For the fifth time this year, Apple has had to issue an update to Java for all three supported versions of OS X: Snow Leopard (10.6), Lion (10.7) and Mountain Lion (10.8). As has become the norm, the update was issued due to the discovery of "multiple vulnerabilities" in Java 1.6.0_51. The cross-platform development technology has been updated to version 1.6.0_65, and is referred to in Software Update as "Java for Mac OS X 10.6 Update 17" for Snow Leopard and "Java for OS X 2013-005" for newer systems....
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Protective accessories manufacturer OtterBox has announced the release of its latest rugged smartphone case line, the Preserver Series. The Preserver Series is promoted as being fully waterproof -- withstanding submersion in water up to 6.6 feet for 30 minutes -- as well as dust and drop proof. The cases fit the iPhone 5, and will be coming soon for iPhone 5s, 5c and Samsung Galaxy S4 as well....
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In a further sign that OS X Mavericks (10.9) will debut on October 22 at the now-confirmed Apple Special Event, the company has sent out a notice for developers to prepare their apps for the debut of the new OS X upgrade, and submit them for review in the Mac App Store. Developers can obtain access to both the "Golden Master" of OS X Mavericks as well as a new Xcode 5.0.1 GM seed with which they can compile, test and submit updates and new applications....
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Square has just launched a new service called Square Cash, which allows quick money transfers between any two parties using through an email. Contrary to what you might be expecting, you don’t need to sign up or get all of your friends onto Square Cash to share funds. Instead, you just need to link a debit card to your account.

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

Q:

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

A:

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

Q:

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

A:

There are a number of sites...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Despite the current government shutdown, an International Trade Commission lawyer has filed a notice of Apple's intent to appeal unfavorable portions of the company's ITC win against Samsung back in August. Though the ruling awarded Apple a victory in declaring that Samsung had infringed on multiple Apple patents -- resulting in an embargo against mostly-now-discontinued Samsung smartphone models -- the iPhone maker is still pushing for a broader ban that includes more patents....
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Apple has released a new Java update called Java for OS X 2013-005. According to the release notes, the update "delivers improved security, reliability, and compatibility for Java SE 6. Java for OS X 2013-005 supersedes all previous versions of Java for OS X."

Of note, however, is another addendum to the update that reveals it will also uninstall older Apple-provided Java applet plug-ins:

This update uninstalls the Apple-provided Java applet plug-in from all web browsers. To use applets on a web page, click on the region labeled "Missing plug-in" to go download the latest version of the Java applet plug-in from Oracle.

Java has long been a source of OS X security flaws, which is why Apple stopped pre-installing it on new OS X devices. The removal of Apple's older Java applet plug-ins with this latest update shows just how cautious Apple is regarding Java exploits.

The...

An Indiegogo fundraiser has been launched for a cool idea called thingCHARGER. This is a device that plugs into a standard wall outlet and allows you to charge just about any device while still giving you two sockets. It does this through a combination of two USB ports on the bottom and an interchangeable socket on top with a charger for Micro USB, Mini-USB, Apple's 30-pin Dock connector, and an optional Apple Lightning adapter. But wait, there's more because they are designed so that you can stack them on the socket and charge multiple devices at one time (while still keeping your sockets free!). Watch the video for more information. The funding target is only $25,000, and the makers reached $3,500 in the first few hours.

With a franchise as massive as Angry Birds, no game genre is safe, and the next category of digital escapism to be graced by the adorable avians is racing. Angry Birds Go! is slated to hit your iOS device on December 11, and if the newly-released trailer is any indication, it's shaping up quite fantastically.

The game is very much what you'd expect if you've ever played a Mario Kart title: Iconic Angry Birds characters take the wheel of makeshift vehicles and attempt to best one another using their driving skills and destructive special powers. The game will feature customizable vehicles and, since the app is going to be free to download, we imagine microtransactions will play a large role in how well equipped your ride becomes.

Angry Birds Go! cart racer hits iOS on December 11...

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.

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Daily Update for October 15, 2013 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 15 Oct 2013 17:45:00 EST. Please see our...

Ahead of its October 22nd event where the company is expected to unveil new iPads alongside other product announcements, Apple today asked developers to begin submitting apps optimized for OS X Mavericks.

Apple seeded the final Golden Master release of OS X Mavericks to developers along with the Xcode 5.0.1 GM seed earlier this month and today urged developers to download the latest builds to test and submit OS X Mavericks apps to the Mac App Store. The move is likely in preparation of public release and pricing details expected to be announced during Apple’s event on the 22nd.

Submit your OS X Mavericks apps today.

Make sure your app takes advantage of the great new features in OS X Mavericks when the world...

