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14:54
Apple Director Jerome York in Michigan hospital
Jerome York, a director of Apple and former chief financial officer of IBM and Chrysler Corp., is hospitalized and in critical condition in Pontiac, Michigan. According to "BusinessWeek" (http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-03-17/jerome-york-apple-director-h...), York, 71, collapsed at his Rochester, Michigan, home Tuesday night, according to his wife, Eilene York, and was taken to Pontiac Osteopathic Hospital by ambulance. She said today that doctors told her that he suffered a massive cerebral hemorrhage. “Jerry had the guts and brains to identify the needed changes at many of America’s greatest companies, including Chrysler, IBM, General Motors and Apple, helping them to reach their greater potential,” Steve Miller, a director of UAL Corp. who worked with York at Chrysler, told "BusinessWeek." York has been CEO of Harwinton Capital (formerly Harwinton Capital Corporation), a private investment company that he controls, since September 2000. He's also been a director of Dana...
14:06
iPhone/iPod/iPad apps for March 17
Here are the latest iPhone/iPod touch/iPod/iPad apps announced. You can find 'em at the Apple App Store (http://www.itunes.com/appstore/). App Cubby has announced KaleidoVid 1.0, an US$0.99 app for iPhone 3G and 3GS devices. It creates kaleidoscopic images from everyday objects using the iPhone's built-in camera. FizzPow Game has released PandaMania: Legend of the Fu Manchu for the iPhone and iPod touch. It's a $1.99 arcade-style game. 
Gamedoctors has launched ZombieSmash!, a $1.99 game for the iPhone and iPod touch. It's a physics-driven castle defense game. Smartphones Technologies has launched College Basketball Bracket Challenge for the iPhone and iPod touch. The $1.99 app is available just in time for the men’s basketball tournament.  David Day, a hiking guide writer for trails in Utah and Colorado, and TalkingRockies, has shipped new mobile guides for Utah's 5 national parks for iPhone and Android systems. These guides introduce outdoor enthusiasts to the backcountry in Utah's...
13:20
'MacVoices' looks at converting email from POP to IMAP
On the new MacVoices (http://www.macvoices.com),Take Control Books author Joe Kissell tackles the subject of converting your email from POP to IMAP. What is POP? What is IMAP? Kissell walks us through the answers and why you should care. Along the way, he looks at why now is an especially important time to consider the move, syncing, downloading, deleting and expunging your email, and more. Kissell also reveals what caused him to become such an outspoken advocate of backups (yes, it had to do with email), provides some specific considerations for making the move, how Gmail fits into the IMAP picture, and more. MacVoices is an Internet show and podcast that delivers in-depth discussions with the most influential people in the Mac industry, as well as "the individuals who are out there making it happen on the front lines of the global Apple community," according to host Chuck Joiner.
13:09
'Your Mac Life' looks at Utah backcountry,...
On this week's "Your Mac Life," you'll hear interviews with David Day about "Hiking Utah's Incredible Backcountry", Greg Scown, founder of Smile On My Mac about TextExpander 3 and a piece about "No Laptop, No Problem!" You can listen in this and every Wednesday evening from 5:30 to 8 pm (Pacific). Live video is on Your Mac Life! You can watch the show live at http://yml.macosg.com/ -- or you can listen in to the plain old audio feed at http://www.yourmaclifeshow.com/QT/stream.mov . You can join one of the two Chat Rooms that run during the live show -- on the live video site or on the dedicated IRC Server at irc.chat-solutions.org in the #yourmaclife Channel .
08:41
iWrap taking pre-orders for invisible iPad covers
iWrap (http://www.getiwrap.com/) is taking pre-orders for their invisible, scratch-proof cover for the upcoming iPad. iWrap uses unique film that offers more clarity and more durability, according to iWrap Product Manager Tim Chaves. The film also uses advanced UV inhibiting technology and a strong adhesive, he adds. In addition, iWrap's full-body wraps are designed to offer the most complete coverage possible, according to Chaves. iWrap for the iPad costs US29.95. There are also versions for the iPhone and all iPod models.
08:33
Syncro Soft releases Oxygen XML Editor, Oxygen XML Author 11.2
Syncro Soft (http://www.oxygenxml.com) has released version 11.2 of its XML Editor and XML Author containing a set of tools supporting all the XML related technologies. Oxygen combines content author features like the CSS driven Visual XML editor with a XML development environment. It has ready-to-use support for the main document frameworks DITA, DocBook, TEI and XHTML and also includes support for all XML Schema languages, XSLT/XQuery Debuggers, WSDL analyzer, XML Databases, XML Diff and Merge, Subversion client and more. Version 11.2 of oXygen/XML Editor improves the XML authoring, the XML development tools, the support for large documents and the SVN Client. Also, he diff and merge support from oXygen is available also as a separate application, oXygen XML Diff. Oxygen XML Editor and XSLT Debugger is available in three editions: Multi-platform Academic/Personal license: USS$64 (includes the one year support and maintenance pack); Multi-platform Professional license: $349; and...
08:29
TinyBooks Pro for Mac OS X improves importing, built-in help...
Ken Winograd and Space-Time Associates (http://www.winograd.com) has updated TinyBooks Pro, its Mac accounting and bookkeeping program, to version 7.0.3. The upgrade improves the importing of old TinyBooks documents, improves the built-in help text and error messages and improves the Recur Dialog. It also adds the ability to delete all items in the current month, and adds three new Preferences (to Auto-Sort New/Modified transactions on entry, to enable/disable the Total Transaction Amount field, and to show Monthly and Reported Amounts as inclusive or exclusive of taxes.) TinyBooks Pro is a single-entry bookkeeping and accounting system designed for sole proprietors, home and other small businesses, and family finances. To use you enter your expenses and income, and TinyBooks Pro does the rest. Current and year-to-date on-the-fly totals are continually displayed. Fully automatic bar-charting of all expense and income accounts make the determination of monthly trends intuitively...
08:23
iPresentee unveils iWeb Themes for the iPhone and iPod touch
iPresentee (http://www.ipresentee.com), a developer of add-ons for Apple’s iWork and iLife applications, has released iWeb Themes 7.0 to be used with iWeb. iWeb is the web site creation component of Apple's iLife suite. iWeb Themes 7.0 is available in standard and iPhone editions. The new release includes five themes for iWeb: Blue Style, Shining Star, Greenish Style, Tango and Developer. Each iWeb user may build a web site for a desktop computer and mobile device while maintaining the same site design within iWeb. iWeb themes for iPhone are specific resolution and incorporates bigger fonts, images etc. New themes for iPhone includes everything to create the impression of iPhone native site, according to the folks at iPresentee. What's more, all themes have standard edition templates so you can build two specific sites -- for an iPhone and Mac or PC while keeping the same design within minutes. Standard edition themes include a "Choose Device" template that can be used as first page...
08:17
Bob Came in Pieces game comes to Mac OS X
Ludosity Interactive has released Bob Came in Pieces 1.3 (http://www.ludosity.com/games/bob) for Mac and Windows systems. The game was previously Windows only. Bob Came in Pieces is a physics based puzzle adventure game. The game is about the alien called Bob. He has crashed on a strange planet, lost a bunch of parts for his ship and above all, is late for work. Players must fnd the lost parts and rebuild your ship along the way to solve physics-based puzzles. You can build your ship any way you like in the ship builder. The game has 14 chapters of designs and puzzles. It costs US$9.99; a demo is available for download.
08:08
'Retired' Apple counsel back in action -- this time at...
Law firm Bingham McCutchen has announced that Daniel Cooperman, the former general counsel at Apple and Oracle, will rejoin its Silicon Valley office and focus on “corporate and transactional matters.” Cooperman was at Apple between 2007 and 2009. "Perhaps in an indication of the pressures of Apple’s extra frenetic pace," Cooperman is the second of three general counsels that Apple has had since longtime counsel Nancy Heinen left the company in 2006, notes the "Wall Street Journal" (http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2010/03/16/former-apple-counsel-joins-bingha...). The role is currently being filled by Bruce Sewell. When Cooperman left Apple, the official statement was that he was retiring (he's 59). However, in an interview with the "WSJ," he said he needed a break from the intensity of the general counsel job, which he had held for a total of 13 years.
07:46
Key Ace is new hotkey utility for Mac OS X
Purple Ghost Software has released Key Ace (ttp://www.purpleghost.com/news.php), an US$9.99 hotkey utility for Mac OS X that lets you assign actions to various key combinations. You can configure shortcuts for daily tasks such as opening browsers or controlling play, pause and stop functions on iTunes. ou can specify any key combination to be used as the hotkey to activate the specified action. There are many actions you can specify for a hotkey. These include controlling iTunes (play/pause, next track, prior track, stop), launch any application on your system, open any website URL, eject your CD/DVD, adjust system volume up/down, and send any keystroke. You add hotkeys to groups and each group can be setup to have the hotkeys in that group work in all applications, work in only the specified applications or to work in all except the specified applications. Key Ace installs as a system preference pane. This lets you change hotkeys and change Key Ace settings.

