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New Year's App Blowout lowers prices on some iOS apps

The sales are almost all done this holiday season (EA , you may have noticed, has raised its prices back up from that 99 cent price point that was so strong during Christmas), but here's one more to help you pick up a a few more iOS games to play over New Year's. The third annual New Year's app blowout features a deal put together by a bunch of indie developers, and is offering sales on some really great iPhone and iPad apps. I can heartily recommend Battle for Wesnoth for just 99 cents, and DisplayPad for just $2.99 is a nice deal as well. Other than those, some of the games on the list look worth a try, and there are some that have dropped all the way to free, so jump on in and download those.

Hopefully, after all of the new games out this holiday season, and all of the crazy sales on apps from earlier on this year, you've got more than enough to play on your iOS device. But just in case not, feel free to take advantage of this last big "blowout" before we head on into whatever magical apps we'll see in 2011.
New Year's App Blowout lowers prices on some iOS apps originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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MacBook Pro appears on Amazon's 2010 bestseller list
The iPhone and the iPad both made eBay's "top-shopped" list for the year, but neither of those devices are sold on Amazon, so they weren't to be found on the big online retailer's annual list of bestselling items. The Kindle was, of course -- it's Amazon's own e-reader, and it was both the bestselling and most wished-for item on the site in the Electronics category.

But while Apple's iOS devices didn't make the list, there was one major Apple item that did. In the Computers category, the MacBook Pro with the 13.3" screen scored as both the bestselling and most wished-for item. Apple's excellent laptop appears to be the computer of choice for Amazon shoppers. The only other specifically Mac item on the list was the Mac/Windows version of Photoshop, which was the most gifted item in the software category (Microsoft Office was the bestselling item in that category).

One smartphone did make the bestselling list, and it was the Samsung Captivate Android phone (again, probably only because the iPhone isn't for sale on Amazon.com). Some of the other items on the list are funny, too -- who knew so many people needed Donut Shop K-Cups? For work coffee, you think?

[via Mashable]
MacBook Pro appears on Amazon's 2010 bestseller list originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Four Little Critter interactive childrens books hit iOS
Mercer Mayer has been writing Little Critter books since the grown-up children were sleeping in cribs. My kids loved the series and had me read it to them hundreds of times Little Critter is a hedgehog-looking animal who very small children can easily relate to as he goes about his simple adventures. Each of the over 200 books featuring Little Critter tells a very simple story providing positive reinforcement for very small kids who sometimes need to be told how competent and good they are, even if they sometimes get things wrong. All the books are whimsically illustrated and quite funny in a gentle and child-like manner. These are very simple books without any hard words and are very appropriate for little ones starting at about one year old. Each of them sells for US $1.99 and are universal apps working well on all iOS devices, but of course looking better on the larger screen of an iPad.

Oceanhouse Media has released four of the series so far, and I'm sure as time goes by many more will show up. They all use the Oceanhouse engine that has become a standard in the industry. As in all the OM books, there are three options. AutoPlay is for the smallest of children. Each page is read as the built-in animation zooms now and then to highlight what's important on the page. The pages turn automatically as the sound effects play and each word, as it's read, is highlighted. Read To Me provides a bit of autonomy since the young reader swipes the pages to turn them and the text is read by a very young sounding voice. Touching the text block will cause it to be read again. Read It Myself deletes the narration until the text block is tapped in case the child has a problem with a a word or two. In all three options, touching an object speaks what it is and the word appears in a colorful animation. If the object appears in the text, the word in the text block is highlighted. This has served OM well for its series of Dr. Seuss and Berenstain Bear books among others, and is just as appropriate for Little Critter.

Continue reading Four Little Critter interactive childrens books hit iOS
Four Little Critter interactive childrens books hit iOS originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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iPhone 101: Where did I put that app?

Once you have a fair number of apps on your iOS device, you might find that you occasionally "lose" an app somewhere in the pages and/or folders of your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad. Handily, there's a trick for locating that app using iTunes. I consider myself a seasoned iTunes/iPhone user, and this simple little tip was a surprise to me. It might be to you, too!

Connect your device to your computer and let it show up under "Devices" in iTunes. Select the device and click on the "Apps" tab of the info panel. You'll see a list of all of your apps on the left, and a rendering of your device's screens (pages) on the right. All you need to do is double-click an app on the left to see exactly what page it's on, and in what folder, if you've organized that way.

