If you like TV, and you like the Internet, you've got some really good options for getting those two crazy kids to play nicely together. PLAiR, newly arrived on the market, adds a platform-independent and compact device to the menu of connected television solutions that stream web video to your living room.

To be clear, there's not a shortage of players here. Even without a Smart TV in your house, you can use an HDMI cable to connect your Mac or iPad directly to your big-screen HDTV (although that's a bit of a mobility buzzkill). It's easier to put something in the middle to handle that conversation, at least until Tim Cook and Jony Ive make all our big-screen dreams come true.

For most Apple-centric households, the natural middleman is the $99 Apple TV. Apple's "experiment" delivers 1080p content direct from iTunes, subscription goodies from Netflix or Hulu, sports from the NBA, MLB and NHL, free video from Vimeo and YouTube, and of course your photos, music and videos from household Macs. The relatively recent debut of AirPlay mirroring for Macs in OS X 10.8 means that your computer can screen-mirror to an Apple TV just as smoothly as your iPhone or iPad can. If you're inclined toward non-Apple boxes with more subscription and channel support, the Roku or Boxee hardware might be more up your alley.

One thing the Apple TV can't do easily -- at least not without the intervention of a mirrored AirPlay device or a jailbreak -- is stream web videos from sources outside the approved/supported list. Even if you do use a mirrored device, it's tied up for the duration of the stream; how are you supposed to chat with your vintage movie club while you're watching? And what if you have friends with non-Apple gear who'd like to stream some videos your way?

There ought to be another path to video Nirvana, and the folks behind the PLAiR HDMI dongle think they have it figured out. The new $99 wireless video-streaming gadget is arriving in some customers' hands today. I saw it demonstrated at the Engadget Expand conference, and while the company's description of it as "AirPlay for everybody" may be a bit off-target with no true mirroring support, it's still quite impressive.

The PLAiR device -- one assumes that the lowercase "i" is not coincidental -- is a smart adapter that connects to three things: power, your TV's HDMI port, and your home WiFi network. Once it's set up, PLAiR links to a Chrome plugin on your Mac or PC to let you hand off streaming video to it with a couple of clicks. iOS and Android devices can play too; both platforms have streamer apps available.

In the case of the desktop controls for PLAiR, you simply browse to the website for the video you want to see (scores of broadcast and Web video networks play nicely with the PLAiR, although big kahunas Hulu and Netflix sadly do not). A small overlay icon reminds you that you can stream to your TV; click it and the video hops over to the wider arena. Behind the scenes, the PLAiR unit is actually running its own streaming client via Flash or HTML5 and handling the video independently; your laptop is no longer needed, and in fact you can close the window and do something else -- even sleep it or shut it down.

That's not the case if you choose to stream videos or photos stored on your computer or iOS device, of course. In that situation, you can create a playlist of clips that you want to see, and PLAiR will play them all in order, but your device needs to stay online and awake to push the video to PLAiR.

iPhone and iPad users can jump into the fun via the free PLAiR iOS app. With the app, the same channels and sources should be accessible, and you can kick off a stream in similar fashion. Local content will play as well, although anything purchased from the iTunes Store will not play (the PLAiR doesn't know how to deal with Apple's FairPlay encryption for video). You also cannot mirror iOS apps to the PLAiR, but at least one common-use case for that is handled by a second companion app aimed at business users: the $0.99 OmniPresent will load and display PowerPoint or PDF decks via your PLAiR stick onto a projector or TV.

If your video needs don't depend heavily on iTunes-purchased content or the premium offerings of Hulu or Netflix, you might get your money's worth out of the PLAiR. It's certainly a more graceful option for free-to-stream network content than rigging up an HDMI cable across the living room. Customers who pre-ordered the PLAiR hardware are getting theirs this week, but current orders are out of stock for the moment; if you order today you might see your unit by June.

Here's a brief video intro to PLAiR. I'm afraid I will have to deduct points for continuity, as the Acer laptop pictured in the video appears to be running the OS X version of Chrome.

'

And here's a video preview of PLAiR in action from Engadget Expand:

PLAiR streams web video to TV with your devices for 99 bucks originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 24 Apr 2013 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

PLAiR streams web video to TV with your devices for 99 bucks originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 24 Apr 2013 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If your widescreen ambitions can't be contained by a mere 1920x1080 HD screenscape, the fine folks at Matrox have a solution for you. The DualHead2Go Digital Mac Edition display adapter, priced around US$160, is built and marketed specifically for the Thunderbolt and DisplayPort-enabled Mac models.

It pairs up with Matrox's PowerDesk software to enable spanned displays, rather than defining each external monitor as its own real estate. If you have the required two matching-resolution monitors, you can achieve some truly breathtaking resolutions.

Design

Like the rest of Matrox's line, the DualHead's pro-style design would be perfectly at home in a video editing workstation or studio. The unit, about the size of a pack of cards, sports two DVI-D ports on the back to connect your two displays for pairing. The aluminum case features cheesegrater-style ventilation holes that match nicely with the look of the aging Mac Pro desktop.

I hooked up the DualHead to a Retina MacBook Pro via the provided mini DisplayPort to full-size DisplayPort adapter. This larger connector may be unfamiliar to most Mac users, but it's frequently seen on recent-model Windows laptops; it looks like a slightly cockeyed HDMI plug. The other necessary connection on the front of the unit is USB, which provides power for the adapter.

Considering the number of cables going into and out of this small device, a bit of onboard cable management wouldn't be amiss. You could velcro or cable-tie your cables to the DualHead, since it doesn't get particularly hot during usage.

Users who need even more space to spread out have the option of stepping up to the TripleHead2go unit, which teams three monitors instead of two -- for about 2x the price.

Performance

Unlike the dual-DVI connection that enables full resolution on Apple's 30" Cinema Display, the DualHead creates a virtual spanned display across both of the connected external monitors. In my testing, with two smaller Cinema Displays, the combined resolution got up to the supported maximum of 3840x1200 -- more than enough real estate for almost anyone.

Given that this "one big monitor" is actually two displays with a hefty border in between, window management becomes more important than in a simplex setup. Matrox's PowerDesk software lets you define target cells for your apps, quickly moving windows around the screen and swapping content from your LCD to the wide external duplex display. It took me a few passes through the documentation to get a handle on the best way to manage the display cells; Matrox's instructions and the utility interface are aimed more at a video professional audience than at consumers.

The responsiveness of the big screen was surprisingly good. Matrox's hardware doesn't do any hefty graphics processing of its own; rather, it presents the large virtual display resolution to the onboard GPU and lets the graphics chip in the Mac do the heavy lifting of drawing on that big canvas. On the Retina MBP, I didn't notice any dragging or slow performance onscreen, even with several QuickTime movies playing at once. Older Mac hardware might not fare quite as well -- Matrox's compatibility guide for adapters is a good place to start if you're considering options.

Wrap-up

With its base requirement of two resolution-matched external displays plus a solid GPU-equipped Mac, the DualHead2go is fairly described as a specialty item. If your needs demand extreme widescreen, however, and you'd rather repurpose older DVI monitors than shell out $999 for a 27" Thunderbolt display, Matrox is there to help you out.

Pros

• Unique widescreen capability
• Small and unobtrusive
• Impressive performance

Cons

• Software is a bit confusing
• Requires identical resolution monitors
• Limited consumer appeal

Who is it for?

• Graphics and video pros who believe wider is better.

Matrox DualHead2go adapter broadens your monitor horizons originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 09 Apr 2013 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Matrox DualHead2go adapter broadens your monitor horizons originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 09 Apr 2013 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Dear Apple,

It's time you start treating multi-country iTunes users like first-class citizens.

Let me explain: I've had an iTunes account for almost a decade now. I opened it in the US in 2003 and have since bought thousands of songs, TV shows, movies, and apps. But also in that time I've moved from the United States to the United Kingdom. While I've been able to keep making my purchases through my US iTunes account (because I still have valid US-based credit cards), I needed to open a UK iTunes account in order to get some of the most popular UK apps, which are only available on the UK iTunes/App Store. These are apps like BBC's iPlayer, 4oD, ITV Player, iPlayer Radio, YouView (an app for managing your YouView DVR), apps for my UK bank and credit card accounts, apps for my UK utilities, apps for UK restaurants like Costa, and many, many more.

And though I hold these two valid country accounts, I need to constantly jump through hoops to use them, which takes away from the "it just works" mentality you imbue in your products. Specifically, here are the three big problems that arise out of iTunes' inability to handle multi-country accounts more easily:

1. App updates are a pain.

The beauty of iTunes and the App Store is that it tells you automatically when an app you have downloaded has an update. This, of course, is designed to help users keep up-to-date with the latest release of their apps so they have current bug fixes and new features -- so everything "just works."

However, when you have two valid multi-country iTunes Store accounts, you aren't usually notified when an app from the country store you are not logged in to has an update. Oh, sometimes you're notified like this:

This is what I sometimes see when I have an app update to a UK app when I'm logged into my US account. But that's not a complete notification. iTunes only tells me I have an app update but doesn't have the ability to display which update that is.

I call this iTunes' invisible alert feature. I've got app updates, but I have no idea which apps have updates. So how do I get these updates? Here are the steps I must complete to get updates for my already-downloaded apps:

1. Go into the iTunes account settings of my US account (the one I'm usually logged in to because that's where I buy all my music and movies).
2. Change all my billing info so I can access the UK store. That's entering credit card numbers, billing addresses, and phone numbers.
3. Once the billing changes have been accepted, I'm allowed into the UK store. I then need to check for updates again, see which updates I have and download them. Then -- so I can continue to have access to all my songs, movies, and US app updates that I've purchased over the years -- I must:
4. Go into my iTunes account settings of my UK account.
5. Change all my billing info so I can access the US store. That's entering credit card numbers, billing addresses, and phone numbers.
6. Once the billing changes have been accepted, I'm allowed into the US store.

