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- In a MacDefender world, practice constant vigilance
A week ago, I did my public service duties and linked the MacDefender protection and removal guide that Steve Sande wrote to my Facebook wall. Then I braced for the comments. Luckily, none of the taunts I expected about Macs now being subject to malware came to light. What I did get was general surprise that Mac users had to be aware of such a thing.
"I thought Macs couldn't get viruses and such," one commenter said.
Sadly, it's not the case any longer. As fast as we're educating people on how to fight MacDefender, and Apple is developing a patch to fight it, the malware is morphing and coming up with different methods of worming into your system -- including now being able to install sans password. It's a battle that Windows users have long grown tired of, but Mac users are still blinking their eyes and not quite believing that it's our turn.
Macworld published an excellent piece on what MacDefender really means to the Mac community. As Macworld says, even though this is the monster under the bed that Mac users have evaded until now, it doesn't mean a malware apocalypse is upon us.
Continue reading In a MacDefender world, practice constant vigilance
In a MacDefender world, practice constant vigilance originally appeared on TUAW on Thu, 26 May 2011 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - As seen at TechCrunch Disrupt New York 2011, part one
I took a stroll down the startup and "battle" aisles at TechCrunch Disrupt this week. The startups were largely focused on social media plays, though not to exclusion, and surprisingly not all of the had associated apps for mobile devices. That said, there were definitely some to keep an eye on. The "battle" aisle was for companies involved in Disrupt's daily battles, where companies with somewhat similar services duked it out on stage in front of a panel of judges. In some cases we'll have deeper reviews of the apps described below, so stay tuned.
Do@ - iOS app, free
This oddly named app is an ingenious new mobile search engine that was highly regarded at Disrupt. By using your social graph to influence results and pulling results from a variety of sites pertinent to what you're looking for, I was impressed with the overall relevance of searches.
For example, by searching "inception @movies" you are presented with web view pages around the movie inception. Pages from IMDB, Fandango, Wikipedia and more are shown clearly and you can swipe between them. If one of your friends happens to like Fandango, or if you happen to, it will show up before the others. A neat trick, although I'm anxious to see how it plays out in day to day use.
SpotOn - iOS app, free
Currently only available in New York, SpotOn is like FourSquare but influenced by your friends. It pulls in data from your social graph on Facebook and Foursquare and offers suggestions for things to do (places to see, where to eat and so on). Until it rolls out wider it'll be hard to gauge how useful this will be, but I do see the potential. Instead of having to go to Facebook and look at an event and scroll through attendees to see if your friends are attending, SpotOn saves time by showing you, say, an event going on nearby later that night that your friends are attending. It's everything Foursquare's guides could be, limited to your social circle and with a very direct purpose.
Spenz - iOS app, free
Similar to Mint, Spenz wants to show you what you've been spending your money on. Unlike Mint, the app doesn't pull info from a bunch of places, it asks you to input that data. Of course, there are bunches of apps like that in the store, but Spenz has some nice features built in that I've never seen before.
For example, Spenz will note that you go to Starbucks in the morning and input an amount for coffee. When you go to input how much you spend in the morning, the "coffee" tag will be further up top than it will be in the evening. Makes sense, right? There are several little touches like that baked in to the app, making it easier to enter your data than most of the budgeting apps you'll see out there.
Plus, Spenz has a website component, and every time you input your data it is pushed to the site where you can track your spending there. We'll have a deeper review later, as the Spenz founder let me in on some powerful features coming soon.
GameBuilder Studio - Mac app, currently in limited beta
I spoke to founder and CEO Lavon Woods about GameBuilder Studio as it reminded me of ColdStone, an abandoned Mac OS game-builder application from many years ago. GameBuilder, when publicly available, will produce games across a variety of platforms (yes, Mac and iOS) and runs on Mac, Windows and Linux machines. It isn't Unity, however. These games are two-dimensional, but I was impressed with the interface and workflow.
GameBuilder will build side scrollers, isometric games and more, but again, in 2D. Woods told me the studio will be free to download, but there will be licensing for developers who wish to deploy their games, with the cost varying. We'll check in when this is publicly available and report back, but the game design geek in me liked what he saw.
Tomorrow I'll have another roundup of startups seen at Disrupt.
As seen at TechCrunch Disrupt New York 2011, part one originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 25 May 2011 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Guitar solo on iPad shreds
At first I kind of made fun of GarageBand on the iPad because I never thought anyone could make truly compelling music on a touch device. That's all changed after I saw Cult of Mac point out George Lambro's guitar solo on the iPad. I'll let the music speak for itself, but I will say this is how the iPad becomes "magical," as Apple likes to put it. It's not so much what the device can do, but what people can do with the device.
See the video on the next page.
Continue reading Guitar solo on iPad shreds
Guitar solo on iPad shreds originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 25 May 2011 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - AAPL's top owners have cashed in some stock recently
Fortune's Apple 2.0 blog has an interesting tidbit about Apple's stock lately. A blogger who calls himself Sammy the Walrus IV has been poking around into AAPL records, and has found out that several of Apple's top shareholders have sold some of the stock recently.
There's nothing shocking here (nothing outside of the usual buy and sell on the stock exchange), but the numbers are interesting, with firms like Janus Capital and Capital Research investing back into AAPL for over a billion dollars each. Four of the top 10 holders of Apple shares have sold off some this past quarter, including Goldman Sachs, who got rid of 61% of its shares, and these same top 10 holders basically determine the fate of AAPL, as they own around 25% of the company as a whole.
Again, these are all routine sales, and as you can see from the chart above, there's still plenty of AAPL buying going on (and we'll even state the obvious: this post should not be considered financial advice). But it's an interesting overview of some of the core firms and shareholders behind the movements of AAPL lately.
AAPL's top owners have cashed in some stock recently originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 25 May 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Pioneer announces iOS-integrated AppRadio receiver
Last month we told you about a Pioneer filing with the FCC that revealed something called the AppRadio. Today, Pioneer has officially showed off just what the AppRadio is -- an iOS-integrated car receiver that hooks up to your iPhone or iPod touch. AppRadio features a 800 x 400 6.1-inch multitouch capacitive display that allows the user to easily navigate and interact with not only the media on your iOS device, but your apps as well.
