With Google Reader fading into the sunset in July more and more users are looking to replace its functionality. Zite for iOS (free) has some solutions that should please many news hounds. The app was originally born out of a desire to replace Google Reader with something that learned your interests and had a more compelling display. In a new release, released today, Zite is trying to go further to embrace what's good in Google Reader and add some bells and whistles.

First, Zite has increased the prominence of sources. Those sources now appear in a topic drawer after you mark an article that you like. Another welcome feature is that articles grey out ofter you read them. One of the best additions is the ability to highlight sources that are obscure. Google Reader always had a bit of a signal to noise problem because the volume of feeds could overwhelm some of the smaller sources. Zite fixes that and will aggressively display more obscure content that you like.

Zite has also made setting up the app easier for new users. There are on-screen guides and built-in tips that explains how Zite works and what you can expect.

Gallery: Zite update

There are some subtle interface changes as well this time around, and some new sponsored sources have been added.

I've found Zite a frequent and preferred stop for my news browsing on iOS. What I'd really like to see is a Mac app that gets me the same content so I'm covered on my desktop and laptop. I'm told this is under consideration and I hope to see it sooner rather than later.

Zite is a universal app and requires iOS 6 or later.

Zite update is aimed at Google Reader orphans originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 22 May 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

OtterBox, a pioneer in smartphone case technology based in Ft. Collins, Colorado, today got a little bit larger. The company acquired LifeProof, a company that builds a line of waterproof cases that provide superior protection without adding a lot of bulk or weight to devices.

OtterBox will begin incorporating the LifeProof line into its own line of cases over the next month, and it appears that both companies will retain existing employees for the time being. OtterBox has about 650 employees worldwide, while LifeProof has about 250 in its San Diego office.

It will be interesting to watch this acquisition unfold. Could this be the start of consolidation of accessory manufacturers in the booming Apple market? We'll keep an eye out for other rumor or takeover talk.

OtterBox acquires LifeProof originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 22 May 2013 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

We recently asked if Apple's ongoing legal battles with Samsung were worth the effort for the computer giant. As if to answer our question, this week Apple amended their infringement claims with a new motion filed in the second California patent case targeting five patents that the Galaxy S4 infringes on. But the motion contained a new component; the targeting of Google Now's search app.

Foss Patents has a thorough run down of Apple's claims, including the specific five patents Apple says Samsung is in violation of. The main point of contention that the Android Quick Search Box and Google Now infringe upon several of their patients covering their own voice search program Siri.

In a footnote found in their motion Apple sums up their claim thusly:

Apple determined that the Galaxy S4 product practices many of the same claims already asserted by Apple, and that the Galaxy S4 practices those claims in the same way as the already-accused Samsung devices."

Apple: Google Now violates Siri patents originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 22 May 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

A new study from BookNet Canada notes that the ebook market may be in trouble. Paperback books, says BookNet, made up 58% of all purchases last year, with hardcover taking 24%. But ebooks were only 15% of total sales last year, a figure that's down overall from 2012's first quarter, where they made up 17.6%. In other words, ebooks are selling, but they're hardly taking over the market.

Now, those numbers reflect sales in Canada. In the US, ebooks make up 22% of the market, so the numbers are higher here. But still, given how ubiquitous ebooks now are, it's surprising to not see them taking more of the market. BookNet says buyers cite the convenience of shopping for other items at the same time and pricing as two reasons they're still looking for books in brick-and-mortar stores rather than online.

Finally, Apple's iPad only made its way up to number three on the list of the most popular ebook readers in Canada. The Kobo ebook reader was the most popular up in the Great White North, followed by Amazon's Kindle and then Apple's tablet.

Ebooks not growing much in Canada, slightly better in the US originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 22 May 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Today on TUAW TV Live, cohost Shawn "Doc Rock" Boyd and I will be conversing about a number of topics. Yesterday saw Apple CEO Tim Cook being grilled by a Senate committee about corporate taxes and at the same time passing along a hint that a "refreshed Mac line" will be manufactured in the Great State of Texas, so both of those are worthy of banter. There are also some new products that have made it to the TUAW Labs in recent days, so we'll have some quick unboxings for your viewing pleasure.

To view the livestream and join the chat, visit the TUAW TV Live page here. Be sure to bookmark that page on your browser for future TUAW TV events. Past episodes can be found on our YouTube channel, and today's show will also appear on this page within 24 hours.

TUAW TV Live: Taxes, Texas and Tim originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 22 May 2013 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

There are a couple of Warhammer-related titles on their way to iOS soon, but this is the most interesting yet. Developer Slitherine has revealed that it's working on a title called Warhammer 40K: Armageddon, a turn-based, hex-tiled strategy game coming to PC and iOS next year. The game will set Space Marines against Orks across 35 different scenarios, and feature over 100 units with upgradeable stats and attributes, along with a modding system and a separate set of maps balanced out for multiplayer.

Armageddon joins a number of other Warhammer games in progress, including Warhammer Quest and the upcoming Space Hulk adaptation. This is an extremely popular game franchise, and iOS is quickly becoming the home of choice for its games. Unfortunately, we won't get to see Armageddon in action until next year at least, but we'll look forward to seeing it then.

Warhammer 40K Armageddon gets details, coming in 2014 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 22 May 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's time to save some of that hard-earned cash with our Daily Deals, featuring a handy list from Dealnews and our own hand-picked selections that include some sweet deals on iOS and OS X software (all prices are USD).

Deals from Dealnews

• MacMall: [Apple Computers] MacMall Memorial Day Sale: Up to $1,099 off Macs, iPads, and more
• MacUpdate Promo: [Mac Software] Phone Amego for Mac downloads for $30
• Oyen Digital: [Drive Enclosures] DataTale SMART 4-Bay Thunderbolt HDD Enclosure for $540 + free shipping
• Other World Computing: [Media Receivers] NewerTech NuStand Alloy Display Stands from $16 + $4 s&h
• eBay: [Battery Chargers & Accessories] 12,000mAh USB External Battery Pack for $16 + free shipping
• eBay: [Digital Cameras] Panasonic Lumix GX1 16MP Micro 4/3 Camera Body for $199 + free shipping
• Monoprice.com: [24-Inch LCDs Or Larger] Monoprice 30" 2560x1600 IPS LED LCD Display for $648 + $31 s&h, more
• MegaMacs: [23-Inch LCDs] Refurb Apple 23" Aluminum Cinema LCD Display for $290 + $19 s&h
• PC Micro Store: [iPhone Cases] rooCASE eXTREME Hybrid Shell Case for iPhone 5 for $6 + free shipping
• MegaMacs: [24-Inch LCDs Or Larger] Refurb Apple 30" Cinema HD Widescreen LCD Display for $750 + $32 s&h
• Virgin Mobile: [Apple iPhones] iPhone 4S 16GB Prepaid Phone for Virgin Mobile for $382 + free shipping, more
• TigerDirect: [Microphones] Yeti USB Microphone for $80 + free shipping

iOS Software

• Penumbear [iOS Universal; Category: Games; On sale for $0.99, down from $1.99] Penumbear is a classic platformer with an emphasis on danger, exploration and puzzle solving.

