Tag: Mac

Apple to Announce ARM-Based Macs at WWDC

Apple is preparing to announce its decision to move to ARM chips for its Macs at the upcoming WWDC.

Apple has long been rumored to be moving to ARM chips like the ones it uses in the iPhone and iPad. The company has been relying on Intel to power its line of computers since 2006, when it switched from the PowerPC architecture.

ARM chips are based on designs by Arm Holdings. Unlike Intel or AMD, Arm does not manufacture its own chips, but licenses the designs to other companies. Companies can even customize elements of the chipsets to better suit their needs.

Arm was originally founded as a joint venture between Apple and Acorn and, not surprisingly, Apple has the Architecture License, the broadest license available. This gives Apple the ability to modify Arm designs however they see fit to best work with their products.

Analysts have been expecting Apple to move Macs to ARM chips for multiple reasons. First, Intel has been struggling to keep up with demand for its processors and is starting to fall behind rival AMD in performance. Given the premium it charges for its Macs, any inability to deliver the fastest machines possible is far worse for Apple than many of its rivals. In contrast, current iPad Pros are faster than the vast majority of PC laptops on the market and, even more impressive, they deliver that performance without any fans thanks to the power-efficient nature of ARM chips.

The second factor motivating the change is Apple’s penchant for controlling the “whole widget.” In other words, Apple is at its best when it controls both the software and the hardware that runs it. This approach is one of the reasons the iPhone and iPads consistently outperform Android competitors by a wide margin.

A move to ARM for the Mac lineup would likely result in machines that are faster than current models, get better battery life and run cooler, while still running the more powerful macOS.

According to Bloomberg, internal testing at Apple has “shown sizable improvements over Intel-powered versions, specifically in graphics performance and apps using artificial intelligence, the people said. Apple’s processors are also more power-efficient than Intel’s, which may mean thinner and lighter Mac laptops in the future.”

Needless to say, however, a complete architecture change is no small feat. It’s previously been reported that Apple was going to release ARM-powered Macs in 2021. According to Bloomberg, the company plans to make the announcement at the upcoming WWDC to give developers plenty of time to prepare their applications to run on the new chipset.

This is very similar to how Apple handled the move to Intel in 2005 and 2006. Given that Apple has orchestrated two other major architecture changes in the Mac’s history, it’s a safe bet Apple will do everything necessary to make this transition as smooth as possible.

June 9, 2020
Apple Expected to Release ARM-Based Mac in 2021

Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has sent out a note to investors predicting Apple will release a Mac powered by an ARM chip in the first half of 2021.

Apple has long been rumored to be moving toward ARM-based Macs, rather than relying on Intel’s processors. While Intel may be the industry standard, as the computer market has moved toward laptops and mobile devices, Intel has struggled to keep pace with the needs of companies, such as Apple, that want to build powerful computers in sleek designs.

Recent MacBook Pros have struggled to maintain performance due to heat issues, resulting in the processors throttling to keep from overheating. The only solution is to build bigger, bulkier laptops that have enough fans to provide the necessary heat dissipation, something that goes against Apple’s entire design philosophy.

In contrast, Apple has had tremendous success with its ARM-based processors in the iPhone and iPad. When the 2018 iPad Pro was released, it was faster than 92% of all laptops, including Apple’s own. The most impressive thing is that this level of performance was achieved without a single fan, while delivering all-day battery life.

As a result, experts have believed Apple has been working to port macOS to ARM processors and readying the developer tools necessary to help third-party software developers make the transition. ARM-based Macs would allow Apple more control over its own devices and product release roadmap, while giving the company the ability to customize performance for its computers.

According to MacRumors, Kuo’s note included the following details:

“We expect that Apple’s new products in 12-18 months will adopt processors made by 5nm process, including the new 2H20 5G iPhone, new 2H20 iPad equipped with mini LED, and new 1H21 Mac equipped with the own-design processor. We think that iPhone 5G support, ‌iPad‌’s adoption of innovative mid-size panel technology, and Mac’s first adoption of the own-design processor are all Apple’s critical product and technology strategies. Given that the processor is the core component of new products, we believe that Apple had increased 5nm-related investments after the epidemic outbreak. Further, Apple occupying more resources of related suppliers will hinder competitors’ developments.”

