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Mac Setup: A Musician’s Desk

MacBook Pro Retina and iPad desk setup

This weeks Mac setup comes to us from Dean K., a musician who uses his Mac setup for listening to music and editing.

  • MacBook Pro Retina 15″ 2.3 GHz Intel Core i7 – 16GB RAM – 256GB SSD
  • MacBook Air 1.6GHz Core i5 – 4GB RAM – 128GB SSD
  • iPad 3 – 16GB LTE
  • MacBook Black 13″ 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo – 4GB RAM – 250GB HDD
  • Belkin stand for MacBook
  • Bose SoundDock Portable
  • Apple Wireless Keyboard
  • Apple Magic Mouse
  • Apple Magic Trackpad
  • Sennheister HD598 Headphones
  • LaCie 4TB Thunderbolt external hard drive
  • Lacie 1TB USB 3 external hard drive

Finding the black MacBook is a bit like playing Where's Waldo, it's barely visible under the MacBook Pro stand. The photo was taken with an iPhone 5 32GB.

Send us your Mac & Apple setup shots! Email a good picture or two, along with a brief description of hardware and what the hardware is used for to osxdailycom@gmail.com





The Top iOS, iPhone, and iPad Tip Collections of 2012

Best of 2012 iOS tip collections for iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch

2012 is at it's end, and just like with our favorite Mac tip collections of the year, OSXDaily.com is looking back and gathering some of the most useful multi-trick collection posts for iOS, iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch too. Again, we are aiming to give you the absolute most bang for your reading buck here by focusing on our favorite multiple tip roundup posts and so we're skipping the single walkthroughs and guides that we post every day. Read through them all and you'll be mastering iOS with must-know tips, typing tricks, genuinely useful Siri commands, better iPhone macro photography, faster website access, and much more.

14 Must-Know Tips & Tricks for iPad
These usability tricks will help you get the absolute most out of your iPad.

6 Tips for Freeing Up Storage Space in iOS
Because of their smaller storage capacity, it's easy to run out of storage on an iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Spend a few minutes with these tips though and you'll be freeing up tons of space in iOS in no time at all.

6 Tips for Taking Better Macro Photos with iPhone
Improve your iPhone photography skills by learning how to take better close-up macro shots with the camera.

5 Tricks for Taking Panoramic Pictures with iPhone
Panorama Mode is a fantastic feature available to the latest iPhones, and you can learn to take panoramic photos the right way with these tricks.

8 Typing Tips for iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch
Typing on the touch screen keyboards can be challenging, but you can type faster by using a variety of smart tricks for the iOS virtual keyboards

6 Tips to Improve Typing on the iPad
Speaking of typing in iOS, this a collection of ways that should improve your typing specifically for the iPad

7 Genuinely Great Uses for Siri
Siri is incredibly useful and can perform a lot more tasks than you may realize. If you aren't using the iOS virtual voice assistant there is no better time to get started, you'll be making hands-free phone calls, checking and replying to emails, getting movie times, and much more.

10 Tips to Reduce iPhone & iPad Personal Hotspot Data Use
The iPhone and iPad can both share their cellular internet connections and serve as a personal wi-fi router, but before you setup Personal Hotspot, consider these tips that can help you reduce your data usage so you can avoid costly overage fees.

3 Best Places to Sell Your Old iPhone
Did you get a new iPhone this year? If you have an old iPhone laying about, here are the three best places to sell it, letting you get the most cash for your old device. This is geared for iPhones, but it'll pertain to iPads and iPods too…

2 Ways to Listen to Podcasts with Music App Again
The iOS Music app is often a better choice for listening to podcasts because it's faster on many devices, and here are some simple ways to do that again after iOS 6.

2 Super Simple Tips to Get to Websites Faster in iOS
Sometimes the simplest tips are the most used, and these two are as easy as pie while letting you jump to websites faster than ever on an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

Happy New Year!





The Top Mac & Mac OS X Tip Collections of 2012

Best of 2012, Mac tip collections

With 2012 coming to an end, OSXDaily.com is looking back and gathering some of the most useful Mac multi-tip and trick collection posts from the year past. Yes, we post individual tips and walkthroughs every day, but we're aiming to give you the most bang for your reading buck here by focusing on our favorite roundups, so take the time to read them all and you'll be mastering a wide range of Mac topics. From general OS X tips that improve Mac productivity, little known keyboard shortcuts, to some more advanced tips for the command line, we've got something for everyone at every skill level, so read on and learn some new tricks for the new year! (Don't miss our favorite iOS, iPhone, and iPad tip roundups too!)

14 Must-Know Tips & Tricks for Mac OS X
Master these tips and tricks for OS X and you will be more productive on your Mac.

4 Simple Mac Maintenance Tips
Maintaining your Mac is critical for optimal performance, but it shouldn't be complicated. Here are a few super simple tips to follow to keep a Mac in tip-top shape.

9 Command Line Tricks for OS X You Should Know
Whether you're an advanced user or just want to learn more about the command line that sits underneath OS X's GUI layer, these terminal tricks are essential.

5 Quick Tips to Free Up Disk Space on a Mac
Everyone runs out of disk space sooner or later, but you may be surprised to find out where all your storage capacity has gone. Run through these quick tips and you'll be freeing up tons of drive space on a Mac in no time.

8 Simple Tips to Speed Up an Older Mac (or Any Mac, Really)
Does your Mac need a speed boost? Things slow down over time, and while these easy tricks are aimed at older Macs, they'll work to speed up any Mac, even the newest models.