• Stick Stunt Biker 2 [iOS Universal; Category: Games; Now free, down from $0.99] Bike fun and challenging tracks in different beautiful atmospheric locations and unlock various bikes.

• Unmechanical [iOS Universal; Category: Games; On sale for $2.99, down from $3.99] Unmechanical is all about the adventure of a little helicopter trapped in a strange, but fascinating world.

• DinoCap 3 Survivors [iOS Universal; Category: Games; Now free, down from $0.99] Fight off those ferocious species and this time make sure they are right on the path to afterlife.

• PDFpen for iPad [iPad; Category: Productivity; On sale for $14.99, down from $9.99] With PDFpen, use your iPad to sign a contract, make corrections, fill out an application, make comments on a presentation and much more.

• ComicBook! [iOS Universal; Category: Photography & Video; Now free, down from $1.99] ComicBook! is your FULL featured comic book creation app.

• FlickStackr for Flickr [iOS Universal; Category: Photography & Video; Now free, down from $1.99] FlickStackr brings Flickr photo sharing to the iPad.

• TiltShift Video - Miniature effect for movies and photos [iOS Universal; Category: Photography & Video; On sale for $0.99, down from $4.99] TiltShift Video gives you all the editing features you need to turn your videos and photos into awesome tilt-shift creations.

• Flickr Studio [iPad; Category: Photography & Video; Now free, down from $4.99] All your Flickr photos and videos, one smart app.

• Oldify [iPhone; Category: Entertainment; Now free, down from $0.99] Oldify ages AND animates your face in 3D.

• Stress Check 2 [iPhone; Category: Health & Fitness; Now free, down from $1.99] Stress Check 2 turns your iPhone into a smart device that quantifies your physical and emotional stress level.

• Tunable - Instrument Tuner [iOS Universal; Category: Music; Now free, down from $2.99] Tunable is a chromatic tuner, tone/chord generator, metronome, and recorder that helps you learn to play steadily, in tune, and on beat.

• Checkmark [iPhone; Category: Productivity; Now free, down from $4.99] Checkmark is the fastest way to remind yourself of all the things you have to do in your busy life.

• Tiny Troopers [iOS Universal; Category: Games; Now free, down from $0.99] Take control of a platoon of crack soldiers and deploy in a variety or war zones as you battle through the epic campaign.

• MoneyWiz - Personal Finance [iPhone; Category: Finance; On sale for $0.99, down from $4.99] Do more with your money. View all your accounts, budgets and bills in one place.

• Bottle Cap Blitz [iOS Universal; Category: Games; Now free, down from $1.99] Fire bottle caps to smash ice cubes.

• Rolling Hero [iOS Universal; Category: Games; Now free, down from $0.99] The evil Redman has kidnapped our hero's girlfriend and you'll have to turn the world upside down to find her - literally.

• Pudding Monsters [iPhone; Category: Games; Now free, down from $1.99] Pudding Monsters is a deliciously addicting puzzle adventure with wacky characters and innovative stick-'em-together game-play. Apple's App of the week.

• Pudding Monsters HD [iPad; Category: Games; Now free, down from $1.99] Pudding Monsters is a deliciously addicting puzzle adventure with wacky characters and innovative stick-'em-together game-play.

OS X Software

• PipeRoll [OS X; Category: Games; Now free, down from $0.99] New challenges, fantastic graphics. 5 unique ages and 100 new levels.

• Two Dollar Tuesday [OS X; Category: Various; On sale for $1.99] Two Dollar Tuesday offers three OS X app for $1.99. Titles include Steps, WriteRoom and Corporate Style Packs. Deal ends May 22dd.

• AgingSpine [OS X; Category: Medicine; Now free, down from $4.99] AgingSpine[TM] by Orca Health teaches you about spine anatomy, conditions, best practices, and helps you find a specialist.

• xScan [OS X; Category: Utilities; On sale for $0.99, down from $4.99] xScan has been specifically designed to help you monitor the behavior and health of your Mac in a simple and straightforward manner.

Daily Deals for May 22, 2013 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 22 May 2013 16:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Pandora Radio is the granddaddy of streaming music apps, and for years now, the company's iPhone app has been one of the most popular ways to use and interact with the service. Just today, the app has nabbed a big update, bringing it to version 4.3. The new update adds a redesigned interface, which lets you tap an album to see lyrics, artist info, or other notes. You can also publish information directly to Facebook and share recommendations with your friends.

The update has been able to share tracks to Twitter and email for a while now, so the Facebook integration just adds to the functionality. The Pandora app itself is free, and you can subscribe to a premium service, called Pandora One, from directly inside the app.

Pandora app revamps interface, adds Facebook publishing originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 22 May 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

German users have noticed one other change from the Apple Store downtime last night, and that is that Apple will now accept Paypal payments their Apple.com store. You could previously use Paypal as a payment service on the iTunes and Mac App Stores, but you can't (in most places) on the official Apple website. The German store, however, has now implemented Paypal. So German users can now use that extra eBay money to pick up a new accessory or charger cable.

Odds are that this is a pilot program over there, and it will likely make its way out to the rest of the world very soon. I just checked, and unfortunately this option isn't yet available on the American Apple.com store. But if German users can use their Paypal accounts to buy Apple products, there's no reason why the rest of us won't eventually get the chance to do the same.

[via App Advice]

Apple now allowing Paypal payment for Apple Store purchases (in Germany) originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 22 May 2013 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Penguin Group today agreed to a $75 million settlement deal with the US State Attorneys General and a group of private plaintiffs. The settlement stems from allegations that Penguin, along with four other publishing houses, colluded with Apple to raise the price of e-books on Apple's iBookstore.

Attorney General George Jepsen today announced that Penguin Group (USA) Inc. has entered into a settlement agreement to resolve claims asserted by Connecticut and 32 other states and territories in a lawsuit alleging price-fixing and collusion in the market for electronic books, or eBooks.

Since allegations of price fixing were first levied in April of 2012, all five of the accused publishing houses have reached settlement agreements with the government, cumulatively agreeing to pay $164 million in damages to affected consumers nationwide.

"Consumers are entitled to a fair, open and competitive marketplace," Connecticut Attorney General Jepsen said in a press release. "This agreement is yet another step toward providing restitution to those consumers who were harmed by alleged price-fixing within the eBook market and will further ensure that, going forward, consumers benefit from fair competition in the sale of eBooks."

