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Michael Steeber

‪MichaelSteeber‬

Michael is a Creative Editor who covered Apple Retail and design on 9to5Mac. His stories highlighted the work of talented artists, designers, and customers through a unique lens of architecture, creativity, and community.

Contact Michael on Twitter to share Apple Retail, design, and history stories: @MichaelSteeber

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Overview of iWork for iCloud beta [video]

One of Apple’s unsung announcements from its WWDC keynote on Monday was iWork for iCloud, a full, complete solution for editing and syncing documents in the cloud. iWork for iCloud, which will be going head to head with Google Drive, is already extremely polished and well done, even as a developer beta.

While fully updated iOS and Mac apps will be arriving later in the year, the web versions of the apps are available privately today.

In the above video, we walk you through the beta interface of iWork for iCloud, as it appears in Safari.

Apple posts new video: Making a difference, one app at a time

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGtP6ZQ6Lt8

Apple has just posted a new video to its YouTube channel titled “Making a difference. One app at a time.” The nine minute video highlights ways that developer’s apps change people’s lives.

Featured apps in the video include Skyscape Medical Resources, Galileo, Cherokee Language, and Proloquo2Go.

Coming hot off the heels of Apple’s WWDC keynote on Monday, the video is a collection of stories from individuals who’s lives have been touched thanks to some of the remarkable apps developers have created for the iOS App Store.

At Monday’s keynote, Tim Cook also addressed his appreciation for developers, citing that Apple has paid developers over 10 billion dollars.

Apple today also posted its full iOS 7 promotional video to its YouTube channel (below).
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An in-depth look at Maps for Mac in OS X Mavericks [Video]

Following the introduction of Apple Maps to replace Google Maps in iOS with iOS 6, it seemed like only a matter of time before Apple brought its in-house Maps to OS X as well. Late last year we reported that Maps would be coming to the Mac, and with WWDC yesterday, Apple delivered.

In the above video, we give you an in-depth look at what Apple is planning to release on the Mac later this year in OS X Mavericks, along with a few interesting Maps features on OS X that aren’t shared with iOS.

Full walk-through of Apple’s UI changes in iOS 7 [Video]

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Aside from the short demos that were given on stage yesterday at WWDC, and the few screenshots on Apple’s website, Apple hasn’t shown off iOS 7 in much detail. Although developers now have access to an early beta version of the software, iOS 7 won’t be released to the general public until later this year, and an iPad version of iOS 7 hasn’t been shown off at all.

In order to give you a better idea of exactly what Apple is cooking up down in Cupertino, we’ve put together this walk-through of every redesigned application in iOS 7, showing off how they look and function.

For all of our other iOS 7 hands-on coverage, check out the links below:

-iOS 7 first Hands-On

-Changes to the camera app in iOS 7

-A look at iTunes Radio in iOS 7 

-iOS 7 first install gallery

-Subtle features and details in iOS 7 and Mavericks

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A look at the changes to Apple’s new Camera app in iOS 7 [Video]

Just like the rest of iOS 7, Apple completely redesigned the camera app that it ships on all devices. Moving away from metaphors that resemble a real camera, Apple has reworked the interface and added new features, such as camera filters and a new square photo option.

Also noteworthy is the removal of shutter animation, which has been replaced by a stark fade animation when you snap a photo. Rather then describe it any further, take a look at the video above to get an idea of what you’ll see this fall when iOS 7 is released to the public.

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Hands-on with iTunes Radio, Apple’s streaming music service [Video]

Apple has been long rumored to be launching a music streaming service, set up to compete with Pandora, and today, they delivered. iTunes Radio, as it’s been dubbed, lives inside of the iOS 7 Music app, as an extension of the app’s functionality.

The video above gives a full walkthrough of iTunes Radio running in iOS 7, and what you can expect when the operating system is released to the public later this year.

Hands-on with iOS 7 [Video]

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iOS 7, which was announced today at WWDC 2013, hit the developer portal not long ago, and we’ve all been busy installing it on our phones. Above you’ll find a quick hands-on with the new UI in iOS 7.

Most notably, iOS 7 ditches the classic iOS look for a flat a very white user interface. Users upgrading to iOS 7 in the fall will surely be in for a surprise when they install the new operating system on their devices.

Stay tuned for more iOS 7 video coverage coming later today.

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In a hurry? We’ve distilled Apple’s WWDC 2013 keynote into 2 minutes of pure information [video]

Apple announced a lot of new software and hardware today at WWDC, including OS X Mavericks, iOS 7, new Mac Pros, and more.

If you’ve been out of the loop, or don’t have time to catch up on everything, the video above summarizes everything you need to know about Apple’s WWDC announcements.

For more in-depth coverage, check out our liveblog of the keynote.

