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- The iPhone 4 comes to Portugal at a 'louco' price
The good news: Portugal is getting the iPhone 4 next week. On August 27, mobile provider Optimus will start selling the iPhone 4 (here's a Google-translated link for the Portuguese-impaired). The bad news: the price is going up by 70 euros, meaning Portuguese customers will pay more for the iPhone 4 than just about anybody else.
I thought we had it bad in New Zealand, where we pay NZ$1299 (about US$918) for an unsubsidized 32 GB iPhone 4. But at 769.90 euros, a 32 GB iPhone 4 costs nearly NZ$100 (US$71) more in Portugal than in New Zealand, where mobile handset prices are usually among the highest in the world. The 16 GB iPhone 4, at 679.90 euros, is an even worse deal: over NZ$130 more (US$92) than the New Zealand price.
I've never been thrilled with handset prices in New Zealand, but we are kind of in the middle of nowhere, so it's almost excusable. It makes much less sense for the Portuguese to have to pay such a high premium for the iPhone 4. Optimus hasn't offered any reasons for raising the price by 70 euros, and I have to wonder how happy Apple is with the decision -- rumor has it that Vodafone's bungled launch of the iPhone 4 was precipitated by pricing disputes between the two companies, so it'll be interesting to see if something similar plays out in Portugal.TUAWThe iPhone 4 comes to Portugal at a 'louco' price originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 20 Aug 2010 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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NewZealand - IPhone - Apple - Vodafone - Unofficial Apple Weblog
Переслать - DashPad brings the Dashboard to the iPad, sort of...
DashPad (US$9.99) takes a unique approach to putting a Dashboard on your iPad. Instead of using an app, (which would never get approved by Apple), or jailbreaking, it uses Safari to serve an iPad specific page that contains eight widgets. More widgets will be coming, according to DashPad's developer Pixlcreations.
Here's how it works. First you're taken to Paypal to tender your payment which triggers an email containing a username, password and a link to the site. After entering the information DashPad opens the Mobile Safari page where you'll find eight widgets: Clock, Calendar, Calculator, Unit Converter, Sticky Note, Yellow Pages Search, Google Search, and Weather. This is presented just as you'd expect it, with the widgets on the bottom regardless of how you hold the iPad.
The rest of the screen is a white field. Just like Mac widgets, you tap on one to activate it and tap on it again to dismiss it. The widgets can all be moved around on the screen. A button shows or hides the widget bar. When you leave the app, it remembers the position of your widgets and the contents of the Sticky Note. It also allows you to put an icon on your iPad's desktop for quick access, which of course you can do with any Safari page.
This is fine if you've become really accustomed to using widgets on your Mac and miss not having them on your iPad. It's a really neat idea, but after using it, I found quite a number of limitations. You can't install your own widgets, since they are a part of the Mobile Safari page, however when new ones come out, they will be there the next time DashPad is run.
After not using Dashpad for a day or so you will have to put in your username and password again. This, I'm told, is a security measure and they are working on a way to delay authentication longer. This alone kills the idea of a quick and easy way to get bits of information all at the same time and I would consider authentication at this frequency a deal-breaker.
You are only allowed one Sticky Note, which can be as long as you want and is scrollable. More will be coming, but one is what you get now. The Weather widget, which requires your zip code, doesn't remember it upon re-launch. The Google Search isn't useful since it does exactly the same thing as the search bar already showing in Safari. It brings up a new page. Of course hitting the usual icon brings up the screen showing your last six Safari pages and you can easily get back to DashPad, but this brings nothing to the table that you already don't have.
It does have potential though and you might like it, but to find out you'll have to pony up the $9.99. I consider paying first bad marketing, especially since it would be possible to let you try it out for a few days and if you didn't pay up, the authentication would stop working. Personally, I don't think it's worth the price -- but if you're really enamored with your Dashboard, you might think differently.
TUAW is commonly provided with not-for-resale licenses or promo codes to permit product evaluations and reviews. For more details, see our policy page.TUAWDashPad brings the Dashboard to the iPad, sort of... originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Asus is selling fewer netbooks because of the iPad
At an investor's conference in Taipai this week, Asus CEO Jerry Shen announced reduced sales forcasts for the popular Eee PC line of netbooks. Why? Because people are buying iPads instead.
Digitimes reports that Eee sales fell from 1.6m units in Q1, to 1.5m in Q2, and are now expected to be 1.4m in Q3 . As the third quarter includes the lucrative back-to-school period, those numbers are moving very much the wrong way for Asus. Apple famously sold three million iPads in less than three months despite stock shortages, so whilst Asus is still outselling Apple, that's likely to change soon.
Asus is planning to retaliate with its own own tablet computers running Windows Embedded Compact 7: Too Many Adjectives Edition, but Engadget's writers weren't impressed when they previewed it recently.TUAWAsus is selling fewer netbooks because of the iPad originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Pro HDR gets an update for iPhone and leaps ahead of the pack
It must be the week for HDR app updates. Yesterday we reviewed a solid update of TrueHDR, and now we have another terrific update from Pro HDR.
