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WeChat Comes To The Desktop With The Launch Of A Native Mac Client; Windows Is Likely To Be Next

Kaylene Hong, The Next Web

There’s now an additional way for users of popular messaging service WeChat to communicate — via a newly-launched native desktop Mac client. Announced on its official Weibo account, the WeChat Mac client is available in both English and Chinese and brings the WeChat interface into a setting optimized for the Mac desktop.

It’s Time For An Mac OS X And iOS Security Checkup

Geoffrey Goetz, GigaOM

Keeping secure in today’s always connected age of computing is not a once and done sort of task, it is an ongoing process that requires attention. The following checklist will help keep your devices secure.

Fix Stalled Safe-boot With OS X Mavericks Update

Topher Kessler, CNET

Review: Documents 5.0 For iOS Is An Even More Powerful Solution For Managing Your Files On The Go

Mike Beasley, 9 To 5 Mac

Kensington Proximo Review

Nicholas Fearn, South Wales Evening Post

The Kensington Proximo is a tool that works with your iPhone to ensure that you never leave something behind. If you was to, then it would make you aware by sounding an alarm. It comes in the form of a free app and a 'Starter Kit' that consists of a Fob and a Tag.

Flixster (For iPhone)

Michael Muchmore, PC Magazine

Yes, it does list movies with ratings and plots and theater show-times, but it also offers some major advantages over the general run of movie apps, including excellent Rotten Tomatoes ratings and social integration. It's a clear, well-designed app that efficiently gets you the information you need to make your movie-viewing decision and then easily purchase tickets.

Apple Retires Snow Leopard From Support, Leaves 1 In 5 Macs Vulnerable To Attacks

Gregg Keizer, Computerworld

Sorry To Say That Apple Platforms Are Still More Secure

David Morgenstern, ZDNet

Apple Explains Exactly How Secure iMessage Really Is

Greg Kumparak, TechCrunch

Up until now, the vast majority of what we knew about iMessage’s inner workings came from reverse engineering and best guesses. This week, however, Apple quietly released a document that breaks it all down.

Apple’s New Management Features Help Locked-down iPads Stay Locked Down

Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica

With these changes, the company is introducing "zero-touch" configuration for new iOS devices via the Device Enrollment Program if you're running your own mobile device management (MDM) server. Customers who go to deploy.apple.com and sign up can enroll new devices by serial number or order number, allowing admins to apply their settings to devices bought from Apple without even removing them from their boxes.

Unclutter To The Rescue

David Sparks, MacSparky

Unclutter installs a drawer at the top of your Mac’s screen that you can pull down (by gesture or keyboard command) to get quick access to a group of files, an always-ready text field, and your clipboard.

OS X 10.9.2 Has Broken AirPlay For Some Users

Joe White, AppAdvice

Apple's Website Is Now Advising Developers On How To Design For iOS 7

Joe White, AppAdvice

Apple To Google Face EU Pressure To Limit Kids' App Sales

Aoife White And Stephanie Bodoni, Bloomberg

Google Inc. and other companies that make and sell mobile applications will be told by European Union regulators to curb purchases by children, the EU said today.

The European Commission and consumer-protection authorities will meet with app makers and marketers to discuss default settings that may lead to consumers racking up purchases without giving their explicit consent. Games that encourage children to buy items or that are misleadingly advertised as free will also be on the agenda, the EU said in an e-mailed statement.

Apple Details Touch ID, 'Secure Enclave' In Updated Online Security Document

Joe White, AppAdvice

To meet concern over the security of the fingerprint scanning Home button, Apple has updated its “iPhone in Business” Web page, detailing both Touch ID and the “Secure Enclave” that works alongside the feature.

Understanding Apple's New Deployment Programs

Fraser Speirs

Yesterday Apple released two new deployment programs for iOS and Mac, and rolled out enhancements to another. I want to explain as best I can how they work together.

The Volume Purchase Program has been significantly enhanced and there are two new programs: Device Enrolment Program and AppleID for Students.

Thunderbolt Docks Review: The Best Way To Connect Your MacBook To Your Other Devices

James Galbraith and Roman Loyola, Macworld

iTunes 11.1.5

Agen G. N. Schmitz, TidBITS

Apple has released iTunes 11.1.5, a slim update that fixes an issue that caused iTunes to unexpectedly quit when a device was connected.

Mac Pro SMC Firmware Update 2.0

Agen G. N. Schmitz, TidBITS

The System Management Controller (SMC) update enables most Power Nap activities to proceed without running the Mac Pro’s fan, and it fixes a rare problem that prevented low-speed USB devices from being detected after booting up.

Life Outside The Mac App Store

Dan Counsell, Realmac Software Blog

Selling outside of the Mac App Store has its own set of issues: maintaining an online store, app updates, serial number schemes, the list goes on. Even after all that, it still appears to be worth the extra time and effort.

Apple, American Airlines Urge Ariz. Gov. Jan Brewer to Veto 'Wrong Message' Anti-Gay Bill

Susanna Kim, ABC News

Magazine-Like Feed Reader App Ziner Updated To Version 2.1 With New Features

Aldrin Calimlim, AppAdvice

Apple Files Appeal In E-book Antitrust Case

Deepti Hajela, Associated Press

Apple filed papers on Tuesday telling a federal appeals court in New York that a judge's finding it violated antitrust laws by manipulating electronic book prices "is a radical departure" from modern antitrust law that will "chill competition and harm consumers" if allowed to stand.

FileMaker Pro 13 For OS X Review

Gary Coyne, TechnologyTell

Moves (For iPhone)

Jill Duffy, PC Magazine

Moves automatically tracks your walking, running, bicycling, and even movements on public transit all day long to give you data about your day.

