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New last-gen MacBook Air: $699

From 9to5Toys.com:

MacConnection offers the base model MacBook Air that was replaced this summer, new in box, for $699. This Air includes an Intel Core i5-2467M 1.6GHz Sandy Bridge dual-core processor, 11.6″ 1366×768 LED-backlit display, 2GB RAM, 64GB SSD, AirPort Extreme (802.11n wireless), Bluetooth 4.0, Facetime camera, Thunderbolt port, and Mac OS X 10.7 Lion. Ground shipping is free.

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GOG.com brings classic PC game catalog to Macs with over 50 titles and counting

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZVCBtMXwCI]

Online game retailer GOG.com announced today it is bringing a large portion of its classic game catalog to Macs starting with over 50 titles. The company said half of those games would see their first release ever on OS X today. To celebrate the launch, GOG is offering The Witcher 2 at 25 percent off and is promising to release one or more new Mac titles per week in the future. There are also a number of games available for 50 percent off or free:

The Witcher Enhanced Edition, Crusader: No Remorse, Theme Hospital, Little Big Adventure, Postal Classic and Uncut, and Simcity 2000 are all available for 50% off–that’s as little as $2.99 for the best games in history until Thursday, October 25…  The 8 free games for Mac gamers include retro-cool point-and-click adventure game Beneath a Steel Sky, action-packed top-down shooter Tyrian 2000, legendary RPG Ultima IV, and multiplayer FPS Warsow, among others.

The company’s full press release is below:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7l74fORDTvU&feature=plcp]

Digital Distributor GOG.com now sells games for Mac.
The Best Games in History. Now on your Mac.
GOG.com, the digital distributor of the best games from all of history announced today, in its trademark quirky fashion, that it is moving to a new operating system.

GOG.com, the digital distributor of the best games from all of history announced today, in its trademark quirky fashion, that it is moving to a new operating system. Watch the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pc6zIAq2J7A

GOG.com is bringing a part of its massive catalog of all-time classics to Mac, starting with an impressive 50+ titles for Mac gamers to play and enjoy. GOG.com has worked for more than a year on getting these games ready for release–more than half of which are available on Mac OS for the very first time today, including greats like Syndicate, the Ultima series, or the Wing Commander games. GOG.com has been in business selling classic PC games for download for years, although they recently added newer games to their mix, and the line-up of games reflects the best games that history has to offer from 1982 to 2012, bringing classics like Simcity 2000, Crusader: No Remorse, Little Big Adventure, Theme Hospital alongside new releases such as Anomaly Warzone Earth, Tiny & Big: Grandpa’s Leftovers, Botanicula, and The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings.

Speaking of monster-hunter Geralt and The Witcher 2, the Enhanced Edition of this award-winning mature fantasy RPG was released on Mac today and is available on GOG.com with a 25% discount (that’s only $29.99) for the next 48 hours. The Witcher: 2 Assassins of Kings Enhanced Edition is not the only Mac game available with a discount on GOG.com today. The Witcher Enhanced Edition, Crusader: No Remorse, Theme Hospital, Little Big Adventure, Postal Classic and Uncut, and Simcity 2000 are all available for 50% off–that’s as little as $2.99 for the best games in history until Thursday, October 25.

As Guillaume Rambourg, Managing Director of GOG.com said “We all use Macs here at GOG–designers, developers, marketing, management, IT. So bringing our games to Mac was a natural step for us–so we can play more ;). The Mac audience is growing and so is the demand for games for Mac OS. We have been selling the best games in history for PC for 4 years now, so we knew that one day we would have to address the [Mac gamers’] expectations. That day is today, and I am extremely proud with the result–we’re offering the same great service, simple user experience, more than 50 all-time classics, and 8 games for free–so you can test GOG.com without any costs or commitment, just by signing up!” The 8 free games for Mac gamers include retro-cool point-and-click adventure game Beneath a Steel Sky, action-packed top-down shooter Tyrian 2000, legendary RPG Ultima IV, and multiplayer FPS Warsow, among others.

GOG.com, as part of the move to their new platform, has also committed to releasing at least one Mac game a week–if not more!–in the future. Any Mac gamers who are looking to play more of the best that gaming history has to offer should sign up at GOG.com now to make sure that they don’t miss any of the exciting news.

