MacRumors' Mac Blog: Mac Apps, News and Rumors

Apple has updated its Support website, adding the option for users to schedule Genius Bar appointments at their local Apple retail stores within the Support site. Previously, users had to navigate to their local Apple Store's page to make appointments. The new option, first spotted by 9to5Mac, is presented after a user defines what kind of problem they're having with a particular product....

As the holidays approach, deals on iPhones, iPads, Macs, and Apple accessories will be picking up, culminating in a slew of deals around Black Friday. Some retailers have already begun offering discounts on Apple products, and this week, there are discounts on the Retina iMac, a range of older iPads, and various Apple accessories including Western Digital hard drives and Beats earphones. Retin...

Spotify on Friday added a new feature that allows subscribers to use an iPhone or iPad as a remote control for playback on their Mac. The new feature is available for free as part of Spotify's $9.99 monthly premium subscription.We've just released a great new Premium feature, which lets you play Spotify through your computer, using your phone or tablet as a remote. Use the Spotify app to control...

Other World Computing today announced the launch of new 1 TB (960 GB) solid state drive options for 2010-2012 models of the MacBook Air. Priced at $549 for the drive alone or $579 for a package including tools and an Envoy enclosure to repurpose the original drive for external storage, the new 1 TB option complements existing 120, 240, and 480 GB options for the various MacBook Air...

Popular Mac Photoshop alternative Pixelmator was today updated to version 3.3 "Limestone," introducing a redesigned interface, a repair tool extension, and support for several OS X Yosemite features including iCloud Drive and Handoff. The update also brings support for the new iMac with Retina 5K display. Pixelmator's subtle redesign was inspired by OS X Yosemite, bringing a flatter look and...

Apple today announced on its website (via ifoAppleStore) that it will be opening its store in Lille, France on Saturday, November 15. The store will be located on 1 Rue Faidherbe, which also hosts a number of other luxury retailers and outlets. The store itself will contain two levels and span 1400 square meters (15000 square feet) and wrap around the city block, offering a wide amount of space...

Microsoft today announced that it's opening signups for an early preview of Skype Translator, a real-time language translation feature that it first showed off earlier this year at Re/code's Code Conference. While the initial trial program will be limited to customers who own a Windows 8.1 computer or tablet, Microsoft is open to bringing Skype Translator to other platforms in the future. The ...

On December 11th, a fully functional original Apple-1 Personal Computer will go up for auction, reports Reuters. The rare machine, which Steve Jobs sold out of his parents' garage in 1976 for $600, is expected to sell for over half a million dollars. This particular Apple-1 is the only documented machine to have been sold directly by Jobs himself. Back in 1999, the computer was purchased by...

In celebration of the Halloween holiday, Apple, app developers, and retailers are all offering significant discounts on a range of movies, apps, and Apple accessories. We've rounded up some of the best of the holiday deals, which can be found below. Movies Apple has discounted a slew of scary movies to celebrate Halloween, offering both horror titles and more family-oriented Halloween-themed...

Whenever Apple talks about the Mac mini—like at the October event in Cupertino—the company always mentions how the Mac mini is a favorite with first-time Mac users. While that may be true, the Mac mini isn't just a computer for newbies. Its combination of affordability, compactness, and performance makes the Mac mini an ideal computer for new and experienced users alike. Apple offers three ...

Apple today unveiled its traditional black barriers around its forthcoming store in Lille, France, indicating that is construction is winding down as a grand opening is imminent, reports MacGeneration (Google Translate). The store will contain two levels and span 1400 square meters (roughly 15000 square feet). MacGeneration notes that the store will likely be opened by the end of November,...

Apple today added several new models of the current 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro to its online store for refurbished products, marking their first availability at a lower cost since their July 2014 launch date. There are six different models available, which are currently mistakenly listed under the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro section, an error that should be corrected soon. While one machine...

Twelve South today announced a new horizontal stand designed specifically for the new model of Mac Pro. Unlike most of Twelve South's product line, the BookArc for Mac Pro is made of a shinier chrome plate that offsets the deep black colors of the Mac Pro itself. The specially designed stand allows Mac Pros to be placed horizontally, saving vertical space in cabinets and on shelves. Earlier in...

Now that Apple's iPad Air 2 and iPad mini 3 are available, retailers have been offering discounts on the original iPad Air and the iPad mini 2. There are quite a few deals on previous-generation higher capacity cellular and Wi-Fi iPads, and this week also sees some discounts on remaining 2013 Retina MacBook Pro inventory and deals on some Apple accessories. MacBook Air Best Buy is offering ...

Apple's Power Mac G5 has a distinctive aluminum design that was disruptive when it launched in 2003. Inspired by this milestone in design, designer Klaus Geiger has "upcycled" this aging Apple hardware into furniture because the machines are "simply too good to be disposed of." (via DesignBoom) As part of a project aptly titled "Benchmarc", Geiger has carefully created a sitting bench using ...

Apple will open 25 new Apple Stores in China over the next two years, according to CEO Tim Cook who spoke to Chinese news outlet Sina (via Reuters). The news comes as Cook was reported yesterday to be meeting with China's Vice Minister Ma Kai to discuss the security of user data. The CEO also tweeted a picture of himself in Zhengzhou, where he visited a Foxconn assembly factory. The Apple ...

A rare working Apple 1 computer has sold for a record $905,000 at a Bonhams auction in New York, reports Reuters. Estimates suggested the motherboard might fetch between $300,000 and $500,000, but it ended up selling for far more. The motherboard is believed to be one of approximately 50 Apple 1 computers that were originally constructed by Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak in Steve Jobs'...

Apple today confirmed on its website that it will be opening its second retail store in Turkey this Saturday, October 25. The store will be located in Istanbul's Akasya Shopping Mall, and follows the opening of the Zorlu Center Apple Store earlier this year which saw an appearance by Apple's manager of retail stores Steve Cano. Photos of the new location shared by Apple Toolbox earlier this ...