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- TUAW TV Live at 5 PM EDT: All App Wednesday
Filed under: WIN Business
This afternoon, live from the spacious studios of TUAW TV Live in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, your host Steve Sande takes you on a video tour of recent iPhone and iPad apps.
Do you need a way to search for a lost ant costume? How about capturing video of everything you're doing on your iPhone? Are you an international financier who needs to keep up to date? Or perhaps someone who is just trying to stay entertained on the road? We have video demos of apps that will help you in all of these situations, and more.
Steve also has some live app demos that he'll be providing for your edification. There are always some good discussions in the "back room" during the show, and you can do your part to keep the show lively.
To join us, just mosey on back to TUAW at about 5 PM EDT. At that time, we'll have instructions on how you can watch and participate in today's show.TUAWTUAW TV Live at 5 PM EDT: All App Wednesday originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 19 May 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Ilinois Institute of Technology jumps on the iPad bandwagon
Filed under: iPad
Along with Seton Hill and George Fox University, The Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago will be giving a "free" iPad to between 500 and 600 incoming freshman. Since I'm sure they will be giving out the base model, this will cost the school between $250,000 and $300,000.
In comments on the previous posts, it was clearly brought out that there's no such thing as a free lunch, and this may be nothing more than a clever marketing gimmick to increase enrollment in these financially strapped times. With IIT tuition coming in at a high, but in the ballpark, $31,363, I can easily understand that a school will try any number of things to keep the enrollment applications rolling in.
In this case there may more to it than marketing, since IIT already teaches courses in mobile application development and there is an expectation of faculty in computer science and engineering to build specific iPad apps for use in their courses.
With three schools on this particular bandwagon and more to come, where do you stand on this? Is this a marketing gimmick or an honest interest in implementing a new and useful educational technology?
[via chicagobreakingnews.com]TUAWIlinois Institute of Technology jumps on the iPad bandwagon originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 19 May 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - iPhone OS 4.0 to finally allow tethering
It turns out that the long-awaited tethering option on the iPhone (in the US anyway) is just around the corner. MacRumors discovered that there is a new configuration page for setting up Internet tethering via the iPhone inside of the latest beta of iPhone OS 4.0. The feature isn't actually enabled yet; as you can see in the picture, you'll need to call AT&T to set up the service (which, of course, will come with an additional charge). But the framework is in the latest version of the iPhone OS, so when that version gets released, presumably sometime next month when the new version of the iPhone is rumored to arrive.
As you can see in the picture, we're talking about a 3G connection. I find it hard, if not impossible, to believe that this will work over my 1G iPhone's EDGE connection. Since we already know that some features of OS 4.0 won't be working on anything other than the 3GS, it's likely that there will be limitations on the number of phones out there that can actually use this service.
Of course, the beta is still being tested; it's not an official release, and obviously, the service isn't set up yet, so don't throw out your various Wi-Fi or EV-DO subscriptions prematurely. However, it seems like we're closer than ever to an official tethering solution from AT&T.
[via Engadget]TUAWiPhone OS 4.0 to finally allow tethering originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 19 May 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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iPhone - Apple - Unofficial Apple Weblog - AT&T - IphoneOs
Переслать - iPod touch with camera shows up in Vietnam
Filed under: iPod touch
The Apple sieve continues to leak as a new prototype shows up in Vietnam and promptly hits the web. This time, it's an iPod touch with a 2 megapixel camera. For now, only the iPhone and iPod nano have cameras.
Tinhte has the story once again (you'll remember they posted photo and video of a 4G iPhone). In the video above, the prototype is seen running a diagnostic utility, from which we can glean that it's got 64GB of storage, a 2 megapixel camera and a backside illuminated sensor built by Omnivision. It also behaves as expected when connected to a Mac. The "DVT-1" stamp on the back identifies this as a pre-production unit most likely produced for testing.
It was reported by the Associated Press last week that a pair of mobile phone vendors were responsible for the iPhone prototype leak, but it's unclear how this one found its way to Tinhte. What is clear is that Apple's security isn't what it used to be.
You'll find a gallery of images at Engadget.TUAWiPod touch with camera shows up in Vietnam originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 19 May 2010 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Apple moves past Motorola, up to 3% global cell phone market share
Filed under: iPhone
Android may be moving ahead of Apple in the smartphone OS market, but Apple is steadily moving up the handset chart. It's just overtaken Motorola, shipping 8.75 million handsets in the first three months of this year, according to iSuppli. That many phones sets Apple up for three percent of the entire global market; that's a pretty amazing achievement for just the few years it's been in the business. Motorola sold 8.5 million handsets in the same time period, dropping it to number eight on the list while Apple moved up to number six.
