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May 16
Sprint won't make money on the iPhone until 2015

Sprint Nextel CEO Dan Hesse -- who took an US$3.25 million pay cut earlier this month for orchestrating the company’s pricey iPhone deal with Apple -- says the company won't profit from the deal until 2015, reports "AllThingsD."

The deal will purportedly cost Sprint an estimated $15.5 billion over the next four years. However, Hesse said during the company's annual shareholders meeting today that "we're happy with it" because the initial heavy upfront investment in the iPhone is worthwhile because it will slow subscriber turnover and create a new segment of higher-value subscribers.

"We believe in the long term," Hesse said. "And over time we will make more money on iPhone customers than we will on other customers."

The carrier sold 1.5 million Apple smartphones during its winter quarter -- with 44% going to new customers. Sprint Nextel reported a net loss of US$863 million and a diluted net loss of $.29 per share for the first quarter of 2012. This compares to...

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May 16
Apple responds to class-action lawsuit involving Siri

Apple has responded to those participating in a class-action suit accusing the company of deceptive advertising around Siri‘s capabilities, arguing the complainers are simply out to make money, reports "SlashGear" (http://macte.ch/6zTrF).

Siri is Apple's voice-activated "personal assistant" that was introduced with the iPhone 4S. Here's Apple's description of Siri: "Siri on iPhone 4S lets you use your voice to send messages, schedule meetings, place phone calls, and more. Ask Siri to do things just by talking the way you talk. Siri understands what you say, knows what you mean, and even talks back."

In a new, filed motion to dismiss the suit, Apple suggests that rather than having legitimate issues with the accuracy of the “beta” virtual personal assistant system on the iPhone, those taking part in the class-action motion can only give vague indications of how Siri has let them down, notes "SlashGear...

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May 16
Apple sued over rotating windows on computer display patent

Another day, another lawsuit. Texas-based Rotatable Technologies is suing Apple for infringing on a 1999 patent that they acquired titled "Display Method for Selectively Rotating Windows on a Computer Display," reports "Patently Apple" (http://macte.ch/ow843).

The lawsuit claims that the iPhone and iPad infringe one or more claims of their patent, the article adds. Rotatable Technologies also launched a similar lawsuit against Nokia earlier this month.  

The patent in question relates generally to the field of graphical user interfaces and pertains more particularly to a display method for selectively rotating windows on a computer display. Here's the summary of the invention: "A display method for selectively rotating windows on a computer display is disclosed including a window for a computer display having a frame and a display portion. The method allows the user to rotate the window about a...

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May 16
Gartner: Apple third largest, global handset maker

Worldwide sales of mobile phones to end users reached 419.1 million units in the first quarter of 2012, a 2% decline from the first quarter of 2011, according to the latest data from the Gartner research group (http://www.gartner.com). The data also shows that, although Apple only sells smartphones, it represents almost 8% of all worldwide mobile phone sales, making it the third-largest handset maker.

"Global sales of mobile devices declined more than expected due to a slowdown in demand from the Asia/Pacific region," says Anshul Gupta, principal research analyst at Gartner. "The first quarter, traditionally the strongest quarter for Asia, which is driven by Chinese New Year, saw a lack of new product launches from leading manufacturers, and users delayed upgrades in the hope of better smartphone deals arriving later in the year."

Samsung became the world’s top mobile handset vendor during the quarter...

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May 16
Two HTC phones face import delay in legal battle with Apple

The HTC One X and Evo 4G LTE are facing an import delay at US Customs for potentially infringing an Apple patent, reports "The Verge" (http://macte.ch/zIla9). In fact, they're "indefinitely delayed," the article adds.

Last December Apple won an exclusion order banning the importation of HTC Android devices at the International Trade Commission. The ITC found that Android's messaging app and browser infringed upon Apple patent #5,946,647,

Yesterday Apple won its request to have a trial filed by Motorola Mobility in the Southern District of Florida consolidated with a second lawsuit that also involves HTC. The consolidated case is now scheduled to go to trial in April 2014.

In November 2010 Apple sued Motorola, alleging that the company's smartphone lineup and the operating software it uses infringe on the iPhone-maker's intellectual property. The two lawsuits came after Motorola sued Apple in...

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May 16
Screenwriter announced for Steve Jobs motion picture

Academy Award-winning screenwriter Aaron Sorkin will adapt "Steve Jobs," a motion picture based on the best-selling biography of the Apple co-founder by award-winning journalist Walter Isaacson, it was announced by Amy Pascal, co-chairman of Sony Pictures Entertainment, and Doug Belgrad, president of Columbia Pictures.

The project is being produced by Mark Gordon, Scott Rudin and Guymon Casady. Published late last year, "Steve Jobs" was Amazon’s best-selling book of 2011. In
addition, the biography ranked #1 among bestselling hardcover books by a 2:1
margin, with sales of 2,246,569 in 2011, according to "Publisher’s Weekly."

Sorkin won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for his work
on "The Social Network." His other screenplays include "Moneyball," "Charlie Wilson’s War," "The American President," "Malice, and A Few Good Men."

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May 16
Yodot Software releases Mac photo recovery software

Yodot Software has released Mac Photo Recovery, software to recover lost, deleted data on Mac OS X. It allows you to recover photos, RAW images, video and audio files.

To initiate the recovery process, launch the application and select the drive from where lost photo, audio and video files needs to be recovered. Using the trial version of the software preview the recoverable files and register the application to restore them back to your Mac or to any external drive.

You can download Yodot Photo Recovery Software from Yodot's website (http://www.yodot.com/). To save the recovered your data, software must be registered. For registration a "license key" is sent through email to unlock the trial version after purchasing the software The application can be purchased with a limited time launch discount for a manufacturer's suggested retail price of US$49.

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May 16
WaterField introduces the CitySlicker case for the MacBook Air

WaterField Designs (http://www.sfbags.com/) has introduced the CitySlicker, an urban MacBook Air case with an old-world spin made with modern material.

Designed to enhance the Air's lightness without adding bulk, the CitySlicker is compact, even with accessories, according to Gary Waterfield, WaterField Designs founder. The design combines three layers of protection using impact-resistant plastic, high-grade neoprene, and a padded liner to keep the Air safe from unexpected dings.

The CitySlicker MacBook Air Case combines ballistic nylon with a distressed, leather flap that snaps into place, giving the ultra-modern case its old-world twist. The flap covers an accessory nook with four stretchy pockets to keep items snugly in place. A back, semi-opaque pocket with a self-locking zipper stows thin items or accessories.

You can opt to tuck it under an arm, or to add a handle, a strap, or both. The...

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May 16
Kensington introduces KeyFolio Secure for the iPad

Kensington Computer Products Group (http://www.kensington.com) has introduced Kensington KeyFolio Secure, an US$129.99 security case for the iPad 2. It extends Kensington’s KeyFolio family of products by incorporating the ClickSafe one-click locking mechanism and built-in security anchor.

The new KeyFolio Secure Case is optimized for touch typing and features a high-performance removable, wireless Bluetooth keyboard with one-button pairing, according to George Foot, vice president of Marketing and Development at Kensington. The case itself folds flat and protects the iPad from wear and scratches. It includes an adjustable stand to achieve the optimal angles for both viewing and typing.
 
The built-in ClickSafe lock is engaged with an almost effortless one-click action, Foot says. It's constructed from high carbon steel cables with a corrosion-proof steel lockhead.

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May 16
USB MIDI controller designed with the iPad in mind

Samson’s (http://www.SamsonTech.com) Carbon 49 USB MIDI Controller, designed with the iPad in mind, is now available for US$89 .

The Carbon 49 offers players a semi-weighted keyboard comparable in feel to that of pro-level instruments, according to the folks at Samson. Its 49 velocity-sensitive keys allow you to capture the full dynamics of a performance. In addition, the Carbon 49’s dedicated Transpose and Octave buttons, as well as its classic Pitch Bend and Modulation wheels, allow you to expand the keyboard.

The Carbon 49 boasts an assignable data encoder and volume slider. For editing, players can use the shift key to adjust up to 14 performance-related control parameters. Also, the Carbon 49’s 3-digit, 7-segment LCD, displays the behavior of every function in real-time. For added versatility, the Carbon 49 includes traditional MIDI out, sustain pedal input and USB connections.

The...

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May 16
Theme Inn releases over 400 templates for MS Word for Mac

Theme Inn has released a new collection of templates for Word. The Templates for MS Word pack consists of 411 templates for creating business and personal documents with Word.

