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Apple has released a minor update for the OS X version of FaceTime, v1.0.5. The patch is aimed directly at resolving connection problems some people have been experiencing, particularly in OS X Snow Leopard. The file is a 17.6MB download at the Mac App Store.
WhatsApp has hit a milestone of half a billion active users, the messaging service has announced. The 500 million-user figure is 50 million more than it reported in February, when it also announced it was being acquired by Facebook for a total of $19 billion in cash and shares, with the service now seeing 700 million photographs and 100 million videos being shared between users every day.
The biggest news in today's Apple vs Samsung patent trial was the previously-reported revelation of a secret deal between Google and Samsung in which the search and advertising giant not only agreed to indemnify Samsung if it lost on two of the patent claims in this trial, but that Google -- not Samsung -- was to "direct and control" litigation and defense on Samsung's behalf. The revelation, which Samsung had previously denied in court, will be used to diminish the Samsung claim that the case is really about Android.
A new Apple ad premiered tonight on Disney-owned ABC, called "Powerful." The 90-second spot (now available on Apple's YouTube channel) is the first this year to spotlight the iPhone 5s rather than the iPhone 5c, and features a band performing the Pixies song "Gigantic" while an array of apps -- beginning with musically-oriented ones, then branching off in other directions -- is shown. Like most recent Apple ads, the focus is on enabling people to do interesting things using their iPhones.
Among other updates issued on Tuesday, Apple has further updated the iOS versions of Pages, Numbers and Keynote -- formerly known collectively as iWork apps -- to version 2.2.1, just three weeks after its last update. The previous version introduced new features and restored old ones, but today's update lists only unnamed "stability and bug fixes," which might hint that the change is related somehow to an OpenSSL patch for 2013 Airport Extremes and Time Capsules issued earlier today.
On Tuesday, Apple -- which had previously said none of its key software, operating systems, websites or web services had been affected by the Heartbleed OpenSSL security flaw -- issued a patch to its 2013 (only) Airport Extreme and Time Capsule products that support 802.11ac to fix the issue. The 2013 Airport Express is not affected by the bug, and does not require the update. The patch boosts the firmware version on the Extreme and Time Capsule to 7.7.3 and "provides security improvements related to SSL/TLS."
Google attorney James Mccoun testified today that the search engine giant agreed to defend Samsung at least in part against some of the claims against it in the ongoing Apple versus Samsung trial. Apple played pre-recorded testimony from the attorney who confirmed emails that Google would provide some level of indemnity over four patents held by Apple if Samsung was sued, or would possibly take over defense of the claims.
As has been predicted for some time, a new malware threat exploits the same flaws in iOS that jailbreaking tools use in order to install itself on older jailbroken iPhones and iPads. The malware, likely to be found in devices where the user has installed third-party customizations, scans for the Apple ID and password of the user, then transmits it to remote servers. Current, 64-bit iOS devices like the iPhone 5s, iPad Air or second-generation iPad mini -- and un-jailbroken iOS devices of all sorts -- appear to be immune so far.
OnOne Software has announced the upcoming release of its latest version of Perfect Photo Suite, adding improvements to photo browsing, file-management options, and more. Perfect Photo Suite 8.5 Photo Editor is a full-featured photo editor that also works as a plug-in with Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, and Apple Aperture. In v8.5.0, the Browse module includes speed and productivity enhancements, such as faster thumbnail and preview viewing, and new file management features for organization. Improved performance with the Perfect Eraser tool simplify object removal on difficult gradient background, and enhanced masking support in Perfect Effects and Perfect Layers utilizes multiple Masking Bugs on a layer.
For the first time, access to OS X beta releases has been opened to non-developers. Apple has introduced the Beta Seed Program, which requires only that a person have an Apple ID and sign a confidentiality agreement. The agreement blocks people from sharing information to anyone not also registered to receive betas.
AT&T is partnering with The Chernin Group, with the latter pouring $500 million into an effort to distribute Internet-based video services. What exactly AT&T and Chernin will produce as a result isn't clear, but premium services like Netflix are suspected. The terms of the deal have not yet been announced.
Apple appears to have fixed a problem that prevented owners of the first-generation Apple TV from accessing iTunes, according to comments on the product's support forums. The outage began over the weekend, but was resolved just earlier today. It's not clear what caused the issue, or why it would only affect first-gen Apple TVs.
Apple has released Security Update 2014-002, an OS X patch that addresses various security flaws. The software applies to Lion, Mountain Lion, and Mavericks. More significantly it comes bundled with Safari 7.0.3, which in addition to improved security includes some minor feature additions and bugfixes.
