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- Keep your New Year's resolutions: a Holiday Gift Guide
Filed under: Accessories, Software, Stocking Stuffers, Holidays
Ahhhh, New Year's resolutions. You promise that you're going to take better care of yourself, improve your life, and then you usually break all of those resolutions by January 2nd. This year's going to be different, right? Here are some gift ideas to help you keep your 2009 New Year's resolutions.
Weight Loss
Unless you're the lean and mean marathon Mac man and real-life action figure Adam Engst, you could probably afford to lose some weight. Resolving to lose a few pounds is a classic New Year's resolution, and one that's very easy to break. Fortunately, there are some Mac and iPhone applications that can help you to stay the course:
CalorieKing Nutrition & Exercise Manager for Mac OS X -- This US$45.00 application has a huge food database and makes it simple to drag-and-drop caloric information into a food diary. Exercise tracking and a weight log are included as well.
BeFit -- TUAW covered the debut of this US$15.95 Mac application earlier this year, and it remains a good program for tracking what you put in your mouth. Remember, you can get BeFit at half-price if you're a current Jon Brown Designs customer.
Continue reading Keep your New Year's resolutions: a Holiday Gift Guide
TUAWKeep your New Year's resolutions: a Holiday Gift Guide originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 18 Dec 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - TUAW Preview: SlotZ Racer for iPhone
Filed under: Gaming, Software, Odds and ends, Beta Beat, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch, First Look
If you're a male who grew up in the 60's or 70's, you probably remember slot cars! You had a plastic race track with electric "rails" running through it, and your car had a little pin on the bottom that rode in a slot on the track for control -- hence the name 'slot car.' I have fond memories of setting up my slot car set underneath the Christmas tree, and racing against my Dad.
Someone at Freeverse apparently has the same memories, since they'll soon be announcing a new racing game called SlotZ Racer. I was able to test a pre-release version of the game, and it's a ton of fun. You can race on pre-defined tracks ranging from a simple oval to a curvy Grand Prix course, and there's a track editor for creating your own race courses. There are settings for the number of lanes, the car scale (1:32 or HO), and whether or not cars can change lanes.
To accelerate your car, you just hold down on the lower left corner of the iPhone screen. Like real slot cars, if you go too fast your car will flip off the track. You can slow the car down by taking your finger or thumb off of the screen.
No price has been set, but expect to see SlotZ Racer officially launched at Macworld Expo. Check out the gallery for pics.TUAWTUAW Preview: SlotZ Racer for iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 18 Dec 2008 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - TUAW goes hands-on with Rolando
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Gaming, Apple, iPhone, iPod touch
It's no secret that we've been looking forward to Rolando probably more than any other game on the App Store, and now that it's here, we can safely say it doesn't disappoint. From the beginning, Rolando has shown tons of potential as a completely original game that shows off just why mobile game developers should see the iPhone as a dream platform, and creator Simon Oliver has brought that potential to bear in an amazing puzzle/platformer.
There's almost nothing to not like here -- the graphics are colorful and run perfectly, the writing is simple and witty, and the gameplay is not only fun from the beginning, but creatively builds itself over time. Just like any great platformer should, every single level delivers a new way of thinking about the tools you're given, and even when you've conquered the whole game, there are multiple reasons to go back and play again.
TUAW got a copy of the game a few days ago (it's out on the App Store today for the first time since its announcement back in July), and since then we've saved Rolandos aplenty, worked our way through most of Rolandoland, and been charmed endlessly by the App Store's first real, original classic.Continue reading TUAW goes hands-on with Rolando
TUAWTUAW goes hands-on with Rolando originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 18 Dec 2008 01:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - TUAW Interview: Rolando's Simon Oliver is ready for release
Filed under: Gaming, Features, Interviews, iPhone, App Store, SDK
Rolando has been a long time coming -- we first heard about the game on a tip directly from Simon Oliver, the game's creator himself, while he was working with an unofficial iPhone development kit part time on a little physics-based puzzle game. And now, six months later, he's working full-time as an iPhone dev, his little game has expanded into a full-fledged story-driven platforming game with more hype and expectation behind it than perhaps any other App Store release, published by one of the biggest companies to come out of the iPhone gaming scene so far. Not to mention that the App Store itself has grown from a crazy experiment Apple thought up to distribute iPhone software, to a multimillion-dollar enterprise.
So today, on the release of one of the first games that really got us excited about the potential of the iPhone as a gaming device (yes, you can buy it right now if you want), we sit down again with Simon Oliver for an exclusive interview, this time to talk about the road he's traveled over the past few months, and how far both he and his game about little rolling "Rolandos" has come. He talked with us about the Ngmoco partnership and how it helped him as a developer, the viability of Rolando as a $9.99 game, and the future of both what he's working on and what the App Store needs as a gaming platform.
