Act quickly mobile music producers. Propellerhead, makers of the recording software Reason, have announced that they will stop selling and supporting the iPhone app ReBirth on June 1. ReBirth is a iOS version of the company's Techno Micro Composer that started as a Mac program. The app emulates a Roland TB-303 bass synth and TR-808 and 909 drum machines. Using FX and sequencers the app allows users to create whole songs.

The more expensive iPad version of ReBirth isn't going anywhere, so home producers will still have that option. Ultimately the iPad version of the program is the strongest one, adding the ability to export your songs as MP3 files, unlike the iPhone version which can only share songs with other ReBirth for iPhone users.

Sadly along...

These tips for taking wedding photos are hilarious.

Don’t get photobombed by death. LOL!

∞ Read this on The Loop

Radio service TuneIn has released a new version of its iOS app, v3.6. The update brings TuneIn Live to the iPhone, it having previously been restricted to the iPad. The Live screen shows album art and show titles that switch each time something new begins. Users can swipe through tiles to find new songs or shows that have started on any station hosted by TuneIn, and add events like concerts, games, or shows to a personal calendar, which triggers notifications whenever something starts....  ...

Apple has further reduced the prices of refurbished iPad minis and 4th generation iPads. The mini is now sporting a 15% discount, while the 4th generation iPad has a 16% discount. You can find the new prices below for each respective model.

iPad mini

• 16 GB Wi-Fi: $279 refurbished $329 brand-new
• 32 GB Wi-Fi: $359 refurbished $429 brand-new
• 64 GB Wi-Fi: $439 refurbished $529 brand-new

• 16 GB Wi-Fi + Cellular: $389 refurbished $459 brand-new
• 32 GB Wi-Fi + Cellular: $469 refurbished $559 brand-new
• 64 GB Wi-Fi + Cellular: $549 refurbished $659 brand-new

4th generation iPad

• 16 GB Wi-Fi: $419 refurbished $499 brand-new
• 32 GB Wi-Fi: $499 refurbished $599 brand-new
• 64 GB Wi-Fi: $579 refurbished $699...

Mobile ad vendor and service provider Skycore has launched the ability for users to receive Passbook data through MMS. Providers of Passbook data can connect to Skycore's SaaS servers to provide secure delivery of passes to a user's phone. The passes then are opened, and stored in the user's Passbook app. Providers can monitor MMS delivery receipts, and verify installations of the provided data....  ...

Being the sucker that I am for well-designed user interfaces, I was immediately intrigued by the new Wake Alarm app (US$1.99 launch price) from Tiny Hearts. For just a couple of bucks, you're going to get an alarm app that is easy to set, lets you snooze with a quick slap of your iPhone, and turns off only if you actually have the energy to turn the iPhone over.

Launching Wake Alarm displays the current time in a light blue ring on a blue and purple gradient. To set the alarm time, spin the ring with a finger to set the minutes or tap on the hour and spin the ring to quickly jump through the hours.

When you're ready to go to sleep, a quick swipe to the right puts Wake Alarm into night mode, which displays the time in a very dim and unobtrusive way. Note that you'll need to leave your iPhone turned on, plugged in, and face up while you sleep.

At the preset time, Wake Alarm greets you with...

The latest edition of iLounge Weekly, our weekly newsletter covering all things iLounge, will be arriving in subscribers’ inboxes early next week. iLounge Weekly is a summary of the week’s best news, reviews, and feature articles we’ve published, and it also features giveaways and accessory discount offers from various companies.…

Type2Phone ($4.99) is one of the most practical tools in my development toolbox. It emulates a Bluetooth keyboard from your Mac. With it, you type to your iOS device using your normal desktop keyboard.

While this may not sound like a big thing for many iOS users -- after all, the onboard keyboards and new dictation features streamline text entry -- it is a huge deal for devs and IT coordinators who have to keep typing similar things into apps and settings, over and over again.

For example, take Game Center development. You usually work with many different accounts, testing to see how access works for new users, for those with a good history of application use, or for those who have unlocked certain achievements. In a normal debug session, you may sign out and sign in with various credentials dozens of times. Type2Phone makes that a practical exercise...

