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- Mac-savvy Obama staffers frustrated with legacy White House
Filed under: Cult of Mac, Odds and ends
According to the Washington Post, the incoming U.S. presidential administration has inherited quite the challenging IT environment: The White House. President Obama's staff -- accustomed to Macs, social media, and having the latest equipment -- found Windows PCs with Microsoft Office 2003 in their new offices. Laptops were "scarce," apparently, and the team had trouble finding ways to update the redesigned White House website and add subtitles to web videos. Perhaps they were misled by the prominence of Mac hardware in the fictional-but-familiar West Wing version of the executive mansion.
Valleywag's Owen Thomas suggests that Obama's staff are "whiners." "Outside the Manhattan media bubble and Silicon Valley's startup cube farms, this is how most Americans work. Want a Macintosh? Sorry, IT hasn't approved it. Oh, you need to use Facebook to interact with customers? Sorry, that site's blocked -- and management suspects that 'social media' is a buzzword which means 'getting paid to waste time chatting with friends.'"
Part of the reason for the White House's legacy systems is related to the need to retain all computer records for the National Archives, and protect all kinds of communication (from emails to IMs to tweets) on the network for national security reasons. This task isn't impossible with a Mac -- some might say it's easier to accomplish with a Mac than with a PC -- but there will be a lot of sleepless nights for the White House's new IT staff while the new system is set up. Meanwhile, the tech-friendly new Commander in Chief appears to have won his first geek battle; he is going to get to keep his Blackberry [or something like it; Engadget clarifies that we don't know the details yet, but press secretary Robert Gibbs said it was indeed a BlackBerry during today's press briefing (his first) -Ed.] subject to a security overhaul by an unnamed federal agency (assumed to be the NSA).
With the new administration's focus on change, it seems as though a new tech infrastructure and business rules for the executive office of the President are in the cards. It remains to be seen if our favorite platform, though, makes the cut.
Thanks to Michael and Joe for sending this in.
TUAWMac-savvy Obama staffers frustrated with legacy White House originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - First Look: Hellfire for iPhone / iPod touch
Filed under: Gaming, Software, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch, First Look
Ahhh, there's nothing quite like taking your helicopter gunship out for a spin to wake you up first thing in the morning!
Astraware has announced the immediate availability of their newest action game for iPhone and iPod touch, Hellfire (click opens iTunes). This US$4.99 game puts you in the pilot's seat of a helicopter gunship, ready to take on one of 16 missions.
Control is provided through both the accelerometer (steering, speed) and touch-screen controls (throttle, weapons) as you fly US and Soviet-era helicopters through the missions. There are various levels of challenges, with missions in locations throughout the world. Some missions provide multiple objectives, such as taking out enemy defenses, then rescuing hostages and returning them to a base.
The helicopters are pre-rendered and very realistic, and the gunships fly over 3D terrain that is rendered on-the-fly. The soundtrack and sound effects can be switched off for play during meetings, and your own music can be substituted if you prefer.
There's a YouTube video showing Hellfire in action, complete with Alison's camo green nail polish. Click the Read More link to view it.Continue reading First Look: Hellfire for iPhone / iPod touch
TUAWFirst Look: Hellfire for iPhone / iPod touch originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Nokia, Microsoft drop while Apple stock soars
Filed under: Apple Financial
While Apple stock is up over seven percent since its positive earnings report and conference call yesterday afternoon, both Nokia and Microsoft have released dourer reports about their financial outlook.Microsoft said that it will lay off up to 5,000 people, about five percent of its workforce, over the next year and a half, according to the Seattle P-I. 1,400 of those jobs would be eliminated today. The news comes as the company announced earnings per share two cents less than their quarterly guidance -- 47 cents versus 49 cents -- on revenues of $16.63 billion. Analysts had expected revenues upwards of $17 billion.
Nokia today posted a 69 percent drop in profits for its last quarter. Nokia stock earned 15 euro-cent per share in profit, compared with 47 euro-cent in the same quarter last year. Sales fell 19 percent to €12.66 billion, missing forecasts of €13 billion.
What can we take away from this? Perhaps this is understating things, but Apple appears to be doing very well against its competitors. In yesterday's conference call, the company announced that it had grown sales and revenue even in the face of challenging worldwide economic conditions. In both retail and iPod sales, much of the growth was outside the United States. Apple sold 88 percent more iPhones than they did the same time last year, although much of that may be attributed to pent-up demand for the iPhone 3G.
At midday, AAPL is $10 higher than its record-low close on Tuesday, trading at around $88 per share. Both NOK and MSFT are trading down about $1.65 each.
[Via Daring Fireball.]
Update: Sony, too: It's posting a record annual loss of $3 billion, and plans to close factories and lay off workers.
TUAWNokia, Microsoft drop while Apple stock soars originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - BitTorrent copies of iWork '09 may contain nasty Trojan
Filed under: Software, iWork, Security
Intego has released a security alert for a Trojan horse circulating in copies of iWork '09 downloaded from BitTorrent trackers and direct download (read: not official, but warez-esque) sites. The Trojan, known as OSX.Trojan.iServices.A is actually pretty clever: it exists as a package within the actual iWork '09 installer (meaning you can't see it unless you view every package in the installer bundle). Then when the installation begins and asks for your administrator password (which is what a non-infected version of iWork '09 would do), the Trojan package will install itself as a startup item in the /System/Library/StartupItems folder, where it has root permissions.
Once this service is on your system (and it is called something that sounds innocuous: iWorkSerices), it will connect to a remote server online, making your computer a target for other malicious downloads and remote operations.
It is important to note that the iWork '09 files on these downloads are not affected in any way, they are merely a catalyst to get this Trojan on your system.
Intego has updated their virus definitions for its VirusBarrier programs. We recommend not downloading software from untrustworthy or unofficial sources. And you know, paying for a legitimate iWork license.TUAWBitTorrent copies of iWork '09 may contain nasty Trojan originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - First Look: Mobile Colloquy
Filed under: Software, iPhone, iPod touch
I've used the IRC for at least 10 years, if not more, and I've utilized a range of clients starting with the stalwart mIRC for Windows. When I migrated my home system to a Mac, the IRC client of choice quickly became the open-source Colloquy. It was simple to use and easy to integrate scripting via AppleScript. I could easily join chat rooms across multiple servers
So, it should be no surprise that Mobile Colloquy [link opens iTunes] shares many of the same features as its desktop kin. We first saw Mobile Colloquy back in 2007 when it was made available via the Installer.app and it very much the same on the surface as its jailbroken predecessor. It's taken the promise shown back then and has turned into an excellent and stable release that's now available through the App Store.
