Canadian telecommunications company Bell has been fined by Canada’s Competition Bureau today for posting deceptive reviews online. Bell has agreed to pay $1.25 million in fines to the organization. The investigation originally began when Bell acknowledged that its employees were “overzealous” in their reviews for the MyBell Mobile app on the App Store.

In their respective accounts and reviews, the Bell employees did not disclose their affiliation with the company. The employees also posted similar reviews for the Virgin My Account application and also posted reviews for both apps in Google’s Play Store.

In a statement, Bell’s director of communications and social media Paolo Pasquini highlighting the fact that it’s not Bell’s policy to encourage employees to rate its products and that employees are being informed of that again (via The Globe and Mail).

“The postings were the result of an overzealous effort on the part of our service team to highlight the app. It’s certainly not Bell’s practice to encourage employees to rate our products, and we’re sending a clear message out to the team to that effect.”

In the past, Apple has warned companies of the consequences for posting fake views for iTunes and App Store downloads, although this is the first time a company has faced significant monetary fines for the action. It sets an interesting precedent, as well. There’s a strong likelihood that Bell is by no means the only company that has engaged in the process of perhaps being “overzealous” in reviews on the App Store. Whether or not U.S. authorities will take similar action to Canada’s Competition Bureau, however, remains to be seen.

Filed under: Apps, iOS Tagged: App Store, Apple, Bell

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Apple today released a new OS X 10.11.1 beta build to developers and public testers, making it the fourth pre-release version of the upcoming software. The 10.11.1 update will bring bug fixes to the desktop operating system, along with a set of new emoji icons.

The update is available in the Mac App Store to developers and beta testers who are already on the beta seed and from the Developer Center for developers who aren’t. We’ll keep this post updated with any changes in this seed.

Filed under: Mac Tagged: 10.11.1, beta, Mac, OS X

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Apple today announced a significant new initiative internally for employees that “effectively [makes] everyone who works for Apple eligible for an RSU grant.” RSU grants, or Restricted Stock Units, have typically been reserved for top Apple management and product engineering roles as a way to retain employee talent for long periods of time. For example, Apple CEO Tim Cook was granted 1 million shares in 2011, following the succession of Steve Jobs, that will vest over time through 2021. According to an email from Cook to all employees today, a similar plan, with obviously much smaller amounts of shares, is now starting:

Team,

I’m writing you today to announce a new stock ownership program for employees.

For many years, we have offered people across the company the opportunity to become shareholders in Apple by participating in the Employee Stock Purchase Plan (ESPP), which makes Apple stock available at a discount that’s exclusive to our employees. Many of you have taken advantage of this program, and I am told we have one of the highest participation rates of any company offering employee stock purchase plans.

In addition to the ESPP, employees in certain roles have been eligible to receive restricted stock units. Each year, the management team recommends eligible employees — typically from our product areas — to receive RSUs as an incentive to continue their important contributions to Apple. Each grant is approved by the Board of Directors.

This year, I’m excited to let you know that the Executive Team has created a new program for stock ownership through RSU grants. It’s designed to reach employees who were not previously eligible, including many in our amazing retail and AppleCare teams.

This new program extends eligibility to everyone not covered by other RSU programs, effectively making everyone who works at Apple eligible for an RSU grant. This is an unusual step, and very special — just like our team.

Please check HRWeb for details on this new program.

At Apple, our most important resource — our soul — is our people. Along with our many progressive benefit plans, this is another way for us to say thanks. On behalf of the Executive Team, I’d like to thank you for your many contributions to Apple. Working with all of you is the privilege of a lifetime.

Best,

Tim

Notably, these shares will serve as a significant bonus to both retail and AppleCare employees in addition to people working in Apple’s corporate divisions. Sources in Apple Retail say that RSU awards began being distributed to employees today, with initial grants ranging from $1000 to $2000 worth of shares. These amounts will likely increase based on the amount of time with the company, position, and assigned project. As Cook notes in his email, this type of program is not typically offered by major corporations, and it is clear that the company is going out of its way to retain employee talent.

