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Apple releases first OS X 10.9.4 beta to developers

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, PC / Laptop, Software,

OS X Mavericks 10.9.4

Apple just released the first OS X Mavericks 10.9.4 beta to developers just two weeks after the public release of OS X 10.9.3. No word yet on what changes are found in the new beta, but we're hoping that some of the Mac Pro (2013) niggles are fixed, as many who own the new, sleek Mac are complaining of issues with multi-monitor support since installing the last update.

Of course, Apple is also set to release the OS X 10.10 beta on Monday at WWDC 2014, so there'll be two OS X betas rocking at once.


OS X Mavericks 10.9.3 released, includes Retina mode for external 4K displays

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, PC / Laptop, Software,

OS X Mavericks 10.9.3

This morning Apple released OS X Mavericks 10.9.3, a big update that brings a couple of major new features to the desktop operating system. First, improved 4K display support, which allows easy Retina scaling on external ultra high definition displays. We've been using this functionality for a couple of months since it was included in the beta, and it works as expected. Rather than creating a ridiculously gigantic desktop where you could barely read text, instead you can choose to scale to a Retina mode that just makes everything nice and sharp.

Others will be happy to know that OS X 10.9.3 also features the return of the ability to sync contacts and calendars between a Mac and iOS devices over USB. Hit the Mac App Store to grab the update, and take a look at the full changelog after the jump.

Click to continue reading OS X Mavericks 10.9.3 released, includes Retina mode for external 4K displays


Apple OS X Mavericks 10.9.2 now available, here’s what’s new

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, PC / Laptop, Software,

OS X Mavericks 10.9.2 update

Apple has released OS X Mavericks 10.9.2 to the public following a lengthy developer beta, and with it comes quite a few new features and enhancements to the Mac desktop operating system:

  • FaceTime Audio in the FaceTime and Messages apps
  • Contact blocking for FaceTime and iMessage
  • Mail app improvements
  • Autofill fixes for Safari
  • Audio fixes
  • VPN fixes
  • VoiceOver fixes

Also included is the SSL security vulnerability fix that Apple fixed in iOS last week, and earlier today on Apple TV. Many Mac apps were still at risk, including Safari and Mail. The company stated a few days ago that it planned to have a fix released "very soon," and four days later, this patch is included in OS X 10.9.2.

You can grab the OS X 10.9.2 update from the Mac App Store now.


Bleeding Edge TV 500: Apple Mac Pro (late 2013) first-look

We give you a look at the newly designed Apple Mac Pro in this episode! Apple has rebuilt the Mac Pro from the ground up to be a multimedia powerhouse, optimized for tasks like video editing, audio work, 3D modeling, and other such pro tasks. Here are the specs on the Gear Live Mac Pro featured in this episode:

  • 3.5 GHz Intel Xeon E5 Six-Core
  • 64GB of 1866 MHz DDR3 ECC RAM
  • 256GB PCIe-based Flash Storage
  • Dual AMD FirePro D500 GPUs (2 x 3GB)
  • Six Thunderbolt 2 Ports
  • Four USB 3.0 Ports, One HDMI 1.4 Port
  • Supports up to Three 4K Displays
  • 802.11a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
  • Unique Compact Cylinder Design
  • Mac OS X 10.9 Mavericks

Apple has these on backorder for about 8 weeks, but if you order a Mac Pro from B&H Photo, you should be able to get one shipped out much sooner, if not immediately.

Don't forget to subscribe to Gear Live's YouTube channel!

 

Click to continue reading Bleeding Edge TV 500: Apple Mac Pro (late 2013) first-look


Top 10 Gear Live stories of 2013

OS X 10.9 Mavericks

We've come to the end of another year, and as we wave goodbye to 2013, we figured it was only fitting that we share the most popular stories published on Gear Live this year, as determined by our readers (we've also got the top ten most read stories regardless of publish date, as well as the ten most popular Gear Live videos of 2013!) These are the ten stories that were read the most, and when you consider that fact, it's pretty surprising to see what made the list. Let's kick it off with our most read story of the year:

OS X 10.9 Mavericks Developer Preview 3 now available:
Anticipation for Apple's newest desktop operating system, OS X 10.9 Mavericks, trumped all other news here on Gear Live in 2013!

Click to continue reading Top 10 Gear Live stories of 2013


Top 10 most read Gear Live stories in 2013

Sleeptracker Watch review

Sure, we've given you a list of our top 10 most popular stories of 2013, but we figured we'd go a bit more broad than that. We also thought it would be interesting to give you a look at the top ten most read stories on this site this year, period, regardless of what year they were posted. We must say, we're just as surprised as you are at what did (and didn't) make the list! For example, you guys seem to really like Apple. Here we go:

  1. Sleeptracker Watch review: This one focuses on a watch that tracks your sleep data and aims to wake you up when you are in your lightest phase of sleep. The result is that you wake up feeling more rested, and more refreshed.

