The Pentagon's push toward a platform-agnostic Department of Defense moved forward today, as BlackBerry 10 devices and a number of Samsung's Galaxy handsets were approved for DoD use, even as Apple's iOS devices still await approval.  ...

According to a new DigiTimes report this morning, new rumors have surfaced that Apple is on tap to test market a new low-cost iPhone later this year. The report states that "Apple plans to launch an inexpensive model targeting emerging markets with initial quarterly shipments of only 2.5-3.0 million units to test market response." Although this rumor sounds interesting, it doesn't sound like it's a move that Apple would ever make.  ...

From 9to5Google:

Earlier this week we told you that the Defense Department was nearing a decision on approving the three major mobile platforms through new security approvals that would allow widespread use of devices by government agencies and the DoD networks. While the department is yet to grant approval to Apple’s iOS 6 for for nonclassified communications by military agencies, today the Wall Street Journal provides an update noting that both Samsung’s Knox security software and BlackBerry 10 have now received the approvals ahead of Apple:

RIM announced late Thursday...

calibre is a one-stop solution to all your e-book needs. It is free, open source and cross-platform in design and works well on Linux, OS X, and Windows. calibre is meant to be a complete e-library solution and thus includes library management, format conversion, news feeds to ebook conversion, as well as e-book reader sync features and an integrated e-book viewer.

Version 0.9.29:

New Features

• Bulk metadata download: Allow reviewing of the downloaded metadata before it is applied
• FB2 Output: Write ISBN, pubdate, tags and publisher metadata when creating fb2 files. Closes tickets: 1174047

Bug Fixes

• When reading metadata from EPUB 3 files, use the first element rather than the last. Closes tickets: 1175184
• Fix regression causing the search query parser to not parse search string containing newlines/tabs instead of spaces correctly. Closes tickets: 1174629...

According to a new DigiTimes report, Apple is expected to contract TSMC to manufacture all the application processors (APs) used in the 2014 model of its iPhone slated to launch in the second half of the year.   ...

Apple quietly added a new built-to-order option for the iMac that lets users choose either a 256 GB or 512 GB solid state flash drive instead of a traditional hard drive. Previously, iMac buyers could choose from hard drive or Fusion Drive solid state/hard drive hybrid options.

Compared to recent Apple announcements, the secrecy surrounding the next release of the company's mobile operating system, iOS 7, has almost been hermetic. There have been reports of improvements in email and calendar apps, as well as a possible expansion of the operating systems' gesture library so it will match Apple's OS X products. Apple is working feverishly to get iOS 7 ready for its app makers in June, when it will host its annual Worldwide Developers Conference.

Acapela Group and AssistiveWare say that Australian children's voices are now available in Proloquo2Go, a text-to-speech app for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad designed to provide a voice for children who can't speak.

The companies also announced, Lisa, a new adult Australian female voice to complete the Australian voice family. Version 3.0 of Proloquo2Go for iOS also adds a number of other features, including ExpressivePower and much more.

The Proloquo2Go text-to-speech application is available for US$199.99 from the Apple App Store. For more info go to http://www.assistiveware.com .

GTVsource has discovered that at least some versions of the ASUS CUBE offer Airplay functionality right out of the box, a somewhat surprising find given that Google is known to be working on an open alternative to Airplay.

The explanation is that the CUBE software is based on ViMu Player, which incorporates Airplay as an experimental feature. Airplay functionality is currently limited to video – still images and music don’t yet work. Click More for video demo …

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Google’s own remote-play functionality is currently limited to ...

This summer, a number of new domain names will likely start appearing on the Web. Generic names such as .apple, .home, .app, .vegas or .music could join such stalwarts as .com, .net and .org.

read more

Credit: Ferry Passchier for 9to5Mac

In what strikes us as one of the less-likely rumors about the low-cost iPhone, Digitimes is claiming that Apple plans to ship only 2.5-3m units in the first quarter, citing un-named supply chain sources.

Speculation currently circulating in the iPhone supply chain in Taiwan indicate that Apple plans to launch an inexpensive model targeting emerging markets with initial quarterly shipments of only 2.5-3.0 million units to test market response …

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While the rest of the brief report merely echoes what is widely-expected – a plastic-cased phone using mostly existing innards – the low volume...

Last year, Hearst Magazines head David Carey said his company would have a million people subscribing to its tablet editions by the end of 2012.

That didn’t happen, and they ended December with something like 900,000 subscribers. But now it has: Carey says Hearst hit the one million mark at the end of March.

“I’m glad we got there,” Carey says. “We were just 90 days late.”

In February, at our Dive Into Media conference, Carey said he thinks that in 2016, Hearst will have three million digital subscribers, or about 10 percent of his entire base.

As we’ve noted before, tablets aren’t going to save the magazine business, but they are a nice new revenue stream for it. And a million is very...

[Updated with video of grand opening] Europe's latest "showcase" Apple Store, the Kurfürstendamm outlet in Berlin that is set to open on Friday at 5pm local time, looks to take its place as one of the most beautiful on the continent -- comparing favorably to premiere stores in Paris and London among others. The large facility, with some 48,000 square feet, has room for luxuries like an expanded theater space and classically-appointed conference room, while still retaining a sleek and modern main sales floor at the ground level following extensive renovations to the century-old building.... ...