Even if you're not into HDR photography, this is one to check out. High Dynamic Range photography creates an image from multiple exposures that are combined to overcome the limitations of automatic exposure control in cameras. The technique can recover details that would be lost in shadows, and keep bright areas, like the sky from blowing out.
The update to Pro HDR, which has just been released, has a new fully automatic mode. Instead of taking two pictures with your iPhone, and manually pointing to the brightest and darkest areas, this new option analyzes the scene, sets the exposure accordingly, and then takes the two images without any user intervention. You can also use the manual mode if you prefer. The app also claims faster image capture and better alignment.
TUAWPro HDR gets an update for iPhone and leaps ahead of the pack originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Safari extension highlight: Awesome Screenshot
With the addition of the Safari Extensions Gallery to Apple's website, TUAW will be highlighting extensions that we think are special, useful, or just plain fun.
Today's featured extension is Awesome Screenshot which lets you capture, annotate and share screenshots to awesomescreenshot.com. The way it works is pretty neat. Once you're at a webpage you'd like to share, simply click the extension's button. A toolbar appears that lets you annotate the page in a variety of ways. You can draw freely or use boxes, circle or lines. There's even a tool to blur out information that you'd rather keep hidden.
Once you're done, you can save the image as a local file or get a url to share with coworkers or friends. It's a useful tool that could make far-flung collaboration a little easier, all handled directly within the browser.TUAWSafari extension highlight: Awesome Screenshot originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - New Windows Home Server beta improves Mac support
How many TUAW readers have ever considered running a Windows server at home? I'm guessing not many. I'm hopefully going to convince you that's a shame because they can offer many features not easily (or cheaply!) replicated with Apple's own products.
Engadget reports that a new beta version of Microsoft's Windows Home Server OS boasts considerably enhanced Mac support. Despite being a Unix-turned-Mac guy, I've had one of HP's MediaSmart servers (pictured) in my house for almost a year now, and it's neatly assimilated itself alongside my Macs thanks to HP's secret sauce add-ons. I couldn't be happier with it.
Read on for exactly how it's all done.TUAWNew Windows Home Server beta improves Mac support originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Foxconn hiring and relocating 400,000 workers
The recent issues at Foxconn haven't actually slowed the company down, apparently -- it has announced that it will be hiring 400,000 more workers at new plants in China, thanks to a 50 percent increase in revenue lately. The total number of people working at Foxconn will be estimated at 1.3 million. Just for comparison's sake, GM employed about 244,500 last year. Foxconn is moving almost that many workers out of its Shenzhen plant -- 170,000 of those workers will be sent to plants closer to their homes.
It's crazy to think what the company must be like -- not only are they handling ungodly amounts of people making ungodly amounts of electronic devices, but they're doing it mostly for American companies like Apple, Dell, HP, and so on. This is the giant machine that's pushing out all of those iPhones and Macs that Apple is breaking sales records with. Hopefully the new plants and relocations will help all of the issues that employees there have had in the past.TUAWFoxconn hiring and relocating 400,000 workers originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - "Compare Macs" option added to Apple Store
"Which Mac should I choose?" It's a question I've asked myself and had posed to me countless times. It comes down to your needs and budget, but some customers still struggle. This week, Apple has added a new comparison feature to the online Apple Store meant to make the process a little easier.
The new service lets you choose up to three Macs to compare side-by-side, stat by stat. Users can scroll through the report with comparable statistics perfectly aligned, and even view environmental reports. It's very handy and offers a clear picture of the differences both notable and minute.
Setting up a comparison is simple. Click the "Compare Macs" button and then select a machine for each of the three columns via a pop-up window. Kudos to Apple for developing and launching such a useful feature.
[Via The Loop]
TUAW"Compare Macs" option added to Apple Store originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Australian ratings board looks ahead to App Store crackdown
It's not a done deal by any means, but the Australian government's Classification Board is taking a hard look at games for mobile devices, which up until now have skated by the country's regulatory requirements that mandate a pass for content and age-appropriateness -- at a cost to developers of hundreds or thousands of A$. By November, we should know for sure whether or not App Store developers will have to choose between paying to have their games rated or pulling them out of the Australian market.
This issue came up as long ago as October of last year, in response to the infamous BabyShaker app. Aussie devs Lloyd Kranzky and Nick Lowe have weighed in on their blogs, and raise some good points: although it's not necessarily a level playing field between the iDevices and other phones, and the console and PC games (which have been complying with the classification rules, in some cases leading to indie or casual/free games avoiding the Australian market), it's also not completely fair to lump mobile games in with the big boys when Flash games and other online content are completely free and clear of regulatory burden.
Another stat of note: back in 2007/08, the board reportedly classified under 1,000 video games -- a pittance compared to the thousands of games streaming out of the App Store and Android Market. It's unclear whether the regulatory infrastructure is even prepared to deal with the new order.
Here's a question for Mac, PC and console game developers: do Australian rules affect your decision-making when it comes to game releases, vs. the US industry-driven ESRB ratings system? Pipe up in the comments.
Thanks to Jarrod for sending this in.
