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- Mac 101: Spaces for your screen and brain
Filed under: Tips and tricks, Mac 101
Have you ever needed more room on your screen? Or have you ever needed a way to organize all the stuff you are working on with your Mac? Mac OS 10.5, aka Leopard, debuted a feature called Spaces: a way of creating extra screens on your Mac. Think of them as virtual workspaces, where you can easily drop application windows to reduce clutter or simply focus on one thing at a time.
To activate Spaces, go to System Preferences > Exposé and Spaces > Spaces. From there you can enable from 2-16 "spaces" (virtual screens) and you can fine-tune application behaviors. For example, I have Skitch set to appear in Every Space, which simply means it'll appear in whatever space I happen to be working in when I open Skitch. Normally switching to an application will take you back to the space you left it in (you can turn this off in the preferences).
The really awesome thing about Spaces: it's like Exposé on steroids. If you're used to hitting a key and seeing all open windows, now you'll be able to hit a key and see all windows in all the Spaces you have open -- thus expanding your screen real estate considerably. Plus, you can use the two together. Hit a key to see all Spaces, then hit your Exposé key to see all the windows in every Space. You can also easily drag windows to another space either in the zoomed out view or just by pulling a window to the edge of the screen (depending on which space you wish to travel to). It's hard to explain, so watch the video to see what I mean.
Note that there are some apps (Microsoft Word 2008 in particular) that don't play well with Spaces, so your mileage may vary.
Want more tips and tricks like this? Visit TUAW's Mac 101 section.TUAWMac 101: Spaces for your screen and brain originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 27 Mar 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - A different kind of Alarm Clock
Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
We've reviewed some iPhone alarms before. There are free alarms and alarms you pay for. Some were pretty good, and there is always the built-in alarm. In an attempt to improve upon the standard alarms, some Russian developers have created Easy Wakeup [App Store link] which has been available for jailbroken phones, but now is available at U.S. $9.99 for both the iPhone and iPod touch.
Why would anyone buy an alarm app for 10 bucks? Well, this is a very different kind of alarm app. Using the motion sensors on your iPhone, you strap your iPhone to your wrist with one of the readily available products that do that, and go to sleep. You tell the software at what time you absolutely must be awakened, and by analyzing your movements through the night, the software will pick what it believes is the most opportune time to get you up. The alarm can wake you to music, vibration, and even a message you record with the iPhone microphone.
There are some drawbacks. Your iPhone can't be locked. You have to put it in airplane mode, which means you won't be getting any calls through the evening. That might be a good thing, depending on how you like to live your life. The developers say you'll drain about 20% of your battery overnight, which might be bad if you have a big day planned and no time to recharge. When you select your alarm, you can't select music from your own playlist. You can select Apple built-in ring-tones, but not any you imported or created yourself.
The alarm supports snooze, and when you get up you can look at some graphs to see how restless you were during your sleep.
There are similar products that work on the same principles. The Axbo Sleep Phase Clock costs between U.S. $150-250. It is a bedside alarm clock with a wrist band and data cables.
I can't vouch for the science behind these products, and I decided I didn't love my iPhone enough to sleep with it to test this out, but for those familiar with the technique of computer aided alarms it might be worth a try. Just be careful when you roll over.TUAWA different kind of Alarm Clock originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - iPhone OS 3.0 brings the speed for JavaScript
Filed under: Internet, Apple, iPhone, iPod touch
Ars is reporting the 3.0 speed improvements to Mobile Safari's JavaScript engine range from 3x to 16x -- a blessed boon to web developers everywhere. No one seems to know if Mobile Safari will be sporting Nitro or SquirrelFish or what, but whatever it is, it'll be faster. If you check out the benchmarks originally posted on Wayne Pan's blog, iPhone OS 3.0 blazes past 2.2 in every category except divisions (the benchmarking tools are available at Craig Hockenberry's blog here).
It's nice to see progress, but I don't think anyone expected Apple to let the JS engine in Mobile Safari lay fallow for long. Every day browsers like Opera Mini and Android's WebKit-based browser are getting better. Heck, even WinMo's version of IE is supposed to support H.264, Flash and Silverlight. Will the upgraded js engine and technology like CSS3 and Canvas draw more developers to iPhone web apps? I doubt it, but the speed improvements will make many browser-based services feel more responsive. That's certainly a win for consumers.TUAWiPhone OS 3.0 brings the speed for JavaScript originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 27 Mar 2009 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Apple Stores selling contract-free iPhones
Filed under: Hardware, Retail, iPhone
Last week came the sneak peek at internal AT&T memos meant to coach employees on the sale of unsubsidized iPhones. Today, there's news that Apple has begun selling no-contract iPhones at their retail stores. You can grab an 8GB iPhone 3G for $599 or a 16GB model for $699, take it home and do what you will. Unlike restrictions set up by AT&T, Apple Store customers may purchase as many unsubsidized phones as they please.
With WWDC and the release of iPhone OS 3.0 both scheduled for June, it looks like Apple might be clearing house for something new. Perhaps the current model will drop in price and become the entry-level iPhone to make room for the rumored 2009 model.
In any case, go and pick up a contract-free iPhone directly from Apple, if that's your thing.TUAWApple Stores selling contract-free iPhones originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 27 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Rumor: Skype for iPhone nearly ready
Filed under: Rumors, Software, iPhone
VOIP for iPhone is the dream of many a user, and Om Malik suggests that it might be days away. Citing a "...very reliable source," Om says that Skype is ready to launch their iPhone app, perhaps at next week's CTIA Wireless event.
