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  • If Your Mac Was Buggy Today, Blame Gatekeeper

    If Your Mac Was Buggy Today, Blame Gatekeeper

    Mac users reported a slew of issues earlier today, with non-Apple apps locking up, behaving sluggishly and failing to launch.

    The issue appears to be related to Gatekeeper. Gatekeeper is Apple’s service that checks non-Apple apps to make sure they’re not malicious. It seems the Gatekeeper server was experiencing some kind of problem verifying apps, likely due to macOS Big Sur’s release and Apple’s overloaded servers.

    Big Sur is one of the biggest updates to macOS since OS X was originally released. It’s the first macOS that will let users run iOS apps. As a result, there has been a lot of pent up demand for this update.

    Today’s issues may be an indication of Big Sur’s early popularity, but it’s still an embarrassing hiccup in Apple’s big launch.

  • Netflix Streams In HTML5 On Mac OS X Yosemite

    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

  • Apple Unveils OS X Yosemite At WWDC

    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

  • Apple Unveils OS X Mavericks, The First Non-Cat In Over A Decade

    Apple Unveils OS X Mavericks, The First Non-Cat In Over A Decade

    Apple unveiled the next version of Mac OS X at its Worldwide Developers Conference today. For the first time in over a decade, they went with a name that doesn’t involve a cat.

    This is, as the company noted, because there’s simply a “dwindling supply of cats”. They’re running out of cat names. They unveiled the name as Mac OS X Sea Lion:

    OS X Sea Lion

    Then, they noted that this was a joke. The real name is OS X Mavericks. This is the first in the company’s new series of names, which will be based on California-related themes.

    The OS has over 200 new features. Three big features the company touted were: finder tabs, tagging and multiple displays, which were demoed.

    Finder tabs essentially give your Finder window more of a modern browser feel. You can add tabs by clicking the plus, and take the whole thing full screen, which will be more appealing with the inclusion of tabs.

    As far as tagging, you can now tag files on OS X based on details such as your location. This makes them better for search, and they will appear in the Finder sidebar.

    The crowd was really excited about the Multiple Displays feature, which lets users view menus across various screens, and view various apps in full screen on each screen. AirPlay-connected TVs will work as full displays.

    Apple also touted the battery life that accompanies the new OS thanks to compressed memory and other features.

    With this version, Apple has also added iBooks, Maps (which lets you send directions to your iPhone), an updated Calendar, and launched a new version of Safari. It also integrates iOS notifications.

    From the press release:

    Maps brings advanced mapping technologies from iOS to the Mac, including crisp vector graphics, stunning 3D view and interactive Flyover™. With Maps you can plan a trip from your Mac, then send it to your iPhone® for voice navigation on the road. Maps integration throughout Mavericks gives users helpful maps from within Mail, Contacts and Calendar, and developers can integrate the same powerful mapping features into their apps through the Map Kit API. With iBooks you have instant access to your existing iBooks library, as well as the more than 1.8 million titles in the iBooks Store, from textbooks and classics to the latest best sellers. iBooks also works seamlessly across your devices, so you can read a book on your Mac, make notes or highlights, and then pick up exactly where you left off on your iPad®.

    …

    New core technologies in OS X Mavericks improve the energy efficiency and responsiveness of your Mac. Timer Coalescing intelligently groups together low-level operations so that the CPU can spend more time in a low-power state, saving energy without affecting performance or responsiveness. App Nap reduces the power consumed by apps that you’re not using. Compressed Memory technology keeps your Mac fast and responsive. When your system’s memory begins to fill up, Compressed Memory automatically compresses inactive data. When these items are needed again, Mavericks instantly uncompresses them.

    The new version of Safari that accompanies the OS is energy and memory efficient, and has improved JavaScript performance.

    “Safari’s new process-per-tab architecture makes the browser more responsive, stable and secure,” the company says. “Safari also introduces innovations like Shared Links, which make it easy to discover, read and share interesting new content from Twitter and LinkedIn, all in one place.”

    Also included in OS X Mavericks is iCloud Keychain, a way to safely store site login info, credit card numbers, and WI-Fi passwords. It pushes them to all your devices so you don’t have to remember them.

    It has interactive notifications that let you reply to messages, respond to FaceTime calls or delete emails from the apps you’re using.

    There’s a developer preview of Mavericks available today. For everyone else, the final release will come this fall.

    The Mac install base is up to 72 million, CEO Tim Cook proudly proclaimed. The iMac and Macbook are the number on desktop and notebook in the US, respectively.

