Rumor Has It, Ep. 2- Amazon grosses us out (podcast)

Rumor Has It, Ep. 2: Amazon grosses us out (podcast)
We changed the rules a little and decided to vote on all the rumors, rather than picking just one. That way we can get more points on the board; remember that the winner at the end of the month gets to make the other person do something embarrassing (as if the "Muffin Top" song wasn't embarrassing enough). Also this week, Yahoo puts on some lipstick and waits for suitors, and Karyne wonders why; Samsung stirs the rumor pot by sending out an invite for an event where it will announce something big and swoopy; cable providers might fulfill Emily's dreams; and Amazon Silk may just be the grossest name for anything ever. In the entire world.Check out the show and see which one of us got a point this week (hint: it might not have been fair, but at least one of us is a gentleman about it). And tune in next Tuesday at 10 a.m. PT, when Sharon Vaknin will step in for Emily and bet on her behalf. EPISODE 2DragCloseThis content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Subscribe: RSS (MP3) | RSS (320x180) | RSS (640x360) | iTunes (MP3) | iTunes (320x180) | iTunes (640x360)PodcastYour browser does not support the audio element. Show notes:Yahoo no longer playing hard-to-get, report saysReuters reports Microsoft wants to buy, againSamsung to show off Nexus Prime at Oct. 11 event?Samsung's next Android phone looks a lot swoopierSamsung flexy phone!In switch, cable operators want to go 'a la carte'Amazon Silk is not just for Fire tabletsFollow us on Twitter! @EmilyDreyfuss, @karynelevy, @RumorShow. Heard a tech rumor you think we should cover? E-mail karyne.levy [at] cnet.com.

How to download the free U2 album

How to download the free U2 album
If you haven't already heard, Apple and U2 are giving away a copy of the band's latest album "Songs of Innocence" to more than 500 million users to tie in with the launch of the iPhone 6 and Watch.Related stories5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus makes a splashSapphire-display Apple iWatch is hereAll the news from Apple's Sept 9 eventThe album is available to stream or to download from the iTunes store, but finding the album can be a bit tricky if you don't know where to look. Here are the steps to help you find the free download.There are two slightly different methods depending on whether you are using a desktop with iTunes or an iOS device. iTunes on desktopFirst, you'll need to open up iTunes and be signed in with your Apple ID. Then, head to the Store. The easiest way to grab the album is to click on the U2 banner in the rotating carousel at the top of the screen. However, if you can't see this option, here's the alternate method.On the right hand side of the screen under "Quick Links" and click on Purchased.The next screen you see should look like the one below, otherwise select the Albums tab. From here, click the cloud icon to begin the download. Screenshot by Lexy Savvides/CNETThe album will also be streaming on iTunes Radio shortly. iPhone and iOS devicesThe easiest way to find "Songs of Innocence" on iOS is to open the Music app. From here head to Artists and look under for U2, or press More and search under Albums for the title.Tap on the album title and press the cloud icon to download to your device. Alternatively, the album may show up if you open the iTunes Store and look under Purchased items. The release does seem to be staggered across Apple IDs, so if you can't download it just yet, keep checking back. If you want to download the album, make sure you do it before October 13, which is when the offer ends.

Sorry devs, Apple's WWDC lottery is now closed

Sorry devs, Apple's WWDC lottery is now closed
For those who didn't already register for Apple's annual developers confab, you're now out of luck. Ticket selection this year will be determined by lottery, and the deadline to enter your name was 10 a.m. PT on Monday. Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, which takes place in San Francisco's Moscone Center West from June 2 to 6, usually sells out within minutes. So this year, in an effort to open up the process, the company has opted for a lottery system. Chosen developers will be notified by 5 p.m. on Monday. Tickets cost $1,599.Related storiesiOS 8 will have health focus, work with iWatch, sources sayApple reportedly eyes iTunes Radio as separate app in iOS 8Part of the allure of a gathering like this is exclusivity, but given the high demand of the conference, it's a wonder Apple hasn't moved it to another venue, like it has sometimes in the past when there have been scheduling conflicts at Moscone West. Apple didn't immediately respond to questions about venue considerations.As always around Apple events, the rumor mill is churning in the months leading up to the conference. Some speculate that the company could introduce iOS 8, which is expected to have a health-tracking bent. There's also the question of iTunes Radio being made into a standalone app in the new mobile OS. As it stands now, the service is bundled with the main iTunes app.

Sophos Anti-Virus for Mac is free (and a good idea)

Sophos Anti-Virus for Mac is free (and a good idea)
Many Mac users also don't realize that your Mac can still transmit and spread Windows-targeted viruses. If you get a file with a virus, it may not affect your machine, but if you send it to a friend with a PC, his or her computer could get infected. The Sophos Anti-Virus for Mac solution promises to catch these types of files and help you get rid of them safely."You get business-grade protection for your Mac backed by our SophosLabs experts--they're on the job every day of the year, 24 hours a day. We'll stop, quarantine and clean up Mac or Windows threats that try to infect your computer. We can even stop new, unknown threats." Get all your disks, files, and connections cleared.SophosYou can download Sophos Anti-Virus for Mac here. Two more reviews can be read here and here. You can also check out a video preview from Sophos here.What are your thoughts about antivirus protection on Macs? Let me know in the comments!Be sure to follow MacFixIt on Twitter and contribute to the CNET Mac forums.

