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- Chicago Apple Store bricked Tuesday night
Filed under: Retail, Odds and ends
Police say an inebriated man threw a brick at the front window of Chicago's Magnificent Mile Apple Store on Tuesday night. The man also broke another window a short distance away. A Tribune photo shows a single broken panel of glass in front of one of Apple's "giant iPhone" displays. From the photo, it looks as if the brick did not go through the glass, and the display appears unharmed.
Robert Grilly, 61, of Chicago was booked on two misdemeanor counts of criminal property damage, Chicago PD said.
Thanks, Paul!
TUAWChicago Apple Store bricked Tuesday night originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 20 May 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Put nature in your head
Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch, App Review
Naturespace [App Store] for the iPhone and iPod touch is a free app that lets you sample very natural and realistic sounds to relax to. They come from the folks at Holographic Audio Theater, who produce some very serene audio tracks for meditating, relaxing, or helping you sleep.
The app itself is attractive and easy to use. It provides 5 different audio environments for headphone listening. While there are some other nice apps that provide similar features, I thought this had the best audio and the most enveloping sound I had sampled. I especially liked the sound of waves lapping on a beach because of the gentle right to left movement.
I listened on both regular headphones, and iPhone earbuds. The software has a switch to turn earbud equalization on, and it did seem to deepen the bass and improve the realism of the presentation.
The app is very well thought out, and if you change to one of the other ambient recordings the sounds slowly fade down and then the new selection fades up. You can go to sleep using these sounds and turn on the iPhone sleep timer. The developers will be glad to sell you additional low cost ambient recordings, but the free app is not crippled in any way and has no advertising. The positive reviews at the App Store are a pretty good indication that this is a well conceived piece of software.
This app will be worth a couple of bucks to many people, but since it is free, I think it's a no-brainer to try and see if you get swept into the sonic environments that are provided. The loops are seamless, so there is nothing to interrupt your reverie as you s l o w l y... r e l a x... a n d... b e g i n... t o... n o d... o f f ...........
Here are some screen shots:
TUAWPut nature in your head originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 20 May 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Kindle app for iPhone updated
Filed under: Software, iPhone, iPod touch
Amazon's Kindle app for iPhone [App Store link] was updated this week to include, among other things, landscape mode! Hooray! Additionally, you can change the color of both the text and the background. I like the "Sepia" option; it's similar to the way Classics looks.
Finally, you can turn pages by tapping on either side of the screen (I still prefer to swipe). You'll remember that the Kindle store for iPhone is still only accessible via Mobile Safari, and was optimized a few weeks ago.
Kindle for iPhone was introduced in March of this year and has been popular since.TUAWKindle app for iPhone updated originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 20 May 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Mac OS X Java security hole exposed
Filed under: Bad Apple, Security
You know, it's fine to make the argument that "Macs are safer than Windows-based PCs," because in real-world usage, this is generally true. Nothing does more to undermine that argument, however, like a five-month old unpatched Java vulnerability.
As Landon Fuller has pointed out, a potentially nasty Java exploit remains unpatched in Mac OS X, including last week's OS X 10.5.7 update. Essentially, this exploit can allow malicious code to run outside of the confines of Java, and run arbitrary commands with whatever user permissions the logged in user has. So just by visiting a website, you could be allowing malicious software access to running commands on your system. Not cool. Not cool at all.
Although the exploit was initially discovered and filed back in August of 2008, Sun issued its own fix addressing the exploit back in December.
So, five months, two point OS updates, one Java update in February and stil, Apple hasn't patched the exploit on their end.
Can I just say, "WTF?" I mean, seriously, get on the ball Apple. You only have $20 billion in cash, maybe investing in a bunch of full-time security patchers for your operating system would be a worthwhile investment!
Julien Tinnes has some excellent commentary on the exploit here. As Landon says on his blog, all users are advised to disable Java applets in their browsers and disable "open safe files after downloading" in Safari. You should also consider using a SSB (site-specific browser) for any Java-crucial web work (see below).
Of course, being forced to disable Java applets just so one can ensure safety kind of puts Mac users who, I don't know, use a web-based SSL VPN client to connect to work systems or e-mail in a bind.
And, let the flogging from the Apple-haters commence.TUAWMac OS X Java security hole exposed originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 20 May 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - BrandIndex: Microsoft's ads effective
Filed under: Apple Corporate, Hardware
BrandIndex is reporting this week that Microsoft's "Laptop Hunter" and similar ads are changing consumer's perceived value of Windows machines. YouGov conducted a survey of 5,000 consumers to measure the "value score" of both Macs and Windows machines. The value score represents a customer's perception of "bang for the buck." We don't know exactly how that's measured by the survey.
What they found was a steady increase in Microsoft's score since the price-conscious ads began. Simultaneously, Apple's score has fallen.
You can argue the validity of the commercials' claims, but what's undeniable is that people shop on price. When John Q. Public decides to buy a computer, 9 times out of 10 his initial thought is, "What's this going to cost me?" Most shoppers aren't like you and me, concerned with statistics and performance. They want cheap. As someone who has bought hundreds of computers for two schools over 8 years, I know what I'm talking about.
While the ads may infuriate Mac nerds like us, they might persuade everyone else.
