Latest on Apple: News, Features, Opinions and More  Apple CEO Tim Cook passes up $75M
Apple CEO Tim Cook has passed up about $75 million in dividend payments he would be due when his massive collection of more than 1 million shares vests in the next decade, according to a filing with the SEC. Cisco all but kills Cius tablet computer
Cisco is slowly killing off its Cius business tablet less than a year after it started shipping. Untethered jailbreak for iOS 5.1.1 available for download
Absinthe 2.0, the jailbreak for iOS 5.1.1, is ready and available for download, the Jailbreak Dream Team announced at the Hack in the Box conference in Amsterdam on Friday. Apple settles patent lawsuit with SimpleAir
SimpleAir in Texas said Thursday it had settled its patent infringement litigation against Apple, and entered into a confidential license agreement by which Apple had taken a license to its patents. iPhone, Android account for 82% of smartphones shipped
Android and iPhone smartphones together made up 82% of all such devices shipped to retailers in the first quarter of 2012, IDC said Thursday. Diary of an App Maker: What it's like to develop for iOS
In my time at Macworld, I've reviewed and tested numerous iOS apps. I've also reported on the challenges that iOS developers face. But it was only recently that I built my first iOS app, along with developer (and frequent Macworld contributor) Marco Tabini. The experience left me with insights into the iOS development process that I probably would never have otherwise discovered, and a better understanding of what the developers of many of our favorite apps go through on a regular basis. Apple claims US government sides with monopoly in e-book case
The U.S. government has sided with monopoly rather than competition in bringing a case of e-book price-fixing against Apple, the company said in a filing on Tuesday before a federal court. McAfee reports big spike in malware
PC malware had its "busiest quarter in recent history," according to McAfee's quarterly security report released Wednesday. Updated Soti SDK allows remote control of iOS devices
Businesses can now remotely control enterprise mobile applications developed for Apple's mobile platform with the latest version of Soti's MobiControl Software Developer Kit for iOS, announced Tuesday. Judge finds Kodak digital camera patent invalid
A judge at the U.S. International Trade Commission has determined that a Kodak patent asserted in a complaint against Apple and Research In Motion is invalid, Kodak said. Gifting Mac App Store apps, emailing videos, and more
It's time to flush out the latest collection of too-short-for-a-full-entry Mac 911 questions and answers. We start with reader SuSu: Cloud computing: You can't outsource your compliance obligations
Even if your cloud provider is at fault should your company fall out of compliance, the law will come after you. Apple files for preliminary injunction against Galaxy Tab 10.1
In the latest move in a complex series of patent-related cases, Apple filed a motion in a U.S. district court late Friday to ban Samsung Electronics' Galaxy Tab 10.1 in the U.S. Inside Apple's secret plan to kill the cash register
Apple's plans for a Bluetooth 4.0-based iWallet could be the beginning of the end for the venerable cash register. HP's layoff plans and what they mean
HP is expected to announce a large layoff at its quarterly investors briefing on Wednesday, losing as many as 30,000 employees. But for now, the company isn't talking about its plans. Ask the iTunes Guy: Syncing tips
[Ask the iTunes Guy is a regular column in which we answer your questions on everything iTunes related. If there's something you'd like to know, send an email to the iTunes Guy for consideration.] Microsoft reprises free Xbox back-to-school PC promo
Microsoft will repeat last year's back-to-school promotion, kicking off the deal Sunday with an offer of a free Xbox 360 game console to eligible U.S. students who buy a new Windows 7 PC. Mac-based Flashback click fraud campaign was a bust
The hackers in charge of the Flashback botnet managed to generate $14,000 from their click fraud campaign, but have not been paid, Symantec said today. Apple victorious in iphone5.com domain dispute
Apple has apparently won control of the iphone5.com domain, according to changes in a Web record of the URL. Why Israel is a hotbed for flash storage innovation
