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Roxio announces Toast 10 at MacWorld
Filed under: Audio, Software, Developer
Toast is the granddaddy of CD burning apps nowadays, an act that itself has become relatively obsolete (between iPods, internet radios, FM tuners, and streaming services, do we even really need to put media on a physical format anymore?). Roxio isn't sitting back with their software, though: they've released Toast 10 at MacWorld this week, and they are doing their best to stay on your Mac, whether you use your CD burner or not. They added streaming back in Toast 9, but 10 brings with it the ability to extract and control almost any sound or video that comes through your computer, from DVD footage to web video, exported out to TiVo, your Mac, your iPod, or anywhere else that plays it.

The app is available right now on the website for $79.99 (after a $20 mail-in rebate), or they're offering a "Pro" version that comes with SonicFire Pro (that you can use to piece soundtracks together), Bias SoundSoap SE (which will wipe hums and static from recordings), FotoMagico (slideshows from pictures), and LightZone (photo editor and enhancer), as well as a plug-in for Toast that will let you author Blu Ray and HD DVD discs. All that comes together for $130 (after a $20 mail-in rebate).

Whew. Despite the fact that almost no one is routinely burning CDs or DVDs these days, Roxio seems to be going all out to make sure there's still a need for Toast.

[via Ars]
TUAW Roxio announces Toast 10 at MacWorld originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Lucky Bags sold in Japanese Apple Store
Filed under: Retail, Holidays
Fukubukuro, or "Mystery Bag," is a Japanese New Year's Day tradition during which merchants sell sealed bags of various items at a substantial discount, often as high as 50%. Apple participated this year, and one lucky shopper, Justin, blogged his experience.

For the approximate equivalent of $384US, Justin received
- an 8 GB iPod touch
- Nike iPod sensor and armband
- Logitech Pure-Fi Anywhere2 speaker set
- Cool, re-useable bag (at right)
- Commemorative T-shirt
- 2009 calendar
Quite a haul! Shoppers lined up at midnight on January 2nd for a chance to buy one of Apple's Mystery Bags. I'm thinking that US retailers need to adopt this tradition.

[Via ifoAppleStore]
TUAW Lucky Bags sold in Japanese Apple Store originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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TUAW at Macworld 2009 -- First Photos
Filed under: Macworld, Cult of Mac, First Look
Your intrepid TUAW team (a substantial portion of us, anyway) are on the ground in San Francisco to bring you all the latest Macworld 2009 news, reviews, tips, photos and video we possibly can. To kick us off in the photo department, here's a few pics from our first day here in San Francisco. Hopefully, these will whet your appetite for the bigger and more exciting stuff sure to follow.

And yes, that's a photo of someone already in line for the "Philnote" -- which, as you probably already know, kicks off tomorrow morning at 9 am Pacific Time. Of course, we'll be liveblogging the keynote tomorrow so be sure to check back right here at TUAW for all the details.

Gallery: Macworld 2009 First Photos
TUAW TUAW at Macworld 2009 -- First Photos originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Macworld Expo '09 rumor roundup
Filed under: Hardware, Rumors, Mac mini, Macbook Pro
As we draw ever nearer to Phil Schiller's Macworld keynote, we've been privy to more rumors than a high school cafeteria. What's the fun of a juicy tidbit that you can't share? Here's our roundup of the latest Macworld Expo rumors. Just don't tell anyone we told you.

AT&T Tethering A little birdie flew into TUAW headquarters earlier this morning and suggested that tethering between an iPhone and an Apple laptop was imminent. Specifics were sketchy, but MacBlogz suggested that a 5 GB data cap and $30/month supplementary cost is likely. For an additional $30/mo, I'll wait until I find a Wi-Fi hotspot. But I'm a cheapskate.

MegiPod Techcrunch suggested that a larger touch-based iPod is in the works. Supposedly all current apps will run on it, which suggests resolution independence or serious hocus-pocus. That's a technical term.

Unibody 17 inch MacBook Pro This one seems likely, as the 17 inch MBP is the only Apple laptop without a sleek, new body. The juicy part of this rumor is the addition of a slim, non-removable and long-lasting battery. That should get the community fired up.

New iMacs The iMac has been the star of many Macworld Expos, and we wouldn't be surprised if it happened again this year. It's a consumer show, the iMac is Apple's consumer desktop and it's certainly due for a makeover. Rumors suggest that the new iMac will feature a similar form factor and a new 65W, low-power, quad-core desktop chip from Intel. There are also questions about a new cooling system, but we couldn't learn any more about that (read: the Magic 8 Ball said, "Ask again later.").

