Dec 15, 2009 Dec 17, 2009 Wednesday December 16, 2009
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QNAP expands capabilities of Turbo NAS servers with upgraded NAS management software
Posted by Dennis SellersQNAP Systems, a manufacturer of NAS servers, has announced an update to the NAS management software that powers its business-class Intel®-based Turbo NAS servers.
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ComScore: iPhone overtakes Windows Mobile use for the first time in US
There are plenty of ways to measure smartphone marketshare. IDC measures units shipped from manufacturers whereas Gartner measures units sold to consumers. Then there's comScore, the research firm that conducts monthly surveys in the US to measure the total number of devices (and thus operating systems) currently in use. Its latest data is summarized above for the three-month period ending in October. See those yellow lines? If our kindergarten skills haven't failed us, then this data shows iPhone usage surpassing the once mighty Windows Mobile OS for the very first time. Unfortunately for Microsoft, Google's Android OS is set to accelerate significantly by the time the February 2010 data rolls in as is WebOS just as soon as Palm can bring its fledgling OS to Verizon's subscriber base. What's most troubling to Redmond about this report though, is where we found it: on FierceDeveloper, a site for mobile software developers who will presumably use the data to help determine which platforms they will focus their time. Oh Windows Mobile 7, where are you?ComScore: iPhone overtakes Windows Mobile use for the first time in US originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Dec 2009 01:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | FierceDeveloper | Email this | Comments
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HyperOffice announces beta of cloud-computing collaboration suite for SMBs
Posted by Dennis SellersHyperOffice has released a beta version its cloud-computing software. The private beta is available immediately to qualified customers and prospects upon request.
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GenevaSound S stuffs 'hifi' and 'pretentious' into smaller $299 box
We loved the original Geneva Sound System XL, if for nothing other than the sheer audacity of it, though we hear it made some pretty good noise to boot. But if you don't have $1,999 to drop on an iPod dock, the new GenevaSound S brings things into the realm of possibility with a street-style $299 pricetag. Of course, with only two speakers under the hood and not as much room (or power) to stretch those bass-ey legs, we'll have to see just if the dock can measure up to its hyperbole when we get a chance to take a listen. At least that sexy, hidden touch-sensitive control panel certainly isn't hurting anything. Gallery: GenevaSound S press shotsGenevaSound S stuffs 'hifi' and 'pretentious' into smaller $299 box originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 23:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Geneva | Email this | Comments
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iFixit licensing all repair manuals for free under Creative Commons license
Posted by Dennis SellersEffective immediately, iFixit is licensing all its repair manuals under the Creative Commons BY-NC-SA license.
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Why is there a progress bar when my Mac is starting up?
Filed under: Odds and ends, TUAW TipsHere's a story for anyone who's come across an unusual progress bar during boot and my best guess at what it really is. The moral of my story: backup frequently and try not to turn of your Mac while it is starting up. Five days ago, I was prepping my late 2008 MacBook Pro for resale when I encountered the ever-spinning gear at boot. Ridiculously enough, I hadn't kept up any of my backups in a month and I hard powered off the machine while it was booting because I forgot to select the boot drive (yes -- I'm a technician and I did something dumb -- I know). Many thoughts went through my head: I've lost the last month's worth of work, I have to waste hours trying to recover data from my drive, why did this have to happen while I was trying to back it up? It goes to show that it can happen to anyone at any time and that the only real solution is to keep a current backup (if not several) of all your information. Now for a quick word on backups. I usually keep a continuous Time Machine backup of everything and clone my internal drive every couple weeks. The cloned drive is kept in a fireproof safe here in my house. Also, as much as I love Time Machine, in my profession, I've seen several instances where Time Machine backups don't restore properly. I always suggest having a manual clone as a backup to your backup. So, I didn't have a good backup, my clone was old and now my computer wouldn't boot into the operating system -- it just hung at the spinning gear. As any technician would, I booted to my diagnostic drive and tried to repair the disk with Disk Utility. Repair failed! After being told that Disk Utility couldn't fix my drive and that I would have to restore my computer from a backup, I was pretty frustrated. I restarted the machine and went to get a drink. 5 minutes later, I'm back to the computer and I see a progress bar at the bottom of the screen. It took 20 minutes, but after it was done, the machine loaded back to my desktop and life was good again. Impressive. Until the introduction of Snow Leopard, I would have ran Disk Warrior or "archive and install" the operating system in hopes to fix the software issue, but this automated solution was relatively painless and built into the OS. I began looking for an explanation of what it's doing during that progress bar, but didn't find much. What I read were incorrect guesses about firmware. While firmware updates use a similar progress bar, my situation had nothing to do with firmware but software corruption that it appeared to fix on its own. TUAW's Joachim Bean noticed this support article show up on Apple's website today but it's still very vague on details. In fact, it just tells you what it is and why it appears, but not what it's doing. Obviously something is fixing the software corruption I caused by killing the machine mid-boot. Why can this startup procedure fix it when Disk Utility's repair disk function could not? So, what can my experience pass on to the Mac newbies in the audience? Don't turn off your computer mid-boot and never skimp on your backup. If you find yourself in a situation where the progress bar shows up during boot, stay the course and let it finish. In the support article, it says it's possible that you may encounter this every time you boot -- in that instance, you probably have a hardware issue. If it only appears once, don't fret but instead make sure you have a good backup in case something goes awry. When in doubt, consult with your local Genius Bar or Apple Authorized Service Provider.TUAWWhy is there a progress bar when my Mac is starting up? originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Time Machine - Operating system - Apple - Disk Utility - Macintosh
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TechSmith announces public beta of Snagit for the Mac
Posted by Dennis SellersTechSmith Corp., a provider of screen capture and recording solutions, has released a public beta of Snagit for Mac. It's an app for turning screenshots into visual communication tools.
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Raytheon's iPhone app will track enemy combatants in real time
Raytheon, known more often than not in these parts for its ability to zap people at a distance with microwaves, has just announced a little something called One Force Tracker. Essentially an iPhone app, it leverages recent developments in location awareness and social networking to keep tabs on both friends and enemies in the field, displaying positions on maps in real time -- all the while enabling secure communications between soldiers. "If there is a building with known terrorist activities, it could automatically be pushed to the phone when the soldiers get near that area," said Raytheon CTO J. Smart. Of course, there is still quite a bit of work to be done to make this work: iPhones do not have removable batteries, nor do they support multi-tasking, meaning that some sort of ruggedized, battery-powered external case would be necessary to get this battle-ready -- as well some jailbreaking. There's no word on a possible release date yet -- which means, sadly, that it looks like the U.S. Army is stuck with its Celio REDFLYs for the time being.Raytheon's iPhone app will track enemy combatants in real time originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 21:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | New York Times | Email this | Comments
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Fake Steve Jobs: "Stand down!"
Filed under: iPhone Wow. What a roller coaster ride! First, Fake Steve Jobs ordered Operation Chokehold. Then AT&T struck back. That's right around the time when a group of rebels joined the battle with Operation Cuckoo. Now, the original mastermind is telling everyone to stand down: "I really don't want to cause any actual harm to my fellow AT&T users. Quite the opposite - I feel as if we're all caught in the same horrible prison, suffering alongside one another. The point is, I'm not sure we can stop this thing." He goes on to list several alternate ideas including: "Another idea and perhaps the best one: Let's form actual flash mobs outside AT&T stores and put duct tape over their mouths. Anyone up for this? Like, in San Francisco? The media is already all over this protest. They're loving it. They know how badly AT&T sucks and apparently they want to join us in our struggle. So making this into a physical demonstration is the best way to ratchet it up another notch." Chickening out or being responsible? That's your call. Let us know in the comments! Via iPhoneSaviorTUAWFake Steve Jobs: "Stand down!" originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 21:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments Steve Jobs - IPhone - Apple - AT&T - San Francisco
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Digital RAW Compatibility Update 2.7 available in Software Update
Filed under: iLife, Software, Software Update, AppleApple today released a new digital RAW compatibility update for some Canon and Nikon cameras that shoot photos in RAW format. This update extends RAW image compatibility for Aperture 2, iPhoto '08 and iPhoto '09 for the following cameras: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV Canon EOS 7D Canon PowerShot G11 Nikon D3S Nikon D300S Nikon D3000 If you have one of these cameras, you should check out this update to work with your photos shot in RAW format with any of these applications. As always, this update is available through Software Update, but it doesn't seem to be posted anywhere on apple.com yet.TUAWDigital RAW Compatibility Update 2.7 available in Software Update originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 21:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments Canon EOS - Canon PowerShot G - Camera - Photography - Canon EOS 7D
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Snow Leopard video training course now available from The Mac U
Posted by Dennis SellersMac OS X Snow Leopard Overview, a video training course, is now available at the The MacU. This video training course contains over three hours of HD training videos covering everything from file and folder basics to how to use applications like Mail, Safari, iCal and more.
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Apple Updates iPhone iDisk Application
Apple updated its iDisk iPhone application for MobileMe.Besides getting a fantastic new icon, version 1.1 of the application also gains some new features: - Autocomplete email addresses when choosing recipients for a shared file- File sharing emails are automatically saved to your Mail account's Sent folder- When viewing an image, tap and hold to save it to the camera roll or copy it to another appMacRumors also notes that the application increases the optional cache size from 200MB to 500MB, allowing faster downloading, squashes some bugs, and adds localizations for Chinese, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Italian, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Swedish. MobileMe users can download this free application from the App Store [iTunes link], which includes these and more features.
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Border security guards kill -- literally kill -- a MacBook (update: video!)
Young American woman travels over to Jerusalem to meet some friends, see the sights, live the life. Overzealous border security officers ask her a bunch of questions, take issue with her answers, and a few well-placed bullets later she is allowed entry into the country with a somewhat altered MacBook in tow. So what can we all learn from this incident? Firstly, back up all the data you consider important; B, Israeli policemen don't mess about; and 3, distressed laptops look gorgeous no matter how they got there -- just look at the way the glass trackpad has wrinkled up from the force of the bullet penetrating near it, it's a borderline work of art. The young lady in question has been promised compensation, but lest you think this is a one one-off you can see pictures of an equally dead Dell at the Flickr link below. We've got a couple more close-ups of the ravaged MacBook after the break. [Thanks, Itai N.] Update - We've tracked down a video interview with Lily herself, which shows off a few more angles of the former MacBook and current article of modern art -- check it after the break. P.S. - As always, we encourage a discussion. A sensitive, intellectual, worldly discussion. If you can't infer what it is we're asking of our dear readers tempted to intone on this matter, then please skip commenting on this thread, mkay? Continue reading Border security guards kill -- literally kill -- a MacBook (update: video!)Border security guards kill -- literally kill -- a MacBook (update: video!) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Lily Sussman, Flickr | Email this | Comments
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The Macsimum Podcast for December 16th
Posted by Frank PetrieDue to problems with our iTunes feed, please use our RSS feed. Thank you. Today on your Macsimum Podcast: “Pain in our Butt,” “Blu-Ray Dead Ahead,” “Please help” and ”...Story 4.”
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Zune HD Twitter app now live UPDATE: it censors tweets!
It was a slow rollout today, but the promised Zune HD Twitter app is now live in Marketplace. We've been playing with it a little since we got it, and while it's definitely one of the more attractive mobile Twitter clients we've come across, it's also distressingly laggy: it's stalled out several times just scrolling a list of tweets, button presses go ignored, and refreshing data seems to cause all sorts of consternation -- our Zune's dropped its WiFi connection several times now. Not sure what's going on with that, but we've definitely seen some far more polished apps running on the Zune, so we're hoping these glitches get cleaned up soon. Update: Turns out there's a bigger problem here than just poor performance -- as reader Scott Zero points out, it censors naughty words out of tweets in your timeline. (Seriously -- here's his original tweet that we've highlighted above.) Sure, it's a free app, but this kind of active content censorship just rubs us the wrong way -- even worse than Apple's various Twitter-related App Store shenanigans. Bleh.Continue reading Zune HD Twitter app now live UPDATE: it censors tweets!Zune HD Twitter app now live UPDATE: it censors tweets! originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments
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Apple requiring the HTTP live stream protocol for iPhone apps
Filed under: Video, iPhone, SDK, iPod touchAmidst all of Apple's recent app non-rejections and changes to allow APIs that were private, it was announced earlier this week that the company is now requiring developers of apps that implement live streaming video to use the HTTP Live Stream protocol. The HTTP Live Stream protocol uses web standards to implement video, and also allows for use of iPhone-friendly formats like H.264 encoded streams for QuickTime (supported on the iPhone since iPhone OS 3.0). This change also requires developers to create a minimum stream of video no larger than 64kbps, for use with slower connections. It's still not known if this will have any impact on AT&T's position on streaming video over a 3G connection, but developers are still trying to find ways to work around Apple's restrictions. One example is the EyeTV update that was released earlier today, which works via Mobile Safari to stream video over a 3G connection.TUAWApple requiring the HTTP live stream protocol for iPhone apps originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments iPhone - IpodTouch - Apple - App Store - IPod Classic
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Apple makes list of 50 best US places to work
Posted by Dennis Sellers Apple has made the list of the 50 best US places to work, as compiled by Glassdoor.com, an online jobs site that collected and compiled reviews from U.S.-based company employees throughout 2009.
