Feb 10, 2008 Feb 12, 2008 Monday February 11, 2008
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WebKit Text-Shadow Rendering Changes in 10.5.2
Seems to me the change makes sense, but it breaks the shadow rendering on a couple of the Dashboard widgets I use. ★
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Make iMovie '08 find movies on other drives
Having eventually found time to play around with the new-look iMovie, I was infuriated by the apparent difficulty in importing movies and seeing already-created iMovie projects -- I kept getting an error code -120 whenever I attempted to import movies. Following the problem through, I discovered that iMovie will not follow aliases to an external Movies folder; I have an alias in my home directory which points to a FireWire disk. After several minutes declaring the new software "useless junk," it occurred to me to replace the alias with a UNIX soft link (ln -s). Hey presto! All my movies appear in the Project section, and I can now import clips at will. And the best bit? As far as the Finder is concerned, there's no difference at all.
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Mobile World Congress roundup: cellphone mania
Filed under: Cellphones Whew, it was quite a day for cellphones at the Mobile World Congress, and there's more to come this week -- but if you haven't been watching Engadget Mobile (where the full coverage is being posted) or are just getting up to speed, here's everything that's gone down.Sony Ericsson The Sony Ericsson W980 Sony Ericsson's XPERIA X1 QWERTY with Windows Mobile and HSUPA Sony Ericsson's G700 and G900: "touchscreen organizers" Two for the Cyber-shot crowd: Sony Ericsson intros C702 and C902 The Sony Ericsson Z770: "your life in a clamshell" First live photo of Sony Ericsson's XPERIA X1 Video: Sony Ericsson's XPERIA X1 "Panel Interface" No wonder Sony Ericsson's XPERIA X1 is so good: HTC makes it Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 does a good job looking pretty at launch event Sony Ericsson ties up with Microsoft for Windows Mobile devices HTC HTC P3470 is only EDGE, but has GPS HTC Advantage X7510: now upgraded with 16GB flash memory Nokia The Nokia 6220 classic, all 5 megapixels of it The Nokia N78, in European and North American flavors The Nokia N96 redefines "high-end" The Nokia 6210 Navigator Nokia goes public with Maps 2.0 beta, plans Series 40 version Nokia CEO: No plans for Windows Mobile, S60 touch-screen launch in 2H 2008 Sad, lonely Moto Motorola's pathetic MWC showing: Z6w, W161, and W181 LG says it has no plans to buy Motorola's cellphone biz Everybody else Samsung's F480 Armani (without the Armani), Dual Touch Chic G400 flip and F400 B&O slider NVIDIA shows off APX 2500 cellphone applications processor Hands-on with Sony Ericsson's world-beating XPERIA X1 Samsung hauls a load into Mobile World Congress First pics of CDMA BlackBerry Curve 8330 surface What's an iPhone? 14.3m Windows Mobile phones sold in the past six months alone LG gets official with the KF700, KF600, and KF510 Samsung's HSDPA-equipped G810 slider gets official More after the break.Continue reading Mobile World Congress roundup: cellphone mania Permalink | Email this | Comments
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First Looks: Electronic Arts Yahtzee
Based on the half-century-old dice game, Electronic Arts' new Yahtzee ($5) puts players in charge of a cup full of five dice, which are rolled and re-rolled in an effort to get as many dice to match as possible -- five matching dice is a "yahtzee." You have three tries to roll as many of the five dice as you want, after which you pick a scoring category for your dice, and assuming you've selected properly, you get a score for your matches. If not,…
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PGP: Whole disk encryption for Mac OS X is "in active development"
PGP Corporation is planning to release a version of its whole-disk encryption software for Apple Macintosh computers running OS X. Jon Callas, PGP's chief technology officer, told me on Monday that the software is "in active development" and will run on Intel-based Macs. Callas didn't want to elaborate ...
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PGP: Whole disk encryption for Mac OS X is 'in active development'
PGP Corp. says a full-disk encryption utility for Mac OS X is being developed, which will pick up where existing programs like the built-in FileVault leave off.
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Taking the bait.
With a whole 8% of it now in the can, Jim Rapoza thinks it's a great time to look at the Most Overhyped Technologies of the Century. Of course, Jim could have more accurately said "the decade", but century sounds so much more important. Like, 10 times as important. Let's look at the list. iPhone Social networks Grid computing Outsourcing RFID Virtualization Blogs Green technology VOIP Video on the Web Surely the Macalope's intelligent and sex-ay readers can spot the red meat link bait on the list. Here's a clue: it's not really a "technology". Here's another clue: it's #1. So, OK, the Macalope took the bait, but he's not going to even bother to argue over whether or not the iPhone was over-hyped. That argument is so 2007. The real problem with including the iPhone on this list is the simple fact that it's a product, not a technology. A technology -- like every other item on the list -- is something that anyone can implement. The iPhone is an example of smart phone technology. Anyone can make a smart phone, but only Apple can make an iPhone. Well, unless you want Apple (and possibly Cisco) suing you into the stone age. That's not hyperbole, either. Where, exactly, do you think cave men come from? They're people who got successfully sued by well-heeled corporations, of course. Anyway, if Rapoza had really wanted to swat at a hornets' nest to drive up traffic to his silly little list, he could just as easily have said "Open source", which is at least a kind of technology. And, after all, it hasn't achieved its promise of a technological utopia running under one world government, now, has it. Oh, what, you don't think Jim would hold anything to such absurdly high standards? Well, he probably wouldn't hold open source to something like that because he loves him some open source (not that there's anything wrong with that, unless he were to decide to express that love physically, because, ew). But let's read his reasoning behind putting another item on the list. Blogs - Blogs have unleashed the hordes of citizen journalists. Now everyone has a printing press with which they can speak to the world. Well, while blogging has produced some great new writers and commentators and has opened up discussions between people and companies, it hasn't been quite the sea change envisioned by early hypers. After all, for every one blog that is well maintained and heavily read there are probably a hundred that aren't updated and that no one reads. Wow. That is so stupid it actually made the Macalope's antlers go numb. According to Rapuzo's logic, moving pictures never amounted to much either because for every "Citizen Kane" there was a "Baby Geniuses 2". Same goes for the printing press. For every Gutenberg Bible, there was a novelization of the movie "Baby Geniuses 2". And the wheel. For every life saved getting someone to the hospital on time, there was someone who drove to see the film "Baby Geniuses 2". And what's all this hype around fire?! Sheesh! Fire, fire, fire! Well, did you know that for every person who was "saved" from "freezing to death", there was a theater that wasn't burned to the ground for showing "Baby Geniuses 2"? It's true! Well, Jim, the next time you want to troll for hits from Apple fans, maybe you should just start your piece with something about how they're members of a cult. You know, like everyone else.
