Apple has posted a chart of iOS fragmentation for developers with a message that it's OK to focus development on the current version of iOS because 93 percent of users are on it. Bryan Chaffin argues this is a three-for-one for Apple in that it's a useful tool for developers, a slam at Google's Android, and a demonstration of the advantage of Apple's whole widget model.

There was a time when many observers thought about Apple changing the way consumers watch content on their HDTV. Over time, it's become clear that the content holders have an iron grip on content, and so the new question may be: what can we do with that big display that we haven't been doing? Something that Apple is uniquely suited to do.

Virgin Mobile is joining the iPhone 5 family in the United States. The carrier will begin offering the current iPhone model to its customers starting June 28. Like other phones the carrier offers, the iPhone 5 will be offered with pre-paid plans starting at US$35 a month with unlimited texting and data.

The Mac Observer Spin:
Better late than never, and now U.S. customers looking for pre-paid iPhone options have another carrier they can check out.

A Japanese Court has ruled that Samsung is infringing on Apple's rubberband, or bounce-back, patent. The ruling came in the two company's ongoing patent infringement battle, and could lead to a ban on some of Samsung's Android-based smartphones in the country.

The Mac Observer Spin:
Samsung just can't seem to keep up with Apple's winning streak in court. Despite its losses, Samsung has very deep pockets, so these patent infringement cases won't be going away any time soon.

The skies may soon be a friendlier place for your iPhone and iPad if the Federal Aviation Administration follows through on a recommendation to lift a ban on using electronic devices in airplanes during takeoff and landing. The recommendation is under consideration by the agency following a report from a 28-person advisory panel that said forcing passengers to shut off devices such as smartphones, tablets and ebook readers below 10,000 feet altitude has little impact on flight safety.

The Mac Observer Spin:
Stopping passengers from listening to music, reading ebooks and playing video games during takeoff and landing is a throwback to a time when far less was known about the potential in-flight interference from portable electronics, plus many airlines already offer inflight Internet via WiFi. It's about time the FAA made a change.

...

Apple had launched the 2013 Apple Retail Store Camp by inviting kids to "Make movie magic." The three day events start in July and promises to teach kids how to plan, film, and edit a movie using iMovie. A session on GarageBand for iPad will teach them how to make a soundtrack.

Pegatron chairman T.H. Tung has been openly discussing the new low-cost iPhone his company is building for Apple. In a shareholder meeting, Mr. Tung said that the cost of the device will be "quite high," and that it shouldn't be considered cheap. Bryan Chaffin looks at the implications and meaning of what Mr. Tung has done.

Propellerhead has brought Thor, the company's polysonic synthesizer, to the iPad. This app turns your iPad into a mobile synthesizer. The company said it has the same, "semi-modular synth with the same set of selectable oscillator and filter types and the same advanced routing of audio and modulation." That means you can create a massive range of sounds. If creating your own sounds isn't your thing, Thor for iPad also comes with 1,000 fully developed patches out of the virtual box. The video below shows the app in use, and it's super cool. It's US$14.99 and available now on the App Store.

Following an earlier public disclosure that it was looking to sell its Harmony remote control business, Logitech has announced that it will retain the well-known product line. In a release, Logitech said, “The company has determined that retaining ownership is in the best interest of its shareholders. The Harmony product…

A recently published Apple patent shows that the company is exploring a fingerprint scanner that can be included in a conductive bezel on a device. In the described invention, the user would swipe his or her finger over a surface of a sensor. The sensor would capture “thin strips”…

A Pegatron executive appears to have confirmed that Apple will be producing a new, lower-cost iPhone this year, while suggesting that it will not be “cheap.” While translations of the new report from Chinese are shaky, the company’s chairman allegedly said that the “price is still high,” and apparently said…

If an iBooks Author widget contains embedded video, the operation may return an alert similar to the one below when submitting your iBooks to the iBookstore:
 "ERROR ITMS-9000: "MyBook.ibooks: Book contains unsupported video MyBook.ibooks:/OPS/assets/widgets/mywidget.wdgt/assets/MyVideo.mp4.  Detected ftyp mp42" at Book (MZItmspBookPackage)"
 

Apple has landed a US$30 million deal to supply 30,000 iPads to Los Angeles schools. The Los Angeles School Board of Education approved the deal Tuesday evening as part of a program to equip all of its students with a tablet iPad over the next 14 months. Bryan Chaffin explains the deal and examines the ramifications.