The receiver features built-in Bluetooth and GPS, an AM/FM radio, and a video input that can be used with an optional rear view camera. The receiver can also take advantage of iOS's Google Maps app. Pioneer is opening its AppRadio to developers, allowing them to design their apps to work in conjunction with the receiver. No apps will be stored on the receiver -- everything is done through apps on your iPhone or iPod touch -- but developers will be able to build in AppRadio support directly to their apps.
Right now four app developers have partnered with Pioneer including Motion-X GPS Drive, Pandora Internet Radio, Rdio streaming music, and Inrix Traffic and, as CNET points out, those apps sport AppRadio features in addition to iOS features, allowing for sending information to and from the car's touchscreen and speakers. Some features aren't available through the touchscreen, however, because Pioneer is trying to keep interactions as safe as possible.
No word yet on the pricing, although Pioneer is saying AppRadio should sell for "below $500" when it goes on sale June 22.
Pioneer announces iOS-integrated AppRadio receiver originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 25 May 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - iPad 2 coming to Russia, Ukraine, Chile, and Brazil on May 27
Earlier today we told you about the iPhone 4 launching in India on May 27th. Now Apple's iPad 2 is set to make a splash in new markets as well. As noted by 9to5 Mac, the iPad 2 is set to go on sale in Russia, Ukraine, Chile and Brazil this Friday.
Our Russian readers will be able to pick up Apple's latest tablet at a host of stores, including MediaMarkt, Beliy Veter Cifrovoi, M.Video, ION, Technosila, Eldorado, z-Store and Re:Store. As is sadly usually the case, the iPad 2 will be much more expensive in Russia than it is in the US or Europe. The 16 GB Wi-Fi version starts at 18,990 rubles, or US$667, while the 64 GB 3G version comes in at a whopping 30,990 rubles, or $1,088.
Not much information is available at this time as to what the cost will be and what resellers will have the iPad 2 in Brazil, but in Chile the iPad 2 will be sold at retailer Ripley.cl and in Ukraine it will be sold at the retailers iStore, Moyo, Comfy and Foxtrot. Ukrainian prices will be as high as Russian ones with the 16 GB Wi-Fi version costing the equivalent of US$670 and the 64 GB 3G version the equivalent of US$1100.
iPad 2 coming to Russia, Ukraine, Chile, and Brazil on May 27 originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 25 May 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Behind the scenes on Verizon's big deal with Apple for the iPhone
TechnoBuffalo's Adriana Lee has an interesting writeup that claims to go behind the scenes on Verizon's big deal with Apple to finally sell the iPhone on a second network earlier this year. Unfortunately, this information comes from an unnamed source, so we can't exactly vouch for its veracity. But it's an interesting tale anyway of what the Verizon deal may have been like.
Apparently security was tight -- only those who needed to know about the deal did so officially beforehand (though, honestly, we'd heard rumor after rumor about it for a long time). And actual handsets were closely guarded, with owners being required to routinely put a special code in to guarantee things hadn't leaked out.
The post also talks about the mood at CES about the "VPhone." I was at CES this year, and I can at least agree to the authenticity of that part -- the buzz around the press rooms and show floor was that it was pretty silly that Verizon was still playing dumb about an iPhone release, and when the invites finally appeared in the middle of the busiest tech show of the year, the response was more a sigh than anything. "Really?," we all asked. "Now?"
Of course, that release plan worked out just fine anyway. The launch turned out to be more than a solid effort, and while lots of the buzz was undoubtedly due to the actual iPhone itself, Verizon seemed to handle things well on its side also.
Thanks, Sean!
Behind the scenes on Verizon's big deal with Apple for the iPhone originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 25 May 2011 17:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - TUAW TV Live: A trio of guests, a lot of topics
Today on TUAW TV Live I'll be moderating a fun discussion with three different guests -- not all at once, but separately so that we can have a nice orderly talk about the subjects that our guests have suggested. I already have my lineup of potential TUAW stars for today, but if you missed your chance today, I'm sure we'll be doing this again in the near future.
From your Mac or PC, go to the next page by clicking the Read More link at the bottom of this post, and you'll find a livestream viewer and a chat tool. The chat tool allows you to participate by asking questions or making comments.
If you're driving somewhere and would like to watch TUAW TV Live while you're stuck in traffic, please don't -- keep your eyes on the road! However, if someone else is doing the driving, you can watch the show on your iPhone and join the chat by downloading the free Ustream Viewing Application. If you're on an iPad, you should be able to use the Skyfire Browser to watch the stream, although you will not be able to participate in the chat.
We'll start at about 5 PM ET, so if you're seeing a prerecorded show, be sure to refresh your browser until you see the live stream. For those of you who are not able to join us for the live edition, you'll be able to view it later this evening on our TUAW Video YouTube channel and as part of the new TUAW TV Live podcast viewable in iTunes or on any of your Apple devices.
Continue reading TUAW TV Live: A trio of guests, a lot of topics
TUAW TV Live: A trio of guests, a lot of topics originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 25 May 2011 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - iPhone: What is DFU mode, and what's the difference from recovery mode?
In the past couple of days, we've seen reports here and there of iPhones getting stuck in a restart loop. The black screen with the Apple logo shows up, holds for a while, and then disappears again; repeat ad infinitum. While it's not clear yet exactly what's triggering the issue (the complainants suspect that it may be a recent application update to blame), there is a tried and true way to get your iPhone, iPod touch, iPad or older iPod back to square one: either use recovery mode or do a DFU restore.
As OS X Daily explained, DFU (Device Firmware Update) mode is a means to getting your iPhone to interface with iTunes without iTunes automatically loading the latest version of iOS onto it (it skips the iBoot bootloader, for jailbreak aficionados). Differing from recovery mode -- where iTunes restores your iPhone to its original factory settings but with the latest iOS and firmware -- DFU mode allows you to change and choose the firmware you want to install onto your iPhone. For instance, you would use DFU mode if you want to install a previous version of iOS, jailbreak your iPhone or unlock your SIM. If (for whatever reason) standard recovery isn't working for you to get your device back to working condition, DFU may help you out.