[hat tip to Kotaku]TUAWAustralian ratings board looks ahead to App Store crackdown originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Snap-on keyboard for iPhone 4
Last year, Mobile Mechatronics released the iTwinge snap-on keyboard for the iPhone 3G and 3GS. This week, industrial designer Altamash Jiwani has imagined what such a device would look like for the iPhone 4.
In Jiwani's design, the keyboard is a part of a larger piece that wraps around the phone much like Apple's Bumper case. The keyboard is on slider rails and can be moved out of the way of the home key. It also plugs into the dock connector, disabling the software keyboard entirely. Finally, a female dock port on the bottom allows the iPhone to be synchronized with the keyboard in place.
It's a nifty idea for BlackBerry addicts, but I imagine sliding it back-and-forth every time I want to click the home button would get old very fast. But kudos to Jiwani for putting his thinking cap on.
[Via iPhone Savior]
TUAWSnap-on keyboard for iPhone 4 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Hands on with Hulu Plus
Maybe I'm missing the point of Hulu Plus, but for ten bucks a month why is Hulu still showing me advertisements? I get that this new for-pay streaming video service offers full seasons (and past seasons) of current TV shows that would otherwise be limited to a handful of the most recent episodes. I get that the service works over Wi-Fi and 3G, and all the killer functionality that entails.
What I don't get is why anyone wouldn't apply their annual $120 somewhere, for ad-free services like Netflix.TUAWHands on with Hulu Plus originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Koreans swamp servers as pre-orders begin
iPhone 4 pre-orders have begun in Korea, and distributor KT Corporation (KTC) is reporting huge sales. Specifically, 130,000 orders were placed within the first 13 hours of availability. By comparison, it took 5 days to sell 65,000 units of the 3GS.
KTC reportedly had to expand their server capacity during the frenzied day as the initial surge brought service down. Customers were trying to connect from multiple locations, like work and home, in an attempt to make a successful transaction.
Pyo Hyun-myong, chief of KTC's mobile business, shared his gratitude and apologized for the downtime some customers experienced via Twitter. "I really appreciate this enormous support from our customers, and I also apologize for the discomfort caused by the ordering system. We will do our best for flawless delivery of the product."
There's no definite release date just yet, other than sometime in September. Sales-killing antenna issue? What sales-killing antenna issue?
TUAWKoreans swamp servers as pre-orders begin originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Choose Your Own Adventure available for iPhone as U-Ventures
If you, like me, were a big scifi/fantasy reader at a young age, you probably remember the "Choose Your Own Adventure" series. It was a series of books in which, every chapter or so, you could make a choice that affected the story, and you were then prompted to turn to a certain page to continue the story after that choice. Edward Packard was the original author of that series, and he's now teamed up with an iPhone app company to create U-Ventures, a throwback iPhone application that works as an interactive, e-book style Choose You Own Adventure. The first book is called "Return to the Cave of Time" (after the first book in the original series), and just like the old series, it offers up a set of second-person branching paths.
Unfortunately, at US$3.99, the app is pretty expensive. Reviews say that there are only about 15 minutes of content to go through here, and while the old books were short, there are a lot of other interactive storytelling options on the App Store in the form of games and other e-books. But as a retro return to the old form, it's a nice taste of what's possible. I'm hoping that Packard will update the idea a little bit and make it a little more iPhone-friendly next time.
Or, ... you could just roll your own. Our own Victor Agreda wrote about iPod-friendly CYOA books a long time ago. Download some of those onto your iPod, and you could be right back in those old pre-video game days of interactive storytelling.
[via Slashdot]TUAWChoose Your Own Adventure available for iPhone as U-Ventures originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Official Star Wars shop selling R2-D2 case for iPhone
As a big Star Wars fan, I followed all of the news out of the Star Wars Celebration event last weekend, but this might be my favorite. The official online Star Wars shop has begun selling its very own iPhone case, which as you can see above, will dress up your favorite smartphone as a not-quite-as-round version of R2-D2. I love it! We still don't have an official all-white iPhone, but this case will not only give your iPhone a white outline, it'll add a few droid ports and vents as well.
Unfortunately, it's only for the iPhone 3G and 3GS, so it probably won't fit around your new iPhone 4 quite as well. And it's only on preorder for some reason -- you can put down US$30 right now, and it will be shipped out to you in October. It's weird that they're taking preorders for a case for an old phone, but maybe they figure that there are more of the older models still around. At any rate, if you're a Star Wars fan with an un-cased 3G or 3GS, then this case is probably your only hope.
[via Macworld]TUAWOfficial Star Wars shop selling R2-D2 case for iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - SmileOnMyMac is now Smile
Going forward, the artists formerly known as SmileOnMyMac will now just be known as Smile. The name change reflects the company's more diversified software offerings outside of the Mac, which now include an iOS version of its popular app TextExpander on the iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.In addition to TextExpander, Smile's (wow, it takes a while to get used to the name) portfolio of Mac OS X apps includes PDF editor PDFpen, CD/DVD label designer DiscLabel, and its fax app PageSender.
Smile's name change is similar to a move that Apple made. Citing its changing product portfolio, which included products outside of the traditional computing paradigm, Steve Jobs announced at Macworld 2007 (where the iPhone debuted) that the company would be changing its name from Apple Computer to Apple, Inc.
