T-Mobile’s New Family Plan Offers 4 Lines of Unlimited LTE for $150
T-Mobile has introduced a new Family Match promotion that offers families four lines of unlimited talk, text and LTE data for $150 per month. The carrier is also offering families four lines with unlimited talk and text, plus 10GB of LTE data per line, for $120 per month.
For a limited time, we are amping up our Family Match data plans so you get more data for the same price. Now get 2 or more lines of Unlimited 4G LTE for the price of a 10GB plan, or 10GB for the price of 6GB. PLUS, customers loved our 4th Line Free promotion so much that we brought it back! For a limited time, customers on a Simple Choice Family plan can get a 4th line free.
The limited time offers are available for new and existing Simple Choice and T-Mobile@Work customers with 2-12 lines, and the promotion can be combined with T-Mobile’s other offers, including Binge On, Data Stash, JUMP! On Demand, Mobile Without Borders, and Music Freedom. T-Mobile will also pay up to $650 of your early termination fees if you switch to their carrier from AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint.
The new Family Match plans are available at T-Mobile stores across the U.S., online, or by calling 1-877-413-5903.
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Apple Receives Chairman’s Award for Historic Architectural Preservation in NYC
The New York City Landmarks Conservancy today announced that Apple has won its 2016 Chairman’s Award, due to the Cupertino company’s preservation and restoration of a few architecturally important locations within New York City (via iFun.de) [Google Translate].
Apple’s retail location in Grand Central Terminal
The Landmarks Conservancy specifically referred to Apple’s SoHo, West 14th Street, Upper East Side, and Grand Central retail stores as the reason behind choosing Apple for the Chairman’s Award. Each location selected has historical significance prior to Apple’s restoration, including a former banking complex built in 1921 and an old United States Post Office.
The Chairman’s Award began in 1988 to recognize “exceptional commitment to the protection and preservation of the rich architectural heritage of New York.” Apple will officially receive the award at the Chairman’s Luncheon on March 9.
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Apple bought the company that exposed its flawed firmware
What do you do when researchers create a worm that infects your company’s firmware? If you’re Apple, you buy the researchers. Last August, news broke of a exploit named “Thunderstrike 2.” Delivered by a simple link, the worm could silently modify a Mac’s firmware, meaning that even an OS reinstall wouldn’t remove it. Thankfully, the researchers responsibly informed Apple of the issue, and the company had mostly solved this particular problem before it went public.
All was quiet after the researchers’ announcement, and for good reason: Apple purchased their security firm — LegbaCore — just two months after news of Thunderstrike 2 broke. According to the company’s founder Xeno Kovah, the team is going to be working on “low-level security” at Apple, which we’ll take as shorthand for making sure that OS X’s firmware is less susceptible to attacks in the future.
Via: MacRumors
Source: Xeno Kovah (Twitter)
Apple Acquired Firmware Security Company LegbaCore Last November
Apple acquired firmware security company LegbaCore in November 2015, according to security researcher Trammell Hudson, who revealed the acquisition in his presentation at the 32C3 conference in December. LegbaCore’s goal, according to founder Xeno Kovah, is “to help build systems that are as secure as we know how to make.”
In November, Kovah and fellow LegbaCore founder Corey Kallenberg revealed that they had joined Apple as full-time employees. Just a couple days before that, LegbaCore’s website announced that it would “not be accepting any new customer engagements”, noting that the website would remain up “to serve as a reference for LegbaCore’s past work.”
LegbaCore had collaborated with Hudson on Thunderstrike 2, the first firmware worm to affect Mac computers. The malware is impossible to remove, resistant to both firmware and software updates. LegbaCore and Hudson had alerted Apple to Thunderstrike 2’s vulnerabilities and Apple began work on fixes, issuing one in June 2015.
On Twitter, Kovah said that Apple began discussions with LegbaCore after the consultancy’s presentation in summer 2015. It soon became clear to Kovah and Kallenberg that Apple had “some *very* interesting and highly impactful work” that the two could participate in. They were eventually convinced to wind down LegbaCore’s existing contracts and begin work at Apple.
What did Apple hire us to do? We can’t say.
Well, we can probably say something like “low level security” (I don’t know our job titles)
— Xeno Kovah (@XenoKovah) November 10, 2015
http://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
While LegbaCore is a security consultancy firm that doesn’t own any specific technology, it’s likely Apple will use Kovah and Kellenberg’s talent and knowledge to help improve firmware and software security in future iterations of Apple’s various hardware and software products. LegbaCore’s work includes research on Thunderstrike 2, “dead code” for BIOS attacks and more.
(Thanks, Jost!)
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iOS Keyboard Maker SwiftKey Acquired by Microsoft for $250M
SwiftKey, the company behind the popular third-party SwiftKey Keyboard for iOS and Android devices, is being acquired by Microsoft, reports Financial Times. Microsoft is said to be purchasing SwiftKey for $250 million in a deal that will be announced imminently.
The SwiftKey keyboard has been available on Android devices since 2010, expanding to iOS in January of 2014 through the SwiftKey notes app. When Apple included support for third-party keyboards in iOS 8, SwiftKey was one of the first companies to produce a keyboard replacement app.
SwiftKey’s keyboard is notable for its word prediction tools, incorporating artificial intelligence and machine learning to make custom word predictions based on what a user has previously written. Microsoft will likely use SwiftKey’s technology to bolster its own AI-based products, including its Word Flow keyboard and virtual assistant Cortana.
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Zagg Aims to Expand Into Battery Cases With Mophie Acquisition
Accessory maker Zagg, known for its InvisibleShield screen protectors and other Apple-related accessories, today announced an acquisition of mophie, a company that makes external battery packs and battery cases for Apple’s iOS devices.
