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- GoodGuide Keeps You On Track to Consumer Wellness
GoodGuide’s recently released application for the iPhone provides you with instant access to their 65,000+ strong database of safe, green, and healthy products.
Deemed the “world’s largest and most reliable source of information on the health, environmental and social performance of everyday products and companies,” this is a great resource for those looking to avoid the abundance of chemicals we are constantly bombarding our bodies with, as well as be more environmentally conscious.
Their product descriptions give you an in-depth look at why the items received the scores they did, for reasons like “has no ingredients listed as skin or respiratory irritants” and “company has a low score in ethical policies and performance.” It also gives you a list of ingredients to avoid in product categories. For example, in colognes you should avoid oxybenzone and eugenol.
The app allows you to quickly check product reviews, ratings, and also find safer alternatives to what you may be buying. The ease of use is so great that you could actually use it while you’re in the store aisle, product in hand. If you have an account, you can create a personalized shopping list, making it easy to keep focused on what you need to pick up, or an “Avoid List” of items you don’t ever want to buy.
Currently, GoodGuide only covers personal care and household cleaning products, but they will eventually expand to include food, toys, and more to give you a better handle on the world of consumerism.
If you don’t have an iPhone though, you’re not left out in the smoke. GoodGuide also has an SMS service that allows you to text the type of product, product name, or UPC to get the same information the iPhone app provides, albiet not as elegantly.
GoodGuide is available for free via the iTunes store. The SMS service is also free, outside of your mobile provider’s SMS fees.
Переслать - OS X to Help Fight HIV
We all know OS X is more user-friendly, more aesthetically pleasing, and far less annoying than Windows, but did you know it’s better at fighting life-threatening disease, too? Siemens’ healthcare does, and that’s why they’re now using iMacs running Leopard to support their proprietary TRUGENE HIV-1 Genotyping Kit and OpenGene DNA Sequencing System.
The switch has just received 510(k) clearance from the FDA, so Siemens is cleared to begin using it as soon as the system is in place. FDA 510(k) clearance is a series of requirements any new medial devices must meet, by law, before they can be implemented in practice. The clearance opens the door for other health science and service companies to make similar use of the Apple operating system.
Siemens lists increased patient data storage capacity, expandable patient data management capabilities, faster sequencing times and more customizable reporting functions as the reasons for the selection of OS X.
(more…)Переслать - TV Adapters for Mac: 9 Options for Watching Live Television
In recent years, the Mac has become a device capable of acting as a very powerful media center. iTunes, Front Row, and OS X in general, provide a plethora of features which justify the Mac as a living room device.
That said, one vital piece is missing as a standard: watching and recording live TV on your Mac. There is a wide variety of hardware and software which allow you to watch TV, and this post will cover some of the options available to you.
What’s available?
There are several different TV receivers available for the Mac. They all connect via USB, plug into an antenna socket (some include small, portable antennas), and are bundled with a piece of software. Many offer slightly different additional features which meet the specific needs of different users.
The most widely known company producing Mac tuners is Elgato. They develop a range of ‘EyeTV’ devices, and also the widely acclaimed EyeTV Software. The main competitors to Elgato consist of Pinnacle and Miglia. Interestingly, the majority of TV products are aimed at the non-U.S. international market. I’ll note which devices are international and which are U.S. compatible below.
(more…)Переслать - Official iPhone Tethering Rumored to Cost $30/month
A MacBlogz source is claiming that the AT&T’s iPhone tethering their CEO Ralph De La Vega mentioned last week as coming “soon” will roughly add an additional $30 to your plan.
It is rumored to offer a 5GB/month allowance with the expected speeds of “GPRS: 30k - dialup speeds, EDGE: 110k - ISDN speeds, 3G: 1000k - slow broadband.” This would match AT&T’s current tethering option for BlackBerry customers and the plan, overall, works out to about $0.006/MB. That doesn’t sound terribly expensive, but for users who were planning to use it for data extensive applications and desire unlimited data, they will supposedly be told to “get a wireless PC card.” However, oddly, while BlackBerry customers can pay for additional data at more costly $.48/MB, iPhone users will purportedly have their service “automatically disconnected” if they “use too much bandwidth.”
(more…)Переслать - Managing Your Social Life With EventBox
EventBox is an application created by The Cosmic Machine, which aims to provide one place from which to manage all your online social networking activity. It can ‘pack all your social networks in one box’.