When installing Windows 7 using the Boot Camp Assistant on MacBook Air (Mid 2013) computers, the following issues might occur:

Black screen
"Press any key to boot to CD or DVD" or "CDBOOT: Couldn't find BOOTMGR" alert messages
"Setup was unable to create a new system partition or locate an existing system partition."

This occurs when installing Windows 7 from DVD using an external USB optical drive.

Eight years ago, Dave Teare and his business partner were developing websites with Ruby on Rails. They were working with forms and had to constantly enter user names and passwords. That was tiresome, so they eventually developed a tool that allowed them to enter that data with a click.  It was to be a one month project.  Eight years later, 1Password is going strong on OS X and iOS. And Windows. And Android.

Boris Teksler, who headed Patent Licensing and Strategy at Apple for four years, recently left the company to join Technicolor, a French media and entertainment company. Teksler notably played a large role in the company’s patent battles with Samsung, and departed while Apple and Samsung remain tangled in litigation. [via…

Documents added to a device while it is checked out may not sync to that device.

Apple is reportedly testing “deep LinkedIn integration” for the release of iOS 7. Similar to prior integration of Facebook and Twitter, a single sign-on system for LinkedIn accounts was found within code in the first beta of iOS 7. Apple could introduce this feature in the final release of iOS…

Learn how to add or remove iOS device software in Apple Configurator 1.3 or later.

Apple today released Apple TV Software Update 5.3, the latest update for its second- and third-generation set-top boxes. The latest update adds support for HBO GO, ESPN, Sky News, Qello, and Crunchyroll for users in specific regions such as the United States. …

If you're in the city that never sleeps, there's a good chance your iPhone doesn't, either. To that end, AT&T, Goal Zero and Pensa have teamed up to bring solar powered smartphone chargers to the streets of New York City. The outdoor charging stations include built-in Dock and Lightning connectors as well as USB ports for people that prefer to use their own cables, small shelves to hold your phone while charging, and can be placed anywhere there's direct sunlight. The chargers are part of a test program in several locations such as Fort Greene Park, Union Square, Central Park. They'll be moving around and could end up in other cities at some point, too. Assuming the test program is successful, this'll be a handy way to power up on the go or when regular electrical service is down. If you get the chance to try one out let us know!

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Alf Watt attended MacWorld New York in 1999 and saw Steve Jobs launch AirPort in the first iBook and base stations. A geek at heart, he immediately wanted to understand this new technology, and iStumbler for Mac OS 9 was the result.  Later, he headed a team at Apple working  on Wi-Fi technologies. Basically, Mr. Watt has spent ten years making an invisible technology, indistinguishable from magic, very visible. The story of how that turned out includes fascinating technical tidbits about how Wi-Fi works.

Apple released Java updates for Mac OS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) and OS X 10.7 (Lion) and 10.8 (Mountain Lion). The update brings Java SE 6 to the most recent version.

Java for OS X 2013-004 delivers improved security, reliability, and compatibility for Java SE 6.

Learn about the security content of Java for OS X 2013-004 and Mac OS X v10.6 Update 16.

The folks at Flexibits have decided that the world would be a much better place if searching in Apple's Messages and iChat  didn't suck. Their solution is a Mac app called Chatology that not only makes it easier to find old chats, it gives you filtering options (by image and links) to make it much easier to find the specific information you're looking for. There's also a preference option that makes ⌘F in Messages or iChat open up Chatology instead of the built-in search. The app is priced at US$19.99 from the Flexibits website—there's a free trial version available—and it requires Mac OS X 10.7.5 or later.

Mavericks testers have reported problems installing the Mavericks Developer Preview in a Parallels virtual machine on Mountain Lion. Parallels has provided some knowledge base articles to assist, including the installation of Parallels Desktop 8 in Mavericks itself.
 

Apple gave the public its first preview of iOS 7 last week during its annual World Wide Developer Conference in San Francisco. A beta version just for iOS developers was released the same day, and it found its way to many people outside of that group who promptly started complaining about stability issues, non-functioning features, poor battery life, interface problems, broken third-party apps, and more. Of course iOS 7 has problems; it's beta software.

With Apple's annual World Wide Developer Conference behind us for another year, analysts are looking through the pieces the company dropped in our laps during the keynote presentation for clues as to what might be coming next. Wells Fargo analyst Maynard Um thinks iOS 7's fall release schedule means we'll get a new iPhone in September, and he also thinks iTunes Radio will be a tool to draw in and keep new customers.

