MacDirectory magazine is the premiere creative lifestyle magazine for Apple enthusiasts featuring interviews, in-depth tech reviews, Apple news, insights, latest Apple patents, apps, market analysis, entertainment and more.
Issue link: https://digital.macdirectory.com/i/867
MacDirectory 37 DEPARTMENT COMPILED BY RIC GETTER APPLE NEWS WHEN IT COMES TO APPLE NEWS, GO TO MACDIRECTORY.COM AND SUBSCRIBE TO EMACDAILY. EMACDAILY DELIVERS THE TOP APPLE NEWS, PRODUCT RELEASES, INDUSTRY TRENDS, SPECIAL DEALS AND MORE. THIS IS A FREE E-NEWS SERVICE TO MAC USERS. Buzz Over Firmware 3.0 CUPERTINO, Calif. – Remember the days when a phone's firmware update was something you only heard about when you called your carrier's tech support line with a problem? On March 17, Apple made headlines worldwide with news of the upcoming release of the next version of the iPhone/Touch OS. Of course there were the "must-have" features like copy and paste, multimedia messaging (MMS) and a full search capability that a record- shattering number of users managed to live without in the two previous versions. The big news came with the 1,000 new hooks into the OS (API's) that Apple is giving the developer community. The bulk of these are geek-pleasing features like access to hardware connected to the devices' docking port, built-in (and very easy) device-to-device communication and Blackberry-like push services that are handled by battery-friendly background processes. Even though most of the new capabilities could be described as evolutionary, the new ability to make online purchases from within a third- party application could open up a revolution of the commercial variety. As it is with the iTunes Music Store, this will be an impulse-buyer's dream (or nightmare), opening up entirely new realm online marketing opportunities. Macworld 2010 Slides to February FRAMINGHAM, Mass. - IDG World Expo, the folks that bring us the Mac clan's most popular gathering, is giving attendees, exhibitors and the media an early Valentine and moving next year's Macworld Expo to February 9-14. This will help dodge the annual collision with the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and help us catch our breath after the holiday season. The new dates also help avert the traditional spike in truancy from jobs and classes by keeping the Expo open on a Saturday. The change brought about by feedback from the Apple community. Mary Dolaher, chief executive officer of IDG World Expo, explains, "For 25 years, Macworld has been the pre-eminent event focused solely on the Apple products ecosystem, and with the recent evolution of the show we have been able to fully engage the Macworld community for input on the 2010 event. As we began the planning process, attendees and exhibitors made it clear that February in San Francisco was the time and location that worked best, so we listened." You can get more information and take advantage of early registration at macworldexpo.com. And MacDirectory will see you there! Skype Goes iPhone LAS VEGAS – Skype chose the April CTIA Wireless Conference here to launch their free application for the iPhone and Touch. Was it popular? PCWorld reported over a million downloads in its first three days. Skype-to-Skype calls are free while calls to conventional home and mobile phones are subject to Skype's regular rate schedule. You can make Skype calls from an iPhone or mic-equipped Touch from any Wi-Fi network and iPhone users will have access to Skype's instant messaging service over AT&T's network. Apple's agreement with most national carriers limits voice communication to Wi-Fi networks and this quickly spurred a wave of protests from a number of consumer and media advocacy groups. However, with the international success of Skype and the iPhone combined with the proliferation of wireless hot-spots, your iPhone or Touch can make it a lot easier to "reach out and touch someone." Your Office is on the Phone LAS VEGAS – Quickoffice, Inc. chose the same venue to announce that it's popular suite for mobile devices will be moving to the iPhone in April. Quickword will let you view, create, edit Microsoft Word documents, Quicksheet will do the same for Excel files. Quickoffice Files will act as a data hub, letting you transfer files between computers, link to your iDisk via MobleMe, e-mail files, as well as view iWork, PDF and image files. Quickfiles makes use of Bonjour to simplify wireless access and offers security features to keep your data private. Aside from the usual niceties of cut, copy and paste, the suite will provide an auto-save feature and auto-restore, which will bring you back to where you were after you leave the program. Expected to hit the App Store in April, Quickoffice will be available by the time this goes to press for an introductory price of $19.99 for the suite. IPHONE OS 3.0 MACWORLD 2010 QUICKOFFICE