Oct 2, 2009 Oct 4, 2009 Saturday October 3, 2009
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More on Pixar's 3D rendering
An interesting discussion of Pixar's rendering of Toy Story 3D, previously mentioned here: With Toy Story, though, it's completely different. The great thing about computer animation is that even though the film images were rendered by computers in 2-D, prior to being rendered the films were staged and animated in a virtual 3-D environment — and all that lovely 3-D information still exists on hard drives at Pixar. For example, in a scene in which we see Andy playing with Woody and Buzz, we see them on screen from only one perspective — but the animators originally mapped out where Andy, Woody and Buzz were in relation to one another in virtual 3-D, and the computer files with that information still exist. — Woody and Buzz in 3-D!, jimmyakin.org, October 2, 2009 And another: [Pixar's Tom Duff, speaking 10 years ago] “Don't forget that the scene descriptions of TS2 frames average between 500MB and 1GB. The data rate required to read the data in real time is at least 96Gb/sec. Think your AGP port can do that? Think again. 96 Gb/sec means that if they clock data in at 250 MHz, they need a bus 384 bits wide. NBL! At Moore's Law-like rates (a factor of 10 in 5 years), even if the hardware they have today is 80 times more powerful than what we use now, it will take them 20 years before they can do the frames we do today in real time. And 20 years from now, Pixar won't be even remotely interested in TS2-level images, and I'll be retired, sitting on the front porch and picking my banjo, laughing at the same press release, recycled by NVIDIA's heirs and assigns.” Well, it's only 10 years later, and I have no idea if Tom is sitting on his porch yet, but our “toys” are certainly getting closer to achieving this. 500MB of data per frame doesn't sound unreasonable these days. — Real Time Toy Story 3D?, Industrial Arithmetic, October 1, 2009
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WebOS 1.2.1 fixes Palm Pre iTunes syncing
Still, it's an Exchange 2007 reset, along with a few bug fixes, that's the main component of 1.2.1, making its way to handsets over the weekend.
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Star Walk still out of this world (and you might get it for free!)
Filed under: iPhone, App Store, iPod touch, App ReviewStar Walk [iTunes link] has been updated and improved with new features that let you leave the earth and look back at our home planet in beautifully rendered views.Star Walk uses GPS to get your location, and shows you the current sky above your head. Since we last looked at Star Walk the app has added augmented reality, so as you orient your phone to the sky (iPhone 3GS only) you see star maps that show just where you are pointing. You can zoom into any object and get a closeup view of the surface details of planets, or even close-ups of deep sky objects like star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies. You can click on a button and get more info on the object, and if that isn't enough you can connect to Wikipedia for even more. Star Walk is one of the great demos of Apple technology. Standing out on any clear night, exploring the skies, and easily finding out what you are looking at is a real treat. I think the earth view is nifty, but frankly, it probably isn't a feature you will use a lot. On the other hand the augmented reality features, the detailed star maps, and close-up images of objects in our solar system are very compelling features.I still don't like that the app switches to Safari for the Wikipedia info. It would be nice to see the browser built in, but that's a small price to pay for the rest of the deep information provided.Star Walk works on any iPhone or iPod touch with version 3.0 or later software. The augmented reality feature, as I said, only works on the iPhone 3GS.At US$4.99 there is a lot to like in this program. Even better, we have ten free licenses to give away to our readers. Here are the rules: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia who are 18 and older. To enter leave a comment on this post. The comment must be left before Monday October 5 at 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. 10 winners will be selected in a random drawing. Prize: One copy Star Walk (Value: US$4.99) Click Here for complete Official Rules.Hare are some more screen shots of Star Walk to whet your appetite:Gallery: Star WalkTUAWStar Walk still out of this world (and you might get it for free!) originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 03 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Sponsored Topics: iPhone - App Store - Apple - IpodTouch - Smartphone
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Mega-super TUAW shootout of the iPhone UI sketchbooks