9 Reasons a Mac is Running Slow, and What To Do About It
If your Mac feels like it's running slower than it should, there are usually reasons why that is. We cover the 9 most common reasons Macs start to run slow, and more importantly, we tell you what to do about it so you can be back to normal again.

8 Tips to Protect a Mac from Viruses, Trojans, and Malware
Macs are much more resilient to viruses, trojans, and malware than Windows PC's, but they're not completely impervious. The good news is, Macs are extremely easy to protect against such baddies, and with some simple tips you can protect any Mac from almost all known threats.

11 Must-Have Free Apps for Macs
Whether you just got a brand new Mac or you just want to get some new apps, these 11 apps are essentials for any OS X user, and best of all, they're completely free!

5 Tips to Make iTunes Look Normal Again
iTunes 11 completely changed the interface of Apple's desktop media player and store, and while some people are OK with those interface changes, others would rather iTunes look familiar again. These tips will make iTunes 11 look normal again, so you won't be fumbling around looking for podcasts, media, iOS devices, and that ever-useful sidebar.

10 Essential Keyboard Shortcuts for the Open & Save Dialogs in Mac OS X
The Open & Save dialog windows are surely some of the most used in all of OS X, and these keyboard shortcuts will have you mastering those file dialogs in no time.

12 Keyboard Shortcuts for Navigating & Selecting Text in Mac OS X
For Mac users who type and write often – and who doesn't? – learn these keystrokes that help you navigate and select text faster than ever before.

21 iTunes Keyboard Shorcuts
Master iTunes with keystrokes for just about everything, from accessing libraries to controlling your media library and playing music.

8 Shortcuts to Navigate the Mac OS X Dock
Did you know the OS X Dock can be navigated with just the keyboard? Forget the cursor, you can launch and switch apps easily without ever lifting your hands from the keys.

43 Gorgeous Secret Wallpapers in OS X Mountain Lion
Start the new year off with some beautiful new wallpapers that are already buried in OS X, all you need to do is uncover them!





App Store Gifting Returns to iOS Devices [iOS Blog]

With the launch of iOS 6, users lost the ability to gift apps to others directly from the App Store, with users required to turn to the desktop version of iTunes if they wished to send an app gift. But as noted by iFun [Google translation], Apple has now quietly updated the share button in the iOS 6 App Store to include the option to gift paid apps.


Not only are users once again able to gift apps, but they can now schedule delivery of their gifts, up to 90 days in the future.





iPhone 5's First Weekend Sales in China Top Two Million

Apple announced tonight that the company has sold over two million of the new iPhone 5 in China, just three days after its launch.
"Customer response to iPhone 5 in China has been incredible, setting a new record with the best first weekend sales ever in China," said Tim Cook, Apple's CEO. "China is a very important market for us and customers there cannot wait to get their hands on Apple products."
The most recent launch on Friday included 32 other new countries as well, though the announcement specifically covers China's opening weekend sales.

The original iPhone 5 launch weekend took place in September and saw over 5 million sales to the initial 9 countries including the U.S.




Apple Releases 'Mac Wi-Fi Update 1.0' to Fix 5GHz Wi-Fi Issue

Apple has released an update for recently released Mac systems that improves compatibility when using 5GHz Wi-Fi frequencies. The update is recommended for all "late 2012" Macs.

Mac Wi-Fi Update 1.0 can be downloaded from Apple's support site or through the Mac App Store on affected Macs.
About Mac Wi-Fi Update 1.0

This update is recommended for all late 2012 Mac systems. This update improves compatibility when using the 5GHz band in Wi-Fi.

Boot ROM or SMC Version Information: To confirm the update has been applied, the CFBundleVersion string of the AirPortBrcm4311.kext will need to be checked.

New driver delivered in update: AirPortBrcm4331.kext CFBundleVersion = 612.20.15




Apple Notifies European Publishers of 5-Year Halt to 'Most Favored Nation' E-Book Clause

As noted by SetteB.IT, Apple has notified its European publishing partners for the iBookstore that it has suspended the "most favored nation" clause of its book-selling contract for a period of five years. The clause had prevented publishers from selling their books to other distributors at prices lower than those offered to Apple.

The arrangement had been the subject of an antitrust investigation by the European Commission and a settlement in that case was officially approved last week.
Apple hereby notifies you that, until December 18, 2017, with respect to any book sold in the European Economic Ares (EEA), Apple will no longer apply nor enforce any retail price parity (also know as retail price MFN) provisions in your eBook Distribution Agreement (e.g. Section 5(b) of the Agreement). The change is being made pursuant to a settlement between Apple and the European Commission to resolve case number 49847. The European Commission investigation of Apple's eBook business is now closed. The European Commission has signaled that it will not challenge any other term of our ebook distribution agreement.

Apple notes that the EEA where the new directive applies includes Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

Apple worked with publishers to facilitate a landmark shift in the business model for selling books, shifting to an "agency model" in which publishers set retail prices and distributors such as Apple receive a negotiated share of that retail price, similar to how the App Store operates. Under the previous wholesale model in which distributors were allowed to set their own retail prices, Amazon was able to hold a dominant share of the market as it sold books at or below cost in order to entice customers into visiting the site to purchase other products and services.

A key part of the agency model was Apple's "most favored nation" clause guaranteeing that Apple received the best possible pricing from publishers. The move effectively meant that all major distributors offered very similar pricing on books, but with the elimination of that clause publishers are now free to negotiate with distributors, a move that will likely to allow market leaders like Amazon to gain better pricing than smaller rivals.