[Via Electronista]TUAWBrandIndex: Microsoft's ads effective originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 20 May 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Stitcher 2.0, now with 100% more TUAW
Filed under: Audio, iPhone, iPod touch, App Review
In our discussions of radio apps for the iPhone we've briefly mentioned Stitcher, a great app for accessing a wide variety of audio programs on the go. In fact, Stitcher has been kind enough to add our TUAW Talkcast in the app and on their site (where you can stream via your browser). Stitcher is currently available for the iPhone and several of the latest BlackBerry models, although the Storm version is still pending. I've been using Stitcher 2 for a while, and if you're a news junkie, you will be pleased.
Check the gallery for a screen-by-screen analysis, but here are some winning points for Stitcher:
- A large library of podcasts. Why listen via Stitcher? Well, you can get them on the go and you don't have to download them.
- A library of headlines -- posts read aloud from sites like TechCrunch and Macworld. It might seem silly to some, but for commuters it's a great way to hear what your favorite sites are writing about.
- Even more content from people like NPR, MSNBC, Fox News, Slate, CNN, The Onion and many others.
- A "station" model like Pandora. The idea is to "stitch" together a station of the stuff you like. Maybe you like a little offbeat humor, a little financial news and then wind down with Engadget headlines. Stitcher can do that.
- Stitcher is also pretty good at recommending content, so it becomes a discovery tool (again, like Pandora). The pre-configured stations are excellent and grouped around content. One of note: Short Attention Span -- all shows are under 3 minutes.
- You can choose to enable an account with Stitcher, providing a connected experience from the web to your iPhone.
- The app itself has a history feature (handy and underrated), an excellent search function and a way to favorite stations.
- Since Stitcher has a web presence, you're also able to get alerts via email or SMS when fresh content arrives. You can set this for any station or broadcast.
Stitcher [iTunes link] is free, setting up an account is free, and all the content is free, so you won't lose anything by trying it out. While you do, be sure to check out the TUAW Talkcast on Stitcher and Engadget's headlines.
TUAWStitcher 2.0, now with 100% more TUAW originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 20 May 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Ask TUAW: Recording audio, troubleshooting wireless issues, website hosting and more
Filed under: Audio, Airport, Ask TUAW, MacBook, Snow Leopard
We're back with another edition of Ask TUAW! This time around we've got questions about recording audio, troubleshooting wireless issues, the best place to go for web hosting and more.
As always, your questions and 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!
Petre asks:
I just bought a new guitar and I'm thinking about using it to record some of my songs with my new iMac. Any recommendations for a good method of connecting a guitar so I can record?
Fortunately, you're in luck, in that the Mac is made for people trying to do just what you want to do. There are several options to accomplish this and it really just depends on how good you want the audio to sound and what your budget is. To get the best possible quality, you're going to need a few items.
First, you're going to need some recording software. Fortunately, that's already on your iMac as you can use Apple's GarageBand for all your entry-level recording needs. Second, you'll need some sort of digital audio interface that connects your guitar's output to a USB or Firewire interface on your iMac. Some good ones to take a look at include the M-Audio MobilePre, the M-Audio Firewire Solo or the Line 6 Tone Port series. Then, all you need to do is plug your guitar into the converter and the converter into your Mac and you're good to go. Of course, you'll want to be sure and update the driver to the latest version and read the manual to get the most out of your converter.
If you're not as concerned about audio quality, you can also use a converter cable, such as the Monster iStudio Link, to connect your guitar directly to the mic input on your iMac. That will allow you to record directly into your Mac but won't give you the best possible audio quality or level of customization you could get from a digital converter.TUAWAsk TUAW: Recording audio, troubleshooting wireless issues, website hosting and more originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 20 May 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Reader's unibody MacBook Pro catches fire!
Filed under: Bad Apple, Macbook Pro
At 1:30am, Ken Brinkman awoke to the smell of burning plastic. His unibody MacBook Pro was on fire. As he details in his Mac-Forums post,"Smoke was pouring out the seam between the unibody and bottom enclosure. I actually burned my hand pretty badly ripping the adapter out. Oh man. This is reallllly scary because what if I didn't wake up? It could of burned my house down."
Ken e-mailed us this morning, understandably freaking out. Two weeks ago, Mel reported on a San Jose lawsuit alleging that the MagSafe power cables Apple uses for its portable computers are a fire hazard. We've seen Flickr evidence of melted or scorched MagSafe adapters in the past, but Ken's pictures take that to another level.
Ken's primary concern, after his safety, of course, is what Apple will do about the problem. Personally, I think a new computer is a given -- though I would also want some sort of assurance that Apple is testing its MagSafe cables for consistency. No one wants to wake up to find this on their desk.
UPDATE: Ken wrote in to clarify what happened and told us he's getting a replacement. Read more after the jump.
Thanks Ken!Continue reading Reader's unibody MacBook Pro catches fire!
TUAWReader's unibody MacBook Pro catches fire! originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 20 May 2009 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - OS X 10.5.7: The hidden fixes
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, OS, Software Update, Bad Apple, Leopard
I really didn't have any complaints about the latest Mac OS update. It went smoothly on 3 Macs, and I didn't hear any complaints from friends or associates.
While many people moan about things that didn't get fixed, I'm somewhat concerned about the things that the 10.5.7 update DID fix that I didn't know about.
A bit of background: For about a year I've had a Logitech Webcam. It was designed for the Mac, and was meant to replace the iSight firewire webcam that Apple unceremoniously discontinued.