Who's still above Apple? RIM is the next target with their BlackBerry devices selling 10.4 million units. Sony, LG, Samsung, and then Nokia fill out the top five. The year-over-year growth tells the real story, though: while most of the top five, with the exception of Sony Ericsson, are showing positive growth from last year, Apple leads the pack with a whopping 130.7% growth. When you compare that to Motorola's -42.2% drop-off, it's clear why the two smartphone manufacturers are heading in different directions.
Farther down on the list, you can see why China is such an important market for Apple in the next few years; China's TCL Alcatel is also making its way up in the rankings, and it's claiming 160.7% year-over-year growth. If Apple is going to continue the kind of growth it's had over the last year, growing foreign markets like that will be more and more important.TUAWApple moves past Motorola, up to 3% global cell phone market share originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 19 May 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - New MacBooks support audio and video out of Mini DisplayPort
Filed under: Apple
I recently faced an audio/video problem with my MacBook. I subscribed to the great MLB.TV service so that I could watch my Cubs games out here in Los Angeles. However, instead of just watching them on my MacBook, I wanted to actually watch them on my HDTV. My first solution was to go get a Mini DisplayPort to HDMI adapter, but there was an issue; I would have had to figure out some way to hook up the audio since MacBooks, before yesterday's update, only output video over the DisplayPort. Audio would have needed to come through the headphones or the USB port separately.
Fortunately, that problem is now fixed for new buyers; the most recent MacBooks, according to this support document from Apple, will send both audio and video out through HDMI as long as you've got a VESA compliant adapter (which most DisplayPort adapters are). Of course, I'd need to buy a new MacBook (which is much more expensive than just figuring out an audio solution), but at least the issue is fixed on the latest hardware.
My eventual solution? I was saved by Sony, of all companies. MLB released a free app on the PlayStation 3 (which I have hooked up to my TV via HDMI as well) that lets me watch my subscription without the computer. That leaves my MacBook open for other tasks, like blogging, while I watch the game. Let's go Cubs!
[via MacRumors]TUAWNew MacBooks support audio and video out of Mini DisplayPort originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 19 May 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - TUAW's Daily App: Pinch
Filed under: iPhone
Pinch is an ingenious little game that I'd almost call a puzzle platformer, except that there aren't any actual platforms in it. Instead of navigating a jumping avatar through a series of gates and switches, you navigate little colored orbs, called Norbs, by dragging them around on the multi-touch screen towards a goal at the end of each 2D stage. On the way, you'll put them through their paces by combining or dividing them to match shapes or colors or hitting switches and opening panels to reach the end. The game starts simple -- just drag the Norb to the end of the level -- but quickly develops an awful lot of depth with some extra rules; the puzzles you'll face get mind-bending fast. OpenFeint achievements and leaderboards provide even more of a challenge for those interested.
Pinch is Coatsink Software's first game, and it shows a lot of promise; this is a simple but really smart idea that is presented very well. It's US$0.99 in the App Store, and while there is no lite version yet, I'd say take the plunge if you're at all interested. The game's 48 levels offer more than enough enjoyment. Even if the trailer above doesn't give you a good idea of what it's like to drag the Norbs around, just a few minutes with the game will have you figuring out the intriguing concept in no time.TUAWTUAW's Daily App: Pinch originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 19 May 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Twitter for iPhone should be going live tonight
Filed under: App Store
Update: 12:45 pm ET: It's there now.
Update 9:40 am ET: It's still not live in the US store, although apparently is is live in New Zealand.
Tweetie for iPhone was acquired by Twitter, and has been updated and released as Twitter for iPhone. The good news is that it is now free (Tweetie was US$2.99). It should be hitting the US App Store later tonight, although some folks are already seeing it.
Tweetie 2 was recently removed from the App Store to make way for Twitter for iPhone. You can continue to use Tweetie 2 (or Tweetie 1) but only until the end of June, due to changes in the way Twitter is handling logins. All Twitter applications are going to have to be updated before then, or else they will no longer be able to log in. Those of you who have been holding onto Birdfeed, this means you too.
You will have to "authorize" Twitter for iPhone. This authorization means that if you change your password, you can still use Twitter for iPhone. Authorizations can be managed in your Twitter account settings under "Connections."
The acquisition of Tweetie caused quite a stir in the Twitter development community. A free, officially-branded application on the iPhone (and BlackBerry) is obviously a cause for concern for third-party developers. That said, Tweetie 2 has long been "the Twitter app to beat" on the iPhone.
We'll have a more in-depth look at Twitter for iPhone later, but for now, download it and let us know what you think.TUAWTwitter for iPhone should be going live tonight originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 18 May 2010 23:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - iPhone OS 4.0 SDK Beta 4 available for download
Filed under: Developer
Apple is now 4 for 4.
Or at least Beta 4 for iPhone OS 4.0.
