According to multiple reports on Apple's Support Communities webpage, iPhone owners who recently upgraded to iOS 7 are experiencing issues with iMessage, though a simple software reset may resolve the problem, at least temporarily.
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Native Instruments today released new versions of both the 4+1 channel DJ system Traktor Kontrol S4 and its 2+1 channel counterpart, Traktor Kontrol S2. The S4 and S2 combine a premium DJ mixing interface, built-in 24 bit/96 kHz sound card, and an intuitive interface engineered for control of Traktor software. Both all-in-one DJ systems now offer an improved look and feel, with added control over the latest Traktor Pro 2 features....
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Over the weekend, Verizon experienced a "software issue" that involved some customer's orders of upgraded smartphones. A number of buyers who were upgrading devices were able to maintain an unlimited monthly data feature while paying a subsidized price, which the company had previously eradicated. Verizon is honoring the unlimited-data grandfathering on the approved orders, however, as well as offering the phones at the subsidized price....
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Grand Theft Auto V does a great job of skewering modern tech culture, as well as Apple itself, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the "iFruit" smartphones that are seen in the game. Now, with the help of a handy skin from Mobile Fun, you can turn your iPhone 4, 4s, 5 or 5s into an iFruit too.

The covering is pretty basic, with the key changes being the name "iFruit" replacing the "iPhone" moniker on your smartphone's backside, along with the fruit bowl logo. The skin is made of vinyl and retails for a reasonable US$12.99.

[via Inventor Spot]

You can now turn your...

The assistant general manager of the Toronto Blue Jays is leaving the organization to join Apple as an executive with responsibility for managing the Sports and Entertainment sections of the App Store, according to reports. Jay Sartori has been with the team since 2010 and will be leaving next month for the new job. His exact duties at Apple haven't been revealed, but the company has been working closely with Major League Baseball to enhance its apps' integration with other Apple technologies....
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Apple has hired Toronto Blue Jays assistant GM Jay Sartori to manage a sports section of the App Store, according to a number of reports dating back three days (via MG Siegler). Sartori a numbers guy who can effortlessly crunch statistics according to a bio from 2011, but he also has some experience in software development. He previously created some stats software for the MLB commissioner and has a background in finance and management information systems…

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Back in July, we featured the Muku Shuttr in our weekly crowdfunding roundup. Since then, the Kickstarter project went on to gain over 2500 backers and end with $94k in funding – well over the $10k goal. With the devices shipping out to backers starting next month, we took some time to review the device and speak with Kevin Keung, the head of Muku Labs.

Setting up the device

The device has two switches: one for turning the device on and off and the other for switching between iOS and Android compatibility. They’re easy to maneuver, but sadly there is no indication as to which is for on/off and which is for iOS/...

A new report from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech that gathers the averages for June, July and now August is painting two pictures: one of the areas where iOS and Android are growing, and another showing that Android growth in developed markets such as North America and Europe to be levelling off or falling. The report covers most of the summer, and thus reflects some dropping demand for the iPhone in light of the expected refresh -- but trend lines for both Apple and Android are becoming clear....
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One of the unsung heroes among the built-in apps on iOS devices is Reminders. Reminders are different from calendar events. Calendars mark your appointments, while reminders tell you what you have to do.

In this short video, I'll show you how to create a new reminder list, enter a reminder, set a deadline or prioritize a reminder, and show items as completed. We'll also cover deleting reminders and creating then with Siri.

As with all of our video tips, this one can be expanded to full screen for more detail.

iOS 7 video tip: Using Reminders originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 30 Sep 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Source | ...

Display manufacturer Viewsonic is refreshing its entertainment line of monitors today with the launch of its new VESA-mountable VX52 series, which includes the 24-inch (23.6-inch viewable) VX2452mhand 22-inch (21.5-inch viewable) VX2252mh. The VX52 series features Full HD resolution and ClearMotiv II technology that delivers 2ms response times for what the company says are blur-free images....
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In iOS Safari, at first, it's perhaps counter-intuitive how to move a folder of bookmarks.  However, once you get the hang of it, it's easy.  Here's how to do it.

From 9to5Toys.com:

Be sure to follow 9to5Toys to keep up with the best gear and deals on the web: Twitter, RSS Feed, Facebook, Google+.

Today’s featured deals:

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Software developers Raskin and Paddle have collaborated in their release of a Mac OS X app bundle, titled "Cheaper by the Dozen". From illustration technology to network management to social media consolidation and more, the $35 bundle features productivity-oriented software, both previously-released and debuting as standalone software for the first time, such as Marked 2. Available until October 10, the "Cheaper by the Dozen" Mac Bundle can be purchased from Paddle....
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Apple licensed US Patent #772,078 from original owner Intellectual Ventures to allow for in-app purchases of iOS apps. The patent, now owned by Lodsys, covers "Methods and systems for gathering information from units of a commodity across a network." Lodsys started suing iOS developers for patent infringement and Apple filed a motion to intervene in patent infringement lawsuits in 2011.

