Wednesday, January 30, 2008

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) (15 сообщений)

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  • When is HD not HD?

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    ZDNet's George Ou doesn't exactly have a great record when it comes to Apple related analysis, but even the stopped clock is right twice a day, and he's got an interesting article up about the forthcoming HD movies that Apple is planning to offer with Apple TV Take Two. His central point is this: high definition video is about more than resolution (whether 720p or 1080i/p); it also matters significantly how much the video is compressed. So his complaint is that the HD download services (both Xbox Live and the forthcoming Apple TV) offer video compressed so highly that even if it has the requisite number of pixels it "is simply not HD by any respectable definition." He's got another post illustrating the point.

    Having become a bit of a HD video buff myself, I think his central claim is true. The highly-compressed video from the download services does not hold a candle to Blu-ray or HD DVD on a large 1080p display. If you think about the files' relative sizes, how could it possibly? By the same token, however, it's not entirely clear that this is what matters most to consumers. The obvious comparison is to audio; 128kb AAC files sound significantly worse than CDs with complex music and yet Apple has sold literally billions of them. So it may turn out that the convenience of the HD downloads ends up trumping video quality except for the videophiles. However, if that's so it's nonetheless true that average consumers make up the fat part of the curve where the real money is to be made. So even if Ou is right about the technical issues, it's not entirely clear that it'll matter in the long run. What do you think?

    [via Engadget HD]
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  • File Action: a free, light-weight alternative to Hazel

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    Many of us here around the TUAW home office love Hazel ($21.95), the great folder-based automation utility that you can set up to run various rules to process (e.g. move, copy, sort) your files. However, we also like free, and so I was intrigued by a new application called File Action that is basically a kind of Hazel-light.

    File Action concentrates on only one task -- moving files -- but like Hazel you can set it up to move those files on the basis of various rules. While less sophisticated than Hazel it can definitely handle useful tasks like sorting your downloads folder on the basis of file extensions, etc.

    While I wouldn't give up the power of Hazel, if your file sorting needs are basic (and your wallet light), File Action is worth a look. It's a free download from Tom Hancocks.
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  • VMware Fusion Updated to version 1.1.1

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    Although I am, and always will be, a devoted user of Apple products, the Macintosh and OSX, occasionally I find the need to do something that only the vagaries of Windows can accomplish. In the past, this required me to have a separate computer (a PC) with an install of Windows.

    Fortunately, with Apple's switch to all Intel all the time, I no longer need that other Windows PC and instead can use a "virtual" Windows PC running on my Mac with the help of a software product provided by Parallels or VMware.

    In the past, I was a big fan of Parallels and used it exclusively. More recently, though, I have switched to VMware Fusion for my Windows virtualization needs. Nothing against Parallels, its still a great product, but I just find VMware a bit more "Mac-like" and easier to setup and use. If you agree and use VMware Fusion as well, head on over to their website because there's an update to the software waiting there just for you.

    This update is, according to the VMware site: "a maintenance release that contains fixes for a variety of issues." What might these issues be, you may wonder? Well, if you really want to know, feel free to read the release notes. Or, if you decide to just "go for it" and not read the fine print, go here and download away.
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  • Embraceware releases Awaken 4

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    When it comes to alarm-clock applications for the Mac, we've got two very fine choices -- Alarm Clock Pro from Koingo Software, and Awaken from Embraceware. For most people, using your Mac as an alarm clock may seem a little unusual, but at the time I happened to be at University I lived in fear of my regular alarm clock's tone. So, with my Mac on the desk a few feet away, I set about finding a suitable Mac alarm clock application. I eventually settled with Awaken, and since then it's interrupted plentiful hours of slumber with music of my choosing.

    You can imagine my joy then, to discover that Awaken was updated on Sunday to a whole new version: version 4. A significant re-write under-the-hood and a new UI cap a feature list that now includes: the ability to run scripts with alarms; the ability to select specific podcasts (not just music as with prior versions); better Apple Remote support and an improved full-screen mode.

    Best of all, the update from version 3.x to 4 is free for registered users (though, you will need to re-enter your registration information and alarms after updating), and costs just $12.95.
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  • Apple posts "Find out how" tutorials

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    Today, Apple added a new "Find Out How" section to their website. This new page features video tutorials of the following aspects of the Mac:
    This information is no doubt welcome to many new switchers, or potential switchers, who want to learn more about the user interface. You can also subscribe to these in iTunes by clicking the "Download videos to iTunes" button at the bottom of the video window.