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Odds and ends, Reviews, Developer, iPhone, Graphic Design, SDK, iPod touchPart of my work requires me to mock up iPhone apps, often to show developers how I would redesign a user interface to work better than something they've come up with. Over the past few months, a number of paper sketchbooks have appeared on the market, all designed expressly for this purpose. I decided to try out all of the sketchbooks that I could find in a cursory Google search, just to see which one would work best for me. Of course, that meant that I had to write a review!The three products I discovered and tested were App Sketchbook (US$16.99), iPhone Application Sketch Book (US$14.99), and The Developer Sketchbook for iPhone Apps (US$19.99). All of them are designed for the same reason, to let iPhone devs or business analysts describe how they want an application's user interface to look. Follow along as I take a look at these three sketchbooks, as well as a metal stencil template for drawing UI elements.Continue reading Mega-super TUAW shootout of the iPhone UI sketchbooksTUAWMega-super TUAW shootout of the iPhone UI sketchbooks originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 03 Oct 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments Sponsored Topics: IPhone - Apple - Graphic Design - IpodTouch - TUAW
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Palm webOS 1.2.1 fixes iTunes sync...again
Filed under: iTunes, Software Update, Apple, iPhoneOkay kids, this is starting to get a little out of hand now. Palm has once again pushed back at Apple, releasing webOS 1.2.1 today that "resolves an issue preventing media sync from working with the latest version of iTunes." What's that issue you might ask? Well, I'd say the fact that Apple isn't too happy that Palm is breaking all sorts of rules to make their device appear as an iPhone. It all started back in May, when it was determined that plugging a Palm Pre into a Mac will allow it to sync content with iTunes with no issues. This honeymoon period didn't last too long and once Apple figured out what was going on, Apple swiftly released an update to iTunes that prevented syncing from non-Apple devices. Apparently, that wasn't good enough for Palm and it was determined that they were trying to make the Pre appear to be an Apple device when it was plugged in for syncing. Palm turned around and released yet another webOS update that fixed the sync and it worked well until the USB-IF got involved and sided with Apple, telling Palm they had to cease and desist. Looks like Palm is back on the attack and this latest release is sure to stir up the pot once again. TUAWPalm webOS 1.2.1 fixes iTunes sync...again originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 03 Oct 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments Sponsored Topics: Apple - Palm - IPhone - ITunes - PalmPre
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IMPULSIVE REVIEW of “Guitar Tuner†iPhone App
Nothing can be more horrid than an instrument that is out of tune. Pain ensues! With the “Guitar Tuner†App one can avoid disastrous embarrassment. “Guitar Tuner†for the iPhone is the best of the free applications available. Although it limits one to tuning a guitar, and it only provides standard and drop D tunings, this program does provide an accurate and intuitive tool. “Guitar Tuner†is as simple as a tuning fork and infinitely more portable. The App displays a guitar neck and the strings are labeled at the bottom of the screen. Once you thumb an “E†the sound for the string comes out in tune. This can then be easily compared to one’s own guitar. Although the application is limited to the guitar only, and it only has two tunings available (they are the two most common tunings), the company Alvin Yu, which makes this App, also has a “Bass Tuner†application for the iPhone (also available for free). Without spending a penny, the basses and guitars of the world never have to be out of tune again. Take action and prevent peoples ears from bleeding as a result of instruments out of tune! Grade: B+
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Man arrested for allegedly threatening to shoot iPhone
In a Cincinnati area Apple Store, a man expresses frustration with his iPhone. He then allegedly brandishes a 9mm handgun to a store employee and says he could shoot the offending gadget.
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TUAW Review: StuffIt Deluxe 2010
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Software, Reviews, Retro MacIf there's one Mac application that has seemingly been around forever, it's StuffIt. This compression and archiving utility was the tool to use for compressing files years ago, and I'll still occasionally run into a .sit file extension when pulling up old files. The original application was the source of a bit of Mac folklore, as it was developed and supported for quite a while by a young student by the name of Raymond Lau. Mac OS X did its best to kill off StuffIt by adding built-in support for Zip compression, but the utility has continued to flourish over the years. During the last week, Smith Micro released the newest version of the application, StuffIt Deluxe 2010 (US$79.95, with an introductory price of US$29.95 through October 15, 2009). Since compression has been part of Mac OS X for quite a while, you might think that this application would have limited usefulness. Smith Micro is spinning StuffIt Deluxe 2010 as a better way to share large files over the Internet. How does it work? Read on, my friends...Continue reading TUAW Review: StuffIt Deluxe 2010TUAWTUAW Review: StuffIt Deluxe 2010 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 03 Oct 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Sponsored Topics: Mac OS X - Apple - TUAW - Open source - Operating system
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Why CIOs are saying no to Macs
It's not so much a judgment on the performance of the Mac OS itself, but rather a recognition of the prohibitive costs involved in making a change.
