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- Solar powered iPhone case may not work when visiting the Sun
Filed under: Accessories, iPhone
Eco-friendly traveler? Check! Hip professional? Check! Outdoor enthusiast? Check! Hip profess--wait a minute! OK, so Solar Arcadia may not have the greatest product pages around but that does not stop them from offering this environmentally friendly piece of iPhone case awesomeness.
The case is essentially a lithium ion battery pack with a solar panel that doubles as a flip cover for the iPhone. The construction is said to be leather, however I cannot imagine this being very kind to Mother Nature. There is also an LED status indicator that informs you of the capacity of the case's battery pack when charging and discharging.
The instruction manual notes that an empty iPhone battery can be re-charged in 3 hours when the included Li-Ion battery pack is full. When the battery pack is empty you can set the case to direct charge mode and get your iPhone recharge on straight from the power of the Sun itself!Note that it does take a full 12 hours of direct sunlight to fully charge an empty iPhone battery, and in December that much sunlight could be hard to come by (at least here in the Northern Hemisphere). However, it is possible to charge the case's battery pack without being attached to the iPhone. So, if you are on a long flight with a window seat it's possible to charge your backup battery while watching the latest episode of Family Guy that you
torrentedbought from iTunes.
The case may not be the most attractive and is not to be used in conditions where it gets to be hotter than 150° F -- but these things are unimportant. You care about the environment; this is why you bought a Prius and hold the MPG record for your local hyper-miling club. Now get out there and begin harvesting all of that solar energy! Besides, there isn't a wind-powered iPhone case available... not yet, anyway.
Thanks Kirk for sending this in!TUAWSolar powered iPhone case may not work when visiting the Sun originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - OpeniMac is now selling Mac clones
The thing about clones is, they keep regenerating. The latest manufacturer we've noticed, Argentina-based OpeniMac, has begun selling Mac clones.
As if using the word "iMac" wasn't adequate bait for Apple's lawyers, who are probably en route at this very moment, OpeniMac has begun selling two computers that run Mac OS X Leopard. The OpeniMac features a 2.53GHz Core 2 Duo processor, support for 2GB of RAM, a 320GB SATA drive, SuperDrive and an ATI Radeon HD PRO video card for $990US.
The OpeniMac PRO sports a 3.0GHz Core 2 Duo processor, support for 4GB of memory, a 500GB SATAII drive, a SuperDrive, and a Nvidia GeForce GS video card for $1,710US. But wait, there's more! They both come with a built in 6-in-1 memory card reader.
As for their looks ... no one said clones had to be pretty.
While the Psystar case waits in legal limbo, it would seem that opportunists are jumping on the bandwagon. Begun, this clone war has.
[Via Engadget]TUAWOpeniMac is now selling Mac clones originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 08 Dec 2008 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Boingo Mobile comes to the iPhone/iPod touch
Filed under: Wireless, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
Good news for travelers or anyone who is frequently on the go: Boingo has just released Boingo Mobile [iTunes link] for the iPhone and iPod touch. Boingo Mobile is actually a pretty handy service, especially for the frequent traveler. For $7.95 a month (5.95 EUR, 3.95 GBP), you get unlimited data and VOiP access to all Boingo Mobile hotspot locations throughout the world. This includes practically every major airport, US Starbucks and McDonalds locations and an insane number of hotels.
I use the Boingo Unlimited service when working away from home (it's about the same price as adding HotSpot access to my cell phone and I get access to more networks) and Boingo Mobile is a great compliment to the service.
I played with Boingo Mobile at Starbucks today and what really stood out was the login process. You only have to authenticate once per Wi-Fi provider. So if you are at Starbucks, which is provided by AT&T, you select your hotspot from within the iPhone or iPod touch, login with Boingo Mobile and you're online.If you go to another Starbucks or another AT&T provided hotspot, you will be automatically connected and authenticated. Although there are many thousands of hotspots, most are powered by a handful of providers -- authenticating once makes the login process that much more seamless.