By the way, I say above that iTunes sometimes displays invisible app update notifications because, well, it's only sometimes. Many times I will log in to my UK account and find I have half a dozen UK app updates that iTunes didn't even give me invisible warnings about.

The whole process is time consuming and overly complicated to say the least. But here are some ways to fix this:

• Let iTunes users with multi-country accounts save all their billing info for all countries in their iTunes Store settings. This way users would be able to access multiple country stores all at once -- just by switching between the stores without having to enter their billing info each time. Or...
• Allow an app to be updated in iTunes that has been downloaded with the same user account no matter what country store it's from. This wouldn't be as convenient as option #1 (as you would still need to change billing information to shop at another country's store) but it would at least ensure users had access to app updates for country-specific apps they've already downloaded. Or...
• Let us download updates for apps that are on our iOS devices, because those are the ones we obviously use most and aren't as important as country-specific apps we store in our iTunes library but not on our iPhones and iPads.

2. Multi-country iTunes users aren't able to use iTunes Match.

I love iTunes Match. Or, I loved it for the two months I was allowed to use it. See, I signed up for it the day it was available in the US. But two months later I moved back to the UK and needed to access my UK iTunes store so I could start downloading some UK-specific apps. The problem is since I was a US iTunes Match user, I wasn't allowed to switch between country-specific stores any longer.

That's right. If you're an iTunes Match user in one country, you are not allowed to switch to another country's store -- even if you had an existing account in that store.

So in order to download UK-specific apps, I needed to call up your help line and cancel my iTunes Match account. That really happened. I needed to cancel this awesome service from you just so I could go back to my UK account and download apps. And even after I canceled, I was still locked out of my UK account for 30 days.

I get that iTunes Match has regional licensing deals, but I don't think the right way to go about it is to limit what your most ardent users can do once they subscribe to your service. At the very least, let us have access to the App Store, which has no connection to iTunes Match.

In hopes of being able to have access to the service and use both my iTunes country-specific stores, when iTunes Match was made available in the UK I called up Apple and even offered to join the services in the US and the UK (even though I never buy music from my UK iTunes account) but was told that is not possible.

So no iTunes Match for me.

3. Gift cards lock you out too.

What's more frustrating than iTunes Match locking you out of changing stores is iTunes gift cards locking you out of changing stores.

I was recently given a US$100 iTunes gift card. I thought that was awesome because that would cover what I usually spend on iTunes purchases for about four months. Since it was a US gift card I entered it in my US iTunes account. The next day I saw that one of my most-used UK apps -- BBC iPlayer -- had a significant update so I went to my iTunes account settings to change my billing details so I could log into my UK account and download the update and guess what? I get the message below:

That's right, when you have any kind of balance in your iTunes account you are not allowed to change over to your valid other-country accounts. That means I can't access any app updates for any of my UK apps until I spend through my $100 credit and am allowed to switch stores again. And given that the credit is so large, unless I want to hurry up and spend the money on apps or media I really don't want, I need to wait until I've found relevant and useful stuff I want to buy from iTunes and get my balance down to $0 so I can update my UK apps. And that could take months.

Again, it's perfectly reasonable to restrict an iTunes balance to only one country-specific store. However, it's not reasonable to lock users out of other country stores where they hold an account just because they have a balance in one store. Because when you're locked out, not only can you not download new apps, your already purchased apps are barred for getting updates.

We aren't the largest block of users, but we matter too.

I understand that iTunes users with two or more country-specific accounts aren't the norm, or even close to being a majority of users -- but there are plenty of us out there. An easier way to receive app updates for us would be greatly appreciated and fall in line with Apple's famous "it just works" and ease-of-use ethos.

Hopefully you'll consider multi-country iTunes users as important as our single-country brethren. Until then, I've got $100 to blow through so I can have access to my app updates, so if you can suggest some good movies or music I might buy it would be appreciated.

Dear Apple, you need to treat multi-country iTunes users like first-class citizens originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 06 Mar 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Dear Apple, you need to treat multi-country iTunes users like first-class citizens originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 06 Mar 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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During my perambulations on the Macworld/iWorld show floor in February, I chatted face-to-face with a Belkin representative who bravely asserted that the company's $299.99 Thunderbolt Express Dock would be shipping "this month." This would be the same Express Dock that was originally seen in an Intel booth in September of 2011, announced in January of 2012, "upgraded" with an eSATA port in June 2012, and opened for pre-orders with a "shipping next week!" alert (minus its eSATA port) in mid-February 2013.

If you've got a calendar nearby, you may have noticed that it's March now -- and the Belkin dock product page still sports a "sign up to be notified when the Express Dock is shipping." So it goes.

Meanwhile, the graphics-centric peripheral vendor Matrox has quietly been shipping its Thunderbolt dock block, the DS1, in two flavors (for HDMI or DVI video-out) since the end of 2012. With a sticker price of $249, $50 lower than the vapory Belkin dock -- and with some key feature differences -- it's a worthwhile port expander that you can order today and use with your Thunderbolt-equipped Mac.

Design

Matrox's expansion kit is a bit boxier and taller than the Belkin design, but keeps the brushed metal look that helps it seem at home alongside a MacBook Air or a Cinema Display. The unit has a sturdy feel, and I wouldn't be concerned about perching a monitor on top of it (a flatscreen monitor, to be sure -- no CRTs, please). The single Thunderbolt port is easily accessible on the front of the device, next to the sole USB 3.0 SuperSpeed port.

On the back of the unit, the DS1 is all business. Both models connect to power on the right side, with gigabit Ethernet, two USB 2.0 ports and convenient audio in & out 1/8" plugs lined up as well. The only difference between the two DS1 models is on the left side of the back panel: you'll get an HDMI port on the HDMI model, and a single-link DVI-D port on the DVI model.

The DS1, like most Thunderbolt peripherals, does not ship with a Thunderbolt cable; it works well with Apple's 1.5' (0.5m) $29 jumper.

Functionality

The DS1 is a fine example of true "plug and play" hardware; no drivers, no configuration and no hassles. My DVI Cinema Display connected cleanly and immediately, with the Mac laptop recognizing its native resolution as though it was connected directly.

The front-facing USB 3 port is fully capable of supporting and powering fast USB 3 peripherals, although it's easy to forget that you've got an external drive plugged in when you pull the Thunderbolt cable out of your laptop to hit the road. The Ethernet port shows up just as expected in the Network preference pane, and both audio ports work great with headsets that normally would use a Plantronics USB to audio adapter. The back USB 2 ports also serve their intended function with a minimum of fuss. Build quality was excellent on my review unit, with no rattles or sharp edges.

Comparing the Matrox to the Belkin unit, the biggest difference is in the number and variety of ports. Belkin's dock is intended to ship with SuperSpeed 3.0 on all three of its USB ports, compared to the Matrox's lineup of one 3.0 and two older 2.0 ports. The Belkin dock adds a single Firewire 800 port to its bag of tricks as well.

Most importantly, Belkin has chosen to make its dock a dual-port Thunderbolt device, allowing passthrough to additional peripherals; Matrox's dock must be the final Thunderbolt device in the chain. This is not as big a disadvantage as it appears, however; the Belkin dock has no video-out option to compare with the Matrox DVI or HDMI port, so a pass-thru is a must for anyone wanting to connect a monitor on the same Thunderbolt chain. On the Matrox side, it's assumed that you'll connect your display to the DS1, which would normally be the terminal Thunderbolt or DisplayPort device anyway.

Conclusion

If you're already stocking up on USB 3 devices or still have a stock of Firewire drives hanging around, then perhaps the Belkin dock's additional flexibility will merit the higher cost for you. If not, the Matrox DS1 has a solid port lineup and a trouble-free connection story to tell.

Pros

• True plug-and-play
• Offers most used port lineup
• Includes video out DVI or HDMI
• Single front-facing USB 3 port for high-speed peripherals
• Slightly more affordable

Cons

• No Firewire port
• No Thunderbolt pass-through
• Slower USB 2 ports for remaining connections
• Front-facing Thunderbolt port may cause cable clutter

Who is it for

Anyone who has been frustrated by cable clutter with Thunderbolt adapters, or who wants the simplicity of plugging in a single connection when docking a MacBook Air or Pro for use at a workstation.

Matrox DS1 is a practical, powerful Thunderbolt dock originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Sun, 03 Mar 2013 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Matrox DS1 is a practical, powerful Thunderbolt dock originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Sun, 03 Mar 2013 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Visiting the annual Toy Fair trade show at New York's Javits Center earlier this month was an exercise in sensory overload. Hundreds of vendors, from tiny single-product companies to former garage startups grown massive to legitimate industry giants, staff booths and pitch passersby with their fun, family-friendly offerings.

While technological toys make headlines and grab attention, most of the products seen on display don't use anything more technologically advanced than a few AA batteries or some brightly colored surgical tubing. If you can throw it, build it, paint it, read it or stick it to a wall, it's represented at Toy Fair.

Most exhibitors were showing products that won't make it to store shelves until this summer if not later, but the buyers and retailers who need to plan ahead for the busy shopping seasons were happy to have an up-front look.

