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- Neon cables for iPod headsets
Filed under: Accessories, iPod Family, Holidays
Saint Patrick's day is just a few weeks away. And what says "American Irish" more than green beer, green face paint, and green glowing neon iPod earphones? Akihabara News tracked down these fabulous iPod-compatible neon cables that flash along with your music--whether you're listening to Dexy's Midnight Runners, Thin Lizzy or U2. The cables, which run off a pair of AAA batteries, are available for purchase at this entirely-in-Japanese site. So good luck with that ordering!
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http://www.tuaw.com/2007/02/28/neon-cables-for-ipod-headsets/#comments - Iowa school district to use iPods for standardized testing
Filed under: iPod Family, Education
The Muscatine Journal reports that the Louisa-Muscatine School District in Iowa will start using iPods as part of the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills. Special-education students will use the iPods to allow them to work on their tests at different rates, while still providing a standardized administration of the test. The iPod will provide both test instructions and spoken versions of the questions. It's apparently a time consuming process getting everything transferred from the written page into a spoken format but it's also pretty exciting to see how innovative educators are using off-the-shelf technology to meet their student's special needs. Obviously technology isn't going to be the answer to every pedagogical problem but a creative application of the already-available iPod may go a long way.
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http://www.tuaw.com/2007/02/28/iowa-school-district-to-use-ipods-for-standardized-testing/#comments - Boomwave™ Bearaphim iPod case
Filed under: Accessories, iPod Family
A word of caution to diabetics: this iPod case is so cute and so sweet that it may just turn your stomach, let alone make you need to inject insulin. In a design that's calculated to make people utter "Awwww! Look at the cute widdle iPod case! Isn't it the cutest widdle iddy biddy nano case evah!", Boomwave Products offers a protective nano case with Teddy-bear ears and angel wings. (The wings let you wrap your earbud wires when they're not in use.) And if that weren't enough, each case comes with a matched doggy tag for users to wear so they can feel close to their iPod case even when they're not actually, you know, listening to music. And of course, you'll have a "beary good time" with it. Shudder.Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsКомментарии к сообщению:
http://www.tuaw.com/2007/02/28/boomwave-bearaphim-ipod-case/#comments - TextMate: Power Editing for the Mac
Some people balk at the idea of paying for a text editor. 'Doesn't OS X ship with a pretty good text editor called TextEdit,' they say. That is very true, but if you make your living creating text documents (whether they be code, blog posts, or content of some other kind) TextEdit just won't cut it.
Enter TUAW favorite TextMate. This program is the swiss army knife of text processing. It includes a number of features that make coding and writing a breeze. It is a complex application, and as such the learning curve can be a little steep. The Pragmatic Programmers latest effort, 'TextMate Power Editing for the Mac,' hopes to turn you into a TextMate pro. Author James Edward Gray II shows the reader the ins and outs of TextMate, and teaches you how to get the most out of this great app.
'TextMate Power Editing for the Mac' is available now. The physical book costs $29.95, the PDF version costs $20, and you can grab both for $37.45.
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http://www.tuaw.com/2007/02/28/textmate-power-editing-for-the-mac/#comments - iPod-compatible Pet Carrier
Filed under: Accessories, Humor, iPod Family
Did the Lifepop Stereo Pet Carrier really "steal the spotlight" at the Oscars? Unless you believe those wacky PR dudes (and who would?), probably not but it's a pretty cool iPod-compatible accessory. You can use it to carry around your pooch as he or she rocks out to your music, or whimpers in abject misery while listening to your Barry Manilow collection.
It's basically a soft padded bad with built-in speakers and a mini-plug you can hook into your iPod. There's a fully zippered ventilated top so Fido will be able to breathe while groovin'. You might want to put away a few bucks to pay the pet therapist if there's a serious mismatch between your musical tastes and your dog's.Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsКомментарии к сообщению:
http://www.tuaw.com/2007/02/28/ipod-compatible-pet-carrier/#comments - iMac nightlight
Filed under: Cult of Mac, Odds and ends, iMac
What do you do when you're an artist and your lime iMac dies? Why, you get yourself to Ikea, pick up some lights, scoop out the iMac's guts, and make an iMac night light. The translucent plastic that is no longer in vogue these days looks fantastic light from within, if you ask me.
