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- "Pull My Finger" returns to the App Store
Filed under: Developer, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
MacRumors reports that the developer of the "Pull My Finger" iPhone application was finally accepted by Apple. You may recall that Apple banned the application from the App Store a few months ago due to "Limited Utility." It looks as though Apple has changed its mind about the application, and has decided to finally allow it into the Store.
The developer told MacRumors, "[Apple] told me that they are going to start approving a whole new "genre" of apps, and that Pull My Finger will be the first to be accepted in this genre. As of now Pull My Finger is available in the app store."
If you would like to download this once-banned application, you can purchase it for $0.99US from the iTunes App Store. Do you have a theory about Apple's change of mind? Tell us in the comments!TUAW"Pull My Finger" returns to the App Store originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Even more magic tricks
Filed under: Gaming, Stocking Stuffers, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
Well, my earlier prediction turned out right. I said in my last review that more tricks would be on the way, and this afternoon 3 more hit my in box. Maybe there is something to magic after all.
These three apps for the iPhone and iPod touch are from Instant Download Magic and Mentalism in the U.K. I lived in London for 4 years, and I can attest that magic is very hot there. Even some of the pubs have regular magic shows, and one of the oldest magic stores in the world, Davenports, is still in operation serving the magic community.
Here's an overview of the tricks, which are three separate downloads from the App Store;
First, is Magic Match [App Store link}. You show the spectator your iPhone, and there is a match box. You open it (digitally) and show a match inside. You can move the match by dragging it around with your finger. In a flash, the match vanishes from the on screen box and a real match appears in your hand. Doing this involves some help from the iPhone, and a quick sleight of hand move. It's pretty stunning to watch it performed, and full instructions areavailable from within the app and on the instant download website;
Next up is iThought Receiver. [App Store link] Basically, you ask your assistant to chose a color from 3 shown on screen, and to press a button to reveal the answer. The iPhone gets it right, and your assistant could be amazed. This is another class of trick entirely, and rather than involving any magician moves, it is a clever use of the principle of the magicians 'force' to get the right result.
Finally, ESP Vision, [App Store link] where someone picks a number at random on screen, then uses the number to select an ESP symbol, and when you remove the phone from your hand the symbol they selected actually appears on your hand written in ashes or a marker. It's a bit of a stunner when seen for the first time. This effect too, relies on some well established magic methods, and is not hard to learn.
All the apps are very well rendered, and have some impressive animation. There are further instructions and downloads of PDF files you can print out after you buy these tricks. The tricks are $1.99US except ESP Vision which is $2.99US. You could be the life of the holiday party, but it could be a bummer if someone tries to call your iPhone in the middle of your performance.TUAWEven more magic tricks originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Put Leopard on a diet while waiting for Snow Leopard to be released
Filed under: Software, Leopard, Snow Leopard
We've all been there; we've all had that sickening feeling that comes from seeing "Macintosh HD" with less than 1 GB of available space. If you're staring at your Finder wondering where you can find some additional space without having to swap out the hard drive or buying a new Mac altogether Computerworld is here to help. They have an article up on the many ways it is possible to get rid of unnecessary files in Leopard as well as disable features you may not be using all in an effort to slim down and speed up your Mac while you wait for Snow Leopard.
Many of the tips involve using software that we have previously mentioned, some of which are free and others are not. The list of tools used include such gems as Xslimmer for removing PowerPC compatibility, Monolingual for stripping out languages that are non-native to you, as well as DiskInventoryX for getting a graphical representation of where all your hard drive space went. The article also discusses improving performance by disabling 3D effects that use up GPU cycles for those users who prefer fast to pretty as well as increasing the amount of RAM installed in your system.
While Snow Leopard may still be some time away the tips provided are a great collection of steps that can be completed to help any Mac squeeze out some better performance and additional hard drive space. If you have any tips that aren't mentioned add them to the comments!
Finder icon courtesy of FHKE's Flickr streamTUAWPut Leopard on a diet while waiting for Snow Leopard to be released originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Developers! Join the Improve The App Store Movement
Filed under: Software, Developer, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
It's no secret that iPhone app developers are less than happy with the App Store. The criteria for approval of iPhone apps is arcane and approval can take anywhere from a couple of days to months. There's currently no way for developers to "hook" people on apps with a free demo. It's apparent that the sweet spot for iPhone app pricing is at US$0.99, and for developers who are expendng lots of resources to design and implement great software, that is a killer. The list goes on and on...
One of the more well-spoken developers who would like to see improvements in the App Store is Layton Duncan from Polar Bear Farm. His company is well-known for the Note Pad, Record, and Nice List apps, among others. Layton has used the Polar Bear Farm blog many times to express his ideas about how the App Store could be improved. Now he's started up a new website, ImproveTheAppStore.com, as a sounding board for all developers.
