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TUAW's Daily App: Hook Worlds

Hook Worlds is the latest from Rocketcat Games, makers of Super Quick Hook and Hook Champ. If you've played either one of those games, you'll know what to find here: running gameplay that uses a one-button hookshot to keep your character moving as quickly as possible across various levels. Hook Worlds, as I understand it, is more of an arcade version than the other two games (though you can try Hook Champ Lite to see what the gameplay is like), featuring four heroes hookshotting along four different worlds, each racing to get as far as they can. This is an app almost meant for those familiar with the "Quickhook" genre, but if you want to just give the game a shot without a lot of story or obstacles in your way, Hook Worlds will serve you pretty well anyway.

The game is just US$0.99 cents right now, and for a limited time, Rocketcat is giving away the fourth world for free. There's no Game Center, unfortunately, but Hook Worlds wraps up the quickhook gameplay in a nice tidy package, ready for anyone to try out and see what they think. It's an interesting title that's worth a try even in these busy App Store days.
TUAW's Daily App: Hook Worlds originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Apple pulls WikiLeaks app from the App Store

Apple has quickly pulled a WikiLeaks app (Google cache) it approved for sale on the App Store earlier this week. The unofficial app went live on the App Store on December 17. The WikiLeaks app gave "instant access to the world's most documented leakage of top secret memos and other confidential government documents," according to The iPhone Download Blog. The blog noted less than two days before the app was pulled that it was "actually surprising that Apple approved such an app, with all of the legal problems that Julian Assange and the WikiLeaks organization have been facing worldwide."

TechCrunch has reached out to Apple and the developer for comment, but only the developer has responded so far, saying that Apple changed the official status of his app to "Removed From Sale." It's not too much of a shock that Apple pulled the app, as being seen as associating with or even facilitating funding to WikiLeaks is as about as controversial as you can get right now. The WikiLeaks app sold for US$1.99, but the developer, Igor Barinov, was donating half of his proceeds to WikiLeaks, which could be the ultimate reason why the app was pulled.

There are sure to be many questions about why Apple approved then pulled the app in the days to come, but I would love to know what's more worrisome for Apple: the potential pressure/sanctions from various governments if they didn't pull the app, or the fact that the Cupertino company has now probably really, really irritated Anonymous.
Apple pulls WikiLeaks app from the App Store originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 21 Dec 2010 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Apple TV plays live-converted AVI files using Air Video Server, AirPlayer, and AirFlick
Although I knew that the AirFlick video tool I posted about earlier today could theoretically pass transcoded video streams to Apple TV for playback, my initial attempts with VideoLAN Client transcoding more or less went nowhere. Then, TUAW reader BC reposted a comment earlier this evening that he originally left on the MacRumors forums.

In that comment, he discussed how to add live conversion to my AirFlick app by using the server component of AirVideo, a video streaming solution that allows your Mac to serve video to your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. Although I had previously attempted to play back AirVideo m3u8 playlists on the Mac without success, BC suggested that the Apple TV supported them.

He was right. Video proof follows after the break.
Continue reading Apple TV plays live-converted AVI files using Air Video Server, AirPlayer, and AirFlick
Apple TV plays live-converted AVI files using Air Video Server, AirPlayer, and AirFlick originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 23:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Scammers upload music to iTunes, then buy it using stolen credit cards
Talk about jailhouse rock. Last week, 19-year-old Lamar Johnson pleaded guilty in a UK court to one count of conspiracy to defraud, according to the BBC. He was using stolen credit card numbers to buy his own band's music on iTunes and Amazon, thus collecting the royalties.

Johnson was part of a 12-member "band" that recorded their own music and uploaded it to iTunes and Amazon.com. The group then used the credit cards to buy their own songs from the iTunes and Amazon music stores.

In total, the group purchased US $750,000 worth of their songs from iTunes and Amazon between January 2008 and June 2009. No word on how much Johnson would have earned had he and his group successfully collected the royalties. The name of the band remains a mystery as well, though you can bet their music has been pulled from the iTunes Store.

Johnson is currently serving a 5-year jail sentence for grievous bodily harm, separate and apart from the musical fraud case. The remaining 11 members of Johnson's group have yet to be tried, but are scheduled to appear in court in January.
Scammers upload music to iTunes, then buy it using stolen credit cards originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Original Mac OS icons available as limited-edition prints
Long for the good old days of classic Mac icons like Clarus the Dogcow or Pan Hand? Lucky for you -- Susan Kare, the 1983 designer of the original Mac OS icons, is offering prints of the famed icons for Apple fanboys (and girls) everywhere. As reported by The Mac Observer, signed and numbered prints of the Bomb, Spotted Dog, Smiling Computer, Trash and several other icons are available in several sizes ranging from 8.5" x 11" up to 30" x 40" and are priced between US$89 and $499. The limited-edition prints are up for sale over at Susan Kare Prints.

Since Ms. Kare was the designer of these icons, she has personal stories to share about each of them. About the Spotted Dog she says, "This icon was designed to be a spotted dog character in the Cairo 'hieroglyphic' font that shipped with the original Macintosh. Perhaps because the spots looked a little bovine, some people referred to the image as a dogcow, and imagined that the sound it made would be 'Moof.'"

