 |  TUAWTUAW http://www.tuaw.com рекомендовать друзьям >> |
- Building apps for big celebrities
Brothers John and Sam Shahidi are living the classic American dream. The pair developed RunPee, a small iPhone application that lets you find the right time to take a bathroom break during a movie. The app became so popular that the brothers founded a startup company called RockLive. They used their experience with RunPee to help sports celebrities develop their own iOS applications and social presence.
Their first client was Chad Ochocinco of the Cincinnati Bengals and they recently signed Mike Tyson. The brothers developed a free game, Mike Tyson Main Event, that's been downloaded almost one million times. During this time, RockLive has grown from two to 22 employees. The California company is still expanding and looking to attract clients outside the sports realm. So who is on their radar? Musicians, celebrity chefs and stay-at-home Moms, of course.
Building apps for big celebrities originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 27 May 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - Dear Aunt TUAW: Help me customize my ringtone
Dear Auntie,
Just got my first iPhone, but the ringtones stink! How do I take my super awesome Star Trek MIDI file and use it as a ringtone?
Hugs and snuggles,
JayW. in MN
Continue reading Dear Aunt TUAW: Help me customize my ringtone
Dear Aunt TUAW: Help me customize my ringtone originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 27 May 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - US Uncut group to target Apple with protests on June 4
If you see a group of people dancing in front of your local Apple store next weekend, don't be alarmed. Steve Jobs didn't make a surprise visit to the store and, no, Apple isn't launching another product. They are just protesters from the US Uncut group.
The grassroots movement is upset with corporate tax loopholes and has deciced to target the Cupertino company on June 4. They accuse Apple and other corporations like Pfizer of hiding US income as foreign income to avoid paying taxes. The group is calling on its members to protest with a flash mob-style dance-in outside Apple retail stores around the US. Read on for a video to find out why this group is so upset with Steve Jobs and company.
Continue reading US Uncut group to target Apple with protests on June 4
US Uncut group to target Apple with protests on June 4 originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 27 May 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - Cydle i30 is a digital TV receiver for iPhone
Can't get enough of watching the local TV stations? Cydle has a solution coming for your iPhone.
The soon-to-be-released Cydle i30 is a digital TV receiver "sled" for the iPhone. Featuring its own 1100 mAh battery, it'll snag that local PBS outlet, four Spanish-language stations, and three full-time religious channels that you just can't wait to watch. And yes, since your local network stations are required to broadcast their content not only over cable, but also through digital over-the-air broadcasts, you'll be able to watch just about any network show and enjoy all of the advertising as well.
The advantage of the Cydle i30 is that it doesn't require a Wi-Fi connection or use your precious 3G data plan bits, and many times digital TV is about the only way you're going to be able to watch local sporting events or soap operas on your iPhone. Cable network apps such as Comcast's Xfinity TV provide a lot of on-demand content to watch on your iPhone, but not much live TV. They're also dependent on a Wi-Fi network.
No price or expected ship date has been released for the i30.
Cydle i30 is a digital TV receiver for iPhone originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 27 May 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - Apple files trademark infringement against WhiteiPhone4Now website
Apple's legal team finally caught up with Fei Lam, the teenager from New York who was selling white iPhone 4 conversion kits, and filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against him.
Lam claimed to be getting white iPhone 4 parts directly from Foxconn and was reselling them on his website, whiteiphone4now.com, for US$279. He supposedly raked in over $130,000 from his endeavor until a "private investigator", thought to be hired by Apple, accused him of selling stolen goods.
The trademark lawsuit was filed and voluntarily dismissed in one motion suggesting Apple and Lam reached some type of settlement. Lam is likely out of business as the wording of the dismissal leaves the door open for Apple to refile the claim in the future.
Apple files trademark infringement against WhiteiPhone4Now website originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 27 May 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - Smartphones threaten TV advertising
Hollywood is afraid of online video streaming, but a recent study suggests their biggest threat is the smartphone. IPG Media Lab and YuMe looked at people's behaviors when they watched TV. They discovered participants had the TV on, but were not always actively engaged. About 94% of the study's 48 participants were distracted during the 30 minutes of watching. The smartphone was the biggest culprit and accounted for 60% of these distractions.
The researchers also compared DVRs with the smartphone and found that turning your head to look at your phone had a greater impact than fast forwarding through a commercial. This isn't rocket science. When you glance away, you miss the commercials on TV. When you zoom through the commercial, you get glimpses of the ad which still leaves an impression.
My own usage mirrors this study. When my phone chimes at a new tweet or an incoming email, I quickly turn away from the TV and see what just came in. TV advertisers have an uphill battle as this practice of checking my phone is so ingrained that it's almost automatic. The only way to stop it would be to devise a method to detect when the TV is on and disable my phone.
