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Steam, the PC gaming platform from Valve Software, will be coming to Mac systems in May, while one of the company’s most anticipated forthcoming titles, Portal 2, will also be available for Apple machines in the fall.

According to TUAW, the April 2010 edition of GameInformer magazine reveals that Valve intends to start a beta of Steam for Mac in the spring, while a full release of the program has been “targeted for May.”

In addition, the article revealed that Windows users who already have a Steam account will be able to re-download games using their existing keys on the Mac. If true, that means PC users could easily migrate to the Mac and play their favorite Valve games — including Half-Life 2, Team Fortress 2 and Left 4 Dead 2 — without having to buy them again for a new platform.

Steam is a cloud-based service that integrates game purchasing and a friend system in one all-encompassing application. By logging in to a Steam account, users can currently download the games they have purchased to any Windows-based computer. But in the future, it would seem, that functionality will be cross-platform, for both Mac and PC.

Last week, Valve began a teaser campaign for the coming release of Steam for Mac. The images released paid homage to Apple’s iconic “1984″ TV ad, the “Think Different” campaign, the “Get a Mac” campaign and more. Prior to that, users discovered Mac OS X specific files hidden in the latest beta version of Steam for Windows.

In 2007, Valve co-founder Gabe Newell said that there was “no evidence” that Apple had interest in helping developers to bring their games to the Mac. He also noted that he believes the lack of support for games has held Apple back in the consumer space.

But Apple has found great success with games on the iPhone, even making an impact on major players in the portable space like Nintendo. With more than 140,000 applications available for the App Store, a significant number of them are games for the iPhone and iPod touch.

Valve’s support for the Mac will also reportedly be extended to new titles, as GameInformer’s preview of the anticipated game “Portal 2″ notes that the title will be available for the Mac, as well as PC and Xbox 360. The first-person puzzle game, developed and published by Valve, will support one or two players. It is slated for release this fall.

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Magazine confirms Steam gaming platform coming to Mac in May

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Apple posts surprise ad for iPad during the Oscars

Filed under: appleinsider — Tags: based-on-google, download-ebooks, google, iphone, mobile, rapid-sequence, subtle-mention, with-the-ipad — @ 4:00 am

By Prince McLean

Published: 11:00 PM EST

Apple captured the attention of movie buffs and the entire film industry by publishing a new teaser commercial for the iPad during the Academy Awards presentation Sunday evening.

The new 30 second spot, backed by The Blue Van’s catchy tune “There Goes My Love,” races through a variety of iPad features.

It quickly demonstrates browsing through photo albums with finger gestures, then shows how to download ebooks from the new iBook Store and using the new full screen versions of Mobile Safari and Apple’s Maps application based on Google’s Map service (below).

It also highlights the expanded version of the iPhone OS’ email app, iTunes media playback featuring the movie “Star Trek,” and a subtle mention of page layout and word processing within Apple’s multitouch version of iWork’s Pages app.

The fast-paced new ad then flashes through a rapid sequence of other apps including Maps and iTunes album playback to finish with the iPad’s April 3 launch date.

The ad is available on Apple’s website, but has not yet been added to the company’s YouTube channel.

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Apple posts surprise ad for iPad during the Oscars

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March 6, 2010

Reader: Steve Jobs says no tethering between iPad and iPhone

Filed under: appleinsider — Tags: about-the-ipad, computer, computers, down-the-other, iphone, share-the-ipad, swedish — @ 3:00 am

By Prince McLean

Published: 10:00 PM EST

Steve Jobs appears to have fired off a tersely worded email reply to a user in Sweden who asked whether the WiFi-only iPad could be tethered to the iPhone: “No.”

Jezper Söderlund of the Swedish website Slashat.se reports that he sent Apple’s chief executive an email identifying himself as an Apple customer before adding, “I’m also awaiting the release of the iPad. However, I have one question: Will the wifi-only version somehow support tethering thru my iPhone?”

The full email headers Söderlund forwarded to AppleInsider appear to indicate that Jobs sent his one word reply at 8:30 AM from his iPhone.

