Apple: the 'Do Not Disturb' bug will self-correct Jan...
Apple has posted a support document that telsl users that a bug with the "Do Not Disturb" feature in iOS 6 will automatically be resolved after Jan. 7.
The problem began with the debut of 2013. The Do Not Disturb mode in iOS 6 stays on past its scheduled end time.
"Do Not Disturb scheduling feature will resume normal functionality after January 7, 2013," says Apple. "Before this date, you should manually turn the Do Not Disturb feature on or off."
Amazon gets a legal win in 'app store' battle with...
Amazon.com has won a dismissal of a of a claim by Apple Inc. that the online retailer’s use of the term “app store” for Android device software constitutes false advertising, reports "Bloomberg" (http://tinyurl.com/aox784e).
U.S. District Judge Phyllis Hamilton in Oakland, California, granted Amazon’s request to toss the claim. She said in an order that she found "no support for the proposition that Amazon has expressly or impliedly communicated that its Appstore for Android possesses the characteristics and qualities that the public has come to expect from the Apple APP Store and/or Apple products."
Last year Apple sued Amazon, saying the online retailer is using Apple’s “App Store” trademark for a mobile-software developer program. In a complaint filed March 18, 2011, in federal court in northern California, Apple accused Amazon.com of trademark infringement and unfair competition and asked for a judge’s order to prevent the company from using the "App Store" name, as well as for...
ITC pushes back Apple-Samsung ruling to Feb. 6
The International Trade Commission (ITC) has pushed back its scheduled Jan. 14 final ruling an Apple and Samsung patent infringement case to Feb. 6, reports "FOSS Patents" (http://tinyurl.com/afrmm3x).
Originally, the U.S. trade agency was scheduled to hand down its final ruling on Jan. 14, which would have been four months after Administrative Law Judge E. James Gildea's September 14, 2012 preliminary ruling that recommended the wholesale dismissal of Samsung's complaint. However, in a determination signed on Friday (which entered the electronic docket of the case only today), it extended the target date for this investigation until Feb. 6.
This is all part of the ongoing, global legal battle. Apple and Samsung have filed more than 30 lawsuits against each other across four continents. For example, Apple alleges that Samsung copied the slide-to-unlock technology of its iPhone and iPad devices.
iBookstore reportedly coming to Japan
Apple is reportedly set to introduce the iBookstore, its e-book service, in Japan soon.
The Japanese language "Nikkei" -- as noted by "PC Mag" (http://tinyurl.com/axlmdgh) -- says Apple will launch an e-book service sometime this month in partnership with Japanese publishers such as Kadokawa, Shogakukan, and Kodansha. According to the report, Apple will introduce about 80,000 Japanese-language titles upon the store's debut.
Apple's ownership of page-turn design disputed
The WHDA US PTO Litigation Alert blog has listed last week's reexamination requests filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and the targets of those filings include two Apple design patents covering the on-screen representation of a page turn, reports "FOSS Patents" (http://tinyurl.com/akpp8sf).
One of these patents was granted on Nov. 13, 2012 and "provoked quite some outrage because the idea of a page-turn animation appeared too basic and the resultant monopoly too broad to many observers," the article adds. The other one, granted on Oct. 30, 2012, raises the same questions. "Someone is now trying to shoot both these design patents down before they ever get asserted in litigation," writes Florian Mueller for "FOSS Patents."
Samsung loses bid to keep sales data sealed
Samsung has lost a bid to keep sales data of some of its products sealed in a U.S. patent dispute with Apple, reports "Bloomberg." (http://tinyurl.com/aosz3rl).
U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose, California, has denied Samsung’s request to keep the sales figures secret while the company appeals an earlier sealing order. The judge ruled on Dec. 10 that Samsung must file an exhibit which lists the total number of units of certain Samsung products sold during certain time periods, the judge wrote in yesterday’s order without providing further details.
This is all part of the ongoing, global legal battle. Apple and Samsung have filed more than 30 lawsuits against each other across four continents. For example, Apple alleges that Samsung copied the slide-to-unlock technology of its iPhone and iPad devices.
Mac OS X software updates for Jan. 2
Here are the latest updates for Mac OS X apps:
TapMedia has announced Instamac 1.1 (www.instamacapp.com), an update to their Instagram client for the Mac. The upgrade brings an updated profile view and more.
Zevrix Solutions (http://www.zevrix.com) has updated BatchOutput PDF, a solution to printing multiple PDF documents, to version 2.0b9. It adds an option to start watching automatically on launch.