MacNews Blog

Mar 17
Ad may hint at upcoming MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac Pro re...
Apple's ads on the Australian publication, "PC Authority" (http://www.pcauthority.com/au/), may have leaked info on upcoming MacBook Pros, MacBook Airs and Mac Pros. Apple's online Australian store lists the lowest priced versions of the MacBook Pro, MacBook Air and Mac Pro at A$1,599, A$1,999 and A$3,599, respectively. However, an ad at "PC Authority" shows price jumps of A$300, A$400 and A$900, respectively. "Then again, considering the expectation that the mobile computers will get Core i7 CPUs while the Mac Pro will get all dressed up with Core i7-980X regalia, this development is perhaps not all that surprising," says "engadget" (http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/17/new-macbook-pro-air-and-mac-pro-prici...). "The major thing to take away here is that the long-awaited upgrades might finally be arriving."
Mar 17
Apple removes protective screens from Apple stores?
Apple has banned protective screen film from its retail and online stores, according to the "iLounge" web site (http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/news/comments/apple-bans-protective-scr...), which says this will affect both cases and individual film packages beginning in May. In communications with vendors that have been ongoing for “some time now,” according to one company, Apple has said that it will remove both film-only solutions from its stores, as well as any case or other accessory that includes film protection as part of its package, such as cases that include film screen protectors. According to sources, the ban will impact all forms of screen film, including completely clear film, anti-glare film, and mirrored film, regardless of whether the purpose of the film is protective, decorative, or both. One vendor told "iLounge" that the ban is an Apple marketing attempt to suggest screen durability, despite scratches that have damaged both plastic and glass displays of its...
Mar 17
Analyst: iMac to account for 25% of worldwide desktop growth
Caris & Company analyst Robert Cihra says growth in the overall personal computer market for 2010 is trending upwards of 15 to 20%, fueled by greater than 90% growth in combined sales of netbooks and notebooks. However, it's the iMac that will account for 25% of worldwide desktop growth, he says. In a note to clients -- as reported by "AppleInsider" (http://www.appleinsider.com) -- Cihra said desktop sales are showing signs of life for the first time in 24 months, given strong performance of the iMac line that could boost year-over-year shipments by approximately 3%, compared to last year's 12% slippage. "We continue to model note/netbook accounting for greater than 90% of PC unit growth in 2010, but with desktops at least now looking like they’ve stopped eroding and can resume at least some low single-digit recovery after 2 years of decline, driven by emerging markets, corporate workhorse use and power gamers," the analyst said. "But believe it or not, we estimate Apple’s iMac...
Mar 17
Study: mobile apps will outsell CDs by 2012
The global mobile apps economy is set to be worth $17.5billion by 2012, according to an independent report commissioned by GetJar (http://www.getjar.com/), the world’s second largest app store. Mobile app downloads across all types of handset are also expected to increase from over seven billion downloads in 2009 to almost 50 billion in 2012 -- a year-on-year growth rate of 92%. This would mean that the value of apps sold would be greater than the value of CDs sold in 2012 ($13.83 billion). To understand the potential of the “global mobile apps economy,” GetJar commissioned independent consulting firm Chetan Sharma Consulting to lift the lid on the rapidly expanding global apps market. The aim of the project was to analyze the potential and real value of the mobile apps market worldwide, using first hand data. It is clear that by 2012, off-deck paid-for apps will be the biggest revenue generator, accounting for almost 50 per cent of all apps revenue. By comparison, in 2009, on-deck...
Mar 17
Some feel Apple may become the new 'evil empire'
Some pundits have said that Apple is in danger of becoming the next Microsoft -- as in "evil empire" Microsoft. I personally don’t think that’s going to happen, but find the possibility fascinating. I never would have believed anyone would have asked it when I begin my Mac journalism career almost 20 years ago doing reviews for the late, lamented "MacSense" site. At the time, Apple was always -- ALWAYS -- described in the press as “beleaguered” or “troubled.” Many pundits didn’t think the company would last -- and it was, indeed, usually bleeding money. Then the stars aligned, Steve Jobs returned and you know the rest of the story. The iMac, the iPod, the iPhone, now the iPad. The Mac still has a much smaller percentage of the computer market than Windows (though that number is growing), Apple is now THE tech company, known for its inventive products, great marketing and ultra cool factor. So I guess it's inevitable that some feel Apple's on the verge of becoming the new "evil empire...
Mar 17
I'm not a fan of big government, but our 'digital...
On Tuesday, the Federal Communications Commission delivered the National Broadband Plan (http://www.broadband.gov/) to Congress. I wasn't a big fan of the bazillion dollar US stimulus package, nor am I a fan of big government, but our nation's "digital divide" must be addressed. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) was signed into law on February 17, 2009. The Broadband Initiatives funded in the Act are intended to accelerate broadband deployment across the United States. The Recovery Act authorizes the FCC to create a National Broadband Plan, that “shall seek to ensure that all people of the United States have access to broadband capability and shall establish benchmarks for meeting that goal.” We're the only industrialized nation without a national policy to promote universal, high-speed Internet access. Part of the National Broadband Plan looks to free an additional 500 MHz of spectrum for wireless broadband over the next 10 years and transition the...
Mar 16
Yankee Group: mobile app demand is soaring
Smartphone users are downloading increasing numbers of apps, and more of the apps they download come at a price. The result is a supercharged mobile app gold rush that’s shattering Yankee Group’s (http://www.yankeegroup.com) previous revenue estimates and reaching a whopping US$11 billion by 2014. In the new report, “The Mobile App Gold Rush Speeds Up,” the research group sees several factors -- increased smartphone shipments, more app stores and more expensive apps -- combining to nearly double forecasted mobile app revenue, from $537 million to $1.6 billion in 2010 alone. While most app developers and store owners will garner a share of the riches, users of Apple’s iPhone and AT&T’s network download the most apps and generate the most revenue. “Apple’s innovative one-click technology and AT&T’s exclusive deal for the iPhone put them ahead for now,” says Carl Howe, director at Yankee Group and author of the report. “But strong results from T-Mobile suggest that Android will...
Mar 16
Apple granted patents for Aperture tool, computer housing de...
Apple has won patents from the US Patent & Trademark Office for the Aperture tool for straightening digital images and for a computer housing design that displays the illuminated Apple logo. Aperture is the company's software for pro and semi-pro photographers. Patent number 7679625 is for a digital image straightening tool. Per the patent, as the user operates the straighten control, the rotational orientation of a selected image is changed. According to one embodiment, a grid is superimposed over the image while the straighten control is being operated, to assist the user in selecting the proper rotational orientation. In addition, after a rotational adjustment, the image is automatically cropped to ensure that the orientation of the peripheral shape of the image remains unchanged. The inventors are Joshua D. Fagans, Jeffrey L. Robbin, Timothy B. Martin and Timothy E. Wasko. Patent number 7,679,894 is for a display housing for a computing device. An improved housing for a...
Mar 16
Some feel Apple may become the new 'evil empire'
Some pundits have said that Apple is in danger of becoming the next Microsoft -- as in "evil empire" Microsoft. I personally don’t think that’s going to happen, but find the possibility fascinating. In fact, I never would have believed anyone would have even posited the scenario when I begin my Mac journalism career almost 20 years ago doing reviews for the late, lamented "MacSense" site. At the time, Apple was always -- ALWAYS -- described in the press as “beleaguered” or “troubled.” Many pundits didn’t think the company would last -- and it was, indeed, often bleeding money. Then the stars aligned, Steve Jobs returned and you know the rest of the story. The iMac, the iPod, the iPhone, now the iPad. The Mac still has a much smaller percentage of the computer market than Windows (though that number is growing), Apple is now THE tech company, known for its inventive products, great marketing and ultra cool factor. So I guess it's inevitable that some feel Apple's on the verge of...
Mar 16
Donovan's Views: more Jonathan Schwartz revelations
By Gaurang Donovan The former Sun Microsystems former Vice-President (five various positions), Chief Operating Officer, President, and Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Schwartz, wrote on his "What I Couldn't Say" blog (http://jonathanischwartz.wordpress.com/2010/03/09/good-artists-copy-grea...) last week about a 2003 threat of future legal action that he claims Steve Jobs made to his office in a telephone call while raising the idea  that the graphical effects of a Sun prototype Linux desktop may be violating Apple's intellectual property (if Sun commercialised that prototype).  Schwartz wrote his reply was simple and left Steve Jobs silent without a response. The reply mentioned how he had been watching a recent presentation of Jobs and how Apple's newly released Keynote presentation software looked identical to Concurrence and if Jobs/Apple owned that intellectual property. Concurrence was a software product previously developed and owned by Lighthouse Design, a company Schwartz co-...

