MacTech News

10:01

Maintain serves up Cocktail 7.8 Maverick Edition

Maintain has served up Cocktail 7.8 (http://cocktail.maintain.se) Maverick Edition, a new version of its Mac OS X utility that's compatible with Yosemite. This version adds the ability to clear the hibernate (sleepimage) file and ability to disable hibernate mode. It also contains improvements on the "Clear User caches" procedure.

Cocktail is a general purpose utility for OS X that lets you clean, repair and optimize your Mac. Its features are arranged into five categories that help you manage various aspects of your computer.

Cocktail 7.8 Mavericks Edition requires OS X Mavericks to run. When unregistered, Cocktail runs in demo mode and will expire after the tenth launch. Registration is US$19 for a single user license or $39 for a family license that covers up to five computers.

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09:58

AnyTrans for Mac OS X adds support for iOS 8.3

iMobie (www.imobie.com/anytrans/) has launched AnyTrans 4.4 for Mac OS X. It's an update of the iPhone file management utility.

With AnyTrans you can transfer iPhone, iPod music to/from any Mac computer, copy photos, videos and apps between devices and Macs, export SMS messages and even the associated image/audio files and more. Version 4.4 adds a one-click feature for cloning all or selected content between all iDevices and all iOS versions, including the latest iOS 8.3.

AnyTrans costs US$39.99 for a single user license and $59.99 for a family license. It requires Mac OS X 10.8 or higher.

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04:42

EditShare ships XStream EFS

EditShare has begun shipping EditShare XStream EFS. The distributed, fault-tolerant "scale out" storage system offers enterprise-class storage capabilities and collaboration features to a broad range of production and broadcast facilities.

XStream EFS includes EditShare’s smart media management tools and advanced project sharing. It’s built on a "blazing-fast, fault-tolerant architecture that can sustain any kind of mission critical workflow," says Andy Liebman, founder and CEO, EditShare.

Designed to support high-bandwidth, high-volume media ingest, transcoding, online collaborative editing and multiplatform distribution of HD, 2k, 4k and beyond, XStream EFS offers multiple levels of redundancy and scalability. The high-performance, low-latency storage solution integrates with industry standard broadcast and post-production systems including EditShare’s own Geevs (broadcast servers), Flow (media asset management), and Ark (backup and archiving) solutions,...

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04:00

DEVONagent 3.9.1 finds computer code and cooking recipes

DEVONtechnologies has updated all editions of its Internet search and research tool DEVONagent as well as the context-aware search assistant DEVONsphere Express.

All editions of DEVONagent 3.9.1 find code and answers on Stack Overflow and GitHub. These two sites are currently the most popular places for software developers on the web. Here they exchange code, ask questions, and discuss new ideas. In addition, DEVONagent Pro is now able to scan any found pages for cooking recipes or computer code. It presents the found snippets directly in the Search window.

The enhanced email address scanner of DEVONagent Pro 3.9.1 finds addresses also in metadata. Search results exported to DEVONthink save the name of the search set as well as the query in their comments. Finally, the new version shortens long entries in the History menu. It converts HTML to plain text better, and handles background tasks and web requests more reliably.

DEVONsphere Express 1.8.3 adds support...

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Apr 09

Apple releases iTunes 12.1.2

Apple has updated iTunes to version 12.1.2, adding support for syncing photos in the new Mac OS X to an iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

The upgrade also adds several refinements to the Get Info window in the media suite and improves overall stability of iTunes. iTunes 12.1.2 is available at the Mac App Store.

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Apr 09

Pillars of Eternity launches on the Mac App Store

MacPlay (http://www.macplay.com) has made Pillars of Eternity 1.0.1, their role-playing game for OS X, available at the Mac App Store for US$44.99. It requires Mac OS X 10.6.3 or higher.

Here's how the game is described: "Pillars of Eternity is an RPG inspired by classic titles such as Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, and Planescape: Torment, featuring an original world and game system that evokes and improves upon the traditional computer RPG experience. Funded via Kickstarter in late 2012, raising $4.5 million through both backer pledges on Kickstarter and Obsidian's own website, Pillars of Eternity provides RPG fans with a unique experience, driven by classic aesthetics, modern design, and a deep, engaging world for players to explore."

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Apr 09

Brattoo Propaganda Software introduces Duplicate Annihilator for Photos

Brattoo Propaganda Software has introduced Duplicate Annihilator for Photo. The It's a new edition of their duplicates annihilation software with support for Apple's Photos app for Mac OS X.

