Here are today’s @MacStoriesDeals on iOS, Mac, and Mac App Store apps that are on sale for a limited time, so get them before they end!
#MacStoriesDeals - Tuesday
Apple Developing “Scanner” iOS App with OCR?
9to5mac reports “a source at Apple” informed them the company is working on a native “Scanner” app for iOS devices, which would allow users to use an iPhone, iPod touch or iPad camera to scan documents or business cards on the go, and have them recognized & exported as PDF, or to other iOS apps like Pages and Contacts. The report says “it isn’t certain” when this app will be released and if it will be directly bundled into a future version of iOS, however the website suggests such scanning functionality would require a better camera other than the existing 5 MP one on the iPhone 4. The iPhone 5 is widely expected to have an 8 MP camera.
The user opens the app and holds the iPhone over the document or object they want scanned. They then snap a picture of it. Apple’s on-board software then resizes the image to ‘letter’ or business card, A4 or whatever depending on original document. Resizing includes aligning edges that get skewed by a single scan point rather than traditional scanning methods. The user can then manually change the size of the document or the use.
This “Scanner” app would also use either local / cloud-based OCR (optical character recognition) to separate images from text and make scanned text available for copying and pasting across iOS applications. Notably, iOS comes with an “Open in…” menu that enables third-party and native apps to communicate with each other’s supported documents and file types – 9to5mac does suggest the Scanner app would be capable of scanning a business card, and automatically add a new entry to the Contacts app.
There are a number of apps in the App Store that can turn iOS devices into portable scanners, some of them we’ve reviewed on MacStories before. Apple has also been granted a series of patents related to a possible scanning functionality for mobile devices.
iOS 5 Beta 8 on Friday, GM Next Week, France Telecom CEO Suggests iPhone 5 Launching October 15th
Two new rumors posted earlier today seem to suggest Apple is getting ready to release the last seeds of iOS 5 to developers, targeting an early October launch for the new OS, alongside the next-generation iPhone.
According to BGR, “a trusted source” claims Apple will release the eighth beta of iOS 5 this week, on Friday, with the Golden Master build to follow on or around September 23rd. Yesterday, a report claimed Apple will send a final version of iOS 5 to assemblers between September 23rd - 30th so that the iPhone 5 will come pre-loaded with iOS 5. It is believed iPhone assemblers in China are waiting for a final version of iOS 5 to install on the devices – as with new Macs released this summer with Lion pre-installed, Apple might want to release a new iPhone already running iOS 5 out of the box. BGR has a solid track record when it comes to pinpointing iOS beta releases, and the website also suggests Apple will requests “technical acceptance” of iOS 5 GM to carriers by October 5th. It is well-known carriers get exclusive versions of Apple’s iOS before the final release in order to test features like voice calling, texting, Internet browsing and perhaps even FaceTime on their networks.
Meanwhile, France Telecom CEO Stéphane Richard [Mac4Ever via MacRumors] has suggested that, based on what they heard, the iPhone 5 should launch on October 15th. October 15th is a Saturday – that would be unusual for iPhone releases, which usually happen on Thursdays or Fridays. Furthermore, previous speculation hinted at an iPhone 5 launch on October 7th - 14th – it is not clear whether Richard is referring to general date for the widely believed mid-October timeframe, or if he’s really heard something about an October 15th European launch.
It’s also worth mentioning that, if the iPhone 5 comes with iOS 5 pre-installed, the new OS would need to come out days ahead of new hardware alongside iTunes 10.5, currently in beta and required to sync iOS 5 devices with a Mac or PC. In the past, Apple released new versions of iTunes and iOS ahead of new hardware to get customers ready for the upgrade, and allow journalists/reviewers to restore the OS on a review unit if needed.
Hypothetically, based on this recent speculation, Apple could follow this timeline:
- iOS 5 beta 8: Friday, September 16th
- iOS 5 GM: Friday, September 23rd
- iPhone 5 pre-orders: Friday, September 30th [link]
- iOS 5 launch: October 5th - October 7th
- iPhone 5 U.S. release: October 7th - October 14th [link]
For a timeline of iPhone 5 news and speculation, check out our rumor roundup and retrospective.
