Mac

Business
August 10, 2012
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Early unaired Mac ad even more smug and obnoxious than reviled ‘Genius’ ads [video]

By on August 10, 2012 at 1:30 PM.

Early unaired Mac ad even more smug and obnoxious than reviled ‘Genius’ ads [video]

Apple 1983 Macintosh Ad

Apple’s (AAPL) history of creating advertisements featuring smug, cocky “geniuses” goes back well before the recent “Genius” ads and even before the old-school “Mac-versus-PC” ads. In spite of the company’s history, 9to5Mac has found that current Google (GOOG) software engineer and Macintosh co-creator Andy Hertzfeld has posted a video on his Google+ page showing an unaired Mac ad from 1983 that was deemed “too self-congratulatory” for humans to stomach. More →

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Business
July 30, 2012
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Ad exec who named the iMac says Apple’s new Mac ads deserve ‘gagging response’

By on July 30, 2012 at 3:30 PM.

Ad exec who named the iMac says Apple’s new Mac ads deserve ‘gagging response’

Mac Commercials Critique

Apple’s (AAPL) new television commercials for its Mac computers attempt to target a new audience but according to widespread chatter on the Internet, they fail pretty miserably. The new ads, which focus on Apple Store Geniuses highlighting key benefits of Apple’s computers, have been panned by pundits and consumers alike. Now, however, the new ads have drawn fire from widely respected advertising executive Ken Segall, who says the ads are “causing a widespread gagging response, and deservedly so.” Segall is known for naming Apple’s iMac and producing a number of Apple ads during the 12 years he spent working alongside Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. ”I honestly can’t remember a single Apple campaign that’s been received so poorly,” Segall wrote on his blog. He did note that Apple will likely respond to criticism by reworking its new Mac ads, and he says the company has bounced back from bad ad runs several times in the past. One of Apple’s new ads, titled “Basically,” follows below. More →

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Gaming
July 13, 2012
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Amazing Alex, the App Store’s No.1 paid app, will hit more platforms soon

By on July 13, 2012 at 6:30 PM.

Amazing Alex, the App Store’s No.1 paid app, will hit more platforms soon

Amazing Alex Windows Mac

Windows and Mac users worried about not being able to play Rovio’s new hit iOS and Android game Amazing Alex can rest easy: Rovio has not forsaken you. Per The Verge, Rovio’s newest game will be available on Windows PCs, Windows Phone devices and Mac OS computers in the near future. The company’s official Twitter feed says that the Windows and Mac versions of the game “are to come later, post launch,” although there is currently no timeline for when the new versions of the game will be released. Rovio launched Amazing Alex for iOS and Android devices earlier this week and it quickly became the iOS App Store’s top paid app. More →

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Business
July 13, 2012
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Mac growth topped Windows for 25th consecutive quarter in Q2

By on July 13, 2012 at 3:15 PM.

Mac growth topped Windows for 25th consecutive quarter in Q2

Mac Growth Q2 2012

Shipments of Apple computers appear to have outgrown Windows PC shipments for the 25th consecutive quarter in Q2 2012, reports Fortune’s Philip Elmer-Dewitt. Following the release of Gartner’s second-quarter PC market estimates, Fortune has published the results of a survey that polled 61 different analysts in search of a consensus. The results are in: Wall Street analysts see Apple having shipped 4.41 million Macs last quarter, and independent analysts put the figure at 4.49 million. In either case, Apple, which shipped 3.95 million Macs in the second calendar quarter last year, would have enjoyed growth that handily tops the decline the global Windows PC market saw in the June quarter. Of course, it’s comparatively easy to grow when you have nowhere to go but up — as of the end of June, Net Applications estimates Microsoft’s share of the desktop operating system market to be 92.23% compared to just 6.72% for the Mac platform. More →

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Software
July 11, 2012
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Tweetbot for Mac released in public alpha, here’s what it looks like

By on July 11, 2012 at 1:27 PM.