Patent trolls -- also known as Patent Assertion Entities ("PAEs") -- are "firms with a business model based primarily on purchasing patents and then attempting to generate revenue by asserting the intellectual property against persons who are already practicing the...

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

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

No Flash? Click here to listen.

Subscribe via RSS

Daily Update for September 30, 2013 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 30 Sep 2013 16:15:00 EST. Please see our...

I've long suffered Apple's attempts at cloud services. While iTools hardly counts, my accounts (and usernames) do go back that far, and along the way I've made aliases (remember .mac?), and obtained a confusing .mac/MobileMe login split personality, ultimately ignoring an @icloud account name. When iCloud debuted, loyal buffoons like me were "gifted" a 20 GB storage plan on top of the paltry 5 GB given for free to all iCloud users.

Tomorrow that freebie expires, and if you're using more than 5 GB here's what Apple says will happen:

If the storage you're using in iCloud exceeds the total storage available, iCloud Backup, Documents in the...

Apple has displaced Coca-Cola as the leading global brand in Interbrand's 14th annual Best Global Brands report, ending the soda maker's 13-year rule. Google took second place, pushing Coke into third. Overall, tech companies grabbed five of the top 10 slots. "It surprised me because Apple doesn't have the distribution that Coke does, and we know Apple doesn't have the consumption that Coke does," said Daniel M. Ladik, associate professor of marketing at Seton Hall University.

When Apple began transitioning paid MobileMe customers to iCloud, it used a temporary 25 GB of additional storage as incentive. Apple planned to take it back on June 30, but in fact extended the program until Sept. 30, 2012. That date was eventually extended an additional 12 months to Sept. 30, 2013. Hey, that's today!

No doubt many of you have received emails from Apple prompting you to either reduce the amount of iCloud storage you're using, if you're...

Evernote's picture-taking communication app, Skitch, has been updated to run soley on the new iOS 7 platform. Skitch 3.0.1 lets users take photos and instantly embellish them with text, shapes, and freehand notations. Sharing marked 'snapshots' can now be facilitated by AirDrop, as well as email or SMS, and additionally users can post Skitch creations online to share with social media followers. Images can be saved to and shared from a link generated by Evernote. Available on iTunes, Skitch is free to download....
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This week, at least two publications got to have it both ways. One heavily criticised an analyst for his poor track record, then went on to use analysts as sources for several stories. Another posted erroneous information only to debunk its own rumormongering later that same day. It's a beautiful, double-dipping world out there when it comes to Apple rumors.

Rumor: World's largest carrier China Mobile begins producing advertising collateral for iPhone 5c, 5s (AppleInsider)

A sketchy photo of a single, easily-faked poster. Yes, this is how the world's largest mobile phone carrier in the world's most populous country will choose to advertise the availability of the world's most famous mobile phone.

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It's a tough time for BlackBerry. On the heels of its recent financial problems, the company's long-delayed BBM messaging program looked like a bright spot. It finally seemed like it was going to be released on September 22 and, for a brief moment, it was. But disaster struck when an Android BBM .apk was leaked, creating security and server issues. The app was pulled from the iOS and Android stores and remains unavailable.

But BlackBerry promises that BBM is still coming. This morning they tweeted the following from the app's official Twitter page:

Still 100% committed to bringing #BBM to Android and iPhone. Sign up at http://t.co/mr8J7pUDAT to know when #BBM4All

- BBM (@BBM)...

Extreme Reality, a company that has been developing motion capture technology that Sega and others have used in PC & mobile games, today announced it is opening up its SDK to all developers. The software works with any 2D camera and allows devs to easily capture and analyze motion for games and apps. Think Microsoft’s Kinect, but with Extreme Reality motion is captured with an iOS device’s built-in FaceTime camera rather than bulky, expensive external hardware:

Offered as a SDK, Extreme Reality’s Extreme Motion is the only technology to provide full-body, software-based, motion analysis and control to any computing device or operating system via a standard camera.  It enables developers to easily add motion experiences to existing games or applications, and to create a wide range of...

Developers of the surprise hit Surgeon Simulator 2013 are currently working on a tablet version that could see release in 2014, Joystiq reports. The game -- which gives players the chance to operate on patients using intentionally sketchy controls -- became an overnight hit in 2013 and eventually found its way to Steam via the Greenlight program.

