Tuesday, June 18th	Last updated: 9:12 PM EST

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Steve Jobs video from 1994 unearthed, shows reflections on legacy ...
In apparent response to a question that compared the computer and Internet revolution of the 80s and 90s to a new Renaissance, a never-publicly-seen video of Steve Jobs in 1994 -- while he was still with NeXT -- sees the bearded and reflective Apple co-founder commenting on his likely legacy and the place of the industry he helped create. The video was uploaded to a YouTube channel called "EverySteveJobsVideo" on Tuesday and comes from the Silicon Valley Historical Association. [C o n t i n u ed... | print | email | comment] 

Social network Facebook has updated its iOS app to v6.2, which brings new access to change who can see something a user has shared, the ability to start a conversation based on photos users receive in messages, and the addition of icons to status updates that show emotions or what a user is reading or watching. The "status update icons" were added to the desktop version of the program in April, but mobile support has been missing until now. The update also includes the usual bug fixes, and the app can be downloaded for free from the App Store.

Apple has updated its iOS mass-deployment configuration and management tool, Configurator, to version 1.3. The free app works with iPhone, iPad and iPod touch devices, and now offers "significantly improved" reliability, scalability and performance, the ability to cancel scheduled or even in-progress operations, and more. There is a new status view that includes time estimates and error information with recovery suggestions, and administrators can now install apps on devices configured to not allow users to install apps.

Apple has posted twin Java updates for OS X, Java for OS X 2013-004 and Mac OS X v10.6 Update 16. Both deal with security, stability, and compatibility flaws. The first is targeted at Lion and Mountain Lion users, while the second is for Snow Leopard only.

Soundfreaq has announced the Sound Step Lightning, a new speaker dock. The unit takes its name from a Lightning port compatible with the latest generation of Apple mobile devices. Significantly, though, it also accepts input via Bluetooth, a stereo cable source, or 30-pin Apple devices connected through USB. The USB port can charge any connected device. Playback is controlled with capacitive touch buttons, an IR remote, or connected hardware.

Digital games distributor Good Old Games (GOG) has added System Shock 2, called one of the most influential games in history to its cross-platform library. In addition to the seminal first-person shooter, the company has also added 10 more titles to its library for the Macintosh, and has made dungeon crawler Torchlight free until 12:59 GMT on June 20 to kick off its summer sale, with daily deals of up to 85 percent off.

Peripheral maker iHome has announced three new FM radio alarm docks, all equipped with Lightning docks for later-generation Apple devices. The standard model is the iDL45, which also has a secondary USB port that can be used to play and charge older Apple devices with 30-pin connectors. Some other features include time sync, EQ controls, programmable snooze lengths, and dual alarms with custom day and time settings.

Mac Elite "FireWire" is trying to figure out why their iMac keeps shutting off when the CPU temp reaches 50°C in the thread titled "iMac doesn't adjust fan speed, and dies." Forum goers help "Laminar" troubleshoot a problem in which Time Machine doesn't see their most recent backups.

Currently at Apple's online store save on refurbished iPads, iPods and Apple TV. The iPad mini with 16GB of storage space, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, and dual-core A5 chip is now $279 after a $50 discount. A $170 discount is offered on the refurbished iPad with 16GB of storage, Wi-Fi and Cellular with Verizon, it is now only $409.

Currently Newegg.com has the QNAP high performance 6-bay NAS server for the reduced price of $851.99. That's $78 off the list price of $929.99, and until June 30th, use coupon code 'QNAPNAS030' at checkout to drop the price further to $751.99 with free delivery. That's the best deal we've seen by $77. The QNAP NAS system features a 2.13GHz Intel Atom dual-core processor, 1GB of RAM, six SATA ports, two eSATA ports, two USB 3.0 ports, five USB 2.0 ports and two Gigabit Ethernet ports. A one year warranty on parts and labor is included from QNAP.

