Twitter just recently spruced up the Windows version of TweetDeck with the web edition's simplified, sidebar-driven look; it's now the Mac app's turn. TweetDeck 3.0.2 on OS X brings virtually the same interface as its Windows counterpart, including drag-and-drop columns and the ability to filter searches by engagement. If you take your social networking extra seriously, the 3.0.2 update is waiting at the Mac App Store.

Filed under: Internet, Software

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Via: TweetDeck (Twitter)

Source: Mac App Store

While we learned many things about OS X Mavericks' feature set at WWDC, there were a few important details hiding in the woodwork. Apple has just revealed a few of them through a new overview of the platform. Among them is a potentially huge step forward in the Mac's willingness to play with others: Apple has switched its default network file sharing system from the ages-old Apple File Protocol to the more universal SMB2. The move gives OS X the same approach to sharing as more recent versions of Windows, helping it slot into the corporate world and mixed-platform households. AFP and the original SMB are sticking around, but they'll now kick in only when needed.

The crew in Cupertino has also filled in many of the blanks surrounding Mavericks' vaunted performance and power optimizations. Battery-saving tricks like App Nap and timer coalescing mostly involve heavy task rescheduling and throttling. Memory compression, meanwhile, relies on an old yet largely untapped algorithm to avoid hard drive access. A deeper dive into the new OS X release is available at the source, although it's not for the faint-hearted -- the overview's developer focus doesn't exactly make for casual reading.

Filed under: Networking, Software, Apple

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Via: Ars Technica (1), (2)

Source: Apple

iWork has been a traditional software suite ever since it first launched (the brief availability of iWork.com notwithstanding), but Apple is bringing it to the web in earnest today by revealing iWork for iCloud. The suite includes Keynote, Numbers and Pages, and each of the web apps preserves many of the same real-time editing features as its iOS and Mac counterparts. The collection officially supports Chrome, Internet Explorer and (logically) Safari, although you'll likely be waiting awhile to try them: only developers get an iWork beta today, and a public beta is due later this year.

Follow all of our WWDC 2013 coverage at our event hub.

Gallery: WWDC 2013: iWork for iCloud

Filed under: Software, Apple

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Source: Apple

Adobe teased us with a Photoshop Lightroom 5 beta at the start of the spring, and it's closing out the season by releasing the finished goods. Mac- and Windows-based shutterbugs can download the completed image management app today, either at no extra charge through a Creative Cloud subscription or $149 for a stand-alone version ($79 for an upgrade). Buyers get the same core updates no matter how much they spend, including an Advanced Healing Brush for removing objects and Smart Previews that let travelers leave their original files at home. Behance publishing is also part of the revision. When Lightroom is free to try for a month, it likely won't hurt to grab a copy at the source link -- especially if your photo collection is growing out of hand.

Filed under: Software

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Source: Adobe, Richard Curtis' Blog

To put it mildly, the EA Maxis team has learned a few hard lessons about launching only when ready. The company is putting that theory into practice: it's delaying the launch of SimCity for Mac from June 11th to August. The OS X version just isn't "ready for primetime," the company says. As compensation, all Mac buyers will get access to the recent Launch Park bonus that they'd otherwise miss. And Windows users, you're still getting some TLC -- EA Maxis has detailed the impending Update 5 release, which fixes some bugs while delivering big improvements to chat and trading. While SimCity still hasn't shaken its rocky reputation, it's clear that the developers are determined to (eventually) set things right.

Filed under: Gaming, Software

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Via: Joystiq

Source: SimCity

Hours after Google released the latest update to its Gmail app for iOS, the folks in Mountain View have pushed the new software to the Android faithful everywhere. While some were able to snag a look earlier this week, the retooled mailbox is now available for all. This version touts new inbox features, slide-out navigation, the ability to reply / archive / delete from notifications, improved search and labels API for third-party devs. Also of note: Google hasn't nixed the Delete button, it just hid it by default. You can re-enable the feature in the "Archive & delete actions" tab of the General Settings menu by ticking "Show archive & delete." If you haven't yet recieved the signal atop your handset or slate, head over to the source link below to beam the update to your device(s).

