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- YouTube videos gain links to iTunes store
YouTube has added links from promotional and music videos to the iTunes store and AmazonMP3, where you can buy the song featured. The links appear on its website, beneath videos like this one.
Currently, EMI appears to be the only major music label participating in the deal. Electronic Arts has links related to its Spore game to Amazon.com, where you can purchase a copy.
Google (whose CEO, Eric Schmidt, is on Apple's board of directors) has been looking for ways to earn money from YouTube, its $1.6 billion purchase from 2006. YouTube probably already earns some revenue from Apple via a partnership that includes a YouTube player on the iPhone and Apple TV, but the financial details are unknown.
[Via Macworld.]
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - PDF version of iPhone developer's cookbook available
Filed under: Developer, iPhone
It's a good day to become an iPhone developer: in addition to the screencast we mentioned, someone near and dear to us at TUAW finally got her book out into the wild ... at least the PDF version. Erica Sadun's* "The iPhone Developer's Cookbook" is available as an electronic download from informIT.
If you want to dig in and start developing native iPhone applications with the SDK, this is a great way to start. The paper version is set for release on October 15th, if that's what you're into, but having the code samples in a cut-and-paste-friendly format is far preferable to me. Coupling that with a complete lack of patience, I bought the PDF this morning and am avidly poring over it for new information.
I'm planning a combination tip calculator/grocery list application with several language translation apps and an ebook reader built in ... although I may consider doing a Pinocchio app that lets people know when I'm joking instead.
So, up-and-coming iPhone developers, head on over to informIT for some SDK development goodness.
Editor's Note: Since Erica has moved on from TUAW to her new home at Ars Technica, we no longer have conflict-of-interest concerns about reviewing her books -- but we still love her & wish her all the best.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Found Footage: Writing your first iPhone application
Filed under: Multimedia, Developer, Found Footage
The removal of the NDA from the iPhone development scene means that a trickle of educational content for would-be developers is rapidly turning into a flood. Xcode instructor extraordinaire Bill Dudney of The Pragmatic Programmers has made a 22 minute video screencast available for those who want to join the elite ranks of beginning iPhone developers.
The free video covers the details of how to start getting acquainted with Xcode and Interface Builder for iPhone development. Dudney actually builds a simple application while guiding viewers through the process of creating an iPhone app.
The video is available at the following URL along with links to several other "pay per view" screencasts sold by The Pragmatic Programmers:
http://pragprog.com/screencasts/v-bdiphone/writing-your-first-iphone-application
A zipped QuickTime version (.mov format) of the video is here, while a zipped version for iPhone / iPod touch is available for download here.
Bill Dudney is the co-author of iPhone SDK Development and several other development texts. If you want some in-person instruction from Bill to supplement the books and the 'casts, he is teaching a November iPhone programming course in Denver, CO.
Thanks Mike!Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Munster: Apple overestimated Q3 margin impacts
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Apple Financial
Gene Munster is skeptical that Apple's guidance of lower margins for the rest of the year in its Q3 conference call back in July, and expects the company to continue to outperform expectations.
The Piper Jaffray analyst said that lower prices for NAND flash memory will offset any reductions in price for new iPods introduced last month.
Munster speculates that even with an introduction of a sub-$1,000 MacBook before the end of the year, Apple's margins will remain healthy. Yes, it will have an impact, but not to the degree that Apple execs hinted in their phone call: Munster thinks margins would only fall to around 30 percent.
In fact, Munster says "investors would see the lack of redesigned, lower-priced Macs as a more significant negative than they would a 30 percent GM guide in the December quarter." (Emphasis mine.)
He reiterated his "buy" rating. Munster's price target for AAPL is still higher than many others (at least recently), at $250 per share.
[Via Ars and AppleInsider.]
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Apple wins 5 British Tech Awards
Filed under: Other Events, Apple, iPhone
The British Technology Awards represent "... a celebration of technology." That's our kind of event! Winners were chosen by the voting public, and in this, their first year, Apple won five awards.
- Best Mobile Technology: Apple iPhone
- Best Music Technology: Apple iTunes
- Gadget of the Year: Apple iPhone
- Most Stylish Technology: Apple iPhone
- Technological Innovation of the Year: Apple iPhone
But honestly, I would have chosen something else for number five.
[Via MacNN]Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - How to use Photoshop's Lens Blur tool with masking (Part 2 of 2)
Filed under: Features, How-tos, Graphic Design
Yesterday, I showed you how to simulate a photograph taken with a tilt-shift lens by using Photoshop CS3's Lens Blur tool. Today, we'll do something a bit more practical: clipping out an object that's not entirely in focus.
Clipping out objects that are out of focus can be something of a chore: either you have a hard, dark edge somewhere you don't want, or you have to settle for feathering the whole thing, leaving edges that should be sharp a little too blurry.
