• All the MacBooks were updated, and are ready for shipping today!
• A new MacBook was introduced with a retina display, and is roughly as thick as a finger.
• All Apple software like OS X Lion, iPhoto, and Safari has been updated to take advantage of the new retina display.
• Adobe Photoshop will soon take advantage of the new MacBook’s retina display.
• Quad-Core i7 processors will be included on the new MacBook, along with the new Keplar graphics architecture.
• The new retina display contains roughly 5 million pixels!
• The new MacBook will have 2 Thunderbolt ports, 3 USB 3.0 ports, and 1 HDMI ports!
• The new MacBook has a new state-of-the-art cooling system that propels air around the entire motherboard.
• The new MacBook will include 256 GB of flash storage.

OS X

• The Notification Center is coming to the Mac, with support for third-party applications.
• Dictation is coming to OS X, compatible with third-party applications such as Microsoft Word!
• Twitter integration is coming to Mac OS X.
• A new version of Safari is coming with a new search functionality and a faster javascript engine
• Tabs are synced between devices through iCloud!
• Scrolling will be smoother and much improved.
• A new low-power mode will be available called “Power-Nap“, which allows it to check email and make backups while a in “sleep mode”.
• AirPlay Mirroring is coming to Mac OS X (We predicted that a long time ago!)
• Game Center is coming to Mac OS X!
• New Chinese support will be added.
• Mountain Lion will be priced at $19.99

iOS 6

•  Significant enhancements to Siri.
• Siri can now look up sports scores and statistics.
• Siri can display more information about restaurants
• Siri can look up movies being played at a theater, with Rotten Tomatoes integration.
• Siri can look up movies starring specific actors.
• Siri can now launch applications.
• Canadian English, French, Spanish, Italian, German, Korean, Mandarin, and Cantonese will be added to iOS 6.
• The new iPad will have Siri support.
• Facebook will be integrated with iOS 6.
• Siri will offer Facebook integration.
• Facebook will be integrated with the App Store, allowing you to “like” and post about apps.
• New phone notification controls will be added like silencing your phone at night.
• FaceTime brings support over 3G
• Offline Reading List for Safari.
• Smart Banners allows a web developer to notify the user that a native app is available for their website with a banner.
• Shared Photo Steam with comment support.
• The Home Button can be disabled, to prevent children from accidentally exiting an app.
• New Maps app
• 3D models of cities on Maps
• Turn-by-turn directions on Maps
• New privacy controls to prevent apps from accessing your personal data.

The last version of Absinthe, version 2.0.2, brought support for the iPhone 4 GSM running iOS 5.1.1 (9B208), which Apple released on March 26th, without an explanation as to what this update contains.

Absinthe now supports these devices:

• iPhone 3GS
•  iPhone 4
• iPhone 4S
• iPod touch 3rd Generation
• iPod touch 4th Generation
• iPad 1
• iPad 2
• iPad 3rd Generation

Version 2.0.4 of Absinthe only adds support for new devices, therefore it is not necessary to run Absinthe again if you have already successfully ran a previous version.

Download Absinthe 2.0.4:

Absinthe 2.0.4 for Windows

Absinthe 2.0.4 for Mac OS X

Also, Absinthe was updated to version 2.0.2 to support this new build of iOS 5.1.1. If you have already ran the jailbreak, it is not necessary to run it again, since no changes were made other than support for new build of iOS 5.1.1.

Download:

Absinthe 2.0.2 for Windows

Absinthe 2.0.2 for Mac OS X

Absinthe 2.0 has arrived, allowing us to jailbreak these devices running ONLY iOS 5.1.1

• iPhone 4S
• iPhone 4
• iPhone 3GS
• iPad (3rd Gen)
• iPad 2
• iPad 1
• iPod touch 3G/4G
• Apple TV (2nd Gen)

As this is being written, the Greenpois0n server is down (most likely due to the high amount of traffic), so we have uploaded the files onto our server to help take the load off their server.

Download:

Absinthe 2.0.1 for Windows

Absinthe 2.0.1 for Mac OS X

This new version of iOS addresses these issues:

• Improves reliability of using HDR option for photos taken using the Lock Screen shortcut
• Addresses bugs that could prevent the new iPad from switching between 2G and 3G networks
• Fixes bugs that affected AirPlay video playback in some circumstances
• Improved reliability for syncing Safari bookmarks and Reading List
• Fixes an issue where ‘Unable to purchase’ alert could be displayed after successful purchase

Again, this update only contains a few bug fixes and nothing too exciting. As for the untethered jailbreak, I’m actually glad the developers held off, since we would have burned an exploit too early in the game.