Anders Bjarby, CEO of Brattoo Propaganda Software, says syncing photos, iCloud, PhotoStream and various photo editing tools can easily result in unwanted duplicates in your Photos library. Duplicate Annihilator takes on the task of comparing the images in your Photos library, using algorithms to make sure that no duplicates escape.

Duplicate Annihilator or Photos sells for US$7.95 and is available worldwide from Brattoo Propaganda Software online (http://brattoo.com/propaganda/). It requires Mac OS X Yosemite 10.10 or higher and Photos 1.0.

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Apr 09

Apple Watch orders will be taken online only starting Friday.

The Apple Watch will be available for preview and pre-order on Friday, April 10. However, pre-orders will only be taken online.

Customers in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, the UK and the US can try on and experience Apple Watch at their local Apple Store or at Galeries Lafayette in Paris, Isetan in Tokyo, Selfridges in London, and select Apple Authorized Resellers in Japan and China. Customers can pre-order their Apple Watch through the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com) beginning April 10 at 12:01 a.m. (Pacific) for delivery beginning April 24.

“We are excited to welcome customers tomorrow and introduce them to Apple Watch, our most personal device yet. Based on the tremendous interest from people visiting our stores, as well as the number of customers who have gone to the Apple Online Store to mark their favorite Apple Watch ahead of availability, we expect that strong customer...

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Apr 09

Audio Switcher for Mac OS X upgraded to version 2.5.4

Spike Software (www.spikesoft.net) has announced Audio Switcher 2.5.4, an update to its menubar applet utility for Mac OS X.

Audio Switcher allows you to switch your audio input and output between different audio devices. It supports a range of devices, as well as the built-in audio hardware of your Mac desktop or laptop. Version 2.5.4 includes a few bug fixes.

Audio Switcher requires Mac OS X 10.7 or later. Version 2.5.4 costs US$4.99 and is available worldwide through the Mac App Store in the Utilities category. Current users can receive the free update via the Mac Store.

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Apr 09

EditShare Flow features scan/proxy support for 4K images

EditShare (www.editshare.com) has unveiled version 3.2 of its media asset management platform, EditShare Flow. The upgrade features scan and proxy support for 4K and image sequences, enhanced remote editing options, and new automation capabilities for transcoding and file delivery workflows.

Flow’s expanded format support means facilities like The Product Factory can better manage, preview and archive a variety of 4K formats such as ProRes 4444 XQ, Sony XAVC and RED (.R3D) files as well as "single-file-per-frame" formats including DPX, CinemaDNG, ARRIRAW, PNG and TIFF.

Enhancements to AirFlow, the Flow module that enables facilities to make media accessible through their own private cloud, allow users to batch-download both original media files or Flow proxies via a web browser from anywhere in the world, opening up new possibilities for remote collaboration and proxy workflows.

In addition to...

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Apr 08

Apple releases iOS 8.3

Apple has released iOS 8.3 for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. It includes performance improvements, bug fixes, and a tweaked emoji keyboard with more than 300 new emoji.

iOS 8.3 allows you to start speaker phone calls via Siri commands. The "personal digital assistant" also now recognizes languages like Portuguese, Russian, Thai, and Turkish.

The operating system update removes the need for account passwords when downloading free content from the iTunes Store and Apple App Store, and adds new filters to Messages. Apple has added filtering to cull unknown numbers in iMessage, and you can report messages as junk to Apple.

Other iOS 8.3 changes include wireless CarPlay (so you can connect an iOS device to a CarPlay systems without a Lightning cable), support for Google two-factor authentication (which lets you add Google accounts with no need for specific passwords), and Apple Pay support for the China UnionPay network. And, of course, there are bug fixes....

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Apr 08

Create Booklet is a new PDF booklet creation tool for Mac OS X

TheKeptPromise has introduced Create Booklet 1.0 (http://tinyurl.com/nyvqmx7), its new PDF booklet creation solution for Mac OS X.

Create Booklet is both an application and PDF Service that allows you to create a booklet "off almost anything from almost anywhere." It puts your pages side by side re-sorted for booklet printing.

Create Booklet requires Mac OS X 10.7 or later. It's being offered at the special introductory price of US$4.99 (50% off) and is available worldwide through the Mac App Store in the Utilities category.

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Apr 08

Karelia announces Sandvox hosting and ships Sandvox 2.10

Karelia Software has shipped Sandvox 2.10 and announced a new Sandvox Hosting service.