Accompanying the company's name change is a new logo (sans the "on my Mac") and a new URL (it has changed from smileonmymac.com to smilesoftware.com), though both URLs will direct you to the company's site.TUAWSmileOnMyMac is now Smile originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - TUAW's Daily App: NFL 2011Madden is usually the word in football video games around this time of year, but just in case you don't want to spend that $8, Gameloft has a deal for you. Even before the season starts, it's dropped the price on NFL 2011 to just 99 cents. The Gameloft version doesn't quite have as much polish or flair as the EA game, but it's more than serviceable as a football game, and it includes all of your favorite NFL brands and players. If you just want to throw the pigskin around and see if your team can grab a few touchdowns or hold the line, Gameloft's version is great.
If you're a real football junkie, Madden's version is probably worth the extra scratch; in addition to that aforementioned polish, it's got a full management game, and Gameloft's game has you sticking with whatever team they give you. Additionally, Madden's got a playoff mode and a nice community behind it, and obviously, since Gameloft's dropping the price, they're basically declaring a surrender to the bigger EA title.
That's fine, though. The cheapskates among us who don't mind a pared-down pigskin experience still win. You can grab NFL 2011 for just a buck "for a limited time."TUAWTUAW's Daily App: NFL 2011 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - iPad ship times shrink from seven to three days
It seems like only yesterday when anyone chomping at the bit to get their hands on an iPad had to wait a painfully long time to get one. Then the shipping time dropped down to anywhere from seven to 10 days, and new customers didn't have the shakes of anticipation for too long.
Just recently, though, Apple has dropped the expected ship date for iPads down to as few as three days. Word is that the wait for an iPhone 4 may drop significantly by the end of September as well.
Something I'm wondering about with these wait times is whether it's dissuaded people from purchasing. Have you ever visited the Apple store, seen that the wait time was longer than you were willing to hold out, and changed your mind?TUAWiPad ship times shrink from seven to three days originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Facebook for iPhone updated with 'Places' GPS check-in
If you've ever wished Facebook would integrate some of the functionality of online check-in apps like Gowalla or Foursquare, you're in luck. The Facebook for iPhone app has been updated to version 3.2 and includes a new feature called "Places."
Places is Facebook's stab at sharing locations with friends via GPS tagging; by tapping a "Check in" button and choosing a location near you, you'll be able to share your current location in your friends' news feeds. Your check-in will also show up on the location's Recent Activity page, assuming the location has a Facebook page. So, you can look forward to a lot of "Johnny Appleseed is at Target in University Heights" posts in your Facebook News Feed in the near future. Hooray? You'll also be able to tag any friends who are with you, and you can see other Facebook users at that location by checking the "People Here Now" section.
Places is currently only available in the USA (meaning that I haven't tested it), but Facebook promises to roll the feature out to other countries and mobile platforms "soon."
I like the idea of this feature in theory, but in practice, as soon as this feature rolls out in my country, I'll be scrambling to disable it. I've always thought of apps like Gowalla and Foursquare as the electronic equivalent of hanging a big sign in front of your house saying "I'm away from home, PLEASE ROB ME!" Add Facebook into the mix, a site already notorious for its questionable privacy record, and it's enough to send people like me into paroxysms of paranoia. Facebook spent over half their Places introduction post stressing that any information users share with Places is completely under users' control, but we've all heard that one before.TUAWFacebook for iPhone updated with 'Places' GPS check-in originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - The Apple Store is down... and back up, with no apparent changes
Everyone's favorite sticky note has appeared on the Apple Store, which is down as of 12 A.M. Eastern. We're not aware of any upcoming products, and the store being down on any day other than Tuesday usually points to maintenance rather than new stuff. That said, we'll keep an eye on it and update if we see anything new when the store comes back up.
As usual, thanks to everyone who tipped us off.
Update: After roughly three hours of downtime, the store is back up with no obvious changes. Looks like it was just a maintenance update after all.TUAWThe Apple Store is down... and back up, with no apparent changes originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 19 Aug 2010 00:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - An iPad, a couple, and a wedding
The iPad plays such a big part in some peoples' lives that you could almost say they're married to their iPads. And as for others, ... they just get married by their iPads -- well, sort of.
The iPad helped facilitate the wedding of Aaron and Katie, as it made its rounds to the priest and then the bride and groom. Not only did the bride, Katie, read her vows to her soon-to-be husband, Aaron, from the iPad, she composed them on it as well.
While the couple's wedding was held outdoors, a gazebo provided shade to help make reading easier; the iPad's glass screen and the sunlight usually don't make a good combination for readability.
Offbeat Bride reports on creative wedding ideas; Aaron and Katie's iPad-enabled nuptials certainly qualify.
If you plan on using your iPad in your wedding, you might as well plan your wedding using an iPad. You can use 100 Wedding Tips and the Wedding Guests app, which aims to help you make a final decision on who to invite to your wedding and who to cut from the list.
