Why Apple Is Making The Mac Harder To Use→

Why Apple Is Making The Mac Harder To Use

Michael Schechter weighs in on today’s news that TextExpander 4 couldn’t be released through the Mac App Store due to Sandboxing restrictions:

I know I’m not the average Mac user, but I’m far from the geekiest. While there will always be things that need to exist outside of the Mac App Store for the geeky amongst us, the exclusion of something as useful and harmless as TextExpander shows the flaws in the current execution of App Sandboxing. The idea of protecting users from harm makes sense; the execution of protecting users from conveniently installing and maintaining useful software makes none.

This morning, Macdrifter brought a reasonable explanation as to why Apple’s Sandboxing is, ultimately, benefitting the average Mac user who doesn’t use apps like TextExpander, but wants a Mac to be secure and “safe”:

New Mac owners lose the fear that Windows has instilled. I’ve seen it happen over and over. Ever so slowly, they begin to realize that installing software doesn’t have to be scary. Everything on the App Store is “safe” because Apple is moderating the content.

We actually saw this coming. Back in October 2011, when Sandboxing was still on track to become effective in November, I commented on two pieces by Andy Ihnatko and Jason Snell, noting how the concept of “app” – software that “does one thing well” – coupled with enhanced security for Mac users allowed Apple to position Sandboxing as a powerful technology for the new App Store market.

As a security measure, Sandboxing is a good thing for the user. It forces apps to access only the system resources they need, and, generally, it reinforces the belief that Apple-vetted apps are safer than software downloaded from the Internet. But like I said, the real problem – and I guess the reason why people like Michael and I don’t appreciate the consequences of this change – is that developers of existing apps sold on the Store are being forced out of the door. I also wrote:

The problem with Sandboxing, I believe, is that it introduced a change that is forcing developers of existing apps to reconsider functionalities that are not compatible with the Mac App Store anymore. If this will lead to serious fragmentation of Mac software with a proliferation of deeply different Mac App Store and “website versions” of the same apps, we’ll see.

And we did see the first result with TextExpander 4. It’s still too early to judge, but if these first signs are of any indication, then we should be thanking whoever thought of Gatekeeper at Apple, as it will bring some security to software downloaded outside of the Mac App Store. Similarly, we should appreciate the efforts of developers like ManyTricks and Smile, who are thinking of clever ways to offer upgrades without “officially” using the Mac App Store.

There is an argument to be made about Apple not particularly “liking” apps that change system behavior, like TextExpander. If that’s the case, why approving them for Store sale in the first place? I understand that plans evolve and things can take unexpected turns; however, today’s TextExpander update unarguably shows that this isn’t the top notch user experience Apple typically shoots for.

Geeks will always know how to get around the Mac App Store’s limitations; Sandboxing is showing its first trade-offs, including “harder” upgrades and fragmented applications, but we’ll have to wait more to understand its long-term impact.

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GoodReader 3.15.0→

GoodReader 3.15.0

GoodReader is a powerful PDF reader and file manager. It is not the prettiest app available on iOS, but in terms of functionality, I’ve yet to find a single solution that integrates good PDF annotation features and support for file management and remote servers as well as GoodReader does.

Especially on the iPad, the app has become a part of my daily workflow as it allows me to connect to AFP servers (such as my Mac mini), Dropbox, and iCloud. GoodReader is one of the few apps with real folder-based iCloud storage for documents (as I have previously detailed), and, on top of solid integration with web services, it comes with powerful file management options and support for several file types including .webarchives, Office documents, audio, and video.

The latest version of GoodReader for iPad, released yesterday, adds a number of useful options for PDFs, such as an eraser tool for freehand drawings (available as annotations), and possibility to email a PDF annotation summary. While I don’t use GoodReader as my main PDF reader (I like PDF Expert better for that), the fact that it can sync entire folders with Dropbox means I can still get my fully-annotated documents coming from other iOS apps that sync with Dropbox, like the aforementioned PDF Expert, or the recently released PDFPen 1.2.

