Instagram has now 27 Million users and they are quite happy about it. According to founder Kevin Systrom at South by Southwest the company is developing the app and will be launching it very soon. Speaking about the excitement of the concept he said
They’re not excited about it because it makes your photos look beautiful, They’re excited because it networks people across the world and it’s the single fastest growing thing in mobile period.
If you continue to stay on the Apple Developer program then you can have yourself a developer preview download of the new exciting Mac OS X Lion. The new versions of Reminders , messages , gatekeeper, Notification center and iCloud and sharing capabilities can be experienced in this preview. Hit the link below to sign into your member area and begin the download.
[Apple]
Apple has already begun the next update cycle of the OS X platform with just over a year ago Apple unleashed OS X Lion on Mac owners. This time around the number is bumped to 10.8 and the name to Mountain Lion. The overall outlook of the OS remains the same with more integrations and basic app changes in tow.
The biggest add-on for the OS has to be the Notification centre that has been inspired from the iOS notification centre.
The spotlight icon on the far top right of the screen is replaced with a circle with a dot in the centre, which lights up when you receive a message or a notification even a calendar reminder.
The other major release in OS X mountain lain will be the replacement of iChat with messages, which will allow you to message all iOS devices on iMessage and other macs on Messages. Using the service, you can send messages, documents, HD videos and photos (up to 100MB apiece) to one person or several, using phone numbers or email addresses as points of contact. Messages on Mac still incorporates chat services like AIM and GChat. Messages sent through the service are encrypted, and the app also uses a notification to let you know when messages have been delivered / read.
The next cool thing of our liking that has been ported from iOS to Mac is Reminders. For those who don’t know , this is more of a glorified to-do list. It will sync with iOS reminders keeping the seamless architecture intact.
Another addition to the Mac OS X Mountain Lion is the Notes app, which not only completely resembles the on on iOS but also syncs up with all your devices and email addresses via iCloud.
Apple has added deeper integration of iCloud on Mountain Lion, allowing users to sync up and back up more data, also allowing seamless interconnectivity with all other Apple devices owned by a user. The other additions to Lion include Airplay mirroring, integrated Game center and included sharing – allowing you to instantly share content from your desktop via email, message, AirDrop and third-party services like Twitter, Flickr and Vimeo.
Apple is making its employees feel extra special this time around, as those who work for the Cupertino based giant are in for a sweet deal. The company typically offers a 25% discount on its range of products to the employees. But in an Employee meeting at the local Town Hall yesterday, The Apple CEO revealed some new Apple employee benefits, Cook announced that Apple employees will soon be given $500 discounts on purchases of new Macs and $250 discounts on purchases of a new iPad.
The new discount program will officially kickoff at some point during June 2012. Don’t try to use your regular thing and find a relative who can source you macs for cheap , because employees will be only able to call in this favor once every three years. The Employee has to be working for a minim of 90 days for the company to request a discount.
The discount excludes several products including the Mac mini and Displays.
Oh i wish to work for Apple now!
Apple has released a new version of the iBooks publishing platform yesterday at the Guggenheim museum in New York City. The new iBooks 2 app is available today as a free download from the App Store. It features a lot of new improvements including the ability to share textbooks. The reason for giving iPad’s to students in universities becomes even more useful starting today.
The App allows fullscreen books, interactive 3D objects, diagrams, videos and photos, the iBooks 2 app will let students learn with just a tap or swipe of the finger.
Education is deep in Apple’s DNA and iPad may be our most exciting education product yet. With 1.5 million iPads already in use in education institutions, including over 1,000 one-to-one deployments, iPad is rapidly being adopted by schools across the US and around the world, Now with iBooks 2 for iPad, students have a more dynamic, engaging and truly interactive way to read and learn, using the device they already love.”
-said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing.
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Apple Reinvents Textbooks with iBooks 2 for iPad
New iBooks Author Lets Anyone Create Stunning iBooks Textbooks
NEW YORK-January 19, 2012-Apple® today announced iBooks® 2 for iPad®, featuring iBooks textbooks, an entirely new kind of textbook that’s dynamic, engaging and truly interactive. iBooks textbooks offer iPad users gorgeous, fullscreen textbooks with interactive animations, diagrams, photos, videos, unrivaled navigation and much more. iBooks textbooks can be kept up to date, don’t weigh down a backpack and never have to be returned. Leading education services companies including Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, McGraw-Hill and Pearson will deliver educational titles on the iBookstore? with most priced at $14.99 or less, and with the new iBooks Author, a free authoring tool available today, anyone with a Mac® can create stunning iBooks textbooks.
