May 15, 2008 May 17, 2008 Friday May 16, 2008
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IR-909 brings old school beatmaking to the iPhone
Filed under: Audio, iPod Family, Multimedia, Software, iPhone Back in 1984, Roland released the TR-909 drum machine as a successor to their legendary 808. Over the years, the 909 became one of the most influential and widely-used instruments in the history of electronic music, right up there with the Minimoog and the AKAI MPC sampler.Now you can pick up IR-909, a free iPhone / iPod Touch version of the 909 over at roventskij.net. It has the 909's 16-step sequencer, eight drum sounds, and four pattern storage. The minimal, lovely interface is close enough to the 909 for aficionados of the original hardware without sacrificing usability on the iPhone / iPod Touch's small screen.IR-909 may not be a full-fledged replacement for your software sampler or old-school hardware 909...but I'm betting it's fun to play with on the bus or the train. Or hook it up to a pair of portable speakers and get your "Planet Rock" on anywhere and everywhere. 'Cause I know you got the funk in you.[via Create Digital Music]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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SynchStep: musical speedometer
Filed under: iPod Family, Software, iPhoneHere's an iPhone app with some potential. Greg Elliot of Poke has released SynchStep, an app for iPhones and iPod touches that chooses songs based on your walking pace. The project began before the iPhone, conceived as a self-contained MP3 player with the necessary hardware. Upon the advent of the accelerometer-toting iPhone/touch, it became more feasible to bring the idea to the masses. The app has a simple, good-looking interface. I couldn't get it to work very well, though, after about 20 minutes of building and analyzing playlists followed by many carefully paced steps. Quite a few people witnessed me walking quickly by, only to see me pass a while later at a much slower pace, repeated ad nauseum with an increasingly frustrated look on my face. I love the concept, though. I want it to work and I'm hoping I'm just doing something wrong. Maybe you should give it a try. I've always wanted a real-time, personal soundtrack. Coincidentally, the previous name for the project was PersonalSoundtrack, which I mention only because I like the former moniker slightly better for its more intimate connotations. Now, back to walking around like I'm in a Monty Python sketch.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Apple wins two D&AD 'Black Pencil' awards
Filed under: Apple, Graphic DesignAs reported elsewhere, Apple today won two Black Pencil awards from D&AD, a British organization (or "organisation," I suppose) that promotes the very best of design around the world. This year, the iPhone and aluminum iMac both took home the top award. The iPod touch received second prize (a Yellow Pencil), and the iPod nano and aluminum keyboard were each nominated. Apple has won six Black Pencils since 1999. This year, six Black Pencils were awarded, though some years D&AD hand out zero (Graphic designers, for example, were a little miffed this year that none of their work was good enough). Sixty-four Yellow Pencils were handed out, among 143 total nominations.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Weekend Amusement: Make Your Own Or Install Hidden Leopard Screen Savers
Apple screen savers are pretty much just Quartz Compositions (graphics created via Quartz Composer, a node based visual programming language), and, while there are some nice ones that come pre-installed, they get old rather quickly. You could opt to dedicate those idle CPU cycles to an altruistic effort (or just put your system to sleep and save energy). However, if you are looking to add some glitz and glamor to your workstation you need go no further than your own system. Apple has squirreled away some gems right on on your own hard drive and the first place you should look is /System/Library/Compositions (in the Finder, hit Command-Shift-G and paste that path in & hit return). With that folder open, go to System Preferences and select Desktop & Screen Saver and select the Screen Saver tab. Now, you can test each one by dragging a .qtz file right onto the test panel in the Preferences window and either wait a bit or click Test. Notable ones include Defocus.qtz, Stix.qtz and Travelator.qtz. Some may require you to select a base image (click Options… to see if any