Tuesday, February 9, 2010

The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) (19 сообщений)

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  • Analysts see iPhone remaining exclusive to AT&T, spurring sales of anti-depressants

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    Those among you hoping for an impending dissolution of AT&T's exclusive hold (or testicular constriction, if you will) on the iPhone may want to sit down before reading the following words. According to AppleInsider, two separate analysts are making similar predictions that the iPhone will remain shackled to AT&T's network, offering the iPad-AT&T partnership as evidence. It's ok, I wept too.

    Vijay Jayant, of Barclays Capital, was quoted as saying "(The) launch of Apple's iPad on AT&T's network is a vote of confidence in AT&T's network by the equipment maker." I don't know which part of that statement I find more shocking and disturbing. The possibility of his prediction being accurate, or the notion that someone has confidence in AT&T's network? That's infreakingsane! Jayant, however, sees this pact lasting only through the remainder of 2010, as do the folks at Credit Suisse who echoed similar projections last week. I suppose we can hold out hope for another 10 months.

    Personally, I'm going to deny this rumor exists in hopes of preventing its materialization. I cast thee out, demon, and unhear your blasphemy!

    TUAWAnalysts see iPhone remaining exclusive to AT&T, spurring sales of anti-depressants originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    iPhone - Apple - AT&T - Credit Suisse - Smartphone
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  • Apple is the third largest smartphone maker

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    Apple is now the world's third largest smartphone producer, coming in behind Nokia and Research in Motion. IDC's latest report from its Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker cites continued interest in the iPhone and Apple starting to offer the device in China as major driving forces behind the growing dominance in the smartphone world.

    Apple shipped 25.1 million iPhone units in 2009, 8.7 million of those in the fourth quarter. By comparison, Nokia shipped 67.7 million device units throughout the year with 20.8 million in the fourth quarter alone. Manufacturers Motorola and HTC round out the top five smartphone makers. It's worth noting that while Apple still trails RIM and Nokia by unit sales, by some estimates the company already surpassed Nokia in Q3 of 2009 by generating more profit from handset sales than any other manufacturer.

    A similar report released by AdMob at the end of January also shows the increasing use of the iPhone around the world. The amazing thing is that Nokia, RIM, Motorola and HTC all produce multiple devices while Apple has leapfrogged over into its position with just a single flagship phone, the 3GS. Motorola, which had fallen off the top five list in the past year, scrambled back onto it with the introduction of the Droid. Google's now entering the market, and Symbian is still very strong in Africa and Asia. It'll be interesting to see how Apple fares against these smartphone competitors in the next year.

    [Via Wired]

    TUAWApple is the third largest smartphone maker originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    iPhone - Smartphone - Apple - Google - Nokia
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  • Gearing up for Macworld: My 5 apps & packing list

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    Hitting the road for a week or more can be daunting enough when packing for a regular business trip, but when the itinerary includes the hustle and flow of Macworld Expo, I start to think a bit more seriously about exactly what I'm taking and why.

    The good news is, of course, that a few well-chosen apps can substitute for destination guides and navigational help. The bad news... there's still a lot of stuff to bring along. Here are five-plus apps I loaded specifically for this trip, and a few hardware items that I couldn't do without.

    The Apps

    As many times as I've been to San Francisco, I still don't have a firm notion of the city's geography outside the immediate vicinity of Moscone Center (don't blame SF -- I still get lost in my own home town, too). To help me get around, I've tried iBART, BayTripper and the free, location-aware nextbus.com mobile site.

    Still, I come back to two tried-and-true tools every time. For public transit and walking directions, the Maps app does a great job; bus timing may not be precise, but you get where you're going. If your transit needs are a little more personal, the astonishing Taxi Magic app gets a ride to wherever you are in no time flat -- and with no additional fee, if you pay in cash. Honorable mention: the Zipcar app, if you need wheels of your own in a jiffy.

