Apple Releases iTunes Festival 2011 App with Live Shows and AirPlay

By Federico Viticci

Kicking off on July 1 at the Roundhouse in London for 31 nights of consecutive live performances from 62 bands, the iTunes Festival 2011 has seen Coldplay, Beady Eye, Arctic Monkeys, Foo Fighters and Mogwai signing up for Apple’s annual initiative, among others. Today Apple released an official app for the iTunes Festival 2011 which, besides letting you check on the schedule for the venue and check out more information about the performing bands, will enable you to follow shows live or on demand “for a limited period from wherever you are in the world”, as well as beam video contents from your iPhone or iPad to an Apple TV or unofficial third-party receiver like MacStories staff favorite AirServer. This is the first time Apple is supporting both the iPhone and iPad with options for live streaming, AirPlay and Apple TV. Apple’s recent experiments with live streaming events include special media events and WWDC keynotes, though they have seemed to refrain from streaming announcements as of lately. It’ll be interesting to see how the app will allow users to watch live concerts come July 1.

You can download the iTunes Festival London 2011 app for free here.

Intel Confirms Sandy Bridge ULV Processors, Likely For New MacBook Airs

By Federico Viticci

As noted by Cnet, Intel has updated its official processor price list to include new Sandy Bridge-based Corei5 and Corei7 processors with ultra-low voltage power specifications that will make them suitable for future ultra-thin laptops like the upcoming MacBook Air refresh, set for a June or July release. The new processors, as included in the list:

i5-2557M (3M cache, 2 Cores, 4 Threads, 1.70 GHz 32nm) - $250
i7-2677M (4M cache, 2 Cores, 4 Threads, 1.80 Ghz, 32nm) - $317
i7-2637M (4M cache, 2 Cores, 4 Threads, 1.70 Ghz, 32nm) - $289

As reported back in May, these new power-frugal processors make for a great option when it comes to powering thin machines like Apple’s MacBook Airs or other devices called “ultrabooks” by Intel. By increasing clock speed from 1.4 GHz and 1.6 GHz to 1.7 GHz and 1.8 GHz from the previous-gen Arrandale CPUs, and with turbo boost frequencies set at 2.8 GHz and 2.9 GHz, Intel’s new ULV chips seem to fall in line with Apple’s requirements for low power consumption and speed. More importantly, the new Sandy Bridge processors dissipate only 17 watts, unlike standard laptop-oriented processors from Intel that with 35-watt dissipation would be too much for the MacBook Air’s thin and slim design.

The new MacBook Airs were initially rumored to be receiving an update in June, though recent speculation claims Apple will refresh the line in July – also holding out for new Mac releases until Lion comes out, so the new OS will come pre-installed on new Mac models. Many have indicated the MacBook Air as Apple’s new “crown jewel”, the most popular new MacBook model that will be perfectly capable of running OS X Lion thanks to its fast SSD, instant-on feature, high portability and multitouch trackpad.

1Password for Mac Adds OS X Lion Support

By Federico Viticci

1Password for Mac, the must-have utility we at MacStories use on a daily basis to manage and organize our web logins, credit card data and anything else that can go into AgileBits’ secure and encrypted database, was updated a few minutes ago to include support for OS X Lion and Mozilla’s latest desktop browser, Firefox 5. For those who have been keeping an eye on 1Password’s releases, you might have noticed the developers put great effort into building an amazing Google Chrome extension that allows you to easily access your web logins, identities, or generate passwords for new accounts. The Google Chrome extension was far superior to the Safari 4 counterpart, which was stuck on old interface schemes with less features and a clunky menu to fill web fields and account credentials. 1Password 3.6 finally brings the same extension seen on Chrome to Safari 5.1 on Lion and, after a quick test, I can say the extension looks even better than Chrome’s version as it’s powered by a neat animation for opening / closing. Overall, the new 1Password extension on Lion looks great, it’s fast and, from what I’ve seen so far, very stable when browsing around, filling logins and generating new passwords.