I think that an application performing the function that EventBox aims to could certainly be very useful. There are a host of advantages to having several different websites all tied together, not merely the convenience of them ‘all being in once place’. The possibility of being able to move data between networks would be very welcome (integrating Facebook and Flickr photos, or having Pownce know all your Facebook contact details could be really useful).
(more…)Переслать - Coda 1.6 Sports Scriptable Plug-ins Interface
When it comes to web site development IDEs, Coda is one of the “must have” Mac applications.
The premise is simple: one application that handles all aspects of site development and promotion: editing browser code, cleaning up schemas and tables, wielding CSS, managing versioning and promoting changes to staging and production. If you’re stuck on syntax, just open up Coda’s handy library to find that missing parameter or HTML entity. You really need to see Coda in action to get a feel for how much it helps improve your web workflow.
Apart from the 63 improvements Panic has baked into version 1.6 there are four new features that make this great program even better. While they may have added syntax highlighting for Objective-J/Cappuccino, “smart” spell checking (so that the editor only cares about your words and not your code) and the ability to find and open files with speed and ease, the real fun comes with Coda’s new found support for plug-ins. Users of BBEdit/TextWrangler, TextMate and a host of other OS X editors can attest to the power of plug-ins. They can speed up coding dramatically and let you accomplish some tasks that would be impossible by hand.
(more…)Переслать - iPhone as a Micropayments Platform?
Over on GigaOM, Narendra Rocherolle ponders the thought of the iPhone as a micropayments device:
I was playing Texas Hold'em on the iPhone the other day when it struck me: If Apple allowed one-touch financial transactions inside apps — in the case of Texas Hold'em, for example, to buy $1,000 of poker chips for $1 — the consequences could be huge. Social networks like Facebook and MySpace, games, location-based services and pure-play commerce apps could see instant windfalls with the right functionality.
It’s an an interesting idea so be sure to give it a read →
Переслать - The iMac: Transformation Into Editing Bliss
I do a fair bit of video editing and I have upgraded my arsenal of tools throughout the years. Each time I go for something that can pack a little bit more punch in terms of video editing. However there is a problem with this, a problem many freelance videographers run into…money. But this issue is not the lack of money but rather the large price point of a professional editing suite. However it is possible to get professional results, for much less. Here are some tips for how I’ve been able to get better editing tools for my Mac without spending an arm and a leg.
I first started editing using a Powerbook G4 and used it for years, eventually getting a MacBook to use for more personal work. But eventually it hit me, that I needed a faster and more powerful machine for editing video. I would love nothing more than to own a Mac Pro tower, but it was simply out of my price range. So I went straight for the Macbook Pro. However it wasn’t a matter of affordability, I wanted the fastest computer I could get for the least amount of money. So I went with a 20″ iMac, and honestly I have never been happier.
(more…)Переслать - Guitar Rock Tour vs. Tap Tap Revenge
Guitar Rock Tour has arrived to challenge Tap Tap Revenge’s rhythm-action throne. The new arrival touts a bevy of terrific tunes to tap along to, plus the option to play drums or guitar, loads of characters and unlockable awards.
While Guitar Rock Tour may be Rock Band squished on to the iPhone, it’s just as loud and rocks just as hard. Whereas Tap Tap Revenge is free, Guitar Rock Tour costs a few bucks ($9.99) and as such is polished better than a factory fresh Fender Strat.
At the core of any decent music-based game is the soundtrack and, while all of the song in GRT are sound-a-likes of the real thing, these are well performed covers and during a frenetic, in-game jam session the tracks come across as hard-rocking and suitably authentic.
Переслать - Customizing Your Mac: Changing Icons
Apple’s user interface is heralded as a sleek, modern experience. A great deal of attention is paid to the design of icons, and a guide is published to help ensure that developers also create icons which meet the standards of OS X.
If you’d like to use custom icons in OS X — whether for applications, files or folders — there are a couple of different ways to achieve your goal.
- On an individual basis — i.e. selecting individual files or applications and just changing that one icon
- On a system-wide basis — applying an ‘icon set’ to change the look and feel of all the OS X icons system wide
The Simple Method
The easiest method of changing individual icons requires no software, and is very straight forward. It essentially involves copying the icon from one file/folder/volume to another.
- Select the item whose icon you want to stamp onto another.
- Perform a ‘Get Info’ action, and select the icon towards the upper left of the window.
- Press Command-C to copy the icon to the clipboard
- Select the item you’d like to change the icon of, perform ‘Get Info’, then click the icon in the top left
- Press Command-V to replace the icon with the one copied previously.
