Author: J.R. Bookwalter

Video and multimedia professionals converged on Las Vegas over the weekend for the start of this year’s National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) conference, where software and hardware makers will roll out a bevy of new products this week. And hey, some of them are already landing in our weekend recap, so read on and get up to speed on what’s new…

LaCie Debuts Thunderbolt 2 Storage Options with 4K Support

The annual NAB trade show kicked off over the weekend, where storage provider LaCie introduced three new pieces of hardware capable of editing 4K resolution video over a Thunderbolt 2 connection. At the lower end is a redesigned 2big, available in 6TB, 8TB, or 12TB capacities capable of up to 420MB-per-second transfers that can also be used via USB 3.0. Moving up the food chain, LaCie’s 5big ratchets up performance to 1050MB per second by spreading data across five drives in 10TB, 20TB or 30TB capacities. Last but not least, the LaCie 8big Rack (shown above) is being introduced as the company’s first Thunderbolt 2 rack-mountable storage solution, which will be sold in four-disk (12TB) or eight-disk (24TB or 48TB) models. All three options will ship during the second quarter of this year, with pricing yet to be announced.

PhotoSync Updated for iOS 7, Free Android App Now Available

Touchbyte announced the release Friday (PDF link) of a major new update to PhotoSync for iOS, which works with a free Mac or Windows companion app to wirelessly transfer photos and videos between mobile devices, computers, cloud storage providers, and even network-attached storage (NAS). Version 2.1 introduces an all-new user interface that’s right at home with iOS 7 along with 64-bit support for compatible hardware and new language localizations. The company also debuted PhotoSync for Android, a free app with optional in-app purchase to remove ads which works seamlessly with the iOS version, offering mobile shutterbugs a way to easily transfer images and videos between platforms. PhotoSync 2.1 for iOS is a universal $2.99 app available from the App Store.

Chase Bank Teases Refreshed iPhone App Coming This Month

Chase Bank is readying an all-new version of its Chase Mobile app for iPhone, and is offering a few tantalizing screenshots on its website. The new version appears to be completely rewritten for iOS 7 and promises a “simpler, more streamlined login” along with “personalized, location-based backgrounds with friendly greeting messages” to go along with the fresh design. Chase claims the app will launch sometime in April, so customers should keep an eye out in the App Store for the latest update soon.

Android TV Outed in Leaked Screenshots

The Verge reported Saturday that Google appears to be planning its own return to the living room with Android TV, essentially the next generation of the ill-fated Google TV that delivers home entertainment services to consumers. The timing of the leak is rather ironic, considering Amazon just started shipping Fire TV last week, which itself is built upon Google’s own Android software. Judging from the screenshots and details available, Android TV aims to be “cinematic, fun, fluid, and fast,” which is basically everything Google TV wasn’t — although it’s unclear how Google plans to position the service against its own Chromecast device, which allows smartphone and tablet users to throw content onto any HDMI-equipped television for only 35 bucks.

Disksomnia 4.0 Now Available from Mac App Store

Despite offering copious storage capacities, hard drives have one big disadvantage: They fall asleep, and waking them up again can really disrupt your workflow. Digital Heaven Ltd. has tackled this problem in the past with Disksomnia, an inexpensive system preference which keeps hard drive awake by writing a small file to them every so often, and last week the company debuted an all-new version. Unlike earlier attempts, Disksomnia 4.0 is available as a $9.99 purchase from the Mac App Store, and instead runs as a menu bar item, which the software maker claims will offer “extremely low overhead” compared to the previous version.

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The rapid growth of Apple’s App Store has been great for developers and iOS users alike, but that success often comes with frustration when trying to search for a new app — a task that may soon get a bit easier.

MacStories reported Tuesday that Apple appears to be experimenting with a new “Related” option on the iOS App Store, which offers additional search suggestions similar to the one entered by the user.

First noted by one of the developers of TIME Planner, the new menu appears underneath the existing search field, serving up related queries based on the app category the user is searching.

For example, the search queries “calendar” and “news reader” shown above offer related suggestions such as “calendar planner” and “daily planner” for the former, and “feed reader” and “business news” for the latter.

