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- Win a copy of Things for Mac and iPhone
Filed under: Software, iPhone, iPod touch
We've covered Things for Mac and the iPhone version before. Things is a slick task management tool with a ton of features, clean layout and powerful organization capabilities. Adding the iPhone version (works on the touch, of course) means you can take your tasks with you -- and sync wirelessly when you have to.
Thanks to Cultured Code we're giving away two "Things Packs" which include Things for Mac and Things for iPhone. The usual rules apply: US and Canada only (sorry!), must be 18, only one entry per person, and it's totally random. Enter by telling us how you currently keep track of your tasks, right there in the comments.
- Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.
- To enter leave a comment telling us how you manage your tasks.
- The comment must be left before February 8, 11:59PM Eastern Time.
- You may enter only once.
- Two winners will be selected in a random drawing.
- Prize: Things Pack, including Things for Mac ($49.95) and Things for iPhone and iPod touch ($9.99).
- Click Here for complete Official Rules.
TUAWWin a copy of Things for Mac and iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 06 Feb 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Wonderful Apple wallpapers to wet your whistle
Filed under: Odds and ends
Whether you've got a new Mac and you're looking to replace the tired "Aurora" background, or perhaps you just want to spice up your desktop with something a little Apple-flavored, this site's for you! Francesco Mugnai has up at his blog over 60 different Apple-focused wallpapers that he has found at various and sundry locales from around the web.
Many of the wallpapers are from DeviantArt and Flickr, so if you have spent any length of time perusing Apple wallpapers from either site, then you have likely run into a couple of them. Some of these I have seen a few times before and some of these are a new take on an old favorite; but many are completely new to me. In other words they are all worth checking out and possibly adding in to the desktop wallpaper rotation.
What about you, dear friends? Do you have any stand-out, Apple-related desktop imagery that you've created or found which you would like to share with others? Post some link love in the comments and pay it forward; after all, everyone loves finding new Apple stuff! My personal favorite, you ask? I suppose you will have to click through to find out.Continue reading Wonderful Apple wallpapers to wet your whistle
TUAWWonderful Apple wallpapers to wet your whistle originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 06 Feb 2009 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - CSS Animation to replace need for Flash in MobileSafari? Not likely
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Internet Tools, Developer
New nightly builds of Safari's bleeding-edge doppelgänger, WebKit, are getting some new support for CSS animations -- support that's already available in MobileSafari. The animations, which include a falling leaves effect, a way to simply animate objects sliding across the screen, and a "pulse" effect (described as "the new <blink>") are all supported by WebKit. The WebKit blog shows code examples about how to use these behaviors in your own sites.
MacRumors's Arnold Kim suggests that Apple may be looking to obviate the need for Flash on the iPhone and iPod touch through the implementation of web tools like CSS Animation. I would argue that while CSS is powerful, getting Flash on the iPhone is about one thing and one thing only: Games.
Continue reading CSS Animation to replace need for Flash in MobileSafari? Not likely
TUAWCSS Animation to replace need for Flash in MobileSafari? Not likely originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 06 Feb 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - German Mac clone maker claims it won't face Psystar's legal troubles
Filed under: Apple Corporate, Hardware, OS
Matthias Kremp, of German periodical Der Spiegel, has an interesting story about PearC, "Der PC mit Mac OS X." You don't need Google Translate to figure out what that means, though a mechanical translation of the story is available here.PearC is offering three flavors of Mac clones in Germany, starting at €499. All of the options are built to order: The Starter edition can be equipped with anything from an Intel Pentium Dual Core E2200 to a Core 2 Duo E7300. The Professional version, though, starts at €1,499, and can be powered by a 3.2GHz Intel Core i7 Extreme processor for an extra €720 -- a processor that Apple does not offer. PearC also offers Blu-Ray optical drives as an option.
All come with the option to install Mac OS X. Kremp notes that PearC's parent company, Hypermeganet, says that since the End User License Agreement (EULA) is sealed inside retail copies of Mac OS X, there's no legal way to review the EULA. If you'll pardon the bad translation, "the restrictions that Apple [has] for its Mac OS X in the EULA [...] in Germany [has] no legal explanation," said Hypermeganet spokesman Dirk Blößl.
"Hypermeganet assumes, therefore, that the product (meaning the Mac clone) in Germany is legal," he says.
Similarly, Psystar, possibly bankrolled by a larger PC clone maker, is defending itself now against charges that it violated Apple's EULA by selling clones with Mac OS X. That dispute is ongoing.
Apple did not return Spiegel Online's request for comment. However, Kremp concluded by suggesting "one may probably assume" that Apple will pursue legal action against the clone maker.
Thanks, Hauke, Holger and Martin!
TUAWGerman Mac clone maker claims it won't face Psystar's legal troubles originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 06 Feb 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Got a G4 or G5? iPhoto '09 will be missing features
Filed under: iLife, Software, Apple
As Apple continues a march toward all Intel-based computers, those hanging on to perfectly good G5 and G4 computers are left to watch features slowly bleed off.
In the recently released iLife '09 package, iPhoto has left some owners of older Macs wondering where their slide show transitions have gone.
