Oct 22, 2008 Oct 24, 2008 Thursday October 23, 2008
-
NDA Officially Dead
As promised earlier this month, Apple has posted new terms and conditions for the iPhone SDK. ★
-
Want to write for TUAW?
Filed under: TUAW BusinessLet me just say it: we're looking for a few good geeks. Do you have a love for all things Apple, tempered with a healthy dose of skepticism for the power of the RDF? Are you eager to share your favorite tips and tricks with Mac users everywhere? Is your iPhone development mojo so strong that it deserves an iSoapbox? Are you, in short, TUAW material? If you think you're what we're looking for, why not apply to blog for TUAW? Write about what you love and get paid to do it... seems like a good idea. Here's what we need from you: A brief biography. Tell us about your history with Apple, how long you've been a Mac user, etc. 3 sample posts written in TUAW's style. One should be a review of something (Mac app or accessory, iPod gear, iPhone app, you get the picture), the second should be an opinion piece, and the third can be whatever strikes your fancy. NOTE: please do not give us links to previously published material in lieu of post samples. We're glad to know about other places your work has appeared, but we need three freshly written and unedited posts. Your current Mac and iPhone/iPod setup. Your contact info (email, phone, IM, anywhere else we can find you) Send this package of "how I am so awesome" to us at apps@tuaw.com as a plain text email; no attachments, please. You have to be at least 18 years old to write for TUAW (sorry, not our choice), but we welcome applicants from all parts of the world -- in fact, we would love to bring some contributors into the fold who are in timezones far away from EST. If you've got specialized Mac interests (scientific computing, video/audio, education), that's fantastic, but generalists welcome too. Our deadline for this round of applications is Friday, November 7 -- so get down to it!Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
Will Path Finder 5 replace the Finder once and for all?
Cocoatech's Path Finder is an amazing achievement in Finder replacement that I have been conflicted over for some time. It has most of the abilities of the Finder but offers much more customization in its browser-style file management system. My problem with it has always been that it does such a great job that I just wish the Finder would get out of its way completely and let it take over, but I don't expect there to be a final solution to this problem while Apple still has anything to say about it. Today, Path Finder 5.0 was released. It's been designed from the ground up for greater speed and integration. Version 5.0 leverages the latest Leopard technologies including Core Animation, FSEvents, Coverflow, Quicklook, ObjC-2.0, and more. I haven't given the new version enough of a test drive yet, but I'm anxious to see if Cocoatech has come up with any new methods of suppressing the Finder and allowing Path Finder to take over. Path Finder 5.0 can be purchased for USD$39.95. A full-featured, 30-day demo is available. I'm going to upgrade my Path Finder 4 license for USD$19.95 and see how this new version measures up. Comment below with your experiences with Path Finder and especially version 5.
-
Jean-Michel Jarre AeroSystem iPod speaker system looks like a sci-fi set piece
I'm feeling some serious fatigue from iPod accessory announcements, but this speaker system from Jean-Michel Jarre (more on Jean-Michel Jarre) actually made me stop and take a look. It's called the AeroSystem and at first I thought it looked like the USS Enterprise's reactor core from The Wrath of Khan, but even though it has two 20W RMS speakers and a 45W RMS subwoofer, it is unlikely to do in any self-sacrificing Vulcan science officers. The AeroSystem features a USB port and a 3.5mm stereo jack as well as an iPod dock connector. According to the site, it sells for EUR450 (approx USD$580). Too rich for my blood, but I still think it looks cool. [ Via Shiny Shiny ]
-
Fieldrunners: DTD for iPhone
Filed under: Gaming, iPhoneYes, I am one of those people.: the bleary-eyed Desktop Tower Defense addicts. The game concept is simple, but remarkably addictive. A series of creatures is attempting to get from the left to the right side of the playing field. You get a limited budget to build various kinds of weapons towers to prevent them from getting across. The more you kill, the more money you get to build more towers. We've covered various implementations of the basic concepts, like Hordes of Orcs for the Mac. But now this sublime time-suck has an excellent iPhone version in Fieldrunner from Subatomic Studios (App Store link). Sticking to the tried and true gameplay, you have the option of placing four different types of towers (each of which can also be upgraded for additional cost). There are several different kind of enemies (some walking, some on wheels, some flying), each of which is more or less susceptible to the various towers.The game responds more or less exactly how you would expect. You can zoom in and out with standard iPhone gestures to place your towers with more detail. Towers are positioned by dragging them onto the field from slots below. Each tower already in play can be tapped to bring up a menu to either sell it or upgrade it (if you've got the cash). The graphics are attractive (especially when zoomed in) and responsive. The biggest thing missing is sound, but since I prefer my own music anyway that's not much of a loss. In any case, they promise sound effects are coming in a future version along with new enemies and new towers.Fieldrunner is $4.99 on the App Store, and worth every penny if you're a DTD fan. Check out some more images after the jump.[via Infinite Loop]Continue reading Fieldrunners: DTD for iPhoneRead | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
RF Modules Planned for Future Apple Gadgets?
A new proposal from Apple, highlighted today by AppleInsider, hints at their desire to provide ubiquitous connectivity to the internet through a series of tiny RF modules. At present, the only device in Apple's lineup capable of providing wireless connectivity anywhere is the iPhone, supporting Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPRS, 3G and other wireless data technologies. An RF transmitter could — in theory — perform a very similar function, passing the connection on to all your nearby short range devices (such as laptops, iPods etc). The vision is that these devices would be present in your home, car, clothing and workplace to ensure that you're never without a connection to the internet. Apple suggest that “When the user moves from one location to another, the host device may determine which RF module to access when requiring use of a long-range communications protocol.” One potential use would be to provide a robust VoIP network, passing your call data from one transmitter to another as you move around with no loss of connection. They won't necessarily be simply inanimate network devices either — other proposed features include a microphone, display (an iPhone controlling watch anyone?), or the ability to control nearby devices. The possibilities here do seem endless. It would provide a real new wave of innovation in terms of connectivity and re-write the book on how devices can interact with each other. That said, it's also a very complex and ambitious technology to pursue — leading the field in a system such as this doesn't fit with what Apple have done in the past. Their oft used approach favors watching other companies fumble around with a new technology before launching their own competition which alleviates all the problems posed by competing devices. It's a ground breaking concept, and a space worth watching, but I don't foresee any physical products in the near future.
