it." The commission proposed a fine of $48 million. In 2016, Verizon agreed to pay a $1.35 million fine for inserting "supercookie" identifiers into customers' mobile Internet traffic without users' knowledge or consent.

In 2017, then-President Donald Trump and the Republican-controlled Congress blocked implementation of FCC privacy rules that would have required home-Internet and mobile broadband providers to get consumers' opt-in consent before using, sharing, or selling browser history, app-usage history, and other private information.


Opted out? “You will still be included”

Verizon has been sending emails to customers notifying them about the program changes. There are different versions of the email, one of which states that Verizon is ignoring previous opt-out preferences in cases where people "recently opted out." That email, which was forwarded to Ars by a Verizon customer named Jordan Hirsch, says:

As a Verizon Selects participant, you will automatically be included in the Custom Experience Plus and Custom Experience programs.

If you recently opted out of participating in Verizon Selects, you will still be included in the Custom Experience program unless you opt out.

Hirsch also tweeted a screenshot of the email he received from Verizon. The Verizon email Hirsch received did not state a specific time frame for the "recently opted out" phrase. We contacted Verizon today and asked for that detail and asked why Verizon is enrolling people who previously opted out of the same program before the program's name was changed. We'll update this article if we get any answers.

The Verizon FAQ does not include the "recently opted out" language and instead makes it sound like all customers may be enrolled in Custom Experience (the non-Plus version) regardless of previous opt-out status:

You will be part of the Custom Experience program unless you opt out. You can opt out using the privacy preferences page on the My Verizon site or the privacy setting page within the My Verizon app.

You must opt in to the Custom Experience Plus program to be a part of it unless you are already participating in Verizon Selects. Verizon Selects participants will automatically be included in the renamed program.

As a Verizon customer and got a notification email from the company today. Although if you're 99.9 percent sure you opted out of Verizon Selects years ago, the email received said, "You're in control: You will be part of Custom Experience unless you opt out."


Browsing, location data, and call records

What information does the newly renamed program collect? Both versions of Custom Experience use "information about the websites you visit and the apps you use on your mobile device to help us determine your interests, such as 'sports lover' or 'outdoor enthusiast,'" the Verizon FAQ says. "We use only the first part of the web addresses (URLs) you visit (the part that includes the top level domain and subdomain of the URL); we do not use information past the first '/' or '?' in the URL. For example, we would be able to infer you are interested in 'news' if you visit a news-related website, but we wouldn't know what news article you read."

Custom Experience Plus uses all of the above plus "Device location information we obtain from the Verizon network and from Verizon apps you have permitted to collect location for these purposes; Information about your Verizon FiOS services; and Customer Proprietary Network Information (CPNI), including information about the phone numbers you call or that call you and the times you receive these calls. It also includes information about the quantity, type, destination, location, and amount of use of your Verizon telecommunications and interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services and related billing information."

Although general call data is collected, "The programs do not use what you or others say during calls or the content of your emails or texts with other people," Verizon says. "Custom Experience Plus does use call detail records including the phone numbers you call and those that call you, and the times and durations of the calls."

Verizon says it tries to avoid collecting sensitive browsing and location information:

We make efforts to eliminate the use of websites that may be sensitive in nature; for example, we employ filters that are designed to exclude websites related to adult content, health conditions, sexual orientation and others. We also make efforts to eliminate the use of location information about sensitive points of interest in these same areas.

The "make efforts" phrasing suggests that these filters will fail to prevent collection of sensitive data in some cases. Verizon also says that if you opt in to Custom Experience Plus, you will automatically be included in Verizon's Business and Marketing Insights program.


Verizon shares your data with vendors

Verizon says it shares data collected in Custom Experience with service providers:

We do not share information that identifies you outside of Verizon as part of these programs other than with service providers who work for us. These service providers are required to use the information only for the purposes Verizon defines and not for their own or others' marketing or advertising purposes. They are also required to protect the information. We do not sell information we use in these programs to others for them to use for their own advertising.

