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Following up on an announcement made at the end of April, Verizon has begun rolling out its Verizon Cloud storage solution to iOS devices today. Verizon Cloud offers Verizon users a free 500 MB of cloud storage to backup their photos, videos, contacts, music, call logs and text messages. Users who want more storage can buy it at a monthly fee of US$2.99/month for 25 GB, $5.99/month for 75 GB, and $9.99/month for 125 GB. The Verizon Cloud service lets users stream music and sync data between devices, including photos, videos and documents. Users can also access their files via the web and desktop applications. On the iPhone users can manage their Verizon Cloud account through the free Verizon Cloud app.Verizon Cloud comes to iOS devices originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 24 May 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Photo: The Verge HP appears to be taking its If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em design philosophy to something of an extreme with the new HP Envy notebook. A gallery posted by The Verge shows just how closely HP has copied Apple’s MacBook Air designs in almost every respect, from the wedge profile through the chicklet keyboard, trackpad and colors … Take away the logo, and at first glance, you could easily mistake the HP clone for the original. The heading used here by HP even appears to be a shameless admission of the approach: The irony of HP CEO Meg Whitman’s commentary on this made me laugh aloud: Last year, Hewlett-Packard decided to unify the design of every thin and light laptop it sold, applying the same basic curves across every keyboard, touchpad, hinge, lid, and frame. This year, it’s not just thin-and-light laptops getting the treatment: according to company representatives, CEO Meg Whitman has now mandated a unified design language across HP’s entire portfolio of consumer machines. “She took a look at our portfolio and said, ”I don’t know what’s HP.’” She does now know what’s HP, apparently. When she said last year that “Apple taught us that design really matters,” she seemingly meant this rather literally … HP does have form for this. The company last year released the Spectre One desktop. Remind you of anything? Photo: Engadget Even the trackpad and mouse were cloned. HP is not alone in this, of course, as our own Jordan Kahn saw at the IFA in Berlin last year, but it does seem rather more blatant than most. HP’s approach may even go back further, to the HP Touchsmart back in 2011: Which we felt looked kinda familiar … Perhaps HP thought it was just the next logical step after simply stamping its own logo on the back of an iPod: Photo: Wikipedia (That one was legitimate: a deal with Apple dating back to 2004 to sell HP-labelled iPods through its distribution networks.)

Innocent until proven guilty? Not for Cupertino. Apple’s e-book antitrust trial starts on June 3rd, but the U.S. District Judge in charge of the case is already openly expressing her belief that Apple engaged in a conspiracy. According to Reuters, U.S. District Judge Denise Cole recently opined: I believe that the government will be able to show at trial direct evidence that Apple knowingly participated in and facilitated a conspiracy to raise prices of e-books, and that the circumstantial evidence in this case, including the terms of the agreements, will confirm that. Judge Cole has already read much of the evidence, including correspondence between Apple’s executives and the e-book industry, culminating in the establishment of an agency pricing model with major American publishers, breaking Amazon’s lock on $9.99 e-books. So she’s probably drawing her opinion from that. Even so, the trial hasn’t started yet, and there’s no jury, meaning Judge Cole herself will singly declare Apple guilty or innocent. Apple’s lawyer is understandably tweaked. “We strongly disagree with the court’s preliminary statements about the case today,” said Orin Snyder of the firm Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher. “We look forward to presenting our evidence in open court and proving that Apple did not conspire to fix prices.” Whether Apple is guilty or not, it seems like the Judge in the case would at least restrain herself from making statements on the matter before the trial starts, wouldn’t you think? Source: Reuters The post Judge In Apple E-Book Antitrust Case Thinks Apple Is Guilty, Even Before Trial Starts appeared first on Cult of Mac.Related StoriesReal-Life Instagram Filters Now (Almost) Available [Kickstarter]These Days, Even iPhone Backup Batteries Are Fashion AccessoriesGeoguessr Asks The Question ‘Where The Hell Am I?”Best Buy To Knock $50 Off The iPhone Starting SundayVerizon Cloud Backup App Comes To iOS

Earlier this month we heard that Apple submitted to the courts that it engaged in “contentious negotiations”– and not a pricing conspiracy– at a time when publishers were already considering methods of getting Amazon to increase pricing. According to the latest comments from a judge in the high-profile eBook pricing case, Apple might not be able to prove its case when it goes to trial early next month. U.S. District Judge Denise Cote believes that the U.S Justice Department will indeed be able to prove a pricing conspiracy took place (via Bloomberg): “I believe that the government will be able to show at trial direct evidence that Apple knowingly participated in and facilitated a conspiracy to raise prices of e-books, and that the circumstantial evidence in this case, including the terms of the agreements, will confirm that,” U.S. District Judge Denise Cote in Manhattan said yesterday. “We strongly disagree with the court’s preliminary statements about the case,” Orin Snyder, Apple’s lead lawyer in the case, said yesterday in an e-mailed statement. “The court made clear that this was not a final ruling and that the evidence at trial will determine the verdict. This is what a trial is for.”

