Mac

Stay up-to-date on the latest Mac news, and tutorials. Get expert tips and tricks to optimize your Mac’s performance and learn about the latest Apple products and software updates. Discover the best Mac apps and accessories to enhance your user experience.

OS X Yosemite update now available in the Mac App Store

Earlier today, Apple announced that its highly anticipated OS X Yosemite update would be available today. And we are happy to announce that the update just landed in the Mac App Store, and is now available to all users for free, as long as you have a compatible Mac machine.

The release is a major one for the Mac platform, as it brings about a number of improvements. The software's UI design has been refreshed, bringing it more in line with iOS, and there are several new features including Notification Center widgets, and text message forwarding.

Apple updates iWork with Yosemite support, OS X apps get redesigned

Continuing with its marathon software rollout, Apple has posted updates for its iWork apps on both iOS and Mac. The suite of productivity software now properly supports the just-released OS X Yosemite, along with its major new features like iCloud Drive and Continuity.

Both versions received various improvements, such as customizable alignments and easier file sharing, but the three Mac apps got a lot more love then their iOS counterparts. Pages, Numbers and Keynote for OS X have been redesigned to better match the new Yosemite.

Apple updates Mac mini, lowers price to $499

In addition to the new 5K iMac, Apple announced an update to its aging Mac mini line today. The new desktop computer has been outfitted with Intel's 4th-gen Core processor, and now supports PCIe-based flash storage and 802.11ac Wi-Fi, and the faster Thunderbolt 2 ports.

But the Mac mini has never really been about performance; it's been about the price. As Apple's least expensive Mac machine offered, the mini gave more people access to the popular OS X ecosystem. And today, the computer gets even more accessible with a  $100 price drop.

Apple Store goes offline ahead of today’s iPad/Mac event

Just as you'd expect, Apple's Online Store in the United States and around the world has been taken offline ahead of today's iPad and Mac media event. This is Apple's standard modus operandi: the company always takes the online store down ahead of major press conferences and important events.

Visiting the store yields the message “We'll be back. We're busy updating the Apple Store for you and will be back soon”. Typically, the store refreshes with new products right after the event has wrapped up so today should be no different.

Rumor: Apple switching to laser-cut logo with “shine at the edges” across all 2015 products

In spite of both The Wall Street Journal and Re/code’s reliable John Paczkowski cautioning against a Retina refresh for Apple's MacBook Air at tomorrow's event, the hit-and-miss DigiTimes on Wednesday quoted Taiwanese suppliers as saying that small-volume shipments have already begun.

More interesting than that, sources asserted that the Cupertino firm is planning a major switch to using laser cutting and some advanced embedded technologies to make the Apple logo on products “3D-like and shine at the edges”.

This is allegedly a large-scale effort as all Apple products reportedly are going to feature the new logo in 2015, ”starting with the next-generation iMac”. As a reminder, KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo thinks the next iMac with a 5K Retina screen will be unveiled at tomorrow's event, among other goodies.

Apple to unveil 27-inch Retina iMac this week, initial iPad Air 2 supplies may be limited

Apple plans to unveil a new 27-inch iMac with Retina display at its event tomorrow, reports Ming-Chi Kuo. In a note to investors, the highly regarded analyst offers up last minute predictions of what Mac and iOS products we can expect to see announced during the keynote.

Kuo says that a 27-inch Retina iMac is on the docket, and should be available before the end of the year. Due to the difficulties involved in developing and mass producing different hi-res panels, however, he doesn't see a 21-inch version arriving before the second half of 2015.

Good deal: 96% off Mac app bundle featuring Ember, Fantastical and more

Heads up Mac users, StackSocial has just launched an awesome bundle promotion for software that includes 8 premium Mac applications and an OS X/Web developer course that teaches you how to make apps in HTML, CSS and Xcode for 96% off their normal retail prices.

The bundle features high profile titles like Fantastical, the popular calendar app by Flexibits, and Ember, Realmac Software's highly regarded image manager. There's also AfterShot Pro 2, Disk Drill Pro 2.3, Capo 3, and more. Keep reading for a full breakdown of the promo.

Macworld/iWorld 2015 canceled, event on indefinite hiatus

Bad news for the Apple community on Tuesday, as news broke that the 2015 Macworld/iWorld Expo has been canceled, and the trade show is going on an indefinite hiatus. IDG made the announcement this morning, thanking the community for "30 amazing years."

The group didn't offer up any explanation for its decision to cancel the event, but it's not hard to guess what happened. Attendance at the annual convention has been on the decline since 2009, when Apple decided to quit attending and host its own media events.

Borderlands: The Pre Sequel launches on Mac alongside console and PC release

Aspyr Media, the games publisher specializing in porting top AAA games to the Mac, on Tuesday announced immediate release of Borderlands: The Pre Sequel, the latest installment in the popular Borderlands franchise by 2K and Gearbox Software.

Combining aspects of shooters and role-playing games, the game has you floating through the air while taking enemies down from above using new ice and laser weapons, exploring the lunar landscape with new vehicles allowing for more levels of destructive mayhem while gradually unfolding the story behind Borderlands 2 villain, Handsome Jack and his rise to power.

Apple releases Public Beta 6 of OS X Yosemite

Apple has this morning seeded the sixth Public Beta of OS X Yosemite. The update can be downloaded through the Updates tab in the Mac App Store by all participating members of Apple's Public Yosemite test program.

The release follows the third GM candidate, as Apple prepares to release Yosemite to the public later this month. Introduced in June, OS X Yosemite brings about new UI design and several other improvements for Macs.

Apple seeds third OS X Yosemite GM candidate to developers

Apple has this afternoon seeded the third Golden Master candidate of OS X Yosemite. The update can be downloaded either through the Updates tab in the Mac App Store, or through Apple’s Mac Dev Center by registered developers.

This marks the eleventh beta of Yosemite as Apple prepares to officially release the software to the public later this month. Introduced in June, OS X Yosemite brings about new UI design and several other improvements for Macs.

Skype for Mac 7.0 now available with revamped chat experience

Microsoft on Thursday issued a major new update to Skype for Mac alongside a new preview for Windows desktop. Available as a free download, Skype for Mac 7.0 brings out mobile-inspired look with a revamped chat experience, ahead of OS X Yosemite release later this month.

The richer chat experience allows you to chat and call simultaneously with one click and keep the conversation going across devices.

You'll also appreciate improvements to the free group video calling feature and the fact that the overall appearance of the app fits right in with OS X Yosemite.