Tweetbot for Mac released in public alpha, here’s what it looks like

Tweetbot for Mac Download

Tweetbot is certainly a top contender for best Twitter app on iOS, but there has always been a Mac counterpart missing. While it was teased for a few weeks, Tweetbot for Mac has finally been revealed, and it’s even available for download right this second as a public alpha. This means it might crash, or some features will be broken, but it gives the public a great way to see how the app will take shape over the coming days. Here are some screenshots of it in action:

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Featured
June 8, 2012
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What is Apple going to announce at WWDC? iOS 6, a TV SDK, Retina Macs

By on June 8, 2012 at 10:35 AM.

What is Apple going to announce at WWDC? iOS 6, a TV SDK, Retina Macs

Plenty has been said about Apple’s WWDC 2012 conference, which takes place starting on Monday next week, but if you haven’t been furiously digging and following along, here are our best guesses based on what we’ve heard from our sources, what other sites have reported, and common sense. More →

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Rumor
June 6, 2012
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Leaked hardware parts list suggests big Mac lineup update

By on June 6, 2012 at 3:35 PM.

Leaked hardware parts list suggests big Mac lineup update

Apple New Mac Rumors For WWDC

AppleInsider scored a leaked list of part numbers for new Apple hardware and it looks as though Apple is preparing a big refresh for the bulk of its Mac lineup. AppleInsider’s Neil Hughes speculates that the parts could mean as many as “14 new Mac models” arriving at Apple’s WWDC next week, which would represent a truly massive overhaul. Included on the list were parts for new versions of the MacBook Pro, the iMac 21.5, the iMac 27, the MacBook Air and the Mac Pro. 9to5Mac’s Seth Weintraub, who also received a copy of the list, speculated that there would be three new Mac Pros released: an entry-level Mac Pro for $2,999.00, a server Mac Pro for $4,599.00 and a high-end Mac Pro for $3599.00. No new Macs have been confirmed at this point, however, so we’ll likely have to wait for WWDC next week to see exactly what Apple has in store.

More →

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mobile
May 22, 2012
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80% of mobile banking apps may have security flaws

By on May 22, 2012 at 7:45 PM.

80% of mobile banking apps may have security flaws

Mobile Banking Security Flaws

Neal O’Farrell, executive director of the nonprofit Identity Theft Council, spoke about the seriousness of mobile security as part of San Francisco Small Business Week, Cult Of Mac reported. “There were more data breaches than U.S. residents last year and more cases of identity theft than just about all other crimes combined,” O’Farrell said, adding that unless users are encrypting their devices, they are essentially asking for trouble. “You’ve got to wake up [and] protect yourself, even if you use a Mac,” he said, citing the massive Flashback virus that affected more than 600,000 Mac computers. O’Farrell went on to warn that, “Eight out of ten mobile banking apps have security flaws, but Apple and the banks don’t want you to know that.” He didn’t give specifics, but did state, “I’ll wait another 20 years to stick my toe in that pond.” O’Ferrel is a security consultant who has advised organizations including Toyota, Merrill Lynch, Cost Plus World Market and the Bulgarian Government. More →

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Computers
May 11, 2012
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Revamped OS X icons point to Retina display for MacBooks

By on May 11, 2012 at 3:45 PM.

Revamped OS X icons point to Retina display for MacBooks

MacBook Retina Display

Apple on Wednesday released the latest update to its OS X Lion operating system, OS X 10.7.4. Along with a number of minor bug fixes and a security update to address a vulnerability in FileVault, the update included behind-the-scenes changes that will pave the way for future Macs with high-resolution Retina displays, according to Apple Insider. The Cupertino-based company has updated a number of apps — including the built-in TextEdit app — with double-resolution icons, increasing their sizes from 512 x 512 pixels to 1,024 x 1,024 pixels. The move suggests that Apple is planning to introduce new MacBooks with ultra-high-resolution screens, as it did with the Retina displays found on its iPhone and iPads. More →

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Computers
May 9, 2012
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Apple releases OS X Lion 10.7.4 update

By on May 9, 2012 at 5:05 PM.