That's whole lot of "suggests" and "might" and "perhaps," is it not? Frankly, I don't see why Apple or AT&T would be keen on Skype for the iPhone or iPod touch. Of course, here are other VOIP options available, like fring and iCall (among others), so what do I know? It's an interesting rumor, but for now, that's all.TUAWRumor: Skype for iPhone nearly ready originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 27 Mar 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Friday Favorite: The Levelator, friend to podcasters everywhere
Filed under: Audio, Cool tools, Podcasting, Friday Favorite
We've mentioned it before (via Laurie and Scott's posts back in ought-six) but it's worth a Friday Favorite: if you're looking for a free, cross-platform tool that does one thing to audio and does it very very well, you need to download The Levelator today.
The Levelator is offered by The Conversations Network as a single-purpose tool: it takes uncompressed audio (WAV or AIFF files) and performs a small miracle. The file is leveled to a uniform loudness level, even if varying parts are recorded with different microphones, audio settings, or even in diverse corners of the world (if you've ever tried to record a podcast over Skype, you know what I'm talking about). While many audio apps have normalization or 'leveling' functions, in my admittedly amateur audio experience I haven't heard anything like The Levelator; those with more savvy in this area tell me that the output is akin to what you would get with a human engineer 'riding the meters' to adjust the sound dynamically as it varies.
The really nice thing about The Levelator -- and this is an odd thing to say about a Mac application -- is that it has, for all practical purposes, no controls. Drop a file on it, wait an appropriate amount of time and watch the blinking lights, then take your output file and continue on your merry way; the final file will simply sound way better than the original did. It's made my life much easier in editing the TUAW Talkcast, and if you have any hand in producing spoken-word audio it might do the same for you.
The Levelator is a free 48 MB Universal Binary download, and will work on either 10.4 or 10.5, as well as Windows and Linux. Enjoy!TUAWFriday Favorite: The Levelator, friend to podcasters everywhere originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 27 Mar 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - The Bad Decision Blocker prevents dialing mistakes
Filed under: Odds and ends, Apple, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
Enough of the fart apps -- here's an iPhone function we really need. The Bad Decision Blocker (BDB for short) is an iPhone app that will let you block any of your phone's contacts for a predetermined set of time.
We've all been there -- you go out Friday night, get a few drinks in you, and suddenly calling up your former friend, or a girl you're trying to ask out, or a girl you used to go out with (who decided not to hang out with you any more thanks to all the drinking) becomes something you're suprisingly willing to do. BDB, however, will say no, and keep that contact out of the contact list, until whatever time you'd said it was OK to let it back in. And, presumably, by that time you can be in a more sober state of mind, and realize that you don't need any girl whose idea of a good time is keeping you from having fun. Take that, Susan!
It's helpful for sure. All the program seems to do is erase (and rewrite) whatever contacts you choose in your address book, so you've got to re-open the program after the set time if you want your contacts back. Also, the app doesn't actually block the phone, just the contacts you choose, so if you have their phone number memorized, you might still end up doing a little drunk dialing. But you never know -- BDB might be just the thing to help you leave that old relationship right where it is, or at least come to your senses long enough to not sabotage that new one. It's in the App Store right now for 99 cents.TUAWThe Bad Decision Blocker prevents dialing mistakes originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 27 Mar 2009 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - TUAW First Look: Cha-Ching Touch
Filed under: Software, iPhone, iPod touch, First Look
Several years ago, I had a simple but wonderful checkbook app for my Palm. It was nothing more than money in and money out with some simple categorization (food, clothing, automotive, etc.). In other words, an electric alternative to a checkbook. Since I don't really write checks anymore, I no longer carry a register around. Plus, that old Palm is dead and gone (having accidentally spent one night in my rainy front yard), so I need an alternative.
We've reviewed mobile financial apps before, like Pennies and Mint. Cory and Mike got to play with those, but I was lucky enough to nab Cha-Ching Touch for review.
The Good
First things first. It's pretty. Every screen and icon is nice to look at and easy to navigate, even the Get Smart-style vault that requires a passcode at launch (note that this is off by default).
To get started, create an account. Choose either Checking, Savings, Credit, Online, Loan or Cash. Each is represented by a unique icon which is a nice little touch. From there, enter an account number and associated URL if applicable.Continue reading TUAW First Look: Cha-Ching Touch
TUAWTUAW First Look: Cha-Ching Touch originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 26 Mar 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - MacHeist 3 bundle unveiled
The Heist might be over, but the software saving fun is just beginning! Tonight, the MacHeist 3 bundle was revealed in a geek-star studded live show.
This year's bundle is, from a software perspective, really incredible. I love software bundles because they are a great way to get cool stuff, but the problem is, lots of stuff is frequently repeated across bundles, making it less and less exciting for the more seasoned Mac software-addict. This is not a bundle that can be accused of retreading old software; on the contrary, some new (and high profile) apps are available.
This is the line-up:
It wouldn't be a bundle without unlock incentives, and this year, MacHeist goes all out:
And knowing MacHeist, I'm sure there will be other surprises to come as the sale takes shape.
Continue reading MacHeist 3 bundle unveiled
TUAWMacHeist 3 bundle unveiled originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 24 Mar 2009 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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