Dennis Sellers

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple has reportedly acquired Asaii, a music analytics company, according to <a href="https://www.axios.com/apple-acquires-asaii-music-streaming-analytics-4463b3fc-88c7-42a6-8093-7651edddf579.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>Axios</em></a>. The deal, which appears to be verified by employee LinkedIn profiles, was worth less than $100 million, the article adds, quoting an unnamed source.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.eblocker.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">eBlocker</span></a>'s eBlocker 2 is the company’s latest device designed to anonymize a user’s online identity, block data collectors, thwart tracking ads, and prevent children from accessing inappropriate content. If you’re in the market for such a product, this one is easy to use.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Want to add a contact to the Home screen on your iPhone or iPad? Apple has been granted a patent (number 10,095,375) that would allow you to do this.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">On a regular basis, <em>Apple World Today</em> posts a list of notable new apps or app updates that have been released. They may not necessarily be new, but they're popular and deserve mention. Here are this week’s picks.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">According to <a href="https://9to5mac.com/2018/10/12/iphone-xr-apple-clear-case/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"><em>9to5Mac</em></a>, Apple will release its own clear case for the iPhone Xr. The smartphone will be available for pre-order in a week and goes on sale Oct. 26.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">The International Association of IT Asset Managers (IAITAM) says only Apple appears to have applied at least some proper ITAM practices for equipment acquisition and detected problems with the Super Micro Computer (Supermicro) servers allegedly containing the tiny microchips installed for hacking and spying purposes. </p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">You can’t get a much more protective case than Otterbox’s <a href="https://www.otterbox.com/en-us/apple-iphone-xs-max/defender-series-pro-screenless-edition-case/77-60720.html#sz=51&start=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Defender Series Pro Screenless Edition for iPhone Xs Max,</a> but it adds considerable weight and bulk to the smartphone. </p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple has filed for a patent (number 20180293243) for “slideshows comprising various forms of media” that, interestingly, involves DVDs. </p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">With macOS Mojave, Apple has added support for favicons in Safari tabs. Favicons are those little icons that let you quickly identify which of your open tabs is which. </p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple will donate an undisclosed sum to relief efforts for Hurricane Michael victims. The tech giant Apple CEO Tim Cook announced the upcoming donation in <a href="https://twitter.com/tim_cook/status/1050192357814079488" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">messages of support</a> of support posted to Twitter.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.synology.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Synology Inc</a>., a maker of network-attached storage, video surveillance and networking products, unveiled the company’s latest hardware and software innovations at their annual event Synology 2019 in New York. </p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Starting today, Apple Music subscribers who visit Genius — the world’s biggest encyclopedia of music, built by artists, scholars, and “super-fans” — will be able to play any song in full right from the song page, simply by signing into their Apple Music account.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple has filed for a patent (number 20180295140) for the “detection of spoofed call information.” It would allow an iPhone to tell if an incoming call was from a spoofed number. If so, it would warn you before you answer the call.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.dialog-semiconductor.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dialog Semiconductor </a>has announced an agreement with Apple to license certain of its power management technologies, transfer certain of its assets and over 300 employees to Apple to support chip research and development. Currently, Dialog supplies the power management chips for iPhones, iPads, and Apple Watches.</p>

<p style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Apple better get some new Macs out the door ASAP. Mac sales were down in the third quarter of 2018 — even more than the industry average, which is unusual.</p>