From Mark Ames at PandoDaily:

Back in January, I wrote about “The Techtopus” — an illegal agreement between seven tech giants, including Apple, Google, and Intel, to suppress wages for tens of thousands of tech employees. The agreement prompted a Department of Justice investigation, resulting in a settlement in which the companies agreed to curb their restricting hiring deals. The same companies were then hit with a civil suit by employees affected by the agreements.

This week, as the final summary judgement for the resulting class action suit looms, and several of the companies mentioned (Intuit, Pixar and Lucasfilm) scramble to settle out of court, Pando has obtained court documents (embedded below) which show shocking evidence of a much larger conspiracy, reaching far beyond Silicon Valley.

Confidential internal Google and Apple memos, buried within piles of court dockets and reviewed by PandoDaily, clearly show that what began as a secret cartel agreement between Apple’s Steve Jobs and Google’s Eric Schmidt to illegally fix the labor market for hi-tech workers, expanded within a few years to include companies ranging from Dell, IBM, eBay and Microsoft, to Comcast, Clear Channel, Dreamworks, and London-based public relations behemoth WPP. All told, the combined workforces of the companies involved totals well over a million employees.

Shocking indeed. There are a number of email excerpts in the linked post, as well as some in this post and this post. All fascinating reads.

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From the Guardian:

> George Osborne’s latest budget could spell an end to 99p song downloads by closing a tax loophole that meant consumers were paying VAT at very low foreign rates on online purchases of books, music and apps. > > The chancellor will bring in new laws making sure that internet downloads are taxed in the country where they are purchased, meaning web firms such as Amazon and Apple will have to charge the UK’s 20% rate of VAT. At the moment they are allowed to sell digital downloads through countries such as Luxembourg, where the tax rate is as low as 3%. > > In a little-noticed announcement, Osborne said he would used this year’s finance bill to impose the new law from 1 January 2015.

Kirk McElhearn wrote a clarifying post to bring a little more light on the subject:

> Unfortunately, The Guardian chose to simply say “as low as 3%,” rather than to go into detail about the actual VAT rates charged. > > So there’s no worry that music or apps will cost 20% more, as some news outlets are claiming. If anything, they may see a 5% increase, but it’s more likely that large companies, such as Amazon and Apple, will just eat the difference for now, to not disturb the round numbers they use as prices. > > However, ebooks should soon cost less in the UK. They currently get hit with 20% VAT, but with an upcoming EU rule harmonizing VAT rates for print and ebooks, this change could make a significant difference. For those looking to plan ahead or understand how tax changes affect their purchases, it’s a great idea to calculate VAT rates online to stay informed on the latest adjustments. > > But it’s certainly a good thing that these companies will pay VAT in the countries where they make their sales. This is logical, and it should never have been otherwise. Now, if only governments can get these companies to pay income tax on the profits they make in each EU country…

Also this writeup in PC Pro (Via @moltoveloce), but be sure to read McElhearn’s counterpoint in his post.

The interview is behind a paywall. You can read a few quotes shared by Loop reader Rob Richman on his blog.

This is really no different than the danger you face when you go out in any crowded public space. But that doesn’t mean the danger is not real. Pretty interesting.

The technology equipped on the drone, known as Snoopy, looks for mobile devices with Wi-Fi settings turned on. Snoopy takes advantage of a feature built into all smartphones and tablets: When mobile devices try to connect to the Internet, they look for networks they’ve accessed in the past.

“Their phone will very noisily be shouting out the name of every network its ever connected to,” Sensepost security researcher Glenn Wilkinson said. “They’ll be shouting out, ‘Starbucks, are you there?…McDonald’s Free Wi-Fi, are you there?”

That’s when Snoopy can swoop into action (and be its most devious, even more than the cartoon dog): the drone can send back a signal pretending to be networks you’ve connected to in the past. Devices two feet apart could both make connections with the quadcopter, each thinking it is a different, trusted Wi-Fi network. When the phones connect to the drone, Snoopy will intercept everything they send and receive.

CNNMoney took Snoopy out for a spin in London on a Saturday afternoon in March and Wilkinson was able to show us what he believed to be the homes of several people who had walked underneath the drone. In less than an hour of flying, he obtained network names and GPS coordinates for about 150 mobile devices.

