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- First Look: Twin 1.0 for Mac OS X
Filed under: Software, Odds and ends, First Look
Time Machine made it easy for Leopard owners to back up their Macs on local external hard drives, and lately we've seen a number of online backup services such as Carbonite, BackBlaze, and MozyPro debut for the Mac platform. These online services are great (I personally use BackBlaze), but there's a monthly cost associated with them. What if you already have access to a large volume of server space?
App4Mac has just announced Twin 1.0 for Mac OS X (US$39.67, €29.00), an online backup solution that works with all sorts of servers: FTP (all varieties), WebDAV, Amazon S3, and even MobileMe. Unlike many of the other online solutions, Twin claims that it retains all the Mac OS X file metadata, ACLs, and privileges, and your data is kept safe with AES-256 "Jack Bauer quality" encryption. In addition to the online backups, you can use Twin for backing up your files to local drives and have the backups begin when the external drive it plugged in.
I'm impressed with the powerful scheduling capabilities of Twin, which include a way to use logical operators to determine exactly when backups should proceed or not. Having an offsite backup is that extra bit of security that every Mac user should have. Check out the gallery below for some screenshots of the app in action. You can also download a free, limited-capability trial of Twin if you're interested in kicking the tires.
TUAWFirst Look: Twin 1.0 for Mac OS X originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 15 May 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Simplify Music for iPhone fixes nasty demo mode
Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch, App Review
The very popular Simplify Music [App Store link] iPhone/iPod touch app has now given users the option as to whether or not they want to see the 'demo' library.
At the end of last month the updated free desktop app and the iPhone app, $2.99US, were changed so that demo tracks were added to the list of user-provided music. The purpose was to provide some test music for new users that hadn't set the streaming up yet.
It was not really announced, or documented, and many users were unhappy to see the music tracks appear without their knowledge or consent. The app developers quickly added an on/off switch to the demo on the desktop version of the app, but had to submit a new iPhone version to the app store. That has been approved, and now the switch appears on the mobile app as well. The demo mode is now (happily) off by default.
I think the Simplify Media folks responded very quickly to something that provoked a lot of anger in the iPhone community, which was magnified by the popularity of the app. Once the controversy started, they were extremely transparent about how the change came about, and what the developers planned to do to correct it.
Check your app updates in iTunes to get the new version, which is 2.02.
All in all, a good model for how to deal with your customers (aside from the issue of having made the error in the first place).TUAWSimplify Music for iPhone fixes nasty demo mode originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 15 May 2009 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - iCombat's stats on app pirates
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Software, Odds and ends, Developer, iPhone, App Store, Jailbreak/pwnage
Miguel Sanchez-Grice, creator of the iCombat app (a remake of the old Atari game), sent us these stats on piracy of his app after writing a blog post about the same thing, and I find them fascinating. Instead of building DRM into his app, he just detected if the player was using a copy that wasn't from the App Store, and then forwarded them onto a web page that he could track. It seems like he equates unique visitors to his Pinch Media site as users (though he doesn't go into detail about exactly where those "Pinch Media New Uniques" numbers come from), and then subtracts legit app sales from those numbers to get the number of pirates. And while he says the numbers are lower than he expected, they seem pretty high to me: there is a substantial number of people out there using cracked apps.
Continue reading iCombat's stats on app pirates
TUAWiCombat's stats on app pirates originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 15 May 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Troubleshooting Roundup: Mac OS X 10.5.7 Update
Filed under: OS, Troubleshooting
While Jason D. O'Grady considers anything more than ordinatrix inflagrante to be success when he's installing a new operating system, he and others are still reporting on the various and sundry issues that have cropped up since Tuesday's 10.5.7 update:-
I can't find my brain: Some users are reporting that their Buffalo (among other) external disks aren't mounting after installing the update. Solution: Nothing concrete, though many people are suggesting installing the combo update you can download from Apple's site, rather than using Software Update. You can participate in Apple's Support Discussion on the topic if you share this problem. [via MacNN.]
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Blue screen of death: No joke: since the update restarts your computer up to three times, some users are getting hung up on the first blue screen that appears after the gray Apple logo screen. Solution: Wait until disk activity stops, then shut down the computer hard by holding down the power button. [via PowerPage.]