Layton asks that developers make suggestions to Apple through the traditional Apple Developer Connection channels, but is providing the site as a public forum for ideas. If you're an iPhone developer, join the movement.TUAWDevelopers! Join the Improve The App Store Movement originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - iPhone devs get innovative with App Store promo codes
Filed under: Developer, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
Last week we told you about the promo codes that Apple was allowing developers to pass out to anyone. These codes allowed people to get a free copy of an application, and we mentioned this was a welcomed feature for many app reviewers.
One iPhone developer has some creative ideas when it comes to using their promo codes. Hexy [iTunes link] will be giving away 20 of their 50 promo codes to purchasers of their iPhone game. This is the first that we've heard of iPhone developers doing this type of "buy one get one" promotion. Plus, it's completely in line with Apple's regulations on the promo codes.
You will need to send a screenshot of your iTunes Receipt to the developer to redeem your code. Details about this promotion can be found on 148apps.com.
[via Ars Technica]TUAWiPhone devs get innovative with App Store promo codes originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Pocket Magic for the iPhone
Filed under: Gaming, iPhone, iPod touch
It seems to be a bull market in magic applications for the iPhone. Earlier this week I reviewed Magic Show, which performs a pretty neat trick you can play on your friends and office mates.
Now, new in the app store we have Pocket Magic, [App Store link] which presents a 'mind reading' effect you canspring on the unsuspecting.
The trick presents a colorful screen and asks you to select one of the many numbers that appear, and indicate what color it is. After some nice animation, you are asked to find your number again among the many on screen, and again indicate what color the number is again. At that point, the app can usually guess what number you selected. It also successfully predicts a magic color that appeared at the beginning of the trick. For many, this will be baffling, for others, not so much.
For assistance in learning the trick, there is an apprentice mode, which walks you through the simple steps to pulling the trick off, although most of the heavy lifting is done by the application.
One suggestion for the developers is that when choosing the numbers the ball selected should animate or glow so you are sure you made the right choice.
It's interesting how the iPhone seems to be a good platform for magic tricks, and many effects are coming out. It may be a good fit because there is something whimsical about the iPhone itself, coupled with the fact that one of the iPhone's strengths is that is really an entertainment device, as well as a cell phone, web browser and email mini computer.
I wouldn't be surprised to see increasingly sophisticated tricks appearing on the App Store shelves in the near future.TUAWPocket Magic for the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - App Store changes layout, threat of the fleshy palm still looms
Filed under: iTunes, Developer, App Store
TouchMeme notes that the App Store has changed layout to separate free and paid applications, perhaps in response to developer grumbling about competition in a crowded market.
Free apps and paid apps now occupy sidebars to the right and left, respectively, of a major category index page. The center still allows you to sort the results by release date, name, or popularity (which doesn't appear to work yet: it only displays an alphabetical list). The separation of free and paid apps brings iTunes more closely in line with the mobile App Store experience. The changes affect every category except Games.
The concerns, though, of the Iconfactory's Craig Hockenberry (who earlier this week published an open letter to Steve Jobs detailing his frustration with marketing iPhone apps) may not be entirely assuaged. He argues that the price appeal of 99-cent apps (which may not be supported by the data) stifles the development of larger, more expensive apps that earn less prominent placement in the App Store.
The issues of price popularity and developer ROI aren't exactly solved by this furniture rearrangement, but perhaps it will let more high-quality apps bubble to the top of the Paid App charts. Otherwise, Apple might yet see the fleshy part of Hockenberry's palm.
[Via AppleInsider.]
TUAWApp Store changes layout, threat of the fleshy palm still looms originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - EFi-X USA among latest to sell OS X capable machines
Update: The EFi-X development team contacted Engadget to report that they have nothing to do with "EFi-X USA" and they do not approve of this effort to sell Mac OS X-compatible machines. Classy!
Update #2 (6 p.m. ET): EFi-X has let Engadget know that it is shutting down EFi-X USA's plans to sell the Millennium machine, stating it refuses to support systems that would directly compete with any brand.
Engadget has reported that EFi-X USA is among the latest companies to announce that they will sell OS X capable machines targeted at high-end users. EFi-X is already known for selling a dongle, shown at right, that allows certain Intel machines to run OS X.
According to the Engadget post, the EFi-X Millennium 4 will contain the following:
- An overclocked 3.8GHz Core 2 Quad
- 4GB of RAM
- A GeForce 8800 GTS graphics card in an Antec P180 case
- The dongle that fools your machine into installing OS X
This announcement comes days after Argentina-based OpeniMac announced that it would begin selling Mac clones. Of course, there is still that small case with Psystar still going on.
[Via Engadget]TUAWEFi-X USA among latest to sell OS X capable machines originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - iPod touch ad puts a new slant on things
Filed under: Gaming, Odds and ends, iPod touch
TBWA/Media Arts Lab created a spiffy new online ad for the iPod touch: it plays around with objects on the Yahoo! Games page as the ad plays. It's not unlike the Nintendo "Wario Land" YouTube video that has the same effect.
AdAge notes that Apple has been clever about creating media-rich online advertising, including the New York Times ads that interact with each other, even though they're in different units.
