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- Rumor Has It: The Case for iDVD's Future
Of course, it’s only a rumor, but the word among bloggers is that iDVD will not be included in iLife ’11 and will be replaced by a mystery app that has nothing to do with DVD authoring. Why is Apple giving up on easy to make home movies that were touted as a killer feature among modern PCs around 2003? Oh yeah, that was 7 years ago. The truth is, iDVD has been on its “last leg” since 2006.
A brief walk down memory lane and we’ll all remember iDVD 1.0 that was released in 2001 with very minimal features but as an easy way to take movies made in iMovie and dropped onto a DVD to share with friends and family. Even though broadband was available back then, sharing movies simply wasn’t commonplace and I’d give Apple quite a bit of credit for “iTools Theatre” which was a way to share quick 320×240 films with family via your free iTools account in various themes. Apple did a good job after the release of iDVD of showing how awesome it is to record, edit and share your memories with families.
Of course, this was before online video took over the web and long before you could shoot an HD movie on your iPhone, edit that movie and send to YouTube for the entire world to see. DVDs still hold an important place as a way to back up data and watch movies, but even Blu-Ray is taking over and DVD’s 4.7 GB capacity simply isn’t much space considering how cheap it is to buy a 500 GB USB hard drive. Taking this a step further, who needs hard drives when you have nearly limitless and cheap storage online where your only limiting factor would be Internet bandwidth to store files up in the cloud?
It seems that I’ve made my point. Bye iDVD.
Wait, that’s a bit premature, though. iDVD is still very important to some people but that’s not Apple’s style. Apple is
very quick to ditch technology and support for products long before the rest of the industry. Dell still has a $19 build to order option where you can include a floppy drive in your Dell Dimension whereas Apple stopped including an option for Floppy disks over 12 years ago. Apple abandoned serial, com ports and PS/2 in favor of a only supporting USB and Firewire and there are laptops shipping today that still include serial ports.
If you factor in Apple’s historic willingness to ditch products with usages in single-digit percentages and the fact that Apple has a monetary interest in everyone relying on digital means to share and consume media, it makes sense that they would do away with iDVD. But I think Apple should simply stop supporting it and make iDVD a free app on new Macs, an optional install on the iLife ’11 DVD and a free application available on Apple.com for anyone that wants it with an end of life date of some time in 2012. It can afford to stick one developer on it to maintain code and compatibility with new Macs and simply keep it around for a little bit longer.
iDVD still has a place on Macs.
How then will you get video content on a DVD once Apple stops supporting iDVD? Roxio Toast 10 Titanium and Final Cut Studio with DVD Studio Pro 4.
Roxio’s Toast has long been a trusted application for people who want a more powerful burning software for making copies of CDs/DVDs, backing up data or burning video DVDs and Blu-Ray. It’s a solid program that runs $99. Apple’s DVD Studio Pro 4 is a great program but is bundled with the $999 Final Cut Studio which is way beyond my Mom’s budget for putting a few clips from her Flip camera on a DVD. It looks like anyone who wants to make a video DVD the easy way is out of luck because I would vote that iDVD is a far better product for drag-and-drop DVD creation with cool transitions and one-click burning.
Apple doesn’t always know what’s best for us but it’ll probably highlight to anyone coming into an Apple Store that Roxio’s offering is a good alternative if the user has to have a way to make video DVDs. As many of you know, burning data to a DVD is built into Apple’s Finder, so it’s not like Apple is dropping support for burning of disks altogether, it’s just that iDVD won’t be included in iLife anymore.
In all honesty, this entire article is speculation based on a rumor that iDVD may not be included in iLife ’11 and I’m okay with that. I asked Twitter earlier and 15 people responded. Each one of them haven’t opened iDVD in years or they’ve used it just once. Killing off iDVD isn’t surprising to anyone and there are alternatives. This is just Apple’s way of nudging in the direction of cloud storage and cloud video sharing via YouTube and other sites which the majority of people are already doing.
Do you still use iDVD? How often? When is the last time you used it?