For iPhone owners who want to use VOiP but don't want to run the risk of inciting AT&T's contract police, consider trying Boingo Mobile's 30-day free trial. Boingo Mobile is a free app and is available from the App Store [link]; Boingo Mobile accounts are $7.95 a month US and are separate from Boingo Unlimited plans.TUAWBoingo Mobile comes to the iPhone/iPod touch originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 08 Dec 2008 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - How to justify the 'Apple Tax' in a recession
Filed under: Humor
If you've looked out your window and noticed your neighbors living in refrigerator boxes on your sidewalk, you know the US economy is in the tank. More and more of our friends are getting pink slips, some of whom work at highly-regarded and once lucrative tech companies. These are the same people who, a year and a half ago, had no trouble shelling out $599US for a shiny telephone with no buttons.
So much has changed in our little world since then. Including, for the better, the cost of a shiny telephone without buttons.
But as the global economy continues to nosedive, and our personal economies struggle to remain intact, it's getting harder and harder to justify extravagant purchases. While a new $199US iPhone might not be over the top for most, a $1,799US MacBook Air requires more of a gut check.
Two things are certain. Death (of our laptop batteries) and taxes (the proverbial Apple taxes).
So how does one justify paying twice as much for a Mac when a decent -- albeit mostly unusable and impossible to look at -- Windows kit can be had for under $800US?
The answer is simple. When the pink slip comes and groceries become luxuries, I'll at least enjoy searching for a new job, selling my car on Craigslist and begging my wife to take me back from the comforts of my $2000US MacBook Pro.
If you're like me, and would rather eat trees than give up the Mac, here are practical, everyday tips you can use to justify your Mac habit during an economic downturn.- Save heating costs by firing up Final Cut and rendering some video. My MacBook Pro gets soooo hot when I do that, and I mean that literally (although, really, it does get excited too.) Bonus: place it on its side, against a wall, and pretend you're back in your old college dorm room. Just add hissing noises and you've got a very expensive radiator.
- Did you receive a new replacement power adapter for your iPhone 3G a few months back? Sweet. Hope you saved the box. It's big enough for you and your kids to sleep in. Bonus: use the included 300 cubic yards of foam as a mattress. Better than a Tempur-Pedic.
- Wish you could hit the pub for a few cold ones, but can't afford to pay the barkeep? Download one of the many beer mug simulators from the App Store and fake yourself drunk. Bonus: the only way to win the game is not to play. Just sayin'.
- Tap the Stocks app on your iPhone. Quick, turn your iPhone upside down. Wow, things look better now huh? Bonus: Do this with the Stocks Dashboard widget by turning your monitor upside down. Extra bonus if you have a 30-inch Cinema Display.
These are just my ideas. I'm sure you have more. Let us know in the comments.TUAWHow to justify the 'Apple Tax' in a recession originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 08 Dec 2008 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Apple's call to ARM
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Hardware
Computerworld's Seth Weintraub speculates that Apple will choose ARM processors for a rumored upcoming tablet or netbook, versus an Intel processor of the same caliber.
He cites several reasons, including the acquisition of PA Semi, cost, size, and power efficiency as evidence of the likelihood that Apple will use an ARM processor over an Intel one. ARM processors, he argues, are getting powerful enough to rival their Intel counterparts as Intel chips become more efficient to rival their ARM counterparts.
Weintraub spoke with Bob Morris, director of platform enablement for ARM's mobile processor group, who said that two ARM-powered netbooks will hit store shelves in 2009, both probably running the Android operating system.
Since we know OS X already works with the ARM architecture, it raises the question: What will this device be, a netbook or a tablet? Analyst Ezra Gottheil from Technology Business Research says Apple can't afford to ignore consumer clamor for dropping prices, and expects Apple to release a $600 netbook in the first half of next year. We'll see.
How about you? What would you prefer? Take our poll in the 2nd half of this post.
[Via MacDailyNews and O'Grady's PowerPage.]
Continue reading Apple's call to ARM
TUAWApple's call to ARM originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 08 Dec 2008 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - iPhone mail all over the place
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iPhone, iPod touch
I love my iPhone, as much as the next guy (maybe more). I'm also hip to all the things people wish it had, like cut and paste, MMS -- you know the list.
I have to say, though, that the one thing I really miss is a unified mailbox. This doesn't mean much to people who have only one email account, but my guess is most people are juggling more than one. If that's the case, you're probably in a world (or a bag) of hurt. Unlike the Mac Mail client, or most others for that matter, you have to do an awful lot of finger tapping to navigate those distinct inboxes. If I saved those taps up, I could probably play a short piano sonata.