-
TUAW Hands On: MacSpeech Dictate 1.2 ships with Dragon engine
Filed under: Hardware, SoftwareI've written blog posts on planes, on trains, and definitely in automobiles. This is the first time, however, that I've written a section of a post just using my voice. MacSpeech Dictate, version 1.2 (the first version using the Dragon technology licensed from Nuance), released this week, is so much better than any previous Mac dictation system that I find I can't think fast enough to keep up with it. The new MacSpeech version isn't cheap. For $200 you get the software on a CD and DVD, plus a Plantronics headset with a USB adapter (other microphone setups are available as options; I'm using it with a Sennheiser headset). It also has fairly steep system requirements -- you'll need an Intel Mac running 10.4.11/10.5.3 or higher. The software isn't problem free; it can get a little confused when you switch back and forth between dictation and typing, and the interface isn't exactly what I'd call streamlined... but the results are unbelievable. Installation is quite straightforward. Run the app, adjust your headset volume, read about five minutes of training material; then you're ready to roll. Any application that accepts text input will work with the MacSpeech software. Your text appears just as though you had typed it from the keyboard. In my initial testing, accuracy is very, very good. Almost everything I say gets correctly interpreted by the software, so the recognition and correction tools aren't getting much of a workout yet. Later on I'll try some more complicated dictation tasks and see how it goes. Having to announce each punctuation mark and speak like a newscaster could easily get old, and my coworkers may not appreciate me dictating everything every day. I can't deny, however, that there is something truly magical about the power of MacSpeech Dictate. Spell words it doesn't recognize, add custom words to the vocabulary (including entire text documents already written)... just awesome. Back to the keyboard -- I can definitely type faster than I can dictate (at least, so far) and other formatting tasks are much easier with a hand on the mouse. Still, for anyone who faces challenges using traditional inputs methods due to RSI or other restrictions, this new version is definitely worth a close look. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
My Dad, the Switcher: Day Zero
Filed under: Switchers, FeaturesAs far as database management and Windows programming is concerned, my dad is what you'd call "hard-core." He's been writing software since the 1960s, starting at Honeywell, then Hewlett Packard, eventually starting his own business. He is an expert with the HP 3000 minicomputer, which, in its day, was heavy computing iron to have lying around. So it came as a bit of a shock when he called last week and said, "I'm ready to buy a Mac." He and I are working on a web development project together using open-source tools. Because his workstation is set up for the Microsoft world of SQL Server and .NET, installing XAMPP was wreaking havoc with his complicated array of security software, including Norton and BitDefender. He wanted to start fresh, and work on a system without having to worry about something randomly disallowing access to port 3306. Understandable. Continue reading My Dad, the Switcher: Day ZeroRead | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
Airport Extreme Update Pulled, But Damage Already Done
Updates turning out to be harmful rather than helpful are nothing new, and it's beginning to look like you can add Apple's latest Airport Extreme software “fix” to the list of the potentially damaging. Complaints from commenters and bloggers around the net are beginning to pile up, yet Apple remains silent on the status of the update (numbered 2008-003) which was uploaded to their servers Monday and then pulled shortly after without explanation. While the update was intended to resolve issues when roaming in large Wi-Fi networks, reports are claiming that not only does that issue persist, in some cases the patch is causing network problems. Some users are even claiming that following the update, Airport ceases to work at all. Total Airport failures are being reported on multiple platforms, including the Aluminum MacBook and late model white MacBook. Others are claiming reduced capability, including connection problems and the inability of their machines to recognize the 802.11n capability of their cards (a/b/g only). (more…)
-
VoiceNotes vs. iDicto vs. Recorder vs. Record
Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch Four audio recording apps? Sure, why not? Voice note apps make a lot of sense if you are the type of on-the-go person fond of talking to yourself. Luckily there are plenty of choices, and I'll break down the functionality of four that I've been monkeying around with. Each app records from the iPhone mic (and I'm sure they record on the new iPod touches, but I don't have one for testing), each app allows some method to send the resulting audio files to your desktop machine, and each app offers some method for managing the recordings. As you'll see, none are perfect, but each may be suited to a particular type of user. To record the samples I used the same text, read into the built-in iPhone (1st gen) microphone. The apps above, from left to right: VoiceNotes, iDicto, Recorder and Record.RecorderCost: $.99Recording:This was one of the first apps I purchased, and it was an early entry on the store. When you start Recorder you'll see a large red rectangle that allows you to quickly start recording. The large button is easy to hit with one hand, and on-screen meters give you a sense of how strong your recording is. Each recording is automatically named with "Memo" plus a number, similar to how screenshots work on your Mac. Playback:Recordings aren't great quality, but they are on par with every other app I tested: you won't be bootlegging concerts, but you can clearly hear yourself, even on the iPhone's speakers. A simple playback bar appears when you start playing the audio (just above the Record button), making it easy to move around in the audio sample.Sync:WiFi sync uses a browser upload model, similar to iDicto. A nice, big screen appears with a URL you type into your browser. Once you type that in you get a simple interface to download each recording. Those recordings go wherever you've got downloads set to go. You may also email recordings, but as all these apps point out, that's tricky. Apple doesn't really allow attachments, and file size limits would bog this down. I show how it works in the gallery: you are sent a URL in email where the file really lives. Files are saved as AIFF, which is a plus.Bottom line:Out of all the apps I tested so far, I think Recorder provides the best value overall. Super simple interface, best sync method, and the quality of recordings was on par with the rest. At $.99 it is priced to move, and should suit most needs.That said, each of the other apps may have something you're looking for, so read on...Gallery: App Store Audio Recording Apps FaceoffThe gallery walks you through almost every screen in every app plus the desktop sync side.Continue reading VoiceNotes vs. iDicto vs. Recorder vs. RecordPermalink | Email this | Comments
-
Teen reported Steve Jobs' fake heart attack
Daniel Eran Dilger The fraudulent report of Steve Jobs’ heart attack that never actually happened was originated by an 18 year old with unclear motives. The motives of those repeating the story were very clear however. . A Bloomberg brief noted that the teen’s fraudulent report was uploaded to CNN’s iReport website and then immediately published without any [...]