Apple, of course, vehemently denies that there was any attempt to fix the price of eBooks. A trial on the matter is slated to begin on June 3 and Apple CEO Tim Cook is expected to testify.

Recently, the Justice Department released evidence which it claims supports the notion that Apple was a "ringmaster" in a price fixing conspiracy.

Penguin settles iBooks price fixing lawsuit for $75 million originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 22 May 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Scanner Pro has always been one of the best iOS document scanners applications around, and it just got better. Readdle has updated Sacnner Pro to include real-time border detection.

Scanner Pro allows your iPhone or iPad to scan receipts, whiteboards, or any single or multi-page document. "Why not just use your device's built-in camera?" Scanner Pro has got you covered. It'll auto-crop your documents, remove shadows, correct awkward perspectives and save in multiple formats. Images can be sent right to Evernote, Dropbox and Google Drive.

If you have this great app then go right away and update it. If you don't, then go grab it from the App Store now. Scanner Pro has been a long-time friend of my mobile office workflow.

Scanner Pro 4.5 Updated to Make iOS Scanning Easier originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 22 May 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 May 22, 2013 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 22 May 2013 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

On May 19, 2001, the first two Apple retail store opened up for business. One was located in McLean, Virginia while the other was situated in Glendale, California. At the time, there were no shortage of critics who expressed serious doubt as to Apple's effort to get into the retail business.

12 years later, Apple's line of retail stores play an instrumental role in Apple's overall sales, and more importantly, give consumers a chance to actually use Apple products in a fun and inviting environment. It may sound absurd to anyone born after 1986, but I distinctly remember a time when the only place I could test out and potentially purchase a Mac was at a local OfficeMax -- unless, of course, I wanted to mosey on down to a shady corner electronics store that somehow managed to become an authorized Apple reseller.

In short, Apple's retail stores enabled the company to put its products out in front of consumers on its own terms. Today, Apple stores, given their ubiquitous nature, seem like a given. I mean, why wouldn't Apple roll out a line of retail stores?

But back in the dark days of the 90's, back when Apple's marketshare continued to plummet as the company bled money, Macs were looked upon disparagingly and their presentation in the few stores that carried them reflected that perception.

There are no shortage of stories surrounding Apple's foray into the retail business and the factors which led to them becoming the most profitable retail stores on the planet on a per-square-foot basis.

That said, with Apple's first retail stores turning 12 this past Sunday, I thought it'd be interesting to present a few impressive factoids about the current state of Apple's retail operation. Looking back, it's hard to imagine that even the most ardent Apple enthusiast could have predicted the juggernaut Apple retail would go onto become.

• There are now 402 Apple retail stores worldwide
• 251 of those are in the United States, 151 are located abroad
• By the end of 2013, Apple will have 432 retail stores around the world
• In 2013, Apple will be revamping or remodeling 20 retail locations whose success has made accommodating visitors a problem
• Apple in 2012 spent nearly $1 billion on retail related capital expenditures
• Apple retail stores in 2012 hosted 372 million visitors
• Together, Apple retail stores comprise 4.1 million square feet
• There are Apple retail stores in 13 countries
• There are 5 states which have no Apple retail presence; Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, and West Virginia

Here are a few factoids from Apple's most recent quarter:

• Retail revenue checked in at $5.2 billion
• Revenue per store came in at $13.1 million
• Apple retail stores hosted 91 million visitors
• Apple retail stores earned $57.6 per visitor

Lastly, and in the spirit of nostalgia, here's a video of Steve Jobs giving a tour of the first Apple store in McLean, Virginia. In typical fashion, Jobs' enthusiasm is infectious, and more importantly, authentic. Also, watch closely and see if you can spot boxes of Mac OS 9 on the shelf, you know, from an era back when Apple actually shipped packaged software.

Apple retail stores - 12 years later originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 22 May 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Google's Chrome browser for OS X has had the ability to do voice search for about two years now, but the latest version of Chrome appears to bring something a bit more Siri-like to the mix. Now, when you ask Google certain questions about the weather, sports scores, stock prices, directions and calculations, you get a spoken answer.

The latest version is 27.0.1453.93, which you can update to by selecting About Chrome from the Chrome menu, and approving any updates or restarting the browser if prompted. Once Chrome is up, head on over to the google.com search page and you'll see the familiar microphone in the search field (note that the mic does not appear in the Chrome "omnibar"). Click the mic, respond to any requests to let Chrome have access to your mic and video camera and then start asking questions.

The result is not quite the conversational search that was touted during the Google I/O keynote last week, but it definitely shows the direction that Google is heading and it's bringing a bit of Siri-like functionality to OS X before Apple does. The video below demonstrates several of the searches that I performed -- it's all done in real time, so you get to see the failures as well. The current release seems to have a tendency to display "No Internet Connection" frequently, a problem that reloading the browser will fix. By the way, if you've used the mobile version of the Google search app, this will all be familiar to you.

Google Chrome update adds a bit of Siri to OS X originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 22 May 2013 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Apple sent three top executives to Washington, D.C. yesterday to testify in front a congressional hearing on Apple's tax practices. Making the journey from Cupertino were CEO Tim Cook, CFO Peter Oppenheimer and Phillip Bullock -- Apple's head of Tax Operations.

The hearing went on for a few hours, and as one might expect from such a controversial issue, the lively debate became intense at times. Senator Carl Levin, D-Mich., took an especially tough stance on Apple, calling its tax practices "unacceptable."

Nevertheless, there were moments of levity we can extract from the hearing.

For starters, Senator John McCain, R-Ariz., following his pointed questions for Apple's panel about taxation, thought it high time to ask Cook about updating apps on his iPhone.

"What I really wanted to ask," said McCain, "is why the hell do I have to keep updating apps on my iPhone all the time?"

I can't really blame him though. I mean, McCain had to either ask Cook while he had the chance or otherwise fork over $610,000 for the opportunity to have coffee with the Apple CEO. All in all, it was some very shrewd financial planning from McCain.

All kidding aside, here's McCain and Cook sharing a lighthearted moment.

Second, let's have a bit of fun with Apple's tax math. In an effort to demonstrate the sheer volume in taxes Apple already pays domestically, Cook noted during his opening remarks that, in 2012, Apple paid the US Treasury "nearly $6 billion, or $16 million per day."

Curious, I decided to see how much $16 million per day translates into on an hourly basis. Dividing by 24 yielded an interesting figure -- $666,666.667 per hour to be exact. Yep, the devil's number. Something tells me Levin isn't surprised. Also of note is that $666.66 was how much the Apple I originally retailed for.

Saving the best for last, we have the always hilarious folks from The Onion who solicited the following "opinions" from average Joes as part of their sarcastically brilliant "American Voices" feature.