Among the toys with Apple tech tie-ins, quite a few used iOS device cameras to deliver augmented-reality content triggered by the design of the physical product. Ravensburger's line of AR-enabled puzzles can quiz you or plant your pictures in the middle of Times Square, and the Popar Toys books and games with AR features allow your eager reader to take pop-up books to the next level with 3D, animated storytelling matched to each page. Here's a quick video demo of Popar's technology in action.

Along with AR, the venerable QRCode showed up in a number of toy and game tie-ins. As Megan posted last week, the upcoming America's Funniest Home Videos game will be powered by QRCode scanning, with video clips embedded in the app for data-plan-free playtime. The US$14.99 Codigo Cube also uses QRCodes on a special die, with each code triggering a different trivia category in the corresponding quiz app. Given the level of frustration usually associated with real-world scanning of QRCodes, I don't know how effective this will be in the games market, but we'll see.

It's not shipping until late this spring, but the Verzis four-way family game controller looks intriguing. The flat gamepad-style controller set sits underneath your iPad, giving everyone on the table their individual controls. The real question there will be the number (and quality) of apps that end up supporting the controller; several are planned for release with the gamepad set.

Pretty much every manufacturer of remote-controlled toy vehicles has a selection of iOS-linked flyers, drivers or none-of-the-aboves. Model helicopter and car maker FunkyPlanet showed several 'copters compatible with its AppRC Fly iPhone controller (you have to add the $19.99 IR dongle yourself), and there are forthcoming Mini Cooper and Porsche models that work with the AppRC Drive app. Chinese OEM Woddon Toys has a whole line of iCon app-controlled models on the way, including the dramatic iConEyes quadcopter: camera equipped, app-piloted and looking like an angry baby Batmobile with rotors.

For pure RC cute, however, you would have to search hard to find anything more adorable than the DeskPets line of teensy RC tanks, cars and battling, maze-walking vehicles. DeskPets's TankBot models are $29.95 each, putting them on the less expensive end of the app/RC spectrum. Honorable cuteness mention gets a split decision, with both the Romo iPhone-powered tank robot and the Sphero rolling, swimming robot ghost ball drawing oohs and ahhs from passersby. Romo's going to have some competition with the Robo Me robot coming this spring. (We covered both Romo and Sphero at CES earlier this year.)

The iPhone also found itself playing a tactical role as an augmented-reality gunsight in quite a few toys, most of which won't hit stores until later this year. Tech4Kids upcoming TekRecon rubber-band shooters, due in the fall, use the iPhone as the sight while you try to tag your buddies. Metal Compass's Xappr AR gun bypasses the physical ammo altogether and links with more than 10 iPhone apps for virtual battles; it also works with a handful of Android apps as well. Unfortunately, despite an orange frontpiece the Xappr looks a little bit too realistic for comfort. Here's a quick video of the device.

Even if actual iOS games weren't overwhelming the show floor, the consequences of those games were clearly in evidence: scores of licensed products from Cut The Rope and Angry Birds. Cases, games, snacks, accessories and more -- check out the gallery for some examples. I lost count of how many Angry Birds tie-ins I saw across the exhibit space.

Gallery: Toy Fair 2013

Honorable mention to our pals at ThinkGeek, holding down a comparatively staid and distinguished booth filled with Minecraft and Star Trek gadgets, and to the impressive breadth of Mac and iPhone-themed items at the Thumbs Up! booth. I definitely want a Padintosh iPad cover.

There were a few legitimately inventive ideas on the show floor, which we'll get to in detail in subsequent posts. Tiggly Shapes looks like a very promising iPad toy for preschoolers, and the Apptivators line of iPad toppers definitely garnered some attention.

Our former Engadget colleague Joanna Stern, now covering the tech beat for ABC News, found some of the higher-profile iOS tie-ins at the show, including the clever Nerf Cyberhoop basketball hoop/app combo (the app does automatic scoring, listening for the audio of a made basket) and the technologically impressive, deeply creepy Barbie Makeover Mirror. This particular product, which I did not get in to see (Mattel's full-floor solo exhibit space at Toy Fair was by appointment only, and fully booked up when I inquired) uses the iPad's front-facing camera in mirror mode, then allows the player to apply virtual eye shadow, blush and lipstick via a Bluetooth-linked palette of plastic makeup. The applied color then tracks her (or his) facial features. We've got until August to get used to this idea.

We'll be sharing a few more of our impressions from Toy Fair over the next few days.

iPad, iPhone toys represented at Toy Fair 2013 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 26 Feb 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

iPad, iPhone toys represented at Toy Fair 2013 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 26 Feb 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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After a Wednesday pre-conference day filled with technical workshops, the MacIT 2013 event (colocated with Macworld/iWorld at Moscone West) kicked off with a panel discussion featuring John Welch, Nadyne Richmond, Ben Greisler, Arek Dreyer and more. The panel speakers provided quick overviews of the Mac and iOS enterprise landscape, including the promise and perils of BYOD, the role of the Mac mini Server in replacing Apple's legacy rackmounted Xserve, and the security risks facing the Mac platform in large companies.

Following the panel, Chip Pearson from JAMF Software reviewed 20 years of Mac sysadmin history, including enthusiastic shout-outs to Paul Kent and his IDG team for facilitating MacIT; Neil Ticktin and MacTECH for their continuing coverage and events supporting Mac admins; and the rebel cloners of Power Computing, who "out-Apple'd Apple" in their enthusiasm for the Mac ecosystem.

Pearson recalled how Power Computing's appearance at Macworld Expo in 1996 included a parking lot bungee cord jump, reserved for people who bought one of their machines at the show. He also noted that a company representative had a fix for the confusing interleaved memory DIMM requirements of the time, where slots had to be populated in pairs: "We told Apple, instead of slots A1 and A2, B1 and B2 -- just make it R2 and D2, C3 and P0 and everyone will just get it!"

Pearson connected the three important ingredients of supporting the enterprise (great people, ideas and technology) with his exhortation to improve education through technology. He asked the audience to investigate and understand how technology can improve education, lead through sharing expertise and time, and accelerate achievement by both students and educators. "We will all benefit by those smart students coming out and solving the problems we all inherited, and some that we are creating today," he said. "If you know something, take the opportunity to teach it. That's why we come together here, and at the Penn State Mac Admins conference; to learn."

The influx of traditional Windows sysadmins to the Mac administration field should be welcomed, according to Pearson. "If it's guys in ties, remember that some of the Mac users you're supporting also have to wear suits and ties to work." He also noted that enterprise is still trying to figure out what to do about the influx of iPads into big business, and he thinks 2013 is the year that we will start to figure out some best practices. "Let's figure out the best [use cases] for the iPad in business first, and then worry about some of the 2.0 stuff... The old models are imperfect; mobile management is not the same as computer management."

Pearson ended his presentation with a tribute to Mac management publications, sites, products and technologies paired with the "Here's to the crazy ones" ad narration, and received an enthusiastic ovation from the ample MacIT crowd.

MacIT continues through Saturday at Moscone West.

MacIT 2013 kicks off with admin overview, nostalgia originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 31 Jan 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MacIT 2013 kicks off with admin overview, nostalgia originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 31 Jan 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In the ultra-cloud, post-PC era, we do not lack for ways to share our stuff. Got a presentation deck to show? You can go full-on web meeting with Webex, GoToMeeting, Join.me or Fuze Meeting; to create the content and share it smoothly, Slideshare or Sliderocket will serve, as would either Google or Microsoft's online presentation framework. A document or a spreadsheet: Google Drive, Dropbox, Box.com, Dolly Drive or Egnyte. And if you're organizing your thoughts into notebook form, fan-favorite Evernote has your back.

There's a bit of daylight between these platforms, though. If you want to build out a collaborative project book with the ability to include movies, sounds, PDFs, comments and annotations in an indexed "everything bucket" and share it selectively, you could do that in Evernote -- but you give up the ability to set a specific, front-to-back order and a solid presentation layer or web meeting front-end, or record your own narration to go with the show.

If you go with something like Sliderocket, you get a slick presentation with powerful sharing options, narration, analytics and web meetings built in, but you are locked into the slide format; no arbitrary media and shifting content. Neither of those approaches provides a full annotation layer atop the content, with highlights and text notes in context rather than off to the side.

That gap of daylight between pure presentation form and remember-everything functionality is where you'll find Moxtra, a new iPad app and suite of cloud services launching today. Founded by veterans of Cisco's WebEx division, the app is built around the concept of a shelf full of virtual binders, each one collecting whatever you need for that project, topic or area of interest. Moxtra's binders are digital portfolio cases, holding any document or media that you like. Binders are put together on the web or on the iPad -- an example of content curation, if not outright creation -- and you can easily narrate and share a slideshow edition that will play anywhere.

Gallery: Moxtra for iPad screenshots

You decide whether to keep a binder private, share to the world (via Facebook) or selectively to invited guests/collaborators. You decide if they get view-only access, or the opportunity to edit and contribute to the binder with you. There's a full commenting and annotation layer, showing anything you choose to highlight or amend. In fact, if you record narration while you swipe through the pages in a binder, every annotation step will be recorded along with it in real time; the resulting movie is saved to your iPad photo album, and you can share that out as well if you choose.

Just as you can share your binders to others, when other people share binders to you they'll show up on your binder bookshelf, with indicators showing how long they are, how many comments they have and how many people have access. Every action in every binder is logged to your Updates screen, so you can always track back and see what's been changed. It's a very personal news feed covering the things you're working on.

