Aug 7, 2008 Aug 9, 2008 Friday August 8, 2008
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In Case You Missed It: Aug. 2 - Aug. 8
Maybe you're really busy. You have a job, you're building that house for those orphans. It can be difficult to make it to the internet everyday. For you, super-busy guy/gal, we present the MacLife.com highlights of the week. Reviews - App Store Streaming Radio Shootout: Streaming radio cage match for your iPhone/iPod touch. read more
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PwnageTool 2.0.2 is out
To all you naughty jailbreakers out there: PwnageTool 2.0.2 has been released adding support for iPhone firmware 2.0.1. It also includes Cydia and Installer 4 beta. The best (only?) way to get 2.0.2 is to launch 2.0.1 and select “Check for updates” (command-U). Although it’s not working for me right now. More details are on the unofficial, [...]
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Will Nokia Rescue Microsoft's Zune? Haha No.
Daniel Eran Dilger Windows enthusiast blogs are atwitter with the news that mobile giant Nokia is considering a partnership with Microsoft to install the Zune Marketplace software on its phones, a move they hope will pull Microsoft's MP3 player out of its doldrums and make it a contender that can rival the iPod. There's a few bricks missing from this load however. Make. Believe. The reports all hinge on a post made by Zune fansite Zunescene, which cited an anonymous, “well placed source within Microsoft” as the basis for its suggestion that Nokia was not just considering a partnership, but already working with the Zune team to get Microsoft's Zune-only music storefront working on its mobile phones. Neither Microsoft nor Nokia have officially made any comment on the idea, and the Zunescene site has never before presented any credible insider information from Microsoft employees. Cited comments from the source sounded suspiciously like a Magic 8 Ball. The development timeline? “It's too soon to say!” The main problem with this story is that Microsoft doesn't exactly keep secrets. The original Zune was unveiled many months before it was made available; the industry knew it was going to be a rewarmed Toshiba Gigabeat long before it hit the shelf. Details of the second model were also leaked out months in advance, as was its new software features, which were leaked so forcefully that there wasn't much left in the can once it actually appeared. The simple fact is that Microsoft and Apple have completely opposite strategies for launching their new products. Apple uses the media to build anticipation through secrecy, while Microsoft uses the press to blow out vapor to hide reality. Microsoft doesn't have secrets, it has optimistic roadmaps enshrouded in nebulous clouds of vapor. Apple is to Secrets as Microsoft is to Vapor. Apple characteristically refuses to provide any advance details on new products and then creates dramatic launch hype by pulling the curtain off products that exceed most observers' expectations. That's why Apple has earned a reputation as being cantankerous and antagonistic with rumor sites; Apple sues to stop advanced leaks because they destroy its ability to launch surprise attacks. When details leak, critics can feign being wholly unimpressed by what they knew to be in the pipeline, and simply reset their expectations to something well beyond unreasonable. In stark contrast, Microsoft typically floats vaporware concepts for new products months or years in advance of their actual launch. These often suggest capabilities that will not actually be delivered. It then allows and encourages its sprawling 'burbs of pundits to make giddy predictions about the low, low price and amazing features this new promised concept will bring to the market. Once the obscuring power of the vapor is completely exhausted, Microsoft typically rolls out an imitative, expensive, unfinished product that the pundits then have to make excuses for until it either suffocates the competition (as its new products often did in the 90s) or falls out of sight and into oblivion (as about half of its products did in the 90s, and as most do today). Microsoft's Cloud isn't Servers. For a list of examples of Microsoft's vapor-billowing train to oblivion, look no further than the last several years of CES announcements: 2000: Microsoft TV, WinCE smartphone 2001: Xbox, Ultimate TV, and Windows Powered, an umbrella term for various WinCE devices 2002: Mira Windows Powered Smart Displays and Freestyle (aka Windows XP Media Center PCs) 2003: Media Center PC, Tablet PC, SPOT watches; the “Video iPod” Media2Go is delayed until mid 2004 2004: Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004, and Portable Media Center devices announced the previous year 2005: Digital Entertainment Anywhere vapor 2006: Xbox 360, Windows Mobile-based Portable Media Center devices 2007: Windows Vista, Windows Home Server 2008: HD-DVD (scrubbed last minute), Surface, Zune, more Windows Home Server. CES: Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas Scratching the Surface of Microsoft's New Table PC Lessons from the Death of HD-DVD Origins of the Blu-ray vs HD-DVD War The Spectacular Failure of WinCE and Windows Mobile Searching for Success The only successful product that can be salvaged from Microsoft's consumer shipwreck of the last decade has been the Xbox line, which has cost Microsoft many billions every year, and is now approaching obsolescence and a sharp downturn in sales before it can even turn any profit. There's no evidence of secrets anywhere, just lots of vaporware concepts that either never made it into the real world (Mira), roam the earth as undead zombies (Windows Mobile, Windows Media Center, WHS, Vista), died after being exposed to realities the market (Microsoft TV, SPOT, HD-DVD), or linger on as incomplete vaporware ghosts (Surface). One can also make lists of Microsoft's abandoned software offerings and service plans, most of which were imitations of the competition. Microsoft pulled the plug on its Live Search Books and Live Search Academic programs (copycats of Google's Book Search) in May after scanning millions of works. And of