Some comic relief from Apple's congressional appearance originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 22 May 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The sun is one of the most important stars in our galaxy. It gives us light, enables the growth of plants, is a source of energy and is the cornerstone of our calendar. To learn more about this spectacular star, you should check out the Sun By Kids Discover app.

The iPad app features interactive 3D models as well as audio and HD video to teach you about the sun. You'll learn the difference between the solstice and the equinox and follow the steps as a star is born. The app is packed full of stunning photos, clever animations and easy-to-read trivia about the sun. Think you are an expert ? Then test your knowledge using the puzzles, quizzes and games included in the app. There is even an activities section that teaches you how to study the sun in real life.

The Sun By Kids Discover app is available for US$3.99 from the iOS App Store. It is compatible with the iPad and requires iOS 5.0 or later.

Daily iPad App: Sun by Discover Kids is a star-studded look at our Sun originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 22 May 2013 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

OmniGroup, the Seattle-based developers of OmniOutliner, OmniGraphSketcher, OmniGraffle, OmniFocus and OmniPlan, has announced that today they are shipping OmniPresence document syncing.

OmniPresence rounds out the automatic syncing solutions that OmniGroup added first to OmniFocus in 2008 and OmniPlan in 2011. OmniGroup CEO Ken Case noted in a May 20 blog post that OmniPresence works well with Mac apps that support OS X Auto Save and Versions. To quote Case, "Using the same underlying document coordination as Versions, OmniPresence lets your app know when a document has been changed on another device, and double-checks to make sure it always syncs a current and complete copy of any documents currently being edited. OmniPresence can't prevent conflicting edits from multiple devices, but when that happens it automatically saves both versions of conflicting edits so that no edits are lost."

OmniPresence is built on top of open web server technologies, which means that users can sync document using their own web server. Apache server, for example, is built into Mountain Lion Server, so any user or company can keep OmniPresence syncing running well into the future. Since many customers will choose not to set up their own servers, OmniGroup is scaling up their Omni Sync Server to support OmniPresence. Anyone who previously checked the "I am brave" box on sync.omnigroup.com should already have access.

Developers will be able to see the source code to OmniPresence on github. A demo video of OmniPresence in action is embedded below.

OmniGroup releases OmniPresence, free sync technology for OS X and iOS originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 22 May 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It may not seem like all that much changed after last night's Apple Store downtime, but the company actually made a number of design changes that, according to MacStories editor Federico Viticci, bring "a cleaner, more subdued style for graphical elements and larger image-centric spots for products and accessories."

Rolled out just in time to start selling the goods for Father's Day on June 16, the new design does away with the thin sidebars in favor of wider blocks that provide space for larger images of items on sale. Here's the old design:

And here's the new:

The changes are more pronounced on the Accessories page. As an example, the old iPad accessories page wasted space by using a short sidebar on the left side to list different categories. The result was that the entire page was narrower than it needed to be:

Now the categories are over on the right side, featuring easy-to-view thumbnails for each category. The individual item thumbnails are larger, and there's actually space (not visible in this image) below the category list that can be filled with product descriptions:

All in all, it's a welcome change to the store, providing a much cleaner look, larger images of products and a less rigid framework for arranging product on the virtual shelves.

Apple applies design changes to online store originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 22 May 2013 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It has been busy in the App Store with a handful of new apps landing on iOS and OS X. Take a few minutes and check out our list of standout apps from the past few weeks!

iOS Apps

Video Filters [iOS Universal; Category: Photography & Video; US$3.99] Pro HD Video Camera with 100 Fully Customizable, Real-Time Video Filters.

HeartPhys [iPad; Category: Medical; $1.99] Learn physiology through interactive diagrams.

Stria [iOS Universal; Category: Music; $8.99] Multilevel Interactive Sound Synthesizer "Stria" is the title of a very important composition by John Chowning. This computer music piece rapresents the manifest of Frequency Modulation technique applied to audio synthesis, invented by Mr. Chowning himself.

DataMan Enterprise : Track Data Usage In Real-Time [iPhone; Category: Business; $19.99] Manage multiple plans. DataMan Enterprise allows you to set up multiple cellular data plan profiles, each containing a separate set of plan info and usage data.

Little Viking Dungeon Of Doom [iOS Universal; Category: Games; $0.99] An epic adventure through 100 levels of monsters, traps and danger.

Manuganu [iOS Universal; Category: Games; $0.99] Run, jump, slide from ropes and dodge rocks! Not enough? There is much more in Manuganu.

Frozen Synapse [iPad; Category: Games; $6.99] Frozen Synapse is a multi-award-winning tactical game.

Gravity Guy 2 [iOS Universal; Category: Games; $0.99] Our brave Guy now finds himself on top of towers running for his life, jumping from one platform to another, while avoiding many hazards placed across his path.

Jacob Jones and the Bigfoot Mystery : Episode 1 [iOS Universal; Category: Games; $2.99] A small boy, his big new friend, and a huge problem. Join Camp Eagle Feathers' newest 'Brave', Jacob Jones, on an amazing adventure to uncover just what is going on at Camp Eagle Feather.

CastleMine [iOS Universal; Category: Games; $0.99] Defend your castle from the evils that lurk below in this unique strategy game.

Bombcats [iOS Universal; Category: Games; Free with in-app purchases] Seven cute but volatile felines ready to explode into action to save their imprisoned furry friends.

OS X Apps

Minbox [OS X; Category: Photography & Video; Free] Minbox lets you send any collection of photos or files from your Mac via email, all for free.

File Twins [OS X; Category: Utilities; Free] File Twins is a practical application acting as your duplicate file cleaner.

Eggscellent [OS X; Category: Productivity; $9.99] Based on effective time management principles, Eggscellent transforms your to-do list into manageable activities.

Art Mogul [OS X; Category: Games; $2.99] Step into the shoes of an Art Mogul in this thrilling mix of hidden object, strategy and business sim.

LittleLink [OS X; Category: Productivity; $0.99] LittleLinks is a nifty little app that automatically shrinks all the links and url's you copy to your clipboard.

Folder Magic [OS X; Category: Productivity; Free] Create exquisite and unique folders for your computer with hundreds of pre-created images.

New and notable apps for iOS and OS X - May 22 edition originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 22 May 2013 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The Saturday Evening Post, one of America's most iconic magazines, thanks in part to cover artist Norman Rockwell, is finally on Apple's Newsstand. Apparently many people don't know the magazine is still in publication (I didn't, and even the magazine's technology director Steve Harman admits to TechCrunch that many people don't think so either), yet it still has a subscription base of 300,000 annually. And now it's ready to enter the digital age on iOS.