ClickToPlugin (http://hoyois.github.com/safariextensions/clicktoplugin/), which prevents Safari from automatically launching plug-ins, has been revved to version 2.7.2. It offers updated "killers."
Library Books (http://librarybooksapp.com), which lets you track your borrowed library books, has been updated to version 3.21b36. It's a maintenance upgrade.
Obscurity (http://www.mednotes.net/about/portfolio/programmer/), a utility for hiding private files, is now up to version 1.2. It's now open source and published under a "Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License."
Happy New Year
MacTech.com and MacNews.com wish you a very happy new year -- and the very best for 2013.
Hackulous web site shuts down
The Hackulous team announced today on its web site (http://hackulo.us) that it's closing up shop. It's the iOS piracy community behind the Installous jailbreak app.
"We are very sad to announce that Hackulous is shutting down," the Hackulous team writes. "After many years, our community has become stagnant and our forums are a bit of a ghost town. It has become difficult to keep them online and well-moderated, despite the devotion of our staff. We're incredibly thankful for the support we've had over the years and hope that new, greater communities blossom out of our absence."
Mac OS X software updates for Dec. 31
Here are the latest updates for Mac OS X apps:
Trailrunner (www.trailrunnerx.com/), a Mac OS X solution for folks doing long distance sports, has been updated to version 3.7.709. The upgrade removes Wi-Fi syncing with iOS apps.
Moth Software (www.mothsoftware.com) has announced Mail Archiver X 3.0.0.2.566, an update to their app designed as a companion to the user's email application, allowing consolidation, archiving, cleaning, formatting, and permanent storage of emails. The buttons in the mailbox list are now disabled when no archive is open. Mail Archiver X no longer crashes after getting the number of mails for Apple Mail in some cases. The application no longer is started every minute when the option "Start missed" wasn't selected.
WeatherCat (http://trixology.com) weather station software, has been revved to version 1.1.2. It adds a DAYSAGO() function that can be used as a time period specifier with the STAT$ custom web tag. This can be used to query data from a given day in...
ITC judge wants Samsung to post substantial bond
An ITC judge wants Samsung to post a bond of 88% of its U.S. smartphone sales due to Apple's patent case, reports "FOSS Patents" (http://tinyurl.com/cc3c8d7). The article says that Samsung also faces the following sanctions:
° An U.S. import ban that would enter into effect after the 60-day Presidential review period following a final ITC decision;
° Asimultaneous cease-and-desist order that would prohibit the sale of any commercially significant quantities of the imported infringing accused products in the United States (this remedy was denied against HTC);
° The requirement to post a bond of 88% of the value of all mobile phones, 32.5% of the value of all media players, and 37.6% of the value of all tablet computers found to infringe Apple's patents-in-suit during the Presidential review period.
This is all part of the ongoing, global legal battle. Apple and Samsung have filed more than 30 lawsuits against each other across four continents. For example, Apple alleges that Samsung...
Apple withdraws patent complaints against new Samsung phone
Apple has agreed to withdraw patent claims against a new Samsung phone with a high-end display after Samsung said it was not offering to sell the product in the crucial U.S. market, reports "Reuters" (http://tinyurl.com/cjutrdy).
Apple announced the agreement in a filing on Friday in U.S. District Court in San Jose, California. Last month Apple asked to add the Galaxy S III Mini and other Samsung products, including several tablet models, to its wide-ranging patent litigation against Samsung.
This is all part of the ongoing, global legal battle. Apple and Samsung have filed more than 30 lawsuits against each other across four continents. For example, Apple alleges that Samsung copied the slide-to-unlock technology of its iPhone and iPad devices.
Radiant Optoelectronics looking beyond Apple for customers
Radiant Optoelectronics is looking for more non-Apple customers in 2013 to provide backlighting units (BLUs) due to an expected rise in non-Apple tablet sales, reports "DigiTimes" (http://tinyurl.com/d5obygt) quoting unnamed "industry sources."
Radiant is currently Apple's main supplier of backlighting modules for the iPad and iPad mini. Approximately 80% of the company's shipments were to Apple in 2012 with the rest going to Samsung Electronics and Amazon for use in their tablet products, according to "DigiTimes." However, Radiant is reportedly expecting to see an increase in non-Apple tablet product demand in 2013, the article adds.
