Apple has just released the Gold Master (GM) version of their upcoming Mac software update, OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion. Previewed to media and developers earlier in the year, and shown off to the public at WWDC 2012, Mountain Lion brings even more of the iPad and iOS experience back to the Mac, including renamed Contacts and Calendar apps, and new Reminders, Dictation, AirPlay, Game Center, and Notification Center, and unique features like PowerNap and Gatekeeper.

A final release data is still uncertain, with Apple having mentioned only "July" by way of timeline. Typically a Gold Master means developers will have time to test and look for show stoppers, but if everything is good to go, we could be only a couple of weeks away.

If you're a developer, you can grab the OS X Mountain Lion GM now via developer.apple.com

The Amazing Spider-Man has webbed his way into theaters everywhere, and while you can now watch Spidey go toe-to-claw with the Lizard on the big screen, you can also get in on all the action right on your iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. We're talking games, books, wallpapers and more.

iPhone and iPad games

It wouldn't be a mighty Marvel movie property these days without a Gameloft game to go with it, so here's the Amazing Spider-Man in all its 3D iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad glory. The game is based on the movie, at least enough to earn the "official" badge, so strap on your web-slingers and get ready for 35 missions of Lizard-bashing action.

$6.99 - Download now

Books

Spider-Man has been published in classic comic form since Stan Lee and Steve Ditko put their amazing fantasies to paper back in the 1960s, and a lot of that is now available online.

You can pick up a variety of digital comics in the iTunes iBookstore, or via the Comics app, or dedicated Marvel Comics app.

• Variable - Buy from iBooks
• Free - Download Comics
• Free - Download Marvel Comics

You can also pick up a lot of the collected print editions from Amazon.

• Variable - Buy from Amazon

Movies

Amazing Spider-Man isn't the first time old web-head has swung his way onto the big screen -- Sam Raimi to a shot with him a few years back and turned out a couple good flicks and one... not so good. They're all worth watching once, and if you're a huge fan, buying for keeps.

• Variable Buy from iTunes
• Variable Buy from Amazon

Wallpapers

Looking to bring the friendly neighborhood Spider-Man to your iPad or iPhone Home screen or Lock screen? We have your Retina Spider-Man wallpapers ready and waiting for you in the iMore forums.

Excelsior!

Up until now, the question "should you buy an iPad or [blank]?" was almost always answerable with "iPad unless you don't like Apple." The Amazon Kindle Fire tried to change that equation, but Amazon has been coy about sales numbers, and beyond the U.S. border its content is so anemic it's still closer akin to a paperweight than a tablet. Now Google is taking its shot with the ASUS-manufactured, Google Nexus 7.

Our Mobile Nations sibling site, Android Central has just posted their complete Google Nexus 7 review, and according to Jerry Hildenbrand, it's good, but not a game changer:

The Nexus 7 doesn't bring a compelling reason to "go Google" when considering a tablet purchase like we were hoping. But the hardware and software on the Nexus 7 make it a very interesting piece of gear, and when the price is factored into the equation, there's simply not a better tablet for the money available from anyone, anywhere. Stock Android 4.1 Jelly Bean and updates direct from Google are icing on the cake. I would recommend the Nexus 7 to anyone and feel good about handing out that advice.

And here's what we had to say in our new iPad review:

Judged in a vacuum, the new iPad is incredible technology wrapped in gorgeous design at an unbeatable price. Taken in context, the new iPad will appeal most to "firsts." First-time tablet buyers, first-generation iPad owners looking to upgrade, and first-adopters who simply want the future in their hands today. If any of those describe you, get the new iPad.

With that in mind, does the introduction of a Google branded tablet running the latest, greatest Android 4.1 Jelly Bean software stack still offer a better alternative answer to iPad?

Hardware

The iPad is 9.7-inches with a 2048x1536 IPS Retina display at 264 ppi. The larger size makes it heavier to hold for long periods of time, and harder to carry around without a bag. It also allows for a more powerful class of software, and the larger interface makes it easier to use.

The Nexus 7 is 7-inches with a 1280x800 IPS display at 216 ppi. The smaller size makes it ideal to hold for longer periods of time and easier to carry around in jacket pocket if needed. However, 7-inch apps can sometimes be closer akin to smartphone apps than full-sized tablet experiences. And, in fact, Google's using a mix of the two on the Nexus 7; some apps use combinations of smartphone and tablet layouts.