The report notes that Apple’s use of Related suggestions appears very similar to Chomp, a startup that Cupertino acquired two years ago and could finally be starting to implement in the App Store.

Unfortunately, readers may not want to rush to the App Store to see Related results just yet — the feature appears to be something Apple is merely testing at the moment, and as such it won’t appear for just everyone. (We aren’t seeing it at our end, but feel free to chime in on the comments if it’s showing up for you!)

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(Image courtesy of MacStories)

A site like MacLife.com would be remiss in not joining the celebration for Mac OS X, which is now officially an unruly teenager at the ripe young age of 13 this week. We remember well the excitement of first installing the OS, only to discover there was very little we could actually do with it prior to booting back into Mac OS 9, but in time that infant learned how to talk and walk and soon we spent all of our time there. Read on to find out more about the release of Cheetah 13 years ago!

OS X Celebrates 13th Anniversary

If Monday, March 24 felt a little different and you couldn’t figure out why, that may be because you overlooked giving our old friend Mac OS X a pat on the back for turning 13 years old. According to TUAW, the Unix-based operating system codenamed “Cheetah” started shipping on March 24, 2001 for what now seems like the exorbitant price of $129. Although few applications actually supported the OS at launch, Mac users were in awe of the Aqua eye candy on display, with buttons that Steve Jobs famously called “so good you’ll want to lick them.” It was the beginning of the end of Mac OS 9, although it would take another few years for that transition to be complete.

Photowall Turns Chromecast Into Collaborative Video Slideshows

The Google Chrome Blog announced Monday the debut of Chrome Experiments, an initiative intended to show off just what third-party developers can do with the company’s $35 Chromecast. Google’s own first dabbling in interactive slideshows has now become Photowall, a website and mobile app that allows users to beam photos to a Chromecast enabled HDTV, then create a YouTube video of the resulting photo wall automatically. The app is now available from the App Store as well as an Android version on Google Play, and is free to download and use.

iTunes Radio Adds News Channels, Starting with NPR

Nation Public Radio’s All Tech Considered blog announced Monday that the broadcaster’s hourly newscasts and digital streams of Morning Edition and All Things Considered shows will now be available as part of a 24-hour NPR channel via iTunes Radio, a first for Apple’s fledging streaming radio service. NPR calls the collaboration a first step toward creating “Pandora for public radio,” with streams from other member stations across the country promised for later in the spring. NPR also marks the first non-music offering on iTunes Radio, suggesting the service will go head-to-head with other apps like iHeartRadio which offer a full range of genres including talk radio.

Google Now Starts Rolling Out to Chrome Browsers

Google Chrome announced via Twitter that the formerly mobile-only Google Now service has begun rolling out to Chrome browsers across every platform — assuming you have the service activated on your mobile device, that is. “Google Now on Chrome shows a subset of the Now cards you see on your mobile device, which uses your device’s location,” a Chrome help page explains. The move finally brings Google Now Cards to the desktop, but the search giant is doing a gradual rollout, so if you don’t see it available in your Chrome browser just yet, be patient and wait for it to turn up.

Official Roku App Gets UI Makeover, iPhone Search

Roku released version 3.0 of its free iPhone app on Monday, bringing a much-needed user-interface overhaul to the multitalented software which allows owners of the company’s media streaming boxes to perform all manner of tricks. In addition to a fresh new look, the update enables search for U.S.-based Roku players with the latest 5.4 or later firmware, which can include a movie or TV show title, actors or directors. After finding what you seek, simply tap on the resulting channel and begin watching right from your Roku-connected HDTV.

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Hey, that’s one way to plug those internet leaks: A new report claims Apple may make the switch to automated production lines this year for the batteries which power its mobile devices.

DigiTimes reported Monday that Apple could be readying a fully automated assembly line for production of mobile device batteries, a shift that could help eliminate some of the prying eyes from its supply chain.

Ironically, the report comes from sources within Apple’s “upstream supply chain,” who claim that other mobile vendors are likely to take a cue from Cupertino and follow suit with automated production lines.