Lemke Software releases GraphicConverter 8.5 for Mac OS X
Lemke Software (www.lemkesoft.com/) has released GraphicConverter 8.5, an update to its US$39.95 image utility for Mac OS X. It's been completely rewritten and now supports 64-bit and 32-bit Intel-based systems.
GraphicConverter is a tool for image conversion from more than 200 file formats. Version 8.5 adds support for retina displays, a slideshow with find feature, and more.
Version 8.5 is a free update for users of version 7.x and 8.x. It's downloadable from the Updater within the application menu.
Mac OS X software updates for Dec. 28
Here are the latest updates for Mac OS X apps:
Koingo Software has introduced AirRadar 2.2.7 (www.koingosw.com/products/airradar.php), an update of its free software that allows users to scan for wireless networks in range of their computer, compile favorite and filter lists, and view detailed network information. The upgrade fixes a damaged app warning bug.
Koingo has also given us Amnesia 1.4.1. The software performs a smart scan to determine all related files to be removed. Amnesia 1.4.1 sports various Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion bug fixes.
Rogue Amoeba has rolled out Airfoil 4.7.5 (www.rogueamoeba.com/airfoil/mac), an upgrade to the tool for streaming audio around the house. The new version now properly restricts its search to the LAN, preventing possible issues with Back to my Mac and iCloud.
CineScope (http://www.einsteinslegacy.com/products/cineScope.html), a collection of video tools for measuring and analyzing video being captured by your Mac, has been revved to version 1.0...
Apple/Foxconn reforms could have a 'ripple effect'
"The New York Times" (http://tinyurl.com/chu26bl) says Apple and Foxconn's commitment to "wide ranging reforms" in China-based manufacturing facilities "could create a ripple effect that benefits tens of millions of workers across the electronics industry."
The companies have cut workers' hours, increased wages, instituted more stringent safety precautions and more, the article adds. The changes also extend to California, where Apple is based.
"Apple, the electronics industry’s behemoth, in the last year has tripled its corporate social responsibility staff, has re-evaluated how it works with manufacturers, has asked competitors to help curb excessive overtime in China and has reached out to advocacy groups it once rebuffed," adds "The New York Times."
DiskAid 6 for the Mac adds Wi-Fi iPhone file transfer
DigiDNA (http://www.digidna.net/products/diskaid) has announced DiskAid 6 for Mac OS X. The new version sports a user interface redesign on the outside and some under-the-hood tweaks.
DiskAid continues to provide music and video copying from iPhones, iPads or iPods to the iTunes' library. However, version 6 allows access to the iOS file system from a computer wirelessly. Files, folders and documents are transferred between a Mac and any iOS device via any Wi-Fi network.
The latest version also allows simultaneous transfers with multiple devices. It's now possible to manage numerous devices and documents from a single computer, all at the same time. What's more DiskAid 6 no longer needs the device's connection to transfer all data contents such as SMS text messages, contacts, notes, voicemail, voice memos and call history back to a computer.
All DiskAid 5 licenses purchased after Oct. 1qualify for a free upgrade to DiskAid 6 Mac version. For new users the cost is normally US$29.90;...
Apple fined for violating rights of some Chinese authors
Apple has been fined US$165,908 by a Chinese court for allegedly selling unlicensed electronic versions of books online, reports the "Business Standard" (http://tinyurl.com/c9ypgem).
The Beijing No.2 Intermediate People's Court ordered Apple to pay a total of 1.03 million yuan ($165,908) to eight Chinese writers and two companies for violating their copyrights. Three separate lawsuits were filed with the court on behalf of 12 writers who allege 59 of their titles were sold unlicensed through the iTunes Store.
Apple wants all eight board of directors members to return
In a a regulatory filing with the SEC -- as noted by "The Next Web" (http://tinyurl.com/c98vofw) -- Apple says it wants all eight members of its board of directors re-elected.
Those members include CEO Tim Cook, Chairman Arthur Levinson, Al Gore, William Campbell, Millard Drexler, Robert Iger, Andrea Jung, and Ronald Sugar). Cook and Iger are the only ones who are "new" to the board. Both were appointed in 2011; each of the other six persons have been a director since before that, notes "The Next Web."
Tim Cook paid $4.17 million in 2012
Apple CEO Tim Cook will receive compensation for 2012 valued at US$4.17 million after his salary was raised by 51% in his first full year in the job, reports "Bloomberg" (http://tinyurl.com/bprfzle). However, he gets no stock awards.