About GOG.com
GOG.com is the ultimate destination for downloadable DRM-free games. The site offers gamers some of the greatest PC games of all time for a low price and free from copy protection. GOG.com is much more than just another digital distribution site, featuring an extensive community component that allows players to rate, review and discuss their favorite PC games, as well as insightful articles from respected game journalists. Visit www.gog.com and start your exploration of the best that gaming has to offer.

StubHub adds Passbook support, VLC, ReaddleDocs, more

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StubHub Tickets: There are a few notable apps already hitting the App Store today. StubHub, which recently announced Passbook support for University of Texas and Purdue University, is today announcing Passbook integration for University of North Carolina Tar Heels events starting with the first home football game on October 27. StubHub has rolled out support for Apple’s new Passbook app for four schools total, but plans to roll out support for its 60+ partners in the near future, which include franchises in the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL and NCAA. Tar Heels fans will now have the “Add to Passbook” option available when purchasing tickets through StubHub’s iOS app.

ReaddleDocs version 3.2.5:

– iPhone 5 compatibility

KODAK Professional Film App: Kodak released a new app today that allows users to learn about types of Kodak films, file formats, and where to buy and process film.

For example, are you in the UK and looking for KODAK PORTRA Professional 160 film? Or in Australia looking for a lab to develop your EKTAR 100 images? Simply download the app, select your country and find trusted partners to supply and develop your film.

VLC 2.0.4: Popular open source VLC media player is getting a big update today that includes support for new codecs and a ton of improvements and fixes:
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Logitech reveals vlogger-geared 720p HD Wi-Fi Broadcaster webcam for Mac, iPhone, and iPad (Video)

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z6JCguygXW4&feature=player_embedded]

Logitech just announced its 720p HD Wi-Fi Broadcaster webcam that wirelessly transmits to any Mac, iPhone, or iPad from 50 feet away.

The webcam is specifically aimed toward “video professionals, bloggers and hobbyists,” as it allows instant live streaming with Ustream and gives users the ability to toggle between the device and their computer’s built-in camera for second-angle POV shooting.

Logitech further noted the webcam is compatible with most popular Mac video applications like QuickTime, PhotoBooth, iMovie, FinalCut Pro, FaceTime, iChat, Skype, etc. Oh, and it comes with a plastic carrying case that doubles as a stand.

Additional specs:

  • HD 720p video capture
  • 3x digital zoom and digital pan and tilt
  • Built-in mono mic / External mic jack
  • 2-hour battery life, depending on use and usage of illumination lamp.
  • Tripod ready H.264 video compression
  • Built-in illumination lamp

Broadcaster is now available for pre-order at just $199.99 in the United States and Europe.

Check it out: Logitech Broadcaster Wi-Fi Webcam

The full press release is below.


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LaCie updates Little Big Disk Thunderbolt Series with SATA III SSDs and speeds up to 635MB/s

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LaCie issued a press release today announcing an update to its Little Big Disk Thunderbolt series that now includes a pair of 2.5-inch SATA III SSDs. The new Little Big Disk provides read speeds up to 635MB/s, according to the company, approximately a 33 percent increase from the previous generation. It is also capable of daisy chaining up to six devices via its dual Thunderbolt ports:

The product features a pair of 2.5” SATA III SSDs. A RAID array can be configured using the Mac OS Disk Utility for performance (RAID 0) or security (RAID 1). It supports daisy chaining up to six compatible devices such as displays and other peripherals.

An example of just how quick the it is: LaCie said the new Little Big Disk can transfer a 50GB project in under two minutes or edit six uncompressed 422 streams simultaneously…
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Call of Duty: Black Ops finally lands on Mac OS X Sept. 27

Aspyr Media is bringing Call of Duty: Black Ops, originally released in 2010 for PC, PS3, and Xbox 360, to Mac OS X later this month with the release of the game through Steam, GameAgent Store, and a Mac App Store release shortly after. The title will hit Macs for $50 and come bundled with the First Strike Content Pack DLC.

