Author Archives: Mark

Apple Releases New OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion Update

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Mark



Apple has released a new update destined for the Developer build of the next generation Mac operating system, 10.8 Mountain Lion. The company today issued a software update to Developer Preview 3 of Mountain Lion, bringing with it a number of bug fixes and features that Developers will continue to test prior to the release of the software in late summer (via MacRumors). The update is only available to registered members of the Mac Developer program and only works with the Developer Preview 3 of Mountain Lion.

The update follows on from a previous update to Developer Preview 3 of Mountain Lion which was released earlier this month. It is notable because Apple seems to be choosing to continuously update Developer Build 3 of the OS, rather than releasing a completely new Developer Build 4. The software is expected to be one of the highlights of the upcoming Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in June and Apple is expected to give a little more information on when the new Mac OS will be released to the public.
Continue reading →

Posted in News | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Rumor: Another iPhone 5 Part Surfaces

Posted on May 13, 2012 by Mark



Another purported part has emerged which is apparently destined to be included in the iPhone 5. As spotted by Cydia Blog, known iPhone replacement component supplier SW-Box has uncovered an earphone jack, speaker and Wi-Fi cable that is suggested to be in the iPhone 5. The design of the component assembly is said to be completely different from those found in the iPhone 4 and 4S, suggesting that, if genuine, the iPhone 5 will entail a completely new internal component structure, rather than simply being a minor update.

In a word of caution however, Cydia Blog notes that these bits of hardware could simply be prototype iPhone 5 parts which will never make it to retail production and have simply been used to test component construction. However, the new leak does join on a previous report where we discovered what appeared to be Home buttons for the iPhone 5 on a Chinese supplier site.
Continue reading →

Posted in News, Rumor | Tagged | Leave a comment

Penultimate Gets Loved Up By Evernote

Posted on May 7, 2012 by Mark


The rather awesome writing and drawing app Penultimate has been purchased by newly minted Evernote, it was announced today. The obviously-pleased Evernote was the one to make the announcement (read their blog post here) stating that they are “thrilled to announce that we’ve acquired the company and that Penultimate is now part of the Evernote family”.

Evernote obviously has good taste as Penultimate is the fourth best selling paid iPad app of all time. The good news is that the new owners will not be embarking on a crusade to make the Penultimate app part of Evernote. Penultimate will apparently stay a separate application, but will receive many ‘Evernote-y’ improvements to search and synchronization. On the other hand, Penultimate reater Ben Zotto will be heading up the effort to get handwriting and digital ink functionality into other Evernote products.
Continue reading →

Posted in News | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Apple Extols The Virtues Of Gatekeeper In Mountain Lion To Mac Developers

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Mark


Apple has sent an email to registered members of their Mac Developer program, encouraging them to get their apps verified with a Developer ID certificate. The email is being sent in preparation for the launch of OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion in late summer, a part of which is a new feature called Gatekeeper. The new feature is simply a way of preventing users from downloading and installing malicious software, to make it easier for users to avoid malware and dodgy applications.

Apple is therefore encouraging Developers to sign their apps with a unique Developer ID that will give users some reassurance about the quality of the apps that they download. This is particularly relevant for apps that are not available on the Mac App Store which inherently offers security and, in theory, reliability for the apps that are available on it.
Continue reading →

Posted in News | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Apple Posts Big Earnings For Q2 2012

Posted on April 25, 2012 by Mark


Apple has revealed their earnings for the second quarter of 2012, with revenue of $39.2 billion and profit of $11.6 billion. The Q2 report, representing the first quarter of the 2012 calendar year, was revealed in a conference call with Apple CEO Tim Cook and Apple Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Peter Oppenheimer.