Apple now shipping new iPod Touch

Apple now shipping new iPod Touch
Those of you who ordered Apple's new iPod Touch may soon see one at your doorstep.Apple seems to have just started shipping the latest iPod Touch to buyers today. A notice received by a Gigaom writer in Pennsylvania cited October 9 as the ship date from China and October 15 as the estimated delivery date.The new iPod Touch was unveiled last month at Apple's iPhone 5 launch event. But the company never revealed a specific availability date for the Touch as it did for the new iPhone. Apple's online store still lists October as the "available to ship" date. The new iPod Nano also points to October as its time frame for shipping.CNET contacted Apple for comment and will update the story if the company responds.Apple has also just released a user guide for the new iPod Touch. Available for free through iTunes, the 138-page e-book covers all of the device's features and services with iOS 6 at the helm.Related storiesApple iPod Touch returns thinner, lighterThe new iPod Touch: A 4-inch screen, and Siri tooSiri comes to iPod TouchiPod Touch vs. iPod Nano: Apple's 2012 iPods comparedThe iPod Touch 5G is closer than ever to the iPhone in several ways.Like the iPhone 5, the new Touch sports a 4-inch screen with a 16:9 aspect ratio. A 5-megapixel camera rests on the back, offering better photos in low-light conditions. The front-facing camera can handle FaceTime HD at a resolution of 720 pixels. Voice assistant Siri is also part of the package.Unlike the iPhone, the iPod Touch is available in six colors. The iPod Touch 5G costs $299 for the 32GB version and $399 for the 64GB version.This content is rated TV-MA, and is for viewers 18 years or older. Are you of age?YesNoSorry, you are not old enough to view this content.Play

Apple notifies parents of in-app purchase settlement details

Apple notifies parents of in-app purchase settlement details
Apple has begun notifying the parents how they will be compensated for large bills racked up by their children through unauthorized use of in-app purchases in games and apps sold through the App Store.An e-mail sent by the "Apple In-App Purchase Litigation Administrator" describes how the approximately 23 million people, as part of a class-action lawsuit, can apply for compensation. Parents have until January 13, 2014, to claim a $5 iTunesgift cards for charges less than $30, according to the e-mail. The maximum compensation parents can expect is the total amount charged during a single 45-day period without their permission.Related storiesDialed in 110: Lessons for Android (podcast)The 404 Podcast 498: Where Jeff battles the TriadBuzz Out Loud Podcast 1145: China to Google: Suck itParents who complained that it was far too easy to buy digital goods in games without the need to re-enter an Apple ID password sued Apple in 2011. After a parent downloaded a free or paid title using their password, the child (or someone else) could proceed to make purchases without those credentials, as long as it was within a certain time period. Apple changed that behavior as part of a system software update in March 2011, but not before some parents were hit with massive bills. The lawsuit was unrelated to another legal complaint involving in-app purchases. A patent holder named Lodsys made waves in early 2011, suing companies large and small, alleging that they were infringing on its intellectual property by including the option to buy things within the software. Apple joined that suit in April of last year in an effort to defend those developing on its platform.

Apple eyes way for authors to autograph your e-books

Apple eyes way for authors to autograph your e-books
How do you get your favorite author to autograph a book when it's digitally stored in iTunes? Apple may have a way.Published Thursday by the US Patent and Trademark Office, a patent appropriately called "Embedding an autograph in an electronic book" envisions how an author can wirelessly send an autograph to a nearby mobile device.The e-book would contain a special autograph page, or the device itself would allow the page to be generated on the fly by the author. Using a special app such as iBooks Author, the author would send an autograph to the page via Bluetooth or another wireless technology. The author and the receiving device would naturally have to be near each other for all of this to work.Related postsDOJ, schools settle over Kindle's blind accessFingers-on with Stantum's touch-screen Dell tablet prototypeTop 5 CES trendsA certificate would be transferred as proof that the autograph is authentic. An autograph could also first pass through Apple's online system to encrypt it and confirm that it's the real thing.What if you can't find your favorite author in person? The patent application also envisions a virtual signing that can be conducted online. The author could invite people to a chat room or fire up an instant messaging program and securely transmit an autograph to the authenticated devices of people on the receiving end.Apple uses e-books as an example, but the technology can extend to music, videos, and other digital media.(Via AppleInsider)