“Education is deep in Apple’s DNA and iPad may be our most exciting education product yet. With 1.5 million iPads already in use in education institutions, including over 1,000 one-to-one deployments, iPad is rapidly being adopted by schools across the US and around the world,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “Now with iBooks 2 for iPad, students have a more dynamic, engaging and truly interactive way to read and learn, using the device they already love.”
The new iBooks 2 app is available today as a free download from the App Store™. With support for great new features including gorgeous, fullscreen books, interactive 3D objects, diagrams, videos and photos, the iBooks 2 app will let students learn about the solar system or the physics of a skyscraper with amazing new interactive textbooks that come to life with just a tap or swipe of the finger. With its fast, fluid navigation, easy highlighting and note-taking, searching and definitions, plus lesson reviews and study cards, the new iBooks 2 app lets students study and learn in more efficient and effective ways than ever before.
iBooks Author is also available today as a free download from the Mac App Store and lets anyone with a Mac create stunning iBooks textbooks, cookbooks, history books, picture books and more, and publish them to Apple’s iBookstore. Authors and publishers of any size can start creating with Apple-designed templates that feature a wide variety of page layouts. iBooks Author lets you add your own text and images by simply dragging and dropping, and with the Multi-Touch™ widgets you can easily add interactive photo galleries, movies, Keynote® presentations and 3D objects.
Apple today also announced an all-new iTunes® U app giving educators and students everything they need on their iPad, iPhone® and iPod touch® to teach and take entire courses. With the new iTunes U app, students using iPads have access to the world’s largest catalog of free educational content, along with over 20,000 education apps at their fingertips and hundreds of thousands of books in the iBookstore that can be used in their school curriculum, such as novels for English or Social Studies.* The iTunes U app is available today as a free download from the App Store.
*Some content is available only for iPad.
Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices with iPad.
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Apple has filed for a new Patent that would allow for new MacBooks to go on for days and weeks without requiring a charge. This new technology would also allow for Cupertino’s new laptops to be slimmer and lighter. Apple has filed for a patent indicating that hydrogen fuel cells would be used to send and receive power from a battery to power a laptop computer. Apple also admits in this patent that the company is developing a product which is small enough and cheap enough to be placed in one of their laptops will be a challenge.
In less than a year since its debut on Apple computer screens, the Mac App store has crossed 1 million downloads. Thats a huge number if you consider it a Mac only download store, if you compare it to the iOS App Store its mere digits in front of the 18 Billion downloads. The App store already has most of the Apps available for Mac Computers with others coming in fast. Check out the full PR below.
[toggle title_open=”Press Release” title_closed=”Press Release” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]Apple’s Mac App Store Downloads Top 100 Million
CUPERTINO, California-December 12, 2011-Apple® today announced that over 100 million apps have been downloaded from the Mac® App Store™ in less than one year. With thousands of free and paid apps, the Mac App Store brings the App Store experience to the Mac so you can find great new apps, buy them using your iTunes® account, and download and install them in just one step. Apple revolutionized the app industry with the App Store, which now has more than 500,000 apps and where customers have downloaded more than 18 billion apps and continue to download more than 1 billion apps per month.
“In just three years the App Store changed how people get mobile apps, and now the Mac App Store is changing the traditional PC software industry,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “With more than 100 million downloads in less than a year, the Mac App Store is the largest and fastest growing PC software store in the world.”
“With Autodesk products in both the App Store and Mac App Store, we can reach hundreds of millions of Apple users around the world,” said Amar Hanspal, senior vice president of Platform Solutions and Emerging Business at Autodesk. “With our free AutoCAD WS and the more powerful professional drafting tools of AutoCAD LT, we’re using the Mac App Store to deliver new products and reach a growing base of new Mac customers.”
“The Mac App Store has unparalleled reach and has completely transformed our distribution and development cycle,” said Saulius Dailide of the Pixelmator Team. “Offering Pixelmator 2.0 exclusively on the Mac App Store allows us to streamline updates to our image editing software and stay ahead of the competition.”
“In less than one year we’ve shifted the distribution of djay for Mac exclusively to the Mac App Store,” said Karim Morsy, CEO of algoriddim. “With just a few clicks, djay for Mac is available to customers in 123 countries worldwide. We could never have that reach through traditional channels.”
The Mac App Store offers thousands of apps in Education, Games, Graphics & Design, Lifestyle, Productivity, Utilities and other categories. Users can browse new and noteworthy apps, find out what’s hot, see staff favorites, search categories and look up top charts for paid and free apps, as well as user ratings and reviews. The Mac App Store is included with Mac OS® X Lion and is available as a software update for any Mac running Mac OS X Snow Leopard®. For more information visit, www.apple.com/mac/app-store.