1Password 3.6 also adds support for apps created with Fluid 1.0, as well as Firefox 5. As AgileBits have added support for OS X 10.7 and Mozilla’s new browsers, the developers recommend people willing to use Leopard or older versions of Firefox to stay on 1Password 3.5.9. Support for new OSes and browsers aside, 1Password 3.6 is filled with welcome minor changes and bug fixes: whilst you can see the full list when upgrading from 3.5.9 to 3.6 in the built-in changelog screen, let me highlight that the new 1Password supports the latest Dropbox file configuration for sync, and it brings improved backups to detect problems with the app’s backup folder. On top of that, Lion-specific improvements will make the app a joy to use for those who have already made the jump on Apple’s new big cat.

1Password is a priceless utility that at $39.99 (Mac version) will change the way you manage, save, organize and keep data safe on your computers. The Mac app can be downloaded here, and you can find iOS counterparts for iPhone and iPad (with sync) here, here, and here.

New MacBook Airs To Feature Black Case Option?

By Federico Viticci

With increasing speculation and reports claiming that Apple is putting the final touches to the new MacBook Air line set for a late June or July refresh, MacRumors now suggests the new models may come with a black option for the aluminum case in the high-end configuration. According to various anonymous tips they received, the new black finish would come with an anodized aluminum case that would be a departure from Apple’s recent design standard for notebooks.

Over the past week, we’ve received several anonymous tips claiming that at least some models of the next-generation MacBook Air will be be available with a black finish, different from the aluminum case used on the current MacBook Air and most of Apple’s other Macs. The most specific of the claims suggests that a black anodized aluminum case would be available on a top-end MacBook Air model, in much the same way as Apple once offered a high-end black MacBook on top of the standard white offerings.

As widely reported over the past months, the new MacBook Airs are rumored to receive a substantial hardware update with Sandy Bridge processors replacing the outdated Core2 Duo CPUs, as well as Thunderbolt connectivity following the implementation in the MacBook Pros and iMacs earlier this year. As for the black color, Apple used to offer a black version of the MacBook a few years ago (the plastic model), and a MacBook Air prototype with a bottom black case was sold on eBay two years ago. The MacBook Pros released in February were also rumored to be getting an all-new black design based off Apple’s Liquid Metal acquisition, though that obviously didn’t happen and Apple decided to go with the classic unibody aluminum design, first launched in late 2008. A few days later, a report claimed a new design for the MacBook line is expected in 2012, starting with new MacBook Pro models. Meanwhile, 9to5mac says their sources haven’t heard anything about the alleged black MacBook Airs.

Update: MacRumors is now reporting an alleged email from an Apple employee who claims black MacBooks were indeed produced, but didn’t get Steve Jobs’ approval in the end.

The rumors that the next iteration of the MBA’s will have an optional black finish is grounded in truth.

We tried to powder coat the Air’s (and Pro’s for that matter) in black as a test run. There are more than a few floating around campus.

The coating looks good and holds up well, but it also soaks up body oils, making the palm rest look pretty gross. Ultimately that is the reason that the top brass (Jobs) killed the idea… it was just too easy to make the computer look like crap. At some point we may offer a black coating, but it won’t be powder coat, and it won’t be anytime soon.

CleanShot Removes The Clutter From Your Mac Screenshots

By Federico Viticci

How many times have you found yourself taking a screenshot of your Mac, only to realize that all that clutter on your desktop won’t make any good once the picture goes online, straight to Twitter or any other service where people can take a peek at your icons and apps? Let’s be clear about this: if you’re one of those people who care about the elegance and minimalism of your Mac desktop, being able to take perfect screenshots is nice; but you’re a blogger and you write about apps on a daily basis, you need to be able to take clear, simple screenshots that put the focus on the app, rather than those PDF documents and folders sitting behind the app’s main window. For this very reason, developer Stefan Fuerst at Media Atelier has created CleanShot, a $4.99 Mac utility that will help you grab better screenshots without the clutter of all your open apps, documents, and desktop folders.

CleanShot basically allows you to take a screenshot of your default desktop at different resolutions, with one app at the time in the foregound if you want. Once launched, CleanShot pops up as an overlay to your current desktop setup, removing all the apps from your view, focusing on the one you were working on. In addition to displaying one app and the default OS X background, CleanShot removes all desktop folders and icons, strips away content from the menubar and lets you even choose what default icons to display up there, such as AirPort, battery and Spotlight. In this way, you’ll be able to create “default” screenshots that don’t come with your personal stuff like documents, apps, and so forth.