The Logitech unit, a Quickcam Vision Pro for Mac, has a wonderful crisp image and a nice wide angle view. It is plug and play. That's the problem. As some other users have seen, its internal aperture adjustment sometimes goes haywire, and you have to unplug it, and re-plug it in again to get a picture that is not really, really dark. It's kind of plug and play, then unplug or don't play. Then plug it in again.Continue reading OS X 10.5.7: The hidden fixes
TUAWOS X 10.5.7: The hidden fixes originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 19 May 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - iTunes 8.2 to include Blu-ray support?
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Multimedia, Software, Odds and ends, iTunes, Apple, Developer
Update: Our bad... the date on the MacRumors comment was in late April, and this recycled up into our queue due to an editing mixup. Apologies -Ed.
There's a new iTunes beta version out in developers' hands straight from Apple, and a forum poster over at Mac Rumors found a little something fun in the About screen: a reference to Gracenote's ability to identify Blu-ray discs. Gracenote is the service that IDs your CDs when you import them into iTunes, so you don't have to sit there and type all the track names and artist information in. Apparently Apple is mentioning that not only CDs and DVDs, but also Blu-ray discs, will get information from Gracenote in the latest version of iTunes.
This doesn't mean that Apple will adapt Blu-ray as a standard (though it would probably be about time, don't you think?). But it should mean that the future version of iTunes will include Blu-ray support, so if you happen to have a Blu-ray drive hooked up to your Mac, you'll be able to read or play the discs via iTunes.
It could just mean that Apple has upgraded the Gracenote version in their app, however, and that they have no plans to actually use it -- the text in the About screen could just be a boilerplate cut-and-paste from some required Gracenote documentation that happens to include "Blu-ray." We'll have to wait and see just what shows up in 8.2 when it eventually releases to the public.TUAWiTunes 8.2 to include Blu-ray support? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 19 May 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Teachers: Monitor school attendance with iPhone 3G
Filed under: Education, iPhone
Here's an interesting idea. The Mainichi Daily News is reporting that Japan's Aoyama Gakuin University has distributed 550 iPhone 3Gs to staff and students so that they can use the phone's GPS capabilities to monitor class attendance. In fact, the school will cover the basic charges so that the students aren't required to absorb the extra financial burden.
That seems like an awfully expensive way to accomplish what my sixth grade teacher, Sr. Dolores, did by shouting, "Caolo!" and waiting for my "Here!", but a major university has different needs (and budgets) than a tiny elementary school in Scranton.
We've seen similar large-scale iPhone adoption recently at University of Missouri's Journalism School and Abilene Christian University. Good luck to everyone involved.
[Via MacDailyNews]TUAWTeachers: Monitor school attendance with iPhone 3G originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 19 May 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Rumor: iPhone next gen specs, on-sale date July 17
The previously unheralded Apple iPhone Apps blog has a rumor post up regarding the next generation iPhone hardware, suggesting that July 17th is the expected date for the new phone to be on shelves (reasonably well aligned with an announcement at WWDC). As 9to5Mac and Gadget Lab note, most of the covered ground is familiar -- better camera, storage bump, magnetometer & turn-by-turn, video recording -- but there are a few interesting tidbits, including the suggestion of an OLED screen, an illuminated backside logo (perhaps capable of doubling as a photo flash?), the integration of Google Street View with the compass for 'visual intelligence' as in the Android demo, and a built-in FM transmitter.
I'm not sure that an FM transmitter as an onboard capability is such a great idea, considering the percentage of car stereos nowadays that include either an iPod dock connector or an aux-in jack, but maybe it's plausible. Everything else seems to pass the sniff test, although OLED and a lit back panel are an odd combination. If we do see the new device in mid-July, how many of you are checking your contract expirations right now to see if you can pick one up? Mmm-hmm, thought so.
[via Techmeme]TUAWRumor: iPhone next gen specs, on-sale date July 17 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 19 May 2009 13:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Grab your US Army-issue iPod touch, soldier!
Filed under: iPod Family, Odds and ends, iPod touch
Contemporary soldiers are fighting what Newsweek calls "Networked Warfare." Portable electronic devices and other equipment keep them connected to each other, weapons systems and real-time intelligence where ever they may be. In Iraq, the iPod touch is finding a role with the US military.
In one scenario, touches with language software have replaced much pricier translation units. In fact, soldiers are finding that iPods can replace several devices, lessening the burden of gear that must be carried around. Indian development firm Next Wave Systems is reportedly developing a system that would allow a soldier to receive intelligence almost instantly from a picture snapped with the iPod. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Defense is developing software that will let soldiers monitor video from aerial drones.
As for the iPod's durability, Newsweek reports that it's held up to military life with the proper outer casing. What's more, most of today's soldiers have used or already own an iPod touch, so training time can be kept to a minimum.
At one point, the article notes that, "Apple devices make it easy to shoot, store and play video." Of course, neither the iPhone nor iPod touch we all know can shoot video, though it's possible the Newsweek author is thinking of another Apple product (or just maybe there's a milspec iPhone that does video in advance of the 3.0 release). It's interesting to see a consumer product being used in such an important role. Good luck and be safe to everyone who lifts one in service.
Photo via tikigod at Flickr (here's the story behind it).
Thanks to everyone who sent this in!TUAWGrab your US Army-issue iPod touch, soldier! originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 19 May 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Over one million downloads for Stanford's iPhone dev course
Filed under: Odds and ends, Podcasts, Developer, iPhone, SDK
Here's a telling sign of the popularity of iPhone development: we posted about an online course being offered by Stanford just a few months ago, and in that time, the course has been downloaded over a million times through iTunes. The director of iTunes U at Apple says this is the fastest any course has ever hit the million mark.