New Mac mini Probably the most reliable rumor of the bunch is the new Mac mini. We're glad that rumors of its discontinuation have been greatly exaggerated, because the diminutive mini is a great little workhorse. This rumor is twofold. First, it seems that the internal optical drive will changing to a SATA optical drive, which can be replaced with a second SATA hard drive. Secondly, the new mini will sport an aluminum body topped with black plastic.

Update: SeeFile pretty much spilled the beans on the new mini.

We've also compiled a wish list of things not necessarily floating around as rumors. First, an update to the AppleTV would be nice, especially if it came with Hulu support (think of an Apple version of Boxee). iLife '09 seems likely as well, though we haven't heard any rumblings. The iPhone nano case leaks are interesting but we haven't seen anything definitive there.

I hope we get a full demo of Snow Leopard and a release date. Sure, it won't have a lot of demo-friendly, whiz-bang new features, but we feel certain the changes that make the cut will please just about everyone.

That's what we've got so far. If you want to pass us a note in study hall, we're all ears.
TUAW Macworld Expo '09 rumor roundup originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Rumor: Mac mini supports 1TB storage, SeeFile
Filed under: Macworld, Hardware, Rumors, Mac mini
Ars is reporting that software company SeeFile may have exposed at least a part of Apple's plans for the new Mac mini. According to a poorly timed press release (it's actually dated January 6th, the same day as Phil's keynote), the "New Apple Mac Mini hardware [will] be supported by revolutionary SeeFile web sharing DAM software." The SeeFile software is used to build a no-fuss, digital asset manager accessible via a web browser and starts at $499US.

Here's where it gets interesting. Towards the end of the press release, we find this

"Complete bundled server systems including a Mac mini server with 1 terabyte of storage are available starting at $1,495. The hosted Web service will be available starting in February 2009 at several pricing tiers, starting at under $50 per month."

We can only assume that SeeFile will be selling minis bundled with their software and not Apple. Many people use minis as home servers, and with the rumor of 1TB of internal storage all but confirmed by this press release, building a similar, web-accessible setup should become very easy indeed.

Either way, the lesson here is the same: Don't hit your web editor's "Publish" button unless you really mean it.
TUAW Rumor: Mac mini supports 1TB storage, SeeFile originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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USA Today for iPhone helps you keep up
Filed under: Cool tools, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
I've spent most of my life in the news business, and like many people, I can't get enough of the latest political, sports, tech or business news. There are plenty of apps for the iPhone and iPod touch that help you keep on top of what is going on, but USA Today [app store link] has done a good job of translating the paper to the iPhone. Like many of the competing apps like the New York Times [app store link] or AP Mobile News [app store link], USA Today is free, although some unobtrusive ads do appear at the bottom of stories.

When you install, you can customize the app for weather in your favorite cities, and your top ranked city temperature helpfully appears on every page you navigate to.

There is a good sports section, but no way to customize favorite teams. In addition to sports news, there are up-to-date scores for all the major contests.

Stories you like can be emailed to friends, sent as a text message, or to Twitter. The setup section also allows you to submit bug and feature requests.

USA Today appears to download everything it can when you are connected via Edge, 3G or Wi-Fi, so if you get on a plane and have no Internet access you can still read all the content. I noticed that all the pictures were not available though.

The app also gives you access to USA Today snapshots, and allows you to vote in various polls. Some of the polls were out of date, however, like asking what people are going to wear on New Year's Eve. When you do vote, you're asked if you want to share your location. I think this allows the polls to be parsed by section of the country.

Keep in mind that USA Today is an American newspaper. This is not the app to use to search for much news outside the U.S. of A., and users report you can't even start the app if you are outside the country. The developers say that is a bug, not a feature and will be fixed soon.

Having said all this, the USA Today app for the iPhone/touch is very fast, nicely laid out, follows iPhone GUI conventions very well, and despite some of the little glitches I saw, was a pleasure to use. Just the thing for getting the latest news while strolling around the Macworld Expo, or anywhere really.

TUAW USA Today for iPhone helps you keep up originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Weekly World News reports Macworld Expo threatened by death ray app
Filed under: Macworld, Humor, Open Source, iPhone, App Store

Here at TUAW, we feel that it's our duty to bring you important, fast-breaking Apple news. That paragon of excellence in journalistic integrity, the Weekly World News, reported today that Macworld Expo 2009 is threatened by a death ray application for the iPhone. The app (we are unsure at press time whether or not it's available in the App Store) was created by Dr. Michael Heinous of Colorado State University. Dr. Heinous has also apparently moved CSU, normally found in Fort Collins, CO, to Boulder, home of the University of Colorado.

