Apple has begun running a pair of new television ads for the iPhone 4S and Siri featuring actor John Malkovich. This comes after a pair of celebrity ads started running last month with Samuel L. Jackson and Zooey Deschanel. Malkovich: Life. Siri: Try and be nice to people. Avoid eating fat. Read a good book every now and then. Get some walking in. And try to live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations. Malkovich: That's pretty spectacular advice, actually. Thank you. I enjoyed this chat immensely. You are very eloquent. Siri: That's nice of you to say.The celebrity ads scored very well with viewers, registering higher scores from advertising tracking firm Ace Metrix than any other iPhone 4S ad released so far this year. John Malkovich is well known for his unique acting style and his iPhone 4S ad reflects his somewhat peculiar persona. The query that Malkovich posits -- "Life"-- elicits a number of different responses from Siri, including: "42" "I Kant answer that. Ha ha!" "It's nothing Nietzsche couldn't teach ya." "Life: the condition that distinguishes animals and plants from inorganic matter, including the capacity for growth, reproduction, functional activity, and continual change preceding death." "I don't know. But I think there's an app for that." "I can't answer that now, but give me some time to write a very long play in which nothing happens." "I find it odd that you would ask this of an inanimate object." "That's easy… it's a philosophical question concerning the purpose and significance of life or existence in general." "Life: a principle or force that is considered to underlie the distinctive quality of animate beings. I guess that includes me." "A movie." "I give up."A second ad is airing as well, showcasing a bit more of Siri's talents: Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Moshi Releases Ultra-thin MacBook Air Shell Case • Blizzard Says It Delivered 4.7 Million Copies of Diablo III on Release Day • Seagate Buying LaCie for $186 Million • Mint Upgrades iOS App With Budget and Transaction Management Tools • Siri and iCloud Banned at IBM Headquarters over Security Risks
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The North Carolina Utilities Commission today officially approved (PDF) Apple's proposal to construct a 4.8-megawatt fuel cell electric generating facility near its data center in Maiden, North Carolina. The Commission previously approved a plan by Apple to build the first of two 20 megawatt solar farms around its data center. The Public Staff presented this matter to the Commission at its Regular Staff Conference on May 21, 2012. The Public Staff recommended that the Commission approve the application and issue a certificate of public convenience and necessity. After careful consideration, the Commission finds good cause to approve the application and issue the attached certificate of public convenience and necessity for the proposed 4.8-MW AC fuel cell electric generating facility located at 5977 Startown Road, Maiden, Catawba County, North Carolina.Previous filings (PDF) with federal regulators have indicated that Apple plans to have the fuel cell facility installed by July 16, with operation to begin by July 30. Bloom's Fuel Cell Boxes Apple is acquiring the fuel cell boxes from Bloom Energy, based in Sunnyvale, California, near Apple's Cupertino headquarters where Apple already has some Bloom boxes installed. It appears that the fuel cell boxes will be powered by standard natural gas from the grid, while Apple will be purchasing environmentally-friendly biogas from a local provider which will be inserted into the grid at a 1:1 ratio. This will keep the system as "green" as possible. Apple signaled its intentions to build a data center at the site last October, moving to clear and grade the land as it sought approval for the project. The company publicly unveiled its plans back in February, noting that the facility will be the largest user-owned fuel cell installation in the United States not owned by a utility company. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Moshi Releases Ultra-thin MacBook Air Shell Case • Blizzard Says It Delivered 4.7 Million Copies of Diablo III on Release Day • Seagate Buying LaCie for $186 Million • Mint Upgrades iOS App With Budget and Transaction Management Tools • Siri and iCloud Banned at IBM Headquarters over Security Risks
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In the week since Apple's last developer update of OS X Mountain Lion, several new features including hints of automatic app downloads have been discovered in the next-generation operating system. The discoveries are still continuing, with signs of two new features: offline Reading List mode and iOS-like dictation. Gear Live highlights the offline reading list option, which is an augmentation of the Safari bookmarking feature that debuted in OS X Lion and syncs saved articles across devices. As noticed by Gear Live, a warning screen in Safari on OS X Mountain Lion indicates that articles saved to Reading List are available for viewing even when the user's Mac is not connected to the Internet.While troubleshooting a home network issue today, I stumbled upon a new feature that Apple is introducing in OS X Mountain Lion. [...] When you aren't connected to a network and pull up Safari, you get a message that tells you that you aren't connected to the Internet, but that your "Reading List articles are available for viewing while you are offline." Meanwhile, 9to5Mac reports that a keyboard shortcut listing in the latest build of OS X Mountain Lion suggests that built-in dictation capabilities will be coming to the Mac. Such capabilities debuted as part of Siri on the iPhone 4S, with only the dictation portion making its way into the third-generation iPad released earlier this year.According to a resources file inside of the latest build of Safari in the newest seed of the upcoming OS X Mountain Lion, Dictation might be making its way to Macs next. Since Macs do not sport virtual keyboards or physical keyboards with a microphone-labled key, users (by default) will apparently need to simultaneously click both command keys to start voice input. No other evidence of dictation or other Siri-like features has yet been discovered in OS X Mountain Lion, but Apple continues to work on the next-generation operating system and will undoubtedly issue an extensive preview of it at next month's Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Moshi Releases Ultra-thin MacBook Air Shell Case • Blizzard Says It Delivered 4.7 Million Copies of Diablo III on Release Day • Seagate Buying LaCie for $186 Million • Mint Upgrades iOS App With Budget and Transaction Management Tools • Siri and iCloud Banned at IBM Headquarters over Security Risks
