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Consumer Reports still hearts Macs
Filed under: Hardware, Portables, Surveys and Polls, Macbook Pro, MacBook, MacBook Air
Consumer Reports continues to shower praise on all things Apple it seems. In a report in the June issue, the Magazine says Apple won the top three places in the 13 inch laptop derby. The unibody MacBook was in first place, followed by the MacBook Air, with the white plastic MacBook in a solid third place.

CR also named the 15-inch MacBook Pro as top laptop in the 14- to 16-inch group, and the 17-inch MacBook Pro walked off with the honors in the 17- to 18-inch category. The HP Pavilion publicized in the first Laptop Hunters ad from Microsoft came in 4th in the category behind Dell and Lenovo laptops. The Sony VAIO FW370 that was the star of the 3rd Microsoft ad came in 5th in the 14- to 16-inch category.

Apple also took the honors for best in tech support.

This won't bring smiles to the folks in Redmond, who are going all out to convince people that Apple computers are not a good value. It should be noted that none of the Apple laptops were rated a best buy, but they all scored the highest in each category and were recommended by the magazine. Of course Apple has repeatedly said they are not trying to win on price, but on quality, and Consumer Reports seems to accept that as the case.

I generally don't put a lot of stock in CR for some of its testing, but these high ratings for Apple laptops are just one of a continuing chorus of approval from the press and generally happy Mac owners.
TUAW Consumer Reports still hearts Macs originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 05 May 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Rumor Watch: Apple to buy Twitter
Filed under: Rumors, Internet, Apple
TechCrunch's Michael Arrington is reporting that rumors beginning to float around the blogosphere are stating that Apple is interested in purchasing Twitter for US$700 million in cash. Twitter, in case you've been off of the planet for the last two years, is the magical "social networking" tool that has you answer the question "What am I doing right now?" in 140 characters or less.

Twitter currently has more than 25 million users, and it is rumored that growth has been exploding since Oprah blessed the service with her presence in mid-April. However, despite the size and growth potential of Twitter, there's simply no compelling reason for Apple to spend part of its huge cash reserves to purchase the company.

Google recently tried to purchase Twitter, but was turned down by Twitter's CEO Evan Williams. Today's rumor comes from a "normally reliable source" who told Arrington that "Apple is in late-stage negotiations to buy Twitter and is hoping to announce it at WWDC in June."

Despite the popularity of Twitter, the service hasn't figured out a way to make a profit, and is strictly powered by venture capital at this point. Can any TUAW readers think of a reason why Apple should buy Twitter? Leave us a comment!
TUAW Rumor Watch: Apple to buy Twitter originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 05 May 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Six things I learned from losing my iPhone 3G
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, iPhone
A couple of weeks ago, I was on a two-day business trip to Kansas City. As usual, the moment my plane landed I turned on my iPhone and gave my wife call to let her know that I had made it to my destination safely. I told her I'd text her as I got my rental car, and then call when I got to my hotel.

Heading out the door of the terminal to catch the rental car shuttle, I reached into my pocket for my iPhone only to find that it was gone. I did a quick search of my other pockets, my briefcase; anything within reach. Nothing. The next step involved running back into the terminal, talking to the folks at United to see if they could have someone check my seat on the airplane. They did, with negative results. I gave them my name and home phone number so that they could call me if it was found on the airplane when the cleaners did their job, and then I headed on to collect my rental car and go to the hotel.

The next morning, I called the lost & found office at the airport, and nothing had been turned in. Since I depend so heavily on my iPhone for my work, I ended up going to the nearest AT&T store to buy another phone. Read on to see what I learned from this experience.
Continue reading Six things I learned from losing my iPhone 3G
TUAW Six things I learned from losing my iPhone 3G originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 05 May 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Apple to replace water-damaged iPhones via out-of-warranty service
Filed under: Hardware, Apple, iPhone
ifoAppleStore is reporting that Apple has instituted a new policy that will let iPhone owners swap their liquid-damaged iPhones for replacements. For $199US, customers can swap their defunct phones for a refurb unit, provided that it succumbed to an out-of-warranty encounter with liquid. ~~Here's the catch: Said swap renews your 2-year contract with AT&T -- so it's pretty much like buying a new phone, except if you were to do that out of contract it would cost you $499 for a 16GB unit~~.*

Of course, this could also be another way to clear current iPhone inventory in preparation for a new model.