Apple has now released a support document detailing what is missing:The number of slideshow themes available in iPhoto '09 depends on your Mac's processor and, in some cases, available vRAM:
- Intel-based Mac computers, PowerPC G5 with more than 64MB of vRAM: All iPhoto '09 slideshow themes are available.
- PowerPC G5 with less than 64MB of vRAM: Only Classic, Ken Burns, Scrapbook, Sliding Panels are available.
- PowerPC G4: Classic and Ken Burns are available.
Apple has also changed the minimum specs on Garageband '09, noting that one of the apps most desired features is Intel only: GarageBand Learn to Play requires an Intel-based Mac with a dual-core processor or better.
It is also rumored that the next version of OS X, Snow Leopard will completely drop support for PowerPC processors. Last year, iMovie dropped PowerPC support, so it looks like the handwriting is on the wall. Apple's push to get consumers and businesses to change to the newer Intel platform will get less and less subtle as time goes on.TUAWGot a G4 or G5? iPhoto '09 will be missing features originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 06 Feb 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - FunctionFlip reclaims your function keys
Filed under: Portables, Productivity, Freeware, iBook, PowerBook, Macbook Pro, MacBook, MacBook Air
When researching this week's Ask TUAW I ran across a nifty little utility for reclaiming the function keys on a Mac portable or recent Apple external keyboard. Basically, FunctionFlip allows you to set the individual function keys to be regular F-keys instead of those special control keys (brightness, volume, iTunes, etc.).
While the Keyboard Preference Pane will let you flip all of the keys one way or the other, FunctionFlip lets you individually choose which ones you want. That way you can preserve whichever of the control functions you like, but regain access to certain of the F-keys without having to hold down the fn key. It can be a handy way to have your cake and eat it too.
FunctionFlip is a free download (donations requested) from Kevin Gessner.TUAWFunctionFlip reclaims your function keys originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 06 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - The Sims 3 coming to Mac and iPhone Summer 2009
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Gaming, OS, Software, iPhone, iPod touch
The Sims 3 is the latest iteration of the best-selling computer game in history -- it features the ability to custom-make and create your Sims and their surroundings, and explore the neighborhoods and cities that they live in. But even more strangely, it's set for an almost simultaneous release on PC, Mac, the iPhone and the iPod touch. The popularity of iPhone apps may have done what Mac gamers couldn't do for years: convince developers that releasing their games simultaneously on Mac and PC was worth it. While EA only has a release date for the PC version so far (June 2), the company is saying that Mac, iPhone and the iPod touch versions will be out in "Summer of 2009," which is much better than, say, years later.
Of course, we'll have to believe it when we see it -- EA uses Transgaming for their Mac ports, and they've left a little bit to be desired so far. But just the fact that they plan an almost concurrent release for the sequel to one of the biggest games of all time bodes very well. The Sims 3 probably won't make too many waves in the hardcore PC gaming set, but anytime a major publisher plans a simultaneous release for a big title, we definitely give a nod of approval.
[via IMG]TUAWThe Sims 3 coming to Mac and iPhone Summer 2009 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 06 Feb 2009 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Last-minute App Store freebie: Wanted
Filed under: iPhone, App Store
In the long-established tradition of apps that make your pictures extra silly, Portego is offering its app Wanted free of charge through the end of February 5 (yes, that's today). Snap a photo of the nearest cowpoke (cheesy music is optional, but it does tend to attract a crowd of would-be bandits), accessorize with a selection of facial hair, weapons and other goodies, select the text you want and then save the "wanted poster" to your photos roll.
Even though the 1.3 version notes in the App Store suggest that "ALL CRASHES are solved now," I did have the app lock up on me on my 2nd picture; however, if you get it for free today, what's to complain about? Starting tomorrow, Wanted will set you back $0.99.TUAWLast-minute App Store freebie: Wanted originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Google releases Books browser for iPhone
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Software, Freeware, Internet, Internet Tools, Developer, iPhone, iPod touch
Despite the fact that the App Store is capturing everybody's attention, old-school (as in, about 8 months ago) mobile web apps are still worth checking out, too -- Andy Ihnatko reports that Google has put their Google Book Search web app in iPhone form, and the result is awesome: 1.5 million public-domain texts in a well-coded and clean reader all for completely free. Classics, you may be a video star, but you can't touch this.
Ok, so no it doesn't have Classics' fun little page-turning or bookshelf-browsing graphics, nor Stanza's bookstore and eReader support, nor Bookshelf's linkup to Webscription.net -- but it is awesome, and completely free. To check it out, you just need to visit http://books.google.com/m on your iPhone or iPod touch (and you might as well bookmark it, because you never know when you'll want to read a little Shakespeare or Dickens).
Update: Commenters note that you can add Google books to Stanza by entering the URL of the book. Not too shabby. Stanza is free [App Store link].TUAWGoogle releases Books browser for iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - One Page of Apps: 16 random reviews
Filed under: Reviews, iPhone, iPod touch
Welcome to our new, irregularly-published series "One Page of Apps," where we take four to sixteen apps on a single screen of our iPhones (or iPod touches) and review them all at once. Most of these are pretty simple apps, just as Apple suggests you make for the mobile devices.
