MacWorld News

Lab tested: 21.5- and 27-inch Core i3 iMacs/3.2GHz
Straight from Macworld Lab: Benchmark results of two new iMacs, both of which sport Intel’s 3.2GHz Core i3 processor.

CrossOver, CrossOver Games 9.1 released
These utilities allow some Windows apps and games to run on a Mac without Windows itself. Major updates bring support for more apps and games, as well as a core software update that includes more than 23,000 changes.

Ballmer pushes slates but reveals few details
Microsoft’s CEO told analysts that the company is aggressively pursuing slates, although he gave few details.

Let the iPhone be your guide at New York’s Natural History museum
The American Museum of Natural History Explorer app gives visitors a guided tour of the museum, complete with turn by turn directions, and information on exhibits.

iPhone-like BlackBerry can inject new life into RIM
RIM is expected to announce details of the iPhone-esque BlackBerry 9800 next week. Tony Bradley of PCWorld looks at what the new smartphone could mean for RIM

Mac Family Tree 6 gains new interface, tools
The latest update to Synium Software’s Mac Family Tree brings an overhauled interface and a handful of new features.

Facebook Questions service aims to crowdsource answers
Facebook launched a beta version of its new “Facebook Questions” service, which lets you pose questions that the rest of the Facebook community can answer.

‘Unhackable’ Android can be hacked
Once thought to be unhackable, the Android phone is anything but, according to researchers presenting at Black Hat 2010.

Inside Macworld’s iPhone 4-created cover
Macworld’s September 2010 issue features a cover shot of an iPhone 4 taken and processed with another iPhone 4.

SendStuffNow app now available for iPhone, iPad
SendStuffNow is a new, secure file-sharing service for small-to-medium businesses and professionals. It gets around the limitations of e-mail and FTP, and its new iPhone and iPad management app is now available.

Amazon’s new Kindle rachets up e-reader price battle
Amazon.com’s announcement that it will launch a new version of its Kindle e-book reader in late August could further stoke a price battle between major players.

Blu-ray 3D, more TV models boosting 3D TV shipments
3D TV shipments are on the rise, driven by availability of more TV models and 3D content, research firm DisplaySearch said on Wednesday.

Macworld UK

Google crowned ‘king of malware’
Malware figures line up with market share

Google has been crowned the ‘king of malware’ by security company Barracuda Networks, linking to twice as much malware as search rivals Bing, Yahoo and Twitter combined.

Lab tested: 21.5-inch Core i3 iMac/3.06GHz
First system to finish our testing regime is the new entry-level iMac, a 21.5-inch model

On Monday, Apple updated its entire line of iMac and Mac Pro systems. And while the new Mac Pro models won’t be available until sometime in August, the new iMacs are in the Macworld Lab right now.

Security expert puts details from 100m Facebook profiles online
In bid to highlight privacy issues

Details from 100 million Facebook profiles have been made available on the web by a security consultant.

Adobe joins Microsoft’s patch-reporting program
Whenever a major patch is released, hackers quickly begin to analyse

Adobe and Microsoft are now working together to give security companies a direct line into their bug-fixing efforts.

Apple iPhone devs see second iOS 4.1 beta
Apple still working out bugs in iPhone and iPod firmware

Apple on Tuesday night released the second beta version of the pending iOS 4.1 firmware. But the company has not said when the firmware will be generally available for iPhone and iPod touch products.

LG will introduce Android based iPad rival tablet before Christmas
The company launched its third Optimus Series smartphone, also with Android

LG Electronics plans to launch its first tablet device in the fourth quarter, running Google’s Android mobile software, it said on Thursday.

Nintendo records a loss as DS sales plummet
Sales of the handheld game console are down by almost half

Nintendo reported a net loss for the April to June quarter as the strong Japanese yen and weak demand for its products hurt earnings.

Bike Doctor iPhone app shows you how to repair your bike
‘It’s like having a little bike mechanic in your pocket’

As London gears up for Mayor Boris Johnson’s London Cycle Hire scheme, one iPhone developer is encouraging commuters and those out for a day in the sun to stay on two wheels longer.

Blu-ray 3D, more TV models boosting 3D TV shipments
A DisplaySearch analyst says more 3D TV models will ship later this year

3D TV shipments are on the rise with the availability of more TV models and increasing movie and sports content in 3D, research firm DisplaySearch said on Wednesday.

