The iPad mini is a great product, but the inclusion of stereo speakers on the bottom didn't solve the problem of directing the sound forwards, towards the user. Customers still find themselves cupping the edge of the iPad mini to redirect and amplify the sound.  The Sabine passive sound amplifier for iPad mini solves that problem.

Novation announced the Launchkey Mini on Tuesday, a MIDI controller for iPad, Mac, and PC. This keyboard controller is small, but it's feature-packed with a 25-note mini-keyboard, 26 assignable controls, 16 velocity sensitive launch pads in three colors, eight knobs, seven function buttons, and two performance buttons. That's a lot of stuff. There's a companion player app for iPad on the App Store called Novation Launchkey, and it comes with lite versions of Mac and PC software, along with some loops. It connects to your iPad through Apple's Camera Connection Kit, and it's powered by your iPad (no batteries or power chords). Cool, eh? It's priced at US$99 at dealers.

MacCityNet, an Italian Apple-focused site, has posted a video interview with The Wall Street Journal's Walt Mossberg. A lot of the interview won't be revelatory to long-term Apple observers, but there was one comment from Mr. Mossberg I thought particularly astute. He was asked about innovation at Apple, and at the 3 minute, 50 second mark, he said, "Apple is a company that’s a little bit like a Movie studio, it needs to come up with big new hits every few years and so things like wearable computing and the rumored IWatch, things like reinventing television which we know they’re working on." That's a great analogy and an accurate assessment. The questions are asked in Italian with English subtitles, or you can read the English version of the interview at MacCityNet.

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Apple has started to invite members of the media to a special event on September 10 at 10:00AM Pacific Time, one week from today. Scheduled to be held at Apple’s campus in Cupertino, the event’s invitation includes the phrase, “This should brighten everyone’s day.” It consists of an Apple logo…

A number of alleged iPhone 5C cases have leaked, following numerous other leaks related to Apple’s upcoming entry-level iPhone. Twitter account @evleaks tweeted a few pictures of alleged Case-Mate cases earlier today. Evleaks also tweeted that Case-Mate listed a shipping estimate as 8 a.m. Sept. 20, the…

Verizon is ready to drop US$130 billion to buy out Vodafone's 45 percent stake in Verizon Wireless, giving Verizon Communications complete ownership of its cellphone business. The deal will be good news for investors, but will likely have little impact on the services for end users.

The Mac Observer Spin:
If you're an iPhone or Android user on Verizon's network, don't expect to see any big changes once the buyout is complete. If you're a cell service provider that's somewhere in Europe, get ready to be bought up once Vodafone has that $130 billion burning a hole in its pocket.

Nothing stays the same. Trends in technology continue to accelerate. Even if you hold back, you're dragged along at an accelerated pace. It's only a short leap from wearable computers to having them in our head permanently. What does this say about our future?

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.…

Finding the IPv6 address of your Mac or iPad isn't extremely difficult.  But there are a few technical wrinkles to be aware of. While OS X, with access to the command line and more disclosure in the Network System Preferences, almost nails the details, it's less straightforward with an iPad.

A judge recently dismissed a lawsuit involving claims of a faulty power button on the iPhone 4 and 4S. Two iPhone owners were seeking a national class action lawsuit, alleging that Apple and AT&T conspired to hide evidence of a defective cable that caused power button issues. But U.S. District…

Apple blocked the Java 6 and Java 7 plug-ins for the third time this year over Mac users on Thursday over more potential security threats. Mac users running versions of Java that are earlier than version 6 update 51 and version 7 update 25 can no longer run Java code on their computer until they update to a newer version.

Using hubs is a way of life for most Mac users, and we frequently require more than one to connect all our accessories. The 10-Point hub from Satechi adds nine additional USB 3.0 ports and one iPad-charging port along with other neat features.

EA finally released the Mac version of SimCity on Thursday, just in time for you to say, "What happened to my holiday weekend?" The company announced the release on its blog, and once against stressed that this is a native Mac client  that is fully compatible with the PC version. Buying either the Windows or Mac version gives you access to the other, and the Mac version is a digital download only. Thursday's Mac release includes all of the major updates EA has released since the PC version hit the streets in February. The game is available for US$39.99 for the regular version, or $59.99 for the Deluxe Digital Edition that includes bonus city sets. Do me a favor and call me when it's Tuesday, eh?