He was also able to obtain usernames and passwords for Amazon, PayPal and Yahoo (YAHOF) accounts created for the purposes of our reporting so that we could verify the claims without stealing from passersby.

To me, the takeaway from this (if the article is correct, of course) is that you should always set your phone to ask before it joins any networks. iOS makes this trivial. Go to Settings > Wi-Fi, and tap the Ask to Join Networks switch.

UPDATE: Reader Sam Hutchings points out that the iOS Ask to Join Networks feature will not prevent your phone from joining networks about which it already is aware. So what’s the solution? Feel free to post in comments or tweet @davemark.

I found this amusing. Someone posted a link to Sergey Brin’s Stanford resume, before he founded Google. That alone is kind of cool. But they also dug into the source code and found this little gem embedded in a comment in the resume code:

To see this for yourself, follow the headline link, then use your browser to view source. It’s right after his email address. Too funny. [Via Reddit]

From MIT Technology Review:

One of the optional extras that Twitter allows is for each tweet to be tagged with the user’s location data. That’s useful if you want people to know where you are or so that you can later remember where certain events took place. It also gives researchers a valuable tool for studying the geographical distribution of tweets in various ways.

But it also raises privacy issues, particularly when users are unaware, or forget that, their tweets are geotagged. Various celebrities are thought to have given away their home locations in this way. And in 2007, four Apache helicopters belonging to the US Army were destroyed by mortars in Iraq when insurgents worked out their location using geotagged images published by American soldiers.

My 2 cents? I think it’s important for developers to think through the privacy implications in their apps and provide an easy path for their users to protect themselves.

Ever hear of the Multipeer Connectivity framework? No reason you should, unless you are an iOS developer and keep up with the latest and greatest evolutions in networking. But this is a game changer.

Multipeer Connectivity means your messaging data can find its way to the internet and back by pinballing off other devices using WiFi and Bluetooth to move from device to device. As long as some part of the chain is connected to the net, your message will find its way. The requirement is that all the devices in the chain support Multipeer Connectivity.

Apple’s own AirDrop uses Multipeer, and there are other apps as well.

Here’s an example. There’s an ultramarathon that takes place in California each year on a trail called Skyline-to-the-Sea. It’s a roughly 30 mile trail through giant redwood forests where there is no cell connectivity. Using FireChat or some other app that uses iOS 7’s Multipeer Connectivity Framework, race volunteers, staff and participants could extend Internet connectivity and communication in an ad hoc mesh network that extends the length of the course.

The benefit of such an ad-hoc network is how trivially easy it is to set up. Everybody just use FireChat or AirDrop or any other similar app. Boom! Connectivity for everyone.

You can imagine the uses in a disaster area where cell towers have been knocked out, or other situations where people need to communicate but where no WiFi or mobile broadband is available.

In many poor countries and areas, people might be able to afford cheap or used phones, but not wireless service fees. Wireless mesh networks can provide free Internet connectivity to entire villages, slums or towns.

Nice job explaining all this by Mike Elgan.

This is surprising, given all the doom and gloom in the press.

My thanks to Pixelmator for sponsoring The Loop’s RSS feed this week. Pixelmator is one of the apps that I use every day and have for years. It’s very powerful, but yet approachable, allowing new users to instantly manipulate their images. There is no better image editor.

Nice job by Apple Insider’s Neil Hughes to pull together the details on the hardware used by Jimmy Fallon and Billy Joel on their fantastic duet.

If you missed it, our servers were rocked yesterday when Tim Cook tweeted our blog post sharing the performance. Yesterday was a lot of fun.

If discussions of net neutrality make your eyes glaze over, this is a good read. Clear and thoughtful, without being too parochial. I recognize that Netflix has a vested interest in how this plays out, but you can’t ignore the fact that Reed Hastings has a unique vantage point. He’s at the center of this storm.

All that said, here’s another read to balance things out, get a more objective point of view. Good to keep in mind that Netflix is a business, not a consumer service. [Hat tip to Patrick Bisenius]

Smart, smart move. If BlackBerry is going to survive, lean and mean is the way to go.

