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Jordan Kahn

jordankahn

Dir. Partnerships

9to5Mac / 9to5Google / 9to5Toys / Electrek.co / DroneDJ / SpaceExplored

Jordan manages the internal Partner Program for sponsorships and partnerships across the 9to5 network’s media brands including 9to5Mac, 9to5Google, 9to5Toys, Electrek.co, SpaceExplored and DroneDJ.com.

Jordan also writes about all things Apple as a Senior Editor of 9to5Mac. He covers Google for 9to5Google.com, the best gadgets and deals on 9to5Toys.com, and EV and solar news on Electrek.co. He also co-authors 9to5Mac’s Logic Pros series and makes music sometimes.

Contact Jordan with partnership inquiries and long-winded complaints:  

Connect with Jordan Kahn

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Did Apple just give every one of its retail employees a $4 raise? (Update: Nope)

Update: BusinessInsider issued the update below confirming our doubts:

Correction: An earlier version of this story said that all Apple Store employees were getting a raise of at least $4 per hour. This is what we were told by a single source at an Apple Retail store. But other Apple Retail store employees say this is not true. It is possible that only employees at one store are getting raises. We don’t know the full story, and we never should have written a story that indicated we did. It was an overreach, and we sincerely apologize for misleading readers.

While we find it a little hard to believe, BusinessInsider reported that a source said all Apple retail employees would receive a $4-per-hour raise starting July 20:

A source tells us that every Apple retail employee will get a $4-per-hour raise… This is based on an internal review process called NetPromoter that lets Apple employees critique the company… It seems that enough Apple employees thought they were underpaid that the company decided to spread some money around.

It is definitely possible that some retail employees will get the $4 raise, but we will wait for confirmation from Apple about all of its nearly 30,000 retail employees seeing the increase in pay. We talked to four different Apple employees from varied locations, but they have not heard anything about a raise. We previously reported that Apple’s recently appointed Senior Vice President of Retail John Browett has promised retail employees a three month advance on raises originally expected in September. We will keep you updated.

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Previously jailbreak only, Apple allows iOS Display Recorder app into App Store

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Update 2, July 03, 2012: It looks like Apple has now pulled the Display Recorder app from the App Store.

The ability to record your iOS display was a functionality previously limited to a Cydia app for jailbroken iPhone users that is called “Display Recorder.” As noted by JBN, Apple has allowed an app of the same name, and with even more screen recording functionality, into the App Store. The App Store version of Display Recorder, released by Bugun Software, allows you to export to YouTube or your Camera Roll, adjust video and audio settings, and settles for recording and merging audio picked up by the built-in microphone.

It appears the app might take a succession of screenshots to compile the video. Apple does not allow third-party screen capturing apps for even screenshots into the App Store (apart from third-party browser apps), because it would mimic the native screenshot functionality in iOS. It is possible Apple will pull the Display Recorder app, but it is still available in at least the U.S. and Canadian App Stores for $1.99. A video of the app in action, courtesy of JBN, is below. We will let you know if Apple decides to pull it.

[tweet https://twitter.com/rpetrich/status/214745592310661121]

Update: The developer of the original Cydia Display Recorder app, Ryan Petrich, confirmed in a tweet (above) that he is not affiliated with the new app. He also filed a complaint with Apple.


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Verizon announces ultra-high speed FiOS ‘Quantum’ service, up to 300 Mbps for $210 a month

Verizon announced tiers for its new high-speed Internet FiOS “Quantum” service today. It ranges from $65 to $210 a month, and it is available in double or triple-play bundles and stand-alone plans. Verizon will continue offering its entry-level $65 15/5 Mbps service, but it will introduce new plans including: 50/25 Mbps, 75/35 Mbps, 150/65 Mbps, and 300/65 Mbps. The company noted they are “by a wide margin the nation’s fastest, mass scale residential Internet speeds.”