  2. Flash on iPhone is just around the corner: This five-year-old article made it's way back after being linked to by John Gruber of Daring Fireball. Since then we've learned that just because it's in testing behind closed doors, doesn't mean that it's going to make it's way to public release. Also, John, why couldn't you have linked to when we broke what was the biggest Apple software leak of the decade?

  3. Mod your Xbox without a mod chip: This is an all-time favorite of our readers. It dropped out of the top 10 last year, but has reappeared for 2013.

  4. Apparently that Xbox 360 Red Ring of Doom issue hasn't been fixed

  5. OS X 10.9 Mavericks Developer Preview 3 now available

  6. How To Mod Your iPhone on Windows Using iBrickr

  7. Apple releases iOS 7 beta 2 with iPad support: iOS 7 beta 1 supported the iPhone and iPod touch only. When beta 2 arrived with iPad support, many were excited.

  8. TiVo out-of-home remote streaming arrives on Roamio Plus, Roamio Pro DVRs: We'd been waiting for this feature for a long, long time, and it is finally here.

  9. Exclusive details on the next Nike+ FuelBand: We got exclusive details on the new Nike+ FuelBand months before its release.

  10. iPhone 5s review: Our review of Apple's flagship smartphone for 2013.

Any surprises? For a trip down memory lane, check out the top ten most-read stories in 2012, 2011, 2010.

We've also compiled a list of the stories that have dropped out of the top ten between 2012 and 2013, which you can check out after the jump, and don't miss the ten most popular Gear Live videos of 2013 either!

Click to continue reading Top 10 most read Gear Live stories in 2013


MacBook Pro (late 2013) review

MacBook Pro late 2013 review

A couple of weeks ago, Apple introduced the world to the iPad Air, but during the same event, the new 2013 MacBook Pro lineup was also revealed, going on sale that same afternoon. These new MacBook Pros would ship with OS X 10.9 Mavericks, the new desktop operating system that was also released that same day, completely free of charge. The 2013 MacBook Pro line sees some significant updates--things like a thinner body, Retina display, PCIe storage, and Haswell processors. So, how do all these changes come together at the end of the day, and is the end result enough for you to give it your attention? Does a thinner, lighter, cheaper, and more powerful package add up to more than the sum of its parts? We answer all this and more in our 13-inch MacBook Pro (late 2013) review.

Click to continue reading MacBook Pro (late 2013) review


The history of Mac OS X pricing: How we got to free

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Apple, Features, PC / Laptop, Software,

OS X Mavericks

OS X Logo history

We had a few readers email in yesterday after it was announced that OS X Mavericks would be free, a first for a major desktop operating system release. It seems a few of you are curious about how Apple got here, and what the history is as it relates to the pricing of OS X. So, here's a quick history lesson. 

  • 10.0 Cheetah: Released March 24, 2001 for $129
  • 10.1 Puma: Released September 25, 2001 for $0
  • 10.2 Jaguar: Released August 23, 2002 for $129
  • 10.3 Panther: Released October 24, 2003 for $129
  • 10.4 Tiger: Released April 29, 2005 for $129
  • 10.5 Leopard: Released October 26, 2007 for $129
  • 10.6 Snow Leopard: Released August 28, 2009 for $29
  • 10.7 Lion: Released July 20, 2011 for $29
  • 10.8 Mountain Lion: Released July 25, 2012 for $19
  • 10.9 Mavericks: Released October 22, 2013 for $0

So, as you can see, both OS X 10.1 Puma and 10.9 Mavericks were released as free updates, however, Puma was released just six months after 10.0 Cheetah, so that would have been ridiculous if Apple has chosen to charge for it. Other than that anomaly, OS X updates remained at $129 each until Snow Leopard in 2009, which sold for $29. The last $129 version of OS X was Leopard, which saw massive delays due to Apple pulling engineers from it to work on iPhone OS 1.0 (now known as iOS.) Lion was also sold for $29, and was the first version of OS X to be available as a digital download from the Mac App Store. The following year, Mountain Lion debuted at just $19--the best bargain in OS X release history until yesterday, when Mavericks launched for free. The trend has always been that OS X updates would cost the same as the previous year, or less--never more (discounting the Puma issue, which was a huge bugfix patch.) As this point, it appears that OS X has gone the way of iOS, where all updates from here on out will be available for free, on an annual basis.

You can download OS X Mavericks, for free, right now.


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