Remember, if you restore your phone in any fashion (via the iTunes 'Restore' button, recovery mode or DFU) you will lose any modifications made to unsynced content or in-app data since your last iTunes sync (game states, voice memos, notes etc.). Be cautious.
So, here's the basic info on how to enter DFU mode (and it works for your iPod touch, too). Instructions may vary slightly by year or model; if these steps do not work, check YouTube's extensive library of how-to demonstrations).
- Connect your iPhone to your computer via USB and launch iTunes.
- Now turn your iPhone off. Hold down the sleep / power button at the top right of your iPhone, then slide your finger across the "slide to power off" button on your iPhone's screen. (If it won't turn off, press Home and Sleep/Power until the screen goes dark, then release.)
- Once your iPhone is off, hold down both the sleep / power button as well as the home button for 10 seconds. Once 10 seconds has elapsed, release the sleep / power button on your iPhone, but continue to hold the home button until the the above message has appeared in iTunes telling you that your iPhone has been detected in recovery mode. (If you just want to go to recovery mode, skip the 10-second hold on both buttons and simply connect the phone while holding down Home, then wait for 'Connect to iTunes' screen on the phone.)
- Click OK. You're now in DFU mode.
It's pretty straight forward, but if you see the Apple logo or the "connect to iTunes" screen on your iPhone, you're not in DFU mode. DFU leaves the screen of the iPhone
completely blackturned off.To exit DFU mode, simply hold down the sleep / power button and the home button together until your iPhone disappears from the device list in iTunes, then turn on the iPhone as normal.
Again, for most purposes (save jailbreaking) there's no practical difference between DFU and a regular restore, except and unless you're in a situation where your phone won't go into restore mode normally. Restore with care!
iPhone: What is DFU mode, and what's the difference from recovery mode? originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 25 May 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - TomTom GPS app offers good maps, terrible interface
A while back, I posted about some of my ongoing issues with iPhone navigation powerhouse Navigon, which has been my primary nav app. After that post went live, Navigon immediately contacted me to see how they could improve their product, asking for specific details of the intersections where navigation failed and I was directed in circles. I was also contacted by TomTom, who asked me to give their product a try.
A few weeks later, I've got to say that I'm pretty much ready to go back to Navigon. TomTom is a good product with a weak interface that gets the job done -- but when it comes down to the details of how well it integrates into my driving, Navigon is the winner for me. I say this even though Navigon's software sometimes sends me driving in circles. Navigon also has its share of GUI limitations and other quirks.
Continue reading TomTom GPS app offers good maps, terrible interface
TomTom GPS app offers good maps, terrible interface originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 25 May 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - TUAW's Daily Mac App: Disk Alarm
On today's portable Macs, especially those packing SSDs, storage space can be somewhat limited. It can be pretty easy to fill up all available space with a few large downloads, rendering your computer starved of space and creaking under the strain. Problem is, unless you watch your HDD space like a hawk, there aren't many visual cues as to when you're running low on space, and that's what Disk Alarm aims to put right.
Disk Alarm does one thing; it checks the amount of free space you have on your main drive and alerts you when you get below a user-definable threshold. It's nice and simple -- you adjust one slider to set the threshold and one to set the check interval.
You can get Disk Alarm to play an audible alert along with a warning when your disk gets low, but it'll also show how much free space you have in your menu bar for at-a-glance reassurance. The application used to be able to hide up into the menu bar when you closed the settings window, but as of a recent update, Apple blocked the version that had that ability. Hopefully the developer can find some way around Apple's odd blockade, but in the meantime, Cmd+W will close just the window and leave the menu bar icon.
Disk Alarm is available for US$3.99 from the Mac App Store, and should save you time and heartache the next time you run out of space. If you've got any good experiences or favorite alternatives to Disk Alarm, sound off in the comments.
TUAW's Daily Mac App: Disk Alarm originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 25 May 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Catalog Spree and Catalogue for iPad: Shopping at your fingertips
It's no surprise, as the iPad is gradually subbing in for print media such as books, magazines and newspapers, to see it filling another paper-centric role: the mail bin full of glossy catalogs from mail-order retail operations. Shoppers who love the experience of viewing products page by page will be happy with both Catalog Spree and The Find's app Catalogue.
These iPad apps may fulfill one of my lifelong desires -- to open my mailbox and not find a stack of printed catalogs in it that are bound for the recycling pile. Catalogue (the app) is an attractive and easy to use compendium of many major mail order catalogs in digital form. If you're on the mailing list for Williams-Sonoma, Crate & Barrel, Sephora, Sur La Table, Gander Mountain, Sierra Trading Post, Saks Fifth Avenue, eBags, Urban Outfitters, and about 25 more stores, you're going to love Catalogue.
Catalog Spree has a smaller selection of retailers (Nordstrom is the big kahuna, with Artful Home, NapaStyle, SeaBear, Made in Washington & several others lined up), but it has some features that Catalogue doesn't offer yet (Facebook/email sharing, per-catalog favorites, catalog subscriptions); from a UI perspective, it hews more closely to the style of the source catalogs (including the copy and page layouts) vs. Catalogue's Flipboard-esque product scroll. It is missing one big feature of Catalogue, which I'll get to in a moment.
Let's hope that these retailers offer a way to stop getting their printed catalogs and save a few trees in the process. Read on for more details and check out the galleries below for some images of Catalogue and Catalog Spree in action.
Continue reading Catalog Spree and Catalogue for iPad: Shopping at your fingertips
Catalog Spree and Catalogue for iPad: Shopping at your fingertips originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 25 May 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Roundup of Kickstarter Apple-related projects for 5/25
For many tech startups, Kickstarter is a great way to raise funding to get a new company off the ground. Each week, TUAW takes a close look at recent Apple-related Kickstarter projects for those of you interested in supporting one of the many entrepreneurs who are waiting to bring the next big thing to market. Send us information about your Kickstarter project by using the tips and feedback link at the top of this page, and include the word "Kickstarter" in the subject line.