We'll be clipping out this old book, and dropping it on a new surface.
Continue reading How to use Photoshop's Lens Blur tool with masking (Part 2 of 2)
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Beta Beat: fruux keeps you in sync
Filed under: Software, Beta Beat, .Mac
One of the most frequent questions we hear from readers on our Ask TUAW posts (and for our doting Aunt TUAW) is a simple one, with no simple answer: "How can I replace the synchronization features of MobileMe with a free service or a software package that doesn't cost me $99 a year?" We feel your pain.
For anyone looking to cut their cash outlay and maintain multi-Mac data sync, there are options for calendaring (BusySync, Google's CalDAV support) and some for address books (address-o-sync, or the free Google & Yahoo sync in Leopard's Address Book), and some products that handle both calendars and contacts (SpanningSync, Plaxo) -- but if you're in the mood for a free all-in-one approach, you may want to check out a promising beta service from a team of European developers: fruux.
Starting with address book sync in earlier versions, fruux has now progressed to include calendar, task and bookmark sync via Apple's built-in apps (Address Book, iCal & Safari) and a cloud service that stores the synchronized data. The system pref pane interface is no-frills and the product is definitely still a work in progress (there are prominent warnings to back up your data beforehand and frequently thereafter), so it may not suit your needs just yet -- but it's definitely one to watch. Future roadmap plans include an iPhone client and a web interface to your PIM data.
Thanks Dominik, Hagen & everyone who sent this in.Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Apple yanks iPhone game for being "too much like Tetris"
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Gaming, iPhone, App Store
Shaker, a fun "Tetris-like" game with a martini theme, has been pulled from the App Store. TUAW provided a first look at the game back in early September. According to sources, developer Phunkware was told that Shaker would be removed from the App Store after the Tetris Company and Tetris Holdings LLC complained to Apple that the app resembled Tetris too closely.
It seems odd that Tetris would wait a month to complain about Shaker's similarities to their game. Shaker had graphics that were nothing like those in Tetris, and a "shaker" game mode in which the accelerometer was used to move and flip the falling blocks. The game supplied martini recipes to top scorers, and was quite a bit smaller in size (3.5 MB compared to 9.6 MB for Tetris).
Can we now expect iPhone games like Jewel Quest II and Trism to be removed from the App Store because of their similarity to Bejeweled? Let's hope not!Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Apple.com, a retrospective
Filed under: Internet, Apple History
TUAW reader Tyler noticed that Google is celebrating its 10th anniversary by digging up its searchable archives from 2001. He took a peek at some Apple history and shared the find with us. The archives dip into the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine, which I decided to use to dig up a series of archived Apple.com sites. You can surf all the way back to 1996 ... a land where Apple was still Apple Computers, the rainbow apple was still in effect, and web pages were all stuck to the left side of the screen.
According to Wikipedia, the Apple.com domain was registered in 1987 (and hacked in '97, as a marginally NSFW prank). Unfortunately, the Internet Archives only go back to '96, so that's what we're working with (if you, for whatever reason, have an image of the Apple website in the late '80s, please do make my day and send it in). Also according to Wikipedia, the 1987 registration made Apple.com the 64th oldest .com domain. These wiki-facts may or may not appear on this semester's final exam.
In addition to being a fun trip through web design history, it's a good refresher on the Apple timeline. Revel in the release of the iPod, iTunes 3, and the blazing-fast 700 Mhz iBook. In the process, you'll gain a full appreciation for the current refresh of the Apple site. If you want to save some surfing time, check out the gallery of some gems from my dig. Of course, intrepid Apple explorers can venture into the cave and see for themselves.
Thanks, Tyler!
Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - First Look: Logbook for Mac
Filed under: Software, Internet, First Look
If you frequently use 37Signal's Backpack web software, then chances are you don't like having to open a new web browser tab/window each time you wish to update your Journal. Logbook hopes to ease your woes by updating your Backpack Journal directly from your Mac OS X Menu Bar.
The application gives you a simple user interface with which you can update your status and add completed tasks. If you're having a hard time remembering to update your Journal, have Logbook remind you every x number of minutes, and only between certain hours. In addition, you can set a keyboard shortcut for showing/hiding the application in the menu bar. Your updates are sent using 128-bit SSL encryption.
You can purchase Logbook from the developer's website for $12.99. A demo of the application is also available.Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - How to use Photoshop's Lens Blur tool for tilt-shift fakery (Part 1 of 2)
Filed under: Features, How-tos, Graphic Design
We all know Photoshop is a powerful tool. In two tutorials, I'll take you through how to use Photoshop CS3's Lens Blur filter to do two things: today, we'll make images look like they were shot with a tilt-shift lens. Tomorrow, we'll create clipping masks for objects that aren't entirely in focus.