They have just posted the latest and greatest iPhone OS 4.0 beta. As with previous beta releases, this new beta update provides firmware for each of the supported devices (namely the iPhone 3GS, the iPhone 3G, and the 2nd and 3rd generation iPod touch).
Because of the ongoing NDA, the details of this release remain behind a wall of confidentiality. You'll need to visit the developer site and check out the specifications for yourself. Apple will be releasing 4.0 into the general iPhone population this summer. An iPad version will debut in the fall.
Apple's servers get slammed whenever a new SDK is released. You may want to wait a few hours if you encounter any problems connecting to the developer site.TUAWiPhone OS 4.0 SDK Beta 4 available for download originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 18 May 2010 20:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Rumor: Nike+ heart rate monitor coming June 1
Filed under: iPod Family
According to a post by user "Clover" on the Nike+ support forums, Nike will be releasing a Nike+ heart rate monitor to the U.S. market on June 1, 2010. Canada will also see see a June launch date, while other international customers will see the device hitting shelves some time during the summer.While the fifth generation iPod nano and Apple's own Nike+ iPod user guide makes reference to a Nike+ heart rate monitor, such a device has yet to surface.
Exact features, specifications, and pricing of the Nike+ heart rate monitor were not revealed. However, a good number of heart rate monitors out in the market today are priced in the $50 and higher ballpark, and many require you to use a strap across your chest in order to transmit your heart rate to an accompanying watch.
[via AppleInsider]TUAWRumor: Nike+ heart rate monitor coming June 1 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 18 May 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Apple no-cash policy for iPad takes some by surprise
Filed under: iPad
As loyal readers know, Apple stores are not particularly cash-friendly; in the case of the iPhone and the iPad, they're downright cash-hostile. Both devices require a credit or debit card for purchase, although you can waltz down the block and buy an iPad with cash at Best Buy if you like (and you can use a gift card for iPhone, but not for iPad).
There are some points on Apple's side for the pay-with-plastic requirement (the primary one being that it's hard to enforce the two-per-person purchase limit without some way to track buyers), but it's clear that the rule is a source of annoyance to some potential customers. Now the annoyance is getting magnified.
In a post that is destined to be enshrined under the Wikipedia entry for "irate screed," David Gewirtz at ZDnet reacts to this KGO-TV story about Diane Campbell, a Palo Alto woman who tried (and failed) to buy herself an iPad using good old greenbacks. And when I say Gewirtz reacts, I mean he absolutely goes medieval about this "outrageous" miscarriage of justice.TUAWApple no-cash policy for iPad takes some by surprise originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 18 May 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Java for OS X updated
Filed under: Software Update
Fire up your Software Update, because there's a Java update waiting for both Snow Leopard and Leopard users. For Snow Leopard (requires 10.6.3), there's Java for Mac OS X 10.6 Update 2, which weighs in at around 80 MB. For Leopard users (requires 10.5.8), there's Java for Mac OS X 10.5 Update 7, a much larger 122 MB download.
Both updates bring Java SE 6 to version 1.6.0_20 (compatible only with Intel-based Macs), while the Leopard-only update also updates Java SE 5 (compatible with Intel and PowerPC Macs) to 1.5.0_24. The upshot of these updates? "Improved reliability, security, and compatibility" of Java in OS X, with more detailed security notes available for the truly curious.TUAWJava for OS X updated originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 18 May 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Apple patent details workflows, social networking links for iPhone
Filed under: iPhone
When we're working with our iPhones and sharing information with other people, it sometimes takes more steps than it should to perform a task. Patently Apple recently published information about an Apple patent application describing a new icon and process to make multi-step workflows easier to accomplish.
In the patent description, each transaction takes place between an initiator and a target. While several examples are shown, the most interesting one deals with Facebook integration. As seen in the above diagram from Patently Apple, this workflow creates what appears to be a Wi-Fi Direct or Bluetooth connection to another iPhone, requests a vCard from the target, receives the information and allows you to either edit or accept it, adds a picture of the target person, and then sends a friend request to Facebook.
Today's process requires several apps (Contacts and Facebook) and the target would have to send contact information via email or MMS, adding another app and more complexity. The ability to add workflows to the iPhone automates the process of adding information to Contacts and Facebook much in the manner that Automator on the Mac can be set up to integrate applications.
There were rumors circulating last week about Apple integrating Facebook into iPhone OS 4; perhaps the workflow concept is a way of doing that and building an Automator-type functionality into iPhone OS. As always, applying for the patent doesn't necessarily mean that Apple will use this technology in a future product.TUAWApple patent details workflows, social networking links for iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 18 May 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Mark the Spot app delivering results for low-coverage iPhone users
Filed under: iPhone
Back at the end of 2009 when AT&T introduced its Mark the Spot app, some were skeptical that the location-aware self-reporting tool for coverage issues and dropped calls was anything more than a sop tossed to irked iPhone owners in the interest of better PR for the cell carrier.
