Thursday, June 2, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Inside Mac OS X 10.7 Lion: New Wi-Fi Diagnostics tool
Apple has added a new Wi-Fi Diagnostics utility to monitor the performance of wireless networks, record events, capture raw network frames, and log diagnostic data that can be sent to Apple by users for troubleshooting.
The new app is in the hidden /System/Library/CoreServices folder, where Mac OS X stores a variety of utility apps that are integrated into the Mac desktop, including the Dock, Finder, Software Update, and Archive Utility.
Users can launch the tool by Option clicking on the Wi-Fi Menu Bar icon, which then presents an otherwise hidden "Open Wi-Fi Diagnostics" option (below).
The new app is in the hidden /System/Library/CoreServices folder, where Mac OS X stores a variety of utility apps that are integrated into the Mac desktop, including the Dock, Finder, Software Update, and Archive Utility.
Users can launch the tool by Option clicking on the Wi-Fi Menu Bar icon, which then presents an otherwise hidden "Open Wi-Fi Diagnostics" option (below).
Mac OS X 10.7 Lion sets, finds, corrects insecure folder permissions
Mac OS X 10.7 Lion makes system wide changes to standard folder ownership and permissions to enhance security, finding and recommending changes where necessary.
Apple reportedly informed developers that a number of folders in the System and Local file system domains would be changing their default permissions in Lion. This includes many system and Library folders moving from 775 (writable by the admin group) to 755 (writable only by root). This change prevents modification of core system files without authenticating as the root user.
The only remaining local Library folders that will support admin group writing include Caches, Fonts, Java, QuickTimeStreaming, Receipts and Tomcat; all others require root access to modify.
A developer reports to AppleInsider that this changes the required permissions on installed printer queues, but that the system handles this by simply noting after installation that a correction is needed. Once the user approves of the change, the system adjusts the permissions as it records the issue in the CUPS error log (below).
Another Mac OS X Lion, feature related to Auto Save (described earlier in our report on Auto Save, Versions and Time Machine), is also getting a new setting in System Preferences.
Under the Appearance pane, a new option to lock Auto Save documents after a specific time interval has been added in Lion DP2. The previous setting was to default at two weeks, with no option to turn the lock feature off.
Apple reportedly informed developers that a number of folders in the System and Local file system domains would be changing their default permissions in Lion. This includes many system and Library folders moving from 775 (writable by the admin group) to 755 (writable only by root). This change prevents modification of core system files without authenticating as the root user.
The only remaining local Library folders that will support admin group writing include Caches, Fonts, Java, QuickTimeStreaming, Receipts and Tomcat; all others require root access to modify.
A developer reports to AppleInsider that this changes the required permissions on installed printer queues, but that the system handles this by simply noting after installation that a correction is needed. Once the user approves of the change, the system adjusts the permissions as it records the issue in the CUPS error log (below).
Another Mac OS X Lion, feature related to Auto Save (described earlier in our report on Auto Save, Versions and Time Machine), is also getting a new setting in System Preferences.
Under the Appearance pane, a new option to lock Auto Save documents after a specific time interval has been added in Lion DP2. The previous setting was to default at two weeks, with no option to turn the lock feature off.
Inside Mac OS X 10.7 Lion: AirDrop local file sharing
Mac OS X 10.7 Lion introduces a new feature in the Finder named AirDrop, designed for easy file sharing between nearby systems.
AirDrop has nothing in common with DropBox, a cloud-based file sharing service more akin to iDisk. Instead, AirDrop allows users to discover nearby users and share files with them directly, without needing to configure a common WiFi network.
For users who are already on the same network, it's long been possible to set up File Sharing, exchange account information and then perform file transfers. However, this involves some relatively complex technical understanding that many users find confusing, despite Apple's efforts to simplify things.
The concept of infrastructure mode networking is similar to meeting people on Facebook, where everyone logs in and can exchange messages easily, even with new people. The problem with this kind of networking, however, is that it requires a sophisticated central entity managing the network, accounts, and all of your shared messages (the job FaceBook does).
If you don't have an established network, you're now in the position of being at a party in a room full of strangers. You'll need to approach people and exchange pleasantries in person, something you won't need the infrastructure of a system like FaceBook to do. Of course, to do this, you'll need to all speak the same language, you might need an introduction, and others will have to want to talk to you.
That type of "ad hoc" networking can already be done between systems using a protocol like Bluetooth, which can introduce two devices and support simple file transfers. Bluetooth is rather slow however, and involves a layer of security that involves a PIN exchange. WiFi is much faster, but users typically use it in "infrastructure" mode, which assumes that you have a central base station negotiating the network transaction for you (and, like Time Capsule, perhaps also providing a shared disk).
Lion's new AirDrop makes basic file exchange between nearby users as simple as Bluetooth, as fast as WiFi, and as easy as drag and drop, with layers of security and personalization that combine with Apple's easily understandable user interface to make a conceptually complex task easy to initiate even for non technical users.
Three similar solutions
There's already a couple emerging standards aiming to do what AirDrop does. The developers of Bluetooth (which functions like a wireless USB link) have released Bluetooth 3.0+HS, which speeds up Bluetooth file transfers by initiating a connection over Bluetooth and then switching to WiFi to actually send the data.
The developers behind WiFi (which is expressly designed to provide wireless networking rather than being intended to support wireless peripherals like Bluetooth) have codified WiFi Direct, a new protocol that allows a WiFi enabled device to act more like Bluetooth on the side: finding other devices, establishing a temporary secure link, and then supporting direct file transfers or printer connections, for example.