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EA Adds Multiplayer Modes to Tiger Woods, Madden, and Command & Conquer for iPhone
EA has updated several of its games to enable multiplayer competition. Tiger Woods PGA Tour, Madden NFL 10, and Command & Conquer Red Alert have gained this feature. Download and install the latest updates to embarrass your friends with your superior gaming skills.Madden NFL 10 lets two gamers scrimmage over a direct Bluetooth connection. The game also disables the time-bending mechanic on which we often rely, which makes sense, but is disappointing. Tiger Woods and Red Alert let two players challenge each other over either a direct Bluetooth connection or a local Wi-Fi network. None of the games let you compete with opponents online.Additionally, EA announced an upcoming expansion pack for Red Alert that adds the Mac game's third faction, the Japanese empire. The in-game purchase will include a single-player campaign and additional maps for play alone or against friends.Tiger Woods PGA Tour currently costs $4.99, Madden NFL 10 is $6.99, and Command & Conquer Red Alert costs $4.99. EA has been temporarily discounting various games throughout December. Keep an eye on the company's Twitter feed for pricing updates.
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RE:Vision Effect releases Twixtor OFX version for Foundry's Nuke, Autodesk's Maya
Posted by Dennis SellersRE:Vision Effects has released Twixtor as an OFX plug-in set; Foundry's Nuke and Autodesk's Maya Composite (Toxik) are currently supported.
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A bevy of iPhone and iPod accessories
Filed under: Accessories, iPod Family, iPhone, iPod touch Texthook holder puts your phone where it belongs: between you and your progeny Finally, proper protection for your baby. The child, too. JVC gets tubular with XS-SR3 iPod speaker dock Not that we haven't seen an elongated iPod sound system before, but we've definitely yet to see one as totally bodacious as this. JVC has just slung out its XS-SR3 iPod speaker dock... WowWee Cinemin Swivel iPod and iPhone pico projector review Finally, WowWee took a break from robotics to give us the answer with its foldable Cinemin Swivel pico projector: for watching videos on the ceiling while lying in bed, obviously. Also of interest: Sleek Audio SA1 (and Kleer W-1) earbud impressons Belkin Bluetooth Music Receiver adds BT functionality to your 70s era home stereo As seen on Engadget.TUAWA bevy of iPhone and iPod accessories originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments iPhone - IpodTouch - Apple - IPod - Engadget
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Judge Puts an End to Psystar's Clone War
Psystar, the maker of the now notorious Open Computer -- a PC that could be preloaded with OS X software -- has just about run out of legal options in its battle with Apple. Judge William Alsup of San Francisco's District Court, who last month issued a summary judgment in Apple's lawsuit against Psystar, has just granted Apple's motion for a permanent injunction against the sale of Mac OS X software or any products that would infringe Apple's copyrights.
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iPhone/iPod apps for Dec. 16
Posted by Dennis SellersHere are the latest iPhone/iPod touch/iPod apps announced. You can find 'em at the Apple App Store.
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Hands-on Impressions: Need for Speed Shift for iPhone
EA might have secretly replaced your PSP with an iPhone, Folgers Crystals-style. The iPhone lacks a dedicated game system's buttons, but Need for Speed Shift plays almost as well as Sony and Nintendo racing games. We took the final version of the game out for a few laps, just ahead of its imminent release.While Need for Speed Shift shares many similarities of the console versions, EA says that the iPhone game differs too much to be considered a direct port. Shift includes the same licensed songs, and the iPhone developers began with the core building blocks from the console editions, compressing them and reshaping them for the iPhone. But the iPhone development required other changes, too. For example, instead of actual city locations, the iPhone game includes 28 races through places inspired by real cities.Even with the iPhone's limitations, those cities and overall graphics look great, especially on 3GS devices; EA improves the visuals if your phone can handle it. We were impressed with the sense of depth and building density in a Chicago-based race, and a Tokyo setting sparkled with neon at night.We enjoyed the controls in our quick sample. Shift accelerates automatically; we just tilted to steer. A quick, snapping twist sent our real-world car--you'll pick one of 20--drifting around corners. On-screen taps activated the brake or nitro. The controls can be customized, too, letting you manually shift, vary the degree the game helps you steer, and automatically brake.Up to four people can race together over a local Wi-Fi network, and two can compete on a direct Bluetooth connection. While you can always fight to finish first, several additional winning conditions rate other factors, such as the most aggressive racer or drifter.But even if you play alone, Shift will include a lot of content, letting you upgrade cars along the way. EA hasn't yet announced a price, but look for Need for Speed Shift soon.
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'Macsimum Recommended Reading' for Dec. 16
Posted by Dennis Sellers“Attacks spread malware with help from AppleInsider: Malware purveyors are exploiting web vulnerabilities in appleinsider.com, lawyer.com, news.com.au and a dozen other sites to foist rogue anti-virus on unsuspecting netizens”—The Register
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Marware ships ClearShell for 5G iPod nano
Posted by Dennis SellersMarware is shipping the US$24.99 ClearShell case for the fifth gen iPod nano. It's made of clear and durable polycarbonate with a smooth finish.
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MacUpdate bundle on sale now
Filed under: Software, Deals, Holidays MacUpdate, one of my favorite websites for keeping up on Macintosh software, has taken eleven applications and rolled them up into one convenient package they like to call the Holiday Bundle. This is the third year they are offering such a deal. Total price individually of all these programs is $446.77, but in the bundle you get them all for the low low price of $49.95. But wait! There's more! If you are one of the first 10,000 to buy this bundle you get three additional programs for free! That's right, absolutely free! All you have to do is be one of the first 10,000 to purchase! Call now! Sorry. I have watched a lot of daytime television lately. I couldn't help myself. Much has been made of the "bundle" concept by developers. Some are against, saying that losing money selling software isn't the soundest of business decisions, and some are for, claiming the exposure is a benefit since there's not a computer software version of the store Apple has for that phone they make. Here are the bits of the bundle that got my attention: Path Finder (retail: $39.95) - Virtually replaces the Finder on your Mac. Just the bits I saw in the promo video had me reaching for my Visa. If I get one program this great and then I also get all these others too? Sign me up! DragThing (retail: $29) - Fantastic launcher-slash-Dock utility. It looks pretty flexible and with the different tabs and options I think this would save me time by the truckload (if you could measure time in truckloads). Yep (retail: $39) - Document management. I have needed this for so long. If nothing else I should get this just so I can wrangle my Documents folder once and for all. Tags for files is an idea whose time has come. Radio Gaga (retail: $39.99) - You can listen to and record LOADS of Internet radio stations. Did I say record? Oh yes. Quit missing shows you like, and time-shift them. This is TiVo for Internet radio. (Our own Brett Terpstra found it lovely) Keep in mind there are seven other programs that are part of this bundle, and it seems like a pretty good deal just on these four. If you need to streamline your workflow, play a few games, or just want to keep in touch with your social networks, there's at least one program for that in the MacUpdate Holiday Promo. Pro Tip: Got a Mac friend or recent switcher you think could use the help? Get a bundle for them too!TUAWMacUpdate bundle on sale now originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Apple - Macintosh - TUAW - Unofficial Apple Weblog - Television
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News: Speck teams with Artsprojekt for new case designs
Speck Products has forged a partnership with community-based online product platform Artsprojekt to create new versions of the company's Fitted case for the iPhone 3G and iPhone 3GS. Limited to 250 each worldwide, and with only the first 100 released prior to Christmas, the first editions will feature artwork from San Francisco-based artist Andy Howell, Noumeda Carbon of Florence, Italy, and Tesha Beaudry Okolowsky of Montreal, Canada. In addition…
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Most popular free Mac apps of 2009
Filed under: Software, Freeware Lifehacker has put together their list of the 15 Most Popular Free Mac Apps of 2009. Keep in mind, these are Mac OS X apps, not iPhone apps. The list is based on the popularity of apps they've covered in 2009 and don't represent total download numbers. Here are some of their choices (in no specific order): Magnifique Picasa for Mac Pollux doubleTwist Thunderbird Google Chrome PwnageTool/QuickPwn Namebench Quicksilver Glims While I don't agree with all their choices, it is a rather interesting list. But what about you guys? Tell us your favorite Mac apps of 2009 in the comments!TUAWMost popular free Mac apps of 2009 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments Apple - Mac OS X - IPhone - Google - Google Chrome
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Elgato Brings Live TV To iPhone Over 3G
Initially shut out of streaming video to its EyeTV iPhone app over 3G, the minds at Elgato have just released a workaround involving a free desktop update coupled with Mobile Safari.The trick comes by way of Elgato’s new EyeTV Live3G web app, an ingenious solution that allows EyeTV hardware owners to stream live television and their EyeTV recordings over a 3G connection to their iPhone.The EyeTV Live3G web app uses the HTTP Live Streaming technology introduced with iPhone OS 3.0, relying upon H.264 video and AAC audio to deliver the highest possible playback quality, even over a 3G connection. Live3G also takes advantage of the iPhone’s hardware acceleration to deliver higher performance and longer battery life.Live3G requires a free EyeTV 3.3 update for the desktop software. The web app connects your iPhone to your Mac at home running EyeTV, then uses HTTP Live Streaming to broadcast both live TV signals and your own recordings to the phone.Elgato’s EyeTV iPhone app launched in October and users were quick to discover a backdoor that allowed broadcasts over 3G when the app was only intended to work over a Wi-Fi connection. Apple slammed that door shut just as quickly, and a subsequent update from Elgato removed any chance of using 3G inside the app. Instead, the developers cleverly chose to shift their strategy to the Live3G web app unveiled today at https://live3g.eyetv.com/ (login required).EyeTV 3.3 also improves on its H.264 video decoder by running it as a 64-bit process, when available, which improves playback performance on Intel Macs by 10-20%. A long list of other improvements and bug fixes are also detailed in Elgato’s Read Me file included with the update.
