iPad Keyboards: How To Choose The Right One

Taking an iPad to work is becoming popular with quite a few, and it fits right in. There are some good apps for getting work done, and the iPad is the only computer some need.

Others may find the need to pair the iPad with a good keyboard to handle all required tasks. There are lots of choices for those looking for a keyboard, due to the healthy ecosystem of third-party accessories for the iPad.

The big selection can overwhelm those looking for a keyboard. The best way to approach buying a keyboard for the iPad is to understand the types available and determine which will best fit the needs of the user.

In this article the basics will be covered, followed by top selections for each style of keyboard for the iPad Air. Links to full reviews of each contender are supplied.

Most keyboards are custom fitted to the iPad, so each generation of Apple's tablet can only use keyboards made for it. There are plenty to choose from for each iPad model, even the older ones.

This guide is general, but any specific keyboard mentioned will be made for the later generation of iPads, eg iPad Air and/or iPad Air 2.

Read the rest of the story .... HERE.

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Apple iOS Bug Makes Devices Vulnerable To Attack

Researchers have warned that a bug in Apple's iOS operating system makes most iPhones and iPads vulnerable to cyber attacks by hackers seeking access to sensitive data and control of their devices.

Cybersecurity firm FireEye published details about the vulnerability on its blog on Monday, saying the bug enables hackers to access devices by persuading users to install malicious applications with tainted text messages, emails and Web links.

The malicious application can then be used to replace genuine, trusted apps that were installed through Apple's App Store, including email and banking programs, with malicious software through a technique that FireEye has dubbed "Masque Attack."

These attacks can be used to steal banking and email login credentials or other sensitive data, according to FireEye, which is well-regarded in cybersecurity circles for its research.

"It is a very powerful vulnerability and it is easy to exploit," FireEye Senior Staff Research Scientist Tao Wei said in an interview.

Apple's iOS has robust security features that ....

.... read the rest of the story HERE at reuters.com.

Apple Neuters iOS 'WireLurker' Trojan

Apple has thwarted WireLurker, discovered earlier this week, 

which has been targeting iOS users both through PCs and Macs.

Apple says it has nipped the WireLurker Trojan, recently found to be targeting iOS devices, in the bud. However, it appears the threat was more widespread than was previously realised, after researchers discovered an earlier variant has been using Windows malware to attack Apple devices.

"We are aware of malicious software available from a download site aimed at users in China, and we've blocked the identified apps to prevent them from launching. As always, we recommend that users download and install software from trusted sources," said an Apple spokesperson yesterday in a statement to Business Insider.

In essence, to thwart the attack, Apple has revoked trust for a cryptographic certificate that it had previously issued to a developer.

Researchers at security firm Palo Alto exposed the WireLurker malware earlier this week, which attacks iOS devices through USB connections from infected OS X systems to hijack users' information. The malware was notable due to its ability to automatically generate malware for iOS — even if the device is not jailbroken.

WireLurker was able to install third-party applications on non-jailbroken iOS devices through a feature known as "enterprise provisioning" that relies on an enterprise certificate to create user profiles in corporate environments.

The reason it was called WireLurker is that it infects the iOS device once it's connected via USB with an infected Mac. There were 467 pieces of Mac malware that could infect iOS devices in this manner, all hosted on a third-party site in China called Maiyadi App Store.

Yesterday, it was believed that an infected Mac was the only attack vector, but security researcher Jaime Blasco from AlienVault Labs, discovered that there was in fact a Windows version too and it was being distributed prior to the Mac-only variant.

Read the rest of the story > HERE.

Credit: zdnet.com

Getting To Know 'Settings' in iOS 8

Macworld (UK) has a good online article about tailoring your Settings in iOS 8. You'll learn about: Settings and Control Center; Airplane Mode; Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Data Roaming; Notifications; General Settings; Privacy; and iCloud.

Read the complete article at this link > macworld.co.uk.

Apple Pay Starting October 20

On Thursday Apple® announced that customers can start making payments with the touch of a finger on Monday, October 20, when Apple Pay™ becomes available in the US. Apple Pay offers an easy, secure and private way to pay using Touch ID™ on iPhone® 6 and iPhone 6 Plus in stores and within apps. Users of the just-announced iPad Air™ 2 and iPad mini™ 3 will be able to use Touch ID on their devices for Apple Pay within apps. The new service will be enabled by a free software update to iOS 8.

“Our team has worked incredibly hard to make Apple Pay private and secure, with the simplicity of a single touch of your finger,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. “The reaction to Apple Pay has been amazing. We continue to add more Apple Pay ready banks, credit card companies and merchants, and think our users will love paying with Apple Pay.”

Apple Pay is designed to protect the user’s personal information. It doesn’t collect any transaction information that can be tied back to a user and payment transactions are between the user, the merchant and the user’s bank. Apple doesn’t collect your purchase history, so when you are shopping in a store or restaurant we don’t know what you bought, where you bought it or how much you paid for it. Actual card numbers are not stored on the device, instead, a unique Device Account Number is created, encrypted and stored in the Secure Element of the device. The Device Account Number in the Secure Element is walled off from iOS and not backed up to iCloud®.

Apple Pay supports

read the rest of the story ... HERE.

OS X Yosemite Now Available As A Free Upgrade

Yesterday Apple® announced that OS X® Yosemite, the latest major release of the world’s most advanced desktop operating system, is available as a free upgrade for Mac® users from the Mac App Store℠. Yosemite delivers a fresh, modern look and introduces Continuity features that make it easy to hand off activities between Mac and iOS devices and even make and receive iPhone® calls from your Mac. Yosemite also includes a new Today view, a redesigned Spotlight® and updated versions of Safari®, Mail, Messages and iTunes®.

“OS X Yosemite is the most advanced version of OS X we’ve ever built, with a brand new design, amazing Continuity features and powerful versions of the apps you use every day,” said Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of Software Engineering. “OS X Yosemite ushers in the future of computing, where your Apple devices all work together seamlessly and magically. It’s something only Apple can do, and it’s available today.”

OS X Yosemite has been redesigned with a fresh, modern look, while maintaining the power and familiarity users expect from a Mac. Streamlined toolbars make more room for your content, and use translucency to reveal additional app content as you scroll. Other translucent elements, such as window sidebars, take on the feel of your desktop picture and give you a sense of what’s hidden behind the active window. App icons have a clean, consistent design, and a new system font improves readability on every Mac and looks stunning on a Retina® display.

Yosemite includes amazing Continuity features that make your Mac and iOS devices perfect companions.* Handoff automatically passes what you’re doing from one device to another, like writing an email or surfing the web. Instant Hotspot makes using your iPhone’s hotspot as easy as connecting to a Wi-Fi network.** AirDrop® now works between Mac and iOS, so you can quickly and easily share content across devices. All the SMS messages that previously only appeared on your iPhone now can automatically appear in Messages on your Mac and all your iOS devices. You can even make and receive iPhone calls on your Mac.***

Yosemite introduces innovative new features, including: 

read the rest of the story ... HERE.

Apple Introduces iPad Air 2

Apple® today introduced iPad Air™ 2, the thinnest and most powerful iPad® ever. Now just 6.1 mm thin and weighing less than a pound, iPad Air 2 features an improved Retina® display for enhanced contrast and richer, more vibrant colors, and better cameras for taking stunning photos and videos. Available in gold, silver and space gray, the new iPad Air 2 and iPad mini™ 3 offer Touch ID™ so users can unlock their iPad with just the touch of a finger and make purchases easily and securely within apps using Apple Pay™.

