The Apple Store went down around midnight ET. What will the refresh bring? We'll let you know as soon as the store is back up. Thanks to all the tipsters that let us know!

Apple Store is down originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 22 May 2013 00:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

A congressional panel has found that Apple avoided billions in taxes, the New York Times reports, thanks to an intricate network of subsidiaries throughout the globe. The structure of some of these sub-companies in certain countries made them exempt from paying or filing taxes or record-keeping laws.

The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations found that Apple kept US$74 billion from the IRS between 2009 and 2012. Apple is not charged, however, with breaking any laws.

Apple has published the full text of its upcoming testimony to the Senate congressional panel, which it's scheduled to make on Tuesday. Among those to testify include CEO Tim Cook. Cook spoke with The Washington Post last week about his ideas to repatriate some of those billions, and points out that the company is focused on creating jobs in the US and most likely will pay $7 billion in taxes to the US in 2013.

Apple releases Senate testimony as panel announces it avoided billions in taxes originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 20 May 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I've been using the Google Hangouts app on the iPhone since it was announced on Wednesday, and I've really liked it so far. I haven't messed around with it much on my iPad, except to install it, but it was enough for my Android-using husband to be jealous that we got it first.

Like Apple's Messages, it's pushing conversations to my iPhone when I'm not at my computer, a feature which I've grown to love in iOS and OS X. The Hangouts app has a great feature to snooze notifications, which is great if you're going to be at the computer for awhile and don't want the iOS app constantly alerting you to new messages. However, there's no way to change your status and alert people you're having discussions with that you might be out of pocket for a bit, but it's something that's not in Apple's Messages either.

The biggest missing feature in Hangouts is SMS integration, and Google vows it's on the way. Google community manager Dori Storbeck said the feature was the most-requested one and is coming soon.

However, as TechCrunch points out, the SMS integration most likely will be Android-only because of permissions limitation on iOS. It's a shame, because I wouldn't mind having some Hangout messages default to texts if a reliable data connection isn't available.

Google Hangouts app to integrate SMS "soon" originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 16 May 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Shortly before 5 PM ET, Apple officially hit the 50 billion-app mark on the App Store. The grand prize for achieving this is a US$10,000 gift card redeemable on the App Store and $500 App Store gift cards to the next 50 customers following that. We'll let you know the winners as soon as they're announced, and congratulations to Apple for hitting the milestone!

App Store hits 50 billion apps downloaded originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 15 May 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

With ABC adding live streaming to its iPad app and the growth of live TV services via iOS in the past few months, the time is right for Belkin to announce Dyle mobile TV receivers for the iPhone and iPad. The US$129.99 device is about the size of a half a deck of cards, weighs around six ounces and includes a carrying case. It's only compatible with devices with 30-pin dock connectors at the moment. It'll bring live TV to an iOS device without the need for an internet connection.

However, as Victor pointed out in his review of the Dyle receiver created by Elgato, is still pretty limiting. If you're in an area where the service is pretty strong, the receiver might be of use to you. But, it could be worth it to wait a few more months for Dyle to get stronger.

The Belkin receiver is available through its website and is up for pre-order on Amazon.

[via 9to5Mac]

Belkin releases Dyle receivers for iPhone and iPad originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 15 May 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Following on the heels of Kensington, Targus announced this morning that it has made its USB 3.0 docking stations Mac-compatible.

Targus' docking stations have four USB 2.0 ports and two USB 3.0 ports. The stations can handle resolutions of up to 2,048 x 1,152, deliver 1080p video and graphics through DisplayLink and support up to four displays. The stations also come with a DVI to VGA and HDMI to DVI adapters as well as a 2-foot USB 3.0 cable.

The Targus docking stations are US$169.99 and $219.99 and are available now. For those who already own a Targus 3.0 docking station, there are drivers that make the new docks compatible with the Mac and are backwards-compatible.

If you are looking beyond Targus for your hardware needs, you should look at Kensington, which upgraded its docking stations to be Mac-compatible in April, thanks to the same DisplayLink support update that's in the Targus models. Note some of the issues with the DisplayLink tools in Mountain Lion. Henge also had its horizontal dock, which boasts an impressive six USB 3.0 ports, on display at Macworld/iWorld 2013.

Targus announces line of Mac-compatible docking stations originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 07 May 2013 08:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

As Adobe finds its footing in a cloud-based world, it pulled a move that most likely will generate a backlash from the students and creative professionals that rely on its software.

Adobe announced that the Creative Suite software will be rebranded as Creative Cloud and confirmed it will no longer develop the Creative Suite line. Adobe CS6 will still be supported and available for purchase, but all future products will be provided through the subscription-only Creative Cloud service. As part of this announcement, Adobe demonstrated the first version of the new Adobe Photoshop CC.

The move shouldn't come as a huge surprise. The writing's been on the wall since the launch of the Creative Suite subscription service in 2011 and Creative Cloud in 2012. Adobe announced in March that it would end sales of boxed versions of Creative Suite and Acrobat by May 1. New products such as Muse have been exclusive to the service.

The Next Web says that its sources told them that it was a way for the company to stabilize its income, rather than the little bursts of extra revenue when a new release, but it (and I) agree that piracy is also a huge concern.