Apple's AirDrop isn't based on either protocol, but works similar to WiFi Direct. It allows Macs (and likely in the future, iOS devices) to discover nearby systems capable of AirDrop, negotiate a secure ad hoc connection via WiFi (even if both systems are already connected to different WiFi base stations), then presents a simple interface that depicts each discovered user, allowing for files to simply be dropped on an icon to begin a transfer. The receiving user only needs to accept the transfer. It's as simple as shaking hands with a stranger.
AirDrop vs Bonjour
Note that Apple's Bonjour technology (formerly called Rendezvous) does something different: it helps systems on the same local (infrastructure mode) network to advertise and discover available services (such as shared printers, iTunes or iPhoto libraries, or Apple File Server shares), without having to manually configure a centralized DNS to allow finding what's available.
AirDrop works a bit like Bonjour without an existing network, enabling discovery of non-networked systems available and willing to set up a temporary connection. AirDrop's technology is currently used solely for file transfers in the Finder, but it is potentially useful for a variety of tasks (including printing or trading contacts), especially on mobile devices.
It appears AirDrop acts like a Bonjour for SSID (WiFi network name) advertisements which other WiFi interfaces can browse and connect to, as opposed to the traditional Bonjour role of AppleTalk-like IP DNS advertisements on an established network.
AirDrop has nothing in common with DropBox, a cloud-based file sharing service more akin to iDisk. Instead, AirDrop allows users to discover nearby users and share files with them directly, without needing to configure a common WiFi network.
For users who are already on the same network, it's long been possible to set up File Sharing, exchange account information and then perform file transfers. However, this involves some relatively complex technical understanding that many users find confusing, despite Apple's efforts to simplify things.
The concept of infrastructure mode networking is similar to meeting people on Facebook, where everyone logs in and can exchange messages easily, even with new people. The problem with this kind of networking, however, is that it requires a sophisticated central entity managing the network, accounts, and all of your shared messages (the job FaceBook does).
If you don't have an established network, you're now in the position of being at a party in a room full of strangers. You'll need to approach people and exchange pleasantries in person, something you won't need the infrastructure of a system like FaceBook to do. Of course, to do this, you'll need to all speak the same language, you might need an introduction, and others will have to want to talk to you.
That type of "ad hoc" networking can already be done between systems using a protocol like Bluetooth, which can introduce two devices and support simple file transfers. Bluetooth is rather slow however, and involves a layer of security that involves a PIN exchange. WiFi is much faster, but users typically use it in "infrastructure" mode, which assumes that you have a central base station negotiating the network transaction for you (and, like Time Capsule, perhaps also providing a shared disk).
Lion's new AirDrop makes basic file exchange between nearby users as simple as Bluetooth, as fast as WiFi, and as easy as drag and drop, with layers of security and personalization that combine with Apple's easily understandable user interface to make a conceptually complex task easy to initiate even for non technical users.
Three similar solutions
There's already a couple emerging standards aiming to do what AirDrop does. The developers of Bluetooth (which functions like a wireless USB link) have released Bluetooth 3.0+HS, which speeds up Bluetooth file transfers by initiating a connection over Bluetooth and then switching to WiFi to actually send the data.
The developers behind WiFi (which is expressly designed to provide wireless networking rather than being intended to support wireless peripherals like Bluetooth) have codified WiFi Direct, a new protocol that allows a WiFi enabled device to act more like Bluetooth on the side: finding other devices, establishing a temporary secure link, and then supporting direct file transfers or printer connections, for example.
Apple's AirDrop isn't based on either protocol, but works similar to WiFi Direct. It allows Macs (and likely in the future, iOS devices) to discover nearby systems capable of AirDrop, negotiate a secure ad hoc connection via WiFi (even if both systems are already connected to different WiFi base stations), then presents a simple interface that depicts each discovered user, allowing for files to simply be dropped on an icon to begin a transfer. The receiving user only needs to accept the transfer. It's as simple as shaking hands with a stranger.
AirDrop vs Bonjour
Note that Apple's Bonjour technology (formerly called Rendezvous) does something different: it helps systems on the same local (infrastructure mode) network to advertise and discover available services (such as shared printers, iTunes or iPhoto libraries, or Apple File Server shares), without having to manually configure a centralized DNS to allow finding what's available.
AirDrop works a bit like Bonjour without an existing network, enabling discovery of non-networked systems available and willing to set up a temporary connection. AirDrop's technology is currently used solely for file transfers in the Finder, but it is potentially useful for a variety of tasks (including printing or trading contacts), especially on mobile devices.
It appears AirDrop acts like a Bonjour for SSID (WiFi network name) advertisements which other WiFi interfaces can browse and connect to, as opposed to the traditional Bonjour role of AppleTalk-like IP DNS advertisements on an established network.
Inside Mac OS X 10.7 Lion: iChat 6 adds Yahoo IM, account integration, web page sharing
Apple's iCal 4.0 in Mac OS X 10.7 Lion's second Developer Preview adopts an iPad appearance and a new annual view.
Following the footsteps of Address Book 6.0, iCal 4.0 adopts an appearance similar to the iPad Calendar, with a leather bound top and pages that appear to be ripped off from the top edge.
Apart from the novelty "leather" menu bar, the overall look and feel of the app is nearly identical to the previous iCal, apart from a new Year view, which is both new to iCal and also to both the iPad and MobileMe versions of Apple's Calendar apps.
The iPad version of Calendar uses the same brown leather look as Lion's new iCal, but more closely matches the layout and design of the MobileMe Calendar, with a quick date selector at the bottom and a List view missing from Mac OS X's iCal.
Both the iPad and MobileMe calendars present a Day view as an open book, Week and Month views as a tear off calendar pad, and a List view that depicts upcoming event in a spiral bound section next to a torn-page Day view.