The total includes $1.36 million salary and $2.8 million in incentive plan compensation, Apple said today in a regulatory filing. Cook’s 2011 compensation of $378 million, one of the biggest pay packages on record, was boosted by $376.2 million in stock awards that he’ll get over a decade, notes "Bloomberg."
Apple moving ARM chip production from Samsung to Unimicron?
There are reports that Apple is moving its A-series ARM chip production from Samsung to Unimicron Technology Corp., according to "The MacObserver" (http://tinyurl.com/bqd9b9k).
Purportedly, Unimicron has already started small scale chip production for Apple, and will ramp up to full scale production in 2013 after completing construction on a new factory, the article adds. This fall Samsung confirmed that its involvement in Apple chip production had been scaled back and that it was no longer involved in the design process.
If Apple is indeed dropping Samsung chips, it's no surprise. The two companies are involved in an ongoing, global legal battle. Apple and Samsung have filed more than 30 lawsuits against each other across four continents. For example, Apple alleges that Samsung copied the slide-to-unlock technology of its iPhone and iPad devices.
Mac OS X software updates for Dec. 27
Here are the latest updates for Mac OS X apps:
MaBaSoft (www.mabasoft.net) has announced World Clock Deluxe 4.9, an update to their world time utility for Mac OS X. The upgrade revises the appearance of the Clocks, Cities & Time Zones, and Time Converter panes and introduces several new Time Converter features.
Koingo Software (http://www.koingosw.com) has released MacPilot 5.0.4, an update of the tool that enables hidden features built into Mac OS X and lets users modify preferences to streamline performance. The new version is a maintenance release with some bug fixes.
Koingo has also revved Librarian Pro -- which lets you manage your collection of books, magazines, games, CDs, software titles and movies -- to version 2.2.4. Toolbars can now be customized again.
Simple Envelope (http://www.simpleenvelope.com) -- an app for printing addresses on envelopes -- has been upgraded to version 2.0.5. It fixes some glitches with Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion.
SAGE (http://www.sagemath.org...
iWatch is new crimefighting app for Marion, Virginia, residents
Marion, Virginia, police is offering a free app called iWatch Marion for iOS and Android devices. It's designed to help fight crime.
Lt. Andrew Moss told "The Bristol Herald Courier" (http://tinyurl.com/cvfhsbh) that residents can use the app to report crimes and suspicious activities to police. Residents also can sign up for text alerts for weather, school closings, missing children, crime alerts and other items.
Samsung sues Apple over notification center patent
Samsung has filed a new patent infringement lawsuit against Apple in South Korea over the iPhone and iPad's Notification Center feature, reports "FOSS Patents" (http://tinyurl.com/cp9z9z8).
Florian Mueller of "FOSS Patents" writes: "In all likelihood this is a non-standard-essential patent. Clearly, Samsung needs to step up its non-SEP assertions against Apple because its original SEP-centric litigation strategy has been a near-total failure: it obtained injunctive relief only in Korea (but enforcement has been stayed for the duration of the appeal), an entitlement to damages (which have yet to be determined but will be modest) in the Netherlands, lost out on various claims in the U.S. and several European countries, received a skeptical initial indication by an Australian judge, and yesterday found itself at the receiving end of a Statement of Objections, a preliminary antitrust ruling, by the European Commission despite having unilaterally dropped its European SEP injunctions...
Mophie releases OutRide waterproof mounting system
Mophie (www.mophie.com) has released the US$149.95 OutRide, a wide-angle, waterproof mounting system that eliminates the need for a dedicated action sports camera.
The OutRide, when paired with the free Outride 1.0.1 app, leverages the existing technology of the iPhone and gives users the ability to record, edit and immediately share their point-of-view, no matter how extreme the conditions. OutRide is now available at mophie.com and the app is immediately available for download in the Apple App Store. An Apple-exclusive edition of OutRide is also available, in all white with a silver aluminum bezel.
Avenza releases Geographic Imager Basic License for Photoshop
Avenza Systems (www.avenza.com) has released the Geographic Imager 4.1 Basic License for Adobe Photoshop. It provides the geo-reference framework of Geographic Imager to Adobe Photoshop and the ability to import and export limited file formats.
The Basic License can import all supported spatial imagery that the Full license can (some file size restrictions apply to non-native Adobe Photoshop formats), and allows for limited export to major GIS formats including GeoTIFF and geospatial PDF, says Ted Florence, president of Avenza Systems.
