Malware hits the App Store

Antivirus researchers at Kaspersky say they’ve spotted an app known as “Find and Call” in both the iPhone App Store and Google’s Play market that secretly uploads all of a user’s contacts to a remote server and then sends text message and email spam to every number and email address listed in his or her phonebook.

I hate Malware. I wonder if Apple will change the way it does app reviews now that someone found a way to get through the walled garden?

Ballmer: ‘Eric Schmidt is a fucking pussy!’

Here’s what he told an engineer who left for Google in 2004, after hurling a chair:“Fucking Eric Schmidt is a fucking pussy!” Ballmer yelled, according to the court document. “I’m going to fucking bury that guy! I have done it before and I will do it again. I’m going to fucking kill Google.”

Checkmark for iPhone

Reminders — when and where you want them.

The app is coming soon and I’m excited to see it.

Bill Gates is wrong

From my latest column on Techpinions:

By trying to combine what people do on their PC with what they want to do on a tablet, Microsoft feels it is offering the best of both worlds.The problem with that, as I’ve said before, is that people interact differently with a PC than they do a computer. So, in reality, you don’t get the best of both worlds, but rather a mishmash of each.

Amplified 14: Kids Steal Everything

This week, Dan and Jim tackle the latest rumors of a 7″ iPad. They also compare RIM’s BlackBerry 10 transition to Apple’s shift to Intel processors, and more.Sponsored by Zoompf, Sifter Stickers, and Dark Sky.

Corrupt App Store binaries

An explanation from Marco Arment about what happened to his Instapaper update for iOS last night. After downloading the update, the app would just crash on launch.

Music making on the iPad

Lukas Hermann has quite an in-depth piece on MacStories today about music apps for the iPad. I’ll be honest — I skipped the discovery content and moved right into what he had to say about creation. I agree with his choice of apps, although I would have added the Apogee JAM to the list of hardware devices.

Definitely a worthwhile read.

Customer service counts

When will retailers learn that future purchases rely heavily on how we’re treated now?

Ferrari designer dies at 85

Born in 1926 near Turin in the industrial north of the country, Pininfarina worked with top carmakers during his long career, designing the Ferrari Testarossa, Fiat 124 Spider and Maserati GranTurismo, among others.

There’s a lot of design talent in one man.

Bill Gates says Apple may need a Surface-like device

Chris Matyszczyk, CNET:

Gates began by being circumspect, saying that the market hadn’t declared this was what it wanted yet, but he said that the idea of Apple having to create a Surface-like device was “a strong possibility.”“This is a seminal event,” he declared.

Um… no.

Apple’s evolving products

Rene Ritchie:

One of the worst things a company can ever do is mistake their products for their business. Products come and go. If you mistake your product for your business, when — inevitably — that product goes, your business goes with it.

Apple evolves its products as technology allows, giving users a new way to do things. Other companies try desperately to hold on to a successful product and milk it for all its worth. Consumers are becoming more educated and see stunts like that for what they are.

PCalc for iPhone and iPad

The most common request we’ve had over the years is for editable user constants, so they’re now available. Not only can you create and export your own categories of constants, but they will sync automatically to all your devices via iCloud.

Another great update from James Thomson.

Steve Jobs: The Lost Interview on iTunes

Candid, controversial and funny…the original and unedited interview with Steve Jobs, conducted by tech journalist and former Apple Inc. employee Robert X. Cringely, from 1995 when Steve Jobs was still CEO of NeXT Computer and Pixar.

RIM CEO: ‘There is nothing wrong with the company’

Research In Motion Ltd Chief Executive Thorsten Heins said on Tuesday there is nothing wrong with the company as it exists now, denying the maker of BlackBerry smartphones is in a “death spiral.”

Clearly they’re screwed.

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Gloomy future for RIM

Jean-Louis Gassée:

A short five years ago, the BlackBerry was sine qua non in the smartphone world. Today, the future looks gloomy.

Retina Macs

Alex Brooks has a nice look at what he expects for future Retina Macs.

iOS browser market share at 65%, Android 20%

The 65.27 percent share of Apple’s iOS platform, which is found on the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, was up from 62.65 percent in May. Apple’s share has steadily risen, growing from a 53 percent position in August of 2011.Apple’s next closest competitor in mobile browsing marketis Google’s Android platform, which took 19.73 percent in the month of June.

I’m not going to say it, I just won’t. (Android is winning)

Avid sells its consumer audio and video products

Avid has agreed to sell its consumer audio and video product lines. The company’s consumer audio products are being sold to inMusic, the parent company of Akai Professional, Alesis and Numark, among others.The products involved in this transaction include M-Audio brand keyboards, controllers, interfaces, speakers and digital DJ equipment and other product lines. Avid will continue to develop and sell its industry-leading Pro Tools line of software and hardware, as well as associated I/O devices including Mbox and Fast Track.Separately, the company’s consumer video editing line is being sold to Corel Corporation.

Tough times.

Engineer snuck into Apple to finish canceled project

That’s when the real sneaking around began. For the next two months, Avitzur had to find new ways of getting into the building. He kept his canceled badge around his neck and timed his arrival for when he knew there’d be crowds coming through the front door.

What a fascinating story. A must read.

A weekend with Chrome on iOS

We took Chrome for iOS for a spin this weekend, tucking Safari into a folder and using Chrome exclusively on the iPhone and iPad. By Monday morning, Safari was back in the dock.

It’s the details that frustrate people.