MacBklyn

Apple updates Final Cut Pro X with multicam editing, broadcast monitoring, Photoshop support and more (Motion and Compressor, too)

noreply@blogger.com (The Mac Support Store) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:24:00 +0000

Apple updated its Final Cut Pro X video editing software this morning with some much-needed improvements. It is a significant update, because Final Cut Pro X version 10.0.3 now appeases to pro editors with two new features, including multicam editing that automatically syncs up to 64 angles of video and photos, and broadcast monitoring. The software also advances XML 1.1 support for better plug-in compatibility, and it supports media re-linking while boasting enhanced chroma keying with edge quality, light wrap and color sampling. Users can also finally import layered Adobe Photoshop files.

Multicam editing is done in a typical Apple fashion, and besides taking advantage of the time code to sync camera angles, Final Cut Pro X can also sync scenes using audio waveforms to provide great accuracy. Users also no longer have to export to a motion graphics application to view results with real-time playback, and the broadcast monitoring feature lets an editor connect to waveform displays, vector scopes, and calibrated, high-quality monitors to ensure the projects meets broadcast specifications. Broadcast monitoring requires a Mac Pro with a PCIe card or a Thunderbolt device. In the case of the latter, customers will be able to monitor their project live while on a shoot.

Interestingly— broadcast monitoring is releasing as a beta feature, which is unusual for Apple. Then again, the iPhone 4S digital secretary Siri is also in beta, so perhaps these features mark a change in Apple toward getting new products out of the gate as soon as possible and smoothing out the rough edges over time.

The Final Cut Pro X 10.0.3 update is free for anyone that owns Final Cut Pro X, a $299 download from the Mac App Store. By the way, if you are stuck with a current Final Cut Pro 7 project, there is now a new app called "7toX by Assisted Editing" that is a $99 value and lets you easily convert old files to Final Cut Pro X projects.

Other updates include Compressor 4.0.2 that lets you customize output settings, work faster with distributed encoding and tap into a comprehensive set of delivery features and Motion 5.0.2 which allows users to customize Final Cut Pro titles, transitions and effects, with 2D/3D animations using real-time feedback.

Apple released Final Cut Pro X last summer as a digital download exclusively on the Mac App Store. However, the software was met with such harsh criticism that the company moved to temporarily block reviews on the Mac App Store. Apple also posted a FAQ section promising major enhancements in the near future and even issued refunds to disgruntled customers. While the video editing program won praise for its revamped interface, people hated it for its bugs, heavy requirements and lack of pro features, such as multi-cam editing.

CUPERTINO, California—January 31, 2012—Apple® today released Final Cut Pro® X v10.0.3, a significant update to its revolutionary professional video editing application, which introduces multicam editing that automatically syncs up to 64 angles of video and photos; advanced chroma keying for handling complex adjustments right in the app; and enhanced XML for a richer interchange with third party apps and plug-ins that support the fast growing Final Cut Pro X ecosystem. Available today as a free update from the Mac® App Store™, Final Cut Pro X v10.0.3 also includes a beta of broadcast monitoring that supports Thunderbolt devices as well as PCIe cards.

Final Cut Pro X v10.0.3 includes a collection of groundbreaking new tools for editing multicam projects. Final Cut Pro X automatically syncs clips from your shoot using audio waveforms, time and date, or timecode to create a Multicam Clip with up to 64 angles of video, which can include mixed formats, frame sizes and frame rates. The powerful Angle Editor allows you to dive into your Multicam Clip to make precise adjustments, and the Angle Viewer lets you play back multiple angles at the same time and seamlessly cut between them.

Final Cut Pro X builds upon its robust, one-step chroma key with the addition of advanced controls including color sampling, edge adjustment and light wrap. You can tackle complex keying challenges right in Final Cut Pro X, without having to export to a motion graphics application, and view your results instantly with realtime playback.

In the seven months since launch, the third party ecosystem around Final Cut Pro X has expanded dramatically. XML-compatible software like DaVinci Resolve and CatDV provide tight integration for tasks such as color correction and media management. The new 7toX app from Intelligent Assistance uses XML to import Final Cut Pro 7 projects into Final Cut Pro X. In addition, some of the industry's largest visual effects developers, including GenArts and Red Giant, have developed motion graphics plug-ins that take advantage of the speed and real-time preview capabilities of Final Cut Pro X.

Broadcast monitoring in Final Cut Pro X is currently in beta and allows you to connect to waveform displays, vectorscopes, and calibrated, high-quality monitors to ensure that your project meets broadcast specifications. Final Cut Pro X supports monitoring of video and audio through Thunderbolt I/O devices, as well as through third party PCIe cards.

Pricing & Availability
Final Cut Pro X v10.0.3 is available from the Mac App Store for $299.99 (US) to new users, or as a free update for existing Final Cut Pro X customers. A 30-day free trial of Final Cut Pro X is available at www.apple.com/finalcutpro/trial. Full system requirements and more information on Final Cut Pro X can be found at www.apple.com/finalcutpro.

A visualization of Apple’s market cap and cash

noreply@blogger.com (The Mac Support Store) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:18:00 +0000

Apple reported a monster first quarter last Tuesday that sent the company's stock skyrocketing over the past week. Apple's holiday quarter was the most profitable quarter ever reported by a technology company, and the second most profitable quarter reported by any U.S. firm. With a market capitalization that now sits in excess of $420 billion, Apple is currently the most valuable company in the world, and with more than $97.6 billion in cash and cash equivalents at the end of calendar 2011, Apple has amassed an unbelievable war chest that is unrivaled among its competitors. Business blog MBA Online recently put together an infographic to help us visualize just how big Apple has grown since it teetered on the brink of bankruptcy in the late 90s. Among the graphic's bullet points are the facts that Apple's year-end cash pile is enough to buy an iPad for each and every person living in Canada and Greece combined, and it's also enough to pay off the entire public debt of eight countries within the European Union. The site's full infographic follows below.