The Templates for MS Word collection provides a choice of documents, from business cards and brochures to posters and invitations. The collection includes 17 template categories, such as Letters, Brochures, and Flyers. Most template elements can be recolored, moved, or removed. Users can type or paste their own text, add or remove text boxes, and change the fonts if they wish. Stock images can be replaced with users' own photos and pictures.

All templates are available both in US and international paper sizes, such as US Letter and A4. Templates for MS Word is available for sale on the Mac App Store. for US$19.99 in the Productivity category.

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May 16
Sorenson Squeeze 8.5 purportedly the fastest version yet

Sorenson Media (http://www.sorensonmedia.com) has announced the immediate availability of Sorenson Squeeze 8.5. This latest version of Squeeze is the purportedly the fastest version yet of the encoding and transcoding application. It provides speed increases, based on process improvements in the Squeeze video encoding engine, including:

° Single output acceleration: Full Squeeze 8.5 optimization for each of the major output formats, including MP4, QuickTime (MOV), WebM and Matroska (MKV). Parallel rather than sequential processing now drives the Squeeze engine. A significant re-architecture enables the application to systematically break decoded, compressed video files into separate content chunks and partition these simultaneously across multiple CPUs for processing.

° Intel Quick Sync optimization: Sorenson Media has collaborated with Intel engineers to optimize Squeeze 8.5 for Intel’s...

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May 16
Hand Stylus features retractable, rotating tip

The Hand Stylus, which reached its initial funding goal in less than two days and will run for another month on Kickstarter, purportedly features the world’s smallest (4mm) retractable, rotating, replaceable tip. 

The slim stylus boasts a hexagonal barrel design -- like a classic, six-sided, yellow pencil -- allowing users to draw, sketch, take notes, retouch photos and more on most touch-screen tablets or phones.

Unlike any other stylus on the market, the Hand Stylus’ slim tip rotates each time it is retracted allowing the tip to wear more evenly over time, according to Steve King, designer of the stylus.  Another feature of the stylus is its stainless-steel, removable pocket clip that adheres to the magnets in an iPad’s Smart Cover.

The Hand Stylus is made of aerospace-grade anodized aluminum and is available in six gloss or matte colors -- black, red, green, blue, pink and orange-- that can also be laser engraved to provide a personalized touch. The Hand Stylus...

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May 16
Deal Spotlight: Thumbs

Today's special deal is Thumbs for Mac OS X. It's being offered for US$6.99; the regular price is $9.99. To take advantage of this special pricing go to http://www.mupromo.com/deal/1858/6603/thumbs .

Thumbs is a "personal assistant" for movie stills and thumb sheets. It lets you generate images for your media collection. Thumbs is designed for web developers, videographers, artists, and, well, anyone who wants to spend more time focusing on their art and less time with the task of making thumb sheets.

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May 16
Mac OS X software updates for May 16

Here are the latest incremental updates for Mac OS X apps.

Remoter Labs (http://remoterlabs.com) has announced Remoter Pro 1.0.1 for iOS, an update to their productivity app app that allows users to remotely control Macs via Screen Sharing, and Windows or Linux PCs using the VNC or RDP standards right from their iOS devices. The app uses Bonjour to make setup a cinch, and also features a novel "virtual trackpad" to precisely control of the mouse cursor. Sound redirection, RDP, Telnet and SSH which also allows for secure VNC/RDP over SSH, are also included.

Phone Amego (http://www.sustworks.com), the Mac utility for computer telephone integration (CTI) has added support for popular IP phones including Polycom, Yealink, Aastra, and Snom, along with guides for choosing a Mac friendly IP phone and service provider. The product works...

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May 15
Judge won't dismiss ebook civil suit

A federal judge has denied petitions by both Apple and a group of five major publishing houses to dismiss a class-action lawsuit accusing the companies of collusion in e-book price fixing, reports "AppleInsider" (http://www.appleinsider.com).

Judge Denis Cote of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York handed down the e-book price-fixing suit's first substantive ruling, the article adds. In the ruling, Cote cites several examples of possible collusion between Apple and the publishers.

Last month the United States Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple, Hachette SA, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin and Simon & Schuster in New York district court, claiming collusion over eBook pricing.

Apple and Macmillan, which have refused to engage in settlement talks with the Justice Department, deny they colluded to raise prices for digital books...

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MacTech Blog

May 16
No end in sight for iPhone, iPad growth

The future looks increasingly bright for the iPhone and iPad. The mobile handset, smartphone, and tablet chip markets have seen tremendous growth in the last five years, driven by innovative new products like Apple's smartphone and tablet, and Google's Android phones and tablets.

GBI Research's (http://www.giiresearch.com) new cell phone and tablet market research report says declining growth in cellular handset shipments (6.5% in 2011 compared with 12% growth in 2010) is largely offset by a predicted 17% growth in smartphone sales. Baseband chips constitute the largest non-memory cellphone chip market, valued at US$15.9 billion for 2011.

Power management units account for a $5.5 billion market value. Other major cellular chips are RF transceivers ($3.7 billion), RF power amplifiers ($3.6 billion), image sensors ($2.9 billion),  standalone application processors ($2.8 billion), and  touch-...

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May 15
Apple wants to help you sync your mobile, vehicle...

An Apple patent (number 8180379) for synchronizing mobile and vehicle devices has appeared at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office.

Per the patent, location information is received at a mobile device from the memory of a vehicle device. The mobile device is updated based on the location information. Sensor data is received from at least one sensor measuring movement of the mobile device, and an estimated location of the mobile device is calculated based at least in part on the location information and the sensor data.

Here's Apple's background and summary of the invention: "The role of traditional printed maps is being supplanted by modern devices capable of rendering dynamic map displays. Devices that include mapping or navigation applications provide information regarding an area selected by a user by recalling map data from local memory or networked services.

"Mapping devices include appropriately configured personal computers as well as dedicated mobile...

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May 15
I'm expecting Retina display Macs to be...

Hidden within the latest Mac OS X update (version 10.7.4, released last week) is a Retina-display-caliber icon for Apple's built-in TextEdit application, reports "AppleInsider" (http://www.appleinsider.com). This makes the possibility of Retina display Macs in the near future even more likely.

In OS X 10.7.3, the highest-quality version of the application's icon was 512-by-512 pixels, but after updating to 10.7.4, its resolution has been doubled, notes "AppleInsider." The doubling of pixels in application icons suggest that Apple is planning to introduce new Macs with ultra-high-resolution screens, much like the Retina displays currently found on the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch lineup, the article adds.

Retina display laptops seem very likely. Although current MacBooks are known for their high-quality displays, the largest (17-inch) MacBook Pro sports a 1920 x 1200 resolution. Compare that...

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May 15
Apple patent is for wired pairing of wireless devices

An Apple patent (number 8181233) for the pairing of wireless devices using a wired medium has appeared at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. It relates to wireless devices and, more particularly, to pairing wireless devices for authorized data exchange.

Techniques that facilitate pairing of wireless devices with other wireless devices are disclosed. According to one aspect, a pair of wireless devices can be paired for wireless data exchange using an available wired link. Advantageously, the wired link can be used to transport a pin code from one of the wireless devices to the other. Consequently, pairing of the wireless devices can be completed without necessitating user entry of a pin code so long as the wired link is available.

Here's Apple's summary of the invention: "The invention pertains to improved techniques that facilitate pairing of wireless devices with other wireless devices. According to one aspect of the invention, a pair of wireless devices can be...

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May 15
Apple patent involves podcast management

An Apple patent (number 8180895) for managing podcasts has appeared at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. Improved techniques that facilitate the use of podcasts are disclosed. The improved techniques can pertain to publishing, hosting, accessing, subscribing, managing, organizing, searching, browsing, transferring, and/or playing podcasts.

According to one aspect, tags are embedded into syndication feeds (e.g., RSS feeds) that may be made available for distribution by an online media store to facilitate the management of podcasts. Such tags can include a block tag that may be embedded into a syndication feed to indicate whether the feed is to be blocked from being included in the online media store.

According to another aspect, management of podcasts may be facilitated by other mechanisms. In accordance with one embodiment, a user may challenge the ownership of a podcast to block or remove a podcast from the online media store. In accordance with another...

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May 14
The iPad is hot, but not yet ready as a laptop...

A new study underlines what I've been saying: the tablet category has yet to quell interest in portable computers. One in three respondents in an ongoing tracking study by ABI Research (http://www.abirsearch.com) said they plan to purchase a laptop in the first half of 2012.

Additionally, 16% of respondents also said they plan to acquire a media tablet. Consumers expressed greater purchase intent in both computing form factors compared to a previous survey.

