Nov 17, 2008 Nov 19, 2008 Tuesday November 18, 2008
-
Macsimum iPhone Video: Review of the iHome iH5 Clock Radio for iPod
Posted by Dave MertenToday's Macsimum iPhone video consists of a review of iHome's iH5 Clock Radio by MacOSG member Scot Forester. Although the iH5 is one of iHome's original clock radio models and no longer in production, it can still be bought on eBay for under $50.00. It originally retailed for $99.99.
-
AOL cutting off uncut video service
Posted by Dennis SellersAOL, as part of its efforts to trim the non-core and no-revenue-generating parts of its portfolio, is closing down the AOL Uncut online user-gen video service, after 2.5 years of trying to compete in the space, reports Forbes.
-
Zenbe launches web-based email client
Posted by Dennis SellersZenbe has announced general availability of its web-based email client. Zenbe is designed to help users manage many aspects of their online world from a single service. For instance, it lets you manage email messages, files and attachments.
-
Cat Rides Roomba
Twenty years from now you'll be asked where you were when you saw the video below. Behold the majesty of a cat riding a Roomba. read more
-
Introducing 'Macsimum Top 10 Hot Articles'
Posted by Dave MertenRecently, we installed new Web traffic-monitoring software to track various statistics concerning Web traffic to Macsimum News. The software is still in beta, but does a phenomenal job in breaking down statistics in real-time. We can actually watch readers entering Macsimum News on a world map (see demo below) and...
-
Mac OS Ken: 11.19.2008
NPD: Apple Laptop Sales Up 25% Y-O-Y in October / IBM v. Papermaster Gets February 9, 2009 Court Date / Psystar Countersuit Against Apple Thrown Out / MacNN: Apple Extends Mac OS X Trademark to Cover Mobility / iLounge: Video Protections on New MacBooks Stymie Old Displays / Macworld UK: Apple Discontinues 23in Cinema Display / Apple, HP, Adobe Extend Holiday Schedules to Cut Costs / Apple Updates QuickTime 7.5.5 to Improve iChat Compatibility / Macworld: China Mobile Still Talking iPhone 3G with Apple / China Mobile Plans Mobile App Store of Its Own / Macworld: Google Gets Voice, Why Doesnât the iPhone? / Microsoft Drops Zune Prices Ahead of Holidays
-
'Moonlight' heads to beta
Microsoft and Novell said Tuesday that they are nearly ready with a beta version of Moonlight--a Firefox add-on that allows Silverlight content to play on Linux PCs. The software is being announced as the companies tout the second anniversary of their peace deal. Work on Moonlight began in May 2007 ...
-
Intel kicks off Mass Animation project
Posted by Dennis SellersIntel has announced the start of Mass Animation, a collaborative, worldwide effort to produce a computer-generated animated short film for theatrical release. Artists around the world are invited to animate the shots of a five-minute, CGI-animated short film titled “Live Music,” which is produced and directed by Yair Landau, former...
-
'WSJ' calls Microsoft antivirus tool 'spyware'
(Credit: Ina Fried/CNET News) There's a lot of ways to look at Microsoft's decision to abandon OneCare and come up with free antivirus software. But I had to do a double take Tuesday night when I saw the Wall Street Journal headline on the decision: "Microsoft plans ...
-
Italian leather notebook sleeves look like interoffice envelopes
I suppose the question will be asked, "Did an animal really have to die to make a product that looks like something that would have otherwise only killed a tree?" I kind of like the idea of a leather notebook sleeve and why not make it look interesting. When Jobs pulled the MacBook Air from an envelope during one of his presentations, we all knew envelope-style sleeves were on the way and this is just the natural progression of that homage. Kena Kai has created this protective notebook sleeve that resembles one of those "INTER-DEPARTMENTAL MAIL" envelopes. They're made from full-grain Italian leather and are available in two sizes. The larger sleeve is designed for the new MacBook and the MacBook Air. The smaller sleeve will fit smaller machines that Apple doesn't make...so who cares. The "INTER-DEPARTMENTAL MAIL" computer sleeves will retail for USD$69.99 for the smaller size we don't care about and USD$79.99 for the one that fits MacBooks and are available in white Italian leather.
-
King's Cup 1.0 Card Game available for the iPhone, iPod touch
Posted by Dennis SellersBobby Cronkhite Software has released King's Cup 1.0, a new party card game created for the iPhone and iPod touch by Bobby Cronkhite and Sam Dominguez is now shipping. It's available at the Apple App Store for US$2.99.
-
Apple adds reliable clicking abilities to the new MacBook's no button trackpad via firmware upgrade
I can only imagine how frustrating this problem must have been for those of you who were otherwise lucky enough to have purchased one of the new unibody MacBooks or MacBook Pros. Evidently, clicks on the new glass trackpad may or may not be recognized. Very random. Very annoying. This firmware update addresses the issue. It downloads as a package that will install an updater application into the Applications/Utilities folder and will launch it automatically. Follow the instructions in the updater application as best you can with your occasionally clickable trackpad and I hope to see you happy and smiling on the other side. If for some reason the firmware update doesn't go so well, Apple has some suggestions.