First look at Apple’s US manufactured Mac Pro with 4K video and many new features

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Immediately following WWDC, Apple has setup Mac Pro demo machines in Moscone West, enclosed in glass cases. This first (blurry) look gives you a little idea what the machine might be like, and how much smaller it really is than the previous generation.

We’ll update this post with additional photos and video if we can grab them.

Apple has also updated its Mac Pro page, adding additional images.


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Apple announces next generation Mac Pro

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Screen Shot 2013-06-10 at 12.57.26 PMApple has just unveiled a completely redesigned Mac Pro at WWDC. The new machine features a brand new thermal core, with state of the art Intel Xeon chips.

Unlike the previous generation Mac Pro, who’s design remained largely unchanged for years, the new Mac Pro is a cylinder, which is 1/8 the volume of the previous model. According to Phil Schiller, the entire top of the machine is a handle.

Also interesting to note is that the Mac Pro is now built in the USA.


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Bill Nye The Science Guy will headline his own session at WWDC

Science GuyAccording to Apple’s WWDC 2013 app which was released this morning, former TV show host Bill Nye will present his own session at WWDC, detailing how he came to know and understand the process of science. This session stands out amongst the others at WWDC, breaking the trend of iOS and Mac focused programs.

In the past, WWDC lunchtime sessions have been hosted by other notable guests such as LeVar Burton, Willian Joyce, J.J. Abrams, and more.

The Bill Nye the Science Guy® show is celebrating its 20th Anniversary.  The Science Guy himself will describe the remarkable chain of events that led to his understanding of  the process of science, the need to engage young people, and the power and joy of knowing our place among the stars, our place in space.  We’ve had 20 years of the Science Guy; today, there’s an app for that…

If you’ll be at WWDC, you can catch Bill’s unusual session on Friday, June 14th during lunch.

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Former EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson to join Apple

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Jackson with Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus (center), and Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley (right). Photo via Wikipedia.

Per Tim Cook’s announcement at this year’s AllThingsD conference, former EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson will be joining Apple. Jackson, who left the EPA in February of this year, will oversee environmental issues at Apple.

When you get larger, you get more attention. It comes with a territory. I think we’re doing incredible work. Environment for example. [Apple] is the first to eliminate all toxins in products. We ship the most efficient products. We own the largest solar farm of any non-utility firm. Lisa Jackson is joining Apple. She ran the EPA for the last four years. She will run environmental duties.

Jackson, who has a chemical engineering background, will report directly to Tim Cook. Jackson stepped down from EPA Administrator in January when the Obama administration was moving toward supporting the Keystone pipeline which was highly controversial among environmentalists.

Tim Cook announcing that Apple has hired the former head of the EPA is especially notable in light of the company’s back and forth over EPEAT certification earlier last year which ultimately resulted in a letter signed by Bob Mansfield addressing the issue.

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Tim Cook teases Jony Ive’s overhaul of iOS 7

Jony IveAt this year’s All Things D conference, (catch our liveblog here), Tim Cook spoke briefly about the future of iOS in regards to Jony Ive replacing Scott Forstall:

Kara: What’s new in iOS?

Tim: Surprise is fun.

Kara: Is the iOS update dramatic?

Tim: Jony Ive is working on it.

In April, we reported that Jony Ive would be painting a fresh, yet still familiar look for iOS 7. Just last week, we gave more details about the changes in store for iOS, with Jony Ive unifying the applications to be “black, white and flat all over.

When asked about the executive shakeup at Apple last fall, Tim gave a very closed response:

Kara: Asking about Scott leaving & collaboration. Scott was powerful and significant. What happened?

Tim: I won’t talk about anyone specifically. I think it has been an incredibly great change. Craig [Federighi] is running iOS and OS X. Eddy [Cue] focused on services. These changes have been great. Really, really great.

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Tim Cook says Apple has a “grand vision” for the Apple TV

IMG_4126At the All Things D11 conference, happening right now (check out our liveblog for more coverage), Tim Cook revealed that Apple has a “grand vision” in terms of the Apple TV:

This business has found many, many more customers that love the Apple TV experience. Great for customers and very good for an Apple learning point of view. Lots of us would agree that the TV space could be improved.

I don’t want to go into more detail on this. There is a “very grand” vision for TV. I have nothing to announce, but it is an area of incredible interest.

The Apple TV, which has long been a “hobby” of Apple’s, had been brought under the spotlight in the last few years, under rumors that Apple may be developing a full television set.

 I don’t want to go into technical details. TV remains an area of great interest to us. The work we’ve done on current Apple TV provides more knowledge than what we would have without that product. The popularity of the Apple TV has been greater than expected. It is encouraging. The TV experience is not an experience that many people love. It’s not an experience that you would say has been brought to date for this decade. It is like the experience from 10, 20 years and go.

