OS X Mountain Lion added some new security features to an already fairly secure operating system (not perfect, we know!). One of these features is an alert you get when you use an app that wants to access your Contact information from the Contacts app on your Mac. When you see this, you’re able to allow or deny that app access to your contacts – this is there to help make things a bit more transparent, and hopefully more secure.

Once you’ve given that access, however, that app gets tracked as one that can always access your Contacts info. If you want to change that access, today’s tip will help.

Cricket has become the iPhone 5’s first prepaid carrier after announcing today that it will be stocking Apple’s latest smartphone in “select Cricket markets” from September 28. That’s a week after the device launches on AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint, but it’ll be worth the wait if you’re determined to avoid a lengthy contract.

As expected, the 8GB iPhone 4 replaced the iPhone 3GS as the most affordable iPhone following the announcement of the iPhone 5 yesterday. So what’s going to happen to the iPhone 3GS now? Well, as you may have guessed, it’s going to be killed off. Apple has reportedly confirmed that when existing stock runs out, the its third-generation smartphone will be no more.

Following the unveiling of the iPhone 5 and a new family of iPods on Wednesday, Apple has begun selling a new Lightning to Micro USB adapter for customers in Europe. As its name suggests, the adaptor allows users to charge and sync their new iOS device using a Micro USB cable — in compliance with the rules laid out by European Commission.

Apple’s hardware product lines might be clean and sparse to the point of obsession, but behind the scenes it’s another story. Take iOS 6, for example. While yesterday’s Apple keynote showed off plenty of new features, many of them are location dependent. And I’m not talking about maps here – many features are switched off outside of the U.S, and just which one’s you can use depends on the country you’re in.

Back when Apple showed off the first iOS 6 beta, there were a paltry 11 cities featured in the spectacular 3-D Flyoverfeature.

I figured a week or two back that the new maps app wouldn’t launch with such a crappy line up, and I was right. With the Gold Master (GM) version of iOS 6 released to developers yesterday, maps just got a whole lot more 3-D cities.

One of the more forgotten parts of today’s iPhone 5 keynote was the awesome iPod commercial Apple debuted, featuring the new little devices bouncing all over the place. While the iPod is certainly no longer Apple’s flagship product line, this commercial was still top-notch. If you look closely, there’s some really nice touches. My favorite part is when two iPod shuffles combine to make a new, taller nano. Pretty clever. Check out the ad after the break.

If you’re debating on which carrier to go with when you pre-order the iPhone 5 on Friday, then maybe this news will help you make a decision. Verizon has gone on the record to say that it won’t charge extra or have any specific requirements for using FaceTime over Cellular in iOS 6, while AT&T will.

Verizon will let you use FaceTime over Cellular on your current plan (including grandfathered unlimited data), but AT&T requires that you sign up for one of its new Mobile Share plans.

Apple didn’t release any side-by-side comparisons of the iPhone 5’s image quality next to the iPhone 4S, and we won’t see direct comparisons until reviews hit the web closer to the iPhone 5 launch date. However, Scott Everett noticed that Apple used a picture of Big Sur in their iPhone 5 photos gallery that was nearly identical to one he took recently with his iPhone 4S, giving us our first direct comparison of image quality.

It was only a matter of time before Ping, Apple’s failed iTunes music discovery tool, was sent to its grave. Following the released of iTunes 10.7 earlier today, Apple has revealed that Ping will be officially discontinued on September 30th.

This really shouldn’t come as a surprise. Ping has gained little to no traction since its release back in 2010. Apple’s webpage for Ping has also disappeared, indicating that the Cupertino company is ready to move on.

Apple has just posted a video of the jam-packed iPhone 5 press event from this morning, where Tim Cook not only announced the next iPhone, but a new iPod touch, nano, and a boatload of other software updates and accessories. It’s available now for streaming on Apple’s website. The keynote is usually made available both on iTunes as well as on YouTube within a few hours after the event, so we’ll update the post when it goes live there as well. Go watch it!

Source: Apple

What did the fine folk on Google+ have to say about Apple’s iPhone 5 announcement? Well, you can see for yourselves by clicking HERE. Unfortunately our thumbnails don’t go beyond 640X400 on the site so I had to host it over on Google+ of course. As can be expected, initial impressions were not flattering, but then again, neither was Apple’s keynote *rimshot*. What about the rest of you, what are your impressions of Apple’s latest “innovation”?

The teeny-tiny iPod Nano was announced back in September 2010, and its larger screen successor was just announced today. The new iPod Nano is still small and thin, but it also kind of looks like the Nokia Lumia 800 that debuted in October 2011, don’t you think?

Here is a higher-res picture.