The Moxtra team sees this product tacking back and forth between personal and team project management, with a lightweight client supported by several heavy-hitting cloud services. The Moxtra Cloud connectors pull in your files from your desktop or other storage providers; Moxtra Binder is the main iPad collection tool. Moxtra Note is the annotation and recording facility, and Moxtra Meet is the simultaneous web meeting tool. Did I not mention that already? Yes, you can deliver a WebEx-style presentation online right from Moxtra, including VoIP audio; participants can join from their desktop browsers with ease (and also presumably from the Moxtra app itself, although I wasn't able to test this).

How would you use Moxtra? Home improvement projects, travel diaries, distance learning... the company's site shows a few other ideas, but you can come up with your own. Since Moxtra's editing facilities are limited to rearranging or replacing pages in the binder, you're not going to be creating your stuff directly within it; but when the task is to show and discuss what you're working on, it's got possibilities. The current version has some rough edges, but the company plans to evolve the product rapidly over the next few months.

Moxtra is free for the time being, with the possibility of premium plans for high-demand users further down the road. You can download Moxtra in the App Store or sign up at moxtra.com.

Moxtra app for iPad gives you binders full of shareable content originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 29 Jan 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Moxtra app for iPad gives you binders full of shareable content originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 29 Jan 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Welcome to TUAW's Year in Review. Month by month, we're running down the top stories of 2012, all day long on New Year's Day.

Some new iMacs "Assembled in USA"?

Lost in yesterday's iFixit writeup of the 21.5-inch iMac was this small line in the description: "Interestingly, this iMac claims to have been assembled in the USA." Sure enough, a look at the...

Watch the Tim Cook interview with Rock Center's Brian Williams (Updated)

Tim Cook sat down and talked with Rock Center's Brian Williams in an interview that aired Thursday night on NBC. Though the official version is not yet published, a few YouTube users recorded the...

Steam's Big Picture mode makes playing Mac games on TV more console-like

Is that 27" iMac screen just not cutting it for your gaming needs? Introduced today, the new Big Picture mode available in the Steam client for Mac offers a front-end for your games that's...

Loren Brichter and the future of iOS apps

GigaOM had a wonderful post about Loren Brichter yesterday. In case you're scratching your head and saying "Who is Loren Brichter?", you may have seen some of his work without even knowing...

Is iTunes Plus gone? iTunes 11 offers DRM-free audio re-downloads

I am not now, nor have I ever been an iTunes Match customer. But last night, I was able to download DRM-free copies of music I purchased from iTunes in the days before iTunes Plus via iTunes 11. I...

Also:

• Adobe turns 30 this week
• Apple hiring former Texas Instruments chip designers for Israeli R&D center
• Find My iPhone updated with driving directions
• Twitter for iPhone to offer photo filters
• iTunes Music Store finally coming to Russia tomorrow?
• Former Apple VP: Apple television won't happen
• Fortune: Apple's American-made computer will be 2013 Mac Pro
• Square now offers Passbook integration and gift cards
• See the Apple Store's global expansion in time-lapse map form
• iTunes 11 for the change-averse: Where did all that stuff go?
• Judge urges Apple, Samsung lawyers to seek 'global peace'
• Reality Absorption Field: The one-two punch (minus the two)
• Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator CS6 get Retina display support
• Australian town relocated into desolate parkland, per iOS 6 Maps (Update: fixed)
• TUAW Origin Stories: Developer Matt Drance
• Foxconn seeks to expand North American manufacturing operations
• Tim Cook discusses manufacturing, Maps in Bloomberg interview
• Tim Cook announces plans to manufacture Mac computers in USA
• Google Maps for iOS gets more than 10 million downloads right away
• Google launches YouTube Capture video sharing app for iPhone
• Dropbox for iOS updated to version 2.0 with all-new design
• The Daily staff offers a musical goodbye
• Reality Absorption Field: Apple's wireless way
• Apple announces the Mac App Store's Best of 2012
• You can finally gift apps from the App Store on iOS again
• iTunes 11.0.1 fixes AirPlay, brings back duplicate detection
• Review: Google Maps for iOS
• Google Maps now available on App Store
• 1Password 4 for iOS offers new interface, favorites, more
• Kickoff for Mac adds planning to group chat
• Fake installer malware makes its way to Mac
• Google CEO discusses relationship with Apple
• Your trusty TUAW blogger tries Windows 8
• Woz predicts that in 2013, iOS devices are headed to work
• Zynga shuts down 11 apps, including PetVille and Mafia Wars 2
• Mom gives son iPhone with 18-point contract
• Just in time for New Year's, RunKeeper upgraded to 3.0
• Preparing high-res icon files with Automator
• Production lines running through Chinese New Year to meet iPad mini demand
• Attempts to ban Apple devices could see Samsung fined $15 billion
• Bloomberg blames iOS device thefts for NYC crime rise
• "Sesame Street" app developers share experience, tips
• iPhone 5 launches in Africa, Caribbean and Southeast Asia
• A look at Apple's security efforts in 2012
• Apple wins patent rights to new curved glass process
• Will Ferrell Apple Switch ads are a holiday-themed blast from the past
• Five apps that put the Merry in Merry Christmas
• Karateka compared on the Apple II and the iPhone
• Cycloramic spins your iPhone 5 by itself

TUAW Year in Review: December 2012 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 01 Jan 2013 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

TUAW Year in Review: December 2012 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 01 Jan 2013 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Welcome to TUAW's Year in Review. Month by month, we're running down the top stories of 2012, all day long on New Year's Day.

Apple shows "father of iOS 6 Maps" the door

A tweet from Bloomberg News a few minutes ago says Apple has fired its "Maps manager" in the aftermath of the iOS 6 Maps controversy. Gizmodo points to executive Richard Williamson as the unlucky...

IBM: iPad owned 88% of Black Friday online shopping from tablets

At the iPhone 5 launch event in September 2012, Apple CEO Tim Cook pointed out an interesting statistic about the tablet market: the iPad owns a disproportionate share of web browsing traffic from...

iTunes 11 now available in Software Update

It's finally happened! iTunes 11 just dropped into Software Update, so if you want to grab it open up the Mac App Store and click that Updates tab. The 198 MB file brings a totally redesigned...

NY Times: App gold rush leaves many struggling developers

The New York Times appears to have finally caught on to the big secret that many independent developers have known for a while -- the days of grabbing a pot of gold by writing an iOS app are over....

President Obama meets with Tim Cook, others

President Barack Obama spoke with prominent business leaders over the weekend to discuss his plan to avert the financial crisis that is looming early next year. According to Reuters, the list of...

Also:

• Snow Leopard still used on more than a quarter of all Macs
• Why Lightning is extra awesome
• Charge your iPhone while you cook with the BioLite CampStove
• Apple sells three million iPad minis, 4th generation iPads in three days
• Amtrak for iPhone adds Passbook support
• iPad mini launch day roundup
• AT&T announces cloud-based storage, 5 GB free for iOS users
• Apple's Bob Mansfield: influenced to stay by Scott Forstall's departure?
• Mansfield may lead Apple away from Intel chips in Macs
• Time Magazine cover image shot with iPhone: interview with Ben Lowy
• Pixar names building after Steve Jobs
• To migrate or not to migrate: that is the upgrade question
• Reality Absorption Field: Sizing up the iPad mini
• TechCrunch looks at Apple's fight against the grey market in China
• Apple named "most innovative" company three years running
• A week with the iPad mini
• Apple and HTC settle patent disputes, sign 10-year cross-licensing deal
• Algoriddim's vjay for iPhone puts video mixing in the palm of your hand
• Origin Stories: Tekserve
• WSJ: Google nearly ready to submit Maps app to the App Store
• Thieves steal 3,600 iPad minis from JFK airport
• Apple Maps finally gets turn-by-turn navigation in Australia
• Apple.com 'start page' lives
• Dropbox hits 100 million users, looking for great Dropbox stories
• Why no Retina on the iPad mini? Money and power
• Text messaging declines for first time thanks in part to iMessage
• Apple to allow employees time off to work on special projects
• Black Friday sales net some good deals on iPads
• Apple now asking potential Genius Bar customers to reboot iPhone before making an appointment
• TUAW Smackdown: Google Chromebook vs. Apple iPad, MacBook Air
• Want a 14-megapixel iPhone? Will.i.am claims he can make it happen
• Barclays orders 8,500 iPads for massive corporate rollout
• Appsterdam's Mike Lee returns with Lemurs Chemistry: Water game for iOS
• iTunes 11 imminent according to German music distributor
• Skitch co-founder talks 2.0 changes, asks user sufferance
• 5 apps to help make your turkey tasty this Thanksgiving
• Apple's 'spaceship' campus might be delayed until 2016
• Nielsen reports that iPad is most wanted this holiday season
• A year with iTunes Match: How would you fix it?
• How a kid-friendly app leaks mature content via YouTube
• New iMacs not delayed after all
• Blast from the past: Jony Ive stars in 1997 Apple video sans white backdrop
• JFK worker who helped steal 3600 iPad minis nabbed by FBI
• Multi-iPad table moves from concept to reality
• Securing Your Mac: A Guide for Reasonable People, Version 1.0
• Tim Cook to give first TV interview on Rock Center Dec. 6
• App downloads saw a surge after iPhone 5 release
• iPhone 5 in stock for the holidays, Nexus 4 is nowhere to be found
• iTunes 11 for old fogies: goin' back to the way it was
• Report: Eddy Cue tasked with setting Maps right
• Reality Absorption Field: Navigating the return of Google Maps
• Watch every Apple TV ad in a single YouTube playlist
• The Simpsons skewer iPad obsession with A Tree Grows In Springfield
• Apple needs to learn how the Internet works before iCloud evaporates

TUAW Year in Review: November 2012 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 01 Jan 2013 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

TUAW Year in Review: November 2012 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 01 Jan 2013 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Welcome to TUAW's Year in Review. Month by month, we're running down the top stories of 2012, all day long on New Year's Day.

