Apple has released a new version of iTunes for OS X and Windows. Among the chief new features is an updated mini player. The mini player got a refresh in v11 but 11.0.3 makes it a bit more usable. There is now a progress bar so you don’t have to switch to the full mode to scroll through the track. Also, clicking on the album art thumbnail expands it.
Other changes include improved Songs view, where you can now view the album art even in the Songs view and multi-disc albums now show as one album in the Album view. There is also a new Update tab for the Apps section where you can view updates for your downloaded iOS apps. Lastly, there are some performance improvements while searching and sorting large libraries. Read more »
Yesterday, we reported that Apple had implemented a two-step verification process for Apple IDs to add another layer of protection against unauthorized access to your account.
Shortly after that, however, a major security hole was discovered on the iForgot website (which allows users to reset their password) where you could reset the password for any Apple ID even if you have just the email and date of birth. This left anyone who hadn’t enabled the two-step verification vulnerable. Read more »
Apple has introduced a new two-step verification process for accounts that use the Apple ID. This will help protect your account from being accessed from a new device by an unauthorized person.
What this does is whenever you or someone else tries to access your Apple ID from a new device, along with the usual username and password, the device will also ask for a verification key. This verification key will be sent to one of the devices that you have registered. You will then have to enter the verification key into the new device to complete the log in process. This way, if someone gets access to your Apple ID, they won’t be able to log in until they also get access to the verification key. Read more »
A new trojan virus by the name of Trojan.Yontoo.1 has been discovered and has been confirmed to be harmful to both OS X and Windows machines. The virus prompts you to install an adware plugin on Mac, which injects unwanted ads into Safari, Firefox and Chrome.
Symantec also found the Yontoo virus to be effective on Windows machines targeting pretty much every version of the Microsoft OS, except for Windows 8. The virus issues ads on Windows which pretend to be coming from Facebook. Read more »
According to a survey by Strategy Analytics which was gathered by data collected last fall Apple’s iCloud is the most popular cloud service in the US.
27% of those surveyed who use a cloud service have tried iCloud in US with Dropbox and Amazon Cloud Drive in second and third with 17& and 15% respectively. Read more »
A new version of the popular Humble Bundle is out and brings with it some exciting new games. For those who are not aware, Humble Bundle is a bundle of games that you can purchase for much less than the total price of all the included games. In fact, you are given the option to name your own price and decide how it is distributed among the game developers, The Humble Bundle team and a charitable organization.
Now on to the latest bundle, the Humble Bundle 5 includes Beat Hazard Ultra, Dynamite Jack, Solar 2, NightSky HD and EFF. If you pay above $6.64 average price, then you also get Dungeon Defenders along with all its DLC and Super Hexagon. And and as usual, they have included all the soundstracks to the games. Read more »
After releasing an alpha version last month, EA has now released the final stable version of the Origin store client for Apple’s OS X platform.
The client looks almost identical to the Windows version and other than the placement of the window buttons on top you can’t really tell them apart. The big difference, however, comes in the selection of games that is currently available. Read more »
You may remember during the keynote when the MacBook Pro with the Retina display was announced, Apple briefly mentioned the Adobe Photoshop application being optimized for the new display. But as it happens, the Retina version of the application wasn’t quite ready back then.
Now, six months after the MacBook Pro was announced, Adobe has finally updated the Photoshop CS6 and the Illustrator CS6 applications for the Retina display. The update should now be available to all the legit users and will take care of all the blurry fonts and icons. Read more »
Designed by Apple in California. Assembled in USA. – This is what lots of new iMac owners noticed engraved on the back of their computers. A while ago there were some iMacs assembled in the US according to the retail box, not the aluminum back, but they were believed to be refurbished.
Now lots of the iMacs currently sold within the USA are actually build there too. The speculations are over, CEO Tim Cook came up with a statement on the matter. Here is what he said: Read more »
Angry Birds Star Wars has just got its first update – the planet Hoth. It adds 20 new Hoth-themed levels, new pink (Leia) bird, bonus levels and AT-ATs.
The update is free and is available as of today on iOS and will land any moment in the Play Store too. Updates for the other platforms should follow very soon too. Read more »
What do you get when you combine two franchises that have been done to death? Why the Angry Birds Star Wars, of course.
Angry Birds Star Wars is, as Rovio likes to call it, Angry Birds’ biggest adventure yet. The game is based on the story of the Star Wars franchise and has birds dressed as the characters from the Rebel Alliance whereas the pigs are dressed as the Galactic Empire. After that it’s your usual bird flinging action but with some new abilities. But will that be enough to bring back gamers who have clearly flung enough birds to last a lifetime? Let’s find out. Read more »
After teasing it for over a month, Rovio has finally released Angry Birds Star Wars. The game is available for download on iOS, Android and OS X and although a Windows Phone and Windows 8 versions are promised neither are currently available for download. [Update: Now available for Windows Phone 8]
The game is priced at $0.99 on iOS for the iPhone version and $2.99 for the iPad version. Meanwhile, Android has two versions, one that is free but comes with ads and another ‘HD’ version, which despite the name looks identical to the standard version but costs $2.99 and does not include ads. The OS X version costs $4.99. Read more »
It looks like there might be a divorce between Apple and Intel in the making. Report has emerged that the Cupertino giant is considering a replacement of Intel silicon in future Mac offerings for its own chips.
Such a move should hardly be a surprise as Apple has amassed quite a lot of expertise already in developing the chips for its iOS devices. Read more »