Jul 1, 2009 Jul 3, 2009 Thursday July 2, 2009
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NextGen Research: market for 'green' computers will exceed $190 billion by 2013
Posted by Dennis Sellers Personal computers and servers are power hogs that exacerbate growing electrical consumption trends, which results in increased pollution. In addition to the products themselves, the inefficient manufacturing and packaging of these products also adversely impacts the environment by using toxic substances, and/or by not taking advantage of reusable or recycled...
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Native Instruments offers special offer for Komplete 5
Posted by Dennis SellersNative Instruments has just launched the “Kompletely Insane” special for Komplete 5, a time-limited special offer that gives producers access to the instruments and effects bundle at a reduced price while supplies last.
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Roland releases system update for Fantom-G
Posted by Dennis SellersRoland Corp. has released software version 1.30 for the Fantom-G workstations. This free download adds new content and enhancements to the Fantom-G, including new rhythm patterns, and a newly added Arpeggio Import Function.
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Friday Outlook: Game Over
July 2, 2009 Maybe, maybe not—this is all I can say since bulls have repeatedly demonstrated their “energizer bunny” quality. Maybe over the weekend investors will forget about the sting of today's drop as no doubt the powers that be will roll-out their spokesmen to cheer everyone up.
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The Daily Roundup: here's what you might've missed
Psystar bounces back from Chapter 11, intros new high-end hardwarePsystar's new Open(7) hardware runs Intel Nehalem Xeon, which should provide a nice performance jolt to hackintosh land. Sony exec says UMD-less PSP was "always the plan"Sony "needed to prepare the right environment for it first - things like the transferal of content with the PS3 and PSN, and PC software to manage content like music and movies such as Media Go." Apple patching nasty iPhone SMS vulnerability Given the hype surrounding Apple's iPhone, we're actually surprised that we haven't seen more holes to plug over the years. Other news of import Apple patent applications offer glimpses of haptic screens, RFID readers, fingerprint ID Toshiba's TG01 outed on Orange UK D-Link's Xtreme N DIR-685 storage router hands-on and impressions UK moviegoers treated to industry's first interactive 3D game How to relocate a HD set-top-box and still have it work with an HDTVWe know how it goes, you pick up a nice big HDTV and a wall-mount only to get it all setup then realize you still need a place to put your HD set-top-box. HTC Hero hits FCC with US 3GFor the record, Bands II and V are 1900 and 850MHz, respectively, which is exactly the combo AT&T subscribers would need to flip the switch on high-speed data. TiVo HD upgrade program helps you save as much as $100 Ask Engadget HD: How can I get my home theater ready for 3D, right now? Ovi Maps graduates from beta Samsung's SCH-W760 with infrared video conferencing is ready for your parole hearing The Daily Roundup: here's what you might've missed originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 22:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
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iMEvil comes to the iPhone, iPod touch
Posted by Dennis SellersTechPad Productions, a mobile applications and online publication publisher, today announced thatiMEvil will soon be available the iPhone and iPod touch. It will be available at the Apple App Store for US$1.99.
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Episode 113: PowerPage Podcast
Episode 113 of the PowerPage Podcast has been posted. This week we discuss iPhone, 3GS, overheating, shortages, OS 3.1 and we play “What’s on your Mac?” Featuring: Jason O’Grady, Rob Parker and Tom Hesser. You can subscribe to it in iTunes.
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Apple Learning Interchange: Security Compromise
Filed under: Apple, SecurityApple is apparently alerting ALI forum members that Learning Interchange account passwords have been compromised. In a message forwarded to us by several TUAW readers, Apple warns that members who commonly use the same credentials on multiple sites may be at risk. If you are an ALI account user, please consider updating any accounts that use identical credentials. Here is the Apple quote that was sent to us. We recently learned that the security of Apple Learning Interchange (ALI) members' names and passwords may have been compromised. These accounts are limited to accessing the ALI discussion board and do not contain sensitive information such as credit card or social security numbers.While ALI member names and passwords are not linked to your Apple ID, our records indicate that your ALI member name and Apple ID are the same. For this reason we strongly recommend that you change your Apple ID password as well as any others that might have the same name and password combination. At the time of posting, the ALI site (also linked to in the Source link) is unavailable. We do not have confirmation from Apple about this situation, although we have contacted them for a statement.TUAWApple Learning Interchange: Security Compromise originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Ask Engadget: Best Bluetooth mouse out there?
We know you've got questions, and if you're brave enough to ask the world for answers, here's the outlet to do so. This week's Ask Engadget question is coming to us from Sang-Jung, who is desperately in search of the perfect cordless critter to take some of the strain away from that trackpad."I'm heading to university next year, and I've purchased a MacBook. I'm also taking my four year old desktop, just in case I'm left with no computers when the MacBook is being repaired or whatnot. With only two USB ports on a MacBook, I want a Bluetooth mouse. Budget is about $100, and of course, it needs OS X support. Thanks for the help!"Alright folks, it's time to get serious. Do you own a Bluetooth mouse that you can recommend? Recommend against? Be sure to spill your thoughts in comments below, and feel free to send in a question of your own to ask at engadget dawt com.Filed under: Ask Engadget, PeripheralsAsk Engadget: Best Bluetooth mouse out there? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 21:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Zoho releases Zoho Projects 2.0
Posted by Dennis Sellers Zoho has released Zoho Projects 2.0, the latest version of the company's online project management and team collaboration solution. With Zoho Projects 2.0, users gain new collaborative features designed to help teams get projects done.
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RTW introduces Bravado, new RapidWeaver theme
Posted by Dennis SellersRapidWeaver Themes has released
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PDFPen for Mac OS X speeds up display performance for large PDF docs
Posted by Dennis SellersSmileOnMyMac has updated PDFPen, its PDF editing and form-filling tool for Mac OS X, to version 4.1.4. The update features faster display performance for large PDF documents.
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â Creating Ogg Theora Files on Mac OS X With ffmpeg2theora
To use the HTML 5 tag in Firefox 3.5, you need video files encoded in the Ogg Theora format. Apple doesn’t support this format at all, so you can’t just export Ogg files from QuickTime like you can with H.264/MPEG-4. I spent some time trying to find the best easy way to create Ogg Theora files on Mac OS X, and I think ffmpeg2theora is it. In his “Video for Everybody” article I linked to yesterday, Kroc Camen suggests using HandBrake to create Ogg Theora files, but I couldn’t get it to work in HandBrake 0.9.3 (the current release version) without crashing. (Well, one time it created a file without crashing, but the file was corrupt.) It ends up that HandBrake’s broken Ogg support is a known issue with no easy solution, and so Ogg support has been removed from the current branch of HandBrake, and there are no plans to bring it back. Camen also linked to Xiph, an open-source QuickTime component that adds Ogg Theora playback and export to QuickTime. I don’t want to install this, however. For one thing, the only open-source QuickTime component I’ve ever had a good experience with is Perian. For another, I don’t want Ogg playback support in QuickTime. The fork in supported codecs for the tag — Safari won’t support Ogg Theora and Firefox and Opera won’t support H.264 — doesn’t mean you can’t support all three browsers. It just means that to support all three, you need to include at least two elements within the tag, one pointing to an H.264-encoded file, the other to an Ogg Theora file, like this: This serves the H.264 to Safari, the Ogg Theora to Firefox. And for Chrome 3.0, which supports both formats, this should serve the H.264 version because it’s specified first. ffmpeg2theora is the one tool I found that simply just works for transcoding to Ogg Theora. The downside to ffmpeg2theora is that it’s only available as a command-line tool. But: It has a nice Mac OS X .pkg installer. Launch it, authorize it with admin credentials, and it’ll install the ffmpeg2theora tool in /usr/local/bin/. The command-line syntax could not be simpler. You just type: ffmpeg2theora example.m4v and it gets to work, outputting a file named example.ogv right next to the .m4v file. It shows an updating progress message in Terminal while it’s working. There are more options (and it comes with a man page that documents them), but in my testing you can just use the defaults. ffmpeg2theora’s output looks good. I gave it a 3.9 MB H.264 file as input, and it created a 3.5 MB .ogv file that looked pretty good — way better than typical web video in a Flash player — when I played it back in VLC and Firefox 3.5.
