Friday, August 31, 2012

Apple : iPad Mini possibly revealed in Instapaper iOS access logs

Apple : iPad Mini possibly revealed in Instapaper iOS access logs


iPad Mini possibly revealed in Instapaper iOS access logs

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iPad Mini possibly revealed in Instapaper iOS access logs

Marco Arment, the creator of save-for-later app Instapaper, revealed an interesting discovery on his blog Thursday that further hints at the existence of Apple's iPad Mini.

Arment writes that he noticed some "curious" devices in the Instapaper iOS app's access logs: the iPad2,5 and the iPad2,6 (alongside the iPhone5,1, though no one's questioning the iPhone 5's existence).

He postulates first that the new iPad designations could refer to process-shrunk versions of the iPad 2, though he admits "that would be a pretty strange move."

His real theory soon surfaces: that the iPad2,5 and iPad2,6 represent the iPad Mini in its Wi-Fi and GSM iterations.

A textbook move

Arment goes on to suggest that based on his observations, the iPad Mini is effectively an iPad 2 stuffed into a smaller, cheaper chassis.

That would grant it Apple's A5 chipset and 512MB of RAM, though by Arment's estimations, the iPad Mini wouldn't launch with a Retina Display.

"It's a textbook Tim Cook supply-chain move: selling the last generation's hardware at a lower price point to expand marketshare," Arment writes.

"But this time, it's more dramatic."

iPad Mini release date

Jailbreakers could theoretically fake whatever iPad designation they wanted to, Arment admits, though he's "never had a device show up there that didn't end up being a real, about-to-be-released Apple device."

So when will the iPad Mini release?

Initial rumors in July predicted the iPad Mini would be revealed on Sept. 12 alongside the iPhone 5, and that both would launch nine days later on Sept. 21.

More recently, "sources" have reported that the iPad Mini launch would take place at an event in October, separate from the September iPhone 5 release event.

Whatever happens, Apple is sure to keep us guessing until the eleventh hour.

Source: Apple, four publishers look to beat antitrust investigation

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Source: Apple, four publishers look to beat antitrust investigation

Cheaper ebooks may soon hit retailers like Amazon if a European Union antitrust commission accepts placating offers from Apple and four major publishers.

Apple and the publishers - Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins, Hachette Livre and Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrink, owner of Macmillan - placed proposals before the commission in an effort to end an antitrust investigation into exclusive sales deals, a source told ReutersFriday.

Each has an agreement with Apple to sell online versions of their publications at a discounted rate on iTunes with the contingency they can't offer the lower rates to other retailers.

While Apple enjoyed lower rates no other retailer could offer, it also took home 30 percent of each sale's proceeds.

A page turner

The commission launched its investigation to see whether the deals restrict European competition.

It said in April all five companies had put offers on the table to avoid penalties and halt the investigation. The fines could've reached 10 percent of each business's total global revenue.

It's unclear whether these concessions are part of April's offers or if the deals on the table extend beyond European boarders.

Another publisher, Penguin, is also under investigation but the source didn't name it among the companies submitting proposals.

The EU commission is reportedly now taking the proposals around the industry to gather whether the concessions satisfy the allegations.

If the industry offers their consensus, the commission will conduct a formal market test that could lead to an end to the investigation, the source said.

No one at HarperCollins was available for comment. TechRadar has reached out to Simon & Schuster, Apple and Amazon for comment and will update this story if and when they respond.

HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster and Hachette offered similar proposals in a lawsuit settlement with the U.S government. The U.S. brought the suit amidst price-fixing allegations and exclusive deals with Apple.

Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google's Larry Page in secret peace talks?

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Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google's Larry Page in secret peace talks?

Reports on Wednesday claim that high level talks between the CEOs of Apple and Google have taken place, with a view to resolving a host of patent disputes.

As first reported by Reuters, Tim Cook and Larry Page have engaged in behind the scenes discussions regarding intellectual property matters, according to sources familiar with the matter.

The story was later 'confirmed' by AllThingsD, which consulted its own sources on the story.

Those in-the-know bods revealed that at least one more meeting between, arguably, the two most important men in tech has been scheduled.

Keeping it out of the courtroom

News of the summit comes less than a week after Samsung was found guilty of multiple counts of patent infringement, as alleged by Apple.

Although the award of $1.05 billion strikes at the heart of one of it key manufacturing competitors, many observers believe that Apple's true motivation is to stifle the Android operating system that powers Samsung's tech.

In the wake of the court ruling, Google issued a statement claiming none of the infringed-upon patents relate to 'core Android,' and it would await the results of a Samsung appeal.

As well as its beef with the Android OS, Apple also has pending legal proceedings with Motorola, the manufacturer now, of course, owned by Google.

Any accord the two behemoths could reach, likely through cross-licensing agreements, would avoid another long and expensive courtroom saga for which we would all be grateful.

Playmates

The Cook/Page summit is perhaps the first sign that Google and Apple can play nicely with each other again, without tantrums and toys getting chucked out of prams.

The pair were the best of pals throughout much of the last decade, until Google launched the Android operating system, enraging the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs, who felt it 'wholesale ripped off the iPhone.'

In his official biography Jobs was quoted as saying he was willing to go "thermonuclear war" and spend "every dollar Apple has in the bank" to right the perceived injustice.

Soured relations

Relations have soured ever since, most recently with Apple removing the built-in YouTube app and dropping Google Maps for its own solution from the latest version of iOS.

Representatives from Apple and Google have so far declined to comment on the reports, but we'll be sure to bring you any updates.

Photos show A6 chipset on iPhone 5?

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Photos show A6 chipset on iPhone 5?

The latest allegedly leaked image from the iPhone factory floor appears to show a brand new chip for the iPhone 5: the Apple A6.

Apple began using its own, in-house system-on-a-chip (SoC) designs with the introduction of the iPad.

That version was dubbed the Apple A4, and it was also used in the iPhone 4, while the iPad 2 and iPhone 4S used the Apple A5 and the third-gen iPad used the Apple A5X variation.

Apple's apparent decision to go with a brand new SoC designation for the iPhone 5 could indicate big changes.

Then again, it could indicate nothing

The A5X designation was created primarily to deal with the third-gen iPad's detailed 2048x1536 Retina display, which was the first such screen on an iPad.

To that end, the A5X SoC added a shiny quad-core GPU.

But the iPhone's existing A4 and A5 chipsets already support Retina graphics on the smartphones' smaller screens; the iPhone first went Retina with the Apple A4 chipset on the iPhone 4.

So despite the iPhone 5's rumored slightly larger, 4-inch 1136x640 screen, Apple isn't limited to using the same SoC found in the iPad with Retina display.

