Apple Server Hacked - Should We Continue To Trust iCloud?

iCloud is the next foundation upon which mobile computing and just about every one of Apple's technical strategy is going forward. However, even Apple is not invulnerable to hacks.

In a tweet, Anonymous or its associate hacker group, Lulz Security, managed to hack into an Apple server. Though not a whole lot of information was stolen, the message was received loud and clear. Luckily for Apple, they're not the main target at this time.

According to the hackers, they're busy. In a tweet, they stated that "Apple could be target, too. But don’t worry, we are busy elsewhere".

This is particularly worrisome as Apple will make iCloud a large piece of the iOS 5 and OS X ecosystem. Apple has yet to say a word about this. This is typical Apple behavior. They almost never say anything for days or weeks when requested for information.

Just last week, Apple was forced to patch a security hole in its developer website after a hacker group threatened to expose it. According to Macworld, the phishing hole was exposed two months ago.

I reckon we could hear from Apple on this matter sooner rather than later as iCloud is due to launch this fall. As a mobile warrior, I am very excited about iOS 5 and having my data easily accessible from iCloud. Still, unless Apple puts security above all else, people will not be able to trust this.

After all, during Apple's WWDC keynote this year, Steve Jobs pointedly asked in a rhetorical question, why the users should trust them on iCloud when they're the one who brought us MobileMe.

Source: NYT.

.Mac Homepage Discontinued on Nov 8, New iLife And/Or MobileMe Coming

Apple has made a lot of changes to MobileMe and has given folks ample time to move their contents out of .Mac homepage, which is why .Mac homepage will ease operations on November 8th. So this had led me to consider of iLife is coming soon there after and MobileMe improvements will be featured.

Rumors are abound that this may happen. Amazon has inadvertently posted placeholders for the new iLife product as well as a couple of books talking about a non-existent iLife update. And the currently version of the iLife is showing its age.

I'm a Mobile and iLife user, particularly iWeb to push my personal Greenjava website. I can use a whole host of new features to help me augment it. Looking at the bigger picture, it's about mobile for Apple these days. It's all about iOS.

Time to put up a wishlist on what I like to see and expect.

Game Center: Social Network For More Than Gamers

It isn't unusual for Apple to change names of a product. And Game Center, being billed as a social gaming network, can grow beyond gaming and Apple is likely to change the name as it becomes a full fledged social network.


That's what it is going to become over time. A full network but likely much with more to offer than anything we have in existence today. You want a couple of examples? Look at what Apple has done to the mobile market. And also look at what it plans to do with iAd in advertising.

One of the reasons I started thinking about this is because I've made a couple of long distance friends while playing Chess With Friends and Words With Friends. Even with such a rudimentary set of social interactions, I come back to it again and again.

It is absolutely rare such happens now but as more developers integrate Game Center into their gaming apps, developers will discover that it is not only gaming apps that can benefit from a social network. And users will find it more useful than to keep track of high scores or tracking achievements.

Don't be surprised if Apple eventually integrate a friend list as part of the evolution of Game Center.

For those of us who are familiar with MobileMe, it would make sense for Apple to integrate Game Center into its online services. There was word that Apple will making some of the MobileMe services free for all who wants to use it.

Furthermore, I fully expect Apple to provide the option for its iTunes customers to be become MobileMe users. And by default, Game Center users as well. In one stroke, it will have more than one hundred and fifty million members just like that.

MobileMe integration will be key. Imagine being able to create a list for friends and a separate list for gaming buddies. This will afford users greater privacy. And let's not forget why Apple is doing all this. iAd will help Apple and developers make money.

Of course, all this is conjecture on my part but this is the likely course of development going forward.

Game Center is going to be huge. You just watch. It will be the backbone of anything iOS, OS X, iDevices, iTunes, and Macs going forward. And depending on how you see it, this Apple social network will have Steve Jobs as the wizard.