To kick things off I've got a random sampling of apps on my iPhone:
Lemonade
Find Your Mind
Fnorder
Clinometer
Freshwater Aquarium
Zen Meditate
Fish Tycoon
FS5 Hockey
iDoodz Lite
Decibel
Amnesia
Darkroom
Mandala
BetaHelper
PhotoSync
Oblique Strategies
Check the gallery for screenshots, and continue on to page two for the first four apps...TUAWOne Page of Apps: 16 random reviews originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - "Chief Scientist" is an apt title for Woz
Filed under: The Woz, Apple History
Apple co-founder, Segway polo player, date to the stars and über-nerd Steve Wozniak has accepted a position at Fusion-io. Specifically, he'll be the company's Chief Scientist.
Fusion-io uses densely-packed clusters of flash memory chips in servers to enable them to find data very quickly. Woz has been serving on the board at Fusion-io, and recently asked for a larger role. "In this case, I like the people and the product, and said I would like some greater involvement," he told The New York Times. This will be Steve's first full-time job since he shut down Wheels of Zeus in 2006.
Good luck, Steve! We're looking forward to seeing what's next.
[Via Ars]TUAW"Chief Scientist" is an apt title for Woz originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Seagate continues to communicate bad news
Filed under: Hardware, Peripherals, Bugs/Recalls, iMac, PowerMac G5, Bad Apple, Mac Pro
There has been plenty of confusion over the continuing saga of Seagate hard drives with firmware problems that can lead to eventual failure and data loss. We've followed the story here and here.
It hasn't been pretty for either Intel or non-Intel Macs. It would have been nice for Seagate to provide a Mac OS X-native firmware updater for older machines. There must be an awful lot of hard drives out there just waiting to fail. Many people who don't follow tech news don't even know what pain might strike them.
Mac users who had written Seagate about their problems did not get much information, but now there are some more details sent in an email to customers about the bad news for non-Intel based Mac owners. Full email reproduced below:If you are trying to update your drive firmware with a MAC, you must have an INTEL MAC to allow you to perform this action. If you do not have an INTEL MAC, you will then need to take the drive to a PC, or a MAC with an Intel Processor. If you do not have either, you may need to warranty the drive with Seagate, and the return drive should have the updated firmware upon receipt.
If you have an INTEL MAC, you would simply need to burn the ISO file to CD using the burning utility that you have installed on your system. Once you have the CD created, you will then need to reboot the system with the newly created CD in the CD ROM bay while holding the "C" key on the keyboard to tell the system to boot to the CD rather than the internal hard drive. Once you have booted to the CD, simply follow the onscreen prompts to complete the firmware update. Older Macs that are PowerPC (PowerMac G3,G4,G5, iMac G3,G4,G5) based can not bootup to the FreeDOS. FreeDOS is the operating system that is booted to when booting to the firmware update CD. Please keep in mind that you should always backup the data on the drive before doing the update in case there is data loss. In most cases, the data on the drive should remain in tack and unaltered; however, things happen, and its always better to be prepared in case we come across any obstacles with the integrity of the data on the drive.
Instructions for updating firmware on a Intel based Mac.
1. Download and burn the Firmware ISO that has been provided to you by Seagate for your drive/s
2. Burn the ISO to a CD (how to: http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.5/en/8729.html)
3. Insert the freshly burn CD back in to your Mac.
4. Reboot
5. After the Chime press and hold the Option key on the keyboard.
6. Once you see the Apple with the spinning gear beneath, release the Option Key.
7. At this point the system will come to a screen with pictures of hard drives and a CD, the CD should be named Seagate.
8. Click on the CD
9. Click on the arrow pointing to the right.
10. At this point FreeDOS will boot and the on screen instructions should be followed.
Once again, I want to thank you for your business.. If you still need further assistance, or the information provided was not of good use, please feel free to contact Seagate Technical Support at 800-SEAGATE ( 800-732-4283).
Translation: You are well and truly hosed if you don't have access to a Mac Pro or a Windows PC that can update the firmware. People who have returned their drives to Seagate got a refurbished drive, even if a brand new one was sent in for exchange. Worse, there are some scattered reports that the replacement drive still had the bad firmware! Way to go, Seagate: if your Mac-owning user base didn't feel completely screwed over before this, we all probably feel that way now.TUAWSeagate continues to communicate bad news originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Georgetown Apple Store to move forward after redesign is approved
Filed under: Retail
ifoAppleStore has an update on the battle between Apple and Washington D.C. Advisory Neighborhood Commission: A new design for the Georgetown Apple Store is close to approval, and includes a subtle Apple logo and trees growing inside the building.The ANC's objections, ranging from rejecting an all-glass storefront to requiring a two-story masonry facade had been the reason for so many design submissions from Apple. While Apple wanted to maintain consistency among all its stores, the ANC wanted to make sure the Apple Store fit in with the other, older buildings on that street.
Most interestingly is the rear 20 feet of the store: It has a higher ceiling and skylights to accommodate two living trees inside the building.
This isn't the final design, however: The ANC is requesting additional minor changes, and has wondered aloud why there isn't an actual second story behind the two-story facade. Even so, locals suggest the plan is likely to be approved today. If it is, the store will likely open in 2010.
In other retail store news, MacNN notes that stores are planned or in progress for:
- Churchill Square in Brighton, UK
- Rideau Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada
- Hamburg, Germany (Thanks, Steffen!)