Steve Jobs is reported to have taken time out from constructing an android body that will allow his consciousness to live forever to condemn the rogue app. He's quoted as saying "Apple does not approve of this application. Death ray technology and open source software are dangerous when released to the general public and are not in keeping with our corporate policy."

The report was later updated to note that "Specialized Apple gear, like an iPod equipped gas mask or the iLive full body armor with wifi, is will be available at the convention. Apple's executives will attend the convention via telecom from the iFallout Shelter."

Stay tuned to TUAW for more breaking news about this important, and obviously true, story.

[via Weekly World News]
TUAW Weekly World News reports Macworld Expo threatened by death ray app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Ladies and gentlemen, start your lectures: ProfCast 2.3.0 arrives
Filed under: Software, Education, Podcasting
Educators and professionals who need to record and podcast lectures often turn to Humble Daisy's ProfCast, a tool for adding enhancements to PowerPoint or Keynote slideshows to create powerful podcasts.

ProfCast today received a major update to version 2.3. The original app allows recording of live presentations, syncing slides with an audio track, and full RSS feed generation and publishing support. The new version incorporates several improvements, the most significant being support for PowerPoint 2008.

The app now automatically detects whether Keynote or PowerPoint is being used for a presentation, and then begins the process of recording and publishing the lecture with all slide timing and voice narration.

Humble Daisy also killed a number of bugs from the previous version of ProfCast, and version 2.3.0 is a free upgrade to existing owners of the application. The program is $59.95 for first-time buyers, and educational discounts are available. ProfCast can be purchased from the online store.
TUAW Ladies and gentlemen, start your lectures: ProfCast 2.3.0 arrives originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Phil Schiller's death-defying stunt at MWNY '99
Filed under: Macworld, Portables, Apple History
Everyone in the Apple community is eager to see Phil Schiller deliver tomorrow's keynote address at Macworld Expo. While we're uncertain as to what he'll do, we know that he won't be leaping onto an inflatable mattress while holding a laptop. Because he's already done that.

At Macworld Expo '99 in New York City, Phil demonstrated a Tangerine iBook's wifi capabilities and accelerometer by falling from a significant height onto a small mattress below, thus ushering him into "The Demo Hall of Fame." It might not have been the Mother of All Demos, but still pretty cool. Way to take one for the team, Phil!

Click below to watch the video.

[Thanks to the folks at thinkingbricks for pointing this out]
Continue reading Phil Schiller's death-defying stunt at MWNY '99
TUAW Phil Schiller's death-defying stunt at MWNY '99 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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FileMaker announces version 10 of flagship database app
Filed under: Enterprise, Software, Developer
FileMaker, Inc. has released FileMaker Pro 10, the latest in its long line of database applications for Mac OS X, featuring a new interface and design.

FileMaker Pro 10 introduces the Status Toolbar, which it says is similar to most browser toolbars, that takes commonly used options out of the menus and presents them as tool buttons. This is the first major improvement to FileMaker's interface in years, and the company says it's aiming to make key features more 'discoverable' to novice Filemaker users. The UI requires a minimum resolution of 1024 x 768, however, which excludes older Macs and smaller netbooks.

Also new in this version are Script Triggers, which are time-based or user-based rules that launch scripts automatically. Bento 2 integration, support for the Microsoft Excel XLSX file format, direct database creation from Excel files (you already could start a DB by dragging and dropping a spreadsheet onto the FileMaker icon, but now the feature is explicit) better ability to set tab order, and better file recovery are included, too.

FileMaker Server 10 is also available, and includes a simplified tool for record import and export, and the ability to send mail directly from FileMaker without the need for an email client. Among other improvements, FileMaker Server 10 Advanced now allows up to 999 simultaneous connections.