Cook, as usual, has been very reserved about his comments toward unannounced products. He did, however, announce that the company has sold 13 million Apple TVs to date and 6.5 million in the last year alone.

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Video player app Infuse receives update, AirPlay and web interface coming soon

Infuse

Last month, we reviewed the Infuse video player app by FireCore, the creators of aTV Flash. Today, the popular app received an update that addresses performance issues, metadata support, and more. FireCore also notes that AirPlay and HDMI support will be arriving soon in a 1.3 update.

The following changes and improvements have been implemented in version 1.2.4:

• Pause or resume videos using headphone controls
• Updated movie search for recent TMDb API change
• Improved support for embedded metadata
• Re-enabled access to synced music videos
• Minor visual improvements to cover art on iPad
• Minor performance improvements


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Apple trolls us with ‘iWatch’ tease in latest iPhone music ad

Watch

Here’s an amusing little image for your Friday: the screenshot above is a clip from Apple’s newest “Music Every Day” ad, which was posted on their YouTube channel last night.

If you pay attention at around 0:30 in the commercial, you’ll see what would almost appear to be someone wearing a large, wrist-device while listening to music on their iPhone.

While obviously Apple wouldn’t leak a real product through their advertisements, we can’t help but think that this is perhaps a subtle troll on Apple’s part.

Apple posts new iPhone “Music Every Day” ad

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDUKt_XgfJ4

Apple has just posted a new iPhone 5 ad to their YouTube channel, detailing many of the ways people use their iPhone to listen to music. The ad is reminiscent of the “Photos Every Day” ad that debuted a few weeks ago.

Like the previous photo-centric commercial, this ad is mostly void of a voiceover, simply showing a wide variety of iPhone users, and how they enjoy their music. Both of these ads take a different direction than previous iPhone commercials, highlighting not apps, but rather features of the device.

The minute long spot ends with the line “Everyday, more people enjoy their music on the iPhone than any other phone.”

Apple’s recent design changes betray a big design shift in the works

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Jony Ive

When Jony Ive took over the role of leadership for Apple’s Human Interface in October of last year, many speculated that the style of Apple’s design language across iOS and Mac OS X would also shift towards a flatter, more clean style. This speculation was fueled mainly by Ive’s feelings towards skeuomorphism and his minimalist design aesthetic.


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Apple’s App Store reaches 50 billion downloads

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50 Billion

In just over a year since its 25 billion milestone, Apple’s App Store has just crossed the threshold of 50 billion downloads. As a reminder, the App Store launched just shy of five years ago, on July 10, 2008. The App Store has celebrated three major milestones since its launch, the first for the 10 billionth download in January of 2011, followed by 25 billion just a little over a year later.

In a press release this January, Apple noted that over 40 billion apps had been downloaded, meaning that one-fifth of all downloads from the App Store have already come in 2013. It remains quite remarkable that five years after launch, the App Store is still seeing such accelerated growth.


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Graphics editing app Pixelmator receives large ‘Blueberry’ update with new shape tools, effects, and more

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If you’re someone that regularly edits photos, or enjoys graphic design work, then you’ve likely used Pixelmator, which is arguably the best alternative to Photoshop on the Mac. Today, the popular $15 app is getting a huge update, known as 2.2 “Blueberry,” which includes over 100 new features. I’ve been testing out the new options, and they’re pretty great…


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Onavo Protect helps secure your data while on open and public Wi-Fi networks

OnavoProtect

Released today in the App Store, Onavo Protect promises to protect you while browsing the web on your iPhone. The app allows you to set up an always-on VPN connection, adding an extra layer of security to your browsing experience when you’re on public Wi-Fi networks. Unsecured wireless networks open up the possibility of your personal data being intercepted, and Onavo Protect is intended to keep you safe from those with malicious intent. Additionally, the app warns users when the site they are using is attempting to send a password in an insecure manner, and automatically blocks known phishing sites.


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Review: Infuse by FireCore is a versatile way to watch videos on your iOS device

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As more and more consumers switch to using iOS devices to enjoy media, the need is becoming apparent for a more full featured and well-rounded video player. While Apple’s Videos app provides basic and simple functionality for viewing movies, when it comes to storing, organizing, and viewing your entire library of videos and movies, Apple’s stock app falls flat.

FireCore, the group behind the popular aTV Flash software for jailbroken Apple TVs have released a new app called Infuse, which promises to fix all of that, offering you a versatile way to view and organize videos in a variety of different formats. Let’s check out how it worked.


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Original iPhone will soon reach ‘obsolete’ status in Apple Retail Stores

iphoneAccording to internal Apple documentation, the original iPhone, which first debuted in 2007, will soon enter “obsolete” status, with a few exceptions. The official switch will happen on June 11, 2013, when the iPhone, along with several other Macs and Xserve models will officially be classified as vintage and obsolete products by Apple. Thanks, G! 


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