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- TUAW Faceoff: MovieWedge vs. MiniRizer
Filed under: iPod Family, Reviews, TUAW Faceoff
MovieWedge and MiniRizer essentially do the same thing: they provide a stand for your iPhone, iPod, or other teensy portable device (BlackBerry Storm?). If you've ever sat for an hour on a plane, holding your iPhone in your hand like a dope, staring down at the screen trying to enjoy, let's say, Koyaanisqatsi, then you realize there's a market for these things. I had a hard time choosing a favorite here, but I have to say that MovieWedge wins by a nose.
MiniRizer is by longtime manufacturer Matias, and it's a miniaturized version of their iRizer -- a laptop stand. The MiniRizer is comprised of two clear plastic rectangles, designed to fit into each other to form a shelf with a backplate. This is perfect for the majority of phones or portable media players out there. But of course, it's really perfect for an iPhone or iPod touch.
The MiniRizer provides two slots for assembly, which gives you two viewing angles: 40 and 50 degrees. The two plastic pieces fit into an envelope that comes with the product. Finally, the plastic "lip" where the iPhone would sit includes a little rubber for gripping the device. As anyone who has tried to sit their iPhone up on a desk, it's the slippage that winds up being the pain (I have been known to carry a large rubber band from a bunch of broccoli in my pocket to fashion an improvised anti-slip surface).
Read on for more, or check out the gallery below.Continue reading TUAW Faceoff: MovieWedge vs. MiniRizer
TUAWTUAW Faceoff: MovieWedge vs. MiniRizer originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Mar 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Beta Beat: TweetDeck ripe with potential
Filed under: Software, Internet Tools, Beta Beat
Since it's turned into Twitter Thursday around here... In a moment of sheer frustration with Twitterrific, I sent out a call on my Twitter feed for recommendations of a desktop Twitter client. Several folks replied with a nod to TweetDeck, an Adobe AIR-based client currently in development for OS X, Linux, and Windows.
TweetDeck is a pretty neat program. The selling point is the ability to split your main Twitter feed into subfeeds that you can then organize into different groups. You can have Twitter be as narrow as a single column while you scroll back and forth in it, or you can make it full-screen and have your monitor filled with nothing but tweeting goodness.
There's a lot of features as well. If you go over the 140-character limit, you can hit a "TweetShrink" button that will turn some of the words to LOL-speak in order to fit the limit. You can upload pictures -- clicking on the TwitPic button will upload the image file to TwitPic and give you the URL for your feed -- and you can shorten URLs via your choice of service by clicking the "Shorten" button.
Another very cool feature is the ability to translate your tweets into another language. The translation is pretty accurate -- even for more difficult languages such as the Japanese I tested with the application. The program itself is highly customizable, and you can tweak the colors and fonts to whatever you like. You can also set different update times for various feeds: for example, you can have your main friends update every minute, but your private messages every five minutes.
TweetDeck is extremely polished for a beta client and I've yet to get the error messages that plagued me with Twitterrific. If you're searching for a free desktop client for Twitter, it's hard to beat this one.
TweetDeck is in public beta and requires the Adobe AIR runtime, which is a Universal binary and needs OS X 10.4.11 or higher. AIR will be installed during the TweetDeck installation process if you do not already have it.TUAWBeta Beat: TweetDeck ripe with potential originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - A tweet for a case
Filed under: Accessories, iBook, PowerBook, MacBook, iPhone
We're not sure what someone has been putting in the water lately, but two separate vendors pinged us with case giveaways within minutes of each other. They're both using Twitter as the entry mechanism for the giveaways.
The first giveaway is from our buddies at Evernote, who want you to win one of ten Griffin Clarifi iPhone 3G cases every Friday in March. The Clarifi is pretty sweet, with a built-in closeup lens for taking snaps that are perfect for Evernote.To enter, all you need to do is send a Twitter message containing the #EvernoteClarifiGiveaway hash tag.
Not to be out-cased, RadTech is doing a giveaway of 5 NeoCases. These are sweet form-fitting sleeve cases for MacBooks, iBooks, and PowerBooks. How do you enter? Tweet @radtech with a clever statement including the word "Neocase", and you're entered. The drawing will be held Monday, March 9, 2008, and you'll be able to choose the size of NeoCase for your favorite Mac notebook.
What are you waiting for? Get tweeting and win a case!TUAWA tweet for a case originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Mar 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Postbox Beta 8 solves issues, adds QuickLook support
Filed under: Software, Beta Beat
If you're in the market for a new email client to try, I mentioned Postbox a few weeks ago. Late yesterday, the Postbox team released beta 8, which features an improved conversation view, and new and improved support for QuickLook, Flickr, Hotmail, and Growl.The beta also fixes many bugs found by users (including myself) and performance enhancements. Also, Postbox is heeding user suggestions to become more Mac-like, including keyboard shortcuts in menus, improved notification for unread messages in the dock, and the aforementioned QuickLook and Growl integration. Full release notes are available on the Postbox website.
Performance appears to be about the same -- which is to say pretty good -- and indexing on my 2006-vintage black MacBook still occasionally ramps the fans up to hurricane strength. I've been using Postbox as my primary email client for about three weeks, and its held up to my demanding workflow, but still has a ways to go before it becomes the killer email app.
Still, if you're a high-volume email consumer, Postbox is a solid option for you. Postbox is free (and will continue to be free, so far as we know), universal binary, and requires Mac OS X 10.4 or higher.