As for the resolutions available in CleanShot, you can tweak them in the settings, but by default the app comes with standard ones like 1024x768, 1280x800, as well as the one currently set on your machine. In the settings, you can choose a custom desktop background; upon exporting, CleanShot will allow you to choose between a standard file saving menu, or a “copy to clipboard” action.

At $4.99 on the Mac App Store, CleanShot is an indispensable tool for bloggers, and a useful addition for those users constantly willing to take perfect screenshots without any clutter. Give it a try.

Mac mini and Mac Pro Refresh In August?

By Federico Viticci

According to Cnet’s Brian Tong, sources have confirmed that updated models of the Mac mini and Mac Pro will come out in August. With a series of tweets on his profile Tong says the “all new” Mac minis and Mac Pros with Sandy Bridge processors and Thunderbolt technology will be released towards the end of July or first week of August. A report from two weeks ago claimed that Apple was looking to refresh the Mac mini and Mac Pro server line-up in July, though Tong seems to believe both the consumer and server lines will receive the much anticipated CPU and Thunderbolt upgrade to follow changes in the MacBook Pros and iMacs.

Tong correctly pinpointed the changes in the 2011 iMac refresh months ago and was the first one to claim back in February that the MacBook Air family was on track for a June update. Several rumors from different publications in the past months have indicated Apple was working on new MacBook Airs with faster processors and Thunderbolt, and the most recent theories suggest the update will come out either in late June or July.

Another report from last week also claimed Apple won’t release new Macs until OS X Lion comes out, and considering Lion’s scheduled July release, it would make sense for Apple to put new Airs for sale (the MacBook Air is now Apple’s most popular notebook) with the new OS preinstalled. In other tweets, Tong also confirms Lion will come pre-installed on new Macs this summer.

Apple Posts New iPad 2 Commercial: “Now”

By Federico Viticci

Apple has posted a new iPad 2 commercial on its website and official YouTube channel entitled “Now”. Similarly to previous commercials, “Now” puts the focus on what is possible to do with an iPad 2, things like holding a book store in your hands, “listen to a magazine” or “touch the stars”. Apple’s short, elegant and concise iPad commercials want to capture the essence of the iPad as a personal device to do things that were impossible before.

Now, we can watch a newspaper; listen to a magazine; curl up with a movie; and see a phone call. Now, we can take a classroom anywhere; hold an entire book store; and touch the stars.

Because now, there’s this.

Among the featured apps, FaceTime, Spin Magazine, iBooks and the award-winning Star Walk. Apple’s previous iPad 2 commercials were called “We Believe” and “If You Asked”. Check out the new video below.
Read more

Apple and Samsung Execs In Talks Over Lawsuits, U.S. Judge Asks Them “To Get Along”

By Federico Viticci

The patent litigation between Apple and Samsung revealed interesting details at a hearing on Friday in a San Jose, Calif. federal court, where U.S. Judge Lucy Koh asked representatives of the two companies if it was possible to “get along”, ironically promising to send them a box of chocolate, Reuters reports. In mentioning the relationship between the two companies (Samsung provides electronic components for some of Apple devices including the iPhone and iPad), Judge Koh also asked if there was a chance to get executives from Apple and Samsung in a meeting, with Apple attorney Harold McElhinn effectively confirming that the case got the attention of high-level executives, who have been meeting and talking over the lawsuits filed against each other in Europe, Asia, and the United States.

At a hearing on Friday in a San Jose, Calif. federal court, U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh referenced the close business relationship between the two companies. ”Can’t we all just get along here?” asked Koh, who suggested the companies try to resolve the case through alternative dispute resolution outside of court.

“I will send you with box of chocolates, whatever,” Koh said.