Verizon said it "keep information about the websites you visit for no more than 6 months. We keep location and CPNI information we use for these programs for approximately one year. We regularly refresh the interest categories we develop as part of the Custom Experience programs (e.g., 'coffee lover' or 'sports enthusiast') and keep them as long as you are participating in the programs or until you reset your line."

 

[DavidSmith22]

It always pissed me off that there were no normal applications for apple products, in general all are paid, but I cannot understand why I should pay for something that is easily accessible.
Now I've found an application where I make retro posters for my projects, completely free of charge, that's the whole point. The point is not to overpay for what is available for free, and regardless of the brand of the phone

 

[sandysgeek]

It always pissed me off that there were no normal applications for apple products, in general all are paid, but I cannot understand why I should pay for something that is easily accessible.
Now I've found an application where I make retro posters for my projects, completely free of charge, that's the whole point. The point is not to overpay for what is available for free, and regardless of the brand of the phone

Apologize, don't know what you mean "normal applications for apple products"


Will attempt to be brief:

"why I should pay for something that is easily accessible." and "completely free of charge, that's the whole point. The point is not to overpay for what is available for free" - The adage goes, "If you're not paying for a service, you're the product, not the customer." If you're not being charged and paying for a service, then your information is being scraped and harvested, then sold, and that's how you're paying for it. The device you're using, the Operating System, your web history, your I.P. address, it goes on. Data analytics is a huge industry.

I'll use Literotica as the example. To operate a website servers are required, electrical power, internet service provider, and payroll. And you're saying that this is provided "completely free of charge", Laurel and Manu are paying for this and giving it for people to use for free out of the kindness and generosity of their hearts. Just checked. and still the only tracker they want to load in my web browser is Google Analytics.

 

[sandysgeek]

Tile owner ‘Life360’ reportedly sells location data of its users to ‘virtually anyone

Popular safety app Life360 is reportedly selling the precise location data of millions of kids and their families



Last month, the popular tracking device company Tile announced that it was about to be acquired by another company called Life360 – which also offers tracking services. Now a report from the Markup has revealed that Life360 is selling the location data of its 33 million users to “virtually anyone who wants to buy it.”

Popular family safety app Life360 is selling the raw location data of millions of children and their families, according to an investigation by The Markup released Monday.

The company, which is in the midst of acquiring Tile in a deal worth $205 million, sells the information to dozens of data brokers who then sell the data "to virtually anyone who wants to buy it," the outlet reported.

This can include hedge funds and firms involved in targeted advertising, or in some unique cases, government agencies such as the CDC and the US Department of Defense.

The Markup's report is based on interviews with former employees from Life360 and location data brokers, all of whom chose to remain anonymous, as they are still employed in the industry.

Life360 is a family location sharing app with safety features such as crash detection, roadside assistance, emergency support, and ID theft protection. It offers memberships ranging from $4.99 a month to $19.99 a month.

Life360 did not immediately respond to request for comment. The app's full privacy policy includes information on what data is shared with third-party partners, and how users can limit what is shared.

"We see data as an important part of our business model that allows us to keep the core Life360 services free for the majority of our users, including features that have improved driver safety and saved numerous lives," Life360 CEO Chris Hulls told The Markup.

As Life360 struggles to become profitable, selling location data has become a key money-maker for the app. Last year, the company made $22 million from location data sales and partnerships, accounting for approximately 20% of its yearly revenue, The Markup found.

On top of selling raw user data, two former employees told The Markup that Life360 does not implement privacy protection measures such as fuzzing, hashing, aggregating, or reducing the precision of the data. From a technical standpoint, this makes it possible to link data back to the individual to whom it belongs.

Hull told the outlet that Life360 follows "industry best practices" and only sells raw data to certain parties. Life360 contracts prohibit third parties from reidentifying users, he added.

