OS X Spotlight Glitch Exposes IP Addresses and Other System Details to Spammers

A privacy glitch in Spotlight search for OS X may leak private details, including IP addresses, to email spammers. The flaw was first reported by German tech news site Heise and replicated in tests performed by IDG News Service.

The issue affects OS X mail users who have followed conventional security recommendations to turn off the “load remote content in messages” option in the Mail app. This setting prevents the loading of remote content such as images, including “tracking pixels” that are used by spammers to harvest information when people open an email.

A glitch arises when OS X Mail users utilize Spotlight search in OS X, which includes emails in the search results. Spotlight ignores the remote content block preference from Mail and loads the remote email files as part of the search process. Once Spotlight loads one of these tracking pixels, spammers can glean details such as the IP address, OS X version, browser details, and the version of Quick Look being used.

The Spotlight preview loads those files even when users have switched off the “load remote content in messages” option in the Mail app, a feature often disabled to prevent email senders from knowing if an email has arrived and if it has been opened. What’s more, Spotlight also loads those files when it shows previews of unopened emails that landed directly in the junk folder.

Currently, the only way to block this information leak is to block Spotlight from including emails in search results entirely by opening System Preferences and unchecking the “Mail & Messages” option for Spotlight. Apple has yet to comment on this Spotlight privacy glitch.

Apple Pay May Be Expanding to Canada as Soon as March

Apple Pay has been exclusive to the United States since its launch last October, but it now appears Apple is preparing to take the mobile payments service international with an expansion to Canada as soon as this March. Citing sources “close to the situation,” 9to5Mac reports Apple is currently in negotiations with Canadian partners, preparing and planning various promotional materials over the next few weeks for use during the upcoming launch.

Apple and Canadian launch partners are in the process of planning advertising and other promotional material for March, which indicates that the launch could come as soon as then. Of course, these are still active discussions and it’s possible the talks could fail to result in a launch by March. Several sources, however, tell us Apple is currently targeting that timeframe.

International expansion of Apple Pay has been the subject of several rumors in recent months, but Apple has yet to make any official announcements about its plans. Apple Pay has, however, been growing steadily in the U.S. since its October launch, adding new banks, credit unions, and retail partners at a steady rate.

Rumors of a March launch for Apple Pay in Canada fall in line with the current rumor of the Apple Watch launching in the same month, although it is unclear whether Canada will be in the first wave of launch countries for Apple Watch as Apple’s Canadian website says “Available in 2015″ while the company’s U.S. site mentions a more specific “Coming Early 2015.” With the Apple Watch capable of supporting Apple Pay payments, however, it seems natural for Apple to be pushing forward on international expansion of the payments service as the watch’s launch approaches.

Apple raises the minimum price of apps in Europe and Canada

If you live in Europe, Canada or Norway, you might find that some apps are now a little more expensive on your iPhone or iPad. Yesterday, Apple informed developers that it would be raising prices before the weekend to reflect changes in VAT and foreign exchange rates. Those increases are now starting to take effect, with a 10 pence rise for the cheapest premium apps in the UK, up from £0.69 to £0.79, and a new €0.99 starting price in EU countries. The minimum spend in Canada (beyond free apps, anyway) has risen from $0.99 to $1.19, and Norway, which uses its Norwegian krone, should see a similar rise in price. Apple is tinkering with app fees in Iceland and Russia too, so if you live in any of these countries it’s probably worth opening up the App Store to assess the damage.

Filed under: Cellphones, Apple

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Source: AppleInsider

Samsung Supposedly Wins Orders to Produce Apple Watch Components

Samsung has won the orders to produce Apple’s S1 system-in-a-package for the Apple Watch, reports DigiTimes. The S1 produced by Samsung will combine multiple components including the processor, mobile DRAM, NAND flash, and other chips into one package.

A report in November shared similar information, noting that Apple would be relying heavily on Samsung for iPhone 6 and Apple Watch components. Namely, Apple was said to be concerned about NAND flash, with its cheaper and slower TLC (triple-level cell) flash memory for larger-capacity iPhone 6 and 6 Plus models said to be the source of crashing issues. Those issues, along with Samsung’s competitive prices, were said to be the primary reasons in bringing Apple back to negotiations with the South Korean company.

Apple is said to be targeting a March launch for the Apple Watch, as the company is said to be refining the device’s “Watch OS” software and working on hardware components like the inductive charging mechanism. Apple Retail Store workers are also set to begin training during the week of February 9 ahead of the device’s launch the following month.