But what changes will the Apple A6 bring to the iPhone 5?

Bigger battery and other leaks

As iMore points out, the name of Apple's new iPhone 5 chipset could be down to more of a "branding decision" than anything else.

But the alleged images do appear to reveal a little more about the iPhone 5: an unsurprising Qualcomm chip and space for a larger battery.

In addition, there have been conflicting reports about the possibility of iPhone 5 NFC support.

A smaller docking cable has also been seen in recent supposed leaks.

Most importantly, recent developments support the theory that Apple's set to unveil the iPhone 5 on Sept. 12, possibly alongside the iPad Mini.

Software : IFA 2012: Huawei's Emotion UI for Android gets its day at IFA

Software : IFA 2012: Huawei's Emotion UI for Android gets its day at IFA


IFA 2012: Huawei's Emotion UI for Android gets its day at IFA

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IFA 2012: Huawei's Emotion UI for Android gets its day at IFA

Concern for making a consumer-friendly experience has bled from Huawei's devices into its user interface.

The company announced the impending launch of a revamped UI for Android Thursday at IFA 2012 and offered a taste of what's to come.

The Emotion UI, as it's dubbed, aims to please, building on the company's "Design with Empathy" philosophy, according to a media release.

"Emotion UI is a reflection of Huawei's empathic design philosophy - built by consumers for consumers," said Dennis Poon, Huawei Device's global UI design director, in the release.

"The team was very conscious about placing people before technology," Poon said, adding the design team asked consumers what their ideal interactive experience would be like before undertaking the UI.

Putting the 'you' in UI

To that end, Huawei hosted a number of consumer forums and salons to read what was and wasn't working with its devices.

One of the biggest improvements to come out of those powwows and into the UI is a "Smart Tutorial" function, designed to bring first-time users up to snuff on how to operate their phone.

In other areas, Huawei's pushing for customization and simplification, as seen in the "Me Widget" property that lets users condense their most go-to information and functions into a single, customized folder.

The homepage is also customizable as are folders for specific apps, though users be warned deleting an app folder takes all contents with it.

Huawei's reportedly come up with 20 Emotion themes available online, accessible to users who don't want one of six pre-loaded Android skins, including an Android 4.0 stock theme.

Poon also told TechRadar during the conference that the company plans to roll out Emotion UI updates monthly, tweaking it as consumers see fit.

Consumers can download the Chinese-only UI Friday, when the company will also ask for feedback on the experience and development process.

Emotion's public release shouldn't be too far off, though the company will announce a date closer to the launch.

TechRadar has more Huawei at IFA news, including the lowdown on some able-bodied Androids.

Thursday, August 30, 2012

Apple : In Depth: 10 worst enemies of tech: who's holding us back?

Apple : In Depth: 10 worst enemies of tech: who's holding us back?


In Depth: 10 worst enemies of tech: who's holding us back?

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In Depth: 10 worst enemies of tech: who's holding us back?

Imagine that technology is a picnic.

You've spread out the blanket, put out the food and opened the wine, and you're about to enjoy one of life's great pleasures - but before you've even picked up a plastic fork the skies open, there's an invasion of insects and a seagull carpet-bombs you.

Who are these tech terrors, the organisations and groups that come to crap on our cucumber sandwiches? Let's find out.

1. Copyright industries

There are two kinds of copyright industries: the ones who embrace technology, and the ones who want to kill it with fire. The latter group, and their paid lobbyists, are the ones who push for worrying laws - laws that could have chilling effects on online freedom.

Enemies of tech

2. For-profit pirates

It's testament to how inept the copyright industries and their pals can be that they've turned a tosspot like Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom into a cult hero, but while he's amusing many he's also fuelling their argument that piracy is nothing more than an organised criminal business. Dotcom claims that he's a modern day Martin Luther King, unfairly prosecuted for piracy he knew nothing about, but leaked internal emails show that Megaupload's people knew exactly what they were getting when they paid their most prolific uploaders.

10 worst enemies of tech

3. Patent trolls

In mythology, trolls live under bridges and eat people. In tech, they live in air-conditioned offices and eat money. Where traditional patent holders invent things and patent them to stop their competitors from nicking their ideas, trolls buy up loads of other people's patents and then, very aggressively, attempt to make money by suing alleged infringers. According to a study by Boston University, the direct costs of US patent trolls was £18.5 billion in 2011 alone - money that firms could have spent on research and development instead - with relatively small firms accounting for half of all cases.

10 worst enemies of tech

4. Network operators

Where do we start? We don't have 4G yet because they're all bickering about it, we pay about a billion quid per megabyte if we dare check our emails outside Europe, we have to wait three thousand years for them to approve Android updates and we pay through the nose for contracts that give us too many minutes and too little data. What's not to like?

10 worst enemies of tech

5. Cheapskates

Many of the things that make the internet so unpleasant - advertising overkill; three-paragraph articles broken into 300-page slideshows to boost page impressions; endless "WE HAVE AN APP! DOWNLOAD OUR APP! NO APP? NO ARTICLE FOR YOU!" popups on mobile sites - are there because of cheapskates: when people want content but aren't willing to pay for it, the money has to come from somewhere else. Are we okay with that? Of course we aren't: just look at the commenters in app stores who reckon that if apps aren't free, the developers are in league with Satan.

10 worst enemies of tech

6. Facebook

Facebook is the Goldman Sachs of tech, a "blood-sucking vampire squid" that copies and crushes or buys and shuts down rival services, that breaks links by demanding you install a Facebook app to view publicly available content such as news stories, and that wants you spend your entire online time within its virtual walls. Remember the bad old days of AOL, CompuServe and The Microsoft Network? Facebook's trying to bring them back.

10 worst enemies of tech

7. Politicians

They just don't get it, do they? It sometimes seems that anybody with an inside track to politicians gets exactly what they want, no matter how silly: draconian anti-piracy laws? Sure! Horribly invasive surveillance of everybody in the UK just in case someone does something naughty? Of course! Extradition of autistic hackers to the US, where they don't stand a hope of a fair trial? Absolutely!

Enemies of tech

8. Spammers

Not the email ones: the web ones, whose keyword stuffing, doorway pages and content farming pollutes the web with low quality content. If you've ever tried to find the solution to a specific tech problem, reliable reviews of electrical or electronic products or worse still, information about serious medical conditions, their causes and their treatment, you'll know that finding facts online is like looking for a single breadcrumb in a giant, steaming cauldron of crap.