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BGR reports that Microsoft is planning to launch Office for iOS in November this year, with the source claiming first-hand knowledge of the software running on an iPad. With the app's splash screen referring to it as "Office for iOS", the source also speculates that the app may also be coming to the smaller screens of the iPhone and iPod touch. In addition to its iOS effort, Microsoft is also said to be bringing Office to Android-based tablets in the same timeframe. Microsoft had indicated soon after the launch of the original iPad that it was investigating the possibility of bringing Office to the platform, but ultimately stated that it had no plans for such an effort. The Daily has since claimed several times that Office for iPad is in fact in the works, reporting in February that it had even had hands-on time with a prototype of the app. Photo of claimed Office prototype app running on an iPad (Source: The Daily) Microsoft denied the claim, but The Daily continues to stand by its report. Suggesting that there may have been a misunderstanding somewhere, Microsoft stated that the situation would become "clear in the coming weeks". No such clarification has yet surfaced, however. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Mint Upgrades iOS App With Budget and Transaction Management Tools • Siri and iCloud Banned at IBM Headquarters over Security Risks • Apple Releases Digital Camera RAW Compatibility Update 3.13 • New Paris Apple Retail Store Opening Friday, May 25 • Video Streaming from TiVo to iOS Devices Coming This Summer
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The Palo Alto Online has unearthed plans for a new glass-enclosed retail store going in near the current Stanford mini-store in Palo Alto, CA. The store will have three floor-to-ceiling glass walls enclosing the front of the store with a visually free-floating white roof overhead. This is a similar design to the new store being built in Portland, OR, as well as a new store in Aix-en-Provence, France. What makes this store unique, however, is the interior. In the middle of the store, it appears that Apple's architects have placed a stone wall that separates the store into two distinct areas. A front area enclosed by glass walls, and a rear space that will include the standard Apple Retail Store product tables and counters. From the Palo Alto Online: One seasoned industry observer who had viewed the early drawings called the building design exquisite. "It makes an elegant and dramatic statement. It is destined to become Apple's flagship store," he said. The structure features a tall glass cube with an overhang that extends well beyond the building. "It makes the space between the outside and the inside almost indistinguishable," the source said, adding that it will bear some similarity to New York's Apple Store Fifth Avenue, which also has a distinctive glass cube as an entrance.The new store replaces the Rugby Ralph Lauren and Williams Sonoma Home stores that were previously in the space. IFOAppleStore notes the store, designed by Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, is expected to open by the end of the year. The existing Stanford mini-store will be shuttered once the new location opens. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Siri and iCloud Banned at IBM Headquarters over Security Risks • Apple Releases Digital Camera RAW Compatibility Update 3.13 • New Paris Apple Retail Store Opening Friday, May 25 • Video Streaming from TiVo to iOS Devices Coming This Summer • Binary Nights Puts Mac File-Transfer App ForkLift On Sale for $0.99
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Earlier this week, Apple CEO Tim Cook met with his counterpart from Samsung, Choi Gee-sung, as part of court-mediated talks seeking to find common ground in the ongoing patent battles between the two companies. Unsurprisingly, the talks seems to have been relatively unproductive, with the U.S. case underway in California all but certain to proceed to trial. Apple has been silent on the talks, but The Korea Times reports on comments from Samsung officials indicating that no agreement was forthcoming.The two technology giants could find no clear agreement through the talks, according to a Samsung official. Apple Korea declined to comment on the matter. The patent battle is now headed for trial on June 27, despite both firm’s stated wish to avoid legal proceedings. According to foreign media outlets, both technology giants held firm on their assertions: Samsung continued to demand Apple pay royalties for using its wireless transmission technology and Apple insisted that Samsung copied its design in various products.The Korea Herald reports that Samsung's contingent will be returning to Korea on Friday, and with Samsung chairman Lee Kun-hee also returning from a three-week business trip to Europe, the company's top executives will almost certainly meet to discuss the talks. It appears, however, that there is little chance of Apple and Samsung budge from their positions sufficiently to prevent a trial from taking place. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Apple Releases Digital Camera RAW Compatibility Update 3.13 • New Paris Apple Retail Store Opening Friday, May 25 • Video Streaming from TiVo to iOS Devices Coming This Summer • Binary Nights Puts Mac File-Transfer App ForkLift On Sale for $0.99 • Physics Puzzler 'Feed Me Oil' Free for Today Only