I've run into this issue a number of times while producing comedy shows: I want to play intro music for a comedian, but I don't have a staff available to sit there and punch buttons on my iPad. Enter Tango Remote, a handy tool which allows you to remotely control your playlists from iOS to iOS device.

Now I can use my iPhone to not only queue up songs, but change the volume on the fly. It's not only very responsive and robust, it's designed well and easy to use. Tango Remote has saved my bacon a few times, and every time I use it I wonder, "why doesn't Apple build this functionality in?"

In this episode of Origin Stories, we learn about how Tango Remote came to be.

Origin Stories: Tango Remote allows you to control music using iOS devices only originally appeared...

I saw the upcoming iOS game Icycle: On Thin Ice back at GDC, and I think it was the best game (out of maybe fifty or more) that I saw that week. Reece Millidge is an animator and game developer based in Britain, and I first came across his work while playing the Flash version of an abstract putting game he made called Wonderputt. Millidge has a wild sense of design and pacing, and both of those skills make Icycle: On Thin Ice one of my most anticipated iOS games of the year in 2013. Just recently, Millidge kindly responded to a few questions from TUAW, talking both about his history on iOS so far, and what to expect in his upcoming release.

Wonderputt arrived on the App Store last year, and Millidge says it was quite successful. He'd "heard from publishers that mini golf games on mobile were not popular like they were on the browser. So...

Federico Viticci has a list of the top apps from the past few years. I found the “interesting facts about the new charts” section to be great.

∞ Read this on The Loop

Google has issued a written denial of claims that its new-to-iOS "Google Now" feature, which relies heavily on Location Services, is causing unusual battery drains for iPhone users. The company recently added the feature -- which attempts to predict what the user will ask based on location, direction and other factors and presents some useful information without user input -- to its Google search app already available for iOS devices. In the statement, Google says both that reports of battery drain are "incorrect" but then asks for users to contact them if they are having a battery problem.... ...

Blockbuster's been going through a bit of a reinvention over the last few years. It's retail stores are closing in staggering numbers as the company refocuses on becoming a streaming rental service with Blockbuster on Demand. Today that quest becomes a little easier with the service's debut on iOS devices, via a free app.

The Blockbuster on Demand service allows you to stream from a library of thousands of HD movies, including new releases. While the app is free the service requires you to pay by the film and lacks an a la carte option like those found on Hulu or Netflix. When the service's mobile app launched for Android it lacked HD video support for mobile devices, but that shortcoming has been fixed in the iOS version. You can find...

Apple traditionally releases big new apps all together on Thursday, and this week there's an exceptionally good slate of releases arriving, including some games we've been waiting on for a while.

• As expected, Angry Birds Friends has arrived, and it's a social take on the popular Angry Birds series. You can get it for free.
• Eclipse is a spectacular (if a little complicated) take on the award-winning board game, available for $6.99. We'll have more on this one as a Daily iPad App later today.
• Firaxis' Haunted Hollow is now officially out, and it's just plain great. Free-to-play, deep but accessible strategy from one of the best game developers around. This one is a must-download.
• ...

The Big Nerd Ranch has conducted iPhone development courses all the way back to the very beginning, when the App Store first launched in 2008. Doing so had its challenges.

At that time, Apple had imposed a nondisclosure agreement on all developers, with little indication if and when it would ever be lifted.

Under the terms of this agreement, developers could not discuss details of the OS and the SDK -- a limitation that challenged any business based on development training.

BNR CEO Aaron Hillegass devised an insane, brilliant, and counter-intuitive solution. Leveraging a little known clause in the agreement, he conceived a way to make an end-run around the letter of the law while still holding classes.

He hired his students.

Each student signed an agreement promising to deliver one (1) line of code to Hillegass upon completion of a week of on-site consultation. In return, he paid each...

A new video profiles Essa Academy, a once struggling school in one of the most disadvantaged areas of England. New principal Showkat Badat has reinvented the school as a hub of technology-assisted learning, and helped incorporate an ecosystem of Apple products, including iPad, Mac, and iTunes U, into the classrooms. The students’ excitement about the technology and direct access to information is reflected in dramatically improved test scores. Since adopting the technology, Essa went from a 28 percent pass rate to 100 percent. “I don’t see technology as an add-on, a nice option to have,” says Badat. “It’s what enables learning and creates an environment that sparks creativity.”

Apple has begun the countdown to 50 billion downloads from the company's mobile App Store, and the company is offering a US$10,000 Apple Store gift card to the person who downloads that stunning milestone app.

Earlier this week, we posted on the addition of Apple CEO Tim Cook as our opening night speaker at the 11th D: All Things Digital conference.

Now, we are thrilled to announce that Elon Musk will take to the stage on our second night. For those who have not been paying a lot of attention, Musk is the founder of both electric car maker Tesla Motors and also SpaceX, a private space exploration pioneer.

