Short Take: Apple explains its "littlebuddy"

Fears that Apple Computer was using an obscure Web server to spy on Mac owners appear to have subsided after Apple's explanation on its Web site late last week. A number of Mac owners began posting concerns last week that their Macs were trying to connect to a site known as littlebuddy.apple.com. Apple said the server is contacted as part of the Mac's Internet connection setup program, noting that a Macintosh might try to contact the server repeatedly if it does not receive a confirmation from the server, something that happens if the Mac in question sits behind a corporate firewall.