Lion's iCal presents the same torn page look for every view. Also different between the MobileMe and Lion version is the To Do list, which is represented as a tear off pad next to the calendar; in Lion's iCal, the To Do list is a conventional list that doesn't quite fit into the "torn page" appearance.
Following the footsteps of Address Book 6.0, iCal 4.0 adopts an appearance similar to the iPad Calendar, with a leather bound top and pages that appear to be ripped off from the top edge.
Apart from the novelty "leather" menu bar, the overall look and feel of the app is nearly identical to the previous iCal, apart from a new Year view, which is both new to iCal and also to both the iPad and MobileMe versions of Apple's Calendar apps.
The iPad version of Calendar uses the same brown leather look as Lion's new iCal, but more closely matches the layout and design of the MobileMe Calendar, with a quick date selector at the bottom and a List view missing from Mac OS X's iCal.
Both the iPad and MobileMe calendars present a Day view as an open book, Week and Month views as a tear off calendar pad, and a List view that depicts upcoming event in a spiral bound section next to a torn-page Day view.
Lion's iCal presents the same torn page look for every view. Also different between the MobileMe and Lion version is the To Do list, which is represented as a tear off pad next to the calendar; in Lion's iCal, the To Do list is a conventional list that doesn't quite fit into the "torn page" appearance.
Inside Mac OS X 10.7 Lion: iChat 6 adds Yahoo IM, account integration, web page sharing
The next version of Mac OS X will deliver an updated version of iChat capable of logging into Yahoo IM accounts, providing an improved experience when using multiple accounts, and adding web page sharing in iChat Theater.
The fragmented world of IM
The fragmented world of IM
Inside Mac OS X 10.7: Apple to strip most Aqua glossv
Apple's next desktop operating system release will tone down much of the Aqua user interface and change how screen captures handle windows' drop down sheets.
The most obvious Aqua gloss stripped from Mac OS X Lion involves scroll bars, which are replaced with iOS-like, grey segments that disappear when not in use. The Finder and Mail also drop the use of bubbly, colorful toolbar and source-list icons, indicating a general preference for simpler, monochromatic icons similar to those used in iPad apps.
Also missing are the Aqua pill buttons in the upper right corner of windows in the Finder and certain other apps, which currently display or hide the window's toolbar. These have been replaced by the Full Screen control used in apps that support that mode.
Across the interface, while Aqua highlighting still exists, much of the "blue gel" has been dialed down. For example, the standard Font panel uses a plain slider control rather than a blue bubble.
A variety of rounded buttons are now replaced with more squared off rectangles, and popup menus now lack a blue button selection indicator, as the Cell Background control in the Table panel from TextEdit indicates.
The standard print sheet also demonstrates the more square and conservative use of Aqua highlights used throughout the interface (with the help button now lacking a purple fill).
The screen shots below also show another new feature of Lion: screen shots of a drop down sheet now include the window they are connected to, rather than just capturing the sheet itself.
The most obvious Aqua gloss stripped from Mac OS X Lion involves scroll bars, which are replaced with iOS-like, grey segments that disappear when not in use. The Finder and Mail also drop the use of bubbly, colorful toolbar and source-list icons, indicating a general preference for simpler, monochromatic icons similar to those used in iPad apps.
Also missing are the Aqua pill buttons in the upper right corner of windows in the Finder and certain other apps, which currently display or hide the window's toolbar. These have been replaced by the Full Screen control used in apps that support that mode.
Across the interface, while Aqua highlighting still exists, much of the "blue gel" has been dialed down. For example, the standard Font panel uses a plain slider control rather than a blue bubble.
A variety of rounded buttons are now replaced with more squared off rectangles, and popup menus now lack a blue button selection indicator, as the Cell Background control in the Table panel from TextEdit indicates.
The standard print sheet also demonstrates the more square and conservative use of Aqua highlights used throughout the interface (with the help button now lacking a purple fill).
The screen shots below also show another new feature of Lion: screen shots of a drop down sheet now include the window they are connected to, rather than just capturing the sheet itself.
Inside Mac OS X 10.7 Lion: TextEdit adds vertical layout, graphical toolbar
Mac OS X's bare bones text editor gets some attention in the coming release of Lion, adding support for vertical layouts for East Asian languages, as well as a graphical menu bar with font selection and text highlighting.
TextEdit demonstrates Apple's new automatic file saving and versions technologies in Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, which replaces the app's simple autosave feature (previously set to save a backup copy every 30 seconds).
Along with the new document saving model, the humble TextEdit leaps all the way from its current version 1.6 to Lion's 1.7 by replacing its text-heavy, non-standard toolbar with a similarly non-standard (and non-configurable) one that at least presents paragraph style, line spacing, and list options graphically.
The new toolbar also adds font face, weight and size controls, color well controls for both text color and text highlighting, and bold/italic/underline buttons.
For users typing in a language that supports vertical text layout, such as Chinese, Japanese, or Korean, a new option enables vertical text layout. While Roman characters are simply printed sideways in vertical layouts, certain East Asian scripts print their ideograms in a stack vertically, which is supported in Mac OS X's underlying Core Text API and exposed for use in Lion's new TextEdit.
Note that when the app is put into vertical text layout, Roman characters are printed sideways while the Japanese glyphs are stacked vertically on top of each other (below).
TextEdit demonstrates Apple's new automatic file saving and versions technologies in Mac OS X 10.7 Lion, which replaces the app's simple autosave feature (previously set to save a backup copy every 30 seconds).