TUAWAn iPad, a couple, and a wedding originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - The iPad Project documents deploying iPads at school
We've been following the folks at D7 Consulting as they roll out a set of iPads that were awarded to them by Box.net (and keep an eye out later this week for an update on that), but that's not the only group of people attempting to use iPads in a collective space. Frasier Speirs (Mac developer at Connected Flow) is implementing iPads at a school that he works at, and he's documenting the whole process on his blog as The iPad Project.
It's an interesting read. Even if you're not trying to follow in his footsteps and implement a large number of iPads across a system, it's intriguing to see how he and his co-workers are trying to squeeze a very consumer-targeted product into a more professional space. Concerns range from setting up profiles and activations on each device to more practical issues like labeling them with names and finding a way to charge them all together.
Part of the iPad's charm has been how many different places and ways that people have found to use it. At its heart, it's a reasonably powerful touchscreen computer, and that's a device that's got a lot of potential in a lot of fields. We'll look forward to seeing other implementations in various fields and locations.
[via Cult of Mac]TUAWThe iPad Project documents deploying iPads at school originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Has the iPhone App Market already crashed?
At GDC Europe earlier this week, Bigpoint CEO Heiko Hubertz claimed that the iPhone app market "has already crashed. You cannot sell your game for 99 cents and expect a return." Apple has said that developers are collectively making more than a billion dollars on the App Store, but Hubertz knocks that figure down a few notches, suggesting that because there are over 250,000 actual apps on the store, no one developer is making enough to cover the development costs of any game worth making.
Is he right? In a sense, he is -- it's already pretty clear that for a number of reasons, prices have raced to the bottom on the App Store. And while the audience is still growing (people are buying more and more iPhones every day), so is the pool of developers and apps. While there are definitely some runaway hits, the average developer isn't going to see profits that will keep an EA-level game afloat.
That said, the market certainly hasn't "crashed." Apple wanted an app ecosystem that anyone with a Mac and some knowledge and time could join, and that's what they've got -- a developer who puts a worthy amount of time and talent into an app, with some help and promotion from sites like ours, can likely turn over a profit, if not make a good amount of money. Sure, the App Store's not very friendly to big budget producers, but that's probably not what Apple wanted in the first place anyway.TUAWHas the iPhone App Market already crashed? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - TrueHDR for iPhone updated for Retina Display and iPhone 4 camera
HDR (High Dynamic Range) photography isn't for everyone, but it can really help when taking pictures with extreme shadow or light. HDR images basically combine two or more pictures taken at different exposures. Using a process called tone mapping, you get a new image that displays more detail in the darker areas and restrains the areas that are too bright.
TrueHDR for the iPhone has been updated to support the full resolution of the iPhone cameras, both front and back. It now supports the Retina Display, and claims better image alignment and more natural looking results.
I've reviewed the original version and today I gave the new version a try. The updated app works as advertised, although I was a little short of dramatic scenery for my tests. The added resolution and quality of the iPhone 4 camera makes a welcome difference.
TUAWTrueHDR for iPhone updated for Retina Display and iPhone 4 camera originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - TUAW TV Live - Today it's twice the fun
Welcome back for another hour of TUAW TV Live, our weekly live show where you can join in on the fun.
Today, of course, the show is going to be twice the fun when Tim Robertson of OWC Radio and MyMac.com joins host Steve Sande for a lively discussion of the Apple world. Whether we're talking about the new iPad ad, upgrading old Mac hardware, the iPhone 4, favorites from the App Store, or if we're following up on something you said in the chat, it's going to be a raucous discussion. And of course, since Tim's on the show, we'll be sure to do a quick round of "This or That" before we're done.
To join in from your Mac or PC, just go to the next page by clicking the link at the bottom of this post, and you'll find a live stream viewer and a chat tool. The chat tool allows you to join in on the fun by asking questions or making comments.
If you're driving somewhere and would like to watch TUAW TV Live while you're stuck in traffic, please don't -- keep your eyes on the road! However, if someone else is doing the driving, you can watch the show on your iPhone by downloading the free Ustream Viewing Application.
We haven't forgotten about iPad users, as you can tune in to TUAW TV Live on your iPad! That link will send you to a non-Flash page, although you won't have access to our chat tool.
Remember, old episodes of TUAW TV Live are always available for your viewing pleasure on Ustream.TUAWTUAW TV Live - Today it's twice the fun originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Snoop iPhone data with limitations
The iPhone Spy Stick can be used to snoop information that is stored on a user's iPhone (even deleted data), within limitations. The ill-intentioned will want to keep reading.
The way that it works sounds simple (we haven't played with one yet). Just connect the stick and the target iPhone to a computer and run the included software, which pulls all sorts of data from the phone. You'll find deleted texts, calendar events, photos, and contact information. It'll also find recent map searches, locations tracked via GPS, Web history, and voice memos.
Are you scared yet? Don't be. In order to work, the iPhone Spy Stick requires a Windows machine (Windows XP, Vista, or 7 only) and an iPhone that is running iOS 3.2.1 (and earlier). In other words, you can't run it on any iPhone from any machine. That's still some hard core snooping, though.
I love that the manufacturer boasts that the device "Looks like an ordinary USB flash drive - no one will suspect that it's a professional grade forensics tool." I suppose that's in spite of the fact that is says, "iPhone Spy Stick" in huge, black and white letters. You can get yours for US$199.
