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.
@[email protected]
@viticci.macstories.net
viticci@macstories.net

Two New iPhones and Unknown New Device Spotted in iOS 4.1 for Apple TV

The iOS 4.1 firmware for the new Apple TV is turning out to be quite a source of surprises. After the new Remote icon and external storage support, 9to5mac found out that 2 new iPhones and a brand new device are referenced in the firmware’s USBDeviceConfiguration .plist file.

We know that the iPhone 4 has always been known as iPhone 3,1, but we’re seeing iPhone 3,2 and 3,3 here. White iPhone? Verizon iPhone? Redesigned-antenna version? Steve Jobs knows. A 20547 unknown device is also referenced. Yes, you can start speculating now. Read more

PlainText: It’s Like Text Edit for iOS, Plus Sync

There’s no shortage of writing apps on the iPad. With the release of Writer by IA last week (which seems to be doing great in the App Store) and the likes of Simplenote and Elements before it, there are enough applications to satisfy any kind of user. PlainText is the latest app from well-known developer Jesse Grosjean of HogBay Software (developer of Writeroom and Taskpaper) that allows you to write in a clutter-free paper-like environment while syncing everything to Dropbox. Plus, it’s free in the App Store. Read more

Wired’s 5 Reasons the Media Covers Apple So Much→

Wired’s 5 Reasons the Media Covers Apple So Much

In the past year, headlines about Apple took up 15.1 percent of tech news coverage, while articles about Google constituted about 11.4 percent, and a meager 3 percent were about software giant Microsoft, according to the Pew Research Center study.

Guilty as charged.

Here at Wired.com we confess that we write about Apple more than any other company. Cuff us. But first, hear our reasons why we opt to cover the big A more than its rivals.

“Apple delivers” is enough.

Permalink

Fraser Speirs’ Update on the iPad Project→

Fraser Speirs’ Update on the iPad Project

So many people have asked me to explain the educational impact of the iPad. I simply can’t yet get to grips with everything that’s happening. Put simply, the iPad deployment has transformed our school. Not evenly and not everywhere yet, but it’s coming.

What we’re reaching in some classes is the transformation stage. We’re seeing the iPad completely change the way that certain subjects are taught. Our best example so far is Art. I will write and share more about what we’re doing in Art over time but it’s fair to say that it is already far beyond anything I expected in the first year, let alone the first month.

In case you missed it, the iPad Project is the first real-world deployment of iPads in classroom.

Permalink

Elements 1.1: New UI and Improved Usability

Elements is the best Dropbox-powered text editor currently available in the App Store, and the latest 1.1 update, which was approved earlier today, brings many improvements and fixes users have been asking for since the first release of the app.

A new UI, if you were not a fan of the previous “marble-like” one, with subtle navigation bars and backgrounds. Elements now comes with full-text search for your documents stored in Dropbox, so you’ll be able to either enter a title or some text and start searching. You can also rename and delete files, sort them by modified date or title.

Last, lots of fixes and “under the hood” improvements. Elements is still available at $4.99 in the App Store, and the 1.1 version is more recommended than ever. Check out the full press release and screenshots below. Read more