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- They've gone and done it. Apple updates iTunes
Filed under: iLife, iTunes, Software Update
Apple this evening has updated iTunes from version 8.02 to version 8.1. Here is the read me information:
iTunes 8.1 is now faster and more responsive. You will enjoy noticeable improvements when working with large libraries, browsing the iTunes Store, preparing to sync with iPod or iPhone, and optimizing photos for syncing.
In addition, iTunes 8.1 provides many other improvements and bug fixes, including:
- Supports syncing with iPod shuffle (3rd generation)
- Allows friends to request songs for iTunes DJ
- Adds Genius sidebar for your Movies and TV Shows
- Improves performance when downloading iTunes Plus songs
- Provides AutoFill for manually managed iPods
- Allows CDs to be imported at the same sound quality as iTunes Plus
- Includes many accessibility improvements
- Allows iTunes U and the iTunes Store to be disabled separately using Parental Controls
The update should appear in 'software update'. I also received a Front Row update at the same time. Let us know if this new version of iTunes floats your boat.
Thanks to our eagle-eyed readers for the tip.TUAWThey've gone and done it. Apple updates iTunes originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - TUAW Tip: Fixing syncing between iPhone and iPhoto '08
Filed under: Hardware, How-tos, Tips and tricks, Odds and ends, TUAW Tips, iPhone
This is a pretty selfish tip, because this issue has happened to me personally a few different times, and despite my many searches around the 'net, I've never found a quick, simple solution. So here you go: my suffering can be your gain.
Basically, iPhoto '08 and the iPhone don't always play nice -- sometimes, you'll take a bunch of pictures on your iPhone, bring them back to sync up with iPhoto '08, and whoops, iPhoto doesn't see them at all. You can see them on your iPhone, but iPhoto's "Import All" button is greyed out, and they're not showing on your screen (sometimes, I've gotten dotted lines where the pictures are -- I think this all has something to do with a corrupted cache that iPhoto keeps of what's on the iPhone). Fortunately, though it's frustrating, there's an easy fix. Open up Image Capture (you can find it in Spotlight or even Quicksilver if you swing that way) with your iPhone connected, hit the "Devices" menu item, and then "Browse Devices." You'll get a screen just like the one above, with your iPhone's name instead of mine.
Uncheck the "Connected" box, and then recheck it, and boom. Image Capture, and thus iPhoto, will see all of your pictures and happily upload them. Is it voodoo? Sure -- we still don't know why iPhoto loses its place every once in a while (like I said, I'm thinking a corrupted cache somewhere along the line). But it works.TUAWTUAW Tip: Fixing syncing between iPhone and iPhoto '08 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Radar.net wants to be your iPhone's photo sharer
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Software, Features, Internet Tools, iPhone, App Store
We're at a new juncture in the course of iPhone development, I believe. Twitter has basically monopolized the "text exporting" function of your iPhone -- if you want to broadcast text from a mobile device, most of us do it through Twitter. But now, we're seeing a whole host of sites and services aiming to be the distributors for your richer media: photos, audio, even video (as well as the iPhone can handle it, anyway).
Radar is one such service, and they'd really like to handle any photos you want to send out into the world. But unlike a site such as Twitpic, they're not content with being just the repository. They want to host, share, and deliver. Whenever you want to mess around with pictures on your iPhone, whether that be taking them and sharing them, browsing your friends' pictures from Flickr, or looking at funny shots from CollegeHumor, Radar wants to be there.