In less than two weeks, Apple will head to trial over allegations that it colluded with five publishing houses in an effort to inflate the price of e-books. Indeed, the Justice Department last week released internal Apple emails which it claims supports the allegation that Apple was a "ringleader" in a price fixing conspiracy.

In one such email, Apple executive Eddy Cue explained to Steve Jobs that he was able to secure a deal with Random House by threatening to block an app of theirs from getting into the App Store.

With a trial on the matter scheduled to kick off on June 3, Bloomberg reports that U.S. District Judge Denise Cote -- who happens to be overseeing the trial -- expressed confidence that the government will be able to prove its case against Apple.

I believe that the government will be able to show at trial direct evidence that Apple...

Two readers ask Nancy Carroll Gravley questions about the Dock and Passwords.

Rain is again seeping into the underground store of Apple's iconic Fifth Avenue NYC store, disrupting operations as staff move electronics out of harm's way and move receptacles to catch leaking water coming into the store. Recent heavy rains early in May damaged the store, flooding the below-ground level after a slow leak turned into a full-fledged pouring incursion. The problem is thought to be a drainage issue....  ...

Starting this Sunday, electronics retailer Best Buy will be offering $50 off the purchase of any new iPhone model with a service contract, marking a rare discount opportunity for Apple's smartphone lineup.   ...

Weather woes continue at Apple's flagship Fifth Avenue store in New York City, as rain is once again seeping into the retail location, and now Apple's SoHo location is said to have been suffering from the same problem.   ...

Moshi has announced that it will be releasing a second generation of its Codex MacBook cases later this summer. Designed in variants for the MacBook Air and Retina MacBook Pro, the updated Codex case features a new binding for added durability and is now fully approved by the TSA. Other features include full access to all ports, a water-resistant coating, and soft interiors for protection from shocks and scratches. Codex will be available in both Steel Black and Brushed Titanium for the 13-inch MacBook Air and 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro for $75. It will be available in Steel Black for the 11-i... ...

Nerval's Lobster writes "Apple could face a difficult time winning its court case against the U.S. Department of Justice over e-book pricing, according to the federal judge overseeing the trial. 'I believe that the government will be able to show at trial direct evidence that Apple knowingly participated in and facilitated a conspiracy to raise prices of e-books,' U.S. District Judge Denise Cote said during a May 23 pretrial hearing, according to Reuters, 'and that the circumstantial evidence in this case, including the terms of the agreements, will confirm that.' Apple's legal counsel is a bit perturbed over her comments. 'We strongly disagree with the court's preliminary statements about the case today,' Apple lawyer Orin Snyder wrote in a statement also reprinted by Reuters. The Justice Department has asserted that Apple, along with those publishers, conspired to raise retail e-book prices in tandem 'and eliminate price competition, substantially increasing prices paid by...

Logitech has announced a new iPad keyboard designed specifically for classroom use. Featuring a spill-resistant design and full sized keys, the Wired Keyboard for iPad requires users to simply plug in either the Lighting or 30-pin connector to begin typing. In addition to the standard QWERTY keys, the keyboard also offers several shortcuts for quick access to function such as copy and paste, Siri, and app switching. The Logitech Wired Keyboard for iPad with the Lightning Connector is expected to be available in the US in August 2013, while the 30-pin model is planned to launch in October 2013.... ...

AllThingsD is reporting that Best Buy plans to begin a monthlong iPhone sale on Sunday. iPhone prices will drop by US$50 when bought in conjunction with a two-year contract from AT&T, Sprint or Verizon. All current models of the iPhone -- iPhone 4, iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 -- are included.

This coming Monday in the United States is Memorial Day, and the weekend prior is a big shoppers' weekend. Best Buy is also offering discounts on several popular Android handsets, but those discounts are expected to expire on June 1. There's no word on why Best Buy's iPhone sale will carry on for an entire month, but it could be that the company is trying to move inventory before any potential iPhone announcements this summer.

Best Buy to begin month-long iPhone sale on Sunday...

