Say Goodbye to the White MacBook (Updated)

Update: The MacBook will continue to be available to educational institutions, Engadget reports.

With the launch of the new Sandy Bridge MacBook Air models, Apple has sent its US$999 MacBook to the graveyard. All links for the older white MacBook model are gone from Apple’s website and now redirect to the Mac landing page.

Though we will miss the venerable white model, it only makes sense. The new 13-inch MacBook Air is souped up enough to replace the MacBook for most people and the Air’s US$999 price tag is reasonable. If a grand is too much to drop on a new OS X Lion machine, the new Core i5 Mac Mini may fit the bill with its starting price tag of $599. Yeah, its not a portable like the other models, but it does get you into a Lion computer for cheap.

[Via Macworld]

Say Goodbye to the White MacBook (Updated) originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 20 Jul 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Apple introduces new Mac mini with faster processors, Thunderbolt, server option

Besides its MacBook Air model, Apple also introduced a new Mac mini — which lacks a previously standard component, as the new mini has no optical drive. It does support Apple’s remote drive software, allowing you to use another Mac or PC’s optical drive over the network.

The latest version keeps the boxy aluminum styling of the previous model but now includes a dual-core Core i5 or quad-core Core i7 processor, AMD Radeon HD 6630M discrete graphics and support for Thunderbolt. You can also choose between an OS X Lion version or a server version with OS X Lion Server.

The Mac mini will be available in three models:

  • 2.3 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 Mac mini with 2GB of RAM, 500GB hard drive and a starting price tag of US$599. Optional 8GB memory and 750GB hard drive.
  • 2.5 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 Mac mini with 4GB of RAM, 500GB hard drive and a starting price tag of $799 (US). Optional 2.7GHz dual-core Core i7 processor, up to 8GB of memory, and a 750GB hard drive or 256GB solid state drive.

  • 2.0 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 Mac mini with Lion Server, 4GB of RAM, dual 500GB hard drives and a starting price of $999. Optional 8GB memory, two 750GB hard drives, or up to two 256GB solid state drives.

The new Mac mini is available today online, and tomorrow (July 21) in Apple retail stores or authorized resellers.

Show full PR text
Apple Updates Mac mini

CUPERTINO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Apple(R) today updated the Mac(R) mini with next generation Intel core processors, new discrete graphics, high-speed Thunderbolt I/O technology and Lion, the world’s most advanced operating system. The new Mac mini delivers up to twice the processor and graphics performance of the previous generation in the same amazingly compact and efficient aluminum design.* Starting at just $599 (US), the new Mac mini is available for order today and in stores tomorrow.

“Mac mini delivers the speed and expandability that makes it perfect for the desktop, living room or office”
“Mac mini delivers the speed and expandability that makes it perfect for the desktop, living room or office,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “With faster processors, more powerful graphics and Thunderbolt in an incredibly compact, aluminum design, the new Mac mini is more versatile than ever.”

At just 7.7-inches square and 1.4-inches thin, the new Mac mini maintains its compact aluminum design while delivering amazing performance and graphics capabilities. Available in three different configurations, customers can choose a Mac mini with the latest dual-core Intel Core i5 or Intel Core i7 processors, AMD Radeon HD 6630M discrete graphics, or a quad-core Intel Core i7 powered server configuration. Designed without an optical disc drive, Mac mini can access the optical drives on other PCs and Macs, and works with the MacBook Air(R) SuperDrive(R). Configure-to-order options include up to 8 GBs of memory, a faster 7200 RPM hard drive and a 256GB solid state drive.

Mac mini now comes with Thunderbolt I/O technology for expansion possibilities never before available to Mac mini users. With a Thunderbolt port, Mac mini can connect to peripherals such as high-performance storage devices, RAID arrays and the new Apple Thunderbolt Display, a stunning 27-inch IPS widescreen display that’s great for making FaceTime(R) HD video calls, surfing the Web and viewing movies and photos.