The South African-born entrepreneur is someone well known for shooting for the moon in his huge ambitions, and also does not mind getting into it to defend his efforts (his epic PR brawl with the New York Times over the cold-weather performance of the new Tesla Model S electric car was riveting...

TMO veteran Jim Tanous has launched a new site called TekRevue, a broad tech news and tip site. Jim will be looking at OS X, Windows, mobile platforms of all sorts, games, gadgets, and hardware, with reviews and tips, too.

Drafts is a fast, lightweight note-taking app for iPhone (US$2.99) and iPad ($3.99) with so much more to offer than simple lists. Drafts is handy. You can use it to quickly jot down a list or something you'd like to recall later, which is great. But the app's real power is in the myriad of ways you can act on that text.

For example, you can send a list to a project manager like OmniFocus or a storage service like Evernote. Share a note with Facebook, Twitter or ADN. Create a calendar event, a reminder or even write in Markdown. Beyond that you can really geek out with automation and complex iOS workflows.

Many hardcore productivity and automation nerds have demonstrated...

A German auctioneer will put a working Apple I computer on the block later this month, and expects the handmade computer to fetch between or between $261,000 and $392,000 at Thursday’s exchange rate.

The record price for an Apple I was $640,000, paid last year in an auction also run by Breker of Cologne, Germany.

On May 25, Breker will try to sell a different Apple I, one of only six in working condition, the auctioneer said.

Apple I specs

The Apple I, a circuit board hand built by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, was made in 1976, and sold at the time for $666.66. About 200 units were produced, but by an estimate last year by British auction house Sotheby’s, only 50 survive.

To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here

The race to 50 billion is on.

Just about a week after Apple announced that the App Store had crossed 45 billion downloads, Apple has decided it's high time to launch an official countdown towards the 50 billionth downloaded app.

The lucky winner will receive a $10,000 gift card redeemable on the App Store. Apple has run similar app download countdowns in the past, but this year it has decided to share the wealth a bit more. In addition to the aforementioned grand prize winner, Apple will be doling out $500 App Store gift cards to customers who download the next 50 apps once the 50 billion mark has been reached.

The current tally is about 49.2 billion downloads. Just 800 million more to go!

...

With users of Google Now for iOS — found within the Google Search app — complaining about excessive battery drain, a recently published post on Lifehacker suggested turning off location reporting in settings for a fix. However, Google responded to the Lifehacker report, claiming that reports about excessive…

The cellphone industry -- including both carriers and phone makers -- is turning a blind eye toward the problem of smartphone theft, to its own benefit, a New York Times piece claims. The paper, for instance, quotes District of Columbia Police Chief Cathy Lanier as saying that "the carriers are not innocent in this whole game. They are making profit off [smartphone theft]." In 2012, the DC area witnessed a record 1,829 phones being stolen....  ...

Millions of people have had their lives profoundly affected by Apple and its products. However, few people understand the nature of that vision, and how it can incite both ringing joy and deep disappointment, other than the Apple Investor.

In a written response to a recent outcry over Google Now's alleged battery-draining location tracking feature, the search giant claims reports of the abnormal behavior are incorrect as it uses low-power positioning assets that don't rely on power-hungry GPS.  ...

Penultimate (free), the iOS handwritten note-taking app that was snapped up by Evernote just about a year ago, was updated to version 4.1 today.

What's different? If you connect the app to Evernote, it will now suggest notebook titles based on your location and events that you have on your calendar. The Evernote blog shows an example of a "design meetup" notebook that was created based on a calendar event. You can still change the suggested notebook titles by tapping and typing. The notebooks also now show the location and date when you last added or changed content as well, which provides helpful context about each notebook. The access to your iPad's calendar and location information is used only for the notebook titling feature.

Version 4.1 of Penultimate also adds new sync options, including the...

Apple has posted a new contest on the App Store [Direct Link], offering a $10,000 gift card to whomever downloads the fifty billionth app from the App Store, similar to previous promotions. Apple said during its most recent earnings call that the company has surpassed 45 billion app downloads.

Apple's most recent contest was for 25 billion downloads back in February 2012. This time around, Apple is also giving $500 gift cards to the next fifty people to download apps after the fifty billionth.

Apps have revolutionized the way we play video games, consume news, do business, educate, communicate, create art, and so much more....

.

Apple’s doing another iTunes countdown, this time to the 50 billionth app downloaded. Along with the chance to win a $10,000 iTunes gift card, Apple also greets you with the...

It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world.

You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here.

No Flash? Click here to listen.

Subscribe via RSS

Daily Update for May 2, 2013 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 02 May 2013 15:15:00 EST. Please see our...

Founded 12 years ago, Atlanta's Big Nerd Ranch is well known among the Apple developer community as a prime source for corporate and individual training. Created to provide professional services for Apple Technologies, their mission has grown to include both contract programming as well as instruction for Android, iOS, HTML 5, Ruby on Rails, and Windows 8.

Recently merged with Atlanta's Highgroove Studios, BNR is about to kick off their second Clash of the Coders in-house event. Highgroove was a Ruby-on-Rails studio specializing in building back-ends for apps like "Words with Friends".