In addition to Call of Duty: Black Ops, the Rezurrection Content Pack will also be available for purchase at launch for $14.99. This content pack will be available through the same retail outlets as the game and as an in-app purchase for those that buy the game from the Mac App Store. The other two Black Ops Content Packs, Escalation and Annihilation, will be available on the Mac later this year as a bundle…Game requirements can be found on the Aspyr.com product page or on GameAgent.com, where players can use the site’s Mac Match feature to determine whether or not the game will run on their machine. To find additional info on the game, including a FAQ, please visit the GameAgent Blog.

[via TheLoop]

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Guild Wars 2 comes to Mac OS X in beta, shares live servers with PC client

Guild Wars 2 OS X Beta: NCsoft, developer of the popular PC MMORPG franchise “Guild Wars”, announced today that its critically acclaimed Guild Wars 2, released last month for PC, is now officially available for Mac OS X. The Mac version is available to download through the game’s account management page after purchasing the title and will initially launch in beta. While Windows players already have a jump on Mac users, the developer confirmed the beta would run on live servers to allow seamless play between Mac and PC users. You will need 10.7 or higher, an Intel Core i5 or better, and at least 4GB of RAM.

The Mac beta version of Guild Wars 2 is still being optimised and, unlike other betas, is connected to the live servers allowing everyone to play together on both Mac and Windowsbased computers…To deliver this support, ArenaNet is partnering with TransGaming whose revolutionary Cider technology dynamically translates between operating environments. This approach means that future updates to the game will also be available for Windows and Mac simultaneously… ArenaNet staffers are big fans of Macs. We offer them as part of our employee laptop subsidy program, and our president Mike O’Brien is rarely seen without his Mac laptop. We’re as excited as anyone to play Guild Wars 2 on OS X.

NCsoft’s full press release is below:

One more thing… Guild Wars 2® to support Mac®

SEATTLE, WA – September 18, 2012: NCsoft®, the world’s premier publisher and developer of massively multiplayer online games (MMOs) and ArenaNet™, developer of the renowned Guild Wars franchise, today announces that the revolutionary online roleplaying game Guild Wars 2 will also be supporting Mac OS® X.

Guild Wars 2 will be available for Mac in a beta version to anyone who purchases Guild Wars 2. The Mac beta version of Guild Wars 2 is still being optimised and, unlike other betas, is connected to the live servers allowing everyone to play together on both Mac and Windowsbased computers. Users will be able to access the Mac beta client through the Guild Wars 2 account management website after activating their game code.

As one of the most successful game launches of the year, Guild Wars 2 delivers an unparalleled gaming experience set in a magical world of high fantasy. Like its predecessor, Guild Wars 2features a subscription-free business model that allows players to enjoy the entire online experience for just one initial purchase.

In this groundbreaking online RPG, players will experience seamless, cooperative gameplay in a massive, online world. In Guild Wars 2, players embark on an epic journey in a gorgeously rendered world that is constantly evolving in response to player actions. Combined with visceral, fast-paced action and player vs. player combat of unequalled quality and scale, Guild Wars 2 is destined to be the premiere online gaming experience for both PC and Mac.

To deliver this support, ArenaNet is partnering with TransGaming whose revolutionary Cider technology dynamically translates between operating environments. This approach means that future updates to the game will also be available for Windows and Mac simultaneously.

For more information on the game and to purchase Guild Wars 2, visit www.guildwars2.com. For more information on the Mac version of Guild Wars 2, visit support.guildwars2.com/mac.

About NCsoft

NCsoft, headquartered in Seoul, Korea, is the world’s premier publisher and developer of massively multiplayer online games, including the critically acclaimed Aion®, Lineage® and Guild Wars®franchises. NCsoft West is a division of NCsoft that holds operating responsibilities for North America, Europe, South America, and Australia/New Zealand. More information can be found atwww.ncsoft.com.

About Guild Wars 2

Guild Wars 2 is a visually stunning MMO that offers players the epic grandeur of a massive role playing environment combined with innovative combat mechanics, dynamic events, and customised personal storytelling. Building on the success of Guild Wars, NCsoft andgame developer ArenaNet have created an MMO that lets gamers play the way they want, while at the same time retaining the no-subscription-fee business model that made the original Guild Wars so popular. For more information about Guild Wars 2, visit www.guildwars2.com.

