iPhone 5 Training Underway at Canadian Operator Rogers (Unconfirmed)

Canadian iPhone carrier Rogers Wireless has kicked off staff training with an eye on the iPhone 5 launch, according to a leaked internal document that clearly has employees preparing for a new Apple smartphone.

Reports are coming in from iPhoneinCanada and Cultofmac that Canadian wireless operator Rogers is giving its employees the heads up regarding an “iPhone Pre-Launch Training.”

The Apple-centric site recalls that such leaked documents have done well to confirm product launches in the past, though an ounce of skepticsm never hurts, may we add.

However, based on the wording in the leaked file, the next iPhone should arrive in a matter of weeks. From the original document:

“As of August 11th, the training for the iPhone pre-launch will start. Please complete this training once notified by the Just in Time (JIT) training coordinator in your site. the module is a 45 minute self-study; please make sure to complete the following training: iPhone Pre-Launch Training - Rogers Wireless 2011.”

The Rogers document only adds fuel to the fire of those who strongly believe the iPhone 5 will arrive this fall.
And why shouldn’t it? All the elements are there to make fall 2011 the perfect time to launch a new iPhone that will leverage at least two new Apple products - iCloud and the highly improved iOS 5.

There is some debate as to whether the actual device will be substantially different from the current hardware, but it is fair to assume that the 5.0 moniker deserves some cool new features that make the handset stand out.
After all, Apple cannot lose its reputation of being a constant innovator by launching the rumored iPhone 4S.

Perhaps a cheap, middle-class iPhone will be released as well. Word on the web is that it will have many ties with iCloud and that it may even be free for those who embrace the successor of MobileMe by getting themselves a paid plan.

iPhone 5 Training Underway at Canadian Operator Rogers (Unconfirmed)

Apple 'Changed' the Universe with the Release of OS X Lion

Apple has reportedly modified an iconic picture of the Andromeda galaxy originally produced by astrophotographer Robert Gendler in order to use it as the default wallpaper of Mac OS X Lion.

The Universe holds many galaxies like our own, the Milky Way - a spirally thingy made up of hundreds of billions of suns, one of which is eight light-minutes away from our Earth.

One such galaxy is Andromeda, a spiral pool of stars approximately 2.5 million light-years from Earth in the constellation Andromeda.

It was shot in all its splendor by astrophotographer Robert Gendler back in 2007.

His image is published in the 2008 Guiness Book of World Records as the Largest image (in pixel dimensions) of a spiral Galaxy ever taken.

David Kaplan, assistant professor of physics at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee, sent boing boing a gif image showing the differences between the original picture and the one that serves as the default wallpaper in OS X 10.7.

It shows quite a few differences between them.

So, Kaplan told the blog, “Apple has once again altered the Universe according to their whim. They moved/removed many stars, and got rid of a whole galaxy. This is M110, which is one of M31?s [Andromeda's] satellites. The other big satellite, M32, is still there.”

The observation, of course, isn’t bad intended.

Rather, it’s a humorous take on the fact that Apple decided to brush out an entire galaxy so the image doesn't look cluttered, or too asymmetrical, perhaps.

Kaplan said he couldn't guarantee whether or not M110 (the galaxy Apple erased from the photo) was still observable in the night sky (again, most likely as a joke). But he said he was pretty sure Photoshop had something to do with the way Apple's wallpaper shows.

As Apple fans will agree, the Mac maker’s version of the Andromeda is, by far, more attractive, considering the vivid colors, the gradient lighting, the hues, you name it.

However, for something as elegant as the Cosmos, I for one disagree with Apple’s decision to doctor the image to such extent that an entire galaxy had to be removed for the sake of a wallpaper.

Apple Deals: $749 for 2010 Macbook Air, $929 for 3.06GHz iMac

Apple hasn’t very been keen to include any attractive offers on its Special Deals site lately, but there’s always something to pick when you’re looking to buy yourself a new computer.

Most of Apple’s Macs now have Intel Sandy Bridge processors, Thunderbolt I/O, and the latest mobile solutions in AMD graphics, but that doesn’t mean the company’s refurbished 2010 models are obsolete.

Not by far, actually. This October 2010 MacBook Air, for example, packs a 1.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo CPU, 2GB memory, 64GB flash storage, and NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics for the affordable price of $749.00.

The system is Lion-ready and it still a pack leader in the ultra-thin sector, despite competition catching up with Apple.

A refurbished Mac mini with Snow Leopard Server, for those who think more about work than play, saves its lucky buyer $250 and features a 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB memory, dual 500GB Serial ATA hard disk drives, an HDMI port with support for up to 1920-by-1200 resolution, and NVIDIA GeForce 320M with 256MB memory.