The Mac Observer Spin:
I've been expecting new iPhones in September along side the release of iOS 7, and Maynard Um is in agreement. It's time to start saving up for you new iPhone.

Apple Diagnostics is a great way to check your Mac computer’s hardware. Apple Diagnostics helps to identify the potential source of a hardware issue and provides first steps to try and resolve it. Apple Diagnostics will also help you get in touch with Apple Support for further assistance.

This document describes the security content of OS X Mountain Lion v10.8.4 and Security Update 2013-002, which can be downloaded and installed via Software Update preferences, or from Apple Downloads.

National Association of Broadcaster (NAB) / Flashforward 2006 / MacGeek

Spotlight - Reveal The Metadata

Case of Missing RAM...

Jef Raskin's vision, GPS, electronic books, data storage, historical precedents, camera support, desktop integration, telephony, networking, education, multitasking, applications, computing trends, features and much more

Time Machine troubleshooting

standards testing, Version 3.6 issues and support

timezones, sync

bad Dell experience

Etchasoft Reports is an Interface Builder 3 plug-in that enables developers to create PDF reports directly within Interface Builder.

VolnaTech's software development kit for the iPhone platform adds new classes (NKModalWindow and NKLabel), enables NKNavigationController to preload pages, supports Unicode strings in the JSON encoder/decoder, and makes other changes.

Rage Software's web page optimizer improves optimization speed for iWeb sites, publishes optimized websites to FTP servers and MobileMe more quickly, and fixes problems with optimizing PNG files.

Iridient Digital's raw image conversion program adds support for the Canon 1D Mark IV and Fuji S200EXR, an improved profile for the Canon 1D Mark III, and a fix for an issue with the Canon 20D model ID and associated profile.

The multi-user business management and accounting system gains auto-screen stretching that expands the workspace to fit the current monitor, custom menus by role, quick search on all fields without entering Find mode, faster navigation, and more.

Apple introduces an oversized iPod Touch with iWork and iBooks apps, plus optional 3G data support via ATT at $14.99 or $29.99 per month. Hardware pricing starts at $499 and ends at $830 for the top model with 64 GB of memory. First shipments of the non-3G model are due in 60 days with 3G models due the following month. (Neither is available yet for ordering.)

Audiofile Engineering's batch audio processor adds full Snow Leopard compatibility, Audio File First Aid for diagnosing problem files, native support for VST plugins in the Process with Effect action, and other improvements.

"The Company posted revenue of $15.68 billion and a net quarterly profit of $3.38 billion, or $3.67 per diluted share."

Symbo from Corner-A is designed to make it easier for developers to work with crash reports and crash dumps.

The latest Firefox includes a new type of theme that enables single-click appearance changes, protection from out-of-date plug-ins, fullscreen support for native video, better JavaScript performance, support for new CSS attributes, and more.

MOTU's audio/MIDI workstation software gains a new Tuner plug-in that can be used to tune a guitar or other pitched instrument, new preferences for Auto-Save actions, four new power amp models, dozens of guitar tone presets, and more.

Dec. 19: Covering more than 1400 items, our searchable, sortable list gets 38 additions and updates today, including Pro Tools, Perian, MacPractice, TapDex, miXscope, Back-In-Time, CSSEdit, Vienna, Raw Photo Processor, MultiLedger, SousChef, and Volocity.

Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard in-depth review: 11,000 words on migration and installation; the new Finder and QuickTime X; additional features and refinements; security and technology; and our conclusions; plus links for additional information.

We review the newest Nano, which brings the surprising additions of a video camera and microphone, an FM Radio (complete with "Live Pause"), and a pedometer, among other nifty features in the tiny device, priced the same as before. We include video samples for comparison (Nano 5G, iPhone 3GS and Flip MinoHD).

In this detailed review of the new iPhone 3GS, Robert Mohns covers everything from hardware chips to pricing, performance to photographic capability, features, issues and everything in between. The review includes visual tests and samples, a long list of related links, and much more.

Robert Mohns examines the quad-port SATA hard drive dock, with detailed performance benchmarks across FireWire 400/800, USB 2 and eSATA on a Mac Pro, finding it fast and effective for backup, testing and many other storage tasks.

We examine Fastmac's multifunction iPhone battery sleeve, which extends run-time, functions as a charger and even offers a fill light for the iPhone's camera.

Robert Mohns examines a unique storage system that protects your data in the event of a fire.

This unique hardware module creates an EFI boot environment for Mac OS X on cost-effective, high-performance PC hardware. (Includes performance benchmarks and links to additional information.)