Three of those speeds ¬¬ 75/35, 150/65 and 300/65 — are twice as fast as those previously offered.1 In addition, Verizon will continue to offer its entry-level speed of 15/5 Mbps… The two highest downstream speed offers – 150 and 300 Mbps – and the new 65 Mbps upstream speed are by a wide margin the nation’s fastest, mass scale residential Internet speeds available. By contrast, the fastest Internet speeds offered by cable-company challengers top out at 105 Mbps downstream and 20 Mbps upstream. (This FiOS Internet speed grid shows specific examples of the benefits of faster downstream and upstream speeds.)

Verizon noted existing customers can upgrade free, but they will on-average pay $10 to $15 more per month. The company also outlined the different pricing options for new customers:

For new customers, prices of triple-play bundles of 15/5 Mbps FiOS Internet, FiOS TV and FiOS Digital Voice unlimited calling will range from $99.99 to $144.99 per month, depending upon which FiOS TV package is ordered. The packages are: Prime, with more than 200 channels and more than 50 HD channels; Extreme, with more than 290 channels and more than 70 HD channels; and Ultimate, with more than 380 channels plus premium movie channels, and more than 110 HD channels).

Double-play bundles of the 15/5 Mbps FiOS Internet and FiOS TV range from $84.99 to $129.99 per month. Stand-alone 15/5 Mbps service costs $69.99 per month on a month-to-month basis, and $64.99 per month with a two-year contract.

Triple-play bundles of the 50/25 Mbps speed range from $109.99 to $149.99 per month for new customers. Double-play bundles with FiOS TV range from $94.99 to $134.99 per month. The stand-alone version costs $79.99 per month on a month-to-month basis, and $74.99 with a two-year contract.

Triple-play bundles of the new 75/35 Mbps speed range from $114.99 to $154.99 per month for new subscribers. Double-play bundles with FiOS TV range from $99.99 to $139.99 per month. The stand-alone costs $89.99 per month on a month-to-month basis, and $84.99 with a two-year contract.

Triple-play bundles of 150/65 Mbps speed range from $169.99 to $174.99 per month for new FiOS customers. Double-play bundles with FiOS TV range from $154.99 to $159.99 per month. The stand-alone costs $99.99 per month on a month-to-month basis, and $94.99 with a two-year contract.

The new 300/65 Mbps tier, offered as a stand-alone only, costs $209.99 per month on a month-to-month basis, and $204.99 with a two-year contract.3

Review: Griffin StudioConnect audio/midi interface & dock for iPad

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We first told you about Griffin’s StudioConnect audio interface when it unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this year. There are more than a few products on the market that make it easy to hook up your guitar, mic, or MIDI controller to the iPad for use with the many iOS apps that include built-in DAWs with CoreMIDI support (such as Apple’s own GarageBand). While it might not be the prettiest iPad dock we have seen, there are a few reasons why it beats the competition.

With StudioConnect, in terms of inputs and outputs, what you get is pretty basic: standard 5-pin MIDI in and out, one 1/4-inch mono input, and left and right RCA output. The large knob out front controls the 3.5mm headphone jack below it, while a separate volume wheel on the side is for your main output. It is more than enough to plug in supported mics, a guitar, or a MIDI controller, but it is clear that Griffin did not build the StudioConnect with professionals in mind. Most pros will not do anything too heavy-duty inside of an iOS app at this point. The inputs above will likely be sufficient for most musicians using the iPad as a mobile or writing setup.

While it does not offer some of the standard inputs and outputs that pros are familiar with, Griffin used its experience making iOS accessories to nail the design where the competition gets it wrong….


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Apple launching Podcast app with iOS 6 and working on podcast-producing technology

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Much like Apple did when introducing its standalone iTunes U app at its education event last January, it is also planning to launch a standalone app for podcasts. A report from AllThingsD first mentioned Apple’s plans to include the app in iOS 6 this fall. We also heard that the app is in the works for a release with the final version of iOS 6.

People familiar with Apple’s plans tell me that when its new iOS 6 software becomes widely available this fall, podcasts will have their own app, where users will be able to discover, download and play them on mobile devices. Users who access iTunes via laptop and desktop machines will still find them in that version of iTunes, though.