-
First Look: Shelf Life
Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touchThere are many iPhone applications geared towards helping you shop at the grocery store, but none of them can track how old your food in the fridge is. A new application called Shelf Life [iTunes link] hopes to help you out in this area. Shelf Life keeps an inventory of your perishable groceries and, based on the date each is added to the list, displays either a green or red bubble beside it. The color will let you know if the item is okay to eat or not. Adding an item to the application is as easy as taping the "+" button in the upper right-hand corner -- once you start typing a name, the application will predict what you are trying to add. The predictive typing is based on other user input, as are the expiration times. Overall, this application is extremely solid, and allows the user to quickly input items and see what food is about to expire. With the economic times we're in, everyone is trying to save, and this application could definitely help you achieve this goal. Shelf Life is now available on the App Store for $1.99. You can also check out our gallery of screenshots.Gallery: First Look: Shelf LifeRead | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
Inquisitor Search Now Runs Across Platforms
The Inquisitor plugin, (now owned by Yahoo) long monogamously committed to the Safari web browser, is now available for Firefox and Internet Explorer, across the OS X and Windows computing platforms. Inquisitor plugs in to the search bar in your browser, and functions much like the OS X based Spotlight when performing web searches. Inquisitor gives you the ability to go directly to top search results right from your search bar, rather than sifting through results in the resulting Google page. As their website explains: Start typing and websites appear instantly, along with suggestions to help refine your search. Inquisitor understands you, learning and tailoring your results as you search. You can also add more search engines with customized keyboard shortcuts. At one point in time, Inquisitor came under fire when it was discovered that the original developer, David Watanabe, was getting Amazon referrals from people clicking search result links. Personally, I thought it was no big deal — he offered the software for free after all — but others got a little peeved about it because the Amazon links were promoted to the top of the results list without being disclosed ahead of time. It was addressed appropriately with a website disclosure (and ultimately was completely removed), and I think David has done a fantastic job with this application plugin. Periodically I get the wild hair and move away from Safari to another browser (Firefox, currently, for those keeping score at home), and Inquisitor has consistently been one of the main things I miss from the move. I definitely suggest checking it out for yourself if you haven't yet. Via LifeHacker
-
Classics brings a different approach to reading on the iPhone
Filed under: Software, iPhone, App Store, iPod touchA new application coming soon to an iPhone near you hopes to bring a new experience for reading e-books. Classics.app, which is being developed by Andrew Kazmierski and Phillip Ryu, will allow its users to read classic works of literature ... right on their iPhones! Classics will feature public domain ebooks like Alice in Wonderland, Robinson Crusoe, Gulliver's Travels, and Paradise Lost. Best part of the application? The developers will be offering free updates to owners. With future updates will come a new collection of books. Classics should leave many iPhone owners flipping the virtual pages of books (just remember to charge your iPhone regularly). Classics will be available soon on the App Store for an introductory price of $2.99. Until it is released, you can watch a short demo movie on their website, and sign up for updates. For some insight into how Classics was made, check out the designer's blog. Thanks for the info, Phil!Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
Mac 101: Address Book A-Z
Filed under: Software, Mac 101New to the Mac? Welcome back to our Mac 101 series, which explores the basics of Mac OS X, provides tips and tricks, and dives into key features of Apple's bundled applications. Address Book is the contact management software bundled with every new Mac. It's easy to use and well integrated with Mail and iCal. Let's explore some of its capabilities. Creating a new record There are three ways to do this. The first is to select "New Card" from the "File" menu. The second is to click the "+" icon below the "Name" column. Finally, you can press Command - N on your keyboard. Next, fill in the fields. Some have drop-down titles. For example, you can label a phone number as "work", "home" or "mobile". Finally, you can add a note to the notes field. Adding a photo is fun. Just click the photo box next to a contact's name and a new window appears. From there, you can browse to a photo on your computer or take a snapshot with your iSight camera. You can even apply some filters to the photo by clicking the Filters button on the right hand side of the window. That photo will appear on that person's record, on email messages retreived with Apple's Mail and on a synchronized iPhone or iPod. Continue reading Mac 101: Address Book A-ZRead | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
How-To: Moving Email Between Macs
Of all the information I have stored on my Mac, email is by far the data I hold with highest regard. I choose not to use a web based email service such as GMail or MobileMe Mail – rather using the basic Mail application bundled with OSX. While my various accounts do utilize IMAP, all my archived mail messages are stored locally in various folders. When recently moving to a new Apple machine, I needed to quickly and easily move all my email account data, messages and attachments, along with the data I've collected for my spam filtering application, SpamSieve. This process can be very straight forward when you know how. (more…)
-
O'Reilly iPhoneLive Conference Postponed
Filed under: Software, Other Events, Developer, iPhone, SDKThe O'Reilly iPhoneLive Conference, which was scheduled for November 18th in San Jose, California, has been postponed. Bill Dudney, one of the co-chairs of the conference, mentioned to me this morning that the conference had been postponed and would be rescheduled at a future date. The O'Reilly website for the conference is now showing an announcement about the postponement, but no explanation. Several TUAW readers have expressed their anger about the postponement, particularly because they've already purchased non-refundable airline tickets. As we receive more info from O'Reilly about the postponement, this post will be updated.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
Biggest Flop of the Century
Self-proclaimed “marketing expert” Laura Ries in June 2007: The hype and intense media, consumer and Wall Street excitement comes from the impression that the iPhone will become another iPod (it even has a similar name.) And that Jobs will do in phones (a market 4 times the size of music players) what he did in music. In other words, he came, he saw, he conquered. Nothing could be further from the truth. If the iPod is the biggest success of the 21st century then iPhone is likely to be the biggest flop of the 21st century. Someday I will tire of linking to these things. That day is not today. ★
-
Collateral Damage
I am not a very sophisticated mobile phone user. I don't use most of the bells and whistles on my phone, probably because I don't know what they even are. But just because I'm an idiot about USING mobile phones doesn't mean I don't understand the emerging mobile market, to which I have been paying a lot of attention of late. And why not? As personal computers fade from what Al Mandel called "ubiquity to invisibility," something has to take over. And everyone I respect thinks the new dominant platform will be mobile. So it's my job to tell you, then, that Windows Mobile is probably doomed. Interestingly, this conclusion isn't based on any personal preference or subjective analysis. I'm not saying that Windows Mobile is bad, just that it is probably doomed. It's a simple matter of market economics. There is generally room in any technology marketplace for three competing standards. Notice I say "standards," not "brands." There can be many brands of road vehicles, but they generally come down to cars, trucks, and motorcycles -- each a standard. In personal computers we have Windows, Macintosh, and Linux (or similar Unix workstation variant). In HVAC systems, just to stretch the point, there are radiant, forced air, or evaporative systems -- again three standards. And among those three standards there tends to be a market-share distribution that is more or less 85-10-5. These numbers can jump around a bit and one can