Israel is where the USB flash drive was invented and where innovative companies such as Anobit and XtremIO are drawing American companies to their shores in droves to get a piece of the intellectual property pie. Apple 'head and shoulders' above phone rivals in satisfaction survey
Apple debuted in the top spot among mobile phone makers in a national customer-satisfaction survey, receiving a record-high score for the category. Android, Samsung top smartphone sales, beat Apple's iPhone
Android smartphones made up 56% of the global smartphones sold to end users in the first quarter of 2012, giving them a far higher share than the 22.9% held by Apple's runner-up iPhone, Gartner said Wednesday. Organize videos by groups in iTunes
In iTunes, there are two ways to categorize your videos: as either Movies or TV Shows. Movies are displayed individually, but TV shows are organized in groups, as they would be if they were episodes in the same show. One anonymous Mac OS X Hints reader takes advantage of this to organize all kinds of videos, regardless of their actual source. He uses his Movies library for very large files and puts everything else in TV Shows. So, for example, in his TV Shows library, he has groups called YouTube Videos, Home Videos, Work Stuff, and so on. Mac clone maker Psystar saga ends as Supreme Court denies appeal
The four-year-old saga of Psystar, a Florida Mac clone maker that was crushed by Apple, ended Monday when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear its appeal of a lower court decision. Microsoft to charge $15 for Windows 8 upgrade deal
Microsoft plans to charge users who buy a new Windows 7 PC $14.99 for an upgrade to Windows 8. The upgrade program is expected to kick off alongside the delivery of Windows 8 Release Preview in June. Apple ships first Leopard security update in nearly a year
Apple on Monday issued its first security-related update for OS X 10.5, or Leopard, in nearly a year, to disable long-outdated versions of Adobe's Flash Player. MacBook Pro refreshes may be imminent, say reports
Hints that Apple will soon refresh its iMac desktop and MacBook Pro laptop lines accumulated today as several Mac-centric blogs revealed new details gleaned from the Web and unnamed sources. Microsoft preps Windows 8 upgrade deal for early June debut, says report
Microsoft will reportedly kick off a Windows 8 upgrade program for buyers of Windows 7 PCs in early June. Infringement case suspended; Samsung tests Apple's 'pinch-to-zoom' claim
Samsung Electronics may challenge the validity of Apple's intellectual property claims before the Regional Court in Mannheim, Germany, rules on whether the company has infringed them, the court said on Friday. It is the second time in two weeks that the Mannheim court has decided to wait for a validity verdict from the Federal Patent Court before ruling on an infringement case. Mozilla on new browser brouhaha: Microsoft, Apple different cases
Two wrongs don't make a right, Mozilla's chief counsel said Thursday when asked why his company hasn't lambasted Apple, as it did Microsoft, for blocking rival browsers from its mobile operating system. Apple dominating Samsung in Japanese smartphone market
Nearly one in three smartphones sold in Japan last fiscal year was an iPhone, pushing Apple's sales far ahead of main rival Samsung in the country, according to data published by a local research firm. Adobe's security chief praises Apple for Flash-crippling move
Adobe's head of security is applauding Apple's move to block outdated versions of his company's Flash Player. Apple patches 36 bugs in OS X, fixes encryption password goof
Apple on Wednesday patched 36 vulnerabilities in Mac OS X, most of them critical, plugging a hole that revealed passwords used to encrypt folders with an older version of FileVault. What the summer portends in new tablets
Summer 2012 promises to be the season of tablet experimentation. Just about every tablet maker is expected to announce a new product in the next four months. The devices are likely to be smaller in the case of Apple, bigger in the case of Amazon. Apple patches Safari, blocks outdated Flash Player
Apple on Wednesday patched four security vulnerabilities in Safari and blocked outdated versions of Adobe's Flash Player from running in its browser. Is Apple's OS X Mountain Lion on early-release track?
