Here’s your chance to have lunch with Apple CEO Tim Cook at Apple Park

If you want to pick the brain of one of the biggest, most prominent names in tech, you’re going to need money—a lot of it. But at least the cost is going to a good cause. Apple CEO Tim Cook partners once again with Charitybuzz to give fans a chance to have a one-hour lunch with him. It’s his fifth time hosting this charity lunch but it’ll be the first one that’ll be hosted at the new Apple Park campus. Like before, the winning bidder will get to bring one more person to the lunch. And while the meal is included in the bid, travel and accommodations aren’t. The bidding ends on May 16^th at 3 p.m. EDT. At the moment there are already nine bids valued at US$84,888. The auction listing itself has an estimated value of US$100,000.

The proceeds for the auction will go to the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights. Cook became part of RFK Center’s board of directors last year after years of supporting the charity. RFK Center aims for a just and peaceful world by teaming up with human rights leaders, teaching social justice, and advancing corporate responsibility. Last year, the winning bid was at U$515,000, which is US$95,000 less than the largest amount raised during the first year Cook hosted this lunch.

Source: MacRumors

You can donate to Red Cross for Hurricane Matthew relief support via iTunes

Visible satellite image of Hurricane Matthew approaching Jamaica, Haiti, and Cuba at 15:15 UTC on October 3, 2016. [GOES East Satellite (NOAA)]

In case you didn’t know, you can send support for Red Cross’ Hurricane Matthew relief through iTunes.  Donating through iTunes is an easy affair. Head over to this link and donate as little or as much as you like. Apple guarantees the money goes directly to Red Cross for the cause.

Our thoughts are with all those affected by #HurricaneMatthew. Support relief efforts by donating to @RedCross at https://t.co/2b9MLALy4L

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) October 10, 2016

  

The Apple Beat: Tim Cook celebrates 5 years at the helm of Apple

Cook's commitment: "Apple has a culture of excellence that is, I think, so unique and so special. I'm not going to witness or permit the change of it.." - photo by Gadjo C. Sevilla

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla

Tim Cook has been the face and leader of Apple Inc. for five years. After being endorsed by his predecessor, founder Steve Jobs, on August 24, 2011, Cook has been at the helm of Apple as it became the most valuable company in the world and has seen the launch of new product categories like the Apple Watch and updated Apple TV while overseeing the growth of Apple's various ecosystems and expansions.

To mark his 5-year anniversary, Cook gets a bonus of $100 million. Cook unlocked previously awarded stock bonuses adding up to US $100 million tied to both his length of tenure and Apple's performance under his leadership.

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Apple gives rainbow-coloured Apple Watch bands to employees for Pride weekend

Apple CEO Tim Cook together with a number of its employees joined the annual Pride Parade in San Francisco in style. The Apple employees were given a limited edition, rainbow-coloured watch band to commemorate the event. A Reddit user posted a photo of the Apple Watch with the colorful band attached to it and a letter talking about the 30^th year Apple has been associated with Pride and how the band is “a symbol of our commitment to equality.” Cook, who we know has been open about his life as a gay man, shared a photo about Sunday’s parade and the large number of Apple employees who showed up to celebrate.

Source: Mashable