[Via Macenstein.]
TUAWiPod touch ad puts a new slant on things originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Friday Favorite: Curio
Filed under: Software, Features, Productivity, Reviews
I've been looking for a project management solution for a long, long time. I've tried everything from homemade systems -- based on folders and Spotlight tagging -- to attempting to bend applications such as Bento to do what I really want: collect my notes, work-in-progress files, communications and brainstorms in one place with a fluid way to associate them, organize and rearrange them, and find them quickly ... without forcing me into a single mode of thinking.
The first time I looked at Curio, I had what I've learned is a fairly common reaction to it: I balked at the apparent lack of structure. As every designer knows, a blank page is a scary thing. It was a few months later that I was reading an article about it which re-sparked my curiosity (no pun intended), and I dug back in. It was at that point that I realized that Curio was the project management, note-taking and brainstorming solution I'd been looking for, or at least as close as I've found so far. Read on for an in-depth look at Curio's possibilities ... and a 10% off coupon code!
Continue reading Friday Favorite: Curio
TUAWFriday Favorite: Curio originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Incipio releases Lloyd, new way to record voice notes on iPod nano
Filed under: iPod Family, iPod nano
With the introduction of the new iPod nano in September, Apple allowed users the ability to record voice notes right to the device using the iPhone headset (with microphone). This is a great way to capture quick reminders, but it's not such a good way to record multiple voices. Incipio hopes to solve this problem with their new microphone designed specifically for iPod nano 4th generation.
Lloyd is a compact microphone that attaches to the headphone line out port on the bottom of the nano. The microphone doesn't seem to add much bulk to the nano, either. You can even leave it connected to the iPod at all times -- you can rotate it to connect a syncing/charging cable, or use the audio line out port on Lloyd to listen to your tunes.
Incipio is selling Lloyd for $17.99, and you can get your hands on one directly from the Incipio online store.TUAWIncipio releases Lloyd, new way to record voice notes on iPod nano originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Audiko: an easy (and free) way to create ringtones
Filed under: Audio, Cool tools, Freeware, iPhone
When the iPhone came out, things looked pretty bleak in the ringtone department. You were supposed to use the sounds that came with the iPhone, and like it. Things loosened up a bit, as Apple thought it was just fine to buy them from the iTunes store. If you already had the music you wanted to make into aringtone, too bad, you had to buy the track again, and only if it was designated an 'official' ring tone capable song.
Then things got easier, and people started using GarageBand to do the deed, and Apple seemed to be looking the other way. Then iToner came out, and now we have PocketMac Ring tone Studio, which are utilities you can buy and create the ringtones you want from your own music. We've also reported on how to create ringtones using just iTunes.
Somewhat under the radar is Aukido. It's a website you can visit, upload one of your music tracks, cut it to a proper length, and even do a nice fade at the end so it isn't abrupt. I've tried it on a few tracks I own and it worked great. You can then download the track as an MP3, or better yet, the iPhones native M4R format. Then you drag it into your iTunes ringtone folder and you are ready to go.
The site is also crammed full of other ringtones people have created and left on the site. That could be legally murky, and I've only used my own tracks. Your mileage may vary, but Aukido is worth a look, and an upload/download.TUAWAudiko: an easy (and free) way to create ringtones originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Stats: 99 cent apps aren't selling any better
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Gaming, iTunes, Developer, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
This is interesting: the prevailing argument about App Store pricing seems to be that developers are rushing down to 99 cents because apps priced there sell better (and developers say they can't fund really great apps priced there). But Mobile Orchard did a little number crunching, and their conclusion upends the whole premise: 99 cent apps don't sell any better than their more expensive counterparts. They plotted each app's popularity against its price, and while there are a few 99 cent apps out there selling better than any higher-priced app, the only real way to make the app "sell" better is to give it away for free. Above $0, price doesn't really matter than much in terms of popularity.
You could argue that Apple's 0 to 1 popularity scale doesn't tell us much (we're not looking at actual sales here, just a number Apple has given to each app in terms of downloads), but Mobile Orchard's conclusion makes sense, in a strange way: free apps, we know, are much more popular than any paid apps, and if people are willing to pay 99 cents, why wouldn't they be willing to pay more? Why should a 99 cent app sell better than an app of equal usability that costs $1.99? It shouldn't, and according to this data, it doesn't.
Very interesting. There is an exception -- in the Entertainment category, 99 cent apps do sell markedly better than the apps above them (Games, also, as you can see above, seem a little stronger in the 99 cent bar). But in the Business and Productivity categories, higher-priced apps actually sell better than their cheaper counterparts. People will pay what your app is worth, whether that's $1, $10, or even higher. The problem may be getting people to understand the app's worth in the first place (and that's where something like an App Store trial system might work), but Mobile Orchard's data says that price isn't a factor in an app's sales.
Thanks, Dan!TUAWStats: 99 cent apps aren't selling any better originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - TV exclusives taking movies off of iTunes?