-
MacBU offering Office 2008 for Mac discounts
Posted by Dennis SellersMicrosoft's Macintosh Business Unit is offering savings on Office 2008 for Mac. Shoppers can save 50 percent off Office 2008: Special Media Edition, a gift bundle, combining the productivity software with Microsoft Expression Media, a digital asset management tool.
-
Podcast #65: Google Mobile App, Another iPhone Lawsuit and The Flash on the iPhone Saga Continues
The group decides that the Google Mobile app is well worth it's free price tag. Apple is dragged into another lawsuit over 3G coverage and pressure cracks. Plus, we discuss the special edition iPod and realized we've never seen one in the wild. read more
-
Line 6 ships LowDown bass amps
Posted by Dennis SellersLine 6, which makes modeling technology for music products, is shipping the LowDown LD400 Pro 2×10 combo, and HD400 and HD750 heads, the newest additions to the LowDown family of bass amplifiers.
-
WOWODC 2008 recordings now available
Posted by Dennis SellersMacTI and the WebObjects Community Association are happy to announce the release of the recordings of WOWODC 2008, our annual event about WebObjects, “Apple's best kept secret.”
-
Apple Unleashes MacBook Trackpad Firmware Update
read more
-
StarOffice 9 now available for Mac "for the first time"
We didn't know it was still alive, but Sun's StarOffice 9 is now available for Intel Macs running Mac OS X. Read More...
-
Jesper: ‘Translation From P… Uh, Swedish to English of Selected Portions of Swedish MacWorld’s Report About iPhone MMS Availability in Telia’s Swedish Network’
Definitely suggests that it’s Telia that will be providing the app, but no word as to how they plan to distribute it. The only way would be through the App Store, and the App Store requires Apple’s blessing. Are there any carrier-specific apps in the store now? I’m not aware of any from AT&T here in the U.S., at least. ★
-
Mini Display HDCP Infuriates Apple Faithful
 read more
-
Psystar's antitrust claims against Apple dismissed
Filed under: Desktops Well, we can't say we didn't see this coming -- Judge William Alsup in the federal Northern District of California today dismissed Psystar's antitrust counterclaims in Apple's copyright infringement lawsuit against the wannabe Mac cloner. According to the judge, Psystar's hotshot legal team failed to provide facts "plausibly supporting the counterintuitive claim that Apple's operating system is so unique that it suffers no actual or potential competitors." Not only that, but the judge also found that Psystar actually contradicted itself in pointing out that Apple has to advertise heavily to promote OS X against competing operating systems that perform the same tasks, and that Apple is "certainly entitled" to ask its customers to only use OS X on Apple machines. Yeah, that's a smackdown. Psystar has until December 18th to amend its complaint and try these arguments again, but we can't say we think it's got a shot in hell here -- and something tells us that that court-mandated alternative dispute resolution process isn't going to get very far in Psystar's favor either.Disclaimer: Nilay's a lawyer and sells bootleg OSx86 machines out the back of his van, but he's not your lawyer and this isn't legal advice.[Via Macrumors]Psystar's antitrust claims against Apple dismissed originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
Speaking to Google Voice Search
Last week I wrote a piece detailing Google's new voice searching functionality for the iPhone, and at the time sources predicted a Friday launch. Well, it didn't come Friday, but it's finally here, and based on early impressions, it's an impressive piece of software. I downloaded the updated application late last night. Being a chronic mumbler, I wasn't expecting much out of Google's speech recognition tech. Saying the word “elephant” as I normally would, without taking extra care to enunciate, I fully expected to be greeted with search results for “ill F-1's” or something equally garbled. The app had no problem deciphering my garbled request, however, and returned the correct results. Time for something more complicated. This time I wanted to see if the much-talked-about semantic search capabilities actually worked, so I asked my iPhone some questions like “Where is the closest sushi place?”. Again, though I was prepared to be let down, I wasn't. After the top result, which was a general info sushi page, local results near Toronto, ON (which is in fact where I live) were displayed, complete with contact numbers and links to get directions. Voice search is not limited to web results, either. You can say someone's name to bring up that person's contact entry from the Address Book. (more…)
-
Study: economic crisis likely to impact high-flying cellphone industry
Posted by Dennis SellersWhile the cellphone industry has generally been unaffected by economic ups and downs, this recession may well be very different, reports In-Stat. The current economic slowdown is more widespread and deeper than ever experienced during the history of the cellphone, and has spread through Europe, Asia, and North America, the...
-
Will Microsoft's antivirus move draw antitrust fire?
Microsoft's decision to offer free antivirus software puts rivals such as McAfee and Symantec in a tough position. To be sure, those two--and other rivals--will be able to tout products that offer a broader range of features than Microsoft plans to deliver with "Morro" next year. At the same ...