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Apple Posts New iPhone Ad
In a newly posted Ad, Apple claims the iPhone is able to harness the power of the Internet surpassing what has been done by Laptops, Desktops and even other Smartphones before Steve Jobs glued together an iPod and a Phone proclaiming it to be so many products in…
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10.5.2 makes your WoW go faster (publish after 8:30pm please)
Filed under: Gaming, Hardware, iMac, LeopardOur good friends over at WoW Insider (disclaimer: I'm a lead over there) have unlocked one of the first secrets about 10.5.2 (which dropped today in Software Update): it'll make World of Warcraft play faster.After hearing that the patch made reader Jason's Mac play faster, WoW Insider's Adam Holisky saw his FPS jump from 30 to 50 on his first-gen Intel iMac (he also has 2gb of RAM, and installed the graphics update with 10.5.2). The picture on the upper right was a test under 10.5.1, and on the lower right was after the update.Pretty slick. I'd imagine that this would probably affect most 3D games (although who knows how EA's games will work on the Mac at any given moment). The only note that might document this in the update itself is just a "general stability" fix for "third-party applications,' but if you see your 3D go faster after 10.5.2 let us know. Azeroth has never looked so good.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Apple releases 10.5.2 update with much requested features
Today, Apple issued the much awaited, much rumored, Mac OS X 10.5.2 Update with a host of fixes and new features (see after the "Read more" for the full list). Some of the notable additions include: Updates Stacks with a List view option, a Folder view option, and an updated background for Grid view. (Stacks can now be viewed as hierarchical folders in the Dock) Addresses legibility issues... [read more at MacMerc.com]
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News: Yahtzee released, Cubis 2 re-released as iPod Games
In addition to the re-release of Fresh Games' Cubis 2, a fifth-generation iPod Game originally sold in 2006, the iTunes Store today added Electronic Arts' Yahtzee to the roster of downloadable games available for the third-generation iPod nano, iPod classic, and fifth-generation iPod. Cubis 2 is a block-matching game with colorful backgrounds and user-selectable artwork, while Yahtzee is billed as “America's all-time number…
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Flash coming to iPhone?
Filed under: Rumors, Internet Tools, Apple, iPhoneWith the internets all a-flutter over Mac OS X 10.5.2 arriving on the scene, this tid-bit is in from GearLive -- yes, the very same folks who brought us news of the jiggly icons on the iPhone that we were somewhat doubtful of.This time around, GearLive is reporting that we can expect to see Flash on the iPhone (and one would assume, iPod touch) 'very, very soon'. No doubt, that brings joy to many people's lives -- Flash has long been one of the most in-demand additions to the iPhone -- but some of us Flash cynics can't help but feel that for Flash sites whose usability is perhaps compromised on the desktop, we're happier with it staying off of our handheld devices. Flash gripes aside, chatting with Andru from GearLive tonight they're mighty confident of their sources and have a good track record. Let's just see how this one runs, shall we?Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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10.5.2: What's new, pussycat (and what isn't)
Bug fixes aren't the only thing 10.5.2 brought to Leopard. Ars takes a look at some of the finer details and new features in Apple's massive update.Read More...
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Make A Statement With These Rocking Buds
The people at Brighton have introduced some cool interesting flashing LED earphone that blink to the beat of your music. The earphones come in three fashionable colors: Pink, Blue, and Clear Although they are not…
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WebObjects Update 5.4.1 for Mac OS X 10.5
Filed under: Internet Tools, Software Update, AppleWebObjects, Apple's little discussed web application framework, has been updated for Leopard. That's right, Apple still makes WebObjects and it would seem they even have an engineer or two actively working on it. The update clocks in at 153 MB and includes many bug fixes which are always welcome.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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10.5.2 Fix for Mail Bug With Services
Services menu items now work better in Apple Mail editing windows. ★
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Apple posts Leopard Graphics Update
Filed under: Software Update, Apple, LeopardOS X 10.5.2 hasn't been out for long, and there is already an update available for it. The Leopard Graphics Update 'improves the stability and compatibility of your Mac.' Oh, Apple, your release notes for 10.5.2 were so detailed, I was hoping you had turned a new leaf, but this update has proven me wrong.Thanks to everyone who sent this in.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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10.5.2 Avialable Now
Check out Software Update for the feature-packed download.