“iPad is a magical piece of glass that runs more than 675,000 apps specifically designed for it, and is thin and light enough that you can comfortably hold it all day; the new iPad Air 2 is packed with amazing new innovations, weighs less than a pound, and at just 6.1 mm is the thinnest tablet in the world,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “iPad Air 2 has a new Retina display with anti-reflective coating, second generation 64-bit A8X chip, all-new iSight and FaceTime HD cameras, faster Wi-Fi and LTE wireless, and includes the revolutionary Touch ID fingerprint identity sensor.”

Engineered for unmatched portability and ease of use, iPad Air 2 offers a beautiful, precision unibody enclosure of anodized aluminum for durability and a solid feel. The improved Retina display features a fully-laminated design that brings images and content closer to the user’s fingertips, resulting in an even more personal and intimate experience. A custom-designed anti-reflective coating reduces glare by 56 percent for a clearer display in the office, the classroom or outdoors.

Read the rest of the story ... HERE.

New Location: Ocala Macintosh User Group (OMUG)

For all you Apple users, as of 14th October, OMUG have moved their meeting location to a new venue at Marion Senior Services Center, 1101 SW 20th Ct, Ocala (click or tap for map). This is a far more convenient location for all those living in the communities along the SR-200 corridor. It's approx 20 minutes from Oak Run.

Meetings are held on the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 6:45PM. You can find all the details of the Club at Ocalamug.org. If you're an existing Apple user, or intending to buy one of their new products, I would recommend you give the club a try.

Apple Pay Will Change The Way You Pay

Apple® recently introduced Apple Pay™, a new category of service that will transform mobile payments with an easy, secure and private way to pay. Apple Pay works with iPhone® 6 and iPhone 6 Plus through a groundbreaking NFC antenna design, a dedicated chip called the Secure Element, and the security and convenience of Touch ID™. Apple Pay is easy to set up, so hundreds of millions of users can simply add their credit or debit card on file from their iTunes Store® account. Apple Pay will also work with the newly announced Apple Watch™, extending Apple Pay to over 200 million owners of iPhone 5, iPhone 5c and iPhone 5s worldwide.

Apple Pay supports credit and debit cards from the three major payment networks, American Express, MasterCard and Visa, issued by the most popular banks including Bank of America, Capital One Bank, Chase, Citi and Wells Fargo, representing 83 percent of credit card purchase volume in the US.* In addition to the 258 Apple retail stores in the US, some of the nation’s leading retailers that will support Apple Pay include Bloomingdale’s, Disney Store and Walt Disney World Resort, Duane Reade, Macy’s, McDonald’s, Sephora, Staples, Subway, Walgreens and Whole Foods Market. Apple Watch will also work at the over 220,000 merchant locations across the US that have contactless payment enabled. Apple Pay is also able to make purchases through apps in the App Store℠.

“Security and privacy is at the core of Apple Pay. When you’re using Apple Pay in a store, restaurant or other merchant, cashiers will no longer see your name, credit card number or security code, helping to reduce the potential for fraud,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s senior vice president of Internet Software and Services. “Apple doesn’t collect your purchase history, so we don’t know what you bought, where you bought it or how much you paid for it. And if your iPhone is lost or stolen, you can use Find My iPhone to quickly suspend payments from that device.”

Apple Pay will change the way you pay. When you add a credit or debit card with Apple Pay, the actual card numbers are not stored on the device nor on Apple servers. Instead, a unique Device Account Number is assigned, encrypted and securely stored in the Secure Element on your iPhone or Apple Watch. Each transaction is authorized with a one-time unique number using your Device Account Number and instead of using the security code from the back of your card, Apple Pay creates a dynamic security code to securely validate each transaction.

Read the rest of the story ... HERE.

Apple Mops Up iOS Mess With New Update

One day after a bungled iOS update disrupted key features on thousands of iPhones, Apple on Thursday, 9-25, issued a follow-on version of the software to set things right.

The newest update, iOS 8.0.2, is available immediately. The bruise to Apple's public image -- also dinged in the last few days by the discovery that its iPhone 6 Plus can be bent -- may take longer to heal.

"iOS 8.0.2 ... fixes an issue that affected iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus users who downloaded iOS 8.0.1, and includes improvements and bug fixes originally in iOS 8.0.1," the company said in a statement Thursday. "We apologize for inconveniencing the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus users who were impacted by the bug in iOS 8.0.1."

The impact of the bug was startling. Immediately after downloading iOS 8.0.1 on Wednesday, users began reporting that their iPhones could no longer connect to a cellular network to make calls. In addition, the Touch ID fingerprint sensor on some devices ceased working, meaning people could not unlock their phones.

Apple reacted quickly, putting a stop to the 8.0.1 update after just a little over an hour, saying that it was investigating the reports of problems and promising that 8.0.2 would come "as soon as it's ready in the next few days." It also issued a workaround for those who'd lost cell service or the use of the Touch ID feature.

The company said that the problems affected fewer than 40,000 iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus devices. Those latest-model phones had only just started arriving in consumers' hands last Friday. And iOS 8 itself was hot off the presses. It had become available two days earlier, bringing with it a number of fixes and new features.

Read the rest of the story ... HERE.

Credit: cnet.com

First Weekend Sales Top 10 Million, Set New Record

Apple® announced on Monday, 9-22, it has sold over 10 million new iPhone® 6 and iPhone 6 Plus models, a new record, just three days after the launch on September 19. iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are available in the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Japan, Puerto Rico, Singapore and the UK and will be available in more than 20 additional countries on September 26. The new iPhones will be available in 115 countries by the end of the year.

“Sales for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus exceeded our expectations for the launch weekend, and we couldn’t be happier,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “We would like to thank all of our customers for making this our best launch ever, shattering all previous sell-through records by a large margin. While our team managed the manufacturing ramp better than ever before, we could have sold many more iPhones with greater supply and we are working hard to fill orders as quickly as possible.”

iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are the biggest advancements in iPhone history, featuring two new models with stunning 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch Retina® HD displays, and packed with innovative technologies in an all-new dramatically thin and seamless design that is still comfortable to hold and easy to use. Both models are better in every way and include: the Apple-designed A8 chip with second generation 64-bit desktop-class architecture for blazing fast performance and power efficiency; advanced iSight® and FaceTime® HD cameras; ultrafast wireless technologies; and Apple Pay™, an easier way to simply and securely make payments with just the touch of a finger.*

The new iPhones include ... read the rest of the story HERE.

iPhone 6 and 6 Plus Pre-Orders Break Record

Apple® announced, on 9-15, a record number of first day pre-orders of iPhone® 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, the biggest advancements in iPhone history, with over four million in the first 24 hours. Demand for the new iPhones exceeds the initial pre-order supply and while a significant amount will be delivered to customers beginning on Friday and throughout September, many iPhone pre-orders are scheduled to be delivered in October. Additional supply of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will be available to walk-in customers on Friday, September 19 at 8:00AM local time at Apple retail stores. Customers are encouraged to arrive early or order online from the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com) to pickup in-store or receive an estimated delivery date. Both models will also be available on Friday from AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon Wireless, additional carriers and select Apple Authorized Resellers.

“iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are better in every way, and we are thrilled customers love them as much as we do,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “Pre-orders for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus set a new record for Apple, and we can’t wait to get our best iPhones yet into the hands of customers starting this Friday.”

Read the rest of the story ... HERE. 

iOS 8 Available Tomorrow

Apple® will have iOS 8, the biggest release since the launch of the App Store℠, available starting tomorrow, Wednesday, September 17 to iPhone®, iPad® and iPod touch® users as a free software update. iOS 8 delivers a simpler, faster and more intuitive user experience with new Messages and Photos features, predictive typing for Apple’s QuickType™ keyboard and Family Sharing. iOS 8 also includes the new Health app, giving you a clear overview of your health and fitness data and iCloud Drive℠, so you can store files and access them from anywhere. With more than 4,000 new APIs, iOS 8 allows developers to further customize the user experience with major extensibility features and robust frameworks such as HealthKit and HomeKit.

Read the rest of the story ... HERE.

Apple Unveils Apple Watch

Apple’s Most Personal Device Ever

Apple® yesterday unveiled Apple Watch™ - its most personal device ever - featuring revolutionary new technologies and a pioneering user interface with a beautiful design that honors the rich tradition of precision watchmaking. Apple Watch introduces a specially designed and engineered Digital Crown that provides an innovative way to scroll, zoom and navigate. The Digital Crown is Apple’s most revolutionary navigation tool since the iPod® Click Wheel and iPhone® Multi-Touch™. Apple Watch will enable you to communicate in new ways right from your wrist by sending and receiving messages, answering calls to your iPhone, and with Digital Touch, sending something as personal as your own heartbeat. Apple Watch also introduces comprehensive health and fitness apps that can help people lead healthier lives. Apple Watch is available in three distinct collections - Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport and Apple Watch Edition.

“Apple introduced the world to several category-defining products, the Mac, iPod, iPhone and iPad,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “And once again Apple is poised to captivate the world with a revolutionary product that can enrich people’s lives. It’s the most personal product we’ve ever made.”

“With Apple Watch, we’ve developed multiple technologies and an entirely new user interface specifically for a device that’s designed to be worn. It blurs the boundary between physical object and user interface,” said Jony Ive, Apple’s senior vice president of Design. “We’ve created an entire range of products that enable unparalleled personalization.”

Apple Watch introduces a revolutionary design and iOS-based user interface created specifically for a smaller device. Apple Watch features the Digital Crown, an innovative way to scroll, zoom and navigate fluidly, without obstructing the display. The Digital Crown also serves as the Home button and a convenient way to access Siri®. The Retina® display on Apple Watch features Force Touch, a technology that senses the difference between a tap and a press, providing a new way to quickly and easily access controls within apps. Apple Watch introduces the Taptic Engine and a built-in speaker that together discreetly enable an entirely new vocabulary of alerts and notifications you can both hear and feel. Apple custom-designed its own S1 SiP (System in Package) to miniaturize an entire computer architecture onto a single chip. Apple Watch also features Wi-Fi 802.11b/g and Bluetooth 4.0 to pair seamlessly with your iPhone.

Apple Watch comes in three distinct collections - Apple Watch, Apple Watch Sport and Apple Watch Edition - available in two .... read the rest of the story HERE.

Apple Announces iPhone 6 & iPhone 6 Plus

The Biggest Advancements in iPhone History!

​Apple® today announced iPhone® 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, the biggest advancements in iPhone history, featuring two new models with stunning 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch Retina HD displays, and packed with innovative technologies in an all-new dramatically thin and seamless design. The new iPhones feature a precision unibody enclosure of anodized aluminum that conforms seamlessly with the shaped glass of the display, resulting in a completely smooth and continuous surface. iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are engineered to be the thinnest ever, delivering a bigger display in a design that is still comfortable to hold and easy to use.

Packed with innovative new technologies, iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus include: the Apple-designed A8 chip with second generation 64-bit desktop-class architecture for blazing fast performance and power efficiency; advanced iSight® and FaceTime® HD cameras; ultrafast wireless technologies; and Apple Pay™, an easier way to simply and securely make payments with just the touch of a finger.¹ Both models include iOS 8, the latest version of the world’s most advanced mobile operating system, featuring a simpler, faster and more intuitive user experience with new Messages and Photos features, QuickType™ keyboard, a new Health app, Family Sharing and iCloud Drive℠.

“iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are the biggest advancements in iPhone history,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “The iPhone is the most loved smartphone in the world with the highest customer satisfaction in the industry and we are making it much better in every way. Only Apple can combine the best hardware, software and services at this unprecedented level and we think customers are going to love it.”

For the first time iPhone is available in two new sizes: iPhone 6 features a stunning 4.7-inch Retina® HD display with 1334 x 750 resolution, providing 38 percent more viewing area than iPhone 5s, while iPhone 6 Plus features an even bigger 5.5-inch Retina HD display with 1920 x 1080 resolution, providing 88 percent more viewing area and nearly three times the pixels than iPhone 5s. The Retina HD displays offer advanced technologies including higher contrast for deeper blacks and dual-domain pixels for more accurate colors at wider viewing angles.

With second generation 64-bit desktop-class architecture, the all-new A8 chip offers ...... read the rest of the story > HERE.

Apple Media Advisory

Press Release:

We wanted to provide an update to our investigation into the theft of photos of certain celebrities. When we learned of the theft, we were outraged and immediately mobilized Apple’s engineers to discover the source. Our customers’ privacy and security are of utmost importance to us. After more than 40 hours of investigation, we have discovered that certain celebrity accounts were compromised by a very targeted attack on user names, passwords and security questions, a practice that has become all too common on the Internet. None of the cases we have investigated has resulted from any breach in any of Apple’s systems including iCloud® or Find my iPhone. We are continuing to work with law enforcement to help identify the criminals involved.

To protect against this type of attack, we advise all users to always use a strong password and enable two-step verification. Both of these are addressed on our website at http://support.apple.com/kb/ht4232.

Battery Problems For Some iPhone 5 Units

Yesterday Apple opened up an iPhone 5 battery replacement program after discovering that a “very small percentage” of units “may suddenly experience shorter battery life or need to be charged more frequently.” The iPhone 5 was originally launched in September 2012, and Apple says that the affected units were sold between that month and January 2013. Apple’s support website includes a tool to check if your serial number belongs to a faulty iPhone 5 .

The replacement program is available at Apple Retail Stores, Authorized Apple Service Providers, and via AppleCare. Apple tells eligible iPhone 5 owners to backup their data, turn off Find my iPhone, and erase all Content and Settings before coming in to have the battery system replaced. Apple says it won’t repair phones with other problems like cracked screens. If you’ve already paid to get your battery fixed (and you’re eligible for this replacement), Apple is offering refunds.

The replacement program is available now in the United States and China. Other countries will begin offering replacements beginning August 29th. The program is available through March 1, 2015 and it does not extend your iPhone 5’s warranty. This iPhone 5 battery replacement program is the second in recent history. Late last year, Apple offered a smaller, less-public replacement program for iPhone 5s units with battery life issues. The iPhone 5 has also been affected by sleep/wake button issues.

Credit: 9to5mac.com

OS X Yosemite Public Beta & New iTunes 12 Beta

Today Apple provided members of its public beta program the second test build of OS X Yosemite, while a new build of iTunes 12 for Yosemite is also available.