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Because you can never have enough iPhone news... three more stories
Filed under: iPhoneWhile most of us at TUAW (in the US, anyway) are staring out the window, running down the clock to hit the lake or ocean or pavement in some manner, the intrepid bloggers of Engadget never take a vacation. Here are three* iPhone stories they posted today:Apple patent applications offer glimpses of haptic screens, RFID readers, fingerprint IDOh man, haptics on the iPhone would be so sweet, and finally give us a little more than annoying clicks when typing. RFID and fingerprints? Well, that I'm not so keen on.Apple patching nasty iPhone SMS vulnerabilityGood ol' security maven Charlie Miller poked into the soft underbelly of the iPhone and discovered a pretty gnarly SMS hack that could potentially have your phone activating GPS, the phone's mic, and other nastiness. Perfect setup for a Tom Clancy novel or totally scary vulnerability? Read the HotHardware piece and see for yourself.iPhone facing potential trademark issues in China?Yeah, who'd have thunk there would be a trademark dispute over the name iPhone in China, right? Funny thing is, Apple has a trademark on iPhone in China... just not on mobile phones. Oops.[Thanks to the tipsters who sent these in a while ago, there's fresh beer in the fridge in the garage!]*OK, four stories. MG Siegler over at TechCrunch has a linkalicious report on Facebook's upcoming new iPhone app featuring... video uploads! (gasp, applause, nausea, use as directed)TUAWBecause you can never have enough iPhone news... three more stories originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Ambrosia releases Soundboard for Mac OS X
Posted by Dennis SellersAmbrosia Software has released Soundboard for Mac OS X. Like cart machines in broadcast radio studios, Soundboard lets users map sound effects, audio clips, or musical accompaniment to keys on the Mac keyboard, triggered with a single tap.
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Psystar Returns From the Dead, Offers New Apple Knock-Off
If you thought bankruptcy would keep the industrious folks at Psystar from making any more Mac clones, you were sorely mistaken. Like a zombie rising from the dead with an insatiable thirst for lawsuits, the little clone-maker that couldn't is advertising a brand new model of its “Open” line of computers on its web site today. Not only that, but it's also claiming that its bankruptcy filing was an unfortunate, but necessary, step toward ensuring its continued viability as a company. Maybe so, but how many of you out there are eager to order a new computer of questionable build quality from a bankrupt company engaged in an ongoing legal battle with Apple, especially with notebook price drops in place, and similar desktop discounts rumored to be on the horizon? If you're willing to look past these minor superficial details, you can now order an Open(7) starting at $1,499. For as much as you'd spend on a real iMac, you'll get a tower desktop PC with a 2.66GHz Quad-Core Intel Xeon Nehalem processor, 6GB of DDR3 RAM, a 1TB 7,200RPM SATA2 HDD, and an NVIDIA 9500GT graphics card with 512MB of onboard memory. As is standard on Psystar computers, niceties like wireless Internet and Bluetooth will cost you extra. And they're apparently in stock right now, if you're feeling brave. The company's re-emergence comes hot on the heels of news that Apple has been given the “OK” to proceed with its legal action against Psystar, which was granted last week by a Florida bankruptcy court judge. In the interim, Psystar's Chapter 11 filing means that it has probably been able to temporarily escape its previous debts and acquired new ones through a different funding source, whose identity remains a mystery. Many hardware manufacturers would obviously benefit were OS X to be made available for any platform, so there's probably no shortage of people interested in having a stake in Psystar's legal case, though none would likely be very comfortable with that position being made public. News of the new Open(7) came via Pystar's online mailing list, in a PDF newsletter (check it out at SlashGear) sent out to subscribers detailing it, its new DUBL (Darwin Universal Boot Loader), and, in a bright red box at the bottom of the document, a rather flippant take on its recent financial and legal turmoil. Also according to the newsletter, for a limited time only, you can get free shipping on the Open(7) within the continental U.S. using a special coupon code to “Celebrate Independence.” Cheeky, Psystar. Very cheeky. Market research you can use: Keep informed about Cloud Computing and IT Infrastructure. Learn more ť
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iPhone heat issue much ado about nothing
Some reports on Friday claim that Apple admitted in a tech note to having heat issues with the iPhone 3GS, but that's just not true.
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LG eyes number two phone maker spot for 2012, premium brand in the works
Sitting pretty as the number three cell maker in the world would make many of the bigger names happy -- not to mention the usurped Sony Ericsson and Motorola a bit green -- but not LG, as it's now gunning for spot number two. In an interview with Yonhap, LG's president of its mobile business, Ahn Seung-kwon, stated that the company hoped to bump Samsung to the wayside by 2012 with the help of a serious new set and a premium brand. While the gaudiness of really expensive handsets disturbs us at times, we'll admit that mention that LG's looking at a foray into the über high end of the spectrum -- with the likes of Nokia's Vertu -- piques our curiosity a good deal. And what about that serious new set we mentioned? Apparently in Q4 of this year, LG will launch a new Black Label-branded device to compete directly with iPhone, which when coupled with dreams of more success from yet another Prada device (and if we're super fortunate, some more Transformers-branded stuff) is part of the master scheme to start down the path. Will they crack it? Well, if we were betting types, we'd lean towards not likely as long as the Samsung juggernaut's standing in the way -- but we're all for watching them try.Filed under: Cellphones, HandheldsLG eyes number two phone maker spot for 2012, premium brand in the works originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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How-to: Reset a noisy optical drive in the Mid-2009 MacBook Pro
While playing with my new 3GHz “Mid 2009” MacBook Pro I noticed that it made that weird optical drive load/unload sound three times in a row, instead of the usual one, any time the drive was used. If you don’t have a CD or DVD handy you can invoke the sound by clicking on System Profiler [...]
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iPhone is humongous for AT&T
Filed under: Retail, iPhoneMac Daily News and other sources are reporting today on a leaked AT&T memo that states that the company retail stores had their best day ever with the launch of the iPhone 3GS."iLaunch day 2009 was one for the record books, as AT&T customers scrambled to get their hands on the fastest, most powerful iPhone yet.Here's a look at some of the milestones we achieved:* Best-ever sales day in our retail stores* Second-largest traffic day in our retail stores* Most transactions processed via our IT systems in a single day* Most upgrade eligibility checks in a single day* Largest order day in att.com history* Largest features sales day in att.com historyOn this year's launch day, iPhone sales exceeded sales recorded on 2008's iPhone launch day, Black Friday 2008 and Dec. 26, 2008 - all heavy-volume sales days. In fact, this year we surpassed 2008's launch day sales at about noon Central time, and sustained our previous peak hour record, also set in 2008, for 11 straight hours."If the numbers are accurate, the iPhone blew by most analyst predictions that the iPhone would not sell as well as the 3G iPhone released last summer.Even better news, numbers like these should give Apple some leverage to force the wireless giant to improve what for many is a mediocre experience using the AT&T network. The iPhone exclusive is up next year, and rumors persist that Apple is talking to other carriers, most notably Verizon. via Mac Daily News and TechCrunchTUAWiPhone is humongous for AT&T originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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The Mac Night Owl: 'The Mac Hardware Report: the result of Microsoft's ads?'
Posted by Dennis SellersOn today's commentary, Gene “Mac Night Owl” Steinberg looks at “The Mac Hardware Report: the result of Microsoft's ads?”
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Public beta available for Trend Micro's Smart Surfing for Mac
Posted by Dennis SellersTrend Micro is offering a beta, pre-release version of Trend Smart Surfing 1.5 is available to the public. To run the Trend Smart Surfing for Mac beta go here.
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'Macsimum Podcast' looks at heated 3G users, new patents, more
Posted by Dennis SellersThe June 26 Macsimum Podcast, hosted by Macsimum News Associate Editor Frank Petrie, is up. Today's episode includes: “Heated 3Gs Users,” “New Patents, “Changes Ahead for 3.1,” “Bye Bye, nVidia?” ” and “Story 4.”â¨
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Psystar touts new Open(7) Mac clone
Posted by Dennis SellersIt may have declared bankruptcy but Mac cloner, Psystar, has purportedly released yet another Mac clone. According to reports from AppleInsider and The Mac Observer, the new system is the US$1,499.99 Open(7), which will reportedly marry Mac OS X with Intel's Nehalem Xeon chips to yield the company's “fastest and...
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WWDC Demo: Zombies, a modern update of Daleks (preview)
Filed under: WWDC, iPhone, iPod touch I can't count the number of hours I spent at the UT Music Library on a Performa or Quadra or Centris (I had a Centris 610 at the time) playing Daleks. Strangely addicting but incredibly simple, the game mechanic has been repeated often in the casual game universe, and Daleks was essentially a rip of Robots on UNIX. You try to get away from something, one step at a time, as those somethings inch ever closer, one step at a time. It's turn-based "tag." There's a terribly unsatisfying and buggy version called SuperDaleks for OS X here.Zombies is a bit of an update for the venerable classic, although there's also a classic game called Zombies using the very same mechanic -- nothing new under the sun, eh? But intead of dusting off that old IIsi, you can play Zombies on your iPhone or iPod touch. The developer added spells, allowing you to do something out of the norm each round. So, for example, you could teleport (sometimes seen in variations of this game). You can also destroy zombies with a spell, handy when you're in a no-win position.The preview you see here is the unfinished version, but it's shaping up to be a pleasant reimagining of a classic. We'll post on Twitter when it's available.TUAWWWDC Demo: Zombies, a modern update of Daleks (preview) originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Apple patents range from telephone call routing to ... oh no… karaoke
Posted by Dennis SellersIn addition to all the other Apple patents we've covered today, several more have appeared at the US Patent & Trademark Office. They range from telephone call routing to—save us all—karoke.
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ACU is first university to distribute iPhone 3GS to incoming freshmen
Posted by Dennis SellersDuring the university's June orientation session, Abilene [Texas] Christian University administrators handed out the next-generation Apple iPhone 3GS for students to begin using over the summer.