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Mocked-up Cinema display taunts us with an update
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Hardware, Multimedia, Peripherals, Odds and ends, Apple Are we going to see new Cinema displays by the end of the month? If so, they might look like this-- it's a nice-looking mockup posted by Ben over on the redrant forums. It is interesting that Cinema displays are almost starting to match up to the Beatles as the one thing we hope to get from Apple but never do. For years now, people have been hoping for an update to these things-- an installed iSight (that one's actually been "a lock" for years) and even a touchscreen display. But Apple hasn't budged-- the last time they updated the Cinemas, it was to drop the prices two years ago.Yup, it's been since then that a Cinema update has seemed to be just around the corner. You can only think of so many ways to update monitors, but it seems that Apple hasn't, so far, liked any of the ideas enough to put them on sale.Thanks, Jacob!Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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VAIO TZ gets a 64GB SDD + 250GB HDD configuration
Filed under: Laptops One of the hottest overlooked features of the VAIO TZ is the SSD + HDD configuration, which allows you to speed up booting and other system tasks that rely on quick random reads by running Windows off the SSD while still being able to lug all your data around on the traditional hard drive. Of course, the no-compromises option is rarely the budget option, but Sony's at least trying for value with the new premium TZ configuration -- your $3,699 now buys 64GB of SSD and 250GB of HDD, up from 32 and 160. The new model also includes 2GB of RAM, a Sprint EV-DO card, fingerprint sensor, and external dual-layer burner, as well as the TZ's usual 11.1-inch XBRITE screen and 1.33GHz U7700 Core 2 Duo processor. Sony's taking preorders now on sonystyle.com for delivery in March -- looks like the TZ isn't going to give up that "hottest ultralight" crown to the MacBook Air so easily, now is it?[Thanks, Tim] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Reminder: Backup before installing new Leopard 10.5.2 update
Apple late Monday released its Mac OS X 10.5.2 update, which addresses many annoying bugs as well as tackling a number of interface issues that bugged longtime users. According to the technote on the release, users should backup before installing the update (this is really important). And Apple suggested that customers be patient with the [...]
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Apple releases Leopard 10.5.2 - download it now
Apple has officially released Leopard 10.5.2 - you can read all about the update here. To update now, click on that little Apple in the upper left hand corner of your Mac, then select “Software Update…” and prepare to wait… Some highlights of what this releases fixes include: Updates Stacks with a List view option, a Folder view option, and an updated background for Grid view. Improves [Airport] connection reliability and stability Addresses legibility issues with the menu bar with an option to turn off transparency in Desktop & Screen Saver preferences. Adjusts menus to be slightly less translucent overall. Adds a menu bar option for accessing Time Machine features (the menu extra can be enabled in Time Machine preferences). One it DOESN'T fix include allowing us to use a non-Time Capsule external drive for remote back-up. Rats. Thanks to Dwight Silverman for tweeting about it and giving me the heads up.
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Germany and Switzerland get New Apple job opportunities
Recent job postings on the Apple Jobs board list “help wanted� for three new European locations: Zurich and Geneva in Switzerland, and Munich in Germany.Read More...
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iPhone Development Preview
Craig Hockenberry (of Icon Factory/Twitterific) give us a glimpse of what development will be like for the iPhone via his personal/development blog. What can we expect? Tossing most of your current UI code Being way more careful about object/memory use Relying on your Objective-C & Cocoa skills for visual element design since NIBs are non-esistent Learning a whole new way to get input from the user and info to the user He goes into a decent amount of detail (as much as he probably can given the lack of a public API release) and leaves the reader with a good sense of what it will be like in the brave, new iWorld. Tags: Commentary, Development, Development, iphone Related posts Shift in Website Development Due to iPhone? (5) Bookmarklets are Power Tools for iPhone (0) Will Xcode Be Coming To Windows Soon? (28) Why Text Editors & FTP Clients? (28) Why Starbucks/Apple Collab is so Interesting (13)
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Review: ifrogz Audiowrapz for iPod nano 3G
Though we wouldn't have guessed a year ago that we'd be as excited about such a thing as we actually are, iFrogz' Audiowrapz ($25) does for the third-generation iPod nano what the internal speaker does for the iPhone: it provides a pocket-sized integrated listening device for those times when you've left your earbuds aside. And it goes further, actually, serving as an almost completely protective carrying case for the nano…
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16 GB iPhone: Is the speaker louder?
Filed under: iPhone TUAW reader Navarro P. traded in his 8GB iPhone for a slick new 16GB model -- and noticed that the speaker seemed much improved. He writes, "I have to say the speakerphone is dramatically louder. Or at least it seems louder. I had real trouble hearing conversations in the car with the window down and now it's not a problem." I'm sticking with my 4GB model for the time being ,but Navarro wonders if any other TUAW readers have noticed improved playback volume on the just-introduced models. Let us know in the comments.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Apple releases 10.5.2
Apple has just released 10.5.2 via Software Update. There are a slew of changes/fixes, some of which are: Improved Airport connection reliability and stability Improved Dashboard widget performance Updated Stacks with a List view option, a Folder view option, and an updated background for Grid view Ability to turn off transparency of menu bar Reduction in overall menu transparency Adds a menu bar option for accessing Time Machine features The big one that most people will be excited about is the ability to turn off transparency in the menu bar. Post in the comments if you have any issues with this upgrade. Tags: leopard, News, Software, software-update, upgrade Related posts Why I have not installed Leopard (Though I own it) (18) Riiiight… (23) Making The Move: “Must Have” Apps for Your Fresh Leopard Upgrade (36) How-To: Upgrade to Leopard (31) Finally Time For Leopard? (9)
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10.5.2 update shows Apple listens to users
Despite a reputation to the contrary, Apple listened to users and has made a number of welcome interface changes to Leopard in the just-released OS X 10.5.2 update.
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Monday Apple Software Update Bonanza
Apple ships Mac OS X 10.5.2 update, Security Update 2008-001, and something called [Leopard Graphics Update][lpu], which is only available for 10.5.2. ★
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One more thing... Leopard Graphics Update 1.0
Don't start up all your apps again after that 10.5.2 update--there's another one coming down the pipe that requires 10.5.2 for installation. Read More...
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Apple releases latest Leopard, 10.5.2
Fixes for Time Machine and Finder accompany the latest version of Mac OS X Leopard, released Monday afternoon through Software Update.