It's unclear at this time whether a tablet iteration would simply attempt to replicate the existing procedures offered by the Steam version, or if new surgeries would be included -- tooth pulling, for example. Joystiq's Sinan Kubba saw a version of the game running on an iPad first-hand, but it's still a tossup whether tablet gamers will actually get a chance to play it. If developer Bossa Studios decides to move forward,...

Strong sales of the iPhone aren't just proving beneficial for Apple, they're also helping out formerly struggling carriers that have picked up Apple's bestselling device, according to new figures from Kantar Worldpanel.
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Apple's Back To My Mac service may interfere with Time Machine's ability to backup to a local network share.

Apple has started selling refurbished 128GB models of the fourth-generation iPad at its online store. 128GB models are a relatively recent addition to the iPad lineup, having arrived a few months after the fourth-gen tablets were first introduced. A Wi-Fi-only refurb is $679, $120 less than retail, while a 3G/4G-equipped version is $689, making for a $140 discount. Refurbished iPads come with new batteries, warranties, and outer shells....
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1Password is a great tool for managing your passwords on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, as well as your Mac or Windows PC. The team at AgileBits wants to make sure you get the most out of the apps, so they tossed together a YouTube channel with video tips for both the iOS and desktop versions of its app. It includes tips on setting up syncing, managing Favorites, using the built-in browser in the iOS version, and more. If you aren't already a 1Password user you can pick up the app at Apple's App Store, or at the AgileBits website.

Boost Mobile is preparing to launch the iPhone 5s and 5c on its network, leaked promotional art indicates. The art doesn't suggest when Boost will start selling the phones, but that could happen in the near future, given a series of rollouts at US carriers beginning October 1st. Prices are also missing from the advertising....
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Apple, Dropbox, Facebook, Google, Mozilla, Reddit, Tumblr, Twitter, Yahoo and other tech companies today sent a letter to the heads of the U.S. Senate and House Judiciary Committees in support of proposed legislation that would allow them to publish statistics about secret national security surveillance orders. The Center for Democracy & Technology, which organized the group, said the letter was timed to coincide with the U.S. Justice Department’s filing of a brief with the FISA court today opposing many of those companies’ requests to disclose information about when it asks them for user data.

German automaker Volkswagen today teased a new iOS-based augmented reality application for technicians working on its XL1 concept car to be shown at the mid-October InsideAR augmented reality conference in Munich.
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This is an impressive looking upgrade for one of the best drum samplers on the market.

∞ Read this on The Loop

The BBC has updated its iPlayer Radio app for iOS and Android, adding the option to download podcasts from the broadcaster. Downloaded shows will appear under the new "My Downloads" part of the app, with the option to force the app to only download podcasts while connected to a Wi-Fi hotspot, in order to avoid potential extra data charges from carriers....
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Boost Mobile will carry the iPhone 5c and 5s, according to a tweet from @evleaks. It will be the first time the prepaid carrier will sell the iPhone. No availability or pricing information was announced. Both Virgin Mobile and…

After halting it without explanation last week, Apple is once again offering a Personal Pickup option for aspiring buyers of its iPhone 5S. The service, which allows customers to purchase the device online and pick it up at a local Apple Store, was available for just a day before Apple withdrew it, unable to keep up with demand. Its return suggests that iPhone 5s availability is improving, albeit slowly.

Earlier today Tim Cook sent an e-mail to Apple employees thanking them for their work in launching two new iPhone product lines and iOS 7. As a reward, everyone will be receiving extra paid time off for the upcoming Thanksgiving holidays. Apple will shut down on November 25, 26, and 27 giving employees an entire week off for the holiday. Some employees, such as Retail and AppleCare staff won't get the same days off, but will receive the additional time off at a later date....
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Apple is once again allowing Personal Pickups for online orders of the iPhone 5s, checks show. The company halted pickups of the phone early last week without explanation. Even with the option returned, many stores are listing the device as unavailable for pickup, although some locations should have stock....
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The official NBA Game Time app has been updated today with support for the upcoming 2013-2014 NBA preseason.  Preseason games for the 2013-14 season, the 68th NBA season, will kick off on Saturday, October 5th.

Version 5.0 of the free NBA Game Time app for iPad is available now on the App Store.

Another popular sports app, Yahoo’s Sportacular Pro, received a recent update that brought iPad support and a redesigned experience with new content and features.

What’s New in Version 5...

iPhone and iPad app developers were dealt a serious blow recently when a Federal Court Judge ruled that Apple can't intervene on their behalf in in the ongoing patent licensing case patent holding company Lodsys is bringing against them. The patent holder claims app developers must pay licensing fees for in-app purchases even though Apple already paid to use the technology.

