Discovering new music can be a challenge, but Vern Seward points out 2 free apps that will help in this week's Free on iTunes. NPR Music and musiXmatch. And there are more freebie as well.

It's time for Microsoft to think differently. The company announced earlier this week that it was buying Nokia. That's certainly thinking differently, but Big Redmond needs to go much further. In today's unsolicited advice column for Microsoft's board of directors, Bryan Chaffin is suggesting that Microsoft turn to Communist China for inspiration and become one company with two systems.

China Mobile will carry Apple’s iPhone 5C, according to a tweet from Wall Street Journal reporter Ian Sherr. It’s been speculated that China Mobile, the world’s largest carrier, would carry the iPhone — especially after Apple announced its Sept. 11 event at Beijing’s China World Trade Center. Apple…

Alleged photos of the iPhone 5S box were recently posted on a Chinese site. Notably, the Home Button no longer appears to have the rounded square icon — a previously rumored change. Instead, there’s a gray ring around the Home Button, which has also been rumored.

Want full-sized digital sound from your guitar or bass without the strain and hassle of lugging around a full-sized amp? The impressive (but inelegantly named) Sonoma Wire Works Guitar Jack Model 2 is stunning, but be prepared to BYOC (bring your own cable).

When you choose a topic in the Logic Pro 9 Help menu or manual viewer, the topic may not open.

Odoyo has announced its SoftEdge and Candy Combo cases for Apple’s upcoming iPhone 5C. The SoftEdge ($20) cases are translucent, with a flash ring that claims to eliminate lens flare and light bleed from photos. SoftEdge cases have a polished glossy texture on the back for grip, and they…

Judge Denise Cote followed through on her plan to hobble Apple's position in the ebook market on Friday by imposing a permanent injunction on the company that limits it's ability to negotiate contracts with publishers and tosses out some of the provisions in the contracts the iPhone and iPad maker has already signed.

The Mac Observer Spin:
Apple is now restricted from effectively competing in the ebook market. In the end that's good news for Amazon since it can continue to undersell competitors and bring in more of the book market for itself.

Ten One Design's Pogo Connect pressure sensitive stylus for the iPad just became more versatile thanks to the company's brand new interchangeable tips. The set includes three rubber nibs in different sizes, plus two brushes. The nib sizes include 4.5 mm, 6 mm and 7.3 mm, and the brushes are available as straight edge or wide angle. The Pogo uses a magnetic attachment to hold tips in place, so they're easy to swap out. The rubber nibs are sold in pairs for US$9.95, and the brush set costs $24.95.

Apple's iPhone media event isn't until next Tuesday, but rumors about what's coming after that are already circulating and they include reports that a 6-inch model is being tested in the Cupertino labs. Of course Apple is testing a 6-inch iPhone model, and they're testing other screen sizes, too, while figuring out whether or not it makes sense to add bigger or smaller screen options. That's called research and design.

Apple Inc. responded swiftly to a new report of labor abuses in its supply chain in China, saying that it is already on-site investigating the factory in question. China Labor Watch issued a report on Thursday alleging a wide variety of abuses at a factory operated by Jabil Circuit.

Learn about using Chinese, Korean, or Japanese text in your iBooks Author book.

There's something your MacBook Air or Pro probably doesn't have, and that's a carbon fiber case. That's because I haven't seen one on the market, but an enterprising young man from Dallas named Chetan Raj wants to change that. He's launched a Kickstarter project for carbon fiber cases that are custom made for Apple's full range of laptops. On the outside the case is shiny, reflective carbon fiber, and on the inside it will be held snugly in place by a foam lining that also serves to distribute the force of any impact evenly across your laptop. Mr. Raj needs funding to make it happen, however, so check out the video below and consider backing the project! There's also a ton of information on the project's Kickstarter page.

Carrier China Telecom briefly indicated that it was accepting reservations for Apple’s iPhone 5S and 5C. The message, which referenced sales of both new phones, was posted on a microblogging website and has been removed. It’s possible Apple could launch both devices in China earlier than usual, coinciding with an…

Hard Candy Cases is the latest company to unveil new cases for Apple’s upcoming iPhones, debuting its HarvestCraft Slider ($40) for iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C. The slider cases come in three different color combinations per base color package. Availability is listed…

Configure Promise VTrak RAIDs for best performance using the guidelines in this article.