If Kuo’s prediction is correct, this will usher in a new era for Apple and open a world of possibilities for the Mac.

February 25, 2020
iOS Support Coming To Dell Mobile Connect

Dell is going to great lengths to appeal to iPhone users, with plans to expand its Mobile Connect options to iOS.

Dell Mobile Connect brings some of the functionality Mac users take for granted to Dell’s ecosystem. It “provides a seamless wireless integration between smartphones and PCs, allowing users to make calls, send texts and get notifications on your PC.”

Dell’s site touts the further benefits: “Avoid splitting your attention between your PC and smartphone while working, studying or playing a game. You will be notified about your phone calls, texts, instant messages, and all other 3rd party app notifications right from your PC screen. You control which specific app you would like to receive notifications from on your PC.”

The software has worked with Android for some time, but this will be the first time it has been available for iOS. According to Dell, the Mobile Connect will be available for iOS in Spring 2020.

Given the popularly of both Dell and iOS devices in the corporate environment, this should be welcome addition to many customers of both companies.

January 2, 2020
Apple Rumored to Be Releasing a Gaming Mac Next Year

According to a report by the Economic Daily News, Apple may be releasing a gaming Mac at next year’s WWDC event.

As BGR comments, the Economic Daily News has a pretty spotty track record when it comes to predicting Apple’s next moves. Even so, this rumor is not outside the realm of possibility. Apple has been making moves into a number of industries, including TV programming, that are well outside its traditional business. As BGR points out, even Apple Arcade represents a significant step into this arena.

For years, Mac users who are serious gamers have had to purchase Windows-based PCs to have the best gaming experience. Most gaming companies primarily develop for Windows and the best graphics and sounds cards often have drivers that are optimized for Microsoft’s operating system.

A Mac gaming platform would help Apple fill a relatively large hole in their ecosystem, not to mention help the company take advantage of a lucrative and growing industry that shows no sign of slowing down. Such a move won’t be without its challenges, however, as Apple would still need to convince developers to target the Mac as a platform, both with games and with the best drivers.

If the report is to be believed, the gaming Mac could cost up to $5,000. Sources reportedly told the Economic Daily News the model may be an all-in-one computer or some type of large-screen rig.

December 31, 2019
You Can Now Try Skype for Business for Mac

Microsoft announced that it is kicking off the public preview of Skype for Business for Mac. Commercial customers can request an invite here. Invites will be issued to IT admins first, and will be expanded to everyone else in the coming weeks.

This is being rolled out in three phases. In phase one, users will see meetings for today and tomorrow based on their Outlook calendar, displayed in the Skype for Business client. You’ll be able to join any meeting with a click and get full screen video, content viewing, in-meeting chat, and the ability to invite others.

In Phase two, Microsoft will add instant messaging, presence and contacts. This will happen in the next preview release in early summer. Phase three will add telephony and related features later in the summer.

Once an IT admin downloads the preview client, they can manage its distribution to users within their organization.

Image via YouTube

April 26, 2016
Apple Gives MacBook Better Battery Life, New Processors

Apple announced a new update for the MacBook, which features the latest Intel processors as well as improved graphics performance, faster flash storage, and an additional hour of battery life! There’s also a new Rose Gold finish option.

“MacBook is the thinnest and lightest Mac we have ever made and it’s our vision for the future of the notebook,” said Phil Schiller, Apple’s SVP of Worldwide Marketing. “Customers are going to love this update to MacBook, with the latest processors, faster graphics, faster flash storage, longer battery life and a beautiful rose gold finish.”

