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Oct 15
Avadon 2: The Corruption Launches Oct 30 on Steam

Spiderweb Software says their newest indie, epic length RPG, Avadon 2: The Corruption, will be released on Oct. 30 for Mac and PC users. An iOS version is scheduled for early next year.

Here's how the game is described: "As a Hand of Avadon, the Black Fortress, you once held unlimited power. Your word was law. Your homeland was united and prospered under the protection of the Black Fortress. Now that fragile alliance has collapsed. Rebellion rages, outside enemies gather, and Avadon lies in ruins. Will you fight to restore your power and bring peace to your realm, or will you join the rebels and forge a new nation? The decision will be yours in Avadon 2: The Corruption.

"Avadon 2: The Corruption is an epic fantasy role-playing adventure in an enormous world. Choose from five different types of characters, including the new Tinkermage class, each with dozens of unique spells or skills. Explore a gigantic world filled with secrets, artifacts, and a rich story....

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Oct 15
Apple announces Oct. 22 media event

Apple has sent out press invitations to a special event to be held on Oct. 22 at 1 p.m. (Eastern).

The invite says "We still have a lot to cover." That could include any and all of the following: new iPads, new MacBook Pros, the new Mac Pro, and OS X Mavericks.

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Oct 15
iHome Releases Bluetooth Keyboard with Swivel Case for iPad

The new iHome "Type Pro" Bluetooth Keyboard with Swivel Case gives you the ability to convert your iPad into a working notebook computer, while providing protection. It's Bluetooth-enabled for wireless connectivity.

The swivel functionality allows you to adjust the screen angle 360 degrees. Its case holds and protects both the iPad and keyboard.

The Type Pro is compatible with the iPad 2, 3 and 4. It retails for US$99.99 and is currently available at Office Depot. For more information, go to www.ihomecases.com .

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Oct 15
SMK-Link tweaks its Gyration Air Mouse

SMK-Link Electronics Corp. has announced enhancements the wireless performance of its Gyration Air Mouse GO Plus, making it the natural choice for K12 classroom and collegiate amphitheater applications, according to John Blair, general manager of Branded Products for SMK0Link.

The GO Plus -- which costs approximately US$100 -- boasts a patented gesture-based cursor control and 100-foot wireless range. It's a laser-scrolling desktop mouse with user assignable buttons.


The GO Plus is compatible with Mac OS X and Windows. For more info go to www.smklink.com .

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Oct 15
Accell introduces UltraAV DisplayPort hubs for extended display viewing

Accell -- a provider of computer, home theater and mobile device accessories, has unveiled its new UltraAV DisplayPort and Mini DisplayPort 1.2 MST Multi-Display Hubs. With a manufacturer's suggested retail price of US$129.99, they provide additional viewing of up to three DisplayPort monitors from a single DisplayPort or Mini DisplayPort video output.

Accell’s new DisplayPort and Mini DisplayPort hubs utilize the new multi-stream transport (MST) protocol, supporting up to three displays independently at up to 2560X1600 at 60Hz, each with DP 1.2 or up to HD 1080p with DP 1.1 single-stream transport (SST). The Accell UltraAV MST Multi-DisplayPort hub supports non-DisplayPort outputs, including VGA, DVI or HDMI. The MST Multi-DisplayPort hub is DP++ and can actively convert the DisplayPort signal to other display interface signals using optional passive or active adapters.

For more information go to...

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Oct 15
Morphestra Generations is new collection of morphed instruments

Weighing in at over 16GBs, Morphestra Generations is a new collection of 1600-plus morphed instruments and multis derived entirely from true orchestral recordings.

Created in association with Kirk Hunter Studios, Morphestra Generations brings the original Morphestra into a whole new generation of sound, creating a modern day virtual instrument that transcends any morphed orchestral/effectual sample library ever created, according to Joseph Trupiano, CEO & founder of Sample Logic (www.samplelogic.com), the company behind the product.

Geared for film, TV, and game composers, Morphestra Generations includes ready-to-play psycho-acoustic sampled symphonic winds, strings, and percussive instruments and morphs them into a world "where music and sound design collide," he adds. If you already own the original Morphestra, you can upgrade to Morphestra Generations, which also includes all the original...

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Oct 15
Apple names new Senior Vice President of Retail and Online Stores

Apple has announced that Angela Ahrendts, CEO of Burberry, will be joining Apple in a newly created position, as a senior vice president and member of our executive team, reporting to CEO Tim Cook. She'll have oversight of the strategic direction, expansion and operation of both Apple retail and online stores.

"I am thrilled that Angela will be joining our team," said Cook. "She shares our values and our focus on innovation, and she places the same strong emphasis as we do on the customer experience. She has shown herself to be an extraordinary leader throughout her career and has a proven track record."

"I am profoundly honored to join Apple in this newly created position next year, and very much look forward to working with the global teams to further enrich the consumer experience on and offline," said Ahrendts. "I have always admired the innovation and impact Apple products and services have on people’s lives and hope in some small way I can help contribute to...

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Oct 15
Bluetune-Bean is new, pocket-sized portable speaker

Divoom has released the Bluetune-Bean, an US$29.90 pocket-sized portable speaker that clips onto a backpack, purse or your luggage.

It works wirelessly via Bluetooth 3.0. Its speakerphone capability allows you to take and make phone calls. The Bluetune-Bean sports a rechargeable battery that provides up to eight hours of listening time.

It offers 10 meters of wireless range. The Bluetune-Bean is available in blue, yellow, pink, red, white or black.. Go to www.divoomusa.com for more info.

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Oct 14
Anker debuts second gen Astro backup battery

Anker has introduced the 2nd Generation Astro external battery, now available at Amazon.com for US$34.99. iPhone compatible, it's designed to keep any smartphone powered up at maximum speed.

Featuring Anker’s signature Smart Port, the travel-friendly Astro identifies the connected device’s exact charging requirements to deliver the fastest possible charge, according to Steven Yang, Anker founder and chairman. With up to 2A charge current, the 2nd Generation Astro delivers maximum charge speeds to any smartphone, including the power hungry Galaxy S4. The Astro is also compatible to deliver rapid charges to tablets including iPads, the Nexus 7, and the Samsung Galaxy tablet series.

It packs a 6000mAh capacity. Connect your device to the backup battery using the included USB cord and give Astro a shake to activate charging. Anker’s cascading LED lights show exactly how much juice the Astro has left before it needs to be recharged. The external battery features a soft...

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Oct 14
Margolin Development announces Steady Snake Neck-Pod

Margolin Development, a developer of technology products for Hollywood’s photographic and motion picture applications, has released the SteadySnake Neck-Pod, which is designed to carry and provide virtually hands-free operation of an iPad, iPhone or most any camcorder or digital camera that weighs three pounds or less.  

It rests on both the user’s shoulders and is supported behind the neck to hold your iPhone, iPad, camera or smart device securely and steadily. The SteadySnake Neck-Pod provides virtually hands-free camera support so your hands are used for setting, aiming and shooting, says George Margolin, president of, Margolin Development.

It can also be used to read eBooks, view websites and apps, or watch movies on your iPad, all virtually hands-free. The SteadySnake can change shape to become a monopod for videography  over the heads of crowds or used as a low rider to video subjects close to the ground without bending over.

The SteadySnake Neck-Pod...

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Oct 14
Apple's Reuse Recycling Programme now available in the UK

Apple’s Reuse and Recycling Programme is now available in-store across the UK, reports "The Next Web" (http://tinyurl.com/l65f8wd). It allows customers to trade in their existing iPhone and receive a discount on a new one.

The trade-in price varies for older handset ands depends on the condition of the display and physical buttons, as well as any engravings or liquid damage affecting the device. Credit is offered as a gift card, which the buyer has to spend at that moment against a new iPhone.

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Oct 14
Upcoming iPads expected to ding Surface, Android tablet sales

Microsoft's second-generation Surface and new Android-based tablets are expected to be impacted by Apple's launch of the next-generation iPad and iPad mini as the company is likely to reduce its existing iPad and iPad mini prices, according to "DigiTimes" (http://tinyurl.com/k7hyfdr), quoting unnamed "sources from the upstream supply chain."

The iPad mini is currently priced starting US$329, while the full size iPad is priced starting $499. The next-generation iPad and iPad mini are expected to retain the same price ranges, while existing models' new prices are expected to impact 10-inch tablet models with prices above $399 and 7-inch models with prices above $299, the article says.

Microsoft's Surface 2 series tablets are expected to be the most impacted as the Surface Pro 2 is priced starting $899 and the Surface 2 is priced at $449. Although Microsoft claims to have seen good pre-orders...