Filed under: AAPL Company

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Today we’re getting into the ultimate camera battle between Samsung’s Galaxy Note 5 and Apple’s iPhone 6s Plus. These are without a doubt packing the best camera sensors in mobile right now, but which one will take the throne as 2015’s best smartphone camera? We’ll be taking a look at pictures and video from both devices to find out…

On the iPhone 6s Plus we have a 12-megapixel sensor, dual-tone flash, and optical image stabilization, with the ability to shoot up to 4K video at 30 frames per second. With the Galaxy Note 5, we have a setup that was first launched with the Galaxy S6. There’s a 16-megapixel sensor, LED flash, optical image stabilization, and 4K video recording up to 30 frames per second.

As far as camera software goes, I tend to prefer the simplicity of the Camera app in iOS and the streamlined layout, but it definitely lacks some features when compared to Samsung’s Camera app on Android. On the Note 5, there’s a much more intimidating experience for some people, but Samsung has toned things down a lot over the years and there’s even a full on manual mode for photos that can come in pretty handy if you know what you’re doing with things like ISO, shutter speed, and white balance.

Check out our camera comparison video below:

We’re going to break this comparison down into a few simple categories: Daylight photos, low light photos, and 4K video quality. We’ll also go through an optical image stabilization test as well near the end if that interests you. Anyway, enough talking about the cameras, let’s put them to the test. Also, if you’re curious about the skins I’m using, you can find them here. Check out the above video and gallery below for photo and video samples from each device.

iPhone 6s Plus Gallery:

Galaxy Note 5 Gallery:

It’s pretty clear that Samsung sharpens and saturates the Note 5’s photos, but because of this you get something that’s ready to go out of the box. On the iPhone 6s Plus, the pictures are still good, but not nearly as polished. And in my testing, the colors (while saturated more) seemed more accurate on the Note 5 than the iPhone 6s Plus. Daylight photos from the Note 5 just look better overall, but the iPhone 6s Plus kills it low light performance.

Under less than average lighting conditions, the Note 5 pictures tend to fall apart. Apple’s new sensor in the 6s Plus works very well with low light photography. I still think that the Note 5 reproduces colors better, but in terms of quality, the iPhone 6s Plus wins all around in low light.

When it comes to 4K video recording, I have to give the win to Samsung’s Galaxy Note 5. They’ve been working on UHD video recording much longer than Apple and it definitely shows. That’s not to say that the footage on the iPhone 6s Plus is bad, it’s just not as crispy. Apple’s iPhone 6s Plus also destroys the Note 5 when it comes to video stabilization. Take a look at the comparison video above to see for yourself though.

Either way, both of these cameras are great to have, but I personally prefer majority of the results from the Note 5. Though if I’m in a low light setting, the iPhone 6s Plus would be good camera to have around. Which camera do you prefer? Let us know with a comment below.

Filed under: iOS Devices, Reviews, Tech Industry Tagged: Apple, iphone 6s plus, photography, Samsung, Samsung Galaxy Note 5, video

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Apple has recently released a new lineup of Magic accessories for Mac, but are they worth the hype? Along with that, we get into some discussions on the new 21.5-inch 4K Retina iMac and how it compares to the 27-inch model. Big thanks to Bushel for sponsoring this week’s episode. To find out what awesome cloud-based mobile device management can do for you, check out http://ift.tt/1j95I0c.

New episodes of Happy Hour are available every Wednesday. As mentioned, you can download this podcast via iTunes or plug in our RSS feed link into your favorite podcasting app. Send an email to listenermail@9to5mac.com (or click here) and your question/comment may be featured in an upcoming episode of Happy Hour.

Note: iTunes (web interface and app) may still be propagating the new episode which could take up to 24 hours. Subscribing to the podcast feed will guarantee the latest episode is downloaded.