Geographic Imager Basic License Maintains the geo-reference framework of Geographic Imager in Adobe Photoshop. It offers the ability to read Geographic Imager supported file formats up to 1GB. It also offers the ability to export to major GIS raster formats including GeoTIFF, geospatial PDF, and JPEG 2000.
Geographic Imager 4.1 Basic License is immediately available at US$199 with a special introductory price of US$149 through Jan. 31. An upgrade to a...
Samsung seeks ban of some Ericsson products in the U.S.
Apparently doing battle with Apple isn't enough. Now Samsung is seeking to ban imports and sales of certain Ericsson products in the U.S., alleging that they infringe its patents, reports "Macworld UK" (http://tinyurl.com/bwmtv6x).
This follows a similar one by Ericsson to ban some Samsung products here. Samsung filed its complaint with the U.S. International Trade Commission on Friday, arguing that the Swedish network equipment company has violated seven of its patents. The key technologies at issue are related to electronic devices for wireless communications and data transfer, including radio frequency and LTE networks, according to "Macworld UK."
AdvSoft releases AweCal for Mac OS X
AdvSoft (http://www.advsoftvn.com/index.html) has released AweCal 1.0, an all-in-one calendar, task and note management application for Mac OS X (10.7 and higher). It costs US$27.99 and is available at the Mac App Store in the Productivity category.
AweCal is designed to help you manage day-to-day appointments, tasks and notes. Features include: day, week, month and list view; various filter modes; asmart scheduler logic to book task to calendar, checklist for any task/event; send / accept invitations, time balance; syncing functions; quick data entry and data manipulations; and more.
As a collaboration tool, AweCal supports a range of syncing possibilities: Events sync to iCal, Google Calendar. Tasks sync to Reminders, Toodledo, Google Tasks. All data on AweCal (Mac) can be synced to AweCal (iOS) via AweCal Cloud server. A web version of data on AweCal server will also be supported soon.
Happy holidays from all of us at MacTech and MacNews
All of us at MacTech and MacNews wish all our readers and advertisers the very best of the holiday season.
Keep safe and enjoy this time with your family and friends. Then rejoin us for the latest Apple news on Wednesday, Dec. 26.
Jingle Weekend at MacTech offers almost 90% off
The Jingle Weekend at MacTech runs through Christmas Day. You have that long to take advantage of the iPad/magazine subscription bundle offer.
You can save almost 90% off the newsstand pricing and get both MacTech Magazine in print and on the iPad for just US$19.95. Special pricing is only possible and available with the bundled subscription -- and both new and existing subscribers can take advantage of the offer. International readers can benefit, too.
Scripty Claus gives us Holiday Season AppleScript
Want to have a little racing fun this holiday season? Then check out an AppleScript from Scripty Claus.
Holiday Season is a AppleScript that lines up your Desktop icons and races them across the screen until one of them reaches the finish line. You can learn more at http://tinyurl.com/dxs33z2, including how to set it up.
Apple cleared in Italian AppleCare investigation -- but receives...
Already required to pay $1.2 million (€900,000) in damages, Apple has been fined another $264,000 (€200,000) by Italy’s ‘antitrust authority’ Autorità Garante della Concorrenza e del Mercato (AGCM) for failing to comply with local laws with its Applecare warranties between March 28 and Nov. 10, reports "The Next Web" (http://tinyurl.com/ckqgwz7).
In a statement -- which you can read in its entirety at http://tinyurl.com/cg2c2g7 -- the AGCM says that while Apple has since amended its warranty policies, its actions between March and November continued to infringe on rights covering “Legal guarantee of conformity and commercial guarantees for consumer goods” in the Italian consumer code.
In December 2011, Italy's Antitrust Authority fined Apple 900,000 euros (approximately US$1.2 million) for its handling of customer guarantees. The watchdog group said Apple had failed to inform shoppers of their legal right to two years' technical support, recognizing instead only a one-year standard...
Apple patents not yet invalid
Apple's patents behind the pinch-to-zoom, bounce-back and multitouch features of its iPhone aren’t invalid, at least not yet, reports "Bloomberg" (http://tinyurl.com/cqgupvn).
On Dec. 7 the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office published a preliminarily ruling that Apple's iPhone patent popularly referred to as "the Steve Jobs patent" is invalid in its entirety upon reexamination. However, the Office’s initial rejections in recent weeks were consistent with a process in which most patents challenged over the past three decades, including ones rejected at some point, survived in original or modified forms, according to data compiled by the office, notes "Bloomberg."
