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News - page 1033

Apple’s privacy fight with FBI could land Tim Cook in jail

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iPhone 6s
And all this over one iPhone!
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

With Apple not yet willing to accept court orders to unlock the iPhone at the center of the San Bernardino shooing case, legal experts are weighing in on what penalties the company (and, conceivably, Tim Cook) may face if the parties involved refuse to do so.

The answer? Anything from some pretty big fines to jail-time for Apple’s CEO.

Microsoft takes aim at Macs in latest Windows 10 ads

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Screen Shot 2016-02-29 at 15.00.01
As this, err, slow-moving creepy crawly shows.
Photo: Microsoft

The rivalry between Apple and Microsoft may not be as fierce as it once was, but that’s not stopped the long-time Apple frenemy from firing shots in Cupertino’s direction in its latest series of ads for Windows 10.

Presented by two insect educators called “The Bug Chicks” (because, obviously, Windows and bugs go together perfectly!), the ads look at various features that Apple computers just don’t offer yet. You know, like that whole “blue screen of death” lark.

How Apple’s favorite reviewer convinced Jobs to bring iTunes to PC

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iPod-man
If you used an iPod on PC, you can thank Walt Mossberg.
Photo: Apple

Bringing the iPod to the PC was one of the keys to making Apple’s breakthrough music player the ubiquitous mega-hit that it became. But, as with the decision to allow an App Store on iOS, then-CEO Steve Jobs wasn’t exactly on-board with the idea from the start.

In fact, according to a new interview with Nest CEO (and former Apple executive) Tony Fadell, it virtually turned into a “knock-down, drag-out” battle between the pro-PC camp at Apple and Jobs.

Until Walt Mossberg, of all people, managed to break the deadlock.

Apple keeps ‘Think different’ slogan alive with renewed trademark

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ThinkDifferent
Still crazy after all these years!
Photo: Apple

Almost a decade-and-a-half after Apple last used its “Think different” advertising slogan, a trademark update proves the company does not plan to retire its iconic mantra. The company recently updated its claim to the “Think different” trademark for the first time since 2009 with a new European Patent and Trademark Office filing.

Steve Jobs comes up short at the Oscars

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Michael Fassbender as Steve Jobs.
You like me, you really like... wait a second!
Photo: Universal Pictures

Bringing its award season to a shuddering halt, Aaron Sorkin and Danny Boyle’s Steve Jobs biopic had a disappointing night Sunday at the Oscars — with its two nominations failing to turn into wins.

Assassin’s Creed, Art Authority, and other awesome apps of the week

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If you're appy and you know it, check our list!
If you're appy and you know it, check our list!
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The weekend’s halfway gone already, but if you fancy a lazy Sunday getting up to date with the very best apps available for your Apple device, Cult of Mac has your back.

From great games to a superb email client or 100,000 artistic masterpieces at your fingertips, check out our picks below — spanning iPad, iPhone and even Apple TV.

Leaked iPhone SE screen assembly shows it’s missing one key feature

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The iPhone SE is on the left, the iPhone 6s is on the right. What's missing?
The iPhone SE is on the left, the iPhone 6s is on the right. What's missing?
Photo: Nowhereelse.fr

Earlier today, we heard some disappointing news: The 4-inch iPhone SE probably won’t come with 3D Touch, Apple’s new force-sensitive touchscreen technology. Now, a leaked screen assembly purported to be of the iPhone SE seems to confirm that report as being true. Bummer!

Apple event for iPhone SE, new iPad to take place March 21

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Apple takes second spot in list of UK's best employers
The keynote is right around the corner.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

It appears we know just about for sure the date of Apple’s upcoming press event, and it’s probably not what you expected. Apparently, the Apple event to unveil the 4-inch iPhone SE and new iPad will happen on Monday, March 21. The rumor floated around a bit Friday morning, but now we have a much more confident report coming from BuzzFeed.

7 reasons Steve Jobs failed to meet its early Oscars buzz

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Aaron Sorkin’s Steve Jobs movie is coming to Netflix
Steve Jobs wasn't the movie many fans hoped for.
Photo: François Duhamel/©2015 Universal Studios

It’s the Oscars this weekend, and if you’re an Apple fan, one question that lingers in the mind is what exactly happened to all the early awards buzz for Aaron Sorkin and Danny Boyle’s Steve Jobs biopic.

Initially hailed as one of 2015’s crowning cinematic achievements, the movie bombed at the box office and even registered on some “worst movies of the year” lists. Although it has picked up Oscar nominations for Best Actor and Supporting Actress (Michael Fassbender and Kate Winslet), the movie failed to get put forward for Best Picture, while Sorkin was also a notable absence in the Best Adapted Screenplay category.

Having now seen Steve Jobs three times (twice at the theater and once on Blu-ray), here are my thoughts on why the flick was ultimately a disappointment.

Will Fitbit’s ‘magic number’ really step up your fitness game?

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Where will Fitbit’s 10,000 steps a day lead you?
Where will Fitbit’s 10,000 steps a day lead you?
Photo: Graham Bower/Cult of Mac

Fitbit reported its best-ever holiday sales this week, but investors are fretting because the wearable maker’s guidance for the current quarter is lower than expected. Some analysts are questioning whether Fitbit can hold its own against competition from Cupertino.

Apple Watch has proved to be a fantastic fitness tracker for many Cult of Mac readers. So I was curious to find out how Fitbit’s trackers compare. They may be cheaper than Apple Watch, but are they as effective at promoting healthy habits?