The FTC’s Unfairness Consent Decree With Apple

Todd Zywicki, Washington Post

Although it has no evidence of net harm to consumers and no evidence that Apple sought to take advantage of consumers with its existing policy, it nevertheless must pay out $32.5 million to consumers and have its processes for purchases in the future dictated by the FTC. I don’t get it.

How To Secure Your Mac From Potential Theft

Jeff Reifman

Here’s a summary of what you should do to prepare your Macs right now for the possibility of theft. It won’t eliminate theft but it will greatly reduce the damage from such events and make it more likely that your device will return to you.

How To Send Directions To Your iPhone From Apple Maps For Mac

Andrew Kunesh, Macgasm

FCC Brings Its Free Speed-test App To iTunes App Store

Stephen Lawson, Macworld

The mobile speed-test apps are an expansion of the FCC’s Measuring Broadband America program, in which the agency has asked consumers to measure and report their wired Internet speeds for the past few years. Both programs gather information, not including any personal or uniquely identifiable data, for informing the public about Internet performance in the nation as a whole, the FCC said in a press release.

How To Beat iMessage Down Time By Auto-Sending SMS Messages

Joshua Schnell, Macgasm

Disney Launches 'Disney Movies Anywhere' App With iTunes Integration

Kelly Hodgkins, MacRumors

Powered by Disney's Keychest video-on-demand service, the Disney Movies Anywhere app lets customers browse or search through Disney's vast mobile library and then purchase titles for playback from within the app. The app streams the movie to an iOS device, with an option to download content for offline viewing.

Apple Releases OS X 10.9.2, Patches SSL Flaw And Adds FaceTime Audio Support

Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica

The SSL bug isn't mentioned in the release notes that appear in Software Update, but the bug is mentioned on Apple's security page for 10.9.2. We were also able to confirm the fix by visiting several goto fail test sites in Safari after applying the update.

New iOS Flaw Makes Devices Susceptible To Covert Keylogging, Researchers Say

Dan Goodin, Ars Technica

Researchers said they have identified a flaw in Apple's iOS that makes it possible for attackers to surreptitiously log every touch a user makes, including characters typed into the keyboard, TouchID presses, and adjustments to the volume control.

Apple Releases iBeacon Specifications Under Non-Disclosure Agreement

Romain DIllet, TechCrunch

How An iPad And A 3-D Printer Can Fix Your Sweaty, Messed Up Feet

Joseph Flaherty, Wired

A startup called Sols creates kinetic orthotics using a stack of technology similar to what Tony Stark might have invented if he were a foot fetishist.

The Dangers Behind Apple's Epic Security Flaw

Russell Brandom, The Verge

How could a serious security issue at a tech giant go unnoticed for 18 months?

Protect Your Mac From SSL Bug

Topher Kessler, CNET

Apple has said a fix will be available soon for the desktop operating system, but so far has not mentioned a release date. While a fix will likely come within the next week, until then you can take steps to ensure your system is properly secured.

Essentially, use Firefox (instead of Safari), and use networks you can trust (instead of your local Starbucks.)

Belkin Qode Ultimate Keyboard Case For iPad Air Review: Sturdy Keyboard Case For iPad Gets Close To The Apple Look, But Weight Is A Concern

David Price, Macworld UK

The case provides strong protection, it’s easy to use – the magnetically enhanced, multi-positional stand is a highlight - and the keyboard is (while limited in space like all portable units) nice to type on. It also looks smart, even if once again we see that the ‘Apple look’ isn’t as easy to nail as Apple makes it appear.

Green And Healthy Product Database App GoodGuide Goes 7.0 For iOS 7

Aldrin Calimlim, AppAdvice

GoodGuide is a product database app that helps you determine whether the products you’re shopping for are safe, healthy, and green and are manufactured by socially responsible companies. It lets you search, scan, and browse for more than 200,000 products available in the U.S. to discover their science-based health, environment, and social ratings.

PhotoScissors For Mac Is An Easy Way To Cut Out Part Of An Image

Mel Martin, TUAW

There are lots of reasons to have a tool like this: product photos, separating objects from a background, creating an isolated image with a new background, etc...

Background Monitoring On Non-Jailbroken iOS 7 Devices — And A Mitigation

Min Zheng, Hui Xue And Tao Wei, FireEye

Biting Into Apple

G.F., The Economist

It's not unusual to write code with this sort of mistake; it is a significant problem that it was released without it being found.

App-pocalypse Now

Jeff Atwood, Coding Horror

I'm getting pretty sick of being nagged to install your damn apps.

ReSound LiNX Launches As World's First 'Made For iPhone' Hearing Aid

Jordan Golson, MacRumors

A new hearing aid launched today connects directly to iPhones and other iOS devices, allowing wearers to talk on the phone or listen to music, by GN ReSound, a Danish hearing aid manufacturer.

Apple Sues Chinese Government Over Siri

AFP

Apple launched the case against the State Intellectual Property Office, which is in charge of patent rights protection in China, and Shanghai's Zhizhen Network Technology, which developed software similar to Siri, the report said. Apple declined to comment.

When Will Apple Get Serious About Security?

David Morgenstern, ZDNet

Wasteland 2 Post-apocalyptic RPG Comes To Mac On Monday

Peter Cohen, iMore

Camera360 Gets Refreshed UI, New Effects Store, Enhanced Editing Functions And More

Joe White, AppAdvice

How To Get Your Family Photos Onto Your iPad

Geoffrey Goetz, GigaOM

The iPad can make a great family photo album, provided it has your photos on it. This article will go over some of the best ways to put your favorite photos on to the iPad.

Address Poor Battery Life In OS X Mavericks

Topher Kessler, CNET

While Mavericks has increased battery life for the most part, as with past versions of OS X, at times certain processes may bog down and cut expected lifetime significantly short.

Microsoft Office For iPad: Do It Right

Michael Endler, InformationWeek

Microsoft can't merely force a mouse-and-keyboard UI onto a tablet form factor. It needs to devise a productive and engaging touch-first Office interaction model.