Filed under: Software, Mobile, Google

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Via: Gmail (Google+)

Source: Google Play

In order to equip enterprise devs with the proper tools to create custom Maps, Google announced the Maps Engine API. The kit allows users to leverage the outfit's cloud muscle to layer appropriate info on a Google Map and publish the results for either internal or widespread use. Direct access to Maps Engine is provided through the API and web, Android, iOS and server-to-server platforms are all in play. A few companies have already put the goods to use -- FedEx is leveraging it to search its locations for the closest shipping option.

Filed under: Internet, Software, Google

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Via: TechCrunch

Source: Google Enterprise Blog

With more and more vehicles featuring telematics and built-in wireless connectivity, it's no surprise that we're seeing a new ecosystem emerge around the technology, with M2M specialists providing everything from radios to apps. BlackBerry wants a piece of this pie, and today at the Telematics Detroit conference, the company is showing a new OTA (Over The Air) service for automakers. The solution lets car manufacturers manage and deploy software updates to vehicles in the field and takes advantage of BlackBerry's push expertise and secure infrastructure. Other remote capabilities include installing apps on a car's infotainment system and getting status information on vehicle components. Let's just hope there's no service outage in the middle of that ECU update, okay? PR after the break.

Filed under: Transportation, Mobile, Blackberry

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Navigating that image repository and commenting on collaborative documents while in route is now a bit easier with Google Drive for iOS. The folks in Mountain View updated the Apple-centric version of its cloud storage app to allow swiping between stored images and the ability to view, create and respond to a Docs' comments on the go. Those who haven't already been prompted to update -- or those looking to dive in for the first time -- can do so via the source link that follows.

Filed under: Internet, Software, Mobile, Google

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Via: Google Drive (Google+)

Source: iTunes

When Camino's web browser launched in February 2002 as Chimera, it rescued many Mac users caught between a dying Internet Explorer and the distant launches of Firefox (Phoenix) and Safari. It's unfortunate, then, that the Camino team has just laid their once-heroic browser to rest. There's little surprise as to why, though: Camino hasn't been keeping pace with its rivals, which makes it both obsolete and a security risk. We won't mourn when there's now an abundance of alternatives, but we'll certainly pay our last respects.

Filed under: Internet, Software

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Via: TUAW

Source: Camino

When Ubuntu Linux was still in early development back in August 2004, Canonical founder Mark Shuttleworth filed a tongue-in-cheek first bug: that Microsoft had a majority of PC market share. Little did he realize that he'd have an excuse to cross that bug off the list in 2013. Since computing now includes phones and tablets, he argues, that leaves the traditional PC (and therefore Windows) in the minority versus Android, iOS and other platforms. Whether or not you agree with that market interpretation, Shuttleworth is ready to move on -- he feels it's better to polish Canonical's own cloud, desktop and mobile efforts than to target someone else. It's undoubtedly easy for Shuttleworth to make peace when the battle is supposed to be over, but we can't object to such a healthy attitude.

Filed under: Cellphones, Tablets, Software, Microsoft

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Via: NPR

Source: Ubuntu (1), (2)

Tapbots' Tweetbot for Mac already has a reputation as the desktop Twitter client for media hounds, but a just-posted 1.3 update should make that especially clear. Like its iOS counterpart, the Mac app gains a dedicated media timeline: start a search and you can spotlight only photos and videos. There are a few perks for the vain among us, too. Tweetbot now supports profile cover images, and a redesigned tweet layout shows the counts for those inevitable favorites and retweets. So long as $20 isn't too much to pay for a dedicated social networking tool, 1.3's greater media savviness is waiting at the Mac App Store.

Filed under: Internet, Software

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Source: Mac App Store

Although the shiny new iOS app and retooled web interface were demoed a few weeks back at MAX 2013, Adobe has released both facets of its new and improved Kuler color selection tool into the wild. The iPhone software enables hue selection with the handset's camera or selecting a previously captured image for inspiration -- with built-in preset moods and color rules to expedite the process when needed. Created themes can then be saved and accessed via both the web interface and inside Creative Cloud applications like Photoshop and Illustrator. The free app is available now in iTunes and a quick walkthrough resides beyond the break.

