The Apple Thread
was 23rd oct event thread
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Any recommended cases / accessories?
KovacsC wrote:
Any recommended cases / accessories?

Although you get super duper warranties at John Lewis.

I've got the official Apple Smart Case for my mini. It's very swish, but a bit spendy at £40.
British Nervoso wrote:
KovacsC wrote:
Any recommended cases / accessories?

Although you get super duper warranties at John Lewis.

I've got the official Apple Smart Case for my mini. It's very swish, but a bit spendy at £40.


Also if your on O2 (or know someone with O2) they have an offer in their 'priority app' to give you £25 off a £250 spend at Currys valid on anything.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-25748292

Quote:
Apple to refund $32.5m to parents whose kids made in-app purchases

Apple will refund customers at least $32.5m (£19.9m) after a settlement with the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

The refund agreement settles long-standing complaints over in-app purchases made by children without their parents' consent.

Apple will also be required to change its billing procedures to make sure customers have given consent before they are charged for in-app purchases.

The company said it had settled rather than take on a "long legal fight".

"This settlement is a victory for consumers harmed by Apple's unfair billing, and a signal to the business community: whether you're doing business in the mobile arena or the mall down the street, fundamental consumer protections apply," said FTC Chairwoman Edith Ramirez in a statement.

"You cannot charge consumers for purchases they did not authorize."
'Tens of thousands'

The FTC's complaint alleged that Apple failed to inform parents that by entering a password they were approving a single in-app purchase and also 15 minutes of additional unlimited purchases their children could make without further consent.

It also said that Apple often presented a password prompt screen for parents to enter their details without explaining that this would finalise any purchase made in the app.

The FTC also noted that Apple received at "least tens of thousands of complaints" about unauthorised in-app purchases by children.

One woman said her daughter had spent $2600 in one app.

This refund settlement only covers customers who have made purchases through Apple's US app store but the BBC's technology editor Rory Cellan-Jones says Apple has previously almost always refunded parents in the UK who have complained about big bills from their children's in-app purchases.

The changes to Apple's billing process, which means express consent must be obtained before in-app charges are made, must be in place by 31 March, said the FTC.

In an internal email obtained by the website 9to5Mac, chief executive Tim Cook told Apple employees that the FTC's proposals were in line with the company's own intentions.

"The consent decree the FTC proposed does not require us to do anything we weren't already going to do, so we decided to accept it rather that take on a long and distracting legal fight," he said.
Promise

He also explained that Apple began setting out a process to refund customers last year.

"We wanted to reach every customer who might have been affected, so we sent emails to 28 million App Store customers - anyone who had made an in-app purchase in a game designed for kids.

"When some emails bounced, we mailed the parents postcards.

"In all, we received 37,000 claims and we will be reimbursing each one as promised."

Apple's App Store offers many games for children, a large number of which allow in-app purchases to be made. These purchases can include virtual items or currency, and typically allow faster progression in the game.

In-app purchases can range in cost - from 99 cents to just under $100.
Jesus, that's stupid.

"Apple to refund parents who didn't feel like parenting that day"
I didn't realise they had that fifteen minute period thing, that does seem like it was a bad idea. Relatedly, is the entry of a password to buy stuff mandatory on iOS? I think it's still only voluntary on Android.
Bamba wrote:
I didn't realise they had that fifteen minute period thing, that does seem like it was a bad idea. Relatedly, is the entry of a password to buy stuff mandatory on iOS? I think it's still only voluntary on Android.

You can easily set it up so it always asks for a password.

Mind you, you can do that on iOS, too.

http://www.phonearena.com/news/Got-kids ... ne_id38567
Bamba wrote:
I didn't realise they had that fifteen minute period thing, that does seem like it was a bad idea. Relatedly, is the entry of a password to buy stuff mandatory on iOS? I think it's still only voluntary on Android.


Its mandatory - but I'm sure you can cache it somewhere - it also still asks for a password even if the item being purchased is 'free'
Bamba wrote:
I didn't realise they had that fifteen minute period thing, that does seem like it was a bad idea. Relatedly, is the entry of a password to buy stuff mandatory on iOS? I think it's still only voluntary on Android.


Completely depends on your settings. It will always ask for a password by default but there are settings around turning off in-app purchases and the like, possibly even turning off the 15 minute thing.

But it's buried because, you know, money from kids who don't have parents who know exactly how it works.

This is a good faith type move from Apple, and will probably just take the form of removing the 15 minute allowance by default, but the giving back of the money will also hit those developers, as they will be clawing back their commission no doubt.
Mr Russell wrote:
Completely depends on your settings. It will always ask for a password by default but there are settings around turning off in-app purchases and the like, possibly even turning off the 15 minute thing.


So if you do a vanilla install of iOS it'll prompt for a password before it'll let you buy stuff?

Mr Russell wrote:
but the giving back of the money will also hit those developers, as they will be clawing back their commission no doubt.


I'm not so sure about that, this is a decision Apple have made to give some people some money and I can't see how that gives them the right to take money back from a third party. Even if it did, the logistics of it would be a nightmare as even if they're legally allowed to claw money back from developers account what if there's not enough cash in the account to do that? They're then into the realms of contacting each developer individually to arrange payments and all that jazz which just seems like a massive headache.
Grim... wrote:
You can easily set it up so it always asks for a password.


