CNET reports on the discovery of Windows malware embedded within an iPhone application available through the App Store. But rather than a directed attack at Windows users, the malware appears to have been accidentally included from an infected developer's system. The malware is also relatively old and easily detected by most antivirus software for Windows once the App Store package has been unwrapped.
The malware was first discovered by a user posting in the Apple support forums who noted that a download of Instaquotes-Quotes Cards For Instagram from developer Ilyas Hassani triggered warnings from the ClamXav antivirus software for Mac. While the Windows malware obviously could not harm the user's OS X installation, it was flagged as an infected file posing a danger to Windows systems. After learning about the discovery, CNET performed additional testing on the download to confirm that it was not a false positive.Since the downloaded .ipa file is a package, these executables could be extracted using the package manager Pacifist, and then more accurately scanned. Afterward, other malware programs like Sophos that initially missed detecting the malware instantly picked it up and described it as "Mal/CoiDung-A," a worm written in visual basic that installs files within the Windows system directory and then modifies the Windows registry to execute the malware when the system is restarted.
Copying the malware to a Windows virtual machine running the latest version of Microsoft Security Essentials resulted in the malware being immediately detected and removed from the system.It is unclear exactly how or why the malware came to be included in the App Store package, but it seems almost certain to have been an accidental inclusion. As delivered inside the application package, it appears to pose no harm to Windows users, who would have to decompress the package and manually run the infected file in order to expose themselves to the malware.
The infected application debuted in the App Store on July 19 and is currently still available for download after a temporary price drop from $0.99 to free over the weekend. read more..
Wednesday, 25 July 2012
Windows System Directory-Application Package-Antivirus Software-Windows Systems
Tuesday, 10 July 2012
App Store-Creators-Iphone
Tilt to Live was a fairly early hit on the iOS App Store. It used the iPhone's accelerometer to make a frantic but fun and addictive shooter. Now, developer One Man Left has released a very different game called Outwitters. We first saw the title at GDC earlier this year, and the final release version is just as nice as the one that was in development. The game offers up asynchronous turn-based strategy combat, in the same vein as Robot Entertainment's great Hero Academy. But there are a few big differences, the first being that the board is much bigger, and allows for a few new moves and turns. The backend is also built out a lot more. In addition to the usual games with friends and random players, there's a whole matchmaking league system, so the best players have a huge, well-run ladder to climb. There are three different races (one is free, and the others you'll need to buy), each with its own units and resources to deal with. In short, the game is gorgeous, perfectly designed and offers much turn-based action for players (like me, ahem) who really enjoy moving units around a board like this. Outwitters is a free, universal download, and everything in the in-game store is on sale right now for a limited time.Daily iPhone App: Outwitters is the new app from Tilt to Live creators originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 05 Jul 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..
Saturday, 23 June 2012
Pbs Show Reading Rainbow-Levar Burton-App Store
A generation of children grew up learning to love reading by watching LeVar Burton's PBS show Reading Rainbow. The show was cancelled in 2009 after a 26-year run, but has been resurrected as a new iPad app.
Engadget attended the public launch of the app, and has video of Burton's emotional introduction of the app, as well as some hands-on reviews.
Burton told us that he was genuinely surprised with the public outcry that followed the show's cancellation. Kids have grown up with it for more than a quarter-century, and as such, there are some fairly strong emotional bonds at play here. According to Burton, maintaining the elements that made the show so magical was the most difficult aspect of the 18 months the team invested in the creation of the app. And, naturally, one reporter in attendance wanted to know what happened to the book report feature that played heavily in the TV show. Burton assured him that it's coming.
The app's interface is built around a series of floating islands, each based on a different genre. At present, the islands include "My Friends and Family," "Animal Kingdom," "Genius Academy" (science and math) and "Action Adventures & Magic Tales." More subject islands will be added as the app continues to be built out. Burton told us that the team was looking to move away from the more traditional e-book shelf format, into something that made reading "more of an adventure," much like the original program.
New books are available via a subscription service for $9.99/month, or $29.99 for a six-month subscription. Reading Rainbow's page on the App Store has additional details for exactly how the subscription system works.
Reading Rainbow is available free for the iPad on the App Store. [Direct Link] read more..
Tuesday, 19 June 2012
Apple Store-App Store-Ios
Apple today rolled out an update for its Apple Store [App Store] app for iOS devices, adding two new features to enhance the functionality of the app.