One of the unique features is a built-in browser that will open links transmitted in a chat room or private message. The some of the pages opened through the link are not iPhone-optimized version, but the regular Web sites. I accessed the optimized versions of CNN and Google just fine through the built-in browser, but TUAW came up as the normal site.
The button on the bottom right of the browser will take you into Mobile Safari. There is no bookmark tool, you'll go into Safari to take care of that. The "Done" button closes out the built-in browser and returns you back to your chat. It's a very nice feature, but I wish you could bookmark links without having to open the same web page again in Safari - something that could be extremely tedious over the EDGE network. Another drawback is when you do choose to go into Safari, you will be knocked off the servers you were logged into. Give the client a few seconds for the servers to reconnect, then tap the name of the chat room you were in. You will get a prompt asking you if you want to rejoin it.
Another very nice feature is completion pop-ups for basic IRC commands, including user names of other people in the chat room. You can also use specialized commands, such as /google query and /wikipedia query, which will bring up results in the built-in browser. All chat rooms and private messages are gathered under one screen. You can set specific words to be highlighted and turn on an optional vibration when the word is used, such as your nickname. Colloquy can be used either in portrait or landscape mode as well.
Mobile Colloquy is available in the App Store for $1.99, and it's well worth the money.TUAWFirst Look: Mobile Colloquy originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Data recovery: The option of last resort
Filed under: Hardware, Features, Troubleshooting
There is no shortage of stories here on TUAW (and elsewhere) that extol the benefits of backing up your data. Apple even makes it ridiculously easy to do so -- with Mac OS X 10.5, Time Machine, a blank drive, and some spare time, you're set.Nevertheless, despite your best efforts, there are unforeseen circumstances where you might need to utter those dreaded words: "I need to send this for data recovery." Perhaps your airplane landed in the Hudson river, and your waterlogged laptop was stuck with your luggage. Perhaps an external disk is suffering from a manufacturing defect. Perhaps your backup disk is the disk that failed.
Unfortunately, there is no way to sugar-coat this: Data recovery is a painful, patience-trying, and absurdly expensive process. But if it's the only way to recover mission-critical data, it could be your only option.
It was for me.
Continue reading Data recovery: The option of last resort
TUAWData recovery: The option of last resort originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Ask TUAW: Boot Camp migration, Photo Booth sans flash, monitoring bandwidth and more
Filed under: Features, Troubleshooting, Ask TUAW
This week in Ask TUAW we've got questions on using Photo Booth without the flash, scheduling emails in Mail.app, monitoring bandwidth usage, migrating a Boot Camp partition and more.
As always, your suggestions are most welcome, and questions for next week should be left in the comments. When asking a question please include which machine you're running and which version of Mac OS X, (we'll assume you're running Leopard on an Intel Mac if you don't specify). And now, on to the questions!TUAWAsk TUAW: Boot Camp migration, Photo Booth sans flash, monitoring bandwidth and more originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 22 Jan 2009 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - iLounge Pavilion to host iPod, iPhone devs at CES 2010
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iPod Family, Software, Apple, Developer, iPhone
The sharks are swimming the waters around Macworld Expo. They must smell blood: first we hear that Apple may be headed to CES, and now iLounge has announced that they're sponsoring a "pavilion" at next year's Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. I've never been, but you have to think that there have always been at least some iPod and iPhone-related displays at CES, even if most of the hoopla is a few states away at Macworld. But now CES is making its move, apparently. With Apple pulling out of Macworld for good (and that event focusing on the Mac), CES and iLounge may be looking to get in on some of the iPod and Apple action.
In fact, there's a FAQ for the event that says exactly that -- CEA heard that exhibitors were planning on skipping Macworld, and weren't sure about appearing at CES, so this pavilion is designed to pull exactly those people in.
Obviously all of these events are almost a full 12 months off, and anything can happen in between now and then. But CES and iLounge apparently aren't wasting any time trying to nab some iPod-related attention away from IDG's Macworld sans Apple.Continue reading iLounge Pavilion to host iPod, iPhone devs at CES 2010
TUAWiLounge Pavilion to host iPod, iPhone devs at CES 2010 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Air Photo prints photos directly from iPhone or iPod touch
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Multimedia, Software, Odds and ends, iPhone, iPod touch
Our good friends at Download Squad found a great app on the App Store called Air Photo that will let you wirelessly print pictures directly from your iPhone or iPod touch. Just install the app (for $1.99, cheap if you print your iPhone's photos often) on your mobile device, put the server on your Mac (or PC, if you swing that way), and then you can snap and print at will. Connecting to the server from your device opens up a Bonjour window, where you can crop or adjust the picture and then print whatever you like.
While the technology itself won't be that helpful for everyone (who really prints pictures any more, especially iPhone pictures?), it is interesting to see this done so easily and well with a wireless connection. Sure, there's apps like Remote and the Keynote controllers, but it seems like the iPhone-as-wireless-accessory idea is still relatively untapped on the App Store.Continue reading Air Photo prints photos directly from iPhone or iPod touch
TUAWAir Photo prints photos directly from iPhone or iPod touch originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Twitterers remember their first Mac
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Hardware, Cult of Mac, Odds and ends, Mac Pro, MacBook Air
Reader Sam K. (thanks!) noticed the fun on Twitter -- lots of folks are sharing their memories of the first Mac they bought/used with the #firstmac hash tag, and boy is it fun reading through them.
The responses are all over the place, from the old ][e (technically my first computer ever at school, though the first one I actually owned at home was a Tandy Color Computer my Dad bought from one of his coworkers) and //c up to the old iMacs and even a few people who can only claim iPod as the first Apple product they used. The first Mac I actually owned was much later than my first steps into BASIC -- when I needed a laptop a few years ago, I picked up a 12" Powerbook G4 and have been straight OS X ever since.
It's great to read this stuff, because you can see just how Apple has shaped people's lives. I was amazed to hear all of the emotion in the calls to Steve on our talkcast last week, but looking at something like this Twitter feed (to put your own memories in, just mark a tweet with the #firstmac tag somewhere in there) really shows you how dedicated Apple's products have made the company's customers. These people have all bought a Mac, whether it was a Mac SE (errrr, a Mac Classic?) or a MacBook Air, and never looked back since. Very cool.