The question is, what will we see in this Conference? OS X Lion? iOS 6? A new Mac?  Nobody knows for sure, but there are some very likely predictions.

1. iOS 6 - 85% chance

This is what everyone is waiting for. Although it seems very likely that iOS 6 will be introduced during WWDC 2012, there is still a possibility that it will be held off for the next event. I personally would like to see it at WWDC, because I simply can’t wait to see what new features Apple has in store for us.

2. OS X Mountain Lion - 90% chance

I am almost certain that OS X Mountain Lion will be announced at WWDC 2012. The reason for this is an email that was sent out to all members of the Apple Developer program (myself included).

The email specifically introduced a new feature in OS X Mountain Lion called Gatekeeper.

This is very solid evidence that OS X Mountain Lion will be announced during this year’s WWDC.

Also, I hope that OS X Mountain Lion will include some of the features rumored to be in an upcoming update to Lion.

That’s about it for what I expect to see in this year’s World Wide Developer Conference. Although this isn’t as much as last year, I would be happy just to see what iOS 6 has in store for us.

1.) Improved Multitasking

Multitasking in iOS 6 might be more or less like the “iPhone 5″ concept introduced before the launch of iOS 5. Supposedly, Apple did not include this feature in iOS 5, since it was to undergo more testing before it could be deployed.

The new multitasking screen will show a thumbnail, cached right before the app was closed, or switched out of,  allowing running applications to be browsed much easier than before.

2.) Better Spotlight Search

Spotlight Search will be optimized to reduce it’s memory footprint and CPU load. Also indexing will have far less of an impact on performance.

Hopefully, third-party apps will be able to index internal information, if allowed by the user.

3.) Improved System Wide Animations

New smoother, richer animations will be added, including some optimations on SpringBoard, resulting a very responsive UI.

4.) Password Protected Folders

Individual folders can be secured with a password. This allows more convenient access to apps not containing private information. There will also be an option of showing password protected folder icons as empty.

5.) Third-Party Widget Support

Applications will be able to add widgets to the Notification Center, with the user’s permission of course. It is rumored that third-party widget support was supposed to be introduced in iOS 5.1 (see here), but was held off for a future update.

For the most part, that’s the majority of the major features we hope to see in iOS 6. One of the things we really would like to see more than anything is the improved UI responsiveness, and overall increased stability (not that iOS isn’t very stable already).

What is something that you would like to see in iOS 6? Let us know in the comments! We’d love to hear your opinion!

A major update, version 0.9.3904, was released April 16, 2012 to address many of the performance and stability issues brought upon by installing WinterBoard, ecspecially the scrolling lag on the home screen. Also, for the sake of performance, SummerBoard Mode is disabled by default.

The update includes these fixes and improvements:

• 5.x: Solve SpringBoard Scroll Lag (only with “SummerBoard Mode” off)
• Default SummerBoard Mode to Off
• 4+5: TimeStyle, PerPage, IconAlpha
• 4+5: WinterBoard.app Respring Fix
• 5.x: Last Ditch kill -KILL Respring
• 4+5: HTML Wallpaper Multi-Touch
• 2+3: Fixed SpringBoard Crashes
• Corrected Order of UISound Stack
• Use Fallback/* to Wildcard Theme

Make sure to grab this update if you use WinterBoard.

1. Manage Indexing

Although turning indexing off (discussed here) will result in the most significant increase in performance, intelligently managing your indexed locations can still make a huge difference. People with iTunes installed tend to see an improvement in performance simply by excluding the iTunes folder from their indexed locations, since that folder only contains configuration files, which the normal user wouldn’t usually search for.

2. Keep Aero On

I’m aware that many recognized tech blogs and forums recommend this feature be turned off, but the truth is that disabling Aero just ruins the Windows 7 experience. Also, Aero takes advantage of hardware acceleration, which reduces the overall load on your CPU. That’s something to consider.

3. Install the Latest Updates

Make sure to enable Microsoft Update to get the latest updates for Office and other Microsoft products, along with Microsoft Security Essentials. Windows Update also checks for the latest drivers, which can greatly improve performance or even fix issues.

4. Use Internet Explorer 9

I know that this sounds crazy, but Internet Explorer 9 is the best browser I have ever used. Unlike other browsers, it supports full hardware acceleration (on capable hardware) which makes a dramatic difference, especially when rendering objects. Also, having only one browser reduces the bloat on your system, and can have a positive impact on the overall performance of your computer.

