• apple,  iphone,  rumors

    Rumor: First Fully Assembled iPhone 5?

    The Verge is running an article with some photos from iLab Factory that reports to show what the fully assembled next generation iPhone from Apple could look like.

    We are assuming that the next generation iPhone will be called ‘iPhone 5’.  We expected last year’s iPhone, the ‘4S’ to be the ‘5’, however, once we found out that the next iPhone would ‘evolutionary’ rather than ‘revolutionary’, well, we all knew that the ‘next next’ iPhone would be the iPhone 5.

    So here it is, the latest rumor de jour: the iPhone 5.  I really like the form factor of the iPhone 4/4S/5 over the previous generation iPhones.  I also like the idea of the aluminum back plate as I’ll be much less worried about breaking it.  I’m even OK with the taller unit to accommodate a 4-inch screen.  I’m just not a fan of the two tone color scheme; black with a brushed metal.  I think I’d like to continue to see the iPhone back places all white or all black.

    [Via The Verge…]

  • app store,  apple,  lion,  mac os x,  mac os x server,  macbook pro,  mountain lion,  Uncategorized

    Apple Launches Mac OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion

    On Wednesday, Apple lunched their next major version of Mac OS X, Mountain Lion.

    With over 200 new features being added to Mac OS X, Mountain Lion brings even more features of iOS to the Macintosh further unifying the experience across multiple Apple product lines.  The major new features of Mountain Lion include:

    • iCloud support
    • Reminders (OS X version of the iOS app)
    • Notes (OS X version of the iOS app)
    • iMessage (replacing OS X iChat)
    • Notification Center (as seen in iOS)
    • Power Nap (requires a Mac notebook with build in flash storage; ie: MacBook Air)
    • Dictation (voice recognition, but not Siri)
    • Sharing button (as seen in iOS)
    • Twitter integration
    • AirPlay (requires a mid-2011 or newer Mac)
    • Game Center
    • Gatekeeper
    • Safari 6
    Mac OS X Mountain Lion is available now for $19.99 on the Mac App Store for users of Mac OS 10.6 Snow Leopard and 10.7 Lion.  If you just purchased a new Mac, perhaps a new MacBook Air or the new super sexy 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, you can upgrade to Mountain Lion for free using the Apple Up to Date program.
    Business users, ‘techies’, and just about anyone else who is interested, can also purchase and install OS X Server, an add on application module for Mac OS X Mountain Lion that adds server features such as Wiki Server, File Sharing over and above the sharing features in Mountain Lion, network Time Machine backup Support, email and calendar servers, iMessage server, web server, and network OS X software installs and updates.  Previously priced at $49.99, OS X Server for Mountain Lion is available now for $19.99 for the Mac App Store.
    Mountain Lion is a great addition to any Macintosh that is capable of running it.  I would, however, suggest that anyone running a mid-2007 or 2008 edition Macintosh upgrade their Mac to the maximum amount of RAM memory possible before installing Mountain Lion.  Yes, the software will run, but if you only have 2GB of RAM, you may not get the experience you want.  (Read: lots of spinning beach balls.)  I’m running Mountain Lion on an 8GB mid-2009 17-inch MacBook Pro and things seem to be running well so far.
  • app store,  apple,  ios

    Apple To Close In-App Purchase Fraud in iOS 6

    A Russian hacker recently published a video and server on the Internet that showed people how to steal software updates for iOS applications that use the in-app purchase feature.

    At the time, many bloggers and software developers stated that to effectively close the loop to prevent another “man-in-the-middle” attack Apple would have to release a software fix.  Yesterday, Apple announced that the fix will be included in iOS 6, due out this fall.

    “Apple has responded to the recent App Store in-app-purchase bug and fraud with an email and temporary solution for registered iOS developers. This email includes a link to a new Apple developer web document that describes the issue and teaches developers how to temporarily plug the issue. Apple says that it will fix the bug completely with the upcoming release of iOS 6.”

    [Via 9To5Mac.com…]

  • app store,  apple,  mac,  mac os x,  macbook pro

    Targeted Full Screen Mode in Mountain Lion

    According to AppleInsider, Mac OS X Mountain Lion will feature a new full screen mode that should make it a much less annoying feature for Mac users who have multiple monitors.

    In Mountain Lion, you will be able to select which of your two or more monitors you want to be active when you enter full screen mode.