Apart from the podcast app that AllThingsD noted would allow users to “discover, download and play” on iOS devices, we heard separately that Apple is working on podcast-producing technology, perhaps for inclusion into this app.

As part of its process of breaking the different content categories into standalone apps, many noticed with iOS 6 that Apple removed the Podcasts, Audiobooks, and iTunes U sections from the iTunes app.


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Another iAd executive leaves Apple

Last year, we noted Apple’s Vice President of Mobile Advertising Andy Miller left his role on Apple’s iAd team to become a partner at venture firm Highland Capital. Apple hired Todd Teresi from Adobe to replace Miller, but TechCrunch reported today that another iAd executive, former Senior Manager Mike Owen, will leave to take a job as the CRO of video ad network AdColony:

In his role at Apple, Owen had overseen the company’s New York office — arguably the most important, given many of the main players in the ad industry are so heavily concentrated there. His new job as CRO at AdColony is based in Los Angeles, where he will be responsible for overall company revenue

Owen provided a statement:

“AdColony is delivering rich, fast mobile video experiences to consumers in a mobile video ecosystem that is riddled with speed and quality issues… Video is incredibly powerful for consumers and brands and AdColony’s technology is allowing premium publishers to deliver the highest quality video experience to their consumers, which is translating into unprecedented results for advertisers. The post-PC era has just begun and we have a clear opportunity to change the way consumers think about, and experience advertising on their mobile devices.”

Developer gets iOS 6 Maps with Flyovers and turn-by-turn running on iPhone 4

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XArIjKcSMZg&feature=player_embedded]

With the introduction of iOS 6 this fall, many iOS users will be left out on some of the new operating system’s flagship features. We already covered Apple’s official list of compatibility for iOS 6 features, and by far one of the most disappointing for iPhone 4 users was the news that they would not have access to the Flyover and turn-by-turn navigation features in Apple’s new in-house Maps app. Today, we have news from Russian website iGuides (via SlashGear) that iOS developer Anton Titkov found a way to get Apple’s new 3D maps up and running on the iPhone 4:

After yesterday’s release of jailbreak iOS 6 developer, well known to all users iGuides Anton Titkov (iTony) decided to dig a little bit in the new firmware, and became the first man in the world, who managed to get working 3D card on the iPhone 4. New tweak from Anton Titkova called 3DEnabler , and at the moment we can confidently say that it adds support for 3D cards on the “old” devices, but it is possible that the “unavailable” Turn-by-turn navigation will be defeated by our talented developer.

iGuides offers instructions for the hack on its website, while another video of 3DEnabler running on iPhone 4 is below:

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Apple patent details replaceable back panels for adding lenses and advanced camera features

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According to an Apple patent application published by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and detailed by PatentlyApple, Apple is at the very least conceptualizing a device that sports a removable back panel for easily replaceable components such as lenses or optical solutions.

While it is unclear whether the invention would be used in a standalone camera, next-generation iPod or iPhone, or a different device entirely, the patent detailed several methods of upgrading a device with supplementary optics:

The digital imaging subsystem is typically enclosed within the case of the device to protect the digital imaging subsystem. The enclosure generally prevents direct access to the lens of the digital imaging subsystem for the purpose of providing any sort of supplementary optics, especially if the supplementary optics must be precisely aligned with the image sensor… It would be desirable to provide a structure for a compact device that allows the end user to reconfigure the optical arrangement of the device while retaining the benefits of assembling the device using a pre-assembled digital imaging subsystem.

Apple detailed several features that could be added through the easily swappable supplementary optics, including: improved zoom capabilities, better shutter control, removable close-up lenses, and the addition of motion sensors, flashes, or a lens baffle. As an example, the report explained a removable IR cut-off filter that would allow “capturing black and white images at very low light levels. Without the IR-cut filter the camera’s light sensitivity may extend to 0.001 lux or lower.” The report also broke down how the removable back panels could be implemented:


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T-Mobile details progress of 4G network rollout, continues testing iPhone compatible 1900MHz HSPA+

Following a keynote from T-Mobile’s Chief Technology Officer Neville Ray at the NGMN conference this morning, Senior Vice President of Technology Dave Mayo provided an update today regarding the company’s $4 billion 4G-network plan.

