Innehållsförteckning för #178 från AppleMagazine

Tired of trying to remember a different password for each of your online accounts? Or worried about re-using the same password too many times? You’re not alone. Tech experts agree that traditional passwords are annoying, outmoded and too easily hacked. This week, Yahoo and Microsoft offered up some alternatives: Yahoo says it can text temporary passwords to users’ phones each time they want to sign into their Yahoo accounts. Microsoft says it is building facial-recognition and fingerprint-identification technology into Windows 10, the new computer operating system coming this summer, so users can log on with their fingertip or face. The two approaches drew different reviews. Here’s what you should know: NEW DAY, NEW PASSWORD Convenience and security. That’s what Yahoo is promising users who choose to receive a single-use password…

Yahoo is closing its research and development center in China as CEO Marissa Mayer tries to placate shareholders pressuring the Internet company to cut costs while it struggles to bring in more revenue. The Beijing operation’s responsibilities will be shifted to other Yahoo Inc. offices, according to a company statement released late Wednesday. Yahoo didn’t specify how many people will lose their jobs in China, but pledged to treat all the workers with respect and fairness. The closure will mark Yahoo’s exit from China, where the Sunnyvale, California, company has been winding down since turning over its operations to Alibaba Group in 2005. That $1 billion deal gave Yahoo a lucrative stake in Alibaba that is currently worth $33 billion. Yahoo is preparing to spin off its Alibaba holdings into…

A U.S.-subsidized advocacy group that helps Internet users inside China bypass blockages on censored content says it is suffering a mysterious denial-of-service attack disrupting its operations. Greatfire.org says the attack started two days ago and Internet traffic is 2,500 times above normal. It says the attack has affected “mirror” or duplicate, websites that it has set up via encrypted web services offered by companies like Amazon. Greatfire.org said the attack has interfered with visitors to sites with material from news sites including Boxun.com, which publicizes allegations of corruption and human rights abuses inside China; German provider Deutsche Welle, and Google. The statement from a co-founder of the group, who goes by the pseudonym Charlie Smith, said it’s not clear who is behind the attack, but it coincides with increased pressure…

An energy company is joining forces with a tech startup to harness computing power to heat homes in the Netherlands Eneco, a Dutch-based energy company with more than 2 million customers, said Tuesday it is installing “e-Radiators” - computer servers that generate heat while crunching numbers - in five homes across the Netherlands in a trial to see if their warmth could be a commercially viable alternative for traditional radiators The technology is the brainchild of the Dutch startup company Nerdalize, whose founders claim to have developed the idea after huddling near a laptop to keep warm after their home’s thermostat broke and jokingly suggesting buying 100 laptops. “Ten minutes later, we thought: That’s not such a crazy idea,’” said Boaz Leupe, one of Nerdalize’s founders. Nerdalize says its e-Radiators…

Into the Woods A baker and his wife (James Corden and Emily Blunt) who wish to start a family against a curse put on them by a vengeful witch (Meryl Streep) is the focal point of this fantasy genre crossover that explores the consequences of its characters’ desires and actions, inspired by such Brothers Grimm fairytales as “Little Red Riding Hood”, “Jack and the Beanstalk” and “Cinderella”. FIVE FACTS: 1. Into the Woods is a fantasy musical drama film. 2. It has been adapted to the screen by James Lapine, from his and Stephen Sondheim’s Tony Award-winning Broadway musical of the same name. 3. Other members of its ensemble cast include Anna Kendrick, Chris Pine, Tracey Ullman, Christine Baranski and Johnny Depp. 4. Principal photography took place entirely in the…

Kansas farmers are paying for genetic research to figure out exactly why some people struggle to digest wheat. The hard science is aimed at developing new varieties of wheat at a time when the gluten-free industry is worth nearly a billion dollars a year in the U.S. alone. The Kansas Wheat Commission is spending $200,000 for the first two years of the project, which is meant to identify everything in wheat’s DNA sequences that can trigger a reaction in people suffering from celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder in which eating even tiny amounts of gluten - comprised of numerous, complex proteins that gives dough its elasticity and some flavor to baked goods - can damage the small intestine. The only known treatment for celiac disease is a gluten-free diet free…

When a pair of filmmakers first approached video game publisher Capcom about crafting a live-action movie based on their popular zombie series Dead Rising, they were asked to prove themselves in a very specific way The creators behind such video game franchises as Street Fighter and Resident Evil handed the movie producers a game controller. They told me, ‘Show me you love the game’ said Tomas Harlan, who along with business partner Tim Carter, is the brains behind Contradiction Films. The independent production company last brought supernatural martial-arts fighters to life with Mortal Kombat Legacy, a series of web shorts set in the world of Midway’s long-running punch-out series. Harlan wasn’t deterred. He’d already maxed out level 50 at home. After showing off some zombie-evading strategies, Dead Rising Watchtower was…

The singer Taylor Swift, Microsoft Corp. Harvard University are among those buying up .porn and .adult Web suffixes as a pre-emptive move before those domain names become available this summer. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, or ICANN, is making Internet address suffixes beyond the usual .com or .org available for people and businesses to use. While some are in Chinese or other languages besides English, others could include the likes of .music, .app or, of course, .porn To check what brands, groups and celebrities have bought their domain names, visit http://icmregistry.com/domaincheck. According to the site, Microsoft has bought not only Microsoft.porn but Office.porn and Office. adult as well. Representatives for Taylor Swift, Microsoft and Harvard could not immediately be reached for comment.…

