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Apple opens Find My Mac to beta testing
Apple has enabled beta testing of Find My Mac to registered OS X developers, according to MacRumors. Just like Find My iPhone, Find My Mac allows users to locate their Macs from any web browser or iOS device. When found, you can choose to play a sound or send a message on the Mac; you can also remote lock or remote wipe the Mac. However, remote locking and wiping will prevent you from locating the Mac again. The Find My Mac feature will be free. All you'll need to use it will be OS X Lion and a free iCloud membership. iCloud is expected to debut this fall, and we'll likely start hearing the first Find My Mac success stories soon afterward.
Apple iCloud and iWork beta for iOS hands-on
We've had a few weeks to get accustomed to iOS 5 and Mac OS X Lion, but one headlining feature has been notably inaccessible since it was unveiled earlier this summer. During his WWDC keynote, Steve Jobs touted iCloud as a service that will sync many of your Apple devices, for free. Macs, iPhones, iPads, and even Windows computers can synchronize documents, contacts, calendar appointments, and other data. You'll also be able to back up your iOS devices remotely, use an Apple-hosted email account, and store your music in the cloud. Well, this week Apple finally lit up its cloud-based service for developers, letting some of us take a sneak peek at the new service. Apple also announced pricing, confirming that you'll be able to add annual subscriptions with 10GB ($20), 20GB ($40), or 50GB ($100) of storage 'atop your free 5GB account. We took our five gig account for a spin, creating documents in Pages, spreadsheets in Numbers, and presentations in Keynote, then accessing them from the iCloud web interface to download Microsoft Office and PDF versions. We also tried our luck at iOS data syncing and the soon-to-be-controversial Photo Stream, so jump past the break for our full iCloud hands-on.%Gallery-129793%
Apple launches iCloud and iWork betas, confirms pricing for extra capacity
MobileMe's impending demise just got one step closer, folks. Apple's updated iCloud.com to now sport an official login page with what we're assuming is Cupertino's rendition of a CNC-machined aluminum unibody badge. It looks like those of you rocking iOS 5 or OS X 10.7.2 and who've also created an iCloud account are probably already busy frolicking through email, editing contacts and slinging calendar events all from the comfort of your browser. Those services already existed under its predecessor, but it looks as if Cupertino has spruced 'em up with fresh paint jobs. A screenshot from MacRumors also shows the addition of an iWork section, which we'd surmise means the previously siloed iWork beta now has a new place to call home. We couldn't get past the migration step with our trusty MobileMe account (disappointing proof is after the break), but you're more than welcome to tap the more coverage link and have a go yourself. Oh, and if you're wondering how much it'll cost you to claim more than those 5GB that Apple's tossing in gratis, the folks over at Electronista have confirmed that an extra 10GB will cost $20 per year, while an extra 20GB runs $40 / year and an extra 50GB will demand $100 per annum. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
iCloud.com developer beta opens, includes full-featured web interface
Remember when I told you there would still be iCloud web apps once the service took over MobileMe, despite what some other sites were saying at the time? Not to brag or anything, but I was right. Today, Apple launched the iCloud.com beta for developers. Web apps on the service include Mail, Calendar, Contacts, Find my iPhone, and iWork. The interface looks to be heavily overhauled from its earlier MobileMe incarnation, and iCloud.com's design seems to have taken many design cues from the iPad's iOS interface. Of note, if you're not a fan of the "real object" design of iCal and Address Book on the iPad or in OS X Lion, you're not going to like the web app design either, because it's essentially the same. Since many of us are under NDA at TUAW, we're not providing screenshots; 9to5 Mac published a few, which you can check out here. The iCloud.com beta does require installing the OS X Lion 10.7.2 developer beta before you can use iCloud for OS X Lion beta 5, so if you're not a developer and were hoping to check this service out for yourself, you're out of luck for now. iCloud.com should launch to the public this fall, alongside iCloud itself and iOS 5. Apple has also released pricing data for iCloud storage upgrades. All free iCloud accounts come with a standard 5 GB of online storage, but Apple will be offering three upgrade options: 10 GB for US$20/year (15 GB total) 20 GB for $40/year (25 GB total) 50 GB for $100/year (55 GB total) Before it became free to all, MobileMe was $99/year and included 20 GB of iDisk storage, so these new pricing tiers for storage are a much better deal than MobileMe was.