Additional details weren’t provided by Apple or Samsung attorneys. The patent litigation between the two companies started back in April, when Apple sued Samsung over the look and feel of the Galaxy devices running the Android operating system with Samsung’s custom graphical skin. As Samsung began filing countersuits in Asia, Europe and later the United States, Apple then asked the court Samsung should hand over prototypes of the Droid Charge, Galaxy Tab 8.9, Galaxy Tab 10.1, Infuse 4G and Galaxy S 2 to Apple’s external legal team for evaluation in regards to the lawsuit. Samsung fired back by asking to see production units of the unannounced and unreleased iPhone 5 and iPad 3. Most recently, Apple extended the patent infringement claims to other Samsung devices and said the company (described as “the copyist”) is trying to harass Apple by demanding production of trade secrets.

iCloud To Avoid File Conflicts with Versioning

By Federico Viticci

In the latest episode of The Talk Show with Dan Benjamin, Daring Fireball’s John Gruber hints at a basic versioning system that will be built in iCloud to avoid the file conflict dialog boxes that have been one of the major issues with the existing MobileMe service. In MobileMe, if things go wrong and the system thinks you have two different versions of the same file, a dialog box will ask you to manually choose one and resolve the conflict. According to Gruber, that will change with iCloud: rather than ask users to choose a file and resolve the conflict, the system will always decide which version of an item (Address Book entry, bookmark, and so forth) is the right one. Users won’t be asked to manually resolve an issue by picking the version they think is right. Furthermore, unlike MobileMe Gruber says iCloud will have a versioning system with an interface that will allow users to “go back in time” and choose another version – think of Time Machine or Versions, as implemented in Lion.

Here’s our transcript of the most important parts – make sure to listen to the full episode here:

Gruber: The new way does not involve merging and conflicts. […] It doesn’t mean that Apple has magically solved the tech difficulties of syncing. […]

You’ve got 3 devices let’s say. Server-side data stored somewhere on a server, and you’ve got an iPhone and you’ve got a Mac. All data is up to date, say Address Book. You have an entry for Dan Benjamin and all it has is an email address. In all three places it’s the same and I sit down at my Mac, I add your home phone # to your contact and then I sit down with my iPhone at the same time (say everything’s offline) and enter Dan’s home # manually, but I enter it wrong. What happens when you sync? You’ve entered two phone numbers in two places, and at the server there’s no phone number. As it stands now MobileMe often will offer you a dialog box telling you that there is a conflict. It presents it to you and you have to pick which one is right. […]

In iCloud I believe you will never be presented with such a dialog, no matter how much has changed in one of the instances while it was “offline”. The server-side iCloud, when there seemingly is a conflict, will make a decision and it will decide which one is the best (in Apple’s terms the “truth”). That is what Steve Jobs means when he says “The Truth is in the Cloud.” iTunes will decide which one is right and that’s it. iCloud will push that right one to any device that has this account that has a different version. But, here’s the trick - what happens if it’s not the right one? On the server side, it will remember all of the other ones, almost like versioning. There will be some sort of interface like “go and look at your contacts.” There will be some sort of way to say “show me previous versions and let me pick the one that is right”. You pick it and push it back up into the cloud and tell it “that’s the truth” and Apple will push it out.

Dan Benjamin: Whatever is the most recent change will propagate but here are previous versions to pick from if you want.

Gruber: Apple won’t reveal it but iCloud, on the server, will determine the truth when it detects a conflict that will never be published. It will act like a “black box”. Most cases it will go by the most recently implemented change – it will be undefined. The key is that if there is a conflict, they will remember the different conflicting versions. If it picks the “wrong truth” it will be able to go back and get the right one. That’s what I mean when I say no more merging or conflicts. iCloud will make its best guess at merging & conflicts other than having you pick it.

Dan Benjamin: Do you know this or is it just a theory?

Gruber: I know this. What I don’t know but I beleeve, again, is that I think iBooks is an example of this in action. If you have the same iBook on the iPhone and iPad and take them both offline and flip a couple of pages on the iPhone then flip a different number of pages on the iPad, and them put them both online and they go to sync their “read state” or “current page state” to iTunes servers, iBooks never presents you a dialog. […]

iBooks is and has been one of the testbeds for what Apple is now calling iCloud.

iBooks has indeed been capable of automatically choosing bookmarks, notes and read state for quite some time, even before iOS 5 beta and iCloud. Apple has made no official mention of iCloud web apps or versioning features yet, but the possibility of choosing past versions of a file seems to fall in line with Apple’s recent developments in basic, easy to use versioning for everyone as seen in the Lion developer previews.

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