This is great for changing a limited number of icons. If, however, you want to change the appearance of the whole operating system, there is a need for a more powerful tool.
(more…)Переслать - Break Away From MobileMe: 7 Free Services to Help You Make the Move
Apple’s replacement for .Mac has had a very rocky start, and has a long way to go before its ready to compete with free alternatives. Many users do not want to move away from MobileMe because of the deep integration with the Mac desktop, while others are reluctant because its hard to find another single service that provides all of the services that MobileMe does. If the latest outage has you ready to jump ship, here's a guide to making the break.
Mail: Gmail
Making the transition to Gmail is very easy. Gmail allows you to use POP3 to download all of your existing mail from MobileMe into Gmail, and Gmail also allows you to send email as yourname@me.com allowing you time to migrate slowly. With instant search, integrated chat, nearly infinite storage, and an extremly fast interface, making the switch to Gmail not only replaces MobileMe Mail, it makes your email overwhelmingly more enjoyable.
(more…)Переслать - Stanza vs. Classics: Maybe I Can Save You $3
I read a lot, and have been very impressed with Stanza for the iPhone as an ebook reader. Like many, however, the idea of Classics was appealing, and upon release I purchased the app.
So how does it compare to Stanza? Would I recommend it? The answers, in my opinion, are that it doesn’t, and I wouldn’t. Not now, anyway.
Classics primarily touts two things: special book cover art and a pseudo real-book page-turning experience. But the former could be more hindrance than help when you’ve got a lot of volumes, and the latter’s novelty wears off quickly, though it seems to be the primary reason Classics has received a lot of praise.
Classics
The books’ cover art, sitting on virtual "shelves", are lovely. And since there are only 12 they present no problems scrolling through them. But if you get 50 or so on this thing it’s likely to be an awkward list. Too bad we don’t know how quickly we’ll get that many, since it’s not under our control. Currently it’s a dozen, and we have to wait for more. I believe content should be a lot higher priority than that.
(more…)Переслать - Google Launches Multiplatform, In-browser Voice and Video Chat
Groundbreaking web-based email was not sufficient. Embedded instant messaging was not enough. Google Talk voice chat was too “old-fashioned.” Never satisfied with the status quo, the wizards at Google have rolled out a new Voice and Video service and have made Mac users first-class citizens for the new feature.
As with the majority of their shiny new toys, Google Voice and Video is not exactly available to everyone just yet, but when it finally is, enabling it will only require the download and installation of a small plugin and a quick selection in the “Options” link under the chat sidebar in Google Mail. Yes, that’s correct. This will be a service available within your browser.
(more…)Переслать - BoinxTV Now Shipping
A few weeks ago I wrote about the beta of BoinxTV and provided a brief overview of the product. As a quick refresher, BoinxTV is a videocasting (video podcasting) tool designed for small production teams. It has a very flexible interface and enables you to quickly record, package and broadcast your video production. I would argue it is a great tool for those who do not have access to the resources of a major broadcasting network.
As of today, the product is shipping in two versions: a sponsored edition (SE) for $199, which inserts a five second ad into your production video or an ad-free edition for $499.
The final release also provides the ability to customize layers using the Quartz composer in OS X 10.5. And, if you need some assistance in creating a layer, Boinx is now offering services to help you do this. Just note that there is a fee for Boinx to do this — $999 per layer. Depending upon your needs, this might seem expensive or inexpensive.
You can learn more about BoinxTV 1.0 here. There is a five-day demo available as well. For all the functionality this product provides in a fairly easy-to-use interface, the value is there for your production needs.
Переслать - VMware Fusion 2 vs. Parallels Desktop 4: Let's Dance
When it comes to OS virtualization on a Mac, there are two major contenders for the title of virtualizer to end all virtualizers.
Likely Parallels and VMware Fusion need no introduction for TAB readers, but you might not be aware of what the latest incarnations that both programs bring to the table. VMware Fusion 2, released in September, and Parallels Desktop 4.0, just released today, have a few new tricks up their sleeves.
Setup
Setting up both machines on my aluminum iMac was incredibly easy. I used Windows XP Media Center Edition from a physical disc for both, although the programs also offer the choice of using an image instead. For both installations I used the default settings. In Parallels 4.0, this consists of a 32 GB hard drive with 512 MB of RAM and 128 MB of video RAM. VMware's quickstart configurations sets you up with 40 GB of disk space, 512MB of RAM, and although it doesn't have a video memory slider like Parallels, 3D acceleration is enabled.