Tim Cook on the Urgency of Solving Problems, Unpredictability of Apple, and Industry Disruption

Following yesterday's announcement that Apple CEO Tim Cook had been named to the shortlist for TIME's annual Person of the Year feature, the magazine has published a lengthy profile of Cook today covering his runner-up status.

Much of the information in the profile has been discussed in other settings, but it offers a good overview of Cook and his time at Apple. The piece also offers a few fresh quotes from Cook about his perspective and his role in leading Apple. The report touches on Cook's combination of calm demeanor and intense focus, noting that he can just as easily lighten the mood with his manner as light fires under others to spur them to action.
Like Jobs, Cook suffers fools neither gladly nor in any other way (except when he has to, i.e., when talking to journalists). Behind the scenes, that measured calm can — if the legends are true — become a merciless coldness that roots out confusion and incompetence. "I've always felt that a part of leadership is conveying a sense of urgency in dealing with key issues," he says. "Apple operates at an extreme pace, and my experience has been that key issues rarely get smaller on their own."
Cook also addresses some of the uncertainty that has surrounded Apple in recent months, from a stock price weighed down by assorted factors to the Apple Maps situation to fears that Apple is losing ground to competitors in the mobile industry:
None of this appears to ruffle Cook particularly. "I've worked at Apple for 15 years," he says, "so Apple's not foreign to me. I don't mean to sound like it's all a predictable ride. It's unpredictable. But it's always been unpredictable." He hasn't altered his personal style any. He remains, like all great Apple products, a paradoxical combination of open and closed, polished and user-friendly but also sealed up tight against anybody who's curious about what's inside. You know there are reams of code churning away down there, just below the surface, but you'll never know exactly what's going on.
TIME notes that Cook has yet to truly be tested in terms of bringing innovative products to the market, with much of Apple's massive slate of 2012 product releases having already been in the works before Cook took full control of Apple and the company yet to enter a new market under his watch. But Cook acknowledges that he intends to continue the Apple tradition of entering markets with the full intention of disrupting the status quo.
[T]he test for Cook will be to seek out a new category that's vulnerable to disruption and disrupt the hell out of it.

I ask Cook if he would do that — if that would continue to be Apple's modus operandi going forward. He smiles, seductively as always, and says, "Yes. Yes. Most definitely." When that happens, that's when Cook will show his hand, and we'll get a look below the surface.
Television has of course been rumored to be the next industry where Apple hopes to make a major impact, but progress has reportedly been slow as it seeks to reach content deals that will allow the company to offer the bundle of hardware and services it needs to make its desired impact. Apple has long dabbled in television through the iTunes Store and the Apple TV, with Apple executives repeatedly referring to the current set-top box as a "hobby" that the company would "keep pulling the string" on. In recent months, television appears to have been a bigger focus for Apple with Cook referring to it several times as an area of "intense interest" for Apple.





9to5Mac’s biggest stories of 2012

2012 was an incredibly prolific year for Apple in terms of products and company-related changes including being the first year without Steve Jobs at the helm. In line with Apple's big year, 2012 was also a significant year for 9to5Mac's leadership in digging up information on Apple products. As we close this year and transition into 2013, we have compiled our most important and popular stories of 2012…

iPhone:

While 2011 was the year that everyone wanted and expected a redesigned iPhone, "iPhone 5," 2012 was the year that Apple actually released the device. The iPhone 5, a major update over the preceding iPhone 4S, was long in development, and 9to5Mac was reporting news on the iPhone 5 since January of this year.

First photos of leaked early iPhone 5 parts

In January, we reported that Apple was already testing iPhone 5 prototypes for early production with its Asia-based manufacturing partners. At the time, we reported that Apple was expecting to launch the iPhone 5 sooner in the year than the iPhone 4S. The iPhone 4S launched in the fall of 2011, while, as we reported in January, the iPhone 5 launched in the summer (September). Our first report on the iPhone 5 also discussed, while refuted by some, that the iPhone 5 prototype units in testing featured longer bodies to house a taller, four-inch display.

A few months later, additional sources confirmed to us that the iPhone 5 would include a taller, four-inch display with a resolution of 1136 x 640. This was surprising, as many did not believe that Apple would change the iPhone screen resolution to a taller orientation. At the time, we had also heard from sources that Apple would alter many of its included iPhone applications, software elements, and home screen to make use of the taller screen. These same sources also reported that some of the iPhone 5 prototypes included NFC antennas, but Apple, as we know, scrapped the feature from the final version of the product.

Photos of the iPhone 5′s battery

Just a week later, iPhone parts sources sent us high-resolution photos of iPhone 5 parts that were additional confirmation of this taller display. These photos, the very first iPhone 5 pictures to hit the web, also revealed a, then-surprising, two-toned aluminum unibody design, a centered FaceTime camera on the front of the iPhone 5, the exact size of the smaller dock connector, and a redesigned speaker and microphone system.

Over the next few months, we received additional photos of iPhone 5 parts. For instance, from tipster Sonny Dickson, we recieved pictures of the iPhone 5′s battery that confirmed better battery life.

Other key features of the iPhone 5 included much faster WiFi connectivity, new internal chips, and more RAM, as we detailed in our original Hardware Details of the N41 iPhone article and our other reports.

Closer to the launch of the iPhone 5, we confirmed that the iPhone 5 pricing would be identical to the iPhone 4S pricing when it launched. We also followed up with reports on the iPhone 5 after launch by reporting on comment from Apple's SVP of Marketing to a reader on the reported iPhone 5 scratches and chips in the new aluminum casing.

iPads:

Mockup of the iPad mini based on descriptions from sources

In 2010, Apple re-introduced tablet computing to the world with the first iPad. In 2011, Apple took its iPad to new heights with the thinner, lighter, faster, and more capable iPad 2. 2012, however, was the year in which Apple asserted the iPad as the forefront of the company's product offerings by releasing two new full-sized iPads with Retina displays and by expanding the iPad lineup to include the smaller iPad mini.