It must be especially painful for Blackberry users who have moved over to the iPhone ... but there is plenty of pain to go around, and getting email read on the iPhone is a needless hassle.
I'll bet the guys at Apple have multiple mail accounts too, so what were they thinking when they set things up this way? I could understand the early versions of iPhone software having these issues, but we're a year and 5 months out from the original iPhone release and this issue is still lurking.
What say our readers?
TUAWiPhone mail all over the place originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 08 Dec 2008 14:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Widemail makes Mail.app widescreen friendly
Filed under: Software, Leopard
I find the Mail.app plugin Widemail extremely useful. At my day job I use Outlook and the widescreen view is very efficient for space management. Prior to upgrading to Leopard, I used the application Letterbox written about here; however in my recent search for a Mail-enhancing plugin I wanted something a little more robust. Enter Widemail. It not only provides the awesome widescreen view from Letterbox, but it provides a means for creating a two-line message row similar to that found in Outlook for Windows and Entourage on the Mac.
Since we last wrote about Widemail the developer has added a preference pane within Mail.app making it easier to tweak settings. Additionally, the Widemail custom column can now have items that are left-aligned and right-aligned within the same row. Everyone's favorite automatic self-update framework, Sparkle, has been added as well.
Widemail makes Mail.app exceptionally more functional for my day-to-day use and is a free download (as in, feel free to make a donation).
[via Lifehacker]TUAWWidemail makes Mail.app widescreen friendly originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 08 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Walmart to carry iPhone, but not 4GB, not for $99
Filed under: Retail, Rumors, iPhone
Whither the cheap, low-capacity Walmart iPhone? MacRumors' Arnold Kim now anticipates that Walmart will be offering 8GB iPhones for $197, with no mention of smaller capacities or lower prices. The price is two bucks cheaper than at an AT&T retail store.
MacBlogz's Aviv Hadar mentioned late last week that their sources at AT&T said a 4GB model was "simply not true."
The original story, from BoyGeniusReport, was treated with a heavy dose of skepticism even from them, as the source wasn't one of their usual fonts of reliable information.
In related news, the San Jose Mercury News notes that Bay Area Walmart stores may begin carrying iPhone handsets before Christmas, citing employees and managers at those stores.
Otherwise, expect the devices to go on sale December 28.
[Via MacDailyNews.]
TUAWWalmart to carry iPhone, but not 4GB, not for $99 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 08 Dec 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Munich Apple Store opening draws huge crowd
Filed under: Apple Corporate, Retail
Here's a familiar story -- an Apple Store opening draws a huge crowd. This time, the store in question was Germany's very first. Construction on this location began all the way back in July of 2007, and we started to see job postings in May of this year. Some reports state that 4,000 people visited the store in the first few hours.
iPhone Savior reports that the day was busy but the crowd was handled efficiently. To get a glimpse of the throng, check out this cool Quicktime VR.
Congratulations, Munich! Enjoy your new Apple Store.
[Via MacDailyNews]TUAWMunich Apple Store opening draws huge crowd originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 08 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - First Look: Sharecard for iPhone
Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
Since the iPhone introduction, many users have wanted the ability to send an receive vCards. There have been plenty of vCard sending applications on the App Store, but one that recently caught my attention was Sharecard [iTunes link]. The application has a nice user interface, and allows you to easily send a vCard through email.
When you first launch the application, you are able to set the default vCard to send. When you navigate back to the vCard tab, and tap the "Send Card" button, you will have the option to send the card via email. In the email section, you can either type in a new email address, or select an email address from your contacts.
This application does make sending card very easy, but for the price I would like to see more functionality. For instance, it would be nice to send one card to multiple people. Also, the vCards are delivered through the developer's mail servers (which is a do-not-reply account) -- I would like the email to be sent from the default mail account on my iPhone, as the recipient would be more aware of who the card is from. However, as it is, the application is very useful, and just plain works. You can download Sharecard from the iTunes App Store for $1.99US.TUAWFirst Look: Sharecard for iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 08 Dec 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Silicon iPhone case aids the visually impaired
Filed under: Accessories, iPhone
The Invisual iPhone case by Critica is unique, having been designed for the blind and visually impaired. It encloses the entire device and features bas-relief buttons that coincide with a modified home page (you'll have to shuffle some icons around first). The coolest thing is that Critica claims it doesn't interfere with the screen's touch sensitivity or performance at all. The high contrast when the backlight is engaged will benefit the visually impaired.