With ultra-fast Wi-Fi, you can wirelessly download apps from the Mac App Store[TM], get music and movies from iTunes(R), back up data to Time Capsule(R) and share files with AirDrop, which makes transferring files quick and easy. Mac mini includes Bluetooth for wireless peripherals and four USB ports for easy connectivity for the wired and wireless devices you use every day.

The new Mac mini remains the world’s most energy efficient desktop, meets Energy Star 5.2 requirements and achieves EPEAT Gold status.** Mac mini has a highly recyclable aluminum enclosure, PVC-free components and cables, no brominated flame retardants and features material-efficient system and packaging designs.

Every new Mac mini comes with Mac OS(R) X Lion, the latest major release of Mac OS X, the world’s most advanced operating system, and iLife(R) apps for creating and sharing great photos, movies and music. Lion introduces more than 250 new features to the Mac, including Multi-Touch(R) gestures and system-wide support for full screen apps; Mission Control, an innovative view of everything running on your Mac; the Mac App Store, the best place to find and explore great software; Launchpad, a new home for all your apps; and a completely redesigned Mail app.

Pricing & Availability

The new Mac mini is available through the Apple Store(R) (www.apple.com) today and in Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers starting July 21.

The 2.3 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 Mac mini with 2GB of memory and a 500GB hard drive starts at a suggested retail price of $599 (US), with options to add memory up to 8GB and a 750GB hard drive.

The 2.5 GHz dual-core Intel Core i5 Mac mini with 4GB of memory and a 500GB hard drive starts at a suggested retail price of $799 (US), with options to upgrade to a 2.7GHz dual-core Core i7 processor, up to 8GB of memory, and a 750GB hard drive with an option to add or replace with a 256GB solid state drive.

The 2.0 GHz quad-core Intel Core i7 Mac mini with Lion Server, 4GB of memory and dual 500GB hard drives starts at a suggested retail price of $999 (US). Options include adding memory up to 8GB, two 750GB hard drives, or up to two 256GB solid state drives.

*Testing conducted by Apple in July 2011 using preproduction Mac mini configurations. For more information visit www.apple.com/macmini/features.html.

**EPEAT is an independent organization that helps customers compare the environmental performance of notebooks and desktops. For more information visit www.epeat.net.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced iPad 2 which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

Apple introduces new Mac mini with faster processors, Thunderbolt, server option originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 20 Jul 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Say Hello to the new Apple Thunderbolt Display

To complement its new hardware lineup, Apple also unveiled a new Apple Thunderbolt Display, previously known as the LED Cinema Display. The new display is similar to earlier models, but now includes a Thunderbolt port that will let you connect your Thunderbolt-equipped hardware.

Besides Thunderbolt, the new display includes a FaceTime HD video camera, a 2.1 speaker system, integrated MagSafe charger, three USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 800 port, and one Gigabit Ethernet port

The 27-inch model Apple Thunderbolt Display is available for US$999 and will go on sale within the next 60 days.

Show full PR text
Apple Introduces World’s First Thunderbolt Display

CUPERTINO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Apple(R) today unveiled the new Apple Thunderbolt Display, the world’s first display with Thunderbolt I/O technology and the ultimate docking station for your Mac(R) notebook. With just a single cable, users can connect a Thunderbolt-enabled Mac to the 27-inch Apple Thunderbolt Display and access its FaceTime(R) camera, high quality audio, and Gigabit Ethernet, FireWire(R) 800, USB 2.0 and Thunderbolt ports. Designed specifically for Mac notebooks, the new display features an elegant, thin, aluminum and glass enclosure, and includes a MagSafe(R) connector that charges your MacBook(R) Pro or MacBook Air(R).

“The Apple Thunderbolt Display is the ultimate docking station for your Mac notebook”
“The Apple Thunderbolt Display is the ultimate docking station for your Mac notebook,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing.” With just one cable, users can dock with their new display and connect to high performance peripherals, network connections and audio devices.”