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Survey Says 72% of iPhone Users Happy
A new survey from ChangeWave research indicates that 72% of iPhone owners are satisfied with the device, and 17% of users who plan to purchase a phone in the next six months plan to buy an iPhone. …
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DLO Ships Very Unportable iPhone Speakers
In an ongoing attempt to cash out from the hordes of consumers offering up their wallets for iPod compatible accessories, 3rd parties have created every known addon to man and then released it about a couple dozen times. While you can buy cases, dock holders and even a
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Thoughts on iPhone Security
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, iPod Family, Security, iPhoneThis morning I was having a light hearted conversation about all the iPhone features developers have been able to harness and add to their apps. The back and forth was telling. We can now use Google Maps to tell us where you are. We can use Core Telephony to send out SMS messages. We can read your contacts database and look through your phone history. We can grab your microphone and listen to what you're saying and use your camera to shoot pictures without you even knowing and... Holy freaking cow. And then I thought for a second and concluded: "...it's exactly like programming for a Mac". Security concerns are not unique to the iPhone and its full featured capabilities are nothing new for computing. What makes the iPhone seem different is that it fits in your pocket. Mobile WinCE never did all this stuff. So it's up to developers to program responsibly. Just like Macs. Just like Windows. Just like Linux.Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Mac OS X 10.5.2 brings... well, you know the story
It's here, and it's huge. If you've been waiting to upgrade until Leopard received that one major update, this could be it.Read More...
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10.5.2 in Software Update right now
Filed under: OS, Software Update, AppleApple has dropped a 10.5.2 update out on Software Update. The patch has a number of different bugfixes all across the OS, from Dashboard and Airport improvements all the way to a menubar option in Time Machine and the disabling of GrowlMail 1.1.2 or earlier "to avoid security issues."My Software Update is apparently taking its sweet time downloading the patch, but other TUAWers have already grabbed it and gotten rolling. Welcome to 10.5.2!Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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News: Mix: O2, Boingo, Samsung, DAB
The iPhone is driving “unheard of” levels of data usage, according to a statement made by a company executive. Vivek Dev, chief operating officer of Telefónica O2 Europe, said, “Our Apple iPhone is already driving unheard-of levels of mobile internet usage, and the introduction of flat rate data tariffs is expected to increase this further.” O2 recently announced improved tariffs for iPhone users. Boingo Wireless has announced…
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Imagine If You Didn't Hate Your Mobile Carrier
CNBC today kicked off its coverage of the World Mobile Congress today with an article titled, The Mobile Industry Has an Innovation Emergency.". I have to say, I agree with CNBC's point of view that many players in the mobile industry are stuck not knowing how to innovate. But after fighting with making mobile calls from my office in downtown Boston the last week or so, I have a dream that I think would challenge today's mobile carriers in their quest to become Anywhere providers:
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Apple releases OS X 10.5.2 update, tons of fixes
Filed under: Desktops, Laptops It's a good day for Leopard users, the latest update (10.5.2) is finally being released, and weighs in at a mighty 180MB+ (some are reporting theirs is over 300MB). As expected this update has a TON of fixes, including stuff in Active Directory, AirPort, BTMM, Dashboard, Dock, Finder, iCal, iChat, iSync, Mail, Preview, Safari, Time Machine, and more -- the choicer of we'll be publishing after the break. Go on, indulge yourself.P.S. -Oh, purists, you'll definitely love the fact that you can now (finally) turn off menu bar transparency. Score one for the team. (It's in the desktop and screen saver system pref pane.)Continue reading Apple releases OS X 10.5.2 update, tons of fixes Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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New hybrid ARM CPU/video chip debuts
Filed under: Hardware, iPod Family, Video, iPhone Yummy news on the chip front today. (Not so much on the fish front, but Apple's never been big on the iCod.) Samsung recently introduced the S3C6410, a hybrid processor that merges a sweet 667MHZ ARM CPU with a cool multi-format video decoder that handles H.264, MPEG-4 and VC-1. By offloading all that video work from the main CPU, you get increased performance and you can do other fun things with your CPU while the video is recording or playing back. This baby can handle 640x480 full-speed video, possibly both sending and receiving, with little demand on your system. The iPhone and iPod touch use an earlier sibling of this chip. Now pass me the vinegar and mayo. [via Electronista]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Speed Up Documentation & Lesson Creation With ScreenSteps
Image is everything when preparing application documentation for manuals or creating a lesson for a training class or a self-paced module. An annotated series of screen, window or dialog boxes is much easier to understand than a simple list of actions and OS X users have many tools to choose from, including ScreenSteps 2 (from Blue Mango Learning Systems). ScreenSteps takes a holistic approach to solving the problem of capturing, organizing, annotating and exporting/publishing complete lessons. After starting a “lesson”, screen captures are stored in sequential order. You can begin annotating at any time and add markup/highlights to each step of your lesson as your workflow warrants. The entire lesson project – including all files – is completely managed by ScreenSteps, so no need to gather up all the capture files on your own. Publishing/presenting is a snap with HTML and PDF output options. (Complete details on all application features in All About ScreenSteps 2.) ScreenSteps goes even further by creating a place to share your work with the community at ScreenSteps Live (something aking to “Flickr for Lessons”). A quick example is this brief lesson on how to create/update a Pages table of contents. Lessons can be tagged (gotta love this semantic web of ours) and can be made private (feature coming soon). Despite the application being available for both Mac and Windows platforms, the developers did a great job making ScreenSteps 2 “fit in” on both, though they seem to have a definite affinity for OS X. ScreenSteps 2 comes in Free, Standard ($39.95) and Pro ($59.95) options and ScreenSteps Live is completely free, with a paid/ad-free option coming in the near future. If you have any experience with ScreenSteps 2 or ScreenSteps Live definitely drop a note in the comments. [Via Sean Sperte's Geek & Mild blog.] Tags: Commentary, screenshots, screensteps, Software Related posts Snapz + Skitch = Jing (3) Skitch Updated, Now in Semi-Public Beta (8)
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Got AT&T? Starbucks delivers Wi Fi
Filed under: iPhone Good news, iPhone lovers. Starbucks is dumping T-Mobile and serving you up a fresh heaping venti of Wi-Fi goodness. And what's the crema on that espresso? Why, it's this: "AT&T will soon extend the benefits of Wi-Fi at Starbucks to its wireless customers". The press release says spring 2008 -- still a little ways away, but soon "millions of AT&T and Starbucks customers will get Internet access free from the comfort of their neighborhood Starbucks." I'll drink to that. In a short, no-fat, green-tea hold the syrup way. Meanwhile, T-Mobile Hotspot customers will still be able to use Starbucks' WiFi, thanks to an agreement between the two providers. Thanks Christopher LiRead | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Backstage: Microsoft/Danger's Sidekick Tech Any Threat to iPhone?