Reviews and Kool Tools

Kool Tools: CarMD
There are lots of health care products available for the Mac. But there's also an automotive "health care" system: CarMD's (http://www.carmd.com) CarMD Handheld Tester and Software System for Macs and Personal... Read more »
How to watch HD from a cable or satellite receiver on your Mac
It's long perturbed me that I can't watch HD from a cable or satellite receiver on my Mac. Well, actually I (and you) can, though it's a bit of a kludge to make it happen. But, doggone it, I have a 27-inch iMac, and I... Read more »
Review: FLPR effectively turns your iPhone or iPod touch into a remote control
I never thought I'd find anything to replace my Logitech Harmony universal remote, but I have: New Potato Technologies' FLPR (http://www.newpotatotech.com), a new accessory and app that transforms an iPhone or iPod... Read more »
Freshly Squeezed Reviews: truly the digital video shoebox
Whether your a backyard Spielberg or a professional videographer, you inevitably accumulate a ton of footage to keep track of, be it for a single project or archiving. You could create several folders and, if you are... Read more »

News Scanner

Wednesday March 17

16:10
Apple pushes out iPhone 3.2 SDK beta 5
MacNN
Apple on Wednesday released beta 5 of the iPhone 3.2 SDK for iPad through the iPhone Dev Center. The release has come just over a week after the launch of beta 4 and shows Apple accelerating its effort to refine the software before the iPad is available on April 3rd. Previously, Apple had released beta 3 and earlier seeds in largely consistent two-week intervals....
15:43
iWork.com improves public URLs, adds iPad...
Ars Technica
Apple's iWork.com document sharing and collaboration service still carries the beta tag that it has worn since it was introduced with iWork '09 last January. (Perhaps it's just another hobby, like Apple TV?) Still, with the iPad ready to launch in a few weeks, Apple has added a few improvements to iWork.com. One improvement is an update to the way documents can be shared publicly. A simple toggle turns public sharing on or off as needed, and a "Show URL" button rolls down a drop-down sheet with the URL selected for easy cutting and pasting. The new public URLs don't show comments or notes, according to Apple. The company also noted that it makes sharing documents via social networks easy, though adding buttons to "Tweet this!" or "Post to Facebook" would more likely get users to post documents to such sites. The other improvement is that Apple has created interfaces that are optimized for iPads, iPhones, and iPod touches. Functionality on Apple's mobile devices is quite limited, but...
15:40
Google TV to bring Android, Chrome to TV boxes
MacNN
Google's rumored Android-based TV box is real and has some of the world's largest electronics companies involved in making it a reality, a major leak has revealed tonight. Now titled Google TV, the project would see Sony produce the first hardware while Intel would supply Atom chips and help engineer the software. Logitech is also said involved by the NYT source and would make a remote with a keyboard....
15:10
Apple board member Jerry York in critical condition
MacNN
Harwinton Capital CEO and current Apple Board of Directors member Jerry York has been hospitalized in critical condition this afternoon in his hometown of Pontiac, Michigan. The 71-year-old was discovered by his wife Eilene after he suffered a brain hemorrhage. No word has been given of his prospects for a recovery....
14:55
E Ink: iPad is "good for us," bad for eyes
MacNN
The iPad should actually be beneficial for E Ink, Prime View International executive VP TH Peng claimed in a new interview. He notes that the sheer run-up in publicity ahead of Apple's e-reader launch will draw attention to e-books as a whole. It could not only spark sales but lure in publishers that might not have otherwise published digital copies....
14:40
Apple director Jerry York in critical condition...
AppleInsider
Former IBM chief financial officer and current Apple director Jerome York has been hospitalized in Pontiac, Michigan and is currently listed as being in critical condition.
14:35
etc: Ever wanted to archive the SMSs on your...
Ars Technica
Ever wanted to archive the SMSs on your computer without just keeping them around forever on your iPhone? Macworld has a few suggestions. Read More: Macworld Read the comments on this post
14:10
Universal's Six-String iPhone game plays...
MacNN
Universal has launched Six-String for the iPhone. The new app recreates the guitar playing experience using tracks from studio masters. Users are required to pluck, strum and change chords to play along on six included songs. Titles include "You Give Love A Bad Name," "Runnin' Down A Dream," Thnks Fr Th Mmrs," "Show Me The Way," "According To You" and a new track, "Raised on Rock," from the upcoming Scorpions album Sting in the Tail. Additional content, available as in-app purchases, includes 20 songs from artists such as Beck, Maroon 5 and Robert Palmer, with more...
14:10
Blockbuster preps movies for Android, working on...
MacNN
Blockbuster's OnDemand debuting for the T-Mobile HTC HD2 smartphone will expand to other platforms, the company said. The service, which lets customers download and watch new release movies in addition to checking store stock, will also be made for certain Android-powered handsets from Motorola, though a timeline has not been revealed. Unlike competitors such as Netflix, Blockbuster's approach will see users permanently download tracks as they're more efficient than live streams....
14:05
AT&T rumored stalling Palm webOS phones until...
MacNN