For the third-generation iPad launch in March of this year, we pinpointed features like Voice Dictation and refuted rumors of a price hike for the Retina display. Additionally, our sources provided information regarding this new iPad's U.S. and international launch dates. After the LTE third-generation iPad caused controversy in countries that did not support the iPad's LTE bands, we first discovered that Apple had dropped "4G" from the cellular-connecting iPad's marketing name.

Later in the year, against a tide of naysayers, we added to the chorus of rumors of a fourth-generation iPad launch in October. We confirmed that this new iPad would replace the third-generation iPad and retain its pricing. Ahead of Apple's October 2012 event, we reported that Apple would debut, in total, 24 new iPad SKUs. While some decided to take the uninformed approach to say that Apple somehow debut 24 iPad mini models, we realistically knew that these 24 SKUs would be split between the aforementioned fourth-generation iPad and the iPad mini.

Earlier in the year, as you can see above, we also posted leaked photos of third-party case designs for Apple's smaller iPad.

But perhaps the most important 2012 iPad launch as the iPad mini. In August, we broke the news that the iPad mini would introduce a new iPad design with smaller side bezels. This, as we said, allows the iPad mini to be holdable in one hand and  easily useable. We noted that the hardware would make the iPad mini look like a larger iPod touch as it indeed does.

Perhaps our most notable report regarding the iPad mini was our report that claimed the device would have a $329 starting price in the United States. This report was immediately met with much skepticism as many had reported and assumed Apple would battle Google and Amazon's cheaper tablet price points. However, as we now know, our pricing matrix from reliable sources was accurate.

iPods, Apple TV:

With the rapid growth of the iPhone and iPad, Apple's newest post-PC devices, many had predicted the further demise of Apple's original post-pc product, the iPod. Additionally, many were expecting a stronger move by Apple into the living room with some sort of revolutionary new television-connected product. Instead, 2012 saw one of the most aggressive iPod line upgrades in Apple's history and only a minor update to Apple's living room strategy.

At its September music event, Apple debuted redesigned versions of the iPod touch and iPod nano. Additionally, the company announced an updated iPod shuffle line with colors to match the new iPod nano colors. With the iPhone 5 seen as a major upcoming announcement, many were in disbelief when we reported that Apple's iPhone 5 would share the event stage with a string of new iPods.

Screen Shot 2012-12-27 at 10.02.04 PM

Apple's fifth-generation iPod touch

A few days after that initial report, our sources provided more specific information about the new iPods. Our sources pinpointed a new iPod nano that would drop the  8GB configuration in favor of only offering the higher-end 16GB option. These sources also pointed to the availability of multiple new colors.

Additionally, our sources pinpointed the launch of tweaked iPod shuffles to match the new iPod nano colors. Most important for the iPod line, the new iPod touch gained a new design with several new features.

Our sources pinpointed the launch of the new iPod touch including its (surprising) line of several different color options. Our sources also first reported that Apple would retain the fourth-generation iPod touches and sell the new fifth-generation models at the two higher price points in 32GB and 64GB capacities.

Alongside the third-generation iPad, Apple announced a version of the Apple TV that included support for 1080P video playback with a new A5 processor. We reported early in the year that the second-generation Apple TV (the then-current model) was seeing shortages at many retailers across the globe. A couple of weeks later, we were able to confirm with our sources that Apple would deliver a 1080P-playback-supporting version of the Apple TV alongside a new iPad. We later said that Apple would retain the $99 price point.

Photo of the Apple TV's upcoming Bluetooth keyboard connectivity settings

While Apple is done updating the Apple TV for 2012, Apple plans to release an important new feature for the device in early 2013. According to developers testing the beta version of the upcoming Apple TV OS update, the Apple TV (both the 2nd and 3rd generation models) will see their Bluetooth chips unlocked for full bluetooth keyboard control abilities.

Macs:

Mockup of the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display based descriptions from sources

With Apple moving forward into the "Post-PC" world that it created with the iPod, iPhone, and iPad, many were surprised that 2012 turned out to be one of the most important years in the history of the Mac. While the first half of the year started out slow for Mac hardware (the OS X Mountain Lion software was introduced in February of this year), the second half of 2012 was very Mac-hardware-oriented for Apple product launches.

MacBook Pro Retina display mockup

We kicked things off, first reporting in May that Apple would surprise at its WWDC 2012 conference with a completely redesigned MacBook Pro with Retina display. We first reported that this brand new line of Mac computers would be higher priced than its non-Retina display counterparts. Our initial report on the new 15-inch MacBook Pro also broke the news that these new MacBook Pros would retain the 2008, non-tapered, design, but would be thinner. This report also first pinpointed Apple's plan to release Macs with the USB 3.0 technology in addition to Thunderbolt.

After reporting on this new MacBook Pro, we reported that Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference would be the home to the debut of up to four new Mac lines. These four new lines turned out to be, as we suggested, the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pros, refreshed current-generation MacBook Pros, an updated Mac Pro, and new MacBook Airs. Earlier this year, we reported that Apple and Samsung were teaming up on new, even faster SSD drives for the aforementioned new MacBook lines. At WWDC, Apple also announced that the previously announced OS X Mountain Lion would ship in July, and we were soon able to report that July 24th Mac App Store launch date based on information from retail and AppleCare sources.

