Cult of Mac

Contradicting reports that the white iPhone 4 was delayed by almost a year because of problems with light leaking onto the camera sensor, Apple’s Phil Schillar commented during the handset’s eventual release that the delay was necessary to give the handset some much needed “extra UV protection.”

Once he said that, everyone guessed the real issue: yellowing over time, a la some of the earlier and uglier white MacBooks. Now here’s the proof. Nick Bilton over at the New York Times managed to get an original white iPhone 4 from a guy who knew a guy at the factory that made it. Paying $1000 bucks for his prize, he went about comparing models.

The results? The obvious ones, sure, especially regarding the camera and the proximity sensor, but while the new iPhone is pristine white, the year-old one is already looking like it was pulled out of someone’s ashtray. It’s already dirty and yellow.

If Apple’s releasing the white iPhone at this point, they’re doubtlessly reasonably certain that the new model isn’t going to be subject to the same problems. Still, as Wired’s own dirty and yellowing blogger Charlie Sorrel notes, how did this happen in the first place? It’s not like Apple’s never made a white gadget before.

Apple’s new family of iMac all-in-ones released earlier this week boast an Intel BD82Z68 platform controller hub that isn’t scheduled for release until May 11th. The Z68 chip, designed for Sandy Bridge 1155, was first discovered by TonyMacx86 and later confirmed in an iFixit teardown.

The Z68 allows for solid-state drive data caching when a system is equipped with a combination of storage drives. So users could install a small, relatively cheap SSD along with their traditional hard disk drive and have the SSD serve as a cache – dramatically increasing access speeds to their files and applications. The new iMacs can be ordered with both an SSD and a traditional hard disk drive installed, and the Z68 can allow users to see this combination as just one drive on their Mac.

Sources in Apple’s supply chain have revealed to an analyst with Sterne Agee that the company is planning to refresh the rest of its Mac lineup “in upcoming months.” Shaw Wu issued a note to investors yesterday that claimed all Mac products yet to be refreshed this year are “due for refreshes” soon. That includes Apple’s MacBook, MacBook Air, Mac Pro, and Mac Mini computers.

The last update to Apple’s MacBook – the company’s entry-level notebook – came in May 2010. Wu believes an update to this line is especially important as the MacBook currently counts for one-third of Apple’s notebook business, which itself equals 73% of all Mac sales.

The MacBook Air was only refreshed last October, but recent speculation claims Apple will soon swap the notebook’s ageing Core 2 Duo processor for the new Sandy Bridge chip.

The Mac Mini was last updated in June 2010 and the Mac Pro a month later in July. Wu believes the upcoming updates to Apple’s Mac computers will counterbalance “a very minor cannibalistic impact” the iPad 2 could potentially have on the Mac business. The touchscreen tablet has reportedly effected sales of most computers – especially netbooks – in some way since it hit the market.

The MacBook Pro lineup was updated back in February to introduce Intel’s newest Sandy Bridge processors, and the company’s Thunderbolt technology. The iMac family then followed with an update earlier this week to add the same features.

[via AppleInsider]

If you spend a lot of time using a lot of webapps, Fluid should be high on your list of software must-haves.

It’s been hovering in unofficial beta status for years now, but just this week got bumped to 1.0, and now comes in two flavors: free and paid. Either of them is well worth having.

Apple is reportedly working closely with Verizon Wireless to introduce over-the-air software updates to the iPhone with its iOS 5 firmware. Starting this fall, iPhone users will be able to update their iOS software wirelessly, without having to plug the device into iTunes, or involve a computer altogether. It’s a luxury Google Android and Palm webOS users have been enjoying for some time, and Apple’s finally bringing it to iOS.

Multiple sources for 9to5Mac have revealed the feature will debut with iOS 5 and will support subsequent iOS releases. Apparently, Apple already has the technology, but doesn’t want to release it to the masses all at once. It will therefore be available only to Verizon customers initially.

Multiple sources who seem to know a thing or two about Apple’s third-generation iPad are claiming that the device will boast a 3D display. One “Hollywood insider” talking to RCR Wireless says the device is already in the advanced planning stages, and “the fact that the iPad 3 is 3D is a dead cert.”

She went on to say that the big film studios were currently running around like blue arsed flies trying to gear up to release plenty of 3D content in time for Apple’s next launch.

