"New PayFinders app for locating Apple Pay merchants reports 750% increase in users in two days" AppleInsider 5:56 PM
"Open Source Software Went Nuclear This Year/Apple Opens Up: This year, Apple open sourced the Swift programming language—a big departure from how it operated before." Wired 7:57 AM
"Apple Wants $180M More In Damages From Samsung" UberGizmo 7:58 AM
"Apparently, Apple Watch owners nose best" TrustedReviews 7:58 AM
"Apple's plan to take on debt to buy back stock is saving a ton of money" Business Insider 4:50 PM
"Why Apple Finished 2015 on a Sour Note" Fortune 12/26
"Apple sales set to slump in 2016 with no new products, analysts warn" News.com.au 12/26
"How Apple stays on top of the tech world" Business Insider 12/26
"Apple Wants Samsung To Pay $180 Million More In Smartphone Patent War" Tech Times 12/26
"Apple is seeking an additional $180 million from Samsung" Neowin 12/26
"Apple wants Samsung to cough up $180M more in patent dispute: Just when it seemed like the smartphone rivals had finally agreed on a dollar figure for damages in the years-old case, Apple files a supplemental bill." CNET 12/26
"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 12/25
"Ask the iTunes Guy: How to set up a new iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch" Macworld 12/25
"What would you change about the new Notes app?" iMore 12/26
"Accessible Apple: The 12 Requests of Christmas - Day 12" Apple World Today 12/25
Press Releases
"Emily Wants to Play causes players to break their headphones in fear" prMac 12/26
"Introducing MetroKit 2 - A flexible and customizable metronome for OS X" prMac 12/26
"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
"Donation helps Macon County students take iPads home" Associated Press 12/26
"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] 12/25
"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] 12/25
"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
"North Korea's version of Linux is extremely oppressive: A detailed look at Red Star OS shows how this software is all about taking your freedom away." Engadget 7:53 PM
"China anti-terrorism law makes firms give up encryption keys: You won't have many guarantees that your secure chats are safe from Chinese spying." Engadget 3:24 PM
"Columbia House hopes you'll come back for vinyl records: The service may have failed at movie discs, but it's betting that vinyl's comeback will keep it afloat." Engadget 12/26
"Samsung in Race to Beat Apple to Market with a Smart Ring" Patently Apple 12/26
"Samsung execs said to blame struggles on lack of software expertise" Engadget 12/25
"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 12/25
"PSA: Steam is having serious issues with account security at the moment" PCWorld 12/25
"Valve's Steam platform is having some big security problems right now" The Verge 12/25
"PlayStation Network Is Having Trouble Creating New Accounts Today" Kotaku 12/25
"Did Amazon Sales Surge 25% Over The Holidays?" 24/7 Wall St. 12/25
"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
"MGG 585: It's Better to be Lucky Than Good" The Mac Observer 11:52 AM
"Apple iPhone 6s vs. iPhone 6s Plus vs. Samsung Galaxy S6 vs. Galaxy S6 Edge: Which Flagship Smartphone Comes With Best Battery Life?" Tech Times 12/26
"Galaxy Tab S2: Thinner, Lighter Than iPad Air 2" Techtree 12/26
"iPhone 6s Plus Vs Nexus 6P Vs Lumia 950 XL Speed Test [Video] Redmond Pie 12/25
"The Loop review: A simple tool for avoiding tangled earbud cables" Macworld 12/24
"I Opted for Apple's Smart Keyboard Over The Smart Cover + Magic Keyboard Combo" iPad Insight 12/24
iPad/iPhone/iPod touch Apps
"The 13 best apps to download for your new Apple Watch" BGR 6:27 PM
"The best free games for your new iPhone or iPad this Christmas" Mirror Online UK 12:27 PM
"Must-have Apple TV apps of 2015" Cult of Mac 9:58 AM
"The 21 best apps for the Apple iPad Pro: Stuff's pick of the top painting, drawing, office and productivity apps for Apple's giant iPad" Stuff Magazine 8:33 AM
"61 of the best iPhone 6S and iPhone 6S Plus wallpapers we've found" Pocket-lint 8:33 AM
"10 killer apps you shouldn't live without" FOXNews 12/26
"How to set up all your shiny new Apple gear" Cult of Mac 12/25
