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Dreamr app: a relaxing experience?
Filed under: iPhone, iPod touch, App Review

Dreamr [iTunes Link] is an app for the iPhone or iPod touch running OS 3.1 or better that turns your device into a dreamachine. And what exactly is a dreamachine (also known as a dream machine)?

A dreamachine is a strobing flicker device, invented by Brion Gysin and Ian Summerville, that pulses light in a frequency range relating to alpha waves present in the brain while relaxing. Originally created using a turntable, a bulb, and a cylinder, you close your eyes and and the pulsing of the lights as seen behind your eyelids is supposed to cause varying states of relaxation, sometimes creating colorful patterns of swirling lights.

Pulses from 1-4 beats per second are supposed to cause deep relaxation, while pulses from 8-13 beats per second are said to cause a waking sleep often with accompanied by psychedelic shapes and trippy colors.

Author William S. Burroughs, one of the first proponents of the dreamachine, wrote:

"Subjects report dazzling lights of unearthly brilliance and color. ...Elaborate geometric constructions of incredible intricacy build up from multidimensional mosaic into living fireballs like the mandalas of Eastern mysticism or resolve momentarily into apparently individual images and powerfully dramatic scenes like brightly colored dreams."

The Dreamr app tells you to turn the brightness all the way up, choose a number of beats per second and a color, and then to hold the device's screen up to your closed eyes and see what happens. The buttons to choose beats per second were quite small and hard to consistently tap.

I gave Dreamr two ten minute tests, both in a comfortable recliner with my iPhone resting on my eyes. At 13 beats per second I found nothing at all, outside of noting that the speed of the flickering seeming to slow down and speed up after about 6 minutes. At 4 beats per second I may have been a bit more relaxed after about 8 minutes but that could have been due the quality of my recliner. Overall, I wasn't affected. Your results, however, may vary.

The app comes with a warning that this should not be used by small children, photosensitive people, or those that react badly to flashing lights. The price is $US.99.

We'd be very curious to know of the experiences of anyone who has used Dreamr, or in fact, any dreamachine. And that, my friends, is what the comments section is for.
TUAW Dreamr app: a relaxing experience? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sponsored Topics: iPhone - IpodTouch - Apple - iTunes - IPod Classic
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Monoprice iPhone/iPod Battery Backup: Such a deal
Filed under: Accessories, iPod Family, iPhone
In a previous post about offshore iPhone chargers, a few astute TUAW readers mentioned Monoprice.com as a good source for chargers, connectors, and computer, TV and audio cables. In searching their site, I found a real deal.

The Monoprice Backup battery pack is the simplest of devices. When your iPhone or iPod is running low on juice, just plug this battery pack into the 30 pin connector. You can then either keep running with a fairly large dongle hanging off the bottom of your device, or wait and the battery pack will charge your device in 3.5 hours according to Monoprice (or about 2.5 hours according to my tests).

Yes, there are a lot of battery backups that do this, but how many are sold at US$14.50? You read that right, only US$14.50, and for that you get pack with a capacity of 2200 mAh.

For comparison, the capacity of the iPhone battery is 1150 mAh, so this battery should be able to charge your device twice. Due to my ignorance of the vagaries of electricity, mine winds up charging the iPhone about 1.75 times, which isn't bad at all.
Continue reading Monoprice iPhone/iPod Battery Backup: Such a deal
TUAW Monoprice iPhone/iPod Battery Backup: Such a deal originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sponsored Topics: IPhone - Apple - TUAW - Smartphone - IPod
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Mac 101: Publish iWeb '09 sites to FTP
Filed under: Software, Internet Tools, .Mac, Mac 101
More Mac 101, our series of tips and tricks for novice Mac users.

Now that the winter holidays are almost upon us, we're thinking about sharing stories, photos, and movies with far-flung relatives and friends. There's a slew of ways to get this done, and this post focuses on creating a simple site in iWeb '09 and publishing it not to Mobile Me, but to your own host via FTP.

If you're unfamiliar with iWeb '09, I'll say this: It does what it does well. If your goal is to share photos, movies and stories with minimal fuss and zero coding, iWeb will work. When I travel, I typically create an iWeb gallery and movie page. Yes, there are many other options, but this one works for me.

If you'd rather not publish your iWeb site to MobileMe and have access to FTP, you're in luck. The setup is simple. First, create your site. Next, click the title of your site in the iWeb '09 sidebar (this doesn't work with previous versions of iWeb) to reveal the publishing options. In the first drop-down menu, select "FTP Server." Give your site a name and enter a contact email.

Below that, enter your FTP settings. You'll need your server address, username, and password. Next, enter the path to the directory (http://mysite.com/paris, for example). Just make sure the directory already exists on your server or you'll get an error. It won't hurt to test the connection at this point by clicking the button that's available for just that purpose.

