The slopocalypse

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The AI boom is a gold rush, and as such, there are a lot of cowboys looking to cash in.

A new website from security researchers about AI-related apps on the App Store shows just how wild the AI boom is.

Security researchers looked at 198 iOS apps that expose sensitive user data through improperly secured databases and cloud storage — and found that 196 of them are actively leaking data, including names, emails and chat histories.

The researchers compiled their findings into a new website called Firehound, where you can browse the list of leaky apps to see if you’ve potentially been affected.

And what are the researchers calling this? Why, the slopocalypse, of course!

Also in today’s newsletter:

By a weird cosmic coincidence, all my Macs started running out of storage space at the same time. Luckily for me, I followed the tips in this post and freed up several gigs.
Amazon’s bargain-basement clearance site, Woot!, is having a big sale on a bunch of Apple products, from humble cables to the mighty (and pricey) Pro Display XDR monitor.
Yesterday, we reported that the AI boom is raising RAM prices, but that’s not all. Here’s another way Apple is getting squeezed.
If glow-in-the-dark Apple Watch bands are your thing, you’ve got a new, limited-edition option.

— Leander Kahney, EIC.

Some AI apps leak loads of your data — see the worst offenders

A new repository called Firehound exposes AI apps leaking user data. See if anything you downloaded from the App Store is among them.

3 fastest ways to clear disk space on your Mac

Learn how to clear disk space on your Mac with these simple tips and tools to manage your storage effectively.

Nomad's new Icy Blue Glow band turns your Apple Watch into a sci-fi prop

Nomad Goods' rugged Icy Blue Glow Stratos band for Apple Watch is made of titanium links with a flexible fluoroelastomer back that glows.

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Blowout on Apple gear: Save on everything from Pro Display XDR to charging cables

Woot's sale on Apple gear slashes the prices on everything from the Pro Display XDR monitor to everyday necessities like charging cables.

Apple's sweetheart deal with its main chipmaker comes to abrupt end

The days when Apple was TSMC's absolute favorite company are over. The iPhone maker now must pay more for chips and fight for the latest processors.

iPhone 18 Pro might transform the Dynamic Island [Update]

Apple is prepping a surprising change to the Dynamic Island with the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro, according to a well-known tipster. The screen cutout will

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Find out what's really in your food with this healthy eating app

Eat clean the easy way with Fooducate. The healthy eating app lets you scan food at the grocery store to see its actual nutritional value.

Today in Apple history: Sequel to '1984' Mac ad bombs hard

On January 20, 1985, Apple debuted one of the most notorious and badly received ads in its history. Remember the "Lemmings" ad?

Cult of Mac’s buyback program

We pay top dollar for used Apple gear

Sell your old iPhone, iPad, MacBook and more through Cult of Mac. Free shipping, fast payment!

^{A message from Wispr Flow}

Speak fuller prompts. Get better answers.

Stop losing nuance when you type prompts. Wispr Flow captures your spoken reasoning, removes filler, and formats it into a clear prompt that keeps examples, constraints, and tone intact. Drop that prompt into your AI tool and get fewer follow-up prompts and cleaner results. Works across your apps on Mac, Windows, and iPhone. Try Wispr Flow for AI to upgrade your inputs and save time.

Try Wispr Flow

Tweets of the day

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One more thing ...

❝

I’ve learned over the years that when you have really good people you don’t have to baby them. By expecting them to do great things, you can get them to do great things.

— Steve Jobs, 2011.

Today’s poll

Have you downloaded and used dodgy AI apps?

Results from yesterday’s poll: Will Apple raise prices this year?

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