10 worst enemies of tech

[Image credit: Google]

9. Toothless regulators

Regulators aren't always useless - Microsoft's a much humbler organisation since the EU slapped it with an eye-watering fine for anti-competitive behaviour - but most of the time, tech firms run rings around them. Ofcom's broadband code of conduct on broadband speeds was widely ignored, the EU's moves to cut data roaming charges took five years to implement, and firms such as Google and Facebook sometimes appear to be operating on a "do what we like until the regulators make us stop" policy, and even that appears to be patchy: as we discovered this month, when Google was ordered in 2010 to delete the personal data it sneakily acquired via its Street View cars, it didn't bother to do so.

10 worst enemies of tech

10. Us

Whenever we click a Mail Online link to be outraged by an article, discuss some drunken idiot posting offensive stuff on Twitter, sign up to an overpriced mobile contract, click through a 37-page slideshow or put up with appalling treatment from sites or services, we're helping to fuel the very things that drive us crazy. Many online problems are like wasps: if you ignore them, they often go away.

Analysis: Tim Cook one year on: how's Apple doing?

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Analysis: Tim Cook one year on: how's Apple doing?

Tim Cook: how's it going?

When Tim Cook took over as CEO in 2011, many pundits predicted the end of the company. Without Steve Jobs, they said, Apple was doomed.

Since then Apple has become even more successful. Apple fans say that's because Tim Cook is the right man for the job, the keeper of Steve Jobs' flame, but critics say he just hasn't had enough time to mess things up yet. So who's right?

Tim Cook has been with Apple since 1998. Under his watch Apple has become one of the most profitable companies the world has seen. Cook is the man who delivered Steve Jobs' promises.

Describing inventory - warehouses full of unsold kit - as "fundamentally evil", Cook subcontracted Apple's manufacturing, almost eliminating inventory and making Apple amazingly profitable. Where other electronics firms struggle with single-digit profit margins, Apple's gross margins can be higher than 45%.

Cook also negotiated deals and invested in suppliers to guarantee that when Apple needs components, it gets them - often at the expense of rivals, who can't get parts in the right quantities and at the right price. As one industry insider put it: "If it weren't for Tim Cook, the iPad would cost $5,000."

Apple might have survived without Cook, but it almost certainly wouldn't have thrived. Without his mastery of Apple's manufacturing and distribution, Apple wouldn't be shaping up to become the first trillion-dollar corporation in history.

Workaholism aside, Cook (who is known for his 4.30am emails) is very different to the man he succeeded. Cook is understated and softly spoken, a thoughtful man who's happy to share the limelight. When he unveiled the iPhone 4S, his first post-Jobs keynote, Cook delegated most of the presentation to other Apple executives. That wasn't just first-night nerves, either, as the launch of this year's new iPad was a similarly egalitarian affair.

By all accounts, Tim Cook is a very likeable man, but still has a core of steel. As CNN reports, in 1998, Cook held a meeting to discuss a problem in China. "This is really bad. Someone should be in China driving this," he said. Half an hour later, he turned to Apple's Operations Executive Sabih Khan and said: "Why are you still here?" Khan got the message and was on the next plane to China.

One thing Cook doesn't do, though, is go ballistic. Compared to him, Steve Jobs was the Incredible Hulk.

Hulk smash

Tim Cook

While, to the best of our knowledge, Steve Jobs never turned green or smashed up a tank, his rages were famous. But were they effective? Jobs' penchant for yelling at and even humiliating staff isn't necessarily the reason Apple is so successful. It's possible that Apple thrived despite Jobs' bullying, not because of it.

There's no doubt that Steve Jobs' self-belief did Apple an enormous amount of good. It took Apple from a garage to the rich list, and Jobs' insistence on perfection meant when he demanded the impossible of Apple's engineers, they delivered it.

However, while his instincts were often right his petulant behaviour often made enemies for Apple. Apple is hated as much as it is loved, and in many cases, that's because of Jobs: the Jobs who hit out at environmentalists who said Apple could be a better corporate citizen; the Jobs who was dismissive of concerns about sweatshop labour; the Jobs whose response to genuine concerns was often to pretend they didn't exist; the Jobs who was a bully with an ego the size of a planet.

Tim Cook isn't like that, and while business isn't a popularity contest, Jobsian tantrums don't always work. Take Android, for example, a "f***ing stolen product" that Jobs vowed to wage "thermonuclear war" against. "I will spend my last dying breath if I need to, and I will spend every penny of Apple's $40 billion in the bank, to right this wrong… I'm going to destroy Android," Jobs told biographer Walter Isaacson.

So how's that war going? Samsung - one of Android's biggest cheerleaders - is now the world's biggest smartphone vendor, and Apple is losing as many lawsuits as it's winning. Jobs' war is an unwinnable one, and Tim Cook knows it.

That's why he's currently negotiating with Samsung to end the two firms' ongoing eye-for-an-eye lawsuits. Speaking to financial analysts during April's earnings call, Cook said he has "always hated litigation, and I continue to hate it… I highly prefer to settle versus battle."

That doesn't mean he's a pushover, though: "The key thing is that Apple does not become the developer for the world. We need people to invent their own stuff," he added. But unlike Jobs, he's not on an anti-Android crusade. If tit-for-tat legislation isn't helping Apple, Cook will kill it.

Tim Cook: The nice man cometh

Cook isn't just more affable than Jobs. He's more generous too. In February, he told Apple staff that he'd donated $100 million of Apple's money to charities, with $50 million to hospitals and a further $50 million to Product Red.

Apple now matches employees' charitable donations to the tune of $10,000 per employee per year, and it appears to be more charitable to employees and investors too: under Cook's watch Apple has introduced dividend payments for shareholders and deep product discounts for staff.

It's in stark contrast to Steve Jobs, who reportedly told employees that giving money to charity was a waste of time. He also believed dividends wasted cash that Apple could better spend on making new products.

The dividend issue shows another difference between Jobs and Cook. Writing on The Street, Jim Cramer was one of several analysts who believed that Cook's timing was terrible. "What bothered me was that this was a very special weekend for Apple, the weekend the iPad hit the stores, and… the dividend stole the thunder from the actual story, a new device that I think is taking America by storm." Jobs, it's safe to say, wouldn't have let that happen.

In May, Tim Cook achieved something Jobs couldn't: offloading the burden of updating Java to Oracle. Jobs spent years trying to persuade Oracle to take responsibility for Java on OS X. And now, in the wake of the Flashback Trojan horse, Tim Cook has managed just that.

Tim Cook, then, is a smart guy. But is he a product guy? Speaking to Forbes, former Apple engineering Vice President Max Paley said Apple's engineer-driven culture appears to be changing. "I've been told that any meeting of significance is now always populated by project management and global-supply management," he said. "When I was there, engineering decided what we wanted, and it was the job of product management and supply management to go get it. It shows a shift in priority."