Both are powerhouses, graphically and otherwise, though the iPad can be purchased with up to 64GB of storage while the Nexus 7 maxes out at 16GB.

Software

The iPad currently runs iOS 5.1.1 but will be updated to iOS 6 this fall. It's a mature operating system with most features that most users need. It's designed for the mainstream, however, and what concessions it makes for power users are carefully hidden away from that mainstream. That means, while powerful and easy to use for just about everyone, iOS isn't as flexible or customizable as Android, and not as much fun for geeks.

The Nexus 7 runs Android 4.1 Jelly Bean, which keeps all the power and flexibility of previous generations yet promises a new, more "buttery" user experience. It's built by geeks for geeks, with concessions made to the mainstream. That means things can seem simple at first, but there's complexity if you go looking for it. Arguably it's still not as polished or friendly as iOS, but it's far more powerful and customizable.

Both are stable, rich operating systems with more than enough features to fill the needs of any consumer, though iOS still skews towards the mainstream and Android, the power crowd.

Media and apps

The iPad has access to Apple's iTunes ecosystem, which includes iTunes Music, Movies, TV Shows, iBooks, and the App Store. Hands down, iTunes provides the most content, in the most countries, and to this day no one else even comes close. The iPad also has access to a several of the Google Play services, including Books and Music, a lot of Amazon services, including Kindle, and other services. This all adds up to make the iPad unmatchable when it comes to content.

The Nexus 7 is a front end for the Google Play store and is optimized to help you buy and enjoy that content in the best way possible. Google Play offers a robust set services, but is still missing major studios in the U.S. and is perhaps even more anemic than Amazon outside the U.S. If you live in America and are heavily invested in Google, you'll be okay. But you'll probably be okay on the iPad as well.

Both have software markets with hundreds of thousands of apps and games, and both have media stores -- only Apple's media store has more content and is available in many, many more countries.

Price

The iPad starts at $499 for 16GB. If you don't need a Retina display, for $399 you can get last year's iPad 2 at 16GB.

The Nexus 7 is at $199 for 8GB of storage, $249 for 16GB.

The iPad is a good value for the price, but the Nexus 7 has the lowest price.

Conclusion

So which should you get, the Apple iPad or the Google Nexus 7?

Unless you really want something smaller and more portable, or already have a huge investment in Android apps, get the iPad. If you're outside the U.S., it's almost a no-brainer.

If you want a small, inexpensive tablet, or if you just want a tablet that's not made by or connected to Apple, the Google Nexus 7 is the best, most modern option.

Note: If you don't need a tablet today and the smaller form factor interests you, wait until the fall. Apple might just be releasing an iPad mini around about then, and if they do, it'll definitely be something to consider.

For today only, the iMore iPhone case store has the OtterBox Defender Series with Realtree Camo for iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 on sale for only $34.95! That's a whopping 42% off! Get yours before they're gone!

The OtterBox Camo Defender Series Case for the iPhone 4S, AT&T iPhone 4, or Verizon iPhone 4 offers rugged protection for your smartphone. The Defender Series case will help keep your phone protected from drops, bumps, dust and shock.

All features, keys and ports are accessible through the case, providing you with a unique, interactive safeguard. Included with this case is a holster style swivel belt clip.

Features:

• Layer 1: Thermal formed protective clear membrane. Protects keypad against scratching, as well as dust intrusion (layer optional depending on the level of protection desired)
• Layer 2: Hi-impact polycarbonate shell for an added guard against drops and shocks
• Layer 3: High quality silicone skin to absorb bump and shock
• Full access to all keys, ports and functions

OtterBox Defender Series with Realtree Camo iPhone 4S and iPhone 4 now!

U.K. Colin Birss ruled that Samsung's Galaxy Tab doesn't infringe of Apple's iPad design because -- Samsung's Galaxy Tab isn't cool enough to be confused with the iPad. Bloomberg has the quote:

The Galaxy tablets "do not have the same understated and extreme simplicity which is possessed by the Apple design," Birss said. "They are not as cool."

Apple has called Samsung a copyist, alleging their manufacturing partner simply apes everything Apple does in an attempt to grow market share by being the most Apple-like of the non-Apple alternatives. Attempts between Apple CEO Tim Cook and Samsung CEO Choi Gee-Sung to negotiate a settlement have failed. Apple has since won some temporarily injunctions in the U.S. over patents.

Although Samsung has been going in different directions recently, it's undeniable they've copied Apple designs to a ludicrous extent in the past, though it's far from certain doing so was illegal, let alone the primary reason for their success.

