Innehållsförteckning för #234 från AppleMagazine

Trust in the news media is being eroded by perceptions of inaccuracy and bias, fueled in part by Americans’ skepticism about what they read on social media. Just 6 percent of people say they have a lot of confidence in the media, putting the news industry about equal to Congress and well below the public’s view of other institutions. In this presidential campaign year, Democrats were more likely to trust the news media than Republicans or independents. But trust today also goes beyond the traditional journalistic principles of accuracy, balance and fairness. Faced with ever-increasing sources of information, Americans also are more likely to rely on news that is up-to-date, concise and cites expert sources or documents, according to a study by the Media Insight Project. They want to be…

Messy party photos, offensive tweets, pepper spraying student protesters ... sometimes, you just want a do-over when it comes to your online presence. And for a hefty price tag, you can. The University of California, Davis is under fire for contracting consultants for at least $175,000 to clean up its online reputation after a November 2011 incident in which campus police pepper-sprayed peaceful protesters, according to a report in the Sacramento Bee. If that PR campaign worked at all, it’s now backfired. Here’s how this sort of reputation scrubbing is supposed to help - and some ways in which it might have the opposite effect. CALL THE PROS Services such as Reputationdefender.com and Naymz.com offer to clean up your name, or, as the latter advertises, achieve your “professional and personal…

BUT QUESTIONS REMAIN ABOUT LONGER-TERM MACBOOK DIRECTION On April 19, Apple announced that it had updated its 12-inch MacBook computer that first broke cover in March 2015. The new version of the laptop incorporates quicker Intel processors and an additional hour of battery life over its predecessor, as well as the option of a ‘rose gold’ finish. But what does the news suggest for the future of MacBook, amid rumors that admirers of the wider family of MacBook laptops could be in for yet more exciting news in the coming months, including at this year’s Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in June? A WELCOME UPGRADE FOR APPLE FANS Apple’s senior vice president of worldwide marketing, Philip Schiller has described the refreshed 12-inch MacBook as “our vision for the future of the…

A collision between a British Airways passenger jet and a drone over London has left the plane undamaged but the aviation industry deeply shaken. British police and air accident authorities were investigating the incident, in which an Airbus A320 carrying 137 people struck an object believed to be a drone at a height of about 1,700 feet (518 meters) while it was approaching Heathrow Airport. The plane landed safely and was cleared to fly again after an inspection by engineers. But the incident has focused attention on the growing number of unregulated drones in the sky and the potential for disaster if they hit a plane - either accidentally or on purpose. London’s Metropolitan Police said Monday the incident occurred over Richmond Park, a large open expanse a few miles…

“The Jungle Book” ruled the box office with $103.3 million in its debut weekend, the latest Walt Disney Co. live action adaptation of one of the studio’s cartoon classics to score big with moviegoers. The larger-than-expected debut succeeded by drawing a wide audience to the well-reviewed PG-rated film. Only five PG-rated films have had larger openings. But Jon Favreau’s CGI-enabled update of the “The Jungle Book” landed the second highest April opening ever. Opening solidly in second was Ice Cube’s “Barbershop: The Next Cut” with $20.2 million, according to final box office figures released Monday. The Kevin Costner action thriller “Criminal” limped into theaters with $5.8 million. The top 20 movies at U.S. and Canadian theaters Friday through Sunday, followed by distribution studio, gross, number of theater locations, average receipts…

Earth’s record monthly heat streak has hit 11 months in a row - a record in itself. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Tuesday that March’s average global temperature of 54.9 degrees (12.7 degrees Celsius) was not only the hottest March, but continues a record streak that started last May. According to NOAA climate scientist Jessica Blunden, the 11 heat records in a row smashes a streak of 10 set in 1944. Climate scientists say this is a result of El Nino, along with relentless, man-made global warming. Blunden and Michael Mann at Penn State University worry that people will be desensitized to the drumbeat of broken records and will not realize the real effect they have on weather - for example, massive changes in what is supposed to…

Bill Campbell, a former Ivy League football coach who became a management guru for Apple co-founder Steve Jobs and other Silicon Valley luminaries, has died. He was 75. His death Monday was confirmed by Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers, a venture capital firm that often called upon Campbell to help mold entrepreneurs as they tried to manage the rapid growth often triggered by their innovations. Campbell died after a long battle with cancer, according to the firm, which was speaking on behalf of his family. Although he wasn’t widely known outside Silicon Valley, Campbell played a pivotal role in shaping the direction of both Apple and Google, two of the world’s most powerful companies. After working in marketing and sales at Apple during the 1980s, Campbell joined the company’s board in…

Calling it an issue of victims’ rights, the Manhattan district attorney urged Congress to pass legislation that would require tech companies to give law enforcement a way to access information on encrypted phones and other devices. Cyrus Vance Jr. said that while the debate over encryption has centered on issues of privacy and national security, the implications go far beyond that. The Manhattan district attorney’s office currently has 230 phones involved in cases that it has warrants to search, but can’t access the information inside. “There are victims of crime, survivors of crime, that are waiting for the Senate to lead and find a way forward, so we can access key evidence that now resides on smartphones that cannot be opened,”Vance said Monday on the steps of New York’s City…