Meet Clara, Your New Personal Finance Assistant App For iPhone

Aldrin Calimlim, AppAdvice

Clara is a personal finance app designed with simplicity and flexibility in mind.

Truffol Autograph Leather Skin For iPhone 5/5S Review

Ryan Chapman, The Gadgeteer

Not only are they super stylish, but I can show off the gold of my iPhone without worry of the back getting scratched up, and I have the option of using a bumper if I need some extra protection.

Apple Promises Fix 'Very Soon' For Macs With Failed Encryption

Joseph Menn, Reuters

Apple Inc said on Saturday it would issue a software update "very soon" to cut off the ability of spies and hackers to grab email, financial information and other sensitive data from Mac computers.

Confirming researchers' findings late Friday that a major security flaw in iPhones and iPads also appears in notebook and desktop machines running Mac OS X, Apple spokeswoman Trudy Muller told Reuters: "We are aware of this issue and already have a software fix that will be released very soon."

I am surprised -- and disappointed -- that Apple didn't release patches for both iOS and Mac OS X at the same time.

Behind iPhone’s Critical Security Bug, A Single Bad ‘Goto’

Kevin Poulsen, Wired

Like everything else on the iPhone, the critical crypto flaw announced in iOS 7 yesterday turns out to be a study in simplicity and elegant design: a single spurious “goto” in one part of Apple’s authentication code that accidentally bypasses the rest of it.

On The Timing Of iOS’s SSL Vulnerability And Apple’s ‘Addition’ To The NSA’s PRISM Program

John Gruber, Daring Fireball

Apple Quietly Issues iOS Update To Patch Faulty SSL Authentication (Update: OS X Possibly Affected)

Sean Buckley, Engadget

Researchers say they've found evidence that OS X also has SSL validation issues. Security firm Crowdstrike analyzed the iOS updates, and say they've found evidence both of Apple's platforms were vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks. They expect Apple will push a fix for OS X soon, but for now recommend avoiding shady WiFi hotspots and updating only on trusted networks -- good habits to practice any time.

Apple Security Flaw Could Allow Hackers To Beat Encryption

Joseph Menn, Reuters

A major flaw in Apple Inc software for mobile devices could allow hackers to intercept email and other communications that are meant to be encrypted, the company said on Friday, and experts said Mac computers were even more exposed.

If attackers have access to a mobile user's network, such as by sharing the same unsecured wireless service offered by a restaurant, they could see or alter exchanges between the user and protected sites such as Gmail and Facebook. Governments with access to telecom carrier data could do the same.

Hey Microsoft, Where's The Next Mac Office?

Gregg Keizer, Computerworld

Microsoft is behind the schedule it used for the last several iterations, and has not breathed a word about its Mac intentions.

Just like Apple had delayed at least one version of OS X due to work on iOS, we can reasonably suspect Office for Mac is taking longer because of Office for iPad, right?

Apple OS X Server: How To Configure A VPN Service

JEsus Vigo, TechRepublic

OS X Mavericks: What Is Activity Monitor?

Jonny Evans, Computerworld

OS X's Activity Monitor is an essential tool to help you keep your system in good shape. In this report we tell you what it is and some ways to use it.

PicFrame Review: Easy App Makes Quick Photo Collages

Serenity Caldwell, Macworld

PicFrame may not have the bells and whistles of fancier collaging apps, but its tools are perfect for those looking to put together a quick collage for an email message, Facebook post, or tweet.

Eliss Infinity Review: The Most Frantic iPhone Puzzle Game Yet?

David Price, Macworld UK

We'll confess that it took us a few levels to get what Eliss is all about, but it's a definite grower. The action is simple but incredibly mentally engaging and the look and feel are perhaps unique.

Threes Is Good Company For iPhone And iPad

Josh Centers, TidBITS

Threes provides a well-crafted puzzler that’s fun even for math-challenged folks like myself.

Apple Releases iOS 7.0.6 And 6.1.6 To Patch An SSL Problem

Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica

Apple has just released iOS 7.0.6, the sixth minor update to iOS 7. Both it and the new iOS 6.1.6 update "provide a fix for SSL connection verification," their only documented addition.

Intel CEO Refuses To Answer Questions On Whether NSA Can Access Processors

Steve Watson, InfoWars.com

While Intel has previously denied the NSA has backdoor access to their products, Krzanich’s dead air space during the recent Reddit Q&A will only serve to heighten fears that Intel is in bed with the NSA and that their hardware cannot be trusted.

Apple Confirms Burstly Buy

John Paczkowski and Mike Isaac, Re/code

Burstly is best known in Silicon Valley circles for its mobile app management platform, offering mobile analytics tools like FlightPath and, more recently, for acquiring TestFlight in 2012 — a testing tool for mobile developers.

Problems When Linking Objective-C And C++ Code

Anna Koneva, Dr Dobb's

Interoperating between Objective-C and C/C++ code presents several linker challenges, some of which are addressed in these recipes.

The Zen Productivity Guide: Tools And Tips For Distraction-free Work

Sarah Jacobsson Purewal, PCWorld

We’ve rounded up some distraction-free apps as well as tips for resisting the seductions of the software you’re currently using. The result is a more mindful, methodical way of working and a calmer, more focused you.

OS X, Mavericks: 5 Steps To A Faster Mac

Jonny Evans, Computerworld

Hop — The Email App That Thinks It’s Instant Messaging — Arrives On The iPad

Harry McCracken, Time

If you’re sick of email the way it’s always been done, or just open to a new approach, it’s worth a look.

Apple’s Two-step Verification For Apple IDs Arrives In Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Italy, & Spain

Jordan Kahn, 9 To 5 Mac

Take Your iOS 7 Note-Taking And List-Making Experience Upward With UpWord Notes

Aldrin Calimlim, AppAdvice

UpWord Notes is a new iOS app that offers a simple note-taking app and a simple list-making app in one simple yet ultra capable package.