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BBC reports that Apple's design chief Jonathan Ive was knighted today in Buckingham Palace, with Princess Anne performing the honors. Ive's knighthood was announced in December, but the official ceremony was not held until today. Ive's knighthood was accompanied by a rare extensive profile and interview with The Telegraph in which he shares details on his background and philosophy.“All I’ve ever wanted to do is design and make; it’s what I love doing. It’s great if you can find what you love to do. Finding it is one thing but then to be able to practise that and be preoccupied with that is another,” he says. “I’m very aware of an incredible tradition in the UK of designing and making, and so to be recognised in this way is really wonderful.”The humble Ive, who notably almost always uses "we" rather than "I" in discussion of Apple's design process, emphasizing the team aspect of the industrial design division's work, also discusses the care that Apple takes in designing every single aspect of each product.“We’re keenly aware that when we develop and make something and bring it to market that it really does speak to a set of values. And what preoccupies us is that sense of care, and what our products will not speak to is a schedule, what our products will not speak to is trying to respond to some corporate or competitive agenda. We’re very genuinely designing the best products that we can for people.”Asked which of his designs is most important to him and for which he would like to be remembered most, Ive notes that his team's current projects are "the most important and the best work we’ve done" but that he of course can't disclose details on that work. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Apple Releases Digital Camera RAW Compatibility Update 3.13 • New Paris Apple Retail Store Opening Friday, May 25 • Video Streaming from TiVo to iOS Devices Coming This Summer • Binary Nights Puts Mac File-Transfer App ForkLift On Sale for $0.99 • Physics Puzzler 'Feed Me Oil' Free for Today Only
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Studies of "brand value" are always difficult to compare, as widely differing methodologies used by those measuring such data yield markedly different results. But tracking year-to-year movements using a consistent methodology can offer some interesting perspectives, and so Millward's Brown's latest BrandZ study (via The Next Web) makes for a good look at trends in marketing and branding. In the 2012 brand rankings released today, Apple tops the list for the second year in a row, scoring a brand value of nearly $183 billion as compared to last year's $153 billion figure that saw Apple move into the top position for the first time. Apple's 19% growth was the strongest among the top ten brands.David Roth for WPP said “Brands help businesses create competitive differentiation, command a price premium and become more resilient to crises or economic turbulence. This year, those businesses that leveraged technology, focused on the customer experience or boosted control of their brands thrived." Apple continues to innovate and maintain its ‘luxury’ brand status, but faces future competition from Samsung. Now worth more than $14.1 billion, thanks in part to the success of its Galaxy handsets, Samsung is successfully outpacing Apple in a significant number of markets by positioning as a cool, well-priced alternative to the ubiquitous iPhone.”Still, Samsung's brand value of $14.1 billion for a 55th place ranking paled in comparison to Apple, and the company's 16% growth in brand value was unable to match Apple's performance. Among other top brands, IBM passed Google to take the second spot in the rankings with a brand value of nearly $116 billion as seven of the top ten spots were held by technology or communications companies. Facebook saw the largest percentage gain among top companies, with its brand value jumping by 74% to $33 billion, a leap of sixteen places to number 19 in the rankings. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Apple Releases Digital Camera RAW Compatibility Update 3.13 • New Paris Apple Retail Store Opening Friday, May 25 • Video Streaming from TiVo to iOS Devices Coming This Summer • Binary Nights Puts Mac File-Transfer App ForkLift On Sale for $0.99 • Physics Puzzler 'Feed Me Oil' Free for Today Only
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In line with today's claims of taller iPhone prototypes with 3.95-inch displays, one of our sources has provided us with images of what are claimed to be new next-generation iOS device parts being carried by a supplier. The most significant of these parts is a claimed front panel from the next-generation iPod touch, with the supplier claiming that the display would be taller than the current model and measure in at 4.1 inches diagonally. Apple would undoubtedly use the same display size on the iPhone and iPod touch if it were to bring a larger screen to both of the devices, so it is not entirely clear how to mesh recent claims of a 3.95-inch display with this measurement of 4.1 inches and The Wall Street Journal's claim of "at least four inches", but all of the reports are in the same general size range. Our source's supplier has also included listings for several new parts claimed to be for the next-generation iPhone, including the home button flex cable and front and rear cameras, although the camera parts are listed as needing "verification", so the supplier may yet be confirming their authenticity. The photos are extremely small, but at a minimum the home button flex cable and front camera assembly show distinct differences from their iPhone 4S counterparts, although they may end up being functionally indistinguishable from the user's perspective. The rear camera appears very similar to modules used in the last several generations of the iPhone, although it is lacking an associated LED flash. Left to right: Home button flex cable, front camera, rear camera Better shots of the cameras have been posted at BadGizmo Repair, which appears to have received its information from the same supplier as our source. "iPhone 5" front camera (left) and rear camera (right) Part leaks from Apple's supply chain have become fairly routine in the months leading up to a product launch, and these latest parts are by no means the first to appear for the upcoming hardware update. The plastic home buttons were the first to leak last month, followed by a micro-SIM tray and what claimed to be a headphone jack/earpiece assembly, although there has been some debate about exactly what the components on that part represent. The authenticity of all of the parts has yet to be confirmed, but past history suggests that these components are frequently genuine parts leaked from Apple's supply chain. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Physics Puzzler 'Feed Me Oil' Free for Today Only • Comcast Dropping 250GB Data Cap In Favor of "Improved Data Usage Management" • China Mobile Again Confirms iPhone Talks with Apple • In Lawsuit Over Siri, Apple Says the Technology is "Cutting Edge" • iPhone a 'Game Changer' for Customer Satisfaction