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Apple fixing iPhone SMS security hole
Vulnerability in the way iPhones handle text messages could be used to track the location of the phone, turn on the microphone, or turn phone into botnet zombie.
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Greenpeace Demands Apple Come Clean
Greenpeace released the 12th edition of its Guide to Greener Electronics today (PDF), with Apple falling somewhere between tangerine and burnt orange. For those who take the rating seriously, Apple scored 4.7 out of 10, unchanged from last time, though the company slipped from 10th to 11th place in the ranking of 18 companies. The guide is based on three “demands” (their word) by Greenpeace: eliminating toxic substances, e-waste recycling and energy usage. Those demands are then broken down into four sub-demands, which are ranked: bad, partially bad, partially good, and good. Overall, Apple scores mostly in the middle, but with several bad grades. The single, wholly positive ranking Apple receives is for the timeline on phasing out nasty PVCs and BFRs from manufacturing. As Apple and the Environment notes, “printed circuit boards, electrical components, mechanical parts, and internal cables are BFR-free and PVC-free.” However, Greenpeace even takes issue with that claim because Apple has “unreasonably high threshold limits for BFRs and PVC in products that are allegedly PVC-/BFR-free.” Going negative, Greenpeace criticizes Apple strongly on e-waste recycling, while at the same time noting Apple has extended coverage of its recycling program to Asia, and that the company has set a goal of a 50 percent recycling rate by 2010. The main problem, according to Greenpeace, is a matter of disclosure on the part of Apple. On the issue of energy, Apple again scores poorly. First, because the company does not report on GHG (greenhouse gasses) emissions, Apple fails. Second, because the company does not report on renewable energy usage, Apple fails. If you don't see a pattern here, what it comes down to is that Greenpeace grades companies on words as much as action. Apple is a secretive company by nature. Considering how confrontational Greenpeace has been with Apple in the past, it's hardly a surprise that Apple makes no effort to meet the “demands” of Greenpeace. The real question here is why Greenpeace focuses so much on Apple. Both Dell and HP sell far more computers than Apple. Both have dropped in ranking according to the latest guide, and both now score lower than Apple. Does this mean we will see protestors at the headquarters of HP? Will there be advertising campaigns about a “yellow” Dell? If Greenpeace followed their own guide, that's what should happen. However, the difference between Apple and every company in the guide is brand. Apple is easily the most popular brand. By focusing on Apple negatively, Greenpeace can theoretically threaten Apple's brand popularity. Further, any changes Apple makes because of pressure from Greenpeace could then be leveraged against companies that actually pollute more than Apple. Finally, attacking the most popular company raises awareness of Greenpeace itself, not that the environmental organization would ever be so self-serving. Keep going green, Apple, but keep going without Greenpeace. Market research you can use: Keep informed about Cloud Computing and IT Infrastructure. Learn more ť
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MailTags featured in latest MacBundle
Posted by Dennis SellersIndev Software's MailTags is one of the apps in the latest TheMacBundles. MailTags transforms Apple's Mail application into an email management system and normally costs US$29.95.
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iPhone executes SMS binary code as root
A security flaw has been discovered in the iPhone OS that could allow attackers to gain root access to the iPhone OS and allow them to install and execute malicious programs at will. Charlie Miller announced the discovery of the vulnerability during a presentation at the SyScan conference in Singapore on Thursday. DailyTech explains: The iPhone apparently [...]
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Smith Micro announces Content Paradise online marketplace
Posted by Dennis SellersSmith Micro Software's Productivity and Graphics Group has relaunched Content Paradise, an online marketplace for hobbyists, artists and graphics professionals to buy and sell digital content.
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The correct way to use your MacBook's battery
Recently a battery completely failed in a two-year old black 2.16GHz MacBook that was covered under AppleCare. It worked fine one day, went completely dead the next. It wouldn’t charge and no LEDs would light up. When I brought it into the genius bar at my local Apple Store I learned something interesting about the [...]
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Review: Gameloft S.A. Castle of Magic
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Single user edition of Cumulus returns
Posted by Dennis SellersCanto has announced the return of Canto-branded digital asset management (DAM) for individuals. Based on Cumulus 8 technologies, Canto Single User offers file management for professionals, hobbyists and smaller organizations that don't need the network (multi-user) capabilities of Canto Cumulus 8.
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'Macsimum Recommended Reading' for July 2
Posted by Dennis Sellers“Sim-free iPhone 3GS arrives on Play.com: Gadget lovers looking to legally get their hands on an Apple iPhone 3GS but not wanting to commit themselves to O2 have been given a lifeline by online retail giant Play.com – though if you thought Apple's prices were steep, you haven't seen anything...
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Will Dell Succeed with New Device? Doubtful
According to some sources, Dell Inc. (DELL) (Analyst Report) may be launching an iPod "Touch-style" pocket-sized Mobile Internet Device ((MID)) sometime in the second half of 2009. The gadget is expected to tap the Internet and will run on Google Inc.'s (GOOG) (Snapshot Report) Android software.The device will feature a bunch of services such as music, videos, and connectivity similar to the iPhone. It is expected to be slightly bigger than Apple's (AAPL) (Analyst Report) iPod Touch but may not have a cellphone. The source also commented that the production could be delayed or scrapped completely. Dell declined to comment on any plans for future product releases.
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iPhone facing potential trademark issues in China?
Apple's on-again, off-again deal with China Unicom to officially bring the iPhone to China may still be up in the air, but it looks like it could now also be facing some trademark issues that could potentially further hold up its release. Apparently, China's Hanwang Technology owns the trademark for "i-phone" in the country, which could force Apple to make a deal with 'em before it enters the market (sound familiar?). Interestingly, Apple does actually own an "iPhone" trademark in China, but it apparently only covers computer hardware and software, while Hanwang's trademark covers mobile phones. According to Hanwang, however, the two aren't actually in talks just yet, and it's not saying what it plans to do if Apple decides to go crazy and announce a move into China without its blessing.[Via mocoNews.net] Filed under: CellphonesiPhone facing potential trademark issues in China? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Shutterbug featured in latest MacBundle
Posted by Dennis SellersXtraLean Software's Shutterbug—a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) web site creation tool for Mac OS X—is one of the apps in the latest TheMacBundles. It normally costs US$39.95.
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AT&T breaks sales records with iPhone 3GS launch
Carrier sells more phones the first day the iPhone 3GS went on sale than it ever has, even on the two previous iPhone launch days, according to an internal memo.