The late Steve Jobs famously called Android in general "grand theft" and vowed to go "thermonuclear" on them in court. Tim Cook has been cooler but no less serious, saying Apple can't be "developer to the world" and that competitors need to invent their own stuff.

Samsung is a giant company that makes everything from tablets to phones to refrigerators. Refrigerators tend to look remarkably alike. I wonder if anyone at Samsung even though twice about their smartphones or tablets looking like Apple's? Or if they thought making them look alike was actually a feature -- a benefit to users? Did they even think Apple would sue over trade dress?

How many refrigerator companies sue each other over design?

Source: Bloomberg

The Spike TypeSmart keyboard case for iPhone looks to address the age-old argument of the hardware keyboard being a better way to input text than a software keyboard, and it looks to do so by offering you the best of both worlds. The Spike gives iPhone users a hardware keyboard which is part of a hard case. Depending on the model, the Spike keyboard can either be switched simply flipped around to use, and then switched or flipped back to discreetly store the keyboard at the rear of the case when not required. The project is now up for backing on Kickstarter.

We're not saying that the virtual keyboard that Steve gave us isn't great, but typing more than a few words on glass isn't great, accurate, or natural. That's where our Spike TypeSmart keyboards come in. Unlike any other keyboards available today, we wanted to create a suite of products that complemented the iPhone's impeccable quality and elegant form factor, and at the same time let you type and text easier, faster, and with fewer mistakes, under virtually all conditions – even if you're wearing gloves!

We have carefully engineered Spike, so in a flash, you can transition from typing to making or receiving a call, launching any of your apps, or playing Angry Birds, and then back to typing, all without missing a beat! Because we believe you should always have a choice, our initial suite consists of two versions, Spike¹ and Spike². Both versions incorporate our proprietary TypeSmart keyboard that has been carefully integrated into handsome iPhone protective cases. Of course, we will manufacture them using only premium materials that are suitable for an Apple accessory product. We call our keyboards TypeSmart, because they are the natural and smart way to type on your iPhone! Best of all, with Spike, you have a keyboard when you need it and it disappears when you don't want it.

The Spike TypeSmart keyboard has been in development for more than two years and enables a user to have a full hardware QWERTY keyboard available in an instant without the need for Bluetooth connections or the need to keep it charged. It does this by sitting on top of your iPhone's virtual keyboard in portrait mode and simply triggering a capacitive contact on the screen when the key is pressed.

If you have long fingernails, or wear gloves in colder weather, this could be the solution to your problems.

If you like the look of the Spike TypeSmarrt keyboard case you can become an earlier adopter from as little as $20. This of course is subject to the Spike reaching its Kickstarter funding target of $75,000. As things stand today, it has reached over $37,000 and still has 33 days to go.

Source: Kickstarter

The official Twitter for iPhone app is about to receive new interactive features along with a much better notification system. The information comes by way of a leaked App Store update description spotted by [9to5 Mac].(http://9to5mac.com/2012/07/08/major-twitter-for-iphone-update-incoming-more-interactive-enhanced-notifications/)

Twitter, in recent months, has come under fire due to potential new changes to its mobile application API and the lack of power-user features in its official mobile device apps. It appears that this controversy may change in the coming days, as leaked release notes show some impressive new changes. Twitter for iPhone 4.3 is incoming and it brings several new features focusing on interactivity, enhanced notifications, searching, performance, and more.

It is about time that Twitter for iPhone received a significant update and some of the new features do sound very interesting. Finally we are seeing unique features in Twitter's own app, like the ability to have push notifications for individuals. If you want to know when a close friend of yours has something interesting to say, you will know about it straight away.

The question is, with Twitter's new direction and new features, how much room will be left for all the other Twitter apps in the App Store?

If you don't use the official Twitter for iPhone, would you contemplate switching back to it after this update is released? Other apps still appear to offer a better user interface and a lot more power user features. Is that incentive for Twitter to compete to make the best app, or simply start making those other apps less attractive or available via even more controversial API limitations?

You can see the leaked release notes via the link below.

Source: 9to5Mac

Third week in a row I'm keeping this spectacularly short, but this time not because it's yet another long weekend here's in Montreal, but because I had the choice of writing this column or going to see the new Spider-Man flick. And as any red-and-radioactive blooded boy would, I opted for the good old web head.

How are you liking iMore 2.0?