(more…)Переслать - Movies for $4.99 as Apple Intros "Movies of the Week"
Joining the ranks of their 99¢ movie rentals and mirroring their “Albums of the Week” for bargain hunters, Apple has introduced “Movies of the Week” on iTunes. Each movie will be available for the duration of the week at a lowered price of $4.99 to own. To kick it off they’re highlighting Terminator 2: Judgment Day as the “movie of the week” and offering an additional nine titles:
- Total Recall
- Last Action Hero
- Red Heart
- Air America
- Basic Instinct
- St. Elmo’s Fire
- The Karate Kid
- Air Force One
- A Guy Thing
A bit heavy on the Arnold—leading in four of the available movies—the initial offering is definitely skewed towards the action movie fan. However, if the “Albums of the Week” are any indication (currently featuring Miles Davis’ Birth of the Cool, Beyoncé’s Dangerously In Love, and Dixie Chicks’ Home; among others) there’s no doubt that in coming weeks there will be something for everyone looking to boost up their digital video collection.
Переслать - i.TV Updates, Adds Netflix
Today, i.TV updated their free (ad supported) iPhone Application. The i.TV iPhone app is a guide for up-to-date local TV and movie listings.
With this seemingly minor point-release comes a major addition—Netflix integration. With what founder and CEO Brad Pelo says is “the first of several major third party integrations that will be announced through the end of this year and into 2009,” you can now manage your Netflix account (or sign-up for one) on your iPhone through i.TV’s interface.
All the management features from the web are fully available to you, including: searching and browsing Netflix’s massive 100,000+ catalog complete with detailed show information, ratings, cast credits and recommendations, managing your queue, ordering DVDs for home delivery, and even ordering movies and TV shows for instant viewing via Watch Instantly, which comes just in time for Mac users as Netflix has recently started to support the platform, though it is limited to those running on an Intel processor.
Another third-party item added with this update is Wikipedia. In addition to the detailed information they already offer, i.TV has added links to available Wikipedia articles for movie and TV titles as well as their cast members.
Other enhancements with this update, beyond the typical performance improvements and bug fixes, include many new services providers added, “New” notifier for new TV show episodes, movies can be sorted alphabetically, by review rating, by content rating, and by theater location; higher quality trailer previews, and a location-based service to find movies and theatres near your current position.
Переслать - Access Bonjour Services From Anywhere With ShareTool
ShareTool is a piece of software which allows you to easily access your Mac from a remote location. To quote their tagline: “ShareTool is hands down, the fastest, easiest, and most secure way to access all of your Bonjour services from anywhere in the world.” The term ‘Bonjour services’ is fairly generic, but means that services which would generally work only on your home network (such as iTunes Music Sharing, Screen Sharing, File Sharing, Printing etc) become available anywhere.
For instance, you may have an iMac at home with all your media, photos and family content, and also a MacBook which you use for business/travel. ShareTool allows you to connect to your home network from your MacBook when travelling, accessing the files on the iMac, sharing the screen and even printing to your home device.
(more…)Переслать - Parallels Desktop 4.0 for Mac Now Available
Virtualization software has come a long way since the days of Virtual PC on PPC Macs. Microsoft’s Windows-enabling program was more of a parlor trick than fully functional software. These days, Parallels Desktop, version 4.0 of which is available today for purchase, makes running a virtual machine more of a pleasure and less of a chore.
Earlier this fall, VMWare Fusion, the primary competitor of Parallels, released version 2.0 of their software. VMWare’s updated product added DirectX 9.0c and Mac OS X Leopard Server support, features which gave it a significant edge over the 3.0 release of Parallels.
Parallels Desktop 4.0 evens the field, introducing both DirectX 9 and OpenGL 2.1 support, and the ability to run OS X Leopard Server. Other new features include:
- Built-in iPhone access for starting, stopping and managing your virtual machine from your handheld
- Clips, a new proprietary screenshot sharing tool that lets you share captures between operating systems with a single click
- Simultaneous device mounting in both Windows and OS X, so that manual switching of things like USB sticks and other removable storage devices
- Multi-core processors and up to 8GB of RAM are now supported, with up to 256MB of video RAM possible
- 64-bit computing support
- Hypervisor adaptive resource management optimizes performance automatically based on your usage
- PowerSaver improved battery management with battery status monitor in Windows VM
- An SDK for developing third-party software compatible with Parallels, which could result in some interesting cross-platform applications
The above list makes the 4.0 release of Parallels a very wise purchase for those who need Windows functionality in a virtualized environment. Overall performance is reported to be 50% better than in the last version 3 build, narrowing the gap between virtualized and partitioned Boot Camp Windows installations.