Apple releases OS X Lion 10.7.4 update

Apple OS X 10.7.4 Update

Apple on Wednesday released an update to its desktop operating system. OS X Lion 10.7.4 contains a number of minor fixes as well as a security update that addresses the FileVault password security issue uncovered recently. The bug made users’ passwords vulnerable by storing them in plain text format. Apple’s 10.7.4 release notes are as follows:

The 10.7.4 update is recommended for all OS X Lion users and includes general operating system fixes that improve the stability, compatibility, and security of your Mac including fixes that:

  • Resolve an issue where the “Reopen windows when logging back in” setting is always enabled
  • Improve compatibility with certain British third-party USB keyboards
  • Address an issue that may prevent files from being saved to a server
  • Improve the reliability of copying files to an SMB server

For detailed information on this update, please visit this website: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5167.

For information on the security content of this update, please visit: http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1222.

The OS X Lion 10.7.4 update can be downloaded immediately through the integrated software update utility in OS X.

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Security
May 4, 2012
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New malware exploits flaw in old versions of Office for Mac

By on May 4, 2012 at 7:30 PM.

New malware exploits flaw in old versions of Office for Mac

Malware exploits flaw in old versions of Office for Mac

Microsoft researchers recently discovered a piece of Mac OS X malware that exploits a three-year-old flaw in old versions of Office for Mac. The threat uses a multi-stage attack, just like a Windows virus would. While Microsoft did fix the problem in 2009, the software giant notes that not every machine is up-to-date. The company’s data indicates, however, that the malware is not widespread. “No operating system that exists outside a laboratory is entirely immune to malware,” Microsoft stated on its blog. “As different operating systems continue to gain in popularity they attract more attention from would-be attackers – especially since, as we see in the example analysis above, the techniques and understanding needed to do so may be much the same as those used against other platforms. And even though an operating system may include many risk-reducing mitigation technologies, any machine’s defenses against vulnerabilities are directly related to how current its security updates for applications are kept.” Microsoft concludes by warning users of Office 2004 for Mac, Office 2008 for Mac or Open XML File Format Converter for Mac to update their software in order to protect themselves from possible threats. More →

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Computers
May 1, 2012
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Flashback OS X malware estimated to generate creators $10,000 per day

By on May 1, 2012 at 4:40 PM.

Flashback OS X malware estimated to generate creators $10,000 per day

Flashback OS X virus generates $10K per day

The “Flashback” virus that originated on a series of WordPress blogs and went on to infected more than 600,000 Mac computers last month may have generated its creators thousands of dollars each day. According to antivirus software firm Symantec, the Flashback malware has been generating revenue for its authors by hijacking users’ ad clicks, and due to the widespread nature of the infection, the authors could have been generating up to $10,000 per day. “Flashback specifically targets search queries made on Google and, depending on the search query, may redirect users to another page of the attacker’s choosing, where they receive revenue from the click,” the firm explained, adding that Google never receives the intended ad click. Symantec notes that ad-clicking Trojans are nothing new and a botnet of 25,000 infections could generate an author up to $450 per day. More →

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Tablets
April 26, 2012
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One in four iPad owners are first-time Apple buyers

By on April 26, 2012 at 9:30 PM.

One in four iPad owners are first-time Apple buyers

NPD Group on Thursday released the results of its Apple Ecosystem Study, which suggests that almost 25% of U.S. iPad owners are first-time Apple buyers. The firm’s data, as reported by AppleInsider, indicated that 33% of U.S. households own Apple products, with a majority owning an iPod. That number is growing beyond the 37 million American households the Cupertino-based company’s products are already found in, thanks to Apple’s flagship tablet. “iPad sales are growing much faster than any other Apple product has this soon after launch,” said Ben Arnold, director of industry analysis at NPD. “In fact, one-in-five Apple owner households has one — nearly equivalent to the number that own an Apple computer. This demonstrates the appeal of both the new form factor and Apple’s app ecosystem.” The study found that six out of ten homes with a Mac also own a Windows PC, and nearly 30% of so-called “Apple enthusiasts” own a smartphone other than the iPhone. The data comes from a survey NPD conducted in February of more than 3,000 consumers. More →

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