Steve Jobs Will Appear On A US Postage Stamp In 2015

Carl Franzen, The Verge

Many of his creations reduced the need to send physical mail, but late Apple founder Steve Jobs will still get a fitting tribute from the US Postal Service: his likeness will appear on a postage stamp beginning in 2015, according to a document obtained by The Washington Post.

"Thin Steve" or "Fat Steve"?

Too soon?

Hypercard – Way Too Early

Fred Wilson, AVC

So keep your eye on cards. I think Apple was on to something important from a UI and usability perspective thirty years ago when they started building Hypercard. It is now coming to life again on mobile and I think this will be the most interesting battle ground on mobile in the years to come.

Best Weather Apps For Mac: Living Earth, Degrees, Clear Day, And More!

Allyson Kazmucha, iMore

Adobe Releases Adobe Flash Security Update In Second Emergency Fix This Month

Zac Hall, 9 To 5 Mac

How To Span A Window Between Two Displays In Mavericks

Peter Cohen, iMore

iTunes Tip: Make Your Own Genres

Kirk McElhearn, Kirkville

If you organize your music, movies or TV shows by genre, and use genres to search for them in iTunes, on an iOS device, or on an Apple TV, you should know that you’re not limited to using the genres that Apple gives you.

You Can Now Turn Your iPhone Into A Light Meter With The Luxi

Joshua Schnell, Macgasm

Screens 3.2 Adds Trackpad Mode For VNC Control

Federico Viticci, MacStories

Rovio Updates Angry Birds Rio To Version 2.0 With New Episode Based On 'Rio 2'

Aldrin Calimlim, AppAdvice

Weather Undergound Unveils WunderMap 3.0 With iPhone Support And iOS 7 Redesign

Aldrin Calimlim, AppAdvice

iBank 5 Review: Personal Finance Mac App Corners The Market On Your Money

Jeffery Battersby, Macworld

iBank 5 is a best of class app that continues to add features and value and which should be your personal finance app of choice.

Facebook To Buy WhatsApp For $16+ Billion

Mike Issac, Re/code

It is perhaps a surprising end to the independence of one of Silicon Valley’s most desired messaging startups, which has been pursued by suitors such as Google and, for a very long time, Facebook. And in a landmark moment for the acquisition of a messaging app, the final price speaks to the extent to which Facebook is willing to go to grab real estate on mobile devices.

Apple Bringing iTunes Festival To The US For The First Time At SXSW, For Five Nights In March

Benjamin Mayo, 9 To 5 Mac

Apple has announced that it is bringing the iTunes Festival to the United States for the first time, after being a UK-only event since it began in 2007. The festival will be held at SXSW from March 11th to March 15th, at the Moody Theater.

Show Multiple Days In OS X Calendar's Week View

Topher Kessler, CNET

You can view between one and seven days in the week view of Apple's Calendar application, but this can only be accessed using a hidden hotkey.

How To Encrypt Files On Mac OS X

Jill Scharr, Tom's Guide

Apple iMac 21.5” Review

Michael Andronico, Tom's Guide

The latest iMac also impresses with its added Haswell performance, a multitude of enhancements inside OS X Mavericks and a more robust app lineup. Is this the all-in-one to beat?

Unread Is A Beautiful And Very Capable RSS Reader For Your iPhone

Kelly Hodgkins, TUAW

Unread is a new RSS reader for the iPhone that promises to deliver "quiet, careful reading" of your RSS feed. It does so with a simple UI that stays out of your way and places the focus on the words in an article. As a result, Unread provides a surprisingly pleasant reading experience.

Get Better At Getting Things Done With The New Insightful To-Do App Zippy

Aldrin Calimlim, AppAdvice

But what sets Zippy apart from the competition is its innovative Insights feature. This presents infographics based on your task creation and completion habits, enabling you to analyze them so that you can actually accomplish more tasks than before.

How Mac Experts Manage Their Calendars

Lex Friedman, Macworld

Today, I rely on Google Calendar to keep my appointments in sync between my Mac and my iOS devices. I use Fantastical and Apple’s Calendar on my Mac, Fantastical on the iPhone, and Calendar on the iPad. I’m okay with my approach, but some Apple power-users I spoke to had alternative approaches that are worth considering.

Why Can't Amazon And Apple Catch A Break On Madison Ave?

Kate Kaye, Advertising Age

Advertising sales are a tough slog for both -- and for a lot of the same reasons. Media buyers say they are slow, cocky and downright stingy. Both take too long to develop ad products. Amazon's sales approach is too pushy; Apple is too reticent to foster relationships. Most frustrating: Neither is willing to cough up enough of the consumer data that attracts advertisers to them in the first place.

How To Find And Delete Duplicate Files On Your Mac

Allyson Kazmucha, iMore

OS X Mavericks, iOS 7: Text Shortcuts Explained

Jonny Evans, Computerworld

Thanks to iCloud, Apple's OS X Mavericks and iOS 7 let you use the same Shortcuts for text entry on your Mac as on your mobile device. Here's how to enable and use the feature.

Peek Is A Very Pretty Calendar For iPhone

Dave Caolo, TUAW

Apple Takes Your Verse iPad Campaign To New Heights With Mountaineering Feature

Ben Lovejoy, 9 To 5 Mac

Elevating the expedition is a new addition to the Your Verse microsite illustrating the ways in which mountaineers Adrian Ballinger and Emily Harrington use iPads to assist them with preparing for a climb, navigating the route and live-blogging their experiences and photographs …

ListBook 4.0 Brings iOS 7 Redesign, iCloud Sync

Federico Viticci, MacStories

Panic Updates Diet Coda For iPad With Local File Support, New Syntax Modes And More

Aldrin Calimlim, AppAdvice

Now, you can edit files stored locally on your iPad. Also, as in Coda, remote files can now be downloaded to and uploaded from the local set.