Source: Twitter

Oh, Apple. Wasn’t it enough that you subjected us to John Mayer and Coldplay for years? I mean, yeah sure, I guess both of those artists were kind of cool for about 15 minutes, but they weren’t “cool” or “hip” when they played at an Apple keynote, and now instead of making progress with keynote live performances you give us the Foo Fighters?

Don’t get me wrong, I love Dave Grohl. The feisty Nirvana Dave Grohl, who talked shit to Axl Rose and had a wild and unruly nature about him. He was awesome back then. Apple-esque even, in that rebellious sort of way that, even though they’re the biggest tech company in the world, Apple still likes to cast themselves as the rebel going against the mainstream. But having the Foo Fighters play at an Apple event now seems contradictory to Apple’s entire hip and cool image that makes people lust after iPhones and iPads.

Along with the announcement of the iPhone 5, Apple has also posted its traditional promotional video, touting the iPhone’s new features. As is typical, Jony Ive is present, talking about the new design and the iPhone 5’s larger display. The video is up on Apple’s website now, but you can also view it here, just after the break.

You’re probably frothing at the mouth waiting for Apple to upload the video of today’s keynote, right? No? Good. Sitting through two hours of Apple talk is a pretty big commitment when you could do something better, like go outside, or play with a puppy, or eat.

Here’s Apple entire iPhone 5 keynote in pictures so you can still feel like you saw it all:

Apple released the iPhone 5 today, and while it put the majority of us to sleep, we can’t help but think there HAS to be at least one feature of the iPhone 5 that you wish you had. Yes, I realize we already have over 90% of them already, but what about its PPI? There has to be something? I’ve put together a poll with a few of the possibilities, so put in your vote, and if there’s something else you can think of, throw it in the comments.

Man, oh man. At least now we know why Apple has been on such a legal crusade. They’ve got nothin’. I just finished watching the iPhone 5 unveiling and boy was it a bore fest. It’s as if Apple awoke from a cryogenic sleep and is finally embracing the year 2012. Almost nothing was innovating and the majority of new iPhone 5 features have been implemented in other mobile phones for years. Seriously Apple, is that it?

Cast your votes!

[polldaddy poll=6530350]

One of the glaring omissions in Apple’s iPhone 5 keynote was any mention of NFC. The rumor mill had suggested that the iPhone 5 would come with NFC (Near Field Communications) tech for mobile payments, but the rumor ended up getting squashed in the weeks leading up to today’s event.

So why no NFC in the iPhone 5? According to Apple VP of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller, Passbook in iOS 6 is enough for what Apple wants to accomplish in the virtual wallet space right now. In a brief interview today, Schiller talked about NFC, and why Apple decided on the new Lightning dock connector.

One of the best things about the iPhone 4S was that it rolled GSM and CDMA into the same baseband. What that means is if you have, say, an AT&T iPhone, it could technically run on Verizon as long as you unlocked it. Likewise, if you had a Verizon iPhone, you could just slap in a GSM pay-as-you-go SIM card if you were traveling in any other country in the world to avoid exorbitant international roaming fees.

With the iPhone 5, though, things are changing. There will be two versions of the iPhone 5, a separate device for both GSM and CDMA carriers. Why? Seems to all be about LTE.

Apple’s keynote today was long and packed with new products and software. There was a lot of stuff to love, and even somethings that were completely boring. What product are you most excited about that Apple announced today, other than the iPhone 5?

The new iPod Nanos look great, and the iPod Touch is just another reason why digicams are toast. And oh hey, there was that lanyard thing that comes with the iPod Touch that looks really dorky, but I’m sure people might really like it. What are you stoked for? Come chat with us in the forums about all the new stuff you’re excited to play with.

Click here to tell us what you’re most excited about from today’s keynote, over in the Cult of Mac Forums

The future of unlimited data on AT&T and Verizon doesn’t look promising, but potential iPhone 5 owners with grandfathered unlimited data plans on AT&T can rest easy. AT&T today confirmed that it will allow grandfathered customers with unlimited data to keep their plans when upgrading to the iPhone 5.

Unlike Verizon, AT&T will let its customers keep unlimited data if they buy a subsidized or unsubsidized iPhone 5. Verizon requires that customers pay the full, unsubsidized price of the device to keep unlimited data.

Standing in line to purchase a new iPhone is not the huge point of pride it used to be.  But since most people still want to get their hands on the beautiful new device as soon as possible, demand for task-completion jockeys to hold a place in line is sure to rise.  TaskRabbit today announced it’s mobilizing its workforce to hold your place for up to four hours for $55.

The iPhone 5 and the iPot touch both got a revamp today, as announced at the Yerba Buena center in San Francisco. They both have a new look and a new screen size. The 4 inch diagonal screen is at the same ratio of 16:9 as most HD movies, for one. But what about gaming? Everyone knows how great iOS is for gaming, right? What will the extra length bring to the party? Let’s take a look.