Sandvox 2.10 now provides access to the new Sandvox Hosting service in this update to the website building software for OS X. New Sandvox Hosting provides fundamental hosting from directly within Sandvox, integrated and optimized for hosting most Sandvox sites.

"Sandvox Hosting makes hosting a Sandvox site easier than ever," said Dan Wood, president of Karelia Software. "We created Sandvox from the idea that anybody should be able to create a website without having to learn HTML. Now, the combination of Sandvox 2.10 and Sandvox Hosting lets you publish a site by just entering your name and email address, and choosing a password. It's that easy."

The combination of Sandvox 2.10 and Sandvox Hosting provides customers an easy mechanism for hosting their site without the complexity of configuring a hosting setup, he adds. Sandvox users simply sign up directly from Sandvox and...

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Apr 08

Apple releases Mac OS X 10.10.3 and new Photos app

Mac OS X 10.10.3 Yosemite has arrived and includes the new Photos app. It's a free upgrade via the Mac App Store.

Both Aperture, Apple’s US$79.99 pro photo editing software, and iPhoto, geared more toward non-pro end users, are replaced by the Photos, which Apple debuted during the 2014 Worldwide Developer Conference. The new “grounds-up photo solution” will mirror features of the Photos app in iOS 8. Features of the Photos app, according to Apple, include the ability to:

° Browse photos by time and location in Moments, Collections, and Years views

° Navigate a library using convenient Photos, Shared, Albums, and Projects tabs

° Store all of your photos and videos in iCloud Photo Library in their original format and in full resolution

° Perfect photos with powerful and easy to use editing tools that optimize with a single click or slider, or allow precise adjustments with detailed controls

° Create professional-quality photo books...

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Apr 08

PlugBug adds USB charging back to the 12-inch MacBook

Apple's 12-inch MacBook, which goes on sale Friday, features a single USB-C port for both power and connectivity. This prevents the laptop from charging your iPhone, iPad or any other standard USB device without additional adapters.

However, you can add Twelve South's (www.twelvesouth.com) PlugBug to the new MacBook USB-C Power Adapter, and gain back a standard USB power port to charge your iOS device and your new MacBook at the same time — all from one plug. PlugBug World even adapts your new MacBook for international travel.

There are two versions. The basic PlugBug (US$34.99) is a 2.1-Amp USB wall charger that attaches to, and converts, any MacBook Power Adapter into a dual charger. With PlugBug, you can charge your new MacBook and iPhone, iPad or Watch simultaneously, from a single outlet.

The PlugBug World ($44.99) is a dual charger. Just like PlugBug, PlugBug World piggybacks onto the...

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Apr 08

CleanMyMac revved to version 3, gets a Yosemite makeover

MacPaw has released CleanMyMac 3 for Mac OS X. In the newest version, CleanMyMac 3 is updated to further optimize Macs and improve the quality of cleaning.

The app has gotten a whole new Yosemite makeover and now, not only cleans up disk space, but also monitors Mac performance, maintains Mac health, and provides users with even more advanced cleaning options. Mail and iTunes can be now cleaned with CleanMyMac, including gigabytes of email attachments and downloads in Mail, and broken downloads, outdated iOS updates, and more, in iTunes.

CleanMyMac 3's Maintenance feature lets users repair disk permissions, reindex Spotlight, and speed up Mail, and Privacy cleans up chat logs, browser history, and more. Performance is displayed in real time on the CleanMyMac 3 Dashboard. Alerts inform users on how the hardware is holding up.

CleanMyMac 3 costs US$39.95. Current CleanMyMac users can upgrade to CleanMyMac 3 with a 50% discount. A demo is available...

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Apr 08

WaterField Designs unveils 12-inch Travel Express MacBook Case

WaterField Designs (www.sfbags.com) has refreshed the MacBook Retina Travel Express with new colors and materials in a custom size for the 12-inch MacBook, which is due for release Friday.

The case is designed to protect the laptop and organize everything all in one place. The Travel Express MacBook case protects laptop, power adapter, and accessories on the go. MacBook users can now choose an all-black ballistic nylon, a tan waxed canvas, or a black, blue or red soft perforated nylon case to complement their wardrobe.

The MacBook Travel Express can be stashed inside a bag or worn over the shoulder with the optional strap. It costs US$89, and D-rings are included. Available options include a Simple Strap for $12, and a suspension shoulder strap for $22. The MacBook Travel Express is available for preorder from the WaterField Designs store. It will ship April 17.