It's just a prototype right now, so no release or pricing information is available. Critica has also stated that a forthcoming application will contribute to its functionality. If we hear any more about this unique case, we'll let you know.
Back in April, AT&T announced the Text Accessibility Plan's (TAP) for iPhone and iPhone 3G, which was designed for deaf users as well as those who are hard of hearing.
[Via Apartment Therapy]TUAWSilicon iPhone case aids the visually impaired originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 08 Dec 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Santa Claus fired from App Store gig
Filed under: Software, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
Remember Santa Live 2008, the iPhone app that provided a new animated Santa Claus video to the kids every day?
Things started badly for Santa (developer Adam Majewski) shortly after the release of his app on November 14th when people found out the publisher (the Casual Game Network) was paying reviewers through Amazon's Mechanical Turk to purchase the app from the App Store, NS then leave positive reviews online.
Now the app has been pulled from the App Store by Majewski after a new fiasco -- last Friday's episode of Santa Live 2008 featured the ever-popular holiday song "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" (click opens iTunes). Apparently some parents became irate, concerned that they were going to have to explain to their little ones why grandma was killed by renegade horned ungulants.
Enough people complained about the December 5th message from Santa that Majewski yanked the app from the App Store. Anyone who has purchased the app already will be able to continue viewing the daily videos.
There are a lot of Grinches out there this Christmas!
[via iPhoneSavior]TUAWSanta Claus fired from App Store gig originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 08 Dec 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Terminal Tip: Change Time Machine backup interval
Filed under: Terminal Tips
Sometimes you want your Mac to be backed up more frequently than usual. If you want to instantly back up using Time Machine, you could click on the menu bar item and select "Back Up Now," but what if you want to change the backup interval indefinitely? With this Terminal Tip, you can do just that.
Time Machine is set to automatically back up every hour, but if you would like to change it to every half hour, you can use the following Terminal (/Applications/Utilities) command:sudo defaults write /System/Library/LaunchDaemons/com.apple.backupd-auto StartInterval -int 1800
You will need to authenticate as an administrator, since this command is run under a "sudo." The time interval is measured in seconds, so you can enter any time you wish there; just make sure it is in seconds. By default, Time Machine backs up every 3600 seconds (every hour). If you wish to revert to the original, just replace "1800" with "3600."
Want more tips and tricks like this? Visit TUAW's Terminal Tips section!TUAWTerminal Tip: Change Time Machine backup interval originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 08 Dec 2008 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Livespeakr now accepting pre-orders
Filed under: Accessories, iPhone, iPod touch
When we first wrote about the promising Livespeakr, the creator was still looking for a manufacturing partner. According to the Livespeakr website, pre-orders for the ultra-portable speaker system are now being accepted.
Just to refresh our memories, the Livespeaker is a speaker cradle that holds the iPhone/iPod. The speakers are protected against RF (radio frequency) noise, so you can enjoy pristine audio without the cell signal getting in the way. The speakers will expand, rotate, and contract to fit movie/Cover Flow viewing angles, and will fit in your pocket. The speakers are powered by rechargeable batteries, or AC adapter.
You can find more information about the speakers on the Livespeakr website. On the store page, you can pre-order the speakers for $99.99US in either black or white. The price is discounted by $30US for the first 2,000 orders. Pricing will return to $129.99US after the 2,000 orders have been placed. Availability is expected around January 26, 2009.TUAWLivespeakr now accepting pre-orders originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 08 Dec 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Pano version 2.0: even more widescreen goodness
Filed under: Software, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
Pano, a panorama photo app for iPhone we reviewed back in October, has been updated to version 2.0.
What's in the update of the $2.99 app (click opens iTunes) from Debacle Software?- The ability to make panoramas of up to 6 individual pictures (version 1.0 maxed out at 4 pics)
- New stitching algorithms and color correction that resolve the dark bars that sometimes appeared at the "seams" between photos
- A new portrait mode
- Better memory management for more stability
- Reduced processing time when merging photos
Pano 2.0 was supposed to ship with a new icon, but the icon police at Apple apparently had issues with the updated design.