argue that the Mac is now more than 10 percent of recent sales, though not of the installed PC base, so I hope you get my point. This magic 85-10-5 distribution also happens to mirror what happens at the racetrack or in the casino, where 85 percent of gamblers lose, 10 percent break-even, and 5 percent are winners, which explains all those big buildings in Las Vegas. The mobile phone marketplace shows a similar distribution, though that now appears to be in some transition. One could argue that the old 85-10-5 came down to basic or dumb phones (85), smartphones (10), and specialized or vertical phones like the old Nextel (5). Moore's Law now seems to be inexorably turning all phones into smartphones, so we're probably moving toward an 85-10-5 based on programming platform. Let's consider this smartphone migration for a moment, first with Samsung in mind. Last week Samsung announced that it would no longer be making high-end phones and would stick to basic phones in the future -- going for higher volumes at lower cost. This makes a lot of sense given that sophisticated phones must cost more to develop yet tend to be more expensive as a result and therefore have lower sales numbers. So why bother? This was the message Samsung sent out and everyone bought, but I really think that if you look at it in the context of a dynamic market the announcement means something else altogether. Deconstructing the Samsung announcement we'd have to wonder how the company sees itself and its competitors. That answer is pretty simple: Samsung sees itself as a global electronics company competing with outfits like Sony. Samsung has been for 40 years all about copying and eventually crushing Sony. Now given that's how Samsung sees itself (nobody I know contests this vision, by the way), how can the company possibly afford to let Nokia, Motorola, Sony, and Apple make high-end phones, which is to say smartphones, without Samsung competing in that space? That would be giving up a lifelong dream and Samsung just won't do it. So were they lying? No, Samsung wasn't lying, they were just doing what my old friend, PR man Martin Quigley, called "dissembling." Samsung probably has no intention of abandoning the smartphone market because ALL phones are becoming smartphones. What they truly intend to do, however, is make smartphones that are generally inexpensive, hoping to gain market share as a result. We'll see this trend from Apple, too, which will push iPhone prices down and introduce cheaper models next year and beyond. While there are many ways for Samsung to make smartphones less expensive, the easiest way to do so and yet remain competitive on features is by no longer using software that costs money. In the smartphone space there are, at present, only three operating systems that are being broadly licensed on an OEM basis -- Android, Symbian, and Windows Mobile. Of those three, two are free -- Android and Symbian. Symbian didn't used to be free but times change and now it is. So Samsung was announcing that it would be ending development of Windows Mobile devices at some point, though they never said that directly. Sticking with Samsung for a moment, then, which of the two free software platforms is the company likely to endorse? That's a good question. Symbian has a very strong presence in Japan, which is an important market for Samsung, so I don't see them abandoning Symbian immediately. But in the longer term I think Samsung WILL abandon Symbian, as will most of the rest of the world. Here's why (donning flameproof clothing): Symbian is simply too old. The OS is getting slower and slower with each release. The GUIs are getting uglier and are not user-friendly. The development environment is particularly bad, which wouldn't hurt if there weren't others that are so much better. Symbian C++, for example, is not a standard C++. There is little momentum in the Symbian developer community, maybe because coding for Symbian is a pain. Yes, there are way more Symbian phones in circulation, but those phones will be gone 18 months from now, probably replaced by phones with a different OS. Lately, Symbian's success has been primarily based on the high quality of Nokia hardware, on the loyalty of NTT DoCoMo, and now on the lure of being recently made open source and therefore free. But if open source developers don't flock now to Symbian (they aren't as far as I can see -- at least not yet) then the OS is doomed. My guess is that in time Samsung, like Motorola, will devote its smartphone development 100 percent to Android. Maybe, but what about Apple and RIM, what will happen there? This is not a time to bet against the iPhone, which is changing the entire landscape of not just smartphones but mobile phones in general. For all its teething problems, there is a new sheriff in town and his name is iPhone. We'll see nothing but progress and market-share gains there for at least another two product cycles or three years. RIM is another story altogether. What RIM has going for it are loyal users, good keyboards, and push mail. Most mobile phone users still think RIM is the only platform that has push mail. But given that push mail will soon be everywhere and the market will eventually figure that out, RIM is facing a huge challenge. I'm not saying they won't meet that challenge, I simply don't know. If I had to bet right this moment on the mobile 85-10-5 of 2011 I'd say iPhone, Android, then RIM, Symbian, or something completely new from behind Door Number Three. Why iPhone over Android? For exactly the same reason why the iPod holds that approximate 85 position among music players, including ones using open source software. iPhone has a really great SDK (light-years ahead of any other right now). The App Store distribution platform is great, but locked on too many points. This is a careful timing issue for Apple. If they open the APIs too quickly they risk being blocked. They need to open an API once they are perfectly sure it is the right one and the right way to export that function. Apple is going to relax the restrictions progressively when they better understand the use cases and what are the best APIs. In the meantime it is giving an advantage to Android, but one that I think a year from now Apple will have reclaimed. And where will Windows Mobile be in 2011? There way things are headed now, given that Microsoft can't really afford to be anything but first or second on the platform that supplants Windows, I'd say Windows Mobile will be dead.
-
Apple planning Apple University
Posted by Dennis Sellers Apple is hiring the dean of Yale University's business school to start a project that it calls Apple University, reports the Wall Street Journal. Joel Podolny, the dean of the Yale School of Management, will join Apple as vice president and dean of Apple University.
-
Path Finder 5.0 is available, more file-management power
Filed under: OS, SoftwareCocoatech's Path Finder is the Mac OS Finder replacement that many users love (including us). If you haven't used it, you are missing out on something. A tabbed interface, insane customization options, powerful search (you can completely override Spotlight if you like) and so much more will have you ditching the Finder in no time. Path Finder can be run in conjunction with the Mac OS X Finder or on its own. Today, it gets even better with the release of version 5.0. There are cool new features like a dual-pane file browser, which lets you display two folders simultaneously in one window and move files between them. Other new features include sidebar, Favorite Places and shared network places. Many so-called "power users" complain about the Finder's limitations. If that's you, chances are Path Finder has the fix. It requires Mac OS 10.4 Leopard 10.5, and costs $34.95$39.95 for a single license. (Cocoatech let us know that they're working on the server issues that blocked access to the PF5 pages earlier.)Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
Zacks Equity Research remains positive on Apple
Posted by Dennis SellersZacks Equity Research, a property of Zacks Investment Research, remains update about Apple despite the company's cautious forecast for the in-progress fiscal quarter.
-
Free iPhone apps today: Polar Bear Farm Ltd
Polar Bear Farm Ltd. is celebrating their first birthday by giving away all of their App Store applications (iTunes link) today only. Duck Shoot - A midway-style classic fowl shooting game. Record - Record audio in style. (normally US$1.99) Note Pad - Full featured notes on the iPhone! (normlly US$2.99) Telegram - Voice messaging to any email address or [...]
-
Native Instruments releases Massive Expansion Vol. 2
Posted by Dennis SellersNative Instruments has released Massive Expansion Vol. 2, an US$59 Kore SoundPack based on the Massive engine. The library features 200 cutting-edge synthesizer sounds for use in Kore 2 and the free Kore Player as well as the individual Massive synthesizer.
