Apple recently announced plans to increase its dividend payment by 15 percent to "shareholders of record" next Monday, but to qualify, new investors have to buy the company's stock by the market's close today.   ...

The Verge has an interesting interview up with Peter Belanger, the man responsible for many of Apple's iconic product shots. Though you may not be familiar with the name, Belanger is a San Francisco-based photographer who helps make Apple's products look so darn appealing and aesthetically sharp. If you've ever seen an advertisement for an Apple product on the subway or even checked out Apple's website, you've seen his work.

When asked about the process behind an Apple product shoot, Belanger explains:

The team at Apple always has a really well developed shot list and sketches of what they need. I work with their talented art directors to translate those sketches into photos. We start by getting the position of the product and then move forward on lighting. Because Apple products have such carefully selected materials it is incredibly important to...

The New York Post reports that the flagship Fifth Avenue Apple Store in Manhattan was flooded following heavy rain in the city this morning due to a leak in the retail store’s roof. The flood apparently began shortly after opening at approximately 8 a.m while around 15 customers were shopping in the store. According to reports from NY Post, employees blamed construction completed on the location last year for the leak:

//

According to one worker, today’s deluge of water may have been due to problems with construction completed last year on the roof of the store.”It’s because of the construction they did last year on the roof,” the worker said. “They didn’t do it right. There are large flat stones up there [that you walk across as you go into the store]. And with the heavy rain...

Fans of the iTunes 11 mini-player will be excited for the newest version of the jailbreak tweak MiniPlayer. The 2.0 update brings a newly-redesigned interface that better matches the iTunes version, as well as the ability to dock it on either side of the screen. The docked player can be moved up or down the screen as needed to keep it out of the way of whatever app you’re using.

MiniPlayer has a few settings that allow you to hide it on the lockscreen, whenenver the music is paused, or by triggering an Activator action. Tapping the album artwork brings up whichever app is currently playing music (it works with any background audio app), and tapping the metadata of the song brings up playback controls.

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In what is a breakthrough move toward my dream of a fully automated home, UniKey has built a smart door lock like something delivered by someone from the future.

We have all found ourselves with our hands full fumbling for the right key to our front door, but now the Kwikset Kēvo lock powered by UniKey allows you to unlock the front door of your home with just the tap of your finger.

//

UniKey President Phil Dumas was featured on ABC’s Shark Tank, a reality show featuring aspiring entrepreneurs pitching their big idea to potential investors, where he demonstrated “UniKey’s Technology” which transformed into Kwikset Kēvo.

The company’s Kēvo replaces your standard door lock with a smart lock that allows you to assign digital keys to friends and family with compatible smartphones, or...

Many Apple customers throughout the years profitably utilized the rack mounted Xserve product in their businesses. It was a quality product that cost less than the competition's by a significant amount. Yet, it was doomed to failure.  John Martellaro tells how it happened.

Feed Wrangler (US$19/year) is David Smith's subscription-based RSS aggregation and syncing service for web and iOS devices.

If you're a Google Reader user, you're probably aware that the service will shut down on July 1st. This means you'll either go back to browsing your favorite news and blog websites the old fashioned way or you'll be looking for an alternative RSS reader. Though I'm not a heavy RSS user, I am curious to find a good alternative to Google Reader. And now that Feed Wrangler has launched, I thought it would be worth checking out.

Feed Wrangler takes a different approach to RSS reading. Of course, you get to add feeds, view all your favorite web content in one...

A deluge of rain in New York City made its way into the glass cube atop Apple's Fifth Avenue store on Wednesday, leaving employees scrambling to mop up the mess.   ...

During its patent infringement lawsuit against Samsung, Apple is attempting to force Google to turn over documents related to the Android operating system. In a court filing, Apple argued that Android is used in all of the allegedly infringing products from Samsung, and the operating system “provides much of the…

On Tuesday, Microsoft released its Microsoft Office 2008 12.3.6 update. The update, a 209.7 megabyte download, adds the following fixes and features:

- This update fixes critical issues and also helps to improve security. It includes fixes for vulnerabilities that an attacker can use to overwrite the contents of your computer’s memory with malicious code.

Microsoft Office 2008 12.3.6 requires Mac OS X 10.4.9 or later to install and run.

Readdle has updated its popular iPad document storing and annotating app, PDF Expert, with several new features for annotating. 

-Сopy and Paste Annotations

-Move, resize and change properties of multiple annotation

-New layout in annotations toolbar for rect/oval/line/arrow

-Improvement in Text Highlight tool

Additionally, the update includes various other enhancements:

-New Day/Time keyboard for form filling

-New layout in annotations toolbar for rect/oval/line/arrow

-Added save/discard changes prompt to Save as -> Flatten

-Sync folders...

