The OS X 10.9 version of Siri should be much like the version that you’ve already seen on your iOS devices, letting you do the voice assistant thing to search for stuff on the web or add events to your calendar. Remember that Mountain Lion already has Dictation, which is using the same kind of hardware resources and infrastructure as Siri already. It wouldn’t take much to take that leap.

As far as Apple Maps go, they’re also reportedly getting integrated in OS X 10.9, allowing developers to embed a map into the apps they list through the Mac App Store. They’ll use the same MapKit framework as developing for iOS, but it’s also possible that a full-blown Maps app could make its way to Mac OS X too.

If we assume that Apple will follow a similar release schedule as it did with OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion, then early previews should appear in February with the formal launch coming around July.

[Source]

The post Siri and Maps Expected in Mac OS X 10.9 appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

At Mobile Magazine we are dedicated to reporting on some of the latest and greatest portable devices around. Still, sometimes it is nice to go retro as well. That’s what makes this new Macintosh Portable hack so interesting. On the outside, you have what appears to be an ordinary Mac Portable, but inside you have the guts of a Toshiba NB100 netbook running on a modified version of Mac OS X. This unique project is the hard work of Patrick Blampied, the hacker/modder behind the site ultimatehipstertech.com.

While turning netbooks into “hackintoshes” is nothing new, throwing the innards of that netbook into an old Mac portable case is pretty epic. This kind of hack requires a ton of soldering, not to mention the steps need to make OS X work with non-Mac computers. Unlike the original Mac Portable, this thing runs on battery power that makes a truly mobile experience— though I’m sure the case is still pretty heavy.

Check out the video and take a look:

What do you think, impressed by this hack? I know I am.

[ source ]

The post Macintosh Portable running OSX, Well Sort Of appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

In 2006 the first Intel-based consumer-level Mac computers starting rolling out, and Apple hasn’t looked back– or have they? Apparently Apple is considering yet another architecture move, this time over to ARM.

With Apple making its own ARM designs for mobile devices, they probably are considering a move like this because it could allow better battery length, even thinner laptops and desktops and would bring architecture unity to all their offerings. If Apple eventually hopes to merge iOS and OS X in an even bigger way, having just one processor architecture to support might be in their best interest.

Of course there are some big downsides to switching to ARM. First, ARM isn’t anywhere as fast as Intel. Sure, the first 64-bit ARM processors are starting to roll out, but even these chips wouldn’t be anywhere near the same performance level as higher-end x86 (Intel/AMD) chips. There is also the need to convert over software to the new architecture, IF they continue to use OS X after this kind of switch.

The tech world continues to push towards a more mobile future, and so this kind of move isn’t that surprising. Even Microsoft has managed to create an ARM-specific version of Windows 8 for its tablets, known as “Windows RT”.

How far away is this kind of switch? The “inside sources close to Apple” say that the Cupertino-based company understands that ARM still has some serious catching up to do in the processing power department and isn’t ready to make a big switch anytime soon— instead they are merely testing and researching, with a potential switch timeframe around 2017.

What do you think, is there any merit to this rumor or is it likely nothing more than just a rumor? If it is true, do you think it is a wise move on Apple’s part or not?

Source – Engadget

The post Apple Mac Computers May Eventually Use ARM Processors, Rumor Suggests appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Siri has now made its way over to the new iPod Touch, and of course its on the 4S and iPhone 5. What about your Mac though? It seems that Apple may eventually bring SIRI abilities over to their desktop and laptop offerings as well.

Okay, so Apple hasn’t actually said anything official about it, but let’s connect the dots. Here’s some information from a recent patent discovery that might suggest Mac is getting SIRI in the near future:

The electronic device may process voice commands locally or voice commands processing may be performed remotely. For example, the electronic device may transmit one or more recorded voice commands and associated contextual information to computing equipment such as a desktop computer.

The wording could also simply suggest that SIRI on iOS can communicate with Macs to execute commands. Adding SIRI on Mac would make sense, though. Windows already has some voice control elements, and this would be a great way to one-up Windows. Imagine using SIRI for programs like iTunes. SIRI could suggest new songs and would maybe even bring voice functionality into videos and more.

What do you think? Would you be interested in getting SIRI functionality baked into OSX in the future?

[ source ]

The post Siri on Mac? New Patent Suggests It May Happen appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

At first, I thought this iPad case would be the complete opposite of useful. It looked like it would block out about half of the touchscreen and then you would presumably load some sort of app to simulate the old Mac operating system. And then, I realized I was wrong. The “Mac” part of this Padintosh case is really for the back of the iPad and not the front. This way, when you decide to hold up your iPad to take a picture of Bill and Melinda Gates in London, they can stare right into the faux Mac screen that reads “hello.”

