MacRumors' Mac Blog: Mac Apps, News and Rumors

TechCrunch reports that the Apple retail store in Palo Alto, California has unveiled an eye-catching new window display consisting of a video wall presenting a cloud of App Store application icons flying by with featured apps being shown on an oversized iPhone mockup in the center of the display. Earlier this evening I was walking down the streets of Palo Alto near TechCrunch HQ, when I stumbled...

Apple today released ProKit 5.0, an update to the framework that provides the controls and user interface for Apple's pro applications. A number of Apple's pro applications, including the Final Cut Studio and Logic Studio suites for video and audio production and editing also received updates today. About ProKit 5.0 This update improves general user interface reliability for Apple's professional ...

In a blog post today, Research in Motion announced its plans for BlackBerry Desktop Manager for Mac, which will provide full-featured media and data syncing. Here are some key features the initial release will include: - Sync your iTunes playlists, calendars, contacts, notes and tasks - Add/Remove applications - Update your device when new software becomes available - Backup and restore...

Apple today notified registered developers that session videos from Apple's 2009 Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) are now available for purchase and download. Individual iPhone and Mac packages are available for $299 each, with a combined package of all videos priced at $499. The packages offer videos of the presentations and Q&A portions of each session, along with corresponding slides ...

Apple today released iMovie 8.0.4, improving overall stability and addressing several specific issues. This update improves overall stability and fixes a number of other minor issues. The issues addressed include: - Fixed a problem with incorrect rotation when working with video created by iPhone 3GS - Resolved instability when adding multiple beat markers in some languages - Corrected an...

One of Coldplay's roadies reports that Steve Jobs attended the band's concert at Shoreline Amphitheatre in Mountain View, California on Monday night and made a backstage visit to chat with some of the band members and other VIPs. I'll be honest with you folks, the only thing that mattered to me tonight was the presence of one Steve Jobs. I'm a confirmed Apple devotee and I really cannot imagine...

iPodNN reports that Samsung and Toshiba, the only remaining manufacturers of 1.8-inch hard drives, are having difficulties finding substantial markets for their drives. The issues are casting doubt on the future of Apple's iPod classic, which utilizes 120-GB versions of the drives. A new 250GB Samsung drive has failed to find significant sales, despite being deliberately marketed at builders of...

Apple today released iTunes 8.2.1 via Software Update and the iTunes download page. The new update "provides a number of important bug fixes and addresses an issue with verification of Apple devices." The update weighs in at 79.3 MB for OS X...

iLounge points out that Apple has launched "Digital 45s" [iTunes Store] in the iTunes Store, a new concept offering a pair of songs from a single artist at a price slightly discounted from the individual track prices. Harkening back to the days of the vinyl 45 rpm record, the iTunes Store has launched a new section of the store for "D45s." As with vinyl 45s, these new digital packs contain two...

Microsoft has officially launched Silverlight 3, the latest major update to their web media platform. New features in Silverlight 3 include the addition of H.264/AAC codec support and "Smooth Streaming" which "dynamically detects and seamlessly switches, in real time, the video quality of a media file delivered to Silverlight based on local bandwidth and CPU conditions." Full-screen...

In a blog posting, Intuit reports that the much-delayed Quicken Financial Life for Mac, initially slated for release in 2008, will now be released in February 2010. We know you've heard this before. In early 2008, we told you we'd release Quicken Financial Life for Mac later that year. 2008 came and went and we did not. At Macworld 2009, we told you it would be later this year. But after...

English fashion designer Sir Paul Smith revealed on his blog that he has received a giant model of a pink iPod nano from his good friend Jonathan Ive as a birthday present. On Friday 3rd July, I received a really lovely mad gift for my birthday (which is on the 5th) from Jonathan Ive and Jody who works with him at Apple - a perfect model of an Ipod but as you can see slightly bigger than usual....

The Washington Post reports that an employee at the Apple Store, Clarendon in Arlington, Virginia was shot this morning during what police are currently calling an attempted robbery. Arlington police said the suspect rang a doorbell at a back service entrance. A 26-year-old female employee opened the door and was shot, said Detective Crystal Nosal, a police spokeswoman. Nosal said it was...

Several readers have notified us that they have received e-mails from Apple notifying them their account user names and passwords for Apple Learning Interchange (ALI) may have been compromised. The potential security breach is limited to the ALI service and includes only non-sensitive information, although Apple warns that if members use the same name and password on other sites, they should...

Apple has posted a support document outlining a number of recent changes made to its MobileMe subscription service. Among the more significant changes are the ability to maintain rich text formatting when replying to or forwarding messages, the ability for iPhone and iPod touch users to search all messages (including those stored in the MobileMe "cloud"), and the ability to merge contacts and...

Apple today released iPhoto 8.0.4 Update, addressing an issue with crashing after upgrading from an older version and making minor corrections to items in the "Places" functionality of iPhoto. This update addresses a rarely encountered issue involving photos imported into a previous version that could affect overall stability, and corrects references to a few points of interest and location names...

Apple today released MacBook Air SMC Firmware Update 1.2, adding support for new replacement batteries for the Late 2008 MacBook Air. Apple does not provide any additional details on these batteries. This SMC firmware update adds compatibility for the latest service replacement batteries. For more information, please visit http://support.apple.com/kb/HT2368Users should follow the installation ...

Legendary music artist Michael Jackson, who passed away yesterday at the age of 50, is currently dominating the U.S. iTunes Store's list of top albums. Jackson's albums currently hold the top seven spots, led by the greatest hits compilation The Essential Michael Jackson [iTunes Store, $16.99] and Thriller [iTunes Store, $9.99], the biggest selling album of all-time with worldwide sales figures...