Facebook co-founder donates $20 million to elect Hillary Clinton
Mark Zuckerberg’s other half, Dustin Moskovitz, has pledged to donate $20 million to Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton’s campaign and other Democratic efforts this election year. Moskovitz, a co-creator of Facebook and founder of Asana, outlines his intentions in a Medium post that criticizes Republican candidate Donald Trump and praises Clinton.
“The Republican Party, and Donald Trump in particular, is running on a zero-sum vision, stressing a false contest between their constituency and the rest of the world,” Muskovitz says. “We believe their positions, especially on immigration, which purport to improve the lives of Americans, would in practice hurt citizens and noncitizens alike. In contrast, the Democratic Party, and Hillary Clinton in particular, is running on a vision of optimism, pragmatism, inclusiveness and mutual benefit.”
The $20 million will be divided among a handful of organizations, including the For our Future PAC and League of Conservation Voters Victory Fund, which will receive $5 million each.
Moskovitz acknowledges that some people will look unfavorably on such a large donation made to one political party and candidate. The conversation around campaign finance reform has been heated this election cycle; many voters and politicians are dissatisfied with existing rules that allow large donations to individual candidates’ campaigns.
“This decision was not easy, particularly because we have reservations about anyone using large amounts of money to influence elections,” Moskovitz says. “That said, we believe in trying to do as much good as we can, which in this case means using the tools available to us (as they are also available to the opposition).”
Moskovitz, 32, has been vocal about using his fortune to benefit the social good. His net worth is currently valued at $10.3 billion, according to Forbes.
Via: Politico
Source: Medium
Samsung plans formal Note 7 recall with the US government
While Samsung has already announced its own recall and replacement program for the Galaxy Note 7, following reports about the phone’s potentially explosive batteries, it hasn’t yet gone through the formal process with the US government. It looks like that’s about to change soon, as Recode reports that Samsung is finally working with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission around an official recall. There’s no announcement just yet, but it should hopefully mean that Samsung is able to ensure a more thorough recall of the Note 7 than it can on its own.
For now, both Samsung and the CPSC are pushing Galaxy Note 7 customers to avoid using or charging their devices. According to Samsung, only 24 in a million devices are affected by the potential fire risk. But do you really want to play Russian roulette with a device that’s in your pocket or right by your face?
“CPSC and Samsung are working cooperatively to formally announce an official recall of the devices, as soon as possible,” the agency said in a statement to Recode. “CPSC is working quickly to determine if a replacement Galaxy Note 7 is an acceptable remedy for Samsung or their phone carriers to provide to consumers.”
Source: Recode
MacRumors Giveaway: Win a Vintage Messenger Bag From Whipping Post
For the next few weeks, MacRumors is running a special giveaway event, which will see us highlighting and giving away high-quality luxury bags from manufacturers like Pad & Quill, Intrepid Bag Co, Whipping Post, and Saddleback Leather Company. We’ve got all of these bags on hand so we can give clear details on construction, quality, utility, and more.
For today’s giveaway, we’ve teamed up with Whipping Post to give away one of the company’s all leather suede-lined Vintage Messenger Bags, designed to pay homage to antique postal bags. Compared to each of the bags in the giveaway, Whipping Post’s Vintage Messenger bag is the softest and the lightest, but still with enough structure to hold all of your gear.
Measuring in at 18.5 inches by 11.5 inches by 4 inches, it is large enough to hold a notebook as big as a 15-inch MacBook Pro, and it even has a dedicated MacBook or iPad section inside the bag. There’s a big magazine pocket at the back of the bag, a smaller front pocket, and an inner pocket divided into two parts.
It’s thin, which I liked, but it also expands outward once it’s filled with stuff, and due to its malleability and its ability to expand, the Vintage Messenger Bag holds a lot of stuff (but it never looks overly bulky). It fit my MacBook Pro, two iPads, several notebooks and loose papers, a water bottle, and a bunch of various accessories and sundries.