course it did something similar after finding out it couldn't earn a quick return on its efforts to clone Apple's QuickTime with ActiveMovie, Surround Video, DirectShow, and then Active Authoring Format. Microsoft's Plot to Kill QuickTime Video Game Consoles 2007: Wii, PS3 and the Death of Microsoft’s Xbox 360 Behold: the Apple clone two years behind. The Apple-rumor report on Microsoft's supposed partnership with Nokia is ridiculous simply for the fact that if Microsoft had any sort of announcements that might possibly create any glimpse of good news for its stillborn Zune music player, it wouldn't be holding them back. Microsoft desperately needs some distractive vapor to obscure the fact that it has been trailing Apple by at least two years at every step of the game. Games: Microsoft advertised the concept of Zune gaming well over a year ago, and there's still nothing to show. Apple launched iPod games in 2006. It's now offering console games downloadable over the air from major developers on its mobile WiFi platform. If Microsoft released gaming today, it would already be more than two years behind. But it hasn't. Podcasting: Microsoft released its Zune podcast listings so late in the game it had to call them… podcasts. That term was invented in 2004 by publishing pioneers, and the technology was added to iTunes in 2005. Apple announced it had no trademark claim on the term in late 2006, and Microsoft launched its own podcast directory for the Zune in November 2007. Two years behind (and some change). Partnerships: Apple pioneered links with Nike, Starbucks, Audible, all the major music labels and movie studios, indie distributors, and hardware accessory makers, even including MP3 rival Creative. Microsoft has yet to forge any significant partnerships with the Zune. And who'd want to marry a cad who formerly beat up its PlaysForSure wives and left them for dead (including Creative)? That was just two years ago! WiFi Music Store: Back in March, Francois Ruault, directeur de la division grand public of Microsoft France, was unashamed in leaking to the press the story that Microsoft would release its third generation Zune player in Europe at the end of 2009, along with a WiFi music store like Apple's. That's two years behind, and frankly, WTF? Video: Apple's fourth generation iPod gained the ability to do video output in 2004, and the subsequent model could actually play back full motion video on screen. The original Zune, released a year later with a larger screen purportedly intended for watching video, lacked the ability play most standard video formats, requiring an ages-long transcoding process first. The following year, Microsoft's new flash based Zune was released without video output at all, driving Microsoft years back into the past compared to the video Nano that shipped at the same time. Touch: Microsoft's enthusiast minions tried to equate the $10,000 Surface bathtub of scanners and projectors with the consumer-priced, handheld iPhone last year, but Microsoft is only officially promising to copy some of the iPhone's software features in its Windows Mobile 7, also scheduled for the end of 2009. That's well beyond two years behind. Zune Sales Still In the Toilet Why Microsoft’s Zune is Still Failing From Vista to Zune: Why Microsoft Can’t Sell to Consumers Microsoft : vers un portail de contenus mobiles Zune But I Digress! Is it perchance possible that Microsoft could leverage Nokai's dominance of the international phone market to get its Zune Marketplace running in more places than Apple's WiFi iTunes Store, and subsequently pole vault its Zune failure and its iPhone-humbled Windows Mobile platform into a premier spot? Apart from being too tasty of a concept for Microsoft to keep under wraps, there's additional reason for laughing at the idea. The most obvious is that Nokia is a Microsoft competitor! Yes, sometimes companies do deals with their seeming arch-rivals. Apple and Microsoft have forged agreements and partnerships on Office, OOXML, and Exchange ActiveSync. Microsoft licensed Adobe's Flash for Windows Mobile, a direct competitor to its own (albeit unfinished) Silverlight. And Nokia is already joined at the hip with rival Sony Ericsson in the Symbian software partnership. However, each of those partnerships is an example of a give and take deal. Nokia is already trying to establish its own Ovi portal as a mobile music store. It needs Microsoft's Zune Marketplace as much as it needs another Symbian virus. Not only is the Zune Marketplace a sleepy, deserted mall with no customers and scant merchandise, but it has absolutely zero traction (or attraction) in Europe or other markets where Nokia sells its phones. The Zune is only sold in the US, where Nokia has minimal uptake. Adding the Zune Marketplace to its phones would do nothing for Nokia apart from making its own store look sidelined and associating the company with another megafailure brand. Nokia already has NGage for that. Further, Nokia's Symbian OS is a direct competitor to Microsoft's Windows Mobile, and there is no love lost between them. Nokia can only be irate over Sony Ericsson's jumping into bed with Windows Mobile in an attempt to deliver the XPERIA X1 as its heir to take on the iPhone. Nokia itself has also taken clear steps away from Symbian, but in the direction of Linux, not Microsoft. So why would Nokia be at all interested in promoting Microsoft's rival mobile operating system at its own expense, with nothing to show in return apart from some embarrassment? It isn't of course. There is however, another mobile platform that is interested in teaming up with Microsoft's Zune to advance the prospects of both. The next article will take a look at this white knight, and whether it's likely to actually offer any help. Did you like this article? Let me know. Comment here, in the Forum, or email me with your ideas. Like reading RoughlyDrafted? Share articles with your friends, link from your blog, and subscribe to my podcast (oh wait, I have to fix that first). It's also cool to submit my articles to Digg, Reddit, or Slashdot where more people will see them. Consider making a small donation supporting this site. Thanks!
