Home / Industry Dashboard

MacTech News

Feb 07
Welcome to the new MacTech site
As you may have noticed, MacTech has an all new web site. :) In fact, if you are reading this now, you are seeing it before we've really publicized that the new site is up.  A couple of things to point out if you've not already discovered them. The home page is your "industry dashboard" and your starting point for most items. News scanners: MacTech scans over 60 web sites and brings you up to date links from around the Apple community. Forum discussions: Got a question? Ask the community for answers in our forums.   News and Reviews: See what MacTech's expanded editorial team has to offer.  This month's issue: Each month, MacTech brings you in-depth articles, how-tos, and more. And, after 25 years in print, the print magazine continues to grow by leaps and bounds. Rumor Scanners: Want to hear the latest rumors about the industry? Our scanner is on the lookout for you.  Documenation Scanners: It's hard to keep up with the latest knowledgebase entries,...
Feb 04
RunRev to bring Revolution to mobile platforms
RunRev says it will bring its Revolution product line to mobile platforms this year. revMobile is a brand new product that will support the iPhone, iPad, Windows Mobile and Maemo platforms initially. revMobile will be compatible with other members of the Rev product family and uses the company's revTalk programming language. A modern descendant of natural-language technologies such as Apple's HyperCard, Rev enables software construction for everyone, according to RunRev CEO Kevin Miller. With revMobile, developers will be able to develop and deploy to mobile platforms using a single code base, while being able to take advantage of native features on each device, he adds. Additionally it will be possible to reuse code across Windows, Mac OS and Linux desktops, popular Web browsers and on Web servers. revMobile will create standalone applications for each target platform. Due to current requirements iPhone/iPad apps must be submitted compiled and submitted to the Apple App Store for...
Feb 04
Atlona opens the Mini DisplayPort to DVI-D based g
Atlona Technologies (http://www.atlona.com), makers of the DP200, a HDCP and DPCP compliant DVI to Mini DisplayPort converter, has introduced the Dual Link DVI to MDP converter DP400. It's designed to bring the DVI to MDP gap and convert DVI dual link video signals to MDP. The DP400 will on sale next month. It's available for pre-order at a manufacturer's suggested retail price of US$199.According to the folks at Atlona, the DP400 lends itself to photo and video editing software used on Mac Pros such as Final Cut and Photoshop, due to its ability to render a true pixel to pixel image on MDP displays. DVI based Mac users can optimize work their work space to utilize their Cinema Displays as their preview monitor, utilizing the new capabilities of display to its fullest. The DP400, is powered by a USB seven-inch pigtail connected to the unit itself. The unit also features a DVI-D 7 inch pigtail allowing users to connect to DVI based computers and laptops. The DP400 is...
Feb 03
K4 Cross-Media Publishing Platform 6 Version 6 ava
Managing Editor Inc. (http://www.maned.com) has announced the immediate availability of version 6 of the vjoon K4 Cross-Media Publishing Platform. It's the latest version of the editorial management system integrating Adobe InDesign and InCopy. Version 6.0 offers increased support for cross-media input and output, a task-based workflow model, more options for remote users and enhanced flexibility in the system's behind-the-scenes architecture. K4 is a multi-tier solution that supports Oracle, Microsoft SQL and MySQL database platforms and runs on Mac OS X, Windows, Linux and SUN Solaris operating systems. The K4 Cross-Media Publishing Platform Version 6 is now available from MEI. All K4 customers on active maintenance agreements are eligible to receive a free upgrade.
Feb 02
OWC offers memory upgrades for Mac Pro 8-core mode
Other World Computing (OWC) has announced 64GB 1066MHz DDR3 ECC Memory Upgrade Kit for Mac Pro 8-Core Pro models. The memory upgrade kits for Mac Pro 8-Core models offer more configuration options and savings over factory memory upgrades, according to the folks at OWC. The two 8GB module-based OWC upgrades -- 48GB (6 x 8GB) and 64GB (8 x 8GB) -- offer a maximum performance configuration for Mac Pro 8-Core machines not available from the factory. In addition to the savings offered by OWC Upgrades, Mac Pro users also retain their original factory memory modules that can either be set aside for future use or be sent to OWC for a cash back trade-in of up to US$25 per Apple factory 2GB memory module. OWC offers a guide to select and order OWC Memory Upgrade Kits for Mac Pro models. You can find it here: http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/memory/Mac-Pro-Memory
Feb 02
iPhone development class to add iPad development t
About Objects (http://www.aboutobjects.com) will be offering a revamped version of its most popular iPhone development training course that will include coverage of Apple's new iPad. While the version of the iPhone SDK required for iPad development (3.2 beta) is currently under a non-disclosure agreement, Apple has indicated that the agreement will no longer be in force when the iPad ships, which, according to Apple, will be in late March. About Objects's five-day, hands-on course, entitled "Introduction to iPhone and iPad Development," will be offered initially at the Hilton Garden Inn in Cupertino, California, April 26-30, and then in Reston, Virginia in late May. The new course will take the place of the current "iPhone Programming Workshop" in the About Objects curriculum. About Objects will also offer a new bundled course pairing "Introduction to iPhone and iPad Development" with the existing, two-day "Objective-C for Beginners" course. The bundle, entitled "iPhone and iPad...
Feb 02
Excel Software releases LicenseSupport 1.0 for Mac
Excel Software (http://www.excelsoftware.com) has introduced LicenseSupport 1.0 for customer support on Mac OS X and Windows Systems. Software vendors can use LicenseSupport to manage customer licenses for protected applications and documents. A support person can provide an activation code, reset a license, block an activated license before issuing a refund or change the number of allowed activations for a serial number. LicenseSupport works directly with an application or document protected by QuickLicense, QuickLicense Server, DocProtect or AppProtect. LicenseSupport also connects by Internet to the Safe Activation server. This task-oriented tool prompts the customer support person for the required information and generates a license code to support a customer by phone or email. LicenseSupport stores customer records, maintains an historical log of support activities, provides integrated email support and presents a secure log-in process, according to the folks at Excel Software....
Feb 02
Excel Software releases AppProtect 1.0 for Mac, Windows