- and Greensboro, NC, which we mentioned in July.
[Via MacNN.]
Update: Commenters Brad and Chris noted that in a meeting last night, the Georgetown board rejected Apple's plans even after the ANC approved them. So much for that. Thanks, guys!
TUAWGeorgetown Apple Store to move forward after redesign is approved originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Snow Leopard to include location and multi-touch SDK tools?
Filed under: Rumors, Snow Leopard
AppleInsider claims that Snow Leopard will include developer hooks that will determine a Mac's geographical location and provide additional multi-touch support for Mac laptops with glass trackpads.While Macs don't typically come with GPS built-in, the location determination feature will work similarly to the original iPhone and iPod touch: Using triangulation between several known WiFi locations, a technique introduced by a company called Skyhook. There are tools you can purchase to take advantage of Skyhook positioning today, but Snow Leopard will give developers the option of including them in any application.
Similarly, Cory mentioned some time ago that betas of Firefox 3 already take advantage of multi-touch gestures. AppleInsider's source claims the framework has been planned for inclusion since June.
The two sets of developer hooks will bring Mac OS X closer to its sibling platform, the iPhone. MacDailyNews claims it's a union that will produce a "MacBook touch," for which prototypes they claim exist today.
[Via MacDailyNews.]
TUAWSnow Leopard to include location and multi-touch SDK tools? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Widget watch: Add iCal events using natural language with QuickCal
Filed under: Cool tools, Productivity, Widget Watch
A new widget has found its way onto my Dashboard: QuickCal. It makes adding iCal events as easy as typing a natural-language string such as "lunch with Aditi at noon tomorrow." The widget parses the text as you type and shows what it finds below the entry area, letting you know if it understands your syntax. It also adds reminders automatically, based on your preferences for all events, events more than a week away, and events more than a month away.
QuickCal seems to need the subject (title) of the event to be at the beginning of the string. Anything following the "at" or "on" clause is usually discarded. Since we're talking about "natural" language, this usually works out fine. It's not QuickCal's fault, but the only drawback for me is that my Dashboard takes far too long to start up, so any Widget I use has to carry that extra baggage on first load. I stopped running Dashboard Kickstart recently in an effort to speed up my wake time, but I may go back to it.
I've also really enjoyed FlexCal, an app which provides a hotkey-triggered HUD for entering iCal events and todos. In my opinion, anything which keeps me from having to load iCal and deal with the multi-step process of entering a new event is worth the money. Of course, both QuickCal and FlexCal are free, so there's no room for complaint. Be sure to make a generous donation if you dig one, the other, or both.
TUAWWidget watch: Add iCal events using natural language with QuickCal originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - TUAW review: ViDock Gfx multi-monitor solution for MacBook Pro
Filed under: Hardware, Peripherals, Reviews
I love screen space. At the same time, my primary machine is a 2nd Gen, 17" MacBook Pro, which offers only one external DVI port. In my greedy quest to add more external monitors to my home workstation, I've tried a smorgasbord of products. I quickly gave up on USB to DVI solutions due to poor refresh rates and unmanageable color, and the closest I'd been able to come to a workable solution was Matrox's TripleHead2Go. The biggest drawback to that solution (and it ended up being big enough that my TripleHead2Go is gathering dust in a corner) is that the 2 or 3 monitors you hook up to it end up being treated as one large monitor. This means that you have fewer options in positioning your displays, and -- at least with 2 monitors connected -- things like menubars, the application switcher and even newly created windows and dialogs all pop up in the split between monitors. It works, but not well enough.We'd heard tell of a product from Village Tronic called the ViDock Gfx, but after several disappointing experiences with other products in the same vein, I hadn't been ready to shell out for another try. Then, we got a review unit and it became clear that there was, in fact, a usable solution to the MacBook Pro's multi-monitor dilemma. Read on for my impressions after a week with this unique product.
Continue reading TUAW review: ViDock Gfx multi-monitor solution for MacBook Pro
TUAWTUAW review: ViDock Gfx multi-monitor solution for MacBook Pro originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Mimo 7" USB displays
Filed under: Hardware
I've been fascinated by these little 7" USB displays since they first started showing up on the gadget blogs a few weeks back. At first it didn't look like they were going to be available in the States, but now Mimo Monitors is preparing to ship a couple of models soon. These little displays connect to your Mac with just a USB cable and provide an extra 800 x 480 pixels worth of desktop space.
Obviously, that's not really enough screen real estate for serious work, but it could be perfect for stashing away palettes or something like an iChat Buddy List. Mimo is offering two model: the plain vanilla 710 for $129.99 and the somewhat fancier 740 which adds a webcam, mic, and touchscreen for $199. Both include Mac display drivers, but if you want the 740 you'll annoyingly have to shell out an extra $30 for a third-party touchscreen driver. Both come with a detachable stand that allows the display to rotated.
Given that you can pick up a full sized 22" LCD for around $200 these days, I can't help thinking these Mimo's are over-priced. On the other hand, if you don't have another display output or if you want to turn your iMac into a replica of the Space Shuttle cockpit, these might be just the thing.
