| Volume 63 Number 5 |
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The People’s Lawyer’s Tip of the Day
Do you have a legal question? I cover a variety of common legal questions and topics on my website. Next time you have a question, start here! Click here for more.
Hidden App: Recovering a Stolen MacBook
What happens if your MacBook is stolen? Just a few years ago, you would have probably never seen it again. With advancements in software technology and the built-in webcam, getting your stolen computer back has gotten a lot easier. When California resident Joshua Kaufman found his laptop stolen earlier this year, he remotely activated a program called "Hidden," which uses the computer's webcam and other tools, to show him who was using his computer and what they were doing. Mr. Kaufman provided the images to police, who ultimately tracked down the MacBook thief. Do you own a MacBook? Is this program right for you? Click here for more.
Apple Folds Under Pressure
When Steve Jobs was creating rules for Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, and other publishers, he assumed they would have no choice but to accept his terms. As he saw it, if a consumer used an Apple device to access and subscribe to the application's underlying services, Apple would be entitled to 30% of the proceeds. The publisher, however, would maintain 100% of the proceeds when the subscription was made outside of the application. Publishers balked. Although some caved to the Apple rules, others left (or threatened to leave) the Apple Application Store for web-based services and Google's Android store (generally "restriction free"). Fearful of a mass exodus, Apple has changed the rules just two weeks before they were to take effect. What does this mean for consumers? Are your favorite applications, like Netflix, safe? Click here for more.
Your Money
Savings & Investment: How much, at what rate, and when? Click here for more.
For the Lawyers
Debt collector’s verification notice must include writing requirement. The District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia held that a debt collector’s failure to advise the consumer in its validation notice that she had to dispute the debt ion writing was grounds for liability under the FDCPA. Click here for more.