"Apple Inc.'s Latest Move in China Shows Why Baidu Inc. Needs 'Transaction Services,' aka Online-to-Offline/Apple is moving into China with its music streaming service. Baidu is trying to hold strong, but is smartly focusing on what really matters: transaction services." The Motley Fool 5:53 PM
"Could The iPhone 7 Be The Last Apple Smartphone Upgrade?" ["Yet there are massive challenges for Apple in developing product revenue that rivals the iPhone series. There has generally been a steady decline in the sales of iPads, for example, while new products launched by Apple such as the Apple Watch, Apple Pay and Apple Music have provided no more than moderate income. These three products contributed only 4 per cent of total sales in the most recent quarter, and this represented absolutely zero growth over the same period last year."] ValueWalk 6:31 PM
"Will Google pass Apple as most valuable company?" ["At its peak price earlier this year, Apple had a market value of nearly $775 billion. Alphabet, which I'm now going to refer to as Google (GOOGL, Tech30) for the rest of this story, was worth $366 billion at the time. But Apple's stock has plunged from its highs in recent months due to fears that iPhone sales are slowing -- in part due to the popularity of smartphones that run on Google's Android operating system."] CNNMoney 12/24
"Campaigners hail Apple shareholder move" Financial Times 12/24
"The hook Apple needs to boost Watch sales: The Geek Factory Founder Peter Shankman on why the Apple Watch is lacking the buzz of the tech company's other products this holiday season." Fox Business Videos 12/24
"Apple wants a $180 million Christmas present from Samsung, seeks supplemental damages in patent case" Foss Patents 12/24
"Apple Pay Seeks Growth in Asia, Europe After Slow U.S. Adoption" Bloomberg 12/24
"Living With: the Apple eco-system/Are we spending too much time in the walled garden?" MacNN 12/24
"A former Topsy employee has an interesting theory on why Apple shut down this $200 million acquisition" Business Insider 12/24
"Apple requests another $179 million in supplemental damages from Samsung" AppleInsider 12/24
"Apple wants $179 million more from Samsung after patent fight: And Samsung just paid out $548 million, too." Engadget 12/24
"Apple Seeks $180 Million More From Samsung in Patent Dispute" Bloomberg 12/24
"Apple wants Samsung to pay another $180 million for copying its design" The Verge 12/24
"Apple renews expiring security certificate for Wallet Passes, Safari push notifications and Extensions" AppleInsider 12/24
Reviews/How-To/Tips
"10 things to do with your new Mac: Get started down the path towards being a power Mac user. Most of these will cost you absolutely nothing except a bit of time to set up." Macworld 11:57 AM
"Ask the iTunes Guy: How to set up a new iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch" Macworld 9:03 AM
"Must-have OS X apps: Charles Martin" MacNN 11:51 AM
"The best apps for your new Mac: Your dock will thank you" The Verge 9:02 AM
"The sunset of a web security standard could bite your browsing" Macworld 12/24
"A primer in Profile Manager: Turn on Profile Manager/How to set up and manage devices using OS X Server's Profile Manager service." Macworld 12/24
"Record And Edit Audio On A Mac For Free" McSolo 12/24
"Cheap: The Coolest (and hottest) Mac Wallpaper App You've Never Seen" Mac 360 12/24
"How To Backup Your Mac's Email Backup" PixoBebo 12/24
Op/Ed
"Accessible Apple: The 12 Requests of Christmas - Day 12" Apple World Today 2:46 PM
Press Releases
"PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Sega CD, and 13 other consoles come to OpenEmu 2.0: Update also tweaks the design and adds support for gameplay rewinding." Ars Technica 12/24
"UnfoldGames Announces DARQ - A Horror Game Set in a Zero-Gravity Dream" prMac 12/24
"FlexiHub - sharing USB and Serial ports is now available for Mac OS X" prMac 12/24
"Magid: The year in products" ["The Apple Watch was certainly the most hyped. It was the first new product category under CEO Tim Cook. The last time Apple introduced an entirely new product line was when Steve Jobs unveiled the iPad in 2010."] San Jose Mercury News [Free Registration Required] 11:50 AM
"Apple Watch Users Discover Another Way to Go 'Hands Free': The nose can be useful when hands are dirty or otherwise occupied; ignore the funny looks" WSJ.com [Paid Membership Required] 3:23 PM
