Mike Beasley

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e70A-FrlKSk] Recently we reported that Christian Bale was being considered once again for the role of Steve Jobs. Even…

When Apple announced earlier this year that it would be discontinuing iPhoto and Aperture in favor of the upcoming Photos app for OS X, Adobe announced that it would be releasing a tool that would allow users to transfer their libraries into Lightroom.

That plugin has been released today on Adobe’s website and allows users to import photos, flags, ratings, keywords, and much more from the two outgoing apps into Adobe’s own offering. If you’d like to transfer your data to Lightroom, you can grab the importer for free from Adobe.

The full description of the plugin is below:
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Apple has pushed out updates for iMovie and GarageBand to add compatibility with OS X Yosemite and add new features for both apps. GarageBand 10.0.3 introduces a new Bass Amp Designer, tweaks to the zoom function, a new template for recording vocals, and other changes.

iMovie has also been updated with a new interface that fits with the new design in Yosemite, as well as to add support for new features like the ability to create iPhone app previews for the App Store and tweaks to the adjustments bar and other changes. There are also new options for exporting videos as custom H.264, ProRes, or just audio tracks.

The full logs for both apps are below:

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Apple’s bankrupt former sapphire supplier is seeking to shut down its Mesa, Arizona plant and has informed 727 employees that they will be laid off between today and December 15th, according to AZ Central. The breakdown of the jobs being cut includes:

…524 production workers, 108 technical positions, 70 management jobs and 25 administrative jobs, according to the notice signed by Linda Luman, vice president of human resources for GT.

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With today’s updates to the Mac mini, Apple has made the decision to stop selling the “server” version of the computer. In doing so, the company has also lowered the maximum storage available in the machine from 2 TB to just 1 TB. The server model was also the first version of the Mac mini to forego the optical drive, though the change was soon carried over to the rest of the line.

The server model was created to supplant the Xserve, which was discontinued in 2010. It originally shipped with OS X Server preinstalled, but was later loaded instead with the consumer version of OS X. OS X Server was transitioned to the Mac App Store as a $19.99 purchase and the new Mac mini was moved to a more consumer-oriented setup.

If you’re looking to expand your Mac mini’s storage, you can always take advantage of those new Thunderbolt 2 ports.

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With the release of OS X Yosemite today, app developers have started releasing redesigned or upgraded versions of their apps to incorporate the new features and design language found in the latest version of the Mac operating system. Among those are popular apps like 1Password, Airmail, and Things.

We’ll keep this list updated as more apps get updated, so check back often to see what new apps have been updated.

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Since the cellular model of the iPad isn’t subject to typically two-year contracts, users have always been free to start or end pre-paid cellular data plans at will from the device’s settings. In the past, however, this meant buying your iPad from one carrier and being locked into that carrier’s plans.

With tomorrow’s launch of the iPad Air 2, however, Apple is changing that by including its own SIM card with each unit. This SIM card will work with multiple US carriers—AT&T, Sprint, and T-Mobile—and allow users to not only enable or disable a cellular plan as they see fit, but also switch back and forth between carriers to find the plan that works best for them at the moment.

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The Apple Store online is back up following today’s event and there are a bunch of new products to check out. The new iMac with Retina 5K display is now available for purchase starting at $2499 for the base model. The updated Mac Mini is also available with prices ranging from $499 to $999.

If you’re more interested in the new iPad models announced today, you can check out pricing and configuration info for the iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 before ordering starts tomorrow. Older iPad models are still available at reduced prices as part of an ever-expanding lineup of tablets.

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Apple has just announced an update to it’s Mac mini desktop PC that features all-new internals and a lower starting price. The CPU has been bumped to the current fourth-generation of Intel’s Core processors paired with Intel Iris and HD Graphics 5000 graphics processors. It now sports PCIe-based flash storage, though the exact amount of storage wasn’t mentioned.

The computer’s connectivity has also gotten a bump with 802.11ac Wi-Fi and the addition of two Thunderbolt 2 i/o ports. The tweaked internals have also afforded the new Mac mini the title of “world’s most energy efficient desktop.”

The upgraded machine will be available today at a reduced starting price of only $499.

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Apple announced the new iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3, but previous versions of the popular tablet will still be available for sale. The first-generation iPad mini, which is now two generations old, will start at $249 while the newer iPad mini 2 will be available for $50 more at $299. The new iPad mini 3 will come in at $399.