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Kanex brings digital audio into a Display Port to HDMI adapter
Filed under: Hardware, Video, Mac mini When we published our "Ultimate Mac mini Home Theater" guide in August, I drooled along with everyone else at the idea of supercharging my HDTV with a mini for movie and music playback. Something nagged at me, though, as I looked over the options for going from the mini's video-out ports (the current model sports both DVI and Display Port) to the HDMI standard connector that most TVs expect nowadays... how to get that digital audio signal onto the HDMI link, and avoid a second set of cables to handle sound? It seemed less than graceful. If you want to skip over a clunky external converter box like this one, current minis and other Macs featuring the Mini Display Port connector now have a new option for HDMI; Kanex's two audio-included connectors can put the sound onto the HDMI link where it belongs. Kanex is selling two models of the connector (both are on extremely limited availability right now, the company says). The $60 Digital Audio version includes a TOSLINK optical connector for premium quality sound, and the USB Audio version delivers analog audio for $50. Both let you put all your eggs in the HDMI basket and clear your cable clutter, while simplifying your TV remote input dance as you try to get the audio and video sorted. We're hoping to get our hands on one of these units soon and we'll let you know how it performs. Thanks to Michael W. for the tip.TUAWKanex brings digital audio into a Display Port to HDMI adapter originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 03 Oct 2009 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Sponsored Topics: HDMI - Digital Audio - Universal Serial Bus - Digital Visual Interface - High-definition television
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Galcon Labs in the App Store now
Filed under: Gaming, Software, iPhone, App Store, iPod touchGalcon (App Store link) was one of the most popular games of last year -- it presented a fascinating mix of strategy and real-time arcade gameplay onto the iPhone just as it was starting out, and along with games like Fieldrunners and Flight Control, really cemented a place for the platform in the gamer's arsenal. It's been described as "real-time Risk in space." The basic premise is that you can drag little ships around from planet to planet, conquering planets of various sizes and thus producing more and more ships to take over with. And now it's back. Galcon Labs is available now on the App Store, and it's pretty much exactly what you want in a sequel to a game you love: updated graphics and sound, more game modes, more online multiplayer, and just generally more of the same great gameplay, in a nice new package. So yes, odds are that if you sunk quite a few hours into Galcon, Galcon Labs is a no-brainer. Just in case you don't want to make any financial commitment at all, there is a trial available for the original game, but given that Labs is just 99 cents right now, if you have any interest at all in dragging little ships around to fight wars between planets, it's probably worth the buck. Gallery: Galcon Labs for the iPhoneTUAWGalcon Labs in the App Store now originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 03 Oct 2009 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Sponsored Topics: iPhone - AppStore - Apple - IpodTouch - Handhelds
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WebOS 1.2.1 Update Restores Syncing With iTunes 9
Guess Palm isn’t going to blink. ★
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iLickit might not be sanitary, but brings new meaning to 'oleophobic'
Filed under: Gaming, Humor, Software, Odds and ends, iPhone, App Store If you're the kind of person who complains in the comments whenever we post a useless app, then just move right on from this weekend post (or go check out Paradise Monkeys, it actually looks like a good one). But as weird and pointless as this app may be, we have to give the folks behind this iLickIt game credit -- they really took the multitouch screen to a place it probably shouldn't go. The idea is that you get a plate of food from Grandma, and then you have to lick it clean... by actually licking your iPhone or iPod touch. No thanks. Actually, iLickIt isn't the first app that's asked you to lick something that's been in your pocket (and who knows where) all day long -- there's other ice cream-licking related apps on the store already. But its claim to the very first "iPhone game you play with your tongue" may actually be legit -- it actually times how long it takes you to lick up the food and turns it into a little game. Though we can't really recommend it, it is coming to an App Store near you, so just in case your tongue hasn't had enough to do lately (and yes, I'll just let that one go), there you have it.TUAWiLickit might not be sanitary, but brings new meaning to 'oleophobic' originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 03 Oct 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Sponsored Topics: iPhone - AppStore - Apple - IpodTouch - Handhelds