OS X Yosemite Beta 2 is now available to download from the Mac App Store for members of the OS X Beta Program. The public release comes a few days after OS X Yosemite Developer Preview 6 was issued to registered members of Apple's development community.

The first public beta of Yosemite arrived in late July, marking the first time members of the general public could officially test Apples next-generation Mac operating system. OS X Yosemite is scheduled to arrive this fall, and brings new connectivity options between Macs and mobile devices running the upcoming iOS 8 platform.

The release notes of OS X Yosemite Beta 2 do not offer any indications of what changes may be included. The listing on the Mac App Store simply states that the update "is recommended for all users."

iTunes 12, meanwhile, is identified as build 97, comes with a number of changes from the currently available media suite, most notably a streamlined design that Apple says makes browsing content libraries "easier and more enjoyable." iTunes 12 also features support for the "Family Sharing" function, allowing iTunes, iBooks and App Store purchases to be shared with up to six people in your family without sharing accounts.

Apple has also improved playlists in iTunes 12, allowing users to view their full library and playlists side by side. And a redesigned "Get Info" window features a clean look that provides users with the most useful information about their media.

The first beta of iTunes 12 arrived in July, echoing the flatter and more translucent cues of Apple's redesign of OS X with Yosemite.

Credit: appleinsider.com

Born On This Day

Steve Wozniak

Founder of Apple Inc. alongside Steve Jobs. He invented the Apple I and Apple II computers. He also pioneered the microcomputer revolution.

He first collaborated with Jobs on the Atari arcade game Breakout, where he used RAM for the brick representation.

Credit: famousbirthdays.com, technologytell.com

Apple Updates MacBook Pro With Retina Display

Apple® today updated MacBook Pro® with Retina® display with faster processors, double the memory in both entry-level configurations, and a new, lower starting price for the top-of-the-line 15-inch notebook. MacBook Pro with Retina display features a stunning high-resolution display, an amazing design just 0.71-inches thin, the latest processors and powerful graphics, and up to nine hours of battery life, delivering unbelievable performance in an incredibly portable design.* Apple today also lowered the starting price of the non-Retina 13-inch MacBook Pro, a very popular system with Windows switchers, by $100 to $1,099.

“People love their MacBook Pro because of the thin and light, aluminum unibody design, beautiful Retina display, all day battery life and deep integration with OS X,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “The MacBook Pro with Retina display gets even better with faster processors, more memory, more affordable configurations and a free upgrade to OS X Yosemite this fall.”

The 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display features dual-core Intel Core i5 processors up to 2.8 GHz with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.3 GHz and 8GB of memory, up from 4GB in the entry-level notebook. The 13-inch model can also be configured with faster dual-core Intel Core i7 processors up to 3.0 GHz with Turbo Boost speeds up to 3.5 GHz. The top-of-the-line 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display has a new, lower starting price of .... read the rest of the story HERE.

Apple Reports 3rd Quarter Results

Apple® today announced financial results for its fiscal 2014 third quarter ended June 28, 2014. The Company posted quarterly revenue of $37.4 billion and quarterly net profit of $7.7 billion, or $1.28 per diluted share. These results compare to revenue of $35.3 billion and net profit of $6.9 billion, or $1.07 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Gross margin was 39.4 percent compared to 36.9 percent in the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 59 percent of the quarter’s revenue.

Apple’s board of directors has declared a cash dividend of $.47 per share of the Company’s common stock. The dividend is payable on August 14, 2014, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on August 11, 2014.

“Our record June quarter revenue was fueled by strong sales of iPhone and Mac and the continued growth of revenue from the Apple ecosystem, driving our highest EPS growth rate in seven quarters,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “We are incredibly excited about the upcoming releases of iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite, as well as other new products and services that we can’t wait to introduce.”

Read the rest of the story .... HERE.

Apple Patent To Smarten Up iPhone's Security Lock

Smartphone locking is often seen as a necessary but sometimes annoying tool. Punching in a pincode or even using the newer fingerprint scanners can be a pain when just tooling around at home or sitting in a car.

It appears Apple is looking into this issue. The US Patent and Trademark Office published a patent application from Apple on Thursday, 7-3, which details technology that can sense users' locations and then modify their phone's unlocking code -- a smart lock, so to speak.

A drawing in Apple's patent application shows how the smart lock system 

could detect home devices.  Courtesy: US Patent and Trademark Office.

The idea is for an iPhone to be able to recognize users' typical locations, like their home, work, and car, based on GPS or a known Wi-Fi network. Then, the system will adjust the level of security to unlock their phones. For example, at home, possibly no passcode would be required; in a place users go often, like a grocery store, there might be a fingerprint or simple code; and in faraway or crowded places, a higher security threshold would be necessary to unlock the phone.

"Because some locations may be inherently more secure, such as a user's home or office, these locations may be considered 'safe' and require less stringent security," Apple wrote in its patent application. "It can be desirable to have decreased security requirements when the mobile device is at a secure location. Conversely, some locations may be considered higher risk or 'unsecure.' In these locations, it can be desirable to implement stronger security protections."

Read the rest of the story .... HERE.

Credit: cnet.com

Most Affordable iPod touch Model

Apple® yesterday announced its 16GB iPod touch® is now available in vibrant colors and equipped with a 5 megapixel iSight® camera for just $199. The entire iPod touch lineup features the 5 megapixel iSight camera with 1080p HD video recording, brilliant 4-inch Retina® display, Apple's A5 chip and FaceTime® camera. iPod touch features an ultra-thin and light anodized aluminum design and is available in pink, yellow, blue, silver, space gray and (PRODUCT) RED. iPod touch comes in a 16GB model for $199, 32GB for $249, and 64GB for $299.

iPod touch comes with iOS 7, offering more than 200 features including Camera app filters that let you easily add real-time photo effects. Additionally, the Photos app offers ways to automatically organize your photos based on time and location. With iCloud® Photo Sharing, it’s simple to share photos and videos with exactly the people you want to see them and your friends and family can comment and access their shared streams from any iPhone®, iPad®, iPod touch, Mac® or PC at any time. This fall, iOS 8 will be supported on the entire iPod touch lineup.

Read the rest of the story ... HERE.

Apple Introduces New Entry Level 21.5-inch iMac

Apple® today introduced a new 21.5-inch iMac® starting at just $1,099, making the world’s leading all-in-one desktop even more affordable. Featuring a stunning ultra-thin design, brilliant display, Core i5 processors and the world’s most advanced operating system, the new iMac is the perfect entry-level Mac® desktop.

The new 21.5-inch iMac features a 1.4 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 processor with Turbo Boost Speeds up to 2.7 GHz, Intel HD 5000 graphics, 8GB of memory and a 500GB hard drive. All iMac models include next generation 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and two Thunderbolt ports and four USB 3.0 ports for excellent expandability and support for high-performance peripherals.

Read the rest of the story > HERE.

Apple Announces OS X Yosemite

Apple® yesterday announced OS X® Yosemite, a powerful new version of OS X redesigned and refined with a fresh, modern look, powerful new apps and amazing new continuity features that make working across your Mac® and iOS devices more fluid than ever.

The new Today view in Notification Center gives you a quick look at everything you need to know, all in one place; iCloud Drive™ is located within the Finder and can store files of any type; and Safari® has a new streamlined design that puts the most important controls at your fingertips. Mail makes editing and sending attachments easier than ever; Handoff lets you start an activity on one device and pass it to the other; and Instant Hotspot makes using your iPhone’s hotspot as easy as connecting to a Wi-Fi network. Yosemite even gives you the ability to make iPhone® calls on your Mac.