Smartphones threaten TV advertising originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 27 May 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - Apple invites Australian journalists to WWDC keynote
More evidence points to something big happening at WWDC 2011, as Apple has reportedly invited Australian journalists to the June 6 keynote.
iTechReport.com.au referenced a tweet from Australian technology editor Charlie Brown which mentioned his invitation to the WWDC keynote. Brown wrote:
"I think something big will be announced on June 6th in San Fran by #Apple. I have just been invited to attend the event."
Interestingly, that tweet has since been deleted. Earlier this week, Apple reportedly extended invitations to UK journalists as well.
Remember that this is a developer's conference, not a consumer trade show, so don't get your heart set on goodies. However, a little birdie has told us that Mac OS X Lion has begun internal testing at Apple, and could possibly be ready for WWDC.
Apple invites Australian journalists to WWDC keynote originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 27 May 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - TUAW's Daily iPhone App: Touchgrind BMX
Illusion Labs' Touchgrind was one of the first iPhone games I ever saw in action. Honestly, it wasn't very successful as a full game, but using the iPhone's multi-touch screen to control a fingerboard was fun. Now, Illusion Labs is bringing the brand back with Touchgrind BMX, a game that changes your mode of transportation to BMX bikes, and opens up the view a bit.
One of the big issues with Touchgrind was that, because the camera was top down, you had a hard time seeing exactly where you were going. Illusion has fixed this in Touchgrind BMX by moving to a more from-behind view, and setting the bike along a path rather than letting you freely explore. But you still control the bike with two fingers, flipping the handlebars around with one, and spinning the bike's body with the other. It still takes quite a bit of getting used to, but it's much friendlier than the original Touchgrind interface.
There are plenty of extras to find and explore, including goals and scoring medals and challenges, along with a nice replay mode that even lets you send videos off to YouTube and Facebook. There's no Game Center integration, strangely, which would have been nice for leaderboards and achievements. But if you're interested, the app is now available for US$4.99 on the iPhone.
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: Touchgrind BMX originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 27 May 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - EA puts iOS catalog on sale for Memorial Day
With another holiday comes another big EA app sale. Nearly every game in EA's iOS catalog is on sale for just a buck or two, so if you've been waiting to pick up any of EA's games cheaper than usual, head to the App Store and search for the ones you want. We'll call a few good deals out for you right here: NBA Jam for the iPhone is only US$0.99, as is Battlefield Bad Company 2 and Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. Over on the iPad, Reckless Racing HD is just a buck, and so are SimCity and Snood. If you want to spend a few dollars, Mr. Moneybags, Dead Space is just $2.99 on the iPhone, and the latest edition of Tiger Woods PGA Tour is the same price on the iPad.
These are all great deals and well worth the price if you've been waiting to pick any of them up. EA has an extraordinary amount of success with these iOS deals, so it's no surprise that nearly every time a holiday rolls around the prices on EA apps drop. Take advantage while you can, and in the meantime, have a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend.
EA puts iOS catalog on sale for Memorial Day originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 27 May 2011 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - Rumor: Apple testing MacBook Air with A5 processor
Japanese blog Mac Otakara claims sources have told them Apple is testing a MacBook Air with an A5 processor, the same CPU powering the iPad 2. While the machine performed "better than expected" according to their source, Mac Otakara says it's unclear whether this test machine was running Mac OS X or iOS. At any rate, the site claims this A5 variant MacBook Air has been created "just for experiment." Mac Otakara has been a reliable source of rumors in the past, having been one of the first sites to accurately depict the updated form factor of the iPad 2.
If Apple has indeed built such a device, it's unlikely the company intends to put it on the market. While the A5 processor is powerful enough under iOS, in terms of raw performance it pales in comparison to even the least powerful Intel chips. For example, the iPad 2's Geekbench score is around 720, while the lowest-rated MacBook Air processor scored over 2000. Benchmarks don't tell the whole story, of course, but they're a fairly reliable predictor of the general performance you can expect to get from a machine.
If Apple's experimenting with ARM processors in its laptop line, it's very unlikely that it's a simple matter of trying to run Mac OS X on the A5 and more likely that Apple is looking for ways to run iOS in a notebook form factor. This could be something as simple as a device that looks like a MacBook Air but has a touchscreen and runs iOS -- basically an iPad with an attached keyboard. Or Apple could have more ambitious plans in mind, with an A5 processor running as a sort of sidecar to a standard Intel CPU, with Mac OS X and iOS both capable of running on the same machine on their respective CPUs. Under such a scheme, iOS might run as a sort of "layer" atop Mac OS X -- rather like Dashboard does now, but more like Dashboard after a serious dose of growth serum.