Even with discounts, Adobe's software was out of the price range for many students and entry-level professionals. It was the thing everyone knew but didn't speak aloud -- if you had a personal copy of an Adobe product, it was most likely pirated. With Creative Cloud, it is a lot easier to access Adobe's suite of software legally. Even though you're paying more over a longer period of time, $20 to $50 per month is an easier chunk to swallow than the full price of the Creative Suite software.

But that move isn't for everyone, and therein lies the problem. As a friend pointed out to me, digital artists and freelancers don't always have guaranteed income. If income runs short one month and they can't make the subscription payment, their access to the software that provides their livelihood is cut off.

Fellow TUAW writers Erica Sadun and Mel Martin echoed their displeasure for Adobe's move, saying that it took people's choice away. "Going to web-only is a bridge too far," Erica said.

Mel agreed. "I don't want a subscription. I don't want the cloud," he said. Though Adobe is pushing that way, not everyone wants to be tied to the web service.

Adobe's subscription plan is $19.99 per month for a single piece of software and $49.95 per month for access to all of its software, plus updates. If you're using CS6 now, you can upgrade to the CC software this summer without having to worry about buying additional software. Existing CS3-5 customers can get the complete Creative Cloud for $29.99 per month for the first year and CS6 for $19.99 per month. There's separate pricing tiers for businesses and education, with the education plan being $19.99 per month for the first year and $29.99 per month after that.

Adobe to go subscription-only with Creative Cloud software originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 06 May 2013 18:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple made the largest corporate-bond deal in history on Tuesday, when it raised US$17 billion in bonds -- the first time the company has offered bonds in 20 years.

In response, The New York Times asks, why would cash-rich Apple do this in the first place? Analysts tell the NYT that the debt actually can boost returns to shareholders, something Apple has already taken steps to do when it announced its dividend and share-repurchase program last week and in March 2012. In the process, Apple was using historically low rates to its advantage. The company can step around the taxes it would need to pay by repatriating some of its overseas cash stockpile, buying the company more time to lobby Congress to its advantage.

We reported shortly before the deal took place that Apple was filing the required SEC paperwork. The company plans to return $100 billion to stockholders by the end of 2015. Its next dividend payout is May 16.

Apple's $17 billion bond deal is the largest in history originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 01 May 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It seems that just when Path was emerging from one privacy PR nightmare, another one landed on its doorstep. The day after the company reached 10 million users, The Verge related the story of digital marketer Stephen Kenwright who had an unpleasant experience with the app.

Kenwright downloaded the app to his phone, tried it, then removed it. The next morning, he discovered that despite the app being removed, a good many of his contacts had gotten robocalls and texts saying that Kenwright wanted to share items with them through Path. As The Verge explains, the robocalls were an unintended side effect of some phone companies turning texts into voice calls when they're sent to a landline.

Kenwright wasn't alone. The Verge documented several more cases of this happening, including a thread at Reddit. After The Verge posted its story, several users chimed in on the comments, saying the same thing had happened to them. Like every time you play a Zynga game, Path will try to make sure you draw in as many of your Facebook contacts as possible. However, the default in this feature is turned on, not off.

Path acknowledged that the initial messages were supposed to be sent during the brief time Kenwright had the app installed and not after. But it's this sort of thing that adds one more layer to an already-growing privacy backlash against the service. But until then, if you plan to try Path, double check to make sure you're not accidentally spamming all your contacts in the process.

Path spam mishap brings renewed attention to privacy concerns originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 01 May 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In what should be one of those no-brainer decisions, the developers behind Mailbox have plans to bring the app to iPad, with desktop and Android clients not far behind, TechCrunch reports. There is no ETA on a desktop version, Mailbox developers tweeted, but it did confirm that the iPad version is in development.

Mailbox did away with its reservation system last week, the first key step in expanding to the iPad and other platforms. While the app initially gained a lot of users, expanding beyond the iPhone is imperative for users to keep using it. It was one of the key criticisms TUAW staffers had when we reviewed Mailbox collectively, and my stint with Mailbox lasted a couple days until I realized that Mailbox just couldn't integrate with my workflow as long as it remained iPhone-only.

Mailbox is working on iPad app, desktop and other versions are in the future originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 26 Apr 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple decided to push a lot of updates this afternoon, most of them related to a Java update that disables the Java SE 6 applet plug-in. By disabling the plug-in, Apple is allowing consumers to re-enable it on a case-by-case basis. Apple has provided a full guide to the new plug-in options.

We have the full rundown of updates below:

Java for OS X 2013-002

Java for OS X 2013-002 delivers improved security, reliability and compatibility by updating Java SE 6 to 1.6.0_43.

On systems that have not already installed Java for OS X 2012-006, this update disables the Java SE 6 applet plug-in. To use applets on a web page, click on the region labeled "Missing plug-in" to download the latest version of the Java applet plug-in from Oracle.

Safari 6.0.4 and 5.1.9

Safari 6.0.4 and 5.1.9 (for those on Snow Leopard) allow you to enable the Java web plug-in on a website-by-website basis.