  • Apple’s WWDC Kicks Off June 10th, To Focus on ‘Future of iOS and OS X’

    Apple has just announced that it’s annual Worldwide Developers Conference will begin this year on June 10th and run through June 14th. It’ll take place at San francisco’s Moscone West.

    Tickets go on sale tomorrow, April 25th, at 10 am PT. You can find information about that here. It’s important to note that to buy a ticket, you have to be a member of iOS Developer Program, iOS Developer Enterprise Program, or the Mac Developer Program as of the time of today’s announcement. The tickets start at $1,599.

    “We look forward to gathering at WWDC 2013 with the incredible community of iOS and OS X developers,” said Apple’s SVP of Worldwide Marketing Philip Schiller. “Our developers have had the most prolific and profitable year ever, and we’re excited to show them the latest advances in software technologies and developer tools to help them create innovative new apps. We can’t wait to get new versions of iOS and OS X into their hands at WWDC.”

    WWDC will feature over 100 technical sessions from over 1,000 Apple engineers.

    Here’s what’s on the schedule for the event so far:

    • More than 100 technical sessions presented by Apple engineers on a wide range of topics for developing, deploying and integrating the latest iOS and OS X technologies;
    • more than 1,000 Apple engineers supporting over 100 hands-on labs and events to provide developers with code-level assistance, insight into optimal development techniques and guidance on how they can make the most of iOS and OS X technologies in their apps;
    • the latest innovations, features and capabilities of iOS and OS X, and how to enhance an app’s functionality, performance, quality and design;
    • the opportunity to connect with thousands of fellow iOS and OS X developers from around the world—last year more than 60 countries were represented;
    • engaging and inspirational lunchtime sessions with leading minds and influencers from the worlds of technology, science and entertainment; and
    • Apple Design Awards which recognize iPhone®, iPad® and Mac apps that demonstrate technical excellence, innovation and outstanding design.

    At last year’s WWDC, Apple pulled the lid off OS X Mountain Lion and iOS 6.

  • Windows Blue Is Microsoft’s Next OS, Will Move To Annual Release Cycle [Report]

    Windows has always been on its own extended release cycle. Microsoft releases a new version of the OS, and then develops the next version over the next couple of years. For instance, Windows 7 released three years ago in 2009, and we’re only now just seeing the release of Windows 8. That strategy might just change next year.

    The Verge reports that Microsoft’s next operating system is codenamed Windows Blue. It will launch in mid-2013, and follow an annual release cycle like Apple’s OS X.

    According to The Verge’s sources, Windows Blue will feature a few UI changes, but the real star is the new annual release cycle. That means that Microsoft will be following Apple’s footsteps in providing cheap annual updates instead of the usual service packs that extended the lives of previous Windows operating systems. The best part is that the report suggests Microsoft may even offer the Windows Blue annual upgrades for free to ensure everybody is on the same page.

    Developers will be affected by the change, however, in that they will no longer be able to build apps specifically for Windows 8. The merging of the Windows 8 and Windows Phone platforms will require developers to build specifically for Windows Blue. That being said, the apps built on Windows 8 will reportedly work on Windows Blue.

    The move to an annual release cycle will also help Microsoft cut down on the rampant software piracy that Windows always suffers. Those using a pirated copy of Windows 8 will find that built-in apps and the Windows Store will cease functioning after upgrading to Windows Blue. It does not say if those with pirated copies will be offered a legitimate copy after upgrading, but it seems like the logical choice.

    If Windows Blue is real, it will be a refreshing change of pace for the Windows platform. Microsoft needs to speed up iterations of Windows, and this will accomplish just that. It will also help the company stave off increasing competition from Apple and Google – both of which offer operating systems that are frequently updated with new features.

  • OS X Mountain Lion, Like iOS 6, Adds Facebook Integration With New Update

    Apple’s big iOS update, iOS 6, is hitting iPhones, iPads and iPod Touches today, but Mac OS X Mountain Lion is also getting an update with version 10.8.2.

    New Facebook integration is a major component of iOS 6, and now Mac OS X is stepping up the integration as well.

    Among the new features of the operating system are single sign on for Facebook, the addition of Facebook as an option when sharing links and photos, seeing Facebook friends’ contact info and profile pics in Contacts, and Facebook notifications in Notification Center.

    In Game Center, you can now share scores to Facebook, Twitter, Mail, or Messages, Facebook friends are included in friend recommendations, Facebook “like” buttons have been added for games, and friends can be challenged to beat your scores and achievements.

    Apple is really doing everything in its power to get people sharing on Facebook even more.