While production of the actual materials used to create the batteries as well as final assembly will still be done by human hands, the report claims “manpower is not required” for the rest of the process.

Apple is said to have already automated production of its iMac and Mac Pro production lines, and DigiTimes cites “rising minimum wages in China” as well as an increasing trend for younger people to avoid the manufacturing industry as other reasons for the rumored change.

Automated production lines are also said to allow Apple to “move manufacturing wherever it likes,” although such a move was not expected anytime soon.

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This weekend we said goodbye to an old friend whose legacy will live on in our memories forevermore. Ah, who are we kidding?  obody used the free Twitter Music app, and that’s why the microblogging service is driving a stake in its heart next month. This and oh so much more in our weekend edition of the news recap!

RIP Twitter Music, Funeral Plot Booked for April 18

The end came not with a bang, but a whimper: Engadget reported Friday that Twitter Music will be closing its virtual doors on April 18, nearly a year to the day since its splashy debut. The music aggregation app has already been removed from the App Store, although those who already have it installed will be able to continue using it until the end arrives next month. “We continue to experiment with new ways to bring you great content based on the music activity we see every day on Twitter,” the service explained in a tweet Friday evening, which is typically when most companies try to bury their bad news on the internet.

Wendy’s App Now Allows Mobile Payments at Most Locations

ABC News reported Friday that fresh, juicy hamburgers won’t be the only thing Wendy’s is serving up from now on — customers can also now pay for their meals using a mobile app as well. Although mobile payments via the My Wendy’s app won’t work at every location just yet, the fast food chain says the majority of its 5,800 U.S. locations are ready for it, getting the jump on Burger King, who will launch its own initiative next month. Unfortunately, for now the Wendy’s app requires reloading a virtual gift card similar to how the Starbuck’s app works, instead of actually allowing direct transactions from a debit or credit card, but it’s a start.

Placed App Brings iBeacons Into Your Home

TechCrunch reported Friday that Apple’s geofenced-based iBeacons technology is moving from retail stores into the home, thanks to a new app called Placed. The $2.99 iOS app works in conjunction with Bluetooth LE-enabled Estimote Beacons (available in a development three-pack for $99), which can be placed around the house and set up to trigger a notification at specified times. One such example is sitting down in the living room and having the app automatically open the Remote app, ready to control an Apple TV. Placed also works with a growing list of third-party apps including Fantastical, Timer, Waymate, and Safari, and any app that uses launch URLs can be added manually.

Bruji Updates Pocketpedia for iOS 7

Bruji announced over the weekend that a new version of its Pedia companion Pocketpedia is now available from the App Store, and this one comes bearing the gift of iOS 7 fruit. In fact, iOS 7 is now required to use the latest version, although users on incompatible devices will still be able to access the previous update. In addition to a UI makeover, the Doghouse search feature has now been integrated into the collection screen along with the ability to sort by any field. The $3.99 companion to DVDPedia, CDPedia and BookPedia is also now smarter at adding items to a collection and the developer claims it’s faster than ever, so Pedia owners are encouraged to grab the free update today.

Gmail Goes HTTPS Only, Boasts of 99.978{813a954d5e225a1509f22204ece89c855080ce25555f20805f61bed63cbfde3b} Uptime in 2013

The Official Gmail Blog announced Thursday that Google’s popular email service will now be more secure than ever thanks to the switch to HTTPS only. Perhaps more crucially, that means “every single email message you send or receive — 100 percent of them — is encrypted while moving internally,” making them theoretically invisible to prying eyes from the NSA or other organizations. Last but not least, Gmail was able to crow about having an impressive 99.978 percent uptime during all of 2013, which amounts to roughly “two hours of disruption” per user last year.

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Goodbye, iPad 2, it was nice knowing you: Apple quietly waves goodbye to full-sized iPads without Retina Display and Lightning ports, while an even cheaper version of the iPhone 5c hits the U.K.

Apple announced Tuesday that the iPad 2 has officially been put out to pasture — but in its place, back from the grave and ready to party like the undead in some late-night B-movie, is the previous generation iPad.