Parallels Desktop 4.0 is available now for $79.99. A Premium version adds a software bundle valued at $160 for $99.99, and owners of Parallels 3 can upgrade for $39.99.
Переслать - Study: iPhone More Reliable Than BlackBerry, Palm
A new study published Nov. 8 by independent warranty provider SquareTrade has shown that over the course of the first year of ownership, the iPhone is more reliable than both BlackBerry and Palm handsets.
The study dealt with failure rates for a sample pool of over 15,000 new phones covered by SquareTrade warranties, which are after-market additional coverage packages. By the numbers, the iPhone had a 5.6 percent rate of malfunction, compared to BlackBerry’s 11.9 percent and the Palm Treo at 16.2 percent. Problems which counted as malfunctions according to the study included lockups and freezing, battery issues, Bluetooth/camera problems, antenna/case defects, screen/input method failures, call quality and power issues.
SquareTrade also projects failure rates up to the two-year mark. The two-year numbers are projections and not measured data because the iPhone had only been available for 15 months at the time the study was conducted. Projected totals see the gap between the iPhone and BlackBerry handsets decrease somewhat, but Apple’s device still comes away with the best score at 11.3 percent. BlackBerry is predicted at 14.3 percent and Palm comes in last at a fairly high 21.0 percent.
The iPhone’s second year numbers are much higher than both the BlackBerry and Palm devices, and this is where the study becomes questionable. SquareTrade is, after all, in the business of selling warranties for handsets, and it is in their best interest to predict a sharp increase in failures during the second year of ownership of a device which many people are just about to begin their second year of owning.
That said, the study’s findings that are based on firm, measurable data are interesting. The iPhone bosts a significant advantage in call quality, for instance, which is somewhat contrary to the persistent complaints of dropped calls over 3G.
Another area where the iPhone wins big is in battery problems, where both the BlackBerry and the Palm have more than double the number of complaints. Despite burning through a charge so quickly, Apple’s battery is apparently consistent and dependable.
All three companies posted high numbers in touchpad/screen/keypad problems, although Apple still came out lowest of all. Of problems reported, the vast majority of the iPhone’s were related to the touchscreen, which does not bode well for the durability of the relatively new interface tech over the life of the device.
The full study is available here (PDF) from SquareTrade.
Переслать - SimpleTech Duo Pro Hard Drive Offers Do-All Quad I/O Interface
Whatever system hardware you’re using, including the port-impoverished new 13″ MacBooks, SimpleTech’s new Duo Pro Drive should have you covered.
The Duo Pro supports a variety of different backup options, including Apple’s OS X 10.5 Time Machine as well as SimpleTech’s own Fabrik Ultimate Backup, and its aluminum and grey colored plastic case harmonizes with Apple’s array of aluminum enclosures.
With its 1 Terabyte capacity (pre-formatting, 500 GB and 750 GB are also offered), the Duo Pro drive has ample capacity to accommodate Time Machine backups for a long time for most users. The 500 GB drive I’ve been using with Time Machine for the past year still has more than 200 GB free space.
However, that drive, a SimpleDrive Pininfarina unit, has a couple of shortcomings: first mine is USB 2 only (a USB/FireWire version is optionally available) — real-world slower than FireWire 400, and not conveniently and dependably bootable like a FireWire drive would be, and secondly the Maxtor 3.5″ drive inside it does a passable impression of a 767’s fanjets throttling up for takeoff. Not a problem for occasional backups, but tiresome when you keep it plugged in.
(more…)Переслать - The Next Netbook Wave: Platform Convergence in the Cloud?
The controversy over whether Apple should enter the netbook category seems to incite a fair bit of passion in some commentators. One school of thought contends that Apple already has the bases adequately covered with its conventional notebooks and the MacBook Air, plus the iPhone for those who want or need Internet-capable ultra-portability, while the contrary-minded argue that with netbooks the fastest-growing computer market category, Apple simply can’t afford to ignore it for much longer.
Would I buy an Apple netbook? Maybe, but not as my primary computer for many of the same reasons why I wouldn’t seriously consider buying a MacBook Air for that role. I use my laptops as production workhorses, so the compromises imposed by small machines, as much as I admire them, are just too great. Even in terms of price, a netbook-priced used or refurbished full-featured Mac laptop makes more sense for my purposes than a new netbook.