The first feature is support for Express Checkout, which has been available through the regular online store but is now available through the app as well. With Express Checkout, a user placing an online order can bypass the shopping cart system and simply click the "Buy Now" button and enter his or her password to complete the order. The order will automatically use the default billing and shipping information associated with the account. A preference allows users to specify whether Express Checkout should default to shipping purchases, picking up purchases, or asking each time.
The second new feature, which is only compatible with the iPhone 4S, allows users to alert Specialists at their local retail stores that they are arriving to pick up an order. Typically, users have had to find a Specialist upon arrival and wait for their orders to be collected, but with the new advance check-in system their orders can be ready the moment they walk in the door. read more..
Tuesday, 22 May 2012
Web Apps-Ios
It's been almost four years since Apple debuted its App Store platform for iOS (and then the Mac), and MacStories has an in-depth look back at that time. In just four short years, Apple has gone from saying that all we'd need on iOS are web apps, to a millions of dollars a year industry that supports almost half a million jobs. Needless to say, that's phenomenal growth. But what's most interesting about the growth of the App Store is how the apps themselves have changed. MacStories writes about that initial push -- in those early days, the quality of the software was very low, and there were a lot of "speculators," for lack of a better term: Developers who just released quick and dirty apps (honestly, fart apps is what most of them were) to try and make a little bit of money. App branding, too, has come a long way. In the early days it was all about search and gaming the system, and these days, there are more ways to find good apps than ever. At the same time, it's also harder for developers to make their mark in an increasingly crowded market. Apple's own success may be its biggest problem. The App Store has grown in a huge way over the past four years, and that may make it harder for both developers and Apple to figure out how to best run it going forward.MacStories looks at four years of the App Store originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 18 May 2012 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..
Sunday, 20 May 2012
Unofficial Apple Weblog-Password Gate-Kickstarter-App Store
Republique is an upcoming iOS title that's made a lot of noise by getting funded on Kickstarter recently, to the tune of half a million dollars, but I've had one nagging question about it: How exactly are they going to distribute the app to all of their backers? The most obvious solution would be to put a password gate inside of an app, but Apple doesn't allow that. If you have to lock content in your app, then you're clearly selling it outside of the App Store, which means you're dodging Apple's 30% cut. So what's their plan? Republique hasn't yet said, only that it's still being decided. Fortunately, however, here's the answer. The folks behind Zombies, Run! say that all they had to do to distribute an app for Kickstarter backers was ... ask. Apple agreed to let them have two versions of the app on the store -- one just for sale, and another that was free with a password gate in it. There were two limits, however: There had to be at least some content in the password-closed app, so people who just randomly came across it weren't confused. And Apple made the app developers take down any preorders once the app went live, so that Apple didn't lose any sales of its own. Good to hear that distribution this way is possible -- there are a few other Kickstarter projects that will need to make use of a plan like this when they are released. The key, according to Six to Start, is to get in touch with Apple early, and keep that communication flowing.How to distribute Kickstarter apps: Ask Apple originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 16 May 2012 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..
Sunday, 13 May 2012
Text Editor Bbedit-Official Site-Mac App Store-Bug Problems
The latest version of the acclaimed text editor BBEdit is out and available now, and as you can see on the official site, it features a whole host of fixes and updates to existing features. A number of crashing and bug problems have been solved, so the whole app should run smoother than ever before. BBEdit is a terrific editor whether you're putting together HTML and CSS, code in various languages, or just typing up to-do lists and quick blog posts. It's available in an individual license for $49.99, or you can get it in the Mac App Store for the same price.BBEdit 10.1.2 now available originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 10 May 2012 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..
Saturday, 12 May 2012
Highlight-App Store-Circle
The people behind college flirting network Likealittle have launched a new app in the App Store, Circle, an app that attempts to be more granular and thoughtful about the burgeoning ambient location space, which includes startups like Highlight, Banjo, Meetup and recent Facebook acquisition Glancee. While Likealittle will continue to run its course, the company will be shifting most of its focus to Circle.Before Highlight launched at SXSW, I wrote that it needed to allow you to drill down into who could see you on the app, who could message you, and who you could see -- Because some people were cool with people being alerted to their whereabouts, but wanted control levels, like being able to limit the functionality to only their friends. While Highlight has yet to add these granular settings,Circle operates exactly on this premise, allowing you to see the people around you if you and they are part of limited shared networks. read more..
