Apple may or may not have a "porn problem" thanks to two high-profile App Store issues in the space of the last week, but we have to give them credit for handling them both in an adult (pun intended) fashion. 500px is now back in the App Store with a few minor age-gate changes, while video sharing app Vine continues to serve up scantily-clad fun to anyone who knows how to find it -- minus that "Editor's Choice" ranking, naturally...
After being briefly benched following complaints the app was serving up "pornographic material," the photo sharing app 500px is back in the App Store game. According to TechCrunch, however, the app now features a warning that its content is intended for mature audiences age 17 and up, and also includes a new "Report Photo" button for users to snitch on their fellow man when an image they view is considered offensive. One thing that remains is 500px's "Nude" category -- but only for users who are logged into the 500px service. But as TechCrunch notes, that's still "an impressive allowance on Apple's part" considering its previous stance on skin and sin.
The Verge is reporting that one small detail may have escaped many who read Apple's press release Tuesday about the new 128GB iPad. In it, the company refers to "multitouch" -- a word they've never used before, instead preferred the hyphenated version "Multi-Touch," complete with the tiny trademark symbol. Indeed, Apple wasted no time applying for a trademark on the term Multi-Touch when the original iPhone was announced in 2007, but the U.S. Trademark Trial and Appeals Board finally closed the book on those attempts in late 2011 after five years of Apple trying to bend things to its will. While there's always the possibility of a typo in the press release, it seems more likely that Apple is trying to put the past behind them and move forward.
Reuters is reporting that retailers in 40 states are now free and clear to screw their credit card customers with additional fees, and there's not much consumers can do about it. The so-called "checkout fees" actually kicked in on January 27 and allow retailers to charge up to four percent extra when a customer pays with a credit -- but not debit -- card. The change dates back to a 2005 anti-trust settlement between merchants and MasterCard, Visa and nine other banking entities, who wound up paying $6 billion to make it all go away. The fees continue to be illegal in California, New York, Texas and seven other states, so your mileage may vary, but in all cases, the retailer must disclose its policy to consumers in advance. Buyer beware!
Adobe has announced the 2013 edition of its MAX conference is coming May 6 and 7, to be held at the Los Angeles Convention Center and Nokia Theatre. Billed as "The Creativity Conference," the event brings together more than 5,000 creative industry leaders, designers, developers, strategists, video professionals and photographers from every part of the planet, where they'll exchange ideas, innovations and inspiration. Adobe is currently offering early bird pricing on conference passes for only $1295, which includes annual membership to Adobe Creative Cloud. You'll need to act quickly, however -- that pricing ends on February 28, at which time the price jumps another $200. Other pass options are also available on the Adobe MAX website.
The folks at banking alternative Simple have updated their iPhone app this week, adding such niceties as push notifications to confirm purchases moments after they happen and additional security measures including the ability to block a lost or stolen debit card right from the app. Found your card? Simply tap "Open Card" and you're free to spend again at will. Grab your update on the App Store today!
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