Law

San Francisco Police Admits to Helping Apple Retrieve Missing iPhone 5 Prototype

An already strange story has taken a turn for the downright silly, with the news that the San Francisco Police did actually have a hand in the searching of a 22 year old's home, contrary to the authorities' own accounts.

We told you yesterday how Apple's own security firm had taken it upon themselves to search the home of one Sergio Calderón in a hunt for a missing iPhone 5 prototype. Calderón had been told that the people involved were SFPD, but the department's own files said that they had no hand in the search, and furthermore, they had not had any contact from Apple regarding the device.

This now appears to have been incorrect.

In a report for The San Francisco Weekly, we learn that the SFPD did in fact send some officers along for the ride...

U.S. Government Files to Block AT&T/T-Mobile Merger

Much like Google's buyout of Motorola Mobility we told you about a few weeks ago, I don't think anyone saw the AT&T/T-Mobile deal coming. The nation's second largest carrier unveiled it's plans earlier this year to acquire the operator for $39 Billion.

The acquisition would leave only three major wireless companies in the US, angering both customers and other carriers along the way. But with the industry's long history of buyouts and mergers, I think most folks just accepted that it was going to happen, until now...

Why You Should Never Buy an iPad in a Parking Lot

The fact that Apple products are highly sought after and typically more expensive than similar electronics make them the perfect tool for scam artists. An Apple gadget offered at a significant discount is enough to make anyone oblivious to scandal.

That certainly seems to be the basis of an epidemic that has Grand Prairie police officers scratching their heads. The North-Texas city has seen over a dozen instances of a recurring scam involving fake Apple products...

Who’s Suing Who in the Mobile Industry [Infographic]

Here at iDB we've covered a lot of lawsuits involving Apple and their hit line of iDevices. Most, if not all, of the litigation has involved patents. You know, those little pieces of paper that tie an invention to its inventors.

In fact, these patents have practically turned into weapons in the warzone that is now the mobile industry. It seems like everyone is suing everyone — it's hard to keep up. Luckily, the folks over at Reuters have made a chart to help us out...

Gizmodo iPhone 4 Case Finally Coming to an End

I think most of you folks will recall the infamous iPhone 4 debacle that occurred last Spring. Months before the device's official release, an Apple engineer left his test unit at a bar in San Jose, California.

Not only did someone pick it up, but they negotiated a deal to sell the thing to Gizmodo. As serious as Apple is about secrecy, and given Steve Jobs' passionate temper, a lot of folks figured this kid wouldn't live through the weekend...

Fedex Delivery Man Caught Forging iPad Deliveries

As you're probably well aware of, we love it when criminals get their comeuppance. It's even a little extra entertaining if the crooks get nabbed due to a lack of common sense. Such is the case for our next 2 villains.

KPLCTV is reporting that 2 men have been arrested in Jennings, Louisiana in connection with multiple 'forged iPad deliveries'. Apparently, over the last few months, a FedEx driver has been stealing iPads from his truck and forging customers' signatures...

Man Arrested After Forcing his Girlfriend to Eat an iPhone

We've seen some pretty crazy stories involving the iPhone over the last few months. Just recently, a man was apprehended and charged for a home invasion after police found his iPhone at the scene of the crime.

The latest story to surface comes from The New York Post. The news outlet has gotten its paws on court documents that detail a domestic dispute involving a prolific patent attorney who allegedly forced an iPhone down his girlfriend's throat...

iPhone to Join the Fight Against Crime, Thanks To MORIS

Apple's iPhone isn't just the most advanced smartphone on the market, it's also a crime fighting super machine, thanks to a new app and accessory.

MORIS, which stands for Mobile Offender Recognition and Information System, promises to combine state of the art iris recognition with good old fashioned facial recognition, with the aim of making the identification of individuals a quick and easy process...

Dumb Burglar Leaves iPhone at Crime Scene, Inevitably Gets Caught by Police

Here's a little lesson to all the would-be criminals out there: If you are going to break into your ex-girlfriend's house, don't leave your iPhone behind as evidence. While most of us consider that common sense, that doesn't seem to be the case with Mr. Jason Scott Davis.

The 34-year-old Northern Californian is in custody as the prime suspect of a late-May home invasion. Authorities arrested Davis after discovering his iPhone in his girlfriend's bathtub the night of the robbery...

Former Flextronics Executive Pleads Guilty to iPad and iPhone Leaks

Ah, the illustrious Apple rumor mill. It seems like every time the Cupertino company is expected to (even when they're not) announce a new product, the entire web is buzzing with the latest Apple gossip.

Typically, we disregard the articles with titles that begin with "analyst claims." It seems like everyone and their dog has their own "source" inside Apple's never-ending supply chain.

But every once in a while, the tipster is legitimate. Why doesn't it happen very often? Because the people that really do give away information regarding Apple's secret projects go to jail...

Making Terroristic Threats Against Apple Will Never Help Fixing Your iPhone

Although I've typically had enjoyable experiences with Apple Store staff members, that doesn't seem to be the case for everybody. I've come across several stories where customers have left Apple Stores extremely upset with its employees.

One of the most interesting tales I've come across lately was featured in a recent TUAW article. If you haven't heard the story of Joe Lipari and his infamous Apple Store-Facebook-rant turned felony, you might want to keep reading...

Watch Out for iPhone and iPad Scams

With so many look-a-likes and scams out there, a person has to be pretty careful when shopping online for an iDevice. Before purchasing any type of high-end electronic device, you always want to ask for the serial number to check and see if it's been stolen, or if it's even real.

The police of Morrow City, Georgia recently apprehended 2 suspects for using a popular website to sell imitation iPhones and empty iPad boxes for cash. The two culprits were picked up last Thursday in the process of selling 2 fake iPhones for a total of $400...