Marketwatch recently took a look at the rising price of iPhone 5 screen repairs, pointing out that the $229 Apple sometimes charges to repair a broken iPhone 5 screen is often more than the cost of the device itself, with a two-year contract of course. At the root of rising iPhone repair costs are more expensive components coupled with a lower supply of said components. The replacement components for the iPhone 5 are much more expensive than similar parts for prior models - so expensive in fact that many independent repair services cannot compete. "Due to the high cost of replacement parts, we are not yet offering iPhone 5 repairs," according to a statement on ComputerOverhauls.com, an online repair shop. "Currently, the Apple Store is the least expensive option for repairing damaged iPhone 5s." Other services charge as much as $250 for the repair. The article also relays that the iPhone 5 is actually easier to fix than previous iPhone models. Replacing a display on the iPhone 4S, for example, involves 37 steps. Oh cruel irony. All told, AppleCare+ for iPhone owners is steadily looking like the smart play. I opted not to get AppleCare when I picked up my iPhone 4S. 15 months later, the screen cracked after I clumsily let it slip out of my hand. With AppleCare+, which costs $99, Apple extends warranty coverage on the iPhone to two years, a plan which covers two incidents of accidental damage along with a $49 service fee. Damage not caused by human error or clumsiness is not subject to an additional service fee.iPhone repair costs are soaring originally appeared on TUAW - The Unofficial Apple Weblog on Fri, 24 May 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments

9to5Mac shares more details on Jony Ive's redesign for iOS 7, noting that not only will it bring a flatter look to the operating system but also more emphasis on black and white design elements.Sources have described iOS 7 as “black, white, and flat all over.” This refers to the dropping of heavy textures and the addition of several new black and white user interface elements. [...] For the upcoming operating system, which Apple says will be unveiled at its June Worldwide Developers Conference, Ive has not simply picked areas of the software design to tweak. He has essentially made his mark on every corner of the operating system, according to descriptions from sources, all while mostly keeping the essence of what has made iOS so ubiquitous.The report walks through a number of specific changes appearing in the current development version of iOS 7, including changes to the lock screen, notifications, and the home screen. The report also describes how the look of some of the default iOS apps has changed:[T]he iPhone’s Notes app has replaced the yellow notepad design for a flat white look. Apps such as Mail, Calendar, and Maps have also gained a more uniformed look with flat white textures. While the core elements of those apps are mostly white, each app has been given a unique button color. Essentially, each app has a white base with a respective color theme. For example, the Calendar app could potentially have red buttons, while Messages could have green controls.Other changes include the addition of panorama home screen wallpapers that pan as the user swipes between screens, subtle animations in the Weather app, and the possibility of FaceTime being moved out of the Phone app into a standalone app for greater visibility. Apple is expected to show off at least some of iOS 7's changes at its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) where the keynote is scheduled for June 10. Today's report indicates that Apple has tested several different design themes for iOS 7 over the past several months and that things may still change before the public release, but it seems reasonable to expect that aspects shown at WWDC will be close to the final shipping version. Recent Mac and iOS Blog Stories • Letter to Brazilian Apple Repair Centers Suggests June 2013 Policy Changes? • Jon Stewart Takes on Apple's Appearance in Front of Senate Committee • Angry Birds Space Named App of the Week, Available for Free • Evernote Adds Reminders to Mac and iOS Apps in Update • Shazam for iPad Rebuilt as Universal App With Background Auto-Tagging and More • Gmail Management App 'Mailbox' Gains iPad Compatibility • Microsoft Releases Windows 8 Tablet Ad Highlighting iPad's Flaws, High Price [Updated] • Clear Updated with List Emailing Functionality, iPad Version Coming Soon

Verizon Cloud, a new backup service that first came to Android last month, is now available on iOS. The app allows you to backup your photos and videos to the cloud, and access contacts, documents, and music that you’ve stored in the cloud using your PC. Verizon Cloud is a free service that backs up your contacts, photos and videos to secure cloud storage, so you don’t need to lose your important content if you lose your phone. Your iPhone puts your digital life in your pocket… until the day that it slips out of your pocket! As well as backing up your photos and videos, Verizon Cloud lets you share content with friends and family, stream music and access your documents, and backup other content from your computer’s hard drive. It also gives existing user’s of Verizon’s Backup Assistant and Backup Assistant Plus services access to the data they’re already stored. Verizon Cloud free up to a point — as the app’s description notes above — but if you need more than 500MB of space you’ll need to upgrade. Verizon also offers 25GB of space for $2.99 per month, or 125GB for $9.99 per month. The Verizon Cloud app for iOS isn’t quite as useful as the Android version, because Apple’s restrictions prevent certain features. For example, the Android version also backs up text messages, call logs, and contacts, while the iOS version does not. You can download Verizon Cloud now from the App Store. Source: App Store Via: The Verge The post Verizon Cloud Backup App Comes To iOS appeared first on Cult of Mac.Related StoriesiPhone Case Stores Headphones In Giant PocketReal-Life Instagram Filters Now (Almost) Available [Kickstarter]These Days, Even iPhone Backup Batteries Are Fashion AccessoriesGeoguessr Asks The Question ‘Where The Hell Am I?”Best Buy To Knock $50 Off The iPhone Starting Sunday