And while we're at it, is it possible that you're on Twitter and haven't yet started following us? If not, jump in and do so now!Continue reading Twitterers remember their first Mac
TUAWTwitterers remember their first Mac originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Tune into iPhone radio apps
Filed under: iTS, Multimedia, iPhone, App Store
Streaming radio apps for the iPhone/iPod touch are exploding in 2009. TUAW favorite Pandora was updated to 2.0 a couple of weeks ago, but it's hardly the only game in town. Back at Macworld, Chris Pirillo showed me StarPlayr for the iPhone, which lets Sirius and XM Radio subscribers access stations via the iPhone. The app isn't available right now, but it'll hopefully be in the App Store soon.
Chris demoed the app extensively on his own site and having seen it in person, it is really impressive. Even with the crappy 3G signal we had on our trip to Cupertino, the stations streamed in at nice quality and there was an option to buy a track or album directly from iTunes. XM and Sirius both offer some great stations for talk radio and sports fans, and to me, that's where these types of streaming apps really shine.
Pandora and Last.fm aren't the only streaming radio services around, AOL's SHOUTcast Radio [iTunes link] app debuted in the App Store a few weeks ago and it'll stream your favorite SHOUTcast stations in up to 128k streams (go to Settings on your iPhone, select SHOUTcast and select "allow high-bit streams"), favorite radio stations, search for artists (though the currently-playing artists is a bit delayed) and peruse the extensive SHOUTcast index.
More below...
Continue reading Tune into iPhone radio apps
TUAWTune into iPhone radio apps originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Liveblog: Apple's Q1-2009 conference call
Filed under: Other Events, Apple Financial, Liveblog
Welcome one and all for TUAW's coverage of Apple's First Quarter 2009 Results Conference Call. If you haven't already, you can go start the audio stream available on Apple's website. You'll need QuickTime 6 or 7 installed (Mac users should already have it, and Windows users get it with the iTunes install).Update: The call has ended. AAPL is up over seven points in after-hours trading.
Click on through to view the transcript!
Continue reading Liveblog: Apple's Q1-2009 conference call
TUAWLiveblog: Apple's Q1-2009 conference call originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 16:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Apple reports Q1 results: 10.17B revenue, $1.78 profit per share
Filed under: Apple Corporate, Apple
Above the fold headline: Apple blew by the analyst estimates again. Conference call coming up!
---
Apple Reports First Quarter ResultsBest Quarterly Revenue and Earnings in Apple History
iPod Sales Set New Record
CUPERTINO, California-January 21, 2009-Apple(R) today announced financial results for its fiscal 2009 first quarter ended December 27, 2008. The Company posted record revenue of $10.17 billion and record net quarterly profit of $1.61 billion, or $1.78 per diluted share. These results compare to revenue of $9.6 billion and net quarterly profit of $1.58 billion, or $1.76 per diluted share, in the year-ago quarter. Gross margin was 34.7 percent, equal to the year-ago quarter. International sales accounted for 46 percent of the quarter's revenue.
In accordance with the subscription accounting treatment required by GAAP, the Company recognizes revenue and cost of goods sold for iPhone[TM] and Apple TV(R) over their economic lives. Adjusting GAAP sales and product costs to eliminate the impact of subscription accounting, the corresponding non-GAAP measures* for the quarter are $11.8 billion of "Adjusted Sales" and $2.3 billion of "Adjusted Net Income."
Apple sold 2,524,000 Macintosh(R) computers during the quarter, representing nine percent unit growth over the year-ago quarter. The Company sold a record 22,727,000 iPods during the quarter, representing three percent unit growth over the year-ago quarter. Quarterly iPhone units sold were 4,363,000, representing 88 percent unit growth over the year-ago quarter.
"Even in these economically challenging times, we are incredibly pleased to report our best quarterly revenue and earnings in Apple history-surpassing $10 billion in quarterly revenue for the first time ever," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO.
"Our outstanding results generated over $3.6 billion in cash during the quarter," said Peter Oppenheimer, Apple's CFO. "Looking ahead to the second fiscal quarter of 2009, we expect revenue in the range of about $7.6 billion to $8 billion and we expect diluted earnings per share in the range of about $.90 to $1.00."
Apple will provide live streaming of its Q1 2009 financial results conference call utilizing QuickTime(R), Apple's standards-based technology for live and on-demand audio and video streaming. The live webcast will begin at 2:00 p.m. PST on January 21, 2009 at www.apple.com/quicktime/qtv/earningsq109/ and will also be available for replay for approximately two weeks thereafter.
Continue reading Apple reports Q1 results: 10.17B revenue, $1.78 profit per share
TUAWApple reports Q1 results: 10.17B revenue, $1.78 profit per share originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Teach your iPhone to swear, take two
Filed under: Odds and ends, iPhone, iPod touch
Erica Sadun has written an article over at Ars all about teaching your touchable pocket pal some nasty habits. If your language is generally more "explicit," or you just have a need for the iPhone (or iPod Touch) to learn someone's last name, then take heart, ye weary iPhone typists!
We previously covered TJ Luoma's tip that involved adding a new contact whose name was a word that does not appear in the system dictionary; TJ has since updated the tip to note that you can include the target words outside the contact name and the approach still works. Erica has suggested a slightly different approach that does not require you to salt the address book with contact fluff. This is especially useful if you have young children or mothers who might happen to peruse your contacts.
The general assumption is that after correcting the auto-correct, the system will eventually add whatever it is you're typing to the dictionary. As it turns out, not all apps are created equal in terms of updating the dictionary with new words. I won't spoil the surprise, but I will tell you that the Notes app is not where you should conduct your keyboard-training session.
This excellent tip can also be used for teaching your tactile friend some less abrasive words that are not in the dictionary. Erica's article walks through the procedure for updating the built-in dictionary on an iPhone or iPod Touch. If you happen to have jailbroken your device and installed SSH, she shows you how to directly access the dictionary. Hit the read link for the full scoop on how to update your dictionary with your off-color language or otherwise unique verbiage.TUAWTeach your iPhone to swear, take two originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Perspective, courtesy of Joy of Tech
Filed under: Humor, Switchers, Cult of Mac
There's a bit of a celebration/commiseration hangover here in the US of A today, with the exact taste depending on your point of view. As always, the fine duo behind the Joy of Tech comic have distilled the Internet's mood down to a four-panel screenful of truth. Regardless of your political persuasion or your technology history, it's high time for us all to reach across the aisle and recognize that we really do agree on what's important.