    Before boarding the plane to come out to the West Coast, I checked that my two favorite air travel apps were loaded and ready. The Tripit app (paired with a Tripit Pro subscription) keeps my itineraries right at my fingertips, including the ability to search for alternative flight reservations. While I'm hopping through the airports on either end, Gate Guru helps make sure I don't skip past the best place to eat while I'm meandering towards my gate.
    Keeping with the travel theme, two of the nodconcept travel apps -- Travel Assistant and Rooms -- have found a place on my iPhone. Travel Assistant syncs my trips with the Tripit service but adds a rewards account database, travel log and packing/activity list manager to the function suite; it also scrolls directly to the current date when viewing a trip, which is very handy if you forget which city you're in. Speaking of forgetting, since the days of having your room number actually printed on your hotel key are long gone, you'd better have another way of tracking that bit of info before you find yourself blankly staring down the hallway at 2 am. Rooms ups the ante from the original Room app, which badged its own icon with your room number for immediate reference; you can now track the room numbers of several traveling companions, as well.

    Beyond those travel basics, I also loaded up Pzizz, for catching up on scarce sleep; Foursquare, for keeping track of my fellow TUAW night owls; Happy Hour and Good Food Near You for balancing my diet; the KQED Check, Please podcast for restaurant reviews from real San Franciscans; iMacworld, for knowing what's going on when; and the closed beta of VoiceCentral Black Swan edition, for the best Google Voice client on the iPhone so I can keep my voicemail sorted out while I'm on the move.

    Now onto the hardware...

    The Gear


    My most essential road accessory, without question, is my Belkin mini surge protector. 3 grounded outlets + 2 USB charging ports in a compact, friendly package has made me a happy man. 2nd most essential, and certainly the cheapest, is an Ezonics SD card to USB adapter. I think I might have paid all of $7 for it, and it has served with distinction for photo offloading and in-a-pinch flash drive duty. I've got a few SD cards to swap in and out of cameras, and a quick and accessible reader is vital. The only drawback is that the reader is wide enough to block the other USB port, so I usually bring along a short M-F USB extender cable as well.

    I normally use a Verizon MiFi card to provide mobile internet access, but for this trip I'm carrying a Sprint Overdrive 3G/4G wireless mobile router (I had a stop in a 4G-capable city before coming to SF, but the unit only works on 3G here). Sprint thoughtfully includes Sierra Wireless drivers to allow Mac users to tether the router over USB, which is handy if you're trying to conserve laptop battery power by turning off Wi-Fi.

    Storage is always at a bit of a premium, so I'm offloading some of my bulkier files (older movies, photos and music) to external drives for the week. My LaCie 500GB Little Disk is a loyal pal, and I've got a few other drives in the bag, including a borrowed and super-fast WD Firewire 800 MyPassport Studio drive that I'm loath to return. A random assortment of USB flash drives accompanies the bigger media, but I'm putting small stickers with my phone number on them to make sure they find their way home. I've also got more cables than I need, even though I tried to double up on USB cords; they just seem to multiply in the bag. Fortunately I have several small photo kit velcro-seal pouches to keep the mess under management.

    Another thing that gets kept in those pouches: cameras. It seems that every year I bring another different camera to Macworld Expo, and every year the one I use most frequently for video and photos alike is my steadfast Canon PowerShot SD600. It's now verging on four years old (that's almost middle-aged, to you and me) but it's still perfectly capable of delivering sharp 640x480 video at 30fps with remarkably solid sound, not to mention clear 6MP images. I'd love an SLR but I know I wouldn't love lugging it around the show.

    Meanwhile, my Aiptek Action HD camera (otherwise known as 'Crappy, the World's Worst Cheap HD Video Camera') usually stays in the case. This year I am also carrying an original standard-def Flip Mino for quick, impromptu videos like this one; since my iPhone is a 3G I don't have native support for good video capture, and as you can tell by this motley assortment of old and inexpensive cams, I'm something of a skinflint when it comes to spending money on cameras.

