During the special keynote event yesterday Apple announced all new versions of their productivity and creativity apps for Mac and iOS. All new versions of iWork and iLife which includes Pages, Keynote, Numbers, iPhoto, iMovie and Garage Band are now free with purchase of new Mac or iOS device. These updates are also free for existing users who purchased the older versions.

I own a Mid 2010 27-inch iMac which has been serving me well all these years. OS X Mavericks the tenth major software release for the Mac was also made available for free to iMac models dating back to 2007. After multiple failed attempts to download the software update due to Apple’s sever overload and then finally succeeding I was able to install OS X Mavericks.

After installing the new software update when I launched the Mac App Store to download other software updates I noticed Keynote as one of the app among other apps listed that had available updates. Now, this was interesting to me as I never purchased Keynote app for the Mac.

When I purchased the Mac I downloaded trial version of iWork (Apple did not have Mac App Store back then) and then later purchased only Pages and Numbers app as a digital download. Keynote app was still installed but never worked as the trial had expired.

After installing Mavericks I noticed under the “Purchases” tab it listed Keynote app with a purchase date of today. After the app was updated I launched it and it worked flawlessly.

In the past I’ve got lucky even with iCloud. Just when rumours about Apple announcing a cloud based service reached an all time high I registered for a free trial of MobileMe service. Since the trial was for 60 days and within a weeks time Apple announced iCloud I got extended storage of 25GB for one year without ever paying for the old MobileMe service.

iWork apps are also available on iCloud as web apps and now feature collaboration. The shift in Apple’s pricing strategy by listing its creative and productive suite of apps as free would certainly help in more customers experimenting with these apps and thus increasing its usage worldwide.

Apple’s SVP of Industrial Design, Jony Ive has achieved yet another accomplishment, having been awarded knighthood last year at Buckingham Palace. Now, the forty-six year old designer has made Time’s 100 most influential list with the likes of many other notables in Time’s lists which includes President Barack Obama, first lady Michelle Obama, Miami Heat forward LeBron James, Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z, Beyoncé and even Pope Francis.

Ive is listed under Time’s Artist category and is including in the same category with others such as writer George Saunders as well as actress and actor, Jennifer Lawrence and Bryan Cranston. The small anecdote written below Ive’s image was written by musician and activist Bono of the band U2. Bono was also a close friend of former Apple CEO Steve Jobs. Bono noted that Ive pursued “greatness over profit” and also went on to say:

What the competitors don’t seem to understand is you cannot get people this smart to work this hard just for money. Jony is Obi-Wan. His team are Jedi…

Jony Ive has been with Apple for over 16 years, having started in 1996 as leader of the company’s design team. Under his leadership and design sense, the company released several successes, which include numerous generations of the iMac, iPad, iPhone, and iPod. Late last year, Apple also appointed Ive with the role of leading and providing guidance for the Human Interface (HI) team at the company, which will allow for a tight integration between hardware and software, something that Apple is quite popular for.

Jony Ive has received many awards over his long career at Apple and worked under two of the company’s greatest CEO’s, Steve Jobs and Tim Cook. With his latest Time recognition, there is no doubt that the designer has many more years and many for awards to get through.

{Via AppleInsider}

Apple has updated their online store with a teaser page for a “One-Day shopping event” for Black Friday. Black Friday is on, November 23rd, the day after Thanksgiving and Apple generally tends to give discounts on many of its products, including Mac, iPad, and iPod.

The Black Friday sales online and in-stores marks the start of the holiday shopping for both Apple and other retailers that offer steep discounts on many of their products. This kicks off nationwide holiday sales through the first week of January.

The one-day Apple shopping event is Friday, 23 November.

Get ready to give. Shop online or visit your favourite Apple Retail Store.
We’ll help you make the most of the day, no matter how you shop.

Apple also offers these discounts internationally, both online and in stores as a way to boost sales by offering reasonable discounts. Last year, in the US and other countries, Apple offered the following discounts:

iPad 2 – $41 to $61 Off
iPod nano – $11 off
iPod Touch – $21 to $41 off
MacBook Air – $101 off
MacBook Pro – $101 off
iMac – $101 off

It is unclear how much Apple will be discounting this year, with the addition of the iPad mini and new iMac lineup.