Flexibits has released Chatology, a new Mac app for users of Messages or iChat. The app is designed to search through chat session content more efficiently than Apple's own tools allow. This includes faster search retrieval, and options to narrow searches to a specific time range. Images and links in conversations are automatically filtered into their own tabs for easier access.

Tweaking the iOS 7 beta reveals hidden settings that hint at Apple plans and/or concepts for the firmware, reports say. These include OS-wide edge- and corner-swipe gestures, which would come on top of edge-swipe commands in apps like Safari and Messages. The edge gestures would reportedly be used for quick app switching.

After only two weeks, Goji has managed to raise more than $100,000 towards the production of its Smart Lock. The Goji Smart Lock is an automatic deadbolt that can be unlocked wirelessly with a Bluetooth-enabled device. On top of basic locking and unlocking functionality, the Goji also includes several tools for monitoring who has access to a home. Every time the lock is activated the Goji Smart Lock snaps a picture and sends a real-time app and get notification to a designated mobile phone. The device also keeps a log of all activity related to the Smart Lock which can be reviewed at any time from the Goji Mobile App or through an online Goji account. Expected to begin shipping this December, the Goji Smart Lock will retail for $278 but can currently be purchased with a $235 pledge.

A Japanese case maker, MGM Corp., has produced what news site Macotakara claims is a case for the rumored low-cost iPhone. Compared with an equally thin case for the iPhone 5, the new one is said to be 2mm thicker, and use rounded edges instead of flat ones. A rear cutout appears to leave enough space for a camera lens and a flash.

Apple has changed the way Siri responds to suicide references, users have discovered. Until this week, the system would simply display the locations of nearby mental health facilities. In the US Siri will now ask people if they want to talk to someone at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. On an iPhone, Siri can also ask to dial directly.

While Microsoft rules the desktop browser space with IE, mobile analytics continually show that Apple dominates mobile browser usage with Safari. Like every other pre-installed app in the iOS 7 beta, Apple has given it a complete revision. It still feels familiar, but bears an all-new design and works a little differently to the way it does in iOS 6. Do the changes add or detract from what is the most popular mobile browser on the market?

Adobe has formally released the full Adobe Creative Cloud software, marking the next generation of its venerable Creative Suite and officially making its subscription-based, cloud-authorized software the default option going forward. Although the company will continue to sell copies of Adobe CS6 -- which features a traditional "perpetual" license -- for the time being, the new "Adobe CC" package features a number of enhancements to each of the programs within that are not available to non-Creative Cloud subscribers.

Monday, June 17th	Last updated: 10:34 PM EST

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Apple TV gains iTunes Radio support, new features in v5.4 beta ...
Though not explicitly mentioned during the Worldwide Developer's Conference keynote, the Apple TV will also be receiving an update to its differently-numbered iOS software in the near future -- one that supports iTunes Radio and offers a few minor new features. The first beta, which is referred to as iOS 5.4 (notably skipping 5.3 entirely), doesn't yet make any severe design changes but does add support for the forthcoming iTunes Radio, allowing developers a chance to test the service. [C o n t i n u ed... | print | email | comment] 

According to reports, AT&T has commenced the effort to enable Apple FaceTime support and Google+ video chat for all customers on its cellular network, not just those on a capped mobile sharing plan. The move starts to fulfill a promise the company made in May to allow customers even on grandfathered "unlimited Internet" plans to use the service.

According to a an email exchange between then-CEO Steve Jobs and Senior Vice President of Internet Software and Services Eddy Cue submitted in court earlier today as part of the Department of Justice's e-book price-fixing trial, Apple's co-founder and then-leader read Mac rumor-and-news sites such as AppleInsider and would question the veracity of items found there. In the exchange, which happened just three months after Apple had launched the iBookstore, Jobs wants to know more about self-publishing options.

HighPoint, an industry leading Storage HBA and solutions manufacturer, has launched a new selection of cost-effective hardware RAID HBAs for PC and Mac platforms -- the RocketRAID 362x series. The new line of PCI-E RAID cards are ideal for large-scale configurations of 6Gb per second SATA hard drives, and were designed specifically for I/O intensive business and media applications that require data redundancy coupled with consistent transfer rates.