We already knew T-Mobile would be make its 4G HSPA+ in the 1900 MHz band available to iPhone users later this year as its new network equipment gets installed. It recently confirmed that it began testing the network on a small scale. Today, we get an update on the progress of the carrier’s 4G rollout with Mayo confirming installations of new equipment at the first 400 modernized GSM / HSPA+ sites, which will be complete by the end of June, with the number growing to 2,500 sites a month after. He also noted the carrier was approved for 19,500 additional sites. This indicates the LTE network is on track for its 2013 rollout.

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Apple’s iTunes Connect Mobile app updated with new features

Apple updated its iTunes Connect Mobile app today that allows developers to keep an eye on their app sales stats and related data from iTunes Connect. Among the new features are “enhanced product detail views for your entire catalog,” the ability to view app ratings and reviews from customers, a new advanced search feature, and user-interface refinements on the iPad. Developers will also now be able to reject apps submitted for review and release approved updates from within the app. The updated iTunes Connect Mobile app is available on the App Store now.


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Skype 5.8 for Mac out with redesigned contact list & full 10.8 Mountain Lion support

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Skype updated its Mac client today to version 5.8 to add full support for 10.8 Mountain Lion and a number of features that aim to bring the app up to par with the current Windows version. Perhaps the most notable new feature included in the update is a refined contact list that replaces the old floating menu. Accessible from the “Window” menu, the new Contacts Monitor (pictured right) provides a simplified view of your contacts in a window that can be repositioned and resized. Skype said it is meant to be much like older versions, such as Skype 2.8, that users seemed to prefer. The new contact list also has filters such as “Friends” and “Family,” and the ability to right-click to start a call or new message.

Another new feature for Skype 5.8 on Mac previously only available to Windows users is access to group screen sharing. The feature is for premium subscribers, but it supports up to groups of 10 with only one member of the group required to have a premium subscription. You will also now be able to share your video feed simultaneously while screen-sharing with multiple users.

A few other updates we noticed in the latest release:


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Apple Store app updated with Express Checkout features for easier shopping

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Apple just updated the official Apple Store app that allows iOS device users to make and track purchases, check in for reservations, and schedule Genius Bar and One-to-One appointments. The first new feature included in version 2.2 of the app is the new Express Checkout that was previously only available to online shoppers through Apple’s browser-based online store. The feature enables quicker purchases by allowing you to skip the shopping cart checkout process and simply enter your Apple ID to have purchases billed directly to the credit card on your account. The Express Checkout also allows you to specify whether to ship or pickup purchases by default or to “Ask me every time.”

Another new feature exclusive to iPhone 4S users is the ability to let “specialists know when you’re approaching the Apple Store” to have your products ready for pickup.


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Control your Xbox with the updated My Xbox LIVE iPhone app

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Microsoft just updated its My Xbox LIVE app to include functionality for controlling content on your Xbox from your iPhone (or iPod touch). The app previously let you access Xbox LIVE achievements, connect with friends, and change your 3D avatar, and now it lets iPhone users “connect, control and discover content” from their console through a number of new features. Among them are a remote with “play, pause, fast forward and rewind” and a new Quickplay list of recently viewed Xbox content. The update also brings high-resolution images and improved authentication for iPad, but no support for the new controls.

Earlier this month, Microsoft previewed a new AirPlay-like wireless streaming app called “SmartGlass” that will allow users to share video content from their mobile devices (iOS included) with their Xbox. The previewed app will also include integration with Xbox games, but Microsoft only mentioned Windows 8 support for those features.