The inside laptop flap clasps with a leather strap, as does the front flap, keeping both securely shut. The straps are, however, designed in a way that makes the bag easy to open and get into quickly, something I appreciated. There’s a thin handle at the top so it can be held like a briefcase, and there’s also a padded shoulder strap that can be adjusted to several different sizes with a set of buckles.
The Vintage Messenger Bag comes in a nice chocolate red color, which is pristine out of the box, but I suspect it will wear nicely and gain a lot more character once it’s broken in. Whipping Post typically charges $295 for its Vintage Messenger Bag, but one MacRumors reader will get one for free.
To enter to win, use the Rafflecopter widget below and enter an email address. Email addresses will be used solely for contact purposes to reach the winner and send the prize.
You can earn additional entries by subscribing to our weekly newsletter, subscribing to our YouTube channel, following us on Twitter, or visiting the MacRumors Facebook page.
Due to the complexities of international laws regarding giveaways, only U.S. residents who are 18 years of age or older are eligible to enter. To offer feedback or get more information on the giveaway restrictions, please refer to our Site Feedback section, as that is where discussion of the rules will be redirected.
a Rafflecopter giveawayThe contest will run from today (September 9) at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time through 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time on September 16. The winner will be chosen randomly on September 16 and will be contacted by email. The winner will have 48 hours to respond and provide a shipping address before a new winner is chosen.
Tags: giveaway, Whipping Post
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Tim Cook Says Apple is ‘Very Committed’ to the Mac and to ‘Stay Tuned’
Apple CEO Tim Cook has responded to a MacRumors reader’s email about the lack of a long-awaited MacBook Pro refresh, stressing that he “loves the Mac” and that Apple is “very committed” to it. He told the customer, who wishes to remain anonymous, to “stay tuned,” suggesting that updates to the Mac lineup are on the horizon.
MacRumors cannot fully confirm the authenticity of the email, but it does appear to originate from Apple’s corporate servers based on full headers we saw. Apple executives occasionally respond to customer emails, but it is possible the response was handled by Apple’s executive relations or public relations teams.
An update to the Mac lineup at some point is inevitable, and the bigger focus is now on when that will happen. The latest word is that Apple will release new MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models with USB-C ports as early as October, while updated iMac models with an option for new AMD graphics chips are also in the works.
That report reiterated rumors that the new MacBook Pro will be thinner and include an OLED-based touch bar along the top of the flatter keyboard, which will present functions that dynamically fit the current task or application, as well as integrate Touch ID to enable users to quickly log in using their fingerprint.
Our own Mac Buyer’s Guide shows that it has been 479 days since the MacBook Pro was last updated, while the MacBook Air has not been refreshed in 550 days. Similarly, the Mac mini has not been refreshed in 694 days, while the Mac Pro is five days shy of 1000 days since its last update. iMacs stand at 332 days.
Tag: Tim Cook
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Square Cash Enables Online Shopping Through Virtual Visa Debit Cards
In its 2.13 update yesterday, mobile payments app Square Cash introduced the “Cash Virtual Card” into its iOS app, letting users create a virtual Visa debit card that lets them spend their Square Cash anywhere that accepts Visa online (via Recode).
Square Cash users can check out at retailers like Amazon, for example, and simply enter the card number for their virtual card during the check out process. The company is also reportedly working on making the new virtual payments compatible with Apple Pay and Android Pay, “making it possible to use Square Cash funds to tap and pay in stores that accept mobile payments.”
The obvious question is why someone would choose to use a Square Cash account — either in a store or on a website — instead of their regular debit or credit card. A spokesperson cited push notifications triggered by purchases — something that some services like Apple Pay already employ — as well as easy-to-browse digital receipts as potential incentives.