We've seen some interesting items created in the image of Apple products: an iPhone quilt made by a grandmother, an iPad cutting board and even a giant iPhone wedding cake. Up until 1998, Apple's corporate headquarters had an "icon garden" full of planted OS icon sculptures. Here, courtesy of Ms. Kare, we have the real thing for sale by the designer of the original OS icons. One has to wonder, though, will Apple Legal send out any cease and desist letters to such an important former employee?

[via The Mac Observer]
Original Mac OS icons available as limited-edition prints originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Apple shutting down Mac OS X Downloads section of Apple.com on Jan. 6, 2011
Apple has just sent out an email to Apple developers announcing that they will soon be shutting down the Mac OS X Downloads section on Apple.com. The page will be shuttered on the day the Mac App Store launches - January 6. From that day on visitors to http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/ will be redirected to a page that tells visitors about the Mac App Store.

The full email reads:

Apple Developer

-----------------------------------

Dear [name],

Thank you for making the Mac OS X Download site a great destination with apps that offer users new ways to work, play, learn, and create on their Mac.

We recently announced that on January 6, 2011, the Mac App Store will open to users around the world, presenting you with an exciting, new opportunity to reach millions of customers. Since the introduction of the App Store in 2008, we've been thrilled with the incredible support from developers and the enthusiastic response from users. Now we're bringing the revolutionary experience of the App Store to Mac OS X.

Because we believe the Mac App Store will be the best destination for users to discover, purchase, and download your apps, we will no longer offer apps on the Mac OS X Downloads site. Instead, beginning January 6, we will be directing users to explore the range of apps available on the Mac App Store.

We appreciate your support of the Mac platform and hope you'll take advantage of this new opportunity to showcase your apps to even more users. To learn how you can offer your apps on the Mac App Store, visit the Apple Developer website at <http://developer.apple.com/programs/mac/>.

Best regards,

Ron Okamoto
Vice President, Worldwide Developer Relations
Apple Inc.

The shut down of the Mac OS X Download site may come as a surprise to some, yet it signifies how important Apple believes one central, easy to navigate location for users to browse Mac apps is for the future of the Mac app platform.

[h/t MacStories.net]
Apple shutting down Mac OS X Downloads section of Apple.com on Jan. 6, 2011 originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Apple TV doubles Roku sales
Roku is a brand of digital video players, a member of the growing category of consumer electronics known as internet television. These devices access video and media content on the internet and stream that content directly to your living room. Internet television content includes services like Netflix, Hulu and YouTube. The Apple TV is the 800-lb gorilla of that market.

The introduction of the Apple TV has been an immense boon for the entire market, according to Anthony Wood, the CEO of Roku. This is because Apple's digital video player, the Apple TV, has raised consumer awareness of the video product. People who were never aware of such a thing called "internet television" are now looking into the market and buying this new type of product.

Some new customers buy the Apple TV, of course, but some new buyers go to Roku. Since the Apple TV was released, Roku sales have doubled. As a result, Apple's entry in the market has been great for everyone involved. Check out a video introduction to Roku on the next page.

[Via 9to5 Mac]

Continue reading Apple TV doubles Roku sales
Apple TV doubles Roku sales originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Several iPhone and Android apps sharing private user data
An investigation by The Wall Street Journal has found that some iPhone and Android apps are spying on users and potentially transmitting personal data to other companies. While both Apple and Google say that they have privacy protections in place for their customers, many apps are able to skirt around them either on purpose or by claiming ignorance as the maker of Pumpkin Maker (a pumpkin-carving app) did -- he said that he didn't know that he needed user permission before sharing the data he collected inside his app. But in speaking to the WSJ, Apple spokesman Tom Neumayr said that "We have created strong privacy protections for our customers, especially regarding location-based data. Privacy and trust are vitally important."

iPhone apps transmitted more data than the Android apps tested, and two apps in particular stood out: Pandora and TextPlus 4. Pandora (a music streaming app) and TextPlus 4 (a text messaging app) sent the phone's unique ID number, along with the user's age, gender and zip code to several different advertising companies. Out of 101 apps tested in the study, the WSJ found that over half sent the ID number out to companies without the user's consent.

Privacy concerns are often at the forefront of users' minds and rightly so, but I do think most people understand that companies collect some information and that whatever is collected is actually beneficial to their user experience. Apple itself recently detailed its location collection policies, which it uses to provide location-specific information, to members of Congress after the House of Representatives looked into the company's privacy policy. And as a personal example, I use the Yelp app quite a bit to discover new restaurants in my area. I do know that they are collecting location information from me, and it is probably being kept in a database somewhere. I also believe that it helps Yelp tailor my (and others') experience with their app, as they want users to share information with them and so do I -- without some of this info the app wouldn't be all that valuable.

Do I want these app companies sharing my name, age, gender, mailing address, birthdate or sexual preference with ad networks everywhere? Not really, and I do believe we should have the ability to opt out of sharing anything if we so choose. Apps that are doing that without gaining my permission to do so shouldn't be allowed on the App Store. But a little location-based marketing in the apps that it is needed in does go a long way to making a more positive user experience. Macworld thinks that the concerns raised by the WSJ are overblown. What do you guys think?

[via GigaOm and Macworld]
Several iPhone and Android apps sharing private user data originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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AirPlay running on XBMC Linux box
AirPlay. It's not just for Apple products anymore. The video you see on the next page shows an XBMC install on a Ubuntu Linux box running an AirPlay client service. As with the AirPlayer solution I wrote for the Mac, the XBMC application advertises on Bonjour and can be played to directly from the built-in iOS video menus.

