WWDC 2013 came and went without Apple saying anything about the Voice Memos app that was noticeably absent from the first iOS 7 beta. With the release of the iOS 7 beta 2, Apple revealed a completely redesigned Voice Memos app that comes installed on iOS by default.
The new app ditches the old skeuomorphic look of the microphone in favor of a UI that’s more consistent with the flat, parallax look of the other iOS 7 default apps.
Here’s a GIF of how the new Voice Memos works:
We were surprised that a new MacBook Pro wasn’t part of Apple’s Mac refreshes at WWDC earlier this month, but if new benchmark tests are anything to go by, it shouldn’t be too long before they’re made available. A new 13-inch model with the latest Intel “Haswell” processor has appeared in Geekbench tests showing slight performance gains over the current generation.
The new Mac Pro has been benchmarked ahead of its release, too.
Apple has given developers access to the first beta of OS X Mountain Lion 10.8.5. Given the planned release of OS X Mavericks this fall, 10.8.5 could very well end up being the last major version of Mountain Lion before Mavericks ships to the public. A developer beta of Mavericks was made available to developers the week of WWDC.
OS X 10.8.4 was officially released on June 4th and it brought a bunch of bug fixes. 10.8.5 will likely focus on bugs fixes and compatibility issues as well.
Source: Apple
With iOS 7 Beta 1 now out on the iPhone, the next obvious question is “When is iOS 7 Beta 2” coming out? And what about Beta 3? Beta 4? When will iOS 7 go gold?
Good questions, and obviously, only Apple could tell you for sure. But Apple’s been releasing post-WWDC betas long enough at this point that it’s pretty easy to track how long on average each beta takes, and by doing so, we can not only forecast when iOS 7 will be released with a probable amount of accuracy: we can put a date on the iPhone 5S’s release.
Here’s what we think. We think iOS 7 Beta 2 will be released next Monday, the 24th. iOS 7 will go gold on September 10th, the same day the iPhone 5S will be announced. And the iPhone 5S and iOS 7 will be released on September 20th. Here’s why.
Apple hasn’t even announced a price tag or release date for the tiny new Mac Pro machines that were unveiled at WWDC, but that’s not stopping one company from creating a Mac Pro server rack that will turn Apple’s new pro machines into a supercomputer.
The new cylindrical design of the Mac Pro makes it perfect for linking to other Mac Pros to form a supercomputer, and MacStadium announced that it has created a rack that can hold 270 Mac Pros but only occupies 12 square-feet of floor space.
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Brad Smith wants to encourage developers to explore the final frontier: making apps for Apple TV.
Smith, director of engineering at RadiumOne, spoke at AltWWDC about facing the challenges for this new territory.
“I like to think of it as the forgotten iOS device,” Smith said, showing a slide of Tom Dickson, who has blended every device from the Cupertino company — with the exception of the Apple TV.
As you may know, Apple released the first beta for its upcoming iOS 7 this past week, after an announcement at WWDC just prior.
We’ll take you through some lesser known features with our tips for a bit, giving you a sneak peek into the workings of the newest system to hit the iPhone. Be aware, however, that as this is beta software, any of these features and tips could change before iOS 7 hits the streets this coming fall. In addition, be sure that you’re not using a beta iOS 7 on an iPhone you need to get work done on–Apple has provided it without guarantee for developers to start working with, not for you to use on any mission critical tasks.
That said, let’s check out Mail, the built-in app for checking and sending your email from Apple. One of the biggest things I’ve always wished for in the previous app is a way to mark all the messages in my inbox as read in one fell swoop.
It looks like, in iOS 7 beta, anyway, that you can do just that. Here’s how.
This somewhat blurry image of a game controller built by Logitech is believed to be one of the first Apple-approved controllers for iOS 7 that will join the “Made for iPhone” program. It’s built for the iPhone 5, and it’s been designed to meet Apple’s new guidelines for Mac and iOS game controllers.
With one WWDC special episode already already under our belts, you think we’d be good, but with so much great hardware and software coming out of Apple’s big 90-minute keynote, we had to make the pleasure last.
Join us for another new CultCast, this time with Wired writer and special guest Christina Bonnington, as we discuss our favorite iOS 7 features and why its current look is still a big “a work in progress.” Plus—we asked, you answered—we’ll read your thoughts on iOS 7’s radical new look and the new features you love.
All that and more on this week’s second CultCast! Stream or download our new and past episodes on your Mac or iDevice by subscribing now on iTunes, or hit play below and let the good times roll. Show notes up next!
There are a few popular apps that already look like they were designed for iOS 7. Twitterrific 5 by The Iconfactory is one such example. Months before Apple unveiled iOS 7, Twitterrific started using the general design aesthetic Apple has now implemented across the entire OS. It’s almost like the makers of Twitterrific knew what was coming.
Following the unveiling of iOS 7 and Apple releasing the software in beta form to developers, Twitterrific’s downloads have spiked considerably, sending the app towards the top of the App Store’s charts.