TUAWPostbox Beta 8 solves issues, adds QuickLook support originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Mar 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - MLB At Bat ready for 2009
Filed under: Software, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
My all-time favorite iPhone app, MLB's At Bat [App Store link], is all new for the 2009 baseball season. For the uninitiated, At Bat provides nearly real-time statistics for ongoing games, including scoring, current batter and pitcher, stats, the count at the plate ... even video clips from a game that's in progress.
Late last year they added MLB Gameday for pitch-by-pitch updates, and the full '09 version (when it launches) will extend that with support for Gameday audio. You'll be able to listen to the home or away broadcast of any game. That's great.
For now, you can download At Bat Lite, which includes scores from pre-season games as well as news from throughout the league before opening day. As a baseball fan, I love At Bat. It's worth the $5US price tag many times over.
[Via Macworld]TUAWMLB At Bat ready for 2009 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 05 Mar 2009 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - MacHeist offers free licenses for DEVONthink via Twitter promotionMacHeist is calling it a "TweetBlast," we'll call it savvy marketing, but you'll probably just call it "free software, woo!" In an effort to pump up the number of Twitter followers for the MacHeist challenges & software bundle, the team is offering followers (who are willing to post a promotional message) a free license for DEVONthink. The software, normally $50US, allows you to store your files and personal data in lots of structured, tagged and classified ways -- Brett previewed the 2.0 beta in December.
Getting your free copy is pretty straightforward; you'll have to follow the MacHeist Twitter account, and then as noted you're required to tweet a promo message for the TweetBlast itself; not sure whether that's 'recursive advertising,' a recession-buster special or plain ol' viral marketing, but free apps are free apps. When you get DEVONthink, you'll also get Hyperspaces and Overflow as well. Also, participants should know that the DEVONthink licenses are for the soon-to-be-obsoleted 1.x version of the app, but if you want to roll your copy forward to the upcoming 2.0 version you'll be able to do so for the upgrade price of $20.
Full details are at the MacHeist website.TUAWMacHeist offers free licenses for DEVONthink via Twitter promotion originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Mar 2009 22:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Scramble Live lets iPhone users play against Facebook users
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Gaming, Software, iTunes, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
Zynga has released a new iPhone game called Scramble Live, and while the game itself isn't anything really new -- it's Boggle, basically -- the technology is pretty interesting. They've already got a Facebook version up and running with over a million users, and the new app will let you play against other users, on both the iPhone and Facebook, in real-time. That's a pretty impressive hook -- rather than building up a new social audience, you can just carry away your Facebook friends and play with them while you're on the iPhone.
Unfortunately, there's a catch (isn't there always?) -- the game's iTunes page says the live game is only available over 3G or Wifi, so us first-gen iPhone users are out of luck for that mode. But there's also a solo mode, as well as a "pass and play" version that you can use to play with people around you.
The game's "on sale" at $2.99 until March 9th, when it'll jump back up to $4.99. If you're a fan of the Facebook version and want to try out some cross-platform gameplay, give it a look.TUAWScramble Live lets iPhone users play against Facebook users originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Mar 2009 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Goodbye, FireWire 400
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Hardware, Humor, Peripherals, Apple, Mac mini, MacBook, Mac Pro
As Macworld notes, this is it for the ol' Firewire 400. With the introduction of the new Mac mini the other day and the refresh of the Mac Pro and iMac lines, the old version of Firewire is left only on the white MacBook. It's evolution at its finest, and our good friend Nilay Patel over at Engadget put together this perfect video showing just how hard it is to say goodbye to yesterday.
As I said on the Talkcast a long time ago when this was first hinted at, it's not a huge loss in my eyes. This is an outdated standard, and if you've got anything sitting around that absolutely requires a FireWire 400 port (and you've already upgraded completely to a computer that doesn't have one), then it's time for an upgrade. Those happen, you know -- there's a reason they're not selling Polaroid film any more. Besides, FW800 ports can easily drive your FW400 gear with a $8 cable.
Nostalgia, however, is a powerful force. So it's with a damp hankerchief and wet eyes that some of us will bid farewell to FireWire 400. Long live FireWire 800!TUAWGoodbye, FireWire 400 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Toy Bot Diaries drops to 99 cents, is giving away $10,000
Filed under: Gaming, Developer, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
Toy Bot Diaries is a fun little series of platforming games with a physics twist -- you probably saw it on those early iPod touch gaming commercials. It features a little robot jumping around levels with a grappling hook and some magnetic boots. If you haven't picked it up yet, now's the time to do so. IUGO has lowered the price on the whole series, and you can get each of the three versions of the game for just 99 cents a piece. At $4, the game wasn't bad, but at just a buck, it's definitely worth picking up.
And that's not all -- they're also giving away $10,000 (and a smattering of gift cards and game codes) for playing through the games. You need to pick up all three games, and then pick up 25 of the "datapad" collectibles from each game, for a total of 75, at which point you'll get a chance to enter your email address for submission into the contest. Getting the datapads isn't hard at all, we're told, and the game is a good time anyway.
The contest ends on Monday March 16th, and IUGO says they're not sure when the prices on the games will go back up, so now's probably the time to get with the playing. No better way to promote a game than make the price cheap and give away lots of money.TUAWToy Bot Diaries drops to 99 cents, is giving away $10,000 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Mar 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - TUAW Bookshelf: iPhone in Action
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iPhone, iPod touch, TUAW Bookshelf
I've never found book reviews to be terribly helpful -- technical book reviews even less so, as how one learns differs from person to person. Some iPhone devs out there learned simply by poring over Apple's copious documentation. Others have been poking at the iPhone's innards since pre-SDK days, learning as they went from forums and good old hacking. But once the NDA lifted, the floodgates of iPhone dev books opened.