Excel Software (http://www.excelsoftware.com") has released AppProtect 1.0 for protecting Mac and Windows software. It purportedly applies protection to a compiled application in minutes without programming. AppProtect is a new product in Excel Software's extensive line of software and document protection and license management tools for Mac OS X and Windows computers. It can be used standalone or in conjunction with the Safe Activation or WebActivation web server for automated license activation. A software vendor opens the AppProtect window, selects the desired options and clicks a button to generate a protected application. The vendor's application is wrapped with an activation process that presents a dialog to the customer on first launch. Once activated, the software will run on that computer without user interaction, but application files can't be copied and used on any other computer. The vendor can choose an activation process that either presents an Enter Password or Enter...
Feb 02
Wacom introduces Intuos 4 Wireless pen tablet
Wacom (http://www.wacom.com) has announced the Intuos 4 Wireless 4 professional pen tablet, which features Bluetooth technology. Designed for home, office, classroom or remote-meeting use, the Intuos4 Wireless provides mobility and freedom when working with Bluetooth-enabled desktop or laptop computers, says Don Varga, senior product manager for Wacom's line of professional branded products. The Intuos4 Wireless features USB charging directly from the computer. The Grip Pen that comes with the Intuos4 Wireless features Wacom's proprietary Tip Sensor technology, offering users near-zero (one gram) starting pressure for the most sensitive Intuos pen tablet performance to-date, Varga adds. It has 2048 levels of pressure, doubling the resolution of the pen's pressure curve. The Grip Pen also features a pressure-sensitive eraser and two customizable side switches that can be set for commands such as double- click and right-click. Available in a single size (medium) only, the Intuos4...
Feb 02
Winter Wolves releases The Flower Shop for Mac OS X
Winter Wolves has released The Flower Shop (http://www.winterwolves.com/theflowershop.htm), an US$19.99 dating and farming simulation for Mac OS X 10.4 and higher. Windows and Linux versions are also available. Here's how the game is described: "The Flower Shop akes place in Fairbrook, a small farming community in northern California. Steve is a college freshman with relationship troubles. His girlfriend just dumped him, and his father is angry at him for his poor grades. As punishment, Steve is sent to work on his uncle's farm for the summer in the hope that he'll learn self discipline. Although he initially resents the idea of spending a summer toiling away in a small town away from his home, he soon makes friends with many of the people in the community of Fairbrook. Among his new friends are three charming girls each with her own hopes and dreams. Will one of these relationships bloom into romance, will Steve make up with his girlfriend, or will this summer leave him alone?...
Feb 01
Canto Cumulus now available in Spanish
Canto (http://www.canto.com) has announced that the Cumulus Native Client has been localized for Spanish speaking users. Joining localized editions currently available for English, German, French, Japanese and Korean, the Spanish edition enables Canto to offer a native language Cumulus interface to users in Spain, Mexico, South America and other regions the company considers important for its continued growth. Leveraging the diversity of its worldwide partner network, Canto worked with Spanish longtime partner Microgestió on the localization, according to Canto CEO Ulrich Knocke. The Spanish edition of Cumulus is available at no additional charge to all customers on software maintenance agreements.
Feb 01
Winter Wolves releases The Flower Shop for Mac OS
Winter Wolves has released The Flower Shop (http://www.winterwolves.com/theflowershop.htm), an US$19.99 dating and farming simulation for Mac OS X 10.4 and higher. Windows and Linux versions are also available. Here's how the game is described: "The Flower Shop akes place in Fairbrook, a small farming community in northern California. Steve is a college freshman with relationship troubles. His girlfriend just dumped him, and his father is angry at him for his poor grades. As punishment, Steve is sent to work on his uncle's farm for the summer in the hope that he'll learn self discipline. Although he initially resents the idea of spending a summer toiling away in a small town away from his home, he soon makes friends with many of the people in the community of Fairbrook. Among his new friends are three charming girls each with her own hopes and dreams. Will one of these relationships bloom into romance, will Steve make up with his girlfriend, or will this summer leave him alone?...
Feb 01
QuickerTek releases nCard for MacBooks, MacBook Pr
QuickerTek has released the US$89.95 nCard (http://www.quickertek.com/products/nCard_2010.php) for use with a MacBook, MacBook Pro or Mac mini with any wireless network. The company says that users of the new nCard can expect wireless speeds "that are the absolute fastest the wireless network can manage." To boost performance even further, this card can be upgraded with an external antenna. That means even more distance from the wireless access point. The nCard offers compatibility with all Apple AirPort Base Stations, as well as Linksys, Belkin and virtually all other wireless network hardware, including the "draft N" equipment. This new nCard installs into the internal AirPort card slot. The installation itself is no more complex than upgrading memory, according to the folks at QuickerTek. It's compatible with: all 2006-2009 models (white and black, no unibody) of MacBooks; all 2006-2008 (15, 17-inch models, no unibody) of MacBook Pros; and 06-early 2009 (no G4s, not most current...
Feb 01
ProSecure unveils new gateway security appliance
ProSecure, the specialized network security brand by NetGear, has unveiled the ProSecure UTM5, a gateway security appliance designed to extend enterprise-class Unified Threat Management (UTM) technology to any small business, home networks for telecommuters, and small branch offices around five users in size. Distributed via NetGear's channel partner program, the ProSecure UTM5 appliances come with simple subscription options without any per-user licensing. The UTM5 enables small companies to protect themselves using an array of defenses including firewall, SSL and IPSec VPN, URL filtering, network antivirus, and antispam, but in a very small, easy-to-use form factor and with a corresponding price point, according to Jason Leung, NetGear's senior product line manager for SMB security. IT departments can also use the UTM5 to protect the home networks of telecommuters, as these remote employees often share connections with other endpoints that may not be as secure as a corporate laptop...
Feb 01
2X unites application, desktop virtualization with thin client...
2X Software has released version 8 of its 2X ApplicationServer and 2X VirtualDesktopServer products. The new version not only includes the ability to publish applications and virtual desktops, but also allows the management of user thin client configurations from within the application console. This creates an all-in-one application for remote publishing and device management, according to Nikolaos Makris, CEO of 2X Software. The new release will further reduce IT administration hassles, by allowing centralized control of both device groups and published resources, he adds. 2X VirtualDesktopServer v. 8 publishes any Windows application or virtual desktop to remote devices, including thin clients and Mac, Windows and Linux systems, without the need to install applications or desktops to local machines. The 2X VirtualDesktopServer also serves as a connection broker for the Microsoft Hyper-V, VMware ESX, Parallels Containers and Windows Terminal Server virtualization platforms. Makris...