While the numbers revealed by Apple are substantial, perhaps one of the most interesting comparisons is the increase in year on year earnings. In the same period last year, revenue for the company was $24.67 billion with Q2 profit of $5.99 billion, meaning that profits for this quarter were almost double that of a year ago.
Continue reading →

Posted in News | Tagged | Leave a comment

Rumor: 17 Inch MacBook Pro May Be Discontinued In Revamped MacBook Line-Up

Posted on April 23, 2012 by Mark


A new forecast from analyst Ming-Chi Kuo is suggesting that lackluster sales of the 17 inch MacBook Pro are making Apple reconsider their offering of the device (via MacRumors). The analyst reporting from KGI Securities, says that the company will likely discontinue the MacBook Pro in the 17 inch configuration. The analyst also says that, early in Q3 of 2012, the company will be rolling out a brand new design of MacBook model that will have the best features of the MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air.

Apple has been rumored to be revamping the MacBook Pro line for some time and many reports have focused upon the idea that Apple will cease to produce two lines of MacBook and will instead aim to offer a unified MacBook line-up that will merge the best features of the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro. The thin, light and fast design of the MacBook Air has achieved significant sales since it was introduced in October 2010. However, the Pro level MacBook Pro also holds attraction for many people and as such, a new thinner design is eagerly awaited as the existing model has been around for almost four years.
Continue reading →

Posted in News, Rumor | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Apple Announces Flashback Malware Software Fix Coming Soon

Posted on April 11, 2012 by Mark


Apple has announced that it is working on a tool which will detect and remove the Flashback malware which is thought to spreading across a significant number of Mac computers. The malware, thought to have infected in excess of half a million Mac computers worldwide, has become an aggressive target for Apple as they work to issue a fix and disable the malware command and control network by working with ISPs.

In an announcement via a support document on the Apple website the company noted that they had already released an update to fix the Java security flaw for systems that run OS X 10.6 and 10.7. For users that are running OS X 10.5 or earlier, the company advises that users can protect themselves by disabling Java in the web browser preferences to prevent infection.
Continue reading →

Posted in News | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Rumor: Apple Shifts New 13 and 15 Inch MacBook Pro Into Production

Posted on March 29, 2012 by Mark


A new rumor is suggesting that the next iteration of the new MacBook Pro has reached production phase and that the 15 inch model will be produced during the month of April. The report comes via the erratically accurate Digitimes who are suggesting that while the 15 inch model starts production next month, the 13 inch model will not start production until June, despite more demand for that model.

The start of production in April correlates with the recent news that Intel would be releasing their next generation Ivy Bridge processors which will likely be found in the next generation MacBook Pro models.  That announcement is due to take place in the 4th week of April.
Continue reading →

Posted in News, Rumor | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

It’s iPad Launch Day And New Retina Display Enabled Apps Abound

Posted on March 16, 2012 by Mark


Apple has launched a new section on the iOS App Store which highlights several iPad apps that have been optimised for the Retina Display in the new iPad which launched today around the world. The new area of the App Store gives lucky owners of the new iPad the opportunity to download some apps which highlight the power of their new device and are optimised for the upgraded display.

Some of the apps that have already been updated for Retina Display on the iPad include Infinity Blade II, Solar Walk 3D, Real Racing 2, and the New York Times. This is in addition to Apple’s own selection of apps including Find My Friends, Keynote, Pages, Numbers, Remote and iPhoto.
Continue reading →

Posted in News | Tagged | 1 Comment

Apple Looking To Better Integrate iPhone, iPad & iPod With Your Car

Posted on March 14, 2012 by Mark


Apple is recruiting engineers to develop better ways of integrating your iPod, iPad and iPhone with your car. The company today posted a job opening for an QA Engineer who would join a dedicated team with a focus on integrating iOS devices with car stereos using both wired and wireless methods.

The fact that Apple has dedicated team of people working on integrating their devices with automobiles should come as no surprise given the focus of the company on the end user experience. There are now hundreds of models of cars that sport iPod or iPhone compatibility, not just for playing music but for using an iPhone in the car.
Continue reading →

Posted in News | Tagged , , | Leave a comment