    Finally, yes, a close eye on the picture above would reveal both my iPhone 3G (sporting the 'rugged' Case-Mate Naked Case, with electrostatic screen cover for hard duty, and supplemented by a Monoprice external battery) and another phone: an HTC Droid Eris on Verizon, which I'm testing out this week just in case I get stuck in some AT&T dead zones. Just don't take any pictures of me using it while I'm wearing my TUAW staff shirt, OK?

    What items can't you do without when coming to Macworld? Let us know below!

    TUAWGearing up for Macworld: My 5 apps & packing list originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    San Francisco - Universal Serial Bus - Macworld Expo - USB flash drive - Moscone Center
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  • Drobo is having a "Spirit of Macworld 2010" video contest

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    If you're an amateur or professional videographer and you'll be attending Macworld Expo 2010 in San Francisco this week, Data Robotics has a contest just for you.

    Come up with an original video (less than 60 seconds in length) that best captures the spirit of Macworld 2010, submit it to a special Drobo Flickr group by February 19, and you'll have an opportunity to win one of two Drobo S five-drive storage devices (note that non-Pro Flickr users are limited to 2 video uploads per month). The Drobo S connects to your Mac via USB 2.0, Firewire 800, or eSATA, and can be populated with up to five drives for tons of storage. TUAW has reported on the new Drobo S and Drobo Elite devices in the past, and they're a popular storage tool for anyone who needs vast amounts of expandable storage but doesn't want to hassle with administering a RAID array.

    To find out if you've won the contest after your entry has been made, just follow Data Robotics on Twitter at http://twitter.com/drobo. Full contest rules and instructions can be found here.

    TUAWDrobo is having a "Spirit of Macworld 2010" video contest originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    DataRobotics - Drobo - RAID - IEEE 1394 interface - Universal Serial Bus
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  • Kerio Connect 7 -- A new name and powerful new features

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    Kerio, developers of Kerio Mail Server, announced today that a new version of their powerful enterprise-class collaboration product is now available. Kerio Connect 7, as the product is now called, is a re-branding of the venerable server application that illustrates that the package has gone well beyond just being a mail server.

    John Jones of Kerio explained the details of the new release in a recent phone interview with TUAW. Kerio Connect 7 now allows distributed servers to work with one another, making it possible for large enterprises with widely-dispersed facilities to place servers at locations local to each office.

    The multiple servers can behave as a single, large server, sharing calendars and global address lists, and users can be easily moved between servers for load balancing. The new release also provides web-based administration tools.

    The minimum size group license for Kerio Connect 7 is 5 users, making it possible for small organizations to start out with a power collaboration server, and then scale up as they gain employees. Kerio Connect 7 also supports CardDAV and CalDAV, providing a way for organizations to share address books and calendars. The server is, of course, cross-platform (Mac OS X, Windows, Linux) and works well with all clients including iPhone and Android phones. In addition to running natively, Kerio Connect 7 can be run on a virtual machine under either VMWare or Parallels.

    The upgrade is free to customers who have purchased support and maintenance from Kerio, and other pricing for the product can be found on the Kerio website.

    TUAWKerio Connect 7 -- A new name and powerful new features originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    iPhone - Linux - Server - Apple - Mac OS X
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  • AT&T updates Navigator app for the 5th time

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    Hot on the heels of the Navigon update, AT&T is adding more features to its subscription based Navigator app for iPhone [iTunes link]. This update includes 'shake-to-go,' which allows users to shake their iPhone at any time while in an AT&T Navigator menu screen; the phone will automatically initiate a route to a pre-designated "home" address the user has set. This doesn't work while in navigation mode, so there's no worry about a pothole or bumpy road initiating a new route during a trip.

    Other updated features include:
    • Speed Limit Display & Alerts: Navigation screen includes speed limit information and provides visual alerts if the limit is exceeded
    • Last Trip Origin: Once a trip is completed, users can easily return to the origin of their last trip by accessing the "Recent Places" menu
    • Nighttime Maps: The brightness levels of map screens are adjusted for nighttime driving for easier viewing
    • Improved Route Avoidance Options: Drivers may now choose to avoid routes that make use of high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes or choose to avoid routes that include toll roads
    • Improved Pedestrian Mode: Users will be able to clearly identify when they are navigating in pedestrian mode with the introduction of a new pedestrian icon on the map screen
    All current subscribers will get the new features free of charge. The app, which was developed for AT&T by TeleNav, costs US$9.99 per month, or $69 a year. The maps on this app are not present on the iPhone, so to use it you will have to have a good cellular signal and the maps will be downloaded as needed.