MacTech Blog

Jan 31
Windows 7 on the iPad? There's an App for That
Citrix says its Citrix Receiver will be ready for the iPad. InternetNews.com has a story on a new app by Citrix that allows you to use Windows on the iPad -- not by actually running it on the iPad, but by allowing you to use Windows running on a Citrix Server. "The Citrix Receiver software is free and already available for Citrix customers with an iPhone, since a Citrix Xen virtualization back-end is required to make this all work. Essentially the iPad becomes a thin client displaying Windows 7 running on a server." http://www.internetnews.com/software/article.php/3861861/
Jan 27
A4, BINGO!
Apple has announced the iPad, in case you hadn't noticed.  The biggest "WHAT" I had was the announcing of the A4 chip.  Apple has most likely taken the technology they acquired in their purchase of PA Semiconductors and produced their own chips.   Does this mean that the future of the iPhone may be Power-PC as well? While it's likely that the computers (desktop/laptops) will remain on Intel chips, as running Windows on a Mac is partially what has driven the Mac sales, what about other projects?  Is Apple completing the circle and moving back to Power PC chips for non-computer devices?  Has the student become the master and soon Apple's chips will be competing against IBM's?  Most likely not.  But with Apple building their own chips, it could mean we start seeing other devices that can do things that used to be impossible.
Jan 26
On the eve of the "Tablet"
There's much ado this week over Apple's "Tablet" announcement tomorrow.  It's particularly interesting that more people know about this announcement than they do that President Obama is doing the annual "State of the Union" address the same day.  There's no doubt that we'll see some surprises. I'll put my stake in the ground and say that I believe the tablet will be: Name: iPad 10", just one size 2 versions: one with 3G wireless, one with WiFi only (or one version with optional 3G plan) iPhone OS derivative, but with the ability to switch apps (a la Expose) No home button Price to start at $599 Content master: eBooks, movies, tv shows, web browsing, etc... New model for newspaper and magazine publishers (via iTunes -- do we get to rename it yet?) Sharable by multiple people in the household I'm hoping to see a virtual keyboard with tactile feedback -- but it's a pretty tall order. I'm sure that I'll be wrong on some of these things ... but that's...
Jan 14
January 27th event to hold new MacBook Pros
Sources confirmed to MacMod that a MacBook Pro update will be rolled out on January 27th.  While this isn't as flashy as the tablet, the MBP's are due for an update.  This is not to say that the upcoming event won't have a tablet release, but it will more likely be the "one more thing" after Steve shows off the next MacBook Pro. The question that comes to my mind is what features of the yet un-released tablet will be in the new MacBook Pros?  Will Apple hold off on updating the MBP's with some of the "new" technology in a tablet until the tablet has been able to be tested (like they did with the MacBook Air's battery that eventually came over to the MBP's). Also, if the technology is shared between the MBP's and iTablet (for lack of official name), does that mean that the tablet will be capable of more than an iPhone on steroids? These aren't answers, but rather questions that I wait to see answered in two weeks.
Jan 01
Nokia's lawsuit has a lot of "ifs" and "buts"...
Nokia has been at battle with Apple for a while now, and a few days before the ball dropped on 2010 they counter-sued Apple (after Apple counter-sued them).  Where's all of this law suit happiness going?  How many counter-suits will there be?  Well, according to Nokia's own press release (here) I'm not sure if they think they have a leg to stand on. Taken from Nokia's own press release, "It should be noted that certain statements herein which are not historical facts..." which they then go on to list 9 items including their ability to grow their business (c), their ability to develop products (b), and expectations on markets (e & f).  While this might just be legalize, it does offer lots of back peddling space for Nokia.  The sad part is that this legal section of their press release is 856 words, while the actual press release about the lawsuit is only 172 words. But here is the kicker (for me at least).  In part of this legal BS that Nokia is now spewing one of their "risks" are...
Dec 29
The utlimate iMac for your desk
The Mac Mini's case is small and compact, able to fit in almost anything.  Even an iMac DV.  But with all of that extra space, what would you do?  Klaus Diebel, a life long modder, decided to make his a bass booming coffee maker.  Why not?  Now Klaus has the iMac CS for sale (each a custom job) for about 400 euros, plus the iMac case and optional Mini. Take a look at Klaus' site (kiwidee.com) for more info on the iMac CS and his other mods (G4 Power Tower & the iMac RMS, aka mailbox).
Dec 28
How to Enable Google Chrome Extensions on Mac
Google's Chrome Web browser has been increasing in popularity in the past year, with some reports claiming it now has roughly the same market share as Safari (a little over 4 percent).  One feature that's noticeably absent from the Mac version is support for extensions, which Google says is coming "soon." Thankfully, the software hacking community has found several fixes for this problem. Read on for more details. The easiest thing to do is to install a simple bookmarklet that, when clicked, instantly enables the Install button on the current page. Just select "Bookmark This Page..." from the Bookmarks menu, click on the Edit... button, and then name the bookmark something like Enable Install Button and paste the following code into the URL text box: javascript:(function()%20%7B%20d%20=%20document;%20x%20=%20d.getElementById('cx-page');%20x.className%20=%20x.className.replace(/cx-cannot-install/,'');%20x%20=%20d.getElementById('cx-install-link');%20%20x.setAttribute('href','https://...
Dec 01
Interview with Will Urbina, OSX Xbox Pro Creator
We recently told you about the OS Xbox Pro, an amazing mod that started with an Xbox and ended with an awesome triple-booting Hackintosh.  Last week we were privileged to have Will Urbina, the maker of the OS Xbox Pro, on the podcast for an interview. To hear the episode, subscribe to MacMod:LIVE via iTunes or RSS, or just download the MP3.
Nov 26
MacTech Ultimate Black Friday Offer: FREE!
We've all come to expect great Black Friday offers. This year, as MacTech has again had its best year since the dot com days, we want to give back ... and give you the ultimate Black Friday offer. FREE. No strings attached ... free. For the first 100 people to respond, you will get a free six month subscription to MacTech Magazine. Not in the first 100? No worries, we'll get you a free copy of MacTech delivered to your door. Supplies are limited, and ends Tuesday, December 1st, 2009 at 11:59pm. So act now—don't wait. Go to: http://www.mactech.com/offers/2009-UltimateBlackFriday.php
Nov 25
OS Xbox Pro
Will U. Design has a new mod out that features OS X (as well as Linux and W7).  Will isn't a Mac guy, but he soon realized that the people he wanted to work for were (video editing with Final Cut Pro).  He couldn't make himself walk into an Apple store, so he made himself a Hackintosh.  The thing that gets me is that the new Microsoft stores mimic the Apple stores so much!  Anyways, back to the story. Since Will is so anti-Mac he wanted to make his Hackintosh with an homage to his Microsoft roots, so he grabbed an XBox and went to work.  Lots of work later (and an EFI-X dongle) he was able to get a triple boot system, the OS XBox Pro.  Reminds me of the XBox G4 from 2008's Mac Mod Challenge. (photos from willudesign.com) System Specs Intel Core2 Q9550sGeForce 9800MTDual 500GB HD (RAID 0)160GB Boot Drive300W TFX Micro PSU Have fun working on OS X Will. Lots of images and build info at  willudesign.com P.S.  If you like it, you can vote for it on Intel's Core i7 Custom Challenge.