Palm's plans for webOS phones at AT&T may have been sidetracked if a rumor is an indication. Canaccord Adams analyst Peter Misek claims to have "recently learned" from unnamed sources that the Pre and Pixi for the network have been pushed back from an April launch to June or July. The carrier has allegedly found a "long list of technical issues" and may also have whittled back its marketing budget....
14:02
iWork.com beta sports iPad-friendly interface,...
MacFixIt
Apple has updated it's document viewing and sharing Web site, iwork.com (currently in beta), to include an iPad- and iPhone-friendly mobile site and extra sharing features to enhance compatibility with the iWork suite for iPad.
13:55
Analyst: Next iPhone to further Palm's troubles
MacNN
The next iPhone will continue to exacerbate Palm's troubles, according to UBS analyst Maynard Um. Despite the buzz surrounding the Pre announcement early last year, Palm recently cut its guidance for the current quarter. The company cites "slower than expected" sales of the Pri, Pixi, and newer Plus variants....
13:25
Canon intros six new LCD projectors for schools,...
MacNN
Canon on Wednesday released details on six new LCD multimedia projectors meant for teachers and business pros. The LV-8310 and LV-8215 have native 1280x800 resolutions, while the LV-7385, LV-7380, LV-7285 and LV-7280 occupy the lower end with a 1024x768 resolution. Because of their intended use, lamp life is rated at 4,000 hours in Normal Mode and 5,000 hours in Quiet Mode....
13:08
Ars Premier now available in $5 month-to-month...
Ars Technica
Last week was an important waypoint here at Ars. It has been just over six months since we launched version 2.0 of our Ars Premier Subscriptions. There's been a steady stream of new subscribers each day, and the program is outperforming our wildest expectations. Two weeks ago the staff had an opportunity to talk with a wide spectrum of readers about a number of topics. One of the things we took away from those conversations was that many Ars readers wanted to join and support the site directly, but weren't able or willing to put down $50 all at once. Read the comments on this post
12:55
Qik Video Camera app drops from App Store
MacNN
Qik's Video Camera iPhone app has been quietly removed from the App Store. The utility allowed users to capture video with an iPhone 2G or 3G, with frame rates of up to 15 fps and several quality settings. The interface also provide options to import the videos into the Camera Roll, or add a variety of special effects....
12:47
Editorial: Six Really Good Reasons to Buy an iPad -...
Mac Observer
There are plenty of articles floating around that advise one to wait on the iPad, not buy one sight unseen, or not buy one at all - especially of you already have a Mac and an iPhone.  I believe that’s nonsense.  Here’s why.
12:45
Sprint ad uses iPhone to sell WiMAX router
MacNN
Sprint in an unusual marketing tactic is marketing its Sierra Wireless Overdrive router as a companion to the iPhone. A new commercial (viewable below) suggests the iPhone is "limited by AT&T's 3G speeds" and that the 4G-to-Wi-Fi hotspot could be used to speed up the smartphone. In this case, the router could give enough added speed to quickly finish streaming a video....
12:39
News: Fake Steve Jobs Takes His Shtick to TV For ‘...
Mac Observer
A new comedy series, “iCon,” will “attempt to do nothing less than a modern ‘Citizen Kane,’” according to director Larry Charles, who is best known for his involvement with the show “Seinfeld” and the movies “Borat” and “Brüno.” Dan Lyons, who rose to prominence for his fake Steve Jobs blog, will be the writer, and the show will air on the cable channel Epix.
12:15
Win Phone 7 to have same remote app disabling as...
MacNN
Microsoft on the last day of MIX10 has confirmed that it can remotely disable Windows Phone 7 apps sold through the Windows Phone Marketplace. As all apps have to be given a license to run in the OS, the company can prevent them from running by revoking the license. The method would likely only be used in an emergency in case of a virus or other rogue behavior, the company's Istvan Cseri said in a presentation....
11:40
Apple lets iPhone devs schedule app sales
MacNN
Apple is reportedly allowing App Store developers to choose the launch date for their applications, according to a Twitter image posted by amdev. The Pricing tab in iTunes Connect now provides an option for the availability date alongside the scheduling for price tiers....
11:39
Apple Banning Protective Screen Film From Stores [...
Gizmodo Apple
According to iLounge, Apple is instituting a ban on all protective screen film products from its online and retail stores starting in May. It's a move that'll take away some of Apple's most popular third-party products. But what for? Apparently the ban is going to cover both film-only products and cases that incorporate protective screens. It applies to products both decorative and protective across all Apple product lines. And while they didn't give vendors an explicit reason for the move, some have speculated that it's a move by Apple to promote their screen durability claims. It's certainly not due to lack of popularity. The number one selling iPhone and iPod cases are anti-glare film, and they're the sixth and seventh most popular iPhone and iPod accessories overall. Of course, these products will still be available through channels outside of the Apple Store, which makes it even more puzzling. If people want a film screen for their iPod or iPhone or Mac, they're going to be able...
11:35
Games: Mac Game News: Civ III Complete at GameAgent...
Mac Observer
Aspyr Media on Wednesday released Civilization III: Complete for Mac at its GameAgent digital download site, while Ludosity Interactive announced the release of the physics-based puzzle adventure game Bob Came in Pieces for Mac.