"Sen. Tom Cotton Claims that Tim Cook 'Omitted Critical Facts' from his Recent Interview" Modmyi 12/24
"Apple's smartwatch discount play: Edmund Lee, Re/code managing editor, shares his thoughts on retailers' move to discount the Apple Watch." CNBC Videos 12/24
"RadioShack is offering the Apple TV 4 for under $120" AppAdvice 12/24
"Oregon police bust crime ring attempting to ship $750K+ worth of iPhones to Hong Kong" AppleInsider 12/24
"Police crack massive iPhone black market crime ring" Cult of Mac 12/24
"Police Seize Nearly 500 iPhones in Apple Gift Card Fraud Investigation" iClarified 12/24
Non-Apple News
"Samsung execs said to blame struggles on lack of software expertise" Engadget 9:13 PM
"Twitter pledges to clamp down on trolls: As it enters its 10th year, social networking site reportedly plans to introduce measures to show abusers their actions have effects in the real world" The Guardian 5:43 PM
"PSA: Steam is having serious issues with account security at the moment" PCWorld 4:48 PM
"Valve's Steam platform is having some big security problems right now" The Verge 3:23 PM
"PlayStation Network Is Having Trouble Creating New Accounts Today" Kotaku 2:43 PM
"Did Amazon Sales Surge 25% Over The Holidays?" 24/7 Wall St. 9:04 AM
"Dish: Charter Is Trying To Sabotage Sling TV" Digital Trends 12/24
"Spotify's new 'Publisher Administration' system could help some artists get paid faster" The Next Web 12/24
"NSA knew about Juniper backdoors and kept quiet about them" The Next Web 12/24
"Livestream says it's been hacked" The Next Web 12/24
"Now one smartphone maker is building in ad blocking as standard" Business Insider 12/24
"Yahoo will now tell you if your account is attacked by government hackers" Business Insider 12/24
Publications/Podcasts
"AppleInsider podcast talks hi-res Apple Music streaming, 4-inch iPhone rumors, Wall Street & more" AppleInsider 11:56 AM
"Cult of Mac Magazine: Apple's 'idea factory,' best iOS games of 2015 and more" Cult of Mac 12/24
"One More Thing 018: The Christmas Eve Lagrange Point" MacNN 12/24
"How to Migrate Android to iPhone the Easy Way" OS X Daily 11:53 AM
"Here's the secret way to hide the iPhone apps that Apple won't let you delete" Business Insider 9:04 AM
"Pointers: Fine-tune 1Password for your company" MacNN 9:04 AM
"How to Set Up Your New Apple Watch" Wired 9:03 AM
"How to set up all your shiny new Apple gear" Cult of Mac 9:02 AM
"How to install Kodi on the new Apple TV 4" iDownload Blog 12/24
"iOS 9: The smart person's guide/This comprehensive guide covers must-know iOS 9 details like features, system requirements, upgrade options, and more about the Apple mobile OS." TechRepublic 12/24
"How to track Santa Claus with your kids on your iPhone or iPad" AppleInsider 12/24
"How To Create Folders Inside The Photos App [iOS] AddictiveTips 12/24
"How to set up your new iPad the right way" Cult of Mac 12/24
"This is your best hope for recovering photos from a lost or stolen phone" PCWorld 12/24
Tips
"Avoid the 'Shot From Above' for Better Selfies" Lifehacker 4:48 PM
"Get started with your new iPhone or iPad with these great family friendly apps" AppleInsider 2:46 PM
"Tips for new tech devices: Tips, tricks, apps and advice for getting the most out of new Apple Watches, Android phones, Windows 10 PCs and more." Computerworld 11:57 AM
"Cassandra: Xmas Review -More on iPad Pro & Integration; Kim Dotcom & the DoJ; Local Efficiency (Sometimes)" eXtensions 8:32 AM
"This museum is a shrine to Apple's greatest designs" The Verge 12/24
"Will 2015 Be the iPhone's Swan Song? For 2016, at least one industry pundit predicts a decline in iPhone sales for the first time ever. Should investors be concerned?" The Motley Fool 12/24
"The Apple Byte: Feedback Special 2015" [Video] CNET 12/24
"The anomaly: Time-traveling Apple doom" Macworld 12/24
"About That 'Backdoor' The Government Wants To Use In Your iPhone" Mac 360 12/24
"Cord-Cutting Is Gonna Suck in 2016, But It'll Get Better" Wired 1:40 PM
"Why 2016 Will Be the Year of E-Sports" Gizmodo 1:40 PM
"Debunking the biggest myths about artificial intelligence: From killer robots, to runaway sentience, there's a lot of FUD that needs clearing up." Ars Technica 9:02 AM
"These Beatles albums still can't be streamed on Spotify or Apple Music: Or anywhere else, for that matter" The Verge 12/24
"Dell XPS 15 vs. MacBook Pro 15: $2,000 Laptop Rumble" Digital Trends 12/24
