Macworld June 2012

Syncing Ship When Apple introduced iTunes in 2001, it served one purpose: It was a music jukebox. But that was a long time ago. These days, iTunes is simultaneously Apple’s most important and most problematic product. It’s a music and video player. It’s a store where you buy music, videos, ringtones, and apps. And it’s a syncing system, connecting the Mac to a range of Apple devices, from the iPad, iPhone, and iPod to the Apple TV. Apple has packed almost everything relating to media and app management, purchasing, and playback into this single app. As a result, iTunes is now bursting at the seams. The app has become a complete mess and needs an overhaul. Confused and Confusing I use iTunes every day to listen to music on my…

It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad Macworld Readers reflect on their favorite iPad accessories, grumble over AT&T’s throttling decisions for users with unlimited data, and wonder why we’ve phased out Snow Leopard tips in this age of Lion. (Answer: Sadly, we have only so many pages in our magazine!) AT&T throttles down on data speeds In Europe all “unlimited” data plans have speed limitations after reaching a threshold. To my knowledge nobody has complained about this. These speed limitations are noted in the contract—and though they’re written in small characters, they aren’t hidden away somewhere. If AT&T said it will throttle speed after usage reaches a certain limit, I don’t see what there is to sue about. If AT&T kept this hidden, then it was false advertising. pakitt, via the Macworld.com…

When Apple unveiled the new iPad at a special press event back in March, the world watched. And that’s nothing new; it seems every Apple event garners tremendous attention before it’s announced, nonstop live coverage while it’s happening, and endless analysis and punditry once it’s over. Isn’t that something? The Apple Event Life Cycle Apple events like March’s iPad event have a life cycle all their own, and it’s a lengthy one. For months, there are rumors about what Apple may or may not be working on. There are even rumors about when Apple will host its next special event. Once Apple announces an event, news agencies rush to report that fact—incredibly, even the confirmation of the event’s date is considered newsworthy. At some point, Apple emails invitations to chosen…

HOW-TO I rarely need to check my Mac’s manual. But when I want to find out something directly from Apple and I can’t find what I’m looking for on Apple’s website, I check my Mac’s manual. Manuals have a lot of good information—you might be surprised at what you find. For example, the manual for the Early 2009 MacBook Pro has a section called “Boost Your MacBook Pro,” with directions on how to upgrade the hard drive and RAM. The Mac manuals also have a helpful troubleshooting guide. Digital copies of manuals are easy to access; you can keep them in Dropbox or another online storage service, so they’re just an Internet connection away. However, not every company provides digital copies of its manuals. Thankfully, Apple does provide them. In…

Ardent users are clamoring for quicker upgrades to Apple’s Mac Pro, while an unknown timetable for new hardware in the high-end desktop has raised concerns about the company’s commitment to professional users. Apple last upgraded the Mac Pro in July 2010. Mac Pro users now want the models upgraded to Intel’s recently announced Xeon E5-2600 chips to keep up with the increased horsepower required for tasks like video editing. The long wait for a Mac Pro upgrade has raised doubts about Apple’s interest in supporting its high-end workstation. Apple has not announced plans for a new Mac Pro; the company does not comment on future products, a company spokeswoman said. Creative professionals widely use Mac Pros for multimedia creation and editing. These users value the Mac Pro’s flexibility in terms…

Apple answered the question on many analysts’ and investors’ minds—namely, what the company planned to do with its almost $100 billion in cash. Later this year, Apple will begin paying out a dividend and will start buying back shares. The dividend program, which will begin in the fourth quarter of its 2012 fiscal year, will see payments of $2.65 per share to shareholders—pending an official declaration from the company’s board of directors. In addition, the company will start repurchasing shares ultimately worth $10 billion in its 2013 fiscal year, which starts on September 30. Apple expects the process to take around three years, and says that the intention behind the program is “neutralizing the impact of dilution from future employee equity grants and employee stock purchase programs.” According to Apple…