Fresh Apple: GigaOMApple (16 сообщений)

rss2email.ru

Rsboarder[biz] - customize your desktop

Nice 2 Look | Смотреть Приятно

Вокруг ТВ. Светская хроника

Daypic - День в фотографиях

GigaOMApple

http://gigaom.com
рекомендовать друзьям >>

Mac Lands One-Two Punch Against PCs in Profit and Growth
From Apple 2.0, Needham analyst Charles Wolf has issued a research note on Mac sales that is no less impressive for being a statement of the obvious: Apple is selling a lot of Macs for a lot of money.

For third quarter 2010, Apple sold a record 3.9 million Macs, compared to nearly 90 million PCs. That means Mac market share continues to hover at between four and five percent of worldwide sales, but that may finally be changing. While PC sales were flat in the U.S. and Europe during the third quarter, Apple saw 20 and 25 percent growth, respectively. Possibly more important, Mac sales in Asia, including in the all-important Chinese market, are taking off, up 80 percent year over year.

Worldwide, the Mac was up 28.5 percent year over year, compared to a 9.7 percent increase for PC sales. Mac sales were boosted by sharp increases in home and business sales, up 25.3 and 66.3 percent, respectively. That compares with PC growth rates of 10.4 percent for home sales and only 8.5 percent for business.

Looking at a breakdown of business growth, the Mac saw increases in large and very large businesses of 145 and 200 percent year over year, 90 percent in medium-sized businesses, and nearly 50 percent growth in smaller businesses.

Government sales of Macs were up 500 percent over the same period last year. While it could be argued these impressive-sounding gains are actually a better reflection of poor Mac enterprise presence in the past than of any current success, it could also be attributed to Apple’s primary business focus. If Apple wasn’t selling on the back end, it’s possible that was as much due to a conscious choice to focus on client Macs and iOS devices, as it was to a lack of interest on the part of enterprise customers.

Citing the same report by Charles Wolf, AppleInsider expanded on the continued dominance of the Mac in profits. For the U.S. market, Apple is now the “profit share” leader, accounting for 29.4 percent of every dollar in home computer sales. In comparison, HP accounted for 20.6 percent, while Dell was at 12.9 percent, but there is a caveat. The profit numbers are based upon an average selling price (ASP) from IDC that is higher than that reported by Apple. According to Charles Wolf, “if Apple’s average selling price were substituted for IDC’s, the Mac’s dollar share of the U.S. home market would fall to 20.0 percent, slightly less than HP’s share.” IDC is “standing by” its ASP estimate, but even if the lower estimate is used, it’s important to note that both HP and Dell sold more than twice as many PCs as Apple did Macs for the period.

But unlike HP, Dell, and other PC makers struggling with saturated markets and fighting netbook manufacturers like Asus and Acer, Apple is poised for even greater growth and profit next year. According to Wolf, Mac sales are experiencing “multiple halo effects” from iPods, iPhones, and now iPads. Perhaps 2011 will be the year the Mac breaks 5 percent market share worldwide, but even if not, it will be another record year for Apple computer sales. Back to the Mac indeed.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req'd):
Переслать
Less Is More Philosophy Makes Writer for iPad a Hit
Oliver Reichenstein, a web designer and information architect behind well-known design firm, Information Architects, didn’t really have any plans to build and sell an iPad app; all he wanted was a simple text editor he could use on his iPad to pen his thoughts, without becoming defocussed by the web. He tried some of those available, but he didn’t feel satisfied. So he and his team built Writer for iPad.

It turned out to be great move. The app launched a few weeks ago, and since then, Oliver’s company has sold 20,000 copies. If current sales trends continue, Writer would hit about 50,000 copies sold. At $5 a copy, that’s $250,000 — not bad for what was supposed to be a very personal obsession. Writer for iPad is going through major upgrades and will have folders, auto sync and some other major tweaks soon. If that’s not enough, the company is now looking to extend this product to Mac OS X and will be launching it in beta sometime later this year.

So what’s the big deal about Writer for iPad? Having used it from the very beginning of the app’s development, I have to say it’s the sheer simplicity of the app that works best. It’s not what features it has, but instead, the features it leaves out that define the product.