Core concerns

iPad Mini

Apple watchers have two concerns: whether Jobs left Apple with enough product ideas to keep the company on top for another few years; the second is while Cook may be a genius when it comes to business, he might not be a genius when it comes to products. The fear is when the products Jobs oversaw run out, that'll be the end of the Apple we know and love.

Critics argue the evidence is right in front of us. The biggest Cook-era products so far, the iPhone 4S, the new iPad and the latest Apple TV, are minor upgrades to existing products, and if rumours of an iPad mini are correct, then Cook is signing off on products that Steve Jobs rejected. He's already green-lighted the new Apple TV interface which, according to former Apple TV engineer Michael Margolis, was "tossed out five years ago because SJ didn't like it. Now there is nobody to say 'no' to bad design."

When Steve said no

It's important to take Steve Jobs' dismissals with a pinch of salt, as he often derided products Apple would go on to make. He dismissed tablets ("People want keyboards"), mobile phones ("We didn't think we'd do well in the cellphone business") and ebooks ("People don't read any more"), among many, many others.

Jobs' dismissal of seven-inch tablets and Apple TV designs could have been because they weren't right at the time. The idea that Jobs wouldn't have unveiled the iPhone 4S is odd, too, as Jobs was still involved in Apple during its development.

Apple has always made incremental updates: the iPhone 3GS was a relatively minor update to the iPhone 3G. And concerns about Apple's ability to design more great products are rather insulting to Jonathan Ive, whose group remains one of the most talented design teams in the world.

Is Tim the right man to run Apple? Perhaps the best people to ask are the ones who actually work there. US careers site Glassdoor surveys top firms' employees, and, in March, Apple staff gave Tim Cook a 97% approval rating, placing him above every other CEO in the tech industry. That suggests that when Cook promised to defend Jobs' legacy, he meant it.

Tim Cook is measured whereas Steve Jobs was explosive, Cook is inclusive whereas Jobs was arrogant, and Cook is pragmatic whereas Jobs was destructive. But they share one key attribute: a genuine passion for Apple, its products and its customers.

Software : Atari teams up with Microsoft for gaming classics on Internet Explorer

Software : Atari teams up with Microsoft for gaming classics on Internet Explorer


Atari teams up with Microsoft for gaming classics on Internet Explorer

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Atari teams up with Microsoft for gaming classics on Internet Explorer

Microsoft has partnered with gaming legends Atari to offer up a browser based version of its most famous iconic games, including Pong, Asteroids and Centipede.

The updated offerings, which coincide with the 40th anniversary of Atari and Pong, will run advert free in IE9 and IE10, but also on other browsers with sponsored messages, and are designed to show off the potential of HTML5.

Is there a bit of a Pong in here?

The classic games, available at www.arcade.atari.com have been "reimagined" according to Microsoft's Ian Moulster, who told TechRadar that the games were tailored for touch devices, but also fine to play with mouse and keyboard.

"I would say that the fact they are designed specifically for touch, that they have multiplayer and that they tie into people's social networks make this an exciting partnership," said Moulster.

Familiar

The Atari games are familiar beyond their retro cool, with the Atari gaming app currently available for free on iOS devices in iTunes, and older versions available to play on Atari's official website.

Asteroids

However, with a cool user interface and some interesting graphical decisions made in the old favourites, Moulster is sure that they will "showcase how cool a web based app can be."

"The intention was to show how compelling these games can be on a modern device," he added.

"It is relevant in 2012 and uses technologies that were not available when the games were made in 1972."

Missile Command reimagined

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Apple : New iPhone 5 further hinted by Apple's iPhone 4S recycling initiative

Apple : New iPhone 5 further hinted by Apple's iPhone 4S recycling initiative


New iPhone 5 further hinted by Apple's iPhone 4S recycling initiative

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New iPhone 5 further hinted by Apple's iPhone 4S recycling initiative

As if there wasn't enough evidence already that a new iPhone is coming in September, Apple recently began taking back the iPhone 4S as part of a recycling program, further hinting at the iPhone 5's impending arrival.

Apple's "Reuse and Recycling" initiative allows customers to return used devices to Apple for a hefty chunk of store credit.

The devices don't even have to be Apple-made - the program accepts Windows computers, as well.

But normally devices that haven't yet outlived their shelf lives - like the new MacBook Pro with Retina display - are left out of the program, as Apple would rather users hang on to them.

So does the recent addition of the iPhone 4S to the list of devices accepted for recycling indicate that the new iPhone 5 is about to be introduced?

Sure seems that way

Apple is hardly the first company to start offering high trade-in value for the iPhone 4S - Amazon is currently offering a $500 gift card in exchange for the 64GB iPhone 4S.

But the fact that Apple's jumped on the iPhone 4S trade-in bandwagon seems to indicate that even the Cupertino giant is ready to admit that there's a new iPhone 5 coming.

Apple, as ever, is remaining mum on the subject, keeping the entire industry on the edge of its massive, touch screen-equipped seat.

All signs point to September

Nevertheless, everything that's come to light so far regarding the iPhone 5 release date indicates a September reveal.

Rumors continue to point to an iPhone 5 launch at a Sept. 12 event, with the iPhone 5 release coming within the following nine days, though none of that's been confirmed by Apple.

An AT&T ban on employee vacations in the middle of Sept. and ads put out by a German carrier seem to corroborate that theory.

Others speculate on whether the iPhone 5 could launch with new features like near-field communications (NFC) for easy mobile transactions and a dual-core chip.

If Apple is really planning an event for Sept. 12, it had better send out the invites soon.

Tutorial: How to get more from your OS X Calendar

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Tutorial: How to get more from your OS X Calendar

The tight integration with OS X means iCal (or Calendar in OS X Mountain Lion) is probably the first choice for many Mac users, when it comes to organising their personal affairs.

But what a lot of people don't realise is that iCal is capable of receiving and sending lots of types of data: emails, web links, Address Book contacts and even Google Maps reference can be used. It's this integration that makes iCal so flexible and a lot more capable than most users might think.

With functionality such as iCloud syncing, shared calendars, drag-and-drop event creation, and natural language recognition, you have a true social scheduling solution.

If you're an iCal user that only utilises the app for inputting single events or simple scheduling, the following techniques will show you new opportunities.

Naturally speaking

iCal's Natural Language allows the user to type in casual sentences to create potentially complex events. When adding an event using the plus symbol in the top left-hand corner of iCal's main interface a small text box appears - this is where the magic happens.

