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Apple iTunes hits 1 billionth podcast subscription
Posted by Jason Diaz Categories: Apple, Internet,
Apple is celebrating the fact that it has surpassed 1 billion podcast subscriptions in iTunes, quite an impressive milestone. Apple added podcasts to iTunes back in 2005, which has offered everyone the ability to market alternative radio and video shows for users. iTunes now has about 250,000 different podcasts in over 100 different languages, including shows like 60 Minutes, NPR, Ted Talks, NBC Nightly News, and even our own Bleeding Edge TV and Unboxing Live.
"From comedy to hard news to sports to innovative educational content and so much more, podcasting has transformed the global media landscape," - Apple
Read More 
| Twitter (Apple)
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Mysterious Chromecast device shows upon Google support page
Posted by Jason Diaz Categories: Google, Rumors,
A few eagle-eyed Google support page visitors spotted a mysteriously unknown device dubbed Chromecast. It has since been removed from the site, as if it never existed. Luckily, someone took a screenshot for posterity. There are no concrete details of what it actually is. However, there is some speculation of it being an HDMI dongle streaming device for TVs, while websites like Droid Life say it might be a Apple AirPlay-like feature to sling content from a Cromebook to the TV. Hopefully, the mystery will be solved at today's Google event. In the meantime, let the speculation continue.
Read More | Droid Life
Apple Developer Portal hacked, security researcher responsible comes forward
Posted by Jason Diaz Categories: Apple, Corporate News,
The Apple Developer Center portal has been in hiatus since last Thurday. Reasons for it being down took many by surprise as they were led to be believe it was related to a mundane web maintenance. However, Apple has come forward with information that the Dev site was compromised. Now, a security researcher named Ibrahim Balic has come forward claiming responsibility for the exploit several hours before the Dev site went into full lockdown.
Balic managed to see and copy Apple developer's full names and corresponding Apple ID and emails with an unavoidable injection tool attack. No other information was garnered from the exploit such as credit card information or App codes. Such information is under additional lock and key encryption housed in other servers.
Balic claims that he was also able to get a hold of the Apple ID of regular users. He stresses that this is for security research purposes only and he does not intend to give out any information to the general public as to how he managed the exploit. Full Apple statement below. Still, no apologies from Apple over the faux linen landing page. Here's a video of Balic discribing vulnerabilities within Apple's web services.
Read More | AllThingsD
Latest Gear Live Videos
Nike+ for iOS adds Social Challenges and Chat
Posted by Jason Diaz Categories: Healthcare & Fitness, App Updates, Free Apps,
Nike+ for iOS received an update that makes it even more social with group challenges and chat. Aside from leader boards with other runners, the new challenge feature allows users the ability to competitively challenge their friends with distance and speed goals. Those who are using the challenge mode have access to a group chating feature to either trash talk to your opponents or, at the very least, be the nice person and encourage runners in real time. The update is also expected for Android soon.
What's New in Version 4.3
INTRODUCING NIKE+ CHALLENGES
Ready to take on your friends? With Nike+ Challenges, you'll compete with your friends and motivate each other to go farther and faster than ever before. Track your progress, top the leaderboard, and snag a medal. Every run counts.
- Choose a distance and invite your Nike+ friends.
- Keep track of who's in the lead and stay motivated through group chats.
- Finish a Challenge before your friends and take home a medal. We'll leave the bragging rights to you.
Read More | iTunes
A behind-the-scenes look at the creation of Facebook Home [Video]
Posted by Jason Diaz Categories: Smartphones, Google, Software, Videos,
Take a gander behind the curtain of how Facebook designers created the Facebook Home launcher for Android. The forty-five minute video essay shows the evolutionary process of cover feed, chat heads, and the premise of mimicking the real world experience with a software operating system not based on apps, but focused rather on people.
On May 8th, the designers behind Facebook Home (Justin Stahl, Francis Luu, Joey Flynn and Mac Tyler) presented a behind-the-scenes look at their work at the Bluxome Street Winery for a small crowd. In this four-part talk, they discuss how they combined their high-level goals with an iterative process and interactive design tools such as Quartz Composer to bring the first version of Home to launch.