Still, like the 'close door' button in a high-rise elevator, any opportunity for feedback or a sense of control is eagerly seized upon by us crazy hairless primates, and the presumed database of GPS-tagged trouble spots has been accumulating. Where, however, are the improvements? The new towers? The carefully tweaked coverage maps? Is this thing even on?
Apparently, it is. We've gotten a few reports from readers who say that they've received surprise free texts from AT&T, telling them about network improvements directly linked to their feedback on poor coverage. The message is as follows...
TUAWMark the Spot app delivering results for low-coverage iPhone users originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 18 May 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - The iPad and eBook piracy
Filed under: iPad
In the week following the launch of the iPad, six of the top ten selling business-related paperbacks saw a significant spike in unauthorized downloads on BitTorrent, according to BitTorrent news blog TorrentFreak. This cohort saw average increases of 78 percent over the week prior to the iPad launch. While this data may suggest the onset of an eBook piracy revolution, such a coup is still a long ways away.
The study initially sought to track pre- and post-iPad unauthorized downloads of the top ten selling books on Amazon.com. However, that proved a difficult task, as none of them were available on public BitTorrent trackers, other P2P services, and Usenet.
The next logical step for TorrentFreak, then, was to track unauthorized downloads of the top ten business-related paperbacks from Amazon.com. Such books, according to TorrentFreak, "fit well with the demographics of iPad buyers." And of these ten, only six could be found. If this was the case with piracy of music and movies, the record companies and movie studios would be partying as if their business models were more like they were in 1999; it's relatively easy to find the current top ten songs or movies on P2P networks.
These observations speak to the significantly different dynamics between digital piracy of music, videos and books. The lack of availability of unauthorized eBook titles is due in large part to the more complex workflow involved in "digitizing" a traditional book.
TUAWThe iPad and eBook piracy originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 18 May 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - When Steve says "No" we hear "Maybe." Here's why.
Filed under: Steve Jobs
In a recent TUAW post, I wondered whether a closed Mac system might be in Apple's future in addition to the standard Mac offerings. Despite the existence of Apple TV, some are dubious. After all, Steve Jobs said no (or, more accurately "nope") to a correspondent who recently asked about a Mac App store under a far more universally closed system than the scenario floated yesterday.
Jobs has said "no" (and "nope") before. Sure, we at TUAW love Uncle Steve, but when Jobs says "no," we're not always sure that he really, really means it.
The following list includes TUAW's 6 top Steve Jobs "no way" moments. Each of these transformed into "yes way" actions some time after Apple's denial. It's not as if Apple doesn't mean "no" when it says "no." It's just that like any other corporation, Apple often moves in unexpected directions based on consumer pressure. And sometimes Pinocchio's nose grows a teeny tiny bit.
TUAWWhen Steve says "No" we hear "Maybe." Here's why. originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 18 May 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Dateline NYC: Desperately seeking iPad
Filed under: iPad
What's harder to find than a cheap apartment in Manhattan or a table at Per Se? According to Silicon Alley Insider, it's the iPad. The great slate will make you wait; it may be magical and/or revolutionary but it isn't to be found anywhere in the tri-state area (that's New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, in this particular case).
Combine the in-store shortages with a 7-10 day delivery lag on online orders, and you can see why this is either really good news ("Apple is selling iPads as fast as it can make them!") or really bad news ("Apple can't make enough iPads, something is wrong with the production process!"). How you see the current crunch largely depends on whether you are an iGlass half-full or half-empty kind of person.
Have you been searching in vain for your iPad? Let us know in the comments.TUAWDateline NYC: Desperately seeking iPad originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 18 May 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Open source video blimp controlled by an iPad
Filed under: iPad
So far, we've seen a car, a helicopter, and even a Dalek controlled by an Apple device, so here's another form of transportation: a blimp, this time controlled by an iPad. Bonus points for making the video interesting and fun, too -- we get a well-edited and shot video montage of how the iPad got hooked up via code to a blimp, equipped with a propeller, a camera, and even some lights. The blimp is actually a "Blimpduino," a low-cost open source blimp design connected to an arduino controller. This blimp's controller is connected to an iPad's accelerometer, so tilting the iPad determines the blimp's movement.
Plus, it looks like they even threw in some basic augmented reality through the camera, too, just for the heck of it. Very cool. Speaking of augmented reality, Yelp's Ben Newhouse suggested a while back that the relatively inexpensive iPad could be used for all sorts of tasks that previously required much more specialized computers, and something like this proves that the iPad makes an excellent and cheap touchscreen and accelerometer-based interface for any kind of remote control. I don't know if we'll be flying real blimps with iPads in the future, but any sort of remote interface could definitely make use of a quick app that hooks up our actions to mechanics on the other end.