Continue reading TUAW Interview: Rolando's Simon Oliver is ready for release
TUAWTUAW Interview: Rolando's Simon Oliver is ready for release originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 18 Dec 2008 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - iPhone thief thwarted by MobileMe sync
Filed under: Humor, Odds and ends, iPhone, MobileMe
To say that MobileMe hasn't made everyone happy may be a bit of an understatement. We don't generally hear from the satisfied customers, but we have received a fair amount of email from dissatisfied users of Apple's "cloud computing" solution. Given the barrage of negativity, it's nice to hear a positive take now and then. TUAW reader Rob had just the thing ...
While at the dry cleaner one day, Rob's iPhone was stolen. He immediately chalked it up as gone forever, and proceeded to purchase a brand new one that same evening. It was the next day when unfamiliar contacts began to appear on the new phone. The (not-too-bright) thief was unwittingly supplying him with names and phone numbers of his or her closest friends, via the magic of MobileMe synchronization from the stolen phone to the cloud and eventually to his new phone. "It didn't take long for me to realize that MobileMe was leading me right to the thief!" wrote Rob.
Thanks to the fact that he caught on to it before he'd had time to remotely disconnect his account, MobileMe provided the groundwork for a little social engineering. Rob made quick work of wrangling a name and phone number from the provided contacts, supplying the police with everything they needed to get Rob his phone back. By the end of the night, he had his original iPhone in his possession.
There you have it, a MobileMe success story! Sure, this doesn't make up for the problems which have plagued MobileMe, but it's a great story. The recovered phone is "pretty much brand new," according to Rob, and is currently up for auction on ebay.
Thanks for sending this in, Rob!
TUAWiPhone thief thwarted by MobileMe sync originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - AAPL falls $6.27 during rough trading day
Filed under: Apple Financial
AAPL fell 6.57 percent today after the Macworld announcements yesterday and a general retreat among tech-sector stocks. The company's stock closed at $89.16 per share, and over 42 million shares changed hands.
A lot of the selling was done last night in after-hours trading, with the stock opening the day's trading this morning around $91 a share.
In related news today, Oppenheimer Funds cut its rating on Apple stock from "outperform" to "perform," based largely on the fact that Jobs will not present the keynote speech at Macworld Expo next month.
Oppenheimer analyst Yair Reiner wrote a note to clients, saying "we don't know why Steve Jobs has pulled out of his annual address at Macworld [...] Whatever the reason, the unexpected announcement has underscored the greatest risk to Apple's long-term success -- its dependence on Jobs' health and its apparent lack of a succession plan."
AAPL has remained off its 52-week low of $79.14, which it recorded on November 21.
TUAWAAPL falls $6.27 during rough trading day originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Frozen in Time by Time Machine
Filed under: OS, Software Update, Troubleshooting, Leopard
There is more fallout from the current Leopard update to version 10.5.6. Many users are flocking to the Apple support forums to share their tales of woe about Time Machine failures after the update. (Ironically, Time Machine was on the list of items that received bug fixes).
Upgraders are seeing Time Machine stall, fail to identify the target hard drive, lock up while Time Machine is 'preparing' to backup, and other assorted glitches. There is no guarantee that these issues were caused by the update to 10.5.6, but users are seeing a lot of problems in parallel to the software changes.
MacFixit has quite a bit of guidance on the Time Machine issues. One of the most interesting observations is the long pause while 'preparing' to backup. It seems TM needs to do a deep traversal of the data because it sees a lot of file changes to copy, as would be expected with a major software update. The advice is to wait it out and and eventually TM is likely to get going. I had the same issue and eventually stopped the process, erased my TM drive and started again. That was after more than 2 hours of 'preparing'. It looks like I might have been better off to wait.
I had hoped 10.5.6 would fix the occasional TM error I get telling me that the backup failed, but then when I try again, everything is fine. I spent a good hour on the phone with Apple support on this problem some months ago, but didn't get anywhere. Many others have seen this rather arcane message and reported it. Hopefully it will be fixed in the next OS update.
It's good to keep in mind that most people updated without any dire consequences, but there are enough people grumbling that it merits a closer look by Apple.TUAWFrozen in Time by Time Machine originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Tweetie: Twitter client with "oomph"
Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch, First Look
Yesterday, Dave published an awesome gift guide for the Twitter addict. It wasn't meant to be an all-encompassing list, nonetheless, the omission of Tweetie [iTunes link] -- one of the newest Twitter clients to hit the iPhone -- generated a ton of response via the comments, our inbox and of course, via Twitter. Because Twitter is my crack, I decided to take Tweetie out for a spin. Developer Loren Brichter was even nice enough to get me in on the Tweetie beta so I could take a sneak peek at some of the features coming in future releases.
My initial thoughts are very, very positive; I now know why so many of you were so vocal about your Tweetie love. No sooner did I crown Tweetsville the current champion in the Twitter for iPhone Battle Royale, Tweetie shows up with some serious moves. At this point, I don't even know if I can adequately name a "champion."
Another Twitter client?