It goes for $749 and fully supports Lion Server. If you wish to install the latest OS prior to your purchase, Apple will charge a $49 fee. Otherwise, the system ships with Snow Leopard Server installed.
The now-discontinued White MacBook stands tall on Apple’s Deals section still.

Priced at $849 and saving its buyer $150, this Apple gem boasts a 13.3-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen display, 2GB (2 x 1GB) of 1066MHz DDR3 SDRAM, 250GB Serial ATA @ 5400 rpm, 8x double-layer SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW), and NVIDIA GeForce 320M with 256MB of DDR3 SDRAM shared with main memory.

If you’re the desktop type, go for the 21.5-inch iMac with a 3.06GHz Intel Core i3 processor, 4GB memory, 500GB hard drive, 8x SuperDrive (DVD±R DL/DVD±RW/CD-RW), and ATI Radeon HD 4670 graphics, that can handle pretty much everything from Angry Birds to Photoshop. The machine is priced at $929 – a $170 discount.

About Apple refurbished products
Apple Certified Refurbished Products are pre-owned products that undergo Apple’s stringent refurbishment process, prior to being offered for sale. They are returned under Apple’s Return and Refund Policies.

While only some units are brought back because of technical issues, all of them undergo the company’s rigorous quality-refurbishment process.

Service and support include 90 days of telephone support and a one-year warranty. You have the option of purchasing an AppleCare Protection Plan for your refurb, while shipping is free in the US.

Free Download Lion Recovery Disk Assistant

Apple has released a free utility called Lion Recovery Disk Assistant that lets users repair disks or reinstall OS X Lion without the need for a physical disc.

“The Lion Recovery Disk Assistant lets you create Lion Recovery on an external drive that has all of the same capabilities as the built-in Lion Recovery: reinstall Lion, repair the disk using Disk Utility, restore from a Time Machine backup, or browse the web with Safari,” Apple reveals in a technical note.

Users must have an existing Recovery HD at hand before proceeding with the creation of an external Lion Recovery using the Lion Recovery Assistant.

The steps are fairly easy. Users must first download the Lion Recovery Disk Assistant application, then insert an external drive, launch the Lion Recovery Disk Assistant,  select the desired destination, and complete the installation process by following the instructions displayed on screen.

Then, to access Lion Recovery, users must reboot the computer while holding down the Option key. Finally, users can then select Recovery HD from the Startup Manager.

An accompanying Support document outlines the procedure for employing Lion Recovery Disk Assistant on an even broader scale.

There, Apple cautions that the assistant utillity will erase all data on the external drive when creating the Recovery HD.

As such, “You should either backup your data before running the Lion Recovery Disk Assistant, or create a new partition on the external drive,” the company says.

Also of importance, according to Apple, “If the computer shipped with Lion, the external recovery drive can only be used with the system that created it.”

The Mac maker posts one final note before offering up the utility download, saying “If the system was upgraded from Mac OS X v10.6 Snow Leopard to Lion, the external recovery drive can be used with other systems that were upgraded from Snow Leopard to Lion.”

Requirements:

· An existing Recovery HD
· An external USB hard drive or thumb drive with at least 1GB of free space

Download Lion Recovery Disk Assistant (Free)

Download Senuti 1.2.8 for Mac OS X - Lion

Senuti, the popular file transfer utility for iOS device owners, is now available at version 1.2.8 with fixes for some known issues, as well as support for OS X 10.7 Lion.

As many iDevice owners already know, Apple has a thing about tying all your file transfers to iTunes, whether it’s an app, a song, or a video you want to get on the iPhone, or off the iPhone.

With Senuti, that restriction is gone. The app reads a hidden file on your iPod in order to get all of the information quickly and accurately.

It then allows you to grab any audio and video file and copy it to your desktop computer in no time.

You can bet this utility will never make it in the Mac App Store.

The latest version of Senuti, fixes issues recognizing some devices on OS X 10.5 (Leopard), a crash when updating from an earlier version, as well as a rare crash while copying.

Although not specifically noted by developer Whitney Young, Senuti now fully supports OS X Lion.

Based on tests carried out by our staff, we can confirm Senuti runs smoothly on OS X 10.7, and we even noticed an improvement in file transfer speeds.

“Need to recover music, playlists, or videos from your iPod or iPhone? Look no further! With Senuti, you can recreate your iTunes music library in just one click,” reads the developer’s official description.

Although Senuti is a paid solution, users can download a trial version that works for 30 days and permits the transfer of 1,000 titles back and / or forth.

Senuti doesn’t require the latest version of Mac OS X to run (it even supports Tiger and Leopard), and it doesn’t need Intel hardware either, although it will work better on newer Mac configurations.