Only those attending Stanford will get credit for completing the 10-week course, but the material is available to the public right there in iTunes. And of course there are lots of ways to learn how to make apps on the iPhone -- Auntie TUAW has answered that question, and we've even got an iPhone Dev 101 series to help you wrap your mind around all of it. The iPhone itself seems made for newbies, and considering that there's apparently lots of money to be had in Ye Olde App Store, it's no surprise that people are flocking in huge numbers to the documentation.
Whether any of those apps are any good, of course, is still up in the air. But who knows -- someone who starts with the free iTunes U course might one day be a game-changing designer. There's got to be at least one winner in those million downloaders, right?TUAWOver one million downloads for Stanford's iPhone dev course originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 19 May 2009 12:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - A house for your homeless 2.5" SATA drive
Filed under: Accessories, Hardware, Peripherals, Odds and ends
Are you wondering what to do with the 2.5" SATA drive that you yanked out of your MacBook or Mac mini so you could replace it with a SATA Solid State Drive? For $19.99, the OWC Express USB 2.0 bus-powered enclosure provides a new home for that old drive so you can use it as a backup or spare drive.
The Express enclosure is just slightly larger than an iPhone at 3.07" x 5.12" x .55" (78mm x 130mm x 14mm), and weighs just 2 ounces (56g) empty. Just toss in your old 2.5" SATA drive and you have a bus-powered USB 2.0 drive that easily fits in your pocket. You can also shop around for new bare SATA drives; a 500GB, 5400 RPM drive can be had for as low as US$97 (I'm sure you can find them for less!), making for a low-cost and portable backup solution.
There are other similar USB 2.0 enclosures out there; MacAlly's PHR-250A (US$19) and StarTech SAT2510U2 Infosafe (US$17.96) are about the same size and weight as the Express, while the Vantec NexStar SX NST-285S2-BK (US$22.02) and Sabrent EC-UST25 (US$14.97) are larger and heavier.
What's your favorite use for disk drives that you've pulled out of your Macs? Leave a comment below.TUAWA house for your homeless 2.5" SATA drive originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 19 May 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Palm Pre takes aim at iPhone, launches days before WWDC
Filed under: iPhone
In a shot across the iPhone's bow, Palm is launching its new Palm Pre smartphone the weekend before Apple's Worldwide Developer Conference. This means any iPhone announcements at WWDC will be undoubtedly compared to Palm's new platform.The Pre handset will cost $200 after a $100 mail-in rebate, and if you sign up for a two-year contract with Sprint. The monthly service costs roughly the same as AT&T's iPhone plan but offers unlimited text messaging -- a $20 option with Ma Bell.
Electronista points out that the Pre has some small technical advantages over the iPhone as well: a three megapixel camera, an optional inductive charger, and EVDO networking. Depending on the area, EVDO can be faster than both EDGE and GPRS, but not faster than HSDPA (the latter of which AT&T is rolling out across the U.S.). In any case, AT&T is already preparing its sales staff for the looming battle.
Also, Sprint claims that having a Pre will cost $1,430 less over the two-year contract period compared to owning an iPhone for the same period.
Meanwhile, for those of us on Verizon, we'll just have to make do with calculators connected by string. Which reminds me -- you all got the notice Verizon was upgrading us to nylon cord this week, right?
[Via IGM]
TUAWPalm Pre takes aim at iPhone, launches days before WWDC originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 19 May 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - TUAW Wishlist: iPhone apps I'd like to see
Sure, the transparent email and the yet-another-dialer brigade are all well and good, but there are a few things the iPhone doesn't do that I really wish it would. Here's a pair of app suggestions that are probably outside the bounds of the SDK and prime fodder for jailbreak developers, but if someone came up with a way to do them that would make it onto the App Store, I can guarantee you at least one customer.
WiFi Master: If you use your iPhone in a major metropolitan area, you've probably encountered the problem I have in New York City -- scores of access points named 'linksys,' 'netgear' or 'default' or a Starbucks broadcasting AT&T's WiFi network on every corner. Join one, just once, and your iPhone insists on hopping aboard whenever it's in range, whether or not the named network is the one you meant to use or whether you've signed into the web portal for the WLAN (leaving you starved for connectivity, as the 3G connection is superceded by the WiFi link).
Tweaking the network settings is generally a no-no for non-Apple apps, but we need help. Give me a quick way to turn WiFi on and off from the home screen, a way to exclude or include access points by MAC address instead of just by SSID (locking out the rogue 'linksys' networks), and instant display of my assigned DHCP address without diving four screens down into the Settings app. Granted, the Devicescape sign-on automation apps are a good start towards this goal (the Easy WiFi for AT&T iPhones app is worth the $0.99 in aggravation reduction) but I need more active WiFi control in this network-dense environment.
As noted in the comments, the jailbreak app SBSettings covers a lot of these use cases; if you're in a WiFi hot zone and you can't take any more, it might be the tool that pushes you to jailbreak your phone.
GotThis?: One of the favored activities of appoholics, when meeting in their secret underground lairs, is comparing screenfuls of cool iPhone apps to see what they might want to download next. It would be easier if these phone-waving sessions could be automated with -- of course -- an app that would compare your installed suite with that of your neighbor's, point out what he's got that you don't and vice versa, show you most-run statistics and then perhaps link you to the App Store if you've gotta have one of those apps right away.
