Federico Viticci

10781 posts on MacStories since April 2009

Federico is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of MacStories, where he writes about Apple with a focus on apps, developers, iPad, and iOS productivity. He founded MacStories in April 2009 and has been writing about Apple since. Federico is also the co-host of AppStories, a weekly podcast exploring the world of apps, Unwind, a fun exploration of media and more, and NPC: Next Portable Console, a show about portable gaming and the handheld revolution.
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@viticci.macstories.net
viticci@macstories.net

Rumor: The White iPhone 4 Has Been Canceled

Boy Genius Report claims that Apple has not only delayed the white iPhone 4, it’s been canceled:

According to a previous source of ours, we have been told that Apple in fact has no plans to release the white model iPhone 4. Our source hypothesizes another “delay” communicated around March leading us into an iPhone 5 release time-frame in June / July.

BGR also reports another delay will be announced in March. Truth be told, it makes sense. Why should Apple release “just a white model” a few months before the announcement of the iPhone 5 after all the manufacturing issues they had and they’re probably still having? To keep up with the promises they once made?

If the white iPhone 4 is just a color update and it’s got nothing more than that (ehm, Verizon), then it’s time to move on. On, as in iPhone 5.

Justin Williams’ Mac App Store Blueprint→

Justin Williams’ Mac App Store Blueprint

Assuming both applications are accepted, both Today and Check Off will be in the App Store on day 1 as the exclusive distribution channel. At that point in time, I will shut down the existing Second Gear store and channel any sales traffic from my Web site to the Mac App Store.

Risky? Yeah. Insane? Maybe.

As with anything involving Apple’s App Store platforms, pricing is an issue. At this point, I’m not planning to adjust my prices for the Mac App Store. I think this will be the trend for existing software moving to the App Store, because giving up a 30% cut to Apple for the privilege is enough of a sacrifice. Tacking on a price cut as well? I can’t see many full-time developers agreeing to that.

If you’ve selling a $40 piece of software on your own distribution platform for years, moving it to a new platform doesn’t make it any less worth of $40.

A 30% cut seems to be perfectly fine for many developers as long as Apple provides the tools and the system to ensure that the only requirement for a dev is that of doing what he likes most: developing. Notable independent Mac developers such as the Omni Group, Realmac, Pixelmator and, now, Secondgear have already committed to Mac App Store development. I can see where this trend is going. We’ll check again in a couple of months.

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Volume Controls In The Multitasking Bar with App Switcher Volume | Cydia Store

Many iPhone users, especially jailbreakers who’re constantly tinkering with their devices, think Apple should have enabled more customization options for the multitasking bar. The current version of the “tray” only allows to change between apps, close them, access widget controls and screen rotation lock on the left.

App Switcher Volume is a new tweak available in Cydia which lets you adjust your device’s volume with a slider in the multitasking bar. The tweak will add its slider right under the music widget controls and that’s it. Useful if you really can’t stand adjusting volume using the iPhone’s default buttons, which perhaps you’ve remapped to do something else, like snapping photos.

App Switcher is available at $0.99 under Big Boss repository. Read more

Joshua Topolsky On The New MacBook Air→

Joshua Topolsky On The New MacBook Air

Make no mistake about it, the new MacBook Airs are very good laptops. What they lack in speed and power, they make up for in build quality and big time battery life. Add to that gorgeous displays, solid state storage, and the unquestionably stable OS X, and the concoction makes for a nearly irresistible offering… provided you’ve got the cash. When it comes to the 11.6-incher, it’s hard to see it as our main laptop (emphasis on our): it’s a great companion for bed, the TV, and short trips, but it’s not quite enough to take the place of our MacBook Pro. The 13-inch, on the other hand, may have just enough juice to become a lot of people’s one and only; it was consistently surprising to us during our testing.

After a quick demo at my local reseller and all the reviews that are coming out, I’m firmly convinced my next portable Mac will be an Air.

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Apple Delays White iPhone Again Until Spring 2011

So there you have it. The white iPhone 4 is basically not coming at all, at least not as we know it. Reuters reports:

Apple Inc said on Tuesday that it would delay release of the white iPhone yet again, this time until next spring.

“We’re sorry to disappoint customers waiting for the white iPhone again,” Apple spokeswoman Trudy Muller said. When asked why the white phone would again be delayed, Muller declined to comment.

Ouch. The iPhone 5 is supposed to be announced by the same time next year. Or wait, maybe the “white iPhone 4” is going to become the “iPhone 5”, with an improved antenna design and the same “sandwich” look of the current model. And maybe a Verizon deal in there somewhere. Time will tell, as the wise men say. But unveiling a mid-generation iPhone in Spring is surely a strange move from Apple.

Apple and Spotify Discussing An Acquisition?

According to the latest rumor published by Michael Arrington over at TechCrunch, Apple and European-based music streaming service Spotify might be in the very early stages of discussing an acquisition.

“Apple, Inc. (AAPL) in negotiations to acquire Spotify,” read the tip that came in yesterday via email from an anonymous source. Most tips are just outright false, but we dug into this one a little bit.

Here’s what we heard – Apple and Spotify are in on again, off again discussions about an acquisition, but at best it’s very early in the process. No firm price has been offered, no term sheet tabled. Still, it’s interesting that the two are talking.

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