Download Senuti for Mac OS X

iOS 5 GM IPSW Release Close as Beta 5 Gets Jailbroken

The iPhone Dev Team is signaling that Apple is one step closer to releasing the iOS 5 GM (Golden Master), while confirming that their Redsn0w utility is capable of hacking the latest beta from Apple.

A tweet authored Musclenerd that hit the wires earlier today reads: “redsn0w 0.9.8b5 tethered JB released for iOS 5 beta5 (JB app devs only please) […] (GM is getting closer!).”

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that Musclenerd is telling the jailbreak community (in fact, the entire iOS community) to expect the final iOS 5 build to arrive soon.

Golden Master builds, whether it’s Mac OS X or iOS, generally represent the final bits that make it to end customers once the formalities are over.

An update on the iPhone Dev Team blog also confirms the news:

“Redsn0w has been updated to 0.9.8b5, adding support for Apple’s new iOS5 beta5 (point it directly at the beta5 IPSW).”

The Team urges jailbreakers, “Please use this only if you’re a jailbreak app developer with a legit Apple dev account, and remember it’s a tethered jailbreak for now!”

For those who aren’t very familiar with the terminology, ‘tethered’ means that every time you reboot, you need to jailbreak again.

A tethered jailbreak is already a fuss, an considering the fact that iOS 5 is now in beta, it’s very likely that some users will end up bricking their devices, therefore the Team’s advice should really be taken into consideration.

According to Redmond Pie, Redsn0w is still capable to apply a standard tethered jailbreak on almost any iOS device, but not for the second-generation iPad.

The jailbreak-centric site notes that iOS hackers will likely avoid disclosing vulnerabilities for iPad 2 yet, since iOS 5 Beta 5 is an experimental build, which means even a tethered jailbreak is likely out of the question, not to mention an untethered one.

Apple Reveals New 21.5-Inch iMac, Costs Under $1000

Apple always has a big line of systems on sale, but it looks like the company figured it was time for a new one to show up, so it went ahead and delivered an iMac with a price of less than $1,000.

Apple may be known for its systems that don't shy away from requiring solid sums of money, but there seems to be a certain, new iMac out there that does not sell for as much as others.

Though the company went over the 3.1 GHz mark as far as central processing power is concerned, it still succeeded in striking a price of less than $1,000.

More specifically, Apple introduced a 21.5-inch iMac based on the 3.1 GHz dual-core Intel Core i3 with 3MB on-chip shared L3 cache.

Said CPU is backed up by 2 GB of 1,333 MHz RAM (random access memory) by default, although users with strong finances can take the capacity all the way up to 8 GB.

The display has support for the native resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels (Full HD) and the AMD Radeon HD 6750M graphics processor to handle it.

Meanwhile, a hard disk drive of 250 GB storage is present, as is the expected range of connectivity and I/O capabilities.

Among other things, Apple put in a FireWire 800 port, four USB 2.0 connectors, a SDXC card slot, Gigabit Ethernet, internal 20-watt high-efficiency amplifiers and 802.11n Wi-Fi wireless networking (IEEE 802.11a/b/g compatible).

All in all, the product has somewhat less storage and a lower overall performance compared to other iMacs of the current generation, but sells for as little as $929 to make up for it.

Prospective purchasers need only drop by this page that Apple set up on its official website and select the iMac model that is most to their tastes.

Apple Might Push OS X Towards Gestures, Drops Magic Mouse

Apple has many things it and its fans consider precious, but it looks like one of those items may have its days numbered if recent reports from retail sources are to be believed to any extent.

Apple runs a more or less closed ecosystem, but this also means that each small part of it carries its own measure of importance.

One invention that the company has been promoting is the Magic Mouse, a multi-touch mouse that uses a laser tracking engine and a single smooth surface that can respond to clicks, swipes and scrolls.

More or less every iMac comes with this Magic Mouse in the same bundle, but it might just be that the future will see it disappearing in favor of something else.

The folks over at Cult of Mac claim to have “gotten word from a previously reliable source” that Apple is thinking of replacing the Magic Mouse with something else.

Saying something else would be similar in spirit but distinct in shape and might just be enough to hint at a possible direction that Apple's OS X could take in the future.

More specifically, the source states the Magic Mouse might disappear to make room for the Magic Trackpad, based on the alleged fact that Apple Stores are no longer getting new Magic Mouse inventory.

The fact that Apple has been putting effort and other resources into integrating intuitive gesture recognition into the Mac OS is no real secret.

As such, even if the outfit did not make any official claims as to the fate of the already widespread peripheral, it is not hard to see why some would assume this is what it plans to do.