After spending time with the recently released consumer editions of the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive virtual reality systems, here are the 10 best VR titles out now: - “Adr1ft”: If the film “Gravity” was a video game, it would be “Adr1ft.” The weightless saga for Oculus casts players as an astronaut struggling to survive while exploring a shattered space station. - “Elite: Dangerous”: While the open-world space simulator “Elite: Dangerous” has been out for two years, a VR edition adds another level of immersion by placing players in the cockpit of their spaceship. - “EVE: Valkyrie”: This sci-fi dogfighter - one of the first full-fledged games to be created for modern-day VR - convincingly pits online gamers against each other in out-of-this-world locales. - “Fantastic Contraption”: In this physics-based…

President Barack Obama threw his weight Friday behind an effort to give consumers more choice when it comes to the cable boxes that control which television channels they watch. Most TV subscribers lease boxes from their cable service provider. The Federal Communications Commission is pursuing new regulations giving consumers more options to buy elsewhere. Obama described it as a model for expanding competition in other areas, including financial services. “The potential here is for cheaper, more effective services that are provided,” Obama said in an interview with Yahoo. “Across the board, if we have more players that can potentially participate, fewer barriers to entry, the rules aren’t rigged, then you get more people trying to get your business and you get better products at cheaper prices.” Jason Furman, who advises…

Look out, HBO. Netflix produced more original programming than cable’s premium-network leader last year, according to number provided by the two rivals. The Internet video service isn’t slowing down, either, even if it risks losing subscribers to price increases that will help pay for more exclusive shows. Since its push into original shows kicked off in earnest with the 2013 debut of “House of Cards,” Netflix has hit the fast-forward button. Last year, it put out 450 hours of original programming, compared to 401 from Time Warner’s HBO. This year, both companies say they expect to release roughly 600 hours of original material. HBO, of course, is the network Netflix CEO Reed Hastings set out to emulate when his service began charting a course away from streaming TV reruns and…

Insomniac Games is ratcheting up its work in virtual reality. The developer best known for the“Resistance”and “Ratchet & Clank”franchises is set to release three VR games for the recently released Oculus Rift system in 2016. After four years in development, the Oculus Rift began shipping to consumers March 28. Despite the technology’s untested position in the marketplace, Insomniac Games is moving full force into the emerging 360-degree interactive medium. “We went in with open eyes”said Insomniac Games President and CEO Ted Price.“We knew, at first, that the install base would be low. At the same time, we have a lot of passion for and faith in the growth of VR looking ahead to the future” Insomniac’s VR games set to debut later this year include: -“Edge of Nowhere”: A moody…

The 5th Wave Cassie Sullivan may be the only hope for humanity’s survival after an extraterrestrial species known as ‘The Others’ carry out a series of attacks on the earth. FIVE FACTS: 1. This movie is an adaption of the novel of the same name by Rick Yancey. 2. Rights have also been bought to adapt the novel’s two sequels into movies. 3. A planned explosion of a bus spread wider than planned during filming, blowing out more than forty windows on the street where it occurred, as well as destroying store fronts, setting one building on fire, and leaving soot on the brick buildings. 4. The music for the movie was composed by Henry Jackman, who has also worked on Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Pirates of the Caribbean:…

Universal Pictures has announced J.A. Bayona will direct the sequel to “Jurassic World.” Bayona will be taking up the mantle from Colin Trevorrow, who relaunched the “Jurassic” franchise in 2015. “Jurassic World” earned over $1.7 billion worldwide. Trevorrow will still co-write and executive produce the sequel, but is stepping aside from directing as he’ll be busy in a galaxy far, far away shooting “Star Wars: Episode IX” for 2019. Stars Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard will return for the sequel, set for a June 2018 release, but little else is known about the film. Bayona, a native of Spain, previously directed “The Impossible,” which earned star Naomi Watts an Oscar nomination. The film revolved around the devastating 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.…

They work for the government and even their closest relatives have no idea what they do. It’s not because they’re spies or nuclear scientists, but because their jobs are so arcane: trying to reinvent Medicare to improve it, and maybe save taxpayers money. In a sprawling, nondescript office park near Baltimore, some 360 people at the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation are trying to change the health care system, using the government’s premier insurance program as leverage. If they prevail, the U.S. may no longer have the worst of both worlds: unsustainable spending and unenviable results. “I want Medicare to exist not just for my mother, but for me and my kids,” said the director, Patrick Conway, 41, a pediatrician who also serves as Medicare’s chief medical officer. At…