-
Teaching Everyone to Speak Big Blue
I.B.M. has purchased Transitive, a universal software translator for servers, that could give it a word up on competitors.
-
Apple software updates for Nov. 18
Posted by Dennis Sellersequinux has updated TubeStick, TV viewing/recording software for Mac OS X, to version 2.9. It now provides detailed TV listings for US and Australian viewers. equinux ha also released TubeGuide US, a subscription-based TV listing service that displays the programming information for both digital and analog TV channels. TubeStick now...
-
99Games releases Jigsaw Wild for iPhone, iPod touch
Posted by Dennis Sellers 99Games has released a new puzzle game, Jigsaw Wild for iPhone and the iPod touch. It's built around a wild safari theme. Jigsaw Wild costs US$1.99 and is available at the Apple App Store.
-
Judge rejects Psytar's claims in ongoing legal brouhaha
Posted by Dennis SellersA California judge has granted Apple's motion to dismiss counterclaims on the part of Mac clone maker Psystar, who charged the Mac maker with violating antitrust laws through its attempts to block third parties from selling rival Mac OS X-based computers, reports AppleInsider.
-
Survey looks at iPhone's success
Posted by Dennis SellersA new TNS Compete survey, “Smartphone Intelligence,” highlights findings from the service's inaugural survey about the secrets of iPhone's success, according to Online Media Daily.
-
PETLinQ launches RISLinQ 4.0Mac on Mac OS X
Posted by Dennis SellersPETLinQ has released its integrated RIS/Billing/Collections system for the Mac OS X platform. RISLinQ 4.0Mac provides full end-to-end workflow capability for radiology facilities presently using the Mac OS X platform.
-
VideoEgg hatches ad offerings on the iPhone
Posted by Dennis SellersVideoEgg, a video and rich media ad network, has introduced AdFramesSM for mobile, a performance-based ad offering that enables advertisers to distribute invitation-based, expandable video or rich media ads to iPhone users. (And I know that really makes you happy, iPhone users.)
-
Psystar antitrust claim against Apple dismissed
Mac clone maker Psystar's best hope of emerging as a winner in its legal dispute with Apple is dealt a severe blow by a federal judge.
-
SketchBook Express available exclusively on the Axiotron Modbook
Posted by Dennis SellersModbook manufacturer Axiotron says that Autodesk SketchBook Express 2009 will now be exclusively available on the Modbook, Axiotron's pen-based Mac tablet computer. A full version of SketchBook Express will come pre-installed at no additional charge as part of the Modbook's basic software package.
-
Google Voice Search: Worthy of the iPhone's Bottom Row
The new voice-actived Google Mobile app for iPhone is now available. For those who missed the news stories that -- somewhat prematurely -- predicted its arrival last Friday, it basically lets you say any search term or phrase into your iPhone and get search results within seconds -- even GPS-aware localized responses. So ... is it any good? Wow. That's right, wow. I mean, yeah, it's that good. I've been an iPhone owner since day one, upgraded to the 3G model, and this is the first application that's inspired me to remove one of the four core bottom applications on my home screen.
-
MMS-capabilities coming soon to a Swedish iPhone?
Filed under: CellphonesThe oft-bemoaned lack of certain, um... capabilities of the the iPhone is forcing individual companies to take desperate measures, it seems. It's not entirely clear, but MacWorld says it's confirmed with Telia that the Swedish-Finnish carrier's developing an MMS-enabling app for the iPhone. MacWorld says the app will hit the market in the next two months, which is great news for everyone in Sweden. If you live anywhere else in the world, however, you'll just have to continue on, rueing the day you ever encountered Apple's MMS-spurning, copy and paste-hating handset.Update: Though the source is Swedish, it's entirely reasonable to believe that this'll spread across all of Telia's markets (and the world?). Thanks, commenters![Thanks, Martin]MMS-capabilities coming soon to a Swedish iPhone? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
Microsoft to discontinue Office subscription version
Microsoft's decision to discontinue OneCare in favor of a new free antivirus product also means an end to Equipt, a $69-per-year subscription version of Office and OneCare that the company had been selling on the shelves of Circuit City. A box shot of the Equipt product, which only briefly ...
-
Xsilva announces LightSpeed Web Store 2.0
Posted by Dennis SellersXsilva Systems, maker of a suite of retail tools tailored for the Mac, has announced the expansion of the e-commerce capabilities of its flagship LightSpeed portfolio with the upcoming release of Web Store 2.0.