"To be clear: We do have data partnerships, but not a single one that permits children's data to be personally identified. All of our partners have extremely strict contractual limitations to ensure privacy. We do not allow government enforcement agencies to purchase raw data. We provide a clear and simple way for our members to opt out of sharing their data - this is not something we hide or obfuscate deep in our privacy policy. Data partnerships enable us to provide our members – 80% of whom use Life360 for free – valuable safety features at no cost. We protect millions of members each month with our products and services. We respect Tile and its users and will honor their existing data policies and practices," a Life360 spokesperson said in an emailed statement.

 

[sandysgeek]

Snapchat, Facebook Messenger, and more having issues as AWS faces downtime yet again

Earlier this week we saw an AWS outage bring down Disney+, Amazon’s Alexa, League of Legends, and more. Now what appears to be another AWS issue is causing downtime for Snapchat, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, and more.

Reports have been coming in on Down Detector this morning about the outage at Snapchat with other seeing issues with Facebook Messenger and Instagram.

Notably, it appears that Amazon Web Services (AWS) are having trouble this morning which could end up being related to the issues.

Snapchat confirmed on Twitter that users are having trouble logging into the app. Meanwhile, the majority of issues being reported with Facebook Messenger are for messages not going through.

AWS is also currently kicking out error messages saying that it is currently “working on the problem and expect to resolve it shortly.”

We’re aware that some Snapchatters are having issues logging in the app right now – hang tight, we’re looking into it.

— Snapchat Support (@snapchatsupport) December 10, 2021

 

[sandysgeek]

Tim Cook pledges Apple donations after 30 tornadoes ravage southern U.S.

Apple will be supporting relief efforts after Friday and Saturday's series of tornadoes caused devastation in the South and Midwest of the United States, said CEO Tim Cook, by making donations.

As it often does during major emergencies, Apple is stepping into the situation by providing resources. In a tweet late on Saturday, Cook confirmed Apple would be doing so once again.

"Our hearts go out to all those affected by the devastating weather and tornadoes across the South and Midwest," Cook wrote. "Apple will be donating to support relief efforts on the ground."

More than 30 tornadoes have passed through at least six U.S. states since late on Friday, affecting Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, and Tennessee. The tornadoes, which caused damage to buildings across the states, leading to a death toll expected by officials to exceed 80 people.

One of the worst-hit places was the Mayfield Consumer Products candle factory in Kentucky on Friday night, with approximately 110 people in the location at the time, reports CNN. The fear that dozens of people may have died in that incident alone had Governor Andy Beshear believe the overall state toll to be more than 70, and could top 100.

"The level of devastation is unlike anything I have ever seen," said Beshear. "There's at least 15 feet of metal with cars on top of it, barrels of corrosive chemicals that are there, it will be a miracle if anybody else is found alive in it."

U.S. President Joe Biden said he would be traveling to the region and stating that the federal government would be assisting the states, including deploying the National Guard where appropriate. Biden also approved a federal emergency declaration for Kentucky.

Our hearts go out to all those affected by the devastating weather and tornadoes across the South and Midwest. Apple will be donating to support relief efforts on the ground.
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) December 11, 2021

Apple has a history of donating to relief efforts shortly after they occur. In October, Cook promised that Apple would donate to help communities recover from severe flooding in northern China, while in August, Cook said donations would also go to relief efforts following Hurricane Ida. In July, Apple’s CEO did the same after some Western European regions were flooded and hundreds of people died due to the severe storms.

Cook doesn't state the value or what exact form such donations would take, but they usually include a donation of funds to relevant organizations.

 

[sandysgeek]

Apple retail reinstates mask mandate and limited store capacities over COVID-19 case

Apple retail reinstates mask mandate and limited store capacities over COVID-19 case increase

Apple is reinstating its mask mandate at all US retail stores due to rising COVID-19 cases, according to Bloomberg’s Terminal. Once again, the company will begin limiting store occupancy at several locations.

As posted by Bloomberg‘s journalist Mark Gurman, Apple decided to reinstate the mask mandate a few days after the new Omicron variant started to raise concerns over a new rise of COVID-19 cases in the US. The report says:

The technology giant said it’s requiring masks for shoppers — a rule that had been dropped at about half of its U.S. stores — to “support the wellbeing of customers and employees.”