Shortly after the publication of what is purported to be an "iPhone 5S" bare logic board that hadn't yet had any chips attached to it, a repair company called iHeart Repair in Florida has revealed new images of what is said to the be the display assembly of the forthcoming iPhone revision. Though the images do not reveal any huge changes, the alternation of where a pair of flex connectors is situated matches the logic board, meaning the parts would fit together correctly if mated and supporting their legitimacy. Why Apple may have made the change isn't clear.

Oculus VR, Inc., a virtual-reality headset manufacturer, today announced that it has closed a deal for $16 million in funding. The round was co-led by Spark Capital and Matrix Partners. Santo Politi, Spark founder and general partner; and Antonio Rodriguez, entrepreneur and general partner at Matrix, have joined the company's board of directors. The funds will be used to accelerate the development of virtual reality hardware, software and services, ultimately creating commercially-available virtual reality platforms.

Under questioning at the ongoing DoJ v. Apple antitrust trial, the man who negotiated Apple's iBookstore deals with publishers -- Eddy Cue -- today disclosed some minor facts about Steve Jobs' involvement with the iBooks app. The topic came up during examination by Apple attorney Orin Snyder. Earlier in the trial, Cue established that Jobs was heavily into the concept of iBooks and the iBookstore once iPad development started ramping up. During today's testimony, Cue revealed that Jobs had micromanaged some of the smallest details of iBooks.

Two more "anonymous" patent re-examination requests for Apple patents have been filed with the US Patent and Trade Office (USPTO). The two patents, involving Apple's Visual Voicemail and autocorrect features, are both at stake in the ongoing legal maneuvers between the Cupertino manufacturer and Samsung.

The Department of Justice's antitrust case against Apple is entering its final four days this week, according to Fortune. The original orchestrator of Apple's publisher deals for the iBookstore, Eddy Cue, is resuming court testimony today, having last testified on Thursday afternoon. Today's topics are expected to include a dinner Cue had with Macmillan's CEO, and disputed emails written to Cue by former Apple CEO Steve Jobs.

A paperback version of Walter Isaacson's Steve Jobs is going on sale September 10th, according to publisher Simon & Schuster. The new edition will differ little from previous digital and hardcover releases, mainly gaining a new afterword and a new cover. The latter is a photo by Norman Seeff shot in 1984, but with Jobs in the exact same pose as the previous cover, which used an Albert Watson portrait from 2006.

Sprint has expanded its 4G LTE coverage in the United States. The addition of LTE to 22 more markets means that Sprint now covers a total of 110 areas, with the carrier also naming other locations that will have LTE access in the coming months, bringing it closer to its goal of covering 200 million people with its LTE network by the end of this year.

Screenshots out of a hacked iOS 7 simulator show a facsimile of what the iPad edition of iOS 7 will look like, reports say. The images, captured by Sonny Dickson, depict apps like Maps, Safari, and the Game, Control, and Notification Centers. Buttons appear to be rearranged in some instances, and/or include functions that would only make sense on an iPhone or iPod touch, such as a camera flash trigger.

The Wikimedia Foundation has not been compromised under the PRISM spying program, and has not been asked to collect data on behalf of the National Security Agency (NSA), according to a statement released over the weekend. The foundation is also asking for feedback about what it should do about the threat to the privacy of its users and contributors.

In celebration of its tenth anniversary, IGG Software is offering a $10 discount on all of its Mac apps, including iBank 4, iBiz 4, iBiz Pro, iBiz 4 Client and iPaste. The discount applies to all purchases of full versions of the software through the online store, as well as through the Mac App Store. The discounted prices are already reflected in both stores and will remain in effect until July 15. In addition, iBank for iPad has also been reduced to $10 for the duration of the anniversary sale.

