iPad By Davis: “New MacBook Air 13-inch teardown reveals larger battery and smaller SSD” plus 19 more

New MacBook Air 13-inch teardown reveals larger battery and smaller SSD
MacBreak Weekly 354: Leave Cindy Alone!
Hands-on with Modern Combat 5 - gritty and pretty
Should you buy a new MacBook Air now, or wait for a new MacBook Pro later?
WWDC 2013 Day 1
How to share the iTunes library on your Mac or PC on any WiFi network
VSCO Cam for iPhone review: A perfect balance between ease of use and editing options
Feedly RSS App Updated – No Longer Powered by Google Reader
Take our Mobile Gaming Survey for a chance to win a $100 Best Buy gift card!
What do you think about the new look for iOS 7? [Poll]
iTunes Radio vs. the competition: Which one should you use?
Feedly switches on its API, updates its apps, ahead of Google Reader shutdown
Vouchr for iPhone goes global, give vouchers to your friends in 18 countries
WWF Together, Letterpress, Evernote Winners in Apple Design Awards
Quick Thoughts on iOS 7 and the iPad
Tim Cook's WWDC
Comparing Apple's new AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule to the old models: Should you upgrade?
iOS 7 and iPad: Features, Compatibility & Details
Deal of the Day: 52% off the BodyGuardz UltraTough Clear Full Body for iPhone 5
OS X 10.9 Mavericks wallpaper available to download now

New MacBook Air 13-inch teardown reveals larger battery and smaller SSD

Posted: 12 Jun 2013 03:07 AM PDT

Unveiling the new line of Haswell powered MacBook Air's at WWDC 2013, Apple touted some really impressive battery life, and in part at least, some of that may be down to a larger battery. The folks at iFixit got hold of a new 13-inch Air and did their thing on it, and revealed a couple of interesting facts about what lies inside.

The battery in the new 13-inch Air is up to 7150mAh from the 6700mAh power plant inside the 2012 model. We also see an updated AirPort card with a Broadcom 802.11ac WiFi chip within. The PCIe SSD module in the new 13-inch Air is also physically smaller than previous SSD modules, and is made by Samsung, for what it's worth.

iFixit scored the new 13-inch MacBook Air a 4/10 for repairability, citing proprietary screws and components as the main negatives. They did say though, that once you take the bottom cover off, everything is pretty accessible. And of course, as with previous generations, you won't be performing any self-upgrades on this one.

Source: iFixit

MacBreak Weekly 354: Leave Cindy Alone!

Posted: 12 Jun 2013 02:03 AM PDT

Leo Laporte, Andy Ihnatko, Scott Knaster, Aaron Hillegass, and I roundup WWDC 2013.

Download or subscribe: TWiT.tv

Hands-on with Modern Combat 5 - gritty and pretty

Posted: 11 Jun 2013 10:44 PM PDT

As it turns out, Gameloft's Modern Combat 5 is just as gorgeous as its teaser trailer last week would have us believe. We got our thumbs on an early build at E3, and though the action is very reminiscent of the previous modern military shooter games in the franchise, the graphics are above and beyond.

Information on features was very limited, since Modern Combat 5 isn't due out until the fourth quarter, but we did get to check out mid-mission attachment swapping and an awesome little drone that can paint targets that are hiding behind cover, making it easier to shoot them through thin walls. You'll also notice the radar screen has been revamped. The main thing here is that this is one pretty, pretty game. The water physics, light, and dust effects are all setting a high bar for anyone else that wants to pump out console-quality graphics on iOS.

Hit up Gameloft for more info on Modern Combat 5 as it inches closer to launch.

Should you buy a new MacBook Air now, or wait for a new MacBook Pro later?

Posted: 11 Jun 2013 07:03 PM PDT

Deciding between a new MacBook Air and MacBook Pro? Let us help

At WWDC yesterday Apple introduced new MacBook Air models. They left out new MacBook Pros, which some folks were expecting, which may throw a wrench in your buying plans. Is it better off to get a MacBook Air now, get a MacBook Pro now, or wait until Apple revises the MacBook Pro? Let's weigh the options.