For instance, there are no graphical or formatting settings, helping you focus on the writing itself. It syncs with Dropbox, and it has a single beautiful font which makes writing and reading the app fun to use. In addition, it can tell you how long it’s going to take someone to read the text you are creating. It reminds me of my old Remington — every mistake had to be hand corrected and it made me focus on being accurate and using words concisely and efficiently.
If you’re a professional writer like me, you are going to enjoy working on this app.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req'd):
Переслать
Hands-On With Apple's AirPlay in iOS 4.2
Apple today released iOS 4.2 for the iPod touch, iPhone and iPad, and iOS 4.1 for Apple TV. Together, the updates allow you to use the new AirPlay feature to stream audio and video content from your device to your television. It sounds like a killer feature, but does it live up to the hype? NewTeeVee certainly doesn’t think so, but AirPlay does have its good points.

It will depend largely on what you want to be able to do with AirPlay. Right now, it does two basic things pretty well: It streams photos from your on-device camera roll or Photos app to the Apple TV; and it streams audio and video from both the built-in YouTube app and the on-device iPhone or iPad-formatted video library. What it doesn’t do is transmit any video and audio content you come across to an Apple TV-connected display.

No third-party (downloadable) apps I tried had support for streaming video to the Apple TV yet (I tried the HGTV app, CityTV’s iPad app and Air Video). Audio streaming, on the other hand, seems built-in everywhere (works on HGTV, TuneIn radio, and with web-based content). Whether that means that audio streaming works without developer intervention, while video streaming must be programmed in, or whether third-party software will only have very limited access to video streaming isn’t yet clear.

Even if Apple does allow third-party programs to stream video, there will be some limitations. The video being streamed must be in a format the Apple TV can recognize, for example, since AirPlay just pushes the content from the iOS device to Apple’s set-top box, and there’s no processing involved. So .MKV files, a common format for HD video, won’t likely ever be able to be streamed from the VLC app, for instance. It also doesn’t work with home video recorded on your device, which seems like something I’d probably do most with the feature, were it available.

As for what it does provide, there are some limitations that show it’s early yet for the AirPlay tech. First, YouTube videos take quite a while to load before playing, at least in my experience. I thought it wasn’t working properly, in fact. Second, when streaming photos, there’s quite a delay, and no indicator there’s any kind of loading in progress before the image shows up on your screen. I was swiping through my library thinking photos didn’t stream when all of a sudden the first one I’d viewed showed up. The experience of many others on Twitter confirms that I’m not alone in this.

Devices using iOS can still run other apps while streaming content to the Apple TV, so that’s a huge benefit. You can check your email or play games while a movie broadcasts in the background, for instance, and you can control playback on either your portable or using the Apple Remote with your Apple TV. Also, content will display a TV as the AirPlay icon when it can stream video, and a speaker icon when it can only transmit sound, so you know at a glance what you’ll be getting.

For now, AirPlay remains a nice feature, but one that’s in its infancy. To truly have a wide appeal, I think it needs to be extended to third-party applications, and work better and faster while keeping user surprises to a minimum by telling users exactly when it’s loading. Apple also needs to seriously consider making this a two-way street, since being able to stream from iTunes libraries to an iOS device without having to install additional, unofficial software would be fantastic. Of course, it would also limit the appeal of larger on-device storage sizes, which is likely why it’s being ignored by Cupertino.

If AirPlay was the reason you were waiting to make an Apple TV purchase, I’d wait a little longer to see how the tech matures in future iOS iterations. What do you think? Is AirPlay in its current form grounds enough to justify buying the new Apple TV?

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req'd):
Переслать
Apple Releases iWork 1.3 With Support for iOS 4.2

Apple released a fresh update of its iPad productivity suite iWork yesterday, and what makes it worthwhile is that it finally makes Keynote a useful presentation tool. This update supports core iOS 4.2 features such as AirPrint and multitasking. The update also brings better PDF exporting, and provides some fixes for font issues that arise on export.

As mentioned, the update finally brings the iPad into the arena of truly powerful presentation tools: Keynote for iPad 1.3 now supports a presenter’s view of sorts. However, you’re limited in your choices: you can choose to display current, next, current and next, and current and notes. There’s no option for current and next, and notes, which a setting I use on OS X Keynote all the time.

Since previous versions only showed a black screen with slide advancement buttons, though, even this limited implementation is wondrous news. There’s still no support for any sort of Bluetooth remote, but since that would require an update to the core iOS, we’re not likely to see it introduced anytime soon. Allowing an iPhone or iPod touch with Keynote Remote installed to do the job is technically feasible, however, and something I’d like to see in future iterations.