Then again, it is not impossible that Apple would consider selling Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad alongside each other.

Either way, it remains to be seen if the rumor proves true and, should that be the case, if the design and performance of the trackpad manage to live up to the bar set by the Mouse.

Free Download TeamViewer for OS X Lion

A provider of remote control and online presentation software, TeamViewer today announced new versions of TeamViewer for Mac and TeamViewer Host for Mac, with added compatibility for OS X Lion, Apple’s latest desktop OS.

“TeamViewer is truly cross-platform and provides remote access for PC, Linux, Android, Mac and iOS devices,” said Holger Felgner, general manager of TeamViewer.

“Our customers expect us to keep pace with the market and we do, ensuring our solutions support the most current operating systems on the market today,” he said.

“The latest TeamViewer for Mac update ensures that users of Apple’s Mac OS X Lion benefit from seamless remote access to other computers, and the freedom to work within the operating system of their choice,” Felgner confirmed today.

A cross-platform software solution that provides 24/7 remote access from a Mac computer to other systems, including Linux or Windows machines, TeamViewer is a solution that facilitates online communication and collaboration.

It is one of the most popular solutions of its kind, and allows users to access their Mac even while on the road with iOS devices via TeamViewer Host for Mac. Android portables are also supported.

According to the developers, “these new updates will allow Mac users who have already upgraded to Apple’s Mac OS X Lion to continue to remotely access all their documents and applications via TeamViewer.”

The new versions of TeamViewer for Mac (6.0.10370) and TeamViewer Host for Mac (6.0.10372) can be downloaded from the developer’s official website, here, or from Softpedia using the handy links below.


What's New in This Release: [ read full changelog ]

· Small improvements on Mac-OS X 10.7 (Lion) compatibility
· Some minor improvements and fixes
Download TeamViewer for Mac OS X (Free)

Download TeamViewer Host for Mac OS X (Free)

TeamViewer offers lifetime licenses with no additional costs for commercial use, while the premium software is free for private users and offers the full set of features without restrictions.

Download OS X Lion New Drivers for HP, Samsung Printers

New printer drivers are available for early adopters of OS X Lion, Apple’s latest desktop operating system. Owners of a new printer can also install these drivers on a Snow Leopard machine, according to Apple.

Apple is updating printer support for OS X 10.7 and OS X 10.6 customers with a set of printer drivers tasked with adding compatibility with various printers, including some new models from Samsung and Hewlett Packard.

This release marks the first time OS X 10.7 Lion gets drivers for added printer support.

A knowledge base article on Apple’s Support site - OS X Lion, Mac OS X v10.6: Printer and scanner software - lists all the supported printer models under Lion and Snow Leopard.

There, visitors can use their browser's Find feature to look for a specific name or model number.

Users can find the new drivers by firing up Software Update from their Macs’ Apple menu.

Apple itself notes that “OS X Lion and Mac OS X v10.6 provide third-party software for printers or scanners via Software Update.”

“Simply connect your printer or scanner, and if software is needed and available, the software will be automatically downloaded as part of the creation of the printer/scanner queue,” according to the Cupertino technology company.

Alternately, users can download the drivers manually using the links below. Note that HP Printer Drivers v.2.7 is a hefty 500 MB download.

Download Brother Printer Drivers v2.7 (Free)

Download Samsung Printer Drivers v2.2 (Free)

Download HP Printer Drivers v.2.7 (Free)

Supported Languages include Deutsch, English, Français, Español, Italiano, Nederlands, Dansk, Norsk Bokmål, Polski, Português, Português Brasileiro, Pусский, Suomi, Svensk, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean.

Those who haven't used Software Update recently on their Mac are advised to run it before connecting a printer or scanner in order to update the Mac's database on what software is available.

First iOS 5 Apps Approved in the App Store

Apple has started approving application updates that deliver compatibility with iOS 5, spurring speculation that the next major release of the software is just around the corner.

At least two developers have recently issued updates to their existing iPhone applications adding support for the next major version of Apple’s mobile operating system.

While the release notes for Camera+ only suggest this is the case - “compatibility with that upcoming OS That Must Not Be Named” - the developers of Mashable downright state “iOS 5 compatibility.”

Based on these findings, the folks at Cultofmac speculate that iOS 5 could be released shortly.

While that is entirely possible, third party developers like tap tap tap (behind Camera+) and Mashable (responsible for the app with the same name) don’t really have access to Apple’s roadmap.

The Mac maker will almost surely launch iOS 5 during a special event that will not only see the general release of the new iPhone software, but will also feature a public launch for iCloud, the successor of MobileMe.

Apple is also widely believed to have a new iPhone lined up (the iPhone 5). The new hardware will most likely be part of the iOS 5 launch.