[via Macworld]TUAWMimo 7" USB displays originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - First Look: Analytics for iPhone
Filed under: Software, Internet, Internet Tools, iPhone
Google Analytics is a popular and quite useful set of tools for monitoring a web site's traffic and performance. Set up is a snap and the reports are easy to read and flexible. You can create goals, monitor traffic and so on. What more could you want? On-the-go reports via your iPhone? All of your target statistics in your pocket? Oh, all right.
Earlier this week, Michael D Jensen of Inblosam LLC released Analytics App, which presents everything you'd ever want from Google Analytics on your iPhone. It is exhaustive.
When you first launch Analytics App, you're asked for your Google login (you must have a pre-existing Analytics account). From there, a list of all the sites you're monitoring appears. Click any one and view nearly 30 reports, including traffic, visitors, content ... even events tracking you've set up and your own customized reports. It's speedy over Wi-Fi and EDGE.
For example, Analytics App's traffic reports include referring sites, search engines, keywords, AdWords campaigns and more. Set the date range of any report to sort by day, week or month. The Dashboard provides an overview complete with easy-to-read graphs.
For $5.99US, this application is a keeper. Up-to-date stats from all of your sites, available nearly anywhere, makes our geeky little hearts go pitter-pat.TUAWFirst Look: Analytics for iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - iPhone owners make up 14% of mobile game downloaders
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Gaming, Hardware, Software, Odds and ends, iPhone, App Store
Hot off the heels of the news that the iPhone is dominating independent mobile gaming comes this interesting statistic: 14% of all people downloading mobile games are doing so on an iPhone. Market research group comScore says that not only is the iPhone picking up double digits of all game downloads overall, but that 32.4% of all iPhone users have downloaded a game. We're not sure if this means purchased a game over the air or bought it in iTunes' App Store and then transferred it onto the phone, but that's a lot of downloading.
And the numbers are increasing -- 8.5 million Americans downloaded mobile games onto their devices in November of last year, up 17 percent from the year before. And smartphones in general are growing -- last year, there were zero smartphones sitting in the top 10 mobile devices for downloading, says a comScore analyst, and this year, six of the ten on the list are smartphones. Sounds like an emerging market to us, and the iPhone is sitting right on top.TUAWiPhone owners make up 14% of mobile game downloaders originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - 17" unibody MacBook Pro deliveries not as speedy as hoped
Filed under: Macbook Pro
If you've been waiting by the mailbox for that slightly oversized package to arrive... the wait just got a bit longer. Our correspondents have been sending in the news this afternoon that the expected ship date on the 17" unibody MacBook Pro has been pushed to February 19 -- the original ship date was supposed to be Tuesday 2/3, so this is a big drag if you had plans for that big screen on Valentine's Day.
The complete email below:
To Our Valued Apple Customer:
Thank you again for your order!
Wrapping up the new 17-inch MacBook Pro is taking a few days longer
than we projected.
As a result, we will be unable to ship your 17-inch MacBook Pro
until February 19, 2009.
If you don't want to wait, you may cancel your order and receive a
prompt refund by calling our toll-free customer service number at
800-676-2775 or by visiting our online order status website at
http://www.apple.com/orderstatus.
If we do not hear from you before we ship the 17-inch MacBook Pro to
you, we will assume that you have agreed to this shipment delay. In
that event, a shipment notification with tracking information will be
emailed to you as soon as your order is shipped.
Again, there is no need to contact us unless you wish to cancel
your order.
We appreciate your business and apologize for any inconvenience this
delay may have caused you.
Thank you for shopping at the Apple Online Store!
Sincerely,
The Apple Online Store
Thanks to everyone who sent this in.
Continue reading 17" unibody MacBook Pro deliveries not as speedy as hoped
TUAW17" unibody MacBook Pro deliveries not as speedy as hoped originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Google will have your latitude and longitude
Filed under: Software, Freeware, iPhone, iPod touch
Google has launched new location-based social software which is available to many smartphone users today. Latitude will share your location with others and allow you to to view your friends' locations as well.
You can then contact them using text messaging, instant message or a phone call. The service is opt-in, so you won't be found if you don't want to be.
Initially, the system was available to Windows Mobile phones, most color Blackberry phones, Symbian S60 phones and Android phones with Google Maps 3.0 and above. Current G1 phones don't have version 3.0 yet, but it is coming in a system wide update.
How about the iPhone? Google says it is coming soon for both the iPhone and the iPod touch. There is no cost for the application, but people without unlimited data plans will see data charges. Use of the application will require a Google account. The service is available in 27 countries.
Google says it is sensitive about privacy, and Latitude users can, for example, let family members see exactly where they are, or let friends only know what city they are in. Alternatively, your location can be completely hidden from everyone (you sly dog).
Google is also offering a desktop version which allows you to input your location or determine it with wi-fi, and, of course, you can track your friends who are out and about.
The iPhone already has Loopt [App Store link] which has similar features, but Google is such a heavyweight in the web space that many people may sign up. Apple will have to update the Google Maps application on the iPhone to make it all work.TUAWGoogle will have your latitude and longitude originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - If daVinci had designed the iPhone
Filed under: Accessories, Humor, Odds and ends, iPhone
The steampunk mod meme is not going away. From the Mac mini to R2D2, all sorts of hardware is being made to look Victorian. No one knows why.