If you already own Pano, be sure to download the update to take advantage of the nifty new features. Debacle Software is hosting a panorama contest in the near future with lots of fabulous prizes, and featuring several TUAW bloggers as impartial and unbiased judges. Start taking those panorama shots soon!TUAWPano version 2.0: even more widescreen goodness originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 08 Dec 2008 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - FileChute to the rescue for sending large files
Filed under: Software, Cool tools, Internet Tools, Reviews, .Mac, iPhone, MobileMe, App Store
FileChute from Yellow Mug Software has been kicking around for awhile, but has been pretty much under
the radar for most people. Some of our readers mentioned it when we reviewed YouSendIt last January. FileChute is powerful because it can send any size file, as long as you have space on your iDisk, FTP site, or WebDAV web server.
Using FileChute is a really simple operation. Just drag a large file (or a small one) to a target on the application and it uploads that file, allowing you to specify if you want to zip it and provide a short URL. FileChute will automatically create an email with the URL in it, ready to send to anyone. I take a lot of astronomical images, and they won't fit in an email at their native size. So when I want to share the high quality versions, onto FileChute they go and the person I send them to only has to click on a URL to download the file, or see it displayed in a browser, depending on what type of file you have sent. You can send applications, movie files, anything really.
Before Leopard came out Apple was making some noise about providing a similar feature in Mobile Me, but it never appeared, and in the messy launch of Mobile Me I think it was forgotten.
Recently, Yellow Mug added an iPhone and iPod touch version of the application, and it can see your files stored on the web server of your choice, and initiate a file transfer just as if you were sitting at your desktop or laptop mac. It's free for FileChute owners.
Sure, there are lots of ways to transfer files, but this application makes it drop dead easy. I find myself using it several times a week. It's the kind of thing that should be built into the Mac OS, but you can have the feature now for less than 20 bucks.TUAWFileChute to the rescue for sending large files originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 08 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Gifts for the Apple-loving college student
Filed under: Education, Holidays
With Macs growing more popular on college campuses, why not get the college student in your life something they'll actually use? This gift guide is filled with things that any Apple-loving college student should want/need.
For the dorm
If your dorms are like most, then you might be sharing a room with up to four others. With limited space, you shouldn't have to sacrifice with limited computing/entertainment. The Griffin Simplifi is a great place to start. The Simplifi does tripple duty as an iPhone/iPod dock, USB hub, and media card reader. With the Simplifi, you can have one USB cable to plug into your Mac (or PC) and get instant access to iPhone/iPod syncing, downloading pictures from your media cards (it supports SD, Media Stick/Pro, SDHC, xD, and CF).
If you like rocking out in your dorm, then look no further than the Logitech Pure-Fi Anywhere 2 speakers. These speakers have a great sound and look. They also don't take a ton of space, come with a portable case, and they have a remote control. The speakers are compatible with all iPods/iPhone with the 30-pin dock connector on the bottom.
For the walks between classes
You can easily brighten the long walks in between classes with an iPod nano (or any of the other numerous iPod/iPhone devices). Sure, you could use the plain old earbuds that come with the iPod/iPhone, but you might also want to take a look at the Coosh headset for iPhone/iPod. This headset is perfect for the walkers/runners in your life, because the loop on the headset keeps the earbuds from popping out of your ear and breaking. You also get good sound, without sacrificing the fashionable white earbuds. If you're look for some good, cheaper sound-isolating in-ear headphones for iPhone, look no further than the Radtech ProCable headset.
Other goodies that college students love:- We can't express how great iTunes Gift Cards are. You can pick them up almost anywhere (including online), and they can be used to purchase music, movies, TV shows, and iPhone/iPod touch applications and games.
- If you are regularly missing your favorite TV shows, then it might be worth it to invest in an Apple TV and hack your Apple TV with Boxee. You can also install Boxee on your Mac and save a few hundred dollars.
TUAWGifts for the Apple-loving college student originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 08 Dec 2008 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - By way of introduction...