of the Composers have options you can tweak). Things get really interesting if you head on over (in the Finder) to /Developer/Examples/Quartz Composer/Compositions (which only exists if you install the Developer Tools from the Leopard Install DVD). You have to dig into folders, but you'll find Image TV.qtz under Conceptual which mimics various Apple ads and the Apple TV intro quite nicely. There's even a token Screen Savers directory where you'll find a Quartz Composer that uses motion-detection called Security.qtz (it may not be the best choice for a screen saver if there isn't a great deal of motion around your system). Screen Savers DIY If you do install the Developer Tools, definitely head on over to /Developer/Applications and startup Quartz Composer. Apple made it pretty easy to create your own visual delights. It's as simple as dragging nodes around, taking input and specifying how data should be processed. You can open up any of the examples to use as a starting point. If you do give it a try, drop a note in the comments and share your creation with the world! [via Mac Tips & Tricks]
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FastMac releases external charger for Mac notebook batteries
Filed under: Accessories, Macbook Pro, MacBookFastMac announced a new line of Mac notebook chargers today. FastMac found a work around for Apple not licensing the MagSafe chargers. TruePower U-Charge allows you to charge your notebook's batteries externally. Note that this does not power the Mac, it only charges batteries.This charger will charge iBook G3/G4 12", PowerBook, MacBook, and MacBook Pro batteries without skipping a beat. FastMac also has plans for a 14.4V charger that would charge batteries for the clamshell iBook, iBook G4 14", and Ti PowerBook 15". The TruePower U-Charge comes in 2 different colors (black and white) to match your machine better. The prices for these chargers start at $69.95. You can purchase the U-Charge on the FastMac website.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Breakaway 1.7
Filed under: Audio, Software, FreewareIf you frequent the library (or quiet places) then Breakaway could be a god-send. You'll never be afraid of your headphones becoming unplugged when you have John Mayer playing loudly in iTunes. If you have ever used an iPod, then you know that when you unplug your headphones while playing a song it is automatically paused; Well, Breakaway does this for your Mac and iTunes.You can choose from many different settings in Breakaway, including setting triggers and fade in/out speeds. The only downside to this application is that it doesn't work with USB headphones, only ones plugged into the audio out port on your Mac. However, this freeware is handy to have around. You can download Breakaway for free from the developer's website.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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WWDC schedule: Ajax to iCal
Filed under: WWDC, DeveloperOkay I promise this is that last time I'm talking about the WWDC schedule (I can't speak for my confreres). Earlier today Brett posted on a nice Ruby script to convert the data to a readable PDF. Yesterday when we first noted that the WWDC schedule was available I complained about the lack of iCal compatible files and apparently Adrian Kosmaczewski agreed. He proceeded to cook up a little script to make the necessary conversions. You can download iCal format ics files for the iPhone, Mac, and IT tracks at his website.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Force iPhone to Find Network
I live in New York, so I'm constantly losing my iPhone signal when I go onto the subway. Sometimes when I get off the train and I'm back in range of the phone still can't find the network. Recently, my phone has randomly also been telling me “No Sim” even though it's just been sitting on my coffee table or desk (and been in range). To get my signal back I used to turn the phone completely off, and boot her back up. This solution was alright, but it took a lot of time and it occasionally took several attempts for my phone to actually find the network. So, I have new method. I simply: Go to Settings Turn Airplane Mode on Wait a few seconds, turn Airplane Mode off Turning Airplane mode on disables the wireless features of the iPhone, and then turning it back makes the phone re-register on the network. I've had better success getting my signal back by toggling Airplane mode rather than rebooting the phone. Good luck!