Each book and each publisher has a different angle both in content and presentation. Each book may appeal to different people and different learning styles with different backgrounds (not to mention the numerous sites, blogs and video resources out there beyond what Apple provides). Over the course of 2009 we'll be taking a look at some books in a new series called TUAW Bookshelf. We won't just be covering developer resources, either. There's a wide world of Apple-related reading out there, so stay tuned as we pull from our personal libraries and share our thoughts on what's available.
To kick things off I read iPhone in Action by Christopher Allen and Shannon Appelcline, published by Manning. I wound up reading this first because one of the authors threw a few copies at me while at Macworld (sorry, I don't know who you are and I can't seem to find your business card!). We've got a few to give away, but look for that in another post this month.
iPhone in Action is designed to be a soup-to-nuts intro to almost everything you can develop for the iPhone. This includes web apps, which was the book's main focus until the SDK was announced while they were writing. I don't think shifting focus to the SDK is a bad thing, and as near as I can tell it didn't hurt the content. In fact, I thought this book would make an excellent primer to Apple's mobile platform efforts. Having taught technology for six years, I can say this is the book I'd use for a 100-level course in developing for the iPhone. I'm not saying it will make you into an expert overnight, and I'm not saying you can't come to the table with zero dev experience, but as a starting point, it is wonderful. To find out why, keep reading...Continue reading TUAW Bookshelf: iPhone in Action
TUAWTUAW Bookshelf: iPhone in Action originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Mar 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - TUAW Review: The Haptique hard shell case
Filed under: Accessories, Reviews, MacBook
As someone who usually likes to go "commando" with his tech, I was highly skeptical as to the usefulness, at least to me, of the new Haptique hard shell case for the 13" aluminum MacBook. Made by the good folks at Uniea out of ABS plastic and designed to be hard on the outside, but soft and protective on the inside, this product is made to help keep your precious laptop from getting any dents, scratches or other blemishes that a somewhat soft and shiny Mac can get while in use.
After using the product for a couple weeks and it most-definitely providing protection for my MacBook in several situations, I'm happy to say that my reservations about it were completely unfounded. In fact, this product has the virtue of being not only very useful, but rather unique in that it works exactly as advertised -- not something you always see with products these days.
Removing the Haptique from the packaging and attaching it to my shiny aluminum MacBook could not have been easier. You just slide the MacBook into the bottom piece, then attach the top piece and that's it. Once done, your MacBook fits snugly inside its hard protective case ready for the bumps and grinds of your daily life.
The designers have, of course, seen fit to include spaces for all of the ports on the side of the MacBook and for the optical drive. Plus, they've made sure to provide ample holes for ventilation in the rear so your Mac doesn't have a problem with overheating. All in all, the Haptique hard shell case is a great product made all the better by its simplicity. Much like Apple products, it just works. And really, that's all you can ask.
The Haptique from Uniea comes in several colors including blue, green, black and pink and retails for $49.95. That may seem like a lot to some, but to protect your investment in a MacBook that sells for at least $1299.00, its a rather small price to pay for this level of protection. Check 'em out.TUAWTUAW Review: The Haptique hard shell case originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Mar 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Free Ambiance Classic available to pacify upset users
Filed under: Software, iPhone, iPod touch
Ambiance creator Matt Coneybeare is temporarily offering a free copy of version 1.0 as a gesture of goodwill to the negative backlash to the 2.0 upgrade of the iPhone audio app.
When released last summer, Ambiance (link opens iTunes) -- along with aSleep -- introduced "environmental enhancers" to the iPhone. These apps would produce sounds ranging from rain and storms to pieces of technology to white noise. The intended effect is to drown out background noise, such as the annoying leaf blower currently being used outside my window, and let you concentrate on your work or get some sleep.
Ambiance 1.0, now renamed to Ambiance Classic, was well-received. In a review done back in August, Brett noted that some of the sounds were surprisingly good and that the application was easy to use. As with aSleep, Ambiance Classic included all of the sounds with the application. Over time, Ambiance gained features and additional sounds, swelling up to a download that was more than 50MB (Ambiance Classic clocks in at 51.1MB).Continue reading Free Ambiance Classic available to pacify upset users
TUAWFree Ambiance Classic available to pacify upset users originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - WWNC '09 official announcements and the 2010 bug
Filed under: Accessories, Hardware, Portables, Apple History
Each year, a crew of Newton users, developers and devotees gathers to celebrate the little green device, discuss projects, share resources and generally have fun. As a Newton owner myself, I've wanted to attend one of these for years.
This summer's event features sessions by Grant Hutchinson, Ryan Vetter and (tentatively) Paul Guyot, who will discuss NPDS, modern uses of the Newton and the Einstein Project, respectively. You can get a full list of presentation topics here.
One topic that I'm sure will be on everyone's mind is the 2010 bug. Briefly, the Newton's clock has a 17-year life, which was born in 1993 and ends in 2010. January 5, 2010 to be exact. Some users have reported erratic behavior when they've tried to schedule calendar events after that date, sometimes requiring a hard reset to escape. This seems to be limited to Newton OS 2.1 devices only.
Eckhart Köppen is working on a fix, but it won't be easy, as a system patch will be required. Former Newton team engineer John Arkley had this to say in 1999:"...Building and testing a System Update is complex and expensive process and no single engineer could do it. The Newton OS only supports ONE system patch, so ALL the existing 'fixes' and any new ones have to be combined together to combined to create the 'next' System Update."
