Innehållsförteckning för #509 från AppleMagazine

Three tech companies — Apple, Microsoft and Google owner Alphabet — reported combined profits of more than $50 billion in the April-June quarter, underscoring their unparalleled influence and success at reshaping the way we live. Although these companies make their money in different ways, the results served as another reminder of the clout they wield and why government regulators are growing increasingly concerned about whether they have become too powerful. The massive profits pouring into each company also illustrated why they have a combined market value of $6.4 trillion -- more than double their collective value when the COVID-19 pandemic started 16 months ago. APPLE Apple’s first iPhone model capable of connecting to ultrafast 5G wireless networks continued to power major increases in quarterly revenue and profits for tech’s most…

A New York town along the Canadian border plans to impose a 90-day moratorium on new cryptocurrency mining operations to make sure local roadsides are not cluttered with trailers and shipping containers loaded with computers. Massena Town Supervisor Steve O’Shaughnessy said officials decided to draw up new regulations for miners after noticing trailers with computers in them on a main road in the town. “We don’t want it littered with these trailers that are pumping out Bitcoin,” he told WWNY-TV. “We just want to make sure if they’re going to come here, that it’s a nice presentable building.” Cryptocurrency operations have been drawn to this part of northern New York for years because of the availability of cheap hydropower. Operations can requires hundreds of computers to make the complex calculations…

As drought- and wind-driven wildfires have become more dangerous across the American West in recent years, firefighters have tried to become smarter in how they prepare. They’re using new technology and better positioning of resources in a bid to keep small blazes from erupting into mega-fires like the ones that torched a record 4% of California last year, or the nation’s biggest wildfire this year that has charred a section of Oregon half the size of Rhode Island. There have been 730 more wildfires in California so far this year than last, an increase of about 16%. But nearly triple the area has burned — 470 square miles (1,200 square kilometers). Catching fires more quickly gives firefighters a better chance of keeping them small. That includes using new fire behavior…

Spurred by skyrocketing consumer demand during the pandemic, restaurant delivery companies like DoorDash and Uber Eats are rapidly expanding their services to grocers, convenience stores, pharmacies, pet stores and even department stores. This week, Uber Eats unveiled its newest delivery option: flowers. Uber Eats will let users order flowers directly from its app as part of a partnership with ProFlowers, an FTD subsidiary. Flower delivery will be offered first in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and a few other U.S. cities; it will be available nationwide by early next year. “If we can deliver your burrito in 30 minutes or deliver your ice cream still frozen, we should be able to deliver anything in under an hour,” said Fuad Hannon, the head of new verticals at DoorDash. “The technology makes…

Henry Golding has undeniable screen presence. He’s handsome, sure. Lots of actors are. But Golding also has that effortless charisma that the biggest movie stars possess. It’s no wonder that he was catapulted from relative, travel show host obscurity to film fame with just one role in “Crazy Rich Asians” and that his name often pops up as a fan choice for the next James Bond. If the powers in Hollywood don’t mess it up, he’s going to be around for quite some time. It’s also not surprising that the industry would capitalize on his breakthrough moment and come knocking with some piece of Intellectual Property for him to star in. Unfortunately that IP piece is “ Snake Eyes,” an origin story about a G.I. Joe character that completely misunderstands…

RICK & MORTY’S THANKSPLOITATION...RICK AND MORTY, SEASON 5 (UNCENSORED) BABY IT’S COLD INSIDETHE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NEW YORK CITY, SEASON 13 SHIP HAPPENSBELOW DECK MEDITERRANEAN, SEASON 6 JIMINY CRICKETS!THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF POTOMAC, SEASON 6 AFFAIRS AND ACCIDENTSTHE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF BEVERLY HILLS, SEASON 11 MEN TELL ALLTHE BACHELORETTE, SEASON 17 AMORTYCAN GRICKFITTIRICK AND MORTY, SEASON 5 (UNCENSORED) FREERIDEANIMAL KINGDOM, SEASON 5 TO AHLOO OR NOT TO AHLOOSHAHS OF SUNSET, SEASON 9 BLAST FROM THE PAST LOVE & HIP HOP: ATLANTA, SEASON 10…

Free from the pandemic lockdowns of last year, more shoppers are venturing into stores and relying just a bit less on brown UPS trucks. United Parcel Service said this week that it earned almost $2.7 billion in the second quarter. However, domestic volume was weaker than Wall Street expected, and the company’s shares tumbled nearly 7% in afternoon trading. Higher rates helped the delivery giant boost revenue, but shipping volume fell nearly 1% worldwide and almost 3% in the United States. Company executives said they couldn’t match the surge in online shopping and home deliveries during the height of the pandemic. “Many of our brick-and-mortar enterprise customers reopened their stores, and as economies reopened, customers went back to those stores,” CEO Carol Tomé said on a call with analysts. Tomé…

