Apple security faces biggest test in 2015 - Computerworld

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Apple's 12 Days of Christmas cancelled: why did Apple pull its free app giveaway? - The Independent


Apple has cancelled the 12 Days of Christmas giveaway. The promotion has been run since 2008, and took place over the 12 days after December 26, when free apps and music would be given away each day.





The promotion was retired with little ceremony — the app simply doesn’t show in the App Store, though it has been replaced by ones trying to steal its popularity — and so Apple hasn’t commented on why the promotion was stopped.


But Apple has been increasingly uncertain about calling apps “free”, at all.


Last month, it changed all of the descriptions on free apps from “Free” to “Get”. That was prompted by the EU’s irritation over apps that were initially free but then prompted users to pay for in-app purchases.


That move reflected the increasing domination of such “freemium” games in the App Store — ones that are initially free, but can end up costing much more than paid ones as players pay for upgrades and other in-game costs.


It has meant that free apps have come to feature much more in the Apple Store — and so Apple’s giveaway might be less exciting — and also that parents and other groups, including the EU, have become increasingly suspicious of games that claim to be free.


And Apple’s other big free giveaway was U2’s new album, which appeared on users’ phones by default and required a complicated technique to dispose of.


Or it may simply be that Apple doesn’t feel the need to take part in giveaways any more. Apple didn’t take part in Black Friday or Cyber Monday in the UK or the US this year, choosing instead to give cash to Aids research.


The 12 Days of Christmas giveaway was run in the UK since 2008, and the US joined in last year. It was accessed by a dedicated app, which was usually released in early December.


The giveaways were released every day and were available for 24 hours.


Last year, it featured games such as Rayman Jungle Run, films including Home Alone, and a number of exclusive music launches like collections of live Tom Odell and Rolling Stones tracks.








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2014: The year Apple came roaring back - Fortune







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Here's how Apple could grow even bigger - CNBC

Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks during an Apple special event at the Flint Center for the Performing Arts, Sept. 9, 2014, in Cupertino, Calif.

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Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks during an Apple special event at the Flint Center for the Performing Arts, Sept. 9, 2014, in Cupertino, Calif.




Holiday sales for both iPhone 6 models have also led to a "pretty fantastic quarter" for Apple, McCourt said. "One of the easiest things to check is the availability of the phones themselves," he said. "We're seeing spotty instances of lack of supply in the U.S."


Despite its tremendous size and sales, Apple still faces competition for cell-phone market share.


Read MoreInterest in Apple Watch 'minuscule' now: Munster


"Apple is much less powerful once you get into Continental Europe, Asia and Latin America largely due to price points" McCourt said. "In different geographies, we're seeing different competitors do very well."


Some of these overseas competitors include China's Xiaomi and Wiko, a French niche mobile phone brand." It's basically a French brand of Android," McCourt said.


McCourt added that, while Android is a "very fragmented ecosystem," it is still doing very well in some regions of the world. Competition for mobile market share within the U.S., however, is almost nonexistent for the tech giant, he said.







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Apple to sell heavily discounted products in another 'Lucky Bag' promotion on ... - Digital Trends

Better late than never: Apple puts 'The Interview' on iTunes - Fortune







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'The Interview': Why did Apple stay on the sidelines? - Fortune







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Apple security faces biggest test in 2015 - Computerworld

From CIO: 8 Free Online Courses to Grow Your Tech Skills



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2014: The year Apple came roaring back - Fortune







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Here's how Apple could grow even bigger - CNBC

Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks during an Apple special event at the Flint Center for the Performing Arts, Sept. 9, 2014, in Cupertino, Calif.

Getty Images


Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks during an Apple special event at the Flint Center for the Performing Arts, Sept. 9, 2014, in Cupertino, Calif.




Holiday sales for both iPhone 6 models have also led to a "pretty fantastic quarter" for Apple, McCourt said. "One of the easiest things to check is the availability of the phones themselves," he said. "We're seeing spotty instances of lack of supply in the U.S."


Despite its tremendous size and sales, Apple still faces competition for cell-phone market share.


Read MoreInterest in Apple Watch 'minuscule' now: Munster


"Apple is much less powerful once you get into Continental Europe, Asia and Latin America largely due to price points" McCourt said. "In different geographies, we're seeing different competitors do very well."


Some of these overseas competitors include China's Xiaomi and Wiko, a French niche mobile phone brand." It's basically a French brand of Android," McCourt said.


McCourt added that, while Android is a "very fragmented ecosystem," it is still doing very well in some regions of the world. Competition for mobile market share within the U.S., however, is almost nonexistent for the tech giant, he said.