{Via MacRumors}

According to French site MacBidouille [Google Translate], Apple Inc. (AAPL) new iMac may not be delivered in late November as promised and may instead be delayed till early next year. The significantly thinner and lighter iMac was introduced only several weeks ago, with Apple promising the arrival of the 21.5” version at the end of November followed by the 27” by the end of the year. The reason for the delay is the process that AAPL uses to manufacture the new iMacs, something called ‘Friction-Stir Welding’ as well as the process for the LCD screen which is the first time such as process has been used on such a large screen.

Apple has been having issues with production for all of its latest devices, including the iPhone 5 and the iPad mini, due to supply constraints and new design and production techniques. During the company’s earnings call, CEO Tim Cook spoke about the supply and demand constraints that they face during the holiday quarter, noting that the demand for a popular product makes it harder to get them out in time.

In terms of general shortages on the iMac, we’ll be constrained for the full quarter in a significant way, part of that is that we’re beginning shipping the 21.5-inch iMac in November and the 27-inch in December. And so there will be a short amount of time during the quarter to manufacture and ramp those and I expect the demand to be robust. So we will have a significant shortage there.

This isn’t the first time that Apple has had issues with manufacturing, production, and supply constraints and the company will likely focus on iOS devices for the holiday sales until the iMac can be produced and shipped. With the radical new design of the thinner and lighter iMac alongside the lower price tag, sales of the new Mac will likely increase during the first quarter of 2013.

{Via MacRumors}

We recently reported that Apple Inc. (AAPL) was opening their new Barcelona Retail Store on Saturday at 10:00AM. The wall outside of the Passeig de Gràcia store consists of Gaudi-influenced design, with iOS icons arranged to resemble the modernista style of the popular Catalan architect. On Thursday, Cult of Mac was given access to take photos of the interior of the Passeig de Gràcia store.

Although the initial photographs of the exterior hinted at a very artistic interior, it now appears that the design is unchanged from Apple’s other retail locations and uses the same typical stone, wood, and metal designs. This latest location in Barcelona has a grand three floor structure, consisting of a full fledged theatre, a range of product displays, as well as a large Genius Bar.

On the ground floor of the Barcelona Apple Store, about half of the available floor space is taken up with iPhone and iPad displays, spread across twelve tables in three rows. The other half of the floor is taken up by various models of MacBooks, with only a single table devoted to iMacs.

Higher up, the glass staircase leads to the Genius Bar, as well as an in-house theater.

In the basement is where Mac and iOS accessories are stored, which Apple retail employees are now hard at work filling the shelves.

Apple’s Passeig de Gràcia location is the company’s second store in Barcelona and eighth and most recent retail store in Spain and opens at 10:00AM on Saturday, July 28th.

{via MacRumors — Image Credit: Cult of Mac}

Apple Inc. (AAPL) has been undergoing a number of changes in the past year, from Tim Cook taking over as CEO, the passing of Steve Jobs, and Ron Johnson leaving the company’s retail team. In a press release on Thursday, Apple announced that their SVP of Hardware Engineering, Bob Mansfield is retiring and will be leaving the company.

Bob has been an instrumental part of our executive team, leading the hardware engineering organization and overseeing the team that has delivered dozens of breakthrough products over the years,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. “We are very sad to have him leave and hope he enjoys every day of his retirement.

Mansfield has helped Apple create some of its most successful products. He has worked with Mac hardware engineering since 2005, as well as hardware engineering for the iPhone and iPad since 2010. Mansfield’s dedication to the company began in 1999 when Apple acquired Raycer Graphics, where he held a VP position.

Mansfield will be replaced by Dan Riccio, who has worked with Mansfield in the past on iPad engineering and according to Apple “is very well respected within Apple and by the industry.” Riccio is currently Vice President of all iPad hardware engineering, and has been working on the device since the introduction of the first generation.

Apple will be losing one of the greats in hardware engineering, and like Jon Rubinstein and Tony Fadell, Mansfield will be looking at something new after his over 10 years of dedication to the company and enjoying his newfound retirement.

It’s been a while since Apple Inc. has updated the Mac Pro as only MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air have received substantial updates recently. On Monday, rumors arose that Apple may likely scrap the Mac Pro line altogether, with low sales and a high end price mark.