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Apple releases 2.1 Beta 3 to developers
Filed under: Developer, iPhoneCheck your email, iPhone developers. Apple has released iPhone OS 2.1 beta 3. The description of changes is typically cryptic:"iPhone OS 2.1 beta 3 is now available and is to be used for testing only. View the Pre-Installation Advisory for iPhone OS 2.1 beta 3, Readme, and Release Notes before installing the new versions of the iPhone OS and SDK. As a reminder, pre-release software is Confidential Information and is subject to the terms outlined in your Registered iPhone Developer Terms and Conditions with Apple."Of course, we don't know what's been changed in this release. Note that iPhones updated to OS 2.1 beta 3 cannot be restored to an earlier version of the OS, and apps developed a beta OS 2.1 cannot be submitted to the App Store.Thanks to everyone who sent this in.Read|Permalink|Email this|Comments
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Dear Auntie TUAW: AppStore Rejection
Dear Auntie TUAW, Hi, I've been keeping track of a game that was supposed to be released in the App Store this week called [REDACTED]. Me and many other people are ticked at how Apple spends time approving apps like "I Am Rich" and other pointless apps while they DENIED my app because the toolbar (pen, eraser etc) wasn't at the bottom on the screen!! How pointless is that? Many people have been waiting for this app and it [saddens] us how apple approves tons of pointless apps a day but denies a very nice looking app, all because the tool bar wasn't at the bottom. What are they thinking?! Love, Travis Dear Travis, Let Auntie TUAW give you a nice cold ice tea. That will help take the heat -- if not the sting -- out of this hot summer rejection for you. Yes, Apple's rejections can be capricious. It hasn't just been you. Yesterday, I heard about an app that was rejected because its use of vibration in game play did not adhere to the (unwritten) understanding that vibration is meant to be an alert feature, not a game enhancement. Apple felt that those poor racers who had just crashed into a wall might be confused by the iPhone vibration and think, perhaps, that they were receiving an alert unrelated to the game -- each and every time they crashed into that wall. On the bright side, you got your rejection before your App hit the store. When Apple changes its mind after, there's no recourse. So Auntie suggests that you lower your toolbar (and your blood pressure!) and resubmit. Yes, Apple has just pooed on your aesthetic sensibility as an independent developer but they're the only iPhone App distribution game in town. And remember, even when Apple beats you up, Auntie TUAW still loves you. Hugs and kissies! Auntie T.Permalink|Email this|Comments
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LA Times: 'I Am Rich' author sold eight copies
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, App StoreArmin Heinrich, developer of the do-nothing I Am Rich application, told the Los Angeles Times yesterday he sold eight copies of the app, which is no longer available in the App Store. If true, Heinrich pocketed $5,600 for his work, and Apple skimmed $2,400 off the top. According to Heinrich, six people from the U.S., one from Germany, and one from France each bought a copy of the app. One App Store reviewer said that he bought the application by accident, but it's unclear if that individual is included in the final tally. An update to the Times article noted that Heinrich said, "I've got e-mails from customers telling me that they really love the app," who had "no trouble spending the money." He also said that he had "no idea" why Apple removed his offering from the App Store. John Gruber, in a blog post at Daring Fireball, expressed skepticism at Heinrich's honesty, suggesting that his claim of receiving emails from satisfied customers "didn't ring true." [Via Valleywag.]Read|Permalink|Email this|Comments
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Inside MobileMe: Secrets of the Cloud and Mobile Push
While Apple's previous .Mac service left many unclear as to what it offered beyond email and web hosting, its value under the new identity of MobileMe is far easier to communicate. MobileMe is all about push messaging, delivering immediate updates to mobile iPhone users over the air for their mailbox, calendars, and contacts as well as web bookmarks. This segment in the Inside MobileMe series looks at how the various components of the MobileMe service work together. Continues: Inside MobileMe: Secrets of the Cloud and Mobile Push
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'setteB.IT' offers international chart for 80 countries with iPhone 3G/iTunes Store/App Store
Posted by Dennis SellersBy Fabio M. Zambelli setteB.IT has published a complete chart about all the countries where the iPhone 3G will be available on Aug. 22, with national iTunes Stores and national App Stores.
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How an Apple Ad Sets the Wrong Expectations
Jason Fried calls bullshit on the web browsing and GPS performance in Apple’s “Unslow” iPhone 3G commercial. ★
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T-Mobile to launch open development platform to challenge iPhone
Wireless carrier will encourage development on all of its phone platforms.
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Oh, to have Apple's cash problems
Filed under: Apple FinancialNot unlike this guy, Apple is going to need avalanche insurance for the mountain of cash that it's sitting on. According to BusinessWeek, Apple has amassed $20.8 billion in cash and short-term investments, adding nearly $1 billion each and every quarter. It's not necessarily odd for a company to have a lot of cash (Microsoft, for example, has $23 billion socked away), but it's beginning to irk the investors. If Apple's stock price continues to rise, everyone's happy. But if it starts to dip, experts say Apple should consider investments like acquisitions (possibly in the music business) or raw materials and components. Matt Asay of Cnet is suggesting something probably unpopular with the Cupertino crowd: tax it. Since Apple's profit margins (as a percentage of sales) are higher than Exxon's, Apple might fall prey to Congress' plan to tax windfall profits, if it becomes law. Apple CFO Peter Oppenheimer said earlier this year that "Our preference is to maintain a strong balance sheet in order to preserve our flexibility." Charles Wolf of Needham & Co. says the company doesn't need more than $5 billion on hand, but he'd be more worried "if this was a sleepy company with no growth." "That's not Apple," Wolf said.Read|Permalink|Email this|Comments
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Apple software updates for Aug. 8
Posted by Dennis SellersNoise Industrieshas updated the FxFactory for Adobe After Effects plug-in architecture to version 2.0.4. The upgrade offers support for Adobe After Effects CS3, Apple Final Cut Studio and Apple Final Cut Express applications in a single package.
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Second build of 10.5.5 released, includes over 100 bug fixes
Apple has seeded build 9F9 of a 10.5.5 update to developers for review. While the previous seed warned developers not to install it on machines with integrated graphics, this one appears to be good to go. Read More...
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'Macsimum Recommended Reading' for Aug. 8
Posted by Dennis SellersIs Apple getting too big for its boots? Refusal to comment on Quicktime hijack shows an arrogance exceeding that of Microsoft in its bad old days”—Personal Computer World
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Counting down to 'Spore', Electronic Arts knows it has a winner
That's because this side of Steve Jobs, 'Spore' inventor Will Wright may be the most creative mind in the consumer technology business.
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Doin' the Moneydance 2008r2
Filed under: Software Keeping track of personal finances isn't usually something to dance about, but with the newly released Moneydance 2008r2 for Mac, you might at least do a little happy dance whenever your checking account balance is in the black.Moneydance is a full-featured personal finance manager with online banking and bill payment, budget tracking, scheduling of transactions, and investment management tools. It's perfect for older Macs, requiring only 4.8 MB of hard disk space and a thrifty 128 MB of RAM. The US$39.99 Mac app (upgrade free for existing users) includes a ton of bug fixes and improvements. There's a new popup display of transaction information and splits when you hold down the alt key when hovering over a transaction, plus improved graphs, the ability to store online passwords in the data file (encryption must be enabled), and more. A free trial is available for those who are curious.Read|Permalink|Email this|Comments
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GrandDialer: Use your iPhone with your GrandCentral number
Google's GrandCentral is a great screening service for inbound phone calls. With a new iPhone app, however, you can use it for outbound calls too.Read More...