With a beautiful 16:9 edge-to-edge glass design, the Thunderbolt Display uses IPS technology to provide a brilliant image across an ultra wide 178 degree viewing angle. Any Thunderbolt-enabled Mac notebook can dock with the display to quickly and easily create a full-fledged desktop solution. The Thunderbolt Display includes a built-in FaceTime HD video camera for crisp video conferencing, a 2.1 speaker system for high quality audio, an integrated MagSafe charger to keep Mac notebooks charged, three USB 2.0 ports, one FireWire 800 port, one Gigabit Ethernet port and a Thunderbolt port for daisy chaining up to five additional Thunderbolt devices.

The Thunderbolt Display is the world’s first display to include Thunderbolt I/O technology. Featuring two bi-directional channels with transfer speeds up to an amazing 10Gbps each, each Thunderbolt port delivers PCI Express directly to external peripherals such as high performance storage and RAID arrays, supports DisplayPort for high resolution displays and works with existing adapters for HDMI, DVI and VGA displays. Thunderbolt-based Macs with discrete graphics can drive two external displays giving professional users over 7 million additional pixels of display real estate and the ability to daisy chain additional Thunderbolt devices, as well as video and audio capture devices.

The Thunderbolt Display includes an ambient light sensor which automatically adjusts the display brightness based on external lighting conditions and uses only as much energy as necessary to provide an optimum viewing experience. Made with mercury-free LED technology, arsenic-free glass and highly recyclable materials, the new display meets Energy Star 5.0 requirements and achieves EPEAT Gold status.* The new display contains no brominated flame retardants and all cables and components are PVC-free.

Pricing & Availability

The new Thunderbolt Display will be available within the next 60 days through the Apple Store(R) (www.apple.com), Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers for a suggested retail price of $999 (US). The Apple Thunderbolt Display requires a Mac with a Thunderbolt I/O port.

*EPEAT is an independent organization that helps customers compare the environmental performance of notebooks and desktops. For more information visit www.epeat.net.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced iPad 2 which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

Say Hello to the new Apple Thunderbolt Display originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 20 Jul 2011 08:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MacBook Air updated with faster CPU, backlit keyboard, Thunderbolt port (Updated)

Update: Our apologies. Due to an editing error, the original version of this post had incorrect specs for storage and RAM on the 11″ MBA; it also cited an 8GB BTO option for RAM on the 13″, which is not available. This has been corrected.

As predicted, the MacBook Air has been updated hot on the heels of the release of OS X Lion. The update sees a few welcome upgrades to the hardware, including the return of backlit keyboards and an upgrade of the base RAM from 2 to 4 GB. The 11-inch MacBook Air now comes with a 128 GB SSD, far roomier than the cramped 64 GB last generation’s base model had. The 11″ Air now includes 64 and 128GB flash drives as standard options, with a BTO option of a 256GB drive. The 13″ includes 4GB of RAM by default, and the 11″ has both 2GB or 4GB models.

The MacBook Air’s CPU has seen significant upgrades to Intel’s “Sandy Bridge” architecture. The base CPU is an Intel Core i5 clocked at 1.6 GHz, and build-to-order options exist to bump the CPU as high as a 1.8 GHz Intel Core i7 (only for the higher-cost version in each screen size). These are by far the fastest processors the MacBook Air has ever had, and while it’ll likely be a couple of days before they’re benchmarked, they have the potential to be around as powerful as a 2008-model MacBook Pro.

The MacBook Air has also gained a Thunderbolt I/O port, bringing it in line with the MacBook Pro and iMac updates from earlier this year. The Thunderbolt port replaces the MacBook Air’s former Mini DisplayPort and gives it the fastest port yet seen on Apple’s ultraportable line. It’s designed to pair nicely with the new Thunderbolt display.

Tech specs of the new MacBook Air models are below.