Filed under: TUAW Business
Hi all. Dan Fellini here to introduce myself as one of TUAW's newest team members. Glad and honored to be here.
I live in sunny Portland, Oregon, and work as the executive producer for an online video network. I love my job, love my city and love technology, social media, the outdoors and, of course, my Macs and my iPhone. In previous lives I've been a reporter, editor, sysadmin, programmer and, way back, I was an EMT. Lights and sirens baby!
The first time I touched an Apple computer was back in elementary school, when I programmed Logo to act like Joshua from Wargames. Oh yes. My 6th grade teacher freaked. We were supposed to be making cute designs with the turtle, and there I was bringing our classroom to the brink of global thermonuclear war. How about a nice game of chess? Not so much.
Now, as an adult, I spend 8, 12, sometimes 16 hours a day in front of a MacBook, a MacBook Pro, or my iPhone. I'm not saying I couldn't live without Apple, but my quality of life would definitely not be as good.
And that's the point. That's why I'm here, writing about a company I don't get a paycheck from. Writing about a company that (let's be honest) charges a bit too much for their products. Writing about a company that doesn't know I exist. I'm here because Apple products contribute to my overall quality of life, in a positive way, and when a company or product does that, it's a special relationship. There are so few companies like that these days.
I'm not a fanboy. Let's get that cleared up straight away. I'm not of the 'Apple can do no wrong' mentality. What I am, though, is a big fan of products that are well designed, well built and that inspire me to do good work.
I'm thrilled to be part of this team. I've been reading TUAW for a long time, and have always considered it the blog of record for the word on Apple. To be a part of it now is something I'm quite proud of.
Now, on to more pressing issues...TUAWBy way of introduction... originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 07 Dec 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Apple: Over 300 million iPhone apps downloaded
Apple confirmed yesterday that over 300 million iPhone apps have been downloaded from the App Store, and also that the total number of available apps now tops 10,000. Rather than send out a press release, Apple chose to take out a pair of newspaper ads yesterday, one in the New York Times, the other in the Wall Street Journal.
This new milestone comes less than five months after the debut of the App Store on July 11, 2008, and less than two months after the October 21 announcement on the Q4 earnings call that 200 million apps had been downloaded. If this trend continues, we'll likely see app downloads reaching the 400 million mark by the time Steve takes the stage for the keynote at Macworld Expo.
It's time for a TUAW poll! When do you think Apple can hang out that "over 1 billion apps sold" sign?TUAWApple: Over 300 million iPhone apps downloaded originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 07 Dec 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - LaunchBar 5 beta available now
Filed under: Software, Productivity, Beta Beat
File launchers -- programs that make it easy to launch applications or utilities from a few clicks on the keyboard -- are increasingly common Mac utilities. Although I don't personally use a separate launch utility (I use OS X's Spotlight), others here at TUAW have expressed their devotion to Quicksilver in the past. TUAW readers and bloggers have also expressed their love for Objective Development's LaunchBar. The company is furthering development of that application, and has recently announced the release of the beta version of LaunchBar 5.
This version of LaunchBar boasts a number of improvements, including a new application icon designed by Bonsai Studio, which is known for designing themes for RealMac Software's RapidWeaver.
Some of the featured improvements to LaunchBar 5 include:
o. Clipboard: A clipboard history has been added, as well as adding items onto the clipboard without overwriting what is already on there.
o. Quick Look and iCal support
o. An improved calculator based on the Unix 'bc' tool, with the ability to be assigned to a keyboard shortcut.
o. LaunchBar is now scriptable via AppleScript.
o. Firefox 3 support, German localization, automatic software, and more.
LaunchBar 5 is not available for purchase yet, but you can download and enjoy and the beta until January 15, 2009. Single seat licenses will be available for € 24 (around $30), € 39 (around $50) and upgrades from previous versions will be available starting at € 9 (around $11). A license key for those who want to try out LaunchBar 4 during this beta period is also available. You need to be running OS X 10.4 or higher to use LaunchBar 5.
[via Macworld]TUAWLaunchBar 5 beta available now originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 07 Dec 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - What's On asks 'WTF?'