Aperture 3.4.4

The Aperture update largely centers around a bug that could cause the program to quit during image importing and spamming users with warning dialog boxes after their Macs have been asleep. The full list of changes include:

• Addresses an issue that could cause Aperture to quit unexpectedly during image import.
• Nikon P7700 RAW images are now displayed correctly in the Import window.
• Thumbnails with version names longer than 250 characters are now displayed correctly.
• Fixes an issue that could cause multiple warning dialogs to appear when web albums are synced after waking from sleep.
• Addresses an issue that could cause Aperture to quit unexpectedly when uploading photos to Photo Stream.
• Shared Photo Stream invitation lists now scroll correctly.
• Includes stability and performance improvements.

iPhoto 9.4.3

A hefty iPhoto update, clocking in at 730.91 MB, focuses on OS X Mountain Lion compatibility. The full list of changes include:

• Photos can now be deleted from My Photo Stream by dragging to the Trash.
• Photos can now be exported from Photo Stream using the Export command in the File menu.
• RAW images manually imported from My Photo Stream are now editable.
• Fixes a bug that could cause manually rotated photos to appear unrotated when shared to Photo Stream.
• Addresses an issue that could cause iPhoto to quit unexpectedly while syncing to Facebook.
• Resolves an issue that could cause calendar text to appear at the wrong font size, resulting in order cancellation.
• Fixes an issue that could cause books to have an incorrect number of pages after rearranging two-page spreads.
• Includes stability improvements.

Then, there are the usual plethora of printer software updates, including Canon laser printers, Epson printers and HP printer drivers.

All of these updates are available through Software Update or via the Mac support page.

Slew of updates include Java, Safari, iPhoto and Aperture originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 16 Apr 2013 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Tweets posted in the past couple hours from Ambrosia Software employees reveal that a number of its developers have been laid off.

"End of an era, so long and thanks for all the fish, ambrosia. On to the next adventure," Rudy Richter, a software developer for Ambrosia, tweeted.

Subsequent tweets from Richter state that his co-workers also are looking for work. Jeremy Knope, also a developer for Ambrosia, tweeted he was looking for work as well "So long @AmbrosiaSW," Jon Gary, another developer, tweeted. "Onward and upward."

Ambrosia is the maker of Snapz Pro X iToner, WireTap Studio and more. It produces software for OS X and iOS. Incorporated in August 1993, it became known in the Mac community for Asteroids-remake Maelstrom.

We have an email out to Ambrosia president Andrew Welch asking for official confirmation, and will update this post once we hear back.

Update (11:35 p.m. ET): A tweet from Ambrosia's official Twitter states "that the company is still in business. "To paraphrase Mr Clemens, the rumors of our demise have been greatly exaggerated. We are still in business, and supporting our products!"

However, another tweet from Richter, this one to smartwatch-maker Pebble, says that his employer has closed up shop. With different reports emerging, we hope that things are going OK for everyone at Ambrosia.

Update #2 (4/11, 6 p.m. ET): Ambrosia President Andrew Welch acknowledged the layoffs and said the company is scaling back operations. "We are still in business, and will continue to be for years to come. We have a large product line that we will continue to support," Welch said.

Ambrosia Software employees report layoffs, but company says it's still in business (updated) originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Not long after I got my first personal Mac in 2004, I began looking for a robust writing program to replace Microsoft Word. There were a few good offerings that catered to what I wanted -- a word processor and a project manager. There was Circus Ponies' NoteBook, and I also used CopyWrite for a time. I also tried the initial version of Ulysses.

Originally released in 2004, Ulysses was everything I wanted in a writing program. It was an organized text editor aimed at creative writers, but the big drawback was the extremely hefty price tag. At the time, a full license was around 80 Euros, a pricepoint that carried on for several more years. The price had dropped by the time version 2 rolled around in 2009, but years before, I was lured away by a little beta program called Scrivener Gold. This eventually became the Mac writing powerhouse Scrivener.

Nearly nine years after I first looked at Ulysses, I'm taking a second look. This time, it's a keeper.

UI

Scrivener users will find that Ulysses looks familiar. The overhauled app resembles Scrivener now in its three-paned setup. The left pane identifies where files are stored, similar to Mail. You can see your entire library or drill it down to documents stored in iCloud (if enabled) or items stored locally. The middle pane features your documents, known as sheets. The right is your editing pane, and you can open a fourth pane that shows you basic keyboard and Markdown shortcuts, something I find extremely useful.

You can organize sheets by assigning a header at the start of the document, then use bookmarks, subgroups, filters, and smart folders to further organize them. I really wish you could give sheets unique names without assigning it a header, just in case you forget to remove that header when exporting it. If you have a long document with multiple headers, you can leap from header to header using an option in the toolbar. However, this feature doesn't work if you are using bookmarks and headers in a sheet. Deleting bookmarks is also cumbersome. Tip: Double-click on the part of the bookmark that sticks outside the document to get rid of it.

There are several view modes you can toggle among, and going into full screen provides true distraction-free writing.

Use

Unlike other members of the TUAW staff, I'm not a power coder, and my knowledge of Markdown is rudimentary. I managed to get Sublime Text 2 set up, but felt the $70 was far too pricey for my needs. I write comic scripts in Scrivener, but I want just a nice plain text editor for my work with TUAW and PennLive.com.