Click to continue reading A behind-the-scenes look at the creation of Facebook Home [Video]
Samsung hosting fall Devevelopers Conference in San Francisco
Posted by Jason Diaz Categories: Smartphones, Corporate News, Software,
It appears that Samsung is prepping for its first annual Samsung Developers Conference boasting a "cross-product, cross platform" event on October 27-29 in San Francisco. Perhaps, Samsung is shifting gears by lessening its dependence on Google's Android mobile operating system and blurring the lines of its long line portfolio of successful products with developers. The South Korean conglomerate has been working on different mobile OS like Linux based Bada and Intel processor based Tizen, which is a spin-off the abandoned Meego OS project by Nokia. Samsung promises more information to follow leading up to the event. Samsung and Google have had major successes as partners but, in the recent acquisition of Motorola, something that Google previously stated it wouldn't do and Samsung focusing on diminishing Google presence from its products have shown the relation is more stressed than first perceived.
Read More | Samsung Dev Con
SIM card encryption hack found in millions of mobile phones
Posted by Jason Diaz Categories: Smartphones, Mods / Hacks,
A SIM card vulnerability has been uncovered in the encryption used in millions of phones that could allow hackers to send spoof texts. These texts would execute nefarious software that enables them the ability to listen in on calls, as well as read and send text messages, all within a couple of minutes. It could even copy your SIM card.
Cryptographer Karten Nohl and his security team has estimated that 750 million phones in circulation today are using an old 56-Bit DES encryption standard used in SIM cards that can be exploited. Nohl will present his findings at the annual BlackHat security conference held in Los Vegas. It is estimated that 25% of 1000 SIM cards tested in North America and Europe were vulnerable to the exploit.
In addition, it has been reported that Nohl has fully disclosed his findings to the GSM association, and that they have notified carriers and SIM venders of who exactly can be exploited. Nohl suggested that older obsolete systems should be replaced with new triple-based DES encryption.
Read More | PCMag
Google’s Motorola Moto X event set for August 1 in NYC
Posted by Jason Diaz Categories: Smartphones, Corporate News, Google, Handhelds,
Motorola fans, mark your calendars for August 1st, as that's the date set for the Moto X event in New York city. Some details of the device have leaked, such as the "always listening" mode for Google Now, snapping the phone to activate the camera, and giving customers customization options of the design of the smartphone like colors on the sides and rear. There is some speculation that the device will be budget-friendly, costing around $199 off-contract and available on all major US carriers. Perhaps the idea is to take on the highly-rumored technicolored low cost iPhone. Motorola is looking for a winner this time around, as previously the subsidiary of Google has posted a quarterly loss $342 million on the top of massive $12.5 billion acquisition. Curiosity here at Gear Live if the Moto X will run Google's latest and greatest Android software as they are hosting thier OS Android and Chrome event on the 24th of July.
Microsoft doubles down on anti-iPad ad campaign amidst major Surface RT failure [Video]
Posted by Jason Diaz Categories: Apple, Handhelds, Microsoft,
Microsoft's 900 million write off on the Surface RT hasn't prevented them from continuing its advertising campaign efforts by bashing Apple's iPad and propping thier device as the the better alternative. Microsoft recently slashed the price of the Surface RT by $150 in hopes of getting them off store shelves and into customer's hands. The Surface tablet has been suffering from poor sales as it dove into the highly competitive tablet computer arena. The question is will these continued commitment efforts work? Check out the video ad. Does Microsoft make its case?
Apple acquires Locationary, a crowdsourced location startup, to improve Maps [Video]
Posted by Jason Diaz Categories: Apple, Corporate News,
Apple has snatched up Locationary, a Toronto-based startup which crowdsources location data, to help better bolster Apple Maps with up to date local business information. Details of the acquisition have not been disclosed as of yet, but it is smart acquisition and should pay off in the long run. What separates Locationary from the likes of Google, Yelp, and FourSquare is that it gives crowdsourced users monetary incentives to help provide up-to-date and accurate information. Locationary then sells the data to other location providers. Think of Locationary as a mapping Wikipedia for local businesses. From the start, Apple was criticized for its mapping efforts, leading to the dismissal of iOS head Scott Forstall, but, over time, has dispelled much of the contention by remedying its initial short comings. Today shows that Apple is not letting up on their goal of providing the best mapping solution. Here's a short video of founder and CEO of Locationary, Grant Richie.
Read More | AllThingsD