As I've said before, Twitter and the iPhone are a perfect combination -- they just go together. That said, Dave makes a solid point: the number of available Twitter clients for the iPhone is getting a tad ridiculous. I have tried almost every Twitter application available for the iPhone/iPod touch (see below) and they can tend to blur together.
And these are just the apps I've purchased or downloaded for free
Twitter's brilliance is in its simplicity. Twitterrific is my favorite desktop Twitter client, in large part because of its commitment to that simplicity. Having said that, Twitterrific for the iPhone is starting to strike me as too simple. I love the interface, I just often want to be able to do more. A simple interface coupled with lots of features is what makes a great mobile Twitter client.
This is where Tweetie really stands out. On the features front, it is pretty similar to what Twitterlator Pro, Tweestville and Twitterfon offer, but its interface is extremely clean and unobscured. In fact, it took me a little while to figure out where some of the more advanced settings for the app are. They are actually in the main "Settings" panel, rather than inline the app itself. That makes sense, and is apparently something Apple recommends, but it's worth noting because otherwise you might miss where some of the features actually are.Continue reading Tweetie: Twitter client with "oomph"
TUAWTweetie: Twitter client with "oomph" originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Walmart to test iPhone sales with employees starting today
Engadget is featuring an image allegedly showing details of Walmart's "soft launch" for the iPhone, scheduled to go on sale at 9 a.m. on December 28.
The note indicates that 488 Walmart stores were chosen for a "pilot" exercise, whereby each store will be given five iPhones to sell to Walmart employees between now and the 28th.
Associates will be able to purchase the phones for "full contract price and a two-year service agreement," but they can take advantage of a 15 percent discount on the contract as employees.
The purpose of the pilot program is to sort out any issues with the sales or activation process prior to the public launch date. If anything, it will make for a happy holiday for 2,440 Walmart associates.
TUAWWalmart to test iPhone sales with employees starting today originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - In France, Apple must let other carriers sell iPhone
Filed under: Apple Corporate, iPhone
The French government's competition watchdog told Apple that it must allow other carriers besides Orange to offer the iPhone. Orange is a subsidiary of France Telecom.
In September, Orange competitor Bouygues Telecom SA filed a complaint with the Competition Council about the exclusivity agreement. While a decision hasn't been reached on the merit of Bouygues' argument, today's order was a "protective measure" as the Council continues its investigation, likely to take a year or more.
Both SFR (the second-largest carrier in France) and Bouygues Telecom (the third largest) hope to begin selling the handsets soon.
In a statement, the Competition Council said that the Apple-Orange agreement posed a "serious and immediate threat" to competition among carriers, and higher costs for customers.
France Telecom plans to appeal the decision.
[Via BusinessWeek and Reuters.]
TUAWIn France, Apple must let other carriers sell iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Memento developer offers free holiday greeting card app
Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
A while back we told you about Memento, a quick way to send e-cards right from your iPhone. The developer of that application is back at it again with a Holiday card application. Memento Xmas [iTunes link] is a free application that allows you to send holiday-themed greeting cards to your friends and family, just in time for the holidays.
The application acts just like its older brother, Memento, but it is limited to only 4 greeting cards. With each of the greeting cards you have the ability to snap a photo (or use one from your library), and you can also edit the included text.
You can download and try out Memento Xmas from the iTunes App Store. In a pinch, this application could save you from writing out all of those holiday greeting cards (unless you still want to have friends and family).
Thanks, Duncan!TUAWMemento developer offers free holiday greeting card app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Apple Expo Paris has been cancelled
Filed under: Other Events
You may remember that Steve Jobs attended Apple Expo Paris in 2005 after undergoing successful pancreatic cancer surgery, but didn't deliver the keynote speech. Instead, Steve and a few other Apple Executives held a Q&A session.
Apple did not participate at all in 2008, and it was announced this week that the 2009 Apple Expo Paris has been cancelled all together, according to a report from Macworld. There were 30 events in this past September's expo.
It's unfortunate for all of the participants and attendees that the major European Apple trade show is going away, but in light of yesterday's news for Macworld Expo it's not entirely surprising.TUAWApple Expo Paris has been cancelled originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Konami announces four big titles for iPhone
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Gaming, Odds and ends, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
Unfortunately, not one of them is Contra. But the iPhone is going to get some pretty big name titles from Konami -- the company announced yesterday that Metal Gear Solid, Silent Hill, Dance Dance Revolution, and Frogger were all coming to our favorite mobile gaming platform from the company's vaults.
Frogger you know, and Dance Dance Revolution and Silent Hill look like fairly faithful (if a little tweaked) recreations of the dancing and horror games that both series are known for. Metal Gear Solid Touch seems the most interesting title -- that series seems to reinvent itself almost every time it reaches a new platform. There have been strategy versions, card-based versions, squad-based versions, and even the old 2D games, so though all we know is that MGS Touch has eight levels and will use the touchscreen, from there Konami could do anything they can think of.