If you've not explored text editors beyond TextEdit, or you're married to Microsoft Word, Ulysses is a good place to start. It visualizes links, images, headings, code and more. Typing the Markdown code for links and images brings up a popup box that allows you to paste in links or drag-and-drop an image to the file. Individual files are called sheets, and you can join them by highlighting two sheets and "glueing" them together.

One thing I really like about Ulysses is the handy cheat sheet included for Markdown. As someone who is still getting used to writing in the language, it's nice to have those shortcuts at hand rather than toggle between windows when I forget a shortcut. The cheat sheet changes depending on if you're using basic Markdown, Markdown XL or Textile in your document. You can change what style you're using by hovering your mouse at the top of the sheet, no matter where you are in the document. You can also use this to add keywords and notes to your sheet.

But you don't need to know Markdown to use Ulysses. There are keyboard functions for basic functions such as styling a text in bold or italics or adding a URL. It's the perfect marriage of a Markdown editor and the advantages of writing program such as Microsoft World. For Markdown fans, what few services are missing in Ulysses can be rectified by installing Markdown Service Tools, which can be used systemwide.

Another of Ulysses' strengths is the Quick Export tool, which does one-click exporting of your file as Markdown, text, HTML or a PDF, copies the text to the clipboard or opens your file in a number of programs. You can preview your text in a variety of applications, and Brett Terpstra says that with its next update, Marked will provide integration with Ulysses (he says it's in review right now). Basic statistics are also available, including an estimated reading speed.

Ulysses is also integrated with Daedalus Touch, an iOS text editor also by the Soulmen. You can sync among copies of Ulysses and Daedalus Touch with iCloud. I would like to see similar integration with non-Soulmen iOS text editors, such as Drafts, but can see why that would not be a priority.

Sync worked well with iCloud. I started this review on my MacBook Air, then picked it up where I left off on my MacBook Pro. I suspect there might be an issue when Ulysses tries to sync with iCloud and you can't reach it. The only time the program crashed on me was when I had Wi-Fi turned off and was unable to sync with iCloud. You can add Dropbox as a source, something I didn't figure out until it was mentioned in the Stale Coffee review.

Conclusion

Programs such as Microsoft Word and Pages put an emphasis on making your text look good. Ulysses, however, makes your text work. No matter how you set your preferences, the exported result will be clean code that will make your web producer very happy if you write for any website. While Scrivener will always be my go-to for creative writing, Ulysses will be the program I use for reporting.

Ulysses is on sale for US$19.99. But with a $39.99 regular pricepoint, there should be a demo version. There are just enough quirks with it that you need to try it before you spend nearly $40 on it.

Ulysses strives and seeks to be a better text editor for Mac originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 08 Apr 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world.

You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here.

No Flash? Click here to listen.

Subscribe via RSS

Daily Update for April 5, 2013 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 05 Apr 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Apple Store went down for maintenance at midnight ET. What will the refresh bring? Maybe a surprise or two this April morning. Tipster Daniel was in the middle of buying a book from iPhoto when the upload cut out about halfway through. Thanks for the tip, Daniel, and good luck getting your photo book produced!

7:38 AM ET: Store's back up, and no obvious changes -- did anyone spot a shift? Although our commenters note that T-Mobile preorders for iPhone 5 are due today, those don't appear on the Apple Store yet.

1:12 PM ET: It seems Apple has added handy, touch-friendly navigation and search results for those shopping from an iPad, iPhone or iPod touch. For example, you can now swipe through product categories. Also, search results are now presented as a tap-able grid.

Apple Store is down (update: back up) originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 05 Apr 2013 00:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple has taken steps to mend its image in the eyes of the Chinese public after the state-controlled media alleged that Apple was avoiding comment on a recent China Central Television documentary.

A letter from Tim Cook, posted on Apple's website, apologized for any confusion caused among Chinese users. Cook said Apple is implementing four major adjustments to its warranty policy in China in an effort to improve service. These changes are:

• A new repair policy for the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S, where phones will be replaced instead of repaired in certain situations. China claimed Apple had an inferior replacement policy there compared with other countries.
• Chinese consumers can easily see Apple's maintenance and warranty policies on its website.
• Better training for third-party Apple Authorized Service Providers.
• Improved means of contacting Apple feedback.

[via 9to5Mac]

Apple alters Chinese warranties after several weeks of controversy originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 01 Apr 2013 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Find My Friends has received a small, but important update. Version 2.1 of Apple's friend-location software introduces a new UI to search and set location-based notifications. Paranoid that your child is skipping school? Use the UI to look for your child's school and get alerted if he leaves before he should.

The Next Web has played around with the release and notes that the new UI allows you to set an exact distance from a location, so it's more useful for doing things such as locating someone a short distance away from you. Tap and drag on the location to set the parameters desired.

Find My Friends update allows fine tuning originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 28 Mar 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

This one falls in the "it's about time" category: the last of the national US cellular carriers is finally going to offer the iPhone. T-Mobile will officially carry the iPhone starting April 12, with pre-orders beginning April 5.