Time Zone Conversions With TimeZlider

Federico Viticci, MacStories

TimeZlider lets you compare time zones for multiple locations simultaneously by scrolling vertically on the screen to see how time changes across the globe.

iPad Versus MacBook For The Mobile Writer

Julio Ojeda-Zapata, TidBITS

In the pre-iPad days, an Apple laptop would have been my device of choice for all of these mobile reporting scenarios, but I’d never pick a MacBook Air over the iPad Air today.

Tomb Raider Review: Lara Croft Is Back, Slinging Arrows

Jon Carr, Macworld

It is one of the best games of the year.

SuperTab Is Like A ‘Floating Finder’ For Mac OS X

Dennis Sellers, Apple Daily Report

PasswordBox Password Manager iPhone App Review: Never Lose A Password

Tucker Cummings, Tapscape

Twitterrific Gains Search Streaming, Navigation Tab Customization And More

Aldrin Calimlim, AppAdvice

My Quest To Fix A Broken iPad

LJ Rich, BBC

The guide to how to fix an iPad 2 looked well laid out, but complicated and intricate. It was rated "very difficult".

But I was determined that that wouldn't deter me.

How To Manage Multiple iOS Devices Within A Single Household

Geoffrey Goetz, GigaOM

Here are some helpful tips for households faced with managing multiple Apple devices so they can stay on top of their iTunes purchases.

Apple Opens Its First Store In Brazil, A Key market

Chris O'Brien and Vincent Bevins, Los Angeles Times

Apple Needs More Cash

Evan Niu, The Motley Fool

For the past several quarters, Apple's domestic cash has been on the decline, in large part due to its aggressive share repurchase activity and dividend payouts, which totaled $7.8 billion last quarter.

Apple & Google Begin Rejecting Games With “Flappy” In The Title

Sarah Perez, TechCrunch

Microsoft V Microsoft

Ben Thompson, Stratechery

So to summarize, Office is not available everywhere, and probably won’t be anytime soon, because Microsoft has a devices business to prop up. Oh, and Microsoft’s business needs are a priority over user needs. Tell me, Frank, how is that a safe bet?

Mac Mini Hosting: A Growing Niche For Colo Providers

Rich Miller, Data Center Knowledge

Can You Keep A Secret, App?

Rachel Metz, Technology Review

Secret is one of latest entrants to the growing field of anonymous social networking apps, which are getting increasingly popular as more of us seek online outlets where we can be honest about anything without fearing the consequences.

Apple's Supplier Responsibility Efforts Garner Praise

Daniel Sparks, The Motley Fool

"Apple has flexed its muscles in the past to push suppliers to remove hazardous substances from products and provide more renewable energy for data centers, and it is proving the same model can work to reduce the use of conflict minerals," Greenpeace Energy Campaigner Tom Dowdall said in a statement.

Perspective: Microsoft Hedges On Office For iPad, Cites 'Thoughtful' Decisions

Gregg Keizer, Computerworld

The Novelist Is Definitely Worth Spending A Weekend With

Michael McConnell, Macgasm

Dungeon Highway Is A Brilliant, Bloody Mix Of New And Old

Mike Wehner, TUAW

Photofy 2.0 Lets You Enhance Your Photos With Stickers, Backgrounds And More

Aldrin Calimlim, AppAdvice

IFTTT Adds A Push.co Channel, Plus A Useful New Evernote Action Is Now Available

Joe White, AppAdvice

Boot Camp Update Brings 64-Bit Support To Windows Drivers

Topher Kessler, CNET

Apple has released an updated version of its Boot Camp software to support installations of Windows on a secondary partition of its Mac systems. While Apple does not officially support third-party operating systems and software installed on your Mac, it does provide Boot Camp as an option so people can use Apple's trackpads and other hardware when running in Windows.

Quickly Retrieve Past Messages In Messages For OS X

Topher Kessler, CNET

Simply hold the Option key and press the Up arrow, and previously sent messages will appear ready to be selected or sent again. You can then continue to press the up or down arrows to see and select additional messages you have sent.

VSCO Cam 3.0: The Best Photo App For iPhone Adds Your Friends

Ellis Hamburger, The Verge

Apple Tallies Labor-Rights Violations In Supplier Audit

Adam Satariano And Tim Culpan, Bloomberg

Apple conducted 451 reviews of multiple levels in its supply chain covering facilities where nearly 1.5 million people work, according to its eighth annual internal audit. The company said it’s more aggressively trying to remove the use of so-called conflict minerals and has gotten 95 percent of the facilities to keep work to below 60 hours per week.

How Apple Protects Your iPhone From Your Employer

Rich Mogull, TidBITS

With BYOD in iOS 7, Apple split the difference. Organizations can protect their property, employees can use their own devices, and everyone enjoys the full iOS experience, with no compromises. It’s a new way to look at BYOD, and one I suspect will be quite popular with both users and IT departments.

Apple Confirms No Unethically Sourced Tantalum Is Used In iOS Devices

Joe White, AppAdvice

In its recently published 2014 Supplier Responsibility Report, Apple has confirmed that its suppliers use only ethically sourced tantalum – a chemical element essential to electronics, but which has been the subject of previous reports claiming that unethical mining practices are widespread across certain regions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

iOS Tip: Send Files Between iOS Devices With AirDrop

Kirk McElhearn, Kirkville

AirDrop can be useful for transferring files across iOS devices, even your own. As long as they’re both on WiFi, it works seamlessly.

Apple, Have A Little Huemanity

Hueman

We made something. We use it. We love it. Apple rejected it.

Hype 2.5 Review: Tumult's 'Love Letter' Update To Its Users Is A Triumph

Serenity Caldwell, Macworld

If you’re looking to play in the world of HTML5 animation and responsive Web design without being an expert on CSS transforms and JavaScript tricks, Hype is the program to pick up. If you can think it up, Hype can probably build it. And though it may occasionally need some hand-coded help when it comes to advanced projects, it’s a great tool for almost everything else.

