Beware Of The New Mac Malware Dubbed Backdoor.MAC.Elanor

Bitdefender recently posted a blog about a new piece of Mac malware they are calling “Backdoor.MAC.Elanor.” The malware is currently still available on MacUpdate in the form of a free app called EasyDoc Converter. It poses as a drag-and-drop file converter, but has no real functionality, it just downloads a malicious script. Bitdefender says this is a nasty backdoor that can steal data, execute remote code and access the webcam, among other things. This type of malware is particularly dangerous as it’s hard to detect and offers the attacker full control of the compromised system. For example, someone can lock you out of your laptop, threaten to blackmail you to restore your private files. As a safety precaution, Bitdefender recommends downloading applications only from reputable websites, and using a security solution for Apple devices for malware and other specific threats.

Apple Releases OS X 10.11.4 update for El Capitan

Apple has released OS X 10.11.4 update for El Capitan, introducing Live Photos support in Messages and AirDrop along with individually encrypted items in Notes. You can download the update through the Mac App Store. Full release notes can be found below:

• Adds the ability to passcode-protect notes containing personal data in Notes

• Adds the ability to sort notes alphabetically, by date created, or date modified in Notes

• Adds the ability to import Evernote files into Notes

• Adds support for sharing Live Photos between iOS and OS X via AirDrop and Messages

• Addresses an issue that may cause RAW images to open slowly in Photos

• Adds the ability for iBooks to store PDFs in iCloud, making them available across all your devices

• Fixes an issue that prevented loading Twitter t.co links in Safari

• Prevents JavaScript dialogs from blocking access to other webpages in Safari

• Fixes an issue that prevented the VIPs mailbox from working with Gmail accounts

• Fixes an issue that caused USB audio devices to disconnect

• Improves the compatibility and reliability of Apple USB-C Multiport Adapters

Apple Has Released OS X 10.11.3 El Capitan

Apple has released OS X 10.11.3. You can download the update through the Software Update mechanism in the Mac App Store. Here’s what you can expect in the update: 

• Fixes an issue that may prevent some Mac computers from waking from sleep when connected to certain 4K displays.

Enterprise content:

• Third-party .pkg file receipts stored in /var/db/receipts are now retained when upgrading from OS X Yosemite.

For detailed information about the security content of this update, see Apple Security Updates.

Here’s What You Agreed To When You Updated To OS X El Capitan

Most if not all of us bother reading through software license agreements and just click the agree button. A lawyer and developer Robb Schecter read through Apple’s end user license agreement for OS X El Capitan and put it in plain English for everyone to understand and so you didn’t have to read it yourself. Here are a few highlights from Schecter’s article:

• Apple didn’t sell you this software. They still own it, in fact, you’re just borrowing it, just like any other Apple software.
• Slideshows made with Photos cannot be used for commercial purposes.
• You cannot use El Capitan with illegal copies of anyone’s stuff.
• Running El Capitan on Hackintoshes and non-Apple hardware is prohibited
• You must not operate a nuclear power plant with El Capitan 
• Using MPEG/H.264/AVC videos created on your Mac for commercial purposes requires additional licensing for the coded.

This is basically apple just covering their ass so they don’t get sued. I can understand that but some of this stuff seems ridiculous, like gee thanks Apple for letting us borrow you software. But then again i suppose thats how most software is these days. What do you think about the license agreement for OS X El Capitan ?

Apple Announces New 4K And 5K iMac’s

Apple today has launched a 21.5-inch 4K iMac, and a  27-inch 5K iMac. The two iMacs feature more powerful processors and graphics, along with two Thunderbolt 2 ports, which will now be the standard for all iMac models. They'll both feature a reworked Fusion Drive that aims to be more affordable by pairing different hard drive sizes with flash memory. The 21.5-inch 4K iMac comes equipped with fifth-generation Intel Core processors, Intel Iris Pro Graphics and 8GB of RAM. Meanwhile the 27-inch 5K iMacs, uses the sixth-generation Intel processors, and the latest AMD Radeon R9 graphics cards. Both are available today from Apple.com or an Apple store, starting at $1,499 and $1,799. Apple also is launching a new Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse 2 and Magic Trackpad 2. The Magic Keyboard takes up 13% less space thanks to its new design, which also allows it to be more stable and precise, meanwhile the Magic Trackpad 2 features a larger surface than its predecessor and Force Touch. The  Magic Keyboard will cost $99, the Magic Mouse 2 is cost $79 and the Magic Trackpad 2 will cost $129. What do you think of all the need iMac announcements ? 