In addition, several people have contacted me to mention that they're working on Windows adaptations as well. The photo below is a preliminary peek at an in-progress project being built by @infectionfx.

Thanks, davilla.

Continue reading AirPlay running on XBMC Linux box
AirPlay running on XBMC Linux box originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 18:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Humble Indie Bundle hits $1.2 million, promises Steam integration

The Humble Indie Bundle 2 has reached $1.2 million in revenue, topping the last offering, and there are five days left to go, so the turnout for the pay-what-you-want gaming pack should be pretty spectacular. All of the games were previously announced as released on both Mac and PC, but the group has also hammered out a deal with Steam to optionally give out keys for the games on that service if you so choose. That means that even if you don't have Steam, you can get the games on their own, but if you do, you can pay whatever price you want, and get all five of the games (two of them when they actually debut on the service) through Valve's downloadable game app.

That's a pretty spectacular deal -- you can download the games through Steam onto any other computers you happen to have, and as before, you can still give all, some or none of the money you pay to your choice of charities. Mac donations are above the average, but still nowhere near as high as Linux donations. If you do head over there and pick up the bundle, be sure to represent your OS of choice when you do. As I said, there are five days left, but if you're a gamer and want any one of these games, this deal is more than worth getting in on before it ends.
Humble Indie Bundle hits $1.2 million, promises Steam integration originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Apple's iAd Producer released: In-app ad development kit
Apple has made another tool available for developers who are considering using iAd as a way of making revenue from their iOS apps. iAd Producer is a free ad creation toolkit that became available today on the Apple Developer website, and it is designed to streamline the creation of compelling animated interactive ads for iOS apps.

The Mac OS X-based tools, which are available to any members of the iOS Developer Program, include a visual designer, page templates, a library of pre-built components that can be used to add common user interface elements without writing code, pre-built animation and effects and an asset manager that holds images, movies and SVG fonts in one library.

For advanced developers, iAd Producer adds JavaScript editing, debugging and optimization tools. If your company is an iAd customer, you can even test your code over the carrier network using Apple's test servers.

iAds are starting to appear in a number of apps, primarily in the iPhone / iPod touch world. The first iPad iAd, for Tron Legacy, just appeared -- more iPad-specific ads are expected to arrive in 2011, and the new ad development kit can only speed up the rate of adoption of iAd.

[via 9to5 Mac]
Apple's iAd Producer released: In-app ad development kit originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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TomTom adds Map Share so users can update their own maps
Here's a rather cool idea from the TomTom folks. An update available today to the TomTom iPhone nav app s (price varies depending on countries covered) allows you to edit the information on your maps and then submit those changes for others to access using what TomTom calls Map Share. This feature is also present on many dedicated TomTom GPS units.

Map Share lets users edit street names, set driving directions and block and unblock streets directly on the maps, and then share those changes with the TomTom community. Once the changes are verified, everyone gets updated maps. The updates come automatically once a week, or you can force a check on demand.

That feature should go a long way toward answering complaints that navigation apps like TomTom's, with built in maps, are never as accurate as apps that provide navigation data on the fly. Of course, even freshly downloaded maps can be out of date, so that really isn't a very compelling argument.

The TomTom nav apps are on sale for the holidays. The US version is US$39.99, while a North American version covering the US and Canada is $49.99.
TomTom adds Map Share so users can update their own maps originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Foursquare adds photos, comments to location check-ins
One thing that is sure to make my wife roll her eyes in disgust is when we're out somewhere and I check in to a venue using Foursquare. I enjoy using the Foursquare iPhone app to check in, gain or lose the mayorship of a location and occasionally get one of those cool badges that they award to users (I'm particularly proud of my Jobs, I'm on a boat! and JetSetter badges).

The free app has just been updated and now adds two fun features -- adding photos and comments to check-ins. This is handy, since I currently have to use multiple apps to a) check in and b) send photos of delicious food to friends. Now it's all possible in one app. There's also a history page on the Foursquare website where you can see all of the places that you've visited.

Comments are only viewable by your Foursquare friends, but photos that you add are added to a venue and can be seen by anyone. Considering that many iPhone users do this all with a mashup of Twitter clients, photo apps and Foursquare or Facebook, the Foursquare update is a welcome surprise.

In the update notes (at right), Foursquare mentions that they're up to 5 million users. Congratulations, and thanks for the Christmas gift.
Foursquare adds photos, comments to location check-ins originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Microsoft updates WP7 Connector for Mac with improved setup, bug fixes

Microsoft has released an update for Windows Phone 7 Connector, the still-in-beta OS X application that works with iPhoto and iTunes to allow you to sync your DRM-free multimedia with Microsoft's 'wares.

According to Pocket-lint, the latest release features a new setup process, the ability to manually retrieve files from your WP7 device, and it also allows you to sync device-purchased content back to your Mac. These new features are also joined by several bug fixes and can be downloaded directly from Microsoft.

While no one at the TUAW HQ wishes a Windows phone on anyone, we are at least glad that Microsoft is committed to cross-platform interoperability.

[via Engadget]
Microsoft updates WP7 Connector for Mac with improved setup, bug fixes originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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iPhone cheese dock, just in time for the holidays

So you're having a holiday party this week and want to throw in a little Apple flavor to the whole thing. If you're Ally Fontaine, a reader over at iPhone Savior, you apparently take an iPhone dock and stick it in a big block of Pepper Jack to make an iPhone cheese dock. Weird? Yes. Festive? Very. Tasty? Indeed.