Go ahead and “party like it’s 1984″ with the Padintosh Case. It’s available now through Thinkgeek for a fairly reasonably $24.99. Since it’s only the back part of the case, you can still use your Smart Cover for the front. If only they made a 1984 style Smart Cover to match…

[Source]

The post Padintosh Case Brings your iPad back to 1984 appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

While $249 isn’t cheap, it can certainly add some extended features to your Macbook that will make it seem and function more like a traditional desktop. To be honest though, if its just more Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 support you are after, it might be wise to wait for upcoming releases from Apple, perhaps even at the WWDC.

The post Matrox Announces New Thunderbolt Docking Station for Macbooks and Ultrabooks appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

We know that many of you have been waiting for a while for this moment; the Sparrow mail app is finally available for the iPhone. From now on, you will be able to enjoy a simplified way of checking your Gmail, iCloud and other accounts.

Just in case you are new to Sparrow, it is a third party email application and was a Mac-only app until now. The new mobile version comes with a range of features and, according to reports, is almost as good as the Mac version.

Sparrow for iPhone offers support for IMAP mail accounts like Gmail, iCloud, or Yahoo, but there’s no POP support. The app brings a unified inbox, and navigation is possible via swipes and gestures. The app is also coming with “smart contact list”, which will suggest possible recipients for your email (a faster way of emailing frequent contacts), the ability to attach pictures directly from within the app, and much more. But the absence of push email might be a deal-breaker for many.

And updates in the future will also bring in a built-in web browser, a landscape mode among other features. Sparrow is currently available from iTunes and it costs $2.99.  The app will work on iOS devices which run iOS 5.0 and above.

The post Sparrow For iPhone Is The Mobile Email Client Google Couldn’t Build appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Yes, physical books may still have their place in our new digital society, but more and more kids are turning to tablets, computers, and e-readers. With Storia, Scholastic is creating an entire e-book ecosystem that is complete with an app, as well as the e-book store itself. Interestingly, the ebooks sold through Storia look like they’re exclusive to Scholastic, not unlike many of the physical books they have sold over the years.

The beta version of the e-reading app for Windows has launched and the iPad version should be going live a little later this month. You get five free ebooks when you download the app and you have access to (buy) over 1,000 more ebooks through the Storia store. The official launch is slated for the back to school season in the fall, at which time there will be over 2,000 titles available, as well as apps for Mac, Android, and iPhone.

[Source]

The post Scholastic Enters 21st Century with Storia eBook Platform for Kids appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

Apple’s own Ethan Hunt might have helped the Mac maker to buy the iPad trademark from Proview, the Chinese company currently involved in a legal battle against Apple over the iPad name. But Proview has issued a press release which talks about an amended complaint filed in a California federal court which accuses Apple of “fraud and unfair competition”.

In order to get their hands on the iPad trademark, Apple allegedly hired Farncombe International and its managing director, Graham Robinson. Robinson, the real life Hunt, created a company by the name IP Application Development Limited (“IPAD Ltd.”). After adopting a false alias, Jonathan Hargreaves (the name’s Hargreaves…), Robinson contacted Proview for opening talks on the iPad name.

According to Proview, Robinson never revealed that he was negotiating on behalf of Apple. And when Proview asked for more details, he allegedly said that the name was needed as it was an acronym for IP Application Development.

And he never revealed what IPAD Ltd. was dealing with and simply said, “I’m sure you can understand that we are not ready to publicize what the company’s business is, since we have not yet made any public announcements“. Apparently he also promised via an e-mail that “the company will not compete with Proview“.

So far, Apple hasn’t made an announcement denying the allegations. But they issued the following statement: “We bought Proview’s worldwide rights to the iPad trademark in 10 different countries several years ago. Proview refuses to honor their agreement with Apple in China and a Hong Kong court has sided with Apple in this matter. Our case is still pending in mainland China“.

Well, that statement definitely won’t help Apple to win the case. But we are sure that Apple’s lawyers are up to something, or else the company might end up losing the trademark in a number of countries and paying Proview a huge sum.

[Image Source]

The post Mission iMpossible Worst Protocol, Starring Apple appeared first on Mobile Magazine.

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “Xerox”, is it copiers by chance? Xerox is certainly a well-known name in the copying/scanning business, although it has done much more than that throughout its rich history including the creation of one of the first GUIs, Xerox Parc Alto.

Today though, Xerox is announcing a new scanner that is nothing short of genius. The Xerox Mobile Scanner is a very slim (2×2.75×11.5-in), portable color scanner that is battery-powered and designed for uploading and sending to the cloud, PC, Mac, Android, iPad, and iPhone.

While I personally am not in need of such a device, I can imagine many business professionals in a variety of fields could find such a scanner invaluable.

Imagine that a client, or perhaps your boss, needs an urgent file that you only have as a paper copy, but you are away from the office and nowhere near your Scanner/Fax machine. With Xerox’s new mobile solution you have access to a portable solution that includes a mobile app for uploading the file and sending it from your phone, tablet, or PC.

The Scanner is set to go on sale very soon through Xerox’s website for $249.99.

The post Xerox’s Portable Scanner Scans To Wi-Fi, Clouds And Androids appeared first on Mobile Magazine.