Tim Cook Remembering Steve Jobs on 4th Anniversary of His Death

Apple CEO Tim Cook has sent an email to employees to commemorate the 4th anniversary since the death of late Apple co-founder and CEO Steve Jobs, who passed away October 5, 2011. Heres the e-mail from Time Cook:

Team, 

Today marks four years since Steve passed away. On that day, the world lost a visionary. We at Apple lost a leader, a mentor, and many of us lost a dear friend. 

Steve was a brilliant person, and his priorities were very simple. He loved his family above all, he loved Apple, and he loved the people with whom he worked so closely and achieved so much. 

Each year since his passing, I have reminded everyone in the Apple community that we share the privilege and responsibility of continuing the work Steve loved so much. 

What is his legacy? I see it all around us: An incredible team that embodies his spirit of innovation and creativity. The greatest products on earth, beloved by customers and empowering hundreds of millions of people around the world. Soaring achievements in technology and architecture. Experiences of surprise and delight. A company that only he could have built. A company with an intense determination to change the world for the better. 

And, of course, the joy he brought his loved ones. 

He told me several times in his final years that he hoped to live long enough to see some of the milestones in his children’s lives. I was in his office over the summer with Laurene and their youngest daughter. Messages and drawings from his kids to their father are still there on Steve’s whiteboard. 

If you never knew Steve, you probably work with someone who did or who was here when he led Apple. Please stop one of us today and ask what he was really like. Several of us have posted our personal remembrances on AppleWeb, and I encourage you to read them. 

Thank you for honoring Steve by continuing the work he started, and for remembering both who he was and what he stood for. 

Tim

What does Steve Jobs mean you ? What kind of person do you think he was ?

To me he was a man who wanted to change the world and the way we think, and I’ll be damned if he didn’t succeed in doing just that.  

Apple To Have Flight Tracking Support For iOS9 And OS X El Capitan

Looks like there is an unannounced coming to iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan that will let users view up to date airline flight status, as well as a preview of projected flight paths. Discovered by a Reddit user, Apple's new flight tracking feature is already functional in the latest iOS 9 and OS X El Capitan beta builds, the data detectors are for now limited to Mail, Messages and Notes. When iOS 9 beta detects a flight number,it transforms the text into an actionable link connected to data pulled from an offsite server. A long press on said link brings up options to preview flight information or copy text. Information consists of flight numbers, current flight status, departure and arrival times, relevant airport terminals and an animation of the flight's path presented in Apple Maps. Status is clearly defined at the top-right, with options including Early, Delayed and Landed, while departure and arrival times are shown at the bottom with to the minute accuracy. The same information can be found in OS X El Capitan, but instead of a long press, users access flight data with a right click. Apple is expected to release iOS 9 and OS X 10.11 El Capitan this fall.

Could We Be Seeing A New iMac And MacBook Pro Soon ?

A new 15 inch MacBook Pro and 27 inch non Retina iMac are rumored to be coming this Wednesday, according to the website MacGeneration. Apple last updated the 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro in March, giving it a new Force Touch trackpad along with new Intel Core processors and a graphics boost. Today’s report doesn’t give us any details on what the 15-inch MacBook will pack under the hood, but it wouldn’t be surpassing if we did see this new processor appear in the MacBook Pro. This would be the first 15 inch Apple notebook to come with Force Touch technology, which Apple has been incorporating into more and more of its devices, including the MacBook, Apple Watch. There are no details on the 27-inch iMac, other than that it is the non-Retina model which Apple will most likely give an upgrade to. It might be more likely to get the iMac and MacBook updates at WWDC. I know WWDC has been more developer focused then product focused over the years but hey, you never know.
UPDATE 5/19/15 - The new iMac and MacBook Pro have been released, To read about them click here

  