The update brings Square Cash a little closer to PayPal in functionality, but users on Square Cash are relegated to spending money only within the app’s account and are unable to draw from funds in their back-up bank accounts. With PayPal, if users over-spend the funds in their account, the app will fall back into the attached bank account to make up for the difference.
Square Cash is also changing up how instant deposits work in an attempt to make more money from each transaction on the app. Now, users who receive a payment can withdraw the money to their bank if they’re willing to pay a one percent fee for the same-day withdrawal. If not, the money will be deposited in their bank on the next business day for free. The monetization of its withdrawal service is an attempt by the company to catch up to more popular mobile wallet apps.
Users can create their virtual Visa card within the Square Cash now, only needing to enter a billing address to associate with the card to get things started. The Square Cash app is available on the App Store for free. [Direct Link]
Tag: Square Cash
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What you need to know about U.S. carrier plans and subsidies
Can I still buy a smartphone with a carrier subsidy?
I forgot what it’s like to actually buy a smartphone. I’ve been living in a bubble because of my privileged position as a former smartphone reviewer and I missed out on the fact that carrier subsidies aren’t really a thing anymore.
Back in the day—that is to say, a mere two years ago—you could purchase the latest smartphone at a significant discount after signing on for another two years of service. But in the last year, U.S. carriers have effectively changed their policies so that their customers have to either finance or lease their smartphones, or just buy them outright.
Are there any major carriers still offering subsidies? The answer is, not really. But that doesn’t mean that purchasing your next smartphone has to be a daunting experience. Here’s what the four major U.S. carriers are offering in terms of upgrades.
Tip: Most of the major carriers have special offers throughout the year that could save you some cash on your next device. For instance, Verizon offers up to $300 trade-in value for your old smartphone when you upgrade or add a line on select devices. These deals change from time to time, but like buying a car, if you can wait to upgrade until the next promotion, it could afford you some major savings.
Verizon Wireless
At present, Verizon only offers two smartphone buying options: Financing the phone with monthly payments, or buying the phone outright. By default, Big Red will allow you to pay for your phone over the course of 24 months, or two years from your purchase date. For instance, if you wanted to buy the 32GB Samsung Galaxy S7, you’d be paying $28 a month until you reach the $672 retail price. Alternatively, you could also put some money down, like $200, and only pay $19.67 per month for 24 months. Unfortunately, you can’t pay extra towards the balance of the phone each month after the fact, though you can choose to pay it off entirely at any time if you have the funds.
Big Red will allow you to pay for your phone over the course of 24 months.
Long time customers have a little more luck. Verizon stopped offering subsidies to new customers late last summer, but if you were on contract at that time and you’re only now considering an upgrade, you can still buy your next smartphone at a discount until Verizon decides otherwise.
AT&T
Like Verizon, AT&T allows you to pay for your smartphone over time or in one lump sum. There are is an option if you’re aching to upgrade early on, however, and depending on your credit, you might even have the luxury of paying off your phone slowly, up to 30 months after initial purchase.
AT&T Next is a bit more flexible than Verizon’s offering.
AT&T’s financing plan is called AT&T Next, and it’s a bit more flexible than Verizon’s offerings. For example, if you’re looking to upgrade to the 32GB Galaxy S7 edge and you have a good credit score, you can choose to put nothing down and pay $36.50 a month for 30 months. You could also lower your monthly rate by adding on an optional down payment and then choose to pay off your device over 24, 18, or 12 months if you qualify.
AT&T also offers a Next Every Year program, which makes you eligible for a discount on a new phone with a trade-in, but only after your current device is halfway paid off (this takes roughly one year). And if you cancel your service in the middle of paying off the device, you’ll have to pay it in full before you can leave.
Sprint
If you’re a Sprint subscriber, you can choose to lease your phone, buy it outright, or pay for it in monthly installments.