Whether one can tether

Apple currently supports Bluetooth and USB (but not WiFi) tethering to share an iPhone’s 3G mobile signal with another computer in iPhone 3.x software. However, enabling the feature requires approval from the carrier.

AT&T does not allow iPhone tethering in the US, nor do some other iPhone carriers in other regions. Well over a year ago in late 2008, AT&T executive Ralph De La Vega said that iPhone tethering was coming “soon.”

Apple introduced the technical capacity to tether with the iPhone 3.0 firmware in mid 2009, but AT&T failed to deliver any progress in approving an iPhone tethering plan for its subscribers throughout 2009, and has yet to even provide an update on when that will happen.

Tethering the iPad to an iPhone

In order to use iPhone tethering from a Mac or PC, the computer must be able to connect to the iPhone via USB or Bluetooth, and must support a network connection over that interface.

While the iPad includes Bluetooth hardware, it is not yet known if it will support a network uplink connection over Bluetooth (known as a “Wireless iAP”). The iPhone OS does not currently enable this as a feature so it is doubtful the iPad will, particularly given Jobs flat out “no” answer to tethering. Bluetooth support in iPhone OS devices is also limited in many other respects.

Being able to access an iAP within the iPhone OS (a “reverse tether”) would allow iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad users to connect to and share an iPhone or computer’s Internet access via Bluetooth, rather than only over a mobile EDGE/3G network or over WiFi hotspot. That’s not currently possible.

The iPhone OS also offers no support for “reverse tethering” over USB, shutting down the other avenue for connecting an iPad to an iPhone with tethering enabled. The iPhone OS also does not support acting as a gateway to share its mobile Internet access over WiFi to other computers, even though iPhone OS devices can all access any WiFi hotspot.

Apple has made no comments about the iPad’s ability to tether its 3G access (allowing a computer to share the iPad’s mobile access data plan), likely because it is not intended to do so. The data plan on the iPad is priced so much lower than most general purpose 3G dongle plans that it appears clear that AT&T does not expect users to be sharing it for general use from other computers.

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Reader: Steve Jobs says no tethering between iPad and iPhone

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Transparent House creates "Anatomy of Apple Design" iPad tribute

Filed under: appleinsider — Tags: appleinsider, clamshell-1999, computer, from-the-apple, highlights-the, iphone, macintosh, nature, newton-message, power, pro-notebooks-, skips-the-ipod, swedish, titanium-power — @ 12:00 am

By Prince McLean

Published: 07:00 PM EST

San Francisco 3D design and visualization studio Transparent House has created a visualization entitled “Anatomy of Apple Design” as a tribute 34 years of Apple design, starting from the Apple I and leading up to the new iPad.

The studio used Autodesk 3ds Max and Chaos Group V-Ray to develop two minute video, which took around ten days to finish as a completely artificial but photorealistic rendering.

The video jumps from the 1976 Apple I to the original 1985 Macintosh, skipping the company’s breadwinning Apple II series and its first significant flop, the Apple III.

It presents the 1989 Macintosh Portable, 1991 PowerBook, and 1993 Newton Message Pad, skipping generations of desktop Macs (including the iconic iMacs and the elegant but slow selling Cube) to highlight the clamshell 1999 iBook and white 2006 MacBook, but not the Titanium PowerBook nor other pro notebooks.

The visualization highlights the 2007 iPhone and the new iPad, but skips the iPod line and other current products such as Apple TV.

“We wanted to show the products in Apple history that in our opinion were best related to the nature of the iPad,” the group explains on its Vimeo page. “There were also time limitations – we just couldn’t get every product in.” Direct link to YouTube.

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Transparent House creates "Anatomy of Apple Design" iPad tribute

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March 5, 2010

Apple discounts Mac Developer Program subscription to $99

Filed under: appleinsider — Tags: a-flat-fee-, appleinsider, computer, developer, from-the-cost, mobile-platform, nature, success-on-the, swedish — @ 8:40 pm

By AppleInsider Staff

Published: 03:40 PM EST

Apple this week slashed hundreds — and in some cases thousands — of dollars from the cost of its Mac Developer Program annual subscription, which now carries a flat fee of $99 per year.