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FlyTunes Brings Free Streaming Radio to iPhone & iPod Touch
Filed under: Audio, iPod Family, Freeware, iPhoneOne of the features of a lot of iPhone wannabes is a built-in FM radio so you can listen to your local stations. Why limit yourself to local stations? FlyTunes is a free streaming radio service that gives you access to over 375 channels of music, news, and sports on your iPhone or iPod Touch.Most of the channels are EDGE-friendly, so there is no need for a WiFi connection. To sign up for the service, all you need to do is point Safari on your iPhone or iPod Touch to flytunes.fm, and then follow the on-screen instructions to sign up.How well does it work? Pretty darned good! It took me a minute to figure out that I needed to tap on the play button twice - once to bring up a small arrow and another tap to bring up the QuickTime player and start the stream. It only took about 5 seconds for the stream to queue up and start playing, and I didn't hear a hiccup once during about 5 minutes of listening over an EDGE connection.Head on over to flytunes.fm and get your fill of free tunes today!Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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iPhone’s Spread Around Globe Continues
Associated Press: France Telecom’s Orange said in a one-sentence statement that it will sell the handset in Austria, Belgium, the Dominican Republic, Egypt, Jordan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland and African markets later this year. France Telecom spokesman Bertrand Deronchaine said Orange will be the exclusive iPhone provider in Belgium and Romania, with co-exclusive or non-exclusive deals in other countries. He declined to offer more details about the arrangement. I get the feeling these one-sentence press releases are part of the deal these carriers are making with Apple. Mum’s the word until WWDC. ★
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WWDC schedule: Ajax to PDF
Filed under: Cool tools, WWDCDevelopers and other WWDC attendees looking for a simple printout of the sessions and labs at the conference may be disappointed with the results when printing out Apple's (very slick) Ajax calendars. You could save the pages to PDFs and have a calendar format, but for the purposes of a nice, list-format printout, I can't find a printable version. It's entirely possible I'm not looking hard enough, but at least one other person had the same problem ... and was resourceful enough to come up with a solution. Johannes Fahrenkrug is making available a Ruby script that will make a PDF with a nicely formatted table of all the sessions and labs offered at WWDC. You can grab the script at his blog and running it is a simple matter of unzipping and executing the wwdcpdf.rb file from Terminal (or wherever you like to do such things). The output is a simple table format with some classic Helvetica action. Those familiar with FPDF may be able to get more artistic with it, or simply build off of the existing code to output in other print or screen-friendly ways. Given that it's based off of an XML file, you can even do some sorting and filtering with a little bit of Ruby magic. Johannes states that he'd be happy to see the script enhanced!Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Apple Wins Two D&AD Black Pencil Awards
International design award so prestigious that it isn’t even awarded some years; Apple’s won six since 1999. ★
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App Engine Launcher for Mac OS X
Nifty convenience wrapper for developing with Google App Engine on Mac OS X, from Googlers Jphn Grabowski, John Skidgel, and Brett Slatkin. ★
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Mail Unread Menu 3.1
Filed under: Software, FreewareWe've all been there: you have the Dock set to auto hide and you miss the Mail.app notification telling you there's new mail. Well, don't miss that presidential e-mail again with Mail Unread Menu. This little app sits in your menu bar awaiting your e-mail.This menu bar application can replace right-clicking on the Mail.app icon in the dock. You can check for new mail, compose a new message, and view the new messages broken down by mail boxes. This application did, however, seem a bit laggy in updating the unread mail count. You can download Mail Unread Menu 3.1 for free (donations accepted) by visiting the developer's website.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Orange offers up iPhone for EMEA
Filed under: iPhoneIn a short press release today, Orange announced it would bring the iPhone to "customers in Austria, Belgium, the Dominican Republic, Egypt, Jordan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland and Orange's African markets later this year." The company offered no other details. For some of these countries, it means that many carriers will be providing service for iPhone. Thanks to everybody who sent this in! Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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John Mayer found cheating on Apple, again
Filed under: Cult of Mac, AppleJohn Mayer has been closely related with Apple for years. He has played after multiple keynotes and he got his MacBook Air earlier than anyone else. I wonder how Apple feels about his latest blog posting? Yeah, that's right, his new cell phone is a... erm, how should I put this nicely... a Blackberry? Seriously, John, did you ever even consider that your friend Steve might give you an iPhone?We first noted John's two-timing tech ways when Blackberry/RIM sponsored his concert tour in the summer of 2007, but we always held out hope that his heart was in the right place. So much for our shattered popstar dreams. [via Gizmodo]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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10.5: Switch search locations via keyboard shortcut
I discovered this tonight. If you initiate a search in the Finder (Command-F) from a folder (other than your user's home folder), the Search criteria shows This Mac and the name of the current directory as search locations. If you press Command-F again, the current directory choice is replaced with your user's Home folder.
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One way to print to Serial and AppelTalk printers
Some of us, including me, still use old but cheap and reliable LaserWriters (I have the LaserWriter 4/600). Others use serial or USB printers. Not all work hassle free under OS X. But there's a simple solution. You need: An old Mac with a working (serial) printer (StyleWriters, LaserWriter, USB-printer -- no QuickDraw printers). A network connection (wired or wireless) from your new Mac to your old Mac, which will soon become a print server. The free software Print66, which is a print server / spooler. Here's a bit more detail on the problem and solution...from time to time (i.e. from system version to system version), there may be problems (or not) printing via AppleTalk. Leopard 10.5.2 and/or AirPort, for example, do not find any LocalTalk printers at the moment (perhaps Apple will address this issue, but nobody knows). Furthermore, you must now use OS 9 on the elder machine, which allow...