In its place, Apple is resurrecting the fourth-generation iPad, which is now known simply as iPad with Retina Display and marketed as “the most affordable 9.7-inch iPad” at only $399 for the 16GB Wi-Fi only model or $529 for Wi-Fi + Cellular.

Apple Vice-President of Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller called the fourth-generation iPad with Retina Display “a dramatic upgrade in power, performance and value compared to the iPad 2 it replaces,” and the black or white models are now available directly from Apple’s online and retail stores.

But that’s not all Cupertino has in store for us today: Across the pond in the United Kingdom, the company has started offering the iPhone 5c in the rumored 8GB flavor, priced at only £429.00 (roughly USD$714) unlocked and SIM-free. Not exactly a bargain considering Britons can double the storage capacity to 16GB for £40 (USD$66) more.

The 8GB iPhone 5c has also popped up on Apple Stores in Australia and China, but there’s no word on if or when it might make its way to the U.S., where it would probably fall somewhere in the neighborhood of $499 unlocked — still a bit too pricy compared to the likes of the Motorola Moto X or Moto G, if you ask us.

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Monday was a big day for Microsoft, who officially launched a revamped, free version of OneNote and celebrated by coming to Mac OS X for the first time. Can the titan from Redmond compete with the likes of Evernote? Time will tell, but for now we’ll sit back and see what happens, along with gathering up all the other news that you might have missed from the last 24 hours or so…

Microsoft Releases Free OneNote for Mac

Microsoft OneNote fans finally had their prayers answered on Monday with the debut of a Mac version, available free on the Mac App Store for the first time ever. But that’s not all: The OneNote service is now completely free across all platforms, with premium features optionally available to paid customers. Billed as “the ultimate extension for your brain” (which sounds curiously close to rival Evernote to us), third-party developers can also join in the fun with a new cloud API which includes IFTTT and popular scanners such as Epson and Neat. Last but not least, the service now includes options for clipping notes from websites or emailing them straight into OneNote as well as connecting to blogs and news articles through popular sources like Feedly and News360.

Cinemagraph Pro for Mac Only $14.99 Until March 20

Flixel Photos pinged us with a heads-up about a pretty amazing deal they’ve got running in the Mac App Store for the next few days. The company’s Cinemagraph Pro for Mac turns photographs into moving videos, and the usually $199.99 software can be had for a mere $14.99 until Thursday, March 20. It’s pretty rare that Mac fans ever see this kind of software discounted by 90 percent, and the deal has pushed Cinemagraph Pro into the ranks of the top paid photo app in more than 76 countries — so grab it before the price soars back into the stratosphere! (Updated with deal cutoff date.)

LifePrint Launches Kickstarter for iPhone Mobile Printer

Taking pictures with a smartphone or tablet is pretty great, but those who miss the tactile feel of real photo prints might want to check out a new Kickstarter campaign for LifePrint. Billed as a “wireless social printer,” the diminutive piece of hardware creates color prints in as little as 60 seconds, and the companion iOS or Android app allows friends and family to link their remote LifePrint printers together and instantly share with each other, even when halfway around the world. The only potential downside is the cost: $200, which includes a modest 10 pieces of film. LifePrint hopes to raise $200,000 by April 25 and have offered some lucrative pledges for both mobile platforms to help entice backers.

Adobe Digital Publishing Suite Adds Native Content Viewers

The fine folks at Adobe pushed out a new update to its Digital Publishing Suite on Monday, and while readers on the iPhone and iPad may not notice any big changes, Android and Windows users certainly will. That’s because DPS now includes native content viewers, which make the non-iOS experience much closer to that of Apple’s own devices. Content creators can also now choose to use an AIR-based DPS App Builder on the Mac, or a web-based version that can be used on any platform. The entire process is also now more secure now that DPS enable encryption of .folio files during delivery to Adobe’s servers, while text and push notifications are now more streamlined than ever. Last but not least, Adobe has made the technical specifications for the .folio format available to all under a free license, presumably a first step toward making the file format as widespread as PDF.

