From the initial preview to its final release, Mountain Lion took a journey that lasted over five months and saw 269 builds of the update before finally going gold in July of 2012. In fact, it was more than a month after its big WWDC keynote that Apple finally got OS X 10.8 out the door. But, things may be a little different this time around. Bug reports are starting to pop up in Cupertino's Radar system with the operating system build number 13A451. The first half, "13A," strongly suggests platform in question is OS X 10.9, since Mountain Lion was 12A, Lion was 11A, and so on, and so forth. The second half implies that this is the 451st build of the (not so) mysterious OS known only at 13A. That means that there have already been almost twice as many internal releases of 10.9 (presumably Cougar or Cloud Leopard... or maybe Scottish Fold?) as there were of 10.8 at the time of its release. This could indicate that Apple is preparing a substantial overhaul of its desktop OS, or it could just be that the company wants to ensure it avoids the usual flood of issues that accompany upgrades to the operating system. Either way, with WWDC right around the corner we're sure the mystery will be solved soon enough.
Filed under: Software, Apple
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Source: Apple Insider
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Dropbox's next move may be to take over your favorite screenshot sharing service, as the latest experimental build of its app adds the ability to upload screenshots automatically to your Dropbox folder. And that's not all! The latest build also adds iPhoto import functionality, which offers synchronization between local iPhoto libraries and your Dropbox account (it's only supported on the OS X version, of course, and only works with iPhoto 7.0 or higher), which are then viewable on the web.
Of course, this stuff may never make it into the next release of the Dropbox app given the beta-esque nature of this release, but it sounds extremely likely that it will given the company's wording. At very least, these features won't hit wide, final-release until some point after the next update (the update after this next one, to be clear). Head past the break for the full, detailed list of additions in version 2.3.12, and to the Dropbox forum to snag the new build for yourself in the source link below.
Filed under: Internet, Software
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Via: MacStories
Source: Dropbox
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When we last got a peek at Windows 8.1 "Blue," most of the updates lurked under the surface: rumors of a Start button revival didn't pan out. Flash forward to Paul Thurrott's screenshots of a newer build, however, and it's a different story. The leaked code has the Start button once more occupying a spot on the desktop taskbar, with behavior reportedly like what we've seen with Stardock's Start 8 utility. More throwbacks also appear to be in store. Users can now transfer their desktop wallpaper to the Start screen, and the storied boot-to-desktop option is available -- if turned off by default. Microsoft hasn't acknowledged the existence of these (or any) Windows 8.1 features, but the rapidly approaching Build conference suggests that we'll learn more in the near future.
Filed under: Software, Microsoft
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Via: The Verge
Source: SuperSite for Windows
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Can you identify Beethoven's Sonata No. 9 after hearing a mere three notes? Probably not, but a group of computer scientists and music scholars have built a machine that can do just that. The team -- composed of Pablo Rodriguez Zivic, Favio Shifres and Guillermo Cecchi -- has developed an algorithm capable of identifying patterns across distinct periods of Western music based on semi-tones and notes. Beyond its musical application, the machine represents tantalizing possibilities for research into disorders that affect speech. For example, current mechanical methods are already capable of recognizing vocal patterns common in the early stages of Parkinson's, but the trio hopes to utilize their project for even earlier detection. Such an algorithm could also be instrumental in identifying psychiatric conditions that impact the speech centers of the brain. Unfortunately, the lack of a comprehensive database of different types of speech patterns stands in the way of wider implementation. Even so, the team is hopeful that verbal tests might someday be used in place of invasive diagnostic procedures to identify certain illnesses.
Filed under: Science, Alt
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Via: IBM
Source: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
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Microsoft's new Xbox comes with a console, controller and Kinect, but even if you pre-order One for yourself, you'll need to go elsewhere to pick up a headset to match. And, Turtle Beach will be one of the first next-gen headset providers, as it's just signed a license with Microsoft to build them for the One. Turtle Beach isn't sharing any more info on the forthcoming headsets, but we'll be telling you all about them when they're revealed at E3 in a few weeks. Oh, and before you go thinking that you can save yourself some cash by using your trusty Xbox 360 cans, remember that the One's controllers have a new proprietary port on them that's incompatible with your old gear. You were looking for an excuse to upgrade your over-ear gaming audio anyway, right?
Filed under: Gaming, Peripherals
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On the fence about heading to Build? Microsoft's annual conference is scheduled from June 26th to the 28th, and developers in attendance will likely hear quite a bit more about the latest version of Windows 8. MS will also make a public preview available during the event, Julie Larson-Green shared at the Wired Business Conference in New York City today. A final version of Windows 8.1 "Blue" is expected by the end of the year, bringing cosmetic updates and other features, such as a new side-by-side app view and Internet Explorer 11. In March, we managed to dig through pre-release build 9364 -- it sounds like we'll be able to take a much closer look at the new operating system this summer, but you can click through our gallery of screenshots for an early preview, right now.
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Source: Microsoft
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Back in January, XBMC for Android trotted out what it called the first End User Friendly build of its mobile media center -- a release designed with compatibility in mind. Half a million downloads later, the team is ready for the custom build's first major update, releasing XBMC for Android's first stable End User Friendly version today. "This is the first and only truly End User Friendly release of XBMC available on the internet," writes the team on its official blog. "We're hoping that it will in time bring XBMC to a whole new mainstream level." For the uninitiated, the release page gives new users a brief rundown of what XBMC is, explaining how the software snags streaming content from all over the web and serves it to the user in a single, easy to access place. Installation is a little more complicated than simply hitting up Google Play, but folks who tried the team's last release should be familiar with the process: sideload two APKs, and jump in. Check out the release for yourself at the source.
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Source: XBMC for Android
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