Переслать - How-To: Give Your Old iPhone New Life With Prepaid Data and Minutes
Got an old iPhone lying around? Some people may sell their old iPhone, or use it as a glorified iPod touch. Others will want to give it to a family member on a prepaid calling plan. Personally, I use mine as an emergency phone/Internet device. Here’s the how and why.
AT&T offers a contract-free, pay-as-you-go plan called the GoPhone, which works much like a calling card where you pay in advance for phone minutes as well as data. Currently you can buy a $100 calling card and the credit is good for a year. Other small denominations are available with shorter expiration dates.
Although AT&T doesn't officially support pay-as-you-go plans like GoPhone for the iPhone, you can buy a GoPhone, and simply take the SIM from the GoPhone (which is usually a cheap 'dumb' phone) and put it in your old iPhone. This will enable you to use the iPhone as a phone, but even if you add the GoPhone data plan, you can't use data on the old iPhone because the phone's internal settings are not set to allow this. I learned this the hard way.
Over-the-Air Provisioning
However, there is a workaround for this problem that can be done easily and without any jailbreaking or other "phone hacking." You can do this by taking advantage of a legitimate, built-in part of the iPhone OS called "over-the-air provisioning." Over-the-air provisioning allows you to change certain otherwise inaccessible phone settings (such as the data network).
You can use this process with an original iPhone, iPhone 3G or iPhone 3GS. According to the site, the process works with iPhone OS 2.x, 3.x, and 4.x. I tested it with an iPhone 3G running iPhone OS 3.1.3.
Here's how I enabled a GoPhone data plan with my iPhone 3G.
The Steps
Step 1: Open Safari on the iPhone that you wish to use with the GoPhone data plan and navigate to unlockit.co.nz and then tap "Continue"
Step 2: Tap the "Custom APN" button
Step 3: Select your carrier. You will see a pop-up menu with settings for carriers all over the world. Since you are using a GoPhone in the U.S., you will need to navigate down to "US – AT&T." Once you select AT&T, the other fields will automatically get filled in with the proper data.
Step 4: Tap the "Create Profile" button. This will generate your custom APN profile and download it to your phone.
Step 5: A screen will pop up on your phone informing you about the new profile and asking if you want to install it. Go ahead and tap "Install" and then "Replace" in the subsequent dialog
Step 6: You should see a "Profile Installed" screen. This means your new profile has been installed successfully
To test your data plan (note this will use some of your prepaid account), you’ll need to turn off Wi-Fi and confirm you are on the AT&T network (look for the the Edge or 3G text on the upper left corner of the screen). Launch Safari and navigate to a favorite web site. The initial connection time might take a few extra moments, but you should see the website load. If this doesn't work, you might need to reboot the phone for the new profile to fully take effect.
Returning your phone to previous settings is easy. Simply open the Settings app on the phone, tap "General" and scroll to the bottom. You will see a "Profile" setting which you can tap to view the details of the installed profile, and there is also a red "Remove" button which will allow you to delete the profile and return your phone's APN settings to the default.
As a side note, this same process works for other carriers around the world. While this tutorial is written for U.S. GoPhone users, if you are in another country with a SIM from another carrier, you should be able to use these same steps to change the APN for your non-AT&T carrier. However, your phone will have to be either already compatible with the carrier of your choice or unlocked.
Переслать - 5 iPad Apps for the Kiddos
What a difference just a few short years makes. I bought my now six-year-old daughter her first iMac when she was three, and now her brother, who is two, is getting proficient on the family iPad. In fact, it is my six-year-old who is teaching my two-year old how to use the iPad. Something she now wishes she had when she was little.
When and where I grew up, I would have been happy at the age of 10 to have more than one TV in the house, and more than five channels to choose from. While we now live in a more technologically advanced age of excessive choices, which of the thousands of iPad Apps does my two-year old enjoy the most? Apple has put up a useful Apps for Kids category, but I have found after purchasing quite a few apps off of this list, that my kids have gravitated toward a handful of favorites. Keep in mind that this list was comprised solely on observations of which Apps my two-year old prefers to play whenever the iPad is in his sight.