How To Install Command Line Tools In OS X Mavericks (Without Xcode)

OS X Daily

Lyne Review: Elegant, Restful iPhone Puzzle Game

David Price, Macworld UK

One-hand, One-tap Games You Should Have Played Instead Of Flappy Bird

Leah Yamshon, TechHive

However, plenty of other one-tap, side-scrolling games out there are actually worth your while. These games have gorgeous graphics, fun strategy, and solid overall aesthetics.

Apple And Samsung Are Increasingly Dominant In Mobile Phones

Matthew Yglesias, Slate

Apple and Samsung are actually more dominant than ever. Their problem is that the global demand for smartphones has stopped growing so fast.

Outline Is The First iOS App To Support LiveScribe's New SDK

Joe White, AppAdvice

Stellarium Mobile (For iPad)

Tony Hoffman, PC Magazine

Stellarium is a well-known name to astronomy buffs that have long used the open-source program on Windows, Mac, or Linux desktops. Stellarium Mobile (for iPad), created by two of the developers of the desktop versions of Stellarium, brings the program to your iOS device. Though it loses a few features, it retains the program's beautiful, and for the most part realistic-looking, depiction of the heavens.

iTunes Tip: Use The iTunes Sidebar, Or The Old Way Is Better

Kirk McElhearn, Kirkville

Adventures In Troubleshooting: Replacing A MacBook Air's Faulty SSD

Dan Moren, Macworld

Rdio For iOS Gets Updated With Playlist Editing And User Reviews

Toby Wellington, Macgasm

Creating Email Harmony With Mailbox For iOS And Airmail For Mac

Allyson Kazmucha, iMore

LaCie Fuel Review: Neatly Designed Wireless Drive For The iPad Or iPhone

Cliff Joseph, Macworld UK

Add extra storage to your iPhone or iPad with this neatly designed wireless drive.

Apple's Mac Pro Shipping Estimates Slip To April In Many Countries

Richard Padilla, MacRumors

Apple Loses Bid To Shake Monitor But Doesn’t Walk Away Empty-Handed

Joe Palazzolo, Wall Street Journal

The order Monday by the Second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals favored the Justice Department, which had pushed for the monitor, but Apple didn’t walk away empty handed.

The panel of judges defined Mr. Bromwich’s duties in narrow terms: The former Justice Department inspector general is authorized to request interviews and documents from the company only to ensure that Apple has policies in place to prevent future antitrust violations and that senior executives and board members understand them.

Apple Announces iTunes Radio Is Now Available In Australia

Brent Dirks, AppAdvice

How To Prevent Your iOS Device From Listening In

Christopher Breen, Macworld

One of the features introduced with this version of iOS was the ability to limit apps’ access to the device’s microphone. When you first launch an app that wants to use the mic, you’ll see a dialog box asking if you’re willing to let the app do this. Tap on OK and it now has the access it desires.

Meet The Beatles Again, For The First Time On Apple TV

Peter Cohen, iMore

Apple has launched a new channel dedicated to The Beatles, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the legendary British rock band's debut to American audiences on the Ed Sullivan tv show.

Beep Audio System Is Like Sonos For Your Existing Stereo Equipment

Richard Devine, iMore

Instead of a standalone connected speaker, you get this weird, futuristic looking dial that connects to an existing pair of speakers, or a receiver or dock. The mobile app will initially play music from Pandora or stored locally on your phone. More online services and support for music on your computer or NAS drive are something that may be added down the line.

App Review: Momentage Captures Each Life Experience

Julian Blunt, TheLedger.com

Apple Finally Approves App That Tracks US Drone Strikes

Rawiya Kameir, Complex

It took five tries, but Josh Begley's US drone attack-tracking app has finally been approved by Apple to enter the official App Store. The app, called Metadata+, follows US drones and alerts users every time a strike is reported.

'Flappy Bird' Removed From App Store By Developer

Arnold Kim, MacRumors

Apple Complains Of 'Patent Trolls'

Chris O'Brien, Los Angeles Times

In court and regulatory filings, Apple provided a rare look at the amount of litigation it is facing from companies whose main business involves threatening to file patent lawsuits against other companies unless they agree to make royalty payments. Apple has faced nearly 100 such lawsuits in the last three years, according to the documents.

FileMaker Pro 13 Review

Samara Lynn, ITProPortal.com

FileMaker reigns supreme when it comes to building beautiful custom apps for non-programmers. The commitment to detail and aesthetics is readily apparent with this software, and I actually find it an enjoyable platform on which to create an app.

2013 Mac Pro FirePro D700 Opengl Is Better Than We Thought It Was

Dave Girard, Ars Technica

While this issue still needs to be resolved for some programs like modo, some quick sleuthing by Apple and AMD shows that the problem was on the Autodesk side. Maya was not simply querying the GPU RAM; for some reason, it was using a hard ceiling on OS X, so the brutal performance hit was the result of that ceiling. Once you explicitly tell Maya to use your available VRAM with the environment variable MAYA_OGS_GPU_MEMORY_LIMIT=6000 in ~/Library/Preferences/Autodesk/maya/2014-x64/Maya.env, performance is perceptibly the same as in Windows in Boot Camp with very large scenes.

Also: • Fix poor high-polygon rendering in Maya on the new Mac Pro (Topher Kessler, CNET)

Who Says There Are No Mac Games? 10 Places Where To Can Buy Them Right Now!

Peter Cohen, iMore

Ask The iTunes Guy: Of Track Lengths, Genre Sorting, And Remote Storage

Kirk McElhearn, Macworld

In this week’s column, I look at four interesting questions. One about setting the start and end time for tracks in the cloud, another about shunting some or all iTunes media files to another location, and two about smart playlists.