Now, if only Apple hadn't removed the search field on the apps list. I've accumulated a decent app library, and scrolling that list is a pain, but at least I'll be able to find the apps on my device now. As commenters & colleagues have pointed out -- and as we've mentioned before -- the iTunes-wide search field at the top right of the window now serves double duty as a search tool for applications that you've bought/downloaded. Sorry for the misdirection!

Hat tip to Mike Tselikman!
iPhone 101: Where did I put that app? originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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SEC forms show Apple execs donated $3 million in 2010
A few Securities and Exchange Commission forms filed this week show that Apple executives gave shares of Apple stock to various charities right around mid-December. The stocks added up to a value of about three million dollars across the four executives that gave. Unfortunately, none of the charities designated to receive the money were listed in the forms.

Millard Drexler, the CEO of J. Crew and a member of Apple's board, gave away a total of 6,800 shares, as you can see above, and the other givers are also board members or executives. It's good to see the generosity flowing in Cupertino this year.
SEC forms show Apple execs donated $3 million in 2010 originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Rumored iPad 2 case pictures leaking out of Asia
A steady stream of purported iPad 2 cases continues to flow out of Asia. Similar to earlier leaks, this latest case to hit the rumor mill suggests the iPad 2 will have a rear-facing camera and a slimmer, possibly more angular design than the first generation iPad. This aesthetic change may be akin to the overhaul made to the iPod touch. The latest generation iPod touch dropped the rounded feel of its predecessors and replaced it with a thinner, sharp-edged design.

Apple mobile products have a long history of leaked cases that supposedly hint at upcoming hardware. Various iPhone models and the iPod touch have been targeted in these pre-release accessory leaks. Usually, these case leaks are incorrect - remember the iPhone Nano case leak that had the world buzzing with rumors of a mini-iPhone? On a few rare occasions, though, these case leaks have been spot on and provided an early glimpse at unreleased hardware. Keeping that in mind, take a look at the three minute, case-filled video after the break and let us know if you think it is a harbinger of the second generation iPad or a carefully-crafted fake.

[Via 9to5 Mac]
Continue reading Rumored iPad 2 case pictures leaking out of Asia
Rumored iPad 2 case pictures leaking out of Asia originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Mel's favorite iOS apps of 2010
I thought this might be a hard to list to come up with, but I really just took a look at the apps that I use every day, and that made it easy. I won't be including built-in apps like Safari or Mail, but the things that third-party developers have come up with that make having an iPhone such a pleasure. That's not to say that there may be other apps that compete with some that I've mentioned, and are just as good or maybe better, but these are my choices, all used day to day. So here, in no particular order, are my favorites.

iCam: What a great little app for 5 bucks. I can check on the house and pets. Using webcams that are built into my Macs or stand alones, iCam lets me see multiple cameras, hear audio, and turn motion detection on. It sends alerts so you know something is going on. iCam can also record movement if you want. It's easy to set up, the network setup avoids issues with firewalls or multiple routers and it just works. The app is universal.

DirecTV: Free and really useful if you have a DirecTV DVR. Using the DirecTV app I can search for programs while away from home, set up recordings, and eliminate your anxiety about missing something important. A recent update lets you search for movies, or you can use a more global search to find programs by title, cast member names, and other criteria.

Continue reading to see more of my favorites.
Continue reading Mel's favorite iOS apps of 2010
Mel's favorite iOS apps of 2010 originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Apple patent filing outlines social networking for shopping
While a lot of shopping is making the move to online stores, for many people there's no substitute for the real thing -- going to a store, browsing merchandise, and picking up and trying on things. A recent patent filing by Apple, discovered by AppleInsider, demonstrates a Ping-like social networking service that lets shoppers chat with others, ask for suggestions, get a "thumbs-up / thumbs-down" on a potential purchase, and more.

The filing, titled "Social Networking in Shopping Environments," is intriguing. Apple envisions special kiosks in stores where shoppers can download information and photos of products, then use their iPhones to send queries to friends. The screenshot shows a simple Yes / No answer to a question to friends about buying something, several queries to followers to get suggestions or help, and a rating system for a store.

By allowing shoppers to coordinate complex discussions with friends without having to bring the friends along to the store, this social networking system would stimulate shopping. That's similar to how Ping is supposed to work, by showing your friends the music you like and getting them interested in purchasing it as well.