(more…)Переслать - Barclays Analyst Predicts Apple Ultra-Portable, Entry-Level iPhone
It seems everyone is lowering their sights regarding Apple’s projected earning for next financial year. But some, at least, are predicting more “wow” factor to shore up those numbers.
No one seems to think they can sustain the kind of numbers they showed this past year, especially regarding iPhone sales, since analysts see the device’s massive success to date as leaving less room for new customer growth in the future. Many customers will probably stick it out for the duration of their contracts before considering a hardware upgrade.
Barclays Capital analyst Ben Reitzes is the latest to cut projections for the Cupertino-based tech company. Reitzes lowered his EPS (earnings per share) estimate for FY 2009 to $4.95, lower than his initial projection of $5. FY 2008 numbers had the EPS at $5.36.
Reduced earning predictions are based on a tough consumer market and lower growth opportunity, although Reitzes offers intriguing predictions regarding hardware introductions that could help the company pick up some customers in new demographics and niche markets.
(more…)Переслать - Learning From Apple, Part 1: Tutorials & Tips
Whether you're new to the Mac or have been using one for some time, there’s usually always something new you can learn about it to make your workflow, personal projects, or fun time a little easier or more enjoyable. To that end, Apple makes plenty of resources available on their web site.
In part 1 of this I’ll look at what Apple makes available in the form of product tutorials and tips. In part 2 I’ll look at Apple's resource listings and free online seminars.
Tutorials
Apple has a wealth of tutorials to make use of. Each tutorial is typically anywhere from a couple minutes to five minutes in length (longer for Pro apps), and presented in easily manageable snippets.
First of all, you should check out Apple's Find Out How page. By default you’ll be at the Mac Basics page; unless you’re a brand new Mac user this may of limited value. However, along the top you’ll see other categories that you can click on to see tutorials relating to Photos, Movies, the Web, etc. This page could be a “one-stop” site to find useful tutorials.
(more…)Переслать - Jailbroken iPhone Gains a Keyboard
Someone with a formidable knowledge of iPhone hardware has managed to attach a working external keyboard to his 3G iPhone. For those inclined, there are some technical explanations here and here, though the translation renders them difficult to understand.
It would appear that at present this is primarily a proof of concept, and doesn’t perform any real functionality. It’s achieved by using a piece of Ruby code running on the iPhone which allows it to connect to a Palm keyboard through a custom cable. It doesn’t integrate with the iPhone on a low level, and isn’t able to be used in any applications other than the Ruby app it interfaces to.
Here are a few pictures of the device in action, and the electronics connecting it all together:
While this is still a very long way from having a real, functional external keyboard, it does create debate over the demand for an accessory such as this. I’ve mentioned before that I think an external keyboard could contribute significantly to the iPhone being a viable laptop replacement.
Unfortunately, to see support for something like this throughout the iPhone software, it will require Apple to be on-board with the idea and happy to allow an interface such as this to be built. I don’t foresee this as being a likely situation in the near future simply because it could be seen as a sign that Apple is recognizing the software keyboard on the iPhone isn’t good enough.
What are your thoughts? Would you use an external keyboard?
Переслать - iPhone Takes Number One Spot, Surpassing the RAZR
According to The NPD Group, the leader in market research for the wireless industry, the iPhone 3G surpassed the Motorola RAZR as the leading handset purchased by US adult consumers in the third quarter of 2008.
The RAZR had been ranked as the top-selling consumer handset for the past three years, which means that the iPhone knocking the device from the top spot is no small deal.
“It represents a major shift in handset design from fashion to fashionable functionality," said Ross Rubin, director of industry analysis for NPD. "Four of the five best-selling handsets in the third quarter were optimized for messaging and other advanced Internet features."
The top handset models in rank order, based on unit sales in Q3, were as follows:
- Apple iPhone 3G
- Motorola RAZR V3 (all models)
- RIM Blackberry Curve (all models)
- LG Rumor
- LG enV2
Переслать - Ocarina Turns the iPhone Into a Real Musical Instrument
There’s no shortage of applications from the App Store that allow iPhone users to let their inner musician come out and play. We’ve got guitars, pianos, and synthesizers galore to choose from. But an important detail to point out about these iPhone applications is that each one of us could potentially play exactly the same exact tunes because the audio produced is really only a result of preloaded sample sounds. Besides your own creativity in putting the sounds together, it’s all static. Ocarina from Smule (anyone noticed that I love what these folks are doing?) however, brings us change to this category of apps.