Still, Eckhart feels it can be done. From what I know of him through the NewtonTalk mailing list, I'm inclined to believe him. In the meantime, check out the "Ramp Up Clip" to get yourself in the mood. WWNC '09 will take place from July 31st - August 2nd in Vancouver, BC, Canada.TUAWWWNC '09 official announcements and the 2010 bug originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Mar 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - First Look: VegOut, for your vegetarian dining needs
Filed under: Software, iPhone, App Store
"I did not become a vegetarian for my health, I did it for the health of the chickens."
I've been a vegetarian for over a decade now, and I'm very familiar with the predicament of being in a new city and not having the foggiest idea where to look for a restaurant which caters to my particular lifestyle choices. When I heard about VegOut, I was immediately hopeful that my iPhone would, once again, provide a solution to a real-life problem. I was not disappointed.
VegOut is powered by happycow.net, an community aggregator for reviews and locations of vegan, vegetarian and veg-friendly restaurants. VegOut provides location awareness, touch navigation and a great-looking front end for this very useful service. It provides ratings, contact info, maps and can filter by your specific vegan/vegetarian preferences. If you're going out with a group of omnivores, or trying to please a vegan in the group but still keep the rest of the carnivores well-fed, VegOut can help. In addition to "current location" search, it can also search any location you specify. Reviews of a restaurant can be loaded from happycow.net in VegOut's internal browser, and you can easily jump from there to Mobile Safari to add your own reviews, email the page, etc.. I'm discovering new restaurants across the country, and all of my current favorite restaurants have shown up. My newest culinary crush (Soul Vegetarian East in Chicago) came up with a 5-star rating, and I found some reviews of dishes I can't wait to go back and try. VegOut is available in the App Store (iTunes link) for $4.99US.
Champ Bennett, author of VegOut, has announced a 24-hour sale for TUAW readers, dropping the price to $3.99US. You can follow @VegOutApp on Twitter for updates. I don't know how many TUAW readers have sworn off the meat for one reason or another, but this is one handy application for the traveling vegetarian.
TUAWFirst Look: VegOut, for your vegetarian dining needs originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Mar 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - iFixit dismantles new iMac
As usual, our friends at iFixit have taken apart the latest hardware from Apple. Inside the new 20" iMac, they found that the machine's innards live behind the display, which must first be removed (this isn't new, but a lot less convenient than the G5s with their removable rear panel).
Notable is that the AU Optronics M302EW02 display isn't LED backlit, but has a CCFL backlight (four of them in fact, each run by its own high-voltage AC power). Also, the crew had to remove 22 screws before getting at the 12.7mm SATA 8x double-layer SuperDrive, which features a screw-free design. Go figure.
Finally, they uncovered six temperature sensors, the largest resting above above the 2.66 GHz Core 2 Duo processor, of course.
While my first inclination after receiving a brand new iMac certainly wouldn't be to take it apart, I'm glad that's just me. Thanks, iFixit!
[Via MacNN]TUAWiFixit dismantles new iMac originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Mar 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - AroundMe updates, improves
Filed under: Software, Internet Tools
AroundMe [App Store link] has always been a must have app for my iPhone. Now it has been updated to make it even better. Since it's free, having it on your phone is a no-brainer.
In this latest edition you can chose a category of places, e.g., restaurants, hospitals, supermarkets and so on. You then get the usual list of destinations closest to you, along with a web site if one exists, and a phone number.
If you click on the map button, you'll get a split screen with a map showing the closest 4 destinations, along with your current location. In the lower half of the screen, you get the usual list of the closest locations. This new feature is really helpful in visualizing where your destinations are, as the closest might not always be the most desirable. The 'nearby' function allows you to link to Wikipedia entries for things around you like museums or historical sites.
AroundMe runs on the iPhone and iPod touch, and requires iPhone software version 2.2 or greater. It supports English, French, German, Dutch, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Swedish.
There are other apps that have similar functions, but I keep coming back to AroundMe because it is fast, is usually very up to date via Google info, and is easy to use.TUAWAroundMe updates, improves originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Ask TUAW: Finder annoyances, backing up a MacBook, recovering data from an iPod on Windows and more
Filed under: Features, Troubleshooting, Ask TUAW
This week in Ask TUAW we've got questions about installing Boot Camp, using 1Password data on Windows, backing up a MacBook Pro, extracting data from an iPod touch 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: Finder annoyances, backing up a MacBook, recovering data from an iPod on Windows and more originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Mar 2009 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Mac mini unboxing and dissection
Filed under: Cult of Mac, Mac mini
The guys at Macminicolo.net have already gotten their hands on a new Mac mini, and they offer not only the obligatory unboxing, but a dis-assembly as well. As before it seems you can take the mini apart with a putty knife. A few parts have been moved around or re-oriented, and there are now three antennas as well as a SATA optical drive (i.e. SuperDrive).
Now that they've got a look at the guts they promise to start benchmarking the new minis in server performance. Needless to say, they're optimistic that the new machines will make even better servers than the last model.
Thanks Brian!
[via 9to5Mac]TUAWMac mini unboxing and dissection originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Mar 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - The rumors were true -- you can turn your iPhone into a Kindle
Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
You knew it was going to happen. Today Amazon is offering a free app [App Store link] for the iPhone/iPod touch that will give owners of those devices access to all the books Amazon sells for the Kindle eBook reader. The Kindle, which was updated last month, costs US $359.00. Amazon says it has a library of more than 240,000 eBooks for sale.
The app does not make a direct connection to the Kindle store. You'll have to use Safari on the iPhone, iPod touch, or computer to actually buy the content. If you own a Kindle already, you will be able to sync the books you have over to the iPhone.
Amazon says it has been working on the software for months, and sees it as a gateway to get people interested in buying a Kindle.