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Oct 14
New PhotoUpLink FTP export plugin compatible with Mavericks iPhoto

Developer Mark S. Morris has introduced new 64-bit versions of his export plugin PhotoUpLink for iPhoto and Aperture. These FTP-only alpha builds begin a new upgrade path towards PhotoUpLink 2, which will be available in 2014.

For a limited time, PhotoUpLink for iPhone enables free multi-photo email, FTP and peer to peer photo sharing over WiFi networks. PhotoUpLink in trial mode allows up to five items to be exported, with a discounted price of US$4.99 for unlimited FTP exports.

PhotoUpLink for iPhoto 1.8.1 is a universal 32/64-bit Intel build for iPhoto '11 version 9.4.3 and requires Mac OS X 10.6.3 or newer. PhotoUpLink has been tested to work with the OS X Mavericks Golden Master and the new  iPhoto '11 version 9.4.7 running in 64-bit mode. To use PhotoUpLink in iPhoto, select an album or a group of items, then go to the File menu and choose the Export menu item. PhotoUpLink will be displayed in the Export panel. PhotoUpLink for iPhoto supports image and video...

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Oct 14
Exif Editor 1.1.0 released for Mac OS X

Martin Novak has released Exif Editor 1.1.0 for Mac OS X. It's an update to his application for editing EXIF and IPTC metadata in photos.

With the Exif Editor, anyone can add, change or remove various information about the photos -- for example basic camera settings, GPS information or the authorship of the photo. Version 1.1.0 introduces a map view of the GPS location, GPS coordinates can be displayed and edited in various formats and more.

Exif Editor requires OS X 10.7.3 or later. It costs US$9.99 and is available worldwide through the Mac App Store in the Photography category (http://tinyurl.com/mhtvwyk).

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Oct 12
Apple posts MacBook Air firmware update

Apple has posted the MacBook Air Firmware Update 2.7. It's recommended for all MacBook Air (mid-2013) models.

This update addresses an issue which may cause a black screen to appear when installing Windows 7 or Windows 8 using Boot Camp Assistant if both an external optical drive and USB thumb drive are connected to the system.  This update also ensures that the system will boot by default into OS X after installation of Windows 8. For more info go to http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1689 .

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Oct 11
Bose introduces SoundTouch Wi-Fi music systems

Bose has introduced the SoundTouch Wi-Fi music systems, offering a way to listen to music at home. They let you stream music wirelessly in any room.

Now, music from the web or your stored collection can be played with "lifelike clarity" by simply pressing a button, says Phil Hess, vice president of Bose Home Entertainment.

Three one-piece systems have debuted:

° The US$699 SoundTouch 30 Wi-Fi system measures approximately 10 x 17 x 7 inches. It features exclusive waveguide technology and a new proprietary woofer to deliver deep, rich sound and the power to serve as a home’s main music system, says Hess.

° The $399 SoundTouch 20 Wi-Fi system is more compact at about 7 x 12 x 4 inches. It can be placed almost anywhere.

° The $399 SoundTouch Portable Wi-Fi system combines full-range audio and a rechargeable, lithium-ion battery in a speaker no bigger than the average book -- about 6 x 10 x 3 inches.

SoundTouch Wi-Fi systems offer streaming...

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Oct 11
Phobic Studios’ action platformer Glare now available on Steam

Phobic Studios has released Glare, a side-scrolling action platformer for Mac, Windows, and Linux operating systems on Valve’s Steam entertainment platform.

Here's how the game is described: "Glare is set in an artistically stunning solar system of round worlds where you play as The Shiner, a being of pure light given shape by an ancient suit of armor that is summoned from starlight to heal the sun and defeat the infectious Ramora. A game about discovery, the Shiner travels through the Toric Caster, uncovering new ways to defeat the evil threats of the Ramora and cleanse the corrupted worlds.

"The Shiner’s primary weapons are its glare and a gun. Casting its light will affect certain environmental elements throughout the game, as well as guide the player through each of the worlds. With six planets to explore and cleanse, Glare delivers new weapon upgrades and abilities in each level with increasing difficulty."

Glare is regularly priced at $14.95. Phobic...

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Oct 11
Plethora is new measurement unit converter for the Mac

Alegre Software has announced Plethora, a measurement unit conversions calculator for Mac OS X. It boasts hundreds of metric/S.I., imperial, U.S., and other units in its database, most to 14 significant digit precision.

New units can be added by the user. Plethora supports compound units such as pounds and ounces, ft/in/fractions, scientific notation and control of significant digits.

Plethora costs US$9.95 and can be downloaded at www.alegresoftware.com .

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Oct 11
RaySupreme for OS X gets faster

BrainDistrict (http://www.braindistrict.com) has rolled out RaySupreme 1.5, an update of the 3D modeling and rendering program for Mac OS X, Windows and Linux systems. The upgrade offers quicker rendering time and faster performance.

RaySupreme enables users to create 3D work by simply typing English text. People who are not experienced in 3D can quickly and easily create complex scenes and environments, according to Ritchie Lopez of BrainDistrict. This new approach to 3D graphics is called Text-to-3D.

RaySupreme includes: primitive objects, polygonal modeling, lathe, extrude, Boolean operations, smoothing, materials, and more. The rendering engine includes final gathering for global illumination, caustics, photon mapping, time-based lighting, procedural sky, simulated effects such as sun, stars, fog and haze, and multithreading.

RaySupreme costs US$39.99. A demo is available for...

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Oct 11
Folx download manger for the Mac gets new interface, more

Eltima Software has announced Folx 3, an update of the download manager for Mac OS X. It's available in free and paid-for versions.

Folx 3 sports a new interface, new options and Retina display support. The free version of Folx offers downloaded files organization, fast search for downloaded files, and more. Folx Pro costs US$19.95 and provides such features as: splitting the downloads in up to 10 threads for faster downloading; scheduling the download tasks; automatic speed adjustment for equal Internet traffic allocation; sending the downloaded videos and music directly to iTunes playlists. For more info go to fhttp://mac.eltima.com/ .

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MacTech Blog

Oct 15
Mobile payments see 27% growth in the past four months

Adyen (www.adyen.com), a global payments solutions company, has announced the most recent findings from its Adyen Global Mobile Payments Index, which showed that mobile payments transactions on its platform from May to August 2013 have increased by 27% worldwide, jumping from 13.8% of all transactions at the end of April 2013 to 17.5% in August 2013.

The Index analyzed all mobile transactions completed over its platform for thousands of merchants globally, including Vodafone, Mango, SoundCloud, KLM and PopCap Games. It found that the overall percentage of worldwide purchases made using mobile phones and tablet devices both increased during this period Smartphones went from 6.5% to 9.2%; tablets went from 7.4% to 8.3%. 

However, in a reversal from the previous Index, the share of tablet devices used for mobile purchases decreased during this period from 53.2% to 47.4% -- the lowest percentage since May 2012,...

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Oct 14

Half of large enterprises to have hybrid cloud...

Nearly half of large enterprises will have hybrid cloud deployments by the end of 2017, according to Gartner, Inc. (www.gartner.com). In the past three years, private cloud computing has moved from an aspiration to a tentative reality for nearly half of large enterprises.

Hybrid cloud computing is at the same place today that private cloud was three years ago; as actual deployments are low, but aspirations are high. When it comes to drivers of private cloud computing, while cost is always an important consideration, a business case for private cloud cannot rely on lower costs as the primary justification. 

"Virtualization reduces capital expenses, and standards and automation reduce operational expenses," says Thomas Bittman, vice president and distinguished analyst at Gartner. "However, taking the next step of adding usage metrics, self-service offerings and automated provisioning requires investment in...

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Oct 11
Ultra-premium smartphone segment market share to fall

New findings from hi-tech analysts, Juniper Research (www.juniperrsearch.com) says that a new ultra-low cost generation of smartphones is emerging, capturing large volumes of the emerging markets.

Juniper forecasts almost 200 million in shipments by 2018, compared to nearly 10 million in 2014. On a global scale, this means that the "ultra-premium" end of the smartphone market is set to diminish proportionally by volume over time, not due to a drop in sales but a faster level of growth at other price points.

The report, "Smartphone Futures: Differentiation Strategies & Emerging Opportunities, 2013-2018," argues that this new generation of devices will permanently change the market, splitting the global market in two, with the developed high margin low volume markets on one side and low margin high volume markets on the other.

The ultra-premium smartphone market is currently dominated...

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Oct 10
There'll be 9.7 million carrier Wi-Fi access...