Hosts:

• Zac Hall
• Benjamin Mayo

Here’s what we discussed in this episode:

• Beats unveils first Lightning-equipped Pill+ Bluetooth speaker since Apple’s acquisition
• Apple launches larger Magic Trackpad 2 with Force Touch, Magic Mouse 2 & Magic Keyboard
• Apple launches new Retina 4K 21.5-inch iMac, all 27-inch iMacs now feature Retina 5K displays

If you missed our 35th episode last week, you can subscribe and find every episode or start off from the previous episode here.

Remember: Subscribe on iTunes to catch all of the episodes as they go live and send in your questions/comments to listenermail@9to5mac.com.

Filed under: Happy Hour Tagged: Apple, Beats, force touch, Happy Hour, iMac, Podcast

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Apple’s HomeKit platform for connected accessories around the house has been steadily expanding over the last few months, and today August is adding to it with a new version of its Smart Lock. Revealed today, the new HomeKit-enabled August Smart Lock is an upgraded version of the Bluetooth-connected door lock that first launched last year. HomeKit compatibility means you can use the Siri virtual assistant on iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch to lock or unlock August Smart Lock using voice commands. Working with Apple’s smart home platform also means Smart Lock can be a part of commands like “Goodnight” that turn off connected lights, lock the front door, and lower the temperature.

For example, Philips Hue lights recently shipped with an upgraded HomeKit-compatible bridge and Ecobee 3’s smart thermostat works with Siri commands. HomeKit lets you use voice commands to set each of these accessories to preferred modes with one command. Siri can also tell you the status of August Smart Lock in case you worry you forgot to lock the door or left it unlocked for someone.

Aside from HomeKit support, August says its new Smart Lock features a “modified industrial design with a magnetic faceplate, new micro-patterns to improve grip and rotation of the lock, and a slim, chrome indicator at the top of the device so people can visually see if it is locked or unlocked.”

In addition to the upgraded August Smart Lock with HomeKit support, August is expanding its lineup with a new August Smart Keypad and August Doorbell Cam.

Smart Keypad lets anyone unlock Smart Lock using a passcode when keys and smartphones aren’t available. Smart Keypad also works with one-time auto-generated codes that act as temporary keys. August says its battery-powered and can be installed in about 10 minutes.

Doorbell Cam is both Bluetooth Low Energy and Wi-Fi-enabled and lets you remotely check in with your front door using a “one-way, 140 degree HD video camera and two-way audio” for security. Motion detection automatically captures visitors, and August’s app can be used to livestream any activity. Doorbell Cam owners can receive alerts when activity is detected and communicate with visitors through audio and even buzz in people.

August also announced a new platform called August Connect, which will let partners Sears, Postmates, Doorman, and others work with August Smart Lock in different ways. The new platform launches in beta today.

Customers can pre-order August Smart Lock with HomeKit ($229), Smart Keypad ($79), and Doorbell Cam ($199) from Amazon, Best Buy, and August.com. Apple Stores will carry the new hardware once available. Not interested in HomeKit? The original August Smart Lock now goes for $199.

You can check out our original August Smart Lock review here.

Filed under: HomeKit Tagged: August, August Smart Lock, homekit, Siri, smart home, Smart lock

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Google is rolling out a couple notable updates to its Google Translate apps that adds additional languages for translations of printed text and support for the new Split View app mode on iPads.

Using Google Translate’s instant visual translation feature, users can tap into their mobile device’s camera to translate printed text. With this month’s update, Google adds support for translating printed text in English or German into Arabic, something that was already available for the apps other translations features including conversation mode and text input model.

For iPad users, Google Translate is adding support for Apple’s new Split View feature that allows side-by-side use of apps on newer iPads with iOS 9.

So if you’re sending an email or text and need to translate, you can see both apps at the same time. And it even works with text from online books or websites.

And this is how it looks in action on the iPad:

The new features will be rolling out to mobile app users in the coming weeks.