    Thanks Joseph!
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  • Found Footage: Apple.com, this is your life!

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    This is fun. A couple of years ago, we pointed out a nice archive of Apple's homepage. Today, the folks at Macenstein have collected similar images from Flickr user Kernel Panic into a video history. Some of the really old stuff isn't represented, but it's still a fun way to waste a few minutes.

    Who remembers Apple Cafe? How about the smoking bunny suit? Or my favorite: "Beyond the rumor sites. Way beyond."

    Enjoy.
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  • Apple posts iWork updates

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    If you're an iWork 08 user, then you may want to run a software update, as Apple has just pushed out updates for all three applications. As ever, there's hugely informative release notes: for Pages 3.0.2 and Numbers 1.0.2 "[t]his update addresses compatibility with Mac OS X" while the Keynote 4.0.2 update "primarily addresses performance issues while playing or exporting presentations."

    On the TUAW Intel testbed here in the UK, the updates weigh in at 32.4MB, 29.3MB and 27.4MB for Keynote, Pages and Numbers respectively.

    Keynote 4.0.2 at Apple.com
    Pages 3.0.2 at Apple.com
    Numbers 1.0.2 at Apple.com

    Thanks to all those who sent this in!
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  • Panic releases Coda developer's resource

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    Coda is Panic's awesome all-in-one web worker's application that we've written about before. We even got a nice first hand look at this month's Macworld Expo.

    Today, the folks at Panic have released a Developer Zone for Coda, which is full of great resources like video tutorials, quick tips, handy Applescripts and feature articles. If you're a developer or a power user, you'll want to check this out. It's quite useful.

    [Via Shawn Blanc]
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  • Mac 101: Apple's product guide

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    Back to basics with Mac 101, our ongoing series of posts aimed at new Mac users. If you've got a hankering for news about the latest Mac-compatible products, you've got plenty of places to look (including, naturally, right here). What if you've got a specific product need, something obscure, small-audience or somewhat vintage? You can always hit the search engines or check our archives, but there's a one-stop shop for Mac-compatible products that doesn't always get top billing: Apple's Macintosh Product Guide, tucked away at guide.apple.com.

    This venerable database of Mac apps and hardware (it's under the Developer heading on Apple's site nav, and judging by the 'lasso' URLs it may run off a FileMaker back-end-- way to support the home team!) lists thousands of products, and it's got separate categories for iPod and iPhone accessories. Starting off with the guide is a great idea if you need to find a vertical-market or niche app; you'll probably come up with several good choices.
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  • Complete guide to iPhone car integration now online

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    Jeremy Horwitz at iLounge has written a comprehensive guide for integrating the iPhone with you car, from a budget-friendly rig to the ultimate set-up.

    The problem, of course, is that there's no single device, cable or solution that will manage calls, music, and charge your iPhone's battery simultaneously. I'm using a set-up similar to Jeremy's budget solution -- a cheap mount holds the iPhone in place, an audio cable connects it to my stereo's audio in port and a Belkin charger keeps the battery going.

    Of course, I've still got to pick the thing up and disconnect the audio cable to place or receive a call (still legal where I live). I know that a Bluetooth headset would eliminate that issue, but I don't want to have to buy one more thing to accessorize my iPhone.

    Jeremy's "Optimal Solution" eliminates a lot of the stuff with a Contour Design / Bluetrek SurfaceSound Compact, which is a nifty hands-free solution for mobile phones (though quite pricey). If price is not a concern, check it out. As for the rest of us, have you got your iPhone set up in your car? Share your solutions below.
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  • Make your Time Machine drive more useful and more boot-iful

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    As we've mentioned recently, one of the conditions for a successful bare-metal restore of a Time Machine backup is a Leopard install DVD; you boot from the DVD, choose your backup as source material, wait some number of hours, and then you're back in business. Wouldn't it be good, wondered a tipster at Macosxhints.com, if you could combine the need for a DVD with all that lovely free space on your Time Machine drive and somehow accelerate this process?