I like it, though I hope she washed the dock before it went in there. Apparently there's a space carved out for the hardware, and the app on screen is Santa's Little Helpers, a risque little pin-up app (I'd have gone with Apple's Remote, maybe let cheese-eaters change the Christmas music at the party). There's a Steve Jobs bobblehead in the back, crackers to go with the cheese around the block, and those aren't tomatoes all sliced up there -- they're McIntosh apples, of course.

Clever. If you have an Apple-inspired holiday treat (maybe some decorated cookies, some ornaments or a special wreath), be sure to send us a pic on our tipline -- we'd love to see it. Happy holidays!
iPhone cheese dock, just in time for the holidays originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Star Walk 5.1.1 brings Santa, printing and more -- plus a chance to win an iPad
Before we get to the new features in Star Walk 5.1.1 (also known as the Christmas Edition), we've teamed up with the developers, Vito Technology, to give away five copies of the app and a sparkly new iPad. Just leave a comment telling us your favorite astronomical object (star, planet, comet, constellation, space debris, man-made, whatever) and you're entered to win. Five people will win a code for the iPhone application, and one will win the 32 GB Wi-Fi iPad.

Star Walk 5 Stars Astronomy Guide - Christmas Edition adds a Christmas-specific toy in that you can "track" Santa on his way around the world on Christmas Eve. Star Walk has a "time machine" mode that allows you to position the stars in the sky on any given date. Now you can "track" Santa as he flies across the sky on Christmas Eve by dialing up December 24. Our own Mel Martin reviewed the app a while back, but this latest version adds printing support via AirPrint, info on some famous man-made satellites and new star catalogs. It's a great update to an already excellent app.
- Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.
- To enter leave a comment telling us your favorite astronomical object (star, planet, man-made, whatever).
- The comment must be left before Wednesday, DECEMBER 22, 2010, 11:59 PM Eastern Time.
- You may enter only once.
- Six winners will be selected in a random drawing. Five will win a promo code, one will win an iPad.
- Prize: One code for the iPhone version of Star Walk (Value: US$2.99 ) OR one 32 GB Wi-Fi iPad for the Grand Prize winner (value: US$599).
- Click Here for complete Official Rules.
Star Walk 5.1.1 brings Santa, printing and more -- plus a chance to win an iPad originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Motorola calls iPad "a giant iPhone" in Honeycomb teaser video

Just when you thought the Droid "I Don't" ads were a thing of the past and Motorola was focusing on more important things like fragmentation, the American handset manufacturer has sprung yet another video on us that directly challenges Apple and its iPad. In this CES 2011 teaser video, Motorola profiles the good and bad aspects of several tablets, including the stone-carved ones of yore. When the promotional video finally lands on the iPad, Motorola zings Apple by saying the iPad is nothing more than a giant iPhone.

While Motorola undoubtedly takes great joy in dismissing the iPad, it fails to notice that the video highlights the troubling issue of fragmentation within Android. With tongue-in-cheek commentary, Motorola compares the Android 2.2-powered Samsung Galaxy Tab to Motorola's upcoming Android 3.0 Honeycomb tablet. The Galaxy Tab is 7-inch tablet with a phone-centric version of Android, while the Motorola tablet is expected to offer 10-inches of screen real estate and a tablet-optimized version of Google's mobile OS. With Android, you have multiple devices with different hardware, running different versions of the mobile operating system. In the end, this platform battle will all come down to sales numbers, and if my counting is correct, Apple's giant iPhone has a 13 million device lead.

If you can stand to watch it, Motorola's CES video is after the break.
Continue reading Motorola calls iPad "a giant iPhone" in Honeycomb teaser video
Motorola calls iPad "a giant iPhone" in Honeycomb teaser video originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Holiday savings for designers with the Fusion Ads Holiday Bundle
The holidays have become rife with software bundles, bringing big savings to consumers (when there are enough apps in the bundle you don't already own). Fusion Ads is offering a bundle that will be of particular interest to designers. It's especially pertinent to web designers, but any designer who doesn't already own some of the included apps would be wise to take a look!

The bundle includes seven Mac applications, plus a copy of the popular CMS, ExpressionEngine and related training products. It also includes credits for Postmark, an email marketing service, some icon packs and the Keynote Wireframe Toolkit for putting together web designs in Keynote.

The Mac apps in the bundle include Versions, FontCase, Billings, DrawIt, ExpanDrive, TextExpander and Kaleidoscope (a slick app I'll be reviewing soon). Check out the Fusion Ads Holiday Bundle page for descriptions and links for all of the included apps, services and icons. The bundle will cost you US$79, with a total value of US$626, according to Fusion. That's some serious savings on some really great apps, and there are only 11 days left to grab it. People who purchase the bundle are also entered in a drawing for a MacBook Air, and those who gift the bundle can win a 16 GB Wi-Fi iPad. It's worth a peek!
Holiday savings for designers with the Fusion Ads Holiday Bundle originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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iPad aids 25 percent increase in online computer sales
In a report released by comScore, a digital reporting firm, online computer hardware sales have increased by 25 percent this holiday season. Handheld computing devices like the iPad drove much of that growth, according the report.