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Apple to sell heavily discounted products in another 'Lucky Bag' promotion on ... - Digital Trends

Better late than never: Apple puts 'The Interview' on iTunes - Fortune







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'The Interview': Why did Apple stay on the sidelines? - Fortune







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Apple security faces biggest test in 2015 - Computerworld

From CIO: 8 Free Online Courses to Grow Your Tech Skills



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2014: The year Apple came roaring back - Fortune







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Apple Pay headed to UK for 2015 — but banks fear a financial 'invasion' - The Verge

Here's how Apple could grow even bigger - CNBC

Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks during an Apple special event at the Flint Center for the Performing Arts, Sept. 9, 2014, in Cupertino, Calif.

Getty Images


Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks during an Apple special event at the Flint Center for the Performing Arts, Sept. 9, 2014, in Cupertino, Calif.




Holiday sales for both iPhone 6 models have also led to a "pretty fantastic quarter" for Apple, McCourt said. "One of the easiest things to check is the availability of the phones themselves," he said. "We're seeing spotty instances of lack of supply in the U.S."


Despite its tremendous size and sales, Apple still faces competition for cell-phone market share.


Read MoreInterest in Apple Watch 'minuscule' now: Munster


"Apple is much less powerful once you get into Continental Europe, Asia and Latin America largely due to price points" McCourt said. "In different geographies, we're seeing different competitors do very well."


Some of these overseas competitors include China's Xiaomi and Wiko, a French niche mobile phone brand." It's basically a French brand of Android," McCourt said.


McCourt added that, while Android is a "very fragmented ecosystem," it is still doing very well in some regions of the world. Competition for mobile market share within the U.S., however, is almost nonexistent for the tech giant, he said.







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Apple to sell heavily discounted products in another 'Lucky Bag' promotion on ... - Digital Trends

Better late than never: Apple puts 'The Interview' on iTunes - Fortune







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'The Interview': Why did Apple stay on the sidelines? - Fortune







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Here's how Apple could grow even bigger - CNBC

Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks during an Apple special event at the Flint Center for the Performing Arts, Sept. 9, 2014, in Cupertino, Calif.

Getty Images


Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks during an Apple special event at the Flint Center for the Performing Arts, Sept. 9, 2014, in Cupertino, Calif.




Holiday sales for both iPhone 6 models have also led to a "pretty fantastic quarter" for Apple, McCourt said. "One of the easiest things to check is the availability of the phones themselves," he said. "We're seeing spotty instances of lack of supply in the U.S."


Despite its tremendous size and sales, Apple still faces competition for cell-phone market share.


Read MoreInterest in Apple Watch 'minuscule' now: Munster


"Apple is much less powerful once you get into Continental Europe, Asia and Latin America largely due to price points" McCourt said. "In different geographies, we're seeing different competitors do very well."


Some of these overseas competitors include China's Xiaomi and Wiko, a French niche mobile phone brand." It's basically a French brand of Android," McCourt said.


McCourt added that, while Android is a "very fragmented ecosystem," it is still doing very well in some regions of the world. Competition for mobile market share within the U.S., however, is almost nonexistent for the tech giant, he said.







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Apple to sell heavily discounted products in another 'Lucky Bag' promotion on ... - Digital Trends

Better late than never: Apple puts 'The Interview' on iTunes - Fortune







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'The Interview': Why did Apple stay on the sidelines? - Fortune







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Apple security faces biggest test in 2015 - Computerworld

From CIO: 8 Free Online Courses to Grow Your Tech Skills



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Here's how Apple could grow even bigger - CNBC

Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks during an Apple special event at the Flint Center for the Performing Arts, Sept. 9, 2014, in Cupertino, Calif.

Getty Images


Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks during an Apple special event at the Flint Center for the Performing Arts, Sept. 9, 2014, in Cupertino, Calif.




Holiday sales for both iPhone 6 models have also led to a "pretty fantastic quarter" for Apple, McCourt said. "One of the easiest things to check is the availability of the phones themselves," he said. "We're seeing spotty instances of lack of supply in the U.S."


Despite its tremendous size and sales, Apple still faces competition for cell-phone market share.


Read MoreInterest in Apple Watch 'minuscule' now: Munster


"Apple is much less powerful once you get into Continental Europe, Asia and Latin America largely due to price points" McCourt said. "In different geographies, we're seeing different competitors do very well."


Some of these overseas competitors include China's Xiaomi and Wiko, a French niche mobile phone brand." It's basically a French brand of Android," McCourt said.