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View maximized Cover Flow window via AppleScript
The following script will take the frontmost finder window and maximize it for a 15" MacBookPro while changing the Finder's view mode to Cover Flow. I have found it helpful if I need to quickly use Cover Flow to find a file. Although it is set for a 15" screen, the parameters can be edited for any screen type. I invoke it using Quicksilver, and have named the script max. tell application "Finder" activate select Finder window 1 set window 1's position to {0, 44} set bounds of Finder window 1 to {0, 44, 1440, 900} set current view of Finder window 1 to flow view end tell I also use an AppleScript to minimize the size of the window once I have found my file. Again I use quicksilver to invoke it, and have named this one min: tell application "Finder" activate set bounds of Finder window 1 to {143, 164, 1300, 825} set position of Finder window 1 to {143, 164} set current view of Finder window 1 to column view end ...
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A simple way to set up a basic workgroup file server
Over the years, we've run a number of hints detailing solutions to a seemingly simple issue: how to set up a Mac as a shared file server for a workgroup, such that multiple users can create, modify, and delete files and folders on that machine. (There are permissions issues related to users modifying files and folders created by other users.) The solutions I've linked to here all solve the problem in one way or another, and do so with some measure of security remaining in place. Last weekend, though, while browsing the Macworld forums, I came across a post that contained an amazingly easy alternative solution -- one that inspired one of those "D'oh! Why didn't I think of that?" reactions. On the machine that you want to use as the shared file serv...
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Mono offers open-source spin on Silverlight
First public release of Novell's Moonlight, backed by Microsoft, to compete with products from Adobe, Sun, and Apple.(By Matthew Broersma of ZDNet UK)
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Ecamm releases renamed PhoneView
Filed under: iPod Family, Software, iPhoneGallery: PhoneView Remember iPhone Drive? And MegaPhone? Well, Ecamm's pretty sure they're (finally) not going to get sued with their newly renamed "PhoneView." Along with the new name for the iPhone/iPod touch data access tool, PhoneView delivers an overall software refresh. You can now add and edit notes without rebooting after each change -- wait until you're done and tap "Apply Changes" for a single reboot instead. There's also undo/redo support for the notes editor. There's a new search feature for music, contacts, SMS, etc. Read on for more details.Continue reading Ecamm releases renamed PhoneViewRead | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Under The Radar News - Friday
Move over Intel, AMD... Via Technologies upcoming Isaiah CPU could put an end to the Intel (INTC)/AMD (AMD) duopoly. Isaiah consumes 3.5 watts to Atom's 0.6-2.5, but its Superscalar design should allow it higher performance. Wal-Mart (WMT) will sell a $398 Everex gBook using the chip. From Blockbuster's earnings call. Blockbuster (BBI) CEO Jimmy Keyes on proposed acquisition of Circuit City (CC): "We will not proceed with the transaction unless it makes sense both strategically and financially and also creates significant value for our shareholders... We remain confident that our core business is healthy and we remain confident in our ability to transform Blockbuster with or without this transaction. We see it as a potential accelerator for our stated strategy, but the transaction is not critical to our continued transformation." Nicht wahr. Apple (AAPL) is not making a larger-screened iPhone with an Intel (INTC) Atom processor, as had been rumored. Widespread headlines trumpeting the new device were based on a mistranslated sloppy dispatch in the German-language version of ZDnet. Mobile maitre-d'. A new patent filing for an "iPhone (AAPL) server" suggests Apple may one day use the device to serve local content like interactive restaurant menus or museum information. Upcoming software may also have the ability to monitor your health and physical activity. Bubble prevention. New research suggests economic bubbles can be restrained by Fed action, contrary to the belief of former governor Alan Greenspan. Fill 'er up -- with diesel. Prices for diesel fuel are rising even faster than those of gasoline, leading refiners like Tesoro (TSO) and Valero (VLO) to max out diesel production while cutting back on gas. The trend may not have a direct effect on gas prices, which seem to be taking their cue from crude, but the demand for crude-oil