A full list of new features in version 1.5 of the My Xbox LIVE app is below:


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Phil Schiller: App Store is more democratic than traditional retail, Passbook is not a direct payment service

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In a recent story about growing concerns among app developers who want better ways to promote their apps in the App Store, The Wall Street Journal published quotes from an interview with Apple’s Vice President for Worldwide Marketing Phil Schiller about the “tremendous amount” of work Apple does to help new apps get discovered. Schiller also talked about how things will improve with the redesigned App Store, Facebook integration, and new user tracking tools for developers in iOS 6:

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Apple won’t stop June 21 Galaxy S III launch

When we checked in last Friday on the ongoing Apple vs. Samsung cases in the United States, Apple’s lawyers were threatening Samsung with a temporary restraining order on the Galaxy S III to stop sales of the device before its June 21 release date. Apple was hoping Judge Lucy Koh would add the Galaxy S III to existing preliminary injunction requests that Apple previously made on other Galaxy products. However, according to a report from Reuters, Judge Koh ruled this week that Apple’s requests would “overload her calendar” given a July 30 trial date in the previous Galaxy cases is already set.

Apple can still request a ban on the Galaxy S III with a separate hearing date, but it likely will not be able to do so in enough time to block the device from launching later this month:

U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh in San Jose, California, effectively dashed Apple’s hopes of stopping the launch of Samsung Electronics Co Ltd’s new Galaxy S III smartphone, which also runs on Android. Koh had said Apple’s push to get a court order blocking the June 21 launch would overload her calendar… Koh last week said Apple could ask for a temporary restraining order against the Galaxy S III phone, but that would likely delay the trial over a Galaxy tablet and other smartphones. In her order on Monday, the judge said Apple would have to request a new hearing date if it wanted to stop sales of the Galaxy S III phone. That likely would not take place before the phone’s scheduled launch. Apple has not said what its next move will be.

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Apple applies for top-level ‘.apple’ domain name

Google confirmed in May that it applied for domains, such as .google, .youtube, and .lol, as part of ICANN’s program to increase the amount of generic top-level domains. Today, ICANN officially published its list of the 1,409 applied-for domains. Among the other companies requesting domains, AssociatedPress reported Apple is after the “.apple” domain name:

Apple Inc., Sony Corp. and American Express Co. are among companies that are seeking names with their brands… If approved, the new suffixes would rival “.com” and about 300 others now in use. Companies would be able to create separate websites and separate addresses for each of their products and brands, even as they keep their existing “.com” name. Businesses that joined the Internet late, and found desirable “.com” names taken, would have alternatives.

While several companies—such as Google— have applied for various domains that cover different products and more common words like .app, Apple appears to have only applied for the “.apple” domain.

Giant Retina MacBook Pro window display goes up at Apple Store

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Apple has created oversized window displays in the past following its latest product launches, including the iPhone 4S, and we snapped some photos today of the new Retina MacBook Pro signage.


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3D renders of next iPhone parts good enough to fool many

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The 3D renders above, which were posted by Flickr user Martin uit Utrecht, are modeled in Rhinoceros 3D. They were deemed good enough that numerous websites published them, assuming they were real shots of the next-generation iPhone. As noted by the poster, the renderings are based on leaked photos and video of what most believe to be the next-generation iPhone’s metal back. The models also have other elements present in the leaked casings, including: a smaller dock connector, redesigned speaker grills, and a repositioned headphone jack.


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iFixit tears down the new Retina MacBook Pro, calls it ‘least repairable laptop’ yet

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Our friends over at iFixit took their screwdrivers to the latest MacBook Air refresh yesterday, and they found a design that is largely the same apart from adjusted SSD-related components. They are at it again today, but this time with the new Retina MacBook Pro. Unfortunately, iFixit found changes to the new MacBook Pro that makes it “the least repairable laptop” it has taken apart. They gave it a 1/10 repair score:

Apple has packed all the things we hate into one beautiful little package.

One of the altered components, when compared to previous-generation MacBooks, is the asymmetrical fan that theoretically reduces noise, while another component is the new 95 Wh battery (when compared to the 77.5Wh in earlier generations). iFixit also noticed the SSD is supplied by Samsung and bearing the “Samsung S4LJ204X01” marking, which we know is a variant of the controller Samsung is shipping in its 830 series SSDs. Also new in the Retina MacBook is Broadcom BCM4331 and BCM20702 chips for 802.11n dual-band wireless and Bluetooth 4.0.

