MacKits

iPad 4G model gets more accurate claims

Apple’s Australian iPad pages have changed to preemptively comply with rulings on 4G marketing. It now makes more generic claims to support “very fast cellular networks” and makes clear that the iPad doesn’t support the frequencies or technologies for what’s considered 4G in Australia. The hardware is “not compatible with current Australian 4G LTE networks and WiMAX networks,” Apple said.

Norway has also added to a number of countries that have involved themselves with similar concerns, including Denmark, the UK, and Sweden. The new Scandinavian complaint from the country’s ombudsman is concerned Apple is over-emphasizing LTE support for Norwegian customers that can’t use it. Read More...

Deals on MacBook Airs, hard drives, and more

Today’s deals from DealNN include discounted MacBook Airs, hard drives, and more. Apple.com is now offering a discount on the refurbished 13.3-inch, 1.7GHz MacBook Pro, complete with 4GB of RAM and 256GB of Flash storage, integrated FaceTime camera, Thunderbolt port, and dual-core Intel Core i5 processor. Currently featured at DealNN, the MacBook Air has dropped $250 off its original cost and is available for only $1,349.

Save $50 today on the Western Digital Elements SE Portable 1TB External Hard Drive that’s now on sale at Tigerdirect.com, it can be purchased for only $99.99 and has ground shipping rates starting at $2.29. Buy.com recently lowered the cost of the SHERPA 15.6-inch Double Slimcase by Wenger SwissGear, which means its once $44.99 list price has now become the new $24.99 sale price, and that’s with free shipping included. Lastly, the Patriot Memory 16GB MicroSDHC Class 4 PDP Signature Flash Memory Card is currently on sale at Macmall.com for only $9.99, and offers savings of up to 80%. Read More...

RIM may shed long-term BlackBerry server fee

RIM might counteract its recent poor results by dropping its longstanding BlackBerry server access fee. A rumor from a “senior source” at RIM speaking to BGR had the company exploring the possibility of dropping the cost it normally passes on to carriers in order to get wider adoption. It would cost over $1 billion in revenue a quarter, but the gamble would be that carriers would drive more sales without that fee to pay or factor into their prices.

Simultaneously, the same contact that had posted a scathing open letter gave his opinion that the QNX-based BlackBerry 10 “can not compete.” While strictly his point of view, he saw RIM’s “one hope” as echoing Nokia and switching to Windows Phone. It would want to build BlackBerry Messenger for Microsoft’s OS and tie BlackBerry Enterprise Server more to Exchange. Read More...

Applecom.com, appleprinters.com targeted

Apple has filed a fresh complaint with the World Intellectual Property Organization in a bid to claim two domains associated with its name. Specifically Apple is looking to obtain applecom.com and appleprinters.com, currently occupied by squatters (visiting the sites isn’t recommended). WIPO complaints can be used to seize domains if it can be shown that one party is exploiting the brand of another.

The Next Web notes that Apple still lacks control of more obvious domains. This includes iPad.com, iBookstore.com, and iBooks.com, the last of which is actually in the hands of rival bookseller Barnes & Noble. Apple does control domains like iPods.com, but has sometimes taken a long time to acquire other obvious addresses, such as iphone4.com and whiteiphone.com. Read More...

Price drops on Apple products

This week at Apple’s online store save on refurbished Macs iPads and more. The bargain priced Mac mini with a 2.5GHz Intel dual-core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM and a 500GB hard drive is now $699 after a $100 price cut. A $300 discount is offered on the refurb. 11.6-inch MacBook Air with a 1.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of RAM and 128GB flash storage is now $799.

Refurbished iPads start as low as $299 for the first-generation 16GB iPad with Wi-Fi. A $130 price break is offered on the first gen. 16GB iPad with Wi-Fi + 3G, now $399. Save $150 on the refurbished 32GB iPad 2 with Wi-Fi + 3G, now $579. Currently iPod touch models are available for as low as $169 for the 8GB Touch from September of 2010, and include a $120 price break on a refurb. 64GB iPod touch, now $249. Save $150 on the refurbished 27-inch Thunderbolt Display, now $849. Read More...

Current forum topics

Today in the MacNN forums Mac Elite slider asks “can someone tell me what the weight of Apple’s latest BT keyboard is” and has yet to find an answer. Yesterday Senior User MacNNUK reported an odd problem with the Safari icon in the dock being pixilated after upgrading to 10.7.3, join in here.

Today the thread titled “OS X v10.8 – Mountain Lion” was resurrected in the early hours of the morning, read more here. Earlier this week one Fresh-Faced Recruit was looking for some help when they were having problems with booting OS X from a new HDD, a solution has yet to be found. This week forum goers continue to discuss the benefits of iCloud based bookmarks while debating the possibility of something like that happening in 2012. Read More...

And yet, they rip this off from Apple’s Xcode. Read More...

Sequel brings separate multiplayer mode

Feral Interactive has released a Mac port of BioShock 2, an action-RPG originally developed by 2K Games and Digital Extremes. As in the original Windows and console games, the main story has players assume the role of a Big Daddy in Rapture about 10 years after the conclusion of the first BioShock. Whereas that game dealt with an objectivist threat, the second one has players facing off against a collectivist cult threatening the player’s Little Sister.

A separate multiplayer mode called The Fall of Rapture has gamers assume the roles of test subjects in the civil war that preceded the events of BioShock. Feral is selling BioShock 2 for $31 through its own website, as well as the Mac App Store. Buyers must have at least a 2GHz Mac with 4GB of RAM and 256MB of video memory, running OS X 10.7.2 or later. Read More...

Google Drive may be more competitive

Signs that Google Drive is near ready mounted late Thursday with leaks promising more features. A screen cap of a pre-release download page for a Windows app has shown TalkAndroid that it should have 5GB of free space, not the 1GB rumored at one point. The same page also mentions phones and tablets in a sign mobile is a core part of Drive.

Appropriately, an off-hand reference in a Google Docs support page has mentioned Google Drive. There should be at least a “Google Drive Android app” that should theoretically let users edit Google Docs files without having to go to Google Docs by name. Read More...

ETSI postpones nano-SIM vote due to divisions

Standards body ETSI has put the controversial nano-SIM vote on hold following a tumultuous build-up ahead of their latest meeting. According to FOSS Patents, the deep divisions between various smartphone makers including Apple, RIM and Nokia made it impossible to move forward with the vote as planned. Matters were further inflamed ahead of the vote with RIM also accusing Apple of vote-stacking by using proxies to conceal the identity of at least three member voters whom RIM has alleged actually work for Apple.

Ahead of the vote, Apple抯 proposed nano-SIM design had been expected to clinch the necessary numbers. However, both RIM and Nokia objected to the Apple design, even though Apple had offered to licence it free of charge. Nokia was not impressed however, and threatened to withhold its patents essential to the proposed nano-SIM design if Apple抯 design was picked ahead of its own. As a consequence, the vote cannot take place for at least the next 30 as per ETSI guidelines. Read More...