According to a press release from Zagg, its acquisition of mophie will allow it to be the market share leader when it comes to battery cases, external batteries, screen protection, and tablet keyboards. Zagg has paid $100 million at deal closing for mophie, with a caveat that additional money may be paid out based on earnings over a 12 month period from April 1, 2016 to March 31, 2017.
“This strategic combination of two industry innovators with complementary product, brand and distribution platforms will enable us to deliver increased value for our customers and shareholders,” said Randy Hales, President and Chief Executive Officer of ZAGG. “We see numerous opportunities to drive revenue growth and increase profitability by leveraging the strengths of both organizations to strengthen product development, improve brand presence, and expand distribution.”
Going forward, Zagg will keep the mophie brand intact, continuing to sell mophie products under the mophie brand name. Zagg says mophie will retain its identity, messaging, and strategy, but cross-branded protects, like a Zagg tablet keyboard powered by a mophie battery, are possible in the future.
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Your fitness tracker probably has security issues
Ever wondered how secure you are with a fitness tracker on your wrist? The researchers at Open Effect have… and their answer is “not as much as you’d probably like.” In their analysis, several common trackers have flaws that theoretically let attackers follow you or intercept data. Seven out of eight used static hardware identifiers that could allow location tracking over Bluetooth, for a start. Also, the companion apps from Garmin, Jawbone, Withings and Xiaomi have holes that not only expose data, but let evildoers fake fitness info — a problem in lawsuits where that data could be crucial evidence.
Don’t be too quick to toss out that wearable, though. Open Effect notes that the Apple Watch is truly secure based on its testing methods, and devices like the Fitbit Charge HR and Mio Fuse are safer than most. Also, these brands aren’t necessarily turning a deaf ear. Fitbit, Intel (creator of the Basis Peak) and Mio have all talked to the researchers, and it won’t be surprising if the companies tighten up their security through updates and future products.
As it stands, it’s important to put these vulnerabilities in context. While there are real risks here, the likelihood of someone targeting your fitness tracker is fairly slim — a hacker is more likely to want your banking info or phone location than your step count or heart rate. Still, these findings could help if you’re concerned that any significant security flaw is one too many.
Source: Open Effect
Guide to Buying Refurbished Apple Products
There’s often a stigma against purchasing refurbished electronics because many companies don’t have rigorous quality control programs for refurbished items, but that’s not the case with Apple. Some companies may sell refurbished items with cosmetic defects and other issues, but Apple’s refurbished products, available from its online refurbished store, are “as good as new” products, as Apple says.
You can also get refurbished Apple products at steeper discounts from third-party retailers, but they don’t offer the same benefits as buying directly from Apple.
Every refurbished iPad, Mac, Apple TV, or Apple accessory Apple sells goes through a certification process that ensures full functionality, and with iOS devices, each one gets a new outer shell and a fresh battery. All refurbished products come with a 1-year warranty.
As long as you can wait a few months to pick up an Apple product, there’s virtually no downside to purchasing a refurbished model. The quality is superb and the price savings can be worth the wait. This guide covers all the ins and outs of refurbished products, from release timelines and prospective price savings to warranty information and stock information.
Video Review: The Nodus Shell for iPhone 6s Features a Magnetic Mounting System
The Nodus Shell case for the iPhone 6s and the iPhone 6s Plus comes from UK company Nodus and is featured in our latest video review. Made from Italian leather and available in black, brown, or yellow, the Nodus Shell has a design that’s similar to Apple’s own leather iPhone cases with cutouts for the volume and power buttons and openings at the top and bottom to leave ports and speakers available.
What’s unique about the Nodus Shell is the magnetic plate that’s built into the interior, allowing it to be mounted anywhere using small but powerful magnets called Micro Docks. Using adhesive, a Micro Dock can be positioned on a wall, in a car, or at the edge of a desk, allowing an iPhone to be docked in multiple places.
We found the magnets to be strong enough to hold the iPhone in place and one of our favorite aspects was the Nodus Shell’s ability to also work with other magnet-based systems. According to Nodus, there’s also magnetic shielding included in the case to protect the iPhone from magnetic damage.
The Nodus Shell can be purchased from the Nodus website for GBP49.99 or $72.11, with free shipping to the United States available.
Note: Nodus provided a Nodus Shell to MacRumors free of charge for the purposes of this review. No other compensation was received.
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First Details on iPhone 7 Design: Flush Rear Camera, No Antenna Bands Across the Back
Apple’s iPhone 7 isn’t expected to launch until the usual September timeframe, but we’re starting to get our first hints of what we might be able to expect for the new device. According to a source who has provided reliable information in the past, the iPhone 7 body will appear very similar to the design used for the iPhone 6 and 6s, with two significant exceptions.
The first involves the rear camera, which protrudes slightly on the iPhone 6 and 6s. On the iPhone 7, the camera is said to sit flush with the rear casing, enabled by a thinner camera module. Recent rumors have indicated Apple is considering equipping the iPhone 7 Plus with a dual-lens rear camera, but the smaller iPhone 7 is expected to include a more traditional camera.
Mockup of iPhone 7 case showing flush rear camera and no antenna bands across rear
The other significant change with the body of the iPhone 7 is the removal of antenna bands across the rear, allowing for a cleaner all-metal look on the back. Antenna bands at the sides and around the top and bottom edges are said to remain, however.
Our source has been unable to confirm whether the device as a whole will be thinner than the iPhone 6 and 6s, although any thickness reductions would be expected to be slight, and many users (particularly those who use their devices without cases) will likely find the flush rear camera to be a significant improvement even if other dimensions remain the same.
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