Apple has dropped its prices on refurbished fourth-generation iPads and iPad minis in its online store. Refurbished fourth-generation iPads are now $419, $499, and $579 for Wi-Fi 16 GB, 32 GB, and 64 GB models, and $529, $609, and $689 for corresponding Wi-Fi + Cellular models. Refurbished iPad…

Here’s an amusing little image for your Friday: the screenshot above is a clip from Apple’s newest “Music Every Day” ad, which was posted on their YouTube channel last night.

If you pay attention at around 0:30 in the commercial, you’ll see what would almost appear to be someone wearing a large, wrist-device while listening to music on their iPhone.

While obviously Apple wouldn’t leak a real product through their advertisements, we can’t help but think that this is perhaps a subtle troll on Apple’s part.

//

Like music? Like making it? Discovering new artists? Figuring out who the heck is singing that song on the TV commercial? We’ve got you covered in this week’s roundup of new and updated iOS apps.

The Doors

Father! Yes son? I want to buy the $5 The Doors app for iPad, which features more than 700 images and over 100 music and sound clips featuring Oliver Stone’s favorite band. There are also a half-dozen short films—we call them videos now—featuring some of the band’s most beloved songs. C’mon baby, take a chance with us.

Guitar! by Smule

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A report in The New York Times on Steve Jobs' widow and anonymous charitable giving in Silicon Valley has revealed that Steve Jobs was more involved in philanthropic causes than previously believed. Mostly through the efforts of his wife, Laureen Powell-Jobs, Jobs funneled money through her charitable LLC in order to give money to causes selectively and anonymously. Powell-Jobs is well-known for her involvement in various causes....  ...

Smule may be only 5 years old, but the California development firm started in part by Jeff Smith and Stanford Assistant Professor Dr. Ge Wang has had an amazing impact on the world. The company shared some stats with Evolver.fm that are incredible -- Smule's apps have been downloaded over 100 million times, are used by 15 million people a month and that audience has recorded over 1 billion songs.

Sure, those songs may be amateur auto-tuned, auto-rapped or karaoke trash, but the statistics -- and Smule's bottom line -- prove that the company is on to something. While such venerable music gaming titles as Rock Band and Guitar Hero have seen better days, Smule's apps are all about actually making music, and that seems to make a difference to app consumers.

Smule pulled in US$12.6 million in revenues last year, and is expected to...

Marvel Unlimited promises to be the Netflix of comics, but does its app live up to its promise?

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.

Verizon this week launched a new iPhone application for its subscribers that gives access to the carrier's cloud-based syncing and backup service.   ...

From 9to5Toys.com:

Apple this morning dropped prices across the board on iPads in its refurbished section of the online Apple Store as noted by MacRumors. We’ve recently seen quite a bit of iPad price reductions at 9to5Toys, some even steeper than this. For instance, Walmart has a new iPad mini for $80 off and refurb iPad Mini 16GB for $250. The new Apple Store prices:

iPad mini

- 16 GB Wi-Fi: $279, down from $299 previously...

Currently WalMart.com has the refurbished 7th generation 16GB iPod nano for only $89.99 with $3.97 for shipping. That's $50 less than the MSRP, and $35 less than the lowest price we've seen on this iPod anywhere else. Sales tax applies for residents of most states. The iPod nano features 16GB of storage space, 2.5-inch Multi-Touch display, Bluetooth, built-in Nike+ support, and built-in battery that provides up to 30 hours of music playback....  ...

Following up on an announcement made at the end of April, Verizon has begun rolling out its Verizon Cloud storage solution to iOS devices today. Verizon Cloud offers Verizon users a free 500 MB of cloud storage to backup their photos, videos, contacts, music, call logs and text messages. Users who want more storage can buy it at a monthly fee of US$2.99/month for 25 GB, $5.99/month for 75 GB, and $9.99/month for 125 GB.

The Verizon Cloud service lets users stream music and sync data between devices, including photos, videos and documents. Users can also access their files via the web and desktop applications. On the iPhone users can manage their Verizon Cloud account through the free Verizon Cloud app.