Just a few quick thoughts on the announcement that Microsoft is acquiring Danger, maker of the Sidekick series of smartphones: (1) As Backstage readers may recall, I was an avid Sidekick user during the Sidekick II and Sidekick 3 days. With very few reservations, I loved the Sidekicks. Their keyboards were great. Their instant messaging, web browsing, and phone features were great. And they were fun to use. (2) I struggled with whether to stop using…
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Web2 Delight brings Web 2.0 video, pictures to desktop
This new application allows you to view, search, download, and export files from popular communities. The only thing that's missing are a few vulgar commenter trolls.Read More...
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Create Speed Dial and Web Search Apps for Your iPhone with Springlets
Now that we can save webclips to our iPhone home screens, there is a way to create a speed dial icon for your home screen. Go to Springlets.com on your iPhone and key in a commonly used number. You will be…
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Under The Radar News - Monday
Subprime down under? Analysts say Japan may be sitting on a mountain of sub-prime debt that they have yet to admit. Seen by some as the 'next shoe to drop,' estimates are Japan may be sitting on close to $300 billion in mortgage-related debt, trumping the $130 billion or so admitted by U.S. firms. A possible harbinger of things to come, the iTraxx index, which measures the default risk of 50 Japanese companies, jumped to 77.5 Thursday, its biggest-ever one day move.
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What's an iPhone? 14.3m Windows Mobile phones sold in the past six months alone
Filed under: CellphonesThere might be a world of iPhone hype out there, but if there's anything Microsoft knows how to do, it's fight back with sheer brutal volume -- and it looks like the WinMo juggernaut is just getting warmed up, with sales of 14.3m units worldwide in the past six months. Microsoft says the strong performance is based on sales of over a million BlackJacks and over two million HTC Touch phones, and that it expects to hit 20m WinMo phones sold by June. That's an awful lot of phones -- and with even hotter models on the way, we wouldn't expect to see these numbers slow down anytime soon. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Iris browser brings WebKit to Windows Mobile
Filed under: CellphonesThe Windows Mobile browser market is getting awful crowded lately, and the latest entrant brings a little Apple to the mix -- the Iris browser, from Torch Mobile, is based on WebKit, the same KHTML-derived rendering engine in Safari. We won't know how it compares to the iPhone's Mobile Safari until we get a chance to play with it, of course, but with support for touch, rotation, tabbed browsing and multiple windows, a customizable interface, and Netscape plugins, it's safe to say that we'll be keeping an eye on this one. If you're feeling brave, the preview release is available just beyond the read link. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Tip: Another Way To Find Your iPhone’s IMEI Number
Printed on the back of every iPhone is an IMEI number unique to that device but if you need quick access to it, you can retrieve it another way. This tip is not restricted to the iPhone and can be applied to other GSM handsets as well. Open…
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Boingo Announces $8/month WIFI Service for the iPhone
Boingo, the mobile service that provides WIFI service from over 100,000 WIFI hotspots for a $7.95 a month fee has announced that an iPhone version of the service will be coming soon. This has huge potential for…
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Study: iPhone satisfaction down from last October
Sales and satisfaction may be slowing this quarter, but more consumers than ever are still planning to ditch their old 'n busted phones for the iPhone.Read More...
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First Looks: iFrogz Silicone Wrapz for iPod classic
Based on the company's earlier Wrapz cases, iFrogz' new Silicone Wrapz for iPod classic ($20) are a little confusing this time out, as the version shown here is called the "iPod Classic Case 2nd Gen," referring not to a second-generation iPod classic but rather a second-generation version of the case, which unlike the side bumperless first version has elevated ridge-like bumpers on all four of its corners. Twelve colors of this version of Silicone…
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First Looks: iFrogz Motion Armband for iPod nano
Somewhat interesting in the specifics, iFrogz' new Motion Armband for iPod nano ($25) is a protective neoprene and clear plastic case with a detachable clear hard plastic belt clip and also detachable soft Velcro and fabric armband. While the armband's on the small side, the case provides complete coverage for the third-generation nano's face, back, and sides, and the fully modular nature of the belt clip and armband are a nice change from other inexpensive…
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Nokia N96: Where's the Touch Screen?
Nokia's (NOK) new N96 big-screen mobile phone announced today looks nice, but what's with the absence of touch-screen technology? Well, according to Nokia, they want to avoid 'gimmicky touch'.
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Madden NFL 08
Are You Ready for Some Football?
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iPhone In Sync
Keeping in sync with your iPhone
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Yahoo Declines Microsoft Offer, One Step iPhone Jailbreak and Android First Look
Faster browsing with Safari, Yahoo says no and more iPhone price cuts ahead?
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Apple Gazette Daily 205 - Ranting, O2, Apple Stores, and much more!
A bit of a rant, O2 reports “unheard of” data use, more Apple Store in Europe and more! You can subscribe via iTunes, or by RSS feed, or… you can listen to the episode right here: In addition to that, you can also download the Apple Gazette Daily Widget and listen to every episode of the show right on your Dashboard. Click Here to download.
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MacBook Air benefit--reduced carpal tunnel pain
Featured links from the CNET Blog Network Ballmer's false choice: Open source or free soda -- Steve Ballmer is as obtuse as they come. Unexpected MacBook Air benefit--reduced carpal tunnel pain -- Typing on the MacBook Pro was never a pleasure. It's possible that the Air solves my wrist pain. Pick and play a song right now with Songerize -- This should have been done years ago. Process Explorer Part 2 -- More about the excellent Process Explorer program.