We have added photos and discussion about a matte screen film to our detailed review of the new, aluminum MacBook, which covers design, features, issues, performance, pros and cons, with links for more info, and a gallery of photos.

Our detailed Time Capsule review includes a "Best Practices" section and lots of other tips, plus performance benchmarks, feature analysis and more.

Robert Mohns examines features, performance, compatibility and more in his detailed review.

Updated with new notes on possible locations for the bug (and consequent implications), plus warning about potential for problems in Finder automation scripts.

We delve into the details of VMware's new virtualization system for the Mac with some hands-on testing.

We have updated our in-depth Apple TV review from Robert Mohns, who covers set-up, features, performance, compatibility, omissions, hacking, competition and the overall experience and value, with links to more resources.

February 1, 2010 6:00 AM

Guild Software has added a new feature for its massively-multiplayer online space strategy game, Vendetta Online. Station Conquest gives groups of players the chance to attack a space station and take control of it. Planned updates for the new feature include holding territory around the station and manufacture of automated drones for mining.

This new gameplay mechanic allows groups of players to coordinate their attacks on a particular station, seizing control of it through the disabling of defense turrets, and taking direct ownership via a new "key" based hierarchical authentication system. Owner keys may then be distributed to other leaders, while various User keys may be generated and given to those needing only more limited types of access. The entire conquest system will be expanded over the coming months to allow surrounding territory to be held for the benefit of the station, while automated drones may be manufactured to mine ores...

February 1, 2010 6:00 AM

Winterwolves Software has announced the release of The Flower Shop. The new game, described as a dating and farming simulation, puts players in the role of college student Steve as he works to keep his farm running while pursuing relationship opportunities. The Flower Shop features nine unique endings.

"I wanted to create a story with universal appeal, with strong romantic elements and enchanting artwork. Life, love, and family are something we all deal with, and all the characters are connected. The decisions of player affect not only his or her relationships, but the way the characters interact with each other." - said Celso Riva, game designer/programmer of the game.

The game takes place in Fairbrook, a small farming community in northern California. Steve is a college freshman with relationship troubles. His girlfriend just dumped him, and his father is angry at him for his poor grades. As punishment, Steve is sent to work...

February 2, 2010 6:00 AM

Blizzard Entertainment recently posted ten new screenshots from Diablo III, the game company's eagerly anticipated return to the action RPG franchise. The game will allow players to revisit the world of Sanctuary where they must once again take up arms against the demonic forces threatening humanity.

Diablo III will pick up the story twenty years after the events of Diablo II. Mephisto, Diablo, and Baal have been defeated, but the Worldstone, which once shielded the inhabitants of the world of Sanctuary from the forces of both the High Heavens and the Burning Hells, has been destroyed, and evil once again stirs in Tristram. Playing as a hero from one of five distinct character classes, players will acquire powerful items, spells, and abilities as they explore new and familiar areas of Sanctuary and battle hordes of demons to safeguard the world from the horrors that have arisen.

Diablo III will feature a custom 3D-graphics...

February 2, 2010 6:00 AM

Episode 91 of Omaha Sternberg's iGame Radio podcast is now available for listening. The podcast features a review of Feral Interactive's Bioshock for Mac as well as reviews of Crush the Castle and Groovin' Blocks for iPhone and iPod Touch.

Episode 91:

• A review of the long awaited Bioshock, by Feral Interactive, the FPS that pits you against the insane inhabitants of the underwater city of Rapture, and their Little Sisters.
• Plus, a review of Crush the Castle, a strategy shooter of sorts for the iPhone. See yon castle fair? Now go beat it down with thy trebuchet in tiny bits!
• Finally, a review of Groovin Blocks, a musical puzzler that brings new life to old Tetris-clones worldwide. Bring em down to the beat, and multiply your score. Because I love my C64. Well, that should have been one of the lyrics to the song, I think.

Check out the podcast at the web page linked below.

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February 3, 2010 6:00 AM

Electronic Arts has announced the release of The Sims 3: High-End Loft Stuff pack for The Sims 3. The pack adds a variety of new items to the popular sim title including three items returning from the previous two Sims titles: the heart-shaped vibrating bed, the electric guitar, and the aquarium.

Create The Ultimate High-End Loft Lifestyle For Your Sims
Transform your Sims' homes into sleek, edgy apartments with The Sims 3 Design & High-Tech Stuff. There's a host of new items for your most lived-in rooms, including slick gadgets for your high-tech study, a next-gen gaming system for the killer game room and modern furniture for the most contemporary living room. Now your Sims can give their homes an ultra-modern makeover!