“MacBook comes with the incredibly small and versatile USB-C port for charging, data transfer and video output in a single connector that is one-third the size of a traditional USB port. Following the introduction of USB-C on MacBook, the ecosystem of Apple and third-party USB-C accessories has continued to grow, giving users added flexibility and capability,” the company says. “With no moving parts or vents, MacBook is entirely fanless for silent, efficient performance. Designed for the wireless world, MacBook is equipped with the latest wireless technologies, including built-in 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 for fast wireless connectivity. It is perfect for tasks like streaming content from your MacBook to your Apple TV using AirPlay, exchanging files quickly using AirDrop® or using wireless headphones.”

As part of the MacBook announcement, Apple said it has made 8GB of memory standard across all configurations of the 13-inch MacBook Air.

The updated MacBook is available immediately through Apple.com and will be in Apple’s retail stores and those of authorized resellers on Wednesday.

You can get a version with a 1.1 GHz dual-core Intel Core m3 processor, 8GB of memory and 256GB of flash storage for $1,299, or you can get one with a 1.2 GHz dual-core Intel Core m5 processor, 8GB of memory and 512GB of flash storage for $1,599. Configure-to-order options are also available with a 1.3 GHz dual-core Intel Core m7 processor.

Image via Apple

April 19, 2016
This Mac App Developer Platform is Now Free

OS X app development and distribution platform DevMate is now free, makers MacPaw announced. The suite gives indie developers and Mac software vendors tools to sell apps outside the Mac App store.

The suite includes tools for licensing, crash reporting, update delivery, and feedback collection.

MacPaw CEO says, “Lots of developers understand that there is a huge market opportunity outside the Mac App Store. A developer faces a tough road ahead when developing an app. It takes money and time to code from scratch the separate frameworks for licensing, updates, crash reports and user feedback. DevMate offers a developer everything one needs to prepare an app for release, including hosting and a CDN to provide app availability, version management, and an e-commerce solution for selling. Here at MacPaw we’d like to help other Mac app developers and give them what they need —for free. Moreover, that’s what we use ourselves as a backbone for our products.”

“With over 8 years of experience in app development and a heavy focus on OS X utilities, MacPaw has achieved significant results in delivering the best experience to Mac users,” the company says. “Initially driven by the Mac App Store restrictions, DevMate was developed for the in-house needs of MacPaw (to develop and distribute CleanMyMac outside the Mac App Store) and in 4 years it evolved into a reliable and advanced tool. Well-established companies like Realmac Software, DigiDNA, Smile, Readdle are already on board.”

The free pricing comes without limitations on the number of customers.

H/T: TheNextWeb

Image via DevMate

February 15, 2016
Bing Ads Editor for Mac Coming In The Summer

Microsoft announced that it’s working on a Bing Ads Editor for Mac, which will be coming early next summer.

“Bing Ads Editor for Mac will make it easy for Mac users to use Bing Ads Editor to manage their search marketing campaigns on the platform of their choice A PC will no longer be a requirement for getting more done in paid search campaign management with Bing Ads,” says senior program manager Devang Gandhi.

They’re also adding new features and redesigning the interface.

“In this version, you will be able to manage multiple accounts with ease. Add as many accounts as you want and download campaign data for multiple accounts simultaneously, right from the accounts manager window. You will also be able to open each account in a separate editor window and drag/drop or copy/paste entities across account,” Gandhi explains. “Using the simplified navigation under the account tree, you will be able to access your location targets or sitelinks extensions with just one click. The list will also display the number of entities of each type within the selected scope making your campaign management tasks a lot easier.”

The offering will be available to all advertisers globally in the summer. We’ll keep you posted on further related announcements in the meantime.

Image via Bing

November 13, 2015
Mac Users Get Microsoft Office 2016

Microsoft just released Office 2016 for Mac in 139 countries and 16 languages. It includes major updates across the entire suite of apps (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote).

The company says this was its biggest Office for Mac beta ever thanks to customer participation, and that it collected over 100,000 pieces of feedback, which led to the releases of features like mproved Mail Merge in Word, Propose New Time in Outlook and support for External Data Connections in Excel.