Along with the new document saving model, the humble TextEdit leaps all the way from its current version 1.6 to Lion's 1.7 by replacing its text-heavy, non-standard toolbar with a similarly non-standard (and non-configurable) one that at least presents paragraph style, line spacing, and list options graphically.
The new toolbar also adds font face, weight and size controls, color well controls for both text color and text highlighting, and bold/italic/underline buttons.
For users typing in a language that supports vertical text layout, such as Chinese, Japanese, or Korean, a new option enables vertical text layout. While Roman characters are simply printed sideways in vertical layouts, certain East Asian scripts print their ideograms in a stack vertically, which is supported in Mac OS X's underlying Core Text API and exposed for use in Lion's new TextEdit.
Note that when the app is put into vertical text layout, Roman characters are printed sideways while the Japanese glyphs are stacked vertically on top of each other (below).
Inside Mac OS X 10.7 Lion: New dictionaries, multiple word views, multitouch lookups
Mac OS X Lion adds polish to the bundled Dictionary app, with new dictionaries and an improved multi-pane interface. The system also improves overall dictionary functions with enhanced Spotlight integration and multitouch support for inline text lookups.
New reference files
The Dictionary app in Mac OS X Lion updates its existing "New Oxford American English" dictionary to the third edition of 2010 (current versions use the second edition from 2005).
A new Oxford Dictionary of [British] English is now included, also the third edition of 2010, and a companion British English Thesaurus now joins the American English version.
The Japanese, Japanese-English, and Japanese Synonym dictionaries from Shogakukan are also updated, bearing a 2010 copyright compared to the existing 2006 version. Apple has also updated its own dictionary file, which includes the company's trademarks and product names.
Better app, system integration
The app itself now uses a two pane display, making it easy to reference a list of words, phrases, or Wikipedia entires in alphabetical order, rather than just one definition at a time.
Additionally, definition functions built into Spotlight now popup with a full definition preview, rather than just displaying the first few words.
Lastly, double clicking with three fingers on a selected word in any standard app now brings up the inline dictionary, which formerly required selecting "Look Up In Dictionary" from the contextual menu. A preference setting within Dictionary selects whether the contextual menu command will open the inline mini-dictionary panel or to launch the full Dictionary app.
New reference files
The Dictionary app in Mac OS X Lion updates its existing "New Oxford American English" dictionary to the third edition of 2010 (current versions use the second edition from 2005).
A new Oxford Dictionary of [British] English is now included, also the third edition of 2010, and a companion British English Thesaurus now joins the American English version.
The Japanese, Japanese-English, and Japanese Synonym dictionaries from Shogakukan are also updated, bearing a 2010 copyright compared to the existing 2006 version. Apple has also updated its own dictionary file, which includes the company's trademarks and product names.
Better app, system integration
The app itself now uses a two pane display, making it easy to reference a list of words, phrases, or Wikipedia entires in alphabetical order, rather than just one definition at a time.
Additionally, definition functions built into Spotlight now popup with a full definition preview, rather than just displaying the first few words.
Lastly, double clicking with three fingers on a selected word in any standard app now brings up the inline dictionary, which formerly required selecting "Look Up In Dictionary" from the contextual menu. A preference setting within Dictionary selects whether the contextual menu command will open the inline mini-dictionary panel or to launch the full Dictionary app.
Inside Mac OS X 10.7 Lion: iTunes Screen Saver controls music playback
In Mac OS X Lion, Apple's iTunes Screen Saver shifts from a way to passively display album art into an interactive way to play music.
In Snow Leopard, the iTunes Screen Saver creates an animated display of flipping tiles based on the album art within your music collection.
In Lion, the system now allows users to hover over album art on the screen while the screen saver is active, with albums popping up to reveal a play button (depicted below).
Song playback can subsequently be controlled or changed between any of the album titles being displayed, offering a novel way to rediscover music in your collection.
To dismiss the screen saver, the keyboard must be tapped. Currently, any mouse movement will dismiss the active screen saver (or prompt the user to login, if security settings require that).
The new iTunes Screen Saver option demonstrates the expanded programatic control present in Lion screen savers, which leverage a Screen Saver Framework to create specialized Cocoa apps that run under conditions the user defines within the Screen Saver pane of System Preferences.
In previous Mac OS X releases, Apple added RSS Visualizer and Word of the Day screen savers that drew animated content from the dictionary or external RSS feeds. Similarly complex visualizations that dynamically import data can also be created using Apple's graphical development tool, Quartz Composer.
In Snow Leopard, the iTunes Screen Saver creates an animated display of flipping tiles based on the album art within your music collection.
In Lion, the system now allows users to hover over album art on the screen while the screen saver is active, with albums popping up to reveal a play button (depicted below).
Song playback can subsequently be controlled or changed between any of the album titles being displayed, offering a novel way to rediscover music in your collection.
To dismiss the screen saver, the keyboard must be tapped. Currently, any mouse movement will dismiss the active screen saver (or prompt the user to login, if security settings require that).
The new iTunes Screen Saver option demonstrates the expanded programatic control present in Lion screen savers, which leverage a Screen Saver Framework to create specialized Cocoa apps that run under conditions the user defines within the Screen Saver pane of System Preferences.
In previous Mac OS X releases, Apple added RSS Visualizer and Word of the Day screen savers that drew animated content from the dictionary or external RSS feeds. Similarly complex visualizations that dynamically import data can also be created using Apple's graphical development tool, Quartz Composer.
Mac OS X 10.7 Lion to add Office file viewing, new text and signature annotation
In Mac OS X Lion, Preview 5.5 gains the ability to view Excel, PowerPoint and Word documents and expands its PDF annotation features.