[via MacStories]TUAWOpen source video blimp controlled by an iPad originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 18 May 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Booyah raises $20m, aims for 6m users
Filed under: iPhone
I've lately been guessing that Booyah might eventually hook up with Ngmoco, since they're both iPhone gaming/app companies with somewhat similar goals that could help each other out. But it looks like Booyah doesn't need any help any more -- it's just raised a whopping $20 million from investors in a new round of funding. Booyah was originally included in the iFund investment, but that contribution pales in comparison to this one, which sets Booyah up as one of the heaviest single-brand hitters in the app market.
Booyah is made up of a few ex-Blizzard developers (we interviewed CEO Keith Lee back at GDC), and the growth of its second app, MyTown, has been amazing -- a little while back, they said the app was growing by 100,000 users a week, and they're aiming to hit 6 million users by the end of the summer (presumably with a new app coming as well, not all inside just MyTown). Their user investment is huge as well -- they say that average usage of the app was over an hour a day, and they're now hitting 8.3 million virtual item impressions a day. Along with selling virtual items, they're also putting together high-profile partnerships with companies like H&M and The Travel Channel.
And they've done all of this while still standing in the shadow of more well-known check-in services like Gowalla and Foursquare. There's a heck of a lot of activity and potential coming out of Booyah, and with this big chunk of funding, they're set up to do some more amazing things with their next app. We'll have to keep an eye on them.TUAWBooyah raises $20m, aims for 6m users originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 18 May 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - TUAW's Daily App: Strike Knight
Filed under: App Store
I saw Backflip Studios' Julian Farrior speak at GDC earlier this year, and while there, he showed a few upcoming App Store games of his in a quick slide. Strike Knight was one of those, and it's now out in the App Store in all of its glory. It's a simple shuffleboard bowler game -- you grab a puck at the bottom of the screen, and flick it up towards the pins at the top, hoping to hit at just the right angle and knock them all down. Presentation is solid -- a bar crowd in the background cheers or boos you appropriately, and the titular Knight reacts to all of your shots while an arcade board flashes your high score as you play.
The game is free-to-play, so it's definitely worth a try. The ads are slightly distracting (aside from the banner ads, currently all advertising the rest of Backflip's other titles, there are interstitials as well), but for a 99 cent in-app purchase, you can get rid of them, so if you like the game, you might as well make the buy. Aside from the regular singleplayer action, the app allows pass and play multiplayer for up to four people, and the gameplay's quite addictive -- that knight really pushes you to do better and better each time you play. Plus+ integration rounds out the experience, and there are awards to earn and leaderboards to top.
Farrior and his team at Backflip are doing a great job pinning down some solid, quick experiences on the iPhone, and Strike Knight is nice addition to the company's lineup. If all of the apps he promised this year are as worthy as this one, they'll have an impressive stable of apps in the store.TUAWTUAW's Daily App: Strike Knight originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 18 May 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - MacBook gets a stealthy update
Filed under: MacBook
I didn't even see the Apple Store go down, did you? Well, no matter: the MacBook has been updated. Its base specs are virtually identical to those from the Vietnamese leak a few days ago:
2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor
2 GB RAM
250 GB 5400 RPM hard drive
NVIDIA GeForce 320M integrated graphics card
The one feature not consistent with the Vietnamese leak: the updated MacBook has gained the same 63.5 watt-hour battery as the 13" MacBook Pro, leading to up to 10 hours of "wireless productivity" according to Apple's estimates. The MacBook box from the Vietnamese leak showed the old 7-hour battery graphic, which led us to believe the battery might not have been updated.
The MacBook's price remains unchanged: US$999 for the base model.TUAWMacBook gets a stealthy update originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 18 May 2010 05:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Washington Post iPhone app not winning very many friends
Filed under: iPhone
Somehow in my recent comments on News apps I missed the Washington Post effort, which has been recently updated. It's not a home run, combining a subscription cost and intrusive ads.
The app, called Wash Post costs US$1.99 a year. Wash Post contains articles and photos, and it allows you to share content via Twitter or e-mail. The app has built in search, which helps to make up for some of the shortcomings I'll detail later.
The Washington Post is a bit schizophrenic about their content. You can pay for this app, or you can go to their iPhone-friendly website for free. That's right -- you get the same content and pictures for free at the website that you pay for on the iPhone. Like many media companies, the Washington Post is eagerly awaiting the time when they can charge for all online content. What I don't understand is why they're charging for the content in the iPhone app and giving it away for free at the website? Why not be just a bit consistent?
