Speaking of Verizon, chief financial officer Fran Shammo said during the carrier's Q2 financial conference that lower than expected consumer upgrade rates could be due to rumors of "a new phone coming out there in the fourth quarter." Shammo--who in 2011 several months before it launched and yet lived to tell the tale--is tempting fate once again! Some people go bungee jumping, others talk rumors of unannounced Apple products. .

- Econ Technologies has updated its backup solution for the Mac to version 4.3.4 and its ChronoAgent utility to version 1.3.4; both add compatibility with Mountain Lion. ChronoSync is $40 for a new license; ChronoAgent is $10. Updates are free for existing customers.

- OWC's latest allows users to upgrade the flash storage in a 2012 11- or 13-inch MacBook Air. The Mercury Aura Pro offers 6G speed, and OWC includes a three-year warranty and the tools to perform the upgrade yourself. Available capacities: 120GB ($168), 180GB ($225), 240GB ($320), and 480GB ($645).