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9to5Mac reports that Apple is currently testing two prototypes of the next-generation iPhone that offer a taller screen while maintaining the existing 640-pixel width. According to the report, the two prototypes carry a display with a height of 1136 pixels, up from the current 960-pixel height and leading to an increase in the diagonal size of the display from 3.5 inches to 3.95 inches.These prototype phones are floating around Apple HQ in thick, locked shells in order to disguise the exterior design to “undisclosed” employees. We know of two next-generation iPhones in testing with a larger display: the iPhone 5,1 and iPhone 5,2. These phones are in the PreEVT stage of development and are codenamed N41AP (5,1) and N42AP (5,2). Because Apple reserves certain models for internal-only usage (such as the N96 phone we previously reported on), we’re not sure which of the two devices will make its way into the world later this year.The idea of a larger screen in the range of 4 inches for the iPhone has been gaining momentum in recent weeks, with some sources already having claimed that Apple will achieve that increase with a taller design. Rendered mockup of taller iPhone with 4-inch display (Source: Ciccarese Design) Click for larger Today's report indicates that iOS 6 will support this taller screen by displaying an extra row of home screen icons, in line with previous speculation. The new iPhone hardware also reportedly includes the rumored smaller dock connector, with the report's source pegging its size at between micro-USB and mini-USB. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Physics Puzzler 'Feed Me Oil' Free for Today Only • Comcast Dropping 250GB Data Cap In Favor of "Improved Data Usage Management" • China Mobile Again Confirms iPhone Talks with Apple • In Lawsuit Over Siri, Apple Says the Technology is "Cutting Edge" • iPhone a 'Game Changer' for Customer Satisfaction
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As noted by 9to5Mac, the latest developer build of OS X Mountain Lion released last week sets the stage for bringing iOS-like automatic app downloads to Mac App Store purchases. Like on the iPhone and iPad, when you buy and install an app on one of your Macs, all of your other Macs logged into the same App Store account will automatically install the app too. Unfortunately, the feature does not seem to be working completely. While the App Store will still offer to enable automatic downloads (as seen above), it does not actually install anything when you purchase apps from another computer.Apple has been issuing regular updates of OS X Mountain Lion to its Mac developer community, and the company is expected to offer many more details on the next-generation operating system at next month's Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco. OS X Mountain Lion is currently scheduled to see a public launch in "late summer" of this year and will bring a number of enhancements including several features drawn from iOS such as Notification Center, Game Center, Messages, and Reminders. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Physics Puzzler 'Feed Me Oil' Free for Today Only • Comcast Dropping 250GB Data Cap In Favor of "Improved Data Usage Management" • China Mobile Again Confirms iPhone Talks with Apple • In Lawsuit Over Siri, Apple Says the Technology is "Cutting Edge" • iPhone a 'Game Changer' for Customer Satisfaction
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Apple last week sent out a mailing to neighbors of its planned Apple Campus 2, a massive new facility on the site of an old HP campus in Cupertino that is set to host 13,000 workers. The mailing offers details on the project, solicits feedback, and asks whether neighbors will support the project either in person at public meetings or by writing letters of support. Click for larger In the mailing, Apple touts how the project will enhance the neighborhood around the campus, from both functional and aesthetic perspectives. Apple notes that the project will bring upgrades to streets and sidewalks in the area and add more than 2,000 tress will replacing acres of parking lots with green space. Apple also emphasizes the environmental side of its efforts, from a commitment to 100% renewable energy including a massive solar installation to water reclamation and improved drainage. Click for larger Apple does note that the campus will not be open to the public, although many of its planned improvements will impact neighbors. The plan has not been without some controversy, however, as some critics have spoken out against the project design, the closed campus, and the amount of traffic it will bring to the area. Apple's timeline calls for the City of Cupertino to review and approve the campus plans later this year, with construction to begin immediately following approval and the first move-ins planned for 2015. (Thanks, Hansen!) Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Physics Puzzler 'Feed Me Oil' Free for Today Only • Comcast Dropping 250GB Data Cap In Favor of "Improved Data Usage Management" • China Mobile Again Confirms iPhone Talks with Apple • In Lawsuit Over Siri, Apple Says the Technology is "Cutting Edge" • iPhone a 'Game Changer' for Customer Satisfaction