Lens Blur gives the effect of a narrower depth of field, so some areas of your image stay in focus, and other areas are blurred. Combined with an alpha channel that defines areas of blurriness, you have a powerful way to create masks and alter photos.
The easiest thing to do is show you first how Lens Blur works in pictures.
Continue reading How to use Photoshop's Lens Blur tool for tilt-shift fakery (Part 1 of 2)
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - The fantastic At Bat is on sale
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Software, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
When the App Store opened, I went nuts and downloaded a slew of apps. Two weeks later, I listed the 8 I decided to keep, including Major League Baseball's (MLB) At Bat [App Store link]. This week, At Bat has dropped in price from $4.99US to $2.99US.
It's on sale because it will "expire" when the current season ends (Go, Sox!), meaning you'll have to purchase a new version for 2009. Still, if you're a fan and into the post-season, I encourage you to buy it. It's my hands-down favorite iPhone application.While using At Bat, I realized how an application's features and benefits affect its longevity. Specifically, the features attract your attention, while the benefits grab you for good.
Here's an example. At Bat provides nearly real-time statistics for ongoing games, including scoring, current batter and pitcher, stats, the count at the plate ... even video clips from a game that's in progress.
You can identify your favorite team to keep their score highlighted, and enjoy an integrated version of MLB Gameday, which provides pitch-by-pitch information and so much more. All of this is presented in an attractive, readable UI.
Those are the features.
The benefit is a feeling of connectedness, even participation, and that's why At Bat is a keeper. As a die-hard baseball fan, I want to watch every game. I know the stats, the players, the standings; who's playing well, who's on injured reserve and who's in a slump. It's tremendously fun to watch a baseball game on a summer evening and get lost in the drama of it all.
However, life interferes (can you say "toddlers"?) and I sometimes miss a game. Yet, those live stats and video clips alleviate the feeling of missing the game, and that's worth a lot more than $2.99 to me.
The same can be said of other applications. Twitterrific [App Store link] puts 1,000 friends in your pocket (leave your adolescent joke in the comments, please). At any time, I can share a funny picture, observation or idea with my buddies, and get a reply just as easily. Those are the features. The benefit is the comfort of friendship.
The benefit of FileMagnet [App Store link] is peace of mind. Yes, I've got that PDF for the meeting. Yes, I've got the photo I have to show my boss. Phew.
Others that I've eliminated went in the other direction - all feature. Cro-Mag Rally's [App Store link] accelerometer-based steering got boring after 10 minutes.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - First Look: SousChef stores your recipes, allows Mac to cook
Filed under: Software, Reviews, First Look
There are plenty of recipe applications for the Mac, and at first glance SousChef is like most of the others. However, it does have some fine-tuning and refinement that sets it apart from the pack. The thing I like most about SousChef is the ability to use your Mac to view recipes while cooking, without ever having to waste paper printing each individual recipe. This is accomplished through a Front Row-esque interface that lists your ingredients, and the cooking instructions -- It will even read your instructions to you while you are cooking. You can control the speech through a heads-up display that appears when you mouse over the bottom portion of your screen. You can also control this "10-foot mode" with your Apple or Keyspan remote.
SousChef interacts with an optional online database of other SC users to allow you to share your culinary creations. Each time you enter a new recipe, it can be sent to the database where others can look it up and create the same dishes you do. If you have a collection of secret family recipes, you can turn off sharing. It would be nice if this were available for each recipe, instead of affecting your entire library.
You can search through your recipes by ingredient; this allows you to find only the recipes that you can execute using the items you have on hand, without a trip to the store. You can search using multiple ingredients, and if you find an ingredient that you don't have, you don't need to make another shopping run -- just use SousChef's built-in substitutions. The application ships with several substitution suggestions, but you can also add your own in the preferences.
Read on for more ...Continue reading First Look: SousChef stores your recipes, allows Mac to cook
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Espresso testers selected, beta coming late November
Filed under: Software, Beta Beat
If you've been salivating for a shot of Espresso, the upcoming integrated web development environment for Mac OS X, you'll have to wait just a little bit longer.
An email sent this morning by the developer, MacRabbit's Jan Van Boghout, confirmed the status of those accepted into the beta program, but he also indicated that the top priority was to give plug-in developers working with the Sugar framework "a solid SDK to start with." Van Boghout expects that the company will release a beta in late November.