Apple hires former Dixon’s CEO John Browett as Senior VP of Retail

noreply@blogger.com (The Mac Support Store) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:30:00 +0000

Apple has hired Dixons Retail chief executive officer John Browett to run its retail business as senior VP of retail. Browett will assume his new position in April and will be responsible for Apple's retail strategy and on expanding Apple's presence around the globe. "Our retail stores are all about customer service, and John shares that commitment like no one else we've met," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "We are thrilled to have him join our team and bring his incredible retail experience to Apple." Browett has been the CEO of Dixons Retail since 2007 and has also served as the CEO of Tesco. He earned a degree in natural sciences from Cambridge University and an MBA from University of Pennsylvania's Wharton Business School. Apple's full press release follows after the break.

John Browett Joins Apple as Senior Vice President of Retail

CUPERTINO, California—January 30, 2012—Apple® today announced that John Browett will join the company as senior vice president of Retail, reporting to Apple CEO Tim Cook. Browett comes to Apple from European technology retailer Dixons Retail, where he has been CEO since 2007. Beginning in April, he will be responsible for Apple's retail strategy and the continued expansion of Apple retail stores around the world.

"Our retail stores are all about customer service, and John shares that commitment like no one else we've met," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "We are thrilled to have him join our team and bring his incredible retail experience to Apple."

Prior to joining Dixons Retail, Browett held a series of executive positions at Tesco plc including CEO of Tesco.com. Earlier in his career he advised retail and consumer goods clients at Boston Consulting Group. He holds a degree in Natural Sciences from Cambridge University and an MBA from Wharton Business School.

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.

iQuit: Apple stops making everything it makes

noreply@blogger.com (The Mac Support Store) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:27:00 +0000

Cupertino, CA — Better hang onto that iPhone. It's about to become a collector's item.

Today Apple announced that it's getting out of the revolution business. In effect, the company has decided to "take the money and run."

According to CEO Tim Cook, Apple just faced the biggest decision in its history. Now valued at over $400 billion, with a cash reserve of over $98 billion, it could keep spending time and money creating things — or it could simply cash out and live off the interest.

"I don't have to think too hard about that one," says Cook.

Effective immediately, there will be no more iPhones, iPads, iPods, iMacs or iAnything. Without ever touching the principle, all Apple employees will continue to earn their current salaries for the rest of their natural lives.

Cook has already issued a memo to employees that life on the inside won't be all fun and games. He estimates it will be about 99.4% fun and games. Those on the payroll will still be required to spend a little time logging their hours.

Already, hundreds of delivery trucks have been spotted at Apple's Cupertino headquarters unloading ping-pong and foosball tables, music systems, telescopes, archery equipment and mechanical bulls.

Construction has begun on several Olympic-sized pools inside 1 Infinite Loop, ringed by hundreds of employee cabanas.

All Apple Stores are being converted to Apple Lounges, where employees may relax and play table games in a friendly atmosphere. At long last, the Genius Bar will live up to its name — serving wine, imported beer and signature cocktails.

Recognizing that severe change can cause confusion, Cook promises that new signage will be installed on Apple property, clearly pointing the way to designated disco areas, gyms, mini-golf courses and tanning salons. Most important, he urges employees never to forget Apple's creative roots — challenging them to dream up new and exciting ways to fritter away their days.

However, Cook does give one stern warning: Any employee caught doing actual work will face immediate termination. Once terminated, they will lose all cabana privileges and be forced to live on 100% of their salary in perpetuity.

Steve Jobs’ legacy lives on at Apple Campus with posters and quotes

noreply@blogger.com (The Mac Support Store) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 04:13:00 +0000

Apple is continuing to infuse the legacy of its cofounder and former CEO Steve Jobs with photo posters and quotes around the Cupertino, Calif.-headquarters. The photos of Jobs range from the early days of the Mac to more recent product introductions, and they are simply motivational and powerful. Quotes from the technological mastermind are also featured around campus, such as the one re-quoted by Tim Cook at Apple's company-wide celebration of Jobs' life:

I think if you do something and it turns out pretty good, then you should go do something else wonderful, not dwell on it for too long. Just figure out what's next.

These quotes and posters will serve as guidance and motivation for several years to come for both the Apple employees of the current era and the future.

63% of mobile users have made a phone call from the bathroom

noreply@blogger.com (The Mac Support Store) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 04:09:00 +0000

The bathroom is a popular place to use a mobile phone according to the results of a new study. "The writing is on the stall," says Nicole Burdette of 11mark, the firm that conducted the survey. "This study confirms what we all know – that the last private place is no longer private. And, that the 'mobile-everywhere' phenomenon is flushing out a host of new opportunities for savvy communicators." 63% of those surveyed said they have initiated a phone call while using the bathroom and 38% have surfed the Internet. Android owners admitted using their smartphones in the bathroom more than any other group of smartphone users; 87% of the Android users responding to the survey said they have used a phone in the bathroom while 84% of BlackBerry users and 77% of iPhone users admitted the same. The full press release for "IT in the Toilet" follows after the break.

New IT in the Toilet Study Shows Americans Aren't Spending Alone Time Alone

Study Highlights Americans' Habits Behind Closed Stalls

ALEXANDRIA, Va.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Three-fourths of Americans with mobile phones report they use their phones in the bathroom, according to a new study by 11mark, a new integrated marketing agency. Americans are texting, emailing, and yes – as you may have heard – talking on the phone in the bathroom. Approximately one quarter of Americans report they don't go into the bathroom without their phone. The new report, "IT in the Toilet," uses the "bathroom benchmark" to examine just how connected we have become.