"US consumers are holding on to home computers longer," says consumer research group director Jeff Orr. “"his has created a near-term opportunity for the incremental purchase of media tablets. Consumer interest also remains strong for laptops, which include the new, slimmer ultrabook segment."

Media tablets, however, are taking market away from the US netbook opportunities, which continue to see less purchase intention from consumers...

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May 11
C'mon, Apple. lavish some gaming love on the Mac

Market Research company Newzoo (http://www.newzoo.com) says Apple is dominating the mobile gaming market with 84% of the revenue coming from iOS devices, rather than Android. Now I'd love to see Apple lavish some real gaming love on the Mac.

Of all American mobile gamers, 19 million play on an iPhone, which is 28% of all smartphone gamers, according to NewZoo. An additional 18 million plays games on an iPod Touch. In the tablet gaming space, the iPad is dominant with a share of 60%, or 12.7 million Americans.

Apple’s position is strongest when it comes to revenues. In March 2012, all iOS devices combined earned 84% of mobile revenues generated by the top 200 grossing games in the three stores combined: iPad, iPhone/iPod App Store and Google PlayStore.

With the "halo effect" of the iPad and iPhone, Mac sales are increasing. But I think an Apple push for gaming on the Mac would spur them on more...

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May 10
Future OS X, iOS devices may sport 3D object...

Future Macs -- and perhaps iOS devices -- may sport 3D object recognition. An Apple patent (number 20120114251) for a method, device, system, and computer program for object recognition of a 3D object of a certain object class using a statistical shape model for recovering 3D shapes from a 2D representation of the 3D object and comparing the recovered 3D shape with known 3D to 2D representations of at least one object of the object class has appeared at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office.

Here's Apple's background and summary of the invention: "The present invention relates to automated object recognition and in particular to automated object recognition of 3D objects using statistical shape information.

"There exist extremely reliable methods for personal identification using biometric data such as e.g. fingerprints, retinal patterns or similar unique features of the subject that rely on the cooperation of the subject. Face recognition may be an effective way of...

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May 10
Apple working on wireless transmission of media

A new Apple patent (number 20120115414) at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office shows that the company is working on wireless transmission of media from a media player.

Per the patent, a handheld media player includes a storage medium for storing a plurality of media items, a user interface for selecting one or more of the media items, a playback device for playing a selected media item for a user of the handheld media player, and a wireless transmitter configured to wirelessly transmit the selected media item to one or more media devices. The wireless transmitter can be configured to wirelessly transmit the selected media item while the playback device plays the selected media item for the user of the handheld media player.

Here's Apple's background and summary of the invention: "The hand held consumer electronics market is exploding, and an increasing number of those products are including mechanism for expanding connections thereto. By way of example, hand held...

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May 10
Apple patent is for mobile device user interface

Several Apple patents have popped up at the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. Among them is an application for a patent for an user interface for a mobile device.

In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods that include the actions of receiving a touch input to access an application management interface on a mobile device; presenting an application management interface; receiving one or more inputs within the application management interface including an input to install a particular application; installing the selected application; and presenting the installed application.

Here's Apple's summary of the invention: "This specification describes technologies relating to user interfaces for mobile devices. In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods that include the actions of receiving a touch input to access an application management interface on a...

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Reviews and Kool Tools

3M confidential filters bars your Mac screen from prying eyes
Because of the design of the MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and iMac, these Macs haven't been able to attach mobile privacy filters to protect on-screen data -- until now. 3M -- yep, that 3M, the company that specializes in... Read more »
Kool Tools: Cell Link
The US$54.95 Cellink I (http://usbcelldrive.com) is a portable backup battery, USB charger, micro SD card reader, and data transfer device all in one. It works with iOS devices. Its 600 mAh rechargeable back up battery... Read more »
FontAgent Pro Enterprise Server 5 = fast font serving
By David Creamer FontAgent Pro Enterprise Server from Insider Software (http://www.insidersoftware.com) is one of the fastest font servers I’ve used. This latest version uses the J2EE (Java 2 Enterprise Edition)... Read more »
Logitech Ultrathin: it's an iPad keyboard, it's an iPad cover
Logitech (http://www.logitech.com)'s new US$99.99 Ultrathin Keyboard Cover is a keyboard for the new iPad, as well as the iPad 2. No, wait, it's a cover/screen protector. Actually, it's all of these in a compact,... Read more »

News Scanner

Wednesday May 16

23:42
Apple now has 7.9 percent of global handset market
MacNN

Data from research analysis firm Gartner has revealed that Apple has managed to capture almost eight percent of the global market for mobile phones of all types -- both feature phones and smartphones combined, The Mac Observer reports. This makes the company the third-largest mobile phone maker in the world, behind Nokia and Samsung. Apple has doubled its share of the global cell phone market in only a year....

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22:30
Genius Widecam F100 Ultra wide angle webcam debuts
MacNN

In an industry first, peripheral maker Genius announced a 1080p 120-degree ultra wide angle USB2 web camera. The Widecam F100 shoots video for web chats in 1080p and is compatible with Skype, FaceTime, Logitech Vid HD, Windows Live Messenger and Yahoo Messenger. An integrated stereo microphone rounds out the features of the new camera....

| Read more »
22:10
Apple continues China expansion with retail job...
AppleInsider

Job listings for Apple Retail store leader positions in Shenzhen and Chengdu hint at the company's plan to expand its retail operations to new cities in China.

| Read more »
21:40
Apple tops ACSI survey on cellphone makers by a wide...
MacNN

The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) has released its latest findings on the state of US consumer satisfaction in the areas of cellphone manufacturers and wireless carriers. For the former, there was one runaway winner -- Apple. For the latter, Sprint was able to score a win among a tight field. Overall satisfaction was up an incremental 0.1 percent to a 75.9 score out of a possible 100....

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20:38
Video: Jobs predicted or knew of publisher boycott
MacNN

A 2010 video has surfaced of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs prognosticating that e-books would eventually wind up around the same price on most competing e-book stores. The video comes as the Justice Department pursues its e-book lawsuit against Apple and two other publishers for alleged price-collusion. Depending on one's interpretation of the video, Jobs' statement could imply foreknowledge of publisher plans or just industry canniness, and could even figure in the Justice Department's case....

...

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20:16
PowerPage Podcast Episode 158 – Here come the...
PowerPage

PowerPage Podcast episode 158 (“Here come the wearables”) is now available for your listening pleasure:

In this episode Rob Parker and I discuss the emerging trend of wearable computers...

| Read more »
20:10
Rumor: LG Display, AU Optronics have passed...
AppleInsider

A new report claims display makers LG Display and AU Optronics have passed certification tests for LCD panels bound for a rumored "iPad mini."

| Read more »
19:50
News: Apple Claims 7.9% of Mobile Phone Market in Q1
Mac Observer

Apple’s share of the handset market grew to 7.9 percent during the March quarter of 2012, according to new data from Gartner. That’s the company’s share of all mobile phones, and not just smartphones, and it makes Apple the third largest mobile phone maker on the planet behind Nokia and Samsung.


| Read more »
19:38
Rumor: LCD suppliers for 7.85-inch iPad Mini...
9 to 5 Mac

Taiwan-based publication Liberty Times (translated, via Makotakara) has shared an interesting bit of information this evening about the rumored 7.85-inch “iPad Mini”. The publication reports that LG and AU Optronics have been certified to supply the LCD panel for the iPad Mini. Furthermore, it goes on to say that both manufacturers are working to prepare to ship the panels for production, for a release sometime during the latter half of 2012. The target shipping amount for the iPad Mini is said to reach 6 million (which was previously reported), but with the...

| Read more »
19:20
LaCie Ships new 2big Network Attached Storage
MacNN

On May 15, LaCie announced an addition to its network attached storage (NAS) line of products. The LaCie 2big NAS joins the product lineup. The new drive case is fully compatible with Apple's Time Machine software as well as Windows 7 Backup. Remote access is by way of FTP, SFTP, or HTTP file transfer. Cloud storage is accessible by an iOS application....

| Read more »
18:37
News: Verizon Eliminating Unlimited Data for Users...
Mac Observer

Verizon customers who currently have a $30 per month unlimited data plan will not be able to keep that plan after they migrate to 4G LTE. Verizon plans to offer a data share plan starting mid-summer and 4G LTE customers will have to move to that plan. No pricing details have yet been released regarding the new data share plan.


| Read more »
17:31
Analyst: 'retina' laptop screens available...
MacNN

Rumors of a new line of Apple Macintosh MacBook Pros with an enhanced Retina Display are making the rounds this week. According to CNet, NPD DisplaySearch analyst Richard Shim said that super-high resolution 13.3 and 15.4 inch panels suitable for Retina Display usage are available now from component manufacturers. The increased resolution may come at an higher cost to Apple, and possibly to consumers....