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Lotus Notes is coming to the iPhone
Filed under: Enterprise, iPhoneGood news for IBM Lotus users, Big Blue will bring an iPhone-compatible version of its Lotus Domino Web Access suite to the App Store later this year. The software, dubbed "Lotus iNotes," will allow businesses that utilize Lotus Domino Server to provide their users access to contacts, e-mail and calendars.No firm release date has been set, though screenshots (which are not final and subject to change) and tentative information is available at IBM's Lotus Domino Web Access site.Lotus iNotes is just one of the new mobile strategies IBM will be deploying in the coming months, as it looks to stave off competition from Microsoft.And while Lotus might not be the sexiest collaboration software around, it is used by millions upon millions of people worldwide. IBM's support of the iPhone could really propel corporations to adopt, or at least consider supporting, the iPhone in IT environments.[via RoughlyDrafted]Read|Permalink|Email this|Comments
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FMWebschool to lower prices
Posted by Dennis SellersFMWebschool says it will lower prices for FMTouch. Customers that have purchased FMTouch from the Apple store at the full price of US$99.99 will receive a iTunes gift certificate worth $30 to cover the difference. For new users the cost will be $69.99.
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ScreenFlow 1.2 released
Filed under: Multimedia, SoftwareVara Software's fantastic screencasting application, ScreenFlow, has just been updated to version 1.2. Brett and I have both raved about ScreenFlow in the past, but the more I use the program, the more I love it. If you are even marginally interested in doing screencasts, you owe it to yourself to give ScreenFlow a shot.Some of the highlights from version 1.2: French and German localization Redesigned keyboard modifier display You can now copy and paste clips and actions in the same document Lasso tool added to the timeline to select groups of clips Separate mouse click radar animation for mouse up and down General improvements to smoothness and memory usage You can see the entire list of changes/additions here. ScreenFlow won the Apple Design Award for Best OS X Leopard Application and Best OS X Graphics and Media Application at WWDC 2008 and for good reason -- it is one of the best native Leopard apps that I've come across, taking advantage of Quartz and Core Image to produce stunning results.ScreenFlow is Leopard only and is $99.99 US for new users. You can download a full-functioning trial program here (final video will have a watermark until the software is unlocked).Read|Permalink|Email this|Comments
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Fix iPhone's "Apple logo screen of death" with Recovery Mode
A number of users are reporting that, after upgrading to iPhone 2.0.1, their iPhones are stuck in what they refer to as the "Apple logo screen of death." Nary a reboot or connecting to iTunes will yank the device out of its trance. There is, however, an easy fix.Read More...
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diNovo Edge Mac vs. diNovo PC
Filed under: Peripherals Unless you've got a couple thou to shell out for an Optimus Maximus, Logitech's diNovo Edge is about as slick a keyboard as anyone makes right now. We just cracked open the forthcoming diNovo Edge for Mac -- comparison shots are below, but the differences aren't too stunning. Mac keys, and lots of 'em. Not just command, option/alt, etc., they've got the full complement, including Dashboard, Spaces, Quick Look, Front Row, iTunes (plus media controls), brightness up/down, and so on. Unfortunately, unlike its PC counterpart, those media and shortcut buttons are not hidden behind the black mirror finish until lit up. The keyboard font's changed to something a little thinner and larger. Definitely easier to see, but we'd still like a backlight. There's no Bluetooth connect button anymore -- it's smart enough to automatically go into discoverable mode if it's not paired. The Mac keyboard stack makes all those shortcuts configurable if you're using the function keys as, well, function keys. Is it worth $159? We definitely like the way the keys feel (both in shape and in resistance / tactility) much more than Apple's latest boards. No qualms here if you're looking for a recommendation -- whether you've got a PC or a Mac, the Edge is a damn fine piece of kit for getting your type on.%Gallery-29289Permalink|Email this|Comments
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Camino 1.6.3 released
Filed under: Software, Internet, Internet ToolsCamino, the best Gecko-based browser NOT named Firefox 3, has just been updated to version 1.6.3. This update, which seems to have rolled in 1.6.2 along with it (at least I never got the 1.6.2 notification, and I use Camino pretty frequently), sports the latest update to the Gecko 1.8.1 branch, including several critical stability and security fixes with better ad-blocking. Plus, it no longer crashes if a pop-up is displayed while dragging a bookmark.Even though Firefox 3 is available as a native Cocoa application, I still appreciate Camino's interface and speed. If nothing else, it's great to use as a Firefox 2/Gecko 1.8.1 testing agent when developing websites for compatibility.You can download Camino here; optimized builds aren't available as of this writing, but check this site over the next few days for updates.Read|Permalink|Email this|Comments
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My Holy Grail Of iPhone Apps Arrives: pTerm
Just this week I was posing the question of where are all the (no-jailbreak-required) ssh/terminal apps for the iPhone? While not the best platform for such a tool (the keyboard would – and does, as you will see – eat up some serious real estate), the platform has enough processing power to handle such an app and there are definitely times when it is handy to get ultra-portable access to your systems. As if they were listening for my request, Instant Cocoa released pTerm, which provides support for SSH, Telnet and taw TCP client connections from your iPhone. pTerm is based on PuTTY, one of the more stable & well-known ssh client suites (OS X users can grab that via some ports). (more…)
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Photos: Cracking open Apple's iPhone 3G
TechRepublic's Bill Detwiler dissects the newest incarnation of the iPhone and compares it with its predecessor.