Numbers, the iWork spreadsheet app, now supports formula entry via keyboard, including predictive function selector. You can also set pagination settings to select how a sheet prints across multiple pages, or choose Auto Fit to let the program choose for you. The best part is, PDF exporting also honors those settings, so you can export them and send them to others without fear of sharing a garbled final product. While I’ve never really needed to print from my iPad, this will make sharing PDFs a whole lot easier. Apple also claims “improved reliability” when exporting Numbers ’09 and Microsoft Excel spreadsheets.

Changes to Pages, iWork’s document editor, are more modest. Support for automatic pagination of tables that cross page breaks has been added, as has the ever-popular “improved reliability,” which probably amounts to a handful of bug fixes.

I’m thrilled with these changes — especially the ones to Keynote. I have a dream of limiting the times I need to drag my MacBook Pro around with me, and these updates go a long way towards achieving this goal. I’m not getting too excited over printing, what with its limitations, but the fast-app switching works great. The updates are available now.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req'd):
Переслать
iPhone 3G and iOS 4: Benchmarking the 4.2 Update
I’ve seen the videos online of iOS 4.2 running smoothly on an iPhone 3G. Most of these reviews have proclaimed that iOS 4.2 is faster than iOS 4.1. The following benchmarking results challenge this perception. I ran the update through its paces on my 3G, and this is what I found.

iOS 4.2.1 Update Tested

To test how iOS 4.2 affected performance, I took an iPhone 3G and ran it through the same series of performance tests I did when iOS 4.1 was released. Just like last time, I used GeekBench 2 ($1.99), Gauge Mathematical Tool ($1.99), BenchTest (99 cents), SunSpider (free) and V8 (free) to test the performance of each OS version on the 3G.

Also like last time, the 3G I was testing was still running with a lot of features disabled, and was being used more as an iPod touch than as an iPhone. I am reusing the same data collected last time for comparison. The following results are only a subset of the data collected, and focus on the data points that changed the most from version to version:

Results for iPhone 3G: The 4.2.1 Update

While some things seem to have improved slightly, like JavaScript and drawing new content when you switch views in an app, other tests have dropped off considerably. Memory performance as measured by GeekBench, as well as the executions of Gague’s Prime Number test are especially bad. These would affect apps that are doing much more than just displaying or editing a simple screen, like an RSS reader, for instance. It would have a greater impact on apps performing more advanced computational functions, such as Documents to Go.

Just informally trying out several core apps like Apple’s Notes, Safari, Calendar and Contacts revealed more than the benchmarking tests indicate, however. Scrolling speed and data entry appear to be much improved. It seemed as though my performance tests were contradicting my real world experience.

One More iPhone 4 Test: The 4.2.1 Update

Testing on the iPhone 4 was the best way to find out if the performance degradation I was seeing on the iPhone 3G in the tests was really something to worry about. I reused the same benchmarking data collected in earlier tests for comparison. I was looking for the same degradation in performance in the same areas.

Since both the GeekBench Stdlib Allocate test as well as the Gague Prime Number test degrade on the iPhone 4 as they did on the iPhone 3G, I had to conclude that it was an issue with how the test was seeing changes made to the iOS firmware in version 4.2.1, and not necessarily a reflection of actual device performance.

Conclusions

While data entry, scrolling, pinching and zooming have improved slightly, the 3G is still not up to par with its newer siblings. Where we see the most gains on both the iPhone 3G and the iPhone 4 is in the JavaScript results. Whatever the Webkit/Safari team is doing, it is having a positive effect with each release.

Bottom line: If you’re still using iOS 3.1.3 and use sophisticated apps that are heavily computational, then it’s probably best to avoid 4.2 (that’s easier if the apps you’re using don’t require 4.0 or higher). If you’re content with the apps Apple provides and mobile Safari, you should be fine. If you need the more demanding apps, and those apps need iOS 4.0 or higher, it might be time to consider that hardware upgrade.

Online Benchmark Results
- GeekBench 2 – iPhone 3G running iOS 4.2.1
- SunSpider – iPhone 3G running iOS 4.2.1
Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req'd):
Переслать
Black Friday Deals Coming from Apple
Put your local Apple Store on your holiday shopping list for this upcoming Black Friday. In an email sent out to customers and on Apple.com, the company invites you to "Wrap it up this Friday" at a special one-day shopping event on Nov. 26.

From Apple’s U.S. Store website:

Come back to the Apple Online Store (or any Retail Store starting at 8 a.m.) for a special one-day-only holiday shopping event. You'll find dozens of great iPad, iPod, and Mac gifts for everyone on your list. Mark your calendars now.