That’s not to say iOS 5 compatibility updates don’t count as good signs that Apple’s new release is close.

They could have just as well denied these developers the opportunity to draw attention to their apps by marketing them as iOS 5 compatible. But they didn’t.

Moreover, history has shown that whenever existing applications gain new-iOS support, that new version of the iOS is not far away.

We wouldn’t want to over-speculate, but the fact remains that iOS 5 is launching this fall, and fall isn’t too far off.

Have you spotted any other apps that are compatible with the new operating system? Leave a comment, or contact the author using the email address provided just below.

New iPhone 5 Single-Sheet Metal Design Leaked in Patent Filing - Report

If one Australian news report is to be believed, Apple has just shot itself in the foot regarding the design particularities of the iPhone 5, by leaking documents pertaining to the handset in a patent filing.

The patent in question was lodged 12 months after the launch of the iPhone 4, according to smarthouse.com.au, which quotes executives from IP Australia as saying "It would be most unusual for any Company to lodge an application for a patent after the launch of a new product. This appears to be for a new product."

The move is tied to the ongoing debacle between Apple and Korea-based electronics vendor Samsung over the design similarities between their portables.

After being filed by lawyers representing Apple Computer Inc the US, the documents appear to be seeking a patent approval in Australia for a device described as a ‘hand held computing device.’

Those who are reportedly privy to the contents of these papers said the patent description mentions a device manufactured from “a single sheet of metal,” according to the report.

The site provides no external sources whatsoever to corroborate this information.

Readers will take these claims for what they are, as single-sheet-of-metal can mean anything from a unibody design (currently employed by a number of Apple products), to a redesigned antenna.

The Australian paper has Apple claiming that their application is for a device that is not only lighter, but also thinner “than previous Apple devices,” which falls in line with recent rumors (quite conveniently, may we add).

Had this story been based on wording only, there would be enough reason to cast doubt on the Australian report.

However, they also mention actual drawings attached to the patent application which, according to the original piece, “indicate an iPhone type device that has a bezel edge.”

That, of course, wouldn’t be too hard to figure out just by glancing on Apple’s existing marketing materials.

Also pretty unfortunate is that they don't actually post the imagery in question.

The report adds that Apple uses the patent application to detail a number of problems (perhaps they meant to say 'difficulties') associated with the manufacturing process of the device.

How to Reset and Manage the OS X 10.7 Launchpad interface?

 A happy news for Apple Lovers with the new OS, OS X Lion! The new Launchpad program launcher and organizing interface in OS X Lion.

Apple is promoting the new Launchpad program launcher and organizing interface in OS X Lion, a means of managing applications that should be familiar to iOS users. I personally find Launchpad to be one of the more useless of the new features in OS X Lion, but regardless of whether or not you like the interface, it may take a bit of organization and customization to suit your needs.

By default Launchpad will show all of your installed applications, and if you click and hold one application they will all go into the familiar iOS "wiggle" mode in which you can then drag them into groups and move them around as you see fit. While you might enjoy doing this on a new system, if you have a number of applications already installed on a system that you have upgraded to Lion, then you may experience a certain level of frustration in dealing with pages and pages of application icons, especially if you have multiple Parallels Desktop virtual machines installed.

If you are experiencing these frustrations with Launchpad and still wish to use the feature, then one approach you might consider is to clear out Launchpad and start it over from scratch, to organize as you see fit. The Launchpad items are all organized and stored in a SQLite database file located in the ~/Library/Application Support/Dock/ folder, which can be cleared by running the following command (courtesy of Loren Segal at gnuu.org):

sqlite3 ~/Library/Application\ Support/Dock/*.db "DELETE from apps; \
DELETE from groups WHERE title<>''; DELETE from items WHERE rowid>2;" \
&& killall Dock

Be sure to copy and paste all three lines into the Terminal. While Terminal commands run on one line, the backslashes at the end of the lines here allow the return character to be "escaped," so all of these lines are run as if they are on the same line.

When this is done, you will have a marvelously blank Launchpad interface, so to add your applications again all you have to do is drag them to the Launchpad icon in the Dock (drag the Launchpad program itself from the /Applications folder to the Dock if it is not already there). Any new applications you purchase through the Mac App Store will be automatically added to Launchpad.

Be sure to back up the database file before you alter it by copying it to your Desktop or another safe location. If for some reason you have messed up Launchpad and wish to restore your previous settings then you can restore the backup (or even use Time Machine to restore a previously backed up database file) and then log out and log back in to your system.