They gave TUAW an early look at their new software, just released to the App Store, and we were duly impressed -- they've got hooks into a surprising number of places, and it's clear they've worked hard to make themselves fit somewhere into your photosharing flow. But is it worth it to have yet another site acting as a go-between for you and your photo content? Read on to find out.Continue reading Radar.net wants to be your iPhone's photo sharer
TUAWRadar.net wants to be your iPhone's photo sharer originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - iPhone app update: JetSet Expenses 1.2.1
Filed under: Software, iPhone, iPod touch
TUAW did a first look of BriteMac Software's JetSet Expenses 1.1 for iPhone last September, and with time the app has added functionality and stability. JetSet Expenses 1.2.1 (click opens iTunes) has recently appeared in the App Store, and the changes look great:
- Expense type detail reports now have totals so that they have the same level of detail as summary reports
- Mileage totals are now in the detailed expense report
- Billable expenses are now broken out and totaled separately
- A report is now marked as submitted when it is emailed or sent to Google Docs
- Now supports up to 6 different payment types
- A personal balance shows the difference between the expenses you paid versus expenses allowed to you
- Can now mark expenses as either billable or reimbursable
- Mileage support for business, medical, charity, and one more user-defined type
- JetSet Expenses now follows local currency and date formatting
- An improved user interface; you can enter as much or as little data as needed for reporting
There's a two-week sale on JetSet right now -- the usual US$9.99 price has been halved to US$4.99. BriteMac has also released a free version for those who want to test-drive JetSet Expenses. Version 1.3 is forthcoming in the future, with support for multiple currencies.TUAWiPhone app update: JetSet Expenses 1.2.1 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - iTunes gift cards cracked
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iTS, Odds and ends, iTunes, Apple, App Store
This seems like bad news for Apple, to say the least. A few Chinese websites are now selling $200 gift certficates to iTunes for less than a few bucks, which means that it's likely hackers have figured out the algorithm to determine gift codes on Apple's music store. As with most online codes, iTunes gift certificate numbers are generated by a formula somewhere -- figure out the formula, and you can generate your own codes (though it's of course tough to do and highly illegal).
The good news is that this might be an easy fix for Apple: they'll just have to re-figure the formula. The tougher thing to do will be to determine which of the old codes to honor -- they'll want to make sure to approve all of the cards on the shelves at Best Buy right now, while still trying to catch all of the illegal codes generated by hackers.
But then again, we're talking about a digital store that's already making cash hand over fist. Maybe even if one hacker on a shady website has figured out how to generate iTunes codes, Apple isn't too concerned about losing a few thousand dollars when they're still selling millions of dollars worth of music and content legitimately.TUAWiTunes gift cards cracked originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Apple to update iTunes any time now
Filed under: Audio, iLife, iTunes, Software Update, Apple
Look for an update to iTunes sometime today or very soon. The Apple web site even talks about it (check the bottom of the page).
Version 8.1 is said to have significant speed improvements for dealing with large libraries, and also a faster iTunes Store and zippier syncing of devices. Yay!
The Genius sidebar now includes suggestions for movies and TV shows, and the new version will also allow you to import your CD's as 256 kbps iTunes Plus format.
That all adds up to a nice update. So keep your eye on 'software update' under your Apple menu, or ask iTunes to 'check for updates'.TUAWApple to update iTunes any time now originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - A different kind of Voicemail
Filed under: iPhone, App Store
A new app for the iPhone has made its way to the App Store. VoiceMail, $0.99, lets you record a message and send it to a friend on a PC or Mac, or even on an iPhone.
I tried the app several times and found it a frustrating experience. First, you click on 'send mail' and the app brings up a list of your contacts. You are still within the VoiceMail app, and if you have a long contact list, all you can do is scroll up or down. No shortcuts. You select the contact, and are instructed to add a short line of text. I entered 16 words, and got an error telling me the limit is 25 words. Grrrrrrr. I shortened my message, then proceeded to record a voice message. After hitting the' send' button I waited for it to go out. Then I waited some more. I noticed my network signal was dipping below 2 bars, so decided to quit. Unfortunately, there was no option to cancel. I forced quit the application and went back in. No sign of that message, so I had to start from scratch.
By this time, I was in a better signal area (4 bars, solid 3G) so I sent another message. This one succeeded, but it took 24 seconds to send a 4 second message. I don't think this app is designed for long, detailed voicemails. Maybe on Wi-Fi.
For further testing, I sent myself a message. It arrived in my mailbox, and it said if I wasn't on an iPhone to click on a URL to retrieve it. Well, I WAS on an iPhone, and saw no indication that there was an attachment to click on or listen to. There is an in box on the app, so I checked there, and hit the refresh button. No message there either. In desperation, I clicked on the URL and got a web page with no way to listen to a message. Grrrrr.
Continue reading A different kind of Voicemail
TUAWA different kind of Voicemail originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Stephen Baker: Drop the MacBook below $800
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Portables
Stephen Baker, Vice President of Industry Analysis for The NPD Group, released his analysis of Apple's sales trends following the recent release of January sales figures. In his opinion? If Apple keeps up its current pricing strategy, it's going to flounder in today's economy. The solution? If Apple can't produce a netbook, then slash the price of the MacBook down to $799 in order to bring a mainstream price to a high-end product.