The survey of 1,000 Americans reveals that neither men nor women are going to the bathroom alone today – 74 percent of men and 76 percent of women report they have used their mobile phone in the bathroom. 63 percent report they have answered a phone call, and 41 percent have initiated a phone call. Many (67 percent) have read a text, and 38 percent have surfed the Internet. Men are a bit more attached, however, with 30 percent reporting, "I don't go to the bathroom without my mobile phone," versus 20 percent of women. Men also work more from the bathroom – 20 percent say they have participated in work-related calls versus 13 percent of their female colleagues.

Droid users are slightly more likely to use their phones in the bathroom overall; 87 percent have used their phone while indisposed, versus 84 percent of BlackBerry users and 77 percent of iPhone users. BlackBerry users are most likely to answer a call in the bathroom. 75 percent of BlackBerry users report they have done so, versus 67 percent of Droid and 60 percent of iPhone users. But, Droid and iPhone users are more likely to browse a social network or use an app (in the bathroom) than their BlackBerry colleagues.

As expected, Gen Y respondents are the heaviest IT in the toilet users. Ninety-one percent use their phone in the bathroom, but older generations are not far behind. Eighty percent of Gen X report they use the phone in the bathroom, as well as 65 percent of Boomers, and 47 percent of the Silent Generation (guess they are no longer silent.)

Americans are using apps to connect to their favorite content, quickly – 59 percent of Gen Y, 43 percent of Gen X, and 22 percent of Boomers have used an app in the bathroom. While online, they are doing more than just surfing; 16 percent of Gen Y report they have made an online purchase while in the bathroom. iPhone users are particularly likely to browse and buy in the bathroom – 22 percent have made a purchase, versus 10 percent of Americans with mobile phones overall.

"The writing is on the stall," says Nicole Burdette, principal, 11mark. "This study confirms what we all know – that the last private place is no longer private. And, that the 'mobile-everywhere' phenomenon is flushing out a host of new opportunities for savvy communicators."

The "IT in the Toilet" study is based on an online survey of 1,000 Americans with mobile phones in October 2011. To learn more and download the full free report, please visithttp://www.11mark.com/IT-in-the-Toilet.

Apple updates AirPort Base Station and Time Capsule Firmware, new iOS-like Airport Utility

noreply@blogger.com (The Mac Support Store) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 04:08:00 +0000

Apple today updated its AirPort Base Station and Time Capsule Firmware to version 7.6.1:

This update is for all 802.11n AirPort Express, 802.11n AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule models. It fixes an issue with wireless performance and provides support for remote access to an AirPort disk or a Time Capsule hard drive with an iCloud account.

Also seeing updates were AirPort Utility 6.0 for Mac OS X Lion (Release Notes) which looks a lot like the iOS AirPort Utility. This application only works with 802.11N Airports. Yes, everything Mac is going iOS.

Also getting an update was AirPort Utility 5.6 (Release Notes) for Mac OS X Lion with the following updates for those with 802.11G stations:

Resolves an issue with using network passwords stored in the Keychain
Works with AirPort Express 802.11g and AirPort Extreme 802.11g base stations

Apple looks to build simplified universal remote control

noreply@blogger.com (The Mac Support Store) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:56:00 +0000

Apple, the company that simplified computers, smartphones and tablets, is now looking to build a simplified TV remote according to a new patent discovered by Apple Insider. The patent, which is titled "Apparatus and Method to Facilitate Universal Remote Control," describes a touchscreen-based controller that would eliminate the clutter found on today's universal remotes. According to the application, Apple is looking to use fewer buttons for a simplified experience. "The controls that are not normally used clutter the remote control and can cause confusion to the user when trying to locate a seldom-used feature," the filing notes. Apple's proposed solution is a remote that would include a "discovery mechanism" to discover available appliances for the device to control, eliminating complex codes and programing of individual devices. The remote would be able to detect which appliances are in range of the controller, graying out the devices that are out of range. The patent was made public this week by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, and was first filed in September 2011.

Apple to offer employees a $500 discount on Macs, $250 off of an iPad

noreply@blogger.com (The Mac Support Store) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:53:00 +0000

Apple CEO Tim Cook reportedly said during an Apple Town Hall meeting on Wednesday that Apple employees will receive a generous discount on Apple products in return for their hard work. Employees typically receive a 25% discount off of hardware, but they will soon be able to purchase a new Mac computer at a $500 discount or an iPad with a $250 discount, 9to5Mac reported. Employees must have worked with the company for a minimum of 30 days and can only take advantage of the deal once every three years, and they should be able to take advantage of the new deals beginning this June.

Future iPhone and iPad may feature MagSafe ports, wireless charging

noreply@blogger.com (The Mac Support Store) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:38:00 +0000

The magnetic MagSafe connectors Apple uses on its MacBook laptops was first introduced in 2006 and it has become a signature design element used across all Apple notebooks, but MagSafe technology is about much more than just aesthetics, of course. Rather than using cable and port combinations with male and female connectors that can wear down or pull a notebook computer off a desk when a cable is accidentally stepped on, Apple's solution marries the power cable and MacBook charger port using small magnets that hold the connector in place. New patents uncovered by Patently Apple reveal that Apple is working on expanding its use of magnets across several product lines, and we may soon be introduced to a variety of new magnet-driven features in Apple's upcoming MacBook and iOS device lines. Read on for more.

Newly published documentation surrounding multiple Apple patents describes a variety of functionality involving coded magnets that Apple is currently investigating. An example of one solution covered by Apple's patent applications is a connector that might replace the company's current 30-pin dock connector.