Carrier Wi-Fi started to gain momentum in 2013 driven by increasing data demands and new Wi-Fi advancements. Cable operators are enthusiastically adopting the technology as an entrance into the wireless market. ABI Research (www.abiresearch.com) forecasts Carrier Wi-Fi access point shipments in 2018 to reach 9.7 million with the Asia-Pacific region accounting for 70% of that number.

In the U.S., a very successful model was deployed by Cable WiFi: an alliance formed of five of the biggest cable operators in the country including Bright House Networks, Comcast, Cablevision, Cox, and Time Warner Cable. Customers of any of the alliance members can roam seamlessly in the biggest Wi-Fi network in the U.S. with more than 150,000 hotspots.

"While it is a great marketing strategy allowing Cable operators to retain their customers and enhance the service, Cable WiFi also shows that monetization is a...

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Oct 09
4G networks to handle more data traffic than 3G...

Even though 4G’s share of cellular subscriptions stood at a meager 2.9% at the end of 2Q 2013, it is expected to account for slightly more than 20% of the total data consumed on mobile networks worldwide this year. After surpassing 3G networks in 2016, 4G networks will go on to capture two-thirds of data traffic by 2018, according to market intelligence firm ABI Research (www.abirsearch.com).

4G data traffic will surge at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 82.2% between this year and 2018. Underpinning this trend is the aggressive LTE network deployment by wireless operators and the expanding portfolio of smartphones and tablets which are also falling in price.

"These two factors work hand in hand to enable consumers to stream videos,: says Ying Kang Tan, research associate at ABI Research. "Already, Verizon saw video accounting for 50% of its network traffic earlier this year. ABI Research...

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Oct 08
Many organizations fear their privacy activities are...

The perceived level of maturity attached to organizations' privacy activities has decreased since 2011, as many organizations deem their existing privacy activities to be inadequate, according to a survey by Gartner, Inc. (www.gartner.com) The survey found that 43% of organizations have a comprehensive privacy management program in place, while 7% admitted to "doing the bare minimum" regarding privacy laws.

"More than a third of organizations still 'consider privacy aspects in an ad hoc fashion' and it is surprising that so many companies are saying that they are not conducting privacy impact assessments before major projects," says Carsten Casper, research vice president at Gartner. "Sixty-two percent do not scan websites and applications, or conduct an organization-wide privacy audit every year. Organizations must put these activities on their to-do list for 2014."

These results are based on 221 respondent...

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Oct 07
IDC predicts thin client growth in the business market

According to the International Data Corporation (www.id.com), worldwide thin client and terminal client device shipments totaled 1.3 million units in the second quarter of 2013 (2Q13), an increase of 7.4% from the previous quarter and 8.2% lower than IDC forecast for the quarter.

The research group expects shipments for the full year to be 5.3 million units, representing 2.1% year-over-year growth. However, the forecast for 2014 is for shipments to reach 5.9 million units, representing 10.4% year-over-year growth. By 2017, these devices are expected to reach 8.3 million units shipped worldwide.

"NComputing grew 70.9% over the first quarter in 2Q13 by strengthening its focus on the education sector in Asia/Pacific, establishing itself as the top vendor in the region, and by increasing its presence in Latin America," says Jennifer Song, research analyst, Worldwide Trackers, IDC. "The United States is still the largest...

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Oct 04
Smartphone management, security options to expand

ABI Research (www.abiresearch.com) predicts the number of type-1 or type-2 smartphone virtualization activations will grow 20 fold by 2018, exceeding 8 million devices. Worldwide, activation rates will exceed 114% YoY [year-over-year] with North America and Western Europe seeing the greatest number of smartphone activations. The Asia-Pacific region will see the largest growth increasing nearly 50 fold by 2018, or 165% CAGR [compound annual growth rate] growth YoY.

"The mobility management space continues to amaze as it seems new enterprise mobility solutions emerge daily, says ABI Research senior analyst Jason McNicol. "The latest solution now involves virtualization, where a type-1 or type-2 hypervisor is used to create two distinct profiles on the user’s mobile device, work and personal. This kind of virtualization solution provides IT complete control over the enterprise workspace while the personal side...

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Oct 03
Airports, airlines struggle to meet mobility...

Airports and airlines are clearly focused on improving the travel experience. But are the investments they’re making having the desired impact? Based on new research reports -- for both airlines and airports -- of 2,160 travelers just released from FlightView (www.FlightView.com), a day-of-travel information company, the answer is a resounding "no."

"WiFi is and has been the highest priority for travelers, yet satisfaction levels have remained largely the same -- with approval for airport WiFi actually decreasing by 4% and improving for in-flight WiFi by a little more than 1%, since this time last year," says Mike Benjamin, CEO of FlightView. "With more travelers using smartphones at the airport, and 82 percent using them in-flight -- improving WiFi is absolutely critical to improving the overall travel experience."
Despite all the hype, only 8% of those surveyed find value in virtual assistant...

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Oct 02
BI software market to exceed $40 billion by 2018

According to TBR’s "2Q13 Business Intelligence Software Vendor Benchmark," the business intelligence (BI) software market will surpass US$40 billion by 2018 as vendors expand and integrate portfolios to capitalize on customers’ BI software investment plans.

TBR research shows customers’ BI software consumption patterns are maturing and broadening, with customers moving from stand-alone tools to packaged BI applications and then to analytic complements of business applications. TBR market sizing projects an average 4% year-to-year annual revenue growth between 2013 and 2018 -- a slowdown from the double-digit growth rates of 2011 and 2012 that reflects the rising maturity of this market and the extent to which customers can extend BI software deployments.

The projected 2013 growth for the BI software market shows the market is at an inflection point: Revenue grew by double digits across the start of the year, fueled by IPOs around high-interest segments including data...

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Reviews and Kool Tools

Kool Tools: Expression Photo XP-950 wide-format printer
Epson America recently introduced the Epson Expression Photo XP-950 Small-in-One. It's a snazzy machine that lets you print professional-quality photos up to 11 x 17 inches. It's space-saving design makes it a great... Read more »
Kool Tools: Messenger DNA bags
Tenba has expanded its Messenger collection with the Messenger DNA bags, which are available in two sizes. They're made of weatherproof materials and durable hardware, and lightweight yet protective padding. Messenger... Read more »
Kool Tools: Libratone's Loop speaker system
Libratone's Loop is new, funky though pricey (US$499.95) stereo system that provides wireless audio streaming and works great with Apple products. It can be mounted to a wall or placed on a table or shelf thanks to its... Read more »
Kool Tools: New My Book family of drives
WD has redesigned its popular My Book and My Book for Mac lines of external desktop drives to provide as much as 4TB storage capacity and enhanced data protection. It's great for those who create and/or collect large... Read more »

News Scanner

Wednesday October 16

03:20
Sony launches A7, A7R full-frame mirrorless cameras...
MacNN

Sony has launched it long rumored and eagerly anticipated Alpha 7 full-frame mirrorless camera. The new 24.3-megapixel camera is aimed at fans of the companyís NEX camera line looking to step up into a full-frame camera as well as camera enthusiasts looking for a compact bodied, full-featured, full-frame device. In a surprise, the company has also revealed the Alpha 7R aimed at professionals that removes the low-pass filter and includes several additions including an upgraded 36.3-megapixel sensor....
 ...

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01:17
Apple reportedly cutting iPhone 5c orders as it...
AppleInsider

According to a Wall Street Journal report on Wednesday, Apple has modified its iPhone supply chain forecast for the upcoming fourth quarter, reducing 5c orders from its two manufacturing partners, Foxconn and Pegatron, while bumping production of the 5s.
  ...

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Tuesday October 15

23:53
Judge: Samsung reveal of confidential Apple...
MacNN

The presiding judge in the ongoing Apple-Samsung trial (the first stage of which ended with a complete victory for Apple and over $1 billion in damages awarded by a jury) is, to put it mildly, unhappy about Samsung's stonewalling of an investigation into the disclosure of confidential terms of an Apple-Nokia deal to Samsung executives. Rather than admit culpability, the company and its legal firm attempted to persuade the judge that the whole thing was a blameless accident. It didn't work....
 ...

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23:01
Judge denies Samsung motions meant to delay...
AppleInsider

Presiding Apple v. Samsung Judge Lucy Koh on Tuesday denied three Samsung motions meant to delay an investigation regarding the disclosure of confidential Apple-Nokia patent licensing terms, which were unlawfully shown to the Korean company's executives.
  ...