One of the advantages of the Kindle app is that you will be able to see color illustrations in books, something not possible on the Kindle hardware, which only shows images in shades of gray.
The iPhone version of the software does not have the controversial text to speech feature that has raised the eyebrows of companies selling audio books. Friday, Amazon said it would let publishers selectively turn off that feature on the Kindle.
Thanks to everyone who sent this in.TUAWThe rumors were true -- you can turn your iPhone into a Kindle originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 04 Mar 2009 01:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Apple releases a bevy of Software Updates
Filed under: iLife, Airport, Software Update
Apparently, to go along with today's hardware updates, Apple has also pushed down a number of updates via both Software Update and at Apple's Support Download site. The updates include:
- iPhoto 8.0.1 which "improves overall stability and addresses minor issues in a number of areas, including internet connectivity, keyword import, and slideshow export."
- iLife Support 9.0.1 which "improves overall stability and addresses a number of other minor issues. It is recommended for all users of Aperture, iLife '09, and iWork '09."
- AirPort Client Update 2009-001 for Intel Macs, which "addresses issues with roaming and network selection in dual-band environments."
- AirPort Utility 5.4.1 (Mac) for managing the Airport Express, Extreme, and Time Capsules.
- AirPort Utility 5.4.1 Windows - ditto for the dark side.
TUAWApple releases a bevy of Software Updates originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Mar 2009 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Infectious expands iPod options
Filed under: Accessories, iPod Family
Back in December, I wrote up a little piece on Infectious, a company that produces adhesive art for laptops and the iPhone. The company has just expanded its options to include art options for the current iPod Nano, Touch, and Classic models, priced at $9.99USD. In addition to this, the company is running a contest where they are giving away five free skins every week.
Infectious has also greatly expanded the variety of art available, with ongoing submissions for potential artists. The added art for the iPod models greatly closes the gap between it and GelaSkins, and I'm happy not only to see this company grow, but amazing creative talent that is being displayed on both sites that enables you to turn your iPod, iPhone or laptop into a piece of art.TUAWInfectious expands iPod options originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Mar 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Apple's new keyboards sans number pads
Filed under: Hardware, Peripherals
One of the more subtle additions in the bevy of new hardware announcements this morning was the introduction of a new slim keyboard (scroll down) with the iMacs. It basically looks like a wired version of Apple's Bluetooth wireless keyboard in that it's missing the numeric keypad. On the other hand, like its bigger (still available) wired sibling it offers two USB ports at the ends.
If you go to the online Apple store and configure a new iMac the new slim version is the default, though you can select the keypad version for no extra cost. On the other hand, the new Mac Pros come with the extended version by default with the slim version as a free option.
This seems like a slightly strange extra option to me, but I suppose if you never use the keypad and want a bit of extra desk space it might be worth it. Strangely, Apple's keyboard page does not yet list the new model.
Thanks Aaron!TUAWApple's new keyboards sans number pads originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Mar 2009 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Taking it too far: Ice Pod ice cream bars
Filed under: Humor, Cult of Mac, Odds and ends
Oh, those crazy Norwegians. Ice cream maker Henning Olsen has announced their plans to produce a chocolate covered-ice cream bar that looks like, you guessed it, an iPod. The iPod Classic, to be exact.
But wait, there's more! Each "IcePod" as they're called comes with access to a free song by a Norwegian artist. Details are unclear as to exactly who is providing the download, though. Supposedly they're in production right now and should hit stores sometime in March.
Norwegian newspaper Dagbladet speculates whether the IcePod will draw Apple's attention in a less-than-sweet way. Keep your eyes peeled, Norway-bound TUAW readers, and let us know if you see one of these, and what the deal is with the download.
Thanks, Jørn!TUAWTaking it too far: Ice Pod ice cream bars originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Mar 2009 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Mac Pro refresh brings high-end graphics to the Mac
Filed under: Desktops, Hardware, Mac Pro
Today's new hardware announcement refreshed the Mac mini and iMac lines, and at long last, the Mac Pro was also given some love. In the 14 months since the last Mac Pro refresh there have been some significant hardware changes within the microprocessor world and within Apple's own line. The result meant that the Mac Pro, while still a beast, wasn't as cutting-edge as it has been in the past. Let's look at the update and see if that story has changed.
Processor and Chipset
The big news with this Mac Pro update is the Quad-Core Intel Xeon "Nehalem" processor. Intel's "Nehalem" is the latest breakthrough in Intel's 45nm space. The Mac Pro may actually be the first commercially available computer that uses the Nehalem-based Intel Xeon. The base configuration is a Quad-Core 2.66 Ghz Intel Xeon, but you can configure a Mac Pro with two Quad-Core 2.93 Ghz Xeons, effectively meaning 8 cores. As far as I know, the 16-core option for the latest Xeon won't be available until later this year. To put it another way, this is bleeding edge.
Looking at Apple's benchmarks (obviously, the independent tests that are sure to come will probably give a more accurate overall picture), the 8-Core 2.93 Nehalem-based Xeon processor offers some significant speed increases over last generation's 8-Core Xeon 3.2 Ghz.
Aside from pure processor speed, the new chipsets include an integrated memory controller, Intel's QuickPath, Turbo Boost and Hyper-Threading technologies. The Hyper-Threading implementation is especially interesting because it means you can run two threads on each core, effectively meaning your Mac can recognize 16 virtual cores on an 8-core system. This is a virtualization nut's dream.
On the memory front, a single Quad-Core Mac Pro can take up to 8 GB of RAM. If you do the 8-core option, that capacity expands to 32 GB.