“If you already use Office on a PC or iPad, you will find yourself right at home in Office 2016 for Mac,” said Kirk Koenigsbauer, corporate vice president for the Office Client Applications and Services team at Microsoft. “It works the way you expect, with the familiar ribbon interface and powerful task panes. Mac users will appreciate the modernized Office experience and the integration of Mac capabilities like Full Screen view and Multi-Touch gestures. With full Retina® display support, your Office documents look sharper and more vibrant than ever.”

“Office for Mac is cloud-connected, so you can quickly get to the documents you’ve recently used on other devices and pick up where you left off. New, built-in document sharing tools make it easy to invite teammates to work on a document together,” h added. “When sharing documents, you won’t have to worry about losing content or formatting, as Office for Mac offers unparalleled compatibility with Office on PCs, tablets, phones and online.”

Office 365 subscribers can get the new Office for Mac immediately by going to their account page. Students can also get it here. It will become available as a one-time purchase option in September.

Image via Microsoft

July 9, 2015
Apple Announces Mac OS X El Capitan [WWDC]

Apple unveiled its latest version of Mac OS X at its Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday. It’s called El Capitan. The company said the previous version – Yosemite – had the best adoption rate of any PC operating system ever, before showing off features that it hopes will help top that with the new one.

El Capitan includes enhancements to Spotlight, built-in apps, and window management, including a new mission control interface and split view. There are also some new gestures, such as a quick action to delete a message in Mail.

Safari gets some big improvements with the release, including the ability to pin web pages to the top bar as well as tabs that let you know where sound is coming from (like Chrome) and let you mute the sound from a button in the address bar.

“With Pinned Sites in Safari, the sites you check often are always available and up to date in a tab,’ the company says.

Spotlight Search gets some big updates enabling users to bring up sports, weather, and stock info, as well as personalized search results for native content.

There’s an enhanced full-screen view in Mail that lets you add tabs to a new message window, and the Spaces bar makes it easier to create multiple desktops.

The OS also comes with big improvements to performance. Some stats given: 1.4X acceleration in app launching; 2X in “snappiness of switching apps;” 2X speed improvement for getting mail messages, and 4X speed improvement for open PDF previews.

“El Capitan is more powerful than ever, with advancements under the hood and smarter ways to do the things you do most,” the company says.

El Capitan available to developers today. A public beta will come in July, and it will roll out to everyone in the fall.

Image via Apple

June 8, 2015
iPhone, Mac & App Store Give Apple Another Big Quarter

Apple released its financial results for its fiscal 2015 second quarter ended March 28. Thanks to strong performance by its iPhone, Mac and App Store businesses, the company posted 27% revenue growth and 40% EPS growth, setting records for the second quarter.

The company managed to exceed Wall Street expectations.

Quarterly revenue was $58 billion and quarterly net profit was $13.6 billion compared to revenue of $45.6 billion and net profit of $10.2 billion for the same quarter last year.

Gross margin was 40.8% compared to 39.3% last year, and international sales accounted for 69% of the quarter’s revenue.

Apple credits record second-quarter sales of iPhone and Mac as well as an all-time record performance from the App Store with driving the company’s impressive growth.

CEO Tim Cook said, “We are thrilled by the continued strength of iPhone, Mac and the App Store, which drove our best March quarter results ever. We’re seeing a higher rate of people switching to iPhone than we’ve experienced in previous cycles, and we’re off to an exciting start to the June quarter with the launch of Apple Watch.”

Note that he didn’t include the iPad in there as sales of those were reportedly worse than expected.

“The tremendous customer demand for our products and services in the March quarter drove revenue growth of 27 percent and EPS growth of 40 percent,” said CFO Luca Maestri. “Cash flow from operations was also outstanding at $19.1 billion.”

For its fiscal 2015 Q3, Apple is projecting revenue between $46 billion and $48 billion and gross margin between 38.5% and 39.5%.

Image via Apple

April 27, 2015
Google Acquires RelativeWave, Makes Form Free

Google has acquired RelativeWave, makers of Form, a mobile app protyping application for Mac. RelativeWave announced the news on its website with the following message:

I’m very excited to announce that the RelativeWave team is joining Google to continue the development of Form!