...

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16:54
'Who Was Steve Jobs' children's book...
MacNN

The latest entry in the children's book series "Who Was" spotlights the life of Apple co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs. The series, which has profiled figures like Walt Disney, Jim Henson and Dr. Seuss, illustrates Jobs' early life and eventual rise to found, lead, leave and then return to Apple. The story of Apple's mercurial CEO is obviously sanitized for younger readers, but covers the major events and Jobs' impact on the technology industry....

...

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16:32
Former Apple retail chief under fire as JC Penney...
AppleInsider

With a little over six months on the job as JC Penney's chief executive, former Apple senior vice president of retail Ron Johnson is already seeing criticism of the major overhaul he designed for the ailing department store chain as a recent earnings call revealed substantial losses.

| Read more »
16:30
Remains of the Day: Walk the walk, talk the talk
Macworld

Environmental activists want Apple to clean up its cloud act, Cupertino wants to silence Siri complainers, and a noted screenwriter gets ready to put words in Steve Jobs's mouth.






...

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16:29
Verizon to end unlimited data
The Loop

Philip Michaels:

Verizon wants more of its subscribers to opt for shared data plans which cover multiple devices like smartphones and tablets. To convince subscribers who’ve clung to their unlimited data plans to move to this new setup, Verizon is taking much of the choice out of the decision process: If you want to upgrade to a new 4G-compatible phone, you’re going to have to give up that unlimited data.

The carrot and stick.

∞ Read this on The Loop

| Read more »
16:12
Apple defends Siri
The Loop

Joe Palazzolo:

Apple, which hired Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP to fight the claims, said in a recent court filing that Siri may not be perfect — in fact, she is a Beta release, something the company has been upfront about — but she’s still “cutting edge.”

I don’t believe this blood sucking fools are suing for this. They should be sued for being stupid.

∞ Read this on The Loop

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16:08
Yo Zuck
The Loop

It has been fun to see Mark Zuckerberg go from being the awkward college dude to being a mega-billionaire.

∞ Read this on The Loop

| Read more »
16:03
TechHive: Verizon looking to end existing unlimited...
Macworld

Speaking at an investors conference, the CFO of Verizon Wireless said that current subscribers who've held onto unlimited data plans will need to switch to a shared data plan in the future if they want to upgrade to a new device.






...

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16:02
Apple teases hardware-specific “special features” in...
9 to 5 Mac

Apple has long had a program called “AppleSeed” that seeds upcoming versions of Apple software (both iOS and OS X related) to customers. These seeds typically come to this select group of customers even before they are provided to Apple’s paid and registered developers. Today, the company sent an atypical email to this customer group, informing them to register the different pieces of Apple hardware available to them for software testing. The company says that they need this information for “exclusive seeds” for future versions of OS X Mountain Lion. Even more exciting is that the company teases hardware-tied special features:

We are preparing for possible hardware specific software updates on OS X Mountain Lion.  These contain hardware-specific bug fixes or even special features! In order to make sure you can participate in these exclusive seeds, we need your most up-to-date machine configuration information.  The easiest and most efficient way to do this is with Feedback...

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15:57
Google brings Schemer activity-recommendation app to...
MacNN

Google has finally brought its Schemer service to the iOS platform as a native app (free, App Store). Schemer for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch enables users to participate in the activity-recommendation network, which allows users to post things to do and organize activities with other users....

| Read more »
15:30
Analyst states that Retina Display units could add...
PowerPage

If you want the cool thing, you’re going to have to pay for it.

Per CNET, DisplaySearch Senior Analyst Richard Shim has stated that super-high-resolution 13.3-inch and 15.4-inch screens are already available from LCD suppliers. But a Retina-quality screen for Apple’s 15-inch MacBook Pro would cost US$160 from suppliers, as opposed to US$68 for current, standard-resolution screens.

Similarly, with a 13.3-inch display, a Retina-caliber screen is US$134, while the LCD panels Apple currently uses are estimated to cost US$69.

If Apple does in fact add Retina displays to its future Macs, as is expected, it’s unknown whether the cost of these high-resolution screens would be passed on to the consumer. Apple upgraded its iPhone, iPod touch and iPad product lineups to Retina...

| Read more »

Rumor Scanner

Wednesday May 16

22:38
Time Warner Cable and Viacom Settle Lawsuit Over iPad Tele...
MacRumors

Time Warner Cable and Viacom have settled their legal entanglements regarding Time Warner's streaming of Viacom video content on its iPad app, according to the New York Times.
The breakthrough comes as a result of a settlement between Time Warner Cable and Viacom, which owns cable channels like Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, MTV and others. For months there had been a heated dispute over whether the cable company should have access to Viacom programs through its TWCable TV app.

On Wednesday, Viacom said that the companies had agreed "to resolve their pending litigations" and that "all of Viacom’s programming will now...

| Read more »
22:18
Security Firm Symantec Analyzes the Profitability of the O...
MacRumors

Security firm Symantec previously estimated that the authors of the Flashback malware that affected hundreds of thousands of Macs at its peak could have been generating up to $10,000 per day by hijacking users' ad clicks. Further analysis from the company suggests that the developers may have only earned $14,000 over the three weeks the malware was active.
From our analysis we have seen that, for a three-week period starting in April, the botnet displayed over 10 million ads on compromised computers but only a small percentage of users who were shown ads actually clicked them, with close to 400,000 ads being clicked. These numbers earned the attackers $14,000 in these three weeks, although it is worth mentioning that earning the money is only one part of the puzzle—actually...

| Read more »
13:31
Apple Updates OS X Mountain Lion Developer Preview to Buil...
MacRumors

Apple today pushed out another update to its OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion developer preview program, moving to build 12A206j. The update comes on top of build 12A193i, which was released on May 1.

Apple notes that "MacBookPro3,1", which corresponds to mid and late 2007 machines, is not compatible with the new build, but that issue will be rectified in a later build.

No other details on improvements in the latest build are available yet, but it certainly appears that Apple is making some of its final tweaks for developers leading up to its Worldwide Developers Conference less than four weeks away. Apple is expected to provide extensive previews of OS X Mountain Lion at the conference, with a public launch scheduled for "late summer".

The new Mountain Lion build is still a bit short of the 12A211 build...

| Read more »
11:05
Retina-Resolution Displays to Add Up to $100 to Apple...
MacRumors

With Apple's MacBook Pro line now widely rumored to be gaining ultra high-resolution "Retina" or "HiDPI" displays at next month's Worldwide Developers Conference, CNET reports that such panels are already available in the supply chain and that they carry price premiums of up to $100 over their non-Retina counterparts. But what remains to be seen is whether that price difference will be passed along to consumers or if Apple will find ways to cut costs in other areas in order to maintain its existing price points.DisplaySearch Senior Analyst Richard Shim says that super high-resolution 13.3-inch and 15.4-inch panels that Apple would be a prime candidate to use are already available from suppliers.

"We're seeing it at 15.4 (inches)," Shim said in an interview yesterday. "You can get it."According to Shim, a Retina 15.4-inch display at 2880x1800 resolution for a density...

| Read more »
10:45
Verizon Planning to End Grandfathered Unlimited Data Plans...
MacRumors

U.S. cellular carrier Verizon is planning to move its customers who still have unlimited data plans for their smartphones to its new family data-share plans as customers switch to LTE data plans.

The iPhone was initially offered with unlimited data plans when it launched on Verizon early last year, but the carrier soon dropped the unlimited option in favor of data plans with allocations of data.

Fierce Wireless has the details, quoting Verizon Communications CFO Fran Shammo at a JP Morgan conference:

As these 3G...

| Read more »
09:16
Samsung's Market Cap Takes $10 Billion Hit Amid Rumor...
MacRumors

Digitimes' poor track record has been thrust into the spotlight in recent days, but that hasn't stopped one of the Taiwanese news site's reports from having a major effect on stock prices for Samsung and Hynix. The report from earlier this week claims that Apple has placed "huge" orders for DRAM chips with Elpida, soaking up half of the capacity at the firm's main plant in Hiroshima, Japan.