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Multimedia, Rumors, iTunes, Apple TV
Has your favorite movie gone missing from iTunes or Netflix lately? The reason could be television, says CNET -- apparently a slew of movies on iTunes and Netflix's streaming service have recently fallen prey to television exclusive agreements. With the onset of Apple TV and apps like Boxee making it possible to stream Netflix, TV networks with exclusive showing agreements have made sure that while they've got a lock on a movie, we can't watch it anywhere else.
Of course, as CNET notes, it's about the money (isn't it always?). If studios can make more money from the TV networks than they can from online rentals, then obviously they're going to go with television. The only problem with that, however, is that with an exclusive agreement, they'll never know, will they?
And of course the other issue here is the actual definition of places like iTunes and Netflix -- obviously, retail stores aren't barred from carrying these movies, so does that mean that Netflix and iTunes are actually content channels rather than retailers? Tough issue. You have to think that it'll eventually be settled in favor of digital distribution (what consumer wouldn't want to watch a movie on their own time rather than sticking to a TV network's schedule), but until studios are convinced otherwise, exclusivity agreements will likely be the rule.
[via Apple Insider]TUAWTV exclusives taking movies off of iTunes? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - "Next Christmas, the iPod will be dead, gone, kaput."
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Hardware, Humor, Apple, iPod nano, iPod classic
It's the end of the year, a time of reflection, in which we look back at the year that was and what happened during. But The Independent isn't stopping there -- they went back and dug up some of the world's most famous incorrect predictions. And yes, Bill Gates' 640k is in there, as is Ken Olsen's "...there is no reason for any individual to have a computer at his home." Whoops. But there's also a good iPod one in there -- apparently on the iPod's release, someone from Amstrad claimed it a fad, saying that, "Next Christmas, the iPod will be dead, finished, gone, kaput." A few Christmases have come and gone since then, and of course, the iPod is still huge.
That list also reminded me of the famous Nano hater, Motorola's Ed Zander, who said of the iPod nano's release: "Screw the nano. What the hell does the nano do? Who listens to 1,000 songs?" He, of course, was distraught that Apple's then new invention might take attention away from his new Rokr phone, and despite the fact that Motorola later claimed he was joking, we all know the Rokr went on to not only become the world's most popular handset, but it's the Rokr who has ads all over the place this holiday season.
Oh wait. We might be wrong about that one. Everyone makes mistakes, no?
Thanks, Jean!TUAW"Next Christmas, the iPod will be dead, gone, kaput." originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Fri, 12 Dec 2008 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Preparing your iPhone for the holidays
Filed under: Software, iPhone, Holidays
December is packed full of holidays, and one of the most ideal situations is receiving a shiny new Mac, iPod, iPhone, Apple TV or other Apple-related product as a gift. But what about the Mac products that you already have? We'll tell you how to spruce up your iPhone, then your Mac, for the holidays. Please note that all application links opens iTunes. All prices given are from the U.S. iTunes Store and are in dollars.
Making a list ...
TUAW recently reviewed Nice List from Polar Bear Farm as a solution to keeping track of your holiday gift list. The application keeps track of whether you've purchased your gift, wrapped, and mailed it. It's not the only holiday-related task manager out there. Christmas List from Better Day Wireless, shown at right, boasts similar features to Nice List, but goes in-depth in a few areas, such as making notes on the gifts that you've purchased. The application also boasts festive graphics throughout, which adds a nice touch to a standard task manager. Both applications do a fantastic job at keeping track of the gifts that you're giving, but Nice List is currently on sale for $.99. However, if you're more attracted to the graphic interface of Christmas List, that might be the better application for you.
- Nice List: $.99 (normally $2.99)
- Christmas List: $2.99
Continue reading Preparing your iPhone for the holidays
TUAWPreparing your iPhone for the holidays originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 11 Dec 2008 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Activate your iPhone from home
Filed under: iPhone
For me, the best part of buying my original iPhone was the activation process. After giving the guy at the AT&T Store my money, he popped my unopened iPhone into a bag and sent me on my way.
Once I was home, I connected my precious to my iMac, launched iTunes and, about fifteen minutes later, she was up and running. That was the glory of at-home activation. Some say it was only a legend.
Since then, Apple changed their policy to require in-store activations. Meaning, AT&T customers must pick up their iPhones at their stores. Fortunately, that's changing. AT&T is now offering to ship iPhones to customers who have completed an online registration, which includes signing up for a 2-year contract. In fact, if you order your phone before 4PM Central time, you can enjoy overnight shipping.
Happy shopping!
[Via MacNN]TUAWActivate your iPhone from home originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 11 Dec 2008 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Infectious offers discount for TUAW readers
Filed under: Accessories, iBook, PowerBook, Macbook Pro, MacBook, iPhone
I am a huge fan of Gelaskins, and my iPhone has boasted one since I discovered a display at a small Toronto store back in May. Adhesive art for your iPhone, iPod, and Mac is a fantastic concept and a great way to express yourself beyond the typical hardware case.
