It’s no secret that Apple struggles to keep new product and software releases under wraps, often going to great lengths to ensure that employees don't leave the building without signing a binding contract that forbids them from even uttering a word about a project they're working on. Despite rumors circulating various tech sites and fastidious bloggers posting overly Photoshopped pictures of what they claim to be a brand spanking new Apple product, the company has always managed to keep its blueprints under wraps and away from the media (at least until it’s time for a keynote).

It’s safe to say that anyone can come up with his or her very own Apple rumor. That’s why we’ve comprised “How-to Create Your Very Own Pre-Keynote Faux-Pod.” And if you succeed in this attempt, maybe you’ll even become an internet celebrity! 

Learn more after the jump.

The lovable nerds over at Gizmodo are reporting on a ginormous flaw in the iPhone’s “security.”  As it turns out, setting a four-digit passcode for your phone is about as secure as that Post-It Note on your monitor that has your network password written on it.  With a few not-entirely-unintuitive-anyway taps, anyone who picks up your locked phone can browse your contacts and make calls, surf the web, see your bookmarks, and have full access to your email and SMS messages.

 After the jump: Keep strangers outta your email!

Your crazy life has you running in circles. You can't remember if you were supposed to pick up milk or get the dog vaccinated. Life's hectic and we understand that.

For the hurried masses with vaccinated milk and a new dog, we present the hottest stories of the week. Enjoy!

Reviews:

- Scosche Digital Tuneshift: Cruise with your tunes.

- Mondo Solitaire: More Solitaire games than you can shake a lonely stick at.

- Kensington Battery Pack and Charger for iPhone and iPod: Power to the pods.

Features:

- Meet the Apple Executive Olympic Team: Will Steve and crew take home the gold for Apple?

- 25 Reasons Non-Mac Users Should Shut Their Damn Pie-Holes: Hey, we're tired of hearing about Windows alright. Sheesh. For bonus fun, check out the Windows rants in the comments.

- 6 Ways Apple Could "Butch-Up" Its Tween, Emo-Hipster Image: Less Justin Long, more wailing guitars and ninjas.

How-Tos:

- Download iTunes Movies Away From Home With VNC: Use the raw power of VNC to control the world. Okay, to control your computer.

If your Internet connection is too slow for watching movies as they download to your AppleTV, you may want to try downloading the movie before watching. You may also want to begin the download when you’re away from home. With the right preparations, you can login to your Mac remotely and begin the download so it’s ready by the time you get home.

With that Michael Phelps fellow swimming his way into the history books, it can be hard to tear yourself away from Olympic coverage to check out the latest and greatest on MacLife.com.

We understand, for you super-duper Olympic fan, we present the hottest stories of the week. Enjoy!

Reviews:

- iHome Cycler: Protect your precious iPod while you train for the 2012 Olympics. Make your country proud while listening to latest LCD Sound System album.

- Starmap: Finally learn what all those dots in sky are with this handy app for the iPhone.iPod touch.

- Intua BeatMaker: Create your next musical masterpiece while waiting for the bus.

Features

- An Apology to the iPod touch: We're so sorry iPod touch.

- Going Green for Some Green: Save the planet, make a few bucks.

- A Newbie's Guide to the iPhone Underground: Find out who's hacking the iPhone and why.

- How the iPhone Could Be Destroying American Workers (or not): Playing with the iPhone at work could land you in hot water.

How-Tos

- Make High-Def Time-Lapse Movies with a Still Camera: Finally make that time lapse video of your uncle sleeping on the couch.

- Use AppleScript to Get Ahead in Web-Based Games: Live your real life while an AppleScript does the grinding for you.

Who says crime doesn’t pay? Our final script pickpockets old ladies when we’re not even at our Mac. 

Recently, we’ve gotten into a few Web-based role-playing games that remind us of the ones we used to play on old-school dial-up BBSes. In these games, players choose actions from a menu, sometimes selecting other players as targets for the actions. Before the Web, we played by typing. Now we click links, but the style of play is still the same.

Some of these games have tens of thousands of users, many of whom will log in multiple times per day and grind away repetitively on some basic actions so they can level up faster than you. Fortunately, AppleScript was made for automating repetition, and Safari’s support for AppleScript means that with a modicum of evil genius scripting know-how, your Mac can gain those levels for you while you’re out enjoying real life.

A gorgeous sunset or sunrise is a great subject for this project.

You’ve seen time-lapse video effects: A smooth sunset peacefully glides into the ocean, jittering traffic patterns swerve at night, and construction projects are instantly assembled. These effects are loaded with emotion, and can take their makers from amateurs to auteurs. We’ll show you how to shoot individual still photos and compile them into an HD video. You’ll need a tripod, still camera—a DSLR is ideal but not required—and QuickTime Pro. The results are much more cinematic than just turning up the playback speed for a video clip. (See our example video at 
www.maclife.com/time_lapse.)