Apple may release OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion earlier than expected, according to a report by a popular blog and clues found within the release dates of the three developer previews of the new operating system. Pinpoint your location
Reader Catherine Bailey is interested in marking her territory. She writes: How to time-stamp your video in iMovie
I hope we can all agree that it's good that video cameras no longer burn the date and time into footage as they used to. If you missed this particular piece of video history, cameras had an option to include the date and time on every frame of video. (Many cameras can still do this.) Apple's e-store satisfaction score jumps, thumps Microsoft's
Apple's online store scored the highest satisfaction rating of any computer-related company, and handily beat rival Microsoft, a consumer pollster said today. Foxconn to open new facility in Shanghai
Apple supplier Foxconn plans to set up headquarters in China, as part of the company's growing expansion in manufacturing and commercial operations. Apple, Samsung pare down claims in U.S. smartphone, tablet patent case
Responding to a U.S. district court judge's order, Apple and Samsung Electronics have trimmed the number of claims they will assert in a broad intellectual-property lawsuit regarding smartphone and tablet products. Microsoft pitches SkyDrive over iCloud to Mac Office users
Microsoft is pitching its SkyDrive online storage service to Office for Mac users, calling Apple's iCloud offering "not enough" for collaboration, file sharing and anywhere-access to documents. Symantec conference puts focus on mobile security
At its annual Symantec Vision conference attended by enterprise customers and business partners, Symantec laid out its management and security product strategy for mobile endpoint devices, including the iPhone, iPad and Google Android devices. Where did I come from? The origin(s) of my MacBook Pro
I remember when I bought my first new Mac. The label on the box read something like "Assembled for Apple in California." Famously, that has now changed. Apple patches Google 'Pwnium' bug with iOS 5.1.1 update
Apple today shipped iOS 5.1.1 for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch owners that dealt with connectivity issues on the tablet, fixed bugs in AirPlay's video playback and patched four vulnerabilities in the mobile operating system. Half of all Macs will lack access to security updates by summer
Unless Apple changes its security update practice, nearly half of all Mac users will be adrift without patches sometime this summer. Apple wants iphone5.com domain handed over
Apple is disputing ownership of the iphone5.com domain, sparking speculation that the company will use the long-rumored name for its next smartphone. Tibco adds Hadoop support to Spotfire analytics tool
Tibco has brought its Spotfire in-memory analytics software into the burgeoning ecosystem around Hadoop, an open-source framework for processing large sets of information, the company announced Tuesday. Apple engineering mistake exposes clear-text passwords for Lion
Apple's latest update to OS X contains a dangerous programming error that reveals the passwords for material stored in the first version of FileVault, the company's encryption technology, a software consultant said. Ask the iTunes Guy: More iTunes Match questions
[Ask the iTunes Guy is a regular column in which we answer your questions on everything iTunes related. If there's something you'd like to know, send an email to the iTunes Guy for consideration.] Samsung can challenge Apple's photo gallery patent before ruling on infringement
Samsung Electronics will be allowed to challenge the validity of an Apple patent before a decision is made on whether Samsung has infringed the patent, the Regional Court in Mannheim, Germany ruled Friday. Handset vendors face 'brutal fight' for China's low-end smartphone market
As China leads the world in smartphone shipments, top handset vendors are raising their stakes in the nation, and will likely bring more exclusive products and lower-end devices to the market, resulting in fierce competition, according to analysts. iPad share of tablet market jumps as Kindle Fire slumps
Apple's iPad reclaimed a larger share of the global tablet market last month, in part because of a more-serious-than-expected slump in sales of the hot Kindle Fire in the first quarter, IDC analysts said today. Mobile experts disagree on who should protect privacy
Users of mobile apps need more information about the ways those apps use their personal information, a group of experts agreed Thursday, but they didn't agree on who is most responsible for protecting user privacy. Judge again orders Apple, Samsung to streamline claims in iPad patent case
Apple and Samsung Electronics have until Monday to further boil down the number of claims to be considered in the sweeping intellectual-property lawsuit concerning their smartphone and tablet products, which is now scheduled to go to trial July 30. Restarting a remote Mac