Microsoft-owned Skype today announced that its Video Messaging feature has left the preview stage and should now be available in most of its native client apps. Desktop support includes OS X and Windows/Windows 8. Compatible mobile platforms, meanwhile, include iPhone, iPad, Android, and BlackBerry.

A Japanese parts company, Moumantai, says it has obtained a logic board for Apple's next-generation iPhone, commonly expected to be called the iPhone 5S. The board is similar in design to the one for the iPhone 5, but shows some significant differences in the layout of its chips, circuitry, and holes. While no chips are actually attached, the space for the main processor hints that Apple's next A-series chip will be larger than the A6, which is currently used in the iPhone 5.

A new photo shows what is claimed to be one of Logitech's upcoming MFi-certified game controllers. The image, obtained by Kotaku, depicts a gamepad with a D-pad and four action buttons; a fifth button's purpose is unknown. The hardware appears designed to fit an iPhone 5 or a fifth-generation iPod touch.

Apple has issued a rare follow-up public statement on the ongoing crisis over the National Security Agency's PRISM spying program. Reports revealed that the NSA is using PRISM to collect communications data from internal servers at major technology companies such as Apple, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft. All of the companies have denied providing a government backdoor; Apple in particular was quick to claim that it had "never heard of PRISM," even though the Washington Post says the company fought against joining PRISM for five years before finally participating. Apple added that it doesn't "provide any government agency with direct access to our servers -- and any government agency requesting customer data must get a court order."

If you’ve read Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson, you will know that iOS is built off the same UNIX kernel as Mac OS X. This means that, like Mac OS X, Apple could have given the iPhone more fully featured multitasking than we have previously seen. In Mac OS X, multitasking and fast app switching in the form of Expose and Mission Control have been very popular. This has been emulated in the Android mobile OS and applied successfully. However, for reasons of battery conservation and perhaps even simplicity, Apple has avoided implementing full multitasking and fast app switching on the iPhone -- until now and the advent of iOS 7.

Saturday, June 15th	Last updated: 9:44 PM EST

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A closer look: iOS 7 Control and Notification Centers ...
In addition to a wide-ranging design overhaul of iOS in the iOS 7 beta, Apple also highlighted that iOS 7 also contains a number of feature enhancements as well. This is no mean feat. The resources required to pull off a complete UI overhaul while at the same time developing new features for the operating system to extend its functionality in the space of 8 months is impressive. One of the most significant of the functional enhancements is the new iOS Control Center, which brings with it quick access to range of most used settings and other utilities. [C o n t i n u ed... | print | email | comment] 

Canadian customers of Rogers and Telus will soon be able to pick up LTE-connected versions of Apple's iPad and iPad mini. The two carriers have announced that Wi-Fi + Cellular iPads will be arriving "in the coming weeks," though they've offered no additional details on when to expect them. The emergence of Apple's tablets on the two networks will mark the first time that Canadian customers will have the option to pick up an iPad in a carrier's store.

Friday, June 14th	Last updated: 11:00 PM EST

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AT&T now pushing iPhone update to add Wireless Emergency Alert ...
An FCC mandate for a Wireless Emergency Alert system implemented on mobile devices is now being delivered to iPhones by AT&T, the country's second-largest carrier. The government-issued messages will appear in a manner similar to text messages, reports AppleInsider, but are actually delivered by a different and faster system (at no charge to the user). They will include mandatory Presidential alerts (issued by the White House), and the option to receive Imminent Threat alerts and AMBER alerts. [C o n t i n u ed... | print | email | comment] 

For a brief period on Friday, a set of what appears to have been "unfinished" or "rough draft" icons for iOS 7 appeared on a mobile version of the page promoting the new beta instead of the icons that are actually included in the current beta. This is not the first time discrepancies between the current iOS 7 icons and alternative versions have been noticed: the presentation during the WWDC keynote on Monday also featured some that are not quite the same as in the beta given to developers. Also discovered at the bottom of the Apple page was a picture of iOS 7 running on the iPad and iPad mini.