The small Lego machine inside the White House whirred, and in a moment it was turning the pages of a story book. One page flipped, then another, ever faster as President Barack Obama marveled at its efficiency. The contraption’s eventual aim would be to allow paralyzed or arthritic patients to read books despite their disabilities. “How did you figure this out?” Obama, impressed, asked its inventors. “We had a brainstorming session” one of the five 6-year-old Girl Scouts replied. The kindergartners and first graders from Tulsa, Oklahoma, were among 35 young science fair winners who came to the White House Monday to showcase breakthroughs ranging from spinal implants to carbon-dioxide powered batteries to a keystroke identity system that can backup computer password securities. Obama used the science fair event to…

IOS #01 - Facebook Messenger By Facebook, Inc. Category: Social Networking Requires iOS 7.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. This app is optimized for iPhone 5, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus. #02 - Facebook By Facebook, Inc. Category: Social Networking Requires iOS 7.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. This app is optimized for iPhone 5, iPhone 6, and iPhone 6 Plus. #03 - YouTube By Google, Inc. Category: Photo & Video Requires iOS 6.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. This app is optimized for iPhone 5. #04 - Instagram By Instagram, Inc. Category: Photo & Video Requires iOS 6.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. This app is optimized for iPhone 5, iPhone 6,…

I Don’t Like S**t, I Don’t Go Outside: An Album by Earl Sweatshirt Earl Sweatshirt Following up his critically and commercially successful debut album Doris was always going to be quite the ask for Los Angeles native Earl Sweatshirt, but this intriguingly-titled sophomore effort sees him continue to demonstrate his worth outside the bounds of his hip hop collective Odd Future - “Grief” having already been issued as its lead single FIVE FACTS: 1. Earl Sweatshirt is the stage name of Thebe Neruda Kgositsile. 2. His debut mixtape, Earl, garnered him recognition and critical praise when released in 2010. 3. Doris was released in 2013 and debuted at number five on the US Billboard 200. 4. The new album was largely produced by the artist under the pseudonym randomblackdude. 5.…

Would you pay to see some of the Internet’s best video clips first? Vessel, a new service trying to change the way that short video pieces make money on the Internet and mobile devices, is betting on it. Instead of free-for-all distribution supported solely by advertising, Vessel will charge $3 per month for exclusive early access to clips of musicians, sporting events, comedians and many other forms of entertainment not available on YouTube or any other digital video service for at least three days. CEO Jason Kilar, formerly head of Hulu Plus, believes Vessel’s model will be able to pay video producers about $50 per 1,000 views of their clips on the site. That compares with just $2.20 per 1,000 views of ad-supported video at sites such as YouTube, Kilar…

BOTH CRITICAL AND COMMERCIAL SUCCESS Is it ever a good idea to remake a stone-cold classic, even if the decision to do so allows an old, well-remembered and still-relevant story to be brought up to the present day? Many who would have previously said “no” will have been forced to rethink their stance as a result of the staggering critical and commercial success of Disney’s live-action reimagining of the immortal princess tale, Cinderella. The Cinderella of 2015 is clearly as relevant as she has ever been, on the evidence of a movie that makes the best of use of its available talent and resources. It was directed by Kenneth Branagh and the screenplay was written by Chris Weitz, while production duties were handled by David Barron, Simon Kinberg and Allison…

REVAMPED KEYBOARD AND NEW USB-C PORT You might have missed it at a recent Apple keynote where much of the limelight was on (once again) the Apple Watch and such other announcements as HBO NOW, but the Cupertino firm also showed off a refresh of its venerable notebook range that is well worth a second look. A thinner, lighter and all-new MacBook was given an airing, along with such features as a revamped design, revised keyboard and introduction of a USB-C port. At least as interesting as the device itself, however, is how it was introduced at the March 9 event at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, with Apple CEO Tim Cook first reeling off some typically impressive statistics about the Mac’s success. He stated…

A sex discrimination trial that has put a spotlight on gender imbalance in Silicon Valley has prompted some technology and venture capital companies to re-examine their cultures and practices - even before a jury reaches its verdict. As jurors get ready to hear closing arguments in Ellen Pao’s lawsuit against the venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, other companies have been contacting consultants about possible obstacles to women being hired and advancing. Still other companies have been seeking female candidates for partner positions. A verdict against Kleiner Perkins would likely accelerate that trend, some consultants say. Consultant Freada Kapor Klein said she has been contacted by more than a dozen venture capital and technology companies asking her how they can improve the environment for women. Klein, whose firm…

IOS #01 - Minecraft - Pocket Edition By Mojang Category: Games / Price: $6.99 Requires iOS 5.1.1 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. This app is optimized for iPhone 5. #02 - Trivia Crack (Ad Free) By Etermax Category: Games / Price: $2.99 Requires iOS 6.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. This app is optimized for iPhone 5. #03 - Heads Up! By Warner Bros. Category: Games / Price: $0.99 Requires iOS 6.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. This app is optimized for iPhone 5. #04 - Scholly: Scholarship Search By Scholly, LLC Category: Education / Price: $0.99 Requires iOS 7.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. This app is optimized for iPhone 5. #05 -…

What’s one thing astronaut Scott Kelly can’t do without when he moves into space this week for a year? A belt. Kelly went beltless during his five-month mission at the International Space Station a few years back, and he hated how his shirttails kept floating out of his pants. So this time, the 51-year-old retired Navy captain packed “a military, tactical-style thing” that can hold a tool pouch. Actually, scratch pouch. He prefers “superhero utility belt.” Kelly’s partner on the yearlong stay at the space station - Russian cosmonaut Mikhail Kornienko - can’t do without his vitamins. When their Soyuz rocket blasts off from Kazakhstan on Saturday (Friday afternoon in the U.S.), three bottles of over-age-50 vitamins will be on board. After more than two years of training, Kelly and…