McCourt added that, while Android is a "very fragmented ecosystem," it is still doing very well in some regions of the world. Competition for mobile market share within the U.S., however, is almost nonexistent for the tech giant, he said.







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Apple to sell heavily discounted products in another 'Lucky Bag' promotion on ... - Digital Trends

Better late than never: Apple puts 'The Interview' on iTunes - Fortune







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'The Interview': Why did Apple stay on the sidelines? - Fortune







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Apple security faces biggest test in 2015 - Computerworld

From CIO: 8 Free Online Courses to Grow Your Tech Skills



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2014: The year Apple came roaring back - Fortune







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Apple Pay headed to UK for 2015 — but banks fear a financial 'invasion' - The Verge

Here's how Apple could grow even bigger - CNBC

Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks during an Apple special event at the Flint Center for the Performing Arts, Sept. 9, 2014, in Cupertino, Calif.

Getty Images


Apple CEO Tim Cook speaks during an Apple special event at the Flint Center for the Performing Arts, Sept. 9, 2014, in Cupertino, Calif.




Holiday sales for both iPhone 6 models have also led to a "pretty fantastic quarter" for Apple, McCourt said. "One of the easiest things to check is the availability of the phones themselves," he said. "We're seeing spotty instances of lack of supply in the U.S."


Despite its tremendous size and sales, Apple still faces competition for cell-phone market share.


Read MoreInterest in Apple Watch 'minuscule' now: Munster


"Apple is much less powerful once you get into Continental Europe, Asia and Latin America largely due to price points" McCourt said. "In different geographies, we're seeing different competitors do very well."


Some of these overseas competitors include China's Xiaomi and Wiko, a French niche mobile phone brand." It's basically a French brand of Android," McCourt said.


McCourt added that, while Android is a "very fragmented ecosystem," it is still doing very well in some regions of the world. Competition for mobile market share within the U.S., however, is almost nonexistent for the tech giant, he said.







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Apple to sell heavily discounted products in another 'Lucky Bag' promotion on ... - Digital Trends

Better late than never: Apple puts 'The Interview' on iTunes - Fortune







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'The Interview': Why did Apple stay on the sidelines? - Fortune







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Apple security faces biggest test in 2015 - Computerworld

From CIO: 8 Free Online Courses to Grow Your Tech Skills



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Apple Pay headed to UK for 2015 — but banks fear a financial 'invasion' - The Verge

Apple to sell heavily discounted products in another 'Lucky Bag' promotion on ... - Digital Trends

Better late than never: Apple puts 'The Interview' on iTunes - Fortune







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2014: The year Apple came roaring back - Fortune







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'The Interview': Why did Apple stay on the sidelines? - Fortune







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Apple to sell heavily discounted products in another 'Lucky Bag' promotion on ... - Digital Trends

Better late than never: Apple puts 'The Interview' on iTunes - Fortune







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2014: The year Apple came roaring back - Fortune







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'The Interview': Why did Apple stay on the sidelines? - Fortune







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Apple to sell heavily discounted products in another 'Lucky Bag' promotion on ... - Digital Trends

Better late than never: Apple puts 'The Interview' on iTunes - Fortune







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2014: The year Apple came roaring back - Fortune







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'The Interview': Why did Apple stay on the sidelines? - Fortune







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The Most Popular Christmas Gifts of the Last Decade: Elmo, Apple, Elmo - Gizmodo

The Most Popular Christmas Gifts of the Last Decade: Elmo, Apple, Elmo


The most popular Christmas gifts over the past 10 years speak volumes about what people like. Which apparently is Elmo and iPods (but mostly Elmo). But if we look a little closely, it also says a whole lot about just how far tech has progressed. Let's take a look.


Before we entered into the new Willennium, the internet was still pretty new to us, and shiny gadgets weren't exactly the big gifts yet. For example in 1998, the big gift was a Furby, based on my entirely unscientific assessment of Amazon sales data, cultural hype, and news reports year by year. In 1999, it was all about Pokemon. And by 2000, it was a Razor scooter. You know, toys in the traditional sense.


In the early 2000s came the switch to electronics, and they've reigned supreme since. Except for Elmo. Amazon told Gizmodo that, based on its data, Elmo has been a consistent favorite over the last decade. Remember when the Tickle Me Elmo first came out in '96? People went gaga for that thing. And Mattel (which bought Tyco, the original maker of Tickle Me Elmo) has kept iterating Elmo to keep the toy's popularity alive.


Perhaps the only products to rival Elmo's reign have been shiny new Apple products. But let's trace it back 10 years.