[via MAKE: Blog]Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsКомментарии к сообщению:
http://www.tuaw.com/2007/02/28/imac-nightlight/#comments - Plagiarism follow-up
Filed under: iTunes
Last week, Mike posted about the curious case of Joyce Hatto, the famed pianist who after retiring in the 1970's, released many new recordings in the 1990's. A Gramophone magazine writer found that the Gracenotes database used by iTunes matched a supposed Hatto recording to another performance by a pianist named László Simon. The Washington Post now reports that William Barrington-Coupe, Hatto's widower, has confessed to plagiarizing recordings. Wikipedia's entry on Hatto currently lists a couple of dozen alleged copies from performances by artists including Dubravka Tomsic, Yuki Matsuzawa, Konstantin Scherbakov, and others.
Barrington-Coupe says he has now destroyed all of his labels' recordings, but given that there are more than a hundred performances attributed to Hatto, it will take time for the music historians to sort out the actual from the borrowed.
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http://www.tuaw.com/2007/02/28/plagiarism-follow-up/#comments - iTunes creates new venue for Indy distribution
Variety reports that independent video producers can now sell through iTunes. The first indy video production, a 40-minute snowboarding feature, represents the first iTunes content outside the studio system. This opens doors for small business videographers to market their content and I suspect that video tutorials may be a big growth area for content. Let me point out that the video that debuted (it's called "That") is by no means an amateur production. It creates a new venue for distribution previously unavailable through video podcasting.
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http://www.tuaw.com/2007/02/28/itunes-creates-new-venue-for-indy-distribution/#comments - Widget Watch: GTD widget for iCal
Filed under: Software, Productivity, Widget Watch
Yep, we found yet another GTD-inspired product, and unlike the apps we've been blogging lately, this is a widget. The GTD widget for iCal is from ConceptDraw Labs, a new software and widget house, and it seems to do a nice job of fusing the GTD paradigm with iCal in a slim widgetized package. No crazy syncing action with an iPod or iSync here - just a straight-up 'get something done' approach. One catch with this widget, however, is that it uses AppleScript to communicate with iCal, which means that it will need to start iCal to work its magic. Commenters on ComceptDraw Labs's announcement post have pointed out that changes to the way iCal works in Leopard should allow them to avoid this inconvenience, but if you don't mind simply hiding iCal in the background for now, it shouldn't be a problem.
The GTD widget for iCal is apparently freeware, as I can't even find any donation links at ConceptDraw Labs' site.Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsКомментарии к сообщению:
http://www.tuaw.com/2007/02/28/widget-watch-gtd-widget-for-ical/#comments - TUAW Tip: Use ambient noise reduction for chats and sound recording
Filed under: Audio, OS, Software, TUAW Tip
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I do a decent amount of audio recording and chatting, but I don't ever remember seeing this option in System Preferences until last night. Turning on the "Use ambient noise reduction" feature under the Input tab of the Sound pane can help cut out the TV or dogs barking in the background, though it obviously isn't an end-all solution. A quiet, sound proofed setup is still ideal, but this setting should help for those times when 'ideal' just isn't possible. The setting should work with your Mac's built-in microphone, as well as any external mics you plug in.
[Update: From the comments, it sounds like this might only be an option on Apple's Intel-based notebooks. Readers are reporting that PowerBooks, iBooks, G5 iMacs and even Core Duo Mac minis (an Intel non-portable) don't have the feature. This is very interesting, and suggests that it could be due to an actual update to the microphone hardware in the MacBook/Pros since, as far as I know, noise cancellation typically involves a dedicated chip for this kind of functionality. Only certain mobile phones, for example, actually have noise cancellation, and I believe that is also due to the presence of a specific chip.]Комментарии к сообщению:
http://www.tuaw.com/2007/02/28/tuaw-tip-use-ambient-noise-reduction-for-chats-and-sound-record/#comments - Apple TV: Why the delay?
