512 Pixels

A poor, nameless Apple Support employee:

On June 23, 2013, AppleCare is updating its Service Training and Certification program. This update is based on feedback from the field and will ensure a simpler and easier way to create and maintain service technician credentials.

The new exams are as follows:

• 9L0–010 - Apple Macintosh Service Certification Exam
• 9L0–064 - OS X v10.8 Mountain Lion Troubleshooting Exam
• 9L0-E04 - iOS Qualification Exam

The new ACMT exam is no longer proctored, and can be taken online without a trip to a testing center. This should all make life a little bit better for Apple-Authorized Service Providers. The special tests for certain models — like the new stupid thin iMac remain in place, however.

Mary Beth Quirk:

Three daughters who recently lost their mother to cancer say they were kicked out of the King of Prussia Mall outside of Philadelphia for sporting a unique tribute to her. Two of the women were wearing black-and-pink hats designed by a family friend that read “F – - K CANCER” with the C in the naughty word replaced by a pink breast-cancer-awareness ribbon. They claim that on Sunday, a security guard told them they had to take of their hats, or leave the mall.

The new $229 device sports the same 4-inch screen as the 5th-generation model, but has no rear camera or “Loop” wrist strap and just comes in silver.

This week, I joined Myke Hurley to discuss Tim Cook’s appearance at D11 and how this reflects Apple’s past and present—whilst also looking at what WWDC and beyond may bring.

We also talk a little about the future of their show – The 512 Podcast – and hint at the exciting plans we have on the horizon. Please note that there is no 512 Podcast episode this week.

I provided the only D11 coverage you need to read.

Jeff Gamet:

The short version: Big changes for iOS 7 previewed, more plumbing changes for OS X, no Apple television or iWatch, and wait until fall for new iPhones and iPads. That makes the WWDC keynote sound like a setup for a boring presentation, but I don’t think that’ll happen. My money is on exciting announcements for iOS and OS X, but it may take a while for analysts and some Apple fans to realize just how important those are.

Sounds reasonable to me.

Martin Hering:

After a few weeks of beta testing, we’re very happy to announce that Instacast for Mac v1.0 is now available to download and purchase! We’d like to thank everyone who has participated in the beta as well all those who generously contributed to Instacast for Mac’s localization through Twitter.

Usually $19.99, it’s on sale for $14.99 through the end of the month.

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I’m changing jobs at the end of June, and am holding out until WWDC to see if the 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display finally gets the graphics horsepower it needs.

I’ve seen every episode of Season 1–3 numerous times, and even I hadn’t caught everything NPR has listed on this guide to the running gags from the show.

My wife and I are halfway through Season 4, and while it’s not as good as the show was at its height, it’s still very good. My hand’s hat’s off to Ron Howard.

Steve Lohr for The New York Times:

An Apple–1 computer, made in 1976, sold for a record $671,400 on Saturday at an auction in Germany, including all fees and taxes, said Uwe Breker, the German auctioneer.

That surpassed the $640,000 record for an Apple–1, set last November at a sale at the same auction house in Cologne, Germany, Auction Team Breker. The fall 2012 sale was a sharp rise from the previous record price for an Apple–1 of $374,500, set in June 2012 at Sotheby’s in New York.

My pal Kevin Lipe, in the best thing he’s ever published for SBNation:

The fight of the Grizzlies has rekindled the fight of Memphis. Yeah, yeah, people were proud of Memphis before 2011. But it’s spreading. It’s building. It’s a strong uniting force, and it’s something I don’t think could happen in any other NBA city.

Our city needed this Grizzlies team. Just like they needed us.

The Grizzlies probably aren’t going to be able to rally and come back against the Spurs, but at this point, I’m not even sure it matters to many Memphians. This city is electric, and that’s a good thing.