Ocarina makes your iPhone as true to a real instrument as it could get. It does this by allowing you to dictate the audio that’s being input, as you blow into the mic of your phone. So like a real wind-based instrument, the sound that’s produced is all up to you. The obvious difference being that Ocarina is analyzing and digitizing the audio output in real time as opposed to wind through holes in a typical instrument.
(more…)Переслать - TextGuru and MagicPad: Mobile Cut-and-Paste Text Editing
The lack of the ability to cut, copy, and paste and to select portions of text makes text editing on the iPhone/iPod touch an exercise in patience. So, for all you writers who are masochistic enough to use your mobile device to write, this one is for you.
Consider this scenario: You start a draft in the Notes app or in the WordPress app and write a paragraph or two. Some time later, you re-read what you’d written and think, “Well, that sentence doesn’t really belong there.” What now? You’ll have to set the cursor to a new insert point and, while referring to that sentence in its existing location, retype it in its new location. Moving just one sentence? Fine. A whole paragraph? Forget it; it’ll be easier to edit the article on your Mac later.
Sounds painfully familiar?
(more…)Переслать - Showdown at High Noon: Apple vs. Psystar
There’s been a lot of commentary on the Apple/Psystar case, though I believe most of it is based on misunderstanding of the legal process and the normal dance steps that take place before trial. In such cases a “loss” on either side is really not a loss at all, it’s just the standard pre-trial theatrics leading to the main event.
There is a good article on World of Apple about the latest developments, which include a new twist.
A decision on Apple’s motion for dismissal is expected by 11/20 (i.e., within two weeks of the oral arguments presented last Thursday, 11/6). The article makes the following claim regarding the motion to dismiss:
Now I will repeat what I have said multiple times before: Apple will not prevail on its Motion to Dismiss, and the Apple web will completely blow the significance of Apple's loss out of proportion. I believe that Apple will not prevail simply on sheer statistics, and the philosophy that courts do not like to take cases out of the hands of the jury.
I can’t help but agree with both sentiments.
- Even without a legal background, it’s clear to me no judge in his right mind wants to keep a case from a jury. It gives the appearance that a judge is not allowing someone to be tried by the classic “jury of their peers.” If there’s even a shred of doubt, then a judge will almost certainly allow it to proceed. In my view, the motion to dismiss is simply the standard first step Apple makes, but they know full well it’s a shot in the dark. They’d likely faint if it were granted.
- Based on what I’ve seen blogged on this case, the article’s claim that the blogosphere will make a big deal out of Apple “losing” this round seems pretty solid. And yet, bloggers aside, the truth is it won’t mean much of anything.
Переслать - Weekly App Store Roundup: Nov. 8, 2008
It’s been a good week for iPhone owners, in particular we’ve had cause to celebrate with AT&T’s announcement of tethering and a sneak peek at the new iPhone firmware revealing podcast downloading on the go. As ever, the App Store has continued to grow like a digital garden of eden and now it’s time for us to hand-pick a few promising apps and find out which are the juiciest and which needed a little more time to ripen.
This week we’re looking at Remember The Milk, Mokugyo (With Cat), Ocarina and iFriends.
Remember The Milk (free) - Remember The Milk is a clever site that gives you a selection of list-based tools for keeping track of all the tasks that life throws at you. It makes use of a great methodology called Getting Things Done. This fantastic iPhone app links in to your online RTM account, meaning you can become a blur of productivity even when you’re on the go.
(more…)Переслать - Have a 30″ Display? Want a new MacBook Pro? Get Comfortable
When Apple announced their fall lineup of laptops, one thing really caught my eye. The new MacBooks can now drive a 30″ display. I don’t know how they did it, but that new integrated graphics chip can now really push out the pixels like no other MacBook has.
I had my 30″ display plugged into my Mac Pro, but I knew when Apple’s new laptops came out, I was going to make the switch back to a MacBook Pro. Knowing that I could even choose a MacBook just made the options more exciting.
That is until I noticed one little wrinkle. Well, two wrinkles actually. Number one is that the adapter that you need to connect a 30″ display to a mini DisplayPort is $99. Ouch! Number two: Apple is backordered by 4-5 weeks. I waited a week to make my purchase, hoping that it was a fluke, or that Apple would magically get more in stock. Nope, they are still backordered.
I’m not entirely sure what the deal is. Perhaps with the new MacBooks offering the 30″ display capability, there ended up being quite a bit more demand for these precious little adapters than Apple anticipated.
