Apple is planning on opening a data center to house its cloud computing service east of Sparks as well as a business and purchasing center in downtown Reno, part of an US$1 billion investment the company plans to spend in Northern Nevada over the next 10 years, reports "RGJ.com" (http://macte.ch/08dau). The deal includes US$89 million tax abatements from the city, county and state over the next decade, the article adds. About 82% of those tax breaks will come from local governments and the rest from the state, says "RGJ.com." All totalled, local and state governments would collect about $16 million in tax revenue from Apple over the next 10 years, the article adds.

In a note to clients -- as noted by "Fortune" William Blair's Anil Doradla notes that although Apple's iPhone is still America's bestselling high-end smartphone, its sales momentum is "under pressure," particularly at Verizon. According to Doradla's channel checks for the June quarter, the iPhone is no longer the top selling smartphone at Verizon's retail outlets. The analyst attributes the iPhone's fall from grace less to the usual slowdown in advance of a new model than to Verizon's aggressive marketing of competing 4G devices, particularly Motorola's Droid RAZR MAXX, notes "Fortune." On the other hand, "AppleInsider" notes that Canaccord Geunity analyst Michael Walkley says the iPhone IS still the top-selling smartphone for Verizon. aid while the latest Razr is "gaining ground," it "hasn't caught iPhone." His own research has found the iPhone 4S as the top selling smartphone at Verizon, as well as AT&T and Sprint, for all of 2012 so far. For more info, go to http://tech.fortune...

The San Diego Unified School District has purchased nearly 26,000 iPads for use in 340 classrooms that it will provide to students in classrooms this fall, reports "10 News" (http://macte.ch/l4dQL). The US$15 million deal is one of Apple's biggest iPad deals yet. School officials plan to roll out iPads to 5th-grade, 8th-grade and some high school classes this fall, the article adds. However, some have questioned SD Unified's purchase. One 10News Facebook fan wrote: "I'm so confused. I thought we couldn't afford to even pay the teachers, how can they afford 26,000 iPads???"

AT&T is the top carrier for iPhone purchases at Apple retail stores with 63%, followed by Verizon with 28% and Sprint with 9%, according to a new study by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners (CIRP) -- as noted by "AllThingsD" (http://macte.ch/WXN9a). Those figures are a little different for iPhone purchases at Best Buy, where AT&T tallies 60%, Verizon 21% and Sprint 19%. At other retail outlets, those figures are 55%, 275 and 18%, respectively. CIRP surveyed iPhone buyers over two three-month periods, ending March and May 2012.

While in San Francisco, TUAW and MacTech Magazine teamed up to speak to developers at Apple's WWDC 2012 about the keynote and how Apple's new technologies will help them and their customers. In the weeks following the event, we'll bring you those videos on TUAW, MacTech and MacNews. If you aren't currently a reader of MacTech Magazine, check out the special WWDC free MacTech on iPad issues for MacTech Magazine here. This video features Neil Ticktin (Editor-in-Chief, MacTech Magazine) and Oliver Breidenbach of Boinx Software at WWDC. Oliver was kind enough to tell us about their thoughts on the announcements on WWDC, and how it will affect their plans moving forward.

Avenza Systems has released MAPublisher 9.0 for Adobe Illustrator. This release provides -- as you might guess from the name -- support for Adobe Illustrator CS6 and more. There are also new icons to match the new Adobe Illustrator CS6 user interface brightness. MAPublisher 9.0 also offers various user interface improvements and performance enhancements to improve usability, says Avenza President Ted Florence. MAPublisher for Illustrator is map production software for creating cartographic-quality maps from GIS data. Developed as a suite of plug-ins for Adobe Illustrator, MAPublisher leverages the graphics capabilities of this graphics design software for working with GIS data. MAPublisher 9.0 for Illustrator is available free of charge to all MAPublisher users with an active maintenance subscription and as an upgrade for non-maintenance users at US$599. New licenses are $1,399. MAPublisher FME Auto and MAPublisher LabelPro are also available as add-ons to MAPublisher 9.0 at prices...

Peerless-AV has released two Universal Desktop Tablet Mounts and the KP510-B Tablet Stand for iPads The PTM400(S) Universal Desktop Tablet Mount features adjustability functions that can fit most tablet devices on the market today. Both the width and height are adjustable. Theft-resistant hardware is included with the PTM400(S) and a PTM400 version features standard Philips-head screwdriver tightening. With 30 degrees of tilt and swivel and 360 degrees of roll, the tablet can be positioned for maximum visibility. Available in white or black, the Universal Desktop Tablet Mount also features integrated cables, which ensure wiring can be routed through the back of the mount. The Universal Tablet Cradle PTM200(S) is adjustable to fit most tablet devices up to 0.75-inch in thickness. It also features a 75 x 75mm VESA pattern, which enables it to attach to any other wall mount with a matching VESA pattern. Available in black or silver, the cradle mount comes with hardware covers that lend...