Mockup of 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display compared to 15-inch model

Later in the year, Apple coupled its October iPad announcements with even more news for the Mac. At the iPad mini and fourth-generation iPad event, Apple announced a new iMac, Mac mini, and 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display. Prior to this event, we were able to confirm with our sources that a thinner, Retina display model of the 13-inch MacBook Pro would be added to the 13-inch MacBook Pro family. These sources confirmed that there would be two standard models in addition to a third BTO-configuration. These sources added that these machines would see high premiums over their non-Retina counterparts. Our sources were able to pinpoint the Retina 13-inch MacBook Pro's specs, $1699 starting price, and availability soon after the announcement.

As also announced at the October Apple event, our sources also pinpointed that faster Mac minis would be announced. We also revealed the specs of the new machines.

Arguably, the most interesting and surprising new Mac launch at the October event was the redesigned iMac. This new iMac comes in both 21.5-inch and 27-inch configurations. Upgrades over the previous iMac generation include a much thinner and lighter casing, faster processors, and new display technology that includes an optically laminated screen for improved glare-protection. Even though these new iMacs were announced in October, they would not ship until November and December (21.5-inch and 27-inch models, respectively). We were the first to report that Apple's new iMac lines would see extreme shortages into next year, even though they would be announced at the October Apple event. These shortages are even something that Tim Cook noted in Apple's most recent earnings call. Additionally, even though some had claimed that Apple would completely delay the new iMac launches until next year, our sources were quick to note that the machines would still meet November and December launch expectations for initial orders. 

iOS, OS X, iCloud:

Just as 2012 was a major year for Apple in terms of its new hardware (Macs, iPods, iPads, and iPhones), it was also an important year for Apple in terms of software. It was a year in which Apple's move to make Macs and iOS device software work similarly and more in tune was more apparent, and it was a year in which Apple reduced its reliance on Google services, especially in iOS.

First introduced in February of this year, then re-previewed in June at WWDC, OS X Mountain Lion includes several new features like Notification Center, Game Center, AirPlay Mirroring, iCloud support, Notes and Reminders apps, a new Messages app, and more. Another important new feature is Dictation, something that we first reported would be included in Mountain Lion. Building off Dictation, we recently reported that Apple's upcoming, unannounced OS X 10.9 will include full Siri support. We also reported that 10.9 would include Maps integration. 

In addition to announcing and releasing a new major release of OS X, Apple pushed out iOS 6, an extensive operating system update for the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. Prior to the WWDC announcement of iOS 6, our sources shared information about several of the OS's headlining enhancements.

We first reported that iOS 6 would include a completely new Maps application. Our sources said that the redesigned, faster app would include an Apple Maps database, rather than a Google one. Our sources also said that the new application would include an incredible 3D Flyover mode. As seen to the right, sources were also able to provide a photo of an early version of the new Apple Maps app running on an iPhone.

We also reported that a major new iOS 6 feature would be the introduction of Siri to the iPad. Our sources said that the Siri for iPad user-interface would be a small window on top of your current task. They also said that Siri on iOS 6 would be exclusive to the third-generation iPad and future iPads. Our mockup of the feature from our original post is shown directly below. Earlier in the year, we had first noted that Siri leaked its own upcoming ability to work in Japanese.

We also learned that iOS 6 would include features from Mountain Lion. These new features are iCloud Mail VIPs, a handy Do-Not-Disturb toggle, and Safari iCloud Tabs support.

Additionally, we learned that Facebook would be integrated deep into iOS 6, prominently in the photos application. Sources inside Facebook also said that Apple and Facebook were partnering up to integrate Facebook into the App Store. According to people familiar with discussions between the companies, Apple felt that Facebook integration would improve App Store application discoverability via Liking and shares to Facebook's network of users.

Lastly, we reported, in our roundup ahead of WWDC, that Apple was working on an application (which turned out to be Passbook) to store coupons, store cards, travel tickets, and more. Our sources called this application a virtual pocket — something that Apple appears to be positioning Passbook as.

iOS 6 also includes support for FaceTime video calling over LTE networks. We first reported that AT&T appeared set to control and charge for the feature –something the carrier ended up doing. AT&T ultimately mostly reversed course on this decision.

In other iOS news, in February of this year, we had reported that Apple's iOS 5 had a major security flaw that allowed high levels of App Store app access to user data. This security flaw was since fixed in respective updates. iOS 6 includes a new, very granular privacy menu.

Google's App Store apps

Even though Apple, this year, made moves to reduce its reliance on Google services in iOS, Google pushed hard as ever to put its services on iOS via the iTunes App Store. One of our most popular articles this year was our profile of how Google is trying to own the iPhone user-experience via its services.

Screenshots detailing iOS 6 as built for taller, next-generation iPhone

Adding additional confirmation to our original taller iPhone 5 screen information from earlier in the year, we had discovered that iOS 6, the iPhone 5 launch OS, was built specifically to support an 1136 x 640 iPhone display. We discovered that the beta OS supported a taller home screen and stretched applications.

iOS 6.1 Siri movie ticket purchasing support

Late this year, we heard from developers testing Apple's upcoming release of iOS 6.1 for iPhone that Apple would enable Fandango-based movie ticket purchasing via Siri in the United States. Based on feedback from readers, many seem to be excited about the prospects for this enhancement.

