- 7 anti-Apple cliches that need to die
Filed under: Cult of Mac
PC vs. Mac flamewars are older than the web itself, but it seems like the more popular/successful Apple gets, the more heated the argument gets on both sides. Almost any debate about the relative merits of one platform or another is guaranteed to degenerate into an all-out shouting match.
In the midst of all the fighting and name calling, the oddest thing happens: almost every time, you'll see a lot of the same points being raised by both sides again and again. Some of these points are so tired and worn out, they've reached cliche status.
In online debates, there's an informal rule known as Godwin's Law, whereby if you invoke references or comparisons to Nazis or Hitler, you've automatically lost the debate. I say the items on this list have become so worn out they've reached automatic rhetorical failure status on their own. I know that every time I see one of these points appear, I immediately stop any serious consideration of any other arguments from the person who brought it up.
I'm focusing on Apple haters and their cliches for this article, but don't get the idea that Apple users aren't just as guilty of cliche-ridden arguments when they argue against using Windows. If, for example, you're an Apple user and you do any of these things:
-- Cite the Blue Screen of Death (or BSOD, as he's known to his closest friends) as a point against Windows
-- Insert a dollar sign into Microsoft's name (Micro$oft, M$)
-- Use "clever" alternate spellings of Windows (Windoze and other less family-friendly revisions)
-- Call Internet Explorer "Internet Exploder"
you're employing a heavily-cliched, Godwin-esque talking point, too.
Read on for the seven deadly cliches of anti-Mac attacks.TUAW7 anti-Apple cliches that need to die originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 29 May 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Unofficial Apple Weblog - Apple - Microsoft - Blue Screen of Death - Godwin's Law
- Skype app finally delivers on 3G voice calling
Filed under: iPhone
There's good news and a little bit (just a little bit) of bad news. Good news first: the iPhone Skype app has been updated to allow for calls using AT&T's 3G data network.
AT&T's restrictions on cell data usage have evolved over time. Recently, download data caps have been eased, from 10 MB to 20 MB. And since October 2009, VoIP apps have been allowed to use AT&T's data network to place calls.
The elephant in the airwaves, however, has been Skype. Several months after AT&T allowed VoIP apps to use cell data, Skype was still without an update. The company, via a blog posting on its site, stated that it wanted to take the time to ensure that audio fidelity was at the best quality.
I made several calls over AT&T's 3G network this afternoon using the updated app and was surprised at how good the quality was. Each person I spoke with said they could barely tell the difference between this and a call using AT&T's voice network.
TUAWSkype app finally delivers on 3G voice calling originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 29 May 2010 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Skype - AT&T - Apple - iPhone 3G - Voice over Internet Protocol
- Microscopic signs that next-gen iPhone screen resolution will be 960 x 640
Filed under: iPhone
Czech Republic site superiphone.cz claims that it got hold of parts from the next-gen iPhone, but they've gone way beyond the analysis of sites like Gizmodo or Vietnamese sites taoviet and tinhte. Specifically, they've taken the screen from a next-gen iPhone, put it under a microscope (how cool is that), and counted the screen's RGB elements to figure out the screen's resolution.
By doing this, the Czech site has confirmed what we've "known" for a couple of months: the next iPhone will have a screen resolution of 960 x 640. This is quadruple the number of pixels on current iPhones, which have a screen resolution of 480 x 320. MacRumors notes this increases the pixel density to 320 dots per inch (dpi), much higher than the Motorola Droid's 265 dpi or Nexus One's 252 dpi.
Because the horizontal and vertical pixel density are exactly double that of current iPhones, scaling apps upward to fit the screen's new resolution will be even easier than the scaling that takes place for the iPad when running iPhone-optimized apps. For apps that do take advantage of the higher resolution (games are the first that come to my mind), the result will be graphics much crisper than anything we've seen before on a device this small.
[Via Engadget]
TUAWMicroscopic signs that next-gen iPhone screen resolution will be 960 x 640 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 29 May 2010 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
iPhone - Apple - Unofficial Apple Weblog - MacRumors - Nexus One
- myTexts for iPad, distraction-free writing to go
Filed under: App Review, iPad
A while back, I shared my discovery of myTexts, a robust distraction-free writing application ... well, as robust as a stripped-down, no-frills editor would want to be. Now, myTexts has shown up on the iPad, with iTunes syncing of your text files between your iPad and the desktop version. To make the deal sweeter, if you pick up the US$2.99 iPad app, you can get the Mac version (normally $19) for free.
