As Microsoft proudly ventures into the retail world that has already seen quick entrances and exits by other vendors like Gateway and Dell, many Apple fans are looking towards the new Microsoft stores with mixed feelings.
Some of the more dedicated fanboys are quick to call Microsoft a copycat (and perhaps rightly so), but one thing [...]
No, it won’t be MacSpace or anything like that, but Apple is reportedly working on some kind of software application that will consolidate all your existing social network accounts into one place. It’s an even more interesting rumor now that Facebook has acquired FriendFeed, the service which previously seemed on top in terms of social [...]
Former Apple Board of Directors member and current Google CEO Eric Schmidt wasn’t paid for his time at Cupertino. This despite Apple’s habitual practice of offering stock options and a $50,000 retainer to Board members, both of which Schmidt declined during his tenure.
Instead, like other board members, Schmidt settled for some awesome Apple gear in [...]
In an attempt to salvage what little good will is left in the App Store developer community, Apple’s senior vice president, Phil Schiller, has fought back against burgeoning anti-App Store sentiment.
In recent weeks an increasing number of apps submitted to Apple for App Store release have been unceremoniously rejected. Apple’s App Store approval process has [...]
Normally, Apple removes apps from the App Store at a rate we can digest and analyze, but it looks like it’s now adopting a different tactic, maybe to frustrate criticism with sheer volume. This time around, it has given the boot to a stunning 900 apps in one fell swoop. The apps aggregated various web [...]
With 2009 half way over, we’ve seen a lot of updates from Apple, from new portables to new iPhones and some hot new Pro Apps, but several sections of Apple’s product lineup have not been updated in quite a while.
Products such as the Apple TV, some software titles, and others are getting a bit long [...]
I see Apple let Ninjawords in the App Store. Good for it. But there’s just one little thing…
Apple censored an English dictionary.
A dictionary. A reference book. For words contained in all reasonable dictionaries. For words contained in dictionaries that are used every day in elementary school libraries and classrooms.
Apple, a dictionary? Are you insane? Not [...]
With the latest version of Final Cut Studio hot off the shelves, many are scratching their heads over what Apple’s take on the future of DVDs actually may be. DVD Studio Pro hasn’t received a major update since the 4.0 release at NAB 2005, and iDVD hasn’t been updated since 2007, so is the DVD [...]
As we reported here yesterday, Apple announced Eric Schmidt resigned from its Board of Directors. The announcement really came as no surprise; Schmidt is the CEO of Google, a software giant that, for the last few years, has been inching inexorably into Apple’s desktop and mobile territories.
So it should also come as no surprise that [...]
As more and more households have multiple PCs, the idea of a “family pack” (i.e., a piece of software with multiple licenses for use) makes a lot of sense. Since Apple and Microsoft are set to release new versions of their respective operating systems this fall (Apple’s Snow Leopard in September, Microsoft’s Windows 7 in [...]
Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer has an unimpressive track record at predictions, which is why his latest comments should be of concern to Apple and, especially, MacBook Air fans:
Those new ultra-thin PCs, the first of which will be coming later this year and, presumably running Windows 7, won’t be as cheap as $299 or $399 netbooks, Ballmer [...]
While PC users sweat, complain and ponder which over-priced version of Windows 7 they’ll be forced into buying to fix everything wrong with Vista; most Mac users are likely licking their chops at what Snow Leopard will bring, and how little it will cost.
You’ve heard it’s cheaper, faster, and even more stable than ever before. Though Apple has stated that beyond a few high-profile features like a new version of Quicktime; Snow Leopard is more of a maintenance upgrade for Leopard users, rather than the feature-packed blockbuster we’re normally used to with a full version number upgrade. You might call Snow Leopard a comprehensive tune-up.
As is almost always the case with Apple though, it’s those little tune-ups to Mac OS X that can make all the difference in your daily computing experience. If you happened upon the Snow Leopard Enhancements and Refinements page at Apple’s Web site, you no doubt found at least a handful of things that brings a smile to your face.
Sure, I’m looking forward to a speedier, fully-Cocoa Finder, a fancy new version of Quicktime, and a faster (and much smaller) OS X installation just as much as the next guy. But of much more interest to me are a whole bunch of minor tweaks that will make more of an impact in my daily routine.
A few weeks back, Steve Jobs returned to his duties at Apple. During his absence, Apple appears to have operated effectively and efficiently. Few people asked the question, “What will Apple do without Steve?” because the question was getting a dress rehearsal. But now that Steve is back (meaning, one day, he will “leave” again), [...]
Last week, we discussed the evolution, rhyme and reason behind some of Apple’s icons since the public release of OS X in 2001. This week, we’re going to take a closer look at some of the “Easter eggs” that are hidden in these icons.
Hidden Detail
An easy way to one up the competition when you release [...]
A lot of stories like this one are circulating about how NPD is saying Apple has a 91 percent market share of all PCs sold over $1,000. They give that impression by claiming something like “a 91 percent share”, or “91 percent of the market”.
Truth be told, if NPD really stated this as market share, [...]
Yesterday may have been when Apple hosted its quarterly earnings conference call, but the company’s financial performance was somewhat overshadowed by the tragic death of a worker at an iPhone manufacturing facility. The factory, run by supplier Foxconn, is located in the Chinese city of Shenzen. Apple has previously come under fire for the labor [...]
Now that the rumor mill has settled on October as a launch date for the still-unconfirmed Apple tablet device, it’s getting around to explaining just how said device will be sold to the public. At this rate, someone will be fondling a production model in low light and taking blurry cam photos by next Tuesday.
The [...]
Microsoft is counting on a turncoat to help jump-start its recently-announced efforts to compete with Apple on the retail store front. Former VP of Apple’s Real Estate department, George Blankenship, has been confirmed as a consultant attached to Microsoft’s retail efforts, which should bear fruit beginning this fall.
Blankenship is responsible for shaping the way Apple [...]
As a follow up to my article on the hidden gems of Apple’s design and inspired by the comments that you, the readers, left, I wanted to take a closer look at some of the icons of OS X. The second part of this article is where I’m going to go in depth into some of the hidden messages and “easter eggs” that Apple has hidden in their icons, but first, I felt it was important to revisit the history of some of these icons that we see on a daily basis. As you will be able to see, there’s a lot of thought that goes into Apple’s thought process when it comes to icon design.
If you ask any of the Apple “fanboys” in the world why they are so devoted to Apple, at least one of the reasons you will hear is that Apple “sweats the small stuff” that really proves their dedication to user experience and attention to detail. Here’s a few of my favorites, covering Apple’s attention not just to their hardware and software, but even the product packaging. See how many you may have noticed before, and feel free to add your own that I might have missed in the comments below.
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