How low can you go? Discussion on this article behind the scenes here at TUAW resulted in the observation that if you drop the price too much, you'll wind up diluting the brand itself. Apple commands higher prices, but it also has the product to back it up -- and it has made some price concessions. You can pay $999 now for a better MacBook than I paid $1399 for just 15 months ago, and one that will last much longer than most PC notebooks on the market. Drop the price too much and not only will the brand get diluted, it'll spark even more fears that something is wrong with the company. There's a fine line between premium and cheap, and a lot of that is psychological.
Personally, I would also think less of Apple if it jumped on the netbook bandwagon just because everyone else did. It didn't even venture into the smartphone market until it could develop a device that not only blew away the competition, but changed the cell phone industry itself. If Apple is going to produce a netbook, then let it produce one that'll stand out and won't get lost among the Acers, Dells and eeePCs out there. But, don't slash MacBook prices to compensate for the lack of one either.
What are your thoughts on Baker's observations? Let us know in the comments.TUAWStephen Baker: Drop the MacBook below $800 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Ask TUAW: Safari certificates, OCR, PC to Mac mini, and more
Filed under: Features, Troubleshooting, Ask TUAW
This time in Ask TUAW we've got questions about Safari certificates, using a PC hard drive with a Mac, OCR software, connecting to other computers on a home network, 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!Continue reading Ask TUAW: Safari certificates, OCR, PC to Mac mini, and more
TUAWAsk TUAW: Safari certificates, OCR, PC to Mac mini, and more originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Voodoo Pad 4.1 adds iPhone client
Filed under: Software, Internet Tools, iPhone, iPod touch
VoodooPad (which we've covered many times) is a bit of a different take on the classic snippet / information manager app, allowing you to create a personal wiki with entries for whatever you might like to keep track of.
With the recently released version 4.1 Gus Mueller has added an option to export documents to his new, free iPhone client (iTunes link) for access to your wikis on the go. Like most iPhone / iPod touch syncing solutions, this works over WiFi on the same network as your Mac. This is in addition to the previously offered WebDAV syncing and iPhone optimized pages.
VoodooPad comes in three versions: a free lite version, a $29.95 regular version, and a $49.95 Pro version that adds a few features, including a built-in webserver; demos are also available. The iPhone / iPod touch client is a free download from iTunes.
[via Infinite Loop]TUAWVoodoo Pad 4.1 adds iPhone client originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - New iPod shuffle features VoiceOver
Filed under: iPod Family, ipod shuffle
The store is back, and the rapid rumor ramp-up is vindicated: Apple introduced a new iPod shuffle this morning, billed as 'the first music player that talks to you' -- it features a VoiceOver interface that announces artists, songs and playlists on demand (the iPod nano features spoken menus as well, so that tagline may need some work).
Interestingly, the VoiceOver UI concept was mused upon by John Gruber last month. The shuffle now supports multiple playlists, which would have been difficult to manage without some sort of UI for controlling which one is playing.
The new shuffle expands to 4 GB of storage for the same $79US, but in the course of shrinking the overall size of the microscopic MP3 maven down to 1.8" high, 0.7" wide and 0.3" deep (45mm x 17mm x 7.8mm), the player controls were moved onto the headphone cord. This may not sit well with buyers who prefer other earbuds.
The shuffle is available in black and silver and is shipping in 3-5 days.TUAWNew iPod shuffle features VoiceOver originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Apple Store is down, maybe a new shuffle?
Filed under: Apple
Yes, the Apple Store is currently down -- which either means new gear on the way or nothing at all. We'll keep you posted. Engadget is suggesting (via MacRumors) it'll be a 4GB iPod shuffle. Thanks to everyone who sent this in!TUAWApple Store is down, maybe a new shuffle? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 07:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Further thoughts on the Kindle iPhone experience
Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
It hasn't been a week since Amazon released the Kindle for iPhone app [App Store link] but the aftermath has been almost seismic. Kindle for iPhone has remained in the top ten free apps list since it was released. For a few days, it was number one. It looks like it was a good gamble for Amazon, and probably for Apple as no other smart phones (so far) have this app available. The Kindle for iPhone app also runs on the iPod touch.