This means computer hardware is the faster growing segment of holiday purchases, just ahead of consumer electronics. (Consumer electronics have grown 22 percent this season.) The reporting company called out the iPad by name, saying "handheld devices (such as Apple iPads and e-readers) and laptop computers drove much of the growth."

It's an interesting choice to group the iPad, which is a tablet computer, with dissimilar devices like the Kindle or Nook. Unfortunately, comScore didn't release any numbers about how the iPad did against those e-readers. It will be interesting to see Apple's reports about the iPad after this quarter, since we know they sold nearly 4.2 million iPads in the previous quarter.

[via AppleInsider]
iPad aids 25 percent increase in online computer sales originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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App Store price war continues, prices drop pre-freeze
I don't know what kind of criteria we need to hit to call the official start of an App Store price war, but quite a few companies have taken EA's lead from last week and dropped their app prices down in an attempt to get them on the top app charts before this week's store freeze by Apple. Pocket Gamer has a pretty good list of sales going -- most Namco apps are on sale, along with the Pac Man titles and Bit Trip Beat. Halfbrick Studios has also dropped prices on their games, bringing Age of Zombies and Fruit Ninja down to just 99 cents and adding new content to both. Samurai II: Vengeance was also dropped to 99 cents, as we tweeted on @TUAW earlier today.

A number of apps are trying to compete by adding features -- Touch Arcade has a good list of those, including Imangi's Max Adventure and Capcom's Arcade title as well as Sega's Chu Chu Rocket.

The weekend hasn't changed EA's grip on the App Store charts -- 6 of the top 10 are still EA's titles, and Apple is actually running banners on the App Store advertising EA's big sale (which has some smaller developers a little miffed). We'll have to see what happens as the week goes on. The store freeze is set to go down on Thursday through Tuesday, December 28, so any apps in the charts then will stay there over the holiday weekend.
App Store price war continues, prices drop pre-freeze originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Game for Cats does what it says, but it isn't truly free
I spend a lot of time trying to keep my cats off my iPad, but thanks to the The Daily What, we got wind of a game specifically designed to have your frisky felines play with your iPad.

iPad Game for Cats is a free download through the App Store, but the "free" part is very misleading. Even though the game's website and the App Store page say that it's gratis, you actually can't get anywhere unless you make a 99-cent, in-app purchase.

Edit (12 AM 12/21): The developer got in touch with me regarding this via Twitter and has since updated the app description to clarify that the mouse game is an in-app purchase. Thank you so much!

But, you do get a little time with the game, and there's only one way to test it and that's with a cat ... or in my case, three cats.

Continue reading Game for Cats does what it says, but it isn't truly free
Game for Cats does what it says, but it isn't truly free originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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AirFlick turns Macintosh into an AirPlay data server

If you own a Macintosh and an Apple TV, I have created a new tool that allows you to stream data outside of iTunes. It's called AirFlick, and it's now available in alpha form for download and testing.

Last week, I put together a related application called AirPlayer that allows you to stream video from your iPad using Apple's built in AirPlay services and demonstrated it on TUAW. AirPlayer works by emulating an Apple TV using your Mac's built in Bonjour networking capabilities. Below is a description and brief video explaining how it works.

Update: TUAW reader BC adds:

How to Add Live Conversion to Erica Sadun's AirFlick AppOk, by doing this hack, you can stream ANY video format sitting on your Mac to your AppleTV. I'm testing out an mkv file right now, and it works like a charm!
OPTIONAL One extra little note: you don't have to necessarily download the unofficial Mac AirVideo client above. You can instead begin playback of a video from within the AirVideo iphone app, then go to the mac serving up the stream, and type "ps ax | grep ffmpeg", and grab the alphanumeric string following the --conversion-id flag. Then paste into AirFlick the following: http://[YOUR-SERVER'S-IP-ADDRESS]:45631/live-playback-2.4.0/index_[CONVERSION-ID].m3u8

Continue reading AirFlick turns Macintosh into an AirPlay data server
AirFlick turns Macintosh into an AirPlay data server originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Camera+ coming back to the App Store
Do you remember Camera+? It was the amazing US$1.99 photography app from development house tap tap tap that ended up getting yanked from the App Store after the developers used the iPhone volume button as a camera shutter button.

In a postscript to a blog entry today, tap tap tap let it slip that Camera+ is on the way back to the App Store. The teaser comment says that it's currently in review, and that this will be the "biggest update yet." Let's hope that they stay within the sometimes ridiculous guidelines for App Store approval, and that the app is as successful in its second incarnation as it was in the first.

Camera+ might face an uphill battle for renewed market share, however. One of the cool features of the app was its ability to share apps to Twitter, Facebook and Flickr with one tap. Since Camera+ went missing, the relatively new and free Instagram app has become very popular, and it also features easy sharing and fun filters. However, Instagram doesn't have the zoom or exposure controls that made Camera+ so useful, and a recent update deleted a popular filter (Poprocket) that was enjoyed by many users.

However, competition is good for those of us on the receiving end of the app wars, so it's good to see that Camera+ is going to be back soon. TUAW will let you know when the new version is available on the App Store and what those exciting new features might be.
Camera+ coming back to the App Store originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Lunar eclipse viewing made easier with free SkySafari Lite
If you're going to grab a look at the total lunar eclipse tonight (actually early tomorrow morning U.S. Eastern Standard Time) we've got just the app for you.

The developers who brought you the excellent SkySafari astronomy app are offering SkySafari Lite for free today to help you track the eclipse and learn a little more about it.

