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Mike Beasley

Review: Tweetbot for Mac 2.0 brings a Yosemite-style coat of paint, convenient new features, and a price drop

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Yes, you read that headline right. The long-awaited Yosemite update for Tweetbot is finally here. The application has been rebuilt with a new look and updated controls for several features that make things like creating columns and tracking down the tweet associated with an image much easier.

The main attraction for most users will be the new design, so let’s take a look at that in a bit more detail first…


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It’s not just you: iCloud is down again, other Apple web services affected

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Update 2 9:45PM ET: Users this evening again reported issues centered around iCloud. The outage affected all store services, according to Apple’s status page. It appears to have been resolved, however, with the exception of Game Center.

Update: After about an hour of downtime and still with no admission from Apple of anything ever having gone wrong, iCloud services seem to be coming back online now.

Despite being listed as fully functional on Apple’s status page, it seems iCloud is once again down for many users. Reports across Twitter and in our own experience here at 9to5Mac have verified that iCloud and the App Store (and possibly other Apple services) are currently down.


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MooVee for iPhone aims to help you manage your growing movie watchlist

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Following up on the success of the series tracking app TeeVee, developer CrazyApps has released a new piece of software aimed at moviegoers. The app, appropriately titled MooVee, allows you to keep track of movies you’ve seen and what you want to see.

The app’s UI is similar in some aspects to TeeVee, but most of it has been designed from scratch to better accommodate the ways movies and TV differ. For example, in the image above you can see the watchlist view, which resembles the main list view in TeeVee. However, other features are unique to MooVee.


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Apple says native watch SDK preview coming at WWDC, calls car the ‘ultimate mobile device’

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Big improvements will be coming to Apple Watch apps later this year, Apple SVP of Operations Jeff Williams revealed during an interview at the Code Conference. In the current version of the Watch OS software, apps need to run on the iPhone rather than the watch itself, which puts a serious damper on performance.

However, that will change this fall, Williams said, when native watch apps are finally made possible…


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iPhone rumor roundup: Asian sources claim we’ll see thinner phones, more powerful chips & bigger cameras

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A trio of new rumors from a handful of Asian sources have popped up over the holiday and today, each predicting a different facet of the upcoming ‘iPhone 6S‘. While these are still just very unverified whispers at the moment, odds are that at least one of these will end up coming at least partially true.

Here’s a roundup of the latest iPhone rumors, in no particular order:


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Apple releases new OS X 10.10.4 betas to developers and AppleSeed participants

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Apple has just released a new beta seed of the upcoming OS X 10.10.4 update. Users who are part of the company’s AppleSeed beta program and registered Mac developers can download the operating system from the Updates tab of the App Store or the Mac Developer Center.

This is the fourth developer seed that has been released. It comes with a build number of 14E26a. The previous build was released on May 11th with a build number of 14E17e.


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Jony Ive promoted to ‘Chief Design Officer,’ handing off managerial duties July 1st [Tim Cook Memo]

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Alan Dye, Jony Ive, and Richard Howarth

Apple’s Jony Ive has served as the company’s Senior Vice President of Design for several years now, but Apple has announced today that the executive is being named Chief Design Officer (a newly-created position). Additionally, Ive and will be handing the managerial reins of both the industrial and software design units at Apple over to two new leaders on July 1st.


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Take a look at the next major redesign of Spotify’s iOS app

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Spotify announced yesterday that it would be redesigning its iOS application with support for new features like original video clips and podcasts. A few glimpses of the updated version of the music streaming app were shown off during the announcement, but today a tipster has supplied us with a collection of screenshots from a beta build of the upcoming release.

Below you’ll find a gallery demonstrating the podcast integration, running speed-based tempo detection, and more. Almost every corner of the app has been completely overhauled with a new design. Many of the icons in the older app have been removed in favor of simple text labels, and a host of new features have been added.


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Apple launches Czech and Slovak versions of Mac App Store (Update: more languages)

via letemsvetemapplem.com

via <a href="http://www.letemsvetemapplem.eu/2015/05/21/mac-app-store-je-konecne-cestine/" target="_blank">letemsvetemapplem.com</a>

Apple has launched a version of the Mac App Store localized in Czech. Like previous changes to the Mac App Store, upport for the new language is rolling out to users and will only show up for a few people at first. Some users have also spotted a Slovak version of the store, which may be rolling out now as well.

If you’re not seeing the language change yet, you may be able to enable it by switching your region using the flag button at the bottom of the home page, then changing back.

Update: Users are reporting that Romanian and Hungarian versions of the store is also showing up now.

[tweet https://twitter.com/alex_popa95/status/601474263191834627 align=’center’]

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Mozilla begins seeking beta testers for iOS version of Firefox

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Firefox may be waning in popularity as a desktop browser, but development team Mozilla is pushing ahead to release a version of the software for iOS devices. In a new survey discovered by TechCrunch, the company reveals that it’s currently searching for people who can beta test the upcoming app.