How is it to use? Actually, pretty darned good. Readability is high, and you can change the font size to your liking. Turning pages is just a matter of swiping your finger across the screen. A single touch gives you access to the table of contents of any book, and you can bookmark pages.
I liked the idea of the Kindle app so much, I actually broke down and bought the Kindle 2. The two devices interact, and you can have all your books on both devices. In fact, the iPhone Kindle app will come up on the same page you left off on the Kindle 2, or vice versa. I thought that would be an automatic function, but you have to tell each device to sync when you leave. Your mileage may vary, but that's what I am seeing.
Of course, even that rather cool function is a bit tricky with the iPhone, because its smaller screen can't display as many words as the Kindle 2 screen. Even though you are synced, you won't get a page that looks exactly the same. No big deal, though.
Read on for more...Continue reading Further thoughts on the Kindle iPhone experience
TUAWFurther thoughts on the Kindle iPhone experience originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 11 Mar 2009 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - iPhone prototype yanked down from eBay
Filed under: iPhone
A set of iPhone prototypes from 2006 briefly made the eBay rounds this morning, with bids running more than $2,000 for the two phones (one non-working) before Apple managed to get the listing yanked sometime during the day [although we now have reports that a sale was completed before the listing went down -Ed.]. The seller also made a YouTube video documenting the features on the phone -- while that too was pulled down due to Apple exerting its copyright, Engadget managed to salvage it and now has it up on its site.
The prototype hints at several features that did not make it to the final version of the iPhone, including a possible option for video phone calls and games. The video is well worth watching. Even though the auction was pulled, we still manage to get a peek at the process that led to the phone unveiled in early 2007. We also have a glimpse of the iPhone at its most basic levels, something that will be an asset to developers.
Update: A similar prototype is shown in this Flickr set as noted below.TUAWiPhone prototype yanked down from eBay originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 10 Mar 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Tweetie 1.3 rejected for displaying "offensive language"
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Bad Apple, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
Update: Cooler heads appear to have prevailed, and Loren reports that Tweetie 1.3 has cleared the App Store bluenose barrier and should be showing up later tonight.
We saw this hit the fan early today, hot on the tail of the AMBER Alert post. Apparently the 1.3 update to Tweetie, a popular Twitter client for iPhone we've covered before, has been denied release in the App Store because the app could potentially show "offensive language."
As you may know, blatantly offensive apps (like really "adult" content) are verboten on Apple's store. Unfortunately, that rule was probably intended to keep X-rated content (maybe hard R as well) off the store, not inadvertently prevent an update to a popular Twitter client. In this case, the offensive material could pop up in Twitter trend searches -- never mind that you can find much worse using Google's search app or mobile Safari itself.
This latest episode plus the Amber Alert app's delay and many other examples continue to shine a light on what is clearly a broken approval process. As Engadget's Nilay Patel says, "It's time to drop the seemingly-random black-box approach... and actually work with innovative developers like Tweetie's Loren Brichter to push your platform forward in the face of newly-stiff competition."
That last point is important, because hardware companies are working hard to avoid an iPod-like market lead for the iPhone. Last night's demo of the Palm Pre had my eyebrows raised, to be sure. If Apple can't quit shooting the feet of some of the best developers out there, it'll be all too easy for them to switch to a platform that provides less restrictions, less doubt and less uncertainty.
[Via The iPhone Blog]TUAWTweetie 1.3 rejected for displaying "offensive language" originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 10 Mar 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Tweets (and whatever else you want) on the desktop with GeekTool
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Software, Freeware, UNIX / BSD, Apple
Mat posted a while back about the magic of GeekTool -- it's an app that allows you to run Unix scripts and show logs in a good-looking pane right there on your desktop. Mac OS X Tips recently did a post about how to put your iCal events up there using a script called iCalBuddy, but industrious reader Ben G. has taken this even a step further, and sent along a link to a similar script called twitterbuddy, which -- as you may have guessed -- will send your latest tweets to GeekTool.