Great to see that a historic publisher is investing heavily in the App Store, though. If these games turn out to do well, we could see some other big-time developers follow suit.TUAWKonami announces four big titles for iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - SimCity comes to the iPhone
Electronic Arts has released a version of its famous SimCity game for the iPhone. SimCity now joins other EA-released games such as Spore, Scrabble, Monopoly and Tetris.
SimCity is the gateway drug into the Sims universe. Created by Will Wright and originally released for the Mac and Amiga in 1989, the game gives you the ability to create your own city. You're suddenly the mayor, City Council, zoning commission, public works department and school board all at the same time. You can craft a small town with a bunch of farms surrounding it, or your own Metropolis or Gotham City (sadly without associated super heroes). You also have the power to destroy your creations through UFO attack, tornado, fire, earthquake or toxic cloud.
SimCity (link opens iTunes) is now available for $9.99USD through the App Store. A full review of this game is forthcoming!
Thanks to all those who submitted this tip!TUAWSimCity comes to the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 11:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Mobile Safari search via toolbar points to clearer results
Filed under: iPhone, iPod touch
Google quietly fixed a problem yesterday that bugged at least a few iPhone users -- the results page it returned when searching through the toolbar in Mobile Safari.
In a pre-Tuesday world, Google would return its standard, not-iPhone-formatted results page. Why? I honestly don't know, but personally didn't question it too deeply. It was what it was. I'd do my search, zoom into my result, and be on my way.
That was so 2008.
Now searches through the toolbar return nicely-formatted-for-iPhone results. Just as it should be.
Thanks to DJT for sending this in.TUAWMobile Safari search via toolbar points to clearer results originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Gift guide for amateur video producers
Filed under: Multimedia, Software, Video, Stocking Stuffers, Holidays
We all have a friend of family member obsessed with posting videos on YouTube. Their cats, dogs, babies and whatever else are all fodder for two minutes of teh funny. This holiday season, help them improve their craft and produce the next big viral hit with these gift suggestions.
SoftwareQuality editing software is not cheap. So it's surprising, actually, that Final Cut Express 4 is reasonably priced ($199US) for the amount of power it packs. I recommend this over cheaper options like iMovie for two reasons. First, it's an extremely capable application that isn't missing much from its much pricer big brother. An amateur video producer won't quickly grow bored of its capabilities. Second, and more important, if the person you are giving this to has any ambitions of becoming a professional, familiarity with the Final Cut way of doing things will be a huge advantage in the marketplace.
We are all too aware that the iPhone, in its unjailbroken state, doesn't record video. That doesn't mean it can't be used as a tool in video production. Slate is a simple application that replaces the iconic clapping chalk slate used for years throughout Hollywood. Reviewers in the App Store have some legit complaints about it, but it's still a fun application with a bunch of potential.
HardwareLet's face it. You're not going to drop almost $5,000US on this badboy. (Note to wife: want!) But how about under $150US for a camera that captures 60 minutes of video, at decent quality, requiring no tapes or memory cards, and fits in your front pocket? Enter the Flip Video family of cameras.
These little machines aren't going to do it for professionals, but for amateurs looking to record precious family moments or spontaneous news events, it'll do the trick nicely. And it's called a Flip for a reason -- it has a USB connector integrated into its design. It flips out and, with a little bit of adjusting (a dozen or so business cards tucked under one side of a MacBook) it connects easily to just about any computer.
Flip Video last month announced a high-def version of the camera called the MinoHD. It sells for about $229US. There's also a competing Kodak camera, the Zi6, that has a fanbase of its own.
One of the best presents you can give an aspiring video producer -- besides a gig at LucasFilm -- is more hard drive space. Digital video consumes sick amounts of storage. Luckily, hard drives in the terabyte range are coming into the realm of affordability. A quick poke around Amazon.com shows a few options for under $150US. Some of these may not cut it for actual production work, as speed is of the essence, but for nearline storage, they'll do the trick quite nicely.
Stocking Stuffers
Last-minute shoppers rejoice. There are many cheap, easy-to-order products out there with which you can fill your aspiring video producer's stocking.
- Mini tripod -- Shaky video is distracting when it's not intentional. A tiny, tabletop tripod is very handy for any videographer to have in his bag of tricks; newer Flip Video cameras have a tripod mount built in.
- Personal telepromter -- I saw this demoed last year at a conference and I was blown away. It works great with any Mac laptop with a built-in iSight camera, it's cheap, and it's very cool.
- Snowball -- No, not the frozen kind. The Blue Snowball mic is one of my favorite pieces of post-production kit. It's great for laying down voiceovers, and works equally well for recording audio for video podcasts. It's a USB mic, so it's not going to hook up to a camcorder, but for studio work it gets the job done in style.
TUAWGift guide for amateur video producers originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Thoughts on Apple's last Macworld Expo keynote
Filed under: Macworld, Analysis / Opinion, Steve Jobs
Late yesterday, Apple surprised pundits, fans and presumably IDG by announcing that Macworld Expo 2009 would be their last as an official exhibitor. Along with that news came the announcement that Phil Schiller will deliver the keynote address in place of Steve Jobs. People will speculate about the reasons for Apple's move for some time. Here are my thoughts.