2004: RoboSapien



I don't know what we were doing in 2004, but 10 years ago, this was the toy of Christmas. Sure, it was produced by a NASA scientist, but its biggest selling points were pre-programmed dance moves that could sync up with other RoboSapiens and also farts. It sold 1.5 million units between April and December of that year.




2005: Xbox 360


The Most Popular Christmas Gifts of the Last Decade: Elmo, Apple, Elmo


In 2005, tech really started making its presence known. This was the year the Xbox owned the territory under the tree. It was released in November, and by the end of the year, it had already done 1.5 million units in sales worldwide. And Microsoft rode the popularity of that console until just a year ago when it came out with the Xbox One.




2006: PlayStation 3



The PS3 was Sony's answer to the previous year's biggest gift, the Xbox 360. The console came out mid-November 2006, and people absolutely lost their shit. Apparently, one guy was shot, and others were injured waiting in line for the game system. In the first week, people were paying thousands of dollars for the thing on eBay. It sold out in one day.




2007: Nintendo Wii


The Most Popular Christmas Gifts of the Last Decade: Elmo, Apple, Elmo


Even though the Wii first came out in 2006, it remained popular into the next year. Besides, in 2006, it came out a little too late to be the top Christmas gift. At E3, Nintendo announced a hundred new games for the Wii, but a shortage threatened to ruin Christmas for kids everywhere. And whenever there's a shortage, people tend to freak the f out.


It's also worth pointing out that in this year, the iPod Touch was insanely popular. Though the iPhone came out in the same year, it expensive and still unproven tech. The iPod Touch let people in on a cheaper version of the fun, without the phone, and it's remained a very successful product for Apple these seven years later.




2008: Elmo Live


The Most Popular Christmas Gifts of the Last Decade: Elmo, Apple, Elmo


An Elmo that talks to you and laughs when you tickle him? How can a child resist. This toy—which you can still buy on Amazon, by the way—was advertised as one of the most lifelike versions of Sesame Street's most beloved denizen to date. Oh, this Elmo also sings. Do you ever wonder why parents endure toys like this? Love conquers all things.




2009: Nook v. Kindle


The Most Popular Christmas Gifts of the Last Decade: Elmo, Apple, Elmo


2009 was the year of the e-reader. Amazon was first to market with its first Kindle, but when Barnes & Noble came out with the Nook, it was considered a Kindle killer. Amazon has perhaps won the war now, but five years ago, it was unclear. What is clear is lots of people got first-gen e-readers that Christmas.




2010: Apple iPad


The Most Popular Christmas Gifts of the Last Decade: Elmo, Apple, Elmo


In 2010, there was no contest. It was the year Apple first introduced the iPad, and it was the first tablet to really go mainstream. Before the iPad, tablets where mostly specialist Windows devices, clunky stylus machines. Apple sold 15 million of its more casual first-gen iPads! It was a huge product that Christmas, and in it current form remains massively popular.




2011: Let's Rock Elmo


The Most Popular Christmas Gifts of the Last Decade: Elmo, Apple, Elmo


Oh you think Elmo was gonna sleep on you? Nope, in 2011, Hasbro was back with Let's Rock Elmo, a rockstar, drum-playing, song-singing, tambourine clashing, little red monster. And in a year where there was no new console, and incremental updates to the iPhone with the 4S and the iPad with the 2, Elmo dominated.




2012: Wii U


The Most Popular Christmas Gifts of the Last Decade: Elmo, Apple, Elmo


At this point, it gets a little bit murky what exactly is the most popular gift, when you consider how many product lines there are that have done consistent Christmas sales. You've got the iPad and the iPhone, which are still ticking along, as well as new Furbies, which were pretty big in 2012. But the winner this year was the Wii U. It was no violent PS3 launch, but the Wii's followup to the Wii was met with considerable hype, and it beat other next-gen competitors like the Xbox One and PS4 to the shelves by a lot.




2013: Xbox, iPads, and Elmo


The Most Popular Christmas Gifts of the Last Decade: Elmo, Apple, Elmo


2013 was a big year for product updates. We got the sleek, light iPad Air, a Retina iPad Mini, a new Xbox with the One, a PlayStation 4 and goddamnit, a new Elmo toy in Hugs Elmo. The Xbox One outsold the PS4, but it was a big year for all of those products mentioned. Which means, there were a lot of choices as far as big Christmas gifts go. Call it a draw.




2014: ???