Note: I am sure it didn't escape Apple and Steve Jobs' attention that Facebook CEO Zuckerberg dissed the iPhone 4 on his own Facebook page. So here's message for you, Zuckerberg: Apple might look like it's got its hands full with Google. But trust me, it can fight more than one war at a time.


-- Post From My iPad

PC World: Ten Things We Didn't See At WWDC

WWDC 2009 has come and gone.  And it was one of the best I've seen in a long time.  After all, Apple has to make up for a lackluster Macworld, that ended up being the last Macworld keynote ever.


Now, PC World, on behalf of bloggers and critics, is already doing some Monday morning quarterbacking - focusing on things that were missing from WWDC.  Let me be clear, I don't like spreading rumors but, boy, I love them.  Over the years, it's always been rumors, some rooted in truth and others just really really out there, sustain the reality distortion field in between Apple product updates and media events.  


On Apple and Onxo will not traffic in rumors but PC World's article of missing things from WWDC has provided me an opportunity to deal with this.  By address some of the points PC World has brought up, I'll preempt them before they become rumors.


Brilliant, eh?  I'm just gonna pick a couple here and make you head over to PC World to read the rest.

• iTablet - this is what they started off with.  Talk about a greedy lot.  It was never really something that I expected.  I didn't expected it in fall of 2008 and I did not have hope of seeing it on Monday.  Heck, I was surprised to see the new iPhones after 8 demos of the iPhone 3.0.  I thought Apple was just killing time.  With the iPhone 3G S and some of its inner workings now known, we can potentially deduce what the iTablet will be like indirectly.
• FM Transmitter - I think once the intrepid folks get their hands on the iPhone 3G S and gut it, we might find an FM transmitter in there.  Just because Apple didn't say a word about it doesn't meant it isn't there.  Just because Apple doesn't have a word to say about it doesn't mean they won't bring it up at a later day when an add-on feature to iPhone 3.0 update is ready.  Remember the Bluetooth in the iPod Touch?

I've got one of my own.  MobileMe.  And hey, how about the online components of iWorks?  Nothing.  I really expected to see more of that in conjunction with iPhone 3.0.  Perhaps, it's one of those things that Apple will bring up when they're ready.  I still think MobileMe can use some more optimization, particularly the Web components.  Man, they're slow.

A few of the things PC World brought up is just ridiculous but fun reading just the same.  One that really surprise me was removable batteries at number six.  So, fellow Apple mobile warriors, help me out there.  Since when has Apple released an iPod that has removable batteries?  In fact, Apple has only one product left that has removable batteries:  The lone Macbook.  

Adobe Flash.  Okay, I don't even want to go there.  It's not happen, it's not going to happen.  With Flash, iPhone development will be taken out of Apple's hands.  If Flash ever happens for the iPhone, it'll be so crippled Adobe might as well not offer it.  It's the same reason why it's not on Android, WebOS, or Blackberry.

Lastly, another carrier.  Wow, this could have happen and may still happen.  Apple isn't happy with ATT since they can't even get a simple feature like MMS to work for the iPhone.  We discussed ATT being singled out by the crowd.  I speculated on the possibility that ATT may potentially violate its agreement with Apple when it was able to to deliver features for the iPhone.  That may free up Apple to take the iPhone to another carrier.  Apple hates CDMA and in the only other guy in town is T-Mobile.  It not out of the realm of possibility.  But looking further ahead, Apple will need to wait until LTE is completed for it to consider Verizon.

There a few more PC World talked about that was missing from the WWDC keynote.  Look for these ten items to be recycled into rumors in the coming weeks and months.  The only Apple media event we can confidently say will take place is in the fall when the 2009 iPod lineup is introduced.  That'll be in the October-November timeframe.  If we're lucky, Apple might surprise us with something between now and then.  

Via PC World

Note:  PC World missed something obvious:  Apple TV.  One possible rumor to watch out for is iPhone games working on the Apple TV.  More than a few people suggests that Apple is interested in gaming beyond the iPhone and iPod Touch.