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Apr 08

LinkOptimizer 4.9.37 for Adobe InDesign improves color profiles handling

Zevrix Solutions (www.zevrix.com) has announced LinkOptimizer 4.9.37, a maintenance update to its workflow automation solution for Adobe InDesign.

LinkOptimizer allows you to automatically reduce the size of InDesign picture links and speed up processing by eliminating excess image data, performing essential image adjustments and converting image formats. The new version improves automatic handling of ICC color profiles during image processing in Adobe Photoshop.

LinkOptimizer can be purchased from Zevrix website for US$259.95 (a "lite" version is available for $179.95). A demo is available for download. The update is free for LinkOptimizer 4.x users and $130 to upgrade from previous versions. LinkOptimizer requires Mac OS X 10.6-10.10 and Adobe InDesign and Photoshop CS3-CC 2014.

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Apr 08

YouTube Downloader updated to download 4K video

MacXDVD Software (www.macxdvd.com) has released an update (version 4.0) for MacX YouTube Downloader, the app for downloading video content.

Version 4.0 supports 4K video downloads. Customers can download videos from Facebook, Vimeo, Vevo, Dailymotion and another 300-plus online video sites.

MacX YouTube Downloader is free. It requires Mac OS X 10.5 or higher.

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Apr 07

MCE releases Aluminum USB 3.0 Blu-ray/DVD/CD Recorder/Player for the Mac

MCE Technologies (http://tinyurl.com/khvlneg) has begun shipping an Aluminum USB 3 Blu-ray/DVD/CD Recorder designed for all Macs with, or without, a built-in optical drive.

The enclosure material is aluminum, the interface is USB 3.0, and it includes Mac Blu-ray Player software in order to watch Blu-ray movies on the Mac. It is compatible with all forms of optical disc media including M-Disc 25GB Blu-ray media.

The retail price of the Aluminum USB 3 Blu-ray/DVD/CD Recorder is US$99.95. It's available immediately.

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MacTech Blog

Apr 10

Worldwide wearables market forecast to reach 126.1...

A combination of new vendors, new devices, and greater end-user awareness will drive the worldwide wearables market higher in 2015. According to the most recent forecast data from IDC (www.idc.com) vendors will ship a total of 45.7 million units in 2015, up a strong 133.4% from the 19.6 million units shipped in 2014.

By 2019, total shipment volumes are forecast to reach 126.1 million units, resulting in a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 45.1%, says the research group. Propelling the market higher in 2015 is an increased focus on smart wearables, or those devices capable of running third-party applications. These include devices like the Apple Watch, Motorola's Moto 360, and Samsung's Gear watches.

The total volume of smart wearables will reach 25.7 million units in 2015, up a whopping 510.9% from the 4.2 million units shipped in 2014. Basic wearables, or those devices that do not run third party...

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Apr 09

iPhone, ApplePay opening up financial services for...

There are more than 28 million small business owners in the United States, some 80% of whom are non-employers. Small business use of mobile devices—in particular "smart" devices—opens up a world of opportunity, much like it has done in the consumer marketplace, according to Packaged Facts, a a division of MarketResearch.com.

As mobile technology and payments continue to converge, more and more small businesses will look to their smartphones to make payments and meet their financial services needs, according to the market research publisher. ApplePay provides a case in point. Many payments industry observers view Apple's ApplePay mobile wallet as the first product with the potential to push payments into the realm of mobile point-of-sale, which has thus far had difficulty gaining mainstream traction.

Small business participants may make especially strong targets for this payments solution, notes Packaged Facts research director David Sprinkle. For one, they are more...

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Apr 08

Cloud-DVR subscribers worldwide will increase to 24...

New data from Parks Associates (www.parksassociates.com) shows the total number of cloud-DVR subscribers worldwide will exceed 4.6 million in 2015 and total 24 million by 2018.

"Time-shifting content has led to an evolution and new challenges in television business models," Brett Sappington, director, Research, Parks Associates, says. "Though the basic features of the DVR are the same, moving the service to the cloud is surprisingly complex. However, it opens up a variety of new opportunities for consumers and operators. Beyond expanding storage capacity, a cloud-based DVR impacts viewing features, revenue opportunities, and rights agreements with content creators."

Operators are interested in deploying cloud DVR because these solutions will reduce set-top box costs, eliminate costly replacements, and provide support for enhanced features, which will open new revenue opportunities, he adds...