With Apple's formally announced media event on September 10, the expectation is that Apple will be announcing one or more new iPhones.  Here's a handy guide to help you determine if your current iPhone is eligible for an upgrade with AT&T.

Follow the steps below to deploy Logic Pro 9 across multiple Mac systems using Apple Remote Desktop, NetInstall, or NetRestore.

Ten One Design has released a set of new interchangeable magnetic tips for its Pogo Connect stylus for iPad, selling four different packages. Ten One Design’s R1 ($10) is built for note-taking, with a thin profile. The R2 ($10) is a bit thicker, and the R3 ($10) is…

Reportedly involved in producing the iPhone 5C, Apple supplier Jabil Circuit has been accused of numerous labor violations by China Labor Watch. The watchdog group has alleged that Jabil Circuit’s factory in Wuxi, China has engaged in infringements including millions of dollars in unpaid overtime wages, more than 100…

Adobe has expanded its Creative Cloud offerings by adding a new subscription bundle geared towards photographers. The US$9.99 a month bundle includes Photoshop CC, Lightroom 5, a Behance membership, and 20GB of online storage.

The Mac Observer Spin:
It's good to see Adobe responding to user feedback. The $9.99 a month Photoshop subscription bundle is a great start, so now how about showing InDesign users some love?

Samsung's Galaxy Gear, the smartwatch that has been rumored for about half as long as Apple's iWatch. The company announced it today, and the biggest thing Bryan Chaffin gets from it is that it should have been called the Galaxy Fear.

New Trent’s iPad mini Airbender case features a fully functional keyboard, full cover protection, and it is water resistant. The iPad mini can be tilted at any angle. The keyboard separates if needed for standalone use and yet still affords good protection. The price is excellent.

LYNKtec has released a new Artist Paintbrush Tip for the TruGlide Pro stylus.  This is a replaceable tip for the original Pro stylus barrel.  It's not pressure sensitive, and it doesn't afford finer lines when drawing. Instead, it simulates the traditional soft brush experience that artists appreciate.

When setting up an email account, the iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch may display "Verifying account information" after entering your email settings and tapping the "Save" button. By default, the iPhone Mail app will try to setup the email account using SSL. If your ISP does not use SSL for the connection setup, it can take a couple of minutes for the iPhone Mail app to verify that SSL is not being used.

Three recent shipments of “set top boxes” received by Apple in August could signify a new upcoming version of its Apple TV. A blog post citing bills of lading documents notes that Apple received a 35-pound shipment from Shenzhen, China on Aug. 25 described as “Set Top Box with Communication…

Apple has invited Chinese media for a second special event, set to be held at Beijing’s China World Trade Center on September 11. Scheduled to start roughly six hours after the conclusion of Apple’s American iPhone event on September 10, it’s speculated that Apple will use the Beijing venue…

Apple will be hosting a media event in Cupertino on Tuesday, September 10, and will follow that up with a similar event in Beijing. Adding a second media event just for China sends a strong signal: Apple is serious about taking the country's smartphone market.

Financial analysis firm Cantor Fitzgerald started covering Apple's stock on Wednesday with Brian White, formerly of Topeka Capital, and his initial target price for the iPhone and iPad maker's stock is US$777.

The Mac Observer Spin:
Cantor Fitzgerald's Brian White doesn't see a problem with Apple's innovation cycle; he sees a problem with expectations.

If you read a lot of books on your iOS device, then here's a feature that you'll find useful. It lets you use more of your screen to turn to the next page, making one-handed reading a snap. In this tip, we'll cover how to turn it on (and how to access previous pages if you need to afterward).

Dave & John cruise right out of the Labor Day weekend and into your podcast stream with this week's episode of Mac Geek Gab. Topics are decided by you, and this week your questions (and their answers!) included how to create your own personal cloud on your Mac, pesky web page loading in Safari, iTunes rentals that won't start mid-flight, and more. They also continue the conversation about email encryption and answer your questions about WiFi extensions, always a popular topic this time of year. Download, press play, and enjoy!

