Andrew Orr and Bryan Chaffin join host Kelly Guimont to discuss disinfecting (not just cleaning!) your devices, and Andrew’s tips for iPhone photography.
Apple Looking for Maps Writer/Editor
Apple advertised for a Writer/Editor for Maps, indicating that it is looking to put its own editorial information into Maps.
EVRI 80W USB-C Charging Station with 4x QuickCharge Ports: $52.99
We have a deal on the EVRI 80W USB-C Charging Station, a charging hub for your mobile devices that features four QuickCharge ports. It also has a USB-C port with enough juice to charge your MacBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro. This device is $52.99 through our deal.
More Details of How Uyghur Muslims Are Exploited in Tech Supply Chains Emerge
Earlier this week, I reported on research by an Australian think tank that highlighted how Uyghur Muslims in China were being exploited, maltreated, and used in the manufacturing of products. Apple is one of the companies whose supply chain was cited in the report. Now, the Associated Press has published further on-the-ground reporting about the exploitation of this minority during the making of tech products. Apple is again one of the firms mentioned, along with the likes of Lenovo and Huawei.
OFILM’s website indicates the Xinjiang workers make screens, camera cover lenses and fingerprint scanners. It touts customers including Apple, Samsung, Lenovo, Dell, HP, LG and Huawei, although there was no way for the AP to track specific products to specific companies. Apple’s most recent list of suppliers, published January last year, includes three OFILM factories in Nanchang. It’s unclear whether the specific OFILM factory the AP visited twice in Nanchang supplies Apple, but it has the same address as one listed. Another OFILM factory is located about half a mile away on a different street. Apple did not answer repeated requests for clarification on which factory it uses. In an email, Apple said its code of conduct requires suppliers to “provide channels that encourage employees to voice concerns.” It said it interviews the employees of suppliers during annual assessments in their local language without their managers present, and had done 44,000 interviews in 2018.
Is iCloud Slow For You Today? You’re Not Alone
iCloud services are experiencing some issues today, including iMessage, Apple Notes, iCloud Photos, iCloud Drive, and more.
Facebook Begins Rolling Out Messenger for Mac
Facebook has begun rolling out its dedicated Messenger app for Mac, which has been spotted by users in the French App Store.
How to Get $5 Credit at a Wells Fargo ATM
Wells Fargo is offering its customers US$5 if they use Apple Pay at an ATM. The offer is valid until March 5, 2021.
Apple Backs Out of SXSW 2020 Over Coronavirus
Apple has pulled out of SXSW 2020 over COVID-19, where it was going to premier three of its Apple TV+ originals.
Twitter Tests Tweets That Disappear After 24 Hours
Twitter is testing a new feature called “fleets” which are tweets that disappear after 24 hours.
According to Twitter, an initial survey of users showed they would be more comfortable “sharing everyday thoughts” if they disappear after 24 hours.
Like tweets, Twitter fleets are based primarily on text, but you also can include videos, GIFs or photos in them. Users’ fleets will appear at the top of their home page and visible to their followers. Other users can reply to a fleet via private direct message or with an emoji.
It sounds like a good idea on the surface, but given that Twitter is a dumpster fire, you can imagine hateful tweets, political lies, etc. all disappearing from the public record. Of course, people can just screenshot them.
Someone Hacked J.Crew Last Spring and we Only Find Out Today
According to a notice [PDF] from J.Crew, someone hacked the company last year. For some reason we’re only finding out about it today, a year later.
“The information that would have been accessible in your jcrew.com account includes the last four digits of credit card numbers you have stored in your account, the expiration dates, card types, and billing addresses connected to those cards, and order numbers, shipping confirmation numbers, and shipment status of those orders,” J.Crew’s data breach notification explains.
You know, sometimes when I write about this stuff, like Facebook doing every bad thing under the sun with our data, I stop and think: “Am I just a cynical a**hole?” Then, when yet another idiot company has a data breach, I realize, no I’m just reporting reality. These companies deserve to be named and shamed.