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Apple TV
We're bummed out as much as you are about the Apple TV delay. While we are pouting in our room, crying our eyes out, and forlornly staring at our useless without an Apple TV Sony Bravia television, Businessweek's Arik Hesseldahl has been busy spinning some theories to explain the dearth of Apple TVs. Arik talks to some analysts who think that the 2 -3 week delay can be explained by a delay in FCC approval. Since the Apple TV is a wireless device, the FCC must approve of it before it is sent to market. The other theory offered up by Airk is that of a supply shortage. Perhaps Apple's manufacturing partners are having trouble pumping units out due to some constriction in the supply chain, which has necessitated the delayed launch.
Whatever the reason, I just hope that Apple gets it all ironed out before the end of March. I want my Apple TV!Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsКомментарии к сообщению:
http://www.tuaw.com/2007/02/28/apple-tv-why-the-delay/#comments - DragThing updated to 5.7.2
Filed under: Software
The venerable (more than 11 years since v1.0!) launch utility DragThing has been revised to version 5.7.2, adding three new dock themes and clipping tools while squashing a few bugs. I've been a DragThing user since v2 and despite the siren call of QuickSilver, DT still holds a place in my heart and on my desktop.
DragThing is shareware, with license costs ranging from $29 for a single user to $2000 for a worldwide license (if you plan on running it from orbit, you may want to talk to your lawyer). The update is free for existing users of v5.Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsКомментарии к сообщению:
http://www.tuaw.com/2007/02/28/dragthing-updated-to-5-7-2/#comments - New Mac OS X 10.4.9 client and Server builds seeded to developers
A little TUAW birdie has informed us that a new series of Mac OS X 10.4.9 client and server builds have been seeded to developers. The build versions are as follows: Mac OS X v10.4.9 (Intel) Build 8P2132, Mac OS X v10.4.9 (PowerPC) Build 8P132, Mac OS X Server v10.4.9 (Universal) Build 8P2132 Manual Updater, Mac OS X Server v10.4.9 (PowerPC) Build 8P132 Manual Updater.
While the client build has a significant list of changes (104 to be exact), the Server build reportedly has absolutely zero. This isn't necessarily indicative of an imminent release, but a lack of changes for at least one build could offer some hope. Unfortunately, we don't have a list of what these changes are right now, so we might wind up knowing just as soon as you do.
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http://www.tuaw.com/2007/02/28/new-mac-os-x-client--server-builds-seeded-developers/#comments - Missing Sync for BlackBerry Preview Released
Filed under: Peripherals, Software, Beta Beat
Back in January we mentioned the forthcoming release of Missing Sync for BlackBerry from Mark/Space scheduled for a nebulous "Q1 2007." Yesterday Mark/Space hit the mark, making a "Preview" edition available for download. Like the other "Missing Sync" products, the BlackBerry edition will sync your contacts, iCal calendar entries, notes, iPhoto pictures, iTunes tracks and more (though some of these require more advanced devices like the BlackBerry Pearl). The site lists compatiblity with several different series of BlackBerry devices running version 4.0 and later of the BlackBerry OS. Be sure to check out the known issues page before you download.
Mark/Space does not appear to have announced final pricing, but they do note that they will offer upgrade pricing for registered users of Missing Sync for Palm and Windows Mobile. The preview is available for download now (scroll all the way to the bottom of the page).
[Via MacNN]Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsКомментарии к сообщению:
http://www.tuaw.com/2007/02/28/missing-sync-for-blackberry-preview-released/#comments - Ask TUAW: Cookies, Mail.app vs Outlook, Party Shuffle and more
Filed under: iLife, Features, How-tos, Tips and tricks, iTunes, Ask TUAW
We got a lot of great questions following last week's Ask TUAW. This means, unfortunately, we won't be able to address all of them this week, but we still have managed answers for several more than usual. This week we'll be tackling questions about Mail.app, cookies in Safari, iTunes, Spotlight, and more. As always, please leave your own comments, and ask more questions for next week either in the comments to this post or using the tip form. Now let's turn to this week's questions.Continue reading Ask TUAW: Cookies, Mail.app vs Outlook, Party Shuffle and more
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http://www.tuaw.com/2007/02/28/ask-tuaw-cookies-mail-app-vs-outlook-party-shuffle-and-more/#comments - VisualHub bumped up to v1.22
Filed under: Multimedia, Video, Software Update
VisualHub, the popular and easy-to-use video encoding software by Techspansion, has been updated to version 1.22. This latest version offers a number of minor enhancements and bug fixes that should increase usability and productivity. There is nothing entirely new or groundbreaking to speak of, but it's always nice to keep those video encoders up-to-date and running without a hitch. For reference, VisualHub is a robust encoding solution that handles MPEG-4, WMV, MPEG, FLV, AVI, DV, MOV, TS, and a bunch of other formats. Be sure to check out the full list of improvements on Techspansion's page.Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsКомментарии к сообщению:
http://www.tuaw.com/2007/02/28/visualhub-bumped-up-to-v1-22/#comments - Found Footage: The Zune Phone
Filed under: Humor, Found Footage, iPhone
Hello? Hello! Hello? Hello! Is this thing on? Introducing the new Zune Phone, the latest competitor to Apple's iPhone. Because nothing says new and exciting technology quite like a blue-screen-of-death done up in brown. Yes, gentle readers, it's a parody. Hopefully you'll enjoy the laugh.