    In addition to the Facebook and Game Center stuff, Apple has added the following features:

    • Adds Power Nap support for MacBook Air (Late 2010)
    • iMessages sent to your phone number now appear in Messages on your Mac*
    • You can now add passes to Passbook (on your iPhone or iPod touch) from Safari and Mail on your Mac*
    • FaceTime can now receive calls sent to your phone number*
    • New shared Reminders lists
    • New sort options allow you to sort notes by title, the date you edited them, and when you created them
    • Dictation now supports additional languages: Mandarin, Cantonese, Spanish, Korean, Canadian English, Canadian French, and Italian
    • Dictionary app now includes a French definition dictionary
    • Sina Weibo profile photos can now be added to Contacts

    * Requires iOS 6

    The update also comes with some general fixes:

    • Adds an option to discard the changes in the original document when choosing Save As
    • Unsent drafts are now opened automatically when launching Mail
    • Receive Twitter notifications for mentions and replies from anyone
    • URLs are shortened when sending tweets from Notification Center
    • Notifications are disabled when AirPlay Mirroring is being used
    • Adds SSL support for Google searches from the Smart Search Field in Safari
    • Adds a new preference to have Safari launch with previously open webpages
    • Resolves an issue that may cause the “Enable Autodiscover” checkbox to always remain checked
    • Enables access to the Mac App Store when Parental Controls are enabled
    • Support for @icloud.com email addresses
    • Resolves a video issue with some VGA projectors when connected to certain Mac notebooks
    • Addresses an issue that may prevent Active Directory accounts from being locked out
    • Resolves an issue that may cause the policy banner to re-appear prior to logging in
    • Improvements to SMB
    • Addresses an issue with NIS users when auto-login is enabled
    • Addresses an issue in which the Keychain may not be accessible
    • Ability to pre-authenticate a FileVault protected system
    • Addresses an issue that may cause Xsan to not automatically start after migrating from Mac OS X Snow Leopard

  • Apple OS X Mountain Lion Update Now Available

    Apple’s first update for its OS X Mountain Lion operating system is now available. The update became available on Thursday afternoon and includes mostly minor bug fixes for the OS that “improve the stability and compatibility of your Mac.” The details can be seen on Apple’s support page concerning the update.

    Issues that have been fixed or improved with the update include Migration Assistant unexpectedly quitting, playing audio through a Thunderbolt display, iMessages that are prevented from being sent, system lock-up when using Pinyin input, connecting to SMB servers with long names, and Safari not launching when using a Proxy Automatic Configuration (PAC) file.

    The update also improves 802.1x authentication with Active Directory credentials and improves compatibility between the Mail app and Microsoft Exchange servers.

    Apple recommends that OS X Mountain Lion users back up their system using Time Machine before performing the update. After that, it’s as simple as clicking the software update option under the Apple menu.

  • Noisy Typer Turns Your Mac Into A Typewriter, Brings Out Your Inner Hemingway

    Let’s say that you’re the type of person who like to wax nostalgic about the time when writers like Ernest Hemingway pecked away at a typewriter inside an unfurnished hardwood flat, while mercilessly pounding whiskey and chain-smoking. But let’s also say that you’re a person who can’t live without the modern comforts of a computer, and the thought of actually using a typewriter for your daily compositions sounds incredibly tedious.

    If any or all of that describes your character, Noisy Typer might make you pretty happy.

    Get that old-timey feel without any of the old-timey headaches by installing the free Noisy Typer software onto your OS X-powered device (sorry, no Windows version yet). All Noisy Typer does is play typewriter sounds whenever you use the keyboard – that includes the crisp punch of the keys, the chunk of the spacebar, and the classic carriage return sounds we all know so well.

    The application will run in the background and can be disabled at any time by typing “qaz123.”

    Download the program here. I know it sounds fun, but it’s even a lot more fun than it sounds. I sat down this morning to write an email and felt like Edward R. Murrow – it was great.

    [via Mashable]

  • Apple Announces Third Quarter Earnings Call

    Apple has announced the details for their third quarter earnings call. According to a post on their Investor Relations website, Apple’s quarterly conference call will take place on July 24th at 2 PM Pacific Time, 5 PM Eastern.

    Apple’s past two earnings reports have been pretty much nothing but good news for the Cupertino-based tech giant. The first quarter of their 2012 fiscal year (October-December 2011) was the best quarter in the company’s history. They posted $46.33 billion in revenue and $13.06 billion in profits. They also announced that they had sold 37.04 million iPhones, 15.43 million iPads, and 5.2 million Macs, all up significantly over the previous year. In the second quarter things dipped a bit, but not unexpectedly. In the second quarter they generated $39.2 billion in revenue and $11.6 billion in profit. They also sold 35.1 million iPhones, 11.8 million iPads, and 4 million Macs (again, all significant increases over the previous year).