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This Day: February 11, 1991: Tchao Begs for A Cheaper Newton
Nothing better typifies Apple’s ability to innovate while also illustrating the missed opportunities that seem to be part of Apple’s corporate culture than the Newton. Before the Newton, the PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) wasn’t a market segment; by the time the concept became intriguing, Apple was left with a small…
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LiMo Foundation plans SDK for mid 2008
Filed under: Cellphones With all the hubbub over Android at Mobile World Congress this year (and in the world, in general), it only makes sense that other Linux-based contenders would step into the light. The LiMo Foundation -- a consortium of some pretty major players -- has announced plans for an official SDK in the second half of the year which will cover native, Java, and WebKit development. The software, dubbed the R1 LiMo Platform, will pull together existing APIs and development tools into a more cohesive whole, with ACCESS taking the lead on the native side, Aplix heading up Java development, and Motorola fleshing out the WebKit tools. There are 18 LiMo-powered handsets on display at Mobile World Congress this year, with seven vendors using the platform -- including Samsung and LG -- and the group says it's just added nine new companies to the team. The creation of a cohesive platform should bolster the consortium's position in the market. Says CCS Insight's Ben Wood, "To have a credible platform, a more detailed operating system framework is likely to be required."Read - LiMo Foundation Announces SDK StrategyRead - LG, Samsung bet on new mobile Linux platform Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Samsung wants Android phone by next year
Filed under: Cellphones, HandheldsWelcome to the party, guys. Actually, Samsung was already a member of Google's Open Handset Alliance -- so a welcoming committee really isn't necessary, and it comes as no surprise that the company has now gone on record saying that it wants an Android phone on the market in early 2009. If anything, it's a little surprising they're waiting so long, considering Samsung's tendency to crank out new models at a largely unrivaled pace -- and also considering that several of the company's existing handsets already include Google functionality of various sorts out of the box. Switch, anyone? Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Why Earbuds Just Won't Stay Put
We're not exactly sitting around writing Linux code here, but we consider ourselves a reasonably tech-savvy bunch. So when one staffer recently lamented her difficulty keeping those pesky little iPod earbuds in her ears, it was a bit of a relief when folks from departments far and wide chimed in with earbud woes of their own. Why, went the impassioned cries, why can't we keep the doggone things in our ears when we're sitting perfectly still, while other people seem able to run up the side of craggy hillsides without the slightest sign of slippage?
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Review: Altec Lansing T612 Digital Speaker System for iPhone and iPod
When the portable inMotion speaker designers at Altec Lansing released the non-portable M602 Digital iPod Speaker System a year and a half ago, the appeal was obvious: as a combination of metal-grilled speakers and an iPod dock, M602 offered an audio experience close to the popular, similar Bose SoundDock at two-thirds the price, with added versatility in the form of bass and treble adjustments, video-out, line-in, and USB sync features, as well as…
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Mustek's 5-in-1 PF-D240 digiframe does more than just slideshows
Filed under: Digital Cameras, Displays Oh yeah, we've seen multi-purpose digiframes before, but Mustek's latest manages to handle five whole tasks only marginally well. You heard right -- this minuscule device packs a 2.4-inch 320 x 240 panel for showing wallet-sized digital images along with an alarm clock, FM radio, built-in MP3 player and a thermometer. You'll also find an MMC / SD expansion slot for loading up those precious memories, a USB 2.0 connector and a pair of skull-crushing one-watt speakers to boot. No price is listed, but judging by the design alone, we'd say that's probably for the best.[Via CNET] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Rumor: Pricing on iPhone/iPod touch to drop
Rumor has it that Apple plans to lower its prices on the iPhone and iPod touch in the next couple of months, and ditch the 8GB iPod touch altogether. Read More...
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MacBook Air face-off: HDD vs SSD (with video)
Daniel Eran Dilger In this fourth installment of our MacBook Air review series, we pit Apple's standard hard disk drive (HDD) model against the standard solid state drive (SSD) configuration in a set of battery and benchmark tests to gauge the performance and power saving capabilities of each. Videos are used to demonstrate a side-by-side simultaneous boot, as well some application launch tests. Most critics of the MacBook Air have largely focused on what it doesn't have in comparison to the full size MacBook and high end MacBook Pro. This sounds a lot like complaining that a convertible lacks seats for six adults and the cargo room of a minivan. What's more interesting about the Air is how well it serves the purpose it was intended to achieve: a light, thin, and highly mobile laptop. The previous two segments looked at issues faced by early adopters. Early adopter issues: MacBook Air and Migration Assistant examined the problems related to using only its built in WIFI 802.11n wireless networking to import files and users from another computer. In initial testing, it looked like the problem was the speed limitations of WiFi, but our followup testing suggests that WiFi can be very competitive for installing software. In addition to the customary features Apple pared away from the Air to make it lighter, thinner, and less expensive, the new laptop also offers a new option: a solid state drive. It's not cheap, but it is fast and promises to be more reliable than a physical hard drive mechanism. SSDs use high density Flash RAM chips to store data in place of a conventional HDD's magnetically read platters Continues: AppleInsider | MacBook Air face-off: HDD vs SSD (with video) Technorati Tags: Apple, Mac, Review, Software, the Media
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Apple Added to Citi's 'Top Picks Live' List
Apple (AAPL) shares are higher Monday morning after bullish comments on the stock this morning from Citigroup’s Richard Gardner.