TUAWWashington Post iPhone app not winning very many friends originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 17 May 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Quickertek selling solar panel for iPad
Filed under: iPad
Back at Macworld, I checked out a company on the show floor that made solar (photovoltaic) panels. I was hoping to see a panel for sale ready to charge the iPhone, because an easy-to-use panel at a reasonable price would have probably had me opening my wallet on the spot. Unfortunately, they only made custom-designed panels, and nothing mass market (or in my price range), so I was disappointed. But this one might be what I was looking for: Quickertek, makers of all sorts of Mac-related accessories, has adapted its MacBook "Apple Juicz" solar panel to the iPad. This provides 10 watts of sun-based power (reportedly the same as the regular iPad charger) to your magical and revolutionary device.
I don't have an iPad yet, and the price of the Apple Juicz (US$250) is still a little steep for me, even though it's probably cheap for what it is. But I am always in favor of using solar technology, and if you're doing something like camping in the middle of nowhere and using your iPad or MacBook a lot, this might be a workable solution.
If nothing else, at least we're getting closer. Someday, photovoltaic panels will be so good at grabbing light and batteries will be so good at storing the generated power that all you'll need to do to charge your iPad is go read outside in the sun for a bit.
[via Cult of Mac]TUAWQuickertek selling solar panel for iPad originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 17 May 2010 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Mac sales going strong, but iPod sales down
Filed under: Apple Financial
Immediately after the iPad's introduction, Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster predicted that the iPad would have a minimal effect on sales of the Mac. "The gadget is a premium mobile device, not a computer," Munster said. "Consumers looking for an affordable portable computer will likely stick with the MacBook lineup." The latest NPD data has proven Munster's prediction correct. US Mac sales were up 39 percent year-over-year in April, and Munster believes Mac sales will continue to grow from 19-23% over 2009 sales. At that rate, Apple may sell as many as 3.2 million Macs during the current quarter. Part of that sales increase can be attributed to recent updates to the MacBook Pro, with forthcoming updates for the MacBook and MacBook Air also expected any day now.
Sales data for the iPod is less encouraging, but this is also in line with Munster's January prediction that the iPad would likely cannibalize sales of Apple's lower-priced media players. iPod sales are down by 17% year-over-year, which is an even worse dropoff than what Munster predicted. However, there's an upshot to the decline in iPod sales: according to the data, many people deciding against buying an iPod are buying an iPad instead, leading to increased revenue for Apple. With an average price four times that of the average iPod, Munster calls iPad cannibalization of iPod sales "a net positive for Apple's business."
There's no indication from NPD of what effect, if any, the iPad is having on the iPhone's sales. However, it seems unlikely that the iPad is significantly affecting the iPhone's sales compared to other factors. Numerous media leaks have pretty much cemented the notion that iPhone updates are due soon, with coverage so widespread and mainstream that even average consumers must be well aware that it's a good idea (for them) to hold off on buying an iPhone until the likely update next month. Apple reportedly told police that Gizmodo's leak was "immensely damaging" to Apple for that very reason; we'll probably have to wait until Apple's next earnings release sometime in July before we know just how immense the damage has been.TUAWMac sales going strong, but iPod sales down originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 17 May 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Apple: 3G iPads will be unlocked in Japan
Filed under: iPad
Following rumors of carrier-locked iPad 3Gs, Apple has officially announced that Japanese customers will be able to use micro SIM cards from carriers outside of Japan, according to The Wall Street Journal.
"Outside of Japan" is the key phrase here. While in the country, customers will receive service from Softbank, the only official carrier (NTT DoCoMo recently backed out of plans to carry the device). When roaming internationally, Japanese customers may purchase and install their own micro SIM, saving huge roaming fees. Likewise, foreigners traveling to Japan can hop on the Softbank network for roaming.
This is good news for those customers who tend to travel and want to bring their iPads along.
[Via The Mac Observer]TUAWApple: 3G iPads will be unlocked in Japan originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 17 May 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - iPads as in-flight entertainment systems? There's a market for that
Filed under: iPad
Following the earlier post today about iPads in the cockpit comes news about a company that wants to provide iPads for personal in-flight entertainment (IFE) systems for airline passengers.
Most airlines use built-in IFEs to keep the passengers entertained and occupied during long flights. These systems require special distribution cabling and equipment to route games and video content to each seat, all of which means extra weight in the aircraft as well as maintenance costs. For airlines, every pound saved can mean fuel savings that translate into extra revenues. There are some portable IFE solutions in the field, which add convenience and can adapt to circumstances (a broken screen, etc.) with relative ease.
Now UK-based BlueBox Avionics has announced the bluebox Ai, a portable IFE solution that combines the iPad with the company's proprietary security technology. This allows BlueBox to protect "early-window" content, such as movies that have been cleared for in-flight showings but not yet for pay-per-view, DVD or digital sales.