"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
"Secret Siri commands: Cool questions you can ask right now!" iMore 4:41 PM
"32-bit Addressing on Older Macs" Low End Mac 12/26
"Avoid the 'Shot From Above' for Better Selfies" Lifehacker 12/25
"Get started with your new iPhone or iPad with these great family friendly apps" AppleInsider 12/25
"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 12/25
"Cassandra: Xmas Review -More on iPad Pro & Integration; Kim Dotcom & the DoJ; Local Efficiency (Sometimes)" eXtensions 12/25
"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
"The move to WordPress and the traffic that followed" Don Melton 12/26
"Poll: What Apple goodies did you receive this holiday season?" AppleInsider 12/26
"Cord-Cutting Is Gonna Suck in 2016, But It'll Get Better" Wired 12/25
"Why 2016 Will Be the Year of E-Sports" Gizmodo 12/25
"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 12/25
"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
"Apple launches Boxing Week iTunes sale w/ discounted albums in Canada & UK" 9to5Mac 12/26
"Best Game of 2015: The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" Digital Trends 12/25
"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 12/25
"Must-Have iOS Apps: William Gallagher" MacNN 12/25
"Santa's Toy Factory - Save Christmas 1.0 released for iOS/Android/Amazon" prMac 12/25
"Can You Escape - Holidays Puts a Seasonal Twist on Global App Franchise" prMac 12/25
"eCard Express 4.0: New Free E-Cards and 2 New Products" prMac 12/25
"Award Winning 3D Isometric Racing Game 'Blitz Racer' Now Updated" prMac 12/25
"Bad Button 1.0 released for iOS - Your iPhone coming to Life" prMac 12/25
"This Christmas, DADA Trains is the definitive train themed app for kids" prMac 12/25
"Le Menu Dit 1.0 for iOS - Instantly Translates English Menus to French" prMac 12/25
"PDF Forms 4.0 Brings iOS 9 Compatibility, Support for iCloud Drive" prMac 12/25
"Best apps for your new Apple Watch" 9to5Mac 12/25
"The best apps for your new iPhone" The Verge 12/25
"Our favorite free iOS games of 2015" [Slideshow] Macworld 12/25
"The best games for your new iPhone, iPad, or Android phone: This is what your phone is really for" The Verge 12/25
"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
"Microsoft is back to being a tech force" New York Post 7:28 PM
"Microsoft's 2016: More Windows 10, Hardware Advances, Research Gains/Microsoft's New Year resolutions are expected to include gains in the PC market, new Surface Phone, and advancements in HoloLens, Microsoft Research, cloud and security." InformationWeek 9:03 PM
"Microsoft's marketing chief confirms new 'breakthrough' phone, talks Windows 10 upgrade push" Neowin 7:42 AM
"Microsoft CMO Confirms Engineering Effort On Surface Phone, A 'Spiritual Equivalent' Of Surface Tablet" HotHardware 4:34 PM
"Surface Pro 4: Just what Microsoft needs to save it's Windows 10 Mobile plans" Delhi Daily News 7:50 AM
"Microsoft Unveils Plans for China Joint Venture" WWNT Radio 7:51 AM
"The Top 3 Intel, Nvidia And AMD Hardware Launches Of 2015" WCCF Tech 7:48 AM
"Intel Updates Windows 10 Graphics Drivers, Improves Performance and Fixes BSODs" Softpedia 7:49 AM
"Oracle Acquires StackEngine, Couchbase Updates Server: Big Data Roundup/This week, we've got an Oracle acquisition, an update from Couchbase, insight into how CFOs view analytics, and data-driven advice on when it's best to say 'Merry Christmas' rather than 'Happy Holidays' or 'Season's Greetings.'" InformationWeek 9:11 PM
"CA Council to Improve Internet Certificate Security in 2016" eWeek 10:40 AM
"Now Microsoft wants all world governments to install Windows 10" TechWorm 12/26
"Microsoft gives the all clear on Xbox Live network issues" Destructoid 12/26
"Tech Year In Review: Why 2015 Is A Landmark Year For Microsoft" Tech Times 12/26
"Microsoft Exec to Windows Phone Fan Ready to Get an iPhone: We'll Do Better" Softpedia 12/26
"Windows 10 Users Still Crying for OS Update Information: New Feedback suggestion gets hundreds of votes" Softpedia 12/26
"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
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Head Chef: Mom
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General Counsel: #%@*$$$$!