From what we've seen of Mac OS X Lion thus far, it already looks as though Apple's looking at ways of merging OS X and iOS as far as the software's concerned. If Mac Otakara's sources are correct, it seems it's just a matter of time before the hardware follows.
Rumor: Apple testing MacBook Air with A5 processor originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 27 May 2011 06:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - Maps+ adds tracking and location-based alarms to Google Maps
Maps+, a new mapping app for the iPhone and iPad, has just been released. Developed by IZE, Maps+ uses Google Maps data, meaning you must have a data connection for it to work, but it adds a couple of interesting location-based features into a customizable interface that you can't get in the default iOS maps app.
GPS tracking has been added, meaning you can record your route, whether you're running, cycling, driving or walking. Sounds familiar, but this time it's opt-in. You can even import or export your recorded tracks to GPX for viewing on the desktop or in other apps.
Location-based alarms are also included, allowing you to set a reminder that's activated when you hit a certain location. That's handy if you're a bit forgetful and need more than just a timed alarm to jog your memory.
Maps+ also comes with most of the standard features found in Google Maps, including directions with route alternatives; standard, satellite, hybrid and even terrain maps from Google; and bookmarks and address-only search (no business search is included).
Maps+ is free to download, with a couple of features, such as pins, bookmarks and tracks, being limited by number. They can be unlocked via a US$2.99 in-app purchase. If the default Google Maps-based app is just a bit limited for you, then the free Maps+ is worth a look.
Maps+ adds tracking and location-based alarms to Google Maps originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 27 May 2011 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - Usability study finds many iPad apps still need to work on their UI
The Nielsen Norman Group did a usability study on iPad apps not long after the device's debut in 2010. A year later, they've done a followup study to see how things fare today.
While most apps have made big strides in overall usability in the year since the iPad's debut, many of the apps covered in the study still had suboptimal user interfaces that in many cases seem to sacrifice ease of use in favor of good looks. Overall, the biggest UI problem present in the studied apps was inconsistent or obscure navigation controls.
Nielsen Norman first encourages would-be app developers to ask themselves if their site or service needed an iPad app in the first place. "If your service requires substantial interaction, consider an app instead of a site," the Group says. However, a poorly-designed app will sabotage that increased interactivity potential.
Study participants were always successful in completing assigned tasks in Mobile Safari, but when asked to complete the same tasks in a standalone iPad app, participants failed to complete tasks a third of the time. Participants weren't iPad newbies either, having owned the device for a minimum of two months. This shows that many apps still have a long way to go in crafting a UI that's accessible and comprehensible to all users.
Read on to find out what the Nielsen Norman Group recommends for enhancing the usability of both iPad-optimized websites and iPad apps.
Continue reading Usability study finds many iPad apps still need to work on their UI
Usability study finds many iPad apps still need to work on their UI originally appeared on TUAW on Fri, 27 May 2011 02:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - More details emerge about Apple's iCloud music service
Businessweek cites sources who claim Apple's new digital music service, which many expect to be called iCloud, will quickly scan a user's iTunes library and mirror those songs on the cloud. Users will then be able to stream and listen to those songs on any devices. Interestingly, the sources say that if a user's song isn't encoded in an acceptable quality, Apple will replace the lower-quality song with one that is encoded at a higher quality.
No details of a cost for the service have emerged, but Businessweek speculates the iCloud service may be baked into the US$99 per year MobileMe fee. Apple could also offer monthly subscription plans for the service. An NPD analyst has even told Businessweek that he believes "We will come to a point in the not-so-distant future when we'll look back on the 99-cent download as anachronistic as cassette tapes or 8-tracks."
We know Apple has been actively working to get the big four record labels to license the service (a step that Amazon and Google both skipped), but beyond that, not many hard facts have surfaced. An online streaming service for iTunes has been a perennial rumor, but over the past few months, as more details have emerged, it's looking like the service may be a reality as early as June or July of this year.
More details emerge about Apple's iCloud music service originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 26 May 2011 23:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - Intel hints at option of custom chip foundry for big customers
Reuters is reporting that Intel "wouldn't blink" if given the chance to make custom chips for Apple's devices, like the iPhone and iPad. At an investor event in London on Thursday, Chief Financial Officer Stacy Smith told journalists that "there are certain customers that would be interesting to us and certain customers that wouldn't." Apple, unsurprisingly, is one of the first type of customer.
Currently the A4 and A5 chips found in iPhones and iPads are manufactured by Samsung, but reports have hinted that Apple may be moving away from Samsung and jumping to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. Ltd (TSMC) on a foundry basis. Given that Apple's A5 chip makes up a large portion of the $7.8 billion components contract Apple has with Samsung, it's no wonder that Intel would want to be a foundry chip maker for the Cupertino company.