Clash of the Coders is a private affair, established to allow trainers and developers to take time away from working on other people's solutions and invest in their own creativity.

I was invited to take part in this years events as an observer and an honorary participant, to explore what goes on behind the doors when Big Nerd shuts down for three days to devote itself to coding...

If Google Glass freaks too many people out, the company likely has a Plan B close behind. Another Google smartwatch patent application was published today, describing a tactile user interface for a watch, similar to that of Glass.

Smart watches will likely be coming this year from Google, Apple, Samsung and others — but it’s not yet clear how ambitious the initial products will be.

The newly published Google patent application describes the components for a watch with two touchpads on a wristband that in tandem...

A somewhat unexpected iOS update showed up this afternoon for iPhone 5 owners. iOS 6.1.4 is a small update at 11.5 MB and the release note shows that it provides an updated audio profile for speakerphone.

The build number is 10B350 for those who keep track of such things. No developer beta of this update was released prior to today.

iOS 6.1.4 update appears for iPhone 5 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 02 May 2013 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | ...

Intel's next generation of CPUs will include powerful integrated graphics processors branded as "Iris" ? a change that could help lead to even thinner and more powerful MacBook Pros with longer battery life.  ...

Instagram has launched a new service feature, "Photos of You," through updates to its iOS and Android apps. The option lets people tag others in their photos in a manner similar to Facebook; the collected photos will eventually appear in a Photos of You profile section. The tagging also works for corporate brands....  ...

An app available for download from Apple’s iOS App Store contains an embedded Trojan horse. And while the good news is that you’re almost definitely safe from any malware danger, there’s still reason for concern. The app itself is almost certainly harmless—and the malicious code is probably present unintentionally—but the fact that the code slipped through the App Store’s review process isn’t ideal.

The app Simply Find It, a $2 game from Simply Game, seems harmless enough. But if you run Bitdefender Virus Scanner—a free app in the Mac App Store—it will warn you about the presence of a Trojan horse within the app. A reader tipped Macworld off to the presence of the malware, and we confirmed it.

Apple declined to comment on the issue.

Bitdefender warns of the presence of Trojan.JS.iframe.BKD in the game. (Two other free Mac...

Apple has added smaller SSD storage options to its iMac line. The Apple Store now lists 256GB (US$300) and 512GB ($600) to both 21.5-inch and 27-inch iMac models. Previously, the company had only offered a 768GB SSD option, and only on the larger model.

Horace Dediu talking about analysts:

So paradoxically, the opinion of those who are highly paid should be treated with suspicion while the opinion of those subject to peer review should be treated with respect. It brings to mind the difference between highly paid fortune tellers and pundits whose methods are obscure vs. poorly paid graduate students whose methods are open to all. Whose opinion is worth more?”

I have a great deal of respect for Horace.

∞ Read this on The Loop

If you’re in the market for a new iMac, you may be happy to hear that Apple has added a few more options to its line of desktop computers, allowing customers to opt for pure flash storage in addition to conventional hard drives or its hybrid, Fusion Drive.

As first reported by Ars Technica, the base 21-inch models come, like before, with a 1TB Serial-ATA drive, with an optional upgrade to a Fusion Drive, which will cost you an extra $250. However, you can now choose to go with pure flash storage instead: 256GB and 512GB drives will set you back $300 and $600, respectively, over the base model price.

If you’re pining for a larger screen, there are even more opportunities for customization on the...

iPhone 5 users who get a lot of mileage out of their speakerphone will want to visit Software Update: iOS 6.1.4 is here, and it’s targeted right at you.

The small, 11.5MB update, applies only to Apple’s latest smartphone, and includes, in Apple’s words, an “updated audio profile for speakerphone.” We’d presume that means that those on the other end of your speakerphone conversation might be able to hear you better, but it’s not entirely obvious what the update does.

It appears that iOS 6.1.4 may also contain some of the latest security patches, though Apple had not updated details on the nature of those patches at the time this was written.

To update your iPhone 5 to the latest and greatest software, open Settings -> General -> Software Update and tap Download and Install when the update appears. You can also connect your phone to your computer and apply the update from iTunes, or download it manually from...

The latest Q1 2013 research data from IDC shows that the market for tablets is absolutely booming, growing 142.4% year over year. To put that into context, IDC notes that the 49.2 million tablets shipped during the first three months of 2013 is greater than the number of tablets shipped during the first six months of 2012.

As one might expect, Apple's iPad continues to lead the tablet charge, ranking first in both marketshare and in overall unit sales. Specifically, Apple's iPad sales increased 65.3% year over year, climbing from 11.8 million units during Q1 2012 to 19.5 million units during Q1 2013.

Apple's marketshare, however, went down from 58.1% to 39.6% on account of impressive sales growth from competing manufacturers.

Samsung, for example, saw its tablet shipments increase by 282.6% year over year while Amazon enjoyed an estimated 157.1% increase in unit shipments year over year. The...

Apple has released iOS 6.1.4, an iPhone 5-only update. The software update lists an updated speakerphone audio profile as its only revision.