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Weekly App Store Picks: October 3, 2009
Fueled by a burning desire to bring you the latest iPhone app recommendations, I've kept a keen eye on the new App Store releases this week. As ever, I've hand-picked four apps for you to check out. This week I've given my picks a social twist, whether it's tweeting, traveling or just talking. My top pick for this week is Ping!, plus I've also been looking at TwitMusic, Papaya Farm and Nearest Places. Ping! (Free) In just over a year I've purchased two iPhones — a 3G and a 3GS — totaling just over €1,000. Alongside the two iPhones, I've also paid €15 per month for my 3G connection, €2 per month for my carrier contract and countless euros per day on apps. I'm not actually going to tally all of that up. My brain refuses to let me. Let's all agree that it's a lot of money and I'd be forgiven for leaping on any opportunity to save a bit of my hard-earned cash. With that in mind, Ping! is the perfect antidote to a dwindling bank account. Currently free to download, the app allows you to send SMS-style messages over your data connection, which are then delivered via push to other contacts who are also registered with Ping!. Indeed, there's a few other IM apps that handle push, but it's worth noting that Ping! isn't instant messaging as such, it's much more akin to SMS. You don't pay to send messages, or receive, and your account is free too. Registration literally takes ten seconds, from within the app, so you've got no excuses — grab that app! TwitMusic (99 cents) Earlier this week, Loren Brichter finally announced that he has submitted the long-awaited update to Tweetie, his Apple Design Award-winning Twitter client for iPhone. If this is news to you then check out my in depth preview from earlier this week. The latest version of Tweetie, a complete overhaul of the original app, packs in an overwhelming array of new features. However, there's a few features missing — such as groups, push and music tweeting — that would have certainly bolstered the app's offering even more. The latter of the three features I just mentioned is covered by TwitMusic. It's an app designed for just one function: tweeting whatever song you're listening to right now. The app will grab all the details about whatever tune you're rocking at that moment and push it to Twitter. An excellent app for those who like sharing their personal soundtrack with the world. Papaya Farm (Free) A few weeks back I tried out Button, an unsettling multiplayer game in which the only objective is to push the big green button. Randomly tapping the mysterious button throughout the day has given me a test for more multiplayer gaming on my iPhone. Compared to Button, Papaya Farm, despite it's slightly more complex gameplay, is much more relaxing. The game finds you tending to your own digital farm: a place where the virtual grass is lush and green, and, with your assistance, the harvest is fruitful. The real game begins when you start playing with your friends. Your fellow farmers play dirty and attempt to steal your crops. In retaliation, you install security dogs. Your friends then send you abusive messages via Ping! You subsequently forget that all you really wanted to do was grow a carrot. The game descends into chaos. It's great fun. Nearest Places ($1.99) The final app this week is just for 3GS owners. Nearest Places is an app that makes use of augmented reality (subscription required). This buzzword seems to have just become fashionable again but it does mean something pretty cool: you can look through your camera and see lots of extra data about the world around you, Terminator style! Rather than point you in the direction of your local subway or tube station, Nearest Places brings just about everything else to you. Through your iPhone's camera you'll be able to locate the nearest bars, museums, ATMs and more. Acrossair, the folks behind the app, have uploaded several videos on YouTube showing how its augmented reality technology works on iPhone. If you're still unsure how it'll actually work on your 3GS, you can also check out Yelp's app, available for free, which contains an augmented reality Easter egg. That's all the picks for this week. I'll be back in seven days with a fresh selection of App Store recommendations. In the meantime, what apps have you been using this week? Subscribe to GigaOM Pro and gain access to our Webinar, "Biggest Opportunities in the Smart Grid," on Oct. 7, 2009.
