Twitter unveils two-factor authentication, updates Mac app with Notification Center support
Near ubiquitous microblogging service Twitter on Wednesday released an updated Mac app with built-in Notification Center integration and, more importantly, a system-wide two-factor authentication solution for heightened account security.
AppleInsider – Frontpage News
Apple Updates Look of Online Store With More Feature Images, Fewer Text Links
Apple today rolled out some updates to its online store, not only posting new features advertising Father’s Day gift purchases but also introducing a new, cleaner look for the store. While the main page of the online store had previously consisted of a main center column with product promotions flanked by sidebars with additional links, the new look brings an all-feature design focusing more on product images.
Previously, the left sidebar had offered quick access to accessory categories for Apple’s various product lines, as well as links to the company’s refurbished and clearance stores. Shoppers looking for accessories must now drill down through the product categories along the top “shop” navigation bar to reach the various accessories, while links to the refurbished and clearance stores are listed at the bottom of the page.
A similar situation exists for the former right sidebar, which offered links to Apple’s other stores such as for education and business, as well as store services including gift cards, financing, and returns. All of these links are now only directly accessible through the store site map links at the bottom of the page.
The change removes some redundancy on Apple’s main store page, as many links had appeared both in the main body of the page and lower down in the site map section, and by removing the sidebar links Apple has been able to bring much greater prominence to product images.
Apple has made additional image-centric changes further down in the site, with the main pages for each of the company’s product lines now allowing for larger images and less text, while accessory pages have seen even more dramatic changes away from simple lists and toward more featured images.
Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
• Apple Named World's Most Valuable Brand for Third Year in a Row
• 'Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic' Might Come to the iPad
• Vudu Player for iOS Gets Updated With Ability to Download Movies
• Apple to Open New Adelaide Retail Store in Australia on May 25
• Burj Al Arab in Dubai Introduces Gold-Plated iPads for Guest Use
• Tumblr Acquired by Yahoo, iOS App Gets Redesigned User Interface
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Apple Updates iTunes to Version 11.0.3 With New MiniPlayer and Improvements
Apple has released an update to its iTunes music and media application, bringing it to version 11.0.3.
The update updates the compact MiniPlayer, adding album artwork and a progress bar, as well as better support for multi-disc albums and large iTunes libraries.
This version of iTunes comes with several new features and improvements, including:
– New MiniPlayer. MiniPlayer now includes a beautiful new view that showcases your album artwork. In addition, a progress bar is now built right into MiniPlayer.
– Improved Songs View. You can now enjoy your album artwork while in Songs view.
– Multi-Disc Albums. Albums with multiple discs now appear as a single album.
This update also provides performance improvements when searching and sorting large iTunes libraries.
The update weighs in at 187.50MB on the Mac, and is available through the Mac App Store, Software Update, and direct from Apple’s Software Download Page.
The last update to iTunes was released back in February.
Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
• Google Play Books for iOS Updated with Support for Uploaded Files
• DirecTV Updates iPhone App With Voice Commands
• OS X 10.8.4 Build 12E52 Seeded to Developers
• Verizon Cuts Price on iPhone 5 by $100 for Some Customers
• Mophie Introduces New 2,100 mAh iPhone 5 Battery Case
• Limelight for iPhone Lets Users Catalog and Share Movie Choices
• iMovie Updated With Bug Fixes and Stability Improvements
• ABC Begins Live Streaming Philly and NYC Stations via iOS App
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ABC updates iOS app with live streams of all programming in select markets
Tuesday saw the launch of a new version of broadcaster ABC’s iOS app, one that for the first time will allow users in select markets to watch live television from a U.S. broadcaster.
AppleInsider – Frontpage News
Adobe shows off new Creative Cloud features with across the board updates
Adobe’s popular Creative Suite got more than just a rebranding on Monday, as the company also revealed a number of new and advanced features for the rechristened Creative Cloud package.
AppleInsider – Frontpage News
Display Analysts See Retina iPad Mini Updates Coming in 3Q 2013 and 1Q 2014
In a bit of a confusing sequence of events, CNET reports on claims from NPD DisplaySearch analysts who see Apple having two Retina iPad mini devices in the pipeline, including an initial launch in the third quarter of this year followed by a second update in the first quarter of next year.
“We see two refreshes coming. One in the second half of this year, then one in Q1 [first quarter] of 2014,” analyst Richard Shim told CNET late Sunday night.
“The Q1 [2014] device will have a Retina display plus an updated processor,” Shim added.
CNET‘s report had initially cited Shim as saying that the Retina display would not appear until the early 2014 model, but less than two hours later the report was revised to state that the 2013 model will also have a Retina display. The new quotes from Shim do not actually refute the original claim, but based on CNET‘s reporting it appears that additional information he provided does indicate that a Retina display will be included in the next iPad mini.