Artist Kevin Tong continues the tradition with the iPhone ... sort of. The iSteamPhone T-shirt presents the iPhone in a blown-apart presentation like you might find in a daVinci sketch pad. Even the "parts" of the iPhone are vintage. Note the analog clock and what looks like a muffler in the center.
True, we're cheating here a bit in that this isn't a physical steampunked iPhone, but who wants to see that? The T-shirt is clever and sure to be a hit at your next MUG meeting. Grab yours for $20US.
[Via Guy Kawasaki]TUAWIf daVinci had designed the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Test your hearing with Audiometry for the iPhone
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iPod Family, Software, Odds and ends, Apple, iPhone, App Store
I was just listening to the great Sound Opinions music podcast the other day, and they had a woman on who was campaigning against hearing damage. In fact, she actually called out iPod headphones (as I was listening to the show on my iPhone) as one of today's leading causes of hearing damage -- too many people are listening to music through those headphones way too loud.
Unfortunately, the iPhone can't fix your ears (yet), but it can help you figure out if there's a problem: Audiometry is a 99 cent app that will test your hearing for you through a range of frequencies, and let you know whether your ears are blown out or whether you've still got some good vibrations left. The app plays a tone at each frequency, asks you whether or not you heard it (though you've got to be honest -- there were a few times I could hear the tone stopping and starting but not the tone itself), and then gives you a results list on how you did.
Future versions of the app will include a dB test (for loudness rather than just frequency), and the ability to save and share tests with others. It's hardly a substitute for going to a real ear doctor (if you have serious issues, you should definitely do that), but considering all the damage your iPhone may have done to your ears, the least it could do is help you figure out how much.
While you're at it, review this article from Apple on setting the maximum volume limit on an iPod.
[via textually.org]TUAWTest your hearing with Audiometry for the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Apple updates GarageBand '09 to 5.0.1, fixes lesson store
Filed under: iLife, Software Update
Apple just released an update for GarageBand '09 that will fix some problems with the lesson store. According to Apple, "This update improves overall stability and addresses specific issues with downloading lessons from the Learn to Play Lesson Store. It is recommended for all GarageBand 09 users."
You can download the update by opening Software Update (Apple menu > Software Update) or by downloading the installer package from the Apple Support Downloads website.
Perhaps this has something do do with the recent uproar about PowerPC Mac being unable to play back certain downloaded lessons from the store. If you are using a PPC Mac and find this update does anything for playback, be sure to let us know in the comments or by dropping us a line!
Thanks, Doug!TUAWApple updates GarageBand '09 to 5.0.1, fixes lesson store originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - App makes time lapse photography easy for iPhone
Filed under: Accessories, Software, iPhone
iPhone TimeLapse Test from digitalurban on Vimeo.
Here's a fun application. TimeLapse [App Store link] uses your iPhone's camera to take photos at regular intervals. You can have one photo snapped as infrequently as every 24 hours, or as often as every 10 seconds, which is about as fast as it can snap and store a photo. After you've collected all of your photos (I told it to stop after 300), you can easily dump them into iMovie or QuickTime Pro and make a simple time lapse movie. Neat!
You can set a delay before it takes a shot, which means you can also use TimeLapse as a timer to allow the photographer to get in the frame. Additionally, it could work as a rudimentary surveillance camera. While it's running, a display lists when it started, the time of the last picture taken and the approximate time of when it will stop.
Here are a couple of things I learned while briefly playing with it this afternoon. First, mute your iPhone before beginning or you'll have to hear the camera's "capture" noise over and over again, which is kind of annoying. Also, enable Airplane Mode or an incoming call will interrupt your photoshoot.
For $0.99US, TimeLapse is fun.
[Via Digital Urban]TUAWApp makes time lapse photography easy for iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Ask TUAW: Migrating from a PC to a virtual machine, tweaking OS X, controlling iTunes, and more.
Filed under: Features, Troubleshooting, Ask TUAW
This week in Ask TUAW we've got questions on tweaking, migrating from a PC to a virtual machine, forcing the Leopard welcome screen, controlling iTunes with the bare function keys and more.
As always, your suggestions are welcome. 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: Migrating from a PC to a virtual machine, tweaking OS X, controlling iTunes, and more. originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - iLife '09 begins move to Intel-only mainstream software from Apple
Filed under: iLife, Software, Apple, Universal Binary
Our friends over at Ars have discovered a potentially foreboding sign concerning the recently shipping iLife '09. Apparently, GarageBand's new Learn to Play feature, in which various recording artists talk about their songs and "teach" you to play them, will not run on PowerPC Macs.
In the very fine print of the System Requirements section of the iLife '09 page at the Apple online store you'll find: "GarageBand Learn to Play requires an Intel-based Mac with a dual-core processor or better." One can't help but suspect that this is the start of more of the same to come. When the architecture switch was first announced Apple went out of their way to extol the virtues of Universal binaries. But it was only a matter of time before even consumer software went in this direction. it's yet another sign that Apple sees the PPC Macs as rapidly heading for obsolescence.TUAWiLife '09 begins move to Intel-only mainstream software from Apple originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Make a video with Cat Piano, win a DS
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Humor, Software, Developer, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
It's probably time for me to lay off of Smule -- I've said that their Ocarina app might be the silliest musical app in the App Store, but we have a new winner: Cat Piano is just plain loony: a piano made up of cats meowing, like those old Christmas recordings, but playable. There are a few different cat sounds to play (from "Furball" to "Housecat"), and even a regular piano if you just want to tickle the ivories a little bit. Most of the reviews on the App Store say people are using it to mess with their cats, but there's definitely a musical instrument here -- if Ocarina can be used as an instrument, the Cat Piano can, too.