Update: AppleInsider is now reporting iOS 5 could come out on Monday, October 10th, based on information received from a source at AppleCare division.
Apple has reportedly informed its AppleCare division to expect an influx of iOS-related inquiries from customers beginning Monday, Oct. 10, perhaps signaling when the company plans to release iOS 5 to existing device owners.
For instance, one person familiar with the matter said his local AppleCare call center has been told to expect an eightfold increase in customer calls on that day, and that staff are being advised ahead of time for the increased traffic.
Assuming the October 10th date is correct, the iPhone 5 wouldn’t come out on October 7th, as some speculated. However, it wouldn’t be the first time Apple published a major iOS update on a Monday. Alongside iOS 5, Apple is also expected to publicly release iCloud, and OS X 10.7.2.
Apple Readying Third-Generation AirPort Express
According to AppleInsider, Apple is readying the release of a third-generation AirPort Express station, the second version of the device to use the 802.11n wireless standard. The website reports “people familiar with the matter” claim Apple is working on an update to AirPort Utility, version 5.6, which contains strings mentioning “AirPort Express 802.11n (2nd Generation) base station” in the developer notes. The current version of AirPort Utility, 5.5.3, was last updated in June amidst rumors of iCloud functionality deeply tied with a caching system for software updates. Such rumors didn’t materialize at WWDC, and no further mentions of caching systems for iOS and OS X appeared in the developer betas released this summer.
The AirPort Express station (model MB321LL/A) was updated in 2008, adding initial support for 802.11n; the first version of the base station came out in 2004. AppleInsider reports third-party resellers claim the existing MB321LL/A model has been discontinued, whilst Amazon expects new stock to become available in 2 to 5 weeks.
One of the AirPort Express’ most promoted functionalities is support for AirPlay (nèe AirTunes), which allows users to beam audio to the station using iTunes or compatible iOS apps, provided a set of speakers is connected to the AirPort Express through the built-in mini-jack output. Similarly, the AirPort Express enables wireless printing thanks to a USB port. Other features include Internet Sharing, extreme portability, and easy setup with AirPort Utility (which can automatically configure AirPort stations on a network).
Apple’s line of wireless routers saw updates for the Time Capsule and AirPort Extreme base station in June. The quietly-introduced new versions revealed significant power boosts and performance improvements, as well as new wireless cards from Broadcom.
[image via]
mLogic’s mDock and mBack Offer Unique Backup Solutions for the Mac
mLogic has introduced two new accessories targeted toward iMacs and MacBook Pros - the mBack and mDock.
The mDock is a docking station and backup solution for your MacBook Pro. It eliminates repetitive plugging and unplugging of your peripherals, backs up your system when the MacBook Pro is docked (much like your iOS device), has front-mounted USB and headphone ports and also charges your iOS device via the “Amigo” that attaches to the back and adds an iPod/iPhone dock and a holder for the MagSafe power adapter. You can plug in such things as monitors, speakers and printers, and it comes with 500 GB or 1 TB of storage for your Time Machine backups. The mDock is $219 for 500 GB and $299 for the 1 TB option.
The mBack attaches onto the back of your iMac’s (or Thunderbolt Display) support stand and is Time Machine-compatible. It comes in 1, 2 & 3 TB versions with USB 2.0 interface. The mBack is $169 for 1 TB, $209 for 2 TB, or $349 for 3 TB.
mLogic was established by industry veteran Roger S. Mabon founder & CEO of G-Technology, Inc. – a leading provider of external disk storage solutions for Apple computers and now part of Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (recently purchased by Western Digital Corporation). Their mission is to provide innovative and exciting add-on products for Mac computers. These are very unique and reasonably priced hardware for your Macs that offer multiple solutions all in one device. If this is only the beginning for mLogic, they’ve hit the ground running. We can’t wait to see what else is down the road for mLogic. [via SlashGear]
Apple Releases MacBook Air EFI Firmware Update 2.1
Earlier today Apple released an EFI Firmware Update for the MacBook Air, which reaches version 2.1 and adds a number of fixes for Thunderbolt Displays and Target Disk Mode. Too, the update enhances performances of Lion Recovery when used through an Internet connection (to re-download Lion from Apple’s servers).
