Trend Micro today announced that its annual Pwn2Own hacking competition will be held March 18-20 in Vancouver, Canada.
Pwn2Own, part of the CanSecWest conference, tasks security researchers with uncovering vulnerabilities in operating systems, web browsers, and more, ranging from macOS and Windows to Safari and Chrome.
This year, two prizes will be available for Safari on macOS, including $60,000 for a sandbox escape and $70,000 for a kernel-level escalation of privileges.
There is also up to a $500,000 prize for Tesla Model 3 vulnerabilities.
If you recently got a new iPhone over the holidays, you might still be looking for a protective case for your new smartphone. Luckily, Amazon this week has a series of solid discounts on Apple's first-party case line for the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max.
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This includes silicone cases, leather cases, and Apple's Smart Battery Case accessory, which is seeing a very slight discount for the Pink Sand version of the iPhone 11 Pro Max model. Older Smart Battery Cases have deeper discounts, and we've listed those for the iPhone XS and iPhone XR down below as well.
The best sale can be found on the silicone cases for the iPhone 11 Pro Max, in both White and Black. These colors are just $23.99, down from $39.00, which matches the previous Amazon low price seen on each accessory. You can browse the full sale below:
Some travelers on the New York City subway who have enabled Apple's Express Transit feature on their iPhones are reportedly being hit with unintentional MTA charges when they walk near the tap-and-go fare readers.
But according to the New York Post, the OMNY tap-and-go fare readers that the MTA installed have been taking charges from some commuters when they used contactless cards and their iPhones were pocketed or in a purse.
Megan Bagg, 29, of SoHo, told The Post she has been charged twice — despite having her phone in her bag.
"It was ridiculous. My phone was in my purse near my hip," she said.
Bagg said she at first blamed the charge on her contactless credit card — and even called the bank to complain — until the second charge occurred when it wasn't on her person.
"I've been keeping my purse far from the thing when I go through the turnstile," she said.
Another subway user told The Post that he had had a similar experience swiping in with his MetroCard at Grand Central Terminal when his iPhone was in his pocket, and only noticed the doubled-up charge when later reviewing their bank statement.
MTA confirmed to the paper that "about 30 customers" had complained about unintended charges when the Express Transit feature of their iPhones is activated. The authority said it is working with Apple on a solution to address "the issue of unintended taps."
Apple says it has not had the issue in other cities where the Express Transit feature is available, so the problem seems to be down to the hypersensitivity of the NYC subway's tap-and-go readers. If you're a NYC subway user and you're concerned about being hit by bogus charges on your iPhone when paying with a card, you can turn off Express Transit until the issue with the terminals is fixed.
Amazon and Walmart today are discounting Apple's 2019 32GB iPod touch to $179.00, down from $199.00. This $20 discount is the lowest price we've tracked for the new 32GB iPod touch, and as of writing Amazon and Walmart are the only major Apple resellers online to offer a discount on this model.
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Every color is available on sale except Pink. The new iPod touch has a 4-inch Retina display with the A10 Fusion chip, FaceTime, and support for playing games from the App Store and listening to Apple Music or music downloaded from iTunes.
If you're looking for a higher storage capacity, the 256GB model also has a slight discount on Amazon. You can get this model for $379.99, down from $399.99 in select colors, another $20 discount on Apple's original price.
Our full Deals Roundup has more information on the latest Apple-related sales and bargains.
Apple CEO Tim Cook is set to receive an award from the Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar this month, reports Bloomberg.
Cook is scheduled to meet with the Irish Taoiseach in Dublin on January 20 to receive the award, "in recognition of the iPhone maker’s 40 years of investment in Ireland," according to IDA Ireland, the country's investment agency.
Apple's business relationship with Ireland has faced significant opprobrium in recent years. In 2016, the European Commission found that the company received illegal state aid from Ireland.
Apple and Ireland both appealed the ruling, but the European Commission opened litigation against Ireland in October 2017 for its failure to procure Apple's back taxes.
Apple has already finished paying the $13 billion in back taxes it owes. If the order is eventually overturned, the money will be returned to Apple.