I ordered my laptop anyway. I chose the MacBook Pro because I have a Firewire 800 device I use alot. It’s awesome, but bittersweet, as my 30″ display is just sitting on the floor awaiting Apple’s getting back up to speed.
Nonetheless, I’m optimistic. Apple has gone with an open standard by choosing DisplayPort. This means that anybody can make a cable for it without paying royalties. Here’s hoping that someone will be quick to market with some new adapters.
Переслать - First Look: Songbird Finally Gives iTunes Some Competition
Many have oft-complained about Microsoft’s hold on users with its monopoly on installed system components such as Internet Explorer and Microsoft Media Player. Even though the OS X counterparts to those programs are engineered better, the truth is that Apple really does engage in the same practices Microsoft does and it is only their small market-share that keeps the official complaints from filing in.
Even though Apple does not ship alternatives to built-in programs, many savvy users grab alternative browsers , text editors and even movie players. One area where Apple seems to have a stranglehold, though, is in the general media players category. Let’s face it, almost every Mac user uses iTunes as the primary way to store, organize and playback media. iTunes is also the de-facto way to get content–music, video or applications–onto your iPod or iPhone. iTunes, to put it bluntly, is its own monopoly with no competition–until now.
Thanks to the hard work of the Pioneers of the Inevitable, Songbird is finally in its 1.0 Release Candidate stage and nearly ready for prime time. So how does it stack up against Apple’s built-in 800-pound gorilla? Can it replace iTunes for many users? Read on for TAB’s initial view of Songbird 1.0.0 RC1.
(more…)Переслать - BBC iPlayer Coming to a Mac Near You
The BBC’s iPlayer is nothing short of a digital revelation — providing viewers in the United Kingdom with online access to an ever-changing (and free) selection of the BBC’s internationally-revered quality programming.
For an increasing number of us Brit’s, BBC.co.uk/iPlayer is the site we surreptitiously visit on our lunch-breaks at work and the destination for catching up on missed TV in the evenings. Yet upon its initial beta launch back in 2007, the iPlayer was a national disappointment; exclusively for Windows and with more bugs in it than an entomologist’s cupboard.
While iPlayer downloading may have been refined somewhat — Windows users can grab DRM-ridden episodes for play in Windows Media Player - it’s still not an option for Mac users. However, Erik Huggers is the man set to change all that. He’s the BBC’s verbosely-titled Director of Future Media and Technology and a veteran of Microsoft, having spent nine years with the Apple-competitor.
(more…)Переслать - How-To: Mac-ify Your VMware Unity Windows
Even with CodeWeaver’s generous giveaway of CrossOver Mac the other week, there are still times when one has to use a virtualized Windows environment to get work done that just cannot be performed within OS X properly. In talking with other VMware users, I realized that not everyone may hack their hosted Windows environment as I thought they might and wanted to offer some relief to those who are forced to toil in “that other” operating system.
As most OS X users know by now, VMware’s Fusion product makes it very easy to work with Windows programs without appearing to leave OS X via its snazzy Unity feature. Unity mode essentially masks out the Windows desktop and just presents Windows “windows” directly to the user as if they were OS X windows. The trouble is, those windows do not look like they belong on your spiffy OS X desktop at all. Take for existence this Internet Explorer window:
While it is nigh-impossible to make Windows programs as functional as ones built for OS X, you should not, at the very least, have to put up with ugly windows on your Desktop. To beautify your Unity windows, head on over to StarDock’s web site and grab a copy of WindowBlinds. This initially free program lets you skin your Windows experience to suit your style. You will need to download WindowsBlinds in your virtual machine or copy it to your virtual machine post-download. Once the installer is in your virtual machine, double-click on the executable and let it do its work. When asked to choose a style, select “Leo” (I can’t imagine why it’s called that).
(more…)Переслать - CoverFlow in Safari for iPhone: Proof of Concept With Promise
Before the App Store, third party developers depended on web apps to allow them to bring new games, abilities, and content to the iPhone and iPod touch. A new proof-of-concept tech demo by web developer Charles Ying shows that there is still plenty of potential left untapped for web apps, especially when you make use of Apple’s CSS Visual Effects extensions.
Yesterday, on his personal blog inside looking out, Ying posted an entry detailing his CoverFlow (zflow) demo, one part of his new open source endeavor CSS-VFX. The project is intended to be a showcase of the potential applications of Apple’s CSS Visual Effects extensions for the mobile Safari platform.
(more…)Переслать
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