Apple announces the long-rumored iPad mini (updated)

Just two weeks after Apple sold its 100 millionth iPad, the company has announced the iPad mini. As Phil Schiller said, it is not a shrunken-down iPad but a unique design with an aluminium...

Apple announces fourth generation iPad

Consumers and competitors alike apparently can't get too comfortable with the pace of iPad updates, because just six months after the "new iPad" came out, Apple has announced the fourth-generation...

Apple introduces new line of iMacs

Apple has introduced a new line of iMacs, its eighth generation of what it's now calling its "flagship desktop line." Although broadly similar in design to its predecessor, the big departure is...

Apple announces a 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display

As expected, Apple announced a 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display this morning. "We're taking our best product and introducing something so much better," Phil Schiller said. It's 0.75 inches...

Mapping Scott Forstall's departure from Apple

When Apple announced earlier today that -- along with several executive leadership changes -- Senior Vice President of iOS Software Scott Forstall would be leaving the company in 2013, theories...

Also:

• Consumer Reports: iPhone 5 is "best iPhone yet"
• Apple acknowledges anniversary of Jobs's death with video tribute
• Google Street View is back on the iPhone, but it's not pretty
• How to report problems with Apple Maps
• Here's a look at the whole universe of Angry Birds games (so far)
• Apple retail employees encouraged to report Maps issues
• The New York Times launches HTML5 web app for iPad
• Steve Jobs' former friends, colleagues share memories
• Samsung sues Apple over iPhone 5
• Fare thee well, Ping: 2010-2012
• Merging Apple IDs still not possible. Now what?
• Apple to open third Beijing Apple Store on iconic Wangfujing Street
• Using an iPhone to detect ear infections
• Apple agrees to licensing terms over Swiss clock design
• How Apple's mobile devices are re-defining medicine
• iPhone 5 selling out in Hong Kong
• iOS's Notification Center cares more about my contacts' birthdays than I do
• Brøderbund's Living Books return for iPad via Wanderful
• Hard drive recall emails going out to owners of 1TB iMacs
• J.K. Rowling says the MacBook Air 'changed my life'
• Newsweek goes all-digital, will cease print publishing at end of 2012
• Tweetbot for Mac arrives on the OS X App Store ... at a hefty price
• Apple receives patent for original iPad design
• Uber cancels NYC taxi program, due to high demand
• How Apple's iPhone 5 website works
• The challenges of jailbreaking iOS 6
• More car companies link iPhone nav apps to dashboard displays
• SNL skewers iPhone 5 complaints
• iPhone jailbreaking legal, iPad not
• White iPad mini sells out in 20 minutes
• Q4 Earnings call turns to iPad philosophy
• The iPad 3rd-gen's "miraculous transformation" from magical device to object of shame
• atebits releases Letterpress for iPhone
• The emerging reality of Apple's leaked products
• Java plugin users on Mountain Lion nudged firmly toward Oracle
• Apple publishes iPhone 5 launch day video
• Five apps that are wicked fun for Halloween
• Apple retail exec John Browett's departure not surprising

TUAW Year in Review: October 2012 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 01 Jan 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

TUAW Year in Review: October 2012 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 01 Jan 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Welcome to TUAW's Year in Review. Month by month, we're running down the top stories of 2012, all day long on New Year's Day.

Apple announces the iPhone 5

Apple has announced the iPhone 5. If you've been following the rumors over the past month or so, the device's appearance won't be surprising -- it looks exactly like the leaks, made of a mix of...

Apple unveils Lightning, its new, smaller dock connector for the iPhone (Updated)

As foretold by our own Richard Gaywood, Apple unveiled a new dock connector for the iPhone 5. Called Lightning, the new connector is 80 percent smaller than the current 30-pin version. Besides...

Tim Cook apologizes to iOS 6 Maps users

The "letter from the CEO" tradition at Apple has continued into the Tim Cook era, as Apple's chief executive has released a letter to customers regarding the ongoing iOS 6 Maps issues. While the...

Apple EarPods a big improvement over original Earbuds

Apple's Earbuds were introduced with the original iPod in 2001. After 11 years, Apple has replaced the iconic white earpieces with the EarPods (US$29). I bought a pair right away, as they're only...

No new Apple TV this year? How about never?

I've harped on this before, but it bears repeating: Apple is in for the fight of its life when it comes to making the TV experience better. A new report in Bloomberg, citing a number of sources,...

Also:

• Five iOS apps to help you say goodbye to summer, hello to fall
• iPhone revenue greater than all of Microsoft's
• Airline support of iOS 6 Passbook reportedly ready for takeoff
• Fox News: New iMacs are imminent
• Microsoft Office for Mac now has Retina support
• iOS 6 available for download starting at 1pm ET
• Fox 5 New York gets suckered by iPhone 5 concept video
• New Samsung Galaxy ad attacks the iPhone 5
• Tim Cook's apology shows that Apple cares, but still needs to fix problem
• Nightline uses Find My iPad to sting sticky-fingered TSA officer
• Don't like your Lightning cable? Double Helix will mod it for you
• Users reporting a big bag of hurt with iTunes Match and iOS 6
• Apple reportedly meeting with Swiss Federal Railway over iOS 6 clock
• The iOS 6 Maps app is why my next phone may be a Samsung, not an iPhone 5
• One not-so-secret reason Apple built its own Maps for iOS 6
• FBI and Apple separately deny being source of leaked iPhone UDIDs
• Making money in a crowded App Store: it's dog eat dog and Spy vs Spy
• Apple announces media event for Sept. 12
• TNW issues cautionary tale about using the iPhone as your only camera
• Who owns your iTunes? Bruce Willis probably doesn't care (Updated)
• What can you say to Siri in iOS 6?
• Developer's 10-year journey to the iPhone launch stage
• Lightning 30-pin adapter works with analog audio, "iPod Out" doesn't mean what you think it means (Updated)
• The iPhone 5's confusing international LTE support
• Ping to bow out on September 30
• Apple posts video of iPhone 5 event
• No, Virginia, you can't have a universal LTE iPhone 5
• iPhone 5 camera has improved specs, better low-light performance
• iOS 6: Talking to Siri and having fun
• People worldwide wait in line for the iPhone 5
• Apple says Maps "will get better"
• Safari exploit used to gain control of iPhone at Pwn2Own
• iOS 6: Accessibility gets a boost
• Maps for iOS 6: A great start but some big gaps

TUAW Year in Review: September 2012 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 01 Jan 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

TUAW Year in Review: September 2012 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 01 Jan 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Welcome to TUAW's Year in Review. Month by month, we're running down the top stories of 2012, all day long on New Year's Day.

Jury finds Samsung guilty of infringing on Apple's patents, awards Apple $1.05 billion in damages (updated)

A California jury has found Samsung guilty of infringing on Apple's patents, resulting in damages totaling more than $1.05 billion to be awarded to Apple. The verdict is broken down as...

Apple's original software construction kit: HyperCard turns twenty-five years old today

Twenty-five years ago today, HyperCard was released at Macworld Expo Boston. Apple's software construction kit for the rest of us began shipping on every new Mac as of August 11, 1987; you could...

Breakdown of the decisions in Apple versus Samsung verdict

The jury handed down its decision today in the case between Apple and Samsung in the US. It was a big win for Apple and a sweeping loss for Samsung, which will have to pay nearly $1.05 billion in...

ATD: Samsung could have licensed Apple patents in 2010

Sitting through a patent trial day after day is a tough assignment for AllThingsD's Ina Fried, as today's technical testimony led the judge to inquire of the jury if anyone needed caffeine. But...

Macs abound at NASA/JPL Mars Curiosity mission control

For those of us who stayed up late last night to watch the streaming coverage of the Curiosity rover's landing on Mars, it was a treat to see the huge numbers of MacBooks, iPads, and even iPhones...

Also:

• Apple Stores matching iPhone discounts from retailers and carriers
• Top gaming platform of all time? It might be iOS
• Google to challenge Siri with its updated Google search app
• Apple rolls out new "All on iPad" ad
• The New Yorker now available on iPhone
• Mat Honan details the Amazon and Apple security flaws that let hackers wipe his MacBook
• Rumor: Apple to add smaller Dock connector to all iOS devices this fall
• Twitter's API plans cause trouble for iOS devs, but they're sticking with it
• OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion gripe list
• Steve Jobs' stolen iPad used by street performer
• TIME: How your phone is changing the world
• Apple retail chiefs refute layoffs, address employees
• Apple's toughest nut yet: Cable operators
• Microsoft has no plans for Retina display Office apps (updated)
• Are we getting a clearer picture of the iPad mini?
• Are Retina MacBooks displaying screen issues?
• Palo Alto home of late Steve Jobs burglarized
• Google, PayPal, VeriFone and US carriers form Mobile Payments Committee without Apple, Square
• Report: Freeverse co-founders leave the company
• One year of Tim Cook as CEO of Apple
• OnLive sells company, lays off about 50% of staff
• Would you check your iPhone at the door of a restaurant for a discount?
• How apps are helping small business save money
• Apple adds form to report intellectual property infringement on the App Store
• Grandma plus iPad equals artistic expression
• A home office that looks like a mini Apple Store
• Mac 101: Use Image Capture to clear off old iPhone pictures
• How to be an Apple Genius: A look inside the manual
• US Federal Aviation Administration to re-examine in-flight electronics use
• Google reacts to Apple vs. Samsung decision
• Thunderbolt to FireWire adapter now definitely available
• Verizon Wireless sales staff allegedly dissing the iPhone
• David Pogue's iPhone lost, searched for, found, world safe for kittens
• Opening statements delivered in Apple vs. Samsung trial

TUAW Year in Review: August 2012 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 01 Jan 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

TUAW Year in Review: August 2012 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 01 Jan 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How the iPhone surprise was almost given away by Steve Jobs

Apple's curtain of secrecy surrounding new products is almost legendary, but a former Apple employee passed along a story to Business Insider's Seth Fiegerman about how the secret of the iPhone...

