Apple Support Communities
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Apple revamps/rebrands discussion forums as Apple Support Communities
Throughout the day we've had a number of readers contact us to say the Apple Discussion Forums were down. Now we know why. Apple has just launched Apple Support Communities, a revamped discussion forum with the focus on allowing Mac and iOS users to find answers to their questions quickly and easily. Don't worry, if you've started or replied to any topics in the past, all your old posts are still there. What the Apple Support Communities redesign does is add nifty little features, like an easier-to-browse forum, the ability to "like" any post, and even the ability to upload images so that you can show everyone just what it is you are talking about ("See! I get two beach balls, not one!"). Head on over to the support communities and check them out. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. Also, you can check out a walk-through of all the new features here.
Apple TV 4.1 update is apparently resulting in loss of 720p output for some unlucky souls
We've been monitoring a growing thread on Apple's support discussion forums where users are complaining about their recently acquired Apple TV only outputting 480p after updating the OS to 4.1 last week. That's obviously a big step down from the 720p resolution touted at launch, and if the plight of these posters is indicative of anything, it seems the perpetrating update has somehow changed the HDMI resolution negotiation of the device -- which rears its ugly head in specific setups. Speaking of setups, though the issue was originally shared by a user who directly connected the device to their TV via HDMI, it appears the vast majority of posters are using an HDMI-to-DVI cable. This latter complaint offers an easy out for Cupertino since the Apple TV's fine print clearly states DVI isn't supported -- meaning if it worked perfectly with the previous OS, it was just a lucky coincidence. So how bout' it readers? Are any of you experiencing this issue with your shiny new hockey puck without involving DVI? Let us know in the comments below.
Apple Discussion Boards to receive major overhaul
The Apple Discussion Boards have long been a great source of help for Apple end-users and professionals looking for both Apple-supplied and community-supplied assistance. In my personal experience, though, it can sometimes be a frustrating place to visit. Apple has announced that what has been known as "Apple Discussion Boards" will be renamed "Apple Support Communities" and sport some new functionality and design elements. One of the biggest changes will be the concept of a user-designed homepage, where one can customize it with social sharing elements, widgets and discussion activity alerts. Another new feature will be user avatars, which is likely meant to make the site feel more social and friendly and less like a place where pros will tell the novices to get the hell off their lawn. What's been your experience with the Apple boards up until now? What do you hope they'll address in the update? [via MacFixIt]