The StubHub iOS app was updated today to version 4.3.0 and added more interactive venue maps (now over 1000), price alerts to get notifications for your favorite events, easier account sign up, improved search, and more.

The updated StubHub app is available for free on the App Store.

What’s New in Version 4.3.0

Finding the tickets you want is even easier with Price Alerts, easy account sign-up, improved search, and more interactive venue maps (1,000+ and counting!).

• Set Price Alerts for your favorite events and get notifications on your device when we find tickets that match what you’re looking for.
• Don’t have a StubHub account yet? Now you can sign up without leaving the StubHub app – and it’s super quick.
• If we don’t find events with tickets in your location, we’ll automatically show you results in all locations.

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...

Ulysses III is a complete rewrite of the legendary Ulysses II writing tool.  It uses a wide range of OS X technologies to create a focused, elegant writing environment. By using Markdown, it separates how the document looks from the content. Version 1.0.1 is missing a few minor features, but is a solid and impressive initial release.  John Martellaro liked it a lot.

The U.S. Department of Defense expects in coming weeks to grant a security approval for Apple's iPhones and iPads running Apple's latest operating system. Although Apple has been pushing hard to win over U.S. defense agencies, the market is currently dominated by BlackBerry devices which are known for their solid security features.  ...

New update changes the speakerphone audio profile but brings no other modifications.

Originally posted at News - Apple

Apple released iOS 6.1.4 for iPhone on Thursday, an update whose sole patch note says, "Updated audio profile for speakerphone."

In an unexpected move, Apple has released a new version of iOS exclusively for iPhone 5 owners. iOS 6.1.4 upgrades the audio profile for the device's speakerphone, and so far doesn't appear to make any other changes. The update applies to both GSM- and CDMA- equipped iPhones....   ...

YouTube’s Capture app for filming and sharing video to YouTube was updated today to version 1.3 bringing a few new features alongside performance enhancements. The updated app now includes high definition previews of enhancements, an option to “Only upload on Wi-Fi”, and more:

What’s New:
✓ HD preview of enhancements
✓ “Only upload on Wi-Fi” option
✓ Upload shows time remaining
✓ Faster launch speed

Things We Fixed:
☂ Misbehaving when low on storage space
☂ Misbehaving while uploading

//

...

Adds Automatic Profile Switching feature that can assign and change to a designated profile when you connect to a specific Wi-Fi network. ($34.95 new, free update, 13.2 MB)

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.

Maintenance release with a number of fixes and improvements to enhance filtering accuracy. ($30 new, free update, 10.8 MB)

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.

Serious security threats involving Java have been a recurring theme for Mac users in recent months. But what exactly is Java, and what’s the problem? What’s this Java Runtime you hear about from time to time? And is JavaScript the same thing? Grab a cup of coffee and join Joe Kissell for the story of Java in this installment of FlippedBITS.

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.

Apple on Thursday issued a new software update for iPhone 5 owners, adding an updated audio profile for speakerphone. The minor update is now available for download and install.  ...

Facebook has announced plans to roll out a new security feature for accounts, dubbed Trusted Contacts. Under the scheme, an account owner will be able to pick three to five people to whom they can give special PINs. Should the owner have trouble getting into their account, three PIN holders will be able to help them log back in. It's not clear how quickly Trusted Contacts will become available to Facebook users....  ...

Regret not ponying up for that OnStar subscription for your last car? A startup called Automatic promises to provide most of those features (and a few extra) with an iPhone app and a hardware dongle that plugs into your car's data port. The device performs diagnostics, lets you turn off your "Service Engine" light, provides fuel-saving tips based on your driving habits, remembers where you park and where you drove, calls for help in an accident, and more. The device (expected to ship in August) costs a one-time fee of US$69 and connects to a companion iPhone app via Bluetooth. An Android version is planned, but Windows Phone and Blackberry users are out of luck. The company says it works with virtually every gasoline-powered car sold in the U.S. since 1996. If Automatic lives up to its promise, it could be huge.

...

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Apple has just released a new iOS .1.4 software update for the iPhone 5 that includes an updated speakerphone profile. That’s really it as far as public updates but Apple often updates some stuff behind the scenes including some bug fixes and security updates. The 11.5MB update (kinda big for just a profile, no?) is for iPhone 5 only and can be downloaded directly at the following links:

iPhone5,1 (iPhone5,1)
6.1.4 (10B350)
05/02/2013 13:07:01

iPhone5,2 (iPhone5,2)
6.1.4 (10B350)
05/02/2013 13:07:01

//

...

New pictures released to the Internet show the interior of Apple's soon to open Berlin store, as well as fans already in line waiting for the store's opening on Friday.  ...

A new national stolen phone database is having little effect on smartphone thefts in the U.S., according to an article in The New York Times. The country's four major carriers all contribute to the database, which lists stolen phone ID numbers that should not be activated on domestic networks. However, the database appears to be ineffective for several reasons.

For one, the database has no effect on phones taken overseas, where many stolen phones end up. Second, the unique identifiers can be changed by organized theft rings. As a result, some law enforcement authorities have begun...