Aside from laughter, that is. (Is the guy with the pocket protector supposed to remind us of someone in particular?)
Thanks Snaggy & NitrozacContinue reading Perspective, courtesy of Joy of Tech
TUAWPerspective, courtesy of Joy of Tech originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - QuickTime 7.6 addresses security issues
Filed under: Multimedia, Software Update, Security
QuickTime 7.6 is in the wild. Released today via Software Update and on Apple's support site, the new version "includes changes that increase reliability, improve compatibility and enhance security." It also makes your whites whiter and your brights brighter while helping you avoid embarrassing social situations.More details via the update page:
Video: Improves single-pass H.264 encoding quality; Increases the playback reliability of Motion JPEG media
Audio: Improves AAC encoding fidelity; Audio tracks from MPEG video files now export consistently
Application Support: Improves compatibility with iChat and Photo Booth
As far as the security updates are concerned, the word from Ryan Naraine at ZDnet is that this patch closes several potentially serious holes that could have been exploited by malicious URLs or custom-payload movie files to execute code on target machines. Four of the seven issues addressed in this update were reported to Apple via the Zero Day Initiative, which encourages responsible disclosure of vulnerabilities by providing cash bounties for the researchers involved.
Thanks to everyone who sent this in.TUAWQuickTime 7.6 addresses security issues originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Getting the little things right in Mac OS X
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, OS, Software, Macbook Pro, Mac Pro
Mac OS X has been pretty much a dream for me. I can't ever remember getting the Apple blue or gray screen of death. My Mac Pro is up 24/7 and only reboots when I've done a software update. Most of the time it happily chugs along. The same is true for my MacBook Pro. It's been problem-free except for one bad battery that started to swell. Apple eagerly replaced it.
That makes it all the more vexing when minor things go wrong that seem pretty unexplainable. One little problem is Apple Mail notification sounds. They seem to work about half the time. I have 3 email accounts, and the one that is the most unreliable is the MobileMe account. Even though mail sounds are turned on, I usually don't get any sound when mails comes in. I use the 'glass' sound, but it fails on any selection. My POP mail accounts seem to trigger the alert properly.
This same problem existed in Tiger, and has survived several Leopard updates. This minor but irritating issue exists on both my computers, and so far has eluded all my detective work to eliminate it. This bug is impervious to permission resetting, changing default mail sounds, playing with the sound control panel, (yes, 'play user interface sounds' is checked) and making sure that Growl and other 3rd party hacks are nowhere on my computers. The guys at the Genius Bar scratch their heads and smile.
The Apple support boards are full of similar complaints, and when you eliminate the people that had their sound turned down, or the other obvious fixes, there is a pretty large residue of people who have this problem. Apple must be aware of it.
Don't get me started on the error I get 2-3 times a week when Time Machine tells me a backup didn't work, and then the next hour everything is fine. This is another error that has survived several Leopard updates. Like a good citizen, I always do the larger combo updates to have the best chance of replacing any bad system components.
Every OS has a long list of issues. Actually, I find the current build of OS X the most reliable system software I have ever used. That said, I'd love to see some of these little bugs cleaned up. I'm sure you have your own lists and will share them.
Maybe Apple will read this and send me a fix for my notification sounds issue. The problem is, I probably won't notice the mail when it comes in. Grrrrr.TUAWGetting the little things right in Mac OS X originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - ProfCast 75% off until January 24
Filed under: Software, Education, Podcasting, Deals
Humble Daisy's ProfCast is a well-respected tool for turning PowerPoint and Keynote slideshows into podcasts, among many other features (including the ability to record live presentations). The software was recently updated to version 2.3.0 and if you haven't been motivated to try it before, it is definitely worth a look now.
Humble Daisy is currently offering the software for 75% off its retail price from today until January 24 to celebrate the Mac's 25th birthday. ProfCast normally retails for $59.95USD, and education discounts are available, but the sale brings the price down to $14.99. ProfCast requires OS X 10.4 and later.
And for the confused, myself included, ProfCast's Web site does say that the discount is for 25% off rather than 75%. However, by clicking on the coupon for a single-seat license, you can see that the price really is $14.99.TUAWProfCast 75% off until January 24 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - BGR brings the pain: ten things wrong with the iPhone
Filed under: Bad Apple, iPhone
Yesterday's Boy Genius Report post citing the top ten deficiencies of the iPhone (no copy & paste, no video recording, and more) has generated more than 100 responses, some suggesting a fix for many failings (jailbreak the phone) and others hopping on the Blackberry or Palm Pre bandwagons in the hope that competition for the iPhone will spur more software innovation from Apple. While the App Store may be the hottest thing since that soldering iron you accidentally left turned on that ignited your Dad's workbench (and that's why you're not allowed in the garage anymore), even the sneakiest third-party developers can't effectively replace what Apple has failed to provide.
Given the sense of pent-up frustration from some (but not all) iPhone 3G owners over a laundry list of things the phone doesn't do, or doesn't do well, here's your chance to cheer or castigate Apple in the hopes of a brighter day to come. Vote in our poll and comment below with your top priorities for improvements -- or, if you're a happy camper, your favorite feature of today's iPhone.
[via Smoking Apples/Twitter]TUAWBGR brings the pain: ten things wrong with the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - iPod touch: the hot accessory for your sniper rifle
Filed under: Accessories, Peripherals, Odds and ends, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
FBI agents and Marines have a fashion challenge -- it can be so difficult to figure out how to accessorize your Knights Armament M110 sniper rifle. You don't want to put shiny bling on it, since that may attract the curiosity of your target. Dangly things would probably get caught on something. Hmmmm, how about an iPod touch?
You too can have an iPod touch for your M110! Knights Armament came up with a mount that attaches to a rail on the side of the rifle. That mount holds an Otterbox protective case, which in turns holds the iPod touch in place.
So why do you need an iPod touch on your sniper rifle? There's always the chance that you'll need entertainment during those long hours in Iraq or Afghanistan, and there's no better place to put your iPod touch than with the tools of your trade. Even better, you can use the $11.99 ballistics calculator app called Bullet Flight (click opens iTunes, app written by Runaway Technologies for Knights Armament) to help you stay on target. That's it running on the iPod touch in the picture above.
If the long-rumored iPhone nano ever arrives, will there be a side mount for a Smith & Wesson Compact M&P 9mm? It boggles the mind...