In 2018, Apple abandoned plans to build a $1 billion data center in Ireland after facing significant pushback from local residents concerned about its potential effects on local animals as well as arguments over its proximity to a shut-down nuclear power plant in Wales.
Apple's European headquarters are located in Cork, and last year it expanded the campus with a new building that provides space for an additional 1,400 employees.
Apple's European Job Creation page reveals that it now supports 1.7 million jobs across Europe, including around 1.5 million jobs attributable to the App Store ecosystem, some 17,000 of which are based in Ireland.
Apple's website notes that it "has been based in Cork for over 35 years and now directly employs 6,000 people throughout Ireland supporting all aspects of the business." The company also says its Irish team has "doubled in size over the last five years and includes over 80 different nationalities."
Apple saw a significant jump in smartphone shipments in China last month thanks in part to the popularity of the iPhone 11, according to Bloomberg.
The iPhone maker’s shipments in China grew 18.7% year on year in December to roughly 3.18 million units, according to Bloomberg calculations based on government data on overall and Android device shipments. The increase marked an acceleration from the prior months, which were buoyed by the iPhone 11’s release in September. The numbers come from the China Academy of Information and Communication Technology, a government think tank.
Apple's iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro brought significant improvements in battery life and camera quality over previous models, and have been well received by consumers and critics in China.
Apple's business last year in the country was strengthened in other ways, too. The company benefited from a sales tax cut that allowed it to decrease the price of its products, while investors took comfort in what Apple CEO Tim Cook called a "much better tone" in the China-U.S. trade relationship.
Looking ahead, the double-digit growth in shipments bodes well for Apple in the buildup to the Chinese New Year, which falls in late January this year.
However, the company still has some work to do if it is to put a significant dent in the market share of local vendors led by Huawei, which gained a dominant position domestically last year, despite its struggles abroad.
During the January 2019 CES event, TiVo demoed a TiVo app to the Apple TV, but a year later, the project is "in limbo" and an Apple TV app is no longer being actively developed.
In an interview with TechHive at CES 2020, TiVo vice president of consumer products and services Ted Malone said that while Apple TV app plans haven't been canceled, it's not TiVo's focus at this time.
"My bet is we'll get Android, and because of that we'll get the Fire TV, because it's the same app, just different qualifications," Malone said. "I think Roku and Apple are in limbo."
TiVo had initially planned to release new apps for Roku, Apple TV, Fire TV, and Android TV at some point in 2019, allowing TiVo users to access TiVo DVRs on other TVs throughout the home without the need to purchase TiVo Mini boxes, but limited resources, technical challenges, and strategy changes have delayed those plans.
According to Malone, TiVo has to transcode video before sending it to other devices, which results in quality and performance issues that TiVo has not been able to resolve. The company has also been working on the TiVo Stream 4K and the TiVo+ streaming service, and an Apple TV app is not a priority.
Malone said that TiVo needs to "double down" on the streaming market and not get distracted by a "bunch of things people want, but aren't really going to move the needle."
Apple TV+ series "Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet" is set to launch on February 7, and star and creator Rob McElhenney has shared some insights into working with Apple ahead of the show's debut.
In an interview with Variety, McElhenney said that Apple was "really helpful" in the creative process. He said that Apple would push back on aspects of the show that it felt strongly about, but ultimately deferred to McElhenney and his team.
Pushback, he said, is an essential part of the creative process as working with no challenges is "never a good thing."
"Deference would assume we always know what we're doing and when we walk into the room everyone should just be quiet," he says. "That is dangerous because then you have no opposition, and it doesn't make for the best process."
Prior to the launch of Apple TV+, there were rumors that Apple was not allowing more mature content and attempting to keep the service family friendly, but that has turned out to be inaccurate. Multiple Apple TV+ shows feature violence, adult themes, and adult language, much like other streaming services on the market, though there are some shows tailored specifically towards children such as "Helpsters" and "Ghostwriter."