[Via Übergizmo]TUAWSnoop iPhone data with limitations originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - iCade-like "Freekade" iPad arcade cabinet up for auction
Last April -- as is their recent tradition -- ThinkGeek put on its show of April Fool's Day items. Most of these fake items are of the "OMG I need to have that!" variety, like the Tauntaun sleeping bag from a past year. This past April's list included the "iCade" iPad gaming cabinet, which would have allowed you to slide your iPad into a wood-vaneer, classic-looking mini arcade cabinet.
Just because it was a fake item doesn't mean someone else could take a stab at it, and that's just what happened. You can now bid on the pictured item -- dubbed the "Freekade" -- to have your very own iCade-like iPad mount. The controls work via Bluetooth and require a jailbroken iPad and emulated games provided via the Cydia store. Check out the video demo after the break (just turn your volume down -- the clackety-clack of the arcade buttons is annoying as hell).
If you're not one to go bidding on something like this, it'll reportedly be available on an online store in the future. I half wish someone would just make a cheaper, non-functional version of this thing just to serve as an iPad dock.TUAWiCade-like "Freekade" iPad arcade cabinet up for auction originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Helping autistic children with iOS devices
Autism is a developmental brain disorder that, in some manner, plagues one out of every 110 children (according to the Centers for Disease Control). It's usually discovered by the time the child is three years old. Varying medical and scientific authorities characterize the condition in different ways, but scientists generally agree that autism spectrum disorders (ASD) manifest themselves in social, communication, and behavioral challenges. The SF Weekly recently wrote about a number of families with autistic children and how the iPad is proving to be quite useful in helping them.
A number of studies have been done on the use of iPhones and iPods as aids for the autistic. One such study was titled iPod Therefore I Can: Enhancing the Learning of Children with Intellectual Disabilities Through Emerging Technologies, and it tracked the progress of 10 autistic children who were using iPod touches in Australia.
The results were quite encouraging. In one case, a child who could not wash his hands was exposed to photos (combined with voice-overs) of a child doing it successfully. Through this method, the correct behavior was reinforced, and in short order, the child was able to wash his hands by himself. About 60 percent of the goals of the study were achieved.
The results of this and other studies have been encouraging, but a major problem for 60 to 80 percent of autistic children is poor motor skills, including poor motor planning, which makes using the small buttons on an iPhone or iPod touch quite difficult. Because of the larger size of an iPad, it can be much more accessible to a larger number of autistic children.TUAWHelping autistic children with iOS devices originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - TUAW TV Live this afternoon -- The Steve and Tim tag team show
Long-time viewers of TUAW TV Live will remember that we had OWC Radio and MyMac.com Podcast host Tim Robertson on the show a while back, and it was a blast. That's Tim in the photo at right, doing his best to imitate a fish out of water. Tim and I tend to riff off of each other pretty well, so it was a fun and fast hour of TUAW TV Live.
Well, we were talking (which we both love to do) a few weeks ago, and I decided that it's time to liven things up with another dose of Tim. He'll be joining me this afternoon for another hour of fun talk about Macs, iPads, iPhones, and just about anything else that comes out of Cupertino with an Apple logo on it.
The action and general silliness will begin at 5 PM EDT (2 PM PDT) today, here at TUAW.com. Just drop by at about the time the show is scheduled to start, and we'll have full instructions on how to watch the show and join in on the live chat.TUAWTUAW TV Live this afternoon -- The Steve and Tim tag team show originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - WSJ: iAds not starting off so well
The Wall Street Journal is reporting this week that the iAds launch is off to a bumpy start as advertisers learn to deal with Apple's tight-fisted control.
As Gruber said, "Better get used to it."
The WSJ notes that, of the 17 partners revealed at the program's start (iAds was announced in April and officially rolled out in July), only two -- Unilever PLC and Nissan Co. -- had ads run last month. Since then, only J.C. Penny, Disney and Citigroup have launched ads. Personally, I've only seen the Nissan Leaf ad.
The process, some customers complain, is taking longer both in the early stages and final execution. Brainstorm sessions have taken up to 10 weeks, according to sources, and Apple has tacked on another two weeks while assembling the final ad.
Not all participants are complaining, however. A Nissan spokesperson told the WSJ about the great results they've seen from their campaign. "[iAds] has driven exceptional results to date," the company said, noting that iOS users are tapping through the ad at a rate 5 times greater than clickthroughs generated by an online campaign.
Apple's tight grip on the creative tools is legendary and not about to loosen. Advertisers used to quick turn-around ought to, as John so succinctly said, get used to it.TUAWWSJ: iAds not starting off so well originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - New iPad TV ad highlights various apps
A new iPad TV ad started airing in the US this week. It begins with the statement "IPad is..." before moving through several adjectives and related apps. For example, a brief appearance by The Photo Cookbook is followed by "delicious." Flipboard is followed by "current," and so on.
One interesting tidbit is that when Twitter is shown (followed by "friendly"), the ad shows a close crop of twitter.com. Presumably this is because there's still no official Twitter app for the iPad ("Twitter," formerly Tweetie, is for the iPhone and not a universal app).
