randominternetperson

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randominternetperson
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  • Apple will switch to randomized serial numbers in early 2021

    Random serial number is an oxymoron. It will also make it harder for analysts to monitor/estimate sales by sampling SNs. 
    FileMakerFellerpscooter63jony0
  • Arizona bill that could force Apple App Store to allow third-party payments one step close...

    Here's the text of the bill.  I've cleaned up the difficult-to-read all-caps, but otherwise this is verbatim from https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/74279?SessionId=123

    I've highlighted the relevant section describing how this would interpreted/enforced.

    18-701. Digital application distribution platforms; prohibitions; exception; attorney general; definitions
    A. 
    A provider of a digital application distribution platform for which cumulative downloads of software applications from the digital application distribution platform to Arizona users exceed one million downloads in the previous or current calendar year may not do any of the following:
    1. Require a developer that is domiciled in this state to use a particular in-application payment system as the exclusive mode of accepting payments from a user to download a software application or purchase a digital or physical product or service through a software application.
    2. Require exclusive use of a particular in-application payment system as the exclusive mode of accepting payments from Arizona users to download a software application or purchase a digital or physical product or service through a software application.
    3. Retaliate against a developer that is domiciled in this state or an Arizona user for using an in-application payment system or digital application distribution platform that is not owned by, operated by or affiliated with the provider or retaliate against a developer for that use to distribute applications to or accept payments from Arizona users.

    B. This section does not apply with respect to special-purpose digital application distribution platforms.

    C. The attorney general may receive complaints and investigate violations of this section and may bring an action in any court of competent jurisdiction to obtain legal or equitable relief on behalf of a person aggrieved by the violation.

    D. Any person aggrieved by a violation of this section may commence a civil action on the person's own behalf in any court of competent jurisdiction to obtain legal or equitable relief, including reasonable attorney fees and costs.

    E. An action may not be commenced under subsection d of this section until sixty days after the plaintiff has given notice of the alleged violation to the attorney general.  An action may not be commenced under subsection d of this section if the attorney general has commenced and is diligently prosecuting an action in court arising from the same alleged violation.

    F. For the purposes of this section:
    1. "Arizona user" means a user whose most recent address shown in the records of a provider is located within this state.
    2. "developer" means a creator of software applications that are made available for download by users through a digital application distribution platform or other digital distribution platform.
    3. "digital application distribution platform":
    (a) means a digital distribution platform for applications and services that are provided to users on general-purpose hardware, including mobile phones, smartphones, tablets, personal computers and other general-purpose devices that are connected to the internet.
    (b) includes a digital distribution platform that is provided or used for only certain types of devices, such as certain grades of computing device, devices that are made by only a particular manufacturer or devices that run a particular operating system.
    4. "domiciled in this state" means a person that conducts in this state the substantial portion of work to create or to maintain digital applications.
    5. "in-application payment system" means an application, service or user interface that is used to process payments from users to developers for software applications and digital and physical products and services distributed through software applications.
    6. "provider" means a person that owns, operates, implements or maintains a digital application distribution platform or an in-application payment system.
    7. "special-purpose digital application distribution platform" means a digital distribution platform established primarily for use by public safety agencies or for single or specialized categories of applications, software and services that are provided to users on hardware intended primarily for specific purposes, including gaming consoles, music players and other special-purpose devices that are connected to the internet.
     
    viclauyyc
  • Scosche MagicMount series brings MagSafe charging to your car

    Things like these will sell well this year—at least in Virginia. Since January 1 it’s been illegal to hold a phone while driving in the commonwealth. 
    watto_cobraGeorgeBMac
  • Apple could begin producing its own car with a 'next level' battery in 2024

    Could be September 2021, could be 2024, could be 2020-never.  Great intel.
    cornchipSpamSandwichlkruppllama
  • Ecosia now a default search engine option on iOS, iPadOS, macOS

    The main issue with DuckDuckGo and Ecosia is in the name.

    What's in a name?

    Let me Google that.

    It's frankly difficult to say, "Let me DuckDuckGo that," or "Ecosia it"

    At a point 20 years ago, google was a rhyme for the noun googol, representing 10^100.
    Now, it's a verb for searching things.

    To be pedantic, "Google" is the search engine company, "googol" is 10^100.  
    SpamSandwichjeffythequickwatto_cobraDogperson