As a result, he's got the desktop you see above -- both tweets and iCal events sitting in a transparent pane on top of his desktop background. It will require a little Terminal tripping, but it's pretty easy to do. Just install and set up GeekTool the way you like it, and then make sure the buddy scripts are installed. From there, you can create a New Entry in GeekTool, and run whatever commands you want. It's incredibly flexible, too, because it'll put any Terminal commands you can throw at it right there on your desktop. If you're looking to fill in some of that unused Desktop space, give it a look.TUAWTweets (and whatever else you want) on the desktop with GeekTool originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 10 Mar 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Flickr Find: A familiar logo
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, Apple, Flickr Find, Apple History, Graphic Design
You can call Steve Jobs a visionary if you want, but the Vanzettis are the real visionaries -- who would have ever thought of using a computer company's logo to sell fruit?! Though it's a little bit squished and the colors are different than we've ever seen (a red apple and a green leaf? why didn't they ever use that on the old IIe's?), the old bite-out-of-the-apple logo is definitely very familiar.
We doubt Apple will take any legal action here -- the Mac makers having a problem with a fruit company would be like a record company having a problem with Apple (oh wait). As long as Vanzetti never tries to release an iOrange, they'll probably be fine.
Thanks, Lucky!TUAWFlickr Find: A familiar logo originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - 5 Fingers does iPhone game bundle right
Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
Software bundles are normally things that appear for computers, however, one developer believes that the iPhone deserves the same money-saving offer. The 5 Fingers Bundle [iTunes link] does just that -- it combines five awesome games into one application for one price.
While bundles are not something new on the App Store, the implementation of this bundle is something special. The user interface for switching between the different games is amazing, and makes it feel as though there was care taken in creating this bundle.
The games included in the batch are:
- Blackbeard's Assault by Warhorse Games
- BurnBall by IMS (TUAW Review Here)
- Chopper by Majic Jungle Software
- Sneezies by Antair Corporation
- Up There by Veiled Games
TUAW5 Fingers does iPhone game bundle right originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 10 Mar 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - MarinerCalc for iPhone: A spreadsheet in the palm of your hand
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Software, Reviews, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
The wizards at Mariner Software have been around the Apple world for a long time. Their first product, a HyperCard stack that charted stock prices, came out in 1989 as a shareware product. After twenty years of developing cool Mac apps, Mariner has just released a useful product for the iPhone: MarinerCalc, a feature-packed spreadsheet application.
During the past few days, I've been putting MarinerCalc for iPhone (US$9.99, click opens iTunes) through a series of tests on my iPhone 3G. My assessment is that MarinerCalc is an excellent spreadsheet app. If you have any need to manipulate, create, or even just view spreadsheets on your iPhone, this is the app to get.
Read more about MarinerCalc by clicking the (you guessed it!) Read More link below, and be sure to visit the gallery for plenty of MarinerCalc screenshots.Continue reading MarinerCalc for iPhone: A spreadsheet in the palm of your hand
TUAWMarinerCalc for iPhone: A spreadsheet in the palm of your hand originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 10 Mar 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - AMBER Alert appmaker not happy with submission process
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, Internet, Apple, Developer, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
Jonathan Zdziarski, who has appeared on this pages before for other iPhone-related hijinx, has written an open letter to Apple about the AMBER Alert iPhone app he's written. Apparently he's worked in conjunction with government agencies to set up an iPhone app that can easily and quickly send sighting reports of children gone missing in the United States. And he's unhappy with Apple, because they haven't yet approved it.
His letter, which you can read in full over here, complains that we've got tons of fart apps already approved on the store, but his app still sits in approval purgatory. He actually sounds kind of selfish in the letter to me -- he says he doesn't care about how the App Store works, and that he just wants someone to "pick up the phone" and push his app, which could save children's lives, through.
We've got nothing against the AMBER Alert system, of course, and if it's true that this app can get more reports in and possibly help kids who are in danger, then great. But do we really want Apple picking and choosing which apps get kicked to the front of the line?
Update: looks like the app has been approved. The question remains: what was the holdup?Continue reading AMBER Alert appmaker not happy with submission process
TUAWAMBER Alert appmaker not happy with submission process originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 10 Mar 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Skill up on Adobe products with free video tutorials
Filed under: Software, Education
It's no secret that the American economy is suffering, and many of us are experiencing the cold-water shock of abrupt career shifts and planned or unexpected part-timer-ification. Want to spark up your value to an employer, or gain some new skills to improve your freelance mojo? Adobe's free video tutorials may be right up your alley.