Rumor Scanner

Wednesday March 17

19:01
Major updates to Mac Pro and Macbook/Air/Pro lineups immin...
Mac OS Rumors
As Rumors has previously reported, a new generation of 32-nanometer Intel chips (Arrandale for mobile, Gulftown/Westmere-EP on the desktop) are ready for Apple to build several new Macs around. Several factors have kept Apple from being the first to adopt these chips, but sources now report that the time for their announcement is approaching. Some widely [...]
14:33
Apple Releases Fifth Beta of iPhone SDK 3.2 for iPad
MacRumors
Apple today released iPhone SDK 3.2 Beta 5 via the Phone Dev Center. The update comes only eight days after the previous release, a departure from Apple's trend of biweekly revisions. We have yet to hear about any significant ...
14:14
Apple Director Jerome York Hospitalized in Critical Condit...
MacRumors
Bloomberg reports that Jerome "Jerry" York, former Chief Financial Officer at IBM and Chrysler and a current member of Apple's Board of Directors, has been hospitalized in critical condition following a c...
12:14
App could help save heart attack victims.
LOOPRumors
Dr. Daniel Low of the Royal United Hospital in Bath, England has developed a free iPhone application that provides step-by-step intructions for resuscitating people experiencing cardiac arrest. The app, iResus has been available through the App Store for three weeks and has been downloaded more than 5,000 times. The application provides medical professionals and the general public with on-screen guidance for emergency procedures like chest compressions and the “kiss of life” for a person having a heart attack. “Even though doctors and nurses are trained to deal with someone having a cardiac arrest, it’s not a situation they face every day,” says Dr. Low, according to The Mirror. “I thought both medics and patients would benefit from an application such as this.”
09:43
Apple Banning Screen Protectors in Retail Stores?
MacRumors
iLounge and Macworld are reporting that Apple has banned the sale of film-based screen protectors for its iPhone, iPod, and Mac lines in its retail stores.In communications with vendors that have been ongoing for "some time n...
07:29
Apple Enhances iWork.com Beta With Sharing, Mobile Interfa...
MacRumors
Apple today sent an e-mail to users of its iWork.com beta announcing several enhancements involving document sharing and access to the service from the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.- Share documents on websites and social net...
07:04
Apple Advertising Snafu in Australia and New Zealand Leads...
MacRumors
Engadget today pointed to a series of Apple ads appearing on Australian site PC Authority appearing to show significantly increased prices for Apple's MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and Mac Pro lines, suggesting that new, more expensive models may...