-
'Macsimum Recommended Reading' for Nov. 18
Posted by Dennis SellersWhy Apple Won't Allow Adobe Flash on iPhone: Don't hold your breath waiting for the iPhone to support Adobe's Flash software: Apple's terms-of-service agreement prohibits it.”—Wired
-
Swedish MacWorld Reports MMS Coming Soon to iPhone
Google translation of Mikael Markander’s report in the Swedish MacWorld: One of the most common complaints of iPhone is that you have to hack it to send and receive multimedia messages. But soon, those who dislike Apple’s mobile need to look for new arguments. For in an interview with MacWorld confirms a spokesman for Telia that it will shortly launch an application for MMS. Not sure if this means Telia is writing their own MMS iPhone app, or if they’re suggesting that Apple is adding MMS support to the system software. I haven’t seen any reports of MMS support in the iPhone OS 2.2 betas. (And, yes, the Swedish publication spells “MacWorld” with a capital “W”. The U.S. version does not.) ★
-
Safari 3.2 includes antiphishing tools
Apple quietly adds the security feature to its latest version of Safari. It's the last of the major browser vendors to offer antiphishing protection.
-
IBM to buy Transitive
The company, whose technology allows code to run on a different OS or architecture than originally intended, is best known for powering Apple's Rosetta.
-
UPS Mobile is iPhone compatible
Posted by Dennis SellersTo obtain shipping information while on the go, UPS has enhanced UPS Mobile, its suite of mobile shipping applications that's compatible with the most widely used mobile platforms, online browsers and devices, including the iPhone.
-
Price is Right game comes to iPhone, iPod touch
Posted by Dennis SellersInteractive entertainment company Ludia and FremantleMedia Enterprises (FME), the brand extension arm of The Price Is Right producer, FremantleMedia, has launchedThe Price Is Right game on the Apple App Store for US$4.99.
-
QuickerTek introduces new MacBook external battery/charger
Posted by Dennis SellersQuickerTek has announced the Apple Juicz External Battery/Charger for the 13-inch MacBook. It purportedly gives users up to 12 additional hours of computing power. The Apple Juicz External Battery/Charger recharges in three hours.
-
New MacBook HDCP Impairing External Displays
In what seems like another addition to a long list of examples of how when you rent digital content, you're actually renting it with a strict set of conditions, Apple owners are running into trouble with High Definition Content Protection (HDCP). The problem, affecting owners of the new aluminum MacBooks and MacBook Pro, occurs when you try to play some iTunes-rented movies on an external display attached to your notebook. The HDCP causing the problem is intended to prevent copying high-def content across an HDMI connection. It's also included in DisplayPort tech, which is the new standard for video output on current generation Mac portable computers. According to Ars Technica, the problem seems to affect movies protected by Apple's FairPlay Version 3 DRM, although not all files which have Version 3 protection are affected. Whether or not the movie plays appears to be somewhat random, at least in Ars' limited sample pool. The person who pointed out the problem to Ars was just trying to play Hellboy 2 for a class of high school students using an external projector. Another case reported in an Apple support discussion thread occurred when a MacBook owner tried to playback content to his external 19-inch monitor. This report was quickly joined by many, many others. In all cases, playback works fine on the computer's built-in display. (more…)
-
Kutoka Interactive launches Didi & Ditto Preschool-Mother Nature's Visit game
Posted by Dennis SellersKutoka Interactive, producer of the Mia edutainment software series, has launched the third title in its Didi & Ditto series of educational software for the Mac and PC. The learning adventure is targeted at children ages two to four years old and offers activities related to pre-reading, pre-math, science, music...
-
News: Microsoft announces lower Zune pricing
Microsoft has announced that it will be dropping the prices of its Flash-based Zune players ahead of the holiday shopping season, increasing their competitiveness with Apple's iPod nanos. The price cuts will see the company's 4GB Zune drop to $99, the 8GB model cut from $149 to $139, and the 16GB model drop from $199 to $179. Despite the fact that these price cuts put the 8GB and 16GB models lower than their iPod nano counterparts, Zune…
-
TuneWear releases LeatherShell case for 4G iPod nano
Posted by Dennis SellersTuneWear has released the US$29.99 LeatherShell case for the fourth generation iPod nano. It's a leather shell-type case designed to feel good to the touch and protect the nano from dirt and scratches.
-
Microsoft chopping Zune prices
With the economy tanking and the holidays looming, Microsoft is hoping to salvage some Zune sales by chopping prices. (Credit: Microsoft) The software maker plans to announce on Wednesday a price cut for its flash-based models. The 4GB version will drop to $99, the 8GB model will drop by $10 ...
-
ZappTek and InterLingua bring EngLits to iPhone
Posted by Dennis SellersZappTek and InterLingua Publishing have introduced EngLits, detailed audio and text summaries of classic books and plays that you can listen to or read on your iPhone and iPod touch. Written by university professors, and recorded by professional actors, EngLits provides students with a summary the full story of the...
-
Analysts say Mac sales up 28% despite production cuts
Reports from Apple's part suppliers have said that the company reduced both its MacBook and iPhone production earlier this month. New analyst numbers, however, suggest that things are going quite well for both products.Read More...