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I was blind, but now I see: The update is causing some video cards to output non-native display resolutions. Instead of outputting 1920 x 1200, instead Mac OS X will try and output 1920 x 1080 (which works fine for HDMI, but not many widescreen displays). Solution: An oldie-but-goodie: Zap the PRAM by holding down command + option + P + R at startup until the computer restarts a few times, then letting go. [also via PowerPage.]
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Cold fusion: VMWare is suggesting people hold off on updating if their configuration includes an ATI graphics card and they use Fusion to run 3D Windows apps. (2D apps are just fine.) Slow and poor rendering and general crashiness are symptoms of the problem. Solution: None yet. Apple and ATI are working on an update. [via MacNN.]
TUAWTroubleshooting Roundup: Mac OS X 10.5.7 Update originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 15 May 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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- Bebot turns your iPhone into the cutest instrument ever
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Audio, Software, Developer, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
I don't think I've ever fallen in love with an app as quickly as Bebot. Not only is it a pretty darn powerful synthesizer with an interesting touchscreen interface, but that robot. That robot! He makes you want to play something, anything, with those cute little closed robot eyes and that dashing tux and that knowing smile. If you just want to make funny robot noises, that's easy enough, but for the musically inclined, there's a really surprising amount of features under the hood, including analog filters, a delay/looping effect, chorus and overdrive effects, and even an autotune system. Oh, and because of the multitouch screen, you can play up to four waveforms at a time. In the hands of someone who knows what they're doing, this thing can be really impressive.
It's available from a company called Normalware (any app with that robot in it has basically sold me from now on -- there's even a t-shirt of the guy) on the App Store right now for $1.99.TUAWBebot turns your iPhone into the cutest instrument ever originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 15 May 2009 11:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Dealing with app-noxious app-oholics
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Hardware, Humor, Software, Odds and ends, iPhone, App Store
The other day I had the fortune of hanging out with TUAW's own Mike Rose and our old colleague David Chartier in Chicago, and my main fear going into the meeting was that, given what a bunch of iPhone geeks we were, we'd just spend the whole time showing off apps on our iPhones. Not that seeing cool apps isn't awesome, but if you've ever had anyone excitedly show you what an app can do, I think it gets to be a little much. And I'm not alone -- though yes, the iPhone does a lot of things that we have never been able to do before, it is possible to get "app-noxious," a term coined by MSNBC to describe people who are way too excited about what their iPhone can do. Yes, we know already, there is an app for that. Give it a break.
This isn't the first time this phenomenon has popped up, and if you own an iPhone, you probably already know about it anyway -- I was definitely looking for made-up ways to use SnapTell Explorer when I first installed it. So next time you feel the urge to break into someone else's conversation to let them know about this app you bought last night that does exactly what they're talking about, hold your tongue, at least until you're not interrupting.
And of course that doesn't mean that app nerds can't still be nerds about it -- yes, though Rose and Chartier and I didn't spend the whole time showing off apps to each other, we each did bring out phones at least once to show off just how great this new app we just got was.
[via MacDailyNews]TUAWDealing with app-noxious app-oholics originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 15 May 2009 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - The stars in your pocket: Pocket Universe for iPhone
Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch, App Review
I've always loved astronomy. There is something about the tremendous size and scope of our observable universe that is inspiring and humbling at the same time. It's why I get excited about the variety of astronomy programs for the iPhone.
The latest is called Pocket Universe [App Store link]. For the $2.99US price, your iPhone or iPod touch gets a star atlas of 10,000 objects, a guide to moon phases, a list of what's up on any particular night including meteor showers and any visible planets, as well as live links to astronomy news.
The app also includes an accurate rendering of the positions of the 4 easily visible moons of Jupiter, but your best bet in seeing a planet this time of year is Saturn which is high in the southeast.
As we move toward summer, more and more people will be heading outdoors. That makes it it is a great time to learn the constellations and be able to understand what you are looking at, as opposed to just wondering what that bright thing is.
A nice feature of the app is auto tilt, so when you are pointing the right direction, you can tilt the phone up to get a view higher in the sky and the star map will follow your tilt. If, as rumored, the iPhone adds some kind of direction finding compass, apps like this can be even more helpful as you turn and tilt, as the map should track your movements exactly.