supplies to produce diesel fuel is further pressuring the crude complex. CW network outlook bleak. Ratings at CW Network (CBS) (TWX) are down about 22% as its youthful audience prefers to spend its time surfing the net. Industry insiders wonder whether the upcoming fall season is the network's last chance. With only three new shows on slate, a massive rebound seems unlikely. Less ads, more money? Fox Entertainment (NWS) unveiled a plan to run fewer ads in two of its new dramas (Fringe and Dollhouse) in the hope of hooking viewers. Fox thinks it can get advertisers to pay more per commercial. Yahoo, WPP forge multi-year deal. Yahoo (YHOO) and WPP Group (WPPGY) unveiled an online, advertising partnership to develop technology to connect to Yahoo's Right Media online ad exchange -- an open-ended electronic system for advertisers and websites to buy and sell online advertising space. $10B infrastructure fund. A new KKR fund will focus on infrastructure investments. KKR hopes to raise $10B for the initiative. (Editor: See Matthew D. McCall's "Comparing the Two Infrastructure ETFs" -- IGF and GII.) Getting your feet wet with water stocks. Water ETFs and stocks are gaining popularity among money managers. ETFs such as PowerShares Water Resources ETF (PHO), Claymore S&P Global Water (CGW) and PowerShares Global Water Portfolio (PIO) are one way to play a global water shortage. Companies like GE (GE), Itron (ITRI) and Valmont Industries (VMI) are another. Keep in mind it takes 62,000 gallons of water to make a ton of steel; 39,000 gallons to manufacture a car; and 3,000 gallons to produce a single semiconductor. Fannie relaxes downpayment rules. Fannie Mae (FNM) will no longer required larger down payments on properties in areas where home prices are declining. It will accept up to 97% loan-to-value ratios on conforming mortgages, and 95% on non-conforming loans. Too big to fall? "Both these companies (Fannie (FNM) and Freddie (FRE)) are clearly going to be insolvent by the end of the year, but everyone knows that Congress will do anything to keep them afloat, because if Fannie and Freddie go under, the entire global financial system will melt down," Christopher Whalen, founder of Institutional Risk Analytics, says. "These companies’ earnings don’t matter. Their accounting hardly matters. People buy the stock because they believe the federal government will bail them both out if things get really bad." Maybe, but that doesn't mean investors will get a good deal. Extreme climbs on takeover speculation. Shares of enterprise technology vendor Extreme Networks (EXTR) are moving up after JMP Securities analyst Samuel Wilson said the company is in serious negotiations with at least one potential suitor. Industry sources think Enterasys (ETS), which is looking to compete with Cisco (CSCO), is a likely acquirer. Profit or bust. Sources in IDT (IDT) say if IDT Global Services doesn't break even by July, it will be closed down. IDT Global Services CEO Eli Ninio is said to have acquired the bulk of the unit's ownership from the parent company.
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Aigo MID tested, ported to a real OS
Filed under: Handhelds, Tablet PCs The folks at UMPCFever got in some quality time with the upcoming Aigo MID (an Asia-centric version of the Gigabyte M528), which hasn't really been seen much outside of tradeshows so far. Apparently MIDLinux 2.0, which the device ships with, is running really well these days, which is encouraging given how abysmal it was earlier this year, but that didn't stop UMPCFever from swapping the OS for some Windows XP. While the Intel Atom processor seems to be beefy enough to handle what was requested of it, Intel's promised energy savings were not evident in the device, with a runtime as low as two hours. We suppose the best news is that Aigo's selling this starting at around HK $6000, about $770 US, a major improvement over the M528, but it still seems to be a far cry from the sweet spot for this type of device. Hands-on videos are after the break. [Via UMPCPortal]Continue reading Aigo MID tested, ported to a real OSRead | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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iPhone expands its empire, once again
Apple adds another clump of countries to its suddenly accelerating list of places where the iPhone will soon be available.
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iPhone expands its empire, once again
Orange, France Telecom's mobile provider, will whisk the iPhone into at least 10 more European, Middle Eastern, and African countries. The iPhone is becoming quite the world traveler. The deal with Apple, announced Friday, will bring the popular device later this year into Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, ...