    That being the case, it’s a fair bet that Apple has more good news on tap for this next earnings call. There’s also a decent chance that they’ll announce the release date for OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, especially considering that they did the same for 10.7 Lion during last year’s Q3 call.

  • Mountain Lion Getting Automatic Security Updates

    Around the same time we were bringing you news that Apple had backed off on claims that Macs are immune to viruses, they released a security update for the developer preview of OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion. Developers were alerted to the update yesterday afternoon via email and could download it via the Mac App Store.

    The 1.15GB update is includes several new security features. As most developers know, the biggest threat to security on any computer is users who don’t download the latest and most secure versions of software. With this update, the user is removed from the equation. Now Mountain Lion will check for necessary security updates daily, and allows the option to install them automatically or after a restart. It also improves the security around the connections to Apple’s update servers.

    This is a fairly minor update to the Mountain Lion developer preview. With the public release of Mountain Lion coming sometime next month Apple appears to be doing some final tweaks to the OS. Two weeks ago at WWDC 2012 Apple promised that Mountain Lion would ship in July, though they declined to offer anything more specific than that. Recently we told you about a third party tech support company that had prohibited employee vacations for the week of July 22-29, suggesting that Mountain Lion would be coming out sometime around then (or shortly before).

  • Apple Backs Off On OS X Virus Immunity Claims

    Two months ago we brought you news that hundreds of thousands of Mac computers were infected with the Flashback malware. While not the first malware to be specifically targeted at Macs, Flashback was somewhat unique in that it didn’t need to trick users into authorizing its installation. Instead, it exploited a flaw in Java to install on a user’s machine if they so much as visited an infected website. Oracle, it turned out, had patched the flaw weeks before, but Apple hadn’t passed the fix along to users.

    After releasing an update to patch the hole and prevent new infections, Apple eventually released their own Flashback removal tool, but not before 600,000 Macs were infected. The incident served as a wake-up call to many Apple fans. It also, it seems, served as a wake-up call to Apple themselves. For years Apple used a supposed invulnerability to PC viruses as a major marketing tool for Macs. Case in point, one of the famous “Get a Mac” ads from a few years ago:

    Now, though, Apple has quietly removed any reference to the Mac’s supposed invulnerability to malware. Though they continue to tout OS X’s inherent security, the description of its security features on Apple’s website is much more cautious. They even include a few security tips:

    Mac Security Tips

    Interestingly, they say nothing about the one security rule that PC users take for granted: anti-virus software. While it’s true that Mac users find it easier to get by without anti-virus software than PC users, the Flashback incident proves that just trusting in your Mac’s inherent security isn’t enough. While it’s good to see Apple moving in the right direction, they still have a ways to go.

  • Mountain Lion Release Date: Vacation Ban Gives Clues

    Earlier this week we told you that Apple might be launching OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion on July 19th. New information that has surfaced today may lend some weight to that date.

    According to a report from MacRumors, employees at a third party company that specializes in tech support for Apple products are being told they cannot go on vacation during the week of July 22-29. The company is apparently telling employees that they need “all hands on deck” during that time, though they are not telling employees why.

    While it could be that something else is going on, the likeliest reason for the vacation ban is the launch of OS X Mountain Lion. The employees who were told not to take vacations during that period were in the desktop and portables division. Apple promised at last week’s WWDC 2012 keynote that Mountain Lion would ship in July, though they declined to offer a specific date.

    Interestingly, this date range seems to contradict the earlier report that Mountain Lion would be releasing on the 19th. It’s possible, however, that either the earlier report or the tech support company’s date range is a bit off. Either way, a mid-late July launch for Mountain Lion is looking pretty likely at this point.

  • OS X Mountain Lion To Release July 19th?

    One of the big stories from Apple’s WWDC 2012 keynote last week was OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion. The latest version of Apple’s desktop operating system packs in a bunch of exciting new features, including Notification Center, Reminders, Twitter Integration (and probably Facebook, too), and more. They also announced the price – a positively shocking $19.99.

    One thing they did not announce, much to the disappointment of many, was Mountain Lion’s release date. All they said was that it would be shipping “next month.” Of course, “next month” (i.e., July) is still a fairly broad window, and Apple has declined to narrow it down.