At the company's Uncarrier event this morning in New York City, it announced that the iPhone 5 will be available for US$99.99 down, and the ability to pay the rest in $20 installments over the next two years -- with no annual contracts.

T-Mobile also will offer the iPhone 4S under the same agreement with $69.99 down/$20 monthly installments over two years and the iPhone 4 for $14.99 down/$15 monthly installments. The iPhone 5 will be available in all markets, but the iPhone 4 and 4S in select ones.

T-Mobile CEO John Legere said that the iPhone 5 offered through T-Mobile will support HSPA+42 in AWS and HSPA+ in MetroPCS in addition to LTE, along with high-definition voice calls.

T-Mobile announced in December that the iPhone would be coming to its network in 2013 and has been encouraging people to bring their iPhones over to its Value Plan since September. As of 2011, more than 1 million iPhones were being used on T-Mobile's network, even though the company did not have any ties to Apple at that time.

You can follow our sister site Engadget's liveblog of the Uncarrier event, as more details are released.

[via Engadget]

Update (12:10 p.m.): More details on the plans added and HSPA+ support, along with official press release.

T-Mobile to finally start carrying the iPhone with no contract, pay $99.99 upfront, and HSPA+ support (updated) originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 26 Mar 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If you're a karaoke fan, or it's a requirement for that nightclub you've always wanted to run, Kjams for Mac has reached the beta for version 1.0. The karaoke software has everything you need to get the party going, and what few reviews are out there say it's easy to use, extremely robust, and won't lock up your Mac. Development on kJams goes back to 2004, and reading the version history is a nice little stroll down memory lane to see software being developed in the days of OS X 10.3 Panther.

After nearly nine years in development, the beta is moving along at a pretty quick clip. Kjams is a robust karaoke player already, and it's good to see it push toward an actual 1.0 release.

Karaoke software kJams goes beta originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 25 Mar 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple's new two-step verification process has already been put to the test, thanks to a (now apparently offline) exploit that allows anyone with your email address and birthday to reset your Apple ID. The Verge confirmed the exploit after the site was made aware of a tutorial posted on a Chinese-language hacking site. The hack involves pasting a modified URL while answering the question about the account's date of birth info.

The Verge did further exploration on the hack and found that accounts that were told they needed to wait three days to enable the two-step verification are also vulnerable to the exploit. The only way to change it for those in the waiting period is for people to change their birthdays in their Apple profile.

Apple's password reset tool is in maintenance status right now, which means there's no way to use the exploit. Chances are it will remain offline until Apple gets this hole patched.

Apple maintains its Product Security page, including a contact email, to allow users, researchers or media organizations to notify the company of emergent security issues and concerns.

Update: Apple has confirmed the exploit to The Verge and says it is working on a fix.

Exploit (now offline) allowed bogus reset of Apple ID passwords (updated) originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 22 Mar 2013 17:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world.

You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here.

No Flash? Click here to listen.

Subscribe via RSS

Daily Update for March 15, 2013 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 15 Mar 2013 23:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple has released OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.3 and the first security update of 2013. The update includes a number of good improvements including:

• The ability to redeem iTunes gift cards in the Mac App Store using the built-in camera on a Mac.
• Boot Camp support for installing Windows 8 and Macs with a 3 TB hard drive.
• Various fixes for issues that cause a URL to quit apps unexpectedly, that might cause Logic Pro to become unresponsive and stuttering audio on 2011 iMacs.
• The update also includes Safari 6.0.3.

The update is available via Software Update or through the Mac App Store. You can find the full support document on Apple's support site.

OS X Mountain Lion v10.8.3, Security Update 2013-001 now available originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 14 Mar 2013 17:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world.

You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here.

No Flash? Click here to listen.

Subscribe via RSS

Daily Update for March 14, 2013 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 14 Mar 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Fans of Google Reader are going into mourning, as Google has announced that it is shutting down the RSS reader service on July 1. As part of its now annual spring cleaning initiative, Google says service usage has declined. It urges people to find an alternative in the three and a half months before Google Reader sees the sunset. Users can export their data using Google Checkout.

There's a number of really good Google Reader apps for Mac and iOS, including Reeder and Flipboard. It will be interesting to see Reader's shutdown will affect them. Our staff has seen recommendations for Feedly and NewsBlur as alternatives to Google Reader. You have until July 1 to make the changeover, so there's still time, but a lot of services and workflows will undoubtedly be affected.

Google also will be closing the door on the desktop version of Snapseed. As of today, Google will no longer be selling the desktop software or provide updates. Existing customers can still get support and download the program. Mobile versions of Snapseed have not been affected.

Google to shut down Google Reader, Snapseed for Mac among others originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 13 Mar 2013 20:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's no surprise that Adobe plans to end sales of boxed sets of Creative Suite and Acrobat software. TechHive confirmed the move with Adobe after several resellers reported a cutoff date of May 1 for purchasing a boxed set of Adobe Creative Suite.

With Adobe placing more focus on its Creative Cloud subscription service and more laptops losing their optical drives, the company is placing the dollars set aside for producing shrink-wrapped boxes of software elsewhere. And it makes sense. Only one boxed Adobe product, Acrobat, is in the top 10 of current best sellers at the online Apple store. Boxed versions of Photoshop Elements and Lightroom are among top sellers at Amazon.