As Smith told reporters, "If Apple or Sony came to us and said 'I want to do a product that involves your IA (Intel architecture) core and put some of my IP around it', I wouldn't blink. That would be fantastic business for us." She did also say that Intel would have to put more thought into considering being a foundry for custom chips that didn't involve an Intel architecture core: "Then you get into the middle ground of 'I don't want it to be a IA core, I want it to be my own custom-designed core,' and then you are only getting the manufacturing margin, (and) that would be a much more in-depth discussion and analysis."
[via MacRumors]
Intel hints at option of custom chip foundry for big customers originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 26 May 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - Sentinel 3 on sale for $0.99, $1.99 DLC update adds large number of features
The popular sci-fi tower defense game Sentinel 3 is on sale for only US$0.99 for a limited time. Normally $2.99, the sale price is in celebration of the release of a massive new downloadable campaign that is available as an in-app purchase for $1.99. The new 15-map campaign features 15 endless maps and 6 new classic maps, as well as a new commander unit, new weapons, new turrets and new enemies.
In addition to the new in-game features, Sentinel 3, which is a universal game for the iPhone, iPad and iPod touch has beefed up the iPad graphics with higher resolution background levels. The game's engine has also been completely revamped for much-improved gameplay. No word on how long Sentinel 3 will remain on sale, so if you're a fan of tower defense games, you might want to snap this one up quickly.
Sentinel 3 on sale for $0.99, $1.99 DLC update adds large number of features originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 26 May 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - Newer Technology's GripBase and GripStand an iPad dynamic duo
There are plenty of iPad cases on the market right now, as well as iPad stands by the droves. In that respect, the Newer Technology NuGuard GripStand (US$29.99, left in photo above) is nothing really new. But the handy iPad protective case / display stand / hand grip does have a unique quality -- with the purchase of the NuGuard GripBase ($19.99), the case can be transformed into a solid desktop workstation base or iPad kiosk.
Newer Technology sells the two products as a bundle for $39.99, perfect for those who are looking for a way to keep their iPads protected and close at hand both when mobile or seated at a desk. Read more for a look at how this protection system works, and be sure to browse the gallery below for photos of the GripStand and GripBase working together.
Continue reading Newer Technology's GripBase and GripStand an iPad dynamic duo
Newer Technology's GripBase and GripStand an iPad dynamic duo originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 26 May 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - Rumor: Lion near to going live
Trusted sources tell TUAW that OS X 10.7 Lion has gone live for internal Apple testing as recently as last week. An internal testing release generally indicates that Lion is near to a real world debut.
This suggests the new OS might possibly ship as early as WWDC with an "available today" mention at the keynote -- or it might not. But Lion is looking to be one step closer to availability for Apple customers.
Rumor: Lion near to going live originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 26 May 2011 18:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - Square's name, design influenced by a meeting at Apple
For a while now it's been known that the popular iPhone credit card payment system known as Square was originally known by a different name and had a very different look.
The familiar white plastic square-shaped plug-in dongle was originally made of wood and shaped like an acorn (no joke) and its name was "Squirrel." However, the current name and shape of the credit card reader we all know and love came about after Square CEO Jack Dorsey had a lunch at Apple's Caffé Macs.
On Wednesday night, according to TNW, Dorsey told the attendees of San Francisco's Commonwealth Club, where he was accepting the 21st Century Visionary award, that he was set on the "Squirrel" name until he was having lunch with Apple's senior vice president of iPhone Software Scott Forstall. Dorsey noticed that the point-of-sale system used in Caffé Macs was from Squirrel Systems so he had to change the name of his device.
While Dorsey didn't say Forstall had anything to do with the change of the dongle's shape, it's easy to assume that the Apple's SVP took one look at the wooden acorn and said "I have a better idea."
Square first launched in 2010 and just a few days ago announced that it has shipped 500,000 Square card readers and processed 1 million transactions in May to the tune of about US$3 million worth of mobile payments a day.
Square's name, design influenced by a meeting at Apple originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 26 May 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - Instagram gets an update to comments, autocomplete for usernames
The Burbn boys have released a new version of Instagram into the wild. Instagram 1.8 is the latest version of the iPhone-meets-Polaroid-Swinger-meets-Twitter social photography app, and it's available for an update on the App Store now.
What's changed? The app is somewhat faster and more reliable, but the big change is in how you can "like" a photo in your Instagram stream, interact with comments and enter usernames. First, photos can now be marked with "like" by double-tapping them. With that simple gesture and a big white heart icon appearing briefly (see image at right) for feedback, you know that you've just sent someone a big thumbs-up on their photographic effort.