It's a clever spot that shows off some quality apps while answering the common question, "But what is it for?"TUAWNew iPad TV ad highlights various apps originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Yahoo! Mail for iPad and iPhone contains tasty HTML5 goodness
While Yahoo! Mail isn't as wildly popular as, say, Gmail, there are still a lot of people who have Yahoo! Mail accounts. After all, you need a Yahoo! account to use Flickr, so many people sign up for the free accounts without a second thought. For the most part, the Web-based mail client has been a real yawner -- until now.
Yahoo! has rolled out an HTML5-optimized version of Yahoo! Mail for iPad, following a successful rollout of a similar Web app for iPhone. To get to the newly-refreshed mobile sites, you just point Safari on the iPad (or iPhone for that matter) to http://mail.yahoo.com.
The iPad app is very usable, particularly in landscape mode where the side-by-side panes have room to "stretch out" for readability. When you're offline, Yahoo! Mail uses HTML5's local caching capabilities to let you read and search messages that you've previously received. Organization of messages is made easy by using a full search function and personal folders, and there are preset Smart Folders that collect messages from those in your Contact list, save attachments from incoming mail, and store photos that have been mailed to you. When photos are attached to an email, you can view them as previews in the inbox view or in their full size by tapping a Full View button.
If you're a current Yahoo! Mail user or are just looking for a new free email account, you might want to give the new HTML5 mail sites for iPad and iPhone a try. They're surprisingly clean, trouble-free, useful, and most importantly, free.TUAWYahoo! Mail for iPad and iPhone contains tasty HTML5 goodness originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - No Comment: Justin Long's jailbroken iPhone
First of all, the ad campaign is over, so the guy can do whatever he wants with his iPhone; second, per the theories floated over in the Engadget comments section, chances are the jailbreak was done at the behest of Jimmy Kimmel Live producers so that they could get TV out from the phone and put it up on the big display.
Either way, this iconic image of the Mac pitchman with his jailbroken iPhone merits a resounding No Comment. Video clip in the second half of the post.
Thanks to Riyan for the picture.TUAWNo Comment: Justin Long's jailbroken iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - HBO iPad app scheduled to arrive in six months
Do you need to catch up with Entourage and Curb Your Enthusiasm? Do you want to re-watch that interview from Real Sports? Soon, you'll be able to do just that on your iPad.
HBO Co-President Eric Kessler said that the premium cable channel is planning on releasing an iPad app (dubbed HBO Go) that will enable viewers to view a library of up to 800 hours per month of the channel's movies and TV shows. Best of all, if you're already a paying HBO subscriber, you can access content on the iPad app for free.
The content streaming app ecosystem on the iPad includes ABC Player, Netflix and Hulu Plus, and HBO Go is set to join this space. HBO plans to release HBO Go for the iPad in six months, which means that the app will likely be on the App Store sometime during the early part of 2011.
[via Mashable]
TUAWHBO iPad app scheduled to arrive in six months originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - iPad-equipped kegerator knows how much you've had to drink
Those wily engineers at Yelp have combined a scary amount of the things I love into one device. They've taken a keg and tap, an Arduino, an RFID reader, and an iPad and turned them into an amazing kegerator. The device not only tracks who's been drinking but also tracks information about the beer as it's poured, including the temperature and ratings of recently poured drinks (so you'll know when the keg is on a roll). They even put together a bookmarklet to monitor and track the keg remotely.
And as if all of that wasn't enough, this was all designed during the Yelp Hackathon, which takes place over a 24-hour period. During that 24 hours, the company allows the engineering team to put together whatever they want. So yes, all of this was designed and assembled on official company time. OK, now you guys are just bragging. That's just unfair!
[via Dvice]TUAWiPad-equipped kegerator knows how much you've had to drink originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - TUAW's Daily App: Evolution Defense
Evolution Defense is a pretty good tower defense title. While it doesn't add a whole lot to the genre (there is some innovation in terms of how towers are upgraded, and support towers can be built and added in around damaged towers), it is a smooth and direct TD game that's made for the iPhone.
Your job is to attack pathogens that are invading a bloodstream, and as with the usual tower defense spiel, you need to build up towers along the pathway (according to the currency that you have). It's pretty basic stuff, but a solid amount of tower choices and some excellent (if a little strange) graphical representations make for a quality game.
Best of all, it's completely free. It seems like it's been a while since we featured a freebie, so head on over to the App Store, and pick it up right away. Facebook integration will add a little extra oomph to the gameplay, and there's supposed to be a pretty good multiplayer mode (that, unfortunately, didn't work on my 1G iPhone) where you put your own creations up against a friend's tower setup. All in all, it's an excellent bit of fun for the low, low price of free.TUAWTUAW's Daily App: Evolution Defense originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 18 Aug 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - No criminal charges in Pennsylvania MacBook spying probe
The Associated Press is reporting that a federal investigation into the possible misuse of webcams on Apple laptops did not find criminal intent.
The investigation was at a suburban Philadelphia school district that used special software that wound up covertly snapping images of students who were at home with their school provided MacBooks.