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Member of Psystar's legal team quits
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Apple Corporate, HardwareEarlier this week, David Welker (co-founder of lawfirm Welker and Rosario) left Psystar's legal team. He will be succeeded by Eugene Action, who is already listed as the council of record. If you're unfamiliar with this story (and who could blame you, it's so ridiculous), here's a primer. Psystar sells Mac clones with Leopard installed. Apple played the conspiracy theory card and then declared copyright infringement and sued. Psystar responded with a counter suit, filed Chapter 11, recovered, sued over Snow Leopard ... you know what? Just check the history here. It's an epic exercise in red tape manufacturing. At this point, Psystar is like that cricket you hear but can't find. Ultimately harmless, hard to ignore and supremely annoying.TUAWMember of Psystar's legal team quits originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Sat, 03 Oct 2009 09:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Sponsored Topics: Apple - Psystar - Snow Leopard - TUAW - Macintosh
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Sinusitus relief
30,000,000 people suffer from sinusitis, making it the most popular (!) disease in the US. I've had it off and on for years.After much research, I'd like to share three tips:This book is the single best one on the topic. It's smart and practical.You might buy a nasal irrigator and use it twice a day. It's super weird, and it costs $100, and it works. Really. And you could (I know, it's horrible) drink two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar every day.This post is totally off topic, but if I can help a few of you make it through a long winter, it was worth it. (Actually, to bring it back on topic, the question is: why didn't you know about this stuff already? The answer is that people don't like to talk about it. They don't like recommending a book about health because what if you don't like it or it backfires? And they certainly don't like talking about nasal irrigation. Who would? At a dinner party? At a golf game? When, exactly, does it come up in conversation? It turns out that word of mouth is a complex beast. Certain ideas spread merely because they're fun to talk about. Others, even if they're good ideas, languish. Not a lot you can do about this, unless you can hook your product or service to an idea that's naturally viral, as opposed to insisting that the market do the right thing.)
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Netcom, Comverse bring Visual Voicemail to the iPhone in Norway
Posted by Dennis SellersComverse has announced that Netcom, a Norwegian mobile operator and part of the TeliaSonera group, is the first operator in the country to offer visual voicemail on the iPhone. Instead of dialing in for voice messages, mobile users can now glance at an inbox with information about each voice message, such...
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Palm WebOS 1.2.1 now available, 'fixes' iTunes media sync
The game's back on. Palm just announced the availability of its 1.2.1 update to WebOS for the Palm Pre and, well, that's it for the time being. It fixes Exchange mail syncing issues experienced by some users, which is nice, but for everyone else it re-enables media sync with iTunes 9.0.1, with or without the USB-IF's support. In fact, Palm has signaled its commitment to its rogue approach by improving synchronization with the Photos app to keep the album structure in tact while allowing lower-resolution images to be synced to the Pre. Oh happy day -- enjoy it while it lasts Pre owners.Filed under: Cellphones, SoftwarePalm WebOS 1.2.1 now available, 'fixes' iTunes media sync originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 03 Oct 2009 04:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Optoma's $199 PK-100 pico projector goes for the bargain crowd
You know what's better than a PK-101? A PK-102. You know what's not better than a PK-101? A PK-100. Unless, of course, you're focused solely on price. Quietly announced to hit the lower-end market, the PK-100 is described as a simplified version of its more sophisticated siblings, boasting the same DLP-based engine as well as 11 ANSI lumens of brightness and a 1,000:1 contrast ratio. Unfortunately, you'll only find a single composite video input and a 480 x 320 native resolution, but hey, for an estimated retail price of $199, what else did you really expect?[Via PicoProjector-Info]Filed under: DisplaysOptoma's $199 PK-100 pico projector goes for the bargain crowd originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 03 Oct 2009 04:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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Guiding Stars launches nutrition navigation app for the iPhone
Posted by Dennis Sellers Guiding Stars, which offers a nutrition navigation system, has brought its nutrition rating system to the iPhone. It costs US$0.99.
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Gefen announces DVI-1600HD
Posted by Dennis SellersGefen's newest fiber optic extender, the DVI-1600HD, delivers high resolution video with audio and RS-232 control up to two kilometers in length.
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Glu Mobile launches Super KO Boxing 2 for the iPhone, iPod touch
Posted by Dennis SellersGlu Mobile has released Super KO Boxing 2 for the iPhone and iPod touch. It's available for US$4.99 at the Apple App Store.
In the game you can go toe-to-toe against a cast of 12 boxers with unique personalities and hard-hitting moves. Fighters Ka-rak Übones and Grogul step into the ring exclusively...