Apple TV streams purchased TV shows -- not just rentals -- from the cloud after update
Don't think Apple's forgotten about its little hobby, as the second generation Apple TV is getting an update today that lets users buy TV shows and stream them (in high definition) directly to the device, with the additional bonus of streaming access to previously purchased shows. That brings a new feeling of permanence -- already available from others like Zune and Vudu -- to the cloud atmosphere around Apple's hockey puck, but it also means being $2.99 invested in rewatching that episode of Leverage down the road instead of opting for a 99-cent rental. The other new feature listed for this update is access to the streaming site Vimeo, but since the official support site is still only listing info for the 4.2.2 version posted in May, any other details are unknown so far. Update: The official notes for v4.3 are on the support page now, and yep, that's all there is.
Mac OS X Lion 10.7.2 beta brings iCloud support, no bug fixes
We know what you're thinking: Mac OS X Lion (10.7) has been out for nearly a week, so why have we yet to hear anything about Snow Lion? Patience friends, Apple will roar soon enough -- but for now, 10.7.2 will have to do. Apple released the beta update to developers over the weekend, eschewing any acknowledgment of 10.7.1, or correcting any of the bugs that have popped up over the last week. Instead, Lion's pending second update (build 11C26) is required for testing the operating system with iCloud -- a feature notably absent in the public version of the OS released last week. The new System Preferences iCloud module enables granular management of select features, letting you choose which accounts and services to sync. Full iCloud support is coming in the fall with the release of iOS 5, so it's probably safe to assume that Apple plans to patch some of those bugs in the meantime -- any day now, we hope.
Spotify US premium service hands-on
Like The Beach Boys' Smile and Duke Nukem Forever before it, the US version of Spotify has been elevated to a sort of mythological status by collective anticipation. Music nerds and tech geeks all over this fine nation of ours have waited with bated breath for the service to work out all of its licensing kinks and finally make its way to our shores. In an interview earlier this week, a Spotify higher-up promised us that the service will be pretty much the same as the one that Europe has already come to love -- the question, then, is whether or not disappointment is inevitable after so much waiting. Spotify gave us the opportunity to take the premium desktop and mobile versions of the service for a spin. Check out the result below.%Gallery-128415% %Gallery-128418%
Apple confirms iCloud web apps, impending death of iWeb and iDisk
MobileMe's complete disappearance is still a good ways off, but it's safe to say that the transition to iCloud is well underway at Cupertino (and Maiden, North Carolina, for that matter). A brief FAQ has emerged today over at Apple's site, detailing answers to a few burning questions about the future of MobileMe. As stated before, all MobileMe users who had an account prior to June 6, 2011 will see their service extended through June 30, 2012 at no extra cost, but what's new here is the amount of functionality that'll also be available from a website. Starting at an undisclosed time "this fall," icloud.com will allow users to access Mail, Contacts, Calendar, Bookmarks, Find My iPhone and Back to my Mac, relieving fears that iCloud was severing ties with the browser altogether. Unfortunately, iWeb, Gallery and iDisk aren't making the cut, and while it seems that previously stored files will still be accessible, we wouldn't count on being able to add anything new a year from now. Hit the source for the rest of the nitty-gritty.
New iCloud FAQ: Yes, there will be webmail
Since iCloud was announced by Apple on June 6, the TUAW inbox has been filled to capacity with questions about the many features of Apple's cloud computing platform of the future. Unfortunately, we have been just as much in the fog as you have about what features are moving from MobileMe to iCloud, and how the transition between the two services will take place. Today, Apple published an online document titled "Frequently asked questions about the MobileMe transition and iCloud" to clear away the confusion. As it turns out, I was wrong in my speculation that Apple was going to be getting rid of web-based versions of Mail, Contacts, Calendar, and Find My iPhone (as was our friend and former Engadget colleague Josh Topolsky, who apparently got some bad intel from a misinformed or confused Apple PR staffer). Fellow TUAW editor Chris Rawson disagreed with me on that speculation, and it turns out that he was correct. Apple has publicly stated on the FAQ page that "Web access to iCloud Mail, Contacts, Calendar, and Find My iPhone will be available at icloud.com this fall." Apple notes that "The core services provided by MobileMe have been rewritten to work seamlessly with iCloud." That being said, the FAQ shows that three services of MobileMe aren't going to make the transition -- iWeb hosting, Gallery, and iDisk. If you use MobileMe to host your iWeb-created site, be sure to read our posts on replacements for MobileMe hosting and WYSIWYG HTML editors for Mac. Apple has also posted a knowledge base article about transitioning your iWeb sites to another host. Of course, new features -- iTunes in the Cloud, Photo Stream, Documents in the Cloud, auto-downloads and purchase history for apps and books, and backup and restore of mobile devices -- are to be added with iCloud. That may be cold comfort if you're a longtime iWeb user, have complex iDisk workflows or extensive MobileMe galleries... but it's something. For those of you with .mac or .me email addresses, Apple is going to let you keep that address into the future. The company states that you can "move your MobileMe mail, contacts, and calendars, as well as your bookmarks, to the new service. When iCloud becomes available this fall, Apple will provide details and instructions on how to make the move." Apple also provides knowledge base articles on how to save MobileMe Gallery photos and iDisk files. Other highlights of the document include info on merging MobileMe accounts (not possible), using multiple iTunes account for store purchases and iTunes in the Cloud (possible), what to do if you will be using more than the free 5 GB of iCloud storage (you can buy more), and submitting a refund request for unused or partially used MobileMe licenses. Be sure to take a look at the Apple document and associated knowledge base articles as they're sure to ease your mind about some iCloud questions -- and possibly raise other questions about your life in the cloud.