Connections would be made just as they are now with Apple's MagSafe cable, but the magnets contained in both cables and in devices would be coded with information that could be transmitted when the magnets come in contact with one another. This would allow different accessories to utilize a single connector port on Apple's iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or MacBook. "The magnets create a universal port that detects the coded magnet 'signature' of a particular cable type and reconfigures itself accordingly," according to Apple's patent application, allowing pins within the MagSafe-like connector to pass different kinds of data depending on the type of device being connected.

Another use case at the front and center of Apple's patent involves a new stylus technology for the iPad. Apple's proposed stylus has a design that includes coded magnets positioned at or near the tip of the device. Beyond performing functions typical of a standard stylus, Apple's design would allow the pen to be placed in a dock connected to the iPad — or iPhone, iPod or MacBook — in order to exchange data with the tablet.

The magnets could also provide a layer of security according to Apple's patent application. Because the magnetic coding in each stylus would be unique, an iPad could be configured to only function only when touched by a paired stylus. The iPad would also be able to exchange other types of data wirelessly with a stylus using the technology described in Apple's patent.

Coded magnets could potentially introduce a whole new range of capabilities to Apple's mobile devices that extends far beyond the use cases described here. Apple also makes references to wireless battery charging solutions that employ magnets, for example. Whether or not Apple will build its coded magnet technology into future devices remains to be seen, however.

New website helps you understand how rich Apple really is

noreply@blogger.com (The Mac Support Store) — Sat, 28 Jan 2012 14:36:00 +0000

Apple announced some mind-boggling revenue numbers this week, but you may find yourself asking just how much $46.33 billion is. Have you ever wondered how much stuff you could buy with that much money? Well, thanks to the creativity of two Apple fans, now you can find out. The site displays a list of user-submitted comparisons between Apple's revenue and the cost of extravagant, sometimes-ridiculous items, such as the number of McChicken sandwiches Apple could buy with it. While we're fairly certain Apple has no plans to go on a McDonald's binge anytime soon, the site is still a fun way to visualize exactly how much money Tim and the crew are rolling in right now. If you like crunching numbers, you can also also submit your own comparisons to be included in the ever-growing list of things Apple could (but probably won't) buy.

Apple researching universal touchscreen remote with adaptable user interface for future TVs

noreply@blogger.com (The Mac Support Store) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:40:00 +0000

A patent application published by the US Patent & Trademark Office earlier today reveals Apple is flirting with the idea of a universal touchscreen controller capable of controlling multiple devices including a “a television, a video tape player, a video disk player, a stereo, a home control system, or a computer system.” The patent application is titled “Apparatus and Method to Facilitate Universal Remote Control” and was filed September 30, 2011.

The patent application’s background covers many of the issues with current controllers for televisions and the devices mentioned above. It noted current universal remotes are “complex to operate” and unable to adapt to incorporate every command or control functionality supported by a device or future device. It also mentions the fact that users are often “confronted with multiple” remotes, which is the classic “table full of remotes” scenario described by Steve Jobs when talking about the Apple TV at D8. The patent application explained:

“While all of these buttons and switches are necessary for complete control of the appliance, users typically use only a small subset of the total controls on the remote control. The controls that are not normally used clutter the remote control and can cause confusion to the user when trying to locate a seldom-used feature.…users must spend time learning a new remote control or programming an existing universal remote control each time they purchase a new remotely controllable appliance, which detracts from the enjoyment of using the appliance after it is first purchased…What is needed is an apparatus and a method to provide remote control over multiple appliances without the difficulties described above.”

Apple’s solution would feature an automatic “discovery mechanism” allowing the remote to pair with other devices over Bluetooth or WiFi. The patent describes being able to customize the UI on the remote’s touchscreen without the universal remote control needing “special knowledge” of the device. In other words, graphical representations for any given device, such as a button layout, could be stored in the device and sent to the remote control wirelessly. The patent application also described using the remote with multiple devices simultaneously through a “active appliances” list.

According to the patent application, the unique UIs sent from a device to the remote could be customizable by the manufacturer of the device, hinting that the remote could control third-party appliances as well. Apple noted the UI “can also display an icon such as the manufacturer’s logo, user instructions, or an advertising message on remote control.”

When a user selects an appliance to control at the remote control, the remote control sends a message to the appliance requesting a menu description. In response, the appliance returns the menu description to the remote control. The remote control then displays the menu. If more appliances respond than can fit on a single page, remote control can provide multiple appliance selection pages including navigation icons on the appliance selection pages for switching between pages.

With latest reports claiming Apple is already working on a 42-inch+ HDTV, and today’s patent focusing mainly on televisions and video players (opposed to Macs and iOS devices), it’s possible Apple is experimenting with touchscreen remotes with adaptable UIs to interact with a future Apple-branded HDTV. Other reports claimed the yet to be unveiled Apple HDTV will feature voice-control courtesy of Siri-like functionality. However, there is no mention of voice-control functionality or Siri in today’s patent application for the universal remote.

The US Patent & Trademark Office also published a series of other patents today filed by Apple Inc. including one covering “Programmable Magnetic Connectors” that could hint at possible MagSafe-like connections for iOS and other Apple devices. Another covers “Automatically Adapting User Interfaces for Hands-Free Interaction” for an “intelligent automated assistant”, aka Siri.

Tim Cook at today’s Town Hall: Starting in June, Apple employees get $500 off Macs, $250 off iPads

noreply@blogger.com (The Mac Support Store) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 12:31:00 +0000

Among the many topics discussed by Tim Cook at today's Town Hall session with employees, the Apple CEO revealed some new Apple employee benefits. Giving a little more back to the people who worked so hard to make Apple one of the wealthiest corporations in the world, 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. A major caveat is that Apple employees may only utilize the opportunity every three years and employees must have been working for Apple for at least 90 days. The Mac discount side of the program excludes the Mac mini, which is already close to that $500 of credit. Apple employees currently have a 25 percent discount on Macs, so in many cases the $500 is a big deal.