RCR reveals the story has also been backed up by a source at Foxconn – the factory that manufactures Apple’s devices – who have “spilled the 3D iPad beans” to several of their closest industry sources.

NASA has released version 2 of its popular Space Images app for iPad, and it’s lovely.

It’s packed full of gorgeous images from pretty much every aspect of the space agency’s work. Each one comes with a brief explanation, and you can fave or rate the ones you like.

Even better, you can save images to your iPad and use them as wallpapers. And all of this is free. If you have an iPad and you have kids, or even if you don’t have kids, this is well worth downloading.

[xrr rating=100%]

Just seven days after Steve Jobs promised to fix the location tracking bugs in iOS, an update is available now for download through iTunes.

A free download, iOS 4.3.3 fixes three bugs related to location tracking:

• The cache of location data is limited to just one week.
• The data is no longer backed up to your computer.
• The cache is deleted when Location Services are disabled in iOS’s Settings app.

The data isn’t encrypted, but Apple says that will be fixed in the next major update, likely iOS 5, which is expected at WWDC in early June.

The 4.3.3 update applies to the iPhone (4 and 3GS, but not the iPhone 3G); iPad (1 and 2); and iPod touch (3rd and 4th gen, but not 1st or 2nd gen).

There’s a separate 4.2.8 update for the Verizon iPhone 4 (the CDMA phone is still on a different fork of iOS).

Update or no, Apple is still expected to testify at a May 10 Congressional hearing about mobile tracking.

Wouldn’t it be great to get paid to play with your beloved iPhone? Thanks to a new startup Gigwalk, that dream is now a reality. The Silicon Valley startup launched their program today and are accepting applications for new Gigwalkers in cities across America.

Using Gigwalk’s iPhone app, Gigwalkers sign up to complete a list of task in their local area using their iPhone in exchange for a small cash sum (gigs pay between $3 – $50). Once a task is completed, Gigwalkers are paid via a PayPal account that is linked to their Gigwalk account, making everything incredibly simple and efficient. While these small gigs won’t replace your full-time job, you can earn a tidy sum on the side. Gigwalk reported that their highest paid Gigwalker earned $2,173 completing 277 gigs over the 6-month private-beta period.

The idea behind the new service is that every smartphone is a node in a vast network. By tapping into that huge network companies can accomplish huge data tasks that require small amounts of information from a large number of locations in a highly efficient manner.

Here’s the new 2011 Thunderbolt iMac playing HD movies on three screens simultaneously — without a hiccup.

It’s a 27-inch model with an Intel Core i5 chip and AMD’s Radeon HD 6970 graphics card (1GB of GDDR5 memory).

The two 21-inch Dell monitors either side are connected via the iMac’s pair of Thunderbolt/Mini DisplayPort jacks on the back (with a pair of pricey $30 Mini-DisplayPort-to-DVI adapters).

The main 27-inch display’s resolution is 2,560-by-1,440; while the external monitors are at 1,920 by 1,080 (true 1080p HD).

Pretty impressive.

We start off the day with a deal on a bundled Quad 3.4GHz Core i7 iMac. This desktop unit includes 8GB of RAM, a 27-inch screen and 3 years of AppleCare for just $2,599. Next is a number of MacBook Air laptops, starting at $849 for a Core 2 Duo 1.4GHz machine with 64GB of SSD memory. Finally, a deal on a 16GB iPod nano (5th generation) for $149.

Along the way, we also check out several cases for the iPad and iPhone, as well as a 27-inch LED Cinema Display for $849. As always, details on these and many other items can be found at CoM’s “Daily Deals” page right after the jump.

Crescent Moon Games are currently enjoying App Store success following its release of Gears, a physics-based ball roller that has rocketed to the top of the App Store’s paid charts, and featured as one of our must-have games last week. The team is already working on its next iOS release which looks like it could be just as successful – a dual-stick shooter called Deadlock which boasts co-operative and competitive online multiplayer with support for up to 8 people.

Deadlock will initially offer 5 levels and 3 game types, including deathmatch, team deathmatch, and capture & hold. It uses Game Centre integration to connect players to online games, and features a 30-level ranking system that allows players to progress as they play.

There are 30 weapons to choose from, including assault rifles, sub-machine guns, pistols, and grenades; and a load-out system that allows users to upgrade their weapons with a range of attachments to provide things like improved aiming and additional damage – all of which are unlocked as you progress.

