Pandora is sporting a new look, Apple is getting developers geared up for Lion, and more rumors about keyboards than you ever cared to hear: The remainders for Tuesday, July 12, 2011 have got your bases covered.
Dancing to the Drumbeat of HTML5, Pandora is Brilliant, Beautiful (TechCrunch)
MG Siegler got an exclusive preview of music streaming website Pandora’s upcoming redesign. The site has been rewritten to eliminate Flash, and instead sports a newly crafted HTML5-compliant player. As a result, “the back button finally works,” remarked CTO Tom Conrad during a conversation with Siegler. So I guess I’m going to have to find a new shortcut for closing my 90s-era boy band station when someone walks by my office.
Apple Asks Developers for OS X Lion Mac App Store Submissions (MacRumors)
Developers, if you want your Mac App Store applications all nice and Lion-compliant when the big cat roars onto the stage, Apple is suggesting you go ahead and start submitting them to the review team now. Just a friendly suggestion from the folks in Cupertino, seeing as how the Gold Master release candidate’s been available for a week and a half now. Oh, and there was that thing about Lion shipping in July. But really, just a suggestion. It’s not like the company’s hinting at any impending software that’s shipping or anything.
Apple TV to gain Bluetooth keyboard support in iOS 5; opens the door to apps? (9to5Mac)
9to5Mac received a tip that the Apple TV iOS 5 beta may enable support for Bluetooth devices, leading the publication to assume that Apple may have something keyboard-related in mind for its entertainment hobby box. Whether that implies that the Apple TV may also be getting support for third-party apps doesn’t so much matter to me—I’d just be happy for a faster physical way of searching YouTube than my Apple Remote.
Apple’s new MacBook Airs to bring back backlit keyboards (AppleInsider)
Speaking of keyboards, Apple’s next-generation MacBook Air may get an illuminating upgrade—in the form of backlit keys. So, um. Hypothetically, is it considered bad form to break up with your first-generation 11-inch over a keyboard change? (Don’t worry, Paperweight. I still love you. Even if I do have to rely on the faint glow of your very small screen to type at night.)
Product News:
AccountEdge 2011 (Canada) – Software-maker Acclivity released the Canadian version of AccountEdge 2011, featuring progress billing, improved graphics, custom PDF form handling, and TimeTracker integration. $299 new, $159 to upgrade.
Neu 1.1 – Finder assistant and file-creator Neu has been updated to version 1.1, adding support for Lion in addition to several new features: altered preference panes, improved symbolic link handling and support for Finder aliases, and new service menu commands and substitution variables. Free upgrade, $10 for new users.