-
AnandTech on Mac OS X vs. Windows and Battery Life
Anand Lal Shimpi is surprised that Mac OS X has far superior power management than Windows Vista: All I can do for now is report the numbers as is. An unexpected benefit of OS X appears to be better battery life. I don’t think this is unexpected at all. ★
-
Imagine Products releases Mac compatible ShotPut Pro for digital media
Posted by Dennis SellersImagine Products has released ShotPut Pro, an US$89 automated offload application. The Pro edition offloads any video media including Panasonic P2 and AVCHD cards, Sony SxS, RED ONE and other digital media cards in a single application.
-
News: Last chance to enter iLounge's $5000+ Photo, Art Contests
For those readers who have yet to enter our iProvocateur or iPod As Art contests, now's your final chance, as the window for submissions ends tomorrow night, October 24, at 11:59PM, Pacific Time. In our biggest photo contest ever, iProvocateur, we're looking for photographs of the iPod or iPhone in a provocative setting. Entries may use a person, people, and/or eye-catching background in the image with the device, and the most stunning…
-
NYT: Search engine seeing a Mac netbook?
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Rumors, Steve JobsWhen Steve Jobs denied that Apple was working on a netbook (small, inexpensive laptop device) during Tuesday's 4Q earnings call, it immediately set off alarm bells for a lot of people. After all, Jobs has denied that Apple was working on other products, only to have them appear months later.New York Times columnist John Markoff has reported that an "unnamed search engine company" is seeing visits from an unannounced Apple device with a screen resolution somewhere between that of the iPhone (480 x 320) and the 13" MacBook (1,280 x 800). This is leading Markoff to believe that perhaps the long-awaited Mac netbook or new, larger iPhone tablet is going to be announced at Macworld Expo 2009 in early January. Of course, it could just be a hackint0sh that is showing up on the search engine's logs.When Jobs mentioned during the earnings call that "We don't know how to build a sub-$500 computer that is not a piece of junk", perhaps he's telling the truth -- and Apple will have a $500, high-quality tablet or netbook to announce in January. What's your take on the Mac netbook / tablet rumor mill? Inquiring TUAW readers want to know!Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
Win a CardScan Executive for Mac
Filed under: Accessories, Hardware, PeripheralsTUAW reported on the new CardScan Executive for Mac in late September, and now you have a chance to win one in an exclusive TUAW giveaway. It's the sweet little scanner seen at right. No, you don't get the iPhone along with it -- that's only in the picture to give you a sense of how small the CardScan really is.We have a nicely repackaged review unit all ready to ship to one lucky reader to be randomly selected via the comments. To enter, leave a comment and tell us approximately how many business cards (other than your own) you currently have stashed around your home / office / bedroom. Open to legal residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter leave a comment telling us how many business cards you currently have. The comment must be left before October 31, 11:59PM Eastern Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected in a random drawing. Prize: CardScan Executive for Mac ($259.99) Click Here for complete Official Rules. Good luck!Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
Classics for the iPhone Makes Reading Look Good
Classics, an upcoming e-book reader for the iPhone/iPod touch, looks like the Crown Jewel for the App Store's Book category. Developed by Phill Ryu and Andrew Kaz, it features a gorgeous UI that includes elements such as a virtual page flip to give the illusion that you're turning an actual page, and an elegant bookmark letting you know that your page is saved when you switch books. It comes preloaded with eleven classic works and more will be made available via free updates. The ability to add your own books (that are in PDF or text format) does not exist, but the developers are evaluating this, and other possibilities, for a spinoff e-book reading app. The initial library includes: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn Gulliver's Travels The Metamorphosis Paradise Lost Hound of the Baskervilles Alice in Wonderland (Illustrated) Through the Looking Glass (Illustrated) Flatland (Illustrated) 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea Robinson Crusoe The Jungle Book The developers took great care in making sure each book was properly formatted for optimal reading and trimmed down all the would-be application clutter to the bare necessities so you can focus on the book and forget about the app. As a bit of a teaser, we've included the wireframe of the page-turn animation (designed by CG artist Kevin Capizzi) as well as a run through of the app just to show the detailing that went into Classics development. You can sign-up to be notified of when Classics is released and, when available, will sell for $2.99. (more…)
-
Apple patent application reveals grandiose RF module plans
Filed under: Wireless As should be clear by now, patent application land is quite a bit different than actual product land, but that's never stopped companies from devising their share of ambitious ideas and, in the case of Apple, perhaps more than its share. Its latest describes an all-encompassing "personal area network" that would make use of RF modules in everything to communicate with each other and connect to the internet. That would include devices with both short range (WiFi and Bluetooth) and long range (GSM, EDGE, etc) communications capabilities, as well as devices with just short range modules, which would be able to communicate with and identify themselves to any other modules around and, potentially, piggyback their way onto the internet. Ambitious, to be sure, but we think Apple may have to come up with a catchier t-shirt slogan if they really want to sell it.[Via Unwired View] Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
You’re the CEO: How would you spend Apple’s $25 billion?
Apple revealed in its Q4 2008 earnings conference call that the company currently has US$25 billion in cash and no debt. Steve Jobs mentioned that its cash supply allows it to invest in R&D during an economic downturn and that the company created the Apple retail store during the last downturn. Sanford Bernstein’s Toni Sacconaghi quipped [...]
-
Brief Interview With Yours Truly on the iPhone Big Picture
Dig that cool portrait they made to accompany it. ★
-
Speck releases cases for new Apple laptops
Posted by Dennis SellersSpeck has released SeeThru and Fitted cases for MacBooks, MacBook Pros and MacBook Airs. Fitted (pictured) is the first of its kind and is a fabric covered, form-fit hard shell case available in several stylish variations, says Speck CEO Irene Baran.
-
Apple patent application for RF module
A recent patent application filed by Apple describes its vision for a new Personal Area Network (PAN) that would link RF modules in everything from clothes to accessories which would communicate with each other and connect to the Internet. The PAN would include both short range (WiFi and Bluetooth) and long range (GSM, EDGE, etc) communication [...]
-
Bjango introduces Jobs 1.0 for iPhone, iPod touch
Posted by Dennis SellersBjango has introduced Jobs 1.0, their time tracking and time sheet app for iPhone and iPod Touch. Jobs is a time tracking and time sheet utility. Each job features an hourly rate, flagfall, associated client and total time spent on the job.