In a daring move that might result in a legal tussle and a cat-and-mouse game between Apple and Europe’s largest and most popular music streaming service, Spotify is adding iPod Sync Support to its music service… and you don’t need to go through iTunes to do it.

Compatible with the iPod Classic, iPod Nano, iPod Shuffle, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPod, the new download service will allow users to sync MP3 content from Spotify Playlists to any iPod without using iTunes,

It’s an interesting move that brings Spotify’s library to dumb iPods, but will Apple kick? My guess is yes, but legally: I don’t see Apple updating the iPod Classic’s software just to deal with Spotify.

That said, it’s pretty clear this is a proactive move on Spotify’s part to shore up their defenses for an iTunes onslaught. When Apple announces its new iCloud service, Spotify and Apple are going to start trading blows head-to-head.

An interesting option within the System Preferences of the new lineup of iMacs launched yesterday has led to speculation that Apple could be working on a new wireless keyboard with backlit keys. Backlit keyboards are currently a luxury only those with MacBook Pros can enjoy.

Within the keyboard menu of System Preferences, users have the option to “Illuminate keyboard in low light conditions.” Without an Apple wireless keyboard equipped with backlighting, this preference obviously has no use whatsoever. Which leads us to believe that, unless Apple made a rare mistake with some code, they’re currently working on a nice new keyboard in the Cupertino camp.

Using a MacBook Pro with a backlit keyboard in low light conditions really is incredibly useful, and I’d be first in line for a backlit keyboard for my desk.

[via 9to5 Mac]

If it sometimes feels as if everyone and her grandmother are hawking a tablet device, you aren’t too far off. By the second-half of 2011 there is a “high risk of facing excess tablet PC inventory,” one industry publication writes Wednesday. The report claims “demand scale” is only for 20 million units.

Analysts already predict Apple will sell anywhere between 18 million and 48 million iPads this year, with 23 million units in 2012. The overall tablet market could reach 55.7 million units in 2011.

As Apple’s retail operations approach its 10th anniversary, one analyst points to the iPad as the latest product to spike visits to 323 stores worldwide. Despite its heavy presence online, the Cupertino, Calif.-based tech giant in March reported a higher percentage of revenue growth from retail sales compared to overall figures.

Apple retail sales hit $3.19 billion during the March quarter – a 90 percent increase – compared to 86 percent overall, according to Needham & Co. analyst Charlie Wolf.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdAAbu-nMkY&feature=player_detailpage

G-Form is a case manufacturer who enjoys taking 12 lb. bowling balls and dropping them onto delicate iPads in an effort to prove their cases can withstand some pretty extreme impact. Their latest trick is to take a perfectly good 13-inch MacBook Pro, slide it into a soft, floppy G-Form Extreme Sleeve, and drop it from a 20-foot balcony.

Of course, just like the iPad that fell victim to a falling bowling ball, the MacBook suffers no damage thanks to the sleeve’s rather impressive ability to absorb the impact.

If you’d like to throw your MacBook from your balcony, the G-Form Extreme Sleeve for MacBooks is now available to pre-order. The sleeves are available in black and yellow and start at $69.96 for the 11-inch MacBook Air, rising to $79.95 for the 13- and 15-inch notebooks.

Microsoft is trying to lure iOS developers into creating applications for the Windows Phone 7 operating system by offering an API mapping tool which helps them port their applications over from the iPhone. Jean-Christophe Cimetiere, Microsoft’s Senior Technical Evangelist for Interoperability, unveiled the tool on the Windows Team blog:

With this tool, iPhone developers can grab their apps, pick out the iOS API calls, and quickly look up the equivalent classes, methods and notification events in WP7. A developer can search a given iOS API call and find the equivalent WP7 along with C# sample codes and API documentations for both platforms.

Included in the package along with the API mapping tool is a 90+ page guide entitled “Windows Phone 7 Guide for iPhone Application Developers;” a series of “developer stories” from devs who have already ported their iPhone apps over to Windows Phone 7; and a compilation of the key resources needed to get started.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYWAmKJOesU&feature=player_embedded

Physwitch is a new tweak for jailbroken iPhones that enhances the way in which we multitask within iOS by allowing us to switch between our applications using our device’s volume buttons.

