This week, Apple's online store has a variety of refurbished Macs on sale, along with an even lower price on the Apple TV. Starting at $509 is the refurbished Mac mini with a 2.5GHz Intel dual-core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive. The refurbished 13.3-inch MacBook Air with a 1.8GHz Intel dual-core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM and 128GB of flash storage has seen a $350 price cut to $849....   ...

While Apple is actively recruiting for scores of new full time jobs related to Maps, it also plans to enlist the support of its installed base of 400 million iOS users with an opt-in invitation to "Help Improve Maps" in iOS 7.  ...

Yahoo has acquired Rockmelt, a content discovery app that started life as a web browser build with heavy social network integration. The latest purchase by Yahoo, speculated to be in the region of $60 million and $70 million, means that all of its apps and the web service will be shuttering at the end of the month, with users being encouraged to export their data before closure....  ...

Non-Apple tablets have collectively surpassed the iPad for the first time in terms of worldwide marketshare, claims research firm Canalys. During the June quarter, Apple achieved a share of 42.7 percent, giving it dominance in terms of individual tablet makers. Together, however, Amazon, Acer, Samsung, Lenovo, and other tablet makers scored a 57.3 percent slice. In Q2 2012, Apple held 71.2 percent of the market versus the remainder's 28.9 percent....  ...

Yesterday, August 1, 2013 was the day that the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) was supposed to make a decision on Apple's complaint against Samsung. According to Florian Mueller at FOSS Patents, the ITC gave notice yesterday that it is postponing that decision by eight days until August 9, 2013.

Not to be confused with the possible ban on importation older Apple iPhones and iPads due to infringement by Apple of some Samsung technical patents, this ruling was to determine possible sanctions against Samsung after Administrative Law Judge Thomas Pender found in October 2012 that Samsung had infringed on three Apple technical patents and one design patent. Additional violations by Android's text selection feature were found after the ITC had remanded some issues to Judge Pender.

August 9 is going to be an important day for Apple. Not only will the ITC announce...

If you like free stuff—and who doesn’t?!—you may want to take another look at the Apple Store app for iPhone, through which the Cupertino company will treat you to a nice gift.

After a recent update to the Apple Store app, the company now uses it to promote content across its various properties—including, of course, the App Store. Case in point, if you open the app before August 27, you will be able to get a copy of Large Animal Games’s Color Zen, which normally retails for $1, for the cool price of zero instead.

To be fair, at the time of this writing the functionality that makes the free download possible isn’t working for me, or several members of the Macworld staff, but the hiccup is likely temporary and will likely be addressed soon.

This kind of cross-promotion makes great sense for Apple;...

Apple Inc. has responded to the U.S. Department of Justice's proposed antitrust remedy, calling it draconian, unprecedented, punitive, and overreaching. The DOJ proposed on Friday morning a sweeping series of remedies to correct price fixing behavior Apple was convicted of engaging in.

Easily one of the funniest bits on TV.

Lumosity is an iOS app that promises to make you smarter while you have fun. But does it work? Josh Centers explores the app and the science behind it, but isn’t sure if he has become more intelligent in the process.

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.

Finally striking a deal with Apple may just have kept T-Mobile from losing nearly half a million customers over the last quarter, according to a new report that examined the impact of the iPhone on America's fourth-largest carrier.  ...

The Department of Justice’s proposed remedies in its ebook price fixing case against Apple havent changed much since the agency first filed suit, nor has the company’s dim view of them.

Responding to the announcement Friday of the restrictions the DOJ wants to place on its ebook and digital content businesses in a brief opposing injunctive relief, Apple slammed them as unwarranted, overreaching and at times unconstitutional.

Here’s an excerpt from the introduction.

“Plaintiffs’ proposed injunction is a draconian and punitive intrusion into Apple’s business, wildly out of proportion to any adjudicated wrongdoing or potential harm. Plaintiffs propose a sweeping and unprecedented injunction as a tool to empower the Government to regulate Apple’s businesses and...

In a piece called Objectively Stylish, the New York Times announced that it has codified Objective C style conventions and posted a style guide to GitHub.

They write, "The iOS team has been working on our style guide for over a year and we finally decided that it's time to share it with the Objective-C community."

The Times style guide repository offers extremely minimal starting points. It's more a jumping off of style discussion rather than a final product, despite that year of development.

Unfortunately, while the guide lays out rules it offers very little discussion of motivation, and more than a few guidelines seem more grounded in personal habit than expressive maximization or general principle.

That's not necessarily a bad thing -- having a fixed design document helps guide code inspection. It's just...

D-Link has started shipping the DGL-5500, a new gaming-oriented router. The model uses dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi, in theory supporting speeds up to 867Mbps. The router's distinguishing feature, though, is Qualcomm's StreamBoost, which automatically shapes traffic to prioritize bandwidth where it's needed. The StreamBoost interface can also show how much bandwidth apps and devices are consuming....  ...