Tuesday March 16

16:44
iPod owner sues Apple over sweat damage.
LOOPRumors
An iPod Shuffle 3G owner from Manhattan Beach, California has filed a class action lawsuit against Apple alleging that though the Shuffle is advertised as exercise-compatiple, his device malfunctioned due to sweat. Stephen Vale is seeking to prove that this represents false advertising on the part of Apple. He was told when trying to replace his device, “it was alright (sic) to exercise with the music player, but not to sweat,” according to the filing. Vale has accused Apple of one count of false advertising, one count of unfair competition, and five counts of breach-of-warranty. In the lawsuit filed last Thursday, Vale claims that his perspiration traveled down the cord of his iPod Shuffle while he was working out, causing the device to “fail.” Associates at the Apple Store in Manhattan Beach provided Vale with a replacement cord which did not improve the situation. Mr. Vale is seeking unspecified damages for himself and any other Californian who wishes to join his fight.
13:13
Apple Seeds Mac OS X 10.6.3 Build 10D571 to Developers
MacRumors
The train of Mac OS X 10.6.3 developer seeds continues today, with Apple pushing out Build 10D571 to developers for testing. iPhone in Canada offers the details, which include a request that developers f...
12:58
Intel Debuts Xeon 5600 Series Processors Appropriate for M...
MacRumors
Intel today announced the launch of its new Xeon 5600 series processors, bringing to market a number of new four-core and six-core processors that Apple could choose to utilize in an update to its Mac Pro...
12:28
iPad accessories delayed.
LOOPRumors
The keyboard dock and 10W USB power adapter for the iPad will not be available until May, a month after the iPad’s April 3rd launch. The iPad’s official case is not expected untill mid-April, reports electronista, and delays appear to be due to high demand for device as well as add-ons.  There has been no word yet on the Camera Connection Kit described in January. The standard iPad Dock and Dock Connector to VGA adapter will ship with the WiFi-only iPad models on April 3rd.
09:28
NPR and Wall Street Journal Preparing to Launch iPad-Optim...
MacRumors
MediaMemo reports that National Public Radio and The Wall Street Journal are preparing to roll out iPad-optimized versions of their websites as the device launches in the U.S. on April 3rd. Similar to si...
09:06
Amid Weakened NAND Flash Demand, Apple Reportedly Looking...
MacRumors
DigiTimes reports that industry demand for NAND flash memory of the type used in iPhones, iPod touches, and now iPads has been relatively weak of late, but Apple has been reluctant to enter into deals wit...
08:49
Google warned to obey Chinese law, even if it leaves China...
LOOPRumors
Facing government censorship and widespread hacking inside the country, Google may soon be shutting down its search engine in the People’s Republic of China. “We hope that whether Google Inc continues operating in China or makes other choices, it will respect Chinese legal regulations,” Ministry of Commerce spokesman Yao Jian told a news conference. “Even if it pulls out, it should handle things according to the rules and appropriately handle remaining issues.” Google launched its search site in China, Google.cn, in 2006, and has since censored search results containg prohibited key words, in accordance with Chinese internet censorship laws. Searches relating to prohibited topics such as the Tiananmen protests result in a message at the bottom of the page which translates to: “In accordance with local laws, regulations and policies, part of the search result is not shown.” Google’s Android developer advocate Tim Bray recently criticized Apple for App Store censorship: “The iPhone...
08:09
Shipping Windows on iPad Accessories Slipping as Pre-Order...
MacRumors
9 to 5 Mac noticed yesterday that shipping windows for several of Apple's forthcoming iPad accessories have begun to slip well past the device's own April 3rd launch date.First we noticed the iPad case making a slight shift f...
06:49
Initial Sales of Original iPhone, Droid, and Nexus One Com...
MacRumors
In an interesting blog post today, mobile analytics firm Flurry offers estimates of unit sales for Motorola's Droid and Google's Nexus One smartphones over their first 74 days of availability, the amount of time it took for Apple to reach one...

Monday March 15

18:53
Samsung planning return to tablet market.
LOOPRumors
Samsung announced today that it is developing a tablet computer that will have enough processing power to become many people’s “primary device.” “I do feel that that slate-type platform has legs but I think the legs need to be far more powerful, for example an Atom-based product which has far greater flexibility, not to mention inputs and outputs,” says Phillip Newton, director of Samsung Australia’s IT divison. “This has more potential than an iPad.” The slate-based machine should be more consumer-oreinted than the Samsung Q1 UMPC, and is expected to be available in the second half of 2010. “The Q1 was a very niche product for a vertical market, it wasn’t a consumer product” Emmanuele Silanesu, national product and marketing manager for Samsung Australia’s IT division explained. “It was limited (in functionality), the price was relatively high, and it wasn’t an attractive device for consumers.”
15:13
Apple hires expert in wearable computing.
LOOPRumors
Apple recently hired Richard DeVaul, an expert in wearable computers, to be Senior Prototype Engineer. DeVaul’s background in wearable technologies suggests that Apple is looking to reinforce its long term ability to be one of the main players in mobile computing. According to Computerworld’s report, DeVaul will be working under Apple’s lead designer Jonny Ive in a secret lab focused on wearable computing technology where only seven people besides Ive and CEO Steve Jobs know what he is doing. DeVaul is believed to have joined Apple in January. Meanwhile, a prominent product manager at Google has also joined Apple. It is not clear what project he is assigned to but his arrival is believed to be related to Apple’s purchase of streaming music service Lala back in December.
12:19
10% of Microsoft Employees Using iPhones
MacRumors
The Wall Street Journal over the weekend profiled iPhone usage among employees of Apple's longtime rival Microsoft, noting that approximately 10,000 Microsoft employees, representing about 10% of the comp...
08:28
Apple Hires Expert in Wearable Computing
MacRumors
Computerworld reports that Apple recently hired Richard DeVaul, an expert in wearable computers, to the position of "Senior Prototype Engineer". The move appears to signify efforts by Apple to remain at ...