1 GB of Elpida DRAM in third-generation iPad (Source: iFixit)

As noted by Reuters, the rumor has had a significant effect on fellow DRAM manufacturers Samsung and Hynix, with Samsung losing $10 billion in market value today in a 6% stock decline. The smaller Hynix was down...

| Read more »
06:59
Apple Sued for Rotating Windows on iOS Devices
Patently Apple

Texas based Rotatable Technologies is suing Apple for infringing on a 1999 patent that they acquired titled "Display Method for Selectively Rotating Windows on a Computer Display." The lawsuit ...

| Read more »
06:46
HTC Delays Evo 4G LTE Launch as U.S. Customs Investigates...
MacRumors

Last December, Apple won a U.S. International Trade Commission case against HTC, with the agency ruling that several of HTC's handsets infringed upon a pair of Apple-held patents. The agency's ruling included a ban on the import of infringing devices beginning in April, although HTC quickly responded to say that it had already designed a workaround for the issue in question.

But as reported by The Verge late yesterday, U.S. Customs officials have delayed shipments of HTC's new One X and Evo 4G LTE handsets into the United States as it investigates whether those handsets also infringe upon Apple's patents.We've learned today that the One X and Evo 4G LTE are indefinitely delayed at Customs as the agency investigates patent issues with Apple, and sources have...

| Read more »
06:26
China Mobile Again Confirms iPhone Talks with Apple [iOS B...
MacRumors

Reuters reports that China Mobile Chairman Xi Guohua has once again publicly stated that the world's largest mobile phone carrier is engaged in talks with Apple about offering the iPhone to its customers."We've been actively talking to Apple on how we can cooperate," China Mobile Chairman Xi Guohua, who assumed the post in March, told a shareholders meeting. "I can't give you too many details, but I'd like to repeat that both sides do hope to boost our cooperation," Xi added after the meeting.China Unicom was Apple's launch partner for the iPhone in China, and availability expanded to China Telecom earlier this year. Compatibility with China Mobile's network has, however, been hampered by the carrier's custom technology that would require specialized iPhone hardware to operate on the network. But with future wireless modem chips adding compatibility for China Mobile's network, it is possible...

| Read more »
04:00
Apple Ordering Screens of 'At Least 4 Inches' fo...
MacRumors

The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple has placed orders for screens measuring "at least 4 inches diagonally" for the next-generation iPhone, marking a significant increase in size over the displays used in every iPhone model released to date.Apple Inc., which is expected to launch its next-generation iPhone later this year, has ordered screens from its Asian suppliers that are bigger than the ones used in iPhones since they debuted in 2007, people familiar with the situation said.

Production is set to begin next month for the screens, which measure at least 4 inches diagonally compared with 3.5 inches on the iPhone 4S, the latest phone from Apple, the people said.Apple is reportedly working with LG, Sharp, and Japan Display (the newly-merged display businesses of Sony, Hitachi, and Toshiba) on the new screen.

...

| Read more »

Tuesday May 15

19:32
Aaron Sorkin Confirmed as Screenwriter for Film Adaptation...
MacRumors

Sony Pictures today announced that Aaron Sorkin will indeed serve as the screenwriter for the studio's upcoming film adaptation of Walter Isaacson's authorized biography of Steve Jobs. Sorkin, who is famous for his work on The West Wing, The Social Network, Moneyball, and A Few Good Men, noted late last year that he was "strongly considering" taking on the project.Commenting on the announcement, [Sony Pictures Co-Chairman Amy] Pascal said, “Steve Jobs’ story is unique: he was one of the most revolutionary and influential men not just of our time but of all time. There is no writer working in Hollywood today who is more capable of capturing such an extraordinary life for the screen than Aaron Sorkin; in his hands, we’re confident that the...

| Read more »
16:43
Tim Cook Meets With Speaker of the House John Boehner
MacRumors

Tim Cook met with Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-OH) today. It is unknown what the topic of discussion was, but it's possible that Tim Cook was lobbying the Mr. Boehner to pass a tax holiday that would allow Apple and other companies with large overseas tax holdings to bring back their earnings at a lower corporate tax rate.

As of its most recent earnings call, Apple held $74 billion of its $110 billion in cash and marketable securities offshore.


...

| Read more »
11:29
In Lawsuit Over Siri, Apple Says the Technology is "C...
MacRumors

Apple has filed a motion to dismiss in a case filed by customers over alleged misleading advertising depicting the Siri technology in the iPhone 4S. The lawsuit, filed in March, alleges that Apple's advertising of Siri doesn't reflect real-world usage. When asked for directions or to locate a store, "Siri either did not understand what Plaintiff was asking, or, after a very long wait time, responded with the wrong answer."

In a motion to dismiss (via Scribd), Apple attempts to shoot down the Plaintiff's arguments, reports the Wall Street Journal:
They offer only general descriptions of Apple’s advertisements, incomplete summaries of Apple’s website materials, and vague descriptions of...

| Read more »
11:13
Next MacBook Air Update to Focus on Retina Displays Too?
MacRumors

With long-running rumors of ultra high-resolution "Retina" displays for Apple's next-generation MacBook Pro receiving a significant boost with reports from several sources surfacing yesterday and similar upgrades now being rumored for the iMac, fans of the MacBook Air have been awaiting word on when they might expect Apple's smallest Mac notebooks to gain the feature.

9to5Mac now reports that Apple is indeed unsurprisingly planning to bring Retina displays to the MacBook Air, with that upgrade being the most significant change for the next-generation...

| Read more »
10:44
iPhone a 'Game Changer' for Customer Satisfactio...
MacRumors

The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ASCI) today released its latest rankings of customer satisfaction in the United States for mobile phones and a number of products and services, with the new mobile phone rankings being expanded to include Apple, Research in Motion, LG, and HTC for the first time.

In its first appearance in the rankings, Apple easily topped the list with a score of 83, outdistancing Nokia, LG, and HTC in a tie for second place at 75. Apple's performance marks the first time a mobile phone company scored above 77 in any of the group's surveys dating back to 2004.For many users, the advent of smartphone technology has dramatically changed what they look for in a cell phone device. Two smartphones makers, Apple and Research in Motion (RIM), enter the ACSI with very different results. At 83, Apple (iPhone) leads...

| Read more »
10:41
Apple in Talks to Bring 'WatchESPN' App to Apple...
MacRumors

Bloomberg briefly reports that Apple and Disney are in talks to bring sports network ESPN's WatchESPN application [App Store] to the Apple TV set-top box.ESPN subscribers with AppleTV would gain access to the network’s Internet service on their TV sets. [Sean] Bratches, the network’s executive vice president of affiliate and advertising sales, spoke in an interview today.The brief report doesn't specify exactly how access to the WatchESPN functionality on the Apple TV would work, but currently customers of a number of cable and Internet companies have varying levels of access to the app's content on iOS and other platforms, which includes nearly all of ESPN's live broadcasts including online-only ESPN3 content.

Currently, cable...

| Read more »
09:10
Apple introduces the Steering Wheel Remote Control
Patently Apple

The US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of twenty-one newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. The most surprising one of them all is one that snuck through the patent system until today. The newly granted patent, which has never been seen before, reveals a wireless remote control for a vehicle's steering wheel. At a time when local and federal laws are being drafted to enforce "hands free" operation of smartphones and other devices in vehicles, Apple's invention comes to the rescue to provide their customers with a sound solution. The design borrows from Apple's ......

| Read more »
08:57
Google Chrome Browser Coming to iOS? [iOS Blog]
MacRumors

Business Insider reports on a new research note from Macquarie analyst Ben Schacter, who claims that Google is working to bring a version of its Chrome browser to iOS devices. According to the report, Apple "may already be reviewing" the app, which could debut before the end of the quarter.

Google Chrome browser for Android

Google currently splits ad revenue share with Apple for Google searches performed through Safari, a deal that currently sees Google paying Apple roughly $1 billion per year. With a potential Chrome browser for iOS leading to Google keeping all revenue for searches through the browser for itself, Google could see a significant financial benefit if it can achieve a substantial user base on iOS.