    One recent report, though, puts a firm date on Mountain Lion’s release. According to Three Guys and a Podcast, who apparently have a source in San Francisco’s Bay Area, Apple is planning to launch Mountain Lion on July 19th. This keeps Apple’s releases on a yearly schedule, a format of which Apple has grown increasingly fond, particularly with iOS products.

    Like Lion before it, Mountain Lion will only be available as a download from the Mac App Store. Once it’s released, you can upgrade to Mountain Lion from any Mac that has the correct hardware specs and is running either Snow Leopard or Lion.

  • Apple May Be Most Profitable Company Ever In 2012

    By pretty much any standard you care to look at, Apple has had an amazing year. With the exception of a few hiccups, their stock has remained consistently in the neighborhood of $575-600, with a market cap that has occasionally broken $600 billion (though it currently sits at $547 billion). With new products coming out at regular intervals, and Apple regularly reporting massive quarterly revenues, that doesn’t look likely to change any time soon.

    In fact, according to one recent estimate, Apple may be in the midst of the most profitable year ever. Not Apple’s most profitable year ever, mind you. According to Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White, Apple may be on its way to the most profitable year ever had by any publicly traded company ever.

    White argued that the $500 billion market cap mark won’t be the kind of barrier for Apple that it has historically been for other companies, who reach that point and find further growth difficult. While other such companies have enjoyed near-monopolies in their areas (e.g., Microsoft’s share of the PC market, Intel’s share of the processor market). Apple doesn’t have anything approaching a monopoly of the smartphone market. The tablet market, meanwhile, is of Apple’s own making and is just two years old, meaning there is plenty of room for further growth.

    Based on that, White says, Apple’s potential for growth is huge. Indeed, he claims they could reach a market cap in the trillions, and profits as much as six times that of other tech companies that reached the $500 billion market cap point.

    With a new iPad and a refreshed line of MacBook computers – including a new model with retina display – already out, a new iPhone on the way, and maybe even an iPad Mini and iTV coming this year, it’s easy to see White’s point.

  • Skype For Mac OS X Updated to 5.8

    Ethiopian citizens may never know it, but Skype today released an update for its Mac OS X client. The new version brings Skype for the Mac up to version 5.8. The latest version has a few improvements and a streamlined interface. Krishna Panicker, product manager of Skype for Mac at Skype, announced the update in a post to The Big Blog – Skype’s official blog.

    The most major change in Skype 5.8 for Mac is the ability for users to resize and reposition their contact list. This is an ability that the client had had previous to version 5.0’s full-screen interface, and one that Skype users have been requesting to have back. Skype Premium members will get the benefit of broadcasting their video call while also screen sharing during a Skype call. It was also announced that Skype 5.8 will be included with Apple’s new OS X Mountain Lion.

    A small, but noticeable change is that when users are chatting with iPhone, iPad, or Android users who are using the Skype app, the video screen on the first user’s Mac will now rotate when the mobile device user rotates their device between portrait and landscape orientations. This was a feature only Windows Phone versions of the Skype app have had until now.

    One requested feature that is not yet in Skype was also confirmed today, though it is not a part of the 5.8 update. The ability for users to keep chats in separate windows and hold simultaneous chats was promised for Skype for Mac “real soon.”

  • WWDC 2012: Apple Uploads Keynote To YouTube

    On Monday various Apple executives took the stage for the keynote at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference, which ends today. During the keynote they introduced a huge number of new products. Items on the menu included updates to the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro lines, an all new MacBook Pro with retina display, OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, and iOS 6.

    Unfortunately, Apple did not see fit to stream the keynote live. While there were a number of live blogs (including ours) and a Ustream feed available, neither is quite the same as watching the keynote yourself. Shortly after the keynote ended, Apple posted their own video on their website, but if you weren’t watching via Safari on your Mac or iOS device, or QuickTime on your Windows PC, then you couldn’t see it then, either.

    Now, four days later, Apple has finally posted the video to their YouTube channel. So, if you missed it on Monday, you can check it out below. All two hours of it. Though if you don’t feel like watching the whole thing, Siri’s stand-up routine at the very beginning is worth the price of admission all by itself.

    Of course, there’s a certain amount of irony in Apple posting a video to YouTube – which is owned by Google – in which they announce that they’ll be ditching Google Maps from iOS.

  • Growl 2.0 To Work With Notification Center, Not Against It

    Whenever Apple unveils a new version of one of their operating systems – iOS or OS X – they tend to include at least a few new, interesting features. Unfortunately, though, these new goodies sometimes have unpleasant side effects for certain segments of the developer community. It’s not at all uncommon for iOS or OS X to introduce a feature that makes an existing third party app (or jailbreak tweak) obsolete. Whenever Apple introduces a new feature, it’s always interesting to look at where they got the idea, and which apps this new feature might kill off.