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http://www.tuaw.com/2007/02/27/found-footage-the-zune-phone/#comments - AAPL drops more than 5 percent in wide market selloff
Filed under: Apple Financial
It may not have been the only bad news on a bleak Wall Street Tuesday, but Apple's 5.3% stock price drop (closing at 83.93, almost 14 points off of January's high) was certainly noticeable. Investors may have seized on the AppleTV ship delay as a sign of slipping execution for AAPL.
Now get out there tomorrow and buy buy buy! [Disclaimer: I hold positions in Apple and Intel stock, among other equities. :-] Apologies for the use of the Cha-Ching logo, but I honestly couldn't think of a better illustration for a "market correction" than an empty piggy bank.Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsКомментарии к сообщению:
http://www.tuaw.com/2007/02/27/aapl-drops-more-than-5-percent-in-wide-market-selloff/#comments - VirtueDesktops update brings lots of changes, bug fixes
Filed under: Software, Productivity
VirtueDesktops, the virtual desktop manager of choice, recently updated to version 0.54 beta 2 with a major set of changes and bug fixes. This forum post at cocoaforge rounds up all the changes of a few recent builds, including this latest beta. To summarize: the main gist is a lot of focus on UI tweaks and improvements. Rearranging desktops, desktop inspector improvements, crash fixes and plugs for memory leaks are all on the table.
If you want to download the new version and are interested in the details, hit the forum post for everything you need to know. Otherwise the VirtueDesktops downloads page should do you just fine, but don't forget to donate to show your appreciation.Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsКомментарии к сообщению:
http://www.tuaw.com/2007/02/27/virtuedesktops-update-brings-lots-of-changes-bug-fixes/#comments - Is Safari a system resource hog?
Filed under: OS, Software, Blogs
A browser doesn't seem like it should have that adverse of an effect on one's system performance. Aside from the power users who surf for hours at a time and leave their browser running for days on end, one's browser shouldn't be dragging the rest of the class down.
Macenstein, on the other hand, has used a few pseudo-scientific tests to determine otherwise. While the debate still rages as to which browser is the 'best,' or the fastest, or the least detrimental memory hog, Dr. Macenstein has apparently outed Safari as a fairly selfish system resource gobbler, able to slow at least some operations by 76 percent. The tests performed by the monster of all things Mac included a fairly tricked out G5 PowerMac, as well as Quad Core Mac Pro just for good measure. Just to round the tests out, Macenstein eventually added Camino and OmniWeb to the original test sequence of Safari and Firefox. These browsers were all tested separately against opening/saving a fairly hefty PSD in Photoshop, as well as rendering a project out of After Effects (remember: those two apps still have to run emulated in Rosetta on the Mac Pro).
The cliff notes results? In nearly every test, Safari (running in the background) was found to deal a significant blow to performance and efficiency, causing the three aforementioned operations to take noticeably longer. To make things even more bizarre, Safari was actually found to not affect performance when exporting a video for the iPod with QuickTime.
At the end of the day, no one is really sure why Apple's browser is making so many waves in the performance pool, but a healthy comment thread on the post is already hard at work. For anyone serious about Safari, here's hoping Apple is already aware of the issue and has brought their browser in line for Leopard.Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsКомментарии к сообщению:
http://www.tuaw.com/2007/02/27/is-safari-a-system-resource-hog/#comments
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