And in fact, the developers are challenging you to prove it -- they're giving away a Nintendo DS (interesting choice of prizes -- an iPod touch might be more apt) to the person who makes the best video using Cat Piano. I don't know if you could beat that Jingle Cats video, but you can certainly try. The contest starts on Thursday, and goes until March 20th, so you've got a little over a month to get the cat sounds down.
Ocarina, you'll remember, also turned out some watchable videos, so we're interested to see what comes out of this contest.TUAWMake a video with Cat Piano, win a DS originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Apple: Welcome to the obsolete list, PowerBook G4
Filed under: PowerBook, Retro Mac
Ars Technica reports that Apple will announce the latest additions to its list of vintage and obsolete machines on March 17. The list, initially reported through MacMerc, includes the following:
The "vintage" machines are ones where service parts are available to repair machines purchased in California due to existing statutes. This classification does not apply in the other 49 states.
- Xserve RAID
- Xserve (Slot Load)
- Xserve (Cluster Node)
The rest of the additions, to grace the "obsolete" list, include:
- PowerBook G4
- Power Mac G4 (Digital Audio)
- Power Mac G4 (Quicksilver)
- Macintosh Server G4 (Digital Audio)
- Macintosh Server G4 (Quicksilver)
Have fond memories of these machines? Share them in the comments!TUAWApple: Welcome to the obsolete list, PowerBook G4 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Feb 2009 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Got time to spare? Back up your iPhone
Drip, drip, drip. It seems like a lot of people are getting very s l o o o w backups when syncing their iPhones again. This was a major complaint with older versions of the firmware, but most of those problems seemed to disappear when version 2.1 and 2.2 came out. Now with 2.2.1 Apple support boards are hearing from a lot of steamed users wondering why the backup process is taking many minutes, or in some cases, hours.
It's hard to believe the backup process is incremental. I backed up yesterday, then again today. Both backups took almost 30 minutes. I only have about 20 images on the phone, and 4 pages of apps. An incremental backup should make short work of that process, but it crawls along like it's doing something really important. Maybe it is, but it really shouldn't take this long to do a simple update of the data.
Yes, you can kill any backup, but then you have no backup. What's the sense of that? A wise iPhone user will not start a backup of their phone right before leaving to catch an important flight, that's for sure.
How have your experiences with iPhone backups been lately?TUAWGot time to spare? Back up your iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Google's Tasks list on the iPhone
Filed under: iPod Family, Internet, Internet Tools, iPhone, iPod touch
When Google Labs introduced "Tasks" to Gmail in December, we were eager for a mobile version; yesterday, the Gmail team announced an optimized Tasks web UI for mobile devices including the iPhone.
Setup is simple. First, log into your Gmail account and click "Settings." From there, click "Labs" and then the "Enable" button next to "Tasks." As Jeff Goldblum said, "There's no step three." You'll see a link to Tasks in the left sidebar of your Gmail account.
Now grab your iPhone and point Mobile Safari to http://gmail.com/tasks. Once you've logged in, you'll see the tasks you created on your Mac. Of course, you can create a task on either device, as well as multiple lists, mark items as complete and clear completed tasks. It's nice and snappy over EDGE and Wi-Fi.
Here's a great example of something that works perfectly well as a web-based app. In the rush to create iPhone/iPod touch apps that do everything under the sun, we've seen a crop of replacements for web apps that weren't 100% necessary (I still use Hahlo on occasion, if only for its speed over EDGE). If you want a free, no-frills task manager, and you already use Google for email or other services, this could be it.
[Via Phandroid]TUAWGoogle's Tasks list on the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - ClearCam improves iPhone pix with a catch
Filed under: Software, iPhone, App Store, Jailbreak/pwnage
Occipital's ClearCam is another in a long line of photo enhancing apps for the iPhone. ClearCam is going live today on Cydia, so at this point it is only available for jailbroken iPhones. The developer says he hopes a version for all iPhones will make it to the App Store soon.
ClearCam has a couple of interesting modes. Enhanced mode will give you a 4MP image rather than the standard 2 MP image you get now on the iPhone. The magic is done by having the camera take 6 pictures in rapid succession. The software then aligns and enhances the photo and saves it to your camera roll. When you compare the image to a normal one, they look the same, but you can enlarge the image more than a 2MP image, and the noise is noticeably lower. You should be able to see the difference in the gallery image below. That function may not be to Apple's liking, because it breaks the SDK rules of how software can interact with the camera.
In ClearCam's other mode, called QuickShot, it fires off 4 images, figures out which image is best, and throws the bad ones away. I tried using this mode, and it worked as advertised. The results weren't dramatic, but were easy to see. You can contrast this approach with Sudobility's Night Camera app, which uses the accelerometer to determine when your hands have stopped shaking so it can snap a stable longer exposure.