Trubador: Hands-free iPad case
I don't know about you, but I sometimes feel like everyone in the world has an iPad case project going on. However, there are some good ones out there, like the Trubador. It's primarily targeted at musicians who need a way to hold an iPad as if it were a musical instrument. There's a shoulder strap that works to keep your iPad positioned so that you can concentrate on playing GarageBand or other instruments with both hands.
Trubador could be helpful in other markets as well; the entrepreneurs behind the project cite salespeople, convention workers and reporters as potential buyers. The project is relatively new, with 67 days to go to raise $15,000. At this time, the project has a good start with 28 backers and $1,032 pledged.
Check out the video demo of the Trubador in action below, and read more to see what other projects are hot or not this week.
Continue reading Roundup of Kickstarter Apple-related projects for 5/25
Roundup of Kickstarter Apple-related projects for 5/25 originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 25 May 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Twelve South introduces BookBook for Macbook Air
Twelve South, proud maker of nifty Apple-only accessories, has added the MacBook Air to its BookBook line up of vintage-looking protective cases, alongside the BookBook for MacBook Pro and iPad.
The BookBook for Air is designed to fit your MacBook Air perfectly. While transforming your laptop into the guise of an old, hand distressed, genuine-leather bound book that not many would think was worth stealing, the BookBook offers formidable protection from the surrounding environment, too. Your MacBook Air is surrounded by two hardback covers, reinforced corners and a sturdy spine as well as padded protection on the interior. The BookBook for Air isn't all that much thicker than the device itself, so it won't bloat the ultra-thin profile you've come to love about your MacBook Air. Weighing only 13.5 ounces, it won't add to your burden.
The BookBook for Air is available to order now for US$79.99
We've previously covered some of Twelve South's other accessories (MagicWand, BookBook for iPad and MacBook Pro, Compass, BookArc, SurfacePad and BassJump subwoofer), and we've been delighted with what we've seen. We're sure to expect the same from the BookBook for Air.
If you pick one up, let us know what you think.
Twelve South introduces BookBook for Macbook Air originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 25 May 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - TUAW TV Live at 5 PM EDT: Audience participation day
Today on TUAW TV Live, I'm going to do something a little different. While I'll still have some demos and new products to go over at the beginning of the show, I'm going to open TUAW TV Live up for some of our viewers to join in and talk about anything Apple.
All you need is Skype on a Mac or PC, or FaceTime on a Mac, iPad, iPod touch or iPhone. Why? You're going to be on-screen during the show (makeup is not required).
If you're interested in joining in on the show, send an email to tuawsteve at gmail dot com with the following information:
o. Your name
o. Your Skype handle or FaceTime contact information
o. The topic you'd like to discuss on-airI'll contact you if you're going to be one of the participants. You'll need to be available between 5 and 6 PM EDT today.
I'll pick a handful of viewers from the submissions for today's show, but don't worry if you're not chosen -- there are plenty of opportunities for you to be on the show in the future. As usual, I'll be starting the show at 5 PM EDT (2 PM PDT / 10 PM BST) sharp.
To join in on the chat and watch the live streaming video, drop by TUAW about five minutes before the start time to get your instructions on how to participate. If you're unable to join us for the show, remember that you can always subscribe to the video podcast and watch the show at your leisure in iTunes or another favorite podcatching app.
TUAW TV Live at 5 PM EDT: Audience participation day originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 25 May 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - China urges Foxconn to ensure worker safety
It's been another rough week for Foxconn, Apple's biggest manufacturing partner. After an explosion at a Foxconn factory killed three workers last Friday, the Chinese government urged the manufacturer and other Taiwanese companies to better ensure the safety of their employees.
"We hope Foxconn and other Taiwanese firms can learn lessons from this, carry out safety responsibilities, step up internal oversight, stamp out potential safety risks in a timely manner, and ensure safe production," Fan Liqing, a spokeswoman for China's Taiwan Affairs Office, said on Wednesday.
Friday's deadly explosion rocked a Foxconn polishing workshop in Chengdu, a city in southwest China, where workers put the finishing touches on electronic products for many of the world's largest brands, including Apple. Immediately after the blast, the local government began rescue efforts and an investigation into its cause. So far, investigators believe the explosion was the result of a "production safety accident," according to Fan, who didn't go into further details about the cause of the incident. Previous reports suggest that combustible dust in the polishing workshop ignited to fuel the blast.
In response to the incident, Foxconn has temporarily suspended operations at all of its workshops that polish electronics in China and, according to Fan, the manufacturer pledged to "make an all out effort" to treat the injured workers, reassure the families of their employees, and remove hidden safety risks "in accordance with relevant requirements."
Continue reading China urges Foxconn to ensure worker safety
China urges Foxconn to ensure worker safety originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 25 May 2011 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Sparrow announces new features at TechCrunch Disrupt
Update 6:45 PM EST: Version 1.2 of Sparrow is now available in the Mac App Store. Full list of what's new is here.
Moments ago, Dom Leca of Sparrow took the stage at TechCrunch Disrupt in New York and announced a few new features for Sparrow -- a powerful and elegant email client. They also gave us a few details on the financials for the company.
Starting with a team of 4, the company raised $250,000 and as of today have made $500,000 in revenue. Not bad!
New features for Sparrow include some Tumblr integration, but most interesting to me is the Facebook messaging integration.
If you are using your @facebook email,you will be able to access profile images in Sparrow using Facebook Connect. Further, emails from Facebook will show the profile pic for that contact. Very nice.Sparrow promises some future Twitter and LinkedIn integration. Clearly, Sparrow isn't just a Gmail client, it is becoming a powerful messaging and context platform in itself.
A Sparrow update should be available tonight or tomorrow on the Mac App Store, Leca said. Check our Facebook page tomorrow for some free copies of Sparrow courtesy of AppSumo.