Apple’s Online Store in U.S. Now Listing All iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Models as In Stock

Apple’s Online Store in the U.S. is now listing all capacities and colors of iPhone 6 and the iPhone 6 Plus from all carriers as in stock, with the company now appearing to have now achieved supply and demand balance. The SIM-free iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are also showing an avaliability of 1 business day.

Last month, shipping estimates for the 16/64GB iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus improved drastically, with estimates improving to 3 to 5 days in early December and jumping to 1 to 3 day and 1 day estimates later in the month. The larger-capacity 128GB devices were somewhat constrained throughout the month, with estimates remaining at 7 to 10 days and jumping to 3 to 5 days in December.

Apple’s Online Store in the United Kingdom, France, and Germany are also listing both devices as in stock. Meanwhile, the company’s other stores in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico are showing a shipping estimate of 1 business day.

The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus have experienced severely constrained supplies since their launch in September, with Apple working to improve available supply. Apple was even said to be delaying mass production on its larger-screen iPad Pro to puts its efforts towards the iPhone 6 Plus.

Chinese Company Hyperdon Sold Fake Apple Watches at CES

While Apple is rumored to be aiming for March as the launch month for the Apple Watch, Chinese company Hyperdon was at CES selling fake versions of the new Apple product called Smart Watch, according to Mashable.

Fake Apple Watch known as the Hyperdon Smart Watch. Image via Mashable

The watch’s screen only displays when it’s turned on, and many of its icons are blatant ripoffs of Apple designs. The pairing process took a few tries, but once connected to my iPhone 6, I was able to make phone calls and play music through the watch. It even vibrates when I get a call.

Mashable was able to purchase the watch for $27. It comes with a pedometer, stopwatch, alarm and a feature referred to as “Anti lost”, which Mashable estimated could be used to alert a user to when the watch is out of Bluetooth range.

The Smart Watch also has notifications from WeChat and other apps, but it requires downloading a “sketchy-looking APK” that appears to only work with jailbroken iPhones. It charges via USB cable and Hyperdon claims it can last for “up to 180 hours”. Mashable was not able to test this claim. Hyperdon says it sells its products in retail stores in the U.S. and China, but did not detail where its locations are.

Apple has continually suffered from counterfeit Apple products in China, with authorities breaking up counterfeit iPhone rings and shutting down fake Apple Stores.

Upcoming Plex Update to Add One-Click iTunes Library Import, New Music Features [Mac Blog]

Plex this week announced changes to its media software that will move the service beyond its video roots. Following updates that added online movie trailers and a recommendation engine, the next version of Plex will bring several new music features that Plex Chief Product Officer Scott Olechowski says will challenge iTunes in the music department.

As reported by Gigaom and PCMag, Plex users will be able to import their existing iTunes libraries, including playlists, ratings, and smart playlists, into the Plex app using a new one-click import feature. Plex is partnering with music database company Gracenote to add music file recognition and tagging to simplify the organization of this newly imported media.

One a user’s music is imported, the service will leverage Gracenote’s extensive database to provide Genius-like music recommendations based on a user’s personal music collection. Users also will be able to create station-based playlists from a song’s selected characteristics such as genre, tempo, or mood.

Plex also is working with Vevo to roll out a premium feature that will match music videos with the songs that are in a user’s music library. These Vevo videos will be available to watch without advertisements by Plex Pass subscribers. Plex hopes this new music video option will drive additional users to sign up for its subscription service, which generates about 80 percent of the company’s revenue.

The next version of Plex is expected to debut in the coming weeks. Beyond this version, other possible future music features may include music downloads and integration with a music subscription streaming service.

CES 2015: SVALT Launches Stylish Cooling Dock for Apple MacBooks [Mac Blog]

SVALT today announced the launch of a new cooling dock designed for Apple MacBooks and select PC laptops, which the company promises offers a 12x improvement in cooling, 129 percent improvement in CPU power, and 53 percent improvement in CPU Turbo Boost by eliminating CPU throttling due to heat issues.

Created from solid aluminum and designed to match up with the style of Apple’s MacBooks, the two-pound SVALT D is compact and holds a closed MacBook vertically in a dedicated ledge. A 12-volt fan sends air through the laptop’s closed screen to reduce system temperatures while allowing GPU resources to be used for an external display.

Transform your laptop with a level of performance and functionality previously limited to the highest-end desktop computers. Heat buildup in the laptop negatively impacts performance and long term durability. Anchored by the passive cooling capacity of a highly engineered 2 pounds of aluminum, SVALT D enhances cooling with a 12-volt 80x25mm fan to drive airflow through the laptop’s closed screen position air vent. Airflow is directed over the internal electronic components and bottom panel, feeding cool air into one or more of the laptop’s fans and driving waste exhaust air out vents, flushing out heat.