-
AT&T: 2.4 million 3G iPhones activated from July to September
Filed under: Apple Financial, iPhoneEarlier this week, Apple executives shared the company's fourth quarter financial results. It was a great quarter for Apple, including 6.8 million iPhones sold in June, July and August. During the call, Apple declined to report carrier-specific numbers.Now, AT&T is reporting that 2.4 million 3G iPhones were activated during that time (that's global sales vs. US activations). It's noteworthy that 1.7 million of those were new subscription customers, representing the largest quarterly increase ever for AT&T.What's also noteworthy is that US sales account for just 34.8 percent of the total iPhone market, a number likely to shrink even further when the African and Middle Eastern markets are expanded in the coming months.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
First Looks: Miniot iWood 3G with Dock
Available in six different woods, specifically maple, cherry, oak, mahogany, padouk and walnut, Miniot's iWood 3G (€80, shown here in padouk and walnut) is the most intriguing version of this Netherlands-based casemaker's natural product to date. The case itself is a two-piece design that slides top and bottom pieces together, protecting virtually all of the iPhone 3G's body, including most of its chrome bezel. There are even integrated covers for…
-
Online petition started to bring back 'matte' screens to MacBooks
Posted by Dave MertenThere has been a petition started on the Internet for Apple to bring back the matte screen to their MacBooks. In two days, they have gathered over 5000 signatures. If you would like to get involved and sign the petition, follow the directions below.
-
PathFinder adds more Leopard-only features
Posted by Dennis SellersCocoatech has updated PathFinder, a file browser and manager for Mac OS X, to version 5.0. It's a major rewrite that leverages the latest Mac OS X 10.5 (“Leopard”) technologies, including Core Animation, FSEvents, Coverflow, Quicklook, ObjC-2.0, and more.
-
BIAS Launches iProRecorder for iPhone, iPod touch
Posted by Dennis SellersBerkley Integrated Audio Software (BIAS) has released the iProRecorder, a new audio recording application available for US$0.99 from the Apple App Store. It's a general purpose recording application for iPhone and iPod touch.
-
Moblyng launches iPhone slideshow application
Posted by Dennis SellersMoblyng, which specializes in mobile social media, has launched its slideshow application for the iPhone. This marks the first iPhone slideshow application that allows users to create and share slideshows for display on iPhones, other smartphones and social media sites, says Moblyng CEO Stewart Putney.
-
Mobis releases Just Mobile Xtand for iPod touch
Posted by Dennis SellersMobis Technology, a manufacturer of mobile accessories, has announced the global launch of Just Mobile Xtand, a full metal and rotating stand for the first and second generation iPod touch. It's designed to provide a hands-free viewing experience.
-
Smith Micro releases ExecutiveSync for the Mac
Posted by Dennis SellersSmith Micro has released ExecutiveSync for the Mac, an US$29.99 app designed to let you keep your work and personal files up-to-date between the home, office and on the road.
-
Was the iPhone Deal Worth It for AT&T?
AT&T's iPhone 3G pact with Apple (AAPL) doesn't come cheap. It cost AT&T (T) its quarterly targets and took a chunk of cash flow even though company officials declare the iPhone-induced earnings hit “success-based costs.” The company on Wednesday reported adjusted third quarter earnings of 67 cents a share, four cents below Wall Street estimates. What's notable is the reason AT&T fell short of its targets: The adjusted figure includes a 10 cents a share hit for iPhone 3G subsidies. AT&T had expected a 10 cents a share to 12 cents a share iPhone hit in the second half.
-
QuickBits: The Double Whammy for Sony and More
Not only are sales of big TVs slowing, the falling euro and dollar mean that what Sony does sell comes home as fewer yen. Plus bandwidth and its discontents.
-
Happy 7th Birthday, iPod!
Filed under: iPod Family, Apple, iPhone, Apple History, iPod nano, iPod touch, iPod classicGallery: iPods over the yearsIt's hard to believe that 7 years have passed since Steve took the stage and introduced our friend, the iPod. Over the past few years, the iPod has gone from new guy on the block to "funnest" guy on the block. While the basic design hasn't changed much (for the Classic model at least), the features definitely have. When the iPod launched in 2001, it was basically a FireWire-capable hard drive and MP3 player -- nothing more, nothing less.The first iPod sold for $399 for a 5GB version (which was Mac-only). Apple later came out with a 10GB version of the same iPod for $499. Here's some fun facts about the first iPod via Mactracker: Codename: Dulcimer Dimensions: 4.02" H x 2.43" W x 0.78" D Weight: 0.41 lbs. iPod OS: version 1.0, upgradeable to 1.5 Introduced: October 2001 Terminated: April 2003 Hard Drive: 4200 RPM in capacities of 5/10/20 GB To celebrate the iPod's birthday, we have created a gallery to show the many changes over the years. If you want to brush-up on your iPod trivia, check out Wikipedia's iPod page. If you have any happy (or unhappy) memories of the iPod, be sure to reminisce in the comments.View PollRead | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
QuickVoice Recorder released for iPhone, iPod touch
Posted by Dennis SellersnFinity has released a version of its QuickVoice Recorder for the iPhone and second generation iPod touch. As a special promotion, anyone can purchase QuickVoice for US$.99 simply by making their purchase through the Apple App Store. This is a limited time $15 bonus value.
-
Get matriculated at Apple University
Apple has hired Joel Podolny, Yale’s business school dean, to start “Apple University,” according to the WSJ. The company declined to provide details about the university or the position. Mr. Podolny will be stepping down as dean on Nov. 1, but will stay at Yale until year end, a spokeswoman for Yale said. She said Mr. Podolny [...]
-
BenQ's M2400HD 24-inch LCD hits Japan next month
Filed under: Displays 24-inch LCDs are the new black this season, with new ebony choices appearing seemingly every week. Funny, then, that BenQ should choose to distance its latest two-footer from the crowd by coloring it white -- plus giving it a few interesting features, like a 2 megapixel webcam peeking over the top of a 16:9, 1920 x 1080 resolution panel. That's a bit down from the typical 1920 x 1200 we'd expect on this size display, but it's perfectly suited for all that 1080p content you have lying around. (16:9 is a little rare on a desktop display, but we know how much you hate letterboxing.) An HDMI input will help to keep that HD video flowing, plus there's VGA and DVI-D too. The rest of the specs are fairly tame: 300cd/m2 brightness, 1,000:1 contrast ratio (capable of being dynamically boosted to 10,000:1), a 5ms response rate, and a 3-port USB hub. If you can do without the missing 230,400 pixels this sounds like a solid display, coming to Japan next month for 420€ (about $535).Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
10.5: Parental Controls and authenticating proxies
If your network is using an authenticating proxy for web access (you need to enter a "proxy password" to access the web), then you'll have trouble if you turn on Parental Controls, as the controls will prevent you from authenticating to the proxy. The Parental Controls feature works by directing all web access for controlled users to an internal Apache web proxy (this proxy is dynamically started when a Parental Controls user logs in). Unfortunately, this proxy eats the HTTP 407 response authentication credentials, so you end up in a never-ending loop of the proxy demanding to know who you are, and the Parental Controls proxy refusing to let you tell.Here's one possible solution. Open Terminal and run this command:sudo chmod a-x /usr/sbin/httpdEnter your admin password when prompted, then quit Terminal and restart your Mac. It's important to note t...