In comments, you can now start mentioning someone by typing @ and the first few characters of someone's username, and Instagram will do its best to autocomplete the name. The Instagram comment feature also gained an interactive comment screen where all comments made on one of your photos are listed. With a swipe, you can now delete inappropriate comments.
As always, Instagram 1.8 is available to download for free on the App Store.
Instagram gets an update to comments, autocomplete for usernames originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 26 May 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - Umpire strikes out as Find My iPhone goes horribly wrong
Find My iPhone: helpful utility or breeder of social discord? You be the judge... or, in this case, the umpire.
In New Jersey, youth baseball umpire Carl Ippolito lost track of his iPhone and became convinced it had been stolen out of his car, reports the Hunterdon County Democrat. Ippolito used the FMi app on his son's phone to track down his device, and the service's location readout led him to the spot where he found 27-year-old Brent Johnson chatting on an iPhone.
The aggrieved Ippolito, assuming that Johnson was holding his iPhone, tried to talk to him about it. When Johnson moved to walk away, Ippolito grabbed him and punched him, cutting his chin.
Foul ball! Not only is it inappropriate to assault people, even if you think they stole your phone, but it turns out Ippolito's iPhone was at the snack shack at the nearby baseball field, in the spot where he accidentally left it -- Johnson was using his own, perfectly legal iPhone. Ippolito was later arrested on charges of assault and disorderly conduct.
The moral of the story? As we have said repeatedly before, confronting someone based on Find My iPhone tracking is Not. A. Good. Plan. If you think your phone's been stolen, call the cops -- not the brute squad.
Thanks to Charles for the tip.
Umpire strikes out as Find My iPhone goes horribly wrong originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 26 May 2011 17:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - Patent suit du jour involves videophone features, hits Apple and AT&T
For non-practicing entities -- companies that make a living purely out of holding patents and then licensing them to and/or suing companies that actually make things -- business is good (as usual). The latest NPE strike, reported by FOSS Patents, means that Apple, AT&T and US Cellular are getting hit with lawsuits saying the companies are infringing videophone patents.
The suit, filed by Visual Interactive Phone Concepts Inc. in a Michigan District Court, says the use of a "videophone interactive mailbox facility system and method of processing information" violates two patents.
The patents in question aren't very detailed, and seem to be more a vague method than an invention. The allegations claim that the 2 cellular companies and Apple services "act as a mailbox facility system." Well, OK then. Since the claim is so generic, it's likely other mobile phone OS and hardware vendors that include video calling functionality in their products will be sued as well.
VIPS Inc. previously reached settlements with the targets of patent suits in 1999 and 2007. We'll see how Apple and AT&T choose to respond, and whether they think the cost of litigation will outweigh the cost of simply biting the bullet and licensing these patents.
Patent suit du jour involves videophone features, hits Apple and AT&T originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 26 May 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - Senator Al Franken asks iOS developers to provide "clear and understandable privacy policies"
Following up on requests he made to Apple and Google in his hearing on mobile privacy earlier this month, US Senator Al Franken wrote a letter to the companies' respective CEOs asking them to require all software sold through the App Store and Android App Market to provide consumers with "clear and understandable privacy policies."
Franken conceded that most customers never read the legal notices packaged with apps or think to look for a privacy statement for each (or any) app they install. He added that privacy notices alone wouldn't address all of the senator's privacy concerns.
Even so, he observed that Apple and Google are market leaders capable of taking this "simple first step towards protecting [their] users' privacy." Requiring each app to transparently disclose what information it collects, how the data is used and who it is shared with would help attentive consumers, privacy advocates and federal authorities better understand how mobile software accesses and uses personal information.
The senator concluded by urging Apple and Google to, at a minimum, make privacy policies a strict requirement for all location aware applications, implying it would be more feasible to address his privacy concerns within a subset of all software offered through Apple and Google's app catalogs. After all, Franken's hearings followed a highly publicized bug in iOS that caused location data to be stored in an unencrypted file on the device. Apple fixed the bug in a recent software update.
Finally, Franken reminded Apple and Google of their commitments to protecting the privacy of their customers. "Apple and Google have each said time and again that they are committed to protecting users' privacy," Franken wrote. "This is an easy opportunity for your companies to put that commitment into action."
[via The Loop]
Senator Al Franken asks iOS developers to provide "clear and understandable privacy policies" originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 26 May 2011 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - TUAW's Daily Mac App: Colorize
We've featured selective color applications before on the Daily Mac App, and today we're going to take a quick look at another -- Colorize.
Colorize caters for the non-artists among us with almost idiot proof usability. To get started you simply drag-and-drop an image of your choosing and let Colorize desaturate it for you. You then re-saturate only the portions of the image you want to highlight using a paint brush-type tool.
