MacRumors' Mac Blog: Mac Apps, News and Rumors

Google has announced that it will be extending its policy that requires Chrome extensions to be hosted on the Chrome Web Store to all Mac users beginning in July 2015. Google says it is extending the policy, originally announced in May 2014, to protect users against unsafe Chrome extensions by malicious software developers."We originally did not enforce this policy on the Windows developer...

Apple subsidiary FileMaker today announced FileMaker 14, a new version of its database development platform for Mac, iPhone, iPad, Windows-based PCs and the web. FileMaker 14 contains several new features for developers, including a new Script Workspace for faster automation of common business processes, a redesigned FileMaker WebDirect, new app-like Launch Center interface, an enhanced iOS...

As we head into the second week of May, deals on Macs and Apple accessories continue to be good. It's an excellent time to buy a newer MacBook Air or Retina MacBook Pro, or pick up an older 2014 model at a cheap price. There are some limited deals on iPads this week, and we've also rounded up plenty of Mother's Day discounts on products and a list of apps that can be purchased on the cheap. ...

Apple today released Safari 8.0.6 for OS X Yosemite, bringing new security fixes to the browser. Apple has also released Safari 7.1.6 for Mavericks users and Safari 6.2.6 for Mountain Lion users. According to a security support document, the update addresses several WebKit vulnerabilities that could lead to arbitrary code execution or compromised personal information. WebKit Available for: OS X...

G-Technology's G-Drive ev ATC is its latest hard drive, offering Thunderbolt connectivity in an ultra protective package. Introduced at CES this year, the G-Drive ev ATC (ATC stands for All-Terrain Case) is shock/dust resistant, waterproof and pressure resistant, plus it offers 1TB of storage and Thunderbolt speeds. Designed for users who need storage space that can be used in the field in...

Software maker OpenTV has filed a patent lawsuit against Apple based on accusations that several of the company's products and services, including iTunes, infringe upon five of its patents related to streaming digital video. The civil suit was filed Tuesday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, and OpenTV is seeking undiclosed compensation for the alleged patent...

Happy May! Heading into the first of the month, deals on Macs continue to be good, while deals on iPads are less impressive. It's a good time to buy a Retina MacBook Pro or a MacBook Air (either one of the new models or the older 2014 models -- discounts on both are solid), but if you're looking for an iPad and can hold out for a few weeks, you might be able to get a better price. Along with...

Apple may be looking to further beef up its search platform "Spotlight" for iOS and OS X with deeper integration of Tweets and Twitter accounts, according to Twitter CEO Dick Costolo (via Macworld). Spotlight already provides some Twitter search options, letting users place an "@" symbol ahead of a name to search for an account or a "#" to search for popular hashtags on the service. Users can...

Popular image editing app Pixelmator was today updated to version 3.3.2, introducing a more powerful repair tool and introducing support for the new Photos app and the Force Touch trackpad found in the new MacBook and the recently updated 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro. Pixelmator's repair tool (the bandaid icon in the app) lets users remove unwanted objects from photos in just a few minutes using ...

iSkelter has released several TechDesks that are designed specifically for Apple devices with Mac air vents and built-in slots for holding the iPhone and the iPad, and as of today, the company's latest desk, the LiftPro, is available for pre-order on Indiegogo. The LiftPro is an electric desk that can be adjusted to several different heights suitable for sitting or standing, and like all of...

iCloud Photo Library was introduced with iOS 8, but with the launch of the Photos for OS X app, it's now available on the Mac. In a nutshell, ‌iCloud Photo Library‌ is Apple's newest photo service that lets you sync all of your images across all your devices and to iCloud. ‌iCloud Photo Library‌ supports several photo and video formats, storing photos in their original format, and it makes...

For our next giveaway here at MacRumors, we've again partnered with Pad & Quill, the maker of premium MacBook, iPhone, and iPad cases and other accessories. Pad & Quill is graciously offering a package of two prizes for this giveaway – the winner will be able to choose one leather Valet Luxury Sleeve (for the 11-inch Macbook Air, 12-inch MacBook, or 13-inch MacBook Pro, or the 15-inch MacBook Pro)...

Tomorrow is the launch of the Apple Watch, so we're doing our deals post a day early this week. On the eve of the Apple Watch release, deals are similar to last week's -- good, but not great. If you're looking to buy an iPad Air 2, you might want to wait a week, but it's an okay time to pull the trigger on a MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, new or old. Along with the standard discounts on Macs and...

Once you've migrated your image library from iPhotos or Aperture (or both), you'll probably want to add all the images from your iPhone or iPad and get everything organized so you can quickly find pictures from specific dates and events in the future. To help you accomplish both of these tasks, we've written up a tutorial that provides an overview of how to import pictures into the Photos app ...

Apple today released an iMac Graphics Update for users of the more recent iMacs, fixing an issue that caused the computers to freeze up after viewing very large JPEG Files. Affected iMacs include the late 2014 27-inch Retina iMac, the late 2013 21.5-inch iMac, and the late 2013 27-inch iMac. Apple has also released an accompanying support document that describes the issue in more detail,...

Apple's former Chief Architect of Video Applications Randy Ubillos announced on Twitter today that he is retiring after working for 20 years at the Cupertino-based company on professional video and photo software. Ubillos is best known as the creator of the first three versions of Adobe Premiere and KeyGrip, which was sold to Apple and released as Final Cut Pro. After an amazing 20 years ...

With most of the past few days covered in Apple Watch shipping news, the build-to-order version of the new 12-inch MacBook has flown slightly under the radar. But, this morning, Apple began updating customers who opted-in for the 1.3GHz model of the notebook with shipping dates almost two weeks earlier than initially expected. First given a vague 3-4 week shipping estimate by Apple, the...

Longtime Apple public relations executive Natalie Kerris is retiring after 14 years with the company, she announced on Twitter. Kerris had worked closely with Jobs and oversaw the launch of the iPod, iPhone, iPad, MacBook Air, Apple Pay and the Apple Watch. According to Re/code, she had initially sought to succeed longtime Apple PR head Katie Cotton after Cotton decided to retire last year....