The MacBook Air has been upgraded with new silicon from Intel - their fourth-generation Core processors, known by their code-name, "Haswell." The biggest benefit the new processors offer is dramatically improved battery life - from an estimated five to nine hours on the 11-inch model, and from seven to 12 hours on the 13-inch model. There's also faster graphics by up to 40 percent and much, much faster WiFi, with support for gigabit transfer speeds when paired either with a new AirPort Extreme or another 802.11ac-equipped wireless router. There are some other minor tweaks, like the addition of dual microphones.

All told, it's a solid refresh to the MacBook Air, though it's not an earth shattering change. Surely, anyone who's in the market for a new MacBook Air is going to get a solid value for the money.

The MacBook Pro, on the other hand, remains unchanged. I have to say that I'm rather pleased with this since I just took possession of a 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display in April, and I was dreading the prospect of having a suddenly obsolete machine.

Having said that, Intel's fourth-generation Core processors come in many different configurations and clock speeds, so it's inevitable that they will be updated with the new hardware - faster integrated graphics and better battery life is just too much of a draw for Apple not to upgrade the MacBook Pro line to Haswell as soon as it's reasonable to do so.

Intel is rolling out new Haswell chips gradually over the next few months, and I expect as soon as chips with higher clock speeds start to ship in volume, we'll see Apple bump the MacBook Pros with new versions. Otherwise, I wouldn't expect many major changes to the design or feature set of the MacBook Pro.

Bottom line

Obviously if you need the horsepower and the feature set of an MBP today, you should get one. But your patience will be rewarded in due time - Apple's migration of the MacBook Pro to Haswell processors is a virtual certainty. The question is when.

And if you're in the market for a lightweight laptop, step up and buy one of the new MacBook Airs - with better power efficiency and better graphics performance, there's never been a better time to buy.

WWDC 2013 Day 1

Posted: 11 Jun 2013 05:53 PM PDT

I lined up at 2am for the WWDC 2013 keynote. It was early, it was cold. But there were great people in line to talk with and the time passed surprisingly fast. Marc Gurman was there, as was Adam Bell, Grant Paul (chpwn), Marc Edwards, the Nickelfish crew, and many, many others. But that was just the beginning...!

Due to new security procedures -- bag checks -- they let us in earlier than in years before, but that just meant lining up inside after out. There were a couple of additional banners up, but covered in black cloth. Secrets!

We finally got in around 9:30pt, half an hour before the event was scheduled to begin, and I raced to get ready. Seth Clifford was handling the live blogging and I was taking photos. I was shooting with a Canon 5D Mark III and 70-200mm Sigma lens, which I'd accidentally dropped the night before. Luckily only the UV filter shattered and the camera worked fine. Unluckily, I lost my miniUSB cable so I could shoot tethered. That meant I had to shoot a series of pictures, swap cards, start importing in Aperture, export, drag into the Live Blog, and keep shooting with the other card. It was sub-optimal but it worked.

After the keynote the curtains were pulled on the new banners -- OS X Mavericks and the MacBooks, and new Mac Pros were available to be stared at.

I went to the State of the Union. That's the second keynote, and the on that's under NDA which means I can't talk about what was said there. (If you violate NDA's, you're not doing Apple, this business, or yourself any favors.) I can say there was some amazing, and some very candid things shown and discussed there.

Then it was time for the iMore + Debug + Iterate party. We wanted to podcast right after the event so we could bring you all our thoughts and feelings while they were still fresh. We also wanted to thank all the incredible guests we'd had on the shows for the past two years, and honor both our 2012 and 2013 iMore Hall of Fame winners, so we decided to throw a small party. Jessie Char from Pacific Helm was kind enough to handle all the heavy lifting for us. We had some great guests on as well, and we'll post both the video and audio soon.

After that I spent some time with some very, very smart people deconstruction all the events of the day, and pouring over iOS 7 by the pixel and bit. So much has changed, and so much seems unfinished, that I'm still working on collecting my thoughts.

But I'll have a full iOS 7 first impressions article for everyone very soon.

Thanks for reading all our coverage so far, and if there's anything else you'd like to see - or just see more of -- let me know right now!

How to share the iTunes library on your Mac or PC on any WiFi network

Posted: 11 Jun 2013 02:20 PM PDT

How to share the iTunes library on your Mac or PC on any WiFi network

If you use iTunes to manage your music collection, you can easily share it across any WiFi network where friends and family can stream and listen to your music. It's a great way to discover new music that requires no cables or transferring of files.

Follow along and we'll show you how.

Before continuing, it's worth noting that if both computers aren't authorized on the same iTunes account, you won't be able to listen to any content purchased from iTunes, only media acquired other ways. If both computers are authorized on the same iTunes account and have Home Sharing enabled, you should be able to play back any music. To enable Home Sharing, just go to File followed by Home Sharing and Enable Home Sharing. You'll need to do this with any computers you'd like iTunes purchased content to be played on. You can authorize up to 5 computers on any single iTunes account.

Launch iTunes on your Mac or PC.
Now in the top navigation, click on iTunes and then Preferences.
In the Preferences window, now click on the Sharing tab.
This is where you can choose what you'd like to share. You have the option to password protect your library, which we would recommend for when you're on public networks.
That's all there is to it. Others will now be able to see your library when it iTunes and stream the files you have chosen to share.

As a side note, newer versions of iTunes tend to hide the sidebar by default, which can make it a little difficult to find. Just go to View in the top menu and click on Show Sidebar to bring it back. This is where you'll see a list of shared libraries when they're available. Apple used to also let you copy music from one library to another as long as both computers were authorized under the same iTunes account. Anyone know why this feature was removed? And if it wasn't, where the heck is it now?

VSCO Cam for iPhone review: A perfect balance between ease of use and editing options

Posted: 11 Jun 2013 02:20 PM PDT

VSCO Cam for iPhone review: A perfect balance between ease of use and editing options

There are lots and lots of photography apps and accessories available for the iPhone. Every once in a while one comes a long that really sets the bar and that's exactly what VSCO Cam for iPhone does. Not only does it have lots of features including filters and adjustments, it allows you to share photos with many different social sharing service in a single tap. More importantly, it's extremely easy to use.

VSCO Cam not only gives you better camera control by allowing you to lock focus, it also lets you edit your photos in the same app, and then share them, from that same app. Sometimes when we take photos, we forget how many extra steps you've got to take to get it to where you need it to be. VSCO Cam manages to do this without being overly complicated. Are there apps out there that have more powerful editing tools? Sure. KitCam for iPhone is a perfect example. It isn't exactly user friendly though.

The thing I love so much about VSCO Cam is that is gracefully balances what we want and need to quickly edit with ease of use. When I'm out and about, I don't necessarily want to spend twenty minutes trying to learn how to use an app or applying filter upon filter before finally exporting to my camera roll and sharing to whatever social services I'd like from there. I just want to share my memories as quickly as possible and tinker later if I feel the urge.

VSCO Cam lets you edit basic elements such as the temperature, exposure, contrast, cropping, and rotating natively. Along with that, you can apply a selection of gorgeous filters. If the ones that come for free aren't enough, you can also buy packs or individual filters that will be added to your library. Once you're done, you can instantly upload your photo to the social network of your choice including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Weibo, and via email. You can also, of course, save it to your camera roll if you prefer. The only gripe I have is the inability to upload to all the networks you'd like at once.

VSCO is also rolling out a new feature they call Grid that will allow you to display your photos. I haven't been able to get in just yet but if any of you have experiences with VSCO Grid, be sure to let us know how it is in the comments below.

The good

Dead simple to use
Better filters than other photo editing programs offer that look more professional
A nice balance between function and sharing photos quickly

The bad

No way to sync photos between devices (Grid may change this)
No automatic save to camera roll option

The bottom line

If you're looking for a photo editing app that's more advanced than Instagram but not quite as complicated as KitCam, VSCO Cam is for you. It's a perfect balance of function and speed that allows you to share your photos quickly and with less fuss than other comparable photo editing apps.

Free - Download Now

Feedly RSS App Updated – No Longer Powered by Google Reader

Posted: 11 Jun 2013 02:23 PM PDT

Here's some very good news for iPad and RSS fans. The Feedly iPad app has been updated today, and the updated details are a sight for sore eyes (emphasis mine):

What's New in Version 16.0.1

Now powered by the feedly cloud. Let's all wish a happy retirement to Google Reader.

Last week I posted about good news from Feedly about their backend sync service to replace Google Reader, which Google is about to shutdown on July1. This service will power not only their own apps, but also some other leading RSS apps like Reeder and Press.

And going by the wording of that update, that service is ready to rock and no longer relies at all on Google Reader. Good stuff.

iTunes Radio

We admittedly won't know everything about iTunes Radio until it officially launches with iOS 7 this fall but we have a rough idea of what it brings to the table. For iTunes Match subscribers, you'll get ad-free and uninterrupted radio from iTunes huge collection. That's obviously another bonus of iTunes Radio, iTunes has a massive collection of music. Probably one of the best selections on the planet.

Outside of that, a lot of the features you get are the same as other comparable streaming services such as Pandora. You'll have the ability to like songs, tell iTunes Radio to never play a song again, and theoretically, it should get smarter the more you use it. You can create custom playlists or choose from the ones iTunes Radio has featured.

One con that may be a deal breaker for some is that at this time, iTunes Radio seems to only stream clean versions of songs. That means anything with explicit language is going to be filtered out. This could very well change before the final launch by adding some settings but at this point, we don't know one way or the other.

The competition

Let's face it, there are some awesome streaming music streaming services already out there including Pandora, Slacker, Spotify, Rdio, Last.fm, and many more. You're really looking at what content you want and who can provide it. As far as pricing breakdowns go, most of these services offer subscription services for ad-free listening or even free ad-based versions, like iTunes Radio. Here's a quick look at the cheapest plans available that we could find that support streaming on iPhone and iPad, not just desktop clients.

Pandora - Free but ad supported - premium with no ads is $3.99/month or $36/year
Spotify - $9.99 a month for the capability of streaming to iPhone and iPad
Slacker Radio - Free but ad supported - upgrade to no ads plus more options for $3.99/month minimum
Rdio - $9.99 a month for the capability of streaming to iPhone and iPad

As you quickly notice, some of these services may offer ad-based streaming for free, actually most if not all do, but in certain cases, they aren't available for mobile without a premium subscription. That can also place you in the highest tier automatically.

Outside of pricing there are other things to consider. For instance, Slacker Radio provides custom ESPN stations that can be fine tuned to the teams you follow. This is something that's probably worth the fee if you're a hardcore sports fan. Rdio also has a tendency to have albums available as soon as they are released and way ahead of their competition. If your priority is having music available as soon as it's released, Rdio is probably the only other option besides iTunes Radio, which will have access to the iTunes Store. With that, we'd imagine albums will be available in iTunes Radio just as soon as Rdio does.

When it comes to listening offline, Spotify, Slacker, and a few of the others also allow you to download content and playlists you create for times you don't have service. This is a hot commodity for travelers and something that should be thought about before choosing any of them.

The bottom line

iTunes Radio definitely has its advantages including integration with Siri, access across all your devices including Apple TV, and an unbeatable price of free for everyone. If you're an iTunes Match subscriber, the deal gets even better since you won't have to listen to ads.

That doesn't mean competitive services don't still have their advantages. Slacker's tie in with ESPN will be huge for sports fans while downloadable playlists for offline listening will still sway other users to steer away from iTunes Radio. If you like the content you hear on iTunes Radio, you'll need to buy it, at least as it stands right now. If you listen to music a lot, it's worth weighing out how many offline songs you typically save a month for offline use and what you'd be paying to actually own them on iTunes.

Ultimately, iTunes Radio will be a great deal for casual listeners that either don't mind ads or already use iTunes Match and aren't bothered clean versions of songs. And for all we know, that may change before the final release. It's also the only option currently available if you want to stream music to an Apple TV. If those aren't your largest concerns or you already subscribe to another service, there's a lot more to think about, and that's where your listening habits will really have to be weighed in before making a final decision.

With all this being said, do you plan on using iTunes Radio when it launches and how does it compare to the streaming service you already use, if any at all?

Feedly switches on its API, updates its apps, ahead of Google Reader shutdown

Posted: 11 Jun 2013 01:18 PM PDT

Feedly switches on its API, updates its apps, ahead of Google Reader shutdown

As promised, Feedly has pulled the trigger, removing its dependency on Google Reader and updating its iOS app to relfect the change. While it can still connect to Google Reader, Feedly is now officially powered by its own backend service, and will continue to function after Google Reader shuts down on July 1.

Many developers have been working on Google Reader replacements since the announcement of the shutdown, but Feedly is one of the first to launch their solution to the public. And it won't be restricted to their mobile and web apps, either. Popular RSS apps Reeder and Newsify have both said that they will offer access to Feedly before the end of this month, when Google Reader shuts down for good.

The Feedly update is currently available on the App Store.

Free - Download Now

Vouchr for iPhone goes global, give vouchers to your friends in 18 countries

Posted: 11 Jun 2013 11:28 AM PDT

Vouchr, the personalized gift voucher service for iPhone, has today announced an update that makes it available outside Canada for the first time. Now, residents of 18 different countries globally can create and share their own gift vouchers with their Facebook friends.

Vouchr allows you to choose a location, decide what you want to offer and who you want to offer it to. You can offer it up to all your friends, or only a select few, the choice is yours. You do need a Facebook account in order to use Vouchr, since that's the only way of sharing what you create. Your friends then go to your chosen location, and once there a pre-arranged PayPal transaction can be claimed as your payment of the voucher amount. Should you offer it out to more than one person, the first one to claim gets the voucher.

Following a successful trial in Canada, Vouchr v1.2 launches today to Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the United States. The app has been completely re-written from the ground up, and the old HTML5 app has been replaced by a new, fully native iOS application. Also added with the re-design are in-app notifications, and you can now perform a Google image search for suitable images to add to your vouchers to make them look extra special.

I've not had much time with it yet, but it looks like a great little app to help you gift something different, and unique, to your friends and family. It's a free download, and is available from the App Store no, so give it a shot and tell us what you think.

Free- Download Now

Source: Vouchr

WWF Together, Letterpress, Evernote Winners in Apple Design Awards

Posted: 11 Jun 2013 10:22 AM PDT

Apple has announced the 2013 Apple Design Awards winners at WWDC. These awards recognize apps 'that raise the bar in design, technology, and innovation' and there are some superb selections this year.

The awards cover iPad, iPhone, Mac, and student entries. Right at the top of the winners list is one of my all-time favorite iPad apps, WWF Together – a winner in the iPad section.

Other notable winners include:

Letterpress: The popular, fun, and innovative word game from Loren Brichter, the creator of Tweetie and the official Twitter app – in the iPhone and iPad category.

Procreate: The popular painting app used by so many great iPad artists – in the iPad category.

Evernote: The feature-rich and powerful notes app – in the Mac, iPhone, and iPad categories. I have to admit, this one surprises me a little. Much as I love the power of Evernote, I've never thought of it as a...

Read the whole entry... »

The Good

Multitasking for All Apps: With some intelligent scheduling and other clever functionality built in – this all sounds very impressive.

New App Switching Method: Looks a lot like webOS cards and nicely done in most ways.

Control Center: Quick access to services toggles and...

Read the whole entry... »

Comments

"I love my ipad, but I switched my phone from an iphone to a ... by Patrick Jordan
I feel your pain Jean, though I still find iCloud useful for ... by Patrick Jordan
Yes, I know – I still would like a slicker, easier gesture. by Patrick Jordan
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Hey, there is an iPad gesture matching the home button double ... by PrzemekH

But first that OS X and those Macs. Switching away from the big cat names is sensible -- to highlight the exhaustion of options, Craig Federighi joked it might be called Sea Lion. Settling on beaches is a fine alternative even if Mavericks in particular, being plural, is a tad awkward in use. OS X 10.9 Mavericks includes some new features for power users, including Finder Tabs, Tags, and proper support for multiple displays. It also offers iCloud Keychain for password management and advanced technologies to improve batter life and performance. And it brings iOS iBooks and Maps back to the Mac. It also has actionable notifications -- something I'd really hoped we'd see on iOS -- and a new Calendar that Federighi joked harmed no virtual cows and required no stitching to stick to the screen. (Remember that.)

Mavericks interface looked Snow Leopard consistent, the chrome verging on monotonous, but overall it was a home run for Apple, making one of the most mature, most solid operating systems in the world better again by a year.

As is increasingly the case, the new OS X software magnified the new Mac hardware. In this case, new MacBook Airs with Haswell processors (and without Retina displays -- thanks again, laws of physics!). Instead of power, the focus on the new Airs was battery life, which is fitting for an ultralight. If you want performance, you go pro, If you want maximum portability backed up by 9 to 12 hours of battery life -- for the 11- 13-inch models respectively -- you go Air. (It makes you wonder when Air will leave Intel for ARM and hard-sprint for 24hrs...)

If you want new right now, Air is also your only option, because the new MacBook Pros with Haswell weren't announced and will almost certainly follow at a later date.

What was announced -- even though its own release will follow at a much later date -- was the all new Mac Pro. And... it looked like Cylon technology. Nowhere nearly as upgradable as Mac Pros past -- not even the GPUs can be swapped out -- it's only 1/8th the volume. That makes it far more Ferrari than Escalade, just as high end but without all the seats in the back, but it also makes it a symbol of where Apple is going. Or as Phil Schiller put it in the line of the night:

Apple isn't innovating anymore? My ASS!

The Mac Pro has joined the same future as the MacBook Air and Mac Pro, Mac Mini and iMac. And it sits right on top of all of them.

The Macs, like OS X, were knocked out of the park. iOS 7 is a far, far tougher call.

As easily as I can lavish praise on Apple's OS X and Mac efforts, I find iOS 7 a much more difficult subject to broach. It's different -- so different it'll take me some time to unpack everything in it, and sort immediate reactions to those differences from legitimate praise and complaints.

Firstly, it's beta 1, and I can't stress that enough. It's not finished. Apple couldn't even release the iPad version of the beta to developers for testing yet.

8 month ago Tim Cook changed iOS' leadership and the direction it was going, and they've been going at a breakneck pace ever since to overhaul not only the interface, but the approach iOS takes to human interaction.

iOS now looks fundamentally different than OS X, breaking some of the familiarity Apple had spent the last couple of versions creating. Heavy textures are gone here as well -- Notes retains a subtle one -- and a joke was also managed at green felt's expense. (Remember that too.)

The goal seems to have been to simplify, to make consistent, and, as always, to delight. And... it's not quite there yet.

Based on what was shown off at the keynote, while spatially similar, the new Homescreen icons are a strange blend of gradient that run in different directions and over what's usually a comfortable amount of edge padding. While Apple said they adhere to a new visual grid system. They don't all look balanced and in some places have, for the first time, an engineered rather than designed feel to them. The combination of ultra-thin Helvetica and monochromatic palette in some places also feels difficult quickly parse.

New live wallpapers that move based on the accelerometer, combined with a layered parallax effect that "floats" icons above it, and badges above both, is enthralling. The dynamic blur effect applied to lower layers, which much be hugely computationally expensive, is likewise impressive.

Yet not enough was shown to get an idea of how consistent the direct manipulation would be, how well the physics would work, and how polished the interfaces in all the core apps would actually turn out.

When you go flat, typography becomes incredibly important, and that also didn't look done yet.

Functionally speaking, Apple didn't show the same actionable notifications for iOS as they did OS X, which is less than great. They did show improved multitasking which promises to monitor our activities and grant greater background privileges to the apps we use most often, and also to let them update themselves based on events like push-notifications. (Hopefully that means when you're told you get a new Tweet, it actually downloads it then and there, rather than having to pull it at launch.) Geeks got Control Center for all their quick toggles, and it, like Notification Center, can also be called up now from the Lock screen. We also got AirDrop, to more easily, directly share files.

Though it wasn't clear whether it worked only between iOS devices, or between iOS and OS X as well, it was clear Apple hasn't lost their sting -- Federighi made fun of Android having to bump their phones to share.

Overall, however, for iOS 7 I still have far more questions than answers, both in terms of how mainstream users will feel when they download it and their entire interface changes, and how I will feel using it day in, day out.

Apple still has a half-dozen or so betas to get through before launch this fall, and everything from individual icons (you know which ones you are) to spacing to physics could end up redrawn, re-padded, and re-jiggered by then, so there's no pointing harping on, or lavishing praise on, the details just yet.

Either way, however,uUnlike OS X and Mac, iOS 7's new design language will likely be highly divisive. That's fine for apps, but we'll see how it turns out when it's an entire OS.

The one thing that's clear, though: Tim Cook's willingness to show off a product that, while perfect for the venue was still still months from market, to openly mock the stitched leather and green felt of previous versions, to change naming schemes and entire interfaces, to let his people -- Jony Ive and Craig Federighi and Eddy Cue and Phil Schiller run the ball as a team rather than a set of individuals -- made manifest Cook's decisions from back in October.

How all of it ultimately pans out this year and in year's to come doesn't matter right now. All that matters is that Tim Cook did it, and let his team do it.

Comparing Apple's new AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule to the old models: Should you upgrade?

Posted: 11 Jun 2013 08:46 AM PDT

Comparing Apple's old and new AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule

To accommodate newly introduced MacBook Airs that ship with 802.11ac "Gigabit WiFi" capabilities and Apple's forthcoming redesigned Mac Pro, Apple also introduced a new AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule at WWDC this week. This is the first update to the AirPort Extreme in several years and the first complete redesign since Apple moved from the UFO shape of the original to the Mac mini-like beveled rectangle, so it's worth taking a closer look at what makes the new products worthwhile.

First, let's start with the name: "Base Station" has been excised; Apple now calls it simply "AirPort Extreme" (perhaps to simplify and better align with the AirPort Express, which remains unchanged - it's still an 802.11n-capable box that can hook up to a stereo system and stream audio as well as route data for a small wireless network group).

It's been two years since the AirPort Extreme was last revised, and it's undergone some major changes - the flat box style, cribbed from Apple's Mac mini and measuring 6.5 inches on a side, is gone, and replaced with a smaller but taller cuboid design - 3.85 inches on a side and 6.6 inches tall. It's also about half a pound heavier, weighing in at 2.08 pounds.

The biggest difference, outside of the industrial design and name, is the new networking technology that's under the hood: AirPort Extreme supports 802.11ac, backwards compatible with earlier WiFi protocols but on its own capable of transmitting up to 1.3 gigabits per second - almost three times faster than the rating for its predecessor. Inside the box are six antennas, which Apple describes as a "beamforming antenna array."

The antennas can broadcast simultaneous dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequency bands, just as before. And Apple says the AirPort Extreme can support up to 50 users simultaneously, just as before. Also unchanged are the ports on the back of the device: A Gigabit Ethernet WAN port, three Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports, and one USB 2.0 port, to support a printer or external hard drive.

The price has risen for the new device by $20, to $199.

Just as with the previous generation, the new AirPort Time Capsule uses the same industrial design as the new AirPort Extreme. The Time Capsule is designed for users who want to easily backup data from their Macs over the network using Time Machine, OS X's built-in backup software.

The networking specs and interface port array of the AirPort Time Capsule is identical to the AirPort Extreme; what's different is the hard drive inside. Just as before, the AirPort Time Capsule is available in 2TB and 3TB capacities, but there's been a price realignment: the 2TB model is still $299, but the 3TB model has dropped $100 to $399 - a better value for users looking for maximum Time Machine backup storage capacity.

Even if you haven't put in an order for a new MacBook Air yet, if you haven't jumped on the Time Capsule bandwagon, now's a better time than ever because of the cheaper big version. It'll work with all the older WiFi gear you have in the house, plus you'll be future-proofing yourself a bit for 802.11ac when you're ready.

iOS 7 and iPad: Features, Compatibility & Details

Posted: 11 Jun 2013 08:11 AM PDT

Apple announced iOS 7 yesterday at their WWDC 2013 keynote event. iOS 7 is the next major generation of the operating system that powers the iPad and iPhone, and it offers some impressive new features.

Here are some of the important details you may want to know about iOS 7 and the iPad:

– Notable new features in iOS 7 include:

Multitasking (the ability to continue running in the background) for all apps – with some intelligent scheduling in the mix as well.

Control Center: A new method providing quick access to controls for some common services (eg toggle WiFi on and off, set Airplane mode, adjust brightness) with just a quick swipe up on a home screen or the lock screen.

Improvements to Notification Center: A new Today section provides useful information on birthdays,weather, traffic and more.

Photos App Changes: The app now automatically creates Collections and Moments based...

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