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Modes, Quasi-Modes, and the iPhone
Lukas Mathis has been writing some of the most insightful essays on UI design I’ve read in ages. He has a great piece today on modes and “quasi-modes”: Quasimodes require the user to do several things at the same time, such as holding down the Shift key while typing. Modes, on the other hand, allow users to do things sequentially — hit Caps Lock, type, hit Caps Lock again. Sequential actions, especially if guided well, are often easier to execute than parallel actions. And he argues (correctly, I say) that the iPhone’s new modal interface for selecting text is superior to the WebOS’s quasi-modal interface. â
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App Store Rejections: Apple rejects iKaraoke app, then files a patent for a karaoke player
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Bad Apple, Apple, iPhone, iPod touchAs if the waters surrounding the App Store approval process weren't murky enough, one developer has just hit an unprecedented wall. Apple rejected his app, iKaraoke, citing that it duplicated functionality of the iPod application. Of course, the "duplicate functionality" reason is nothing new, but Apple's next step is: just a few weeks after rejecting the application, they have filed a patent for including karaoke functionality into the iPod app.A brief look at the demo iKaraoke's website will quickly tell you that, while the app does bear a light resemblance to some of the menus found in the iPod application, the actual interface that the user interacts with to select and download a song is far from duplicating the iPod's polished interface. Another key point is that the file format used by iKaraoke is known as the .kar format -- an unofficial extension of the MIDI specification that enables lyrics to appear in time with music. The lyrics are then displayed on the screen, and highlighted as the song is played. Does any of this sound like functionality found in the iPod app? We didn't think so.So what exactly was duplicated then? According to apple, iKaraoke "duplicates the functionality of the built-in iPhone application, iPod, without providing sufficient differentiation or added functionality." But they didn't just stop there. The reviewer went on to say that the application "downloads media files that are not managed by the iTunes application, which also manages media files, we believe this would be confusing to the user." Now, hold on a minute here... it's fine for several other apps to stream and download media files that are supported by the iPod without being managed by iTunes, but it's not OK for an app to download media that isn't natively supported, and provide functionality that isn't natively provided by the iPod? This wouldn't be much different from your typical app rejection if the story stopped there, but it doesn't. This morning, Apple filed a patent [application here] which details built-in Karaoke functionality being added as part of the iPod application, with some additional bells and whistles such as monitoring the pitch of the user's voice. So it seems the functionality that was duplicated is functionality that Apple has not yet released, and possibly not yet even begun to develop. Maybe the $99 iPhone Developer Program fee should include a crystal ball for testing apps before submitting them.As with the many other patents Apple has filed, this feature may never see the light of day. But is it really acceptable to reject an application, based solely on what appears to be a duplication of a feature that may or may not even be released in the future? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.TUAWApp Store Rejections: Apple rejects iKaraoke app, then files a patent for a karaoke player originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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News: L.A.-based band uses iPhone to record new single
L.A.-based rock band The 88 have released their new single “Love Is the Thing,” which the band recorded using an iPhone and the application FourTrack ($10) from Sonoma Wire Works. According to a post on the band's website, a member was browsing through the App Store when he came upon FourTrack, and the group thought it would be “a great way to record song ideas while we are away from home.” They proceeded to record guitar,…
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News: iPhone patent filings: haptics, fingerprints, karaoke, packaging, more
A slew of new Apple patent applications have been published, revealing the company's research into a number of iPod and iPhone enhancements. Of the iPhone- and iPod touch-specific patents, two deal with the usability of touchscreen-based devices. One patent outlines haptic display technology that would let users “feel” on-screen graphics as they move their fingers across the screen, while another would identify fingerprints, allowing…
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iLaugh, therefore I exist
Filed under: Humor, Software, Odds and ends, iPhone, iPod touchJokes are relative. What's hysterically funny for one person may not even crack a smile on another person's face. iLaugh [App Store], a database of over 50,000 jokes for the iPhone and iPod touch from developer Azure Talon, uses sheer volume of bon mots to ensure that you'll be able to find a funny story for just about every taste.You can pick from a variety of genres from Animals to Yo Mama!, and turn on/off sex or rude jokes as well as important categories such as Chuck Norris Facts. Each joke or story can receive a thumbs up or down from you and other iLaugh users, and the app allows you to filter out jokes that don't meet a certain minimum score. Want to share a laugh with friends? iLaugh has Facebook and Twitter buttons that send the joke on to the rest of the world, and you can also use cut & paste on iPhone OS 3.0 devices to email the offending lines to your friends.All of the chuckles are available for US$0.99, and iLaugh would be a smart purchase to make before those 4th of July picnics.TUAWiLaugh, therefore I exist originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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14 Free iTunes Visualizers
Appleâs iTunes application is perhaps the most popular app ever installed on the Mac. Itâs also one of the least flexible, in terms of customization. Thereâs little you can do to âmake it your own,â so to speak. However, all is not lost for habitual tweakers like myself; the iTunes Visualizer can satisfy your need to not leave well-enough alone. If you display your iTunes window on a second monitor, or just like to look at the iTunes Visualizer full screen on your 30″ LCD, you should know that you have some really nice options available for customizing the appearance of the Visualizer. iTunes default Visualizer Invoking the Visualizer by hitting Command + T (hit Command + F to make it full screen if you wish) then hitting the ? key brings up an overlay on the Visualizer screen containing a few keyboard shortcuts to control various aspects of whichever Visualizer you're running at the time. But these customizations only go so far. To move beyond minor tweaks to Apple's built-in Visualizers, you can install a number of truly cool third-party Visualizers which really enhance the iTunes experience. Download More Visualizers I've put together a list of some of my favorite Visualizers to get you started. This is by no means a complete list, so if you're looking for even more, I suggest a quick Google search to quench your thirst. All the Visualizers listed below work perfectly with OS X Leopard, iTunes 8.2, and are free to download and use. Click the preview image to go directly to the download page of each Visualizer. Punkt Visualizer Punkt is a Quartz Composer Visualizer that is much cooler than it appears in this screenshot. Colors burst to the beat of your music. Circle Visualizer Circle places the track name, artist and album in a circular format, and floats in a 3D space. Fountain Music Visualizer Fountain Music is probably one of my favorite Visualizers. It reminds me of the drummers in The Blue Man Group, where water is blasting upwards from the drums, highlighted by bright neon lights as they play. Fountain Music also has a decent amount of customization options, such as particle size and color. Dragon Visualizer Dragon features a squishy, squirmy dragon dancing to your music. I almost feel like this one borders on being somewhat icky — but it's truly awesome. WhiteCap Visualizer WhiteCap places dynamic wireframe mesh visuals on your screen, cycling through colors and traveling through space. Figure Visualizer Figure places the track title, album, artist and album art on a virtual wall, swiveling around in 3D space. Bugaboo Visualizer Bugaboo places colorful dancing lightning bugs on screen. This is another one of those that you have to see to appreciate. Cubism Visualizer Cubism brings a Tetris-like appearance to your Visualizer, bouncing blocks to the beat of your music. A 3D cube with the album art mingles among the blocks as well. Gaslight Visualizer Gaslight is a customizable frequency spectrum analyzer — kind of old-school, but still quite nice! Snow Visualizer Snow, another offering from WowLab, displays colorful snow blowing across your screen. This one is really nice for soothing music after a rough day at the office. LED Flow Visualizer LED Flow uses Apple's Quartz technology to place a colorful level meter in 3D space. G-Force Visualizer G-Force, the original awesome third-party Visualizer for iTunes, still going strong with its fractal goodness! Sing Visualizer Sing places a friendly little creature in your iTunes window and sings. Sort of. Well, it's cool to look at anyway. Jumping Steve Visualizer Jumping Steve pays homage to Steve Jobs with a cutout jumping jack that dances to the beat. Hit the P key for a special iPod commercial-like silhouette feature. Don't forget that different Visualizers will offer disparate customization options, the level of which (if any) varies between minor, and fairly major stuff — it just depends on the developer, and how much time they bothered to put in. Don't forget to hit the ? key to find out what options are available to you. If youâve never installed a plugin or other add-on to iTunes, Visualizers are a great place to start. They're simple, require little effort to get up and running, and typically they either work or they donât, with no ill side-effects. Market research you can use: Keep informed about Cloud Computing and IT Infrastructure. Learn more ť
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RG Entertainment releases interactive motion comic for the iPhone
Posted by Dennis SellersRG Entertainment has announced the availability of the “Super Capers Comic #1 – Back to the Feature” for the iPhone and iPod touch. Designed exclusively for the Apple devices, this “interactive motion comic” is the official prequel/sequel to the independent film, Super Capers.
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More Proof that AT&T Needs to Keep Its iPhone Exclusivity
By MG SieglerAn internal AT&T (T) memo that was leaked Thursday is full of very impressive number regarding the iPhone 3GS — numbers that once again show why AT&T's exclusive contract with Apple (AAPL) to sell the iPhone in the U.S. is so important.
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Hacking and Texting
They say to never drive while text messaging, but what about hacking while text messaging? HotHardware has reported on a significant security threat in the iPhone that is traced back to the way the iPhone handles SMS. This security hole could allow a remote sender to run software on the iPhone via a rogue text message. read more
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ExactCODE updates ExactScan PRo for Mac OS X
Posted by Dennis SellersExactCode has updated its ExactScan Pro scanning software for Mac OS X (10.4 and higher) to version 2.7. According to its developers, ExactScan 2 has grown to a product-family, adding this professional version with OCR and Barcode recognition to create searchable document on the Mac or just to convert existing...
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Apple Addresses 3GS Overheating Problem
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Windows 7 may get a 'Family Pack'
Microsoft appears likely to offer a "Family Pack" version of Windows 7, according to language in a leaked test version of the operating system. This week enthusiasts started buzzing over wording in the license agreement in the test build that suggests Microsoft will have an option to buy a license ...
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Apple patching nasty iPhone SMS vulnerability
Given the hype surrounding Apple's iPhone, we're actually surprised that we haven't seen more holes to plug over the years. In fact, the last major iPhone exploit to take the world by storm happened right around this time two years ago, and now -- thanks to OS X security expert Charlie Miller -- we're seeing yet another come to light. Over at the SyScan conference in Singapore, Mr. Miller disclosed a hole that would let attackers "run software code on the phone that is sent by SMS over a mobile operator's network in order to monitor the location of the phone using GPS, turn on the phone's microphone to eavesdrop on conversations, or make the phone join a distributed denial of service attack or a botnet." Charlie's planning to detail the vulnerability in full at the upcoming Black Hat conference, but Apple's hoping to have it all patched up by the end of this month.[Via HotHardware]Filed under: CellphonesApple patching nasty iPhone SMS vulnerability originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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3GS Launch was Best Day Ever for AT&T
A leaked AT&T memo uncovered by MacDailyNews says that 3GS day was the:read more
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QuickerTek releases Apple Juicz External Battery for the iPhone, iPod touch
Posted by Dennis Sellers QuickerTek has announced the US$44.95 Apple Juicz External iPhone/iPod Battery that works for the first, second generation iPhones and 3G iPhones, iPod and the iPod touch. The company says it offer users up to three times the battery life.