Reviews and Kool Tools

Real World Review: Chairs, The Other Essential Tool
Volume Number: 25 Issue Number: 11 Column Tag: Real World Review Real World Review: Chairs The Other Essential Tool by the MacTech Editorial Staff It's often overlooked, but one of the most essential tools that a... Read more »
Real World Review: Chairs, The Other Essential Tool
Volume Number: 25 Issue Number: 11 Column Tag: Real World Review Real World Review: Chairs The Other Essential Tool by the MacTech Editorial Staff It's often overlooked, but one of the most essential tools that a... Read more »
Kool Tools: Nutrition Products
There's more to life than tech and computing. There's also food designed to help keep us using our tech and computing. At least that's the take of Brain Toniq (http://braintoniq.com) and GamerGrub (http://www.gamergrub.... Read more »
Kool Toolz: BookEndz
Laptops are great, but those who use them as their primary computer probably connect them to an external monitor, printer and other devices when they're at home or at the office. That can mean lots of peripheral... Read more »

News Scanner

Monday February 8

21:33
MacBookPro6,1
Primate Labs
Late last week Geekbench results from what appeared to be a yet-unreleased MacBook Pro appeared on the Geekbench Result Browser. These results generated a lot of excitement, along with a lot of speculation; people wanted to know if these results were legitimate. I spoke with Wired’s Brian Chen earlier today regarding the legitimacy of these results: Geekbench creator John Poole told Wired.com that Geekbench results can be faked, but he believes the Core i7 MacBook Pro benchmark is real. “If the system information for this system has been faked, it’s a convincing fake; there aren’t any inconsistencies in the system information, the Mac OS X build number matches Apple’s numbering scheme for new hardware builds, and the processor matches people’s expectations for what will appear in the refreshed MacBook Pro,” Poole said. “In other words, I believe this result is authentic.” I have a feeling we’ll find out sooner rather than later whether this result is real or not!
20:40
Nikon reveals two wide-angle SLR lenses
MacNN
Nikon tonight had its second round of camera news in as many weeks with two new lenses for both its DX- and FX-mount DSLRs. The 24mm f1.4G ED provides an even wider angle than many of Nikon's other primes and has an extremely wide aperture that both takes in a large amount of light and focuses quickly. It lacks image stabilization but uses Nikon's extra-low dispersion optics to minimize chromatic effects....
20:00
Expo to offer largest ‘face-to-face viewing’ of...
MacsimumNews
Posted by Dennis Sellers Macworld 2010 will purportedly host the largest face-to-face viewing of applications for Apple’s iPhone and iPod touch devices, IDG World Expo, owner of Macworld 2010, has announced.
19:50
Bunkspeed SHOT to integrate iray rendering technology
MacNN
Bunkspeed has announced that its upcoming SHOT software will integrate Iray rendering technology developed by Mental Images. The new system will allow the software to process renders using a combination of CPU and GPU resources, including NVIDIA's CUDA-equipped graphics cards. Offloading the rendering tasks to various components is said to significantly reduce processing times....
19:45
Best Buy clearing current MacBook Pros from...
MacNN
A possibly last-minute slip hints that Apple may be close to updating the MacBook Pro line. One Best Buy employee notes that all MacBook Pro models have been deleted from the company's inventory system, preventing them from ordering new models. The systems can still be found but are listed as "deleted."...
19:00
‘MacVoices’ continues down the ‘Road to Macworld’—...
MacsimumNews
Posted by Dennis Sellers MacVoices continues the “Road to Macworld 2010” series.
18:45
ZoomMediaPlus intros new SD card reader for iPhone
MacNN
ZoomMediaPlus has introduced the ZoomIt memory card reader for the iPhone and iPod touch. The new dock-connecting accessory works with the companyís ZoomIt application that provides access to content stored on SD cards. Support is offered for all file types recognized by iPhone OS 3.0, ranging from photos and videos to PowerPoint documents. The accessory allows users to upload all stored media for use at a later time, or share files with other users via e-mail, Facebook or Flickr....
18:40
Survey tries quantifying iPad hype, suggests...
Ars Technica
"iPad hoopla" has passed, according to a survey by electronics shopping site Retrevo, and consumers have lost interest after the product's unveiling less than two weeks ago. More than twice as many respondents said they were uninterested after the iPad was announced compared to a week prior. Of course, there are lies, damned lies, and statistics—three times as many said they were confident they would buy one after finding out the product's details. Retrevo did similar surveys to gauge interest in Apple's new portable touchscreen device both before it was announced and after. The week prior to Apple's big media event, 26 percent of those surveyed said they knew about the device but weren't interested. After the announcement, that number jumped to 52 percent. However, 3 percent said they would buy an iPad sight unseen. The number that would buy an iPad after Steve Jobs showed it off went up to 9 percent.
18:00
Smart Slate available for Mac users
MacsimumNews
Posted by Dennis Sellers Smart Technologies says the Smart Slate WS200 wireless slate is now available for use on the Mac platform. It enables teachers and students to interact with digital lessons projected on a screen, interactive whiteboard, interactive display or interactive pen display from anywhere in the classroom.
18:00
The tweet that made Steve Jobs furious
TUAW
Filed under: Apple Corporate, Rumors, Steve Jobs Apple doesn't have a huge social media presence. There's an iTunes Facebook page and what can arguably be called a MobileMe blog, but that's about it. However, they do monitor the likes of Twitter, like any self-respecting company would, and a recent tweet reportedly ticked off Steve Jobs but good. While publicizing the iPad, Steve met with a number of tech writers in New York including Wall Street Journal editor Alan Murray, who sent the following Tweet: "This tweet sent from an iPad. Does it look cool?" According to Vallyewag, the tweet infuriated Steve Jobs and was soon deleted. When Valleywag followed up with Alan to ask about the incident, he replied by simply saying that he can't discuss it. Apple is notorious for great design, extreme secrecy and what many have called paranoia. Teams working on unreleased products are kept under a "cone of silence," and Steve has reportedly gone off on high-profile members of the press who had...