5. Let Windows Manage the Page File

Alot of people, especially on forums, will recommend you turn off the page file so that everything stays in memory. DON’T! They do not know how the page file works, and turning it off could have a very negative effect on not only performance, but also the stability of your computer. I have 8 GB of RAM on my computer and I still do not change the virtual memory settings. Do your computer a favor and let Windows manage the page file.

6. Use a Registry Optimizer

I’m not talking about a registry cleaner, but instead a registry compressor. The only 2 reliable ones I could find were Auslogics Registry Defrag and System Mechanic.  After all the registry is a database, and needs to be cleaned of overhead once in a while.

7.  Use Microsoft Security Essentials

Many, if not all, anti-virus suites bloat your computer with unneeded features, causing a significant decline in performance. Security Essentials is made by Microsoft and has 1 simple function: To protect you against the growing threat of viruses and malware. On top of that, the UI is very clean and easy to manage.

8. Watch What You Install

If you don’t need it, don’t even bother installing it. Even if you uninstall it in the future, it will leave behind fragments of the installation. This is crucial to keeping your computer running reliably and consistently over time.

9. Update Your Graphics Driver

Chances are, your graphics card manufacturer releases updates very frequently. Since Windows 7 takes advantage of hardware acceleration, keeping your graphics driver up-to-date can prove to be very rewarding in terms of performance.

10. Manage Your Startup Items

Quite a few things start up with Windows. As you install more software, the number of startup items increase, resulting in degraded boot performance over time. You can simply run msconfig to see what starts up with your computer. If you find something that is not necessary, uncheck the box, and reboot to see if your computer starts correctly. If you find that your computer runs fine without that startup item, delete the registry entry.

Often times I am asked about the effectiveness and safety of registry cleaners by friends either experiencing issues with Windows, or wanting to optimize their PC to achieve maximum performance out of their machine.

The answer to this question cannot be answered by a simple yes or no. It is a decision to be made by you, as there is no universal solution. I can only equip you the information you need to determine if a registry cleaner is right for you, which is exactly what I intend to do in this article.

The first thing that you need is a basic understanding of the registry and how data on the registry, specifically keys and their values, are accessed.

The Windows registry is a hierarchical database, meaning that data is organized in a manner similar to your filesystem (Folders containing other folders and files, etc.). The registry is organized into keys, which serve a function very similar to that of folders. A key can contain values, where data is stored, and may also contain subkeys, which may contain further subkeys or values.

Confused? Rest assured that the registry is nothing too new or complicated, and aside from the difference in terminology, the Windows registry is very similar to the technologies you are already familiar with.

The registry is used to hold configuration data for not only Windows itself, but also for all the applications you install. With that being said, when programs are changed, updated, or uninstalled, the programs uninstaller may miss a few entries created by the program, resulting in orphaned, or unused entries.

Normally these orphaned entries don’t have an effect on the performance or functionality of Windows, but after time, a large amount of orphaned entries may accumulate in the registry, increasing the time it takes to access the registry. Although the degradation in performance is very slight, and even unnoticeable for most users, it can still affect the reliability of the computer over time in rare cases.

A solution to the performance degradation caused by orphaned entries is using a registry cleaner. Registry cleaners are designed to identify and remove orphaned entries in order to regain performance. Sounds like a great idea doesn’t it? Theoretically it is. As you can imagine, the detection of orphaned entries hasn’t been the most reliable thing over the years. Some registry cleaners are known to identify critical entries as orphaned, resulting in the removal of an entry required by Windows, or a specific program. This could cripple Windows, requiring advanced recovery, or in some cases reinstallation of Windows.

So with that, keep in mind that registry cleaners are not totally safe. There is a risk involved with the use of registry cleaners, although not as much for the more modern registry cleaners, such as CCleaner and System Mechanic.

So is the slight risk of crippling Windows worth the also slight performance benefits a registry cleaner brings? They are sometimes necessary in the rare case of a botched installation, or the failed uninstallation of a program, but for the most part, you can use Windows without the need of a registry cleaner. Also keep in mind that although many registry cleaners claim to be safe, they still pose a slight risk to your system. Think about it this way; if registry cleaners were totally reliable, wouldn’t have Microsoft already released one? No registry cleaner can guarantee complete safety, but some are more reliable than others (System Mechanic is by far the safest and most effective I’ve tested, since it identifies entries based on a set of regularly updated definitions.)

I also thought it might be worth mentioning that deleting orphaned entries does not reduce the size of the registry. Instead, it leaves overhead, sometimes referred to as fragmentation, in the registry, which can actually slow down registry access time. System Mechanic has a built-in registry compactor, but a free alternative is Auslogics Registry Defrag.