In late October, a first Office action in a reexamination proceeding stated the preliminary conclusion that all 20 claims of Apple's rubber-banding (overscroll bounce) patent are invalid. The "Steve Jobs patent" (number 7479949) is for a "touch screen device, method and graphical user interface for determining commands by...
Jobs' family yacht seized in Amsterdam
The yacht commissioned by the late Steve Jobs has reportedly been sequestered by lawyers for designer Philippe Starck in Amsterdam over a payment dispute.
The yacht was originally set to cost 150 million euros, but the Jobs family now reportedly claims that the actual cost was 105 million euros, according to "Dutchnews.nl" -- as noted by "AppleInsider." The total cost of the ship determines the payment for Starck, who is due 6% of the cost price. Read more at www.appleinsider.com .
Apple to appeal judge's ruling in Samsung case
Apple has informed Judge Lucy Koh of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California that it would be appealing her decision from earlier this week to disallow the sales embargoes on 26 Samsung devices, reports "MacNN" (http://tinyurl.com/cw2p3m3).
Two days ago a court in California denied Samsung a retrial in a patent dispute with Apple, and also refused Apple a ban on the sale of some Samsung products. A jury decided in August that the South Korean company must pay Apple US$1.05 billion for infringing several of its patents in Samsung smartphones and tablets.
This is all part of the ongoing, global legal battle. Apple and Samsung have filed more than 30 lawsuits against each other across four continents. For example, Apple alleges that Samsung copied the slide-to-unlock technology of its iPhone and iPad devices.
Mac OS X software updates for Dec. 21
Here are the latest updates for Mac OS X apps:
Aquafadas (www.aquafadas.com) has rolled out PulpMotion 3.5 with support for Mountain Lion. PulpMotion lets users of all skill levels assemble their favorite photos, videos and music into slideshows.
Zevrix Solutions (www.zevrix.com) has announced Graphic Inspector 1.7.20, a maintenance update to its quality control solution that checks batches of graphic files for potential problems according to specific workflow requirements. The new version lets uses correctly identify the color mode of Adobe Illustrator EPS files created with Illustrator CS4 and later.
SoftRAID 4.5.1(www.softraid.com) fixes an problem with the latest Mac minis (Late 2012) which could cause data corruption on RAID volumes. This problem is caused by a change in the architecture on these new Macs.
The new MacVector 12.7 (www.macvector.com) sees the introduction of a new complimentary basic edition, MacVector Free. MacVector Free includes many of the basic sequence...
Apple sued by EON Corp. for patent infringement
A company by the name of EON Corp. is suing Apple for ... go on, take a guess -- yes, you've got it -- patent infringement. The lawsuit claims Apple has violated its interactive video patents, reports "Patently Apple" (http://tinyurl.com/cvv54oo).
"Many of Apple's major competitors in the wireless industry have properly paid for using EON's technology. By this action, EON engages a compulsory process that will require Apple to do the same."
According to "Patently Apple," the company is charging Apple with four counts of infringement based on patents 5,663,757, 5,481,546, 5,592,491and 5,388,101. The latter three patents are referred to further into the complaint as the "Dinkins Patents," which are those that were originally filed and granted to EON.
F1 2012 drives onto the Mac
Feral Interactive says F1 2012, the FORMULA ONE racing simulation game, is available now for the Mac.
Developed by Codemasters Birmingham and published by Codemasters for consoles and PC, F1 2012 is the follow-up to F1 2011 and the BAFTA Award-winning F1 2010. It is the first new Formula One game to appear on the Mac in over ten years.
Here's how the game is described: "The official game of the 2012 FIA Formula One World Championship™, F1 2012 features all the teams, drivers and circuits from the 2012 season. All 20 tracks are recreated in meticulous detail, including classics such as Circuit de Monaco, home of the FORMULA 1 GRAND PRIX DE MONACO 2012 and recent arrivals like the brand new Circuit of The Americas in Austin, Texas, home of the 2012 FORMULA 1 UNITED STATES GRAND PRIX.
"F1 2012 offers thrilling gameplay that, in an intense and extensive Career Mode, accurately simulates motorsports’ most demanding competition. Players get to pursue a Formula One career and battle the...
iPhone users get $49 unlimited monthly Solavei mobile service
Solavei, a contract-free mobile service provider, says its members can access up to 4G coverage on unlocked GSM iPhones in 37 new markets with the 1900 MHz band.