The magazine will keep its general-interest focus while attempting to appeal to younger readers with articles on technology and movies. Considering the magazine's history (publishing some of the best short stories by America's most famous writers) and beautiful artwork, I'd love to see the Post begin selling digitized back issues starting with ones that featured F. Scott Fitzgerald's short stories. Sadly right now there are no signs of any plans to do that.

The Saturday Evening Post is a free download on the app store. Single issues are available for US$3.99, a single issue subscription costs $1.99 per issue until canceled, and a one year (six issues) subscription costs $9.99.

Iconic US magazine Saturday Evening Post comes to Newsstand originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 22 May 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Las Vegas! is a popular dice game that Ravensburger put together last year. It's not exactly the most complicated board game on the block (you roll dice, and then can place them into certain numbered slots that represent stakes in money-making casinos), but it's fun for families especially, and provides a nice relatively casual mix of luck and skill.

Perhaps because the game is so approachable, the German company Ravensburger has elected to bring an iOS version out to iPhone and iPad, and you can now pick it up on the App Store for US$2.99. Just like the real-world game, the iOS version is fun but simple -- you select your players (or you can play online via Game Center), you roll the dice and then you try to lay them out in casinos wherever you think they'll earn you the most money. Play goes on like this for four rounds, at which point the player with the most money wins. There's also a more complicated variant where you get a number of neutral dice that you can use to block other players, and Ravensburger has smartly included that option here, which provides some extra replayability, especially for gamers seeking some more challenging strategy.

The game's well-presented (I did have one small bug when starting a game, but a quick reset of the app fixed it anyway), with plenty of Vegas-style sounds and some nice casino architecture. There's also the ability to earn money from game-to-game, though I'm not sure what that's used for just yet -- maybe Ravensburger plans to put in more themes and casinos as time goes on. Currently, there are no in-app purchases at all, and I appreciate that. What you see for your $2.99 is what you get, and the game that's there is worth the price if you're interested.

Daily iPhone App: Las Vegas! brings Ravensburger's dice game to the iPad originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 22 May 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

TUAW has covered the alternative energy accessories from Etón before: the BoostTurbine is an excellent way to charge up an iPhone or iPad when the power is out, while the FRX3 acts as an emergency radio and has both solar cells and a hand crank for providing a charge to your iPhone when you need it. And the Mobius solar case for iPhone is a smart way to top off your phone. Now the company has announced the Rugged Rukus (US$99.99), an "all-terrain, solar-powered, wireless speaker."

Designed to work with any of your Bluetooth-equipped goodies, the wedge-shaped Rugged Rukus sports a 20-square-inch photovoltaic cell on one side that charges the internal lithium battery (it can also be charged by plugging into any USB port). In full sunlight, that battery can go from empty to full in five hours, and when the lights go out the Rugged Rukus can operate for up to 8 hours blasting your tunes. A USB charge takes only about 2.5 hours. Note that you can also use the battery in the Rugged Rukus to charge your iPhone.

Don't be concerned about babying the Rugged Rukus if you're at the beach or camping in a rainstorm, as it has an IPX-4 splashproof rating and it's also drop-proof from one meter (3.3 feet). The Rugged Rukus will be available soon on Amazon and at Apple and REI stores.

Etón Rugged Rukus: Solid solar sound originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 22 May 2013 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Intel has tapped former Apple VP Mike Bell to head up the company's new Smart Devices Unit, according to AllThingsD. Bell last worked at Apple in 2007, and then Palm after that and has a long experience in mobile device development. Recently he has been co-leading Intel's mobile chip business. His new position as the head of Intel's new Smart Devices Unit signals a shift in strategy for the chipmaker.

As AllThingsD notes, Intel's competitors Qualcomm, Nvidia, MediaTek, Broadcom and other ARM-based manufactures have a strong foothold in the mobile device market -- a place Intel knows it needs to be to stay competitive in the future. While Intel did not explicitly state what the Smart Device Unit would produce, it did say, "The group will be tasked with turning cool technology and business model innovations into products that shape and lead markets."

Longtime Apple VP to head Intel's new devices unit originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 22 May 2013 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

As anyone who has read TUAW over the past few weeks can tell there's no shortage of iPad keyboards on the market these days. All of them tend to use Bluetooth to connect to the iPad, which is fine -- except when you're a school teacher or IT person who needs to figure out which keyboard is paired with a particular iPad. So that students can simply grab a keyboard, plug it in and start typing away, Logitech has announced the Logitech Wired Keyboard for iPad (US$59.99, available later this year).

The keyboard will come in two flavors; a Lightning-equipped model that will be shipping in August, and a 30-pin connector version that is expected in October. Since it's designed to be used by students of all ages, the Wired Keyboard has a spill-resistant design and is expected to put up with the pounding of over 5 million keystrokes.

There are shortcut keys for the regular iPad functions, such as Siri, app switching and copy and paste. There's also an integrated Home button for jumping to the Home screen with a single push.

Logitech will display the Wired Keyboard for iPad at the 2013 International Society for Technology in Education conference scheduled for June 23-26 in San Antonio, Texas.

Logitech intros wired iPad keyboard especially for education market originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 22 May 2013 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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!

Update: There's a Father's Day promo and a new, big tile design for the look of the store.

Apple Store is down (Updated) 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.

Burstly acquired the beta testing service TestFlight just a few months ago, and TestFlight released a mobile analytics service called FlightPath soon after that. Now, Burstly has announced that it is restructuring its offerings, to set up a full set of services to take developers from developing and testing their app with TestFlight, to preforming analytics with FlightPath, and then monetizing with Burstly's tools, now rebranded as SkyRocket.

This is a smart bit of revamping -- TestFlight is very popular, but FlightPath has just started out and SkyRocket's name is brand new to most developers, so combining these tools under the same umbrella should make them all more accessible to developers. All of these services are still available separately, but not only do they share a parent company now, but they also can combine functionality, such as having high profile users from FlightPath get offered different monetization options or deals via SkyRocket.

Burstly's wasting no time making its TestFlight acquisition useful. We'll stay tuned to see, going forward, how this trio of services plays with mobile developers.

Burstly restructures, now offers three services for code-to-ship functionality originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 21 May 2013 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Unity has announced that it's making its mobile game development tools free to use for most independent and small studios. Unity has always been a popular engine both for mobile game development and for cross-platform game creation, but up until now, you had to pay about $800 to actually publish Unity-created apps on the iOS or Android stores. Those basic add-ons have now been made free, so anyone can now download Unity, and then use it to publish an app for iOS or Android without paying a fee for the engine.

Unity still has pro versions available for sale to both iOS and Android developers, and anyone making over $100,000 per year with their releases is required by Unity to go ahead and purchase a pro license. So there are still some limits on exactly how this all works, and if your iPhone app does hit it big, Unity still would like its due. But starting off for free should open the door for even more indie devs to get in and try Unity, and make for even more and better games on the App Store.