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10 Years After Y2K -- Stories From the IT Battlegrounds
"This really could have screwed up our lives, and you know, a whole bunch of little geeks saved us." - Paul Saffo. Director of the Institute for the Future in Menlo Park, California, in an interview with American RadioWorks It was a fear fest of epic proportions. Magazine headlines predicted that the end of the world would shortly befall us. They told harrowing tales of feral computer systems going awry the minute the clock struck midnight on January 1st, 2000--planes would fall from the sky, power grids would fail, the global economy would crash, nuclear power plants would go into meltdown mode, lines of communication would be cut, and the contents of bank accounts would vanish."I cannot be optimistic...It's clear we can't solve the whole problem, so we have to allow some systems to die so mission-critical systems can work... Pay attention to the things that are vulnerable in your life and make contingency plans.... Don't panic, but don't spend too much time sleeping, either." - Senator Robert Bennett, then-Chairman of the Senate's Special Committee on the Year 2000 Problem, Y2K Citizens Action GuideThe cause of all this excitement was the purported Y2K bug. In response to dealing with computers that were about as capable as the iPhone, programmers prided themselves on being thrifty with their code to ensure it didn’t stress memory or capacity. One way to do this was to skip putting a “19” in front of the year and use only the last two numerals. And why not? These programs would be long retired by the time 2000 rolled around. However, not only were many expired programs, operating systems, and applications still chugging away as 2000 crept around the corner, they were also running critical systems like power grids, government agencies and financial systems, hospitals and airports, elevators and public transportation. And so, the race was on to fix the code before the bug bit. Often the fix was a simple patch, but in some cases, programmers struggled to figure out what little time bombs lurked in ancient and undocumented code. Around the world, attempts to squash the bug are estimated to have cost over $300 billion.Mac users were mostly immune as the system software was programmed to accept dates as far into the future as 29940. Assuming third-party applications didn’t go nuts, Macs would be fine. Apple happily pointed this out by airing a commercial during the 1999 Superbowl featuring the poster boy for naughty computers, Space Odyssey’s HAL. At the time, Apple's "acting chief executive" Steve Jobs had issued a statement saying: "HAL is the perfect spokesperson to address the Y2K issues because he lives in the year 2001 and speaks from experience. Plus, HAL is the foremost expert on things that can go wrong with computers." As the big day drew closer, gas masks, radiation kits, safes and water purification systems were hawked in magazine ads and late night commercials. People even began to horde survival supplies. An October 15, 1998 story in the New York Times shared the results of a poll stating that “10 percent of the nation's top executives are stockpiling canned goods, buying generators and even purchasing handguns.” Ominous quotes from experts seemed to indicate that life as we knew it might cease to exist for awhile."Suddenly, those individuals who have insisted that they will be withdrawing all their cash from the bank before the end of the year do not seem quite so misguided. The prospect of the millennium bug eating your savings may be more than just the nightmare of overactive imaginations. At a meeting in Washington recently, delegates were stunned to hear Henry Kissinger announce that he intended to withdraw all his money from the bank as 2000 nears."- The Times, London, March 20th, 1999But 1/1/2000 arrived and nothing dire happened. Perhaps enough code was fixed in time, perhaps the whole thing was insanely overhyped. Probably both. Even those who were on the frontlines of Y2K lunacy disagree about what might have happened. This is how they remember it.What's All the Fuss About?I'd like you to do me a favor. Get a steaming mug of coffee, herbal tea, or whatever beverage puts you in that relaxed, contemplative mood. Now close your eyes and drift back in time with me to early Spring of the year 1998. William Jefferson Clinton occupies the Oval Office, Dale Earnhardt still dominates NASCAR, Denver dethroned Green Bay in the Super Bowl, the U.S. unemployment rate is 4.3%, and the federal budget is enjoying a rare $70 billion surplus. Life is, all things considered, good. Fade in on a second floor conference room of the John Wesley Powell federal building on Sunrise Valley Drive in Reston, Virginia, headquarters for the U.S. Geological Survey. Around the table sit a half dozen (mostly) somber business casually-dressed technical types. The urgent mission that has brought them together is a discussion of the threat posed by and mitigation strategies for the impending Y2K disaster, looming a scant twenty months into a forbidding future.Speculation has been rampant, even this far from the target date. Voices of doom permeate the airwaves, print, and cyberspace. Aircraft will tumble, willy-nilly, from the skies. Trains will crash headlong into one another at high speed. Satellites will cease to communicate. Bank accounts will be drained. Personal information will be lost forever, or exposed for all to see. Twenty-four times, at the top of every hour, on average a little over 4% of the world's computers will freeze up or begin to spit out random nonsense as midnight processes along its inexorable westward path. The damage, the carnage, the impact on humanity will be horrifying. Society's misguided reliance on doped silicon semiconductors will lead to our downfall. All is lost. Cash in your 401(k) now and spend it all on Friends laserdiscs before Y2K drags us clawing and screaming into the slavering jaws of oblivion.One by one, the grim-faced custodians of the information systems that help guard our nation against a plethora of natural hazards--flood, volcanoes, earthquakes, invasive species, and more--give their candid assessments of the situation. The prognoses are poor. There is no cost-effective way to dodge the Y2K demon. Large-scale models are being created to simulate the event and ameliorate the consequences to whatever degree possible, but no one really knows what will happen on that fateful day. As we go around the table, administrators of the agency's thousands of Windows NT4 and 3.1 machines shake their ashen-countenanced heads at the terrifying uncertainty presented by this technological monster. Finally, it is my turn to report. I’m the Y2K coordinator for the Telecommunications Services Branch of the Office of Program Support at USGS HQI am reading ;Login: magazine and don't hear my name called the first time. They try again, with more stridency. I look up, eyebrows raised questioningly. "Please give the Y2K status for the Telecommunications Services Branch," the facilitator commands. I clear my throat. "We have two Sun 4500 clusters and about 250 Data General AViiON workstations. All of them are running some flavor of UNIX, whose designers intelligently provided the date function 32 bits to work with while Bill Gates was still mucking about in prep school. At 03:14:07 UTC on Tuesday, 19 January 2038, when this issue has some relevance to TSB, I will be long retired and quite possibly dead. I really don't see any good reason to make a fuss over it at this point. End of report."And that, dear children, is how I got excused/banned from all future meetings.Robert G. Ferrell is still an Information Systems Security Professional for the US Government and, ironically, now writes the /dev/random column for ;Login: magazine.A High Stress Non EventI was one of the senior network engineers at Long Beach Memorial hospital in Los Angeles. We had five hospitals in our circle of responsibilities. Long Beach which was the home site, Orange Coast, Anaheim, Saddleback and Miller's Children's Hospital. Plus there were many small offices, labs and remote sites that "kinda of sort of" fell under our roof.There was a very chaotic assortment of very old software and new software with a lot of it falling between the two extremes. One of our oldest applications was the surgery scheduling software which ran on even then "old" Netware 3.1 servers using Btrieve. This was akin to a "made in the garage" application and was not well supported even in the best of times. This was not the best of times.We had new software down in Radiology where they were using high speed networks to digitize and read x-rays etc remotely. Not to mention all the odd appliances like routers, switches, print servers, neonatal data transponders, wireless, security systems and so on. And I'm not even counting all the COBOL applications that had been custom written by long past employees or consultants, DOS, Visual Basic apps, home brew Access Databases and yes, the rogue server or two. Or three…or four.In a word, messy.We spent over a year and a lot of effort trying to identify problem apps and put fixes in place either from the vendors or hacking it ourselves in the case of the unsupported applications. The idea was make this as much of a non-event as we could.When it came time for the actual roll over, all IT staff were required to be on site, not on call, be ON SITE which really tweaked more than a few spouses. In my department, we had our own itty bitty party and we got to see the fireworks from the Queen Mary from a parking structure. Right after 9PM we got a call from a sister facility back east saying one of their business scheduling apps died on the stroke of midnight. We used this same application, as did many other facilities, and we got calls as each time zone rolled over. Since it was a business app, I did not have anything to do with it. I was much more worried about my servers and network hardware. Happily midnight came and went and all my stuff was running fine. There were some instances where the date got jacked up but the firmware still ran even though the log files were nuts insisting it was 1961 or other silly things like that.In the end, Y2K was a high stress non-event for most of the IT staff at all our facilities. Mike Sweeney is now a Network Security Manager at an undisclosed location.Beanie Babies And Tulip Wars(Note: Mac|Life changed two names in the story below to protect the ignorant)Prior to joining True North at the end of 1998 (now InterPublic Group), which is the largest ad agency in the world, I was the CIO of Fallon McElligott, a much smaller ad agency. Fallon's CFO, Mr. X, and I began the "Y2K is like the Tulip Craze of the 1600s" war. My argument was that Y2K was just an end of the millennia mania, much like the Beanie Babies at the current time and the Dutch Tulipmania of 1633. All hype and not much reality. I argued that Beanie Babies were as worthless as the Dutch Tulip bulbs and in the same vein, Y2K would come and go with as many or as little problems as every other year. Mr. X, being a member of the bow-tie wearing, afraid of everything crowd, thought that Y2K would cause everything from elevator stoppages to airplanes falling out of the sky. I remember asking if he was related to Chicken Little. I was summarily let go from Fallon, only to "fail up" to being named the CIO of the world's largest ad agency.There I fell in with a much more enlightened crowd -- at least at the level of Management Executive Committee, or MEC (which was comprised of the CEO, the CEOs of the 14 major holding companies, the CFO, Chief Legal Officer, and myself). When I came on board at True North, the Y2K plan was like any other. We had the requisite letter-to-the vendors campaign (asking what they were doing), review of all software and OS configurations, and review of our Unix mainframe code.Because we were an ad agency, many of the thousands of computers were Macintoshes. No problems there. Many were PCs, and Microsoft was already addressing any patches there. That left outside vendors, physical plants, and our Unix mainframe. A quick call to the mainframe guys told me the one thing I needed to know -- if there was going to be a glitch, they'd catch it the day after, patch it, and we'd be back billing just fine. Besides, if someone doesn't get a bill for a couple of days, it wouldn't kill us.An hour or two of research on my part found that:1.   International monetary float would not be affected -- no international financial downside to any Y2K problems2.   Nobody would be billing the first few days after the 1st of the year anyway -- no world-wide downside to any Y2K problems3.   Our ad system (the system that runs ads on more TVs, print, and radio than you'd ever expect worldwide) was always pre-bought anyway, and I was assured by all TV stations that "every ad would run, even if we have to manually push a button" -- no client problems there, even if Y2K did go crazy.In short, if we could bill, and we could put client product out the door -- who cared what else would happen? Well, that was the logic that the MEC shared with me.Then I started to meet the IT team. Our CTO wannabe, Mr, Z, was convinced, much like Mr. X back at Fallon, that the sky was going to fall down."Microsoft is going to have more holes than Swiss Cheese" he would run around saying. Our EDS contractor thought that his letter campaign would help any liabilities (at $150 an hour on his part). Our security guys thought that someone would find some date-based loophole to break into our systems. Our physical security guys wanted signs on all elevators saying "do not enter on 12/31/99 unless you want to be here for awhile." My own IT-CFO (my budget was in the high tens of millions) thought that every billing system we had would fail. I had found Mr. X’s missing flock of Chicken Littles.To ease everyone's nerves, I promised not to do anything "radical" until we convened my own CIO's council, made up of all of the holding company CIOs and the national CIOs. Over 100 people. We all met in Chicago at the beginning of 1999. Think over 100 Chicken Littles. Squawking in 40 to 50 languages that the sky was going to fall.I couldn't believe it.It took me until June to convince my own IT staff to transfer the EDS $150 per hour letter-writer to the legal side of the house so I could fire him.I had to permanently assign my CTO wannabe to the Unix mainframe programmers (after taking them out for a great Steak and Wine dinner in NYC and promising that I'd make it up to them) so that he could randomly test any code with dates in it. We purposely set up the tests for twice a month because there were really only about a dozen or so places where a date could be entered. We figured that would keep him busy until at least December 15th and they only had to deal with him twice a month.I even had to acquiesce (because of the rabid IT leadership complainers) to sending out an "international testing task force" to review all of the Y2K binders in each country and at each of the major holding companies. A wry note here -- I noticed in the travel bills that no one went to countries like Canada, Mexico, Bolivia, Congo or Ethiopia for testing. Of course the UK, France, Italy, Australia, Japan, Brazil and China; i.e., the "fun" places were visited.In short, I slashed the Y2K budget as much as possible. I would have killed it all had I been given the chance.By August the IT betting pool had me being "canned for short sited Y2K stupidity" at 2-1 odds.By October they upped the odds to 4-1. I took the bet.By November my CTO wannabe was writing "an official memoranda for posterity" and sending it to the head of HR and Legal that I should be canned for "Y2K Ostrich-like behavior". And he had additional signatures. The odds were now 6-1 against my making it to December 1st. However, our security analyst stopped staring at the sky and he convinced our IT CFO (who liked the "savings compared to our peers"), telephony, and physical plant staff to do the same.December 1st rolled around and the CEO and I had dinner on that night just for laughs (and to show support that leadership wasn't falling for any of the complaints). December 15th rolled around and the odds makers were now betting "for" me. I hedged my bet just in case.December 31st I held a party at my house in Chicago for anyone in IT leadership who wanted to attend. My CTO was at our HQ's call center "just in case." At "minutes after midnight" in every country in the world, I would get a phone call saying "all is fine". I told the CEO that by the time it hit Chicago, if I was still sober, I'd call him. About the time the fireworks on Lake Michigan died off, I called the CEO. I was semi-sober. He wasn't even close.When we got back to work I shipped everyone who had complained about my Y2K attitude a little "Clucky the Chicken" Beanie Baby and a Tulip Bulb (paid for by the big payoff on the bet I wouldn't be canned). Most didn't get the joke.Every December when I plant my Tulip bulbs here in California, I can't help but laugh.Dorian J. Cougias is now the founder and Lead Analyst of Network Frontiers and is the co-creator of the Unified Compliance Framework.NEXT: More Stories from IT Battlegrounds Tiny Parachutes for SaleWhat really stands out in my mind about Y2K all these years later was the overriding unreasonable expectation of what could happen rather than what actually happened. Starting in about 1998 there were suddenly so many people who knew nothing about programming and next to nothing about technology explaining frantically why the Y2K bug was important and that programmers like myself really needed to pay attention to it. We were aware, thank you. I remember working on Y2K issues in 1981 for a product that was off the market long before 2000.I equated it to being in an airplane in bumpy weather. It’s then you wonder how good the pilot is. If you start screaming, “I wonder if the pilot knows about this” I’ll bet you could sell parachutes (even tiny ones that don’t work will help people overcome the fear you instilled). There was a lot of money made on Y2K, some of it was put to good use.But what everyone missed during the whole Y2K debacle is that your life depends on programmers honesty, intelligence and diligence. Yes, your life. That was true in 1999, it’s still true and everyone still misses the point.Geoffrey Feldman is now a software developer and senior problem solver at Seabase Consulting. We Learned NothingWe were hearing that Y2K was the end of the world, computers would crash, critical systems would fail, planes would fall out of the sky and we’d swiftly devolve to, at best, a pre-industrial age lifestyle. The newspapers were filled with stories about how people were building bomb shelters and stocking up on water and canned goods.And then Y2k happened but there was no meltdown because we fixed the issues beforehand. There were some minor problems around the world, passwords that thought they were expired, programs that figured their licensing period was up -- but no major issues. It made some people wonder if the superbug that they first created and then they fixed was worth all that money. Some people point to it as a problem that didn't exist. It existed, and we did a good job of fixing it.  At the time I was dealing with Y2K planning for several years at IBM as a Development Manager and Certified IT Architect, focusing on their products and customers’ systems. IBM was taking Y2K quite seriously as far back as 1995. We had a local conversion center with more than 1,000 professionals working with IBM mainframe systems to solve the customers Y2K problem.I saw many IT executives inflating their budgets, under the umbrella of preparing for Y2K issues. This was the only time that I remember when IT executives were strongly encouraged to spend money. Suddenly there was a way to get the hardware and software you needed or wanted if you used Y2K to justify it. And as anxiety levels ramped up once the general public started hearing about Y2K you could justify buying almost anything by chanting those magic three letters.There was definitely a lot of cynicism after the fact, and some of it was justified.The whole thing reminded me about how important computers had become in our daily lives and how a small problem could have really big consequences. It sharpened my focus on doing quality work. Overall though, we really learned nothing because only failure teaches. It was one of the only times in recent memory that the world has come together and spent a ton of money and time to prevent disaster. We can't seem to do this now with other impending crises like dangerous economic bubbles, resource scarcity and climate change. I guess it’s because those deadlines can’t be clearly marked on a calendar.Ulf Mattsson is now the CTO at Protegrity.Got an interesting or funny Y2K story? Drop it in the comments below.