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20:30
Java for Snow Leopard, Lion and Mountain Lion...
MacNN

For the fifth time this year, Apple has had to issue an update to Java for all three supported versions of OS X: Snow Leopard (10.6), Lion (10.7) and Mountain Lion (10.8). As has become the norm, the update was issued due to the discovery of "multiple vulnerabilities" in Java 1.6.0_51. The cross-platform development technology has been updated to version 1.6.0_65, and is referred to in Software Update as "Java for Mac OS X 10.6 Update 17" for Snow Leopard and "Java for OS X 2013-005" for newer systems....
 ...

| Read more »
19:37
Square's free 'Square Cash' service...
AppleInsider

Square, Inc. on Tuesday announced "Square Cash," a new no-fee service that lets users make up to $2,500 person-to-person transfers over email, meaning funds can be sent from Web browsers, mail clients and even mobile phones.
  ...

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19:28
Briefly: OtterBox's Preserver Series, PDFpen...
MacNN

Protective accessories manufacturer OtterBox has announced the release of its latest rugged smartphone case line, the Preserver Series. The Preserver Series is promoted as being fully waterproof -- withstanding submersion in water up to 6.6 feet for 30 minutes -- as well as dust and drop proof. The cases fit the iPhone 5, and will be coming soon for iPhone 5s, 5c and Samsung Galaxy S4 as well....
  ...

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19:00
Apple asking devs to submit OS X Mavericks apps
TUAW

Apple has asked developers to begin submitting OS X Mavericks-optimized apps. On Apple's official News and Announcements page for developers, the company said:

Submit your OS X Mavericks apps today.

Make sure your app takes advantage of the great new features in OS X Mavericks when the world's most advanced desktop operating system becomes available to millions of customers later this fall. Download OS X Mavericks GM seed and Xcode 5.0.1 GM seed, now available on the Mac Dev Center. Build your apps with these latest seeds, then test and submit them to the Mac App Store.

The timing of the request correlates to Apple's announcement today that it is holding another product launch event on October 22. Though the latest Mac Pro and MacBook Pros are expected to be announced (along with new iPads), it's unlikely that OS X Mavericks will ship that day...

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19:00
Apple calling for Mavericks-compatible app...
MacNN

In a further sign that OS X Mavericks (10.9) will debut on October 22 at the now-confirmed Apple Special Event, the company has sent out a notice for developers to prepare their apps for the debut of the new OS X upgrade, and submit them for review in the Mac App Store. Developers can obtain access to both the "Golden Master" of OS X Mavericks as well as a new Xcode 5.0.1 GM seed with which they can compile, test and submit updates and new applications....
  ...

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18:29
Apple files appeal to broaden ITC import ban against...
AppleInsider

In a court filing made last week, it was revealed that Apple has officially lodged an appeal of unfavorable decisions made by the U.S. International Trade Commission in its decision to levy an import ban against certain Samsung products.
  ...

| Read more »
18:26
Square launches Square Cash, allowing money...
9 to 5 Mac


Square has just launched a new service called Square Cash, which allows quick money transfers between any two parties using through an email. Contrary to what you might be expecting, you don’t need to sign up or get all of your friends onto Square Cash to share funds. Instead, you just need to link a debit card to your account.

Once you’ve done that, sending an email to...

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18:08
TweetDeck for Mac updated with username autocomplete...
9 to 5 Mac

 

Twitter updated its TweetDeck app for Mac today with a few new enhancements. The new version finally adds support for autocompletion of usernames when mentioning other users. Also new in the latest version is an in-line reply composer that allows you to create replies to tweets right in your timeline without having to open a new tweet panel.

Speaking of the tweet composer, it has been overhauled in this version. Instead of a popup window, the new composer has a column of its own with all of the usual options. The panel closes automatically as you send a tweet, but can be optionally set to stay open at all times, making composing a new tweet a much quicker process. In-line replies can also be “popped out” to the composer panel to apply additional options like scheduling. The new...

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18:06
In Search of a Virtual Keyboard App
AllThingsD

Q:

I’m a former BlackBerry user who has been struggling with the virtual keyboard on his Droid for years. I considered the new BlackBerry, whose virtual keyboard you praised, but want a phone supported by more app developers. I would appreciate your advice on which keyboard app is easiest to operate now.

A:

The keyboard app I personally find best on Android is called SwiftKey, which replaces the stock keyboard on Android wherever it appears. It does a particularly good job of learning your writing habits and predicting what word is likeliest to come next. It can even sync these personal predictions across your Android devices.

Q:

With iGoogle going away in a few weeks, what is your recommendation on a good replacement site?

A:

There are a number of sites...

| Read more »
18:02
Amped Wireless adds to 802.11ac portfolio with APA20...
MacNN

Wi-Fi communication product maker Amped Wireless today announced the launch of the APA20 High Power 700 milliwatts (mW) Dual Band AC Access Point, an 802.11ac wireless access point designed to deliver long range wireless access for existing home and business networks....
  ...

| Read more »
18:00
Twitter updates TweetDeck for Mac
TUAW

Twitter has updated TweetDeck, its OS X app for power-users. The app makes it easy for users to manage multiple Twitter accounts, sift through and search tweets, and track real-time conversations. It's frequently used by social media administrators whose sole job it is to monitor and tweet under a company's Twitter profile.

The new features in TweetDeck 3.3.3 offer some significant improvements that power-users of the app have been asking for for some time. They revolve around the apps ability to Tweet, send DMs, and preview images. From the release notes:

  • Write Tweets in docked panel on the left with an option to keep it open all the time
  • Reply to Tweets easily and quickly using inline reply
  • Preview images in the New Tweet panel before sharing them
  • Typeahead suggestions for usernames and hashtags

...

| Read more »
17:40
Java for OS X 2013-005 and Java for Mac OS X 10.6...
TidBITS

Fixes multiple security vulnerabilities while also uninstalling Apple’s Java applet plug-in from all Web browsers. (Free, 64 MB for 2013-005 and 69.5 MB for Update 17)

 

Read the full article at TidBITS, the oldest continuously published technology publication on the Internet. To get a full-text RSS feed, help support our work and become a TidBITS member! Members also enjoy an ad-free version of our Web site, email delivery of individual articles, the ability to make long comments with live links, and discounts on Take Control orders and other Apple-related products.

| Read more »
17:30
Kickstarter to reunite original members of the...
TUAW

A Kickstarter campaign to reunite the original members of the Homebrew Computer Club humbly began last week with a project goal of $16,000. As of Tuesday afternoon, the Kickstarter campaign had easily eclipsed its $16,000 target with approximately $36,539 pledged from 353 backers.

This is particularly cool because event organizers previously indicated that if they reach the $30,000 mark, they'd be able to hire a professional photographer to document the event and license the photos under Creative Commons. If the campaign is able to hit the $40,000 mark by October 29, a professional videographer will be commissioned to create a "micro documentary" of the event.

What's notable about this Kickstarter campaign, aside from the fact that nerds are willing to plunk down big money in...

| Read more »
17:00
Seene lets you take and share 3D images from your...
TUAW

Seene is a clever and free iPhone app that lets you capture an object or person in 3 dimensions. It's not the 3D you get from taking 2 images that are horizontally displaced, but instead you move left and right, up and down while the camera is running, which produces an image that you can explore from different angles by either moving your phone or swiping your finger on the image.

If you like the result, you can share your image through a web portal, or upload it to Twitter or Facebook. The 3D images can be viewed on most modern browsers that support WebGL, including Safari, Chrome and Firefox.

How does it work? Really well, impressively so. Point the iPhone camera at an object or a person and you see a lot of little dots on your screen defining the object. If those dots aren't visible, your subject does not stand out enough from the background and...

| Read more »
16:59
Apple updates Java, removes Java plugin
MacFixIt

Apple is progressively moving away from supporting its in-house developed Java runtime for OS X.

| Read more »
16:30
Google updates Google Maps for iOS with enhanced...
TUAW

Google today rolled out a Google Maps for iOS update that features enhanced navigation options along with language support for both Arabic and Hebrew.