If you wish to reset the Launchpad to its default settings and organization, then all you need to do is delete the database file. To do this, press the Option key and choose Library from the Go menu in the Finder, and then navigate to the /Application Support/Dock/ folder and remove the ".db" file (it will have a long string of letters and numbers as its name). Or you can run the following command in the Terminal:

rm ~/Library/Application\ Support/Dock/*.db

Source: http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-13727_7-20087145-263/how-to-reset-and-manage-the-os-x-10.7-launchpad-interface

Your Mac May Support Lion, but Not AirDrop - It’s Solution?

Using the Support area of its website, Apple is informing customers that one OS X Lion feature – AirDrop – will be supported only on relatively new hardware.

“AirDrop is one of the great new features of Lion that provides a really easy way to share files between supported, Wi-Fi enabled Macs, without having to connect through the local Wi-Fi network,” Apple says.
Even though you’ve been able to install Lion on your Core 2 Duo iMac from 2006, AirDrop won’t show in your menubar under Go, as shown in the image above.

In fact, Apple bluntly states that “If AirDrop isn’t listed under the Go menu or doesn’t appear in Finder window sidebars, your Mac doesn’t support this feature.”

For those whose computers do support the wireless file sharing feature, the company explains that “AirDrop will automatically discover all the other Wi-Fi-enabled Macs running AirDrop that are near your computer (this may take a few seconds).”

“To make sure you’re in the Finder, click the desktop (the background area of your screen), or click Finder on the Dock,” Apple instructs.

The document then offers a list of Macs that support AirDrop in OS X Lion. Some late 2008 systems are supported, while others aren’t, according to the knowledge base article.

Apple is careful to highlight them with an asterisk, as shown below:

“If your Mac is the same as, or newer than, the models listed below, then it supports AirDrop.
- MacBook Pro (Late 2008 or newer)*
- MacBook Air (Late 2010 or newer)
- MacBook (Late 2008 or newer)*
- iMac (Early 2009 or newer)
- Mac Mini (Mid 2010 or newer)
- Mac Pro (Early 2009 with AirPort Extreme card, or Mid 2010).

* The MacBook Pro (17-Inch Late 2008) and the white MacBook (Late 2008) do not support AirDrop.”
The document ends with a handy link to its Tech Specs site where customers can get assistance with identifying their Apple product.

Apple Refunding Overcharged Lion Buyers

Apple has started issuing refunds to those who’ve been caught in the wake of an unfortunate error that caused iTunes and / or PayPal to charge multiple times for a single purchase of OS X Lion.

After buying OS X Lion by the book - access Mac App Store -> search for Lion -> click Buy -> Enter Apple ID and password - several Apple customers soon found out they had been charged extra for what was supposed to be “the easiest OS X upgrade.”

One customer in particular was charged eight times. Courtesy of MacRumors, we now have the email Apple sent to him shortly after the company had acknowledged the problem.

Dear iTunes Store Customer,

We are contacting you with regard to your pay service account, which due to an error was charged multiple times. We have identified and refunded the charges to the payment source. The funds should be available within 3-5 business days.

We are sorry for any inconvenience this situation may have caused you. If you have any questions about your account, please go to http://www.apple.com/support/itunes/ww/

Sincerely,

iTunes Customer Experience

However, eight times is nothing, one John Christman would say.

This user has been in the news last week for being charged no less than 122 times for a single intended download of the new operating system.

According to the same rumor-site, Christman was eventually refunded as well.

He said “Apple kept me on a very need-to-know basis all along, but once I confirmed the money was in my PayPal account, he [the Apple representative] then asked for a list of fees to review. Once he saw the fees (very minimal), he offered to pay them and give me a bit extra to pay any additional fees I incur.”

Download NeoOffice 3.2.1 for Apple Mac OS X Lion

NeoOffice 3.2.1 – First Productivity Suite to Support Lion’s Versioning, Full-Screen Mode
Beating more popular (and more powerful) productivity suites to the race to support OS X Lion’s native Versioning, and Full-Screen Mode, NeoOffice 3.2.1 is now available for download with full support for some specific OS X 10.7 functionality.

“We are pleased to announce the release of NeoOffice 3.2.1 Beta,” reads the announcement posted on the Trinity forums.

Available only to the most generous of donors, the latest version of the Mac-native office suite comes with support for three key features added by Apple in OS X Lion.

“NeoOffice 3.2.1 Beta can be downloaded by all NeoOffice donors who have donated US$10 (or €7 or £6 or CA$10 or AU$10 or ¥834) or more within the last year from the NeoOffice download page,” according to Patrick, Fran, Ed, and Tim – The NeoOffice Team.

“NeoOffice 3.2.1 Beta adds new features for Mac OS X 10.7 Lion users such as: Versions; Full-Screen mode; Resume,” the post continues.