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News: Spat between Lyons, AT&T poses iPhone outage threat
An ongoing spat between journalist Dan Lyons—posting as his satirical alter-ego “Fake Steve Jobs”—and AT&T has the potential to cause iPhone service outages Friday afternoon. Following a profanity-filled rant (NSFW) in which Lyons compared AT&T to a record company wanting customers to purchase less copies of an album due to high demand, Lyons subsequently proposed “Operation Chokehold,” suggesting that iPhone…
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Smule Raises Cash to Expand Its Musical App Lineup
Smule, a software company, raises $8 million and will use it to create more applications that turn the iPhone into a musical instrument.
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Recycle that contract-free iPhone as a holiday gift
Filed under: iPhoneWe're sure this will be a hit for the holiday season: Apple recently updated one of the iPhone support articles, explaining how you can continue using an iPhone as a quasi-iPod touch, if you no longer have a cellphone contract with your carrier. Let's give an example: Your iPhone 3G contract was eligible for the upgrade pricing not too long ago, so you purchased an iPhone 3GS. You have your old iPhone 3G lying around the house with no purpose. Obviously, you could try and sell it... but maybe your child has been begging you for an iPod touch for Christmas. Apple wants to see these devices be re-used and not thrown into the trash, so they've outlined how to activate your iPhone (1st gen, 3G or 3GS) in the article. It all boils down to this: never get rid of your SIM card. For the iPhone 1st generation, you have to keep the original SIM card in place at all times. Without this, it will not activate in the next software update. The iPhone 3G and 3GS do not need a SIM card installed for day-to-day use. However, you still need a SIM card for the required activation after a software update. This differs a bit from the iPhone 1st generation: with the iPhone 3G and 3GS you can use any SIM card from your authorized carrier. Either way, it's silly not to leave the SIM card in each generation of iPhone as long as you don't need the SIM card for your new phone. Now you won't get stuck at the "Connect to iTunes" screen forever.TUAWRecycle that contract-free iPhone as a holiday gift originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments iPhone - Apple - iTunes - IPod Touch - IPod Classic
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Backstage: At 2010, Reaching The End of the iPhone Road
My current contract with O2 is coming to an end soon, and while the last 18 months with my iPhone have been 'fun,' the cost is something I'm seriously considering as possibly not worth bearing. The question: do I continue my contract, seek another provider, or drop the iPhone as a data device altogether? Bear in mind that I haven't come close to using all my inclusive texts and minutes on the ÂŁ35 plan I have been on, and don't…
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Tunewear releases GameHandle for iPhone 3G/3GS, iPod touch 2G
Posted by Dennis SellersTunewear has released the GameHandle for the iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS and second gen iPod touch. The US$19.95 device is designed to provide a better grip on the Apple devices when playing action and racing games.
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Review: Gameloft James Cameron's Avatar
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The Closest Thing to Having a Psychic Connection With Your Computer
As shown by the sharp eyes at Patently Apple, the US Patent and Trademark Office has publish a special patent which involves using your iPhone to control a home computer while at the office, or on the road and everywhere in between.Supposedly, an iPhone user will be able to move the cursor and open applications, control a printer, or any other similar function. You will even be able to control the voice functions on your Mac with your iPhone, so you can speech-control your Mac from anywhere.Eight more patents have also been published for Apple, including descriptions of a patent that has to do with advanced sensory technology in contest with portables, like the iPhone and iPod Touch, a one-piece iPod connector, another related to Electromagnetic Interference Shielding used in the iPhone, and other products. Lastly, there was an industrial design win for the second generation iPod Nano as well.
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Swedish developers vie for Steve Jobs's attention
Filed under: Apple Corporate, Software, Odds and ends, App Store The App Store approval process has been criticized, in part, for being too slow with approval decisions. Apple's senior vice-president of worldwide product marketing Phil Schiller recently defended the process, saying, "You and your family and friends can download applications from the store, and for the most part they do what you'd expect, and they get onto your phone, and you get billed appropriately, and it all just works." That's all well and good, but most developers just want to get their app out. To that end, a group in Sweden is trying something unique. Dearstevejobs.com was built to win Steve's attention and ultimately approval for an app called SVT Play. SVT is a public television broadcaster, and SVT Play is their shows' home on the web (think Hulu). The iPhone app works as you'd imagine: With a few clicks, users can watch popular shows right on their iPhones. The promotional site is cute with live streaming video of eager developers, Facebook and Twitter integration plus an opportunity for Steve to use his Mac's built-in iSight to record a quick video of himself saying, "Ja!" Good luck, SVT! Thanks to everyone who sent this in! TUAWSwedish developers vie for Steve Jobs's attention originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Steve Jobs - Apple - IPhone - AppStore - Facebook
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Microsoft top lawyer: EU deal opens new chapter
q&a Microsoft's Brad Smith talks about what the EU deal means for the future of Windows and whether Redmond will finally be able to get off of the antitrust hot seat.
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Dozen Daily Deals for December 16, 2009
Filed under: Deals'Tis the season shop until your brains melt (or skip it all entirely, depending on your interpretation of the term holiday). In that spirit, for the next few weeks we'll be rounding up a dozen daily deals courtesy our friends at DealNews.com. Each afternoon tune in to TUAW for this handy summary. Keep in mind that while our posts will live on, the deals won't. Each is lovingly generated by the deal-bot every day, so get 'em while they're hot. Enjoy! iTunes Music Store: [iPhone / iPod Apps] App Store Freebies: bitFlip, Plane Sight, Money Tracker, 7 Cities, more Facebook.com: [MP3 Downloads] iTunes Starbucks MP3 Sampler for free All-Battery: [Rechargeable Batteries] All-Battery.com Sale: Up to 80% off + 15% off $10 Shop4Tech: [Store Events] Shop4tech.com coupon: 15% off no minimum Apple Store: [Mac Pro] Refurbished Apple Mac Pro Xeon Workstations from $2,149 + free shipping ThingFling: [iPod Accessories] DLO HomeDock Deluxe iPod Dock for $20 + $6 s&h Small Dog Electronics: [Headphones] 50% off Skullcandy headphones at SmallDog.com: Deals from $13 + $8 s&h Western Digital Store: [USB Hard Drives] Refurbished Western Digital External Hard Drives from $40 + free shipping Buy.com: [Flat-Panel/LCDs] iMo 7" USB Sub-Monitor for $100 + free shipping Dell Small Business: [USB Hard Drives] Western Digital 1.5TB USB 2.0 Hard Drive for $100 + free shipping Dell Small Business: [Networkable Hard Drive (NAS)] Iomega 1TB Home Media External NAS Hard Drive for $115 + free shipping 6pm: [iPod Accessories] 60% to 67% off Skullcandy headphones at 6pm.com: Deals from $10 + $7 s&h TUAWDozen Daily Deals for December 16, 2009 originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Email this | Comments IPhone - Apple - App Store - Buy.com - ITunes Store
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Apple releases printer driver updates for Snow Leopard
Posted by Dennis SellersApple has released two printer driver updates for Mac OS X 10.6 (“Snow Leopard”).
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Type n Walk App Enables You to Do Some Extreme Multitasking
Ever wished you were better at multitasking? The new Type n Walk app now enables you to type and text on your iPhone while walking. The app makes this all possible by using the camera on your iPhone to create a transparent background on the text document, displaying any objects ahead that may end up tripping you. Now, let's just hope no one starts using this while they're driving...
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Minder Softworks announces 12 Days of Christmas promo
Posted by Dennis SellersMinder Softworks has announced a holiday sale for its MYStuff application.
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CatPaint: Top Selling App in the iTunes App Store
Well, in Vietnam. Interesting to see how little action there is in the Vietnamese store. â…
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JVC announces iPod dock with Dolby Virtual Surround
Posted by Dennis SellersJVC has released a new iPod speaker system that sports a wraparound design, Dolby Virtual Surround, and a dock that like most docks holds an iPod vertically for music listening, but also can cradle it horizontally for widescreen viewing of video.
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Bada Bing! Microsoft delivers Bing search app
Filed under: Odds and ends, iPhone, iPod touch, App ReviewSearch is really getting interesting these days. Microsoft late last night released Bing [iTunes link] for the iPhone -- a full featured free app offering search, movies, maps, and directions, all with voice control. It's notable that Microsoft is going after iPhone mind-share after Steve Ballmer famously dissed the iPhone more than 2 years ago. He's had to sit back and watch the iPhone eclipse Windows Mobile phones in the marketplace, which can't be pleasant, but business is business, and Microsoft is pushing the Bing search suite of tools hard. After spending some time with it last night and this morning, I can say that it works pretty well. I think on-screen it is more attractive than the Google Mobile app offering [iTunes link] and the voice control is about as accurate. On the Bing home screen there are direct links to images, movies, maps, businesses, news and directions. It inverts the Google method, where you do a search, then select, for example, images. I think I prefer the Bing hierarchy as being more logical. The voice search isn't perfect. It especially had trouble with addresses. You can use Bing, as you can Google Maps, as a low end navigation app, but of course no voice directions as yet. Some of the icons, like back and forward seem a bit too close together, but the icons are serviceable. Like Google, you can search for a business, then click to dial it directly, get directions, or read reviews. Business categories are well thought out, and easy to navigate. You can access an iPhone friendly version of Bing from Safari on the iPhone, but of course there is no voice input and it is more cumbersome to use, so I think having an app makes sense. For free, there is no reason not to download Bing and see if you like it. I'm hoping Microsoft will aggressively update the app, and continue to add features. I think if you grab it, you'll use it. Bing requires an iPhone and iPod touch with iPhone OS 3.0 or later. Gallery: Bing iPhone app screen shotsTUAWBada Bing! Microsoft delivers Bing search app originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 13:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Microsoft - IPhone - Apple - Google - Steve Ballmer
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News: Mix: Hitwise, Elgato, Walmart, ColcaSac
According to Hitwise, the iPhone was the most searched-for product in the U.K. during the week ending November 5th. The Apple handset accounted for 1.75 percent of product searches and more than 14 percent of all mobile phone searches during the period, and was followed closely by the iPod touch, which accounted for 1.29 percent of product searches. The Microsoft Xbox 360 was third followed by the Nintendo Wii in fourth and Sony Playstation 3 in fifth;…
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Psystar banned from copying any version of OS X, helping others install it
And it's all over, folks: The US District Court for the Northern District of California has just permanently forbidden wannbe Mac cloner Psystar from selling modified versions of OS X, providing any tools that enable users to bypass the OS X kernel encryption, and / or intentionally aiding anyone else from infringing Apple's OS X copyrights in any way. We knew this was coming following Apple's decisive victory against Psystar last month -- the only open questions were whether the court would include Snow Leopard and Psytar's Rebel EFI software in the ban, since the lawsuit was specifically about Leopard and Rebel EFI wasn't the subject of any proceedings. Both issues were predictably resolved in favor of Apple: the court specifically included Snow Leopard and any future versions of OS X in the scope of the injunction, and while Judge Alsup couldn't address Rebel EFI directly, he did expressly forbid Psystar from "manufacturing, importing, offering to the public, providing, or otherwise trafficking" in anything that circumvents Apple's OS X hardware locks -- which we'd say covers Rebel EFI's functionality pretty thoroughly. Psystar has until December 31 to comply, and the Judge Alsup isn't kidding around: "Defendant must immediately begin this process, and take the quickest path to compliance; thus, if compliance can be achieved within one hour after this order is filed, defendant shall reasonably see it done." Psystar can still appeal, obviously, but it's already got it's own hefty legal bills and a $2.67m fine to pay to Apple, so we've got a feeling this one might have reached the end of the line. P.S.- Amusingly, Judge Alsup appears to be pretty sick of Apple's shenanigans as well: in the section discussing Snow Leopard, he says Apple first tried to block any discovery of Snow Leopard before the OS was released, and then pushed to include the software in the case after it launched. That's why the Florida case over Snow Leopard wasn't merged into this case -- Alsup thought it was a "slick tactic" that "smacked of trying to 'have it both ways,' and offended [his] sense of fair play." Ouch.Psystar banned from copying any version of OS X, helping others install it originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 13:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Injunction (PDF) | Email this | Comments
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News: Apple launches HD movie sales in Canada
Apple has begun to offer select movies for purchase in HD quality on the iTunes Store in Canada. Previously, movies were only available for rent in the country, and only through the Apple TV. With the launch of HD movies purchases, titles available for purchase in HD are also available for rent directly through iTunes as well as the Apple TV. ...