The Justice Department’s price-fixing lawsuit against e-book publishers and Apple will go to trial in June 2013, reports "The Washington Post" (http://macte.ch/aIipV). Apple has maintained that it did no wrong and argued to a federal judge last Friday that it wants a speedy trial to defend itself, the article adds. U.S. Judge Denise Cote set the beginning of trial at June 3, 2013. The Justice Department had requested for the trial to begin near the end of 2013, reports "The Washington Post." In April the United States Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit against Apple, Hachette SA, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin and Simon & Schuster in New York district court, claiming collusion over eBook pricing. Apple and Macmillan, which have refused to engage in settlement talks with the Justice Department, deny they colluded to raise prices for digital books. The companies argue that pricing agreements between Apple and publishers enhanced competition in the e-book industry,...

In a note to clients -- as noted by "AppleInsider" (http://www.appleinsider.com) -- Deutsche Bank analyst Chris Whitmore doesn't hold out much hope for the success of Microsoft's Surface tablets. His opinion: Microsoft is "grasping at a competitive response." Whitman thinks that response will fall short of competing directly with the iPad. The analyst feels Microsoft has a "major dilemma" in how it will price its Surface tablets. For the low-end ARM models running Windows RT, Whitman believes Microsoft will have to undercut the iPad on price to find any success. However, this, in turn, could make it impossible for Microsoft's Windows partners to compete. The analyst estimates that those partners will have to price their Windows RT tablets at around US$650 to generate gross margins of about 20%. However, if Microsoft were to compete with the iPad on price, it would "collapse the PC OEM [original equipment manufacturer] profit pool," he said.

Apple's upcoming iOS Maps app will include Yelp's "check in" feature to let users broadcast their whereabouts to friends, according to a "Bloomberg" report (http://macte.ch/Er08l). Basing his on materials Apple distributed to software developers, Apple Maps, which will replace Google Maps as the default location service in iOS 6 later this year, will allow users to communicate through Yelp (http://www.yelp.com) without exiting the map and opening a new app, the article adds. Yelp is a website that lets users review businesses of all sorts. It introduced a check-in service for mobile phones in 2010 in an effort to help local merchants build loyalty with regular customers. Integration with Apple Maps may help Yelp challenge Foursquare Labs and Facebook, two leading providers of check-in services, according to "Bloomberg."

Apple can no longer pursue an injunction against Motorola Mobility, after a US judge dismissed the iPhone maker's smartphone patents lawsuit, reports the "BBC" (http://macte.ch/J5rcy). Judge Richard Posner ended the case "with prejudice" between the firms, meaning that neither can re-file the suit, the article adds. However, an appeal is possible. All this is part of an ongoing battle between the two companies. Apple has previously alleged that Motorola infringes 24 of its patents (21 of them with Android-based phones, the remaining three with set-top boxes and DVRs), while Motorola previously asserted 18 patents against a variety of Apple products (mostly but not exclusively iPhone, iPad and iPod). Litigation between the two companies has taken place in several different federal courts. In November 2010 Apple sued Motorola, alleging that the company's smartphone lineup and the operating software it uses infringe on the iPhone-maker's intellectual property. The two lawsuits came after...

Partnerpedia (http:///www.partnerpedia.com), a provider of enterprise application store and marketplace solutions, has released findings from its "Corporate Mobile App Strategy Survey." Among the findings: the top sources for app purchases is the Apple App Store/iTunes with 69.9%. Google has 39.8%. Respondents in the Partnerpedia survey included executives in IT, sales, and marketing, and offered insight into the various approaches and opportunities to procure mobile apps. Responses to the survey showcased why consumer-focused app stores don't meet the essential needs of most businesses. Top reasons include a lack of business focus at 57.5%, inability to own/control app licenses at 43.4%, and security/exposure to viruses at 42.5%. Additional responses stated that the lack of support options from vendors, as well as limited purchasing ability, such as no PO or volume purchases, also make consumer app stores ineffective for business use. Partnerpedia grouped responses into large...