Just about anyone can sign up for the beta, though Mozilla hasn’t made it clear how many people will be chosen, or when the selection process will start. Users interested in testing will need to answer a few basic questions about the types of devices they own and their proficiency with iOS software.

Once you’ve answered all of the questions and supplied an email address, the only thing left to do is wait and see if you’ve been chosen.

Mozilla launched a version of Firefox for Android several years ago, but thus far has not released a version for Apple’s platform.

KGI lowers Apple Watch forecast significantly, says over 80% of sales are larger 42mm version

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A new KGI research note predicts that production of the Apple Watch’s Taptic Engine component will begin to improve later this month, but slow demand has led to a downward revision of estimated shipments by 20-30%. The new estimate comes in at 5-6 million units shipped in the third quarter.

Combining that estimate with the data from last quarter has caused KGI to cut its annual shipment estimate in half. Where the general consensus previously predicted that Apple should ship 20-30 million smartwatches, the firm’s new number comes in at under 15 million.


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Apple Pay coming to Belgium this summer, KBC Bank tweets (Updated)

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Update: KBC Bank has retracted its original statement, now saying in a second tweet that Apple Pay is “not yet in scope.”

Apple Pay may be making its way to Belgium following WWDC, KBC Bank indicated on Twitter today. The bank recently added NFC support to its payment cards, prompting a customer to ask if the institution would ever add support for Apple Pay.

The bank replied that the service would be available starting this summer, indicating a possible announcement at WWDC. Other countries and financial institutions worldwide are likely to gain support as well around that time.

[tweet https://twitter.com/KBC_BE/status/601038434451460096 align=’center’]

Google adds real-time tweets to mobile web and iOS app search results

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Following up on Google’s agreement with Twitter to instantly add tweets to web search results, the duo announced today that users on mobile devices will start seeing real-time Twitter results as well. The feature is available in the Google app on iOS or Google’s mobile website, and is expected to make its way to the desktop soon.


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60Hz TV tracker updated to version 4.0 with overhauled UI, smart queue, and much more

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60Hz, the TV tracking app we’ve previously covered, has received a massive update to version 4.0 today, introducing a completely redesigned interface and many new features to help you find new shows and keep track of your current library.

While version 3 maintained much of the same functionality as version 2 with a fresh coat of paint on top, the newest release has rethought the entire application completely with great results.


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Universal Studios releases first trailer for Aaron Sorkin’s Steve Jobs biopic

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Universal Studios has just released the first trailer for the upcoming Steve Jobs biopic. The trailer gives us our first on-screen look at star Michael Fassbender as the Apple co-founder, along with Seth Rogen as Steve Wozniak, Kate Winslet as Mac engineer Joanna Hoffman, and Jeff Daniels as John Sculley.

Photos from the set previously showed us Fassbender and Rogen in costume, but the images in the trailer appear to be from a different scene. The film, which was written by Aaron Sorkin and directed by Danny Boyle, will hit theaters in October.

Earlier this year the movie’s script leaked, revealing key details about the plot. You can view the trailer below:


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Small number of users report Find My iPhone showing unknown devices, could be related to sold Macs

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A bug appearing for a small number users on iCloud.com may allow them to temporarily track and make changes to Macs belonging to other users, according to reports appearing on Twitter. Users have noted that Macs with names they don’t recognize recently started appearing in the device list on the Find My iPhone web service, allowing them to remotely lock or erase the computers in some cases, or just play a sound in others.


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Steve Jobs actor Michael Fassbender still uses a broken iPhone 4

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Michael Fassbender revealed today in an interview with Variety that he’s not quite up-to-date on the latest Apple hardware, even though he’s playing the company’s co-founder in an upcoming biopic. According to the actor, he still uses an iPhone 4 because that model was his favorite design, and even though the phone is broken, he plans to keep using it until it no longer works.

Fassbender also indicated that he thinks the upcoming film is a “favorable adaptaion” of Jobs’ story.  The script for the movie recently leaked and seemed to back up that assessment.

From the interview:

You recently finished playing Steve Jobs. Is it dark?
Like “The Conjuring”?

No, is it a favorable adaptation?
I think it is.

You look skinnier now.
I didn’t lose weight. But I certainly didn’t go to the gym.

Did it cause you to look at Mac products differently?
It did. I’m still on my iPhone 4.

You don’t have the iPhone 6?
No, the 4 is my favorite design. I also use something until it’s no longer useable.

Your phone looks broken.
But it still works. The cover actually broke off my broken phone.

The Steve Jobs biopic will be released this October and will star Fassbender along with Seth Rogen, Jeff Daniels, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Perla Haney-Jardine. It will be directed by Danny Boyle, with a script written by Aaron Sorkin.