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The iPhone Goes to War
Raytheon, the military contractor, created an app to take the iPhone onto the battlefield. The stylish phone will have to be ruggedized, it says.
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TwelveSouth releases SurfacePad for MacBook Pro
Posted by Dennis SellersTwelveSouth has introduced the SurfacePad, a soft, thin layer of leather that dresses up and protects the keyboard deck/wrist rest area of MacBook Pro from scratches, dirt and discoloration. It's available in smooth and pattern styles for the 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pro. The retail price is US$39.99 for both sizes....
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Elgato launches EyeTV Live3G
Posted by Dennis SellersEyeTV 3 users can now stream live television over a 3G connection to an iPhone. With Elgato's new EyeTV Live3G web app, you can watch live TV and EyeTV recordings anywhere.
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iCash rings up version 6.0
Posted by Dennis Sellers MaxProg has updated iCash, the personal finance software, to version 6.0. The update adds support for transaction attachments.
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MacJury deliberates on the state of ebooks, ebook readers
Posted by Dennis SellersIn a new edition of The MacJury, the jurors deliberate the state of ebooks and ebook readers.
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MSI's MT-V660 goes to the Zune HD bank for design 'inspiration'
Well, at least MSI has good taste. We can't fault the company for nabbing a multitude of Zune HD stylistic elements in the creation of its new MT-V660 PMP -- outside of general moral qualms, of course -- because the results are predictably attractive. Such brazen style-lifts aren't a first for MSI, who took quite a few pages out of the MacBook Air book for its first X-Slim. Like we said, good taste. The MT-V660 itself has a 3.2-inch WQVGA screen and a codec-friendly Rockchip RK2806 chipset instead of the Zune's Tegra. No word on price or availability.MSI's MT-V660 goes to the Zune HD bank for design 'inspiration' originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink SlashGear | iMP3 | Email this | Comments
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EyeTV now offers HTTP Live Video streaming over 3G via Safari
Filed under: Video, iPhoneTired of restrictions about what you can and cannot stream over 3G connections? Elgato, the makers of EyeTV, have introduced a novel solution for their many customers to access live and recorded TV shows using an iPhone and a 3G connection. Their new Live3G web site provides a web app solution for remote video access. The website uses HTTP live streaming to deliver high quality video to the iPhone's Mobile Safari app. Powered by the EyeTV 3.3 update (free to existing owners of EyeTV software), this technology avoids App Store hassles while providing on-demand video access to your home TV recordings and live programming. As an added bonus, since Mobile Safari has access to the iPhone's TV Out capability (third-party apps can't use it, but Apple apps can), you can use a component or composite video-out cable to display your streamed video on any convenient TV. If you're worried about other people gaining access to your library of "Dora The Explorer" episodes, or to personal videos you have digitized using an EyeTV box like the 250 plus, don't. You must authenticate yourself with your My EyeTV credentials before being granted access to any library. The EyeTV update and web site are live now.TUAWEyeTV now offers HTTP Live Video streaming over 3G via Safari originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments iPhone - AppStore - Apple - Dora The Explorer - Handhelds
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Apple Making Mobile Safari Web Apps Better, Faster, Stronger
iPhone web apps aren't being left behind by Apple, despite the fact that the App Store has gone on to become such a huge success following its introduction in 2008. In fact, according to John Gruber at Daring Fireball, recent efforts on the Mac maker's part show a real dedication to improving the platform's web application experience. In a lengthy post comparing developing using Cocoa Touch for the App Store vs. developing web applications, Gruber goes over the strengths and limitations of both. In the end, he reveals that a new web app framework would bring the experience of using web apps much closer to that of apps which reside natively on the iPhone. The new framework is apparently called PastryKit, and it's an official Apple endeavor. PastryKit brings three really important things to the table for web developers: Hides the address bar, without the need to create a home screen shortcut first, which currently allows that. Allows for static, fixed position toolbars that don't scroll along with the rest of the page. Allows for scrolling momentum, which allows users to “fling” lengthy lists without causing scroll friction, the way web apps generally do now. PastryKit has already been deployed in its iPhone User Guide web page, though you can only see the effects if you're visiting the site on an iPhone. They are all JavaScript implementations, and so should be usable by any web developer. MacRumors points out that performance issues attached to the new features could arise on older generation iPhone models, since these are known to have trouble with JavaScript in mobile Safari. There's little doubt that Apple is keeping its eye on the mobile web space, which is poised to explode thanks to recent developments in web tech like HTML5, CSS and others. There are some things that the App Store is no doubt better for, including advanced 3D games like the kind released by Gameloft, ngmoco and EA, but for other apps, an improved web interface could be just what the doctor ordered. If Apple can get smaller developers who are creating apps with limited or light functionality to take their business to the web instead of routing through the App Store, they'll be able to eliminate a lot of the static and chatter that currently gums up the review process and no doubt costs Cupertino a not-insignificant amount of overhead. They may lose revenue, too, but the more lucrative titles will likely remain as dedicated apps, being the aforementioned games from major publishers I mentioned above.
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Intel announces Core i7 Custom Desktop Challenge winners
Well, you know Intel just wasn't going to let NVIDIA have all the fun with its casemod design contest, and after a few weeks of voting, the chipmaker has now announced the winners of its own Core i7 Custom Desktop Challenge. Not surprisingly, there are a few familiar cases among the winners -- including the lovingly crafted Mission-style PC casemod and the OS Xbox Pro (deserved winner of best video) -- but there's also plenty of designs we haven't seen. That includes the Best in Show winner from modder "Duck," whose fire engine red system pictured above uses dry ice cooling to allow for overclocking up to 5GHz, and the boombox mod from jj_sky5000, which won the award for best creativity. Hit up the link below for a closer look at those, and the rest of the winners. [Thanks, Jeffrey]Intel announces Core i7 Custom Desktop Challenge winners originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Intel | Email this | Comments
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Developers defecting from App Store to HTML5
There's a movement afoot by developers to HTML5-based Web apps, instead of iPhone native apps. Look ma! No review process!
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Widget Press introduces FormEntry for iPhone, Mac OS X
Posted by Dennis Sellers Widget Press has introduced FormEntry 1.0, a new form application development tool for Mac OS X 10.6.x (“Snow Leopard”).
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Presented By:
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Enterprise Desktop Alliance conducts survey of 2010 Mac plans
Posted by Dennis Sellers The Enterprise Desktop Alliancehas opened a new survey to query IT administrators about their plans to support the Mac in their Windows-centric IT environments.
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app4mac releases the final version of Projector 2 for Mac OS X
Posted by Dennis SellersApp4mac has released the final version of Projector 2
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First Looks: Geneva Lab GenevaSound S
Geneva Lab's prior iPod audio systems were massive, lacquered wood monsters that doubled as pieces of art even when they weren't shaking the walls of homes and offices. Set for an official January 2010 unveiling at the International Consumer Electronics Show, the company's brand new release GenevaSound S ($300, aka GenevaLab Sound System Model S) distills all of the best-known features of its earlier speakers into a legitimately cute, polished walnut…
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TUAW gift guide: Griffin eXport In-Flight Video Cable
Filed under: Accessories, Hardware, iPhone, Holidays, iPod touchYou've loaded a movie and a few episodes of "The Office" on your iPhone or iPod touch to keep you company as you fly this holiday. The only problem is that, while quite lovely, the iPhone's screen is not meant for watching The Bourne Identity in earnest. If only you could connect it to the monitor on the back of the seat in front of you. As if they've heard your pleas, the folks at Griffin have produced the eXport In-Flight Video Cable. It connects with the in-flight entertainment system that a growing number of airlines have begun using. Once connected, you can watch video and listen to music while charging your iPhone or iPod. The cable is 3 feet long and connects with a 30-pin Dock Connector to 9-pin IFES (9-pin Mini-DIN). Just remember to enable Airplane Mode, lest an Air Marshall wrestle you to the ground. No more suffering through 6 episodes of 30 Minute Meals! The Griffin eXport In-Flight Video Cable for iPod and iPhone costs $39.95US and makes a great gift for the frequent flyer on your list. Look here for compatible devices.TUAWTUAW gift guide: Griffin eXport In-Flight Video Cable originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments iPhone - iPod - Apple - IPod Touch - IPod Classic
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Macsimum Poll: have you experienced graphics problems on the 27-inch iMac?

Posted by Dennis SellersThere have been widespread reports of graphics issues on the new 27-inch iMacs. So in this week's poll, we're asking if you've experienced any problems. (Naturally, you should only answer if you own or work on a 27-inch iMac). You can find the poll at the right side of our home...
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Review: Namco Ridge Racer Accelerated
The irony of the Accelerated name is that the iPhone and iPod touch version of Ridge Racer is slow: not just a little slow, but unplayably slow on anything but the powerful iPhone 3GS and third-generation iPod touch. Namco offers three speed classes with different cars, starting with the molasses-like Class 1, graduating up to the sluggish Class 2, and then—if you're willing to pay $2, yes, seriously—there's Class 5 with cars…
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And the Best of the Decade Award for Pretty Much Everything Goes to…
You know how Michael Jackson won so many awards in his lifetime that they had to start inventing new ones to justify dragging him onstage? Entertainer of the Universe and Best Selling Artist in the New Galactic Empire spring to mind. Hey, that's the price of ĂĽber-success. Apple's getting a taste of that very same medicine now, as it is named recipient of a boatload of “Best…” titles in AdweekMedia's “Best of the 2000s” Awards. Described by AdweekMedia as “Our picks, and yours, for the decade's best in the marketing, media and agency world” the awards include yawn-inducing categories such as “Agency executives of the Decade” and “Small Agency of the Decade” but thankfully all the best stuff is hugely more accessible — and interesting — to non-marketing-types (which, thankfully, describes most of us). Here's the opening paragraph from AdweekMedia's dedicated awards website: Steve Jobs and the iPod reinvented the music business. Sergey Brin and Larry Page tamed the Web. Ad shop Goodby, Silverstein & Partners rewrote the creativity book. And this thing called social media put amateurs in charge of just about everything else. They definitely start as they mean to go on, since Apple, its products, campaigns and personalities bag a good number of the awards. AdweekMedia say they spent a month working out a list of “…the best and brightest in the branding, marketing, media and agency world in 33 categories over the past 10 years.” I'm glad to see they're mindful of the criticisms leveled at industry awards that never seek the opinions of the actual, product-buying public; “As a reality check, we sought your input here on this site over the past month.”  They add, “Those results are presented here, next to our selections. Much of the time, we agree. Other times it's not even close.” Here's the breakdown of the awards (images from the AdweekMedia awards website). Marketer of the Decade – Steve Jobs Good old Steve. Last month Fortune named him CEO of the Decade, and he's a finalist for TIME's Person of the Year 2009. Another award can't hurt, right? Here's a brief excerpt from AdWeekMedia's positively glowing review of El Jobso: Visionary, iconoclastic and fearless, Steve Jobs the marketer is inseparable from Steve Jobs the personality. His inimitable blend of competitive skill and design savvy hasn't just saved a fading brand, it's recast two businesses that used to have nothing to do with computers: music and mobile phones. Over the past decade, Apple's iPod and iPhone have redefined popular culture, and returned the company to its roots in innovation and just-plain coolness. Campaign of the Decade – Apple, “Get a Mac” The genius is in the casting. For Apple, the campaign managed the neat trick of making the brand look laid back and cool while it mercilessly skewered its rival. Out-of-Home Ad of the Decade – Apple, “Silhouettes” You'd have thought Andy Warhol did them—and why not? In the end, the work was nearly as iconic. The treatment [...] achieved what in branding is the nearly impossible: defining a product without showing what it even looked like up close. Brand of the Decade – Apple Though the brand almost petered out in the '90s, last year consumers told Interbrand that Apple was the thing they couldn't live without and the one they found most inspiring. There wasn't always consensus between AdweekMedia's nominations and the opinions of their readers. The Marketing Innovation of the Decade award was won by “Viral Videos” while their Reader's Choice had it go to Apple for “iPhone Apps.” The Reader's Choice award for Digital Device/Platform of the Decade was the iPhone, while AdweekMedia preferred to give it to Facebook, instead. In a nice twist where, again, readers didn't agree with AdWeekMedia's choice, at least they were in disagreement over which Apple product to laud; both the iPod and the iPhone won Product of the Decade, depending on your point of view. And while the readers voted Steve Jobs Media Executive of the Decade, it went instead to Rupert “Google is Stealing My Stuff” Murdoch. Other big names receiving awards include Google, television show The Sopranos, the Disney Channel and WIRED magazine. Despite the disagreements (there are many more instances in which Apple and Apple products feature prominently in the reader's votes, check out the awards website to view the numbers) it's still inspiring to see Apple take so many of the top awards. Of particular note is the Brand of the Decade award; coming from a company of professional advertisers and marketers, it's obvious how much respect and admiration the world of marketing has for Mr Jobs' company. Remarkable, too, given how much trouble that company was in last decade. I recommend taking the time to view the awards website and read the full descriptions for each winner; you'll get an insight into a world we otherwise try very hard to avoid (after all, who likes Marketing?) but be warned — it's often a polarizing experience! And when you're done, come back and tell us whether you agree with the choice in winners.
