Apple has been wildly busy this last week, releasing iOS 4, taking pre-orders for the iPhone 4, shipping iTunes 9.2, releasing a new Mac mini, pushing Mac OS X 10.6.4 out the door, significantly updating MobileMe Mail, and finally providing a Find My iPhone app. Thanks to various members of the staff, we have all the details on those events. Also this week, Matt Neuburg looks at the Witch 3.5 window-management utility, Jeff Carlson explains how to email files to Dropbox from an iPad, and Adam can’t resist pointing to the ultimate retro keyboard. We’re also starting a new DealBITS drawing for SmileOnMyMac’s TextExpander 3, and for those who didn’t win a Drobo in last week’s drawing, we have some fabulous discounts. Notable software releases this week include Waveboard 1.1, DEVONthink and DEVONnote 2.0.3, Cocktail 4.7.5, PopChar X 5.0, Coda 1.6.11, and Security Update 2010-004 (Leopard and Leopard Server).
Apple released iOS 4 today for the iPhone 3G and 3GS, and 2nd and 3rd generation models of the iPod touch. The new operating system adds specific types of multitasking and external keyboard support to newer devices, while all models can use app folders, the unified inbox in Mail, and iBooks.
After a back-end meltdown caused by an unexpectedly high volume of orders, AT&T has temporarily suspended iPhone 4 pre-orders. Apple continues to take orders, though only for the black iPhone 4.
Apple has released a redesigned Mac mini, trimming the unit's physical size, encasing it in aluminum, adding HDMI output and an SD card slot, upping the maximum amount of RAM to 8 GB, and increasing the CPU and graphics processing power - along with the base price.
In preparation for the release of the iOS 4 and iPhone 4, Apple has pushed out iTunes 9.2 with very few changes apart from support for the new device and OS release.
If you've been longing for a keyboard that's not made out of sleek aluminum or modern-day plastic, check out the retro USBTypewriter, which turns a manual typewriter into a keyboard for a Mac or iPad.
If you find yourself typing the same words or phrases repeatedly, why not let TextExpander 3 do the work for you? In this week's DealBITS drawing, you can enter to win one of three copies of SmileOnMyMac's text expansion utility.
See who won the Drobo in last week's DealBITS drawing, and if it wasn't you, read on to save up to $125 on various Drobo models and configurations.
Dropbox is a great way to share files to the iPad, but until recently it was difficult to get a document into your shared Dropbox folder from an iPad app that doesn't explicitly support Dropbox. Habilis introduces a feature for sending files to your Dropbox via email.
Apple has released Mac OS X 10.6.4 to address a wide variety of highly specific bugs and security vulnerabilities. It's undoubtedly worth upgrading to, but perhaps after early adopters have had a chance to determine if it introduces any new problems.
Tonya Engst gives a first-look assessment to the new enhancements in MobileMe Mail and lets you know how they stack up.
If you have a bazillion windows open on your Mac's screen, a simple utility, Witch from Many Tricks, may be the window-switcher you've been missing.
Don't be fooled by the name of the Find My iPhone app: it can reveal the current location of all iDevices (iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch) registered to a MobileMe account with the locating service active. Apple has also updated the Web app version at me.com.
Notable software releases this week include Waveboard 1.1, DEVONthink and DEVONnote 2.0.3, Cocktail 4.7.5, PopChar X 5.0, Coda 1.6.11, and Security Update 2010-004 (Leopard and Leopard Server).