OWC Shares Mid-2014 Retina MacBook Pro Unboxing, SSD Tests [Mac Blog]

Following this morning's release of Retina MacBook Pros with improved Haswell processors, OWC has procured both the entry-level 13-inch and and the entry-level 15-inch 2014 Retina MacBook Pro and provided a gallery of unboxing photos featuring the new devices.



As expected, the packaging on the updated versions is the same as previous-generation Retina MacBook Pros. The site did a quick teardown as well, revealing the internals of the new machines, which also appear unchanged.




Internal view of the mid-2014 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro


OWC also conducted some speed tests on the solid state drives of the two machines, testing the 128 GB drive of the entry-level 13-inch version and the 256 GB drive of the entry-level 15-inch model using QuickBench 4.0.



The 15-inch machine (equipped with a Samsung SSD) saw random read/write speeds much higher than that of the 13-inch version, averaging in at 194 MB/s for random reads and 322 MB/s for random writes and 262/245 MB/s for sequential read/writes.





The 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro, meanwhile, saw average random read/write speeds of 165/131 MB/s and average sequential read/write speeds of 263/244 MB/s with its Marvell-controlled SanDisk SSD.





Launched earlier today, the new Retina MacBook Pros feature upgraded Haswell processors, more standard RAM for entry-level machines (8 GB for the 13-inch model, 16 GB for the 15-inch model) and a $100 price cut for the high-end 15-inch Retina MacBook Pro. The refreshed Retina MacBook Pros are available at Apple retail stores and in its online store.



For the full array of unboxing and teardown images, make sure to check out OWC's blog post.

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Posted in 2014 at 10:50PM, July 29

Instagram's Snapchat Competitor 'Bolt' Soft Launches in Three Countries [iOS Blog]

Instagram today soft-launched its new Snapchat competitor Bolt in Singapore, South Africa, and New Zealand. First hinted at last week, Bolt is a one tap photo and video messaging app that allows users to send temporal images to friends, much like Snapchat.



As described by The Verge, Bolt is a "carbon copy" of Taptalk , another temporal messaging app. Users tap on a friend's profile photo to send a photo, or use a long tap to send a video. As with Taptalk, Bolt focuses on sharing with only a few friends -- users can only communicate with one person at a time, while in Snapchat mass snaps can be sent out.





Though designed by Instagram, which is owned by Facebook, Bolt is largely a standalone app. It does not require a Facebook log-in, instead letting users add contacts via phone number. As with Snapchat, users can caption images using a text editor.



According to an Instagram spokesperson, Bolt will be expanded to other regions in the near future after being tested in Singapore, New Zealand, and South Africa, three countries chosen for their geographical diversity and tight-knit communities.



Bolt is actually the second Snapchat competitor to launch this year under Facebook's umbrella. In June, the company launched Slingshot , a Snapchat clone with a twist -- after receiving a photo, users must send an image or video in return before being able to view content.



Users in New Zealand, South Africa, and Singapore can download Bolt from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

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Posted in 2014 at 09:49PM, July 29

'Signal' for iOS Lets Users Make Encrypted Voice Calls for Free [iOS Blog]

Open source software group Open Whisper Systems today released a new encrypted phone app called Signal, which is designed to allow its users to make secure calls on the iPhone at no cost.



Using end-to-end encryption, Signal secures iPhone conversations so third-parties cannot listen in. Signal uses a caller's standard phone number to make and receive calls, and all Signal calls function like a normal phone call using WiFi or data connections.



According to a blog post on the Open Whisper Systems site, Signal uses ZRTP, a widely-used secure voice communication protocol and sends push notifications when phone calls are received to save battery life. It's open source software, which allows anyone to improve the code and contribute to app improvements.





Setting up Signal is simple, and users only need to enter a phone number and confirm it by entering a six-digit confirmation code (sent by SMS or phone call) to begin using the app. Contacts are automatically imported after a phone number is entered, but only contacts that have the Signal app will be listed. Placing a call to a user who does not have Signal installed will prompt users to send an invite via SMS.



When initiating a phone call using Signal, the two people communicating can be assured that their phone calls are secure through a pair of words shown on the screen of the caller and the person being called. The two exchange their on-screen words to verify that the words match, signaling that a secure connection has been implemented. Were someone listening into a phone call, the two words would not match up.