There must be a financial component. Sure, Apple announced $25 billion in cash reserves and no debt at the end of Q4 in October, but it's very expensive to attend these events, even for Apple. Consider the extent of Apple's presence at Macworld Expo, between machines, people, displays, etc. Even software giant Adobe has dropped out.
Of course, it goes beyond the cost of the show. Nearly every year, Apple's stock dips after the keynote presentation when rumored products or services aren't introduced. It's a silly, unfortunate and routine drop... which brings me to point number two.
The rumors themselves. The current iPod nano model was all but revealed prematurely when photos of a case produced by a 3rd party manufacturer appeared online. When Steve Jobs mentioned it at the official press event a few days later, some attendees laughed. Steve responded by saying, "It's not funny" in a stern tone of voice. He was clearly pissed.
That wasn't the first time Apple had been scooped by the media. In 2002, the Canadian edition of Time Magazine leaked a cover photo of Steve and Jon Ive with the G4 iMac just prior to its introduction at Macworld Expo. You'll also remember that Apple aggressively pursued rumor site Thinksecret last year, and it's currently offline. Not only do rumors hurt the company financially, they take some of the excitement out of product updates, and in turn, the media's enthusiasm. When the media basically knows what's coming, their interest wanes just enough. Apple wants more control.
Control over product schedules outside the constraints of Expo keynotes. Once Apple steps away from the tick-tock of January showcases, it will be able to stage a press event and introduce a product or service when it's actually ready, not when a certain calendar date arrives.
Finally, I've always found the timing to be odd. The first week of January is right after all the major winter holidays. People are tapped out financially and enjoying the loot they picked up the in weeks before from family and friends. Asking them to spend another grand on a computer just then isn't ideal. Alternatively, Apple has consistently released iPod updates in September, just as kids are going back to school.
The inevitable question is one of Steve's health, but I think John Gruber got this one right. If Steve was ill, they'd send in a proxy like Phil but keep the rest of the game intact. The fact that they've abandoned the whole thing says to me that it's a political and financial move more than anything else.
Time Magazine asks the health question right away in their reaction article, quoting an Apple spokesperson as saying, "Phil is giving the keynote because this is Apple's last year in the show, and it doesn't make sense for us to make a major investment in a trade show we will no longer be attending." Even if Steve is as healthy as a horse but still looks thin, his appearance could have an affect on the company's stock. I don't think I've ever seen a company whose financial well being is so closely tied to the health of its CEO.
For now, at least, IDG plans to put on Macworld Expo 2010, with or without Apple. I say more power to them, but as a person who attended two Macworld Expos in Boston without Apple, my faith is waning.
It is a bit sad that Steve won't wrap up the final Macworld Expo; we can hope that he'll make a special appearance as Phil Schiller's One More Thing.TUAWThoughts on Apple's last Macworld Expo keynote originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Target releases 'Gift Globe' iPhone app
Filed under: Retail, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
Target
has decided to releasereleased its own iPhone application a couple of weeks ago, possibly to encourage holiday shopping online. Stepping beyond the basic web application that Walmart released, the Target application [iTunes link] offers an interesting concept -- like an Urbanspoon for gift ideas.
The idea is to generate gift ideas quickly. First, select the gender and age of your recipient. Then shake the iPhone and the snow globe will display a potential gift. Don't like the recommendation? Shake the iPhone again, and another item will be displayed.
You can tap the item to access actions: add it to your favorites, purchase online, or start your selection over. With the favorites list, you have the ability to create a personalized holiday shopping list that you can carry with you. You can mark off items on the list as you purchase them. The application also allows you to find the nearest Target store.
The Target Gift Globe application can be found in the iTunes App Store for free.
TUAWTarget releases 'Gift Globe' iPhone app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Start iChat (or Adium) without logging into services
Filed under: Mac 101
Have you ever wanted to open iChat or Adium to check a chat log, account setting, or other information, but didn't want to connect to your instant messaging services? Rob Griffiths at Macworld offers a great tip on how you can easily do this, and it won't annoy your online buddies with incessant signing on/off.
Before clicking on iChat or Adium, hold down the shift key and continue holding it until the application launches. When the app opens, none of your accounts will be logged in. You can then manually login to individual accounts as necessary. Try it and see!TUAWStart iChat (or Adium) without logging into services originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - TiltShift brings miniature faking to the iPhone
Filed under: Multimedia, Reviews, App Store
If you're looking for a quick way to add that "miniature" effect to photos from your iPhone, TiltShift is for you.
While not as powerful as using desktop image editing software, it can quickly doctor your images to give them that tilt-shifty look, or just apply a dreamy vignette around the edges.
TiltShift comes with a library of photos to try, but you can also use photos from your iPhone or iPod touch's camera roll. If you have an iPhone, you can take a picture directly from the app.