Filed under: Apps Tagged: Arabic, Google, Google Translate, instant, iPad, Split View, Translation

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While the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus was scheduled to arrive in 40+ more countries for Apple’s second wave launch this month, the company is delaying sales of the device in one of those countries, Turkey, due to recent terror attack that killed 97 people in the country’s capital Ankara. Apple confirmed that sales of the device would be delayed in an email to partners in the country that was obtained by appletoolbox.com.

Rather than launching alongside the 40+ other second wave launch countries this month, Turkey’s planned launch date of October 16 will be pushed back until further notice, according to Apple’s email. Its website is now advertising a launch date of October 23 in the country, but it’s unclear if that date will be pushed back further due to the unexpected delay.

Earlier this week Apple CEO Tim Cook sent out a message through his Twitter account offering his “prayers, condolences, and hope for all this affected by the bombings in Turkey.”

In its email to partners, Apple said it’s working hard to launch the device in Turkey and will let retailers know when a new launch date is available.

Filed under: iOS Devices Tagged: Apple, bombings, iPhone 6s, launch, terror attack, Tim Cook, Turkey

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Buried deep in the Cellular section of the Settings app in iOS 9 is a new networking feature called Wi-Fi Assist that lets your iPhone use cellular data over Wi-Fi during poor connectivity. Intended to remedy those times when your iPhone gets stuck trying to load data on a weak Wi-Fi connection due to range or other issues, Wi-Fi Assist raised a concern for many iPhone users on tiered data plans after iOS 9 was released.

The feature is turned on by default, so users could mistakenly eat up expensive data on a weak Wi-Fi network without realizing cellular data was being used. Addressing concerns that have been raised over iOS 9’s Wi-Fi Assist feature, Apple issued a new support document this week that details how the feature handles certain situations (via Six Colors):

Wi-Fi Assist will not automatically switch to cellular if you’re data roaming.

Wi-Fi Assist only works when you have apps running in the foreground and doesn’t activate with background downloading of content.

Wi-Fi Assist doesn’t activate with some third-party apps that stream audio or video, or download attachments, like an email app, as they might use large amounts of data.

While Apple acknowledges that Wi-Fi Assist may use “a small percentage higher” amount of data for most users, it clarifies that the status bar will signal the change between Wi-Fi to cellular connectivity. Apple also mentions that Wi-Fi Assist works with most (but presumably not all) apps including Safari, Apple Music, and Maps, which can potentially be data heavy.

Wi-Fi Assist can be managed under Settings > Cellular > Wi-Fi Assist.

Filed under: iOS Tagged: Apple, Data usage, iOS 9, support, Wi-Fi Assist

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Keep up with the best gear and deals on the web by signing up for the 9to5Toys Newsletter. Also, be sure to check us out on: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+ and Safari push notifications.

Today’s can’t miss deals:

Cost-Effective Apple Watch Bands: Aukey 42mm Leather $10 Prime shipped (Reg. $20), more

Apple is dishing out free downloads of the award-winning puzzle game Shadowmatic

Storage: Samsung 500GB 2.5-inch Internal SSD $150 (Reg. $170), WD My Passport 2TB USB 3.0 Portable HDD $70 (Reg. $85)

Apple Watch 42mm Stainless Steel Case w/ Black Sport Band: $520 shipped (Orig. $599)

Apple 12-inch MacBook 1.1GHz/8GB/256GB from $1,190 or $1,150 w/ .edu (Reg. $1,299), more

13″ Retina MacBook Pro (newest) 2.7GHz/8GB/256GB: $1,280 shipped (Reg. $1,499)

More new gear from today:

Games/Apps: NHL 16 (all platforms) $40, Until Dawn $40, Drop the Chicken free, more iOS freebies

• Two D-Link DCS-934L Wireless IR Surveillance Cameras: $70 shipped (Reg. $100)
• Sony SRSX3 Portable Bluetooth/NFC Speaker: $60 shipped (Orig. $140)
• Daily Deals: Octa Spider Monkey Stand for iPad $48, Brother Wireless Inkjet Printer $45, more
• Audio-Technica Headphones + Blue Microphones USB Mic $200 shipped ($292+ value)
• Amazon Gold Box – 50% off Rockport Men’s Dress Shoes: Classic Lite Penny Loafer $55, more