The problem is that the roster of installed apps is not accessible to a sandboxed app running on the phone, at least not under SDK rules; one way to do this would be to scrape the installed app profile from iTunes and then store it, with the user's permission, on an external website (leveraging the existing iUseThis for iPhone, perhaps). Give this app the interface and location awareness of contact sharer & billionth-app Bump, let users tap iPhones to compare installation profiles, and you'd have a fun social networking tool plus an appoholic enabler of devastating proportions.
What's on your app wishlist? Have you seen apps like these, either in the App Store or in the Cydia Store? Let us know below.TUAWTUAW Wishlist: iPhone apps I'd like to see originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 19 May 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Mac 101: Supersize your icon views
Welcome back to Mac 101, our occasional series of tips for new and novice Mac users.
Over the past 25 years, icons may have become ubiquitous almost to the point of fading into the visual background; still, the little pictures that began in 32x32 black and white format have grown up quite nicely into the massive 512x512 icons we enjoy in Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard. Although the list and column views are more utilitarian for most file management tasks, there are times when icon view is the way to go.
You can control whether or not a particular Finder window displays in Icon view via the View Menu ("as Icons," or ⌘-1), and then adjust the display size of the icons via the View Options inspector panel (⌘-J). You can get up to 128px square icons in Finder windows, which is plenty big, but what if you want to see all the graphical power of those fully operational battle icons?
One way to see the full-size icons is via Cover Flow -- simply switch your Finder window to "as Cover Flow" (via the toolbar button, the View menu, or with a quick ⌘-4) and you can scale your icons at will by adjusting the window size. If you prefer not to have that black background around your icon, however, what is there to do? Thanks to Rob Griffiths at Macworld & MacOSXHints, here's a great tip for getting the maximum size out of your icon previews in the Finder without resorting to Cover Flow.
To view icon previews up to 512x512, hit the Spotlight search field at the top right of the window; search for a null string (two quotation marks next to each other, no space in between, like so ""), then change the search target from This Mac to Current Folder and the search type from Contents to File Name. Switch to icon view and you'll see, at the bottom right corner of the window, a scaling slider. Push it to the right to maximize your icon size. It's just the thing for appreciating the fine detail on your bottle of unicorn tears. (If you're looking for the CHOCK LOCK and Rick Astley icons above, they're in the QuickPix 2008 pack from the Iconfactory.)
Rob also hazarded a guess that we might see a more accessible version of this feature in future Mac OS X versions. If you watched the Snow Leopard stealth preview video posted earlier, you know he may well be right.
TUAWMac 101: Supersize your icon views originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 19 May 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - The Bacterial Orchestra uses the iPhone to create "viral music"
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Multimedia, Odds and ends, Developer
This is really wild: what you see above is an example of "viral music" -- it's part of an upcoming music festival that's taking place in Sweden, and it features a circle of iPhones that are both listening to and playing a very abstract kind of "music." Each one is picking up audio from its environment, then running it through a series of software filters to make it sound more musical, and finally playing it back in a rhythm. As each iPhone is picking up the tune from the other iPhones it's playing it back through the same filters, and so on and so forth. All while the software is "judging" each "cell" of sound, to see if it's interesting or loud enough or so forth, and cells will live or die based on that criteria -- in essence, a musical organism.
Like I said, wild. That program is called the "Bacterial Orchestra -- Public Epidemic No. 1," and it sounds like the app will be available on the iPhone soon as well. Of course, you'll have to have a bunch of iPhones with the app in one place for it to work the way it's designed, but at least there's good video of it.Continue reading The Bacterial Orchestra uses the iPhone to create "viral music"
TUAWThe Bacterial Orchestra uses the iPhone to create "viral music" originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 19 May 2009 01:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Rumor: Apple working towards putting background processes on the iPhone
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Software, Apple, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
Apple's push notifications sure are neat, but they aren't the brass ring for developers on the iPhone. That, so far, would be background processes. And while Apple has said that background processes would just be too much of a drain on the iPhone's battery, that doesn't mean they don't want them, too.
Ars Technica reports that Apple is still trying to figure out a way for certain apps to do it. There's two options laid out here: one is user-based, in which the user actually approves certain apps to run in the background, with the consequence (if you do choose to enable that) of lower battery lifetime. The second has Apple approving apps for background action, allowing certain developers to run based on limits of "resource usage such as RAM or network bandwidth."
Obviously, there are pros and cons to each plan -- giving the power to the user means they will be able to choose when the battery is drained (on a particularly busy day, for instance, or when the iPhone is plugged in), but it also means that users will have the ability to crash their own phones (allowing too many background processes could cause issues). And of course, while leaving the choice in Apple's hands will make sure background processing is only used in the "right circumstances," we all know how great Apple is at app approval.
Ars concludes on the same point that I would: if background processes are really going to make a difference, they'll likely rely on a future iteration of the iPhone, as the one we've got now is just not built to run apps all the time, no matter who chooses them. Even if Apple is working out a way to run certain apps in the background, they are almost certainly spending more time beefing up the iPhone hardware as well.TUAWRumor: Apple working towards putting background processes on the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 18 May 2009 22:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Developers invited to test iPhone 3.0 push notifications with Associated Press app
If you're a developer running the iPhone 3.0 beta, you may have gotten a special note in your email today -- and judging by the number of you who let us know about the news, there's plenty of those emails going around. Apple is testing the long-awaited push notification feature of the 3.0 software (and the back-end servers that provide the updates) with a build of the Associated Press news update app. If you got an email with a promo code and you've been putting the app through its paces, do let us know how it's going.