This update includes fixes that enhance the stability of Lion Recovery from an Internet connection, and resolve issues with Apple Thunderbolt Display compatibility and Thunderbolt Target Disk Mode performance on MacBook Air (mid 2011) models.
The MacBook Air EFI Update will update the EFI firmware on your notebook computer. Your computer’s power cord must be connected and plugged into a working power source. When your MacBookAir restarts, a gray screen will appear with a status bar to indicate the progress of the update. It will take several minutes for the update to complete. Do not disturb or shut off the power on your MacBookAir during this update.
The new MacBook Airs were released on July 20, alongside the announcement of the new Apple Thunderbolt Display (the renamed Cinema Display), which packs Thunderbolt alongside an Ethernet port to allow for easy daisy-chaining of peripherals and network access. The Thunderbolt Display, priced at $999, is shipping in 2-3 weeks from Apple’s website, though the company announced the product in July with a 60 day shipping estimate. MacRumors reported last week Thunderbolt Displays were shipping to retail stores ahead of upcoming availability.
OS X Lion, MacBook Airs Driving Mac Growth In September Quarter
According to the latest NPD data and a note issued by Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster – reported by Business Insider – Mac sales for the first two months of Apple’s Q4 are up 22%, with Wall Street’s estimates averaging 16% growth for the entire quarter. Apple is expected to announce its Q4 results sometime in October, and back at the Q3 earnings call in July the company anticipated there would be a “future product transition” that would affect the September quarter – suggesting the next-generation iPhone would ship before the end of Q4.
As for the Mac, Munster indicates the release of OS X Lion, updated MacBook Airs and Mac minis on July 20 helped contributing to the 22% year-over-year growth in the same period; NPD data suggests Apple could sell between 4.4 and 4.6 million Macs in the quarter. In Q3, Apple sold 3.95 million Macs, and Tim Cook noted the MacBook Pros made up for the majority of Mac sales. It is no secret, however, that ever since the refresh in October 2010 the updated MacBook Air line has been growing in popularity among existing Mac users as well as new customers, with several analysts calling it Apple’s new crown jewel.
Meanwhile, Apple announced 1 million copies of Lion sold after 24 hours of availability, but hasn’t released new data since then. Apple has encouraged customers to upgrade to the new OS thanks to heavy promotion in the Mac App Store and by releasing a USB thumb drive for those unable to download the 4 GB OS installer. Lion also comes pre-installed on the new Macs released this summer, certainly another selling points for the Airs and minis.
#MacStoriesDeals - Monday
Here are today’s @MacStoriesDeals on iOS, Mac, and Mac App Store apps that are on sale for a limited time, so get them before they end!
Automatically Saving PDFs (And Clipboard) to Evernote Using Keyboard Maestro→
Automatically Saving PDFs (And Clipboard) to Evernote Using Keyboard Maestro
Over the weekend, I posted my initial impressions on Keyboard Maestro, a fantastic assistant for your Mac that will help making your OS X workflow faster, and personalized. Today Brett Kelly at Nerd Gap shares a tip to automate the process of virtually printing a PDF from Mail.app to Evernote:
Clicking this menu option will render whatever the current thing is as a PDF and shove it into Evernote. This Keyboard Maestro recipe automates the following steps that make up this process:
- Click “File” then “Print” in the current application menu
- Click the “PDF” button at the bottom left of the Print dialog
- Type “Save PDF to Evernote” to select the appropriate option (this is the only way I could do this with some certainty that it would work, though there were other options)
- Type Return
The Keyboard Maestro macro above works with any Mac app that supports the Print… menu, although, for some reason, Google Chrome Canary returns an error at the “Click PDF button” action. Safari, Mail, Sparrow – they can all print to Evernote using Keyboard Maestro.
Alternatively, if you don’t want to save PDFs to Evernote, you can set up this macro to quickly create a new note using Evernote’s helper (the menubar icon), paste without style, and close the window. It’ll take less than a second to perform through Keyboard Maestro, and it’s a nice way to quickly get your latest clipboard entry onto Evernote as plain text.
You’ll need to set title and tags later, as this only pastes the clipboard in the note’s body.