MacRumors' Mac Blog: Mac Apps, News and Rumors

Apple today seeded build 13D33 of OS X 10.9.3 to developers, just under a week after releasing the fourth OS X beta, build 13D28, and a month after the first 10.9.3 beta. The beta is available through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store as well as through the Mac Dev Center. Apple continues to ask developers to focus on Graphics Drivers and Audio, and Safari. As was...

Since late 2012, a number of accessory manufacturers have released docking stations taking advantage of Thunderbolt technology to allow users to connect a number of different types of devices to their machines with a single cable. Matrox was the first to reach market with its DS1, and similar offerings from Belkin and CalDigit have since been released. Popular TV and video accessory maker...

Major US companies from various business sectors have joined together to form a lobbying group that opposes pending patent reform legislation proposed by Congress, reports Reuters. The new Partnership for American Innovation includes Apple, DuPont, Ford, General Electric, IBM, Microsoft and Pfizer. The change proposed by Congress would target patent assertion entities (PAEs), which purchase...

MacHeist's Apple Design Award Bundle is currently available for purchase, combining nine different apps that have won Apple Design Awards in the past. The apps have a retail value of $1,776, but can be purchased for $19.99. While seven of the apps are immediately available, the final two will be unlocked when specific sales targets are reached. The Apple Design Award Bundle includes: - Boi...

The upcoming USB 3.1 specification, an update to USB 3.0 that provides a throughput of up to 10 Gbit/s, also includes a new "Type C" connector, which is reversible much like Apple's Lightning cable. Announced in December [PDF], the reversible design was said to be smaller in size, similar to existing Micro USB plugs. While no cables are available yet, the USB Implementers Forum (via CNET) has...

New photos taken by Instagram user orbaygumus (via ifoAppleStore’s Gary Allen) have revealed the unique exterior and interior of Apple’s first Turkish retail store in Istanbul that is set to open this Saturday, April 5. The store, which is located in the upscale Zorlu Center Shopping Center, features a unique cubic design complete with a glass ceiling and glass sides that occupy approximately ...

Apple today updated update Safari for Mavericks to version 7.0.3, adding improvements to compatibility, stability, and security. The update includes a new option for turning off push notification prompts for websites, improves credit card autofill, adds support for webpages with generic top-level domains, and fixes several security issues.- Fixes an issue that could cause the search and address...

Apple updated the shipping estimates for its new Mac Pro desktop, with the US store now providing a shipping target of 5 to 6 weeks for new orders with either stock or custom configurations. International stores still report April as an estimated ship date, but these dates are likely to change now that the month has officially started. This is one of several recent changes Apple has made to...

To earn approval for its Apple 2 Campus in Cupertino, Apple agreed to increase the number of employees using transportation like bicycles and shuttles, according to a new report on commuting in Silicon Valley from The Los Angeles Times. Apple maintains a Transportation Demand Management program that gives 1,600 of its employees free rides to and from work, using environmentally friendly...

Samsung today announced the UD590, a new 28-inch 4K monitor that will go on sale this April in the US market for $700 (Via Engadget). The UD590 model includes a 28-inch display with 3840 x 2160 resolution, 1 billion (10-bit) colors and 1 millisecond response time, making it suitable for gaming or watching high-action sports or movies. The UD590 ships with a picture-in-picture feature that...

A federal judge has granted class action status to a group of plaintiffs suing Apple over its antitrust collusion with publishers to increase the price of e-books, reports Reuters. The judge, Denise Cote, is the same judge who oversaw the antitrust case against Apple by the U.S. Department of Justice.Judge Cote has been accused by Apple of overstepping her judicial authority by giving a...

Apple today seeded build 13D28 of OS X 10.9.3 to developers, a little over one week after releasing the third OS X 10.9.3 beta, build 13D21 and three weeks after the first 10.9.3 beta. The beta is available through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store as well as through the Mac Dev Center. Apple is currently asking developers to focus on Graphics Drivers and Audio. As was...

Western Digital today announced the new My Passport Pro, the company's first thunderbolt-powered, dual-drive storage solution. With user-selectable RAID functionality, the drive is suitable for graphics professionals looking for high performance or consumers who need reliable mirroring. The aluminum enclosure accommodates two 2.5-inch drives, providing a total of 2 TB or 4 TB of storage...

Work at Apple's new sapphire production plant in Mesa, Arizona is progressing, with contractors working "around the clock and even on weekends", according to a new report by AppleInsider. It also says Apple may be expanding into another building already existing on the site.The site says Apple planned to have the facility up and running by February and it may be partially active as work...

Earlier this month, Transcend announced the launch of 128 GB RAM kits for the new Mac Pro, offering users willing to spend nearly $2500 the ability to go beyond Apple's maximum of 64 GB. Several new options for 128 GB RAM upgrades have launched since that time, offering consumer more choices in sourcing their RAM. Last week, MacMall began selling 32 GB modules from Axiom for $620, thus...

Connected Data today announced the Drobo Gen3, the next generation of its popular 4-bay storage array. The Gen3 is faster and cheaper than previous Drobo models. It also features enhanced support for Apple's Time Machine backups. This third generation Drobo is more affordable, three times faster than the previous release and includes new features such as USB 3.0, significantly faster rebuild ...

The latest expansion pack to BioShock Infinite has launched simultaneously on the Mac and PC. Burial at Sea - Episode 2 is the third and final add-on pack for BioShock Infinite and is included in the season pass for that game. It is available on the Mac for $15 on Steam and Aspyr's GameAgent.com store, and will be added to the Mac App Store later this week. BioShock Infinite ($30) is required...

Cathy Edwards, who works as a Director of Evaluation and Quality on Apple Maps, is planning to leave Apple in April, reports TechCrunch. Edwards initially co-founded and served as chief technical officer at app discovery platform Chomp, joining Apple after her company was acquired in 2012. Apple purchased Chomp in early 2012 to bolster its App Store search and discovery algorithms and incorpo...