Let's say you want to meet your friend Dave at your local bar on Friday night at 8pm. Usually this would involve creating a new event, typing in something along the lines of 'Meet Dave at bar' and scheduling the exact time, so that the event is displayed correctly within your day's timeline. But now you can simply hit the add button, type in 'Meet Dave at the bar at 8 on Friday night' and hey presto, the event is automatically created and saved in the correct location.

On testing, this function is pretty watertight and has yet to let us down. Obviously a small amount of common sense has to be applied: iCal can't be expected to work miracles and won't recognise text speak, slang or nicknames. But if your nicknames are in your address book its recognition abilities may surprise you.

Drag and drop

Another super-easy workflow technique is iCal's drag-and-drop capability. This is somewhat overlooked by the majority of users and something you should really take advantage of.

Just about anything can be dragged and dropped into iCal to create a new event or alter an existing one. Text files, images, web links and even entire emails can be dragged and dropped into iCal's interface for use with your events. This can be a great way of linking relevant material to scheduled meetings or a nice way of creating a simple to do list.

There are a couple of ways you can go about using drag and drop: first up you can use it for event creation. Let's say you receive an email from a family member; you haven't got time to reply to it just now, you'll do it at the end of the day. Simply drag the email straight into a specific day in iCal and set a time. This creates an event and can act as a handy reminder. Not only will you see the event in your iCal schedule but you'll also have direct access to the email itself.

If you have a memory like a sieve and need a bit of a helping hand when it comes to reminders then you can take things one step further. Try adding an alarm to the scheduled email. You can choose an audio prompt or an email reminder to reply to the critical message.

Using the drag and drop system to append information to iCal events requires a slightly different approach. Double-click any event in the same way as you would performing a standard edit. Now, instead of clicking edit, perform a drag-and-drop action with your chosen file. You can drag pictures, web links or text documents and they'll be added to the event as an attachment. This is a great way to add a newly created spreadsheet to a planned business meeting or a shopping list to a scheduled trip to town.

Everyone's invited

So now you've mastered some faster ways to create and edit events, how can we use iCal to invite people to events and share an event or entire calendar with other iCal users?

As you would expect, it's all pretty straightforward. Let's focus on inviting others to an event. Go ahead and create an event in any way you like. With your event added, hit Edit - you should now see the regular edit page, presenting you with various options for altering your event's parameters.

Towards the bottom you'll see an 'Invitees' section. By typing people's names here they should auto-complete from entries in your Address Book. If you don't have the invitee's address in your Address Book you can complete the address manually, or drag and drop it from an email or note. Once completed, the list of invitees will be emailed and informed of the upcoming event.

If you prefer, you can drag invitees directly from your Address Book into iCal; this will create a meeting event with the chosen contacts and inform them of the meeting.

The social iCloud

iCal Google maps

The final thing we'll think about is how to share an entire calendar with a specific person, or even a group of people.

You can initiate shared calendars using a few different protocols in iCal, but we're going to concentrate on the current Apple standard, iCloud. As with most of the functionality explained here you'll need to be using OS X Lion (10.7+).

To get a shared iCloud-based calendar on the go, you and your invitee need to be fully signed up to the service and you'll also need to use the emails (usually your '.me' based address) you signed up to the service with. Once you have all this in place you can go ahead and create a calendar in the usual way and give it an appropriate name, say, 'My Shared Calendar'.

Click on the Calendar's button in the top left-hand corner of iCal and select the icon that looks like a Wi-Fi beacon. The window provides you with all the options you need to set up one or more invitees for your newly created Calendar. You can fill in the Apple ID-based email addresses here and the invitees will receive an email. Once they agree to share the calendar they'll be able to view all the entries.

You can decide whether they can read, or read as well as write events in the Calendar. With full read and write authorisation both yourself and the invitee can make, delete and append events. You can even choose to be mailed every time a change is made.

Remember that you can see these changes pushed to your new Calendar not only on your Mac but also on any iOS device using the same iCloud account. This means you can view, edit and append your family calendar on the go with your iPhone or iPad.

In addition to this, you can use any of the techniques discussed previously with your shared calendars. So now there's no excuse for missing those important events ever again!

Apple to introduce AirPlay Direct at iPhone 5 launch event?

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Apple to introduce AirPlay Direct at iPhone 5 launch event?

Apple may be about to launch a new version of its AirPlay streaming solution, which would negate the need for Wi-Fi connectivity.

The rumoured AirPlay Direct technology will be announced alongside the iPhone 5 next month, according to a report from The Telegraph.

AirPlay Direct, which the Tele says is a working title rather than an official name, would allow iDevice owners to wirelessly send music to compatible speakers even with no Wi-Fi present

This new service would enable the iPhone, iPad or iPod touch to form a separate network with the speakers.

Although the Telegraph doesn't mention the specific solution, one would have to assume the link-up would be Bluetooth based.

Parklife.

If it comes to fruition, AirPlay Direct would be ideal for listening to music in the park, taking your speakers on holiday or on those pesky occasions when Wi-Fi is hard to come by.

According to 'sources familiar with Apple's plans,' the company has not signed-off on the technology or licensed it to any manufacturers at the time of writing.

With everyone and their dog expecting the iPhone 5 to be launched on September 12, things may start moving very quickly on that front.

iPhone 5 to NFC or not NFC? That is the question

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iPhone 5 to NFC or not NFC? That is the question

A new report claims to have indisputable evidence that the iPhone 5 will not feature near-field communications (NFC) technology.

NFC allows for easy mobile transactions, and it's been adopted by a wide range of device manufacturers over the last few years.

Apple, as always, has remained tight-lipped about the new iPhone, which is expected to be introduced on Sept. 12.

But bloggers have pointed out that recent revelations about the iPhone 5 make the inclusion of NFC seem highly unlikely.

The downside of a metal backplate

Back in May some leaked photos appeared online that allegedly proved that the iPhone 5 will replace existing iPhones' glass backplates with a metal one.

At the time, TechRadar speculated that the material change could be meant to help facilitate NFC communications in the iPhone 5.

But bloggers at AnandTech and The Loop agree that given the metal chassis, "it's highly unlikely that NFC is in the cards for this generation."

"In fact, given the very little space at top and bottom dedicated to those glass RF windows, you can almost entirely rule it out," AnandTech writes.

It's all in the patents

But there's plenty of evidence to suggest that Apple has some plans for NFC, whether or not it will be included in the iPhone 5, and most of it can be found in patents filed by Apple.

The first concrete hint that Apple was tooling around with NFC came early in 2011, when an "e-wallet" icon appeared in an image included with an unrelated patent.

Then, in May 2012 an Apple patent for iTunes gifting via NFC was uncovered.

CNET reported on Tuesday that Apple had mentioned NFC in another patent related to mobile payments.