Here’s a rare prototype translucent Apple hard drive circa 1985

noreply@blogger.com (The Mac Support Store) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 02:46:00 +0000

Apple and its cofounder Steve Jobs certainly helped design and popularize storage devices throughout computing history. For example, the Mac mainstreamed Sony’s 3.5-inch floppy drive in the 1980s, but Apple was working on its own storage devices even before the Mac debuted. One of our buddies discovered this eBay listing advertising for what appears to be a prototype of a previously unknown NISHA hard drive adorned with the colorful Apple logo. It comes in a translucent case, and it could easily be the first Apple product we have seen like this, even though it never shipped. It is neither a Hard Disk 20 drive Apple introduced on Sept. 17, 1985 specifically for use with the Macintosh 512K nor is it a Hard Disk 20SC.

The latter product was the first SCSI drive Apple manufactured and deployed on the Macintosh Plus in 1986, effectively obsolescing the Hard Disk 20 unit. It is a safe bet that this unit represents an early prototype of one of Apple’s hard drives, but it could also be a new hard drive design that never saw the light of day. The seller could not tell either, as the drive did not power up. Eagle-eyed readers are aware that Apple of the past had been designing its own storage devices and the aforementioned Hard Disk 20 serves as an illustrious example of the company’s closed approach to hard drives.

Apple designed and manufactured that drive exclusively for the Macs (except the Macintosh XL) and it was not compatible with any other Apple computer or other platforms. The advent of SCSI interface made the Hard Disk 20 obsolete, so Apple stopped supporting it with System 6 and dropped the necessary ROM code beginning with the Macintosh SE/30. Such an approach to storage devices goes back to internal competition between the Lisa and Macintosh product teams. Andy Hertzfeld was a member of the original Apple Macintosh development team during the 1980s. Nowadays a Google designer responsible for the praised Google+ circles interface, Hertzfeld reflected on the agony and ecstasy of working alongside Jobs in this article from 1983:

In 1980, Apple reorganized again, splitting off a new “Disk Division” headed by John Vennard, responsible for developing a hard disk code-named “Pippin” and a next generation floppy disk code-named “Twiggy”. Both were intended to be used first by the Lisa project, and eventually across Apple’s entire product line. At Rod Holt’s request, I had written some early diagnostics for Twiggy using an Apple II, but I felt lucky that they asked Rich Williams instead of me to transfer to the disk division as their software guy, since focusing exclusively on disks seemed pretty limiting. Woz’s Apple II floppy disk design was way ahead of the rest of the industry, so Apple felt confident that it could continue to innovate to extend its lead. Twiggy was a fairly ambitious project, more than quadrupling the capacity of standard floppy disks by doubling the data rate (which required higher density media) and employing other innovative tricks like motor speed control, which slowed down the disk rotation speed on the outer tracks to cram more data on them.

Steve Jobs’ authorized biography by Walter Isaacson offers additional insight, also quoting Hertzfeld:

Apple had a corporate division that built mass-storage devices, and it had developer a disk-drive system, code-named Twiggy, that could read and write onto those thin, delicate 51/4-inch floppy disks that older readers (who also remember the Twiggy model) will recall. But by the time Lisa was ready to ship in the spring of 1983, it was clear that the Twiggy was buggy. Because the Lisa also came with a hard-disk drive, this was not a complete disaster. But the Mac had no hard disk, so it faces a crisis. “The Mac team was beginning to panic”, said Hertzfeld. “We were using a single Twiggy drive, and we didn’t have a hard disk to fall back on”.

Jobs and two other members of the Mac team then flew to Japan and took a bullet train from Tokyo to visit Sony’s facility where a new 3.5-inch floppy drive was made. The Japanese company did not even have a working prototype at the time, so Jobs clearly was not impressed. He dissed Japanese engineers during a tour of the Sony plant:

“What are you showing me this for”, he snapped at one stop. “This is a piece of crap! Anybody can build a better drive than this.”

Although Jobs ordered Bob Belleville to continue working with Alps to produce its own floppy drive and cease all work with Sony, Belleville disobeyed and continued secretly working with Sony engineers. The Japanese giant sent over the engineer who had developed the drive to Apple’s Cupertino offices, where he would have to avoid bumping into Jobs. At one point, the engineer hid inside a janitorial closet when Jobs unexpectedly bustled into the Mac workspace. When in May 1983 Alps admitted it would take them at least 18 more months to nail down the clone of the Sony drive, Jobs panicked and investor Mike Markkula was not too happy either. Luckily, Belleville had a solution:

Finally, Belleville interrupted and said that he might have an alternative to the Alps drive ready soon. Jobs looked baffled for just a moment, and then it became clear to him why he’d glimpsed Sony’s top disk designer in Cupertino. “You son of a bitch!” Jobs said. But it was not in anger. There was a big grin on his face. As soon as he realized what Belleville and the other engineers had done behind his back, said Hertzfeld, “Steve swallowed his pride and thanked them for disobeying him and doing the right thing.”

Virgin America brands jet with ‘stay hungry, stay foolish’ to honor Steve Jobs

noreply@blogger.com (The Mac Support Store) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:17:00 +0000

A Virgin America Airbus A320 now features the quote, "Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish" directly beneath the cockpit in tribute to the late Steve Jobs, reports CNET. The quote is taken from Jobs's 2005 Stanford commencement speech and was suggest by a Virgin America employee. "The 'Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish' aircraft name was actually submitted as a tribute to Mr. Jobs by one of our employees in an internal plane naming competition," said Virgin America spokesperson Abby Lunardini.