BlackBerry® Limited (NASDAQ: BBRY; TSX: BB), a world leader in mobile communications, today announced that it has entered into an agreement pursuant to which it will sell the majority of its real estate holdings in Canada. The announced transaction is part of BlackBerry’s ongoing program to improve operational efficiencies, optimize resource usage and shift resources to support operations as the business continues to evolve. BlackBerry® Limited’s strategic move highlights the importance of effective property management, and for those seeking expert guidance, working with services like the best property manager in Geraldton can ensure smooth real estate transactions and investments.> Under the terms of the agreement, BlackBerry will sell more than 3 million square feet of space as well as vacant lands. HomesEh – The ultimate destination for Canadian real estate enthusiasts. Your next property is just a click away. BlackBerry will also lease back a portion of the space. CBRE Limited served as an advisor to BlackBerry for this transaction. BlackBerry expects closing to occur in the first quarter of fiscal 2015. The transaction is subject to certain conditions, and the transaction may not be completed on the negotiated terms, or at all. Additional terms of the transaction will be announced once the principal conditions are satisfied or waived by the parties.> As BlackBerry® Limited strategically reallocates its resources through the sale of its Canadian real estate holdings, property owners looking to streamline their own real estate transactions might find value in a similarly efficient approach. For those considering selling their property quickly and with minimal hassle, Premier Property Buyers represents a notable company who buys houses for cash. Their approach aligns with the principles of optimizing resource use and improving operational efficiencies, much like BlackBerry’s strategy in real estate. Their expertise ensures that you can achieve a fair and expedient transaction, aligning with your needs and adapting to the evolving real estate landscape.

As BlackBerry finalizes this significant transaction, potential homeowners and real estate investors looking for new opportunities might consider exploring properties in Greenville County, SC. Known for its charming communities and scenic landscapes, Greenville County SC offers a variety of residential options that cater to diverse preferences and budgets. Whether you are seeking a suburban retreat or a vibrant urban setting, Greenville County presents an appealing destination for those looking to invest in real estate.

In addition to its picturesque appeal, Greenville County, SC stands out as a promising location for real estate investments with its diverse market offerings. Investors can benefit from exploring strategies that align with their financial goals, such as leveraging multi family offices for comprehensive asset management and strategic investment planning. These offices specialize in balancing risk and return, providing tailored guidance that can help maximize the potential of real estate portfolios. By adopting a well-rounded approach that incorporates both traditional and innovative investment strategies, real estate enthusiasts can uncover lucrative opportunities in this vibrant community.

I remember the moment I discovered Imogen Heap. I was watching Saturday Night Live and one of Andy Samburg’s Digital Shorts came on, called Dear Sister. It was crazy weird, funny as hell, and the music grabbed me immediately. If you are interested in this part of the story, watch the second video below. The song is called Hide and Seek.

The real point of this post is Imogen Heap’s new Kickstarter project. If you play an electronic keyboard or any sort of MIDI controlled device, watch the first video below.

The Mi.Mu gloves are MIDI and Open Control-savvy and allow you complete control over your sound. To me, this is a phenomenal development and just the tip of the iceberg of what’s coming down the pike for musicians.

A riveting, first person essay about concussions.

The grass and goals are spinning when I stand up. My vision is laced with black spots. It is alarming, but I make an athlete’s calculus, measuring these symptoms against the need to show some grit to this skeptical audience. After a brief break, I rejoin practice. Passes and players ricochet past me and I can’t get anywhere quick enough. I can’t read plays as they unfold. The black spots linger. I’ve slammed my brain hard against my skull.

Follow the headline link for all the details, but here’s the short and sweet version. Fire up Siri and say:

Flights overhead

If you are in a relatively urban area, you might be amazed at how many planes are overhead at any given moment.

We did a small Twitter experiment this morning, and it seem like the Wolfram Alpha database that makes this work only has data for North America. If you see an exception to this, please let me know (@davemark).

A fascinating read. Here’s just a taste:

Jane Austen asked that a certain squeaky hinge never be oiled, so that she always had a warning when someone was approaching the room where she wrote. William Faulkner, lacking a lock on his study door, just detached the doorknob and brought it into the room with him.

Nice tip.

Subscribed to a Newsstand magazine, streaming music service, or any other type of iTunes content and then later wanted to change or cancel your subscription? Well, there’s no need to go running to iTunes on the your desktop. You can manage all your subscriptions right from your iPhone or iPad!