We couldn't determine if sweat-induced failures are covered by this program, but we'll let you know if we find out.

*Update: Apple has told us that a replacement under out-of-warranty service would not renew a customer's contract. We apologize for the error.
TUAW Apple to replace water-damaged iPhones via out-of-warranty service originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 05 May 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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First Look: Bento for iPhone and iPod touch
Filed under: Software, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch, First Look
iPhone owners who are searching for an easy-to-use database management app for their iPhones can stop looking. Today, FileMaker Inc. announced the immediate availability of Bento for iPhone and iPod touch (click opens iTunes), a US$4.99 portable edition of Bento for Mac.

The app comes with 25 built-in templates for business or personal use, plus a blank template that can be used to create your own customized templates. Some of the included business templates can be used for issue tracking, time billing, and expenses, while personal templates include a diet log, recipes, vehicle maintenance, and home inventory.

Like the Mac app, Bento for iPhone and iPod touch is integrated with Contacts, Safari, Mail, and Google Maps. Additionally, Bento can be used to dial an iPhone. Databases can be synchronized wirelessly (via WiFi) with Bento 2.0v4 for Mac. This new version of Bento 2.0 for Mac is a free update that is available for download to all existing users today.

The video below features Ryan Rosenberg, VP of Marketing and Services for FileMaker, describing and demonstrating many of the features of Bento for iPhone and iPod touch. TUAW will have a full review of Bento for iPhone and iPod touch in the near future.

TUAW First Look: Bento for iPhone and iPod touch originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 05 May 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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External battery packs for Mac laptops
Filed under: Accessories, Hardware, Peripherals, Portables, Macbook Pro, MacBook, MacBook Air
In ~~what looks like a first for the Mac laptop line,~~ support of MacBook and MacBook Pro owners everywhere, a 3rd party is offering external battery packs for MacBook, MacBook Pro and MacBook air models.

The batteries, from Sanho in California, are available in 4 different capacities, 60Wh, 100Wh, 150Wh and 222Wh, giving a computer like the MacBook up to 32 hours of battery life. The company is also offering a car charger. These items are all available for pre-order and will ship later this month. Prices are $149.95US (car charger), $199.95 (60-watt-hour battery), $299.95 (100Wh), $399.95 (150Wh) and $499.95 (222Wh). The batteries also come with a USB power port so you can charge an iPhone at the same time or separately.

The first thing I thought of when I saw this announcement was how the company was able to offer a charger with a MagSafe adapter, because that design is protected by Apple patents. I checked with the company president, Daniel Chin, and he told me: "What we did is obtain the MagSafe connector and cable from the original MacBook AC adapter, remove the adapter and splice in our own charger plug, which interfaces with our battery and car charger products. Since we are using the original Apple MagSafe plug and did not modify the actual plug (which the patent in question covers) in any way, we are still respecting Apple's IP and in no way infringing upon their patent."

That might or might not satisfy Apple, but it did allow the company to offer these chargers which are likely to be highly desired by some customers. At the very least, I'm surprised Apple has not offered a car charger for laptops. I can think of many times such an adapter would have been handy.

Update: Several commenters have pointed out the QuickerTek and MikeGyver power solutions for the MBP line, which predate the Sanho offering and use the same approach of sacrificing a MagSafe adapter to provide the plug connector. Apple's Airline adaptor, while electrically similar to a car adapter, is not recommended for automotive use (some have tried it with success, your mileage may vary). Lastly, you can of course use a DC inverter for in-car charging, but please be careful not to obstruct vents or leave the device plugged in and unattended... they can get very hot while in use. Happy motoring!
TUAW External battery packs for Mac laptops originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 04 May 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Beta Beat: Dropzone for Mac OS X
Filed under: Software, Beta Beat

The Mac OS X Dock is a great UI invention, but it doesn't have all the functionality that it could have. That's why one developer is looking to expand the functionality and make it even better with an application that he calls "Dropzone."

Dropzone is a small application that you can install on your Mac, and as the app name suggests, drag stuff onto. When you drop a file on the icon, you will get a list of options depending on what type of file you just dropped. For instance, you could drop a picture onto the icon and get an option to email, send to Flickr, or upload to an FTP server.