Unity makes mobile tools free for small devs originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 21 May 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The team at Olloclip has taken the wraps off of their newest product, a case for the iPhone 4/4S and iPhone 5 called the Quick-Flip Case (US$49.99) that works with the Olloclip 3-in-one lenses to produce a lightweight solution for all-purpose iPhoneography. Let's take a look!

Design

At first glance, this doesn't look like much of a case. It's made out of a smoked translucent black or opaque white polyurethane material and looks like any of a thousand other slip-on hard cases for iPhone. But then the little features start to appear and you realize how the Quick-Flip case can be used to assist in taking photos with your iPhone.

Gallery: Olloclip Quick-Flip Case and Pro-Photo Adapter

By itself, the case has a pivoting corner that rotates 180° out of the way so that you can install your Olloclip lenses. That pivoting piece also has a second function -- it presses up against the volume up button on the side of your iPhone so that you can just squeeze the button slowly to take a photo. No more need to tap that virtual shutter button on the screen.

The real fun comes when you attach the included Pro-Photo Adapter. It slides onto the bottom of the iPhone and includes a pair of threaded tripod mount points as well as a cold shoe mount for other accessories like video lights or microphones.

In case you happen to own a 5th-generation iPod touch, there's a special adapter that's included with the iPhone 5 case to make it compatible with the "non-phone iPhone."

Functionality

For Olloclip-toting iPhone owners, the Quick-Flip Case should be a no-brainer if you take a ton of photos. Your iPhone remains fairly well protected in the case, and with a quick flick of the top the bare shoulder of the phone is exposed so you can slide on the Olloclip.

Using the rotated corner piece as a trigger button for taking photos is pure genius. Rather than holding onto the iPhone with one hand and swatting at the display to take a photo, you can use both hands to keep the iPhone steady while gently squeezing the button. It's sure to reduce blur in your photos, especially under low-light conditions.

I was happy to see that Olloclip uses metal inserts for the tripod mounts as that will add to the usable life of the Quick-Flip case -- provided Apple keeps a similar size for the next-generation iPhone. The cold shoe is also a nice touch for adding goodies that can make the difference between dull, underlit video and properly illuminated personal movies.

Conclusion

While it's a bit pricey for an iPhone case, the Olloclip Quick-Flip Case and Pro-Photo Adapter -- along with the Olloclip lenses (purchases separately) -- make for an incredibly useful set of accessories for anyone who takes a lot of photos with their iPhone.

Pros

• Quick-Flip Case makes it easy to protect your iPhone while also facilitating the installation of the Olloclip 3-in-one lens
• The design of the case makes it possible to hold the iPhone with both hands while shooting pictures, helping to steady your photographs
• Mounting the case on a tripod in either landscape or portrait mode is a piece of cake with the two threaded tripod mounts
• Cold-shoe mount works well for adding small LED light bars or microphones

Cons

• The case itself is nothing spectacular in terms of looks or protection

Who is it for?

• Dedicated iPhoneographers who want use their devices to get the best possible photographs and need the steadiness of a tripod mount at a moment's notice

Olloclip Quick-Flip Case and Pro-Photo Adapter add protection, tripod mount originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 21 May 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Wal-Mart-owned video-on-demand service Vudu has updated its iOS apps to allow movie downloads for offline viewing. The Android phone version of the app has had this feature for awhile, but Android tablets are still unable to download and view their Vudu/Ultraviolet collection on their tablets.

Other additions to the update include a reworked player to make the app easier to use, as well as support for closed captions on the iPhone. It's worth noting that the Flixter iOS app already allowed for Ultraviolet downloads. Ultraviolet is a digital rights authentication service that allows DVD and Blu-ray buyers to redeem unique download codes for digital viewing later.

You can find the updated app for free in the iTunes store now.

Vudu adds ability to download movies for offline viewing to iOS apps originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 21 May 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Those of us who use Google's Chrome browser for OS X are familiar with how Chrome web apps can be installed and launched from within the browser. Now it appears that Google is working on a way to bring those Chrome apps even closer to the heart of your Mac by creating a Chrome apps launcher for OS X.

Google engineer François Beaufort detailed the plans in a Google+ post, noting that OS X users can actually try out a beta of the Chrome OS app launcher right now. To do so, you need to install the most recent build of Chromium, then set the --show-app-list switch through the CLI.

After performing that magic, launch Chromium and click its Dock icon to display a grid of your Chrome apps, ready to launch (see image above). Put this on your MacBook Air and it's almost like having a Chromebook! Note that this software is not quite ready for prime time, but for Chrome fans it may be worth the effort to give it a try.

Google to bring Chrome app launcher to OS X originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 21 May 2013 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Microsoft has announced a brand-new game console today, though the company would probably be disappointed to hear that I called it that. The Xbox One is really more of an entertainment center all-in-one -- it's designed to connect your games, your streaming media and cable television all together in one set-top box. In some ways, it's a competitor to Apple TV. The Xbox One will also include a new Kinect camera, which will boast Siri-like voice control over all of its functions, and allow users to switch back and forth between live games, live TV or any of the console's various apps.

Obviously, that release is only tangentially related to Apple and its products, but there are a few closer ties that might become more important in the future. First up, Microsoft has already confirmed that the Xbox One will work with its SmartGlass system, for which there is already an app on the iPhone and the iPad. It's unclear just what SmartGlass will do for the Xbox One, but we'll stay tuned for more functionality on that end.

And second, Microsoft is apparently learning from Apple. The Cupertino company has famously been making its own "system-on-a-chip" hardware lately to go into new iPhones and iPads, and Microsoft has now done exactly the same. The Xbox One's CPU is a chip based on AMD designs, but customized by Microsoft's own R&D labs. There are a few reasons for that, including the power requirements, and the fact that the Xbox One actually runs a few different operating systems at a time (to easily switch back and forth between the games and the TV content). But Microsoft clearly borrowed the model for the hardware from Apple, and presumably later versions of the Xbox One will have even more customized chips in them. The Xbox One is due out sometime this year, but there's no official release date announced yet.

Microsoft announces Xbox One, with more SmartGlass and TV integration originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 21 May 2013 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Every year, Millward Brown Optimor produces the BrandZ list, a listing of the 100 most valuable brands. As with last year, Apple is at the top of the list with a 2013 brand value of just over US$185 billion.

Apple's brand value rose only 1 percent this year, but that number is still well over No. 2 Google at $113.7 billion. How much of a gap lies in the brand value between Apple and Google? How about almost the value of the venerable Coca-Cola brand at $78.4 billion (the soft drink company is at No. 5 on the list).