The push to transition from carbon-emitting fuel sources to renewable energy is hitting a roadblock in Nevada, where solar power developers are abandoning plans to build what would have been the United States’ largest array of solar panels in the desert north of Las Vegas. “Battle Born Solar Project” developers this week withdrew their application with the federal Bureau of Land Management, which oversees the Moapa Valley hilltop where the panels were planned, KLAS-TV Las Vegas reported. California-based Arevia Power told the television station that its solar panels would be set far enough back on Mormon Mesa to not be visible from the valley. But a group of residents organized as “Save Our Mesa” argued such a large installation would be an eyesore and could curtail the area’s popular recreational…

Rana el Kaliouby co-founded and led Boston startup Affectiva, which uses artificial intelligence and computer vision to analyze mood and emotion. Now she’s got a new job as deputy CEO of Smart Eye, after the Swedish eye-tracking company bought Affectiva for $73.5 million in June. The auto industry is the prime market for Kaliouby and competitors like Australia-based Seeing Machines. Carmakers are bracing for new safety rules and standards around the world that could require dashboard cameras to detect dangerous driver behavior, especially in vehicles that are partly driving themselves but still need human attention. El Kaliouby says that’s just the beginning of where in-car AI systems are going. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Q: Ten years from now, a family’s in a car. What might…

Over the past 18 months, consumers have spent more time at home than ever before, not only working, but socializing, learning new skills, and playing games. Video gaming as a whole saw a significant increase during this period and the gaming platform Steam recorded an all-time high of 23.6 million average concurrent users in April 2020. A year later, rival firms want a slice of the pie. Following Apple’s expansion into gaming with Arcade, Netflix is the latest player entering the game, announcing its intention to launch its own gaming titles. NETFLIX EXPANDS INTO GAMING After months of rumors and speculation, Netflix confirmed mid-July plans to expand into mobile games, revealing that new titles would be available to play as part of a standard Netflix subscription. Days before its announcement,…

Tesla’s quarterly profit has surpassed $1 billion for the first time thanks to the electric car pioneer’s ability to navigate through a pandemic-driven computer chip shortage that has caused major headaches for other automakers. The financial milestone announced this week extended a two-year run of prosperity that has erased questions about Tesla’s long-term viability raised during its early years of losses and production problems. Tesla now has cemented its position as the leader in the shift away from gas-combustion that is expected to make it even more profitable than during its most recent quarter. The Palo Alto, California, company earned $1.1 billion, or $1.02 per share, in the April-June period. That was more than 10 times its profit at the same time last year. Revenue nearly doubled from last year…

The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard Unlicensed bodyguard Michael Bryce (Ryan Reynolds) joins hitman Darius Kincaid (Samuel L. Jackson) and his wife, infamous international con artist Sonia (Salma Hayek), on a mission to prevent madman Aristotle Papadopoulos (Antonio Banderas) from unleashing a terror attack. FIVE FACTS: 1. This is a follow-up to the 2017 film The Hitman’s Bodyguard – with Reynolds, Jackson and Hayek all reprising their roles from that movie. 2. Richard E. Grant also returns from the first movie, playing the same character of Mr. Seifert, an old associate of Bryce. 3. Morgan Freeman is also in the new film as Michael Bryce’s stepfather of the same name. 4. While Hayek’s role of Sonia Kincaid was just a small supporting part in the 2017 film, the character has been given…

“Can you believe I found this online?” a delighted Prisca asks husband Guy at the beginning of “Old,” as their family arrives at a glistening beach resort. Not to be a Debbie Downer quite so soon, but this isn’t a good sign — for the family OR the film. “Can you believe I found this online?” has become the hackneyed catchphrase of the vacation horror movie. Every time a character says that, whether at a dreamy English estate or a stunning coastal retreat, you can set your watch — the first body will appear in minutes. Still, we hope for the best. “Old” is an M. Night Shyamalan film, so you know the premise will be clever and provocative. And frankly, we’re a captive audience. It’s summer, it’s been an…

Google is postponing a return to the office for most workers until mid-October and rolling out a policy that will eventually require everyone to be vaccinated once its sprawling campuses are fully reopened in an attempt to fight the spreading Delta variant. In a Wednesday email sent to Google’s more than 130,000 employees, CEO Sundar Pichai said the company is now aiming to have most of its workforce back to its offices beginning Oct. 18 instead of its previous target date of Sept. 1. The decision also affects tens of thousands of contractors who Google intends to continue to pay while access to its campuses remains limited. “This extension will allow us time to ramp back into work while providing flexibility for those who need it,” Pichai wrote. And Pichai…

