MacRumors' Mac Blog: Mac Apps, News and Rumors

Firaxis and 2K Games' critically acclaimed strategy title XCOM: Enemy Unknown has officially launched for the Mac today. Originally announced in February, XCOM: Enemy Unknown for Mac comes packaged as part of a special Elite Edition, which includes additional add-on content like the Slingshot Pack, the Elite Soldier Pack, the Second Wave update and the game's soundtrack. XCOM: Enemy...

Twitter has updated its OS X client, nearly two years since the last update. The new client gains support for the Retina display and fourteen more languages, as well as a new way to post photos.- Photos: It’s easier than ever to share photos. Simply click the camera icon in the lower-left corner of the Tweet compose box, and choose a photo to share. If you prefer, you can still drag and drop...

Last week, we noted that workers had begun removing barricades and scaffolding surrounding Apple's first store in Berlin, Germany amid rumors that the store would open during the first weekend of May. In an unusually early reveal, Apple has already confirmed the opening with a new page for the store listing the public opening as taking place at 5:00 PM on Friday, May 3. The new page also...

During today's Q2 2013 quarterly earnings call, Apple revealed that iCloud now has more than 300 million users, a 20% increase from the 250 million that it reported during its Q1 earnings call in January. A year ago, iCloud had just over 100M users. Apple's iCloud originally launched in late 2011, as a replacement for the company's MobileMe service. iCloud, which is designed to allow users...

During today's second quarter earnings release, Apple revealed that it continues to see high revenue growth in China, with an increase to $8.2 billion or 8 percent year-over year with Apple's Chinese retail stores included. Greater China (without the retail stores included) represented 18.8% of Apple's total overall revenue, down slightly from 19.5% in the same quarter last year. According...

Apple today issued build 12E36 of OS X Mountain Lion to developers, roughly a week after build 12E33a was released. Build 12E36 marks the fourth beta iteration of OS X 10.8.4. Apple continues to ask developers to focus on Wi-Fi, Graphics Drivers, and Safari. The update is available through the software update tool in the Mac App Store and Apple's Developer Page...

Last month, Logitech launched its G series of gaming keyboards and mice. The devices feature numerous programmable buttons, custom color backlighting, and other features designed for MMORPG players. The company has now announced that its Logitech Gaming Software is now available on OS X. The top of the line models are the $100 G700s Rechargeable Wireless Gaming Mouse and the $200 G19s LCD ...

An Apple Pop-Up Museum is set to open this weekend, at the Vintage Computer Festival Southeast in Atlanta. The museum will feature a look at Apple products throughout the years and will include several rare Apple and pre-Apple artifacts like the original Lisa and the Xerox Alto. The museum is organized into a series of different rooms, with each different section dedicated to a different era...

Apple has changed the terms of its retail store One to One service (via ifoAppleStore), which is a $99 program that gives Apple customers personal training lessons on Mac usage from an Apple employee. The new terms state that One to One customers must initiate the included Data Migration services within 60 days of purchasing a One to One membership. One to One members are entitled to Data...

In 2011, Apple announced a worldwide repair program for MacBooks with a defective bottom case, which caused the rubber surface to separate from the hard plastic casing. The program originally stated that Apple would replace the bottom case of any affected MacBook for two years from the date of purchase, but the company recently extended the replacement period to four years from the original...

Apple today issued build 12E33a of OS X Mountain Lion to developers, eight days after build 12E30 was released. Build 12E33a marks the third beta iteration of OS X 10.8.4. Apple continues to ask users to focus on Wi-Fi, Graphics Drivers, and Safari. The update is available through the software update tool in the Mac App Store and it should appear on Apple's Developer Page shortly. ...

StackSocial has launched its second 'Name Your Own Price' Mac bundle, offering 10 Mac apps to any purchasers who pay more than the average purchase price (currently $7.99). Anyone paying less than the average price receives just three apps.Additionally, ten percent of the purchase price goes to one of three charities: Child's Play, the World Wildlife Fund, or Creative Commons.The three apps...

MacHeist has launched nanoBundle 3, offering eight apps with a total retail value of $260 for $9.99. The first six are available immediately, with the final two (Little Inferno and Path Finder) being unlocked after a set number of bundles have been sold. This nanoBundle includes the following apps: -xScope ($30) -iStopMotion ($50) -Totals ($40) -Clarify ($30) -Fantastical ($20) -Clean...

A number of tidbits related to Apple's retail store initiative have surfaced in recent days, with Apple apparently making progress on several new stores in Germany and the Netherlands as it opens a new store in the United Kingdom this weekend. iFun.de reports [Google translation] that workers have begun removing scaffolding and barriers outside of Apple's first Berlin store. The site reported...

Apple today updated both of its photo editing and management platforms. Aperture has been updated to version 3.4.4 while iPhoto has been updated to version 9.4.3. The updates contain several bug fixes and stability improvements and can be downloaded via the Mac App Store or Software Update. Aperture 3.4.4:-Addresses an issue that could cause Aperture to quit unexpectedly during image...

Back in 1983, Apple's Macintosh team attended a retreat at the La Playa Carmel hotel in Carmel, California, where employee shenanigans resulted in a 30-year company gathering ban from the resort. According to SFGate, the La Playa Carmel, which is located about two hours south of Cupertino, recently lifted the restrictions preventing Apple from using the spot for corporate retreats. Apple has...

Last night, a number of employees of longtime Mac developer Ambrosia Software tweeted that they had been let go from their jobs and that the company was shutting down.However, today The Mac Observer spoke with Ambrosia president Andrew Welch who said the company is not shutting down but employees had been let go.Mr. Welch didn't say if Ambrosia is scaling back on its app lineup, but his...

Storage maker CalDigit this week announced a new portable dock called the CalDigit Thunderbolt Station, adding to the growing collection of Thunderbolt docks introduced recently from Sonnet, Belkin and Matrox. CalDigit's entry costs $199 and provides users with USB 3.0, Audio In and Out jacks, Ethernet, and HDMI in a portable aluminum case.“As Macs are getting thinner, and more portable we...