Update: Dom didn't mention it onstage, but told me on Monday that the new Sparrow introduces a Unified Inbox as well as some features detailed on this TechCrunch post. Hurray!
Update 2: Corrected a mistake regarding @facebook emails. It does NOT support this, but allows you to use Facebook Connect instead. Sorry for the error.
Sparrow announces new features at TechCrunch Disrupt originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 25 May 2011 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - China Unicom offers $10 monthly iPhone plan amid stiff competition
China Unicom is trying to grab additional customers before its exclusivity with the iPhone ends. The wireless carrier is kicking off a new promotion that drops the price on its lowest iPhone plan to a rock bottom 66 yuan (US$10) a month.
Right now, its larger rivals China Mobile and China Telecom do not sell the iPhone with a service contract, but may do so in the near future. Both carriers are rumored to be in talks with Apple to bring the iPhone to their respective networks.
There is little doubt that Apple would like to get the iPhone into the hands of as many people as possible, especially in China where over 900 million people use a mobile phone. Quarterly results also show iPhone sales are exploding in this Asian-Pacific region, and Apple surely wants to capitalize on its early success.
China Unicom offers $10 monthly iPhone plan amid stiff competition originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 25 May 2011 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Macworld Australia confirms future Apple Store
Australia may be home to several new Apple retail stores this year. The latest Apple retail store was spotted in Melbourne's Westfield Southland Mall. According to Macworld Australia, construction is beginning on the retail storefront, and the store will be ready for sales later this year. Apple has not commented on this expansion, but a Westfield employee confirmed off the record that Apple is behind these renovations.
Apple is also opening a larger, flagship store in the Crown Casino area of Melbourne and is hiring staff to fill new retail positions in or around Melbourne. Apple already operates 10 retail stores in Australia and may be adding additional stores in cities of Brisbane and Sydney as well.
Macworld Australia confirms future Apple Store originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 25 May 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - iPhone 4 to arrive in India on May 27
TUAW readers in India waiting for the iPhone 4 to show up only need to wait two more days. Indian mobile carrier Airtel has been taking pre-registrations for the iPhone 4 since earlier this month, but now competitor Aircel is going to hit the market first.
Aircel is launching the iPhone 4 on Friday for both pre-and-postpaid plans. The retail price isn't cheap -- you can expect to pay Rs 34,500 (about US$763) for the 16 GB iPhone 4 or a whopping Rs 40,900 (about $905) for the 32 GB model.
There's something that should make the sting of paying for the iPhone price up front a bit less painful. Aircel is using a reverse-subsidy program, and you can recover the full cost of the iPhone 4 in monthly credits over the next two years.
Details of the plans Aircel is offering are here.
iPhone 4 to arrive in India on May 27 originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 25 May 2011 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - PadRacer lets you draw your own track, join two iPads together and steer with iPhones
Retro 2D top-down racing is enjoying somewhat of a comeback thanks to the iPad. The large screen and adaptable control schemes mean that games like Micro Machines are once again fun to play on a portable screen.
PadRacer is one such top-down racing game that takes retro to a whole new level and attempts to leverage the power of the iPad and iPhone to bring an enjoyable social gaming experience.
PadRacer lets you draw your own track, join two iPads together and steer with iPhones originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 25 May 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Alarm Dock gives your iPhone retro cred
There are plenty of alarm clock apps and plenty of docking stations available for iPhones, but the Alarm Dock from Jonas Damon is a cut above the rest -- it looks, quite simply, gorgeously retro.
Reminiscent of those GE alarm clocks your parents had on their bedside table, your iPhone slides into a cutout in the front of the beechwood dock. Together with the (included) flip-clock app, it gives a great old-school look to your bedroom.
It fits the iPhone 3G, 3GS and 4 and iPod touches, but note that the dock is effectively just a holder for your i-Device -- you thread your regular charging cable through the back to charge your phone and the speaker grill on the top is just that, it doesn't include a speaker.
But for just $39.50, it might be just what you need to set off your waterbed. Cool, daddio.
[Via Swiss Miss]
Alarm Dock gives your iPhone retro cred originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 25 May 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - TUAW's Daily iOS App: Castle Runner
Castle Runner is a running title that's more hardcore than Canabalt. The pressure to run and avoid objects is increased by a ceiling slowly coming down on top of your head. As you run along, you'll pick up power-ups that will usually help (either raise the ceiling or allow you more time playing), but sometimes hurt (speeding you up or even darkening the screen so that you have to memorize the obstacles as they come at you).
There are pillars to slide under and bumps to go over, making Castle Runner really tough. Plus, the grayscale color scheme doesn't exactly scream fun and friendly. But for running game fans looking for a challenge, you'll find one here. It's too bad the title doesn't have social networking or Game Center integration (yet?), because a high score in this one is something to brag about. Castle Runner is available for US$0.99 on the App Store for iPhone, and I believe an iPad native version is coming soon.
TUAW's Daily iOS App: Castle Runner originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 25 May 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - MacBooks get highest score in all Consumer Reports categories
According to The Loop, Consumer Reports has rated Apple's MacBook line as the top computer in every laptop category. The 11-inch MacBook Air took the top score for small laptops, while the 13-inch MacBook Pro dominated its category, taking the top five of seven spots. Apple's 15-inch and 17-inch MacBook Pros took top honors in their categories as well.
If you're keeping score at home, this means that, according to Consumer Reports, not only does Apple have the top-rated notebook computers in every category, Apple also sells the top-rated tablet and the top-rated smartphone. Although Consumer Reports doesn't give the iPhone a "recommended" rating because of its widely publicized signal attenuation issues (an assessment that independent research doesn't always back up), the iPhone still has the magazine's top score among smartphones.
Whether you put much stock in Consumer Reports' rating system or not, it's still quite an accomplishment to see Apple's products getting top marks across the board. Apple's products certainly don't have a 100 percent reliability rating -- I can attest to that -- but the company definitely doesn't make bargain bin junk in any product category.
