Mac

Apple has issued a firmware update for its latest Retina MacBook Pro systems that adds support for the new PowerNap feature in OS X Lion.

PowerNap allows the system to save energy by maintaining Sleep mode but still allow the system network access for updates and synchronization, as well as allowing backups to happen in the background. This feature is only available on the 2011-2012 MacBook Air systems and in the MacBook Pro with Retina Display; however, these systems did require a firmware update to use the new feature.

Apple issued the required firmware updates for the MacBook Air systems … Read more

Apple has not yet released sales numbers for its Mountain Lion operating system, but a new report suggests it's off to a stronger start than predecessors.

Advertising and analytics company Chitika today says that 3.2 percent of Macs are now running Mountain Lion, Apple's latest release of OS X that went on sale Wednesday. By comparison, the firm says it took Lion (the previous OS X release) three months to get a 14 percent share.

"It is rather impressive for an operating system to capture 3.2 percent of market web usage after just 48 hours … Read more

MacFixIt Answers is a feature in which we answer questions e-mailed in by our readers.

This week readers wrote in with questions about switching between 32- and 64-bit mode in OS X, using Target Disk Mode via Thunderbolt connections, how long Snow Leopard will be supported now that Mountain Lion is released, the best route to take for upgrading to Mountain Lion, and options for adding RAM to an older iMac system. We welcome views from readers, so if you have any suggestions or alternative approaches to these problems, post them in the comments!

Question: Switching between 32- and 64-bit … Read more

One of the new features in OS X Mountain Lion is the PowerNap energy-saving option that allows newer MacBook Pro and MacBook Air systems to continue to use network and backup services when in sleep mode. However, even after installing the OS X Mountain Lion upgrade, qualified systems may not be able to use the PowerNap feature.

When activated in the system's Energy Saver system preferences, PowerNap will perform hourly checks for new e-mail and updates to Contacts, Calendars, Reminders, Notes, iCloud documents, and Photo Stream. It will also maintain a connection for Apple's Find My Mac service. … Read more

commentary Apple's Game Center should, theoretically, be a service and a hub that ties together gamers across Apple's devices. It should be a social connector, a method of discovering new games based on what others are playing...and a mobile service on the order of Xbox Live.

Right now, it's very little of any of that, largely because the average iOS device owner probably has no idea Game Center is on their device...or what it even is. Regardless, the new version of Mac OS X, Mountain Lion, includes Game Center as one of a handful of more cross-compatible iOS/OS X services. At the moment, its offerings -- connect to leaderboards, see achievements, play cross-platform, and connect to friends -- are limited because, well, there just aren't that many Game Center games for Mac yet.… Read more

Apple says the next major version of its Mac operating system will roll out to consumers tomorrow morning.

The news came tucked inside Apple's third-fiscal-quarter earnings release where Apple reported earnings of $9.32 per share on revenues of $35 billion. The company pulled the same announcement trick for OS X 10.7, announcing its next-day availability during a conference call last year.

As a quick recap, the $19.99 software update brings a handful of iOS features to Macs, including the notes and reminders apps. It adds a few other things, like Twitter integration, Apple's Game Center, … Read more

Update, 2:24 PT Apple, enjoying the halo effect of selling iPhones, iPads, and iPods, said that it sold 4 million Macs during the company's third quarter, up 2 percent over the year-ago quarter.

That was in line with estimates. Before Apple's announcement, brokerage BGC Partners estimated that Apple would sell 4 million units in the quarter, partly because of an influx of first-time buyers. Apple had earlier gone on record noting that new users account for one out of two Macintosh computers sold in Apple stores.

However, the broader industry shift toward portable computers also affected Apple. … Read more

Apple will not only be at this week's Black Hat security confab, but also offer a presentation there too.

Bloomberg today notes that Dallas De Atley, Apple's manager of the platform security team, will be on the scene in Las Vegas to host a security briefing on the company's mobile operating system.

"Apple designed the iOS platform with security at its core," the description reads. "In this talk, Dallas De Atley, manager of the Platform Security team at Apple, will discuss key security technologies in iOS."

An Apple spokesperson declined to provide further … Read more

Apple buyers looking for a smaller and less expensive Retina MacBook Pro may soon get their wish.

A 13-inch MacBook Pro is expected to join its larger 15-inch cousin this September, according to KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. Sharing an investors note with AppleInsider, Kuo said that the new laptop would offer consumers an "attractive" alternative to the non-Retina 13-inch MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air due to the higher-resolution screen.

The analyst believes the unit's appeal will be enhanced by its combination of low power consumption and smaller form factor. And for more budget-conscious buyers, the … Read more