So we don't know what the biggest gift of this year is yet because the numbers aren't in quite yet. But we have some good guesses! iPad's will be popular, as will iPhones, considering it was a big iPhone launch with the 6 and the 6 Plus which are significantly different and new and shiny and fun. The Xbox One and the Ps4 will most likely continue on their momentum, although Amazon shows the deeply discounted Microsoft console as the most gifted in its video game category. It's hard to say, but the bottom line is this: naughty or nice, people are going to get tech for Christmas.






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CDPH: 'Happy Apple Brand Caramel Apples Were Possibly Contaminated With ... - CBS Local

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Health officials warned the public Thursday against eating different varieties of manufactured caramel apple products due to possible contamination with Listeria monocytogenes.


California Department of Public Health (CDPH) officials explained they are currently working alongside the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and other state and local agencies to investigate 29 cases of Listeriosis, which have been reported across 10 states, and appear to be linked to the consumption of multiple brands of caramel apples.


However, whole and in-tact apples, apple-based beverages and apple sauce products do not appear to be associated with the outbreak.


Authorities explained all of the cases have been hospitalized, and five deaths have been reported as a result. At this time, a single case patient in California has reportedly died.


According to the CDPH, the Happy Apple Company — which has manufacturing facilities located in Orosi, Calif., and Union, Mo. — has voluntarily recalled all varieties of their Happy Apple Brand Caramel Apples with “best if used by” dates between Aug. 25 and Nov. 23.


The company reportedly learned from one of their apple suppliers that there was a recall of apples, which they used to produce their caramel apple products with.


Happy Apple Brand Caramel Apples have been sold at multiple retail, discount and club store locations throughout California and 30 other states.


The recalled products were packaged in clear, plastic containers, which were sold as a single pack, three pack, four pack or eight pack.


CDC officials recommend not to eat any commercially produced or prepackaged caramel apples until the investigation has determined all of the brands that may have been exposed in the outbreak.


These include plain caramel apples, as well as those containing nuts, sprinkles, chocolate, or other toppings.


Officials explained that recalled apples are not likely to remain on grocery store shelves, however, consumers still may have the products inside their homes.


Anyone who is in possession of the recalled items are encouraged to dispose of the product safely in the trash.


According to the CDPH, symptoms of Listeria include high fever, headache, and neck stiffness.


Those with weakened immune systems, elderly and infants are at the highest risk for severe illness and death, officials explained.


Those who may feel ill after eating a caramel apple product should consult with their health care provider.


Anyone who may observe recalled items being offered for sale are encouraged to report the activity to the CDPH by calling (800) 495-3232.






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Apple's 'Best of 2014' Free and Paid Apps - ABC News

PHOTO: Apps on an Apple iPhone 5S, Jan. 22, 2014 in Washington.




Apple's "Best of 2014" apps show the sweet allure of Candy Crush is still alive, and Microsoft got its money's worth buying the company behind Minecraft for billions.


The Cupertino, California-based Apple has posted in its App Store the year's top paid and free apps for the iPhone and iPad, plus the top grossing ones.








The list of top apps weren't specifically ranked, but in addition to the "Best of 2014" lists, the App Store recognized "Game of the Year" Threes ($1.99), a numbers puzzle game; and "App of the Year" Elevate, a free app that purports to improve focus, memory and math skills.


Here's a list of what your family and friends have been squinting over for the last year, according to Apple:


Top Paid iPhone Apps:


1. Heads Up!: 99 cents


This game from Warner Bros., Ellen DeGeneres' app is a guessing game that can be played with two people or more.


2. Minecraft Pocket Edition: $6.99


Microsoft bought Mojang, the company behind video game Minecraft, for $2.5 billion in September. This iPhone game is described as the "biggest" update to Minecraft so far.


3. Afterlight: 99 cents


Under the App Store's category of "photo and video," this image editing app has 59 filters and 66 textures.


4. Plague Inc.: 99 cents


This game instructs users to "bring about the end of the world of human history by evolving a deadly, global Plague whilst adapting against everything humanity can do to defend itself." Cheery.


5. Sleep Cycle alarm clock: 99 cents


This app is described as an "intelligent alarm clock that analyzes your sleep and wakes you up in the lightest sleep phase."




PHOTO: The top apps of 2014.
Apple


PHOTO: The top apps of 2014.



Top Free iPhone Apps:


1. Facebook Messenger


Though many people with iPhones begrudged Facebook's move to shift users to a separate app for messaging, tons of people obliged and downloaded the Facebook Messenger app, at least according to Apple's rankings.


2. Snapchat


The photo and video messaging app is available in 15 languages including Bokmål, a written form of the Norwegian language.


3. YouTube


The video sharing service owned by Google offers music recommendations based on your favorite music videos.