The original iPad air will also still be available coming in at the same price as the iPad mini 3, $399, for the base model. The iPad Air 2 will go for $499.

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Apple previously announced that it would be live streaming Thursday’s iPad and Mac event, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that the company is pushing out an Apple TV channel to stream the video. It is a bit surprising, however, that the channel is already available at midnight Pacific time. It’s usually much later in the day that it appears.

You can also stream the event from Apple’s website on a Mac or iOS device. If you’re on a Windows PC, you’ll need to follow a few extra steps to get the stream working, but you’ll also be able to watch. Apple is expected to debut upgraded versions of the iPad and iPad mini along with a new Retina iMac. There should also be some final details about iOS 8.1 and OS X Yosemite, including release dates and Apple Pay availability.

We’ll have also full coverage of the event right here on 9to5Mac.

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Apple has decided to disable one of the features of the Health application, specifically the blood glucose tracking capability, until it can issue a fix for issues reported by users in the UK and Australia, CNET reported tonight. The feature will apparently be removed through an incoming software update (perhaps iOS 8.1, or possibly 8.0.3) while the company prepares a patch to remedy the problem. Apple has also provided a longer explanation on its support website:

While it’s true that the HealthKit framework supports measurement standards for both the United States and abroad, a bug that exists in the current version prevents users from manually entering or viewing blood glucose levels using anything other than United States measurements (mg/dL, or milligrams per deciliter) within the actual Health application. The UK and Australian standard is the millimole per litre (mmol/L).

Apple issued a statement on the problem, saying…

Image via <a href="http://thenextweb.com/gadgets/2014/10/16/will-introduces-wearable-puls/" target="_blank">The Next Web</a>

Pop musician Will.i.am has just taken the wraps off of his first wearable, the Puls smartwatch, during Salesforce’s Dreamforce 2014 conference (via The Next Web). The watch ships with a software suite that includes Facebook and Twitter connectivity, Instagram, and even integration with Salesforce. It also features a voice control system dubbed “Aneeda” that’s powered by Nuance. Aneeda also supports basic features such as reminders, music control, alarms, and more.

On the hardware side, the watch sports standard Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections along with a pedometer, GPS, acceleromter, and even a 3G connection powered by AT&T (or O2 in the UK) that will allow users to place calls or send text messages and emails without pairing the Puls with a phone at all. The battery is built into the strap, providing plenty of space beneath the face for the other internal components, which includes 16 GB of storage space and a full gigabyte of RAM. It also has built in speakers for music and alerts.

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Reddit finally has its own official application for browsing and posting to your favorite subreddits, and users of the service will probably be excited to learn that it’s one they may already be using. The site has acquired the rights to the popular Alien Blue client and hired the developer responsible for creating it.

Alien Blue got a few bug fixes today and was released with a new App Store listing and is avaiable for free for all users. For the next week, all users will be able to get the Alien Blue Pro upgrade for free as well. Reddit launched its first official application earlier this year with the release of the Ask Me Anything app.

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Beats co-founder Jimmy Iovine responded to a recent fine levied by the NFL against 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick for wearing Beats headphones during a post-game interview. Iovine said that he was glad players considered Beats ‘cool’ and that the company had gotten millions of dollars worth of publicity out of the media coverage surrounding the ban and subsequent fine.

Iovine also recounted out the Beats brand got started…

An internal memo sent to Panera Bread employees and acquired by 9to5Mac has revealed that Apple will launch its mobile payment platform on Monday, October 20th. Panera Bread was listed as one of the initial launch partners for Apple Pay during its introduction last month.

An online training course for employees has been published that includes instructions for the VeriFone readers, including the Apple Pay functions. Stores that don’t have the appropriate hardware to support the technology will receive further information on the 20th about how the company plans to handle payments those locations.
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KGI has published a new research note indicating that the 27″ model of the new “Retina” iMac will begin shipping before the end of this year. However, according to the note, a 21-inch version which is currently in development will not be released until the beginning of 2015, probably alongside other products “early 2015” like the Apple Watch and Photos for Mac.

With regards to the iPad Air 2, KGI says that constrained supplies are likely, with a possible initial shipment of only 7-9 million. Compare that to the original iPad Air, which kicked of sales with 12 million units. The iPad mini will be updated, but the changes will be more conservative than those coming to the Air. A 12.9″ iPad is also said to be in development, though no timeline seems to have been set for its release.

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