What makes the early morning show unique is that it comes at the same time as the Winter Solstice. The last time that happened was 1638, and it won't happen again until 2094. Expect the Moon to turn reddish in color, and depending on conditions it might completely vanish for at least part of the 72 minutes that it is within the shadow of the Earth.

The eclipse begins at 1:32 AM EST. The entire disc of the Moon will be covered at 2:41 AM and totality, as it is called, ends at 3:53 AM. The Moon will move completely out of the shadow of the Earth by 5:00 AM. If you're in other time zones, just subtract the correct number of hours for your location.

Gallery: SkySafai Lite

Continue reading Lunar eclipse viewing made easier with free SkySafari Lite
Lunar eclipse viewing made easier with free SkySafari Lite originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Infinity Blade update due tomorrow, adds content and ups level cap

A free update to Infinity Blade for IPhone and iPad (our review) is due tomorrow, according to a tweet from the official Infinity Blade account. We've been anticipating this update since last week, when Chair Entertainment (the subsidiary of Epic Games who developed Infinity Blade), told Joystiq that development of additional content began as soon as the app was released. Expect to see new armor and weapons in the update, as well as dungeons and a higher level cap (45).

The eye-popping game has experienced an incredible reception, as would-be epic heroes snatched up at least 270,000 copies in five days. We'll keep our eyes open tomorrow and let you know when it's out.

[Via MacStories]

Infinity Blade update due tomorrow, adds content and ups level cap originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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USB 3.0 for Mac benchmarks and review
Don't let Apple's lack of USB 3.0 support get you down. LaCie has you covered with the 2big USB 3.0 RAID drive, and Engadget has run benchmarks on it.

The gang used a "relatively new" Mac Pro with the following specs:
- Apple Mac Pro (2009)
- 2.66GHz quad-core Intel Xeon 'Nehalem' CPU
- 6GB (2 x 3GB) DDR3-1066 ECC memory
- NVIDIA GeForce GT 120 (512MB) GPU
- 18x SuperDrive
- Mac OS X 10.6.5
- Bluetooth 2.1+EDR
- LaCie USB 3.0 PCIe expansion card
In addition, they used a 2big USB 3.0 drive, a 500GB Iomega Skin (for USB 2.0 work), a 500GB Seagate FreeAgent Go FW (for FireWire 800) and a 160GB G-Technology Combo (for FireWire 400 performance testing). Finally, a series of nested folders and various files, (big, small and plentiful) set the stage. Here's what happened.

In the write test, the 2big clearly out performed its peers. It was twice as fast when transferring the smaller files, and 33% faster than its older brother, USB 2.0, when transferring a 9.4 GB file.

The story was similar with Engadget's read test. The 2big managed 45MB/sec - 61MB/sec, compared to 29MB/sec -37MB/sec from USB 2.0.

There's much more to read, and we suggest checking out Engadget's article in full. The LaCie solution is quite appealing. You listening, Apple?
USB 3.0 for Mac benchmarks and review originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 13:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Collaborative Christmas greeting video done with iPads, iPhones
Just to get us all in the Christmas mood, the clever folks at Torchbox have come up with a video greeting card titled "A Starry Night" that is all done with iPads and iPhones.

Torchbox is a Oxfordshire, England-based web development and design firm, and it looks like they're all a bunch of Apple fanbois / fangurls. Not that there's anything wrong with that...

Enjoy the video after the break.
Continue reading Collaborative Christmas greeting video done with iPads, iPhones
Collaborative Christmas greeting video done with iPads, iPhones originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Apple TV streaming can be hindered by Google DNS
If you are experiencing problems with streaming video on your Apple TV, you may want to take a closer look at your DNS settings, according to Mac developer Joe Maller. Maller recently rented an HD video via iTunes and was astonished to discover it would take two hours to download over a reasonably fast 15-20 MBps Internet connection. Maller searched for an explanation and stumbled upon other users who were reporting the same problem while streaming rentals. According to Maller, the problem occurs when you change your DNS settings from your ISP to a third-party like OpenDNS or GoogleDNS. When you revert your DNS setting to your ISP's servers, the problem disappears.

According to Maller's theory, Akamai is able to obtain the correct geography information and accurately route you through the closest server when you use your ISP's DNS settings. If you subvert this process using a third-party DNS service, then the routing from Akamai may be less than optimal. It may even route everyone through the same pipes which causes congestion and slows down streaming. While this intuitively makes sense, Maller only provides anecdotal evidence to support this theory. Until more evidence surfaces, I would not go around telling everyone they need to ditch OpenDNS or GoogleDNS. Nonetheless, this possible DNS effect is something to store in the back of your mind as changing your DNS is potentially a quick and easy solution if you are having difficulties while streaming Apple TV rentals.

[Via ZDNet]
Apple TV streaming can be hindered by Google DNS originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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World's largest iPhone appears in London with Lara Croft
It's not unusual to see large things in London. The London Eye (AKA Millennium Wheel) was the largest Ferris Wheel in the world for a time and still looms over the London skyline, and a large inflatable pig was buoyed over the Battersea Power Station in 1976 for an album cover shoot for Pink Floyd. The tradition continued this week, when visitors to the St. Pancras International Train Station in London were greeted by a huge iPhone.

The iPhone was created as a way to advertise the launch of Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, a new US$6.99 ($9.99 for the iPad edition) game app. The über-iPhone was created from 56 iPads, and people in the first crowd to see the advertisement got to depart with iPads that were given away.