The iPad app is good-looking, and has two different editing modes. The first one you're presented with is a more illustrated interface, with faux-paper and a wooden desktop background. If you'd rather be completely undistracted, there's a full-screen mode that has nothing but your text and a keyboard (and a nearly-invisible button to go back to the menu).
In the main menu mode, your files are presented on the left, and your text is on the right. You can switch files quickly, and flip from writing to the file's attached notes with a button at the top.
You can export files on the iPad, and it's necessary to do so before syncing a file back through iTunes. When you export a text or myTexts format file, it shows up on your Apps screen in iTunes, where you can add and transfer files of either type. The latest version of myTexts on the Mac can read the original-format files from the iPad, maintaining any notes as well as the text. The desktop version can then interpret any Markdown, and output PDF, Word, Rich Text, HTML and more.
While we're waiting for Writeroom for iPad to be finalized/approved, myTexts has swept in and offered an alternative with some great functionality and a clean interface. There are a few glitches, mostly related to attaching and detaching an external keyboard, but it's safe to assume they'll be smoothed out quickly. It's a pleasure to use as it is, and quite useful for writers. Combined with the desktop version, it's pretty powerful as well. If you pick up the iPad version, be sure to head over to moApps to get your desktop version for free!
TUAWmyTexts for iPad, distraction-free writing to go originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 29 May 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Apple - Writeroom - Unofficial Apple Weblog - IPad - iTunes
- Holiday weekend giveaways: Ninja pack!
Filed under: Holidays
Memorial Day: in the US, this is the holiday where we honor the service of our brave men and women in uniform who have given their all in the defense of our nation. Also, we have fireworks, attend barbecues and often go to the beach. Viva America!
We know that TUAW readers love three-day weekends almost as much as they love free swag, so we thought "Why not combine the two?" We'll be posting giveaways all weekend long to help you get set up for summertime.
Our first pack of goodies comes courtesy of Shawnimals and Venan Entertainment, who are the folks behind the new $1.99 Ninjatown:Trees of Doom game for iPhone.
TUAWHoliday weekend giveaways: Ninja pack! originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 29 May 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
iPhone - Unofficial Apple Weblog - Venan Entertainment - Shawnimals - Memorial Day
- Boggle for iPad and Might & Magic HK out now, Star Wars Tower Defense coming soon
Filed under: Gaming, iPad
Here are a few games to try out over the holiday weekend. Boggle for iPad has been released by EA. I got to play the game at an event last week, and while the core functionality isn't much different than that of Bookworm or its many clones, the bright, full iPad graphics are impressive. Outside of the simple Boggle gameplay, there are a few other modes to check out as well, including time-based challenges, multiplayer game types, and modes that will score for you or let you score yourself. At just US $4.99, it's a quality iPad game.
French game developer Ubisoft has released its online MMO Might & Magic Heroes Kingdoms for the iPad. We Americans will have to wait, though, as the app is currently only available in France, Germany, and the UK. Those folks had to wait for their iPads, so we suppose that they had to get some fun games at launch, too. Finally, Star Wars: Battle for Hoth is a tower defense game for iPhone and iPad that's not out yet, but man, it looks good. I've never really gotten into the tower defense genre, but the combination of the Star Wars license along with the bigger iPad touchscreen means that I'll be looking for that one on the App Store soon.
Also, just as this post was going to press, we heard about one more game for you to play this weekend: Prince of Persia Retro, the original game about Iranian royalty, is now available on iPhone and iPad for just 99 cents. Enjoy!TUAWBoggle for iPad and Might & Magic HK out now, Star Wars Tower Defense coming soon originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 29 May 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
iPhone - App Store - Prince of Persia - Ubisoft - Unofficial Apple Weblog
- Custom Safari keyboard shortcuts save my sanity
Filed under: Odds and ends
I'm a latecomer to the Safari party. I have used Opera and OmniWeb, but eventually, the siren song of Safari was too much to ignore. For the most part, I like it quite a bit, but there is one thing that has bothered me for a long time.
Safari has some ridiculous keyboard shortcuts. So, I made some better ones.
Exhibit #1: the Downloads window. By default, the keyboard shortcut to open the Downloads window is Alt+cmd+L. That's right, "L" for "Downloads." Does that make sense to you? Me neither. It should be "cmd+D" but ... that leads us to another problem.
Read on for more...