Some of the “highlights” of the teardown are below, including details on the difficulties with repairability:

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Will your iOS device get all of the new iOS 6 features? Here’s the official word

As iOS 6 officially unveiled yesterday, we noted a few of the features—such as Siri and FaceTime—would only be available on certain iOS devices. Ars Technica noticed the 3D flyover feature of Apple’s new Maps app would only be available to A5-powered iOS devices. In case you were wondering exactly which iOS 6 features will be compatible with your iOS device, Apple published a list (below) on its iOS 6 preview page that details all of the limitations for specific features:

-Flyover and turn-by-turn navigation will be available only on iPhone 4S and iPad 2 or later. Cellular data charges may apply.

-Siri will be available only on iPhone 4S and iPad (3rd generation) and requires Internet access. Siri may not be available in all languages or all areas, and features may vary by area. Cellular data charges may apply.

-Shared Photo Streams requires iOS 6 on iPhone 4 or later or iPad 2 or later, or a Mac computer with OS X Mountain Lion. An up-to-date browser is required for accessing shared photo streams on the web.

-FaceTime over a cellular network requires iPhone 4S or iPad (3rd generation) with cellular data capability. Carrier data charges may apply. FaceTime is not available in all countries.

-VIP list and VIP and Flagged smart mailboxes will be available on iPhone 4 or later and iPad 2 or later.

-Offline Reading List will be available on iPhone 4 or later and iPad 2 or later.

-Made for iPhone hearing aids require iPhone 4S.

-Find My Friends and Find My iPhone enable you to locate iOS devices only when they are on and connected to a registered Wi-Fi network or have an active data plan. Not available in all areas.

New MacBook Pro’s Retina display reviewed and benchmarked

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After posting initial benchmark data yesterday for the new Retina MacBook Pro’s SSD and USB 3.0, AnandTech published a longer analysis today about the notebook’s display. The report first took a closer look at the new resolution preferences for Retina MBP users and described the advantages of the different scaling options displayed in the gallery above:

Retina Display MBP owners now get a slider under OS X’s Display Preferences that allow you to specify desktop resolutions other than 1440 x 900. At 1440 x 900 you don’t get any increase in usable desktop resolution compared to a standard 15-inch MacBook Pro, but everything is ridiculously crisp… Even at the non-integer scaled 1680 x 1050 setting, the Retina Display looks a lot better than last year’s high-res panel. It looks like Apple actually renders the screen at twice the selected resolution before scaling it to fit the 2880 x 1800 panel (in other words, at 1920 x 1200 Apple is rendering everything at 3840 x 2400 (!) before scaling… Everything just looks better.

As illustrated in the images above showing benchmark data, the review found greatly improved viewing angles, black levels, and contrast when compared to the previous generation high-res MacBook Pro model. AnandTech then looked at Apple’s claims that the new MacBook Pro display reduces glare by 75 percent from previous generations:


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Microsoft providing mapping data for Apple’s new Maps app

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Update: A reader just sent the images above that show Apple’s maps are identical to Microsoft’s for certain locations.

Evidence surfaced yesterday that showed Apple was crediting TomTom, in addition to OpenStreetMap, for at least some of the data used in its new in-house Maps app. Today, a report from TechPP (via TheNextWeb) pointed to proof that Apple’s Maps data appears to come from Microsoft too:

our friend, Cody Cooper, a New Zealand based developer, found something more interesting. While playing with Apple Maps on iOS 6 beta, Cody found that some of the Maps images had Microsoft attribution. Check out the image below showing the response headers with attributions to Microsoft Corp 2012. Click on the image for a better view.

We have not been able to confirm the evidence, so we are marking this as unconfirmed for now. Apple’s full list of acknowledgments for its Maps app can be viewed here, while the full-sized image of the evidence is below:


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Andy Hertzfeld: The only thing that’s still high-end about [Mac Pro] is the bloated price

[tweet https://twitter.com/9to5mac/status/212275242318561281]

Update: MacRumors received a tip from a reader who claimed Apple’s CEO Tim Cook responded to his email to confirm new Mac Pros are coming next year. We received a tip last year detailing a similar email exchange between a Pro customer and the late chief Steve Jobs. Cook’s response to the reader is below:

Our pro customers are really important to us…don’t worry as we’re working on something really great for later next year.