Read the complete story > HERE.

Apple Unveils iOS 8

Apple® today unveiled iOS 8, the biggest release since the launch of the App Store℠, giving users incredible new features and developers the tools to create amazing new apps.

iOS 8 delivers a simpler, faster and more intuitive user experience, including iCloud® Photo Library, allowing you to enjoy your photos and videos more easily across your devices; new Messages features to easily share voice, video or photos with just a swipe; and an entirely new Health app that gives you a clear overview of your health and fitness data all in one place. iOS 8 also includes predictive typing for Apple’s QuickType™ keyboard; Family Sharing, the easiest way to share purchases, photos and calendars within the same household; and iCloud Drive™, so you can store files and access them from anywhere.

Read the complete story > HERE.

Ransomware Hits iPones, iPads and Macs

Thieves have now figured out a way to freeze your smartphone, demanding that you pay up to get back your access. And, the scam has gone global. But experts have some advice on what you can do to avoid getting hacked for ransom.

Many iPhone users have discovered a cryptic random text message when opening their phone, which will bring up the password screen, even if you never set a password on your phone.

The hackers found a way to use the “Find my iPhone” feature through iCloud to disable iPhones, iPads and iMacs until they get their money. iPhone security experts warn the scam can happen anywhere, no one is really immune.

It is unclear how the hackers gained access to the Apple accounts, but there are ways to protect yourself. First, make sure your iPhone has a passcode. Second, activate the two-step verification for Apple ID, which means in addition to your password, you will receive a new code to enter every time you sign in.

When you log in, you receive a special number on your phone and then you type that in as well. That makes it almost impossible for somebody else on the Internet to log in because they don’t have your phone.

An Apple representative said, “Apple takes security very seriously, and iCloud was not compromised during this incident. Impacted users should change their Apple ID password as soon as possible and avoid using the same username and password for multiple services.”

The cyber attack was first spotted in Australia, and was reported in the U.S. just this week. It happened just as Apple is preparing for its annual Worldwide Developers Conference next week.

Credit:
adapted from newyork.cbslocal.com

iPad Air vs iPad mini 2

Which iPad is best for your needs? In an iPad Air vs iPad mini 2 with Retina display comparison review by Macworld (UK), updated after seven months of use, they compare the iPad Air and iPad mini 2's specs, features, portability, usefulness, price and more, to determine which new iPad you should buy.

Pros

• iPad Air offers a larger screen and a more immersive experience
• iPad mini 2 is more portable and cheaper

Cons

• iPad Air is most expensive of the iPads and won't fit in a pocket
• Watching films on iPad mini is less of a cinematic experience

iPad Air and iPad mini 2 with Retina display were unveiled in October last year, as Apple refreshed its mini and full-size lineups. The most obvious difference between the iPad Air and iPad mini 2 is size: the overall size of the device and the size of the screen. The iPad Air is built around a 9.7in screen (9.7in is the screen's size measured diagonally, from corner to corner), whereas the iPad mini 2 is a mini tablet built around a 7.9in screen.

That's quite a difference: just under 30 square inches of screen space on the iPad mini 2, compared to about 45 square inches on the iPad Air. And the option of gaining about 50 percent extra screen space will be a major factor in your buying decision. The iPad Air's big screen provides a far more cinematic experience; for watching films or TV programs the Air is definitely superior. It's also a more immersive gaming device.

Most apps, however, work perfectly well on the iPad mini's 7.9in screen, and email and web surfing are both fine. Anyone who has used an iPhone will be aware that Apple's devices are terrifically optimized to fit relevant information on to a small screen in an usable way, and most users find the iPad mini and iPad mini 2 convenient to use.

Reading is a particular strength of the iPad mini's screen size. It's close to the size of a paperback, after all, and approximates the old-fashioned reading experience beautifully.

But what about screen quality? Actually the iPad mini 2, thanks to its new Retina display, has a far higher pixel density than the iPad Air, with the same number of pixels (and the same resolution) packed into a smaller space. But both are rated as Retina-class displays, so you shouldn't see a difference. (In theory, a Retina display is as good as the human eye can appreciate, and any extra pixels won't be apparent at a normal usage distance.)

Read the complete comparison review HERE.

Credit:

macworld.co.uk

iPhone 5 Sleep Button Replacement Program

iPhone 5 owners experiencing issues with their device’s sleep button can now get a free replacement from Apple.

On 4-25, Apple launched the iPhone 5 sleep/wake button replacement program. The Cupertino, Calif.-based tech giant admitted that a “small percentage” of iPhone 5 models have faulty sleep buttons - an issue folks have complained about on Apple’s support forum and elsewhere since the iPhone 5′s launch in late 2012 - so the company has decided to replace the troubled component for free, even if your iPhone 5 is out of warranty.

“Apple has determined that the sleep/wake button mechanism on a small percentage of iPhone 5 models may stop working or work intermittently,” reads the Apple replacement program webpage.

“Apple will replace the sleep/wake button mechanism, free of charge, on iPhone 5 models that exhibit this issue and have a qualifying serial number.”

iPhone 5 devices manufactured through March 2013 may be affected by this issue, said Apple. Typically, the button still clicks, but the device no longer registers the input.

To participate in the replacement program ..... Read the rest of the story HERE.

A direct link to Apple Support's web page for Sleep Button replacement is HERE.

Credit:
venturebeat.com

Apple Reports Second Quarter Results

Yesterday Apple® announced financial results for its fiscal 2014 second quarter ended March 29, 2014. The Company posted quarterly revenue of $45.6 billion and quarterly net profit of $10.2 billion, or $11.62 per diluted share. These results compare to revenue of $43.6 billion and net profit of $9.5 billion, or $10.09 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Gross margin was 39.3 percent compared to 37.5 percent in the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 66 percent of the quarter’s revenue.

“We’re very proud of our quarterly results, especially our strong iPhone sales and record revenue from services,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “We’re eagerly looking forward to introducing more new products and services that only Apple could bring to market.”

“We generated $13.5 billion in cash flow from operations and returned almost $21 billion in cash to shareholders through dividends and share repurchases during the March quarter,” said Peter Oppenheimer, Apple’s CFO. “That brings cumulative payments under our capital return program to $66 billion.”

Apple is providing the following guidance for its fiscal 2014 third quarter:

• revenue between $36 billion and $38 billion
• gross margin between 37 percent and 38 percent
• operating expenses between $4.4 billion and $4.5 billion
• other income/(expense) of $200 million
• tax rate of 26.1 percent

Security Bug That Affects Most Of The Internet

You trust your banking or Web mail sites to protect your communications when you see the little lock icon in your Web browser. This is why you're OK with typing passwords into Hotmail or your credit card numbers into Amazon.

A popular piece of software called OpenSSL is used by Internet companies to provide this kind of security. On March 14, 2012, someone introduced a bug that would allow an attacker to get the "crown jewels," the encryption keys used to protect your communications directly from the companies themselves.

With those keys, an attacker could eavesdrop on your communications with that company and/or impersonate that company, making it possible for them to harvest things like credit card numbers or passwords with relative ease.