    The latest version is 1.5i and current owners should be able to download the latest build from the iTunes store.

    TUAWAT&T updates Navigator app for the 5th time originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    iPhone - Navigon - TeleNav - Apple - TUAW
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  • Apple offers 2 software updates for iLife '09 and Camera RAW

    Filed under: , ,

    Well, it's Tuesday, and that's Apple's favorite day to update software.

    Today we get an iLife '09 update, and a bunch of camera RAW updates.

    Here's what Apple has to say about the iLife update:

    Provides system software resources that are shared by iLife and other applications. This update improves overall stability for the Media Browser and iPhoto slideshows. It also provides compatibility between Aperture 3 and the Media Browser.

    The update is recommended for all users of iLife '09, iWork '09, and Aperture.


    And the camera updates:

    This update extends RAW image compatibility for Aperture 3 and iPhoto '09 for the following cameras and formats:

    Canon PowerShot S90
    Canon sRAW
    Canon mRAW
    Leica D-LUX 4
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3

    It's not earthshaking, but will be welcome for heavy iLife '09 users. You can get these from the software update option under the Apple menu.

    [Thanks Michael for the tip]

    TUAWApple offers 2 software updates for iLife '09 and Camera RAW originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    iPhoto - Apple - iLife - Aperture - Unofficial Apple Weblog
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  • iPhone SDK 3.2 Beta 2 available now
    Just a quick heads up to all your iPhone and iPad developers out there. The new version of the 3.2 SDK is now available for download. The Apple developer site is getting a bit slammed right now but it looks like a really exciting new update. Can't wait to start playing with it myself.

    As per last time, the new beta SDK is under NDA, so please go check out the details for yourself to get further information about the changes between this beta and the last.

    TUAWiPhone SDK 3.2 Beta 2 available now originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    iPhone - Apple - TUAW - Software development kit - Handhelds
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  • Ludicrous speed: 56 WPM on the iPhone

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    I can type fairly quickly on my iPhone, at least in landscape mode -- I average about 30 - 35 words per minute compared to around 77 WPM on a standard keyboard -- but the guy in the video above has gone to plaid with his typing speed. Using an app called iTextSpeed [US$0.99, iTunes Link], this anonymous texting speed demon reaches an incredible 56 words per minute on his iPhone in portrait mode. I have no idea how he does it, particularly in portrait mode; I make an average of one mistake every other word unless I'm in landscape, but the guy in the video, whose thumbs look even bigger than mine, only screws up one word during the entire timed sequence.

    A few people grouse about the iPhone's lack of a physical keyboard, but the cyborg-thumbed guy in this video proves that for some of us, it's not an issue whatsoever.

    [Via Macenstein]

    TUAWLudicrous speed: 56 WPM on the iPhone originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    iPhone - Apple - iTunes - TUAW - Smartphones
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  • TUAW How To: Downgrading your 3.1.3 iPhone to 3.1.2

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    Last week I downloaded (but did not install) the iPhone OS 3.1.3 firmware for my 3GS. I wanted to have a copy of the firmware on hand, but didn't want to upgrade right away. I checked "Do not ask me again" and clicked Download Only. I thought that was the end of the matter.

    Unfortunately, this Sunday, I plugged in my iPhone and left the room to grab some tea. When I returned, the iPhone was 50% of the way through the 3.1.3 firmware upgrade procedure. It did something I had no idea that it would do: it upgraded me without asking.

    How frustrating! What's more, I didn't have a copy of 3.1.2 on-hand to downgrade to because iTunes automatically deleted the old firmware files and I was using default Time Machine settings; Time Machine does not normally back up ~/Library, the folder that contains the iTunes ipsw files.