Mac OS X's Preview app originated as a way to view graphics and PDF documents without needing to install third party Reader software from Adobe. Apple has continuously made minor improvements to the app, and Lion's updates reflects the overall goals of the new operating system.
For example, Preview is now a Full Screen app, and it also drops its nonstandard "bubble" toolbar icons reminiscent of Mail.app to adopt the new squared-off, monochromatic iPad-like buttons of other Lion apps (including the new Mail).
Expanded Previews
A key new feature of Preview is the ability to open and preview Microsoft Office documents, sparing users from having to obtain and install Office or iWork just to play a slideshow or work with spreadsheet. In Lion, Preview is now the default app for presentation and spreadsheet documents until you install something else. Word documents continue to default to open in TextEdit.
The new support for Office documents appears to connected to Quick Look, which already previews Office documents from the Finder. In Preview, documents that can be viewed in Quick Look can be opened in a fixed window, or even Full Screen for quick reference via Mission Control, something the temporary Quick Look window can't do.
Documents opened in Quick Look now sport a button that launches Preview and opens the document for more permanent perusal, changing the app from being just an Adobe Reader substitute into a full fledged, general purpose document viewer.
A new Magnifier tool in Preview works similar the loupe in Aperture, blowing up an area of graphic files for closer examination.
Enhanced PDF annotations
Creating annotations on PDF documents is also significantly expanded in Lion's Preview, with annotation tools now presented in a more sensible (and iPad-like) location below the toolbar, rather than at the bottom of the window. In addition to simple text, colored lines, arrows and rectangles or circle outlines, Preview now supports filled shapes, outlined text, and cartoon-like speech or thought bubbles.
Another new annotation feature is the ability to capture and add a handwritten signature. From preferences, Preview allows users to hold up a handwritten signature that is captured by the system's camera to yield a line art signature that can be digitally added to PDF documents.
Mac OS X's Preview app originated as a way to view graphics and PDF documents without needing to install third party Reader software from Adobe. Apple has continuously made minor improvements to the app, and Lion's updates reflects the overall goals of the new operating system.
For example, Preview is now a Full Screen app, and it also drops its nonstandard "bubble" toolbar icons reminiscent of Mail.app to adopt the new squared-off, monochromatic iPad-like buttons of other Lion apps (including the new Mail).
Expanded Previews
A key new feature of Preview is the ability to open and preview Microsoft Office documents, sparing users from having to obtain and install Office or iWork just to play a slideshow or work with spreadsheet. In Lion, Preview is now the default app for presentation and spreadsheet documents until you install something else. Word documents continue to default to open in TextEdit.
The new support for Office documents appears to connected to Quick Look, which already previews Office documents from the Finder. In Preview, documents that can be viewed in Quick Look can be opened in a fixed window, or even Full Screen for quick reference via Mission Control, something the temporary Quick Look window can't do.
Documents opened in Quick Look now sport a button that launches Preview and opens the document for more permanent perusal, changing the app from being just an Adobe Reader substitute into a full fledged, general purpose document viewer.
A new Magnifier tool in Preview works similar the loupe in Aperture, blowing up an area of graphic files for closer examination.
Enhanced PDF annotations
Creating annotations on PDF documents is also significantly expanded in Lion's Preview, with annotation tools now presented in a more sensible (and iPad-like) location below the toolbar, rather than at the bottom of the window. In addition to simple text, colored lines, arrows and rectangles or circle outlines, Preview now supports filled shapes, outlined text, and cartoon-like speech or thought bubbles.
Another new annotation feature is the ability to capture and add a handwritten signature. From preferences, Preview allows users to hold up a handwritten signature that is captured by the system's camera to yield a line art signature that can be digitally added to PDF documents.
Apple confirms white iPhone 4 launch tomorrow
The white iPhone 4 has finally arrived and it’s beautiful. We appreciate everyone who has waited patiently while we’ve worked to get every detail right.
T-Mobile takes a jab at its soon-to-be-parent, says it is fastest
The $39B dollar deal isn’t over yet and T-Mobile isn’t ready to drop its guns and surrender. Today they issued a challenge to iPhone owners (Read: Verizon and AT&T) in the Seattle area to prove that their network was faster than T-Mobile’s. They’ll give any iPhone owner $1000 if their download speed is faster.
Apple: iPad 2 launching in 13 more countries
Apple today confirmed that iPad 2 will launch in thirteen more countries in the coming days and weeks. China will get WiFi iPad 2 beginning Friday, May 6. The device will go on sale in Japan on Thursday, April 28, 2011 and in eleven additional countries on Friday, April 29, 2011: Hong Kong, India, Israel, Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Turkey and UAE.
iPad 2 will be available at Apple retail stores at 9am local time, Apple said, in addition to select Apple Authorized Resellers. Online sales via the online Apple Store will begin at 1am. Further international availability will be announced at a later date, Apple said. Suggested retail prices in the additional thirteen countries are the same as US price points for WiFi and 3G iPad 2 variants.
US Army launching own app store
Imagine that a soldier wants an app instructing how to call for artillery fire, and the app doesn’t exist yet. The soldier would post a description of what she needs on a Marketplace forum, attracting discussion from fellow soldiers and potential designers. If other troops can’t home-brew a solution, the Army would open a bidding or contracting process from would-be vendors who’ve expressed interest on the thread. Ideally, the app would be available on Marketplace not long thereafter, with a nominal purchase price, a la the App Store or Android Market.If only civil software bazaars worked that way. Read on…
Just don’t search for Army Marketplace on the web because only members of the Department of Defense community with a username and password from intranets like Army Knowledge Online will be allowed to access the store.