Considering that a good number of our friends in the U.K. are currently stuck at train stations, airports, or home due to snowy winter weather, we're hoping that they spend their time reading TUAW and playing with their iPhones, iPads, and Macs.

World's largest iPhone appears in London with Lara Croft originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Sam's Club to sell iPhone 4 for $147 until Dec. 25

Remember that Radio Shack sale that offered the iPhone 4 for $149 and caused a nationwide shortage in the Shack's retail stores? Well, Sam's Club is about to one-up Radio Shack with a Member-only promotion that drops the price of the iPhone 4 to $147 with a two-year customer agreement. The leaked internal communication suggests the promotion is available now and extends until Christmas day. If you missed the Radio Shack sale, then should definitely jump on the Sams' Club promotion as this is likely to be the cheapest you will see the iPhone 4 until the iPhone 5 is announced. [Update -- Radio Shack actually operates the wireless kiosks at Sam's Club stores. Ed.]

For those looking to spend even less money on an iPhone, Sam's Club is also reportedly discounting the iPhone 3GS to a lowly $47 with a two-year customer agreement. At these prices, there is little reason not to grab an iPhone or two for your friends or family. While you are at it, you can also grab an iPad as a companion device for your shiny, new iPhone. Remember, this is a rumor so call ahead before you trek down to your local store. This promotion is also limited by supply, so don't wait until Christmas eve to take advantage of this discount.

[Via Macgasm]
Sam's Club to sell iPhone 4 for $147 until Dec. 25 originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Mac OS X, Microsoft Kinect create gesture-based MRI demo
A team of researchers from the Institute of Forensic Medicine at the University of Bern in Switzerland has developed a Kinect-based system for the touch-free control of medical imaging software. The group filmed an impressive proof-of-concept video showcasing their hands-free medical imaging system. It uses the Kinect to control OsiriX, OS X image software used to view MRI, CT, PET and other DICOM images generated from medical imaging equipment.

The system would let doctors and other medical professional scan through a series of medical images as well as zoom and rotate individual images using only their hands or voice commands. One major advantage to this hands-free system is sterility. Because the system is touch-free, a doctor would not have to worry about contaminating his hands during surgery by tapping on a keyboard. While we have seen the Kinect used in a variety of clever Minority-report style hacks and even one OS X hack, this is one of the first Kinect hacks to have real-world application. Check out the video after the break and let us know what you think of Virtopsy's system.
Continue reading Mac OS X, Microsoft Kinect create gesture-based MRI demo
Mac OS X, Microsoft Kinect create gesture-based MRI demo originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Daily Deals for December 20, 2010
Before you rip into that bottle of eggnog stashed under your desk, please check out the following deals from dealnews.com. Supplies are limited in many cases, offers expire soon, etc. In other words: the early click gets the deal. One note: Justin Bieber Revenge does not allow you to exact revenge on Justin Bieber. It's another game in the Tap Tap Revenge series. If you want some sort of "revenge" check out this clip from South Park.
- Best Buy: Apple iTunes $50 Gift Card for $40 + free shipping
- iTunes Music Store: iPhone App Price Drops: Where's Waldo?, Justin Bieber Revenge, more
- Apple Store: Refurbished Unibody Apple MacBook Pro Laptops from $1,019 + free shipping
- CowBoom: Refurbished Apple iPod classic 80GB for $100 + $5 s&h
- eBay: Sony BRAVIA EX400 46" 1080p LCD HDTV for $648 + free shipping
- InvisibleShield: ZAGG coupon: 20% off sitewide
- Sony Style: Refurb Sony Speaker Dock / Clock Radio for iPod for $50 + free shipping
- Office Depot: Realspace Mezza L-Shaped Glass Computer Desk for $120 + free shipping
- OfficeMax: Samsung CLP-315W Wireless Color Laser Printer for $150 + free shipping
- JR: Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex HD Media Player for $79 + free shipping
- Best Buy: Logitech M305 Cordless Optical Mouse for $13 + free shipping
Daily Deals for December 20, 2010 originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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How to get Verizon's UML290 4G USB modem to work on the Mac
Verizon Wireless launched its 4G LTE network across the United States on December 5, 2010 and left many Mac users unhappy when they found that the two 4G USB modems that are currently available, the Pantech UML290 and LG VL600, were both listed as compatible only with Windows XP, Vista and 7.

Fortunately, there are people who are willing to try to overcome hurdles that are unintentionally put in the way of Mac users, so there are now instructions on how to set up your Mac to work properly with the Pantech modem.

Note that you'll still need to have access to a Windows machine in order to run the VZAccess Manager software, which is required to do the initial activation of the Pantech modem. If you have Boot Camp, Parallels Desktop for Mac, or VMWare Fusion installed on your Mac with a Windows virtual machine, then you should have no issues performing the activation.

The instructions are actually quite easy for Mac OS X 10.5 and 10.6 users. Plug the modem into an available USB 2.0 port, then launch System Preferences. Go into the Network settings, and the device will show up in the left sidebar as a connection.
Continue reading How to get Verizon's UML290 4G USB modem to work on the Mac
How to get Verizon's UML290 4G USB modem to work on the Mac originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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iPad plus free mobile hot spot at Best Buy
Best Buy is offering a sweet bundle on the WiFi-based iPad which includes your choice of a free companion AT&T, Verizon, or Sprint mobile hotspot. 9to5Mac reports that the available mobile hotspots include the WiMAX-enabled Sprint Overdrive, the Global-ready, 3G Verizon Wireless Fivespot and the 3G AT&T MiFi 2372.

