An iOS application developer has come up with an extreme way of fighting software piracy—by auto-posting "confessions" to its users' Twitter accounts. "...Enfour, the maker of a variety of dictionary apps, is auto-posting tweets to users' accounts to shame them for being pirates. But the auto-tweeting seems to be affecting a huge portion of its paid user base, not just those who actually stole the apps." Follow-up. A personal account: Can’t spell “pirate” without “-irate”: on DRM and punishing the customer [more inside]
posted by flex on Nov 29, 2012 - 74 comments

"Siri, how expensive would it be to replace all the lights in my house with fireflies?" (cf. "Is that rain?")
posted by griphus on May 23, 2012 - 57 comments

You ever get so high and dream there was a marijuana review site in the style of Yelp? Dream no more, because there's Leafly. Find the strain that best suits you (no surprise that they all seem to be highly rated for treating stress, but only six are good for PMS) or a nearby dispensary. Read reviews of new strains like Woody Kush, rumored to be specifically created for Woody Harrelson or the insightful reviews of Herojuana: 3RD DEGREE BLACK BELT BUD, Dankest weed I've ever smoked, and Found a little container of a gram of this great shit under the seat in my car on a shitty day. Like any Web 2.0 worth it's weight in salt kief they have an API, login via Facebook & Twitter, and an iPhone & Android App.
posted by wcfields on Apr 23, 2012 - 22 comments

October Jones's dog sends him text messages at work.
posted by minifigs on Apr 6, 2012 - 66 comments

Social apps 'harvest smartphone contacts'. While this may not come as a surprise to many, the fact that apps such as Twitter and Instagram will take the addresses from your contacts list and store them, sometimes unencrypted, has become enough of a story that two members of the US congress have sent a letter to Apple about its apps and how they access personal data. [more inside]
posted by Megami on Feb 16, 2012 - 125 comments

Didn't get that Apple product you wanted for Christmas? Jonathan Mann, with the help of Twitter, composed a song for you: WTF?! I wanted an iPhone! If that doesn't quite rock your world, Mann composes and performs a song a day, so there ought to be something you like.
posted by desjardins on Dec 27, 2011 - 45 comments

‘Hello I am tweeting with my nose’
posted by cashman on Jun 27, 2011 - 14 comments

Wikileaks may have been the big news, but there were numerous other data breaches in 2010. [more inside]
posted by These Premises Are Alarmed on Dec 28, 2010 - 26 comments