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Preview: GTS World Racing for iPhone / iPod touch
Filed under: iPod Family, Software, iPhone, App Store If there's one company in the world that is in the business of keeping people happy, it's Astraware. They're a UK-based development firm that excels in writing games for handheld devices. In the past, they've published games like Bejeweled 2, Cubis, and Zuma for Palm and Windows Mobile, and now they're entering the iPhone market with a splash. GTS World Racing is an arcade-style racing game licensed from Pazzazz Games that, like Crash Bandicoot Nitro Kart 3D, uses the accelerometers in the iPhone / iPod touch for control. Tilting the iPhone left or right steers your car, tilting forward accelerates the car, and tilting back applies the brakes. The game provides 64 different track layouts, so you're not likely to get bored going around the same track again and again. There are 16 different worldwide locations for backdrops, as well as three different car types and four different levels of difficulty (I hate to admit that I'm still stuck at the "Easy" level...). You can also play your own music in the background if you tire of the built-in soundtrack.This post will be updated when GTS World Racing appears in the App Store at a US$7.99 price. In the interest of full disclosure, the author has had a long-term reviewing relationship with Astraware. Gallery: GTSWRRead|Permalink|Email this|Comments
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iPhone SDK NDA may continue due to patent concerns
Some now believe that Apple may be continuing the NDA on the iPhone SDK to protect patentable technology. Still, addressing the delay in some way could go a long way towards maintaining the goodwill Apple generally has with developers.Read More...
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‘iPhone Killer’ of the Week
Apparently even when the form factor looks like a BlackBerry — hardware keyboard and small 2.3-inch 320  240 display — it counts as an “iPhone Killer”. ★
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Apple seeds new 10.5.5 build to developers
Filed under: OS, DeveloperIt was only a week ago when Apple started shipping the early builds of Mac OS X 10.5.5. However, in the ever-changing world of OS updates, MacNN reports that Apple has prepared another developer seed of 10.5.5 for beta testing. The latest build number is 9F9 (the last one being 9F5). According to the article, Apple has reportedly squashed over 100 bugs in Leopard. Unlike the last build, MacNN says that this build is safe for Macs with integrated graphics cards.Christina Warren notes that this is only the 9th build of 10.5.5 and that Apple normally ships around 20 OS update builds before considering "gold master." [via MacNN]Thanks, Christina!Read|Permalink|Email this|Comments
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The Ratings Game: Apple, Dell favored in IT space over H-P and IBM, analyst says
Despite the economic slowdown, Credit Suisse analyst Bill Shope thinks the high-tech hardware sector is in a much better position now than it has been in past downturns.
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Review: Aurora Feint, inscrutable name, delightful game
Combining pattern matching puzzle action in a fantasy role-playing motif, Aurora Feint for iPhone and iPod touch is unbeatable, but in a good way.Read More...
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A Great Disturbance is Felt - PhoneSaber Pulled From App Store
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Rumor Mill: September event, iTunes streaming
It’s Friday, which means that it’s time to round up the current crop of Apple rumors making the rounds. September iBook MacBook Updates – Piper Jaffray analyst Gene Munster published a research note speculating that Apple will hold a special event in early September to announce new iPods and MacBooks. Apple has held similar September events [...]
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Who's Minding the App Store?
Over the course of its existence -- and particularly since the successful launches of the Macbook, the iPod and the iPhone -- Apple has developed a reputation for its streamlined design ethos and user-friendly interfaces. A stylish product that's easy to use is just part of the equation, however. A problem-free launch of a product is perhaps almost as important to a its success as its actual quality. This is why companies spend months planning every detail of a product launch.
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8 Copies of "I Am Rich" App Purchased Before Removal
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Grandialer, an iPhone app for GrandCentral
Filed under: iPhone, App StoreIf you are one of the lucky ones who got in on the GrandCentral beta, then you might be interested in a new iPhone app that integrates with the GrandCentral service. Grandialer (iTunes link) allows you to use your iPhone to call people using your GrandCentral telephone number. The service can be used on EDGE since it's not a VoIP service. The application works by connecting your calls through GrandCentral and ringing back your iPhone. To set up the application, you just need to specify a ringback number for GrandCentral to call you back. To do this, just navigate to Settings > Phone number in the Grandialer application.Grandialer is a free application and is available today on the App Store. For more information on the application you can visit the developer blog.Read|Permalink|Email this|Comments
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Another One Yanked From App Store: Slasher
“Slasher displays a common kitchen knife on the screen and plays a ‘horror’ sound when you make a stabbing motion.” Looks like PhoneSaber, the “swing your iPhone around and make lightsaber sounds” app, is gone too, but in the case of PhoneSaber, it was the developers’ decision to pull it, due to licensing issues: As of now, PhoneSaber will no longer be available, I’ve had a chat with a guy from THQ Wireless (who own the rights for Star Wars apps on mobiles) and as we were always expecting, PhoneSaber is not allowed to be on there. ★
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Author Claims Eight Copies of ‘I Am Rich’ Sold Before Apple Yanked It From App Store
The L.A. Times’s Mark Milian interviews I Am Rich creator Armin Heinrich, who claims eight copies were sold. After initially approving it for distribution, the company has since removed it from the store. Heinrich, a German software developer, has yet to hear back from Apple concerning the removal. “I have no idea why they did it and am not aware of any violation of the rules to sell software on the App Store,” Heinrich said in an email with The Times today. I don’t believe him, frankly. This quote from Heinrich doesn’t ring true to my ears: “I’ve got e-mails from customers telling me that they really love the app,” adding that they had “no trouble spending the money,” he said. ★
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Apple boots $1,000 app from App Store
The removal of the $1,000 "I am Rich" application along with a few other apps from Apple's App Store has some developers wondering what the rules are.
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iPhone 'kill switch' limited to location-aware apps
A report Friday suggests that the furor over the discovery of a "blacklist" inside the iPhone's OS might have been a bit premature, since the URL only "blacklists" certain applications.