And perhaps most damning of all is a leak on Monday of images that allegedly show a partially assembled iPhone 5, with what looks like an NFC chip clearly visible.

The iPhone 5 would certainly benefit from the inclusion of NFC, especially given iOS 6's new e-tickets service, Passbook.

But it's impossible to know for sure whether Apple will include NFC in the iPhone 5 until the device is officially announced, possibly on Sept. 12, though even that isn't certain.

Way to keep us guessing, Apple.

Software : Tutorial: How to get more from your OS X Calendar

Software : Tutorial: How to get more from your OS X Calendar


Tutorial: How to get more from your OS X Calendar

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Tutorial: How to get more from your OS X Calendar

The tight integration with OS X means iCal (or Calendar in OS X Mountain Lion) is probably the first choice for many Mac users, when it comes to organising their personal affairs.

But what a lot of people don't realise is that iCal is capable of receiving and sending lots of types of data: emails, web links, Address Book contacts and even Google Maps reference can be used. It's this integration that makes iCal so flexible and a lot more capable than most users might think.

With functionality such as iCloud syncing, shared calendars, drag-and-drop event creation, and natural language recognition, you have a true social scheduling solution.

If you're an iCal user that only utilises the app for inputting single events or simple scheduling, the following techniques will show you new opportunities.

Naturally speaking

iCal's Natural Language allows the user to type in casual sentences to create potentially complex events. When adding an event using the plus symbol in the top left-hand corner of iCal's main interface a small text box appears - this is where the magic happens.

Let's say you want to meet your friend Dave at your local bar on Friday night at 8pm. Usually this would involve creating a new event, typing in something along the lines of 'Meet Dave at bar' and scheduling the exact time, so that the event is displayed correctly within your day's timeline. But now you can simply hit the add button, type in 'Meet Dave at the bar at 8 on Friday night' and hey presto, the event is automatically created and saved in the correct location.

On testing, this function is pretty watertight and has yet to let us down. Obviously a small amount of common sense has to be applied: iCal can't be expected to work miracles and won't recognise text speak, slang or nicknames. But if your nicknames are in your address book its recognition abilities may surprise you.

Drag and drop

Another super-easy workflow technique is iCal's drag-and-drop capability. This is somewhat overlooked by the majority of users and something you should really take advantage of.

Just about anything can be dragged and dropped into iCal to create a new event or alter an existing one. Text files, images, web links and even entire emails can be dragged and dropped into iCal's interface for use with your events. This can be a great way of linking relevant material to scheduled meetings or a nice way of creating a simple to do list.

There are a couple of ways you can go about using drag and drop: first up you can use it for event creation. Let's say you receive an email from a family member; you haven't got time to reply to it just now, you'll do it at the end of the day. Simply drag the email straight into a specific day in iCal and set a time. This creates an event and can act as a handy reminder. Not only will you see the event in your iCal schedule but you'll also have direct access to the email itself.

If you have a memory like a sieve and need a bit of a helping hand when it comes to reminders then you can take things one step further. Try adding an alarm to the scheduled email. You can choose an audio prompt or an email reminder to reply to the critical message.

Using the drag and drop system to append information to iCal events requires a slightly different approach. Double-click any event in the same way as you would performing a standard edit. Now, instead of clicking edit, perform a drag-and-drop action with your chosen file. You can drag pictures, web links or text documents and they'll be added to the event as an attachment. This is a great way to add a newly created spreadsheet to a planned business meeting or a shopping list to a scheduled trip to town.

Everyone's invited

So now you've mastered some faster ways to create and edit events, how can we use iCal to invite people to events and share an event or entire calendar with other iCal users?

As you would expect, it's all pretty straightforward. Let's focus on inviting others to an event. Go ahead and create an event in any way you like. With your event added, hit Edit - you should now see the regular edit page, presenting you with various options for altering your event's parameters.

Towards the bottom you'll see an 'Invitees' section. By typing people's names here they should auto-complete from entries in your Address Book. If you don't have the invitee's address in your Address Book you can complete the address manually, or drag and drop it from an email or note. Once completed, the list of invitees will be emailed and informed of the upcoming event.

If you prefer, you can drag invitees directly from your Address Book into iCal; this will create a meeting event with the chosen contacts and inform them of the meeting.

The social iCloud

iCal Google maps

The final thing we'll think about is how to share an entire calendar with a specific person, or even a group of people.

You can initiate shared calendars using a few different protocols in iCal, but we're going to concentrate on the current Apple standard, iCloud. As with most of the functionality explained here you'll need to be using OS X Lion (10.7+).

To get a shared iCloud-based calendar on the go, you and your invitee need to be fully signed up to the service and you'll also need to use the emails (usually your '.me' based address) you signed up to the service with. Once you have all this in place you can go ahead and create a calendar in the usual way and give it an appropriate name, say, 'My Shared Calendar'.

Click on the Calendar's button in the top left-hand corner of iCal and select the icon that looks like a Wi-Fi beacon. The window provides you with all the options you need to set up one or more invitees for your newly created Calendar. You can fill in the Apple ID-based email addresses here and the invitees will receive an email. Once they agree to share the calendar they'll be able to view all the entries.

You can decide whether they can read, or read as well as write events in the Calendar. With full read and write authorisation both yourself and the invitee can make, delete and append events. You can even choose to be mailed every time a change is made.

Remember that you can see these changes pushed to your new Calendar not only on your Mac but also on any iOS device using the same iCloud account. This means you can view, edit and append your family calendar on the go with your iPhone or iPad.

In addition to this, you can use any of the techniques discussed previously with your shared calendars. So now there's no excuse for missing those important events ever again!

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Software : New Aviva Android app monitors driving performance to tailor premiums

Software : New Aviva Android app monitors driving performance to tailor premiums


New Aviva Android app monitors driving performance to tailor premiums

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New Aviva Android app monitors driving performance to tailor premiums

Aviva car insurance customers with Android smartphones can now trial a new app which monitors their driving and can save them up to 20 per cent on premiums.

The new Aviva RateMyDrive app, available to 5,000 test customers, will record cornering, braking and acceleration performance over the first 200 miles.

The combined data will be turned into a score out of 10 and Aviva will make a judgement on your insurance premium based on the results.

The company says it offers an opportunity for drivers with high premiums a chance to prove they're at less risk of an accident and deserve to be paying a lower rate.

Premiums tailored to you

Steve Treloar, Aviva's retail director said: "We need a wide range of motorists to test the proposition and help us develop the final product and customer experience before we bring it fully to market.

"We believe that by using smartphone technology in this innovative way, Aviva will be able to tailor premiums further to individual drivers – basically the premium will be for you, not people like you."