Screenshot of leaked version of future iCloud.com website

Last year, Apple launched its iCloud suite of cloud software and services. This year, Apple made iCloud's website work even more closely with iOS and OS X applications, adding iCloud Mail features from iOS 6 and Mountain Lion to its website. Additionally, the updated iCloud.com added new Notes and Reminders applications. We broke the news on this new iCloud.com website by discovering an unhidden iCloud.com beta website. 

Apple Retail:

Apple retail employees (credit: SJMN)

Soon after the perks and work of Apple's retail employees came into question earlier this year, we published lengthy, un-edited interviews with several current and former Apple retail employees. This was a very important article that many readers shared their appreciation for.

Some of these controversies includes former Apple SVP of Retail John Browett and his hour-cutting scheme. Soon after Browett's ability to run Apple's retail army came into question, the former Apple executive took to a video for his retail employees to rally up support ahead of a new-product-filled fall.

Apple also introduced new perks for its retail employees this year, including popular paid apps for free, and started new programs such as Pathways for employees and improved One-to-One.

Campus 2, Employees, More: 

Pamphlet sent to neighbors of Apple Campus 2 by Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer

With Apple's announcement of its spectacular new Campus 2 project last year, we reported on a couple of important advancements on Apple's new campus. Earlier this year, we reported that Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer, who is in charge of the new campus, mailed information-filled brochures regarding the new campus to residents of the area in which the new campus will be present. The CFO asked for feedback from the neighbors.

Leaked photo of Apple Campus 2 Blueprint

Leaked photo of Apple Campus 2 Blueprint

Later this year, we reported on several, high-resolution, highly-detailed images of new blueprints for the campus that we received (a couple of the images shown above).

With Apple's expansion of its cloud services portfolio, Apple is planning to open up a massive data center in Hong Kong China, we reported earlier this year. Our sources say that the new data center's construction will begin in early 2013.

Besides products, Apple's 2012 was notable in terms of executive changes. Earlier this year, we reported that Apple had poached a Sony Ericsson President to run America's Latin America division. We also reported that Apple's Vice President of iPhone and iPod engineering had left the company in late 2011. David Tupman's departure was naturally notable for his instrumental role in creating two of Apple's most successful product lines.

Additionally, we learned this year that Apple is beefing up its Israel presence with a team led by Apple's Vice President of chip engineering.

Former Apple executives John Browett (left) and Scott Forstall (right)

Most significantly, Apple's Senior VPs of iOS and Retail, Scott Forstall and John Browett (respectively), both departed Apple this year in a change to increase collaboration between Apple's software, hardware, and services teams. Soon after Apple announced these changes, we obtained Apple CEO's internal memo on the matter. This memo revealed that Bob Mansfield, the un-retired Senior Vice President of Apple's new Technologies group, would remain with Apple for an additional two years.

2012 was also a massive year for Apple, and the entire technology industry, in terms of patents. Perhaps most notable was the Apple/Samsung trial. The two technology titans accused each other of infringing each others' patents in smartphone and tablet computer designs. The most monumental ruling in the trial was for Apple in California. The California court granted Apple a $1 billion+ victory. Apple CEO Tim Cook later emailed Apple employees to note the importance of the day:

Today was an important day for Apple and for innovators everywhere. Many of you have been closely following the trial against Samsung in San Jose for the past few weeks. We chose legal action very reluctantly and only after repeatedly asking Samsung to stop copying our work. For us this lawsuit has always been about something much more important than patents or money. It's about values. We value originality and innovation and pour our lives into making the best products on earth. And we do this to delight our customers, not for competitors to flagrantly copy. We owe a debt of gratitude to the jury who invested their time in listening to our story. We were thrilled to finally have the opportunity to tell it. The mountain of evidence presented during the trial showed that Samsung's copying went far deeper than we knew. The jury has now spoken. We applaud them for finding Samsung's behavior willful and for sending a loud and clear message that stealing isn't right. I am very proud of the work that each of you do. Today, values have won and I hope the whole world listens.

2012 was also an important year for Apple in terms of its supply chain work. Earlier this year, controversies regarding Apple's supply chain worker handling and practices came about. Apple CEO Tim Cook took the harsh claims to heart, quickly releasing a lengthy statement to Apple employees on the matter. "What we will not do — and never have done — is stand still or turn a blind eye to problems in our supply chain. On this you have my word," Cook said in his internal memo.

In his first full year as CEO of Apple, Cook also promised and initiated new employee discount programs, thanked employees for a great year with extended Thanksgiving vacation, and initiated a donation of $2.5 million to the Red Cross Hurricane Sandy Relief fund.

Apple also extended its online retail presence, testing a new eBay store for its refurbished product lines.

Relating to Apple's push of the iPad into new places, we reported that AT&T stores would move exclusively to iPad-based point-of-sale systems within a couple of years.

2013

We expect more of the same in 2013 as we are already tracking some pretty big developments including new product lines for Apple and upgrades to existing products that we expect to see in the coming months. We wish all of our readers the very best New Year!





How to Get Snapchat in Mac OS X (or Windows)

Snapchat on Mac

Snapchat is a very popular quirky picture messaging client for Android and iPhone that allows people to share pictures and have conversations that disappear after a very short time interval, after which the shared content is gone forever. The spontaneous and fleeting nature of the messages has given the app an interesting reputation that you can now enjoy on the desktop, despite not having an official client for Mac or Windows. Instead, with the help of Bluestacks (basically an Android app emulator), you can install and run Snapchat on a Mac or PC right now.

Setting this up is quite easy for just about anyone, and if you already have a Snapchat account you'll instantly have your entire friends list accessible to you from OS X.