Espresso, which stares Coda straight in the eye and says, "Yeah, I'm lookin' at you," is from the same people who make CSSEdit, and was announced in mid-September.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Analyst: Apple doesn't need Jobs forever
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Apple Corporate, Apple Financial, Steve Jobs
Technology analyst Ezra Gottheil recently talked with PC World about Apple's future without Steve Jobs:
"Apple doesn't need Jobs anymore. He's established three sound businesses -- Mac, iPod and the iPhone -- and the company knows how to execute his fanatical devotion to design and usability. There's a stable management team in place, and they know what they're doing."
Which is worse? The media's morbid fascination with Steve's (hopefully long-in-the-future) retirement or death, or the notion that he's too dumb or self-important to have created a plan of succession?
I'm not privy to Apple's management process or strategy, and I assume Ezra isn't either, but it's safe to say he's right about that. The Mac, iPod and iPhone are well established and I'm sure the business plans for each platform look far into the future.
The larger question is, will Apple be successful without Steve Jobs? That's the question that scares investors and causes the stock to dive when some jerk posts a fake story about Steve's health. The fear isn't completely unfounded. The last time Steve left Apple, the company nearly disappeared. In fact, it was only after he returned that Apple was saved.
But that was different. Steve was asked to leave, and not afforded the opportunity to identify a successor. I'm certain that a plan is in place today which will ensure the company's future. Will Apple be the same without Steve Jobs? No, of course not. But will it be bad?
No, of course not.
[Via MacDailyNews]Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - First Look: i. TV brings schedules, trailers to your iPhone
Filed under: iPhone, App Store
There are a lot of App Store submissions and works-in-progress that trigger anticipatory drooling here at TUAW (Sling Mobile! Sling Mobile!), among them the program guide and movie finder i. TV; we first saw it a few weeks ago and I've been checking every day to see if it's shipped. Now you can download this free tool from the App Store and see for yourself what's so exciting. (The promo video on the i.tv site borrows heavily from Apple's 1984 ad and the Apple TV intro, so clearly there's an effort to brand this app as 'revolutionary.')
The heart of i. TV (App Store link) is a TV listings browser, which connects to the free data feed from the i.tv site (registration is required), including synopses and cast info. You can select your zip code and programming provider (the app currently supports US and Canadian TV listings only) and the current schedules are there at your fingertips; you can rate, review, filter or flag shows as favorites and optionally share your feedback with other i.TV users.
Along with the TV content, the movies section of the app lets you browse by title or by nearby theaters, and watch streamed trailers of your selected films. Trailers and previews of TV shows are also included. The UI is clean and the app is easy to navigate; I was able to find show listings quickly for several series.
As cool as the initial version of i.TV appears to be, the development directions are exponentially cooler. Future versions of the app are planned that will include remote DVR programming (ooh!), IR blaster integration (yes!), DVD rentals (ahh!), movie ticket purchases and even the ability to watch full TV shows streamed from the programming source (hmm.).
Note that there is another app with a similar name, ITV, which provides French television listings and goes for $2.99 US.Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - TUAW Review: WunderRadio
Filed under: Audio, Software, iPhone, App Store
The geniuses at Weather Underground have done it again! Now they've capitalized on their insight into weather radio to bring the iPhone world WunderRadio. Available in the App Store (click opens iTunes) for US$5.99, WunderRadio provides NOAA Weather streams based on your current location.
But there's a lot more to WunderRadio than NOAA Weather. Weather Underground has joined with RadioTime.com to provide thousands of radio streams from around the world. Once again, based on your current location, WunderRadio provides a listing of nearby stations to provide you with local AM, FM, and Internet radio streams.
Enthusiasts of live police, fire, and EMS scanners get a bonus in the form of scanner feeds from ScanAmerica.us. With all of this content, who needs iTunes? Of course, the app has to do a good job of capturing the audio stream on the iPhone.
"The initial impetus behind this application was to provide iPhone users with instant access to local weather radio streams," said Alan Steremberg, President of Weather Underground. "During development, we decided to extend the scope of radio stations offered by working with RadioTime - the result is an easy to use portal to over 60,000 of the best talk, music and sports radio stations around the globe."
Read on for a quick review of WunderRadio.Continue reading TUAW Review: WunderRadio
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Apple ships replacement USB power adapters
Filed under: Bugs/Recalls, iPhone
It has been a couple weeks since Apple started the recall process for USB iPhone power adapters. According to Apple, these adapters have the risk of their metal prongs breaking off inside the power outlet, creating a shock risk.
Many TUAW readers have noted that their replacement power adapters have been received. In addition, Mac|Life has posted some pictures of their replacement, noting that they're shipped in a huge box. They also have a side-by-side comparison of the defective adapter and the replacement -- the only difference being a green dot on the new one.
You can order a replacement on Apple's website, or visit an Apple store starting on Oct. 10. If you exchange your adapter at an Apple retail store, you will need to have your iPhone 3G and your affected adapter.
Thanks, Sean!Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать
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