4. Facebook


More and more people are using Facebook on their mobile devices, which explains why this app is a top download of 2014.


5. Instagram


Owned by Facebook, the Instagram photo-sharing app has over 300 million users.


Top Grossing iPhone Apps


1. Clash of Clans


Though there was a short period when Kim Kardashian's app was neck and neck with Clash of Clans as the top downloaded app, the year-end tally may show that the free battle game grossed more with its in-app purchases.


2. Candy Crush Saga


After raising $500 million last March in an IPO, shares of Candy Crush maker King may have soured but people are still buying treats.


3. Game of War: Fire Age


A few weeks ago, model Kate Upton began promoting "Game of War: Fire Age" in a television ad as the goddess Athena. Though the theatrics in the ad are noteworthy, the app was already a top hit this year.


4. Pandora Music


This music app is free but a paid Pandora One subscription provides ad-free listening.


5. Big Fish Casino


The free casino app of course allows in-app purchases.


Top Paid iPad Apps


1. Minecraft Pocket Edition: $6.99


Mojang's app is designed for both iPhone and iPad.


2. Cut the Rope 2: $2.99


The first Cut the Rope game wasn't enough for fans, so Cut the Rope 2 allows users to collect candy and play with new characters.


3. Heads Up!: 99 cents


The popular game app is designed for the iPhone and iPad.


4. The Room Two: 99 cents


The Room Two is another successful sequel to a puzzle game by British-based Fireproof Games.


5. Survivalcraft: $3.99


This exploration and survival game allows you to tailor clothes and hunt animals.


Top Free iPad Apps


1. YouTube


YouTube used to previously come with Apple's iOS system, but now users must download it from the App Store.


2. Netflix


Users who have paid for Netflix streaming subscriptions, starting at $7.99 a month, can binge away.


3. Calculator for iPad Free


If you can stomach advertisements while using a calculator, you can access scientific calculator functions in this app.


4. Skype for iPad


Use Skype to talk to your loved ones in Antarctica.


5. Microsoft Word


View, create and edit Word documents for free, but a paid Office 365 subscription provides access to more functionality.


Top Grossing iPad Apps


1. Clash of Clans


2. Game of War -- Fire Age


3. DoubleDown Casino


Free slots, video poker, blackjack, and more, of course, with in-app purchases.


4. Candy Crush Saga


5. Candy Crush Soda Saga


The free app is "Sodalicious." In-app purchases that range from $0.99 to as high as $39.99








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Xiaomi: It really ISN'T a biz-miracle idiot tax like Apple - The Register

Worstall on Wednesday The lads over at Business Insider seem to be getting a little over-excited about Xiaomi's latest fund raising exercise, claiming in their headline that it's the Apple of China. Well, no, not really, Apple is the Apple of China. Making cute kit and selling it in volume isn't the definitive point about Apple itself so a company that does merely that doesn't an Apple make.


The "Apple Of China" Raises Over $1 Billion, Valuation Skyrockets To More Than $45 Billion


That's the valuation being talked about, sure enough. Yet, as El Reg reported, there's not a great deal of profit rolling around. The corporate structure makes it very difficult to see what the actual profit margins are. But we do know that when they're all totted up, they're pretty small. We know this because we can go and look at their gross margins after the teardown guys have had a look. Admittedly, this is a little old but there's no sign of the current generation of models being any different:



Liu Hui, a Chinese semiconductor analyst concluded after a teardown analysis that the reasonable profit margin for Xiaomi phone would be 20%, or more than RMB 400 – 500 yuan, while the cost for Xiaomi phone is around 1500 yuan.



The problem here is that people are using a different meaning of profit margin. That teardown number is the gross profit margin: the difference between component costs and selling price. Apart from that one has to include the overheads of the business, design costs and so on.


Don't get me wrong, Xiaomi is getting some goodly part of the Apple model correct. They are aiming at adding value through services and design. They're certainly proving themselves pretty savvy in their Indian marketing, limiting themselves to flash sales at Flipkart, thus creating a feeling of scarcity and value. Reviews of the kit all tell us that they're pretty good pieces of electronics. But that's not enough to be considered an Apple.


To wander off a bit: anyone who has been in business will tell you that there're two basic strategies. There's the old Tesco one, pile it high and sell it cheap. This way you get low to non-existent margins but high sales volumes. There's also the sell very little specialist kit and then you can make a great margin on each sale, just not very many sales. In my own business world of metals the bloke selling steel hopes to make $1 a tonne on tens of thousands of tonnes at a time, me selling rare earths I look for 20 per cent margins on a handful of few-hundred-kg sales a year.