Different applications can "register" to work with Dropzone by using a simple API, the documentation for which can be found on the Aptonic website. The more applications that decide to work with Dropzone, the better (developers, did you hear that?). There is currently no shipping date set for this handy little Dock tool, but you can check out a teaser video on the Aptonic website, and also apply to be a part of the beta program.
TUAW Beta Beat: Dropzone for Mac OS X originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 04 May 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Monday morning App Store shenanigans, NIN: Access edition
Filed under: Bad Apple, iPhone, App Store
Another week, another App Store scandal. Over the weekend, Apple rejected an update to the NIN: Access app (reviewed here) because of "objectionable content." The objectionable content? 1994's The Downward Spiral (iTunes link, also available in a deluxe edition here). Needless to say, Trent Reznor is a little upset (TUAW disclaimer, Reznor uses adult language, if this bothers you, avert your eyes or don't click the link).

This latest incident allows us to revisit other incidents of non-sensical approval decisions. In the case of Tweetie, Apple backed off the potential objectionable content claim and let the update through. In the case of craigsphone, the developer re-routed potentially "adult" content to Mobile Safari. As for South Park, well, it's still not in the App Store.

With a tour in progress, the developer of the NIN app has removed what he believes to be the objectionable file, but we'll need to wait to see if this (or the ensuing outrage over this stupid decision) will change Apple's mind.

As it stands, I can't help but be flummoxed by the seemingly arbitrary nature of the App Store review process. When I reviewed NIN: Access, it was readily apparent that users had access to podcasts, remixes and music videos for the Nine Inch Nails catalog. I even thought to myself, "Well, I guess Apple got over the Craigslist-aphobia" and accepted that users who download the NIN: Access app know what they are getting into. Clearly, I was wrong.

So while apps that simulate killing an infant can actually make it into the store (and the PR nightmare is what ends up gettting it removed), apps that provide access to online content -- content that is available for sale via iTunes -- remains off-limits. Way to go!

[via TechCrunch]
TUAW Monday morning App Store shenanigans, NIN: Access edition originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 04 May 2009 10:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Spring clean your Mac with smart folders
Filed under: Productivity, TUAW Tips

Call it what you will, but "Spring Cleaning" is just as important on your Mac as it is in real life. From cleaning out old files to organizing music/movies/TV shows that you "threw" into iTunes over the past few months, spring cleaning is a necessary evil.

One way to find large files that might be eating up space on your Mac is with a smart folder; it's easy to set one up right from the Finder. To create a smart folder that will find large files on your hard drive, simply follow these directions:
1. Open a new Finder window and select File > New Smart Folder.
2. In the resulting window, select "Other" from the first drop-down menu (the default selection is "Kind), and search for the key word "size." If you wish this item to remain in the menu, select the "In menu" check box. Select the OK button once you select the "Size" item.
3. Select "is greater than" from the next drop-down menu.
4. Type in the size that you would like to search for files. I would suggest searching using 1 GB, but you can use any size you wish.
Finder will immediately begin searching your Mac for any files that match the description that we just specified. When you are ready to save your smart folder, select the "Save" button from the top right of the Finder window. You will then be asked to specify a save name and location. Now whenever you want to look for large files that might be hogging space on your system, just open this smart folder, and let the search begin!

Beyond this tip, if you are looking for utilities that can help you keep your storage lean and free of bloated, legacy files, you may want to check out GrandPerspective, WhatSize or OmniDiskSweeper.
TUAW Spring clean your Mac with smart folders originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 04 May 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Zen Bound adding new tree in free update
Filed under: Gaming, iPhone, App Store, iPod touch
Touch Arcade has a slew of new screenshots from an upcoming free update for a game I've been coming back to more and more lately on my iPhone: Zen Bound. When I first installed it, I thought of it as more of a tech demo than a game, but as you load it up more and more, you really do start uncovering layers of competition -- "if only I twisted the statue that way I could cover more ground, or maybe if I started from that leg I could wrap around closer on that side." It's pretty addictive, and it's one of those games that starts tugging at your mind even when you're not playing it.

The update probably won't help free my mind -- not only will it have a whole set of new objects to wrap up (featuring some fun retro-gaming themed pieces), but it's getting some bugfixes and some performance tweaks as well. The paint spread by the rope will be smoother, and the problem of the rope crossing through objects should be better (while that happened from time to time, it wasn't a huge complaint).

Still, especially for free, it sounds like the update will only make a great game better. Zen Bound is available right now in the App Store for $4.99 (with the free update available "soon"), and there's a lite version to try out as well.
TUAW Zen Bound adding new tree in free update originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Mon, 04 May 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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