  • Get Bluestacks (free) and install it on the Mac by dragging it into the Applications folder
  • Launch Bluestacks and click the "Search" magnifying glass button, type "Snapchat" and click Find
  • Find Snapchat on the Android stores to install it

  • Click the "Install" button next to Snapchat (the proper app has a yellow icon with a ghost in it)
  • Let BlueStacks search the various Android stores, select to install Snapchat from the store furthest to the right with the little Android guy icon
  • Let Snapchat download and install

Install Snapchat in Bluestacks on Mac

  • Return to the Bluestacks home screen, click on "My Apps" and click Snapchat to open the app
  • OR: Click Launchpad, find Snapchat and launch it from there (OS X 10.8+ only)

Snapchat

At this point you can either enter an existing Snapchat username and login, or create a new one right from the app. If you already have a Snapchat account and username then the friends list will appear on login, otherwise adding friends is easy.

Snapchat runs within Bluestacks and gives you the exact same app experience that you'd find on Android. Sending and reading messages is the same as if the app was on a smartphone but using a normal keyboard instead, though camera support is shoddy and as a result sending pictures is limited. Nonetheless, you can still view picture messages sent to you as usual. For the best two-way picture messaging with full camera support you'll probably be better off with the designated smartphone app for either Android or iPhone, but that's for you to decide.

Snapchat

So now you have Snapchat on the desktop, and yes this guide is pretty much identical if you're on Windows PC rather than a Mac. Have fun!





Get Emoji Definitions Quickly in iOS

Did someone send an Emoji to your iPhone, iPod, or iPad and you have not the faintest of clues as to what it's supposed to mean? With the vast array of emoji icons out there, you're not alone, but there's an excellent little-known feature that uses iOS text-to-speech to give a precise definition of the emoji icon in question, spoken right to you. Here's exactly how to use it.

Define Emoji in iOS with Speak

Before starting you'll want to do two things: First, if you haven't yet enabled the incredibly useful text-to-speech ability in iOS so that the "Speak" button is available to apps, take a moment to do that through the Accessibility settings – beyond the purpose of this article it's a great feature in general and really should just be enabled by default in iOS. Also, do yourself a favor and enable the Emoji keyboard in iOS so that you'll be able to get definitions before sending them off to others in conversations, plus the ability to use them in messages and elsewhere yourself.

Define Emoji Icons Quickly from Anywhere in iOS

This will work to get the definition of an emojicon from anywhere that text is selectable in iOS, whether it's on iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch:

  • Tap and hold on the Emoji icon(s) to define, then select "Speak" when the button becomes available
  • The iOS system voice will define the emoji(s) selected, using the same voice as Siri

Of course this is useful for actually knowing what an icon is supposed to mean, but it can also be pretty fun due to the wide variety of creative and amusing emojis that exist in the character palettes of iOS and OS X. Listening to Siri's voice define them can be absolutely hilarious, and for added amusement try stringing together a series of random and unrelated emoji and then selecting all of them to define, which results in Siri's voice spewing out unintentionally funny gibberish.

Figuring out what an emoji is supposed to mean is really easy on a Mac too, because a simple worded definition is provided within the Special Characters panel of OS X where you select them to begin with. In iOS, there simply isn't room for such a definition, and that's why you'll have to use the speaking feature instead.

Thanks for the tip Mithilesh!





Increase in iPhone and iPad Thefts Accounts for Rise in New York City Crime Index

The New York Times reports that New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg today released crime data for the city as 2012 draws to a close, noting that a slight increase in the overall major crime index for the city can be entirely accounted for by an increase in iPhone and iPad thefts.
As of Monday, the Police Department recorded 3,484 more major crimes in 2012 than for the same period last year. The increase in Apple product thefts: 3,890. [...]

"If you just took away the jump in Apple, we'd be down for the year," said Marc La Vorgna, the mayor's press secretary.
Thefts of Apple devices have naturally grown as their popularity has increased, and police in New York and other cities have been working to break up extensive rings of thieves and dealers trading in stolen iPhones and other electronics. Last year it was reported that in some New York City precincts more than half of the robberies in some months involved iPhones.

Today's report also notes that police have been emphasizing efforts to address theft on the city's subways, which are popular locations for gadget thefts due to the crowds and easy getaway opportunities.




MacBook Air, MacBook Pro refreshes expected June 2013 with same designs, new processors

Screen Shot 2012-12-28 at 1.03.19 AM

Digitimes expects Apple to unveil refreshed MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models in June 2013. The report claims that Apple has already issued requests to its supply chain partners to prepare to build the revised notebooks. Digitimes frames the news as concern for Ultrabook vendors.

Digitimes also says that the new MacBook Air models will include new processors, but the computers will likely retain the current industrial design. The current MacBook Air design was introduced with the late 2010 model. Apple last updated the MacBook Airs in June 2012 with faster processors, new RAM and storage options, USB 3.0, and a FaceTime HD camera.

Separately, the report also believes that current MacBook Air models could see price drops ahead of the product refresh, but this would be unlike Apple's typical Mac upgrade strategy. Apple's common Mac update strategy is to succeed a current Mac model with the refreshed version without providing official price drops ahead of these refreshes.

The report does not offer specifics on the MacBook Pro revision, but with Apple redesigning its professional notebook last June, it is unlikely that the revision will be anything more than internal changes.

The report also says that Apple's MacBook shipments will reach 17 million units in 2013.

Processor updates to the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air lines in June 2013 would come approximately one year after the last refreshes. Apple typically holds its Worldwide Developers Conference in June. This would be the perfect venue to announce the rumored refreshes next year.