Intel says it will cut 12,000 jobs - about 11 percent of its workforce - as it reorganizes to confront a decline in sales of personal computers. The chipmaker said the cuts will include “voluntary and involuntary departures”from its operations around the world. Most of the affected workers will be notified in the next 60 days. Intel said the cuts will provide about $1.4 billion in annual savings by the time the cuts are completed next year. The company, based in Santa Clara, California, is a leading supplier of computer chips, but PC sales have been declining steadily in recent years. It’s trying to focus on its most profitable lines of business, which include making processors for data center computers and Internet-connected gadgets.…

The spotlight was on Sean Parker and the Screening Room at CinemaCon in Las Vegas this past week, but while the nation’s theater owners and studio executives mulled the implications of the proposed at-home viewing service, Parker played coy. When The Associated Press asked Parker about his latest venture at the Wednesday launch of the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy in Los Angeles, the Napster co-founder said with a laugh: “I don’t even know what that is.” His glibness about the revolutionary service, which would stream first-run films to the home at $50 a pop, thus blowing up Hollywood’s traditional model of theatrical exclusivity, came at an interesting time. It was the middle of CinemaCon, where the overriding message was that Hollywood is still very committed to the idea of…

As we live more of our lives online, the companies we trust with our digital secrets are increasingly clashing with authorities who want access to the messages, pictures, financial records and other data we accumulate in electronic form. Microsoft opened a new front in the battle over digital privacy this week, suing the Justice Department over its use of court orders requiring the company to turn over customer files stored in its computer centers - often without notifying the customer involved. It’s the latest in a series of legal challenges brought by Microsoft and some of its leading competitors. Apple recently fought a high-profile battle over the FBI’s demand for help unlocking an encrypted iPhone in San Bernardino, California, and it’s continuing to challenge similar demands in other cases. Other…

Amazon is taking on Netflix and Hulu with its own stand-alone video streaming service, just weeks before Netflix raises prices for longtime subscribers. New customers can now pay $8.99 a month to watch Amazon’s Prime video streaming service. Previously, the only way to watch Amazon’s videos was to pay $99 a year for Prime membership, which includes free two-day shipping on items sold by the site, and other perks. At $9 a month, Amazon’s stand-alone streaming service is $1 less than Netflix’s standard membership and $1 more than Hulu’s basic subscription. Netflix said earlier this year that a “substantial number” of its longtime members who paid $8 monthly - and have been protected from price hikes - will now pay an additional $2 starting in May. Amazon’s decision to break…

The Hope Six Demolition Project PJ Harvey The ninth studio album from one of Britain’s most inimitable songwriters is just as politically-charged as her last. It may be too much so for newer fans, but those who appreciate Harvey’s fearless songwriting do so for a long time after their first listen. FIVE FACTS: 1. Harvey was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2013 Birthday Honors for services to music. 2. Harvey was briefly in a relationship with fellow songwriter Nick Cave after several musical collaborations in the mid-nineties. 3. The album was recorded in sessions open to the public in a specially-made studio/ art installation in Somerset House, London. Viewers could watch Harvey create the album through one-way glass. 4. Harvey has received countless…

Airbnb is adding recommendations to its online accommodations service, building on its knowledge of travelers’ preferences, coupled with tips from locals. The company, which lets out-of-town visitors find people renting out homes and rooms, says it wants to help travelers get off the beaten path by showing alternatives to well-known, often-crowded, attractions. CEO Brian Chesky says Airbnb’s mobile apps will match travelers with hosts and neighborhoods based on their previous searches and bookings. It will also weigh their responses to questions about amenities or experiences they prefer. The recommendations will let Airbnb show more listings outside the most-traveled neighborhoods, although visitors can still make their own selections. Airbnb will also recommend activities, based on hosts’ tips, which Chesky says will help visitors see what it’s like to live in a…

An executive from virtual reality company Oculus says consumers shouldn’t be concerned about an invasion of their privacy when using the Oculus Rift. Jason Rubin , Oculus’ head of worldwide studios, is downplaying questions raised about the VR system’s privacy policy. “It’s a new medium,” said Rubin during a Thursday interview. “People want to know. They have a right to ask. We’ll answer. It’ll be fine.” Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) wrote an open letter to Oculus CEO Brendan Iribe earlier this month asking for details about user data collected by the new VR system, which is worn on users’ heads and can detect movement, location and sound. “Oculus’ creation of an immersive virtual reality experience is an exciting development, but it remains important to understand the extent to which Oculus…

Yahoo has hung out a “for sale” sign without doing much to improve its curb appeal. The latest snapshot of the Internet company’s deteriorating condition emerged late Tuesday with the release of its first-quarter report. After subtracting ad commissions, Yahoo’s revenue fell 18 percent from the same time last year, to $859 million. It’s the largest decline in Yahoo’s quarterly net revenue since the company hired Marissa Mayer as its CEO nearly four years ago. Yahoo lost $99 million during the period, compared with a $21 million profit last year. A big chunk of the loss stemmed from the costs of laying off about 1,000 workers during the quarter to reduce the company’s workforce to 9,400 employees through March. The company is still considering whether to sell its Internet operations.…