Yeah, sorry, that's what I meant and just phrased it incredibly badly i.e. there's an option you can select which will mean all subsequent purchases require a password to authorise them but you can disable that option so that all purchases go straight through.

ETA: To my mind they should just enforce it across the board and never have had it as an option. People would grumble but it's hardly a deal-breaker and protects idiots from themselves.
Bamba wrote:
Mr Russell wrote:
Completely depends on your settings. It will always ask for a password by default but there are settings around turning off in-app purchases and the like, possibly even turning off the 15 minute thing.


So if you do a vanilla install of iOS it'll prompt for a password before it'll let you buy stuff?

Yes, but anything purchased within the next 15 mins afterwards will not need a password, by default.

This is probably a fair enough move. Plus I don't have much sympathy for commission-clawback for the majority of freemium game developers, it must be said.
I bought a few cheap cables to charge my iPad. they come up with not charging. Do I really have to buy official cables?

I bought an unofficial adapter from 30pin to lightening, and that works, just looks inelegant!!
KovacsC wrote:
I bought a few cheap cables to charge my iPad. they come up with not charging. Do I really have to buy official cables?

I bought an unofficial adapter from 30pin to lightening, and that works, just looks inelegant!!


I've bought a couple of batches of cheapo cables - some work fine, others only worked with an iPhone 5 but not 5S,
KovacsC wrote:
I bought a few cheap cables to charge my iPad. they come up with not charging. Do I really have to buy official cables?

Are you plugging them into a PC? If so, they don't have enough current running through the cables to charge iPads when the screen is on.

If they're plugged into a wall adapter, something's not right.
The PC, I will try them at home.
They will actually charge once the screen goes off, albeit slowly. With the screen on the iPad uses more juice than USB can provide.

It's a bit Schrödinger's cat charging an iPad over USB.
It'll likely say not charging when it is, too.
I can concur. It took 2 days to fully charge the office ipad over a lightning usb cable. Someone (my manager) decided he needed the wall charger more. Eejit
Can any one recommend a travel kit for charging iphone/ipads. I might be going between UK , Germany and Brazil this year..

I have seen official apple ones and they are spendy.
Just get a travel adaptor?
The Apple charger it came with will work with any figure of 8 cable too, regardless of where in the world you are (though obviously you'd need a compatible figure of 8 cable for each place).
Zio wrote:
The Apple charger it came with will work with any figure of 8 cable too, regardless of where in the world you are (though obviously you'd need a compatible figure of 8 cable for each place).


That is clever..
Cras wrote:
Just get a travel adaptor?


:this:

1 travel adaptor and one of these to plug into it.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Masterplug-Indo ... 3+way+plug
Anyone trying to charge an iPad through USB pretty much deserves the results they get!
British Nervoso wrote:
Anyone trying to charge an iPad through USB pretty much deserves the results they get!


It does happen. Eventually.
KovacsC wrote:
I bought a few cheap cables to charge my iPad. they come up with not charging. Do I really have to buy official cables?

Everyone else's advice re: charging voltage and the "not charging" message is correct but probably not why you're seeing what you're seeing. iOS 7 introduced stricter handshaking with the cable's ID chip that means most third-party knockoff cables don't work any more. Officially licenced third party cables (eg the Amazon basics ones) still work however.
Doctor Glyndwr wrote:
KovacsC wrote:
I bought a few cheap cables to charge my iPad. they come up with not charging. Do I really have to buy official cables?

Everyone else's advice re: charging voltage and the "not charging" message is correct but probably not why you're seeing what you're seeing. iOS 7 introduced stricter handshaking with the cable's ID chip that means most third-party knockoff cables don't work any more. Officially licenced third party cables (eg the Amazon basics ones) still work however.


That explains a lot!

I bought cables in 2 batches, and some now don't seem to work like they used to. I assumed they'd got damaged. But I didn't think I'd been that rough with so many cables...

It would be nice if it popped up on the screen that the cable wasn't licenced.

Malc
Doctor Glyndwr wrote:
KovacsC wrote:
I bought a few cheap cables to charge my iPad. they come up with not charging. Do I really have to buy official cables?

Everyone else's advice re: charging voltage and the "not charging" message is correct but probably not why you're seeing what you're seeing. iOS 7 introduced stricter handshaking with the cable's ID chip that means most third-party knockoff cables don't work any more. Officially licenced third party cables (eg the Amazon basics ones) still work however.

Wow, what a cunt's trick.
I would also suggest waiting to see if they actually *do* charge.

I have an official apple cable which when i connect to my ipad it actually comes up on the mac to say its not going to charge it (its going via a usb hub) - however despite the warning it does still charge

Also on my old PC the USB ports didnt have enough juice so the ipad displayed 'not charging' next to the power bar however again it did charge.

So even if something is complaining about it - check to see if it does actually work before getting any others.
markg wrote:
Doctor Glyndwr wrote:
KovacsC wrote:
I bought a few cheap cables to charge my iPad. they come up with not charging. Do I really have to buy official cables?