Though the company has been offering Black Friday discounts for several years now, Apple has extended what has been traditionally an American holiday to other countries, too, following the lead of many other retailers such as Amazon. Silicon Republic reports that Apple's Irish online site is displaying the same ad. Exploring other international Apple Stores reveals it can also be found in the UK and Italy, but we're not seeing the ad in Asian-based stores at this time.

Now, before you start camping outside your local store or sitting in front of your computer for hours in anticipation (prices are usually the same whether shopping online or in-store), it should be noted that Apple's Black Friday discounts are usually much smaller than what you may be used to from Best Buy or other retailers. But, this is also one of the only annual sales that Apple provides, so if you're looking to order your technology straight from Cupertino, this could be as good as it gets.

Though we haven't seen details on this year's deal yet, 2009 boasted various discounts such $11 to $41 off iPod models, $21 off Apple TV, $101 off some computer models, and discounts on other Apple and third-party accessories.

However, if you’re willing to purchase from another retailer, drop by Apple Insider on Black Friday for their pricing matrix that lists each Apple product's price and discounts by retailer. Keep your eye on MacMall and OWC, too, to name just a few places that traditionally provide some Mac-related bargains. And be sure to let us know in the comments where else you might be able to snag a great deal.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req'd):
Переслать
iPod Nano Watchband Breaks Kickstarter Funding Records
An iPod nano watchband case design has broken records at community-funding site Kickstarter, earning more than $275,000 in one week. The design (or designs rather, since there are two slightly different models available), by Scott Wilson, transforms Apple’s latest nano into a stylish wristwatch.

Kickstarter is a site that hosts projects by individuals seeking funding to help turn their concept into a reality. People provide details about what it is they’re trying to do, how they’ll do it, and what audience they hope to reach. Projects range from artistic installations and shows, to new restaurant concepts and new technology. Best of all, risk is greatly diminished for funders since Kickstarter uses an all-or-nothing model. People seeking funding set a target goal and must hit that goal before the funding period runs out or no money changes hands.

Scott Wilson, who helped design Microsoft’s successful motion-sensing Kinect Xbox peripheral, sensed that there was strong demand for an iPod nano wristwatch band that actually looked good, and wasn’t just a cheap piece of plastic you could clip your media player onto. That’s why he created the TikTok and LunaTik watch straps. The TikTok features a rubberized snap-in holder for your iPod, and a rubber band, while the LunaTik features a much more elaborate aluminum casing mechanism. The aluminum holder provides access to all the iPod’s buttons and ports.

Those who pledge $25 or more will receive a TikTok strap when it goes into production, and $50 will get you the LunaTik. $70 gets you both, and $150 will earn funders a serialized, special edition red-anodized version of the LunaTik, laser signed by Wilson himself. You’ll also get a TikTok with donations of $150 or more.

Wilson’s original funding target for the TikTok and LunaTik was $15,000. As of this writing, he has $279,549 from 3760 backers, with 24 days remaining in his funding period. $180,000 of that was secured in the first three days alone, according to Fast Company’s Co.Design blog.

This isn’t the first time Apple products have brought Kickstarter success. The Glif, created by Tom Gerhardt and Dan Provost, raised $137,417 during its funding period, going far beyond its goal of $10,000. The lesson here? Combining Apple products, top-notch design know-how and ability and community funding seems to be a recipe for success.

Is this something you could get behind? If not, what sorts of Apple-related accessories would you back?

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req'd):
Переслать
iOS 4.1 Now Update Available for Apple TV
The iPad, iPod touch and iPhone weren’t the only iOS-powered devices to get an update today. iOS 4.1 is available now for your Apple TV (current generation only), and it brings full AirPlay compatibility. That means you can stream content from your portable devices running 4.2.

For those keeping track, the build number on the Apple TV is 8C150, and you can either use the Update Software function in your Apple TV’s Settings>General menu to download and install the new firmware, or get it directly using this link (download file). Updating through your Apple TV is likely the best method for most users, and by far the simplest. Mine completed quickly (around 15 minutes, start to finish) and without issue.

The update also brings new VoiceOver features with selectable reading speeds. You can find the new features under the Settings>VoiceOver menu. It works just like you might imagine, with a computer-generated female voice telling you exactly where you are as you navigate through the Apple TV’s menus.