Why is this so devastating? It's devastating for several reasons. First, OpenSSL is used very broadly, from big companies like Yahoo to small companies and mom-and-pop shops with shopping carts provided by a vendor. And it's hard for you to tell who's affected or when they've fixed it because companies don't broadcast which versions of OpenSSL they're running to people like you and me.

Second, in order to fix the bug and guarantee secure communications with you, each company has to update OpenSSL on every Internet-facing computer that they own. Worse, they also ought to revoke their SSL certificates — the "crown jewels" mentioned above — and generate new ones, based on the assumption that they could have been stolen at any point since March of 2012. This process could take a company days or even weeks to do.

Finally, since the bug in OpenSSL has existed since March 14, 2012, there are more than two years of your communications that could have been intercepted by an attacker. Anything you've done — shopping at online stores, logging into your bank or your Web mail — could possibly have been compromised in the past. Because of the nature of the attack, you wouldn't know anything about it.

What can I do about it? Sadly, you're at the mercy of the individual Internet companies to get their software patched and their SSL keys revoked and regenerated. Once you feel certain this has been done at a particular company, you really ought to change your password, since this could easily have been fished out of your communications at any point in the last two years.

Additionally, it would be best to avoid things like shared Wi-Fi networks whenever possible as well, since attackers have their best access to your communications when you're sharing a network with them.

But generally, the burden is on Internet companies and not you. That's what makes this so frustrating.

Credit: npr.org

---

   You can test the vulnerability of any website by using this link:
ssllabs.com/ssltest

iOS 7 Tips and Tricks, Part 2

How to make text larger and easier to read on iPhone and iPad

If your eyesight is on the wane you don't necessarily have to switch to a larger phone. That's because Apple has included a 'Dynamic Type' mode that makes text larger in supported apps.

To adjust the setting go to Settings > General > Text Size and adjust the slider as you see fit. Not all apps support it, but they should increase in number as apps are updated to support iOS 7.

How to search your apps, emails, contacts, messages, music and more on iPhone and iPad

iOS has had universal search, known as Spotlight, for ages and it hasn't changed much for iOS 7. The only difference is how you access it. In previous versions it had its own 'screen' to the left of the main homescreen.

In iOS 7, Spotlight search is accessed by swiping down on the icon grid on any homescreen. This shows the search box and on-screen keyboard, and it works the same whether you're using an iPhone or iPad.

By default it searches for a huge range of things: pretty much anything that has a native app. It even searches for podcasts. You can customise what it searches for by going to Settings > General > Spotlight Search and selecting what you want.

How to check your shelves are level using the Compass app

The actual Compass app has always been oddity as it's more useful in actual apps than on its own. But Apple has added somethig a little extra for iOS 7: a spirit level. It's not the stuff of legend, but it's bound to come in useful some time, surely?

How to set the default direction type in Apple Maps

Setting aside the merits of Apple's Maps for the moment, one neat new addition is the ability to set the default directions type: driving or walking. To do so, head to Settings > Maps then scrolls down to the 'Preferred Directions' section.

How to enable 'Do Not Track' in Safari

The new version of Safari adds support for the, still voluntary, Do Not Track protocol. Websites that respect Do Not Track won't use cookies and so forth when this is enabled. To do so, go to Settings > Safari and toggle the option under 'Privacy & Security'.

How to toggle Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and open apps using Siri

It's now possible to toggle these settings using Siri. So, for example, "Turn on Wi-Fi" will do exactly that. You can open first and third-party apps well using the obvious command, "Open Facebook app" or similar. "Take a photo" opens the camera app, too.

You can even go deeper into the Settings app, so saying "Open Mail settings" will take you to that section of the Settings app. It's worth experiementing with what you can do, or you can tap the '?' symbol in the bottom left of the Siri screen.

How to get a quick view of your day on iPhone and iPad

Apple has revamped the Notification Center for iOS 7 to include what it calls Today View. Today View can show you a number of different things, but by default it shows you the date, a summary of the weather where you are, and the appointments you have on any given day.

Scroll further down and you can see your calendar for the day, up-to-date stocks and shares info and a short summary of your schedule for the next day. As with Notification Center before, it's accessed by swiping down from the top edge of the screen and it's accessible from the lockscreen, homescreen and from within any app.

How to customise the Today View

You can also customise the Today View to a limited extent, something we hope Apple expands on to allow third-party apps to appear here.

Head to Settings > Notification Center again and scroll down to the Today View section highlighted above. The options are quite limited at present, but unless you really need it we recommend getting rid of the Stocks updates. Not only do few people genuinely need, it drains battery as it has to be kept up-to-date. To change the order of what appears, select 'Edit' and drag the available items up and down.

Credit:
trustedreviews.com

iOS 7 Tips and Tricks, Part 1

How to correct Siri's pronunciation on iPhone and iPad

We don't want to pick on Siri, but it sometimes mangles the pronunciation of names. You can fix this just by saying "Siri that's not how you pronounce that". It will then ask you to say it again to learn the name better.

How to block messages and calls from people you don't like on iPhone

While we're sure you get on with everyone just fine, sometimes it might be necessary to block certain people from calling you. iOS 7 finally allows this. It's easy to activate. All you have to do is go to their entry in the Contacts app and scroll down to the 'Block this contact' option.

How to turn-off parallax wallpapers and movement on iPhone and iPad

Getting motion sickness, or just don't like 'parallax' effect in iOS 7? No problem, it can be turned off. It's tucked away in the Accessibility section, so head to Settings > General > Accessibility and find the Reduce Motion option.

How to use the LED flash for notifications on iPhone

The Accessibility section of the Settings app has long been a source of useful tweaks, and it's still the case in iOS 7. This is an oldie but a goodie. Prefer a light to vibrations? You can make the LED flash... well... flash when you have notifications. Go to Settings > General > Accessibility and scroll down to 'Hearing' where 'LED Flash for Alerts' resides.

How to save money by using FaceTime Audio calls

Those of you lucky enough to have unlimited data plans but limited minutes will like this one. iOS 7 adds the ability to have audio only calls using FaceTime. Just go to the desired contact and press on the phone symbol next to FaceTime. Alternatively, you can search for your contact in the FaceTime app itself.

How to switch and close apps on iPhone and iPad

One of the more noticeable, and very welcome, changes in iOS 7 is the new way to switch to and close apps running in the background. Instead of a poky app tray of icons, double clicking the home button reveals scrollable previews of each app open in the background. Just tap to open, or swipe up to close the app. If you own an iPad and have Multitasking Gestures enabled (head to the Settings > General) then you can bring this up by swiping up with four fingers.

How to quickly toggle Airplane Mode, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Brightness and more

This is arguably the most requested feature of iOS 7. It's taken Apple long enough to act on it, but Control Center in iOS 7 finally delivers. Moreover, all the above features (and more) are accessible from the lock screen.

Control Center is accessed by swiping up from the bottom edge of the phone, the opposite from the Notifications Center. Along bottom edge are four icons: Flashlight, Timer, Calculator and Camera. All but the Flashlight one open the respective apps. Above these are music controls, and above these is quick access to the screen brightness controls. Finally there's the five icons at the top starting with Airplane Mode on the left, then Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Do Not Disturb and Lock Orientation or Mute.


How to stop people seeing your messages and notifications
The new Notification Center is a nice addition iOS 7, but it does throw up one obvious problem: as it's accessible from the lock screen, anyone could view your appointments and excerpts of your messages without your pass code.