Infectious is another site that offers art for laptops, cars, and more. They have recently launched a line for the iPhone. The site currently has 38 different pieces of art for the iPhone, and is currently on sale for $9.99. The Infectious stickers will fit both generations of iPhones.
You will get a large piece of art for the back of the phone, and a smaller one for the front that goes over the Home button. The artwork for the front of the iPhone is a fantastic feature that Gelaskins doesn't have, and one that I find very attractive. It makes it easy to spot your phone without having to flip it over to check the back or activate the screen to check the wallpaper.
Art for laptops is starts at $29.99 and will fit the Powerbook G4, iBook, MacBook, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air. The artwork is made on 3M vinyl material and can be easily removed to put on another piece.
Infectious is currently offering a deal for TUAW readers. Use discount code TuawRocks for 10% off from now until December 31.TUAWInfectious offers discount for TUAW readers originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 11 Dec 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Apple turns next operating system's 3D prowess up to 11
Filed under: OS, Rumors, Odds and ends
Apple, not shy of shaking things up in the interface department, has been sitting on its laurels since the release of OS X earlier this decade. Sure, iPod changed the way we think about music and iPhone has completely turned the mobile phone industry around, but the Mac OS has been relatively static in terms of how users navigate within the environment since the release of 10.0. The good news, however, is that Apple is working on a way to change the way we interact with our systems.
MacRumors has uncovered information on a patent titled "Multi-Dimensional Desktop" which depicts a three-dimensional environment that looks somewhat like viewing a room from one end. The interface has methods for literally stacking files and minimized windows on top of one another as well as for dragging interface items along the multiple surfaces. An interface such as this would be fairly performance-intensive and the ratification of OpenCL along with the impending release of Snow Leopard could be just the shoes that need to drop for this to become a reality. There is no guarantee that this will ever be seen outside of Cupertino or the PTO, but if Apple does implement this interface design it would bring a whole new meaning to the term "wallpaper." Click the read link for an additional image from the patent application.
[Via Engadget]Continue reading Apple turns next operating system's 3D prowess up to 11
TUAWApple turns next operating system's 3D prowess up to 11 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - LittleSnapper 1.0 is released
Filed under: Software, Productivity, Internet Tools
Way back in September, our friends (including former TUAW blogger Nik Fletcher) at Realmac Software started trickling out details about their newest Mac app: LittleSnapper. Now after a thorough beta process and lots of hard work, the application is finally available! I have been using the application since its first alpha and I have to say, it is a strong contender for my favorite Mac utility of the year.
LittleSnapper was developed to solve the problem of organizing, sharing and notating screenshots -- especially screenshots from web pages. LittleSnapper does this, and more, effectively and beautifully.
I'll be posting a more in-depth review soon, but here are some of my favorite features:- Take snaps from any browser, without installing a plugin. Regardless of the browser you use, you can take a snap by invoking the LittleSnapper keyboard shortcut or clicking on the LS menubar icon.
- Save and view the web archive of the site you snap. You can view full web archives within LittleSnapper and access the code (using your choice of editor). This is really useful for development work.
- Use DOM selectors to snap specific portions of a web page. Within LittleSnapper's built-in browser, you can use the DOM selector (think Web Selector for Safari) to capture a specific element. I love this feature.
- Edit images non-destructively within the program. You can add blur, highlight specific parts of the screen, add text and callout arrows within LittleSnapper and export the image with annotations on or off. The blur feature especially is sure to save me lots of unnecessary Photoshop time.
- Open a snap directly in Photoshop.
- Share snaps via the web using either QuickSnapper, Flickr or your own FTP or web server.
- Organize snaps into collections and set rules to automatically file snaps in place based on content or tags.
- Import your existing screenshots into your LittleSnapper library
Realmac's page has more detail and case studies (full disclosure: I'm one of the users they profiled). If you take a lot of screenshots, especially of web pages, I really encourage you to give the app a try. The unregistered version lets you take up to 30 snaps to try out all the features.
LittleSnapper 1.0 requires OS X 10.5 Leopard and is $39.99 US for a single license (5-user Studio licenses are available for $129 US). All LittleSnapper licenses include full access to the QuickSnapper service.
TUAWLittleSnapper 1.0 is released originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 11 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Buy one copy of Parallels Desktop, get one free
If you've been considering Parallels Desktop for your two computers, they have a great deal for you: buy one for $80 and get one free. The price effectively gets you two copies of Parallels for $40 each. Not bad. Just follow this link here.
Parallels Desktop is virtualization software that allows you to run a variety of PC operating systems from within Mac OS X.
[Via Smoking Apples.]
TUAWBuy one copy of Parallels Desktop, get one free originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 11 Dec 2008 15:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Analyst Roundup: Morgan Stanley pooh-poohs, iPhone sales looking bright
Filed under: Apple Financial
Morgan Stanley analysts yesterday cut AAPL's price target to $95, mostly citing the weak economy. They said that despite price cuts, extreme interest in the iPhone, Mac users' high satisfaction, and marketshare momentum for Mac sales, the quarter will be slow for Apple.