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Via: Creative Cloud Blog

Source: iTunes, Adobe Kuler

When we last got a peek at Windows 8.1 "Blue," most of the updates lurked under the surface: rumors of a Start button revival didn't pan out. Flash forward to Paul Thurrott's screenshots of a newer build, however, and it's a different story. The leaked code has the Start button once more occupying a spot on the desktop taskbar, with behavior reportedly like what we've seen with Stardock's Start 8 utility. More throwbacks also appear to be in store. Users can now transfer their desktop wallpaper to the Start screen, and the storied boot-to-desktop option is available -- if turned off by default. Microsoft hasn't acknowledged the existence of these (or any) Windows 8.1 features, but the rapidly approaching Build conference suggests that we'll learn more in the near future.

Filed under: Software, Microsoft

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Via: The Verge

Source: SuperSite for Windows

Though Mozilla has long been a proponent of WebRTC for plugin-free video and voice chat, it hasn't been ready to enable the full protocol in Firefox as a matter of course. It's more confident as of this week: the newly available Firefox 22 beta turns on complete WebRTC use by default, allowing for both live web conversations and peer-to-peer file swaps. There's more to the release as well, depending on the platform. Windows users receive support for HiDPI displays, like that of the Kirabook; every desktop user also gets gaming-friendly OdinMonkey JavaScript tuning, a web notification API and a font inspector. Android users won't have WebRTC and other upgrades for now, but everyone can experiment with the latest Firefox beta at the source links.

Filed under: Cellphones, Internet, Software

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Via: Mozilla (1), (2)

Source: Firefox Beta, Google Play

Adobe's Photoshop Express has been taking care of our botched photos on Android and iOS for quite some time, but it hasn't had its turn on a desktop-class platform. That changes with today's launch of a version for Windows 8 and RT. Like their mobile counterparts, Windows users can now make basic edits, apply filters and sync photos to Revel in a touch-friendly interface; the chief difference is the landscape-oriented Windows Store look. If you've wanted to use your Surface as a mobile photo workshop without paying for apps, you can grab Express for free at the source link.

Filed under: Tablets, Software

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Source: Windows Store

Jealous of the Lumia 925's flashy new imaging software? At Nokia's London event, Jo Harlow has promised that other Lumia owners won't be left out in the cold. The company will be pushing out "Amber," an update that'll bring Smart Cam, amongst other apps, to the company's wider range of Windows Phone 8 devices. There's no word on when Amber will actually arrive beyond a vague mention of "summer," but the company hopes it'll be ready in time for your next vacation.

Filed under: Cellphones, Cameras, Software, Mobile, Microsoft, Nokia

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Sometimes, the smallest and simplest apps make the most sense. Take Nuance's new Dragon Notes for Windows 8, for example. Unlike its NaturallySpeaking cousin, it's not a universal tool: instead, it's narrowly focused on the voice dictation of memos, email, social networking updates and web searches. That limited scope leads to a very simple interface, however, and slims down the price from $100 to a far more accessible $20. Fans of minimalism can grab Dragon Notes directly from Nuance on May 15th, although they'll need to spend $10 for every language they speak beyond English.

Filed under: Software

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Source: Nuance

While many browsers sync through the cloud, few know how to cope with the local network -- what if we just want to push a file to another device nearby? Maxthon doesn't think we should have to resort to an online service or a dedicated app for the purpose, so it's rolling a LAN Transfer feature into its Cloud Browser. Starting with Android and Windows versions available today, the web client lets users shuttle files directly to others on the same network, with nothing but the browser in between. Both iOS and Mac users should join the party soon, which could turn Maxthon into a rare (and very unconventional) cross-platform file manager.

Filed under: Cellphones, Networking, Software, Mobile

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Source: Maxthon

Google's cadre of Glass explorers only started receiving the headgear last month, but the folks in Mountain View are already pushing out an update. Named XE5, the fresh software carries a raft of tweaks and new features, ranging from crash reporting to Google+ notifications. Among the more notable upgrades are the ability to comment and +1 posts on the search titan's social network, alerts for incoming hangouts, improved battery life estimation and quicker transcription. One thing that may dampen spirits is a new charge to sync policy, which only allows background uploads when devices are plugged in to power sources and connected to WiFi. For the complete list of tweaks, hit the break for the changelog.