Stay tuned for more later on how AirPlay streaming works with the new update, or let us know about your experiences in the comments.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req'd):
Переслать
iOS 4.2 is Here: This is What You Get
iOS 4.2 is now out in the wild, just waiting for you to plug in your device and hit the “Check for Updates” button. That is, if Apple’s servers can handle it. Hopefully Cupertino’s got that shiny new data center on the job. When you do manage to update your device, here’s what you’ll find.

New to All Devices

AirPrint. Wirelessly print photos, docs, email and even entire web pages directly from your iOS device. Unfortunately, you’ll either need an AirPrint-compatible printer or third-party software to accomplish this as of the last few iOS 4.2 pre-release builds.

AirPlay. Wirelessly stream audio and video from your iOS 4.2 device to AirPlay-enabled speakers, receivers and the Apple TV. This works just like AirTunes did with Apple’s Airport Express mobile wireless router, but now includes video, and Apple’s made the tech available to third-party device manufacturers.

Find My iPhone. As revealed this morning, Find My iPhone is now available free for all iOS device owners. You can do it right on any latest gen, iOS 4.2-running device, but even those with older hardware can enable the feature. The only limitation is that you have to create your free MobileMe account on an iPhone 4, 4th-gen iPod touch or iPad first, before you can login to MobileMe with older devices.

Notes with Fonts. Change the font in notes from Marker Felt to either Chalkboard or Helvetica, a much-needed relief for the design-conscious.

Find Text on Web Pages. Search for terms within the page you’re currently viewing in mobile Safari using the search field at the top of the browser next to the address bar. This is a really useful feature, and one that makes so much sense you’ll quickly forget it was ever missing.

New Dock Controls. Double-tapping the home button now brings up the tray of open applications on the iPad, and swiping left will bring you to a panel of controls with additions on all devices, including a brightness dimmer, volume slider and AirPlay output selector.

New for iPad

Multitasking. The latest update for iOS brings Apple’s multitasking implementation to the platform. That means your apps will be able to resume right where you left off if they’re setup to support fast-switching. Audio can also now play in the background, some tasks like uploading or downloading content can complete while the app is closed, and you can get local push notification from on-device software.

Folders. Thank goodness folders are finally here for the iPad. I got so used to using them on the iPhone, it felt like going back in time when I’d boot up the iPad and find myself wading through screen after screen of app icons.

Game Center. Track your achievements and view leaderboards for GameCenter-enabled games. If a game works on both the iPhone/iPod touch and the iPad, achievements will show up in both places.

Unified Inbox and Threaded Messaging. All your messages in the same place, and with threaded messaging that keeps track of email chains so that you don’t have to go hunting around to find out what the last reply in the sequence was. Great news for the iPad’s Mail app, which is so much more usable than the iPhone version.

New for iPhone

Messaging Customization. There are now 17 new alerts to choose from for text messaging, and you can now assign custom tones for people in your Contacts, so that you can tell right away who’s messaging you without looking at your device.

Anything we’ve missed? Share your own findings in the comments.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req'd):
Переслать
Rumor Has It: Subsidized iPad Coming to U.K. [Update: Confirmed]

UPDATE: Literally as we published this post, Orange’s press office got back to us with confirmation of forthcoming subsidized plans and sent us this press release. Specific pricing isn’t mentioned, nor is a solid timeline, but it does make reference to “more affordable prices when purchased with a data service plan” for iPad Wi-Fi + 3G models arriving sometime in “the coming months.”

As we gear up for Black Friday discount deals, it looks like hopeful iPad shoppers might soon be getting an unusual price-break of their own, at least in the U.K. British site MarketingWeek is reporting that Orange and T-Mobile wireless ISP parent company Everything Everywhere has said it will announce plans today to offer the tablet device at a discount in exchange for a long-term contract.

The subsidized iPad (3G version) is expected to be available for around £200 (just under $320 at current exchange rates) for customers that are willing to sign an 18-24 month contract. An unsubsidized Wi-Fi + 3G iPad currently starts at £529 (~$844 U.S.). Orange and T-Mobile were both contacted for further comment, but neither company returned our inquiries in time for publication.

This move from full-price to subsidized discounts would mirror the iPhone’s pricing history. As you may remember, Apple's first mobile device was originally offered with a hefty price tag, then discounted before being offered at an even lower price thanks to a subsidy from AT&T.

9to5Mac points out that O2, a competing UK mobile company, recently started offering a deal with Xbox/Playstation 3 models, so the iPad subsidy may be a move from Everything Everywhere to provide a similar deal of its own to attract new customers.