Neenah Paper has introduced Cabinet for Desktop (http://www.neenahpaper.com/cabinet), a cross-platform Adobe Air application created for Macs and PCs that provides users with a way to find, specify, compare and test paper for their projects. Neenah Cabinet for Desktop demystifies, simplifies and advances the process of sampling, choosing, proofing and specifying the right paper, or combination of papers, for print projects of all kinds, giving users the essentials that will significantly impact their creative workflows, according to Thomas Wright, senior director of advertising and design for Neenah Paper. He adds that it improves the creative workflow in five distinct areas: Designing (offering inspiration, favorites and ways to test and combine images); Finding (supplying continuously updated waterfalls and chips); Proofing (allowing users to upload or select an image and receive a Cabinet Personal Proof on physical paper in three business days); Specification (step-by-step project...

Combat Mission: Fortress Italy, is the latest addition to the Combat Mission lin-eup (http://www.battlefront.com) of tactical warfare games by Battlefront.com, is now available for pre-order for the Mac and PC for an anticipated August release. You can pre-order and get the Tin Case Limited Edition and save US$10. Combat Mission: Fortress Italy doesn't require any of the previous Combat Mission titles to play. Both PC and Mac versions are available. The combat forces immediately available to players include the full range of historically available American, Italian, and German forces which fought in Sicily. In addition to the completely new Italian forces, both the American and German organizations differ significantly from those familiar to Combat Mission: Battle for Normandy players. If you pre-order for USS$55, you're guaranteed to receive the Tin Case Limited Edition of Combat Mission Fortress Italy, including a new printed game engine manual (100 pages), game engine 2.0 updated...

Other World Computing (http://www.macsales.com) has announced OWC Mercury Electra MAX 3G 960GB SSD as the highest-capacity 2.5-inch Solid State Drive ever offered by the company. This high-performance 3.0Gb/second SATA Solid State Drive offers Mac and PC users maximum storage capacity -- though it will cost you US$1,299.99. Compatible with Macs, PCs and external enclosures that utilize 2.5-inch drives, the Mercury Electra MAX 3G 960GB SSD is available now and boasts 7% over provisioning, Tier 1/Grade A NAND, and a three-year warranty. For more information on the Mercury Electra MAX 3G 960GB SSD, including reseller inquires, visit  http://eshop.macsales.com/item/OWC/SSDEX3G960/ . Desktop users wanting to experience the performance benefits of the Mercury Electra MAX 3G 960GB SSD can choose from one of five adapters OWC offers starting at $3 for utilizing 2.5-inch drives in 3.5" bays. For an overview of these visit http://blog.macsales.com/11999-drive-adapters-galore%E2%80%94which-is-...

Consumers who fully charge their iPad tablet every other day can expect to pay $1.36 for the electricity needed annually to power the device, according to an  assessment by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), which conducts research and development relating to the generation, delivery and use of electricity for the benefit of the public. The analysis shows that each model of the iPad consumes less than 12 kWh of elelctricity over the course of a year, based on a full charge every other day. By comparison, a plasma 42-inch television consumes 358 kWh of electricity a year. EPRI (http://www.epri.com) conducted the analysis in Knoxville, Tenn., at its power utilization laboratory. Costs may vary depending on what region that a consumer resides and the price of electricity in a particular location. The assessment was conducted to determine the load requirements – the amount of power needed to operate the devices -- of the increasingly popular iPad. According to Apple, 67 million...

According to the IDG News Service (http://macte.ch/Ro7iN), a California court will limit the number of exhibits Apple and Samsung are able to submit when their multifaceted patent infringement case comes before a jury next month. 'It’s going to be 125 exhibits per side," said Judge Lucy Koh of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, during a hearing on Thursday. She added each side will be permitted 25 hours of arguments in the jury trial, which will get underway July 30. Apple and Samsung have filed more than 30 lawsuits against each other across four continents. For example, Apple alleges that Samsung copied the slide-to-unlock technology of its iPhone and iPad devices.

Sprightly Software has introduced Participants 1.0, an attendance taking app for Mac OS X Lion. It cots US$7.99 and is available worldwide exclusively through the Mac App Store in the Education category. Participants is designed to make it easy to record attendance. It's built for teachers, business people, group organizers, and others who needs to take attendance, Participants keeps a history of attendees for individual events and a history of events for each participant, letting users check a participant's history. Users can import people from their address book, assign them to groups, and more. And it wirelessly sync between your iOS devices and Macs via iCloud. The companion iOS version is available at the Apple App Store.