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Apr 07

Smartphones fuel biometrics to $3.1 billion

ABI Research (www.abiresearch.com) forecasts US$3.1 billion global revenues in 2015 for biometrics in the consumer and enterprise sectors with much of the growth coming from smartphone solutions.

Existing smartphone hardware provides a relatively stable foothold for some authentication modalities but rapid advances in the biometrics field will drive further smartphone hardware upgrades. Meanwhile, pioneering algorithm design and cloud computing services are transforming user authentication.

Dimitrios Pavlakis, digital security research analyst, ABI Research says: "Biometry is moving rapidly into the security ecosystem and its adoption by CE [consumer electronic] devices will jumpstart this phenomenon. Specifically, smartphone biometrics provide not only a secure alternative for authentication, mobile payments, and BYOD [bring your own device] initiatives but also enhance user experience, navigation...

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Apr 06

Global pay TV subscriber base to surpass 1.1 billion...

According to ABI Research (www.abiresearch.com) the worldwide pay TV market grew at a steady rate of 4% in 2014 to reach 923.5 million subscribers.

"Despite the growth in subscriber base, weak currency exchange rates resulted in a slower increase of pay TV market service revenue. Worldwide the pay TV market generated US$257 billion in 2014 and is expected to surpass 1.1 billion subscribers in 2020 with a CAGR 2.7%," says Jake Saunders, vice president and practice director of Core Forecasting.

Cable and terrestrial TV markets had weaker growth rates in 2014 compared to satellite and IPTV platforms. However, high definition (HD) penetration is increasing across all pay TV platforms because of the increasing number of HD channels added by operators. In 2014, 44% of the worldwide pay TV subscriber base were HD subscribers, with the highest HD penetration in Western Europe and North America. HD...

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Apr 03

The global mobile biometrics revenue is set to boom

Starting from a base of $249 million 2015, global mobile biometrics revenue is forecast to reach $3.5 billion by 2024, with cumulative revenue for the 10-year period totaling $17.5 billion, according to Research and Markets (www.researchandmarkets).

Biometrics for mobile devices have finally reached a tipping point. The march began with the release of the Apple iPhone in 2007 and later the iPad, each subsequently matched by Android competitors. These smartphones and tablets finally have enough processing power and hardware capabilities to put biometrics directly into their users' hands.

Biometrics, whether for mobile devices or large stationary systems, typically perform one of two functions: authentication, proving that someone is who they claim to be, or identification, figuring out who someone is. Nearly all consumer-facing use cases are authentication and nearly all identification uses are...

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Apr 02

Mobile, casual gaming fuels gaming content markets

Overall, ABI Research (www.abiresearch.com) expects the video game market to pass US$80 billion in 2020, growing from under $70 billion in 2014.

Mobile gaming is behind nearly all of this projected growth, with the traditional PC and console segments seeing 1 to 2% annual growth. Triple-A titles have the potential to dramatically change a developer/publisher’s financials, but gaming’s long tail is equally important to the continued growth of the industry.

This is particularly true in the mobile space where a hit title can catapult a mobile game developer into the upper echelons of the market—as was true for developers like King Digital (Candy Crush Saga) and Supercell (Clash of Clans). Innovation in the industry is particularly important to fend off the stagnation that can occur from too many copy-cat games, but the market can also move in unpredictable ways as one game can quickly gain favor, so...

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Apr 01

Global smart TV market set to boom

The global smart TV market is expected to post a CAGR [compound annual growth rate] of 20.37% from 2014-2019, as consumers are spending more than ever on electronics, according to a new report from research firm Technavio (www.technavio.com).

The new report draws attention towards economic growth in developing countries that has improved the financial status of a significant portion of the population. This has resulted in higher consumer purchasing power, which has contributed to increased spending on consumer electronic goods.

"The increased number of technologically advanced devices available in the market is expected to trigger the demand for devices that offer multifunctional capabilities to consumers," says Faisal Ghaus, vice president of Technavio.

What's more, the Technavio report emphasizes the increased adoption of smart TVs in advertising. The growing popularity of smart TVs and 3D TVs...

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Mar 31

Chromebook’s computing style disrupts low-end PC,...

Chromebooks: cloud-centric, budget-friendly, fast-booting, secure computing devices that are more functional than tablets and less expensive than the average laptop PC are market changers, according to ABI Research (www.abiresearch.com).

In 2014, Chromebooks gained traction in North America, and are set to continue growing as streaming devices become more popular among consumers and purchasing entities. According to ABI Research, Chromebooks experienced 235% growth between 2013 and 2014, with shipments reaching 4.87 million in 2014.