-
SharedPlan cPro project management software for Mac OS X, Windows available
Posted by Dennis SellersSharedPlan Software has announced the immediate availability of SharedPlan cPro project management software for Mac OS X and Windows. cPro enables offline access to SharedPlan Central (the SharedPlan online project planning and management service).
-
Apple LED Cinema Display is Ready For Your Money
read more
-
Celio's REDFLY C8N hands-on and video not terribly exciting
Filed under: Handhelds, Laptops We just got the official announcement of Celio's REDFLY C8N a few hours ago, and Laptop magazine's already had a chance to touch it and make a video! Their initial impressions? That $20 REDFLY Media Cable you have to buy to hook the C8N up to your phone is a tangled mess! This is exciting stuff, folks -- that is if you are just dying to shell out $299 for a buddy for your Windows Mobile device. Check out the terrifically brief video of the terminal after the break.Continue reading Celio's REDFLY C8N hands-on and video not terribly excitingCelio's REDFLY C8N hands-on and video not terribly exciting originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 14:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
News: Element Case offers Liquid case for iPhone, iPhone 3G
Element Case has introduced its Liquid case for the iPhone and iPhone 3G. The Liquid is a unique case offering an inner layer of injection-molded, transparent, back-painted polymer, a molded polycarbonate bezel that keeps the phone secure in the case, nickel-plated fasteners that hold the case together, a translucent acrylic lid that protects the phone's screen when attached and can be stuck on the case's back when the phone is in use,…
-
MobileEdge releases women's Checkpoint Friendly laptop bags
Posted by Dennis SellersMobile Edge, which makes laptop computer carrying cases and accessories, has expanded their ScanFast collection of Checkpoint Friendly laptop bags by adding three new carrying cases designed specifically for women.
-
Apple Gazette Daily 383 - Cinema Displays, Google Audio Search, and more!
podcast sponsor link:Click Here to check out Audible! Today's Show: Cinema Displays, Google Audio Search, and more! You can subscribe via iTunes, or by RSS feed, or… you can listen to the episode right here: In addition to that, you can also download the Apple Gazette Daily Widget and listen to every episode of the show right on your Dashboard. Click Here to download.
-
Sneak Peek: BlackBerry Storm
Apple ignited a firestorm of competition when it announced the iPhone in January of 2007. Since then the touchscreen smartphone segment has been ablaze with competition from all the major OEMs and carriers, including Nokia (Tube), RIM (Blackberry Thunder), LG (Voyager), Samsung (Instinct), Sony Ericsson (X1), HTC (G1) and yes, even Motorola (Krave ZN4). The term [...]
-
OS X 10.5.6 Just Around the Corner?
Leopard build 9G38 for the upcoming OS X 10.5.6 update is chugging along problem free according to those in the know. The build appeared just three days after build 9G35 was seeded. read more
-
ivyskin Introduces QuattroPower SmartCase for iPhone 3G
Posted by Dennis Sellersivyskin has unveiled the US$99.99 QuattroPower case, a new iPhone 3G accessory that offers ivyskin's newest Glass touch Thru case, the Quattro T4, bundled with the new QuattroPac battery.
-
Wall-E checks out Microsoft's telescope
In conjunction with the DVD release of the Disney/Pixar movie, the animated robot offers a tour of the universe using Microsoft's Worldwide Telescope.
-
Google Mobile with Voice Search Available Now
read more
-
Tasseology comes to the iPhone, iPod touch
Posted by Dennis SellersThe tradition of Tasseology, tea leaf and Turkish coffee reading, is now available on your iPhone and iPod touch. Tasseology is available at the Apple App Store for US$3.99.
-
Life Magazine Photo Archive Hosted by Google
Google: Search millions of photographs from the LIFE photo archive, stretching from the 1750s to today. Most were never published and are now available for the first time through the joint work of LIFE and Google. This is Google at its best. Beware — you could lose the rest of your day searching this archive for gems like this and this and this. And most certainly this. (Via Andy Baio.) Update: More gold here, here, and here. Just wonderful. ★
-
Fashion Your Firefox: Easily Find Add-ons
Today, Mozilla has released Fashion Your Firefox, a new Web application that enables Firefox users to customize their browser based on their interests and online activities. It provides a simple way to find appropriate add-ons that fit your lifestyles, showcasing them in a simple and easy-to-install way. “One of the best parts about Firefox is the amazing richness of our 5,000-plus free add-ons,” said Mike Shaver, vice president of engineering at Mozilla. This new venture aims to personalize the browsing experience, allowing you to select a category of web user you feel you fit into. The categories you might fall into with Fashion Your Firefox are: Shutterbug: View and share pictures and videos online Rock Star: Listen to music while surfing, working, emailing or researching online News Junkie: Get the most up-to-date news and weather Shopaholic: Shop and take advantage of online deals Digital Pack Rat: Keep track of favorite sites, bookmarks and blogs Social Butterfly: Share, bookmark, and e-mail web pages via an array of social networking & bookmarking sites Finder and Seeker: Find and make information on the Web more relevant Decorator: Apply browser themes Executive Assistant: Organize online activities (more…)
-
Revolver releases FreeSpin 3D
Posted by Dennis SellersRevolver, a provider of 3D content development solutions for the graphic design and game development industries, has released its patent pending product, FreeSpin3D. It's a commercial solution for importing and real-time rendering of 3D models into Adobe Flash
-
Second Gear updates Today with alarms and Growl notification
The simple task management app, which gives you an easy way to see what you have to deal with today, gets some welcome new features and tweaks in version 1.5.Read More...