The...

| Read more »
06:55
Psystar Case Comes to a Close as U.S. Supreme Court Declin...
MacRumors

More than four years after Psystar challenged Apple by first selling $399 unauthorized Mac clones and later shifting tactics to offer software supporting installation of Mac OS X Snow Leopard on PCs, the dispute between the two companies has finally reached its conclusion. As noted by CNET, Psystar's persistent legal appeals have now been exhausted as the U.S. Supreme Court has declined to review an appellate court ruling from last September upholding a ban on Psystar's sales of Mac clones.Following a...

| Read more »
06:11
Apple Wins Major Virtual Keyboard & Apple Store Design...
Patently Apple

Apple was first granted a design patent for their Upper West Side Apple Store in New York back in November 2011. Six months later and the US Patent and Trademark Office have granted Apple their second design patent for this same design. Steve Jobs has once again been posthumously credited as one of the designers. In addition to this, it should be noted that Apple has been awarded twenty-one granted patents today. Beyond the thirteen utility patents that we list covering such things as security, podcast management and the MacBook's Hard Drive, this report covers a major virtual keyboard victory for Apple which just might be one that Apple could challenge their many copycatters with....

| Read more »

Monday May 14

22:04
Retina Displays Also Coming to Next-Generation iMac?
MacRumors

As part of ABC News' roundup of the latest MacBook Pro rumors, Joanna Stern claims that not only the MacBook Pro family but also the iMac line is set to gain ultra high-resolution "Retina" displays.The laptop will see the introduction of the “Mac Retina Display,” which is said to have a very high resolution. ABC News has similarly heard from its own sources that both the next MacBook Pro and the iMac would be getting very, very high resolution displays. Apple refreshed its new iPad with a Retina Display in March.The MacBook Pro has long been the focus of the Retina or HiDPI display rumors, but it seems natural that Apple would want to move all of its displays to the standard. What is unclear, however, is just how Apple will implement the increased resolution given that most Macs already...

| Read more »

Documentation Scanner

Wednesday May 16

07:30
Permanently Unhide Library
Mac OS X Hin...

When Apple shipped Mac OS X Lion 10.7, the “Library” folder located within every user’s home folder, which had previously been visible to users in the Finder, was made invisible. This hint shows how to make the folder visible and keep it that way forever.

As you may know, and as mentioned in this hint, the Library folder can be made visible again by running the following command in Terminal:

/usr/bin/chflags nohidden ~/Library

Apple keeps making the folder invisible again with every System update, so it gets tedious re-running the above script. You can automate this by adding a Login Item with an AppleScript "script application" containing the following code:

do shell script "/usr/bin/chflags nohidden ~/Library"

Read detailed instructions for this hint, and download a ready-made script application file on the ...



...

| Read more »
05:00
Removing A Credit Card From An AppleID
krypted

Sometimes you deploy iOS based devices with iTunes. There are a number of factors that can still force you into iTunes based deployments, such as needing the icons to appear a certain way in iOS. It’s not optimal but it happens. And sometimes you need to give an iPad or iPhone to a user leveraging an existing AppleID that will have a password known by multiple users. Again, not the right way, but there are design requirements that cause you to do it from time to time.

And if you’re using a shared account, one of the last things you want is for users to actually buy stuff with that shared account. Because you might have used that account and connected a credit card to it, it can come up from time to time that you then need to disable that card. Again, none of this is optimal, but it happens.

To remove the card, first open up iTunes.

...

| Read more »

Tuesday May 15

18:44
iOS: Error message when trying to use a custom...
Apple - All...

When activating 3G service on an iOS device using a custom Access Point Name (APN), the error message "Could not activate cellular data network: PDP authentication failure" may appear.

| Read more »
15:23
Promise VTrak: Fourth SAS-connected Expansion...
Apple - All...

This article contains a script used to configure Promise VTrak SAS-connected Expansion Chassis for Xsan. This script is used in the event that a Promise VTrak RAID Controller has already been configured for use with Xsan, and that an Expansion Chassis is being connected to the already-configured RAID Controller.

| Read more »
13:09
About the security content of QuickTime 7.7.2
Apple - All...

Learn about the security content of QuickTime 7.7.2.

| Read more »
07:31
New poll: Does your main Mac have an SSD?
Mac OS X Hin...

As SSDs become more common, and prices drop, more and more people are either buying Macs with SSDs, or installing them in their Macs. Personally, I started using an SSD with the first MacBook Air in 2008, and bought my current Mac - a Mac mini, purchased in 2011 - with an SSD. The gains in performance are huge, though the price still makes them a choice that is not for everyone.



So, what about you? Does your main Mac - the one you use most - have an SSD? Feel free to post in the comments to the poll which model, whether you bought it with the Mac or installed it yourself, or any other comments you may have about SSDs.



Vote in the poll



...

| Read more »
07:30
Two AppleScripts for unmounting, mounting local disk...
Mac OS X Hin...

These AppleScripts are related to this hint. Both can already be found in the replies to the hint topic post, but I'm resubmitting them so that they will appear together.



The first is an improved version of the original AppleScript which presents a dialog box from which a selection of local volumes to be ejected can be made. An example of its usefulness might be that it provides a reliable method for quickly ejecting a MacBook's mounted local volumes for users on the go. I've configured it as a "Run AppleScript" step for an Automator-based Mac OS X Service called "Unmounter" and assigned it the keyboard shortcut of (Command-Control-Shift-E) in System Preferences on my system.



The second is a more robust version of the AppleScript included in my first reply to the original hint topic. It attempts to automatically unmount all unmountable local volumes, and...

| Read more »
07:30
Copy partially played Audiobooks to a playlist
Mac OS X Hin...

iTunes Smart Playlists don't offer a criteria to find tracks which have been partially played. While "Last Skipped" is an option, this track property may not be set if the track wasn't actually skipped and was merely stopped.



However, if a track's "Remember playback position" option is set (and most audiobooks have this set by default) the track's AppleScript bookmark property will contain the number of seconds that a track has advanced before being stopped. Thus, any track with a bookmark value greater than zero would have been partially played.



Here is an AppleScript that will copy all the tracks in the "Books" library to a new playlist named "Partially Played". Each time it is run it will update the "Partially Played" playlist.

property nameOfPlaylist : "Partially Played"

tell application "iTunes"
try
set thePlaylist to some playlist whose name is nameOfPlaylist
on error...

| Read more »

Monday May 14

14:42
About the security content of Leopard Security...
Apple - All...

This document describes the security content of Leopard Security Update 2012-003.

| Read more »
08:09
MacPorts new-ish tricks, and a new-ish trickster,...
318 Tech Jou...

As the bucket-loads of package providers in Puppet may lead you to believe, if we do not study history we are doomed to repeat it. Or more to the point, there is no shortage of projects focused on solving the same ‘how do I get the bits of code I want to execute on a machine installed’ issue. Mac Sysadmins have used Fink and (originally named DarwinPorts) MacPorts to acquire various open source software and unix tools not bundled with the operating system. A disadvantage many people found in those projects was the reliance on developer tools and compile time to actually go through the build-from-source process, which brings us to the news that was brought to our attention this weekend, via the...

| Read more »
07:30
Open certain preference panes with quick shortcut
Mac OS X Hin...

If you press the Option key, then press certain dedicated keys on the standard Apple keyboard, preference panes will open. This works for Mission Control (Option-F3 or Option-F4), Displays (Option-F1 or Option-F2), and Sound (Option-F10, Option-F11 or Option-F12). The F keys in question are those which act on the given features, either displaying Dashboard or Mission Control (F3 and F4), decreasing or increasing brightness (F1 and F2), or changing or muting volume (F10, F11 and F12). If you use a laptop, you may need to press the Fn key together with the other keys to open these preference panes.





...

| Read more »
07:30
Drag files from Safari 5 Downloads popup
Mac OS X Hin...

I recently tried to drag from Safari's Downloads popup and found that if you drag from the icon of the downloaded file, you can move it where you want.



Click on an icon in the Downloads popup and drag it to any folder, or even onto a Dock icon to launch a file you've just downloaded with a specific application.



[kirkmc adds: This seems obvious, but there's no hint here for it. There have been hints about double-clicking an icon in the Downloads window to open it, copying and pasting URLs from the Downloads window, and the keyboard shortcut to show the Downloads popup (Command-Option-L).]



...

| Read more »
05:00
Video On Setting Up Software Update Services In Lion...
krypted
03:00
Video On Setting Up Lion Server As A Software Update...
318 Tech Jou...

Saturday May 12

12:04
New User Submission Page
krypted

I have now opened up the site to user submissions and built a page to submit content. I’ve also tweaked the layout a little more to make things load faster and cleaned up the nav bar so that the Submit button can take you to the submission page. I hope to see some pretty awesome submissions after slaving away on the forms!

A couple of notes on submissions:

  • Submissions do not require authenticating to the site
  • For any accepted submissions I will create an account for you (unless you already have one) and make sure that submissions are properly attributed
  • Feel free to submit a snippet along with a read more… type of link that kicks to another site. Unless it’s a problem I’ll accept those articles, but would prefer them to be over 2 paragraphs

The submission page is here: http://krypted.com/submissions

Similar Articles:

... | Read more »
10:32
I
krypted

Google recently decided that it was time to force some other company to buy cloudy dispositioned upstarts, Dropbox and Box.net. Google also decided that Office365 represented Microsoft being a little too brazen in their attempts to counteract the inroads that Google has made into Microsoft territory. Therefor, Google thumped their chest and gave away 5GB of storage in Google Drive. Google then released a tool that synchronizes data stored on a Google Drive to Macs and Windows systems.