We were not too shocked when Apple quietly updated its Mac Pro lineup following its WWDC keynote yesterday. We had previously revealed the spec-bumped Mac Pros, but many were skeptical Apple would release such a minor refresh for the product that otherwise had not received an update in two years.

Was it really an upgrade, or did Intel simply run out of the older CPUs? USB 2 and no Thunderbolt seem like a bad joke to high-end Mac Pro users.

Not surprisingly, many are calling out Apple for its decision to not release a major refresh to the Mac Pros. Perhaps most notably is former Apple engineer and current Google employee Andy Hertzfeld. In a Google+ post, Hertzfeld congratulated Apple on its new Retina MacBook, while expressing disappointment in the new Mac Pros:

The next generation MacBook Pro announced today at WWDC looks fantastic. I ordered one immediately and can’t wait to start using it. Unfortunately, the euphoria was negated by my deep disappointment with the meagre, lame update that was silently bequeathed to the Mac Pro today… The specs for the “new” Mac Pro had hardly changed, except for a tiny, inconsequential processor clock bump. Still no Thunderbolt, still no USB 3.0, no SATA III or RAM speed improvements – it seems like it’s stuck in time in 2010. The only thing that’s still high-end about it is the bloated price… Even though I’m well aware that Apple’s future lies increasingly with mobile iOS-based devices, it still makes no sense to drop the ball on your high end desktop Mac so thoroughly, and to utterly disappoint your most loyal customers like yours truly.

As for complete refreshes for the iMac and Mac Pro lineups, David Pogue for the New York Times claimed an Apple executive confirmed they are in development and likely set for a 2013 release:

Many Apple observers also wonder if Apple thinks that desktop computers are dead, since not a word was said about the iMac and Mac Pro. An executive did assure me, however, that new models and new designs are under way, probably for release in 2013

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Amazon Cloud Player app for iPhone finally lands in App Store

Almost a year after first debuting its cloud-based music service, Amazon released an iPhone version of the app today that provides access to most of the features offered in the Android and desktop versions. Not surprisingly, the ability to buy music from directly within the app is missing. Otherwise, you will be able to get access to all the music stored in your Amazon Cloud Drive and features such as creating and editing playlists, downloading for offline listening, and streaming over Bluetooth.

As noted in Amazon’s full press release below, on top of the automatic free 5GB of storage, it will offer a launch promotion providing “those who purchase any storage plan will receive unlimited space for MP3 and AAC (.m4a) music files at no additional cost.”

Amazon Cloud Player App Now Available for iPhone & iPod touch

SEATTLE–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Jun. 12, 2012– (NASDAQ:AMZN) – Amazon.com, Inc. today announced its Amazon Cloud Player App for iPhone and iPod touch is now available on the App Store. The app allows customers to stream or download music stored in Cloud Player to their iPhone or iPod touch, play music that is already stored on their device, and manage or create playlists.

“Customers tell us that they want access to all of their music, wherever they are, and on all of the devices they use,” said Steve Boom, Vice President of Digital Music for Amazon. “By bringing Cloud Player to iPhone and iPod touch, we now have the most widely compatible cloud playback solution available, giving our customers the ability to buy once and enjoy their music everywhere.”

Customers using the Amazon Cloud Player App can stream, download, and manage their music in the cloud, eliminating the need to download files before playing them. With this new app, customers have full access to their Cloud Player music libraries and also can seamlessly add playlists that are currently on their iPhone or iPod touch.

All Amazon customers automatically start with 5 GB of free storage to begin uploading their digital music library to Cloud Player, and for a limited time, those who purchase any storage plan will receive unlimited space for MP3 and AAC (.m4a) music files at no additional cost.

The Amazon Cloud Player App is available for free from the App Store on iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore.