Apple Updates MobileMe

Η υπηρεσία MobileMe της Apple αναβαθμίστηκε με πολλές νέες προσθήκες χαρακτηριστικών αλλά και βελτιώσεις:

Gallery
● Gallery app for viewing shared photos and movies on iPhone and iPod touch
● Support for video publishing in Aperture 3

iDisk
● Improved iDisk sync reliability for Mac OS X v10.6.3 or later
● iDisk app support for email address auto-completion when sharing files, and copying images to the clipboard on iPhone and iPod touch

Sync of contacts
● Improved sync reliability on Mac OS X v10.6.3 or later, and on Windows with MobileMe Control Panel 1.5.2

Find my iPhone
● Safari access on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch

Account
● Password strength indicator to help in creation of a secure password
● Ability to convert an email aliases to family pack member account

me.com website
● SSL access for web applications at me.com

Mail beta at me.com
● Widescreen and compact views
● Rules to keep your email organized everywhere
● Single-click archiving
● Message formatting toolbar
● Improved performance
● Increased security with SSL

[via iClarified]

Apple to Unveil 'iAd' Mobile Ad Platform on April 7th?

MediaPost claims that Apple is poised to announce its "next big thing" on April 7th. The new product is reportedly called "iAd" and represents a "personalized, mobile advertising system".

The iAd system is believed to have been built on top of Quattro, a mobile ad firm that Apple acquired in January for $275 million. Few details are known but given Apple's recent success, many will be interested to see their next move:

"Everyone will be following this very closely," says Josh Lovison, the mobile lead at Interpublic's Emerging Media Lab, adding: "Given the way that Apple is able to package things up, with very slick presentations, it will be interesting to see what they do with that advertising."

The move would put them squarely up against Google which was largely built on advertising revenue and has had their own plans to move into the mobile space. In fact, Google's acquisition of Admob has been described as a defensive move to keep the company out of Apple's hands.


via MacRumors

iPad Camera Connection Kit Shipping in Late April

Apple's iPad Camera Connection Kit, which offers two adapters to allow users to transfer digital photos directly to their iPad via either USB or SD card, is now listed as shipping in late April.

The kit had been announced by Apple as part of the iPad launch in late January, but did not come available for pre-order earlier this month alongside other iPad accessories. The reason for the delay in making the kit available for order is unknown.

Other iPad accessories are showing a variety of shipping dates for new orders, with the standard dockand VGA adapter scheduled for April 3rd availability and the iPad case shipping in "mid April". The iPad keyboard dock is currently showing "late April" availability, while the power adapter is not shipping until May.


via MacRumors

Apple Releases Boot Camp Update 3.1 with Support for Windows 7

Apple today released an update to Boot Camp to include support for Microsoft Windows 7, which was released last October, as well as addressing other issues and adding support for the latest Apple peripherals. Boot Camp is a Apple's tool to allow Intel Mac owners to boot dual boot Windows alongside Mac OS X. Running Windows under Boot Camp provides you with a fully compatible Windows environment.

This update adds support for Microsoft Windows 7 (Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate), addresses issues with the Apple trackpad, turns off the red digital audio port LED on laptop computers when it is not being used, and supports the Apple wireless keyboard and Apple Magic mouse.

Boot Camp 3.1 (in 64-bit and 32-bit versions) requires an authentic copy of Microsoft Windows 7 or Microsoft Windows 7 upgrade, as well as an Intel-based Mac computer. In a support document about Boot Camp and Windows 7 last updated on January 6, Apple also noted that the following computers would not be supported for use with Windows 7 in Boot Camp:

iMac (17-inch, Early 2006)
iMac (17-inch, Late 2006)
iMac (20-inch, Early 2006)
iMac (20-inch, Late 2006)
MacBook Pro (15-inch, Early 2006)
MacBook Pro (17-inch, Late 2006)
MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2006)
MacBook Pro (17-inch, Early 2006)
Mac Pro (Mid 2006, Intel Xeon Dual-core 2.66GHz or 3GHz)

In addition to Boot Camp 3.1, Apple has also released Boot Camp Utility for Windows 7 Upgrade, which is needed before upgrading from Vista to Windows 7 and "safely unmounts the read-only Macintosh volume on Microsoft Vista."

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars Released for iPhone

Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars είναι διαθέσιμο για iPhone και iPod touch.