-
Video: YouTube on the Blackberry Storm
In this video (01:12) you’ll see how to view YouTube content on the new Blackberry Storm (a.k.a. 9350) smartphone from RIM and Verizon Wireless. Although the Storm doesn’t have a native YouTube client like those available on the iPhone, some Nokias and Sony Ericssons, you can view optimized YouTube videos by navigating to m.youtube.com using [...]
-
Guessing what icons mean
Create with Context's recent slideshow “How people really use the iPhone” reveals among other things how difficult it can be to intuit actions with confidence by icon alone. The slideshow notes that test subjects using Mobile Safari for the first time made some reasonable but wrong guesses about what several of the icons meant: They thought the magnifying glass to the left of the Address Bar meant “zoom this page”. They thought the Plus icon at the bottom of the Mobile Safari screen meant “increase the font size”. They thought the Book icon meant “read this page”. These are all perfectly reasonably interpretations of those icons. There are examples in Mac OS X as well. For instance, in Safari it's not immediately clear that the icon means “reload the current page”. You learn that this is so, but users might also initially believe it means “rotate the window to the right” or “rewind/go back”. Fortunately, icons with multiple possible interpretations usually make more sense one way than another, and so long as the associated action is not destructive, there's little harm done if the user is initially surprised. Safari's icon seems unlikely to mean “rotate the window to the right”, so it probably means “reload the page” and possibly means “rewind/go back”. But even when an icon might not represent an action as clearly as you think it does, once you click the icon the relationship between icon and action usually becomes clear. If I had a candidate icon for a frequently-used action but that icon might be misinterpreted by first-time users, I'd use it anyway if 1) it fit the action well, 2) the other possible interpretations were reasonably unlikely, and 3) the action wasn't destructive.
-
Apple Taking Orders for the 24″ Cinema Display
Apple has today started to take orders for their new 24″ LED Cinema Display. Shipping is stated to start sometime in November, and the screen is priced at $899. We have previously covered the announcement of the new displays and detailed their features. This new device is the first display designed to make use of the new Mini DisplayPort currently only present in Apple's notebook line. It sports Mini DisplayPort, USB and MagSafe connectors to really expand the experience of using a notebook. There's also a built-in iSight camera, microphone, and speaker system that provide a “true desktop experience” — something not present on previous cinema displays. The addition of a notebook charging cable has been well received, and in-built DisplayPort may go some way to alleviate the problem with a shortage of converters. (more…)
-
'Inter-Departmental Mail' inspired laptop sleeves available
Posted by Dennis SellersCalifornia-based design boutique Kena Kai has created protective sleeves for computers that are designed after the ubiquitous “Inter-Departmental Mail” envelopes found in nearly every office. These full-grain Italian leather computer sleeves are designed especially for the 13.3-inch MacBooks and ultra-portable notebooks with screens of 10 inches and smaller.
-
MYOB announces AccountEdge 2009, celebrates 20 years of Mac development
Posted by Dennis SellersMYOB has announced the immediate availability of AccountEdge 2009, the latest version of their small business management and accounting software for Mac small businesses. The release marks their 20th year of Mac development.
-
Will Zune's Latest Marketing Song Make Buyers Dance?
A video for the title track on hip-hop veteran Common's forthcoming album, "Universal Mind Control," begins with a digital music player pulsing to the beat. The viewer is pulled through the screen into the gadget's guts, where the cool, collected rapper lets loose an easy stream of lyrics. It takes hitting rewind a few times to notice that the music player isn't one of Apple's slim new iPods. It's a Zune, and it's made by Microsoft. Since it first landed two years ago, the Zune has been the butt of many jokes.
-
Video: Copy and paste with the Blackberry Storm
In this video demonstration you’ll see how the copy and paste function works on the new Blackberry Storm smartphone from RIM and Verizon Wireless. It works like this: select a range of text with two fingers, press the Blackberry menu key, select copy, then launch the destination application, press the Blackberry menu key again, then [...]
-
Apple 24" LED Cinema Display now available to order
After discontinuing the 23" Cinema Display, Apple has flipped the switch and is taking orders for its newest display from its online store—and it's still set to ship in November.Read More...