11-inch:

  • 1.6 GHz Intel Core i5 CPU (1.8 GHz Core i7 build-to-order)
  • Intel HD Graphics 3000
  • one model with 2 GB RAM and 64 GB SSD; another with 4 GB and 128 GB SSD
  • Thunderbolt, Two USB ports
  • OS X Lion
  • Available now for US$999 and $1199

13-inch:

  • 1.7 GHz Intel Core i5 CPU (1.8 GHz Core i7 build-to-order)
  • Intel HD Graphics 3000
  • 4 GB RAM (8 GB build-to-order)
  • 128 or 256 GB SSD
  • Thunderbolt, Two USB ports, SD Card port
  • OS X Lion
  • Available now for $1299 (128 GB) or $1599 (256 GB)

The latest models will go on sale online today and starting tomorrow Thursday, July 21 in retail stores.

Show full PR text
Apple Updates MacBook Air With Next Generation Processors, Thunderbolt I/O & Backlit Keyboard

CUPERTINO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Apple(R) today updated the MacBook Air(R) with next generation processors, high-speed Thunderbolt I/O technology, a backlit keyboard and Mac OS(R) X Lion, the world’s most advanced operating system. With up to twice the performance of the previous generation, flash storage for instant-on responsiveness and a compact design so portable you can take it everywhere,* the MacBook Air starts at $999 (US) and is available for order today and in stores tomorrow.

“MacBook Air features our most advanced technology and is an ideal match for Lion, especially with its new Multi-Touch gestures, full-screen apps, Mission Control and Mac App Store.”
“Portable, affordable and powerful, MacBook Air is the ultimate everyday notebook,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “MacBook Air features our most advanced technology and is an ideal match for Lion, especially with its new Multi-Touch gestures, full-screen apps, Mission Control and Mac App Store.”

MacBook Air is available in 11-inch and 13-inch models that easily slip into a briefcase, purse or bag. The MacBook Air’s durable aluminum unibody enclosure measures an incredibly thin 0.11-inches at its thinnest point and 0.68-inches at its thickest. Flash storage allows MacBook Air to turn on instantly and deliver fast data access, improved reliability and incredible energy efficiency. The 11-inch model weighs 2.38 pounds and provides up to 5 hours of battery life, while the 13-inch weighs 2.96 pounds and provides up to 7 hours of battery life.**

With the latest Intel Core i5 and Core i7 dual-core processors, the new MacBook Air is up to twice as fast as the previous generation and has all the power you need for editing photos and movies, making FaceTime(R) calls, playing games, and working with documents and presentations. MacBook Air also features Intel HD Graphics 3000 and offers up to 4GB of faster 1333 MHz memory.

Thunderbolt I/O technology provides expansion possibilities never before available to MacBook Air users. Through a single cable, users can connect to high performance peripherals and the new Apple Thunderbolt Display, the ultimate docking station for your Mac(R) notebook. Thunderbolt can easily be adapted to support legacy connections such as FireWire(R) and Gigabit Ethernet.

MacBook Air comes with a full size backlit keyboard and an innovative glass Multi-Touch[TM] trackpad. Designed for comfort and ease of typing, the backlit keyboard uses a sensor to automatically detect a change in ambient lighting and adjusts the keyboard brightness for any environment. The Multi-Touch trackpad supports Lion’s new Multi-Touch gestures such as momentum scrolling, tapping or pinching your fingers to zoom in on a web page or image, and swiping left or right to turn a page or switch between full screen apps.

MacBook Air also features a brilliant, high resolution LED backlit display that is amazingly thin yet has the resolution of a much larger, bulkier screen. With ultra-fast Wi-Fi, you can wirelessly download apps from the Mac App Store[TM], get music and movies from iTunes(R), back up data to Time Capsule(R) and quickly and easily share files using AirDrop. MacBook Air includes Bluetooth for wireless peripherals and two USB ports for easy connectivity for the wired and wireless devices you use every day.

Apple makes the industry’s greenest notebook lineup and the new MacBook Air meets Energy Star 5.2 requirements and achieves EPEAT Gold status.*** Each unibody enclosure is made of highly recyclable aluminum and comes standard with energy efficient LED-backlit displays that are mercury-free and made with arsenic-free glass. Mac notebooks contain no brominated flame retardants, are PVC-free and are constructed of recyclable materials.