You can vary the brush size using a slider, zoom in and out from the tool bar or using pinch-to-zoom, or switch between colorizing and 'uncolor' with nice large buttons on the toolbar. If you make a mistake you can hit the undo button, or save your image in its original size when you're done.
There's not much else to the app, which makes it incredibly simple and easy to use, but if you're looking for a boat load of advanced features, Colorize will disappoint. I also experienced an odd bug when testing the app, in that it wouldn't let me re-saturate the image at maximum zoom -- the brush tool simply didn't work -- but I'm sure that's a bug that can be easily fixed.
Colorize isn't the first selective color app in the Mac App Store, and it won't be the last. If you're a keen artist, then this isn't for you. But for those of us who can't afford Photoshop, or just want a quick and fun tool, this app will do the job.
Colorize is available for US$2.99 from the Mac App Store, but if you want slightly more functionality check out ColorWash, which we featured last week.
Original photo credit: Jonathan Gill
TUAW's Daily Mac App: Colorize originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 26 May 2011 15:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - Amazon says 'no MAS' with Mac Download Store
In the next effort to go toe-to-toe with Apple, Amazon took a swing at the Mac App Store and launched the Mac Download Store today. While its offerings aren't as robust as the Mac App Store, Amazon scored some big points by offering Mac software for download that Apple doesn't have -- namely Microsoft Office, QuickBooks and Roxio's Toast.
In a battle that has thus far involved Amazon launching a cloud music service first and pending court discussions over the question of what exactly is an "app store," Amazon is doing its best to wrestle a piece of the Mac-user pie for itself.
The Amazon downloads require OS X 10.5 and higher. Purchases can be downloaded an unlimited number of times and are stored in Amazon's Games and Software library.
[Via The Loop]
Amazon says 'no MAS' with Mac Download Store originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 26 May 2011 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - New York City Apple Store sued over alleged racial profiling incident
An Apple Store in New York City's Upper West Side has been sued by two customers after an alleged case of racial profiling. AppleInsider reports that two African-American men were told, in no uncertain terms, that they were not welcome in the store. The pair believes that their race was the deciding factor.
According to the plaintiffs, 34-year-old Brian Johnston and 25-year-old Nile Charles, an Apple Store employee told them, "You know the deal. And before you say I'm racially discriminating against you, let me stop you. I am discriminating against you. I don't want 'your kind' hanging out in the store." Johnston and Charles allegedly began recording the incident on their cell phones, prompting another employee to tell them to leave and to "consider me God."
The men also claim that when they addressed the store manager, he had store security call 911.
The incident allegedly took place on December 9 of last year at 3:20 PM, and the suit was filed last February. The plaintiffs are seeking monetary compensation for "emotional pain, suffering, inconvenience, loss of enjoyment of life and other non-pecuniary losses."
[hat tip Gothamist]
New York City Apple Store sued over alleged racial profiling incident originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 26 May 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - Sparrow 1.2 first look: A lot to like and a few minor gripes
As a convert from Mail.app to Sparrow (US$9.99), I naturally got a bit overexcited when I heard that version 1.2 of the Mac email app was going to be unveiled at TechCrunch Disrupt yesterday. After downloading and installing the latest version from the Mac App Store, I've got to say that I like some of the changes, while a few of the updates aren't making me as ecstatic.
The developers of Sparrow refer to Sparrow 1.2 as "the world's first social email client" and proudly display the Facebook icon in their marketing materials, but the integration with Facebook (below) is actually quite limited. First, you can add Facebook friends directly from Sparrow, eliminating the need to make a separate trip to Facebook to do that. The update also provides an option for users to link Sparrow to their Facebook account so that emails from friends display their Facebook avatars. Sparrow 1.2 also grabs images from Address Book and has support for Gravatar, providing a way to quickly identify incoming emails by sight. In his announcement at TechCrunch Disrupt, Sparrow co-founder Dom Leca noted that the company is working on integration with Twitter, LinkedIn and and Tumblr as well.
In theory, this is pretty cool. Seeing TUAW Editor-in-chief Victor Agreda, Jr. peering at me from my inbox is enough to get my attention. In practice, some of us get a ton of emails from individuals and corporations that we don't follow on Facebook and don't have Address Book entries for. That means that the inbox is cluttered with the default avatar image, which is a boring gray head on an even more boring light gray background. Fortunately, there's a preference setting for hiding those pictures.
Continue reading Sparrow 1.2 first look: A lot to like and a few minor gripes
Sparrow 1.2 first look: A lot to like and a few minor gripes originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 26 May 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - Apple in talks for Sarasota, Florida retail location
The Sarasota Herald-Tribune is reporting that the owner of the Westfield Southgate retail mall is attempting to lure an Apple Store to the Florida location, possibly by the end of 2011.