Pocket Universe has a very clever locate feature, where you can select an object, and there are on-screen directions to take you to the object by superimposing arrows on the screen. This feature didn't always work perfectly. I asked the program to find Saturn. It told me to follow the arrows, but no arrows appeared. It seemed to work fine on other objects I was looking for, and Saturn was properly placed on the sky map.
How does this object compare to some of the competition? Quite well. It's reasonably priced, and with the live links it has some features the others don't have. I also recommend Distant Suns, Starmap, and Star Walk as worthy alternatives.
Here are some screen shots:TUAWThe stars in your pocket: Pocket Universe for iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 14 May 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - TUAW Tip: Moving your home folder to another disk (or moving it back)
Filed under: Terminal Tips, TUAW Tips
In ye olde times, with "Mack OSe 9," many users chose to keep their personal files, work, and documents on a different physical disk from their startup disk. It was a safety measure: If one disk goes down, at least the other won't. There was no structural reason to keep files in a particular disk location, other than keeping them out of the System Folder.I visited a client yesterday whose drive scheme was set up exactly like this, and he wanted to be (finally) upgraded to Leopard. I wasn't sure how Leopard would handle the fact that his Users folder had been moved to a different drive, so (knowing I had backups of his entire system) I cautiously proceeded with the installation.
After the installer finished, Leopard had created a fresh, blank Users folder on the startup disk with a home folder bearing the same username. This wasn't exactly the answer I was looking for. I had to link, somehow, the new Users/hisname folder with his existing user folder on the other volume.
Turns out, Leopard handles this much better than previous versions of Mac OS X. Read on to find out how.
Continue reading TUAW Tip: Moving your home folder to another disk (or moving it back)
TUAWTUAW Tip: Moving your home folder to another disk (or moving it back) originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 14 May 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Contest: Design the first three-sided Apple Store
Filed under: Retail
Chicago's Halsted Street will soon be the site of a unique Apple Store -- the first with three sides exposed. When seated on the odd piece of land, the store will offer visibility from every direction and 650 linear feet of storefront.
As you can see from the map at right, the architects at Bohlin Cywinski Jackson have a tough task ahead with this project. ifoAppleStore.com wants to know, how would you design this store? They're running a contest now to find the most interesting or clever design. Submit your drawing to gary@ifoAppleStore.com by June 15, 2009, and the winner will receive a $100 Apple gift card.
They note that you needn't worry about the store's interiors in your drawing. Note that Apple's chunk of property is 215 feet on Clybourn Ave., 220 feet on Halsted St., 123 feet on W. North Ave., and a curving 81 feet at the back of the transit station.
Have fun and good luck!TUAWContest: Design the first three-sided Apple Store originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 14 May 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Take Control of iWeb '09 with exclusive TUAW discount
Filed under: iLife, TUAW Business, Books, TUAW Bookshelf
With the introduction of iWeb '09, Apple pumped up the volume on its entry-level website authoring tool, making it more functional and flexible for novice users while adding enough power -- multi-site publishing options, FTP upload to unlock users from MobileMe, more capable RSS/podcasting tools and widgets, and links to social media sites like Facebook -- to merit a second look alongside midrange/prosumer apps like Sandvox, RapidWeaver, Flux & Freeway. Since the app is included in iLife '09 and bundled with every new Mac, it's likely to be the authoring app of first resort for many Mac users.
If you want to get the most out of your iWeb '09 site, we're proud to say there's one guy who has your back: our own Steve Sande, who has revised his Take Control of iWeb ebook for the latest iLife version. The $10US digital title (also sold in printed form for $23.99) reviews all the new features, covers advanced tricks and techniques, and walks the reader through the creation of a sample site (online here). Steve did a great interview about the book on Chuck Joiner's MacVoices podcast last week.
In the interest of sharing the iWeb love (and thanks to Tonya & Adam Engst at TidBITS Publishing), we've got an exclusive discount on Steve's ebook just for TUAW readers. Follow this referral link to place your order (be sure to click the big orange "Buy eBook" button) and you'll get a 30% discount off the ebook; it's normally $10US, but for you? $7. 143 pages + an appendix worth of iWeb goodness -- enjoy!
If you just can't get enough of books from current and former TUAW team members, you can check out Steve's guide to making the most of your classic iPod, Scott McNulty's WordPress book, or multiple titles on iPhone development and maximizing your iPhone/iPod touch from Erica Sadun.