The promotion requires a monthly data plan and a two-year customer agreement. The monthly cost of the data plan for each carrier is not listed, so it is not clear whether data plans will be the carrier's standard MiFi rates, which can be as high as US$80 monthly, or a special discounted, iPad-specific rate.

If you have plans to purchase an iPad-MiFi bundle from Verizon, you may want to re-consider and swing by your local Best Buy instead. Verizon Wireless recently began offering the WiFi iPad with a MiFi 2200 hotspot for the same price as the 3G+WiFi iPad which starts at US$629 for the 16 GB model. The iPad data plans do not include a contract and start with a reasonable 1 GB of data for US$20 per month and increase gradually with a $35/3 GB, $50/5 GB, and a $80/10 GB plan. While the data plans are attractively priced, the MiFi 2200 is an older model hotspot and does not include GSM bands for use outside the U.S.

The Best Buy promotion may offer a better deal as it saves you $130 off the cost of the iPad and you receive the newer, dual mode (GSM/CDMA) Fivespot mobile hotspot device. Data plans for the Fivespot start at US$35 for 3 GB of usage, which is not as low as the $20 plan but not outrageous either. Of course, this Best Buy promotion includes a two-year contract which may or may not be a deal-breaker depending on your usage.
iPad plus free mobile hot spot at Best Buy originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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TUAW's Daily App: I Must Run

The popularity of Canabalt seems to have spawned a whole genre of games on the App Store. I remain a fan of Monster Dash, and Tomena Sanner is another fascinating spin on the very basic one-button gameplay. Now here comes I Must Run, another running-style game that has you as a character running on a 2D field, trying to avoid gaps and obstacles by jumping and punching your way through.

Despite the fact that this borrows a lot (if not actually everything) from Canabalt and its followers, there's no denying that "IMR" (as developer Gamelion Studios calls it in a teasing FAQ on the app's description) has its own verve as well. The style is very well done. You play a prisoner running from a prison, and there's a little more story here (some of it in the form of a motion comic) than the other games that tend to go more arcade-style. Gamelion promises there's an end to this one, though good luck trying to get to it.

There are also a few gameplay tweaks. You can punch through obstacles and duck under overhangs, so if you want to beat the whole thing, you'll really have to stay on your toes (or fingers, as the case may be). I Must Run is only US$0.99 on the App Store right now, and it's earning some nice buzz around the gaming community. Looks like there might be room for a few more running titles on the App Store yet.
TUAW's Daily App: I Must Run originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Get your giving sorted out with Gift Plan
Keeping track of all the holiday shopping and the various recipients of gifts among family and friends is a chore that's just crying out for an app. There are plenty of gift organizers on the App Store, but one of the newest and slickest is Glasshouse Apps' new release Gift Plan. This US$1.99 app gives you all the tools you'll need to manage your holiday, birthday or other occasion gift-giving.

Gift Plan lets you organize by date, shopping list or by recipient/occasion. Once you've added your likely gift recipients (from your contact list, Facebook birthday sync or manually), you can file away ideas for the next gift, likes/dislikes, and clothing sizes. You can also keep track of what you've already gotten for each person, to avoid repeat gifts.

You can filter your upcoming occasions by birthday, anniversary or holiday giving, just to keep from being overwhelmed by the prospect of all those presents. All this is wrapped up in a graceful and straightforward interface, which is just what you'd expect from the team that brought us The Early Edition, Barista and Cellar.

Happy holidays, and happy shopping!

Gallery: Gift Plan for iPhone
Get your giving sorted out with Gift Plan originally appeared on TUAW on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Talkcast 10 PM ET, 7 PM PT: 'Twas the 'Cast before Christmas edition
It's that time again! The day is nearing when we rampantly speculate about what wonderful new iThing will magically appear in our lives, and we anxiously wait for that special day when glorious new toys appear. You know what I'm talking about: Stevemas! That day in January when Steve makes his appearance and changes our lives. What did you think I was talking about?

Tonight on the Talkcast we'll be discussing what you all would like to have appear under your tree on Saturday (ahem), standard Mac topics, and hopefully we can spend a little time at my House of Crackpot Theories. I hope so, anyway. I've been making Ninjabread Men!

We kick things off tonight at 7 PM Pacific, 10 PM Eastern. Your calls and questions help us make the show the best it can be, otherwise I'm just talking to myself! To participate on TalkShoe, you can click the Talkshoe Live button on our profile page, use the embedded Facebook app, or the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client (with built-in VoIP support); however, for maximum fun, you should call in. Just click the "TalkShoe Web" button on our profile page at 4 HI/7 PDT/10 PM EDT Sunday to listen and chat; to call in on regular phone or VoIP lines (yay for free cell phone weekend minutes!): dial (724) 444-7444 and enter our talkcast ID, 45077 -- during the call, you can request to talk by keying in *8.

If you've got a headset or microphone handy on your Mac, you can connect via the free Gizmo or X-Lite SIP clients; basic instructions are here. Talk with you then!
Talkcast 10 PM ET, 7 PM PT: 'Twas the 'Cast before Christmas edition originally appeared on TUAW on Sun, 19 Dec 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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