Daily App: Threes! Is A Tiny Puzzler That'll Convince You Math Is Cool

Kelly Hodgkins, TUAW

Apple To Require iBooks 'Interest-age' For Children, Teens By June

Mikey Campbell, AppleInsider

To aid with content discovery and on its iBookstore, Apple will be requiring publishers to assign an "interest-age" to e-books distributed to children, teens and young adults, including titles tagged as "educational."

In China, Apple Will Engrave iPads — If The Words Aren't Too political

Julie Makinen, Los Angeles Times

Say you type in the Dalai Lama's name in Chinese characters into Apple's online store engraving service. You'll receive a yellow pop-up box saying, "The engraved text is not suitable." Other phrases that return the same error notice include "Tibet independence," "Xinjiang independence" and "Taiwan independence." ("America independence" is permitted.)

And if you happen to share your name with Liu Xiaobo, the jailed 2010 Nobel Peace Prize winner, you're also out of luck if you want those three characters etched into your device.

Apple Buys Back $14 Billion Of Shares In Two Weeks Since Results

Reuters

Apple bought $12 billion of shares via an accelerated share repurchase program (ASR) and $2 billion of shares from the open market, the spokesman said. An ASR usually involves a company buying its shares from an investment bank.

Betaworks Rolls Out Enhanced Instapaper Safari Extension For Mac Users

Joe White, AppAdvice

iOS 7 Bug Lets You Turn Off Find My iPhone Without Authorization

Mike Wehner, TUAW

Simply enter an incorrect password in the iCloud account information, then delete the "description" field. The phone then disables the "Find My iPhone" feature automatically, keeping anyone from finding the device using the iCloud tools provided by Apple.

How To Stretch Your iPhone's Battery As Far As It Can Possibly Go

Mike Wehner, TUAW

Mail Pilot For Mac Review: Email Client Charts A Course For Maximum Productivity

Nathan Alderman, Macworld

iCloud: The Anti-Social Network

Michael E. Cohen, TidBITS

So don’t look to iCloud as it evolves for best of breed collaborative software, for media sharing flexibility, for services that foster and promote community. Apple has always been a personal computer company; group hugs are not in its DNA.

Steve Jobs was famously self-centered. It seems obvious in retrospect that his vision of networked computing, carried back to Apple from his years in the wilderness, would be similarly self-centered. Steve may be gone, but his singular vision lives on: it’s Apple’s strategy for the next decade.

Flappy Bird Is Proof That No One Knows What The Audience Wants

Charles Pratt, Polygon

Review: 10 JavaScript Editors And IDEs Put To The Test

Martin Heller, InfoWorld

Turn Off Bluetooth To Fix AirPlay Mirroring Bug In OS X

Topher Kessler, CNET

S.F. Officials Like Redesigned Apple Store On Union Square

John Wildermuth, San Franciso Chronicle

Despite the drawings already done by the renowned architectural firm of Foster + Partners, which is also designing Apple's circular "spaceship" headquarters in Cupertino, the company quickly responded to complaints and added an 8-foot-wide window to the Stockton Street wall. The new design not only keeps the Asawa fountain, but also makes it the centerpiece of an enlarged plaza designed to attract walkers and visitors to the Union Square area. A door on Stockton Street now takes customers in and out through the plaza.

Apple Boots Blockchain, Another Bitcoin Wallet App, Out Of Its App Store

Joe White, AppAdvice

Stellar Launches Version 3 Of Its Cloning Utility, Stellar Drive Clone, For Mac OS X

Dennis Sellers, Apple Daily Report

How Did The iPhone 5S Film A Burberry Fashion Show? Apple Shows Us!

Rene Ritchie, iMore

Apple Confirms: First Retail Store In Brazil To Open On Feb. 15

Joe White, AppAdvice

Apple’s first Brazilian retail store is located in the Barra da Tijuca district of Rio de Janeiro, in the high end VillageMall shopping center.

Collect And Share GIFs In Dropbox With GIFwrapped

Federico Viticci, MacStories

GIFwrapped was created for “GIF lovers”, and it shows. The app does one thing well, it’s got convenient sharing options and Dropbox sync, and it’s Universal for the iPhone and iPad so your GIFs will always be with you.

Abbyy FineReader Pro (For Mac)

Edward Mendelson, PC Magazine

FineReader Pros' OCR engine outclasses anything else available, and its overall design is clean, efficient, and fast.

The Johnson & Johnson Official 7 Minute Workout App (For iPhone)

Jill Duffy, PC Magazine

A medium-intensity Johnson & Johnson workout can include jumping jacks, pushups, wall chair, high-knee running in place, crunches, plank, side plank, tricep dips using a chair, and a few other moves. It's a lot to pack into seven minutes, but Johnson & Johnson gets it done.

Tomb Raider Review: A Return To The Origins Of Lara Croft In This Reboot Of The Tomb Raider Series

Jon Carr, Macworld UK

Improve Your iPhone's Bedside Manner With This Quick Do Not Disturb Tip

Kevin Michaluk, iMore

Not perfect, but at least you don't have to remember to turn it off in the morning.

Adobe Releases Critical Security Update For Flash Exploit

Zac Hall, 9 To 5 Mac

Evernote For Mac Gets Descriptive Search With Natural Language Support

Federico Viticci, MacStories

Descriptive search is, essentially, a refined interface for Evernote’s existing search system, which has long enabled users to find notes by combining tokens in the search menu. Instead of clicking to choose search options and combine them, you can now type commands such as “notes created this month” or “notes with images and created this year” and Evernote will display a suggestion based on matching search results for your account.

MagSafe Won’t Charge A MacBook? It’s Probably A Simple Fix

OS X Daily

Microsoft Names Nadella New CEO, Gates Steps Down As Board Chairman

Sean Gallagher, Ars Technica

Paper Will Make You Want To Read News On Facebook

Rachel Metz, Technology Review

A new mobile app from Facebook shows that the company wants to be more than a place to see content from friends. Called Paper, the app cleverly blends social networking and news reading.