...

It’s a slow process, but it’s hopefully getting better and more accurate.

Per 9to5Mac, Apple’s iOS 6 Maps application apparently now offers improved support for San Bernardino, Riverside, Rancho Cucamonga, Ontario and Moreno Valley and other areas in California. With the additions, Maps offers nearly unbroken Flyover coverage of cities from San Bernardino to the Pacific Ocean…

As with the previous expansion of the flyover feature in Paris and...

A rear-facing mic might be in the next-gen iPad’s future.

Per Macotakara and AppleInsider, the fifth-generation iPad is expected to ship after Apple’s anticipated “iPhone 5S.” Reports have pegged Apple’s next iPhone for launch around September, which would be around a year after the iPhone 5 went on sale.

According to author Danbo’s sources, the next 9.7-inch iPad will gain a rear microphone next to the camera, much like Apple added to the iPhone 5...

Never doubt a steadily-updated program.

On Friday, Dropbox released version 2.0.21 of its cloud-based storage client for Mac OS X. The new version, a 29.3 megabyte download (via MacUpdate), which adds the following fixes and changes:

Fixed:
- Fix Windows installer sometimes failing to install properly.

New:
- A new tray popup that combines the old tray menu features with a timeline of the most important sharing events in your Dropbox.

- Notifications menu is only enabled on OSX 10.6.8 (Snow Leopard) and above, and on Windows XP and above...

The new iOS 7 is reportedly dropping heavy textures and adding black and white elements, with sources calling the new iOS “black, white, and flat all over.” A new report from 9to5Mac offers more details about iOS 7, about a month after a previous report noted the new…

Earlier this month we heard that Apple submitted to the courts that it engaged in “contentious negotiations”– and not a pricing conspiracy– at a time when publishers were already considering methods of getting Amazon to increase pricing. According to the latest comments from a judge in the high-profile eBook pricing case, Apple might not be able to prove its case when it goes to trial early next month.

U.S. District Judge Denise Cote believes that the U.S Justice Department will indeed be able to prove a pricing conspiracy took place (via Bloomberg):

“I believe that the government will be able to show at trial direct evidence that Apple knowingly participated in and facilitated a conspiracy to raise prices of e-books, and that...

A 73-year-old Japanese artist uses Excel to produce beautiful traditional artwork.

∞ Read this on The Loop

Apple on Thursday evening began running a new iPhone 5 ad titled "Music Every Day." The ad shows iPhone users in a variety of environments using music on the iPhone for inspiration, fun, work, and as a means to bond with friends.

"Every day," the narration reads, "more people enjoy their music on the iPhone than any other phone."

The ad is a cousin of sorts to Apple's most recent ad, appropriately dubbed "Photos Every Day."

Apple runs new iPhone ad, dubbed "Music Every Day" originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 24 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

...

Digg will not be releasing a separate app for its Google Reader replacement, instead rolling it into the existing Digg app for iOS. Development of the Digg Reader, which would offer much of Google Reader's functionality along with an API, has also shifted onto production servers, and is said to be close to its goal of launching by the end of June....  ...

Harry McCracken tries to explain a bit about the mobile market for people who think this is a repeat of the PC business in the 90s.

∞ Read this on The Loop

From 9to5Toys.com:

Beginning this Sunday, Best Buy will be extending a $50 discount on every current iPhone offering when purchased with a 2 year contract, reports AllThingsD.  This promotion is said to make a 4 week run and will drop the price...

Will we see an iWatch in 2014? Ming-Chi Kuo thinks so. In a research note this week, the KGI Securities analyst predicted that Apple had too much on its plate in 2013 to introduce a smartwatch, but is readying the device for next year. The company's entry into the wearable computer market will be a device that attaches to the wrist, Kuo said, but it will not be positioned as a watch or as a device that displays information from other Apple products.

Adds reminders capability with in-app and email due-date notifications. (Free, 40.8 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.

In a potential major setback for Apple Inc., a federal judge who will preside over a coming antitrust trial that will determine whether it engaged in a conspiracy to raise prices for e-books said on Thursday that the government is likely able to prove its case against the computer maker.