    “Apple’s solution in Mountain Lion is an incremental band-aid, but does expand the usefulness of Full Screen mode to users who connect to external displays. New in Mountain Lion is the ability to target which screen you want to go Full Screen in. In the screen shots above, Safari was taken full screen on an externally connected HDTV.
    This allows notebook users, for example, to connect to a big external display and use it for Full Screen work. Unfortunately, all the other screens are still blanked, but there isn’t a simple fix to addressing this in a sensible way. “

    In Lion, when you entered full screen mode, the primary display was the one that was used in full screen mode, blanking out any external monitors.  This feature is really annoying for, say, MacBook users who used an external monitor in addition to the MacBook’s display.  While not a complete solution, it will be a little bit better in Mountain Lion.
    Mac OS X Mountain Lion is expected to go on sale next week exclusively in the Mac App Store.  Mountain Lion will cost $19.99 for all Mac users with compatible hardware.
  • google

    Surprise! Yahoo Poaches 13-Year Executive Google Vet

    Didn’t see this coming.  I guess a lot of other people didn’t either.  Suddenly, Yahoo! is cool again.

    “In a surprising turn of events it was announced on Monday that long-time Google executive Marissa Mayer tendered her resignation and will start at her new position as president and CEO at Yahoo on Tuesday. 

    The former executive’s departure not only marks a devastating loss for Google but an uncommon win for Yahoo, a company that has had trouble attracting and retaining top talent in recent years. “

    Smart is the new sexy.  Best of luck, Marissa, you are going to need it.

    [Via AppleInsider.com…]

  • apple,  ios,  ipad,  iphone,  ipod touch

    iOS 6 Beta 3 Gets Rolled Out to Developers

    Earlier today, Apple rolled out iOS 6, beta 3 to registered (read: paying) developers.

    According to sources in the know, beta 3 improves the stability of the mobile operating system, brings additional features to the new Maps application, and gives a clear indication that all things MobileMe are going away with the announcement that all @me.com email addresses will be converted to @iCloud.com email addresses.

    iOS 6 is slated to be released later this year in the September-October timeframe just in time for the newly redesigned iPhone 5.

    [Via AllThingsD.com…]

  • microsoft,  windows mobile,  windows phone

    Nokia Lumia 900 Now 50% Off

    “The Lumia 900, Nokia’s flagship Windows Phone handset and AT&T’s “hero phone,” has had its U.S. price slashed by half, just three months after its release. As of Sunday, the Lumia 900 can be purchased for just $49.99 with a two-year contract through AT&T.”

    Wow, that was fast.  Only on the market for 3 months and the phone is on “sale” for $49.99 with a new 2-year service agreement?  I guess is sucks when Microsoft tells the world that your ‘hero’ phone won’t be able to run the next version of Microsoft Windows Phone software due out later this year.  Ouch.

    [Via AllThingsD.com…]

  • microsoft,  office,  pc,  windows

    Microsoft Unveils Office 2013 Suite

    Today, Microsoft took the wraps off of the next version of their personal and professional productivity suite, Office 2013.

    If you are the adventurous type, and just happen to be running Windows 7 or a review release of Windows 8, you can sign up to try out Office 365, a new cloud-based version of Office starting today.

    To learn more about Office 2013, hit up the Microsoft Office 2013 website.

  • apple,  ilife,  mac,  mac os x,  macbook pro

    iPhoto ’11 Updated to Version 9.3.1

    Apple has released a maintenance update to iPhoto ’11 for Mac OS X.

    • Addresses a problem during the migration of albums from MobileMe Gallery that may cause photos to be moved from their original events to a new event called “From MobileMe”
    • Fixes an issue that in rare cases could cause 
    iPhoto ’11 is $14.99 from the Mac App Store.  The update is free to all customers who purchased iPhoto ’11 from the Mac App Store.
  • apple,  exploit,  ios,  ipad,  iphone,  ipod touch

    Hacker Finds a Way Around In-App Purchases [Updated]

    Alexey V. Borodin, a computer hacker from Russia, has figured out a way to implement a “man-in-the-middle” exploit in the Apple App Store that allows anyone who uses his technique a way to get free in app purchases.

    The exploit, which works mostly on games where you buy a new level, power ups, and the like, allows you to send traffic to Borodin’s web server that is setup to look like an Apple App Store server and then sends your iOS device a bogus acknowledgment that you’ve paid for the said app upgrade.

    At the time I’m posting this, the bogus server that Borodin setup is offline. I’m not sure if that is because he was ordered to take it offline or that it is so busy from people trying to exploit the hack, that the server is just too busy to respond.

    Update – 7/16/12
    It didn’t take long, but Apple has unleashed their engineers and lawyers. The service that allows free downloading of some in-app purchases has been shutdown and I’m sure the engineering teams are hard at work beefing up security features for the next version of Mac OS X and iOS.

    [Via MacWorld.com…]