Tag Archives: Mac

Rumor: Brand New iTunes Store And App Store To Launch This Year

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Lily


A new report is suggesting that Apple is hard at work revamping the user interface and structure of the iTunes and iOS App Store fronts and that the new UI will launch later this year. According to 9to5Mac, the new interface will make it easier for consumers to find and download quality new apps and music, putting continued focus on purchasing, downloading and consuming content.

The site is reporting that the new interface will be more simple than the current iTunes interface and will be much more focused upon interactivity and the user experience. The new interface will likely be designed to reflect the increasing importance of the App Store in the Apple ecosystem. As the number of apps increases, so does the difficulty in finding quality apps, or quite simply, that app that you are looking for.
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VLC 2.0 For Mac OS X Is Unleashed

Posted on February 20, 2012 by Dave


One of the best video players on the Mac, and indeed iOS devices for a time, has finally received a major update and has been released to the public. VLC, published by VideoLan, has received the major retooling involving a completely new UI and under the hood improvements. The app itself is an invaluable tool that is known for playing almost any type of video or audio file that is thrown at it and the new update certainly carries on that tradition and doesn’t disappoint.

The new interface is a big improvement over the two window dated UI that was part of the first VLC app. Now, the app is contained in a single window and users just have to drag a file on to the app and it will play. The app itself doesn’t hog system resources and has a relatively small footprint for the amount of functionality that it contains and the fact that it is free of charge just adds to the attraction. It should definitely be near the top of any list that includes video players for OS X.
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Apple Unifies Software Update Process In OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion

Posted on February 16, 2012 by Lily


Following on from today’s Developer release and announcement of OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, a few details are beginning to emerge which give some indication of Apple’s future plans for the Mac. One of the more interesting things to appear is that Apple has packaged the Software Update process inside the Mac App Store. The move, spotted by iClarified, indicates the importance that Apple is placing on the Mac App Store for managing Mac software in the future. The Software Update function is still available in the Apple menu but clicking it launches a new section within the Mac App Store.

The reasons behind this are probably related to the unification of the Mac software with iOS devices and, more readily, a more logical process for users. Currently, in Lion, users have to use two software update functions; one core software update command from the Apple menu and one from the Mac App Store for installed apps. With the update, users still have to click the Software Update function but I’m wondering if this will disappear in future releases so that the Mac App Store update button will be all that remains. The update will also bring the Mac more in line with iOS devices in that the iOS App Store is the central area for updates.
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Apple Announces OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion

Posted on February 16, 2012 by AppleBitch


Apple has today announced the next version of the Mac OS X operating system version 10.8, codenamed Mountain Lion. The new operating system will include over 100 new features, some of which inspired by features that have historically been offered in the iOS operating system for Apple mobile devices. As it currently stands, those wishing to get a glimpse of the new OS can visit the Mountain Lion preview page on Apple’s website. For registered members of Apple’s Developer Program, an early developer preview is being offered for download and installation.

Mountain Lion will bring a whole host of new features such as Messages which is a replacement for iChat and will allow users to receive and send iMessages on their Mac. In addition, the new OS will bring Reminders and Notes apps, familiar to iOS users. For gamers, Game Center will also be making an appearance on the Mac. A great new feature will also be Notification Center which will act much in the same way as Growl and bring desktop notifications for programs like e-mail and Twitter, fully integrated into Mountain Lion, to the Mac.
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Rumor: Brand New MacBook Pro Design Coming This Year

Posted on February 11, 2012 by Lily


A new rumor is suggesting that Apple will abandon the current design of the MacBook Pro this year in favor of a new Air-like design. According to a rumor sourced by AppleInsider from the dreaded ‘people familiar with the Apple roadmap’, the current design of the Pro will be discontinued and a design that is based on the thin, and highly popular, MacBook Air will be introduced in its place. The new models will apparently lose the optical drive that is currently in the MacBook Pro but not in the Air, and will be introduced initially in 15 and 17 inch models.