Adobe to end sale of boxed Creative Suite software originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 13 Mar 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

TechHive convinced three professional photographers to give up their DSLRs and sent them off into the wilderness with smartphones: one armed with an iPhone 5, the second with a Nokia Lumia 920 running Windows Phone 8 and the third with the HTC EVO 4G LTE running Android.

Anne Hamersky was the photographer with the iPhone 5. She used Photo Grid to create collages and did her processing work in Snapseed. Hamersky was impressed with how close the iPhone could focus and the quality of the macro images.

The thing I really liked about Hamersky's part of the article that neither of the other photographers did is that she detailed the settings in Snapseed that she used to process each set of photos. It not only shows off just how good of a camera the iPhone 5 has, but it's a great learning tool if you're just getting familiar with Snapseed or photo toning in general.

Pro photographers use smartphones as cameras, share results originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 13 Mar 2013 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Apple Store app has received its first update since November, and it doesn't add much. There's new delivery options that allow you to choose different shipping options for separate items in an order, useful if you want to pick up part of your order at an Apple Store then have the rest of it shipped to you.

The app also adds the ability to check and see if an item is available at your closest Apple Store for pickup. This feature is only available in the US at this time.

Apple Store app updates with new delivery options, store availability originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 12 Mar 2013 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world.

You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here.

No Flash? Click here to listen.

Subscribe via RSS

Daily Update for March 12, 2013 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 12 Mar 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's the TUAW Daily Update, your source for Apple news in a convenient audio format. You'll get all the top Apple stories of the day in three to five minutes for a quick review of what's happening in the Apple world.

You can listen to today's Apple stories by clicking the inline player (requires Flash) or the non-Flash link below. To subscribe to the podcast for daily listening through iTunes, click here.

No Flash? Click here to listen.

Subscribe via RSS

Daily Update for March 11, 2013 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 11 Mar 2013 12:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I've taken a look at a number of really nice iPad mini cases, and the US$120 MapiCases' Soli falls into the luxury end of the spectrum. However, you're not spending your money on looks alone. This is geninuely a very nice case.

The Soli comes in four colors of glossy European leather: black, brown, red and tan. It functions the same as a number of other good iPad mini cases, folding into two stand positions that will handle typing in landscape mode or watching videos. The magnets in the front cover will wake the iPad mini from sleep when you open it, and the lining protects the screen. MapiCases says each case is made by hand, and the craftsmanship shows.

I spent a week with the Soli and was pretty pleased. My one quibble is that the latch sticks straight up when the case is folded back so you can watch a video, as you can see in the photo above. I wish it was flexible enough to fold back and stick to the cover like my Belkin case does. I was a bit dubious about the case in typing mode, thinking the iPad mini would rock as I use it. It did, but only slightly.

There's a number of great cases with similar features for $70-80 less, but if you really need to make a statement or appreciate having a luxury iPad mini case, you can't go wrong with the Soli. It'll look great in a fashion boutique, the boardroom or your local coffee shop.

Giveaway

We have a very nice red MapiCases Soli that would love to find a new home! Here are the rules for the giveaway:

• Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.
• To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button.
• The entry must be made before March 9, 2013 11:59PM Eastern Standard Time.
• You may enter only once.
• One winner will be selected and will receive a MapiCase Soli for iPad mini valued at $120.
• Click here for official rules.

Review and giveaway: MapiCases' Soli is a luxurious home for your iPad mini originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 07 Mar 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

One of the things I never thought I would miss when I made the switch to an iPad mini is my keyboard case. I loved using my Jot Writer 2 Plus with my iPad 2, and the friend who subsequently inherited that iPad also loves the case. I never thought I would need or want a keyboard to go with the iPad mini.

But, there are a growing number of keyboard cases for the iPad mini. Steve Sande took a look at the Belkin Portable Keyboard Case for iPad mini, but found it a bit frustrating to use because of certain key placements and the stand. I'm taking a look at the $79.95 Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard for iPad mini, and if I was to recommend any keyboard case for an iPad mini, this one would be it -- even though it has its own quirks.

Design

If you're familiar with the larger Ultrathin Keyboard Case for the iPad, then the mini version doesn't add anything new. This is a svelte case, thinner than the non-keyboard cover I'd been using on my iPad mini and weighs around 7.33 ounces.

Like Apple's Smart Cover, it attaches to the front of your iPad by magnets and activates the iPad's sleep/wake function by opening and closing the lid. The resulting sandwich of iPad and case is still thin. I keep the mini tucked in the back pocket of my normal purse (a Rickshaw Bags mini commuter messenger) with the case on with no issues. If you want to use your iPad without the keyboard, you'll need to detach it. Just make sure not to lose it, and turn the keyboard off so you're not wasting the power.

It comes in two models: all black and white/aluminum. There is a deep, notched groove that will let your iPad mini stand in landscape or portrait mode. A power button, Bluetooth-pairing button and micro USB charging port are on the upper-right of the keyboard. It does a good job at protecting the front of your iPad, but I found that the aluminum got dirty quickly when I was using it on different tables. The nature of the keyboard case means the back of your iPad mini will be unprotected, so you might want to take a look at a skin to use with it if you want to avoid scratches.