For comparison, Microsoft says it will be ‘months’ before Office for Mac 2011 gets support for these features. OpenOffice users currently don’t benefit from these enhancements either.

Starting with NeoOffice 3.2.1 Beta, saving a file will automatically keep a copy of your document before any changes are saved.

You will be able to restore any of the previous versions of your document in Apple’s document version browser, by selecting NeoOffice’s new Browse All Versions menu.

Thanks to Full-Screen support, users can now work on a document distraction-free, while Resume will help Mac users “avoid the tedious process of reopening their documents after launching an application,” as the folks at NeoOffice themselves explain.

Those who want to download a free build of NeoOffice may do so without donating, but they’ll be stuck at version 3.1.2 which currently doesn’t support these Lion-specific features.

The suite, however, does get along with Apple’s big cat. In other words, short of these three Lion enhancements, free users are pretty much in the same boat as the generous donors.

Download NeoOffice
Adds new features for Mac OS X 10.7 Lion users such as:
· Versions
· Full-Screen mode
· Resume

$999 for 2010 MacBook Air with 128GB SSD - Buy Now

Apple’s Special Deals section is featuring an attractive offer on a 2010 MacBook Air with a 128GB solid state drive and a 1.86 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor for just $999.

Previously sold for $1,199, this system is now $200 cheaper for two reasons:

1. new MacBook Airs with Thunderbolt I/O and Sandy Bridge CPUs are on the scene;

2. the laptop is refurbished, meaning it was temporarily pre-owned but has been completely reconditioned by Apple.

Considering that this Air boasts 128GB of solid state (NAND Flash) storage, and that it has a relatively powerful processor, as well as 2GB of on-board memory, and NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics, this $999 deal is not too shabby.

Best of all, this is the 13-inch configuration. It's fully capable of running OS X Lion, as well as graphically intensive applications.

The computer originally shipped in October 2010, when Apple redesigned the Air’s case and some of its inner-workings.

Up until recently, users could pay the same amount of cash to get themselves a brand new White MacBook.

Once Apple’s most popular Mac, the white polycarbonate notebook was discontinued last month with the introduction of newer, more powerful, MacBook Air computers that added more value for the same price.

A cheaper, refurbished MacBook Air 1.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo is also available for $949. This offer saves the customer $150.

The ultra-portable laptop features an 11.6-inch LED-backlit glossy widescreen display, 2GB memory, 128GB flash storage, NVIDIA GeForce 320M graphics, and the ever-present FaceTime camera.

Only the newest MacBook Airs have backlit keyboards, but if you don't do too much typing at night, there's really no reason not to look into these offers.

Visit Apple here to pick up on the latest special deals on Macs, both desktop, and portable.


About Apple refurbished products
Apple Certified Refurbished Products are pre-owned products that undergo Apple's stringent refurbishment process, prior to being offered for sale. They are returned under Apple's Return and Refund Policies.

While only some units are brought back because of technical issues, all of them undergo the company's rigorous quality-refurbishment process.

Service and support include 90 days of telephone support and a one-year warranty. You have the option of purchasing an AppleCare Protection Plan for your refurb, while shipping is free in the US.

The iPhone 5 Is Launching in October, Says Apple Connect

A person with knowledge of Apple’s short-term plans says the iPhone 5 will be announced this October, and that it has nothing to do with AT&T blocking employee vacations during the last two weeks of September in what seemed to be a preparation for the debut of Apple’s new handset.

“I don’t know why AT&T’s calling for all hands on deck those weeks, but it’s not for an iPhone launch,” a source familiar with Apple’s plans said, according to All Things D.

The source declined to offer an exact launch date, but did say Apple plans to launch the new iPhone 5 in “October,” contradicting dozens of reports that quoted similar Apple connects as saying September was the launch.

The source also declined to confirm any of the rumored technical specifications, but it is widely believed that Apple will adopt a radically new design with a thinner enclosure, a slightly bigger screen, more powerful cameras, the dual-core A5 chip inside, and more.

Purported iPhone 5 cases obtained by 9to5mac seem to confirm rumors that the next-gen handset will have a tapered design, much like the iPad 2, or the iPod touch (as opposed to the edgy iPhone 4).

It isn’t immediately clear why Apple wishes to launch its new iPhone in October, and not in September.
Fall is usually reserved for iPod events, but Apple has been forced to push the iPhone refresh cycle to autumn this year, making it likely that its next show will be packed full of announcements, including the already confirmed iCloud and iOS 5.

A new iPod touch is also on the horizon, some say. Apple, however, is showing little to no indication that it plans to revitalize the iPod touch line.

Rather, the company is expected to introduce an aesthetically-updated version - a white model.