About TransGaming Inc.

TransGaming Inc. (TSX-V: TNG) is the global leader in the multiplatform deployment of interactive entertainment. TransGaming works with the industry’s leading developers and publishers to enable and distribute games for Smart TVs, next-generation set-top boxes, Mac computers, and Linux/CE platforms. TransGaming is headquartered in Toronto, Canada. For more information, visitwww.transgaming.com.

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Western Digital announces superfast Thunderbolt My Book VelociRaptor Duo and portable USB 3.0 drives for Mac

The fast keep getting faster. Western Digital announced two new speedy new platter drives aimed at Mac users today. The Thunderbolt “My Book VelociRaptor Duo” is a speed improvement on WD’s previous Thunderbolt Drives coming from the addition of two 10,000RPM internal HDDs (the speed of the drives is actually still the bottleneck here —Thunderbolt is very fast).

Extreme speed of WD VelociRaptor drives inside.

With the extreme speed of two 10,000 RPM WD VelociRaptor drives inside united with the revolutionary speed of Thunderbolt technology your creative inspirations have never moved so fast.

Enhanced workflow efficiency.

The dual Thunderbolt ports make it easy to daisy chain more drives for even greater speeds and higher capacity. Add peripherals to further enhance your productivity.

User-configurable for speed or double-safe data protection.

Customize this dual-drive storage system to your needs – RAID 0 for speed, RAID 1 for data protection, JBOD to use the drives individually.

Did you know…

My Book VelociRaptor Duo is a bootable external device supported by Mac OS X. For additional information, please click here.

Western Digitial also upped the speed of its Mac Portable Drives (which we’ve reviewed favorably) with USB 3.0 and sizes up to 2TB:

Ultra-fast USB 3.0 connectivity.

With the blazing-fast connectivity of USB 3.0, this drive lets you access and save files in record time. Reduce transfer time by up to 3 times when compared to USB 2.0 transfer rates.**Performance may vary based on user’s hardware and system configuration.

Massive capacity in a small design.

This compact enclosure offers up to a massive 2 TB of storage. It’s the ideal companion for anyone with lots of photos, movies, videos and files that they want to take with them.
Password protection secures
your drive.

Use WD Security utility to set password protection and hardware encryption and protect your files from unauthorized use or access.

Both Press releases follow:


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Craig Federighi and Dan Riccio Join Apple’s Executive Team as Senior Vice Presidents, Bob Mansfield staying on

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Apple just announced that Vice President of Mac Software Engineering Craig Federighi and Vice President of Hardware Engineering Dan Riccio will join CEO Tim Cook’s executive team as SVPs. Apple’s Executive Bio page updated thusly:

.

Note: Apple currently has two SVPs of hardware engineering. Bob Mansfield announced his retirement in June but will instead stay to work on future products, while reporting to Cook.

The press releases and bio/pictures follow :


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Over half of you already updated to Mountain Lion!?


(so far today)

Just 24 hours after Apple released Mountain Lion, over half of our readers are already on the slightly smaller, big cat. That is an impressive feat for a desktop OS, and it is one made easier by the Mac App Store. We had a bit of a head start with 10 percent grabbing the developer download over the past weeks, and obviously the general Mac populations is probably a bit behind.

Still, nice work, especially considering a lot of you are still waiting for correct Up-to-Date codes.

[tweet https://twitter.com/jameswoodcock/status/228555039864651776]

[tweet https://twitter.com/tonezorz/status/228555638102441985]

[tweet https://twitter.com/chrisoteri/status/228556464342585345]

[tweet https://twitter.com/evet965/status/228556992682262529]

[tweet https://twitter.com/enzoamata/status/228558950398840832]

[tweet https://twitter.com/andrew12222/status/228562583425277953]

Update: July 27th. Now 56% of you Mac Users are now on Mountain Lion:


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Former Mac OS X chief Bertrand Serlet working on cloud startup with ex-Apple colleagues

In March 2011, Apple officially announced that Mac OS X chief Bertrand Serlet would leave Apple after 22 years with Steve Jobs at NeXT and Apple. At the time of the announcement, Serlet said he wanted “to focus less on products and more on science,” but we did not have any other information on what was in the cards for the man Apple credited with the “definition, development and creation of Mac OS X.”

