Looks like the rumor mill is going to keep the pedal to the metal ahead of this year's Worldwide Developer Conference, as speculation runs wild about what we might see in both iOS 7 as well as OS X 10.9 later this year. Today's recap also laments the original iPhone now achieving "obsolete" status in Apple retail stores as well as how Hollywood's feared Copyright Alert System may not be so scary after all.
Original iPhone Hits "Obsolete" Status on June 11
We're among those still clinging to an original iPhone -- the very same device we lined up for outside an AT&T store on June 29, 2007. So it makes our heart sink to discover that the device will soon reach "obsolete" status within Apple's retail stores. According to 9to5Mac, the end will come on June 11, 2013, when the original iPhone is officially put out to pasture along with other products "discontinued more than five and less than seven years ago," such as several flavors of the iMac, PowerBook G4 and Xserve. After that date, you'll need to call AppleCare or an Authorized Service Provider for service -- although it's worth noting that AT&T hasn't activated the original iPhone in a year and a half, and most of the App Store apps won't even run on it anymore.
Copyright Alert System Tested, Found to Be Less Than Efficient
The Verge reported Monday that the Copyright Alert System launched by internet service providers in late February doesn't appear to be doing its job very well. According to tests done by The Daily Dot over three weeks while using a Verizon account, downloading season three of Game of Thrones and a ripped copy of Marvel's The Avengers failed to set off an ISP warning, even when The Pirate Bay was chosen as the source of those illicit BitTorrent files. So what was supposed to happen? The ISP should have verified pirated content in the torrent file and kicked off an "escalating series of warnings" via email, which attempt to educate consumers about the evils of piracy. Seems like Hollywood and the ISPs may have more work to do...
Mini Display 1.1 Speeds Up Connection, Screen Redraw
We recently reviewed Edovia's new Mini Display, an iOS app that allows an iPhone, iPod touch or iPad to be used as a Wi-Fi display for extending the Mac desktop. While it wasn't quite perfect, the developer is back with version 1.1, which better handles Mac login and offers several additional display resolution settings, including two which now use thousands of colors instead of millions of colors for faster screen redraws on Retina Display devices. Coupled with an update to the free Mac client, Mini Display 1.1 might be worth another look for users who were having issues with the original release.
Rumor: OS X 10.9 to Focus on Features for Power Users
Now that dates for WWDC 2013 are a lock, it's just a matter of time before we get a peek at what the next versions of OS X and iOS have in store. However, the folks at 9to5Mac have gazed into their own crystal ball (with the help of insider sources) and let loose with a number of their own rumors on Monday, most of which seems to center around the addition of "power-user" enhancements as well as additional core features carried over from iOS. Among the changes are tags and tabbed browsing modes for Finder windows, proper full-screen support for multiple monitors and the debut of Siri's virtual assistant skills on the desktop. Nothing earth-shattering on deck, but there's not a whole lot wrong with OS X Mountain Lion at this point that a little spit and polish couldn't fix.
Former Apple Project Manager Blames MobileMe on Steve Jobs
This tidbit is a bit older than yesterday, but still worth a mention: Former Apple Engineering Product Manager Erin Caton recently published a brief memoir of her days in Cupertino and two encounters with late co-founder Steve Jobs. While the first involved Jobs cutting in line ahead of her in the office cafeteria, the second involved her work with the ill-fated MobileMe team following what Caton refers to as "a notoriously bad launch." Long story short, the former employee was one of many who tried to warn their bosses that the product wouldn't be ready by launch, then recants the tale of Jobs reading the MobileMe team the riot act as part of "the world's best de-motivational speech." Ultimately, Caton blames the botched launch on Jobs himself, simply because he "made himself so fearful and terrible" that those under his command failed to be heard when it was obvious things weren't working out.
Follow this article’s author, J.R. Bookwalter on Twitter