OS X Mountain Lion: The TUAW review

It's here! Following a surprise announcement in February, OS X Mountain Lion has arrived (to use its full and formal title, sans the 10.8 version number). Barely a year after the release of...

Apple removes negative reviews from apps affected by DRM bug (updated)

Update: Marco Arment says that it appears that Apple did a reupdate of the affected apps. By doing this, he says Apple ensured that customers would not lose data by being forced to delete apps off...

Five apps (and more) for the summer road trip

The Independence Day holiday week is upon us, and millions of American families are heading out on the open road. Where past generations depended on paper maps and Mad Libs, the march of...

Trojan targets Mac-using activists in China

There's a new backdoor trojan exploit out there for Mac users that appears to originate in China, specifically targeted at political activists in the Uighur movement against that country. The...

Also:

• Steve Jobs: The Lost Interview ready for rent from iTunes
• iOS claims 65% of mobile web marketshare
• The iPhone doesn't have the power to ruin (or rescue) everything
• Russian hacker circumvents iOS in-app purchases
• Apple reverses course on EPEAT environmental standard, eligible products once again included
• How Apple's North Carolina data center got built
• Andreas Illiger announces Tiny Wings 2, coming next week
• Apple wins sixth solar power patent
• Is The Daily on thin ice?
• Malware affecting Macs running older versions of OS X
• Airbus creates electronic flight bag apps for pilots with iPads
• No Comment: Android tablet not actually endorsed by Steve Jobs
• RealMyst now on the App Store
• Apple cracks down on site selling iOS 6 betas
• DNSchanger standby servers will go dark Monday 7/9
• Legendarily horrible film "MANOS" gets its own iOS game
• Apple rolls out iTunes movies in the Cloud to UK, Australia, Canada, more
• How the iPad changed the NFL
• UK judge to make Apple acknowledge Samsung didn't copy Apple
• Woz's backpack brings new meaning to "overpacking"
• WSJ: iPhone future includes thinner screen, other details cloudy
• Apple Store artist's first-person story of his visit from the Secret Service
• iPad "mini" drumbeat continues as NYT supports rumor of smaller tablet
• Apple's new Mac ads feature a helpful Genius
• Mountain Lion 101: Safari
• Building an OS X Mountain Lion installer thumb drive
• Farewell, Lion, you've served us well; Apple removes 10.7 from App Store
• A look at 18 notable Apple Alumni
• Rock Band games to be removed from iOS App Store this month
• Siri celebrity ad series continues with Martin Scorsese
• Mountain Lion's AirPlay Mirroring + Reflection = infinite regress fun
• The Daily to cut 50 staff members, switches to vertical-only layout
• Reminder: iWork.com beta shuts down today
• Apple adds Hulu Plus to Apple TV
• Rumor: Apple holding an iPhone event on September 12
• Subway iPad theft leaves reporter with broken jaw

TUAW Year in Review: July 2012 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 01 Jan 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

TUAW Year in Review: July 2012 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 01 Jan 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple announces next-gen MacBook Pro with Retina display

Apple has just announced a brand new MacBook Pro model at the WWDC Keynote in San Francisco. The new notebook is still extremely small, though it's not quite as tiny as a MacBook Air -- about two...

Apple announces iOS 6, beta available to developers today (updated)

Apple has announced iOS 6 with more than 200 new features, including significant changes to programs such as Siri. Other new icons spotted include Maps. We'll update with further details as the...

Apple announces Mountain Lion will be available in July for $19.99

Apple announced that Mountain Lion will be available in July for US$19.99. Upgrades to Macs purchased as of today will be free. Any system going back to Snow Leopard can update at this...

Messages in Mountain Lion brings conversations to your Mac

Messages has been in beta for a bit, but today Apple showed off what's coming in Mountain Lion, and I think it finally fixes a huge problem with our devices: conversation fragmentation. You may...

Siri gets a number of changes, will be coming to third-generation iPad

In the upcoming release of iOS 6, Siri will be undergoing a number of changes. One of the most significant is the integration of third party apps such as Yelp and OpenTable. Features include...

Also:

• New MacBook Pros announced with Ivy Bridge processors, up to 2.7GHz quad-core i7s.
• New MacBook Air announced with Ivy Bridge CPUs, USB 3.0
• How 'Marklar' OS X on Intel owes its start to a one-year-old boy
• WWDC keynote now available online
• The WWDC 2012 prediction post: Community edition
• iOS 6 "officially announced" by new WWDC banners
• NYC may let iPhones hail taxis
• Foursquare 5.0 gets a major overhaul
• The iPad's main competition is the old iPad
• Google promises 3D map imagery for iOS
• You're the Pundit: What hardware upgrades will WWDC give us?
• WSJ: Apple's ouster of Google Maps from iOS is coming
• iPads help airline shed two tons of in-flight entertainment gear
• A hands-on reconsideration of the Newton
• Standalone podcast app from Apple coming to iOS 6
• Microsoft planning to launch its own tablet... again
• Side-by-side browsers on MacBook Pro with Retina display
• Comparing Google maps and Apple's maps on iOS 6
• Time, Inc. will sell its magazines on Apple's Newsstand
• Attention world: the MacBook Pro with Retina display does have optical audio out
• Engadget reviews MacBook Pro with Retina display
• Tim Cook suggests new pro Macs in 2013
• The contentious case against the MacBook Pro with Retina display
• Taking a close look at the MacBook Pro's Retina display
• WWDC 2012 by the numbers
• Apple introduces Smart Case for iPad
• Apple launches all-new AirPort Express
• Apple unveils new Maps app in iOS 6
• Five apps for Father's Day
• Apple/Motorola reciprocal patent lawsuits dismissed in Chicago
• Tumblr 3.0 for iPhone completely rebuilt
• Sandboxing keeps TextExpander 4 out of the Mac App Store
• iFixit examines the MacBook Pro Retina display
• No Comment: iOS 6 Maps icon not to be taken as literal routing advice
• Old reel-to-reel tape played back with Square reader on iPod touch
• iBook Lessons: The absolute beginner
• iPhone 5th Anniversary: A video retrospective
• iPhone 5th anniversary: How I accidentally became an iPhone user
• iPhone 5th anniversary flashback: Welcome to 2006 and the height of Apple Phone predictions
• Apple's Senior VP of Hardware Engineering, Bob Mansfield, is retiring
• Facebook to launch "faster" iPhone app in July
• Getting Ready for Mountain Lion: Messages
• iPhone estimated to have generated $150 billion in revenue globally
• The whys and wherefores of a shrunken Dock connector (Updated)
• Orbitz profiles Mac users with pricier hotels, here's how to block
• Rare video of Woz from 1984 talking about computing, joining Apple and the Mac

TUAW Year in Review: June 2012 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 01 Jan 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

TUAW Year in Review: June 2012 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 01 Jan 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Welcome to TUAW's Year in Review. Month by month, we're running down the top stories of 2012, all day long on New Year's Day.

"Nanny Computing" and the future of OS X

Note to readers: I failed to add a "do not pub yet" note onto this post the night before last. It was inadvertently published during our overnight before it finished research and editorial review....

Apple VP of iOS Scott Forstall cashes in $38.7 million of Apple shares

Tim Cook's salary came up in the news last month when he was awarded a million shares of Apple stock, and cashed out a few, in addition to his many other forms of compensation. And here's another...

Steve Jobs plays FDR in this old Mac sales video

It's not often you see Steve Jobs impersonating a former president, but leave it to the creatives who made Apple sales videos to make it happen. Yes, in this never-before-seen footage (well, never...

New Maps for iOS? It's not exactly a surprise

The latest rumor to get everyone talking is that Apple will drop Google Maps for their own proprietary software. Sources told 9to5 Mac that a new Maps app will debut with iOS 6 with an...

Apple and Samsung earn 99 percent of mobile phone vendor profits

While the two big smartphone vendors, Apple and Samsung, are battling it out in the courtrooms, they're still in total control of operating profits. Horace Dediu of Asymco has just published his...

Also:

• Smoking iPhone emphasizes importance of authorized repair work
• Introducing a better mobile web experience for TUAW
• Videos of the new iPad's international launches
• New York restaurant adopts iPads, saves money
• OS X Lion updated: 10.7.4 fixes FileVault vulnerability
• DevJuice: Promotion from the Trenches
• iCloud to debut notifications? TUAW confirms mystery iCloud feature
• iPhone video lands actor on Star Trek
• Financial Times to discontinue iPad, iPhone apps, move to HTML5
• Amtrak conductors to "punch your ticket" using iPhones
• Doing the Math: WWDC capacity
• MacStories looks at four years of the App Store
• Woz hired as technical advisor on Jobs biopic
• Beepocalypse: How Apple could improve multi-device reminders
• iPhone could have a four-inch screen, says Wall Street Journal
• Aaron Sorkin to pen Jobs' biopic, Variety reports
• Logitech's Ultrathin Keyboard Cover: The best iPad keyboard case yet (Updated)
• Bloomberg: Apple will debut new laptop lineup at WWDC
• 5 apps for Moms on Mother's Day
• Catch a glimpse of an iPhone assembly line
• Pitch Perfect is the perfect marketing primer for the indie developer
• Apple pulls Airfoil Speakers Touch from the App Store (Updated)
• Dear Aunt TUAW: How do I post a website on Dropbox?
• Some developers undeterred by a larger iPhone screen
• ITC rules against Kodak, in favor of RIM and Apple
• The Ultimate iPad Case Review Roundup and Giveaway
• The story of Apple's upside down logo
• Ars looks at 25 years of HyperCard
• Tim Cook meets with US congressional leaders
• How ESPN reporter covers NASCAR with an iPad

TUAW Year in Review: May 2012 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 01 Jan 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

TUAW Year in Review: May 2012 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 01 Jan 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Welcome to TUAW's Year in Review. Month by month, we're running down the top stories of 2012, all day long on New Year's Day.

Five apps to help you file your taxes (updated)

With only a few weeks before taxes are due -- the federal deadline is on April 17, and many states have followed suit -- plenty of Americans are scrambling to file before the clock ticks away....

Developing my first iPhone game: the inside story

Editor's Note: From time to time, TUAW does cover commercial apps developed by our staffers, although it is relatively rare for individuals to write about their own projects (with some notable...

Happy 35th birthday, Apple II

Harry McCracken has a nice write up on the debut, evolution and legacy of the Apple II (or, ][ as I like to call it). The Apple II was unveiled 35 years ago, and it ushered in the home computing...

Can ThinkGeek's April product introductions get any geekier?

Where do they get those wonderful toys? Yes, the mad geniuses at ThinkGeek once again are offering a slate of new products scheduled to go on sale today. If you're an iPad owner, there are some...

Macworld's Jason Snell says what we're all thinking about iTunes

Those of you who remember iTunes when it was new, when it was merely a revamped version of SoundJam MP, will sympathize the most here. iTunes used to be a great tool for playing music and ripping...

Also:

• How America benefits from Apple
• Use the MacBook Air SuperDrive with (almost) any Mac
• Apple poised to become world's first trillion dollar company by 2014
• Walter Isaacson on the leadership of Steve Jobs
• Apple reportedly receives certification to sell Brazilian-assembled iPad
• On "mystery meat" gestures and iPhoto's learning curve
• AT&T to begin unlocking off-contract iPhones April 8
• AT&T appears to be unlocking iPhones for deployed active duty military personnel
• Apple responds to Flashback trojan, promises removal tool
• Flashback malware removal tools released by security firms
• Apple introduces VIP discounts for iBooks publishers
• An in-depth look at the iPad as a gaming device
• Apple hires United Continental CFO as VP of Sales (after airline replaces paper manuals with iPads)
• Tim Cook among Time's most influential people
• Andy Ihnatko on the iPad as his main mobile computer
• No Comment: MacBook perfume project smells like new unboxing
• The iPad as an IT professional's tool
• What we want to WWD-see for WWDC
• Apple announces record quarter sales, 94% year over year net profit increases
• WWDC 2012 is sold out
• Sprint confirms unlimited data for next-generation iPhone
• Replacing iDisk with online storage of your own
• Broadway star Josh Gad to play Woz in Jobs biopic
• Tony Fadell: First iPhone almost had a clickwheel
• The road to OS Xi: Where iOS and OS X suffer a teleporter accident and merge

TUAW Year in Review: April 2012 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 01 Jan 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

TUAW Year in Review: April 2012 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 01 Jan 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Welcome to TUAW's Year in Review. Month by month, we're running down the top stories of 2012, all day long on New Year's Day.

Apple announces third generation iPad starting at $499 (updated)

After months of anticipation, Apple has announced the third generation of the iPad. Prices are (all USD) $499/$599/$699 for Wi-Fi-only models in 16 GB, 32 GB and 64 GB. Models with LTE 4G cost...

This is not our review of the new iPad

There are lots of reviews of the new iPad. Lots and lots. My review? In deeply abbreviated form, here it is: The screen is amazing. You must see it before you make up your mind. It's pretty...

Retina display Macs, iPads, and HiDPI: Doing the Math (updated)

Love Apple gear? Like math? TUAW's Doing the Math series examines the numbers and the science behind the hardware and software. The rumourmill has been busy lately with claims that we might get...

Windows 8 tablet versus the iPad, side by side comparison

Yesterday, Microsoft held a press event at Mobile World Congress which showcased Windows 8. It's Microsoft's next generation operating system that'll run on both desktop machines and tablets. If...

Apple announces new Apple TV with 1080p support, still just $�99

After weeks of seeing the Apple TV slowly disappear from retail shelves, Apple announced the third generation of its "hobby" device today during the live press event. The new Apple TV is...

Also:

• Apple is Fortune's Most Admired Company for fifth year in a row
• Family, tech and the joy of Apple's iPad
• 25 billionth app downloaded from the App Store (Update)
• iPad embraced by small businesses; use quadruples in one year
• iPad 2 remains in lineup with $399 price point
• iOS 5.1 available, you can finally delete photos in Photo Stream
• Steve Jobs memorial: A Dawn Redwood in Tompkins Square Park
• iWork.com to be discontinued, Apple suggests iCloud as a replacement
• Conan O'Brien pokes fun at iPad Retina display
• Grandma wants an iPad: the multigenerational buyer's guide
• Apple: Treating celebs like regular folks since 1976
• Apple stock soars, market value close to entire retail sector
• Whoopsie Daisey: This American Life episode on Foxconn's iPad factories 'partially fabricated,' retracted
• On buying iPads for your kids
• Apple: Three million new iPads sold since Friday's launch
• New iPad already five percent of iPad web traffic
• circleof6 app aims to prevent sexual violence
• NYT: New iPad screen could be too good for the web
• The rumors have begun: next iPhone to get a bigger screen?
• Finding the 'Magic hour' with your iPhone for the best photos
• 25 billionth app downloader flown to Beijing by Apple
• Removing walls: how the iPad inspires new content creation
• Macworld says the new iPad's screen is underrated

TUAW Year in Review: March 2012 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 01 Jan 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

TUAW Year in Review: March 2012 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 01 Jan 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Welcome to TUAW's Year in Review. Month by month, we're running down the top stories of 2012, all day long on New Year's Day.

iPhone bug opens up stranger's life to the world

Gizmodo has raised awareness a serious problem regarding an iMessage bug that, under the wrong circumstances, might result in your messages being seen by others, or you seeing someone else's...

Tim Cook focuses on charity during Town Hall meeting

Apple held an all-employee Town Hall meeting a little while ago after the earnings call, and The Verge is reporting that Apple CEO Tim Cook took quite a bit of time during the meeting to point out...

Apple rollin' in the dough: 75% of cell phone profits

The news just keeps getting better for Apple in the mobile phone business. Just yesterday, IDC reported that the company is in third place in terms of worldwide mobile phone sales. Today, Asymco...

Five apps for Super Bowl Sunday

The Super Bowl is just around the corner which means it's time to get ready for the big game between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots. Rather than our usual five apps, I couldn't...

Does Gatekeeper point the way to an App Store-only OS X?

Apple's announcement of Mountain Lion included many promised new features, including a stronger focus on the Mac App Store than ever before. Two significant new features, iCloud document syncing...

Also of interest:

• Google reportedly hires Apple executive to work on secret project
• Mike Daisey's "The Agony and The Ecstasy of Steve Jobs" is funny, forceful agitprop (Update)
• Stephen Wolfram on Siri
• Apps have created 466,000 U.S. jobs in four years
• White MacBook reaches end of life, education sales to cease
• iPad assists South African President Zuma with State of the Nation address
• Rumor: MacBook Pro line getting revamped with MacBook Air style designs
• Siri's upcoming Japanese language abilities leaked - by Siri
• Dear Aunt TUAW: Should I buy AppleCare+?
• Apple previews Mountain Lion, next version of Mac OS X
• Mountain Lion's Gatekeeper adds additional security options to OS X
• Apple's Mountain Lion vs. a real mountain lion
• MacRumors all but confirms iPad 3 will have Retina Display
• iPhone stops a bullet, saves the life of a Rotterdam contractor
• App-ocalypse soon: Apple extends sandboxing deadlines, but restrictions loom
• Protect yourself from being tracked by Google, Facebook, and others
• The case for ditching the Dock connector
• Winclone tool for Boot Camp imaging comes back as paid app
• Our top ten wishes for the next-generation iPad
• Reflection app goes live, brings iOS screen mirroring to your Mac

TUAW Year in Review: February 2012 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 01 Jan 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

TUAW Year in Review: February 2012 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 01 Jan 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Welcome to TUAW's Year in Review. Month by month, we're running down the top stories of 2012, all day long on New Year's Day.

Apps to kickstart your New Year's resolutions

With the first day of the new year falling on a Sunday, it's a great day to organize whatever resolutions you've made. Here are a few apps to get started with. Get more organized I'm spending...

In which Steve once again predicts the future: the Newton and the iPhone

AllThingsD has an interesting story on their site about the Newton and a few specifics on the end of its short life. At the 1997 Worldwide Developer Conference (held the year Steve returned to...

Take a tour of the Macworld | iWorld 2012 show floor

Just as soon as the show floor opened at this year's Macworld | iWorld 2012 in San Francisco, we grabbed a camera and did a run through the exhibitions on display. You can see all of the various...

January 9, 2007: iPhone introduced at Macworld Expo, five years ago

As we bid goodbye to this January 9, amidst the CES chaos, we pause to remember. It was five years ago today that Steve Jobs announced the very first iPhone, at the annual Macworld keynote, and...