123 Color HD ($1.99)
This is a sort of ‘paint by numbers’ application for kids that teaches colors, shapes, and letters. At just two years, colors is the best place to start. The interface is configurable and you can select a smaller color palate that limits the choices to the handful of colors that even a two-year old is familiar with. There is a pallet of colors along the bottom of the screen, that one selects from to fill in the picture with. The app comes with a limited set of images to choose from, but enough images to hold the interest of a two-year old and their six-year-old teacher. There is an audible feedback that lets the young one know if they applied the correct or incorrect color. When the picture is fully colored in, a song plays to celebrate the completion of the task. To which I can say that the eyes of my two-year old light up as he exclaims quite proudly “I did it daddy, I did it!”
Cookie Doodle (99 cents)
In the category of shared fun, and without having to constantly buy more and more ingredients for an easy bake oven (which we do at our house), Shoe The Goose has made a fun app that kids can use to interact with other kids or adults. It is a simple concept: pick the dough, use a cookie cutter, put it in the oven, decorate and eat. With regular updates that keep adding more cookies, more shapes, and more decorations, this universal app for both the iPad and the iPhone continues to delight. At family get togethers my six-year-old makes her rounds taking orders and baking cookies for her aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins.
Wheels on the Bus ($1.99)
More like a traditional interactive pop up board book that won’t easily tear when a two-year old wants to play with it, this interactive App will sing to you in several different languages and instruments. You can even record your own rendition of the song to sing along. Like a pop up board book, the screen comes alive when touched.
The Cat in the Hat ($3.99)
What collection of Apps for Kids would be complete without including the works of Theodor Seuss Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss. Oceanhouse Media has done a great job at bringing several titles onto both the iPhone as well as the iPad. This universal app is a little more advanced than those from Duck Duck Moose as you can choose to have the book read to you, read it yourself, or auto play which will also advance the pages for you. Each page is beautifully illustrated and interactive in a way that only a touch screen can master. In read it to myself mode, if a word is difficult to read, just tap the text and it will be read to you.
Monkey Preschool Lunchbox (99 cents)
Moving away from board books and into the arena of puzzle games for kids, this app poses more of a mental challenge for two-year olds. Identifying color names and letters of the fruit that the monkey wants, finding hidden fruit in matching games for the monkeys lunch, and even counting the fruit that the monkey will have for lunch, this app is all about getting the monkey fed. Each child learns at a different pace, and this app allows one to select the style of learning for the child, while offering subtlety different variations on the same theme to advance the child forward at their pace.
Переслать - Holy Grails, Windmills, and Serious Writing On the iPad
Writing apps on the iPad have become a Holy Grail of sorts for me. I’ve tried them all. Serious Writing on the iPad, I felt, needed Serious Tools. All the apps did most of the things I felt were necessary. But that one true app eluded me. None of the apps did all the things I needed. They say admitting you have a problem is the first step, and so I admit to you: finding the perfect app was a windmill I was tilting at.
I solved this problem by defining for myself what Serious Writing was.
Back in my printing days, projects had three stages: pre-production, production, and post production. After mulling my quest over, I realized most of my writing falls into this as well. Pre-production is the point where you have your feet up on the window sill watching the birds and truthfully answer, “Why, yes, dear, I really am working. Why?” You don’t even need an iPad for this; pen and paper is probably the best choice anyway. Post production is where you get your writing into final form. You format it to meet your publisher’s requirements; get it into that godawful corporate template you loathe; or maybe drop it into a web-based CMS system for publishing. Most likely, the iPad isn’t ideal for this, either.
However, the production portion is where the iPad can come in quite handy. The production stage is where I feel Serious Writing happens: the act of simply putting one word after the other. I am a big fan of Merlin Mann’s Making the Clackity Noise article, and the iPad helps me make the noise.OK, before I go any further, I’m not for a minute suggesting an iPad is a suitable replacement for a laptop, desktop, typewriter or quill pen. However, I am finding the iPad is a decent balance of portability and functionality. While the debate over whether the iPad is a content creation or content consumption device will be everlasting, I’m willing to bet most of your every day writing can be done on an iPad. Working on that Executive Summary for your report on a crowded train? The iPad is great in cramped writing conditions. I’ve gotten work done in doctor’s offices, coffee shops, commuter trains, waiting for a conference session to start, and sometimes while I’m curled up on my comfy chair working while watching the Red Sox cough up a five run lead in the ninth inning. While at least 80 percent of my time spent with the iPad is consuming content, I love that I can keep current projects with me to work on when I need to.