Flying Meat has released Acorn 4, an upgrade of its Mac photo-editing utility. The update adds several major features, such as non-destructive filters and a curve editor, which offers more precise control over shadows, midtones and highlights. The new Merlin HUD lets users control the radius and center points of a filter while still on the canvas....  ...

Released today in the App Store, Onavo Protect promises to protect you while browsing the web on your iPhone. The app allows you to set up an always-on VPN connection, adding an extra layer of security to your browsing experience when you’re on public Wi-Fi networks. Unsecured wireless networks open up the possibility of your personal data being intercepted, and Onavo Protect is intended to keep you safe from those with malicious intent. Additionally, the app warns users when the site they are using is attempting to send a password in an insecure manner, and automatically blocks known phishing sites.

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According to Onavo, the application,...

New storage configurations for the 27-inch iMac at Apple's online store.

Apple’s iMacs are getting some new flash storage options, per changes to Apple’s online store. The 21.5-inch iMac, which was never before graced with the option of true solid state storage, can now get flash storage in two different sizes, while the 27-inch iMac has two new smaller sizes of SSD.

Previously, the 21.5-inch iMac had options for either a 1TB HDD or a 1TB “Fusion Drive,” A 1TB HDD coupled with a 128GB SSD. Now, customers can upgrade the model with a 256GB flash drive for an additional $300, or 512GB for $600.

The 27-inch iMac used to be limited to 1TB or 3TB HDD or Fusion Drive options, or else a massive 768GB flash drive at a $900 upgrade fee. The two smaller SSDs, 256GB and 512GB, are now available to the 27-inch iMac in addition to the old options.

...

A worthwhile software update never hurt anyone.

Or kicked your puppy when you weren’t looking.

On Thursday, software developer Telestream has released version 3.2.0.16 of Flip4Mac, its QuickTime components package which allows for Windows Media files to be viewed, imported and converted under Mac OS X. The new release, an 85.8 megabyte download, includes the following fixes and changes:

New Features:
- New in-app stores purchasing.

Fixes and Enhancements:
- Dramatically improved the loading time for ASF files (.wmv, .wma, .wm, .wmp, .asf, etc.).

Flip4Mac 3.2.0.16 is available for free but can go as high as US$179 depending on the version...

The market for dedicated GPS devices hasn't died despite the rise of the smartphone, and Magellan found an interesting way to tie the two together with its new SmartGPS. Along with the usual GPS navigation features you'd expect, it also ties in to Yelp! and Foursquare, gives live updates on nearby gas prices and weather, sports a 5-inch touch screen, you can upload the locations you search for on your computer, iPhone, or iPad to the GPS, and more. SmartGPS is priced at US$249.99, the companion iOS app will be available as a free download soon.

Earlier this year Blockbuster relaunched its digital video rental service dubbed “Blockbuster on Demand” by releasing apps for Android, Roku, Samsung Smart TVs, PC & Mac and introducing new features such as 1080p HD streaming and 5.1-channel surround sound. The service hasn’t picked up much steam since relaunching in January, but today it appears Dish is pushing ahead by finally...

It’s pricey, but it’s a useful option.

Per MacRumors, Apple has added new storage options to its iMac lineup, allowing users to choose either a 256 GB or 512 GB flash storage drive as part of the order customization process. The new options are available as US$300 and US$600 surcharges respectively to replace the 1 TB traditional hard drive that is standard across all iMac models.

Previously, the 21.5-inch iMac had not been available with dedicated flash storage options, only offering the standard 1 TB traditional hard drive and a US$250 Fusion Drive option. Apple’s Fusion Drive marries a 128...

It's time to save some of that hard-earned cash with our Daily Deals, featuring a handy list from Dealnews and our own hand-picked selections that include some sweet deals on iOS and OS X software (all prices are USD).

Deals from Dealnews

• StackSocial: [Mac Software] The Mac Productivity Bundle 4.0 for Mac downloads for $50
• Other World Computing: [Computer Accessories] OWC 2012 Featured Move 'em Out: RAM, accessories, HDDs, more
• eBay: [Home Security] Refurb Philips WiFi Home Monitor for iPhone / iPad for $60 + free shipping
• ...

Twitter has released an update to its iOS app that adds new features and several improvements. The biggest new feature is the ability to view global trends. Previously a user could view local trends in the Discover tab, but now you can select global trend locations and view trending hashtags from locales across the world.

Twitter for iOS now also lets you invite friends to join Twitter from within the app. Previously this feature was only found on its web-based client. Also, retweets have been tweaked to include both the original author's Twitter handle and the handle of the person retweeting it. Finally, Twitter has improved the playback of Vine videos within the app.

Twitter for iOS is a free download.

...

I was hoping it was a drinking contest, but they are looking for ideas that appeal to drinkers over 60-years-old.

∞ Read this on The Loop

Jim and Dan discuss Jim being driven to strike someone at a Metallica concert, tarantulas and june bugs, a Volkswagen Beatle with an iPad dock, and more.