Today, BusinessInsider reported on what Serlet has in the works:

Business Insider has learned that Serlet has spent much of the time since his departure from Apple working with at least two other former Apple employees to launch a cloud computing startup in downtown Palo Alto called Upthere

Some of these job postings also allude to the fact that the startup was founded by high-profile ex-Apple employees.

We have since learned that this is a reference to Serlet (the brains behind Mac OS X) and Roger Bodamer, a former VP of product operations and development at Apple who previously worked at Oracle.

Based on the job postings we’ve seen, it’s clear the startup is looking to rethink the way people store files in the cloud, though just how this service will compare to options like Dropbox or Apple’s own iCloud feature remains unclear.

Reflection and AirParrot apps bring Windows screen mirroring to Apple TV, iOS mirroring to PCs

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We told you about Mac OS X apps AirParrot and Reflection in the past. Developed by app makers Squirrels, AirParrot allows you to mirror your Mac’s screen on an Apple TV-connected TV, while Reflection provides mirroring of iOS devices to any Mac display. The developers have since followed up with updates to both of the apps bringing many requested features such as audio and Mountain Lion support, but they released PC versions of both apps today that allow you to mirror your iOS device to a Windows machine or a PC’s screen to an Apple TV.

As for the Windows version of Reflection, it will release with all the same features as the OS X client, including: screen recording, audio support, frame colors, full screen mode, multiple device mirroring, and more. The first release of the AirParrot PC app will just provide basic screen mirroring features initially due to roadblocks during development. Head developer David Stanfill, who is also the founder of Napkin Studio, told us about the difficulties of bringing the AirPlay mirroring functionality to PCs and provided us with screenshots of the apps below:


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Nuance releases Dragon Express Mac app in 7 additional countries, 3 new languages

Nuance announced it is releasing the Dragon Express Mac App Store app today to seven new countries in three new languages. Originally released last year, the app is now available in the following countries for around $50:

Dragon Express 1.1 now supports the French language in Canada, France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland, the German language in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, and the Italian language in Italy.

AustriaBelgiumFranceGermanyItalyLuxembourgSwitzerland (French)Switzerland (German)

According to iPhonehellas [translated], Nuance also held a press event today in Greece to announce the availability of Dragon Dictation for June 6.

The full press release from Nuance is below:

Nuance’s Dragon Express for Mac OS App Store Now Available in French, German and Italian Languages

BURLINGTON, Mass., – May 31, 2012 – Nuance Communications, Inc., (NASDAQ: NUAN) today announced that its Dragon Express App, an introductory voice recognition app for Mac OS X Lion, has debuted in seven additional countries, supporting three additional languages. Dragon Express 1.1 now supports the French language in Canada, France, Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland, the German language in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, and the Italian language in Italy. Available exclusively for download from Apple’s Mac App Store, Dragon Express is an easy and fun way to put words to work without the hassle of typing, allowing users to do more in less time.

Released in late 2011, Dragon Express quickly rose to the top of the charts in the Mac App Store. It’s a fast, hands-free way to quickly turn speech into text, whether sending email, surfing the Web or posting an update to Facebook and Twitter. Dragon Express is priced to provide people with an opportunity to experience the power and performance of speech recognition.

“The excitement for Dragon Express has been overwhelming, and we’ve heard our customers’ requests for additional language support,” said Peter Mahoney, chief marketing officer, senior vice president and general manager, Dragon, Nuance Communications. “We know that people around the world are embracing speech as a useful and fun interface, and we’re excited to bring the Dragon Express app to a broader worldwide audience.”

Dragon Express can be conveniently accessed from the menu bar at any time and doesn’t require a network connection. Users dictate directly into the Dragon Express window, using the internal Mac microphone or a USB headset microphone (which can be purchased via http://www.nuance.com), and the text instantly appears in the Dragon Express window. When finished, Dragon Express places the transcribed text into the application of choice. The download comes with a short enrollment so that the app can better recognize a user’s unique voice.