“Amid rising cases in many communities, we now require that all customers join our team members in wearing masks while visiting our stores,” the company said in a statement Tuesday.

This news also comes days after Apple had to shut down an Apple Store in Texas due to a COVID-19 outbreak.

Since November, the company hasn’t required that customers and staff wear a mask in over 100 stores in the United States. Back then, Bloomberg reported that the mask policy was announced in an internal memo to retail employees, and it was based on declining COVID-19 case numbers and increased vaccination numbers.

The change will take place beginning at more than 100 of the company’s about 270 stores across the U.S. before gradually expanding to additional stores in the coming days. The mandate will be removed at some stores in states including California, Florida, Arizona, New York, Louisiana, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

Before that, during the Summer, Apple had reinstated the mask requirement at most of its retail stores in the United States. At that time, Apple said it was following the latest CDC recommendations “and analyzing the health and safety data for your local area, we are updating our guidance on face masks for your store.”

As of now, Omicron accounts for 3% of US COVID-19 cases. Apple says in a statement that it’s “proactively monitoring and managing store occupancy” which “will enable you to engage with customers and teammates at a distance that feels more comfortable.”

Breaking on @theterminal: Apple is reinstating its mask mandate at all U.S. retail stores today on rising Covid-19 cases (the mandate had been dropped at about half of its stores). The company will also begin limiting store occupancy once again at several locations.

— Mark Gurman (@markgurman) December 14, 2021

 

[sandysgeek]

Some users are not seeing the macOS Monterey 12.1 update on M1 Macs

Apple yesterday officially released macOS Monterey 12.1 for all users. However, the update, which comes with SharePlay, Apple Music Voice Plan, Hide My Email, and other enhancements, is not showing up for everyone – that’s what some M1 Mac users have been saying.

While the latest version of macOS 12.1 should be available to everyone, it seems that some users are unable to download and install it. More specifically, it seems that the issue has been affecting users of Macs with the M1, M1 Pro, and M1 Max chips.

Microsoft journalist and Senior Cloud Developer Advocate Christina Warren reported on Twitter that the macOS 12.1 update is simply not showing up in the System Preferences app. Other Mac users on Reddit also seem to be experiencing the same problem.

Anyone else having issues installing macOS 12.1 on an M1 Max? I get prompted for latest Xcode tools but nothing for macOS itself and I can’t force it. Some people on Reddit resort to recovery mode but I don’t want to do that.

Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be an easy workaround for this problem so far. Trying to download the full installer of macOS Monterey from the App Store, but the download gets stuck at 52%. Warren mentioned on Twitter that she had the same issue.

Yeah, it won't even load — and downloading the installer got me stuck at 52 minute mark. Sigh.

— Christina Warren (@film_girl) December 14, 2021

For now, the only solution to update affected Macs is to enter Recovery Mode and reinstall macOS, as the tool will download the latest version of the operating system. Apple is yet to acknowledge the issue.

 

[sandysgeek]

Apple closing multiple retail stores across U.S. and Canada due to COVID-19 spread

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Apple has closed several of its retail stores around the world. It was only in June 2021 that all Apple Stores around the world were open simultaneously for the first time in 75 weeks, but now the company has once again decided to close some of its U.S. and Canada stores due to the new COVID-19 variant.

As reported by Bloomberg, Apple temporarily closed its stores in Miami, Maryland, and Ottawa as a response to the recent increase in the number of COVID-19 cases. The news comes a day after the company reinstated a mandate for masks in all of its retail stores in the United States.

Apple Inc. has temporarily closed three retail stores in the U.S. and Canada after a rise in employee Covid-19 cases and exposures, the latest sign that a virus resurgence is threatening retail operations just before Christmas.

The company said that all employees will take Covid-19 tests prior to the stores reopening and that it’s staying in touch with the affected workers. Store closures due to a rise in internal Covid cases typically last for a few days.