Prior information has suggested that Apple has been rather involved in some of the TV shows on Apple TV+, and there were reports that Apple CEO Tim Cook and other executives were "intrusive," making Apple "difficult" to deal with, but McElhenney doesn't appear to have felt Apple's involvement was over the top.
On the topic of Apple TV+ reviews, McElhenney said that Apple is "working out some kinks," and that getting episodes to critics was "a little tricky" but that has now "been ameliorated." McElhenney also said that Apple has been helpful addressing any issues that have popped up. "Any time we've called and said we have an issue, it's all hands on deck and they fix the issue and we move forward," he said.
Matt Cherniss, Apple's head of development, told Variety that he feels like Apple's promotional campaigns have been "really strong" and that everyone he's spoken to has been "really happy with the launches of their shows."
Cherniss also called McElhenney is an "incredible creator." He said that "Mythic Quest" is a great combination of humor, characters, and social commentary, which is why Apple chose to support it.
"Rob is an incredible creator" says Matt Cherniss, Apple's head of development. "It's really rare to find someone who can be a showrunner, a head writer and the star of the show. He is that unique kind of talent." As for "Mythic Quest," he adds: "It was really a combination of humor, smart social commentary, great characters and some surprising heart. That made us feel like it was a great show to have on our service."
"Mythic Quest" was written by McElhenney and his "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" co-star Charlie Day, though Day does not star in the series.
According to McElhenney, "Mythic Quest" will set itself apart from "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" through the characters. On "Sunny," the characters are awful people no one is meant to relate to, but in "Mythic Quest," the audience is intended to be invested in the journeys of the main characters.
"Mythic Quest" will focus on a game studio that runs a popular World of Warcraft-style game. McElhenney will play Ian Grimm, the game's creative director, and other stars will include F. Murray Abraham, Danny Pudi, Imani Hakim, Charlotte Nicdao, David Hornsby, Ashly Burch, and Jessie Ennis.
For those interested in additional detail on "Mythic Quest: Raven's Banquet," Variety's full interview with Rob McElhenney is worth reading.
Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser Apple first introduced three years ago in March 2016. Apple designed the Safari Technology Preview to test features that may be introduced into future release versions of Safari.
Safari Technology Preview release 98 includes bug fixes and performance improvements for Web Inspector, Web Animations, Media, Rendering, Web API, CSS, JavaScript, WebRTC, Clipboard API, Browser Changes, and WebAssembly.
The new Safari Technology Preview update is available for both macOS Mojave and MacOS Catalina, the newest version of the Mac operating system that was released in October.
Apple's aim with Safari Technology Preview is to gather feedback from developers and users on its browser development process. Safari Technology Preview can run side-by-side with the existing Safari browser and while designed for developers, it does not require a developer account to download.
Speaker company JBL this week announced the upcoming launch of the JBL Bar 9.1, a new soundbar that offers AirPlay 2 and a unique detachable speaker setup.
The JBL Bar 9.1 offers wireless surround sound thanks to the included soundbar base and two detachable battery powered rear speakers that can be removed and placed anywhere in a room for optimal sound.
There's a base soundbar with four upward-facing Dolby Atmos drivers that are designed to bounce audio around the room from all angles, a 10-inch wireless subwoofer for "pulse-pounding" bass, and the two detachable speakers that are meant to shoot sound off of the ceiling and back down.
The speakers feature 10 hour battery life and can be returned to the soundbar for recharging purposes when the battery drains. 10 hours is enough to get through a night of entertainment, recharging the batteries during the day or overnight.
Along with Dolby Atmos, the Bar 9.1 supports Dolby Vision and it also has support for AirPlay 2, so it can interface with other AirPlay 2 devices and playing audio to the soundbar from a Mac, iPad, an iPhone takes just a tap or two. Bluetooth and Chromecast are also supported.
JBL plans to begin offering the JBL Bar 9.1 on the JBL website in the spring of 2020. It will be priced at $999.95.
At CES, Twitter's director of product management Suzanne Xie outlined some new features that are coming to the social network, and The Verge has shared details on what we can expect.
