Apple Updates Processors And Prices Of MacBook Pro

Apple® announced on February 13, 2013, that it is making the MacBook Pro® with Retina® display faster and more affordable with updated processors and lower starting prices. The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display now starts at $1,499 for 128GB of flash, and $1,699 for a new 2.6 GHz processor and 256GB of flash. The 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display now features a faster 2.4 GHz quad-core processor, and the top-of-the-line 15-inch notebook comes with a new 2.7 GHz quad-core processor and 16GB of memory. Apple today also announced that the 13-inch MacBook Air® with 256GB of flash has a new lower price of $1,399.

The MacBook Pro with Retina display features the world’s highest resolution notebook display. Whether you’re reading emails, writing text, editing home movies in HD or retouching professional photography, everything appears vibrant, detailed and sharp, delivering an unrivaled viewing experience. The MacBook Pro with Retina display features flash storage that is up to four times faster than traditional notebook hard drives, and delivers improved reliability, instant-on responsiveness and up to 30 days of standby time.

Read the entire story HERE.

Statement By Apple, 2-7-13

By early last year, Apple’s cash balance had built to a point beyond what we needed to run our business and maintain flexibility to take advantage of strategic opportunities, so we announced a plan to return $45 billion to shareholders over three years. As of next week we will have executed $10 billion of that plan.

We find ourselves in the fortunate position of continuing to generate large amounts of cash, including $23 billion in cash flow from operations in the last quarter alone.

Apple’s management team and Board of Directors have been in active discussions about returning additional cash to shareholders. As part of our review, we will ......... story continues HERE.

Apple Releasing Malware Removal Tool After Being Hacked

Apple is releasing a malware removal tool after a number of Mac systems were infected by computer hackers.

The admission by Apple of a widespread cyber-security breach comes the week after Facebook revealed it had been the victim of a similar attack.

Unknown hackers infected the computers of some Apple workers when they visited a website for software developers that had been infected with malicious software. The malware had been designed to attack Mac computers.

The same software, which infected Macs by exploiting a flaw in a version of Oracle Corp's Java software used as a plug-in on Web browsers, was used to launch the attacks against Facebook.

Read more of this story HERE.

Credits: businessinsider.com

iTunes Store Sets New Record With 25 Billion Songs Sold

Apple® announced on February 6, 2013, that music fans have purchased and downloaded more than 25 billion songs from the iTunes Store® (www.itunes.com), the world’s most popular online music, TV and movie store. The 25 billionth song, “Monkey Drums” (Goksel Vancin Remix) by Chase Buch, was purchased by Phillip Lüpke from Germany. As the downloader of the 25 billionth song, Phillip will receive a €10,000 iTunes® Gift Card.

“We are grateful to our users whose passion for music over the past 10 years has made iTunes the number one music retailer in the world,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. “Averaging over 15,000 songs downloaded per minute, the iTunes Store connects music fans with their favorite artists, including global sensations like Adele and Coldplay and new artists like The Lumineers, on a scale we never imagined possible.”

Read more of the story HERE.

The Panic Button(s) !

For those of you that attended the IPAD beginners course on Friday, here's a reminder about how to force your IPAD to reboot if it locks up or freezes - (and yes they do that every now and again like most computers - we actually had it happen during the course.)

Simply press both the Home and Sleep/Wake buttons simultaneously for about 10-15 seconds. (Buttons are shown below).

Hold them together until the screen goes blank (ignore the red slider that may appear at the top of the screen during this time), and only release the buttons when you see the Apple Logo appear in the middle of the screen. The IPAD will then re-boot and take you back to the home screen. The time it takes will depend on how many apps etc you have loaded into the device, so if you have a lot, just be patient.

Sleep/Wake/On/Off

Home

Boot Logo

"iPad Basics" Class for Beginners

The "iPad Basics" class for 'newbies' will be held Friday, Feb 15, at 3PM in the Orchid Club. You must be registered to attend this class. Registration instructions are on the ORHA website HERE. Please read ALL the information and then register by email. Be sure to bring your checkbook (preferred) or cash, if you are not a 2013 Computer Club member.

iOS 6.1 Now Available

Apple® updated iOS to version 6.1 on Jan 28, adding LTE capabilities to 36 additional iPhone® carriers and 23 additional iPad® carriers around the world, so even more iPhone 5, iPad mini and iPad with Retina® display users can experience ultrafast wireless performance to browse, download & stream content at blazing fast speeds........

“iOS 6 is the world’s most advanced mobile operating system, and with nearly 300 million iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices on iOS 6 in just five months, it may be the most popular new version of an OS in history,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing........

Read the complete story HERE.

Apple Increases iPad with Retina Display to 128GB

Apple® announced, on January 29, a 128GB version of the fourth generation iPad® with Retina® display. The 128GB iPad with Wi-Fi and iPad with Wi-Fi + Cellular models provide twice the storage capacity of the 64GB models to hold even more valuable content including photos, documents, projects, presentations, books, movies, TV shows, music and apps.

The new 128GB versions of the fourth generation iPad will be available starting Tuesday, February 5, in black or white, for a suggested retail price of $799 (US) for the iPad with Wi-Fi model and $929 (US) for the iPad with Wi-Fi + Cellular model. All versions of the 128GB iPad will be sold through the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), Apple retail stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers.

Read the complete article HERE.