That’s not to say it’s all beer and pretzels. The on-screen keyboard isn’t at all ideal. If I know I’m in for an extended writing session I’ll throw the Apple bluetooth keyboard in my bag. Getting files to and from the iPad is a needless pain. If your work requires heavy footnoting or citations, you’re pretty much hosed. I’ll often put the proper MLA citation in there, and link it to Endnote on OS X later. If I’m footnoting something on the iPad, I’ll cheat and put the whole footnote as a parenthetical (1 – Diet Coke tasted much better cold) and later in OS X Pages I’ll use the footnote command and paste the note in.
How exactly have I integrated the iPad to my work flow?
Outside of accepting the limitations of the platform, the big decision I made was deciding on a program I felt excelled at the “getting writing done” part of the process, and accepting the hassles of file transfers. After giving all them of more than careful consideration, I chose Pages to do my work. It doesn’t have parts I use a lot, like word counts, but I liked the writing interface (the file browser is kind of a mess) and felt it met my needs. Which is a nice way of saying it didn’t crash on me. To aid in file transfers, I just use the iWork.com beta since I also use Pages on OS X. While the other writing programs excelled at using cloud services, I felt they let me down when I wanted to get actual work done.
Nowadays, most of what I write passes through the iPad. The fiction projects I’m working on all have current versions on the iPad. This article was written predominately on the iPad, if for no other reason than to eat my own dog food. Sure, the post production stuff all happens off the iPad. This post was edited on WordPress in Firefox. A fiction manuscript will receive the proper editing and formatting in OS X. If I’ve kludged citation management on the iPad, I’ll fix it then.
The biggest reason I write on the iPad? It’s always with me. I want to have an excuse to write; not use a missing tool as an excuse not to write.
Переслать - Updated: Jailbreaking Your iPhone No Longer A Matter for the Copyright Police
UPDATED: Feel like jailbreaking your Apple iOS device? Fearful that Apple will set the law on you if you do? Fear not, because a decision just rendered by the U.S. Copyright Office now allows you to
legallyjailbreak your device for a number of purposes without violating Apple’s copyright. The alterations to the way the Digital Media Copyright Act (DMCA) are enforced are huge news for both Apple and Apple users alike.Not only is jailbreaking
now okayno longer a violation of copyright, but ripping DVDs and cracking video game or software encryption is allowable too, in certain special circumstances. It doesn’t exactly mean it’s open season for any and all piracy, but it does relax things quite a bit, and will probably make it much harder to prosecute those kinds of violations.The new rules designate six classes of work that are now exempt from prosecution under the DMCA. Here’s the categories, briefly explained:
- Movies on DVD, when used for educational, non-commercial purposes. Bypassing encryption on said videos is now legal. NewTeeVee has more on this portion of the rule changes.
- Applications that allow for the use of legally obtained software on platforms that otherwise wouldn’t allow it. For instance, jailbreaking iOS so you can run Backgrounder or Wi-Fi Sync.
- Applications that allow for the use of cellular devices on networks for which they weren’t originally designed. Case in point, unlocking an iPhone so that you can use it on
SprintT-Mobile instead of AT&T. - Video games can be cracked when the reason behind it is to promote, investigate or test for security of a computer, computer system or network.
- Hardware-dongle protected software for which the dongle is no longer available or is obsolete, rendering the software otherwise unusable.
- Enabling text-to-speech in ebooks which contain methods to prevent those read-aloud features, since, presumably this limits access by those with disabilities, though that isn’t specificly stated in the rule itself.