In the future, Twitter will add a "conversation participants" option on the screen where a tweet is composed. Twitter users will be able to choose between four options: Global, Group, Panel, and Statement.
The Global feature will let anyone reply, while Group will limit replies to people a Twitter user follows and mentions. Panel will allow people specifically mentioned in a tweet to reply, and Statement will presumably disable replies all together.
As The Verge points out, this will allow Twitter users to limit the spread of their tweets with a middle ground between public and private.
Twitter is also planning to add a specific conversation view that puts all of a conversation on a single screen, making it easy to sort through different tweets and their replies.
Other features in the works include list display customization, prompts for following topics, and options to make it easier to find lists.
There's no word on when these new features might come to Twitter, but the conversation participants option is slated to be added this year.
Satechi today announced the launch of a new 108W Pro USB-C PD Desktop Charger, which is Satechi's most powerful power adapter to date, able to charge up to four devices at one time.
There are two USB-C ports, one of which is 90W for charging even Apple's new 16-inch Retina MacBook Pro and one of which is 18W for charging the iPad Pro and iPhones with a USB-C to Lightning cable.
Along with the two USB-C ports, there are also two USB-A ports that offer 12W of power total for charging accessories like the Apple Watch.
Design wise, the power adapter is made from an aluminum material and it has been created to be compact in size, making it ideal for travel when multiple devices need to be charged.
AirPlay 2 support will likely be rolled out as part of a free over-the-air software update via the Bose Music app for iPhone and iPad.
AirPlay 2 enables multi-room audio playback with other AirPlay 2 devices, such as the HomePod, Apple TV, and select speakers from Sonos, Bose, Bowers & Wilkins, and others. AirPlay 2 devices also appear in the Home app on the iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch and can be controlled with Siri voice commands.
Amazon continues to discount the new 16-inch MacBook Pro this week, providing best-ever deals on both entry-level models of the notebook. You can get the Silver 512GB model for $2,187.92, down from an original price of $2,399.00 ($211 off). This is Amazon's lowest price ever for the 16-inch MacBook Pro, and the lowest we've tracked among the major Apple resellers.
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You can also get the Space Gray 512GB model for slightly more at $2,189.50 ($209 off). Both of these models are currently in stock and if ordered soon, will arrive as soon as next week. The 512GB 16-inch MacBook Pro also features a 2.6 GHz 6-Core Intel Core i7 Processor and 16GB RAM.
If you're looking for a bigger SSD, the Space Gray 1TB model is on sale for $2,549.00, down from $2,799.00 ($250 off), but stock is lower for this model. Amazon says that it will be available to ship on January 25, but you can still place your order today to ensure your discounted price before that date.
Head to our full Deals Roundup to shop for even more discounts on Apple products and related accessories.
August today introduced a new HomeKit-enabled Wi-Fi Smart Lock. As the product name implies, the lock features built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, eliminating the need to use a bridge that was previously required.
August says the Wi-Fi Smart Lock is 45 percent smaller and 20 percent slimmer than its Smart Lock Pro. Available in matte black and silver, the lock also sports a sleeker design with more rounded edges.
As with other smart locks, the Wi-Fi Smart Lock allows you to lock or unlock a door remotely and grant access to family members, friends, and trusted visitors. And with the Activity Feed, you can know who is coming and going at any time, complete with push notifications. There are also auto-lock and auto-unlock features.
HomeKit support allows the lock to be controlled through the Home app on an iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch, or with Siri voice commands. For example, on an iPhone or HomePod, you could say "Hey Siri, lock my front door." The lock also supports Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and a few other platforms.
Installing the Wi-Fi Smart Lock takes less than 10 minutes, according to August. The lock can be installed on the inside of your door over your existing deadbolt, without touching the outside lock, allowing you to keep your existing deadbolt and keys. August door locks are compatible with most single cylinder deadbolts.
August says the Wi-Fi Smart Lock will soon be available to purchase on its website, but it has yet to reveal an exact release date or pricing. Interested customers can sign up to be notified when it is available.