Is this Samsung’s answer to the Apple Watch’s Digital Crown?

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New details about Samsung’s next-generation smartwatch have appeared in the latest build of the Gear developer kit that reveal how the device will look and—perhaps more importantly—how it will serve as an answer to the Apple Watch.

Unlike current Gear models and the Apple Watch, the next Gear will sport a circular display (hence its codename, “Orbis”) with a metal crown and frame. The crown, however, is not the most interesting part. In a departure from Apple’s crown-based navigation system, the Gear SDK indicates that the watch may actually be controlled by a completely different part of the watch.


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Facebook launches new ‘Instant Articles’ feature in iPhone app

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Facebook has launched a new feature in its official iOS client called “Instant Articles,” the company announced today. The feature will allow web publishers to create versions of their stories optimized for display inside the Facebook app. As suggested by the name, these optimized articles are designed to load instantly and provide a more native-feeling experience.

The articles are built using some of the same user interface elements and concepts first introduced in the alternative Facebook client, Paper, such as large images that scroll as you tilt your phone, and in-line videos that automatically start playing.

New elements added specifically for Instant Articles include audio captions on photos and the ability to like or comment on specific sections of the article rather than the entire thing. Facebook says publishers will still have full control over content and monetization, and loading a story as an Instant Article will still count the same as clicking a link in the browser in terms of traffic tracking.

Only a handful of publishers will be able to take advantage of Instant Articles at launch, including NBC, The New York Times, BuzzFeed, and National Geographic. Only a select few articles from those publishers will be available in this format for now.

Instant Articles is rolling out in the Facebook for iPhone application now.

Apple’s new music service will reportedly feature a free trial and free song sampling

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A new report from Re/code today about Apple’s upcoming music streaming platform reiterated much of what we already know about the service, which is expected to debut with iOS 8.4 at WWDC. iOS 8.4 is already in the hands of developers with a revamped Music app.

As was previously known, Re/code notes that the recent hire of BBC Radio 1 DJ Zane Lowe and other BBC DJs is a plan to help bolster iTunes Radio’s curated playlist feature by manually compiling track lists instead of allowing an algorithm to make the decisions. The site also notes that iTunes Radio will be available in additional countries, which we first reported earlier this week. A few other new details were also mentioned.


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Apple releases Safari 8.0.6, 7.1.6, and 6.2.6 with security upgrades

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Apple has just released an updated version of the Safari browser for users on OS X Yosemite, Mavericks, and Mountain Lion. The update doesn’t add any new features, but does fix several important security flaws in the WebKit engine that powers the app.

Users on any of the three most recent versions of OS X can download the update for free through the Updates tab of the Mac App Store. The details of the security changes are listed below.

Safari 8.0.6, Safari 7.1.6, and Safari 6.2.6

  • WebKit

    Available for: OS X Mountain Lion v10.8.5, OS X Mavericks v10.9.5, and OS X Yosemite v10.10.3

    Impact: Visiting a maliciously crafted website may lead to an unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution

    Description: Multiple memory corruption issues existed in WebKit. These issues were addressed through improved memory handling.

    CVE-ID

    CVE-2015-1152 : Apple

    CVE-2015-1153 : Apple

    CVE-2015-1154 : Apple

  • WebKit History

    Available for: OS X Mountain Lion v10.8.5, OS X Mavericks v10.9.5, and OS X Yosemite v10.10.3

    Impact: Visiting a maliciously crafted website may compromise user information on the filesystem

    Description: A state management issue existed in Safari that allowed unprivileged origins to access contents on the filesystem. This issue was addressed through improved state management.

    CVE-ID

    CVE-2015-1155 : Joe Vennix of Rapid7 Inc. working with HP’s Zero Day Initiative

  • WebKit Page Loading

    Available for: OS X Mountain Lion v10.8.5, OS X Mavericks v10.9.5, and OS X Yosemite v10.10.3

    Impact: Visiting a malicious website by clicking a link may lead to user interface spoofing

    Description: An issue existed in the handling of the rel attribute in anchor elements. Target objects could get unauthorized access to link objects. This issue was addressed through improved link type adherence.

    CVE-ID

    CVE-2015-1156 : Zachary Durber of Moodle

Apple debuts ‘Change Everything’ iPad ad campaign and website to highlight apps, accessories, education

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Update: Apple has uploaded its new “Change Everything” ad to YouTube, as well. It’s embedded below.

Apple has debuted its newest iPad marketing campaign, “Change Everything,” with a 1:30 commercial and a new website highlighting the apps that change the way people go about their daily lives. The ad starts off with a list of things that have changed since the release of the first iPad, such as small businesses and education.

From there the commercial demonstrates a variety of applications and accessories that have augmented the way people connect, learn, and conduct business, and enjoy their lives…


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