The update is version 2.3.4 and checks in at a respectable 12.8 MB. The full changelog for the update reads:

What's New in Version 2.3.4

● Faster access to navigation, complete with route and traffic overview

● Tips and Tricks available in the side menu

● Arabic and Hebrew now supported, including voice guidance in navigation, where available

● Bug fixes

Google updates Google Maps for iOS with enhanced navigation and language options originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 15 Oct 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our...

| Read more »
16:20
Apple files appeal on portions of ITC ruling against...
MacNN

Despite the current government shutdown, an International Trade Commission lawyer has filed a notice of Apple's intent to appeal unfavorable portions of the company's ITC win against Samsung back in August. Though the ruling awarded Apple a victory in declaring that Samsung had infringed on multiple Apple patents -- resulting in an embargo against mostly-now-discontinued Samsung smartphone models -- the iPhone maker is still pushing for a broader ban that includes more patents....
 ...

| Read more »
16:17
Apple calls for OS X Mavericks app submissions in...
AppleInsider

In a notice sent out on Tuesday, Apple requests developers prepare for the impending OS X 10.9 Mavericks rollout by testing apps with the latest Golden Master build before submitting their software to the Mac App Store for review.
  ...

| Read more »

Rumor Scanner

Tuesday October 15

23:14
Cupertino City Council Gives Unanimous Approval for Apple...
MacRumors

Following approval of Apple's plans for its new "spaceship campus" by the City of Cupertino's Planning Commission earlier this month, the full Cupertino City Council has just given its unanimous approval to the project at its October meeting.

Today's approval is final pending any petitions for reconsideration, which must be filed within ten calendar days. If no petitions are received within that period, Apple will be granted ancillary permits to begin demolition of the former HP campus currently located on the site, as well as utility relocation, tree removal, and construction of a temporary sound wall. The formal agreement between Apple and the City of Cupertino must be given a second public reading, scheduled for the council's...

| Read more »
18:55
Samsung Set to Deliver Smartphone's with Built-In Wir...
Patently Apple

Samsung tried to beat Apple to market with a fingerprint scanner for their Note 3 in September and failed. Yet Samsung was so determined to beat Apple at something this year so as to validate their false innovative leadership title, that they rushed a smartwatch to market. They were jumping at Apple's shadow fearing that Apple had one for their September iPhone Event. We called Samsung's Gear smartwatch a disaster in our report and in October the Wall St. Journal's David Pogue agreed with us by calling Samsung's smartwatch a Human Interface train wreck. So what is one of Samsung's next big move's for 2014 to show that they're the undisputed leader in the mobile industry? Well, according to a new report out today, one of Samsung's next moves will revolve around wireless charging solutions. Will Samsung get a big leap on Apple on this front? Our report sheds a little light on this matter and shows you what Samsung is up to.

| Read more »
16:27
Apple to Hold Simultaneous Satellite Event in London for O...
MacRumors

Earlier today Apple sent out invitations to its October 22 media event, which is expected to focus on the fifth-generation iPad and the iPad mini 2. The event will be held at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, but as it did with the iPhone launch, Apple plans to stream the proceedings to a separate London satellite event that international media members have been invited to attend (via 9to5Mac).

For the iPhone event, Apple sent out invitations to media in Berlin, Tokyo, and Beijing, hosting satellite launches in each country. Each event featured a video stream of the...

| Read more »
15:49
Apple Asks Developers to Update Apps for Mavericks Ahead o...
MacRumors

Apple has asked developers to submit apps that take advantage of new features in OS X Mavericks.
Make sure your app takes advantage of the great new features in OS X Mavericks when the world’s most advanced desktop operating system becomes available to millions of customers later this fall. Download OS X Mavericks GM seed and Xcode 5.0.1 GM seed, now available on the Mac Dev Center. Build your apps with these latest seeds, then test and submit them to the Mac App Store.At the beginning of October, Apple began training its AppleCare staff on OS X Mavericks and the company has publicly stated the OS will be coming later "this fall".

The release of the new OS is expected to be announced during the...

| Read more »
14:10
New Apple Retail Chief Was Highly Involved in Burberry...
MacRumors

Earlier today, Apple announced the hiring of Angela Ahrendts, the current CEO of Burberry, as its new head of the company's retail and online efforts. Now, more details are coming out about how she was hired and some of her activities at Burberry that could be useful at Apple going forward.

Former Wall Street Journal reporter Jessica Lessin, who now blogs on her own site, writes that Ahrendts loves watches and rolled out a high-end watch brand under her tenure at Burberry. This retailing experience could have an impact if Apple, as is rumored, introduces some sort of smart watch product.
I also hear she took particular interest in the watch retailing space in Burberry stores....

| Read more »
12:24
Ireland May End Apple Tax Residency Loophole
MacRumors

Ireland may shut down a tax loophole that allowed Apple to avoid declaring itself a tax resident in any country, reports The Street.

Apple, which currently has multiple subsidiary companies in the Irish city of Cork (Apple Operations International (AOI) Apple Operations Europe, Apple Operations, Apple Sales International and Apple Distribution International), is able to move money around the world without tax penalties because companies managed and controlled abroad but located in Ireland are not subjected to taxes."The second measure to be included in the Finance Bill is a change to our company residence rules aimed at eliminating mismatches – that can exist between tax treaty partners in certain circumstances – being used to allow companies to be ‘stateless’ in terms of their place of tax residence," the country said in a press release on Tuesday....

| Read more »
09:47
Apple Getting Aggressive with iPhone 4S Pricing in India
Patently Apple

As Q4 began we reported that Apple would soon be slugging it out in the trenches with Samsung and other smartphone rivals as Apple's lead in India, Maneesh Dhir, and telecom business chief, Sanjay Kaul, would be rapidly increasing the pace of growth in India via a new Shop-in-Shop retail strategy. Today we learn that Apple ...

| Read more »
09:07
Apple on Target to Hit 50% of North American Smartphone Tr...
Patently Apple

Apple’s release of two new iPhone models on September 20, 2013 was the company’s latest salvo in the smartphone market. The two respective models, the iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C, were aimed to appeal to different sets of customers with two separate price points and some feature differences. Initial domestic sales estimates for both devices have been positive, and based on the latest usage figures, the iPhone 5S and 5C have already made a significant impact on the iPhone ecosystem.

| Read more »
09:02
Apple Sends Out Invitations for October 22 Media Event
MacRumors

In line with its usual timing, Apple has just issued media invitations for its October 22 media event where the company is expected to introduce its next-generation iPad and iPad mini models and offer a number of Mac-related announcements, reports AllThingsD.

The October 22 date was first reported by AllThingsD earlier this month, and was quickly confirmed by the The Loop's ever-reliable Jim Dalrymple.

The AllThingsD report claimed that event will focus on the iPad updates, but that OS X Mavericks and the redesigned Mac Pro will also be featured at the event. Apple is due to release a number of other product updates, perhaps most notably new MacBook Pros, but it is apparently still unclear whether those updates will be a part of next week's event.

Recent Mac and iOS Blog...

| Read more »
07:48
Tim Cook's Email to Employees on Hiring Burberry CEO...
MacRumors

Following Apple's announcement that it is hiring Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts to head up its retail and online store effort, CEO Tim Cook has sent an email to employees announcing the hire and giving some additional thoughts on Ahrendts and the hiring process. The full email has been posted by 9to5Mac.Team,

I am thrilled to announce that Angela Ahrendts will be joining Apple as a senior vice president and member of our executive team, reporting directly to me. Angela is currently the CEO of Burberry.

She will lead both our retail and online teams. I have wanted one person to lead both of these teams for some time because I believe it will better serve our customers, but I had never...

| Read more »
07:13
Flextronics Hiring 1,700 Workers in Austin for 'Next...
MacRumors

The Austin American-Statesman reports that Flextronics America is currently in the middle of a hiring effort that will see the company employing as many as 1,700 workers to build a "next generation desktop computer" at the company's facilities in Austin, Texas. While Flextronics will not reveal the identity of the computer or the company behind it, speculation naturally points toward Apple's radically redesigned Mac Pro.Flextronics America, which has ramped up hiring and spent tens of millions of dollars to renovate its Northwest Austin factory over the past two years, will start manufacturing a "next generation desktop computer" at the upgraded plant, according to a presentation it filed Monday with Travis County commissioners.

The document, part of a push by the computer and electronics manufacturer to have its Central Texas facilities...

| Read more »
06:57
Apple Hires Brilliant Retail Star to Expand Apple Stores
Patently Apple

Late yesterday Apple announced that Angela Ahrendts, CEO of Burberry, would be joining Apple in a newly created position, as a senior vice president and member of our executive team, reporting to CEO Tim Cook.

| Read more »
06:22
Updated MacBook Pros, iPads, and Mac Pro All Reportedly Ex...
MacRumors

Apple is set to release refreshed MacBook Pro models, new iPads, and the newly designed Mac Pro all by mid-November, according to French website MacGeneration [Google Translate]. The report shares target dates for each new product, with the new MacBook Pros with Intel's Haswell processors expected to be released on October 24 or 25, the iPad 5 and iPad mini 2 on October 30 or 31, and the release of the Mac Pro expected on November 15.