Previously, developers had to pay between $499 for the “Select” tier and $3,499 for the “Premier” categorization. The newly revamped Mac Developer Program is modeled after Apple’s wildly successful iPhone Developer program, and offers technical resources, support and more.

Developers who subscribe receive pre-release versions of forthcoming software for Mac OS X, including the operating system itself.

“Receiving pre-release Mac OS X software is an exclusive benefit for all Mac Developer Program members,” the official developer site reads, “and allows developers to begin incorporating the latest technologies into their development process, test for compatibility, and report bugs.”

Subscribers also gain access to the Apple Developer Forums, where they can discuss development topics with Mac developers and Apple engineers. The program also offers exclusive development videos from Apple engineers and experts.

Xcode tools are still available as a free download, but access to pre-release software and Apple’s technical support are available only with the $99 annual subscription.

With more than 140,000 applications available for download on the iPhone App Store, developers have embraced Apple’s mobile platform with the iPhone OS. The coming release of the iPad, based on the iPhone OS, has generated even more interest in the mobile operating system.

With so many developers finding success on the iPhone, Apple is undoubtedly looking to court more developers to write for the Mac platform. At $99, the Mac Developer Program carries the same annual price as the iPhone Developer Program.

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Apple discounts Mac Developer Program subscription to $99

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Interest in Amazon Kindle wanes after Apple iPad unveiling

Filed under: appleinsider — Tags: a-few-quarters, a-huge-splash, a-major-change, a-major-head, a-new-survey, amazon, analysis, apple, appleinsider, effect-on-sales, ipad, iphone, percent-said, survey — @ 5:20 pm

By Katie Marsal

Published: 12:20 PM EST

While most who currently own an e-reader have a Kindle from Amazon, a new survey found that a majority of consumers who intend to buy an e-reader in the near future will opt instead for the Apple iPad.

ChangeWave recently conducted a survey of 3,171 consumers the week after Apple announced the iPad, and the results suggest that the forthcoming device is poised to make a huge splash in the e-reader market.

“In particular, while a handful of e-Reader manufacturers — most prominently Amazon — clearly have a major head start,” ChangeWave said, “the survey findings show the iPad is poised to profoundly shake up this market.”

Among those who plan to purchase an e-reader in the next 90 days, 40 percent said they will buy the Apple iPad. That’s well ahead of the 28 percent who will opt for an Amazon Kindle, 6 percent for the Barnes & Noble Nook and 1 percent for a Sony Reader.

That would be a major change for the Kindle, which is currently the far-and-away market leader. The ChangeWave survey found that 68 percent of respondents who already own an e-reader have the Kindle, while just 10 percent have a Sony Reader.

“While the iPad launch is likely to strengthen overall e-Reader demand, the survey suggests Amazon and its competitors could well find themselves relegated to playing catch-up within just a few quarters if they don’t preemptively move quickly to upgrade their own e-Reader products,” the analysis firm surmised.

In addition, among those who already own an e-reader, 27 percent said they would have bought an iPad if it were available at the time. Most — 45 percent — said they are content with their purchase, while 30 percent said they are unsure.

A portion of the same survey was revealed last month by RBC Capital Markets analyst Mike Abramsky. Those findings showed that 13 percent of respondents are likely to purchase Apple’s forthcoming iPad, which is a number larger than the 9 percent who planned to buy an iPhone before its launch in 2007.

One of the strongest assets for the iPad is its $499 starting price. While 28 percent of respondents in 2007 said the iPhone was too expensive, only 8 percent in 2010 said they would not buy the iPad based on its price. In addition, while 19 percent said they are interested in the $499, 16GB model, another 19 percent said they would opt for the high-end, $829, 64GB model with 3G.

Working against the iPad, in the eyes of respondents: lack of a camera, no support for Adobe Flash, and no multitasking. Most consumers also said they will use the iPad for a variety of functions, suggesting it will serve more as a netbook than an e-reader.