Mall owner Westfield Corp. cited the results of recent customer surveys, which indicated that visitors to the shopping haven wanted an Apple Store more than any other retail outlet. For Sarasota residents, having a local Apple Store would eliminate a 55-mile drive to either the Brandon Town Center or Tampa International Plaza stores, or further to the two stores in the vicinity of Naples, Florida.
As the newspaper notes, analysts maintain that the Sarasota area possesses "plentiful discretionary income." We can only hope that Apple retail officials decide to help Sarasota residents part with some of that income in exchange for shiny electronic goods.
Apple in talks for Sarasota, Florida retail location originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 26 May 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - Apple eyeing Samsung AMOLED display for the iPad 3
A report from the Korean Times suggests Apple is negotiating with Samsung about its AMOLED display technology. Apple reportedly wants to drop LCDs and use an AMOLED display in its next version of the iPad. Samsung is the primary manufacturer of AMOLED displays and uses this technology in its popular Galaxy S line of handsets. In the past, Samsung supplied these displays to HTC for use in the Nexus One, the DROID Incredible and the Desire.
Though they are now battling in court, Samsung and Apple have a close relationship. Apple is one of Samsung's largest customers and gets LCDs, NAND flash and A4/5 processors from the Korean company. Samsung recently introduced a 10.1-inch Pentile display with a 2560-x-1600 resolution. At 300dpi, it rivals the Retina Display currently used in the iPhone 4 and iPod touch. Instead of AMOLED, perhaps this new high-resolution display is the subject of these rumored discussions.
[Via 9to5Mac]
Apple eyeing Samsung AMOLED display for the iPad 3 originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 26 May 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - Building a homemade "iPad 3"
Some folks are talented and build interesting gadgets in their spare time. Take, for example, the man who spent two weeks building a white tablet he calls the iPad 3. He handpicked all the parts and assembled the device into a functioning tablet, complete with a stuck-on Apple logo.
Sadly, he chose Windows XP for the OS, which makes the logo and iPad 3 name seem a bit awkward. Like others before him, he filmed the project from start to finish and published it as a time-lapse video for the world to see. Geeky folks not put off by the Microsoft influence should read on and check out the video.
Continue reading Building a homemade "iPad 3"
Building a homemade "iPad 3" originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 26 May 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - Apple testing sunlight-friendly screens
If you've ever been surprised by a black or obscured screen on your iPhone or iPad when viewing the display through polarized sunglasses, then you're going to appreciate that Apple has filed a patent application (United States Patent 7911565) for improved displays that minimize the effect.
In the application, found by AppleInsider, Apple notes that existing liquid crystal displays (LCDs) utilize linear polarizers on their front surfaces. Polarized sunglasses work on the principle of only allowing light with a vertical polarization to make it through to your eyes. When you look at an LCD through polarized sunglasses at certain angles, you'll see a black or obscured display due to the additive effect of the two polarizers.
Apple hopes to minimize this effect by creating a display that emits circularly polarized light. This invention also allows for better outdoor viewing of LCDs, which could make using devices in bright sunlight less of a squint-inducing situation. As visible in the photos from the patent filing at the top of this post, a special film added to the LCD makes the display much brighter when viewed through sunglasses.
Although displays with the technology described in this patent application may never make it to future Apple products (and definitely not for your Memorial Day weekend fun on the beach), it's good to see that the company is looking for ways to improve the use of its products outdoors.
Apple testing sunlight-friendly screens originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 26 May 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - Upcoming MacDefender patch is not the first AV tweak to Mac OS X
This upcoming MacDefender patch is not the first time Apple has tweaked Mac OS X in response to a malware threat. Many people forgot that recent versions of OS X were designed with a built-in malware detection system. Mac OS X 10.4 and 10.5 Leopard had a validation system called File Quarantine. In Leopard, it triggered a warning dialog box when you opened a file that was downloaded from your browser, email client or iChat. OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard improved upon File Quarantine by adding a system to check files against known malware definitions. These definitions were stored in the XProtect.plist file.
Just last year, the 10.6.4 release of Snow Leopard contained a malware tweak to detect a backdoor Trojan horse. This fix was not mentioned in the OS X documentation, but security firm Sophos noticed a new entry in the XProtect.plist file for the Pinhead-B threat. This Trojan horse was distributed as a ripped copy of iPhoto. If you installed the fake program, hackers could use your Mac to send spam, take screenshots or snoop through your files.
Unlike the MacDefender threat, the iPhoto Trojan horse was dismissed by the Mac community. Infected people were pirating software and brought this upon themselves. MacDefender, though, is a whole new ballgame. People encounter it while innocently browsing the Web and are easily duped into believing the Apple Security Center is real. It's not the apocalypse, but it's definitely a wake up call.