17:46
Best Buy's MacBook Pro SKUs Go Missing, Might...
Gizmodo Apple
The upcoming i5 MacBook Pro refresh might be closer than we thought, with TUAW discovering that Best Buy emptied their systems of the current version. Since they're not likely to go MacBook-less for long, that points to soon. [TUAW]
17:40
Google to hold special event Tuesday
MacNN
Google tonight confirmed talk of a significant product update by sending an invitation to a special event on Tuesday at the company's Mountain View, California campus. The company is short on details but promises "some new product innovations" at the gathering....
17:00
nova media unveils synchronization solution for LG...
MacsimumNews
Posted by Dennis Sellers nova media has unveiled FoneSync for LG phones, an utility to synchronize address book contacts and iCal calendars between Mac OS X and LG phones. The program currently works with the phone models HB620T, KF750 and KU990.
16:51
Neo Nectaris strategy game arrives on the iPhone
Macworld
Hudson's nifty turn-based strategy game, Military Madness, enjoyed a revival on Xbox Live last year with Nectaris. Now it's spreading the love to iPhones with Military Madness: Neo Nectaris.
16:31
iHound aims to help you find your missing iPhone
Macworld
At this week's Macworld Expo, iHound Software will hand out stickers aimed at aiding people who find lost iPhones to reunite them with their owners. And for the month of February, iHound has dropped the price on its iPhone app.
16:30
Rumor: MacBook Pro refresh imminent, SKUs dropped...
TUAW
Filed under: Hardware, Rumors, Macbook Pro Update: Commenters point out that our tipster pulled the Best Buy inventory screen image from this thread on the MacRumors forums (he did provide independent confirmation of the SKU deletion). I was not aware of the forum thread at the time the post was written, and there was at the time no corresponding post on the main MacRumors site (although there is now). My apologies to the forum poster for the lack of credit for the image; I should have double-verified where it came from before running it. In the world of retail computer sales, nothing is quite so deterministic as the disappearance of model SKUs (stock keeping units, store jargon for "the numbers that correspond to the widgets we sell, and how we track our inventory and sales") from a chain's price list or database system. When that happens, no additional orders can be placed for the deleted item(s), and it's a pretty safe bet that something new is right around the corner....
16:11
Mozilla dropping 10.4 support with next Firefox...
Ars Technica
The next major release of Firefox will not be compatible with Macs running Mac OS X 10.4, also known as Tiger. This comes from a mozilla.dev.planing discussion on Google Groups started by Josh Aas, a Mozilla-employed developer working on the project. The change will go into effect later this year when the browser's Gecko rendering engine makes the jump from 1.9.2 to 1.9.3. The Mozilla Foundation estimates that there are currently about 1.4 million Tiger users using Firefox 3.5 every day and approximately 36,000 using version 3.6. Those numbers total a little under 24 percent of daily Mac Firefox use. According to the discussion, Mozilla stopped supporting Tiger on mozilla-central, the most "cutting edge" repository, in September of 2009. Much of the old code was left, however, in case Mozilla had a change in heart. The decision means that the code specific to the old operating system will be removed soon, along with any hope of future 10.4 support. Users of the open source Web...
16:00
Game developers on iPhone outnumber DS and PSP two-...
TUAW
Filed under: Gaming, Multimedia, Apple, iPhone, App Store, SDK, iPod touch Game Developer Research has published its 2009/10 survey of video game developers, and the results are pretty impressive for the still relatively fledgling iPhone platform: The number of developers who are working on mobile games increased by 12 percent, and there are actually twice as many developers working on iPhone games as are working on the Nintendo DS and Sony's PSP handheld consoles. That's a pretty amazing number, though it's not quite a surprise when you consider it. First of all, Nintendo DS and PSP publishing takes a much larger investment than Apple's $100 developer fee and an SDK download. Second, while the DS and the PSP are certainly selling a lot of games, they're not actually releasing nearly as many as the hundreds of thousands of apps on the App Store. Finally, new DS and PSP games sell for $30 or $40, while new App Store games sell much closer to 99 cents. So the fact that there are lots...
15:46
Adobe on Flash bug: sorry ‘bout that
MacsimumNews
Posted by Dennis Sellers Adobe Systems has apologized for letting a 16-month-old bug in Flash Player “languish without a patch, even though it updated the popular plug-in four times since the flaw was reported,” reports Computerworld.
15:45
Apple survey gauges developers' satisfaction...
MacNN
Apple is reportedly distributing a survey to iPhone developers, with a variety of questions covering the App Store program. Respondents are asked to rate their level of satisfaction in different areas such as enrollment, feedback, app submission, the review process, and the length of time it takes to get updates onto the App Store....
15:41
Does the iPhone OS Need Multitasking?
TidBITS
A common complaint about the iPhone OS is that it doesn't allow multitasking. But the situation isn't that simple, since the iPhone OS does have some forms of multitasking, and even the term "multitasking" has many different meanings. Adam explores all the possibilities, and the likelihood of seeing support for them in the future.   Read and post comments about this article | Tweet this article Read the full article at TidBITS, the oldest continuously published technology publication on the Internet.
15:30
Apple second largest smartpthone vendor in the US in...
MacsimumNews
Posted by Dennis Sellers comScore, which measures the digital world, released data from the comScore MobiLens service, reporting key trends in the U.S. mobile phone industry over the three month period between September and December 2009.