Saturday, 28 April 2012
Innovative Company-Bluetooth Headset-App Store-Blogger-Iphone
Apple has pulled an app that allows iPhone users to turn Bluetooth on and off with a single tap, and that's not sitting right with ZDNet blogger Jason O'Grady. According to O'Grady, that one app removal "demonstrates how (Apple) has become lethargic and how iOS innovation has slowed to a crawl." If a lethargic company can turn in a US$39.2 billion quarter, I'd love to see what an "innovative" company could do. So Jason, innovation in the iOS field has definitely slowed to a crawl?. Yeah, there are only 600,000 apps available in the App Store, so the removal of one app -- the $0.99 Bluetooth OnOff -- that used private APIs specifically forbidden by Apple is obvious proof that Apple has become lethargic and that there's no innovation. Was this post supposed to run on April 1st and got delayed to today by mistake? Sure, it takes five or more steps to turn off Bluetooth in iOS, and it's not a top level on-off button in Settings. While that is a pain, how often do you really need to turn off Bluetooth? According to O'Grady, "Bluetooth uses battery capacity so it's better to turn it off while not in use." What? I have Bluetooth turned on all the time on my iPhone 4S and I don't see it sucking my battery dry. Of course, I don't use a Bluetooth headset or speakers most of the time, but I get amazing battery life with Bluetooth constantly turned on for instant connections when I need them. I'd be willing to bet that most iPhone users couldn't even tell you if Bluetooth is on or off at any particular time. We all get frustrated with Apple at some point or another for some niggling point, but I'd have to conjecture that the overall level of frustration is pretty incredibly low for the company to continue to turn in quarter after quarter of outstanding financial results. This is one ZDNet post that needs to go back to the whine cellar to mature.No Comment: Apple pulls Bluetooth OnOff switch app from the App Store, blogger overreacts originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 27 Apr 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..
Thursday, 19 April 2012
Voice Recognition-Voice Answer-App Store-Iphone-Apple
Looks like Apple might be loosening its grip even more on voice recognition apps? Or, it simply just feels that the competition is not as good as its own native Siri. We've just gotten word from Netherlands-based developer Sparkling Apps that its voice-response app, Voice Answer -- rejected by Apple for nearly three months -- has been approved by Apple and is now live in the App Store, and usable on any iPhone, iPod or iPad running iOS 4.2 or later.It took "almost three months of negotiating, tweaking and pushing," developer Martijn van der Spek tells TechCrunch. Like Siri, the app is based on data from Wolfram Alpha, among other sources, and lets users ask questions by either speaking to the app or typing in a question. It's priced at £2.49 ($3.99). read more..
Monday, 16 April 2012
Criterion Games-Universal Games-Rockstar Games-Max Payne-App Store
Two high-profile games, one from Rockstar Games and one from Electronics Arts, hit the iOS App Store today. The most anticipated of the two is Max Payne. The third-person shooter was originally created by Remedy Entertainment for the PC, and Rockstar Games then ported it to the major gaming consoles. Now fans of the series can fire up the dark action game on their retina iPad and iPhone. The other major title is Burnout Crash from EA. This is another game in a long-standing series that was originally developed by Criterion Games. The car driving title lets you speed through cities while leaving a wake of destruction in your path. Max Payne Mobile is available for US$2.99, while Burnout Crash will set you back $4.99. Both titles are universal games that'll run on the iPhone and the iPad.Max Payne and Burnout Crash hit the iOS App Store originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..
Friday, 30 March 2012
Social Networking-Music Match-Nike
I've been a fan and user of social networking app Path (free) for some time, even after it it was disclosed that the company was uploading iPhone Contacts to their servers. The company has now released an update to the app, adding some features that might bring miffed former users back to the Path fold. Path 2.1, available today, has one new feature that may help you on the running path. Through Nike+ GPS Running Stories, runs can automatically be journaled by linking the Nike+ GPS app (US$1.99) to Path. Your friends on Path will be able to see a map of your run, perfect for creating enmity between you and those couch potatoes. Another great new feature appears when you tap the music icon to let your buddies know what you're listening to. Instead of typing in the name of a tune, you can just tap a microphone icon to let Path "listen to" the music and get the song title from Music Match. It's also helpful if you aren't sure what that catchy tune playing in Starbucks actually is... Path added a new in-app purchase for a "camera lens" that creates a comic book effect. Trust me -- most self-portraits are bad enough without needing to look like you're a comic book character. The company also added a way to adjust the focus and exposure points of the camera separately for more detailed images. Path 2.1 update adds Nike+, Music Match and a new filter originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..
