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Latest Gear Live Videos
Firefox 7 in early Aurora testing, Firefox 6 now in beta
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Internet, PC / Laptop, Software,
In its emulation of Google Chrome's quick release schedule, version 7 of Firefox has already appeared in Mozilla's Aurora incubation channel, while version 6 has moved to beta.
Neither version brings the kind of major changes we've become used to in full version number upgrades of Firefox, but they do add welcome performance boosts, standards support, and minor interface and functional tweaks.
Under Mozilla's new Rapid Release calendar, new versions of Firefox will come out every six weeks; this way you'll know it's time for a haircut when a new Firefox version appears. Firefox 6 is scheduled to be ready for release on August 16, while version 7 will move to the beta channel on the same day. Version 7 then moves to the release channel on September 27, at which time Version 8 goes to beta. You get the picture.
Note that the release dates pertain to Firefox for Android as well to the Windows, Mac, and Linux desktop versions, though the mobile browser gets different features than the desktop version in each release.
Click to continue reading Firefox 7 in early Aurora testing, Firefox 6 now in beta
Gallery: Firefox 7 in early Aurora testing, Firefox 6 now in beta
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Apple releases GarageBand 6.0.4, iPhoto 9.1.5, and iMovie 9.0.4
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, PC / Laptop, Software,
If you're an iLife '11 user, you'll wanna fire up Software Update (or launch the Mac App Store, depending on which version you own) to grab today's updates that Apple has released for iPhoto, GarageBand, and iMovie. iPhoto and GarageBand pick up a bunch of bug fixes and stability improvements, while iMovie gets the ability to import and edit projects that were created in the iOS version of the program.
Gallery: Apple releases GarageBand 6.0.4, iPhoto 9.1.5, and iMovie 9.0.4
Download iOS 5 beta 3 9A5259f now!
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Handhelds, Software,
Apple has been busy updating their Dev Center with some new iOS 5 hotness. Developers, you can now grab iOS 5 beta 3 for iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, and Apple TV, alongside iTunes 10.5 beta 3 and Xcode 4.2 Developer Preview 3 for both Snow Leopard (4C128) and Lion (4D75.)
Gallery: Download iOS 5 beta 3 9A5259f now!
Screenflow is one of our favorite pieces of Mac software here at Gear Live HQ, and version 3.0 is right around the corner. The software lets you record what's happening on your display, along with optional voice and video of yourself, and then lets you easily edit it into a professional screencast. Get a look at the video above if this is your kind of thing.
Gallery: Video: Screenflow 3.0 preview
Magco allows you to play Blu-ray discs in OS X
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Home Entertainment, Movies, Software,
OS X users have been waiting for years for the priviledge of being able to play their Blu-ray discs on their Mac computers, and the day has finally arrived where they can. Sort of. You see, Apple has not officially built Blu-ray playback into OS X Lion or anything like that, instead the magic comes from a company called Macgo. Their new software, called "Mac Blu-ray Player" of all things, is what is used to view the discs. However, you'll need your own Mac-compatible internal or external Blu-ray drive, since that isn't a first-party option on Macs yet, and we doubt if it will ever be.
Read More 
| Macgo
Gallery: Magco allows you to play Blu-ray discs in OS X
OS X Lion to launch July 14th
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, PC / Laptop, Rumors, Software,
Hot on the heels of the Apple seeding the OS X Lion Golden Master to developers, we're now hearing that Apple is planning on releasing that very same build to the world on July 14th, exclusively on the Mac App Store for $29.99. Of course, these plans can change is devs find any showstopping bugs in the Golden Master, but barring that extremely unlikely occurrence, you should be all set to get in on Apple's new hotness in just under two weeks.
Read More | 9to5Mac
Gallery: OS X Lion to launch July 14th
OS X Lion hits Golden Master status, seeded to devs
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Corporate News, PC / Laptop, Software,
Apple has just released the golden master version of OS X Lion to Mac developers. We already know that the final, public release of Lion will be coming on July 14th, so it makes sense that Apple would be ready to give the stamp of approval on today's release, as golden master means that , barring any glaring oversight, that this is the final version that customers will be able to purchase in the Mac App Store for $29.99. The build number on the release is 11A511, and Mac devs, you can download it now.
Gallery: OS X Lion hits Golden Master status, seeded to devs
There are now over 100,000 iPad apps available
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Corporate News, Handhelds, Software,
Apple has what is clearly the top tablet on the market with the iPad, and now it has an another achievement to celebrate. As of Tuesday, there are more than 100,000 iPad-specific apps on sale in the App Store.
The milestone comes a little over a year after Apple unveiled the original iPad. According to MacStories, it took Apple 452 days to surpass the 100,000 iPad app mark to land at 100,161 dedicated iPad apps. At Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC), the company announced that it had 90,000 iPad apps, but it appears that number has grown in less than a month's time.
Click to continue reading There are now over 100,000 iPad apps available
Gallery: There are now over 100,000 iPad apps available
Google looking to bring simplicity to Android with Nexus Prime
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Smartphones, Google, Rumors, Software,
Following up on a report from last week, Boy Genius Report has added some key new details about Google's next Nexus phone, codenamed "Nexus Prime."
On Tuesday BGR editor Jonathan Geller said Samsung will once again manufacture the next pure Android cell phone, as it did with the recent Nexus S 4G.
"Nexus Prime" will be a flagship device for Android 4.0, aka Ice Cream Sandwich. Furthermore, the screen will use Samsung's "Super AMOLED HD" glass and come with a 1.5-GHz, dual-core OMAP4460 chip from Texas Instruments.
Notably, Geller also said "Nexus Prime" will lack carrier bloatware or manufacturer customization, much like Google's first Nexus phone, the Nexus One.
Click to continue reading Google looking to bring simplicity to Android with Nexus Prime
Gallery: Google looking to bring simplicity to Android with Nexus Prime
Apple makes jailbreaking and downgrading tougher in iOS 5
Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Smartphones, Handhelds, Software,
Apple has reportedly changed a part of iOS 5 to make it impossible for iPhone users to downgrade their phone's firmware, even if they'd rather run an earlier version.
The iPhone Dev Team, a well-known group of iPhone hackers, first discovered the change in an unlocked developer's version of iOS 5, which is expected to be released this fall.
Normally, to restore your iPhone to an earlier version, you'd save "SHSH blobs" (which are like digital signatures to authenticate software) at a specific timestamp and use a third-party app to restore your firmware back to that time. The SHSH blobs are static and can be used as often as you like.
But the team found that in iOS 5, Apple has prevented people from being able to save these blobs for a specific timestamp. Instead, Apple will re-assign your phone a new SHSH blob each time your reboot your device in jailbreak mode, making saved blobs irrelevant since Apple can just reject ones that were saved.
Click to continue reading Apple makes jailbreaking and downgrading tougher in iOS 5