The website's projection for a new line of MacBook Pros is somewhat likely, with both the...

| Read more »
05:53
Apple Granted 41 Patents Covering Multitouch Event Handlin...
Patently Apple

The US Patent and Trademark Office officially published a series of 41 newly granted patents for Apple Inc. today. Our report briefly covers Apple's patents relating to multitouch event handling, iDevice security and a new method of stir welding used in the manufacturing of iDevices. Our report also covers 3 design patents and a master list of the remaining patents that we didn't elaborate on in our report.

| Read more »

Monday October 14

23:35
Apple Hires Angela Ahrendts as Senior Vice President of Re...
MacRumors

Apple announced that they have hired Angela Ahrendts, CEO of Burberry, as Senior Vice President of Retail and Online Stores. According to the press release, Ahrendts will have oversight of the strategic direction, expansion and operation of both Apple retail and online stores.“I am thrilled that Angela will be joining our team,” said Cook. “She shares our values and our focus on innovation, and she places the same strong emphasis as we do on the customer experience. She has shown herself to be an extraordinary leader throughout her career and has a proven track record.”Ahrendts will join Apple in the spring.

Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
• New App Bypasses Snapchat Screenshot...

| Read more »
16:50
Valve Demonstrates New Handheld Gaming Controller, Will Be...
MacRumors

Valve has released a video demonstrating its Steam Controller, a handheld gaming controller that will eventually be compatible with many Steam games, including popular titles like Portal, Counterstrike and Team Fortress.

The Steam Controller is designed to work with all the games on Steam: past, present, and future. Even the older titles in the catalog and the ones which were not built with controller support. (We’ve fooled those older games into thinking they’re being played with a keyboard and mouse, but we’ve designed a gamepad that’s nothing like either one of those devices.) We think you’ll agree that we’re onto something with the Steam ControllerThe Steam Controller includes a touch screen in the center of the device with a pair of trackpads around the outside using "super-precise" haptic...

| Read more »
14:37
Samsung Dominates Mobile Market in Phablet-Heavy South Kor...
MacRumors

As Samsung's home country of South Korea approaches connected device saturation, Apple's share of the market is dwarfed by Samsung's share, according to a new report from mobile analytics firm Flurry.

Of a total of 33,527,534 active smartphones and tablets in South Korea, Apple iPads and iPhones make up 14 percent. Samsung devices, including larger phone/tablet hybrids, make up 60 percent of all connected devices. LG and Pantech are also popular in the country, with 10 and 15 percent share, respectively.

Based on rapid device adoption in 2011 and 2012 and slowing adoption numbers in 2013, Flurry suggests South Korea is the first market to approach connected device saturation, serving as an early indicator of what smartphone adoption might look like in other worldwide markets as mobile market growth begins to slow.As shown in the graph,...

| Read more »
11:02
HTC Launches One Max Smartphone, Fingerprint Sensor Garner...
MacRumors

HTC today unveiled its newest device, the HTC One max, a 5.9-inch smartphone that includes a dedicated fingerprint sensor. Unlike the convenient home button location of the fingerprint sensor in the iPhone 5s, the One max’s sensor is located on the back of the device, near the camera.

The sensor is activated via a swipe and can be programmed to recognize three different fingers. Each finger can be tied to a different function, allowing quick access to frequently used apps. One finger, for example, can unlock the phone, while another might open up the camera.

While that sounds useful in theory, reviews of the HTC One max have likened its fingerprint sensor to little more than a gimmick. While the iPhone 5s received rave reviews for the Touch ID’s utility and ease of use, the One max...

| Read more »
10:31
Third-Party Cases for Next iPad Mini Suggest Slight Thicke...
MacRumors

Some Chinese case-makers expect the new iPad mini to be roughly 0.3mm thicker than the current model, going from 7.2mm to 7.5mm, according to a report from Mac Otakara. The cases also indicate the device will be 0.2mm wider, growing from 134.7mm to some 134.9mm.

A number of iPad mini backplates, supposedly from the new device, have leaked over the past few months, with no hint that the size of the new mini will be different from the old one. However, given the small size changes in the new report -- only 0.3mm difference in thickness -- it would likely take a micrometer to notice any change.

The third-...

| Read more »
07:21
The iPhone 5S is Temporarily Doubling Sales of the iPhone...
Patently Apple

According to a new Consumer Intelligence Research (CIRP) report, the iPhone 5S has outsold the iPhone 5C more than 2 to 1. Yet it's far too early to know which iPhone model will be the holiday season winner as there are still too many factors holding back iPhone 5C sales at this moment.

| Read more »

Documentation Scanner

Tuesday October 15

14:50
Submit your OS X Mavericks apps today.
iPhone Devel...

Make sure your app takes advantage of the great new features in OS X Mavericks when the world’s most advanced desktop operating system becomes available to millions of customers later this fall. Download OS X Mavericks GM seed and Xcode 5.0.1 GM seed, now available on the Mac Dev Center. Build your apps with these latest seeds, then test and submit them to the Mac App Store. Learn more.

| Read more »
14:50
Submit your OS X Mavericks apps today.
ADC Headline...

Make sure your app takes advantage of the great new features in OS X Mavericks when the world’s most advanced desktop operating system becomes available to millions of customers later this fall. Download OS X Mavericks GM seed and Xcode 5.0.1 GM seed, now available on the Mac Dev Center. Build your apps with these latest seeds, then test and submit them to the Mac App Store. Learn more.

| Read more »
13:35
OS X: Printer and scanner software available for...
Apple - All...

Learn about which printer and scanner models are supported, and what third-party vendor software is available for download using Software Update.

| Read more »
13:23
Java for OS X 2013-005: How to re-enable the Apple-...
Apple - All...

Learn how to re-enable the Apple-provided Java SE 6 Java SE 6 web plug-in and Web Start functionality.

| Read more »
13:21
About Java for OS X 2013-005
Apple - All...

Java for OS X 2013-005 delivers improved security, reliability, and compatibility for Java SE 6. Java for OS X 2013-005 supersedes all previous versions of Java for OS X.

| Read more »
13:18
About Java for Mac OS X v10.6 Update 17
Apple - All...

Java for Mac OS X v10.6 Update 17 delivers improved security, reliability, and compatibility for Java SE 6. This update enables per-website control of the Java plug-in within Safari 5.1.9 or later, and supersedes all previous versions of Java for Mac OS X v10.6.

| Read more »
13:06
TA13-288A: Microsoft Updates for Multiple...
US-CERT Aler...

Original release date: October 15, 2013
Systems Affected

  • Windows Operating System and Components
  • Microsoft .NET Framework
  • Microsoft Server Software
  • Microsoft Office
  • Microsoft Silverlight
  • Internet Explorer

 

Overview

Select Microsoft software products contain multiple vulnerabilities. Microsoft has released updates to address these vulnerabilities.

 

Description

The Microsoft Security Bulletin Summary for October 2013 describes multiple vulnerabilities in Microsoft software. Microsoft has released updates to address these vulnerabilities.

Impact

These vulnerabilities could allow remote code execution or information disclosure.

 

Solution

Apply Updates

Microsoft has provided updates for these vulnerabilities in the...

| Read more »
11:29
Files Not Showing For Xsan Clients When Uploaded...
318 Tech Jou...

There is a problem with Xsan when using AFP or SMB heads in front of volumes, where when a user uploads or adds a file to the volume, the file is not readily available/visible to all users. This issue doesn’t occur every time a file is uploaded and nor does it cause files to actually disappear, only to need the user to restart their Finder in order to be able to see the object.

We’ve been using this freeware app as a workaround until Apple comes up with a patch: https://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/24714/refresh-finder

| Read more »
11:28
JAMF Nation User Conference 2013 (Day 1)
AFP548

If you’ve been following the #JNUC twitter hashtag you’ll know that the first morning of the 2013 JNUC has been a busy one! Chip Pearson, CEO and Managing Director of JAMF Software, started off the morning with a captivating keynote. This is my 3rd year attending the JNUC and in that time the attendance has gone from 300 to 1100 administrators here. The wealth of information in this building is astounding! The other really interesting statistic that Chip highlighted for us all is how many Macs and iPads have been sold exclusively into education and enterprise in the last few years – and with this how many new jobs for Mac (or iOS) Sys Admins have been created! There’s going to be a lot of new faces appearing in the coming years and JAMF certainly wants to strengthen the community and lower the learning curve for them.

Big props out to Ben Toms, Don Montalvo and Mike Morales – they’re now proud owners of the highly coveted JAMF Hoodie for their contribution to the...

| Read more »
11:12
Set a special ringtone for a contact.
Apple - All...