I speak for the team when I say that we’re incredibly humbled by what the community has created with Form. We’ve seen people create designs that we could have never imagined. It’s one of the best feelings in the world to see people using your work.

Today, with the help of Google, we’re making Form free on the Mac App Store. We want to get Form in the hands of as many people as possible, and this is our first step in accomplishing that goal.

We’ve just scratched the surface with prototyping. With the help of Google, we’ll be focused on improving the state of design and development tools.

RelativeWave will refund money to people who have already paid for Form. It did cost $79.

Here’s a look at how Form works:

Form – Intro Tutorial from Relative Wave on Vimeo.

Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.

Via 9to5Google

Image via RelativeWave

November 19, 2014
New Mac Mini Among Apple’s New Products

Apple announced a new Mac Mini at its big event on Thursday. It features fourth generation Intel Core processors, integrated graphics, which the company says are up to 90% faster, 802.11ac Wi-Fi and Thunderbolt 2.

“People love Mac mini. It’s a great first Mac or addition to your home network, and the new Mac mini is a nice upgrade packed into an incredibly compact design,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “With the latest CPU and graphics, faster Wi-Fi, two Thunderbolt 2 ports, OS X Yosemite, and starting at just $499, the new Mac mini is the best value ever.”

“The new Mac mini delivers new levels of graphics performance, expandability and connectivity,” the company says. “New integrated Intel HD Graphics 5000 and Intel Iris Graphics deliver up to 90 percent faster graphics performance than the previous generation. Mac mini now includes two Thunderbolt 2 ports, each delivering up to 20Gbps of bandwidth to each port, as well as next-generation 802.11ac Wi-Fi that is up to three times faster when connected to an 802.11ac base station. Mac mini is still the world’s most energy efficient desktop, exceeding Energy Star 6.1 requirements by seven times the standard and consuming as few as 6 watts of power at idle.”

It comes with the new Mac OS X Yosemite, which was released for free today. It also comes with iMovie, GarageBand, and iWork.

The machines begin shipping today, and come in three models. Here are the pricing details via Apple:

1.4 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 with Turbo Boost speeds up to 2.7 GHz, 4GB of memory, Intel HD Graphics 5000 and a 500GB hard drive starting at a suggested retail price of $499 (US); a 2.6 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.1 GHz, 8GB of memory, Intel Iris Graphics and a 1TB hard drive starting at suggested retail price of $699 (US); and a 2.8 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.3 GHz, 8GB of memory, Intel Iris Graphics and a 1TB Fusion Drive starting at a suggested retail price of $999 (US).

Apple also unveiled new iPads and a new iMac.

Image via Apple

October 16, 2014
Brenda Song Goes Shopping with Mom and Younger Brother

Brenda Song was recently spotted shopping in Los Angeles with her mom Mai and younger brother Nathan.

The trio hit a mall in the trendy Woodland Hills neighborhood on Friday. Onlookers said Song and her mother bought beauty products at the MAC store.

Song, 26, appears close to her family, with photos of them peppered throughout her Instagram feed.

The actress was born in the Sacramento, CA suburb of Carmichael. Her parents met in Sacramento, but were both born in Asia.

Her father is Hmong and was raised in a tribe that traveled the mountains of Thailand and Laos. Song’s mother was born Thai, but adopted into a Hmong family.

Song has said that her father insisted that she and younger brothers Timmy and Nathan speak Hmong growing up so they could communicate with their grandparents and retain a piece of Hmong culture.

Song’s favorite part of that culture is the food:

“There’s a chicken drumstick dish where they stuff it with noodles … It’s my favorite dish.”

Song’s father was in the military and at one point the family lived on an army base in Germany. They traveled extensively throughout Europe while he was stationed there. Song did professional theater on the American base.

When the family returned stateside, she told her mother she wanted to become a full time actress.

“My imagination, as a child, was huge,” she recalls. “It’s all I wanted to do.”