Sunday, 25 March 2012
Older Software-Iphone 3Gs-Tuaw-Ios
Dear Aunt TUAW, I'm still running iOS4 on my 3GS and have a great app, which I told my teen to download. He dilly-dallied, of course, and meanwhile the app was updated to [be compatible only with] iOS 5. Can I sync my app from iTunes to his iPod 1 and iPad 1? Why is there still no way to buy & download old versions of apps from Apple!? Your loving niece, Em Dear Em, Auntie doesn't see that happening. The overhead costs on this -- not to mention the security and compatibility issues -- would be a nightmare. It's hard enough for developers to try to find their 85% sweet spot where they cover as much of the deployed ecosystem as reasonable. To ask them to support outdated distributions too, well, that's not going to happen. For the most part, people update their firmware pretty quickly after release. Older devices (the iPhone, the 3G, and in a few months likely the 3GS, as well as a number of iPods) fall off the support list for good reasons. A natural end-of-life is to be expected. And for that matter, why shouldn't your teen update to iOS 5? It's supported, you know. Apple is in the business of selling up-to-date devices. It assumes you'll take advantage of those for 18-24 months after purchase. As it is, the 3GS was released in June 2009. Assuming that iOS 6 is not supported on it (and Auntie think's that's a fair guess), it will have had three years of active deployed life. Admittedly, that's a bit of a blow to anyone who took takes advantage of AT&T's deal, last November that clearanced still active, selling those older phones out for $0 with a two-year contract commitment. Those users will still have about a year and a half to go on no-longer-supported devices, but you can easily assume that most software devs will continue to support iOS 5 to at least November of this year. [As pointed out in the comments below, AT&T is still selling the iPhone 3GS today. -Ed.] In the end, no, you cannot buy and download old app versions from Apple, but you can always upgrade software (to a point) and hardware to stay in the current loop. Hugs, Auntie T.Dear Aunt TUAW: Why can't I buy older software for my early iDevices? originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..
Monday, 19 March 2012
App Store-Skyfire-Hotswap-Ipad
Skyfire is among the most popular third-party browser apps in the App Store, bringing quite a few solid browsing features that mobile Safari doesn't have to the iPhone and the iPad. And here's yet another one: The latest update to Skyfire adds account switching capabilities, so multiple users on one device can have their bookmarks, history, account logins, and all other browser settings set for them when they first log in to the app. While we have seen information that many households run more than one iOS device, there are certainly plenty of houses out there where the family shares one iPad, and in those situations (as the company's trailer shows), account switching can be very helpful. Skyfire's feature is called HotSwap, and allows for up to four different accounts to be used on one device at one time. The app's probably most famous for allowing users to watch Flash-based videos on the iPad, by separately compressing and then streaming them straight to the device. You can pick up Skyfire on the App Store now for $2.99.Skyfire browser brings account switching to iPad with HotSwap originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 15 Mar 2012 16:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..
Sunday, 11 March 2012
Unofficial Apple Weblog-Carrier Options-Apple Updates-Apple Store-App Store
Apple has updated its official Apple Store app, now available for free on the App Store. The new update allows for options to manage your account and billing right on the phone. You can also browse through all of the various carriers available for Apple's iPhone. For those of you in the Netherlands, the app is available for you now, too. Apple has pushed up the requirements for the app, so you'll need iOS 4.3.3 or higher to run it. We're all at least up to 5.0 by now, right? You can find the update in Apple's official App Store app. So... you can update Apple's Apple Store app by using Apple's App Store app. Sheesh.Apple updates Apple Store app, adds account and carrier options originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 23:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..
Friday, 9 March 2012
App Store-Ipad
I'm always on the lookout for free apps from the App Store, and I've found an interesting shopping app that's worth a look. The app is called ShopAdvisor (iPad edition) and it's the kind of app that would get a lot of use in this household. Think of a product you're considering purchasing. Enter it into ShopAdvisor and it finds the lowest price, both online and in local retail stores. You can opt to receive an alert if the price drops. It can also provide pros and cons of a pending purchase. ShopAdvisor displays the most popular item in several categories. In electronics, by the way, the iPad is running away with the top votes. I tried the app on common items and more esoteric purchases. Often local prices didn't show up, which wasn't a big surprise. There is also a price history graph which gives you the ability to make a more informed decision. Sometimes the info is a little strange. I looked at a Fuji 3D camera and it told me the low price was US$499, but the graph showed it selling for under $400. In fact, a Google search found it selling online for $299.00. That's a bit perplexing. In general, the app worked as expected and was quite speedy. You can add items you are following to the home page, which is convenient. Much of the information it uses is sourced from ProductWiki. I didn't detect any biases in the pricing information. Amazon prices were well represented, and they are often among the lowest. If you're a regular shopper, and most of us are, this app could save you some money, but my tests show it should not be your sole source of pricing information. The app is a 3.7 MB download and requires iOS 4.3 or greater. The developer also offers an iPhone version of the app, but I like the increased real estate on the iPad screen. Gallery: ShopAdvisor iPad editionDaily iPad App: ShopAdvisor originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 08 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments read more..
