Does the FBI have a file on all of us? Some conspiracy theorists believe so, but it should probably come as no surprise to discover that the Feds definitely had one on the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs, dating back to 1991. Curious to read what it says? Thankfully, the 191-page document is now available for all to read, complete with redacted segments. But that’s just the icing on the cake for what’s been happening since this morning -- here’s a look at what else is making news for Thursday, February 9, 2012.
Cult of Mac is reporting on the protests today at six Apple Stores around the world, which collectively delivered 245,000 signatures to brick-and-mortar locations in Washington, D.C., New York, San Francisco, London, Sydney and Bangalore. The protests come courtesy of Change.org and SumOfUs, who are attempting to draw attention to Apple labor policies in China. Ironically, the San Francisco protest -- small though it would up being -- included one of Apple’s own, in the form of Cory Moll, a full-time employee at the company’s downtown location since 2007. Moll isn’t just seeking better conditions for Apple workers in China, he also happens to head up the Apple Retail Workers Union, which aims to improve working conditions at the company’s retail stores as well. The short-lived protests today didn’t draw much attention outside of the blogosphere, but Moll made an appearance “to show solidarity” and “take full advantage of the rights and liberties we enjoy in this country to be able to do that.”
Hey, did you hear? There’s a new iPad coming. When can you buy it? Well, this morning we reported that AllThingsD has pegged the first week in March for the announcement, and now The New York Times is chiming in with a few more details. According to an Apple employee who has apparently touched the actual device, the new iPad is “essentially the same size and shape as the iPad 2” but includes what the source claims is a “truly amazing” screen -- which certainly sounds like the much-ballyhooed Retina Display that effectively doubles the resolution of the current model. The report notes that the end product may or may not actually be called the iPad 3, reminding us of the “rampant speculation” last fall with the iPhone 5, which actually wound up being an iPhone 4S instead. iPad 2S, anyone?
There has been plenty written about Apple co-founder Steve Jobs since his untimely passing last October, but one of the more interesting things about him has just surfaced in an FBI file dating back to 1991. According to AppleInsider, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation as released a 191 page file on the late Jobs, where it was revealed the Apple co-founder “was considered for appointment to the President’s Export Council by the George H.W. Bush administration in 1991.” As part of that consideration, the FBI conducted a background investigation on Jobs, which includes “an uncharacteristically high number of derogatory comments for an FBI investigation.” While the names of the individuals who made comments such as “deceptive” and having “questionable moral character” are redacted, the document also reveals a bomb threat made against Jobs at Apple’s headquarters on February 7, 1985. The case was closed by August of that year, with no suspect and no bombs ever discovered.
Move over, Samsung: Amazon is ready to get in a few well-placed jabs at Apple on its own. The e-tailer has just introduced a new 30-second television commercial featuring an iPad owner making goo-goo eyes at one of the new $79 Kindles in an effort to initiate conversation with a bikini-clad brunette. The poor sap can’t read on his iPad 2 out in the direct sunlight, so the brunette talks it up as the “best way to read, even in the sunlight.” When the iPad owner brings up watching movies or surfing the web, the brunette points to her kids, both of whom are happily tapping away on their Kindle Fires. “Three Kindles? That’s gotta be expensive,” the poor slob moans. “Not really,” the smiling brunette replies. “Together, they’re still less than that,” indicating the man’s iPad 2. Oh, and the kicker? The brunette is married, so the iPad owner’s advances are completely for naught. (Insert sad trombones here.) Good one, Amazon...
Another day, another organization abandoning Research in Motion’s BlackBerry in favor of Apple’s iOS platform. The latest comes courtesy of The Loop, who reports that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) “is dumping RIM’s BlackBerry from its list of officially supported mobile devices,” according to a memo dated February 3, 2012. BlackBerry will continue to be supported until May 12, at which time workers will be issued new iPhones and iPads -- devices running iOS 5 or above will be supported, including the iPhone 4. At this point, RIM is either going to be the comeback story of all time (unlikely, since that honor should probably go to Apple itself at this point) or continue its downward spiral, seemingly without end.
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(Image courtesy of Cult of Mac and Cory Moll)