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Following last month's announcement that Apple and Samsung had agreed to high-level talks involving the two companies' CEOs in an attempt to resolve ongoing patent litigation, Reuters provides a preview of the session set to begin today in San Francisco. The talks, which will be mediated by a federal judge, are scheduled to take place over the next two days. Commenting before his departure to the United States for the talks, Samsung mobile division chief JK Shin noted that while significant differences between Apple and Samsung still exist, a number of "negotiation options" remain on the table."There is still a big gap in the patent war with Apple," JK Shin said, before departing for the United States for the mediation talks. "But we still have several negotiation options." Court documents show the two companies have had at least one mediation session, although it is not clear if Cook and Choi were involved.Legal experts are not optimistic that the two companies will reach a settlement, but with courts increasingly pushing companies to seek alternative dispute resolution processes in hopes of staving off drawn-out court battles, Apple and Samsung have agreed to participate in the talks. Samsung is just one of Apple's main targets in its patent battles with Android-based hardware manufacturers. In another case, Apple succeeded in slowing U.S. imports of several HTC smartphones earlier this month, forcing the company to delay the launch of the Evo 4G LTE on Sprint although HTC has indicated that some shipments of some models are being released by U.S. Customs. But while Apple's disputes with several Android device manufacturers center on functionality of the devices, the company's dispute with Samsung extends further to claims that Samsung has "chosen to slavishly copy" the design of Apple's products with its own line of Galaxy smartphones and tablets. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Physics Puzzler 'Feed Me Oil' Free for Today Only • Comcast Dropping 250GB Data Cap In Favor of "Improved Data Usage Management" • China Mobile Again Confirms iPhone Talks with Apple • In Lawsuit Over Siri, Apple Says the Technology is "Cutting Edge" • iPhone a 'Game Changer' for Customer Satisfaction
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China Daily reports that Apple's manufacturing partner Foxconn continues to expand its operations in support of Apple's strong growth in product sales, investing $210 million to build a new production line for unspecified components. The new production line is said to be set to come on line in October of this year and will be located in the Chinese city of Huai'an in the eastern province of Jiangsu.The plant, covering an area of 40,000 square meters, plans to hire 35,800 employees. The annual output value of the plant is expected to reach 6 to 7 billion yuan ($949 million to $1.1 billion), and the import and export value will be $55.8 million, the office said.Foxconn, which has come under scrutiny regarding workers rights issues and has recently been working with Apple to monitor issues and improve standards, has been aggressively expanding its facilities to support Apple's production needs. In addition to new production facilities for the iPhone and iPad in Brazil, the company has also recently adopted a strategy of decentralizing its Chinese production facilities, building some of its new plants in interior regions closer to the homes of many of the young workers seeking jobs with the company. Foxconn workers polishing iPad rear shells (Source: ABC/Nightline) It is unclear what role the forthcoming Huai'an facility will play in the production of Apple devices, and while the addition of nearly 36,000 workers marks a substantial investment in new production for Apple, it will represent only a small fraction of Foxconn's overall workforce, which currently includes well over one million employees. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Physics Puzzler 'Feed Me Oil' Free for Today Only • Comcast Dropping 250GB Data Cap In Favor of "Improved Data Usage Management" • China Mobile Again Confirms iPhone Talks with Apple • In Lawsuit Over Siri, Apple Says the Technology is "Cutting Edge" • iPhone a 'Game Changer' for Customer Satisfaction
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Russian forensics firm ElcomSoft earlier this week announced that it has discovered a way to easily access iCloud backups of iOS devices, incorporating the functionality into its Elcomsoft Phone Password Breaker software. While the Apple ID and password must be known in order to access the iCloud data, once that information has been obtained the software makes it easy for investigators to download full iCloud backups and then follow incremental backups in near real-time to track a device's use without the knowledge of the user.ElcomSoft researchers analyzed the communication protocol connecting iPhone users with Apple iCloud, and were able to emulate the correct commands in order to retrieve the content of iOS users’ iCloud storage. It’s important to note that, unlike offline backups that may come encrypted and must be broken into (a time-consuming operation), data retrieved from iCloud is received in plain, unencrypted form . The 5GB of storage space can be retrieved in reasonable time, while receiving incremental updates is even faster.Obtaining a user's Apple ID password may not always be trivial, but ElcomSoft tools can also be used to capture that information from offline backups stored in iTunes. And of course if the user disables iCloud syncing on its device or changes the Apple ID password, remote access is lost. ElcomSoft has been at the forefront of development of password-cracking tools, last year incorporating a tool to bypass hardware encryption included in iOS 4. Such tools are increasingly being used by law enforcement to aid their investigations as smartphones become increasingly common and collect a growing amount of information about users and their activity. ElcomSoft offers several levels of its software, with the most powerful versions restricted to certain governmental agencies, including law enforcement, intelligence services, and other qualified forensic organizations. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Physics Puzzler 'Feed Me Oil' Free for Today Only • Comcast Dropping 250GB Data Cap In Favor of "Improved Data Usage Management" • China Mobile Again Confirms iPhone Talks with Apple • In Lawsuit Over Siri, Apple Says the Technology is "Cutting Edge" • iPhone a 'Game Changer' for Customer Satisfaction