Earlier this month, the company had already closed an Apple Store in Texas due to an outbreak of COVID-19 among employees. The new Omicron variant now accounts for 3% of COVID-19 cases in the US, which is certainly raising new concerns for Apple and other companies.

It’s unclear so far whether Apple is planning to close more stores around the world, but this seems extremely likely considering the spread of the COVID-19 variants.

 

[sandysgeek]

Apple delays employee return to office again, new date ‘yet to be determined’

Apple has once again delayed its official return to standard attendance at its corporate campuses in Cupertino. It was previously set at February 1st 2022, but now has been pushed back to an unspecified time as the spread of the Omicron Covid-19 variant takes hold around the world.

This is now the fourth time that Apple has had to revise its schedule for bringing employees back to the office.

Alongside the announcement about the indefinite delay on return to work, Bloomberg reports Apple is giving employees $1000 bonuses to spend on home office gear, and Apple will give a month heads-up when a new date is determined.

Earlier this year, Apple had originally hoped to kickstart its new hybrid office/home plan in June 2021. Apple said it expected workers to come in to the office for three out of five days of the week, with flexibility to work from home on Wednesdays and Fridays.

However, that date has now been pushed back many times as the threat of COVID perseveres, from June to September, to October, to January, to February and this time the company has declined to pinpoint a new exact date.

Meanwhile, Apple employees have vocally pushed back against Apple’s announced plans. A significant proportion of Apple’s workforce are disappointed that Apple is not transitioning to a more ‘modern’ work-from-home policy long term, in line with some other tech companies like Twitter. Apple CEO Tim Cook has said it will trial the hybrid model for 2022 and then reevaluate for the long-term.

Although the overarching company policy makes the headlines, the truth is many divisions of Apple have been back in the office on and off for more than a year. Specifically, hardware engineering groups returned to Apple Park quite early as they needed access to the machinery and campus facilities in order to get their job done. On the flip side, some managers have sorted permanent work-from-home arrangements for their teams. However, most employees in the software divisions are expected to respect the three-days-in-office policy.

 

[sandysgeek]

Tell your phone carrier to stop selling your personal data (and why you should care)

AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon collect personal data to sell ads, but here's how you can protect yours.

Your phone carrier is selling your personal data. There are ways to protect yourself, though.



Similar to web companies like Facebook and Google, major phone carriers collect your data to sell ads. It's the kind of practice most of us hurriedly scroll past because, well, who has the time to read through the privacy policy specifics for every service you sign up for?

As it turns out, CNET does. Here's what we found in the details and what you can do about it.

AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon (note - those are links to their privacy policies) track your location, web activity and app usage. They also collect Social Security numbers, photographs and social media activity. AT&T even collects users' biometric data like fingerprints, according to the carrier's privacy policy -- though only "until the initial purpose for collecting it has been satisfied or within three years of the individual's last interaction with AT&T, whichever occurs first."

Carriers use personal information to improve customers' experience, according to their privacy policies, and to sell targeted ads. But you can stop your data from being sold, and some carriers even offer ways to delete the data they have already collected on you. Not all data can be deleted, though, as each carrier states it keeps some of it for billing purposes and legal obligations.

Controlling what data of yours a carrier is collecting or has stored could protect you and your loved ones from a data breach, which could compromise things like your bank account or credit. And with a string of high-profile data breaches in 2021 alone, including one at T-Mobile, the risk is real. So here's how to have more control over your personal data, no matter what mobile carrier you use.



Important note: Even if you choose to not have your data sold, you'll still receive ads. They just won't be tailored to you and your interests, and some services might not work as well.



AT&T

AT&T collects biometric data from their customers as well as other personal data.


Here's how AT&T customers can stop the carrier from selling their data:

1. Log into your AT&T account from a browser.
   
   
2. Go to this control panel.
   
   
3. At the bottom, there's a section called Control How We Use Your Data. Click through each option and toggle On or Off for phone numbers on your account. Each phone number can opt in or out and it won't have an affect on the other phone numbers on your account.