Bioshock Infinite will be available on Mac as of the 29th August, some 5 months after it was first released on PC and consoles. That may sound like a long time for Mac gamers to wait, but that's much better than the more than 2 years after the official release date it took for Bioshock 2 to arrive on Mac OS X.

Ported by Aspyr, the same outfit that brought Borderlands, Civilization and Call of Duty to Mac gamers, Bioshock Infinite will be available through the Mac App Store, Steam and Asypr's own GameAgent. The list price is US$59.99, though where you purchase could determine how much bang for buck you get. Purchasing through Steam will get you Steam Play, meaning you get a copy for both Mac and PC,...

A new clip from the upcoming Steve Jobs biopic, JOBS, has been posted online. In the scene Jobs and Wozniak, played by Ashton Kutcher and Josh Gad, are driving while debating names for their new company. Jobs rejects any names related to Star Trek, threatening to drive the car off the road, but then grasps onto the name Apple arguing that it is "the fruit of creation" and "comes before Atari in the phonebook." While obviously fictionalized, this depiction does pull information from both Wozniak's and Job's stories of how the Apple name came to be.... ...

The world of wine is unnecessarily complicated. Bottles are identified by exact percentages of specific grape varietals except for when they’re labeled according to where the grapes were grown regardless of where the winery is, or by the village name within the wine region of origin, or by how long the wine was cellared before its release… you get the point. It’s no wonder some people give it all up and just drink Heineken… Jim.

This issue’s free article from The Loop Magazine.

∞ Read this on The Loop

Just a few weeks ago, Apple found itself on the wrong side of a decision when US District Judge Denise Cote ruled that Apple had, in fact, conspired with book publishers to raise the price of e-books across the industry.

Today, the DOJ announced a proposed remedy for Apple's alleged wrongdoing. The remedy aims to stop Apple's "illegal activities" and restore competition to the e-book marketplace.

As laid out by the DOJ, the proposed remedy not only requires Apple to put an end to its existing agency-model contracts with book publishers, but also precludes Apple from entering into "new e-book distribution contracts which would restrain Apple from competing on price."

The DOJ writes:

Under the department's proposed remedy, Apple will be prohibited from again serving as a conduit of information among the conspiring publishers or from retaliating against publishers for refusing to sell e...

The flaws in Samsung Smart TVs, which have now been patched, enabled hackers to remotely turn on the TVs’ built-in cameras without leaving any trace of it on the screen. While you’re watching TV, a hacker anywhere around the world could have been watching you. Hackers also could have easily rerouted an unsuspecting user to a malicious website to steal bank account information.

I don’t even know how to express how creepy this is and how thank I am that I’m not using a Samsung TV.

∞ Read this on The Loop

Pay TV subscriptions are flat. Maybe even down. And if you’re reading this blog, then odds are you think that’s because of cord-cutters and cord-nevers — people who are using iTunes, Netflix, YouTube, etc., instead of paying for TV.

Could be!

But there is also a much less exciting reason for sputtering pay TV subscriptions: Youngsters who should be living on their own are living with their parents. No need to pay for TV if Mom and Dad are already doing it.

People have pointed out this phenomenon before, but it tends to not get a lot of play on sites like this, which makes sense: Lots of people like to talk about how they’re using Netflix to give Comcast the finger; not as many like to talk about the fact that...

Pebble updated its iOS app and finally added the ability to receive email alerts on the smart watch. Previously, the Pebble watch could only receive incoming text messages and caller IDs from its companion iPhone.

The new notification feature pings the Pebble watch when you get a new Gmail and IMAP email message. As Pebble points out in its blog post, the notifications are not pushed immediately to your handset. Rather, the Pebble app polls your email every nine minutes and alerts you about unread messages. Though not perfect, it's better than the jailbreak hack you had to use if you wanted email alerts in previous versions of the software.

Pebble owners can download...

Sony is said to be preparing to announce a full frame version of its NEX line of compact system cameras, one that is slightly larger than the NEX-7. The tentatively-titled NEX-FF will be unveiled on September 24th, according to a leak, with the digital imaging device claimed to be the most compact digital interchangeable mount Full Frame camera in the world....  ...

The new Mac Pro has an innovative design by many standards. Though it may push the envelope with its tube-shaped design, it's not the only Mac tower that has a striking appearance. Previous Mac desktop towers had a look of their own that set them apart from the boring beige plastic of most comparable PCs. You can check out a gallery of these Mac beauties over at Macworld in its "Towers of Power" slideshow.

A gallery of Apple's tower computers originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 02 Aug 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
...

The official Apple Store app has started offering free downloadable iTunes content in the US. The first piece, Color Zen, is a puzzle game for the iPhone and iPad that normally costs 99 cents. To find the download, a person has to select the Stores tab....   ...