The library of CS3-centric tutorials is extensive, and covers most of the content that was delivered on DVD with the products. The CS4 section is a little thinner, and most of the demos are performed with the Windows versions of the apps, but the videos are still valuable for new feature info. Adobe's full training site covers paid and e-learning options for all the company's technologies, and of course there are many respected third parties offering training on the CS4 suite.
If you've got a favorite training resource, free or fee, let us know below.TUAWSkill up on Adobe products with free video tutorials originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 09 Mar 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - New iPhone Mail app not quite there yet
Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
Everyone pretty much knows the weaknesses of the iPhone mail application. So it was with some excitement that we were able to try ibisMail [App Store link] from some sharp developers in Japan. Alas, while packed with features, it also is limited by its own design, and the shackles Apple puts on applications to keep them from using the full power of the iPhone OS.
IbisMail is US $0.99, and works in English and Japanese on both the iPhone and iPod touch with software 2.2 or greater.
First, the good stuff. ibisMail allows you to read and write in landscape mode, something many people have really wanted for a long time. It gives you a nice keyboard with lots of room, and I do like reading and creating mail in that way. It also supports folders and rules. You can watch for certain characteristics of incoming mail, and send that mail to a particular folder, or even the trash. IbisMail also enables the creation of simple templates for mail replies and mail that is forwarded. Complete details and rather good help files are here.
IbisMail supports POP3, IMAP4, SMTP, and authentications including APOP, POP before SMTP, CRAM-MDS and Digest MDS, as well as SSL connections. IbisMail can view Word, Excel, Power Point, JPEG, GIF, PNG and PDF attachments. So far so good.
On the negative side, I had a devil of a time getting accounts set up. My POP account could receive, but never send, even though I was careful to duplicate all the settings that I have. I've never had such a hassle with any other mail program. Maybe it was me, or they way the stars were aligning, or something about my ISP, but I just couldn't get it to work. I tried to set up my MobileMe account, and had similar problems. The original settings would not work, and when I went back to edit them, they were gone, even though I had saved them. This happened several times. Some people are getting it set up fine, so I'm scratching my head on this issue.
IbisMail also seems to make hash of HTML email that has embedded pictures. They simply don't display. The app also lacks a unified mailbox, just like Apple's mail app on the iPhone, so if you have multiple accounts you get a lot of finger exercise going back and forth through all the accounts to see what mail you have.
Another drawback is that ibisMail can't run in the background (thanks Apple) so you have to open the app to see what mail you actually have.
The developers are very open to improving the ibisMail, and I'm sure they will do what Apple will allow them to do. Frankly, I'm surprised this app was even approved by Apple, given their penchant for nuking any app that treads too closely to the iPhone's built-in functionality.
All in all, I'd rate ibisMail as a good try, but not a compelling upgrade. With some more attention to detail, and some give from Apple, ibisMail could be a very useful addition to your collection of apps.TUAWNew iPhone Mail app not quite there yet originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 09 Mar 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Eminem loses iTunes royalty case
Filed under: Apple Corporate, iTS, iTunes
Eminem's production company, FBT Productions, has been arguing that their artist is entitled to half of all royalties generated by sales of his music in the iTunes Store. Of course, Apple takes a commission before the artist receives their compensation. FBT's argument hinged upon whether the arrangement constitutes a licensing agreement.
MacNN reports that a Los Angeles jury decided no, iTunes is simply another distribution channel, so Em will not be receiving the $1.47 million he was after. Bummer, dude.
This certainly isn't the first time Eminem's legal team has clashed with Apple's. Back in May of 2005, Apple was forced to pull an iPod ad that featured a young user singing (Rapping? Speaking?) the lyrics to "Lose Yourself." The story at the time was that Eminem refused to give Apple permission to use the song, but they did anyway.
Later that same year, the folks at Lugz footwear had Apple pull an Eminem-approved TV ad that looked a lot like their own. Oops.TUAWEminem loses iTunes royalty case originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 09 Mar 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - iPhone app phones home to foil pirates
Filed under: iPhone, App Store, Jailbreak/pwnage
Like many iPhone developers, Ben Chatelain is frustrated to see cracked versions of his project, Full Screen Web Browser, showing up online. Following the usability suggestions of John Gruber, Ben has chosen to do something about it. The latest version of his app has detection capabilities for pirated instances, and reports the UUID of the device back to his server. After 10 days of running a cracked version, users are presented with a "trial over" dialog box and given the option to buy up to the legitimate version.