    Fortunately, I had several resources. First, because I had jailbroken my phone and registered my device signature with Jay Freeman's caching service, I knew I could downgrade my phone. As Jay and I discussed in this LiveChat from a few months back, Apple no longer allows you to freely downgrade your iPhone software. All firmware installations must be verified with Apple's signature servers.

    By jailbreaking your phone and registering your device signature with Jay's system, you'll be able to bypass Apple's verification system and return to the firmware you prefer -- or at least to the earliest firmware whose signature you have stored on the caching site. To make this happen, you must both register your device and update your /etc/hosts file. Jay's site has complete instructions on how to comply.

    Second, I could grab a copy of old firmware from sites like Felix Bruns' http://www.felixbruns.de/iPod/firmware/ and iClarified's http://www.iclarified.com/entry/index.php?enid=750. These sites provide Apple download links for old firmware releases. I downloaded a fresh copy of the 3.1.2 ipsw (iPhone software archive) and installed it onto my system. Using a standard option-restore trick, I was able to put that firmware onto my iPhone. iTunes verified the upgrade with Jay's server and installed it onto the device.

    Note: If you receive the "The iPhone could not be restored. An unknown error occurred (3004)." error, make sure to quit iTunes and flush caches at the command line: sudo dscacheutil -flushcache.

    If your device updates properly, you will receive a 1015 error and your unit will now enter a semi-permanent recovery mode, the mode in which your device shows an iTunes logo and will not boot further. To proceed, you'll need to use iRecovery. Download a copy from this site. (It requires libusb, so read the entire post before running.) Run iRecovery from the command line and supply the -s flag. Wait for the "]" prompt, and do not type anything until you see that prompt appear.

    Enter the following commands:

    ] setenv auto-boot true
    ] saveenv
    ] /exit


    After, you will return to the command line. Reboot your phone by pressing the home and sleep buttons for 10 seconds, per the instructions on the site, and your iPhone should boot back to standard 3.1.2.

    Note: Be aware that this method does not downgrade your baseband. It remains at the 3.1.3 setting.

    Thanks Jay Freeman, Sjoerd (aka WiFone), and Paul "PhoenixDev" Griffin

    TUAWTUAW How To: Downgrading your 3.1.3 iPhone to 3.1.2 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    iPhone - Apple - Jailbreak - Time Machine - iTunes
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  • iPad pre-orders overwhelm Norwegian stores

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    Who's got low expectations for the iPad? Not the Norwegians, as one local store can't keep up with pre-orders.

    Late last week, retailer Eplehuset (Apple House) suspended pre-orders all together when they sold out. A message posted to their site states that those who have already placed orders will have their spot in line reserved, while others are out of luck. "We have chosen not to receive more pre-orders for now," the site says via Google Translate, "we will contact you as soon as we know anything more."

    Additionally, iPod1 reports that retailer Humac has suspended iPad pre-orders. We don't have any stats on which model is being ordered most often, but Electronista suggests that it's the
    64GB iPad with 3G model. It's also notable that most countries aren't offering pre-orders yet (including Apple itself in the US), so there's no way to gauge if the Norwegian customers' enthusiasm is typical.

    While e-readers like the Nook and Kindle generated a lot of pre-release buzz, tablet computers historically haven't sparked a blaze of enthusiasm in the wider market. If these retailers' experiences turn out to be typical, Apple will have a real hit on their hands (and in ours) with the iPad.

    TUAWiPad pre-orders overwhelm Norwegian stores originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Apple - Google - Nook - Norwegians - Amazon Kindle
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  • SD card reader for iPhone might help bridge the photo gap

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    It's cool that Apple is getting all cozy with SD cards for the iPad; it helps to sell the idea that the iPad is closer to a MacBook than an iPhone. As useful as an SD card reader is for the iPad, there is one minor hiccup: it probably won't work with the iPhone.

    ZoomMediaPlus aims to fill that gap with the ZoomIt SD card reader/application for the iPhone. The ZoomIt is a dongle that plugs in to the iPhone's dock connector and (with the use of Zoom's app) allows you to view and share content stored on an SD card.