If really pressed everyone will agree that sometimes the stars align, perhaps as the result of some information asymmetry or something, and you get to sell, as a special deal, large volumes at high margins. But those times are rare indeed and they buy houses when they happen (for me, a weird Russian nuclear alloy in truckloads of scrap).


Finally, what everyone will tell you they want to be able to do is to sell high volumes at high margins by the bucketload each and every day. And while we all desire it, it's sadly - outside monopolies or government protection - as rare as rocking-horse shit. Perhaps the software business offers more opportunity than most other business arenas but in hardware it's really just Apple that we would hold up as the people who are currently managing it. Hundreds of millions of pieces of iKit a year and the margins are well over 20 per cent.


Which might make some think that Xiaomi is managing this: but we're back to talking about different sorts of margins again. That's Apple's net profit margin on turnover: not their gross margin on hardware. We know from the Apple teardowns that the gross margin (lower on iPads, lower again on Macs) on iPhones is well over 50 per cent. So, once they take off their design costs, overheads and so on they end up with a net profit margin that is larger than Xiaomi's gross profit margin.


We might think that Xiaomi might grow into being an Apple but that's going to be a very hard thing to do. Currently they make, for the price, very well spec'd phones. This is precisely and exactly because they have a low gross profit over component costs. It's feasible that they will be able to create enough brand loyalty that they will end up being able to sell such phones for premium prices and thus emulate Apple's gross margins: but it's something that's going to be damned difficult to do. Moving upmarket just ain't easy.


Another way to put this is that from a business point of view what matters is profit. And that's what makes Apple different. It's actually manufacturing that rocking horse shit: high gross and net margins on high volumes of iKit. High volume low margin, that's easy enough, as is low volume high margin. Outside very special times it's that fourth quadrant that is so hard to do. As that's what Apple is doing and Xiaomi ain't, we really shouldn't be going around shouting that the second is the next coming of the first.


Even a charismatic CEO just don't make it so. ®


Sponsored: How to determine if cloud backup is right for your servers






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Where is Apple's 12 Days of Christmas 2014? Cancelled, it seems. - PC Advisor

Apple 12 days of Christmas


Where is Apple's 12 Days of Christmas 2014? We were waiting patiently, hoping that the company would surprise us at the last minute, but it's official: Apple's 12 Days of Christmas isn't happening this year.


For the first year since it began in 2008, Apple has decided not to run its 12 Days of Christmas promotion, disappointing many iTunes users who've loved getting a free gift each day during the holiday period.


The 12 Days of Christmas promotion usually runs from Boxing day (26 December) until 6 January, with each gift available for free for 24 hours, downloadable through a dedicated 12 Days of Christmas iOS app. That app normally becomes available in early December, so when we reached mid December with no sign of the promotion we began to get an inkling that Apple might be a Scrooge this year.


In previous years, Apple has given away movies, music videos, TV shows, games, books and other apps, but we'll be getting nothing of the sort this year. See our round-up of the best iOS apps ever here.


Apple also skipped its Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotions this year, but did decide to run a brilliant RED campaign that helped the company raise an incredible $20 million to fight AIDS.


For those of you running Android, however, Amazon is offering £150 worth of apps for free through the Amazon App Store for Android until the end of Boxing Day, including Angry Birds games, Colin McRae Rally, Worms 3, Ultimate Guitar Tabs and Tools, The Muscular System Manual (worth £41.42!), Oxford Learner's Dictionary and more.


Find out about more brilliant tech deals, sales and offers in our Christmas tech deals 2014 live blog.


Read next: Best Android apps for your new tablet or smartphone






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Missouri company recalls caramel apples that may be linked to listeria outbreak - Washington Post

Why isn't Apple showing 'The Interview'? - Mashable

It's not hard to spot a conspicuous absence in the list of streaming services offering the Seth Rogen comedy The Interview Wednesday. Google Play is offering it. YouTube is offering it. Microsoft's Xbox Live is offering it. Sony set up a special website where you can stream it.


So where's iTunes?


Apple was actually Sony Pictures' first choice for a media partner to show the movie, according to The New York Times — so much so that Sony reportedly tried to get the White House to help convince the world's richest tech company to stream the movie. Apple wasn't interested, "at least not on a speedy timetable," the Times' unnamed sources said.


Why not? Why let all this free publicity and buzz go to any other platform, especially at a time when iTunes is struggling to stand out and redefine itself? Did Apple make a mistake? Naturally, the famously tight-lipped company wouldn't comment for this story, or for the Times', but anyone who's followed Apple for years can easily think of a few good reasons that fit its character.