On the file management side, version 3.15.0 is also a notable update. If you have configured the app with Dropbox, you can now generate a public link for any file or folder (GoodReader can browse the entire contents of your Dropbox) to share with your friends. Another new button, “Upload” puts a convenient shortcut into GoodReader’s file management popover so you’ll be able to instantly beam new files to remote servers (I use this to upload images to Dropbox). Last, with a new bookmarklet, GoodReader is capable of saving HTML5 video directly from Safari – and this works with YouTube as well (it’ll save .mp4 files into GoodReader).

GoodReader for iPad is only $4.99 on the App Store.

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Launch Center Pro Review

Launch Center Pro has become my second SpringBoard. I have been testing the app for the past month, and it’s a fantastic upgrade over Launch Center, which we have covered on multiple occasions on MacStories. If you were a Launch Center user before, you’ll most definitely want to check out the new, separate Pro version.

For many, it’s difficult to see the appeal of software like Launch Center. Originally conceived as a Notification Center-based launcher for common actions such as toggling Bluetooth settings and custom URLs supported by third-party apps, Launch Center turned into a powerful hub to collect shortcuts for system actions and app-specific URLs. The discontinuation of Settings shortcuts in iOS 5.1 didn’t diminish Launch Center’s functionality, which gained support for several third-party applications and a nicer interface with support for icons and even more actions.

What started as an interesting hack to put shortcuts in Notification Center eventually became a utility that, in its niche, is redefining the concept of “launching actions”, rather than apps. This goes back to a fundamental issue behind the nature of the iOS Home screen – as I have previously written – and Launch Center Pro, while retaining the basic functionality of Launch Center, doubles down on this very distinction between finding apps and launching actions.

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TextExpander 4 First Casualty of Mac App Store Sandboxing

Today Smile Software released TextExpander 4, the latest version of its typing shortcut app for OS X. The new version contains several new types of fill-in snippets, including support for multi-line text fields, pop-up menus, expanding snippets while filling in text fields, and more. In addition, the UI has been slightly updated to match the monochromatic style of Lion and Mountain Lion, and snippet groups for French and German autocorrection are now part of TextExpander’s predefined group options. And in news that is sure to please anyone who has tried and failed to get their friends and family to understand the benefits of typing shortcuts, TextExpander 4 now includes a tutorial called the Snippet Creation Assistant, which will launch upon a fresh install of the app and guide new users through the process of making their own snippets.

TextExpander 4 also marks Smile’s break from the Mac App Store due to the sandboxing rules that went into effect on June 1st, making it the first major casualty of the new restrictions. Fortunately for Mac App Store customers, Smile has gone the extra step to ensure a smooth upgrade from the MAS version to their direct sale version. Once TextExpander 4 has been downloaded and launched, it will recognize existing MAS versions of TextExpander 3 and offer users the same discounted upgrade price as direct customers. As of this writing, TextExpander 3 is still on the Mac App Store and has not been updated with information about TE4 or the upgrade process.

TextExpander has been one of my most valuable apps for years and I highly recommend anyone who has yet to try it to download the demo from Smile’s website. TextExpander 4 costs $34.95 for a single license and $15 to upgrade from a previous version, with additional options for family packs and businesses. Any customer who purchased Text Expander 3 after January 15, 2012 can upgrade to TE4 for free.

TextExpander 4 is available for purchase from Smile Software’s website here. The company’s official press release, which includes the full list of new features and changes, can be found here.

Court Approves Fine Against Apple For Misleading Australian Consumers With “4G” Claim

Apple will pay the AU$2.25 million fine for misleading Australian consumers by marketing the new iPad as “WiFi + 4G” after the Federal Court this morning approved the settlement that Apple reached with the ACCC on June 7th. Although Apple and the ACCC came to the agreement (which also requires Apple to pay AU$300,000 in court costs for the ACCC), approval was required from the Federal Court. In coming to the decision, Justice Mordecai Bromberg requested various sales, refund and other information from Apple to assess whether the fine was appropriate.

