Japan quake, tsunami 2011: Donate via iTunes and Google Checkout

Two tech giants making Japan quake and tsunami donations easier.

 

Google and Apple are trying their best to donate for Japan victims easier.

Google and Apple, two companies that are rivals when it comes to mobile operating system (Android and iOS), are both trying their very best to help the victims of the recent Japan earthquake and tsunami.

Google, with its popular internet search engine, created a page that is specially designed to feature some of the important things about the 2011 Japan quake and tsunami.

From Japanese emergency dial numbers, to news, Google’s crisis response page created by Google.org is one of the most important page on the internet today. Apparently, Google also included an instant donation field, powered by the Mountain View, California-based company’s Google Checkout.

If you’re planning to help the Japan quake and tsunami victims via Google, you must create a Google Checkout account, or you can also create an account by using your current Google Mail/Gmail account. According to Google, “donation must be at least 100 yen, up to 25,000 yen,” and added that all donations “will go to the Red Cross in Japan.” To donate with the help of Google, click here.

Another California based company, Apple inc, is making donations easy with its iTunes software. iTunes is the place where iOS-powered devices and Mac owners buy apps and music. The minimum donation allowed is $5, while $200 is the maximum. Apparently, you can repeat donating. You can start donating via iTunes by clicking this link. According to Apple, all donations will go to American Red Cross.

We’re praying for you Japan.

Search for more Google and Apple news below:

• Japan earthquake and tsunami 2011: Zynga and Facebook will help


• Japan earthquake and tsunami “buried” iPad 2 in the news and social networking sites


• iTunes challenger à la Google Android soon via iPad 2 killers?


• Google Science Fair 2011: The first global online Sci fair


• Black Friday 2010 of Apple means iOS 4.2 for iPad and Beatles on iTunes

Mondays worrying story - FP Tech Desk: Apple iTunes user accounts hacked: reports

FP Tech Desk: Apple iTunes user accounts hacked: reports

JOHN D MCHUGH/AFP/Getty Images

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Jameson Berkow  July 5, 2010 – 2:27 pm

If you are an Apple developer having a hard time getting people to purchase your app, one way to convince them would be to hack into their iTunes accounts and make the purchase for them.

That is presumably the strategy of a rogue Vietnamese developer named Thuat Nguyen. According to several blogs, Mr. Nguyen reportedly hacked into an unknown number of iTunes user accounts over the past few weeks in order to facilitate the purchase of his own apps. By Sunday, Engadget reported that Nguyen apps accounted for 42 of the top 50 books by revenue in the Books section of the iTunes App Store.

On Monday, TheNextWeb Apple blog reported the problem was not limited to a single hacker, saying that several Asia-based developers are using similar tactics to force users worldwide to download their apps. The goal of the strategy is not only to boost sales of their own apps, but to increase their popularity rank on the app store in hopes of encouraging other users to purchase their apps legitimately.

Users posting on Twitter and message boards have reported anywhere from under US$100 to over US$1000 being spent through their accounts without their knowledge.

“Yesterday my credit union contacted me saying there was suspicious activity on my debit card. Sure enough over 10 transactions in the $40-$50 area all on iTunes equaling to $558.” reads a recent post on the MacRumors forum.

“Most of the 15 purchases where for items that I don’t even own i.e. iphone (I have a blackberry) and iPod (I’m 47 and I still use a radio for my music). I was able to verify the $70.15 charge via mobile banking and immediately called my bank” reads another.

The breach was first noticed by two competing Apple developers, both of whom grew concerned when the popularity rankings of their own apps started to slip. After being informed of the suspicious activities, Apple has removed all apps authored by Thuat Nguyen and several other developers from the app store. While the tech giant has not released an official statement or responded to media requests for comment (including one from Financial Post), several users have reportedly been told to change their passwords.

News of a possible security breach could not be coming at a worse time for the world’s largest tech firm, already facing one of its worst public relations fiascos ever over reception issues with the new iPhone 4. Without an official statement from Apple, it is impossible to know with any certainty how many of the more than 100 million active iTunes accounts are at risk.

That said, Apple’s original advice is still correct: If you have an iTunes account, change your password and keep a close eye on those banking statements.

jberkow@nationalpost.com

Posted in: FP Posted, FP Tech Desk  Tags: FP Tech Desk, Apple Inc., iTunes, App Store, iPhone 4, Engadget, MacRumors, TheNextWeb

Apple Working On Cloud Capable iTunes

Apple Working On Cloud Capable iTunes

News of iTunes receiving a big upgrade late this summer introducing cloud capability have been running rampant recently. The update isn’t exactly a surprise for anyone as such a development has been widely anticipated for what seems like forever now but there are still doubts about a September rollout. A Boy Genius Report indicates the new cloud capabilities for iTunes will be partitioned into three groups:

1. Streaming music and movies from Apple’s servers to your computers, devices, etc.


2. Streaming music and movies from your home computers to your other computers, remote devices, etc.


3. Wireless iTunes syncing with devices.

Although all these features sound good, getting them up and working might take Apple longer then expected because some of them includes issues beyond Apple’s control that can continue to delay the iTunes update. An example of these issues include, licenses that Apple will need to obtain from a variety of content providers, including the top four music labels in the US. Although the company has been hard at work on the major iTunes tweaks since last Winter, it is possible that Google’s rumored and much discussed iTunes competitor (streaming music, with songs for download) could be released before iTunes gets the cloud capability that everyone has been anticipating.