    According to ZoomMediaPlus, the card reader works in conjunction with its application that can be installed on either an iPhone or iPod touch. The app has a file browser that lets you browse files by group such as documents, pictures, or videos. It's also possible to copy files of any type from an SD card to your iPhone's internal storage.

    The ZoomIt iPhone app also has the ability to quickly and easily send photos and documents from the SD card via email. Further, photos on an SD card can be sent via MMS or simply added to the internal photo library.

    The ZoomIt SD card reader is available now for pre-order for $49.95US -- which is a savings of over 15% off the final retail price ($59.95US). According to ZoomMediaPlus, pre-orders will begin shipping in April of this year. Of course, by that time, Apple's own SD card reader could be available and surprising us all with iPhone compatibility.

    [via Engadget]

    TUAWSD card reader for iPhone might help bridge the photo gap originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    iPhone - IpodTouch - Apple - Secure Digital - ITunes Store
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  • Answers for the 'rents about the iPad

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    So my folks were here this weekend, and as you'd expect my Dad is really curious about the upcoming iPad, or as he likes to put it "his new 3G iPad". I convinced him that he should wait for April so he could get the new postpaid-data-ready iPad, which he could use anywhere, not just with WiFi hotspots.

    As we were talking, I began to realize that he didn't really have a clear idea of exactly what this gadget is -- and lots of you probably have parents in similar situations. So I put together this Q&A using actual questions my Dad asked throughout the course of the weekend.

    "So I can use it instead of my normal computer, right?"

    The iPad isn't going to replace your home computer. In fact, it's supposed to be like an iPod -- a mobile device you bring along but not a primary system. You manage your music and movies and everything over on your main machine (a Windows unit in my Dad's case) and then synchronize that data to your iPad using iTunes.

    "But what about Microsoft Works? Can I load that on?"
    Afraid not. The iPad is more like a mobile phone than it is like a computer. You won't be able to run Windows on it, or even the Macintosh operating system OS X. It has its own private system and can only run apps that you buy at the App Store. (Trust me, my Dad does not want to know from jailbreaking or Cydia.)


    "So how do I get apps on it?"
    You can buy applications from iTunes, either on your home computer or on the device itself. There are a gadzillion of really great games and utilities available and they usually cost just a few bucks. It's a way, way better deal than buying applications for your PC or for most mobile phones.

    "Where do I put in the DVDs?"
    Unfortunately, you don't. You can rent or buy movies from iTunes, again either at your computer or on the device, but you can't get a DVD from the library and watch it on your system unless you want me to tell you more than you really need to know about something called "ripping". Rentals cost just a few dollars. You have a month in which to start watching the movie and once you start watching it, you have to finish watching within 24 hours. If you buy a movie, it's yours to watch forever. Just be aware that movies are big space hogs, so don't put too many movies on your iPad at once. You can store them on your home computer and just choose which movies you want to sync at any time.

    "So what's the point of it?"

    The iPad is going to let you check your mail, surf the web, and enjoy your music and videos when you're out waiting for Mom to finish up at the store. Or the dentist. Or the doctor's. Or the DMV. Or wherever she's dragged you. You can pull this out and play a few games or get on the Internet or just watch some TV.

    "Right. So when can I buy it?"

    April. That's when you can get the 3G version -- and you want that because Mom's errands rarely offer free WiFi connectivity. 3G lets you connect to the Internet wherever AT&T has a decent signal in your area.

    TUAWAnswers for the 'rents about the iPad originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Apple - AppStore - Microsoft - iTunes - ITunes Store
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  • SDK devsugar: Re-signing applications

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    TUAW's devsugar series helps introduce developers to tools and tricks that they might not yet be familiar with. Today's tip centers on signing already-compiled and already-signed applications with a new custom signature.

