MacRumors' Mac Blog: Mac Apps, News and Rumors

Alongside the release of a new macOS Sierra 10.12.5 update that brings some minor bug fixes and performance improvements, Apple has launched a new version of iTunes, iTunes 12.6.1. According to Apple's release notes, iTunes 12.6.1 includes "minor app and performance improvements." More specific details on those improvements are not available. iTunes 12.6.1 can be downloaded for free using...

Magix today announced a re-release and update for the Mac version of its popular audio editing software Sound Forge Pro, marking the first update to the software in the last three years. Magix bought Sound Forge Pro, which was previously owned by Sony, in May of 2016 alongside much of Sony's creative software suite. Since then, Magix has been working on an update for the Mac version of the...

Accessory manufacturer Satechi today launched a new $99.99 Type-C Pro Hub for the 13-inch and 15-inch 2016 MacBook Pros, featuring a total of seven ports to make up for the inclusion of only Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports on the 2016 MacBook Pro. The new hub is similar in design to the Type-C Hub compatible with Apple's original 12-inch Macbook, but includes two Thunderbolt 3 dongles that take up ...

Introduced in January, the PD2710QC from BenQ is the first USB-C display that comes equipped with an integrated USB Type-C dock, which offers an array of ports for MacBook and MacBook Pro owners. The 27-inch display is aimed at designers and engineers, offering a 2560 x 1440 resolution with support for 100 percent sRGB color accuracy and specific modes for use with CAD and animation software. ...

Linksys today introduced its first 2-in-1 wireless router and cable modem. The emphasis should be on "cable" in that sentence, as Linksys already sells a handful of routers with built-in DSL modems for internet over a telephone line. The Linksys CG7500 supports many of the latest wireless standards, including 802.11ac Wi-Fi, IPv6, and beamforming technology. The AC1900-speed router has 3X3...

An opera exploring the life of the late Steve Jobs has won the financial backing of opera companies in San Francisco and Seattle, ensuring the musical production will be shown in the Apple co-founder's home state of California (via CBS SF Local). The partnerships were announced on Tuesday, ahead of the premiere of "The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs" this July at the Sante Fe Opera's open-air...

Apple is planning a massive expansion of its data center in Reno, Nevada, according to information shared today by Reno-Gazette Journal reporter Anjeanette Damon who covered a Reno City Council meeting Apple attended to discuss the project. Apple will invest $1 billion in expanding its current data center at the Reno Technology Park, nearly doubling the size of the original project. Apple's ...

After spending months in preview, Microsoft today is officially launching its Visual Studio coding platform for the Mac (via VentureBeat). Visual Studio allows developers to code applications using Microsoft's integrated development environment (IDE) on Apple's macOS platform, which they can sync across both Windows and Mac devices. Thanks to integration with Xamarin, a cross-platform software ...

Aspyr is set to release action-adventure game Mafia III for Mac on Thursday with support for Apple's Metal API, according to MacGamerHQ. The open-world game developed by Hangar 3 is the third installment in the Mafia series to offer both third-person perspective gaming and a cover system, featuring melee combat, character interrogation, and more. The game is set in 1968 New Bordeaux –...

Opera web browser has undergone a major user interface redesign that features quick access tools to popular messaging apps including WhatsApp, Telegram, and Facebook Messenger (via TechCrunch). Codenamed "Reborn", the design overhaul project has been evident in beta builds for some weeks, but the new browser version is now available as a stable release and existing users should receive the...

Apple subsidiary FileMaker today announced the launch of FileMaker 16, the newest version of the company's popular database platform that's designed to make it easy for businesses to build a range of customized apps able to work effortlessly across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Windows, and the Web. FileMaker 16 focuses on enhancing mobility, scalability, and security, along with providing new features...

Apple may be planning to purchase half a city block in downtown Reno, Nevada, for the purpose of creating a purchasing and receiving facility, reports Reno's KRNV. The Reno City Council will discuss Apple's plans to purchase the property, located at 6th Street and Evans Avenue, at a Wednesday meeting. Apple is planning to build the facility alongside a planned data center at the Reno...

The developers of open source video transcoder app Handbrake have issued a security warning to Mac users after a mirror download server hosting the software was hacked. The alert was issued on Saturday after it was discovered that the original HandBrake-1.0.7.dmg installer file on mirror server download.handbrake.fr had been replaced by a malicious file. The affected server has been shut...

Construction barricades have recently begun disappearing around Apple's first retail location in Singapore, revealing a large mural and 12 smaller pieces of artwork that showcase the Apple logo, a heart, and a little red dot, referencing Apple's love for Singapore. Inside each of the little red dots Apple has personalized the barricades further, changing the artwork to represent illustrator...

Apple updated its website on Wednesday with U.S. job creation numbers from 2016, revealing that the company has generated a total of 2 million jobs across all 50 states. Last year saw Apple spend more than $50 billion with 9,000 U.S. suppliers and manufacturers, and create around 90,000 supplier and manufacturer jobs, bringing the total number to 450,000 jobs, up from 361,000 in 2015....

Apple today released a new update for Safari Technology Preview, the experimental browser Apple first introduced one year ago in March of 2016. Apple designed the Safari Technology Preview to test features that may be introduced into future release versions of Safari. Safari Technology Preview release 29 includes fixes and improvements for JavaScript, CSS, Rendering, Web Inspector, WebCrypto,...

Apple today updated its official list of vintage and obsolete products to add the 2010 13-inch MacBook, the final plastic-shelled MacBook it produced before discontinuing the line, and several 2009 MacBook Pro models. Apple first introduced the unibody polycarbonate MacBook, the third design iteration of the MacBook line, in late 2009, offering it in black and white. The MacBook was sold for...

Last November, longtime Mac vendor OWC was among the first wave of companies to announce Thunderbolt 3 docks designed to expand the capabilities of the new MacBook Pro. It's taken a while to finalize the product design, testing, and manufacturing, but OWC's Thunderbolt 3 Dock is now just about ready to ship and we've had a chance to spend some time with a production-ready unit. Priced at...