Gene Steinberg:

Microsoft earns most of its keep selling software licenses to OEMs, who bundle Windows with a new PC, any PC. So, yes, I suppose it’s possible that Microsoft has booked 100 million sales into its ledgers. But that doesn’t mean that 100 million copies of Windows 8, or anything close to that number, are in the hands of end users. It may also be true that there are tens of millions of unsold PCs in the channel. But that doesn’t matter to Microsoft, since a sale is a sale even if nobody is actually using the product.

That puts a whole different spin on things.

∞ Read this on The Loop

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] Ondesoft Audiobook Converter for Mac downloads for free
• Other World Computing: [Computer Accessories] OWC 2012 Featured Move 'em Out Sale: RAM, accessories, HDDs, more
• eBay: [Battery Chargers & Accessories] 12,000mAh USB External Battery Pack for $16 + free shipping
• ...

T-Mobile reported selling half a million iPhone 5s to new and existing customers in their most recent financial report – not bad for a month’s work.

∞ Read this on The Loop

We know that Disney Interactive is capable of producing quality apps that aren’t based on classic Disney characters: Where’s My Water—which features a cartoon alligator named Swampy who was created specifically for a mobile game—has had plenty of App Store success on its own, without a major movie or show.

But Disney Interactive announced a new iPhone app on Wednesday that’s neither game nor animated. In fact, it’s not pushing a Disney product or message at all. It’s called Story, and it’s designed to help you organize your digital media into a sharable storyline.

Scott Gerlach, Disney Interactive’s Director of Engineering, said he and his development team wanted to make an app to help people get content off of their phones and out to a place that’s more widely accessible, with an emphasis on parents.

...

Apple's Peter Oppenheimer was the highest-paid chief financial officer during 2012, according to Bloomberg. The executive received compensation worth a theoretical $68.6 million, roughly 16 times what Apple CEO Tim Cook received for the year. By comparison, Oppenheimer's closest competition -- Oracle CFO Safra Catz -- was given $51.7 million, while Google CFO Patrick Pichette was granted $38.7 million....  ...

The facts are trickling in slowly but steadily, even though we’re still in rumor territory…

Per CNET and The Mac Observer, Apple will start up production on the Retina Display version of the iPad mini in June or July, according to NPD DisplaySearch analyst Richard Shim. He also said the displays for the new iPad mini will come from LG and not Samsung...

Bloomberg reports that Apple has requested Google turn over documents related to Android’s source code in an ongoing patent-infringement lawsuit with Samsung in California. According to the report, Apple took issue with Google’s process of turning over requested pretrial documents claiming Google is “improperly withholding information” and that Android “provides much of the accused functionality” in the infringement claims related to several of Samsung’s Galaxy products:

//

“It’s a question of transparency,” Mark Lyon, a lawyer for Apple, told Grewal yesterday, referring to the documents. “We have concerns that they’re not doing a full search.”

Matthew Warren, a lawyer for Google who also represents Samsung, told Grewal that Apple made a “strategic decision” in filing its case “to keep Google off the complaint.”

Warren argued that...

Samsung's profitable smartphone business has caused the South Korean company's cash to swell to nearly $40 billion, with a net cash position of $28.5 billion when debt is factored in.   ...

T-Mobile’s new iPhone 5 ad “Pipes” claims the carrier has 50% more bandwidth per customer compared to other networks.

While overcrowded networks can slow your data down, T-Mobile’s nationwide network has the room to let unlimited data flow freely. With 50% more bandwidth than other carriers, only T-Mobile lets your iPhone 5 be as great as an iPhone 5.

//

While that claim is interesting to think about in itself (possibly due to relative network vacancy), T-Mobile’s approach to advertising the iPhone 5 compared to the ads we see from Apple is most notable.

T-Mobile’s ad features pink liquid flushing out of a tube representing bandwidth speed, but the visualization reminds me more of mysterious pink slime rather than blazing fast data speeds.

Recognize that guitar anyone?

...

T-Mobile announced its earnings for the opening quarter of 2013 and confirmed it has sold 500,000 iPhone handsets since it started selling the phone on April 12. That's a half a million iPhones in a little over three weeks, which is very good for a phone that's been on sale for 8 months at competing US wireless carriers. We were expecting strong sales as T-Mobile T-Mobile Chief Marketing Officer Mike Sievert hinted that the launch was "gangbusters."

In Q1 2013, T-Mobile also kicked off its Simple Choice cellular plans that drop the contract requirement on the cellular service and offer...