The Mac Pro has not been updated since mid-2010 and Intel’s delay of its Sandy Bride E Xeon processors have pushed that date to a point where it can no longer be under speculation. Now, AppleInsider reports that Apple is “questioning” the future of the Mac Pro line and may not release an update at all.

Although the Mac maker has reportedly developed a revision to the existing Mac Pro that may or may not see the light of day, people familiar with the matter said management as far back as May of 2011 were in limbo over whether to pour any additional resources into the product line.

According to these people, the consensus among sales executives for the Cupertino-based company was that the Mac Pro’s days — at least in its current form — were inevitably numbered. In particular, internal discussions were said to focus around the fact that sales of the high-end workstations to both consumers and enterprises have dropped off so considerably that the Mac Pro is no longer a particularly profitable operation for Apple.

With Apple’s desktop sales decreasing from 70% ten years ago to under 30% today, the MacBook line have become the focal point of Apple’s Mac sales, making the Mac Pro a small part of the lineup. Speculation of further updates on the desktop lineup suggests that a possible high end version of a Mac Mini or iMac could be in the works at Apple.

The Thunderbolt technology is key in eliminating the Mac Pro and bringing the same power and speed of the high end computer over to the lower iMac and Mac Mini. It is unclear when Apple is expected to eliminate the line or release updates, but it is likely planned for early 2012.

Apple on Monday launched a lower-end iMac for educational institutions and added it into their Online Store quietly. The new models are labeled on the website as “Education only” and is not available for individuals to purchase. This lower end iMac appeared on Apple’s Higher Educational online store and has since been updated with Tech Specs.

• 3.1GHz Intel Core i3 Dual-Core
• 21.5-inch LCD
• AMD Radeon HD 6750 with 256MB
• 2GB RAM
• 250GB Hard Drive
• SuperDrive
• Mac OS X Lion

The iMac does not carry some of the higher end features such as Thunderbolt technology but has the older mini Display port. Most educational institutions use iMacs in libraries and classrooms with older technology so this lower end iMac is the perfect way for Apple to advertise their computers and software.

Apple has offered Macs to educational institutions in the past and usually negotiated contracts with schools for a very low price. This new offer for the iMac is great for educational institutions looking to upgrade for a lower price. However, Apple has not announced any package orders for institutions for this new lower end iMac.

{via MacRumors}

According to a new report published by MacRumors Apple could be working on a 15 inch ultra-thin MacBook Pro model. While the report is not clear whether it would be branded as MacBook Air or MacBook Pro; TUAW claims that it would most probably be a Pro version.

MacBook Air has been a huge success for Apple and the product lineup has been evolving well in terms of price and features. The latest models feature the new Sandy Bridge chips, Thunderbolt technology and even a backlit keyboard. Air is a perfect product for anyone who considers “portability” the most important factor when selecting a notebook.

MacBook Pro models were updated in February to feature new chip and thunderbolt technology too however, the overall design hasn’t seen any changes since the introduction of unibody MacBooks.

Apple has always tried to make its next gen products thinner and more efficient than its predecessor. So, how will Apple change the MacBook Pro lineup? It’s not very hard to guess that the next gen MacBook Pro models could leave behind the optical drive and include flash based memory. This will allow Apple to considerably reduce the thickness and weight of the notebook and even give better performance in tasks like start up and waking from sleep.

MacBook Air now has a large install base and users love the product even though it lacks an optical drive. It’s widely known that Apple considers Air to be the future of MacBooks. As software distribution has become digital for the Mac with Mac App Store and we already buy or download songs from online stores the need for optical drives is greatly declining.

Considering the fact that Air is a successful product it’s very easy to imagine that MacBook Pro without an optical drive wouldn’t be a huge problem. It’s also important to consider that Apple wants to address the “mass audience” and most people would probably have no issues without an optical drive.

With Mac OS X Lion, iCloud and iOS 5 Apple is paving the way for a true digital world where our dependency on physical media is continuing to reduce. Of course MacBook Pro would be able to borrow optical drives of your iMac or you could get an external optical drive.

The new ultra-thin MacBook Pro model could finally bridge the gap between extreme portability and power. Apple can once again prove that thinner, lighter doesn’t mean less-powerful machines and they have already done that with the iPad 2. The new iPad is 33% thinner but still packs in the dual-core A5 chip, two cameras and a gyroscope.