Customers who live in California and Nevada have it easy.

1. Fill out this Do Not Sell My Data form in a browser.
   
   
2. Click Do Not Sell My Data or Do Not Sell My Data Except to AT&T Companies at the bottom of the page.

AT&T customers in California can also request most of their data be deleted. This doesn't seem to be available to other AT&T customers, though.


T-Mobile

T-Mobile customers can use the T-Mobile app or a web browser to tell the carrier to stop selling their data.

For T-Mobile customers, you can tell the carrier to stop selling your data one of two ways. One is through the T-Mobile mobile app and the other is through your MyT-Mobile account:

1. Either open the T-Mobile app and sign in or log into your MyT-Mobile account from a browser.
   
   
2. Click My Account.
   
   
3. Click Profile.
   
   
4. Click Privacy and Notifications.
   
   
5. Click Advertising and Analytics.
   
   
6. Select your name (or the name of another user on your account) from the list.
   
   
7. Click the slider next to Use my data to make ads more relevant to me to turn it off. You can also click the slider next to Use my data for analytics and reporting to stop T-Mobile from using your data in marketing reports.
   
   
8. If you have multiple T-Mobile users on your account, click Back and repeat steps 6 and 7.

T-Mobile customers must fill out this form to request most of their personal data be deleted.



Verizon

Verizon has two advertising programs, but you can opt out of them both.


Opting out of Verizon selling customer data is a little confusing. Verizon has two advertising programs: Customer Experience and Customer Experience Plus. The main difference is Customer Experience Plus collects a broader range of data.

Here's how to tell Verizon to stop selling your data in the Verizon Mobile app:

1. Open the Verizon Mobile app and log in to your account.
   
   
2. Click the Gear icon to open settings.
   
   
3. Under Preferences, click Manage privacy settings.
   
   
4. Choose the phone line whose privacy you want to manage.
   
   
5. Click Custom Experience to toggle Off for each phone number in your account.
   
   
6. Click Custom Experience Plus to toggle Off for each phone number in your account.
   
   
7. Click the back arrow at the top of the screen. Your settings should save automatically.

Here's how to tell Verizon to stop selling your data from a web browser:

1. Go to Verizon.com from any browser and log into your account.
   
   
2. Click Account.
   
   
3. Select Account Settings.
   
   
4. Click Privacy Settings.
   
   
5. Click Custom Experience and set to Don't Use for each phone number in your account.
   
   
6. Click Custom Experience Plus and set to Don't Use for each phone number in your account.
   
   
7. Click Save Changes.

Deleting most of your data through Verizon is a little more hands-on, though. Here's how to do it from mobile:

1. Open the Verizon Mobile app and log into your account.
   
   
2. Click the Gear icon to open settings.
   
   
3. Under Preferences, click Manage privacy settings.
   
   
4. Click Custom Experience Settings
   
   
5. Click Reset.

And here's how to delete most data Verizon has collected on you from a web browser:

1. Go to Verizon.com from any browser and log into your account.
   
   
2. Click Account.
   
   
3. Select Account Settings.
   
   
4. Click Privacy Settings.
   
   
5. Click Manage Settings under Custom Experience Settings.
   
   
6. Click Reset.
   
   
7. Go back and click Manage Settings under Custom Experiences Plus.
   
   
8. Click Reset.

 

[astuffedshirt_perv]

This is good info, but at this point, after years of use, does it even matter?

 

[sandysgeek]

French TV channel gets exclusive look inside Apple Park, interviews Apple execs

French News Channel Gets Rare Access Into Apple Park, 'One of the Most Secret Places on the Planet'


French news channel TF1 has gained rare and exclusive access into Apple Park, calling it "one of the most secret places on the Planet" while speaking to top Apple executives, such as its senior vice president of marketing, Greg Joswiak, and more.

In Cupertino, California, *Apple Park** is rarely accessible to anyone who isn't an Apple employee. Before the global health crisis, Apple held in-person events at the campus, but those, even, were severely limited, with guests being limited to the Steve Jobs Theater and not the main building itself.