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2 More Patents: Haptic Feedback and RFID Antennae
And we thought Apple scoffed at the Blackberry Stormâs haptic feedback. Guess not, because Apple has filed a patent that not only recognizes the limitations of a purely smooth touchscreen (canât see what you are pressing), but shows haptic display technology as the solution. read more
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Apple Retail Stores Can Now Replace Broken iPhone Screens
Speaking of fixing cracked iPhone screens, Jim Dalrymple reports: The Loop has confirmed that if your iPhone has a broken screen and you take it to an Apple retail relocation, they have the capability to fix it on the spot. The machine, which is located out of customer view in the back of the store, reportedly separates the iPhone from the screen, allowing a new one to be installed. Of course, your screen doesnât have to be completely smashed to need some sort of replacement done. Some users have reported dust particles on the inside of the screen as well. â
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First Looks: United SGP Corp. Art Shield for iPhone 3G
This new series of full-body clear iPhone 3G and 3GS film protectors -- Art Shield ($28) -- adds a new twist to prior designs we've seen: United SGP has added decorative, clean graphics to the back film, and continues to include two pieces of clear front film in each package, along with applicator spray and a squeegee. The company offers downloadable unlock screen wallpaper to match the designs of the Art Shield stickers, as well....
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Archos Vision PMPs get UK pricing, August release
Few details were available when Archos announced its new lineup of PMPs last month, but today we can provide you with fuller specs and news of imminent UK availability. The new flagship model, 3 Vision, comes with a 3-inch touchscreen, 8GB of storage, microSDHC card slot, video playback, and a few less significant features like a voice recorder, calendar, stopwatch and an FM transmitter for streaming music to your Hi-Fi. Positioned as a direct competitor to the iPod touch, the new Archos will cost nearly half as much at Ł90 ($148). Other models detailed today include the 2 Vision -- a 1.8-inch version of the foregoing that loses video playback but gains a 16GB option likely to be priced at Ł50 ($82) -- and the Archos Clipper, a 2GB no-frills player priced at Ł20 ($32). For those looking to get a head start on everyone else, the 8GB 2 Vision is already available through Archos' online store for Ł40 ($65).[Via Pocket-lint]Filed under: Portable Audio, Portable VideoArchos Vision PMPs get UK pricing, August release originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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The 88 song recorded on iPhone and released in iTunes Store
Filed under: Multimedia, Odds and ends, iPhoneRemember that time you were on tour with The B-52's and had a great idea for a song, but there was no recording equipment to be found? Oh wait, that was The 88. Well anyway, The 88 recently recorded their latest single with nothing but an iPhone and the Sonoma Wire Works Four Track application, according to The Loop.The 88 recorded the song, Love is the Thing, with a few tricks: to make sure the drums didn't overpower the iPhone speaker, they covered the drums with a sheet and uses brushes instead of drumsticks to deaden the sound. Four Track records at 16 bits and 44.1 kHz and can make unlimited-length tracks. The band recorded 14 separate tracks, including various guitars, vocals, and effects, and combined them on a Mac for the final mix. The band documented the process in more detail on their website. The song sounds great quality-wise and is now available in the iTunes Store for $0.99, and Four Track is in the App Store for $9.99.TUAWThe 88 song recorded on iPhone and released in iTunes Store originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Monkeybread Software releases version 9.4 of the MBS plug-in for REALbasic
Posted by Dennis SellersMonkeybread Software has released version 9.4 of the MBS plug-in for REALbasic. The MBS plug-in comprises a collection of several plug-in parts which extend the REALbasic development environment with 1,500 classes featuring over 29,000 documented functions.
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Apple files patents on haptic feedback, biometrics and RFID detection
A patent application filed by Apple in February 2008 for multi-touch display screen with localized tactile feedback indicates that the company is researching haptic feedback for possible inclusion in the iPhone and iPod touch. Most telling is a line in the application about the competitive advantages of haptic or “tactile” feedback found in other devices: Unless touch [...]
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Fingerprints on iPhones May Become Useful
The iPhone is notorious for picking up fingerprints like the FBI at a homicide scene. Now, they might finally be put to good use. Apple has filed a patent (We know, today is patent day), exposed by AppleInsider, that shows fingerprint signatures being used to trigger certain events. read more
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Apple patent applications offer glimpses of haptic screens, RFID readers, fingerprint ID
Alright, so you know the drill by now. A patent application doesn't necessarily mean an actual product is on the way -- but it's always fun to speculate, right? And this latest trio of applications from Apple certainly provides plenty of speculation fodder. The most notable of the lot is an application for a "multi-touch display screen with localized tactile feedback," which Apple seems to be at least considering as a possibility for the iPhone (or iPod touch). Like some similar systems, Apple's application covers a screen that uses a grid of piezoelectric actuators that can be activated at will to provide vibrational feedback when you touch the screen. Apple even goes so far as to use a virtual click wheel on an iPhone as an example. Other patent applications include a fairly self-explanatory RFID reader embedded in a touch screen, and a fingerprint identification system that could not only be used for security, but to identify individual fingers as an input method -- for instance, letting you use your index finger for play/stop and your middle finger to fast forward. Filed under: Cellphones, Displays, Misc. Gadgets, HandheldsApple patent applications offer glimpses of haptic screens, RFID readers, fingerprint ID originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 12:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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iPhone Tops Consumer Reports
Apple can continue to gloat about the unprecedented successes the iPhone has had, because the latest Consumer Reports ratings for smartphones show the 3GS at the top of the pack. Electronista reports that Consumer Reports is changing their criteria to adapt to the influx of touchscreen phones on the market.read more
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Cheiftent for the iPhone adds time tracking
Posted by Dennis SellersReaddle has updated Cheiftent, the online project management tool for the iPhone and iPod touch, to version 1.2. The update adds time tracking features to the app, which is available for US$9.99 at the Apple App Store.
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Apple/NVIDIA Rift to Spark Major Component Changes?
If you bought a MacBook Pro between May 2007 and September 2008, you might be painfully aware of NVIDIA's major screw-up in providing fundamentally faulty 8600M GT graphics processors for Apple computers, as well as others. Apple no doubt still remembers that, too, since the warranty extension and repair refund policy is undoubtedly costing it large sums of money. That unpleasant memory may have partially led to a falling out between the two, according to recent reports. SemiAccurate is reporting that, according to multiple sources, at recent negotiations between the two companies, discussions became rather heated, in part due to NVIDIA's apparently arrogant stance concerning its supplier relationship with Apple. Evidently, Apple was expecting more modesty from a company that has cost it so much cash, thanks to a problem it didn't even acknowledge existed. The end result of the rift will basically see NVIDIA locked out of Apple for at least three to four years, according to SemiAccurate's sources. Which means the sweetheart deal that saw the advent of the now ubiquitous 9400M graphics processor and NVIDIA chipset may be at an end. According to the same report that announced the split, Apple will be going back to Intel for its chipset needs in the immediate future. But why now? Apple has known about NVIDIA's somewhat questionable dealings with it for a while now, and hasn't yet stopped rolling out computers boasting graphics processors from the chipmaker. Part of the reason might be that NVIDIA has only now started to become unbearably arrogant in its dealings with Apple, following the success of the 9400M. A more likely reason we've yet to see the effect of the fallout on actual Apple products is that the company's design cycle is so long that the current models were already irrevocably in the queue when news of the faulty 8600M GT processors broke. Apple's own investigation only wrapped up in mid-2008, at which point its product plans for at least the next year are no doubt pretty much set in stone, especially regarding major internal components. Other companies affected by the NVIDIA screw-up are likewise only just beginning to show signs of the fallout, lending credence to this idea. While NVIDIA screwed up huge when it supplied Apple with a large number of faulty graphics cards and then refused to own up and take responsibility, does a lock-out really benefit current Apple customers? I spent most of last weekend playing Spore on my brand new 13-inch MacBook Pro, something which I never would've been able to do enjoyably (or at all) using a model sporting an integrated Intel chipset. To me, going back that way would feel like backsliding. Maybe Apple's own chip design machinations will pan out when it comes time to show NVIDIA the door, in which case it could shock us all with a completely revamped platform. Let's hope so, because I'm not so sure I want my next computer to bring back the Intel GMA headache I only just managed to get rid of. Market research you can use: Keep informed about Cloud Computing and IT Infrastructure. Learn more ť
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KaraokePhones
Not that we arenât fond of people singing along with tunes on their iPods, but quite frankly, most of you are horrible. It isnât your fault, we know you canât hear yourselves. So, we arenât sure if Appleâs latest patent, uncovered by MacRumors, is the greatest. read more
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Apple rumored not to renew contract with NVIDIA for graphics chips
Filed under: Hardware, Apple The relationship between Apple and NVIDIA, the manufacturer of the graphics chips in most Macs for quite some time now, appears to be souring at an exponential rate. Electronista reports that negotiations between the two companies to continue their business relationship are not going well, with Apple accusing NVIDIA of being arrogant. According to a source with access to NVIDIA, Apple is on track to cut NVIDIA off as a graphics chip provider for the next 3-4 years.If the two companies cannot reach an agreement, NVIDIA would continue to provide chips for models that currently use NVIDIA, but Apple would be likely to drop NVIDIA chipsets in updates to their product line, particularly in iMacs and MacBooks currently based on Intel's Nehalem architecture. A significant factor in the disagreement is the way NVIDIA handled the graphics failures of MacBook Pros carrying the GeForce 8600M video chipset, which had a tendency to overheat and eventually stop working. Apple had to extend the warranty on MBP models sold from June 2007 to October 2008 to three years (the Apple support page on this issue can be found here).The relationship between Intel and NVIDIA hasn't exactly helped, either. Both businesses filed opposing lawsuits over NVIDIA's license to make mainboard chipsets with their own internal memory controllers. If Intel wins, NVIDIA could not make another chipset like its GeForce 9400M model that supports Core i7 processors, and would oust NVIDIA from Macs by exclusion. Neither Apple nor NVIDIA have publicly spoken on the matter so far. Apple does have a history of severing relationships almost without warning, as they dropped ATI (now AMD) from Power Mac G4s after the company revealed Apple's plans ahead of a Macworld keynote address. However, if Apple does indeed drop NVIDIA, they may have to return to AMD in order to maintain their current graphics standard.TUAWApple rumored not to renew contract with NVIDIA for graphics chips originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Shadowy modder gives Eee PC a risky back alley trackball implant
Remember that guy who uber-hacked his Eee PC with a GPS, Bluetooth, draft-n WiFi, FM transmitter, SDHC card reader, modem, USB hub, 2GB RAM? Well, we got one more for him. This enterprising gentleman, fed up with suffering through the three-finger scroll of his Eee PC 901, integrated the trackball of his Apple Mighty Mouse into the netbook's palm rest. Of course, this took some time and effort: in the end, the trackball leads had to be unsoldered from the mainboard, the trackball itself soldered to the mainboard, and the whole shebang installed under the surface of the netbook itself. But you know what? It works. That is, until the Mighty Mouse itself craps out -- as they have been known to do. Still, it's all in a day's work for a heroic modder. Right? Hit that read link for the step-by-step, but not before you peep the vid after the break. Continue reading Shadowy modder gives Eee PC a risky back alley trackball implantFiled under: LaptopsShadowy modder gives Eee PC a risky back alley trackball implant originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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'i-Device' Users Favor Mobile Web over Newspapers
More than 50% of US consumers who have an iPhone and/or iPod-Touch use the mobile web more often than they read printed newspapers, and 40% use the mobile web more than they use PC internet or listen to the radio, according to a study conducted by comScore and AdMob. Significant numbers of iPhone and iPod-Touch users - 70% of whom are male - also say they use their devices more than they watch TV or read printed magazines:
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MacJury looks at iPhone 3G apps
Posted by Dennis SellersIn a new edition of The MacJury, the jurors convened to look at the new iPhone 3G S.