Push notification is all well and good, but what about true background processing for those critical applications that need always-on connectivity? More on the prospects for that capability in our next post, coming up shortly.
Thanks to everyone who sent this in.
[H/T to Engadget]
TUAWDevelopers invited to test iPhone 3.0 push notifications with Associated Press app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 18 May 2009 21:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Beware of MobileMe phishing scam
Filed under: Odds and ends, Security, MobileMe
Several TUAW readers have contacted us about a MobileMe phishing scam. These readers are getting an email that looks surprisingly official (see below). When they click on the Log In button, they're going to a page that has already been shut down. That might not always be the case.
Never, never, NEVER click on a link or button in an email asking for personal or financial information -- that's a sure way to become a victim of a phishing scam. If you receive a note like this, log into your MobileMe account and update your billing info directly, if it really needs to be updated. Do NOT click on the button.
A couple quick ways to see where a link or button in an email is going to take you are to hover your mouse over a link to see the real URL, or to right-click a button and select properties from the menu to see what URL is embedded in the button. Be careful out there, folks -- there are a lot of unscrupulous people who would love to take all of your money.
A tip of the hat to Noah for supplying the screenshot!TUAWBeware of MobileMe phishing scam originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 18 May 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Alleged Snow Leopard screenshots and video
Filed under: OS, Rumors, Snow Leopard
Mac Magazine has posted (English translation) what they're claiming to be several screenshots and videos of Snow Leopard, the forthcoming major update to OS X. Some of the goodies on display include a slider that allows you to adjust the size of icons in a Finder window (much like iPhoto does), new Stacks behavior and a peek at Quicktime X, which has a black border in this build.
In the video above, we see some cool smart quotes, smart dashes, smart dates (add to iCal; view date in iCal) and auto-correction of spelling errors.
We first saw screenshots last year, and Apple issued a code freeze on the APIs last week. I, for one, am looking forward to this tidied up version of Leopard.
For more, check out this video.TUAWAlleged Snow Leopard screenshots and video originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 18 May 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - RedLaser for iPhone scans for bargains
Filed under: iPhone, App Store, App Review
I wouldn't have thought it was possible to get an iPhone to capture barcodes clearly, but Occipital has done it with a new $1.99US iPhone app called RedLaser [App Store]. Why capture barcodes? One good use is to find better prices for a product. Scan a product in the store, then RedLaser captures the barcode and does a quick Google or Amazon search to give you quick price comparisons.
I tried the app at a bookstore and my local Best Buy and was surprised how well it worked. You need pretty good light to capture a barcode, which is an issue with the iPhone camera, not the RedLaser software. You need to hold the camera steady. The best way is by holding down the button to take the picture, then release when you are steady.
RedLaser gives you the option to try again, and guides you on how far the camera needs to be away from the barcode. Then RedLaser instantly goes out to the internet and gets you the price comparisons.
In practice I had some misses. The camera wasn't at quite the right distance, or I was a bit shaky holding it. In most instances, however, I was able to get the barcode and see the price comparisons I was looking for. It's also important that the camera not be tilted in relation to the barcode. Try to keep everything lined up. And the app will not work at all unless you have an internet connection. It would be nice if it could store the barcodes, then go out and identify them when you have a good signal.
You also get the ability to mail your product list to yourself or a friend to read it on a bigger screen when you get home.
The clever technology in the app is able to sharpen the image a great deal, making the iPhone camera a feasible platform for this app. When you take the picture the barcode will look pretty fuzzy, but after a couple of seconds of processing it looks quite good, which is the magic that RedLaser accomplishes.
I'd expect this will work fine for most people, but there are some negative comments at the iTunes store as well, largely, I suspect, from people who couldn't hold it steady, had bad light, or glare falling across the barcode. When I eliminated those issues, it seemed to work fine.
Note: This app only recognizes US and UK UPC and EAN barcodes. It works works best on standard-sized barcodes, but I had success with some smaller ones as well.
Here's are some screen shots of RedLaser in action:
TUAWRedLaser for iPhone scans for bargains originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 18 May 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Trend: Company-specific apps and ads
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iPhone, App Store
Imagine this scenario: you're watching the latest episode of "Mythbusters" on the Discovery Channel when an ad for Nationwide Insurance appears. Are they trying to sell you insurance? Of course, but they're also touting their new Nationwide Mobile (click opens iTunes) iPhone app, which Nationwide policyholders can use to report accidents, start claims, and find local agents or repair shops.
Later, you're watching NBA playoff action and you see an ad for E*TRADE that catches your attention. It's not that you want to lose more money in the stock market, but you're fascinated because the ad is talking about the E*TRADE Mobile Pro app for the iPhone. Banks have been doing iPhone apps for a while, with Chase and Bank of America taking the lead.
Are you beginning to see a trend here? Sure, maybe a handful of ads doesn't make a trend, but more and more companies are delivering apps that provide a mobile solution for their customers, and then advertising that iPhone-based solution to a wider audience on TV. Why? The iPhone, despite being on the market for two years, is still considered to be leading-edge technology, and it has an unparalleled "cool factor". Any company wanting to show that it's cool and on top of current mobile technology is going to jump on the iPhone connection.