Sky offers 3D broadcasts from 1 October
Golf’s Ryder Cup among first events to be shown in 3D

Sky has announced that its 3D TV channel will begin broadcasting to UK consumers in October 1st.

Sony back to profit on Bravia, Vaio, PS3 strength
Strong sales of key products helped Sony report a profit in the second quarter

Sony returned to profitability in the second quarter, helped by strong sales of key products, prompting it to raise its profit outlook for the full year on Thursday.

Video: Demonstration of Apple Magic Trackpad gestures
The video here goes though each of the gesture tutorials

Apple’s new Magic Trackpad lets you perform Multi-Touch gestures on desktop Macs. Like the Magic Mouse, the Magic Trackpad’s system preference pane includes video demonstrations of how to perform each gesture. The video here goes though each of the gesture tutorials. Watch for yourself how the finger gestures are performed. (In the video, the gesture being performed is highlighted on the left. The gesture demonstration is shown on the right.)

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Mac Rumors

Apple to Begin Taking Orders for New Mac Pro on August 9th

Several readers have informed us and we have confirmed that Apple Store representatives are telling potential buyers of the company’s new Mac Pro announced earlier this week that the updated models are set to become available for ordering on …

Ballmer: Microsoft-Powered Tablets Are ‘Job One Urgency’

Steve Ballmer demoing Windows-based HP slate at CES in January 2010
CNET reports on comments from Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer today at the company’s conference for financial analysts revealing that Apple’s longtime rival is continuing …

Apple Job Posting Suggests ‘Revolutionary’ New Mac OS X Feature

AppleInsider points to a new Apple job listing that appeared on Monday looking for a software engineer to work on a “revolutionary” new Mac OS X feature.

We are looking for a senior softwa…

Second Round of iPhone 4 Launches Begins in Australia [Updated x2]
As announced by Apple CEO Steve Jobs earlier this month and confirmed in a company press release earlier this week, Apple has begun its second round of iPhone 4 launches, bringing the device to 17 new countries. Countries in this round of launches i…

Sprint to Turn iPod Touch Into 3G Mobile Hotspot?

Phone Scoop yesterday discovered new regulatory filings posted by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission showing a new Sprint-branded 3G mobile hotspot device manufactured by ZTE that appears to be in the form of a designed case to wrap a…

Japanese Government Pressing Apple Over First-Generation iPod Nano Fire Risk

The Wall Street Journal reports that the Japanese government is continuing to pursue its long-standing concern over reports of first-generation iPod nanos overheating, following up on a warning to consume…

A Look Inside Apple’s Magic Trackpad

With its ultra-thin design and single-use functionality, users might think that a teardown of Apple’s new Magic Trackpad would be straightforward and uninteresting. But the experts at iFixit show us in one of their famous teardowns how Apple…

Amazon Announces New Kindles: $139 Wi-Fi, $189 3G

Last night, Amazon announced an all new Wi-Fi only Kindle that starts at only $139 with a 3G-capable one for $189.

Amazon.com is excited to introduce a new generation of Kindle. The all-new Kindle has a new electronic-ink sc…

New 27-Inch iMac Disassembled, Aftermarket SSD Install Deemed Difficult
Yesterday, we noted that Apple’s new 27″ iMac for the first time allows users to configure their machines with a second hard drive, offering a 256 GB solid state drive as an option for the second bay.

Location of second hard dr…

Apple Looking Into Reports of Problems With iOS 4 on iPhone 3G
The Wall Street Journal reports that Apple is “looking into” reports of issues being experienced by iPhone 3G users who have upgraded to the company’s new iOS 4. Discussion forums at Apple, MacRumors, and elsewhere have been filling with reports fro…

Apple Rolling Out iAd Spots for App Developers

As noted by Ars Technica’s Jacqui Cheng, Apple has updated its iAd developer page to invite app developers to advertise their applications through the company’s new mobile ad platform.

iAd…

Best Buy Offering Free InvisibleSHIELD Antenna Strips for iPhone 4 Owners

Engadget reports that Best Buy is apparently giving away free kits of antenna-shielding strips, known as “invisibleSHIELD 4FIX” from ZAGG, to any iPhone 4 user interested in receiving the product. The offer also includes installation of the …