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Article: iPhone Gems: Every Flickr Application, Reviewed
As the Internet has become increasingly social, photo-sharing sites have increased in popularity, and at the top of the photo stack is Yahoo!'s Flickr service. Flickr's large userbase, friendly, clean interface, and open API have allowed it to grow to storing over 2 billion photos, and it's that open API that has allowed developers the opportunity to create iPhone and iPod touch apps that work directly with the service. Eight such…
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Blast from the past: 1st generation iPod review
Filed under: iPod Family, Found Footage Ah, the simpler days: before the iPhone, before the iTunes store, and before Apple killed FireWire in favor of syncing via USB. Yes, we're talking about the birth of the iPod. This video is one of the very first reviews on TechTV (wow, anyone remember that television network?). The original iPod came in 5 GB and 10 GB models, and sold for $399 and $499 respectively. The battery life was 10 hours, and first generation iPods were Mac-only, running on Mac OS 9 and Mac OS X 10.1 (Puma). Over the past few years, the iPod has definitely changed, and this video is living proof. On an iPhone/iPod touch? Click here to watch this YouTube video. Read|Permalink|Email this|Comments
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Article: Ask iLounge 8-8-08
This week's Ask iLounge topics: iPhone and SIM card contacts, Syncing iPhone contacts, Hiding SMS previews on iPhone, Playing iPod touch on secondary computer, Syncing photos to iPod, Resuming interrupted iTunes WiFI Store downloads
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Article: Ask the Editor 8-8-2008
Ask iLounge offers readers the opportunity to get answers to their iPod-related questions from a member of the iLounge editorial team. We'll answer several questions here each week, and of course, you can always get help with more immediate concerns from the iLounge Discussion Forums. Submit your questions for consideration using our Ask iLounge Submit Form. We reserve the right to edit questions for grammar, spelling, and length. This week,…
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Mac users should watch ZFS development closely
Posted by Dennis SellersBy J. Scott Anderson Samsung and Microsoft are in talks to to speed up SSDs (solid state drives) on Windows Vista, reports Information Week.
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Best Buy's summer camps teach Mac skills
Kids, go to Best Buy's Geek Squad Summer Academy and learn things like how to fix your computer and use Garage Band!Read More...
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Another day, another App removed: PhoneSabre
If you’ve been following the drama at the App Store you’re aware that Apple has removed three applications to date: NetShare – the 3G tethering application from NullRiver Box Office/Now Playing – a super-useful movie application I used last night I Am Rich – the US$1,000 application that 8 people purchased Now a fourth application can be added [...]
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pTerm released, update due soon
Filed under: Software, iPhone Newly arrived in the App Store is pTerm, an iPhone port of the PuTTY terminal emulator. It supports SSH and Telnet, among other things, and has a built-in Control key. But developer Eric Maland has been in touch with us to say that a 1.1 update is already on its way (it has been submitted to Apple and is awaiting approval). Unfortunately a handful of "major crashy bugs" (as Eric puts it) were discovered after the 1.0 release had been submitted. Planned features for future releases include multiple simultaneous connections, custom sizes and colors, port forwarding and lots more. Details on the pTerm home page. And in the meantime, if you download and experience crashy behavior, Eric's message is: be patient. The fixes are done, but when they reach the Store is out of his hands. pTerm is $4.99US in the US App Store (We haven't seen it in the UK store).Read|Permalink|Email this|Comments
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News: Google launches Google Translate for iPhone and iPod touch
Google has launched a new version of its online Google Translate tool optimized for the iPhone and iPod touch. According to the Google Mobile Blog, the web app is “optimized for speed, supports all of the existing Google Translate language pairs, and uses a client-side data-store on your iPhone to hang on to your past translations so you always have them at hand, even if you can't use the local data network.” Google Translate for…
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MacBook Pro graphics chips failing prematurely
It appears that the current crop of MacBook Pros seem to be suffering from a premature failure of their Nvidia graphics processors. According to a piece on The Inquirer “All Nvidia G84 and G86s are bad” and MacBooks Pro’s with either the Nvidia 8600GT GPUs are prone to failure: The short story is that all the [...]
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Apple not exhibiting at Web 2.0 Expo
Posted by Dennis SellersThe Web 2.0 Expo will be held Sept. 17 and 18 in New York. The event features 75 exhibitors showcasing tools, technologies, services, infrastructures and more of “all things Web 2.0.”
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Griffin releases iTrip Universal
Posted by Dennis SellersGriffin Technology has released the iTrip Universal, an US$39.99 FM transmitter that's compatible with most portable audio players. It's also the first of the iTrip family to feature a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
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Gabob game Now Boarding on the Mac
Posted by Dennis SellersGabob has released its Now Boarding game for Mac, Windows and Linux systems. It's an US$14.99 action-tycoon game focused on running an airport.
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News: Sign up for iPodweek, coming later today
iPodweek, iLounge's weekly newsletter recapping the last seven days in news, articles, reviews, and more, will be sent out to our email subscribers later today. In addition to rounding up the week's top stories, iPodweek also features giveaways and accessory discount offers from various companies. If you haven't yet signed up to receive iPodweek, there's still time to register and receive this week's edition — just…
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10.5: A possible fix for an iChat 'Camera in use' error
With an Intel iMac running Leopard, I kept getting an error that the built-in iSight was in use. To fix this problem, I now do this from Terminal as an admin user, and I can again use the camera: $ sudo killall VDCAssistant I do not even have to restart iChat for the fix to take effect. The way I deduced this is that I ran sudo lsof | less -i, searched for usb, and found this VDCAssistant process using some VDC (whatever that is) library that the QuickTime component of iChat was using, too. So I decided to kill that process. The system respawns the VDCAssistant process, but after that, the iSight camera can be used again in iChat -- at least until it suddenly becomes unusable again, for no particular reason I can determine.
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Virtualize Mac OS X Client on VMware Fusion
VMWare Fusion 2.0 beta2 supports virtualizing Mac OS X Server as a guest OS. If you try to install a Leopard Client guest, however, you get an error: "The guest operating system is not Mac OS X Server." However, if you create an ISO/CDR image from your Leopard install DVD, mount it, then do this in Terminal... touch "/Volumes/Mac OS X Install DVD/System/Library/CoreServices/ServerVersion.plist" After running that command, unmount the image. You can now use that image to install Leopard Client into VMware Fusion with no complaints. After you install, reboot VMware Fusion from the install DVD ISO again, launch Terminal, and run this command: touch "/Volumes/Macintosh H...