The iCloud logo and the golden ratio
Apple's commitment to thoughtful design is legendary, and here's another example. The iCloud logo uses the golden ratio. In short, the golden ratio is an irrational mathematical constant that often occurs in nature. When applied to design, the results are considered aesthetically pleasing. Artists have been using it for centuries, including Leonardo da Vinci and Salvador Dali. Takamasa Matsumoto of Design Archive considered the iCloud logo's irregular shape, and took some measurements. He found that the golden ratio was represented by the cloud's inner "circles" as well as the cloud as a whole. Well done, Apple. [Via Business Insider]
LaCie's CloudBox 'hybrid HDD' doubles your backups in the cloud (video)
Tempted by the allure of the cloud? Still not quite ready to give up that local backup at home? Fret not, as LaCie's new CloudBox gives you a pinch of both. The gizmo pictured above may look similar to the company's Wireless Space NAS, but it's actually a 100GB "hybrid HDD." The device connects to a router exclusively via its single Ethernet port, enabling it to handle local backups while also automatically mirroring an AES encrypted copy to a cloud server daily -- even if your computer is off. Using LaCie's Online Restore software, the offsite copy is accessible by up to ten previous volumes should the box ever become inoperable. The CloudBox comes with a one year subscription for online backups (mum's the word on future fees), and will be available in July priced at $200. You'll find more details in the PR past the break, as well as a video showcasing a variety of unfortunate -- mostly baby induced -- situations it's intended for. %Gallery-127028%
Senior iCloud product manager John Herbold leaves Apple
John Herbold, a senior product manager for Apple's iCloud service, has updated his LinkedIn profile to show that he's no longer with the company in Cupertino. Herbold's LinkedIn now shows that he works for a company called HealthTeacher, and his work at Apple is in the past. He also says that working with Apple "was a great privilege. Now I get to take that experience and apply it to the enormous challenge of materially improving youth health." Herbold is only the latest in a growing line of big Apple executive exits, including Bertrand Serlet a little while ago, and Ron Johnson from the company's retail division. Still, for a company as big as Apple, all of these exits are likely just more indicative of usual turnover rather than a motivated mass exodus.
76% of iPhone users will adopt iCloud
A survey by RBC Capital Markets states the obvious: a majority of iPhone owners will use Apple's new free iCloud service when it launches this fall. According to the survey, 76% of iPhone owners will use the free iCloud service and another 30% will use the US$25 yearly iTunes Match service. iMessage may be as popular as iCloud with 73% of iPhone users looking forward to using iOS-specific messaging service. This high rate of adoption is not surprising. Who wouldn't use a free service that is bundled into the OS and makes life easier by seamlessly syncing information across devices?
Apple iCloud to halt backups, MobileMe email, when storage limit is reached?
Hey there, future iCloud power user, take a gander at the MobileMe email from MacRumors above -- that's what to expect when you approach the 5GB storage limit. Apparently, automatic backups and your MobileMe account's email traffic will pause until you delete some files or purchase more space via your iDevice or a computer -- for an undisclosed cost. That's one sliver of info which Apple's remaining tight-lipped about despite unveiling the mostly free cloud service weeks ago. Also worth noting, as TUAW points out, is that content purchased within the iTunes ecosystem won't impact your quota. Hey, those app downloads can sure make it easy to fill up a drive, ya know.