-
Use a two-handed scrolling technique to work quicker
This is for MacBook and MacBook Pro users who work with a mouse connected...I've been working with large spreadsheets with swathes of scientific data and graphs, laid out in "split" format, which splits the screen to show multiple areas of the worksheet at once. I found navigating it all very tedious after many days using a USB mouse. But now, I've found a great solution: use the left hand to utilize two-finger-scrolling on the trackpad, and keep using the mouse with the right hand. Since my spreadsheets are split, and the two-finger scroll applies to whatever is currently 'under' the mouse, I can make a slight movement of the mouse to one pane, quickly scroll left and right with the left hand on the trackpad, quickly move back to the other pane with the mouse, and then do the same in that pane.Two hands really are better than one; hope this helps someone else.
-
Keep auto-timeout Transmit connections alive
I use a shared host which unfortunately, due to circumstances outside my control, terminates my Transmit FTP/SQL sessions after 15 minutes of idleness. Good for processor cycles, poor for my sanity, especially during intensive coding/research sessions. After gleaning the internet for a solution and finding none which worked, I decided to whip up my own. Copy and paste the following code into Script Editor, and save it as an application with the 'stay open' option checked:repeat tell application "Transmit" tell document 1 tell current session refresh list their stuff files end tell end tell end tell delay (60)end repeatIf anyone wants to follow up this with a touch of AppleScript that cycles through every connection, that would be great. This is my first AppleScript project, so woot for me!
-
Petition pushes for matte display option for new Mac laptops
Posted by Dennis SellersSome folks are unhappy that there's nothing but glossy screens offered on new MacBooks and MacBook Pros. An online petition hopes to change Apple's mind.
-
'setteB.IT': Technogym's Excite fitness products include iPod dock
Posted by Dennis SellersBy Fabio M. Zambelli Technogym, the Italian world leader in fitness equipment, released the Excite family of products with a dock compatible with the iPod, iPod+ system and iPod+ online community to calculate the indoor “cardiomiles.”
-
Recall Everything With reQall
I like to think I do a pretty good job of keeping the major stuff in order, on track, and on time. Where I begin to lose focus is in the personal details of my life. Ask me what I'm doing this weekend for instance, and I'll almost always defer to my lovely activities coordinator (e.g. my fantastic wife). So you could say I've been very much in need of some ubiquitous way of managing these 'little' tasks that tend to slip through the cracks of my memory. I've done my best to mash the likes of Evernote and other reminder/note taking/productivity apps available on the iPhone, into my natural workflow throughout the day. But no matter the level of effort I've applied to each, it's been a larger task to utilize these solutions than it has been a help to me. You may have guessed it by now — this is where reQall comes screaming in as my saving grace. (more…)
-
News: Apple patent points to short-range communications bridge
Apple is working on a way to provide wide-area wireless communications to devices offering only short-range communications, according to a new patent application. The application describes a system in which wireless modules, offering both long-range and short-range wireless communication, are embedded in common objects such as cars, purses, t-shirts, tennis shoes, and more, and facilitate connectivity for devices—such as iPods—which offer…
-
News: Congressional office considering iPhones for House
The Chief Administrative Office, which oversees the communications systems for the U.S. House of Representatives, has begun testing a group of iPhones to see if they are compatible with the working needs of lawmakers and staff. According to The Hill, the CAO plans to decide whether to offer the iPhone as an option by January, when the next Congress begins. “The reason we’re trying them out is because we heard a lot of people wanted the option…
-
Apple Analysis: When Leaders Don't Lead
You've gotta love this game! Right is left and up is down! Well, Tuesday night Apple (AAPL) reports blowout earnings, and then sandbags on guidance. Ok, no surprise there! But then, the world turned inside out, because Apple rallied! I figured we rallied because Apple's CEO, Steve Jobs, cast a spell over the audience as he pumped the iPhone! By the time he was finished with them, they forgot all about the crappy outlook.
-
News: Happy Seventh Birthday, iPod
Seven years ago today, Apple CEO Steve Jobs introduced the original 5GB iPod, a $399 hard drive-based MP3 player with a unique Scroll Wheel and bright white LCD interface, an amazingly pocketable size, and high-speed FireWire for synchronization and charging. The first-generation iPod actually shipped on November 10, 2001, going on to sell 125,000 units by year's end. Apple now has sold more than 174 million iPods, spanning five distinct models—iPod/iPod…
-
Apple's 'Real' Earnings: Up Almost 125%
In its recently reported fiscal fourth quarter, Apple's (AAPL) adjusted net income grew approximately 124.6% from $1.085 billion in Q4 2007 to $2.437 billion in Q4 2008—an extraordinary number when fully accounting for iPhone sales in both periods. Just as impressive is Apple's 75.1% grow rate in sales. Apple's adjusted revenue grew from $6.673 billion in Q4 2007 to a whopping $11.682 billion in Q4 of 2008. Earnings per share grew 123.0% from $1.21 in Q4 2007 to $2.69 in Q4 2008. This begs the question? Where are the analysts and why aren't they quick to point this out? Only on Wall Street can a company grow earnings 124.6%, sustain bouts of analyst downgrades and see its shares decline 55% (while boasting a 14 forward P/E on a GAAP-basis). I was both shocked and very disappointed to see no analyst comment on the fact that Apple's business grew an astounding 124.6% on an adjusted (real) basis. What's even more troubling is that no one seems to emphasis the significance of the fact that Apple grew its cash hoard from approximately $21 billion in Q3 to $25 billion in Q4. That's a $5.00 increase in total cash per share from $23.45 in Q3, to $28.22 in Q4. At this pace, and assuming Apple makes no big acquisitions, Apple could very well have nearly $48 per share in cash and cash equivalents by the time we hit November 1, 2009. So I ask again: Where are the analysts and why aren't they making mention of this?