    Enter the "you got your peanut butter in my chocolate" solution: before you set up your Time Machine backups, use Disk Copy Utility to clone your Leopard DVD onto the blank hard drive. Once Time Machine is running, it should leave the DVD clone alone and simply use the rest of the drive for data. If you ever need to recover from a catastrophic failure, you've got a bootable Time Machine restore drive that acts just like the Leopard DVD.

    My idle question (and one I plan to test when I can) is if you can actually install a lean system, perhaps with some key utilities and tools, alongside your Time Machine data; boot from that when you need to, and do repairs/recovery before moving on to the restore process. It would almost certainly be safer to carve off a small boot partition (20 GB would be ample) and set up a bare-bones boot environment, but it would be fun to try it all on the same volume and see what happens. Of course, when you hear "fun" and "backups" in the same sentence, turn tail and run.
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  • iTunes: Free Tuesday

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    Once again, TUAW is pleased to present you with a selection of free songs and videos from around the world. Many of these iTMS items won't be free for long, so grab your copies before the week is up. And don't forget: If you want to buy these on your iPhone or iPod touch, make sure to sign into your account in iTunes before you sync.

    Continue reading iTunes: Free Tuesday

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  • MacBook Airs shipping

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    The online Apple Store lists the MacBook Air as shipping in 2-3 weeks, however, if you ordered right after the keynote your MacBook Air might be on its way. We have received several excited emails sharing the news that MacBook Air orders seem to be shipping (one reader should have his on February 1st).

    Does this lend any credence to the rumor that Apple Stores will have some MacBook Airs in stock shortly? Perhaps. Sound off in the comments if you ordered the MacBook Air right at the keynote, we want to know if it is shipping.
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  • UK iPhone users to see better value service plans

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    Amongst a general re-shuffling of contract pricing, O2 has announced that iPhone customers are going to be getting a better deal on their contracts. The UK contracts were, at launch, notably slim on both calls and texts when compared to other O2 packages. Whilst the higher price was due in part to the inclusion of the Cloud WiFi and unlimited data, there was speculation that the prices were higher to pay for Apple's take of the monthly revenue on the service plans.

    Thankfully, that's all about to change in February, as O2 has brought its iPhone tariffs in line with regular O2 deals. For those on the cheapest £35-per-month package (such as yours truly), minutes get tripled to 600 and texts to 500 per month, and the £45-per-month package gets bumped to 1200 minutes and 500 texts (previously costing £55). O2 has decided to remove the £55 option of the past, and will reduce their future bills to £45, or allow them to move to the £75, 3,000 minute / 500 SMS package. If you have your iPhone on O2, you'll want to check out this page for the complete low-down.

    [Via twitter / Macworld and thanks to all those who sent this in!]
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  • What's the deal with Entourage 2008 and Blackberry sync?

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    If you've got a Blackberry that you plan to sync with Entourage 2008 (other than via Exchange and a Blackberry Enterprise Server, which could give two figs for your client application -- although as a commenter points out, BES still doesn't fully support sent mail or read/unread sync from Entourage), you might run into some difficulty. No, you'll be fine. Well, now we're not sure. What's all this fuss about?

    Let's start with this post from MacWindows, which raises the alarm: Microsoft dropped direct BlackBerry syncing in Entourage 2008, the headline reads. Uh-oh, whatever shall we do? The article reports that the plug-in that enabled direct synchronization of Entourage to Blackberries will not be supported in 2008 by Microsoft or Missing Sync, and all synchronization must take place via Apple's Sync Services framework.

    Gosh, that's scary news, except that it's complete hogwash, says Mac pundit/gadfly John Welch. While Entourage 2004 did support Palm synchronization via a HotSync plugin that's now absent in 2008, the Blackberry sync process was always handled by Entourage's interface to Sync Services, the same underlying technology that connected Entourage to Address Book and iCal. Did MacWindows talk to someone at Mark/Space who mixed up the two sync technologies, or was the confusion on the reporting end? Welch is pretty sure where the problem lies.

    All that said, it should be safe to sync Entourage with your Sync Services clients, right? Not so fast, say the mavens at the Entourage Help Blog. Since Entourage 2008 shipped, there have been plenty of reports of issues with Sync Services, including some catastrophic cases of data loss. The recommendation of the experts is to leave Sync Services off for now until Microsoft can address some of these problems. Once that's taken care of, both Mark/Space and PocketMac say that Entourage 2008 should be supportable for calendar and contact sync. What a relief.
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