The company says that real world results using the SVALT D will depend on the laptop used, the workload, and ambient temperatures, but it detailed testing on a 2012 11-inch MacBook Air:

– Fan: Red 1600-1700RPM
– Environment: 21 Celsius +/-1 and 50dB +/-5 office standards
– Cooling: 13C increase without SVALTTM D verses 1C increase with SVALTTM D
– Power: 0.748W increase with SVALTTM D verses -2.616W reduction without SVALTTM D
– Turbo Boost: 1.000GHz increase and sustained max Turbo Boost with SVALTTM D verses a throttled 0.653GHz increase without SVALTTM D
– Noise observation: slightly louder than background noise at 2ft from front

The dock ships with a power supply and it can be used with the fan on or off. There are two fan options — a higher-powered red fan that runs at 1700RPM/15 dBA and a quieter Yellow fan that runs at 1200RPM/12 dBA.

The SVALT D works with current-generation MacBook Air and Retina MacBook Pro computers, including 11, 13, and 15-inch models. The SVALT D is currently in production, and the company plans to begin taking orders in February. The dock will be priced between $130 and $150.

Nest Teams Up With Automatic for Energy Saving Temperature Tweaks Based on Vehicle Activity [iOS Blog]

During CES 2015, Nest announced a number of new partnerships, including one with auto accessory maker Automatic. For those unfamiliar with Automatic, the company produces an easy-to-use OBD port accessory that plugs into a range of different vehicles to provide at-a-glance car information on the iPhone.

Automatic’s Connected Car Adapter is now capable of interfacing with the Nest Thermostat, letting customers create new interactions that will allow the Nest Thermostat to be adjusted based on vehicle activity.

For example, users can create a setting in the Nest app that wakes the Nest up when the car gets near to the house, or set it to Away mode when leaving to save energy. The Nest and Automatic integration allows the thermostat to detect the location of the car, so it’s possible to set the Nest Thermostat to adjust house temperatures as a user is driving towards their home.

A wide variety of rules can be created through the new integration between the two products, using filters for location, time of day, day of the week, and more, for more precise control over temperature when away from the home.

The Automatic integration offers customers a chance to maximize potential savings through intelligently chosen rules that give the Nest thermostat a more timely understanding of when heating or cooling is needed–and when it’s not needed.

“At Automatic, we’ve focused on saving people money from the very start with our fuel-efficiency coaching, which has saved many users hundreds per year on fuel costs. Now we’re thrilled to extend the connected car’s benefits into people’s homes, to make life more automated, convenient, and efficient,” said Thejo Kote, CEO of Automatic. “The home and car are people’s two most expensive budget items. The Automatic and Nest platforms now work together to make those less of a burden in every way we can.”

Both Nest and Automatic have been working hard to build partnerships to connect their products to a range of other devices. Automatic, for example, also integrates with the Jawbone UP, select Ford vehicles, and app IFTTT.

The Nest Thermostat now works with an even wider range of products, including Whirlpool washers and dryers, Philips hue lights, Kevo Smart Lock, Dropcam, Rachio sprinklers, August Smart Lock, and more.

The Nest Thermostat can be purchased from the Nest website for $249.

The Automatic connected car adapter can be purchased from the Automatic website for $99.95.

CES 2015: ibattz Claims Upcoming Power Banks Will Fully Charge in 15 Minutes [Updated] [iOS Blog]

Earlier this week, mobile accessory manufacturer ibattz turned a few heads at the Consumer Electronics Show with a new external battery charger called the ASAP Fast Charge Power Bank that the company claims can fully charge an iPhone 6 from 0 to 100 percent in just 15 minutes. (See update at bottom of this article for correction.)

Available in two sizes of 5,600 mAh and 11,200 mAh, the new charging banks are the company’s fastest to date. By using lithium polymer batteries and replacing the traditional 5V 1A input with a 20V 2A upgrade, the company says the ASAP charging banks can reach a recharge speed of up to four times faster than traditional external battery packs.

No specifications have been given on the charge time for any device besides the iPhone 6, and no pricing or tentative launch date has been announced by the company.

Though the company has a decent track record with its existing lineup of other power bank and battery case devices, hands-on time with the device will be needed to test the company’s latest claims. Users will also want to weigh potential long-term negative effects from charging their phone batteries so quickly in deciding whether ibattz’s new power banks will be a worthwhile investment.

Update: ibattz has clarified to MacRumors that the power bank itself can charge in 15 minutes, with charging of an iPhone from the bank taking about an hour. The company has not yet updated its press release to correct the error.