Overnight Recap: BlueLounge Jimi, Mr. Reader 3.1, AT&T Plans Hulu Rival

Tuesday delivered a bevy of Apple updates as well as OS X Mavericks beta access for non-developers, but the real story might be the Susquehanna Financial Group analyst who is predicting that Cupertino may eventually kiss the iPod as we know it goodbye and roll its functionality into the fabled iWatch — a prognostication that makes a lot of sense when you think about it. But you won't have to twist your mind to find out what else went down yesterday, because we've got it all right here...

BlueLounge Debuts Jimi USB Port Extension for iMac

An iMac is one of the best personal computers you could ever own, but it does have one nagging downside for frequent accessory users: No front-facing USB port. The folks at BlueLounge have remedied this oversight by creating Jimi, a j-shaped extender that plugs into an available USB port on the back of any slim unibody iMac model released from November 2012 or later and makes the port available from the front as shown above. It's one of those ideas so deviously simple, you have to wonder why no one thought of it before. Jimi is now available for $14.95 from the BlueLounge website and various resellers.

Mr. Reader 3.1 Adds Feedja, Mark All as Read Support

Developer Oliver Fuerniss released a big update to the popular iPad-only RSS app Mr. Reader on Tuesday, adding an additional sync service with Feedja. Version 3.1 also changes the behavior of the "Mark All as Read" setting, which now automatically opens the next folder or feed with unread items, rather than hopping back to the menu each time to do so. The RSS reader is now capable of writing and executing scripts written in Javascript, creating reminders and sharing articles to both Microsoft OneNote or Sina Weibo. The update is free for existing customers or $3.99 as a new purchase, now available from the App Store.

AT&T Announces Plans to Create $500M Hulu Rival

After failing to make a bid for Hulu several months ago, AT&T and The Chernin Group announced Tuesday a $500 million investment to "acquire, invest in and launch over-the-top (OTT) video services" — in other words, one or more services intended to compete directly with Hulu and its rivals. The press release specifically mentions investments in "advertising and subscription VOD channels as well as streaming services," which pretty much covers all the bases. The Chernin Group already has a foothold in that space as majority owners of the subscription-based Crunchyroll service, so it will be interesting to see where this joint venture takes both companies.

WinZip Mac 3 Adds Dropbox, Google Drive Support

On the Windows platform, PC users swear by WinZip, a veteran solution for compressing or opening files. On the Mac, however, WinZip is a relative newbie, having debuted on the Mac App Store in early 2013. The company is working quickly to become the go-to solution for Apple users with this week's release of WinZip Mac 3, which adds cloud file sharing to its bag of tricks. Available for Dropbox or Google Drive, a new Cloud Picker feature allows WinZip Mac 3 users to access, rename, delete or zip/unzip files and folders stored on the cloud without having to leave the application, as well as quickly share links via email. With support for Zip, Zipx, RAR, LHA, 7Z, JAR and WAR formats, WinZip Mac 3 also features an updated UI with new shortcuts.The new version is available for $29.99 from the Mac App Store, and the company also offers official WinZip apps for iOS as well.

Dish Reportedly Launching Internet TV Service This Summer

The dream of a true internet television service may finally come to pass this year. Bloomberg reported Tuesday that Dish Network is eyeing a late summer launch for an internet-based TV service that skips the cable or satellite subscription and allows customers to pay $20 to $30 per month to watch on their smartphones or tablets. Dish is said to already have the support of Disney-owned properties and is talking with A&E, Turner and CBS to shore up content from at least two of the four broadcast networks and "at least 10 of the highest-rated cable networks," a stipulation apparently made by the larger content providers.

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