Also: Facebook’s Paper App for iPhone Is the Future of Facebook (Harry McCracken, Time)

Apple Quietly Builds New Networks

Drew Fitzgerald And Daisuke Wakabayashi, Wall Street Journal

Snapping up Internet infrastructure supports all those pursuits at once. Apple is signing long-term deals to lock up bandwidth and hiring more networking experts, steps that companies like Google Inc. and Facebook Inc. have already taken to gain more control over the vast content they distribute.

Why Is Apple Being So Nostalgic?

Yukari Iwatani Kane, New Yorker

Although the company’s C.E.O., Tim Cook, insists otherwise, Apple seems more eager to talk about the past than about the future. Even when it refers to the future, it is more intent on showing consumers how it hasn’t changed rather than how it is evolving. The thirtieth anniversary of the Macintosh—and the “1984” ad—is not just commemorative. It is a reminder of what Apple has stopped being.

Writer Pro Review: Text Editor Works Well (If You Work Its Way)

Kirk McElhearn, Macworld

Pacemaker, The First Spotify-Powered iOS DJ App, Launches In The App Store

Joe White, AppAdvice

Pacemaker allows Spotify Premium subscribers to load up, mix, and record tracks using music stored in the service’s huge online catalog, all from Apple’s mobile devices.

Adobe To Require New Epub DRM In July, Expects To Abandon Existing Users

Nate Hoffelder, The Digital Reader

Unread Review

Federico Viticci, MacStories

For me, Unread provides a better reading, syncing, and sharing experience than Reeder. While it lacks some of the features that Reeder gained over the years, Unread’s debut shows an app with focus, flexibility, attention to iOS 7, and the capability of scaling from dozens of unread items to several hundreds articles. Some people will complain about the lack of a compact mode to disable article previews in the main list; combined with thumbnails, I realized that this feature helps me pay more attention to articles in my RSS feeds.

How Did Apple Film The 1.24.14 Video In 10 Countries Just One Day? Like This!

Rene Ritchie, iMore

Apple Provides Instructions For Dealing With Recurring OS X Mail ‘No New Email’ Bug

Mark Gurman, 9 To 5 Mac

Makers Of Paper App Ask Facebook To Change Its New App Name

Nick Bilton, New York Times

How To Simplify Your Files

Joe Kissell, Macworld

Ease of finding documents isn’t the only reason to simplify your files. Greater numbers of files also make activities such as backups, syncing, disk repair, upgrading OS X, and migrating to a new Mac more time-consuming. And, needless to say, all those files take up space, which is especially significant for anyone whose Mac laptop has a low-capacity SSD.

Apple Celebrates 30Th Anniversary Of The Mac With Movie Shot On iPhones

Ina Fried, Re/code

The company spent the actual day of the anniversary — January 24 — making a short movie. Filmed in 10 countries on five continents (over 36 hours, given the time differences), the movie focuses on all of the things people are doing with Apple products. It was filmed entirely on iPhones and edited over the past week — on Macs of course.

iOS Holding My Phone Number Hostage = The Worst Bug I’ve Ever Experienced

Benjaminste.in

Let me recap: I no longer have iPhone. My phone number isn’t associated with Apple, iCloud, iMessage, or FaceTime any more. But every single iOS device I have ever messaged in the past 5 years has my phone number cached! Every single phone will only try to message me via iMessage, not SMS. And to make matters worse, it fails silently!

Just Mobile AluPen Twist L Stylus Review

Larry Geisz, The Gadgeteer

Apple Hit With $840 Million Damages Claim For Ebooks Price Fixing

Carl Franzen, The Verge

The claim, filed Friday in New York by an attorney leading a class action lawsuit on behalf of ebooks customers in 33 states, stems from the US Justice Department's successful antitrust lawsuit against Apple that took place in the summer of 2013. Using evidence presented during the course of that trial last year, attorney Steve Berman begins by arguing that Apple owes American ebooks customers a bare minimum of $231 million in damages, and probably far more money than that.

With New Anonymous Social App Secret, The Merit Is In The Message

Mike Isaac, Re/code

Based on the contacts in your mobile phonebook, you’re plugged into a network without establishing an identity or even a static username up front, and asked to share any and everything to that network. While initially you’re only communicating with friends, those secrets slowly trickle out to others depending on whether or not your friends have interacted with your posts.

Popular Antivirus Tools For OS X Tested, Again

Topher Kessler, CNET

Whether or not antivirus tools are recommended for OS X is a question that is still in a bit of flux. Hard-core Mac users often claim malware scanners offer more potential harm than good, especially given the relative lack of malware for OS X. However, this mentality butts heads with those who may not trust, or have, the abilities to avoid all potential avenues of attack on their systems.

Griffin Survivor Case For iPad Air Review

Ryan Chapman, The Gadgeteer

Review: LifeCHARGE iPhone 5/5S MFi Approved Battery Case

Milton Este, Digital Journal

OmniOutliner 4 Refines The Outlining Process

Jeff Carlson, TidBITS

Before Halo We Had Marathon -- Play Bungie's Three Mac Classics Free

John-Michael Bond, TUAW

Utilizing the Aleph One game engine and with the blessing of Bungie, these three classics now run on Mac, Windows and Linux.

M7-powered Pedometer++ Gets Major Update With New Design And Export Options

Benjamin Mayo, 9 To 5 Mac

Apple Executives Met With F.D.A. To Discuss Mobile Medical Applications

Nick Bilton and Brian X. Chen, New York Times

A group of senior Apple executives met with directors at the United States Food and Drug Administration in December to discuss mobile medical applications, according to the F.D.A.’s public calendars that list participants of meetings.