Another tech brand rounded out the top three, with IBM coming in just behind Google at $112.5 billion. The value of the top 100 brands is a staggering $2.6 trillion globally, up 7 percent from 2012.

Although Apple's share price and investor sentiment have lagged in the last year, BrandZ director Peter Walshe notes that brand is more sustainable than financials: "What we see with the most popular or powerful brands is that brand lasts a lot longer, is more robust and doesn't tend to slip as much, whereas the finances go up and down."

A PDF of the BrandZ Top 100 2013 is available for download here.

Apple still most valuable global brand originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 21 May 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

During Apple's April 2012 earnings conference call, Tim Cook emphatically stated that he hates litigation.

"I've always hated litigation," Cook explained. "I continue to hate it. I just want people to invent their own stuff."

That notwithstanding, Apple today finds itself embroiled in a myriad patent infringement lawsuits. With Samsung in particular, Apple has ongoing legal battles with its Korean-based competitor in 11 countries across four continents.

Oddly enough, Apple's legal battles were tangentially brought up during Tuesday's congressional hearing which was held to take a closer look at Apple's tax practices. At one point during the hearing, the narrative veered a bit off course when Cook was asked to answer a question about Apple's challenges with respect to protecting its intellectual property in the US.

Cook took a moment to gather his thoughts and answered thusly.

I think the US Court system is currently structured in such a way that tech companies aren't getting the intellectual property protection they need. Our cycles are fast, the court system is very long and the foreign competitors in the US can quickly take IP and use it and ship products with it and they're to the next product as well. I would love to see conversations between countries and see protections between IP globally. For us, our intellectual property is so important, I would love the system to be strengthened in order to protect it.

Cook's remarks regarding product cycles being much faster than the court system certainly resonates given that Apple recently filed a motion to have Samsung's Galaxy S 4 added to its second court case against Samsung in California. Inevitably, by the time that case is adjudicated, Samsung will already have out a new product that Apple will likely take issue with.

Apple has, in fact, referenced this very dynamic in court filings, alleging that Samsung has at times purposefully tried to slow down judicial proceedings as to make the products at issue are irrelevant and outdated by the time trial finally gets underway.

Tim Cook on the state of IP protection: Our product cycles move much quicker than the court system originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 21 May 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Beethoven's 9th Symphony (free plus in-app purchases) is an epic iPad app that lets you explore one of the greatest symphonies ever written in a unique, compelling way. Classical music lovers will definitely want to check it out.

Beethoven's 9th Symphony uses every trick in the multimedia tool box. For starters, you can listen to four different performances of the work, taken from the well-known DGG catalog. As you listen, follow along with the the score in real time. The original manuscript displays each page as the music plays, but with modern notation.

An interesting feature called the "BeatMap" offers an overhead view of the orchestra, complete with symbols of the various instruments that glow as they are played.

The app also features several interviews, both contemporary and historic, with notable people like Leonard Bernstein and Gustavo Dudamel.

The four included performances date from 1962, with the most recent from 1992 played with period instruments. The Leonard Bernstein 1979 recording contains video of the performance, that you can watch in full-screen mode. It's interesting to compare the four concerts, and you can instantly switch between them, hearing how recording technology has advanced, and how performances differ. Having the four concerts in sync for comparison is unique and valuable.

This app is a great experience for adults and young musicians. I can't think of a better way to share this musical treasure in such depth.

Gallery: Beethoven's 9th Symphony

On to some negatives. The app does not directly support AirPlay, which is a mistake. You can certainly listen on headphones, but one should be able to hear this on a nice sound system. You can force AirPlay output with video mirroring by double-clicking the Home button and using the icon bar AirPlay tool, but the sound output stutters at times, and the video struggles to remain in sync.

Beethoven's 9th Symphony is not cheap. While you can download the app for free, you only get two minutes of each movement. A $13.99 in-app purchase unlocks the complete works. While the app is relatively expensive, it's less than the price of the four performances on separate CDs, and you wouldn't get the videos, the interviews or the full scores. Even if you opt for the free version, you download everything, and this is a large app at 1.53 GB. I had to do some housecleaning before I could run it.

I previously took a look at the first offering in this series, called The Orchestra. It was also excellent, but the Beethoven app is superior because it goes into great depth on a single work.

If you're interested in classical music, I think this is an app you will return to again and again. There's a lot of information, as well as the visual and sonic joys.

I'd also suggest you take a look at some parallel and less expensive apps if Beethoven appeals to you. Beethoven Symphonies ($1.99) has some nice selctions and performances. I also liked the free, ad-supported Beethoven Symphony Collection which also includes the scores to view.

Beethoven's 9th Symphony requires an iPad and iOS 6.

Just about everything you'll want to know about Beethoven's 9th on your iPad originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 21 May 2013 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Ireland has responded to criticism from Senater Carl Levin (D-Mich.) that Irish tax laws allowed Apple to avoid playing taxes on tens of billions of dollars in profits using Irish subsidiaries. So what did Ireland have to say for itself?

In a statement to RTE, Ireland's national broadcast network, Deputy Prime Minister Eamon Gilmore said:

These are not issues that arise from the Irish taxation system. They are issues that arise from the taxation systems in other jurisdictions, and that is an issue that has to be addressed first of all in those jurisdictions.

Ireland's answer is simple. If American companies like Apple are using loopholes in the American tax system to skirt playing their taxes, it's not Ireland's fault, and we should fix our system before we come after theirs. It's a good point.

The issue isn't that Ireland provided a safe haven for Apple to hide profits. It's that American tax law is so convoluted and full of loopholes that American companies like Apple can enjoy all the benefits of being an American company while paying a fraction of the taxes our laws say they own.

It will be interesting to see if these hearings will simply be an attempt to shame the company for tax avoidance, or if it will finally be the catalyst for closing the massive web of loopholes that make up the country's tax system.

Ireland distances itself from Apple's tax inquiry originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 21 May 2013 16:00:00 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 May 21, 2013 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 21 May 2013 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Mark Crump at GigaOm has an interesting piece on how the iPad is becoming an important tool for music bands. Crump is an amateur musician whose band is rehearsing for a gig. What's interesting is Crump's realization that the iPad is almost all his band needs at rehearsal.

Crump explains how his iPad fits into band rehearsals. First, he chooses the songs in the Music player app and sends his friends links to the songs on YouTube. Next he'll use the AmpliTube app (free) to load up his selected song from the iPad's music app and play along with it via a Fender Squire USB guitar. To chart the songs during rehearsal, Crump uses Apple's Pages app (US$9.99). He supports the iPad in front of him by using the iKlip 2 ($39.99) from IK Multimedia. The iKlip 2 is a universal microphone stand that allows you to attach an iPad to almost any mic boom.