Song landed her first big role in Disney’s The Suite Life of Zach and Cody. After appearing in every episode of the show’s three-season run, she moved on to the spin-off The Suite Life on Deck, which also ran three seasons, from 2008 to 2011.

From there Song went on to appear in more grown up roles on series such as New Girl and Scandal. In 2013 and 2014 she starred in Fox’s sitcom Dads opposite Seth Green and Giovanni Ribisi. In May the network announced it had canceled the show after just one season.

Image via Wikimedia Commons

July 13, 2014
Intuit Launches New QuickBooks Mac App

Intuit just announced a new QuickBooks app for Mac, offering a native desktop experience for Mac-using small businesses, which takes advantage of QuickBooks’ cloud offerings.

“Small business owners who use a Mac can now access the power of the QuickBooks Online ecosystem while working with the operating system they know and love,” said Dan Wernikoff, SVP and GM of Intuit’s Small Business Group. “This is another example of how we’ve turned QuickBooks into an open ecosystem of business management solutions that can be accessed from any device.”

It lets users track sales and expenses, create estimates, manage customers, collaborate with accountants, create invoices, and let customers pay by credit card or bank transfer.

The app was designed to work with QuickBooks Online mobile apps for iPhone, iPad, and even Android phones and tablets though not all of its features are available on mobile devices.

It’s designed specifically for Mac, and lets you keep an eye on things with QuickView in the Mac’s menu bar. It also lets you use multiple windows and keyboard shortcuts.

“Elegantly designed dashboards and feeds instantly show you the health of your business and your next action steps,” the company says. “That’s the beauty of the new QuickBooks homepage.”

The app requires Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks or later. Apple, as you may know, recently unveiled the next version – Yosemite. You have to be connected to the Internet to use the app.

Image via QuickBooks

June 12, 2014
Netflix Streams In HTML5 On Mac OS X Yosemite

On Monday, Apple revealed its newest version of Mac OS X – Yosemite. It’s available to developers now, and will be available for everyone in the fall. You can also sign up for an upcoming beta program.

Netflix announced on Tuesday that it is offering HTML5 streaming in Safari on Yosemite.

“We’ve been working closely with Apple to implement the Premium Video Extensions in Safari, which allow playback of premium video content in the browser without the use of plugins,” Netflix’s Anthony Park and Mark Watson write in a blog post. “If you’re in Apple’s Mac Developer Program, or soon the OS X Beta Program, you can install the beta version of OS X Yosemite. With the OS X Yosemite Beta on a modern Mac, you can visit Netflix.com today in Safari and watch your favorite movies and TV shows using HTML5 video without the need to install any plugins.”

“We’re especially excited that Apple implemented the Media Source Extensions (MSE) using their highly optimized video pipeline on OS X,” they add. “This lets you watch Netflix in buttery smooth 1080p without hogging your CPU or draining your battery. In fact, this allows you to get up to 2 hours longer battery life on a MacBook Air streaming Netflix in 1080p – that’s enough time for one more movie!”

Netflix also streams in HTML5 in Internet Explorer 11 on Windows 8.1, as it announced nearly a year ago, when it said it expects premium video on the web to continue to shift away from using proprietary plugin technologies to using newer video extensions.

Netflix also announced on Tuesday the release date for its upcoming animated comedy series BoJack Horseman.

Image via Twitter

June 3, 2014
Apple Unveils OS X Yosemite At WWDC

Apple kicked off its Worldwide Developers Conference on Monday with the usual keynote led by Tim Cook. First on the agenda was a look at the new version of OS X. It’s called Yosemite, keeping in line with its new tradition of California-based names, which was launched by last year’s Mavericks.

This was demoed by Apple’s Craig Federighi, who joked at the name “Weed” was also considered. This got a lot of laughs from the crowd.

There are some subtle design tweaks. “You wouldn’t believe how much time we spent crafting a trash can,” said Federighi.

The dock looks slightly different. “Goregeous,” as I believe Federighi put it.

