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

    Targeted Full Screen Mode in Mountain Lion

    July 21, 2012 /

    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.
    Read More
  • google

    Surprise! Yahoo Poaches 13-Year Executive Google Vet

    July 17, 2012 /

    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…]

    Read More
  • apple,  ios,  ipad,  iphone,  ipod touch

    iOS 6 Beta 3 Gets Rolled Out to Developers

    July 17, 2012 /

    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…]

    Read More
  • microsoft,  windows mobile,  windows phone

    Nokia Lumia 900 Now 50% Off

    July 17, 2012 /

    “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…]

    Read More
  • microsoft,  office,  pc,  windows

    Microsoft Unveils Office 2013 Suite

    July 17, 2012 /

    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.

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

    iPhoto ’11 Updated to Version 9.3.1

    July 14, 2012 /

    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.
    Read More
  • apple,  exploit,  ios,  ipad,  iphone,  ipod touch

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

    July 14, 2012 /

    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…]
    Read More
  • apple,  rumors

    Rumor: 5th Generation iPod nano to be a Cross Between iPod touch and Previous iPod Nano

    July 11, 2012 /

    The rumor mill is showing equal amounts of love for the iPhone, iPad, and now the iPod.

    Japanese language blog, Macotakara, has a conceptual rendering of what the a fifth generation iPod nano might look like.  The rumor suggests that the new design is a blending of previous iPod nano designs (the skinny, tall variety, not the boring square designs) and the iPod touch.
    Not too bad.  I’d buy one.  But I’ve always liked the tall iPod nano designs.
    Read More
  • apple,  ipad,  iphone,  rumors

    Rumor: iPhone 5, iPad Mini Engineering Samples Surface

    July 11, 2012 /

    “Silly Season” is in full swing as we get closer to the rumored fall launch of the newest iPhone iteration and possible “iPad Mini” unveiling.

    Today’s rumor de jure is that engineering sample “bricks” have surfaced to allegedly validate recent rumors about the footprint change to the next iPhone and the moving toward mass production iPad Mini device that has been rumored ever since Steve Jobs walked off stage from the iPad launch event in 2010.

    Take these photos with a grain of salt.  A Morton’s salt canister is now taking up residence at the corner of my desk.

    Photos courtesy of GottaBeMobile.com.

    [Via AppleInsider.com…]

    Read More
  • apple,  mac,  mac os x,  macbook pro

    Apple Releases Golden Master OS X Mountain Lion to Developers

    July 10, 2012 /

    Earlier today, Apple released what is intended to be the final version of the next major OS X upgrade to developers.

    The “golden master” release of Mac OS X Mountain Lion, now more hiply referred to simply as “OS X Mountain Lion”, was released to developers for their final review.  The release has no know issues and is largely expected to be the version that will ship to customers later this month when he software goes on sale in the Mac App Store for $19.99.

    A list of major features can be found on the Apple website.  As with Lion before it, the “iOS-ification” of Mac OS X continues as Apple further blends the familiar interfaced used on the iPhone and iPad into their desktop and notebook Macintosh system software.

    When Mountain Lion goes on sale, it will support the following Macintosh models.

    • iMac mid-2007 and newer
    • MacBook late 2008 Aluminum or early 2009 and newer
    • MacBook Pro mid and late-2007 and newer
    • Xserve 2009
    • MacBook Air late 2008 and newer
    • Mac mini early 2009 and newer
    • Mac Pro early 2008 and newer

    Be advised that not all models of hardware will be able to take advantage of all of the new features such as AirPlay.  AirPlay will only work on mid-2011 models of Macs and the second and third generation Apple TV boxes. Bummer.

    For the full list of hardware and feature specific feature requirements, visit the Mountain Lion technical specifications page for more details.

    Read More