Mobile advertising and analytics firm Chitika has noted that some 0.22 percent of the iPhone and iPod Touch US userbase is already running the iOS 7 beta, just a few days following its debut. While reports of iOS 7 testing were seen on most Mac, iOS and technology sites for weeks before its first developer release, the sheer growth of the beta OS has grown steadily since Monday, doubling what was seen in the final beta of iOS 6, for example. On top of that, the iOS 6 beta also included iPads, while an iPad version of iOS 7 is not yet available.

Starting June 21st, AT&T is officially adding LTE 4G support and a new set of plans to its GoPhone prepaid network. The base tier costs $25 per month, and includes unlimited texting and 250 voice minutes, but no data unless a person pays an extra $5 for 50MB. With a $40 plan people can upgrade to 500 minutes and 200MB of data, expandable to 300MB for $5.

Software developer The Foundry had test access to the new Mac Pro well prior to the computer's reveal at WWDC, the company tells AppleInsider. An eight-week-old Mac port of The Foundry's MARI 3D rendering tool was demonstrated at WWDC earlier this week. The developer says, though, that Apple earlier allowed it to work with the new Mac Pro in Apple's Cupertino headquarters, in a room known as the "Evil Lab."

Right now find big savings on refurbished iMacs at Apple's online store. The refurbished 27-inch iMac with a 3.2GHz Intel quad-core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 1TB hard drive has been reduced by $300 to $1,699. At the bottom of the price scale is the 21.5-inch iMac with a 2.7GHz Intel quad-core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 1TB hard drive, it was $1,299, but is now only $1,099.

Today in the MacNN forums, members continue to talk about, as well as debate the usefulness of, the new features in OS X Mavericks. Yesterday Senior User "And.reg" was looking for a way to sync the play position of a podcast on iTunes with their iPod.

Today's deal of the day from BestBuy.com is on the VIZIO E-Series Razor 55-inch LED HDTV which was $900, but has been reduced to $780, a savings of $120. That's also the lowest price we have seen on this HDTV by the same price margin. Free shipping is included, though sales tax applies for residents of most states. The VIZIO E-Series features built-in Netflix, Pandora, Facebook YouTube and Twitter along with 3D playback, LED backlighting and virtual surround sound. A one-year warranty on parts and labor is included from VIZIO.

First announced at this year's CES, Blue Microphones' Nessie is now available for purchase through Apple's retail and online stores. Priced at $99 the USB microphone features a built-in pop filter and shock mount that can help reduce harsh plosives and other vibrations. Nessie uses a single condenser capsule for recording audio, and provides users with three different recording modes that are optimized for enhanced vocals, instruments, or an option for recording raw audio. In addition, Nessie can also be attached to an iPad or iPhone using Apple's 30-pin or Lightning camera adapters.

Digital Anarchy released their latest updated photo re-touching software Beauty Box Video 3.0. The latest edition of the plug-in accommodates Adobe After Effects, Adobe Premiere Pro, and Apple Final Cut Pro 7 and X, with support for Assimilate Scratch, Sony Vegas, Nuke, and Avid currently available in beta upon request.

Since the fourth-generation iPad didn't evolve much over its predecessor, the market for iPad accessories has remained somewhat static, to put it mildly. Certainly some new gear had to be produced for the Lightning connector, but even now most iPad cases will still accommodate the old 30-pin format. It takes a little extra to make a case stand out, and that's what Logitech seems to have had in mind with the FabricSkin Keyboard Folio. In our review, we'll see if it's enough to justify the FabricSkin's pricetag -- a colossal $150.

Pegatron has won a contract to assemble a low-cost iPhone with a plastic back, as well as the second-generation iPad mini, and will start shipping both to Apple in August, say supply chain sources in Taiwan. Parts for both products are expected to emerge from suppliers in July. One company, Casetek, has been identified as a chassis supplier, but for which product(s) is unmentioned.

News from the past week.