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Location-based services may be coming to an iPhone near you
Apple has some serious ideas for jumping on the location-based services bandwagon. With a device as appealing and powerful as the iPhone, can you blame the company?Read More...
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News: Ecamm releases PhoneView 2.0 for iPhone
Ecamm Network has released PhoneView 2.0 for iPhone, a Mac-only companion application for the iPhone. Formerly called MegaPhone (and iPhoneDrive before that), the application gives iPhone and iPod touch users access to iTunes media, photos, notes, contacts, SMS messages, and call history data stored on their device. It also opens the devices for data storage and file transfer purposes, and allows users to add notes to the devices' Notes application…
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Orange is bringing the iPhone to Poland - but how will they activate it?
Orange this morning announced that they are planning to bring the iPhone to Austria, Belgium, the Dominican Republic, Egypt, Jordan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland and Orange’s African markets later this year. Now, obviously this further confirms that the iPhone is going to be offered to multiple carriers in certain parts of the world, but the bigger issue, I think, is how the iPhone is going to work in some of these countries. For example, Poland doesn't have an iTunes store at all. Without that, how are they going to get updates and activate their phones? Perhaps this issue has already been addressed in another country without iTunes and the answer is simply that they use a version of the iTunes store that doesn't have access to download…um…anything. If you've already delt with this in your country, let us know in the comments below. I'm very interested to see how they're going to handle this. Thanks to Matt, for sending in the Orange tip!
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MPAA dangles early HD VOD releases, in exchange for closing that pesky analog hole
Filed under: HDTV, Home EntertainmentMoving beyond day-and-date releases via internet and HD video-on-demand, movie studios may be ready to move towards regularly putting movies online ahead of the DVD release date for a premium price -- that surveys say some of us are willing to pay -- but prepare to have your analog hole plugged again. The MPAA petitioned the FCC earlier this month to lift the existing ban preventing cable and satellite providers from remotely disabling analog outputs on their set-top boxes via selectable output controls (SOC). In a bit of ICT redux, the movie studios haven't said definitively that they will use the technology, but insist on having the ability to force anyone wanting to view high definition movies to only see them through an HDCP-protected HDMI output to a compatible TV. The failure of AACS and BD+ to prevent high quality copies isn't a deterrent to the MPAA's push, so while ICT has gone unused on Blu-ray and HD DVD, we're still too fond of our component outs, switchers and homemade cables -- and too wary of a future change in policy -- to support any changes in the law.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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News: Best Buy offers Lucky-branded iPod speakers
Best Buy is currently selling the Lucky Brand speaker system for iPods, a special edition of Sonic Impact's iP22 Portable Speakers. The Lucky Brand system offers a built-in iPod Dock, and an integrated carrying case with a zippered closure and a unique Asian-influenced design inspired by Lucky's men's and women's clothing on the fabric outer shell. Other features include a strap for portability, 24-hour battery life and an…
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Samsung, Apple and Vertical Integration
We discussed Apple’s vertical integration thoughts in prior posts. I also did a Forbes column on the subject, looking into the Jobsian mind to cull what’s cooking. The company that is perhaps the best positioned to compete in a vertically integrated convergence device world is Samsung. Let’s look at what’s going on at that camp.