Reader, tech dabbler, and Weeds actor Andy Milder, occasionally contacts me for technical advice. In exchange, I drop his name. I'd additionally like to drop this bit of advice in response to his latest query: Apple rejecting iOS apps that use Dropbox SDK
Apple has reportedly been rejecting developer's iOS apps that use the Dropbox SDK. Microsoft detects new malware targeting Apple computers
Microsoft has detected a new piece of malware targeting Apple OS X computers that exploits a vulnerability in the Office productivity suite patched nearly three years ago. IE on a rebound, browser share data shows
Microsoft's Internet Explorer in April again gained usage share, the third time in the year's first four months, to stay well above the 50% mark and remain the world's top browser, a Web analytics company said today. Seamless transitions your music from Mac to iOS effortlessly
Back when I had a morning commute, I would often pop in some earbuds before hopping on the bus and rock out to one of the many tunes on my iPhone as we rode through Chinatown. The problem, of course, came when I reached my desk mid-song: Did I pause and try and find the song on my Mac's iTunes library? Or did I continue to listen through my iPhone, only to look up hours later and realize I'd drained my phone's battery when I should have switched to my desktop? iPad in the Enterprise: IT Must Stay Ahead of the Curve
In a wide-ranging interview, an Apple expert shares real-world experiences about iPads in the enterprise, mobile device management and BYOD. Key takeaways for IT: Don't improvise when it comes to iPad adoption and don't get bypassed by rogue users. Microsoft mute on Nook app's bundling with Windows 8
Microsoft on Monday declined to say whether Barnes and Noble's Nook app for Metro will be embedded into Windows 8 or Windows RT. Facebook looks to connect patients with organ donors
Facebook launched a new tool today that co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg hopes will help connect patients with needed organ donors. Samsung grabs biggest smartphone share in Q1, says IDC
The worldwide smartphone market grew 42.5 percent year-over-year during the first quarter, as Samsung Electronics overtook Apple for the smartphone leadership position, according to IDC's estimates. Review: Quickoffice Connect is a poor iCloud clone
Stick with the original Quickoffice HD app and either Dropbox or Box instead for a more reliable, cheaper alternative Flashback gang could be making $10K a day off infected Macs
The Flashback malware that's infected hundreds of thousands of Macs may be generating more than $10,000 a day for the hackers who made the Trojan horse, Symantec said. AT&T, Google among top lobbying spenders in Q1
AT&T spent nearly $7.1 million on lobbying Congress and President Barack Obama's administration in the first quarter of 2012, making it the leading corporate spender on lobbying, with Google, Comcast and Verizon Communications also making the top five. Snow Leopard users most prone to Flashback infection
Of the Macs that have been infected by the Flashback malware, nearly two-thirds are running OS X 10.6, better known as Snow Leopard, a Russian antivirus company said. I have seen the future (and it's made of glass)
Expect to see incredible innovation in consumer electronics glass over the next few years from Apple, Google, and Microsoft, writes columnist Mike Elgan. Does the iPad cannibalize Apple's laptops?
Is Apple cutting the MacBook's throat with the iPad? Apple CEO Tim Cook seems to think so, and analysts agree. Bugs & Fixes: From Mail crashes to HTML5 video failures
It's bargain day at Bugs & Fixes. This week's column offers three separate items for the price of one. New iPad owners pay big 'halo' dividends for Apple
The iPad is giving Apple entree to millions of customers who have never purchased one of company's products before, a research firm said today. Wall Street Beat: Tech earnings offer bright spots
With Apple leading the revenue charge midweek and Amazon providing a kick to trading in tech shares Friday morning, bright spots appeared in what has otherwise been a mixed earnings season. Carriers desperately seeking Windows Phone
AT&T and Verizon Wireless want Windows Phone smartphones to succeed in the U.S., partly to provide leverage against Apple's demands for subsidies required for selling the popular iPhone. Samsung tops Nokia in Q1 handset race
Samsung beat Nokia to the top position in the global handset market in the first quarter of 2012, research firms Strategy Analytics and IHS iSuppli said Friday. Kindle Fire accounts for more than half of U.S. Android tablets
When people refer to "Android tablets" they may soon just be referring to the Amazon Kindle Fire. Twitter updates iPhone, Android apps
Twitter released updated iPhone and Android apps Thursday that make it easier for users to search and find new information. Why is Apple CEO slamming laptop/tablet hybrids?