Virgin has always looked to innovate the industry and it was the first airline company to offer fleet-wide Wi-Fi. It is also the only airline based in Silicon Valley, and the company likens itself to the late Apple co-founder. "The idea behind Virgin America was to reinvent the travel experience by thinking differently about design and service–we are known for the tech-forward amenities we offer onboard," Lunardini said.

Foxconn employee tells us that the next iPhone is ready for production, indicates likely summer launch

noreply@blogger.com (The Mac Support Store) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:15:00 +0000

We received word from a reliable source at Foxconn in China that the iPhone 5, as it is currently being called, is now gearing for production. The source said various sample devices are also floating around (they vary slightly from one another), so it is impossible to tell which one will be the final. Some things in common with all of them, however, are:

4+ inch display (made by LG on at least one of them).
No teardrop-shaped devices, as rumored in the lead up to the iPhone 4S. Samples so far have been symmetrical in thickness (also longer/wider).
Neither of the sample devices have the iPhone 4/4S form factor.
Neither of the devices are the final versions.

We also heard the non-teardrop and 4-inch display information previously in a report from iLounge, but what is important to note here is that iPhone 4S production did not gear up until late spring of last year. If we follow patterns and give a five month-ish lead time, it would appear that Apple is back on its new iPhone launch for summer/WWDC pattern that it maintained until last year.

We are still a long way off however.

This source is the same that indicated to us late last summer that the iPhone 5 was not happening against the prevailing tide of information, and that Apple was building the iPhone 4S model instead. (Love the comments in that post, by the way.)

For many, issues watching YouTube on Apple TV

noreply@blogger.com (The Mac Support Store) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:14:00 +0000

Owners of the Apple TV set-top box around the world took to Twitter to complain about an unknown issue affecting the device's ability to stream YouTube clips through the Internet section of the main menu. According to reports, attempting to play any YouTube clip produces this error message:

No content was found. There is a problem communicating with YouTube. Try again later.

It would appear that some sort of backend issue is to blame, but it is inconclusive. The problem persisted since the past couple days; with a bunch of posts over at the Apple Support Communities indicating it is widespread. One poster claimed an Apple representative advised him to contact Google because this is "a YouTube issue."

It seems to be particularly bad in Japan, Australia, Canada and various European countries, including the United Kingdom, Scotland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the Netherlands, Denmark, Romania, Argentina and Croatia.

Not all users in the United States seem to be experiencing this issue, although some do. Resetting a router or the device will not help. Likewise, performing a factory restore to the latest 4.4.4 firmware did not do the trick for another poster. Some users are only able to see the videos in their History. Are you having same issues with your Apple TV? We would love to hear from you in the comments.

It looks like Apple's hobby business is gaining some traction. According to Apple's holiday-quarter earnings from yesterday, the company sold 1.4 million Apple TV units during the 14-week period ended Dec. 31, 2011 (Apple's first fiscal 2012 quarter). Taking into account the 2.8 million Apple TV units sold during last fiscal year, Apple so far moved 4.2 million iOS-powered Apple TVs. Apple CEO Tim Cook fielded a question in yesterday's earnings call about the future of Apple TV, saying: "We continue to add things to it, and I don't know about you but I couldn't live without it. We continue to pull the strings and see where it takes us."

Strategy Analytics estimated that Apple grabbed 32 percent of the connected TV player market in December of last year. This made Apple the top set-top box provider as it beat Android-based Google TVs by Sony and Logitech and dedicated TV boxes from the likes of Roku and Boxee. Still, just 8 percent of U.S. households had a connected TV player in December 2011, the research firm noted. Interestingly, Strategy Analytics mentioned that nearly one-third, or 30 percent, of the Apple TV customers rent movies and television shows versus 20 percent of users of other devices. The second-generation iOS-powered Apple TV with a tiny form factor and a price tag of just $99 debuted September 2010. Despite all the mock-ups, analysts and supply chain chatter, it seems unlikely at this stage that Apple is keen on entering the connected television market with a full-blown HDTV set of its own.

MacBook Air Thunderbolt editing 4K video shows why the Mac Pro as we know it can die

noreply@blogger.com (The Mac Support Store) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:12:00 +0000

Describing it as "jamming a V8 into a Miata" in his blog post, Adobe's Dave Helmy set out to see if he could edit full-res 4K RED video footage in the field using a MacBook Air beefed up courtesy of various Thunderbolt solutions. The concept proves with enough RAM and a powerful processor, Thunderbolt could enable even the current-generation MacBooks to soon replace the Mac Pro altogether.

As for the performance of the 13-inch MacBook Air, Windows system settings shows a 1.8 GHz Core i7, and 4GB of RAM, but Dave pushes it to its full potential with a Red Rocket card installed into a Sonnet Thunderbolt-enabled chassis. He also uses an UltraStudio 3D playback peripheral from Blackmagic, which enables high performance capture of HD and 2K video as well as two full res 1080p streams for stereoscopic 3D content.

As you can see in the video above, Dave edits in Premiere Pro running on Windows 7 through Bootcamp. You might be surprised to learn that entire demo, he was also recording using a camera fed to the Blackmagic UltraStudio 3D box into a Promise RAID. Dave explained the setup allowed him to work with Thunderbolt inside the Sonnet Chassis for editing (which is also sending data to the Promise RAID), while also recording live through the Blackmagic box, enabling playback and recording simultaneously.