Mac developers set the prices for their apps, keep 70 percent of the sales revenue, are not charged for free apps and do not have to pay hosting, marketing or credit card fees. To find out more about developing for the Mac App Store visit, developer.apple.com/programs/mac.
Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced iPad 2 which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.[/toggle]
Google’s chrome browser will soon get plug and play support for gamepads running on any PC/Mac. A simple plug in of the gamepad/ joystick will allow control of the highly popular browser. Alongside gamepads, webcams and microphones will have similar plug-and-play support, allowing users to interact with HTML5 games and apps.
Google’s Paul Kinlan said that the update will arrive next year and will be available on all platforms simultaneously.
[Gizmodo]
Apple ended the wire plug fury of Laptops, especially Apple laptops with the introduction of the magsafe connector in 2006. The Magsafe connector detaches on being pulled hence keeping the device safe when a clumsy owner trips over the wire.
This is not the case with the current iPhone and iPad connectors, making them vulnerable to damage. With this new patent , Apple hopes to end that war of man vs wire and with wireless syncs just a iOS update away, one can see magsafe power connectors in the next gen iDevices.
[USPTO]
Apple has finally released its OS X Lion USB thumb drive, available now at its online store. If you want an alternative to the Mac App Store download file which deletes itself after each install, this usb stick might be the correct answer for you.
The only catch is that the usb stick sells for US$ 69, when you can download the OS for just US$ 29 from the App store. These are only currently available in the US, so you will either need to wait several weeks, or find alternate ways to get them to your doorstep.
[Apple]
The Skype for Mac app has been finally updated to support a full host of features, including HD video, group video calling, group screen sharing, and also brings OS Lion support. The Facebook chat module is now also integrated in the client.
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On the heels of our recent update to Skype 5.2 for Mac OS X, we are pleased to announce that we are making even more improvements to our Mac client with the release of Skype 5.3 for Mac OS X. Along with a number of fixes and improvements to the user interface, Skype 5.3 will feature support for the new Mac Lion and HD Video Calls.
Skype 5.3 for Mac OS X is built to work with Apple’s newest desktop operating system, Lion, in addition to being compatible with past versions of OS X going all the way back to Leopard.
With Skype 5.3 for Mac OS X, you’ll also be able to send and receive HD quality video when talking to your friends and family. You’ll need to use the Mac’s built-in HD webcam or choose from a variety of webcams from our Skype Shop, such as the Logitech C910, to make video calls in crystal clear HD quality. To receive clear HD video calls on your Mac, we recommend an upload/download speed of 1.5Mbps.
As with all updates, we ask that you download the most recent Skype update to take advantage of these recent features. If you have any questions or comments on the latest Skype software for Mac, please feel free to visit our new Skype Support Network. We hope you enjoy the new updates in Skype 5.3 for Mac OS X.
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[Skype]
Apple is in the last stages of testing a 15 inch ultra thin Notebook pc that will be part of the MacBook family. According to various reports by TUAW and MacRumors the devices will be 15 inch and 17 inch in size will fall under the Macbook Pro Lineup and will be available in time for christmas.
The ultra-thin market is also about to get much more competitive this fall as Intel’s partners begin launching their notebooks.
On the day that Apple launched the new version of its operating system OSX Lion, it sold over a million copies. Apparently, people were not intimidated by a lack of a disc to install from. The ease with which Apple has distributed its update can be seen in the sales figures. The price of the update along with the ability to download is must have helped boost sales even further than Apple expected.
The update is available in the Mac App Store for only $29. It will be available on physical media in August.
Apple has dropped a new load of goodies on us today, as we suspected, Apple has updated the Mac Mini to include new hardware and Thunderbolt Ports.
The new Mac mini packs an Intel Core i5 or i7 processor, Thunderbolt, AMD Radeon HD graphics, and Mac OS X Lion.
Starting at $599 with a 2.3GHz Intel Core i5 they offer a cheap alternative for owning a Mac.
The 2.3 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 Mac mini with 2GB of memory and a 500GB hard drive starts at a suggested retail price of $599 (US), with options to add memory up to 8GB and a 750GB hard drive.
The 2.5 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 Mac mini with 4GB of memory and a 500GB hard drive starts at a suggested retail price of $799 (US), with options to upgrade to a 2.7GHz dual-core Core i7 processor, up to 8GB of memory, and a 750GB hard drive with an option to add or replace with a 256GB solid state drive.