    A while back, I posted about a way to sign already-compiled applications with your personal credentials in order to better allow developer-to-developer distribution. By re-signing an application, it allows you to install it on any of the devices you have registered to your account at Apple without having to go through the fuss and bother of normal ad-hoc distribution. In addition, it makes it easier to develop applications on a contractor's machines, to ship them to a client, and then have them signed and shipped to App Store using the client's identity.

    A basic command-line solution is as follows. It calls codesign (found in /usr/bin) to sign the application, using the default keychain item that matches "iPhone Developer". It's a handy script, especially for informal beta distributions.

    #! /bin/bash

    export CODESIGN_ALLOCATE=/Developer/Platforms/iPhoneOS.platform/Developer/usr/bin/codesign_allocate

    codesign -f -s "iPhone Developer" $1

    There are, however, several problems with this approach. First, it assumes you only want to sign with development (typically "Debug build") credentials. That's not going to work if you need to re-sign for distribution. (Solution? Change iPhone Developer to iPhone Distribution). Second, it assumes you only have one developer or distribution profile in your keychain. (Solution? Change iPhone Developer, for example, to iPhone Developer: Company Name to exactly match just one keychain entry.) Third, it assumes the person doing the re-signing knows how to use a command line. For that, the solution is a little more complicated.

    Recently, this topic came up on a developer e-mail list that I moderate: how do you make it easier for a non-technical client to re-sign an application, normally for distribution. As a solution, I put forth the proposal that one could embed the above shell script behavior into an AppleScript droplet. After consulting with a few colleagues, and gathering their requirements, I decided to give the project a try. I built an AppleScript application that signs any application dropped onto it.

    You can find a working copy of the application at my website. App Signer iterates through any apps dropped onto it, checks to ensure whether each file (or bundle, really) ends with an ".app" extension, and then attempts to sign those files using /usr/bin/codesign.

    Users can choose to sign with Developer credentials, Distribution credentials, or select Other to open a prompt and enter text for keychain disambiguation. (See the screen shot at the top of this post for an example of the disambiguation dialog.) The application displays results for each application, one at a time.

    Please note the following caveats:
    • I make no attempt to guarantee that the app dropped onto this utility is actually an iPhone app (rather than, say a Macintosh application).
    • When working with on-device keychains, the identity used to sign the application has to match the application id set forth in the Info.plist file for the application, otherwise keychain access will fail.
    • This is a free application. It is offered under the BSD license. Use it at your own risk. Credit always appreciated. The open source github repository for App Signer can be found here.
    • To create the application, open the AppleScript source in Script Editor and choose File > Save As > File Format: Application.

    TUAWSDK devsugar: Re-signing applications originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Apple - IPhone - AppStore - Open source - Software development kit
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  • Apple ships latest version of Aperture for photo professionals

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    It certainly caused a lot of excitement when the Apple web store went down this morning. No, it wasn't an updated MacBook Pro line but Aperture 3, Apple's high-end photo editing and image management software.

    The latest version is U.S. $199.00, and upgrades are available for any existing Aperture users for $99.00.

    Apple says Aperture 3 has "more than 200 new features", including Faces and Places, brought over from iPhoto '09. There is an enhanced tool called Brushes, which allows photographers to paint adjustments and filters directly onto their images using new enhanced edge detection.

    This latest version of Aperture runs in 64 bit on Snow Leopard and 64 bit processors.

    Aperture has been in a long features war with Adobe Lightroom, a similar and very popular application. Aperture was last updated in February, 2008.

    We'll have a close look at Aperture 3 when we get our hands on it. Apple has a free 30 day download for people who want an advance look, but as of this writing download links haven't yet been provided. Aperture 3 needs an intel-based Mac, so older machines like the G5 are out of luck.

    TUAWApple ships latest version of Aperture for photo professionals originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • The Apple Store is back online

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    Yes, as expected, the Apple Store is down for the morning, presumably to update us with brand new MacBook Pros and whatever else Apple has cooked up for a release.

    We'll keep an eye on the website along with you readers, and when we see what's been updated, we'll let you know. Do be patient -- as many of us are traveling to Macworld today, we might actually be on the roads and/or in the air when it happens, but we'll update as soon as we can. Stay tuned.