Dragon Dictate, the most full-featured and advanced speech recognition software for Mac OS, was recently updated to version 2.5. Dragon Dictate 2.5 includes many features beyond those in Dragon Express. These features include the ability to dictate directly into applications, edit, format and correct recognition errors by voice, open and close applications by voice, control the mouse by voice, create custom voice commands and support for the Dragon Remote Mic app for iPhone.

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Kaspersky analyzing Mac OS X security at Apple’s request

Following a breakout of malware on Mac OS X that some experts estimated could have infected up to 600,000 Macs, research firm Kaspersky made claims late last month that Apple was 10 years behind Microsoft in terms of security, while claiming roughly 140,000 Macs were still infected. Today, Kaspersky CTO Nikolai Grebennikov confirmed with Computing that the company has begun researching the security of OS X at Apple’s request:

“Mac OS is really vulnerable… and Apple recently invited us to improve its security. We’ve begun an analysis of its vulnerabilities, and the malware targeting it… Our first investigations show Apple doesn’t pay enough attention to security. For example, Oracle closed a vulnerability in Java, which was a target for a major botnet several months ago… Apple blocked Oracle from updating Java on Mac OS, and they perform all the updates themselves. They only released the patch a few weeks ago – two or three months after the Oracle patch. That’s far too long… This botnet, which the security community identified, is a huge sign that Apple’s security model isn’t perfect…  

Grebennikov continued by claiming he expects to see similar issues with malware making its way to iOS devices over the coming year; although, none has been discovered:

“Our experience tells us that in the near future, perhaps in a year or so, we will see the first malware targeting iOS.”

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4 hits the Mac App Store for $150

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[slideshow]

Along with the $80 Photoshop Elements, Premiere Elements and Revel, Adobe now offers its popular pro/sumer photo management software Lightroom 4 in the Mac App Store for $150.

Though it generally gets better reviews than Apple’s own $80 Aperture, it is almost double the price and can often be found offline for less.

Adobe fans are hoping the titles continue and with the recent release of Creative Suite 6, there are many other opportunities for Adobe in the Mac App Store. Apple, as always, gets 30 percent of the take in the Mac App Store, so Adobe might not be willing to throw a huge chunk of its cash cow Apple’s way.

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4 description follows:


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Updated OS X Mountain Lion Preview 3, 10.7.4, Xcode builds seeded to developers

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Apple has released software updates to both of their already acknowledged, unreleased Mac OS X updates: Mountain Lion and Lion 10.7.4. The OS X Mountain Lion is a not a full new Developer Preview, but is simply an update to the already released Developer Preview 3. Changes are currently unknown, but please send in anything you find to tips@9to5mac.com. The update weighs in at 1.45GB on a MacBook Air, but that may vary on other machines. Similiarly, Apple released a few minor developer preview updates during the OS X Lion beta period.

In addition, Apple has seeded a new build of 10.7.4 to developers. The build number is 11E53, and this is notable as this is only a single build shift from last week’s release of 10.7.4 build 11E52. A slow down in build number changes often means an imminent release of whatever OS X update is being tested. Augmenting this possibility is that Apple has added the 10.7.4 change log to the installer application for the beta. Apple says the build has no known issues but asks developers to focus their testing on graphics, iCal, Mail, Printing, and Time Machine.

Apple has also released Developer Preview 4 of Xcode 4.4. The Xcode preview requires either OS X Mountain Lion or OS X Lion.


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Only 9 hours left! Mac SuperBundle: Roxio Toast 11 Titanium + 8 other apps – $49

From 9to5Toys.com:

The Spring 2012 Mac SuperBundle is one of the better Mac Software bundles we’ve seen.  If you want to burn DVDs or even Blu-rays on your Mac, you are getting Toast Titanium 11 for half its $99 list price and get 9 other solid apps to boot.

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The Spring 2012 Mac SuperBundle includes:
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Oracle finally releases first Java Developement Kits for Mac OS X

When Apple confirmed in 2010 that it would no longer support Java for OS X, it also announced shortly after an agreement with Oracle to include OS X support in future versions of its OpenJDK Project to provide Java SE 7 implementation on Macs. Over a year later, Oracle has now released Java SE 7 Update 4 and JavaFX 2.1 with the first JDK to land with OS X support (via MacRumors):

This release marks Oracle’s first delivery of both the Java Development Kit (JDK) and JavaFX Software Development Kit (SDK) for Mac OS X. 