Every new MacBook Air comes with Mac OS X Lion, the eighth major release of the world’s most advanced operating system, and iLife apps for creating and sharing great photos, movies and music. Lion introduces more than 250 new features to the Mac, including Multi-Touch gestures; system-wide support for full screen apps; Mission Control, an innovative view of everything running on your Mac; the Mac App Store, the best place to find and explore great software, built right into the OS; Launchpad, a new home for all your apps; and a completely redesigned Mail app.

Pricing & Availability

The 11-inch and 13-inch MacBook Air are available for order on the Apple Store(R) (www.apple.com) today and in Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers starting July 21. The 1.6 GHz 11-inch MacBook Air is available in two models, one with 2GB of memory and 64GB of flash storage for a suggested retail price of $999 (US), and one with 4GB of memory and 128GB of flash storage for $1,199 (US). The 1.7 GHz 13-inch MacBook Air comes in two configurations, one with 4GB of memory and 128GB of flash storage for a suggested retail price of $1,299 (US), and one with 4GB of memory and 256GB of flash storage for $1,599 (US). Configure-to-order options and accessories include a 1.8 GHz Core i7 processor, additional flash storage, MacBook Air SuperDrive(R) and a USB Ethernet Adapter.Show full PR text

Apple Updates MacBook Air With Next Generation Processors, Thunderbolt I/O & Backlit Keyboard

MacBook Air updated with faster CPU, backlit keyboard, Thunderbolt port (Updated) originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 20 Jul 2011 08:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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OS X 10.7 Lion and Lion Server released. Available Now in Mac App Store

If you had today marked off on your Lion release day lottery card, congratulations! Apple has finally released OS X 10.7 Lion and Lion Server.

Before you do anything else, make sure you have a backup of your Mac; Time Machine is good, and adding a bootable clone is even better. You may have no problems at all with your upgrade, but far better to be safe than sorry.

Head on over to the Mac App Store to pick up your $29 upgrade now. Lion weighs in with a fairly hefty multi-gigabyte download, so allocate time for the e-only distribution to complete.

You’ll also want to give yourself an hour or so for the upgrade process itself. Quite a lot of it takes place in a non-interactive “26 minutes left to install”-style mode.

For the cautious-minded, you may want to consider adding a Lion partition to your existing system. This allows you to keep doing work on your Snow Leopard system until your full set of work apps are completely validated on Lion.

Grab OS X Lion from the Mac App Store here and Lion Server here. If you don’t have broadband access, you can download Lion at Apple retail stores. And in August, Lion will be available on a USB thumb drive through the Apple Store for $69.

Share your upgrade experience in the comments!

Show full PR text
Mac OS X Lion Available Today From the Mac App Store

CUPERTINO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Apple(R) today announced that Mac OS(R) X Lion, the eighth major release of the world’s most advanced operating system with more than 250 new features, is available today as a download from the Mac(R) App Store[TM] for $29.99. Some of the amazing features in Lion include: new Multi-Touch(R) gestures; system-wide support for full screen apps; Mission Control, an innovative view of everything running on your Mac; the Mac App Store, the best place to find and explore great software, built right into the OS; Launchpad, a new home for all your apps; and a completely redesigned Mail app.

“Lion is the best version of OS X yet, and we’re thrilled that users around the world can download it starting today”
“Lion is the best version of OS X yet, and we’re thrilled that users around the world can download it starting today,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Product Marketing. “Lion makes upgrading a Mac easier than ever before; just launch the Mac App Store, buy Lion with your iTunes account, and the download and install process will begin automatically.”

Additional new features in Lion include:

o. Resume, which conveniently brings your apps back exactly how you left them when you restart your Mac or quit and relaunch an app;

o. Auto Save, which automatically and continuously saves your documents as you work;

o. Versions, which automatically records the history of your document as you create it, and gives you an easy way to browse, revert and even copy and paste from previous versions; and

o. AirDrop, which finds nearby Macs and automatically sets up a peer-to-peer wireless connection to make transferring files quick and easy.