Thanks to Dan and Steve for the tip!
[via The Firearm Blog]TUAWiPod touch: the hot accessory for your sniper rifle originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Reminder: Q1-2009 conference call liveblog, today at 5 p.m. ET
Filed under: Apple Financial, Liveblog
Just a reminder: Be sure to come back today at 5 p.m. Eastern (that's 2 p.m. Pacific) for Apple's First Quarter 2009 Results Conference Call. We'll be liveblogging the occasion, with contributions from your favorite TUAW bloggers, and yours truly. Apple is streaming audio from the call here. A recording of the call will be available at that page for a few weeks afterward.
Fortune's Apple 2.0 blog has its roundup of projected Q1 sales numbers from Bernstein Research's Toni Sacconaghi and Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster:
- Mac sales. Munster: 2.5 million to 2.6 million. Sacconaghi: 2.57 million.
- iPod sales. Munster: 18.6 million. Sacconaghi: 18.1 million.
- iPhone sales: Munster: 6.4 million. Sacconaghi: 3.5 million to 4 million.
In related news, AAPL hit a two-year low yesterday, closing at its nadir of $78.20 per share. Also, Bloomberg is reporting that the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission will review Apple's 10-K filing from last year. Apple hasn't been accused of any wrongdoing, but Bloomberg says the SEC wants to make sure investors weren't being misled about Steve Jobs' health. (Via Macworld.)
More coverage of the earnings report is available at our sister site Blogging Stocks.
TUAWReminder: Q1-2009 conference call liveblog, today at 5 p.m. ET originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - $999 MacBook hardware updated to near-unibody specs
Filed under: Hardware, MacBook
It's always nice to wake up in the morning and get a surprise from Apple!
Today's surprise is an update to the hardware of the white polycarbonate body $999 MacBook. The low-end MacBook now comes standard with 2GB of 667 MHz DDR2 SDRAM and the same Nvidia GeForce 9400m graphics processor that is found in the unibody MacBook and MacBook Pro.
The CPU speed still remains at 2.0 GHz, and there's no backlit keyboard option, but the upgrades make an already attractive MacBook even more delicious. You can check out the new specs and order the MacBook at your local Apple Store or by clicking here. The online Apple Store is showing availability in the next 4 to 6 days.
Thanks to many TUAW readers for the tip!TUAW$999 MacBook hardware updated to near-unibody specs originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 10:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - No more serial numbers in iWork retail boxes
Customers who buy iWork '09 retail boxes may be surprised by what they don't find inside. Namely, a registration code. Apple has stopped shipping iWork with a registration code starting with version '09. "Install iWork '09 from the enclosed disc and you're ready to go," says Apple.
Of course, those using the downloaded trial version will have to enter a serial number if they want to activate their trial version. While iWork has traditionally required users to enter a registration code, iLife has not. Some have implied that this is a tacit invitation to piracy -- install our software on random machines, get hooked then pay for an upgrade, but we're unconvinced. Also, we have no indication (as of this writing, at least) that the iWork apps don't phone home to verify that they're validly installed.
[Via Ars]TUAWNo more serial numbers in iWork retail boxes originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Flickr Find: Planet Earth sends a get-well card to Steve Jobs
Filed under: Cult of Mac, Odds and ends, Steve Jobs, Apple
It's a miracle! You're an Apple fanboy, you're in Morocco, and you look up in the otherwise blue skies and see the wispy shape of an Apple logo appear for a moment before dissipating. And you're lucky enough to get a picture of it:
Could it be that Planet Earth is sending Steve Jobs a get-well card? Or is it just a random occurrence?
Photographer Piero Formica's original Flickr picture can be found here.
Thanks to TUAW reader Michael for the tip! [Via iPhone Savior]TUAWFlickr Find: Planet Earth sends a get-well card to Steve Jobs originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 09:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Bouncetrap review and interview with Playscreen
Filed under: Gaming, iPhone, iPod touch
Right before Macworld I had a chance to try out Bouncetrap from Playscreen, and talk to the team behind it. Bouncetrap [App Store link] costs $.99US, and fans of simple, fast games will probably love it. I'll go into the mechanics of Bouncetrap first, then get into what the Playscreen team had to say.
The graphics are retro in way, calling to mind the sprite-based animation found on the GameBoy Color. But the animation, effects and (most importantly) mechanics are tightly integrated to provide a fun game. Your goal is to drop or bounce balls into available holes on the screen. The placement of those holes appears random, but that's where the hidden beauty of this app becomes clear: there's strategy involved in playing Bouncetrap. Balls roll across the top, and you tap to release them onto the board. Either they fall in a hole, or they bounce on a resting ball or "spinner" (like an old pinball table). There are bonuses, and there is definitely a method to the madness. If you spent hours playing Bubble Bobble, Puyo Pop or Bust-a-Move then you will love Bouncetrap.
There's nothing in Bouncetrap that makes it a spectacular iPhone or iPod touch game, however. It only takes advantage of tapping on the screen, and I could easily see playing this on any other handheld. That doesn't detract from the fun, it's just an observation. But Playscreen, the people behind Bouncetrap, do have a lot of experience beyond the iPhone. More on that in the second half of this post.Continue reading Bouncetrap review and interview with Playscreen
TUAWBouncetrap review and interview with Playscreen originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 20 Jan 2009 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Your MacBook needs a wooden case
Filed under: Accessories, Portables, Macbook Pro, MacBook
We've written about some elaborate hardware and accessories, like the golden iPod and the gilded MacBook Air case. While this is less extravagant, it isn't your average laptop case either.
The truly beautiful and aptly-named Wooden Laptop Case is lined with leather and features a magnetic enclosure. There's a model for both the 15" MacBook and MacBook Pro. We haven't seen one in person, but it definitely looks beautiful in the publicity photos.
No pricing or shipping information is shared. Instead, you're asked to contact the designer for that information. And just like seeing "Market Price" on a restaurant menu, we know what that means. It ain't cheap.
If you grab one of these beauties, please let us know.
[Via Macworld]TUAWYour MacBook needs a wooden case originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 20 Jan 2009 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Clippy brings copy/paste to jailbroken iPhones
Filed under: iPhone, Jailbreak/pwnage
Those with jailbroken iPhones who use the Cydia package manager discovered a new add-on in the past day or so -- Clippy, from iSpazio, which introduces a method for copy and paste to the iPhone.