Apple confirms purchase of flash memory firm Anobit

Apple spokesperson Steve Dowling spoke to Bloomberg's Business Week and confirmed the company purchased Anobit, an Israeli-based flash memory firm. Israeli newspaper Calcalist broke the story in...

Also of interest:

• "Ask Different" welcomes your Apple questions
• Target confirms it'll open Apple shops in 25 locations
• Apple publishes Supplier Responsibility Progress Report
• The MacBook Air turns four years old today
• Apple to bring interactive textbooks to the iPad with iBooks 2 (Updated)
• iBooks Author makes its debut today for creating ebooks (Updated)
• Three new apps support console games from iOS
• Apple Store almost worth as much as the White House
• iPod line experiences major decline year-over-year
• Macworld | iWorld attendance steady in 2012; many newbies in the crowd
• New Flaming Lips song features Siri on vocals
• Siri guest stars on CBS's Big Bang Theory
• Siri VC Morgenthaler weighs in on iPhone 4S bandwidth badmouthing (Updated)
• Steve Jobs kept letter from Bill Gates on his nightstand

TUAW Year In Review: January 2012 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 01 Jan 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

TUAW Year In Review: January 2012 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 01 Jan 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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At the start of 2012, Apple customers and employees were emerging from the initial mourning period for founder and chairman Steve Jobs. Twelve months later, with the first full post-Jobs year in the books, Apple is (mostly) on track with some remarkable successes and only one or two noticeable calamities.

Here's my highly idiosyncratic list of pleasant surprises from the year that was. You can browse my colleagues' lists here.

Best Free Upgrade: Hulu Plus on Apple TV. There's nothing better than getting new tricks out of an old dog, and with July's unexpected addition of Hulu Plus to the Apple TV, I found new delight in my little black hockey puck. The other subscription, purchase and streaming services on the Apple TV are all worthwhile, but I was already a Hulu Plus subscriber. I'd jumped through several hoops to get VGA and audio from my MacBook into my TV for those instances when I wanted to screen a Hulu show in larger format; it was enough of a pain to discourage me from getting the most out of my subscription.

Hulu's ad-supplemented service might not be a perfect all-you-can-eat TV option, but it certainly makes cord-cutting a more appealing possibility. Having it on the Apple TV gives Apple's "hobby" more credibility as a true living room reformer. Whether or not the hypothetical "Apple television" debuts in 2013, the current offering (including the March hardware upgrade to 1080p) has some legs.

Honorable mention: We had to wander through the wilderness for a few months -- quite literally, in some cases -- before finding our way to a better navigation and mapping solution on iPhone. Not everyone rejected Apple's new Maps app. But for those who had issues, the problems were real and really annoying. Never mind the 3D views, Siri integration and free, fast turn-by-turn directions that we'd been waiting years to get; if point A to point B ends you at point nowhere, that's no good.

Thanks to the introduction of Google's new app in December, we have something close to the best of both worlds. An improving, imperfect on-board solution that's still offering next-gen functionality as the underlying POI database catches up; plus another free, sleek and easy Google-powered app that's delivering more (TBT navigation! Voice!) than the old app ever did.

Best Hardware Milestone: MacBook Pro with Retina display. Six months in, and some days I'm still not sure I made the right choice in going for the Retina 15" MBP over a fully souped-up MacBook Air. But then I spend a week away from my desktop, absorbed in the so-sharp-it-might-cut-you screen of the MBP and the remarkable performance of the all-solid-state architecture, and the extra weight in my backpack doesn't bother me so much.

Apple's great leap forward in portable displays comes with a steep sticker price, and there are still a few rough edges with naïve screenshot tools and key un-Retinized apps that show up as blocky as refugees from MacPaint Mountain. (I'm looking at you, ScreenSteps 2.) But Apple's willingness to push the envelope on HiDPI display technology -- and customers' comfort level with buying in -- once again puts the company's portable computing offerings at the top of the heap.

Honorable mention: No word yet from Thor's lawyers, but the mobile-to-Mac revamp of Apple's peripheral connectivity with Thunderbolt and Lightning has caused less pain than I expected and delivered more benefits than I hoped. The pace of Thunderbolt peripheral releases has sped up from a stall to a modest trot, and Mac support for the fast USB 3 standard has also helped ease the aggravation of dealing with dongles and adapters for legacy FireWire gear. On the iOS side, the Lightning connector delivers more mechanical reliability while maintaining solid compatibility with docks, clocks and chargers via the 30-pin adapter lineup. Of course, the Lightning adapter wouldn't have anything to connect to without the handsome iPhone 5, fourth-gen iPad and iPad mini.

Worst Surprise: For anyone who was hoping to cash in on resale of an iPad 3rd generation, it's got to be the "early" introduction of the Lightning-equipped fourth gen iPad. You live and you learn.

Best OS Overhauls: iOS 6 and Mountain Lion. Neither of Apple's big OS releases this year escaped criticism and controversy. iOS 6 faced the aforementioned Maps migraines, and Mountain Lion's Gatekeeper app security and Facebook integration. But the benefits of the new systems outweigh the drawbacks. Mountain Lion's on-board Dictation support, Notification Center and baked-in AirPlay mirroring helped make 2012 easier than 2011. iOS 6's panorama photos, improved Siri, Passbook, expanded Open In menu, the indispensable Guided Access and even Maps brought the mobile platform forward.

Honorable mention: This was the year the Mac App Store came into its own as a valid, vibrant channel for Mac software. Many of my favorite Mac apps have found a home on the MAS; several more, unfortunately, have backed off the store as the sandboxing restrictions proved too challenging or detrimental to core functionality. Here's hoping that the 2013 MAS delivers some of the flexibility these apps need to thrive.

Favorite Mac Apps: It took too long (really, way too long) for Cultured Code's Things to deliver cloud synchronization of tasks -- but now that it's here as part of Things 2, it's made my daily routine a lot easier. All my iOS devices and my Mac have the same to-do list instantaneously, with no fuss. (Yes, I could get some of the same mileage out of iCloud and Reminders, but I need more categorization and tagging options in my crazy register of things that are overdue.) Likewise, the newly streamlined BusyCal 2 delivers a solid and reliable calendar for anyone who needs more than Apple's Calendar or Microsoft's Outlook can supply.

Honorable mention: The dead simple screenshare/remote meeting tool join.me, from the fine folks at LogMeIn, works great on the Mac and surprisingly well on the iPad. It's so much easier than most meeting tools, it's almost unfair. Bonus points for the feature that lets you hand off control and sharing to one of your attendees, then reclaim the mouse for your own; as a last-ditch, low-fi remote support tool (when Messages screensharing and Back to my Mac falls down) it's a delight.

Favorite iOS Apps: I never imagined that a third-party "killer app" would revitalize an iOS baked-in feature, but I stand corrected. Loren Brichter's Letterpress is that app, and it's singlehandedly made Game Center cool again. I was also excited to see the official Khan Academy iPad app make its debut, for all your math video needs.

Readdle's Calendars app is a must-have for anyone wrangling multiple Google calendars and reasonably priced at $6.99; I've dinged Readdle in the past for some questionable UI choices in its apps, but Calendars is clean and clever.

Finally, for maintaining my inner serenity (to say nothing of my multiple time-zone sleep patterns), I depend on the library of Andrew Johnson relaxation apps. You can get a taste of Johnson's gravelly Scottish tones in the free Relaxing Holidays app, or browse his entire hypnotherapy catalog on the App Store and in the audiobooks section. (Bonus points for one of the best app names of all time, if you imagine it being shouted by an angry spouse as you head out to the pub.)

Favorite Accessories: Speaking of behavior modification, the Fitbit activity tracker has given me insight into my sleep and fitness level in 2012 (spoiler alert: it's not so good), and the motivation to step it up in 2013. Fitbit's Ultra pedometer, my model, has been discontinued in favor of the One tracker; the new unit adds direct wireless sync to Bluetooth 4.0 iOS devices.

Since I do quite a bit of flying, the automatic noise cancellation in the Fanny Wang 3000 Series headphones makes a big difference in podcast and music listening onboard. The FW 'phones are somewhat oversize for everyday use, but in noisy environments they're exactly what the ear doctor ordered.

Also in the road warrior category, I spent a lot of 2012 looking for the perfect iPad keyboard/case combo. I may not have found the ideal fit, but until I do the Adonit writer keyboard and case has made my iPad a more effective writing tool. The keyboard is leagues better than the cheap Bluetooth options from some other vendors (ahem, Boxwave) and the easy-clip frame lets me quickly transition from convertible to standalone iPad use.

Best Raging Against The Dying Of The Light: Macworld | iWorld. When Apple made its last official appearance at Macworld Expo in early 2009, the conventional wisdom was that the tradeshow and conference would not survive much longer without the imprimatur of the mother company.

So much for the conventional wisdom, I suppose. While smaller and scrappier, the show continues to draw an audience of eager Mac and iOS fans, developers and creative pros. For last year's event, Paul Kent and his team at IDG rebranded the show as Macworld | iWorld, acknowledging the shifting platform emphasis toward mobile while making the show's name much harder to print correctly. The upcoming fourth post-Apple edition will be kicking off on January 31 and running through February 2. TUAW will be there, and after a one-year hiatus, so will I -- and I'm looking forward to seeing many of you there, too.

TUAW Best of 2012 Personal Picks: Michael Rose originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Sun, 30 Dec 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

TUAW Best of 2012 Personal Picks: Michael Rose originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Sun, 30 Dec 2012 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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