Functionality

When it comes to scaling keyboards down for the iPad, and especially the iPad mini, there are some sacrifices that have to be made. A lot of keyboard makers cram multiple functions onto a single key, forcing you to stop and stare at the keyboard for a moment to figure out what combination you need to hit to do a quotation mark.

Logitech tries to make those changes minimal on the iPad mini, despite the much smaller working area. Instead of pairing some of the punctuation marks with other keys, it placed chiclet keys the size of a normal function key on an Apple keyboard. This enabled more of a normal keyboard layout. The caps lock and tab keys are subfunctions of the A and Q keys. Number keys will activate iPad shortcuts when used along with the function key. The nicest shortcuts are the ability to activate Siri and the ability to toggle among world keyboards you have installed. However, the Siri key is a bit redundant, since holding down the Home hotkey does the same thing.

Logitech Ultrathin Keyboard Case overlaying my 13-inch MacBook Air's keyboard

When it comes down to it, whether or not you'll like this case depends on how much you tolerate the tiny keyboard. When he reviewed the Griffin keyboard case, Steve Sande was OK with its smaller keyboard, other than the punctuation keys. I was chatting with Macworld's Lex Friedman about his experience on Twitter, and he found that the keyboard could be detrimental to touch typists. His writing speed on the Logitech keyboard dropped from 110 words-per-minute to roughly 30. The cramped keys hampered former TUAW staffer David Chartier as well.

I'm not a touch typist, but I'm not entirely a hunt-and-peck person either. When I started using the Ultrathin, I had a hard time getting used to it, and I have little hands. It got better after a couple of hours of heavy use, and after three days I was typing at normal speed and not making many errors. The biggest problem I have typing with the tiny punctuation keys. But, I vastly prefer them over the alternative of hunting down specific punctuation under a function shortcut.

The other issue I had with the case is the placement of the groove. The groove holds your iPad pretty securely, and I've carried my iPad mini across the room in it without no issues. However, the angle is a little steeper than I'd like, and you can't adjust it like with the Belkin case. I had to sit cross-legged to use the iPad mini and case comfortably in my lap, and I wonder what the experience will be like on an airplane when you can't compensate for the person on front of you leaning their seat back.

Conclusion

I wrote this review in Drafts on the iPad mini using the Ultrathin, and once I got comfortable with the keyboard, the experience was mostly pleasant. It's made me reconsider my stance on having a keyboard with the mini, and I can see it being a good companion when I want to do some writing away from home and not carry my laptop with me.

But, if you have large hands or you're a touch typist, this keyboard might not be for you. If you have the chance to test the Ultrathin before purchase, I recommend you do so.

Pros

• Thin and light, the stand supports the iPad mini in portrait or landscape mode and can be used on a table or in your lap.
• You can access most keyboard punctuation without having to use the function key.
• The iPad shortcuts, such as Siri and world keyboard switching, are useful.

Cons

• Because of the tiny keys, you might not enjoy typing on a keyboard designed for an iPad mini.
• The stand might be a bit steeper than some people would like.

Who's it for

• iPad mini users who want to use the iPad as a portable writing machine or want a good keyboard.

Logitech Ultrathin is a good, but cramped, keyboard for the iPad mini originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 05 Mar 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

In another push to compete against AirPlay and the Apple TV, the latest YouTube update for iOS adds the ability to direcly stream video to a TV without AirPlay. This is a feature its Android brother has had since November.

You can stream video from the YouTube app to the Xbox, PlayStation 3 or Internet-capable TVs. There also are controls that allow you to compensate for a slow WiFi connection when video streaming.

The YouTube app has had AirPlay streaming since the iPad-compatible verson was introduced in December, but the latest update will be useful for those who don't own an Apple TV.

The update also adds YouTube Capture, which allows you to record, edit and upload video to YouTube. It was introduced as a standalone app since December for the iPhone, but having it in the native YouTube app will extend its capabilities to iPad users.

YouTube adds AirPlay competitor to iOS app originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Here's something we haven't seen in awhile! The now-familiar white sticky note saying that the Apple Store is down for maintenance. Will we get a late-February surprise when the store update is finished? We'll let you know as soon as it comes back up, but until then, speculate in the comments!

Thanks to our eagle-eyed readers who submitted the tip!

Apple Store is down originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 27 Feb 2013 00:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The iPad and iPad mini donned their latest and most fashionable apps and made an Oscar appearance in the form on an ad on Sunday night. It's not the first time Apple has made an appearance at the Oscars. Apple's showings at the awards show stretch all the way back 2007, when the first Apple iPhone commercial made its debut.

Other notable Apple Oscar appearances include the iPad's first commercial in 2010, and Steve Jobs has walked the red carpet. You can check out the ad below.

[via AllThingsD]

New iPad ad debuts at Oscars originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 25 Feb 2013 07:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The most iOS-related news to come out of Sony's big PlayStation 4 announcement is the impending release of tablet apps that promote a second-screen experience. According to Engadget, the apps will be able to stream 10-second gameplay clips, gaming sessions, download items that are auto-tailored to your preferences, and more.