FileMaker Pro is available in a variety of flavors:
- FileMaker Pro 10: $299 ($179 upgrade)
- FileMaker Pro 10 Advanced: $499 ($299 upgrade)
- FileMaker Server 10: $999 ($599 upgrade)
- FileMaker Server 10 Advanced: $2,999 ($1,799 upgrade)
All versions are available now. You can visit FileMaker this week at Macworld at the FileMaker Booth (#1225) and FileMaker Pavilion (#1125). We'll be diving into the new FileMaker features with a more detailed review soon, but this new version looks like it has plenty to please users both old and new.
TUAW FileMaker announces version 10 of flagship database app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Learn how to draw a Mac network node sphere with this tutorial
Filed under: How-tos, Graphic Design
If you've always wondered how to draw a "ball of nodes" as featured in a variety of Mac OS X icons, wonder no more: Mike Rundle of flyosity.com has written a tutorial to show you how using Photoshop.

Rundle discusses "spheric realism," the process of understanding the materials, reflectivity, and roundness of a sphere, and how to accurately illustrate it digitally.

Clever users can easily adapt the technique for Illustrator, Acorn, or many other compositing tools that feature blur and blending mode support.

Rundle also offers a PSD file containing the artwork with no strings attached.

Thanks Todd!
TUAW Learn how to draw a Mac network node sphere with this tutorial originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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NRK offers free podcast containing every Beatles song
Filed under: iTunes
The Beatles could have all their songs on iTunes, but not the way you might think: via a podcast describing the story behind each song, released by a Norwegian broadcasting company.

NRK is podcasting its segment called "Our Daily Beatles" that chronologically tells a three-minute story of every Beatles song ever written -- 212 of them -- along with the song in its entirety. NRK offers its podcast of the segment here.

According to its website, NRK says it has procured the rights to publish podcasts of all its previously-broadcast radio and television programs that contain less than 70 percent music.

While not an ideal way to download the entire Beatles catalog specifically for the music, the podcast is free.

Apple has been negotiating with Apple Corps and the various owners of the Beatles' catalog to offer the music on iTunes. Last word was in November, when Paul McCartney said that talks broke down.

Thanks, Kenken!

TUAW NRK offers free podcast containing every Beatles song originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Steve's OK, everyone relax
Filed under: Apple Corporate

Who says Apple doesn't listen? More to the point, who says Steve Jobs isn't aware of the rumors? Earlier today Apple posted a letter from CEO Steve Jobs indicating precisely what has been causing his weight loss (a hormone imbalance, apparently treatable) and why he won't be at the keynote (he's spending time with his family). There's a corresponding statement from the Apple board of directors offering support for Steve and confidence in his continued leadership.

Steve's no dummy. I applaud him taking this time to be with his family, and I'm personally quite happy to hear his weight loss appears to stem from a rather strange but reversible affair. While the keynote will be odd without him, let's hope this puts a little water on the doomsayers out there. Steve's not going anywhere just yet -- so everyone relax this week and enjoy the spectacle at Macworld.
TUAW Steve's OK, everyone relax originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 09:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Beejive IM updated to 2.0, includes audio messaging
Filed under: Reviews, iPhone, App Store
Beejive IM [iTunes link], the Swiss army knife of instant messaging on the iPhone, was recently updated to version 2.0. Beejive allows you to connect with many different instant messaging services including: AIM, Google Talk, ICQ, Jabber, MSN/Live, Myspace IM, and Yahoo messenger. This application was already top-notch in the previous versions and this new version just makes things a lot better. Let's take a look at each of the changes to Beejive.

You are now able to send photos directly from your iPhone and have them show up in-line with the body of the chat. In addition, you can now easily see photos sent to your iPhone. Probably one of the coolest new features is the ability to record and send voice notes to your fellow chatters. Tapping on the toolbar at the top, which lists the current chat name, gets you four options. One of those options is a small microphone; tapping this icon makes your iPhone show a recording view, and instantly start recording audio. When you tap the stop button, your recording will be saved. You can play or record your voice note over again; if you want to send the voice note, tap the "Send" button and your voice note will be directly transferred to the current chat.

In addition to being able to send/receive audio on your iPhone or iPod touch using Beejive 2.0, you can also receive and open multiple types of files, including:

- Most image, audio, and video files
- PDFs
- Word documents
- Excel spreadsheets
- PowerPoint documents

I found that once you receive these types of files, you can also forward them to another person on your buddy list. Once you accept the file transfer, you will get a small blue button that will give you more details about the file that you just received; when you are in this view, you will be able to tap the forward button and find another person to forward it to.

By default, Beejive will use the default sounds for incoming/outgoing messages. These sounds are very similar to the sounds that iChat ships with; however, if you get tired of them, there is an option for you in this new version. You are now able to change the sounds in the Beejive section of Settings.app. Under "Sounds," you are able to change between default, AIM, and Yahoo sounds.