Blog Notable Calls said it wouldn't have been surprised if AAPL slipped by five points yesterday, but instead the stock gained 34 cents a share before the closing bell.
On a brighter note, Kaufman Bros. analyst Shaw Wu sees promise in iPhone gift cards, according to Fortune's Apple 2.0 blog. As with any gift card, Apple collects revenue from the customer up front. However, Apple can't report the revenue until the phone is activated, which will likely be during the first quarter of next year.
Wu anticipates Apple will sell 6 million iPhone handsets during the company's fiscal Q1 2009, which includes October, November and December 2008. Morgan Stanley analyst Kathryn Huberty thinks Apple will sell only 4 million that same quarter.
In the same Apple 2.0 story, Philip Elmer-DeWitt notes that Piper Jaffray's Gene Munster looked at how many units Walmart might sell, after pricing details leaked on Monday. He conjectures that each Walmart store could sell 1,284 iPhones in 2009, accounting for nearly 10 percent of Apple's worldwide iPhone sales.
AAPL was up by $2.50 or so in midday trading.
TUAWAnalyst Roundup: Morgan Stanley pooh-poohs, iPhone sales looking bright originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 11 Dec 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - First Look: TuneUp for Mac now ready to tackle your iTunes disorganization
Filed under: Software, iTunes, Reviews, First Look
Despite the presence of a checkbox to "keep iTunes library organized" in the application's preferences, the fact remains that iTunes tracks -- coming from a plethora of sources and of varying vintage, and sometimes numbering in the thousands -- are a black hole of bad metadata. Track and performer names may be wrong or missing (the dreaded "Track 01" and my favorite band, Unknown Artist, are frequently seen); other details may be off-base, and as for album art... well, let's just say that I don't use Cover Flow that much, and not because I don't like the way it looks; it's just that the wide stretches of empty covers are depressing.
There's some help on the way from TuneUp; the formerly Windows-only iTunes companion is now available for the Mac, with a free version that 'cleans' up to 500 tracks and a paid/subscription Premium license ($19.95 onetime or $11.95/annual) with unlimited scrubbing bubble power.
I decided to give TuneUp a trial run on the most confused, mixed-up section of my iTunes library: a collection of professional and collegiate a cappella tracks, with track names identical to the original recordings, sure to befuddle any conventional artist matching strategy. Would TuneUp's leverage of the Gracenote database give it an advantage in dealing with these puzzlers? Read on for more, or check out our gallery of TuneUp screenshots.
Continue reading First Look: TuneUp for Mac now ready to tackle your iTunes disorganization
TUAWFirst Look: TuneUp for Mac now ready to tackle your iTunes disorganization originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 11 Dec 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Terminal Tip: Enable Safari web inspector
Filed under: Terminal Tips
Perhaps you are a web developer, or maybe you're just nosy. Either way, looking at certain websites' CSS, HTML, and Script documents can be fun. If you are a Safari user, you can easily look at the loading documents in the Activity View (Window > Activity), but what if you want to take this a step further? You can with the Safari Web Inspector, and you can do it by enabling the Safari "Develop" menu.
To enable the Safari Develop menu, just close Safari and type (or copy/paste) the following command into Terminal.app (/Applications/Utilities):defaults write com.apple.Safari WebKitDeveloperExtras -bool true
Once you enter the command, you will be able to launch Safari, load a webpage, and click Develop > "Show Web Inspector" to see the page attributes. You will be able to see the documents, stylesheets, images, and scripts.
Want more tips and tricks like this? Visit TUAW's Terminal Tips section today!TUAWTerminal Tip: Enable Safari web inspector originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 11 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Use 'Company' field in iPhone's Contacts app for tagging
Filed under: Tips and tricks, iPhone, iPod touch
The social media movement has trained us well to tag just about everything we see. The presence of tags on photos, videos, blog posts and even to-do items has become ubiquitous.
So this simple tip, from reader Greg F., struck me as an obvious, easy trick to help categorize contacts inside the iPhone's Contacts app. It involves using the Company field in Contacts to record tags -- just put in your tags, separated by a space, instead of a company name.
First things first. Why would you want to categorize contacts with tags? Consider Greg's example. When using the contact search feature to make a call, send an email or text message, he enters a tag, like 'drinkingbuddies,' instead of individual names. In return he's presented with a full list of contacts he can invite out for a beer.
Simple, powerful and a great way to prevent leaving anyone out when sending a quick, after-work invite. Other useful tags that come to my mind are 'family,' 'taxis,' 'pizzaplaces' and 'therapists.' It's not ideal, obviously, for contacts that actually have a real company name associated with them.
There's more to this though. Often I find myself sending photos from my iPhone, through email, to my Flickr, Facebook, Tumblr and Twitpic accounts. So I tagged each of those contacts 'Photos.' Now, it's a simple task to look these addresses up and pick the appropriate ones.