BlueStacks now lets you run every Android app on Mac as it moves to beta

bluestacks

In June, we told you about BlueStacks. It is a tool that allows Android apps to run on a Mac. The alpha only officially supported 17 Android apps, with Pulse and Words with Friends being the two of the more notable apps at launch, but the application has improved immensely. As Venture Beat first noted, BlueStacks has moved into beta this morning. It now allows users to run every Android app that the Google Play store has to offer. Some may be puzzled at the need to run a mobile application on the desktop, but it does come in use for apps like Instagram and Flipboard that have no desktop equivalent. BlueStacks reminds us a lot of Parallels or VM Ware, and it definitely becomes more useful with the added apps.

As of earlier this month, the Silicon Valley-based company passed 5 million installs on both Windows and Mac. BlueStacks also plans an even more impressive growth with partners AMD and ASUS, as TechCrunch noted, where the software would be pre-installed on over 100 million devices. Upcoming features include an App Discovery system in the Mac app to make it easier for users to find apps. Interested? You can download the beta from BlueStacks.




Apple Sets New High with 53.3% of U.S. Smartphone Market, Android Holds Strong in Europe

Last month, research firm Kantar Worldpanel reported that Apple had retaken the lead in U.S. smartphone sales from Android over the August-October timeframe, topping Android by a 48.1%-46.7% margin on the strength of the iPhone 5 launch.

At the time, the firm suggested that Apple's share would continue to rise as the 12-week window of sales data shifted to include the iPhone 5 for its entirety, predicting that Apple would set a record high for market share within the following two periods.


Kantar Worldpanel has now released its data for the September-November period, and Apple has indeed set a record high with 53.3% of the market. Apple's share is up dramatically from 35.8% in the same period last year, although the iPhone 4S did not launch until later in the corresponding timeframe.
Dominic Sunnebo, global consumer insight director at Kantar Worldpanel ComTech, comments: "Apple has reached a major milestone in the US by passing the 50% share mark for the first time, with further gains expected to be made during December."
Apple continues to fare less well in Europe, where even with growth of 2.5 percentage points year-over-year to reach 25.3% of the market, Android has surged farther ahead with a 9.2 percentage point gain and now holds 61% of the market.

Among the markets tracked by Kantar Worldpanel, Apple's best performance was in the United States, while its worst performances were in Brazil, Australia, Spain, and Italy, all countries where it lost share over 2011.




2012's Biggest Mac Leaks and Rumors

The iPhone and iPad tend to dominate the rumor scene for a number of reasons. Most signficantly, the total audience for iOS devices is larger and growing more rapidly than for Macs. Apple's Mac line has of course also been growing, but at a much slower pace. Also, given the maturity of the line, changes in the Mac line tend to be more incremental.

Still, looking back, we've seen a fair number of Mac-related leaks that preceded each product launch.

Perhaps the most reliable leaks have been from benchmark suites such as Geekbench, as we've seen benchmark leaks of unreleased Mac products several times now. These have all turned out to be accurate predictors of final Mac releases, sometimes with a several month lead time.

Here are some of the photo leaks we saw in 2012 for the Mac:

13" MacBook Pro


13.3" MacBook Pro Specs - June 2012

This pre-WWDC 13" MacBook Pro leak revealed that the 13" MacBook Pro would see little in the way of upgrades. Despite many comments about the easy fake-ability of the leak, the image turned out to be accurate. The 13" MacBook Pro wouldn't see Retina upgrades until later in 2012.

15" MacBook Pro


15" MacBook Pro logic board - June 2012

This 15" MacBook Pro logic board shot showed that Apple was switching to NVIDIA GPUs ahead of the launch. It also showed hints that Apple was keeping the current MacBook Pro design around, as the layout was identical to existing models.

iMac


iMac internals and design - October 2012

This was the first we heard of the newly redesigned iMac, which was described as "considerably thinner than the current form factor".
The redesigned iMac is said to be considerably thinner than the current form factor, with the machine's thickness almost impossible to gauge when viewed from the side. The curved rear shell is also said to appear more like a water droplet than the squared-off design seen in the current model.

13" Retina MacBook Pro


13" Retina MacBook Pro images - October 2012

This was our first look at the thinner 13" Retina MacBook Pro and showed the various ports and 2560x1600 resolution of the new machine.

MacBook Pro and Retina Lineups

From an informational perspective, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has shown that he has had a clear view of Apple's timeline and has been able to report accurately on that topic. Kuo was the first to suggest in June that Apple was going to create a separate line of MacBook Pros with Retina displays while keeping the existing product line in place.

Some of the responses in the discussion thread at the time were of disbelief:
That's stupid.

If the new Macbook line is as powerful as the Pro line, WHY keep the Pro line? What advantage does the Pro offer? A CD drive? Not exactly tempting in today's day and age. I'd rather take thinner and retina over a stupid CD drive, especially since it looks like it will be priced cheaper than a pro.

Just Axe the old Pro line and rebrand the new Pro line as this thinner/Retina one.
Of course, Apple did splinter the line by introducing a new (more expensive) "Retina" line of MacBook Pro products. Kuo also predicts that Apple will reintegrate the line in 2013, offering a single 13" and 15" MacBook Pro line with Retina displays and doing away with the non-Retina Macbook Pros that are currently being offered.

Mac Pro: Not Dead Yet

Finally, perhaps the most encouraging bit of news from the year for some was the promise that the Mac Pro will see an update in 2013. Tim Cook even responded to a an email from a concerned Mac Pro user. In the email response:
Our pro customers are really important to us...don't worry as we're working on something really great for later next year.