Graphics and Displays
Last October, Apple committed itself to using DisplayPort technology for its products and displays. The unfortunate side-effect of that decision meant that users wanting a Mac Pro to go with that sexy new 24" Cinema Display were out of luck, because those displays require a Mini DisplayPort, something the previous generation Mac Pros just didn't support. No more. The new Mac Pro features both Mini DisplayPort and a dual-link DVI port, so you can hook up both a 30" Cinema Display and that new 24" LED beauty.
Apple is touting the new Mac Pro as having "the fastest Mac graphics ever". Indeed, the stock NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 (note, NVIDIA changed the naming convention of its graphics chipsets recently, but the GT 120 is based on the 9500GT chipset) with 512 MB of GDDR3 RAM is a pretty decent start, especially for video professionals. You can customize the Mac Pro to include the ATI Radeon HD 4870 with 512MB of GDDR5 memory, which is one of the latest and greatest cards available from ATI.
You can put in up to four GT 120 cards in the Mac Pro, meaning you can drive as many as 8 displays off the Mac Pro. That's the video setup of my dreams.
Continue reading Mac Pro refresh brings high-end graphics to the Mac
TUAWMac Pro refresh brings high-end graphics to the Mac originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Mar 2009 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - On this day in 1985...
Filed under: Hardware, Peripherals, Blast From the Past, Apple History, This Old Apple
Sure, the Mac made a big splash back in January of 1984, but that didn't make it a popular desktop computer for the enterprise. Most companies looked at the Mac the same way they do now; as an overpriced toy that wasn't compatible with the IBM PCs of the day.
What started sneaking Macs into corporations wasn't the color Mac II or the original Microsoft Excel. No, it was the Apple LaserWriter, which was introduced on March 3, 1985 at the everyday low price of $6,995. For the first time, companies and individuals could get high-quality black and white printouts of their documents from a fast, 300 dpi printer.
The LaserWriter also introduced Adobe Postscript to a wider audience, as it was embedded in the raster image processor for the printer. The LaserWriter was the first printer to feature the AppleTalk Personal Network, so the expensive 8 page per minute printer could be shared with a workgroup.
When you use your little sub-$100 black and white laser printer today, remember those hardy pioneers of the Mac world who sacrificed their wallets to eventually bring you low-cost laser printing.
Thanks to Hadley for the tip!
[via Apple Matters]TUAWOn this day in 1985... originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Mar 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Apple updates Time Capsule and Airport Extreme with internet sharing
Filed under: Hardware, Airport
A closer look at the gaggle of Apple hardware updates today shows a rather useful change to both Time Capsule and the Airport Extreme base station.
MobileMe members can access any file on a hard drive connected to either product via the internet. The older versions allowed hard drive sharing to people on the same network. Now the feature has been extended to allow you to get these files from anywhere.
You initiate the sharing by registering your Airport Extreme or Time Capsule with your MobileMe account. When you are away from your Mac, that hard drive will show up in the Finder sidebar. The drive must be a USB drive -- there is no support for either flavor of Firewire on the AE or TC.
It does not appear that this remote sharing feature has been added to the last generation of these products, although a firmware update might be able to accomplish it. No word from Apple on whether or not this will happen. Update: the Apple Sales internal site (thanks Mr. X) is listing the following... looks like that feature is going to work on the older gear!Note for existing AirPort Extreme and Time Capsule customers
This update is obviously designed to boost the attractiveness of the MobileMe service, to which Apple has been showing increased attention of late. Apple specifies that Leopard is needed for this feature, so Windows subscribers to MobileMe appear to be out of luck
Existing AirPort Extreme (MA073 and MB053) and Time Capsule (MB276 and MB277) customers can access their AirPort Disk / Time Capsule disk through Mobile Me over the Internet by upgrading to AirPort Utility 5.4.1 and AirPort firmware 7.4.1. Subscription to Mobile Me online services is required for this feature. Simultaneous dual-band Wi-Fi and Guest Networking features are only available to new AirPort Extreme (MB763) and Time Capsule (MB764 and MB765) customers.
Thanks to everyone who sent this in.TUAWApple updates Time Capsule and Airport Extreme with internet sharing originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Mar 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - First Look: Wild West Guns
Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
We've been gushing over Gameloft's foray into iPhone game development for a while now, and it seems that the more good things we say about them, the better the iPhone games they make. Their latest game is no exception. Wild West Guns [iTunes link] brings gun fights and western themes right to your iPhone -- just draw your iPhone from its holster and tap to open this app.
The game is composed of different levels ranging from saloons, stables, and a moving train (my favorite level). You tap on different objects (people, animals, tin cans, signs etc.) to shoot the gun; when you do, people will fall over in a realistically animated style. There are six different levels inside of 5 different difficulties (normal, hard, survivor, reload, and sniper) making for an extended life of the game.
Probably the coolest thing in the game is that you aren't limited to only shooting the target at hand ... you can shoot pretty much anything in the background to earn points. My favorite scene was in a saloon where you were able to shoot the candle holders, windows, etc. to earn more points. Sometimes an enemy might grab you, and you have to shake your iPhone in order to break their grip. This makes for an interactive play experience that isn't found in most iPhone games.
If you like apps that feature gunplay, then you'll no doubt find Wild West Guns entertaining and fun. If you do plan on playing this game in public, however, we suggest that you mute the volume or play with headphones. Wild West Guns is available from the iTunes App Store for $4.99US.TUAWFirst Look: Wild West Guns originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Mar 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Apple offers MacBook battery update and more RAW compatibility
Filed under: Software Update, MacBook
Apple released two separate software updates yesterday. The MacBook Battery Update 1.4 "improves the ability of MacBook batteries to maintain a charge when the system is shut down and not used for an extended period of time" and is for 13" MacBooks.