Sprint’s leasing program works similarly to leasing a car. You choose almost any phone you want and then pay for it over the period of 24 months. At the end of the lease, you can choose to pay off the remaining balance on the device, trade it in for a new model, or continue paying month-to-month until you figure out what you want. There’s also a $5 monthly Early Upgrade option, though you’ll have to have paid toward your device for 12 consecutive months before you can upgrade to a new phone. And if you’re crazy for every new Samsung device, you can sign up for the Galaxy Forever leasing program.
Sprint’s leasing program is a bit problematic. You don’t actually own the device unless you choose the purchase option and should something major happen to the device in your care before it’s paid off, you’ll be liable for the Damaged Device Fee unless you’re enrolled in the Total Equipment Protection plan, which also costs a monthly fee.
Sprint’s leasing program is problematic in that you don’t actually own the device.
At the end of it all, Sprint’s leasing program doesn’t sound like the best deal. You’ll have to pile on program fees just to ensure you’re not paying up the wazoo at the end of the lease, and if you decide to keep the phone, you’ll actually be paying more than the current value of the device at the end of the leasing terms. The full terms of Sprint’s leasing program are here.
It’s also unclear if Sprint has done away with subsidies. On its cell phone upgrades page, Sprint says, “If you have completed a 2-year commitment, you can upgrade to another discounted device if you enter into a new 2-year Service Agreement.” This applies only to those customers that are paying at least $40 a month for their bill.
T-Mobile
T-Mobile’s Jump program costs $10 a month and includes device insurance. Once you’re signed up, you’ll pay for the device in monthly installments, and after it’s halfway paid off, you can trade it in for a new one.
T-Mobile will let you pay for your phone outright or in 24 month installments.
Like Verizon, T-Mobile will also let you pay for your phone outright, or in installments over 24 months, though you may have to fork over a down payment depending on your credit score. At the very least, that down payment goes towards the full price of the phone. You can also choose to pay extra each month so that your phone is paid off sooner, though you’ll have to file that separately from your monthly bill so that it’s registered in the system as a device payment.
Lastly, T-Mobile offers a leasing program called Jump! On Demand, which is great for smartphone enthusiasts who are keen on having the latest and greatest but don’t necessarily want to commit to shelling out all the cash at once. You’ll essentially be making monthly payments to use the phone, though you’ll never actually own it. The upside you can walk into any T-Mobile store and trade your months-old phone in for a new one, up to three times in a year. But it also means that you can’t get too attached to your daily driver.
How to tell if your Galaxy Note 7 is safe to use
Samsung’s going to make it easy to check that new purchases — and replacement units — are unaffected by battery issues.
Samsung will soon be replacing potentially dangerous Galaxy Note 7s purchased during the first few weeks of the phone’s availability with safe units. As it does so, the manufacturer is also giving buyers a couple of ways to identify a safe Note 7.
Note: For the moment we only have confirmed information for Australia, however it’s likely global Note 7 shipments will follow a similar pattern. We’ll update this post with more information as we get it.
Samsung Australia has updated its Galaxy Note 7 notice page with details of how to tell a safe Note 7 from an unsafe one. Replacement Note 7s issued after the recall will have a circular blue-on-white “S” sticker on the box, and a small black square on the sticker with the phone’s unique IMEI number.
Samsung Australia says that once replacement units start rolling out it’ll also let customers look up their IMEI number in a database — either online or over the phone — to check whether their device is from stock affected by the battery issue. The database will go live on September 13.
Buying the Galaxy Note 7 new
If you buy a brand new Note 7 from a reputable retailer after it goes on sale again, you’ll almost certainly have a safe unit unaffected by the original battery problem. To double-check, look for the black square and “S” mark on your box.
What about buying second-hand?
If you’re buying a used Note 7 then the first point to check, again, is the sticker on the box. To double-check, you’ll be able to put your IMEI number into Samsung’s online database when it launches. (To find your IMEI, open the dialer and input *#06#)
We’ll continue to update this page with more information as it becomes available.