Could this contract-based discount also make its way to the U.S.? Unfortunately, we're not currently hearing any news of the subsidy being on this side of the pond. But competition is heating up as wireless ISPs fight to offer the growing base of tablet customers their mobile data plans. Verizon and AT&T are now both vying for iPad data plan customers. If Apple allows it, there’s no reason why both wouldn’t jump at the chance to lock customers in to longer term plans here on this side of the pond, too. There’s already a price war being waged for Galaxy Tab customers. One focused on the iPad could soon follow.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req'd):
Переслать
Apple to Release iOS 4.2 Today, Find My iPhone Included Free
Apple updated its website today to announce the impending release of iOS 4.2 for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. The update will be available today through iTunes at 10:00 a.m. Pacific, or 1:oo p.m. Eastern. A new feature page has been posted at Apple’s site ahead of the release.

Most features, like AirPrint wireless printing, multitasking and folder for iPad, and AirPlay audio and video streaming have been previewed before, and were expected. One unexpected feature is the introduction of Find My iPhone, iPad or iPod touch for non-Mobile Me subscribers. The feature won’t be coming to every device, but latest generation model (iPhone 4, fourth-gen iPod touch and iPad) owners will have free access as of today.

To access the new device-finding service, just go to settings once you’ve installed the 4.2 update and add a new MobileMe account through Mail, Contact and Calendars. You’ll be prompted to enter your MobileMe ID, but using your Apple ID that you use with the iTunes store will give non-Mobile Me subscribers access to the Find My Device feature. Once enabled, you’ll be able to locate your device, lock it and remotely wipe its data either through an app from Apple or on the web at Me.com.

You can get the update by plugging your device into your computer and clicking the “Check for Update” button that appears on the info screen for your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad. As a rule, I always sync my device right before updating to make sure I have a recent backup to restore from should anything go wrong.

Users looking forward to AirPrint will be somewhat disappointed, as recent builds have only included the ability to print directly to select HP ePrint printers, instead of to any printer attached through a Mac or PC with printer sharing enabled. There are some new bridge applications that can help get around this limitation, though, like Printopia.

Apple TV will be getting a 4.1 software update today as well, so that you can use AirPlay with your iOS 4.2 devices to stream audio and video. Audio streaming worked with beta builds, but those test versions of the software weren’t able to transmit video.

I can’t wait to get my hands on this one! Let us know how your update day is going, and if you’re having any problems and/or great success with the update process.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req'd):
Переслать
Meet Alfred, A New Launcher App for the Mac
One of the first things I advise people to install when they get a new Mac is a quicklaunch application, such as Quicksilver or LaunchBar. However, the decision of which one to install just got harder with the introduction of a new contender called Alfred.

Although still in beta, Alfred puts up a good fight against its more established peers, especially when it comes to looks. It definitely looks at home on OS X. It also has all the features you’d expect from this type of app, including app-launching, plus file and web search. Those features are included free in the basic beta, or you can purchase the “Powerpack,” which includes extra things like iTunes control, clipboard history and “Result Actions.”

Result Actions allow you to do things such as copy, email and move a file once found, which is very helpful if you just downloaded something and want to move it to somewhere other than Downloads, for instance. Alfred can do that without you ever touching the mouse. When emailing a file, Alfred not only supports Mail.app, but also some popular third-party mail applications like Postbox and Mailplane.

Alfred can perform simple system tasks, too. You can do things such as shut down, empty the trash, log out and start the screensaver by typing the appropriate command and hitting return. It’s a good idea to double check you've saved everything you need to first, as the action is carried out immediately. It doesn't take much time to open the  menu and choose Shut Down, but it does let you keep your hands on the keyboard.

The beta of Alfred (version 0.7.2) is available to download now for free, or you can purchase the Powerpack for £12 GBP (about $20 USD). Purchasing the Powerpack now gets you free updates for 0.X and 1.X. Note that this is a special beta purchase price, so once the app reaches version 1.0, the price will increase. If you want to further support the development of Alfred, you can purchase the “Mega Supporter license,” which will cost you anywhere between £30 GBP (~$48 USD) and £100 GBP (~$160 USD) — you can choose any increment of £10 between those values. Purchasing the Mega Supporter license gets you free lifetime updates, no matter what version.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req'd):
Переслать
Review: Joby Gorillamobile for iPhone 4
No sooner do I decry the lack of an iPhone 4 solution from Joby than lo and behold, it arrives. The new Gorillamobile for iPhone 4 brings compatibility to Apple’s latest smartphone and does so with a new design intent on keeping things simple.