The company is impressed with the iPad's 10 hour battery life as well as the fact that it can be loaded with games, magazines, ebooks, custom apps, and video for each airline. Since iPads are wireless, new content can be loaded to the devices at any time. Individual iPads would also weigh less than the built-in IFE units.
The bluebox Ai is to be formally launched at the Aircraft Interiors Expo this week in Hamburg, Germany. BlueBox has announced that at least one international air carrier will begin distributing the iPads to passengers in July.
[via FlightGlobal]TUAWiPads as in-flight entertainment systems? There's a market for that originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 17 May 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Apple could become the largest company in the U.S.
Filed under: Apple Financial
In 1997, a lot of investors felt that Apple was well on the way to oblivion. That's the same year that Michael Dell, founder and CEO of Dell, Inc., uttered his famous comment to an audience of IT managers: "I'd shut it [Apple] down and give the money back to the shareholders."
The Wall Street Journal's SmartMoney.com is reporting that since Apple is now the country's third-largest company in terms of stock market value and the #1 (Exxon-Mobil) and #2 (Microsoft) companies are seeing declines in their value, Apple could very well end up being the company with the highest valuation by year-end.
As the article points out, stock market value isn't always the best indicator of a company's size or economic value. In terms of sales, Apple ranks a paltry #42, which is even lower than Dell at #38. On the other hand, Apple is able to convert 29 cents of each sales dollar into operating profit, while Dell sees only 5 cents on each dollar.
Whatever the standard for valuation or "size" of a company may be, it's clear that Apple has made an incredible journey since the bleak days of 1997.TUAWApple could become the largest company in the U.S. originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 17 May 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - iPad app prototype is a wicked big remote for Comcast
Filed under: iPad
Here's an interesting demo video from Comcast that features an iPad as a remote control with a few extras. In the demo, Comcast's Brian Roberts shows how to use the app to search for programming (both TV and On Demand), change channels and even program the Comcast DVR. Pretty neat.
Once paired with your cable box, simply browse the TV schedule or the On Demand options. To jump to a show, simply tap its name and presto! The cable box changes channels. Likewise, you can tap an On Demand feature to start it playing. The keyboard will make searching a lot easier (think Apple's Remote app with the Apple TV).
What's really neat is the invitation feature. If you'd like to watch a show with an iPad-wielding friend, you can send an invitation to his iPad (as long as he's set up with Comcast and the app, of course). A message appears on his iPad ("Frank has invited you to watch "LOST." ) All he needs to do is tap accept and his TV will switch to that show. Neat.
This is only a demo and there's no information on when it'll be available, but we're eager to try it out. I reminds me of the days when I could change TV stations with my Newton. Sort of.
It's worth noting that both the big US satellite TV providers, Dish Network and DirecTV, already have iPhone apps for DVR control and scheduling. Mike R. reports that he has successfully used the Dish app on his iPad to change channels and program his satellite box, much to the amusement of his family.
Thanks Scott!TUAWiPad app prototype is a wicked big remote for Comcast originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 17 May 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Could a closed Mac be in Apple's future?
Filed under: Apple
By all accounts, and despite the groans of inconvenienced developers, iPhone OS has been a smashing success. In the second quarter of 2010, Apple sold roughly 20 million iPhone and iPods, compared to about 3 million Macs. The iPad alone has already sold its millionth unit. That means there are a lot of iPhone OS installations out there on Apple-branded equipment.
Under the hood, iPhone OS is virtually the same as the OS X that runs on Mac desktops. Steve Jobs announced this back in 2007, and it has been confirmed by any number of jailbreaks that allow third parties to explore the iPhone OS from the command line. It may be closed but iPhone OS is still basically OS X.
What differentiates iPhone OS from Mac OS has been the openness of the platform. Developers must go through Apple's review process to deploy software to the vast audience of iPhone OS device owners. Apple sets the rules, ensures the quality, polices the system. It's a new way of computing, closer to the TiVo or Wii experience than, say, the Windows or Linux experience.
Could it be the future of a new Macintosh line?TUAWCould a closed Mac be in Apple's future? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 17 May 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - iPads on the virtual flight deck
Filed under: iPad
It's no secret that the iPad is popular with pilots. TUAW has provided coverage of pilot kneeboards for holding iPads in the cockpit, many iPhone apps for pilots that are now making their way to the big(ger) screen, and we've heard from commenters who fly for a living that they think the iPad may be the greatest thing to appear in the cockpit since Charlton Heston.
One British firm is now starting to use iPads as electronic flight bags, although not on "real" aircraft. The company, Virtual Aviation, operates Airbus and Boeing full-motion flight simulators at London Heathrow and Gatwick airports. While these expensive and realistic simulators are most often used for pilot training, Virtual Aviation also provides public experience flights and corporate team-building events.