Apple has released minor updates to its iLife apps for iOS — iPhoto, iMovie, and Garageband. The heavily skeuomorphic apps are all described by Apple as receiving compatibility and stability fixes, without additional details, and continue to run without obvious changes on iOS 6 and iOS 7. While these behind-the-scenes…

ArtRage for iPad ($5) from Ambient Design Ltd. has updated to version 1.6. The updated art studio app has enhanced stylus support, as the app now supports the Wacom Intuos Creative Stylus and TenOne Pogo Connect Stylus, in addition to the original Adonit Jot Touch. Tap and hold color…

Apple made it official on Tuesday, sending out invitations for a media event for September 10th. The invitation invokes both iOS 7 and Apple's rumored multi-color iPhone 5C, and teases, "This should brighten everyone's day."

A German Appeals Court has given back some of iCloud's functionality in the country by lifting an injunction blocking the email push delivery feature. The injunction was part of a Motorola patent infringement lawsuit that alleged the email push notification feature Apple offers iOS users relied on technologies that weren't properly licensed.

The Mac Observer Spin:
Losses like this have to sting in Google's executive offices. The price of owning Motorola Mobility keeps going up and so far there hasn't been a big payoff for that investment in the patent wars.

Following numerous leaks of rear shells and other small components, leaks of complete and boxed iPhone 5C units have hit the web. A photo of iPhone 5Cs in packaging comes from iapps.im, appearing to show a red iPhone 5C inside a plastic box. The packages appear to match those…

Microsoft is buying Nokia's cell phone business for about US$5 billion and tossing in another $2.2 billion to license the company's patents. The deal throws together two big time companies that are struggling to compete with the likes of Apple and Samsung, brings Nokia CEO Stephen Elop -- a former Microsoft executive -- back into the fold, and shows Microsoft is serious about playing in the smartphone game. All this as current Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer has announced he will step down within 12 months, although now it's looking like that may come much sooner than he thought.

It's been rumored for weeks and tested in some stores, but on Friday Apple officially launched its in-store trade in program for used iPhones. Under the program called "iPhone Reuse and Recycling Program," Apple will offer an in-store credit for used iPhones good towards the purchase of a new one. Bryan Chaffin walks you through it.

A settlement notice has gone out to customers of Apple iBooks who purchased books from Macmillan and Penguin. A $162.25 million settlement fund has been established by the publishers for minor payments to victims of ebook price collusion.

After installing Digital Camera RAW Compatibility Update 4.08, RAW files from Sony RX100 might appear optically distorted.

Finding the IPv6 address of your Mac or iPad isn't extremely difficult.  But there are a few technical wrinkles to be aware of. While OS X, with access to the command line and more disclosure in the Network System Preferences, almost nails the details, it's less straightforward with an iPad.

A judge recently dismissed a lawsuit involving claims of a faulty power button on the iPhone 4 and 4S. Two iPhone owners were seeking a national class action lawsuit, alleging that Apple and AT&T conspired to hide evidence of a defective cable that caused power button issues. But U.S. District…

Apple blocked the Java 6 and Java 7 plug-ins for the third time this year over Mac users on Thursday over more potential security threats. Mac users running versions of Java that are earlier than version 6 update 51 and version 7 update 25 can no longer run Java code on their computer until they update to a newer version.

A bug inside Apple's Core Text rendering framework has been discovered (via Hacker News), a bug that can crash apps in OS X and iOS. The issue was reported to Apple and has reportedly been fixed in iOS 7 and Mavericks, but it currently affects both iOS 6 and OS X Mountain Lion. Bryan Chaffin and Adam Christianson explain.

Parallels has released Desktop 9, the latest version of its virtualization software for OS X. Notable are: significant speed improvements, cloud support, an improved experience with Windows 8 and Linux as guest OSes, and support for OS X Mavericks and Windows 8.1.

Apple TV is experiencing an unusual outage that is preventing users from accessing the TV Shows features of the devices. As of this writing, the TV Shows icon has been missing for over an hour. A number of users have tweeted…

Algoriddim’s djay 2 has been updated for both iPhone ($2) and iPad ($10) to version 2.0.2. Both versions have added support for the Pioneer DDJ-WeGO2 DJ controller, improved syncing with tapped BPM, an improved “analyze library,” and improved sampler button mapping for supported DJ controllers. The iPhone version…

When you get new messages, emails, Skype chats, and other routine things that should elicit an alert sound from your Mac, but those sounds never happen, that can be just a little annoying, especially if you rely on those audible alerts to let you know someone is trying to chat. There's a good chance those alert sounds are just backed up waiting to come out, and while Apple needs to release a fix for the problem, the workaround is drop dead simple.