The Gorillamobile for iPhone 4 is a little late to market, since the iPhone 4 was originally released in June 2010. And Apple’s latest phone is just screaming for a proper tripod accessory, with its new HD video recording features and 5 megapixel camera with built-in HDR. So does the Gorillamobile deliver?

Let’s get the tripod out of the way first. If you haven’t used a Joby Gorilla product, you should. They’re very handy both as desktop tripods (for cameras or utility lights) and as flexible grips you can use to attach those same devices to poles, railings and more. The Gorillamobile for iPhone 4 tripod is no different, though it’s quite small. The size makes it very portable, and if you need more height, you can just wrap the Gorillamobile’s legs around a proper tripod.

The head of the Gorillamobile for iPhone 4 is specific to the bumper case the tripod is bundled with, so don’t expect to be able to just grab a case and use that with your existing product Gorillamobile. It’s kind of unfortunate that users are forced to upgrade the whole kit (tripod and case) with this version, but at $39.95 (only $10 more than the original Gorillamobile), it isn’t terribly expensive, and the new product comes with an adapter so that you can still use the stand with your digital camera, too.

The new design clips on to a special bumper case that comes with the Gorillamobile. Once the bumper is on your iPhone, just slide your device into the head on the Gorillamobile tripod via one corner where the raised bezel is cut out. The phone will slide until it hits a slightly thicker part of the bumper, which locks it into place. The additional screw mount adapter fits the tripod head in much the same way.

The Gorillamobile worked great for taking FaceTime calls while working at my desk, and for recording video for blog posts. For still photos, you still get a bit of shake when you hit the shutter button, so my advice is to use the Gorillamobile in tandem with a photography app that provides a delay timer. Camera One ($0.99) is a pretty good solution that boasts a lot of features and won’t break the bank. Joby provides its own free app, but it’s badly in need of an update, since neither flash nor “tap to focus” works on the iPhone 4.
- Highs: Great build quality; low price considering bumper case and tripod included; good for FaceTime.
- Lows: Not compatible with previous Joby Gorillamobile mounts; slight unsteadiness makes it less than ideal for still photography with built-in camera app.
If you’re looking for a tripod solution for your iPhone 4, the Gorillamobile is a solid choice, especially if you’re primarily interested in FaceTime and desktop video blogging. If you’re more interested in taking serious photos or filming and you already have a great tripod, I’d recommend waiting to see how the Glif turns out. One should be in the mail soon, so we’ll report back and let you know how the two products stack up.

Disclosure: The Joby Gorillamobile for iPhone 4 tested was provided by the manufacturer for review purposes.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req'd):
Переслать
Hands-On: The Economist iPad App
The Economist today released an iPad and iPhone edition of its magazine. The app itself is a free download, but in order to access actual issue content, you need to either be a subscriber or purchase issues individually for $5.99 each. I ran the iPad app through its paces to see how it stacks up.

First, it’s that you don’t have to put down any money to try things out. An “Editor’s highlights” selection of content is available for each issue. The preview actually contains a lot of good content, so it might be enough for casual users.

Once you’ve downloaded an issue, you can choose it by tapping the cover from the main screen, which presents you with the table of contents. Categories are listed on the left and specific articles on the right. It’s a good index — simply designed and easy to use — though I wouldn’t mind seeing an article synopsis along with the headlines in the right-hand column.

Articles are opened by tapping on them, and they are presented as a series of pages you flip through, instead of scrollable text. It’s a reading style choice that works well with magazine content, though I’d prefer an option to turn on continuous scrolling, too. You can “turn” pages all the way through the magazine, if you wish, and full-screen ads will appear between some articles. The Economist gets that part right: ads don’t appear inline in actual articles.

Once downloaded, the content is available for offline viewing, including an audio version of the magazine read by professional newscasters available via a button at the top of the interface that’s present in every UI view inside an issue. The audio version is a nice value-add feature that you don’t see very often in digital magazines.

Overall, it’s a nice experience, and easier to read on the iPhone than the Economist’s website. But it doesn’t really take advantage of the platform. Photos and tables that appear in articles can’t be zoomed or expanded, and there doesn’t appear to be any video content. The Economist ignores most of the customizable reading features from other reader apps, and sticks to the very basic black text on white background rubric, without any customization options, including text size adjustment.