Microsoft Finally Debuts AT&T LTE-Equipped Surface 2

Tuesday, March 18 is the day Windows 8.1 tablet lovers have been waiting for: Microsoft announced Monday that the Surface 2 is now available in a model with mobile broadband built-in, courtesy of AT&T’s 4G LTE service. The 64GB variant sells for $679, but you’ll need to head to the Microsoft Store or Best Buy (web or retail) to nab one — AT&T won’t actually be selling this model. The good news is the Surface 2 with AT&T 4G LTE can be added to an existing Mobile Share plan for only $10 per month, and the carrier has plenty of other enticing prepaid and postpaid packages available, and the deal includes 200GB of free OneDrive cloud storage for two years.

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BlackBerry may be down, but judging from their rabid, die-hard fan base, they may not be completely out after taking T-Mobile’s CEO to task over how the carrier started recommending the iPhone to customers.

BGR reported Monday that T-Mobile US CEO John Legere has learned the hard way not to poke a sleeping giant with a sharp stick — in this case, but recommending a more popular smartphone instead of a BlackBerry.

The problem began last week when T-Mobile started contacting BlackBerry users with the not-so-subtle suggestion that they should upgrade to the iPhone 5s for $0 down, calling it “a great offer for BlackBerry customers.”

Apparently die-hard BlackBerry junkies didn’t agree, and started pummeling Legere and Co. on social networks to let them know they weren’t happy about being treated as second-class citizens.

Realizing the error of his ways, Legere took to Twitter to let BlackBerry users know that he hears them “loud and clear” and plans to “work with the team” to come up with more appropriate BlackBerry promotions in the future.

We’d love to know just how many BlackBerry faithful actually took T-Mobile up on the offer, and how many stalwarts were left standing to defend the artist formerly known as Research in Motion…

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They say the road to hell is paved with good intentions, but in the case of Clear for iOS owners who were spitting fire and brimstone over Realmac’s upgrade policy late last year, it’s never too late to change.

Realmac Software announced Tuesday that the company has had a change of heart over Clear+, the universal version of its popular to-do list app for iOS 7 introduced back in September as an entirely new release.

Despite the long-awaited universal support, Clear users clearly weren’t thrilled having to pay for the app all over again. Realmac responded quickly by restoring the original iPhone version with iOS 7 support, but they’re going a step further in an effort to get all users onto a single version.

Starting today, Realmac is encouraging Clear+ users to migrate back to the original Clear for iOS, which has now been updated with universal support for the iPad. Those who already own both versions can do this by simply reinstalling the earlier version, launching the app to migrate lists and settings and then deleting Clear+ from their devices.

For everyone else, Realmac is planning to make Clear free for 24 hours so there are no Clear+ owners left behind. In fact, the company is planning to do this twice, and has posted a signup page on their website which will notify customers so they won’t miss the free offer.

“We know this is risky — we rely on the income from Clear to run our small, independent company — and so whilst this was by no means an easy decision for us to make, we simply want to do the right thing for you, our customers,” said Realmac Software founder Dan Counsell.

In addition to the Clear consolidation, Realmac is teasing a forthcoming free update that will add reminders to the apps, so be sure to hit the link and sign up to be notified when the original Clear goes free.

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Streaming giant Netflix might have scored its biggest coup to date by being bundled with Time Warner Cable service, but Comcast’s acquisition ambitions could very well put the brakes on those plans.

Bloomberg reported Tuesday that Comcast’s proposed $45.2 billion acquisition of Time Warner Cable could have ripple effects beyond the respective companies’ traditional product offerings, threatening the launch of an internet-infused set-top box platform.

Time Warner Cable is said to have been well into negotiations with Netflix to include its streaming video catalog as part of the traditional cable television content offered on its set-top boxes. Those plans could now be derailed completely by Comcast, who reportedly is also in early discussions with Netflix.

Comcast’s own X1 box shines a spotlight on streaming content, including movie and TV show sales or rentals as well as services such as Netflix — but analysts note that Comcast hasn’t been as aggressive as Time Warner in embracing such streaming rivals.