Pioneer Electronics has announced its DDJ-WeGO2 compact DJ controller ($429). The iOS-compatible DDJ-WeGO2 includes a Lightning cable to connect to the controller to a compatible iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. Featuring two jog wheels, the USB-powered DDJ-WeGo2 is compatible with Algoriddim’s recently updated djay 2 app.

When you get new messages, emails, Skype chats, and other routine things that should elicit an alert sound from your Mac, but those sounds never happen, that can be just a little annoying, especially if you rely on those audible alerts to let you know someone is trying to chat. There's a good chance those alert sounds are just backed up waiting to come out, and while Apple needs to release a fix for the problem, the workaround is drop dead simple.

Apple has added ESPNEWS and ESPN Deportes to the ESPN channel list on Apple TV. ESPNEWS is ESPN’s 24-hour sports news channel, and ESPN Deportes is the company’s Spanish-language sports channel. There are now seven ESPN channels on Apple TV, including ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNU, and Goal Line, the last…

A security flaw in the command line tool sudo in OS X 10.7 and higher, as well as some Linux distributions, could give unauthorized root access to user's computers. The flaw was reported by Metasploit, a company that specializes in finding security issues and building utilities to point them out, but the steps needed to exploit this particular issue make it unlikely most Mac users will become victims before a patch is available.

The Mac Observer Spin:
Apple isn't the fastest at patching security flaws, or even publicly acknowledging them. The company has known about this one for at least five months and hasn't yet released a fix. The upside for Mac users is that the requirements to take advantage of the flaw are so specific that most people won't be susceptible while we wait for Apple to get their security patch out.

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With Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer on the way out, bookies are already placing odds on who the company's next leader will be, and they even have Apple CEO Tim Cook on the list. Mr. Cook comes in at the bottom with 100 to 1 odds, behind Bill Gates' 50 to 1 odds. The most likely replacement for Mr. Ballmer, according to the bookies, is Nokia CEO Stephen Elop.

Logitech has introduced the "Ultrathin Touch Mouse T631," a slim mouse with some great lines. The top of the device is a touch surface that works like a trackpad with multitouch gesture control. Cool, eh? It's a Bluetooth mouse that also lets you connect to multiple devices at once, and to toggle between which device you are actively controlling. That will be handy for some folks. Lastly, Logitech is touting a "Quick Charge" ability where just one minute of charging gives you an hour of use. That's definitely cool. It's priced at US$69.99 for preorder, with free shipping. The video below has a touch more marketing speak than I'll usually feature in a Cool Stuff Found, but there are some good product shots and useful information in it, too.

So far the idea that Apple will stick with just the iPhone at its September 10 media event has been pretty much a given, and that new iPads will be introduced in early October. Now an insider source is saying that the new iPhone models will share the stage with updates iPads, too, and that more products designed to take on Samsung are in the works. That feels like a lot for Apple to pack into one media event, to don't be surprised if new iPads aren't introduced until October.

The judge who found Apple guilty of fixing e-book prices doesn’t want the government’s proposed remedies to drastically affect Apple’s business, reports the Associated Press. “I want this injunction to rest as lightly as possible on how Apple runs its business,” U.S. District Judge Denise Cote said. Cote believes…

Apple has acquired AlgoTrim, a Swedish company that specializes in compression algorithms for mobile phones. AlgoTrim “developed algorithms for lossless compression of processing instructions in operating systems and applications,” according to a Swedish news service. The compression techniques allow for faster processing and reduced use in flash memory. AlgoTrim’s…

Despite recent speculation, it’s unlikely that Apple’s iPhone 5S will actually contain a 64-bit chip, according to a new report. ARM Ltd’s first 64-bit mobile processor cores aren’t expected to appear in smartphones until 2014, and a shift from 32-bit to 64-bit architectures would only yield an 8 to…

Google released a Chromecast app for iPhone and iPad on Tuesday, meaning that you can use your IOS device to set up the company's new US$35 settop box. With Chromecast, you can stream YouTube, Netflix, Google Play Movies, Google Play Music, and the Chrome browser to your TV. With the free hybrid app, you can set Chromecast up and manage its settings.  Chromecast is a direct competitor to Apple's $99 Apple TV settop box, but the Chromecast app shows that Google remains happy to play on as many platforms as it can.