TUAWCustom Safari keyboard shortcuts save my sanity originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 29 May 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Safari - KeyboardShortcut - Unofficial Apple Weblog - Opera - OmniWeb
- NBC and Time Warner in no hurry to say farewell to Flash
Filed under: Video
If you're not familiar with New York City's gritty, 209-year-old tabloid the Post, it has a reputation for sensationalist coverage, a top-down conservative slant (courtesy of owner Rupert Murdoch), and a credibility problem; in 2004, a Pace University survey found that city residents considered it the least trustworthy of the NYC dailies. When it comes to coverage of the Big Apple's media industry, however, it usually finds the mark.
That's why this week's Post story about NBC Universal and Time Warner pushing back on adapting streaming video libraries for iPad is worth a second look.
The piece suggests that neither of the media giants is interested in putting in the effort to step away from Flash and create HTML5-savvy streaming websites, saying that Flash remains dominant, and the effort to convert their libraries isn't worth it. Contrast this with CBS and ABC's eager leap onto the iPad, and the continuing signs that NBC-owned Hulu is planning an iPad app.
I don't doubt that both TW and NBC would like to see Apple become a little less dominant in the media landscape, but what's weird about this story is that it implies that the "extensive video libraries" that both companies hold aren't already entirely iPad-friendly. Sure, the player interface may be Flash on their websites, but the content itself is very much iPad and iPhone compatible as H.264 video files. Of course, both companies are happy to sell their programs through the iTunes store, although that hasn't always been the case for NBC.
With this not-quite-sensical disrespect for the iPad's video prospects, where does that leave us? Is the Hulu app now programa non grata? Will we be shut out of TNT for the new Apple TV? Don't know, can't say... yet.
[via MacRumors & Engadget]TUAWNBC and Time Warner in no hurry to say farewell to Flash originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 29 May 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
timewarner - NbcUniversal - Apple - iPhone - IPad
- Why an iPad and a Mac mini are my computing future
Filed under: Hardware, iPad
A strange realization dawned on me today: I have already made mental plans to eventually replace two Mac devices I already own with two totally different devices that I don't yet own. Namely, I am planning to replace my MacBook Pro with an iPad and my iMac with a Mac mini.
Replacing the MacBook Pro will happen first, probably sometime later this summer depending on when the "CFO of Household Expenses" (aka my wife) gives me the green light. The MBP has some "issues" like constantly running fans (yes I've tried smcFanControl and resetting the System Management Controller), the DVD drive doesn't work even after having been replaced, and a corner of the frame is bent from a laptop bag "strap incident" that I would rather not go into here. Once the iPad arrives, the MacBook Pro will live out the rest of its life as my home "desktop" computer, happily hooked to an external monitor and keyboard. For portable computing, the iPad will definitely fit the bill for 99% of what I ever need to do while mobile. (My wife has a black MacBook for those times when I need a portable Mac.)
TUAWWhy an iPad and a Mac mini are my computing future originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 29 May 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Apple - MacbookPro - Macintosh - Unofficial Apple Weblog - IMac
- Bluetooth headset comes with its own iPhone app
Filed under: iPhone
The Sound ID is a Bluetooth headset with its own iPhone app. EarPrint is an app created just to control the sound of the headset -- you can tweak the audio in and out, change volume, and even find a lost headset directly from the iPhone itself. Not exactly revolutionary (personally, I've never really found a reason to use a Bluetooth headset -- when the actual iPhone didn't work for me, the wired headset works fine), but it's a nice bit of added functionality, especially if you know you'll always be using this headset with an iPhone.
The Sound ID is available for $130 (there are many cheaper BT headsets out there, but for the money it's a respectable piece of tech), and the EarPrint app is free.TUAWBluetooth headset comes with its own iPhone app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 28 May 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
iPhone - Bluetooth - Headset - Unofficial Apple Weblog - Sound
- Found Footage: Honoring Apple from 1976 to the Italian introduction of the iPad
Filed under: iPad
In honor of the Italian release of the iPad, iPadItalia has created one of the best Apple-oriented videos I've ever seen. In 10 minutes (yes, it's quite long for this type of thing), the video lovingly covers Apple from its origin in 1976 right up to today when those in Italy, and many other countries, can finally get their hands on the magical and revolutionary iPad.
The video is totally professional and really deserves recognition. With frenetic energy, just about every Apple product is displayed. It is a valentine to Steve Jobs, even showing him age from 15 to 55, and ending up with rejoicing over the European introduction of the iPad. This is a video that will warm every fanboy's heart and really captures the excitement that we've felt about Apple over the last 34 years. Enjoy!TUAWFound Footage: Honoring Apple from 1976 to the Italian introduction of the iPad originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 28 May 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Unofficial Apple Weblog - Apple - IPad - Steve Jobs - Italy
FriendFeed - amazonme