Apple posts new iTunes U help resources

noreply@blogger.com (The Mac Support Store) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:10:00 +0000

Apple posts new iTunes U help resources

Apple created a new section on its website dedicated to the enhanced iTunes U service that was updated during last week's education announcement. The new web-based resources available at www.apple.com/support/itunes-u contain a wealth of information and how-to topics for educators to implement the new iTunes U digital features into their workflow. Specifically, training course are available for iTunes U Public Site Manager and iTunes U Course Manager, as well as various guides on publishing on iTunes U. Educators and students can also learn about creating different types of educational content, such as audio recordings, video clips, and interactive presentations.

iTunes U launched on May 30, 2007 as an iTunes section for educational audio and video podcasts and PDF files for college or university students and other users (content can be restricted). The iTunes app was required to access the iTunes U section until last week, when Apple took the wraps off a new iTunes U iOS app, available as a free download from the App Store. Sporting the mahogany bookshelf akin to the iBooks app, the program provides full access to the iTunes U content whilst bringing our many new features. For example, the app enables teachers to customize topics, post messages to the class, give assignments, and manage office hours and even stream content directly to classrooms on-demand. Apple also published a series of support documents outlining the dos and don'ts of iBooks Textbooks publishing and distribution. Apple's new digital textbooks saw early downloads surpass a Global Equities Research—estimated 350,000 copies. In addition to the iTunes U app, Apple last Thursday updated iTunes and iBooks with the new digital textbooks priced at $14.99 or less and launched iBooks Author, a free textbook authoring tool for the Mac. LifeHacker has an extensive and useful article covering the best practices for iBooks Author.

In related news, we have learned Adept Scientifics' mathematical notation software MathType is being used within iBooks Author for creating elements of math textbooks. The company explained "an Insert MathType Equation command appears on the Insert menu if MathType is installed." This is a similar approach to the iWork '09 suite that also utilizes MathType to integrate mathematical notation functionality.

Apple reportedly looking to adopt 802.11ac 5G Gigabit Wi-Fi this year

noreply@blogger.com (The Mac Support Store) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:07:00 +0000

Apple may be looking to incorporate support for 802.11ac Wi-Fi specification into the company's products this year, according to a report from AppleInsider. The new standard offers three times the speed of the 802.11n standard, capable of achieving speeds of over 1 Gigabit per second. The Cupertino-based company is expected to "rapidly deploy support" of the new standard into AirPort base stations, Time Capsules, the Apple TV, notebooks and possibly mobile devices, according to the report. Even though the official standard has yet to be finalized, multiple suppliers have already announced chipsets supporting it — one of those is key Apple component maker Broadcom, which announced chips supporting the standard earlier this month at the Consumer Electronics Show. In addition to faster speeds, 802.11ac promises better networking range, improved reliability and more power efficient chips due to advances in reducing chip size and enhanced power management.

‘Inside Apple’ offers a glimpse into Apple’s secret unboxing room

noreply@blogger.com (The Mac Support Store) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:05:00 +0000

Apple pays utmost attention to the unforgettable experiences customers get from interacting with their thoughtfully designed product packaging, as evident in countless unboxing videos on the web. It is little surprise, then, that the company goes to great lengths to create lasting unboxing experiences.

That said, of course the company has a dedicated "secret" room to test various packaging designs. It's somewhat akin to Jony Ive's design bunker in that it's a place where dozens and even hundreds of prototypes are being iterated exhaustively, per Apple's famous penchant for perfection. Apple even has a number of patents, such as this filing outlining an active packaging for products, which will allow Apple to change what's inside on the fly.

According to an excerpt from Adam Lashinsky's upcoming book titled Inside Apple: How America's Most Admired – and Secretive – Company Really Works, Apple agonizes over how their products are packaged as much as they do over the hardware inside:

To fully grasp how seriously Apple executives sweat the small stuff, consider this: For months, a packaging designer was holed up in this room performing the most mundane of tasks – opening boxes.

According to the author, Apple once stuffed the room with hundreds of iPod box prototypes, testing each one of them until they settled with the final design:

In one example illustrating Apple's exhaustive attention to detail, Lashinsky relays how Apple's packaging room at one point was filled with hundreds, yes hundreds, of iPod box prototypes so that Apple could determine which box lent itself towards evoking the emotional response Apple was looking for upon opening up a product for the first time.

Fortune has published thus far several excerpts of the book, including this article shedding light on Apple's culture of secrecy and another one portraying iOS head Scott Forstall as Apple's "CEO-in-waiting." Inside Apple is tabulated at 240-to-272 pages and is scheduled to hit bookstores Jan. 25. Lashinsky said his book is based on numerous interviews and was born from an investigative piece he did for Fortune last year. You can pre-order Inside Apple at Amazon for $16.92 for the hardcover version, $12.99 for the Kindle version or $17.92 if you prefer audio format. The iBookstore also has it available for pre-order, priced at $12.99.

Create A Cool Travel Slideshow In iPhoto ’11

noreply@blogger.com (The Mac Support Store) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 17:44:00 +0000

For iPhoto users who have travel photos taken in different places throughout the country or world, iPhoto offers a pretty cool slideshow theme that is relatively easy to put together, depending on how well you have managed your iPhoto library. It even includes a great piece of stock background music if you don't have anything better to use.

The Places theme for slideshows works best if you have traveled several different places and if your travel photos have been labeled by location. The latest versions of the iPhone and some other contemporary cameras now include a geotagging feature that embeds location coordinates for each of the photos you take.

Pro image applications like Aperture will show you the geotag info, which consists latitude, longitude, etc.

But luckily iPhoto will translate that info into a recognizable name like Coney Island, London, or Islands of Adventure. But even if your travel photos are not tagged, you can manually label them using iPhoto's Places feature.

Labeling Photos

When you select a photo and then click on the Info button in the iPhoto menu bar, the Places tool will show geotag info for that photo. If your photos are not geotagged, you can simply select a collection of travel photos and add the information yourself, similar to how you add keywords to your images.

As you type the location name, iPhoto will list possible locations to choose from. It may even list popular resorts or tourist spots. After all your travel photos are labeled, you can click on Places in the Albums panel, and you will get a map with red pens dropped on places you have taken photos.