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iTS, App Store
Last week, Apple launched a special page [iTunes link] within iTunes celebrating the best of 2008 in all the various content categories. The Apps page [iTunes link] shows off the best selling (and presumably editor's picks) for paid and free apps in various categories. This is a great way for users to get a snapshot of the best and most popular and is surely a publicity boon for developers of those chosen apps.
But what happens when an app goes from being featured to disappearing off the list in a matter of hours? This is the exact situation Napkin Studio's "What's On?" [iTunes link] found itself in. "What's On?" is an app that displays TV listings, lets you track your favorite shows and share show info via e-mail. It's similar to the i.TV app [iTunes link], but the focus is solely television and I think the interface is a bit more readable.
When the iTunes 2008 list debuted, "What's On?" was listed as one of the Top Entertainment apps. If you look at the page now, "What's On?" is no longer listed.
Andrew from Napkin Studio explained the situation to us via e-mail:
...we were eager to see if our application had made the cut. To our surprise, we
had made it in the Top Paid Entertainment Apps list! We quickly
notified all of our users via email newsletter, twitter and other
channels to spread the news. Later in the evening, one of our
employees looked and we were no longer on the list. We looked several
places to be certain and sure enough, the Top Paid Entertainment list
was down to 7 with an obvious hole where What's On once was featured.
Andrew provided us with screenshots of the iTunes 2008 Apps page before and after. I went ahead and took a screenshot of the page as of this morning, and found even more discrepancies. Take a look:
Of course, Apple is free to feature any applications it wants, but the discrepancies and changes in this case leave me scratching my head. For a small company like Napkin, which already started to publicize What's On as a featured app, the whole experience has been embarrassing as well.
L. Top Entertainment with "What's On?" | R. Top Entertainment a few hours later
Top Entertainment Apps on 12-6-2008
Both "What's On?" and "OneTap Movies" have been removed from the listing, replaced by "iLightr" and "Crazy Lighter."
So what happened? "What's On?," like a number of applications, was available for free last weekend as part of a Black Friday/Cyber Monday promotion. Perhaps this change in pricing disqualified the application from Apple's paid listings -- though logic would suggest the choices were made before the Thanksgiving holiday. Napkin Studio emailed Apple and has gotten no response. My e-mails to iTunes PR have also gone unanswered.TUAWWhat's On asks 'WTF?' originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 07 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Bowtie: iTunes controller with style
Filed under: Software, Beta Beat
I like the idea of iTunes controllers, but a lot of the apps I try are too CPU intensive or just plain feature-bloated, so I just live with some AppleScripts set to hotkeys. I discovered Bowtie a little while ago, though, and it's a perfect fit for my needs. It's tiny, unobtrusive and its look (and even functionality) is extremely customizable. It provides system-wide hotkeys for skip forward, skip back and play/pause. Depending on the theme you have loaded, the interface can provide cover art and song info, star rating controls and clickable buttons for basic playback control.
If have some web design knowledge, Bowtie can be themed with a little CSS and Javascript. There is a starter pack available at MacThemes (several themes from the pack are pictured above); the download is in the first post of a running thread from which tips and tricks for customization can be gleaned.
Bowtie has been out as a beta for a while, and I'm uncertain what its current development status is. I really haven't run into any show-stopping bugs, though, which is impressive for such an early beta. Of course, it's a fairly simple machine with a focus on doing a few things well and looking great in the process. What's not to love?
TUAWBowtie: iTunes controller with style originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 07 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Reminder, talkcast tonight at 10pm ET
Filed under: TUAW Business, Podcasts
You can participate on TalkShoe by using the browser-only client, or you can also use the classic TalkShoe Pro Java client. For the web UI, just click the "TalkShoe Web" button on our profile page at 10 pm Sunday. You can also listen in on the Talkshoe page or call in on regular phone or VOIP lines: dial (724) 444-7444 and enter our talkcast ID, 45077 -- during the call, you can request to talk by keying in *-8. Talk with you then!Last week Mike Schramm & Dave Caolo set out to rock the talkcast and did, in fact, do just that -- a solid hour's worth of Black Friday review, news and tips, plus discussion of Boxee & Christina's interview with the developers. You can listen to the show from Talkshoe's site, or download the episode in iTunes / via RSS.