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Russian newspaper Izvestia reports [Google translation] that the organizers behind the Skolkovo technology park near Moscow are currently in talks with a number of high-profile companies including Apple, Google, and Facebook about locating research and development facilities in the area. Skolkovo has already landed agreements with Microsoft, IBM, General Electric, Cisco, and others, with the project's backers envisioning the region becoming Russia's version of Silicon Valley bolstered by dozens of major corporations. According to the report, Apple officials in Moscow declined to comment on the claims, but Skolkovo executive Roman Romanovsky indicated that the two sides have expressed interest in negotiating about possibilities. No deal appears to be imminent, although Romanovsky hopes that the talks will eventually lead to an agreement. Apple is in the process of opening up its first major international research and development center in Israel, looking to leverage its own expertise and that of Anobit, an Israeli flash memory company acquired by Apple earlier this year, to spur new innovations. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Physics Puzzler 'Feed Me Oil' Free for Today Only • Comcast Dropping 250GB Data Cap In Favor of "Improved Data Usage Management" • China Mobile Again Confirms iPhone Talks with Apple • In Lawsuit Over Siri, Apple Says the Technology is "Cutting Edge" • iPhone a 'Game Changer' for Customer Satisfaction
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Each July since 2007, Apple has held its iTunes Festival in London, offering a month's worth of free concerts from some of the industry's top performers. Apple is now beginning to unveil this year's plans, and the most notable change for 2012 is a move to the month of September. For the fourth consecutive year, the iTunes Festival will be held at The Roundhouse in London, with at least 60 acts performing over the 30 nights of the festival. Five acts have been announced so far: Usher (September 1), Emeli Sandé (September 5), Jack White (September 8), Norah Jones (September 10), and One Direction (September 20). Free tickets are available through a lottery system to residents of the UK, Ireland, France, Germany and the Netherlands, and Apple will also be streaming live video of the concerts directly through iTunes on the desktop or through a dedicated mobile app. The app appears to currently be limited to customers in the UK, and the company notes on its international site for the festival that it will announce streaming options in other countries in August. Apple also typically releases a number of live EPs and albums from the shows, available for purchase through the iTunes Store. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Physics Puzzler 'Feed Me Oil' Free for Today Only • Comcast Dropping 250GB Data Cap In Favor of "Improved Data Usage Management" • China Mobile Again Confirms iPhone Talks with Apple • In Lawsuit Over Siri, Apple Says the Technology is "Cutting Edge" • iPhone a 'Game Changer' for Customer Satisfaction
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Bloomberg reports that Steve Jobs was intimately involved in the design work for the next-generation iPhone scheduled for release later this year, reiterating claims that the device will be a substantial change from previous designs in part because of a larger display.Apple, based in Cupertino, California, has placed orders from suppliers in Asia for screens that are bigger than the 3.5- inch size now on the smartphone, said one of the people, who asked not to be identified because the plans aren’t public. Apple co-founder Steve Jobs had worked closely on the redesigned phone before his death in October, one person said. [...] Apple has been working on the new device since before the current iPhone 4S model was introduced last October, said one person with knowledge of the project. Jobs, who had gone on medical leave from Apple starting last January, played a key role in developing the phone, this person said.Bloomberg becomes the third major publication to offer an independent report this week regarding a larger display for the next iPhone, following The Wall Street Journal and Reuters yesterday. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Physics Puzzler 'Feed Me Oil' Free for Today Only • Comcast Dropping 250GB Data Cap In Favor of "Improved Data Usage Management" • China Mobile Again Confirms iPhone Talks with Apple • In Lawsuit Over Siri, Apple Says the Technology is "Cutting Edge" • iPhone a 'Game Changer' for Customer Satisfaction
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Aaron Sorkin, the creative genius behind The Social Network, The West Wing, and upcoming HBO show The Newsroom was recently confirmed as the screenwriter for Sony's upcoming movie based on Walter Isaacson's biography of Steve Jobs -- though, Sorkin himself says he has a lot of work to do. Reuters reports that Sorkin held an interview with reporters and said he was still looking for something in Jobs' life to hang the movie on. Sorkin noted that "The Social Network" saw the Facebook story through the lens of an acrimonious lawsuit that pitted CEO Mark Zuckerberg against his Harvard friends over the creation of the social media network. "Drama is tension versus obstacle. Someone wants something, something is standing in their way of getting it. They want the money, they want the girl, they want to get to Philadelphia - doesn't matter ... And I need to find that event and I will. I just don't know what it is," Sorkin said.He noted that it won't be a "straight ahead biography" because a biography has a natural "cradle-to-grave structure" that is very hard to overcome. Sorkin also disclosed that Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak has been hired as a consultant by Sony Pictures to advise the filmmakers on the technical aspects of computers and about Jobs himself. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Physics Puzzler 'Feed Me Oil' Free for Today Only • Comcast Dropping 250GB Data Cap In Favor of "Improved Data Usage Management" • China Mobile Again Confirms iPhone Talks with Apple • In Lawsuit Over Siri, Apple Says the Technology is "Cutting Edge" • iPhone a 'Game Changer' for Customer Satisfaction