-
New NVIDIA hardware capable of more than Apple lets on
Filed under: Hardware, Macbook Pro, MacBook AirWe've already seen some suggestions that more is hiding under the hood of the new unibody MacBooks than Apple has disclosed. Now Gizmodo is reporting that the NVIDIA folks have revealed to them that the graphics hardware in the new MacBooks is capable of quite a bit more than Apple has has chosen to use.In particular, the the dual GPUs in the MacBook Pros can apparently be run in a Hybrid SLI mode allowing them both to be active at once (and thus increasing graphics performance over the discrete chip alone). In addition, the hardware is apparently capable of on-the-fly switching between the two GPUs instead of the present implementation which requires logging out to switch between the integrated 9400M and the discrete 9600M GT. In principle, this would allow the machine to dynamically switch between using the discrete chip when plugged in and the integrated chip when running on battery power.So what's the upshot? In the short run, not much. Just because the features are supported in the silicon means squat unless Apple decided to implement them in software. In the best case scenario, however, the new MacBook Pros might see performance increases with only software and/or firmware updates. Of course, whether Apple will choose to do that (which would perhaps decrease the incentive to buy the next generation of machines) is another question altogether.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
Apple: Greatest Consumer Technology Company in the World?
Okay, things are getting silly again in the stock market. Stocks are being taken out and shot indiscriminately because of the Giant Hedge Fund Liquidation, regardless of quality. Many, if not most stocks, are now on sale.Take Apple (AAPL), which reported a great quarter Wednesday but gave conservative guidance (as it usually does).
-
Aegis Mini FireWire 30GB on sale for $29.99
Posted by Dennis SellersApricorn's Aegis Mini FireWire 30GB, an 1.8-inch, ultra-portable pocket drive, is going for US$29.99. There are a limited number, and once they're gone there will be no more.
-
AttorneyPages launches iPhone product
Posted by Dennis SellersAdvice Company the parent of theonline consumer attorney directory, AttorneyPages, has launched a new mobile phone interface to help consumers locate a lawyer.
-
Bloggers Far More Accurate on Apple Than Analysts
Research has certainly come a long way… Fortune magazine wrote a great article Wednesday comparing the efficacy and accuracy of Wall Street research houses that follow Apple (AAPL) and unpaid bloggers doing the same thing. This stems from a gauntlet-style challenge being tossed from the Bloggers to the Pros in the last few days leading up to AAPL's fourth quarter earnings call.
-
Flipping Function Keys!
The problem with function keys on a MacBook or MacBook Pro is that they are one-trick ponies; they are either regular or special F-keys, but not both. With FunctionFlip, you can have complete control over those flipping function keys. On the keyboard of a MacBook or MacBook Pro, function keys can either be standard or special. As standard function keys, they control certain features of OS X, such as Exposé and numlock. They can also be special function keys to trigger hardware controls such as screen brightness, volume, and keyboard backlighting when they are pressed in tandem with the Fn key. For example, if I want to decrease the brightness of the keyboard backlight, I have to press Fn+F9; if I press F9 alone, Exposé is triggered instead. In OS X’s Keyboard & Mouse preferences, you can set special features to be triggered either with or without the Fn key. But what if you want to reduce some finger-work, and use only some F-keys with the Fn key, but not others? This is where FunctionFlip comes in. FunctionFlip lets you ‘flip’ the function keys on your MacBook or Macbook Pro between standard and special mode, allowing you to set which F-key you wish to use alone to access those hardware controls. Since I hardly trigger Exposé via the keyboard (I prefer using an Active Screen Corner for that), I’d much rather have F9 and F10 adjust the keyboard backlight directly. Now I can quickly adjust brightness of the keyboard backlight by pressing either F9 or F10, and trigger Exposé only when I press Fn+F9. What I absolutely love about FunctionFlip, besides the fact that it is a free application, is that it installs itself as a Preference Pane and works its magic invisibly in the background. Give FunctionFlip a try; I guarantee you’ll like the goodness of the one-finger convenience it brings.
-
iBank for improves Quicken import, iPhone support, more
Posted by Dennis SellersIGC Software has released released iBank 3.3, a new version of its financial management application for Mac OS X 10.5 (“Leopard”). The upgrade offers improved migration of Quicken data for new users making the switch to iBank. 

-
Steve Jobs: Apple Will Be 'Fine'
Steve Jobs may not be sure how much the economic slump will hurt Apple, but he's clear on this: It won't be as bad as pessimists predict. And for the first time in eight years, he got on an analyst conference call to discuss quarterly results to make sure the point wasn't lost on anyone. "We may get buffeted by the waves a bit, but we'll be fine," Jobs said on the call, following the release of Apple's fiscal fourth-quarter results. Evidence of the buffeting may already be showing up. Apple reported $7.9 billion in sales, below the average estimate of analysts.
-
Advanced ScreenFlow Tutorial: Add special effects to your screencasts
read more
-
The Mac Night Owl: 'Apple stays the course'
Posted by Dennis SellersOn today's commentary, Gene “Mac Night Owl” Steinberg says “Apple stays the course.”
-
Geocaching With Your Mac
Look at how much fun our geocaching partner is having! Thanks to Garmin for loaning us the GPS receiver too. read more
-
Apple Takes a Bite of Research In Motion
Apple (AAPL), which recently topped my list of the Top Five Handset Stocks, reported fourth quarter results on Wednesday that beat profit estimates but missed revenue estimates. Despite the tough market, Apple sold 6.9 million iPhones in the quarter and beat its sales target of 10 million iPhones in calendar year 2008. Another significant milestone that Steve Jobs highlighted in the earnings call was that Apple outsold Research In Motion (RIMM), which had sales of 6.1 million BlackBerry devices in its recent quarter. Apple shares soared about 12% in after-hours trading on Wednesday.
-
Apple's Surprising Jump After Bleak Guidance
I closed out the Apple (AAPL) position in my blog model portfolio in August at more than $180 per share after a 52% gain and also trimmed my clients' AAPL holdings at that time, but after the stock has been beaten up in the latest sell-off, searching for a re-entry point seems like a worthy endeavor.Apple has always sandbagged guidance. The market had gotten used to it and never really punished the stock after earnings reports that handily beat quarterly earnings but issued forward quarter guidance below expectations. That all changed three months ago after Apple issued guidance that was overly conservative, even by its standards, and the stock got crushed.
-
From Dump To Dream House With HGTV’s Barry Wood
How, with the help of a Mac and 3D software, HGTV’s Barry Wood helps home buyers uncover the hidden potential in ramshackle real estate. Case Study: Barry WoodOccupation: Architect and DesignerGear: MacBook Pro, loaded with Autodesk AutoCAD and 3D Studio Max read more
-
US faces 'Sputnik Moment' in broadband
Posted by Dennis SellersSo how's your Internet connection? If you live in the United St