In addition, the Digital Camera RAW Compatibility Update 2.5 adds RAW support for the Nikon D3X and Epson R-D1x in iPhoto '08 & '09 as well as Aperture 2.
The battery update and the RAW update are both free downloads from Apple.TUAWApple offers MacBook battery update and more RAW compatibility originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Mar 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Peggle Nights out for Mac, leisure time at risk
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Gaming, Humor, Software
Peggle Nights is now out for Mac. The game costs $19.95 (there's a 60-min free trial available if you just want to check it out), and is as addictive as crack cocaine covered in sugar, drizzled with chocolate, and floating in original formula Coca-Cola. It should probably be illegal for PopCap to release games -- any court would convict them of the mass murder of free time around the world.
Don't believe us? Patrick Klepek over at the MTV Multiplayer blog tried out the game when it showed up on his desk, and let's just say he doesn't have that job any more. Of course, that's unrelated (we think), but still -- PopCap makes some addictive videogames, and Peggle is at the top of the list. Play with caution. And don't forget that the iPhone version of the game is still due out sometime this month.TUAWPeggle Nights out for Mac, leisure time at risk originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Mar 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Four flavors of iMac
The iMac has come such a long way from the days when it resembled a very chic lampshade. The best part about the refresh of the iMac line is the introduction of a 24-inch model for only $1,499, thus proving that the rumor mill is right once again, though the mutterings of an iMac refresh have been audible since prior to Macworld.
We're now down to one 20" model for $1199US, which features a 2.66GHz Intel Core 2 duo processor, 2GB memory (upgradeable to 8GB), 320GB hard drive, 8x double-layer SuperDrive and a NVIDIA GeForce 9400M video card with 256MB of shared DDR3 memory.
We now have three flavors of 24" iMacs to choose from now, ranging from $1499US up to $2199US. The $1499 model has the same 2.66GHz processor as the 20" while the $1799 bumps you up to 2.93GHz (3.06GHz optional) and the $2199 has 3.06GHz. All three 24" models come with 4GB memory with the option to upgrade to 8. The two lower-end 24" models come with 640GB hard drives (can be upgraded to 1TB), while the high-end comes with a 1TB drive.
The $1499 24" has the same video card as the 20", but the $1799 model has a NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 with 256MB of GDDR3 memory video card and the $2199 model has a NVIDIA GeForce GT 130 with 512MB of GDDR3 memory video card. Both of these models can upgrade to a ATI Radeon HD 4850 with 512MB of GDDR3 memory for an additional $200.All the models come with six USB ports, sorta: Four on the machine itself and two on the keyboard, then a single FireWire 800 port, built-in iSight camera and MiniDisplayPort. It also comes with a wired keyboard -- sans numeric keypad. If you want a wired keyboard with a numeric keypad, it's free but you'll have to indicate it when doing a BTO order on Apple's site.
Apple seems to be out to make 20" displays a thing of the past as the iMac narrows its line down to the one 20" machine, and the 20" Cinema Display has disappered completely. By introducing a third 24" iMac at the same price of the former high-end 20", Apple is making sure that these larger machines are becoming more affordable.
TUAWFour flavors of iMac originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Mar 2009 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - But wait, there's more: MacBook Pro gets a small speed boost
Filed under: Hardware, Apple, Macbook Pro
In all of this morning's hubbub about the new Mac mini, Mac Pro, and iMac, Apple seems to have sneaked in a speed bump to the 15" MacBook Pro.
The top standard configuration of the 15" MacBook Pro now has a 2.66 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, slightly faster than the previous model which came standard with a 2.53 GHz processor. If you really want to max out your MacBook Pro, you can add a $300 configure-to-order option that plunks a 2.93 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo under the hood. That's 4.6% faster for those of you who are into the minutiae of processor speeds.
The price tag for the standard top-of-the-line configuration 15" MacBook Pro remains at US$2,499.
[via Macworld]TUAWBut wait, there's more: MacBook Pro gets a small speed boost originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Mar 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Mac mini refresh, what's new?
I'm a big fan of the Mac mini: a surprisingly capable machine in an impossibly small size. There have only been a few major snags for me in the time I've owned Mac minis, and most of those were cleared up this morning. I know some will be disappointed to lose the FireWire 400 port, but I'm ecstatic about the FireWire 800 replacement. Second, I've always had to put a 4-port USB hub on my mini, and really only ever needed one more port ... I'm apparently not alone, as Apple added a fifth USB port as well.
The graphics boost will be a great upgrade for my media center. I'm still waiting for the Apple TV/Mac mini mashup to happen, but for now the NVIDIA GeForce 9400M graphics card with Mini DisplayPort and Mini-DVI video out will do nicely. Have you been waiting to run 2 monitors on your Mac mini without expensive additional hardware? That Mini DisplayPort should open up new possibilities.
The memory in the new minis can be expanded up to 4GB, and the 2.0GHz Intel Core 2 Duo is more than capable of handling any daily computing task. Sure, you might want to look at the new Mac Pros if you're doing some serious video editing or CPU-intensive work, but I've found the Mac mini makes a great machine for tethered photography, writing, office work, development, even running my home web server. The refreshed mini comes in two models, the major difference being RAM and hard drive space: 1GB of memory and 120GB HD will run you $599US, and for $799US you can double your RAM (2GB) and almost triple your drive space (320GB). With the FireWire 800 port, I'm more than happy running large external drives, and I'm not shy about putty knives, either.