For those who like to hang with their friends and go out for an afternoon of power shopping, this won't be a substitute. As always, this patent filing doesn't necessarily mean that Apple will ever produce a social networking system for shoppers. Rather, the company is just protecting its intellectual property.

[via The Loop]
Apple patent filing outlines social networking for shopping originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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RunKeeper Pro is free through January -- there's no excuse to be a couch potato
If you read my recent roundup of exercise and dieting apps for iOS, you'll probably remember that one of my featured apps was RunKeeper for iPhone, which I use to track my walks and bike rides. Up until this time, I've used the RunKeeper Free edition, which lacks the customizable audio cues, coaching features, and improved fitness class experience of the Pro version.

Well, I just upgraded to the Pro version for free, and you can, too. As a way of encouraging people to get off their couches and to thank RunKeeper users for their support over the last two and a half years, the company is making RunKeeper Pro free to download through January 30, 2011. It doesn't matter if you haven't used RunKeeper Free in the past, you can still get the Pro version at no cost.

This giveaway comes in the wake of RunKeeper Pro being named by Apple as one of the Top Grossing Apps of 2010. Note that the Elite service, which allows others to follow your progress while you're out exercising, still costs either US $4.95 per month or $19.95 annually. For TUAW readers who use Android smartphones, you'll be happy to know that RunKeeper Pro for Android is also free through the month of January.
RunKeeper Pro is free through January -- there's no excuse to be a couch potato originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Bodega 1.3 available, a fun alternative to the Mac App Store
With most Mac users happily anticipating the availability of the Mac App Store on January 6th, many seem to forget that there has been an App Store for Mac for quite some time -- Bodega.

Bodega is an app discovery and download gateway from Freshcode. The app can be downloaded by anyone for free, and the store is constantly stocked with new apps from a variety of Mac developers. The update provides bug fixes as well as performance and feature improvements, while maintaining the fun "corner store" look and feel that has been a trademark of Bodega.

Ahead of the release of the Mac App Store, Freshcode is pushing Bodega to developers as an alternative with many advantages:
- No approval process for apps, although they must not be blatantly offensive or contain illegal content or information
- No restrictions on APIs used within apps
- Developers keep 93% of the sale price as revenue, compared to the Mac App Store's 70%
- There's no need to write a special version of an app to be included in Bodega
- No developer program charges or costs
It appears that the Mac marketplace may soon have a surplus of App Stores, since Cydia's Jay "Saurik" Freeman is also developing a similar store. For Mac users, finding and purchasing apps is going to be as easy as clicking an icon -- or several of them. TUAW readers can get a taste of Bodega by downloading the app here.
Bodega 1.3 available, a fun alternative to the Mac App Store originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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PopCap games (Mac and PC) all on sale for 50% off

PopCap is having a blowout sale on its Mac (and PC) games this holiday weekend. The 50% off sale is going on now and extends until January 2, 2011. All games except for the recently released Bejeweled 3 and game bundles are included in this sale.

You can grab such titles as Peggle, Bookworm and Plants vs Zombies for US$9.95 or less. This promotion only includes downloadable desktop games, not mobile titles for iOS, and may be one of the last big game sales before the Mac App Store opens in early January. So what are you waiting for? Hit the source link here and grab some of the hottest arcade-style games available for the Mac.
PopCap games (Mac and PC) all on sale for 50% off originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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iPhoto 101: How to delete photos

Whether your Mac contains a mechanical hard drive or an SSD, everyone needs more space. We're all used to dumping Finder's trash frequently to reclaim drive space, but what some of you might not know is when you delete pictures from iPhoto, they remain on your computer since iPhoto has its own trash. If you've never done this you may have hundreds, or for that matter, thousands of pictures or videos in iPhoto that are just clogging up your drive.

There are two ways to delete the iPhoto trash. One way is to just right click on the word Trash in iPhoto's menu bar, and selecting Empty Trash. The other, and possibly more telling way, is to single click on the word Trash in the menu bar. You'll be presented with all the unnecessary photos and videos along with the total number held in trash. On the top right is an Empty Trash button that will delete them completely. In both cases you'll be presented with a warning message asking you if you really want to do this. Click OK and you'll get back some space. If you've never done this, the amount reclaimed can be dramatic, but if you are in the habit of doing this, you won't get back all that much. I deleted 82 pictures and my hard drive space increased from 97.23 GB to 97.26 GB. See how much you can get back.