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Completely uninstall PhoneView
The procedure outlined on Ecamm Network's website for uninstalling PhoneView is not necessarily complete. The Ecamm website indicates "to uninstall PhoneView, simply drag the PhoneView icon to the Trash icon on your dock." However, by default PhoneView will enable an option in its preferences to "launch PhoneView when iPhone is Attached." The effect of this option is to create an entry in the Login Items tab, which can be found in Accounts section of System Preferences. If you just trash PhoneView Demo.app, the entry in the Login Items tab is NOT removed. Unfortunately, that means that every time you login from now on, the PhoneViewHelper.app will run. The best way to avoid this situation is to be sure to uncheck the box 'Launch PhoneView when iPhone is Attached' in PhoneView's preferences before trashing PhoneView Demo.app. If you happen to delete PhoneView Demo.app without unchecking the box, then you can cleanup in one of two ...
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How to minimize iPone data traffic using MobileMe
Here are my conclusions so far based on a series of packet sniffing experiments to understand how much data is used by the iPhone. The most conservative data use sync options are to turn the master "push" switch off, and to set the fetch settings to manual. When that happens, calendars and contacts seem trigger an immediate sync when new items are added. Otherwise, there is no apparent periodic traffic unless you trigger a manual sync (done by entering the application itself.) You can usually trigger a manual sync by entering the application whose data you want to sync. With the conservative settings, exiting and entering an application (contacts, calendar, etc) seems to remind the iPhone to check for new data from MobileMe. If the phone hasn’t recently checked for a few minutes, over the next 10 to 15 seconds, the phone will reach out over the network and pol...
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Developers asking for more info about App Store vetting
After seeing several applications appear on the App Store and then disappear, all without any word from Apple, developers would like the company to provide more information about the vetting process. They'd also like Apple to limit the coverage of the NDA to unreleased firmwares, but that may not happen anytime soon.Read More...
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FastMac taking pre-orders for U-Charge battery charger
Back on 15 May 2008 I gave you an exclusive look at FastMac’s TruePower U-Charge (US$69.95) portable battery charger. FastMac has announced that they’re now accepting pre-orders for the innovative little charger. U-Charge looks like an AC adapter with a special charger tail that snaps onto the contacts of Apple notebook batteries to charge them outside [...]
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Google Translate comes to the iPhone
Service, which can translate text between 24 languages, came out of the company's policy to set aside a day of each employee's week to work on any idea desired.
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Record, convert conversation to voice email with System of Proof
Posted by Dennis SellersSystem of Proof has developed technology that the company claims turns your cell or land phone into a microphone. There's software installation requirement and no other equipmen.
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Dictionary Cleaner lets you maintain your custom spelling dictionary in Mac OS X
Posted by Dennis SellersTwo AM Software has released Dictionary Cleaner, a free System Preferences Pane utility to maintain your custom spelling dictionary. Mac OS X has a built-in spelling checker, but there's no easy way to see what words you've added. With Dictionary Cleaner, now you can.
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First Looks: Griffin FlexGrip for iPhone 3G
Sold at an aggressive price and employing a design previously found in Griffin's same-named products for iPod nano and iPod touch, FlexGrip for iPhone 3G ($15) combines a two-tone silicone rubber case with a clear film screen protector and black cleaning cloth. The four available colors include a white face on frosted back, a black face on gray back, a hot pink face on light pink back, and a rich red face on lighter red back, each opaque in front…
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Blood Ties game available at Macgamestore
Posted by Dennis SellersBlood Ties is now available for the Mac at the Macgamestore. The US$19.95 game, based on the popular Canadian television series, is published by Mersom.
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Credit Suisse foresees sold Mac, iPhone 3G sales
Posted by Dennis SellersThe Credit Suisse Group has initiated coverage of Apple with an “outperform” rating and a $200 price target, reports Mac Daily News.
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Your iPhone probably isn't calling home, just might not want you up in its Core Location
Filed under: Cellphones It appears we can all breathe a big sigh of relief when it comes to our iPhone apps. According to John Gruber (Daring Fireball), that suspicious looking URL discovered in the firmware 2.x which appeared to be set to deactivate applications may be something slightly more innocuous. According to Gruber -- via "an informed source at Apple" -- the "clbl" in the aforementioned URL stands for "Core Location Blacklist" and is actually used to stipulate that specific pieces of software don't have access to... you guessed it... Core Location. Gruber argues that this makes sense, as the API is covered by fairly strict rules in Apple's SDK. So it looks like (at a glance) this was much ado about nothing -- thanks to a little misinterpretation by Jonathan Zdziarski -- though we are considering getting hot under the collar that Apple reserves the right to deny Core Location access. How dare they?[Thanks, Paul]Read|Permalink|Email this|Comments
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How to present like Steve Jobs
Filed under: Steve Jobs, Apple Steve Jobs has been called a "master showman" whose "reality distortion field" lulls observers into believing they desperately need whatever he's pitching. However, it isn't magic that makes him so engaging, but a talent for public speaking combined with ruthless rehearsals.Still, one need not be a visionary billionaire vegan to deliver a killer presentation. yoZi has written a great article about steps you can take to bring your own talks up to that level. Tips include, "Try for an unforgettable moment," "Demonstrate enthusiasm" and my favorite, "Create visual slides." From the article:"There is a trend in public speaking to paint a picture for audiences by creating more visual graphics. Inspiring presenters are short on bullet points and big on graphics."Amen. We all know that slide presentations are an exquisite form of torture, made worse when the presenter is simply reading slide after slide of text. Unless we're in a foreign language class, please abandon the read-a-long.There is one more thing yoZi failed to mention: Have a few catch phrases ready to go. See above.Read|Permalink|Email this|Comments
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Apple updates Software Update for Windows to version 2.1.1
Apple has released a small update to the Windows version of its Software Update tool. There's no update page for the 2.1.1 release, but we do know that it improves security and reliability.Read More...
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Apple's cash hoard: Begging for a 'windfall tax'?
The company is making so much money right now that it will almost certainly lead to fear and loathing down the road.
