MacRumors' Mac Blog: Mac Apps, News and Rumors

Apple today seeded build 13E25 of OS X 10.9.4 to developers, just under a week after seeding the third OS X 10.9.4 beta, build 13E19, and more than a month after the public release of OS X 10.9.3, which included enhanced support for 4K displays and syncing improvements. The beta is available through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store and through the Mac Dev Center. It...

Apple today updated its iWork for iCloud software suite, adding new features to Pages, Keynote, and Numbers (via The Loop). All three cloud-based applications now remember a user's last used document settings and a user's most recent screen name when opening a shared document. The apps also now include tips on how to perform certain actions using keyboard when right-clicking on objects and...

Best Buy is now offering the new entry-level iMac for $979.99, a $120 discount off its standard price of $1099. Combined with the recent educational discount that takes an additional $150 off the price of Apple iMacs and MacBooks, the new iMac model can be purchased by qualifying customers for just $829.99. While the $980 sale price is available to all customers until June 28, the extra...

Microsoft today announced that it will provide up to $650 in store credit for select MacBook Air models, in an effort to get MacBook Air owners to switch to the company's new Surface Pro 3, which it claims has the "power of a laptop in a lightweight, versatile form." Trade-ins must be conducted within a Microsoft retail store. First announced in May, the Surface Pro 3 offers a 12-inch display, ...

Microsoft announced today via Computerworld) that it will be dropping support for older versions of Skype on Mac and Windows over the next few months to make way for newer editions. Specifically, Skype for Mac 6.14 and below will be retired in the near future, as Microsoft noted that users will no longer be able to sign into the service until they upgrade to the latest version of Skype. Skype ...

Apple today seeded build 13E19 of OS X 10.9.4 to developers, just over a week after seeding the second OS X 10.9.4 beta and more than a month after the public release of OS X 10.9.3, which included enhanced support for 4K displays and syncing improvements. The beta is available through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store and should be in the Mac Dev Center shortly. It remains ...

Adobe today announced that all of its Creative Cloud desktop apps, including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Dreamweaver, Lightroom, Premiere Pro, and more, will receive updates that improve the efficiency of work flows and boost performance. Photoshop CC, for example, will gain new Blur Gallery motion effects for creating a sense of motion, a Focus Mask for selecting focus areas and...

StackSocial has just launched a new "Summer Blockbuster Mac Bundle" that offers up to 10 apps with 10% of all profits going to one of three charities. Buyers can "name their own price" for the bundle and every purchase includes the following three apps: - DiscLabel ($40) - SyncMate Expert 5 ($40) - Tangerine! ($25) If a buyer pays more than the current average price displayed on...

Alongside the second iOS 8 beta released earlier today, Apple also released a new version of the Apple TV software. The two updates appear to have laid the groundwork for Family Sharing, as there's a new section for "Family Purchases" in the iOS App Store's Purchased tab and a new iCloud Family setting for the Apple TV. As noted by 9to5Mac, Family Sharing on the Apple TV (and on the App Store) ...

OS X Yosemite's dark mode, which was demoed on stage at Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference, has yet to make it into the beta as an available setting. It is, however, possible to get a glimpse of dark mode with a Terminal command, as discovered by iOS developer Hamza Sood. To enable the somewhat functional dark mode: sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/.GlobalPreferences ...

According to a letter filed in the Southern District Court of New York, Apple has reached an out-of-court settlement with both class action lawyers and state district attorneys over e-book price-fixing, reports Bloomberg. Settlement details remain sealed and must be approved by the court. If approved, this agreement will end litigation ahead of a potentially costly damages trial that was...

G-Technology has introduced the new G-Speed Studio (via iLounge), a 4-bay Thunderbolt 2 storage solution configurable in RAID 0,1, 5, and 10. Taking strong design cues from Apple's 2013 Mac Pro, the revamped G-Speed Studio features a shiny black enclosure that fits right in on a desktop also sporting a Mac Pro. Wider than the Mac Pro, the G-Speed Studio also features smart fan technology and ...

Best Buy is offering a $100 discount on all of the newest 2014 MacBook Air models, bringing the entry-level 11-inch model down to $799. Best Buy is also offering a second deal for students with a valid .EDU email address that gives $150 off any Mac, and these two deals can be combined, cutting prices to the absolute lowest we've seen. - 11.6" MacBook Air, 4GB, 128GB SSD: $899 -> $799 ->...

BestBuy is offering free shipping and $100 off all the newest MacBook Air models. This brings the base MacBook Air model down to $799 -- the lowest we've seen for the latest generation models. The discount kicks off today, but appears to extend all week. - 11.6" MacBook Air, 4GB, 128GB SSD: $899 -> $799 - 11.6" MacBook Air, 4GB, 256GB SSD: $1099 -> $999 - 13.3" MacBook Air, 4GB, 128GB...

NPR Yesterday wrote a story on the efforts of tech companies to protect consumer data, which included an extensive chart on how companies measure up when it comes to encryption. While Apple was found to be encrypting iMessage end-to-end, as well as email from customers to iCloud, it was found to be one of the few global email providers based in the U.S. that does not encrypt customer email in...

There are some great deals on Apple-related accessories and services this week, as well as some decent discounts on the iPad mini and the 13 and 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro. Beats Studio over-ear headphones can be purchased (in six colors) for $180 through Groupon, which is $89 off the price when purchased directly from Beats. Target is also offering 25 percent off Beats Music gift cards,...

Apple has released a new video on its YouTube channel depicting employees preparing for the grand opening of the new Omotesando, Tokyo Apple Store. Employees can be seen stocking, setting up displays and putting up advertisements around the new store, offering a look at how Apple prepares its retail stores. The new store features a "green curtain" of vines and plants on the side to help with ...

Apple today seeded build 13E16 of OS X 10.9.4 to developers, approximately two weeks after releasing the first OS X 10.9.4 beta and almost a month after the public release of OS X 10.9.3, which included enhanced support for 4K displays and syncing improvements. The beta is available through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store as well as through the Mac Dev Center. It remains...