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Apple Patents Super-Packaging
Apple is known for revolutionizing the phone, music player, and personal computer, but their next innovation may not be so, well, glamorous. read more
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Backstage: Apple's Time Capsule Gets a Second Chance, But Really Needs An iTunes + iPhoto Server
We were genuinely excited when Apple announced its $299 and $499 Time Capsule back in early 2008—so much so that we were amongst the first people to run out and buy one when they hit stores in late February. Soon thereafter, we highlighted it on Backstage since it was technically outside of iLounge's typical scope of iPod, iPhone, and iTunes coverage, but it was obvious that there could be some overlap. Apple had released a wireless network…
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How to Replace a Cracked iPhone 3G Screen
Step-by-step instructions, with photos, from Jeff Carlson. â
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Psystar bounces back from Chapter 11, intros new high-end hardware
Everybody's favorite fuzzy little Apple clone maker is back from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection (we're still waiting on that revelatory outing of creditors that Apple is so hungry for), and already has a new product in the offering. Psystar's new Open(7) hardware runs Intel Nehalem Xeon, which should provide a nice performance jolt to hackintosh land. Psystar is also going to start using a new bootloader called Darwin Universal Boot Loader, which will eventually be released to open source. Oh, and just in case you were wondering: a little bit of bankruptcy hasn't softened the company's confrontational spirit: Psystar says it's ready to "emerge and again battle Goliath," and that when "life gives you apples, make applesauce." It's kind of cute, really.[Via TUAW]Filed under: DesktopsPsystar bounces back from Chapter 11, intros new high-end hardware originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 11:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Leaked AT&T Memo: iPhone 3GS Generated âBest Ever Sales Dayâ
MacDailyNews has obtained an internal AT&T memo: On this year’s launch day, iPhone sales exceeded sales recorded on 2008’s iPhone launch day, Black Friday 2008 and Dec. 26, 2008 â all heavy-volume sales days. In fact, this year we surpassed 2008’s launch day sales at about noon Central time, and sustained our previous peak hour record, also set in 2008, for 11 straight hours. â
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Caboodle featured in latest MacBundle
Posted by Dennis SellersDejal Systems' Caboodle is one of the apps in the latest TheMacBundles. Caboodle is a Mac OS X application for collecting text, images, and other content; it normally costs US$14.95 for a single-user license.
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Art Text update for Mac OS X adds new templates
Posted by Dennis SellersDeveloper Daniel Holtwiesche has updated Art Text—a Mac OS X app for creating textual graphics, headings, logos, icons and more—to version 2.2, which comes with new templates and new features for layers
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equinux presents an interactive map for digital television reception (DVB-T/ATSC)
Posted by Dennis Sellersequinux presents TubeStick Map: the brand new digital television availability tool. This interactive map lists which free-to-air TV channels existing users of equinux's Mac USB TV Tuners are able to receive in their area. â¨â¨
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News: Apple, developers wrestling over App Store pornographic content policy
Following its decision to allow bikini photo applications into the App Store, Apple has removed one such application from the App Store due to pornographic—in this case, illegal—content. The application BeautyMeter by German developers Braun Software has been on the store since January, but came under fire yesterday following the discovery that the developer was offering not only nude photos, but a nude photo of an underage girl. Similar…
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Consumer Reports: iPhone bests Pre, BlackBerry
Apple's iPhone 3GS beats out the Palm Pre and several BlackBerry models in Consumer Reports' testing, taking the top spot in its 2009 smartphone list.
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Apple patents look at non-visual and fingerprint control of devices
Posted by Dennis SellersApple is exploring various ways of controlling electronic devices such as the iPod. Two new Apple patents at the US Patent & Trademark Office look at controlling such devices non-visually and via a user's fingerprints.
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Secret to App Store Success: $1,875 per day
Do you have what it takes to create the next great iPhone app? Or have it featured on iPhone commercials and installed on the all iTouches at the Apple store? Maybe have a big ol' icon flashing so fast at the next WWDC that you have to include a seizure warning? There's an app for that! It's called your checkbook. AdWhirl recently calculated (PDF) what it costs to get your app into Apple's Top 100 rankings: $1,875 a day. They determined this by looking at so-called untargeted marketing, click through rates on ads, and actual app sales. Since AdWhirl sells targeted ads, I wondered if their findings were accurate or merely a sales pitch of their own. Does popularity have a simple price tag? Fortunately, I know someone from the original Grocery iQ team. Grocery iQ was able to win the triple crown of apps: a Top 100 ranking, Apple Pick of the Week, and being featured under “What's Hot.” What was their secret to success? When Apple released their Top Apps of 2008, Grocery iQ was in the top 50. I think they are qualified to talk about App store success. Jason Boehle, co-founder of Free State Labs (developer of Grocery iQ) and now Software Engineer at Coupons, Inc, was able to give me some insights on AdWhirl's findings. In the interest of open disclosure, I helped test the Grocery iQ app at the beginning, which earned me some face time with Jason! Jason's first response to the $1,875 per day price tag: “Yup, that's about right!” Grocery iQ dabbled with paid ad networks and calculated that to make the top 100, they'd have to spend close to that amount for at least two weeks. “Small indie developers simply don't have that kind of money,” Jason said. Jason also agreed with AdWhirl's assertion that free or “lite” apps do lead to, rather than cannibalize away, sales of paid apps. Since the App store doesn't have any way to try apps before you buy, free versions seem a good way for getting buzz about your paid app. Free versions sometimes have ads, so AdWhirl's report may be biased towards this view. Finding the right mix of features and ads while maintaining quality is tricky. How did Grocery iQ get to be the pick of the week? “We did our best to build a great product and it got noticed,” according to Jason. During this time, Grocery iQ was ranked as high as eighth in the App Store and generated thousands of sales daily. The Grocery IQ team was told that the group at Apple that determined the picks meets weekly. Each member of the Apple team comes in with ideas of what he or she likes, and they vote. Grocery iQ didn't know anyone or use a special formula. Paying for ads might get you noticed by Apple, but it simply wonât get you as pick of the week unless the app is worthy. Though Jason couldn't comment specifically, the Coupons.com purchase obviously helps Grocery iQ reach a target market of grocery purchasers, and is consistent with AdWhirl's findings that one way to reduce the $1,875 price tag is finding a target audience for your product. Shopping and coupons are a natural fit, and we should expect to see more web properties using the App Store to promote their products, and vice versa. What if you don't have the cash for advertising, or you can't find a target market? Jason thinks it's much harder today to get your app noticed due to all the competition. He said that small developers “need to find features that differentiate them from the competition and then develop apps people really want.” Then you have to go viral with your marketing efforts, which unfortunately is often quite difficult. So, all you need is $1,875 a day. Either that, or develop a great app. Grocery IQ used the latter, while it appears some other apps have the pockets deep enough to do the former. A little luck probably doesn't hurt either. Market research you can use: Keep informed about Cloud Computing and IT Infrastructure. Learn more ť
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Apple to drop Nvidia chips in Macs?