Ireland's Finance Minister Michael Noonan said on Tuesday that he plans to push legislation to close a loophole in the country's corporate tax laws that allows companies like Apple, Google and Microsoft to avoid paying billions of dollars in taxes.
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Since the announcement of iOS 7, there's been tons of discussion about aesthetic changes the update as brought to the iPhone and iPad interface. What hasn't been talked about widely is how the update changed the various APIs developers used for building apps. Alec Fraser of Reckoner, a site dedicated to covering Australia's tech scene, has interviewed a group of the county's top developers to get a look at how the recent update has changed how they work.

It's a long but informative look at the struggles and stumbling blocks updates can bring for developers. Fraser drives this point home with the simple example of a change to the status bar.

Even seemingly minor user interface changes-such as the status bar no longer being separate from the app in iOS 7 (as it was in iOS 6) can be a stumbling block, especially when trying to maintain backwards compatibility with iOS 6 while also updating an app for iOS...

The Irish government is considering the elimination of a tax loophole exploited by a number of foreign corporations, most notably Apple, reports say. Currently, Apple's Cork-based subsidiaries -- including Apple Operations International (AOI), Apple Operations Europe, Apple Sales International, and Apple Distribution International -- are "stateless" for Irish tax purposes, since they're managed and controlled from outside the country. This has allowed Apple's to dodge Ireland's 12.5 percent standard corporate tax rate, and pay less than 2 percent in taxes in the US. Between 2009 and 2011 Ap...
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Apple updated Java for OS X Snow Leopard, Lion, and Mountain Lion on Tuesday. The releases adds compatibility for Java SE 6 version 1.6.0_65.

Apple's online store is currently swamped with refurbished Mac minis, in a range of configurations and with savings of up to 31 percent off. The refurbished Mac mini with a 2.3GHz Intel dual-core i5 processor, 2GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive has been cut by $130 to $469. A 31 percent price cut is offered on the refurbished Mac mini with a 2.5GHz Intel dual-core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive, now $549....
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Steve Jobs believed himself to be a World War II fighter pilot in a past life, according to a new memoir by Chrisann Brennan, the mother of Jobs’ oldest child Lisa. The New York Post published an explosive excerpt from Brennan’s upcoming “The Bite in the Apple: A Memoir…

Apple sent out the official invitations to its October 22 event today, and as usual, it's filled with subtle hidden messages.

We've put on our detective caps and come up with a list of secret hints that are hidden within Apple's seemingly simple picture and text that should shed some light on what we can expect to see later this month.

First, let's examine the artwork:

1. The various colored Apple leaves on the background signify that the event is taking place in fall, when leaves change color and fall from the trees. Since the event has been confirmed for October 22, we already know we're 100% correct.
2. The new iPad and iPad mini will come in different colors. Probably a million of them. Or five.
3. The large white leaf in the foreground means that Apple is going to release an all-new iPad line that...

DavidGilbert99 writes "Ireland and its tax system came under some extreme scrutiny earlier this year when it was revealed that Apple funneled billions of dollars of revenue though three subsidiaries based in the country. Thanks to a loophole, none of these subsidiaries were tax-resident in Ireland, meaning they didn't even have to pay Ireland's relatively low 12.5% corporation tax rate. Worryingly for Apple, Ireland's finance minister may now shut this loophole. A measure within a new budget bill (PDF) would disallow Apple's status as a 'stateless' corporate entity for tax purposes. Apple will still be able to select a country like Bermuda as its tax residence, but it's a step in the right direction."

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Now that Apple has made the rumored October 22nd date for its iPad event official, it’s now time to seriously start thinking about trading in your old iPad in order to get the most for your money. The chart above from NextWorth is a little taste of what you can expect from trade-in values for iPads in the coming weeks, so if you’re planning on pulling the trigger, now is definitely the time.

Resale prices for previous generation iPads will inevitably drop following the introduction of new iPads– as they have for iPhones since the introduction of the new 5s and 5c last month– so we’ve put together a list of the best places around to get maximum value for your aging iPads, as well as some exclusive promotion codes to get a bonus 10% on your trade-in through a couple popular services. ...

Apple and other companies who’ve used Ireland as “the Holy Grail of tax avoidance” may soon have to find another means of trimming their tax bills, because the Irish government plans to amend its corporate tax laws so they can no longer use Irish subsidiaries to sidestep behemoth tax payments.

In a Tuesday budget speech, Irish Finance Minister Michael Noonan pledged to pass legislation that will close a tax loophole that Apple famously used to pay almost no corporate taxes on some $74 billion over the past four years (Note: Google and Microsoft have made very good use of it as well).

“Let me be crystal clear: Ireland wants to be part of the solution to this global tax challenge, not...