Even if you can't make it to Apple's iTunes Festival in London, you can still get a taste of what's in store because the company is offering six free songs from artists that will be performing during the month-long event. To get the songs, you need to launch the Apple Store app on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch and then tap Stores. From there just tap 30 nights of music. The list of songs includes Trying To Be Cool by Phoenix, Workin' Woman Blues by Valerie June, 2013 by Primal Crawl, My Love Took Me DOwn To The River To Silence Me by Little Green Cars, Chain My Name by Poliça, and The Curse by Agnes Obel. The free song offer is good until the end of October. If you don't have the Apple Store app, it's a free download at the App Store.

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It's sponsor time here at TMO again and I am thrilled to welcome back Smile in that capacity. Smile makes several of my favorite, can't-live-a-day-on-a-Mac-without products, and PDFpen is one of them. Read on for some examples of how I use it each day.

Java updates are available that address a recently identified Java web plug-in vulnerability.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is on a 12-month plan to step down, which opens up new doors for the company. Jeff and Bryan offer their take on what that future may hold for Microsoft, plus they have something to say about Samsung's Galaxy Gear smartwatch and the company's jump into the wearable tech market ahead of Apple.

Check out John Leake's mini Mac, a 1/3 scale working computer that looks like the original Macintosh and runs Mac OS via the vMac emulator (on an SD card, no less). Mr. Leake built the case by hand from Sintra Board using an X-Acto knife, and he included an HDMI out, two USB ports, and an Ethernet cable on the back of the thing. It's powered by the Raspberry Pi Linux boardJohn Leake is the co-host of the RetroMacCast podcast, and he posted several pictures of the completed project on that site. The attention to detail is amazing, and I salute Mr. Leake for the ability and tenacity to make something so incredibly cool.

Apple will soon launch its AppleCare+ extended warranty program in Europe, according to a French report. AppleCare+ was introduced for the iPhone in the U.S. in 2011, and later expanded to include the iPad in addition to launching in Canada and Japan. Despite rumours of a U.K. launch last…

CableJive has released a new version of dockBoss air ($35), an adapter that lets users wirelessly stream audio from a device to a 30-pin audio dock. Unlike the recently released dockBoss 5, the new dockBoss air uses Bluetooth for wireless audio streaming, allowing for audio control from up…

Just how durable is the soon to be announced gold iPhone 5S? Apparently durable enough to hold its own against coins in your pocket, but watch out for knives. Jailbreak Nation got its hands on what appears to be a legit gold iPhone back and captured their abuse on video.

The Mac Observer Spin:
The gold iPhone 5S scratch test is pretty impressive. Hopefully it means the black iPhone 5S will come with a more durable finish, too.

Developers are resourceful people, and when presented with a problem that seems unsolvable they'll work even harder to find a solution. That's exactly what The Omni Group did to overcome the lack of upgrade pricing on Apple's Mac App Store. Their new tool, called OmniKeyMaster, lets users who buy Omni apps through the Mac App Store take advantage of upgrade pricing, but there is a tradeoff. It also shows Apple still has some work to do before the Mac App Store is a perfect solution for developers.

Syncing files between your Mac and iPhone or iPad isn't always the easiest task to manage, so BitTorrent decided to help out with its brand new BitTorrent Sync for iOS. The app lets you sync any file between your own devices without requiring cloud-based servers, can share files between iOS devices, supports encrypted file transfers, uses QR codes to share folders, and more. BitTorrent Sync is a handy tool for moving your own files to and from your iOS devices, and it works for sharing files with friends and coworkers on your local network, too. BitTorrent Sync is free and is available at Apple's iTunes-based App Store.

Judge Denise Cote told lawyers representing Apple and the U.S. Department of Justice that proposed changes to Apple's App Store business practices are unnecessary. The comments were part of the remedy trial phase in the wake of Apple being convicted for colluding to raise ebook prices.

Google released a Chromecast app for iPhone and iPad on Tuesday, meaning that you can use your IOS device to set up the company's new US$35 settop box. With Chromecast, you can stream YouTube, Netflix, Google Play Movies, Google Play Music, and the Chrome browser to your TV. With the free hybrid app, you can set Chromecast up and manage its settings.  Chromecast is a direct competitor to Apple's $99 Apple TV settop box, but the Chromecast app shows that Google remains happy to play on as many platforms as it can.