Posted by Dennis SellersFile this under the “rumor (for now”) category, but several reports say that Apple may drop Nviida chips in Macs following a contract fight. AppleInsider says that a recent report asserts that negotiations between the two companies are “extremely bitter” after the latter's proposed terms were viewed as “arrogance and...
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News: AT&T memo touts record-breaking iPhone 3GS launch
An internal AT&T memo published by MacDailyNews claims that the July 19th launch of the iPhone 3GS was record-breaking for the company in a number of ways. The memo states the launch was its “best-ever sales day” and second-largest traffic day in its retail stores, accounted for the most transactions ever processed and most upgrade eligibility checks in a single day, and was the largest order day and feature sales day in att.com history.…
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iPhone App Prices Fluctuate as Developers Adjust to OS 3.0
Ever since OS. 3.0, the latest operating system for the iPhone, launched on June 17, prices among the top 100 apps in the iTunes App Store have been fluctuating wildly as developers push out apps taking advantage of all the new features in the OS. Some of the new features we are starting to see in apps include push notifications, turn-by-turn navigation, cut-and-paste, embeddable maps, access to external accessories, search within apps, and subscriptions.
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Apple working on fix for iPhone vulnerability
Posted by Dennis SellersApple is working to fix an iPhone vulnerability that could allow an attacker to remotely install and run unsigned software code with root access to the phone, reports Network World.
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Apple patents involve multi-touch screens with localized tactile feedback
Posted by Dennis SellersThree Apple patents (number 20090167704, 20090167509 and 20090167508) involving multi-touch screens with localized tactile feedback have appeared at the US Patent & Trademark Office. The inventions relate to relates to a multi-touch display screen capable of providing localized tactile, or haptic, feedback to a user as the user navigates a...
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Enable the Debug menu in Safari 4
So robg and I were discussing another hint submission of mine, one that robg couldn't understand because it referred to a menu he didn't have. After some back and forth, it turned out that the core of the suggestion for this new hint was actually on the site for a year, but buried at the bottom of a lengthy comment string. The original hint covered how to enable the Debug menu in Safari, and dates back to 2003. With the advent of Safari 4, this command no longer worked. But somehow, I had a Debug menu and robg did not. The key is in a comment made by chleuasme, posted at the tail end of the comment thread on the original Enable the Safari debug menu hint. In the latest v...
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Force Safari 4 to re-render a page
I've been having troubles with Safari 4 and rendering issues on my Mac. Pages will load fine, but then any little thing, such as scrolling, can cause display issues, as seen in the image at right (click it for the full-size version). Instead of reloading the entire page, which can be a slow process depending on connection speed and page complexity, I use Safari 4's Debug menu (Enable the Debug menu in Safari 4), which has a new Force Repaint command (Shift-Command-R). If the page can be rendered correctly, it will be done instantly, without waiting on a reload. This works to fix my rendering issues, at least until I can figure out the cause of my display issues.
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10.5: Wake a sleeping Mac with via Automator
I have a Mac mini in my living room hooked up to my TV. I wanted to be able to control the mini from my iMac in my office. Using Screen Sharing built into Leopard, it's a simple click of the mouse to do this. With a little Automator love, I created a simple workflow that turns the Screen Sharing step into a click of an icon in the dock. However, even with the power efficiency of the 2009 Mac mini, I don't want to leave it on 24/7. After searching through several solutions that used Python and shell scripting (neither of which I know or could make work), I found this nifty Applescript from Mark Muir that I adapted to solve my problem. Here's my modified code:
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Delete digits in iPhone OS 3.0 Calculator
For all those missing the backspace key in the Calculator (to remove a number you just tapped), just think like Apple: a little swipe over the display will do it. Seems quite consistent to me, as you also do this to delete stuff in other parts of the UI, like lists. I don't really understand why this isn't mentioned in the User's Guide -- are they betting on when someone finds out? ;-) [robg adds: I don't know if this worked in iPhone OS 2.x]
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Make SMB shares appear in Devices section of Finder sidebar
It was driving me nuts that SMB shares from my Windows server would not reappear under DEVICES in the sidebar. However, I then figured out that I can do this: Open System Preferences Âť Network Click the network interface you use for the shares Click on the Advanced button at lower right Click on WINS tab, and manually enter the workgroup name of the server Click the '+' under the WINS Servers list Enter the IP of the server (you are using static IP on your server, right?) Click OK, Apply, etc. until you're done The next time I dragged a mounted share to Devices, it then showed up there automatically after the next unmount/mount. My shares seem to mount much faster now, as well. Now if only I could find a way to increase the transfer speed...sigh.
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News: New iPhone 3GS ad highlights video features
Apple has released another new iPhone 3GS television advertisement, the third in its new series of ads focusing on individual features of the new phone. The latest, “Skateboard,” highlights the 3GS' video features by showing a person shooting video of a skateboarder, who then uses the on-board editing features to trim out the skater's fall, and shares the video via email. As with the other two feature-specific iPhone 3GS advertisements,…
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Apple patent is for active electronic media device packaging
Posted by Dennis Sellers An Apple patent (number 20090168088) at the US Patent & Trademark Office hints that future Apple devices (mainly, I'd guess, things like the iPhone and iPod touch) could be charged while still in their original packaging. The patent is for active electronic media device packaging.
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Dunkin' Run lets you live in the future, Dunkin' Donuts style
Filed under: Software, Odds and ends, Freeware, iPhone, App StoreEver wanted to order a bunch of coffee and doughnuts along with your friends online, and then go and pick them up in the store? There is, in fact, an app for that. Dunkin' Donuts has released Dunkin' Run (iTunes link), an app that not only connects you and your friends together (through a strange love of pastries and java), but will allow you to set up an order and then go straight to the store and pick it up.Sound unnecessary and lame? Maybe -- though it is free, even if it's adware as adware can possibly get. And apparently the app is really badly designed, not to mention that we do feel a little dirty telling you about it: you should probably eat something a little healthier, like a banana or even an (wait for it) apple.But let's not forget where we started out here -- back in the day, we dreamed of ordering coffee on our iPhone, and now that day has basically come. Unfortunately, the best parts of the dream haven't yet materialized -- Dunkin' Runs only lets you tally up orders among your friends, not actually deliver them to the store. For that, you've still got to show the cashier your iPhone screen, and/or read them off the order. But it is a step closer to the dream. If companies are going to make apps that are actually useful for us, they have to start with apps like this, no? And if nothing else, it's an app that will tell you where Dunkin' Donuts is -- that's all I use my Bank of America app for anyway.TUAWDunkin' Run lets you live in the future, Dunkin' Donuts style originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Apple patent involves methods for altering speech during cell phone use
Posted by Dennis SellersWant to alter your speech during a conversation on your cell phone? A new Apple patent (number 20090171670) indicates that some day you may be able to do just that—though you won't be able to make yourself sound like, say, Sean Connery (though that would be pretty cool). The patent...
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News: Winners of iPWR SuperPack Giveaway announced
The winners of our iPWR SuperPack Giveaway have just been announced. In the giveaway, 20 iLounge readers won an iPWR SuperPack Rechargeable External Battery for the iPhone or iPod touch, with ten of each model given out. Congratulations to all the winners! Donât forget to enter our Tekkeon myPower Giveaway, our Giveaway of the Month for July. ...
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News: iLounge announces Tekkeon myPower Giveaway
iLounge is pleased to announce the Tekkeon myPower Giveaway. In our Giveaway of the Month for July, 10 lucky iLounge readers will receive a Tekkeon myPower for iPhone. To enter, simply fill out and submit the form on the giveaway pageâthe giveaway will end on July 31, 2009 at 11:59PM Pacific Time. Good luck! ...
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Case for iPod touch 3G spotted?
Posted by Dennis SellersHas a case been spotted for the rumored third generation iPod touch? Maybe. Check this out. Rumor has it that the iPod touch 3G is due in the August-September time frame.
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Nickelodeon's AddictingGames comes to the iPhone this month
Posted by Dennis SellersNickelodeon's AddictingGames, a source of free online games and a top youth-gaming web site, will extend to the iPhone this July with the launch of several games and a cross-promotion publishing network for iPhone game developers called the AddictingGames iNetwork.