With the iPad, Virtual Aviation instructors don't have to lug around their heavy flight cases loaded with maps, charts, manuals, weather reports, flight plans, and checklists. The lightweight iPad displays all of the information. There are a number of photos of Virtual Aviation staff using the iPad to display charts and checklists in a gallery that they've published.
What about you? Do you think iPads can be an effective and useful tool for pilots, or are you concerned that they may be a distraction on the flight deck? Leave your comments below.TUAWiPads on the virtual flight deck originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 17 May 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Post pictures to Tumblr Quickr
Filed under: Internet Tools, iPhone
Quickr is a $0.99US iPhone app to take pictures and quickly post them to your Tumblr account. Here's the simplest explanation I can give for how Quickr lives up to its name:Steps necessary to take a picture and post it through the Tumblr app:
- launch Tumblr app
- tap post (assuming you have the dashboard shown by default)
- tap photo
- tap "take new photo"
- take picture
Steps necessary to email a picture to Tumblr from the iPhone camera app:
- launch camera
- take picture
- tap button to see photo library
- tap arrow at bottom left
- tap "email photo" (wait for Mail to launch)
- tap 'to'
- fill in email address for your Tumblr
Steps to post a picture using Quickr
- launch Quickr
- take picture
Quickr will let you decide if you want to store the picture in your iPhone's library or not (you can set a default yes/no and then change very easily it for individual pictures from inside the app). As of v.1.0 posting to "sub-Tumblrs" is not supported, but I spoke with the developer and he is planning to include support for that in the future. He also mentioned that a bug exists in 1.0 which prevents the app from running on an iPad. A fix has already been submitted to the App Store. (Even though the iPad doesn't have a camera, Quickr will eventually allow you to upload pictures from your photo library on the iPad.)
The bulk of the pictures that my wife and I take with our iPhones are intended to be posted to Tumblr, so Quickr is going to get a lot of use in our house.
TUAWPost pictures to Tumblr Quickr originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 17 May 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Digitimes: Foxconn will ship 24 million 4G iPhones in 2010
Filed under: iPhone
DigiTimes reports today on Foxconn's supposed plans to ship 24 million 4G iPhones this year, starting in June. June iPhone updates have become traditional for Apple watchers (just like iPod updates in September), and most observers expect WWDC to be this year's launch date.
According to the report, the iPhones will be divvied up so that 4.5 million units go out in the first half of the year, reserving 19.5 million phones for the rest of 2010.
DigiTimes analyst Ming-Chi Kuo also suggests that the new iPhones will feature a thinner, 960×640 resolution screen, which will create room for larger batteries and exceed Android's 854×480 resolution (on the highest end). Finally, fringe-field switching (FFS) technology will improve the display's performance in sunlight and create a wider viewing angle, just in time for iBooks on the iPhone.
Note these claims with a healthy dose of your typical rumor skepticism and mark your calendars for June 7th. That's when all will be revealed. Probably.TUAWDigitimes: Foxconn will ship 24 million 4G iPhones in 2010 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 17 May 2010 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Divvy up your windows
Filed under: Software
For those who deal with a lot of windows, especially on multiple screens, any utility that makes it easier to organize and reposition those windows quickly is a boon. I've used SizeUp for a while now, and have become very accustomed to being able to quickly snap my windows into halves or quarters of a screen and jump them from one screen (or Space) to another with keyboard commands. We've mentioned SizeUp before, as well as MercuryMover and Cinch. There's a new kid on the block, though, and it's a brilliant take on the existing ideas.Divvy is a utility that takes advantage of both keyboard and mouse to quickly move windows into place. Where the others allowed a certain amount of control over presets, and offered a certain compromise between flexibility and speed, Divvy takes the cake by using a visual (mouse-driven) interface that also allows custom keyboard shortcuts, assigned to any part of your screen that you define.
TUAWDivvy up your windows originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 17 May 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - TUAW's Daily App: Uprising
Filed under: iPhone
Match-3 games are pretty easy to come by, so presentation is the really the qualifier -- does it do something a little more interesting than the average block-matcher? On that level, Uprising succeeds. While the core gameplay is pretty common (you pull blocks around a board, trying to match them out in sets of three or more before they reach the top of the screen -- it's very similar to Xbox Live's great Poker Smash, if you've ever played that game), the treat is in the presentation. The blocks pause for a second as you match them, adding a little bit of extra strategy to your timing, and the simple graphics and sounds add up to make a stylish and intriguing match-3 experience.
There is a bit of a hitch in the controls -- the touchscreen makes it a little confusing to see where the blocks are going, or which blocks you're moving sometimes, but the advantage is that multitouch works, so if you're careful about it, you can move more than one block at a time. That's something I've never seen in any match-3 game before, so Uprising is definitely worth the download. It's currently on sale for free as of this writing, too, so go check it out on the App Store.TUAWTUAW's Daily App: Uprising originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 17 May 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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