Monday, 5 March 2012
Major League Baseball-Imac Models-App Store-Ios
A new version of Major League Baseball's iOS app hits the App Store on Wednesday. And this season, one app will run in optimized form on your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad. MLB.com is also introducing a monthly subscription on top of the annual fee to experience the app's full features. read more..
Apple Releases iMac Graphic FW Update 3.0 [Mac Blog]
Apple today released iMac Graphic FW Update 3.0, addressing an issue that could cause hanging and freezing on iMac models.About iMac Graphic FW Update 3.0This firmware update fixes a graphics issue that may cause an iMac to hang under certain conditions.The download weighs in at 481 KB and requires OS X Lion. Apple does not specify on the download page which iMac models require the update, so iMac users may want to run Software Update to see if it is offered for their specific machines. read more..
Friday, 2 March 2012
Reading List-Readability-App Store
Readability is now in the iOS App Store, ready to change how you read the web. We were able to get a preview copy and have been playing with app for a few days. It's a universal app that lets you browse articles without the clutter of ads, superfluous links and redundant images. For those who use Readability in a third-party client like Tweetbot, you'll immediately feel at home when you first open the app. The idea behind Readability is similar to Instapaper and Read It Later, you browse the web on your desktop or mobile browser and send articles to Readability to read. When you launch the app, you'll need to enter your Readability login credentials or sign up for a new account. You'll need this account so you can access your reading list, which is shared across devices. Using Readability to read is a pleasant experience for those who like to get to the meat of an article - the words. The app does an excellent job of taking the core parts of a post and presenting it in a pleasing way. If you don't like the way Readbility displays the text, you can change it by adjusting the font size and column width. There's even a toggle to change the color theme for night and day reading. It's easy to add items to Readability and then read them on your iOS device. You can add articles using a desktop browser, from desktop apps like Reeder, and from mobile apps like Tweetlogix and Pulse. If you're using mobile Safari you can easily copy the URL of a web page and Readability will ask you to add it to your reading list when you open the app. Overall, I enjoyed using Readability. I love the clean interface and how it formats an article so you can jump right in and start reading. The ability to sync articles between devices is also a major benefit. I spend a lot of time on my computer during the day and read on the iPad at night. Readability works perfectly for my reading habits. Though I like Readability, the biggest question is whether I will keep using it. There are so many options for consuming media on the iPad and other well-established systems like Read It Later, why would you switch to Readability? We were able to talk to Rich Ziade, founding partner of the New York-based design and technology firm Arc90 and one the many talented people behind Readability. We asked him that exact question. Read on to find out what he has to say about the new iOS app and the company's plan for the future. Question: Most people think of readability and remember last year when your app was rejected by Apple and you wrote Apple an open letter. What happened between then and now to bring you back? Answer: In a word - a lot! We'd always wanted to get onto the iPhone and iPad with native apps. It's something we'd been working towards for a while. What complicated things was that we were evolving as a service rapidly over that time. It was pretty tricky to get the apps done and lined up with where the service was going. In any case, we're finally here and we're really excited to finally release them. Question: Why would people chose to use Readability over a competitor like Instapaper or Read It Now, which are similar services? Answer: We're pretty convinced that the notion of providing comfort and flexibility has barely been touched today. While we're incredibly proud of the app, we're most proud of the development community and apps built atop the platform (they're listed here). The idea of building a community around a platform is what drives us. From a reader perspective, this allows us to embed your reading list in a lot of different places, devices and platforms. As far as the app itself, our goal was to keep it dead simple and elegant. We're pretty convinced the great majority of people don't know about this way to read the web. We want to make it as simple as possible for them. Question: Can you comment on how users access your service? Is it mostly web-based, mobile, or through a third-party app? Answer: Today most peopl read more..
Tuesday, 28 February 2012
Mobile World Congress-Social Network-App Store-Facebook
You might not think Facebook would be making waves at Mobile World Congress, but you’d be wrong. Today the social network announced its new mobile billing service – signaling it very much intends to compete with mobile app stores, namely iOS and Android marketplaces. read more..