It has refined toolbars, window materials and window constructions. There’s a new “dark mode,” which got a lot of applause. This lets users use darker toolbars. The changes extend throughout applications. There’s a new look for sidebar apps, and some new notification center features, including a look at Calendar, reminders, weather, etc. You can also add content from other widgets and apps you’ve downloaded fro the App Store.

Spotlight has a new interface. You can click on the magnifying glass, and get a big search field right in the middle of the display, and quickly get to apps, documents, etc. It also taps into the Internet to get you Wikipedia info, maps, etc.

Calendar has a new Day view. Safari and Mail are also getting some new features, and there’s a new iCloud Drive.

A new feature of the OS is Continuity. AirDrop works between iOS and Mac now. A feature called “hand-off” enables devices that are around each other to utilize things you are working on, so you can easily switch. For example, you can compose an email on your phone, and your Mac will prompt you on the doc, so you can finish working on the message on the Mac.

Instant Hotspot sees your phone and automatically sets up a hotspot so you can get on the network. Even if your phone is across the room “sitting in a handbag.”

SMS messages from people with other types of devices will now show up on Mac. They can do the same thing with phone calls. When you receive a phone call, your Mac gives you caller ID. You can accept the call and use your Mac “as a speaker phone”. This works if your phone is across the house on a charger. You can also dial from the Mac in Contacts. Even from a webpage, if you see a number, you can call it from your Mac.

In the demo, Craig called Dr. Dre, who welcomed him to Apple with a lot of applause. Dre thanked the audience for creating apps. Unfortunately, no “Deez nuts” jokes.

According to Cook, Macs grew by 12% over the last fiscal year, compared to a 5% industry decline. The mac installed base has reached 80 million, and over 40 million copies of Mavericks have been installed since its October release. That’s the biggest single release in the company’s history.

Cook couldn’t resist the opportunity to compare Mavericks use to Windows 8. Over 50% of the Mac install base is working on Mavericks (the latest version). That’s the fastest adoption of any PC operating system in history, according to Cook, who pointed out that Windows 8 was at 14%.

“Need I say more?” Cook asked.

Yosemite is available to developers today. Everyone else will get it in the fall. It will be free. There’s a public beta program for non-developers at apple.com/osx/preview.

Image via Apple

June 2, 2014
Twitter’s Crashlytics Hits Mac OS X

Last year, Twitter acquired Crashlytics, a reporting tool for mobile app crashes. The company has kept the service alive as promised. The co-founders said at the time that development would continue, and it has.

Today, Crashlytics announced that it is expanding beyond iOS and Android apps, and into Mac apps. Apparently they’ve had a lot of requests for a solution that supports both iOS and Mac. This is their answer.

In a post on the Crashlytics blog (via TNW), co-founder Wayne Chang writes:

At Crashlytics, our passion has always been to deliver the most powerful developer tools, so that you only need to focus on building awesome apps. Even after opening access to our Beta Distribution service in February, we managed to have a little downtime and kept ourselves busy experimenting in Crashlytics Labs. Now, we’re excited to announce our latest Labs project: Crashlytics for OS X.

Our new support for OS X apps provides the same award-winning experience that you’ve come to expect from us, starting with the seamless install experience to the actionable insights, down to the exact line of code that caused your Mac app to crash. With easy-to-digest stack traces and an upgraded settings dashboard, you can seamlessly manage all your apps under one roof. We’ve been privately testing our Mac support with hundreds of developers, and we’re very thankful to everyone who’s given us feedback.

The company says it will continue to enhance the current functionalities.

Earlier this year, Crashlytics launched a beta app distribution tool.

Image via Crashlytics

May 9, 2014
Name Brand Vs. Drugstore Makeup Dupes

It seems beauty blogs are all the rave these days, instructing the not-so-makeup-savvy on all the latest do’s and don’ts of cosmetic application. Whether they are testing mascara brands against one another or helping us out with those entertaining and extremely helpful “how to contour” video tutorials, makeup blogs are totally in this year.

While everything these glamourous blogs offer have aided us in one way or another, the most helpful tip these websites have dished out have not only made us look gorgeous, they have also helped our wallets.