Apple has added a new online chat option for AppleCare support, as noted by CNet. The option allows you to get one of Apple's support staff in a text conversation right in your browser. Here's how to find it.

Apple’s new iPhone trade-in program, the iPhone Reuse and Recycle Program, will roll out in select Apple stores this Friday, August 30, according to 9to5Mac. The program will roll out on a larger scale in September. Apple store employees will offer a value for an old iPhone 3G,…

Apple has reportedly moved beyond the "let's think about it stage" for an in-store iPhone trade-in program and is now running a pilot program in a few of its retail locations. Some stores have been part of the test program for a few weeks and are already processing multiple trade-ins daily.

The Mac Observer Spin:
Giving customers an easy way to recycle their old iPhone is great, even if other online trade-in programs are offering more money per device. It's convenient, and that means more people are likely to bring in their old iPhones instead of letting them sit around unused.

Samsung isn't waiting to see what Apple has in store for wearable technology. The electronics maker plans to introduce its own smartwatch called Galaxy Gear on September 4, just days ahead of Apple's still unannounced iPhone media event.

The Mac Observer Spin:
Samsung isn't excited about the idea of letting Apple take marketshare, even in a space where the iPhone and iPad maker isn't even playing yet. By introducing the Galaxy Gear now Samsung does have a chance of snapping up some of the smartwatch mindshare, but good luck keeping that should Apple really introduce its own wearable device.

Apple has launched a redesigned AppleCare support website, alongside 24/7 chat support for both iOS devices and Macs. The new site offers a number of options to help users, including live online chat and phone calls from Apple Support — users can see wait times for both options.

John and Dave kick off the week with ... yup, you guessed it! More answers to your questions. Lots of tips included this week, too, and that's just the way you like it. One popular topic your two favorite geeks have been asked about a lot lately is email security. Well, look no further, John and Dave are here to help!

Our culture has been, for a long time, immersed in war, weaponry, and computer-aided death, both in reality and in our entertainment. In the midst of that, Apple has come out with ads that remind us what we ought to be doing with our fabulous technology.  One reaction to that has been dismay and derision.  John Martellaro has some sharp thoughts on the matter.

Apple is getting ready to launch its rumored iPhone trade-in program in its retail stores in September, according to a new report. The program will let customers trade in older iPhones for new models. A June report claimed Apple would be launching its trade-in program that month, but this…

Apple is denying some users access to iWork for iCloud beta, which just opened to the public on Friday. A message from Apple says the new service has “had an overwhelming response,” and that users should “check back soon.” No timeframe is given for when the service will open…

The U.S. Department of Justice is claiming Apple's in-app purchase policies were designed specifically as a retaliation against Amazon and has revised its proposed punishment for the iPhone and iPad maker in its ebook price fixing case. Now the DOJ wants the court to force Apple to change its in-app purchase policies for all types of sales and not just digital content like ebooks.

One of the matras of the rumored Apple TV project is that Apple will somehow, through its vision, talent, customer focus and technical expertise give TV viewing customers what they want. Freedom, control and great stories.

Recently Kevin Spacey, currently famous for being a co-producer and having a starring role in Netflix's House of Cards, severely scolded the Networks for not giving the viewers what they want and for wasting hundreds of millions of dollars on pilots that never make the cut.

Mr. Spacey's speech is crisp, insightful and just plain terrific. And it could very well be a template for what Apple should be all about when it comes to its future with television. Mr. Spacey articulated the core issues brilliantly. The ball's in Apple court.

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.…

The evolution of our knowledge about a rumored new Apple product is an amazing thing to watch.  It's akin to scientific discovery. The best observers on the Internet steadily collect and assess leaked information and photos until the community has a fairly good idea of what the product will be like and why Apple is developing it. The process is repeated again and again, and it's just too bad we're so impatient, in the early phases, each time it happens.

Consumer Reports told readers on Thursday to "hold off" on Google's Nexus 7 tablet due to significant issues with the touch screen and intermittent problems with the device's built-in GPS. The magazine said that it was urging caution until those issues are fixed. Bryan Chaffin offers his thoughts.

Heckler Design has introduced the HighSign ($79), a new secure mountain frame for the iPad. Featuring a sleek, minimalist design intended for creating a kiosk iPad experience in retail and hospitality settings, HighSign is constructed from commercial-grade steel. It is available in six colours and is compatible with the iPad…