The PS4's revamped interface looks like it would be at home on an iPad. While Sony did not give specifics on if the companion app would be available on iOS, it would be surprising if it wasn't on the App Store at launch.

Sony's following in the footsteps of Microsoft, which debuted the Xbox SmartGlass app in November. Mike Schramm took a look at the Microsoft app; he was pretty impressed with it, and said it was a good alternative to using the Xbox controller when you're not gaming. Looking at SmartGlass, you might get a sense of what the PS4's app could eventually be like on iOS.

PS4 to have social apps geared toward second-screen experiences originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 20 Feb 2013 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

America's Funniest Home Videos started when Steve Jobs worked on NeXT computers and Bob Saget, the original host, was best known as Danny Tanner on Full House. It's one of those shows that inevitably you find yourself doing a double-take and going, "That's still airing?"

It's not just going strong, but the latest game based on the series debuted at Toy Fair 2013. TDC Games is using the show as its first subject in a line of Scan Games, which has a game board bundled with cards bearing QR codes. Scan the card with an iOS or Android device using a free app that you download after purchasing the game, and content related to the game being played will appear on your screen. In the case of the AFV game, the content is a clip of a home movie featured in the series. You guess what will happen in the video, then select the answer on your iOS device to see the rest of the clip play out and determine how many points you receive.

It's not just the cards that have the QR code. There are codes embedded in the board as well, and point bonuses are issued when you scan those spaces. It's a neat mesh of technology and a traditional board game, and it's a game that's good for the entire family to play.

The app is designed for an iPhone, so you will have to enlarge it on an iPad to take advantage of the screen. This could lead to video degradation on older iPads.

This board game / iOS-compatible version of AFV will be available in fall 2013 for US$19.99. Bonus card packs, which can be played on their own or with the game, will be $9.99. Watch the video below to see the game in action.

Toy Fair 2013: 'America's Funniest Home Videos' board games includes QR cards to enhance game originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 14 Feb 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

During tonight's State of the Union address, US President Barack Obama gave a specific shout out to Apple, and indirectly to CEO Tim Cook, who is attending the speech.

The President cited Apple's plans to bring production of one of its Mac product lines back to the U.S. Cook was previously announced as one of Michelle Obama's guests for the State of the Union address.

Follow this link to see the spot in the speech where Obama recognizes Apple. It's also embedded below at the 24:10 mark.

President Obama recognizes Apple during State of the Union address originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 12 Feb 2013 21:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Like Macworld/iWorld, Toy Fair 2013 is filled with products that began life as Kickstarter crowdfunding efforts; Ubooly is one of them. This combo of a plush bear and an iOS app received more than US$28,000 in funding on Kickstarter in April 2012. It later received $1.5 million in seed funding.

The Ubooly plush is an orange bear that appears to be missing its face. Users download the free app and activate it, then insert an iOS device into the plush upside-down to add a face. From there, a child can interact with the Ubooly in a number of ways, ranging from playing various games to telling jokes to simple stories.

The plush is padded with memory foam, so it can handle being thrown or dropped and you don't have to worry about damaging your iOS device by accident. Still, as with a lot of the toys that Mike Rose and I saw at Toy Fair yesterday, it's best to use an older iPhone or iPod touch with Ubooly. You can use iPhone models going back to the 3GS and iPod touches starting with the fourth generation.

The app also can be used on its own without the Ubooly pet. Outside of the plush, there are a number of mini-games that can be played and rooms for Uboolies that can be decorated using using in-app purchases. This is a great way to test the Ubooly with your child before investing in the plush toy. As with all situations with children using apps with in-app purchases, you should lock out store access so your child doesn't go overboard buying extras without your approval.

Ubooly is $29.99 through its website, but is currently on sale for $19.99 at ThinkGeek.

Toy Fair 2013: Ubooly is soft, squishy and smart thanks to the iPhone originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 11 Feb 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple has issued a 23 MB update for the iPhone that fixes an unknown cellular performance and reliability issue for iPhone 4S users. iOS 6.1.1 is available by checking for updates on your iPhone, updating via iTunes or via support download from Apple.

Thanks to those who provided the tip!

iOS 6.1.1 fixes cellular issues with iPhone 4S originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 11 Feb 2013 15:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The BBC is looking at debuting some of its programming over iPlayer before it airs on television. The projected yearlong trial will test a variety of programs, Radio Times reports, but the BBC hasn't specified whether that will include established series or new ones. The BBC says there were more than 187 million requests for content through iPlayer last month and is hoping it will be a boost in overall viewing figures.

The BBC's first attempts in streaming online-only content includes the pilot of the BBC Three comedy Impractical Jokers. Prior to the first part of Doctor Who series 7 airing in August 2012, the five-episode prequel "Pond Life" also was made available online-only. "Pond Life" also appeared on the BBC's YouTube channel at the same time it appeared in iPlayer. The first part currently has more than 1 million views just through YouTube.

[via Electronista]

BBC iPlayer to stream shows ahead of broadcast originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 08 Feb 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.