Finally, enter your site's URL and then click Publish. Off it goes! If you set it up correctly, your iWeb-powered site will be uploaded to the proper place on your site. Subsequent updates require re-publication, so just hit that Publish button again when you're done making changes

That's it! Have fun sharing your holiday experiences with iWeb '09.
TUAW Mac 101: Publish iWeb '09 sites to FTP originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sponsored Topics: Apple - MobileMe - TUAW - IP address - Unofficial Apple Weblog
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Dear Aunt TUAW: Recovering iPhone data and media
Filed under: Ask TUAW, iPhone
Dear Aunt TUAW,

I'm from the Philippines and I would just like to ask for your help. I don't know if the news had reached you guys but there had been some massive flood lately in our country brought about by super typhoons storming over our land. Anyway, I own an iPhone and thank God I brought it with me when the flash flood came which sadly destroyed my PC and laptop. Now I have a new desktop which leads me to my problem. I'm afraid to install iTunes in it because if ever I'd sync my phone with the new desktop, I'm pretty sure all my iPod files will be gone. Are there any work around for it (so that I can still save my files on my phone)? Will jailbreaking help (as a last resort)?

Thanks and more power! =)

Best regards,

Rand B.

Read on for Auntie's answer...
Continue reading Dear Aunt TUAW: Recovering iPhone data and media
TUAW Dear Aunt TUAW: Recovering iPhone data and media originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sponsored Topics: IPhone - ITunes - Apple - TUAW - Philippines
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Retrevo Study: Apple needs to price tablet at $600 or less to attract PC users
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Surveys and Polls
The mythical Apple tablet is back in the news again, this time in the results of a new study that shows where the pricing "sweet spot" will need to be for Apple to attract users who would traditionally buy an inexpensive PC netbook instead.

Consumer electronics shopping site Retrevo.com surveyed 753 Americans distributed across age, gender, income, and location, asking them what they'd be willing to pay for an Apple tablet computer. While 68% of Mac users said that they'd willingly drop $600 or more on a tablet, only 36% of PC users said that they'd pay that much.

What does that tell Apple? If they want to continue to make inroads into the PC market, particularly in the netbook sector, the new device should have a price point around $600 so that price is not an issue for PC users. Retrevo's Gadgetology study also noted that Apple has already lost potential sales to early adopters like iPhone users, 59% of whom said they either already own or plan to purchase a netbook this year.

Not only is pricing of the Apple tablet key to making it a runaway success, but the study results show that Apple needs to get this device out the door as quickly as possible to capture the slower adopters who are planning on making a netbook purchase in the next year.

The study does not answer the question on how many dissatisfied netbook owners would make the switch to an Apple tablet, but we can only hope that Retrevo asks that question soon.
TUAW Retrevo Study: Apple needs to price tablet at $600 or less to attract PC users originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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New York Times: Windows Mobile sinking, Android and Apple benefit
Filed under: Odds and ends, Surveys and Polls, iPhone
This morning, the New York Times had an interesting piece about the shift in cellphone momentum away from Microsoft to Android and the iPhone. The story refers to Windows Mobile as 'foundering,' which won't bring much happiness to Redmond. Of course, Microsoft already knows that they're quickly becoming a non-player in the smartphone market.

What's of interest beyond the basics is just how far the Windows based phones have slipped in terms of customer satisfaction. Quoting the story: "Indeed, a J. D. Power & Associates survey found that Windows Mobile had the lowest satisfaction rating among customers of any smartphone operating system. The iPhone has by far the most satisfying software, the study found. Android is a distant second, followed closely by BlackBerry's operating system."

"Windows Mobile scored below average on every attribute, said Kirk Parsons, director of the study, especially in ease of operation, speed and stability."

That was my experience -- I had two Motorola Q phones fail. They tended to lock up frequently, and one had to be replaced. I was on the Verizon network, which was very good, but when the iPhone came out the thought of having something designed to work well with a Mac, and something that had a certain well-thought-out elegance was just too much of a lure.

Microsoft owned the smartphone market for years, so it is a mystery to me why they fell so far behind. The entry of Android, and especially the new models, is welcome competition. Most cell phone makers are migrating to the Android platform, which doesn't require licensing fees. The iPhone design isn't for sale to anyone, and seems to be doing just fine. Apple could fall into the same somnambulant stupor that Microsoft seems to be in with smartphones, but the Android offerings should keep them scrambling. We'll all benefit from that competition.

What phone did you drop to get the iPhone? Do you think Apple will stay ahead? Leave a comment below.
TUAW New York Times: Windows Mobile sinking, Android and Apple benefit originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sponsored Topics: iPhone - Microsoft - Apple - BlackBerry - Smartphone
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Robert Scoble: 85,000 reasons why the iPhone won't be disrupted
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, Blogging, iPhone, App Store
Whether you think he's the voice of reason on the Web or an annoying pest, when Robert Scoble over at the Scobleizer blog speaks, people listen.