Logitech today officially launched three new cases for the iPad Air and the iPad mini. Leading these is the Big Bang, which merges a compact folio design with shock-absorbing material; Logitech claims the case can survive drops from as high as 1.4m, or about 4.6 feet. The front and back are also covered with liquid-resistant materials. The Air version of the case costs $100, while the Mini edition is $80.
In what is likely to be the final stop between Internet over-the-air television streamer Aereo and essentially the entire broadcast industry allied against it, Aereo seems to be fighting an uphill battle. Today's hearing before the US Supreme Court found judges skeptical about Aereo's business model, calling it "based solely on circumventing legal prohibitions that you don't want to comply with."
Today in the MacNN forums, Moderator "Thorzdad" sent a warning to other members about a malware attack that has been discovered that is targeting jailbroken 32-bit iPods, iPads and iPhones. Yesterday Mac Elite "rotuts" took to the forums asking if a hybrid drive would work with a Mac Pro running 10.6.8.
A security flaw in some Linksys and Netgear routers discovered this winter, thought to be patched, has only been slightly hidden. Instead of the router listening and obeying command packets on port 32764, now the command must be prefixed by a specially crafted packet, which reactivates the flaw, and allows for remote command and seizure of afflicted routers.
Today at Apple's online store chose from a wide selection of refurbished Mac Pro models. The Mac Pro with a 3.2GHz Intel quad-core Xeon processor, 6GB of RAM and 1TB hard drive has been reduced by $360 to $2,139. Priced at $2,549 is the refurbished Mac Pro with a 3.33GHz Intel 6-core Xeon processor, 6GB of RAM and 1TB hard drive.
At MacMall.com's Earth Day sale, save $600 on the 13.3-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display which has been slashed from $2,200 down to $1,600. That discount makes this the best price we have seen on this notebook by about $300. This MBP features a Retina display, 3.0GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 8GB of RAM and 512GB of flash storage with Intel HD Graphics 4000. Included is a one year warranty on parts and labor from Apple.
As anticipated, Apple has released iOS 7.1.1 via iTunes and iOS' over-the-air update mechanism. The code is simply a maintenance release, primarily fixing keyboard responsiveness, as well as glitches when using Bluetooth keyboards while VoiceOver is on. For iPhone 5s owners, the patch improves Touch ID fingerprint recognition.
Apple appears to be using a shell company, "Brightflash USA LLC," to covertly register iWatch trademarks around the world, reports say. The firm is registered in Delaware, and has been tied to past trademarking efforts by Apple. The company has already requested iWatch trademarks in the US, the UK, Australia, the European Union, and Denmark. It has also filed for a trademark in dozens of other countries, ranging from smaller ones like Albania and Iceland through to China and India.
As an extension of Apple's new recycling intiatives, the iPad is now eligible for the same Reuse & Recycling program as the iPhone. People trading in an older iPad at an Apple Store can get credit towards a new model. Notably, that credit can also be applied to an iPhone; accordingly, iPhone credit can be applied towards an iPad. An iPhone and an iPhone also be traded in together towards a single purchase, but people can't bring in two iPhones or two iPads.
Lytro has unveiled its second camera using light-field photography. Just like the original Lytro camera, the Lytro Illum allows photographers to change the point of focus of a shot after the shot has been taken, with the camera's construction updated to look more like a traditional DSLR instead of the original's compact and unusual body.
AgileBits has released updates to the Mac and iOS editions of 1Password, its app for creating and storing passwords, as well as saving data related to credit cards, passports, and bank accounts. 1Password for Mac 4.3 includes a host of improvements, a number of which focus on 1Password mini, such as the ability to edit items and generated passwords from within the plugin. Mini is also capable of searching any and all 1Password content, displaying Secure Notes, and several new keyboard shortcuts.
Apple's oft-rumored 5.5-inch version of the iPhone 6 has been pushed into 2015, claims Taiwanese publication the Industrial and Commercial Times. Apple has reportedly had trouble finding a battery that's both powerful and less than 2mm thick, needed to fit the 5.5-inch model's "very thin" profile. Suppliers have allegedly been referring to the device as the "iPhone Air," though that may not be the final product name.
On Monday, Samsung -- which has devoted some 21.5 hours of its 25-hour limit to defending itself against charges that it copied five specific Apple patents -- finally rested its defensive case and began its offensive case late in the day, alleging that Apple is infringing on two patents it owns (but did not create -- they were purchased from others). Several expert witnesses for Samsung had to walk a strange line of saying Samsung had not infringed any of Apple's patents -- but even if it did, they were only worth a total of $38.4 million, not almost $2.2 billion.
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