Following his father’s murder, Huang Lee has a simple mission: deliver an ancient sword to his Uncle Kenny to ensure his family retains control of the Triad gangs of Liberty City. Huang is a spoiled rich kid who expects everything to run smoothly, but his trip does not go exactly as planned. After being robbed and left to die, he will search for honor, riches and revenge in the most dangerous and morally bankrupt city in the world.

Μπορείτε να αποκτήσετε το Grand Theft Auto: Chinatown Wars από το App Store στη τιμή $9.99.











via iClarified

Apple holding January 27th event to show off its 'latest creation'

  Η Apple επιβεβαίωσε το event της 27ης Ιανουαρίου στο οποίο αναμένεται να παρουσιαστεί η “τελευταία της δημιουργία”!

To Engadget, η Ars Technica, και άλλοι αναφέρουν ότι η Apple έχει εκδώσει προσκλήσεις για την εκδήλωση τύπου που έχει προγραμματιστεί για τις 27 Ιανουαρίου. Η εκδήλωση θα πραγματοποιηθεί στο Yerba Buena Center for the Arts στο Σαν Φρανσίσκο, και η πρόσκληση έχει τον τίτλο "Ελάτε να δείτε την πιο πρόσφατη δημιουργία μας."

Η Apple είχε φημολογηθεί νωρίτερα αυτό το μήνα να έχει προγραμματίσει μια εκδήλωση ενημέρωσης τύπου για την εν λόγω ημερομηνία και τον τόπο, και αναμένεται να παρουσιάσει το πολύ-αναμενόμενο tablet στην εκδήλωση.

Συζήτηση στο forum: Apple event “Come see our latest creation”

Engadget, Ars Technica, and others are reporting that Apple has issued invitations for a media event scheduled for 10:00 AM Pacific Time on January 27th. The event will be held at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, and the invitation's tag line reads "Come see our latest creation."

Apple had been rumored earlier this month to have scheduled a media event for that date and location, and the company is widely expected to introduce its highly-anticipated tablet device at the event.

Apple Denies Facebook Blocking

Despite reports that the Internet-enabled Macs at Apple’s retail stores aren’t allowing customers to log on to Facebook, Apple says it doesn’t limit access to the popular social-networking site.

Facebook allowed here

“Apple does not block Facebook,” an Apple spokesman said. Facebook is integrated into the company’s iLife suite, which Apple Store workers regularly demo at the retail locations.

The rumor started on tech news site tinyComb, and other outlets began checking it out, some saying the site was indeed blocked, others saying it wasn’t. A CNET reporter tried a few in-store Macs herself, with mixed results.

Facebook spokesman Barry Schnitt said he didn’t know whether any stores were, in fact, limiting Facebook access, but said “I guess with the economy being what it is, some Apple stores are forcing people to buy the computers before they are able to do what people increasingly want to do with their computer — use Facebook.”

Social networks just can’t get a break. Elsewhere, Maryland’s General Assembly blocked both Facebook and MySpace, saying in a memo that “a significant increase in viruses and malware affecting the Maryland General Assembly computers” were coming from the two sites.

“We realize that this may be an inconvenience and we apologize. But it is essential that the integrity of the Maryland General Assembly computer systems and facilities are protected,” the memo said.

MySpace declined to comment on the matter but said it takes extensive steps to protect users from security threats. Facebook’s Mr. Schnitt had a bit more to say. “We believe, and the delegates we’ve heard from have expressed dismay, that Maryland is taking a tremendous step backward.”

“We have invested significant resources in protecting our users and, as a result, only a very small percentage of Facebook users have been impacted by security issues,” he added. “The Maryland General Assembly can further limit exposure by making sure employees run up-to-date browsers with phishing blacklists and anti-virus software. Also, they have a captive audience and an opportunity, and perhaps even an obligation, to educate legislators and staff on security best practices.”

“I know why you’re calling,” said Alexandra Hughes, communications director for Maryland’s Speaker of the House, when contacted. She clarified that the ban, which went into effect Thursday, affects legislators and their employees on legislative computers — not all state workers.

It’s possible the department will revisit the decision if there’s a way to enable Facebook and MySpace access while maintaining the security of its servers, she said. At the moment, she added, “dealing with a $2 billion deficit is paramount.”