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News: Starbucks and AT&T announce Wi-Fi partnership
Starbucks and AT&T have announced plans to offer AT&T Wi-Fi service at more than 7,000 company-operated Starbucks locations in the U.S. The partnership will result in a mix of free and paid Wi-Fi services at Starbucks stores, including two free hours of Wi-Fi access per day for Starbucks Card holders. Starbucks Cards are the company's refillable gift cards, which are available in various denominations, and cost nothing except for the…
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George Hotz Posts New iPhone Unlock For New Firmware Versions
After a period of inactivity in developing a Software unlock because of who cares why, George Hotz has come through once again posting a full Software unlock for newly purchased iPhones running that damn Bootloader 4.6 while the DevTeam is still throwing a hissy fit at Nate True for forcing…
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Video Rentals & Downloads Will Be the Future
Over the years, we’ve embraced numerous video formats, most of those being an abandoned child from Sony. Digital downloads are no different, but this time around it’s a 3-way battle, one that won’t be easily won. There are many factors preventing digital downloads from taking a foothold amongst…
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Process 3: Better outlining, project management on the Mac
Network collaboration, better Mac OS X integration, and more tools for backing up your data round out a major update. Getting things done never... got so many things done.Read More...
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Create multiple connections in RDC version 2 beta
It took me a while to figure out how to open up two Remote Desktop Connection 2 beta windows without copying the binaries, as one had to do with the previous version. I finally found the answer in the Read Me menu item:Multiple Sessions:Remote Desktop Connection Client supports multiple simultaneous Remote Desktop Connection sessions. You can save the connection settings for different Windows-based computers to Remote Desktop Connection settings files, and double-click those files to open multiple sessions independent of each other.[robg adds: I haven't tested this one, but given it's in the Read Me, I assume it works!]
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10.5: Create Spotlight-searchable Mail archives
In Tiger, it was a pretty easy thing (albeit not well documented) to make archived/backup copies of your email messages in Mail.app. Doing so simply required you to drag the desired email folder to the Finder, which created an mbox archive, which in turn contained all the mail messages. The beauty of this was that you could then safely delete the mail messages from Mail.app, and still have a way to restore them back to the app (File » Import » Mail for Mac OS X), as well as have a Spotlight-searchable way of finding any desired email.This all changed with Leopard. Leopard made its email archiving a documented feature by being able to archive your mail by using a secondary click on any folder and picking Archive Mail from the pop-up (or from the Mailbox menu). On first blush, it certainly looked the same as the 10.4 solution -- an mbox file was created wherever you wanted, but u...
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Use Amazon S3 to automatically back up your Mac
Amazon's S3 is an online storage solution; you pay for only what you use ($0.15/GB/month, plus some transfer costs). I wrote a simple step-by-step guide to setting you a Mac to sync with Amazon S3; here's the executive summary version:You need an Amazon Web Services account. Once signed up, you'll need your Amazon access key and your secret key. These are what s3sync will use to authenticate you to Amazon.You'll need this zip file (1.2MB), which contains all the files you are going to need.You need to create a "bucket" at Amazon to store your files. To create the bucket, you need of the S3 GUI applications that exist. I have included in the zip file the one I have used called S3 ...
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The Apple gaming trademark and why it DOESN’T mean Apple is working on a gaming device
This weekend has been filled to the brim with rumors and speculation, on a variety of Apple related topics. One of the biggest has been the fact that Apple filed for a trademark that would protect the world APPLE on “toys, games and playthings, namely, hand-held units for playing electronic games; hand-held units for playing video games; stand alone video game machines; electronic games other than those adapted for use with television receivers only; LCD game machines; electronic educational game machines; toys, namely battery-powered computer games.” Then our friends at Engadget want to point us to the following link that talks about Apple's recent patent on a touch screen gaming device. Somehow, these two things have led people to speculate that Apple is somehow working on a “Pippin 2.0″ or an “Apple portable gaming system”, and I have to step back and just stare with my jaw hanging open in disbelief. I mean, I'm all for healthy speculation - but this one just seems borderline brain-dead to me. Do you think that - maybe - Apple might want to file a trademark to protect its name in relation to gaming devices not because it is developing ONE - but because it ALREADY HAS FOUR!!!!!!! I mean, have you guys seen these things? I hear they're getting really popular… and what are those other two? I know I've seen a picture of them somewhere…. Do you get my point? I mean, the idea that Apple would have to be developing a game system to justify getting this trademark is completely ludicrous. Apple is in the gaming market. The four products listed above don't even include these computers that we're all so fond of called Macs. There is no reason for Apple to develop their own Gameboy. They already have four of them, and the idea that they would create yet another handheld product for us, or that they would get into the video game console industry (which is another article entirely) just doesn't make sense in my opinion. What do you think?
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New poll about iPod ownership posted
So we're five-plus years into this iPod revolution...just how many iPods do you own? I was quite shocked to find that we own seven iPods*, but I have a feeling that's nowhere near the top of the charts. Due to limits on the length of polls, I had to make some buckets for the upper end, so if you're over the top, go ahead and post a comment with your specific total :).[Seven iPods*: My wife has an iPod mini and an iPod nano, and my collection includes a first generation Shuffle and nano, third generation 30GB iPod, fifth generation 80GB iPod, and the 8GB iPhone. I use the nano when running, fifth gen 80GB iPod for travel, and the iPhone pretty much goes everywhere. The others should be sold, but I can't bring myself to part with them :).]-rob.
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TUAW Review: Logitech Harmony remote and the Mac
Filed under: Peripherals, Software, Features, ReviewsI recently obtained a Logitech Harmony universal IR remote control, and while the Harmony series is not that new I thought it would be worth taking a look at here on TUAW because I haven't seen that much about using the Harmony with Macs. So in the following review I'll go over setting up a Logitech Harmony with the included Mac software.Continue reading TUAW Review: Logitech Harmony remote and the MacRead | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Community Activity: February 11, 2008
32GB iTouch, 16GB iPhone Microsoft Office 2008 iCal Server Leopard Features Missing iCal and Being Productive Tags: Site News Related posts No related posts.
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Photos: New phones from Nokia, Sony Ericsson
Sony Ericsson introduces an iPhone competitor, and Nokia unveils updates to two top-range models and two midrange phones at GSMA in Barcelona.