Everyone else's advice re: charging voltage and the "not charging" message is correct but probably not why you're seeing what you're seeing. iOS 7 introduced stricter handshaking with the cable's ID chip that means most third-party knockoff cables don't work any more. Officially licenced third party cables (eg the Amazon basics ones) still work however.

Wow, what a cunt's trick.

What, stopping cheap and nasty knockoffs that could potentially be unsafe? It's not like they're forcing you to buy their own - as the Doc says, you are still free to buy third-party cables as long as they have been licensed correctly.
Is there an easy way of telling if the cable you are buying is licensed by Apple?

Malc
British Nervoso wrote:
What, stopping cheap and nasty knockoffs that could potentially be unsafe? It's not like they're forcing you to buy their own - as the Doc says, you are still free to buy third-party cables as long as they have been licensed correctly.

You can still plug your official cable into a cheap and nasty and unsafe USB charger though. Which is where the danger is anyway.
Doctor Glyndwr wrote:
British Nervoso wrote:
What, stopping cheap and nasty knockoffs that could potentially be unsafe? It's not like they're forcing you to buy their own - as the Doc says, you are still free to buy third-party cables as long as they have been licensed correctly.

You can still plug your official cable into a cheap and nasty and unsafe USB charger though. Which is where the danger is anyway.

Yes, I suppose you can. Hmmm.
Also, it's a fucking cable (yes, I know there's some complexity going on but the fact that people can make functioning copies for pence means that it's not that special). So there's no reason other than cuntery why they can't be cheap and not nasty.
stick more than an amp through an inadequate ('normal usb') cable and you have a fire. Probably while you're asleep. There's a reason charging cables are thicker.

The new kindle fast charger cable is super-thick because it delivers 2 amps.

(also apple like licencing revenue)
BikNorton wrote:
The new kindle fast charger cable is super-thick because it delivers 2 amps.
If it's any thicker than the ipad cable you're just paying for bulky sleeving & fancy marketing (unless it's a longer cable mind).
BikNorton wrote:
The new kindle fast charger cable is super-thick because it delivers 2 amps.


The stock charger for my Nexus 10 is 2 amp but the cable that comes with it isn't any thicker than any other USB cable I've got.
BikNorton wrote:
stick more than an amp through an inadequate ('normal usb') cable and you have a fire. Probably while you're asleep. There's a reason charging cables are thicker.

A 0.75 mm^2 cable (really thin) can carry five amps safely across a 2 m cable length. That's for 12 V; 5 V USB will be able to get away with less.
since upgrading to yosemite, os x keeps asking me to install Java runtime.. i did, both 7.0 and 8.0, but it keeps nagging me. any idea?
romanista wrote:
since upgrading to yosemite, os x keeps asking me to install Java runtime.. i did, both 7.0 and 8.0, but it keeps nagging me. any idea?

Uninstall Java.
Install Windows or Linux.
romanista wrote:
since upgrading to yosemite, os x keeps asking me to install Java runtime.. i did, both 7.0 and 8.0, but it keeps nagging me. any idea?

It needs a Java runtime to run certain older software. I've not come across one that can't be fixed by just clicking OK when it asks. Are you using legacy software?
Cookie197 wrote:
Install Windows or Linux.

Hmmm, a choice of viruses and malware or poor consumer support? No ta.
Try downloading and installing this: http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1572
American Nervoso wrote:
Cookie197 wrote:
Install Windows or Linux.

Hmmm, a choice of viruses and malware or poor consumer support? No ta.


The malware and viruses thing doesn't really count anymore - there's plenty of viruses for OS X due to its popularity now.
Cookie197 wrote:
American Nervoso wrote:
Cookie197 wrote:
Install Windows or Linux.

Hmmm, a choice of viruses and malware or poor consumer support? No ta.


The malware and viruses thing doesn't really count anymore - there's plenty of viruses for OS X due to its popularity now.

Name three that have caused any significant issues in the last 6 months.
American Nervoso wrote:
Cookie197 wrote:
American Nervoso wrote:
Cookie197 wrote:
Install Windows or Linux.

Hmmm, a choice of viruses and malware or poor consumer support? No ta.

The malware and viruses thing doesn't really count anymore - there's plenty of viruses for OS X due to its popularity now.

Name three that have caused any significant issues in the last 6 months.

Pfft, I don't even know anything on windows. :-P I just know that it's no where near as rare for a Mac to get a virus as it used to be.

[edit] I can't name 3, but going back to the top of the page, wasn't there a problem with Java earlier in the year?
Cookie197 wrote:
American Nervoso wrote:
Cookie197 wrote:
American Nervoso wrote:
Cookie197 wrote:
Install Windows or Linux.

Hmmm, a choice of viruses and malware or poor consumer support? No ta.


The malware and viruses thing doesn't really count anymore - there's plenty of viruses for OS X due to its popularity now.

Name three that have caused any significant issues in the last 6 months.



Pfft, I don't even know anything on windows. :-P I just know that it's no where near as rare for a Mac to get a virus as it used to be.

You just know? Can't argue with that, I guess.
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