China’s industry ministry has announced a 6-month campaign to clean up what it says are serious problems with internet apps violating consumer rights, cyber security and “disturbing market order.” The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology said in an online notice that, among other things, companies must fix pop-ups on apps that deceive and mislead users or force them to use services they might not want. The order is part of a wider effort to crack down on tech industries and police use of personal information. Authorities have ordered fines and other penalties for some of China’s biggest tech companies. This latest campaign was launched with a teleconference call, the ministry said. It issued its 15th list of do zens of apps it has said require fixing. Among 22 specific…

As a member of the secretive Senate Intelligence Committee, Sen. Angus King has reason to worry about hackers. At a briefing by security staff this year, he said he got some advice on how to help keep his cellphone secure. Step One: Turn off phone. Step Two: Turn it back on. That’s it. At a time of widespread digital insecurity it turns out that the oldest and simplest computer fix there is — turning a device off then back on again — can thwart hackers from stealing information from smartphones. Regularly rebooting phones won’t stop the army of cybercriminals or spy-for-hire firms that have sowed chaos and doubt about the ability to keep any information safe and private in our digital lives. But it can make even the most sophisticated…

President Joe Biden on Wednesday checked out half-built big rigs and chatted up workers at a Mack Truck plant in Pennsylvania as his administration pushes new “buy American” efforts and advocates for government investments and clean energy as ways to strengthen U.S. manufacturing. Biden toured the Lehigh Valley operations facility, hoping to connect with the plant’s 2,500 workers. Biden has made manufacturing jobs a priority, and Democrats’ political future next year might hinge on whether he succeeds in reinvigorating a sector that has steadily lost jobs for more than four decades. The administration is championing a $973 billion infrastructure package, $52 billion for computer chip production, sweeping investments in clean energy and the use of government procurement contracts to create factory jobs. On the visit, Biden heard about Mack’s electric…

Minnesota became the first Midwestern state to adopt a plan for encouraging the switchover to electric vehicles as Gov. Tim Walz predicted that someday people will wonder why there was such a fuss. The Democratic governor visited Phillips and Temro Industries, which manufactures electric vehicle chargers, to highlight the state’s “clean car” rules, which take effect in 2024 for the 2025 model year. He said the rules will mean more choices for consumers shopping for electric cars, cleaner air at a time of growing concern about climate change, and more jobs. Fourteen other states already have adopted similar standards, which require manufacturers and dealers to supply more electric vehicles. The states’ rules are all based on California’s tough standards, and that’s been a major sore point for Minnesota auto dealers…

Gold-Diggers Sound Leon Bridges “We felt like the only way to unlock a unique sound was to create this immersive experience and find a place that was aesthetically inspiring,” Leon Bridges told Apple Music about his approach to his third studio album, for which he has recruited numerous collaborators. FIVE FACTS: 1. The earliest-released single from the album, the Terrace Martin collaboration “Sweeter”, was released last summer in response to the murder of George Floyd. 2. Bridges said that the song, although written before Lloyd’s death, is “reflective of the perpetual narrative of Black men dying at the hands of police.” 3. According to Bridges, he wrote opening track “Born Again” after one of the album’s producers, Ricky Reed, sent him an instrumental and asked him to give it a…

A quake-measuring device on Mars is providing the first detailed look at the red planet’s interior, revealing a surprisingly thin crust and a hot molten core beneath the frigid surface. In a series of articles published this week, scientists reported that the Martian crust is within the thickness range of Earth’s. The Martian mantle between the crust and core is roughly half as thick as Earth’s. And the Martian core is on the high side of what scientists anticipated, although smaller than the core of our own nearly twice-as-big planet. These new studies confirm that the Martian core is molten. But more research is needed to know whether Mars has a solid inner core like Earth’s, surrounded by a molten outer core, according to the international research teams. Stronger marsquakes…

Of the 2 million people clogging airport security lines and gate areas again each day, one crowd is still largely missing: business travelers. Their absence is noteworthy because they are a key source of revenue and profit, underpinning a record-breaking stretch of financial gain for U.S. airlines that ended with the coronavirus. Business travelers tend to pay higher fares, and that is especially true on international flights, which are also still deeply depressed by the pandemic and travel restrictions around the globe. Because their fares subsidize other passengers, their absence is leading to higher leisure fares on many routes, experts say. Business travelers also spend money on hotels, meals and other things. The U.S. Travel Association estimates that domestic and international business travelers spent more than $300 billion here in…

Internet giant Tencent was ordered by regulators to end exclusive contracts with music copyright holders, adding to increased enforcement of anti-monopoly and other rules as Beijing tightens control over booming online industries. Tencent controls more than 80% of “exclusive music library resources” following its 2016 acquisition of China Music Group, the State Administration for Market Regulation said. It said that gives Tencent the ability to get better terms than competitors receive or to limit the ability of rivals to enter the market. Tencent Holdings Ltd., best known abroad for its WeChat messaging service, has a sprawling business empire that includes games, music and video. It is among the world’s 10 most valuable publicly traded companies, with a stock market value of $680 billion. In order to “restore market competition,”Tencent must…