Rumor Scanner

Monday February 8

18:41
Apple Job Posting Suggests Video Recording Coming to Futur...
MacRumors
A new job posting on Apple's site suggests that the company is preparing to add still and video camera capabilities to its iPad tablet device in the future. The position is for a quality assurance engineer in the Media Systems division of Apple's br...
17:08
Current MacBook Pro Models Deleted From Best Buy's In...
MacRumors
Yesterday, a poster in our forums claiming to be a Best Buy employee reported that the company's internal inventory system had been updated to show that all MacBook Pro models had been "deleted", preventing Best Buy stores from ordering any new units...
14:56
Austrian mobile carrier to offer subsidized iPad?
LOOPRumors
A report claims that mobile operator Hutchison Austria is planning to sell offer subsidized iPads with a two-year data contract requirement. Hutchison Austria CEO Berthold Thoma said: “Hutchison Austria will be the first Austrian carrier to bundle the iPad. We will do so via our long-established laptop bundle, which offers customers a 333 euro rebate if they agree to a 2yr contract offering 5GB of data for 29.90euro.” The CEO also noted that his company will include a Huawei i-Mo 3G modem as the initial supply of iPads will be Wi-Fi only. The information does not suggest that the company has worked out a deal with Apple for this: it appears Hutchison plans to purchase and sell the units on its own.
14:37
Apple open to iPad price cuts?
LOOPRumors
The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple is open to future price cuts on its newly introduced iPad tablet device if it fails to attract sufficient interest from customers according to an analyst. After meeting with Apple executives, Credit Suisse analyst Bill Shope issued a research note saying that “while it remains to be seen how much traction the iPad gets initially, management noted that it will remain nimble (pricing could change if the company is not attracting as many customers as anticipated).” He also indicated that the company seems unconcerned about the iPad’s potential cannibalization of other Apple product sales. The research note also reads: Apple wants the iPad to be the best device for a few key use cases. For instance, the company believes it could eventually be seen as superior to both handheld and notebook devices for browsing the Internet, using the App Store, and consuming mobile media (video, photos, and e-books). Nevertheless, in other areas, notebooks, the...
12:57
Jobs makes case for importance of iPad to newspaper revenu...
LOOPRumors
Last Thursday, Apple gathered 50 top New York Times exectuives at Pranna, a southeast Asian restaurant on Madison Avenue in Manhattan, to discuss the importance of digital distribution and give an up-close demonstration of the iPad. With the internet creating an endless supply of ad space, print media interests face a stark decision; adapt their business model or face extinction. Steve Jobs has expressed an affinity for “old media companies,” according to one New Tork Times source. “He believes democracy is hinged on a free press and that depends on there being a professional press.” New York Magazine reports that the Apple CEO made an unexpected appearance at the “intimate, family-style gatherinng,” wearing “a very funny hat - a big top hat kind of thing,” and ordering penne pasta and a mango lassi. Neither the pasta nor the yogurt-based beverage are featured on Pranna’s menu. The NYM source reports that Apple’s CEO sat with Times publisher Arthur Sulzberger at the head of the table...
11:47
Once unveiled, consumers lost interest in iPad.
LOOPRumors
According to a study by Retrevo, one of the largest consumer electronics shopping and review websites, less people want to buy an iPad now than before the product was announced. Data was compiled from a random sample of 1000 Retrevo users in the U.S. between January 16th and 20th, and a second random sampling surveyed from January 27th to February 3rd. When asked directly if they needed an iPad after its January 27th unveiling, 61% of respondants said “no.”
11:45
Macworld Expo opens this week.
LOOPRumors
Macworld Expo is set to begin this week at the Moscone Center in San Francisco. Apple will not participate in this edition of the expo as the company believes trade shows are no longer an effective way to reach out to the public. The company had used the event for significant product launches in the past. In 2007, the original iPhone was introduced at the Macworld Expo. The expo will run from February 9 to 13, 2010 after traditionally taking place in January. The dates were changed to avoid conflict with the Consumer Electronics Show. Despite Apple’s absence, Macworld Expo will still attract some attention as a number of new Mac and iPhone/iPod accessories will be showcased during the week.
10:31
Claimed Fourth-Generation iPhone Parts Surface Revealing T...
MacRumors
iPhone 3GS on left, claimed fourth-generation iPhone on right iPhone repair site iResQ has posted photos of what it claims are parts for the fourth-generation iPhone presumably due for launch later this year. Among the most notable fe...
10:11
Mossberg discusses iPad on Charlie Rose; “it’s a different...
LOOPRumors
Walter Mossberg, technology columnist for the Wall Street Journal, Michael Arrington of TechCrunch and David Carr, media and culture columnist for the New York Times shared their veiws on the iPad with Charlie Rose last Thursday. “The gadget disappears pretty quickly,” says Carr. “You’re looking into pure software.” Mr. Carr suggested that the absence of multitasking could be a positive feature of the device, allowing users to focus on their game or movie without distractions like Twitter and RSS feeds. “Personally I think people are going to love this,” says Michael Arrington. “...sitting on the couch and listening to music or even looking up something on Wikipedia while they’re watching TV.” Mr. Arrington asserts that Apple is making a comfortable profit on the iPad, using a relatively low-end chip and a smaller screen. “The price point shocked me.” says Mr. Mossberg, noting that Apple is known for higher-end price tags and for success with “premium pricing.” “They’re the only...
07:53
Apple Open to iPad Price Cuts if Demand Lags?
MacRumors
The Wall Street Journal reports on a research note from Credit Suisse analyst Bill Shope based on meetings with Apple executives revealing that the company has apparently left the door open to future price cuts on the iPad should customer demand not ...
07:41
Austrian Wireless Carrier Preparing to Offer Subsidized iP...
MacRumors
TamsIJungle reports (via Engadget) that it received word from wireless carrier Hutchison Austria that the company is planning to offer subsidized iPads for users willing to commit to a two-year data contract with the company. According to Hutchison ...