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Operation Cuckoo to oppose Operation Chokehold
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Portables, Internet Tools, iPhoneIn what sounds like the title of the worst Bruce Willis movie ever, a group of pro-AT&T Facebook users are up in arms about Operation Chokehold. Let's start from the beginning. Earlier this week, AT&T's chief executive of Mobility, Ralph de la Vega stated that he wants iPhone users to limit their data usage. Customers became literally furious with rage and, encouraged by Fake Steve Jobs, vowed to do the polar opposite: simultaneously run the most data-hungry apps on Friday, December 18th. Thus, Operation Chokehold was born. There's even a Facebook event for it. Now, some other Facebook users with Stockholm Syndrome have formed a counter-group called Operation Cuckoo. From their manifesto: "... you don't urge AT&T to improve its network and terms by attempting to bring it down or violating your contract with the entity. Much the same as you don't put out a fire with a gasoline shower." Yes, Fake Steve's little stunt is childish and in all likelihood not to be taken seriously (though AT&T is not amused). But if my own iPhone is rendered AT&T-free on Friday because of this bit of nonsense, I'll be pissed. [Via iPhone Savior]TUAWOperation Cuckoo to oppose Operation Chokehold originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments iPhone - Facebook - AT&T - Apple - Steve Jobs
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Bookends update for Mac OS X lets you import references, PDFs from PubMed On Tap
Posted by Dennis SellersSonny Software has updated Bookends, a Mac-only full-featured bibliography/reference and information management application for professionals and students, to version 10.6.2. The update lets you import references and PDFs from PubMed On Tap (an iPhone/iPod touch app). It also sports a Copy Attachment path, improved formatting of data only citations and more....
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Apple Granted Permanent Injuction Against Psystar
Despite Apple and Psystar having discussed a potential settlement in their drawn-out battle, the agreement was dependent upon the outcome of Apple's motion for a permanent injunction. Yesterday, the California U.S. District Court responsible for ruling in the matter issued its decision, and the outcome is not favorable for the Mac clone maker. Apple, however, will be very pleased with the ruling. The court granted Apple's request for a permanent injunction, barring future sales of any machines with OS X pre-installed. It also prohibits Psystar from trying to get around Apple's technological countermeasures put in place to prevent illegal copying and use of OS X, and from helping others try to do so. While it sounds like this injunction might extend to the Rebel EFI software that Psystar has been selling to help users put OS X on machines themselves, it isn't expressly forbidden. Judge William Alsup warns, though, that doesn't necessarily mean Psystar is in the clear. Instead, he emphasizes the risks inherent in continuing to sell Rebel EFI, as reported by All Things Digital: Rebel EFI will not be expressly excluded from the terms of the injunction. It should be clear, however, that this ruling is without prejudice to Psystar bringing a new motion before the undersigned that includes real details about Rebel EFI, and opening itself up to formal discovery thereon. This would serve the purpose — akin to a post-injunction motion vetting a “design-around” in a patent action — of potentially vetting (or not vetting) a product like Rebel EFI under this order’s decree. Moreover, Psystar may raise in such a motion any defenses it believes should apply to the factual circumstances of its new product, such as the 17 U.S.C. 117 defense raised in its opposition and at oral argument. Whether such a defense would be successful on the merits, or face preclusion or other hurdles, this order cannot predict. What is certain, however, is that until such a motion is brought, Psystar will be selling Rebel EFI at its peril, and risks finding itself held in contempt if its new venture falls within the scope of the injunction. The injunction takes effect immediately, but Psystar has been given until Dec. 31 at the latest to cease all of its sales operations. That's an outside limit, though, and the judge told the company to stop within the hour if at all possible. I'm glad this thing is basically over. While I'm not sure I agree with the degree to which OS X is a closed system, all Psystar really proved was that once you take quality control and attention to detail out of the hands of Apple, things rapidly start to go downhill. Despite recent problems, it'd be a shame to see what tends to be the much more reliable Mac experience go the way of the PC, with its HPs, Compaqs, and low-end Acers.
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Judge grants permanent injunction against Psystar
A US District Court judge Tuesday granted Apple a permanent injunction against Mac clone maker Psystar. The move effectively stops Psystar from selling PCs with Apple's Mac OS X pre-installed.
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'Christmas in Cupertino': because there isn't enough weird stuff on the web
Filed under: Humor, Steve Jobs, HolidaysYou guys know I love combining Christmas and my Mac, but this is just plain weird. A Dutch Apple community website by the name of One More Thing has written and produced a Christmas song called 'Christmas in Cupertino'. The song was composed and recorded in two weeks with the famous Dutch singers Sjarrel & Sjaan delivering the vocals. The song focuses on Steve Jobs and Phil Schiller in their activities in Cupertino in the 'dark days' before Christmas and ... pictures them 'dancing 'round the Apple tree'. If that's not weird enough for you, Steve Jobs's liver transplant is also mentioned. What's even crazier is that you can buy it on iTunes. In fairness, due to Steve Jobs' call for more attention to organ donation at his keynote earlier this year, One More Thing will donate all proceeds from the song to de Dutch Liver Foundaction. Netherlands, I've been to your country many times. It's so quaint, so charming, so full of life; and what can I say? This quirkiness/oddness just makes me love you guys even more. And, though I'm loathe to admit it, the song is kinda catchy. So TUAW readers, for 99 cents why not buy the song [iTunes link], have a good laugh, and contribute to a great cause? Now, without further ado, I present to you the 'Christmas in Cupertino' music video (with subtitles). Christmas in Cupertino from One More Thing on Vimeo. TUAW'Christmas in Cupertino': because there isn't enough weird stuff on the web originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments Steve Job - Apple - Netherlands - iTunes - TUAW
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Belkin releases Bluetooth Music Receiver
Posted by Dennis SellersBelkin has released the US$49.99 Bluetooth Music Receiver, which lets you wirelessly enjoy the music from your iPhone or iPod touch through your home stereo system. You connect the receiver to your home stereo system with the included cables, and then pair your device to the receiver wirelessly to listen to,...
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Belkin Bluetooth Music Receiver adds BT functionality to your 70s era home stereo
Just now dusting off those vinyl-wrapped cabinets from the glory days of disco? Good, 'cause Belkin's about to breathe new life into 'em. The outfit's newly unveiled Bluetooth Music Receiver presents itself as the device to stream your iPhone and iPod touch jams to your home stereo, but in realty, this thing will work with any BT 2.0-enabled music streaming device. Phones, PMPs, genetically modified children -- you name it. Simply plug the base station (shown after the break) into your home stereo, pair up to six Bluetooth devices with it, and watch as your favorite tunes are transmitted from device to driver sans cabling. It's almost magical, but we're not quite sure if it's $49.99 magical.Continue reading Belkin Bluetooth Music Receiver adds BT functionality to your 70s era home stereoBelkin Bluetooth Music Receiver adds BT functionality to your 70s era home stereo originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 10:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Belkin | Email this | Comments
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News: JVC rolls out XS-SR3 iPod speaker dock
JVC has announced its new XS-SR3 iPod speaker dock. The XS-SR3 features a unique design with a rotating dock made to accomodate both vertical and landscape positions, a glossy black speaker tube with a curved design that allows the iPod to sit in between the speakers, Dolby Virtual Surround sound processing to create a wider sound field, 5 watts of power, two audio inputs—one analog and one optical digital—and an included remote control.…
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Donovan's Views: Another Apple quarter, another $3 billion
Posted by Dennis SellersBy Gaurang Donovan Peter Oppenheimer, Apple's chief financial officer, spoke of the increase in Apple's cash position at last quarter's financial earnings conference call on Oct. 19.
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Apple wins permanent injunction against Psystar
Posted by Dennis SellersApple has won its permanent injunction against Psystar. Granted by Judge William Alsup of the US District Court for the Northern District of California, it prevents the Mac cloner from selling clones, installing Mac OS X on any hardware, and selling or copying Mac OS X.
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News: Belkin debuts Bluetooth Music Receiver
Belkin has debuted its new Bluetooth Music Receiver for the iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, second- and third-generation iPod touch, and other A2DP stereo Bluetooth devices. The new Receiver is a small rounded black box that uses Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR to allow transmission of music from up to 33 feet away, and also includes 3.5mm-to-RCA and 3.5mm-to-3.5mm cables. Belkin's Bluetooth Music Receiver is available now in the U.S. for $50, and will…
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iPhone/iPod Touch Leaving Competition in the Dust According To Analyst
As Apple continues to find ways to ward off the competition, in actuality, Morgan Stanley analysts believe that Apple actually has a two to three-year lead over its rivals, according to Cult of Mac.Utilizing a 92-slide presentation, 27 Morgan Stanley analysts presented a seminar on "The Mobile Internet" with the stars being Apple and their users. "Apple has a two or three-year lead," analyst Katy Huberty told reporters who were gathered at the conference call. Apple's 57 million iPhones, 100,000 App Store entries and 200 million iTunes customers have contributed to that head start.One of the graphs during the slide show showed just how astronomical the adoption rate of Apple's environment has been, especially with the iPhone and iPod Touch. Apple required a mere nine quarters from June 2007 to reach 57 million users. Even though they only account for seventeen percent of smartphones, iPhone and iPod Touch users make up sixty-five percent of global mobile browsers and and fifty percent of mobile app users, according to the firm.
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Pastebot Will Change Your Life
There are over 100,000 applications in Apple’s popular App Store -- but how many of those could be called truly useful or innovative? Tapbots can stake claim to at least one of them with their just-released Pastebot.On the surface, Pastebot is a clipboard manager for the iPhone and iPod touch. Copy something you want to save, run Pastebot and it automatically gets imported for you to access later. If that’s where its functionality ended, it wouldn’t be much different from a few other similar apps already in the App Store, and maybe not even worth the $1.99 price of admission.Pastebot goes beyond simple clipboard management by letting you send your clippings via e-mail as well as saving your edited images back to your photo library.OK, that’s pretty cool… but what if we told you Pastebot also has the magic ability to transfer such clippings to and from your Mac?It’s true! Pastebot has a free companion Pastebot Sync preference pane that allows you to magically push text and images to your phone over Wi-Fi by simply copying them on your Mac. You can even push clippings in Pastebot right to your Mac with the press of a button. As Tapbots puts it, moving text and images to and from your device has never been easier.Among its many other talents, Pastebot can organize your clippings in folders and use a built-in search to quickly find what you’re looking for once your clippings start getting up there in number. Images can be filtered, cropped or rotated without ever leaving the app, and you can also run filters on text, such as Convert to Lowercase/Uppercase, Find and Replace, Smarten Quotes and more. There are 14 filters included and Tapbots promises that more are on the way.Pastebot is not lacking in style, either: It’s a beautifully designed app in the tradition of Tapbots’ other apps, Convertbot and Weightbot. Pastebot is $1.99 for a limited time only, compatible with iPhone and iPod touch and requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later.