The 2.0 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 Mac mini with Lion Server, 4GB of memory and dual 500GB hard drives starts at a suggested retail price of $999 (US). Options include adding memory up to 8GB, two 750GB hard drives, or up to two 256GB solid state drives.
[toggle title_open=”Collapse” title_closed=”Expand and Read Press Release” hide=”yes” border=”yes” style=”default” excerpt_length=”0″ read_more_text=”Read More” read_less_text=”Read Less” include_excerpt_html=”no”]Apple Updates Mac mini
CUPERTINO, California-July 20, 2011-Apple® today updated the Mac® mini with next generation Intel core processors, new discrete graphics, high-speed Thunderbolt I/O technology and Lion, the world’s most advanced operating system. The new Mac mini delivers up to twice the processor and graphics performance of the previous generation in the same amazingly compact and efficient aluminum design.* Starting at just $599 (US), the new Mac mini is available for order today and in stores tomorrow.
“Mac mini delivers the speed and expandability that makes it perfect for the desktop, living room or office,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “With faster processors, more powerful graphics and Thunderbolt in an incredibly compact, aluminum design, the new Mac mini is more versatile than ever.”
At just 7.7-inches square and 1.4-inches thin, the new Mac mini maintains its compact aluminum design while delivering amazing performance and graphics capabilities. Available in three different configurations, customers can choose a Mac mini with the latest dual-core Intel Core i5 or Intel Core i7 processors, AMD Radeon HD 6630M discrete graphics, or a quad-core Intel Core i7 powered server configuration. Designed without an optical disc drive, Mac mini can access the optical drives on other PCs and Macs, and works with the MacBook Air® SuperDrive®. Configure-to-order options include up to 8 GBs of memory, a faster 7200 RPM hard drive and a 256GB solid state drive.
Mac mini now comes with Thunderbolt I/O technology for expansion possibilities never before available to Mac mini users. With a Thunderbolt port, Mac mini can connect to peripherals such as high-performance storage devices, RAID arrays and the new Apple Thunderbolt Display, a stunning 27-inch IPS widescreen display that’s great for making FaceTime® HD video calls, surfing the Web and viewing movies and photos.
With ultra-fast Wi-Fi, you can wirelessly download apps from the Mac App Store™, get music and movies from iTunes®, back up data to Time Capsule® and share files with AirDrop, which makes transferring files quick and easy. Mac mini includes Bluetooth for wireless peripherals and four USB ports for easy connectivity for the wired and wireless devices you use every day.
The new Mac mini remains the world’s most energy efficient desktop, meets Energy Star 5.2 requirements and achieves EPEAT Gold status.** Mac mini has a highly recyclable aluminum enclosure, PVC-free components and cables, no brominated flame retardants and features material-efficient system and packaging designs.
Every new Mac mini comes with Mac OS® X Lion, the latest major release of Mac OS X, the world’s most advanced operating system, and iLife® apps for creating and sharing great photos, movies and music. Lion introduces more than 250 new features to the Mac, including Multi-Touch® gestures and system-wide support for full screen apps; Mission Control, an innovative view of everything running on your Mac; the Mac App Store, the best place to find and explore great software; Launchpad, a new home for all your apps; and a completely redesigned Mail app.
Pricing & Availability
The new Mac mini is available through the Apple Store® (www.apple.com) today and in Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers starting July 21.
The 2.3 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 Mac mini with 2GB of memory and a 500GB hard drive starts at a suggested retail price of $599 (US), with options to add memory up to 8GB and a 750GB hard drive.
The 2.5 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 Mac mini with 4GB of memory and a 500GB hard drive starts at a suggested retail price of $799 (US), with options to upgrade to a 2.7GHz dual-core Core i7 processor, up to 8GB of memory, and a 750GB hard drive with an option to add or replace with a 256GB solid state drive.
The 2.0 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 Mac mini with Lion Server, 4GB of memory and dual 500GB hard drives starts at a suggested retail price of $999 (US). Options include adding memory up to 8GB, two 750GB hard drives, or up to two 256GB solid state drives.
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Are you a technology whiz? Is there a hidden geek inside you? Well we’ve found an excellent way for you to keep your pants up while looking smart too. Introducing the mouse belt. It’s a belt which has an old-school Compaq mouse attached to it in place of a regular buckle. Unfortunately, you cant unbuckle the belt with a simple left or right click (or even a double-click). They also come in a Mac flavour and cost from $15 to $22 a piece. Just don’t expect anyone but you to be unbuckling this belt…