The network enhancements allow Solavei members to use iPhones and other AT&T/4G smartphones to access its $49 per month unlimited voice, text and data in areas including New York City, Newark, Boston, Philadelphia, Detroit, Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, San Antonio, Tampa, Baltimore, Houston, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Washington DC, Atlanta, Seattle, Minneapolis, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Diego, Central and Southern Arizona, San Francisco Bay Area, Central Valley California and South Florida.
Launched on September 21, 2012, Solavei has already purportedly attracted more than 100,000 members nationwide. For more info go to www.solavei.com .
Cowbeam beams onto the Mac
Digital Dreams (www.digitaldreamsgames.com) has released Cowbeam for Mac OS X (10.6.6 or higher). It costs US$2.99 and is available at the Mac App Store.
Here's how it's described: "Cowbeam is a single player 'Who is it?' game with planets instead of faces. You need to gather hints that point you towards the right planet where a cow resides. These hints range from the planet's color to its size, and from the vegetation to the amount of moons orbiting around the planet."
AQ Audio releases second gen SmartSpeaker with AirPlay support
AQ Audio has released the second generation of their AirPlay speaker AQ SmartSpeaker A2 with new colors and a lower price point.
The AQ SmartSpeaker A2 sports AQ Direct mode, which permits users enjoy Apple's AirPlay technology. Although it has AirPlay capabilities built for Apple, it also empowers Android and Windows users via a special DLNA Certified App available at the Google Play Store and via Microsoft’s “Play To” feature.
The AQ SmartSpeaker A2 is available at Amazon.com or oat www.aqaudio.com . It costs US$149 for a single unit, $289 for a twin pack and $555 for a four pack.
European Commission to charge Samsung in antitrust case
The European Commission is set to charge South Korean electronics group Samsung in an antitrust patent case, the European Union's competition chief Joaquin Almunia told "Reuters" (http://macte.ch/iooEx).
The EU competition watchdog is investigating whether Samsung broke EU competition rules by filing patent lawsuits against Apple. "We will issue a statement of objections very soon," Almunia said, referring to the Commission's charge sheet.
This is all part of the ongoing, global legal battle. Apple and Samsung have filed more than 30 lawsuits against each other across four continents. For example, Apple alleges that Samsung copied the slide-to-unlock technology of its iPhone and iPad devices.
Semiconductor revenues to fall by almost 5%
Overall worldwide semiconductor revenues will fall by almost 5% in 2012 to just over US$200 billion. Fifteen of the top 20 semiconductor vendors including Intel, Samsung, Texas Instruments, and STMicroelectronics will see their semiconductor product revenues decline in 2012, compared with 2011.
A handful of companies have managed to buck this trend and outperform the overall market and in many cases the continued growth of the smartphone market has been crucial to their success.
"Revenues for platform and wireless connectivity IC used in smartphones grew almost 30% year-on-year from 2011 to 2012 and this has helped companies such as Qualcomm and Broadcom grow in a lackluster year for the overall semiconductor market," says Peter Cooney semiconductor practice director. "Competition in this market is no doubt fierce but those with a strong market position are very well rewarded."
Revenue growth will not continue unabated, integration both in platform ICs and connectivity ICs will be a...
Mac OS X software updates for Dec. 20
Here are the latest updates for Mac OS X apps:
Bare Bones Software (www.barebones.com) has released BBEdit 10.5.1, an update to the recently announced BBEdit 10.5 HTML and text editor. It's a maintenance upgrade with some bug fixes.
Stellar Data Recovery (www.stellarinfo.com) has announced Drive Toolbox 2.5, an improvement of its previous version with enhancements in most key utilities that are now faster and perform more efficiently.
Patent Office invalidates Apple 'pinch to zoom' patent
A key Apple patent that the company successfully used against Samsung in its patent infringement courtroom brawl has been invalidated by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, reports "CNET."
All 20 claims of U.S. patent No. 7,844,915 -- also known as the "pinch to zoom" patent -- have been invalidated by the Patent Office today, following a re-examination. Samsung pointed this out in a filing to U.S. District Court Judge Lucy Koh this afternoon, noting that it was "relevant" given the company's effort for a retrial, as well as Apple's attempt at an injunction against a number of Samsung devices for infringing on this very patent, notes "CNET."
