• apple,  itunes,  mac,  mac os x,  macbook pro,  windows

    Apple Releases iTunes 10.4.1 Update

    August 29, 2011 /

    With all the fun and excitement that we’ve been experiencing here on the east coast (earthquakes, hurricanes, and power outages) you may not have seen that Apple has released a maintenance updates to iTunes 10.

    The maintenance update to iTunes 10.4.1 fixes issues with things like the addition of artwork, unresponsiveness when purchasing HD movies, issues launching iTunes after waking your Mac, VoiceOver support, and issues between iTunes and some third-party keyboards with multimedia controls.

    The 12MB update is available now via the Apple Software Update control panel.

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  • apple,  mac,  mac os x,  macbook pro

    Apple Releases OS X Lion

    July 21, 2011 /

    Mac OS X Lion is “go for throttle up” today in the Mac App Store.  It’s a 3.7GB download once you purchase the $29.99 upgrade.  My installer just finished downloading and I’ll be upgrading some of my software over the next few days.  Check back here for updates as the week progresses.

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  • apple,  mac,  mac os x,  macbook pro

    OS X Lion Arrives Tomorrow – July 20

    July 20, 2011 /

    During today’s quarterly earnings report to investors, Apple confirmed that the next major release of the Mac operating system, OS X Lion, will be arriving in the Mac App Store for $29.

    OS X Lion is unique in that you won’t be able to buy it on a disc.  Instead, the new OS will be purchased and downloaded from the Mac App Store as a 4.0GB file.  To upgrade to Lion, you will need to be running Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard with the 10.6.8 update applied.

    In addition to purchasing the software from the Mac App Store, you will be able to upgrade every other Mac that you own without having to purchase another copy of Lion.  Simply sign in to the Mac App Store with the Apple ID you used to purchase Lion, and you will be able to download the software again to a new Mac.

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  • apple,  mac,  macbook pro

    Apple Releases Mac OS X 10.6.8 Update

    June 24, 2011 /

    Mac OS X 10.6.8 is available now for all Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard users.  Aside from the usual bug fixes and enhancements, Mac OS X 10.6.8 is a requirement for upgrading to Mac OS X 10.7 Lion next month.

    Use the Mac OS X Software Update control panel to download the update now.

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

    Mac OS X 10.7 Lion Impressions

    June 7, 2011 /

    Apple is packing 250 new features into the next version of Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, and most prominent among them are muli-touch gestures.

    With iOS, we have been taught how to interact with a computer through touch.  With Mac OS X Lion, Apple is bringing all of the same core concepts to our MacBooks, and desktop Macs via the Magic Mouse and Magic TrackPad.

    Interestingly, Apple reporting that well over 60% of their Mac sales are MacBooks, so if you feel that all this muti-touch stuff favors the notebook family — I’d have to agree with you.  I’m not sure how how well these new features will play out, say with a Magic Mouse which looks to have about half of the surface area as the track pad on my 17-inch MacBook Pro.

    Regardless, of how you interact with your Mac, I’m less worried that Apple is trying to “dumb down” Mac OS X to work more like the iPhone.  I think today’s announcement of new Mac OS X features are impressive and that I’d most of them.

    In addition to Multi-Touch, Apple demoed nine other tent pole features, including: Full-Screen Apps, Misson Control, the new Mac App Store,  Launchpad, Resume, Auto Save, Versions, AirDrop, and a redesigned Mail application.  Mac OS X 10.7 Lion will go on sale in July for $29.99 and will be sold exclusively via the Mac App Store.  Once you purchase Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, you will be able to install it on any Mac that you own and have setup your Apple ID account on.  Additionally, for those people who need it, Mac OS X Server is now a separate applications bundle you buy from the Mac App Store.  The server bundle is expected to cost about $50 and it is no longer a separate operating system that you have to purchase.

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  • apple,  ipad,  iphone,  macbook pro,  mobileme

    MobileMe: Paid, Free, or Somewhere in the Middle?

    March 29, 2011 /

    MobileMe is an online service provided by Apple that provides you access to a “me” email account, online storage for documents, music, and photos, plus, Mac specific features to keep all your Mac settings in sync across multiple Mac OS X computers.

    In 2011, many people are hoping for a major revamp of the service, thanks to a brief email from Apple CEO Steve Jobs that said MobileMe will, “get a lot better in 2011.”

    Mr. Jobs’ statement touched off the rumor mill that MobileMe would get new services, become free to compete with other offerings from Google, DropBox, and the like, or get a new mix of “free-mium” options.