-
News: Tunewear intros Leathershell for iPod nano 4G
Tunewear has introduced its new Leathershell case for the fourth-generation iPod nano. Leathershell is a form-fitting snap-together case featuring a genuine leather exterior, slim design, white contrast stitching, and open access to all ports and controls. Available now in black only, the Tunewear Leathershell for iPod nano 4G sells for $30. ...
-
FontAgent Pro delivers replicated font server
Posted by Dennis SellersInsider Software has announced the immediate availability of FontAgent Pro Server 3, which incorporates what the company says is the industry's first and only replicated font server technology. In addition, the new release adds advanced directory services integration as well as security and performance enhancements that significantly widen its technical...
-
Celio's new REDFLY C7 and C8N answer questions no one is asking
Filed under: Handhelds, Laptops What if you took the REDFLY -- you know, that Foleo-like thing for Windows Mobile phones -- and cheapened it up a bit? Maybe knock the luxurious 8.3-inch display down to a more reasonable 7 inches, lose three hours of battery life, and add $30 to the asking price, for starters? That's the indecent proposal Celio has put together with its new C7 model, trading endurance and screen size for an eight-ounce drop in the original's two-pound frame. Not what you had in mind, you say? Okay, okay, try this, then: the C8N carries over the 8.3-inch display and adds a "REDFLY Media Port" for connecting an iPod, iPhone, Zune, digicam, or pretty much anything else with a composite TV-out for viewing on the 800 x 480 screen -- but the catch is that you'll also need the $20 "REDFLY Media Cable" (sorry, but that really does belong in quotes) to complete the package on top of the cost of the C8N itself. Either way, the new models are still dumb terminals that need juice from a WinMo-based device to function -- so yeah, if your Treo 750's looking a little lonely over there in the corner, the C7 and C8N should fill the bill nicely when they hit in the first week of December for $229 and $299, respectively.Gallery: Celio's new REDFLY C7 and C8N answer questions no one is askingCelio's new REDFLY C7 and C8N answer questions no one is asking originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Nov 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
-
Apple releases QuickTime H.264 Compatibility for QuickTime 7.5.5
Posted by Dennis SellersApple has released QuickTime H.264 Compatibility for QuickTime 7.5.5. According to Apple, it improves QuickTime compatibility with iChat.
-
The iPhone Gets Stickier With Glue
I'm a social kind of guy. On the web, that means I'm a social media kind of guy. Which is why I was interested in Glue, a service from AdaptiveBlue that turns Firefox into one big trip to Indigo/DVD night/book club/music exchange. Now Glue for iPhone brings the same kind of experience to your mobile phone, so that you will never be too far away from someone else's opinion about something you love again. First, a little about the full, Firefox extension-based Glue network. Basically, you set up a profile (which can conveniently be drawn from your Facebook profile, no additional setup required) and sign in. Once logged in, whenever you visit a movie, book, or music product page, the Glue toolbar will appear at the top of the site, allowing you to interact on the item in question. You can read a summary of the product, find it on Amazon, YouTube, Rotten Tomatoes, and other sites, see recent friends who've interacted with it, recommend it to others and add comments. It's almost like an instant-on Digg or delicious for multimedia products. (more…)
-
Microsoft offers 50% off Mac Office 2008 Special Edition
Looking for a copy of Mac Office for that special someone this holiday season? Microsoft's Mac BU has a deal just for you on the Macintosh Special Edition of Office 2008. Read More...
-
Cygnett introduces GrooveBassball portable speaker
Posted by Dennis SellersCygnett, which makes iPod speakers and accessories, has introduced the GrooveBassball portable speaker. It's compatible with all iPods and MP3 players and costs approximately US$25.
-
Jumsoft releases iWeb Family themes
Posted by Dennis SellersJumsoft has released iWeb Family themes for use with iWeb, the web creation component of Apple's iLife suite. The themes let a user show off his or her family members on a personal web site.
-
'Give Good Food to your Mac' is back
Posted by Dennis SellersAquafadas has launched the third edition of “Give Good Food to Your Mac,” a promotion organized by iindependent developers from all over the world. Every Mac user can download and “taste” more than 60 apps and enjoy discounts ranging from 20 to 50 percent.
-
Call the bit.ly URL shortener for the current site
I use bit.ly as my URL shortening service, mainly because I like the way that it links to Twitter and tracks statistics on shortened URLs that I send folks. I am, however, lazy and I don't like to do any more clicking, copying, or pasting than I have to.So I created a bookmark on my bookmarks bar in Safari which opens bit.ly in a new window and passes the current page I am on as a parameter. The net effect is that most of the work is done for me when the window opens. The JavaScript bookmark is:javascript:window.open('http://bit.ly/?url='+location.href);This approach will probably work with other shorteners as well, and the above shortcut should work in any browser.