MacBooks get highest score in all Consumer Reports categories originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 25 May 2011 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Keynotopia templates for rapid iPhone app prototyping
Ever have an awesome idea for an iPhone app but don't have the graphic design skills to build a good mockup to show off to potential partners? Well, put away your pencils and napkins and go check out Keynotopia.com. The site offers users templates consisting of thousands of vector user interface components that allow app developers to simply drag and drop components to form a mockup of their app.
The templates are in Keynote and PowerPoint format and allow you to easily create user interfaces. They also allow you to add user interactions and animations by adding hyperlinks or slide animations to various UI elements. What's more, after you've designed your app in Keynote or PowerPoint, you can export the file as a clickable PDF document and load it onto your iPhone or iPad to see how it would work as a real app.
Multiple templates are available across different platforms, and all templates sell for US$9, although you get discounts if you buy them in bundles. Besides iPhone and iPad templates, Keynotopia also makes templates for Windows, Mac OS X, Android, BlackBerry, Windows Phone 7 and Facebook apps.
[via Swiss-Miss]
Keynotopia templates for rapid iPhone app prototyping originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 25 May 2011 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Developers band together to fight Lodsys if necessary
After Lodsys started sending threatening letters to developers, Apple took some time to issue a statement to developers hit by the notices which seemed to provide cover for them. Unfortunately, nothing in Apple's letter to developers said, "We'll pick up the tab for any legal costs you incur." So a band of developers have decided to pool their resources and secure counsel to help defend any legal action should Lodsys actually file suit against any of them.
I was informed that Villain and Iconfactory are two of the shops banding together, and I was asked to help spread the word. While I can agree that hiring a lawyer to deal with a lawsuit is prudent advice, I feel it is worth noting that no action has yet been taken in court, and Apple seems locked in a staring contest with Lodsys. One blink and they are toast. Then again, I am not a lawyer.
Villain CEO Dane Baker asked to relay this message: "Villain received an infringement notice and we disagree with it. We're asking all iOS developers who received similar notices from Lodsys to get in touch with me to discuss pooling resources in the event of a lawsuit. Any interested developers can e-mail me at dane@villainhq.com."
I applaud the effort and hope they never have to use any funds to fight anyone in court; let's hope they can leave it to Apple, with its vast coffers and crack legal team, to defend its licenses instead.
Developers band together to fight Lodsys if necessary originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 25 May 2011 01:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - iLog holds up your iPad while you watch Ren & Stimpy episodes
In the never-ending quest to merge nature and technology, an iPad stand has emerged that would make a lumberjack proud. iLog by Twistedtwee is an iPad stand made from "carefully chosen re-claimed London wood," and it makes your iPad feel at home in any log cabin. The stand accommodates an iPad vertically and horizontally, and it looks pretty cool when you run a fireplace app on your iPad. Yeah, some might say it's just a log, but doesn't everyone want a log? Best of all, if your place ever gets too cold, you can actually burn the stand in your fireplace. The iLog stand is £35.00 and ships from the UK.
[via Swiss-Miss]
iLog holds up your iPad while you watch Ren & Stimpy episodes originally appeared on TUAW on Wed, 25 May 2011 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - The two Apple engineers who created Hype
Jonathan Deutsch, co-founder of Tumult Inc., recently talked to The Startup Foundry about leaving a stable job at Apple to build Hype, the new HTML5 Animation Builder for Mac OS X. Despite some provocative headlines linking to the story, the reason the founders took on this challenge wasn't borne out of Apple's attitude towards Flash.
Released last Friday exclusively through the Mac App Store for an introductory price of US$29.99, Hype embraces the HTML5 family of technologies -- including new HTML5 tags, CSS3, and the latest JavaScript technology -- to allow customers to create standards-based interactive websites that rival Flash.
Over the weekend, Tumult's product became the top-grossing application on Apple's software marketplace, topping Pages, Aperture, iPhoto, Keynote, Numbers, and iMovie.
Prior to opening shop for himself, Deutsch was the engineering manager for Mac OS X Mail's back end. He also worked on Mac OS X's software update mechanism, automation technology, and even Steve-note demonstrations. Despite a successful career at Apple, he always wanted to have his own company, saying it's "in the blood." He and his business partner Ryan Nielsen, another senior member of the Mac OS X team, both saw a new wave of "Web 3.0" technologies, more commonly referred to as "HTML5," hitting the market. "It was always in the back of my mind that for any technology shift you'd need tools to help out," Deutsch told The Startup Foundry. "I'm really a tools guy, though we tend to call them 'apps' nowadays."
Deutsch said the idea for Hype came after a trip to Europe. He wanted to showcase photos from his travels on a website with animations and pizazz. Hand-coding the site he imagined in HTML5 would've been a "nightmare," and Flash wouldn't be appropriate for mobile access to the site. When he couldn't find a better way to easily build an interactive website for his photos, Deutsch recognized the opportunity to build a solution for himself and start a business around it.
Walking away from an established career at Apple was bittersweet. Deutsch says he formed a deep social and professional network at the Cupertino company that was painful to say goodbye to, but if he had chosen to stay at Apple, Deutsch would've been left to wonder what if. "'Regret Minimization' is what should win out in life," he says, "so it did."
[via Business Insider]
The two Apple engineers who created Hype originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 24 May 2011 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Getaround app takes car sharing peer-to-peer on the iPhone
Getaround is a brand new app launching today on the App Store that is designed to be a "peer-to-peer car rental marketplace." The idea is that it's like a Zipcar sort of service, but run peer-to-peer style, so anyone can rent their cars for just a few bucks an hour. If you need a car for a limited amount of time, you can load up the app, do a quick search in your area, and then find a car and an owner renting it just long enough to take a trip to the grocery store or pick up a piece of furniture.
And if you want to be an owner, you can sign up with the service online, and Getaround will cover the insurance after an eligibility screening, and even provides a special carkit that lets users unlock and lock their cars straight through the iPhone app (just like the official Zipcar app).