Samsung Galaxy Note 7
- Galaxy Note 7 recall: Everything you need to know
- Samsung Galaxy Note 7 review
- The latest Galaxy Note 7 news!
- Here are all four Note 7 colors
- Complete Galaxy Note 7 specs
- Join the Note 7 discussion in the forums!
Verizon
AT&T
T-Mobile
Sprint
iPhone 7 trade-in programs require two-year contracts
If you’re looking to get your hands on an iPhone 7 in the coming weeks but wasn’t fast enough to secure one when preorders open, there’s still hope. All four major phone carriers have implemented their own iPhone 7 promotions, but despite their seemingly generous offers, there are quite a few caveats that might keep you from cashing in.
All the carriers (Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint and AT&T) are offering special trade-in programs that read nearly exactly the same in print, with differing names the only real thing that separates them. The deal is such that if you trade in your qualifying iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus, you’ll receive credit across 24 months toward your purchase of an iPhone 7.
There aren’t too many stipulations when it comes to the device you can trade in, except for the fact that it must be in “good working and cosmetic condition,” and you’ll only receive a credit of $650 toward the phone of your choice.
It may take a few cycles for the credit to show up, which is normal, but the iffy part is this: You have to keep your line active for a full two years.
While companies like Verizon touted the abolition of contracts, they still seem to be in vogue, just under a different name, “savings” in this situation. The deal may technically make your new iPhone 7 free, but you’re paying with it with your time as a customer at the carrier of your choice.
It doesn’t render the promotion useless by any means, but it does demonstrate the fact that carriers are still pushing many of the same ideas they were when they were still running with contracts. They’re just framing it differently. It’s still a good deal if you want to trade in your existing phone and have no qualms with staying with your current provider, but make no bones about it: it’s still a contract, even if it’s not in name.
Via: 9to5Mac
iPhone Upgrade Program Causes Headaches on Launch Day Due to Limited Stock
While the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus became available for pre-order at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time this morning, some customers enrolled in the iPhone Upgrade Program were unable to select the model, carrier, color, or storage capacity they desired due to limited stock seemingly as soon as orders began.
MacRumors reader Pbrutto of Allentown, Pennsylvania said that there were no iPhones available for him to pre-order, while many other existing iPhone Upgrade Program members were unable to order the specific model they wanted from Apple retail stores in their local areas, even immediately at 12:01 a.m. Pacific Time.
My experience was logging in the moment that the Apple Store app was working only to see no availability and no way to pre order an iPhone. Seriously, Apple did not let their most loyal customers even place a pre order.
MacRumors reader Markarian421 shared a similar experience:
Same experience. Existing iPhone Upgrade Program member, but the only color available the instant the store opened was Rose Gold. My iPhone 6s Plus is Rose Gold, and I love it, but this is a black bezel year for me and I lust for the Jet Black. So, I reserved a Rose Gold for pickup Friday, but also ordered a Jet Black full price. By the time I got around to that, delivery dates had shipped to November.
The underlying reason appears to be that iPhone Upgrade Program members were placed into a separate stream than regular pre-order customers, and forced to reserve a new iPhone from a local Apple retail store — many of which were sold out. Some customers were not even able to access the reservation system at all, and instead received the following message just minutes after pre-orders began:
We’re not taking any more reservations to upgrade your iPhone right now. Reservations will reopen at 8:00 a.m. on September 17. Please come back then to make a reservation.
Apple’s iPhone Upgrade Program lets customers upgrade to a new iPhone after just six months, as long as they have made at least 12 payments towards their current smartphone and trade it in upon upgrading. The leasing program is financed through Citizens Bank in the United States.
Today’s experience has left many iPhone Upgrade Program members frustrated, and questioning whether they will enroll in the program in the future. In the meantime, Apple’s in-store pickup reservation system for regular customers resumes September 17 in the United States, and select other countries, or customers can attempt a walk-in purchase on a first come, first served basis.
Tag: iPhone Upgrade Program
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