The latest (and seemingly most popular) glam posts contain something called a “dupe.” Whether the dupes are for lipsticks or facial cleansers, these helpful blogposts have spilled the secrets of name brand vs. drugstore quality.

What’s not to love about that?

Check out the list below for you favorite name brand products and get the inside scoop on what drugstore options you have in achieving a beautiful look for-a fraction of the cost!

MAC Lipstick Dupes-This list is continuously growing, offering lipstick lovers the opportunity to share their favorite steals. This is perhaps one of the most useful dupe lists found comparing in both quality and price, offering you the look and feel of MAC lipstick for way less.

MAC Eyeshadows-Are you a fan of all the wild colors MAC has to offer for your eyes? Yeah, us too. Check out this list of eye color dupes that are bound to make your gazers even more dazzling.

NARS Blush-Here’s a great list of blushes that’ll brighten up your face-especially since you can find them at Target for around $3!

Estee Lauder Foundation-Yes, this foundation is incredible, but who can afford the $36 price tag? Luckily, Revlon can help you out there. Did I mention this foundation is incredibly awesome?

Mascara to Concealer (And everything in between) This last list contains a little bit of everything that you can save on while making you look absolutely stunning.

Why splurge when you can save? What are your favorite makeup and beauty dupes?

Image Via YouTube

March 24, 2014
Best Laptops: Here Are a Few Suggestions

As laptops have taken the main stage as the solely used computer in many households, the importance of choosing the right one has grown substantially. Things to consider when purchasing one of the best laptops are its battery life and if it can handle all of your necessary tasks. Here are the top three from a recently chosen lift of the best laptops from LaptopMag.com.

Best Overall Laptop: MacBook Pro 13-inch With Retina Display

This laptop combines power with speed in a lightweight package that gives it the distinguished ranking of being the best laptop overall. It even performs magic tricks, when it appears, suddenly close to $2000 disappear. But with a 4th-generation Intel Core i5 processor and a vivid 2560 X 1600-pixel Retina screen, its worth it.

Best Mainstream Laptop: Lenovo IdeaPad U430 Touch

This notebook is lightweight, has satisfactory battery power the Intel 4th-generation Core i% processor and a touch screen. The screen features vivid images, and the starting price is an affordable $628 to make it the best laptop for the basic use of the majority of folks.

Best Budget Laptop: HP TouchSmart 11z

HP offers the touchscreen in this affordable laptop that starts at $399. It has a respectable six hours of battery life and only weights 3 lbs. This laptop uses Windows 8/8.1 and its appearance gives has an overall attractive bang for its buck.

Other standouts include the still-standing Lenovo Thinkpad for its T440s being the best business laptop, the 15-inch MacBook Pro for its workstation prowess, the Alienware 7 being listed as the best gaming laptop— even the Acer is included for their luxury Aspire S7. Use this guide as a beginning to determine your next purchase, and feel free to make any suggestions of your own below.

Image via Wikimedia Commons

March 24, 2014
OneNote Goes Free On Windows And Mac

Are you a Mac user that stares longingly at your friend’s Windows desktop wishing you had access to OneNote? Well, stare no longer as Microsoft has finally ported its note keeping app to your platform of choice.

Microsoft announced this morning that OneNote is now available for Mac. With this addition, OneNote is now available on pretty much every platform, including major mobile platforms. In other words, you can now sync notes between a Mac Pro, a Surface 2, an Android tablet and a Windows Phone; or any other combination of devices in your life.

In even better news, Microsoft announced this morning that OneNote is now free on every platform as well. Even on desktop platforms, you can now keep track of your life through short notes without spending a cent. If you feel compelled to throw some money at Microsoft, you’ll get premium features that are only available to paid subscribers.

Saving the best for last, Microsoft also announced that OneNote now has a cloud API. In other words, applications can now connect to OneNote to provide users with a connected experience. Have a grocery list app? The developers can now hook up with OneNote to sync your list across all devices.

If you want to try out OneNote, you can do so here.

Image via officevideos/YouTube

March 17, 2014