TUAWTake Control of iWeb '09 with exclusive TUAW discount originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 14 May 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Real World Bento: the formidable, personal database
Filed under: Software, Productivity, Reviews
It suddenly occurred to me that my needs for software have changed.
It was while I was browsing for a native Mac application for monitoring weight loss that I realized that little out there would suffice if it couldn't sync with my iPhone. While there are several popular online sites for tracking diet and exercise, I wanted something that would sync with my Mac and that I could maintain from both my desktop and iPhone without having to go through a third-party website.
I didn't find that hoped-for software, but I did discover Bento.
I've had a love affair with bento lunches since I began Japanese studies in 2000. They're still my favorite lunches to pack, and the concept behind them is simple: A compact way, yet attractive for those who put the time into it, of carrying a lunch. Everything is tucked away in its own compartment and it's easy to access.
FileMaker took this concept of bento lunches and used it to make Bento, a database application that works hand in hand with your Mac that we've covered quite a bit and also now has an iPhone version. It is supposed to be a database program for the rest of us -- you know, those of us who open up a spreadsheet in Excel or Numbers and suddenly go cross-eyed and immediately move onto something else ... or just never bothered using a database program in the first place.
"After all," I thought once upon a disorganized time, "I will never use something like this on a day to day basis."Continue reading Real World Bento: the formidable, personal database
TUAWReal World Bento: the formidable, personal database originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 14 May 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Apple offers iPhone 3G purchase online
For new customers wanting an iPhone 3G, you now have another way to buy it - ordering straight from Apple, an option that hasn't existed since the original iPhone was sold. Online purchasing was taken away with the introduction of the 3G. AT&T brought it back in December, and only now has Apple caught up.
New subscribers can activate their service online, then have their new iPhones shipped straight to their door. Current AT&T customers will need to reserve their iPhones online, then go pick them up at the Apple Store.
As I found out last month, having existing subscribers go in to pick up their iPhone can be a very good move, because things can certainly go wrong. When I went to the Apple Store to pick up my new iPhone 3G, it turns out that when I purchased my original iPhone in November 2007 that they didn't enter it into the system properly. I was nearly charged the full price of the iPhone rather than the subsidized price offered to those who wanted to upgrade from EDGE to 3G. A trip to the nearby AT&T store took care of that, but it was the sort of thing that was far easier to handle in person than over the phone. They were able to pull up my original receipt and override the system so I was recognized as a previous adopter rather than someone just trying to break my original contract.
Thanks to everyone who sent this in!TUAWApple offers iPhone 3G purchase online originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 14 May 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Ask TUAW: WiFi on an older PowerMac, creating contact sheets, managing iPhone apps in iTunes, and more
Filed under: Features, Troubleshooting, Ask TUAW
We're back with another shot of Ask TUAW! This time we've got questions about getting WiFi in an older G4 PowerMac, creating photo contact sheets, blanking a display, automatically opening downloaded files, managing iPhone apps in iTunes, 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: WiFi on an older PowerMac, creating contact sheets, managing iPhone apps in iTunes, and more originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 14 May 2009 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Apple lands OLPC security whiz -- more secure products on the way?
Twitter tipster Rich Mogull of TidBITS provided us with a ping pointing to ZDNet's Zero Day page, where blogger Ryan Naraine broke some good news today.
The news? The ex-director of security architecture for the One Laptop Per Child project, Ivan Krstic (at right), has gone to work for Apple. He'll be focusing his attention on core operating system security.
Krstic's innovative Bitfrost security specification, part of the overall OLPC initiative, essentially negates the effect of any virus by running every program on the computer in its own virtual operating system. By doing this, no malware can spy on user keystrokes, futz with files, or steal data.
According to a 2007 article by Naraine, Bitfrost has five primary goals, all of which are targeted at making the OLPC one of the most secure platforms available:
- No user passwords -- the security of the device cannot depend on the user's ability to remember a password
- No unencrypted authentication -- no cleartext passwords, no use of Ethernet MAC addresses for authentication
- Out-of-the-box security -- The device should be secure out of the box, without the need to download security updates if at all possible
- Limited institutional Public Key Infrastructure -- Don't rely on public keys to validate the identity of device owners
- No permanent data loss -- Information is to be replicated to some centralized storage place so it can be recovered if the device is stolen, destroyed, or lost
TUAWApple lands OLPC security whiz -- more secure products on the way? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 13 May 2009 20:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Calling all iPhones! Emergency scanner apps on the loose!