Installing Google Drive is pretty easy. Just browse to Google Docs and Google will tell you that there’s this weird new Google Drive thing you should check out.

Here, click on Download Google Drive for Mac (or Windows if you use Windows). Then agree to give your first born to Google (but don’t worry, they’d never collect on that debt ’cause they’re sworn to...

| Read more »

Friday May 11

14:28
Lion Server: Enabling iCal Server Push Notifications...
Apple - All...

Learn about enabling iCal Server Push Notifications for Active Directory users.

| Read more »
07:30
Save all of your Terminal activity to a file
Mac OS X Hin...

I use Terminal everyday, and I find it a good idea to log everything I you. It makes it much easier to undo your mistakes when you know what those mistakes were. Here's how I do this:



Open Terminal's preferences.



Go to Settings, then Shell. You can choose here to run a command at startup. You could create a simple log of your session using the following:
/usr/bin/script ~/Desktop/Terminal.log
This will log everything you do and append it to the log file.



I like to keep my history so instead I wrote this small script that archives previous sessions by renaming the file with a date/time string. I then set Terminal.app to run at startup the following command:
~/Desktop/logger.sh
Here's the script:
#!/bin/bash
# logger.sh
# Log everything you do in Terminal.

#* Formatted date & time string.
FORMATTED_DATE=`/bin/date "+%Y-%m-%d%H%M%S"`

#* Archive...

| Read more »
06:00
Video ON Setting Up File Sharing Services In Lion...
krypted
03:00
Video On Setting Up File Sharing In Lion Server
318 Tech Jou...

Documentation Scanner

Wednesday May 16

07:30
Permanently Unhide Library
Mac OS X Hin...

When Apple shipped Mac OS X Lion 10.7, the “Library” folder located within every user’s home folder, which had previously been visible to users in the Finder, was made invisible. This hint shows how to make the folder visible and keep it that way forever.

As you may know, and as mentioned in this hint, the Library folder can be made visible again by running the following command in Terminal:

/usr/bin/chflags nohidden ~/Library

Apple keeps making the folder invisible again with every System update, so it gets tedious re-running the above script. You can automate this by adding a Login Item with an AppleScript "script application" containing the following code:

do shell script "/usr/bin/chflags nohidden ~/Library"

Read detailed instructions for this hint, and download a ready-made script application file on the ...



...

| Read more »
05:00
Removing A Credit Card From An AppleID
krypted

Sometimes you deploy iOS based devices with iTunes. There are a number of factors that can still force you into iTunes based deployments, such as needing the icons to appear a certain way in iOS. It’s not optimal but it happens. And sometimes you need to give an iPad or iPhone to a user leveraging an existing AppleID that will have a password known by multiple users. Again, not the right way, but there are design requirements that cause you to do it from time to time.

And if you’re using a shared account, one of the last things you want is for users to actually buy stuff with that shared account. Because you might have used that account and connected a credit card to it, it can come up from time to time that you then need to disable that card. Again, none of this is optimal, but it happens.

To remove the card, first open up iTunes.

...

| Read more »

Tuesday May 15

18:44
iOS: Error message when trying to use a custom...
Apple - All...

When activating 3G service on an iOS device using a custom Access Point Name (APN), the error message "Could not activate cellular data network: PDP authentication failure" may appear.

| Read more »
15:23
Promise VTrak: Fourth SAS-connected Expansion...
Apple - All...

This article contains a script used to configure Promise VTrak SAS-connected Expansion Chassis for Xsan. This script is used in the event that a Promise VTrak RAID Controller has already been configured for use with Xsan, and that an Expansion Chassis is being connected to the already-configured RAID Controller.

| Read more »
13:09
About the security content of QuickTime 7.7.2
Apple - All...

Learn about the security content of QuickTime 7.7.2.

| Read more »
07:31
New poll: Does your main Mac have an SSD?
Mac OS X Hin...

As SSDs become more common, and prices drop, more and more people are either buying Macs with SSDs, or installing them in their Macs. Personally, I started using an SSD with the first MacBook Air in 2008, and bought my current Mac - a Mac mini, purchased in 2011 - with an SSD. The gains in performance are huge, though the price still makes them a choice that is not for everyone.



So, what about you? Does your main Mac - the one you use most - have an SSD? Feel free to post in the comments to the poll which model, whether you bought it with the Mac or installed it yourself, or any other comments you may have about SSDs.



Vote in the poll



...

| Read more »
07:30
Two AppleScripts for unmounting, mounting local disk...
Mac OS X Hin...

These AppleScripts are related to this hint. Both can already be found in the replies to the hint topic post, but I'm resubmitting them so that they will appear together.



The first is an improved version of the original AppleScript which presents a dialog box from which a selection of local volumes to be ejected can be made. An example of its usefulness might be that it provides a reliable method for quickly ejecting a MacBook's mounted local volumes for users on the go. I've configured it as a "Run AppleScript" step for an Automator-based Mac OS X Service called "Unmounter" and assigned it the keyboard shortcut of (Command-Control-Shift-E) in System Preferences on my system.



The second is a more robust version of the AppleScript included in my first reply to the original hint topic. It attempts to automatically unmount all unmountable local volumes, and...

| Read more »
07:30
Copy partially played Audiobooks to a playlist
Mac OS X Hin...

iTunes Smart Playlists don't offer a criteria to find tracks which have been partially played. While "Last Skipped" is an option, this track property may not be set if the track wasn't actually skipped and was merely stopped.



However, if a track's "Remember playback position" option is set (and most audiobooks have this set by default) the track's AppleScript bookmark property will contain the number of seconds that a track has advanced before being stopped. Thus, any track with a bookmark value greater than zero would have been partially played.



Here is an AppleScript that will copy all the tracks in the "Books" library to a new playlist named "Partially Played". Each time it is run it will update the "Partially Played" playlist.

property nameOfPlaylist : "Partially Played"

tell application "iTunes"
try
set thePlaylist to some playlist whose name is nameOfPlaylist
on error...

| Read more »

Monday May 14

14:42
About the security content of Leopard Security...
Apple - All...

This document describes the security content of Leopard Security Update 2012-003.

| Read more »
08:09
MacPorts new-ish tricks, and a new-ish trickster,...
318 Tech Jou...

As the bucket-loads of package providers in Puppet may lead you to believe, if we do not study history we are doomed to repeat it. Or more to the point, there is no shortage of projects focused on solving the same ‘how do I get the bits of code I want to execute on a machine installed’ issue. Mac Sysadmins have used Fink and (originally named DarwinPorts) MacPorts to acquire various open source software and unix tools not bundled with the operating system. A disadvantage many people found in those projects was the reliance on developer tools and compile time to actually go through the build-from-source process, which brings us to the news that was brought to our attention this weekend, via the...

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07:30
Open certain preference panes with quick shortcut
Mac OS X Hin...

If you press the Option key, then press certain dedicated keys on the standard Apple keyboard, preference panes will open. This works for Mission Control (Option-F3 or Option-F4), Displays (Option-F1 or Option-F2), and Sound (Option-F10, Option-F11 or Option-F12). The F keys in question are those which act on the given features, either displaying Dashboard or Mission Control (F3 and F4), decreasing or increasing brightness (F1 and F2), or changing or muting volume (F10, F11 and F12). If you use a laptop, you may need to press the Fn key together with the other keys to open these preference panes.





...

| Read more »
07:30
Drag files from Safari 5 Downloads popup
Mac OS X Hin...

I recently tried to drag from Safari's Downloads popup and found that if you drag from the icon of the downloaded file, you can move it where you want.



Click on an icon in the Downloads popup and drag it to any folder, or even onto a Dock icon to launch a file you've just downloaded with a specific application.



[kirkmc adds: This seems obvious, but there's no hint here for it. There have been hints about double-clicking an icon in the Downloads window to open it, copying and pasting URLs from the Downloads window, and the keyboard shortcut to show the Downloads popup (Command-Option-L).]



...

| Read more »
05:00
Video On Setting Up Software Update Services In Lion...
krypted
03:00
Video On Setting Up Lion Server As A Software Update...
318 Tech Jou...