What do you think about the ultra thin MacBook Pro? Would you consider buying a “Pro” product without an optical drive? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Apple on Tuesday released a Thunderbolt cable for faster data transfers and the latest addition to Apple’s online store will cost you $49. The Thunderbolt cable measures 2 meters and supports the next-generation data port found on Apple’s latest iMacs and MacBook Pros.

The cable can also be used in a Target Disk Mode between two Macs or to make a Thunderbolt-equipped iMac serve as a display for a new MacBook Pro or any other pieces of tech that you own that supports the latest technology in data transfer.

Apple also added a number of RAID systems to their store, ranging anywhere from $1500 to $2000. The systems are as follows:

• The least expensive option is the Promise Pegasus R4 with 4TB of data. It features four 1TB 7200-rpm drives delivering over 500MB/s of disk performance.
• For $1,499, the Pegasus R4 can be doubled to 8TB, operating at the same 500MB/s.
• For more speed, Apple offers the Promise Pegasus R6. It includes six 1TB 7200-rpm hard drives that deliver over 800MB/s of disk performance for $1,499.
• Finally, the R6 can also have twice the storage with the 12TB offering, priced at $1,999.

Thunderbolt was introduced with Apple’s new MacBook Pro model and was a jont project between Apple and Intel. Thunderbolt has the potential to be included into new USB, which has had a grim impact on technology (eg. USB 3.0). It could be used to sync iPhones, iPods, and iPads at faster speeds and could allow the iPad to connect to TVs faster through HDMI support.

Currently, Apple’s Thunderbolt cable and RAID systems are the only products supporting lighting fast transfers.

{via AppleInsider}

Best Buy recently announced that they will match Apple’s $100 App Store credit for the ‘Back to School’ promotion with its own $100 gift card. Apple announced their annual Back to School promo only last week and replaced the typical iPod touch giveaway with a $100 App Store credit. Many customers were unhappy that Apple was offering very little for the purchase of a Mac.

However, many also argued that the $100 credit alongside Apple’s educational discount on the computer is a deal that is definitely worth taking. Best Buy will be matching this promotion with a $100 Best Buy gift card for the same qualifying customers although there has been no word on any further discounts. This promotion is unadvertised, and cannot be found on Best Buy’s online store, but instead must be asked for in person. It seems that Apple’s App Store credit of $100, plus the discount is worth more to a college student than a $100 worth of Best Buy products.

Apple’s Back to School promotion is open to college students, students accepted to college, parents buying for college students or faculty/staff at any grade level. Qualifying computers include the MacBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, iMac, and Mac Pro. Best Buy’s promotion is also only available to those mentioned above.

{via MacRumors}

Intel created the Thunderbolt I/O technology that currently runs in Apple’s iMac and Macbook Pro lines. While Intel is credited for developing the technology, Apple filed did the trademark work for the  I/O name which created some confusion about who actually owned the trademark. According to a recent report published by Bright Side of the News, Intel now has full rights of the Thunderbolt trademark:

As part of our collaboration with Apple, they did some of the initial trademark filings.  Intel has full rights to the Thunderbolt trademark now and into the future. The Thunderbolt name will be used going forward on all platforms, irrespective of operating system.

Intel created the I/O technology capable of high-speed connectivity of up-to 100Gbps using optical cable and originally called it Light Peak. Apple later suggested Intel to replace the optical connection with copper and allow capability of 10 Watts of power, which eventually led to a name change to Thunderbolt I/O.

The high-speed data transfer technology was introduced earlier this year with Apple’s MacBook Pro notebooks and iMac all-in-one computers, and is will likely be made available in the Macbook Air as well as the Mac Mini.

When interviewed by The Telegraph, new British Prime Minister David Cameron gave a run down of his latest gadgets and they’re all made by Apple. Cameron’s particularly enamored with his Apple iPad, according to the article.

The revelation came as Cameron explained how he manages his iTunes music. Understandably those in charge of IT at Number 10 Downing Street aren’t too keen on him putting his iTunes library on mission critical machines. The fix is an iMac, which the PM bought for his wife Samantha. No details were given on the specs, but I’ll be very disappointed if it isn’t the 27inch model!

Cameron’s favorite part seems to be the ability to control the aforementioned iMac from his iPad presumably using some sort of VNC app. Those hoping the PM is a geek will be slightly disappointed to hear he required help from IT to get it working, however!