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo last month reported that technical challenges related to production of a Retina iPad mini will likely see the device debut somewhat later than many have expected. While he declined to offer a specific prediction for the iPad mini launch, he did outline three scenarios showing launches in the September-November timeframe.
Rumors of Apple looking to accelerate its upgrade cycles have persisted for several years, and they did come to fruition late last year with the introduction of an updated iPad just seven and a half months after the previous model. That launch did, however, coincide with the debut of Apple’s new Lightning connector, so it is unclear if the short cycle for the full-size iPad is indicative of a larger trend or if it was simply a one-time effort to adjust Apple’s launch timing and roll out the new connector across all of its latest-generation mobile devices.
Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories
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• Rare Working Apple 1 Computer Headed to Auction
• New Party Game 'Heads Up!' Featured on The Ellen Show
• Instagram Launches 'Photos of You' Feature, Lets Users Tag People
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Nest updates iOS app and adds notifications
The popular Nest Thermostat has updated its internal software to version 3.5, and pushed out a new iOS app to control it. Most people should have had their thermostats updated automatically at some point yesterday. The software is being billed as summer enhancements to the thermostat aimed at better handling of high temperatures.
Gallery: Nest updates iOS app
The new software allows the thermostat to make sure that sun shining on the hardware does not create false indoor temperature readings. The thermostat also has enhanced fan controls. The auto-away function has also been retooled, so it can better predict when you are coming home and have the house precisely at the temperature you want.
The new iOS app supports these new hardware features by allowing you to control them remotely, and now feature notifications on when a filter change is due for your HVAC system. The app also displays seasonal savings and energy history.
Apple and other retailers are selling the Nest Thermostat, which was designed by former iPod designer Tony Fadell. The app requires iOS 5 and is optimized for the iPhone 5. It’s universal so it displays at full resolution on the iPad.
Nest updates iOS app and adds notifications originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog
Square updates Register app with a focus on restaurants
Millions of merchants across the US have embraced the Square Register app to accept credit card payments without the need for a merchant account, expensive equipment or high fees. Now Square has updated the free Register app with new features that target a fast-growing segment of Square’s business — restaurants.
As you’ll recall from a previous TUAW post, Square now sells a full point-of-sale system called “Business in a Box for Square Register” that includes a cash drawer, a couple of Square card readers and an iPad stand. A receipt printer is extra. Now the new update to the app allows order modifiers that make taking orders and serving food in restaurants a lot more efficient.
Those order modifiers can be used to make a custom meal order for a customer. Want to hold the mayo and have extra bacon on that BLT? That’s not a problem for the app to handle, and by placing a receipt printer into the kitchen the cooking staff sees the special order immediately.
Restaurants are a huge and growing market for Square. The company says that the number of food-related businesses using Square has just about tripled and the amount of money processed by those establishments has more than quadrupled.
Square updates Register app with a focus on restaurants originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog
Square updates Register app with a focus on restaurants
Millions of merchants across the US have embraced the Square Register app to accept credit card payments without the need for a merchant account, expensive equipment or high fees. Now Square has updated the free Register app with new features that target a fast-growing segment of Square’s business — restaurants.
As you’ll recall from a previous TUAW post, Square now sells a full point-of-sale system called “Business in a Box for Square Register” that includes a cash drawer, a couple of Square card readers and an iPad stand. A receipt printer is extra. Now the new update to the app allows order modifiers that make taking orders and serving food in restaurants a lot more efficient.
Those order modifiers can be used to make a custom meal order for a customer. Want to hold the mayo and have extra bacon on that BLT? That’s not a problem for the app to handle, and by placing a receipt printer into the kitchen the cooking staff sees the special order immediately.
Restaurants are a huge and growing market for Square. The company says that the number of food-related businesses using Square has just about tripled and the amount of money processed by those establishments has more than quadrupled.
Square updates Register app with a focus on restaurants originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Mon, 29 Apr 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog
Twitter updates its OS X client
Twitter has updated its Twitter for Mac client, and you can see all of the new changes on the official company blog. The biggest update is that you now get a camera icon when you’re composing a tweet, which makes it easier than ever to share pictures straight from your desktop (other Twitter clients have had this for a while, and you could always drag pictures over, but this is a clearer way to do this anyway). The app has also added Retina display support, which is nice, and there are now 14 more languages: Dutch, French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Traditional Chinese and Turkish.
As always, the app is available for free directly from the Mac App Store. Twitter says to keep an eye out for more changes as well, so it’s working hard on providing even more updates to the OS X app.
Twitter updates its OS X client originally appeared on TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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TUAW – The Unofficial Apple Weblog
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