1. It's too cautious


Apple is rarely first to market with any technology. Xerox had the mouse and the Graphical User Interface before the Macintosh. Apple cofounder Steve Jobs himself once freely admitted to me that he was incredibly late to the music game with iTunes. The iPod was nowhere near the first MP3 player. The big exception was the enormously innovative iPhone, and its feature set was quickly overtaken by Android phones. The Apple Watch will be as late to the smartwatch space in 2015 as iTunes was to the music player space in 2001.


None of that matters. Apple was never about making anything first; it is about making technology — to use CEO Tim Cook's favorite wordbetter. Apple wants to be your perfect smartphone, your perfect tablet, your perfect computer.


That's all well and good, but it has bred a culture of caution and slow iteration. Apple rarely acted swiftly before Cook; in not launching a product in a new category in his first four years as CEO, Cook has doubled down on that strategy.


"Not on a speedy timetable" is about all you need to know — not just about Apple's response to The Interview, but its general approach to business. After all, you don't change a corporate ethos when it made you rich beyond the dreams of avarice in the space of a decade.


2. It's too obsessed with quality, especially on iTunes


Let's face it: Although its release represents freedom and the First Amendment and all that good stuff, The Interview has been one big critical "meh." The film currently rates a less-than-fresh 54% on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie-reviews aggregator. Here are some reviewers' blurbs you won't see on posters: "Remarkably dismal!" "two hours of hit-and-miss erection jokes!" "About as funny as a Communist food shortage!"


If audiences see it that way, Apple may well have reasoned, it's really not a good buy for the iTunes brand — especially not if it would be many mainstream users' first experience of the service.


Think of all those thousands of moms and dads unwrapping their first Apple TV under the Christmas tree Thursday. They plug it in, and fire up the iTunes movies app. Hey, there's that controversial film everyone's talking about! It's a comedy, right? Well, that could be fun for Christmas with the whole family.


Two hours, many dick jokes and one horrific slow-motion immolation of a dictator later, that same family may not be feeling quite so Christmassy — or so well-disposed toward iTunes for promoting it.


Google Play may need the attention (it's certainly getting a lot of play out of presenting the streaming as a plus for free speech). YouTube needed to let users know they could buy streaming on the service, which isn't something for which the platform is known. Similarly, Microsoft would love to have the Xbox more closely associated with other media than just games.


But iTunes, if anything, is too well-known, the brand dragged down by its notoriously bloated desktop software and hard-to-manage app interface. Apple is in the midst of a massive iTunes rethink after the Beats purchase. If The Interview were a work of art on the level of The Great Dictator , Apple might think differently about it.


But the film evidently isn't, and Apple may be banking on us realizing that fact, once the warm glow of celebrating our First Amendment freedom has faded.


3. It's too obsessed with security


Apple isn't just overly keen on protecting your Mac for you (to the point where the company just pushed out its first ever automatic security update to fix a crucial flaw on Mac OS X). It isn't just maniacally obsessed with secrecy about its products. Everything about the Cupertino, California, company — from its research and development to its public relations — is on permanent lockdown.


When two product announcements were accidentally leaked in advance of the Apple Watch keynote this fall, software vice-president and noted class clown Craig Federighi unveiled a short video featuring two Apple employees having to do a complicated hip-hop handshake before they could badge themselves through a door.


Put that in the "It's funny because it's true" category of inside jokes. Reporters are familiar with the little demo room at One Infinite Loop that's right inside the front door of one of the buildings — so we don't even have to go past reception for product demos that are designed to reveal no new information.


No doubt Apple IT thought it could bat away any potential retaliatory hacking, whether from North Korea or elsewhere. Sony Pictures (with its password files sent in plain text) they ain't. But why take the risk? Jobs once called San Jose police on journalists who came into possession of a single lost iPhone 4 prototype. Could you imagine the response if hackers got hold of Tim Cook's email?


Given how much a product like the Apple Watch thrives on secrecy and the building of pre-launch anticipation, there are literally billions of dollars worth of sensitive information in a single inbox at Infinite Loop. One hacked password might not bring down the company, but it could wipe an awful lot of value off the newly resurgent Dow.


In short, there was a lot of potential downside to releasing The Interview for Apple, and little in the way of upside. Any lost revenue from a single movie release is a drop in the bucket for a company that has $150 billion in the bank. We're sure iTunes will feature The Interview eventually, once all the fuss has died down, Christmas has passed, and those Apple TVs have been well and truly unwrapped — and almost certainly in time for you to view it on your Apple Watch.


Have something to add to this story? Share it in the comments.






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