Documentation Scanner

Wednesday March 17

15:05
Mac OS X versions (builds) included with Intel-based...
Apple - All P...
Learn which versions of Mac OS X ship with Intel-based Macs. If you have a PowerPC-based Mac, see Mac OS: Versions, builds included with PowerPC Macs (since 1998) instead. Tips Some computers shipped with different Mac OS X versions at different times. When a computer is not bundled with a later version, a "-" appears in the "Later Mac OS included" column. The build information is available in the About This Mac window. Some Macs may include a slightly later build version (but same numbered version) of Mac OS X on the Install or Restore discs than was preinstalled on the computer. Do not use a Mac OS X version earlier than the one included with the computer.
14:56
About Bluetooth Update 1.0 for Windows
Apple - All P...
This update improves the performance of the Apple Bluetooth devices while running Microsoft Windows XP and Windows Vista on the the iMac (21.5-inch, Late 2009) and iMac (27-inch, Late 2009) computers using Boot Camp.
14:41
Using the Software Update Service With Multiple Clie...
Apple - All P...
 Learn how to use Mac OS X Server’s Software Update service with clients running a variety of OS versions.
13:58
You Can Now Schedule Price Changes for Your App
iPhone Develo...
A great new feature in iTunes Connect now allows you to schedule changes to the price of your app, including In App Purchase items. This feature is designed so you can set a single price change or consecutive price changes all in advance. Log in to iTunes Connect and check out this new feature located in the Pricing tab under the Edit Application section.
13:56
Trouble installing iTunes or QuickTime for Windows
Apple - All P...
If you are having trouble installing iTunes or QuickTime for Windows, follow the troubleshooting suggestions described in this article.
10:39
Mac OS X v10.6: iCal client shows incomplete free/bu...
Apple - All P...
When iCal is configured to use a Microsoft Exchange server account, all busy times for invitees may not appear when viewing invitees' free/busy times in the Availability window. This may happen when invitees are already busy in the time slot for which a meeting is being created.
10:37
Mac OS X v10.6: Printer and scanner software
Apple - All P...
Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard includes software for many printer and scanner models.  This software can be installed from the Snow Leopard Install DVD, and installed or updated by using Software Update (some models have software available through Software Update only).   This article lists software provided for printers and scanners as of 15 March, 2010. To view the complete list of printers and scanners that are supplied with Snow Leopard Install DVD and by Software Update, see below or use your browser's Find feature to look for a specific name or model number. If you cannot find a driver for your specific model, check the list to see if a driver is available for a series of printers that may include your model.  For example, a printer with the model number 5070 might use the driver for the "5000 Series." For more information about setting up and using printers in Snow Leopard, see this article. For information about troubleshooting printer setup issues, see this article.
09:48
Syncing contacts and calendars to iPod with iTunes f...
Apple - All P...
iTunes can sync your contacts and calendars from Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express and contacts from Microsoft Address Book to any iPod with a display screen1 (Note: Outlook 2003 or later is required to sync contacts and calendars from Outlook). If you are syncing contacts and calendars to an iPod touch, please see this article.
09:40
iTunes for Windows Vista or Windows 7: Troubleshooti...
Apple - All P...
This article provides some general suggestions when trying to troubleshoot an issue where iTunes for Windows Vista or Windows 7 won't launch or unexpectedly quits or freezes. It may be useful to print this document before following the steps outlined below. For a discussion of troubleshooting iTunes for Windows in Windows XP, see iTunes for Windows XP: Troubleshooting unexpected quits, freezes, or launch issues. If you are having trouble installing iTunes, see Trouble installing iTunes or QuickTime for Windows.
09:32
Removing and reinstalling iTunes, QuickTime, and oth...
Apple - All P...
Learn how to cleanly uninstall iTunes, QuickTime, and other essential software components from your Windows Vista or Windows 7 PC; (for a Windows XP or Windows 2000 PC, refer to Removing and Reinstalling iTunes, QuickTime, and other software components for Windows XP).
09:23
iTunes creates an empty library file in Windows
Apple - All P...
Some file scanning software products that are not made by Apple, such as the Sony VAIO Entertainment Platform, may damage your iTunes library.  If the library becomes damaged, iTunes may create a new, empty library.  Although the library appears empty, the media files should still be in their original locations.  By default, this would be the iTunes Media folder. For more information on iTunes files and folders, please refer to the following articles: What are the iTunes library files? and Where iTunes for Windows stores your iTunes library.