Sunday February 7

17:29
Macworld San Francisco 2010 Kicks Off This Week
MacRumors
Macworld Expo 2010 kicks off this week at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, California. The significance of this year's Macworld Expo has been significantly reduced due to Apple's decision not to participate. Apple cited the diminished i...
08:23
Intrinsity (Formerly Exponential Technology) Now Speeding...
MacRumors
One of the major announcements alongside the Apple iPad launch was the fact that Apple is now in the chipmaking business. The Apple A4 is a system-on-chip that includes an ARM based processor that is believed to have been designed by the engineers A...

Saturday February 6

13:55
Make Your Own (Paper) iPad and iPad Sighting at NYC Starbu...
MacRumors
While the iPad was officially announced in January, the iPad will not be available for purchase until late March. However, it seems some iPads have been seeded into the wild as David Vogler claims to have seen one in a New York City Starbucks (phot...

Friday February 5

23:38
Unreleased Core i7 MacBook Pro 6,1 Benchmarked? Supplies...
MacRumors
A Geekbench result posted to their site on February 4th has generated a lot of excitement in our forums. The report seems to reveal the results for an unreleased Arrandale MacBook Pro running at 2.66GHz. Intel officially unveiled the new l...
17:43
Apple Seeds Mac OS X 10.6.3 (Build 10D548)
MacRumors
Apple has seeded a new version of Mac OS X 10.6.3 to developers today. The last seed was released on January 22nd. According to reports, the newest version provides a number of enhancements and bug fixes for QuickTime X, 64-bit Logic, printing and ...
12:35
FCC Pointing to iPad as Harbinger of Increased Wireless Sp...
MacRumors
MacNN points to a blog post written earlier this week by Phil Bellaria, a director in the National Broadband Task Force at the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), expressing concern over increasing cellular network congestion and citing App...
08:30
Sling Media Denies Collaboration With AT&T on 3G Strea...
MacRumors
Yesterday, AT&T announced that it had finally decided to allow Sling Media's SlingPlayer Mobile to stream video over the carrier's 3G network. As part of the announcement, AT&T claimed that it had "worked with" Sling Media to develop a version of th...

Documentation Scanner

Monday February 8

17:08
App Store Tip: Specify the Devices Your App Runs on...
iPhone Develo...
The App Store requires that you provide metadata about your application before submitting it. While most of this metadata is specified using the iPhone Developer Program Portal, the process for selecting device-related dependencies in iTunes Connect is no longer available. Instead, if your app relies on features that are specific to a device, such as the compass on iPhone 3GS, add the UIRequiredDeviceCapabilities key to your app's Info.plist file to indicate the specific hardware feature required. The UIRequiredDeviceCapabilities key in your app's Info.plist file tells iPhone OS that your app can only be launched on a device with specific features and provides the App Store with a list of device requirements so users don’t download applications that they cannot run. To learn more about assigning required capabilities for your apps, read the Device Support section of the iPhone Applications Programming Guide.
16:25
iPhone and iPod touch: How to restart the Apple Mobi...
Apple - All P...
If an iPhone or iPod touch is not recognized in iTunes on Windows, the Apple Mobile Device Service (AMDS) may need to be restarted. If AMDS cannot be restarted, you may need to remove and reinstall the service. This document is for Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7. If you have a Mac, follow the steps in this document.
16:11
iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS: System requirements for In...
Apple - All P...
Internet tethering is a feature of iPhone OS 3.0 that has several requirements, including requirements for your computer, your iPhone, and your wireless carrier supporting this feature. Note: Tethering is not available on the original iPhone.
11:11
Maximum MobileMe message size
Apple - All P...
MobileMe limits the size of incoming and outgoing mail messages to 20MB. This includes the text of the message as well as any attached files. Messages close to 20MB in size may become too large to send once they have been encoded for transmission.
07:30
Use some Mail rules on an as-needed basis via the ke...
Mac OS X Hint...
If you've ever explored the possible actions offered by Mail's rules, you've probably wished that you could apply some of them to any message on command. For example, you might want to move the selected messages to one mailbox or another at the press of a hotkey, or to replicate Eudora's labels by changing the text color of messages in their mailboxes (Mail's GUI only allows changing their background color, which I dislike as much as OS X's Finder labels). The problem is that Mail's rules are intended to run automatically on incoming or outgoing emails, so such "manual" rules cannot easily coexist with automatic rules. The good news is that it's very easy to work around that conflict using AppleScript and Keyboard Maestro. The trick is to group the "manual" rules at the top of the list, end each of them with with 'Stop evaluating rules,' and to keep them disabled so they won't interfere with automatic rules. To ru...
07:30
Use normal and private browsing at the same time in...
Mac OS X Hint...
I had always thought that Chrome's method of private browsing, which allows you to intermingle private and normal browsing in separate windows/tabs, was better than Safari or Firefox, which are an all-or-nothing proposition. Now Firefox, at least, can emulate Chrome's behavior. With the Firefox add-on Private Browsing Window, the user can have private and normal browsing windows simultaneously. This can be used for things other than simply secure browsing, too. You could, for instance, log into two Gmail accounts simultaneously, or test a web app using two different accounts in one browser.
07:30
Create RSS feeds for Google searches (with Google!)
Mac OS X Hint...
This isn't really Mac-specific, but it's very useful. There are a lot of reasons people like/want to create RSS feeds for Google searches (e.g. for their name, so they see when something new comes up). However, most of the ways out there for making feeds are very unreliable, available for Windows only, quickly out-of-date, and/or cumbersome. So here's a foolproof way using Google's own services. This is very simple -- in fact, it involves using Google Alerts. All you have to do is create a new alert for the search you wish to create a feed for, then edit it. Click the Deliver To pop-up and select Feed instead of Email. This gives you an RSS feed that can be either directly added to Google Reader, or viewed in any RSS reader you wish to use. [robg adds: This works; just make sure you save and verify the alert first, then you can edit it to turn it into an RSS feed.]
07:30
Use trackpad/mouse gestures in Xcode
Mac OS X Hint...
Xcode now has gesture support to quickly switch between files. For instance, you can switch between the .h and .m file with a three-finger upward swipe. A three-finger side-to-side swipe puts you back or forward in the file history.