This is all part of the ongoing, global legal battle. Apple and Samsung have filed more than 30 lawsuits against each other across four continents. For example, Apple alleges that Samsung copied the slide-to-unlock technology of its iPhone and iPad devices. Read more at http://news.cnet.com/8301-13579_3-57560112-37/uspto-invalidates-key-appl...
Apple technology and insight at 2013 CES
MacTech Magazine has launched MacTech Insight, a new conference track focused on Apple technology as a part of the upcoming 2013 International CES. MacTech Insight is designed specifically for the technology-minded looking to see trends, opportunities and gain insight into the Apple market. Featuring expert speakers from throughout the Apple market, the day will be kicked off with a keynote address from Neil Ticktin, Editor-in-Chief/Publisher of MacTech Magazine. MacTech Insight will start at 9 a.m. Thursday, January 10, Las Vegas Convention Center, North Hall N260.
Everyone wants to know the latest and the inside track about Apple, and its products. Whether Mac, iPhone, AppleTV, etc., the people behind MacTech Magazine have been working with Apple technologies since 1984. Hear from those that "live Apple" every day: what the experts think Apple is up to next, and how you personally and in your organization can make the most of technologies from the most innovative company in the...
Dirac Live Room Correction Suite released for Macs, PCs
Dirac Research AB has released the Dirac Dirac Live Room Correction Suite, a software solution that delivers optimized sound quality for any Mac or PC-based HiFi system.
The software, which requires a microphone, measures the acoustic performance of the system within the listening room and optimizes playback performance accordingly, providing the most transparent music reproduction possible, says Dirac CEO Mathias Johansson. A point of emphasis with the Dirac software is that it optimizes all sound from the computer using any music/media player as well as standard sound output devices, he adds.
The manufacturer's suggested retail price for the Dirac Live Room Correction Suite is US$850 with an introductory discount of 25% available now from Dirac (shop.dirac.se). For more info go to www.dirac.com .
Parallels and VMware: Should you upgrade?
One of the most frequent questions we've been getting recently is "Should I upgrade to Parallels Desktop 8 or VMware Fusion 5?" Even though these new versions shipped several weeks back, we generally like to wait a bit as the updates for virtualization software that follow a major release often make a difference.
We decided to put the new versions to the test on both a MacBook Pro as well as a MacBook Air (the SSD vs. hard drive make a difference). As with all of our benchmarks, this comparison is only about speed, and not about features.
For VMware Fusion, we tested and compared version 5 to version 4.1, the previous version. See the results at http://www.mactech.com/2012/12/19/vmware-fusion-5-vs-41-should-you-upgrade
For Parallels Desktop, we tested and compared version 8 to version 7, the previous version. See the results at http://www.mactech.com/2012/12/19/parallels-desktop-8-vs-7-should-you-up...
Winter Wolves releases Heileen 3: New Horizons for the Mac
Winter Wolves has released the third chapter of the Heileen series as a life simulation game with a "light comedy" setting.
Here's how the game is described: "This last chapter continues the story from the end of the second game and takes place in the Caribbean islands. After being rescued by Captain Morgan and his pirate crew, they set off to find and reunite with her old friends. Aboard the ship, the Morning Star, Heileen ponders on what she'll like to do with her life.
"Along the way she will meet new characters, discover additional things about her old friends and maybe learn a profession thanks to the new skills system. The Virtues/Sins gameplay introduced in the second game is also present: every choice in the game will change Heileen's personality, in a wide array of possibilities. Saint or sinner? That will be up to you to decide!"
Heileen 3: New Horizons is available for Mac OS X, Windows, Mac, and Linux. The main game has a free demo available on the official website (http...
Apple awaiting judge's decision on additional damages...
Apple is waiting for a judge’s decision on its request for additional damages against Samsung for patent infringement after the Cupertino-based company lost its bid to block U.S. sales on 26 of the Galaxy maker’s devices, notes "Bloomberg" (http://macte.ch/dcviL).
Apple failed to establish that consumer demand for Samsung products was driven by technology it stole, U.S. District Judge Lucy H. Koh in San Jose, California, said in her Dec. 17 ruling. While a jury found Samsung infringed six Apple patents, it isn’t in the public interest to ban Samsung’s devices because the infringing elements constituted a limited part of Samsung’s phones, Koh said.
This is all part of the ongoing, global legal battle. Apple and Samsung have filed more than 30 lawsuits against each other across four continents. For example, Apple alleges that Samsung copied the slide-to-unlock technology of its iPhone and iPad devices.