Apple has added a new online chat option for AppleCare support, as noted by CNet. The option allows you to get one of Apple's support staff in a text conversation right in your browser. Here's how to find it.

Apple’s new iPhone trade-in program, the iPhone Reuse and Recycle Program, will roll out in select Apple stores this Friday, August 30, according to 9to5Mac. The program will roll out on a larger scale in September. Apple store employees will offer a value for an old iPhone 3G,…

Apple has reportedly moved beyond the "let's think about it stage" for an in-store iPhone trade-in program and is now running a pilot program in a few of its retail locations. Some stores have been part of the test program for a few weeks and are already processing multiple trade-ins daily.

The Mac Observer Spin:
Giving customers an easy way to recycle their old iPhone is great, even if other online trade-in programs are offering more money per device. It's convenient, and that means more people are likely to bring in their old iPhones instead of letting them sit around unused.

Apple has added new channels to Apple TV today — Vevo, Disney Channel, Disney XD, The Weather Channel, and the Smithsonian Channel. Disney XD is a separate channel from Disney Channel, aimed at preteens and teenagers; both Disney channels require signing in with a selected cable provider. Smithsonian Channel includes…

Apple has responded to the U.S. Department of Justice’s revised remedies in the e-book price-fixing case, claiming that the proposed remedy is biased in favor of Amazon. Apple said in a court filing, “Plaintiffs are seeking a remedy that would give Amazon significant competitive advantage over Apple — an…

We can view websites on our mobile devices, so why not build them there, too? That's the idea behind Jimdo. The company's new iPhone and iPad app lets you design your site on the go, manage your site's content, upload photos for your site albums, check your site stats, and more. You'll need a Jimdo account to host your site, but they're free so you won't be out any cash. The Jimdo app is free and is available at Apple's iTunes-based App Store.

In an interview with NASDAQ, Apple cofounder Steve "The Woz" Wozniak offered his thoughts on Steve Ballmer, Apple's formula for innovation, and whether or not Tim Cook is the right person to lead Apple. On this latter topic, The Woz argued that Steve Jobs picked Tim Cook for a reason.

If you store your iPhoto library on a volume that is formatted as FAT32 (a file system commonly used on Windows PCs), you may encounter issues including poor performance or data loss. Referenced images stored on FAT32 volumes may also sporadically go offline. Additionally, storing the iPhoto library on a network rather than locally on your computer can also lead to poor performance or data loss.

When you don't have access to a Wi-Fi network you can use Logic Remote with Logic Pro X via Bluetooth. 

Rumors and reports of Apple's next-generation processor for its iOS devices are spreading fast. Over the weekend, Fox News anchor Clayton Morris tweeted that unnamed sources told him Apple's unannounced A7 processor are "very fast," and another report claimed that Apple has been testing 64-bit versions of the A7 chip. Bryan Chaffin takes these rumors for a spin.

The Mac Observer's Dave Hamilton took time off from his duties here and at The Mac Geek Gab to talk about microphones over at NosillaCast Mac Podcast this weekend. That means you should give the show a listen! This is episode #433, and it's live now on iTunes and at the Podfeet website.

Several late-breaking rumors suggest that the iPhone 5S may include a speed bump, gesture control capabilities, and a graphite/black color option similar to the first-generation iPhone. According to a tweet from Fox News’ Clayton Morris, the iPhone 5S new A7 chip is running “about 31% faster than A6,” providing…

Fill you free time with fun flickers for iOS. In this week's Free on iTunes, Vern Seward points out 3 good games that only require a flick to play. Gong Show Saucer King, Skim it, and Glass Pong 2.

Apple opened the beta of iWork for iCloud to all iCloud account on Friday. Apple had previously limited the beta to first developers, and then to select iCloud members through invitations, but now any iCloud account appears to have access to the beta.