The article goes on to note that the biggest hurdle is the fact that no mobile device has been certified yet to access the Army’s intranet and secure databases, which is an essential requirement for those specialized apps in the battlefield. The iPhone is currently in the process of certification and they’ve also begun testing out Android’s security features, which takes at least a year.
The Army recently made an announcement that they would begin testing Android as a possible software solution for the first-ever smartphone designed for the US military. Of course, Apple fans assumed the Army would choose the iPhone over Android, especially after successful field trials with the iPod touch. The Army said Google’s mobile operating system might power the Joint Battle Command Platform Handheld, which is designed to drive a range of specialized apps, such as tactical ground reporting, GPS tracking and mapping. Things could change in Apple’s favor, however, because Android is still a long way from being certified as a secure and trusted platform the Army requires.
Apple sets the record straight on location tracking: It was a bug, fix is underway
This line especially caught my attention as it indicates a new geolocation-based service from Apple:The iPhone is not logging your location. Rather, it’s maintaining a database of Wi-Fi hotspots and cell towers around your current location, some of which may be located more than one hundred miles away from your iPhone, to help your iPhone rapidly and accurately calculate its location when requested. These calculations are performed live on the iPhone using a crowd-sourced database of Wi-Fi hotspot and cell tower data that is generated by tens of millions of iPhones sending the geo-tagged locations of nearby Wi-Fi hotspots and cell towers in an anonymous and encrypted form to Apple.
Gawker on Monday discovered an Apple patent that hints at plans to collect location history from users, although it doesn’t seem to be related to this issue. A bunch of independent experts were able to prove that the location data file is simply left sitting in an iPhone backup file on your computer and your device without ever being beamed up to the Apple cloud. The statement goes on to detail why Apple has been tracking your geographical location, what they’ve been doing with this data and how they plan on tackling the PR scandal dubbed Locationgate which ensued following the discovery of this issue.Apple is now collecting anonymous traffic data to build a crowd-sourced traffic database with the goal of providing iPhone users an improved traffic service in the next couple of years.
They conclude by promising an iOS firmware update, due “sometime in the next few weeks”, that will encrypt the location data file on your device. Apple confirmed that said iOS update will “reduce the size of the crowd-sourced Wi-Fi hotspot and cell tower database cached on the iPhone, ceases backing up this cache, and deletes this cache entirely when Location Services is turned off”.
By the way, Microsoft has also come out with its own Q&A on location tracking in Windows Phone 7. The Windows maker confirmed it stores location data in a database, but only when users approve app requests for location retrieval.
Read Apple’s statement in its entirety right below the fold…
Crowd-sourced traffic service from Apple due “in the next couple of years”
They use it to “help your iPhone rapidly and accurately calculate its location when requested”. Storing a year’s worth of data was a “bug” that will be fixed with a forthcoming iOS update. “We don’t think the iPhone needs to store more than seven days of this data,” the company wrote. But Apple may be planning to use this crowd-sourced information to release a new traffic service in the future, quite possibly a turn-by-turn traffic service. Apple itself alluded to this in the document:
What might this service be like? Read on…Apple is now collecting anonymous traffic data to build a crowd-sourced traffic database with the goal of providing iPhone users an improved traffic service in the next couple of years.
Show off your iPhone’s inner beauty
Saturday, April 16, 2011
New “audio device” from Apple facing manufacturing issues?
But Cirrus late Thursday said it had determined an earlier test for a particular function of a new audio product–which analysts assume is for Apple–was insufficient to guarantee that all products met a certain standard. After a more rigorous test was developed, Cirrus found fewer working chips than previously expected, with that yield loss rising as volumes increased.The company also says that they have fixed the issue but it will hurt their bottom line by 6 cents a share. Cirru Logic Inc’s CEO says the issue is “unfortunate” and:
The semiconductor industry is inherently an extraordinarily complicated business, and while we strive at all times to have zero issues, from time to time, and despite everyone’s best efforts, ‘stuff happens.’
Google sings praises for the iPhone
“Whenever iPhone succeeds, Google succeeds,” Google’s Asia-Pacific president Daniel Alegre tells AdNews. Welcome to the new Google. Even though Apple and Google are currently embroiled in a brutal iPhone versus Android war, the two tech giants maintain a frenemy relationship.
The search monster needs those iPhone eyeballs and Alegre’s comment helps alleviate the issues some iPhone users are having over Android’s success in the marketplace. Re-iterating 300,000 Android activations a day and explaining how mobile benefits from as few platforms as possible, he then launched into the iPhone appraisal:
The search monster needs those iPhone eyeballs and Alegre’s comment helps alleviate the issues some iPhone users are having over Android’s success in the marketplace. Re-iterating 300,000 Android activations a day and explaining how mobile benefits from as few platforms as possible, he then launched into the iPhone appraisal:
I actually don’t look at it as iPhone versus Android. iPhone is a very strong driver of query growth for Google. We also monetise apps through the iPhone..we actually benefit from iPhone’s growth.Search traffic is important, but AdMob is even more so. Read on…
White iPhone 4 shows up in Verizon’s inventory
The models popped up in the inventory today, leading us to believe the late April launch information is true. The screenshot (32 GB) above and the screenshot (16 GB) after the break do not specifically state the new models are white but based on the numbering system and information from sources the models are for the white iPhone 4. As you can see in the screenshots, the white version of the iPhone 4 carriers a number sequence that is one larger than the black model. The white iPhone 4 is MC679 and the black model is MC678. Same thing with the black and white iPad 2s. So, anyone still holding out for the white version?
update for mac os x lion preview 2 available/
From systems that have developer preview 2 of Lion or Lion Server installed, run Software Update and download Mac OS X Lion Developer Preview 2 Update. You must also download Xcode 4.1 Developer Preview 3 available from the Mac Dev Center to build apps with this version of Lion.Update: iCal in Lion with the Preview 2 update has minor graphical changes
Update 2: The new XCode update references Lion Preview 3, so we may see this preview sometime soon.