[via Lifehacker]
iPhoto 101: How to delete photos originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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TUAW's Daily App: Roget's Thesaurus
After a few weeks of games, we're going with more practical apps for a little while here, so here's an iOS version of the famous thesaurus reference book. Roget's Thesaurus is pretty much the name in finding words that can work in the place of other words, and a company called Mobifusion has worked with the real thing to bring it to the iPhone in a searchable form. The app lets you browse through 30,000 words and all of their synonyms, change text sizes on the fly or just flip through if you want to browse that way. You may argue that there are free thesauri (?) available online, and you'd be right, but it's nice, especially if you use one often, to have it available and ready to go on the iPhone whenever you want. The official Roget's Thesaurus app is US$2.99 on the App Store.

And if you don't want to pay a few bucks (just consider how much a paper copy of the book would cost -- it's worth it anyway), there's always the FreeSaurus. That works well, but there are ads in it, and as you should know by now, there's no such thing as a free ~~banquet~~ ~~dinner~~ ~~luncheon~~ lunch.
TUAW's Daily App: Roget's Thesaurus originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Daily Deals for December 30, 2010
More daily deals from our partner dealnews.com.
- Other World Computing: OWC's Garage Sale: Software, RAM, accessories, computers, more
- iTunes Store: iPhone App Store Freebies: QuickSocial, Distant Assassin, TrucksRush, more
- iTunes Store: iPhone App Price Drops: Deep, Skeletal Anatomy, Kitchen Calculator, more
- iTunes Store: iPad App Price Drops: GT Racing: Motor Academy, Real Soccer 2011, more
- Western Digital Store: Western Digital Outlet: 500GB USB HDD for $40 + free shipping, more
- Geeks.com: SONiK DATA Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard / Case for iPad for $50 + $6 s&h
- Apple Store: Refurbished Apple iPads: Up to $100 off, from $429 + free shipping
- BuyDig: Lexar 16GB Platinum II 80x CompactFlash Card for $25 + free shipping
- Buy.com: LG AN-WL100W Video Extender / Console for $150 + free shipping
- B&H Photo Video: Sanyo PLC-XW250 LCD Projector for $299 + free shipping
- ExperCom: Apple iMac Core i7 Quad 2.8GHz 27" Desktop w/ 8GB RAM for $1,879 + $29 s&h
- Buy.com: ZyXEL 2-Bay NAS / Media Server for $90 + free shipping
Daily Deals for December 30, 2010 originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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A new use for Find My iPhone: Popping the question, Apple style
If you're a regular TUAW reader, you know we do a live show on Sunday evenings called the Talkcast. If you are a regular listener to the Talkcast, you know that I almost always give a shout out to our regular listeners, and I have been known to get up on a soapbox about how important our community is to us and that your tips and contributions are a very big part of our site. This is a wonderful example of how our regulars helped out one of our own.

In case you missed it: on the episode recorded the Sunday before Christmas, we had Andrew (aka Macfan64) on with a very important question for us. He was going to propose to his girlfriend on Christmas, and he wanted to see if there was a way he could use his iPad to do it. After discussing a few ideas, it was suggested that a good way to start off would be to hand her the iPad (she was always taking off with it anyway to play -- what else? -- Angry Birds), and after loading a web page built specially for the occasion, she'd be off on a treasure hunt through the house. She was sent around to find things throughout the house by messages sent to the iPad using the Find My iPhone app (controlled by a family member). Eventually, she was led to the living room where the last item she found was a DVD to play. On the DVD was a slideshow of photos of the two of them together, and when the slideshow was over, Andrew offered the ring and popped the question.

Luckily I didn't have to wait too long to find out how this turned out; I got a note on Christmas Day that she had accepted! It was wonderful to hear that Andrew was successful, not to mention that some of our Talkcast regulars were directly involved in making it happen. You can see highlights from the evening in Andrew's video on YouTube. If you keep an eye out for the end credits, you'll see that TUAW got a shout out for helping Andrew come up with the idea, in a nice Star Wars style crawl, no less.

On behalf of all the folks here at TUAW, I am pleased to offer Andrew and Amy congratulations on their engagement and the best of wishes on their upcoming wedding.
A new use for Find My iPhone: Popping the question, Apple style originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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