It seems like a great service, both for people who want to make a few bucks renting cars, and for current car sharing users looking for a cheaper or closer service than they're currently using. If you live in an urban area and could make use of a shared car, give it a look.
Getaround app takes car sharing peer-to-peer on the iPhone originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 24 May 2011 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - An interview with Apple's first CEO, Michael Scott
Business Insider conducted an excellent interview with Apple's first CEO, Michael Scott. In it Scott spills some details about the very first days of Apple. There are little interesting details such as the Apple employee numbering scheme, which came out of necessity. Bank of America, where Apple opened its first bank account, required that all employees have numbers for payroll purposes. Scott took number 7, even though chronologically he was Apple's fifth employee: "I was employee number seven, because I wanted number seven... I was 007, of course, as a joke."
Scott also reveals plenty of anecdotes about Steve Jobs, like his attention to details and products, but not to people: "They spent weeks and weeks arguing exactly how rounded [the Apple II case] would be. So that attention to detail is what Steve is known for, but it also is his weakness because he pays attention to the detail of the product, but not to the people. To me, the biggest thing in growing a company is you need to grow the people, so it's like being a farmer, you need to grow your staff and everybody else too as much as you can to enable the company to grow, just as much as you need to sell the product."
The entire article is well worth a read. It's also interesting to learn that Apple's first CEO is now working on a bona fide Star Trek tricorder: "I'm working on a tricorder. It's from the first Star Trek. It's a handheld gadget where you hold it out and it tells you what something was. So I'm working on the libraries that would let you take something the size of a cell phone and if you're walking out the trail, aim it at a rock, and it'll tell you whether it's a sapphire, and emerald, etc. So the technology is there now. What's not there is the library routine that tells you what things are." That sounds like a heck of a feature for future iPhones. Steve Jobs, are you paying attention?
An interview with Apple's first CEO, Michael Scott originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 24 May 2011 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - No Comment: Friskies makes iPad web games for cats
So it's come to this. Originally, discovering that cats liked to play with the iPad was just a matter of coincidence -- Felix just liked to bat around the Magic Piano, and that was fine. But pet food maker Friskies has blown that idea right out, releasing a line of three full web-based games for the iPad meant to be played entirely by cats.
It's true. Cat Fishing!, Party Mix-Up! and Tasty Treasures Hunt! are all games accessible from that website and built in HTML 5 just for the iPad, and as you can tell from the video after the break, all three of them are designed to attract your cat's attention. With bright shapes that move around in a jerky yet lifelike manner and flashy graphics that respond to paw touches, your cat now has its own games to play on your iPad 2.
Friskies even warns that while cat claws can't scratch the iPad's glass screen, certain plastic covers might get scratched, so be careful. What they don't warn about, however, is that you might lose all of your Angry Birds free time to a game-addicted kitty. Beyond that, we have no comment.
[via Laughing Squid]
Continue reading No Comment: Friskies makes iPad web games for cats
No Comment: Friskies makes iPad web games for cats originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 24 May 2011 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - iOS 5 rumor: iPhone 3GS to drop off supported list?
Normally we don't give much credence to a single tweet pertaining to rumors about the next iPhone, but this one comes from Eldar Murtazin, editor-in-chief of mobile phone blog Mobile-Review. Murtazin has a history of accurately predicting mobile phone rumors and in this tweet says the iPhone 3GS will not be upgradable to iOS 5 when it debuts this fall: "Just one comment. Apple iPhone 3Gs wont be upgradable to iOS 5.x. iPhone 4 will." [Note that it is possible that Murtazin was referring to the plural of iPhone 3G -- 3Gs -- and not the iPhone 3GS model, but it's not clear. -Ed.]
Apple dropped support for the original iPhone in iOS 4 and limited support to certain features of iOS 4 on the iPhone 3G, so some might think it's obvious that iOS 5 will not support the iPhone 3GS -- a two year old phone by the time the new operating system ships. However, as MacRumors points out, Apple still currently sells the iPhone 3GS and not supporting the newest OS on something they currently sell (at least until the day they announce the new iPhone) would be out of character for the company. But with all the rumors that iOS 5 will sport the biggest changes iOS has seen since its debut, it's conceivable that iOS 5 might have some pretty big hardware requirements and could require at least an A4 chip and possibly even a Retina Display to run.
[hat tip MacStories]
iOS 5 rumor: iPhone 3GS to drop off supported list? originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 24 May 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Apple: Mac OS X update coming to block MacDefender malware
Tipster TJ just pointed us to a new Apple Support knowledge base article that describes how to avoid and remove the MacDefender malware. It's largely the same information that we have in our removal guide, but it's good to see that Apple is now making the instructions available for everyone. (Sample tip: "If any notifications about viruses or security software appear, quit Safari or any other browser that you are using.")
One of the more interesting points from the knowledge base post is seen in the graphic above: Apple says that a Mac OS X software update is coming soon that will automatically find and remove MacDefender and its known variants, as well as giving users a warning if the malware is downloaded to the Mac.
According to our developer friends, Apple also sent out a Developer Seed Notice on May 20 to Mac developers regarding Mac OS X 10.6.8 Build 10K524, which became available for download and testing on that date. We have reason to believe that this security/malware patch will be rolled into Mac OS X 10.6.8, which means it's coming pretty soon.
Apple: Mac OS X update coming to block MacDefender malware originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 24 May 2011 18:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Evernote offering developer competition, conference
Evernote has announced two big events for its developer community coming up later this year. First, the company is holding a competition with over $100,000 in prizes available to win. To enter, all developers need to do is build an app, service, or device that works with the Evernote system by July 15. The submissions will be judged over the subsequent week or two, and then in August, Evernote will announce six finalists. Some of those finalists will win some money, with a chance at a grand prize of $50,000. That's a nice payday for anyone willing to put some development time into extending Evernote out even further.
To help developers put their apps and services together, Evernote has also announced the first-ever Evernote Trunk Conference, going on August 18 in San Francisco. The conference will offer a day of workshops and sessions designed to help developers hook their own apps up to Evernote, and learn how to parse the API, make use of best practices, and lots more. This same conference is where the winners will be announced for the developer competition, so if you're hoping to be in the running, you should plan on being there.