Dropbox security bug temporarily allowed logins without authentication
Earlier today, a code update to Dropbox introduced a bug that temporarily allowed access to users' accounts and files without authentication via the company's web interface. For approximately four hours, from the time that Dropbox made the changes until the service's developers were able to correct the error, user accounts were accessible by merely typing in the email address associated with the account. "This should never have happened," Dropbox says on its blog. "We are scrutinizing our controls and we will be implementing additional safeguards to prevent this from happening again." TechCrunch notes that many Dropbox users store sensitive files using the service, and it's a sobering thought that such files were theoretically freely accessible by anyone for any period of time. Dropbox claims that less than one percent of users logged into the service while authentication was inadvertently optional, and it logged out all user sessions as a precaution. This is not the first time concerns have been raised over possible security issues with Dropbox, but the fact that user accounts and files were accessible without authentication may mean that users looking for a secure online file storage system may want to look elsewhere when iCloud debuts this fall.
Apple email reveals iCloud storage details
An email sent from Apple to a MobileMe member reveals some details about Apple's upcoming storage allocation in iCloud. When users sign up for a free iCloud account, they will receive 5 GB of cloud storage. However, when users near their 5 GB limit, they'll receive an email from Apple like the one this MobileMe member received today, as MacRumors reported. The email reveals what happens if you hit your 5 GB limit. If you max out your data storage, your iOS devices will no longer back up or save new data to iCloud, and any emails sent to your me.com email address will bounce back to the sender. The good news is that media or apps that you purchased through iTunes don't count against your 5 GB iCloud allotment. Still, if you're going to be saving many large files on iCloud, you're probably going to need more than the 5 GB of free storage eventually. The email from Apple states that iCloud users can buy more storage right from their iOS devices or on a Mac or PC; it doesn't, however, state any pricing or in what increments users can buy additional storage. iCloud is expected to fully roll out in the fall with the release of iOS 5, but users with an iTunes account can test out some of its services now by redownloading apps they've already purchased.
Dear Aunt TUAW: Help me get a MobileMe refund
Dear Aunt TUAW, I renewed MobileMe in April for $99. It appears there will be no refund. Where's the loud and insistent outcry? Your rather ticked-off nephew, Z Dear Z, Auntie totally gets where you are coming from (although as far as she's concerned, MobileMe is something that always happened to other people). Apple has renewed all MobileMe customers until the middle of 2012 but, honestly, what's the point? Anyway, Apple has clarified its MobileMe refund policy on this Knowledge Base page. Unused activation codes and codes used for 45 days or less will be fully refunded. Codes used for 46 days or more will receive pro-rated refunds. Shipping costs and rebates will be deducted from any refunds. You'll need to provide proof-of-purchase documentation before submitting any claims. You can contact Apple directly and request a refund by phone. This worldwide list of numbers provides contact information on a country-by-country basis. That's what Uncle Steve did. He renewed at the start of the year, getting a few months of service but paying for the entire year. He might have gotten a couple of months more value than you but he's totally in the same boat. So Auntie made him call up Apple and demand, I tell you, demand that refund. Here's what happened. He was quickly transferred to the MobileMe department, and the phone rep there recommended that he wait on canceling. "You can cancel your MobileMe subscription at any time for a pro-rated refund," they told him. "However, if you use MobileMe for email, contacts, calendar, iDisk files, and MobileMe Gallery, that information is going to be deleted and you won't be able to sync devices." The Apple support rep recommended waiting until iCloud becomes available. "[If you wait until] those services are available to you, you can cancel the MobileMe subscription and receive a refund for the remainder of the year. You cannot reactivate your MobileMe subscription after you cancel it, so be sure that if you are going to cancel that you have alternative sources for email, and for syncing. " Uncle Steve chose to wait. He's going to cancel after iOS 5 and iCloud are firmly chugging along this Fall and request his pro-rated refund at that point. You might want to wait and do the same. That's because Uncle Steve is very sensitive about his "mac.com" email address. He wants to keep it forever and ever, and hug it and love it and call it "George." It appears that he'll be able to do so. Yay! He's more than a little concerned about the 5 GB free storage limit on iCloud, though. His email will chew that up in no time -- much like how Auntie's little Pekingese puppy Spunky Sue (AKC registered name "Spunky Sue Your Pants Off Champion Johnnie Cochran") chewed up Auntie's favorite slippers last week. You'll discover a wealth of information about iCloud both in the press release announcing the service and in the web pages that describe it, so be sure to do a little reading for your homework. Do you have any other concerns about MobileMe and the transition to iCloud? Let Auntie know in the comments. Hugs, Auntie T.