Luckily Apple has thought of this and it is possible to customise the Notification Center available from the lock screen, or even turn it off entirely.

To do so, go to Settings > Notification Center and under 'Access on Lock Screen' disable the features you want to limit or turn off both 'Today View' and 'Notifications View' to turn off the Notification Center from the lock screen entirely.

Credit:
trustedreviews.com

Cool Features Your iPhone Can Do

Did you know that you can use letters instead of numbers for your Passcode?

1. Go to Settings > General > Passcode Lock.
2. Turn off the setting that says “Simple Passcode.”
3. A screen will appear prompting you to change your passcode, along with a full QWERTY keyboard. The next time you unlock your phone, the keyboard will appear instead of just the number pad.

Or that Siri can read your email?

Tell Siri, “Read my email,” and she’ll oblige. You’ll hear the sender’s name, the date/time of the message, and the subject line. You can also instruct her to “read my latest email” or ask, “Do I have email from [person]?”

Or how about finding out when you got that iMessage from your daughter??

For a while, the fact that I couldn’t see when my iMessages were sent drove me crazy. Turns out there’s a stupidly easy way to view timestamps of your messages in iOS 7: touch and drag message bubbles to the left.

Another cool yet worthless feature it finding out what planes are overhead.

Ask Siri, “What flights are above me?” or just say, “Planes overhead,” and she’ll pull up a chart featuring each plane’s flight number, its altitude, and its angle. (It took my Siri about 30 seconds to pull up this data, so be patient!)

Shake your phone to delete Text!!

Did you change your mind about that text you just tapped in? Shake your phone, and an “Undo Typing” box will come up. If you change your mind after you’ve hit Undo, shake your phone again for a handy “Redo Typing” box.

How about a more detailed view of your calendar??

Turn your phone horizontally when in your calendar app to see a more detailed view of your appointments.

Turn on caps lock is as easy as this!!

This is so simple to do, yet totally changed my ability to CONVEY HOW EXCITED OR MAD I WAS to my friends without having to hit the shift arrow every time. NB: If this isn’t working for you, go to Settings>General>Keyboard and make sure Caps Lock is enabled.

Need a level??

Swipe left in the Compass app to access a level. Pretty cool.

Don't want anyone to use the in-app purchase feature??

This is especially useful if you have kids, or have zero self-control when it comes to Candy Crush. Go to Settings > General > Restrictions, Enable Restrictions, and scroll down to disable In-App Purchases.

How about taking a burst of photos at once?

Hold down the shutter button in your camera and you’ll automatically activate burst mode. Your phone will capture a ton of photos in rapid succession and save them to your camera: a great way to guarantee you’ll get a profile pic to your liking.

My favorite is taking a photo with  the volume button!!

Instead of using the touch circle to snap your selfie, hit the “up” volume button. It lets you hold the phone — and camera — more steadily.

youtube.com

Great for when you need to charge your phone quickly at a bar.

Keyboard Shortcuts For The iPad

There are some very good keyboards and keyboard cases for the iPad and you can even use an Apple Wireless Keyboard (or any wireless keyboard for that matter) with an iPad for writing longer documents. What's not so well advertised, however, is that there are a number of useful keyboard shortcuts you can use to get the most from your experience. Here are some of the most useful.

iPad keyboard shortcuts in Safari:

Command L selects the address bar so you enter a web address or search
Command W closes the tab you're looking at
Command T opens a new tab
Command R to refresh the current tab
Command W to close the current tab

Basic text editing shortcuts:

Command C copies text
Command X to cut text
Command V to paste text
Command Z to undo changes
Command Shift Z to redo them
Option Delete will delete the word before the cursor
Ctrl K deletes the text to the end of the line
Command Delete deletes the text to the beginning to the line
Shift and any arrow key to select text

iPad navigation shortcuts:

These aren't available by default, but can be by enabling the Voice Over accessibility feature. To do so, go to Settings > General > Accessibility and then turn it on. Some dedicated iPad keyboards have these shortcuts as dedicated buttons, such as to go back home.

Ctrl Option H is like pressing the home button
Ctrl Option H H opens the multitasking window
Esc acts as a back button
Option and any arrow key lets you scroll
Command Shift Tab switches you to the previous app
Command Tab takes you back again

Credit:
trustedreviews.com

Most Affordable iPad

On March 18th Apple® announced that iPad® with Retina® display replaces iPad 2 as the most affordable 9.7-inch iPad at $399 for the 16GB Wi-Fi model and $529 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model. 

The fourth generation iPad features the amazing 9.7-inch Retina display, the Apple-designed A6X chip, ultrafast Wi-Fi, a 5MP iSight® camera which also captures 1080p HD video, a FaceTime® HD camera, and support for LTE carriers worldwide, all while delivering up to 10 hours of battery life.

 iPad with Retina display comes with iOS 7, featuring hundreds of great new features, including Control Center, Notification Center, improved Multitasking, AirDrop®, enhanced Photos, Safari®, Siri® and iTunes Radio℠.

“Now for $399 customers can get iPad with a stunning 9.7-inch Retina display, fast A6X chip, and 5MP iSight camera, offering a dramatic upgrade in power, performance and value compared to the iPad 2 it replaces,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. 

“The iPad line sets the gold-standard in mobile computing and all iPads have access to the largest and best ecosystem of more than 500,000 iPad optimized apps from the App Store.”

Read the rest of the story and more about pricing and availability HERE.

A View Of The Past

Apple Releases iOS 7.1

Apple on Monday released iOS 7.1, the biggest update to iOS 7 since the mobile OS was first released last September. It includes support for CarPlay, fixes the random reboots many users were experiencing, and includes a number of other changes like performance improvements and UI tweaks.

Apple first introduced CarPlay back at WWDC last year under the name “iOS in the Car.” Now that it’s here, it allows you to connect your iPhone to a CarPlay-enabled vehicle to get an iOS experience designed for the car. It allows you to make and answer calls, and use Maps, Messages, Music and other third-party audio apps. You control it by voice via Siri, and through your car’s touch display and controls.

Apple also fixed the bug that was causing many devices running iOS 7 to randomly reboot from the home screen. Other improvements include better Touch ID fingerprint recognition, as well as an overall performance boost for the iPhone 4.

There are some visual changes you’ll notice as well.....
Read the rest of the story >> HERE.

Credit: gigaom.com

Apple Announces CarPlay

Apple® announced yesterday that leading auto manufacturers are rolling out CarPlay, the smarter, safer and more fun way to use iPhone® in the car. CarPlay gives iPhone users an incredibly intuitive way to make calls, use Maps, listen to music and access messages with just a word or a touch. Users can easily control CarPlay from the car’s native interface or just push-and-hold the voice control button on the steering wheel to activate Siri® without distraction.

Apple has led consumer technology integration in the car for more than a decade. CarPlay brings your car and iPhone together for a thoughtful experience that lets drivers focus on driving, while also tapping into everything they want to do with their iPhone.

Read the complete story HERE.

First US iTunes Festival

Apple® has announced the first iTunes® Festival to be held in the US, featuring an amazing lineup of global superstars, running from March 11-15. Taking place at ACL Live at the Moody Theater, home of Austin City Limits, the iTunes Festival at SXSW will feature iTunes chart toppers including Coldplay, Imagine Dragons, Pitbull, Keith Urban, ZEDD and more to come.