The Mac Observer Spin:
Patent trolls are a despicable lot feeding their greed through what seems like little more than extortion, and their king is Lodsys.

On account of limited supply, or perhaps unprecedented demand, Apple's flagship iPhone 5s has been tough to come by. Of course, Apple has likely shipped millions of iPhone 5s units at this point, but walking into an Apple Store and picking up the exact iPhone 5s model you want still requires some patience.

As a quick example, while visiting an Apple Store in Chicago last Thursday, I was told that the only iPhone 5s model in stock was a 64 GB Space Grey model for AT&T.

All that said, Apple today brought back its in-store pickup option for the iPhone 5s. In short, folks can now purchase an iPhone 5s online and walk into a nearby Apple retail store to pick it up -- assuming of course that the desired model is in stock. Apple had previously removed the in-store pickup...

Sprint subsidiary Boost Mobile will soon begin selling iPhones for the first time as the company preps for the launch of Apple’s new iPhone 5s and 5c on its usual no-contract, unlimited plans. The proof comes from the press material above posted by often reliable leaker @evleaks.

Boost Mobile’s competition will be other smaller prepaid carriers in the US that already carry the iPhone, such as Cricket, Straight Talk, and another Sprint subsidiary, Virgin Mobile. Cricket, Straight Talk, and many other smaller carriers have yet to announce availability of the new iPhones, but Virgin Mobile and a handful of regional carriers have been advertising for an expected October 1st launch. 

The news follows reports...

An east Texas judge, Rodney Gilstrap, has issued a ruling blocking Apple from intervening on behalf of iOS app developers pursued by Lodsys, reports say. The order, handed down last Tuesday, also allows Lodsys to settle individually with each of the developers it has been leveling patent claims against. Apple has been seeking to intervene on behalf of developers for two years, arguing that it since it licensed patents (now owned by Lodsys) from Intellectual Ventures for in-app purchases, third-party developers are already protected....
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Following the launch of two new iPhone models and iOS 7 earlier this month, Tim Cook today emailed Apple employees thanking them for working tirelessly on the new products and rewarding them with extra, paid time off for the upcoming Thanksgiving holidays.

I realize many of you worked tirelessly to bring us this far. I know it required great personal sacrifice…In recognition of your incredible efforts and achievements, I’m happy to announce that we’re extending the Thanksgiving holiday this year.

Cook announced that Apple will shut down on November 25, 26, and 27 so employees can have the entire week off for the holiday. Retail and AppleCare employees will continue to work on those days to serve customers, but they’ll get the additional, paid time off at a later date along with international employees.

And I am proud to tell you that Apple is also a force for good in our world beyond our products. Whether it’s improving working conditions or the environment,...

Apple's new flagship iPhone 5s and mid-range iPhone 5c contribute more value to Cupertino's profit margins than their predecessor, the iPhone 5, according to one Wall Street analyst.
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The new gold color option for the iPhone 5s might be driving higher demand over the 5c in China, but for those unable to find or afford the more expensive model, gold stickers and skins have quickly become an inexpensive alternative. The Wall Street Journal reports that a long list of retailers in the country have started...

Call it a first-world problem: The more photos we capture with our fancy smartphones, the more photos we have to sort through.

In the future, we may look back at the many thousands of digital photos we have and think, “When was that trip, again?” or “Where did I enjoy that fantastic meal?” or “How did I manage to take so many photos of pocket lint?”

That’s where Memoir comes in. It’s a free, iOS-only mobile app that launched the same day that iOS 7, Apple’s latest operating system, was released.

Memoir is a photo-storage app that automates an album-like approach to organizing your photos. It pulls photos from your smartphone camera roll and popular social networks.

[ See post to watch video ]

Then, each say, it shows you the most recent photos, as well as photos and social network check-ins from that same day two, three, or five years ago. You can also search for your photos using keywords, such as “July 2011,” “Costa Rica” or a person’s name....

Interbrand's annual Best Global Brands report is out, and for the first time Apple took the top position. Apple's ranking means Coca-Cola has finally been unseated as the number one company for the first time in the 13 years the Interbrand has conducted the study.

The Mac Observer Spin:
It's no secret that Apple has a strong brand. Taking the top spot in the Interbrand study this year is a big deal, not just for Apple, but also for Coca-Cola.

Notable software releases this week include Pixelmator 2.2.1, Typinator 5.7, TextExpander 4.1, and ReadKit 2.3.1.

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This series of scatterplots shows the relative IMDB scores for shows like Breaking Bad, The Sopranos, and The Wire. Well done, though I would argue that the charts show how much people love a show, as opposed to any measure of quality. But no matter. Still interesting.

∞ Read this on The Loop