The FBI opened the investigation to see if there were violations of federal wiretap statutes or privacy invasions. The school has said the security software had been purchased to track laptops that had been reported stolen, but one student, Blake Robbins, claimed he had been photographed more than 400 times during a two week period on a laptop that had not been reported to be stolen.
The dropping of the federal probe does not have any bearing on a civil lawsuit against the Lower Merion School District. Another student has also joined that legal action.
The school district issued 2,300 MacBook computers and installed software from LanRev to track stolen laptops. Parents and students were not notified the software was on the laptops. The civil suits allege that students' text messages were intercepted, and they were photographed while sleeping or only partially dressed. The school has since deactivated the anti-theft software.
TUAWNo criminal charges in Pennsylvania MacBook spying probe originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Found Footage: Sony attacks iPhone gaming in new PSP ad
Well, when you get big enough, there's a target painted on your back. Sony has gone after the iPhone and the App Store in a new ad for their PSP gaming system. As you can see above, the ad comes from the "Marcus PSP" series (starring 30 Rock's hilarious Bobb'e J. Thompson as an advice-giving kid), and calls out iPhone gamers for not playing "big boy games." The ad then shows games like Twisted Metal: Head-On and Hot Shots Golf: Open Tee, bragging that they are all available for $9.99 (though the small text confirms that they are $9.99 each, not together).
Very interesting. Truth be told, the ad is kind of weak -- it doesn't tell you to not own an iPhone, just that phones are better meant for texting and calling. But the biggest attack point here is that iPhone game developers are amateurs compared to Sony's stable, with a Doodle-esque "Game Castle" going up against high profile franchises. Nintendo has pretty much ignored iPhone gaming in the past, admitting that Apple is an eventual enemy, but generally staying unconcerned about the App Store, even as its share of handheld gaming grows. But this is the first time a competitor has publicly acknowledged the competition to consumers, and given Sony's rough history with the PSP lately, it looks a lot like a guppy trying to bite a shark.TUAWFound Footage: Sony attacks iPhone gaming in new PSP ad originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Kindle, iPad, and paper examined microscopically
The above image is a picture of the iPad's screen, multiplied by 24 times over. Keith Peters at Bit-101 used his new USB microscope to examine a few different e-reader displays up really close, and the results are definitely a fun read. The iPad doesn't do too well, actually -- I think the Kindle looks much cleaner, although there's some debate about that in the comments, so each to his own. At any rate, it's cool to see how these displays "work" -- the actual pixels going into the picture that our eyes just collate into full text. The 400x newspaper, book, and magazine closeups are very interesting as well. With all of the digital display talk going around, you tend to forget what those displays are actually trying to recreate, which is really very organic smears on a thin fabric.
Unfortunately, Keith didn't get his hands on the Retina Display, and you'd assume that's a game changer. With four times the pixels seen in the image above, the iPhone 4's display probably gives the Kindle a nice challenge, and might even start competing with the actual paper printing. Still, until that display makes its way to the tablet, this is the best we've got for now.TUAWKindle, iPad, and paper examined microscopically originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Power your iPad from underpowered USB ports
The new iXP1-500 Dongle claims to eliminate the "Not charging" issue that some iPad owners experience when connecting to older machines. We haven't tested one, but our initial instinct is dubious at best.
Shortly after the iPad was released in the US, users noticed a "charging issue." Specifically, the iPad would report "Not charging" when connected to an older MacBook Pro, Macbook, iMac or non-Apple machine. We later confirmed that the iPad actually does charge in that scenario, just very slowly.
Honestly, we're skeptical about this thing. Click below to find out why.
[Via Cult Of Mac]
TUAWPower your iPad from underpowered USB ports originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Vimeo embeds now working on iPad, iPhone
[Note: While most videos on Vimeo.com would play back on iDevices prior to this update if watched on the Vimeo site, the new 'Universal Player' embed code should allow publishers and website developers to include compatible embeds on their sites. Vimeo does not provide mobile versions of every video on the site, limiting some features to Plus (paid) users. Details on making videos mobile-friendly are in the Vimeo FAQ and the new features announcement. -Ed.]
Popular video site Vimeo (think a more artsy YouTube) has changed its embed code to be completely HTML5 compatible, which means you can nowbrowse the site completelyembed videos that play back on the iPhone or the iPad. I just pulled the site up on my iPhone, and I have to say, I think it's a smoother browsing experience than the browser itself -- you just get a list of videos, and clicking on whichever one you want (like, for example, the great Dennis Liu music video above) opens it right up in Quicktime. Good deal. Vimeo's been flirting with HTML5 for the better part of this year, but this switchover means everything (including embeds when seen from an iPhone or iPad) is available in HTML5 from the start --bye byeFlash.[Flash will still be served to desktop browsers. -Ed.]
The new update also adds a "Watch Later" feature to accounts on the site, so you can save videos and pull them back up on the device of your choice, even if you're not using something that works well. Eventually, the Watch Later feature will be added in to the Vimeo API, and there's also a new Vimeo channel available on Roku set-top boxes if you've got one of those.
But the HTML5 change is the biggest one -- one more site leaves the Flash-only fold and becomes extremely accessible to Apple's platform.TUAWVimeo embeds now working on iPad, iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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