If you're a musician, Crump's piece is well worth a read. It's another example of how Apple's iDevices are changing almost everything we do.

How iPads, YouTube help bands practice originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 21 May 2013 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It's time to save some of that hard-earned cash with our Daily Deals, featuring a handy list from Dealnews and our own hand-picked selections that include some sweet deals on iOS and OS X software (all prices are USD).

Deals from Dealnews

• Monoprice.com: [24-Inch LCDs Or Larger] Monoprice 27" IPS-G LED LCD Display for $474 + $17 s&h
• Oyen Digital: [Drive Enclosures] DataTale SMART 4-Bay Thunderbolt HDD Enclosure for $540 + free shipping
• MacUpdate Promo: [Mac Software] Drive Genius 3 for Mac downloads for $40
• Other World Computing: [Media Receivers] NewerTech NuStand Alloy Display Stands from $16 + $4 s&h
• all4cellular.com: [iPhone Cases] Refurb Mophie 2,000mAhJuice Pack Air for iPhone 4/4S for $15 + $2 s&h
• eBay: [Battery Chargers & Accessories] 12,000mAh USB External Battery Pack for $16 + free shipping
• MegaMacs: [23-Inch LCDs] Refurb Apple 23" Aluminum Cinema LCD Display for $290 + $19 s&h
• Cameta Camera: [Camera Accessories] Tenba Vector Digital Camera Bags from $35 + free shipping
• StackSocial: [Storage] The MacMate Pro 2-Year Plan for Mac and Windows downloads for $59
• MegaMacs: [MacBook] Refurbished Apple MacBook Core 2 Duo 2.1GHz 13" Laptop for $360 + $15 s&h
• PC Micro Store: [iPhone Cases] rooCASE eXTREME Hybrid Shell Case for iPhone 5 for $6 + free shipping
• StackSocial: [Mac Software] Stellar Drive Clone 2.5 for Mac for $20

iOS Software

• Flickr Studio [iPad; Category: Photography & Video; Now free, down from $4.99] All your Flickr photos and videos, one smart app.

• Oldify [iPhone; Category: Entertainment; Now free, down from $0.99] Oldify ages AND animates your face in 3D.

• Stress Check 2 [iPhone; Category: Health & Fitness; Now free, down from $1.99] Stress Check 2 turns your iPhone into a smart device that quantifies your physical and emotional stress level.

• Tunable - Instrument Tuner [iOS Universal; Category: Music; Now free, down from $2.99] Tunable is a chromatic tuner, tone/chord generator, metronome, and recorder that helps you learn to play steadily, in tune, and on beat.

• Checkmark [iPhone; Category: Productivity; Now free, down from $4.99] Checkmark is the fastest way to remind yourself of all the things you have to do in your busy life.

• Tiny Troopers [iOS Universal; Category: Games; Now free, down from $0.99] Take control of a platoon of crack soldiers and deploy in a variety or war zones as you battle through the epic campaign.

• MoneyWiz - Personal Finance [iPhone; Category: Finance; On sale for $0.99, down from $4.99] Do more with your money. View all your accounts, budgets and bills in one place.

• Bottle Cap Blitz [iOS Universal; Category: Games; Now free, down from $1.99] Fire bottle caps to smash ice cubes.

• Calculator [iOS Universal; Category: Utilities; Now free, down from $2.99] Calculator possesses a flexible slide keyboard with mathematical expression support offering a great user experience.

• Rolling Hero [iOS Universal; Category: Games; Now free, down from $0.99] The evil Redman has kidnapped our hero's girlfriend and you'll have to turn the world upside down to find her - literally.

• Pudding Monsters [iPhone; Category: Games; Now free, down from $1.99] Pudding Monsters is a deliciously addicting puzzle adventure with wacky characters and innovative stick-'em-together game-play. Apple's App of the week.

• Pudding Monsters HD [iPad; Category: Games; Now free, down from $1.99] Pudding Monsters is a deliciously addicting puzzle adventure with wacky characters and innovative stick-'em-together game-play.

OS X Software

• Two Dollar Tuesday [OS X; Category: Various; On sale for $1.99] Two Dollar Tuesday offers three OS X app for $1.99. Titles include Steps, WriteRoom and Corporate Style Packs.

• AgingSpine [OS X; Category: Medicine; Now free, down from $4.99] AgingSpine[TM] by Orca Health teaches you about spine anatomy, conditions, best practices, and helps you find a specialist.

• xScan [OS X; Category: Utilities; On sale for $0.99, down from $4.99] xScan has been specifically designed to help you monitor the behavior and health of your Mac in a simple and straightforward manner.

Daily Deals for May 21, 2013 originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 21 May 2013 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Blendoku is based on a crazy idea, made even crazier by the fact that it works. I am just plain terrible at colors. When I was working retail, I spent an entire day learning to lay out merchandise according to color. I was so bad at it, the trainer sent me right back to customer service. That's the very skill set that Blendoku tests, yet I still enjoy playing it.

You're presented with several different colors which must be sorted by shade, lightness or various other qualities. Some levels are simple, with just a strip of various colors going back and forth, but some are very complicated, with multiple colors mixing up in different ways. The game works well. Moving the colors around is intuitive, and the fun, simple aesthetic allows you to focus on the puzzle.

Blendoku was a surprise. If someone asked me if I'd like a game about lining up color combinations, I don't think I would have said yes. But this is a fun one, and it might give you a new look on how various visual colors go together (needless to say, you probably can't be color blind and play this). The game is free, with a few in-app purchases to help you solve puzzles or get rid of the ads.

Daily iPhone App: Blendoku has you lining up colors to match originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 21 May 2013 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Tim Cook on Tuesday morning appeared before Congress to talk about Apple's tax practices, with a specific focus on Apple's foreign stash of cash. As it stands now, the bulk of Apple's revenue is derived from overseas sales. Consequently, Apple has chosen to keep that cash abroad where it's subject to much lower tax rates than the corporate income tax rate of 35 percent it would be subject to if it brought that cash back.

During his opening remarks, Cook highlighted all Apple has done for the US economy, emphasizing how much the company already pays in domestic taxes and how it's been responsible for the creation of hundreds of thousands of new jobs in the US.

Further, Cook noted that Apple was investing US$100 million to begin manufacturing Macs in the US. While we had previously heard of Apple's plans to do so, Cook for the first time fleshed out some more details, in a geographic sense, surrounding Apple's plans.

Specifically, Cook noted that Apple's upcoming "made in the USA" line of Macs will be assembled in Texas and will use components sourced from Texas, Illinois, Florida and Kentucky.

As for what type of Mac will be assembled in the US, Cook in an interview last week indicated that it would be a new model of an already-existing family.

Tim Cook: US-made Macs will be assembled in Texas originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 21 May 2013 13:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.