The U.S. Department of Justice has revised its previously proposed remedy addressing Apple’s e-book price fixing. While the general terms have not dramatically changed, the DOJ has offered to reduce the length of the injunction from ten years down to five along with easing some of the restrictions…

Apple may be working toward incorporating user ratings into its App Store Top Charts rankings, according to some new analysis by Fiksu, an app marketing startup. The report notes that based on some in-depth and ongoing analysis, it would appear that Apple has been at least testing changes to…

Apple has posted the Mac Pro spot the company unveiled in theaters this summer to YouTube. The spot is a visual piece of eye candy that shows off the new cylindrical Mac Pro without saying anything about it. Consider it a tease to whet the appetite with an intriguing form factor, complete with theater-appropriate music. Apple announced the new Mac Pro during June's World Wide Developer Conference (WWDC). The company hasn't specified a release date, but said that it will be released in the fall of 2013. 

AgileBits has been promising 1Password 4 for the Mac for some time, and now they're offering a little peek into what's in store when it ships this fall. The new version of the password and sensitive information management app will be getting a few features that iPhone and iPad users are already enjoying, such as multi-site logins and iCloud sync support, plus a few other surprises, too.

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is ready to retire and plans to be out of his executive office within the next 12 months. Mr. Ballmer took over as CEO when company founder Bill Gates stepped down, and now he says Microsoft needs a new CEO on board as the company transitions into a devices and services business.

The Mac Observer Spin:
Steve Ballmer announces his retirement, and Microsoft's stock starts climbing. The idea that he needed to leave has been there for some time, and if the company's stock price is any indication, investors are practically dancing in the streets. Assuming Microsoft finds a leader that can bring a new philosophy to the company and stop the long time corporate culture that promotes fighting between division, other tech companies -- including Apple -- will see some serious competition.

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Apple released an update for Find My iPhone on Thursday that updated the app's icon, but also temporarily blocked access to its features unless you had an Apple Developer Account. The issue was fixed relatively quickly, but it highlighted why the soon to be released iOS 7 needs a way for users to prevent some apps from auto-updating.

Hey, brother, can you spare $1,400? US, please. There's this desktop 3D scanner I need to buy. OK, I'll work on my begging pitch, but in the meanwhile, check out what has me drooling, the Digitizer Desktop 3D Scanner from MakerBot. As you can see in the video, it's a laser-based 3D scanner small enough to fit on your desk (if you have a medium-sized desk or larger). That means you can use it to scan stuff—don't ask me what, because la la la I can't hear you!—and turn it into a 3D schematic that you can then send to a 3D printer! Cool, eh? For designers and engineers who make physical products, this could be a tipping point for inexpensive 3D scanning and printing. If you're rich, it could be something super awesome to impress your friends. [Via TechCrunch]

Bryan Chaffin has been asking a basic question about Android for quite a while: what the heck are they doing with all those Android devices? Thanks to a couple of recent studies from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP), we're starting to get some color on that question.

When you try to connect Logic Remote to a Mac running Logic Pro X with a Touch OSC control surface already installed, a connection cannot be established.

In a continuing quest to improve the quality of its mapping services, Apple has reportedly acquired transit app development firm Embark, a small Silicon Valley startup that develops free transit apps for iOS. While it is unclear how much Apple paid for the acquisition, the report notes that Apple…

Gameloft has released Asphalt 8: Airborne (iLounge Rating: A), an extremely impressive new instalment in the company’s long-running Asphalt racing game series. Asphalt 8 sets a new high standard for iOS gaming, taking the player through eight “seasons” with 180 diverse, fun, and interesting racing events. As its…

It's pretty much a given that Apple is adding gold as a third color option for the next iPhone model. It's no secret that I have been less than enamored with the idea, but based on some of the photos leaking to the Internet maybe the gold iPhone 5S won't be so bad after all. That said, it isn't for me, and that's not a problem at all for Apple.

With Apple's stock topping the US$500 mark, and the prospect of the all-but-announced iPhone 5C, UBS analyst Steven Milunovich raised his target price from $500 up to $560. Photos and videos of the lower priced iPhone model have been circulating on the Internet, and he sees that as a big money maker for the Cupertino-based company.

The Mac Observer Spin:
Assuming Apple does introduce the iPhone 5C in September -- and at this point that looks like a sure thing -- then iPhone sales should jump up, just like Mr. Milunovich expects. That's good news for Apple, investors, and consumers that want iPhones but have been eying lower priced Android smartphones.

On an Xsan volume with heavy free space fragmentation, the available free space may be less than expected.