Your subscriptions are hidden under:

Settings > iTunes & App Store > Apple ID: > Subscriptions:Manage

Or follow the link for a step-by-step walkthrough.

Perfect for fans of John Bonham, Simon Phillips, Alex Van Halen, and Dave Grohl, this is the groove inspiration you’ve been looking for – a powerful source of rock drum loops inspired as much by the classic grooves of rock as much as more contemporary rock styles. Just pure, live rock drums. No beat detective. No sequenced samples. This is live, steaming, sweaty, raw rock and roll – the way it was meant to be.

Sounds perfect.

I stumbled upon this earlier today. This came out a few years ago, but is new to me. Had to share it.

Before they even set foot in the dilapidated L.A. studio where they would record ‘Nevermind,’ Nirvana had already had a tumultuous year. they’d ditched their fifth drummer, broken a contract with indie label sub pop, and signed a new deal with corporate behemoth Geffen. So many compromises: no wonder the album’s now iconic artwork depicts a waterborne baby stretching its arms toward a dollar-bill-baited fishhook.

Everybody knows what happened after the album came out—that Kurt Cobain rejected his celebrity, became addicted to heroin, and married Courtney Love. That he found no freedom in his immense stardom and that three years later he committed suicide.

But in this oral history, we focus on the founding moment of a rock ’n’ roll revolution, when Cobain, Dave Grohl, and Krist Novoselic were still innocently floating in a bright, cool world. in interviews with nearly forty people, GQ revisits the recording of ‘Nevermind.’

Before they even set foot in the dilapidated L.A. studio where they would record ‘Nevermind,’ Nirvana had already had a tumultuous year. they’d ditched their fifth drummer, broken a contract with indie label sub pop, and signed a new deal with corporate behemoth Geffen. So many compromises: no wonder the album’s now iconic artwork depicts a waterborne baby stretching its arms toward a dollar-bill-baited fishhook.

Everybody knows what happened after the album came out—that Kurt Cobain rejected his celebrity, became addicted to heroin, and married Courtney Love. That he found no freedom in his immense stardom and that three years later he committed suicide.

But in this oral history, we focus on the founding moment of a rock ’n’ roll revolution, when Cobain, Dave Grohl, and Krist Novoselic were still innocently floating in a bright, cool world. in interviews with nearly forty people, GQ revisits the recording of ‘Nevermind.’

A fantastic read.

The Google Glass team posted “The Top 10 Google Glass Myths” trying to stem the tide of bad press. They didn’t mention how creepy the company is—perhaps that’s for another “Top 10” list.

After the book’s release earlier this week, Mr. Cook said in a statement that it was “nonsense.”

He’s right.

That about says it all.

Some fans who bought nosebleed-seat tickets to see the Golden State Warriors received a friendly suggestion from their phones when they stepped off the escalators at Oracle Arena: Wouldn’t they like to spend a few extra bucks for a seat where they could actually distinguish Stephen Curry from Andrew Bogut?

I don’t see a downside to this. This is marketing, as opposed to service (as in, where is the nearest bathroom or cotton candy vendor?), but I see it as all part of the experience, and a marketing/advertising component helps pay for the iBeacon install.

Remember, if you don’t want to be bothered, spend some time in the Notification Center settings, or just turn off Bluetooth.

Familiar with the Streisand effect? Back in 2003, an ariel view of Barbara Streisand’s Malibu mansion was put on the internet, in an innocuous database of 12,000 California coastline properties. The goal was to show the effect of erosion on the coastline. Streisand sued to have the photo removed. Before the lawsuit, the photo was downloaded 6 times. After the $50 million suit went public, the photo was downloaded more than 400,000 times in the next month.

The Streisand effect occurs when an attempt to suppress something has the opposite unintended consequence.

So what does this have to do with Twitter and Turkey?

In an attempt to halt widespread allegations of corruption, Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has shuttered Twitter – but so ineffectively that the number of tweets sent in the country has remained unaffected.

But in a perfect example of the Streisand effect, Erdogan’s move has only brought more attention to the corruption allegations. At the time of writing, indeed, ‘#TwitterisblockedinTurkey’ is the top trending topic worldwide.

Read the article for details. Bottom line, trying to shut off the internet has, historically, always led to unintended consequences. Now that’s irony.