It appears that the leaks/rumors we saw yesterday were spot-on. It's not an explosive update to these rugged little computers, but it covers a few bases I was hoping for and proves that, for now, the Mac mini is not dead (despite rumors from the not-too-distant past).
TUAWMac mini refresh, what's new? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Mar 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Tuesday is upon us: new Apple hardware
Filed under: iMac, Apple, Mac mini, Mac Pro
It's been busy in the dwarven mines of Cupertino, we can tell: much new iron has arrived today, and the store is back up (though getting hammered at the moment)! We'll go into detail on each of the announcements in the next hour or so, but here's the basic scoop:
All of Apple's consumer desktops have been updated, with new iMacs and new minis. The iMacs offer 'twice the memory, twice the storage' in the new $1499 base 24" model, and all have been updated with the GeForce 9400M graphics subsystem. BTO options on the 24" iMac include up to a 3.06 GHz Core 2 Duo, 4GB RAM, a 640GB or 1TB HD, and a rogues' gallery of graphics upgrade options: the NVIDIA GeForce GT 130 or the ATI Radeon HD 4850 instead of the 9400M. Gamers, start your engines.
The mini... well, Dave and I have to eat our words on the mini, because the new models do indeed come with five frickin' USB ports, FW800 and both DVI and DisplayPort video-out, as well as the 9400M integrated graphics. The spy shots, the video and the box picture appear to have been spot-on (despite the 'scientific' scoffing analysis of Photoshop artifacts in the original shot). $599US gets you the base model with a 2GHz C2D and 120GB hard drive/1GB of RAM (really? 1GB?), $799 doubles the RAM to 2GB and bumps the HD to 320GB. The new mini also uses less power than before, only 13 watts at idle. For all of you that had 'five USB ports' in the pool, instead of 'sharks with lasers on their heads' -- congratulations. Who knew that Gillette was collaborating with the Onion and Apple on product design?
The pro desktop has been revved with new Mac Pro hardware: shipping next week, the new models start $300US cheaper than before and now feature Intel's Nehalem chip, along with a redesigned interior, DisplayPort + DVI standard and more spec upgrades -- but no 16-core model.
The Airport Extreme and Time Capsule were also updated with dual-band support (allowingApple TV andiPhones to use the older 2.4GHz band without dragging other devices down) and 'Guest Network' capability for your no-account friends who come over and mooch your wireless. Yes, you know who you are.
Macworld also notes that there was apparently a 'stealth' update to the MacBook Pro today, bumping the top processor speed to 2.66GHz.
Our complete coverage:
Mac Pro
Mac mini
Time Capsule
iMac
MacBook Pro
Full press releases in the 2nd half of the post.Continue reading Tuesday is upon us: new Apple hardware
TUAWTuesday is upon us: new Apple hardware originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Mar 2009 09:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Apple Store is down, new Macs on the way?
It's Tuesday, and the Apple Store is down (have reports from Australia, New Zealand, the U.S. and the U.K., so far). What goodies are in store? A Mac Pro update? New minis? I'm on the edge of my seat after all of the rumors which have been floating around!TUAWApple Store is down, new Macs on the way? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 03 Mar 2009 06:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Watchmen MMO coming out for the iPhone
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Gaming, Software, Odds and ends, iTunes, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
I love massively multiplayer online games, I love my iPhone, and I love Watchmen, the genre-defining graphic novel series of the late '80s (of which, I'll brag, I have a whole set of first edition copies) that's very soon to be the first movie blockbuster of 2009. That's why the news, over at our sister site Massively, that all of my loves were coming together in what's meant to be a Watchmen-branded MMO game for the iPhone made my day.
Watchmen: Justice is Coming will have 3D environments, customizable avatars, and thousands of players interacting in the game at the same time. Massively's got some video from G4 showing off the app, put together by the apparent newcomers Last Legion Games. Unfortunately, while the concept is lofty (they've got a long-term vision for improving the game based on player feedback), the gameplay itself looks like clunky adware -- the kind you might expect from Warner Bros. and the iPhone deals they've come up with so far.
So we're reserving judgment on this one until we can give it a try, and fortunately we won't have to wait long -- the devs say they've lined up the game for release later this week, right along with the movie. That timing doesn't impress us either -- usually, when a game and movie release simultaneously, one's been hurried to make the deadline, and trust us, it usually isn't the movie. It's Watchmen on the iPhone, so it's hit two of three bases with us already. But it'll need to bring a good game, too, if Last Legion is hoping for a home run.TUAWWatchmen MMO coming out for the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 02 Mar 2009 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Is Sirius working on its own iPhone app?
Filed under: Software, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
After all the bad news about the NiceMac StarPlayr application for the iPhone, Sirius Buzz, a web site that tracks the goings on in satellite radio, says they have it on good authority that a free player is coming from Sirius/XM directly.
Without citing specific sources, the author of the post says the player is going to be released 'very shortly'. The article implies that Sirius/XM, knowing their own app was coming, nixed the NiceMac solution.
That will be welcome news for the hordes of people who want an iPhone-based solution to listen to Sirius and XM. In particular, a lot of Howard Stern fans want to listen on the go, and an iPhone solution would be just the ticket.
With new car sales falling off a cliff, and the Sirius/XM merger not the financial panacea it was supposed to be, the nation's only satellite radio service could use a little positive buzz. Thousands of subscribers signing up for streaming could be a good thing for the company and subscribers.
Of course, all this could be a baseless rumor, but keep watching this space for more.
Via Sirius BuzzTUAWIs Sirius working on its own iPhone app? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 02 Mar 2009 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать
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