More deals still alive:

Camabond 10ft Nylon Braided MFi Apple Certified Lightning Cables $11 Prime shipped, more

1Password secure password manager for Mac: $30 (Reg. $50)

App Store Free App of the Week: Wake Alarm Clock ($4 value)

The Executive for iOS goes free for the first time as IGN’s Game of the Month ($5 value)

Tweetbot for Mac drops to $10 (Reg. $13)

• USB-C roundup: Aukey 3-Port USB Hub w/ Ethernet $17, Aukey USB Adapter $7, more
• Smart HDTVs: 55-inch Sony 120Hz 4K $850, 43-inch LG 60Hz 1080p $350, more
• Lenmar MAVEN iPhone 6 MFi 3,000mAh Battery Case $29 shipped (Orig. $100), more
• Brother Color Duplex Laser Wireless Printer w/ AirPrint: $150 shipped (Reg. $200)
• Bluetooth Speakers: Inateck Honeycomb $30, SOL REPUBLIC DECK $40
• Klipsch HDTV home theater sound system w/ Bluetooth $155 shipped (Reg. $199)
• Aukey Bluetooth In-Ear Headphones $17 (Reg. $25), more
• Outdoor Solar lights: Nitewatch LED Floodlight $50, Two-pack oLED spotlights $33, more
• Headphones: Sony Bluetooth $130 (Reg. $199), Beyerdynamic from $170 (Reg. up to $270), more
• Crosley Ranchero Classic AM/FM Radio and Aux Speaker: $65 Shipped (Orig. $100, CA Tax Only)
• Freebies: Treasure Island eBook/Audiobook + slice of cheese pizza + More!
• Sony announces official PlayStation 4 price drop, bundles now start at just $349
• Mac Bundle: 14 Mac Apps incl. RapidWeaver, Voila Screencapture, Kinemac 3D, more: $18
• Prime Members: Free 4-month subscription for 3 print magazines – GQ, Wired, more
• Pre-order Microsoft’s latest gadgets right now: Surface Pro 4, Surface Book, Band 2
• TP-LINK Wireless N Nano Router w/ 3-pack of networking cables (Refurb) $8 shipped
• Aukey USB Power Roundup: 6-Port 50W: $15, 5-port 40W: $10
• iPhone 6/s Accessories: 2-Pack Tempered Glass Screen Protector $3, more
• Freebies: Best Of albums + Halo 5 content + Krispy Kreme doughnut + More!
• Lytro Illum Camera, captures the entire light field: $700 shipped (Orig. $1,300)

New products & more:

This is the Apple TV remote that Cupertino should’ve made…

The BLOCKS modular smartwatch has flown past its Kickstarter goal in a just a few hours

• Turn heads at any Halloween party with one of these high-tech DIY costumes
• Koto’s smart sensors track your home’s health and can even forecast storms
• New Halo 5: Guardians trailer drops as retailers ramp-up pre-order deals
• This clothes-folding washing machine brings first-world laziness to defcon zero
• The new Light digital camera uses 16 lenses (!!!) to craft the perfect picture
• DJI’s new Osmo 4K camera is one expensive selfie stick
• The latest littleBits DIY electronics kit turns any kid into an inventor
• Handmade at Amazon launches with an eye on knocking off Etsy
• Marvel’s updated plans for phase three of its cinematic universe + comicbook goodies

Filed under: Tips and Tricks Tagged: 9to5Toys, Amazon Gold Box, Amazon Prime, apple deals, Apple watch, Apple Watch band, coupon codes, Daily Deals, eBay Daily Deals, free, free shipping, Freebies, iOS freebies, Lunch Break, MacBook, Shadowmatic, Storage, video games

Check out 9to5Mac for more breaking coverage of Tips and Tricks, Apple watch, and 9to5Toys.

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