In Contacts, choose a contact, tap Edit, then tap Ringtone. Select the ringtone you'd like to hear when that person calls.

| Read more »
07:00
Use awk To Display Lines That Exceed A Number of...
krypted

The number of characters n a line of text can be a difficult thing to calculate in a given app. If you have data in a text file, you can use awk to view the number of characters in a given line of the file. This is very helpful, for example, if you have code that you’ve put into documentation that exceeds the character maximum and therefore wraps. When going to print, you need to split these lines up.

Here, we’re going to use the awk command to review all lines that exceed 56 characters:

awk 'length($0) > 56' ~/Repo/Chapter1.xml

| Read more »
06:00
Use dseditgroup to allow users access to services (...
Mac OS X Hin...

Want to add a user to a specific group using the command line? dseditgroup is your friend! Add users, or groups, to a group you create or system groups which control access to services.

Make sure to insert your local admin's short name (localadmin) and the user (username) or group (groupname) you're trying to add.

Remote Login (SSH)
User: dseditgroup -o edit -n /Local/Default -u localadmin -p -a username -t user com.apple.access_ssh
Group: dseditgroup -o edit -n /Local/Default -u localadmin -p -a groupname -t group com.apple.access_ssh

Screen Sharing
User: dseditgroup -o edit -n /Local/Default -u localadmin -p -a username -t user com.apple.access_screensharing
Group: dseditgroup -o edit -n /Local/Default -u localadmin -p -a groupname -t group com.apple.access_screensharing

Print Administrators
User: dseditgroup -o edit -n /Local/Default -u localadmin -p -a username -t user _lpadmin
Group: dseditgroup -o edit -n /...

| Read more »

Monday October 14

08:39
iAd Producer 4.0.2: iBooks Author Widget Tester 1.0....
Apple - All...

iBooks Author Widget Tester 1.0.2 may not open on a device after the device has been updated to iOS 7.

| Read more »
08:39
iAd Producer 4.1: iAd Tester does not update when...
Apple - All...

When you use iOS 6.x Simulator, iAd Tester does not install.

| Read more »
06:00
Configure Exchange Mailbox Database Maintenance...
krypted

Exchange databases need maintenance. This maintenance defragments the databases, reindexes the databases and performs other tasks necessary for long-term sustainability of the databases.

To configure maintenance, open the Exchange Management Console and then under Organization Configuration select Mailbox.


At the Database Management tab, double-click on the database to schedule maintenance for and click on the Maintenance tab. Here, check the box for Enable background maintenance and then select one of the schedules for which Exchange maintenance occurs. This schedules a nightly database maintenance window where Exchange Server can perform the necessary operations on a given database.

Alternatively, if you have a lot of databases or need to batch change these things, or just want to do so through PowerShell ’cause you’re that...

| Read more »

Sunday October 13

07:00
Obtain UPN from PowerShell
krypted

A UserPrincipalName (or UPN) is an attribute that contains an Internet-style login name for a user based on the Internet standard RFC 822. The UPN is used for a lot of different tasks, notably for Kerberos/Single Sign-On. As such, there are a lot of scripts that can now key off of a UPN.

You can use the Get-ADUser cmdlet to query accounts for the UserPrincipalName attribute. To do so, we’re going to -Filter our results to display everyone (although we could include a username to only get one user) and then define the Search Base (using -SearchBase) to refine where in the query that the search will begin. Use the –Properties parameter followed by the userPrincipalName attribute (or whatever attribute you might be curious to query from). I specify the SearchBase of the organizational unit (OU), and I use the * filter. This is shown here:

Get-ADUser -Filter * -SearchBase 'ou=Users,dc=krypted,dc=com' -Properties userPrincipalName

Overall, we’re specifically looking...

| Read more »

Saturday October 12

07:00
Xsan Guide
krypted

I’ve published a guide to managing Xsan at http://krypted.com/guides/xsan. This guide is a collection of older articles and a couple that I haven’t yet published (for obvious reasons). I hope you find it helpful, once complete (it’s almost there, just waiting for a little while).

| Read more »

Friday October 11

09:48
Apple TV: Using the onscreen keyboard
Apple - All...

Learn how to use the Apple TV onscreen keyboard.

| Read more »
07:10
Shell script to delete all printers
Mac OS X Hin...

The following shell script will delete all printers.
Make sure the file is executable after you create it (chmod ugo+x /path/to/delPrinters.sh).

#!/bin/sh

for printer in `lpstat -p | awk '{print $2}'`
do
echo Deleting $printer
lpadmin -x $printer
done

| Read more »
06:00
Using the xsanadmin Command
krypted

There are some commands where you just have to wonder why. Sure, I see what this command does, but why bother? Well, I’m not going to say that xsanadmin is one of those commands, but I’m not going to say that it isn’t. At first glance, you might think that the list, stop, start and other verbs look promising. Like maybe you can actually administer a volume from a much simpler to use command line interface. However, if you want a quick and dirty of what xsanadmin does, look no further than just running the command without any verbs or operators:

xsanadmin

The result is help information from the serveradmin command:

Usage: serveradmin [-dhvx] [list | start | stop | status | fullstatus | settings | command] [ [ = ]]
-h, --help display this message
-v, --version display version info
-d, --debug print command
-x, --xml print output as XML plist
Examples:
serveradmin list
--Lists all services
serveradmin start afp...

| Read more »
01:04
Update to iOS 7.
Apple - All...

In Settings, tap General, and then tap Software Update. Follow the onscreen instructions to download and install iOS 7.
After installation, the iOS 7 assistant will guide you through set up.
More: How to update your iPhone

| Read more »
00:56
Block calls and messages.
Apple - All...

You will not receive phone calls, FaceTime calls, or text messages from callers on your block list.

Pull up the caller’s contact info by tapping the in Recents in Phone or FaceTime, or tapping Contact in Messages
Tap Block this Caller and confirm

More: Understanding call and message blocking

| Read more »

Technology Showcase

Sep 17
Video showcases iOS app built with Xojo

Xojo Inc., the company formerly known as Real Software, has posted a video of an iOS app that was built with Xojo. Xojo is an object-oriented, cross-platform software development tool that enables developers to create software for OS X, Windows, Linux, the web and mobile.

The video showcases all the native controls and gives an overview of Xojo's support for building iOS apps. Building native iOS apps with Xojo is the same as building a web or desktop app as you do today. You can view the video at http://tinyurl.com/nvexpk7 .

Developers can use the Integrated Development Environment (IDE) of Xojo for free, and will only need to purchase a license once they want to build a distributable version of their application. Licenses are purchased per target platform, including Web, Desktop, Database, Console, and Xojo Pro, which is a bundle license that includes all deployment licenses plus an added...

| Read more »
Feb 14
A look at SkySafari for iOS, Mac OS X and 2012 DA14

This Friday, Feb. 15, a 180,000-ton asteroid with the thrilling name of "2012 DA14" will fly past the Earth. Don't worry, we're not talking a "Deep Impact" scenario. Which is good, right? And you can follow the asteroid using Apple devices.

The 50-meter space rock will come within 17,200 miles of earth -- that's closer than our orbiting geosynchronous communication satellites. Although we don't have to worry about a collision, the passage of 2012 DA14 is a record close approach to the Earth for an object of this size.

Southern Stars has released update to its SkySafari Plus and Pro apps for iOS, Mac OS X, and Android to let you track 2012 DA14. If you want to track the asteroid you'll want the updated apps. Why? Because the Earth's gravity affects the asteroid's orbit so severely, most desktop planetarium programs -- and all other mobile apps -- will completely fail to predict the asteroid's position correctly, says Southern Stars founder Tim DeBenedictis.

...

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Jan 05
Fusion Drive now available on entry-level iMacs

Apple's Fusion Drive Apple is available as a build-to-order option for the 21.5-inch, 2.7GHz 21.5-inch iMac model. Previously, it was only offered for the high-end 21.5-inchers and the 27-inch iMac.

Apple says the Fusion Drive gives customers the performance of flash storage and the capacity of a hard drive. It combines 128GB of flash with a standard 1TB or 3TB hard drive to create a single storage volume that intelligently manages files to optimize read and write performance. Apple says the Fusion Drive adapts to the way you use your iMac and automatically moves the files and apps you use most often to flash storage to enable faster performance and quicker access.

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

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

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

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Dec 16
Appcelerator offers '4 Steps to creating a mobile...

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

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

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

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Sep 19
InterMapper publishes white papers on network...

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

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

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

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Aug 11
Video tour of new Data Rescue Center headquarters...