At work, I use a big Acer monitor connected to my Macbook Air via an HDMI dongle from Moshi and an HDMI cable. For quite some time, I was content with having the sound come out of the Macbook Air, which I have set up just to the left of the big monitor as a second screen. But the other day, since I have the huge TV in my office, the rest of the staff came in to preview a promotional video we’d done for our agency. The tinny sound of my Macbook Air speakers wasn’t enough. I wanted to hear it out of the TV. This is what I did. In the upper right hand corner of the Mac screen, there’s the sound icon. Click it normally and you can increase or decrease the volume. But, if you Option-click it, you’ll get all the different output options your Mac has to send audio through. Choose the option that represents your HDTV (mine is called AT3265, for some weird reason). When you do that, the little audio speaker icon will grey out and you’ll need to control your Mac’s audio with your TV set’s remote control or other volume buttons. The video preview we did was a success, and now I can’t imagine listening to audio through anything but the big TV on my desk. Progress has been made! Via: OS X Daily The post Make Your Mac Send Sound Output To Your Giant HDTV [OS X Tips] appeared first on Cult of Mac.Related StoriesCategorize And Manage Your Larger iBooks Library With Ease [iOS Tips]Twitter For Mac App Updated With Notification Center IntegrationEasily Open A Second Finder Window From The Same Folder [OS X Tips]Evernote Reminders Now Available On Mac, iOS & The WebSlide On The Dotted Line To Riffle Your Way Through An iBook [iOS Tips]

In an unusual pre-trial "tentative view," the judge in charge of the Apple versus the Department of Justice trial over alleged e-book price-fixing said that the DOJ would likely be able to prove that Apple colluded with publishers to raise e-book prices, despite not having seen all available evidence. This is not the first time Judge Denise Cote has ruled against Apple ahead of a full examination of the facts....

Along with the usual bug fixes and performance improvements, the recently updated iTunes 11.0.3 introduces several interface tweaks. For my money, the most welcome addition is one that Apple doesn’t even mention on its “About iTunes 11.0.3” page: a redesigned interface for checking on and downloading updated apps. On the downside, if you’re among the unlucky minority, the new iTunes version may crash on a regular basis. Updating apps gets a welcome makeover Back in 2010, I detailed several problems with how the app update process worked in iTunes — and how it could be improved. The just released iTunes update, at last, addresses almost all of these concerns. The location of the Updates button has moved to a better, more easily accessible, location. Of course, you first have to discover the change. Rather than off by itself at the bottom of the Apps window, Updates is now at the end of the row of buttons at the top of the window. After clicking the Updates button, iTunes 11.0.3 instantly displays a list of whatever updates you have available. In iTunes 10 and earlier, clicking Check for Updates would just tell you if updates were available. If they were, you would be asked if you wanted to view them—requiring that you click a second button. Even after clicking the second button, it still took a few moments before the update list appeared. While prior versions of iTunes 11 somewhat simplified the procedure, iTunes 11.0.3 completes the job. Catching up with the iOS versions of the App Store, the latest Mac version of iTunes now gives you quick access to What’s New in each updated app. Just click on an app’s icon and an expanded view drops down. From here, you get the details of what’s new as well as the app’s version number. You can also select to individually update an app. This is still not as good as how things work on the iPad, where the data and Update buttons are all available without requiring a separate click of each app. But it’s much better overall than how this was handled in older Mac versions of iTunes. The new iTunes app update listings no longer indicates the size of each app, but most people won’t miss this. With iTunes 11.0.3, Mac users can finally easily check what's new in each app update. The Updates listings are now part of the Apps section of your iTunes Library. In prior versions of iTunes, selecting to view updates transferred you from Apps and whisked you away to the iTunes Store. I’m sure this contributed to the slower response times. It also was a source of irritation if you needed to toggle back and forth between the two locations while dealing with updates. iTunes crashes for some After updating to the latest version of iTunes, a subset of users report having repeated crashes, “on an almost daily basis,” as often as “every five minutes.” Downgrading back to 11.0.2 appears to eliminate the crashes, but Apple does not make this easy to accomplish. Unfortunately, if you are a victim of this bug, there does not seem to be a better consensus work-around. Presumably, Apple will quash the bug in the next iTunes update. To read this article in full or to leave a comment, please click here