Dark mode, 3D Touch: what iOS 10’s Notification Center should look like

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Sam Beckett thinks iOS 10's Notification Center could benefit from 3D Touch.
Sam Beckett thinks iOS 10's Notification Center could benefit from 3D Touch.
Photo: YouTube

Over the years, Apple concept designer Sam Beckett has made some killer videos, exploring possible ways Cupertino could revamp Notification Center. His latest concept again tackles Notification Center, but this time imagines how 3D Touch could make it better in iOS 10. I’m sold.

Apple flips FBI the bird, seeds new betas, and iPod shuffle is reborn

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Apple stands firm in the name of privacy.
Apple stands firm in the name of privacy.
Cover Design: Stephen Smith/Cult of Mac

Apple’s been getting a lot of flack for its refusal to create a “GovtOS” from the FBI and Department of Justice. Tim Cook and company have also garnered plenty of support for their forceful stance from other tech companies as well as the rank and file Apple consumer.

Check out this week’s Cult of Mac Magazine to figure out why Apple refuses to create GovtOS, how to get its latest and greatest software, find the best iPhone and iPad password managers around, check out a virtual tour of Tim Cook’s office, and see how the beloved iPod shuffle has been reborn for the age of Spotify.

Here are the week’s top stories.

Why the 4-inch iPhone SE will be perfect for shutterbugs

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Got a new iPhone? Set it up right.
Got a new iPhone? Set it up right.
Photo: Jim Merithew/Cult of Mac

Some reports have suggested that when the 4-inch iPhone SE arrives next month, it’s updates over the iPhone 5s will top out with the addition of an A9 chip and NFC for Apple Pay. But reputable KGI Securities analyst Ming Chi Kuo says shutterbugs have something to look forward to, too: a sick 12MP camera.

Siri interrogation video makes a difficult issue hilarious

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Siri interrogation video The Daily Show
Good luck, agent. I have trouble getting Siri to turn my lights off sometimes.
Photo: Comedy Central

Comedy Central’s The Daily Show thinks the government is going about this privacy battle with Apple all wrong. Instead of going through court orders and CEO Tim Cook, why not just ask Siri?

In a clip from last night’s show, a government agent takes the digital assistant to a black site to shake it down for the info investigators want. And if asking doesn’t work, it might be time for a bit of torture “enhanced interrogation.”

See how Siri holds up in the full clip below.

Privacy battle dominates Apple shareholder meeting

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Tim cook
"The government is *this* mad at us."
Photo: Apple

The company’s privacy battle with the FBI was the main focus at the Apple shareholder meeting today.

CEO Tim Cook reiterated the company’s intention to fight a court order that compels engineers to create software capable of bypassing the iPhone’s passcode security system. Yesterday, Apple filed its official objection to the ruling.

“We are a staunch advocate of privacy,” Cook told shareholders. “Being hard doesn’t scare us.”

Apple lawyer warns FBI demands could lead to police state

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Legendary lawyer Ted Olson has taken up Apple's case.
Legendary lawyer Ted Olson has taken up Apple's case.
Photo: CNN

Ted Olson, the legendary lawyer hired by Apple to represent it in the company’s battle against the FBI, warned that the government’s demand to unlock the San Bernardino terrorist’s iPhone will have wide ranging implications, and could possibly create a police state.

In an interview this morning, Olson said that if the FBI wins it would create an avalanche of requests from both federal and state courts to unlock iPhones in other cases that prosecutors believe may possibly contain evidence that could be used against the owner.

San Bernardino’s top cop admits terrorist’s iPhone may be a dead end

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touchid
Getting into the San Bernardino iPhone may be pointless.
Photo: Apple

Apple and the FBI are locked in a bitter legal battle over San Bernardino shooter Syed Rizwan Farook’s iPhone 5c that was recovered at the terrorist event, but according to San Bernardino’s chief of police we’re all overlooking one very important issue: there might not be any useable intelligence on it.

Does Android’s innovation boom put iPhone to shame? [Friday Night Fight]

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android
Why buy an iPhone when you can get so much more?
Photo: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

After Samsung and LG announced exciting new iPhone rivals at Mobile World Congress this week, we’ve had heated debates behind the scenes here over whether Apple’s smartphone can still compete against the big guns in an increasingly competitive smartphone market.

Friday-Night-Fights-bug-2Without features like wireless charging, water-resistance, and expandable storage, will it be harder for Apple to reverse slowing iPhone growth? Or are these things just gimmicks that the iPhone doesn’t need, and will have been forgotten just a few years down the line?

Join in this week’s Friday Night Fight between Cult of Android and Cult of Mac as we take our spat public and ask you to wade in!

Samsung may take on Apple Music by acquiring Tidal

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Apple Music
Apple Music
Apple Music's competition might be changing owners. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android
Apple Music’s competition might be changing owners. Photo: Killian Bell/Cult of Android

Tidal, the high fidelity music streaming service owned by Jay Z, has been struggling to compete with Spotify and Apple Music, but according to a new report Samsung is planning to throw the fledgling company a lifeline with a new acquisition deal.

My irrational love of the iPhone flashlight

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GC

This is the first installment in a series of memoirs on the intersection of technology and daily life.

When my fraternity brother Grant and I began a drive from Arkansas to Los Angeles to visit friends on the West Coast, I believed it would be the greatest road trip of my life.

I was wrong.