    Update: It's back up, and it appears the new hotness is... Aperture 3.

    Thanks to all who sent this in!

    TUAWThe Apple Store is back online originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 08:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • TUAW Giveaway: Win a BearExtender n3

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    Last month, we highly recommended the BearExtender n3 [US $44.97] as a great way to extend a Wi-Fi network to reach those pesky dead spots. In my testing, I found that it's possible to get around three times as much range as from an Airport device.

    Now the nice people at Rokland Technologies have given us five units to give to you. If you're having weak signal problems, you want one of these. I bought the unit they sent me to review and have been overjoyed and amazed at it performing exactly as advertised.

    The details of the giveaway are as follows:
    • Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia who are 18 and older.
    • To enter, leave a comment telling us what what problem you would solve with a BearExtender n3.
    • The comment must be left before February 13, 11:59PM Eastern Standard Time.
    • You may enter only once.
    • Five winners will be selected in a random drawing.
    • Prize: One BearExtender n3 (Value: US$49.97)
    • Click Here for complete Official Rules.
    Best of luck to everyone

    TUAWTUAW Giveaway: Win a BearExtender n3 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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    Washington DC - TUAW - Wi-Fi - BearExtenderN3 - Eastern Time Zone
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  • Navigon adds some unique features to GPS app

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    Navigon has been very aggressive about keeping its highly rated MobileNavigator app [iTunes link] up to date. Now, new features are putting it even further ahead of a lot of the competition.

    The update adds three innovative features: in-app connection to Facebook and Twitter, Panorama View 3D with 3D terrain views powered from NASA data, and personalized route delivery via NAVIGON MyRoutes, an intelligent direction provider.

    For Facebook and Twitter connectivity, a simple icon tap posts the user's current position, destination, and ETA without navigation interruption -- handy for advising family of your expected arrival or updating other travelers with your location if you stopped for a break.

    The MyRoutes feature analyzes driving habits, patterns, location, time/day and provides up to three routes clearly displayed in-map with ETA, distance and driving times for each.

    The 3D views enable intuitive orientation of the surrounding environment, and show you what lies ahead with digital landscape elevations, shadows, and geographic images. Panorama View 3D is integrated in-map, independent from the phone's data connection. The Panorama View 3D feature will be available via an in-app purchase.

    There is a special Macworld promotion of the current version of MobileNavigator for US$69.99 and one time in-app purchase of Traffic Live for $19.99 (regularly $24.99) from February 5-15. All the new features except Panorama View are free updates for existing owners of the app. The Panorama View feature will be $9.99. All the new announced features are expected to be available this spring.

    Besides being available for the iPhone 3G and 3GS, the NAVIGON app also runs on the first-generation iPhone or an iPod touch. Additional accessories are required for GPS navigation on these devices.

    TUAWNavigon adds some unique features to GPS app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 06:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Found Footage: Charlie Rose hosts iPad chat club

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    In case you missed it last week, PBS top gab guy Charlie Rose (no relation) hosted a roundtable discussion about the latest product from Steve & co. on his show, featuring the NYT's David Carr, 'Uncle' Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal, and TechCrunch founder/would-be tablet impresario Michael Arrington. The segment is about 23 minutes long, but it's a good conversation.

    Mossberg described the iPad as "wicked fast" and praised the software's grace notes and sophistication, while noting that nobody has really succeeded at making a tablet that the market embraced wholeheartedly. Arrington said "Personally, I think people are going to love this." David Carr (who strongly evokes the actor Austin Pendleton for some reason) also compared the Apple tablet to the Kindle, with the Amazon device coming out unfavorably: "Mr. Jobs did say we stand on the shoulders of Amazon, and he was very professional and gracious about that, but he left that picture of the Kindle up there for two minutes... it looked like something Mennonites made 150 years ago." Ow.

    [via iPhoneSavior & TechCrunch]

    TUAWFound Footage: Charlie Rose hosts iPad chat club originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Tue, 09 Feb 2010 04:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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