We flipped the big red switch on the huge iMore backend architecture update a couple of days ago and have been working feverishly on squashing bugs and figuring out new features ever since. We've got almost all the reader facing issues resolved, and hope to have all the rest done absolutely as soon as possible -- including comments in the iMore for iPhone app.

Have you tried out our new comment system here on the blog yet? Have you switched between feature view and headline view on the Home page? Have you switched between article view and latest discussion view? If not, go try it out and let us know what you think. We have a ton more amazing features coming your way, and can't wait to show them to you.

Flash in the can

When the new iPad came out, USA Today technology reviewer Ed Baig took a piece out of its aluminum and glass hide for still not supporting Adobe Flash (which Adobe had cancelled). Fast forward to this week and Baig's Nexus 7 review, and the lack of Flash in Google's new flagship tablet passes completely without comment.

Combine it with David Pogue's recent limbo of a Galaxy Player review in the New York Times and it makes me wonder what's going on in traditional media tech coverage.

I read the blogs, so I'm fine. But my mom reads the paper, and she deserves to be better informed. With great power comes great responsibility. Serve the reader, not the product. The job isn't to be fair, it's to be right.

Speaking of responsibility

My article on Google last week -- the one where I kindly asked them to become the platform champion Android needs and deserves -- received incredibly mixed feedback. Some of you thought Google was rightly being taken to task for failing to put the wellbeing of manufacturers, retailed, partners, and users first, while others thought I was just being a jerk to Google.

Frankly I was doing the latter to highlight the former. Phil Nickinson very kindly let me discuss my point of view on the Android Central podcast this week, and Jerry Hildenbrand eloquently and intelligently expressed an opposing and counter point of view. I have a huge amount of respect for both of them, and these types of discussions, between adults, with passion and civility, and simply the best stuff ever. I hope we get to have more of them.

• Android Central Podcast 101: Patents, Jelly Beans and Glowing Blue Orbs

Phil and I also chatted about it briefly with Kevin Michaluk and Daniel Rubino on the Mobile Nations podcast, along with whether or not Microsoft screwed Windows Phones 7 users by not providing an update path to Windows Phone 8, or better preparing them for the lack of an update path. If you haven't watched or listened to it already, grab it now.

• Mobile Nations podcast 17: Tasty hardware profits

And while you're at it, get the latest episode of the iMore show before we run out of copies. (It could happen!)

• iMore show 301: iPad mini and iOS 6 Q&A part 2

Features

• How to edit portraits with iPhoto for iPhone and iPad. Leanna Lofte takes you step by step through the process of making yourself, and others, look great.
• The computing platform in phone's clothing. A look at how Apple never mistakes their products for their core business, and what that means in the market.
• Reeder vs. The Early Edition 2 vs. NewsRack: iPad RSS app shootout!. Ally Kazmucha takes news readers for a run around the best-in-class track.
• Why Apple would release a 7-inch iPad. Part 1 of a 2 part look into the whys and hows of a smaller form factor iPad.
• Solving for 7: How Apple could implement the iPad mini interface. Part 2 of 2, focusing on the hows.

Recommended reading

• On Mountain Lion's System Requirements and consumer confusion. Stephen Hackett throws the spotlight on Apple's most complicated compatibility formula to date. I'll add that even some machines, like my original wedge-shaped MacBook Air, don't support all features, like AirPlay mirroring.
• Twitter is a Corporate API. Dave Winer on the dangers of standing your business on someone else's rug -- especially when they seem twitchy about yanking it out from under you.
• Five years after the iPhone, carriers are the biggest threat to innovation. Nilay Patel, fresh from his honeymoon, highlights just how precarious Apple's "freedom" from carrier influence really is.
• Apple Cracking Down On Sites Selling Access To iOS Betas. Federico Viticci follows up on what's happening to those who break Apple's NDA for profit.
• The Elusive iPad 'mini'. Benjamin Brooks chimes in on the 7-inch iPad.
• Stop Not Linking. Matthew Panzarino vs the non-attributive bloggers in an inside baseball tour-de-force. I'd argue burying or obfuscating source links is just as wrong-headed, as is copying an entire article even with attribution. The bottom line is linking to great stuff helps ensure there'll be more great stuff to link to. Virtuous circle.
• Red Letter Media Talks About Prometheus. Massive spoilers, but if you've already seen Prometheus, this will ensure you don't feel alone in wondering how they turned an interesting sci-fi movie into a dumb space chaser two-thirds of the way through.

Courtesy

Your friendly neighborhood Site-Runner