Threes!, Elevate, and Taylor Swift dominate iTunes Best of 2014 — Apple’s annual Best of iTunes list is the least controversial year-end retrospective, but that’s OK: This year’s winning apps, songs, TV shows, and movies are sure to please every friend and relative who finds an iTunes gift card from you in their stocking or mail box for the holidays.
Apple named blockbuster hit Threes! the top game of the year. Leo’s Fortune was Apple’s runner-up in the category. Monument Valley, Hitman GO, XCOM: Enemy Within, Rules!, Farmville 2: Country Escape, Micromon, and Crazy Taxi City Rush also made the list of best games of the year. Macworld has the other winners – these go on sales rather than quality or value. Otherwise, launch iTunes, click Store and you’ll see for yourself.
Paul Shin Devine gets a year in jail, $4.5M fine for Leaking Apple secrets — The former mid-level Apple manager who took over a million dollars in kickbacks for leaking confidential company plans to Asian parts suppliers has been sentenced to a year in prison and must repay $4.5 million. He was arrested in 2010 and ultimately pleaded guilty to federal conspiracy, money laundering, and wire fraud charges.
China’s cyberspace minister meets Apple CEO Tim Cook during Silicon Valley swing — With Silicon Valley still at odds with the Chinese government, executives from Apple, Facebook, and Amazon played host to Lu Wei, the chairman of China’s State Internet Information Office, during the Asian politician’s recent trip to the U.S.
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