Whitepapers & Screencasts

Mar 17
Screencast looks at using Prizmo, digital camera as a...
Creaceed (http://www.creaceed.com) has posted a screencast (http://www.creaceed.com/prizmo/screencasts.html) telling how to use Prizmo and a digital camera as a scanner. It teachers viewers how to take a picture of a document, and then take it into Prizmo and have it converted to a PDF. Prizmo is a Mac OS X application for scanning everything thanks to a digital camera. Current cameras often have 10-megapixel sensors, and a 10-megapixel image is roughly as good as a 300 dpi US-Letter scan. With some image processing and binarization, you can even go beyond 600 dpi. Scanning with Prizmo isn't limited to documents. As the software corrects lens distortion and perspective, they can scan almost everything: common documents (invoices, receipts) as well as less usual documents (boards, giant advertisements); documents of all sizes (regular formats like US Letter, US Legal, and custom); portrait and landscape documents; indoor and outdoor photographs. A Prizmo requires Mac OS X 10.5.6 or...
Mar 12
Screencast looks at restoring an FLA or Flex project from...
Eltimate Software has posted a screencast on restoring an FLA or Flex project from SWF using Flash Decompiler Trillix. You can find it at http://mac.eltima.com/swftofla-converter.html; click the Play button on the left hand side of the page. Flash Decompiler Trillix for Mac (formerly known as SWF to FLA Converter) converts Adobe Flash SWF files back into FLA format and SWF files created in Flex back to Flex sources, which can be edited in native Flash or Flex environment. Every group of objects such as morphs, shapes, texts, fonts, sounds, scripts, etc., are placed in separate FLA library groups with appropriate names to simplify using and working with the resulting FLA file. Flash Decompiler can extract any object (images, sounds, videos, shapes, text, morphs, scripts, etc.) used in SWF files into various file formats just in several clicks. The latest version has a interface with tweaked navigation and preview options for SWF files and their elements.
Mar 11
Graphics in Virtualization: VMware Fusion vs. Parallels...
Ever wonder what graphics really looks like side-by-side comparing VMware Fusion 3 to Parallels Desktop 5? This video will show you a wide variety of graphics tests, running on side-by-side machines so that you can see for yourself. Interesting in the full analysis of which product is faster? Check it out at: http://www.mactech.com/articles/special/1002-VirtualizationHeadToHead/ and read the most comprehensive and definitive set of benchmarks in the industry about virtualization on the Mac. Thousands of real world tests run, primarily with a stopwatch, to give you the best answer possible on which is faster in each area and by how much.
Mar 10
Screencast looks at using Smartmask to remove someone from...
Akvis has posted ascreencast (http://www.youtube.com/user/AKVISvideo#p/a/u/1/fjyc_W5CwGo) showing how to use AKVIS Smartmask to remove someone from a background. Smartmask (http://akvis.com/en/smartmask/) is an image selection and masking plug-in for the Mac and Windows platforms. It's designed to save time on complex selections. With the app, there are two pencils, red and blue. Draw a line with the blue pencil inside the object being selected (for example, yourself in a group photo) and then outline the same object with the red pencil to define the areas that should be cut out. The selection algorithm analyzes the image and your drawing, and creates the selection you want. Akvis SmartMask features three selection modes are tailored to different types of selection: Sharp, Soft, and Complex. Akvis SmartMask sells for $120. Home users can obtain the full line of Akvis plug-ins in the Akvis Alchemy bundle (Sketch, Chameleon, MultiBrush, Retoucher, Coloriage, Noise Buster, Decorator...
Mar 05
Tips for managing your money
You probably don't like paying taxes. Who does? But everyone really hates preparing their taxes. Now IGG Software (http://www.iggsoftware.com) -- which makes personal and small business apps for Mac OS X -- is offering a white paper on the "Top 10 Tips for Managing Your Money Year 'Round -- Or When Tax Time Looms." It serves up suggestions on how to mind your finances year round to make tax prep a lot easier.
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Software Updates via MacUpdate

Kiwi 1.2.0 - Customizable Twitter client...
Kiwi 1.2.0Kiwi is a full-featured Twitter client that supports multiple accounts, groups, searches and rules/filters. Kiwi also gives users the power to change the look, or theme, to match their... Read more
Smultron 3.6b1 - Text editor with easy d...
Smultron 3.6b1Smultron is a free text editor for Mac OS X Leopard 10.6 which is both easy to use and powerful. It is designed to neither confuse newcomers nor disappoint advanced users. It should... Read more
Playback 1.5.1 - Stream audio, video...
Playback 1.5.1Playback allows you to share your media with any Playstation 3, Xbox 360, or other UPnP compatible device. It automatically integrates with iTunes, iPhoto, Aperture, Adobe Lightroom 2... Read more
Things 1.3.1 - Elegant personal task man...
Things 1.3.1Things is task management solution that helps to organize your tasks in an elegant and intuitive way. Things combines powerful features with simplicity through the use of tags and its... Read more
Apple Brother Print Drivers 2.3 - Update...
Apple Brother Print Drivers 2.3Brother Printer Drivers for Mac OS X v10.6... This download includes the latest Brother printing and scanning software for Snow Leopard. WHAT'S NEWVersion 2.3: Release... Read more
 

Price Scanner via MacPrices.net

iMacs on sale for up to $150 off MSRP, free shippi...
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MacBooks available for $200 off MSRP for Education...
Certified pre-owned MacBook Airs available startin...
Discounted MacBook Airs, free shipping, no rebates...
17" 2.8GHz MacBook Pro (refurbished) availabl...
Apple refurbished MacBook Airs available for $250...
 

Jobs Board

Technical Support - *Apple* At Home Ex...
Job description Apple is America!s most admired company (FORTUNE 2008). We believe in hard work with a fun, creative environment. We believe each customer... Read more
*Apple* Retail - Recruiter - Apple Inc....
The China Talent Acquisition Team at Apple Retail is a staffing function reporting into Retail HR, with strong ties to specific retail business partners.... Read more
Indeed Macintosh Jobs: Systems Administr...
Macintosh software repositories and provides specific software packaging services for the LSA Macintosh... services for the LSA Macintosh community, including... From Michigan Talent - 17 Mar 2010... Read more
*Apple* Store Leader Prog - Apple Store...
Job title Apple Store Leader Prog Business Group United States-Retail Job description In this 24-month rotational program you'll spend time working in key store... Read more
Indeed Macintosh Jobs: Software Engineee...
Pulse product line for Macintosh OS X and Windows... working with human factors. - Experience with Macintosh software technologies including BSD, installer... From netPolarity - 17 Mar 2010 13:53:... Read more
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