-
Show a one-line weather forecast on the desktop
I love Wunderground.com's forecast. You can read all of the numbers, and look at radar all you want, but 95% of the time, it's too much info. Wunderground has a one-line forecast that relates today or tomorrow's temperature to today's. "Today is forecast to be colder than yesterday" is all I need to know.Once you've installed GeekTool, you'll also need Lynx, a popular text web browser. Once GeekTool and lynx are installed, create a new shell entry in GeekTool and enter this code, substituting in your zip code for 12345:lynx -dump http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?query=12345|awk '/Tomorrow is/ ...
-
10.5: Edit multiple events at once in iCal
In 10.5, the iCal user interface is quite limiting. For instance, you can edit only a single event at a time. But there is something of a workaround to that problem: open multiple iCal windows at a time. Here's how. Quit iCal, then paste the following line into Terminal:defaults write com.apple.iCal IncludeDebugMenu 1Now launch iCal and select Debug » New Calendar Window, or just press Command-L. You can now edit an event in one window, and another event in the other window. iCal keeps the windows in sync, so that a change in one appears in the other.[robg adds: The iCal debug menu was covered in this hint, but I thought this workaround for editing multiple events was worth sharing.]
-
Use Quicksilver for Finder cut and paste
For those of us who miss being able to cut and paste in the Finder, I just found a pretty functional way to do it through Quicksilver triggers. Here's how: Invoke Quicksilver (probably by pressing Control-Space) Press Command-, to open its preferences Go to Preferences » Application, and make sure 'Enable advanced features' is checked Go to Catalog » Quicksilver and make sure 'Proxy objects' is checked Go to Triggers and click the plus sign to add a new trigger and select Hotkey Start typing Current Selection, and when the item pops up, press Tab Start typing Move to... and then press Tab In the last box, press Command-X clear the field. It must be completely empty for this to work -- no text, nothing Click Save Click the 'i' at the bottom right of the screen to show the trigger options Under hot key, choose your preferred ke...
-
Unifiq previews Aspire for Leopard
Posted by Dennis SellersUnifiq has introduced the first public preview of Aspire, their new “life-goal and brainstorming” utility for Mac OS X 10.5 (“Leopard”). It provides a visual workspace to brainstorm, prioritize, review, refine, track and help improve your life goals and long-term plans.
-
Deconstructing Google Mobile’s Voice Search
Andy Baio is trying to reverse-engineer how the Google Mobile app’s voice search works. (That the audio files being sent from the iPhone to Google’s servers are only 100-300 bytes helps explain why it’s so much faster than I expected it to be.) ★
-
Voice Search in Google Mobile App for iPhone
The update to the Google Mobile iPhone app with voice-driven search is now available, and while I think it’s more gimmicky than useful overall, it’s certainly interesting. If you don’t have an iPhone, at least watch the demo video — my favorite part of the app are the sound effects it makes when it’s ready for you to dictate a voice query and finished processing your query. These sounds are just perfect. Accuracy seems inconsistent. When I asked for local restaurant names here in Philly, it did well. When I asked for “You Look Nice Today”, Google nailed it. But when I said “Beat up Martin”, well, the result was Newton-esque. ★
-
iPhone 3G coming to Thailand, Taiwan, which may signal China release
Taiwanese mobile carrier Chunghwa Telecom announced that it will be bringing the iPhone 3G to Taiwan, with the launch apparently coming in December. Thai carrier True Move made a similar announcement recently, although no release date was given.Read More...
-
Intel launches 'fastest processor on the planet'
Posted by Dennis SellersIntel has introduced what it says is its most advanced desktop processor ever, the Intel Core i7 processor. The Core i7 processor is the first member of a new family of Nehalem processor designs and is the most sophisticated ever built, with new technologies that boost performance on demand and...
-
Apple releases Compatibility Update for QuickTime 7.5.5
Apple has released a Compatibility Update for QuickTime 7.5.5, which improves QuickTime compatibility with iChat, probably by fixing a software freeze bug.Read More...
-
Sofa and Pico release Versions 1.0 for the Mac
Posted by Dennis SellersPico and Sofa have released Versions 1.0 for the Mac. It's a Subversion client targeted to both beginners and experienced Subversion users. A time-limited demo is available for download and a single copy sells for approximately US$50. Versions has been in public beta since June this year.
-
News: New Apple MacBooks enforce HDCP protection for iTunes videos
Some owners of Apple's latest MacBook and MacBook Pro computers are reporting that certain iTunes Store-purchased videos will no longer play through their external displays, producing an error message blaming the displays' lack of HDCP protection. HDCP, or High Definition Content Protection, is an Intel-developed form of copy protection that prevents copying of digital audio and video content that travels across HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI,…
-
News: Mix: Pocket Jockey, Griffin Discount, China Mobile, Google Voice
Muse Interactive has released its Pocket Jockey game for iPhone and iPod touch. Described as a “full-body” horse racing game, Pocket Jockey encourages users to gallop to the beat of a song, and the closer they are to the beat, the faster their horse will go. To control the horse, the player can jump up and down while holding the device in front of them and flick the screen to whip the hor