The study also found the iPad will also have an effect on sales of other Mac products: 25 percent of respondents said they will delay planned purchases of one or more Apple products due to the iPad. MacBook purchases will be delayed by 9 percent of respondents, while 10 percent were prospective iPhone buyers that will now postpone their purchase.

Apple on Friday announced that the Wi-Fi-only iPad will be available for purchase in the U.S. on April 3, and the company will begin taking reorders on March 12. The 3G-capable model is expected to arrive stateside at the end of April, and overseas markets will receive both the Wi-Fi and 3G models at the end of the month as well.

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Interest in Amazon Kindle wanes after Apple iPad unveiling

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Apple iPad to arrive in U.S. on April 3, preorders begin March 12

Filed under: appleinsider — Tags: a-more-intimate, appleinsider, australia, begin-on-march, computer, device, digital-camera, hardware, iphone, italy, itunes, japan, seller, tunes-store — @ 1:35 pm

By AppleInsider Staff

Published: 08:35 AM EST

Apple has announced that its long-awaited iPad will be available for purchase for consumers starting on Saturday, April 3, while pre-orders for the multi-touch device will begin on March 12.

While the Wi-Fi model will be the only available at first, the 3G-capable iPad is expected to arrive in late April. In addition, all versions of the hardware will be available in the U.K., Canada, France, Germany, Australia, Italy, Japan, Span and Switzerland in late April.

Preorders for the iPad will begin on March 12, with both the Wi-Fi and 3G models available for reserve from apple.com. The Wi-Fi model will be available in-store as well on Saturday, April 3. That date is just a few days later than the 60-day launch window Apple announced at the device’s unveiling in late January.

“iPad is something completely new,” said Apple CEO Steve Jobs. “We’re excited for customers to get their hands on this magical and revolutionary product and connect with their apps and content in a more intimate, intuitive and fun way than ever before.”

A pair of recent rumors have suggested that the initial availability of the iPad could be limited. However, while the launch shipments could be restricted, reports have suggested that supply constraints will not last long.

Friday’s announcement from Apple also disproves a rumor of an earlier launch date, which also brings into question the report’s claims that Apple store employees would receive training on March 10, and TV commercials for the iPad would begin to air on March 15. The inaccurate report came from The Examiner.

Analyst predictions for first-year iPad sales are varied, with Wall Street forecasting between one million and five million shipments. The market for the iPad is expected to grow as developers find new, unique uses for the device through the App Store.

Starting at $499 for 16GB of storage, the iPad lets users browse the web, read and send email, enjoy and share photos, watch videos, listen to music, play games, read ebooks and much more. The iPad is 0.5 inches thick and weighs 1.5 pounds, making it thinner and lighter than any laptop or netbook. It also delivers battery life of up to 10 hours.

Apple said the iPad’s multi-touch interface makes surfing the web an entirely new experience, dramatically more interactive and intimate than on a computer. Users can read and send email on iPad’s large screen and almost full-size “soft” keyboard or import photos from a Mac, PC or digital camera, see them organized as albums, and enjoy and share them using iPad’s slideshows. iPad makes it easy to watch movies, TV shows and YouTube, all in HD, or flip through the pages of an e-book you downloaded from Apple’s new iBookstore while listening to your music collection.

The App Store on iPad lets users wirelessly browse, buy and download new apps from the world’s largest app store. iPad includes 12 new innovative apps designed especially for iPad and will run almost all of the more than 150,000 apps on the App Store, including apps already purchased for the iPhone or iPod touch.

The new iBooks app for iPad includes Apple’s new iBookstore, the best way to browse, buy and read books on a mobile product. The iBookstore will feature books from the New York Times Best Seller list from both major and independent publishers, including Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins Publishers, Macmillan Publishers, Penguin Group and Simon & Schuster.

The iTunes Store gives iPad users access to the world’s most popular online music, TV and movie store with a catalog of over 12 million songs, over 55,000 TV episodes and over 8,500 films including over 2,500 in stunning high definition. All the apps and content you download on iPad from the App Store, iTunes Store and iBookstore will be automatically synced to your iTunes library the next time you connect with your computer.

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Apple iPad to arrive in U.S. on April 3, preorders begin March 12

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