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