I’ve been leaning heavily towards jailbreaking my iPad, mainly because Apple seems not to be in a hurry to get iOS 4 on the device. This ruling pretty much cinches it for me, though I think I’ll do some more research about the effect it has on battery life before I commit. Anyone else motivated to jailbreak because of this news, or was the threat of legal action never much of a scare tactic to begin with?
Переслать - Back to School 2010 Buyer's Guide for iPod/iPhone Lovers
Our next installment in our Back to School guide is aimed at iPhone and iPod users. Check out some of our picks for must haves, cool gadgets, and more.
Mikey
Originally $79.99 (New Model Coming Soon), Blue Microphones
Even if your iPhone has a built-in mic, a good external mic like this one from Blue will help you record your lectures for later playback. This particular Mikey is coming later this summer, so keep an eye on it as the current model doesn't work well with the iPhone 4.
External Speaker Dock
$79.95, Apple Store
What better way to listen to those recorded notes or relax with some tunes than through a good pair of speakers? The Philips DS3000 speaker dock is one of many great options. This particular model features the ability to sync with your computer, provides an external line out and can also run off batteries for portable use.
Nike+ Sports Kit
$19.95 – $29.95, Apple Store
When you want to get away from hitting the books and enjoy a nice run, don't forget your Nike+. With Nike+ you can keep track of your pace, time and distance as you workout. Newer iPods and iPhones have the Nike+ receiver built-in, so you may just need the external sensor for your Nike+ shoes. Older devices are compatible if you get the Nike+ kit that includes a receiver.
iTunes U
Free, iTunes
Your university provides a wealth of content all around your campus, but you can take that experience further and explore the content from universities all over the world in iTunes U. Download lectures and other content from your field of study or use it to explore something totally new, like learning a new language. Best of all, it's totally free.
Belkin RockStar
$19.95, Apple Store
Studying in the library with your significant other is a little easier with a headphone splitter. A splitter is a great little adapter to carry with your iPod for those instances where you want to share what you're listening to with someone else. Most headphone splitters support splitting into two signals, but if you want to go to the extreme (or have multiple significant others), the Belkin RockStar supports splitting an audio signal five ways.
Evernote
Free ($4.99/month for Premium), App Store
If you haven't developed good study skills yet, you're about to be in for a shock. Use a service like Evernote to keep track of all the information you encounter. Tag it, sort it and pull it up when you need it. With the free iPhone app, you'll have access on the go. For more on Evernote, check out our article on it.
iStudiez Pro
$2.99, App Store
Taking organization even further, consider an app like iStudiez Pro (for both iPhone and iPad). Throw in your schedule, track assignments and deadlines with push notifications and even keep up with your grades with this useful little app. It’s universal, so the same app will also work well on your iPad.
Dictionary.com
Free, App Store
Expand your vocabulary with the free Dictionary.com app. It has a built-in thesaurus and even offers audio pronunciations of the words. Plus, if you're just looking up a word, you don't even need a connection to the net.
Facebook
Free, App Store
We all love our Facebook and the dedicated app is no exception. Recently updated to support the iPhone 4, the native Facebook app is a great way to keep up with all your friends when you’re on the go.
Graphing Calculator
Varies, App Store
Instead of investing upwards of $100 in a bulky graphing calculator, take a look at several of the dedicated iPhone apps that provide graphing calculator functionality. There are a number to choose from, ranging from free to just a few bucks.
This list represents a fraction of a growing number of great apps and accessories for students. If you have any that I've missed, feel free to share them with us in the comments. Also, be sure and check out Part 1 and Part 2 of our series and be on the watch for the last part, the Back to School Guide for iPad users coming soon.
Переслать - Back to School 2010 Buyer's Guide for Mac Lovers
For the next part of our Back to School 2010 Buyer's Guide, we're going to take a look at ten more great Mac-specific items for the college-bound student. If you missed part one, be sure and check it out.