Chrisann Brennan, Steve Jobs's first serous girlfriend and the mother of oldest daughter, Lisa Brennan-Jobs, has penned a memoir titled The Bite in the Apple: A Memoir of My Life with Steve Jobs. As the name suggests, it's about her life with and memories of Steve Jobs during his late teens and early 20s when they dated.

After a search that took nearly a year, Apple announced today that Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts will be joining Apple this spring, where she will take on the role of Senior VP of Retail and Online Stores.

Earlier today, Tim Cook sent out a company-wide email announcing the hire and praising Ahrendts as being the "best person in the world for this role."

9to5Mac was able to get its hands on the email, which reads:

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

She will lead both our retail and online teams. I have wanted one person to lead...

Facebook made news on Sunday night, snapping up the Tel Aviv-based mobile app analytics company Onavo.

And the price paid is nothing to sneeze at; multiple sources said that Facebook ended up paying somewhere in the neighborhood of $120 million for the company.

Here’s the most interesting part: Yes, Facebook postured the move as a way to bolster Internet.org, Mark Zuckerberg’s initiative to bring the entire world online. But Onavo’s assets can bring more spoils than just supporting the altruistic movement — it could help boost Facebook’s bottom line.

Onavo sells a few products. “Count”...

Google has updated its Google Fiber policies, enabling users to operate personal servers on the search giant's high-speed Internet service. The language backs down from an explicit ban on all servers, leaving room for home security equipment or virtual private networks (VPNs), however it maintains a restriction on any servers used for commercial purposes by small businesses....
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Our latest poll – “What’s the maximum price you’d pay for an iPhone 5/5s/iPod touch 5G-only game controller?” – has now ended. With iOS 7 adding official support for iPhone and iPod game controllers, we asked our readers to let us know what they would consider to be a fair…

Google updated its Google Maps app for iPhone and iPad today with a few new features as the app moves to version 2.3.4. Google says the updated app includes “Faster access to navigation,” which includes new overviews for traffic and routes.

The updated app also includes a new Tips and Tricks section available from the side menu and support for new languages, including: Arabic and Hebrew. Google also notes that the new supported languages will offer voice guidance “where available.”

A full list of what’s new below:

What’s New in Version 2.3.4

● Faster access to navigation, complete with route and traffic overview
● Tips and Tricks available in the side menu
● Arabic and Hebrew now supported, including voice guidance in navigation, where available
● Bug fixes

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Is technology made to serve consumers, companies or causes? When Apple introduced the Macintosh, it famously invoked Orwell's vision of 1984 to promote how its little beige box would stand in the way of IBM's hegemony. In the coming years and for reasons that had little to do with the Mac, IBM would lose control of the PC's operating system, lose share in the PC market, and ultimately exit it altogether in selling the business to Lenovo. But that loss of PC market leadership came at the hands of Microsoft, which did in fact institute near-hegemony from the release of Windows 95 until at least up to the release of Windows Vista.

More than a quarter century after the launch of the Mac and following up from iPod dominance that has been Reality Absorption Field has chronicled...

Google on Tuesday pushed an update to their iOS maps application that tweaks the user interface when selecting a route for navigation, adds support for additional languages, and provides a new "Tips and Tricks" help section.
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Accessory maker iHome has launched the Type Pro, a new Bluetooth keyboard case for the iPad. The distinguishing feature is the ability to rotate an iPad 360 degrees while still in its holder. The case is compatible with second-, third-, and fourth-generation iPads....
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It's time to save some of that hard-earned cash with our Daily Deals, featuring exclusive TUAW Deals, a handy list from Dealnews and our own hand-picked iOS and OS X selections.

TUAW's Daily Deals

The Heisenberg T-Shirt [On sale for $16.99, down from $30]

[Br]eaking [Ba]d may be gone for good, but we found a way for [He]isenberg to live on forever...

The Heisenberg T!

The DEA & Hank may have been no match for the elusive drug lord, but somehow we managed to capture him on premium comfort t-shirt.

CAUTION: This t-shirt can and will lead to thumbs ups, high-fives, winks, hoots, hollers, and casual conversation.

Save on The Heisenberg T-Shirt at TUAW Deals.

Deals from Dealnews...

Apple sent out invitations to the press on Tuesday to a media event on October 22nd, confirming a leak to AllThingsD a week ago. The invitations are titled "We still have a lot to cover," and the smart money says Apple will unveil new iPads and release the new Mac Pro and OS X Mavericks. The company could unveil new MacBook Pro models, as well.