Tension Software has released Precise Screenshot, a new generation tool to take screenshots from your screen. It requires Mac OS X 10.7.3 or higher, costs US$1.99 and is available only from the Mac App Store. Precise Screenshot can select a resizable portion of the screen with the usual drag method or it can use pre-fixed size area from a customizable pop-up menu (with the sizes the user needs). You can also use the full screen area. Precise Screenshot can take a shot immediately. Or you can use a timer selectable from 0 to 10 seconds. Precise Screenshot can work in the background. It can save to the clipboard (with the picture immediately available for use) or to a disk in JPG, PNG and TIFF formats.

The United States has received maximum acceptance towards smartphones when compared with any other country, reports Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com). From June 2007 when the first iPhone was released for Americans till today the market has grown vigorously, the demand for smartphones has increased exponentially which encouraged a lot of vendors to enter this lucrative market followed by application developers. According to Research and Market's "United States Smartphone's Market Forecast & Opportunities, 2017," the United States smartphone market is expected to grow at the compounded annual growth rate of 18% in terms of volume for the next five years period. U.S. mobile market has entered a new phase and is witnessing a drastic change in acceptance, usability, buying behavior, etc, according to the research group. It is forecasted that by 2017 the smartphone sales will touch 90% of the overall mobile phone sales in U.S., says Research and Markets.

Sonnet Technologies has launched the Qio CF4 professional CompactFlash (CF) media reader. The latest member of the Sonnet Qio series of professional media readers offers a high-speed alternative to conventional card readers for videographers, studios, and photographers. According to Sonnet CEO Robert Farnsworth, the CF4 is the first four-slot CompactFlash (CF) memory card reader available with support for concurrent file ingest from all four slots and an integrated two-port 6 Gb/second eSATA interface for connecting external storage systems. With Sonnet's Qio CF4, users can transfer data concurrently from four CF memory cards used by professional HD camcorders from RED and Canon, as well as DSLR cameras from Canon and Nikon. The Qio CF4's fast PCIe 2.0 interface delivers an aggregate ingest speed of up to 400 MB/second with four CF cards. Designed for both in-studio and on-location use, the CF4 features a compact, rugged aluminum case with the same 15-centimeter by 16-centimeter (5.9-...

Smile has released TextExpander 4 (http://www.smilesoftware.com/TextExpander/), a new version of the typing shortcut tool for Mac OS X Lion. The upgrade features new options for "fill-in-the-blank" snippets. These fill-in snippets make it possible to create a form letter template that can be personalized with names, dates, and other info when the snippet is expanded. Fill-in snippets have many other time-saving uses, such as inserting custom links or creating HTML tags with variable attributes, according to the folks at Smile. In addition to single-line fill-in fields, TextExpander now has fill-ins for multi-line text fields, pop-up menus for multiple choices, and optional text blocks that can be added as needed when expanding the snippet. Besides new fill-in types, TextExpander 4 features several enhancements designed to make it easier to use fill-ins in snippets. New fill-in snippets are created with a simple popup interface. Text fields and pop-up menus can have default values....

Here are the latest incremental updates for Mac OS X apps: Zevrix Solutions (http://www.zevrix.com) has announced Output Factory 1.2.4, a feature update to its professional solution to automate output from Adobe InDesign. The new version lets users export InDesign books as a single files consisting of all InDesign documents within the book. MaBaSoft (http://www.mabasoft.net/) has released Application Wizard 3.3, an update to their menu-based application launcher, quitter, and switcher for Mac OS X. The upgrade features completely revised previews. Amuse has given us My Living Desktop 5.0.9 (http://www.mylivingdesktop.com/), a new version of their video desktop and screen saver utility. It's a maintenance update with some bug fixes and performance tweaks. Apparent Software has announced the availability of Socialite 1.4.2 (http://www.apparentsoft.com/socialite/), an update of the multi-service social network client designed to make it easy stay up-to-date with the latest RSS...

In a note to clients -- as reported by "Forbes" (http://macte.ch/cT6hF) -- Topeka Capital Markets analyst Brian White says contract manufacturer Hon Hai expects to start receiving LCD TV panels from Sharp in the third quarter rather than the fourth quarter and thinks this may hint at an Apple HDTV (the rumored "iTV") by Christmas. Hon Hai had invested in Sharp earlier this year to secure LCD panels that he thinks is meant for the Apple television. The analyst also thinks that Apple plans to use "
a special type of motion detection technology on the future full blown Apple TV," rather than touch technology." "Contacts indicate a unique remote control with a touch panel form factor that looks similar to the iPad would be used to control the device," White says. "The bezel is expected to be a plastic composition, rather than the aluminum unibody exterior that surrounds the MacBook Air."