Saturday May 12

12:04
New User Submission Page
krypted

I have now opened up the site to user submissions and built a page to submit content. I’ve also tweaked the layout a little more to make things load faster and cleaned up the nav bar so that the Submit button can take you to the submission page. I hope to see some pretty awesome submissions after slaving away on the forms!

A couple of notes on submissions:

  • Submissions do not require authenticating to the site
  • For any accepted submissions I will create an account for you (unless you already have one) and make sure that submissions are properly attributed
  • Feel free to submit a snippet along with a read more… type of link that kicks to another site. Unless it’s a problem I’ll accept those articles, but would prefer them to be over 2 paragraphs

The submission page is here: http://krypted.com/submissions

Similar Articles:

... | Read more »
10:32
I
krypted

Google recently decided that it was time to force some other company to buy cloudy dispositioned upstarts, Dropbox and Box.net. Google also decided that Office365 represented Microsoft being a little too brazen in their attempts to counteract the inroads that Google has made into Microsoft territory. Therefor, Google thumped their chest and gave away 5GB of storage in Google Drive. Google then released a tool that synchronizes data stored on a Google Drive to Macs and Windows systems.

Installing Google Drive is pretty easy. Just browse to Google Docs and Google will tell you that there’s this weird new Google Drive thing you should check out.

Here, click on Download Google Drive for Mac (or Windows if you use Windows). Then agree to give your first born to Google (but don’t worry, they’d never collect on that debt ’cause they’re sworn to...

| Read more »

Friday May 11

14:28
Lion Server: Enabling iCal Server Push Notifications...
Apple - All...

Learn about enabling iCal Server Push Notifications for Active Directory users.

| Read more »
07:30
Save all of your Terminal activity to a file
Mac OS X Hin...

I use Terminal everyday, and I find it a good idea to log everything I you. It makes it much easier to undo your mistakes when you know what those mistakes were. Here's how I do this:



Open Terminal's preferences.



Go to Settings, then Shell. You can choose here to run a command at startup. You could create a simple log of your session using the following:
/usr/bin/script ~/Desktop/Terminal.log
This will log everything you do and append it to the log file.



I like to keep my history so instead I wrote this small script that archives previous sessions by renaming the file with a date/time string. I then set Terminal.app to run at startup the following command:
~/Desktop/logger.sh
Here's the script:
#!/bin/bash
# logger.sh
# Log everything you do in Terminal.

#* Formatted date & time string.
FORMATTED_DATE=`/bin/date "+%Y-%m-%d%H%M%S"`

#* Archive...

| Read more »
06:00
Video ON Setting Up File Sharing Services In Lion...
krypted
03:00
Video On Setting Up File Sharing In Lion Server
318 Tech Jou...

Technology Showcase

May 02
Satechi Divoom iBase Dock Station available for iOS...

Satechi (http://www.Satechi.net) has released the Divoom iBase Dock Station for the iPod, iPhone or iPad. The US$44.99 device combines a speaker system and docking station.

The Satechi Divoom iBase Dock Station features four full range neodymium dynamic drivers and a 20.6 ounce speaker. Additionally, it has a vertical support to ensure the iOS device is secured in place. The Satechi Divoom iBase Dock Station is also compatible with other MP3 players via the 3.5mm line-in jack.

| Read more »
Mar 29
eDirectory: You've been warned. Don't do it.

Thinking about eDirectory?
In short, in our opinion, don't do it.
You've been warned.

After several months of trying to make things work with eDirectory, we have recently given up. Our goal was simple -- to bring a directory online to serve our community. We wanted to use off the shelf software to do this.

eDirectory, on the surface, looked like a great way to go -- in the end, it was nothing but frustration, and from our point of view, if felt like a 'front' set up to essentially lead you in with just enough solution to look complete, and then nickel and dime you all the way with customizations. Since you'd be locked into the solution, you would have no choice to change ... or moving away would be painful at best.

In our opinion, unless you want a vendor that will nickel and dime you the entire way, be fairly expensive, and have horrible customer service and response time ... you should stay far far away from eDirectory.

...

| Read more »
Dec 16
Appcelerator offers '4 Steps to creating a mobile...

Appcelerator has published a white paper on "4 Steps to creating a mobile development strategy."

"Companies now have a window of opportunity to think about how mobile can transform their business as radically as the web did," says AppCelerator. "By making mobile a part of their overall digital strategy, companies can transform their relationships with their customers in even greater ways than they did with the web."

The white paper tells you how this can be accomplished. Appcelerator (http://www.appcelerator.com/) is a company that helps web developers create mobile, tablet and desktop applications.

| Read more »
Sep 19
InterMapper publishes white papers on network...

InterMapper has published four white papers on network monitoring, mapping and alerting and InterMapper. You can find them all at
http://www.intermapper.com/resources/whitepapers.aspx .

The papers look at "Top 8 reasons SMBs need to monitor their networks," "top 8 considerations for selecting SMB network monitoring software," "10 steps to streamline the deployment of network monitoring software for SMBs," and "6 ways to calculate returns from your networking monitoring investment."

InterMapper is Mac OS X compatible network monitoring software. It uses SNMP to monitor the network infrastructure, and has probes for monitoring many kinds of servers, including web, mail, LDAP, FTP, etc. More information and a free 30-day demo are available at the product Web site (...

| Read more »
Aug 11
Video tour of new Data Rescue Center headquarters...

The Data Rescue Center, a a data recovery company founded in 2009 and a division of Prosoft Engineering, recently opened a new state-of-the-art headquarters in Livermore, California. You can get a video tour of it at http://www.thedatarescuecenter.com/company_background.html .

In June of 2010, the Data Rescue Center and Prosoft Engineering finalized the purchase of a building in Livermore near the Lawrence Livermore National Lab. Work immediately began on the design and construction of the new recovery lab facility.

In late January of 2011, both The Data Rescue Center and Prosoft Engineering moved all operations to this new facility. It boasts a Class 2 UL-Listed Vault and extensive security features.

The ISO 5 / Class 100 Cleanroom exceeds all manufacturers specifications for cleanroom recovery environments, according to...

| Read more »
Mar 11
Video looks at 'Fixing Flat Color in Final Cut...

Future Media Concepts has posted a video on "Fixing Flat Color in Final Cut Pro." It teaches you how to make your colors "pop" in footage in Final Cut Pro. You can find it at
http://www.fmctraining.com/fmc.asp?w=blip_AYHdkS4C .

Future Media Concepts is a digital media training center representing the leading software manufacturers, including Adobe, Apple, Autodesk, Avid, Boris FX, Digidesign, NewTek and Softimage. Headquartered in New York City, FMC now operates 5 additional digital media training facilities located in Boston, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Orlando and Chicago.

| Read more »
Oct 04
Video showcases Zco's services

Zco Corp. (http://www.zco.com) has posted an overview video for their technology showcase. You can view it here:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzE89z-jexA .

Zco can help you build custom software, as well as market it. The company developsb oth industrial strength backend applications using .NET, PHP and Java as well as apps for all major mobile platforms, including the iPad, iPhone, BlackBerry, Android, Windows Phone 7, WebOS and Symbian.

Zco can also help you promote your products and services using search engine optimization and social media optimization techniques, HD video, stunning graphics, 3D animation and video effects, press releases, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Google, Yahoo and Bing.

| Read more »
Aug 26
Video looks at digital storytelling features of...

A new online video (http://www.memoryminer.com) shows some of the best ways for using MemoryMiner, a digital storytelling application for Mac OS X. Designed an an complement the iLife suite, the software is all about capturing and exploring your life memories.

MemoryMiner allows anyone to zero in on the stories depicted in their photos by linking them to each other based on people, places and time. While photos are used as the starting point, the goal is always uncovering the backstory.

With MemoryMiner, you can directly record audio or video to capture the backstory of a photo. You can attach documents, web URL's, or other media to add depth and context. Each photo becomes a frame in a storyboard that can be browsed by periods in a person's life, where people overlap, by place, by time, or any combination.

MemoryMiner requires Mac OS X 10.5 or higher. It's Universal Binary so runs...

| Read more »
 
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website for people to purchase custom digitally printed iphone covers. I attached a document stating some things I want added to the website. I have listed a website that I really like. Thank you... Read more
iPhone/iPad Business Analyst at Apple (C...
and drive the approved project roadmap, partner with the iPhone Retail Product Leader on project/enhancement ... Education/Experience: The ideal candidate for the iPhone Solution Manager position is... Read more
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consists of modifying an existing Twitter application for iPhone. We will be modifying the flow of the existing ... applications and iPhone applications. Android experience also desired. Desired... Read more

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