All five nights of the iTunes Festival will be available to enjoy for free as a live and on-demand stream via the iTunes Store® on your iPhone®, iPad®, iPod touch®, Mac® or PC. Performances can also be seen in the iTunes Festival app on your iOS device or with Apple TV® in stunning HD.

Read the rest of the story HERE.

Security Flaw Could Allow Hackers To Beat Encryption

A major flaw in Apple software for mobile devices could allow hackers to intercept email and other communications that are meant to be encrypted, the company said on Friday, and experts said Mac computers were even more exposed.

If attackers have access to a mobile user's network, such as by sharing the same unsecured wireless service offered by a restaurant, they could see or alter exchanges between the user and protected sites such as Gmail and Facebook. Governments with access to telecom carrier data could do the same.

"It's as bad as you could imagine, that's all I can say," said Johns Hopkins University cryptography professor Matthew Green.

Apple did not say when or how it learned about the flaw in the way iOS handles sessions in what are known as secure sockets layer or transport layer security, nor did it say whether the flaw was being exploited.

But a statement on its support website was blunt: The software "failed to validate the authenticity of the connection."

Apple released software patches and an update for the current version of iOS for iPhone 4 and later, 5th-generation iPod touches, and iPad 2 and later.

Without the fix, a hacker could impersonate a protected site and sit in the middle as email or financial data goes between the user and the real site, Green said.

After analyzing the patch, several security researchers said the same flaw existed in current versions of Mac OSX, running Apple laptop and desktop computers. No patch is available yet for that operating system, though one is expected soon.

Because spies and hackers will also be studying the patch, they could develop programs to take advantage of the flaw within days or even hours.

The issue is a "fundamental bug in Apple's SSL implementation," said Dmitri Alperovich, chief technology officer at security firm CrowdStrike Inc. Adam Langley, a senior engineer at Google, agreed with CrowdStrike that OS X was at risk.

Apple did not reply to requests for comment. The flaw appears to be in the way that well-understood protocols were implemented, an embarrassing lapse for a company of Apple's stature and technical prowess.

The company was recently stung by leaked intelligence documents claiming that authorities had 100 percent success rate in breaking into iPhones.

Friday's news suggests that enterprising hackers could have had great success as well if they knew of the flaw.

Credit: reuters.com

Microsoft Office Coming To iPad?

Users of Apple's iPad tablet can expect to get much more productive as Microsoft continues work on a version of its Office productivity suite for it. The Microsoft Office for iPad suite, presently codenamed Miramar, may even come ahead of Microsoft's touch-first Office version for Windows, ZDNet reported.

"Microsoft officials have acknowledged, in a somewhat roundabout way, that it exists and is coming. Last we heard, it sounded, from the words of ex-CEO Steve Ballmer, that it was going to arrive some time after Microsoft's own touch-first, 'Gemini' implementation of Office. Gemini is Microsoft's Metro-Style/Windows Store versions of Word, Excel, PowerPoint and OneNote," ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley reported.

She cited information indicating Office for iPad may come in the first half of 2014. Foley added Ballmer approved a suggestion by the Office team that they would bring Office for iPad to market once it is ready, even if it is before the Windows 8 version.

But she said Office for iPad could require a subscription for Office 365, adding it could be corporate or Home Premium. "The Office 365 tie-in isn't hard to imagine, given Microsoft has made Office Mobile available for iPhones and Android phones, with an Office 365 subscription requirement," she said.

Credit: gmanetwork.com

Free Apps - Every Day - With This App

There is an app you should know about. It monitors and lists other apps that have been reduced in price to free, usually for one day only. Often these limited time free apps are more children oriented, but, you will also find many productivity and other types of useful apps. Some apps are for iPhone or iPad only, while others are universal.

This helpful app is called "Apps Gone Free" and they list 6 or so new apps every day. Find out more by clicking or tapping here > https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/apps-gone-free-best-daily/id470693788?mt=8. Or search 'Apps Gone Free' at the App Store on your device.

Update, National Security & Law Enforcement Orders

On January 27, 2014, Apple released the following document:

Apple has been working closely with the White House, the U.S. Attorney General, congressional leaders, and the Department of Justice to advocate for greater transparency with regard to the national security orders we receive. We believe strongly that our customers have the right to understand how their personal information is being handled, and we are pleased the  government has developed new rules that allow us to more accurately report law enforcement orders and national security orders in the U.S. 

We work hard to deliver the most secure hardware and software in the world and we will continue to provide our customers with the best privacy protections available. Personal conversations are protected using end-to-end encryption over iMessageand FaceTime, and Apple does not store location data, Maps searches, or Siri requests in any identifiable form.

Apple is reporting the actual number of requests for information related to law enforcement investigations. Law enforcement requests most often relate to criminal investigations such as robbery, theft, murder, and kidnapping. In addition, Apple is re-reporting all the national security orders we have received, including orders received under FISA and National Security Letters (NSLs), to reflect the new guidelines that allow us to report these orders separate from law enforcement orders, in bands of 250. This data represents every U.S. national security order for data about our customers regardless of geography. We did not receive any orders for bulk data. The number of accounts involved iin national security orders is infinitesimal relative to the hundreds of millions of accounts registered with Apple.

Apple reviews each order, whether criminal or under a national security authority, to ensure that it is legally issued and as narrowly tailored as possible. If there is any question about the legitimacy or scope of the order, we challenge it. Only when we are satisfied that the order is valid and appropriate do we deliver the narrowest possible set of information in response to that order.

Read, download, save or print the rest of the document .... HERE.

Apple Announces Quarterly Earnings

Yesterday Apple® announced financial results for its fiscal 2014 first quarter ended December 28, 2013. The Company posted record quarterly revenue of $57.6 billion and quarterly net profit of $13.1 billion, or $14.50 per diluted share. These results compare to revenue of $54.5 billion and net profit of $13.1 billion, or $13.81 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Gross margin was 37.9 percent compared to 38.6 percent in the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 63 percent of the quarter’s revenue.

The Company sold 51 million iPhones, an all-time quarterly record, compared to 47.8 million in the year-ago quarter. Apple also sold 26 million iPads during the quarter, also an all-time quarterly record, compared to 22.9 million in the year-ago quarter. The Company sold 4.8 million Macs, compared to 4.1 million in the year-ago quarter.

Apple’s Board of Directors has declared a cash dividend of $3.05 per share of the Company’s common stock. The dividend is payable on February 13, 2014, to shareholders of record as of the close of business on February 10, 2014.

“We are really happy with our record iPhone and iPad sales, the strong performance of our Mac products and the continued growth of iTunes, Software and Services,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. "We love having the most satisfied, loyal and engaged customers, and are continuing to invest heavily in our future to make their experiences with our products and services even better."

Read the rest of the story ... HERE.

The New Alphabet

The times they are a changing. This is the alphabet that was taught to you, maybe, or at least your kids. But, do you recognize the new alphabet?

Below is how your grandkids are learning the alphabet!

(click this image to enlarge)

Notice that both charts start with 'Apple'!

App Store Sales Top $10 Billion in 2013

Apple® today announced that customers spent over $10 billion on the App Store℠ in 2013, including over $1 billion in December alone. App Store customers downloaded almost three billion apps in December making it the most successful month in App Store history. Apple’s incredible developers have now earned $15 billion on the App Store.

Read the complete story HERE.