Writer, counselor, and longtime TidBITS reader Gary Bloom has tapped out an elaborate comparison of writing apps for iOS, in which he cleverly compares each one to a house. He even kindly mentions our review of Nebulous Notes; though it’s not our “favorite” writing app, per se, we just liked it enough to give it a review! If you write on your iPad, this article is a must read — his favorite app may surprise you.

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 Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer was the highest paid among all CFOs in 2012, as the Cupertino company rewarded him immensely for its financial performance.   ...

Like the Fitbit, the Misfit Wearables line of devices lets you track your physical activity throughout the day. It transmits that data to your iPhone via a forthcoming app that provides an overview of your activity. The basic Shine tracker is $99; accessories to clip it to your body during the day range from $5 to $49.

T-Mobile's first fiscal quarter results are out and show the company's iPhone 5 sales hit 500,000 during the one month Apple's smartphone was available. The carrier began officially offering the iPhone on April 12, making it the last of the big cell service providers to get in on Apple's smartphone game.

The Mac Observer Spin:
T-Mobile is clearly still trailing AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint, but 500,000 new iPhones in just a month looks like a positive sign for the carrier.

It’s been well over two years since Nokia leapt from its burning platform into a Microsoft-designed lifeboat that CEO Stephen Elop said would carry it to shore. Yet today the company remains adrift with no sign of landfall in sight. And shareholder patience with its progress is wearing thin.

To wit, the fractious general meeting Nokia held Tuesday, which was reportedly peppered with calls for the company to reconsider its bet on Microsoft’s Windows Phone operating system. Why, when Samsung has had such success with Google’s Android OS, does Nokia insist on sticking with Windows?

With Android, Samsung is capturing 43 percent of the handset industry’s...

Bose has revealed its new AE2w Bluetooth headphones featuring the company's well-regarded TriPort audio technology. Interestingly although compatible with a wide range of Bluetooth devices, the Bose website seems to be targeting the headphones at Apple users, and iPad users in particular. The design of the AE2w is also notable for a control module that protrudes from the left side ear cup that incorporates the remote control functions, as well as a microphone for making and receiving phone calls....  ...

Adobe is leaving the boxed software game for a subscription-only model. Will it be good or bad for customers?

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.

redletterdave writes "A German court rejected eight out of 15 provisions in Apple's general privacy policy and terms of data use on Tuesday, claiming that the practices of the Cupertino, Calif. company deviate too much from German laws (Google translation of German original). According to German law, recognized consumer groups can sue companies over illegal terms and conditions. Apple asks for 'global consent' to use customer data on its website, but German law insists that clients know specific details about what their data will be used for and why."

...

Aspiring artists may want to grab their stylus and check out Draw This App from Peter Hamilton. The app improves your drawing skills by practicing your copying technique and challenging you to do better each time you sit down and draw.

The app is basic in its scope and is designed for beginning artists looking to improve their skills or more experienced artists who want to practice their copying skills. The app offers a handful of objects that are relatively easy to draw, including 3D shapes like cubes, body parts like eyes and different types of faces. Each object is drawn step-by-step and you are prompted to draw along with the app.

You can choose to draw an ear, for example, and the app will draw the ear, one part at a time starting with the outer lobe. You must follow along with this drawing lesson, drawing the ear in increments. The app tracks your drawing technique and grades you...

View Seeker Location Scout is a handy US$0.99 photo app that can help you find the best locations for landscape photography. You can get all the best locations around you with a click, which the app does by sourcing images from Panoramio and Flickr.

Once you find a spot you like it appears on a map, and then provides driving or walking directions via a link to Apple Maps. The app also provides sunrise/sunset times, and allows you to save locations you like. You can select any place in the world as your "target" if you are planning a trip, and call up the location information later when you get to your destination.

The app worked as expected when I tested it here in southern Arizona, and some other favorite out-of-state places. I found the Panoramio images generally looked better, but usually there were...

Shortly after updating its GMail iOS app to allow it to link directly to Chrome and other Google apps as needed, the search and ad giant is now offering Chrome for iOS integration tools to developers that allow them to specify Chrome as the browser to use for in-app web interaction, bypassing Safari unless Chrome is not already installed. The tools can give developers the option of using Chrome or asking the user if they would like to open a link in Chrome rather than Safari. It's not yet clear if the changes represent any breach of Apple's iOS guidelines.... ...

Q:

We own an iPad and we would like to purchase a printer to use with it. We don’t know which to buy.

A:

Apple’s iOS operating system, which powers iPads and iPhones, can print decent-looking documents, using a built-in technology called AirPrint, which prints wirelessly. You don’t need to set up any drivers or other software on the iPad itself. However, AirPrint requires a printer that has Wi-Fi capability and is connected to the same Wi-Fi network as your iPad or iPhone. In addition, the printer must be a model that supports AirPrint. All the major printer makers sell these and there are many models. Apple has basic instructions and a list of supported models on its website.