Apple eyes smart magnets to attach accessories to your iPad

Apple eyes smart magnets to attach accessories to your iPad
The iPad's magnetic personality could help users attach an array of accessories to their tablets.Published Thursday by the US Patent and Trademark Office, a patent fittingly named "Magnetic Attachment Unit" describes how the iPad's current magnet system could be expanded to hook up with docks, stands, touchpads, joysticks, cameras, other iPads, and even a special magnetic ring. iPad owners would be able to couple the tablet with an accessory without having to rely on the dock connector.Accessories would connect to any side of the iPad, including the bottom, letting the tablet attach to compatible docks and stands. Apple's iOS would support the technology, so iPad users could attach or detach an accessory by pressing the home button.Two iPads might even hook up with each other to expand their capabilities. Content displayed on the screen would extend from one iPad to the other. You could also view the screen on one iPad and use the virtual keyboard on the other iPad. Finally, the patent filing describes a magnetic ring that would let you swipe your hand over the screen to activate certain features.As always, a patent filing doesn't mean the technology will ever appear in the real world. However, since magnets are already built into the iPad to support smart covers, expanding that idea to other accessories seems a natural next step.And whether or not Apple moves forward on this front, at least one other company wants to tap into the power of magnets. Unveiled by Nano Magnetics at CES in January, a patent-pending device called Nanoport would use magnets to connect mobile devices with each other and with separate accessories.(Via AppleInsider)

Apple eyes NFC to sync data between devices

Apple eyes NFC to sync data between devices
Apple apparently still has its eye on NFC, at least as described in a freshly won patent.Awarded Tuesday by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, an Apple patent called "System and method for simplified data transfer" describes a way of automatically transferring data from one device to another.Both devices would be configured to copy data from one to the other. The first device may be set up to save and transfer data associated with specific apps. Powering up the second device would automatically tell the first device to transfer the data. The devices outlined in the patent could both be mobile gadets, or one could be a smartphone or tablet and the other a computer. Other devices could also be added to the mix, including a game controller or an Apple TV and remote.Though the patent mentions NFC,the data transfer could occur using another wireless technology."A method of performing the simplified data transfer may include initiating communication using near-field communication (NFC) between two devices," the patent said. "Next, data associated with open applications on one of the two devices may be saved and then transferred to the other. Transferring the data may take place using a peer-to-peer connection other than via NFC."NFC is typically thought of as a way to initiate mobile payments. But it can also be used for file transfers and other types of communications, as the patent clearly spells out. Apple has so far resisted jumping onto the NFC bandwagon, but the patent shows that the company sees it as a viable technology. So, it's likely only a matter of time before the iPhone and iPad are outfitted with a dose of NFC.(Via AppleInsider)

Apple eyes device that's smart to all music, video streams

Apple eyes device that's smart to all music, video streams
Apple is eyeing a way to make devices smarter about the media you want to see and hear. Dubbed "Auto-station tuning," a patent published Tuesday by the US Patent and Trademark Office envisions a media player that will analyze content streams -- over-the-air radio or television, satellite, cable, Internet content, fiber optic, etc. -- to figure out what's playing and what content will be forthcoming and switch from one source of content to another to match user preferences or criteria.That could mean switching from one source to another "based a user's tastes for music, a give volume level, an aversion to talk radio, or other user preferences or criteria," the patent said. Diagrams in the patent envision three possible media players under the scope of the invention described in the patent, one that looks like an iPod, another that looks like an iPad, and a third that looks like an iPod with an integrated receiver. It also raised the example of a configuration that would have the media player automatically move from one FM radio station to a different one when an advertisement comes on.The media player may generate playlists based on the matching content, and switch between sources of the matching content automatically, according to the patent. "As if the user were tuning a radio dial," the media player may determine what content to play back for each station, the patent says. "The media player may procure content and generate playlists to represent each station focus on by the user."Apple is already delivering on some of these features with its iTunes Radio product, but the prospect of an Apple device that integrates all sources of video content -- even live TV -- is a further tease of a longtime Apple ghost: an Apple HDTV. The latest discussion around Apple's television aspirations -- as it has been for more than a year -- is that late 2014 will be the time for a launch of any ultra-high definition Apple TV.The patent was originally filed more than five years ago, in the September 2008.(Via Apple Insider.)

Apple eyes another patent for solar-powered iPhone

Apple eyes another patent for solar-powered iPhone
The U.S. Patent and Trademark office published a patent application from Apple today for solar-paneled technology designed for devices with small screens, such as iPhones or iPods.This "integrated touch sensor and solar assembly" would involve integrating social cells into a touch screen by using electrodes that can pull double duty as a solar cell and a touch sensor. Apple envisions this technology for handheld devices, like "a media player or phone," according to the patent application. In addition to images of different size iPods, the patent application also comes with an image of a screen that's sized for an iPad. If done, iPhone and iPod owners could use solar power to charge their devices. It's not the first time Apple has pursued solar technology. The Cupertino, Calif., company has applied for four other solar-power-related patents in the last several years.Though this kind of tech seems like a good alternative to plugging in your smartphone, don't expect it to be a reality soon. After all, patent applications don't necessarily mean Apple will make a go of this technology. And, despite rapid growth the last several years -- even Apple has built its own solar arrays -- solar still faces challenges, especially after the very public downfall of solar company Solyndra in 2011. Once seen as a promising investment in American clean energy, the company went bankrupt, along with several other U.S.-based solar companies.Clarification, February 7 at 12:43 p.m. PT: The language describing the solar industry was changed and information on Apple's solar arrays was added.