The app works in both portrait and landscape modes, which makes it easier to transform wider photos. Rotating the screen was a little strange -- it sometimes didn't recognize when my iPod touch was rotated, and I had to sort of jiggle it to make it rotate properly.
The results are pretty good: It takes a fair bit of fiddling to get it just right, and a small screen size (and no zoom support) makes very detailed manipulation difficult. On the scale of "do you want it good, or do you want it fast," TiltShift definitely leans toward "fast." Nifty, nevertheless.
TiltShift is $1.99, and is available in the App Store.
TUAWTiltShift brings miniature faking to the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 16 Dec 2008 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Stop the presses: Apple cancels Christmas
Filed under: Humor, Apple, Holidays
In a stunning revelation, in addition to Steve Jobs declining to give the keynote speech and announcing Apple will pull out of Macworld after this year, a joint statement released by Apple and Santa Claus states that Christmas will end after this year.
"Apple has been steadily scaling back on holidays in recent years, including Valentine's Day, Columbus Day, President's Day and Grandparents Day in Japan," the press release states.
The joint press conference was sponsored by an unknown lover of parody and a good bit of tongue-in-cheek humor.
And, don't worry. We can always import the Japanese Health and Sports holiday (second Monday in October) and use it to fill the gift-wrapped Apple-shaped holes in our hearts.
Many thanks goes to the unknown site creator for creating a smile in the middle of a lot of confusion!
And also thanks to @frijole on Twitter for the tip!TUAWStop the presses: Apple cancels Christmas originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 16 Dec 2008 20:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Gift Guide for the Twitter addict
Filed under: Hardware, Humor, Software, Internet, Internet Tools, Holidays
From applications to new friends, finding the right gift for the Twitter addict isn't as easy as it sounds. They're just so busy with all that "tweeting" nonsense. Here are plenty of ideas at a variety of price points that should make your job as the gift-giver a little more pleasant.
How do you know if you've got one on your list? Just answer a few simple questions. Does s/he
- Check Twitter immediately before going to bed? Possibly while in bed? From multiple devices?
- Have a stagnant blog, but a bulging Twitter stream?
- Stare at the display for hours at a time so as not to miss a landmark follower or tweet (like #500)?
- Added his or her Twitter handle to business cards, web sites, etc?
Apps
This one goes without saying. No self-respecting Twitter addict is going to want to load twitter.com every time the blue-winged muse strikes. There are several options. Twitterrific and TweetDeck are nice for the desktop, while Tweetsville , Twinkle and mobile Twitterrific are great for the iPhone and iPod touch.
- Twitterrific (Desktop) - Free ad-supported version, $14.95US premium version
- Twitterrific (iPhone/iPod touch) - Free ad-supported version, $9.95US premium version
- TweetDeck - Free
- Tweetsville - $3.99US
- Twinkle - Free
Update: Several of you suggested I consider Tweetie ($2.99US) as a Twitter client for the iPhone and iPod touch, which I did. It's very snappy indeed with lots of nice features, like trend monitoring, support for several accounts and more. It's really quite nice. Of course, this isn't a reivew of Twitter clients, but I'm still happy to add another to the list.
Reference
The Dictionary of Concise Writing will help you shorten those lengthy sentences. While you're at it, grab a copy of Webster's New World Thesaurus.
- Dictionary of Concise Writing - $14.95US at Amazon
- Webster's New World Thesaurus - $14.95US at Amazon
Continue reading Gift Guide for the Twitter addict
TUAWGift Guide for the Twitter addict originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 16 Dec 2008 18:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Check Twitter immediately before going to bed? Possibly while in bed? From multiple devices?
- Apple announces 2009 will be its last Macworld Expo, Schiller to deliver keynote
Filed under: Macworld, Apple Corporate, Steve Jobs
Also, Steve Jobs will not be giving the keynote address, handing that honor to Phil Schiller, senior VP of worldwide product marketing. It will be Apple's final keynote address at the event.
In a press release, Apple said it has scaled back its presence at other trade shows, including NAB, Macworld New York, Macworld Tokyo, and Apple Expo in Paris.
This will be the 25th Macworld Expo. Steve Jobs had given the keynote address since 1997, when he returned to the company as interim CEO.
Thanks to everyone who sent this in!
TUAWApple announces 2009 will be its last Macworld Expo, Schiller to deliver keynote originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 16 Dec 2008 17:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Perian 1.1.3 now available, provides lots of fixes
Filed under: Multimedia, Software, Freeware
On Monday, Perian 1.1.3 was released. Perian is a Preference Pane that provides QuickTime with a ton of extra codec support, including: AVI, DivX, and FLV. Version 1.1.3 updates the following aspects of Perian:
- Enabled Indeo 2/3 decodecs
- Added external idx/sub (VobSub) support
- Added support for H.264 and H.263 in FLV containers
- Apple's decoder now handles Baseline/Main Profile H.264
- Fix inconsistent importing for multi-channel audio
- Reduced memory usage for packed streams
- Added sanity checks on all preferences
- Enabled hack to show subtitles in Front Row
- Fixed negative values in SSA \frz tag
- Fixed VSFilter bug-compatibility for \an
TUAWPerian 1.1.3 now available, provides lots of fixes originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 16 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - New OS upgrade not so smooth for all
Filed under: OS, Software Update, Leopard
Apple support boards are filling up with reports from frustrated Mac OS X 10.5.6 upgraders. The most common complaint seems to be that the update stops in the middle and freezes. Here are some samplecomments:
- I tried to upgrade to 10.5.6 yesterday and I left the computer on to do the upgrade while I went back to work. When I came back, it has the normal window up that says "configuring installation" and from there it just starts and hangs.