Although the exact numbers remain confidential, in his judgement, Justice Bromberg notes that the “number of new iPad cellular model devices sold by Apple in the relevant period was very substantial”. As for the number of consumers who took up Apple’s offer for a refund, he notes that “only a very small percentage of them took up the opportunity of a refund” - although this is tempered by a preceding paragraph in his judgement:

“Cant tell with any certainty how many consumers were mislead, nor is it possible to discern the level of disappointment (as distinct from proven loss or damage) involved for those consumers who were misled… many purchasers will have felt decidedly short-changed…”

Apple Pty Ltd (Apple Australia) Dominated by Apple Inc (Parent Company)

In what is largely unsurprising for those who are observers of Apple, the Australian arm had little control over the marketing message of the iPad. All marketing materials were provided to Apple (Australia) by Apple Inc and then passed on by Apple (Australia) to the “some one hundred and fifty resellers”. Justice Bromberg says “the same campaign was used worldwide by the Apple group of companies”.

“The most concerning aspect of Apple’s contravention of s 33, is the deliberate nature of its conduct. Apple does not seek to deny the deliberateness of its conduct and there are no facts before me which seek to excuse or explain the conduct, other than that the conduct occurred at the behest of Apple’s parent company, the second respondent (“Apple Inc”).”

This control by Apple Inc is further exemplified by the fact that Apple (Australia) became aware of the cellular iPad’s incompatibility with Telstra’s LTE network as early as 8 March, (the first day of pre-orders). “The controlling hand of Apple Inc” can be seen in that Apple “did not desist in its use of “iPad with WiFi + 4G” until 12 May 2012, when the product designator was changed globally.”

“Those who design global campaigns, and those in Australia who adopt them, need to be attuned to the understandings and perceptions of Australian consumers and ensure that representations made by such campaigns will not serve to mislead.”

The Factors Assessing The Appropriateness of the Penalty

There were a number of factors that led Justice Bromberg to accept the AU$2.25 million fine, starting with the fact that Apple did later clarify the incompatibility with Telstra’s LTE network and the fact that the whole spectacle had quite significant media attention in Australia. These two factors are likely to have substantially diminished the potential for consumers to be mislead by the product designator of “WiFi + 4G”. However beyond that, there were also some other factors including:

  • Senior management was involved
  • Education programs and disciplinary measures taken by Apple
  • Apple has never before engaged in conduct similar to this (significant weight attatched)
  • Gave credit to Apple for their cooperation with the ACCC
  • Apple acknowledged its liability
  • Media attention
  • Absence of loss or damage

In conclusion, Justice Bromberg said that the “proposed penalty is neither manifestly inadequate nor manifestly excessive”.

“I harbour a concern that the size and financial strength of Apple diminishes the meaningfulness of the penalty proposed. However, I do not perceive any further transgressions by Apple to be likely. The fact of the litigation and the media attention which it has drawn, will no doubt be a somber reminder to Apple, and others who rely on their brand image that, as well as a penalty, there will likely be an intangible cost involved in a contravention of the ACL.”

A Refresher on What Exactly Apple Did Wrong

Below are some key quotes I’ve pulled from the judgment that help explain why the ACCC went after Apple and why Apple ultimately acknowledged and accepted liability:

“No Australian carrier uses the term “4G” to describe any network which operates on HSPA, HSPA+ or DC-HSDPA networks. Those networks have always been referred to by Australian carriers as “3G” networks. Apple has also referred to those networks as “3G”.

 

“During the relevant period, Apple used the product designator “iPad with WiFi + 4G”, in relation to a device which could not directly connect with the only commercially available LTE network understood by Australian consumers to be a “4G” network.”

 

“Apple admits that by its use of the product designator “iPad with WiFi + 4G” during the relevant period, in trade or commerce, it impliedly represented that the new iPad cellular model could connect directly to the Telstra LTE mobile data network in Australia. Apple admits that by doing so, its conduct was liable to mislead consumers in relation to a characteristic of the new iPad cellular model, namely, its ability to connect to the Telstra LTE mobile data network. It is that representation about that characteristic, which resulted in the admitted contraventions of s 33 of the ACL.”

 

“The most concerning aspect of Apple’s contravention of s 33, is the deliberate nature of its conduct. Apple does not seek to deny the deliberateness of its conduct and there are no facts before me which seek to excuse or explain the conduct, other than that the conduct occurred at the behest of Apple’s parent company, the second respondent (“Apple Inc”).”

