software

Apple releases iOS 6.1 with additional LTE support

After five beta test versions, Apple today released iOS 6.1, the first major update to iOS 6 since September.

The software, which went out this morning as an over-the-air update as well as a download through iTunes, brings a few new minor features, along with bug fixes.

Chief among the new features is 4G LTE support for more carriers, along with a feature that lets users purchase movie tickets from Fandango after finding showtimes using Siri. Apple also returned the option for iTunes Match subscribers to download individual songs from iCloud, something that was quietly removed in a previous … Read more

AT&T's U-verse blacks out for days in several U.S. states

Some AT&T U-verse customers are still without TV, Internet, or phone service after a days-long outage that knocked out access for hundreds of users throughout several Southern states.

"The issue impacting some U-verse subscribers has been tracked back to a software upgrade," the company wrote on its Facebook page earlier this afternoon. "We continue to work to determine when service will be completely restored. Our continued apologies for the inconvenience."

The outage began on Monday and was confirmed by AT&T on Tuesday. Hundreds of users have complained of no service on the … Read more

GeeksPhone reveals Firefox OS phones for developers

A small Spanish startup called GeeksPhone has started selling phones that let developers get a taste of Mozilla's new Firefox OS.

GeeksPhone announced two 3G phones for the browser-based operating system, the lower-end Keon and higher-end Peak. The phones, while geared for programmers rather than mainstream customers, make Mozilla's open-source mobile OS a lot more real, since programmers will be able to develop apps as well as to debug and advance the underlying operating system.

Firefox OS is Mozilla's ambitious attempt to build an operating system that brings more openness to the walled gardens of Apple's … Read more

Get a $117 Mac app bundle for free

Let's be honest: Mac users don't usually get a lot of freebies.

Sure, there are software bundles from time to time, but usually they cost around $50 -- nothing free about that.

That's what makes this deal so special: it doesn't cost a dime. For the next two weeks, StackSocial is offering the Mac Freebie Bundle, a collection of eight Mac apps with a combined value of $117 -- and a total cost to you of $0.

What's included? Here's the rundown:

Clipboard manager ClipBuddy. Icon organizer IconBox2. Image tweaker Image Smith. Screen-capture tool … Read more

Google Glass hackathons coming up in SF and NY

Google announced today that it is throwing two hackathons for developers to get to know and work on its Google Glass project. The people allowed to participate in the events are those who agreed to fork over $1,500 for the developer edition of the wearable device.

"It's the first opportunity for a group of developers to get together and develop for Glass," Google told CNET.

The hackathons are slated to be two days long and take place in San Francisco on January 28 and 29 and in New York on February 1 and 2. Those developers … Read more

Get Windows file manager XYplorer for free

Windows Explorer has never been what I'd call a user-friendly tool. In fact, I find it pretty unintuitive. Yet it's what Windows users are stuck with for moving, copying, deleting, and organizing their files.

If you've often wished for an easier, more robust replacement, today is your lucky day: Giveaway of the Day is offering Donald Lessau's XYplorer 11.90 Windows file manager free of charge. It normally sells for $29.95.

WARNING: Do not click the big blue Download button that appears alongside the description of XYplorer. That's actually an ad, and clicking it … Read more

Software makes a showing at CES 2013, but underwhelms

LAS VEGAS--While the presence of software and apps at CES has certainly grown over the past few years, the fact remains that downloads still sit in the shadows of home theater components, gaming equipment, mobile devices, and other hardware at the annual show. At this point, we're beginning to think that software may never take center stage at CES. From an economic standpoint, it might not make much sense for a company to double down on an expensive booth to showcase a straightforward, downloadable app when the show continues to gravitate toward colorful plastics and shiny metals.

Rather, we … Read more

Q&A: MacFixIt Answers

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

This week, readers wrote in with questions about a problem installing software updates from Apple's Software Update service, how to restore a deleted Notes application in OS X, and options for recording movies and video to your Mac. I welcome views from readers, so if you have any suggestions or alternative approaches to these problems, please post them in the comments!

Question: Unable to install software updates MacFixIt reader Arthur asks:

A friend has an iMac (2008) running Leopard. She received notice that … Read more

Why Adobe (and other vendors) should give away older software

No doubt you heard earlier this week that Adobe is giving away Creative Suite 2, an older version of its popular (and pricey) image-editing and design bundle.

Then it turned out that, no, the software wasn't free; Adobe's Don Isaacs wrote that the company was merely "terminating the activation servers for CS2," and that the download page was only for those who already owned licenses for the product.

Ah, but it was too late: the story had gone viral (big time), and it appears Adobe has decided not to try stuffing the genie back into the … Read more