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Shipments of Open-Source Smartphones May Hit 223M By 2014
Over at OStatic yesterday, Sam Dean pointed to a study from Juniper Research that claims shipments of smartphones with open-source operating systems will double by 2014. According to Jupiter, operating systems and available applications are among the top concerns when customers shop for smartphones, and that may give the open-source community all the leverage it needs to get a foothold on the mobile device market. Until recently, Palm, Microsoft, Apple, and Research In Motion were the four main players in the smartphone market, each with their own proprietary OS. Each platform has its own strengths and weaknesses, and each appeals to different segments of the smartphone market. When the first phone shipped with the open-source Android operating system, it was hard to ignore the impact a customizable OS could have on the market, since many smartphone owners like to tweak their devices for their own unique needs. Developers were intrigued, since designing third-party apps for an open-source platform is far less confining than Apple or RIM's program requirements. Although T-Mobile is set to launch its second Android phone this month, Android phones aren't exactly flying off the shelves. But holding 6.3 percent of a crowded market is pretty good for a device that's so new to the market. Application development isn't quite as prolific as hoped, but it's continuing to gain ground on Apple. The clunky design of T-Mobile's G1 has been significantly streamlined in the second-generation myTouch, however, so that may help sagging sales, as will as many as 18 additional open-source smartphones expected to hit the market this year. Juniper researchers say, “However, the real key is not whether the OS is open source but whether itâs easy for a developer to design an application and make money from that effort. The combined changes of Appleâs open route to the market and LiMo, OHA, and Symbianâs open-source OS approach have generated a tidal wave-like effect which even the economic downturn has been unable to reverse.” That means app developers and end users may drive a sharp upturn in the sales of open-source smartphones. Developers may gravitate toward an easier application development environment, and consumers give a lot of weight to which devices have the best apps when making buying decisions. That said, I'm not entirely convinced the Android smartphone market will grow that explosively in the next five years. While Android may have the advantage of an open-source community behind app development, the operating system itself is still relatively young, as is its application environment. Furthermore, consumers are having a tough time accepting Linux as a viable desktop option, so I don't see it as a deciding factor in whether consumers from outside the open-source community buy an Android phone over an iPhone. Market research you can use: Keep informed about Cloud Computing and IT Infrastructure. Learn more ť
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LightWork Design releases LightWorks 8.1
Posted by Dennis SellersLightWork Design has released LightWorks 8.1, an update of the software for integrated rendering in advanced 3D graphics applications. The main focus of this release is the development of the LightWorks real-time rendering product, alongside some improvements to EPix output.
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'Welcome to Macintosh' available on Comcast
Posted by Dennis SellersThe Welcome to Macintosh documentary is now available to all US Comcast Cable TV subscribers on Pay Per View beginning July 1.
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iPod Access Photo update adds iPhone OS 3.0, iPhone 3G S support
Posted by Dennis SellersFindley Designs has released iPod Access 4.3 for Mac OS X and Windows Vista/XP/2000. With iPod Access you have instant access to all the songs, videos and movies on your iPod or iPhone.
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Should Apple buy Joost—or license some of its technologies?
Posted by Dennis SellersFolks are always speculating about companies that Apple should buy, so I'll add another to the list for discussion: Joost, an Internet television service. For now.
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Jobs' Quiet Comeback, Mini's Big BOM and Maine's Massive MacBook Splurge
After the raging blog activity surrounding the launch of iPhone OS 3.0 and the new iPhone 3GS, the Apple-focused blogosphere has finally slowed down to catch its collective breath. Still, there's plenty to talk about, like Michael Jackson music sales going through the roof on iTunes, CEO Steve Jobs returning to Apple's Cupertino campus, the Mac mini's relatively high build cost, and MacBooks selling like text books in Maine. "Michael Jackson is likely make more money in death than he ever did in life -- the Elvis effect," writes Cult of Mac blogger Leander Kahney.
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Some Vista users say they're getting the Ultimate shaft
Microsoft promised that by purchasing the pricey Ultimate edition of Vista users would get all kinds of extras. However, for many, those extras turned out to be little more than a few screensavers and a poker game, prompting some significant grousing. Now, that frustration has turned to anger after Microsoft ...
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In-Stat: digital photo frame market will get connected
Posted by Dennis SellersThe market for digital photo frames has taken-off, particularly since prices dropped to affordable levels in the first half of 2009, according to market research firm In-Stat. However, due to difficult economic conditions and the trend to purchase digital photo frames as gifts pre-loaded with pictures, most units shipped still...
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PALM: Ready to Break Out?
Every once in a while, a stock breaks the barriers and totally changes its category. It moves from small cap to mid-cap to large cap and so on. In that process it increases its market cap by many folds perhaps even 20 times. Research in Motion (RIMM) did that from June 06 to Oct 07 and First Solar (FSLR) did the same from Jan 07 to Jan 08. For such a sustained stock run to happen, it has to be based on a fundamental change in company itself or in the company's perception. Recently, Palm (PALM) is showing a similar trend. It has grown almost 10 fold over the last 6 months with its current market cap at ~2.2 billion. The question remains “Is this for real?” and “can it continue?” Can Palm break out from its current levels again and reach a market cap of $10 billion? Palm has come out with its new smartphone (Palm Pre) which is considered a very competitive offering against “iPhone from Apple (AAPL)” and “Blackberry from RIMM”. So far, reviews on Pre have been great. Reviewers are bullish on Palm's new WebOS, true multitasking capabilities and of course cordless electromagnetic charging capability for Pre. Here is a link to a CNET smartphone comparison.
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Mac OS Ken: 07.02.2009
Apple Third-Quarter Earnings Call Set for Tuesday, July 21st / Morgan Stanley Analyst: Apple Has âMost Upsideâ of PC Makers / TUAW: Psystar Ready to Emerge from Chapter 11 Bankruptcy / Apple Nixes User Generated Content App Over Underage Nude Photo / Consumer Reports Names iPhone 3GS Tops Among Smartphones / MacNN: Some iPhone Voicemail Notifications Getting Delayed for Days / Macworld UK: O2 Out of iPhone 3GS Units / iLounge: Rogers and Fido Run Short of iPhone 3GS Units in Canada / Rumor: O2/Carphone Warehouse to Get UK Exclusivity for Palm Pre / World of Apple Catalogues New Features in iPhone OS 3.1 beta / Macworld UK: But Wait! Thereâs More to iPhone OS 3.1 beta! / Macworld UK: Apple to Hit âiPhoneâ Trademark Trouble in China / Macworld UK: Ive Speaks on Prototypes, Scarcity, and Focus Groups
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Ocarina Master Class planned
Posted by Dennis SellersContest winners and concertgoers at the July 18 San Francisco Symphony Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy concert will participate in the first ever Ocarina Master Class and an Ocarina Orchestra post-concert performance, to be led from the Davies Hall stage by the iPhone app developer, Smule.â¨â¨
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Wacom Intuos4
Tablets are often thought to be just for graphic designers whoâve eschewed the mouse for something âmore organic.â They wave their hands over the magical device and create art out of nothing. What most Mac people donât realize is that the tablet isnât just a designerâs tool. Itâs useful for nearly anyone who puts in serious time in front of a computer. With its wealth of customization options, Wacomâs Intuos4 becomes a useful input device for a variety of applications, and its sensitivity makes it a great tablet for the traditional audience of graphics pros.read more
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Technology Stock Performance
The best performing S&P 500 sector in the first half was Technology. The sector as a whole was up 24% in the first half, and below we highlight the year to date performance of the stocks that make up the sector. Of the 74 S&P 500 Technology stocks, 61 are up year to date and 13 are down. Western Digital (WDC) is up the most with a gain of 134%, followed by Micron (MU), [[AMD]], Apple (AAPL), Teradyne (TER), and Corning (GLW). Motorola (MOT) is up 47%, Google (GOOG) is up 36.4%, Yahoo! (YHOO) is up 26%, and [[IBM]] and [[MSFT]] are up roughly 24%.The worst performing stock in the sector this year has been Lexmark (LXK), which is down 38%. [[FLIR]], [[HRS]], and [[XRX]] are the other stocks that are down more than 10%.
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Patrick Collison Puts the Squeeze on Wikipedia - How to Cram the Wikipedia onto an 8GB iPhone
Think about Wikipedia, what some consider the most complete general survey of human knowledge we have at the moment. Now imagine squeezing it down to fit comfortably on an 8GB iPhone. Sound daunting? Well, that's just what Patrick Collison's iPhone application does. App Store purchasers of Collison's open source application can browser and search the full text of Wikipedia when stuck in a plane, or trapped in the middle of nowhere (or as defined by AT&T coverage...) Collison will be presenting a talk on how he did it at OSCON, O'Reilly's Open Source conference at the end of July, and he spent some time talking to me about it recently.
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About Objects announces Programming Workshop for iPhone SDK 3.0
Posted by Dennis SellersAbout Objects has announced a new public schedule for iPhone Programming Workshop, a hands-on developer training course on the iPhone SDK (software development kit). The cost is US$1,795 if you register early.
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Assassin's Creed: Altair's Chronicles 1.1.1
Assassinâs Creed looks amazing, with a pretty stunning opening cinematic and crisp, detailed graphics. The game combines platforming, stealth, combat, and some puzzles, but the simple tasks--navigating the game worldâs narrow walkways and tricky jumps--are more frustrating than they need to be, and the anemic save system doesnât help. read more
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Best Buy offers details on mobile survey
Posted by Dennis SellersBest Buy commissioned a survey revealing that a large portion of adults in America plan to buy a smartphone in the next 12 months. However, many barriers stand in their way, including confusion about the technology, the shopping experience and price.