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

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

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

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

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Mar 11
Video looks at 'Fixing Flat Color in Final Cut...

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

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

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Oct 04
Video showcases Zco's services

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Software Updates via MacUpdate

VirtualBox 4.3.0 - x86 virtualization so...
VirtualBox is a family of powerful x86 virtualization products for enterprise as well as home use. Not only is VirtualBox an extremely feature rich, high performance product for enterprise customers... Read more
Merlin 2.9.2 - Project management softwa...
Merlin is the only native network-based collaborative Project Management solution for Mac OS X. This version offers many features propelling Merlin to the top of Mac OS X professional project... Read more
Eye Candy 7.1.0.1191 - 30 professional P...
Eye Candy renders realistic effects that are difficult or impossible to achieve in Photoshop alone, such as Fire, Chrome, and the new Lightning. Effects like Animal Fur, Smoke, and Reptile Skin are... Read more
Sound Studio 4.6.6 - Robust audio record...
Sound Studio lets you easily record and professionally edit audio on your Mac.Easily rip vinyls and digitize cassette tapes or record lectures and voice memos. Prepare for live shows with live... Read more
DiskAid 6.4.2 - Use your iOS device as a...
DiskAid is the ultimate Transfer Tool for accessing the iPod, iPhone or iPad directly from the desktop. Access Data such as: Music, Video, Photos, Contacts, Notes, Call History, Text Messages (SMS... Read more
Glims 1.0.40 - Optimize Safari with an a...
Glims adds a cocktail of features to Safari (More Search Engines, Favicons in tab labels, Chrome bookmarks, Tabs and Bookmarks improvements, Dated download folders ...) Features: Adds search... Read more
Fission 2.1.4 - Streamlined audio editor...
Fission can crop and trim audio, paste in or join files, or just rapidly split one long file into many. It's streamlined for fast editing. Plus, it works without the quality loss caused by other... Read more
doo 2.5 - A document organizer (Free)
doo is the one app for documents. It lets users access all their documents, wherever they keep them, and automatically generates intelligent tags to help users find any document in seconds. The cloud... Read more
Sandvox 2.8.6 - Easily build eye-catchin...
Sandvox is for Mac users who want to create a professional looking website quickly and easily. With Sandvox, you don't need to be a Web genius to build a stylish, feature-rich, standards-compliant... Read more
Adium 1.5.8 - Popular instant messaging...
Adium is a fast and free instant messaging client which supports AIM, ICQ, Jabber, MSN, Yahoo!, Google Talk, Yahoo! Japan, Bonjour, Gadu-Gadu, Novell Groupwise, SIP/SIMPLE (Text), and Lotus Sametime... Read more
 

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Flipcase Turns the iPhone 5c Case into a...
Flipcase Turns the iPhone 5c Case into a Game of Connect Four Posted by Andrew Stevens on October 15th, 2013 [ permalink ] | Read more »
Halloween – Domo Jump Gets a Halloween T...
Halloween – Domo Jump Gets a Halloween Themed Level and New Costumes Posted by Andrew Stevens on October 15th, 2013 [ permalink ] | Read more »
Block Fortress War is Set to Bring a Mix...
Block Fortress War is Set to Bring a Mix of MOBA, RTS, and Block Building Gameplay To iOS This December Posted by Andrew Stevens on October 15th, 2013 [ | Read more »
Empire Review
Empire Review By Campbell Bird on October 15th, 2013 Our Rating: :: THE DECK IS STACKED AGAINST YOUUniversal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad Rule an empire for as long as possible in this rouge-like, deck-builder, 4X mash-up of... | Read more »
GungHo and SoftBank Purchase the Majorit...
GungHo and SoftBank Purchase the Majority Share in Finnish Company Supercell Posted by Andrew Stevens on October 15th, 2013 [ permalink ] GungHo Online Entertainment and Japanese | Read more »
The Portable Podcast, Episode 205
Use the Force, Captain America! On This Episode: Carter talks with Mel Kirk of Zen Studios about the new tables for Star Wars Pinball. 148Apps’ resident pinball aficionado Blake Grundman tags along for the ride to ask the really nerdy questions. Two... | Read more »
har•mo•ny Review
har•mo•ny Review By Rob Rich on October 15th, 2013 Our Rating: :: SWATCH THISUniversal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad har•mo•ny’s core gameplay can get rather repetitive over extended periods, but it’s a relaxing little time-... | Read more »
Apple Still Has Lots to Cover, Announces...
Apple Still Has Lots to Cover, Announces New Event for October 22nd Posted by Andrew Stevens on October 15th, 2013 [ permalink ] | Read more »
Quirky Hacking RPG Nameless: The Hackers...
Quirky Hacking RPG Nameless: The Hackers Goes Free for a Limited Time Only Posted by Rob Rich on October 15th, 2013 [ permalink ] | Read more »
Angry Birds Go! is a New Downhill Racer...
Angry Birds Go! is a New Downhill Racer Featuring Everyone’s Favorite Birds. Seriously. Posted by Rob Rich on October 15th, 2013 [ permalink ] The birds are back (again)! | Read more »
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Price Scanner via MacPrices.net

Apple’s 64-bit A7 Processor: One Step Closer...
PC Pro’s Darien Graham-Smith reported that Canonical founder and Ubuntu Linux creator Mark Shuttleworth believes Apple intends to follow Ubuntu’s lead and merge its desktop and mobile operating... Read more
MacBook Pro First, Followed By iPad At The En...
French site Info MacG’s Florian Innocente says he has received availability dates and order of arrival for the next MacBook Pro and the iPad from the same contact who had warned hom of the arrival of... Read more
Chart: iPad Value Decline From NextWorth
With every announcement of a new Apple device, serial upgraders begin selling off their previous models – driving down the resale value. So, with the Oct. 22 Apple announcement date approaching,... Read more
SOASTA Survey: What App Do You Check First in...
SOASTA Inc., the leader in cloud and mobile testing announced the results of its recent survey showing which mobile apps are popular with smartphone owners in major American markets. SOASTA’s survey... Read more
Apple, Samsung Reportedly Both Developing 12-...
Digitimes’ Aaron Lee and Joseph Tsai report that Apple and Samsung Electronics are said to both be planning to release 12-inch tablets, and that Apple is currently cooperating with Quanta Computer on... Read more
Apple’s 2011 MacBook Pro Lineup Suffering Fro...
Appleinsider’s Shane Cole says that owners of early-2011 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pros are reporting issues with those models’ discrete AMD graphics processors, which in some cases results in the... Read more
Global Notebook Shipments To Grow Less Than 3...
Digitimes Research’s Joanne Chien reports that Taiwan’s notebook shipments grew only 2.5% sequentially, and dropped 8.6% year-over-year in the third quarter despite the fact that notebook ODMs have... Read more
New Google HP Chromebook 11 The First Noteboo...
Analogix Semiconductor, Inc. has announced that the new HP Chromebook 11 ultraportable notebooks feature built-in SlimPort interface solution, which allows users to connect with high-resolution HDTVs... Read more
21″ 2.7GHz iMac on sale for $1199, save $100
 Best Buy has new 21″ 2.7GHz iMacs on sale for $1199.99 on their online store. Their price is $100 off MSRP, and it’s the lowest price available for this model. Choose free local store pickup or free... Read more
Mac mini on sale for $549, save $50
B&H Photo has the 2.5GHz Mac mini on sale for $549.99 including free shipping. That’s $50 off MSRP, and B&H will also include a free copy of Parallels Desktop software. NY sales tax only. Read more
 

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Senior Mac / *Apple* Systems Engineer - 318...
318 Inc, a top provider of Apple solutions is seeking a new Senior Apple Systems Engineer to be based out of our Santa Monica, California location. We are a Read more
*Apple* Retail - Manager - Apple Inc. (Unite...
Job Summary Keeping an Apple Store thriving requires a diverse set of leadership skills, and as a Manager, you’re a master of them all. In the store’s fast-paced, Read more
*Apple* Solutions Consultant - Apple (United...
**Job Summary** Apple Solutions Consultant (ASC) - Retail Representatives Apple Solutions Consultants are trained by Apple on selling Apple -branded products Read more
Associate *Apple* Solutions Consultant - Ap...
**Job Summary** The Associate ASC is an Apple employee who serves as an Apple brand ambassador and influencer in a Reseller's store. The Associate ASC's role is to Read more
*Apple* Solutions Consultant (ASC) - Apple (...
**Job Summary** The ASC is an Apple employee who serves as an Apple brand ambassador and influencer in a Reseller's store. The ASC's role is to grow Apple Read more

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