Attention, Thunderbolt users: The tyranny of high-priced cables may be finally coming to an end! Apple and now third-party accessory maker Kanex have recently dropped prices on the costly high-speed cables, which is certainly music to the ears of Mac owners who need to connect compatible peripherals, especially when almost no one includes the cables with their Thunderbolt-powered products. But wait -- there's more good news in today's recap, so read on...
MacRumors reported Tuesday that Apple accessories have finally made their way onto Staples.com in the U.S., a first for the office supplier despite offering Apple products internationally. The product line appears to be limited to accessories for now, including iPad Smart Covers, power adapters, cables, headphones, mice and keyboards as well as the Apple TV, Time Capsule and AirPort Extreme and Express Base Stations. Recent rumors suggested that Staples would carry the full line of Apple products online as well in U.S. retail stores, but may now be limited to certain "high-volume" brick-and-mortar locations with a rollout scheduled for late March.
Apple recently lowered prices on its Thunderbolt cables, and now third-party accessory maker Kanex has announced they've done the same. Available in four lengths, the company's Thunderbolt cables are now priced at $59 for 3m, $39 for 2m, $35 for 1m and $29 for .5m, down from $69, $49, $46 and $43, respectively. Like Apple's cables, the Kanex versions offer up to 10Gbps transfer rates with speeds 20 times faster than USB 2.0 and are compatible with existing DisplayPort devices.
The Google+ Developers Blog announced Tuesday that the search giant is planning to take on Facebook with a simple, secure application initiative called Google+ Sign-In. Available for the web, iOS and Android, the single sign-in promises to be simple and more secure while at the same time prohibiting the social spam from other services. Google+ Sign-In allows users of Gmail, YouTube and other Google services to use their existing credentials to sign in to supported third-party apps as well, complete with protections and safeguards such as two-step verification, should you have them active. Developers are encouraged to head to the blog and find out how easy it is to implement Google+ Sign-In today.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, a 108-year-old tradition is coming to an end as entertainment trade publication Variety announced it will cease publishing its daily edition, with the last issue coming March 18. The weekly edition will continue to be published by owner Penske Media, but shift from a weekend publication to Tuesday. In a sign of the times, Variety will also drop the frequently draconian paywall from its website starting March 1, relaunching the online portal with a fresh new design. Variety debuted in 1905 with a focus on the New York vaudeville scene, but shifted gears to Hollywood in 1933.
Amazon is really stepping up their game against streaming video rival Netflix, this week adding two popular FX Network shows to their Instant Video lineup. Through a content licensing deal with Sony Pictures Television, the award-winning FX hit Justified will now be an online subscription exclusive for Amazon Instant Video, allowing Prime users to view at no additional cost, with episodes also available to purchase for $1.99 each. The deal also includes The Shield, another critically-acclaimed drama which Amazon touts is a "fan favorite" for the e-tailer and network.
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