Yesterday, a Twitter follower of Mr. Scoble stated that he thought "iPhone users were beyond reason," referring to the almost unnatural fixation that most of us have for our phones. Scoble brought up a very good point in his blogged response -- every app that comes out on the market (more than 85,000 at this point) provides another way to customize your iPhone to the way that you live and work.

In order for another manufacturer to come out with a device that will pry that iPhone out of our fingers, they're going to need to exactly duplicate or surpass the functionality that we've become used to. That's not likely to happen, in Scoble's opinion, because the 85,000+ apps that filter down to a couple of dozen (or hundred) apps on each iPhone turn that iPhone into something completely unique. It's not likely that any iPhone user is going to want to give up that up unless every app in the special combination on his or her iPhone is replaced by something better.

It makes sense. I've worked with all of the other smartphone platforms, and in no case have there been compelling apps that hold me to the platform. With the iPhone, I've tried thousands of apps, kept about a hundred, and those hundred apps let me work and play the way I want to. iPhone developers have also made sure that the apps are simple to use, too.

Perhaps the Android or some other smartphone platform will eventually evolve to the point that there is a critical mass of compelling apps that provides the same magical combination of power, ease-of-use, and fun, but until that time the iPhone will reign supreme. That's even despite Microsoft CEO and iPhone hater Steve Ballmer's recent assertion about the iPhone, "That's why they've got 75,000 applications -- they're all trying to make the Internet look decent on the iPhone."

Obviously Mr. Ballmer hasn't used an iPhone, or he'd realize that the iPhone is much more than Web apps. That might also give Ballmer a clue why Windows phones aren't even on the radar for most smartphone buyers today.
TUAW Robert Scoble: 85,000 reasons why the iPhone won't be disrupted originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sponsored Topics: iPhone - Microsoft - Smartphone - Apple - Steve Ballmer
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Telus to start iPhone sales on November 5
Filed under: iPhone
Rogers Wireless has a little over one week left of its Canadian iPhone exclusivity. Wireless carrier Telus announced today that it'll start sales of the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS on Thursday, November 5, 2009.

While the Telus network has been CDMA-only, the carrier is not selling a modified phone. Rather, the company is launching its iPhone-compatible HSPA network, which it's marketing to consumers as 3G+.

Prices on the new network match what many expected from Bell, which is also starting Canadian iPhone sales soon. Telus will sell an 8GB iPhone 3G for $99 (Cdn$), a 16GB iPhone 3GS for $199.99, or a 32GB iPhone 3GS for $299.99 with three-year contracts. Minus the monthly plans the 8GB iPhone 3G will run buyers $599.99, the 16GB iPhone 3GS will run $699.99, and the 32GB iPhone 3GS will run buyers $799.99.

[via Telus]
TUAW Telus to start iPhone sales on November 5 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sponsored Topics: IPhone - Telus - Apple - iPhone 3G - Canada
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Is the MacBook Pro about to receive a quad-core speed bump?
Filed under: Hardware, Rumors, Macbook Pro

With all the news circulating around about updated Apple hardware, you might be asking yourself "What about the MacBook Pro?" Apple certaintly hasn't forgotten about its high-end notebook computer, and details are starting to slip out that the MacBook Pro might be receiving a speed boost sooner than anyone might have predicted.

Applesfera is reporting that some information about unreleased MacBook Pro models has been found in support files of the latest developer build of Mac OS X 10.6.2. In addition, there's been some talk on 9to5Mac that Apple Store geniuses are starting to work with the new Core i5 and i7 Quad-Core processors that may make their way into the notebooks.

While nothing is definite, it's looking like the release of OS X 10.6.2 and the refresh of the MacBook Pro might come in tandem, and sooner than we think.

Thanks to everyone who sent this in.

TUAW Is the MacBook Pro about to receive a quad-core speed bump? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sponsored Topics: Apple - Mac OS X - TUAW - MacBook Pro - Unofficial Apple Weblog
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Did an NYT editor let the 'Slate' slip?
Filed under: Rumors
There's a loud buzzing this morning, and it's not just the hangover from late-night celebrations of the Yankees' pennant win; quite a few tech and Mac sites (we heard it first from Edible Apple, although it's really everywhere now) are reporting on week-old remarks from the New York Times executive editor, Bill Keller, that were supposed to remain off-the record -- and of course are now playing on video all across the web.

If you look at the transcript of his chat, or the 8:20 mark in the video, you'll see him refer to delivery of journalism to mobile platforms, and then he mentions the "impending Apple slate."

Is this a simple moment of wishful thinking for Keller, or is it linked to the presumptive starring role that daily newspapers would play on the hypothetical Apple wundergadget? I can't wait to find out.

Read on to see the video.

Continue reading Did an NYT editor let the 'Slate' slip?
TUAW Did an NYT editor let the 'Slate' slip? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 10:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sponsored Topics: New York Times - Bill Keller - Apple - Journalism - Editing
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