This week’s issue is brought to you by the letter A, with articles talking about Amazon, Android, Apple, AT&T, and App.net. But in an episode of “Which One of These Is Not Like the Others,” Michael Cohen leads off with a look at TextExpander 4’s new fill-in snippets. Agen Schmitz follows with all the details about Amazon’s new Kindle Fire HD, Kindle Paperwhite, and enhanced Kindle lineup. That encourages Glenn Fleishman to ponder whether a statement made by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos during the intro was targeted at Apple or Android. Not content to rest there, Glenn also does the math on AT&T’s new Mobile Share plans and looks in depth at App.net, a new social network that has more interesting goals than other such systems. Notable software releases over the past two weeks include ChronoSync 4.3.5 and ChronoAgent 1.3.6, VMware Fusion and Fusion Professional 5.0.1, SpamSieve 2.9.4, Dragon Dictate 3.0, iMovie ’11 9.0.8, Java for OS X 2012-005 and Java for Mac OS X 10.6 Update 10, Adobe Illustrator CS6 16.0.1, Adobe Photoshop CS6 13.0.1, Toast Titanium 11.1, Parallels Desktop 8.0, Hazel 3.0.12, Fantastical 1.3.3, and Firefox 15.0.
The enhanced fill-in macros in TextExpander 4 make complex fill-in snippets easy to construct. Michael Cohen, author of “Take Control of TextExpander,” explains what they are and why they’re so useful.
AT&T’s new Mobile Share plans seemed like a bad deal at first, but wound up the right fit for Glenn Fleishman’s family. Depending on your usage patterns, they may be worth a look for you as well.
Amazon has strengthened its hand in the tablet sector with the Kindle Fire HD, which provides a choice between 7- and 8.9-inch models with dramatically improved screen resolutions while also adding a bevy of compelling software features and synergistic services. The company also debuted the Kindle Paperwhite, a revamped Kindle Touch e-reader.
An offhand remark by Jeff Bezos during the launch of new Kindle models led industry watchers to wonder which hardware maker he was razzing.
App.net appeared from nowhere, raised $800,000 to launch a social networking system with huge similarities to Twitter, and has 15,000 people who have paid at least $50 for a year’s membership. Does it really think it can beat Twitter and Facebook at their own games? Not at all.
Notable software releases over the past two weeks include ChronoSync 4.3.5 and ChronoAgent 1.3.6, VMware Fusion and Fusion Professional 5.0.1, SpamSieve 2.9.4, Dragon Dictate 3.0, iMovie ’11 9.0.8, Java for OS X 2012-005 and Java for Mac OS X 10.6 Update 10, Adobe Illustrator CS6 16.0.1, Adobe Photoshop CS6 13.0.1, Toast Titanium 11.1, Parallels Desktop 8.0, Hazel 3.0.12, Fantastical 1.3.3, and Firefox 15.0.
Getting back to school, or back to work after a summer vacation? If that means getting back to Apple Mail, check out the 30-to-50 percent discounts on a bevy of Mail-related products, including our “Take Control of Apple Mail” books. Other ExtraBITS this week include an explanation of why one of AT&T’s policies is bad for deaf iPhone users, an explanation of Dropbox’s two-factor authentication, and an interview with Tonya Engst on MacVoicesTV.