Friday February 5

13:17
Mac OS X Server v10.6: Clients logged in with an ali...
Apple - All P...
When clients use a secondary short name (an alias) to log into a Mac OS X Server v10.6-based web server they may not be able to see their blog.
11:21
How to combine multiple audio interfaces by creating...
Apple - All P...
By creating an aggregate device, you can use more than one audio interface at the same time with audio applications like Logic, Soundtrack Pro, or most other Core Audio-compliant applications. Logic 9 and Soundtrack Pro allow you to use a separate device for input and output, such as using a USB microphone and the built-in output of your computer. Use an aggregate device to combine multiple inputs and outputs, or applications not manufactured by Apple which do not support separate input and output devices.

Whitepapers & Screencasts

Jan 28
Porting Visual Basic Applications to Linux and Mac OS X: A...
Porting Visual Basic Applications to Linux and Mac OS X: A How-To Guide for Visual Basic Developers Leverage your experience in Visual Basic. Port your code to REALbasic where you can compile your applications for Linux, Mac OS X and all 32-bit versions of Windows, including Windows 98, NT, ME, 2000 and XP. In this white paper, I'll show how you can preserve your investment in Visual Basic by porting your code to Linux and/or Macintosh using REAL Software's REALbasic. I'll provide some examples, share some experience and give you a roadmap for how to port—and how not to port—your Visual Basic applications cross-platform. My intent is to save you some time and pain. For porting our VB projects, we will use REALbasic 2006 for Windows, a modern software development environment that is quite similar to Microsoft® Visual Basic in terms of the GUI and syntax. I also don't intend to provide a full comparison of Visual Basic and REALbasic but rather to show you where they are...
Jan 14
Take Control of Running Windows on a Mac, Fourth Edition
Find essential advice for running Windows on your Intel-based Mac! Using an Intel-based Mac means you can choose the best of both worlds—running Mac OS X or running Windows, but what's the optimal way way to go about it? Cross-platform expert Joe Kissell has distilled untold hours of testing into this ebook to help you understand the pros and cons of Apple's Boot Camp versus virtualization software and to give advice and step-by-step instructions for installing and using either Windows 7, Vista, or XP in Boot Camp, Parallels Desktop 5, VMware Fusion 3, and VirtualBox. http://www.takecontrolbooks.com/windows-on-mac
Nov 19
Take Control of Syncing Data in Snow Leopard
Learn how to sync your data with another Mac, iPhone, iPod, mobile phone, or PDA! With clear directions and a humorous touch, expert Michael Cohen walks you through exactly how to sync managed data from a Mac running Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard with a variety of devices and services. Whether you want to sync phone numbers between your Mac and your mobile phone, share calendars and keychains between Macs, or move only new podcast episodes to an iPod, you'll find useful advice and directions. ("Managed data" is data that you can't usually see as separate files in the Finder—data such as iCal events, Address Book contacts, Safari bookmarks, and anything you store in iTunes.) http://www.takecontrolbooks.com/snow-leopard-syncing
Oct 14
Take Control of Sharing Files in Snow Leopard
Configure file sharing to be fast, effective, and secure with networking guru Glenn Fleishman! This detail-packed book makes file sharing easy, whether it's between two Macs on a local network, among a mixed-platform office workgroup, or between far-flung computers on the Internet. You'll learn how to select and configure the right hardware and software for your needs and budget, consider the pros and cons of different file-sharing options, find set-up steps for each of the core Mac OS X file-sharing services—AFP, SMB, and FTP—(with tips to help you avoid problems and security risks), and learn how to connect to Mac file servers from a variety of major operating systems. The ebook discusses Snow Leopard's Wake on Demand feature and the quirky Snow Leopard firewall, as well as how to share files from iPhoto '09 and iTunes 9. http://www.takecontrolbooks.com/snow-leopard-sharing
Sep 02
Take Control of Upgrading to Snow Leopard
Install Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard with confidence! Installing a major new version of Mac OS X should be exciting and fun, but without proper guidance you may find it nerve-wracking or even lose valuable files. Fortunately, many thousands of people have upgraded Mac OS X calmly and successfully with Joe Kissell's previous best-selling Take Control of Upgrading... titles. Joe's friendly, expert steps—developed over innumerable test installations—help you to avoid trouble, understand what's going on when you install Snow Leopard, and easily recover from problems that might arise. http://www.takecontrolbooks.com/snow-leopard-upgrading
AAPL
$194.12
Apple Inc.
-1.34%
MSFT
$27.72
Microsoft Corpora
-0.30%
GOOG
$533.47
Google Inc.
+2.18%
Community Search:
MacTech Search:
See All

Yep 2.0.9 - Organize and manage all your...
MacUpdate Desktop 5.0.4 - Keep all your ...
Kiwi 1.1.0 - Customizable Twitter client...
CopyPaste Pro 2.2.3 - Multiple clipboard...
Chax 3.0 - Adds enhancements to iChat, n...
JollysFastVNC 1.04 - Fast VNC client. (S...
Voila 3.0 - Capture, annotate, organize,...
VueScan 8.6.09 - Software for scanners. ...
Bento 3.0.3 - Organize all your importan...
CleanApp 3.3.1 - Application deinstaller...

Jobs Board

iPhone Application (Illinois)
We are looking to have an iPhone application developed for our website and I need to get some information as to what this would cost. If you view the following link: http://www.demo.adorntechnologies... Read more
New Iphone App (Texas)
m looking for someone to develop and deploy a new iphone app. This app will allow users to access live video and audio. This live media is currently accessible through flash media server. Applicants... Read more
Indeed Macintosh Jobs: IT Deskside Techn...
control tools. Extensive experience supporting Macintosh and Linux desktop operating systems. Capable of... Windows, 20% Macintosh and 10% Linux (various... From washingtonpost.com - 09 Feb 2010... Read more
iPhone Developer at Cybercoders (Boston,...
iPhone Developer near Boston, MA This job is open as of 2/7/2010 ... Apply Now! Not a fit for this job? Search other iPhone Developer jobs! Are you an employer? Visit us for more info!... Read more
Indeed Macintosh Jobs: Desktop Support S...
skills, A+ or Network + certification preferred, Citrix/Thin client, Macintosh experience preferred Equal Employment Opportunity The University of Texas... From The University of Texas Medical... Read more
  • Generate a short URL for this page:



All contents are Copyright 1984-2010 by Xplain Corporation. All rights reserved. Theme designed by Icreon.