Rumored iPad Pro Render Surfaces

The rumored “iPad Pro” surfaced with a new rendering on Friday, further speculating that Apple is working on a larger 12-inch tablet. French blog nowhereelse.fr shares the image, calling the device the ‘iPad Air Plus’ and saying that the sketch is dated December 2014. The alleged rendering offers up dimensions for the Pro tablet, measuring 305.70mm long x 222.60mm wide x 7.20mm deep. Converted to inches, that’s about 12 x 8.7 x 0.30. These numbers line up with those seen in previous renderings of the device, which is expected to have a 12.9″ display. Talk of the iPad Pro has quieted in recent months, most likely due to the launch of the Apple Watch and the new 12-inch Retina MacBook. Reports have come in that in March that Apple was having production issues with the tablet’s display panels, which have forced it to delay the product until fall.

iPad Pro Case Leaks Online, Suggests A Fall Release

Several new cases designed for Apple's “iPad Pro” have been leaked, and one in particular is far more detailed than any we’ve previously seen. Recent rumors point towards the iPad Pro's screen measuring between 12.2- and 12.9-inches, with the expected array of cutouts for the volume rockers, back-facing camera, lock button, and a charging port. The newly leaked cases have cutouts for all of these features, including what appear to be speakers at both the top and bottom of the device, in line with previous rumors surrounding the tablet. The new cases also include the mysterious cutout on the left side of the device. Some previous rumored cases have included the cutout, with rumors variously suggesting it could be for a SIM-card tray on cellular models, a second Lightning port, or perhaps a USB-C port. The latest rumors say that the iPad Pro will have a triple-core A8X processor, 2 GB of RAM, Touch ID, and possibly shipping with a first-party Apple manufactured stylus accessory. A release date is unknown but rumors suggest production could begin in September, setting up for an October launch alongside a refresh of the existing iPad lineup.

Apple Announces This Years WWDC

Apple has announced its annual Worldwide Developers Conference for this year. The conference will take place in San Francisco as in early June. WWDC will officially kick off on June 8th and run through June 12th. Developers interested in attending the conference can apply for tickets (which cost $1599) starting today with applications open through Friday at 10 am PT/1 pm ET. Apple’s WWDC opening keynote serves as the unveiling stage for the next versions of iOS and OS X. Its expected that Apple will unveil iOS 9 later this year with a focus on performance improvements and overall stability as Apple moves to address recent quality control issues rather than foundational features. In addition to iOS 9 expected to be previewed at WWDC and released later this fall, Apple is continuing to push iOS 8 development further with the all-new Music app with a redesigned iTunes Radio experience in iOS 8.4. Apple is expected to unveil its Beats Music-based subscription music service at the conference as well as potentially announcing a new Web TV service for Apple TV. Apple may also reveal the Watch SDK for making native apps for the Apple Watch rather than the current collection of WatchKit apps which run on the iPhone and project information to the wearable.

Apple May Discontinue iPad Mini To Focus On Rumored iPad Pro

Looks like Apple may be planning to discontinue its iPad mini lineup in order to focus on the upcoming larger-screened "iPad Pro," according to reports. According to the reports Apple will cease updating the iPad mini next year, making the new iPad mini 3, released in October. A preference towards larger screen sizes, the introduction of the 5.5 inch iPhone 6 Plus, declining iPad sales, and is a fierce competition in the tablet market are said to have led to Apple's alleged decision to discontinue the tablet. Apple has been known to pull resources away from products that are not selling well. For example, Apple has been investing fewer resources in the iPod touch, a device that no longer receives regular updates. The 5th generation iPod touch was released in 2012 and while the device received a major update at that time, only a few changes have been made since then, tweaking storage capacities and prices. It's possible the iPad mini could go the way of the iPod touch, remaining in the product lineup but receiving few updates.  The "iPad Pro" is rumored to have a screen size between 12.2 and 12.9 inches. It's said to be slightly thicker than the iPad Air 2, coming in at around 7mm, and it may have stereo speakers and an ultra HD display. A release date for the iPad Pro remains unclear, as Apple was said to be targeting an early 2015 launch but pushed back production in order to focus on the iPhone 6 Plus. Below is concept art of the iPad pro. 

OSX 10.10.1 Released For Developers

Apple has released the first build of OS X 10.10.1 to those registered with the Mac Developer program. The OS X 10.10.1 seed 1 release focus areas are said to be Wi-Fi, Exchange accounts in Mail app, and Notification Center. No specific bugs or issues are mentioned, but this release could be aimed at resolving some of the wi-fi issues that have impacted some Yosemite users.