– Java developers can now download Oracle’s JDK, which includes the JavaFX SDK, for Mac OS X from the Oracle Technology Network (OTN). 

– Oracle plans to release a consumer version of Java SE 7, including the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) for Mac OS X later in 2012.

Following the original announcement in 2010, Apple’s late CEO Steve Jobs explained that his company’s practice of shipping a version of Java behind Oracle as possibly “not be the best way to do it.” Of course, Apple has patched several vulnerabilities in Java in recent weeks that have lead to an outbreak of malware on Macs. That vulnerability was patched by Oracle in February, months before OS X users received it.

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Little Snitch network monitoring Mac App for $15

From 9to5Toys.com:

MacUpdate has Little Snitch for half off – $14.99 – today only.

Little Snitch alerts you to outgoing network connections.

A firewall protects your computer against unwanted guests from the Internet. But who protects your private data from being sent out? Little Snitch does!

As soon as you’re connected to the Internet, applications can potentially send whatever information they want to wherever they want.

Sometimes they do this for good reason, on your explicit request. But often they don’t. Little Snitch allows you to intercept these unwanted connection attempts, and lets you decide how to proceed.

Little Snitch informs you whenever a program attempts to establish an outgoing Internet connection. You can then choose to allow or deny this connection, or define a rule how to handle similar, future connection attempts. This reliably prevents private data from being sent out without your knowledge. Little Snitch runs inconspicuously in the background and it can also detect network related activity of viruses, trojans and other malware.

Remember, we’re also giving Toast 11 Platinum along with 8 other quality Mac Applications for $49 as part of the Superbundle deal..
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Spring 2012 Mac SuperBundle: Roxio Toast 11 Titanium + 8 other apps – $49

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From 9to5Toys.com:

The Spring 2012 Mac SuperBundle is one of the better Mac Software bundles we’ve seen.  If you want to burn DVDs or even Blu-rays on your Mac, you are getting Toast Titanium 11 for half its $99 list price and get 9 other solid apps to boot.

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The Spring 2012 Mac SuperBundle includes:
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In the wake of the Flashback Trojan, Apple quietly puts out an updated Java security patch

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Earlier this week, Apple released a Java security update, 2012-001, to patch the Flashback vulnerability that a security company claims affected 600,000 Macs.

Late this evening, we are getting reports from readers that a new version of the Java update is becoming available via Software Update.

.

The latest update, Java for OS X 2012-002, supersedes the -001 update Apple released earlier this week, and indeed the KB article linked from the -002 update is still the -001 version (below).

Update: Apple sent a note out to its Java Community, below, with the ‘why’ (small issue they are the same but for a few symlinks and version numbers.)

Thanks Jessie!
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Fun new MacBook Touch concept would make a great mobile device

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[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=R92jQtQuhuA]

With the Intel CPU news today, a 9to5Mac commenter posted the above fake commercial in our comments.

The joint mechanism is obviously a fake, but  it would not be out of the realm of possibility to see a 360-degree hinge on the next generation of MacBooks coupled with a touch display —especially because Apple has taken the Mac OS in the same direction as iOS during the last few years.

More usability is made available in the MacBook with a 360-degree hinge, but it also creates less need for an iPad, which does not bode well for this concept.


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Western Digital announces first-ever 2TB capacity 2.5-inch My Passport for $250

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Hard-drive maker Western Digital is the first-ever to unveil a 2TB capacity 2.5-inch portable external hard drive.

Western Digital announced the drive will first be put into the My Passport family, which previously only offered up to 1TB of storage, but the doubled-capacity external is still a condensed single-volume drive. 9to5Mac reviewed the Western Digital My Passport Studio in September 2011 and walked away very impressed with the 1TB 2.5-inch flavor.

Like the earlier version, the larger My Passport is available in various colored finishes that make its shell resilient to abrasions. The device is NTFS reformatted but easily reformatted to Mac OS, and it supports USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 for trucking large amounts of data.

More information is available below.


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