Filed under: Google

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Source: Phandroid

For many observers, the real story for Windows 8 was never going to be the 60 million licenses sold during the holiday rush -- it was always about the long term. The first indications of its post-launch impact are here, and show mixed results. In an interview on the company blog, Microsoft CMO/CFO Tami Reller says that it "recently" sold its 100 millionth Windows 8 license since the OS launched in October. That's a healthy figure, but sales of about 10 million units a month between its January stat update and today show adoption hasn't picked up again since the initial dropoff. The usual post-holiday lull no doubt played a part, although estimates of a much steeper drop in PC sales than usual suggest more was afoot. Microsoft doesn't see an immediate problem however, touting both brisk Windows Store adoption -- downloads of both free and paid apps surged from 100 million in January to 250 million -- and the pending arrival of more affordable convertible notebooks, touchscreen laptops and all-in-ones later this year.

Oh, and about that Windows Blue update everyone's been talking about? It's at last official. Microsoft isn't mentioning details beyond the Windows Blue codename, but it does promise that the upgrade should be available before 2013 is over. We're looking forward to that extra level of personalization already.

Filed under: Desktops, Tablets, Software, Microsoft

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Source: Blogging Windows

While there's an abundance of cloud storage services, few of them have dedicated conferences to help developers exploit that online space. Dropbox could well be a vanguard on that front, then -- it just announced its inaugural developer conference, DBX. The initial event takes place on July 9th at San Francisco's very familiar-sounding Fort Mason Center. Along with providing help straight from the source for the Sync API and other coding tools, DBX will serve as the launch platform for "new products." There aren't any clues as to what that entails, but we suspect that's enough of a tease to have some Dropbox diehards booking their flights.

Filed under: Storage, Internet, Software

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Via: Dropbox

Source: DBX

When Adobe first offered up Creative Cloud to those opting for its design software, the outfit promised that those members would get access to new features first. Now, the company has rebranded its Creative Suite to keep the creativity cloud-focused. Adobe has announced an entire line of CC apps at its annual MAX event, replacing the CS naming convention to follow up on last year's CS6 release. There's no word on if those numerals are gone for good too, but what we do know is that the list of newfangled tools for Photoshop CC includes revamped Smart Sharpen, upsampling for low-res images, support for Camera Raw 8 (as editable layers, too), editable rounded rectangles and more. Additionally, a few tools that were only available in the Extended versions of Photoshop (3D editing and image analysis items) are now available in this Creative Cloud version. Join us on the other side of the break for a quick rundown of the digital workbench that will arrive in June.

Update: The Next Web reports that from hence forth, Creative Cloud apps will only be available through the subscription-based service for $50 (£38.12 ex-VAT) a month. Subscriptions are discounted for Creative Suite owners for the first year and both education and team-based pricing is available. CS6 will still be available for purchase, but will not receive the support of updates and bug fixes.

Gallery: Adobe Photoshop CC screenshots

Filed under: Software

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Source: Adobe Photoshop Blog, Adobe Creative Cloud

After laying down its foundation with a mobile app, Google Keep is expanding to your desktop. Now available for Chrome, the note taking service syncs with Google Drive for a seamless transition from phone to computer. The app runs in its own separate window for fast access on the fly. In addition to keeping your grocery list in the cloud, you can add photo attachments to your memos, so there's no excuse for someone bringing home the wrong kind of coffee. Should you find yourself away from an internet connection, the app also works offline which should sooth anxious Chromebook owners. If you'd like to see if there's anything noteworthy about using Keep on your desktop, head on over to the source link below.

Filed under: Software, Google

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Source: Google, Chrome Web Store

While some people associate the word "jailbreaking" with prison riots or smartphone hacking, the most mainstream of cracking subcultures also takes on video game consoles. A mod chip developer known as WiiKey is now claiming to have reverse engineered the Wii U's disk encryption, making it possible to play "backed up" copies of games via a USB drive. The group says its "WiikeU" optical drive emulator is region free and compatible with all Wii U console models. So far the hacking brood has yet to furnish any proof of its claims, but Nintendo is very much aware of the situation.

Nintendo is aware that a hacking group claims to have compromised Wii U security; however, we have no reports of illegal Wii U games nor unauthorized applications playable on the system while in Wii U mode. Nintendo continuously monitors all threats to its products' security and will use technology and will take the necessary legal steps to prevent the facilitation of piracy.

Filed under: Gaming, Software, Nintendo

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Via: Eurogamer

Source: WiiKey (1), (2)