It's unfortunate the iPhone doesn't allow you to select more than one contact at a time, though. So even with this tip, it's still a time-consuming process to add multiple contacts to an email or SMS.TUAWUse 'Company' field in iPhone's Contacts app for tagging originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Beta Beat: Firefox 3 betas add support for multitouch
Filed under: Software, Internet, Internet Tools, Beta Beat
Do you own one of those fanciful new MacBooks? You know, the ones with the cool multitouch trackpads? Do you envy Safari users that can take advantage of multi-finger scrolling, pinching and squeezing in their web browsing? If so, you might be a perfect candidate for the new Firefox 3.1b2 beta.
Since October, Mozilla has been releasing preliminary builds of Firefox that allow you to use the gestures that are common among the Safari browsers out there; however, they've added some special gestures that are unique to Firefox. Some of these 3-finger gestures include:
- Swipe Left/Right to move backward/forward through browsing history
- Swipe Up/Down to move to top/bottom of web page
- Pinch in/out to make the text larger or smaller
- Twist left/right to move between open tabs
Special thanks to Tom Dyas for sharing his early builds.
[via MacRumors]TUAWBeta Beat: Firefox 3 betas add support for multitouch originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 11 Dec 2008 11:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Fieldrunners and other great iPhone games for the holidays
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Gaming, Odds and ends, Apple, iPhone, iPod touch
Time Magazine has named Fieldrunners one of the top ten games of the year -- and the only game on the list for the iPhone. Very impressive. The App Store has only officially been out for half a year, and games have been in development for only a little longer than that, but already, we're getting some great games on the iPhone's touchscreen.
And speaking of great games, I've only recently come across Warfare Incorporated, but I know some of our commenters have been waiting for it. I'm no good at RTS games, but the game was award-winning on other handtop platforms, and is apparently doing very well on the iPhone also. If you're looking for real-time strategy on the small screen, there you go.
And finally, Tatomic, which is a game I've really enjoyed (kind of a cross between Lumines and Dr. Mario), sent us a note to say that their full version is on sale for the holidays, for only $2.99. There is still a free version, but even at the normal price of $4.99 Tatomic is a bargain if you at all like falling block games. At just three bucks, it's a steal. Terrific to see the iPhone holding its own with quality games this holiday.TUAWFieldrunners and other great iPhone games for the holidays originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 11 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Win a LaCie Rugged and iPod nano from PowerMax
Our friends at PowerMax, who are offering free shipping for orders over $50 (some restrictions apply), are offering a LaCie Rugged and an 8GB 4th-generation iPod nano to our loyal TUAW readers. Well, our not-so-loyal readers are welcome to enter too, I guess.
The LaCie Rugged is a 320GB drive (7200 RPM) sporting FireWire 800 and 400, plus USB 2.0 and a rubber bumper for the klutzes in your life. Compatible with Time Machine, these make a great addition to notebooks or anyone with limited space or a shaky desk. I'm guessing you've already heard of the nano by now, what with its newfangled accelermeter and audio-in capabilities.
I bought a used Macintosh 8500 from PowerMax over a decade ago, and the thing came with full versions of After Effects (version 3.0) and Premiere 4, making the entire bundle worth more than what I would have paid separately. To this day PowerMax carries a wide variety of used Macs, complete with 90-day warranties.
To enter, just leave us a comment saying what you'd do with an extra 320GB of rugged storage in your kit! See the rules below:
- Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older.
- To enter leave a comment telling us what was the last disc you burned.
- The comment must be left before December 15, 11:59PM Eastern Time.
- You may enter only once.
- One winner will be selected in a random drawing.
- Prize: LaCie Rugged ($209.50), 8GB 4th-gen iPod nano ($144.88)
- Click Here for complete Official Rules.
TUAWWin a LaCie Rugged and iPod nano from PowerMax originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 11 Dec 2008 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Happy birthday, mouse!
Filed under: Hardware, Apple History
It was 40 years ago this week that Douglas Engelbart gave the first public demonstration of what would become the modern computer mouse, affectionately called "The mother of all demos." With that in mind, we've decided to take a look at the evolution of the Apple Mouse.
The current version is the Mighty Mouse, of course. With its scroll wheel and touch sensitive clicking surfaces, it's loved by some and despised by others. I'll admit that a wired Mighty Mouse is my main mouse, which will undoubtedly make some of you gasp. Still, we can't fully appreciate the Mighty Mouse without acknowledging its predecessors.
When you think of old Apple mice, you probably think of the ADB (Apple Desktop Bus) variety. But even those were preceded by the DB-9 connector mice that shipped with the Apple Lisa. In fact, those were the first commercially available mice. They were clunky, square-ish affairs that featured a single button -- a design decision that Apple has refused to abandon all these years (yes, the Mighty Mouse isn't a single-button mouse, but certainly looks it from an overhead perspective).