As antipiracy measures go, this is about as benign as you can get, and it's in good alignment with the stated 'we crack so we can try before buying' philosophy that the crack community espouses; the alternative approach from RipDev may block piracy altogether, but it also involves more work and more cost. There might be some legitimate purchasers who balk at any phone-home capabilitity that includes personally identifiable data, but Ben claims his implementation only pings back from cracked versions.
With the pingback code running, his preliminary stats show that about 10% of the users of his latest version are running unlicensed copies -- that's very low compared to some popular games, where whisper numbers estimate that more than half of all users never paid for the app. It's important to remember that pirated copies ≠ 'lost sales,' at least not at a 1:1 ratio, as most users of cracked copies would never have bought the app at retail. Ben's approach at least gives those users the opportunity to choose a legit copy over a cracked one.
[hat tip to Razorianfly]TUAWiPhone app phones home to foil pirates originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 09 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - More netbook rumors from Asian manufacturers
Filed under: Hardware, Portables, Rumors, Apple
The rumor of an Apple-branded netbook just won't die, and Digitimes has reportedly found more evidence. This is a bit convoluted, so follow closely.
Taiwan-based manufacturer Wintek has supposedly been selected to produce touchscreens for the still-theoretical netbook, which Digitimes corroborates with the following quote from another publication called Commercial Times:
"Wintek revealed that it is currently working with Apple to develop some new products, but it said it does not know what applications the new products are for."
How we go from "...does not know what applications the new products are for" to an Apple-branded netbook is a mystery to us. Still, if you're the type who enjoys thin rumors, there's a nice one for your Monday morning. Enjoy.
[Via MacDailyNews]TUAWMore netbook rumors from Asian manufacturers originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 09 Mar 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Cydia Store now open for jailbreak app sales
Filed under: iPhone, App Store, Jailbreak/pwnage
As previously reported, users of jailbroken phones and the developers who cater to them now have an avenue for commerce in apps: the Cydia Store. Smoking Apples visits the store and has a solid rundown, noting that Amazon Payments is the only funding source for the moment (PayPal is on the way, says Cydia lead Saurik/Jay Freeman). Users who update to the latest version of Cydia on their phones get the store capability automatically; if your phone isn't already jailbroken, though, you'll have to jailbreak it and install Cydia.
The limited number of apps on the store versus the overwhelming bounty of the official App Store may help users find the apps they truly want, says SA. Freeman has a list of apps queued up for release over the next few weeks before he begins accepting unsolicited submissions.
If the functionality you want and need is uncertain or unlikely to show up in the App Store (*ahem* -- tethering, anyone?), would you jailbreak your phone and buy from the Cydia Store?TUAWCydia Store now open for jailbreak app sales originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 09 Mar 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Talkcast reminder: tonight at 10 pm, new Mac chat
Filed under: TUAW Business, Podcasts
Last week, Christina hosted Kai Cherry as they discussed Kai's new app Bang!Bang! and the emergence of firearm apps in the App Store. You can download the show from Talkshoe or subscribe in iTunes.Tonight, join the gang for a discussion of Tuesday's hardware announcements; it'll be worth calling in just to hear me and Dave confess our shame at mocking the 5-port power of the Mac mini photo leaks.
To participate on TalkShoe, you can use the browser-only client, or you can also use the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client; however, for maximum fun, you should call in. For the web UI, just click the "TalkShoe Web" button on our profile page at 10 pm Sunday. To call in on regular phone or VOIP lines (take advantange of your free cellphone weekend minutes if you like): dial (724) 444-7444 and enter our talkcast ID, 45077 -- during the call, you can request to talk by keying in *-8. Talk with you then!
Recording support for the talkcast is provided by Call Recorder from ecamm networks.
TUAWTalkcast reminder: tonight at 10 pm, new Mac chat originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 08 Mar 2009 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Missing Card trick will leave some mystified
Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
Another day, another cool trick makes it to the iPhone/iPod touch. Today it's the Missing Card [App Store Link] for US $0.99.
The effect is that a small group of picture cards are displayed on the iPhone. You are asked to think of one, but not indicate which one you have chosen, and no tapping on the card on the iPhone screen so people don't think that is the secret. There is some nice animation as the cards flip over and one is removed. All the cards are face down. You are asked to reveal your card, and all the cards are turned over but one. Your card is no longer in the group.