    With the introduction of iOS 4.2.1, Apple chose to make the Find My iPhone service free to their iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch customers.  It is a great feature for any iOS device owners, specifically for iPhone owners.  Again, this change to MobileMe, which allowed anyone with an iOS device and an Apple ID account could now use the service which typically required a $99 annual subscription to use.

    Most recently, Apple stopped shipping boxed “copies” of MobileMe to their retail stores and authorized resellers.  Many people, myself included, thought that this change signaled the impending switch to a free service or some other free or build your own package service offering for MobileMe.

    Today, TUAW.com has a report up that Apple could be changing the way you pay for MobileMe, which sounds like MobileMe isn’t going to be a completely free service.

    Up until now, I haven’t feel a need to have a MobileMe account, a side from the Find My iPad app.  Having already made the decision to switch from my Palm Pre to an iPhone 5 this year, I am revisiting my decision to subscribe to MobileMe or not.  With two MacBooks, and iPad, and a new iPhone 5 in the cards for this year, albeit maybe later than I planned, a MobileMe subscription looks to be a good way to keep all of my Apple gear in sync.

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  • apple,  ios,  iphone,  mac,  mac os x,  macbook pro

    Apple WWDC To Be Held June 6 – 10

    March 29, 2011 /

     Today Apple announced that their annual developer’s conference, World Wide Developer Conference, will be held June 6 – 10 in San Francisco this year.

    Tickets to the iOS and Mac OS X developer conference sold out in less than 12 hours.

    For fans, however, today’s announcement might disappoint.  Apple is clearly sending us a signal to set our expectations as we head into the summer event: this year’s WWDC will not feature any new hardware announcements.  The tag line for this year’s event is, “Join us for a preview of iOS and Mac OS X.”

    No new Macs.  No new iPhones.  Nada.

    This year’s event will feature Mac OS X and iOS.  Some rumors circulating around the Internet say that Apple may expand on their future plans for iOS 5 and the revamp for MobileMe which could include new streaming options for iTunes and a digital document “locker” for Mac OS X and your iTunes purchases.

    Those of us who were expecting to buy a new iPhone 5 this June or July, should reset their expectations for new iPhone hardware between late September and the end of the year.

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  • apple,  mac,  mac os x,  macbook pro

    Apple Posts Mac OS X 10.6.7 Update

    March 22, 2011 /

    Today, Apple has released Mac OS X 10.6.7, the latest service pack update for Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard.

    In addition to numerous minor bug fixes, Mac OS X 10.6.7 also improves the reliability of the Back to My Mac feature (requires a MobileMe account, $99/year and rumored to be going free later this year), corrects an issues with transferring files to Windows PCs and Servers using the SMB protocol, and lastly, corrects some Mac App Store  bugs.

    Mac OS X 10.6.7 is available now by running the Software Update control panel in the Settings application.

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  • apple,  macbook pro

    Apple Rocks Out Loud

    February 16, 2011 /

    I have been having some trouble with my MacBook Pro’s battery. The good folks here at the Stamford Apple Store are going to swap out my battery for me as a warantee repair. How cool is that?!

    To find a local Apple retail store near you, visit the Apple website.

    Thanks Joe!

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  • apple,  ios,  ipad,  iphone,  mac,  mac os x,  macbook pro

    Steve Jobs to Take Medical Leave from Apple

    January 17, 2011 /

    A short while ago, Apple posted a “media advisory” on their public relations website indicating that CEO Stephen P. Jobs has asked for, and has been granted, a second medical leave from the company he helped start.

    “Apple CEO Steve Jobs today sent the following email to all Apple employees:

    Team,

    At my request, the board of directors has granted me a medical leave of absence so I can focus on my health. I will continue as CEO and be involved in major strategic decisions for the company.

    I have asked Tim Cook to be responsible for all of Apple’s day to day operations. I have great confidence that Tim and the rest of the executive management team will do a terrific job executing the exciting plans we have in place for 2011.

    I love Apple so much and hope to be back as soon as I can. In the meantime, my family and I would deeply appreciate respect for our privacy.

    Steve”

    Apple will be in good hands with COO Tim Cook at the helm while Jobs is away from Apple headquarters, and we can also know from the email that Jobs will still very much be involved with making strategic decisions.  The good news is that, aside from wild stock price fluctuation in the coming days, many of 2011’s new products are already mapped out and “in the pipeline” and will likely not be impacted by Jobs not sitting in his corner office while on leave.

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