    Growl for OS X is an excellent example. For years Growl has provided OS X users something that Apple did not see fit to include: a convenient, centralized clearinghouse for system and app notifications. In fact, many Mac users will tell you that Growl is one of the first things they install on any new Mac. When Apple announced in February that Notification Center was coming to OS X Mountain Lion, though, there were those who feared that that might be the end of the line for Growl. After all, Notification Center exists to do exactly what Growl has been doing for all this time. Why would you need both?

    Well, it seems that Growl may have found the answer. In a blog post today, Growl CEO Chris Forsythe discussed the future of Growl in the context of Mountain Lion’s notification system. The plan, he says, is not to set Growl up as a competitor to Notification Center, but rather to allow Growl to compliment and augment Notification Center. The goal is to “help developers transition from Growl to Notification Center on their terms.”

    To do that, Growl 2.0 will make a simple modification to a feature introduced with Growl 1.3. This feature, called Mist, is a modification to the Growl framework used by developers to integrate Growl support into their apps. Essentially, if Growl is not running, Mist generates a notification anyway. To accommodate Notification Center, Mist will be updated to include a single line of code that directs that notification through the Notification Center. That’s it. Here’s what Forsythe has to say about it:

    The benefit of this is that you do not need to rewrite your code, you’ll simply drop in an updated Growl.framework, update the XPC if you use that, and then you’re done. You now support Notification Center. If Growl is running, then Growl is used. The notification experience is pretty straight forward, users who want Growl are happy, users who just want NC are happy, etc etc.

    All in all, it looks like a win-win. In fact, it makes Growl extremely useful for developers whose apps are not in the Mac App Store. You see, Mountain Lion’s Notification Center only supports App Store apps. If you download from another source (something Apple would really rather you didn’t do), then the app can’t send notifications to Notification Center. With Growl, you can still see notifications from your non-App Store apps.

    While Notification Center is certainly a cause for concern for Growl, the fact that OS X is not the same kind of walled garden ecosystem as iOS means that there will always be room for apps like Growl.

    Growl 1.3 is currently available for $1.99 in the Mac App Store.

  • Messages Beta For OS X Lion Disappears From Apple’s Website

    Back in February Apple shocked pretty much everybody by announcing OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion without warning. At the time, they released a developer preview of Mountain Lion, as well as a public beta of one of Mountain Lion’s tentpole features: Messages. Just like Messages on iOS, Messages for OS X allows users to sync their iMessage conversations across devices. With Mountain Lion, you can start a conversation with a fellow iOS or Mac user on your iPhone, and finish it on your Mac. Despite a few early bugs, it’s quite an amazing feature. Happily (and as you might expect) the public beta was compatible with OS X 10.7 Lion, so if you wanted to give Messages a shot but couldn’t access the developer preview, you were in luck.

    Unfortunately, all was not well in paradise. The day after Apple’s announcement, it became apparent that Messages beta would only work on Lion for as long as it took for Mountain Lion to become available. Once Mountain Lion releases, Messages on Lion will stop working.

    Now, with Mountain Lion scheduled to release sometime next month, Apple has decided that they’ve already got all the beta testers they needed. Sometime yesterday – it’s not quite clear when – Apple pulled the Messages beta from their site. So if you don’t have Messages on your Lion Mac, you never will. What’s more, if you already have Messages on your Lion Mac but can’t upgrade to Mountain Lion (case in point, my MacBook is too old for Mountain Lion), your days with Messages are numbered.

    It’s not entirely clear why Apple chose to make Messages Mountain Lion exclusive. After all, the fact that the beta version worked with Lion suggests that the full version would as well. The obvious answer, of course, is that they want to encourage Lion users to upgrade to Mountain Lion. After all, most of the Macs that were compatible with Lion are also compatible with Mountain Lion, and the upgrade costs only $20. Unfortunately, those who can’t upgrade (or just don’t want to, for whatever reason) are left in the lurch.

  • Syncing Computers With OS X? There’s A Power Nap For That

    Apple announced a new addition to the Mountain Lion/OS X family, in the name of keeping your new MacBook Pro up-to-date with relevant information concerning data stored to iCloud (email, calendar updates) via other devices, as well as keeping it current with application and various hardware updates. The new program is called “Power Nap” and as pointed out by Gizmodo, Power Nap is similar to Intel’s Smart Connect technology, which works in much the same way.