Upcoming MacDefender patch is not the first AV tweak to Mac OS X originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 26 May 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - TUAW's Daily iPhone App: Parking Dash
I've posted about the "Dash" time management games before -- traditionally, they're just basically tap-and-wait titles that have you managing a diner or a spa. But Parking Dash, out today on iPhone, is the most involved one I've seen. The app still has a plucky female heroine (these apps tend to appeal to women, a fresh moneymaking audience on the App Store) working for more and more pay. This time, some parking-style puzzles make things more fun for hardcore players.
You're still just tapping and waiting, but now you're also tasked with parking colored cars, and combo-ing colors in various spaces can earn you lots of points, lending a little bit of strategy to the mix. I like it -- like the other Dash games, the gameplay is colorful and ramps well, and pulling cars in and out of their spots is a lot of fun.
I like the direction of these time management games -- originally, they were basically cheap repeats of popular PC titles (and there are certainly still plenty of those to go around -- Parking Dash itself originally started on the PC). But more and more, the games are being designed for the App Store and the iPhone's audience and UI, and I think the genre as a whole is improving because of it. Parking Dash is available now for US$2.99.
TUAW's Daily iPhone App: Parking Dash originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 26 May 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - Merriam-Webster Dictionary now available on iPad for free
You could argue that there's not much need for a separate dictionary app any more. With dictionary services built into nearly every interface and Google and Wikipedia searches just a tap away, it's not hard to find out what a word means or how it's spelled any more. But sometimes you may just want to browse around or look a word up for yourself, and for those times, there's the Merriam-Webster Dictionary app, which is now available on the iPad for free.
It's certainly not the only dictionary app available, and the renowned Oxford English Dictionary has its own edition available for the iPad already. But that one costs US$54.99, and the ad-supported Webster dictionary benefits not only from a lack of initial cost, but features like voice search, audio pronunciations, a search history and a browse mode that lets you search and learn new words as you like. It's a solid dictionary app from an old name in the word-indexing game, and even if you only use it occasionally, it's probably worth having around on your iPad.
Merriam-Webster Dictionary now available on iPad for free originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 26 May 2011 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - Minecraft iOS debut set for after Sony Xperia launch
Back in February we told you that the popular Mojang sandbox game Minecraft would be making its official debut on iOS later this year (there had previously been an unofficial Minecraft for iOS). While it's still on schedule to debut for iOS in 2011, today Gamasutra broke the news that Minecraft will launch on the Sony Xperia Play first before it comes to other Android and iOS devices.
Minecraft originally debuted in 2009 as a Java game and allowed players to build worlds out of colorful cubes. While most traditional video games have invisible walls or visible barriers that restrict where players can go, Minecraft is a sandbox game where players can roam anywhere in the game's world.
The Minecraft game released with the Sony Xperia Play will feature controls that work with the handset's physical joysticks, but future Android and iOS versions will only allow for control via touchscreen. There's no word on how similar the game will be to the desktop version, but a Mojang employee told Gamasutra, "When playing on smartphones you will have a different screen size compared to PC, different hardware, different attention spans, and thus the game needs to be customized to fit the mobile specifications." Currently there is no pricing available for the game and no firm release dates, although Mojang is expected to reveal more details at E3 in June.
Minecraft iOS debut set for after Sony Xperia launch originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 26 May 2011 06:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать - No more iSync in Lion
Hey, you remember iSync, right? You there, with the RAZR, you remember iSync? I remember using iSync to somewhat handily sync my contacts and calendars way back in the dark ages when phones had monochrome screens and most iPods had spinning plates inside them. Then, one day, it quit working and joined the long list of "applications time and Victor forgot."
Well, goodbye, iSync, we barely used ye. Lion users are telling us that iSync is nowhere to be found in Apple's next OS, along with FrontRow, Java runtime and Rosetta (as AppleInsider reported earlier this year). One wonders if a better solution will take its place (MobileMe?), or if Apple felt it was legacy cruft needing to go.
What's next on the chopping block, Grapher?
No more iSync in Lion originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 26 May 2011 05:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Source | Permalink | Email this | Comments
Переслать
 | Культура, Искусство, Арт - статьи и фото Лучшие статьи и фотографии по темам: Арт, Фотография, Дизайн, Архитектура, Интерьер, Мода, ХэндМейд, Кино, Литература и т. д. Присоединиться → |
| rss2email.ru |
| rss2email.ru | отписаться: http://www.rss2email.ru/unsubscribe.asp?c=6894&u=24004&r=484673635 управление подпиской: http://www.rss2email.ru/manage.asp партнерская программа: http://partner.rss2email.ru/?pid=1 |