Organizing Travel Photos

If you have organized your travel photos into regular or smart albums, all need to do is create a new album, name it the title you want your slideshow to be (such as "Where We've Been") and add to it selections from your travel photos. Sort the collected photos by date so that they are kept together in the album.

Create Slideshow

Now with your travel album selected, click the Create button in the toolbar and select Slideshow. iPhoto will set up a separate folder of your selected photos. Next, click the Themes button and select the Places theme.

iPhoto will process your photos and create location titles for each set of your travel photos. A titles effect will appear on a moving map, with the first photo of each section representing the location.

If the titles are not to your liking, no problem, you can actually edit them, and be specific as you like about the location. As with other slideshow themes, you can also move photos around and delete the ones that don't fit. You can also go back to your travel photo albums and add more images to the slideshow folder. If your images are dated correctly, iPhoto should place added photos in the appropriate section. If not, simply move them to where they're supposed to be.

If you don't like the default theme music for your slideshow, simply change it. You can adjust other settings for your slideshow. However, the Places theme does not show all your photos one at a time. This theme will present 1-4 photos at time. You don't have much control over this, except for the order they appear.

The Presentation

When you click the Play button, iPhoto presents graphic travel effect that moves across the map to the places where you took photos. As with other slideshows, you can export your project to show it off on a website, your mobile device, or big screen TV.

Let us know what you think of this slideshow project, and similar ones you've used.

Apple patent indicates redesigned battery shapes for thinner devices

noreply@blogger.com (The Mac Support Store) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 22:43:00 +0000

The United States Patent and Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple on Thursday that reveals potential next-generation battery designs. As the mobile industry turns toward thinner devices, Apple is looking to redesign batteries to enable these thin designs. According to PatentlyApple, the Cupertino-based company’s invention relates to a battery cell, which includes a set of electrode sheets of different dimensions that can be arranged in a variety of designs. The configuration can be based on a non-rectangular battery design such as an L-shaped, a triangular or a pyramidal design. Existing battery packs typically contain rectangular cells, and by utilizing cells with alternative shapes, Apple will seemingly be able to pack more cells into a smaller battery pack.

Apple releases iTunes 10.5.3

noreply@blogger.com (The Mac Support Store) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:48:00 +0000

Apple on Thursday released an updated version of its iTunes software following a series of announcements made during the company’s press conference in New York City. The Cupertino, California-based firm unveiled its new interactive iPad textbook product alongside iBooks 2 Thursday morning, and it also took the wraps off of an updated iTunes U service that includes new tools for teachers and a new iPad app. To accommodate Apple’s new features, the company also pushed out iTunes 10.5.3, which is available for download immediately. Apple’s official change log follows below.

What’s new in iTunes 10.5.3

iTunes 10.5.3 allows you to sync interactive iBooks textbooks to your iPad. These Multi-Touch textbooks are available for purchase from the iTunes Store on your Mac or from the iBookstore included with iBooks 2 on your iPad.

iBooks textbooks are created with iBooks Author — now available as a free download on the Mac App Store

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

Everything you need to know about publishing and distribution for iBooks Author

noreply@blogger.com (The Mac Support Store) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 20:46:00 +0000

With Apple just finishing up its biggest education announcement in recent years to introduce the new “iBooks 2.0″ app and “iBooks Author” e-book creation platform, there are inevitably more than a few questions regarding publishing and distribution for authors and publishers. Fortunately, Apple clarified the intricacies of the new services in a support document.

A couple things we learned: Books created in iBook Author have to be distributed through the iBookstore if they are for sale, but free books can be distributed through the author or publisher’s own website if they choose. Books can be exported from iBooks Author for distribution elsewhere-in PDF, text, or iBooks document formats. All paid iBooks Author books require a sample, while free books do not need to have a sample. It also appears all books including textbooks will continue to have a 2GB file size limit, though some of Apple’s partners have textbooks as high as 3GB in the iBookstore.

Teachers and educational institutions will be happy to learn that Apple is allowing course material that users have created with iBooks Author to be used as part of tuition-based courses outside of the iBookstore. Not surprisingly, it does not extend to subscription-based services that are not considered “tuition-based” educational programs. As for iTunes U, publishers must already have an iTunes U website or sign up for one here before distributing their books through the new “iTunes U” app.

Apple also clarified that books will be published directly through iTunes Connect:

You can sign up to publish your books directly using iTunes Connect. To sign up to sell your books on the iBookstore, complete the application and download iTunes Producer. Books can also be made available for free on the iBookstore.

Apple will continuing taking its usual 30 percent cut and publishers will be able to set their own prices, but textbooks prices must be set under $14.99, according to Engadget. Apple also published several other documents today detailing best practices and tips for developers using the new iBook Author platform…

In one support document that outlines “best practices for using 3D models,” Apple noted the first-generation iPad could handle 3D objects with less than “20,000 moderately textured polygons,” while the iPad 2 can support 3D objects with up to “50,000 moderately textured polygons.” Apple warned, “More complicated objects may result in an increased load time, slower behavior, or a blurry image” and suggested tips for lighting, textures, camera, exporting and previewing.

In another document, we learned that iBooks Author would indeed have an Accessibility Description function in the Widget inspector allowing developers to add descriptions of objects and images for Voice-Over users. Apple outlined the best practices for doing so here. Other iBooks Author support documents published today cover using “iPad-safe fonts when authoring books” and the best methods of adding “video to your iBooks.”

There still seems to be confusion over whether an “.iBooks” file is simply an ePub 3.0 file, we will update this post as we learn more. TechCrunch said Apple confirmed iBook files borrow from the ePub format (probably 3.0) and “certain interactive elements of the books require the files to be done in the slightly different iBooks format.”