If ClearCam is going to be released through the App Store, it will likely shed the Enhanced mode unless they can get Apple to allow the variance with SDK rules. Occipital is not yet sure about pricing. They say if they have to throw away features, the price will be nominal or free. The feature complete version released through Cydia is free for 15 days, then it's US $9.99.
Click through the gallery below for a look at how ClearCam works.
TUAWClearCam improves iPhone pix with a catch originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - iPhone rumor roundup: New handsets in June, background tasks, and more
Possibly thanks to a chatty Emirates Telecom/Etisalat executive, we have some more details about when we might see a new iPhone handset: June. While not directly attributed to Mark Davis, iPhone program director at Etisalat, a quote in the report reads that the "next version of the device, which is due out in June, will be launched in the UAE at the same time." Analysts had been hoping for a new iPhone handset sometime during the first half of the year. [Via AppleInsider.]Nokia is apparently readying smartphones that contain touch technology, advanced 3G connectivity, and multimedia functions in a bid to regain control of the mobile phone market. The devices, so far named "IP08" and "Eitri" will have touch capability, but it's unclear if either device will raise Apple's ire when it comes to protecting its intellectual property surrounding multi-touch gestures. The "Eitri" model will allegedly feature haptic feedback, as well. [Via Electronista.]
Finally, MacRumors.com has some tidbits about what Apple is doing to replace the so-far-missing Push Notification System that Mike mentioned this morning. Instead, Arnold Kim hears that Apple may allow one or two "user-selectable background processes" on current hardware with a software update, and more processes on new hardware (thanks to hardware improvements). [Via MacRumors.]
TUAWiPhone rumor roundup: New handsets in June, background tasks, and more originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Fighting sockpuppet reviews on the App Store
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Software, Odds and ends, Developer, App Store
In this modern age of information, it's easier than ever to see what people think of a product, whether it be a new lawnmower, a console game, or an App Store app. But it's also easier than ever to try and tweak public opinion, and while there are many official avenues that will accept anonymous opinions, there aren't so many that will help you weed out the legit from the not-so-much.
App Store reviews have been controversial from the beginning -- while they can be helpful for buyers, you often have no idea just who's leaving comments or what their real agenda is. Njection, the makers of Nmobile (which we played with a while ago) are having a huge problem with what they're calling "sockpuppet" reviews on the App Store.
Someone (they believe this person is in cahoots with their competitor) is posting bad reviews on their app and trying to trash them and their product elsewhere (including in a comment here on TUAW). And unfortunately, as they say, they don't really have much recourse against this behavior -- they've appealed to Apple, who've replied that they'll leave comments up, unless they're offensive or extremely false. Apple's own guidelines for reviewing apps asks that the reviewers deal with apps on their own merit rather than attacking competitors, but that seems to be more of a recommendation than a firm rule.
Njection says the comments have kept consumers from trying out their apps, though it seems difficult to actually track how many people haven't tried your app (and why). It'll be interesting to see if Apple makes other changes to the review system if this sort of thing rears its ugly head more often. At this point, it seems devs just have to deal with it by doing damage control when necessary and making their app good enough that "sockpuppeting" doesn't strongly affect public opinion.Continue reading Fighting sockpuppet reviews on the App Store
TUAWFighting sockpuppet reviews on the App Store originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Google Earth 5 gets wet and goes back in time
Filed under: Software, Freeware
After a while you just stop doubting the power of Google. Now for your planetary voyeuristic pleasure the big G has released version 5 of the eponymous Google Earth, bringing with it the power to turn back time and plumb the ocean depths. Or something like that.
Anyway, the new beta adds some cool imagery of the ocean floor along with 3D shipwrecks and educational maritime videos. Also newly included is the fourth axis, allowing you access to historical imagery for certain locales so you can turn back the clock and see how things have changed over the years. The final big new feature is the capacity to make "free-form tours" with soundtracks and narrations.
As before, Google Earth is a free download with the more feature-laden pro version available for $400.
[via electronista]TUAWGoogle Earth 5 gets wet and goes back in time originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - In search of Push
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Hardware, Software, Apple, iPhone, SDK, iPod touch
Wherefore art thou, Push? Macworld has gone in search of the much-awaited iPhone feature that would let applications get their own notifications even while not necessarily active (so apps like Twitterific could have a little red number on them showing the number of unread tweets, and so on). But the Push system was "pulled" (still makes me laugh) from the 2.1 firmware during the beta phase, and as you probably know by now, it's still not on your iPhone.
Unfortunately, there's no official news on the subject (Apple hasn't canceled the service completely, as far as we know, but would they really tell anybody if they did), but Macworld has a few ideas: it could be that Apple has abandoned the system, thinking that it didn't really help as much as they thought it would, or Apple is still working on it, or Apple is working on something even better. Which one of those you decide is true probably depends on what you think about Apple in general, so we'll let you make your own guesses on that.
But we will say this: we're near the end of the known roadmap for the iPhone, and people are already talking about a new version of the hardware. If we don't see an update on Push in the next refresh, it's probably likely that the only thing the notification system will be pushing is daises.Continue reading In search of Push
TUAWIn search of Push originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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