When Apple CEO Tim Cook dissed the whole idea of hybrid mobile computers, he may have been showing unease about the rise of laptop/tablet hybrids. Apple's Sir Jonathan Ive wins British Visionary Innovator award
Ive won by a large margin with almost fifty per cent of the vote (46.6%). In second place was Sir Tim Berners-Lee (inventor of the world wide web) with 18.8 per cent of the vote. Steve Jobs' obsession with simplicity drove Apple to success
A new book reveals a fresh insight into Steve Jobs' mind, and how his obsession with simplicity drove Apple to success. Anecdotes from 'Insanely Simple' include Jobs' Willy Wonka competition idea, and his dislike for the iPod's silhouette ad campaign. 97% of enterprise tablet users got an iPad in Q1, survey finds
Apple's dominance over Android in the corporate tablet market grew in the first quarter, according to a survey from mobile device management and wireless email vendor Good Technology. Can Dropbox, other cloud providers survive Google Drive?
The 800-pound gorilla has landed and is leveraging its existing relationship with hundreds of millions of users to port them to their cloud storage and file sharing service Google Drive. Can smaller cloud storage players survive this assault? Canonical gears Linux upgrade to the cloud
Ubuntu Server 12.04 LTS will feature the Essex release of the OpenStack cloud fabric layer Small firm sues Apple, Google, others over voice patent
Apple, Google, Microsoft and all major smartphone vendors were slapped with a lawsuit Wednesday by Potter Voice Technologies, an obscure Colorado company that claims they are infringing its patent on natural-language voice control of a computer. California to develop mobile privacy guidelines
The state of California will issue a set of best practices for mobile app developers this summer, responding to concerns that have emerged nationwide about smartphone use and privacy. The Enterprise App Store: 10 Must-Have Features
Is 2012 the year app stores will break out in the enterprise? Macs contribute record-low 13% to Apple's revenue
The Mac's contribution to Apple's bottom line fell to an all-time low last quarter, according to data from the company. Update: Apple's WWDC sells out in 2 hours
Apple today announced that its annual developers conference would run June 11-15 in San Francisco -- and inside of two hours, the event had sold out. iPhone sales boom pushes Apple to first-quarter records
Apple on Tuesday announced record first-quarter revenue on the back of soaring iPhone sales, with an assist from the iPad. Asus, fifth and rising in tablet market
Asus in 2011 became one of the top five tablet makers, and though it still lags somewhat behind the market leaders, analysts say its influence on the market is clearly on the rise. Apple revenue, profit jump as iPhone sales beat expectations
Despite concerns about competition from Android devices, Apple managed to exceed expectations for iPhone sales for its second fiscal quarter, reporting a healthy year-over-year jump in both revenue and profit. With Google Drive, 'personal cloud' will soon overshadow the PC
The launch of Google's cloud storage and synchronization service -- Google Drive -- means hundreds of millions of tech users will now be introduced to file sharing, collaboration and integrated document search. New, sneakier Flashback malware infects Macs
A new, sneakier variant of the Flashback malware has been uncovered by the French security firm Intego. Macs more likely to carry Windows malware than Mac malware, Sophos says
One in five Mac computers is likely to carry Windows malware, but only one in 36 is likely to be infected with malware specifically designed for the Mac OS X, according to study performed by antivirus firm Sophos. Apple doesn't own iPad trademark, says Chinese official
A Chinese official said on Tuesday that Apple does not have ownership of the iPad trademark in China, signaling that authorities could be favoring local company Proview in its battle with the U.S. tech giant over rights to the iconic brand name. Apple's IPv6 misstep is a sign of the times
Apple's controversial decision not to support IPv6 on Version 6.0 of AirPort Utility is the latest example of a broader problem plaguing the next-gen Internet Protocol: Many network vendors are lacking the same level of features and performance in products that support IPv6 as those that support IPv4, the original Internet Protocol. Apple charged with infringing on touch patent
Apple products using touch technology infringe on a patent owned by the Pennsylvanian company FlatWorld Interactives, the company alleged in court documents filed on Friday. Wall Street Beat: Mixed tech earnings get tepid reaction
Some of the biggest names in IT reported mixed results this week for the first quarter, leading to a dip in tech stocks Friday even as some major indexes showed gains for other sectors. Flashback botnet not shrinking, huge numbers of Macs still infected
Contrary to reports by several security companies, the Flashback botnet is not shrinking, the Russian antivirus firm that first reported the massive infection three weeks ago claimed today. Did Microsoft run out of time with Windows RT?
Microsoft may have simply run out of time with Windows RT as it tried to keep up with rivals Apple and Google, an analyst said today.
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