The Justice Department sued Apple and five major publishers, alleging they colluded to raise the price of e-books in response to discount pricing by Amazon.com Inc. The publishers have all entered into settlements with the Justice Department and in a separate lawsuit by a group of state attorneys general.

Read the rest of this post on the original site »

Best Buy is planning to cut $50 off the iPhone in a four-week promotion that kicks off on Sunday.

The price cut applies to the purchase of the iPhone 4, iPhone 4S and iPhone 5 in conjunction with a two-year contract with Verizon, AT&T or Sprint.

The company is also doing some shorter-term promotions over Memorial Day, cutting the price on several popular, but older, Android models. From May 26 to June 1, Best Buy is selling Samsung’s Galaxy S III for $49 on AT&T or Sprint, a $50 price cut. Meanwhile it is offering the HTC Droid DNA for Verizon for $49 ($150 savings) and the HTC One X on AT&T for free (a $100 price cut.)

The moves come as Samsung’s new Galaxy S4 is now available for a variety of carriers and with Apple’s iPhones getting a bit longer in the tooth. Discounts on the iPhone are infrequent, but not unheard of, particularly in the weeks and months leading up to a...

Enterprise-oriented cloud storage firm Box has acquired Folders, an iOS app used to manage files from cloud storage services. The purchase, for an undisclosed amount, will see the technology behind the app rolled into Box's own iOS app, with Folders developer Martin Destagnol being drafted in to help with its integration....  ...

The recent celebration of iTunes tenth anniversary provided an opportunity to remember that it debuted before the iPod and was initially positioned as a way to get Macs to play well with the CD burners that had come to the iMac as well as to early MP3 players from rivals. Before and (mostly) after the iPod, it's surprising to see not only how many different companies sought success in the portable media player category, but the diversity and depth of their approaches. While some achieved a degree of success and implemented a few things that were ahead of Apple, none came close to matching Apple's success.

This column will focus on how PC companies approached the portable media player market while the next Reality Absorption Field will look at how competitors from other industries fared.

Dell and Gateway

Prior to the arrival of Microsoft's Zune, Dell was...

Nokia on Thursday said it has filed additional cases in its patent dispute with Taiwanese phone maker HTC.

The new actions, which include a second complaint to the U.S. International Trade Commission and a federal suit in Southern California, come on top of existing legal actions that date back to last year.

“We began actions against HTC in 2012 to end the unauthorized use of our proprietary innovations and technologies,” Nokia said. “Since then, despite the German courts confirming infringements of Nokia patents in HTC products, HTC has shown no intention to end its practices, instead it has tried to shift responsibility to its suppliers. We have therefore taken these further steps to hold HTC accountable for its actions.”

An HTC representative was not immediately available for comment...

The deceptively simple iPhone ad Apple rolled out last month has garnered all sorts of praise. Totally justified!

So you can see why they’d try a new one, using the exact same format, music and spec-less pitch. The only difference is that this time, instead of focusing on the notion that iPhones = cameras, Apple is reminding you that iPhones also = personal stereos.

So why don’t I like this one quite as much as the first?

My gut: Because when you take a picture, you’re probably doing it with the hope of sharing it with someone.

And while Apple makes a point of showing some scenarios where the iPhone brings music to more than one person, it is honest about the primary use case: Just, you, your phone and some ear buds, sealed off from the rest of the world.

Honest. But not as much fun.

(Bonus content for hardcore Apple tea leaf readers: Note that...

Apple has just posted a new iPhone 5 ad to their YouTube channel, detailing many of the ways people use their iPhone to listen to music. The ad is reminiscent of the “Photos Every Day” ad that debuted a few weeks ago.

Like the previous photo-centric commercial, this ad is mostly void of a voiceover, simply showing a wide variety of iPhone users, and how they enjoy their music. Both of these ads take a different direction than previous iPhone commercials, highlighting not apps, but rather features of the device.

The minute long spot ends with the line “Everyday, more people enjoy their music on the iPhone than any other phone.”

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