One week after the previous beta, Apple has provided registered Mac developers with OS X Mavericks 10.9.2 build 13C53 to developers. Previous 10.9.2 builds added FaceTime Audio functionality to the Mac’s Messages and FaceTime applications. Other new functionality includes the ability to block contacts/phone numbers in both FaceTime and Messages.
Context, the photorealistic way to preview your Illustrator designs, has finally left beta, with an official release now available. We reviewed the beta version of Context back in March, but today you can get your hands on the final version…
Apple just released the 6th release of iOS 7 for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The small 13.5MB update is available via Software Update and contains the usual bugfixes and improvements.
The update comes a week after the previous update and just hours after a report pegged the Beta 6 update for next week. The focus of the small update appears to be on an emergency issue with iTunes in the Cloud which requires a workaround.
This update addresses an issue with iTunes in the Cloud, where some purchases may download or play unexpected items. If you have any devices running previous versions of iOS 7 beta, you must:
1. Install iOS 7 beta 6
2. Install the ResetMusicAndVideosLibraries configuration profile
3. From Settings > Music, tap the Reset Media Library button
4. Restart the device
Notice something else new? Head down south to the comments.
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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sAbCJTcPws&context=C400dec6ADvjVQa1PpcFO6DGYpmn_yT6FydbMMuTkIdc7VzuOoj_4=]
On the Photoshop Blog, Adobe today said it passed 500,000 downloads with its free Photoshop CS6 Beta software.
We rounded up the reviews the night it released, which were positive overall. Download Photoshop CS6 from Adobe Labs (just under 1 GB).
Oh, and Adobe also previews Illustrator CS6.
Apple just released a third beta version of the upcoming iOS 5.1 firmware (Build 9B5141a). The software is available as an over-the-air update for existing iOS 5.1 beta users, but is not yet available (update: now available) as a standalone download through Apple’s developer portal.
As you might imagine, it contains the obligatory bug fixes and improvements. According to the tips we’ve received, it also restores the Enable 3G toggle in the Settings app which has been strangely absent on the iPhone 4S since it’s mid-October release. This should help save battery by switching to Edge connectivity in order to maintain cellular data for applications that do not require high data throughput. iPhone 4S users are currently forced to choose between having 3G cellular data turned on, which decreases battery life, or turning off their cellular data connection altogether.
Just two days following the release of iOS 5.0.1 Beta 1 (which fixed bugs affecting battery life, enabled multitasking gestures on the original iPad and fixed the Smart Cover security flaw, among other things), and on the heels of yesterday’s release of iTunes 10.5.1 Beta 2, Apple today seeded its developer community with another point release, the iOS 5.0.1 Beta 2 software build 9A404 (the previous beta carries a build number of 9A402).
Developers should be able to download a standalone iOS 5.0.1. Beta 2 build through the iOS Dev Center, but we were having issues downloading the files at post time. Alternatively, registered developers can apply an over-the-air update directly on devices running iOS 5.0.1 Beta 1 by opening the Settings app, tapping General and then Software Update. Changelog is not available yet, but count on us to update the post accordingly.
What’s interesting here is that the button isn’t wider as originally prognosticated. In this scenario,it is actually shorter to make room for the bigger screen.
Earlier today we broke the news that an iPhone icon in the Photo Stream beta software had some new dimensions including a more edge to edge screen and an elongated button, which coincidentally matched the earlier rumors. One obviously possibility is that this device is a larger-screened iPhone 5. However, we’ve received word that of the two new iPhones coming out from Apple, this device might actually be the smaller, cheaper iPhone that is set for release at the same time.
One was called the “upgraded one, the iPhone 5” and the other, “a new smaller one”.
To that end, we’ve got a mock up of what something like that would look like using current iPhone sizes, and the dimensions offered up by the icon (above) if it is a smaller device. If it is the bigger device, or at least bigger-screened device, It could look like the below:
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This would be a nearly 4+ inch screen, nearly the size of the Galaxy S line.