It was a bit on the subtle side this time, but Apple bought another company for a potentially key asset.

Per Jessica Lessin, formerly of the Wall Street Journal, Apple has purchased Passif Semiconductor, a California communication chip developer that specializes in low-power designs — technology that could be useful in developing a smartwatch-like wearable device.

To date, Passif’s current products have included wireless radios for Bluetooth Low Energy profiles.

It’s unknown how much Apple paid for Passif, but according to Lessin, the iPhone maker attempted to buy the chipmaker years ago “a for a price in the mid-tens-of-millions of dollars.” The company confirmed that the deal took place, but did not divulge any specifics.

The acquisition may be linked to...

If you enjoyed this week's roundup of iPhone cases, check out the previous edition, Flipped.

Catan (US$16.99) is the Mac app incarnation of the well-known board game Settlers of Catan.

If you haven't played Settlers (as my family refers to it) before, you're in for a real treat. And a whole lot of stress too. Oh, and did I mention the strife?

Settlers is, in a way, similar to Monopoly, but more complex. It requires more forethought and strategy, and usually a lot more time too. Add the Cities & Knights or Seafarer expansion packs, and things get even more exciting. It can take many played games just to understand all the rules, and many more before you claim the coveted Lord of Catan title. That is unless you're one of the very annoying, and very lucky, first time winners!

TUAW's covered Settlers of Catan and Catan for iOS in some detail...

Apple began pushing free content to its Apple Store iOS app on Friday, with users now able to download a typically paid app for free.   ...

Apple’s search for a new retail chief continues as the company has still not settled on a finalist for the position, The Wall Street Journal reports. Since the departure of John Browett in late October, Apple CEO Tim Cook has been overseeing retail. Wireless and telecommunication executives have…

Apple Inc deserves a five-year ban from entering anticompetitive e-book distribution contracts, and should also end its business arrangements with five major publishers with which it conspired to raise e-book prices, federal and state regulators said on Friday.

∞ Read this on The Loop

Amazon and Barnes & Noble are not currently allowed to link from their native iOS apps to outside e-book stores. But the U.S. Department of Justice has proposed a settlement that would require Apple to allow such links for a two-year period.  ...

This is the second time Google has banned Glass from one of its own events. They also banned Glass from its shareholder meeting in June.

∞ Read this on The Loop

After reaching settlements with just about every publisher involved in the long-running Apple/Amazon e-book price fixing case, The United States Department of Justice today published its proposal to end the case with Apple after finding the company guilty of conspiring to fix ebook prices during trial earlier this month:

“The court found that Apple’s illegal conduct deprived consumers of the benefits of e-book price competition and forced them to pay substantially higher prices,” said Bill Baer, Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division.  “Under the department’s proposed order, Apple’s illegal conduct will cease and Apple and its senior executives will be prevented from conspiring to thwart competition in the future.”

Among...

If you have ever gone to an Apple Store, some of the statements on the new FRSExcuses.com website might sound familiar. “FRS” is short for “Family Room Specialist,” and this is the title of Apple’s retail workers on the Apple Store showroom floor. To move through “excuses,” just click the excuse.

Continue reading more about AAPL Company, Apple Store, and Genius at 9to5Mac.

What...

Back in March, Akai Professional released an iPad app that aims to emulate its classic MPC drum machine. Akai is perhaps best known for the MPC– a series of physical drum machine/midi sequencer/samplers that come with samples you’ve likely heard on many of your favorite hip-hop, dance, and pop songs. Today the MPC...

My Beastly ABCs debuted in the App Store at the end of last year and was an instant hit. The interactive storybook teaches kids their ABCs as they follow a boy (and some monsters) throughout a day. Available initially for the iPad, Duncan Studio recently released an update that brings this educational tool to the iPhone.

The iPhone version of My Beastly ABCs mirrors the iPad version, but is scaled for the iPhone's smaller landscape screen. The illustrations in My Beastly ABCS are catching and the narration by Jim Dale is top notch. Some of the navigation elements are a bit small, especially on the iPhone, and the letters sometime take a back seat to the story, but that's what the parents are for. Sit down with your child, help them learn as they make their way through the tale and enjoy some quality time together...

Verizon has updated its Share Everything plans to include an additional lower tier of data allowance. The new 500MB option offers the same unlimited voice minutes and unlimited text messages as its higher-priced stablemates, though the price is trimmed down from the $50 of the 1GB tier to a marginally lower $40 offering....  ...

The next iPad mini, expected to debut in the December quarter, may have a high-resolution display and come in an assortment of colors. The switch to Apple's famous Retina screen would bring the next-gen mini in line with the company's other iOS products. Rumor also has it the new mini will be offered in colors other than black and white. This isn't the first hint that Apple may be adding more color to its iOS line. A mid-tier priced iPhone also may have a number of color options.