    A description from Intel concerning Smart Connect sounds awfully similar to the Power Nap description:

    With Intel Smart Connect Technology in your Ultrabook, your email, favorite apps, and social networks are continually and automatically updated even when the system is asleep. No more waiting for the latest world news or friends’ updates to be delivered—just lift the lid and you’re up-to-date and ready to go.

    According to Ryan Block over at gdgt, who’s attending WWDC, a quote from Craig Federighi reveals something similar, “We all love using our Macs, but wouldn’t it be great if when we weren’t using them they were still working for us? Power Nap keeps your Mac up to date while it sleeps… It automatically refreshes data, it’s totally silent, goes easy on your battery, and it’s compatible with recent MacBook Airs and our new MacBook Pro with Retina Display.”

    For the “set it and forget it” crowd, such an application sounds like it would be quite useful.

  • iOS 6, New Mac Updates On Tap At WWDC 2012 Today

    It wouldn’t be much of a stretch at all to say that Apple’s WWDC 2012 keynote is the most highly-anticipated keynote in a long time. Historically, Apple has used WWDC to unveil new generations of the iPhone. Last year’s delayed launch of the iPhone 4S, however, means that we won’t be seeing the next iPhone (probably “the new iPhone,” instead of the iPhone 5 or iPhone 6) until October, or possibly September.

    Nevertheless, expectations for this year’s keynote are running high, and with good reason. There have been a lot of rumors zipping about in the last few weeks, and if even half of them are true, it’s going to be a big day.

    With that in mind, here is what we know so far about what we should expect from Apple’s WWDC 2012 keynote. But first, a disclaimer: WWDC is a software conference. Strictly speaking, the focus isn’t on hardware. That means that all we’re guaranteed from today’s keynote is iOS 6 and OS X Mountain Lion. Anything else is just gravy. Though as you’ll see, there’s reason to expect a sizable helping of gravy.

    iOS 6

    The first of the two guarantees for today’s keynote is iOS 6. Even though the new iPhone isn’t coming out for another 3-4 months, Apple will be unveiling the latest version of the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch’s operating system today. While it’s been treated as a given for some time that iOS 6 would be on today’s menu, we got the best confirmation we could want short of an official statement from Apple on Friday. An Instagram user managed to catch a picture of workers raising a giant iOS 6 banner inside Moscone West, the San Francisco venue for WWDC 2012.

    So, iOS 6 has been confirmed, but what should we expect from iOS 6? Well, the biggest news is a new Maps app. Back in May it was reported that Apple was preparing to ditch Google Maps as the source for the iOS Maps app and replace it with mapping data developed in-house by the three mapping companies Apple began purchasing in 2009 (just a year after Google launched Android). Since that initial report there have been several additional leaks confirming a new Maps app. According to the reports, the new app will be largely the same in terms of interface, but will sport a hyper-realistic 3D mode. Check out a mockup of the new app below:

    iOS 6 Maps Mockup

    But that’s not all we should expect from iOS 6. Speaking at AllThingsD’s D10 Conference at the end of May, Apple CEO Tim Cook all but promised that iOS would be getting Facebook integration soon. Later reports have appeared to confirm that, saying that iOS 6’s system-wide Facebook integration will be much like the Twitter integration introduced last year with iOS 5.

    While reports suggest that iOS 6 won’t actually look much different from iOS 5 on the surface, Apple appears to have completely rewritten all of the stock iOS apps – Weather, Clock, Contacts, Calendar, etc. – in addition to Maps. While details are a little thin, the new versions of the apps are expected to have some pretty remarkable new features, and a slightly different user interface.

    During the same D10 session mentioned above, Tim Cook also strongly hinted that there would be major improvements to Siri coming soon. Though he was, naturally, coy about the details, it’s a fair bet that with iOS 6 Siri will be losing her “beta” label, and getting several new features and performance improvements. Though it may be too much to hope for Apple to release Siri’s APIs to developers, it’s certainly possible.

    Finally, iOS 6 will be getting some of the same improvements to existing features that are about to be rolled out with OS X Mountain Lion, including a Do Not Disturb feature for Notifications, Mail VIPs, and iCloud Tabs. The Do Not Disturb mode is pretty self-explanatory: it temporarily disables notifications from popping up while you’re, say, watching a movie or trying to sleep (nobody appreciates waking up to a Words With Friends notification at 3 in the morning, after all). Mail VIPs makes it easier to find and read mail from your selected list of VIPs, and iCloud Tabs allows you to see from one version of Safari (mobile or desktop) the tabs you’ve got open in all versions of Safari.

    OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion

    There actually hasn’t been a lot of detail surface about Mountain Lion since Apple made the original (and quite unexpected) announcement earlier this year. That said, here’s what we know. Mountain Lion will be releasing sometime later this summer (possibly this month). It will include OS-wide Twitter integration like iOS 5, though surprisingly there has been no hint of Facebook integration making the jump to OS X. It will be getting a variety of sharing options including Flickr and Vimeo. It will also feature Message, an app that syncs with iMessage on your iPhone and iPad. While there’s currently a beta available for OS X Lion, that beta will stop working after Mountain Lion launches, making Messages a Mountain Lion-only product.

    Mountain Lion will be continuing the tradition Apple began with OS X 10.7 Lion last year of bringing iOS features “back to the Mac.” Consequently, Mountain Lion will be getting Notification Center, Reminders, and Notes, in addition to the aforementioned Twitter integration. There have also been recent rumors that the Dictation feature that made its way to the iPad in March will also be coming to Mountain Lion.

    Another new Mountain Lion feature will be Gatekeeper. Gatekeeper is a security feature that allows you to lock down your Mac so that only software from the Mac App Store can be installed. You can also set Gatekeeper to allow apps created by participants in Apple’s Developer ID program, or you can turn Gatekeeper off completely, allowing software from any source to be installed. While it’s likely to be popular with businesses and parents, there are those who worry that it’s a step toward making OS X the same sort of walled garden that iOS is.

    Finally, there appear to be several new features coming to iCloud. Early last month Apple accidentally made their test of iOS-style banner notifications for the iCloud web interface public. A few days later a beta version of the iCloud web interface revealed that Notes and Reminders apps were being added as well. It’s not certain that these new features will be unveiled at WWDC 2012, but a third report predicted that several major new features would be shown off at the conference, including vast improvements to iCloud’s photo handling and sharing.

    New Macs

    If you pay much attention to Apple’s product cycles, you may have noticed that while the company has been aggressively updating iOS and its associated devices, and has been incorporating certain features into OS X, there hasn’t been much attention paid to actual Mac hardware. Though the MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, and iMac lines have gotten feature bumps in recent years, there have been no major upgrades. Indeed, some models – namely the Mac Pro – have been without an upgrade of any kind for years.

    According to what we’ve been hearing over the last few weeks, that’s about to change. While there have been rumors since the launch of the iPhone 4 in 2010 that Macs would start getting retina displays, it looks like this time it might actually happen. Back in May we started hearing the first serious rumblings of the MacBook Pro getting a retina display. The next day reports surfaced that the same might be true of the MacBook Air and iMac. While nothing has been confirmed, of course, Apple did let a retina display-ready app into the Mac App Store last week.

    Last week rumors surfaced that a fourth Mac line would be getting an update. While some believed it would be the Mac Mini, I speculated that the Mac Pro would be the model to get updated, which is in far worse need of an update than the Mac Mini. A report the next day appeared to confirm that it would indeed be the Mac Pro, though there’s little information on what, specifically, will be updated.

    Finally, there was a report last week that all these updates we’ve been hearing about for the MacBook Pro might not be headed to the MacBook Pro at all, but to an entirely new line of MacBook. This new MacBook would drop the “Pro” branding, and would get the lion’s share of the upgrades, leaving the MacBook Pro with only a basic feature bump. If it sells well, this new MacBook would eventually replace the current MacBook Pro (which replaced the original MacBook line a few years ago).

    New Apple TV OS (and the iTV?)

    Last but not least, there have been reports that Apple may show off a new operating system for the Apple TV at this year’s conference. There aren’t many details, but it’s possible that this update is meant to pave the way for the much-rumored iTV, Apple’s entry into the HDTV market. Though there has been some speculation that the iTV itself would be unveiled at this year’s conference, that is not likely.

    While little is known about the new Apple TV OS, one exciting detail has been circulated. It seems that Apple may release a software development kit (SDK) for the Apple TV alongside the OS update. That will mean that third-party developers can create apps for the Apple TV. That’s right, the Apple TV (and possibly the iTV?) may finally be getting the App Store.

    Conclusions

    It’s worth noting again that WWDC is a software developers’ conference, and that the only things that have been confirmed about this year’s keynote are iOS 6 and Mountain Lion. The rest is just speculation, though much of it appears solid. At any rate, we’re less than two hours from the keynote now, when all will be revealed. Until then, you can follow our WWDC 2012 page for more information, and check back for our live coverage of the keynote itself at 1 PM Eastern time.