TF1 has shared new footage inside **Apple Park**, showing staff members talking [about] and presumably working on the next generation of Apple's products, software, and services.

As expected, the footage doesn't offer any glimpse of unreleased products, with even some of it featuring blurred views of offices and rooms where new and unreleased products may be held. The faces of Apple employees are also blurred in the segment to protect their identity.

TF1 said that during their stay at *Apple Park*, many doors remain closed and everywhere they filmed followed negotiations with Apple. Speaking to TF1, Greg Joswiak, otherwise known as Joz, said when Steve Jobs conceived *Apple Park*, he wanted to create an office for the future.

When Steve Jobs designed Apple Park, he wanted to create the office building of the future. He wanted a place where people leave the office, where they meet by chance, collaborate, and exchange ideas, so he wanted it to be a place to walk.

The report adds employees partake in formal meetings that may be held in large conference rooms while they're walking around the circumference of *Apple Park* to promote creativity. Apple is on track to become the world's first-ever $3 trillion company, and Joz said that he believes Apple is "in a position where if we can imagine something, then we can create it. We can make it real."

One of Apple's top priorities is health, and during their time at *Apple Park*, the TF1 crew had a chance to speak to Dr. Sumbul Desai, Apple's vice president of health. "Our goal is to provide data that is useful to users and also to their doctors. We don't want to replace this doctor-patient relationship, but we want to improve it," said Dr. Desai.

"What is very important is that users can choose element by element what data they authorize and Apple does not receive and see any of your data. They remain inside the device," she added regarding the privacy of users' health data.

TF1 also spoke to Lisa Jackson, Apple's vice president of the environment, about the company's initiatives and efforts in protecting the environment. *Apple Park* itself is covered with solar panels on its roof, helping to reduce its carbon footprint and energy usage. "This is what our customers expect. And for us, it means being more attentive to the materials we use, reusing some of them and innovating to take this recycling into account from the design of our products," Jackson said.

The full almost four-minute French segment of TF1's exclusive look into *Apple Park* can be found here.

 

[sandysgeek]

Apple closes all its retail stores in New York City amidst COVID-19 spread

With the number of COVID-19 cases increasing around the world due to the Omicron variant, some companies are once again closing their retail stores. Now Apple has decided to close all of its stores in New York City after having temporarily shut down other stores across the US and Canada.

As first noted by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, all Apple Stores in New York City were partially closed on Monday. The stores will remain open for in-store pickup of online orders, but customers can no longer visit the locations.

In addition to the stores located in New York City, it's been confirmed other Apple Stores in New York State that have also been closed. You can check out the closed retail stores in the list below:

• New York, Upper West Side
  
  
• New York, Upper East Side
  
  
• New York, SoHo
  
  
• New York, Fifth Avenue
  
  
• New York, World Trade Center
  
  
• New York, West 14th Street
  
  
• New York, Grand Central
  
  
• Brooklyn, Williamsburg
  
  
• Brooklyn, Downtown Brooklyn
  
  
• Bronx, The Mall at Bay Plaza
  
  
• Staten Island, Staten Island
  
  
• Elmhurst, Queens Center
  
  
• Garden City, Roosevelt Field
  
  
• Huntington Station, Walt Whitman
  
  
• Lake Grove, Smith Haven
  
  
• Manhasset, Manhasset

Last week, Apple had closed seven more stores in places like Atlanta, Houston, and New Hampshire due to the spread of COVID-19 among employees. Earlier this month, other Apple Stores were closed in Miami, Maryland, and Ottawa because of the pandemic. The company usually shuts down a store when 10% of the staff members test positive for COVID-19.

Apple has also reinstated the mandate for mask-wearing at all US retail stores. The company says it is “regularly monitoring [COVID-19] conditions” to determine which stores should be closed in order to “support the well-being of customers and employees.”

More stores are expected to be temporarily shut down at any time.