Both of these are just for developers, of course, but if you're an Evernote user, you hopefully can look forward to all kinds of ingenious additions to the service and its extended universe, which is what both of these events are of course intended to bring about.
Evernote offering developer competition, conference originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 24 May 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Onavo shrinks iPhone data on the fly
Are you on an iPhone data diet? With unlimited plans a thing of the past, you're certainly not alone. Onavo's new iOS apps might be able to help you trim your data use without limiting your surfing. The service works by inserting itself between your cell phone operator and the internet and compressing data before it's sent to your cell.
Yes, you read that correctly.
Continue reading Onavo shrinks iPhone data on the fly
Onavo shrinks iPhone data on the fly originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 24 May 2011 17:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Software Update: Apple Logic Pro, Logic Express
Apple's music creation and audio production apps, Logic Pro and Logic Express, have just received updates via Software Update.
Both apps have been updated to version 9.1.4, which provides support for importing projects from GarageBand for iPad. The download for Logic Express is 138.74 MB in size, while that for Logic Pro weighs in at 192.48 MB.
The updates are available through Software Update, or can be downloaded directly from the following links:
Logic Express Update: http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1015
Logic Pro Update: http://support.apple.com/kb/DL1014
Software Update: Apple Logic Pro, Logic Express originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 24 May 2011 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Get ready for summer travel with a free National Park guide
It's almost summer, so thoughts turn to rock climbing, scenic vistas, maybe a geyser or a cool mountain lake. If you're thinking of traveling to any of the 58 US national parks, or any of the places in the National Park System that include seashores, battlefields, recreation areas and more, I think the new Chimani National Park app is for you. The free iPad and iPhone app gives you an overview of the place you want to visit, interactive maps and some Wikipedia-based information. It also provides a to-do list, letting you mark where you've been and where you'd like to go. The app also provides a web link to the official site for each National Park Service-administered location.
I've previously reviewed the Chimani National Park guides that deal with some specific locations. This latest app is a much less detailed guide, but I was surprised to learn of national park facilities in my area that I didn't even know were there. There is also an option to get a lifetime subscription to the National Parks Traveler News website for $1.99.
Continue reading Get ready for summer travel with a free National Park guide
Get ready for summer travel with a free National Park guide originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 24 May 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Miro 4 bumps up media management & Android sync
The Mac media management application formerly known as Democracy Player has been around for a good while; since 2007, it's been called Miro and has offered solid podcatching, BitTorrent and video viewing features in a convenient open-source application. The current version of the app, 4.0.1, rolls the media library features of iTunes, the codec support of VLC and conversion capabilites of Handbrake into a single application.
Miro can import your iTunes library automatically and lets you convert downloaded media into an MP4 or H.264 format compatible with your iOS device. You can also use Miro to download media directly from YouTube, a podcast feed, Amazon, BitTorrent and more.
Mac users with an Android handset can sync to Miro and make purchases from the Android Market and the Amazon AppStore for Android. Miro is open source, free and available for OS X, Windows, and Linux. An iPad version is in the works and should be available soon.
[hat tip 9to5Mac]
Miro 4 bumps up media management & Android sync originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 24 May 2011 16:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - Apple asks Samsung for prototype devices
San Jose Judge Lucy Koh is forcing Samsung to hand over new and unreleased mobile devices to its rival, Apple. Apple's lawyers will get a chance to look at these devices as part of its infringement case against Samsung. In this complaint, Apple is accusing Samsung of violating a variety of utility patents, design patents and trade dress registrations for its suite of iOS devices.
The phones and tablets requested by Apple include the Samsung Galaxy S2, Galaxy Tab 8.9, Galaxy Tab 10.1, Infuse 4G and Droid Charge. Apple will be looking closely at the packaging and the TouchWiz UI used by the Korean manufacturer to see how closely it mimics Apple's iPhone, iPad and iPod touch. Specifically, Apple is looking for elements that will confuse people into thinking the Samsung devices are the same as the iPhone.
In response to Apple's complaint, Samsung countersued Apple for patent infringement in Korea, Japan and Germany. Both cases are slowly making their way through the legal system in each of these countries.
Apple asks Samsung for prototype devices originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 24 May 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Переслать - How Apple iBooks could compete with Amazon's Kindle in the ebook space [updated]
Update: The original version of this post cited a $99 fee to set up publishing for books via the iBookstore, which was incorrect; while the developer program $99 fee applies to books-as-apps, it does not apply to iBooks themselves. TUAW was contacted by Apple's media team, and they told us that "anyone can submit books to sell on iBookstore easily, and for free at itunes.com/sellyourbooks." We apologize for the error.
Apple's iBooks app and the iBookstore have been available since March of last year, but don't appear to have made as much of an impact as the much older Kindle platform from Amazon. Just last week, Amazon chief Jeff Bezos announced that the company is now selling slightly more electronic books than the dead-tree versions. Last October, one of our bloggers noted that the iBookstore was "one big failure," citing the lack of titles as his main concern.
I feel the same way. Although it seems as if things are slowly getting better, I still find myself searching for electronic books in both the iBookstore and Kindle Store, and the majority of the time I buy them from Amazon. Personally, I do like the look of iBooks a lot more than I do Kindle books, and I find incredible numbers of typos in Kindle books. But I still go to the Kindle Store for most of my ebooks simply because I can find what I want to read.
During a discussion with several of my fellow bloggers yesterday, it occurred to me that there are a few things that the Kindle electronic publishing platform does much better than the iBookstore. Read more to see some suggestions on what Apple could do to better compete with Amazon's Kindle ebookstore and dominate the ebook market the way that the iPod and iTunes have come to rule the music business.
Continue reading How Apple iBooks could compete with Amazon's Kindle in the ebook space [updated]
How Apple iBooks could compete with Amazon's Kindle in the ebook space [updated] originally appeared on TUAW on Tue, 24 May 2011 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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