- I have just downloaded the latest update (10.5.6) and then rebooted my iMac, next the software Update box appeared on screen as usual, saying: Installing 1 item, configuring Installation. Then the Blue progress bar started to move to the right, went about 1/4 of an inch and stopped there, I left the iMac running for two hours and the progress blue bar had not moved.
- My Mac gets to preparing installation then nothing... Left it there all night in case I was being impatient but this morning still preparing install?
Some people noticed that the upgrade may not fully download [via MacInTouch] yet the installation proceeded anyway. If widespread, that would be a pretty serious problem, and Apple needs to do some diligent investigation.
There was a smattering of other problems. Some people saw mail crashes, network issues, and a lot of the usual complaints that seem to afflict a handful of users. At this point, it is hard to tell if this update was better or worse than previous ones, but clearly a lot of people got stuck along the way.TUAWNew OS upgrade not so smooth for all originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 16 Dec 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - November sales data: Mac desktops down, laptops strong
Filed under: Apple Financial, iMac, Macbook Pro, MacBook
The NPD data for November retail sales have arrived, and the news is not that cheery: year-over-year Mac sales were flat last month, while Windows PC sales grew 7 percent over 2007's total. Desktops on both platforms got hammered, with 20% drops across both platforms -- Windows machines down 15% and Mac desktop sales down a dramatic 38%. Some of this may be attributable to the long-idle Mac mini (soon to be refreshed, we hear), static feature set of the iMac, and reduced purchasing of Mac Pros and iMacs by education and corporate customers, but consumer buying is clearly down for the desktop.
The tables are turned on the portable side: year over year, Mac laptop sales grew 22 percent for November vs. a Windows increase of 15%. This is good news for Apple's refreshed portables as customers do seem to be taking to the unibody models. It's not clear from the report whether the blossoming netbook category, which includes a sizable chunk of machines shipped with a flavor of Linux, counts entirely as Windows laptop sales or if it's chopped up by the shipping OS -- I'll try to find out. Update: NPD tells me that the Linux netbooks were included in the Windows sales number, but those configurations didn't make a material difference to retail sales.
Did your microeconomic purchasing plans for year's end get derailed by the macroeconomic circumstances? Let us know below.TUAWNovember sales data: Mac desktops down, laptops strong originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Hands-on with Element Case and your chance to win a TUAW version
Filed under: Accessories, Reviews, Stocking Stuffers, iPhone, Holidays
We get a small number of physical products to review around here, and the streets are thick with iPhone cases of every variety -- but Element Case stood out. These aren't generic leather or plastic cases, they are somewhat beefier plastic cases available with metal, carbon or wood accents and sporting magnetic "flip" lids. The added surface area makes it a little easier to play games, especially if you're getting cramps playing Fieldrunner all day. At the end of this review we've got a special-edition TUAW Element Case to give away.
The phone is secure in the case because you have to unscrew the bottom of the case, slide the phone in, and put the screws back in. There are ports along the sides that allow you to access everything you'd normally need: camera, volume, sync cable port. You can't put the phone in the dock, however. The "flip" lid is a piece of plastic with magnets, and those magnets lock onto the screws. The lid attaches to the back of the case when you need access to the screen -- a nice design feature.
I'm not sure all this protection adds any shock absorption, but the phone certainly feels sturdier with a rigid casing on the outside. For games, the added surface area was welcome, even more ergonomic. Speaking of the casing, you can choose a CNC-machined version with a base in aluminum alloy (fits first-gen iPhones), but my model was the "Liquid" edition, which is injection-molded plastic (fits both 1st-gen and 3G iPhones). There's a slightly fancier plastic model with some wood veneer on the back, plus a nickel-plated model and a very limited-run of the "CRG" model. The only problem with all this is that several of the cases are for the 1st-gen iPhone only (like the CRG), so you'll have to peruse the shop and see what's available. Essentially everything is limited-run, which adds to the cache value of your case, if that's your thing. No designer case would be complete without customization, and Element Case will custom-engrave a design on the lid or back of your case.Continue reading Hands-on with Element Case and your chance to win a TUAW version
TUAWHands-on with Element Case and your chance to win a TUAW version originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 16 Dec 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Primo Sguardo (First Look): Cucchiaio d'Argento
Filed under: Software, iPhone, iPod touch, First Look
If you like to cook and eat Italian cuisine, this iPhone app will make you very happy. Il Cucchiaio d'Argento (The Silver Spoon) has been the definitive recipe book for traditional Italian cooking for the past 50 years, and now it's available for iPhone.