Those already paying less than £200 a year for their insurance won't be able to participate in the scheme, while those paying £200 to £400 will only be entitled to a discount of up to 10 per cent.

Current customers can sign up for the trial here.

Monday, August 27, 2012

Apple : Samsung asks for US Galaxy Tab 10.1 ban to be lifted

Apple : Samsung asks for US Galaxy Tab 10.1 ban to be lifted


Samsung asks for US Galaxy Tab 10.1 ban to be lifted

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Samsung asks for US Galaxy Tab 10.1 ban to be lifted

Despite a comprehensive courtroom pummelling at the hands of Apple, Samsung has appealed to a US court, requesting that an existing ban on the Galaxy Tab 10.1 be lifted.

In a filing to the San Jose, California court which ruled against it on Friday, Samsung points out that the Galaxy Tab 10.1 does not infringe upon any of the six mobile patents it was found guilty of copying.

To that end Samsung says the preliminary ban, initiated in June before the case began, must be overturned.

It says, it is now entitled to recover damages for lost sales as the result of the 'improper' restrictions and wants Judge Lucy Koh to make a ruling without the need for a hearing.

Before the rest get banned?

Many of Samsung's other Galaxy phones and tablets face a sales injunction as soon as next month, as Apple looks to press home its courtroom victory over its biggest mobile rival.

Samsung will be keen to get one of its marquee mobile products back on the shelves before others are potentially removed.

Japanese blogger confirms iPad Mini's official name

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Japanese blogger confirms iPad Mini's official name

Speculation about Apple's upcoming 7.85-inch iPad has been running rampant lately, despite Apple never once confirming the device's existence.

Bloggers, media, analysts and other experts even gave the smaller iPad a name: the appropriate "iPad Mini."

Now a Japanese blogger at Macotakara, citing a somewhat dubious "Asian source," claims that Apple will be sticking with that name.

After all, everyone's already talking about the iPad Mini, so why change it now?

iPad Mini release date

Current rumors peg the iPad Mini with an Oct. reveal, following the Sept. iPhone 5 launch, though those dates are far from certain.

Previously it was believed the iPad Mini would be unveiled alongside the new iPhone at an event on Sept. 12, and released nine days later on Sept. 21.

That could still hold true for the iPhone 5, though now sources claim Apple will hold a separate event to announce the iPad Mini in Oct.

Playing with Fire

Naturally, little is known about the device, though it's been said to look like a "big iPod touch."

(Isn't that what the existing iPad already looks like?)

The screen will likely measure in at 7.85 inches, placing it in direct competition with Amazon's Kindle Fire and upcoming Kindle Fire 2.

To compete in that realm the iPad Mini will have to be priced competitively, and rumor has it Apple won't disappoint in that regard - the iPad Mini could cost "significantly less" than the iPad, possibly sporting a $200 price tag.

Google says Samsung vs Apple verdict has little to do with 'core' Android

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Google says Samsung vs Apple verdict has little to do with 'core' Android

Google has released a statement following the court verdict in the Samsung vs Apple trial, saying the jury's decision has little to do with its Android OS.

Apple landed a crushing victory on Friday as the court upheld multiple allegations of patent infringement against Samsung's range of smartphones and tablets.

It is widely thought that Apple's legal onslaught against Samsung's mobile products is as much about stunting Google's Android operating system as it is taking out a key manufacturing competitor.

However, Google's statement seeks to distance itself from the row, while adding that some of the technologies in question have been 'around for decades.'

Validity

A company spokesperson said: "The court of appeals will review both infringement and the validity of the patent claims.

"Most of these don't relate to the core Android operating system, and several are being re-examined by the US Patent Office. The mobile industry is moving fast and all players - including newcomers - are building upon ideas that have been around for decades.

"We work with our partners to give consumers innovative and affordable products, and we don't want anything to limit that."

Google will be hoping that the injunction hearing, scheduled for September 20 does not insist on a ban for Samsung's Android-based line-up of phones and tablets.

In Depth: OS X Mountain Lion: the 10 best features

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In Depth: OS X Mountain Lion: the 10 best features

Mountain Lion: the best new features 1-5

Apple's preview of OS X Mountain Lion was revealed at Apple's developer conference in June. Predictably, it garnered all the usual oohs and ahhs, but what's it really like?

Now we can find out, since Apple's new OS is here - check out our Mountain Lion review.

It brings more than 200 new features to boost the way you use your Mac. Making use of iCloud, Mountain Lion claims to make it easier than ever to keep all of your media, documents and important information in one place and, as a result, available across all of your devices. It also adds deep integration with Facebook and Twitter, turning your Mac into a highly sociable machine.

This puts it in line with its iOS siblings, which now boast baked-in Twitter access and have also seen the Facebook app storm the App Store charts.

The gradual merging of iOS and OS X features continues with the arrival of Messages, Reminders, Notifications and Dictation in Mountain Lion - the aim being to make switching between any of your Apple devices as seamless as possible.

But do you need these new bells and whistles or should you be content with what you've got? We weigh up the new features as well as the upgrade considerations in order to provide you with an answer.

1. Social integration

social

A quick trip to the Mail, Contacts & Calendars section of your Mac's System Preferences pane allows you to sign in to a number of social networks including Twitter, Flickr, Facebook and Vimeo.

Once you're signed in, you can share links, photos and more to your friends, right from the app you're currently using. Want to share an interesting blog post with your followers? Or perhaps you've taken a funny picture with Photo Booth that you want to use as your Facebook profile picture. Then simply click the Share button, found in a wide range of apps, and select the network you want to send your content to.

A pane appears with your content included, allowing you to add a message and post it. An additional feature, specific to Facebook, allows you to select which of your Facebook friends can see an update.

The new Notifications feature will also alert you to messages and other information from the social networks you're logged in to. And, from the Notification Center, you can quickly send updates to your social networks in a few simple clicks.

Facebook integration also enhances your Mac's contacts list, pulling in the contact details for all of your Facebook friends as well as their profile picture, and adding them to your address book. If a friend updates their contact information or profile picture on Facebook, your address book will also update so you've always got the right details stored.

2. Game Center for Mac

Game Center

Mountain Lion brings the Game Center experience, previously only available for iOS devices, to the Mac. If you already have a Game Center account you can log in and access all of your game stats and high scores as well as view friend requests and receive game suggestions.

Games you've played on iOS devices will be listed as well as those you download from the Mac App Store, with a link within the app allowing you to view all available Game Center-compatible games.

Game Center isn't just about tracking your gaming prowess, though; it also offers a route to quickly play games against friends or recommended opponents. Regardless of whether the other player is using a Mac, an iPad, an iPhone or an iPod touch, as long as they have the same game linked to their Game Center account you can play against each other.