Apple LED Cinema Display or LG 23″ Widescreen LED Display
$239 – $799, Apple Store & Best Buy
Since every Mac supports the use of at least two displays (either including the built-in display or as externals), increase your workspace and productivity by adding an extra one onto your Mac. My pick is the beautiful 24" LED LCD display by Apple, but if you're budget conscious, you can pick up a 23" LG display for under $300 at Best Buy. This display even features an HDMI input, which means it could double as your TV! Just make sure you have the right adapters. Apple's display connects via DisplayPort but most others will connect via DVI.
MobileMe
$99 ($69 with purchase of a new Mac), Apple Store
Apple has steadily rolled out improvements to their cloud service and for some, it offers a lot of value. As a student, you'll likely find the most value in the online iDisk storage and web-based access to email, calendars and contacts. Plus if you have an iPhone, you'll get push service to that as well. If you just bought a Mac recently but didn't get MobileMe, swing by a retail store with your receipt and you might be able to save $30.
Microsoft Office for Mac
$149.95, Apple Store
Love 'em or hate 'em, you'll be interacting with Word, Excel and PowerPoint a lot in college. The good news is, Microsoft offers an Office package with a price tag specifically designed for students. Sometimes, you can even pick it up cheaper at your on-campus bookstore. If you're not in a rush though, wait a few months. Office 2011 is just around the corner.
iWork
$79 ($71 with educational discount), Apple Store
If you really want to impress the prof, grab a copy of iWork. With the built-in templates (and a growing collection of third party templates available), you can deliver reports and presentations that look professionally designed. Plus if you have an iPad, with the mobile version of iWork you can sync your work and create, edit, publish and present on the go.
HP Photosmart e-All-in-One
$129.95, Apple Store
While ink cartridges are still a wasted investment, fortunately these days printers are fairly cheap. Now is a great time to pick up a new multi-function printer that can scan, copy and print. You'll save time and money by not having to use copiers and printers at your campus library! The HP Photosmart e-All-in-One is a great printer for everyday use and printing photos. You can even print to it directly with an SD card or wirelessly from your Mac!
MyBook 2TB External Hard Drive & SanDisk Flash Drives
Varies, Amazon.com
MobileMe gives you cloud storage, but sometimes you just need to move content around quickly or have a good backup of all your data. For the small jobs, you can pick up a 32GB SanDisk for under $65 or invest in a Western Digital MyBook 2TB external drive for under $200. The MyBook is great for Time Machine backups and it connects via FireWire 800 for fast transfer rates.
Magic Mouse
$69, Apple Store
Even if you love using a trackpad, an external mouse can be more comfortable for when you're using your Mac for extended periods of time. Apple's Magic Mouse supports multi-touch and connects via Bluetooth. Since Macs have supported Bluetooth for quite a while now, you can use this external mouse and not have to sacrifice a USB port for some unsightly adapter.
Pulse Smart Pen
$149.95 – $169.95, Apple Store
If you take a lot of notes and your professor doesn't like the idea of a Mac joining you in the classroom, the Pulse Smart Pen is a handy tool. As you write, it records audio of your lectures. Simply tap the portion of your notes to hear playback of the lecture that was given when you were originally writing them. If you've used EverNote before, the Pulse uses similar technology by making your handwritten notes searchable when you sync them back to your Mac.
Kensington Locks
$24.95 and up, Kensington.com
Unfortunately, while Macs are very nice, they are also very attractive to those who wish they could have their own. A simple Kensington Lock can help keep your Mac secure, either in your dorm or in the library when you get up to grab some more books. I recommend the combination lock as some of their traditional keyed locks use the same key.
Elgato EyeTV Hybrid
$149.95, Amazon.com
If you don't have an external display or a dedicated TV, you can still watch TV on your Mac. The EyeTV Hybrid contains a built-in tuner and you can use it to watch, capture and record live TV on your Mac. With the included software, you can even export the files and share them with others or take them on the go with your iPod or iPhone.
I know as a college student, budgets can be tight and so some of these items are great things to add to a holiday wish list, or to share with friends and family who still may be trying to find that perfect graduation gift for you. If that’s the case for you, use the links below to share this article with your family. Also, be on the watch for our guide for iPod/iPhone users and iPad users coming soon. If you have any specific suggestions for products to be included in those, use the comments below and share your ideas with us!
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