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AAXA cranks up the brightness on M1 micro projector
We can't say with any degree of certainty that AAXA's recently announced M1 "micro projector" truly is the brightness of the miniaturized bunch, but it's certainly brighter than the vast majority we've had the displeasure of seeing ourselves. Most pico projectors pack between 8 and 12 lumens, and up until now, AAXA's own P2 was widely consider the best for using in partially lit rooms due to its 33 lumen rating. The M1 doubles up on that figure, bringing 66 lumens to the table along with a native SVGA (800 x 600) resolution, 1GB of onboard memory, an SD card reader and optional iPod, PSP and DVD cables. Said display is up for pre-order as we speak for $299, while the M1 Plus -- which supports VGA and composite AV inputs -- will set you back $359.AAXA cranks up the brightness on M1 micro projector originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 09:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink Pico Projector Info | AAXA | Email this | Comments
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"Apple has a two or three-year lead" in mobile internet domination
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Internet, Apple, iPhone, iPod touch Philip Elmer-DeWitt has an excellent article over at Fortune's Apple 2.0 blog on Morgan Stanley's The Mobile Internet seminar. The article is full of juicy tidbits, but here is the main course: Based on past performance, according to Morgan Stanley, Apple is in the "pole position" in the race to dominate mobile Internet computing, which is supposed to be for the 2000s what desktop Internet computing was for the 1990s, personal computing for the 1980s, mini computing for the 1970s, and mainframe computing for the 1960s. "Apple has a two or three-year lead" according to Katy Huberty, thanks to an installed base of 57 million handsets, 100,000 apps and 200 million iTunes subscribers with credit card numbers on file. Another interesting tidbit that DeWitt spotlights is a diagram that compares Facebook's 350,000 apps and 137% year-over-year growth with the iPhone's 100,000 apps and 163% growth. As DeWitt points out, "The place where Mark Zuckerberg's 430 million users overlap with Steve Jobs' 57 million is the sweet spot of the mobile Internet. It's here, according to Morgan Stanley, where we find the future of computing." Be sure to check out DeWitt's article, as it's a great read, but if you want to delve deeper, you can check out the 92 slides of the Morgan Stanley presentation, the 659-slide "key themes" presentation, and the massive 424-page Mobile Internet Report, all in PDF format.TUAW"Apple has a two or three-year lead" in mobile internet domination originally appeared on The Unofficial Apple Weblog (TUAW) on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments iPhone - Apple - Steve Job - iTunes - Morgan Stanley
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Adobe revenue down year-over-year for fourth fiscal quarter
Posted by Dennis SellersAdobe has reported the financial results for its fiscal fourth quarter and year that ended Nov. 27.
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Psystar, It Was Nice Knowing You…
The legal drama between Apple and scrappy upstart clone maker Psystar appears to have ground to a halt -- with Psystar mostly being the one ground up in the courtroom.Apple won a permanent injunction against Psystar on Tuesday following summary judgement in favor of Apple’s claims of copyright infringement and violation of the DMCA, according to MacRumors.So what does that mean for Psystar? According to court documents, they are now prevented from doing any of the following:1. Copying, selling, offering to sell, distributing, or creating derivative works of plaintiff's copyrighted Mac OS X software without authorization from the copyright holder;2. Intentionally inducing, aiding, assisting, abetting, or encouraging any other person or entity to infringe plaintiff's copyrighted Mac OS X software;3. Circumventing any technological measure that effectively controls access to plaintiff's copyrighted Mac OS X software, including, but not limited to, the technological measure used by Apple to prevent unauthorized copying of Mac OS X on non-Apple computers;4. Manufacturing, importing, offering to the public, providing, or otherwise trafficking in any technology, product, service, device, component, or part thereof that is primarily designed or produced for the purpose of circumventing a technological measure that effectively controls access to plaintiff's copyrighted Mac OS X software, including, but not limited to, the technological measure used by Apple to prevent unauthorized copying of Mac OS X on non-Apple computers;5. Manufacturing, importing, offering to the public, providing, or otherwise trafficking in any technology, product, service, device, component, or part thereof that is primarily designed or produced for the purpose of circumventing a technological measure that effectively protects the rights held by plaintiff under the Copyright Act with respect to its copyrighted Mac OS X software.The injunction would seem to be the end of Psystar’s clone business at long last, and probably enough intimidation to prevent another company crazy enough to follow in their footsteps from taking that chance. Psystar has until December 31, 2009 to comply with the injunction.Can you say… “Game over”?
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JVC gets tubular with XS-SR3 iPod speaker dock
Not that we haven't seen an elongated iPod sound system before, but we've definitely yet to see one as totally bodacious as this. JVC has just slung out its XS-SR3 iPod speaker dock, which -- like B&W's Zeppelin Mini -- can hold your iPhone / iPod vertically or horizontally. JVC claims this little trick better enables users to view videos in widescreen form, while the 5-watts of power are sure to blow your skin back when cranked to 11. Other specs include a bundled remote and two audio inputs (one analog, one digital), and if you're even mildly interested, you can check it out later this month for $149.95. Gallery: JVC gets tubular with XS-SR3 iPod speaker dockContinue reading JVC gets tubular with XS-SR3 iPod speaker dockJVC gets tubular with XS-SR3 iPod speaker dock originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 09:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | | Email this | Comments
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Think You Have An Apple Secret? The Apple 'Gestapo' Has Their Eye On You!
The "Big Brother" at Cupertino is apparently watching. AppleInsider found out via Gizmodo, that Apple runs a "Worldwide Loyalty Team," which was relayed by an Apple employee known only as Tom.The story starts: "Among some employees, they are known as the Apple Gestapo, a group of moles always spying in headquarters and stores, reporting directly to Jobs and Oppenheimer. Here's how they hunt people down."Supposedly according to the source, Apple does take leaks very seriously. When a leak is suspected, a certain protocol is followed, which then involves the confiscation of all cell phones, and a total blackout of all unmonitored communication. "It is like a gag order, and if the employee does not want to participate, they are basically asked to leave and never come back," says Tom."The same Worldwide Loyalty Team does many other things to keep everyone in check, from searching out the email history of every employee, to seeding fake images to catch potential leaks, and diffuse the hype about some product introductions," Tom continued.Certainly brings back memories of Apple's famous '1984' ad, doesn't it?
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Toshiba’s 64 GB NAND Flash Chip iPhone-Bound?
It’s a foregone conclusion that each new iteration of the iPhone and iPod touch will get bigger, faster and generally better. That first part appears to already be in the cards as Toshiba has now announced the availability of a new high-capacity flash memory module for Q1 2010.Toshiba is planning to make the whopping 64 GB embedded NAND flash memory available in early 2010, according to AppleInsider. It will mark the highest available capacity in the industry (for now).When the iPhone 3GS was released back in June, it included Toshiba’s 32 GB NAND flash memory. Apple has generally doubled the storage capacity of its touchscreen devices with each refresh, which means that a 64 GB iPhone for 2010 is likely in the cards.Toshiba’s new 64 GB chip combines 16 32Gbit (4 GB) NAND chips using 32nm process technology, integrating a dedicated controller. Samples of the new chips are now available, with mass production expected to begin in the first quarter of 2010 and aimed at smartphones, mobile phones, notebooks and digital video cameras.The current 64 GB iPod touch introduced back in September actually uses a matching pair of 32 GB NAND chips to achieve such a feat, but Toshiba’s new entry could foretell the release of a 128 GB iPod touch next year, if history is any indication.Toshiba claims the new 64 GB chip can store up to 1,070 hours of music at 128 Kbps, 8.3 hours of full-spec high definition video and 19.2 hours of standard-definition video.
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ControllerMate revved for Snow Leopard
Posted by Dennis Sellers OrderedBytes has released an update for ControllerMate, a US$10 compatible game controller programming system that lets you assign keyboard actions to buttons on joysticks, gamepads, trackballs and other gaming devices. Version 4.4 has been revved for Mac OS X 10.6 (“Snow Leopard”).
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News: Photo of the Week: iPhone 3GS in Jordan
This week’s featured photo is from our iPhones Around the World gallery, and shows an iPhone 3GS in front of Al Khazneh—better known as The Treasury—in Petra, Jordan. To share your photos and to be considered for our Photo of the Week, you simply need to submit your own photo to one of our galleries. So get out there, take some pictures with your iPod or iPhone, and maybe your submission will be our next Photo of the Week! ...
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Microsoft’s Bing Lands In App Store
From rumor to reality, just like that! Microsoft’s Bing app for the iPhone and iPod touch has landed in the App Store overnight.Available now as a free download, the Bing app attempts to leapfrog the Google iPhone app by bundling searching for Images, Businesses, Movies, News, Maps and Directions all under one icon, complete with voice searching that works pretty great in our initial use.Microsoft sums it up best: “Make decisions and get where you need to go with Bing. See the Bing daily image and related trivia on the home screen. Search maps or the web with your voice -- even say an address. Use Image Search and flick through previews. Download Bing today to find stuff nearby and get there fast.”A Bing app has already been available for Windows Mobile (big surprise!), Blackberry and T-Mobile’s Sidekick and had been rumored and then confirmed as “forthcoming” by Microsoft in recent weeks. Microsoft launched an iPhone-optimized web page for Bing not all that long ago as well, but the app’s long list of features are clearly worth some space on one of your app pages.In addition to showing the daily image from Bing.com and easy voice searching, the Bing app includes a “Locate Me” function, the ability to add pushpins and save locations and even show multiple locations on a single map.The free Bing app is compatible with all iPhones and 2nd-generation or higher iPod touches and requires iPhone OS 3.0 or later.
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MobileMe iDisk App Gets an Update
Apple has put out an updated version of its MobileMe iDisk app for the iPhone, which now makes this version 1.1, according to AppleInsider.The free app allows MobileMe users to view and share files on their iDisk using their iPhone. Some of the new features allow users to: auto-complete email addresses when selecting recipients for a shared file, file shared emails are now automatically saved to your Mail account's Sent folder, and when viewing an image you can now tap and hold to save it to your photo roll or copy it to another app.The maximum setting for the cache size has also now been increased to 500 MB, an increase over the previous 200 MB.  There are also now faster downloads, various bug fixes and localizations that include Chinese, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Italian, Korean, Norwegian, Polish, Portugese, Russian, Spanish, and Swedish.However, in order to make use of this latest and greatest update for the iDisk app, you need an iPhone running OS 3.0 or later and a MobileMe membership.
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Jobs Comes Up Short For "Person of the Year" Nod
I guess when you're up against one of the fastest people in the world, the President of the United States, the person trying to head up ending the recession, and the Speaker of the House, you have some tough competition when it comes to "Person of the Year," according to CNN International.Today, Time Magazine has announced Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke as its 2009 "Person of the Year." The list of finalists included Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt, President Obama, House Speaker Pelosi, and Apple CEO Steve Jobs.Time deemed Bernanke, "the most powerful nerd on the planet.""The story of the year was a weak economy that could have been much, much weaker. Thank the man who runs the Federal Reserve, our mild-mannered economic overlord," said the article.What do you think MacLifers? Do you agree with the choice?
