PPC4YOU.COM Mobile News.

PPC4YOU.COM Mobile News.

Latest collection of news from a number of reliable sources.

Morning Report: Dirty Rotten iMessage Spam, Walmart's 97-Cent iPhone 5c

Aug 21 2014 12:21PM EST | Source: MacLife.com

iMessage spam

Thursday's edition of the Morning Report takes a look at Apple's growing iMessage spam nuisance and also questions why the Apple TV can no longer be purchased online for in-store pickup, with a great deal for iPhone 5c buyers tossed into the mix for good measure. Read on for the details!

iMessage Rapidly Becoming "A Spammer's Dream"

Are you the victim of iMessage spam? According to a Wired report published this week, more than 30 percent of all mobile spam messages are now coming from Apple's own system, and security firm Cloudmark claims more is coming — and that it's not even particularly hard to do.

“It’s almost like a spammer’s dream,” explained Cloudmark's Tom Landesman. “With four lines of code, using Apple scripts, you can tell your Mac machine to send message to whoever they want. In 10 minutes, if you have a whole bunch of accounts, you’d be able to send a huge volume of messages.”

The dilemma apparently stems from the way Apple attaches email addresses to iMessage accounts. User convenience features such as the way iMessage indicates whether or not a recipient is registered with the service and a read receipt option only wind up making life easier for spammers, who can sign up for iMessage using nothing but an email address.

Apple has yet to comment on the growing nuisance, and the only remedy currently available to beleaguered iMessage users requires emailing Cupertino a screenshot of the alleged spam along with the spammer's phone number, email address, and date and time when the message was sent.

Walmart's Having a 97-Cent Fire Sale on iPhone 5c

Had your eye on an iPhone 5c and are decidedly indifferent to whatever new smartphone model(s) Apple may or may not announce next month? Engadget today reported that retail behemoth Walmart is apparently looking to move as many iPhone 5c units as possible over the next 90 days by discounting the price to a mere $0.97.

Of course, the bad news is you'll still need to sign a two-year agreement with AT&T, Sprint, US Cellular, or Verizon Wireless. Walmart has also dropped the price of an entry-level iPhone 5s to $79, a $20 discount... but we're guessing the allure of buying a current generation smartphone for under a buck will be too much temptation for many folks.

Apple TV Mysteriously Unavailable for In-Store Pickup

Don't panic, but if you have your heart set on ordering an Apple TV from the company's website using the in-store Personal Pickup option, you may find that choice unavailable to you for the moment. According to MacRumors, Apple TV can still be purchased from the Apple Online Store for shipment to your home within 24 hours, but it appears Cupertino has suspended in-store pickup for reasons as yet unknown.

The report is quick to note the lack of Apple TV Personal Pickup could simply be a glitch on the company's website, although if that's the case, it doesn't seem to be affecting other products at this writing. The natural assumption would be Apple may be planning to soon replace or refresh the little black media box, although there's none of the usual evidence to support that theory, such as dwindling inventory at retailers like Amazon or Best Buy. Any readers happened to have picked up an Apple TV via in-store pickup lately? Chime in on the comments if so...

Follow this article’s author, J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter

(Image courtesy of Wired)



ppc4you.com is an Upfront Merchant on TheFind. Click for info. eTrust Pro Certified
Copyright © 2002-2013. ppc4you.com. All rights reserved.

Company and products names mentioned on this site are registered trademarks of their respective companies.