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- Flickr Find: iTunes genre icons
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, How-tos, Odds and ends, iTunes, Flickr Find
Maybe I'm not paying attention (likely), but Derek B. told us about something in iTunes 8 that I'd never seen before -- you can organize your music in Grid view by genre, and when you do, there are some pretty good-looking icons that show up for each genre. I especially like the Blues and Jazz icons (nice nod to the old Blue Note Records in there), but all of them have a pretty neat vibe, summing up each genre as best they can in a colorful little box.
Of course, there will always be more music out there than boxes to put it into, and so Derek B has started up a Flickr group to come up with icons for some of the more obscure genres out there. Replacing the icons is pretty easy to do, and there's even an app that will let you do it with ease -- just find the icon you want, and tie it to your genre. As you can see above, if you don't have an icon for the listed genre, it'll show off your album art (and just like iPhoto, mousing over the picture will let you flip through whatever albums are in there). It's kind of a weird thing to add into iTunes (and it's kind of tough to line them all up -- it's too bad iTunes won't pull down genres for music it recognizes from the iTunes store), but odds are we'll see these icons pop up more later, so getting them all lined up now is probably worth it.Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Apple rejects another app for duplicating functionality
Filed under: Developer, App Store
Apple has rejected another app from the app store because it considers it too similar to one of Apple's own apps, and thus would cause "user confusion."
The app is a front-end for Gmail, called MailWrangler, and allows users to check many Gmail accounts at once (unlike MobileSafari). It offers a similar interface as Gmail's iPhone-optimized web interface, which shows conversation threads in context, and allows for starring conversations (unlike Mail). The app developer says it works much like MailPlane on the desktop.
Nevertheless, Apple rejected the app because of the similarity, in Apple's view, and also due to other issues related to editing account information.
This app's rejection follows that of Podcaster for allegedly similar reasons. As we mentioned in the Talkcast two weeks ago, this could be related to the user backlash from I Am Rich. Whether it's too permissive or too strict, Apple will always have unhappy people when it issues rejections like this.
[Via WebMonkey.]
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - What is The Brick?
Filed under: Rumors
The friendly folks over at Macenstein have a theory about The Brick -- a widely-rumored Apple product that may be debuting mid-October. So far, all we really know is the code name: "The Brick."
Many speculate that it refers to the form factor of the product -- whatever it may be -- but Macenstein has a different take: it's the Windows breaker. Get it? Like a real brick with a real window.
Apple may have a plan to pull significant market-share away from Microsoft using this product (or series of products). If true, it could be the missing piece of the puzzle that executives hinted about in Apple's Q3 conference call in July.
The question, of course, remains: what the heck is it already? A new, low-cost MacBook? An iTablet? Software? Let us know your predictions by leaving us a comment below.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Analyst roundup: 5m iPhones for Q4, gloomy Christmas ahead
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Apple Financial
Widely-read Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster is revising his prior estimate for the quarter ending a week from Tuesday, and his outlook is even rosier than before.
Instead of 4.1 million iPhone 3Gs, Munster expects Apple will sell 5 million of the handsets. Likewise, he's revising his estimates for Mac sales up by 300,000 units, and iPod sales up by 200,000 units.
If he's right, it will mean Apple will have sold 7.4 million iPhones so far this year. That puts Apple well on track to meet its own prediction of selling 10 million handsets for calendar year 2008.
On the other hand, we have Morgan Stanley, who cut price targets for nine hardware companies, including Apple. Morgan cited a "fragile consumer," slower overall spending, and a stronger dollar (the last of which impacts sales abroad for U.S. companies).
This comes after a weak August for Mac sales, which -- in context -- only means that Apple's numbers didn't grow quite as fast as they did in prior months. They still sold 23 percent more Mac units than August 2007, but that was sharply lower than July 2008's 43 percent increase over July 2007.
[Via Fortune, Silicon Alley Insider, and 24/7 Wall St.]
Thanks, Robert!
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Billings 3: new features for professional time tracking and invoicing
Filed under: Software, Productivity
Marketcircle just released version 3 of Billings last week, greatly expanding the functionality of the time-tracking and invoicing application. One of the major reasons I've chosen Billings in the past for my invoicing is the professional-looking documents it can create for electronic and paper delivery. Billings 3 adds new templates and new features, making it an application which any professional individual who needs to manage estimates, invoices, statements and collections should take a look at.