“They will not be in any kind of rush to let Netflix on their cable box and cannibalize their business,” said Arvind Bhatia, an analyst at Sterne Agee & Leach Inc.

With 44.4 million online subscribers, Netflix has been successful thus far at signing with two European cable providers, but is now eyeing further growth by piggybacking onto services that use TiVo-branded set-top boxes. By comparison, the combined Comcast and Time Warner would make up the largest cable conglomerate with nearly 30 million subscribers.

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If you’re just rubbing the sleep out of your eyes prior to heading outside to dig out of yet another polar blast, shut down the snow blower and drop that shovel — we’ve got three days worth of weekend to catch up on in this edition, and you won’t want to miss a single story. Let’s dig in before you dig out!

Apple, Google Have Had Enough of Flappy Bird Clones

Are you sick of hearing about Flappy Bird and having to wade through the clones that have sprung up in its wake? According to TechCrunch, so are Apple and Google, who have started clamping down on imitators with the word “flappy” in their title. Both companies nixed developer Mind Juice Media’s submission Flappy Dragon, which Apple claimed “attempts to leverage a popular app.” Of course, the damage is already done, with knockoffs such as Flappy Bee, Flappy Plane, Flappy Super Hero, Flappy Flyer and Flappy Bird Flyer already having snuck through the gates, which are more than enough to keep anguished Flappy Bird players busy.

Boinx Holding Stop-Motion Animation Events at NYC Apple Stores

Stop-motion animation lovers in the New York City area may want to swing by an Apple retail store this Thursday to get a family oriented, hands-on look at iStopMotion for iPad. Developer Boinx Software and the team from Animation Chefs are holding two such free events on February 20, hitting the Apple Store Upper West Side from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. EST, then darting over to the Apple Store Grand Central from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. EST. To reserve your place, click the appropriate link above and follow the event listing on Apple’s website — and don’t forget to bring the kids!

Roxio Brings Stripped-Down Toast Disc Burning to Mac App Store

Now that Apple has banished the SuperDrive from its entire product line, Roxio has been largely quiet when it comes to major updates for its venerable Toast disc-burning software. But the Corel-owned division isn’t giving up entirely, having recently released Toast Burn, a $19.99 Mac App Store offering that strips out most of the multimedia features from the more expensive Toast Titanium and delivers a compact app for copying or burning data discs. Unfortunately for Roxio, there are plenty of cheaper apps on the Mac App Store that already perform such simplistic tasks, but kudos for taking the plunge and here’s hoping there will be at least one more big Toast Titanium release down the road for those of us who still use CD, DVD or Blu-ray media.

Open Source Tizen OS Announces 15 New Partners

The Tizen Association announced last week that 15 new companies have joined the ranks of its Partner Program, which launched in November of last year with 36 members. Tizen is an up-and-coming open source mobile operating system whose ranks include Samsung, LG, Huawei, Intel and Vodafone, and are now joined by Chinese handset maker ZTE, AccuWeather, Japanese carrier SoftBank Mobile and most curiously, third-placed U.S. carrier Sprint, who presumably will be among the first to offer Tizen OS-based handsets when they finally launch.

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Being a fan of Apple’s Mac Pro often requires extreme patience — especially when it’s taking months for Cupertino to get around to actually shipping them, which is currently scheduled for April.

MacRumors reported Tuesday that the late 2013 Mac Pro continues to be hard to come by, with shipping estimates for many countries now having slipped to April as supplies remain constrained.

Although the U.S. Apple Online Store continued to show a March shipping estimate when the report went live overnight, that’s definitely not the case as this post is being written, with an “available to ship” date of April for both models.

The only good news is that decking out a new Mac Pro with custom options doesn’t seem to further delay the shipping date, suggesting that Apple’s new U.S. assembly line is having trouble keeping up with demand — both here and abroad.

“The new April shipping estimates are in effect for stock and custom configurations throughout Apple’s online stores for Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) and Asia Pacific (APAC) operational regions,” MacRumors noted.

But hey, we’re almost into the middle of February, which leaves only one calendar month between now and April… right?

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