The new MacBook Pro would likely retain the aluminum unibody that has proven so popular among Apple laptop users, and has certainly been a regular feature in the rumor mill for the past couple of years, particularly since the launch of the updated MacBook Air design. Certainly the loss of an optical drive would be a reasonable assumption given the fact that Apple has discontinued offering its products by that medium. It only seemed to be a matter of time.
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Google Updates Chrome For Mac OS X

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Lily


Google has today released an updated version of their Chrome web browser for Mac OS X. The update brings Chrome to version 17 and contains a number of new features and bug fixes. The new features and fixes continue to add to the rapid browsing experience that Chrome is starting to be known for. The updated version of the browser is available now either for download through the Chrome update or for direct download through the Chrome website.

One of the key new features included in the update is that Chrome will now pre-load webpages during the time that you are typing in your search terms. This means that the browser essentially attempts to predict what website will be your next click and will already have started loading and rendering it by the time that you actually make the click. A rather clever solution to making the web browsing experience faster. In addition to this, Chrome will automatically scan downloaded executable files to determine if they are safe for download or are likely to be malware. There are also a large number of other bug fixes stability improvements.
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‘Float’ Your iPad 2 With New TwelveSouth HoverBar Stand

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Lily


 Apple accessory manufacturer TwelveSouth today released a new accessory for mounting your iPad 2 next to your Mac, in the form of the HoverBar. The HoverBar is a neat little solution for ‘hovering’ your iPad 2 next to your iMac display which works by using a mounting bracket for the iPad 2, which is then connected to the base mount of an iMac or an Apple display, allowing you to use your iPad effectively as an additional touchscreen display.

From the press release today…”HoverBar turns iPad into the ultimate sidecar for an iMac or Apple display, presenting more ways to use iPad more often. The company suggests using your iPad 2 to monitor your Twitter stream, stocks, weather or running FaceTime. Being honest, you could also watch a movie while you work.
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Tiny Resolution Changes In OS X 10.7.3 May Signify Bigger Things

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Mark


Pointing towards one of the smallest Mac OS X user interface changes possible, Daring Fireball illustrates that Apple could potentially be pretty close to releasing high definition displays. Shedding some light on the improvements that were, for example, recently made to the finger pointer in the latest update to OS X, 10.7.3, it is suggested that Apple could be making these changes, in part due to improvements in Universal Access for OS X, but also in preparation for the release of HiDPI or, super high resolution displays.

The finger pointer change concept stems from the fact that changes were made to the hovering cursor in the changeover from OS X 10.7.2 to 10.7.3. The pointer is now available in a higher resolution which scales up automatically when using the zoom window function. The reasons for doing this are, at the moment, unclear. It could simply be attention to detail or, something a little more intriguing in the form of Macs with Retina Display.
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Apple Investigating Mac OS X 10.7.3 Update Bug

Posted on February 2, 2012 by AppleBitch


Apple is apparently investigating some reports of a bug that appears when some users are attempting to update their Mac to the OS X Lion 10.7.3 software update that was released last night (via 9to5Mac). Some users who upgraded found a weird bug that manifested in problems launching applications, as well as error messages with the repeated text ‘CUI’ stamped across them.

Apple is apparently aware of the issue which is, by now, occupying a significant amount of space on their discussion and support forums. The company has apparently sent an e-mail to a group of users who upgraded to 10.7.3 and experienced the issue. The e-mail requested the user group to send details of the crash report, and include system and install logs as well as a full system report.
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Apple Releases 10.7.3 Update For Mac OS X Lion

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Chris


Apple has released an update for Mac OS X in the form of a 10.7.3 update for the general public. The update, generally weighing in at around 1GB or thereabouts, is available through Software Update for all users who are running Lion 10.7.2 and can be downloaded now. The release notes for the updates have been posted by Apple, detailing the improvements and fixes that the 10.7.3 update brings to Lion and can be seen here.

The update includes additional language support for Catalan, Croatian, Greek, Hebrew, Romanian, Slovak, Thai, and Ukrainian languages. In addition, fixes are included for smart card login, Windows file sharing, markup documents in Word, graphics performance, Wi-Fi connectivity as well as updates to Safari and RAW image support. A number of Directory Service changes were made as well and are detailed in the release notes.
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