Sponsored by Gazelle, Shutterstock (use code DANSENTME4 for 30% off), and Shopify.

∞ Read this on The Loop

Apple has added 256GB and 512GB SSD options for build-to-order iMac customers at its online store. Picking 256GB adds $300 to the cost of a system, while choosing 512GB adds $600. Stock iMac configurations are priced between $1,299 and $1,999....   ...

Apple's Siri voice control system is already available in iOS 6 for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch, but don't expect to see it show up in OS X 10.9. That's according to Ezra Gottheil from Technology Business Report who thinks Apple will have to update Mac hardware before OS X can support Siri.

The Mac Observer Spin:
Working Siri into OS X involves more than addding a couple lines of code so that developers have something to hook to. Considering the work and testing involved, plus Apple's push to overhaul iOS 7, Siri doesn't sound like a feature we'll be seeing in OS X 10.9.

Some users have issues displaying PDFs in their web browsers. In some cases, when clicking on a link to a PDF, they get a blank black or white page. These issues can be caused by certain PDF browser plug-ins.



Michael Cohen has written an article for TidBITS discussing this issue, and explaining which plug-ins to remove.



I haven't seen this issue myself, but for those having problems, this is a simple fix. It's worth noting that, over time, you may have browser plug-ins that you don't need, so it's worth having a look in ~/Library/Internet Plug-Ins and /Library/Internet Plug-Ins to see what's there.

Flying Meat, the developer behind the popular Photoshop-like image editing app called ‘Acorn’, today has released version 4.0 of the app bringing a number of new highly requested features and performance enhancements. Acorn 4 brings new non-destructive filters, multiple layer selection, new shape tools such as “Stars, Arrows, and a Bezier anchor,” and a revamped UI with the tools palette in a separate window.

Layer styles and filters are now merged together into a happy new UI. Chain filters together to create endless combinations of unique effects knowing you can always change your mind later on.

Other improvements include enhancements to speed, a new UI for filters dubbed the ‘Merlin HUD’, and Boolean shape operations, and Curves to “Adjust the tonal response and even the individual color channels to perfect the midtones, shadows, highlights, and contrast...

Build-to-order iMac options from Apple's official online store now include either 256GB or 512GB of flash storage for both the 21.5- and 27-inch iMac models, reports "AppleInsider" (www.appleinsider.com).

Until now the 21.5-inch iMac hasn't been offered with dedicated flash storage options. Your choice was the standard 1TB traditional hard drive and a $250 Fusion Drive option. As for the 27-inch iMac, the only flash drive available previously was a 768GB option that cost an additional $900. All iMacs in default configurations are advertised to ship within 24 hours from Apple's online store.

On May 2, 2013, the US Patent & Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple that reveals that they're once again advancing their NFC project which began back in 2008. Apple has established a firm foundation for future NFC applications ranging from shopping, banking and everyday interconnectivity with other devices in the home, with a friend or retailer. Today's patent application relates to methods for setting payment option preferences in Apple's future e-commerce app that they've temporarily dubbed as the "Shopping" app. ...

Evomail, an iPad-only email client that aims to truly "re-invent email," was released today. I've been testing the release candidate they submitted to Apple, and from what I've seen it's a respectable first volley of a product whose path will be, in the words of its founders, "a marathon and not a sprint." Part of the reinvention is UI-related, and part is functionality, specifically allowing full-time push notifications from a 3rd party client. This reinvention, however, comes at a cost: you need to provide Evomail access to your email account so their servers can log in to check for mail and deliver these push notifications.

Adobe is developing an iOS companion app to the desktop version of Lightroom, the company's product manager for Lightroom, Tom Hogarty, revealed Wednesday via an online show, The Grid. The app should support controlling many of the same elements as the desktop software, such as exposure, clarity, shadows, highlights, white balance, and noise reduction. At the foundation of the app though is the Smart Previews technology from the Lightroom 5 beta....  ...

Apple is hard at work on iOS 7 for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch ahead of it preview at June's Worldwide Developers Conference, and the changes that are in store are so big that the company has pulled engineers from the OS X update to keep iOS on schedule. That's good news for iPhone and iPad owners because it shows Apple's dedication to keeping iOS fresh and improving the user experience, but it could spell trouble for Mac users hoping for the same in the next version of OS X.

Popular music streaming service Songza for iOS updated to version 3.0 today featuring significant performance improvements and a few new features.

Users can now shake their device while on Songza’s concierge page, which allows you to make a playlist based on your activities like studying or working out. Pretty cool.

What’s New in Version 3.0

Welcome to Songza 3.0, reimagined to help make the things you do every day better!

- Doing something special? From the Concierge screen on iPhone or iPod Touch, shake your device and...

Apple has added new storage options to its iMac lineup, allowing users to choose either a 256 GB or 512 GB flash storage drive as part of the order customization process. The new options are available as $300 and $600 surcharges respectively to replace the 1 TB traditional hard drive that is standard across all iMac models.