"The rollout of cloud services and the 2009 global economic collapse created the opportunity for developers to provide a budget-friendly solution for consumers,”" says Research Analyst Stephanie Van Vactor. "Chromebooks were the result, and the ‘anytime anywhere’ access to content is a mobile-centric game changer."

Deployments in the education market have...

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Mar 30

Global devices shipments to grow 2.8% this year

Worldwide combined shipments of devices (PCs, tablets, ultramobiles and mobile phones) are estimated to reach 2.5 billion units in 2015, an increase of 2.8% over 2014, according to Gartner, Inc. (www.gartner.com). In spending terms, the global computing devices market (PCs and ultramobiles) is on pace to reach US$226 billion, a 7.2% decline in current U.S. dollars, says the research group.

Stripping out the impact of exchange-rate movements (constant U.S. dollars), the global computing devices spending will decrease 3.1 percent in 2015. The global PC market is on pace to total 306 million units in 2015, a 2.4 percent decrease over 2014.

"The fall in PC purchases is primarily due to expected price increases by vendors in Europe and other regions, which is forced by local currency depreciation against the dollar," says Ranjit Atwal, research director at Gartner. "The currency squeeze is forcing PC vendors to...

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Reviews and Kool Tools

Kool Tools: MacBackup Guru

MacDaddy's Mac Backup Guru 4.0 for OS X, an update to its Mac OS X utility has three main, and very useful, features: 1) It provides a contextual menu to copy and paste a bootable volume in the Finder, 2) It's the only... Read more »

Kool Tools: Stellar Partition Manager

If you need to manage partitions on Mac hard drives (including the boot volume) without causing data loss, you should check out Stellar Data Recovery (http://tinyurl.com/plc9j4s). It's a Mac volume manager that allows... Read more »

Kool Tools: 12-inch Travel Express MacBook Case

WaterField Designs (www.sfbags.com) has refreshed its MacBook Retina Travel Express with new colors and materials in a custom size for the 12-inch MacBook. The new Travel Express maintains the compact and light feel,... Read more »

Kool Tools: AKVIS Points for Mac OS X

AKVIS 's AKVIS Points 1.0 for Mac OS X and Windows turns images into pointillism paintings. This painting technique is characterized by applying of separate brush strokes in the form of dots or spots. A complex hue is... Read more »

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Friday April 10

13:10

Apple, the watch company: Here’s what it’s like to...

Ars Technica

Like so many reviewers who didn't get Apple Watches early, I stayed up late last night to order one of them when they became available in the online store. I snagged a 42mm space gray Apple Watch Sport with little trouble—surprisingly little trouble, compared to iPhone launch nights.

I’ve got the advantage of having already seen and worn various Apple Watch models in person, and I know pretty much what they look like and how they'll fit my wrist. Most of you haven't. Your best bet for a pre-launch introduction to the Apple Watch is to go into your nearest brick-and-mortar Apple Store, where Apple will be demoing the watches starting today.

So I can tell you what that experience is going to be like, I scheduled two try-on appointments for the Apple Watch today: one regular appointment for the standard watch, and one fancy appointment to try on the Apple Watch Edition.

...

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12:08

Tim Cook says Apple Watch “orders are great” in...

9 to 5 Mac

Tim Cook visited the Palo Alto Apple Store today to check out the Apple Watch buzz, as people around the world attend try-on appointments and (failed to) pre-order Apple Watch online. In an interview with CNBC, Cook said that customer response has been extraordinary and “orders are great”.

The interviewer asks Cook what he wears day-to-day. Cook says he swaps out bands depending on the occasion but likes the Apple Watch stainless steel with the white rubber Sport band. Weirdly, Cook’s watch features a custom red crown that is usually only found on certain Apple Watch Edition models. Photo below …

...

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10:00

Scheduling an Apple Watch try-on appointment

AppleWorld

The day is here; you'll finally be able to get an Apple Watch on your wrist to see how it looks, determine the size and color you want, and then head home to make your pre-order. But how can you actually schedule your Apple Watch try-on appointment? Both the web-based Apple Store and the Apple Store app can get you in the virtual line for your appointment. Just follow these simple steps and you're on your way!

Apple Online Store

Point your favorite web browser to the Concierge page of the Apple Online Store
Select the state and the store where you'd like to try on an Apple Watch. Note that you'll be able to see which stores have viewing slots available for both the Watch/Watch Sport and for the Watch Edition. Many stores may not have the Watch Edition available for your viewing...

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