This cookbook, available in the App Store for US$9.99 or €7.99 (click opens iTunes), features over 250 classic and tested recipes. Updates will add more of the 2,000+ recipes in the cookbook. Many of the recipes include notes about their history or tradition, or provide hints on excellent wines to try as an accompaniment to your meal.
Ingredients are listed in both metric and imperial measures. There's space to add your own notes to recipes; this is helpful when making variations to the standard recipes.
In real-life usage, the app works well. My only complaint is that the "add to shopping list" button only adds the ingredients, not the actual quantity of each item. There's no Mac version of the application, but you can always purchase the analog version of Il Cucchiaio d'Argento from most bookstores and Amazon. Check out the gallery below for more screenshots of the app in action.
Many thanks to the readers who corrected Google's lousy translation!
TUAWPrimo Sguardo (First Look): Cucchiaio d'Argento originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 16 Dec 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Wired: New Mac mini to be announced at MWSF
Filed under: Macworld, Rumors, Mac mini
Wired's Brian X. Chen writes that Apple will release a new version of the Mac mini at Macworld Expo early next month.
Chen's unnamed source didn't disclose any details about the Mac mini, but Chen offered plenty of specification speculation.
Based on "trends seen in Apple's latest products," Chen expects the new Mac mini to feature a unibody enclosure with speeds and video specs that closely match the new unibody MacBooks.
This follows another rumor of a budget-priced, small-form-factor iPhone that could be announced at the same time. Nilay Patel, of our sister blog Engadget, notes that this may be a reaction to slowing sales numbers, and an overall reticence by consumers to drop large amounts of money on a new computer system.
We'll see next month: The keynote presentation is scheduled for January 6. Macworld Expo typically announces by now if Steve Jobs will give the presentation, but they've been keeping mum about his involvement so far.
TUAWWired: New Mac mini to be announced at MWSF originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 16 Dec 2008 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - 30 years of Apple in three minutes
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Hardware, Cult of Mac, Odds and ends, Apple
Megan's great roundup of Apple history from the other day wasn't enough nostalgia for you? It should have been -- wow there was a lot of old Apple stuff in there. But just in case your itch for the days of Apple yore isn't yet scratched, here's a great little video compilation of every Apple product from the last thirty years, squished into three minutes and set to Fiona Apple's cover of "Across the Universe."
The IIe! The PowerCD! The QuickTake! And even those early notebooks, which look so blocky today, were impressive in their time. Unfortunately, this video won't tell you much about what these products all were, but just the sight of some of these old units is enough to make the memories come flooding back for us old Apple fans. The iPhone and the iPod are so much hipper, it seems, compared to the units of Apple's past -- you think we'll ever look back with such nostalgia on the first touchscreens we got? A product like the Newton was so charming because it was so quirky, but the iPhone is sleek, popular, and impressive. Do you think future generations will look back at today's Apple products with the same fondness?
Thanks to everyone who sent this in!TUAW30 years of Apple in three minutes originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 16 Dec 2008 11:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - First Look: OldBooth
Filed under: iPhone, App Store
Remember going to the circus as a child and putting your face inside one of those painted façades? Well, you can do the exact same thing on your iPhone, except it's slightly more fun. OldBooth [iTunes link] lets you snap a picture and morph it with some predefined templates for both male and female bodies. All of the templates range from mid-20s to 80s fashions -- and they are quite hilarious when you see your face in them.
You can import a picture from either the iPhone's camera, or from the photo library on the device. Once you import the picture, you are able to shrink the image by pinching, rotate and increase the brightness to match the template image. When you are done, the morphed image will be saved in your photo library.
If you are looking for a cool iPhone application that can provide hours of fun (and laughs), then look no further than OldBooth. You can download it from the iTunes App Store for 30% through Christmas (regular $4.99).
By the way, can you guess who is in the picture to the right? Give us your best guess in the comments. We'll update the post tomorrow with the correct answer.TUAWFirst Look: OldBooth originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 16 Dec 2008 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsПереслать - Apple debuts two Holiday Get a Mac Ads
Filed under: Apple Corporate, Apple
Apple released two new Get a Mac ads, just in time for the holiday season. The two ads, entitled "I Can Do Anything," and "Tree Trimming," are animated, and very amusing.
In the I Can Do Anything ad [direct video link], PC shows off what he can do because he is animated. He then talks to a rabbit that is on its way to the Apple Store.
In the Tree Trimming ad [direct video link], Mac and PC are decorating a tree. When PC plugs in the tree, Mac discovers that the lights actually say... well, we don't want to spoil it (sorry!).
You can watch both of the ads by visiting the Get a Mac ad website.
Thanks to everyone who sent this in!TUAWApple debuts two Holiday Get a Mac Ads originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 15 Dec 2008 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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