It's a nice trick, and an old one. It's generally knows as the Princess Card trick, and after years of being a mainstay for magicians it made it to the web and was widely seen in a number of variations.
This is a nice version of the effect, and the animation is smooth and attractive. My only criticisms are that the magician gets no credit for the trick. it appears that the phone is doing all the heavy lifting. Also, the card left over, the face down one, can't be revealed. I think there are some ways to deal with that if the developer takes the trouble to work it out.
For people who have not seen the trick, it will be a stunner. It's a good little diversion to try in a bar or a party. If you think the secret is too widespread, this is not the trick for you. If the description seems fresh, give it a try on your friends or co-workers.TUAWMissing Card trick will leave some mystified originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 08 Mar 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Facing App Store limbo, StarPlayr developers give up and go home
Filed under: Bad Apple, iPhone, App Store
Last November, as visions of cranberries and turkey danced in our heads, the first tidbits about a forthcoming Sirius/XM app for the iPhone began to emerge on the Howard Stern fan forums. In January, the satellite radio player's name and details were confirmed -- StarPlayr was on the way from NiceMac.
Two weeks ago, word arrived from NiceMac that the app was neither approved nor rejected by Apple... perhaps keeping it out of the way of an official Sirius app rumored last week. No independent developer wants to be in this no-app's-land between approval on the store and a branded app around the corner, so you can probably guess what happens next.
Early this morning, a blog post on the starplayr.com site confirmed what many of us expected: NiceMac is abandoning development of the StarPlayr app, not only on the iPhone but on Windows Mobile as well. Refunds for WinMo licensees will be available on a first-come, first-served basis until NiceMac runs out of cash.
It's a sad and frustrating outcome, not only for the hardworking team behind StarPlayr but also for the eager fans who were ready to lay down their cash for the app. Without some sort of advance roadmap for internal/partner projects from Apple, or a published list of 'no-go zones' for third party developers to stay clear of the official-app juggernaut, this is going to happen again. I understand that competitive pressures may force Apple to keep licensing and development deals under wraps -- chances are, the team answering emails in Developer Relations has no idea what's in the works up in the executive offices -- but there's got to be a way to avoid this deep chill on innovation and investment from third-party devs.
Update: As some commenters have pointed out, the back-end infrastructure of StarPlayr is being shut down, which will disable the WinMo version of the app. This points strongly towards Sirius/XM, and not Apple, as the Big Bad in this scenario.
Thanks JimTUAWFacing App Store limbo, StarPlayr developers give up and go home originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 08 Mar 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Ghost Buddy puts you in the graveyard
Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
Interested in a supernatural gaming experience? Ghost Buddy [App Store link] puts you in the middle of a graveyard at night to try and help some good ghosts and capture the baddies. The US$0.99 game has a unique form of game play. You use your iPhone/iPod touch like a virtual ghost viewer. As you move the phone up, down, left and right your view changes, so you get a 360 degree view of the foggy and spooky graveyard. You can move freely, even look straight down, or up above toward the sky. The good ghosts are white, and you have to return them to their graves. The bad ghosts are red, and you must defend against them.
The graphics are quite good, and if you wear headphones, the 3-D sound is compelling and atmospheric. You also hear a low bass beating heart (it may be your own) as you explore the graveyard. You can control the levels of the game (number of ghosts) and also increase or decrease the fog. If you have 'hints' turned on, red arrows point to the ghosts so you can turn in the correct direction.
The drawback to the game is the control scheme. You are supposed to tap near the bottom of the screen to capture, or defend yourself from a ghost. There are no icons, you just have to refer to the built in instructions to tell you where to tap. It isn't always clear when you have caught a ghost, although there appears to be a special sound that likely marks the event.
Ghost Buddy is an interesting concept, and I'd like to see the developer make the controls more obvious, as well as apply his unique method of viewing the playing field to some other games.
For $0.99, you have more than a ghost of a chance of enjoying the game.
Update: The author of the program reports that he has submitted an updated version of the program which shows the control buttons on screen. That should make a big difference in how the game plays. Look for the update to version 1.3 very soon.TUAWGhost Buddy puts you in the graveyard originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 06 Mar 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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