Two sales have hit Apple's 2019 MacBook Air and iPad mini 5, allowing shoppers the chance to save up to $99 on the MacBook Air and up to $40 on the iPad mini 5. For the latter product, we're seeing lowest-ever prices for both Wi-Fi and cellular options.
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Although discounts don't extend past $40, we haven't seen particularly steep sales yet on the new iPad mini, so these are still the best prices currently available. All prices listed below are found on Amazon, with some being matched at B&H Photo.
In regards to the MacBook Air sales, these are not the lowest prices that we've ever seen for each model, but they are currently the best prices among the major Apple resellers online. Still, if you qualify for education pricing on Apple.com, you'll do better to shop directly from the company, but otherwise Amazon's sales offer most customers the best straight cash discounts.
2019 MacBook Air Sale
128GB Gold - $1,038.41, down from $1,099.00 ($60 off)
128GB Silver - $1,037.00, down from $1,099.00 ($62 off)
Samsung today announced the launch of its new Portable SSD T7 Touch, an SSD with 500GB, 1TB, or 2TB of storage space.
According to Samsung, the SSD T7 Touch combines a sleek and compact design with the fastest transfer speeds that are offered by the USB 3.2 Gen 2 standard.
Users can expect to see read speeds up to 1,050MB/s and write speeds up to 1,000MB/s, with the SSD T7 Touch coming in at twice as fast as the T5 and 9.5 times faster than external hard drives. It is able to reach its maximum speed when used with the NVMe interface.
Though it's faster, the SSD continues to weigh in at 58 grams, and it measures in at 3.3 by 3.3 by 0.3 inches, so it's pocketable.
The T7 Touch earns its "touch" name with the inclusion of a built-in fingerprint sensor along with password protection and AES 256-bit hardware encryption. The fingerprint sensor is able to recognize up to four fingerprints, which means it can be used collaboratively while still keeping files secure. Accessing data can be done by holding a fingerprint over the drive's casing to unlock it. There's also a built-in Motion LED that lets the user see the status of the device with a glance.
Samsung is offering the T7 Touch in silver or black and it comes in 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB capacities for $130, $230, and $400, respectively. It ships with a USB-C to USB-C cable and a USB-C to USB-A cable, and is compatible with Windows and Mac.
Samsung plans to begin offering the Portable SSD T7 Touch later this month. Samsung will also launch an SSD T7 in the second quarter of 2020.
Apple is kicking off 2020 with an all-new Night Mode photo challenge, inviting users around the world to share their best Night Mode photos captured with the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, or iPhone 11 Pro Max.
iPhone 11 and iPhone 11 Pro models turn on Night Mode automatically when the camera detects low-light situations. A crescent moon icon at the top of the display turns yellow when the feature is active.
Shot on iPhone 11 Pro in Night mode by Austin Mann
Apple will accept submissions from today through January 29. A panel of 10 judges will evaluate submissions and reveal five winning photos on March 4. You must be 18 years of age or older to participate, and Apple employees are not eligible. Apple has shared a PDF with full rules and eligibility details.
Apple says photos are allowed to be edited with Apple's Photos app or third-party apps and software. If edited, you must state what apps or filters you used in the image caption or comment. Any photo shot with the iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, or iPhone 11 Pro Max in Night Mode since September 20 qualifies.
The winning photos will be shared on Apple's website and on its Instagram, Twitter, WeChat, and Weibo pages. They may also appear in ads and on billboards, at Apple Stores, or in a third-party photo exhibition. Apple says it will pay a licensing fee to the winning photographers for use of such photos in its marketing.
To participate in the challenge, share your Night Mode photos on Instagram and Twitter using the hashtags #ShotoniPhone and #NightmodeChallenge. Weibo users can participate using #ShotoniPhone# and #NightmodeChallenge#. Apple says to note which iPhone model you used to capture your image in the caption.
High-resolution photos can also be emailed to shotoniphone@apple.com, using the file format "firstname_lastname_nightmode_iPhonemodel."
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Apple today 
At CES, Twitter's director of product management Suzanne Xie outlined some new features that are coming to the social network, and 
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with Amazon. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with these vendors. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.