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News: Apple sues Atico International over iPod accessories
In a case that outlines the legal strategy that will be used against companies that create iPod accessories without joining Apple's Made for iPod program, the company has filed suit against Atico International over a series of patent and trademark infringements relating to the latter's iPod accessories. Apple is claiming infringement of a patent on remote controls, infringement on the design patents for its Universal Dock well, as well…
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Top 10 Apple Designs of All Time
If it is one thing Apple is known for, above all else, it is the design of Apple products. From the very beginning Apple has shown a different level of attention to design detail than many of its competitors, and throughout its history, the company has been a constant source of design innovation. With that in mind, its very difficult to rank the Top 10 Apple designs of all time, and there is certainly no way to make everyone reading the list happy…BUT…that's never stopped us before, and this time I have had a little help with feedback from Twitter followers…so let's just get straight to it… The Top 10 Apple Designs of All Time 10. Power Mac G4 Cube The 8×8x8 Power Mac G4 Cube was only around for a short time, but while it was here, it was a beautiful sight to behold. 09. Powerbook 100 Sometimes its the little things that count - and with the Powerbook 100, Apple introduced a small design innovation that completely changed notebook computers from that point forward. By pushing the keyboard up toward the screen and leaving the lower part of the laptop for the user to rest his/her palms, Apple changed the way notebook computers were designed. The nice, dark case, and innovative trackball brought the design to completion, making a stunning package for its time. 08. Macintosh The first Macintosh deserves a spot on the list not only for its simple, sleek design, but also for the fact that this machine ushered in a little something we call “desktop publishing”. Not only did it have great looks on the outside, but the innovation on the inside brought a whole new way of designing to the world. 07. OSX The look and feel of OSX has evolved over 5 generations of the software, but some of the amazing innovations in the look and feel of how one uses a computer are still being “borrowed” by Microsoft in their latest version of Windows. OSX is an elegant, easy to use operating system that has a sleek and sexy look at this unmatched to this day, which earns it a spot on our list. 06. Powerbook G4/Macbook Sleek, straight lines. The Powerbook G4 debuted with a beautiful look that was simple and elegant. The design has remained with Apple's Pro notebooks all the way up to the current model for a reason. This design gets it right. No bulky curves or obtrusive design elements. This is THE notebook computer design, and it will be very hard to top. 05. Mac Mini At the time it was unveiled Apple touted the Mac Mini as the size of 6 CD cases stacked together. It was, and still is, a great way to get an idea of just how compact the Mini is. The design of the machine hasn't changed since its debut (with the exception of the addition and subtraction of a few ports) and it remains Apple's cheapest entry into the world of Mac - and a darn nice looking one ta boot. 04. Macbook Air Sure its light as a feather. Sure its forward thinking in its approach to the wireless world. Sure its…um…not as fast as other Macs…BUT…just look at it. That's a slick piece of hardware. The design of the Macbook Air has captured the hearts of many users, forcing them to plunk down money on a machine with minimal storage, no optical drive, and less than stellar bench marking…now THAT'S design magic if I ever heard it! 03. iMac Line Every single addition to the iMac line belongs on this list. If they had all be ranked they would have taken up 4 spots out of the ten, so I decided it was best to group them all right here. They are simply the best computer designs Apple has ever produced. The original iMac blew the lid off of computer design. At the time no one had seen anything like it, and it quickly became an iconic look - making its way into music videos, movies, and even Peggy Hill's closet office on “King of the Hill”. The second major design revision, however, took it a step further, creating a piece of art - that happened to be a Mac. Sadly, its life was short lived because Apple wanted an iMac that looked like it came from the creators of iPod - and that's exactly what they got in the 3rd major revision of the line, creating a monitor that was literally the entire computer…just like the original iMac…but now, it was a flat panel monitor. The current iMac design looks very much like what you would expect to see from the makers of the iPhone, and it continues to get thinner and thinner with almost every revision. Engineering genius - and amazing design. 02. iPod One would be insane not to include the iPod at or near the top of an Apple design list. The iPod has defined music for the new millenium (can you believe they were only introduced in 2001?), and has forever changed the way we listen to music and interact with entertainment. While some would say the classic iPod design is on the way out, it will forever be one of the most influential designs of the first part of the 21st century. 01. iPhone/iPod Touch The iPhone has introduced us to mobile computing in a way that seemed like a sci-fi fantasy dream only a little over a year ago. The sleek and simple design of the device's exterior, along with the revolutionary multi-touch technology that makes it an intuitive interactive device have created a product that is the envy of every other phone manufacturer on the planet. Its influence into modern mobile phone design is already rampant, with major companies doing their best to knock off the amazing look and features of the iPhone. Apple is forever changing and innovating its product line, and it is safe to say that this list will look very different when someone writes an updated version in 10 years. I'm sure their will be at least a little debate on the order of things here, and as always, I welcome you to make your own list in the comments below.