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Speaking at Fast Company's Innovation Uncensored conference earlier this week, J. Crew CEO and Apple board member Mickey Drexler shared his thoughts (via Business Insider) on several topics related to Apple, including Steve Jobs' dream to build an "iCar" that would have revolutionized the automobile industry. While the idea obviously never developed very far, it is an intriguing glimpse into Jobs' interests and ambitions. Drexler also mentioned in passing that Apple will be making a push into the living room "in the near future", fueling further interest in and speculation on an Apple television set and perhaps ultimately content deals that could remake how television content is consumed.Look at the car business – it's a tragedy in America. Who's designing the cars? They talk about expense, they talk about this, and then you say 'Who's designing the cars?' Steve's dream before he died was to design an iCar. It would have been probably 50% of the market. He never did design it. In the fashion business, you know, Apple has ten products and then they leave alone...the living room they're dealing with at some point in the near future. Drexler closed with a quip about how difficult it is to take over a company that is doing well, comparing his move to take over struggling J. Crew nearly a decade ago with Tim Cook's move to the CEO position at Apple. (Photo via Flickr/juanpol) Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Physics Puzzler 'Feed Me Oil' Free for Today Only • Comcast Dropping 250GB Data Cap In Favor of "Improved Data Usage Management" • China Mobile Again Confirms iPhone Talks with Apple • In Lawsuit Over Siri, Apple Says the Technology is "Cutting Edge" • iPhone a 'Game Changer' for Customer Satisfaction
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Verizon yesterday made headlines for comments from Chief Financial Officer Fran Shammo revealing that the carrier is planning to discontinue its grandfathered unlimited data plans when the carrier rolls out new shared data plans this summer. Verizon dropped those unlimited data plans within months of introducing the iPhone early last year, but customers who had previously been on the unlimited plans have been allowed to keep them, even through handset upgrades. Tim Cook and Verizon Wireless CEO Dan Mead introduce the Verizon iPhone in January 2011 Verizon issued a clarification to The New York Times today, noting that the loss of grandfathered unlimited plans will be limited to those customers purchasing new subsidized devices for use on the carrier. Users who do not upgrade their devices or who choose to upgrade at unsubsidized prices will be able to keep their unlimited data plans. Still, the change would appear to be set to affect the majority of Verizon's current unlimited data customers, as most customers are interested in regular handset upgrades at subsidized prices.- Customers will not be automatically moved to new shared data plans. If a 3G or 4G smartphone customer is on an unlimited plan now and they do not want to change their plan, they will not have to do so. - When we introduce our new shared data plans, Unlimited Data will no longer be available to customers when purchasing handsets at discounted pricing. - Customers who purchase phones at full retail price and are on an unlimited smartphone data plan will be able to keep that plan. - The same pricing and policies will be applied to all 3G and 4GLTE smartphones.Sprint remains the only major U.S. carrier to offer unlimited data for iPhone users, and the carrier has indicated that it will continue to do so for the next-generation device, even if it supports 4G LTE networks that could lead to consumers using more data capacity. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Physics Puzzler 'Feed Me Oil' Free for Today Only • Comcast Dropping 250GB Data Cap In Favor of "Improved Data Usage Management" • China Mobile Again Confirms iPhone Talks with Apple • In Lawsuit Over Siri, Apple Says the Technology is "Cutting Edge" • iPhone a 'Game Changer' for Customer Satisfaction
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TUAW reports that Apple will be scaling back on systemwide "hotkey" apps, which allow users to call up other apps and functions, in the Mac App Store as of June 1, the same date the company's sandboxing requirements are scheduled to go into effect.Apparently, Apple will allow hotkey apps that are already in the Mac App Store before June to offer only bug fixes after that. New sandboxed apps and any apps that add features (i.e. non-bugfix releases) will not be allowed to support hotkeys. TUAW has been told that Apple will be rejecting all MAS apps with hotkey functionality starting June 1, regardless of whether the new features are hotkey related or not. Basically, if you're developing one of those apps, an app that assumes you can still add hotkeys, don't bother submitting it to the Mac App Store.Various cross-scripting and macro apps will be affected by the change, which appears to be related to the sandboxing requirement that limits what applications can do on other parts of users' systems. With the sandboxing requirement set to go into effect two weeks from now after several delays, a number of developers are undoubtedly working to make sure their apps are in compliance with the new rules. Just today, Pixelmator announced that it has updated its image-editing app to meet sandboxing requirements, making it one of the first high-profile apps to make the move. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Physics Puzzler 'Feed Me Oil' Free for Today Only • Comcast Dropping 250GB Data Cap In Favor of "Improved Data Usage Management" • China Mobile Again Confirms iPhone Talks with Apple • In Lawsuit Over Siri, Apple Says the Technology is "Cutting Edge" • iPhone a 'Game Changer' for Customer Satisfaction
