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- Best iPhone Apps for Your Media Center Mac
Are you running your Mac as a media center? Do you have an iPhone or iPod touch? If you answered yes to both of these questions, then there are a few apps you absolutely need to have to get set up in comfort and style. Wow your friends and mimic setups with dedicated hardware that cost up to three or four times as much. And take your media with you on the go, too.
The Essentials
Boxee Remote (Free)
Now, obviously, getting this app requires you to have Boxee set up on your Mac as a pre-requisite, but that’s a step you definitely should take if you’re going to be using your Mac as a media center machine. Boxee automatically organizes your existing media library and gives you convenient, TV-optimized navigation of not only your own files but also of web content from sites like YouTube, CollegeHumor, U.S. television network sites and Hulu.
The official remote app for the iPhone is free, and it works better than any other general use remote software I’ve come across. You get to choose between standard and gesture control modes, depending on your preference, and it automatically detects and connects to any Boxee installation running in your house without any issue. And using the iPhone’s keyboard to perform text entry commands means you can shelve the Bluetooth keyboard, too.
Air Mouse Pro ($1.99)
There are countless remote control applications for use with your Mac on your iPhone, but I still prefer Air Mouse Pro above all others. Recently introduced features like a battery indicator prove that the developers behind it are committed to offering continued support, and the list of extras you get beyond basic control functions is long indeed.
For instance, at any time shaking the iPhone will provide a full screen trackpad, either in profile or landscape mode. There’s a keyboard for data entry, and also a variety of other screens to make sure you’re never wanting for a button to press. It requires a server, but it sits innocuously in your menu bar, and doesn’t use almost any system resources.
Apple Remote (Free)
Apple’s original iTunes remote application is still the best way to manage your music collection when you’re listening by yourself or hosting a party. If you haven’t used the iTunes DJ functionality yet, invite a bunch of friends over for a music party just to test it out.
The Nice-To-Haves
Joypad ($1.99)
If you use your Mac for playing games like me, particularly classic emulated games, then you’ll want to pick up this handy little app. It only costs $1.99, and with it you get a fully functional gamepad with a classic NES button layout. I’ve got copies on my iPhone and iPod touch for two player action at no extra cost. You’ll need a server app to get it working, which can be confusing at first since the app launches without telling you anything about its desktop requirements.
Air Video ($2.99)
Air Video can do amazing things for your video files. Just set up the server, point it at folders that you want to have access to (ideally ones where you keep your videos, obviously) and you’ll be able to see them on your small screen wherever you happen to be. A data connection is required, but it works with both 3G and Wi-Fi connections.
Air Video also has the advantage of being able to convert incompatible video files on the fly, and even let you watch as you convert so long as you have an iDevice running iPhone OS 3.0 or later.
Long past is the time when your media center Mac was limited to the home. Thanks to the iPhone, iPod touch, and now the iPad, you can take your media with you in more ways than ever. Maximizing your living room experience is great, but being able to take that room on the road with you is way better.
iPhlix ($2.99)
Manage your Netflix queue from your iPhone. This app has always worked well, but until very recently it had one of the ugliest icons in the App Store, which is a huge deal for a design snob like myself. Get it now and use it in conjunction with Netflix on Boxee and you’ll be sailing.
I don’t know about you, but my Mac has quickly overshadowed my digital cable box as the centerpiece of my home entertainment system. Combine that with the convenience and portability of the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad and you’ve got a killer combination. It’s only a matter of time before that cable subscription gets canceled. Being able to watch episodes of the Dog Whisperer whenever I want on the National Geographic Channel is really the only thing preventing me from doing so already.
Переслать - Android Outselling iPhone? No Surprise There
The big news early this week about Apple isn’t the commencement of pre-order sales in nine international markets that happened Monday, it’s a report by the NPD group (via AllThingsD) that sees Android smartphones outselling Apple’s iPhone. The question is, why?
Sure, it’s a major milestone for the Android OS. According to NPD, which specializes in researching consumer data trends, Google grabbed 28 percent of the market in the first three months of this year, compared to only 21 percent for Apple. Both still fell behind BlackBerry, by the way, with RIM’s phones taking 36 percent.
So Android’s selling well, which is good for Google. But is this a sign of trouble for the future of Apple’s iPhone? I think not, and I’ll give you a few good reasons why.
Android is Promiscuous
Oh Android OS, what device won’t you appear on? Google’s operating system has the definitive advantage of being a product any hardware manufacturer can license for use on its smartphone devices. That means that Motorola, HTC, and Samsung are all making Android-powered devices. Google’s made licensing the Android OS so attractive to handset makers that it was pretty much bound to become the OS of choice, with users soured on Windows Mobile and Palm’s failed attempt at a comeback.
If Android is powering, let’s say, 15 devices currently available from all of the major U.S. carriers, and Apple’s iPhone OS is only powering one (or two if you count the 3G and the 3GS as distinct products), then it stands to reason that Google’s operating system would have the advantage in terms of market coverage. In fact, it’s a surprise that it isn’t doing better when you consider how far it’s extended its device offerings.
Apple is at the End of a Product Cycle
What has 2010 brought for Apple so far? Only one of the most successful product launches in history, for a device that basically created its own niche. Of course I’m talking about the iPad. The iPad was bound to steal some focus away from the iPhone, and may even have nabbed some dollars previously earmarked for Apple’s smartphone.
And even if the iPad isn’t significantly affecting iPhone sales, people by now are probably becoming more familiar with Apple’s yearly product cycle, which means that many more would likely be aware that a new version of the iPhone is almost certainly in the works and on track for a June/July release date. I know I’ve advised anyone who will listen to consider waiting until after WWDC before making an iPhone purchase, if they were considering one to begin with.
Where it Wants to Be
Apple’s smartphone OS market share dropped in the first quarter of 2010, that’s true. So did the market share of every other OS except for Android. Which means that as Android catches on with manufacturers, the market is adjusting and making room. Apple’s drop still hasn’t been nearly as steep as RIM’s, Palm’s or Windows Mobile’s.
The bottom line is that Apple is still very much where it wants to be. It doesn’t need to absolutely dominate the market to be successful, and its design, sales strategy and product lifecycle all emphasize consistent growth and stability over the kind of meteoric rise and resulting volatility Android leans toward with its licensed software approach.
Related GigaOM Pro Research: Who Owns Android's Future? Google — Or Apple?
Переслать - Mac Devs in the Running for an ADA After All
Looks like Mac Developers will be in the running for an ADA after all…ADA as in “Ars Design Award,” that is. Ars Technica is stepping up to fill the empty space left by Apple this year by hosting their own ADAs. Apple is only accepting nominations for iPhone OS apps this year, which left many developers discouraged at having to take a back seat.
Ars is taking nominations for Best New Mac OS X App, Best Mac OS X User Experience, Most Innovative Mac OS X App, Best Mac OS X App for Education, and Best Student-created Mac OS X App. The nominations will be narrowed down to the top five, of which the staff at Ars will choose the winners in each category.
Ars will also be giving a special “Readers Choice” award, selected by the number of votes each of the top 10 nominations receives. All winners will be announced in June during the WWDC.
Even though Apple sometimes leaves developers out in the cold, the great Mac community steps in to fill the gaps. Leaving the Mac OS X Apps out of this years WWDC shows Apple’s focus, but I expect the awards to be back next year to coincide with the release of OS X 10.7. Apple might be all about the mobile devices right now, but we know that the Mac is not going anywhere, and it’s good that we can take the time to recognize the developers who work so hard to bring us the best applications on any platform.
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