How to Keep iPhone with a LifeProof?

 Keep Water and iPhone Separated with a LifeProof
LifeProof, a provider of protective cases for smartphones and tablet PCs, has announced the launch of its waterproof, dustproof, snowproof and shockproof cases for iPhone 4.

The company says that its cases provide the only true protection an iPhone 4 needs, including protection from moisture.

The cases are waterproof to a depth of 6.6 ft and they’ve been tested to military specifications for drop protection up to a height of 6.6 ft., onto concrete, said LifeProof.

"LifeProof is more than a product, it's a movement." says Gary Rayner, LifeProof founder and CEO. "It gives freedom to be connected anywhere with your mobile device; freedom to build relationships, gain knowledge, exercise, and juggle work; freedom for all people anywhere to go everywhere."

The LifeProof cases come in black, white and pink. Any model ships in 2-3 weeks. The price is $69.95. If you’re planning to surf with your iPhone strapped to your wet suit, order one now.

LifeProof highlights some of the key benefits offered by the new line of cases for iPhone 4 customers, including:

• Ultra-slim and adds only 1/16” (1.5mm) to the depth of your iPhone and weighs less than an ounce (28g).

• Unique combination of materials that will not stick to your pocket

• Protects against every-day hazards—full IP-68 rating against water and dust, and designed to Military Specifications

• Ability to swim and take underwater (2 meters/6.6ft depth). Optional adapter allows use of waterproof headphones underwater

• Double AR-coated optical glass lenses provide unprecedented crystal-clear photo and video quality

• High degree of shock and impact protection—tested to Military Specifications MIL-STD-810F-516.5 (2 meters/6.6ft drop on all surfaces and edges. 26 tests)

• Fully sealed protection against minute dust particles

• All phone features are operational while maintaining a high level of protection

• Compatible with all iPhone 4's (International, AT&T and Verizon).

How to Reset Mac OS X Lion Account Passwords?

 A solution if you forgot your Mac account password or you have a new Mac.When you get a trouble when you will login.
It’s human nature to forget little bits of information from time to time and passwords are not an exception. If you forgot your Mac account password or you have a new Mac (bought or inherited) and you don’t know the password needed to login, this tutorial will help you reset an original administrator’s password with or without using a Mac OS X DVD Install disc.

Forgetting a password might seem inconceivable to most people, but it has happened many times. This might happen not only because one cannot memorize things, but also due to using the Automatic login feature in Mac OS X.

Once Automatic login is disabled from System Preferences, by you or anyone else, you will have to enter your account or the administrator password to be able to access the Mac OS X desktop. If you have always trusted your Mac to automatically log you in, this might be a serious problem you have to solve.

Although resetting an (administrator) account’s password might seem a highly intrepid operation, after reading the steps listed below you will see that it’s not.


Reset the administrator password using the Install disc

1. Shut down your Mac and insert your Mac OS X Install disc into the SuperDrive (if not available, you can create your own bootable Leopard Install USB memory stick using the tutorial available HERE).

2. Start your Mac using the power button, while pressing and holding the OPTION key. When the Startup Manager screen appears, select the Install disc using the keyboard arrow keys and hit RETURN.

3. Choose your language and click “Continue”.

4. Go to the Utilities menu available on the top menu bar and choose “Password Reset” (“Reset Password” for a 10.5 or 10.4 Install disc).

5. Select your Mac OS X installation drive (its default name is “Macintosh HD”) and select your administrator account’s name (WARNING: Do not select “System Administrator” – this is the root user).

6. Enter your new password and a new password hint, click “Save” and close password reset utility.

7. From the menu bar choose “Quit the Mac OS X Installer” and click “Restart”

8. Login using your new password.


Reset the administrator password without an Install disc

This method should be used if your DVD drive is not reading the Install disc, if you own a MacBook Air (which has no DVD drive), or if you do not have the Mac OS X Install disc.

1. Restart the Mac and hold down Command-S. A command line will appear on your Mac’s screen.

2. Type in the following command (press Enter/Return after each of them):

/sbin/fsck -y
/sbin/mount -uaw

(these instructions will allow you to access the startup disk in read/write mode)

rm /var/db/.applesetupdone

(this command will delete the .applesetupdone file so that Mac OS X will think that the setup process was never finished)

reboot

Now your Mac will restart and will be as good as new. You will be able to change the password you lost from the account preferences.


Although the above steps will allow you to reset your own password, it also means that others with physical access to your Mac will also be able to use them for accessing your information. To further protect your Mac, you should set an Open Firmware password using Apple's utility and the instructions available HERE.

If you have any questions or you want further details regarding the steps you have to take for resetting your Mac OS X account’s password, leave a comment below.