Monday, April 11, 2011
iOS 4.3.2 to fix Verizon iPad, Facetime issues
will fix the issues we’ve been hearing about with some Verizon iPad 2 models. Additionally, the new update is said to contain a fix for FaceTime in addition to security fixes for things like WebKit vulnerabilities and other minor changes.It isn’t certain yet if this update is for Verizon iPhone 4s but that’s a bit …due as well.
Avian Securities sees iPhone 5 by Christmas 2011 or early 2012
Pictured above: Third=party iPhone 4 metallic back sticker
Research firm Avian Securities issued a note to clients today that will dash hopes of those that have been keeping their fingers crossed for the iPhone 5 this summer. According to the note based on checks with a key supplier , their analysts believe that the handset will go into production in September, which means it won’t land on store shelves before the end of this year, possibly even Q1 2012, reports Business Insider. Here’s what the note reads:Supporting out comments over the last month, conversations with yet another key component supplier indicates that production for iPhone-5 will begin in September. This is consistent with Avian findings in the supply chain in recent months and we believe the consensus view is moving towards this scenario. In addition, our conversations also indicate the existence of a lower-spec/lower-priced iPhone in Apple’s roadmap. However, while our contacts have seen the placeholder in the Apple roadmap, they do not yet have insight into specs or production timing. This leads us to believe that any launch is likely a very late 2011 or more likely a 2012 event. As a reminder, Avian has uncovered several data-points in recent months pointing to the existence of a lower-spec/lower-price iPhone. A lower-spec/lower-price iPhone has also been speculated in the press and gadget blogs, though we do not believe consensus currently discounts the existence of such a model.
What do you guts think? Can Apple really be so confident in iPhone 4 to push back the iPhone 5 to early 2012. This would give anyone in the cutthroat cellphone business, especially the Android camp, ample time to run circles around the iPhone 4. Worse, such a highly unlikely scenario (in my personal opinion) means Apple would be missing on the all-important holiday shopping season because I doubt lots of people would buy last year’s phone – unless Apple slashes the price substantially. On the other hand, a Q1 2012 release makes sense if Apple wants the next iPhone to be a 4G LTE world phone.
This would give them an opportunity to use the updated Gobi chipset that combines more functions and consumes less power while giving carriers more time to deploy their LTE networks ahead of the iPhone 5′s release.
Tidbits: Adobe TV now iOS-friendly, Photoshop Remote for iPad demoed
It’s an interesting – and rather telling – departure from Adobe’s stubborn insistence on serving Flash-formatted content only to iOS users. Another tidbit comes from MacRumors which profiles Photoshop Remote, the first third-party iPad app built using the Photoshop Touch SDK. Check it out in action right after the break.
Adobe unveils Creative Suite 5.5 with subscription options
True to its new mid-cycle release schedule, Adobe has upgraded the Creative Suite 5 suite to version 5.5. InDesign, Flash Professional, Dreamweaver, Premiere Pro and After Effects were all upgraded with new interactive features to help create rich HTML5 web apps, stereoscopic video and touch-based apps for smartphones and tablets. A new subscription-based model has debuted alongside the suite that lets you rent individual programs for a monthly or yearly fee.
Photoshop will set you back $35 a month, while the entire Design Premium CS 5.5 costs $95 on a monthly basis. The full CS 5.5 Mater Collection suite costs $129 a month. Additionally, open-source framework Flex 4.5 will land on the Mac in June.
Individual programs are also available, such as the $699 Photoshop, $999 Photoshop Extended, $249 Flash Builder 4.5 Standard, $699 Flash Builder 4.5 Premium, $399 Flash Catalyst, and $699 Flash Professional. As always, education pricing for students, faculty and staff in K-12 and higher education is available.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Lion Preview notes: iCal redesign, iChat account merge, more
We’re getting our first views of Lion Preview 2 and contrary to earlier reports, this certainly doesn’t feel like a Gold Master. In fact, it doesn’t improve much from the previous preview in terms of stability –which is fine if we are a few months away.
As you can see above, iCal has a new leather bound header (OMG) with faux stitching and interestingly, iChat’s main window houses AIM, Bonjour and Jabber contacts together like Adium.
Also, the Chrome browser crashes pretty frequently for our review copy anyway.
Developers, please post any additional changes you find in the comments.
OSX Lion Preview 2 is out, Xcode 4.1 Developer Preview 2…too
Developers, you need to install an update from Software Update first. Then Restart. Then go to the Dev Center and get a redeem code. Then go to the Mac App Store, redeem and download. The download is 3.7GB.
We miss the old days.
Apple also released Xcode to 4.1 Developer Preview 2:
Monday, March 28, 2011
Mac OS X Lion GM seed nearing release?
Apple is gearing up to deploy an OS X Lion update to developers that they may be classifying as the “GM1″ release, we’re hearing. “GM” or “Golden Master” is a title reserved for software that is complete. But from what we’ve heard, this is only the initial Golden Master candidate.A golden master (GM) software release is the stage in which the software’s development is complete and ready to print. Probably in Lion’s case, though, a GM means ready to upload to the Mac App Store. Although GMs usually mean the software will be shipping out to consumer’s soon, TechCrunch says there will be multiple GMs – like iOS 4.2 – with the one coming soon being labeled as GM1.
