Apple

As expected, Apple shelled out for the opportunity to give away a free copy of U2's Songs of Innocence to iTunes customers, a group that numbers nearly 500 million people, reports Time.

"We were paid," U2 frontman Bono said. "I don't believe in free music. Music is a sacrament." He also alluded to a broken music charting system and an industry that has tried, but failed, to keep pace in a digital age. Ironically, Apple's iTunes nearly single-handedly brought about the seismic changes to which Bono refers.

It would be exaggerating to say we got “hands-on” time with the Apple Watch that the company announced this morning. Apple had several tables sprinkled throughout its hands-on booth (the large white building you may have seen in pictures), and you could try on some watches at those tables. But those watches were in a non-interactive demo mode, and the only opportunity we got to see the watches actually working were in carefully guided mini-presentations given by the people at the tables.

Today Apple unveiled a trifecta of new products that are surely sending worrisome ripples down the spines of the company’s competitors.

At a massive media event here at the Flint Center for Performing Arts, Apple announced two new large-screen iPhones, a new mobile payment platform, and an advanced touchscreen wristwatch. Judging by the numerous outbreaks of applause and the occasional standing ovation, the new products were met with great support by the huge audience of press, Apple employees, and VIPs from the entertainment, technology, and fashion industries.

After rock group U2 seemingly debunked rumors that it was somehow attached to Apple's media event slated for tomorrow, The New York Times on Monday claims the rock group will indeed contribute by performing cuts from its next album and announce a device partnership.

Citing people familiar with the matter, The New York Times reports U2 will "play a significant part" in Apple's special event, which is expected to see the introduction of new iPhones and possibly an "iWatch" wearable device.

The hackers behind the Kelihos botnet are trying to capitalize on users' increased awareness about the security of Apple online accounts through a new phishing campaign.

According to security researchers from Symantec, the Kelihos botnet has started sending spam emails that purport to be security alerts from Apple informing recipients that a purchase was made using their Apple ID from the iTunes Store. Apple IDs are the accounts that customers use to access Apple's online services.

Much of what we’re expecting at Apple’s iPhone 6 event we already think we know, but that doesn’t mean Apple isn’t doubling down on security ahead of its Sept. 9 event. Folks involved at the Flint Center for the Performing Arts say security is extremely tight; Apple is supposedly covering phone cameras of construction and catering staff with tamper-proof tape, which changes colors if removal is attempted.

I live in a mixed household. I use a Samsung Galaxy S5, my wife uses an iPhone 5s. Half of my friends use Android phones, the other half use iPhones.

So, I know both worlds. Unlike some knee-jerk smartphone fans, I can see there's a lot of good in both major smartphone families. And, I can also see that it looks like the iPhone 6 will have lots of neat, new features.

Apple's launch of the larger screen iPhone 6 and preview of iWatch or a similar wearable will aim to silence critics who contend the company's innovation has peaked, but may also transform the business model.

While Apple's powwow Tuesday will kick off the company's "Fab Fall" series of product launches---4.7-inch and 5.5-inch large screen iPhone 6 devices, a wearable and talk about the company's technology direction going forward. The sequel from Apple will revolve around the iPad and what analysts hope is an iTV.

Linux doesn't have any kind of PR, and in the collective mind of the people, there is still an impression that Linux users spend their time inside the terminal and in dreary desktops. In fact, most of the current Linux desktops are much better than anything made by Apple of Microsoft.

The hacking of celebrity accounts and the theft of explicit photos of a number of female stars has become even more serious, with word that at least one of the women was underage when the leaked pictures were taken. Several sites hosting the photos - which have already prompted an official statement from Apple early today, about the role iCloud played in their theft - have been notified that, in some shots, Olympic gymnast McKayla Maroney was under the age of 18.