In an interview with Wired , Open Whisper Systems founder Moxie Marlinspike said the team's goal was to make secure phone calls as easy to place as regular phone calls. Encrypted text messages will also be added to the app in the future.

"We're trying to make private communications as available and accessible as any normal phone call," says Moxie Marlinspike, the hacker security researcher who founded the nonprofit software group. Later this summer, he adds, encrypted text messaging will be integrated into Signal, too, to create what he describes as a "single, unified app for free, easy, open source, private voice and text messaging."

Wired tested the app during the development phase and aside from a few early bugs, determined calls were "indistinguishable from any other phone call," and MacRumors had the same results when testing the app. Signal also works Open Whisper Systems' RedPhone app for Android, allowing both iOS and Android users to make secure calls with one another.



Signal can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

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Posted in 2014 at 08:57PM, July 29

Kevin Spacey has all the power in the latest Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare trailer

The yearly ritual that is the release of a new Call of Duty has become more than a little stale, but with a new setting, a new story and a villain for the ages, Advanced Warfare might give the series the kick in the pants it needs to become as widely praised as it is widely purchased. In the latest trailer for Advanced Warfare, Sledgehammer Games takes us through the story of its first entry into the Call of Duty timeline.

Continue reading...

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Posted in 2014 at 08:40PM, July 29

Unreleased 'Mid 2014' Mac Mini Referenced on Apple Support Page

An Apple support page on Boot Camp was updated yesterday to include a mention of a mid-2014 Mac mini, perhaps hinting that a refresh of the desktop computer might be in the works.



First noticed by 9to5Mac , a cached version of the support page suggests yesterday's update also added mentions of the 2014 low-cost iMac and 2014 MacBook Airs. Today's newly released mid-2014 Retina MacBook Pros were not added to the updated page.





The mention of the mid-2014 Mac mini may be a simple error, but the machine is long overdue for a refresh. Last updated in October of 2012, the Mac mini is the only product in Apple's mainstream Mac lineup that has not seen an update with Haswell processors.



Aside from the mention on Apple's support page, there has been no indication that a Mac mini refresh is on the horizon. Several events, including the unveiling of the new iPads last October and Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference seemed like opportune times for the company to unveil a refreshed version of the desktop computer, but no new Mac mini materialized at either event. It continues to remain unclear when Apple might release a new Mac mini, but the support page does offer hope that the product line might continue to live on.



An updated Mac mini would likely offer some improvements brought to the rest of Apple's Mac lineup over the course of the last two years, including Haswell processors, faster PCI Express-based flash storage options, and 802.11ac WiFi.

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Posted in 2014 at 07:53PM, July 29

Kindle for iOS Updated With Syncing and Navigation Improvements [iOS Blog]

Amazon today updated its Kindle for iOS app to version 4.4, adding several features that have been requested by Amazon customers to make both sync and navigation within the app easier.



Books will now sync to the most recent page read across all Kindle devices and Kindle apps that are registered to a single Amazon account, making it easier for users to swap between various Kindle devices. A feature in the navigation menu continues to allow customers to manually sync to the furthest page read if desired.



Kindle Placeholders have also been implemented, letting customers jump to different areas of a book without losing their current reading spot, and it's also possible for students to export notes, highlights, and more from "Print Replica" textbooks.



Kindle for iOS has also gained Wikipedia Smart Lookup, letting readers select a word and get more information from Wikipedia

Kindle for iOS Version 4.4 provides several customer-requested features that make sync and navigation easier.



Sync to the most recent page read - Any books you are reading on Kindle for iOS will now sync to the most recent page read across all Kindle devices and/or reading apps registered to your Amazon account. Customers can still manually sync to the furthest page read from the left navigation menu.



Kindle Placeholders - Allow customers the freedom to explore other areas of the book without losing their current place. Jump directly to previous locations with "placeholders" on the progress bar.



Notes Export - Studying for the next exam or writing the next term paper just got easier. Students can now export notes, highlights, and more to e-mail from their "Print Replica" textbooks, giving students easy access to their information.



Wikipedia Smart Lookup - Select a word and learn more from Wikipedia in the Info Card at the bottom of the page.



Performance and stability improvements.

Kindle for iOS can be downloaded from the App Store for free. [Direct Link]

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Posted in 2014 at 07:08PM, July 29