I found that there were two settings for transferring files, and both are useful. Under the "File Transfer" section of Settings.app > Beejive, you are able to choose between two ways of sending files: post a link or direct send preferred.

In my testing, version 2.0 of Beejive seemed extremely stable, and included features that made a big difference. I especially liked the ability to send/receive files right from the device. Beejive is available from the iTunes App Store for $15.99. While the price is high, this application is definitely worth it when you consider all of the capabilities you gain.

Gallery: Beejive 2.0
TUAW Beejive IM updated to 2.0, includes audio messaging originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Rumor watch: AT&T tethering plans may be announced this week
Filed under: Rumors, Internet, iPhone
It's been under the rumor banner for some time now, but we've been told by a trusted source that the long-awaited AT&T iPhone-as-modem tethering plans (preliminary details in MacBlogz' post from November: 5 GB data cap, $30/month supplementary cost) may be ready for prime time during Macworld Expo this week. The tethering announcement might not rise to a keynote-worthy level; it could simply be publicized as a press release during the show.

While $30 is a steep charge on top of an iPhone data plan, it's still cheaper than the $60 you'd pay for an EV-DO or HSDPA card plan for mobile data; for some users it may make more sense than a standalone device. Granted, you can already tether a jailbroken iPhone, but that may get you stomped on by the traffic cops rather promptly.

Another tidbit from our source lends credence to the MegiPod rumor (a larger form factor for an iPod touch device) floated by TechCrunch last week. No timeframes were discussed, so the late 2009 on-sale date is still in play. It's not clear how the hypothetical unit would achieve this feat, but the suggestion is that it would have "full application compatibility" with currently available iPod touch apps ... puzzling, as it implies either resolution-independence for the apps or some pretty impressive scaling tricks to accommodate the larger screen size.
TUAW Rumor watch: AT&T tethering plans may be announced this week originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Rumor: Unibody 17 inch MacBook Pro
Filed under: Macworld, Hardware, Rumors, Macbook Pro
Both 9to5Mac and AppleInsider are reporting on rumors that a 17-inch, unibody MacBook Pro will debut at this week's Macworld Expo. Most interesting is the rumor about the machine's battery.

Specifically, the alleged laptop's battery would be non-removable, very slim (consider the MacBook Air's battery) and able to run "...much longer" than the current model. The announcement of a new 17 inch MacBook Pro wouldn't be a very big surprise, but a non-removable battery would. People like removable batteries for obvious reasons.

Mike Rose guessed that we'd see a new 17 inch laptop when we all listed our predictions. We'll all see what happens in just a couple of days.

For full Macworld Expo coverage, bookmark the TUAW Macworld Expo 2009 landing page.

[Via Engadget]
TUAW Rumor: Unibody 17 inch MacBook Pro originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 04 Jan 2009 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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iMacworld App Update
Filed under: Macworld, Software, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
Now that I'm firmly situated in my hotel suite in San Francisco, it's time to get ready for Macworld Expo 2009. A couple of weeks ago iMacworld (click opens iTunes) was announced by IDG and Zami.com as an iPhone helper for Expo-goers.

Version 1.1 of this free app is much improved, with a finalized list of exhibitors, products, and sessions. There are also small banner ads at the bottom of each page that load quickly and give booth numbers for the products advertised. The update also features "stability improvements", although it locked up my iPhone 3G once when I tapped on the link to find a vendor location on a map.

iMacworld is definitely going to be a help as your TUAW team navigates around the Expo to find new and exciting items for you. Be sure to stay tuned all week as we provide coverage of everything happening here in SF...and more!
TUAW iMacworld App Update originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 04 Jan 2009 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Some iPhone apps are just strange but they still work
Filed under: Productivity, Odds and ends, iPhone, App Store
There is no shortage of iPhone dialers. Most work by voice, some by tapping a picture of your contact. Now we get Sensi Dial, [App Store link] an iPhone program that uses gestures to dial your contacts. Gestures? Yep. The idea is with gestures you don't have to look at your phone to reach a contact. Gestures can be taps on the screen or swipes, or a combination of both. You open Sensi Dial, and add the contacts from your address book that you want to assign gestures to. Then save them, and tap the dial button. Use the gesture you assigned to a particular contact, and it gets dialed. You can program in a pause so you have time to bail out of a mistake. If the program isn't sure which contact you mean, it will display multiple contacts and let you tap on the right one.