Pricing & Availability

Mac OS X Lion is available as an upgrade to Mac OS X version 10.6.6 Snow Leopard(R) from the Mac App Store for $29.99 (US). Lion is the easiest OS X upgrade and at around 4GB, it is about the size of an HD movie from the iTunes Store(R). Users who do not have broadband access at home, work or school can download Lion at Apple retail stores and later this August, Lion will be made available on a USB thumb drive through the Apple Store(R) (www.apple.com) for $69 (US). Mac OS X Lion Server requires Lion and is available from the Mac App Store for $49.99 (US).

Lion requires an Intel-based Mac with a Core 2 Duo, i3, i5, i7 or Xeon processor and 2GB of RAM. Lion is an upgrade and can be installed on all your authorized personal Macs. Details regarding Business and Education licensing can be found at apple.com/macosx.

The OS X Lion Up-to-Date upgrade will be available through the Mac App Store at no additional charge to all customers who purchased a qualifying new Mac system from Apple or an Apple Authorized Reseller on or after June 6, 2011. Users must request their Up-to-Date upgrade within 30 days of purchase of their Mac computer. Customers who purchased a qualifying Mac between June 6, 2011 and July 20, 2011 will have until August 19, 2011 to make a request. Additional information can be found at apple.com/macosx/uptodate.

Apple designs Macs, the best personal computers in the world, along with OS X, iLife, iWork and professional software. Apple leads the digital music revolution with its iPods and iTunes online store. Apple has reinvented the mobile phone with its revolutionary iPhone and App Store, and has recently introduced iPad 2 which is defining the future of mobile media and computing devices.

OS X 10.7 Lion and Lion Server released. Available Now in Mac App Store originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 20 Jul 2011 08:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TUAW’s Daily iPhone App: Quest Runner

Quest Runner is a hack-and-slash RPG, though it’s probably unlike almost any you’ve seen before. Rather than exploring an isometric world like many games of this type, Quest Runner is more cartoony and fun. The quests themselves are pretty simple, but the RPG premise is what really makes the game, as you navigate your character around and progress your abilities, weapons and armor up the chain. There’s definitely a sense of humor in the characters and dialogue, and as you can see from the screenshot above, there’s a certain amount of whimsy in the game’s look and feel.

There is quite a bit of complexity as you level up (you can even equip pets and you have to feed them to keep them around), and despite the game’s look, it can get hard at times. Other than some weird movement controls, however, it never really gets frustrating — it’s all about just playing for fun and hacking your way through quest after quest.

Game Center’s included for achievements, and the game is out as a universal version (quite honestly, it looks a little better on the iPad, though it’s still playable on the iPhone) for US $1.99. There are a few in-game purchases for convenience, but none of them are really needed — there’s plenty of game to play through here already for the price. One note: the game might be a little slow on older iPhone models, though a recent patch has supposedly fixed a lot of issues up. Other than that, enjoy — Quest Runner is a fun hack-and-slash dash through a well-designed world.

TUAW’s Daily iPhone App: Quest Runner originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Wed, 20 Jul 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Download TinyUmbrella 5.00.06 – Supports iOS 4.3.4, 4.2.9 and iPad 2

Notcom has updated TinyUmbrella to version 5.00.06 which now supports iOS 4.3.4, iOS 4.2.9 on all iDevices including iPad 2. You can download TinyUmbrella 5.00.06 to save SHSH blobs for iOS 4.3.4,…

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U.S. International Trade Commission rules against HTC, may mean problems for other Android device producers

The United States International Trade Commission has ruled against HTC and determined they have infringed on a couple of patents that may affect all Android devices.

The patents HTC was found to have violated are 5,946,647, “System and method for performing an action on a structure in computer-generated data” and 6,343,263, “Real-time signal processing system for serially transmitted data.”

An in-depth analysis by Mueller of the specific patent claims HTC has been found guilty of violating suggests that the infringing technologies are part of the Android architecture, rather than unique enhancements made by HTC. As such, competing Android vendors such as Motorola and Samsung may also be at risk.