Apple Announces Update For Mac Mini

It’s been nearly 3 years since the Mac Mini has received an update, today an update was announced at Apples press conference. Improvements include  the fourth generation Intel Core processors the Intel Iris and HD Graphics 5000,  PCIe-based flash storage, faster 802.11ac Wi-Fi along with 2 Thunderbolt 2 ports. The new Mac mini will be available today starting at $499.

Apple Announces That OSX Yosemite Is Available Today

During Apples press conference Apple announced that OS X Yosemite will launch today on the Mac App Store. OS X Yosemite will be available for free to all users with an eligible machine. Those eligible machine are the following, 

• iMac (Mid-2007 or later)
• MacBook (13" Late 2008 Fall, Early 2009 or later)
• MacBook Pro (13" Mid-2009 or later)
• MacBook Pro (15" Mid/Late 2007 or later)
• MacBook Pro (17" Late 2007 or later)
• MacBook Air (Late 2008 or later)
• Mac mini (Early 2009 or later)
• Mac Pro (Early 2008 or later)
• Xserve (Early 2009)

Apple Announces New 27 Inch iMac With Retina 5K Display

Apple has recently announced a new 27-inch iMac with Retina 5k Display. It starts at $2499 with 8GB RAM, 3.5GHz quad-core Intel Core i5, AMD Radeon R9 M290X and 1TB Fusion Drive as the base model.The new 27-inch iMac with Retina 5K Display is available starting today.

Rumors Claim That The 12-Inch iPad Will Run iOS and OSX

Apple’s rumored 12-inch tablet, which is said to be scheduled for release in 2015, may become there first device to feature an operating system that integrates Mac OS and iOS. The report adds that Apple actually has two 12.9-inch iPad prototypes in testing, only one of which is a  2-in-1 device that runs both iOS and OS X. While the other is a  regular tablet running iOS, Mass production is expected to begin in early 2015, but it’s unclear at this point whether just one or both of these devices will be brought to market. Apple is rumored to have a media event on October 16.

Apple Could Have An iPad Media Event In October

While the rumors suggesting the 12.9-inch iPad Pro will be coming in the second quarter of 2015 is in line with previous rumors, there has been no prior indication that second generation iPad Air and the next generation Retina iPad mini will see separate launch timelines. Previous rumors have indicated that both the Retina iPad mini and the iPad Air 2 will be introduced simultaneously at an event in October. Recently, a rumor suggested the two tablets could be introduced at an October 21 media event. Both the next generation iPad Air and Retina iPad mini are expected to gain updated A8 processors, camera improvements, and the Touch ID fingerprint sensor first introduced with the iPhone 5s. Apple's iPad Air 2 may also gain an anti-reflective screen coating and it may also ship in gold, silver, and space gray, much like the iPhone.

Apple To Add Security Alerts For iCloud Users

Apple will add security alerts for iCloud users, broaden two-factor authentication and make a more aggressive effort to alert users about protecting their accounts. Tim Cook CEO of Apple  said this to the Wall Street Journal on the matter. “To make such leaks less likely, Mr. Cook said Apple will alert users via email and push notifications when someone tries to change an account password, restore iCloud data to a new device, or when a device logs into an account for the first time. Until now, users got an email when someone tried to change a password or log in for the first time from an unknown Apple device; there were no notifications for or restoring iCloud data”.  The new notifications will begin in two weeks and will allow users to take action on potential hacking, allowing them to either change the password to retake the account or alerting Apple's security team. Cook all had this to say "When I step back from this terrible scenario that happened and say what more could we have done, I think about the awareness piece. I think we have a responsibility to ratchet that up. That's not really an engineering thing." Apple has a media event on September 9 where they are said to be revealing the iPhone 6 and the iWatch.

Apple’s iWatch Could Have A $400 Price Tag

According to various reports, Apple has considered putting its rumored wearable device in the market for $400. That may be the higher end of a range of prices for the device, which is said to come in multiple versions including lower priced one's. Apple hasn’t decided on the final pricing for the iWatch, which is reportedly not set to become available until early next year but is expected to be introduced at the September 9th media event. Apple made the date for the media event official a couple of days ago when it sent out  invitations which had the “Wish we could say more” tagline suggesting that the iWatch could be the company’s “one more thing” at the event. Below is CONCEPT art for the rumored iWatch.