According to users, the add-on inserts two buttons into the system keyboard -- one for copying and another for pasting. Those who have tried it out say that it only accepts user-entered text and copies over one line at a time, which can get cumbersome.
Sebastien over at the iPhone Download Blog gives a detailed overview of how the application works. "After installing the application, type any text you want and simply hit the "123″ button on your keyboard to show the copy/paste buttons. Tap "copy" and start selecting the text you want to copy. Tap "copy" again to end the selection. Then tap "paste" to paste this text where you want it to be." This implementation isn't up to Apple's standards for grace and ease, but it seems workable.
My iPhone isn't jailbroken, so I haven't had the chance to try out Clippy. If you've downloaded and had a chance to try out the app, please let us know your impression in the comments.
Thanks to all who submitted this!TUAWClippy brings copy/paste to jailbroken iPhones originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 20 Jan 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - iPhone Dev 101: Introduction
Filed under: Features, How-tos, Developer, iPhone
Welcome to the iPhone Dev 101 series. This series on TUAW is designed to tell readers about iPhone development, and give potential iPhone developers a look at the iPhone. In this introductory post, I'll walk you through some of the most asked questions about the iPhone & App Store. These posts will be a little geeky, but I will try to explain anything that you might not already know about.
Where do I start?
If you already have an Apple ID (either from iTunes/MobileMe/.Mac/etc.), then the first place to start would be to join the iPhone DevCenter. The basic (free) access will allow you to download the SDK (Software Development Kit), look at documentation, download example code, and test your applications in the iPhone Simulator (a Mac application that emulates the iPhone OS).
You will not be able to test and debug your application on your actual iPhone or iPod touch hardware, however. For that you will need to purchase a paid development membership.
Once you attempt to sign in to the DevCenter with your Apple ID, you will be presented with some terms and conditions that you will need to accept. Once you accept them, you will be taken to the main DevCenter -- this is the place where you will be able to download the SDK and access some other important information about iPhone development.
Read on to learn more about iPhone development.Continue reading iPhone Dev 101: Introduction
TUAWiPhone Dev 101: Introduction originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 20 Jan 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - iLife '09 hardware up-to-date program
Just as we saw them do in 2007, Apple has instituted an up-to-date program for iLife '09. According to Apple, customers who purchased a qualifying Mac "...on or after January 6, 2009, that does not include iLife '09, [may] upgrade to iLife '09 for $9.95US."
What exactly is a "qualifying computer?" You'll find the full list here, but the short answer is you'll have to check your machine's model number. There's even a list of qualifying refurbished machines.
This offer will end on March 28, 2009, so you've still got time to upgrade for ten bucks.TUAWiLife '09 hardware up-to-date program originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 20 Jan 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Ustream viewer makes it to app store just in time
Filed under: Multimedia, Software, Video, Freeware, Internet, iPhone, iPod touch
There has been quite a bit of excitement over the last few weeks with the announcement that Ustream would be offering a live video viewer so people could watch the Obama inauguration on their iPhones and iPod touches. It didn't look like it was going to make it, but the free application [app store link] slipped into iTunes today with just hours to spare. While the Joost app should also allow streaming of the festivities, the Ustream viewer is unique because it allows live TV streams, and registered viewers can join a chat room creating a community around any video stream.
Video can be viewed horizontally or vertically, but many of the sources are not 16 by 9 so it won't make a great deal of difference. The app appears to be WiFi only, which is a bit of a drag. My cell reception here in the wilds of Arizona is not too great, but I got an error message trying to run the video streaming under 3G.
With WiFi most of the channels looked pretty good. I even got a quick look at Chris Pirillo doing his live bit from his desk at home. The real test will be tomorrow with the swearing in ceremonies. It will be a good test of the Ustream distribution system.
Ustream wants lots of players out there, because they are creating a content network and are actively courting people who will create videos on their home computers and laptops. The firm says they will soon have an app that allows live streaming of video and audio from the iPhone, in the same vein as the Qik tool currently running on jailbroken phones. If so, that will be a very big game changer for the iPhone. The big question is, will Apple allow it into the app store?
Looking toward the future, Ustream will need more and better content deals, and streaming via the 3G network. Tonight is a great first step, and I expect by swearing-in time a lot of iPhones will be tuned in, if you'll pardon the archaic term.
Here are some screen shots hot off the presses (thanks AppleUniverse):TUAWUstream viewer makes it to app store just in time originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 19 Jan 2009 23:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Use your iPhone to navigate Inauguration Day
Filed under: Features, Odds and ends, iPhone, App Store
Second Update: You can also use the free SHOUTcast Radio [App Store link] to listen to WTOP for Inauguration Day coverage on your iPhone or iPod touch. The stream works great with EDGE, 3G, and WiFi. (SHOUTcast is published by AOL, the parent company of this blog.)
Update: Late word is that the Ustream video viewer has made it to the App Store today, so you might be able to stream the inaugural coverage after all. We're downloading it now and will have a full review up tomorrow morning. Joost is also planning to stream the CBS coverage, so that should work on your iPhone as well.
Among the hundreds of thousands of celebrants descending on Washington, D.C. for tomorrow's big day, there must be at least a few iPhone owners. What might they find in the App Store, we wonder, to improve the visit?
The Inauguration Guide iPhone app (all app links open iTunes), developed by PointAbout and sponsored by a D.C. law firm and communications consultancy, aims to give visitors to the District everything they need to find their way around the city in the midst of the crowds and commotion. Although the front screen of the app is a simple countdown and distance-to-the-Capitol readout, the data gallery includes parking, public transport and restaurant info. The app is free, so it's certainly worth adding to your toolbelt if you're attending the festivities.
If you already know your way around but you'd like an easy tool to relay your experiences, the Inauguration Report app (also free) might be your ticket. You can send your impressions in text, picture or audio form to the coverage team at CBS News and NPR for possible inclusion in the reporting of the event.
For $0.99 each, you could pick up a guide to the inaugural event schedule, a comprehensive photo and speech gallery or a countdown clock that includes press coverage and citations from the US Constitution (awful handy). Still don't have a place to sleep? It's probably far too late to make a difference, but the free Crash the Inauguration app provides links to room listings, places to eat, video links and more. If you want a pocket reference to the country at large, you've got a $2.99 option with America Deluxe, a reference app that promises rapid updates immediately after the inauguration is complete.