Back at Lion’s announcement in October 2010, Apple said the OS would ship sometime during summer 2011. At this point, development is in its far stages s0 it’s a safe bet that we’ll be hearing more about it at Apple’s early-June World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC). Mac OS X Lion brings many new features to the Mac including Mission Control (Spaces, Expose combined), Launchpad (iOS-like home screens), new Multi-Touch gestures, full-screen applications, an iPad-like mail application, AirDrop WiFi file sharing, and built-in server functionality.
I have noticed significant improvement to my iPad 2′s battery life with the installation of iOS 4.3.1! I’m so relieved that the performance I was getting before isn’t its true capacity.Others have expressed marginal to significant improvement in battery life through Twitter:
- “iOS 4.3.1 was released today, seems like my battery isn’t dying as fast anymore.”
- “4.3.1 update certainly did fix my battery drain issues.”
- “Pleased that iOS 4.3.1 appears to have cleared the battery draining issue. Only gone down 15% in the last 6 hours.”
- “Anyone else noticing significant battery life improvement on iOS 4.3.1 for iPhone 4?”
- “My iphone is definitely draining battery slower under 4.3.1.”
- “iOS 4.3.1 is out today, it seems to have fixed the battery issue on my iPhone 4.”
How to activate TRIM on any SSD in MacOS10.6.7
With the release of the Lion Beta, the Mac OS now has support for TRIM use on SSDs. TRIM allows SSDs to perform better by erasing unused data sectors ahead of time. More on TRIM here.
However, some enterprising users have been able to get TRIM support on Mac OS 10.6.7
Update: Oskar Groth, also known as Cindori, built a script to enable any SSD on 10.6.7.
Download TRIM Enabler, follow along in Mac Forums, Xlr8yourmac, and Hardmac was first to document the process.
Cydia 1.1: faster, slimmer, and more stable (with better search)
iPhoneDownloadBlog:
Features of Cydia 1.1 will include:
- the ability to run and operate Activator, libstatusbar, and SimulatedKeyEvents while Cydia is running
- an overall speed improvement, including the “Loading Changes” dialog
- “much less” memory usage
- a more advanced search mechanism with a new relevancy algorithm
- better management of broken repositories
in read more
iTunes, Songs for Japan
Songs for Japan is a 38 song, iTunes special collection of tracks from the world’s top recording artists for $10. All proceeds go to the Red Cross in Japan. Again, you can also donate directly to the Red Cross using iTunes as well.
iOS 5 pushed to the fall: major revamp, cloud-based, WWDC preview?
The report says we’ll most likely get our first glimpse at iOS 5 at Apple’s annual World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) in early June, and we assume developers will get a preview download at that date. The report is scarce on iOS 5 details but it does claim that it’s a major revamp and it will be heavily cloud-based. This should go hand-in-hand with the rumored music locker service from Apple – in addition to Media Stream and Find my Friends. TechCrunch is again expected a new iPad for a fall announcement- that just doesn’t seem likely to us, though.
In terms of Apple launching a fifth-generation iPhone at WWDC with iOS 4 – it does not seem likely given Apple’s past release cycles but could be possible. In fact, we found references to an iPhone 5 with an A5 processor - same one as in the iPad 2 – in the iOS 4.3 development kit. Apple also appears to still be working on iOS 4.x as they released an update yesterday. In addition, Media Stream and Find my Friends were both found in the iOS 4.3 SDK. Apple is also rumored to launch a revamped MobileMe around April that is also heavily cloud-based. Perhaps the new (possibly free) service will tie together with Apple’s next-gen iOS.
TechCrunch has not been the most accurate when it comes to pinpointing Apple information. Less than a week after the iPad’s unveil in January 2010 they reported that Apple is already at work on a Mac OS X tablet - for a 2010 launch – with an intel processor. They were one of the many sites who pinpointed a January reveal of the Verizon iPhone 4, though. TechCrunch also said back in 2008 that Apple is working on their own search engine.
AMD throws down the gauntlet to Nvidia on graphics speed claims
As Apple transitions its line from NVIDIA graphics cards to AMD (and opens up the OS to much more variety), we’re noting some stong words coming out of each camp on who makes the fastest graphics card in the world. On the 8th of this month, AMD announced it had released the fastest Graphics card on the market, the AMD Radeon HD 6990.
NVIDIA fired back this week and said they had the fastest Graphics card. No it is getting real.
Dave Erskine, Senior Public Relations Manager for Graphics Desktop at AMD just fired this off:
We combed through their announcement to understand how it was that such a claim could be made and why there was no substantiation based on industry-standard benchmarks, similar to what AMD did with industry benchmark 3DMark 11, the latest DirectX® 11 benchmark from FutureMark.So now I issue a challenge to our competitor: prove it, don’t just say it. Show us the substantiation. Because as it stands today, leading reviewers agree with us here, here, here, and here that the AMD Radeon HD 6990 sits on the top as the world’s fastest graphics card.
It should be noted that Direct X isn’t going to have much bearing on Mac users, but it is informative and entertaining nonetheless to see these two industry titans slug it out.
It may also explain why Apple moved from NVIDIA to AMD.
NVIDIA has had some build issues that cause recalls of its portable line which may have also soured Apple to NVIDIA products. They also build a Tegra 2 processor which powers most of the Android phones and tablets that challenge Apple’s iOS for portable supremacy.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Greenpois0n Initialized problem in Greenpois0n RC5
The first section of Terminal Applications / Utilities open:
Then type sudo open expression and the Greenpois0n.app Drag your terminal:
Now enter / return and hit Enter your Password:
After entering the password, the program opens Greenpois0n. You can now use the existing training * on site, your machine can jailbreak:
whrited by iamir on i-phone.ir
good lock
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