I wouldn't expect to see any Microsoft apps for iPhone soon. What apps and related ads would you like to see?
Update: Thanks to the many readers who pointed out that there are two Microsoft apps available: Seadragon Mobile and Microsoft Tag Reader. Of course, I seriously doubt if they're going to tout either of these apps in a TV ad.
Additionally, we've seen a DirectTV ad that shows a customer interacting with the service via his iPhone. They're not promoting the mobile app or the iPhone, just using it in a matter-of-fact way. Interesting.TUAWTrend: Company-specific apps and ads originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 18 May 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Mac 101: Learn more about your files at a glance
Filed under: Mac 101
Welcome to another edition of Mac 101, TUAW's series for beginners. Today, we show you how to get more bang for your desktop real-estate buck with Finder icon labels.Have you ever wanted to know how large a picture on your Desktop was, but didn't want to open it (or even just hit ⌘I to get info)? Or instantly know how many items were in a folder? Mac OS X lets you display that information right under (or next to) the icon itself.
How? Easy! Click on your Desktop, and choose Show View Options from the View menu (or just hit ⌘J.) Then, click the radio button next to Show item info. Voíla! Instant metadata for your Desktop files and folders. For pictures, the Finder will show their width and height in pixels.
You can also adjust the position of the labels associated with the icons on your desktop. Instead of having the file and folder names beneath your icons, why not have a change and put them to the right? Just click either Right (or Bottom, if you prefer the default) under Label position.
For other awesome beginner tips, visit our Mac 101 category.
TUAWMac 101: Learn more about your files at a glance originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 18 May 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Adium 1.4 beta brings Twitter support and other goodies
Filed under: Software
Our favorite multi-service messaging client, Adium has issued two awesome updates. For OS X 10.4 Tiger users, or users who just want to use the most "stable" Adium release, the team has released Adium 1.3.4. This version boasts and updated core library and an updated Facebook chat plugin. The Adium blog states that this will likely be the last update for OS X 10.4 Tiger users.
If you're running OS X 10.5 Leopard and you want to get a taste of some new Adium features, the first beta of Adium 1.4 is also now available. The big news with Adium 1.4 is Twitter support! As Megan reported back in March, Twitter support is something the Adium team has been working hard at implementing for quite some time.
In addition to Twitter, Adium 1.4 also supports IRC, enhanced group messaging (independent styles and whatnot) and a slew of other improvements and enhancements. You can check out the whole list here.
I haven't really been able to try out the Twitter integration, because I think I follow too many people (Adium crashed after the 2000 or so Growl notifications went haywire), but it looks like a great way to at the very least integrate all of your messaging profiles in one place.
What are your thoughts on the new Adium beta?
TUAWAdium 1.4 beta brings Twitter support and other goodies originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 18 May 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - TUAW Review: RadTech ProCable Shortz
Filed under: Accessories, iPod Family, iPhone, iPod touch
RadTech manufactures a lot of accessories for the iPhone and iPod, but one recently caught my attention. The recently released ProCable Shortz cables are handy in tight places where you need a USB to 30-pin connector cable. I use mine in my car to hook up my iPhone to the stereo via a USB cable. Before the ProCable Shortz, I had a regular sized 30-pin cable and it took over my glove box with a tangle of wires. These cables can also come in handy when you want to charge or sync your iPhone/iPod with your MacBook, but don't want a tangled nest of wires sitting beside you on the desk.
The RadTech ProCable Shortz come in many flavors, but the most recently released USB to 30-pin iPod connector cables come in two sizes and two colors. You can pick up these cable in either 7-cm or 20-cm lengths, and either in white or black. The build quality is similar to Apple's own cables, and in some ways the cabling seems stronger. Prices are not terrible either: Only $7.95-US for the 7-cm cable or $8.95-US for the 20-cm cable. Compare that to Apple's $19.00 US dock connector cable. The ProCable Shortz are available on the RadTech website.TUAWTUAW Review: RadTech ProCable Shortz originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 18 May 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - We get it, Windows means cheap hardware
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Apple Corporate, Apple
Microsoft's latest advertising campaign, while more stimulating than the Seinfeld/Gates spots, has one goal and one goal only: sell PCs. Microsoft's endgame, it seems, is to persuade people into purchasing Windows-running PCs by leveraging the fact that Macs are more expensive than PCs.
I'm not going to get into this argument because a) it's been done before, and b) the answer always comes out with just a little bias. In my opinion, the hardware comes out costing the same (with negligible differences) no matter how you run the numbers. What I would rather discuss is how Microsoft is making its attack and what it is actually doing to help Apple.Continue reading We get it, Windows means cheap hardware
TUAWWe get it, Windows means cheap hardware originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 18 May 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Found Footage: A robot with an iPod touch for a brain
Filed under: Odds and ends, Found Footage, iPhone, iPod touch
Thanks to a little Twitter birdie named Guy Kawasaki, we learned about this little humanoid robot (Robochan!) who has an iPod touch as a brain, user interface, and "face".
It appears that Robochan might have a slight drinking problem (he falls over when he walks), and we're not quite sure about whether the elevator music playing in the background is emanating from his speaker or not, but this is a very cool use for an iPod touch.