While you've got a full range of options for audio coverage of the inauguration on your iPhone (NPR Mobile, Public Radio Tuner, TalkRadio, moodio.fm), video is a bit more challenging -- many sites are streaming, but few if any will work for your handheld. The official YouTube channel will work, but that won't have live feeds. The recently TechCrunch'ed/pre-announced uStream app for the iPhone isn't in the store yet (you can send in a request for an ad-hoc build, but they're probably well past the 100-device limit by now), although it looks very tempting. [See update above.]
Comments report that Joost will offer streaming of the ceremonies, and there's a page up on the site for the stream. The SlingPlayer app for iPhone is still a month or two away, so for live TV -- if you happen to have a Windows PC with the Orb tuner card -- you're looking at the $9.99 OrbLive app for streaming some C-SPAN to your spot on the National Mall.
Got your iPhone in Washington? Send a tweet our way and let us know how the 3G coverage holds up from your iPhone. Oh, and don't forget to take a few pictures.TUAWUse your iPhone to navigate Inauguration Day originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 19 Jan 2009 21:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Illusion Labs wants you to Sway with them
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Gaming, Software, iTunes, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
Illusion Labs is probably best known for their first app, iPint, but have been making splashes since then with interesting apps that make great use of the iPhone's features and touchscreen. I tried out their Touchgrind app, and while it was a fascinating demo of how to combine an in-game physics system with the sensitive touchscreen controls, it was a little too tough for me to use (you have to really be a skateboarder, since the app really is a fingerboard, basically).
But Sway looks much more casual, and still puts the touchscreen and tilt abilities to great use. Like Rolando, it's a cartoony, physics-based platformer, but unlike Rolando, the mechanic here isn't rolling, but swinging. You swing the little characters around, and then use the touchscreen to grab onto various parts of the environment while exploring it.
Very intriguing. Like Touchgrind, the controls might be a little too sophisticated to appeal to all players (it looks tough coordinating which hand is which and exactly when to grab and let go), but we'll have to see how it works out -- if it starts out in an accessible way, Sway might be really impressive. Illusion Labs didn't tell us a price yet (their two other paid games are $5 and $7), but the game is set to hit the App Store soon.TUAWIllusion Labs wants you to Sway with them originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 19 Jan 2009 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Tick tick tick... significant number of Seagate hard drives failing
Filed under: Hardware, Peripherals
It hasn't been a great year so far for care companies and banks. Now, add Seagate to the list of enterprises facing unexpected challenges. The big manufacturer of hard disks reports that a 'small' number of Barracuda 7200.11 drives are failing. Once they fail, the data on them is supposedly still intact but can't be accessed without expert recovery procedures. Seagate has promised to expedite data recovery for affected users, which is nice enough but cold comfort if you're among the unlucky.
Seagate offers a software utility that will tell you if your drive is at risk, but that only works on Windows PCs. The firm is providing some firmware updates for the affected, but at this point they do not appear to have an updater that will run under OS X.
The problem drives also extend to the Barracuda ES.2 SATA units and the DiamondMax22. The flaky drives could be internal models, or drives installed in external cases.
Wondering if you have one of these drives? You can use the 'more info' button when you select 'About this Mac' from the Apple menu (or just run the Apple System Profiler utility from your Utilities folder -- same result), and click on the Serial-ATA label in the left column. You'll get all your drive model numbers, and the firmware revisions. If the numbers match the bad news provided by Seagate, you'll know you may be living on borrowed time.
Lots of people around the 'net are reporting failures, and others say their drives match the numbers and aren't sure what to do without a viable firmware updater. I tried to call Seagate myself this morning and after navigating the inevitable phone tree a recording said they were too busy to take my call. I'll bet they are. Seagate did say today they will fix any defective drives and they will provide a free data recovery service. That is nice but it's a time consuming and troublesome process.
There is some talk of a class action lawsuit (of course) but clearly something is amiss with some Seagate drives so if you have one or more check them out, and hope the company comes up with some Mac friendly answers. If anyone has tried updating the firmware of a drive via Boot Camp, please advise (no, before you ask, trying to use a virtualization tool like VMware or Parallels to modify your drive firmware is neither advisable nor particularly feasible). Note that back in 2007 we reported on some problems involving Seagate drives and Apple laptops.
Here's how to contact Seagate, but I suspect they are pretty busy. No telling how many Macs have these drives in them. Apple uses a lot of different vendors, including Seagate. Check your backups, folks.
[via Engadget & The Register]TUAWTick tick tick... significant number of Seagate hard drives failing originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 19 Jan 2009 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Video: Working iControlPad adds buttons to the iPod touch
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Gaming, Odds and ends, Mods, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
It's pretty wild to have seen the iControlPad go from idea to concept to production, and here's the final step straight from Engadget: video of the device working just as planned. ZodTTD is playing quake4iphone on it, and while the naysayers will probably still have some nays to say, I'm convinced. If Apple is as serious as it seems about turning the iPhone and the iPod touch into serious gaming devices, it would be worth selling something like this as an official accessory. It's fine and good to say that the multitouch screen works even for traditional controls, but so far, we haven't seen a developer that's been able to put "buttons" on the screen and still be able to make worthwhile use of screen space.
As Engadget says, there's still no price or release date on the iControlPad, and given that it's working on jailbroken games right now, there's no sign yet that we'll have any official App Store support. But it's an idea for which the time, in my humble opinion, has come.TUAWVideo: Working iControlPad adds buttons to the iPod touch originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 19 Jan 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Woz on Jobs' medical leave
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Steve Jobs, The Woz, Apple History
In a conversation with NBC about Steve Jobs' leave from Apple, co-founder Steve Wozniak said this break could be exactly what Steve -- and Apple -- needs. Woz had some great things to say, and my favorite was his answer to the question, "If Steve [Jobs] were not at Apple, would the company be as able to produce the kind of products we've seen?" Woz's answer:
"Way too hypothetical. I would never venture a guess ... obviously, Steve's very important but Apple has some incredible people, followers of the Apple mentality, followers of Steve himself."
In other words (if I may paraphrase you, Woz), Steve isn't Apple and Apple isn't Steve. No matter what happens, the company will be fine. Good call.
A bit of the audio from the Woz interview was played on last night's talkcast, along with your voicemail wishes for Steve Jobs' improved health. Mike assures me he'll have the show up and online tonight.