Previously, the 21.5-inch iMac had not been available with dedicated flash storage options, only offering the standard 1 TB traditional hard drive and a $250 Fusion Drive option. Apple's Fusion Drive marries a 128 GB flash drive with a 1 TB traditional hard drive to seamlessly provide fast access to most-used files while also offering relatively cheap mass storage for the remainder of the user's storage needs. Those options remain available, but for those looking for an all-flash storage solution, Apple is now offering that in 256 and 512 GB capacities.

For the 27-inch iMac, Apple did previously offer an all-flash storage solution, but only as...

Microsoft is said to be planning to introduce its second generation of Surface tablets with smaller displays this June, but the company is reportedly taking a "cautious" approach after the initial models got off to a lukewarm start.  ...

Magellan has announced nationwide availability of its new SmartGPS device. The hardware GPS for cars mates with an iPhone via an iOS app to provide the in-car solution with several advantages, including connections to Yelp and Foursquare based on the user location. Live content includes fuel prices, traffic, local weather and traffic camera alerts. The hardware is initially available at Best Buy and sells for U.S> $249.00. The iOS app that provides the network links is free. You can find information for a destination on the Magellan app, then send it via Bluetooth to the GPS hardware in the car.

The reasoning is to blend the best parts of the smartphone experience with dedicated hardware. Success with this approach will depend upon whether people find the navigation solutions on their smartphones to be needing a boost from dedicated hardware.

The Magellan SmartGPS has a 5 inch touchscreen, free lifetime map updates...

When I saw the widely reported quote from BlackBerry CEO Thorsten Heins that there won't be a reason to have a tablet in five years, my first reaction was one of keen interest. After all, what's the opposite of dead tablets? Something else that's supercool. I expected that Heins would say something revolutionary -- that he would express, at the very least, a better vision of a tablet-free world in five years. My bad. Of course, his comments were not actually as silly as the headlines painted.

Acorn's new vector tools

Indie image editor Acorn has received a major update to version 4.0, bringing with it a number of new tools and UI updates that should satisfy new and longtime users. The release, available for $29.99 throughout the month of May from the Mac App Store (regularly $49.99), boasts 150 new features, including an improved filter interface, non-destructive filters, a new curves adjustment tool, and more.

Acorn creator Gus Mueller says Acorn 4 also comes with new shape features that allow you to better control your vector layers. There's also a new "skinny tools palette," which essentially splits the old unified palette so editing tools are on the left and inspector tools are on the right of the canvas. "Why the change? Acorn 4 includes more tools, and the end result was too much good stuff to fit in a single palette," the company said in a statement.

Those are just a taste of the changes included with Acorn 4, but Flying Meat Software (the...

Consumers in the United States are becoming accustomed to the use of cell phones for financial transactions, which has opened the door for further innovation among service providers, according to mPowa (www.powa.com), a mobile payments company.

read more

CrossOver allows you to install many popular Windows applications on your Mac. Your applications integrate seamlessly in OS X; just click and run. No rebooting, no switching to a virtual machine, and no Windows operating system license required.

CrossOver is capable of running a wide range of Windows software. To see if your favorite application works with CrossOver, please check What Runs.

Easy Installs!
Many Windows titles can be installed using our CrossTie technology. If you have CrossOver installed, and have the installer for your Windows software, simply click the button in our compatibility database, and CrossOver will automatically install your application for you!

Version 12.2:

Application Support:

• Quicken
• Fixed a bug which caused Quicken to fail to register on Mac OS X.
• ...

Paradigma Software has released database and reports tool, Valentina Studio 5.2 and the enterprise reports and database server, Valentina Server 5.2, for Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux.

Valentina Studio 5.2 lets you manage, query and administer databases including MySQL, Postgre, SQLite and Valentina DB. Valentina DB 5.2 ADK allows developers to build applications with XCode /Cocoa, LiveCode, C/C++ and all major development environments and more. Version 5.2 offers:

° New JSON format text-based dump of Database, Table and SQL results, as a simple dump or as an export;

read more

An incident at a Samsung production facility has seen another set of employees injured. The leak of hydrofluoric acid gas at the processor plant in Hwaseong, Korea is the second incident of its kind in a four-month period, with the previous incident taking place at the same factory with the same leaked gas causing injury....  ...

Adobe's group product manager for Lightroom Tom Hogarty on Wednesday showed off an early version of an as-yet unnamed image editing iOS app, with the prototype software leveraging cloud computing assets to manipulate RAW photo files.  ...

Acorn is a new image editor built with one goal in mind - simplicity. Fast, easy, and fluid, Acorn provides the options you'll need without any overhead. Acorn feels right, and won't drain your bank account.

• Take screenshots using Acorn and edit them right away.
• Chain together image filters to create stunning effects.
• Layer based image editing, an industry standard.
• Make new images and layers using your built-in iSight.
• Easy image and canvas resizing, just by changing the size of your window.
• Take advantage of every pixel of your monitor with full screen image editing.
• Tablet sensitive for pressure strokes and using the tablet's eraser.
• Vector shape and text layers.
• Freeform, elliptical, rectangular, and magic wand selections.
• Gradients.
• Create and apply custom text styles.
• Control opacity and blending modes for each layer.
• Write plugins using...