Humor/Cartoons
"Santa's cookie crumbles!" The Joy of Tech [cartoon] 8:32 AM
"Best Game of 2015: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" Digital Trends 8:34 PM
"Coming December 26: Gene Steinberg meets security guru Dr. Timothy C. Summers and columnist Peter Cohen, this week on The Tech Night Owl LIVE!" The Tech Night Owl 5:55 PM
"Must-Have iOS Apps: William Gallagher" MacNN 11:56 AM
"Santa's Toy Factory - Save Christmas 1.0 released for iOS/Android/Amazon" prMac 11:56 AM
"Can You Escape - Holidays Puts a Seasonal Twist on Global App Franchise" prMac 11:56 AM
"eCard Express 4.0: New Free E-Cards and 2 New Products" prMac 11:56 AM
"Award Winning 3D Isometric Racing Game 'Blitz Racer' Now Updated" prMac 11:56 AM
"Bad Button 1.0 released for iOS - Your iPhone coming to Life" prMac 11:56 AM
"This Christmas, DADA Trains is the definitive train themed app for kids" prMac 11:56 AM
"Le Menu Dit 1.0 for iOS - Instantly Translates English Menus to French" prMac 11:56 AM
"PDF Forms 4.0 Brings iOS 9 Compatibility, Support for iCloud Drive" prMac 11:56 AM
"Best apps for your new Apple Watch" 9to5Mac 11:50 AM
"The best apps for your new iPhone" The Verge 9:03 AM
"Our favorite free iOS games of 2015" [Slideshow] Macworld 9:02 AM
"The best games for your new iPhone, iPad, or Android phone: This is what your phone is really for" The Verge 9:02 AM
"The Ultimate Slacker Last Minute Gift Guide" OS X Daily 12/24
"Enso for iOS Finds New Music with Swipes" Lifehacker 12/24
"UnfoldGames Announces DARQ - A Horror Game Set in a Zero-Gravity Dream" prMac 12/24
"Oracle India doubles sales team for hardware business" Hindu Business Line 11:56 AM
"Oracle Co. Shares Bought by ING Groep" Ticker Report 11:55 AM
"Dell World 2015: Is the Middle East future ready? Ahead of its impending $67bn acquisition of EMC, US technology giant Dell has some big plans for the region" Gulf Business 12/24
"Intel Funds Doctor in Your Pocket: Medical diagnosis adds onto your smartphone at NTU" EE Times 12/24
"Intel Outs 20.19.15.4352 HD Graphics Driver for Its 6th-Gen Core CPUs: The new update fixes corruptions in Microsoft Store Maps" Softpedia 12/24
"Who makes the best SoC: Intel vs Qualcomm vs Samsung" Android Authority 12/24
"Samsung Electronics Wants to Befriend AMD" Newzy.net 12/24
"Cisco invests $2.5 Million in UK based accelerator, Startupbootcamp" The Tech Bulletin 12/24
"Cisco Jabber for Windows Flaw Lets Remote Users Access Data on the Target System" Security Tracker 12/24
"Residents Displaced By Oracle Corp. Move Seek Restitution: More than 100 low-income families evicted in weeks leading up to software giant's land purchase." Patch 12/24
"Oracle asked to help low-income residents evicted for its new cloud campus: New, 560,000-square-foot complex will expand Austin staff by more than 50 percent" IDG News Service 12/24
"OpenText taps former Oracle hand as its new president" Reuters 12/24
"U.S. Stocks Slip After Oil-Fueled Rally: Stock market closed early Thursday ahead of Christmas holiday" WSJ.com [Paid Membership Required] 12/24
"Chinese shares drop as Beijing acts to cool insurers' buying spree/Shares in China fell Thursday as Beijing made an apparent attempt to cool domestic insurers' buying frenzy, which has helped boost the market 4% so far this month." MarketWatch 12/24
"European stocks slip, but on track for weekly gain/European stocks mostly edged lower at the start of Thursday's holiday-shortened session, but still looked set to book gains for the week." MarketWatch 12/24
MacSurfer Headline News Staff
Publisher & Editor-in-Chief: P. Pearson
Managing & Weekday Editor: D. Mahaffy
Evening Editors: S. Siegling and
D. Mahaffy
Weekend Editors: S. Siegling , A. Spaulding and
D. Mahaffy
CEO: T. Jefferson
CFO: K. Midas
Editor Emeritus: W. Shakespeare
Writers Emeritus: W. Lewis, R. Chandler, W. Morris, G. Simenon, C. Vallejo, F. Garcia Lorca,
P. White, R. Adams, P. Valery, C. Aiken, R. Bradbury, F. Pessoa, S. Bellow, F. O'Connor
Art Directors: V. Van Gogh, C. Monet
Advertising Managers: C. Chaplin, H. Marx
Public Relations Firm: Bits & Bytes
Bomb Squad: Type 11 Errors
Chief Scientists: I. Asimov, S. Hawking
Road Crew: R. Petty, J. Cooper
Mechanics: Tom and Ray
Fishing Crew: A. Lindner, D. Stange, K. VanDam
Head Chef: Mom
Head Travel Guru: D. Pearson
Mascots: Cyberdog, Clarus the Dogcow
General Counsel: #%@*$$$$!