The boxy shape was kept largely intact until 1993, when Apple released the Apple Desktop Bus Mouse II. I can remember using one of these with a Performa and being amazed by it. "it's not square! It fits in my hand! This is incredible!"
Also "incredible" was the amount of time I spent removing the ball and scraping the gunk off of the rollers.
The design stayed pretty much the same until the "hockey puck" was released with the iMac in 1998. Apple's first USB mouse, the hockey puck divided the Mac community. Some declared it the best thing since copy and paste. Others, like me, considered it an abomination.
Just two years later, Apple got the message, retired the hockey puck and introduced the Pro Mouse. The lozenge-shaped device was the immediate predecessor to the Mighty Mouse we all know and love (or despise) today.
There are Apple mouse fanboys, and those who'd never touch one. In fact, even your favorite TUAW bloggers are divided. Below is a gallery of our favorite and current mice, plus a few vintage examples. Finally, we threw in a few alternate input devices as well.TUAWHappy birthday, mouse! originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 10 Dec 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Apple issues SMC and Firmware update for all unibody MacBooks
Filed under: Macbook Pro, MacBook, MacBook Air
Today, Apple issued both SMC and Firmware updates for their entire line of unibody MacBook computers, and the MacBook Air. Read on to discover what was changed for each system, and how you can get the updates.
MacBook
SMC Firmware Update 1.2 (Download Page)
This update "improves the sensing and accuracy of the MagSafe Power Adapter indicator light, and the battery charge indicator lights on the MacBook (late 2008) model."
EFI Firmware Update 1.3 (Download Page)
This update "fixes several issues to improve the stability of the MacBook (Late 2008) model."
MacBook Pro 15"
SMC Firmware Update 1.2 (Download Page)
This update "improves the sensing and accuracy of the MagSafe Power Adapter indicator light, and the battery charge indicator lights on the MacBook Pro (late 2008) model."
EFI Firmware Update 1.6 (Download Page)
This update "fixes several issues to improve the stability of the MacBook Pro (Late 2008) model."
MacBook Air
SMC Firmware Update 1.1 (Download Page)
This update "improves the sensing and accuracy of the MagSafe Power Adapter indicator light, and the battery charge indicator lights on the MacBook Air (late 2008) model."
EFI Firmware Update 1.1 (Download Page)
This update "fixes several issues to improve the stability of the MacBook Air (Late 2008) model."
To download these updates, you can either launch Software Update (Apple menu > Software Update), or download the appropriate installer packages from the Apple Support Download website. There are additional installation instructions that you will need to follow after the download completes.
Has this update improved your MacBook/Pro/Air's performance? After you install, come back here and let us know!
Update: As our commenters have pointed out, older MacBook and MacBook Pro models do not require these updates. Our apologies to everyone who has been frantically clicking Software Update.
Thanks to everyone who sent this in!TUAWApple issues SMC and Firmware update for all unibody MacBooks originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 10 Dec 2008 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - How to stream your iTunes library across the web for free
Filed under: How-tos, Tips and tricks, Internet, Internet Tools, iTunes
Mac OS X users and faithful readers of TUAW know that there is great power found in the command-line, but one of the greatest advantages of OS X's UNIX heritage is the secure shell (SSH) client and server. From the Apple Matters article on SSH tunnels for the common man: "SSH is a network protocol that provides secure communication between two computers." Its power comes from the ability to create an encrypted tunnel through which a client can send many types of internet traffic.
The Lifehacker article on setting up an SSH server covers the steps necessary to roll your own SSH server whether you are running Windows or OS X. Parts one and two of the Apple Matters series on SSH tunnels provide a lot of useful information on SSH as well as creating an SSH tunnel for encrypting traffic. One such use that has not yet been covered is how it is possible to stream your iTunes library across the internet while using software that is either built-in or available for free.
This tutorial will get pretty technical and assumes that you already have an SSH server and you know how to access it from a remote location (e.g. from work). If you are already past the point of just setting up an SSH server and are asking yourself "what now?" then read on to find out how you too can listen to your tunes at work even though they are trapped at home.Continue reading How to stream your iTunes library across the web for free
TUAWHow to stream your iTunes library across the web for free originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 10 Dec 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Very useful iPhone tips
Filed under: Hardware, Tips and tricks, iPhone
The blog Tap Tap Tap has posted a wonderful list to 10 iPhone tips and tricks you should know, including taking a screenshot (here's our how-to on that trick), enabling caps lock and customizing the home button's function. Definitely check it out.
While we're on the topic, here are a few of our own favorites
- The homescreen shortcut in firmware 2.2. With a click of the home button, you can jump to your first home screen.
- How to enable passcode protection. It's bad enough that you left your iPhone at the post office. At least the shmoe who finds it won't be able to call China.
- Pause an application download. Because sometimes you just don't have a free 90 seconds.
- Go Geocaching with an iPhone 3G. Who needs an additional GPS device?
TUAWVery useful iPhone tips originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 10 Dec 2008 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать
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