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MIT's Copenhagen Wheel turns your bike into a hybrid, personal trainer
You really can't fault MIT's branding strategy here. Debuting at the biggest climate change conference since Kyoto, its Copenhagen Wheel is a mixture of established technologies with the ambition to make us all a little bit greener and a little bit more smartphone-dependent. On the one hand, it turns your bike into a hybrid -- with energy being collected from regenerative braking and distributed when you need a boost -- but on the other, it also allows you to track usage data with your iPhone, turning the trusty old bike into a nagging personal trainer. The Bluetooth connection can also be used for conveying real time traffic and air quality information, if you care about such things, and Copenhagen's mayor has expressed her interest in promoting these as an alternative commuting method. Production is set to begin next year, but all that gear won't come cheap, as prices for the single wheel are expected to match those of full-sized electric bikes. Video after the break.Continue reading MIT's Copenhagen Wheel turns your bike into a hybrid, personal trainerMIT's Copenhagen Wheel turns your bike into a hybrid, personal trainer originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 07:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink inhabitat | MIT | Email this | Comments
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Wall Street Breakfast: Must-Know News
Bernanke's Time has come! Ben Bernanke was awarded Time Magazine's prestigious Person of the Year for 2009 award. "A bald man with a gray beard and tired eyes is sitting in his oversize Washington office, talking about the economy... He just happens to be the most powerful nerd on the planet." Citi wins big tax break. While Citigroup (C) fends off arbitration claims, it is celebrating an IRS decision to forgo collecting billions of dollars in potential taxes to help the bank repay its TARP loans. Tax law allows companies to offset taxable income with prior losses, but limits the transfer of those losses to new ownership so that profitable companies don't buy losers just to avoid taxes. Under the law, the government's sale of its 34% stake in Citigroup, combined with Citi's share sales, qualify as a change in ownership. The IRS ruling (.pdf) stipulates that the government's share sale does not count toward the definition of an ownership change. "I've been doing taxes for almost 40 years, and I've never seen anything like this, where the IRS and Treasury acted unilaterally on so many fronts," a tax expert said. Abu Dhabi attacks Citi share sale. Abu Dhabi Investment Authority – one of the world's top two sovereign wealth funds – wants to rescind an agreement that would otherwise force it to buy Citigroup (C) stock for more than 8X its current price. The fund, which is seeking more than $4B in damages if the deal goes ahead, has claimed "fraudulent misrepresentations" tied to an agreement to buy $7.5B of common stock. Citi said in a statement the claims have no merit. On Monday, Citi said it would sell $17B in shares to help repay $20B in bailout funds. That would trigger losses for the Investment Authority, which purchased Citigroup equity units in November 2007; Citi's shares have dropped 89% since then. Analysts were doubtful ADIA could win in court, but said its goal may be to get Citi to renegotiate the terms of their deal. EU ends 10-year Microsoft battle. The European Commission settled its ten-year antitrust battle with Microsoft (MSFT) without fining the software giant. Microsoft agreed to provide European Windows users with greater choice among web browsers, which could help increase the market share of rival browsers including Mozilla's Firefox, Google's (GOOG) Chrome, Apple's (AAPL) Safari and Opera's browser. The EC charged that Microsoft illegally abused its dominance by bundling its own IE browsers with Windows. Wells Fargo pays $4.5B for JV stake. Just two days after committing to repay $25B in bailout money, Wells Fargo (WFC) said it will pay Prudential Financial (PRU) $4.5B in cash to buy out the insurer's non-controlling stake in their retail brokerage JV. Prudential, which said it planned to divest its stake more than a year ago, said the deal would enhance its capital position and give it greater financial flexibility. Banks get more time on capital rules. Banks around the world could get ten years to transition to new capital rules that will take effect in 2012, sources say. The news lifted shares of some banks, with MUFG (MTU) and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial (SMFJY.PK) surging more than 14% and European banks rising more modestly. This week, the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision is expected to issue new proposals to toughen financial regulations, which had raised concerns about banks scrambling to raise capital quickly. While regulators don't plan to set a specific time frame for the transition period, media reports said it would be at least 10 years, the same period banks were given to transition when Basel II was introduced in 2004. New rules will likely take a broader view on the definition of liquid assets and core capital, while the minimum capital threshold will likely be raised to help buffer against future losses. WaMu accuses JPM of "fire sale". Washington Mutual, once the largest savings & loan in the country, wants a federal court to grill the Fed, the Treasury and a dozen others over its seizure and firesale to JPMorgan (JPM) a year ago. WaMu said the alleged misconduct includes JPM, which it accused of disclosing confidential information to government officials and others in an effort to harm WaMu's credit rating and stock price. WaMu said it has been investigating possible claims since mid-2009. GE's flat future. Just days after making a similar forecast for its finance arm, GE Capital, GE said Tuesday that its 2010 earnings growth will likely be flat as the world economy continues to stabilize, but CEO Jeff Immelt said GE has positioned itself for "solid earnings growth and cash flow growth in the future." Immelt also suggested that, "The worst is behind us in financial services." Analysts currently expect 2010 EPS of $0.89, vs. forecast EPS of $0.99 in 2009. Bernanke downplays inflation risk. High U.S. unemployment and unused manufacturing capacity suggest that there's still plenty of slack in the economy and that inflation will remain low, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke told a lawmaker in a written statement Tuesday. Bernanke answered 70 questions (.pdf) presented by Senator Jim Bunning, writing, "I continue to expect slack resources, together with the stability of inflation expectations, to contribute to the maintenance of low inflation in the period ahead." The letter was published Tuesday, the same day the FOMC commenced its two-day meeting on monetary policy; most economists expect the Fed to keep rates unchanged. Bunning plans to oppose Bernanke's reappointment when the Senate panel votes Dec. 17. GM speeds up debt repayment. GM is accelerating plans to repay the first $8B of what it owes to the U.S. and Canada by June, interim CEO Ed Whitacre said Tuesday. This is the first time GM has committed to repaying its government loans within a year after it filed for bankruptcy in a U.S. government-directed restructuring. Whitacre also said he hasn't set a time for stepping down yet, but suggested that the search for a new CEO may now be focused internally because of pay constraints. Separately, Whitacre expects to announce a new CFO to replace Ray Young, who will head up GM's international ops, within two weeks. Whitacre also detailed some of the reasons why GM's board split with Fritz Henderson, including his plan to sell Opel: "The board looked at that and said 'this is a valuable asset, why should we sell part of it for something that probably wasn't enough money? We can do something with this." Japan smokes out tobacco companies. Philip Morris (PM), Japan Tobacco and British American Tobacco (BTI), which have long looked to Japan as a cigarette tax haven, could soon get burned. As soon as Friday or early next week, the government may unveil a tax that could add Ą40-60 in taxes to every pack of cigarettes, a monumental sum in a country where salaries are shrinking. Japan Tobacco, the world's No. 3 tobacco maker, has a 65% share of the Japanese market; Philip Morris, the global market leader, has about 25% and BAT the remaining 10%. Credit Suisse to settle with U.S. Credit Suisse (CS) is in advanced settlement discussions to hand over about $536M to the U.S. government to settle claims it helped process payments that gave Iran and other nations access to U.S. financial markets, ignoring country sanctions. Lloyds (LYG) recently paid a $350M settlement along with Credit Suisse and eight other major foreign banks for using a similar technique to disguise illegal money transfers. Mortgage applications inch up. MBA's index of mortgage applications rose 0.3% after an 8.5% gain a week ago. Refinancings were up 0.9%. Over the past week, the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate increased to 4.92% from 4.88%. BAIC nabs Saab assets. As expected, Beijing Automotive bought key Saab assets from General Motors, paying 1.4B crowns ($197M) for the intellectual property rights and equipment to make Saab's 9-5 and to purchase some technology rights to the 9-3. The money will be enough to keep Saab, which has been dangerously short of cash, running for three more months. It also gives the company more time to find a buyer for what's left of the unit. Luxury car maker Spyker is seen as the frontrunner. Buyers shun foreclosed homes. A new survey suggests that U.S. consumers are no longer jumping at foreclosed homes because of worries about hidden costs, but may be willing to dip back in with the help of the government's expanded tax credit. Currently, those somewhat likely to consider buying a foreclosed home are at 43%, after peaking at 55% in May, according to a survey by Harris Interactive. Further demand for foreclosed homes could come from homeowners looking to trade up to a larger house; 24% of homeowners are somewhat likely to consider a trade-up, and 88% of those are somewhat likely to consider a foreclosure. Glass-Steagall under House threat? Glass-Steagall, the 1933 law that separated commercial and investment banks and was repealed in 1999, is up for discussion again in the U.S. House. "As someone who voted to repeal Glass-Steagall, maybe that was a mistake," Majority Leader Steny Hoyer told reporters Tuesday. On Monday, President Obama met with U.S. bank CEOs, urging them to lend more money. Last month, Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke told the Economic Club of New York: "Plenty of firms got into trouble making regular commercial loans, and plenty of firms got into trouble in market-making activities. The separation of those two things per se would not necessarily lead to stability." Geithner says banks stronger now. U.S. Treasury Secretary gave the government a self-congratulatory pat, saying Tuesday that confidence in the financial system is coming back and that private capital will start replacing the government's investment in banks. In comments at the Treasury, Tim Geithner said the government expects to get checks totalling more than $185B in repaid TARP, after Wells Fargo (WFC) said Monday it will repay $25B in bailout money. Geithner trumpeted the success of TARP, saying it had earned more than $15B in income from the sector. He also acknowledged that there's still a lot to do to improve access to credit for small business and to jump-start job creation. Earnings: Before Open Joy Global (JOYG): FQ4 EPS of $1.20 beats by $0.19. Revenue of $964M (-6.6%) vs. $931M. "We see 2009 as the cyclical floor for incoming orders... Our customers are increasing their capital expenditure budgets for 2010." (PR) Earnings: Tue. After Close AAR (AIR): FQ2 EPS of $0.34 beats by $0.04. Revenue of $329M (-7%) vs. $346M. (PR) Adobe (ADBE): FQ4 EPS of $0.39 beats by $0.02. Revenue of $757M (-17%) vs. $753M. Sees Q1 revenue of $800M-850M vs. $798M. (PR, earnings call transcript) Today's MarketsAsia stocks were mixed Wednesday, but Europe markets and U.S. futures have moved higher.
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Apple's Stocking Will Be Stuffed
It's going to be a very happy holiday season for Apple -- overall Mac sales in the United States were up 21 percent year over year in October and November, according to the NPD Group. Another analysis firm, Gartner, projects that smartphone sales will increase over the next few years, with software, services and content being much bigger drivers than hardware. The iTunes App Store comes to mind. "It's going to be an Apple Christmas, and I'm pegging revenues at $650 million above street estimates," Broadpoint AmTech analyst Brian Marshall told MacNewsWorld.
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OWC offers memory upgrades for 2009 Mac Pro quad-core models
Posted by Dennis SellersOther World Computing (OWC) has announced third party 32GB 1066MHz DDR3 ECC memory upgrade for all Mac Pro quad-core Pro models, including the newest 3.33GHz model announced by Apple earlier this month.
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Most 'Macsimum' readers apparently not experiencing 27-inch iMac graphics issues
Posted by Dennis SellersRecently we asked Macsimum readers if you had bought a 27-inch iMac and experienced any of the graphics issues that some users are reporting. Most of you apparently haven't.
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Mac OS Ken: 12.16.2009
Judge Grants Apple Motion for Permanent Injunction Against Psystar / Apple and 17 Others Sued for Software Registration Patent Infringement / NYT Examines iPhone Reliability in the States / Ars Technica Agrees and Disagrees with The NYT / AT and T Responds to Fake Steve Call to Cripple Death Star Data Network / Pearl of Africa Gets iPhone Through Orange Uganda / Yankee Group Says Carriers Likely to Back Off of Big Handset Subsidies in 2010 / Google Trademarks Nexus One Android Phone / Android App Count Unofficially at 20k / Google Chrome Beta Releases Push Safari Browser into Fourth Place / Snow Leopard Printer Driver Updates Available for Epson and Lexmark Printers / Nielsen Says Apple Tenth Biggest Online Player in US in November / iPhone and iPod Touch Most Searched Gifts Online in UK
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Uptick in Holiday Spending Leads to a Blowout Win for Amazon
Overall consumer spending is holding steady, even as we've picked up major improvements in holiday spending for the 2009 season.In short, overall consumer spending is virtually the same as in our previous ChangeWave survey. But holiday spending is extraordinarily better than a year ago (November 2008), when just 10% of respondents said they'd be spending more and 59% less.
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Has Apple Risen Too Fast?
One of things about watching any stock too closely is that you can easily lose perspective of the environment within which it plays. Without that wider perspective you start questioning every pop, every down day, every undulation. And then on days like Monday, December 14, you start to wonder why your favorite stock isn't performing better. You know its a great stock, backed by a great company, with fundamentals that are the envy of the entire market, never my just the tech sector. So, why didn't Apple (AAPL) blast off when all the indexes did and leaders of other sectors did. Why isn't Apple performing the way you know it should? Past Gap-ups are influencing the current action
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Verizon's mobile broadband customers get bundled WiFi access
Verizon's playing catch-up this week in a game some of its rivals have been playing for ages now -- the WiFi business -- by bundling access to a fairly extensive network of hotspots in the US, Canada, and Mexico with its broadband data plans. It's a double-edged sword, though, because they're not stepping up to the plate with as much conviction as AT&T and T-Mobile have; first off, Verizon's limiting the service strictly to users of its modems and MiFi boxes while the other guys have succumbed to bundling it with smartphone data packages, and secondly, it appears hell-bent on forcing connections to go through the same crapware connection management app used with its data cards. Of course, you could argue that Verizon's larger 3G footprint gives 'em less impetus to offload users to WiFi, but by the same token, they're charging more for service -- so yeah, we're gonna predict they relent at some point just as AT&T ultimately did.Verizon's mobile broadband customers get bundled WiFi access originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Wed, 16 Dec 2009 04:07:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.Permalink | Verizon Wireless | Email this | Comments
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Cramer's Stop Trading! No One Is Buying Best Buy? (12/15/09)
Stocks discussed on Jim Cramer's Stop Trading! TV Segment,Tuesday December 15.Citigroup (C), Bank of America (BAC), Wells Fargo (WFC), Best Buy (BBY), AT&T (T), Apple (AAPL), Verizon (VZ)
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Retail sales improve in November
Posted by Dennis SellersDespite lackluster retail numbers since August 2009, consumers have increased their retail spending markedly in November and the outlook for planned purchasing in December is strong, according to the Consumer Reports Index, Dec '09 report.