Once activated Physwitch is a great way of multitasking on the iPhone, and looks much more sophisticated than the traditional iOS method of switching between applications. Instead of swiping through a collection of icons in the multitasking tray, you can cycle through each application with a real-time preview of what’s happening in each app.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJ1JZgaDOq0&feature=player_embedded

ColorWare is famous for taking gorgeous new gadgets and giving them a nice lick of paint. The company is now painting iPad 2s for those that don’t like the original look, but as usual you’ll pay a high price for a customized device.

Prices start at $900 for a 16GB Wi-Fi only iPad, which increases to $1,100 for the 64GB model. If you want a 3G capable device, prices start at $1,030 and rise to $1,230 for the 16GB and 64GB models respectively. Alternatively you can send in your own iPad and have it painted for $400.

It’s certainly not a cheap service, but ColorWare does a fantastic job of customizing your device. You can have the body, antenna, logo and home button painted in a variety of weird and wonderful colors; using either solid, metallic or pearl paint. You can also have your whole device coated in a soft touch finish for an additional $55.

Well, what are you waiting for?

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Um4gLMZDXkA&feature=player_embedded

Apple has released a new commercial for its iPad 2 that follows the same theme as its previous ‘We Believe‘ commercial launched in early April. Entitled ‘If You Asked’, the new ad focuses on the iPad’s user experience and how people perceive the device rather than its technical specifications.

The smooth guy in the voiceover reads:

If you ask a parent, they might call it intuitive. If you ask a musician, they might call it inspiring. To a doctor, it’s groundbreaking. To a CEO, it’s powerful. To a teacher, it’s the future. If you ask a child, she might call it magic. And if you asked us, we’d say it’s just getting started.

Apple’s commercials for the second-generation iPad thus far have been a little more personal than the company’s other ad campaigns; highlighting what users can achieve with the device, rather that what the device itself is technically capable of.

It really is amazing that the iPad is being used in so many amazing ways by everyone from toddlers to CEOs.

Apple has officially informed AT&T that there will be no new iPhone this June or July, according to a customer care representative for the carrier. One AT&T customer noticed his eligibility date for a subsidized upgrade had been pushed back by over five months; when he contacted the carrier for an explanation, a rep gave him the following statement:

Apple has informed us that they do not plan to release the iPhone in the June to July timeframe, though there will be a newer version in the future. Unfortunately, we have not been given a release time for the new phone. We will release this information on our website when it is available to us.

It’s unusual that this kind of information would be passed down to employees ahead of an official Apple announcement, however, you can’t help but feel this particular AT&T rep is right. As June gets closer, the number of reports that suggests a later-than-usual iPhone release are increasing, and any hope of a new iPhone before September is quickly being quashed.

Apple is now expected to announce a new iPhone at its yearly iPod event traditionally held every September.

[via MacRumors]

While the beautiful hardware that Apple creates gets a lot of the attention, many people forget that the appeal of Apple’s devices is within the software more than anything else. Asymco.com recently published an article elaborating how the profit from Apple’s two operating systems (OSX and iOS) outpace the profits that Microsoft makes with Windows 3.5x over.

On the Mac side of operations the site says:

“While a lot of the credit for Apple’s success is rightfully assigned to the iOS franchises, the OS X business has more than quadrupled in five years. This has happened without drastic price fluctuations. Neither holds for the overall PC industry which has seen both volume and sales decline while prices have eroded along with profitability. On top of that, growth has nearly evaporated.”

Don’t trust your kids with open access to your credit card? I can’t blame you. In order to let your kids have an iTunes account though, you need to enter your credit card information, giving them free reign over your purchases, right? Wrong. While it may appear this way, there is a way to set up an iTunes account that involves absolutely no credit cards at all. This video will show you what to do.

Look what just arrived at CultofMac towers here in San Francisco. Yes, it’s one of Apple’s awesome new Core i5 iMacs.

It’s a $1,999 27-inch i5 model (It’s stock — no build-to-order options. Couldn’t wait a month).

As you can see, it can handily power another 27-inch iMac as an external monitor. (It’s hooked to a 2010 iMac, reviewed here last year). This is going to replace an aging Mac Pro I use for work. It just radiates awesomeness.

I’ll get started on the review as soon as  deal with a major plumbing emergency here at home.