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Earlier today, we noted that Apple had received official approval for its 20-megawatt solar farm across the street from its data center in Maiden, North Carolina. But even more significant developments are also occurring today, with Apple posting a new page to the environmental section of its website touting that all of the company's data centers will be powered by 100% renewable energy. At the North Carolina site, the previously-annnounced 20-megawatt solar farm is being joined by a second farm of equal size a few miles away. Combined with the 5-megawatt fuel cell facility also being built at the data center, 60% of the data center's power needs will be generated on site. The remaining 40% will be purchased through agreements with outside renewable power producers.We’re currently building two solar array installations in and around Maiden. These sites use high-efficiency solar cells and an advanced solar tracking system. A 100-acre, 20-megawatt installation on the same site as our data center will produce 42 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of energy annually. A 100-acre site located a few miles away will produce another 42 million kWh. Together that’s 84 million kWh of clean, renewable energy supplied annually. When our bio-gas-powered 5-megawatt fuel cell installation comes online later this year, it will provide more than 40 million kWh of renewable energy annually. This means Apple will be producing enough onsite renewable energy — 124 million kWh — to power the equivalent of 10,874 homes.Apple's efforts in renewable energy will also extend to its other data center facilities, as the company previously disclosed that its upcoming Prineville, Oregon data center will be powered by 100% renewable energy. And the new page posted today reveals that the company's original, smaller data center in Newark, California will soon be powered by renewable energy as Apple works to locate and purchase clean energy for the facility, with the capacity scheduled to be in place by February 2013. Greenpeace last month bashed Apple using estimates it claimed showed that only 10% of the North Carolina data center's power would be from renewable sources. Apple rebutted those claims, noting that at least 60% of the center's energy would be from renewable sources. With today's announcements, Apple has expanded its efforts even further to power all of its data centers with 100% renewable energy. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Comcast Dropping 250GB Data Cap In Favor of "Improved Data Usage Management" • China Mobile Again Confirms iPhone Talks with Apple • In Lawsuit Over Siri, Apple Says the Technology is "Cutting Edge" • iPhone a 'Game Changer' for Customer Satisfaction • Google Chrome Browser Coming to iOS?
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The North Carolina Utilities Commission today officially approved (PDF) Apple's proposal to construct a 20-megawatt solar farm across the street from its data center in Maiden, North Carolina.The Public Staff presented this matter to the Commission at its Regular Staff Conference on May 14, 2012. The Public Staff recommended that the Commission approve the application and issue a certificate of public convenience and necessity for construction of a 20 MW solar photovoltaic electric generating facility to be located at 6028 Startown Road, Maiden, North Carolina. After careful consideration, the Commission finds good cause to approve the application and issue the attached certificate of public convenience and necessity for the proposed 20 MW solar photovoltaic electric generating facility.Previous filings with federal regulators have indicated that Apple plans to have the solar farm installed by November 1, with operation to begin by December 21. Apple signaled its intentions to build a data center at the site last October, moving to clear and grade the land as it sought approval for the project. The company publicly unveiled its plans back in February, noting that the facility will be the largest user-owned solar array in the United States. A separate 5-megawatt fuel cell facility is also under development at the site and is proceeding through a parallel regulatory approval process. The official proposal was filed with the North Carolina Utilities Commission on February 15, and was subjected to staff review of the plans, a public notice and comment period, and input from the State Clearinghouse on environmental and other issues. With that information in hand, the Commission offered its official approval this past Monday and finalized the certificate issuance today. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • China Mobile Again Confirms iPhone Talks with Apple • In Lawsuit Over Siri, Apple Says the Technology is "Cutting Edge" • iPhone a 'Game Changer' for Customer Satisfaction • Google Chrome Browser Coming to iOS? • Book Pricing Lawsuit Reveals More Details of Apple's Negotiations, Including Steve Jobs Email
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Exploring an observation initially made by iOS hacker @planetbeing, Shoutpedia notes that Apple has mysteriously begun censoring the word "jailbreak" in the U.S. iTunes Store. While not all mentions of the word are affected, the vast majority of them across all content types are currently being censored to "j*******k". Apple has long objected to the jailbreaking process, which opens up iOS devices for installation of apps from non-Apple approved sources and other system tweaks. But it is unclear what the company is trying to achieve with its iTunes Store censoring, which affects such content as Thin Lizzy's song and album of that name and an episode of the The Roy Rogers Show from the early 1950s. The censoring appears to only affect the U.S. iTunes Store at the present time, but it has been in effect for over eight hours now. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • China Mobile Again Confirms iPhone Talks with Apple • In Lawsuit Over Siri, Apple Says the Technology is "Cutting Edge" • iPhone a 'Game Changer' for Customer Satisfaction • Google Chrome Browser Coming to iOS? • Book Pricing Lawsuit Reveals More Details of Apple's Negotiations, Including Steve Jobs Email
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