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Apple has just released iOS 5 beta 7 to developers as an over-the-air update. iOS 5 includes new features like Notification Center, Twitter integration, Newsstand, and iCloud support. The software update will become publicly available this fall, likely alongside the new iPhone lineup in early October. Apple has released iTunes 10.5 beta 7 and Xcode 4.2 beta 7 as well. Apple has also just released Safari 5.1.1 update 3. Let us know at tips@9to5mac.com anything you find!
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We’ve found that in the Wi-Fi sync settings there is now support for multiple Macs. Under each Mac you’ll find what categories your iOS devide will sync to. Thanks Christoph!
Additionally, the Nuance Text to speech is now available as a menu item (below)
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The following issues relate to using the 5.0 SDK to develop code.We’ve pasted the full change log for the new beta after the break:
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Apple’s latest Photo Stream beta has an interesting icon that seems to look like the rumored iPhone 5s with extended screen and elongated home button (we count 4 pixels by 2 pixels – close up below the fold and actual icon, right). What do you think? Coincidence? (Thanks Steve and Olivier!)
As noted by TechCrunch, Apple has alerted developers in recent documentation that it is in the process of deprecating access to the uniqueidentifier alphanumeric string that is unique to each iOS device.
Apple recommends developers create a UDID specific to apps.
Obviously, UDIDs were a security threat as marketers and advertisers (and worse) could follow your usage patterns and gather data through different apps.
Apple likely will continue to use the UDID for its iAds, GameCenter, subscriptions and other services it offers across iOS devices, or so one industry CEO thinks:
“I guarantee Apple will not stop using UDID,” predicts one mobile industry CEO. If Apple does continue to use UDID for itself but denies it to developers that would be an “extremely lopsided change.” It would give Game Center and iAds yet one more advantage over competing third-party services.”
Update: 1 day off it appears. Time zone?
What we thought was a static file in iOS that correctly predicted the previous Saturday iOS 5 Beta 5 update turns out to be one that Apple can change remotely. Yesterday, it changed from Wednesday August 17th to Thursday, August 18th. We can only assume that Apple can change this on a whim so the date appears to be a target date, which we know can change. As of this writing, the target is in a week. We’ll keep you updated. (Thanks to iCloudil.com for notifying us of the change)
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Update: The date in the file has moved a day forward.
We know you are just rooting through iOS Beta 5 now, but we’re think we’ve cracked the OTA update date code.
Apple plans to release their next developer seed of iOS 5, Beta 6, on Thursday, August 18th according to some codes a few developers sent our way. The sources, who provided us with the exact date and time of today’s iOS 5 beta 5 release (which we were skeptical of – because it was a Saturday), warns that because we are still days away from the planned release, the seeding can be delayed due to bugs or other reasons out of our control.
Anyway, you might want to block out your calendar for Thursday evening.
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There is a standalone of iOS 5 beta 5 build 9A5288d as well as a new delta update available via OTA which weighs in at 128mb. Xcode and iTunes also received updates today as well. Interestingly, to do the OTA, Apple says you’ll need to do a hard reset (though we’re hearing that is optional)
To install iOS 5 beta 5 using over the air software update, you must first erase all content and settings on your device by choosing Settings > General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. Over the air software update can be initiated on devices running iOS 5 beta 3 and later by choosing Settings > General > Software Update.
Monster release notes and changes, below:
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As Apple prepares for its official iOS 5 launch in the fall (likely in September), the company has unleashed their latest iOS beta as on over-the-air update. This over the air process will only work for those running iOS 5 beta 3. Apple warns that doing an OTA update will delete your photos and will require a physical re-sync:
NEW: If you are doing a OTA software update from beta 3 to beta 4, you will need to re-sync your photos with iTunes.
iOS 5 also includes all new notifications with Notification Center, iMessages, Newsstand, and more. OTA updates will come over 3G, as we revealed a few weeks ago.
Update: As expected, it works over 3G (on Verizon!!!) Video below:
