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Ask Andru: How do I prepare my Mac for Mountain Lion?
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Features, PC / Laptop, Software
Apple is set to release it's next major operating system update, known os OS X Mountain Lion, later this month. In this edition of Ask Andru, Tracy writes in and asks if there is anything she should do to prepare her Mac computers for the Mountain Lion installation. I share some tips on what we can all do to ensure a smooth upgrade experience to Mac OS 10.8.
Question: I hear that Apple will be releasing a new version of OS X shortly. Is there anything I need to do in order to prepare for it to ensure that I can run it? Will it be expensive?
You're correct! Apple announced OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion just five months ago, and it will be available in under two weeks. Mountain Lion will sell exclusively on the Mac App Store for $19.99 (so, not expensive at all!) and will include some nice features, including AirPlay Mirroring from your Mac, tighter iCloud integration, Twitter and Facebook built-in at the system level, Reminders, Notes, Game Center, a new Messages app that will let you send and receive iMessages from the Mac, iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. In total, there are over 200 new features that Apple is introducing in Mountain Lion.
Click to continue reading Ask Andru: How do I prepare my Mac for Mountain Lion?
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The Retina MacBook Pro can power four displays at once
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Displays, PC / Laptop
Here's another fun tidbit about the MacBook Pro with Retina display--it can power four displays at once. In addition to its own display, you can connect two displays to the two Thunderbolt ports, and a third external display to the HDMI port. One thing we haven't tried, though, is also connecting to a fourth external display using AirPlay mirroring. First, we just don't have that many displays at our disposal, and second, we just aren't that ridiculous.
Read More 
| OWC
Apple TV 5.0.1 software update now available
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Home Entertainment, Software
Apple has just released Apple TV software version 5.0.1, which looks to solve a few niggles that we've actually been complaining about lately. Owners of the second and third generation Apple TV can get the updates right away by heading into the software update area under Settings. What's changed? Well, iTunes TV and movie previews are now high definition, AirPlay is fixed for iOS apps, Home Sharing connections should no longer be as fickle as they've been lately, and Netflix integration gets tightened up a bit. You can pick up an Apple TV for $99.
Ask Andru: How can I make my iPad louder?
In today's Ask Andru column, we get a question about an issue with the iPad that we've actually experienced ourselves for years. Ever since the release of the original iPad, it's been painfully obvious that the speaker on the Apple tablet isn't exactly up to snuff. It's fine if you're somewhere quiet, but go somewhere that has any ambient noise, and all of a sudden it's a challenge to enjoy any audio-based entertainment. So, on to the submitted question:
I love my new iPad, but I wish it were louder. It seems that everything about the new iPad is high-quality, with the exception of the speaker! Is there any way I can get more volume out of this thing?
I hear you! As I said earlier, the low volume issue has been around since the very first iPad. When the iPad 2 was released, the speaker grille was larger, and many assumed that this meant that the device would be louder. Unfortunately, despite the visual cue, the iPad 2 suffered from the same issue, and the new third-generation model (see our new iPad review) seems to have the exact same speaker as its predecessor. Luckily, there are a few things you can do to alleviate the frustration.
Click to continue reading Ask Andru: How can I make my iPad louder?
New iPad (3rd generation) review
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Features, Handhelds, Product Reviews, Videos
The new iPad. When the third-generation Apple slate was announced, it gained a few new features, but lost a number. Hey, you can't blame Apple for simplifying things, right? Really, though, the new iPad is anything but a simple machine.
When Apple announced the new iPad, the company focused on a few key features that set the third-generation model apart from the iPad 2. The iPad product line is such a runaway success, that we felt it would be more appropriate to focus our review on the things that've changed or been added. After all, the iPad 2 is still a capable tablet, and Apple's still selling it, now at a discounted $399 for the 16 GB model, while the new iPad starts at $499 (although you can get it for less on Amazon.) So let's focus on what the new iPad (3rd generation) brings to the table, and if it's worth your attention. We're talking about things like the Retina display, 4G LTE, A5X SoC processor with quad-core graphics, and dictation. Is that stuff enough to warrant your attention? Let us take you through our iPad (3rd generation) review, and get these questions answered, shall we?
Click to continue reading New iPad (3rd generation) review
OS X Mountain Lion Developer Preview now available for download
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, PC / Laptop, Software
This morning Apple announced OS X Mountain Lion, and alongside the announcement they've also made available the first Mountain Lion Developer Preview. Anyone with a Developer Account can log into Apple's Dev portal to download the first build (12A128p) of OS X 10.8, which will be available to all later this summer.
Read More | Mac Developer Portal
Apple OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion brings more iOS features to the Mac this summer
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, PC / Laptop, Software
This morning Apple announced OS X Mountain Lion (10.8,) the next version of its flagship desktop operating system. OS X 10.8 will ship later this summer, and will be available through the Mac App Store. As with OS X 10.7 Lion, Mountain Lion is geared towards bringing more iOS goodness to the desktop, and further blurs the lines between Apple's mobile devices and computers. New features that will be coming to the Mac with Mountain Lion include a new Messages app that will replace iChat and bring iMessage and FaceTime into one app, Notification Center, tighter iCloud integration, AirPlay mirroring from the Mac to an Apple TV, the Reminders app, Notes app, Game Center leaderboards, Twitter built-in to the OS, Share Sheets to make sharing of any content easier, and Gatekeeper, a new security feature that allows you to set preferences for what can and can't be downloaded. We will go more in-depth on each in a separate feature later today.
With the announcement of Mountain Lion, Apple also made it known that it will stick to a new yearly release cycle for its desktop OS.
Read More | Mountain Lion Sneak Peek
Bartleby’s Book of Buttons Vol. 2 now available with awesome AirPlay integration
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Books, iPad Apps, $3.99
Monster Costume, an iOS developer focused on recreating the way children interact with books, has released Bartleby's Book of Buttons Volume 2, and it's got some nice AirPlay surprises packed in. When using an AirPlay mirroring-capable device like the iPad 2, iPhone 4, or iPhone 4S, you can send the story to your Apple TV in high definition, while the device then become a controller for progressing the story. We've been fans of Bartleby since Volume 1, and you can pick up Bartleby Vol. 2 now on the App Store. Full release after the break.
Facebook for iPad finally available
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Social Networking, iPad Apps, Free Apps
It seemed like a no-brainer for Facebook to drop an iPad app back when the original iPad launched in early 2010, but it's taken the company a year-and-a-half to finally get things in order. The wait is now over, and today you can download the official Facebook iPad app. Within the app you can browse photos at full screen, watch videos (with AirPlay integration!), and access things like the news feed, messages, Groups, chat, and more.
If you aren't seeing it in the App Store yet, it should be live shortly.
Bleeding Edge TV 387: New unannounced AirPlay feature demoed in Bartleby Vol. II
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Full Episodes, Gizmatic, Apple, Features, Home Entertainment, Podcasts, Videocasts, Videos
In this video you get a look at an unannounced feature of Apple's AirPlay. You have an iPad 2 running Bartleby's Book of Buttons: Vol. II, and you have an Apple TV. Now, this demo isn't showing the AirPlay wireless capability, due to the NDA, and instead uses a cable - but make no mistake, this is already working wirelessly over AirPlay.
What is interesting is that you have something showing on the iPad display, and something totally different showing on the Apple TV. In other words, the Apple TV is acting as the app, and the iPad has become the controller for the app. Imagine the possibilities this introduces for iPad gaming.
Big thank you to Carbonite and JackThreads for sponsoring the show - be sure to check them out! Carbonite offers off-site backup of your computer, and you can get two free months (no credit card needed!) by visiting Carbonite and using promo code TPN. As for JackThreads, we've got exclusive invite codes that give you $5 to use towards anything you'd like.
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