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Atom-based Eee PC 901 pops June 3rd with Bluetooth for $650
Filed under: Laptops June's shaping up to be a pretty special month 'round here. In addition to whatever Apple's got up its sleeve and all the new gear set to announce at Computex, Asus will be launching its Atom-based Eee PC 901 just like we heard. June 3rd is the date for "a price below" $650. We assume that means $649.99. DigiTimes' reliable market channel sources claim the 8.9-inch 901 will also feature Bluetooth for the first time (you know, without a hack) while the rest of the tech specs remain the same. That's $250 more than the 10-inch, Atom-based, MSI Wind running Linux and launching on the same day. Oh ASUS, what have you done?Update: To be fair, it could be that the $650 Eee PC 901 model runs XP and the Linux-based Eee PC 901 will sell for (a lot) less -- the XP-flavor of the MSI Wind costs between $500 and $549.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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News: Orange to offer iPhone across Europe, Middle East, and Africa
Orange, the iPhone's carrier in France, today announced a new agreement with Apple to offer the iPhone in a host of other countries across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Specific countries include Austria, where T-Mobile Germany already offers the handset, Belgium, the Dominican Republic, Egypt, Jordan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Switzerland, and the company's African markets. According to the announcement, Orange will…
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Mac Bloggers Talk Tablets, Natter Over Network Speed, Herald HBO
As is almost always the case, the Apple-focused blog world is humming with activity. This week, some of the most interesting topics include the revelation that HBO has somehow managed to break Apple's longstanding $1.99 price lock on TV shows sold via iTunes. Also making waves are the sales figures for Microsoft Office 2008 for Mac -- it's selling three times faster than any previous version -- AT&T's plans to deliver 20 Mbps 3G wireless speeds, and the possibility that Apple may be building a miniature tablet multitouch device.
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Agriculture Is Still Growing - Fast Money Recap (5/15/08)
Recap of CNBC's Fast Money, Thursday May 15. Oil Rolling Over On oil’s rollover, Tim Seymour discussed Congress’ plan to curtail the buying practices of speculators, but thinks this news will have little effect on oil. With options expiration, there should be selloff in oil, and Seymour cites demand as a large factor. Pete Najarian says oil is being traded like a currency and while it finished flat, the oil services sector was strong. Jeff Macke expected a much bigger drop in oil on Thursday.
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Mac OS Ken: 05.16.2008
CBS Buys CNET for $1.8 Billion / Today in iPhone Plays 2 out of 3 with the FCC / Original iPhone Confidentiality Requests / AT and T Reportedly Limits Customers to 1 iPhone, Apparently Changes Mind / T-Mobile: 100,000 + iPhones Sold in Germany / Apple Store Online Ranks High in Forrester Study / Report: Apple Eyes Wall Street Location for Retail / UK: Regular Downloaders Shrink While Freeloaders Stand Pat
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Orange lands broad iPhone distro deal too
Filed under: Cellphones, Portable Audio, Portable VideoWe'll make this brief. Orange spokesperson Therese Wenger told the SDA news agency that it has secured rights to release the iPhone (3G version, presumably) in Switzerland and more than 10 other countries -- take that Swisscom! Other countries include Austria, Belgium, Poland, Portugal, and Romania. And France of course where it's already on sale. See, that was quick and leaves room for a dozen or so other iPhone related announcements today.Update: Official Orange press release now out.[Via 20minuten, thanks Pascal M.]Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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What's Behind the Market's Rise?
I saw an article in the Financial Times a few days ago about how the Fed is considering discarding Greenspan's philosophy of not targeting bubbles before they pop. That is probably a good idea, in my opinion. But if the Fed does change its view on its ability to identify bubbles, such a change in policy is unlikely to occur anytime soon. (As an aside, the thinking at the Fed has been that it is impossible to identify a bubble, that the proper response was to act only after the bubble burst, and even if they could identify bubbles, raising interest rates could damage the real economy. However, for such a course of action to be the best course of action, one must assume that the Fed can identify the secondary and tertiary unintended consequences of responding to the aftermath of the bubble, and that not reacting to the bubble before it gets out of hand creates less damage to the real economy than acting to stop it. Its hard to say, but the creation of the housing bubble, the mess in the credit markets today and the nascent inflation that is brewing all have their seeds in the policy responses, or lack thereof, of the Greenspan Fed, despite Easy Al's protests to the contrary. But I digress.)