Head-to-head games, turn-based games and more are all available and game invites can be sent directly from Game Center to another user to challenge them to a game. If you receive a game invite, accepting it launches the game on your Mac automatically. You can even use AirPlay mirroring to play the game on your HDTV if it's connected to an Apple TV on your wireless network.

Game Center in Mountain Lion looks set to open up the fairly small world of Mac gaming to a whole new audience thanks to its cross-platform abilities, and there are sure to be a lot more iOS favourites heading to the Mac in the coming months.

3. Improved Notifications

notifications

As you install more and more apps on your Mac, the number of alerts you receive also increases. One app needs a software update, another is alerting you to an incoming call and so on.

In Mountain Lion, the clutter of different notifications is streamlined and redefined with Notification Center. Notification Center offers a clutter-free way to alert you to all manner of events such as email messages, tweets and calendar alerts.

Notifications from applications you've authorised appear at the top-right of the screen and can appear as banners or alerts. A banner appears and then disappears after a certain amount of time, whereas an alert stays on the screen until you dismiss it. Clicking on an alert takes you to the app from which it came and there are also alert-specific actions for apps like Calendar, where you can select options such as Snooze on the alert.

You can view all of your notifications quickly and at any time using multi-touch gestures (assuming you have a trackpad). You simply swipe two fingers from right to left to reveal Notification Center, which slides out from the side of your screen.

Notification Center includes all of your recent Notifications organised by application and allows you to click on each one to view it. You can even update your social networks from within the Notification Center interface and access the Notification Center pane by clicking the Notification Center icon on your Mac's menu bar.

4. AirPlay

Airplay

Remember when displaying your Mac's desktop on your TV was a complex mix of adaptors, cables and making sure your computer was close enough to the TV? That scenario becomes a thing of the past with AirPlay in Mountain Lion.

A new AirPlay icon appears in the menu bar of Macs running Mountain Lion that allows you to select your Apple TV and mirror your display on your TV. Whether you want to show a web page or a presentation, AirPlay Mirroring makes the process a whole lot easier.

5. Messages

messages

Messages in Mountain Lion is the perfect hybrid between OS X's former messaging app, iChat, and iMessage on the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

Conversations you have with other iCloud users are kept in sync on all of your iOS devices and now on your Mac. Now you don't have to stay at your desk in order to carry on conversations with friends, and you can even share photos, documents and HD video through the chat interface. A FaceTime call can also be initiated right from the Messages interface.

Mountain Lion: the best new features 6-10

6. Notes and Reminders

notes and reminders

In Mountain Lion, notes have made their way out of Mail and have been promoted to their own app. Notes within the app stay in sync with all of your devices connected to your iCloud account and allow for images and attachments to be added to them if you wish.

Notes can be assigned to specific folders within the app and be shared via Mail or Messages using the Share button at the bottom of each note. You can even pull notes out of the application and open them in their own window if you want to keep them handy on the desktop. Finally, you can forget about all those sticky notes cluttering your screen.

Reminders in Mountain Lion works in much the same way as Reminders for iOS. Reminders syncs through your iCloud account so to-dos you add to your iPhone while you're out and about will be waiting for you when you sit at your Mac. You can even use location-based reminders that will alert you to a reminder when you arrive at or leave a particular location.

Again, assuming you have a suitable trackpad, you can use multi-touch gestures to access your information. You can swipe between different sets of reminders and dismiss notifications by checking the box assigned to it.

As your list of reminders grows, you can use the search feature within the app to find a specific item. If a reminder is triggered when you're using your Mac, it's shown as a notification and is also available to view in Notification Center.

7. Dictation on the Mac

dictation

Wherever you can type text in Mountain Lion, you can also use the new Dictation feature. This feature listens to you speak via your Mac's built-in microphone and converts your words into text.

Dictation can be initiated with two taps of the Fn key whereupon it shows a Siri-esque microphone icon while it listens to your voice. Dictation becomes more accurate the more you use it, since it learns your pronunciations. You can even add punctuation to your dictations such as commas and exclamation marks or tell your Mac to start a new line of text.

Dictation currently supports American, Australian and UK English as well as French, German and Japanese. It requires an internet connection in order to analyse your speech remotely on Apple's servers, before sending it back to your Mac. The process takes a matter of seconds to perform and, as with dictation on iOS devices, words that weren't quite understood are underlined in blue so you can make changes if needed.

Another exciting feature in Dictation is its ability to recognise people in your contacts list so it can accurately add their names when you say them. Dictation can be used to compose emails or enter information into text fields but does have a limit on how long you can speak for - around 30 seconds in most cases. So at the moment dictating a few lines to your Mac is about as much as you can do; long emails or documents are currently out of the question without a lot of stopping and starting.

8. Power Nap

power nap

This clever feature keeps your Mac up-to-date when it's asleep. Currently only available for recent Mac laptops that use flash storage, Power Nap periodically checks for updates to Mail, Calendar, Photo Stream and more, so that when you next come to use your Mac, it's ready to go without you having to sit around waiting for your apps to get up to speed. Power Nap also sends backups to Time Capsule and downloads system and app updates automatically.

9. Better security

Gatekeeper

Fresh from the 'Flashback' Trojan controversy, Apple has introduced a new feature called Gatekeeper. Gatekeeper can be set to only allow app downloads from the Mac App Store or identified developers to make sure no suspect software can access your computer.

Developers can sign up for a unique Developer ID so their software can pass through Gatekeeper's filters, and the software can even check to make sure apps haven't been manipulated before they are installed on your Mac.

10. Safari gets an update

safari

Gone are the days of separate fields for URLs and web searches. With the new unified search field in Safari, you can find what you're looking for faster than ever before. This much-craved feature also includes suggestions when you search, using information from the web, as well as from your bookmarks and browsing history to provide you with results that are more accurate.

When you have a bunch of tabs open, you can now use multi-touch gestures to move out of your current tab by pinching two fingers together and swiping between all of your open tabs. You can then move two fingers apart to access the tab you've moved to.

A new feature called iCloud Tabs helps you access links you have browsed to previously, regardless of the device you were using. Clicking the iCloud Tabs button shows all of the open links on your iCloud devices including Macs, iPhones and iPads and allows you to visit them with a click.

The Reading List feature has also seen an update in Mountain Lion, and now stores entire pages that you add to the list rather than just links. This means you can view them when you don't have access to the internet.

The sharing features found in other apps in Mountain Lion are also available in Safari. This means you can quickly send website links to Facebook or Twitter, as well as email them or send them as part of a conversation in Messages.