Apple has sent out email invitations asking the press to attend an October 22nd event in San Francisco. The presentation is being hosted at the Yerba Buena Center, and will start at 10AM Pacific time. The invite features the slogan "we still have a lot to cover," and an Apple logo on top of a bed of multi-colored leaves reminiscent of Apple's iOS 7 aesthetics....
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Apple has officially sent out invites to media members for its previously-rumored October 22 event, under the tagline, “We still have a lot to cover.” It’s expected that Apple will introduce its redesigned fifth-generation iPad and second-generation iPad mini with Retina display at the event; additional rumors have suggested an…

Apple on Tuesday confirmed that it will hold a media event next week, where the company is preparing to unveil its second-generation iPad mini and fifth-generation iPad, along with other anticipated products. Here's a rundown of what the company is expected to announce, based on the latest leaks and rumors.
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Nike has introduced its new Fuelband, the colorful Nike+ Fuelband SE. The black band now comes with the options of yellow, pink, or red neon accents, or in a jet black version. FuelBand SE is waterproof, whereas the first FuelBand was only splashproof, and the Bluetooth hardware has been…

Members of the press have been sent invitations to a special Apple product unveiling event scheduled for next Tuesday, Oct. 22, where the company is expected to show off its latest iPad models.
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Apple this morning distributed invitations to a special event at which it’s expected to unveil the next iterations of the iPad and iPad mini. And it’s to be held on October 22, just as AllThingsD said it would. Location: the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, one of Apple’s preferred location for big announcements like this.

“We still have a lot to cover,” reads the text of the invite. And indeed, Apple does. As I noted last week, the focal point of Apple’s gathering next week will be the latest updates to the company’s iPad line, but the new Mac Pro and OS X Mavericks will likely get some stage time as well.

The next version of the iPad, Apple’s fifth, is expected to feature a thinner, lighter design akin to the iPad mini’s, and an improved camera. It will run Apple’s new 64-bit A7 chip, source say...

Flextronics America is in the process of hiring close to 1,700 people to work on a "next generation desktop computer" at its factory in Austin, Texas, according to the Austin American-Statesman. The company has declined to go into any more detail on the product, but filed a presentation with Travis County commissioners on Monday, as part of a bid to have its facilities declared a foreign trade zone. At least 879 jobs have already been created, and Flextronics says it could add another 815 if it hits peak targets....
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After going without a retail head for nearly a year, Apple on Monday tapped Burberry CEO Angela Ahrendts as senior VP of its retail operations — online and off. Coming as it does following the ouster of former Apple retail boss John Browett, who was shown the door after just nine months on the job, Ahrendts’s appointment is a crucial one for the company. Apple’s retail business is a keystone of its success, and, according to an early morning all-hands memo from CEO Tim Cook, there’s no better person in the world to run it than Ahrendts.

“[Angela] shares our values and our focus on innovation,” Cook wrote in a message...

Despite being bought out by Google, the replacement mail app Sparrow has now been updated for iOS 7. Whilst the developers behind Sparrow never said that work on the app had ceased, this was the implied meaning of Sparrow’s thank you letter still visible on the Sparrow website. Until today, the app had not been updated since December 2012, nearly a year ago.

This update brings compatibility bug fixes for iOS 7 as well as a new flatter icon, shown above.  Even so, work on Sparrow is obviously not a priority for the team. Apart from a new icon, the point-fix update brings no new visual appearance to the app’s interface or any new features for users.

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In line with my report from earlier this month, Nike has taken the wraps off of its brand-new Fuel Band. The FuelBand is Nike’s fitness tracking device that is worn around the wrist, and it has been popular (including within Apple’s upper ranks). The new version, officially called Nike FuelBand SE, makes improvements to the design that focus on color, durability, and connectivity. As I reported, the new FuelBand is more durable, more water-resistant, and connects to devices via Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy (LE) technology:

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Apple's latest version of its flagship smartphone, the iPhone 5s, is outselling the company's mid-tier iPhone 5c at a rate of two to one, according to statistics from Consumer Intelligence Research Partners. Apple's simultaneous launch of two iPhone models was a first for the company, so there was no basis for gauging consumer reactions. It now appears the 5s is far more popular. The higher-end smartphone has accounted for 64 percent of total iPhone sales since it launched, reported CIRP.

Phil and Paul Hartnoll (Orbital) discuss their earliest hit, “Chime,” and talk about their career trajectory and more.

A leaked photo of what purports to be the fifth generation iPad with the same Touch ID sensor found on the iPhone 5s has surfaced, adding to the rumors that Apple's next tablet will support using your fingerprints instead of passcodes to access apps and make iTunes Store purchases.

The Mac Observer Spin:
Sure, it's just another blurry photo to go along with the rumors, but Touch ID on the next full-size iPad sounds fairly plausible to us.