Author Archives: Stephen Hall

May
22
2013
0
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Apple’s USA Mac to be Built in Texas

Posted by at 5:43 pm

Apple’s USA Mac to be Built in Texas

“We’re investing $100 million to build a Mac product line here in the U.S.,” Cook said. “The product will be assembled in Texas, include components made in Illinois and Florida, and rely on equipment produced in Kentucky and Michigan.”

Tim Cook confirmed before the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations that its Made-in-USA Mac will be manufactured in Texas. This makes sense considering Foxconn has facilities there as well as the fact that they are building a campus in Austin. Definitely good news for the already economically strong state of Texas.

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May
21
2013
34
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John McCain Tells Tim Cook He’s Sick of Updating His Apps

Posted by at 7:01 pm

Apple CEO Tim Cook took witness earlier this morning at a congressional hearing. He faced U.S. senators who questioned him as well as finance boss Peter Oppenheimer and Tax Operations head Phillip Bullock on the company’s foreign tax practices. Near the end of the hearing, John McCain had a bit of personal grilling to do with the Apple CEO. ”Why the hell do I have to keep updating my apps on my iPhone all the time and why you don’t fix that?” McCain asked. “Sir, we’re trying to make them better all the time,” Cook promptly replied.

It may seem like he was just kidding or cracking a “grandpa joke,” but I think we should actually consider this concern. Why do we have to always be updating our apps? Why isn’t there a function in place that streamlines this process and updates our apps automatically? Is there any kind of argument against this? I think this would be a great feature to add as part of iOS 7; it would definitely follow suit with Apple’s “it just works” philosophy. Do you think automatic app updates would be a welcome addition?

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May
21
2013
4
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Badger Tweak Now Available

Posted by at 5:56 pm

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Badger is an arguably game-changing tweak that brings some fairly simple functionality to iOS. Using a configurable activation method, you can bring up the Badger window which shows any app’s notifications. From there, you can swipe to delete notifications, open them, and even quick reply to texts and iMessages.

In short, Badger is a notification center replacement of sorts that allows you to view notifications directly from the SpringBoard. One could argue that this tweak is similar to Velox in functionality, but I have found Badger to be far less buggy and to have a much more streamlined feel. It may not have all the functionality of Velox, but who really needs to add notes from the SpringBoard anyway?

The full Cydia description as well as a video and more information can be found after the break. (more…)

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May
20
2013
10
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Who Will Win the V-MODA Remix Remote Headphones?

Posted by at 8:01 am

Last week we created a thread asking you to post your best iOS theme setup for a chance to win the V-MODA Remix Remote Headphones shown above. All entries have now been received and it’s time to vote. Head over to the voting thread for this competition and vote on who you think posted the best iOS theme setup. It’s up to you to decide which user will get these headphones–a retail value of $79.

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May
18
2013
68
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Can an Android Tablet Replace a Laptop?

Posted by at 3:38 pm

n10-intro-thin

Whether or not an iPad can–or should–replace a good ol’ laptop has long been debated across the internet. But what about Android tablets? Is there anything about having Android that makes ditching your laptop any more compelling?

iFans forum member Yamada has created a thread asking exactly this and the answers have overwhelmingly been “no.” What do you think? Do Android tablets such as the Nexus 10 bring enough productivity capabilities to make it a possibility? Do you have an Android tablet that does everything you need? Sound off in the comments.

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May
17
2013
6
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iCloud Photo Stream Gaining Steam, Accounts for More Upload Traffic Than Dropbox

Posted by at 6:14 pm

sandvine-2012

Photo Stream is a pretty big feature apart of Apple’s iCloud. Assuming you have the service turned on, every single photo you take with an iOS device paired with your Apple account is sent to the cloud. This, of course, makes sharing and moving photos between your devices a breeze. But how big is this service, exactly? The latest Sandvine report tells us that  ”Apple Photostream” accounts for 1.34% of all North American upload traffic. (more…)

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May
17
2013
14
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Which iOS App Needs the Biggest iOS 7 Overhaul?

Posted by at 3:39 pm

iOS

There is a profusion of built-in iOS apps, but I think there are some that need an overhaul more than others. The next iteration of iOS is expected to ship with a general redesign system-wide, but let’s take a look deeper in to each app’s core functionality. A fresh and “flat” look will be great, but I think some of Apple’s apps are simply not as useful as they could be. (more…)

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May
16
2013
9
comments
 

Macs Get Bugs Too: New OS X Spyware Found

Posted by at 2:39 pm

Macs Get Bugs Too: New OS X Spyware Found

7286264-virus-close-upWhat is known so far about the spyware is that it will add itself to the list of applications that are launched when the user logs in, ensuring it runs every time the victim logs in to their computer. While running, the spyware takes periodic screenshots and stores them in a directory called MacApp that is created in the user’s home directory. Information was also uncovered about two C&C (command-and-control) servers apparently used by the spyware to upload captured screenshots. C&C servers can also allow for malicious software to receive instructions from the spyware’s author(s).

As Macs gain in popularity, malicious code will almost surely become more common. This one was found by one Jacob Appelbaum and is currently being analyzed by F-Secure for more information.

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