With US-based students and teachers participating in overseas educational programs in mind, AT&T has introduced the AT&T Study Abroad program, an international roaming package tailored for the student's specific needs. Starting August 9, the program allows the user to keep existing phone numbers, and offers students and teachers the convenience of having an existing AT&T device, mobile number and content during a stay in 150 countries....  ...

When Apple's MobileMe suite of online services got revamped and changed into iCloud, existing members were provided with 20GB of extra storage space compared to the 5GB normally allotted, for a total of 25GB (which includes email storage, iCloud iOS device backups and other services such as Documents in the Cloud). The company has now sent out reminder notices to such customers letting them know that the additional free storage will be withdrawn and reduced to the standard 5GB on September 30.... ...

Case manufacturer Booq has unveiled the new Viper courier laptop bag. The new bag is dyed and water-repelling, and the Viper has a padded laptop compartment inside so a stored computer stays protected and scratch-free. Other storage space in the form of interior pockets and an exterior backside pocket fits necessary documents, with a concealed quick-access pocket for mobile devices such as an iPhone. The bag is now available in two sizes -- the 13-inch model retails for $100, and the 15-inch model sells for $110.... ...

While shopping at the dollar store, my daughter and I stumbled across one of these: a silicone iPhone amplifier. For a buck? She looked at me, I looked at her. She won. The little amplifier came home with us for a test run.

My tiny battery speaker set has been a subject of dispute between us. She borrows it; she blasts horrific music; she forgets to switch it off; she goes through batteries like a ravenous bear goes through a dumpster. We decided to see if a power-free US$1 amplifier would solve the problem.

You stick the phone into the unit -- it's a bit of a squeeze, and you can't use a bumper or a case with it. It's important that the device is fully inserted because the horn depends on the placement of the phone's speaker.

Turns out the horn is also dependent on the placement of the phone's listener as...

Though things could change again tomorrow, Apple on Thursday once again became the world's most valuable publicly-traded company by market cap, rising $4.15 (nearly a percentage point) to close at $456.68 per share (and still rising in after-hours trading, currently at $457.65). With a value approaching $415 billion, the company re-took the crown from Exxon Mobil, which fell by a dollar after a bad earnings report and lowered its overall market cap to $412 billion. AAPL has risen almost $50 over the past month, but is still off its 2013 high of $549.03 per share.... ...

The Temple Run series are some of the most popular casual games on the App Store, and while the simplicity of the game can't be overstated -- running forward is really your main goal -- it offered developer Imangi Studios a chance to have some fun with one of the fastest humans around. And so, for a "limited time," Usain Bolt can be bought as a playable character in Temple Run 2.

According to AllThingsD, Bolt was enthusiastic about his inclusion in the game, stating that people often joke that they'd like to play as the Olympic champion in a Temple Run title. Bolt's digital self is outfitted in his iconic gold and green Olympic garb and costs US$0.99. Oh, and he even performs the runner's trademark pose, because details matter.

...

Things are topsy-turvy in the land of customer satisfaction, your free iCloud space will soon reach its end, and how do you pronounce “OS X.” Trick question: You’re wrong. The remainders for Thursday, August 1, 2013 are going on break.

Samsung Beats Apple in New Smartphone Customer Satisfaction Study from ACSI (ACSI)

We’re through the looking glass here, people. South Korea-based Samsung edged out Apple in the most recent customer satisfaction study from the American Customer Satisfaction Index, pulling an 84 for the Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II, compared to an 82 for the iPhone 5 and 4S. But, the ACSI notes, in South Korea consumers actually prefer the iPhone 5. Call it a cultural exchange, I guess.

...

Today, I got a sneak peak at a very early version of Tim Roadley's "Learning Core Data." Expected to publish late November, this book by the Australia-based iOS developer introduces Core Data for those entirely new to the subject.

Like other books in Pearson's "Learning" series, the Core Data volume grows around a single project (a grocery shopping tool) that expands chapter-by-chapter. What starts off as a very basic database grows to include photos ("it would be great if you could take a photo of that obscure brand of coffee you love so much"), cloud support, and web service integration.

The chapters broke down sensibly, with big topics like performance tuning and searching each given their proper due. I found Roadley's voice pleasant to read (although he does suffer a tiny bit from modal auxilliaryitis) and I enjoyed the material I read through. It was immediately practical and usable, with good day-to-day tips scattered...

Computer accessory maker Das Keyboard has announced its expansion into a new product category with the launch of highly-secure, radio frequency identification (RFID) blocking bags. Known as Das Keyboard HackShield bags, the companyís new backpack and messenger bags provide a new level of protection against physical and digital intrusion for users on-the-go....  ...

Despite its novel features, Motorola's Moto X handset is better suited to alter the Android landscape than draw consumers away from Apple's iPhone, according to one noted analyst.   ...