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OS X Yosemite Developer Preview usage 4x greater than Mavericks

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 9, 2014

Adoption rates of the OS X Yosemite Developer Preview are smashing records with four times greater usage than its predecessor, OS X Mavericks. Developers' striking interest in the software is evidenced by usage stats web analytics firm Chitika provided Wednesday.

According to data, adoption figures of the Yosemite betas in North America have significantly outpaced those of OS X Mavericks, by as much as a factor of four.

Early adopters have helped OS X Yosemite Developer Preview hit 0.20 percent of total U.S. and Canadian web traffic originating from Mac OS X. By comparison, the OS X Mavericks Developer Preview was only able to hit a meager 0.05 percent mark after 30 days...

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Retina MacBook Air hits roadblocks as Intel’s Broadwell chips face new delays

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 18, 2016

It's hardly a secret that Apple is looking to phase out non-Retina models from its MacBook Pro lineup.

Furthermore, the expected switch to all-Retina notebooks should over time affect Apple's ultra-portable MacBook Air model, too.

I mean, even Apple's Taiwan-based suppliers have been adamant that a long-expected version of the MacBook Air with Apple's Retina display is due in the second half of 2014.

Unfortunately, it's now almost certain that a Retina MacBook Air won't see the light of day this year because the crucial components - Intel's next-generation, extremely low-power Broadwell chips - reportedly won't be available in volume until mid-2015...

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Apple releases OS X Yosemite Developer Preview 3

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 17, 2018

In addition to seeding the third beta of iOS 8 this morning, Apple has also released the third Developer Preview of its new OS X Yosemite operating system. The update comes three weeks after Preview 2, and over a month after Apple announced Yosemite at WWDC.

The update is labeled as build 14A283o and can be downloaded via an update in the Mac App Store, or as a full download from Apple’s online developer center. It does not, however, appear to be out in Apple’s recently-launched public Yosemite Beta Seed program yet…

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Sunrise for Mac launches with offline mode, apps, native notifications and more

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated February 5, 2018

Sunrise, the popular and free replacement for Apple's stock Calendar in iOS, has been making some notable strides.

Just last month, for example, the team added third-party app integration to Sunrise for iOS. And, the previous month brought us Sunrise for Android and a web app, making for a nice cross-platform solution.

Now available free in the Mac App Store, Sunrise for Mac brings the beautifully laid out iOS experience to your desktop, with such features as full offline mode, third-party app integration, notifications for reminders, support for Google and iCloud calendars and much more...

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Taasky is a beautiful and minimalistic task manager for Mac

Joe Rossignol ∙ Updated October 13, 2018

Taasky for Mac is one of the latest entrants in a highly competitive market of apps for task management, to-do lists and getting things done. How it aims to stand out of the pack is with a beautiful and sleek design, but how does it stack up functionally? Taasky can be best described as simple, both from a design and usage perspective. After giving the app a test drive on my Mac for a few days, here are my first impressions… 

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Apple appears to have ended support for AIM accounts in OS X Messages

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated January 27, 2018

For years, Apple's Messages app for OS X (previously known as iChat) has offered support for the aging AIM messaging protocol with mac.com and me.com IDs.

Then on Monday, as it said it would, Cupertino has ended AIM support for mac.com or me.com accounts in Messages on Macs running OS X Lion 10.7.1 or earlier.

However, it now appears that the company has actually phased out support for AIM accounts for everyone, regardless of Mac OS X version, and without giving users a heads-up...

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Apple launches $49 security lock adapter for Mac Pro

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 2, 2014

Apple on Wednesday launched an accessory to keep your gorgeously reimagined late-2013 "trashcan" style Mac Pro secure and tethered.

Available through the Online Apple Store for $49, the Mac Pro Security Lock Adapter ties the cylindrically shaped workstation to your desk using existing Kensington locks or similar third-party locks, so a thief would need to drag the desk itself to steal your precious Mac Pro.

Moreover, it prevents unauthorized access to the computer's internal components by securing the lift-off cover to the base of the machine with a security cable...

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Photos for Mac won’t be dumbed down, says Apple

Christian Zibreg ∙ July 1, 2014

Apple's surprise announcement that it will cease development of its Aperture app in favor of Photos for OS X Yosemite has left watchers scratching their head. There's also the problem of prosumers and iPhone photography enthusiasts, many of whom have grown dependent on Aperture workflows.

The problem is even more pronounced given concerns that any feature-parity between Photos on iOS 8 and the upcoming Photos for OS X Yosemite Macs would inevitably lead to significant dumbing down compared to Aperture's feature set.

Case in point: the iWork for iCloud effect.

Anyway, Apple has now official confirmed via a written statement that Photos for Mac will include certain pro-grade features such as photo editing, image search and third-party effects and plugins...

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Apple’s Back to School launches with free $100 store credit on Mac purchases

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated October 1, 2017

As predicted, Apple on Tuesday launched the 2015 Back to School promotion in the United States and in several countries around the globe, depending on their respective educational calendars.

Somewhat similar to last year's Back to School promotion, Apple this year is providing students with a $100 Gift card with the purchase of any new Mac model.

Students who opt for an iPhone or iPad will be treated to a free $50 Apple Store gift card. However, this is the first time that Apple's Back to School promotion is offering gift cards, redeemable against any Apple Store item purchase...

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Apple to launch yearly ‘Back to School’ promo tomorrow

Cody Lee ∙ June 30, 2014

MacRumors is reporting that Apple is set to launch its annual ‘Back to School’ promotion in the US and several other countries beginning tomorrow—Tuesday, July 1st. The company runs the promo at various times in different regions, depending on their respective educational calendars.

According to the site, Apple will be offering up iTunes Store/App Store gift cards to students that purchase a Mac, iPad, or iPhone. Similar to last year, it sounds like students will receive a $100 App Store gift card for the purchase of a new Mac, and a $50 card for new iOS device purchases...

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