We're back again tonight at 10 pm to introduce the latest in Apple blogging technology: TUAW's newest bloggers, who will be joining us to answer your questions and talk about themselves as modestly and humbly as they can. We'll also dig into the week's news, including the antivirus commotion and the withdrawal of some big exhibitors from Macworld Expo next month.Recording support for the TUAW Talkcast provided by Ecamm Network's CallRecorder for Skype.
TUAWReminder, talkcast tonight at 10pm ET originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 07 Dec 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Your iPhone and salty language
Filed under: Tips and tricks, iPhone, iPod touch
Some of you may have noticed that your iPhone or iPod touch is a bit prudish. Type a salty word and you'll likely be presented with a benign and completely inappropriate alternative (see screenshot at right). The problem (if you want to call it that) isn't that one can't swear, but that quickly-written sentences often have their meaning completely changed. Here's how you can knock your iPhone off of its moral high horse.
While we haven't found a way for end users to easily add a word to the iPhone's dictionary, there's a great & NSFW post at T'N'T Luoma (be warned, there are saltier words than "hell" over there) describing a clever trick using your contacts list.
Of course, you could either click the little "x" to dismiss the suggestion or disable auto-correction completely (under OS 2.2), but what's the fun in that? We hope you find this trick handy. Just be careful when printing contact labels for your holiday cards.
Thanks TJ!
[via Daring Fireball]TUAWYour iPhone and salty language originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 07 Dec 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - First Look: UNO for iPhone
Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
If you've ever played UNO before, then you know how addicting it can be. You can now enjoy that same UNO [iTunes link] experience on your iPhone anywhere, which makes it much more addicting. Gameloft, creators of many other iPhone and iPod games, has really outdone itself on this game for the iPhone.
UNO gives you many different ways to play. When you press Quick Play, you are able to choose your difficulty level, and instantly begin playing against a computer player. Single player allows you to enter either Tournament mode, or Custom mode. In custom mode, you can choose the difficulty, game type, scoring type, penalties, draw type, force play, UNO 7-0, and jump in.
One of my most favorite parts of this game is the multiplayer abilities. There are three options: over Wi-Fi, on one device, or online. With Wi-Fi multiplayer, you can play someone with another iPhone on the same Wi-Fi access point -- you can either create or join an existing room. With one device multiplayer, you can have up to 4 people play on the same iPhone ... this is my least favored way to play UNO because others might catch a glimse of your cards (although cards are not shown until the specified player touches the screen). With online multiplayer, you can create and join a room for others around the world to play along with you.
I wish I could rotate the screen and use online multiplayer over EDGE or 3G. With that being said, UNO is an awesome application for on-the-go playing, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes to play card games. You can purchase UNO for iPhone/iPod touch from the iTunes App Store for $7.99.TUAWFirst Look: UNO for iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 07 Dec 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Aluminum MacBooks unstable after 3rd-party RAM upgrade
Filed under: Hardware, Apple, MacBook
Lucky enough to have purchased one of those shiny new unibody MacBooks? If you happen to be in the market for a RAM upgrade you may want to hold off for a little while. It seems the latest MacBooks are a little more fickle about the RAM they support than previous models.
Users on the Apple Support Discussion forums are reporting problems with third-party RAM upgrades, noting system instability and lock-ups. Even users who have purchased RAM from providers that pride themselves on Mac compatibility such as Crucial and OWC are seeing the same issues. It seems that the only solution is to take out the third-party RAM and use Apple-branded RAM. International users with no access to an Apple store are currently out of luck.
Of course, Apple will only officially support their own branded RAM from Samsung; upgrade kits of this sort are apparently working without issue. Unfortunately for many, however, acquiring these modules has become somewhat of an act of futility as Apple's online store says the upgrade kits are unavailable for owners of the 2.0 and 2.4 GHz MacBook.
Many are guessing-slash-hoping that the problem is caused by the newness of the DD3 spec. modules in Apple's line of notebooks. Until the situation gets clarified, users are having to swap RAM repeatedly in search of a kit that will work. Hopefully Apple will shed some light on the problem and everyone can go back to getting RAM from third-party sources. Had any luck (good or bad) upgrading RAM in your new MacBook? Let us know in the comments!
[via jkOnTheRun]TUAWAluminum MacBooks unstable after 3rd-party RAM upgrade originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sun, 07 Dec 2008 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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