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iPhone SDK rumors suggest delays, inclusion of simulator
Although the iPhone SDK is supposedly coming soon, details about just what it contains are still sketchy. It could be delayed as far as WWDC, which would make a simulator perfect for developers who want to start now.Read More...
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Is iGame Lurking In Apple's Future?
Something is afoot. Steve is lurking in the weeds. New and unusual trademark filings. Curious job postings. A closer bond with former rival Intel (INTC) around handheld devices. An upcoming event
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MacBook Air Diary-Day 12: Tackling the storage issue
Being somewhat of a data packrat, the MacBook Air’s tiny 80GB hard drive was probably its biggest problem for me. I got accustomed to having a fairly heavy Aperture (20GB) and iTunes library (30GB) at my fingertips on my MacBook Pro’s spacious 320GB HDD. The teensy MBA hard drive makes this impossible. Read more about data [...]
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TubeTV 1.0
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Multimedia, FreewareIt would seem that the Mac OS X development spectrum is bursting with excellent freeware applications. TubeTV is one such freeware application that fills a void that many Mac-YouTube users have -- saving videos in a Mac compatible format for later viewing (there are some paid alternatives out there, such as Tubesock but TubeTV is free, and offers up some additional features).TubeTV features a built-in web browser that allows you to surf over to your favorite video sharing websites. When you are viewing the video you want to download for later, just click the little download button in the toolbar. The video will begin downloading and then covert to your specified format on-the-fly. TubeTV uses the free Perian to convert the videos to either iPod, AppleTV, iPhone, or a standard phone format. When I used it, the software was spot-on. It downloaded the video very quickly and converted a 3 minute video to iPod format in well under a minute. The great thing about TubeTV is that you aren't limited to using only YouTube, you can use it with other flash-based video sites as well. I tried it with Viddler, and it worked as advertised. The video quality is also excellent.TubeTV can be downloaded from the developers website for $0.00 in all currencies (however, donations are accepted).Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Every journalist a mojo
My Guardian column this week is about my experience in the Reuters-Nokia mojo project at Davos. Since I haven't written about my conclusions in the blog, here is the full text of what I wrote (which differs slightly from what was printed; link to the videos at the end): We already know that camera-phones in the hands of witnesses have been changing news; there is no better illustration of that, so far, than the 7/7 bombings. But I now see that this same device may change the job of the journalist in ways more radical than I could have imagined until I started reporting with one. At last month’s World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, I begged my way into Reuters’ mojo – mobile journalist – project and was one of a score of delegates and reporters to get a Nokia N82 mojo phone. Reuters picked the phone because it has a high-quality camera and operates at high speed. For their own journalists, they kit it out with a wireless keyboard, a tiny tripod, a solar battery, and a decent microphone, together with software that enables reporters to organize and publish text, photos, and video onto blogs. They kitted the Davoscenti – including me, Reuters CEO Tom Glocer and WPP CEO Sir Martin Sorrell – with just the camera-phone and simpler software that let us upload videos in two clicks. At last year’s Davos, I recorded interviews and pieces with a small consumer video camera that I was able to take into more places than jealous big media could, lugging their heavy and obvious equipment. I shot YouTube cofounder saying for the first time that Google would share revenue with video producers and I put that on YouTube. To do that, I had to import the video onto my Mac and edit and encode it and then upload it online: a hassle and a delay. This year, when I ran into David Cameron in the halls of Davos, alone and without handlers, I walked up and asked him about his own small video work at Webcameron, which I’ve covered in this column. I whipped out my mojo Nokia and asked whether he’d mind my recording it. I told him I was doing this for Reuters, but I can’t imagine he took that seriously, for I was just using a phone. How could that be professional? And there is the first fundamental change brought on by the mojo phone: It’s small, unobtrusive, unthreatening. You don’t feel as if you’re talking to a camera and, in turn, to thousands or millions online. You’re talking to a phone; how silly. Other Reuters mojo journalists told me they had the same experience: It makes recording people more casual and perhaps candid and certainly easier. The camera-phone also allowed me to record moments without drawing attention to myself. At Google’s Davos party, I recorded 14 precious seconds of long-time White House aide David Gergen boogying on the dance floor. As Henry Kissinger stood before a computer recording a video for YouTube, I stood next to him recording the event myself; I went unnoticed. Of course, there are issues: Is any moment of our lives now fodder for broadcast? It’s sobering enough that Britons are tracked everywhere by CCTV cameras, but now you’ll be followed by camera-carrying citizens who could be journalists (but who, even if they’re not, can still broadcast you on YouTube). Life is on the record. Another key change to journalism brought on by the mojo camera is a difference in how video is used in telling stories. I felt no need to produce a piece or write a story to surround those Davos clips. The snippet is sufficient. I can also see using such video clips as part of larger stories – they become moving and talking pictures. They become part of a multimedia narrative, now that journalists no longer need to pick one medium but can work in them all. In short, we’re not using cameras to make TV with all its trappings and orthodoxies. We’re just making video, video that’s good enough to tell a story. There’s one additional and even more radical use for the mojo phone: I was able to use it to broadcast live to the internet using Qik.com. Live changes everything. I conclude from my few days as a mojo in the rarified and thin air of Davos that all journalists – print, broadcast; writer, photographer; reporter, editor – should be equipped as mojos. The Nokia is lovely and all the better because it can upload or broadcast while mobile and can be used to send photos to Flickr and tweets to Twitter (more on that another week). But for the cash-strapped news organization, may I also recommend the $90 Flip Video, which records 30 minutes for upload straight to YouTube via a PC. At Davos, I showed it to the editor of Bild, Germany’s largest newspaper, and he’s ready to buy them by the gross. For today, a wired journalist without a camera and connectivity is like a hack without a pencil. (Videos mentioned here may be seen at www.buzzmachine.com/mojo.)