Filed under: Software, Odds and ends, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
Sometimes it's uncanny how many similar iPhone apps appear at about the same time. Over the past week or so, we've heard about a number of new apps that "tune you into" streaming police, fire, and emergency medical service radio services. Apps like this can be useful to volunteer firefighters, off-duty policemen, news crews, scanner enthusiasts, and the occasional ambulance-chasing lawyer.
The first out of the box is Police Scanner 1.1 (US$2.99, click opens iTunes) from Juicy Development. This app now features over 1,100 streams from 7 different countries and a streamlined interface for getting to your favorite local emergency radio, The developers will add any compatible stream to their app within hours of being notified of that stream, so if there are no local radios listed now, there may be soon.
Next in the queue is Emergency Radio 1.1 (US$0.99, click opens iTunes) from Edge Rift. It's available in a free "Lite" version if you want to try it out on a handful of major cities, or you can spend a buck to get over 900 feeds from all over the US. I personally thought the code lists (see photo) are a nice touch.
If you prefer a little music with your police calls, Wunder Radio 1.6 (US$6.99, click opens iTunes) not only captures the same emergency radio streams from ScanAmerica.us as the other two apps, but is also the best (IMHO) iPhone app out there for listening to local radio stations. It also gives you NOAA weather information for US locations, not to mention railroad crew and dispatch calls.
Regardless of which scanner app you select, it's sure to give you hours of fun, and it's definitely worth listening in on why the cops visited your neighbor's house at 3 A.M.TUAWCalling all iPhones! Emergency scanner apps on the loose! originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 13 May 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - First look at SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch, App Review
This is a painful review to write, because the SlingPlayer for iPhone had so much potential before AT&T decided to cripple it. One can understand the terror at the thought of a million SlingPlayers draining network bandwidth dry, but in fact, AT&T seems to be violating its own Terms of Service by allowing other smartphones to run SlingPlayer without interference.
OK, so how does the SlingPlayer [App Store link] for iPhone/iPod touch work on a WiFi network? Pretty well. The video can be a bit choppy, but it is quite watchable, and basically gives you a full-featured television receiver (or DVD player if you are set up that way) wherever you have an accessible network.
Set up is pretty easy and does not require a manual. The only pain point is inputting your unique Sling ID which requires typing long strings of upper case letters followed by numbers. This can be skipped if you have a Sling account configured in advance.
In my case I have a SlingBox Pro, connected to a DirecTV HD receiver. The remote worked fine, and it is a transparent overlay so the video shows through. Entering a command results in a 4-5 second wait for it to be executed, but that is understandable considering what is going on behind the scenes. Entering pretty much any command to the remote pauses the video and audio, which again, is understandable but not desirable.
If you have a DVR, the SlingPlayer app will control it, which is a real benefit to users who are away from home and want to catch a program, or play it back remotely.
The loss of 3G functionality is sad. In the old days I used the SlingPlayer on a Motorola smartphone. When traveling, it was easy to catch a newscast or get some ball scores from any location. Now, you have to have a Wi-Fi connection, which seriously limits your options.
Finally, there is the matter of price. It is hard to endorse paying $30.00US for an app that has lost a major feature. Sling charges the same price for versions of the app that do run on 3G. It seems unfair given all that has happened to this app.
It is certainly true that Sling Media is not to blame for the business decisions of AT&T, but the company certainly controls the pricing of the app.
I think there will be a lot of people who want to buy and use SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone. On the other hand, many people have had their enthusiasm severely dampened by the current situation. Unfortunately, no matter how clever the app, and it IS clever, AT&T, Apple and Sling Media have all been damaged by this drama.
Nothing is forever, and policies can change. All concerned will have to figure out if the decisions made so far with this app are worth the damage to reputations and corporate image.
Note: The Sling web site is running pretty slowly as I write this, and I was surprised to see that the iPhone version of the app is not listed in the support options.
Here are some screen shots of the app in operation:
TUAWFirst look at SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 13 May 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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