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News: App Store Finds: PhoneSaber removed, FMTouch, ProRemote, PuzzLoop
The developers behind the popular iPhone and iPod touch application PhoneSaber have posted a statement regarding the app's removal from the App Store. According to TheMacBox, they pulled the app at the request of THQ Wireless, which owns the rights for Star Wars apps on mobile phones. Their talks with THQ were friendly, however, and the devs write that “[t]hey want to do some sort of official, Star Wars branded version of PhoneSaber, and…
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iPhone 101: Find UDID with a single click
Filed under: iPod Family, iPhone, SDKApple has given developers a way to beta test iPhone applications with up-to 100 iPhones. Some developers have already started using this to their advantage by giving their software out as free public betas. However, you must supply a developer with your iPhone's UDID (unique device identifier) in order to install these "Ad-hoc" applications on your iPhone. To find your iPhone's UDID, just plug it into your computer and wait until iTunes recognizes it. Select your phone from the Devices list in iTunes and click the "Summary" tab. To see your UDID, click on the word "serial number" beside the picture of the iPhone. You should see the word "identifer" and an alphanumeric string - this is your UDID. To copy it, just press command + C on your Mac's keyboard (or control + C in Windows). Now comes the hard part: getting on a developer's beta testing list.Read|Permalink|Email this|Comments
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Apple should cut Mac prices—but not necessarily for the most argued reason
Posted by Dennis SellersOn Thursday we ran a report regarding a Joe Wilcox article at eWeek's Apple Watch that said data from the NPD research group shows that Macs are much more expensive on average than Windows systems. Macsimum readers had plenty of comments (see the give-and-take under the article), but I (of...
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BenQ releases 'ultra-green' displays
Posted by Dennis SellersBenQ has released “ultra-green” displays with 16:9 aspect ratios that purportedly emit 25-50 percent less CO2 than traditional displays. The company's E900HD and G900HD feature a two-lamp design that still emits the bright 300 nits of four-lamp models.
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Info needed on dance studio management software for the Mac
Posted by Dennis SellersOur next Macsimum Migration Kit will look at Mac software for managing dance studios. If you use or know of such goodies, drop us a line (dsellers@macsimumnews.com) by Wednesday, Aug. 13.
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Macsimum Migration Kit: password management software, part II
Posted by Dennis Sellers In this week's Macsimum Migration Kit, we're serving up the second and final part of our round-up of Mac software for password management. Part one can be found here. For those new to the column, Macsimum Migration is our term for companies moving from Windows machines to Macs—or at least...
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Apple Bloggers Pay Pretty Penny for Macs, Ponder Porcine iPhone Update, Pray for Perfect Products
There's been lots of activity in the Apple-focused blogosphere this week -- and that's no surprise, what with the screaming success Apple's been having with its Mac and iPhone sales. For example, TechCrunch reported that Foxconn, a Taiwanese electronics manufacturer that produces the iPhone for Apple, has ramped up production to 800,000 units a week. With that kind of production, Apple is on a lot of people's brains these days. A few of the more interesting stories this week include the high price of the Mac and the iPhone 3G's bug-fixing update.
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Microsoft Gets the Blogging Community
Interesting article (Official: Microsoft Buys ME Lunch, Gives ME Private Tour!) over at the blog "Save the Intern" from some guy named Ben about a recent run in the blogger had with Microsoft (MSFT). So this is kind of crazy. I don't know if you guys have been following the comments over on my post here but a couple people from Microsoft have contacted me because of this blog! Apparently they've been following my posts about my tech troubles at work and through their commenting have offered some helpful solutions. In particular like their free online training site which includes training videos. Pretty helpful stuff. I really didn't expect Microsoft of all companies to reach out like that. I guess they figure it'd be good PR for them or something. But, what I REALLY didn't expect was their offer to take my buddy Josh and I out to lunch and give us a private tour of their office in Irvine! Kinda badass right? Needless to say I'm pretty excited about it.
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The Mac Night Owl: 'Another look at Apple's support problems'
Posted by Dennis SellersOn today's commentary, Gene “Mac Night Owl” Steinberg offers “Another look at Apple's support problems.”
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Movie review: 'Pineapple Express' goes up in smoke
Posted by Dennis SellersBy Matt Martin The Pineapple Express is a Cheech and Chong movie mixed with Quentin Tarantino violence. And it's not a comfortable marriage. It's the latest entry from the Judd Apatow factory (the folks behind Knocked Up, Superbad, Forgetting Sarah Marshall) and it has several laughs and a layer of...
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InDev Software MailTags
The MailTags pane lets you add metadata to your messages. In everything from Gmail to iTunes to the OS X Finder itself, folders are out—tagging and searching are in. It’s somewhat surprising then, that Apple Mail still hasn’t incorporated tags, even as OS X becomes increasingly adept at on-the-fly searching. Enter MailTags, a plug-in for Mail that allows you to assign tags to your email and thereby organize your messages. read more
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Add Chapter Markers to iMovie ’08 Videos
iMovie ’08 lacks the chapter-marker feature found in iMovie ’06, but you can still add chapters to an iMovie ’08 project by using GarageBand. read more
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Which CEOs Have the Best and Worst Approval Ratings?
Really, I love the kind of information Glassdoor.com is exposing about what's going on inside big companies. Most brilliant of all is that Glassdoor gets employees to rate their own CEOs, which results in CEO approval ratings that are similar to approval ratings of presidents and governors. Glassdoor sent me the latest list of the top 10 CEO approval ratings, and the bottom 10. The big surprises in technology: Employees love Intuit CEO Brad Smith and EMC CEO Joe Tucci. Who knew? (NOT a surprise that Apple employees adore Steve Jobs.)
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Olympus Evolt E-420
Its small body shoots big images. read more
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★ It’s a Core Location Blacklist
Yesterday I linked to a story at MacRumors (via iPhone Atlas) about the discovery by Jonathan Zdziarski of a remote blacklist Apple is maintaining, supposedly, according to Zdziarski, to remotely disable rogue iPhone apps previously distributed through the App St