Billings 3 started as a ground-up rework of the program's foundation, focusing on future extensibility, workflow improvements and the user interface. Billings has always had time-tracking and invoicing features, with an easy-to-use timer window, menubar timers and professional invoice templates. This version expands those areas, but it's got a bevy of entirely new features designed to make the lives of self-employed individuals, freelancers and small business owners easier. Read on for an overview of what's new.
Continue reading Billings 3: new features for professional time tracking and invoicing
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Terminal Tips: Personalize Terminal.app
Filed under: Terminal Tips
Tired of the bland, black and white look of Terminal.app (/Application/Utilities)? By tweaking the preferences in Terminal, you can easily change the theme, and look of your Terminal windows. Open Terminal and click Terminal > Preferences (or press command + ,).
Clicking on Settings will allow you to see the available themes. Terminal ships with several nice themes including basic, grass, homebrew, novel, ocean, pro, and red sands. In addition to using these, you can create your own by clicking the "+" button at the bottom.
You can tweak a theme by clicking the theme and using the options in either the "Text" or "Window" tabs. You can change the font style/size, text color, type of cursor, color of cursor, etc. When you are ready to make the these your default, just click the default button at the bottom of the theme list. Now all of your Terminal windows will load with the settings you specified.
Want more tips and tricks like this? Visit TUAW's Mac 101 and Terminal Tips sections.Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - First Look: Equivalence for iPhone
Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
Keeping with the famous science teacher saying of "every number must have a unit," Equivalence (iTunes link) is the one-stop converter for all things units. Did we say "one-stop?" Why yes we did, because Equivalence can convert between over 260 units in 31 categories.
Once of the nice features of Equivalence is the ability for the application to auto update the unit conversions over the air, instead of through the App Store. So, if the developer decides to add a unit, or if a unit were to change, updates could get pushed out to the application.
The beauty of this application is when you flip your iPhone into landscape mode. Just like the built-in iPhone calculator, this application adds much more functionality when horizontal, including a calculator that can add units together.
Bottom line: This is the best unit converter for the iPhone, hands-down. Be sure to take a look at our gallery of Equivalence screenshots. You can buy Equivalence from the iTunes App Store for $4.99 (US).
Update: The developer has dropped us an email to let us know about a special promotion. Equivalence will sell on the App Store for $1.99 until October 6th. The pricing changes have already been submitted to Apple for approval and should appear soon. Also, we have added two new screenshots in the gallery showing off the landscape mode in Equivalence.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - TUAW Tips: Replace login screen background
Filed under: TUAW Tips
Are you tired of the standard background for the login window? Well, if you are running Tiger or Leopard, you can easily change this picture to anything you wish. This is handy for schools or organizations who want a static background showing off their spiffy logo.
For Leopard Users
To change the background, just replace the picture file located here:/System/Library/CoreServices/DefaultDesktop.jpgBe sure to keep the original file in case you want to change it back to the original picture. We suggest changing the original to "DefaultDesktopOriginal.jpg" or something similar.
For Tiger Users
Tiger users don't have it as easy. You have to replace the picture by editing a login window preference file. Open Terminal and type in the following command, replacing "path_to_picture.jpg" with the actual path to the picture you want as the background:sudo defaults write /Library/Preferences/com.apple.loginwindow DesktopPicture 'path_to_picture.jpg'
Since this is a sudo command, you will be required to authenticate as an administrator before the command will be run. Once you enter the command and logout, you should see the changes.
Want more tips and tricks like this? Visit TUAW's TUAW Tips and Terminal Tips sections.Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Apple Store Colorado Springs: photos from opening day
Filed under: Retail, Cult of Mac
Apple junkies who live in Colorado Springs, CO used to have to drive about 75 miles north to Denver to visit either the Park Meadows or Aspen Grove Apple Stores. Now they finally have an Apple Store of their own at the Promenade Shops at Briargate, which opened on Saturday, September 20th.
Reader Denny noted "Firefighter Memorial Ride happened to be the same day and organized from the parking lot. At first, I thought Apple had a new market in Firefighters and Harley riders." Denny moved to Colorado Springs just three weeks ago from Orlando, FL, where he had his pick of three Apple Stores. Denny's Flickr slide show can be viewed here.