For my money, I’d rather read The Economist on Kindle hardware, because at least there I have some control over how text appears, and with a text-heavy publication there’s little incentive to check it out on the iPad’s rich media display. But it’s a decent enough start, especially given the audio download feature, so users looking to listen rather than read will be well served.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req'd):
Переслать
Rumor Has It: iPad 2 Suppliers Chosen, New Case Possible
Rumor has it that suppliers, model specifics, and new materials have already been chosen for the iPad 2. A new patent has also come to light that introduces some interesting possibilities about what materials might be used in future iPad casing designs.

Taiwanese tech industry publication DigiTimes has identified Ibiden, Tripod Technology, and TTM Technologies as part suppliers for the next iPad. DigiTimes goes on to report that four additional suppliers are to be added in February 2011, when iPad shipments will increase for a speculated April release. All three of the identified companies are circuit board manufacturers. As Metro.co.uk points out, this report parallels earlier rumors that iPad touchscreen component manufacturers are also working toward an early 2011 release.

In terms of design, Wedge Partner's Brian Blair (via Digital Daily) claims Apple is developing a "World iPad" based on Qualcomm's multimode CDMA-GSM chips, news sure to please Verizon users. Blair suggest Apple is planning to build approximately 48 million iPads in 2011. He describes the new iPad as “thinner than the existing model and [...] essentially made from one piece of metal with no pins needed [...] it requires a new type of manufacturing process as a result."

IBTimes reports additional clues about design changes could come from an Apple patent for a technology using carbon fiber material that's lighter than the current aluminum used in Apple notebooks and the iPad. The patent, labeled "Reinforced Device Housing," describes "a skin formed from the first material separately from the frame and bonded to the frame; wherein the skin is formed from multiple layers of the first material; and a portion of the skin covers at least a wall of the frame."

The "first material" is a type similar to carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) that, while lighter, tends to break or crack on corners, which Apple plans to remedy by complex layering techniques. So, if you agree with many that think that the iPad's 1.5 pound frame feels a little bulky, this could be a move in a lighter direction. Unfortunately, this probably isn't as reliable as the supplier information, given how many patents Apple files annually.

Other iPad rumors from around the tech world include the addition of front and back-facing cameras for use with FaceTime, three-axis gyroscope for games, a Cortex-A9 chip CPU, a mini-USB port, and more memory. Some sites are also predicting a 7-inch model to bridge the gap between the iPhone/iPod touch and the current large iPad screen, though Steve Jobs recently went on the record against that idea. Check out our two posts on the subject for more.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req'd):
Переслать
T.J. Maxx and Marshalls Offering Cheap iPad Scavenger Hunt [Updated]
UPDATE: T.J. Maxx has released a statement clarifying that iPads actually won’t be available at stores during the holiday weekend. The stores had a limited number of iPads, but those have apparently already sold out. Here’s a direct quote from a T.J. Maxx and Marshall’s representative:

A small number of T.J.Maxx and Marshalls stores received a very limited quantity of tablets this week. These were first quality goods sourced from a retailer. They sold out in one day, and they were not advertised in the media.

Apple’s own Black Friday deals never seem to be that impressive, but this one from TJX Companies, Inc, which operates the T.J. Maxx and Marshalls chains, is sure to attract consumer attention. Both stores will offer the 16GB Wi-Fi version of Apple’s iPad for only $399 on Black Friday and the following two days.

Both chains will offer the $100 discount off of the regular price between Friday and Sunday of next week, following Thanksgiving. Rumors circulated about the discount yesterday, as reported by Engadget, but the person behind T.J. Maxx’s Twitter account offered official confirmation today:

@tjmaxx
T.J.Maxx
The rumors are TRUE! Select (unadvertised) locations/limited quant @ajdelao whats this i hear of @tjmaxx carrying IPADS for $399? #maxxfinds

November 18, 2010 12:45 pm via webRetweet

Buyers wanting to snag one of the discounted units will have to be both dedicated and lucky, as only select stores will be carrying a limited quantity of devices. For the retailers, it means a smaller overall investment that will draw consumers to all of its locations. For consumers, it could mean a long wait in a line that proves deeply unsatisfying.

No official word on how many iPads each store will receive, either, though a Mac Rumors commenter notes that Marshalls stores in Florida say they will be receiving 100 iPads per day during the holiday weekend.

Related content from GigaOM Pro (sub req'd):
Переслать