[Via AppleInsider]TUAWWoz on Jobs' medical leave originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 19 Jan 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Rumor: Philadelphia's first Apple Store in the works
Filed under: Apple Corporate, Retail, Apple
A few of the rumor sites are reporting that an Apple Store is finally in the works for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It seems strange to me that a major city like Philadelphia would be without an Apple Store, but what do I know about marketing?
MacNN credits an undisclosed source as reporting that Apple has signed a lease to the former Brasserie Perrier restaurant at 1619 Walnut Street [Google map]. This is a protected building with historical significance, so there's a limited amount of changes that can be made to its facade. Of course, the Apple Stores are known for their dramatic glass storefronts, though more subtle facades have been used in Europe.
AppleInsider reports that the retail market has grown in that area recently, specifically across fine dining restaurants, shops and banks. Apple tends to build retail stores in this kind of market.
Good luck, Philadelphia! We're hoping you get your first store soon.TUAWRumor: Philadelphia's first Apple Store in the works originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 19 Jan 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Rumor of a 15-inch MacBook Air: Take it lightly
Filed under: Rumors, MacBook Air
On Friday, AppleInsider noted that Apple.pro, a hit-and-miss Chinese rumor blog, claims a 15-inch MacBook Air is on the way. The post in Chinese (and a copy run through Google Translate) is available.The site claims the new Air will use low-voltage Intel Core 2 processors, and will be geared for "the older [with] poor eyesight."
AppleInsider includes a history of Apple.pro's predictions, and so far, they're batting .500. I'm not saying I'm any better (fact is, I haven't been to the batting cages in months), so take all this with a proverbial grain of salt.
If the rumors are true, it's unclear how utile a larger MacBook Air will be, especially if the key differentiating factor of the current Air is its size and weight. While it will have to be less hefty than, say, the 15-inch MacBook Pro, a larger MacBook Air seems like it's trying to fill a gap that doesn't exist: at the highest end of Apple's notebook pricing spectrum.
As for pricing (for the US, at least), perhaps we can speculate with an analogy: If a 2.4GHz MacBook is to a 2.4GHz 15-inch MacBook Pro, then a 1.86GHz MacBook Air is to a theoretical 1.86GHz 15-inch MacBook Air. Thus, $1,600 : $2,000 :: $2,500 : $3,125. Yikes: Even more expensive than the new 17-inch model ($2,800). Maybe the analogy isn't perfect, but that's still a pricey proposition to help those with "poor eyesight."
What do you think? Is there a market for a big, ultra-premium MacBook Air? Would you buy one? Sound off in comments.
[Via Engadget.]
TUAWRumor of a 15-inch MacBook Air: Take it lightly originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 19 Jan 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Flickr Find: You've been Steve'd!
Filed under: Odds and ends, Flickr Find
When Flickr user jpegsrock returned from a few days out of the office, he discovered that someone else had taken over his desk while he was gone -- Steve Jobs.
It's an unwritten rule among his co-workers that something is done to their cubes if they're going to be out of the office for awhile, and the prank they settled on for jpegsrock was hanging up portraits of Steve on every available surface. Why? Jpegsrock told me that he is the unofficial Apple spokesperson for his office and his colleagues figured this would be an appropriate homage. As another TUAW writer who saw the gallery commented, it's fantastic, but a bit creepy. And yes, it even got a little creepy for jpegsrock as people from around the company dropped by his cube to check out the display.TUAWFlickr Find: You've been Steve'd! originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 19 Jan 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Multi-Photo solves an iPhone problem
Filed under: Multimedia, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
For all the good things about the iPhone, there are still some troubling features that were left out (No, this isn't a post about MMS or copy and paste).
One of the things I often find myself wanting to do is send an email containing multiple photos. As it is, the iPhone/ iPod touch doesn't allow this, but now a 3rd party has solved the problem.
Enter Multi-Photo [App Store link] that gives you this functionality for US$.99. After a brief setup where you tell the app who your email provider is, a short test ensues and if everything is OK you're ready to go.
You select your photos from your camera roll, add an email address or multiple addresses, and the pictures squirt out to your friends or family. In the app settings you can preset a subject line, as well as text for the body of your email, or just insert your own as you would in the regular email app. You can also select some quality options for the images you are sending, as well as determine the size of the image.
The app is pretty intuitive, and the publisher happily provides a built in video tutorial and a user manual. Unhappily, the first time I tried the video, it crashed about half way through, but it worked fine the next time. I didn't think the way addresses are selected was as easy to figure out as I would have liked. You can type a recipient in manually, or grab it from your address book, but I had to give the interface a second glance to get that procedure right.
The look of the app is not quite to my taste. I think the wood grain background is a bit garish, but Multi-Photo does what it advertises and does it well. It solves a long standing issue with the iPhone and I can only wish Apple had included this in the iPhone feature set from the start.TUAWMulti-Photo solves an iPhone problem originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 19 Jan 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - First Look: Witch's Workshop
Filed under: Gaming, iPhone, First Look
I'm addicted to Diner Dash, and I greatly enjoy other time management games. The basic gist of a lot of these is that you're given a setting and you must complete a task (usually fulfilling an order for a customer) in a certain amount of time before the customer gets angry and leaves. As time goes by, the tasks either become more complex or your time speeds up.
Witch's Workshop [link opens iTunes] is a new game for the iPhone from Spark Plug Games that combines the best aspects of Diner Dash with Bejeweled. Your task is to fill potion bottles for your customer by swapping the various potions around on the screen until they form a horizontal or vertical line of three or more potions. The same-colored potions then fill the bottle and you drag the full bottle over to the customer. A small dragon is placed in the bottom right corner and can be charged up and used to help fill orders. As time goes by, the customers become more and more impatient and more potion is needed to fill the bottles, so it becomes quite challenging.
Game play fluctuated between very smooth and some of the potion bottles being hard to drag -- but I'm betting on that being more operator error than a flaw in the game. Graphics are simple, but clear and well-executed for what is needed with the game. Various options include the ability to toggle hints when you get stuck.
There's also some nifty tricks. During the course of the game, I managed to get something called a Cauldron Crash and had to shake the iPhone to unstick it. Then, I happened to turn the phone onto its side. I heard the sound of glasses hitting each other and noticed that the potions themselves had swapped into the horizontal position, but the rest of the game remained vertical. It made for an interesting screenshot, as seen in the gallery.
Witch's Workshop is currently available for $1.99 through the App Store.TUAWFirst Look: Witch's Workshop originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 19 Jan 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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