It's an interesting idea, and the program selling point is that you don't have to look at your screen, which is nice for driving. The reality is that you may have to look at the screen to pick the correct contact if there are multiples, and at least take a glance to see if your phone is calling the right person. As you feel more secure with the program, you may not have to look as much.

I gave Sensi Dial a try, and it pretty much worked as advertised. The tricky part is remembering the gestures you assigned to a person. I wouldn't think you would want a big list of contacts assigned to this app, or you may be swiping when you mean to tap or the other way around. On the screen shot you can see that the third number on the list is composed of two taps, two swipes, and a tap. You can either remember that combination, or just make 2 taps and see all the contacts that start that way. To clear the contacts and start over you shake your phone.

Reviews of the program from users are generally enthusiastic, although the developer is offering a free copy to buyers who write a review for the app store. That might be putting the old thumb on the scale a bit.

Sensi Dial is certainly an alternative way to make a call. It's $1.99US at the App Store. Think about if this kind of method works for you, and be sure to investigate the other dialers available. I think there are at least ten, most using voice. If gestures seems the way to go for your particular use, tap and swipe away.
TUAW Some iPhone apps are just strange but they still work originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 04 Jan 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Pre-Macworld talkcast at a special time: 9 pm ET Sunday
Filed under: Macworld, TUAW Business, Podcasts
We took our holiday break last week, but it's that time again: make an appointment on your iPhone or set a reminder in iCal, because this week the TUAW talkcast is an hour early (9 pm ET/6 pm PT), and doubly live. Of course, we're always live on Talkshoe, but in this case we'll also be live and in person from San Francisco. We've got half the team onsite at Macworld Expo, and we're taking a break from unpacking and sneaking peeks into the Moscone Center windows to gather round the microphone and share our excitement and anticipation. Best of all, you can chime in as well -- let us know what you're looking forward to and what you want us to cover from the show.

Will there be surprises at the Philnote? Is the skinny on the mini straight up? Who's going to win Keynote Bingo? All fair game during the talkcast. We'll also preview some of our coverage for the week, including the keynote liveblog, videos, giveaways, our moment-by-moment Twitter feed -- of course, every bit of it reachable from the master Macworld Expo page.

You can participate on TalkShoe by using the browser-only client, or you can also use the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client; however, for maximum fun, you should call in. For the web UI, just click the "TalkShoe Web" button on our profile page at 10 pm Sunday. To call in on regular phone or VOIP lines (take advantange of your free cellphone weekend minutes if you like): dial (724) 444-7444 and enter our talkcast ID, 45077 -- during the call, you can request to talk by keying in *-8. Talk with you then!
TUAW Pre-Macworld talkcast at a special time: 9 pm ET Sunday originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 04 Jan 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Review: Incipio Lloyd iPod nano microphone
Filed under: Reviews, iPod nano
Have you ever forgotten something, or said "I wish I had recorded that?" If you have an iPod nano and the Lloyd microphone, you will be able to instantly record anything. A while back we mentioned that the Incipio Lloyd microphone had begun shipping. Well, I was able to snag one for review purposes and I'm going to tell you about this very cool accessory for the iPod nano.

The Design
Lloyd was specifically designed for the iPod nano 4th generation, and you can tell that by just looking at it. The microphone attaches to the bottom of the device, and plugs into the audio line-out / microphone line-in port on the bottom. It is nearly the same width/thickness of the iPod nano, and fits well in that regard. I like the fact that the microphone does not add any heft to the device at all. It does, however, add some height. So understand that if you plan on leaving the microphone connected that some cases might not fit it.

Features
Lloyd features a microphone in the center, and an audio line-out port on the left side. The audio out port allows you to leave the microphone connected, while still having the ability to play your tunes. The microphone does cover up the 30-pin Dock connector, so you will need to unplug/reposition the Lloyd while syncing/charging.

Thoughts
I really like this microphone. The sound quality is great, it's easy to carry around, and it doesn't hinder me from using my iPod nano as an iPod. I especially found it to be useful when recording lecture audio, but it could be used virtually anywhere you need to quickly capture audio. My only gripe is that it disables the play/pause/skip button on the iPhone headset while it is attached to the line-out port on the Lloyd microphone. I'm hoping this can be improved in a future version of the product.

At $17.99US, this microphone is an excellent accessory for your iPod nano. The device is available directly from Incipio and is available in either black or white.

Gallery: Incipio Lloyd iPod nano microphone
TUAW Review: Incipio Lloyd iPod nano microphone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 04 Jan 2009 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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