TUAW reader Marc mentioned that "Colorado Springs being a smaller market, the turnout wasn't as great as for some other openings -- there were about 40 people in line when I arrived about 8:30 am and another 40 or so filled out the line by the 9:00 am opening time." They may have T-shirts available for a while at that store... Marc's Flickr slide show is here.
Thanks to Denny, Marc, and Randy for their coverage of the event.Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Apple updates Pro Applications, Final Cut Server, and iPhone Config Utility
Filed under: Apple Professional, Software Update, iPhone
Last Thursday, Apple released three updates that we forgot to touch on.
Pro Applications Update 2008-03 (support site link)
Pro Applications Update 2008-03 "addresses general performance issues and improves overall stability." More information about the Pro Apps update can be found in the release notes. You can download the installer package here.
Final Cut Server Update 1.1.1 (support site link)
Apple notes on their support website that FCS Update 1.1.1 addresses "installation issues and general performance issues and improves overall stability." Apple has also posted more information about the update in the release notes.
iPhone Configuration Utility 1.0.1 for Mac OS X (support site link)
The iPhone Config Utility allows enterprises to maintain a large number of iPhones (including installing and provisioning applications). The utility has been updated to version 1.0.1, and in normal Apple update fashion, they have not included any release notes for this version. You can however, download the installer package by visiting the Apple support site.
All of these updates require Mac OS X 10.5.5, which was updated last week. You can download these updates by opening Software Update (Apple menu > Software Update) or by visiting the Apple support website links and download the installer packages.
Thanks to everyone who sent this in!Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Review: ifrogz iPhone 3G case
Filed under: iPhone
The folks at Dr. Bott were kind enough to send us an ifrogz Luxe case for the iPhone 3G to review. We drew straws (virtually) and I won the opportunity to kick the tires, so to speak, and give you my impressions.
Personally, I'm not a big fan of cases on my phones and PDAs; they go in and out of my pocket so often that anything that adds bulk or friction ends up being more of a pain than its worth. That pretty much eliminates any silicone-style cases for my purposes. Thankfully, the Luxe case is made of a hard plastic with a satin finish, providing more grip than a naked iPhone, but not so much that it's a pain to get out of a tight pocket.
The ifrogz Luxe case comes in a number of colors. My review case is a deep wine red color, which looks understated and quite appropriate. The case colors in pictures online look too bright and gaudy for my taste, but I can say that I am quite happy with the look of the red version in person, at least.
The case is a two-piece affair, clamping together with a little round button on the back. While this is a clever way to hold the two halves of the case together, it unfortunately makes the iPhone much harder to use on a flat surface, as it rocks from side to side as you tap on the screen. My only other complaint is that the case fits maybe a bit too well, in that it can be a real pain to remove it once you have fit your iPhone snugly into it. If you rarely ever need to take your iPhone out of the case this will be more of a positive than a negative for you.
The screen protector was a real surprise for me. I expected it to significantly interfere with the accuracy of my iPhone's screen, but after just a few minutes I forgot that it was even there. It is easy to apply, and easy to forget, which makes it darn near perfect in my opinion.
My wife is currently in the market for a case for her iPhone, and were it not for the rocking on a flat surface problem, we'd almost certainly be getting her the Luxe for her phone. To be honest, nothing else we've seen really stands out as better, so there's still a good chance she'll end up with a Luxe on her phone, even though the rocking is more of an issue for her than it is for me. I plan on going out to get one of these cases for my iPhone 3G.Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Update: Trip Cubby 1.1
Filed under: Software, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
TUAW reviewed Trip Cubby, a mileage log app for iPhone / iPod touch, soon after it was released. The developer, App Cubby, has now released Trip Cubby 1.1 (click opens iTunes). Current users can upgrade for free, and the app is available for US$9.99 to new purchasers.
Trip Cubby has been optimized so it now runs significantly faster, and bugs in the original release have been fixed. New features include:
- Icon badge for incomplete trips
- If data entry is interrupted by a phone call, data is stored and retrieved on next launch
- Optional number pad for odometer and financial data entry
- Option to turn off odometer decimal
- Date range shortcuts in advanced search
- Automatically changes number, date, and currency format based on region
- Previous odometer reading is auto-entered rather than being set as the default
- New trips are temporarily highlighted in the list of trips
- Changing between miles and kilometers converts the data rather than just changing the label
- The odometer field updates when switching vehicles
Переслать
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