tech stuff » Apple

Apple Hires Former OLPC Security Director

Cody Taylor — Fri, 15 May 2009 01:00:10 +0000

imamac writes “It seems Apple is seeking to beef up security by hiring Ivan Krstic, the one-time director of security architecture at One Laptop per Child. ‘Krstic, a well-respected innovator who designed the Bitfrost security specification for the OLPC initiative, joined Cupertino this week and will work on core OS security. His hiring comes at a crucial time for a company that ties security to its marketing campaigns despite public knowledge that it’s rather trivial to launch exploits against the Mac.’”

How Much Money Does a Billion iPhone Apps Get You? Not Much!

Cody Taylor — Thu, 14 May 2009 21:00:17 +0000

Recently, Apple proudly strutted its feathers, pointing at the one billion iPhone free and paid apps users have installed on their little bundles of electronic joy. Now, the folks at LSVP have done the math and calculated how much revenue, approximately, did that billion generate.Short version: not that much.

Steve Jobs Seen Returning Post-WWDC Brandishing New iPhones

Cody Taylor — Thu, 14 May 2009 21:00:16 +0000

While all eyes are on Apple’s annual developers conference as a likely forum for new iPhone hardware announcements, one Wall Street analyst is advising clients that better bets may be placed on an event a few weeks later that may also mark the return of Steve Jobs. In a note to clients, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster said he believes a press…

Apple and AT&T playing favorites with the App Store?

Cody Taylor — Thu, 14 May 2009 05:00:14 +0000

There’s a disconnect between some video-streaming applications approved for 3G use in Apple’s App Store and those, like SlingPlayer Mobile, which are limited to Wi-Fi access only. While Apple has certainly not been shy about exercising its veto power over App Store applications–just ask Trent Reznor, for example–it’s unclear why Sling’s…

Beautiful Steve Jobs Portrait Made of Apple Typefaces

Cody Taylor — Thu, 14 May 2009 05:00:13 +0000

Artist Dylan Roscover did this amazing job recreating a famous Steve Jobs picture using Apple’s classic typefaces, used since its beginning in the 70s.

Atlantis Links Up To Hubble For Repairs

Cody Taylor — Thu, 14 May 2009 01:00:04 +0000

An anonymous reader writes “Space Shuttle Atlantis has finally caught up with the Hubble Space Telescope after following it for several hours. The ‘link up’ between the Space Shuttle and Hubble was a very delicate one as the two were flying through space at 17,200 MPH, 300 miles above the Earth’s surface. The robotic arm of the shuttle grappled the telescope at 1:14 PM EDT today. The telescope will be latched to a high-tech lLzy Susan device known as the Flight Support System for the duration of the servicing work.”

Apple and Microsoft Release Critical Patches

Cody Taylor — Wed, 13 May 2009 17:00:13 +0000

SkiifGeek writes “Both Microsoft and Apple have released major security updates in the last 24 hours. Microsoft’s single update (MS09-017) addresses fourteen distinct vulnerabilities across all supported versions of PowerPoint, but it isn’t the number of patched vulnerabilities that is causing trouble. Instead, the decision to release the patch for Windows versions while OS X and Works versions remain vulnerable to the same remote code execution risks (including one that is currently being exploited) hasn’t gone down well with some people. Microsoft have given various reasons why this is the case, but this mega-update-in-a-patch is still interesting for other reasons. Meanwhile, Apple has updated OS X 10.5 to 10.5.7 as part of the 2009-002 Security Update, as well as a cumulative update for Safari 3 and the Public Beta for 4. As well as addressing numerous significant security risks, the 10.5.7 update provides a number of stability and capability enhancements and incorporates the Safari 3 update patch. Probably the most surprising element of the Apple update is the overall size of it; 442MB for the point update, and 729MB for the ComboUpdate.”

Apple responds to Microsoft’s Laptop Hunters… with a Megan

Cody Taylor — Wed, 13 May 2009 13:00:12 +0000

According to Apple, there aren’t any PCs with fast processors and big screens that work without viruses, crashes or headaches. But folks, this isn’t reality, this is advertising. In fact, this is Apple’s first jab since Microsoft took off the gloves with its Laptop Hunters series of pokes against Apple.

AT&T issues official statement on SlingPlayer’s 3G blackout

Cody Taylor — Wed, 13 May 2009 13:00:12 +0000

AT&T’s obviously taking a good helping of heat today over Sling’s rock-and-a-hard-place decision to remove 3G streaming capability from its SlingPlayer Mobile build for the iPhone — a decision that gets at the very heart of several hot-button issues plaguing AT&T and Apple alike — and the carrier understandably felt the need to release an officia

Google’s mobile jihad: Support the web, live with the app

Cody Taylor — Wed, 13 May 2009 05:00:16 +0000

Over the last year, it’s become clear that Google has a bigger war on its hands in mobile than it had anticipated. It’s principal antagonist is sexy Apple iPhone, which has seriously disrupted Google’s ambitions to turn mobile industry into a Web-based …