Q:

I have an audio cassette from our wedding in 1978. It is the only recording we have of my father’s...

Yesterday, Adobe introduced Creative Cloud, an on-line subscription based suite with $49.99 monthly charges that moves into the Creative Suite subscription space first started back in 2011. Existing customers of CS 3 to CS 5.5 and academics will pay $29.99 per month.

Both Adobe and Microsoft are exploring subscription models in place of buy-once-then-use purchases. This has a number of us here at TUAW looking around to see what apps we might want to jump to as we move away from our premium products into the current marketplace.

Although I am fond of Adobe Photoshop Elements, the consumer-priced version of Adobe's flagship photo editor, it's an app with walls. I accomplish far more using Photoshop and the other Creative Suite products, items I have spent years upgrading at considerable expense.

Like many other Adobe customers, I live in the hazy world that...

A report from the Far East on Tuesday says struggling LCD manufacturer and Apple supplier Sharp is ready to ramp up display manufacture for the next-generation iPhone, with mass production slated to start next month.   ...

A German court has ruled that Apple must change its company policies for handling customer data after finding the policies violate the country's privacy laws. In the suit, brought by the group Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband (VZBV), took issue with eight of the provisions in Apple's data-use rules. VZBV originally objected to 15 of the data-use provisions, but was able to work out a binding declaration from Apple covering seven of the provisions.

The basis behind the German court's decision is that Apple cannot ask for "global consent" for data use when German law requires consumers to be told exactly how their data is being used. The court also ruled that Apple cannot ask users for permission to use their friends contacts, due to the lack of consent from those third parties. In addition Apple is forbidden from distributing users data to advertisers, specifically citing the possibility of using GPS to promote location based...

A newly reported issue with Google's open-source Chromium Web browser hints that preparations are being made to launch rich notifications for Apple's OS X, which could in turn be used to build out a Mac version of Google Now.  ...

Adobe's decision to move to a subscription-based model with Creative Cloud is causing ripples in the creative community that has come to know and depend on its products, with some calling for a return to the "old ways" of actually owning the software you pay for.  ...

In Greenlight Capital Investor's quarterly earnings conference call, Chairman David Einhorn revealed that he has grown his stake in the company. The move was made in reaction to Apple's announcement of the $100 billion share repurchase, and record-breaking dividend program which he called "a major step forward" for the Cupertino manufacturer....  ...

Music service Rhapsody has implemented a new "liner notes" feature, implementing the RIAA's "Give Fans the Credit" plan for including detailed production information with each digital song, including songwriters, background performers, producers and engineers involved in the production. The rollout, scheduled to take place over the next few months, would allow fans to search for music in new ways, such as tracking songs a specific producer was involved in, or for example finding out which songs featured a specific group of sidemen. The service has already started curating collections of tunes... ...

Popular OS X photo editing tool Pixelmator is set to receive major update come Thursday, with the latest version bringing an added palette of image tweaking tools and effects.  ...

File-sharing network BitTorrent has revealed a "direct-to-fan" collaboration with music label Ultra. Using a new protocol called the BitTorrent Bundle, an interaction by the downloader -- such as providing information or even paying for the content -- is required before unlocking restricted content. The mechanism for secure distribution is embedded within the protocol, and compatible with existing BitTorrent clients....  ...

Mother's Day is a special sort of day where we get to give back to the woman that gave us life. This special day is right around the corner -- but you knew that already, right? Of course, the reason you haven't gotten a gift yet is because you're looking for just the perfect one. Ah, but what's the thing to get for such a woman? Electronista took a look at the latest and greatest in consumer tech to figure out what you should get good ol' Mom in order to one-up all your siblings -- who went the flowers-and-chocolate route.... ...

Scosche has released its RH1060 Bluetooth stereo headphones ($200), which were featured in a First Look in January, though the original pricing was announced at a higher price of $250. One of our Best of Show finalists at CES 2013, the RH1060 headphones feature 40mm drivers and…

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Daily Update for May 7, 2013 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 07 May 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our...

Greenlight Capital Chairman David Einhorn, who made waves earlier this year when he attempted to force Apple to offer preferred stock shares, has increased his stake in the company in response to its $100 billion capital reinvestment program.  ...

Apple's iPhone might see wider adoption in government use, thanks to the recent validation of a cryptographic module for iOS.   ...

Yesterday in the MacNN forums, members tried to help one concerned Fresh-Faced Recruit figure out reasons why white and black lines might show up across the screen of their iPhone 3GS. Also yesterday, one Forum Regular was having some trouble with a flickering external monitor attached to their 15-inch rMBP with a mini-display port cable, and they turned to the forums for some advice....  ...