Apple’s ’643 patent appears to relate directly to the iPhone’s practice of detecting contact information, such as phone numbers and email addresses, and forming a link that, when clicked, performs contextualized actions. Documents submitted by Apple accuse HTC of violating this patent through Android’s “Linkify” functionality.

Source: ITC ruling against HTC may spell trouble for other Android makers

Tutorial: Easy Game Controls In Cocos2D With SneakyInput

Since the iPhone and iPad don’t include their own game controls if you are developing a game that requires classical controls your are going to have to code your own or use an open source library.

Fortunately for Cocos2D devs there is the SneakyInput library.  I found a good step-by-step tutorial explaining the process of installing the SneakyInput library into your games, and making a game object move around with a SneakyInput joystick.

The tutorial is from Alex at Lumo Interactive and can be found here:
Moving a sprite with cocos2d and SneakyInput

A handy reference if you are just getting started with Cocos2D.

©2011 iPhone, iOS 4, iPad SDK Development Tutorial and Programming Tips. All Rights Reserved.

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Tutorial: Texturing 3D Objects In OpenGL ES 2.0

OpenGL ES is a topic that I’ve posted about many times on this site, and I’ve been trying to keep a categorized list of OpenGL ES tutorials up to date with every OpenGL ES tutorial I’ve seen.  There have not been too many OpenGL ES 2.0 tutorials to date that go beyond the absolute basics.

Previously I mentioned a good series on OpenGL ES 2.0 that gave a great overview on beginner through advanced topics with some sample code.  I also mentioned a great hands on beginners OpenGL ES 2.0 tutorial from Ray Wenderlich.

Ray has continued on with his tutorial series, and added another tutorial explaining how to texture objects in OpenGL ES 2.0 on iOS devices.  Texturing may sound like something simple, but the process of loading in the textures, and extracting the data from memory makes things somewhat stick on the iPhone and iPad.

You can find the tutorial here:
OpenGL ES 2.0 for iPhone Tutorial Part 2: Textures

Definitely some very handy snippets of code if you ever need to do your own texturing in OpenGL ES 2.0.

Added To The: Categorized OpenGL ES Tutorial Collection

©2011 iPhone, iOS 4, iPad SDK Development Tutorial and Programming Tips. All Rights Reserved.

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Tags: programming, ipad, texture objects, iPhone, opengl es 2.0, opengl es, Graphics, opengl, ios (apple)


How To Create Stereoscopic 3D Motion Graphics – Part 1

This tutorial covers creating a stereoscopic 3D animation using Adobe After Effects CS4 or higher. Skills covered are animating in the 3D space using standard AE techniques, creating stereoscopic animations using a dual camera virtual rig and displacement mapping for stereoscopic animations. The tutorial is split into two parts, today for the basic animation and tomorrow for the stereoscopic creation.


Tutorial

Download Tutorial .mp4

File size: 246.1 MB


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Illustrating a Series of Application Icons

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Infinite Skills is a software company that develops learning materials for people to enhance their knowledge of a variety of applications, from industry software to commonplace word processing programs. Infinite Skills approached me to create a series of application icons that will accompany their software. Needless to say, with my insatiable appetite for icon design and branding it was game on!

Continue reading “Illustrating a Series of Application Icons”

Introduction to Digital Art

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Photoshop is an excellent tool for manipulating photographs but it can also be used as a means to create stunning digital art. This tutorial is part of a 25-part video tutorial series demonstrating everything you will need to know to start producing digital art in Photoshop. Digital Art for Beginners, by Adobe Certified Expert and Instructor, Martin Perhiniak will begin by teaching you how to draw in Photoshop. At the conclusion of this series you will know all you need to produce your own concept art and matte paintings in Photoshop.

Today’s tutorial Part 1: Introduction to Digital Art will provide an overview of digital art in general and will explain the most essential things you will need to know in Photoshop to work efficiently. You will learn how to customize the user interface, create your own panels, and how to work with Layer comps to easily switch between different compositions. Let’s get started!


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