A Timeline of Events

  • On March 27th the ACCC announced it would initiate legal action against Apple for making misleading 4G claims in its marketing of the new iPad in Australia. The issue arose because although the new iPad supports US and Canadian 4G networks, the hardware in the new iPad does not support any of the Australian 4G networks.
  • Across Europe a few countries began to keep an eye on the issue and consider investigations into the issue after fielding complaints from consumers.
  • On March 30th, Apple clarified its iPad marketing in Australia by explicitly noting that “it is not compatible with current Australian 4G LTE networks and WiMAX networks.
  • On April 5th, Apple gave Australian customers the ability to get a full refund of the new iPad if they purchased it under the assumption of it supporting Australian 4G networks up until the 25th of April. They also informed Australian resellers to update marketing to explicitly mention the incompatibility with Australian 4G networks.
  • On May 12th Apple decided to rename the WiFi + 4G model to WiFi + Cellular - across the whole world (including the US and Canada), eliminating the confusion over whether the iPad supported 4G in a particular country like Australia, where it did not.

[via itnews]

You can read the entire judgment here, uploaded by itnews. 

The World Of Selling Access To iOS Betas→

The World Of Selling Access To iOS Betas

Andy Baio reports on the not-so-underground world of selling access to iOS betas to people who are not developers, but are simply interested in trying the latest OSes during their beta stages.

For a small developer, unauthorized activations are a lucrative business that’s likely worth the risks. UDID Activation publishes their order queue on their official site, which shows more than 2,300 devices activated in the last week alone. At $8.99 for each activation, that’s more than $20,600 in revenue, with $2,277 paid to Apple for the 23 developer accounts. Their homepage claims that more than 19,000 devices were activated so far, and that’s only one of several services. And since device activations only last for a year, each service can reuse their expired slots with no additional cost.

Without having to read the warnings that Apple puts on the Developer Center (and that, as Baio details, appear to be completely ineffective against sellers of paid activations), it’s important to remember that betas need to be tested by developers because only people with a technical knowledge can report bugs, send feedback, and lead to a better final product. The iOS beta isn’t meant for the general public: it is a an ongoing collection of changes, updated APIs, and visual refinements that only a developer can properly evaluate, understand, and criticize.

That’s not to say regular users shouldn’t be interested in trying the latest toys before they are released because Apple’s site says so. We at MacStories, too, have access to iOS betas but we are not developers ourselves; however, that access is necessary to have a better understanding of things to come (without breaking the NDA). The negative side-effect of spreading iOS betas to users who aren’t willing to treat them for what they are – betas – is, instead, a worrying amount of iTunes reviews for apps that can’t be updated for iOS 6 yet. We have written about this last year, and Rene Ritchie recently posted his thoughts on the matter as well.

It’s okay to be curious about the future. But the proliferation of “UDID Activation” websites has generated a number of repercussions on third-party developers, and that’s a problem Apple needs to fix.

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Retina MacBook Pro Runs Three External Displays, Downscales Apps Automatically→

Retina MacBook Pro Runs Three External Displays, Downscales Apps Automatically

Other World Computing’s Mike H. has posted a photo showing the 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro running three external displays simultaneously (via MacRumors). Including the built-in Retina display set at “best for Retina” in System Preferences, the new MacBook Pro can run four displays at their native resolutions – OWC tested two iMacs as external monitors via Thunderbolt, and an additional LG display connected via HDMI. In their tests, “moving images and media didn’t create any lag” and video playback was possible on all four displays.

As noted by Steve Streza in his extensive review of the device, the Retina MacBook Pro is also capable of automatically downscaling apps to non-Retina resolutions even if you move an application’s window between two displays:

If you connect a second display, it’s probably not going to be a Retina display (at least not yet). Luckily the OS seems to handle this all magically, and downscales the window appropriately and without any input. If you drop the window halfway between the two displays, the one half on the Retina display will be high-resolution, and the other half is downscaled. In other words, it just works.

The Retina MacBook Pro has been well-received among reviewers, albeit computer repair firm iFixit gave the device a low repairability score due to Apple’s decision to not make it user-serviceable, causing a controversy that Richard Gaywood elegantly summarized at TUAW.

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