Joe Rossignol

Advertising analytics company Ace Metrix has published its latest list of the top breakthrough ads in the second quarter, and Apple's behind the scenes "Timer" ad starring iconic Sesame Street character Cookie Monster earned fifth place. "Timer - Behind The Scenes" has been viewed over 3 million times on YouTube since the video was uploaded in early April. In the 90-second spot, Cookie...

Apple Pay has launched in Switzerland today with support for MasterCard and Visa cards issued by Bonus Card, Cornèr Bank, and Swiss Bankers. Other banks and participating issuers will likely be added in the future. Eligible cards can be scanned or added manually to Apple Pay by tapping the "Add Credit or Debit Card" option in the Wallet app on iOS 8.1 or later. Apple Pay is compatible with...

Verizon has announced a series of changes to its monthly service plans effective July 7 and previewed a new version of its My Verizon app in tow. The biggest change is that Verizon's unlimited talk and text plans now offer at least 30 percent more data, albeit at higher price points. Old Plans - S: 1GB for $30/month - M: 3GB for $45/month - L: 6GB for $60/month - XL: 12GB for...

Snapchat has introduced a new feature called Memories, accessible by swiping up on the main camera screen, that serves as a personal collection of your favorite saved snaps and stories. Memories can be viewed personally, sent to your friends, or added to your Snapchat story. A snap taken more than 24 hours ago will appear with a frame around it in your story to indicate that it is older....

Internet security software company Bitdefender's research lab has disclosed new malware targeting Macs called Backdoor.MAC.Eleanor [PDF]. Learn more about the malware and how to keep your Mac protected against attackers. What is Backdoor.MAC.Eleanor? Backdoor.MAC.Eleanor is new OS X/macOS malware arising from a malicious third-party app called EasyDoc Converter, which poses as a...

With around three months remaining until Apple is expected to announce the tentatively named iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, detailed renders of the next-generation smartphones continue to surface on the web. The latest CAD renders, posted on Chinese social media and shared by French website NWE, provide a closer look at the possible design of the smartphones and paint a clearer picture of which...

In a wide-ranging commentary piece about why now is a bad time to buy a new iPhone, The Wall Street Journal has confirmed that the iPhone 7 will start with 32GB of storage, replacing the infamous 16GB base tier offered since the iPhone 3GS.The new iPhones are expected to have more storage for those photos. Instead of 16GB as a starting point for the entry-level iPhone, the new starting point will ...

BlackBerry has announced that it will no longer manufacture the BlackBerry Classic, meaning that the touchscreen smartphone will no longer be available once remaining stock is depleted through official sales channels.For many years, Classic (and its BBOS predecessors) has been in our portfolio. It has been an incredible workhorse device for customers, exceeding all expectations. But, the Classic...

Apple is demanding price cuts on components for the new iPhone from its overseas suppliers to maintain its high profit margins, despite a global slowdown in smartphone sales, according to Taiwanese website DigiTimes. The report claims several large Taiwan-based component suppliers such as Foxconn, Largan Precision, and Pegatron have already been affected, while strong competition in Greater...

Walmart has announced that its mobile payments solution Walmart Pay is now available in 19 more U.S. states, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington. Last month, Walmart Pay widely expanded to Alabama, Georgia,...

Edward Majerczyk, a 28-year-old Chicago man who played a role in the phishing of celebrity iCloud accounts in 2014, has signed a plea agreement and agreed to plead guilty to a violation of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, according to court documents made public on Friday. Majerczyk was charged in a Los Angeles, California district court, but will enter his guilty plea in the Northern...

Canadian music and TV personality George Stroumboulopoulos will kick off a Canadian "takeover" of Beats 1 with an hourlong segment on July 2 at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time, Apple has confirmed to the Financial Post. George Stroumboulopoulos, left, and Beats 1 host Zane Lowe (Financial Post) Part entertainment, part education, these hour-long sessions are a chance for local talent to shine a light...

Today marks the one year anniversary of Apple Music, which launched in 110 countries on June 30, 2015. The streaming music service was initially limited to the Mac and iOS devices, and it has since expanded to Apple TV and Android. Apple's streaming music service, an evolution of the Beats Music service it acquired in 2014, has steadily gained listeners over the past twelve months, reaching...

Apple supplier Cirrus Logic has announced a new MFi Headset Development Kit, a reference platform that is designed to help "Made for iPhone/iPad/iPod" accessory makers quickly develop Lightning-based headphones. The development kit, available through Apple's MFi Program, includes a form factor reference design and other resources to help MFi licensees create Lightning-based headphones. A...

Samsung Display will remain the global leader among AMOLED display suppliers over the next few years, with shipments estimated to increase to 560 million units by 2019, according to Taiwan-based DigiTimes Research. Samsung Electronics, which produces the company's lineup of Android-based Galaxy smartphones, is expected to remain Samsung Display's largest customer over the next few years,...

Apple quietly updated the "choose your country" selector on its website a few weeks ago in the United Kingdom and other European countries, adding Euro 2016 country groups and a bracket to celebrate the ongoing football tournament in France. Apple also temporarily added a handful of countries and regions that it does not have regional websites for, including Albania, Iceland, Northern...

Porsche has announced that its new 2017 Panamera luxury sedan will be equipped with a 12.3-inch touchscreen that supports CarPlay. The next-generation Porsche Communication Management system also features online navigation, Porsche Connect, and a new voice control system that responds to natural language input. The all-new 2017 Porsche Panamera will arrive at U.S. dealerships in January...

Florida resident Thomas S. Ross has filed a lawsuit against Apple this week, claiming that the iPhone, iPad, and iPod infringe upon his 1992 invention of a hand-drawn "Electronic Reading Device" (ERD). The court filing claims the plaintiff was "first to file a device so designed and aggregated," nearly 15 years before the first iPhone. Between May 23, 1992 and September 10, 1992, Ross...

Apple Pay has expanded to an additional trio of parking services and one hotel booking service over the past week. Parking Panda, an app that allows you to find and reserve parking in advance, was updated last week to allow customers to use Apple Pay. Parking Panda is offering customers a 10 percent discount off purchases made with Apple Pay between now and September 1. The discount is...

Interscope Records has announced that rising Chicago rapper and songwriter Dreezy's debut full-length album "No Hard Feelings" will be available exclusively on Apple Music in the United States on July 15 before becoming widely available one week later. "No Hard Feelings" will feature 19 tracks, including singles "Body" ft. Jeremih, which has nearly 13.8 million Apple Music streams, "We Gon Ride...