The cool thing is that I now control my iMac from the iPad, to play out through the speaker but I have to admit I had a little bit of help from someone in IT on that.

David Cameron isn’t the first politician to embrace Apple’s hardware and particularly the iPad. The Washington Post reported in June how everyone in the West Wing at the time either had, or would be getting, an iPad.

White House Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel amongst others were reportedly singing the device’s praises, with many actively downloading apps for Apple’s tablet. Favorites included Scrabble, iBooks and the MLB app.

So now we know what they get up to on Air Force One!

Rumors of a touchscreen iMac are refuelled today, as DigiTimes, a Taiwanese publication, has reported that Sintek Photronics has sent samples of their projected capacitive touch panels to Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) that will feature in their next iMac. The report from DigiTimes states:

The new iMac is rumored to have a good vertical and horizontal viewing angle, and its projected capacitive touch panel will adopt a one-glass solution, which integrates the touch sensor and cover glass, to reduce thickness and weight.

DigiTimes explains in their report that most touch panels are made by placing a sensor over the panel, and then covering it with glass. However, this method is said to be costly, complex, and results in a dull screen.

Recent reports regarding a patent design for the new iMac that will allow it to swivel for better touchscreen access strengthen the rumors that Apple’s next all-in-one computer will come with this feature, and it’s said that Sintek “has a good chance” of supplying the new screens.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

An extremely useful program that replaces your Apple remote

Aij Launch Promotion! For a limited time only, DVDmote is only $.99!

Watch movies on your Mac? Use Front Row for music, movies, photos, or shared libraries? Then DVDmote is for you!

DVDmote provides you with a remote control for your computer’s DVD Player application and the Front Row application.

Note that using Front Row you can access and play movies and music from shared iTunes libraries!

Note that DVDmote requires a computer running Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard), and a network connection. DVDmote works using the DVDmote Sharing Service, available as a free download from:

http://www.jbrink.net/dvdmote

Watch movies on your Mac? Use Front Row for music, movies, photos, or shared libraries? Then DVDmote is for you!

DVDmote provides you with a remote control for your computer’s DVD Player application and the Front Row application.

Note that DVDmote requires a computer running Mac OS X 10.5 (Leopard), and a network connection. DVDmote works using the DVDmote Sharing Service, available as a free download from:

Note that using Front Row you can access and play movies and music from shared iTunes libraries!

This program not only replaces your Apple remote but also makes it usable wherever your wireless network stretches to, making line of sight issues a thing of the past and giving you less excuses better reasons to tidy up your computerized home entertainment service and/or one less item for you to carry about.

As you may have guessed by now this application is for those people with Apple Computers as presently there is no Windows version of the service application that must be running to let you control it, but I’m sure they are busy working something for Windows users. Another problem with this service is potential hijacking as presently there is no security pairing between computer and touch device and all it takes is someone else to be running the app and be on the same wireless network (and yes you have to have a wireless network) to be able to take control but to be honest your wireless network should have some security on it but those sharing a wireless network with a large group of people could have a problem.

The app is generally usable and works well but with a couple of niggles, one being a sleepy volume slider. I’ve found myself trying on several occasions to touch it to adjust the volume only to have my input ignored but it does work at least some times. Another niggle would be input repeat, while I’m not sure if this is an issue to the whole capacitive touch technology but each touch on the app equals one movement on your computer screen, which makes browsing long lists in FrontRow a bit of a chore where as you could scroll easily with the Apple remote just by pressing and holding one of the buttons.

Feature Requests

I would like to see the layout improved along with some dynamic button labels as when you are actually in FrontRow, to move back a menu have to press the “fullscreen” button where it could change to “back” when your in the menu system itself. How about a virtual scroll wheel of moving quickly through lists in FrontRow? I would most certainly like to see further application support for apps like Boxee and VLC and probably a multitude of other applications that could do with a remote and be able to select which app to use from the touch app, rather than just the service ran on the computer.

Price $0.99 (sale price, normally $1.99 )

The Good

• Handy and convenient
• Works well
• Good effort at combining Mac and Touch devices

The Not so Good

• Presently no security and not Windows compatible
• Control layout needs work
• Volume slider hard to move

Reviewer: TylerDurdan