Inquiring minds want to know: are any TUAW readers hard at work on a fembot with an iPhone for a brain?TUAWFound Footage: A robot with an iPod touch for a brain originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 18 May 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - A look at three new Gameloft iPhone games
Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
I have been in love with Gameloft games on the iPhone since I bought my first one last year. Not only do their games have great graphics, they also have great controls and game play. Gameloft has recently released several new iPhone/iPod touch games, and I'm going to give you a first look at three of them: Terminator Salvation, Assassin's Creed, and Let's Golf.
Terminator Salvation ($5.99 US)
If you have followed the Terminator franchise or television series, then you may already know the plot of this game. In this third person shooter, you'll travel around as John Conner, the leader of the resistance against the machine invasion. The game is in a 3D landscape of Los Angeles in 2018, and the gameplay is what we've come to expect from a Gameloft game. There is an "analog" control in the bottom left of the screen that allows you to move around; when you are ready to pan around the landscape, you can do so my touching and dragging anywhere on the screen. By touching the fire button in the bottom right of the screen you can fire the weapon.
There are four different control types to choose between: using the Virtual Pad (details described above), the wheel pad (drag your fingers along the corner of the screen to adjust viewing angle), the accelerometer (tilting the iPhone/iPod touch to move the characters around on-screen), or reversed accelerometer. You can also reverse the orientation of the screen in the controls; this is a feature that I think all iPhone games should have. In the game, you can play either the roles of John Conner or Marcus Wright -- when you assume each of the characters, you will gain different abilities. There are 6 weapons and 8 levels that you can unlock, which will undoubtedly provide you with many hours of play.
This game really packs a punch in the iPhone gaming scene and is definitely worth a look. You can check out Terminator Salvation on the App Store for $5.99 US.
Assassin's Creed ($9.99 US)
Assassin's Creed has been around for a few years on many of the larger game platforms (PS3, Xbox, etc.), but recently came to the iPhone/iPod touch, and puts the same great gameplay into the hands of players around the world. In the game you play a master assassin named Altaïr who goes out on a quest to find an object that will end the crusades in the Holy Land.
In this realistic 3D RPG, you'll find yourself in sword fights, learning combat moves, and in hand-to-hand combat with enemies you encounter. You will be able to earn 6 weapons throughout the game, and there are mini-games to unlock. I love RPG games, and this one definitely kept me coming back for more until I completed every level. Hands-down, this is the best iPhone game that I have ever played -- I was blown away from the first time I picked it up. Beautiful graphics, great controls with virtual "analog" stick, and great cinematic cuts in-between levels and missions.
You can check out Assassin's Creed on the App Store for only $9.99 US -- this will well worth the price in my opinion.
Let's Golf ($4.99 US)
The iPhone has its fair share of golfing games, and I've taken a look at a few of them myself, but I have yet to find one that provides both great gameplay and great graphics. Until now. Let's Golf provides the right amount of features that any golfer would love to have, such as the ability to control what your player looks like or precision controls for your swing.
You have the ability to choose between several playing modes including instant play and tournaments. There are also over 63 holes located in 4 separate 3D environments: Fiji, America, England, and Scotland. If you are a casual player, you'll enjoy the basic controls, but if you are an experienced virtual golfer, you can switch to the advanced controls where you can precisely adjust the power of the swing and even add spin.
For $4.99US, this game is packed with features, and even includes a local Wi-Fi multiplayer mode that will allow you to challenge your friends to a golf match. You can check out Let's Golf in the App Store.
TUAWA look at three new Gameloft iPhone games originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 18 May 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - TapTapDial makes phoning and driving safer
Filed under: iPhone, App Store, App Review
Unless you have voice recognition and Bluetooth in your car, dialing any cellphone can be dangerous to your health. It's truly frightening to see great numbers of commuters fooling around with their phones while trying to drive. Driving is tough enough these days without the distractions; without any tactile feedback on the iPhone, it's especially challenging to operate while in motion.
All the more reason for us to take a look at TapTapDial [App Store link]. This $0.99US app makes it easy to dial without looking at your phone and it provides voice, audio, and on screen confirmations, but don't look at that screen!
Describing how to use the app is a lot more difficult than just using it. You can add favorites from your phone book, and the app assigns them a number. If you want to call someone who is in position 3, you tap 3 times. The app will respond audibly with the initials of the person you are calling as a double check. It also will say if the favorite is a home, office, or cell number.
If your list is really long, you can tap on the right side of the screen to go through your list in increments of ten, so if you wanted to call person 31, you would tap 3 times on the right, and once on the left. If you make a mistake, simple swipes left, right, up, or down will move you around your list and provide other navigation functions inside the app. Once you have the person you want, a swipe up or down initiates the call.
You can even dial numbers that aren't in your address book, by tapping on the lower half of the screen. 6 taps dials 6, 3 taps dials 3, and soon. I think this feature is better for the vision impaired. Keeping track of all those taps while driving is probably not a good idea.
This is a clever and needed app that is, as I said, much easier to use than to explain. Some people will get quite addicted to it, and it will certainly result in safer roads and highways. I'd just make sure you have the app up and running before you get in the car, otherwise you'll be doing something dangerous just to get it up and running.
I don't really have any suggestions for the app, other than I think the GUI is not very attractive or contemporary to my eyes. Of course, if you're using the app correctly, you're not looking at it anyway.
Here are some screen shots of TapTapDial in action:TUAWTapTapDial makes phoning and driving safer originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 16 May 2009 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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