Features:

• Add a sleek, high-end, tech-inspired look to your Sims bedroom, living room, bathroom, office and den.
• Upgrade your Sims' wardrobes with forward looking apparel, tailored suits...

February 3, 2010 6:00 AM

Blizzard Entertainment has announced the release of the version 3.3.2 update for its popular MMO, World of Warcraft. Among other things the patch gives players a new cinematic once they've defeated the Lich King Arthas as well as a variety of Mac specific bug fixes.

Frostwing Halls, a chilling place containing the final obstacles between your raid and the Lich King himself, is now open. You can expect to uncover disturbing and horrific phenomena taking place against the Green Dragonflight before finding Sindragosa hovering above you. Should you have what it takes to destroy the Lich King's most prized frost wyrm, as well as having already conquered the Plaguewerks and Crimson Hall areas of Icecrown Citadel, you'll have your chance to follow Tirion Fordring to the Frozen Throne, a chilling pedestal atop which the Lich King has reigned unchallenged for years. The time has come, brave adventurers, for him to fall!

Click over to the...

February 4, 2010 6:00 AM

Soldak Entertainment has announced that its upcoming action RPG title, Din's Curse, is available for pre-order. Those who purchase early will receive full access to the latest beta build, a reduced pre-order price of only $19.99, single player and co-op multiplayer (both LAN and internet), the opportunity to give Soldak feedback on the official forums, and the final game version when it becomes available.

Din's Curse:
Din, champion of the gods, has cursed you into a second life of service because you selfishly squandered your first one while causing misfortune to those around you. To redeem yourself, you must impress Din by building a reputation for helping others. Travel the spacious western plains of Aleria and save desperate towns from the brink of annihilation. Until you're redeemed, you're doomed to wander the earth alone for all eternity.

In Din's Curse, you will explore an extensive underground, slaying dangerous...

February 4, 2010 6:00 AM

Apple Games' latest feature article explores the historical combat in Feral Interactive's Rome: Total War Gold Edition for Mac. In the game players take charge of one of three Roman families with the goal of increasing their family's power in Rome through diplomacy, economic skill, and war. Apple's article includes an overview of the game, comments from developer Mike Simpson, a history of the Roman era, and a list of cheat codes.

As your territory grows, youll also need to keep an eye on the home front. Citizens taxed too heavily may threaten to revolt, while poorly-maintained settlements are more susceptible to plague outbreaks that will decimate their population and reduce the amount of Denarii they contribute to your coffers. However, if you capture a settlement located in a province with a World Wonder such as the Great Pyramid of Giza or the Lighthouse of Alexandria youll earn powerful empire-wide benefits.

I split the...

February 5, 2010 6:00 AM

Feral Interactive is scheduled to release Rome: Total War Gold Edition for Mac today. Originally developed by The Creative Assembly and published by SEGA, the game is released under the Feral Legends label.

In Rome: Total War players take charge of one of three Roman families with the goal of increasing their family's power in Rome through diplomacy, economic skill, and war. The Gold Edition includes the original strategy title as well as the Barbarian Invasion expansion.

The Total War series is one of the most-requested additions to Mac gaming, said Feral Interactives David Stephen. Its a game that is superbly suited to the platform and one that will be available to all Mac owners including those with Intel MacBooks and Mac minis.

"The Creative Assembly is delighted that Mac users will now have the opportunity to experience Rome: Total War and Barbarian Invasion" says Mike Simpson, Creative Director at The Creative...

February 5, 2010 6:00 AM

DanLabGames has announced the release of an update for its family-friendly hit title, Wacky Mini-Golf. The update brings the game to version 1.1and adds the new "spooky and humorous" Ghost Ship theme to the game. Wacky Mini-Golf features five original themes, 90 holes, 20 animated golf avatars, multiplayer vis hot seat mode.

Wacky Mini-Golf is a best-selling Mac game that puts you on the links in exotic nature locales, now with 5 original themes and a total of 90 holes.

Choose from 20 animated custom golfer avatars or use your iSight camera to edit your own pic into the game. Invite up to four players to take turns in "hot seat" mode and get started: Enjoy the awesome graphics, challenging courses, original soundtrack and family-friendly comic relief.

See how you stack up against other players with the online leaderboard and submit your achievement photos to the online player gallery.

Features:

• Real...