Ask TUAW: shuffle by album and AirPlay from iOS, plus lots of iCloud questions
Welcome to Ask TUAW, our weekly (mostly) question-and-answer column. This week we're again hitting a ton of questions about iCloud and iOS 5. By the way, we can never have too many questions. You can't have a Q&A column without the Q, so please go to the comments of this post and ask away. Believe it or not, we've had a little bit of a drought of questions, so now's your chance to get them answered! If you prefer, instead of asking questions in the comments, you can also email your questions directly to ask [at] tuaw.com, or simply ping us on Twitter. For our first question, Guillaume asks: Does the Music (née iPod) app in iOS 5 have a "shuffle by album" feature, rather than just "shuffle by song" like currently? On my old first generation iPod nano, or in iTunes, I can play albums at random. This is not possible on my iPhone. I can only play songs at random, and it doesn't make for a very pleasant experience if you jump into the middle of a classical concerto and then to a song from a rock concert.
Apple may settle iCloud trademark lawsuit says legal expert
Apple may settle a trademark lawsuit with iCloud Communications according to patent and trademark lawyer Brad Salai of Harter Secrest & Emery law firm. Apple was slapped with a trademark infringement lawsuit following its big iCloud announcement at WWDC last week. The company, iCloud Communications LLC, claims part of its business focuses on cloud computing, and Apple's new service is confusingly similar. It's an interesting lawsuit from a legal standpoint. Apple has filed 11 applications for the iCloud trademark and purchased the right to an existing trademark as well as the domain iCloud.com from Xcerion. A USPTO database search suggests iCloud Communications has not registered for the iCloud trademark. It also uses geticloud.com for its domain. The Arizona company will have to argue that it has a common law right to use the trademark. In Salai's opinion, Apple will likely settle a small lawsuit to get iCloud Communications out of the way. If the Arizona company pushes for a large monetary settlement that prevents Apple from using the iCloud name, the Cupertino company will take its chances in court. [Via The Loop]
Yes, there will be iCloud web apps
Since Steve Jobs unveiled iCloud at WWDC, many current MobileMe subscribers and potential iCloud users have wondered what will happen to the current web-based offerings for contacts, calendars, email and so forth. Josh Topolsky of This is my next claims that Apple PR has confirmed the current web-based interface will go away, replaced entirely by iCloud's new services. Topolsky's point is that since Steve Jobs said nothing about iCloud having a browser-based interface option at WWDC, it means such an option will never exist. He also has confirmed that Apple's PR folk told him straight up that there will not be web access to calendar, email and contacts. However, as Daring Fireball's John Gruber notes, "there is no reason to assume that iCloud as it will exist 12 months from now will be limited to what was announced one week ago." Considering we're more than a year away from MobileMe's permanent expiration date, that's a pretty big leap to make, even with the direct comment from Apple -- and it's one that's unsupported by evidence a MacRumors reader dug up. According to MacRumors, a reader sent a calendar reminder to himself via iOS 5 and was able to view it on iCloud.com in his browser. Except for minor differences in branding, the iCloud interface was nearly identical to MobileMe's existing browser-based interface. If Apple were indeed planning on doing away with the web interface once iCloud launches, it seems odd for it to offer the service during beta testing (with the iCloud branding, no less). While Steve Jobs has allegedly confirmed that iWeb and iWeb-based site hosting will be discontinued, multiple sources have seen evidence in both OS X Lion and iOS 5 that iDisk (or something similar) will still exist when iCloud launches. Additionally, the makings for a "Find My Mac" service have been seen in OS X Lion, and if such a service weren't accessible from a browser-based interface it would be all but useless. Those who have speculated that Apple will discontinue its web-based MobileMe offerings once iCloud launches have yet to provide a compelling reason why Apple would do so. The potential advantage of simplifying device-data syncing would be more than offset by the very real disadvantage of never being able to access your data from any device other than those you've already registered with iCloud. Apple has to be smart enough to know that current MobileMe users occasionally have to access their data from computers other than their own, and locking iCloud users out from doing the same thing would be a huge misstep. Yes, I believe there will be iCloud web apps. What shape they'll take remains to be seen, but even if Apple simply swaps the MobileMe branding out for iCloud and keeps the existing MobileMe codebase for the browser-based interface, that should be more than enough for most people's needs if they're trying to access iCloud from someone else's device.
